ABC/Randy HolmesBastille had a busy 2018 thanks to their Marshmello collaboration, "Happier," which has given the British band the biggest hit of their career. With the year now winding down, frontman Dan Smith is looking forward to some family time during the holidays. "My mum and dad are South African but they live in London, and it's become a tradition for them to have a Christmas Eve party every 24th," Smith tells ABC Radio. "And so all the South Africans in and around London and all our friends and my friends and their parents, everyone goes to my mum and dad's house." Those parties, Smith explains, featuring "loads of food" and a "fair amount" of drinking. "Sometimes a bit too much," he admits. "It can hang over into Christmas Day." Since Bastille broke through in 2013 with the hit single, "Pompeii," they've basically been constantly busy, but Smith says it's always been important to the band to head home for the holidays. "We've had kind of quite a mad last five years but...we've always all wanted to make sure we're definitely home for Christmas and spend it like with friends and loved ones and stuff," Smith says. Bastille will close out 2018 with a performance on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest, airing December 31 at 8 p.m. on ABC. They plan to release a new album in 2019, called Doom Days. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. 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... A personal injury occurs when a person's body, mind, or emotions are injured due to the negligence, carelessness, or wrongful... 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 If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Just In Indian company wants to buy 1,500 MW power from Nepal Kathmandu, December 24 A company backed by the Indian government has expressed interest to buy 1,500 MW of electricity from Nepal for the long run. Indias NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigams latest proposal has kindled hope among Nepali power producers that future projects will get a market in India even if excess power is generated in Nepal. NVVVN, which has been selling power to Nepal during the dry season, wants to supply 500 MW produced in Nepals Upper Karnali to Bangladesh. Energy Minister Barsa Man Pun said that a proposal to buy power from Nepals Upper Karnali has already been tabled in the countrys council of ministers. According to officials, Nepal can only start exporting power when the Tamakoshi project comes online. Hanukkah, The Festival Of Lights Happy early Hanukkah! This year Hanukkah started in November. We believe the last time it did was in 2013, on November 27 when it began... Letters to the Editor Land Of OpportunityStill To The Editor: I rarely take a car service in Queens. Mass transit is usually faster and its become much cheaper... 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. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 German energy generation and energy trading company Uniper, a subsidiary of E.ON SE (EONGY.PK), said that it received a unilateral binding offer from Energetick a prmyslov holding, a. s. or EPH, through its wholly owned subsidiary EP Power Europe, and has accepted to enter into exclusive negotiations with EPH for the sale of Uniper's activities in France. Uniper noted that the aim of EPH is to acquire all activities and assets of Uniper in France. The next step now is a mandatory consultation process with the employees' representative bodies to be initiated in January. Only then a possible transaction can be concluded. The exploratory process for a possible sale of Uniper's activities was initiated as part of a strategic review of the French which was communicated in August. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Gold prices inched higher on Monday as a partial U.S. government shutdown over President Trump's demand for more funds for a wall on the border with Mexico dented investors' risk appetite, ahead of the Christmas break. The partial U.S. government shutdown is expected to continue into January, when the new Congress convenes and Democrats take over the House of Representatives. Spot gold rose half a percent to $1,259.86 per ounce while U.S. gold futures were up 0.4 percent at $1,263.25 per ounce. Trade worries also returned to the fore after White House trade advisor Peter Navarro said that the trade war between the U.S. and China would not come to an end in near-term. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin moved to quell firestorm over repeated attacks on the Federal Reserve, saying that Trump is opposed to the Fed's rate hike campaign, but has never suggested firing Board Chairman Jerome Powell. After calling the bank CEOs on Sunday in an apparent attempt to check on system liquidity, Mnuchin will chair a meeting of the President's Working Group on Financial Markets later today. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis The Canadian stock market is likely to open on a mixed note on Monday. Bargain hunting after three successive days of losses and slightly higher gold prices are expected to push the market up, but lingering concerns about trade and the uncertain political situation in the U.S. may weigh on sentiment and prompt investors to tread cautiously. On Friday, the benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index ended down 206.33 points, or 1.46%, at 13,935.44, slightly off the day's low of 13,924.38. In company news, Ensign Energy Services Inc. (ESI.TO) and Trinidad Drilling Ltd. (TDG.TO) announced that Ensign's offer to purchase all the common shares of Trinidad for $1.68 per share has expired. Following this, Trinidad will proceed with the special meeting of Trinidad shareholders scheduled for January 31, 2019 to consider, and approve, a going private Subsequent Acquisition Transaction. AutoCanada Inc. (ACQ.TO) announced on Friday that it has been awarded the right to a General Motors open point dealership featuring the Chevrolet, Buick and GMC brands in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, a community located in the northeastern sector of Greater Vancouver. The Company will construct an approximately 33,400 square foot facility designed to General Motors image standards, with construction expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2020. Asian ended mixed on Monday as investors refrained from making big moves, weighed by the impact of a partial U.S. government shutdown and increasing trade tensions. Comments by White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro that the U.S.-China trade war would not come to an end in near term weighed as well. European markets were edging lower Monday morning amid lingering trade tensions and concerns over a partial U.S. government shutdown. In commodities, crude oil futures for February were down $0.63, or 1.38%, at $44.96 a barrel. Natural gas futures for February were declining by $0.136, or 3.63%, at $3.614 per million btu. Gold futures for February were up $6.75, or 0.55%, at $1,264.85 an ounce. Silver futures for February were edging up $0.030, or 0.2%, at $14.732 an ounce, while copper futures for March were down $0.011, or 0.47%, at $2.663 per pound. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Minister of Information meets US news channel PBS correspondent in Sanaa [24/December/2018] SANAA,Dec.24 (Saba) - Minister of Information Dhaif allah al-Shami on Sunday met in the capital Sanaa the correspondent of US news channel PBS. During the meeting, the minister affimred the importance of role that the media missions should play to transmit the truth of the crimes committed in daily basis by the coalition of US-backed saudi-led aggression. He said, the visit the US media teams represents a positive step to inform the public opinion on the huge grievance caused by the military and economic war waged by the aggression coalition and their blockade imposed on the country. The correspondent of PBS said that her visit aimes to at reporting on the situation of children who malnourished and patients with cholera in a number of Yemeni hospitals. Amal/AA saba saba Nawaz Sharif (file photo) An accountability court on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to seven years in prison in Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference, while acquitted him in the the Flagship Investments reference. The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader was taken into custody after the verdict and will be transported to Adiala Jail. He was also fined Rs 1.5 billion in the Al-Azizia reference. Twelve-year-old Seirosa Wallwork Lamb lives by the moto how can I help. The daughter of Travis Lamb and Sua Hellene Wallwork, Seirosa recently presented $2000 to Samoa Observers Publisher Muliaga Jean Ash Malifa for the Save the Childs Fund. At her tender age, this is the third charity work she has undertaken and raised funds for in the last two years. Aiming to be a doctor, Seirosas charity work revolves around medical assistance. I started this initiative last year when my grandmother (Sua Julia Wallwork) and Island Rock were giving out Christmas presents to families first thing that came to mind was first aid kits. So I started doing fundraising. I sold cookies that I baked and I got $1050 and I purchased first aid kits to be included in the hampers. And my second fundraising started at the beginning of this year, 2018. I sold cookies and received $2000 and I gave it to Mapuifagalele. Seirosa said during the school holidays this year she wanted to fundraise for another non-profit organisation, and Save the Childs Fund came to mind. I sold cookies, pies and whatever else I could bake and I received $2000 and that is the donation to the Samoa Observers Save the Childs Fund. Asked why donate to this fund, Seirosa said she wants to be a doctor and Save the Childs Fund sends children overseas for medical assistance. I want to be a doctor when I grow up. I want to help save lives, hence the first thing that came to mind, was the first aid kits to be included in the hampers that was given to families. First aid kits is a daily necessity, when I was younger I carried my own kit in my school bag and I know how useful the kits are, she said. What prompted Seirosa to help? My grandmother Sua Julia Wallwork is my role model. All her life, she is always dedicated to helping people and she always put other before herself and that is who I want to be, my grandmother. Her selfless dedication to helping people is why my grandmother is my hero and role model, she added. Seirosa then told the Samoa Observer how baking has assisted her in achieving her charity goals. When I was little my mom baked a lot and I watched with admiration and learned from my mom in her kitchen. My mom has a recipe book (which she added her own notes) and was handed down to me with instruction.. to learn how to make these recipes. I want you to try it out, said she added. The 12-year-old also had a message for her peers, who can start their own charity work. Dont limit yourself, you can do anything and no one can limit what you do and say. If you have an idea, stand up for it, even if no one is on board with you, she said. ABOUT THE FUND The Save the Childs Fund was started by the Samoa Observer with generous donations from members of the community to help needy families send their children overseas for medical treatment. One of the biggest donors is the family of the late Augustine Fuiavailili Fe'esago, who donate on a monthly basis. Twenty lucky winners walked away with assorted prizes valued at $20,000 in a Christmas promotion run by local firm Krissy Company Limited. The Ah Liki Wholesale Vaitele was where the 20 winners met to collect their prizes which ranged Bluetooth speakers, Bluetooth headphones, laptops, 32-inch TV sets and a PS4 bundle. There were also 15 recipients of consolation prizes, who were given boxes of Ringo snacks and hampers. One of the lucky winners, Faleolo Leo from Vaitele Fou expressed her sincere gratitude towards Krissy Snacks Company for a brand new Bluetooth speaker. I entered the draw by buying five 120 grams of Krissy snacks and wrote my name and put it in one of the boxes. I am so happy because now my son can have a Christmas present this year and I am sure he will be so happy with his new speaker, she said. Luatua Leiite Setefano, the public relations officer at Ah Liki Wholesale, said the winners were selected from 20,000 entries which were collected from various retail outlets. There were 20 winners and an additional 15 consolation winners for our promotion that started on November and ended on the 14th of December. The prizes are estimated to be worth $20,000 in total value. We conducted this promotion as a way to give back to the Samoan people for their support with the purchase of our products, Luatua said, and added they plan to continue the promotion next year. On behalf of our managing directors, management and staff of Ah Liki investment group, we wish Samoa a merry Christmas and prosperous New Year. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi has wished Samoa and the rest of the world a Merry Christmas. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, he said in a festive season message, which was relayed during his weekly program with the media and recorded live on 2AP state-owned radio station. I want to commend the 2AP as this program started in 2010 and it has been eight years, sitting here waiting to answer controversy questions by the media. However whats commendable about this is the fact that you (media) never ceases to come each day and hassle me with your question. And at the same time this is a platform for the government to respond to any predicament faced by the Government. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Tuilaepas tenure in office as Prime Minister. The milestone, which was reached last month, makes him the regions longest serving Prime Minister and Head of Government. Manua Fetineiai and her family from Falevao have their challenges, but all those worries disappeared when Island Rock staff and media representatives arrived. Her family was one of three who received food hampers like a box of tinned fish, noodles, box of crackers, sacks of rice, sugar as well as toys for the children as part of the local companys 25 Days of the Spirit of Christmas Campaign. The campaign targeted families that were featured in the Village Voice column in the Samoa Observer this year. Speaking on behalf of Manua family was her mother, 51-year-old Lepeka Keniseli, who expressed her gratitude on behalf of the family. Firstly, I am shocked with these gifts, I did not expect something like this, because apparently I was not here when Samoa Observer came across my family in which my daughter represented us in relaying concerns we face as a family. We acknowledge the assistance by Island Rock in gifting us with enough supplies to last through the holidays. May God continue to bless your company for sparing a thought to those in need and have nothing to give back, she said. Lepeka said their family had lived there for more than 20 years and still have no access to clean drinking water. As my daughter had stated in her previous interview with Samoa Observer, we only have access to untreated watermeaning we have to boil the water first before we consume it, so we will not be sick. It makes it worse that we have a full house, there are 10 of us living together and the water we use has to be allocated to various uses. We need water for bathing, cooking, washing dishes and clothes but then we have my elderly mother that we are currently taking care of, she added. Tapunuu Kevin Iene, an Island Rock representative, told the family that their campaign focused on giving back to the community. Our company wishes to spread the spirit of Christmas with giving to selected families and organisations that deserve to celebrate the joy of Christmas with everyone else. The campaign is ongoing for 25 days from the 30th of November to the 24th of December and it will feature a variety of programmes and activities, he said. The Samoa Police Service has donated $2000 tala to the Mapuifagalele - Home for the Age. The Police choir group also performed for the elderly residents in a performance witnessed by the Police Commissioner Fuiavailiili Egon Keil, the executive and the staff of the home as well as the police service. The residents have asked for the police choir to return and perform again in the New Year. The Commissioner acknowledged the appreciation by the Reverend mother of Mapuifagalele and conveyed good wishes from the members of the Samoa Police Service for the festive season. The Police also visited the Pediatric Ward at the Motootua Hospital last Friday and presented $3000 tala worth of gifts. Their choir group sang Christmas carols for the sick children. In a statement posted on the Police Services Facebook page, the Samoa Police Service said the visit was a memorable and emotional experience for the Commissioner, management and staff of the Police Serviceespecially when seeing the smiles of the patients and the appreciation conveyed by the parents and the hospitals pediatric staff. The visit to Mapuifagalele and the hospital marks the second time the Samoa Police Service has done this during the festive period. Samoa Police Service would like to acknowledge the assistance of the general manager and staff of the National Health Services in the arrangement of this heartwarming event, the Samoa Police Service said in a statement. Photo: supplied. Story and photos: Misiona Simo and Aufai Areta Thank you God for your faithfulness, mercies and love that are new every morning. That was the message from a grateful mother, grandmother and great grandmother who celebrated a new era in her life journey at Sheraton Samoa Aggie Greys Hotel on Friday night. The occasion was the celebration of Sieni Mataafa Lesaisaeas 70th birthday. Sieni, of Saleaula, Fusi Saoluafata, Sagone, and Vaitele-fou is the daughter of the late Mataafa Apoua and Falefitu Mataafa. A pre-school teacher by profession, she married the late Levaopolo Alopopo Ramese of Papa Sataua and Neiafu. They have seven children in Faasega, Tofigaonafanua, Simolo, Falefitu, Fualole, Sosikeni and Hala. Sieni is the third eldest in a family of 12 siblings. Five have passed away but most of them who are alive flew in from Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America for her birthday. The celebration started on Friday morning when her Samoa-based children hosted an ava ceremony to welcome all her family who flew in from outside of Samoa to be with her. These included her children, grandchildren and great grand children who also came from Australia and New Zealand. Making the occasion extra special, her birthday was planned to co-inside with the Sieni and Ramese family reunion which kicked off at the Apia Harvest Centre Church on Thursday evening. The theme is Where there is unity, God commands a blessing. A lunch organised for her family was hosted at Salamumu beach on Saturday afternoon. At Sheraton on Friday night, the birthday told the story of Sienis journey from her humble beginnings at Salamumu where she learned from her parents how to live off farming and fishing. Guests were greeted with a maketi-like set up when they entered the foyer where a stall was set up with all the produces she sold to try and raise her children. These included tauaga (sinnet), bananas, vegetables, taro, coconuts and other goods from the land. Inside the classy Sheraton ballroom, it was decked out in her favourite colours, white and gold. Her children chose blue as their colour signifying the importance of the occasion. The leis for the guests were carefully chosen with her children opting for ula laumaile. In her younger years, Sieni used to sell them. Her Pastor, Reverend Dr. Faafetai Fata, of the Apia Harvest Centre Church, blessed the gathering and congratulated the birthday girl. Testimonies about Sienis life came from her brother, Pastor Mafi Mataafa from Sydney Australia, Taupau Faavesi, on behalf of her husbands family with Faasega and Tofiga speaking on behalf of the children. They spoke of a hard working woman who is kind, loving and fears God. The night was hosted by Sienis youngest brother, Tapuai Leota Tausani, who worked beautifully with Solace Band to roll out an unforgettable evening of great food, lovely company and great people. Her grandchildren and there are many of them did a great job keeping their nana and guests thoroughly entertained with items from all over the world including Africa where her grandchildren have done missionary work. During her speech, Sieni acknowledged everyone who has played a part in her journey, which now sees her working as a Counselor for Fortress of Faith Ministry, Teen Challenge and a member of the AHC Intercessors Group. She also hosts a weekly radio programme on Laufou Radio. But she reserved the highest praise for her God, saying: I am deeply grateful because if it wasnt for God Think a minute...Previously we discussed the famous Christmas Truce of World War I on Christmas Day, 1914. Allied and German soldiers made peace with each other for a few hoursbut the very next day continued to kill each other as enemies. We humans simply cannot create real, lasting peace. This is because, The heart of our problem is the problem of our heart. As the old popular song says: You can wear a mask and paint your face You can call yourself the human race You can wear a collar and a tie One thing you cant hide Is when youre crippled inside Our world and lives are broken because we broke our relationship with our Creator. Our problem is our war against our Maker. The famous poem Invictus expresses our proud, rebellious hearts with these words: I am the master of my fatethe captain of my soul. But as the brilliant English writer and former atheist, C.S. Lewis, finally admitted: I had wanted to call my soul my own[but] I gave in and admitted that God was GodFallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms. Toward the end of Americas war for independence, after George Washington had defeated the British army in battle, the British general kept flattering George Washington with words of praise. But Washington simply replied to the defeated General: Surrender your weapon, Sir. All the words of praise and good feeling mean nothinguntil the enemy surrenders his weapon. Talk is cheap. We too can praise Christ with our words, yet refuse to surrender our weapons to Him. We honor Him with our lips, but not with our life. We daily hurt our Creators loving heart and attack His wise authority with our weapons of sinful pride and rebellion by living our way not His way. We mock Jesus sacrifice for our sins with our weapon of self-righteousness that believes our own good works are good enough to save us from all our sins. We shamelessly insult and ignore Him and His loving laws for life with our weapons of lying, cheating, stealing, greed, sexual immorality, unforgiveness, envy, jealousy, gossip, prejudice, and drunkennessto name a few. Our uncontrolled, selfishly-used passions for pleasure, possessions, power, positions of respect and prestige are weapons of war against our Maker who mercifully died to save us from all these sins against Him. Amazingly, our Creator humiliated Himself for us His rebellious creatures. Christianity is the only religion that centers on the humiliation of God. God has every right to conquer and rule us with force and fearbut He would not have our hearts. So instead, because of His unconditional love for us, He chose to be born as a poor peasant in a feed trough with filthy animals. Think about it: Once in our world, a stable had something in it that was bigger than our whole world. But God the Son not only humiliated Himself in His birth, He also chose to die the most humiliating, painful death on the cross as the lowest of human criminals. Our Maker did all this for you and me. Gods Word says, While we were still His enemies, Christ died for us. If that does not humble our proud, rebellious hearts to ask for His forgiveness, and to surrender to His loving authority, then nothing will. How can we not love, trust and obey our Creator who died to save us? God has given us every reason and motivation to surrender to His loving Lordship over every area of our lives. So this year, wont you finally make your lifetime truce with your Creator by surrendering to His all-loving, all-wise authority? Its time to end your war with Him and come home to your Father and Maker. Then He can start leading you into the true life of lasting love, peace and satisfaction He created you to enjoy with Him. Just think a minute Five years ago, Viasat broke into the satellite Wi-Fi business by delivering fast in-flight Internet to passengers on commercial airlines, with 1,000 planes flying today with its technology. Two years ago, the Carlsbad company began building Wi-Fi hotspots in rural communities in Mexico, bringing Internet connectivity within walking distance of 1 million people. Now Viasat is pushing satellite Wi-Fi hotspots into cities in Mexico -- particularly neighborhoods that lack wired infrastructure or reliable cellular service. Viasat Urban Wi-Fi is being rolled out in Mexico City this month. Several other cities are slated to get the service next year, including Tijuana, Cabo San Lucas, Guadalajara, Guanajuato, Puebla and Veracruz. Advertisement What we have seen with our community Wi-Fi service, which is mainly in rural areas, is that there are a lot of places closer to cities in Mexico where infrastructure isnt fully developed, particularly in more economically challenged areas, said Kevin Cohen, Viasats manager for Mexico. Viasat aims to help close that digital divide. Its prepaid Wi-Fi hotspots serve up as much as 100 megabits per second Internet speeds at prices as low as 50 cents per hour, depending on the region. said Cohen. It is one of the hottest topics out there -- digital inclusion and how disadvantaged people are if they dont have access to the Internet, said Mark Dankberg, Viasats chief executive. The thing that is exciting about what we can do is for a couple thousand dollars (in equipment), we can provide really good connectivity. With an investment of that size, you dont need a lot of money to get a reasonable return. Consumers buy access based on the amount of time theyre online or the amount of data they use. Additional options, such as application-specific plans, are being developed. Viasat is delivering the broadband from its new ViaSat-2 satellite. Launched last year, ViaSat-2 expanded the companys geographic footprint to beyond the U.S. and into Mexico, Central America and parts of South America. Mexico is an obvious place for us to start, but we are planning to expand into other places in Central America and the Caribbean, said Dankberg. Viasat acquired Wi-Fi hotspot managed services firm NetNearU in 2014 to expand its Wi-Fi capabilities. NetNearU manages 14 million hotspots in nearly 30 countries. In the U.S., Viasat sells satellite broadband mostly to individual homes and businesses outside the reach of cable, with plans ranging from $70 to $150 per month. But in Mexico, the company has focused on Wi-Fi hotspots. Viasat typically partners with a community store or other locale to install a satellite dish and related equipment. When people want to get online, they purchase a pin code from the store to connect their smartphones or computers. The time frame for bringing Wi-Fi hotspots to Tijuana hasnt been pinned down yet, said Cohen. We are actually already in suburban areas along the way to Tecate with our service, he said. There are a lot of areas like that where there is no fixed broadband, even though there is high density. In addition to Wi-Fi hotspots, Viasat said in September that it will supply in-flight Wi-Fi to 18 new commercial jets that Boeing is building for Aeromexico, with an option to add 60 more aircraft. Viasat also has entered into an agreement with Ubix, a telecommunications services provider, to sell and install equipment for Viasats broadband satellite Internet for businesses throughout Mexico. Business mike.freeman@sduniontribune.com; Twitter:@TechDiego 760-529-4973 When longtime volunteer Melanie Van Horn showed up for her regular shift in the surgical department at Tri-City Medical Center on Sept. 4, she wasnt feeling very good. So the 77-year-old auxiliary member asked nursing shift manager Alyce Budde if she could go home to rest. Instead, Budde took one look at Van Horn and saw the warning signs of an imminent heart attack or stroke. Within minutes, Budde and a fellow caregiver at the Oceanside hospital whisked Van Horn into the emergency room on a gurney. Their quick actions likely saved Van Horns life. Last Wednesday, Van Horn paid the favor forward by endowing a $1,000 annual nursing scholarship in Buddes name. She could have said, OK, just go home. But because she didnt say those four words, Im here today, Van Horn said Wednesday, in a presentation at a board meeting of the Tri-City Medical Center Auxiliary. Advertisement Nurse Alyce Budde, left, and auxillary volunteer Melanie Van Horn celebrate together Wednesday at Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside after Van Horn announced starting a nursing scholarship in Buddes name. (Bill Wechter / San Diego Union-Tribune) The normally laconic Budde, 65, brushed off her quick actions, saying that nurses at Tri-City are trained to save lives every day. But having the opportunity to help her longtime colleague through a health crisis has been a boon to their friendship. Hugs werent a thing for Melanie before, Budde said. Now I can hug her and shes OK with it. Budde has worked as a registered nurse for nearly 44 years, the past 29 at Tri-City. She started in orthopedics and ended up in the surgery department, where she helps oversee patients recovering from surgery and anesthesia. I was born to be a nurse, said Budde, an Oceanside resident. Its not a profession for me, its a vocation. I was cursed with too much empathy so Ive always liked taking care of people. The nurses work closely with the hospitals 530 volunteer auxiliary members, who assist in 28 departments, from surgery to shuttle drivers. We depend on our volunteers, Budde said. They work tirelessly and do it out of kindness, caring and a desire to give back. Van Horn joined the auxiliary 14 years ago and has amassed 6,500 volunteer hours, most of them in the surgical recovery room. She said she enjoys the work because she loves hospitals: When I walk through the doors, I feel like Im home. Mary Gleisberg, president of the Tri-City auxiliary, said Van Horn is highly dedicated and known for never missing a shift. She represents the values of working as a volunteer at Tri-City, Gleisberg said. Shes reliable, conscientious and devoted to serving the patients. Van Horn, whose first name is pronounced Muh-LAH-nee, grew up in South Gate and Downey, where her parents taught her the responsibility of giving back to her community. She volunteered regularly as a young adult, worked in her childrens schools when they were young and later worked as a buyer and manager for a childrens clothing store. In 1970, she and her husband of 42 years, Brad, moved to Oceanside. A few days before Brad passed away in 2004, he was treated in the emergency room at Tri-City. While they were there, Van Horn noticed the hospital allowed its auxiliary members to work closely with patients, something she couldnt do as a hospital volunteer in Downey. After her husbands death, she applied to join the Tri-City auxiliary and the first place she asked to work was the emergency room, in the very cubicle where her husband had been treated. I needed to do that to work it through in my mind, she said. The first time she met Budde in the surgical department, it wasnt love at first sight. Budde is known for her no-nonsense demeanor and when she saw Van Horn carrying a chair for a male doctor, Budde gave her a dressing-down, saying a male doctor could get his own chair. She scared the life out of me. I scurried away and didnt talk to her for three months, Van Horn recalled with a laugh. Shes old school. I had to learn to watch my Ps and Qs around her. But over time their relationship grew into a mutual respect for each others work ethic and devotion to patients. Budde said she has enjoyed a sporty repartee of mutual heckling with Van Horn. Over the years, Van Horn went from volunteering two days a week to three, and from five-hour shifts to seven- or eight-hour shifts that often began at 4:30 a.m. Earlier this year, Van Horn noticed a strange throbbing sensation on the left side of her body, combined with a growing sense of fatigue. A doctor diagnosed atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat, and put her on medication, but she never told Budde about her diagnosis. Then, on Sept. 4, when Van Horn told Budde she was going home sick, Budde immediately spotted the symptoms of a heart in distress. Van Horn was sweating profusely, her neck was flushed and, when Budde felt her wrist, Van Horns pulse was racing. She asked Van Horn if she had atrial fibrillation, took her into an empty treatment room and hooked her up to a heart monitor. I took one look at her heart rate and said, oh crap, youre not driving home today, Budde said. Then I called the rapid response team. Van Horn spent the night in the hospital and the next day underwent a cardioversion procedure to shock her heart back into a natural rhythm. In the months since, Van Horn has worked closely with her cardiologist to regulate her medication and heartbeat. She has also leaned heavily on Budde, who has been a frequent source of support and a sounding board whenever she has felt down or anxious. Van Horn returned to limited shifts in October and said she felt compelled to share with the hospital staff and administration Buddes role in her rescue and follow-up care. She wrote an open letter, which ran in the hospital newsletter, and on Wednesday she surprised Budde and the auxiliary board with the announcement of the Alyce Budde scholarship. Each year, it will be awarded to a nursing student at either Palomar College, MiraCosta College or Cal State San Marcos. Budde said she was touched by the tribute, especially since shes been impressed by many of the nurses who have come out of those North County nursing programs. Aaron Byzak, Tri-Citys chief government and external affairs officer, said that while Buddes life-saving effort was impressive, it wasnt a first. Just a few months ago, another Tri-City nurse saved a person who was choking on food in the hospital cafeteria. What (Alyce) did was not unusual, Byzak said. Its part of the culture here that if you see something happening, you get involved. She got involved. pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com One of National Citys biggest events, the annual International Mariachi Festival, will be relocated to Chula Vistas Bayside Park in 2019. Plans to move the festival, which has drawn more than 10,000 aficionados of mariachi music and traditional Mexican dance to National Citys Pepper Park in recent years, came about for several reasons. Organizers said the event has outgrown the waterfront park in National City, where new security measures in the spring made the event less accessible to the public and increased costs. Jacqueline Reynoso, CEO and president of the National City Chamber of Commerce, which has put on the festival since 2012, said the decision to cut ties with National City was bitter-sweet. Advertisement Its exceeded all of our expectations, she said of the event. Its just beautiful. Were proud. Reynoso said there were several new security measures the festival was subject to in 2018, including a larger net of street closures that made the event less accessible to the public, a change she said drove down attendance. While the festival has been growing steadily, its attendance dipped from roughly 12,000 in 2017 to about 8,000 in 2018. Additional security measures included a threefold increase in the number of security officers the chamber was required to hire, which tripled costs to hire security officers to almost $15,000, Reynoso said. Permit and city-related fees also increased from about $1,000 to $9,000. The new figure included costs to staff National City police officers at the event, which was a new requirement. The festival is an event co-sponsored by the city, which means National City covers about $1,000 in permit fees. The changes to the festival came the same year the city stripped long-standing funds for the chamber $50,000 from its 2018-19 budget. Reynoso said the chamber used some of the funds for the festival and other events that are open to the public. Without that leverage in hand, it makes it more challenging to put on events, Reynoso said. In total, it costs about $200,000 to put on the festival. Because the chamber relies on about $65,000 from the Port of San Diego through its Tidelands Activation Program, which offers sponsorship for events near San Diego Bay organizers eyed Bayside Park as the festivals new home. Reynoso said she is pleased with the new location. She said Chula Vistas largely Latino population and the heritage the festival honors are a perfect match. Chula Vista Mayor Mary Casillas Salas said she was excited and pleased to host the festival. This is a great family event for the entire bi-national region and (Im) glad that the National City Chamber of Commerce is bringing this signature event to our bayfront, she said. On Tuesday, the City Council agreed unanimously to endorse the event a move that means the city will promote the event and allows the chamber to use the citys logo for its promotion. While the festival will move away from National City, Reynoso said her organization will remain committed to its members and other community partners it has worked with in the past that still want to be part of the event. For example, she said, if the chamber has 10 spots for food vendors, it will give preference to its members, which includes restaurants. One advantage of the move, Reynoso said, is businesses that take part in the event will be exposed to consumers outside of National City. Its not yet known whether the festival will be held in Chula Vista beyond 2019. One idea is that the event be held in a different port city each year a rotation that would allow the chamber to hold onto funds from the Port of San Diego. We need our support network, Reynoso said. Whoever is going to be there to help support this great initiative, we want to work with them. The 7th annual International Mariachi Festival is set for March 10. Some new aspects planned for the event include a pavilion for artists and artisans to sell art and a VIP area near the waterfront, with the ticket price set at $50. The chamber also plans to expand areas such as the green zone, which will include booths for attendees to learn about energy efficiency, water conservation and healthy living, and a kids area, which will include face painting, bounce houses and a petting zoo. For more information on the festival, visit mariachifest.com. Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com Phone: (619) 293-1876 Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez December 24, 1919 Evening Tribune 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. Wednesday, December 24, 1919 In 1919 Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels signed an order making San Diego a naval base. San Diego had long courted the Navy with offers of land and harbor improvements in order to entice a permanent navy presence. Here are the first few paragraphs of the story: S.D. GETS NAVAL BASE DANIELS SIGNS ORDER FOR ESTABLISHING OF HUGE LOCAL STATION International News Service WASHINGTON, Dec. 24. Secretary of the Navy Daniels this afternoon signed a general order for the construction of a naval base at San Diego, Cal. The base will include an air station, a fuel depot, a hospital, marine barracks, a radio station and a repair station. COMMANDANT TO BE NAMED Associated Press WASHINGTON, Dec. 24. The naval establishment at San Diego, Cal. was designated today by Secretary Daniels as a naval base. All divisions of the establishment, including the fuel depot, repair station, marine barracks and radio station, will be placed under general supervision of a commandant to be appointed for the base. News that Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels had today signed an order making San Diego a naval base was given to the chamber of commerce by The Evening Tribune and in a message received shortly before noon by A.P. Johnson, jr., president of the chamber, from Congressman William Kettner, in Washington. The telegram sent to President Johnson by Congressman Kettner was as follows: Washington. D.D., Dec. 24. A.P. Johnson, Jr., President Chamber of Commerce: It is a real pleasure to inform through you the citizens of San Diego that San Diego will be designated today officially as the naval base. This is indeed a pleasant Christmas gift to the people of San Diego. William Kettner. The receipt of the of this news occasioned great joy at the chamber of commerce and among the navy officers here, to whom it was communicated. Belief was expressed that Secretary Daniels would soon name a real admiral as commandant of the San Diego naval base and that this section will be designated as a naval district entirely district from any other on the Pacific coast. 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 birds are recovering at a wildlife care center after officials said the animals overdosed on pills dumped at a park in Huntington Beach. Last week, authorities said, a man spotted hundreds of pills on the grass at Carr Park. After seeing a goose in distress, he called animal control. A Canada goose and a ring-billed gull ended up receiving treatment from the Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center, according to the center. The gull was brought in Dec. 17 and the goose the following day. Both showed symptoms of drug overdose, said Lisa Peronne, the centers wildlife manager. Symptoms included loss of muscle control and a neurological twitching of the head, she said. Advertisement Two birds are recovering at a wildlife care center after overdosing on pills dumped at a park in Huntington Beach. (Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center) The birds treatment consisted of pushing IV fluids through their system to flush the drugs out. Were not really clear as to the reasoning behind the pills being there, Peronne said. Both birds are doing real well now. The goose is scheduled for release Wednesday. The gull, which recently began flying again, will be reevaluated the same day. The Orange County Register reported that the pills were a mix of sedatives and other medications. Police told the news outlet the incident is under investigation. brittny.mejia@latimes.com Twitter: @Brittny_Mejia A 29-year-old man who was booked into jail Monday on suspicion of beating a man to death in San Diegos Old Town earlier this month was placed on probation two years ago for rushing onto the stage at a Taylor Swift concert and fighting with security guards, officials said. Christian Ewing is suspected of attacking 57-year-old Gregory Freeman on Dec. 5 about 5 p.m., leaving him gravely injured on Rosecrans Street near Pacific Highway and Interstate 5, said San Diego police Lt. Anthony Dupree. Witnesses saw Ewing use an object to repeatedly hit Freeman, who was on the ground at the time, Dupree said. The victim was taken to a hospital where he died of his injuries on Dec. 8. Advertisement Ewing was initially arrested on Friday for a parole violation, Dupree said. He was rebooked on suspicion of murder Monday. On Aug. 29, 2015, Ewing sneaked into Swifts sold-out show at San Diegos Petco Park without a ticket. He then made his way onto the field where he was noticed by two of the pop stars security guards. They told Ewing that he wasnt allowed on the field and were detaining him until they could turn him over to stadium security when Ewing escaped. He jumped on the stage during Swifts performance and was tackled by four security guards, one of whom suffered a broken rib during the scuffle. Swift kept singing as Ewing was taken into custody behind her. Ewing underwent a psychological evaluation and spent several months at Patton State Hospital before he was deemed mentally competent to stand trial. He later pleaded guilty to a felony charge of assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury and a misdemeanor charge of resisting an executive officer. At his sentencing hearing in March 2017, Ewing was placed on probation for two years, to be overseen by the Probation Departments mentally ill offender unit. Ewing was also ordered to stay 100 yards away from the security guard he injured, Swift and any venue where shes performing. Investigators asked that anyone with information about the Old Town killing to call police at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at (888) 580-8472. Winkley writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. Winkley writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com The Laguna Beach City Council has approved purchasing a new odor control system aimed at reducing the stench emanating from a sewer lift station in a south end neighborhood by summertime, officials said. Construction of the roughly $250,000 biological odor control system is expected to begin at the Bluebird South Orange County Wastewater Authority lift station at the corner of Glenneyre and Calliope streets in February, said David Shissler, Laguna Beachs director of water quality. Residents of the nearby Victoria Beach neighborhood have long complained about foul odors emanating from the station. The new system will cleanse the air emitted from the lift stations wet well and manholes in the streets. The rotten egg smell is caused by decaying organic material in the raw wastewater that releases odorous compounds, such as hydrogen sulfide, according to a city report. Its amazing how well it works, Shissler said of the new odor control system. You really dont smell anything. Advertisement Early last year, the city installed the same system at the sewer lift station near the farmers market across from the Laguna Playhouse on Broadway Street. Councilwoman Toni Iseman said before the system was installed, she would often call the city manager to complain about the smell. You used to go to the farmers market and youd avoid a certain area, she said during a recent council meeting. That technology was amazing I didnt know it could be fixed. And so Im confident if the same technology is going [in the Bluebird lift station], we wont have a problem. The odor control system uses vacuum suction to draw the smelly gases from the lift stations wastewater holding tank and from underground piping around the area, Shissler said. The odor control system then carries the gases through a series of shelves, where bugs feed on the gas. By the time it gets to the end of that maze all of that sulfite gas has been eaten by those bugs, he said. The last step of the system is polishing, where the air cleaned from the bugs then goes through a carbon filter to catch any remaining gas. The project for the station was approved in November 2017. The council voted unanimously earlier this month to allow the water department to purchase the equipment directly so that construction and installation can begin quickly, Shissler said. With the first odor control system as a guide, Shissler said the stink around the station near Victoria Beach should be gone about three months after the system is installed. In fairness to the people living around the lift station, we really are trying to take advantage of what we were able to do at the [first] station and have it work at this station and really try and reduce those odors, City Manager John Pietig said at the council meeting. But some residents living down South Coast Highway near Victoria Beach wish the city would do more to address sewage smell problems in other neighborhoods. Dan Sugg, who lives near the corner of McAulay Place and Coast Highway, said he often catches a whiff of rotten eggs when he steps outside in the morning to pick up his newspaper. Like several of his neighbors, he said the smell is worse early in the morning, around 6, and dissipates within a couple of hours. Marsha Bianchi lives across McAulay from the Suggs. She has contacted the city several times over the years about the stench that she said smells like sewage with a chemical overtone. One time this summer it was so bad it actually woke me up, Bianchi said. I was dreaming about something disgusting, and I woke up, and it was the sewer smell. Its unacceptable. These are really expensive homes, so we shouldnt have to deal with this. Shissler said the problem is not related to either of Victoria Beachs two small lift stations, but with the transmission main that runs nearly six miles down the center of Coast Highway, connecting the lift station near Victoria Beach to the coastal treatment plant in Aliso Canyon. Two million gallons of wastewater run through the pipelines 27-inch diameter every day, he said. At night, the flow slows to a near standstill, and the water becomes stagnant. The odors start to build. In the morning, when everyone starts taking their showers and using dishwashers, you get a huge rush of water that has been sitting all night, he said. And you get this big slug of stinky water thats coming through the system. The gaseous smells around Victoria Beach rise from a pipe vault near the McAulay Place and South Coast Highway intersection that lets air out from the underground system, Shissler said. The water quality team has installed two systems there that are intended to prevent the smells a super oxygenation system to help regulate the flow during the day and a magnesium hydroxide system to settle the gas at night. As with the biological odor control system, there are also carbon filters placed near manhole covers to stop the gas from releasing aboveground. Were doing as much as can be done with current technologies, Shissler said. Pinho writes for Times Community News Santa Claus better pack an extra coat and an umbrella in his sleigh on Christmas Eve because hes in for a wet and in some places white ride in California. Some Californians dreaming of a white Christmas can expect to get their wish this holiday season as a northern Pacific storm that brought rain Monday is forecast to drop fresh powder in the states mountainous regions beginning late Christmas Eve and continuing through Christmas Day. Light snow could accumulate near the Grapevine, but higher elevations in Southern California will see between 1 and 3 inches of powder, according to the National Weather Service. Eight to 12 inches of snow are expected at elevations above 6,000 feet across much of the Sierra Nevada. Travelers should be cautious as mountain roads will be icy with blowing snow from strong winds gusting up to 60 mph, the weather service said. Some people will be having a white Christmas this year, said Bonnie Bartling, a weather specialist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. Advertisement Thats good news for the state, as the Sierra Nevada is the key source of water for California, which is still recovering from years of drought conditions. The snowpack measured 106% of average, according to the states snow survey taken early this month. Thats more than double the 47% of average measured on the same day last year. A storm system will bring strong, potentially damaging N winds to the area Mon night & Christmas Day, along with mainly light rainfall & snow above 4,000 feet. Mountain roads will be dangerous - icy with blowing snow! #SoCal #CAwx #LAsnow pic.twitter.com/DMjhTFJA4F NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) December 24, 2018 The wet weather can cause anxiety for those in recent burn zones, but rainfall rates arent expected to be severe enough to trigger devastating debris flows, forecasters said. However, the weather service on Monday issued a flash flood watch for the area recently burned in the Mendocino Complex fire as the storm moves through Northern California. The forecast warns of possible scattered thunderstorms, which could bring stronger showers along with gusty winds up to 45 mph and hail in the region through the evening. The storm is expected to make its way into the Central Coast and southern portion of the state just in time for Christmas morning. So instead of a white Christmas, the Southland could see a drizzly one. Less than a quarter of an inch of precipitation is expected to fall across the region before the weather clears up Wednesday. Rain in Los Angeles County will be relatively light, and some areas might not see any precipitation at all, but its still going to be chilly, Bartling said. Temperatures in the mid- to low 60s are expected to descend on the region starting Tuesday and persist through the week. People should enjoy [Monday] because its going to be our last nice day for a while, Bartling said. Heading to the mountains for the holiday? Heavy #snow is expected on Christmas Eve, with light snow showers possible tomorrow. Be prepared for travel delays, chain controls, & winter conditions. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/H5mvCr8DoA NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) December 23, 2018 hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @Hannahnfry Rain was falling as evacuees returned to their beloved town in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Traffic slowed as drivers beheld the devastation. Five weeks earlier, an inferno swept through these wooded neighborhoods, exacting a terrible toll. Of the 86 people killed in the Camp fire, most lived here. Of the nearly 14,000 homes burned, 12,000 were here. Ninety percent of the town was lost, officials say. For the record: The article states that residents of Paradise recalled the City Council in the 1970s over an ordinance that would have developed a sewer system for the town. The recall took place in the 1990s. Block after block, homes sit crumbled atop foundations and footings, ashy-white landmarks in a landscape of charred trees and soot-blackened soil. The business districts fared no better, a grim catalog of destruction: restaurants collapsed around tables and chairs, a supermarket reduced to shelving and rubble, a liquor store with rows of shattered fifths, an antique mart where the face of a porcelain doll stares at the open sky. Advertisement Vehicles sit in a queue along Skyway, waiting to gain access to Paradise. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Residents and business owners say they will return and rebuild Paradise Strong and an army of utility workers has already swept through the city, felling trees, raising power poles, and stringing utilities. But the first reflex in the face of catastrophe is easy: hard work and resolve, as much a part of the American character as the impulse to raise a flag over the most unrecognizable ruins. But what comes next? Paradise wonders. It is a city of many unanswered questions, not the least of which is how the future can be imagined when the past and present have been so thoroughly erased. :: The week before Christmas, the maintenance staff at Paradise Alliance Church was preparing for the commencement of services. A remediation crew from Oklahoma, wielding vacuums, soot sponges and power washers, had scrubbed down the facility, which was untouched by the flames but tainted by smoke. Residents say there are two primary businesses in Paradise religion and mini-storage and Paradise Alliance is the largest church in a faithful city with nearly 30 Christian congregations. Servpro cleaner Johnny Velasquez of Yuba City vacuums between pews at the Paradise Alliance Church in Paradise. The church, barely touched by the Camp fire, plans to hold Christmas Eve services for the entire town of Paradise. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Not long after the fire, church leadership sent out a survey to 3,300 families in the database. Only 402 replied, a loss of 80%. As imprecise as the survey is, the results are the first indication of what Paradise will look like in the coming months. Much as the fire has diminished the congregation and jeopardized the business operations of the church, which depends upon the support of its members, the effect on local businesses and government will probably be the same. I wish I could see the future, said Tim Bolin, executive pastor of Paradise Alliance Church. But thats the nature of faith. Fog creeps along Butte Creek, viewed from Skyway, headed into the town of Paradise. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Built on the promise of gold and the certainty of lumber, Paradise got its start in the 1850s. In 1903, a railroad ran through the settlement and connected the Diamond Match Co., in the Sacramento Valley, with a timber mill 31 miles away. With ample water and good soil, the community attracted farmers who were intent on creating an apple empire. But as the 20th century ended, agriculture had given way to real estate, and only one of 35 original orchards remains. By the time a housing boom took off in the 1970s, Paradise had a reputation among retirees for its affordability and a 10-bed sanitarium that had grown into a 100-bed hospital. In 2001, 62% of Paradise was retirement age. However, that percentage dropped to 25% as the city evolved into a bedroom community for neighboring Chico. With a population slightly larger than South Pasadena, Paradise offered residents 19 square miles of homespun identity surrounded by wilderness. Residents proudly told out-of-towners that they lived in Paradise. They went to church and came out for Johnny Appleseed Days, the states oldest harvest festival where 1,000 pies were baked with apples from Noble Orchard, the sole remaining grower. Besides the people, there are three things that made Paradise special to me, said John Singler, 48, who has been a firefighter in the town for 26 years. One, the trees. Two, the Feather River Hospital. And three, the Paradise Irrigation District. The water in Paradise, he said, once tasted like a bubbling stream. But with an estimated 50,000 trees scheduled to be cut down, the severely damaged hospital closed until 2020 and the irrigation district still trying to assess damage to its pipes, what once were the givens for day-to-day life in Paradise are now its unknowns. Paradise Police Officer Perry Walters patrols the towns devastated streets. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) Before the Camp fire, Paradises economy had the strength and diversity of a suburban shopping mall with its anchor stores the hospital, Safeway, Kmart and smaller shops providing more specialized services: tattoos, beauty supplies, hobbies, antiques. Essential services ensured the success of incidental services. With all that gone, investors and homeowners are eyeing one another to see who will take the first step. It is a chicken-and-the-egg type of thing, said Monica Nolan, executive director of the Paradise Ridge Chamber of Commerce. Will businesses come first and residents follow, or will residents come first and businesses follow? With Safeway burned down and Kmarts parent company, Sears, in bankruptcy, Nolan holds out hope for the return of Ace Hardware. She also cites Joy Lyns Candies as a possible comeback success: It was lost to the fire, but the owners, she said, have plans to open a factory in Chico to continue making its beer brittle with Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Our businesses will need to be flexible, if not acrobatic, to survive, Nolan said. Until then, the town is turning to the government for support. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has already distributed $5 million, and more is on the way. Paradise is now largely dependent upon FEMA and the states office of emergency services. But that money, said town manager Lauren Gill, is only for the reimbursement of damage. To cover operating expenses, Paradise has asked state and federal legislators for $13 million annually for 10 years. The money would help stabilize revenues for the citys 70 employees and allow for the additional hires needed during the rebuilding process. For a city that is conservative, independent and filled with people who are not used to asking for a handout, Gill said the idea of a bailout goes against popular sentiment. Paradise, Gill said, putting her hands together, is a very small town and were not used to whats the word? we dont receive much money. People leave us alone, and we do well with our little town, our little community. We think of ourselves as small and mighty, and now we need that help. Just a few small items remain of the Christmas decorations that Anne Wycoff had in her home in Paradise, which was destroyed by the Camp fire. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Nearly 50% of the citys general fund $5 million goes to the Paradise Police Department, and after the fire, Chief Eric Reinbold has been operating in the dark. We have no notion of what our 2019 budget will look like, he said. Even as he anticipates serving up to 10,000 people contractors, residents of Paradise and nearby Magalia, who travel through the city he knows it will be difficult to justify staffing as it was before the blaze. Reinbold, 35, who lost his home, is trying to avoid the question of downsizing among the 20 sworn officers. He expects some attrition, though, especially among younger officers who might find policing this hollowed-out town too slow. Cutbacks have already claimed four line personnel with the Paradise Fire Department, which is managed by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. According to Singler, they were reassigned to other battalions in the state, and one of the citys two fire stations has temporarily closed. But providing municipal services is not the same as staying in business. With annual revenue of $230 million, the Feather River Hospital, owned by Adventist Health, contributed 30% of Paradises economy and was the towns largest employer with a staff of 1,300. Today only an off-site primary care and specialty clinic is operational. Were committed to this community, said Ryan Ashlock, vice president of finance. We will rebuild and put into place the medical facilities that the community needs. But what the community needs depends on the size of the community. For now, staff has been guaranteed salaries through Feb. 5, and they are also being offered positions at other Adventist Health facilities. The Paradise Irrigation District does not have these options. Unlike larger utilities that can spread costs over a broad customer base, the water district serves only Paradise. Before the fire, it had 10,500 meters in city; 1,500 meters are expected to be restored. We operate on $8 million annually, and 95% of that came from water usage and water rates from customers, said Kevin Phillips, assistant district manager. Phillips is asking the state to cover that amount until the district finds a balance between services and revenues. We just dont know what the bottom is, he said. A Christmas tree stands beside a sign welcoming people to Paradise. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) By destroying the city, the Camp fire has given Paradise a second chance. In its evolution from settlement to city, Paradise grew in a haphazard manner. Its roads have been described as loops and lollipops, so convoluted that residents speak of a mailman from the 1960s who is still lost in some remote neighborhood. This tangle is said to have contributed to the difficulty evacuating and the loss of life. We are looking at improving streets and rights-of-way with wider roads and more connections, more through-ways, Gill said. Re-imagining Paradise will require not only addressing the citys rugged topography but also changing the laissez-faire attitude of its businesses and residents. In the 1970s, residents recalled the City Council over an ordinance that would have developed sewers. Today, Paradise is said to be the largest city west of the Mississippi whose residents rely on individual septic systems for wastewater removal. When the water district went to voters in 2015 to increase rates by 30% approximated $6 per household two members of the board were recalled, and a third was voted out. And not until this year were business licenses required; local owners had long fought paying the city fee. The people who moved here liked a town with a hands-off approach to government, and they wanted it to stay that way, Phillips said. Will that change or not? Will the status quo a hands-off approach prevail, or will planning with codes and standards be put into place to fix the problems inherent in the area? Tension has already emerged in public forums. At a recent City Council meeting, Mayor Jody Jones found herself criticized by residents who blame her for the evacuation chaos on Nov. 8, the death toll and an ongoing lack of outreach. Congratulations on being elected mayor again, but please do something different, resident Michael Orr said during public comments. Orr called on Jones to resign. According to water manager Phillips, Paradise is a town divided between a loud minority and a silent majority, between moderate and extreme conservatives. The question for town manager Gill is whether political differences can be resolved in order to put Paradise back together. Potholes dont care about your politics, she said. They just need to be fixed. :: With evacuation orders lifted, some residents are trying to imagine what the future beyond years of exile might look like. Bolin, the Paradise Alliance Church pastor, hopes that the problems that the city once had namely, crime and drugs will be eliminated, and Paradise will become a place for young families and children. Paradise was the end of the road, and Paradise needs to be a destination, he said. Some predict Paradise will turn into a more upscale, affluent community as its retirees sell to speculators, more prepared for the time and expense it takes to rebuild. So we might see the population shift to more young professional families, Gill said. Firefighter Singler, who lost his home in the blaze, hopes that the new Paradise will see a return of the spirit of the mountain people: down home, self-reliant and helpful toward neighbors. We lost that, he said. We had gotten busy like the rest of the nation. Until then, Paradise is a cacophony of chain saws and large trucks, of neighbors connecting over tears and hugs and picking through the remains. This is how it begins, a slow reconciliation to the capriciousness of life. How it ends, no one knows. thomas.curwen@latimes.com Twitter: @tcurwen An anti-graft tribunal sentenced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to seven years in prison for corruption on Monday, drawing criticism from his party, which said the decision was a black stain on the justice system. The verdict came after Sharif was removed from power last year over corruption allegations. Sharif, who was serving his third stint as prime minister, has denied any wrongdoing. He is accused of possessing assets beyond his known sources of income, and was arrested after the ruling was announced. He can appeal the verdict, under which he was also fined $25 million for not disclosing how his family set up the Al-Azizia Steel Mills when he was exiled to Saudi Arabia by Pervez Musharraf, a former dictator who toppled Sharifs government in 1999. Advertisement The same court acquitted Sharif in a second case relating to his familys business in Britain. According to Pakistans anti-graft body, it will challenge the acquittal of Sharif, who was sent to jail a day before his birthday. After being held at a jail in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Sharif, on his request, is expected to be taken to a jail in Lahore on Tuesday. They had to punish him and they have punished him in a false case, said Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a top leader of Sharifs Pakistan Muslim League party, who served as prime minister when Sharif was removed from power last year. People will not accept this verdict, he said. Abbasi said Sharif was being victimized for political reasons. Hours after the verdict, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said the court decision unmasked the real face of Sharif who failed to provide money trail of his assets. Those defending Sharif should be ashamed, he said, as the Pakistani people have been defrauded. Mondays conviction and sentencing was the latest blow to Sharif who was sentenced to 10 years in prison in July over the purchase of luxury apartments in London. He appealed that sentence and was released on bail in September, along with his daughter and her husband, who were co-accused in the case stemming from documents leaked from a Panama law firm. The two cases on which the court ruled Monday were related to Sharifs foreign assets, which he insists are owned by his sons. His two sons, who are currently living in London, were declared absconders by the court. Shortly before the announcement of the verdict, clashes erupted between supporters of Sharif and police in Islamabad. Several female supporters of Sharif were seen crying and chanting slogans. Sharifs daughter, Maryam Nawaz, has suggested he is being punished for resisting unseen forces, an apparent reference to the military, which has directly ruled Pakistan for half its modern history and retains a powerful role behind the scenes. She wrote in a series of tweets Monday that the people of Pakistan were standing by her father. For how many times will you target one man? For how many times will you punish him, she posted. At Mujtahed, one of the largest public hospitals in Damascus, supplies can take months to arrive and medical equipment costing hundreds of thousands of dollars sits unused for lack of replacement parts. Even the procurement of vital medicine can mean diving into a labyrinth of legal injunctions with the health and, in some cases, the lives of patients at stake. The administrative and logistical hurdles, far beyond those faced by an average public health facility, are examples of the collateral damage resulting from smart sanctions imposed on civil-war-torn Syria, according to a United Nations investigator and others. The ongoing sanctions have affected everyone from doctors at Mujtahed to merchants, importers, industrialists and bankers across wide sectors of the nations battered economy. The sanctions, meant to penalize Syrian President Bashar Assad and his entourage for their scorched-earth tactics against critics who eventually picked up arms to fight for his removal, were aimed to serve more like drone warfare than carpet bombing. Although unintended consequences could occur, proponents contended, nobody could claim their impact would be as destructive as Assads relentless military assaults on fellow Syrians seeking governmental change. Advocates say exemptions for importing pharmaceuticals and foodstuffs allow legitimate businesses and individuals to undertake critical transactions. Advertisement But critics say the rules have nonetheless turned even simple repairs at facilities such as Mujtahed into a logistical nightmare. On a normal day, said radiology department head Wassim bin Khadraa, an MRI machine would be used for more than 60 examinations and a CT scanner for up to 120 procedures. But since the equipment came from such U.S. or European companies as General Electric or Siemens, replacement parts that once took two or three weeks to arrive must now be routed through Dubai or Beirut, adding weeks or months to the delivery date. As well, there are computer software issues resulting from sanctions, with programs in the machines failing to update. A car can stop, fine. But this isnt a car. Youre dealing with patients, human beings. We should be exempted from sanctions, but in reality were not, said Bin Khadraa. Its a simple thing, a part costing a few thousand dollars stops a machine worth hundreds of thousands, but you can only get it from the company. You cant get any alternative. Idriss Jazairy, special rapporteur for the U.N., at a Damascus news conference in May. (Youssef Badaw / EPA/Shutterstock) Various sanctions imposed by the U.S., the European Union and other Arab states comprise one of the most complicated and far reaching sanction regimes ever imposed, said the U.N.s Idriss Jazairy in a September report. The special rapporteurs accounting described the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights in Syria. But the problem, explained Salah Ismail, the doctor in charge of Mujtaheds emergency care section, is that foreign suppliers often dont dare send anything to Syria for fear of triggering unexpected violations a real possibility. Also, getting an import license is a confusing matter, requiring costly legal teams to delve into the minutiae of navigating overlapping authorities while performing due diligence on Syrian partners in industries often intertwined with the state, its security services and Assads family and friends. The result, said the U.N. agency report, is a chilling effect such that despite the humanitarian exemptions, in practice international private companies are unwilling to jump the hurdles necessary to ensure they can transact with Syria without being accused of inadvertently violating the restrictive measures. Before the war, Syria could turn to pharmaceutical factories in Aleppo and near Damascus to fill 90% of its medicine needs, according to the U.N. But for businessmen to rebuild their smashed factories, they need to import machines and replacement parts, not to mention raw materials from reputable sources to produce medicine. All have been ensnared in the red tape of the sanctions. Even if everything looks aboveboard, said Ziad Oubari, an Aleppo-based pharmaceutical manufacturer, suppliers often no longer allow merchants to order goods and pay for them 90 or 120 days later. Now they want all the money in advance, and even then banks often refuse to carry out the transfer. I have money, I cant transfer it, I cant buy anything with it, I cant even put it in the bank, he said in an interview recently, adding that banks in neighboring Lebanon have accepted Syrian account holders in the past but now impose high commissions or freeze accounts. And the lack of credit lines means people cant get relatively small sums of money to restart factories that cost millions of dollars to build. In an underground wing of the hospital, Ismail spoke of aid from Europe that in 2010 equipped 23 hospitals each with 200 beds. Now he couldnt even get replacement parts for European dialysis machines, he said. He estimated that 10% of those suffering from kidney failure had died because the machines werent always operating. Other chronically ill patients suffered from a shortage of medicines including methotrexate, a chemotherapy agent, as well as interferon and fluorouracil, medications used to treat cancers, that in the past were provided by the public health system but were now unavailable or had to be brought in privately from Lebanon. These people before could live with the disease, Ismail said, be an effective member of society. Now they cant. One solution, he said, has been a pivot toward procuring equipment and medications from Assad ally Russia or China, India or Malaysia. But companies there dont repair the machines we have they replace them. That takes money and time, and many of our staff are trained in the U.S. and Europe so they dont know how to use them, he said, adding that alternative medications were often less effective. The U.S. Treasury says it aims to disrupt the Assad regimes ability to finance its campaign of violence against the Syrian people. Its Office of Foreign Asset Control has placed 467 individuals and entities in Syria on a Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List. As the civil war enters its eighth year and the Trump administration focuses on Assads ally Iran, OFAC along with four other government authorities prohibit any U.S. person from investing, selling or supplying services to Syria. Petroleum products of Syrian origin cannot be imported to the U.S., nor can Americans finance or facilitate any transaction that would be considered illegal if done by Americans. U.S. sanctions also apply to any transaction that involves a U.S. connection (for example, non-Americans transacting in goods with more than 10% U.S. content, or use of U.S. dollars as the transaction currency). Penalties include $250,000 per civil violation and $1 million per criminal violation, with the possibility of jail time. Syrias 20 banks have all but given up on international contacts, said one Damascus-based bank manager who refused to give his name for reasons of privacy. From 2016 there hasnt been a single import transaction through the banks, he said, its all through the black market. Even his institutions banking app, which is available in Apples app store, had to be given a different name so customers could download it (Apple bans programs from Syria). Similarly, U.N. staff, noted the special rapporteur in his report, were being refused bank accounts or mortgages from European banks when the word Syria appeared in their job title. The result, said Damascus-based businessman Naji Adeeb, is that legitimate business owners are being punished while close associates of the state, including those named in the sanctions, are still able to conduct deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars. You just need a lot more resources to do a lot less, and if you do a transaction today you dont know if you can do it again a month from now, said Adeeb. Its an environment where only crooks and mafiosis can work. Twitter: @nabihbulos Tucked amid the townhouses in a high-end shopping district, the brick building draws scant attention. Its lawn is neat, its stairs swept. Occasionally, hissing erupts inside. But thats to be expected. All the residents are cats. The home with the four-legged occupants and chic ZIP Code belongs to Save a Purrfect Cat Rescue, a pet adoption nonprofit. The groups facilities are based on the notion that cats are happiest in human environments. Nearly every detail, from the daybeds to the paintings on the walls, would fit inside a tasteful human home. Its an unusual bit of real estate by any measure. The owner, former Houstonian Patti Thomas, lives in Ghana. Her best friend, an expert cat rescuer, leads a clutch of volunteers in Houston, operating a showroom where fosters cats are presented to would-be adopters. At key moments each day, select volunteers tend the nearby house of cats. Snubbed by adopters for their quirks or ailments, the dozen or so cats in this building will likely never find homes. Which is why Thomas gave them hers. Advertisement Inside Thomas old home, clean floorboards gleam in the sun. A TV screens Hogans Heroes. And bookshelves bear snoozing cats. Cats are 3-D, one volunteer explains. Dogs and cats both like to move horizontally, but cats also elevate. He points to a giant artificial tree trunk, where an orange tabby sleeps on one bough. This is Newman, the volunteer says. And this, he adds, motioning toward a sleek Bengal cat whose paw touches Newmans back, is Princess. Shes in love. A cat named Newman inside the feline residence owned by Patti Thomas in Houston. (Loren Elliott / For The Times) What kind of human, with real estate worth more than $600,000, gives it up to cats? If youre not a cat lover, its tempting to come up with a profile: Someone unsuccessful at friendship or love; someone blind to all the humans who are hungry and homeless. That profile would be wrong. Raised in Illinois farm country, Patti Thomas, 71, is tall and talkative, with the air of a pioneer woman able to vanquish any obstacle on the trail. In a sense, she has. As a student at the University of Chicago in the 1960s, she met Len Thomas, her future husband, and followed him to the Peace Corps in Ghana. After heading to New York and New Orleans to complete their studies, they returned to Ghana, where Len worked as a physician in a hospital and Patti did doctoral research in parasitology. There, they adopted their first pet, a fierce street kitten who caught flies between its paws. Finally returning to New Orleans, the couple happily raised two children and continued their social service work. Then in 2005, just before Hurricane Katrina descended, Len was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. Fleeing to Houston, the family found shelter with Cambodian refugees whom they had sponsored years before. When Len died, Thomas daughter, then earning a statistics PhD at Rice University, persuaded her bereft mother to buy a small vintage building near the campus. Thomas soon was smitten with the new home. I will never give this place to developers, she said. Soon Thomas discovered another neighborhood attraction: a wildly energetic woman named Brenda Fraley. A ringer for actress Julianne Moore, Fraley was a former Los Angeles marketing executive who rescued greyhounds. In 2001, after being diagnosed with breast cancer, Fraley moved with her husband to Houston for successful treatment. After noticing the feral cats who seemed to overrun her neighborhood, she began trapping, neutering and hauling them to adoption shows. Her new friend Thomas tagged along. But cats, to be relaxed and most adoptable, need comfort, not the confines of a pet store. A humane adoption center, Fraley thought, should look like a house. In 2010, she rented her own space to show cats. With paint, soft sofas and endless mopping, it looked and smelled like a human home. Brenda Fraley, the leader of Save a Purrfect Cat Rescue, sits with cats named Cookie, left, and Newman in the feline residence in Houston. (Loren Elliott / For The Times) Thomas, meanwhile, had returned to Ghana and community work. But she still owned her old home, plus a nearby rental property. Finances secure, she offered Fraley her now-empty former home as a way station for hard-to-place cats. When it was clear no adopters were pending for many of them, Thomas made a decision. She gave her home to the cats. To ward off animal dumpers, the friends kept the address confidential. Then, in 2015, Thomas went further: She gave Save a Purrfect Cat Rescue her rental property as a permanent showroom, with Fraley as manager. While both properties remained legally in Thomas name and still looked like human habitations they were now, almost wholly, occupied by cats. Best thing Ive ever done, Thomas says. Somebody might say if Im going to donate a house, why not to Habitat for Humanity or something? But destitute or homeless humans have more agency to solve their own problems than cats do. In a perfect world, neutering, vaccinating and returning feral cats to the streets would empty most shelters. But in Texas, more unwanted animals are killed than in any other state, according to Best Friends Utah, the nations biggest no-kill animal sanctuary. In light of this trend, the gentle spaces that Thomas and Fraley offer abandoned cats are unusual, if not groundbreaking, for Texas, says Holly Sizemore, the program director for Best Friends Utah. While other shelters offer communal cat rooms and cafe-shelter partnerships, Sizemore says, the groups spaces in Houston may be the only ones specifically designed so cats and humans feel at home. Thomas estimates the nonprofit has found homes for 1,500 cats since it started in 2010. Like the house of cats, the adoption center looks nothing like a shelter. Instead of institutional paint and easy-wash floors, its color-coordinated in a 50s-style teal and brown, with matching carpet. A leather couch faces a fireplace; a basket of cat magazines stands nearby. In the kitchen, a turquoise coffee machine shares counter space with an immense, crouching tuxedo cat named Millie. One the walls preposterous portraits depict cats in Elizabethan garb. The air is fresh and redolent of lavender thanks to constant mopping by volunteers. Volunteer Yesim Ari plays with cats named Marshall, front, and Sinatra at the Save a Purrfect Cat Rescue adoption center in Houston. (Loren Elliott / For The Times) Thomas investment in these spaces strikes a chord for Rice business professor Duane Windsor, who studies heroism. This is a person the literature would identify as a moral leader, he says. By providing a home for less-adoptable cats, shes championing animals. By creating an innovative marketplace to connect adopters with cats, shes helping people and animals. Because humans are better off with a pet. On a recent late afternoon in Thomas old house. Pumpkin, a gorgeous marmalade tabby, peers outside the window. She likes to roll voluptuously on a daybed when a certain volunteer approaches, and then when he tries to pet her, bite him. The cat cant help it. Under a cocoa-colored blanket on the sofa, a bump slides slowly, finally emerging as a tuxedo cat who darts under the couch. Its Bailey, nearly always hiding. Near the roof of the cat tree is Princess, the one the volunteer said is in love. That would be with Newman. She shrinks from people, but taps Newman on the shoulder. He ignores her; he prefers humans. But due to his occasional habit of peeing on pants legs, Newman, too, may find his love unrequited. None of these cats, it is plain, qualifies as a perfect human companion. Then again, not many humans qualify either. In Thomas house, however, perfection is not required. The residents are welcome to savor the sunlight, smooth floors and Hogans Heroes, just as they are. With help from a human well acquainted with loss, displacement and love, here its enough to just be a cat. Kolker is a special correspondent. Two people were killed and three others injured in a crash along state Route 78 in Ramona on Christmas Eve, officials said. The collision happened near West Haverford Road about 11:05 a.m. Killed instantly in the head-on crash was 5-year-old Christian Diaz, who was sitting in the backseat of a Toyota Camry. Gonzalo Rodriguez Rodriguez, 44, died several hours later at a hospital. The Medical Examiners Office said Rodriguez lost control of the Toyota and crossed into oncoming traffic. Advertisement Three other people were injured, including a second boy. Investigators determined the 2002 Toyota Camry was headed west when, for unknown reasons, it drifted off the highway, CHP Officer Travis Garrow said. Rodriguez, a Ramona resident, overcorrected and veered into oncoming traffic, slamming head-on into a 2014 Dodge Ram. Two small boys were in the backseat of the Toyota and wearing seat belts, but both belts were apparently worn improperly, Garrow said. One of the boys died before he could be taken to a hospital. The other boy was seriously injured and was airlifted to Rady Childrens Hospital. The two other occupants of the Camry, and the 77-year-old driver of the Dodge, who was from Oregon, suffered moderate to major injuries. All the Toyota occupants were Ramona residents. Neither alcohol nor drugs were believed to be factors in the crash. State Route 78 remained closed in both directions between West Haverford and Ash Street until about 3:20 p.m., when all lanes were reopened. Twitter: @LAWinkley (619) 293-1546 lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com UPDATES: 1:45 p.m. on Dec. 25: This story was updated to include identification information. 3:35 p.m.: This article was updated with details about SR-78 lanes reopening. A 26-year-old man who was struck and killed while riding a Bird scooter in Chula Vista early Saturday was identified as Esteban Galindo, the Medical Examiners Office said. Galindo was on Third Avenue between Orange Avenue and Quintard Street when a driver struck him from behind about 4 a.m., police Lt. Rusty Rea said. Officers arrived soon after and provided medical assistance. Galindo was rushed to a hospital where he died. The driver stayed at the scene, was visibly upset, and cooperated with police, Rea said. Its not clear if drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash. Advertisement Twitter: @LAWinkley (619) 293-1546 lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com Police are searching for a man who robbed a Subway sandwich shop in Kearny Mesa Sunday while pretending to have a gun, San Diego police said. The robber walked into the store near Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and Mercury Street shortly before 11:30 a.m. and simulated having a gun before demanding money from the clerk, police said. The suspect was described as Latino, in his 30s and about five foot six inches tall with a goatee. He was wearing a hat, an orange construction vest and blue shirt. He was last seen running away. in an eastbound direction. The robbery unit is investigating. A spacecraft barely big enough to hold three men emerged from the dark side of the moon, streaking toward a lucky accident that would forever change how humans think about their place in the universe. It was Christmas Eve 1968 exactly 50 years ago and Apollo 8 astronauts Bill Anders, Frank Borman and Jim Lovell could see a pale blue orb through the capsules small windows. It was the Earth, beyond the moons western horizon. And it was the first time humans had ever seen it from that vantage point. Anders, who grew up in San Diego, grabbed a Hasselblad camera and began snapping away, capturing an image of Earth that would expose not only its beauty, but its fragility and the lonely spot it occupies in the cosmos. Advertisement The photo became known as Earthrise. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw this apparition and thought, wow, look at that, recalled Anders, who visited the San Diego Air & Space Museum last week to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 8. There had been no discussion of taking a picture of the earth My job was to keep the spacecraft running and take pictures of the moons far side geologic features and on the near side take pictures of landing sites. In In December 1968, Apollo 8 astronauts James Lovell, (left) William Anders, (center)and Frank Borman became the first humans to orbit the moon. (AP) Anders, now 85, adjusted to the moment. I had no light meter, so I just machine-gunned it, taking pictures and twisting the F-stop, hoping somehow I would get the right exposure, said Anders, who graduated from San Diegos Grossmont High School in 1951. And sure enough one of the pictures maybe number 6 or something like that happened to have the right combination of light and aperture and got what has become the iconic Earthrise picture. It was a soul-tapping shot of a planet that was not at peace. The Vietnam war was tearing societies apart. Bobby Kennedy had been assassinated. So had the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The Democratic National Convention in Chicago had descended into violence. The U.S. was in a dangerous and costly space race with the Soviets. On Christmas Eve all those years ago, it felt like Earth was going to blow apart. A photo of a calm, peaceful planet gracefully orbiting the sun gave humanity a soothing, wider perspective that was sorely needed, said San Diego author and space historian Francis French. The earth looks fragile, delicate, an oasis of color and life in the vast blackness of space Bill Anders remarked that the crew had voyaged all the way to the moon... only to truly discover the nature of our home planet, the Earth. The photo would help stoke the environmental movement after it was developed back on Earth and widely distributed. Time magazine would call it one of the most influential photos ever taken. But that is only part of the story. NASA knew that Apollo 8 would become the first manned flight to send humans into orbit around the moon, and the moment had to be captured with the right words, spoken in the right tone, from 230,000 miles away. As Anders remembers it, the space agency told Borman, Youre going to be going around the moon on Christmas Eve. Think of something to say, dont be silly. The directive sounded a bit condescending to Anders ear. Frank wasnt a silly person, he said. But Anders also conceded,We were cold warriors, not poets. The crew got it right, using words that brought people out of their homes, into the street, where they looked to the heavens as Apollo 8 made 10 loops around Earths only natural satellite. During a live television broadcast from space, Anders turned to a Bible and began reading from Genesis: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. Lovell read next: And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. Then Borman: And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters he called Seas: and God saw that it was good. Borman added, And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you all of you on the good Earth. Anders remembers all of this clearly. But he doesnt describe it in the way you might expect. Hes a practical, plain-spoken, unsentimental engineer. He said NASA couldnt pull off something like this today. The space agencys management is ossified, with Congress looking over their shoulder, Anders said. Every time they scratch their ear they have to do a review. They are very risk averse. He doesnt linger on that. Instead, he returns to the sweet serendipity of the Earthrise photo. The thing that made it particularly beautiful and fragile-looking was that it was taken against this very stark, ugly lunar horizon, Anders said. The moon is really an ugly place. It is all beat up; looks like a battlefield. Makes Verdun (the World War I battlefield) look like a putting green. It was that combination that I think helped propel Earthrise to its iconic prominence. President Donald Trump met Monday with his Homeland Security secretary and other officials to discuss border security issues as a partial government shutdown over his U.S.-Mexico border wall entered Christmas without a clear resolution in sight. Though both sides have moved on the money, they arent budging on the wall. The White House insisted Trump will reject any deal that does not include money for a wall or fence; Democrats held firm in their opposition to a wall or other physical barrier. Nothing new. Nothing new on the shutdown. Nothing new. Except we need border security, Trump told reporters at the White House as he answered telephone calls from children who want to know when Santa will get to their homes. In a joint statement, the Democratic leaders of Congress, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, said that as long as Trump keeps listening to the House Freedom Caucus and others on the right flank, there is no easy resolution to the impasse. Advertisement Its Christmas Eve and President Trump is plunging the country into chaos, they said, pointing to problems beyond the shutdown, including the plunging stock market and the presidents firing of his defense secretary. The president wanted the shutdown, but he seems not to know how to get himself out of it. The White House presented a counteroffer over the weekend to Schumer, budget director Mick Mulvaney said Sunday. Mulvaney would only say the offer was between Trumps $5.7 billion request and $1.3 billion Democrats have offered. A Democratic aide granted anonymity to discuss the private talks confirmed the White House offered $2.5 billion - an initial $2.1 billion plus $400 million Democrats called a slush fund for the presidents other immigration priorities. Mulvaney said he was awaiting a response from Schumer. Schumers office said the parties remained very far apart. Trump chimed in from the White House, where he has been cooped up since the shutdown began early Saturday. I am all alone (poor me) in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come back and make a deal on desperately needed Border Security. At some point the Democrats not wanting to make a deal will cost our Country more money than the Border Wall we are all talking about. Crazy! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 24, 2018 I am all alone (poor me) in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come back and make a deal on desperately needed Border Security, he tweeted. At some point the Democrats not wanting to make a deal will cost our Country more money than the Border Wall we are all talking about. Crazy! Trump put off plans to head to his Florida estate for Christmas. His wife, first lady Melania Trump, returned from Florida to spend the holiday with him. The presidents border security meeting Monday afternoon included Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and other department officials, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. Senate negotiators continued talks behind the scenes with Democrats and Republicans. The House and Senate briefly gaveled into session on Christmas Eve before closing again with no further action. In their statement, Pelosi and Schumer said different people from the same White House are saying different things about what the president would accept or not accept to end his Trump Shutdown, making it impossible to know where they stand at any given moment. Trump blamed Democrats for the stalemate, tweeting Monday that Virtually every Democrat we are dealing with today strongly supported a Border Wall or Fence. It was only when I made it an important part of my campaign, because people and drugs were pouring into our Country unchecked, that they turned against it. Desperately needed! However, an AP Fact Check found that U.S. arrests on the Mexican border jumped 78 percent in November from a year earlier to the highest level in Trumps presidency. Increased arrests indicate that more people are trying to cross the border illegally. Several Cabinet departments and agencies have been closed since Saturday after their funding lapsed. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers across the country were affected by the closure, which expected to last at least through Thursday, when the House and Senate meet again. Mulvaney predicted the shutdown could stretch into January, when Democrats are set to control the House. Trump excused federal employees from work on Monday and Christmas is a federal holiday, meaning Wednesday is the first day the public could begin to feel the effects of lost government services, Mulvaney said. The routines of about 800,000 federal employees, meanwhile, were about to be disrupted. More than half of those employees deemed essential, including U.S. Secret Service agents and Transportation Security Administration agents, must work without pay, though retroactive pay is expected. Another 380,000 were to be furloughed, meaning they will not report to work but would also be paid later. Legislation ensuring workers receive back pay was expected to clear Congress. Trump promised during the campaign to build a border wall and make Mexico to pay for it. Mexico has refused. Progress toward funding the wall has been slow and Trump sees the final days of the GOPs complete control of Congress as his last chance to force the issue. But some Republicans also oppose building a wall. The migrant caravans are stuck. Thousands of Central Americans who traveled north to the U.S. border in the fall, drawing dire warnings from President Trump, have settled into an uneasy existence in Tijuana, facing a backlash on both sides of the border. Coordinators who helped direct the migrants through Mexico with bullhorns and advice have largely vanished and many of the migrants are frustrated, unsure what to do next. Its like a house without the parents, said Andrea Ramirez, 41, a Guatemalan who is living with her two daughters in El Barretal migrant shelter in Tijuana, where many caravan members have settled. The children do whatever they want. Advertisement Most important perhaps, the migrant caravans have not drawn the same sympathy or political support that some previous groups such as the surge of unaccompanied minors in 2014 did in either Mexico or the United States. I left my country because I thought this caravan was going to the United States, said Jose Morenos, 49, who joined a caravan in Honduras after seeing a story on the news. I would not have come here if I knew theyd stop in Mexico. Its a sign of how little the groups understood the harsh political realities of immigration that they approached the border in November just as Americans were embroiled in a bitter midterm election campaign in which Trump falsely warned of a looming invasion of criminals and terrorists. Since then, Trump has fought Congress over his demands for $5 billion for his border wall, keeping his immigration crackdown in the spotlight. And the migrants chances of gaining legal entry into the United States have only worsened: On Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen announced that asylum seekers will be forced to wait in Mexico while their cases are processed in the U.S., a dramatic policy shift. Mexican officials initially registered about 6,000 migrants from the caravans at an emergency shelter less than 400 feet from the U.S. border, double the facilitys planned capacity. Overcrowding and flooding prompted officials to shutter the shelter on Nov. 29, pushing about 2,800 people into El Barretal. Others went to smaller shelters scattered in and around Tijuana. Their presence has sparked protests in Tijuana and some violence. On Tuesday, two people threw a canister of tear gas into El Barretal shelter, according to Mexican federal police. It detonated in the section for women and children. No arrests were made. The following day, however, state police in Tijuana arrested two men and one woman on suspicion of killing two Honduran teenagers who were part of the caravan. The teenagers were heading to a shelter for unaccompanied minors, and although authorities said they were not targeted because of their affiliation with the caravan, the case highlights the dangers for migrants in Tijuana. Mexican authorities have deported about 300 of the caravan members and helped about 700 others move back to their home countries, according to the government. They say about 1,000 others illegally crossed the border, a figure that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials dispute, though they wouldnt provide their own figure. More than 1,000 people from the caravans have found jobs or been cleared to work in Mexico, while about 3,500 others have registered for work visas, according to Mexicos National Employment Service. Nearly 600 people from the caravans have applied for asylum in Mexico, according to the United Nations refugee agency. Its unclear how many have applied for U.S. asylum but the number of migrants claiming asylum at U.S. ports of entry in October and November doubled from the same period last year, Kevin McAleenan, Customs and Border Protection commissioner, said in a conference call with reporters. On Dec. 11, Pueblo Sin Fronteras, an advocacy organization, coordinated a march to the U.S. Consulate in Tijuana to ask officials to speed up processing of asylum requests. U.S. officials have blocked asylum seekers from making claims at border crossings, including the San Ysidro Port of Entry in Tijuana, by physically turning them away, citing capacity issues, according to a Dec. 3 joint report by research centers at the University of Texas at Austin, UC San Diego and the European University Institute. These shifts ... have left lines of asylum seekers waiting in almost every major Mexican border city, the report says. McAleenan rejected those conclusions in the conference call, noting a 120% increase in processing asylum claims in fiscal 2018. San Ysidro, the most capable crossing, has the largest number of people waiting, he said. We work to accept a maximum amount of asylum seekers per day at all of our ports of entry, he said. Alfonso Guerrero Ulloa, a Honduran who has lived in Mexico since he was accused of a terrorist attack in his home country more than 30 years ago, led an effort to deliver a letter to the U.S. Consulate that asked Trump to either let migrants enter the United States or pay $50,000 to each migrant who goes home. Mexican police removed Guerrero from El Barretal shelter last week for trying to organize another march to the consulate. Teodoro Alvarado, 48, of El Salvador said that the demand for money had tarnished the migrants asylum effort, however. It hurts us, he said. People are going to think we are criminals, because that is extortion. U.S. officials have cited the letter as well as a clash at San Ysidro on Nov. 25, when the Border Patrol used tear gas to block hundreds of people trying to rush the border, to question the migrants motives. You know, as an American, I think that is outrageous, Homeland Security Secretary Nielsen said on Dec. 14 on Fox News. They demand Americans pay them $50,000 each. They have demanded we change the way [in] which we do immigration and protect our border. These are not migrants who are seeking asylum. McAleenan defended the Border Patrols actions and blamed the migrants for the Nov. 25 clash at the border. They were assaultive in their behavior. They threw rocks at agents, McAleenan said at a Senate committee hearing on Dec. 11. He blamed agitators and lead organizers for the violence. U.S. officials shut San Ysidro, the countrys busiest port of entry, for five hours, crippling cross-border business and creating miles of congestion. We will not allow our binational relationship to be broken by the bad behavior of the migrant caravan, Tijuana Mayor Juan Manuel Gastelum said on Twitter. Orfirio Mendoza, 41, of Honduras said no one took charge as the migrants approached the border. Nobody knew what to do and that is when the chaos started, said Mendoza, who plans to stay and work in Mexico. There was no plan B. Images of the clash further inflamed the debate over the Trump administrations immigration and border security crackdown. Administration critics seized on photographs of children fleeing clouds of tear gas, decrying Trumps immigration policy as inhumane. The White House cited the images to back up Trumps claims that the caravans posed a threat to U.S. security. Mexico should move the flag waving Migrants, many of whom are stone cold criminals, back to their countries. Do it by plane, do it by bus, do it anyway you want, but they are NOT coming into the U.S.A. We will close the Border permanently if need be. Congress, fund the WALL! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 26, 2018 Carlos Garcia, 19, of Honduras was among those who believed he would cross the border that day. He even packed his bag for the journey. I thought theyd let us in and give us asylum, he said. Many of the caravan migrants stuck in Tijuana have become suspicious of anyone attempting to fill the leadership void. Nobody believes in anything, Mendoza said. People come and try to establish themselves as leaders, organize a gathering, but nobody pays attention to them. Others, like Garcia, feel abandoned. They told us it would be beautiful, he said. Now that we are here, it is very different. They lied to us about everything. Solis of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported from Tijuana and Times staff writer OToole from Washington. molly.otoole@latimes.com Twitter: @mollymotoole Last holiday season, death had stolen some of San Diegos most vulnerable residents our homeless population after an unprecedented hepatitis A outbreak killed 20 people and infected or hospitalized hundreds more. Even before government officials declared a state of emergency, they were pointing fingers at one another. Community members have pointed fingers at other people ever since. Mostly, we blamed city and county politicians for failing so miserably. Their delay in calling a formal emergency and failure to heed warnings for months led directly to a loss of life and a death of dignity. This holiday season, a maddening state audit has shined new light on the slow government response to the hepatitis A outbreak. But now, failures of government loom even larger all around us. The failures are international, inescapable, on both sides of the border, around which theres an even bigger humanitarian crisis. Its worth contemplating as people pivot from the giving season to the new year: Not everyone will get a fresh start. Thousands of San Diego County homeless residents still cant find permanent housing. And thousands of Central American migrants in Tijuana face an even more uncertain future, eyeing the U.S. as the Trump administration tries to limit their entry. Too many people, some just like Joseph and Mary fleeing violence in their homelands, are out in the cold, having found only temporary shelter. In San Diego, this months torrential rain flooded the living quarters of hundreds of homeless residents in one of three massive tents Downtown, forcing them to relocate to the Mission Valley stadium. In National City, some homeless people actually fled rising water levels by clambering up trees. Meanwhile, more than 6,000 Central American migrants had arrived in Tijuana after chasing a better life thousands of miles. Ignoring the complex reality of the situation, President Donald Trump saw them only as political pawns. Build that wall and make Mexico pay for it became furlough federal employees days before Christmas to force a budget stalemate and make Americans pay for what actually would only be steel slats. Not the same, right? Advertisement Its time to point fingers again: at politicians and ourselves. Some elected leaders are saying the right things, but solutions remain elusive. Republican San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer went to SDCCU Stadium and urged locals to drop off donations for the 324 evacuees in a time of need. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-San Francisco, tweeted, Families seeking asylum in San Diego who have fled violence and persecution need our help. Democratic Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom and state Senate President Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, are calling broadly on government to help immigrants who have come to America. But we need action, not words, which amount to lip service. We need housing affordability, a faster asylum review, a public that demands both. With so many desperate people in close proximity, in San Diego and in Tijuana, all elected officials at every level need to work harder to avoid another major public health crisis. How is unclear, and will require communication and coordination. But more of the same is not an option. Is it? Ask yourself. No room at the inn? We are all innkeepers. Twitter: @sdutIdeas Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion 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. Springfield, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/24/2018 -- Delaware Valley Septic, Sewer & Storm is offering sewer and drain cleaning services to clear away any clogs that occurred during the holiday season. If left untreated, a clogged drain is more than a nuisance; it can also cause other problems. Many homes will experience clogged plumbing around the holidays. After a large holiday meal, the cook may mistakenly pour excess grease down the drain or overuse the garbage disposal. Additionally, overnight guests may flush paper items down the toilet. All of these actions can increase a home's likelihood of a clog. Delaware Valley Septic, Sewer & Storm recommends that homeowners keep an eye out for common signs of a clogged drain. Water may be draining very slowly, for example, or they may hear a gurgling noise coming out of their drain. An unpleasant odor coming out of the drain is another sign that they should call in a professional. The team at Delaware Valley Septic, Sewer & Storm uses an advanced drain cleaning system to safely and effectively clear away tough drainage problems. Their ultra-quiet jetter will help to maintain pipes and ensure their longevity. Meanwhile, their electric pump provides maximum cleaning distance. All of their drain and sewer cleaning services are eco-friendly. Delaware Valley Septic, Sewer & Storm has offered sewer, drain, and septic system service near Montgomery County and the surrounding area for more than 20 years. This family-run business is known for fast, affordable, and reliable service. Interested homeowners should call Delaware Valley Septic, Sewer & Storm today at 1 (844) 4-DELVAL to ask about their drain and sewer cleaning service or their septic system service near Radnor. About Delaware Valley Septic, Sewer & Storm Delaware Valley Septic, Sewer & Storm is a family-owned and operated business that first opened its doors in 1986. Since then Dave and TJ have continued to uphold the same level of customer satisfaction that made the business what it is today. By providing installation, repair, inspection and maintenance services for septic, sewer and stormwater systems in areas such as Main Line, Montgomery County, Delaware County and Chester County, the company has become a household name for all things underground. Dhaka, Bangladesh -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/23/2018 -- SellCardBTC has earned a reputation of being the number one gift card trading website in Nigeria, Ghana and China respectively. It is a team of seasoned gift card trading and bitcoin trading professionals dedicated to enabling people to get the best value for their gift cards and coins. Users can count on this reliable and secure platform for selling gift cards, bitcoins, and exchanging iTunes anytime and anywhere. SellCardBTC as of now has completed 5000+ trades, has 1500+ registered users, and has successfully made 700+ customers happy and satisfied. This impressive track record is a testimony to this gift card trading website's reputation. Answering a query related to SellCardBTC, one of its executives commented, "Many people ask how trustful is SellCardBTC and all we ask them to see the genuine reviews that we post on our website. We have created a page comprising reviews, which our users drop right after completing a trade. Our aim is to offer nothing but only the best of services so that our users recommend their friends to trade with us. Besides reviews given by our users, we have received many valuable recommendations that speak volumes about our reputation and reliability." According to Reliablecounter, SellCardBTC is the most legit gift card buyer in Nigeria, Ghana and other countries offering the best rates. It has been described as the best Paxful alternative for the rates it offers are far better than what Paxful, Afrbtc or any other website offers to those selling their gift cards. Likewise, according to CryptoCoinReport, exchanging iTunes gift cards for bitcoins is easiest on its website when searching for websites like Paxful. Another top platform in China, OverUC, recommended SellCardBTC as the best website to sell iTunes gift cards for cash. SellCardBTC offers the best rates because it is a direct gift card loader that surpasses all middlemen. The executive added, "We provide our users with two options trading on website and trading on WhatsApp. Following simple steps, they can easily trade on our website within a few minutes. After registering on our website and logging in to their account, users can see cards rates in Naira, Cedis, RMB and bitcoins on the dashboard. If a certain card is not listed in the rate table, it cannot be traded on the site. Users can look for that card on our WhatsApp for trading it. Those who prefer to trade on WhatsApp can contact us at +8801887470099 for instantaneous trading." SellCardBTC is indeed a great platform for those wanting to sell iTunes gift card for the best available value. iTunes gift card rates are not only constant but this online platform strives to give the best gift card rates to its users always. As it frequently updates rates on the dashboard so that users can log in to their dashboard for checking current rates. About SellCardBTC SellCardBTC is a reputed platform that is renowned for offering the best rates to its users for selling their gift cards and bitcoins. Its website has an easy to use interface and it is filled with information that helps keep people informed about trading. One can count on SellCardBTC for seeking information regarding how to redeem iTunes gift card and more. Contact Information: SellCardBTC Azad Centre, Room 2701 Dhaka - 1000 Bangladesh Phone: +8801887470099 Email: Support@sellcardbtc.com Website: https://sellcardbtc.com/ Professional and amateur mathematicians from a worldwide research project called the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS) have discovered the largest known prime number. The new number, expressed in shorthand as 282,589,933-1, contains 24,862,048 digits, more than one and a half million digits larger than the previous record prime number, discovered in 2017. It belongs to a special class of rare prime numbers called Mersenne primes and is only the 51st known Mersenne prime ever discovered, each increasingly more difficult to find. An integer greater than one is called a prime number (or a prime) if its only divisors are one and itself. The first prime numbers are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, etc. For example, the number 10 is not prime because it is divisible by 2 and 5. The newly found prime number, dubbed M82589933, is calculated by multiplying together 82,589,933 twos, and then subtracting one. A Mersenne prime is a prime number of the form 2P-1. The first Mersenne primes are 3, 7, 31, and 127 corresponding to P = 2, 3, 5, and 7 respectively. Mersenne primes have been central to number theory since they were first discussed by the Greek mathematician Euclid (born c. 300 BC) about 350 BC. The man whose name they now bear, the French monk Marin Mersenne (1588-1648), made a famous conjecture on which values of P would yield a prime. It took 300 years and several important discoveries in mathematics to settle his conjecture. Euclid proved that every Mersenne prime generates a perfect number. A perfect number is one whose proper divisors add up to the number itself. The smallest perfect number is 6 = 1 + 2 + 3 and the second perfect number is 28 = 1 + 2 + 4 + 7 + 14. The Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler (1707-1783) proved that all even perfect numbers come from Mersenne primes. The newly discovered perfect number is 282,589,932 * (282,589,933-1). This number is over 49 million digits long. It is still unknown if any odd perfect numbers exist. Press Release December 24, 2018 Revilla's acquittal sends wrong signal - De Lima The Sandiganbayan's decision acquitting former Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. over plunder charges sends the wrong signal that public officials would hardly be made accountable for misusing funds, Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima said. In her Dispatch from Crame No. 432, De Lima said Revilla's acquittal now made it appear that lawmakers and other government officials are no longer responsible for how they use public funds even if it ends up being plundered. "We will remain perplexed at this strange outcome of the judgment in Revilla's plunder case. But with Revilla's exoneration and the near impossibility of recovering what was plundered, we can all say goodbye to deterrence of plunderous proclivities among certain lawmakers and other government officials, she said. "Under this administration, what is now patently evident is that the corrupt and big plunderers are set free, while critics are targeted and charged with fabricated accusations, and mere suspects are gunned down in broad daylight," she added. Last Dec. 7, the Sandiganbayan Special First Division cleared Revilla from plunder charges for misusing his congressional development fund. It however found guilty his two co-accused, businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles and Revilla's former staff Richard Cambe. In 2013, the Aquino administration investigated the so-called the multi-million pork barrel scam and filed plunder charges against then Senators Revilla, Juan Ponce Enrile, and Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada - all of whom are now out of jail. Some other lawmakers were also investigated and charged. If the trend of not holding government officials accountable for their misuse of public funds continues, the lady Senator from Bicol pointed out that all senators and congressmen awaiting trial and judgment at the Sandiganbayan "can rest easy." "They will always have their chiefs-of-staff and Napoles to blame for hoodwinking them into giving away their PDAF, without any accountability on their part. And 'forged' signatures would now be a favorite defense," she said. The former justice secretary said she finds it incredulous that while Revilla is now out of jail, his two other co-accused Napoles and Cambe have been found guilty by the Sandiganbayan for the same charges. "Let's also ask: was the proven fact, based on AMLC reports, that numerous deposits of more than P87 million were made in Revilla's and his family's accounts, within a time frame which jibes with Benhur Luy's ledgers, ever explained by the defense?," she asked. De Lima cited the opinions of Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Efren de la Cruz, and joined by the other dissenter, Associate Justice Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta, in questioning the reliability of the document examiner's testimony. "Most logical is (Associate Justice) de la Cruz's view that assuming that the signatures were forged, it is because 'Revilla knew and consented to the affixing of his signature on these documents'," she pointed out. "(But) In the end, this is also a matter of conscience. A principal being able to bear with his conscience in sacrificing a loyal and trusted aide. And justices of the anti-graft court struggling with their own," she added. Although detained on politically-motivated trumped-up drug charges fabricated by the Duterte administration, De Lima has continued to work as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development. PGG Wrightson will buy back a small parcel of shares from an investor who voted against the sale of the seeds business to Denmark's DLF Seeds. The rural services company said the investor has exercised minority buy-out rights in the Companies Act requiring the company to buy their shares after voting all of them against the resolution at the Oct. 30 annual and special meeting. Wrightson will buy back up to up to 9,724 shares between Jan. 7 and March 31 and automatically cancel them. The small stake is worth just $4,570.28 cents at today's price of 47 cents, and immaterial to Wrightson's $355 million market capitalisation. The Companies Act requires Wrightson to set a fair price, excluding any market fluctuations caused by the proposal to sell the seeds business, but the shareholder has the right to object to the price, in which case the price would be set by an independent arbitrator. Wrightson shareholders overwhelmingly backed the sale, with 96.9 percent support at the combined meeting. However, the New Zealand Shareholders' Association opposed the transaction, saying the short-term gain for investors was offset by the remaining business being half the size and inferior to the seeds unit. Still, the transaction isn't a done deal. Earlier this month, the Commerce Commission raised a number of matters in a letter of issues with the proposed purchase, chief of which was the potential concentration of market power in the ryegrass seeds market. The antitrust regulator said analysis of the current markets probably understated the importance of DLF's research and development, and it sought responses to its concerns. In a Dec. 14 letter, DLF played down the regulator's concerns, saying many of the issues raised were cleared by an earlier decision to allow the merger of Pyne Gould Guinness with Wrightson in 2005, and that it should use its previous approach in addressing this proposal. In a separate submission, Wrightson agreed, saying the seeds supply in New Zealand isn't vulnerable to coordination, with little scope or incentive to do so. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. 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Related News: Property for Industry Limited (NZX: PFI) Strong Valuation Outcome, Penrose Acquisition 3rd December 2021 Morning Report Fonterra Shareholders Fund (NZX: FSF) Fonterra provides Milk Price, earnings and Q1 update Kiwi Property Group Limited (NZX: KPG) Signs Sale and Purchase Agreement with IKEA 2nd December 2021 Morning Report The New Zealand Refining Company Limited (NZX: NZR) Launches Share Purchase Plan Seeka Limited (NZX: SEK) Confirms Market Guidance Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (NZX: ANZ) Acknowledges Class Action Proceedings 1st December 2021 Morning Report Livestock Improvement Corporation Limited (NZX: LIC) Appoints New Chief Executive The study found that sexual harassment and assault searches were 86 per cent higher than expected from October 15 in 2017 to June 15 in 2018, reaching a record high. New York: Following the massive #MeToo movement, around 50 million Google searches on sexual harrasment, reporting and prevention of such behaviour were recorded in the US during October 2017 to June 2018, a US study suggests. An estimated 40-54 million Google searches for sexual harassment and assault were recorded in the US in the eight months after public accusations against film producer Harvey Weinstein and the ensuing #MeToo movement, according to the researchers, including John W. Ayers from the University of California, San Diego. For the study, the research team monitored the volume of Google searches originating from the US that were indicative of sexual harassment and assault awareness from January 1, 2010, through June 15, 2018. They further monitored the subset of these searches that focused on seeking resources for reporting of sexual harassment and assault and preventive training. The search volumes were provided as a ratio of all Google searches (per 10 million), thereby adjusting for changes in Google usage over time, suggested the study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. The team found that searches related to reporting and preventive training for sexual harassment and assault were 30 per cent higher and 51 per cent higher than predicted. On October 15, 2017, following the public accusations of sexual harassment and assault against film producer Harvey Weinstein, actress Alyssa Milano encouraged victims to bring the taboo topic out of the shadows by sharing their own stories on social media. #MeToo was tweeted 300,000 times the day after Milano's post and generated widespread support with scores of accusations made against media, political, and business leaders, giving voice to previously unheard victims. In India, the #MeToo movement began this year after Bollywood actress Tanushree Dutta accused actor Nana Patekar of sexual harassment. He said the country should eventually have a Goods and Services Tax (GST) structure which would have only slabs of zero and five per cent and a standard rate, with luxury and "sin goods" as an exception. New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday hinted that the country may eventually have a single standard rate of GST through merging of 12 and 18 per cent slabs, adding that the 28 per cent slab will soon be phased out, except in case of luxury and "sin goods". "A future roadmap could well be to work towards a single standard rate instead of two standard rates of 12 per cent and 18 per cent. It could be a rate at some mid-point between the two. Obviously, this will take some reasonable time when the tax will rise significantly," Jaitley said in a Facebook post. Regarding the highest tax slab of 28 per cent, the Minister said with the GST transformation completed, India was close to completing the first set of rate of rationalisation by phasing out the highest slab except in luxury and sin goods. "The sun is setting on the 28 per cent slab... Today, barring tobacco products and some luxury goods, almost all items had been transferred from 28 per cent slab to 18 and 12 per cent. "Only cement and auto parts are items of common use which remain in 28 per cent slab. Our next priority will be to transfer cement into a lower slab. All other building materials have already been transferred to 18 and 12 per cent... The 28 per cent slab is now a dying slab," he said. Attacking the Congress and other opposition parties, Jaitley said their criticism of the GST was "ill-informed" and "motivated". He said during the pre-GST regime, a large number of commodities were taxed heavily and that the Congress legacy was a 31 per cent indirect tax. "Those who oppressed India with a 31 per cent indirect tax and consistently belittled the GST must seriously introspect. Irresponsible politics and irresponsible economics is only a race to the bottom," he added. Jaitley said the political noise outside the GST Council was inconsistent with the harmony inside as at its 31 meetings, the body has "behaved with utmost responsibility" taking several thousand decisions unanimously and with consensus. Referring to the government falling short of the collection targets, the Minister said the targets set in the GST regime were unprecedentedly high, with a 14 per cent increase over 2015-16 tax collections guaranteed. "Thus, even when 18 months have not been finished since the launch of GST, on this day every state has a target of improving its revenue with three 14 per cent increases compounded annually over the base year of 2015-16. This is close to a 50 per cent being reached in the second year itself," he said. "It is almost an unachievable target. Yet six states have already achieved it, another seven are within a striking distance of achieving it and only 18 are still more than 10 per cent away from achieving it." Jaitley said that those states which do not achieve the target of 14 per cent are paid out of the compensation cess. "The requirement of compensation cess in the second year is expected to be much lower than the first year," he said, adding the average monthly tax collected in the first year was Rs 89,700 crore as compared to Rs 97,100 crore per month in the second year. "This increase in the tax collection has to be factored keeping in mind the significant rate reduction which has taken place in the GST" which amounts to about Rs 80,000 crore per year, he said. "We are negotiating with the Democrats on desperately needed Border Security (Gangs, Drugs, Human Trafficking & more) but it could be a long stay," Trump tweeted. Washington: US President Donald Trump said Saturday that he was negotiating with the Democrats to end a partial government shutdown, but "it could be a long stay" due to continued discrepancy on his long-time demand for a border wall, reported Xinhua. "Will be having lunch in White House residence with large group concerning Border Security." The US House and Senate convened Saturday noon on Capitol Hill, hoping to reach a deal to end the partial government shutdown that began at midnight, after failed attempts to end a budget impasse over a $5 billion bill that Trump wanted to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. Shortly after the gathering, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that "no further votes will occur until the President and Senate Democrats have reached an agreement to resolve this." "We pushed the pause button until the President, from whom we will need a signature, and Senate Democrats, from whom we will need votes, reach an agreement," he said. Earlier this week, senators reached a deal on a short-term funding measure that did not include the $5 billion Trump has sought for, and the President later said he would not sign the bill. The House passed a temporary spending bill late Thursday that includes the border wall money but couldn't get enough votes to clear the Senate. The partial shutdown is set to affect nine of 15 Cabinet-level US departments and dozens of agencies, including the departments of homeland security, transportation, interior, agriculture, state and justice. More than 800,000 federal employees would have to go to work without pay or will be furloughed, US media reported. Three-quarters of government programmes won't be affected as they are fully funded through next September. Trump has been trying to pin the shutdown on the Democrats, while the latter has been firing back. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement that the President "threw a temper tantrum" and convinced House Republicans to push the nation into a "destructive Trump shutdown" in the middle of the holiday season. It is the third US federal government shutdown this year. The January and February shutdowns also involved disputes over immigration. 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Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe440eac8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe4646bc8)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe440eac8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe4646bc8)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe3ea9590)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe4646bc8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe4646bc8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe3ab7858)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fe46487c8)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fe46487c8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe410a6c8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe40e2c80)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe410a6c8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe40e2c80)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe40e5278)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe40e2c80)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe40e2c80)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe36b0518)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fe40f4078)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fe40f4078)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 More Turkish troops to Syria border ahead of US pullout Ankara, Dec 24 (AFP) Dec 24, 2018 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed threats to target Kurdish fighters Monday as he sent more troops to the border with Syria ahead of an imminent US withdrawal. Turkey was in Syria "to return the freedom of our Arab brothers and sisters, to return the freedom of our Kurdish brothers and sisters", he said during a speech in Ankara. "Just as we did not leave our Syrian Arabs to Daesh (IS), we will not leave Syrian Kurds to the cruelty of the PKK," he said during a speech in Ankara. A Turkish military convoy arrived overnight on Monday at the border with Syria, with local media reporting that some vehicles had entered Syria. In a telephone conversation Sunday between Trump and Erdogan, which both sides described as "productive", they agreed to avoid a power vacuum in Syria after the US withdrawal. The US leader tweeted that Erdogan had told him Ankara would "eradicate" the last IS elements. Turkey has said any offensive targeting the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia and the Islamic State (IS) group will be launched in the coming months. Ankara views the YPG as a "terrorist offshoot" of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. Unlike several other allies of the United States, Turkey has praised US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw 2,000 his ground forces from Syria. Trump stunned the US political establishment and allies last week with his decision, days after Erdogan had warned that Ankara would soon launch an offensive in northern Syria. Critics of Trump's decision fear that thousands of Islamic State (IS) group extremist members are still thought to be in Syria, despite Trump's claim of having defeated IS. - Convoy enters Syria - A Turkish military convoy with howitzers, artillery batteries and several units of the armed forces, was deployed to the border district of Elbeyli in Kilis province, state news agency Anadolu reported on Monday. Parts of the convoy had entered Syria, the private IHA news agency reported, which said the reinforcements would take place "gradually". The deployment began over the weekend with around 100 vehicles, Hurriyet daily said, and crossed into the Al-Bab region, headed towards Jarabulus and YPG-held Manbij. Jarabulus and Al-Bab were areas captured from IS during Ankara's first military operation in August 2016 which lasted until March 2017. Military reinforcements had also been sent to the Akcakale border town and Ceylanpinar district, both in the southeastern Sanliurfa province. Turkey conducted a second offensive with Syrian rebels against the YPG in its northwestern enclave of Afrin in January this year. Turkish officials have previously said Ankara has no territorial ambitions in Syria. - Warming Turkey-US relations - In a tweet on Sunday, Trump said he discussed a "slow & highly coordinated pullout" of troops from Syria with Erdogan, even as some allies expressed they dismay. French President Emmanuel Macron said he "deeply regretted" the US decision. Trump's move has also sparked turmoil within the administration. First Defence Secretary Jim Mattis resigned, then Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition, stepped down. American support for the YPG, under the banner of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance, has long been a source of tension between NATO allies the US and Turkey. But relations between the Turkish and American leaders appear to have improved substantially since a crisis in the summer over the detention of a US pastor, since released. Last week, the US approved the sale of $3.5 billion in missiles to Turkey, after American outrage over Ankara's major arms purchase from Russia. But there are still strains over the US refusal to extradite Fethullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based Muslim preacher who Turkey says ordered the 2016 failed coup. Military Santa tracker live despite US government shutdown Washington, Dec 24 (AFP) Dec 24, 2018 The US government shutdown may have dimmed Washington's National Christmas Tree but never fear, Santa Claus is still comin' to town -- and the military is still tracking his path. Just as it has since the 1950s the Canadian and American defense agency NORAD is delivering live updates on the man in the red suit's international gift delivery route. NORAD eased the fears of good little boys and girls concerned the tracker might be down, after US lawmakers failed agree on a budget, triggering a partial shutdown of federal services, including the maintenance of the Christmas tree outside the White House. "In the event of a government shutdown, NORAD will continue with its 63-year tradition of NORAD Tracks Santa on Dec. 24," the agency tweeted of the tracker, the Pentagon's largest public outreach program. "Military personnel who conduct NORAD Tracks Santa are supported by approximately 1,500 volunteers who make the program possible each and every year." The 3-D, interactive website at www.noradsanta.org showed Santa on his delivery route, allowing users to click and learn more about the various cities along the way. Just before 1500 GMT Father Christmas's reindeer-powered sleigh was headed for Hong Kong, having already delivered more than 1.2 billion gifts. In addition to tracking St Nick, volunteers donning military garb and Santa hats also respond to tens of thousands of calls and emails from eager children hoping to probe for details including their Christmas wish lists. The Trumps, who canceled their holiday trip to Mar a Lago, their residence and club in Florida, in light of the shutdown, were set to take a turn fielding calls from the White House later Monday evening. The Santa tracker presented by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) dates to 1955, when a Colorado newspaper advertisement misprinted a phone number to connect children with Santa and mistakenly directed them to the military nerve center hotline. To avoid disappointing the eager children, NORAD's director of operations at the time, Colonel Harry Shoup, ordered his staff to check the radar to see where Santa might be and update the children on his location. Decades later volunteers are armed with a 14-page playbook with talking points to respond to queries from excited children. The Defense Department is able to follow Santa's journey thanks to satellites that pick up heat from lead reindeer Rudolph's bright red nose, which "gives off an infrared signature similar to a missile launch," according to Politico magazine. And for those kids skeptical of Santa's existence? "Historical data and more than 60 years of NORAD tracking information lead us to believe Santa Claus is alive and well in the hearts of people throughout the world," the Pentagon's handbook reads. Turkey says US missile deal does not affect S-400 purchase from Russia Ankara, Dec 24 (AFP) Dec 24, 2018 Ankara's purchase of US missiles worth $3.5 billion will not affect a deal to acquire rival S-400 missiles from Russia, the Turkish presidential spokesman said Monday. "The US Patriot sale process does not affect the S-400 process. We don't see one as an alternative for the other," Ibrahim Kalin said. Turkey's plans to buy the Russian S-400s has drawn rebuke from its NATO allies. Turkey says US team coming to discuss Syria troops withdrawal Ankara, Dec 24 (AFP) Dec 24, 2018 A US military delegation will visit Turkey this week to discuss the withdrawal of American ground forces from Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said on Monday. "They will discuss how to coordinate (the withdrawal) with their counterparts," Ibrahim Kalin told a news conference in Ankara after US President Donald Trump's shock decision last week to order the pull-out of 2,000 troops. The US has for years supported the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group in Syria. Critics of Trump's move fear that thousands of IS members could make gains in Syria, despite the US leader's claim that the group had been defeated. "There is no question of a step backwards, vulnerability or a slowdown in the fight against Daesh (IS)," Kalin vowed, adding: "Turkey will show the same determination against Daesh... We can bring peace to this region." He referred to Turkey's cross-border offensive launched in August 2016 against the IS in northern Syria and said Ankara would take all measures to avoid a power vacuum after the US withdrawal. Kalin said there would be further talks between the two countries' foreign ministries and other departments including a meeting planned in Washington on January 8. "There will be intensive traffic" between officials, he added, a day after Trump and Erdogan held a telephone conversation agreeing to coordinate the Syria pull-out. Trump's order came as Ankara warned it would launch an operation east of the Euphrates River against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia which dominates the SDF. Ankara 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. Although Turkey said it would postpone the offensive, a Turkish military convoy has arrived in the Turkish border district of Elbeyli carrying howitzers and artillery batteries. Parts of the convoy entered Syria, the private IHA news agency reported. Turkey sends troops to Syria border as US prepares for pullout talks Ankara, Dec 24 (AFP) Dec 24, 2018 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent more troops to Syria's border on Monday ahead of an imminent US withdrawal, threatening a Kurdish militia there as a US delegation prepared for talks on the pullout. US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw 2,000 US troops from northern Syria has dismayed many of Washington's allies, and critics say Turkey will look to benefit in its fight against US-backed Kurdish forces inside Syria. Turkey has said any offensive targeting the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia and the Islamic State (IS) group will be launched in the coming months. Turkey views the YPG as a "terrorist offshoot" of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. But the militia has also been a key US ally in the fight against Islamic State in Syria, working with American forces on the ground there. "Just as we did not leave our Syrian Arabs to Daesh (IS), we will not leave Syrian Kurds to the cruelty of the PKK," Erdogan said during a speech in Ankara. A Turkish military convoy arrived overnight on Monday at the border with Syria, with local media reporting that some vehicles had entered Syria. Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters on Monday that a US military delegation would arrive this week to "discuss how to coordinate (the withdrawal) with their counterparts". Kalin also said that a Turkish foreign ministry delegation would go to Washington for talks on the pull-out on January 8. In a telephone conversation Sunday between Trump and Erdogan, which both sides described as "productive", they agreed to avoid a power vacuum in Syria after the US withdrawal. - 'No slowdown' in IS fight - Unlike several other allies of the United States, Turkey has praised Trump's decision to withdraw 2,000 of his ground forces from Syria. Trump stunned the US political establishment and allies last week with his decision, days after Erdogan had warned that Ankara would soon launch an offensive in northern Syria. Critics of Trump's decision fear that thousands of Islamic State (IS) group extremist members are still thought to be in Syria, despite Trump's claim of having defeated IS. The US leader tweeted that Erdogan had told him Ankara would "eradicate" the last IS elements. And Kalin vowed that there was "no question of a step backwards, vulnerability or a slowdown in the fight against Daesh (IS)". He added: "Turkey will show the same determination against Daesh. To beat Daesh, we don't need the PKK or the YPG. We can bring peace to this region." - Convoy enters Syria - The Turkish military convoy with howitzers, artillery batteries and several units of the armed forces, was deployed to the border district of Elbeyli in Kilis province, state news agency Anadolu reported on Monday. Parts of the convoy had entered Syria, the private IHA news agency reported, which said the reinforcements would take place "gradually". The deployment began over the weekend with around 100 vehicles, the Hurriyet daily said, and crossed into the Al-Bab region, headed towards Jarabulus and YPG-held Manbij. Jarabulus and Al-Bab were areas captured from IS during Ankara's first military operation in August 2016 which lasted until March 2017. Military reinforcements had also been sent to the Akcakale border town and Ceylanpinar district, both in the southeastern Sanliurfa province. Turkey conducted a second offensive with Syrian rebels against the YPG in its northwestern enclave of Afrin in January this year. Turkish officials have previously said Ankara has no territorial ambitions in Syria. - Warming Turkey-US relations - Trump's move has sparked dismay among allies and turmoil within the administration. First Defence Secretary Jim Mattis resigned, then Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition, stepped down. American support for the YPG, under the banner of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance, has long been a source of tension between NATO allies the US and Turkey. But relations between the Turkish and American leaders appear to have improved substantially since a crisis in the summer over the detention of a US pastor, since released. Last week, the US approved the sale of $3.5 billion in missiles to Turkey, after American outrage over Ankara's major arms purchase from Russia. But there are still strains over the US refusal to extradite Fethullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based Muslim preacher who Turkey says ordered the 2016 failed coup. Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. Comments on the Comparison of the Present Constitutional Question with the Dismissal of the Whitlam Government in Australia 1. Ensure that the Appropriation Bills will be passed by the Senate to secure supply, 2. Advise the G-G to dissolve both House and hold a general election, and 3. Maintain the status quo on policy, appointments etc during the caretaker period. (a) A vote of no confidence in the government is carried in the House of Commons, or (b) The House of Commons requests a dissolution by a vote of two thirds of the House. There seems to be a serious misunderstanding about Sri Lankas Constitution with respect to the Presidents power to dissolve the Parliament. It is claimed that under the parliamentary system, the President may dissolve the Parliament at his or her discretion at any time during its term. This is the central question before the Supreme Court in the proceeding challenging the Presidents proclamation purporting to dissolve the current Parliament. I have expressed my opinion on this question elsewhere.The purpose of this note is to clear up another confusion. Hon Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa, among others, have cited as a precedent the dismissal of the Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and the dissolution of both Houses of Parliament by the Governor-General in 1975. This involves serious misunderstandings of the facts concerning the dismissal and the relevant provisions of the Australian Constitution.The political events surrounding the dismissal of Whitlam were both acrimonious and controversial. They are too complex to document here. The immediate cause of the dismissal and dissolution was the Senates denial of supply to the government by deferring decisions on two Appropriation Bills which had already received Lower House approval. The protracted deadlock breaking process set out in s 57 (that can involve a double-dissolution and a General Election) could not be used as supply would have run out by then. G-G John Kerr tried but failed to persuade Mr Whitlam to advise dissolution on the principle that a government that cannot secure supply through Parliament should either resign or advise a new election.The G-G then sought the following guarantees from the Leader of the Opposition Mr Malcolm Fraser, namely, that if appointed Caretaker PM, he would:The G-G, armed with these assurances, dismissed Whitlam, appointed Fraser as Caretaker PM and dissolved both Houses. The two Houses can only be simultaneously dissolved under s 57 to break deadlocks. There were several other bills of the Whitlam government that were deadlocked and served as triggers for a double dissolution.It is important to note a few salient constitutional rules and principles and points of difference between the Whitlam saga and the present impasse in Sri Lanka.1. The claim that in the classic Westminster parliamentary democracy, the monarch has untrammelled power to dissolve the Parliament is fallacious. Since the early 19th Century at least, the monarch was constrained by convention to follow the PMs advice and the PM was likewise restrained by convention. Whatever discretion the monarch had in the UK was removed by the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 (c. 14). The Act, which fixes the term of the House of Commons as 5 years, allows earlier dissolution only if:The Nineteenth Amendment incorporated these two conditions in limiting the Presidents power to dissolve Parliament.2. According to s 64 of the Australian Constitution, the Ministers, including the Prime Minister, serve at the pleasure of the Governor-General. The President of Sri Lanka has no such power. He or she must choose as PM a member likely to command the confidence of the House who can then be dismissed only by Parliament.3. Unlike the Whitlam Government, PM Wickremasinghe and the Cabinet have obtained supply and have shown the ability to secure future funding for the governments recurring expenditure.4. Sri Lanka is not a classic parliamentary system in the Westminster model. The Presidents has no prerogative powers. His powers are limited by the express words of the Constitution which he has undertaken by affirmation to observe.Suri Ratnapala, Emeritus Professor of Law, the University of Queensland and Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law. He is an attorney-at-Law, Sri Lanka Unlike Mr Sirisena, Mr Rajapaksa is yet to say that he will abide by court decision. He wants an immediate election, not to strengthen democracy but to end it The winds must come from somewhere when they blow, There must be reasons why the leaves decay; Time will say nothing but I told you so... WH Auden (If I Could Tell You) How democracy is killed In despairing and hopeful times Ravindra Wijegunaratne, Admiral and Chief of Defence Staff, epitomised Impunity as swaggered into Fort Magistrate Court, white uniform gleaming, medals blazing. He had ignored three judicial summons, treating both the courts and the CID with unconcealed contempt. Protected by the president of the republic, and by his position as the highest ranking serving military officer, he clearly saw himself as way above the law.It would all change in a few hours.Inside the courtroom, the admiral came into encounter with democracy at its best, where the law was blind to titles and positions, and concerned solely with justice.He emerged from that encounter in handcuffs, his cloak of impunity in tatters.That episode could have had a different ending, easily. The admiral could have swaggered out of that courtroom a free man, having trampled justice into submission.Justice prevailed in part because judicial independence was restored in 2015.Sri Lanka always had brave and principled judges. Justice became scarce when political leaders were wedded to impunity and treated the law as a tool to reward acolytes and punish opponents. .In 2012, the then president Mahinda Rajapaksa summoned the members of the Judicial Services Commission for a meeting. The JSC, aware of its position as an independent body, refused to obey the summons.A few days later, Manjula Tilakaratne, High Court Judge and Secretary to the JSC was pistol-whipped by a gang of thugs in a busy suburb. [i] No one was caught, no one was punished.In January 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that the Parliamentary Select Committee set up by the then Speaker (and presidential sibling) Chamal Rajapaksa to conduct impeachment hearings against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake was not properly constituted, and thus had no power to conduct an investigation against the CJ. Six days later the Appeal Court quashed the PSC's findings. Two of the Appeal Court judges received death threats. Speaker Rajapaksa and President Rajapaksa ignored both rulings. The CJ was impeached, removed, and replaced with a man known as a legal underling of the ruling family, who had lied at an international forum about the fate of Prageeth Ekneligoda.In maintaining judicial independence, the nature of the political landscape plays a crucial role. The executive might want to interfere with the judiciary. But how far will he/she be allowed to go? The Rajapaksas went all the way, and nothing and no one could stop them.The illegal impeachment against Shirani Bandaranayake was a primer of how Rajapaksa power worked in practice.October 312012 - The Supreme Courts decision refusing to give a free pass to the Divineguam Bill handed over to Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa.November 12012 - An impeachment motion against the CJ, signed by 117 UPFA parliamentarians, handed over to Speaker Rajapaksa.November 152012 - Speaker Rajapaksa appoints a Parliamentary Select Committee to hear the charges against the CJ. The CJs request for five weeks to prepare her defence refused by PSC.November 232012 PSC begins hearings. An opposition request for a pause in the impeachment proceedings during parliamentary vacation rejected.December 72012 - PSC, sans its 4 opposition members, concludes its hearings December 82012 - PSC hands over its impeachment report to Speaker.January 2013 Supreme Court rules against the PSCJanuary 2013 - Court of Appeal quashes PSC's findings.10/11January 2013 Parliament debates and approves impeachment by a majority.13January 2013 CJ removed from office.That was how the Rajapaksas obeyed court rulings.Maithripala Sirisena has not gone that far. He hasnt because Sri Lanka is not the same place it was in 2012 or 2013. We can still backslide into those bad old days when the president was king and his word was the law, but it hasnt happened, yet.Maithripala Sirisena wants a second presidential term. He unleashed an anti-constitutional coup because the yearning for power robbed him of his senses. That was the subjective factor. At an objective level, his actions constitute an attempt to reclaim for the presidency the powers it lost with the 19Amendment. If that attempt succeeds, it will render the presidency omnipotent again, and reduce the legislature and the judiciary into mere appendages of a sovereign president.The saga of Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne is a microcosm of this battle by the executive to regain control over the other branches of the government. The way that saga ended indicates that there is hope of rolling back the presidencys power-grab, and restoring a degree of balance between the executive, the legislature and the judiciary restored.In their book, How Democracies Die, Harvard University professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt focuses on how elected autocrats kill democracies. They point out that it is common for anti-democratic demagogues to inch close to power even in advanced democracies. The real test of survival is twofold. Can would-be authoritarians be kept out of power? Will the autocratic leader subvert democratic institutions or be constrained by them?In Sri Lanka, democracy is being undermined by a man who was elected and functioned for a while as a democrat. Now the question is can the legislature, the judiciary and society prevent him from strangling democracy to death, one measure at a time?So far, theres hope. The manner in which the sudden transfer of Inspector Nishantha Silva was thwarted is indicative of how the larger threat to democracy can be defeated. When IP Silva was given his lightning transfer out of the CID, the faux government did not expect a backlash. They couldnt have been more wrong. Voices were raised, from media and society (notably Lastantha Wickremetungas daughter, Ahimsa). IP Silva made use of a key democratising structural change effected by the 19Amendment independent commissions. He complained to the Police Commission. The Police Commission wrote to the IGP, objecting to the transfer. In a stunning move, the IGP revoked the transfer.Abuse of power, absolute impunity, and overweening arrogance are integral to any presidential system, because its model is absolute monarchy. Kings dont like to feel hemmed in. They appear sane, as long as they are allowed to have their unimpeded way. That changes at the first obstacle. When an executive presidency is installed in a country with an ontological memory of absolute monarchy, such as Sri Lanka, the danger of a president seeing himself/herself as an omnipotent and infallible sovereign is infinitely greater.Power is the great corrupter. Possessing it or yearning for it can make even the most democratic and principled leader become the antithesis of his/her former self. This can even happen to leaders who through their commitment to democracy have achieved political beatification, such as Aung San Suu Kyi. If she can fail, what of Maithripala Sirisena or Ranil Wickremesinghe or Sajith Premadasa?It takes a village to raise a child, says an Igbo and Yoruba proverb. It takes a country of citizens to build and protect a democracy. That is why we need rules, regulations, separation of power, devolution of power, an independent judiciary, a depoliticised military, and above all, a citizenry unwilling to bow to power.Emperor Caligula is said to have denounced the unpopular deeds of his predecessors in his first major speech to the Senate. The senators ruled that there should be an annual recitation of his speech. As Mary Beard points out, It looked like a tribute to the new rulers oratory; in reality it was an attempt to hold him to his pledge of good behaviour. [ii] The senatorial ploy failed abysmally, as history records.When kings go back on their positive promises, the reason is not a genuine loss of memory, but the belief in monarchical infallibility. King can do no wrong is part of the credo of monarchical absolutism. Whatever the king says and does is right, even if it is the antithesis of what he said and did yesterday. Similar tragic-comedies can ensue, when an executive president begins to see himself/herself as monarch.There is plenty of recorded evidence proving that both Maithripala Sirisena and Mahinda Rajapaksa knew that post-19Amendment, a president couldnt dissolve parliament at will. Here is Mr. Sirisena celebrating that change and taking the credit for it in an interview with The Hindu: Firstly I succeeded in getting the 19Amendment to the Constitution passed in parliament... Earlier the president could dissolve the parliament after completion of one year of parliament, but now under the provision of the 19Amendment it has been extended to four and a half years. [iii] And heres Mahinda Rajapaksa lamenting that change in a BBC interview soon agter his SLPPs won the February 2018 LG poll. We ask for a general election... There is a small problem in the Constitution. The President cant do it. Because there is a clause preventing him from dissolving until after four and a half years. If the government gets together it can be changed. [iv] (Translation mine - TG).So both leaders violated and continue to violate the constitution in full knowledge of their crime.Leaders who have neither shame nor justice can plummet to the lowest of depths, because for them everything is permitted. Today those leaders are Maithripala Sirisena and Mahinda Rajapaksa. Post-2020, it can be the next president, whoever he is. The battle is not about individuals. The battle is about soul of Sri Lanka. Do we want a country where the president is sovereign, monarch in all but name? Or do we want a country where no one holds absolute power; and neither the executive nor the legislature can debase the judiciary by turning it from the last refuge of the powerless to the first tool of the powerful?Do we want power run mad, or do we want the sanity that can come only with limits?Mr. Sirisena constitutes a danger to Lankan democracy, but not the main danger. He is too weak politically, too ally-less. His failure to ensure protection for the Admiral will make other state employees think twice about obeying blatantly unconstitutional orders. His alliance with Mahinda Rajapaksa is tenuous at best. Within the SLFP, a rebellion is brewing against him. He is a man whose options are dwindling by the hour.Mr. Rajapaksa is another matter. He has a family and a party behind him, and a committed vote bank. He also has a key foreign ally in China. The decision to hastily approve two deals (with a combined worth exceeding 50 million dollars [v] ) with China to upgrade Colombo port is indicative of this strategic alliance. Since China has lost Maldives for now, greater importance would be accorded to the task of turning Sri Lanka into a total dependency (with the UNP, it will be only a partial dependency). In turn for accepting the rising hegemons tutelage, money is bound to flow into Rajapaksa coffers.Unlike Mr. Sirisena, Mr. Rajapaksa is yet to say that he will abide by court decision. He wants an immediate election, not to strengthen democracy but to end it. He believes that an immediate election (and one held under his control) will enable him to win a two-thirds majority. Then he can amend the constitution, contest the presidency in 2020, and be king again.What will he do, if those dreams are threatened by Maithripala Sirisena?Already there are attempts to incite racism. Attempts are being made to depict the TNAs valuable contribution in defence of the constitution and democracy as a national threat. Soon the Muslim parties will receive similar treatment. In the coming weeks, we might hear more of the farcical assassination attempt against Maithripala Sirisena and Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. And there might be sudden outbursts of violence in the North or the East, the sort of incident which can be used to ignite minority phobia, addle Sinhala-Buddhist minds with fear and give credence to the perennial Rajapaksa slogan that motherland is in danger and only Mahinda and Gotabhaya can save it. [ii] Confronting the Classics Traditions, Adventures and Innovations. 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. 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. Germans turn to medibus as doctors desert villages View(s): CORNBERG, Dec 21 (AFP) For years after the last doctor left the small German village of Weissenborn, 79-year-old former mayor Arno Maeurer had to rely on his car to reach the nearest clinic, as a chronic shortage of practitioners gripped his rural region. But this year a clinic started coming to him. The Medibus is a complete doctors office in a red and yellow bus that sets up shop in the community of around 1,000 people for a few hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The day will come when I wont be able to drive any more, so Ill be totally dependent on the Medibus, Maeurer says. For the time being, he turns to the mobile practice now and then but still sees his doctor when he isnt completely booked up. Every week, the bus, set up by the Hesse state medical association, stops off in six villages in western Germany. As in many areas of western Europe, they are afflicted both by an ageing population and a scarcity of practitioners to take care of them. On board the Medibus, doctor Matthias Roth saw around 35 patients a day in the summer months, or roughly the same number as a traditional GPs practice, the association says. Around 70 percent of the patients were more than 55 years old, and 30 percent older than 76. Its a full practice, we have everything on board to diagnose and care for patients, Roth tells AFP, from his chair behind the tiny desk squeezed into the consulting room in the vehicles rear. Outside on the town square of Cornberg population 1,600 project supervisor Carsten Lotz from the medical association declares the project a very big success, were very satisfied. Creeping medical deserts Across Hesse, more than 170 doctors posts are unfilled, according to data from the medical association. Even the offer of a bonus of up to 66,000 euros ($75,000) over five years to those setting up in specific areas has failed to lure enough new blood, while doctors delaying retirement are offered up to 2,000 euros per quarter. The shortage is so acute that the Medibus received a special exemption from a general ban on itinerant doctors. Fearing the initiative might speed up the growth of so-called medical deserts, some local officials have resisted the bus, Lotz says. Its still our job to bring young doctors to the towns, the Medibus is just there as a top-up where that isnt possible, he says. For doctor Roth, its a good solution given whats available, even if its certainly not an ideal state of affairs. We arent competing with local doctors, he adds. While waiting for the miracle of a new permanent doctor arriving, former mayor Maeurer says the bus must absolutely be kept going its better than nothing. Managers for now plan to keep the Medibus going for two years at a total cost of 600,000 euros. Make Sangamitta Day National Womens Day By Dr. P.G. Punchihewa View(s): View(s): This year, Unduwap full moon day falls on December 22, the day commemorating the arrival of Theri Sangamitta, who brought with her a branch of the Great Bodhi tree at Buddhagaya. It was 2,264 years ago that Thera Mahinda arrived in this island. According to Geiger, that was in 246 B.C. on the full moon day of Poson. His arrival with the five disciples opened a new chapter in the history of the island. They not only introduced a new faith based on the sublime teachings of the Buddha, but also gifted the country with a new civilization and a culture. Six months later, the arrival of Theri Sangamitta marked the second stage of this Cultural Revolution in the island. When Anula, the consort of King Devanampiyatissas brother, sought ordination and the king concurred, the Thera Mahinda addressing the king, told him, It is not allowed to us, O Great King ,to bestow the pabbajja (Ordination) on women. But in Pataliputta there lives a nun (bhikkhuni), my younger sister known by the name Sangamitta. She, who is ripe in experience, shall come hither, bringing with her the southern branch of the great Bodhi tree and bringing also bhikkhunis renowned. On her arrival, she will confer the pabbajja upon these women. Accordingly, a request was sent to King Asoka by King Devanampiyatssa to send Bhikkhuni Sangamitta to bestow pabbajja on Sri Lankan women. Recalling, his son Mahinda and Surnana the grandson, leaving to Sri Lanka few months back, Asoka was not keen to part with her daughter, too. But Sangamitta was keen not to disappoint her brother. She said, Weighty is the word of my brother .Therefore I must depart there. Arrival of Theri Sangamitta Theri Sangamitta, travelling from Pataliputta capital of Asoka to Tamalitti at the mouth of the Ganges and from there, braving the Indian Ocean with a retinue of bhikkhunis and a mixed group of laymen arrived at Jambukola north of the Island on the full moon day of Unduvap. Among the bhikkhunis who accompanied her, according to Dipavamsa were Uttara, Hema, Pasadapala, Aggimitta, Dasaka, Phegghu, Pabbata, Matta, Malla and Dhammadasiya. It also mentions that they were young, probably as they had to face the vagaries of a foreign climate which was different from that of Pataliputta. Although Thera Mahinda arrived with five other Theras, Theri Sangamitta was accompanied by a bigger group of bhikkhunis; there was a big task awaiting her. Already Queen Anula with five hundred women of the royal palace and an equal number of maidens were ready to receive the ordination. Once they received the ordination, there were many to follow them. Dipavamsa mentions names of several others who subsequently entered the Order. They included Soma, Dhamma and Sobhani. The bhikkhunis from Jambudvipa also had the added task of teaching the Dhamma particularly the Vinaya (disciplinary rules) to the newly ordained nuns, and all the bhikkhunis who came from Pataliputta were well versed in Vinaya. Dipavamsa mentions several of the local bhikkhunis, namely Mahila, Sata, Kali and Uttara who mastered the Vinaya rules within a short time. Thus Theri Sangamitta not only opened the doors of emancipation to Sri Lankan women but also laid the foundation for their education. Theri Sangamiita was also mindful of the progress of the doctrine and the welfare of the bhikkhunis. Accordingly, additional dwellings for the occupants were erected. King Devanampiyatissa who visited the Theri had arranged to erect a pleasing convent for the bhikkhunis. Known as Hatthalakavihara, it provided an opportunity for a disciplined community life. The bhikkhunis had come from different walks of life. Dipavamsa mentions that Girikali was the daughter of a chaplain (purohita); Sivala and Samuddanava were daughters of the King and Mahatissa the daughter of Gamika (village chief). This broke the social barriers among them. With the royal patronage received and the establishment of the Bhikkhuni Order, thus two thousand two hundred and sixty four years ago, Sri Lankan women came to be liberated. Social barriers were broken. Spiritually, they could reach the highest levels. Planting of the Bo tree It has to be mentioned that the planting of the branch of the Bodhi tree from Buddha Gaya was as equally important as the establishment of the Bhikkhuni Order. Elaborate arrangements had been made in Pataliputta for its dispatch and in Anuradhapura for its reception. Once it was planted, it is said that eight shoots had grown from it and they were planted in several places around Anuradhapura and one in Katargama; the two main Aryan settlements in the island. Another 32 had been planted in different places covering most of the key points in the country affirming the establishment of the Buddhist Order in the major parts of the Island. Professor Malalasekera quoting from P.E. Pieris (Ceylon and the Portuguese pp 3-4) where reference is made to the planting of the Bodhi Tree says, It is doubtful if any other single incident in the long story of their race has seized upon the imagination of the Sinhalese with such tenacity as this of the planting of the aged tree. Like its pliant roots which find sustenance on the face of the bare rock and cleave their way through the stoutest fabric, the influence of what it represents has penetrated into the innermost being of the people till the tree itself has become almost human. The axe of the ruthless invaders, who for so many centuries to come were destined to spread ruin throughout the country, was reverently withheld from its base. And even now on the stillest night, its heart shaped leaves on their slender stalks ceaselessly quiver and sigh, as they have quivered and sighed for twenty-three centuries (Pali literature of Ceylon pp24-25) Theri Sangamita was also accompanied by eighteen princes from royal families to watch over the Bodhi tree and eight from Brahman families and of traders and persons from the cowherds, the weavers, the potters and from all other handicrafts. While Thera Mahinda with bhikkhus and Theri Sangamitta with the bhikkhunis were concentrating on the spiritual advancement of the people, the craftsmen would have taken upon them the task of improving their economic and social advancement. For example bringing cowherds itself was important. To dissuade a community which for centuries was used to live mainly by hunting, obviously needed an alternate occupation if they were to live by the teachings of the Buddha. Though pottery, weaving and paddy cultivation were known to pre-Devanampiyatissa times as seen from the archaeological remains, chronicles and folklore, the arrival of craftsmen from overseas would have given a new impetus and brought in new technologies which blossomed later into a culture of its own identity. The arrival of Theri Sangamitta to establish the Bhikkhuni Order, with the branch of the Bo tree , accompanied by a group of disciplined and erudite Bhikkhunies was an unparalleled event in the history of the Island. She was a unique lady. Being the daughter of the most powerful ruler at the time, her renunciation itself has to be admired. Following the words of the Buddha caratha bhikkave carikam bahujana hitaya bahujana sukhaya (Go forth o monks for the benefit of the many, for the happiness of the many), she left her mother, father and her motherland. She, perhaps, was one of the few early bhikkhunis who undertook missionary work to propagate Buddhism. Most of the theris mentioned in Their-Gatha during the time of the Buddha mainly looked for their own salvation. Sangamitta came over to Sinhala-Deepa and spent the rest of her life in this island serving the people, particularly the women for a better spiritual and a worldly life. It is the lead given by her that resulted in such heroines like Viharamahadevi and Somadevi to play a vital role in the history of the country. The Bhikkhuni Order she set up in the Island was instrumental in establishing the Order in other countries, too. According to a Chinese tradition, Bhikkhuni Devasara from Sri Lanka set up the Bhikkhuni Order in that country. Thus she was the torch bearer for the emancipation of women not only in Sri Lanka but also in some of the southeastern and eastern Asia countries. International Womens Day International Womens Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8 every year. It commemorates the movement for womens rights. After women gained suffrage in Soviet Russia in 1917, March 8 became a national holiday there. The day was then predominantly celebrated by the socialist movement and communist countries until it was adopted in 1975 by the United Nations as International Womens Day (Wikipedia). The International Womens Day is of recent origin and an alien concept which has no bearing on women of this island, whereas women in Sri Lanka two thousand years back threw away the shackles that bound them. Declaring the day Bhikkhuni Sangamitta arrived in the Island as the National Womens Day is the least the present generation could do to honour this great lady. Already it is a public holiday. National Womens Day It is for all these reasons that Sri Lanka should be grateful and remember this great personality. It is suggested that the Sangamitta day be declared the National Womens Day in Sri Lanka. JERSEY, Channel Islands, Dec. 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Serinus Energy plc (Serinus, SEN or the Company) (AIM:SENX, WSE:SEN), is pleased to announce that Serinus Energy Romania S.A. (the Companys wholly-owned subsidiary) has signed a Gas Sales Agreement (the Agreement) with Vitol Gas and Power BV for the quantities of its forthcoming gas production, which are not required to be sold on a centralised market, from the Moftinu Gas Project in Romania. The term of this agreement will be from the start of production until the end of the following gas year (this being from October to the end of September of a given year and represents Transgaz annual pipeline capacity booking season), with the option to extend after that time. The Agreement calls for the gas pricing linked to an average of transactions concluded on the centralized markets of Romania. The Agreement also provides the Company with flexibility in nominating quantities for each delivery month, which is especially important for the commissioning period of the Moftinu gas plant and for meeting the Companys legislated market obligations to sell the remaining quantities directly into the centralized markets of Romania. There are two established gas trading markets in Romania where the Company is a member and through which it will sell its remaining production in the open market, once production has commenced. About Serinus Serinus is an international upstream oil and gas exploration and production company that owns and operates projects in Tunisia and Romania. The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 ("MAR"). For further information, please refer to the Serinus website ( www.serinusenergy.com ) or contact the following: Serinus Energy plc Jeffrey Auld, Chief Executive Officer Calvin Brackman, Vice President, External Relations & Strategy +1-403-264-8877 Numis Securities Limited (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker) John Prior Paul Gillam Ben Stoop +44 (0) 20 7260 1000 GMP FirstEnergy (Joint Broker) Hugh Sanderson Jonathan Wright +44 (0) 20 7448 0200 Camarco (Financial PR) Billy Clegg Owen Roberts +44 (0) 20 3781 8334 TBT i Wspolnicy (Financial PR - Warsaw) Piotr Talarek +48 22 487 53 02 Forward Looking Statement Disclaimer This news release includes forward looking information and statements within the meaning of securities laws. Such statements relate to the Corporations or managements objectives, projections, estimates, expectations, or predictions of the future and can be identified by words such as plans, assumes, will, anticipate and may or variations of such words. These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses by the Corporation that reflect its experience and understanding of future developments. Such statements are subject to a number of uncertainties, including, but not limited to, continued listing on the Warsaw Stock Exchange and AIM, the Corporations ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the delisting and other factors identified in the Corporations filings with regulatory authorities in Canada. Many of these uncertainties are beyond the Corporations control and, therefore, may cause actual actions or results to differ from those expressed or implied herein. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by law. In Spain, a prolonged period of festivity spanning Christmas and the New Year embraces several unique traditions, from an annual lottery draw and a Santa-equivalent who smokes a pipe, to the Spanish version of our April Fools Day and life-size nativity scenes. Christmas season in Spain kicks off with El Dia de la Inmaculada, a public holiday catering to the primarily Catholic population. Meaning Immaculate Conception in English, t raditionally, the holiday celebrates the conception of the Virgin Mary but it is also associated with the time when shops unveil their Christmas window displays and the switching on of colourful Christmas lights. Image credit: VinnyCiro on Pixabay From the beginning of December, you will notice huge nativity scenes or belens, constructed in town squares and in shop windows. The elaborate scenes often display farms, townhouses, and rivers, in a style entirely different to the miniature versions commonly seen in the UK. It is not unusual for Spanish families to have their own miniature belen in their homes, too. El Gordo El Gordo, The 22nd December marks the day ofSpain's famous lottery draw, which translates to the Fat One. El Gordo has run every year since 1812 even through civil war and, according to Lottoland , it is the worlds second longest running lottery. One ticket costs 200, which is why many people opt to buy a tenth of a ticket, encouraging the traditional sharing of a ticket with family members, colleagues, and even strangers in bars and clubs. This way, many Spaniards get hold of some winnings. What makes El Gordo particularly unusual is that the winning numbers are sung by school children from Madrid live on national television. La Nochebuena La Nochebuena is Christmas Eve to us, but the Spanish celebrate it quite differently. In the days leading up to La Nochebuena, some children piden el aguinaldo, where they walk around the neighbourhood singing carols in return for money. As night settles, families join together to eat delicious late dinner, which may include roast lamb, suckling pig, and seafood, depending on the area of Spain. Image credit: picjumbo.com on Pexels At midnight, it is a tradition for small presents to be exchanged while others attend Midnight Mass, otherwise known as La Misa del Gallo, meaning the Rooster Mass. This originates from the common belief that the birth of Jesus Christ was announced by a rooster. Unlike in England, Father Christmas does not typically deliver presents to children on Christmas Eve. Instead, most Spanish families wait until the 6th January to open Christmas gifts. However, this is different in the Basque Country where there is a different version of Santa under the name of Olentzero. This mythical giant dresses in peasants clothing, smokes a pipe and delivers gifts on Christmas Eve. In Catalonia, there is a regional tradition where children keep the Caga Tio, meaning the pooping log, in their homes or schools in the weeks leading to Christmas. The Caga Tio is literally a log with a face and legs dressed up in a blanket and hat, which is fed little bits of food each evening. When the 24th or 25th comes around, children hit the log with a stick whilst singling a traditional song, asking the log to excrete out sweets. Christmas Day is typically spent quietly in the company of family since it is not the main day of celebration. El Dia de los Santos Inocentes los Santos Inocentes, the Spanish equivalent of our April Fools Day. People play jokes and pranks on each other, wear funny costumes, and hold curious festivities such as Malagas Fiesta Mayor de Verdiales Three days later, on the 28th December, it is el Dia deSantos Inocentes, the Spanish equivalent of our April Fools Day. People play jokes and pranks on each other, wear funny costumes, and hold curious festivities such as Malagas Nochevieja On New Years Eve or Nochevieja, it is customary to eat twelve grapes with the 12 chimes of the clock at midnight alongside standard firework displays and late-night partying. Each grape is representative of the 12 months, and, if you eat all of them, you will have luck all year. This custom is best in Madrids Puerta del Sol, where thousands of people gather and wait for the twelve gongs. El Dia de Los Reyes Magos For most people in the UK, festivities come to an end on New Years Day. However, the Spanish celebrate El Dia de Los Reyes Magos, which translates literally to Three Kings Day but is otherwise known as Epiphany. This day is most similar to the Western Christmas Day when most people receive Christmas gifts. On the eve of Epiphany on the 5th January, communities prepare for the arrival of the Three Kings of the Orient. Processions and parades are organised, which feature floats of the three Kings who throw sweets to the crowds. In the evening, children traditionally clean their shoes and leave them where they want the Three Kings to leave their presents . They often leave food, wine, and water for the kings and their camels too, in a similar way to how British children leave sherry and a mince pie for Father Christmas. Nevertheless, despite the plethora of Spanish traditions over the festive period, families in Spain are being increasingly influenced by American TV, introducing Father Christmas so that children have more time to play with their presents from the 25th December. Finally, a Spanish Christmas is not complete without a beloved Roscon de Reyes, a sweet bread ring topped with almonds and sweets, often stuffed with whipped cream, which is typically eaten on the 6th January. A small figurine is hidden within the roscon, and whoever finds it normally has to buy next years roscon. Contact: International Administration Group (Guernsey) Limited Company Administrator Attn: Mark Woodall Tel: +44 1481 723450 Share Buyback Programme: Transactions in week ending 21 December 2018 Guernsey, 24 December 2018 Following the successful settlement of the 15 million share tender on 20 December 2018, Eurocastle Investment Limited (Eurocastle or the Company) commenced its previously announced second buyback programme with Liberum Capital Limited (acting as the Company's broker). Accordingly, the Company today announces that between 20 December 2018 and 21 December 2018, it bought back 1,993 of its ordinary shares at an average price of 6.01 per ordinary share. These purchases were made pursuant to the authority granted at its Annual General Meeting on 20 June 2018. The purchased shares will all be held as treasury shares. The purpose of the share buyback programme is to reduce the share capital of the Company and the programme is executed in compliance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 and the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 of 8 March 2016, collectively referred to as the Safe Harbour rules. The following transactions have been made under the buyback programme: Accumulated, most recent announcement Platform code Volume Volume Weighted Average Price Gross Value () 20/12/2018 BATE 0 - - XLON 0 - - CHIX 0 - - TRQX 0 - - Total 0 - - 21/12/2018 BATE 5 5.96 30 XLON 1,801 6.01 10,828 CHIX 128 5.96 762 TRQX 59 5.96 352 Total 1,993 6.01 11,972 Following the above transactions: The total number of ordinary shares of the Company in issue is 63,813,362 The total number of ordinary shares held by Eurocastle in treasury is 18,651,014 (equal to 29.2% of the Companys share capital) The total number of voting rights exercisable by holders of ordinary shares of the Company is 45,162,348, as voting rights of shares held in treasury are suspended. ABOUT EUROCASTLE Eurocastle Investment Limited is a publicly traded closed-ended investment company that focuses on investing in performing and non-performing loans and other real estate related assets primarily in Italy. The Company is Euro denominated and is listed on Euronext Amsterdam under the symbol ECT. Eurocastle is managed by an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group LLC, a leading global investment manager. For more information regarding Eurocastle Investment Limited and to be added to our email distribution list, please visit www.eurocastleinv.com. Set out below are all trades completed between 20 December 2018 and 21 December 2018: Platform code Volume Price Gross Value () 21/12/2018 XLON 183 6.04 1,105.32 XLON 175 6.02 1,053.50 XLON 33 6.02 198.66 XLON 275 6.02 1,655.50 XLON 92 6.02 553.84 XLON 288 6.02 1,733.76 XLON 239 6.00 1,434.00 XLON 460 6.00 2,760.00 BATE 5 5.96 29.80 TRQX 59 5.96 351.64 CHIX 104 5.96 619.84 XLON 56 5.96 333.76 CHIX 24 5.94 142.56 Total 1,993 6.01 11,972.18 TORONTO, Dec. 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Galane Gold Ltd. (Galane Gold or the Company) (TSX-V: GG; OTCQB: GGGOF) announces that it has terminated its previously announced agreement to acquire the Andy Well Project from Andy Well Mining Pty Ltd and Doray Minerals Limited due to various conditions precedent not being met. About Galane Gold Galane Gold is an un-hedged gold producer and explorer with mining operations and exploration tenements in Botswana and South Africa. Galane Gold is a public company and its shares are quoted on the TSXV under the symbol GG and the OTCQB under the symbol GGGOF. Galane Golds management team is comprised of senior mining professionals with extensive experience in managing mining and processing operations and large-scale exploration programmes. Galane Gold is committed to operating at world-class standards and is focused on the safety of its employees, respecting the environment, and contributing to the communities in which it operates. 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. .. 1 blockchain TORONTO, Dec. 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Internet of Things Inc. (TSX VENTURE: ITT; OTC: INOFT; FRANKFURT: 7IT) (IoT Inc. or the Company) a strategic investor and operator of emerging technology companies with innovative IoT, AI and Blockchain solutions, announces it will be applying for approval from the TSX Venture Exchange to extend the expiry date of 3,010,000 Class C common share purchase warrants issued to subscribers (the Subscriber Warrants) pursuant to the Companys convertible debenture private placement financing, which closed on April 30, 2015. Internet of Things Inc. intends to extend the expiry date of the 3,010,000 Subscriber Warrants from January 5, 2019 until December 5, 2021. The exercise price of $0.125 and all other terms of the Subscriber Warrants will remain unchanged for the extended exercise period. Included in the extended Subscriber Warrants are 1,150,000 Subscriber Warrants held by insiders. The extension is subject to approval from the TSX Venture Exchange. About Internet of Things Inc. Internet of Things Inc. is a strategic investor and operator of emerging technology companies with innovative technology solutions. The Company creates value through its portfolio companies expertise in IoT, AI and Blockchain solutions, by turning data into actionable intelligence to drive more efficiency into organizations. The Company owns Weather Telematics Inc., has a joint venture partnership, New Hope IoT Intl Inc., with New Hope Data Technology Co. Ltd., and has its headquarters in Toronto, Canada. Follow Internet of Things Inc. on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InternetofThingsInc/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/iotintl LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/internet-of-things-inc-/ Internet of Things Inc. Kim Nguyen, Director of Corporate Communications Tel: (416) 792-9088 Email: knguyen@iotintl.com To learn more, visit: www.iotintl.com Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements Statements contained in this news release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements that involve risk, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. 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. All forward-looking statements included in this news release are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of the Company to differ materially from the conclusion, forecast or projection stated in such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to factors referenced in the Companys other continuous disclosure filings, which are available at sedar.com. Readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, 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 only way to switch is ... 1. The old phone you wish to use has to be unlocked. If it isn't, then you need to call the carrier/service provider it was with before and have them unlock it. 2. If the phone uses a SIM (some do, some don't) they you will need a new SIM from the carrier/service provider you are changing to. 3. You will need to contact the new carrier/service provider and get the phone switched over to them. Only they can do that. International real estate advisor Savills has appointed Catesby Langer-Paget as the new head of Egypt to lead its launch in the fast growing market. The agency is expanding its regional presence into Egypt at a time where an influx of industry reports is emerging to highlight the great growth potential of the Egyptian real estate market. As part of an ambitious expansion plan within the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, Savills, the globally renowned player within the real estate sector arrives in Egypt shortly after its acquisition of Cluttons Middle East. The agency aims to grow its regional capabilities to play a key role in Egypt through catering to different stakeholders within the real estate market and supporting the property project lifecycle with a robust service offering. Savills Middle East CEO Steven Morgan said: "We have a great determination to be at the forefront of the resurgence of the Egyptian real estate market. Launching our presence in Egypt represents a key part of our regional development strategy." "We aim to leverage our wide range of experience that we believe will be of significant value for all the different stakeholders within the sector. With a historic, accountable track record across the region and a great deal of experience accumulated across different countries, we believe Catesby Langer-Paget is the ideal man to lead the growth of our business in Egypt," he stated. In his previous role at Cluttons, Langer-Paget was already in charge of several major clients in Egypt, including the Government of Canada, global pharmaceutical company Novartis, 3M, Omani Sovereign Wealth Fund and Citi Bank. At Savills Egypt, he will look to bring over the wide range of capabilities and services that the company offers globally to establish the agencys presence as a key player in the Egyptian real estate market. On his appointment, Langer-Paget said: "The Egyptian market is showing very promising signs of expansion and is set to regain its position among the leading real estate markets within the region." "The growth witnessed by the residential and commercial real estate market is driven by multiple factors, including the governments ambitious plans to address the increasing population needs as well as its support for entrepreneurial initiatives as a key economic driver," he stated. Were looking forward to an exciting year in 2019, starting with the launch of One Zamalek, a Savills managed building on the northern tip of Zamalek, featuring 21 exclusive apartments available for sale and they are already attracting a lot of interest. The commercial real estate market will also be a key focus for us with several major announcements expected next year, he added.-TradeArabia News Service Solidarity Bahrain, one of the largest insurance companies in Bahrain and a subsidiary of Solidarity Group Holding, said its ratings were reaffirmed by A M Best Europe, maintaining a financial strength rating of B++ (Good) with a stable outlook and issuer credit rating of bbb with a positive outlook. A reputed and leading international rating agency, A M Best said these ratings reflect the Bahraini group's sound level of risk-adjusted capitalisation, niche market positioning and good level of risk profile besides its well diversified investment, strength of balance sheet, and good financial flexibility as a listed company on the Bahrain Bourse. CEO Ashraf Bseisu said: "We are justifiably proud of the continued international recognition and accreditation of our major operating platform. Our organisation has positioned itself as the leading insurer in the kingdom following the successful merger between Al Ahlia Insurance Company & Solidarity General Takaful." "Through our subsidiaries in Bahrain and other key markets, our organisation has managed to establish its position as the leading industry player in the region, setting it apart from all but a handful of regional market players," he added. Bseisu has attributed this milestone achievement to the solid vision and clear strategies of the group, and the devotion and dedication of Solidaritys board, management team and staff, said a statement from the company. CEO Jawad Mohamed said: "We are delighted to announce that our company has had its ratings affirmed by A M Best." We have received issuer credit rating with a positive outlook despite a highly challenging market conditions and operating environment, he stated. Our company has positioned itself as the only rated Takaful company and one of few rated insurance companies operating within the Bahraini market, he added. TradeArabia News Service Bahrain-based Kanoo Machinery recently hosted Hitachis Open Day at its Sitra premises, showcasing the latest offerings from the Japanese manufacturer of heavy-duty construction products in the region. A fully-owned business division of Yusuf bin Ahmed Kanoo Group (YBA Kanoo), Kanoo Machinery is a leading provider of heavy machinery and represents global brands such as Grove, Manitowoc, Hyster, Perkins, and Bobcat apart from Hitachi. Established in the early 1960s, it now has more than 15 branches across the Gulf region. During the event, Hitachi displayed its latest excavators, trucks and construction machinery which are currently available in the Gulf region, said a statement from the company. The event was attended by major contractors in Bahrain as well as engineers from both the private and public sectors. Later the participants were taken around the Kanoo Commercial Centre, it added.-TradeArabia News Service Phoenix Global DMCC has signed a cooperation agreement with Vietnam-based Loc Troi Group to enhance sustainable rice production and to strengthen good economic relations between the two companies. In a joint statement, the companies said the agreement will benefit 10,000 Viet small holder farmers enhance sustainable rice farming over 10,000 hectares of paddy field. Witnessing the ceremony were present officials and diplomats- Franco Bosoni, Director Innovation Hub, DMCC, Antony Furtado of Food Trade Group, DMCC and Le Phuong, commercial counsellor and head of Vietnam Trade Office in Dubai. They said that consumers of UAE and Middle Eastern region would also be the beneficiary by way of imports of low chemical residue and sustainable rice which will be produced in Vietnam as a result of this partnership. Gaurav Dhawan, chairman and CEO of Phoenix Group said: Phoenix has participated in many initiatives in the world, particularly in Africa, the CIS, the Middle East, India, and South East Asia to address and tackle the challenges of sustainable development in the value chain from cultivation to agribusiness. The cooperation agreement with Loc Troi Group will enhance Phoenixs footprint in Vietnam on food safe rice production, food security, economic prosperity of Vietnamese youth, and environmental issues in mass agricultural production and meanwhile gently help Loc Troi to market Vietnamese rice globally. The agreement also aims to help the small holder farmers in Vietnam achieve resilience to cushion the adverse effects of climate change, pest infestation, drought, floods and other calamities that are being experienced quite frequently over the past few years, the statement said. Huynh Van Thon, chairman of Loc Troi Group explained, This cooperation is a major step forward with strategic importance to LTG in widening the access for farmers rice in the Sustainable Rice Platform program, to reach the best opportunities which will help them connect and expand consumer markets and subsequently join more rapidly into the international rice trading network. Also, it expresses the great efforts from both Phoenix and LTG in our commitment to promoting the sustainable development of Vietnams rice sector in particular and significantly contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals in general. Through this cooperation, Phoenix and Loc Troi Group will collaborate to work together for the development of sustainable rice projects in Vietnam to be able to support the Vietnamese farmer to achieve sustainable growth. TradeArabia News Service Two weeks ago, a passerby found the body of a nearly naked man in a Queens bird sanctuary. Now police have arrested five people and are looking at whether MS-13 was involved in the murder. On December 16th, just before noon, police responded to a 911 call about an unconscious man found in Bayswater Point State Park near Mott Avenue and Beacon Place, by Far Rockaway. The man, identified as 23-year-old Queens resident Ian Cruz, was only wearing socks and underwear and had been shot numerous times in the head with a .22 caliber gun. This past weekend, police announced the arrests of five individuals for their alleged involvement in Cruz's death, charging Yonathan Sanchez, 22; Carlos Guerra, 18; a 15-year-old boy; and a 13-year-old girl with murder and criminal possession of a weapon. Elmer Guttierez, 18, was also charged with criminal possession of a weapon. The suspects all reportedly live at the same address in Far Rockaway. PIX 11 reports, "Officers recovered a firearm and more than 900 live rounds of ammunition" from the apartment. Authorities suspect that the gang MS-13 may be involved in the killing. According to the Post, sources claim the 13-year-old girl was used to lure Cruz for a meeting: "Sources said the teenage girl messaged Cruz online and got him to come meet her for a tryst in the woods sometime between Dec. 15 and 16. Instead, a group of four gangbangers the girl included pumped four rounds of .22-caliber ammunition into his head." Investigators believe the foursome used the same femme fatale to ensnare and kill 17-year-old Harold Sermeno also of Far Rockaway who was found fatally shot outside the Five Towns Community Center on Tuesday, sources said. Police believe both men were mistaken for rival gang members, but it is unclear whether they knew the girl was 13, sources said. The four suspects charged with murder are being held without bail while Guttierez is being held on $500,000 bail. Guttierez, who is from El Salvador, insists he's not involved in the killing. He told the Daily News in a jailhouse interview at Rikers, "I go to work and come back and go straight to put my head down on my bed. I don't really talk to them or have energy to talk to them." He said he was never in the park and had been at work. He also described the 13-year-old and 15-year-old suspects as siblings who moved in, explaining they were being abused by their mother. "I'm not part of MS-13," Guttierez told the News. "But the others? I really don't know." Japanese Defence Minister calls US decision to resume F-16 flights regrettable 03 Dec 2021 | 11:19 AM Tokyo, Dec 3 (UNI/Sputnik) Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi described on Friday the US decision to resume flights of F-16 fighter jets before the end of the investigation into fuel tanks drop by US aircraft as highly regrettable. see more.. China app giant Didi plans to exit US stock market and move to Hong Kong 03 Dec 2021 | 10:45 AM Beijing, Dec 3(UNI) Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Global announced on Thursday about its plans to exit from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and move its listing to Hong Kong, the BBC reported on Friday. see more.. S Korea reports 4,944 more Covid-19 cases 03 Dec 2021 | 10:13 AM Seoul, Dec 3 (UNI/Xinhua) South Korea reported 4,944 more cases of Covid-19 as of midnight Thursday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 462,555. see more.. US sets up 1st production unit to extend life of Gravity Bomb nuclear weapons 03 Dec 2021 | 9:44 AM Washington, Dec 3 (UNI/Sputnik) The US government has successfully set up its First Production Unit (FPU) to extend the operational life of the nations arsenal B61 directly dropped or gravity bomb nuclear weapons, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced in a press release. see more.. No space for arsonists in Bangladesh, says Hasina in a election campaign Dhaka, Dec 23 (UNI) Taking a swipe at Bangladesh Nationalist Party for allowing Jamaat candidates to contest the general election with its symbol Sheaf of Paddy, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said there will be no space for them on Bangladesh soil as they were involved in killing people through arson attacks. Therell be no space for them on Bangladesh soil as the smell of charred human bodies still comes out from the symbol of Sheaf of Paddy. Please be aware of them she said. Sheikh Hasina said this on Sunday while addressing an election rally arranged by Awami League Pirganj upazila unit Northern side of Bangladesh at Pirganj Government High School ground. To ship or buy local? That is the question for new cars in the Virgin Islands 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. Roger Clark still remembers Christmas in solitary confinement. Clark spent five years at Southport Correctional Facility, New Yorks first supermax prison dedicated to 23-hour lockdown, after defending himself from another prisoners assault. Im in a cell by myself the size of an elevator. I felt like the walls were closing in on me, he told Gothamist. Every day was the same, he recalled. The only way he knew it was Christmas was by looking at the calendar he had drawn for himself. Even then, Christmas meant not only being separated from his family, but being unable to even call them. Being in isolation took its toll even on non-holidays. Every night, theres yelling and screaming, Clark recalled. You cant sleep. Clark was allowed out of solitary in 2002 and came home from prison in 2012. Even out of prison, the experience still haunts him. I was in a cramped cell for years with nothing. I became antisocial... Even childhood friends, they see that my behavior has changed. They see that Im not the same person I was. I feel like Im damaged goods. Clark, now a member of Brooklyn-based advocacy organization VOCAL-NY, joined over two dozen advocates on Thursday to rally outside Governor Andrew Cuomos Midtown office and sing modified Christmas carols calling for an end to solitary confinement in the state. They brought a poster-sized Christmas card inviting Cuomo to spend 24 hours in a solitary confinement cell and urging him to pass the HALT Solitary Confinement Act, which would limit stints in solitary to 15 consecutive days and create alternatives for people who need to be separated for longer periods. New Yorks 54 prisons currently hold over 2,500 adults in their Special Housing Units (SHU), dedicated cellblocks whose inhabitants are locked in their cells for 23 to 24 hours each day. Advocates estimate that at least another thousand are held in keeplock, a different form of isolation in which a person is locked in their cell (as opposed to a designated isolation unit) for 23 hours each day. And, says Jack Beck, director of the Prison Visiting Project at the Correctional Association of New York, one thousand may be an undercount. In the three prisons he visited this year, there were 240 people in keeplock. Given that January marks a new legislative session, the HALT Solitary Confinement Act, which passed the State Assembly in June, will need to be re-introduced. Advocates are hopeful that it will pass in both the Assembly and the Senate. But Cuomo need not wait for the state legislature, notes Beck. He could end solitary confinement through the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Beck says to do so, the governor and his appointed prison director, Anthony J. Annucci, have to be committed to a therapeutic environment that treats peoples problems. That is not going to happen by locking them up and just letting them out to play games. And thats going to require some resources. It will save money in the long run because well have fewer people in solitary and theyll get out [of prison] sooner. Cuomo could do that literally starting tomorrow. He could put it in the budget. A representative from the governors office did not respond to a request for comment. Roger Clark (left), who served five years at Southport Correctional Facility, some of it in solitary confinement, holds a letter to Governor Cuomo outside the governor's Midtown office on Thursday (Victoria Law / Gothamist) Beck, Clark and other advocates point to Colorado, where prison director Rick Raemisch drastically changed the systems solitary practice, limiting isolation to 15 days and assigning them therapists and other behavioral interventions. The number of people in isolation dropped drasticallyfrom 1,500 (nearly 7 percent of Colorados prison population) in 2011 to 18 in October 2017. Victor Pate is the statewide organizer for New York's Campaign for Alternatives to Isolated Confinement. But in 1975, Pate was a 23-year-old new to the infamous Attica prison. Shortly after his arrival, Pate was sent to solitary for two weeks for having too many bedsheets in his cell. Prison rules dictate that people in solitary be allowed one hour out of their cell, but it was winter and the recreation cage was filled with snow. I had a choice of going out in the snow up to my knees or staying in my cell, he recalled. Most days he opted for his cell. Four decades later, Pate cant forget those two weeks. It felt like the end of the world. It felt like its never going to get better. It felt like this might be the end of me. After his time in isolation, he found himself feeling anti-social and unable to engage in conversation. The trauma of being isolated weighs heavily on a persons psyche, he said. Had they had therapy, an opportunity to engage in conversation with another human being, it would have been a much better transition and [would have] helped me cope with the fact that I was incarcerated. In early December, Pate visited Colorados alternatives to solitary. In these units, he describes, people are allowed out of their cell for four hours and have the ability to interact with other people as well as meet with social workers and psychologists. Pate recalls entering the cell of one man in the unit. I went into his cell and sat on his bed, he said, noting that no guard or prison staff member hovered over the two men to listen to their conversation. I asked him, Is this smoke and mirrors? He told me, If they had had this years ago, I wouldnt have come back to prison. As a result of coming into this unit, I think different and I act different. We need to rehabilitate these guys. We dont need to torture them. Youre doing more harm than good, Clark added. As Clark and another CAIC member headed into the building to deliver the card to Cuomos staffer, advocates sang their version of My Favorite Things: When the door slams/When the key turns/When Im going mad/I simply remember my family and friends/And then I just feel so sad. 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. Opinion The new red lines on Russias western frontier The Russia-Ukraine standoff is not exactly between the two countries, but it is one between Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) led by the United States. It is an echo of the old Cold War between the then two superpowers, America, and China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page Foodbank volunteers working tirelessly to support hundreds across Wrexham this Christmas This article is old - Published: Monday, Dec 24th, 2018 Volunteers at Wrexham foodbank have been working tirelessly to support those in need this Christmas. Foodbank Manager, Sally Ellinson and her team are in the process of preparing approximately 350 Christmas hampers for vulnerable people across the area Locally the number of people using foodbanks continues to rise. In Wrexham this last year, over 4,300 three-day emergency food supplies were given to people in crisis. The figures are an increase on the same time last year and the charity believes the UK Governments protracted implementation of the controversial Universal Credit, causing significant delays in benefit payments, is a key reason for the ongoing difficulties. However spite of the challenging times, the people of Wrexham are wholeheartedly supporting their local foodbank. Earlier this month, the Wrexham branch based on Dean Road -experienced its busiest day ever, with over 2,500KG donated in just 24 hours. In addition to the collections taking place in Asda, Tesco Wrexham and Tesco Cefn Mawr, the Traveller community across the UK initiated the hugely successful foodbank challenge via social media which encouraged individuals to fill up a shopping trolley for local foodbanks. Local Assembly Member, Lesley Griffiths recently visited the Wrexham Foodbank Warehouse to donate some supplies and meet with the hardworking volunteers. Lesley Griffiths AM said: Although it is extremely disappointing there is an increasing demand for foodbanks, it is heartening to see the generosity of local residents during the appeals and this was more evident than ever earlier this month when Wrexham Foodbank received a record amount of donations. I, along with members of the Labour Party in Wrexham, will continue to support Sally and her hard working team of volunteers, who all do a fantastic job. Without them this valuable service, which really makes a positive difference to vulnerable peoples lives in our local community, would not be able to function. GADSDEN COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - The Gadsden County Sheriffs Office is seeking the public's help in identifying a suspect in a convenience store robbery. On Sunday night about 10:20 p.m., a black male wearing black sweat pants, black hoodie and black shoes entered the Texaco Gas Station in Havana on Highway 27 N (Florida-Georgia Highway) and robbed the store clerk at gunpoint, a GCSO news release said. The suspect fled the area on foot in the direction of Ochlockonee Estates, a residential area behind the store. Anyone with information on the robbery can anonymously call the Gadsden County Sheriffs Office Criminal Investigations Division at (850) 627-9233. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Christmas is around the corner and holiday shoppers are still out grabbing last-minute gifts. This holiday season many locally owned stores have seen an increase in sales including Retrofit Records. "The shop always does well during the holidays" said Sharod Bines, Owner of Retrofit Records "A lot of people are buying gifts for people. Some may be are getting a record player for Christmas so they want record." Midtown Readers in Midtown said they are also seeing a boost in sales. Darrell Ellis, Manager of Midtown Reader said even though many students are back home their business is booming. "We have wrapped more presents in the past week than we have ever wrapped in the store before," said Darrell Ellis. Less than a mile away Southern Compass Outfitters is experiencing the same increase. "This is absolutely the biggest boost of the year for us...Even though we lose the students we still get a large number of people coming through the door from out of town," said Mary Fran Andree, Co-Owner of Southern Compass Outfitters Outside of seeing the normal December rise in customers, businesses are also seeing an surge compared to last year. "It is definitely a lot more busy and exciting and bustling in the store compared to last year," said Darrell Ellis. If you're still shopping for presents, you're not alone. A recent survey from the National Retail Federation found that 24 percent of holiday shoppers planned to grab their last gifts this weekend and seven percent will still be shopping on Christmas Eve. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 02:05:03|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ANKARA, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Turkey is faced with the tough decision of choosing between two competing missile systems for its defense requirements, but some experts believe that the NATO country could be compelled to select the U.S. Patriot against the Russian S-400. Amid a reconciliation process between Washington and Ankara, two NATO partners since 1952, the U.S. State Department announced on Dec. 18 that it approved the possible sale of 3.5-billion-U.S.-dollar Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to Turkey. The approval is an attempt by the U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to get Turkey to give up its plan to purchase the Russian-made advanced S-400 missile system. Trump and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan had a telephone conversation prior to the U.S. decision on troops withdrawal from Syria. The two leaders reportedly also discussed the sale of Patriot in the conversation. Ankara has reportedly paid a hefty deposit of the S-400 missile to Moscow, which has been a major hurdle to the U.S.-Turkish ties amid fears that the Russian system could allow the Russian military to collect intelligence on U.S. and NATO systems. Turkey's plan to buy the 2.5-billion-U.S.-dollar S-400 missile system is in line with a rapprochement between Ankara and Moscow on several fields such as trade and nuclear cooperation. However, the rapprochement jeopardized Ankara's acquisition of the F-35 fighters, as members of Congress have attempted to block the delivery of the jets over concerns about the Russian missile system. "Turkey should ask itself if it has the need and money to purchase both systems. The answer is 'No'," Ozgur Eksi, editor-in-chief of the magazine C4 Defence told Xinhua. "The decision which Turkey has to take will be a political one," said Eksi. The expert believed that in the end, Ankara would lean towards acquiring the U.S. system in order to refrain from antagonizing its NATO partner and sparking fresh bilateral tensions. A Turkish official source told Xinhua anonymously that there was no change in plans to buy the S-400 modern weapons system, saying that Ankara is planning to acquire both Russian and U.S.-made missile systems. The Kremlin for its part said that the sale would be unaffected by Washington's offer. However, it's not clear if Washington would agree to such a scheme. According to observers, President Trump's unexpected move to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria is designed to convince the Turks who will have the carte blanche to uproot the U.S.-backed Kurdish militia in the war-torn country. Washington also wants to make Turkey more firm in the realm of NATO as tensions are rising with Iran, Turkey's eastern neighbor. "Turkey is confronted with a complicated issue and has to take eventually a rather difficult decision. It's either one or the other," Sinan Ulgen, a former diplomat who chairs the Istanbul-based Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies, told Xinhua. There is also a possibility that even if Turkey and the U.S. agree on a Patriot deal, the U.S. Congress would deny it unless Turkey gives up the Russian S-400 missile deal or the two sides agree on a different solution. According to Eksi, if Turkey scraps its deal with the Russians, the deposit for the purchase will be lost, said Eksi. By the end of the year, the U.S. Congress has to approve or reject the proposed sale of the Patriot missiles. Turkey's plan to buy Russian missiles and the U.S. continuing support of Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara condemns as terrorists, have badly strained U.S.-Turkish relations. Days before the announcement of the Patriot missile deal and the U.S. pullout from Syria, Erdogan vowed to carry out a new Turkish offensive against the YPG in northeastern Syria. However, on Saturday, the Turkish leader said that his country has decided to postpone its cross-border operation into Syria following his phone conversation with Trump. Turkey finalized plans to buy the Russian systems in 2017, with first delivery scheduled for October 2019. Russia promised Turkey joint production and technology transfer as part of the agreement. Turkey is striving to enhance its air defense for decades, particularly after Washington decided in 2015 to withdraw its Patriot system from Turkey's border with Syria, a move that weakened Turkey's air defense. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 02:05:04|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MUMBAI, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister of India's Maharashtra state here on Sunday. China and India are both ancient civilizations that have made important contributions to mankind's development, Wang noted. Today, China and India are the world's two largest developing countries and two major emerging economies, he said, adding that by joining hands to develop together, China and India can change the world. As an important part of China-India ties, people-to-people exchanges between the two sides enjoy huge development potentials, Wang said. China is willing to work with India to further expand communications in the fields of overseas students, tourism, friendship cities and film and TV industry, Wang said. He hoped that Maharashtra state would take the lead not only in the national development of India, but also in China-India cooperation, and contribute to the development of China-India ties, he added. For his part, Fadnavis sang high praise for China's achievements and expressed willingness to learn from China's experiences on sustainable development and infrastructure construction. It is high time for the two countries to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and his state is ready to take the opportunity of implementing the outcomes of the first meeting of China-India high level people-to-people exchanges mechanism to push forward exchanges and cooperation in sectors such as tourism, film making, technology and university education, said the chief minister. Wang is on a visit to India to co-chair the first meeting of China-India high level people-to-people exchanges mechanism with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 02:15:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Intense clashes erupted on Sunday between the Yemeni government forces and the Houthi rebels in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah despite the cease-fire backed by the United Nations, local sources said. A military source based in the city told Xinhua on anonymity that the Houthis engaged in fierce armed clashes with the government forces in the western part of Hodeidah, coinciding with the arrival of the UN monitoring team. He said that the Houthis attempted to make progress in government-controlled areas near the shopping center of CityMax in Hodeidah, sparking intense clashes in the area. A local resident said that the two-warring sides started to exchange heavy artillery fire at 5:00 p.m. local time. Another source of the pro-government Giants Brigades said that Houthis fired a number of shells on the residential neighborhood of Mandher in Hodeidah. Meanwhile, the Houthi-affiliated Masirah television network reported that the Saudi-backed forces continued to set up new checkpoints and military sites. The armed clashes occurred in the fifth day of the cease-fire that went into effect at midnight (2100 GMT) on Monday and coincided with the arrival of the UN team which will be in charge of monitoring a cease-fire in Hodeidah. Patrick Cammaert, a retired Dutch general, who is heading the UN monitoring team, arrived in Sanaa earlier in the day and held a meeting with Houthi leaders there. The cease-fire deal signed between the two warring rivals last week in Sweden demanded full withdrawal of all armed groups from Hodeidah and its strategic seaports. According to the deal, the UN will manage the port and supervise the re-deployment of neutral forces there to prevent military escalation, while local forces will help maintain law and order in the city. Local residents said tense calm was held in the neighborhoods of Hodeidah despite the heavy deployment of fighters of the two warring sides inside and around the city. Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Houthi rebels overtook the capital Sanaa and toppled the government of President Abd-Rabbuh Mansour Hadi. A Saudi-led coalition has been fighting the Houthis since 2015. The war has killed more than 10,000 people and created a serious humanitarian crisis. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 02:45:11|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TEHRAN, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, said on Sunday that supporting the Palestinian cause is one of the principle policies of the country, official IRNA news agency reported. "Unfortunately, counter measures to the (Palestinian) resistance movement take place from the Muslim world today," Zarif said in a meeting with a visiting delegation of the Islamic Hamas movement. Zarif urged the Muslim countries to set aside differences and unite when it comes to the issue of Palestine. "Supporting Palestine is a principle policy of the Islamic republic," Zarif stressed. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 03:25:16|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on his Twitter on Sunday that he had a phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over Syria issues. "We discussed ISIS (IS), our mutual involvement in Syria, and the slow and highly coordinated pullout of U.S. troops from the area," said Trump on his Twitter account, describing the phone conversation as "long and productive." The two leaders also discussed expanded trade between the two countries in their phone call. Trump agreed to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria during his phone conversation with Erdogan on Dec. 14, the Associated Press cited two officials in a report. The State Department cleared Turkey to purchase a package of Patriot missile systems on Dec. 18, with an estimated cost of 3.5 billion U.S. dollars. The Trump administration announced on Dec. 19 that it started returning U.S. troops home from Syria after claiming a victory in the fight against the IS, without revealing any detailed timetable. The decision to withdraw U.S. troops in Syria was widely regarded as the last straw for Defense Secretary James Mattis' resignation on Dec. 20. Following Mattis, Brett McGurk, the U.S. envoy for the global coalition to defeat Islamic State (IS), also resigned on Dec. 21, which was another sign of senior officials' objection over the U.S. troops withdrawal from Syria. The time-frame for U.S. troops withdrawal from war-torn Syria is expected to be 60 days and 100 days, Reuters reported, citing an anonymous administration official earlier in the past week. The United States has deployed troops to Syria fighting the IS since 2015, and there are more than 2,000 U.S. soldiers in Syria. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 05:55:39|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ANKARA, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump on Sunday discussed Syria issues in phone conversation amid the U.S. ground force pulling out from Syria. According to a statement released by the Turkish presidency, Erdogan and Trump agreed to ensure diplomatic and military coordination to prevent an authority vacuum following the U.S. withdrawal from Syria. Erdogan also expressed satisfaction with steps taken by Washington regarding combating terrorism in Syria, saying Turkey was ready to provide any type of support. Erdogan said in a tweet after the talk that both the leaders agreed to increase coordination on many issues, including trade relations and the developments in Syria. On Wednesday, Washington announced to withdraw its troops from Syria after claiming a victory in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) without revealing any detailed timetable. Following the U.S. move, Erdogan said Friday that Turkey had decided to postpone its cross-border operation into areas controlled by the Kurdish militia in northern Syria. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 06:15:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close LONDON, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- British police said Sunday night that there might never have been drone activity over Gatwick Airport at all. There is no footage of the device which sparked it and it is "a possibility" there never was one, the police said. Asked about speculation there was never such a drone flown over the airport, Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley told the BBC: "Of course, that's a possibility. We are working with human beings saying they have seen something." "Until we've got more clarity around what they've said, the detail -- the time, place, direction of travel, all those types of things - and that's a big task." However, earlier media reports said that detectives were examining a damaged drone for clues on Sunday night. The detective said the arrests made on Friday night were the result of a tip-off from a member of the public. The couple arrested by Sussex Police on Friday night were released Sunday morning without charge. The incident, which was sparked by a drone sighting on Wednesday at around 2100 GMT, left planes stopped from coming to or from the airport. Flights were suspended for more than 36 hours when a device was reported to have been seen close to the runway on Wednesday night. Sussex Police said there had been 67 reports of drone sightings -- having earlier cast doubt on "genuine drone activity." About 1,000 aircraft were either cancelled or diverted, affecting about 140,000 passengers, during three days of disruption. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 07:20:58|Editor: mmm Video Player Close Russian college students perform an acrobatic show in a gala in Vladivostok, Russia, Dec. 23, 2018. A gala celebrating the coming New Year was held in Vladivostok for Chinese and Russian college students. (Xinhua/Wu Gang) Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 07:33:25|Editor: mym Video Player Close Protesters hold Lebanese flags and banners during a demonstration in Beirut, Lebanon, Dec. 23, 2018. Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Beirut on Sunday to protest against deteriorating economic conditions. 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. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich) Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 09:51:08|Editor: mmm Video Player Close XI'AN, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- A new study suggested that text-based CAPTCHAs, one of the most widely used website security mechanisms, are no longer safe when facing smarter artificial intelligence. Text-based CAPTCHA uses a jumble of distorted or blurred letters, characters and numbers to distinguish humans from computer programs, to block the latter from accessing polls and auctions disguised as a human user. This reverse Turing test builds on the belief that people are more adept at recognizing these symbols than machines. But researchers from China's Northwest University, Peking University, and Lancaster University in Britain said they developed a new algorithm, based on machine learning, that can break most text-based CAPTCHAs within 0.05 seconds. The research was published in a paper presented at the ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security (CCS) 2018 in Toronto. It described the algorithm as "generic, low-effort yet effective" compared with previous attacks on CAPTCHAs that could be laborious and scheme-specific. Fang Dingyi, co-author of the paper at Northwest University, said the program had been tested on CAPTCHA schemes used by 50 popular websites including those operated by Google, Wikipedia, Microsoft, Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent. Overall, the program had a success rate of over 50 percent of decoding CAPTCHAs on most websites within 0.05 seconds. Its success rate of decoding certain Google CAPTCHAs, considered to be the most difficult, stood at 3 percent. "It is widely believed that a CAPTCHA scheme is ineffective if the decoding rate is above 1 percent," said Tang Zhanyong, co-author of the paper at Northwest University. The AI tool draws on a technique known as the "generative adversarial network," or GAN. It teaches a CAPTCHA generator program to produce large numbers of training CAPTCHAs, which are then used to train a solver to break real CAPTCHAs. "This research suggests one can easily launch an attack on a new CAPTCHA scheme using AI. It means that this first defense of many websites is no longer reliable," said Fang. The researchers advised website owners to consider deploying alternative multiple-layer security mechanisms. Fang said his team is looking at ways to develop a more reliable CAPTCHA system. "We want to offer an alternative to the current text-based CAPTCHA scheme. The alternative should improve its security without compromising the user experience," Fang said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 10:06:10|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The departing U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis has signed the execute order detailing the U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria, reported U.S. media on Sunday. The order clarified how and when the U.S. soldiers' exit from the war-torn country will occur, reported CNN citing anonymous defense officials. The withdrawal is expected to start "in the next several weeks" and could last "several weeks," according to the report. After claiming a victory in the fight against the Islamic State (IS), the Trump administration announced on Wednesday that it started pulling U.S. troops back from Syria without revealing any detailed timetable. The decision was widely regarded as the last straw for the resignation of Mattis on Thursday. Trump tweeted on Sunday that he has picked Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan as the acting Pentagon chief, forcing Mattis to step down earlier than planned. Trump also tweeted that he had a phone conversation with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over Syria issues. "We discussed ISIS, our mutual involvement in Syria, and the slow and highly coordinated pullout of the U.S. troops from the area," he said. The United States has deployed more than 2,000 troops in Syria to fight the IS since 2015. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 10:31:16|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close CARACAS, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's government on Sunday demanded respect for its sovereignty and international law, saying oil exploration ships working for neighboring Guyana violated its maritime borders. In a statement, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said the incident occurred on Saturday, when naval patrols "detected the unusual presence in Venezuela's territorial waters of two seismic exploration vessels." The vessels, identified as "RAMFOR under the Bahamas flag and DELTA MONARCH under the flag of Trinidad and Tobago, were contracted by the transnational ExxonMobil," the ministry said. The vessels were in Venezuela's Orinoco Delta, officials said. In an exchange with Venezuela's navy, the captains of the vessels said they had the operation permission of Guyana's government in the area, according to the ministry. Venezuela and Guyana have had a long-running border dispute over the oil-rich region of Esequiba, which flared up again in 2015 after ExxonMobil announced the discovery of an oil deposit in the area. Despite the "unacceptable violation of national sovereignty," Venezuela reiterated its willingness to dialogue with Guyana -- in keeping with a 1966 treaty calling for a peacefully negotiated solution -- and its determination to defend its territorial jurisdiction. Guyana denies the vessels were in any violation, and accused Venezuela of illegally intercepting the ships. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 10:36:17|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close SUVA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- A joint search by police and Fijian Corrections officers is underway for seven prisoners who escaped from Naboro Maximum Prison early Monday morning. Fijian police have erected road blocks along the Queens Highway in Viti Levu, Fiji's main and largest island. Anyone with information of their whereabouts is requested to call Crimestoppers Fiji on 919 or their nearest police station as the seven are considered to be dangerous prisoners on the run. Later November, 12 Fijian police officers were punished for the escape of five remanded prisoners from police custody. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 11:01:25|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close SYDNEY, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Scientists are using an undersea robot to repopulate damaged sections of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, according to media reports. The undersea robot just delivered 100,000 baby corals to the Great Barrier Reef, NBC NEWS reported Saturday. And researchers hope to develope a fleet of such submersibles to save reefs around the world from rising sea temperature. The briefcase-size submersible, dubbed LarvalBot, is designed to move autonomously along damaged sections of reef, seeding them with hundreds of thousands of microscopic baby corals. "The idea here is to use an automated technique that allows us to target delivery of the larvae into damaged reef systems and increase the efficiency that new coral communities can be generated," Peter Harrison, director of the Marine Ecology Research Centre at Southern Cross University and the leader of the coral restoration project, told NBC News. Harrison's team recently tested LarvalBot at Vlasoff Reef, an outer part of the Great Barrier Reef along Australia's northeastern coast. In the trial run, the submersible dispersed 100,000 baby specimens derived from corals that survived previous bleaching events, which are believed to be especially tolerant of warmer ocean temperatures. Recent research shows about half of the coral making up the Great Barrier Reef died off in the bleaching events 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. The scientists hope that corals which have survived bleaching have a greater tolerance to rising temperatures. They have cultivated larvae from harvested eggs of surviving corals, before returning them to damaged areas of the reef. Future versions of the bot should be able to disperse millions of baby corals in order to speed up the regrowth of damaged reefs, Harrison said, adding that the team is also planning to test LarvalBot on a reef in the Philippines. But the researchers will have to wait and see if the microscopic baby corals take hold. Coral reefs are home to an estimated 25 percent of ocean life, acting as nurseries for many species of fish. They risk catastrophic die-offs globally as Earth's average surface temperature continues to climb. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 11:36:29|Editor: mym Video Player Close HAIKOU, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Visits by overseas tourists to China's southernmost island province of Hainan reached about 1.1 million in the first 11 months of the year, up 12.6 percent year on year, local authorities said Sunday. The number is equivalent to last year's total, the historical high, according to the provincial tourism department. The visits generated revenues of around 680 million U.S. dollars during the period, a year-on-year growth of 10.8 percent. To facilitate inbound visitors, Hainan launched 26 new international air routes this year, raising its total to 74. The province aims to operate 100 international routes by 2020. Earlier this year, Hainan started to offer greater visa-free access for inbound tourists from 59 countries, allowing them to travel visa-free if they start or transit in countries and regions with direct flights to Hainan. The province aims to attract two million overseas tourists by 2020, with an average annual growth rate of 25 percent between 2018 and 2020, according to a three-year action plan released in June. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 12:36:39|Editor: mym Video Player Close BOGOTA, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Colombia's National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrilla group launched a unilateral temporary cease-fire on Sunday in the lead up to Christmas. The cease-fire began at 00:00 local time (05:00 GMT), in keeping with the group's Dec. 17 pledge to stop hostilities until after the New Year, on Jan. 3. The move also aims to coax Colombia's new government into resuming peace talks with the rebels, the ELN said. Colombian President Ivan Duque, who took office in August, suspended the talks initiated by his predecessor, Juan Manuel Santos. Colombia's peace commissioner Miguel Ceballos said earlier the Christmas truce was not enough to bring officials to the table. "The ELN's decision does not include the liberation of those kidnapped," said Ceballos after the group announced the decision. Santos signed a peace deal with the country's largest rebel group, the now disbanded Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in 2016. Colombia's armed forces, meanwhile, warned their anti-rebel operations would continue through the holidays. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 13:31:46|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close GHAZNI, Afghanistan, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Seven civilians have been killed in an explosion in eastern Afghan province of Ghazni, provincial government spokesman said Monday. "Seven civilians were killed following an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion in Ghazni late Sunday," spokesman Harif Noori told Xinhua. He said the incident occurred when a running mini bus touched off the IED along a dusty road in Shahkhog area of Dih Yak district. He blamed enemies of peace, referring to the Taliban militant group, for the attack. Taliban militants have been using IEDs to make roadside bombs and landmines for targeting security forces, but the lethal home-made weapons also inflict casualties on civilians. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 13:51:51|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering will pay a state visit to India from December 27 to 29 at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the external affairs ministry officially announced in New Delhi on Monday. This will be his first overseas visit after assuming the office of the Bhutan prime minister last month. The Bhutan prime minister will be accompanied by his minister of foreign affairs, minister of economic affairs and other senior officials from the royal government of Bhutan. According to an official statement issued by India's external affairs ministry, the Bhutan prime minister's visit is taking place during the "Golden Jubilee" year of the establishment of the formal diplomatic relations between the two sides. During the visit, he will call on President of India Ram Nath Kovind and Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, besides holding talks with his Indian counterpart Modi. Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and other ministers too will call on the visiting prime minister. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 14:01:53|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Seven militants were killed in an airstrike launched against Taliban outfit in Miwand district of the southern Kandahar province on Sunday, police spokesman in the province, Qasim Azad said Monday. The air raid, according to the official, was launched in Shalghami area of Miwand district on Sunday evening to target a Taliban vehicle, killing seven insurgents and destroying the van. Taliban militants haven't commented. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 14:06:55|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's economy is likely to grow in February to April 2019, according to the country's leading, coincident and lagging indexes for October released on Monday. The Malaysian Statistics Department said in a statement that the leading index which monitors the economic performance direction in an average of four to six months ahead, posted a monthly growth of 1.2 percent in October. The growth was primarily due to the increase of real imports of other basic precious and other non-ferrous metals, which grew 0.4 percent. On yearly basis, the leading index fell 0.7 percent in October, slightly improved from a negative growth of 1.7 percent in September. The coincident index which reflects the current economic activity also rose 1 percent in October. Two components that contributed significantly to the increase were volume index of retail trade which rose 0.5 percent, and real contributions to the government owned pension plan sponsor Employee Provident Fund that expanded 0.2 percent. Meanwhile, the annual change of coincident index grew further to 3.9 percent in October as against 3.4 percent in the previous month. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 14:16:57|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the coin release ceremony in New Delhi, India, Dec. 24, 2018. India on Monday released a commemorative coin of INR 100 (1.42 U.S. dollars) in honour of its former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, officials said. (Xinhua/Partha Sarkar) NEW DELHI, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- India on Monday released a commemorative coin of INR 100 (1.42 U.S. dollars) in honour of its former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, officials said. The coin was released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Parliament house annexe in New Delhi. "The mind is not ready to believe that Atal Ji is no longer with us. He was a stalwart loved and respected across all sections of society," Modi said while addressing the function. Vajpayee passed away on August 16 this year at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), a premier hospital, at the age of 93 after a prolonged illness. He served as India's prime minister three times and led the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government from 1998 to 2004. Vajpayee's birth anniversary, which falls on December 25, is celebrated as the "Good Governance Day" by ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP). On one side of the new INR 100 coin, there is a portrait of Vajpayee with his name. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 14:32:02|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- A Taliban commander along with five of his fighters gave up fighting and joined the government-backed peace process in Darayem district of the northern Badakhshan province on Sunday, provincial government spokesman Nik Mohammad Nazari said Monday. "A Taliban group commander Mawlawi Abdul Haq who served as military chief for Darayem district along with five of his fighters gave up fighting and joined the peace process in a ceremony held in provincial capital Faizabad yesterday," Nazari told Xinhua. Speaking at the ceremony, provincial governor Faisal Begzad welcomed the commander and called upon other militants to follow suit and give up fighting to boost the national reconciliation in the country. Taliban militants are yet to make comments. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 14:37:03|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close SEOUL, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- South Korea sent an advance team Monday to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to prepare for a groundbreaking ceremony later this week to connect railways and roads across the border, according to Seoul's unification ministry. The advance team, composed of 31 officials from the unification and transport ministries, left early in the morning for the DPRK's border town of Kaesong. Among them, 27 officials would stay there for the ceremony preparations. Seoul and Pyongyang agreed to hold the groundbreaking ceremony at Panmun Station in Kaesong on Wednesday. On Sunday, South Korea dispatched 14 officials to the Panmun Station for the ceremony preparations. They returned home late Sunday. Following their first summit in April at the border village of Panmunjom, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un agreed to modernize and eventually re-connect railways and roads along the western and eastern Korean Peninsula. Moon and Kim agreed during their Pyongyang summit in September to hold the groundbreaking ceremony before the end of this year for the rail and road connections. The ceremony would be attended by about 100 people from each of the two Koreas. From the South Korean side, the unification and transport ministers would reportedly participate in the ceremony, but the exact list of the participants have yet to be determined. The South Korean participants would go by train to the Panmun Station from the Seoul Station in the capital Seoul, Baik Tae-hyun, South Korea's unification ministry spokesman, told a press briefing. The ceremony would be a symbolic function, not an actual launch of the construction works, as international sanctions on the DPRK ban such cooperation between the two Koreas. For the ceremony, South Korea drew support from the United States through last week's working-group meeting in Seoul, alleviating worry about the violation of sanctions. The ceremony itself is not banned by the sanctions, but bringing equipment and materials to Kaesong is subject to the international restrictions. South Korea allegedly set aside about 700 million won (620,000 U.S. dollars) for the event to cover costs for building a stage and an audio system at the venue and transporting participants to the Panmun Station. Following the ceremony, South Korea planned to make other preparations with the DPRK for the connection project, such as in-depth inspections and designs. The two Koreas conducted an 18-day joint inspection on railways along the western and eastern DPRK earlier this month. A 10-member South Korean inspection team left for the DPRK early in the morning to jointly inspect the 4-km road near Kaesong, complementing the joint on-site inspection in August of a 160-km road from Kaesong to Pyongyang. A separate South Korean inspection team conducted a joint survey on the 100-km road along the DPRK's east coast for three days through Sunday. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 15:07:14|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close KABUL, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi paid a visit to Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Monday to hold talks with Afghan officials, said a statement of Afghan Foreign Ministry released here. This is Qureshi's second visit to Kabul since Dec. 15, during which he would exchange views with Afghan officials on matters pertaining to mutual interests including the ongoing peace process. "Foreign Minister Qureshi in meeting with his Afghan counterpart noted that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan is for the interest of Pakistan and stressed regional cooperation to make succeed the ongoing peace efforts in Afghanistan," the statement said. Appreciating Pakistan's efforts for peace, Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani emphasized holding direct talks between Afghan government and the Taliban group, the statement said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 16:22:29|Editor: zh Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The cybersecurity department of Beijing police said more than 3,100 suspects involved in over 6,600 Internet-related cases were detained in the city in 2018. In early December, two suspects were captured in Changping District over infringing on citizens' personal information, along with over 100,000 pieces of personal stocks investment and money management records. The suspects confessed that they have illegally profited over 200,000 yuan (29,000 U.S. dollars) by selling the information to loan companies and wealth management companies since 2016. Beijing police said they launched a campaign at the beginning of the year targeting hacker attacks, infringement on personal information, cyber fraud, online pornography, gambling and drug circulation. More than 980 Internet companies were penalized, 38,000 mobile applications removed and over 3.2 million pieces of illegal information cleaned up during the campaign, the police said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 16:57:36|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were killed and many injured in a massive pile-up of as many as 50 vehicles, including a school bus, trucks and several cars, due to dense fog in India's northern state of Haryana early Monday morning. The accident happened on a highway connecting the Rohtak and Rewari districts of Haryana, near a flyover in Haryana's Jhajjar district. All the eight killed, including seven women, were travelling aboard the same vehicle which was heading towards Delhi from Rohtak, said local media reports. Those injured have been admitted in nearby hospitals where they are being given required medical treatment. Ten of the injured are said to be in critical condition. Large parts in northern India are currently witnessing dense foggy conditions, particularly during morning and evening hours. The situation is further aggravated due to the prevailing high levels of air pollution. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 18:02:51|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close GUANGZHOU, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Courts in south China's Guangdong Province Monday sentenced 20 people, including former government officials, to terms ranging from death to eight years in prison for their role in abuse of the homeless in a care center. Supervisory authorities in Guangdong also announced disciplinary punishments to 107 civil servants for their misfeasance in the case that led to a number of deaths at the facility for the homeless, elderly and mentally ill in Xinfeng County. Cases against the 20 suspects were heard at the courts in Shaoguan City, Lechang City and Renhua County. Li Cuiqiong, former head of the civil affairs department of Xinfeng County, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve. Pan Zhong'ai, another official of the department, was sentenced to life imprisonment. The court said the two officials used their power to set up and illegally operate the care center. Lai Zhanfeng, the former deputy county chief of Xinfeng, was sentenced to eight years in jail for failing to properly perform his supervisory duty and taking bribes. Liu Hong, vice secretary-general of the Guangdong provincial government, was removed from his post. Chen Jinghui, the former Communist Party chief of Xinfeng, was expelled from the Party and public office. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 18:28:01|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close MOGADISHU, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Somali army killed at least four al-Shabab militants in fierce fighting in the country's southern region on Sunday, the authority said Monday. The battle erupted as the militants attempted to ambush a convoy of the Somali National Army (SNA) in Middle Shabelle region. "We were traveling along the road between Jowhar and Bal'ad when the terrorists attacked us but our military forces fought back bravely killing four of them," said Qasim Ahmed, a SNA commander without revealing the army's causalities. Ali Hasan, a local resident, said he heard heavy gunfire. "At first we thought it was a battle between tribal militias, but we learnt it was an ambush on military forces." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 18:38:03|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close KABUL, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The UN refugee agency said Monday that it has provided "life-saving assistance" to nearly 150,000 Afghans, as harsh winter arrived in the war-torn country. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) together with Afghanistan Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation (MoRR) and other partners are distributing cash assistance to families in all 34 provinces of the country, UNHCR statement said in a statement. "During the 2017-2018 winter season, 33 out of 34 provinces were affected by extreme weather conditions including heavy snowfall, avalanches and other natural disasters," said the statement. According to the statement, as of Dec. 24, over 58,000 of the most vulnerable have been reached as part of the annual winterization program. "A total of 620,000 people are estimated countrywide to be in need of assistance this winter. While humanitarian agencies and the Afghan Government will be able to provide over 420,000 individuals (60,000 families) with winterization assistance, there remains a gap of at least 28,000 families still in need," the statement noted. The UNHCR has already provided winter assistance to more than 17,000 individuals in the north and northeastern provinces, over 33,000 in the western region, and nearly 6,500 in the eastern region, according to the statement. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 18:43:03|Editor: zh Video Player Close by Xinhua writers Yuan Quan, Jia Zhao BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- A white-bearded British chemist became an overnight celebrity on China's social media. In just a few months, his chemistry experiments have attracted over two million followers. David Evans, 60, is a chemistry professor at the Beijing University of Chemical Technology (BUCT). Tall and paunchy, he always wears a long white lab coat, a pair of safety goggles and a smile on his face before the camera. Some web users say he looks just like the "grandpa of KFC." Evans has posted videos of various experiments: a bottle of liquid in his hand changes color from yellow to red and then to green as he shakes it; bubbles spray up from a flask and hit the ceiling after he mixes two liquids; he takes a huge breath of gas from a balloon and his voice sounds like Donald Duck. His most popular experiments have attracted millions of hits on video-sharing apps. Cheers and shouts of excited children can be heard on his videos. "I hope my experiments can ignite people's interest in science," says Evans. The British chemist, who brings so many surprises and joy to his audience, is constantly surprised at the rapid development of China. Evans has been interested in China since childhood. In the early 1970s, before reform and opening-up, China for him was a "country full of mysteries". He subscribed to the magazine Beijing Review, from which he learned of China's political events, archaeological discoveries as well as cultural heritage. Evans found he was drawn to a country very different from Britain. "I wanted to learn more about China, just as I wanted to learn more about chemistry." After undergraduate and postgraduate studies at Oxford University, Evans became a chemistry professor in the University of Exeter. In 1987, he was invited to attend a chemistry conference in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, and came to China's mainland for the first time. Unexpectedly, the first Chinese phrase he learned was not "nihao" (hello) or "xiexie" (thank you), but "meiyou" (we don't have it). At that time, most parts of China still suffered from poverty, and people struggled for food. Even in cities, restaurants closed early and salespersons in shops generally replied with "meiyou." Evans was also surprised to find that the TV advertisements were all about machines and factories, rather than daily commodities. Evans began to learn Chinese, and every year since then, he visited China. During his visits, he witnessed huge changes happening in the country: the emergence of tall buildings, cars and a population growing richer. He grew more and more fond of the country and its people. In 1996, he quit his job in the UK and settled in Beijing. Many of his friends thought he was crazy, but Evans said they just saw the difficulties but ignored the great potential of China. He was employed as a teacher and researcher at BUCT. He traveled to many cities and was invited to friends' rural hometowns for the Spring Festival every year. Despite the limited conditions, villagers received him warmly and generously. Evans hoped that the research he participated in could help Chinese people out of poverty. In one research project, he and his Chinese colleagues designed a new additive for plastic film that can improve the insulation of greenhouses, thus reducing the use of coal. He was also involved in developing new flame-retardant materials that can make electric cables safer and reduce the density of smoke in the case of fire, thus giving people more time to escape. Because of his contributions, in 2008, Evans became the president of the Beijing Local Section of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC); in 2005, he received the China International Science and Technology Cooperation Award, the only scientific and technological award for foreigners at a national level. Three years later, in Britain, Evans received the Order of the British Empire, presented by Prince Charles. His British friends started to recognize his vision and asked him to help contact Chinese researchers for cooperation. China's scientific and technological progress earned similar recognition. For example, the research team where Evans works now has advanced equipment that is worth tens of millions of dollars in their state key lab, which, two decades ago, was just a rudimentary facility. The team has grown from a few people to over a hundred. "In the past, people thought foreigners were here to help China, but now, scientific and technological cooperation between China and Britain is complementary and fully two-way," Evans said, adding that China has many advantages that Britain does not have. He is now helping promote a joint research project between China, Britain and Thailand. In the past 22 years since he moved to Beijing, Evans has taught himself fluent Chinese, developed an appetite for spicy cuisine and an interest in hutong culture. Recently, he began a new cause -- science popularization. A decade ago, when he first presented an experiment show for a middle school, he found that the students were amazed, and it seemed as if they had never seen an experiment before. Evans learned that Chinese students, even those in big cities, have fewer chances to do experiments than those in Britain. Learning chemistry becomes boring, as lessons involve memorizing the periodic table, theories and equations while cramming for tests. "However, the fun of chemistry is doing experiments," says Evans. In 2011, to mark the International Year of Chemistry, the RSC gave every Local Section 1,000 British pounds to promote chemistry in an imaginative way. Evans used the grant to set up "Fun with Science," a program of practical chemistry classes in primary schools for migrant children in the Beijing suburbs, which he delivered together with his graduate students. The excitement he saw in the children's eyes reminded Evans of himself as a little boy. More recently, Evans has turned to the Internet as a platform for science popularization. When he learned that short video apps are also very popular in small cities and rural areas, he realized that it would enable more students, who do not have an opportunity in school or elsewhere, to enjoy the fun of experiments. However, the work is never easy -- a one-minute video demands careful preparation and a lot of cleaning up, and he is always drenched with sweat. But he never gets bored, believing that it is a scientist's responsibility to popularize science. In primary and high schools, his experiments always fill lecture rooms with laughter. He likes to tell jokes and use metaphors. For example, he will compare catalyst to China's Good Samaritan Lei Feng, a flask spewing smoke to Aladdin's lamp, and huge mounds of bubbles to elephant's toothpaste. In recent years, many public figures and commercial organizations have started working on science popularization through social media, but Evans thinks a scientist's advantage lies in his years of hands-on research. He said British scientist Michael Faraday taught science in the community. "Now I want to do the same." Some viewers called him "a Harry Potter-like magician," but Evans doesn't like the comparison, as "a magician never tells the secrets behind his tricks, but a scientist always gives an explanation." He just sees himself as a teacher, and the purpose of doing experiments is to spread knowledge, inspire thinking, remove misunderstandings and rumors, and show that science can make a change. At 60, Evans has no intention of resting. His university has just built a science classroom for him in a building full of key laboratories. He has also been invited to join a science popularization association initiated by senior researchers across the country. Evans says he is looking forward to more "chemical reactions" with China. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 18:48:05|Editor: zh Video Player Close HOHHOT, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The farthest place Quan Yanling has ever been to is a city 100 km away from her village, but the Christmas decorations she makes have been sold to countries thousands of miles away. Quan, 51, a farmer in Hubo Village, Horqin Zuoyi Rear Banner, northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, joined a cooperative and started to make handicrafts in April. She makes Christmas snow houses, Jack-o'-lanterns and polar bear toys that are exported to 10 countries including France, Germany, Britain, Switzerland, the United States and Russia. "To my surprise, I can earn money from my hobby of making handicrafts," said Bai Yizhen, head of the cooperative. Bai first started to make Christmas decorations in April 2017. "I made 200 Christmas snow houses and earned over 300 yuan from my first order, and I received a larger order of nearly 1,000 snow houses the second time," she said. Seeing Bai's success, many women in the village came to her, and nearly 100 villagers joined her in making the handicrafts in just three months. "More and more villagers joined me, but I myself alone found it difficult to manage the business with orders increasing. With help from the village's women association, we established a cooperative," she said. Since the cooperative was established in July 2017, more than 800 women have participated, of which 80 households are recognized as living under the poverty line. Now, every member of the cooperative can earn from 1,000 to 3,000 yuan (145 to 435 U.S. dollars) a month. "With sowing and reaping machines, we no longer have to work in the field as much as we did in the past. Simply sitting at home, I sometimes found it boring. However, life is now much more fun after I started to make handicrafts," said Yang Jinlan, 56, who joined the cooperative in April. Yang is making twig decorations that will be exported to Switzerland. "I've heard that they would decorate their houses with these twigs at Christmas. I'm wondering why they like trees so much in Switzerland," Yang said. The cooperative received orders including 300,000 Christmas snow houses and 200,000 twig decorations for this Christmas season and will earn about 1.2 million yuan. Quan Yanling family used to be living under the poverty line, but now, with income from making handicrafts, farming and raising cows, her family has risen out of poverty. Her six-year-old grandson keeps her company when she makes handicrafts. "I want to make more handicrafts, earn more money and take my grandson abroad to visit the hometown of polar bears and reindeer someday," she said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 19:48:18|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- An anti-graft court in Pakistan on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to seven years in prison on corruption charges related to owning a steel mills abroad, lawyers said. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court in the capital Islamabad announced the verdict. Sharif, the three-time prime minister, was inside the accountability court when Judge Arshad Malik delivered the verdict. The police took him into custody after the judge announced the decision, defense lawyers in the court said. Sharif requested the judge to keep him imprisoned in Lahore, the capital city of Punjab province, instead of the city of Rawalpindi near Islamabad. Legal experts say Sharif has the right to challenge the conviction in the high court. The case, known as the Al-Azizia Steel Mills references, relates to building a steel mills in Saudi Arabia, and the court ruled that Sharif had failed to provide money trail of the investment. The mills had been established by Sharif's father Mian Muhammad Sharif in Saudi Arabia in 2001 and Sharif's son Hussain Nawaz was running the mills. Sharif family insisted that they had received investment from the Saudi government. The anti-graft body, however, claimed that Sharif family had illegally transferred the money to Saudi Arabia and that Nawaz Sharif was the real owner as he had received huge money from his sons. Sharif's son Hussain Nawaz had stated that he had got five million U.S. dollars from his grandfather for the mills. The court acquitted Sharif in another corruption case that related to the ownership of a number of companies established in Britain and the United Arab Emirates when he held public office. Sharif and his two sons Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz were also accused of using 16 offshore companies to manage and acquire expensive properties. Sharif had denied all charges during his appearance in the court and insisted that he had not owned any offshore company and that his sons owned the companies. Sharif was earlier given a 10-year jail term in July this year in a corruption case related to luxury flats in London. The Islamabad High Court later granted bail to Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 20:03:23|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close GENEVA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- A UN expert on Monday expressed his deep concern about the death of a seven-year-old Guatemalan migrant girl while she was in the custody of U.S. immigration authorities. Emphasizing that the U.S. should stop the detention of children, either unaccompanied or with their families, based on their migratory status, and seek alternatives to detention, Felipe Gonzalez Morales, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, also called for a thorough investigation into how the girl died. He said on Monday in a media statement that "the U.S. authorities must ensure that an in-depth, independent investigation of the death of Jakelin Amei Caal is conducted." According to the UN expert, although there have been different versions on the sequence of events and the health status of the girl, it is not disputed that the girl died in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, after crossing the border between Mexico and the United States with her father and a larger group of migrants. "Access to justice for her relatives should be granted, including but not limited to having legal representation in the proceedings in a language they understand well," he added. The UN expert also urged the U.S. government to address failings within the immigration system, and specifically within the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agency, to prevent similar situations. "As repeatedly stated by a series of UN human rights bodies, detention of children based on their migratory status is a violation of international law," said Gonzalez Morales. The U.S. authorities' treatment of migrants, as well as the public discourse about immigration in the U.S., is also of great concern to the UN expert, who had contacted the U.S. authorities several times recently to raise a range of issues and is hoping to engage in a constructive dialogue to address this. According to the UN expert, he had already requested twice an invitation from the U.S. government without a response so far. "Conducting an official visit to the country would allow me to get first-hand, direct information about the situation of migrant children, especially on those who are being held in detention," the expert said. A professor of international law at the Diego Portales University in Santiago of Chile, Felipe Gonzalez Morales was appointed UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants in June 2017 by the UN Human Rights Council, for an initial period of three years. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 20:18:25|Editor: zh Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The percentage of women dying in childbirth has reduced rapidly across China in the past two decades, according to a recent study. The study, a systematic assessment of maternal mortality ratios down to the county level, was conducted by researchers from West China Second University Hospital affiliated with Sichuan University. Researchers collected data from China's national Annual Report System on Maternal and Child Health and used data mining to analyze the maternal mortality ratios for 2,852 counties in China between 1996 and 2015. Results showed that in the past two decades, almost all counties in China had achieved the annual decline rate of 5.5 percent, a target set in the Millennium Development Goal. China has seen fast declines in maternal mortality ratios from 108.7 per 100,000 live births in 1996 to 21.8 per 100,000 in 2015, with an annual decline of 8.5 percent. Researchers also analyzed inequality of maternal mortality ratios at the country and provincial levels. They found that counties with lower maternal mortality rates were mainly concentrated in eastern and southeastern China. The study said China needed to further improve the accessibility and quality of maternal health care in rural areas by nurturing more well-trained midwives. This study will be helpful for other developing countries that are trying to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal on improving maternal health. The study was published in the journal Lancet. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 20:43:30|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close BANGKOK, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The planned removal of wartime bombs from Mae Klong River in western Thailand has been put off indefinitely following discovery of more dud bombs, a senior government official said on Monday. Seven unexploded bombs, dropped into the river from warplanes during World War II, have been discovered on the riverbed under a railway bridge in Ratchaburi province, about 100 km west of Bangkok, according to provincial governor Chayawut Jantorn. More wartime explosives might possibly lie unexploded under the water, the provincial governor added. Authorities planned to remove the dud bombs and dispose of them elsewhere this month, but the latest discovery of more explosives prompted them to think twice, Chayawut said. The Thai government is to consult with British and German experts about appropriate removal of those explosives. A new railway bridge will be built alongside the existing Chulalongkorn railway bridge which crosses the river in Ratchaburi. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 20:43:30|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close Three Syrian young men take a selfie before leaving Lebanon's northern city Tripoli, Dec. 24, 2018. Over 1,000 Syrian refugees returned Monday to their homeland from various areas in Lebanon including Tripoli, Aarsal, Tyre and Nabatieh, local media reported. (Xinhua/Khalid) BEIRUT, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Over 1,000 Syrian refugees returned Monday to their homeland from various areas in Lebanon including Tripoli, Aarsal, Tyre and Nabatieh, local media reported. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in coordination with the Lebanese General Security supervised the voluntary return of refugees to Syria, according to the National News Agency. Refugees returned home using buses sent by the Syrian authorities to transfer them to Idlib and Homos in addition to other areas in Syria through Aboudiya border. Lebanon is hosting 976,000 registered Syrian refugees according to the UNHCR, while the government estimates the true number of Syrian refugees in the country at 1.5 million. To secure the return of 890,000 Syrian refugees to their homeland, Russia has drafted a strategy and presented it to the Lebanese authorities. File phtoto taken on April 27, 2018 shows a wreckage of a vehicle after a bomb attack by Boko Haram militia in Maiduguri, Nigeria, April 27, 2018. (Xinhua/NAN) ABUJA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria has begun to apply drones and new technologies, which are known to be critical in modern warfare, to rout out the remnants of terror group Boko Haram in the country's northeast region, according to Army Chief Tukur Buratai. In a statement reaching Xinhua on Sunday, Buratai said the army had recently utilized drones in surveillance and research, and that the process was effective in the execution of its operations against the dreaded Boko Haram group. Likewise, he said even the army uniform is now technology-based and tagged in a way that it sends a signal when troops are in danger. "Technology is playing important role in warfare and we are not left out," the army chief said. "We have in place a transformation and innovation department that is working on research and developments, not only on basic equipment but equally more scientific and technological facilities to enable us to carry out our operations," Buratai said. The Nigerian military has also deployed modern military hardware, rehabilitated office and house accommodation, clinics and executed viable projects for the improvement of the personnel's welfare and boost their morale, according to Buratai. According to him, the military would equally deploy modern scanning machines to check vehicular movements and enhance security on high ways in the northern part of the country. Last month, the army claimed that Boko Haram had gone hi-tech, using drones and mercenaries, in attacking military formations in the northeast region. Boko Haram has been trying since 2009 to establish an Islamic state in northeastern Nigeria, killing some 20,000 people and forcing displacement of millions of others. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 20:58:35|Editor: zh Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- China will unveil more supportive measures for the country's private businesses as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), according to a State Council executive meeting on Monday. Increasing support for the development of private businesses and SMEs helps strengthen the endogenous impetus for economic development, boost entrepreneurship and innovation, and expand employment, according to a statement released after the meeting, which was chaired by Premier Li Keqiang. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 21:08:37|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan (R) meets with Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, on Dec. 24, 2018. (Xinhua/VNA) HANOI, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese top legislator Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin agreed here on Monday that the two sides will strengthen cooperative ties in various fields, including legislation, economy, trade and investment, Vietnam News Agency reported. Right after their talks on Monday in Vietnam's capital Hanoi, the Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Vietnam and Volodin signed an agreement establishing an inter-parliamentary cooperation committee, whose first meeting will be held in Vietnam in 2019. Volodin said the committee's establishment helps intensify cooperative mechanism between the two legislatures, while strengthening the bilateral ties in economy, trade, culture and education. Through the committee, the two sides will coordinate in supervising the implementation of major joint projects and agreements reached by their senior leaders, he said. Also on Monday, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and State President Nguyen Phu Trong and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc met with Volodin, respectively. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 21:13:38|Editor: Shi Yinglun Video Player Close RAMALLAH, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Presidency said Monday that the official gazette of legal rulings has published the Palestinian Constitutional Court's decision to dissolve the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with head of the Central Elections Committee Hanna Nasser at the Palestinian Authority's presidential headquarters in Ramallah city, said a report by the official Palestinian news agency WAFA. The two officials "discussed the implementation and enactment of the Constitutional Court ruling to dissolve the legislative council and hold parliamentary elections, after it has been published in the official gazette," the report said. Abbas announced on Saturday night that the Constitutional Court decided to dissolve the Palestinian Authority parliament, also known as the PLC, as he chaired a joint meeting for Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee and his Fatah Party's Central Committee. He said that the constitutional court has also called for holding new parliamentary elections in the Palestinian territories within six months. The director of the Palestinian Central Elections Committee Hisham Kuheil told the official Palestinian radio station (Voice of Palestine) on Monday that the upcoming elections face internal challenges, including the enabling of the committee teams to work in all of the Palestinian territories, which requires an internal agreement on election measures and external challenges related to the Israeli occupation and the freedom of movement of the committee teams. Islamic Hamas movement won the last parliamentary elections held in 2006 and ousted Fatah, which dominated the PLC since it was established in 1996. Hamas opposed the Palestinian constitutional court's decision and said that the decision will deepen the internal Palestinian division. Yehya Musa, a senior Hamas leader and member of the PLC, said in a press statement that the decision to dissolve the PLC does not have any values, while Deputy Speaker of the PLC Ahmad Bahar had earlier stated that any decision to dissolve the PLO "would be illegal and not useful." "The decision of Abbas deepens the internal Palestinian division and destroys the Palestinian political system," said Musa, adding that "the legislative council will continue to work and convene as usual, regardless of Abbas decisions." The PLC has been inoperative since the beginning of the internal Palestinian split between Hamas and Fatah in 2007 after Hamas violently seized control of the Gaza Strip and routed Abbas security forces. Hamas, which has a majority in the PLC, had been unilaterally holding regular PLC sessions in the Gaza Strip amid the absence of Fatah Party members and other minor factions and political groups. The last Palestinian parliamentary elections were held in January 2006, where Hamas movement won the majority of the 132 seats. In 2005, Abbas won the last the presidential elections held in Palestine. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 21:23:39|Editor: zh Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- As Ethiopia embarked on huge infrastructure development, the engagement of Chinese companies, from road to railway infrastructure construction sectors, is widely considered as a connecting bridge to the East African country's aspirations. Ethiopians, who have recently witnessed modern road and railway infrastructure projects built with Chinese technologies and standards, speak highly of Chinese engagement in Ethiopia's booming transportation sector in particular and the country's development in general. ROADS The East African country recently awarded a contract agreement to Chinese construction giant China Railway Construction Corporation-21 Group (CRCC-21) to built a much-awaited road project in the country's western part, an area known as the source of Ethiopia's major export commodity coffee. Courtesy to the road project's strategic significance to Ethiopia's overall development, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh and Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir gathered in the western town of Jimma, some 350 km west of the capital Addis Ababa, to witness the official commencement of the project with a corner-stone laying ceremony. The 79 km Jimma-Agaro-Dedesa road project is said to be a "high-quality road project" with 1.3 billion Ethiopian birr (about 46 million U.S. dollars) construction budget. Coffee growers in Jimma town and its surroundings also regard the road project as a gateway towards better economic importance and integration to markets across the country. Haji Hussien, a coffee farmer from Agaro town, told Xinhua after attending the corner-stone laying ceremony on the outskirt of Jimma town that farmers in his area sell coffee products at a very low price due to the lack of convenient transportation to major coffee markets. "We offer one kilo of coffee in Jima and Agaro for close to 60 Ethiopian birr (about 2 U.S. dollars), while the price is more than double in the capital Addis Ababa," Hussien told Xinhua. "I hope we will get the fruits of our labor with the help of this road," he said, urging the road project's swift completion. CRCC-21, which has previously completed two other road projects in Ethiopia, also stressed its commitment to "mobilize all resources that are available to finalize the project in time and up to the standard." "Our presence in this country gives us lots of opportunities to contribute to Ethiopia's development as well as to further strengthen the partnership between China and Ethiopia," Zhuang Jidong, President of CRCC-21, told Xinhua. Chinese companies, as the pioneers in Ethiopia's road infrastructure development sector, have so far realized remarkable road projects starting from the Addis-Adama Toll Expressway, which connects Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa to Adama, capital of Ethiopia's largest regional state Oromia. As the first-of-its-kind road infrastructure project in Africa's second populous country, the expressway is also seen by Ethiopian experts as a proof to Ethiopia's positive gains from the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as the initiative aspires to see a better integrated and connected world. Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, professor of public policy at the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, told Xinhua in a recent interview that the 500 million U.S. dollars Addis Ababa-Adama expressway, which has become the first toll expressway in Ethiopia and East Africa, "signifies Ethiopia's cooperation with China in the implementation of the BRI." "The initiative, which underscores the importance of infrastructure projects such as railways, highways, and airways has brought various opportunities for Ethiopia as well as Africa's infrastructure development over the past few years," Costantinos said. The 85 km expressway, which was inaugurated in May 2014, was funded partly by the Export-Import Bank of China and built by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) using Chinese technology and standards. RAILWAYS Residents of Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, now cherish the Chinese-built Addis Ababa Light Rail, a 475 million U.S. dollars project built with Chinese technology and currently operated by a Chinese team. The light rail, which was 85 percent funded by the Export-Import Bank of China, has so far transported more than 100 million city dwellers crossing the city since it went operational in September 2015, according to figures from the Ethiopian Railway Corporation (ERC). Anteneh Habtamu, who works in the Development Bank of Ethiopia (DBE), always takes the light rail to and from his home located on the northern edge of the city. "Living in Addis Ababa where the traffic congestion often gets worse as we waste hours in the taxi in daily basis, the coming of this railway is wonderful," Habtamu told Xinhua. "There were times that I was in a quarrel at office, only for being late. This has never happened since I started to use the light rail," he said. Apart from the highly-regarded Addis Ababa Light Rail, Ethiopians are now also effectively utilizing the Chinese-built Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway (or Ethiopia-Djibouti Railway) that connects landlocked Ethiopia and the Red Sea nation Djibouti. Considered as Ethiopia's long-term solution to increasing export commodities and reducing import costs, the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway is Africa's first transnational electrified railway. Since the 752 km railway commenced its commercial freight and passenger services in January this year, it has so far transported more than 65,000 passengers and 30,000 containers of various types, according to ERC. KEEN INTEREST FROM CHINESE COMPANIES Amid Ethiopia's aspirations to further transform its road and other infrastructures, Chinese companies are also showing keen interest to contribute to Ethiopia's ambitions. China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), which has seen its stock in the Ethiopian construction industry rise fast taking part in landmark projects, including the Addis Ababa ring road project, the Addis Ababa-Adama toll expressway as well as extension of the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, had in Oct. this year revealed its plan to open a regional office in Ethiopia. In an interview with Xinhua, Deputy General Manager of CCCC east Africa branch Wei Qiangyu, said "the new regional office to be located in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa will have a technology and innovation center, equipped with modern laboratories, to help us competently and timely execute a number of railway, airport, road and building construction projects we have in Ethiopia and beyond." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 21:23:39|Editor: ZX Video Player Close KABUL, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's recent decision to drawdown troops by half in Afghanistan has sparked mixed reaction in the militancy-plagued country. According to media reports, Trump has ordered withdrawal of about 7,000 out of 14,000-strong forces stationed in Afghanistan amid increasing militancy. The decision, announced in the wake of two-day talks between U.S. special envoy for peace in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban representatives in the United Arab Emirates, where the Taliban delegation refused to meet Afghan government's negotiating team. Downplaying the impact of the possible withdrawal, Afghan presidential spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri said the troop withdrawal will not affect the security situation. "The withdrawal from Afghanistan will not have a security impact because in the last four and half years Afghan forces have been in full control," Chkhansuri said in a social media message. Afghan security forces took the security responsibility of their country in late 2014 after the withdrawal of more than 100,000 U.S.-led coalition forces from Afghanistan. Lashing out at the decision, lawmaker Kamal Naser Osuli said, "We didn't ask the U.S. forces to come to Afghanistan." However, he said "It should be responsible to fulfill its commitments made with Afghan people regarding peace and stability in Afghanistan." Another lawmaker Sadiqi Nili also blasted the troop withdrawal as irresponsible act, saying "U.S. forces had never came here because of Afghanistan, not stayed and nor leaving because of Afghanistan. They came here because of their own interests." Kabul resident Nurullah described the U.S. forces possible withdrawal as an advertent step. "They came to fight terrorism, they dismissed Taliban regime 17 years ago and now are leaving without winning the war on terror." This is a clear defeat of the United States in Afghanistan, he told Xinhua. However, Mohammad Azam of the northern Balkh province opined that the U.S. forces withdrawal may help Taliban militants to come to power again in the country. Recalling Taliban harsh policies during their reign collapsed in late 2001, Azam warned that the Taliban, if come to power again, would bring infighting, poverty and eventually the country's destruction. "The U.S. invasion to Afghanistan began with war and its forces pullout would further escalate the conflict and eventually factional fighting in the country," an aged lady from northern Badakhshan province told Xinhua. Nonetheless, Abdul Azim, a teacher from the northern Baghlan province, believed that the U.S. forces' possible withdrawal would encourage anti-government militants to increase activities, and on the other hand would derail the ongoing peace process and scare away businessmen in the country. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 22:33:50|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- China has expressed support for the announcement of Myanmar's ethnic armed groups and the military to have ceasefire and suspend all military actions in northern Myanmar. "This signifies major progress in Myanmar's peace process," said Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying at a press briefing Monday. Stressing that dialog and consultation is the only right way to solve problems, Hua said achieving peace and reconciliation is the common aspiration of people of all nationalities and is in the fundamental interests of Myanmar. As a friendly neighbor, China sincerely hopes that all parties in Myanmar will conform to the historical trend and take the opportunity to meet each other halfway so as to realize reconciliation, peace, and development at an early date, said Hua. China has long played an active and constructive role in promoting dialog and reconciliation among various parties in Myanmar at their request, Hua said. "We hope to continue to work with Myanmar to maintain the peace and stability in the China-Myanmar border area, and firmly support the advancement of the peace process." The Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services said on Dec. 21 that it would suspend all military activities in northern Myanmar for over four months until April 30, 2019, to conduct ceasefire talks with other factions in the region. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 23:08:57|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close CHANGCHUN, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- FAW-Volkswagen Automotive Co. Ltd. Monday saw its passenger car production for 2018 exceed 2 million units. FAW-Volkswagen, a joint venture between FAW Group and Volkswagen Group, said a new-generation Magotan, the two millionth car for the year, rolled off production line Monday at its plant in Changchun, capital of Jilin Province. FAW-Volkswagen took nine years to see its annual vehicle production reach 100,000 units, a further 11 years to increase its annual output to 1 million units and a further seven to increase its annual output to 2 million. FAW-Volkswagen, set up in 1991 as Volkswagen's second joint venture in China, now has five manufacturing bases in China. Volkswagen set up its China's first joint venture with SAIC Motor in Shanghai in 1985. It set up its third with Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co. Ltd. in Hefei, Anhui Province, in 2017, to focus on new energy vehicles. The German carmaker announced plans in mid-November to team up with partners in 2019 to invest over 4 billion euros (4.6 billion U.S. dollars) in China, in frontier fields including mobility services, electric vehicles and fast charging networks. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 23:19:00|Editor: ZX Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- South African Deputy President David Mabuza said on Monday that resolving the land question will contribute to building unity, social cohesion and a sense of nationhood. Delivering the government's Christmas message to his countrymen, Mabuza highlighted the importance of land reform, saying this issue "goes to the heart of our very being and our heritage." Land reform will unite the nation, Mabuza said, refuting criticism that the issue has divided South Africans. The country has managed to rise above criticism, he said. "In addressing these and other challenges, we believe that unity is an important pillar of building an equal society that we shall all strive for," said Mabuza. "Unity shall be our lifelong pursuit for the sake of future generations," he added. As South Africans close this year, they do so with a sense of comfort and encouragement that they are making great strides in resolving the important issue of land, Mabuza said. The year of 2018 has been a challenging and productive one in which South Africans "showed our resilience as a nation," Mabuza said. The land issue has been a contentious topic throughout 2018 that saw the government accelerating its land reform program unprecedentedly. There have been divisive and acrimonious debates on land reform, particularly on the call for land expropriation without compensation. Despite mounting criticism, both houses of parliament in November adopted a report in favor of amending section 25 of the constitution to pave way for land expropriation without compensation. Various organizations and political parties, such as Congress of the People and the Democratic Alliance, recently threatened to approach the courts to prevent Parliament from passing a bill to legalize land expropriation without compensation. In his Christmas message, Mabuza said people should close this year with optimism that 2019 will be a good year for the country. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 23:24:01|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TOKYO, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government pledged on Monday to offer support to Indonesia, which has been hit by a devastating tsunami as the death toll climbed to 373. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, in a message sent to his Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi, expressed condolences to the victims' families and hoped for quick recovery of the disaster-hit areas. "The Japanese government is ready to provide utmost support to Indonesia," Kono said. The Indonesian disaster agency on Monday put the death toll of the catastrophe at 373 with 1,459 others injured, after the tsunami occurred two days ago along the coast of Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands. As rescue operations for victims of the tsunami, caused by an underwater landslide after a volcanic eruption, were underway, rescuers believed many victims remained trapped under the debris swept by sea waves, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of the National Disaster Management Agency. The tsunami has destroyed 611 houses, 69 hotels and villas, 420 ships and boats along the coast, Sutopo said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 23:24:01|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, speaks at a seminar held to mark the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up, in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 24, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Tao) BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) official Wang Huning Monday called for studying and implementing the guidelines from the speech made by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, on reform and opening-up. Xi delivered the speech at a grand gathering celebrating the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up on Dec. 18. Wang, a member of Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks at a theory seminar commemorating the 40th anniversary of the landmark drive. He demanded improved research and interpretation on the success and experiences of the reform and opening-up, and theoretical support for the thorough reform and opening-up and endeavors to strive for the great success of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era. "In a bid to achieve new success in reform and opening-up, it is necessary to deeply study and understand Xi's key statements regarding the drive," Wang said. More than 300 people, including officials and scholars, attended the two-day seminar that ended Monday. Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the seminar. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-24 23:29:02|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi parliament Monday approved two more cabinet members for the 22 members in the cabinet of Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi amid intense political differences. The lawmakers attending the parliament session showed approval of the new ministers when Parliament Speaker, Mohammed al-Halbousi, read out their names. The lawmakers voted in majority for Nawfal Bahaa Mosa as migration minister, and the female candidate Shaimaa Khalil Ali as education minister. However, no confidence was given for the defense candidate Faisal al-Jarba and the interior candidate Falih al-Fayadh. Raid Fahmi, a lawmaker from Sairoon Coalition, told Xinhua that "some lawmakers walked out of the session to break the quorum and thwarted the voting on the candidates of interior, defense and justice." "There will be voting for the three remaining portfolios in the coming sessions as the political blocs still in negotiation about the names of the candidates," Fahmi said. On Oct. 24, Abdul Mahdi was sworn in as the new prime minister of Iraq after the parliament passed 14 out of 22 cabinet members as differences among the political blocs prevented the approval of eight other portfolios. File photo taken on June 19, 2017 shows the Chinese-built Soubre hydroelectric power station near the city of Soubre in Cote d'Ivoire. (Xinhua) ABUJA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Heads of state and government in West Africa discussed on Saturday a China-proposed initiative on energy interconnection, exploring a solution to persistent power shortage and achieving sustainable industrial and economic development. The Global Energy Interconnection (GEI), proposed by China in 2015, was presented at a high-level session held on the sideline of the 54th ordinary session of the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government in Nigeria's capital city of Abuja. The GEI initiative centers on strengthening power grid development, accelerating transnational and trans-regional interconnection, and encouraging clean energy development. Speaking at the meeting, Liu Zhenya, chairman of Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO), said that energy interconnection planning for Africa was a vital part of GEI, and the large-scale development of mineral resources and rapid industrialization in West Africa has created a huge room for growth in electricity demand. "Yet, local supply alone cannot meet the demand and there is an urgent need for electricity import from other regions," he told the gathering. According to the GEIDCO chairman, the initiative is to coordinate the planning and development of clean energy bases such as hydropower, mining and metallurgy bases, and industrial parks. "The co-development model of electricity, mining, metallurgy, industry and trade, would help forge an integrated power market for power development, transmission and consumption, so as to address the power shortages for industrial development and the lack of market for power development," Liu said. Liu Zhenya, chairman of Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO), gives a speech at the session held in Abuja, Nigeria, Dec.22, 2018. (Xinhua) The general idea is to change the fragmented and separated development pattern of different countries and industries in Africa in the past and form an industrial chain for win-win cooperation between the upstream and downstream, the GEIDCO chairman said. This could be achieved by promoting the joint development of electricity, mining, metallurgy, industry, and trade with the ultra-high vacuum (UHV) technology, Liu said. With this development pattern, Liu said, by 2050 the average power supply cost in West Africa will be lowered and some 30 million new jobs in various industries will be created, according to the data of GEIDCO. In an interview with Xinhua after the high level meeting, Guinean President Conde said nearly half of Africans do not have access to energy, and heads of state attending the high level meeting are interested in the GEI initiative. "You have seen today that all heads of state are interested because energy is of fundamental importance to us. So it has been so well received both here and at the African Union. Here we build dams but we also need interconnection," Conde said. He said it is obvious that interconnection will enable Africa to industrialize. "We have iron ore, bauxite, but we can not consume. Africa is going to be a big market. Interconnection will not only expand the market and trade between African countries but will allow us to transform our agriculture and process raw materials on site," the president said. Sediko Douka, ECOWAS commissioner for energy and mining, told Xinhua after the meeting that ECOWAS countries have a big energy challenge in terms of power access. The energy forum related to the interconnection of West Africa, and West Africa to other parts of Africa is very interesting for ECOWAS countries because "we have a problem of how to cover the energy demand," Douka said. Officials from West African countries attend the session held in Abuja, Nigeria, Dec. 22, 2018. (Xinhua) "So any solution and any initiative which can help us to develop our interconnection of transmission lines or to increase the generation of energy is very welcome in the region," he said. GEIDCO is an international organization committing to promoting power grid interconnection and meeting the global power demand in a clean and green way. Currently, GEIDCO has over 600 members from more than 80 countries and regions across five continents. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-25 01:04:14|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Locals have food at a damaged house in Banten Province, in Indonesia, Dec. 24, 2018. The Indonesian disaster agency on Monday put the death toll of the tsunami triggered by a volcanic eruption at 373 with 1,459 others injured, a spokesman of the agency told Xinhua on Monday. (Xinhua/Zhang Keren) PANDEGLANG/SERANG, Indonesia, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of a deadly tsunami hitting Sunda Strait in western Indonesia has risen to 373, with 1,459 others injured, while rescue efforts have continued amid challenges from bad weather and damaged access. Hundreds of military personnel, police, rescuers and volunteers were conducting search and rescue in the affected areas along the coastlines of western Java and southern Sumatra islands, which were struck on Saturday night by the deadly tsunami following an underwater landslide from Anak Krakatau volcano that has been erupting for months. Rescuers with heavy machinery equipment have made their access to more affected areas, retrieving more victims of the catastrophe. "With hard works and supported by heavy machinery equipment, the rescuers have been able to arrive in some devastated areas which were previously difficult to reach," spokesman of the National Disaster Management Agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told Xinhua. The search and rescue operation for victims of the tsunami was underway in the worst-hit Pandeglang and Serang districts in Banten province, and Lampung Selatan, Panawaran and Tenggamus districts in Lampung province. Indonesian authorities have managed to identify 185 bodies from overall tsunami dead counts in Banten province as of Monday. Those bodies were identified from 222 recovered in several affected areas in the province as of 16:00 p.m. Monday. The bodies were recovered by search teams from Banten's affected areas in Tanjung Lesung, Sumur, Panimbang, Labuan, Carita, Cinangka and Sangiang Island. Unidentified bodies have been transferred to hospitals in Serang, the provincial captial of Banten, and in Pandeglang regency for further identification process. Indonesian police headquarters spokesperson Pudjo Sulistyo said lack of identification card, finger print damage and supporting data, such as particular signature marks in the bodies were part of challenges faced by the Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) personnel in carrying out their jobs to quickly identify those victims. Also on Monday, President Joko Widodo visited the affected area by helicopter and praised local authorities for swift action in responding to the latest disaster. He told journalists that he has ordered the Social Ministry to give compensation to the families of the dead as quickly as possible. He praised the army and police, along with local government officials, for their work in evacuating shorefront areas, which are still considered a danger zone. National disaster agency spokesman Sutopo acknowledged on Twitter that the country's network of detection buoys had been dysfunctional since 2012, due to vandalism and budget shortfalls. "The absence and failure of early tsunami warning systems have contributed to the huge casualties, because people have no opportunity to be evacuated," he said. The impact of the catastrophe was also amplified at the tourist destination when the tsunami struck Saturday night during a peak time of holiday. High waves of 4-5 meters slammed into the shore, Endang Permana, head of emergency department of the disaster management agency in the district, told Xinhua. Saturday night's tsunami in Banten crushed the popular beaches in western tip of Java island that happened to be flocked by holidaymakers who spent togetherness with their loved ones in many hotels and resorts alongside the beach. The tsunami has displaced 5,665 people, who were taking shelter in evacuation centers, spokesman Sutopo said, adding that the figure dropped from 11,453 as many of the evacuees had returned home. The tsunami also devastated a total of 681 houses, 69 hotels and villas, as well as 420 ships and boats, he said. The meteorology and geophysics agency has banned activities in the coastal areas after the deadly tsunami, as the assessment of volcanic eruption risk was being taken. On Dec. 26, 2004, a massive tsunami triggered by a powerful quake hit countries along the Indian Ocean, killing 226,000 people, including 170,000 in Aceh province of northern tip of Indonesia's Sumatra island. Anak Krakatau, or Child of Krakatoa, is one of the 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia, a vast archipelagic nation home to 17,500 islands, sitting on a quake-prone zone of so-called "the Pacific Ring of Fire." Anak Krakatau is the remnant of Krakatau volcano that collapsed into small volcanic islands after its ferocious eruption in August 1883, which also prompted a devastating tsunami that killed more than 36,000 people in Banten. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-25 03:44:36|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said Monday that the U.S. troops' withdrawal from neighboring Syria would have a negative impact on Iraq. "We have discussed ... the U.S. decision to withdraw troops from Syria, because this has great repercussions on Iraq," Abdul Mahdi told a press conference after a weekly cabinet meeting. "If there is a security tension in Syria (by the U.S. pullout), there will be a wave of migration, and Iraq will be one of the first countries to be exposed to such issue," Abdul Mahdi said. "The terrorists may leave the Syrian territory and try to go to Iraq, and this also would have repercussions on our country," Abdul Mahdi added. He stressed that Iraq needs to take precautions from now so that it will not be affected. In addition, Abdul Mahdi denied that Iraq had received any request from the United State to host its withdrawing troops from Syria. "So far, there is no confirmation and we have not been informed about the settlement of the U.S. troops in Iraq, and we have not received any request for Iraqi intervention in Syria," he added. The prime minister mentioned that the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had informed him of the pullout of the U.S. troops before the implementation of the decision, asserting that Pompeo confirmed that the United States will continue to support Iraq in its war against terrorism. Abdul Mahdi's comments came two days after he held a phone call with Pompeo, who explained the details of the scheduled pullout from Syria. Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump declared a plan to withdraw all U.S. troops from Syria, citing the full defeat of IS militants in the country. These troops were part of a U.S.-led coalition which has been fighting and conducting airstrikes against IS targets in both Iraq and Syria. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-25 04:04:39|Editor: ZX Video Player Close CAIRO, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's Armed Forces, in coordination with the Ministry of Interior, has intensified measures to secure Christmas and New Year's celebrations nationwide, the army said in a statement on Monday. "The General Command of the Armed Forces has taken every measure to secure the celebrations of New Year and the Christmas in all governorates of the republic," a statement by military spokesperson Tamer al-Refai said. According to the statement, security forces are ready to be deployed to ensure the safety of citizens at places of worship and vital facilities. The military spokesperson said that all forces have been trained on how to deal with threats that may disturb the celebrations. "Special Forces units have prepared many combat groups to assist with tactical formations in securing the celebrations; the Rapid Deployment Forces will also function as backup in case of any disruptions to the celebrations," the statement read. Meanwhile, the Egyptian Minister of Defence Mohamed Zaki stressed the need to ensure that all participating forces understand the tasks assigned to them to secure the celebrations, to address all threats and act in emergency situations in cooperation with police forces, according to official Ahram Online news website. "Military police in cooperation with police forces will also deploy moving patrols and set up checkpoints," al-Refai said. The Suez Canal will have its own security measures, with all navigational routes to be monitored to prevent smuggling, he added. The Interior Ministry enhanced the deployment of security forces since Friday in all governorates to secure the Christmas and New Year celebrations. The security alert initiates an intensification of security services at all vital and important institutions in order to provide a secure environment during the celebrations, said the ministry in a statement. Security agencies from all security directorates have already started to implement large-scale plans and procedures to maintain security and order, combat crimes of all forms, and achieve discipline during the celebrations, according to the statement. "The measures include deploying fixed and mobile checkpoints and rapid intervention forces," the statement read. Copts, who make up 90 percent of Christians in the country, celebrate their Christmas on Jan. 7. However, a minority of non-orthodox Christian Egyptians see the holiday as on Dec. 25. Egypt has been fighting against a wave of terror activities that killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the military toppled former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his currently blacklisted Muslim Brotherhood group. Terror attacks in Egypt had mainly targeted police and military men in North Sinai before spreading nationwide and targeting the Coptic Christian minority as well, leaving dozens of them dead. Terrorists attacked two Coptic churches in the cities of Tanta and Alexandria in early April last year, killing a total of 47 people and wounding 106 others. In December 2016, a suicide attack on Cairo's St. Peter and St. Paul Church killed 29 people, mostly women and children, during mass. Most of the attacks were claimed by a Sinai-based group loyal to the Islamic State extremist group. Egypt's Coptic Christians, the largest religious minority in the region, make up about 10 percent of the country's 100 million population. S-400 surface-to-air missile systems. S-400 surface-to-air missile systems on streets of St. Petersburg, during preparation of Victory Day parade at Palace Square. Russia, St. Petersburg, on May 5, 2016. (Xinhua/SIPA) MOSCOW, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The modern weapons rate in the Russian army reached an unprecedented level of 61.5 percent of its total armament, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Monday. "In total, we have received over 1,500 models of weapon and over 80,000 pieces of equipment. This is a huge number. In general, we have reached 61.5 percent in terms of modernity," Shoigu said at a meeting of the ministry's public council. According to Shoigu, the proportion of modern weapons is targeted to reach 67 percent in 2019 and 70 percent in 2020. Tasks set in the preparation and implementation of the 2010-2020 state armament program are being carried out according to the plan, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-25 05:19:50|Editor: ZX Video Player Close NICOSIA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus is bracing for a new influx of refugees following the pullout of United States troops from their present positions in Syria, government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou said on Monday. He said the Cypriot government is worried that there may be an increase in fighting after the American pullout that would lead to another wave of refugees to neighboring countries. "We are expecting that the number of unregulated immigrants will go up should there be renewed fighting in Syria between forces which would seek to fill the vacuum," he told state television. Prodromou noted that Cyprus is already stretched to its limits in caring for thousands of unregulated immigrants who arrive from Lebanon, Turkey and Syria. Interior Minister Constantinos Petrides, who is in charge of services dealing with refugees, said on Saturday that the number of unregulated immigrants has already exceeded 1,000 per month. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-25 05:54:55|Editor: ZX Video Player Close by Hasan Bamashmous HODEIDAH, Yemen, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The head of a UN team monitoring the UN-backed cease-fire in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah visited on Monday its main port, neighborhoods and some frontlines. Patrick Cammaert, a retired Dutch general, leads a joint committee from both Yemeni rival forces, namely the Saudi-backed government and the Iranian-allied Houthi rebels, tasked with overseeing the implementation of the cease-fire in Hodeidah. Cammaert was accompanied by the Houthi representatives of the cease-fire committee during his visit to the rebel-held docks. During the visit, he held a press conference, in which he stressed that "both rival forces should respect the cease-fire and must begin to withdraw from the city." The monitor team also visited several key areas in the city, as well as three flashpoint frontlines south and east of the city, known as the 50th Street, Sanaa Street and the 7th July. Cammaert spoke to the residents, fishermen and farmers, and asked about their livelihood situations. Many shops were seen open this morning, as the majority are still closed over fears of possible cease-fire collapse. Also dozens of fishermen were seen fishing on their boats along the city's coast. After their visit to the docks, Cammaert and his team drove to several neighborhoods. He talked to the residents and inspected their humanitarian needs. Unlike previous days, the city witnessed calm since early morning, with no sounds of warplanes, artillery shelling, explosions or exchange of gunfire. Many children were seen playing outside, after guns were silenced. Hodeidah port is the key lifeline and entrance of the majority of food imports and humanitarian aid to the impoverished, war-torn Arab country. Cammaert arrived in Hodeidah a day earlier, after he visited the government-held southern Aden city and the rebel-held capital Sanaa, in the north. On Friday, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to adopt Resolution 2451, a Britain-led resolution to bolster the UN-sponsored Yemeni peace process. The cease-fire covering Hodeidah and the ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Issa entered into force at midnight (2100 GMT) on Monday. It came as the first confidence-rebuilding measure agreed by the Houthi rebels and the government in the Stockholm-based peace talks two weeks ago. According to the truce deal, the withdrawal from the ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Issa and critical parts of the city associated with the humanitarian facilities should be completed within two weeks after the cease-fire enters into force, while the full withdrawal should be completed within a maximum period of 21 days. However, both rival forces have blamed each other for violations of the cease-fire since it came into force. Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military coalition in Yemen against the Iran-backed Houthi militia since March 2015, in order to reinstate the exiled government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-25 06:04:57|Editor: ZX Video Player Close NEW YORK, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese student who was reported missing last week in New York City has been found safe and sound, police confirmed Monday. Luo Zanxiao was found in good condition, an officer with New York Police Department (NYPD) Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Public Information (DCPI) told Xinhua via the phone. The 22-year-old woman left her apartment at Duffield Street, NYC borough of Brooklyn, just after midnight on Wednesday. While she could not be found after that, she was reported missing and NYPD issued a search notice on social platforms on Saturday. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-25 06:29:59|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that progress is being made on the issues related with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). While posting a picture of him sitting behind a desk and reading a piece of paper, Trump tweeted, "Christmas Eve briefing with my team working on North Korea -- Progress being made." "Looking forward to my next summit with Chairman Kim!" he said, referring to DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un. The first-ever summit of Trump and Kim occurred in Singapore in June, followed by a joint statement in which the United States agreed to provide security guarantee to the Asian nation in return for Pyongyang's commitment to denuclearization. However, differences between the two sides have remained over key issues like the scale of denuclearization, U.S. sanctions, a war-ending declaration and the momentum for talks. Trump revealed on Dec. 1 that his second meeting with Kim was likely to happen in January or February next year. Inca o incercare istorica Daniel Sauca A trecut si minunata zi de 1 Decembrie, prilej pentru unii de a-si arata patriotismul. Bine e si macar o zi pe an sa ne (re)descoperim iubirea de tara. A trecut asadar festivismul inerent unei sarbatori nationale, asa ca ne putem intoarce la oile noastre, si alea albe, si alea negre. Nu inainte de a cita si noi din [citeste mai departe] New Delhi: Czech motorcycle brand Jawa on Monday announced that the bikes are out till September 2019 while ensuring that online bookings close on Tuesday (midnight 25th December). Classic Legends, a subsidiary of Mahindra and Mahindra, on November 15 relaunched its 293-cc Jawa Forty Two, Jawa and Jawa Perak motorcycles in the domestic market. With such a tremendous response, it is my duty to inform the customers that we are sold out till September 2019 based on the current online bookings, Anupam Thareja, Co-Founder, Classic Legends Pvt Ltd said. Jawa India tweeted: (3/3) Book your Jawas before we close online bookings on 25 Dec midnight and we'll try hard and aim to get yours home by Sep 2019 too. Have a #Jawa Christmas. #jawamotorcycles #getajawa Jawa Motorcycles (@jawamotorcycles) December 24, 2018 With such a large booking order, Jawa believes it is only fair to announce the waiting period for those with confirmed bookings. The current waiting period for online bookings already extends till September 2019 however the deliveries will start from March 2019 as per the booking sequence, he added. The company said that it will soon send out a communication directly informing every customer about their delivery timeline. The company has already launched 10 dealerships across Pune, Bangalore and Delhi. Jawa Motorcycles is now focussing on its retail experience and continuing with the planned roll-out of 100+ dealerships that are on-schedule to be opened across the country by 15th February 2019, a company statement said. While, the dealerships will continue to take bookings for deliveries beyond September, we believe it was our responsibility to transparently set delivery expectations for bookings done at dealerships. We invite customers to walk into our showrooms for further bookings, Thareja added. New Delhi: Two of the most popular actresses in Bhojpuri cinema, Rani Chatterjee and Anjana Singh have joined forces for their upcoming venture 'Chor Machaye Shor', a film by Aniket Mishra. It has been made under the banner of Sai Films and is produced by Surender Prasad. According to Bhojpurixp.com, the film which also stars legendary actor Kunal Singh's son Akash Singh in the lead role has two female leads. In the meantime, the makers have released the first official trailer of the flick on the Youtube. It was released on December 22 and has since then been watched over 3.35 lakh times. Watch the trailer below: 'Hot cake' Anjana Singh believes that this film will be accepted well by the audiences as it's a complete package. Action, romance and comedy, 'Chor Machaye Shor' has it all! However, the actress did not reveal much about her character, reportedly. Some time back, rumours of a catfight between Rani and Anjana had caught fire. However, the actress has reportedly slammed all the rumours and maintained that they are on good terms and bonded well on the sets of the film. Reportedly, the film has been shot at various locations in Mumbai and Gujarat. Gargi aka Priyanka Pandit will make a guest appearance in the film. The music is composed by Madhukar Anand while the lyrics are penned by Pyare Lal Yadav. Democratically elected PM defamed/derided The Rafale judgement is out. Honourable Supreme Court has given its verdict. Appropriately the apex court has said that the contents of the deal are not justifiable. No value judgement on prerogative of the judicial scrutiny that vests with the judiciary. It augurs well for the larger interest of the nation. The cabal represented by the petitioners who had spread lies, had sought to defame, deride and vilify the Honourable Prime Minster about things not being clean. All for what appears for a political victory. Will they now apologise to the nation? Cutting your nose to spite the face No, it doesn't appear so. They seem to be in no mood to relent. They are now seeking a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). Is it a case of cutting one's nose to spite the face. I do not think it is just that. It is a larger conspiracy. Procurement process/price discovery Make no mistake that my earlier piece on the subject has elaborated the due process which are fail safe in the procurement process. Further, it may be recalled that in 2017, the government further reinforced through bringing out a Manual on Public Procurement detailing elaborate procedures to be followed to the public procurement process be it a pin or plane. Underneath the preparation of the procedure, lot of groundwork, application of mind has gone in. The Finance Secretaries, both during the tenure of Shri Ratan Watal and Shri Ashok Lavasa, have held series of consultative sessions with Financial Advisers of all Ministries and Departments of the Government of India and their team. I myself as deputy to Financial Adviser to Ministry of Textiles have attended these meetings, which can be corroborated from records. Further, the draft manual was also shared with these stake holders and their views were obtained. Hence, the efficacy of the system is sound credit to these two senior illustrious civil servants. This way absolute integrity in price discovery is ensured. Inter-governmental agreements Now regarding the inter-governmental deal between India and France. Our Constitution specifically empowers the Union of India under Entry 14 Schedule VII read with Article 246 in the matter. Notwithstanding this, these agreements are not signed by mere fantasies of the government in power. The imperatives of each clause is gone through, clause by clause, assessed by civil servants, which include the Territorial Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, their Legal & Treaties Division, DSA Division if deemed required, the concerned Administrative Ministry (which is the Ministry of Defence in the instant case), and Department of Legal Affairs. Again the party which has hitherto been in power knows it is a fool-proof system. Hence, on both counts the raking up of the Rafale deal was specious on the part of the political party. Supreme Court ruling Having said that, it should be appreciated that in spite of all the hype the Honourable Supreme Court handled it very professionally. It may be reiterated here that the acquisition of Rafale would empower India with overwhelming military strength in the region. No one from the cabal have brought it out and the general tendency of the critics of the government is to understate this. Such overwhelming military empowerment is surely a deterrent to nations as well as non-state actors acting inimical to the interest of the nation. This is the basis of our enemies' attempt to get the price of the deal whether unit or total. Revelation of price is the biggest give for calibration of the strength and penetration ability which is a matter of concern and interest to these enemies of the country. Hence, revelation of the price was to be avoided. The apex court did this in an outstanding way, in spite of the repeated attempts of vested interests to bring the price on public domain for benefit nation's enemies. Court procedure in such sensitive cases Indeed, I have been privy to handling of such issues by the judiciary. In one case very sensitive in nature, once I had carried the files for perusal by presiding judges in the chambers. Similarly, the honourable judges indeed sought a sealed-cover report. Being an important pillar of the state, they ruled that this matter should come to rest. Hence, Supreme Court ruling should be accepted as finality. JPC demand inappropriate both on facts as well as on rules The demand for a JPC probe will again expose the proposal of leaking vital information on our strength to enemies of the nation. Firstly, the vulnerability of leakage is very high. Secondly, the issue will continue to burn till the probe continues. In such matters it is in best interest of nation that such information is accessed only on 'need to know' basis. General elections are in the offing in 2019, and will entail a new Lok Sabha and attendant constitution of new PAC, EC and other Parliamentary Panels. The possibility of sensitive information spreading to larger number of individuals arises. Further, in matters of such sensitive nature, even in cases of replies to Parliamentary questions, motions, etc, the Rules of Procedures of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha provide for, if the matter concerns security and integrity of the country or potential to affect relations with a friendly or neighbouring nation, the government to decline to answer. Hence, not just because of the fact that matter stands settled to finality in Supreme Court, but also taking recourse to the Rules of Procedures of both Lok Sabha (Rule 41 sub-rule 20) and commensurate provision in Rajya Sabha, it is anomalous to raise the issue of a JPC probe. Or, is it some other hidden agenda in this demand. The nation begs an answer. Because if a common man was to show such zeal he would have prosecuted under Official Secrets Act. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.) Talented actor Vicky Kaushal, who has proved his mettle in acting in Bollywood, is gearing up for the release of 'Uri: The Surgical Strike'. The film also strikes Yami Gautam, Paresh Rawal and Kirti Kulhari and is all set to arrive in theatres on January 11, 2019. Earlier, a power-packed trailer of the film was released by the makers and it evoked a strong patriotic sentiment amongst the audience. And now the makers have unveiled the first song of the film, titled 'Challa... Main Lad Jana'. The song has vocals by Romy, Vivek Hariharan and Shashwat Sachdev and lyrics by Kumaar. The music has been composed by Sashwat Sachdev. It is a modernised version of popular Punjabi folk song and has a patriotic touch. In the video, Vicky along with his men are seen working day in and out to successfully carry out their plan to neutralize the enemy. Watch the song here: Based on the true events, the teaser features Vicky Kaushal in a revengeful avatar to avenge the death of his friend and fellow soldiers that laid their lives in the terrorist attack. The power-packed trailer evokes a strong patriotic sentiment amongst the audience. Produced by RSVP movies and directed by Aditya Dhar, the film has largely been shot in Serbia and wrapped up in Mumbai. It is slated to release on January 11, 2019. NEW DELHI: In a big relief for car buyers in Delhi, the Arvind Kejriwal government on Monday rolled back its order of an 18-fold hike in one-time parking charges for cars and annual fees for commercial vehicles from January 1, 2019. The order in this regard was passed by Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Monday. ''Transport dept has been directed to withdraw the order dt 21.12.2018 reg increase in parking charges in South/East/North Delhi Municipal Corporations. Owners of Commercial/Non commercial vehicles need not deposit the enhanced parking fee till the matter has been examined afresh,'' a tweet from Gehlot said. Transport dept has been directed to withdraw the order dt 21.12.2018 reg increase in parking charges in South/East/North Delhi Municipal Corporations. Owners of Commercial/Non commercial vehicles need not deposit the enhanced parking fee till the matter has been examined afresh. Kailash Gahlot (@kgahlot) 24 December 2018 Delhi Transport Department had on Friday approved a recommendation for a hike in car parking fees by three municipal corporations of the city. The order issued by outgoing Transport Commissioner Varsha Joshi on Friday said that the new parking charges will be applicable from January 1, 2019. The order would have seen car ownership costs in the capital shoot up by up to Rs. 75,000. The transport department collects the parking charges on behalf of the municipal corporations, which claimed that it is meant for creating parking infrastructure in Delhi. The proposal by the three MCDs to hike the charges was pending for quite sometime and was cleared by the transport commissioner on her last day in office, an official said. The order angered bus and taxi operators as the annual parking fee for different categories of commercial vehicles will rise from the existing Rs. 2,500-Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 10,000-Rs. 25,000. According to the order, based on the cost of a vehicle, the one-time parking charge for private cars and SUVs will range between Rs. 6,000 and Rs. 75,000 - 18 times the existing rate of Rs. 4,000. The process of charging the money during vehicle registration is prescribed through a notification of Union Urban Affairs Ministry not by the transport department, Joshi, who has taken charge as North Delhi Municipal Corporation's commissioner, told PTI. The transport department only acts as the post office in the process, she said. The parking charges mechanism will be replaced by spot parking fees after new parking regulations are notified by the Delhi government, she said. "Till then this mechanism will be applicable. So we followed an urban affairs ministry notification and issued these orders," Joshi added. Displeased by the government order, transporters in the city threatened to stage a protest against the hike. "We will meet the Chief Minister and the transport minister on Monday against the hike because it will impact us negatively. If need be, we will resort to a strike also," said Shyam Lal Gola, spokesperson of State Transport Authority Operators Ekta Manch. It's a very bad move that will pose hardships for all, including the commuters, president of Delhi Tourist Taxi Transport Association Sanjay Samrat said. "We will protest against the Delhi government," he said. He added that they will meet the Lieutenant Governor to appeal for a rollback of the hike. Additional uncaught exception thrown while handling exception. Original RedisException: Redis server went away in Redis->select() (line 22 of /var/www/zeenews.india.com/sites/all/modules/redis/lib/Redis/Client/PhpRedis.php). Additional RedisException: Redis server went away in Redis->select() (line 22 of /var/www/zeenews.india.com/sites/all/modules/redis/lib/Redis/Client/PhpRedis.php). Continuing with its ploy of targeting Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan plans to make use of GPS-guided mortar for precision attacks in the time to come. It has been learnt that Pakistan is in the weapons market to purchase the special and technologically advanced mortar which only a few countries currently have in their arsenal. Apart from some European countries, China also has these special mortars although Beijing has kept its features and abilities classified. Sources reveal that Pakistan is extremely interested in purchasing these and has instructed its embassies around the world to hunt for a viable deal. The GPS-enabled mortar with other countries - apart from China which has kept its special mortars secret - can target enemy establishments with extreme accuracy. According to an official in the Indian Defence Ministry, the directions and target of these mortars can be altered even after they are fired, making them deadly for even mobile enemy units. Security analysts say that some of these mortars can also differentiate between enemy and friendly forces. In the past, the United States has made use of GPS-enabled mortar to target Taliban in Afghanistan, and with a high degree of success. As such, technological development of these mortars is a constant process - making the new variants even more deadly. New Delhi: Veteran actor Ashutosh Rana recently came out in support of fellow Bollywood personality Naseeruddin Shah over his comments on fearing for his children in the prevailing situation in India. Speaking to media persons at an event, Rana said that everyone has the right to speak their mind. When asked about his views on what Shah has said recently in a Youtube video clip, Rana said everyone was entitled to having an opinion. "Everyone should have a right to share their thoughts with their friends or other people without any fear. We should be wary of reacting, acting or doing a trial on any such comment," he said. "If any of our brother or friend is saying something, we should not only listen to them but must also ponder over it." Rana also said that the Indian culture is one that stands for tolerance. "Independence stands for simplicity and gentleness and that is what our culture is," he said. Support and criticism have been in almost equal measure for Shah since his remarks on the prevailing situation in the country. "I feel worried thinking about my children because they have not received any religious education. We chose not to give any religious education to our children because I believe that good or evil has nothing to do with religion, he had said, adding that more importance is being given to the death of a cow than to the death of a policeman - referring to the recent Bulandshahrviolence. While some of his fellow Bollywood personalities - like Rana and Madhur Bhandarkar - extended their support to Shah, others sought to play down the comments made. Yoga guru Ramdev said that it is incorrect to term political intolerance as religious intolerance while Home Minister Rajnath Singh underlined that India is the most tolerant nation in the world. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has confirmed that his party will get into an alliance with the Congress party for the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections, which are slated to be held in 2019. Taking to microblogging site Twitter, the veteran leader also confirmed that all opposition parties have decided to form a Mahagathbandhan for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Sharad Pawar said that besides the NCP and the Congress party, other like-minded parties will also be brought together in the run up to the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Claiming that any differences over seat sharing would be ironed out by the leadership of both the parties, Pawar tweeted in Marathi, The Congress and the NCP will form an alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. Other like-minded parties will also be included. There will not be any difference over seat sharing, and even if some difference crops up, national presidents of both the parties will resolve it amicably, the NCP chief further said. Talking about a joint opposition for the Lok Sabha elections, Pawar said in another tweet, All opposition parties have decided to come together and form a Mahagathbandhan. Talks are on for the same. Whichever party is more powerful in a state will be given more number of seats. This comes more than a month after Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu met Sharad Pawar in the national capital reportedly over forming a joint opposition to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Following his meeting with the Maharashtra strongman, Naidu had said that his attempts and plans were centred around protecting the nation. MUMBAI: BJP's estranged ally Shiv Sena, which has already said that it will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections alone, yet again made a blistering attack on the NDA government over various issues including the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Rafale fighter jet deal with France and farmer' woes. Attacking the Narendra Modi-led BJP government, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said that the present dispensation gave the Rafale defence contract to a company which had no prior experience in manufacturing defence equipment. ''A company which had no experience was given a contract (Rafale Deal). Soldiers of our country need a pay hike which you don't give, but you do scams in the purchase of arms and ammunition,'' Uddhav Thackeray said. Shiv Sena Chief, Uddhav Thackeray: A company which had no experience was given a contract (#RafaleDeal). Soldiers of our country need a pay hike which you don't give, but you do scams in purchase of arms and ammunition. (file pic) pic.twitter.com/ndWyLWA0C6 ANI (@ANI) 24 December 2018 Shiv Sena president said that with various scams going on in the country, it seems that "chowkidars have become thieves" - a direct takeaway from Congress slogan. "There is a scam bigger than Rafale in the agriculture sector. Despite having four state-run insurance companies, the government has given out contracts to 12 companies who have nothing to do with crop insurance. The poor farmers may be debt-ridden, but they will not flee like Vijay Mallya or Nirav Mod-Mehul Choksi," Thackeray said. Referring to what he termed as "scams" in the defence and agriculture sectors besides 'jumlas' of other schemes such as Rs 15 lakh in every Indian`s bank account or the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, Thackeray attacked the ruling ally BJP on a host of issues. Addressing a much-anticipated rally in the temple town of Pandharpur, Solapur district, he hit out at the BJP for getting "possessed" by the spirits of gods in raking up the Ram temple before elections, achieving nothing in the past over three decades. "I went to Ayodhya (November) and have come to the holy land of Pandharpur. I want to wake up the sleeping Kumbhakarna -- you exploited Ram temple to win elections and now you are in a slumber. We will not rest till the Ram temple is constructed," Thackeray roared. Further attacking the saffron party for delaying the Ram temple issue and not fulfilling its promise of constructing a grand temple in Ayodhya, the Shiv Sena chief demanded the BJP to clear the air on the issue at the earliest. ''It's been 30 years and still you that matter is in court. Hindus are innocent but not fools. Let there be a discussion in Parliament on the Ram temple issue, who are in your favour on this issue among NDA will be clear,'' the Sena chief said. Shiv Sena Chief, Uddhav Thackeray: It's been 30 years and still you say that matter is in court. Hindus are innocent but not fools. Let there be a discussion in Parliament on the Ram temple issue, who are in your favour on this issue among NDA will be clear. ANI (@ANI) 24 December 2018 The Shiv Sena supremo also urged the leaders of NDA alliance partners - Nitish Kumar of JD (U) and Ram Vilas Paswan of LJP to declare their views on 'Hindutva' and construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. Speaking to media persons, the veteran Maharashtra politician threw a hint that he may visit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi in the days to come. Uddhav Thackeray had recently visited Ayodhya and offered prayers at the makeshift Ram Lala temple there. The Shiv Sena had been extremely critical of the BJP government's functioning and its policies and accused it of not taking other NDA alliance partners in confidence before taking major decisions. Commenting on the results of recently concluded assembly elections, Shiv Sena said that the results are a clear message to the BJP and there is a need for the ruling coalition to introspect. Shiv Sena spokesperson and the party's Rajya Sabha lawmaker Sanjay Raut said the trends reflect that the BJP's victory chariot has been halted. "This is a clear message and it is the time for us to introspect," Raut said in a Parliament Complex. The two parties contested the 2014 Maharashtra polls separately but later joined hands to form the government in the state. Pilgrims heading to Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir will now be able to visit Bhairon Nath mandir with ease with the help a ropeway that was inaugurated on Monday. Though the temple is situated at a distance of just 1.5 kilometres from the Bhawan, the climb is extremely steep making it tough for pilgrims to visit the Bhairon Nath temple. As per some reports, only 30-40 per cent of the pilgrims who visit the Vaishnodevi shrine head towards the Bhairon Nath temple to pay obeisance. However, with the launch of Bhawan-Bhairon ropeway project, passengers can reach the temple in just five minutes. A ride on the ropeway will reportedly cost Rs 100 per person. Trial runs were conducted on Sunday and reports suggest that the temple witnessed over 3000 more people than the average footfall that it usually receives. #JammuAndKashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik e-inaugurates the Bhairon Ghati Passenger Ropeway that would be operational between Vaishno Devi shrine and Bhairon temple. pic.twitter.com/QDDx40s9KN ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2018 The ropeway was inaugurated by Governor Satya Pal Malik on Monday. The ropeway project works had been undertaken by the joint venture of Garaventa AG, Switzerland and Damodar Ropeways Construction Co (P) Ltd, Kolkata, under the supervision of RITES. The equipment and cabins of the ropeway have been imported from Switzerland. It has a carrying capacity of 800 persons per hour. With the help of this service, the steep climb of an altitude of 6,600 feet will be completed in minutes. The trial and testing of the project formally began on November 26. Besides trial and testing of the passenger ropeway, mock rescue and evacuation drills were conducted. Staffers of the shrine board have also been trained for emergency services. The disaster management task force (DMTF) of the shrine board had organised rescue and evacuation drills. The director security and enforcement Suresh Sharma, along with a platoon of 'sahayaks' and a section of SDRF team from Reasi, participated in the rescue drills last week. BENGALURU: Days after Cabinet expansion in Karnataka, infighting within the Congress is growing over the allotment of ministerial berths to the legislators. Several party MLAs have been vocal in expressing their reservations over the basis of which the ministerial positions have been assigned. Congress MLA R Ramalinga Reddy questioned the criteria of selection claiming that injustice has been meted out to him by not giving him a ministerial position. "Juniors should become ministers, but 4-5 who became ministers before, they're still in Cabinet. I have been denied a post for being senior. If that was the parameter for not making me a minister, then why that is not applicable to Parameshwara (deputy chief minister), DK Shivakumar (water resource minister), Krishna Byregowda (law and panchayat minister) and a few others?" Reddy said. In the Cabinet reshuffle and expansion last week, MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi and Independent R Shankar were dropped from the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) ministry. Ramesh's brother, Satish Jarkiholi, MB Patil and six others were inducted into the ministry on the same day. has gone into hibernation, much to the discomfort of the government. A day after being dropped, an audio clip of Belagavi strongman and Gokak MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi has surfaced where he reportedly said that he and others would resign and people would get to see the changes within a week. Jarkiholi had been unhappy ever since the coalition government took over. He reportedly even held a meeting with his confidant MLAs to decide his future course of action. Another minister dropped from the Cabinet, Karnataka Prajnyavantha Janatha Party MLA, R Shankar had already hinted that he will not hesitate in thinking about joining hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Ahead of the expansion, he had said: "Congress is ditching me. BJP hasn't contacted me yet, but if I am dropped from Cabinet I'll rethink." Another disgruntled voice came from Chikkaballapur MLA Dr K Sudhakar who said that some districts are underrepresented. "I feel that few districts are over-represented, while few have been unrepresented. Especially on the part of the Congress, Vokkaligas (a dominant community) have been left out. The Vokkaliga community has not got its due share, what it has supposed to get in the ministry," he said. However, former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday rubbished any rebellion from MLAs in the party. Siddaramaiah, who is a coordinator of the ruling coalition, said: "There is no discontent in the party and nobody will resign. His (Ramesh Jarkiholi) brother (Satish) has been made minister from his family." Ahead of the release of his film "Uri", actor Vicky Kaushal has headed to Lucknow to pay homage to the martyrs of 2016 Uri attack. "In Lucknow today to pay respects to the martyrs of Uri attack," Vicky tweeted on Monday. In September 18, 2016, terrorists from Pakistan attacked a military base in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir leaving 19 Indian soldiers dead. Eleven days later, the Indian Army retaliated with a series of surgical strikes on terrorist camps across the border. Being organised by Amar Ujala, the event "Jai Hind, Jai Hind Ki Sena" will witness the star cast of the film paying tributes to the brave soldiers and their families. The film directed by Aditya Dhar is based on the Uri attack of September 2016. It also features actress Yami Gautam in pivotal role. Mumbai: As reality show 'Bigg Boss 12' reaches finale, television actress and former 'Bigg Boss' winner Shweta Tiwari on Monday urged her fans and the audience to shower their love upon actor Karanvir Bohra, who is currently inside the 'Bigg Boss 12' house as a contestant. Shweta, who shares a good rapport with Karanvir and also his wife Teejay Sidhu, requested voters to show their support towards Karanvir and make him emerge as the winner of this season. Sharing a photo with Karanvir on Instagram, Shweta wrote, "KV (Karanvir)...! He use to always tell me 'mommy' , the best part about life is every morning you have a new opportunity to become a happier version of yourself! And he proved this in "Big Boss" house..! KV my Baby ... You have made me immensely proud since the day I have met you and especially since the time you have entered 'Big Boss'. Please everyone show your love and support to this amazing person and let him return as a Winner." It is to be noted that Shweta and Karanvir have worked together in Ekta Kapoor's hit daily soap 'Kasautii Zindagi Ki', where the 38-year-old actress played mother to Karanvir, 36. Jakarta: The death toll of the volcano-triggered tsunami in Indonesia mounted to 281 on Monday while the number of injured people is more than 1,000. According to officials, the tsunami has been caused by a volcano known as the 'child' of the legendary Krakatoa. The waves hit beaches in South Sumatra and the western tip of Java about 9.30 pm local time (1430 GMT) on Saturday leaving dozens of buildings in tatters. The officials said that the tsunami may have been triggered by an abnormal tidal surge due to a new moon and an underwater landslide following the eruption of Anak Krakatoa, which forms a small island in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. The national disaster agency said that Indonesia's geological agency was investigating the cause. Anak Krakatoa is a small volcanic island that emerged from the ocean half a century after Krakatoa's deadly 1883 eruption. Indonesia, one of the most disaster-prone nations on earth, straddles the so-called Pacific 'Ring of Fire', where tectonic plates collide and a large portion of the world's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur. The country regularly experiences deadly earthquakes, including most recently in the city of Palu on Sulawesi island where a quake and tsunami killed thousands of people. Anak Krakatoa is one of 127 active volcanoes which run the length of the archipelago. (With agency inputs) ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was on Monday sentenced to jail for seven years by the anti-corruption court in connection with the Al-Azizia case. In the other corruption case related to Flagship Investment, the court acquitted the former PM. Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik of Islamabad-based accountability court had last week reserved the judgment against the 68-year-old after completion of hearing in the two cases. The Supreme Court had set Monday as the deadline to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases against the three-time former prime minister. Defending himself, Sharif said his conscience was clear. "I do not have any sort of fear; my conscience is clear. I have done nothing that would force me to bow my head. (I) have always served the country and this nation with absolute honesty," he said upon arival in Islamabad from Lahore on Sunday. He also claimed there was no evidence against him. Ahead of the verdict, Sharif met his younger brother and Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif at Ministers' Enclave. The younger Sharif was also facing probe by the NAB. The accountability court had indicted elder Sharif for holding assets beyond his known sources of income in August 2017. Last week, the judge rejected the application by Sharif's lawyer Khawaja Harris to provide one week time to submit more documents but allowed him to provide any document by Friday last. Three cases - Avenfield properties case, Flagship Investment case and Al-Azizia steel mills case - were launched by the National Accountability Bureau on September 8, 2017 following a judgment by the apex court that disqualified Sharif. The apex court initially set six month deadline to conclude the cases but it was subsequently increased around eight times on the request of the accountability court. Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case in July, 2017. In July, 2018 Sharif, his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year respectively in prison in the Avenfield properties case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices. However, the three were bailed out by the Islamabad High Court in September. His two sons - Hassan and Hussain - were also co-accused in all three cases but they were declared absconders for failing to appear before the court even for a single time. The court decided to hear their cases separately once they returned. In the last few years, despite the difficult conditions within the country, Ukraine is trying to increase exports, and the EU is considered a priority zone for international trade. At the beginning of 2018, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman announced the export results of the previous year. He noted that the level of sales of domestic goods and services abroad in 2017 increased by 16%, with the EU's share in total exports from Ukraine amounted to 40.5%. In general, in 2017 the amount of domestic exports increased to $ 52.3 billion. Of course, the contribution of individual Ukrainian companies to the total export varies greatly. There are small farmers selling products of their own labor abroad, and there are industrial enterprises of national scale, which turnover and export is measured in tens of billions of hryvnias. Therefore, who exactly are these export giants, what and to which countries they have sold during 2017, according to YouControl analysts? Top 20 Ukrainian exporters: who are they? The top 20 Ukrainian exporting companies have made a powerful contribution to the overall performance of domestic international trade. Only in 2017, their export volume reached almost UAH 400 billion, or $ 15 billion, that is, almost 30% of the total figure for the country. The main Ukrainian exporters relate primarily to the heavy industry and the agricultural sector. In particular, six of the 20 companies have the production of iron, steel and ferroalloys their main activity, four - wholesale trade in grain, unprocessed tobacco, seeds and animal feed, three more - mining of iron ore. The list of top exporters is quite interesting from different points of view. All of them are major players in their markets. Most of them are included in financial-industrial groups (FIG), such as Istvan, Glencore, ISD, MHP, SCM, Privat, Nibulon, etc. However, the current financial stability (FinScore index) of some of them leaves much to be desired, because it is characterized by the letters C and D, that is, they have a high risk of bankruptcy. However, for this there is another explanation. The lower FinScore scores are typical for profit generating companies within large business groups. This is due to the fact that other related companies, which can often be located outside Ukraine achieve the profit with significantly better indicators of financial stability (and hence FinScore), said Roman Kornilyuk, a financial analyst at YouControl. Partly confirms this idea the fact that most of the top exporters of 2017 or 2018 had from 10 to 2 thousand transactions with low-tax jurisdictions or offshores recognized in the world or in Ukraine. And in some enterprises, even the founders and shareholders are persons or companies from offshore companies. The geography of the twenty exporters is also well-known. Basically, they belong to the industrial and agrarian east and south of Ukraine, as well as to the center of business in the country - Kyiv, in particular: 7 companies from Kyiv city and the region; 6 - from Dnipro and the region; 2 - from Mykolaiv and the region; 2 - from the Donetsk region; 2 - from Zaporizhia; 1 - from the Poltava region. It is significant that three of the 20 companies are now under sanctions from the Russian Federation, and the beneficiary of one of the companies, on the contrary, fell under the sanctions of the National Security and Defense Council and the US Treasury (the owner of the Mykolaiv alumina refinery, the odious Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska). Export routes: Europe and Asia The main buyer of goods produced by the top exporters of Ukraine, was Switzerland, which is now included in the "gray" list of offshore companies of the European Union. Perhaps such a powerful stream of domestic exports to this country is connected exactly with the latter fact. In general, companies from Switzerland were among top 3 importers of Ukrainian goods. Moreover, for 12 exporting companies, buyers from this country were in first place in terms of trade volumes. The volume of trade with Switzerland is several times higher than with the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Poland and the Netherlands, which are also among the top 5 countries. Note: The EUs gray list includes countries that do not yet meet EU requirements, but have shown that they are ready to change and follow tax transparency and fairness. It is also significant that one of top five importing countries is Russia. And this is despite the war and other conflicts. In general, in addition to the five names mentioned, such countries as Germany, Luxembourg, China, the Virgin Islands, Lithuania, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Belarus, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Kyrgyzstan and Estonia were among the most active importers of Ukrainian companies products. For the first 9 months of 2018, similar to the vector of the top exporters of 2017, total sales of Ukrainian goods were made in the EU and Russia. Candidate of economic sciences, teacher of Zaporizhzhya National University Kostyantyn Denysov told about this: In the regional context, the EU remains the largest buyer of our products (42.3% of all domestic exports). The main reason for this is the Free Trade Zone Agreement, as well as the decision of the European Commission on the abolition of certain restrictive measures against Ukrainian metallurgists. The top 5 countries in terms of exports are Russia (7.9%), Poland (7.0%), Italy (5.8%), Turkey (5.4%) and India (4.7%), moreover, for example, Russia mainly buys ferrous metals, chemistry, and engineering products in Ukraine. The enterprises of these industries traditionally focused on the market of Russia and the CIS due to its geographical, cultural and mental proximity. In addition, there they do not face tough competition from local producers, as is the case in the EU or North America markets. Poland also buys ferrous metals, ore, electrical machines and wood. Demand for metal, transport and agricultural products The main product, which Ukrainian top exporters sold abroad, was flat rolled carbon steel without electroplating or other coatings, semi-finished products and other steel products. This suggests that the domestic metallurgy takes one of the first places in the total export volume. However, among the top 3 export categories, the goods of the agricultural sector have a big weight. It is, in particular, oil and grain. Among agricultural products, importers purchased Ukrainian wheat, barley, rapeseed, and poultry meat. However, among the categories with the greatest demand from abroad were more interesting examples. For example, Poltava Mining and Processing Plant actively sold tires and pneumatic rubber tires. Motor Sich exported turbojet engines, turboprop and other gas turbines, as well as control or measuring instruments. The Central Mining and Processing Plant supplied abroad rail cars for the carriage of goods. Mykolayiv Alumina Refinery exported beryllium, chromium, germanium, vanadium, gallium, hafnium, indium, niobium, rhenium and talium, as well as products made from these metals. Obviously, the trend for a large volume of exports from Ukraine of the above-mentioned top categories will be continued. For the three quarters of 2018, other countries have already imported Ukrainian: non-precious metals and products from them for $ 9 billion; plant products, including cereals, for nearly $ 7 billion; machinery, equipment, electrical equipment, etc., worth $ 3.5 billion; fats and oils of animal and vegetable origin worth more than $ 3 billion. These are quite significant indicators with a total export volume of 34.5 billion dollars for January - September 2018. In general, we can say that the twenty selected companies play an important role in the international trade of Ukraine. And this is despite the fact that some enterprises have sins, in particular, cooperation with offshore companies, and some have questions regarding their financial condition or their founders and shareholders belonging to offshore companies. Read original article at YouControl The youngest Ukrainian sailor Andrii Eider, who has recently turned 19, sent a letter to Ukraine. Journalist Taisiia Turchyn published the letter on Facebook. Eider told about his health. Related: Another 19 Ukrainian sailors kept in Moscow claim to be POWs, - lawyer Seems like here it is, the freedom. It feels so far and so close... In our mortal world, everything is forgotten before you finish smoking a pack of cigarettes. Unfortunately, this is true. I would want people to remember this since 24 people are in remand centers of different countries for nothing. After all, all these people are military, they serve the people of Ukraine, the sailor said. He said his wounds are healing, he still walks with a limp though. It is difficult to climb and descend stairs, it is a huge strain on the leg, no matter how funny it may sound but I grab banister to walk. Sadly, that I cant just get my leg up vertically, has no enough strength, Eider said. Related: Crimean court keeps arrest of Ukrainian sailor effective The sailor added that the rest of the sailors hope to return back home soon. I'm hoping for a quick political resolution, a little time has passed since. I want the people to remember. Happy upcoming holidays everybody! Take us home. Do not forget us, the sailor said. Turchyn noted that the words Glory to Ukraine were boldly crossed out by the censor. Related: Ukrainian sailor kept in Moscow prison jokes he "finally rests from his commander" As we reported earlier, the Russian Navy attacked the Ukrainian vessels in the Kerch Strait in the Sea of Azov. The vessels were damaged, and the crews captured by the Russian special services. Ukraine and the Western governments consider the attack an act of aggression. The Ukrainian sailors were taken to a remand center in Crimea, and then in Moscow, charged with the 'illegal crossing of the Russian territorial waters'. All sailors deny their guilt, claiming they are prisoners of war. The ministry stressed that Ukraine will use all possible political and diplomatic leverage for the release of their fellow citizens, the convicted Crimean Tatars Open source The decision of the North Caucasian District Military Court of the Russian Federation on conviction of Enver Mamutov, Rustem Abiltarov, Ramzi Memetov and Zevri Abseitov is unlawful. This was stated by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. "Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses a firm protest against the unjustified decision of the North Caucasian District Military Court of the Russian Federation to condemn the citizens of Ukraine Enver Mamutov to 17 years old, Rustem Abiltarov, Ramzi Memetov and Zevri Abseitov to 9 years of imprisonment on obviously fabricated charges of terrorist activity," the message of the ministry says. It is emphasized that this decision once again confirmed that "the Russian anti-terrorism laws are widely applied by the Russian occupation administration to cover political repression against the Crimean Tatar people." The Foreign Ministry reminded that the international community especially condemned such practice in the UNGA resolution on the situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Ukraine), adopted on December 22. "Ukraine will not silently observe this practice of Russia and will continue to use all possible political and diplomatic levers to free their fellow citizens. We urge the international community to increase pressure on the aggressor state to stop Russian violations of human rights in the temporarily occupied Crimea and release illegally detained citizens of Ukraine," the statement said. As it was reported earlier, Ukraine's foreign ministry decisively condemns the fact that the Russian court considers cases against six Ukrainian citizens, residents of Crimea; they are accused of membership in Hizb-Ut Tahrir, the Islamist movement that is banned in Russia as the 'extremist organization'. The President of Belarus claimed he would only call Russia 'a partner' Open source President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko claimed that he would not call Russia 'a fraternal state' anymore, only 'a partner'. Lukashenko claimed this at the meeting for relevant cooperation issues with Russia, as the official website of the Belarusian President reports. I am not calling it a fraternal state because, as I am informed, Russia does not take it. Allegedly, there are new people who dont accept this notion. So be it, lets be partners, Lukashenko claimed. Related: Ukraine's MP Lyashko intends to meet with Lukashenko 'Many agreements have been signed both at the Supreme State Council, and at the Federal Council of Ministers, and bilaterally. Unfortunately, as I often say, they are not all adhered to, Lukashenko noted. Earlier, Lukashenko said that three Slavic nations have to solve Donbas armed conflict, and history will define the perpetrator. Related: Lukashenko threatens to deploy something in response to new U.S. base in Poland During the last meeting of Lukashenko and Poroshenko, the latter had to violate the protocol of the meeting to defend Ukraines position. Russia started the aggression against Ukraine in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and deployment of combat actions in Donbas. On January 25, 2017, the Ukrainian Parliament recognized the Russian Federation as the aggressor state. The Polish businessmen are concerned about the fact that on December 19, the Government of Germany approved the draft bill on immigration which provides cancellation of priority for the Germans and citizens of other states of the EU in hiring since 2020 Open source A possible drain of the Ukrainian workers from Poland to Germany might negatively affect the Polish economy, the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers of the Republic informed as quoted by Die Welt. The Polish businessmen are concerned about the fact that on December 19, the Government of Germany approved the draft bill on immigration. It provides cancellation of priority for the Germans and citizens of other states of the EU in hiring since 2020. If Bundestag approves it, professionals from Ukraine will have an opportunity to get employed in Germany legally. The experts counted that half a million Ukrainians will leave the Polish labor market, and the negative scenario supposes that the number will be twice as many. For now, around two million Ukrainians live in Poland, most of them are labor migrants. Only a few hundred appealed for asylum. The Polish business has been suffering from constant migration of the citizens to other EU member states, including Great Britain, for a while. The birth rate in Poland is 1,3 children for one woman, which is a very low indicator. Due to this, the Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers of the Republic of Poland urges the government to attract more foreign workers and support the granting of citizenship. Christmas in Ukraine 112.international The bright feast of Christmas comes to the Christians of the Western rite on December 25. Since recently, in Ukraine, just like in over 100 countries of the world, this day is a state holiday. On the night of December 24-25, the Christians of the Western rite (mainly Catholics and Protestants), among whom there are many Ukrainians, celebrate Christmas, - one of the most important Christian holidays, established in honor of the birth of Jesus Christ by the Virgin Mary. History of the holiday Since the end of II century until the IV century, Christian church mentioned the events of the Christmas Day on the Day of Epiphany, - January 6. In 200 AD, Clement of Alexandria described this practice in his writings. The first messages about the appearance of a separate Christmas holiday on December 25 date back to the middle of the IV century. In particular, from the sacred writings of the evangelists Matthew and Luke, it follows that the rise of the first evening star on the night of December 25 marked the birth of the Son of God. The Nativity of Jesus Open source It also tells about this event: In the year of the birth of Jesus, Emperor Augustus issued a decree to hold a population census. Judea was a part of the Roman Empire at the time. For the convenience of officials, all residents of the region were ordered to come to the city of their birth. Since Saint Joseph was a descendant of King David, Bethlehem was considered his small homeland. He went there with his wife, the Virgin Mary, who at that time was already pregnant. Due to the inflow of people in the city, the spouses could not stay at the hotel and they were forced to look for another shelter. Just at the time, the childbirth term approached, and little Jesus was born in a cave where shepherds sheltered cattle from bad weather. This way, in 431, the Third Ecumenical Council, which took place in Ephesus, set the date of celebration of the Nativity of Jesus on December 25. The Advent Despite the fact that the essence of Christmas both in the Western and Eastern rites is similar, the traditions of its celebration are slightly different and these differences are not only in date. The Day of Nativity of Jesus in the liturgical calendar is preceded by a special period - Advent. It starts always four Sundays before the Christmas. This year the countdown started on December 2. Earlier in this period, the Catholics and some Protestants adhered to a strict fast, but modern rules do not demand it. The Advent is considered a time that is given to a person for redemption. The church recommends using it for the sacrament of confession, reflections on the coming of Christ to Earth, not only in Christmas, but also at the Second Coming. The worshipping on each of the four Sundays of Advent have a certain theme. The first Sunday is dedicated to the coming of Christ at the end of time. The second and third Sundays reflect the transition from the Old to the New Testament. On the third Sunday the service of John the Baptist is especially marked. The fourth Sunday is devoted to the Gospel events preceding the Christmas. Several other traditions are associated with this period. Christmas wreath Surely, you have already seen something similar in the supermarkets. It is a typical decoration in the form of a wreath made of pine, spruce or fir branches, which is most often attached vertically to the walls and doors of houses, set on the table or a window sill. Christmas wreath with four candles Open source Four candles were traditionally placed on such a wreath: the first of them was lit on the first Sunday of the Advent, the second one on the second Sunday, and so on. The light in the wreath symbolized the growing expectation of Christs birth. Later, some new meaning was attached to it, due to the round shape, symbols of a wreath, greenery of spruce, color of candles and decorative ribbons. Today, a four-candle Christmas wreath is associated with the globe and four cardinal points, a circle symbolizes the eternal life that the Resurrection gives, the green is the color of life, and the candles are the light that will illuminate the world at Christmas. Christmas calendar The second indispensable attribute of the Advent is the Christmas calendar - a special calendar, which, in fact, just like the Christmas wreath, indicates the time remaining until Christmas. Such calendars are usually made as postcards or cardboard houses with opening windows, with a candy, a note with wishes or small gift in each cell. Its content depends on the family and the person for whom the calendar is given. Christmas calendar Open source The Christmas calendar consists of 24 days, counting down from December 1 to December 24. Christmas tree During the Advent, Western-rite Christians also set up a Christmas tree in their homes and decorate it with children's handicrafts in the form of lanterns and hearts or with the toys. A star is set on its top as a reminder of the Star of Bethlehem. Most often, the tree is installed in the center of the living room, ideally - not very far from the fireplace, on which people hang large socks according to the number of family members. Christmas tree Open source Santa Claus who is the prototype of St. Nicholas puts his presents and gifts to children under the Christmas tree. Nativity scene Another tradition of the Advent is the setting of a manger scene or a crib. It is to remember the events of the Nativity of Jesus on the holiday with family or friends. Jesus Nativity scene Open source It is believed that if you play out the scene of the birth of the Son of God, Bethlehem enters homes and churches and becomes closer and clearer. Christmas Eve Traditions Advent traditionally ends on the Christmas Eve, which is the day before Christmas, December 24. The main feature of this day is a strict post. Earlier on this day, it was allowed to eat only soaked grains usually barley or wheat grains boiled in water with honey. Christmas Eve fasting Open source Over time, the menu expanded and other lenten dishes appeared on the Christmas table. Among them there must be: apples, vegetable salads and other vegetables, honey, raisins, nuts, celery. Because all of them are the symbols of good luck, wealth and health. The main dish is on the table should be fish. In addition, on Christmas Eve, those who did not have time to do the confession can do it. The church on this day is open from early morning and does not close. Christmas celebration On the Christmas Day, the churches hold three special liturgies the night mass, the mass at dawn, and the day mass. So, the celebration of Christmas takes place three times - as the birth of the Word from God the Father (at night), the birth of God the Son from the Virgin (at dawn) and the birth of God in the believers soul (in the afternoon). In addition to this, on the night of December 25, Santa comes to the Christians of the Western rite. There is a custom that children should leave on the table in the living room a glass of milk and a plate almond cookies. Allegedly, it is Santa's favorite food and he certainly needs to eat after a long journey. Santa comes for Christmas Open source On this day, the scene of the birth of Jesus Christ is also staged. In the late afternoon, the whole family gathers for the second Christmas meal. This time, a variety of dishes are put on the table, among which the main dish is roasted turkey or goose. It is noteworthy, that one empty place is always left at the Christmas table - no matter who comes into the house, he will be a dear guest. In addition, on this day people sing the carols - Christmas songs with the wishes of wellbeing and prosperity. The Octave of Christmas It is also important that Westernrite Christmas does not end on December 25 - it is celebrated for eight days, from December 25 to January 1. This period is called the Octave of Christmas. The Catholics and some Protestants commemorate their saints in this time. In particular, on December 26, people mark the feast of Saint Stephen, on December 27, they commemorate the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, and on December 28, believers remember the Innocent Babies of Bethlehem. Christmas Open source On Sunday, which falls on one of the days from December 26 to 31 (or on December 30, if Sunday does not fall on these days), the feast of the Holy Family is celebrated. The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God is celebrated on January 1. Head of Special Anti-Prosecutor's Office Nazar Kholodnytsky asked to postpone the session due to the fact that today is the official holiday Court session on Martynenko's case, December 24, 2018 Anti-Corruption Centre Shevchenkivsky District Court of Kyiv postponed the hearing in the case of Mykola Martynenko, former lawmaker from Peoples Front parliamentary faction to December 28. The Anti-Corruption Centre reported that on Facebook. The court hearing in Martynenkos case was not held. SAP Head [Nazar] Kholodnytsky asked to postpone the session due to the fact that today is an official holiday. SAP Prosecutor [Oleksiy] Skybenko arrived in the court, he was ready to work, but he stated that the prosecutors power might be doubted in the future. As a result, the court agreed with the Prosecutor and postponed the session until December 28, the message says. Earlier, it was reported that ex-parliamentarian Martynenko was suspected of power abuse while implementing the sales contract of yellowcake for a state-owned enterprise East Mining and Processing Combine through Austrian company Steuermann and of taking possession of the property of state-owned enterprise Energoatom. According to SAP Head Nazar Kholodnytsky, former MP faces 12 years of imprisonment. On April 22, Solomyansky District Court of Kyiv chose the restrictive measure for Martynenko in the form of personal suretyship. 18 politicians stood up for him. Russian prankster claims to have spoken with the newly-elected leader of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Epifaniy. According to the recording, he said that the church should operate to level up the understanding for LGBT people Epiphany Dumenko, the head of Ukrainian Orthodox Church Reuters Epifaniy, the head of Ukrainian Orthodox Church, was hoasted into having a conversation with a man he believed to be the EU Parliament lawmaker in charge of foreign affairs David McAllister. Deutsche Welle reported that. Russian pro-Kremlin prankster team published a recording of their conversation. The two who go by the aliases Vovan and Leksus are well known for targeting high-ranking Western politicians and diplomats, including UK's Boris Johnson earlier this year. Ukraine's church press officials confirmed Dumenko was targeted, the news agency reads. According to the recording, Epiphaniy discussed topics such as the churchs conservative view and Ukraines attitude toward the LGBT community. He also pointed out the USs support for building an independent Ukrainian church. In general, however, Dumenko remained reserved during the call, as his interlocutor raised sensitive topics, the message says. The person pretending to be McAllister said: "One day, you will bless the army to free Crimea and Donbass from the occupation and separatists, so I hope this will happen soon. It is mentioned that he was speaking English, but with a heavy Russian accent. "I also believe that we will manage to reclaim Donbas and Crimea, and the war which is currently raging in Ukraine should end, because the God is on our side," Epiphaniy said. "So you would like to bless the army?", the man asked again. The leader of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church answered by pointing to army chaplains and his plans to travel to the conflict zone and support and "bless" the soldiers. "But how can you get back Crimea to Ukraine?", his interlocutor asked. "If Ukraine becomes a strong state and we manage to unite the Orthodox believers in one local Orthodox Church, I believe that the people would () themselves want to return to Ukraine," Dumenko responded. Then the conversation moved to the LGBT topic. "Naturally, I am in favor of starting a church reform, so there would not be any of this conservativism, and we would move away from the Russian tradition and the church would be open and serve as a guide to the Ukrainian people. This is a bit of a complicated issue, which we should not take up at the beginning of our path. Right now, we need to work on the Ukrainian society understanding it. But it's a long road and we will work on it, talk and look for answers on these complicated questions," Epifaniy stated. Earlier, shortly after the creation of the unified local Orthodox church in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Parliament obliged the church organizations to state affiliation with the aggressor state. Under another law passed by the Parliament on Tuesday, December 18, the Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate officially changed its name to the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine. Related video: Petro Poroshenko's Bloc "Solidarity" reported that they would head all four united territorial communities, where the elections took place, in Baryshivsky, Borodyansky, Kobalevsky (Vasylkivsky district) and Myronivsky districts On Sunday, December 23, the residents of the united territorial communities in Kyiv region - Baryshivsky, Borodyansky, Kobalevsky (Vasylkivsky district) and Myronivsky districts - had an opportunity to vote for the local MPs and heads of the settlements. 240 law enforcers, including 130 police officers and national guards maintained order during the elections in the capital region. No violations of the public order were reported. During the day, the police received four reports on the violation of the electoral legislation. An operative investigation unit arrived at each scene and conducted inspection there. No criminal proceeding was opened, the police reports. Most of the violations were recorded in Baryshivka. Media representative noticed the falsification. The journalist wrote a relevant statement to the police. Inspection on this case is underway, the police reports. MP from Fatherland party Oleksandra Kuzhel posted her own version of events. The members of the local electoral commission No.320004 from Petro Poroshenko Bloc within the single-mandate constituency No.8 issued ballots of the constituency No.9, which made it impossible for the voters to use the electoral right provided by the Constitution, the politician wrote. The turnout in Kyiv region was quite high, over 46 of voters on average, and in Kovalevsky united territorial community the turnout was record-breaking 81%, as Petro Poroshenko's Bloc informed. The turnout in Kyiv region was also record-breaking, it made 82%. The Radical Party has some other figures 45.57%. According to Petro Poroshenko's Bloc Solidarity, the candidate for head of the community from this party Vitaly Savenko is winning. 66% of voters supported him, and his opponent from Fatherland got 23% of votes. According to the preliminary estimates Petro Poroshenko's Bloc Solidarity gets at least nine deputy mandates out of 30 in Myronivska united territorial community, which is 30,42%. Deputies elections in cit united territorial communities are being held on a proportional basis on party lists. Fatherland is on the second place, it got seven mandates, which is 23,8%. Agrarian Party of Ukraine and Opposition Bloc received four mandates each, Oleg Lyashkos Radical Party got two mandates. Oleksandr Varenychenko, the representative of Petro Poroshenko's Bloc Solidarity, the candidate for the chairman of Baryshivsky united territorial community, wins, getting almost 40% of votes. His party fellow Oleksandr Sakharuk wins in the elections of the head of Borodyansky united territorial community. The candidate for the chairman of Kovalevsky united territorial community, Raisa Klyukovska from Petro Poroshenko's BlocSolidarity also wins. All the 26 candidates for deputies nominated from Petro Poroshenko's Bloc Solidarity get seats in Kovalevsky united territorial community. Editors Note: Ofir Schlam is CEO and cofounder of Taranis, the Israel-headquartered imagery analytics tools for farmers. Here he writes about Israels agtech startup ecosystem. Even before the state of Israels founding, pioneers emphasized cultivating the land through innovative and efficient agricultural work 70 years after statehood, the fruits of Israelis labor in the fields and in the labs have been born out in the countrys flourishing agtech sector. Amid a new wave of global agtech development, Israel is at the forefront of the innovative solutions enabling farmers and agronomists to optimize crop management and feed the world, with 750 active startups and companies operating in the food tech and agtech sectors. Drawing on its vibrant tech ecosystem, the Startup Nation has harnessed its technological prowess to develop some of agtechs most successful solutions and companies. How is this small country punching so high above its weight? And with next-gen farming just beginning to take root, how will the entry of multinational companies into the Israeli market impact local innovation? Consolidating Knowledge With an eye toward making the desert bloom, Israels founders instilled a mindset that, combined with the countrys impressive innovation networks, has fueled success in the agtech domain. Thirty-nine years before Israel achieved statehood, early pioneers founded the first kibbutz, a collective community focused on agriculture, in 1909. The kibbutz mentality was centered around sharing the land, pooling together and effectively managing scarce resources, and tackling the toughest farming challenges, from irrigation to efficient production. To this day, Israels kibbutzim have given rise to some of the countrys most prominent agtech companies, including Gal Yardens Beeologics, which was dedicated to bee health and the future of honey pollination, and Algatech, which cultivates algae for human and ecological benefits, including liver health and nutrition. Given Israels position as an isolated country that could not rely on neighbors for trade, Israelis had no choice but to develop their own inventive agricultural solutions highlighting the deep links between survival and innovation. Inspired by a patriotic vision of developing the land, Israel invested in research and development to create new drip irrigation systems and other mechanisms for sustainable agricultural ecosystems. The Volcani Agriculture Institute, for example, a branch of Israels Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, supports Israels agricultural development by offering research and educational opportunities to Israeli scientists, farmers and researchers. Another example is The Hebrew University of Jerusalems Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment. This institute of higher education was founded even before the State of Israel, to ensure Israels wellbeing, economic strength, and agricultural productivity. Both aforementioned institutes are pillars of the Israeli agriculture sector, in addition to being important drivers for the advancement of agricultural technology. Many famous scholars have come out of Hebrew University, including revered professor Oded Shoseyov, who is renowned as a nanotech pioneer. Shoseyov founded more than 10 companies based on his own inventions and technologies, including Futuragene, which develops plant technologies to improve global sustainability; the company was sold for $100M. Concentrated Capital Israels agtech success has roots beyond the kibbutz or the classroom even beyond agriculture itself. Given the countrys mandatory conscription policy, young Israelis are exposed to cutting-edge technologies and strategic thinking from early on in their careers. The IDFs cybersecurity and intelligence body, Unit 8200, for example, has nurtured some of the countrys top tech talent, with veterans going on to found and lead companies in a wide range of sectors. Throughout the entire military, conscripts daily exposure to risk-taking and teamwork is well-suited to high-tech culture. My story, for example, is a common one in Israel. I come from a background deeply rooted in agriculture. My family relocated to Israel in 1910 where they established one of the first agricultural farms in the country. Four generations later, they expected me to continue on their path of farming, however, I chose to study computer science instead. Several years later I felt ready, together with Taranis executives, to merge our skills to form Taranis. Moreover, while Israels tiny size makes its massive influence in tech and innovation all the more remarkable, theres a clear link between the countrys geographic smallness and innovative greatness. The proximity of a variety of top-tier academic, research, and corporate institutions creates a formidable, closely linked base of human capital, helping entrepreneurs build networks and experiment with creative strategies on a small scale before implementing them globally. With both the highest amount of VC dollars invested per capita, and the highest dollar value of exits per capita, it is undebatable that Israels close-knit network works. The country has earned its title as the Startup Nation by attracting more VC money than any other EU country. Big Investments, Big Choices With all the success of Israeli agtech, global investors are looking to get a piece of the pie. Amid more than $24 billion in acquisitions and over $5.2 billion in startup fundraising in 2017, Israeli tech is in hot demand, and agriculture is no exception. In a landmark deal, China recently signed a $300 million trade agreement to increase Israeli exports of environmental-friendly agtech innovations. ADAMA Agricultural Solutions offers another case study in the global markets interest in Israeli agtech. The world-leading crop protection company has developed an innovative mixture fungicide for soybean rust and is the first such company to be publicly traded on the Chinese stock market. As Israeli companies attract more foreign capital, the recognition and visibility afforded by major investments and acquisitions is helping smaller companies scale up. At the same time, the entry of foreign capital has created an identity crisis for many startups, torn between maintaining their scrappy, anti-bureaucratic ethos and capitalizing on their success. While scaling means job creation, more value for the economy, and diversification in skills and experience, it also calls for the evolution of the Israeli startup itself. But local companies seeking to make an impact while staying independent and avoiding high-profile exits have little choice but to mature. Even companies that are not absorbed by multinational corporations will need to align their processes and business models with the needs and expectations of global players. The Takeaway While the tough choices faced by Israels agtech startups reflect the unique dilemmas that come with being a small country with an outsized impact on innovation, Israels record of punching above its weight is not the paradox it may seem. Precisely because Israel is a small country with relatively few natural resources of its own, it has stressed the development of forward-thinking, highly advanced agricultural solutions. Like Israels agricultural development, the emergence of its renowned tech ecosystem reflected both a culture of ingenuity and the need for this tiny country to build a competitive advantage in the global marketplace and Israels agricultural and tech ecosystems have developed a symbiotic relationship, giving rise to world-leading agtech companies. As multinationals enter the local market, Israeli agtech startups should embrace the opportunity to scale their impact. It will require maintaining a relentless commitment to entrepreneurial and technological dynamism, while also calibrating their strategies to suit the needs of a global market thats craving Israeli innovation. A meditation and sharing support group focused on the practice of Buddhist teachings and the 12 steps of recovery while integrating the Dharma and the basic goodness of meditation. The Heart of Recovery is a meditation and sharing support group with the purpose of bringing together the practice of meditation, the Shambhala and Buddhist teachings, and the Twelve Steps of Recovery with the goal of integrating the basic sanity of the Dharma and the basic goodness of meditation with our commitment to abstinence. We welcome all those who wish to share in these common interests. The Heart of Recovery is a meditation and sharing support group with the purpose of bringing together the practice of meditation, the Shambhala and Buddhist teachings, and the Twelve Steps of Recovery with the goal of integrating the basic sanity of the Dharma and the basic goodness of meditation with our commitment to abstinence. We welcome all those who wish to share in these common interests. Free Wellness Check for All Adopted Cats and Dogs PLEASE NOTE! Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate! All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited! (One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!) Muhammad Yasin, another son of Rah says the family hasnt given up hope. They (my parents) keep on waiting day in and out. They think that their sons have come home whenever there is a knock on their door, he says.Srinagar:I dont let my husband to close the door. I tell him to keep it open. My sons will come home, says Khadija as she fixes her gaze at the entrance of her home in Srinagar, waiting endlessly for her two sons who disappeared allegedly in the custody of Indian police nearly two decades ago in Nepal. Muhammad Shafi Rah and his younger brother Mushtaq Ahmad Rah were among 25 Kashmiris detained reportedly during a raid by the Indian police and their Nepali counterparts in September 2000, months after 24 December 1999 hijacking of an Indian airliner from Kathmandu. Largest-selling newspaper in Nepal, The Kathmandu Post, published the news about the arrest of Kashmiris in Nepal in 2000. The news item mentioned the names of Mushtaq and Shafi among the 27 arrested, stating that out of 27 arrestees, 10 were released and the rest taken to the unknown secret detention centers. Most of the arrested were released after short periods of detention but my two sons and a few others were taken away from Kathmandu in vehicles and were never seen again, says their father, Abdul Ahad Rah, in a witness affidavit filed before State Human Rights Commission, Srinagar. Rah sr. who has been to Nepal and several Indian states to search for his missing sons has appealed to Home Minister Rajnath Singh and governor Satya Pal Malik to grant him a meeting with his jailed sons. My name is Abdul Ahad Rah and I live at Maharaj Gunj in Srinagar. My two sons have been jailed. Grant me a meeting (with my sons), says 86-year-old Rah, in his appeal. He says that his sons worked in the leather industry in Nepal where they manufactured leather bags, gloves etc. before they disappeared. They had been working there for a long time. Indian police and their Nepali counterparts carried out a raid in Kathmandu and detained several persons. My two sons were among those detained, says Rah. He says that they received a telephone call from Nepal informing them about the arrests. We rushed to Nepal but they didnt listen to us. They said that my sons were taken to Delhi by intelligence wing of Indian police, says Rah. We kept on searching and we were told that they were taken to a prison in Jodhpur (Rajasthan). We went there. We sent two lawyers and a man there. They were told that both my sons were lodged in Jodhpur. We requested for a meeting but they asked to produce an affidavit first. Our lawyer called the jail superintendent on phone but he asked them to produce an affidavit first. When the family went to Jodhpur with the affidavit, Rah says, they were told by the officials that cant be allowed to meet with their sons as we have been instructed against meetings by the Kashmir cell. Muhammad Yasin, another son of Rah says the family hasnt given up hope. They (my parents) keep on waiting day in and out. They think that their sons have come home whenever there is a knock on their door, he says. Yasin says they have been searching his brothers for past eighteen years. you should take a look at the condition of our parents. If Kashmir government asks us to leave this house in lieu of a meeting with our brothers I swear on God we are ready to do that, he says. Yasin says that his brothers should be punished if they are guilty, but not at the cost of his parents health. We are not asking government to release them if they done anything wrong. We dont want governor to bring bad name to the country. Government should sentence them for a year in prison if they are guilty. In fact, we would ask them to sentence them for one more year in prison, but you shouldnt punish their parents. What is the crime of their parents? he asks. Rah sr. says he has been calling for justice from past eighteen years but no one is paying heed. Nobody is paying heed to my requests. I am not asking for money. All I am asking is for a meeting with my sons. Punish them but at least grant us a meeting with them. What sort of injustice is this? he asks. His two sons are among thousands other who disappeared mostly in the custody of Indian armed forces soon after the onset of militancy in 1989 in Kashmir. The APDP or the association of disappeared persons says that at least 8,000 people have gone missing in enforced disappearances by government forces since 1989. However, officials say that most of the missing persons have crossed over to Pakistan-administered Kashmir to receive arms training. They put the number around 1000. -GK 30 houses destroyed in Kalikot fire At least 30 houses were destroyed in a fire that broke out at Palata Rural Municipality-1, Khada Village in Kalikot district in the wee hours of Monday. Citizens observe 150th day of Nirmalas death Citizens campaigning for justice for Nirmala Pant observed the 150th day of the teenagers death on Sunday by painting Nirmala 150 on the pavement of New Baneshwor in the Capital. It was their way of drawing the governments attention towards the lack of progress in the investigation of the case. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. The ministry of emergency situations informs that on December 24, as of 08:20, roads are mainly passable in Armenia, reports Armenpress. Sotk-Karvachar highway is difficult to pass. The Vardenyats Pass is partly covered with clear ice. Drivers are urged to use winter tires while travelling to provinces. The Georgian authorities inform that the Stepantsminda-Lars highway is open for all types of vehicles. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Outgoing United States Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has signed orders to pull all American troops out of Syria in the coming weeks, a senior defense official told Fox News on Sunday. According to Fox News, Pentagon officials declined to comment on specifics including exact dates citing operational security for the roughly 2000 troops. Trump said in a tweet Sunday the U.S. withdrawal from Syria would be slow & highly coordinated, U.S. airstrikes began in Syria against ISIS in 2014 a year before any U.S. troops were on the ground. Last week, Mattis announced he will be resigning soon. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. A 32 year old man has been arrested by Yerevan police in suspicion of opening gunfire from a 12-gauge shotgun and wounding another man yesterday evening. Police said they received a shots fired call late Sunday in Yerevans Avan district. According to authorities, the gunman opened fire at the house of an elderly man and shouted profanities. The homeowner exited his house to try and reason with the assailant, but the latter shot and wounded the 68 year old in the legs. The homeowner was taken to hospital at 22:00. The gunman, Vahram Manvelyan, was apprehended by police at the scene. He resisted arrest and managed to break the door window of a police patrol car while being restrained. The weapon that the gunman used is a double barreled MR 43 shotgun, police said. 20 shotgun shells were found at the scene. The motive of the shooter wasnt immediately clear. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. The Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of Armenia has successfully cooperated with the Abovyan Correctional Facility to exercise the right to education of an inmate. Anastasia Davtyan, a female inmate at the prison, addressed Tatoyan when the Ombudsman was on a routine trip to the prison. She told the Ombudsman that she is a distinguished student under a distance education program at a university and that she needs to be personally present for the graduation exam. She was however denied by the administration due to technical difficulties. But the Ombudsman and the prison administration cooperated and Davtyan was able to take the graduation exam and received her diploma. The video posted by the Ombudsmans office shows the woman painting and speaking about her arts studies. The crime she is sentenced for was not reported. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. The Caucasus Nature Fund (CNF) is operating in Armenia for already ten years, and so far it has invested nearly 4 million Euros in the preservation of Armenias biodiversity. CNF Armenia Coordinator Arman Vermishyan told a news conference that they work with the government by co-funding. He says they have co-funded current spending of a number of specially preserved areas under the jurisdiction of the nature protection ministry. Bonuses have been given to staff, vehicles have been bought, fuel, uniforms, necessary equipment, video surveillance devices have been installed etc, he said. He says that as a result the financial state of the governmental non-commercial organizations in charge of managing the areas has stabilized, and the preservation of the territories improved. He pointed out the installation of video surveillance and photo cameras in the special protection areas. He mentioned Lake Apri as a successful example. Lake Arpi itself is under online video surveillance. Next year we will increase spending in this direction, he said, attaching importance to improvement of management and reduction of expenditures as a result. He said the cameras also help in reducing poaching and illegal logging. Vermishyan argues that the special protection area issues require structural changes. He particularly noted the need for using drones and remote controlled devices to maximally reduce human factor. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. An official from the Prosecutor Generals Office stepped outside to talk to the demonstrators who are protesting the release of MP Manvel Grigoryan from pre-trial detention. Vahagn Muradyan, head of the Department for Supervision for Highly Important Cases, told the protestors that the prosecution will appeal the release to the Court of Appeals today. He expressed hope that the issue will be solved by yearend. But the protesters said they will wait for as long as the Prosecutor General himself holds a meeting with them. Muradyan said the Prosecutor General is busy at the moment and cannot make an appearance. They issued an ultimatum, saying they will wait for another twenty minutes for the Prosecutor General. If this doesnt happen, there are groups in Ejmiatsin [Grigoryans hometown] that are on stand-by to block the highway to Yerevan and to block streets in Ejmiatsin, the protestors said. Grigoryan, a Member of Parliament, was stripped of immunity by parliament in June and placed under arrest in suspicion of illegal possession of firearms and grand theft. At the time of his arrest Grigoryan also served as president of the Yerkrapah Union of Volunteers, but was later ousted by the board of the organization amid highly scandalous accusations. Law enforcement agencies found a private zoo, a car collection, huge amounts of weapons and ammunition, as well as embezzled military supplies and donations in his compound. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Prosecutor General of Armenia Arthur Davtyan personally stepped into a crowd of protestors who are demonstrating against the release of MP Manvel Grigoryan. The protest is taking place outside the Prosecutor Generals Office in downtown Yerevan. Davtyan told the protesters that they have received the court ruling and that they disagree with it. We are preparing the complaint with our substantiations, he said, adding that they seek to file the motion to the court of appeals today. The court of appeals has three days to examine a complaint of a lower court ruling, according to law. He told the crowd that the first instance court has released Grigoryan on bail citing the former generals health. The court saw grounds for arrest, but ruled that in this case bail can replace arrest, something we dont agree with. We find that [Grigoryans] diseases are not incompatible with detention, Davtyan said. He said that they also await a conclusion of healthcare personnel on this matter. He argues that Grigoryan might be a threat if not restrained. Grigoryan was released from arrest Friday on a multi-million dram bail. Earlier today, an official from the Prosecutor Generals Office stepped outside to talk to the demonstrators who are protesting the release of MP Manvel Grigoryan from pre-trial detention. Vahagn Muradyan, head of the Department for Supervision for Highly Important Cases, told the protestors that the prosecution will appeal the release to the Court of Appeals today. He expressed hope that the issue will be solved by yearend. But the protesters said they will wait for as long as the Prosecutor General himself holds a meeting with them. Muradyan said the Prosecutor General is busy at the moment and cannot make an appearance. They issued an ultimatum, saying they will wait for another twenty minutes for the Prosecutor General. If this doesnt happen, there are groups in Ejmiatsin [Grigoryans hometown] that are on stand-by to block the highway to Yerevan and to block streets in Ejmiatsin, the protestors said. Grigoryan, a Member of Parliament, was stripped of immunity by parliament in June and placed under arrest in suspicion of illegal possession of firearms and grand theft. At the time of his arrest Grigoryan also served as president of the Yerkrapah Union of Volunteers, but was later ousted by the board of the organization amid highly scandalous accusations. Law enforcement agencies found a private zoo, a car collection, huge amounts of weapons and ammunition, as well as embezzled military supplies and donations in his compound. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan Committee to probe Dang crash The Province 5 Police Office in Tulsipur, Dang, has formed a five-member committee to investigate into Fridays bus crash in the district that left 23 people dead. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Ambassador to the US Varuzhan Nersesyan on December 20 met with Secretary-General of Organization of American States Luis Almagro, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress. During the meeting Ambassador Nersesyan attached importance to Armenias engagement in the Organizations activities with a status of observer and added that its a favorable platform to hold dialogue between Armenia and the Organizations members. He highlighted Luis Almagros personal role in the development of relations between Armenia and the Organization. In his turn Luis Almagro congratulated the Ambassador on appointment and expressed hope that the productive cooperation with Armenia will continue. He regretted that he couldnt take part in the recent La Francophonie Summit in Armenia, but reaffirmed his plan to visit Armenia next year. The officials also touched upon the ongoing democratic reforms in Armenia and the regional developments, including the peaceful settlement of the Artsakh conflict and the issues relating to Syrias religious minorities and Armenian community. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Artsakhs participation in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement is very important, Giro Manoyan - Director of the International Secretariat of the ARF Bureau,told reporters, Armenpress reports. Artsakhs participation in the negotiations for the conflict settlement is always important. The importance of Artsakhs participation has been constantly emphasized, however, its participation cannot substitute Armenias participation like Armenias participation cannot substitute that of Artsakh. But the question is how this must be imposed on Azerbaijan. I think this is possible through exerting real pressure on Azerbaijan. And a real pressure on Azerbaijan will be if Armenia recognizes the independence of Artsakh, he said. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. A mother and her son have been found killed in their home in the town of Berd in Armenias Tavush province. Police said the mother and son were stabbed to death somewhere between 21:30 December 23 and 10:30 December 24. Police are waiting for the coroners report. An investigation has been launched. The identities of the victims were not disclosed at the moment. Further details werent immediately clear. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. 2018 was quite an important year for the Middle East. Compared to the last seven years an obvious decline in human losses, military operations has been registered, Armen Petrosyan- expert on Arabic studies, told a press conference in Armenpress. The year was distinguished with several major events. The first one was the statement of US President Donald Trump according to which Jerusalem has been officially recognized as the capital of Israel. This topic also affected the Palestinian conflict by keeping the tension, he said. The main processes in connection with the Syrian conflict started in January when the Olive Branch operation began which ensured the entry of the Turkish troops to Afrin. After that in April Trump announced withdrawing troops from Syria. A similar statement was also made recently. Armen Petrosyan says this time after the statement people will witness concrete actions, but with that scale is unknown yet. In any case, certain steps are already being taken at the moment. By the withdrawal of the US troops, that part of the region remains open, but who will full it, is difficult to say. We see tendencies by Turkey, the expert noted. As for Armenias policy regarding the Middle East, expert on Arabic studies Arpine Hovsepyan noted that Syria has been on the focus. In September it was announced that Armenia is going to send a group of specialists consisting of doctors, demining specialists, to Syria. It has been clarified that the group of Armenian specialists will not carry out a combat task, but will only deal with humanitarian issues. The issue of the deployment of the Armenian specialists in Syria has been discussed with almost all partners, she said. Hovsepyan said at the moment Syria shifts from the active stage of military operations to the reconstruction works. And in this sense new opportunities open for development of economic relations with Syria. The next key directions of Armenias Middle Eastern policy are Egypt and Lebanon. The dialogue with the latter continued in 2018 at the highest level. The leaders of the two countries met three times in past months. The Armenian-Lebanese relations are actively developing in military and military-technical fields. In particular, during Armenian acting defense minister Davit Tonoyans visit to Lebanon a military cooperation agreement was signed between the two countries which will boost the bilateral relations, she said. As for Egypt, Arpine Hovsepyan said at this stage the strengthening of political relations with the countrys leadership remains a priority. This year the foreign ministers of the two countries met and agreed to expand the mutual partnership especially within the frames of international organizations. At the same time the issues relating to the Armenian community of Egypt are under spotlight. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Veteran ARMENPRESS journalists and correspondents who worked for the agency for many years joined their present-day colleagues and director Aram Ananyan at the news agencys head office today to recap the changes and achievements of the recent years. Former ARMENPRESS staff Nora Melikyan, Anush Gasparyan, Astghik Nersisyan, Bella Avetisyan visited the agency and met with senior present-day correspondents and journalists Levon Azroyan, Levon Titanyan and Aida Zakoyan. The long-time ARMENPRESS devotees noted that although the news media arena has expanded in the recent period the agency remains in leading positions. The senior professionals decided to create an ARMENPRESS Veterans Club. Nora Melikyan will chair the club, while Levon Azroyan will be the Secretary General. The participants decided to regularly hold similar meetings. Founded in 1918, ARMENPRESS marked its centennial on December 18. Photos by Hayk Manukyan Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, 24 DECEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 24 December, USD exchange rate down by 0.29 drams to 484.02 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 1.93 drams to 551.54 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.02 drams to 7.08 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 1.24 drams to 612.19 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price down by 36.64 drams to 19578.83 drams. Silver price down by 1.38 drams to 228.6 drams. Platinum price down by 22.93 drams to 12293.67 drams. YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. The Prosecutors Office of Armenia has appealed the decision of court to deny the motion of choosing pre-trial detention as precautionary measure for Armen Gevorgyan, former Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of Serzh Sargsyan, head of the press service of the Prosecutor Generals Office Arevik Khachatryan told ARMENPRESS. Gevorgyan held other high ranking positions in the past - Secretary of Security Council and Deputy Prime Minister. A court of general jurisdiction of Yerevan denied the motion by investigators requesting to remand Armen Gevorgyan on December 14. Gevorgyan maintains innocence and denies the charges. Former Secretary of the Security Council Armen Gevorgyan, a former deputy prime minister, denies the criminal charges that have been pressed by the Special Investigative Service. No comment until the court session is completed. I am familiar with the charges, understandably I do not accept the charges. All remaining clarifications will be presented by my lawyers after the court hearing, Gevorgyan told reporters earlier. As reported earlier, the Special Investigative Service (SIS) has pressed additional charges against Armen Gevorgyan, the former Secretary of Security Council of Armenia. The three additional charges are assisting the overthrowing of constitutional order, bribery and money laundering, according to his lawyer Erik Alexanyan. Gevorgyan was initially charged with obstruction of justice. Gevorgyan is charged in the ongoing March 1 investigation concerning the 2008 post-election deadly unrest. From 2007 to 2008, he served as Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia. The charges pressed against Gevorgyan are based on information leaked by WikiLeaks. In 2008, when Serzh Sargsyan was elected president, his oppositionists had disputed the outcome of the vote to the Constitutional Court. According to the SIS, an investigation has revealed that Gevorgyan, and another official, abused power and pressured a judge at the Constitutional Court. Gevorgyan was charged with obstruction of justice and was confined to the country limits with a signature bond. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan My mother, abiding by church rules, had converted from Methodism to Catholicism. That marriage and conversion carried a mandatory commitment to raise children as Catholics. Such was the power of the church in those days. Although my father was an atheist he was a nominal Catholic, and had succumbed to family pressure to marry in the church. The thing that made me aware of this was my mothers plan to send me to the local Catholic school. Wed just moved out of the migrant hostel after arriving in Australia from England and I was bound to a new school. HERVEY BAY - I WAS about eight years old when I realised that organised religion was a giant confidence trick. I rebelled and refused point blank to attend the Catholic school. I wanted to attend the local public school where my mates from the hostel were going. To rebel successfully, I had to present a cogent argument to my mother. That is, I had to investigate and think about religion. My conclusion was simple. How could anyone with reasonable intelligence believe this rubbish? It is a conclusion I have carried with me since. That is not to say I object to anyone believing what they want, no matter how illogical and fantastic it might seem. If it helps deal with life and harms no one thats fine by me. Ive developed my own theories about spirituality and often think it could reside in certain places and things. Not so much in a supernatural sense, like religion, but in a psychological sense - the sense that we might feel something in those places where those things exist. For instance, I think that forests, deserts, the sea and trees and certain animals have an intangible spirituality. I can therefore sympathise with the old animist religions that were prevalent in Papua New Guinea before the missionaries arrived. Indeed, those old beliefs seem not to have diminished in the face of the Christianity taught by the churches. Apart from claims of supernatural intervention, the other thing that bothers me about religion, especially the organised kind, is its overt political nature. I cant for the life of me see much difference between popes, mullahs, shamans, priests, rabbis and pastors and other trumped-up appellations of rabid capitalists and mercenary politicians. To me, they all try to manipulate people for their own benefit. To do this they have taken the teachings of naive prophets like Jesus and Mohammed and subverted them into political systems. Men were busily doing this even while Jesus was alive before the Peter ONeill of the time, Pontius Pilate, disposed of him. I think people might be better off listening to the purported words of those prophets, who all seem to have been good men, rather than the words of the churches spin doctors. Those old historic words are still echoed by humble men and women of the church who believe in goodness above all else. The evil that is apparent in what those religious spin doctors devised is perhaps best summed up by the photograph of that crazy Muslim police officer who recently shot the Russian ambassador in Turkey. Or perhaps not, perhaps he was just outraged at the awful carnage that has been wreaked in Syria in religions name. So this Christmas dont celebrate the mad doctrines of the Christian churches. Celebrate the goodness of that naive prophet called Jesus, who was, after all, just human like the rest of us. And if you dont want to do that, celebrate the life of that great Greek Bishop of Myra in Turkey called St Nicholas (aka Father Christmas), who used his inherited wealth to alleviate the suffering of his flock. In Papua New Guinea, and especially in the Highlands where I live, the true meaning of Christmas is not fully observed. Rather, it is seen as the time to receive and remit bride prices, celebrate weddings, pay compensation, hold funeral feasts, drink and enjoy in a more casual way. Special gifts are given to special friends at this time of year, representing personal commitment, appreciation, beauty, joy, pride and positive experience. KUNDIAWA - Many Christians around the world have adopted a material and secular meaning of Christmas: giving and receiving gifts to strengthen social and economic bonds; reuniting with families and friends; celebrating; and taking holidays from work. Teachers and students are home for holidays in their semester breaks. Theres drinking to the brim and the resultant vehicle accidents with injury and death. I must say you dont see many people going to church; theyre preoccupied with material things. Newly married couples buy expensive items, especially the marriage ring representing romantic love of both giver and receiver. The giver expresses love and the receiver enjoys receiving it and says, I love you so much and you will be mine until death do us part. They submit to each other making promises to live a happy life. Then there are other special gifts for birthdays, graduation, mothers day, fathers day and so it goes on. Particular gifts represent a particular person and the occasion which has a unique character of its own. Now what is the true and perfect gift of Christmas, the greatest gift to Humanity? The birth of Jesus Christ in the town of Bethlehem is the greatest gift God gave to mankind out of unconditional love. Mary was a humble servant, obedient and full of grace and accepted to be the mother of Christ. Mary, who was free from original sin, conceived by Immaculate Conception. The son of God took human flesh and was incarnated through the virgin Mary - the hypostatic union of body and soul. Mary was the mother of God who became man (theotokas) in the person of Jesus Christ with a human character and personality. A perfect man without sin. Its still a mystery to fully comprehend this incarnation, a supernatural act, but we are the recipient of this perfect gift so we have to embrace it, affirm it and value it as the most precious gift any human being can receive. Its a gift to be celebrated every day because the gift of Christ represents our salvation, redemption, destiny, spiritual values, grace, infinite happiness and life after death (parousia). The three Wise Kings from the East followed the star of Bethlehem, travelling long distances to present their gifts to the infant child Jesus, in the midst of animals and shepherds, to symbolise their appreciation and welcoming of the new born King. The three Kings were the first to present their gifts to the infant Jesus and were received by his mother Mary and Joseph, his foster father. Every Christmas, thousands of Christians and pilgrims from around the world travel to the Holy Land to visit the site where Jesus was born, the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, to renew their faith. It is true that Christmas is one of the big events of the year where gifts are given to the needy, the disabled people, the lepers, the terminally sick, the prisoners and the orphans. This is seen as an expression of the human heart and unconditional love as well as social and economic bond and relationship. The gifts could be anything: clothes, mobile phones, a TV set, shoes and other items. The givers feel blessed and are happy to give, while the recipients embrace the gifts and thank God for the givers. Santa Claus is already in town and stores and offices are decorated and the Christmas trees glow with coloured twinkling lights. Gifts are given to friends while the poor majority mind their own business. The common people - including buai sellers, street vendors and perfect strangers - roam the streets aimlessly. Youths are drinking and doing strange things, forgetting that life is so precious. Should we continuously move away from God or give time to reflect and meditate on the purpose of our existence and destiny. God is the giver of this perfect gift of Jesus Christ because he loves us at the first place, the gift representing agape love - the love between God and people. Gods sanctifying grace redeemed us from sin through Christ, the perfect gift who died on the cross. The gift of Christ does not have a price tag and is priceless and of infinite value. Christ is the gift of life who brings an important message of salvation. This perfect gift gives us the strength and motivation, the positive experience and peace and love to God and our fellow humans. This gift demands commitment and we have the spiritual and moral obligation to love Him and follow His commandments. There is no other way to enter heaven except through Christ. Francis and I sign our books for buyers at the Brisbane Writers Festival DANIEL KUMBON, WABAG - Two years ago, Francis Nii, Martyn Namorong, Rashmii Bell, my wife Julie and I attended the lively Brisbane Writers Festival. It was a rare opportunity for the prolific, wheelchair-bound writer Francis Nii and Julie to travel from the confines of their ridge top homes in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Our trip was made possible by the generosity of our sponsors Gudmundur Fridriksson and Stanley Kuli Liria of Paga Hill Development Company, Keith Jackson of PNG Attitude and Ken McKinnon and his wife Sue in Sydney. I would like to thank them all again this Christmas for their generosity, human understanding and encouragement. I also thank all our friends like Rob, Murray, Phil, Ed, Bob, Ben, Jim, Lindsay and so many other cheerful people who made us feel welcome and ensured our stay in Noosa, Brisbane and Sydney was memorable. It was also a rare opportunity for us to meet politicians who were keen to meet writers from a former colony so used to being ignored by their own government. Digging for data Nepal needs an open data policy to walk the climate talk Moroccan police hunting the killers of two Scandinavian hikers unwittingly foiled a terror plot during their raids. Officers found bomb-making materials, and "spared Morocco a terrorist plot," a spokesman for the country's intelligence services said on Sunday. Louisa Jespersen from Denmark and Maren Ueland from Norway were found dead in Morocco's High Atlas Mountains on December 18, with "evidence of violence to their necks." Four suspects pledged their allegiance to ISIS, but Moroccan investigators believe they were lone wolves. Moroccan security services said they unwittingly foiled a terror plot while hunting the killers of two Scandinavian backpackers, who were found dead in the country's Atlas Mountains on December 18. Boubker Sabik, a spokesman for the Moroccan security and domestic intelligence services, said on Sunday that police stumbled upon an unconnected terror plot while rounding up suspects on Friday, according to Reuters. During the raids across multiple cities officers found materials that could be used for bomb-making, which had "spared Morocco a terrorist plot," Sabik said. Sabik said officers found "electronic devices," "knives," and "unauthorised hunting rifles," but did not give more details. Morocco hiking tent death isis Louisa Jespersen, 24, from Denmark, and 28-year-old Maren Ueland from Norway were found dead six miles from the small village of Imlil - a common starting point for people heading up Mount Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak - with "evidence of violence to their necks." Police have now arrested 13 men in connection with the deaths. Four other men were arrested on Tuesday and Thursday in Marrakech, all of whom pledged their allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS) the week before in a video shared on social media, Morocco's general prosecutor said. Denmark, Norway, and Morocco are all investigating a separate video connected with the case, of a beheading that appears to show the killing of Jespersen. Story continues The video shows a man severing the head of a blindfolded woman, who appears to be Jespersen, with a knife. The video is similar to those released by ISIS of the executions of Western prisoners. Norwegian officials said the video is authentic and likely linked to ISIS. Denmark also said the video is authentic. Atlas Mountains Authorities are now trying to find the culprits and the motive of the killings. Although four suspects pledged their allegiance to ISIS, Moroccan investigators believe they were lone wolves not acting on behalf of ISIS. Sabik, the Moroccan security services spokesman, said on Sunday: "The crime was not coordinated with Islamic State." "Lone wolves do not need permission from their leader," he added. ISIS has not claimed responsibility for the deaths. The body of a Guatemalan migrant girl, who died in US custody after illegally crossing the border with her father, returned home Sunday in a white casket. The December 8 death of Jakelin Caal, seven, reignited a debate in the United States on immigration policy and the treatment of migrants. It also shocked residents of the indigenous farming village from where her father Nery Caal, 29, fled with her in hopes of finding work in the US. Guatemalan foreign ministry officials at the airport in Guatemala City received Jakelin's casket, adorned with gold-colored trim, before a hearse carried it on the 10-hour journey to her village of San Antonio Secortez, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) north of the capital. She and her father left the village, which has neither electricity nor running water, on November 30 in what the girl's mother said was a "necessity" -- a quest for work. Together, Jakelin and her father travelled more than 3,000 kilometers. Thousands of other migrants have made the same journey, citing gang violence or poverty, but US President Donald Trump has made clamping down on illegal immigration a central plank of his administration and has repeatedly tried to link immigrants with crime. The US Department of Homeland Security confirmed the death of Jakelin, saying she died of dehydration and exhaustion in an El Paso, Texas hospital less than 24 hours after being detained as part of a group of 163 illegal boundary crossers in a remote New Mexico border area. The DHS confirmation came only after the case was reported by The Washington Post. Joaquin Castro, a Texas congressman who led a delegation to look into the death, blamed "some very disturbing systematic failure in how the young girl's condition was handled." As he prepared to watch over his granddaughter's body, Nery's father Domingo Caal told AFP: "We cannot condemn anybody." Rita Elizondo, assistant secretary of the National Migrant Assistance Council, called for urgent measures to avoid further tragedies. These include efforts to alert Guatemalans to the dangers of crossing Mexico and into the United States, as well as development programs to attack poverty, Elizondo said. Jakelin's father is seeking asylum in the United States. Employees of a funeral home carry a coffin with the repatriated remains of seven-year-old Guatemalan migrant girl Jakelin Caal In her home village of San Antonio Secortez, a makeshift altar honors seven-year-old Jakelin Claudia Maquin, 27, says she feels "pain and sadness" over the death of her daughter Jakelin Caal Domingo Caal, 61, said the family does not condemn anyone for Jakelin's death People are being warned to be extra careful this Christmas as hospitals begin to see a major influx of patients with preventable injuries. Relaxing into the festive season can often lead to silly mistakes with dire consequences. Were going to see a whole range of things these holidays, St Vincents Hospital emergency department director Dr Paul Preisz told Yahoo News. Numbers go up quite a lot. It is a quiet time for the rest of the hospital but very busy for us. Sydneys inner-city St Vincents Hospital will treat up to 160 patients a day in the emergency department. Source: Getty Images Dr Preisz said over the next six weeks the emergency department would be busy in the afternoons and then about 9pm each night. When were busy we are seeing 150 to 160 [people] a day, he said. We have increased staffing to cope with that over the Christmas and New Years period. Dr Preisz said an evening spike in patients was usually due to people having a few too many drinks. Drug and alcohol-fuelled violence Dr Preisz said the number of patients with injuries relating to drugs and alcohol significantly increased over the Christmas break. People fall while having a good time, and ankle and wrist injuries and fractures are quite common, he said. Especially with Christmas parties people can often have too much to drink. Dr Preisz said alcohol-fuelled violence was also more prevalent at Christmas time and expected to see young patients who have been assaulted while out drinking. People are urged to stay hydrated during the Christmas break. Source: Getty Images We will see a lot of drunk people, he said. We will probably see recreational drug use at various times over the next couple of weeks too. With people off work for a while there will be a lot more opportunity, so we will see some of that for sure. Dr Preisz said people needed to plan how they were going to get home from a night-out and stay hydrated. A little bit of water and less alcohol makes a difference, and if people are going to experiment with drugs do it in a safe environment, he said. Christmas present pain Dr Preisz said skateboard injuries were common at Christmas time, often with older people taking their kids presents out for a test drive. Story continues They are harder than they look, he said. We see people with a whole range of injuries doing things theyre not accustomed to. Skateboards and other Christmas presents can cause injuries over the holidays. Source: Getty Images People fall off bikes and we see people with new things getting into trouble. Therell be a lot of walking wounded and a great variety of strange things. Slip, slop, slap Holidaymakers spending their time at the beach are warned to slip, slop, slap this festive season, with sunburn being a common medical issue this time of year. Jeremy Rawlins, president of the Australian and New Zealand Burns Association (ANZBA), said a lot of tourists, especially those visiting from overseas, did not understand the intensity of the Australian sun. You get up to a dozen patients just in Western Australia every summer with really bad sunburn, he told Yahoo News. If you give yourself such bad sunburn to get admitted then that is pretty bad. Its totally preventable, slip, slop, slap. Sunburn is a bad one. People are urged to slip, slop, slap during the holidays. Source: Getty Dr Rawlins said this time of year also saw a lot of patients presenting themselves to hospital with burns to the soles of their feet after walking on steaming cement or sand. Its predominately in people with slightly impaired sensations like diabetics, he said. People go out to get the newspaper and days later wonder why their feet are blistering. If youve got any sort of mobility or sensation problem put on a pair of thongs when you go to your letterbox. Road toll tragedy Dr Preisz said the number of people travelling over the holidays could lead to catastrophic consequences. A lot of people are driving and doing things they dont do through the year, he said. Absolutely listen to advice, dont be in a hurry. We are a trauma centre and going to see a lot in the next six to eight weeks. If people just take it a little bit easy, try not to overtake and be patient with fellow road users it makes a difference. You often hear terrible stories of a small series of bad decisions leading to catastrophe. Dr Preisz said tourists also often fell victim to the dangers of the roads. Tourists also looking the wrong way and stepping off the curb because theyre used to driving on the other side of the road is something we see a lot of as well, he said. France's master of black Pierre Soulages announced Monday that he will be the subject of a vast retrospective at the Louvre museum in Paris next year, and possibly an ambitious show in New York as well. "They're borrowing works from the National Gallery in Washington, the MoMa in New York, the Tate in London. All the great museums are making loans," Soulages said in an interview to mark his 99th birthday. "They're going to take down everything in the Salon Carre to install my works," he told the Depeche du Midi newspaper, referring to the Louvre's vaunted gallery of Italian masterpieces. The show will open in December and run through March. In another interview with Le Figaro, Soulages said his dealer Emmanuel Perrotin was planning "a crazy project for my 100th birthday." "He wants to bring all my works at the Fabre Museum in Montpellier to his new gallery, which is magnificent, in New York," he said. "Financially it's madness. I don't know how he'll manage," he added. Considered one of France's greatest painters, Soulages said he continues working every day at his home in Sete, on the Mediterranean coast, on his trademark "Outrenoir" (Beyond Black) works. "It was the colour I chose for my clothes as soon as I was able to. My mother was scandalised, she'd tell me: 'You're already mourning me'," he told the Depeche. "As I often say, the painting that interests me the most is the one I'm going to do," he said. Pierre Soulages said several prestigeous museums were loaning works for a Louvre retrospective in December 2019 Hundreds of residents have been evacuated from a 30-storey high-rise building in Sydney over fears it could collapse. Emergency services were called to the Sydney Olympic Park building, in the citys west, on Monday afternoon after reports residents heard cracking sounds throughout the morning, NSW Police say. AAP understands the building is the Opal Tower, which was completed in August. A number of residents have left and emergency services are helping more people leave. Hundreds have been evacuated from Opal Tower in Sydneys Olympic Park. Source: 7 News Firefighters say a crack has appeared in the high-rise apartment block. Residents from nearby properties have also been told to leave or are not being allowed back to their homes. Instead they are being redirected to a police command post. Police are documenting children from a nearby childcare business as they are taken from the scene, a resident told AAP. There are numerous exclusion zones around the structure as authorities work to establish if the building is safe. Firefighters say a crack has appeared in the 30-storey apartment building. Source: AAP Aerial footage from 7 News shows fire crews setting up tents while police redirect traffic and pedestrians. The website for the Opal Tower says the building has 392 apartments, commercial spaces, a childcare centre and a community centre. It cost $165 million to build. Trains have stopped running from Olympic Park station as a result of the operation, the Transport Management Centre confirmed on Monday. Australia Ave has also been closed in both directions. Fire and Rescue NSW is on the scene with specialist equipment designed to monitor the building for further movement. It's a Christmas Eve tradition cherished by Londoners since Victorian times: buying a hunk of meat at a massive discount in a sprawling market tucked away near St. Paul's Cathedral. Smithfield Market's annual auction is a bonanza for lovers of English beef and lamb. Sam Thompson joined hundreds of others on Monday outside the hangar-like building designed by Victorian architect Horace Jones in the 1800s in search of the freshest cut for a fraction of the supermarket price. "That's the best quality," the 39-year-old plumber said. "What you find in supermarkets is anything. Here you have good quality English meat." Entire families -- some wearing Christmas hats and others armed with sizable bags in which to bring home dinner -- showed up on Monday morning to seep in the tradition and haggle. "Get your money ready," auction organiser Greg Lawrence shouted to the gathering masses as heavy slabs of ribs and plump turkeys traded hands. The market operates as a wholesaler for the top chefs of London and beyond. Stall owners use Christmas to clear out their stock ahead of the new year. But times may be about to change. There is a plan to relocate Smithfield along with the Billingsgate fish market and the New Spitalfields fruit and vegetable market to a new site outside the city centre. The City of London Corporation -- the governing body for the central financial district where the meat is bought and sold -- has already purchased a new space for the three. This would open up a large area in the very heart of one of the most expensive property markets in the world. The wholesale food market of Rungis near Paris is "a model that everybody in the world is beginning to follow," the corporation's markets director David Smith told AFP. "But we have to get legislation through parliament so it will take a long time." The final go-ahead and timeline for the move are expected in 2019. Smithfield Market's annual pre-Christmas auction is a bonanza for lovers of English beef and lamb Entire families -- some wearing Christmas hats and others armed with sizable bags to bring home dinner -- show up each year to seep in the tradition and haggle The market operates as a wholesaler for the top chefs of London and beyond There is a plan to relocate Smithfield along with the Billingsgate fish market and the New Spitalfields fruit and vegetable market to a new site outside the city centre A 17-year-old girl was allegedly stalked and sexually touched by a 53-year-old man on a busy Sydney bus. The girl was outside a petrol station on Illawarra Road in Marrickville in Sydneys inner west on Sunday morning when the suspect attempted to strike up a conversation. The teen ignored him and walked away but the man, Timothy Palmer, allegedly followed her onto a bus. The man got off the bus at the intersection of Cooks and Victoria roads. Source: 7 News In what police described as an extremely disturbing incident, the man allegedly sat next to the teen and performed an indecent act while sexually touching her. Shocked passengers yelled at Palmer to leave the girl alone and they grabbed her hand and pulled her away. The man got off the bus at the intersection of Cooks and Victoria roads and passengers called police and followed him until they arrived. The man allegedly sexually touched the teen on a Sydney bus. Source: 7 News He was charged with sexually touch another person without consent, stalk and intimidate and carry out sexual act with another without consent. The man, from Marrickville, was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court today. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent more troops to Syria's border on Monday ahead of an imminent US withdrawal, as the White House announced he had invited Donald Trump to Ankara. Unlike several other allies of the United States, Turkey has praised President Trump's decision to withdraw 2,000 of his ground forces from Syria, a country where it will now have a freer rein to target Kurdish fighters. On Monday Ankara sent more troops to its Syrian border and said an offensive targeting the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia and IS group will be launched in the coming months. Turkey views the YPG as a "terrorist offshoot" of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. But the militia has also been a key US ally in the fight against Islamic State in Syria, working with American forces on the ground there. "Just as we did not leave our Syrian Arabs to Daesh (IS), we will not leave Syrian Kurds to the cruelty of the PKK," Erdogan said during a speech in Ankara. A Turkish military convoy arrived overnight on Monday at the border with local media reporting that some vehicles had entered Syria. In a telephone conversation Sunday between Trump and Erdogan, which both sides described as "productive", they agreed to avoid a power vacuum in Syria after the US withdrawal. "President Erdogan invited President Trump to visit Turkey in 2019. While nothing definite is being planned, the President is open to a potential meeting in the future," a White House spokesperson later said on Monday evening. Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters on Monday that a US military delegation would arrive this week to "discuss how to coordinate (the withdrawal) with their counterparts". A Turkish foreign ministry delegation would go to Washington for talks early January, he added. - 'No slowdown' in IS fight - Trump stunned the US political establishment and allies last week with his decision, days after Erdogan had warned that Ankara would soon launch an offensive in northern Syria. Critics of Trump's decision fear that thousands of Islamic State (IS) group extremist members are still thought to be in Syria, despite Trump's claim of having defeated IS. The US leader tweeted that Erdogan had told him Ankara would "eradicate" the last IS elements. And Kalin vowed that there was "no question of a step backwards, vulnerability or a slowdown in the fight against Daesh (IS)". He added: "Turkey will show the same determination against Daesh. To beat Daesh, we don't need the PKK or the YPG. We can bring peace to this region." - Convoy enters Syria - The Turkish military convoy with howitzers, artillery batteries and several units of the armed forces, was deployed to the border district of Elbeyli in Kilis province, state news agency Anadolu reported on Monday. Parts of the convoy had entered Syria, the private IHA news agency reported, which said the reinforcements would take place "gradually". The deployment began over the weekend with around 100 vehicles, the Hurriyet daily said, and crossed into the Al-Bab region, headed towards Jarabulus and YPG-held Manbij. Jarabulus and Al-Bab were areas captured from IS during Ankara's first military operation in August 2016 which lasted until March 2017. Military reinforcements had also been sent to the Akcakale border town and Ceylanpinar district, both in the southeastern Sanliurfa province. Turkey conducted a second offensive with Syrian rebels against the YPG in its northwestern enclave of Afrin in January this year. Turkish officials have previously said Ankara has no territorial ambitions in Syria. - Warming Turkey-US relations - Trump's move has sparked dismay among many allies and turmoil within his administration. First Defence Secretary Jim Mattis resigned, then Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition, stepped down. American support for the YPG, under the banner of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance, has long been a source of tension between NATO allies the US and Turkey. But relations between the Turkish and American leaders appear to have improved substantially since a crisis in the summer over the detention of a US pastor, since released. Last week, the US approved the sale of $3.5 billion in missiles to Turkey, after American outrage over Ankara's major arms purchase from Russia. But there are still strains over the US refusal to extradite Fethullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based Muslim preacher who Turkey says ordered the 2016 failed coup. Turkey views the US-backed Kurdish fighters of the People's Protection Units (YPG) as a 'terrorist offshoot' of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to 'destroy' Kurdish militia forces in Syria Domestic airlines poised to add regional aircraft Domestic airlines are poised to add at least seven 70-plus seater aircraft to their fleets by February as they see increased travel demand ahead. Major carriers have placed orders for several short-haul regional aircraft due to a rapid rise in the number of air travellers. Moroccan authorities have made five new arrests linked to the murder a week ago of two Scandinavian women in the High Atlas mountains, the country's counter-terror chief said Monday. The arrests were made in several cities in the kingdom, bringing to 18 the number of people detained over the double-murder, said Abdelhak Khiam, head of Morocco's central office for judicial investigation. "The two victims were stabbed, had their throats slit and were then beheaded," he told AFP. The four main suspects in what the authorities describe as a terrorist act were arrested between Monday and Thursday last week in the tourist hub city of Marrakesh. Danish student Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, and 28-year-old Norwegian Maren Ueland were found dead at an isolated hiking spot south of Marrakesh on December 17. Investigators said on Monday that the dismantled "cell" was made up of 18 members, including three with terror-related criminal records. "The emir of the group" was Abdessamad Ejjoud, a 25-year-old street vendor living on the outskirts of Marrakesh, said Khiam. Ejjoud had "formed a kind of cell that discussed how to carry out a terrorist act inside the kingdom," he told AFP. He was said to be in a video shot a week before the murders, in which four suspects are seen pledging allegiance to Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi with a black IS flag in the background. The alleged killers had "agreed under the influence of their emir to carry out a terrorist act... targeting the security services or foreign tourists," Khiam told AFP. - Tourists 'targeted' - Two days before the murders, they allegedly went to the Imlil region "because it is frequented by foreigners" and "targeted the two tourists in a deserted area", he added. The others suspected of direct involvement in the killings were Abderrahim Khayali, a 33-year-old plumber, 27-year-old carpenter Younes Ouaziyad, and Rachid Afatti, a 33-year-old street vendor. Ouaziyad and Afatti were alongside Ejjoud during the murder, said Khiam. "The members of this cell had no contact with Daesh (IS) operatives in conflict zones, whether in Syria, Iraq or Libya" despite declaring allegiance to Baghdadi, he added. Last week, investigators released pictures of three wanted suspected identified as Afatti, Ouaziyad and Ejjoud. Rabat's prosecutor has also said the four main suspects pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in a video filmed a week before the double-murder. The killings have shaken Norway, Denmark and Morocco. Another video circulated on social networks allegedly showed the murder of one of the tourists. Morocco, which relies heavily on tourism income, suffered a jihadist attack in 2011, when a bomb blast at a cafe in Marrakesh's famed Jamaa El Fna Square killed 17 people, mostly European tourists. An attack in the North African state's financial capital Casablanca killed 33 people in 2003. Since 2002, Morocco had dismantled 185 terror cells and taken measures to rehabilitate those arrested, said Khiam. "The origins of this extremism must be fought -- namely insecurity, illiteracy and ignorance," he said. Tourism is a cornerstone of Morocco's economy and the kingdom's second-largest employer, after agriculture. The sector accounts for 10 percent of national income and is one of the country's main sources of foreign currency. The mountains near the tourist village of Imlil in the High Atlas range; Danish student Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, and 28-year-old Norwegian Maren Ueland were killed after setting up camp beyond the village on the night of December 16-17 A combination of pictures made of images realesed by Morocco's Police on December 20, 2018 shows the three suspects in the grisly murder of two Scandinavian hikers whose bodies were found at a camp in Morocco's High Atlas mountains A Moroccan man places a candle during a vigil for the two Scandinavian hikers, who were killed in Morocco's High Atlas mountains, outside the Danish Embassy in Rabat on December 22, 2018 Lawyers lodged an appeal Monday to free two Reuters journalists jailed for their reporting on Myanmar's Rohingya crisis, decrying the sentence as a "mistake" that has already resulted in the pair being locked up for a year. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were arrested in December 2017 and later sentenced to seven-year prison terms for what prosecutors said was a breach of official secrets law for the possession of classified material on security operations. Reuters disputed the charge and said the two were set up by police after probing the massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslims during a military crackdown. Their conviction in September sparked widespread global condemnation, including from US Vice President Mike Pence, who asked civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to intervene. But calls for their release have fallen flat inside Myanmar, where Suu Kyi has yet to speak up for the reporters publicly. Their trial was criticised by rights groups as a sham and payback for uncovering the September 2017 massacre in Inn Din village in Myanmar's Rakhine state. During the trial a whistle-blowing policeman told the court his superior ordered a sting to entrap the reporters. On Monday lawyers for the pair submitted an appeal to the High Court. "This seven-year jail sentence is a mistake," the journalists' lawyer L.Khun Ring Pan told the bench, in a hearing attended by embassy officials and free media advocates as well as the wives of the jailed journalists. "They were trying to find out who was involved with the (Inn Din) case. That's why they tried to meet the police... they did not ask for anything secret." - 'We hope for fairness' - More than 720,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine state to Bangladesh since the military's crackdown last August, bringing accounts of rape, arson and mass killings. UN investigators have said the evidence warrants charges of genocide against the country's top generals, but the army maintains it was defending itself against Rohingya militants. "We hope for fairness. We want them to be free," Wa Lone's wife Pan Ei Mon told AFP while a second lawyer Than Zaw Aung said "we hope to hear good news" when the appeal judge rules over coming days. Media advocates say the journalists' convictions under the British colonial-era official secrets law aimed to muzzle media investigating allegations of atrocities in Rakhine and other sensitive issues in Myanmar as it emerges from decades of junta rule. "This is unacceptable for a country that claims to be transitioning towards democracy," Daniel Bastard from Reporters Without Borders (RSF) told AFP. Myanmar dropped six places in RSF's latest World Press Freedom Index. Outside the country the two young men have been feted with awards presented in their absence and hailed as heroes. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were also jointly named Time Magazine's Person of the Year this month, alongside other persecuted and slain journalists, as concerns grow for deteriorating press freedoms around the world. The anniversary of their arrest was marked by newsrooms publishing photos of their staff flashing two thumbs up, a defiant gesture Wa Lone made at court that became synonymous with the duo's resilience. burs-zz/apj/mtp Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were arrested in December 2017 and later sentenced to seven year prison terms for what prosecutors said was the possession of classified material The jailing of the reporters sparked widespread condemnation, including from US Vice President Mike Pence, who asked civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to intervene Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were also jointly named Time Magazine's Person of the Year, alongside other persecuted and slain journalists President Donald Trump vowed Monday that allies would no longer "take advantage" of the United States, taking a shot at Defense Secretary Jim Mattis who resigned over Syria. Trump, turning to Twitter after days of criticism over his decision to pull US troops out of Syria, denied charges that he was rejecting allies. But he said that "these same countries take advantage of their friendship with the United States." "We are substantially subsidizing the Militaries of many VERY rich countries all over the world, while at the same time these countries take total advantage of the U.S., and our TAXPAYERS, on Trade," he tweeted. "General Mattis did not see this as a problem. I DO, and it is being fixed!" Amid open concern about the Syria pullout from allies including France and Germany, Trump tweeted in all capital letters: "AMERICA IS RESPECTED AGAIN!" Mattis, a battle-hardened retired four-star general widely seen as a moderating force on the impulsive president, in his resignation letter Thursday emphasized the need to respect allies. Trump has repeatedly berated close US friends and questioned the cost-effectiveness of NATO, the North American and European military alliance established seven decades ago as a bulwark against Moscow. Mattis took his criticism public after Trump suddenly announced the pullout of all 2,000 troops from Syria, saying that the Islamic State extremist group, also known as ISIS, had been defeated. Trump said he coordinated with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- who has been warning that he will attack US-allied Kurdish fighters who had seized ground from ISIS. Senator Lindsey Graham, a usual ally of Trump who has been harshly critical of the Syria decision, on Monday tried a different strategy as he appealed to the president to work off his diplomacy with Erdogan. Graham said that the United States could reduce, but not completely pull out, troops from Syria and "partner" with Turkey. "'Partnering' with Turkey to destroy ISIS -- and ensuring protection for the Kurds who fought so bravely -- is a big win," he tweeted. Trump said he coordinated with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan -- who has been warning that he will attack US-allied Kurdish fighters who had seized ground from ISIS The iconic Foxy Lady, the oldest continuously operating strip club in New England, initially opening 38 years ago, was closed by the Providence, Rhode Island, Board of Licenses on December 12, the day after three of the clubs dancers were arrested on misdemeanor charges of sexual solicitation. The closure of the legendary club, which was at the center of a 1998 scandal involving then Boston Red Sox star Mo Vaughn, may now be permanent after the states supreme court denied the clubs petition to throw out the boards closure order. But with 200 employees suddenly out of work just two weeks before Christmas, one local politician has called not only for the club to be allowed to reopen, but also for the city of Providence to decriminalize sex work. Just this week, the Mayor of New Orleans issued a similar call for her own city, as AVN.com reported. I would like to see it reopen, especially right now, said Katherine Kerwin, a newly elected city council member who will represent the district in Providence that contains the Foxy Lady's location, according to The Providence Journal. What are these people going to do without jobs? But Kerwin added that simply reopening the long-standing club may not be enough. Its a good moment to begin this conversation about decriminalizing sex work, Kerwin added. Its awful, but sometimes when these bad things happen it does prompt people to act. But Joanne M. Giannini, the former Rhode Island state rep who authored the 2009 law which allowed the Foxy Lady to be closed, said that shutting down the club was simply just collateral damage in the war against sex trafficking. No one wants to see 200 people out of work, Giannini told the Journal. But we dont want to turn back the clock where young girls become victims of sex trafficking and we cant do anything to help them. Under the state supreme court ruling, the club may be allowed to file a new petition get its license to operate back, and reopen. The Foxy Lady became a permanent part of local New England lore when Vaughn, then a superstar home run hitter with the Red Sox, was arrested on drunk driving charges after slamming his pickup truck into a parked car on the shoulder of a highway at about 2 a.m. on the morning of January 9, 1998. Vaughn, it was soon reported, had been drinking at the Foxy Lady that night, where he was evidently a frequent customer. The rotund Vaughn also reportedly ate a hamburger, hot dog, bacon, eggs and toast, that night at the Foxy Lady, apparently breaking his offseason training regimen. Photo by WPRI TV YouTube Screen Capture Greggs has opened stores at London Bridge and Cannon Street train stations. The new shops follow Greggs first London Underground store, which opened at Westminster Tube in March this year, as the high street bakery business continues its push into more travel locations. Greggs also unveiled its new Recruitment Hub at Cannon Street, which will support recruitment and development of shop teams across London and the South East. The Cannon Street store opened on Friday 14 December and the London Bridge shop last week (20 December). Greggs said the openings created a combined 45 jobs as well as further expanding its presence in London, bringing the total number of stores in central London to 17, and the total number located within the M25 to 177. Customers visiting the London Bridge store will be able take advantage of the shops metre-long hot to go counter the largest hot food display of any Greggs store. 2018 was a landmark year for Greggs in London in which we opened in three major travel hubs in the capital. Following the launch at Westminster Tube earlier this year, and now with new stores in London Bridge and next to Cannon Street, were able to serve even more hungry commuters their favourite Greggs products, said Roger Whiteside, chief executive at Greggs. These openings fit with our wider strategy to expand into more travel locations so we can provide our customers with even more convenient access to our great-tasting food. Governor Cooper has vetoed a bill with overwhelming bipartisan support to re-establish a State Board of Elections, the Ethics Commission, and the entire set of laws that govern our elections. This compromise legislation, which involved negotiations with both sides for quite some time, was passed with 80-percent support in the House and 90-percent support in the Senate. Cooper's veto means North Carolina would have electoral chaos with no election board, no laws governing elections, and no ability to conduct said elections or hold elected officials to account for ethical lapses. As expected, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed the General Assembly's most recent attempt to restructure the state's elections and ethics enforcement agencies. He also vetoed a "technical corrections" measure, rejecting two provisions in the catch-all legislation.The vetoes extend Cooper's record. He has vetoed 28 bills since taking office in January 2017. The General Assembly has overridden 21 of them so far.Earlier this week, Cooper said he would veto House Bill 1029 , a bill largely restoring responsibility for elections, ethics, and lobbying enforcement to the agencies which had those duties before December 2016. Just before Cooper was sworn in as governor, a lame-duck legislative session combined those functions into a Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement. The new board limited Cooper's appointment powers.Cooper sued, arguing the new system violated separation of powers. He won, and after a series of court cases and legislative do-overs, earlier this month H.B. 1029 emerged. It split the combined board into a new State Board of Elections and state Ethics Commission, each primarily handling their pre-2017 duties. Lobbying enforcement was returned to the Department of Secretary of State.H.B. 1029 passed easily - by an 84-18 margin in the House and 34-3 in the Senate - but Tuesday Cooper said the bill watered down enforcement of campaign finance violations. He added he would veto it unless the General Assembly, which was still in town for a separate veto-override session, fixed those provisions.It didn't, so he did State Republican Party Chairman Robin Hayes fired back. In a statement, Hayes said,Cooper also vetoed Senate Bill 469 , the customary end-of-session "technical corrections" bill, a vehicle often including policy provisions which may not have passed on their own.S.B. 469 also passed both chambers easily - 57-35 in the House; 19-8 in the Senate. But Cooper objected to a provision dealing with enforcing stormwater rules on some parcels of property. He also cited a section allowing charter schools operated by municipalities to enroll employees in the state pension and health plans. Cooper opposes letting towns or cities operate charter schools, saying they may lead to resegregation.The Republican-led General Assembly is expected to return Dec. 27 to hold override votes on those bills and then adjourn the session sine die. Simkhada is a former permanent representative to the United Nations and ambassador to Switzerland. Node.js is a pretty popular choice to build web servers, and has plenty of mature web frameworks, such as express, koa, hapijs. In this tutorial, though, well build a working server without any dependencies, using only core Nodes http package, exploring all important details one by one. While this is not something you see every day, it can help to understand all these frameworks better not only existing libraries use this package under the hood, but also often expose raw objects, and you might need to use them for some very specific tasks. Table of Contents Hello, world First, lets start with the simplest thing possible returning the famous hello, world response. In order to create a server in Node.js, we need to use http built-in module, specifically createServer function. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 const { createServer } = require ( " http " ); // it is a good practice to always allow to // run on a different port const PORT = process . env . PORT || 8080 ; const server = createServer (); server . on ( " request " , ( request , response ) => { response . end ( " Hello, world! " ); }); server . listen ( PORT , () => { console . log ( `starting server at port ${ PORT } ` ); }); Lets list everything we did in this short example: Created a new server instance calling createServer function Added an event listener on request event to our server Ran our server using port specified in environment variables with fallback on 8080 Our created server is an instance of http.Server class, which inherits from net.Server, which inherits from EventEmitter. There are several events we can listen for, but the most important event for us is request, and it is so common that you can provide its listener when creating a server: 1 2 3 4 5 6 const { createServer } = require ( " http " ); // this is equivalent to `server.on('request', fn);` createServer (( request , response ) => { response . end ( " Hello, world! " ); }). listen ( 8080 ); The last part, is starting our server. We start it by calling server.listen method, and you can specify port and what to execute after it started. One thing to note server does not start to work immediately, it has to bind a port first for incoming requests, however, on practice it is not very important, since it is almost instant; you still can listen for this specific event separately using listening event. Response in Details Now, after we learned how to instantiate a new server, lets look how to actually reply to a users request. In our single handler we reply with canonic Hello, world! response, using response.end method. You can see that the signature is very similar to writable stream method writable.end, and it is because both request and response objects are streams, and logically request is only readable stream, while response is only writable stream. Why do they have to be streams, though? Why cant we always send the whole reply? The answer is that we dont have to have everything before replying. Imagine a situation, when we read a file from a file system and it is too big so we open a filestream using fs.createReadStream, and we can immediately write to response. Moreover, we can just pipe! Now, because it is a stream, we can do the following: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 const { createServer } = require ( " http " ); createServer (( request , response ) => { response . write ( " Hello " ); response . write ( " , " ); response . write ( " World! " ); response . end (); }). listen ( 8080 ); So we can write in our stream several times directly. Be careful doing it in any form of loop, since you have to handle backpressuring by yourself, and prefer to pipe streams directly. Also, please note response.end() at the end. This is mandatory, and without this call Node will keep this connection open, creating both a memory leak and a waiting client on the other side. In the end, lets demonstrate how stream piping works for response object and other streams. To do that, well read the source file using __filename variable: 1 2 3 4 5 6 const { createReadStream } = require ( " fs " ); const { createServer } = require ( " http " ); createServer (( request , response ) => { createReadStream ( __filename ). pipe ( response ); }). listen ( 8080 ); We dont have to call res.end manually, since after original stream ends, it automatically ends a piped stream as well. HTTP Information Our server implements HTTP protocol, which is a based-text set of rules which allows client to request specific information in their preferred format, and allows servers to reply with data and additional information which format, connection status, cache information, etc. Lets look at a typical request to request a web page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 GET / HTTP/1.1 User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 ( Macintosh ; Intel Mac OS X 10_14_2 ) AppleWebKit/537.36 ( KHTML, like Gecko ) Host: blog.bloomca.me Accept-Language: en-us Accept-Encoding: gzip , deflate Connection: Keep-Alive This is what our browser sends when you want to request a page, except that it sends more headers, passes cookies (which is just a header), and other information. What is important for us, is to understand that every request has method, path (route), and list of headers, which are just key-value pairs (if you wonder about cookies, they are just a single header with special meaning). HTTP is a text protocol, and as you can see, you can read it by yourself. While it is just a set of rules, browsers and servers implementing this protocol try to follow the specification, and thats how the whole internet. Not all rules are respected, but the main ones HTTP verb, route, cookies are reliable enough, and you should always strive for predictable behaviour. HTTP Headers We can access all headers which client sent in request, via request.headers property. For example to read which language client prefers, we can do the following: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 const { createServer } = require ( " http " ); createServer (( request , response ) => { // all headers are lower-cased in this object const languages = request . headers [ " accept-language " ]; response . end ( languages ); }). listen ( 8080 ); In my case I got en-US,en;q=0.9,ru;q=0.8,de;q=0.7, which means that I prefer English first, Russian second, and German the last. Typically browser just uses your OS language, but it can be overriden and not the best thing to depend on, since the user cant control it directly (and different browsers can have different opinions how they should form this line). To write a header, you have to understand that HTTP is a protocol where metadata comes first, and then, after a separator (2 newline characters) actual body begins. It means that as soon as you started to send your content, you cant change your headers! Doing so will throw an error in Node and actually terminate your program. There are two methods for setting headers: response.setHeader and response.writeHead. The difference is that the first one is more specific, and if both were used, all set headers will be merged and new headers in writeHead will have higher priority. writeHead works the same way as write, so you cant change headers after. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 const { createServer } = require ( " http " ); createServer (( req , res ) => { res . setHeader ( " content-type " , " application/json " ); // we have to send buffers or strings, we can't just pass an object res . end ( JSON . stringify ({ a : 2 })); }). listen ( 8080 ); HTTP Status Codes HTTP defines codes which should come with every response, with a quite extensive list. Again, they are not followed religiously, and expect to see some minor (or not so) differences between different servers behaviour. Lets list the most important status codes: 2xx success codes: 200: the most common one, the default one in Node.js, OK. 201: new entity created 204: success, but nothing to return. For example, after removing an entity 3xx redirect codes 301: Moved permanently, just new URL 302: Found, but needs another URL. Can be used after successfull POST to redirect to the newly created entitys page Be careful about 301/302. Browsers like to remember 301, so if you accidentally mark some URL as moved with 301 status code, browsers might continue to do so after new response (they wont even check it) 4xx - client errors 400: Bad request, like wrong passed parameters, or some missed parameter 401: Unauthorized. User is not authorized, and therefore has no access. Might be mixed with 403 at some servers. 403: Forbidden. User is usually authenticated, but not authorized for this action. Again, might be mixed with 401 at some servers. 404: Not Found, no specific page/data for provided URL 5xx server errors 500: Internal server error, like database connection error These codes are the most common ones, and should be enough to mark your responses with correct status codes. In Node.js, we can either set response.statusCode or use response.writeHead method. Lets use this time writeHead method, also setting a custom HTTP message: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 const { createServer } = require ( " http " ); createServer (( req , res ) => { // indicate that there is no content res . writeHead ( 204 , " My Custom Message " ); res . end (); }). listen ( 8080 ); If you try to open this code in your browser and explore HTML request in Network tab, you will see Status Code: 204 My Custom Message. Routing In Node.js server, all requests are handled by a single request handler. We can test it by running any of our webservers, and request different URLs, like http://localhost:8080/home and http://localhost:8080/about. You will see that it returns the same response. However, we have a property request.url in a request object, which we can use to build a simple routing function: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 const { createServer } = require ( " http " ); createServer (( req , res ) => { switch ( req . url ) { case " / " : res . end ( " You are on the main page! " ); break ; case " /about " : res . end ( " You are on about page! " ); break ; default : res . statusCode = 404 ; res . end ( " Page not found! " ); } }). listen ( 8080 ); There are a lot of caveats (try to add a trailing slash to /about/ page), but you get an idea. In all frameworks, under the hood, there is a main handler, which routes all requests into registered handlers. HTTP Methods You are probably familiar with HTTP methods/verbs, like GET and POST. They are part of HTTP protocol itself, and they are pretty self-explanatory. However, there are a lot of very subtle details, in which I dont want to dive, and for the sake of brevity, Ill mention that GET is used to retrieve data, and POST is used to create new entities. Nothing prevents you from using them for something else, but the standard and conventions suggest to not to. That being said, in Node.js servers we have a request.method property, which we can use for our internal logic. Again, there is nothing from the Node.js itself for us to abstract handlers for different methods, we have to build all of it by ourselves: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 const { createServer } = require ( " http " ); createServer (( req , res ) => { if ( req . method === " GET " ) { return res . end ( " List of data " ); } else if ( req . method === " POST " ) { // create new entity return res . end ( " success " ); } else { res . statusCode ( 400 ); return res . end ( " Unsupported method " ); } }). listen ( 8080 ); Cookies Cookies deserve its own article, so feel free to read more about them on MDN guide. In two words, cookies are used to persist some data across requests, because HTTP is a stateless protocol, so technically, without cookies (or local storage) wed have to login before every action which requires authentication. We persist cookies on the client (usually in the browser), so browsers send us a header named Cookie with all cookies, and we can reply with a Set-Cookie header, telling the client which cookies to set (e.g. access token); after saving it, client will send it back with every subsequent request. Lets run the following code: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 const { createServer } = require ( " http " ); createServer (( req , res ) => { res . setHeader ( " Set-Cookie " , [ " myCookie=myValue " ], [ " mySecondCookie=mySecondValue " ] ); res . end ( `Your cookies are: ${ req . headers . cookie } ` ); }). listen ( 8080 ); The first time you refresh your browser, you might see some older cookies, but you wont see myCookie or mySecondCookie. However, if your refresh your browser, you will see both of these values! The reason for that is that the client sets these values in cookies after the response, the same response which renders our page. So well receive these values from the client only on the next request. Now, what if we want to use cookie values in our code? Cookie is just a header in HTTP, so it is a string with its own rules cookies are written using key=value schema, with parameters, and separated by ; sign. You can write your own parser (like in this SO answer), but Id recommend to just use any external library compatible with your framework/library of choice. Also, please note that you cant delete cookies, since it is owned by the client, but you can invalidate it by setting it to an empty value and put expiration date in the past. Query parameters It is common to allow parameters for a specific handler: for example, if we want to show all pictures, we can allow to specify a page, and usually it is done via query parameters. They are simply added to the URL, separated from the route by ? sign: http://localhost:8080/pictures?page=2 . As you can see, we requested the second page of pictures. Alternatively, we can just embed it into the URL itself: http://localhost:8080/pictures/page/2 , but the problem here is that if there is more than 1 parameter, URLs will quickly become confusing. Query parameters are not positioned, so we can add as many as we want, as well as remove/add new in the future. To get it in our server, we use request.url property, which we already used in the routing section. Now, though, we need to separate our URL part from query parameters, and while we can do it manually, it is unnecessary, since it is already implemented in Node.js: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 const { createServer } = require ( " http " ); createServer (( req , res ) => { const { query } = require ( " url " ). parse ( req . url , true ); if ( query . name ) { res . end ( `You requested parameter name with value ${ query . name } ` ); } else { res . end ( " Hello! " ); } }). listen ( 8080 ); Now, if you request any page with query parameter name, youll see it in the response, e.g. querying http://localhost:8080/about?name=Seva will return us a string with our name: 1 You requested parameter name with value Seva Body Content The last thing well look at is body content. We saw that you can get all information (route and query parameters) from the URL itself, but how can we get actual data sent from the client? You dont have direct access to it, but it is a reason why request object is also a stream, we can get the passed data reading from this stream. Lets write a simple server which will expect a JSON object on a POST request, and return 400 status code if it is not a valid JSON: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 const { createServer } = require ( " http " ); createServer (( req , res ) => { if ( req . method === " POST " ) { let data = "" ; req . on ( " data " , chunk => { data += chunk ; }); req . on ( " end " , () => { try { const requestData = JSON . parse ( data ); requestData . ourMessage = " success " ; res . setHeader ( " Content-Type " , " application/json " ); res . end ( JSON . stringify ( requestData )); } catch ( e ) { res . statusCode = 400 ; res . end ( " Invalid JSON " ); } }); } else { res . statusCode = 400 ; res . end ( " Unsupported method, please POST a JSON object " ); } }). listen ( 8080 ); The easiest way to test it is to use curl. At first, let query with a GET method: 1 2 > curl http://localhost:8080 Unsupported method, please POST a JSON object Now, lets make a _POST request with random string as our data: 1 2 > curl -X POST -d "some random string" http://localhost:8080 Invalid JSON Finally, lets make a correct response and see at as a result: 1 2 > curl -X POST -d '{"property": true}' http://localhost:8080 { "property" :true, "ourMessage" : "success" } Conclusion The Boston Globe is reporting Kevin Spacey has been charged with felony indecent assault and battery of a teenage boy. The alleged incident, which took place in a Nantucket, MA bar in 2016 was brought to law enforcement's attention by the boy's mother, Heather Unruh, a former news anchor for WCVB in Boston. From the Globe: In Nov. 2017, during an emotional news conference, Unruh publicly accused Spacey of sexually assaulting her son. Unruh said that in July 2016 her then 18-year-old son was at The Club Car, where the actor was among the late-night crowd in the dimly lit restaurant. Her son was mesmerized by Spacey and told him he was old enough to drink, Unruh said previously. Unruh said Spacey purchased alcohol for her son until he was drunk and then stuck his hand inside the man's pants and grabbed his genitals. During the encounter, Unruh said, her son tried to shift his body away from Spacey but was "only momentarily successful." The actor urged her son to accompany him to an after-hours party to drink more, she said. Unruh said her son fled the restaurant when Spacey excused himself to use the bathroom and a woman urged the youth to run. He sprinted to his grandmother's house and told his sister what happened, Unruh said. The siblings then called Unruh, who traveled to Nantucket in the morning, she said. Government to clear legal hurdle to US arms deal The government has said it is ready to clear the legal hurdle to single sum payment for assault rifles purchased from the United States, even though it goes against the national procurement law that requires the sum to be paid in three tranches. Favorite Podcasts Recommendations from the AskMen Team Here Are the Podcasts Our Editors Cant Stop Raving About Theres something special about looking back at a year gone by and recollecting all the events that took place over the last 12 months, from the cities you visited and the goals you accomplished to the items you bought and podcasts you listened to. Wait, you dont reflect on your podcast activity of the past year before heading into the unknown of the new year ahead? Well, call us crazy, but if you arent assessing your favorite podcasts of the year, you should definitely start, if only to revisit a few favorite episodes. RELATED: Learn About Love and Relationships by Listening to These Podcasts Listening to podcasts is one of our favorite pastimes, keeping us entertained on subway commutes and motivated during morning runs. Thanks to the seemingly endless stream of options, there is practically a show out there to fit every mood or activity. On the downside, having so many options can be incredibly intimidating and makes it all the more difficult to decipher whats worth listening to. So how does one go about finding the cant-miss podcasts you somehow did manage to miss? Well, thats where we come in. You can think of us as your podcast sieve, sifting out the bad and bringing you the good, whether they're new or just new to you. As we reflect on our podcast-listening history, weve made note of our favorites to ensure you tune into nothing but the best. Grab your headphones and get listening. Movies That Changed My Life Sean Abrams, Sex & Dating Editor: One episode in, and IMDB already has me hooked. As a self-proclaimed movie aficionado, the source of all things film and televisions announcement that they were coming out with a podcast was exciting news. A weekly treat, Movies That Changed My Life features Hollywoods finest, whether in front of or behind the camera, covering how to they got to the point in life theyre at today. Speaking upon their career paths and projects they consider truly inspirational, this podcast is great for anyone with even the slightest bit of interest in the movie industry. While its first episode featured Westworld actor Jeffrey Wright, Movies That Changed My Life has Joel McHale, Judy Greer, Felicia Day, and Kevin Smith up on deck. Not a bad lineup, if you ask me. Find out more here Ear Hustle Anna Chan, Former Managing Editor: This addictive podcast dives into the day-to-day lives of inmates at Californias San Quentin State Prison. Its co-hosted by Nigel Poor, who is a visual artist and volunteer at San Quentin, and inmate Earlonne Woods, who was sentenced in 1999 to 31 years to life for attempted robbery, and recently had his sentence commuted by Gov. Jerry Brown. Each episode of the podcast, which is produced behind the walls of the prison, is no-holds barred, exploring the details of everything from getting a new cellie (aka cellmate), the less-than-appetizing meals, lockdowns, being gay, the dangers of choosing the wrong group on Day 1, and much more, all told by the inmates themselves. Its funny, its heartbreaking, its hopeful, and its a must-listen for anyone who enjoyed dramas such as HBOs Oz but this is the real deal. Find out more here Pod Save America Barret Wertz, Style & Grooming Editor: I love this because they cut right to the chase no bullst (their word, not mine). A group of former Obama staffers came together in January 2017 to combat the lies and chaos coming out of the Trump White House. They have since become liberal stars in their own right with a second podcast dedicated to foreign policy, Pod Save the World, as well as other podcasts and a series of specials on HBO. Find out more here Reply All Joel Balsam, Freelance Contributor: Podcasting house Gimlets second podcast is marketed as a podcast about the internet, but the shows topics only brush the world wide web. Episodes have included traveling to India to find the person behind a spam phone call, searching for the hackers who stole a womans OG Snapchat account, and my personal favorite, going on an exhaustive journey to find a boy in a photo that went viral on internet chat rooms. You wont want to stop listening to lovable hosts Alex Goldman and PJ Vogt every step of the way. Find out more here Armchair Expert Mackenzie Shand, Senior Editor: I was initially drawn to Armchair Expert for the simple fact that it was hosted by one of the lead cast members of Parenthood (a show I was a fan of). Prior to listening, I really didnt know much about Dax Shepard, apart from the fact that hes married to actress Kristen Bell. It wasnt long before I forgot about the Parenthood element and became hooked on this podcast. From sharing his past struggles with addiction to what it takes to maintain a healthy marriage, Dax is incredibly open and honest throughout his conversations and it sets right the tone for his guests to feel comfortable and open up themselves. No matter the guest, be it psychologist Wendy Mogel, or actor Seth Rogen, the show is always entertaining, often inspiring, and never boring. Find out more here 99% Invisible Barret Wertz, Style & Grooming Editor: The subject of this podcast is design, but not always in a way that seems obvious. Episode titles such as The First Straw, Airships and the Future That Never Was, and Interrobang end up being way more fascinating than you might think. One of my favorite episodes was ages ago when the velvety-voiced Roman Mars told us about the design to keep people moving along in Unpleasant Design & Hostile Urban Architecture. Find out more here Scene on Radio Joel Balsam, Freelance Contributor: In the latest 12-part season, This American Life contributor John Biewen and co-host Celeste Headlee of NPR valiantly attempt to tackle an issue guaranteed to be close to the heart of most of our readers: men. The show takes a magnifying glass to the ways masculinity and toxic masculinity got to this point in a way that few articles or shows have managed to do. In the previous season, Biewen tackled another extremely tough subject, whiteness, with the helpful voice of Chenjerai Kumanyika, who acts as a much-needed check and balance. Find out more here This Past Weekend With Theo Von Phil Clark, Freelance Editor: Theo Von is on my short list for "funniest people alive" at the moment. Funny is actually his business, since he's a standup comedian, but he's also funny in the more spontaneous, conversational way that your best friend might be funny, and that's kind of how he runs his podcast, This Past Weekend: one minute he's riffing on current events, the next he's relating some funny anecdote from his life or interacting with his fans. Moreover, he often has equally funny and insightful guests on his show, and hours will pass like minutes when you're listening to the back-and-forths. Find out more here You Might Also Dig: Anil Giri is a reporter covering diplomacy, international relations and national politics for The Kathmandu Post. Giri has been working as a journalist for a decade-and-a-half, contributing to numerous national and international media outlets. Convoys of trucks rolled slowly through Alberta and Saskatchewan on Saturday as demonstrations in support of Canada's ailing oil and gas sector continue. Police in Medicine Hat, Alta., estimate that 650 vehicles took part in a convoy that began on the Trans-Canada Highway east of the city and continued west to weigh scales before turning around and dispersing. A similar event in Estevan, Sask., brought around 450 trucks, according to a police estimate. Truck convoys began last weekend in Alberta. One event on Wednesday brought more than a thousand vehicles to Nisku, south of Edmonton. Jerry Sabine, an organizer of the convoy in Medicine Hat, says trucks were driving slowly to show people "the frustration of how slow the oilfields are." Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe tweeted his support for the event in Estevan, saying people across Western Canada are fed up with what he called the Trudeau government's indifference toward the energy sector. "What a strong message sent today from the truck rally in Estevan," Moe said. "Your SK government stands with you in support of this critical industry." Other recent rallies, including a large one in Calgary on Monday, have targeted federal actions that critics say will make building pipelines more difficult. They include Bill C-69 to revamp the National Energy Board and Bill C-48 which would ban oil tanker traffic on British Columbia's northern coast. Supporters of Saturday's convoys lined the streets in both cities. Most of the signs they held had messages calling for pipeline construction, an end to carbon taxes and the defeat of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. A few of the signs also expressed opposition to the United Nations. Jay Riedel, an organizer of the Estevan convoy, said concern over Canada signing the United Nations migration pact is part of the protest, noting he believed the pact surrenders Canada's immigration policy to outside powers. Story continues "We definitely need immigrants coming into Canada but we also need to get jobs going for us and them," Riedel said. "If we don't have jobs for these people to have, then our whole social system is going to fail." Police in Medicine Hat and Estevan commended the conduct of the convoy drivers. "Appreciate the public's patience during the truck convoy protest. Also appreciate the professionalism of those involved," said a tweet from the Estevan police that was attributed to Chief Paul Ladouceur. More convoys are planned, including one that will travel to Ottawa in February. Sabine said some of the trucks involved in the Medicine Hat convoy travelled from across the province to support the event. "We just put the word out a couple, three days ago, and it really snowballed on us," Sabine said. By Saad Sayeed ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif was sentenced to seven years in prison on Monday and fined $25 million on corruption charges that he says were politically motivated. The anti-corruption court in Islamabad said in its ruling that the three-time prime minister was unable to prove the source of income that had led to his ownership of a steel mill in Saudi Arabia. Under Pakistani law, this is taken to prove corruption. Sharif had already been sentenced by the same court to 10 years in prison on charges related to the purchase of upscale apartments in London, after the Supreme Court removed him from power. He was freed from custody in September pending an appeal. Sharif's supporters said he would also appeal against his latest conviction. "Appeal is our right, we will protest but will remain peaceful," former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who had succeeded Sharif last year, told reporters outside the courthouse. Sharif was ousted and disqualified from holding office by the Supreme Court in July 2017, and convicted in absentia a year later. He was arrested on July 13 on returning from London. The court ruled on Thursday on two charges related to Sharif's assets: the Al-Azizia Steel Mills in Saudi Arabia, set up by Sharif's father in 2001, and Flagship Investments, a company established by his son, Hasan Nawaz, that owns luxury properties in Britain. Sharif was found to have been unable to demonstrate that his family had acquired the steel mill legitimately, but was acquitted on the second charge, relating to Flagship. Sharif denied the charges which he said were politically motivated. He accused the military and courts of working together to end his political career and destabilize his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party. Sharif was once a favorite of Pakistan's powerful generals but fell out with them. The military has denied exerting any influence over the court proceedings. Daniyal Aziz, a former lawmaker from Sharif's party, criticized the National Accountability Bureau, the watchdog that charged Sharif, and described the verdict as "the weaponization of anti-corruption". "With each passing day an expression of a double standard is coming forward from the NAB," Aziz said. Before the verdict, hundreds of Sharif supporters threw stones outside the courthouse at police, who fired teargas. Five months ago, Sharif's PML-N lost a general election to the party of Imran Khan, the new prime minister whose anti-corruption campaign and street protests spurred the cases against Sharif. PML-N and other opposition politicians allege the election was rigged to favor Khan, who is seen as close to the army. Both Khan and the military have denied colluding against Sharif and the PML-N. (Additional reporting by Syed Raza Hasan in Karachi; Writing by Saad Sayeed; Editing by Kevin Liffey) From master chef Julia Child to the kitchen bible The Joy of Cooking, home chefs have been told for decades to rinse the inside and outside of Christmas turkeys before putting them in the oven. Proponents of turkey rinsing apparently did so to wash away any imagined germs and bacteria. But it turns out that rinsing was doing the opposite. It may come as a surprise even tough to swallow for some that recent Health Canada guidelines say rinsing the beloved bird can splash and spread bacteria from the raw turkey juices to other foods, hands, clothes, work surfaces and cooking equipment. Incoming! The University of Wisconsin, citing a European study, wrote that bacteria can travel up to a metre away from where your meat is rinsed. The move to a more sanitary environment in kitchens and elsewhere has come a long way since the 1930s when Vancouver's Jackson's Meat and Deli was hanging dozens of Christmas turkeys from hooks, right out there in the open, without refrigeration. Credit: iStock/Getty Images The current owner, Chris Jackson, is the sixth generation of Jackson butchers. He said that when he was a kid, a popular turkey with customers was called the New York Dressed. It was just plucked, and the butchers would have to remove the head and feet before cleaning and hanging them up. 'Tasted amazing' "They were really ugly looking," said Jackson. "But they tasted amazing because they still had all the natural oils on the outside of the bird." With a 100-year family history of selling turkeys, does Jackson recommend his clients rinse or not rinse their birds? "I think a little rinse is always kind of nice, a rinse and a pat dry," he said. The custom of hanging fresh turkeys at Jackson's went away about 20 years ago. Now, locally sourced, free-range, non-medicated birds are most popular. The store's two locations will sell over 1,500 turkeys this season. Age-old habits like rinsing the bird before roasting may be hard to break for some, but not for Jackson, who says no harm, no fowl. "We've been doing things [this way] for so long," he said. "And nobody's been sick on our watch." Italian contractor agrees to resume works at Melamchi Water Supply Project The Italian contractor, Cooperativa Muratori e Cementisti di Ravenna (CMC), which had halted all the works of much-awaited Melamchi Water Supply Project, has agreed to resume its work. Pakistan: Restriction on fishing threatens livelihood of 1.5m people: Pakfea December 24,2018 | Source: Business Recorder Falling off seafood export this fiscal year has brought the exporters to a financial crunch for a want of globally appealing fisheries on the local market after the Balochistan government placed a 12-nautical mile restriction on hunt by the Sindh's trawlers in its waters. The 60 percent of catch, which the world markets demand for has reduced, comes from Balochistan. The fishing restrictions are now threatening the livelihood of about 1.5 million people associated to the business and billions of rupees investment of the fisheries sector, says a letter by Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association (Pakfea), Chairman Syed Akhlaq Hussain Abidi to Federal Commerce Advisor, Abdul Razzaq Dawood. The letter showed worries on the scaling down seafood export this fiscal year from a want of required catch that also brought the operations of fisheries processing factories to mere up 15 percent capacity. It said that the country lost about 13 percent of seafood export in Oct 2018 and 25 percent in Nov 2018 from the low landing of catch due to the 12-nautical mile restrictions, a copy of the letter was provided to Business Recorder said on Friday. "The fact of the case is that our catch consists of 80 percent of raw material caught by trawlers and 60 percent is caught from Balochistan waters and by restricting it we are losing our major raw material and thus losing exports," the Pakfea letter highlighted the issue to the ministry, saying that the factories resultantly from the restrictions are facing economic problems. It is feared that the continuing low capacity operations may force the owners to layoff workers from their factories in coming months if the crisis persists. "Our factories are working now at 10-15 percent capacity with expenses standing thus forcing an economic problem in coming days," it showed the exporters concerns, saying that the dwindling operations are feared to impose a lay-off of workers. The Pakfea Chairman through the letter made a request to the federal commerce advisor to help suspend the maritime restrictions on hunt of Sindh's fishermen immediately. It said that the federal commerce ministry should help Balochistan government understand the problem emerged from its maritime restrictions. "We, therefore request you to take up the matter with both the government officials from federal and Balochistan to immediately suspend their actions and call a meeting of all stakeholders to understand the problem and find a solution to salvage the livelihood of 1.5 million citizens and billions of rupees investment now going to liquidation," the letter urged, saying that "kindly consider this as an SOS call and act urgently." The country's seafood export sector earned $451 million to the national exchequer last fiscal year, which also grew the exporters' expectations to take the sector to $550 million level during the current fiscal year but the federal deep sea fishing policy broke the smooth tempo in Oct 2018. The letter said that the arrest of local fishermen trawling in Balochistan waters by Maritime Security Agency is the key reason behind falling seafood export. "Dozens of other boats were warned by MSA to return to Sindh waters and not to fish in Balochistan as by amendment in Balochistan Fisheries Ordinance 1971 of Provincial Government the limit of restriction to catch shrimps by trawling was increased to 12 nautical miles," according to the letter. Truong Hai Auto is currently the sole distributor of BMW cars in Vietnam. Photo by Reuters THACO, a major player in the countrys commercial vehicle segment, plans to assemble German brand BMW cars in Vietnam. Tran Ba Duong, chairman of the Truong Hai Auto Corporation (THACO), said at a conference last week that BMW cars will be the next vehicle that THACO assembles in the country, following other brands like Peugeot, Kia and Mazda. He did not reveal further details about when this would happen and what models would be assembled. THACO became the sole authorized distributor of BMW in Vietnam starting January this year, after Ho Chi Minh City-based Euro Auto lost its license for smuggling 133 BMW cars in December 2016. Duong had said earlier that he plans to open 15 BMW and MINI (a car brand owned by BMW) showrooms by early next year. However, the company currently runs only one BMW showroom in Hanoi, another in HCMC and one MINI showroom, also in HCMC. THACO has not revealed its revenue from selling BMW cars this year, but a source told VnExpress that the company sold almost 400 vehicles in the first half of this year. Euro Auto, at its peak, sold 1,400 BMW and 400 MINI cars a year. BMW cars were first assembled in Vietnam in 1995 by the VMC company in Hanoi. However, low sales led to the factorys shutdown in 2005, and VMC had to spend two years selling its inventory. Mercedes-Benz is currently the only luxury car brand that assembles its vehicles in Vietnam, and it tops domestic market sales in this segment. Industry insiders say that if BMW cars are assembled in the country again, they could emerge a strong competitor, especially in terms of price. The Mercedes-Benz logo is seen before the company's annual news conference in Germany. Photo by Reuters/Michaela Rehle Mercedes-Benz Vietnam is expected to issue a recall notice for 4,802 vehicles due to seatbelt faults in their rear seats. Company representatives said that an application for the recall has been submitted and they are waiting for approval from the Vietnam Register, the vehicle registration, inspection and quality control department of the Ministry of Transport. The models affected by this recall are the popular GLC 200, GLC 250 4MATIC, and GLC 300 4MATIC. These models were assembled at the Mercedes factory in HCMC between March 2016 and February 2018, and sold mainly to Vietnamese consumers. It is expected that owners of the faulty SUVs can have their vehicles checked and repaired free of charge at Mercedes Vietnam dealers nationwide from Jan 15, 2019 till the end of 2023. For the left and right rear seats, the seatbelt retracts so much that its locking clip can be stuck in a crevice in the inner car plating. If this happens, the clip cannot be retrieved and used again. Mercedes GLC is one of the models distributed in the Vietnamese market by the German luxury manufacturer. In 2017, GLC was the best-selling model for the company as well as the entire luxury car market, priced at VND1.68-2.9 billion ($72,032 $124,032). 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. Nghi Son has started commercial operations this Sunday. Photo acquired by VnExpress The Nghi Son Refinery began commercial operation Sunday, and is expected to meet about 40 percent of domestic petroleum demand in 2019. Speaking at its inauguration, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc emphasized the key role of the project. The refinery will process 200,000 barrels of crude per day in the first phase, equivalent to 10 million tons a year, double the capacity of Dung Quat, Vietnams only other refinery, in the central Quang Ngai Province. Situated in the Nghi Son Economic Zone, 200 km south of Hanoi in the central province of Thanh Hoa, Nghi Son is expected to hit 80 percent of capacity next year. According to the Thanh Hoa People's Committee, last June the refinery was already capable of 10 refined petroleum products such as liquefied petroleum gas, gasoline A92, A95, diesel oil, and kerosene. As of December the plant has processed around five million tons of crude. Nghi Son together with Dung Quat is expected to meet 80-90 percent of domestic petroleum demand, reducing Vietnams dependence on imports. The $9 billion refinery is 35.1 percent owned by Japans Idemitsu Kosan Co, 35.1 percent by Kuwait Petroleum, 25.1 percent by state-run PetroVietnam and 4.7 percent by Mitsui Chemicals Inc. SMEs account for more than 40 percent of the GDP, 30 percent of the governments revenues, and 33 percent of industrial output. Photo by VnExpress Information transparency is one of the key factors that enable small businesses to borrow from credit institutions, according to economists. Economist Dr Can Van Luc said 70 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), equivalent to nearly 400,000 businesses, find it difficult to get credit. The outstanding loans to SMEs accounted for 22-25 percent of total outstanding loans in the 2012-2017 period. This was partly due to the small size of the enterprises, which makes it difficult for banks to use financial indicators to grade and rate them when considering loans. "The lack of information transparency and collateral, and the infeasibility of their projects cause credit institutions to say no to small businesses," Vu Tien Loc, chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), said at a recent forum on "Solutions to Promote Small and Medium Sized Enterprises". Bui Thu Thuy, deputy director of the Ministry of Planning and Investments Enterprise Development Agency, said businesses need to have a mechanism to share information with banks and build a database on assets, equity capital, turnover, annual profits, operational status, etc. According to statistics from the Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, 600,000 SMEs account for 97.5 percent of the country's total number of enterprises. Every year SMEs create over one million new jobs and account for more than 40 percent of the GDP, 30 percent of the governments revenues, 33 percent of industrial output, and 30 percent of exports. The total capital of SMEs is around $121 billion, accounting for 30 percent of the registered capital of all enterprises. But despite playing an important role in the economy, SMEs are struggling to grow. A recent survey of over 504 enterprises in many fields by the VCCI found that the biggest obstacle to growth for SMEs was funding. Loc said 60 percent of SMEs cannot access funding, which is the responsibility of the government, banks and the companies themselves. To help businesses address this issue, the VCCI recently carried out a project called "Supporting Vietnamese Enterprises to Improve Access to Credit, Enhancing Management Capacity and Financial Transparency". Flooding triggered by Storm Usagi demolishes a bridge in Nha Trang in the central province of Khanh Hoa, stranding 300 families in November. Photo by VnExpress/Xuan Ngoc The number of tropical storms that hit Vietnam this year decreased against 2017, but human and economic losses were severe. A report from the Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control released late last week said natural disasters, mostly flooding, tropical storms and landslides, killed 181 people and left 37 others missing as of December 20. The disasters caused damage worth around VND20 trillion ($858 million), three times lower than last years figure of VND60 trillion ($2.6 billion). Vietnam has been struck by 13 typhoons and tropical depressions so far this year, against the 16 tropical storms last year that killed 389 people and injured 668 others, mostly in the northern and central regions, according to official figures. Last month, torrential downpours triggered by Typhoon Toraji hit the popular resort town of Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa Province hard, and 19 lives were lost. Several days later, storm Usagi hit the south central provinces, and one man in Ho Chi Minh City died. The country`s biggest city received rainfall of up to 400mm, among the heaviest in its history, according to Le Dinh Quyet from the Southern Meteorological Center. Vietnam has been deemed one of the five countries most vulnerable to climate change. Despite this, the country is not well prepared for these scenarios, and questions have been raised about its forecasting capabiltities and disaster response mechanisms. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong told at a conference last Friday that Vietnams weather forecasting capability "has not met the demand." "The control and prevention of disaster risks have not been taken seriously by some localities, which led to deadly and extensive damage in Nha Trang last month," he said. According to the World Bank, about 70 percent of the countrys population is exposed to the risks of typhoons, floods, droughts, storm surges, salt water intrusion, landslides, forest fires and occasional earthquakes. The risks are exacerbated by climate change. The country loses 1-1.5 percent of GDP annually due to natural disasters, according to the World Bank. Floods and storms are the most common calamities, accounting for more than 40 percent of all natural disasters. The naked body of a young Vietnamese woman was found Friday in a house shed rented in a Malaysian province. Malaysian police said the body has been sent for a post mortem, but it looked as though the woman had been dead for two or three days, a New Strait Times report said. The report identified the 26-year-old woman as Nguyen Thi Thuong, whod rented the house in Seberang Perai Province, around one hour southeast of downtown Penang, for over four months. Her death was discovered after Thuongs friend Luong Thi Bac reported her absence to local police after not being able to contact her for several days. When Bac visited the victims house, she found the door unlocked but the lights still turned on. When they entered Thuongs house, they discovered her naked body sprawled on the sofa. Her face was covered with a towel and pillow, police said. There were blood stains on the floor near the victim, and on the wall near the sofa, the site reports as citing police. A forensic examination found injuries on her hand and a stab wound on her neck. Police believe the murderer was an acquaintance of the victim, based on the lack of signs of a struggle. Last month, a Vietnamese woman, Le Thi My Diem from the central province of Binh Dinh, was found dead with injuries to the neck in her rented apartment in Japans Osaka City. She had came to Japan as an internship student. Her death is being investigated. In pictures: Christmas around the world From Hanoi to Seoul and Moscow, the Christmas lights and decorations bring festive cheer around the world. Hanoi's St. Joseph Cathedral has arguably the most detailed and magnificent decorations in the city center. Stars sparkle on the trees in front, a comet adorns the cathedral's facade, and a collection of Xmas trees and large floral arrangements have been drawing thousands of visitors over the last few days, which has also seen carol singing, other concerts including choir perfomances. Photo by VnExpress A Vietnamese boy dressed in Santa Claus costume rides pillion with her mother past the late 19th-century St. Joseph's cathedral in the Old Quarters of Hanoi during Christmas Eve on December 24, 2018. Photo by AFP Children walk past Christmas lanterns known locally as 'parol' on display along a street in Manila on December 24, 2018. Photo by AFP South Korean volunteers in Santa Claus outfits throw Santa hats during a ceremony before the delivery of Christmas gifts in Seoul on December 24, 2018. The volunteers will deliver Christmas gifts to 1,200 kids from 800 poor families in Seoul on Christmas eve. Photo by AFP A couple takes selfies inside the "Milky Way tunnel" at the New Taipei City. Photo by AFP A woman walks inside an illuminated pavilion near the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. Photo by AFP Belarusians dressed as Santa Claus take part in the country's first Santa Run around a lake in Minsk. Photo by Reuters Festive decorations and illumination lights for the upcoming New Year and Christmas season are seen in Minsk, Belarus. Photo by Reuters Saigon's veins sparkle with Christmas magic On Christmas Eve, Saigon's alleys are festooned with colorful lights to commemorate the birth of Jesus. Alleys are the veins of urban life in most cities, and Saigon is no exception. They are places where close-knit bonds bind neighborhoods; places that are home to the best street food; places that hide the best cafes; and places that generate vibrant street art. And beyond the mainstream glitter of shopping malls and imposing churches, the festivity of a Christmas season seeps into the alleys of "Christian hamlets", imparting a glow all their own. Saigon's veins sparkle with Christmas magic Christmas in Saigon Video by Que Chi As the countrys biggest archdiocese, Ho Chi Minh City is home to nearly 700,000 Christians. And the community goes to town to ensure that this time of the year remains magical and sparkling. A man and his grandchild walk on Alley 58, Au Co Street, Tan Binh District. Photo by Thanh Nguyen Two women in white tunics walk home after attending the church service in an alley of Tran Van Hoang Street, Tan Binh District. Photo by Thanh Nguyen The night train adds its headlights to an illuminated pathway in Phu Nhuan District. Photo by Thanh Nguyen Parishioners in Tan Binh District have lit up their alley in green with hundreds of meters of flickering lights. Photo by Dat Tran Alley 479 in Nguyen Kiem Street is dyed pink for Christmas. Photo by Thanh Nguyen Two men hang up holiday lights in an alley of Le Duc Tho Street, Go Vap District. The light shows and decorations in the neighborhood bring the community together, with each house chipping in VND200,000 ($8.58) and lending helping hands, said a parishioner. Photo by Dat Tran "Every year our family sets up a cave (nativity scene) to decorate the front of the house," said Tran Vu, a resident in a Nguyen Kiem Street's alley. "It has become a tradition for over 40 years, starting with my grandpa, then my dad and now me." Photo by Thanh Nguyen A fullly installed grotto in an alleyway in Go Vap District. Photo by Dat Tran Kids marvelled at a large Santa Claus and a fake Christmas pine tree in Alley 78, Chan Hung Street, Tan Binh District. Photo by Thanh Nguyen Another elaborate nativity scene shines next to an English evening class in Alley 122, Do Tan Phong Street, Phu Nhuan District. Photo by Thanh Nguyen Vietnam filled with beauty at every turn: travel website U.S.-based Go Overseas website has ranked Vietnam eighth in its list of top 10 travel destinations for 2019. Hoi An town at sunset. Photo by Shutterstock/Vuong Kha Thinh The countries have been chosen based on their popularity among travelers in 2018, with data collected from tours offered by the website and the search frequencies of websites readers. The website describes Vietnams popularity, saying the nation is "filled with beauty at every turn". It also mentions various natural wonders in Vietnam, including jungle islands, their azure beaches, and Mekong Deltas rice fields. An aerial view of rice fields in Mekong Delta, Tri Ton Town, An Giang Province. Photo by Shutterstock/Tonkinphotography Son Doong cave is also named as part of the countrys remarkable landscape. The cave, located in the central province Quang Binh, is the worlds largest cave with great biological diversity. In the capital city Hanoi, the website recommends the imperial citadel, the Hanoi Opera House and Temple of Literature as places to visit. Another town to be discovered is Hoi An, home to lantern festivals and savory dishes like shrimp dumplings and its version of banh mi, the website says. Banh mi, a kind of sandwich that consists of a Vietnamese single-serving baguette filled with various savory ingredients, is one of Vietnam's iconic street dishes. Vietnam welcomed 15 million foreign visitors in the year to December 20. This exceeds last years 14 million, setting a new record for the countrys tourism industry. A 2018 global report by the United Nations World Tourism Organization ranked Vietnams tourism growth as the fourth highest in the world. Ukraine army to get UAH 16 bln more in funding in 2019 - Poroshenko Next year's defense and security budget will be over 5% of GDP. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Some 500,000 Ukrainians could quit Poland's labor market in favor of Germany About 2 million Ukrainians now live in Poland. Most of them are labor migrants. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Melamchi works yet to resume The weeklong obstruction in the Melamchi Water Supply Project works, which started with government officials accusing the contractors of trying to flee the country, has yet to end. Brussels Thursday December 5, the ECPM hosted a pro-Israel conference in cooperation with the European Coalition for Israel (ECI). ECPM MEPs Skripek, Belder and Gericke were among the speakers of this event. Our aim was to highlight different policy areas in which the EU can enhance its cooperation with Israel. It is encouraging to see that there is already so much collaboration on the practical level. On the other hand, it is regrettable that there are other areas where the economic collaboration is blocked by the EU, like the discriminative labeling of products from the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. MEP Belder uses to make an effort for good relationships between the EU and its member states on the one side, and Israel on the other side, for many years now. He does so, most prominently as Vice Chair of the European Parliaments Israel Delegation. He opened the conference with a clear-cut statement: Israel is and will always be a source of inspiration and innovation for its EU partners! On protecting Jewish communities and fighting anti-Semitism, he said: This must not only be a case of reason, but above all a case of the heart. Churches and Christian organizations have a key role herein. Panel 1: EU, Israel, and European Jewry the next 15 years ECPM president and MEP Skripek emphasized the political similarities between Israel and Europe: "Israel is commonly branded as the only democracy in the Middle East. If this is truth, and my own experience says so, the natural consequence would be for the EU member states to cherish this democracy and see Israel as a natural partner that will help to promote peace and freedom of religion and belief in the region." MEP Gericke commented on the importance of Jewish communities throughout the European Union: Every day, whether I am in plenary or in Germany, I support Israel and all Jewish communities in Europe and I will always fight against antisemitism! MEP Heinz Becker (EPP, AT), also among the speakers, added: we have to stand against all threats to the Jewish people and the State of Israel, including the existential threat from Iran as well as from Hezbollah and the BDS movement. Co-organizer ECI celebrated its 15th birthday. Founding Director Tomas Sandell was very delightful after the conference, saying: The ECI could not have received a better birthday present, referring to the unanimously passing of the first ever EU-resolution condemning anti-Semitism in Europe, presented by the Ministers of Interior of the 28 EU member states, a few hundred meters away in the Council building. Andrew Tucker, also involved in the ECI, made some comments on the Israel-Palestine peace process, saying that it is time for Europe to reassess this policy. Tucker, like the ECPM, strongly believes that the key to achieving peace in the region is not by condemning Israel and pressuring it to give up land, but strengthening the rule of law. By that, he means sovereignty of the Jewish state, condemning violence and terror, and assisting Israel to protect the rights of all minorities. The State of Israel was represented by the new Deputy Chief of Mission to the EU Walil Abu-Haya: Israel and Europe share the same set of values of freedom and democracy. This should be the base and the guidelines of all our many joint initiatives toward better future to all. Panel 2: The future of Israel EU relations from Horizon 2020 to Horizon Europe The second panel of the conference was chaired by ECPM MEP Bas Belder and Director for European Affairs Leo van Doesburg. The discussion focused on the possibilities of collaboration between Israel and the EU in the field of innovation as the Union is developing its new research and innovation program: Horizon Europe. Speakers during this part were: - Jehuda Glick, Member of the Israeli Knesset - Josh Reinstein President of the Israel Allies Foundation, - Andrea Carignani di Novoli, European Commission DG Research & Innovation, - Nili Shalev, Director General of the Israel-EU R&D Directorate from the Israel Innovation Authority; - Shai Newman, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Compedia During the conference, there also was a lot of attention for the cultural heritage of Jews in Europe. Rabbi Yehuda Glick, Member of the Israeli Knesset, led a Hanukah celebration. He lit the fourth candle of the Jewish Menorah which was brought in directly from Jerusalem, followed by a time of joyful singing of Jewish and Christian holiday songs. More to read on the website of the European Coalition for Israel (report) and the Jerusalem Post Cristina Cartes, 30, inside the European Parliament. Delmi Alvarez If Im going to live on a shoestring in Spain, I might as well live on a shoestring in Berlin, thought Belen Lucas, a 33-year-old from Catalonia, before packing her bags in 2010. At that point, the youth unemployment rate was above 40% as the country grappled with a protracted financial crisis. Lucas, who has a degree in the humanities and speaks five languages, has since held a variety of jobs that include sales clerk, accountant, and writer. Now she is thinking of going back home, but first a few things need to change in Spain. The Spanish government is working on a plan to attract people like Lucas, who would like to return, but not at any price. A timid trend The number of Spaniards living abroad has grown 64% in the last 10 years, while the number of people taking themselves off embassy records has increased from approximately 27,000 in 2013 to nearly 64,000 in 2017, according to figures from the National Statistics Institute (INE). There is this enduring notion that you should be grateful to whoever gives you a job, as though it were a favor Belen Lucas, resident in Berlin These numbers are not entirely representative, as there are other factors at play such as Latin Americans with Spanish citizenship who are moving back to their home countries, or the fact that not all Spaniards living abroad inform their local embassies when they arrive or leave. However, these figures suggest that emigrants are beginning to make the journey back. With this group in mind, the government of Pedro Sanchez, of the Socialist Party (PSOE), is working on a comprehensive plan to help them make the journey back, said Consuelo Rumi, the state secretary for migration, at the project presentation in October. The plan is not ready yet, it will be completed in January and a pilot project will get underway in February or March, adds Raul Gil, co-founder of Volvemos.org, a support group for returning Spaniards that works for the government in an advisory capacity. Officials are meeting with emigrants and business leaders to understand the needs on both ends of the labor market before drafting specific policy guidelines. Wages could be higher, says Lucas in a telephone conversation from Berlin. In Spain they ask for too much experience for precarious jobs, and there is this enduring notion that you should be grateful to whoever gives you a job, as though it were a favor. We give them information about the job market, about the hiring situation in specific industries Laura Maldonado, mediator Spain is still very much stuck in a culture of personal contacts, adds Cristina Cartes, 30, a journalism graduate who lives in Brussels, where she moved seven years ago. Since then, Cartes has been building a career at the European Commission and Parliament, but she is convinced that experience does not count in Spain. She also wants more job stability: Precariousness continues to be the rule. The lack of a work-family balance, the absurd insistence on face time, the hierarchies, the poor training... are also problems says Gil, the head of Volvemos.org, who also left during the crisis. Finding a decent job is one of the basic necessities that this advisory group and the government have identified after meeting with Spanish migrants in Germany and the UK, which are home to 14% and 27.7% of Spaniards living abroad respectively, according to Gils organization. The unemployment rate in Spain is now 14.5%, and most contracts are temporary. Gil says that Spanish residents abroad want all information on legal and administrative requirements to be available on a single platform. They also want personalized attention because there is no one single migrant profile. According to figures compiled by Volvemos.org, 8,893 people, based in 114 countries, are interested in returning to Spain. They cut across all age segments and educational backgrounds students, senior citizens, engineers, scientists, teachers, architects, artists, journalists, singles and families with children. The plan must be sufficiently inclusive to meet the needs of every profile, says Gil. Mediators The Spanish region of Castilla-La Mancha was a pioneer, launching a plan last year that has helped over 300 Spaniards return. This year the budget was doubled to 700,000. The plan uses mediators to provide individualized assistance through the process via Skype, explains Laura Maldonado, who works as a mediator herself. Spain is still very much stuck in a culture of personal contacts Cristina Cartes, resident of Brussels We give them information about the job market, about the hiring situation in specific industries, and we help them keep their expectations in check, because the return process can last anywhere from a month to a year. The central government has taken note of this and other similar experiments currently underway in the Basque Country, Balearic Islands and Valladolid. Elsewhere in southern Europe, Portugal has been implementing similar plans since 2015 through Emprendeer2020, which seeks to bring back highly qualified professionals. And last year Greece launched a virtual return plan to facilitate networking between themselves and with the Greek economy, said project coordinator Dimitri Maragos. Belen Lucas thinks she will stay in Berlin a while longer, although she dreams of returning. I would like to go back to be closer to my family. Besides, we really suffer with the climate and the food here. I just dont feel like sausages anymore, she jokes, then adds seriously: There are people who really want to go back but its hard. English version by Susana Urra. Two children traveling in a migrant boat died on Sunday as they were crossing the Mediterranean in an attempt to reach the Spanish coast, according to survivors accounts. Another 69 people who were aboard the vessel were rescued by a Moroccan fishing boat. 769 people have died so far in 2018 as they attempted the Mediterranean crossing to Spain Survivors have provided varying accounts of the childrens deaths. Some said they were forced to throw the bodies overboard after the youngsters died en route. Others said that they died at the Moroccan beach of Tcharrana, where their journey began, when two gasoline containers caught fire. Spanish rescue and law enforcement agencies have been unable to locate the bodies. The survivors, 64 men and five women from sub-Saharan Africa, were taken to the port of Almeria, in southern Spain, and are reported to be in good health according to the Red Cross. On Thursday of last week, 13 people died and 12 more remain missing after their boat capsized in the Mediterranean. Survivors said that 11 of the 13 people who died had drunk seawater. Spanish rescue services saved 55 more migrants this past weekend. A baby is loaded into the rescue vessel of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms on December 21 Olmo Calvo. (AP) According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 769 people have died so far in 2018 as they attempted the Mediterranean crossing to Spain. Another 55,000 migrants have managed to make the journey along the Western Mediterranean route, which has seen a spike in traffic after Italy and Malta stopped taking in rescue ships. Open Arms The Open Arms, a humanitarian ship run by a Catalan non-profit group, is headed for the southern Spanish city of Algeciras after rescuing 310 migrants near the coast of Libya. The Open Arms received global attention in July when it took a group of migrants to Barcelona after they were rejected by Italy and Malta. Before that, another humanitarian ship named Aquarius had made world headlines after being denied permission to dock by Italy and Malta; its 630 migrants were finally taken in by Spain in a case that sparked a renewed debate about immigration in Europe. The Spanish government was criticized last month for refusing to take in 12 migrants rescued by a fishing boat named Nuestra Madre Loreto off the coast of Libya. They were eventually accepted by Malta. English version by Susana Urra. The US State Department issued a security alert to its citizens on Sunday, telling them to exercise heightened caution if they are in Barcelona because of the potential for a terrorist attack in the popular area of La Rambla during Christmas and New Years. Exercise heightened caution around areas of vehicle movement, including buses, in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona during Christmas and New Years. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, and other public areas, says the agency on its official Twitter account. As a result of the information that they have received, the Catalan police, the Mossos dEsquadra, are now looking for a man who has been identified as B. L., 30, from Casablanca, Morocco. This man is in possession of a bus drivers license and he has a police record in Spain for insulting a member of the Civil Guard at Malaga airport in 2006. Barcelonas La Rambla was the site of a major terrorist attack in August of last year, when a Jihadist rammed a rental van into pedestrians along the busy thoroughfare, killing 16 and injuring 131. The police are currently carrying out checks on bus and minibus drivers in the center of Barcelona and monitoring car rental companies in a bid to locate the potential suspect. There is no indication that he is currently on Spanish territory. On August 18, 2017 La Rambla was the site of a terrorist attack when a van plowed into a crowd The regional police will reinforce their presence on La Rambla over the holidays with extra Mossos on duty and added inspections of the area. Potential targets such as the Sagrada Familia basilica will also have extra security. These kinds of alerts are common over the Christmas season and the Interior Ministry has the terror alert set at level 4 on a scale of 5. On August 18, 2017 a man named Younes Abouyaaqoub drove a rental van into a crowd on La Rambla, in the worst terrorist attack in Spain since the March 2004 Madrid train bombings that killed 193 people and left around 1,700 injured. Nine hours later, a similar attack took place in Cambrils, south of Barcelona, where attackers in a vehicle mowed down six people. English version by Heather Galloway. OPEC Fund Partners Ameriabank to Address Problems and Help to Improve the Life of People in Armenia. T. Alnassar. Generation A: Edition 14. Exclusive Chance to Begin Your Professional Career with Ameriabank Katna Armenian cheeses enter the market: the new project of Galaxy Group of Companies US$30m OPEC Fund loan to Ameriabank to promote sustainable energy and support small businesses in Armenia Google Ad 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 Google Ad 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 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 Pietrodarchi to give present to Armenian audience again (video) On December 25, night with emotional surprises is expected for the music lovers. The Italian bandeonist Mario Stefano Pietrodarchi will perform at the Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall with the Armenian State Symphonic Orchestra. The New Year's Eve visit of the Italian bandeonist to Yerevan has become traditional and awaited. "I forgot how many times I have visited your fantastic country. I love Armenia, the hospitable Armenians, young, but mature musicians of the Armenian State Symphonic Orchestra, who are constantly improving, I love my friend Sergey Smbatyan with whom we meet not only in Armenia, but also in different countries. It's a great pleasure for me to play with them," says Mario. It is not the first time that the musician celebrates his birthday in Armenia. "I have many Armenian friends and I have to say that celebrating the birthday in Armenia has another taste and smell," said Mario and added, "I would be happy to spend my birthday here every year." This year's program, according to Mario, is more Italian. It includes Ennio Morricone, Martin Palmer, Roberto Di Marino, Astor Piazzolla, and as always, surprises. U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker has said he is ready to pay a visit to Moscow as soon as the Ukrainian seamen taken prisoners of war during Russia's attack on three Ukrainian naval vessels near the Kerch Strait are released. "Following a Russian attack on the Ukrainian naval vessels and capture of their crews, President Trump canceled his meeting with President Putin. In view of this, I too have decided that it would be inexpedient for me to visit Moscow now. I hope I will be able to do it next year as soon as the seamen are released," he said in an interview with 1+1 TV channel on December 23. Also, he said the Russian party should release the Ukrainian seamen. "We all have been calling on Russia to do it as a gesture of goodwill Ideally, by Christmas," Volker said. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has welcomed the adoption on December 22, 2018 by the UN General Assembly of the resolution "Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine." "The decision is yet another evidence of the strong support of the international community for the need to uphold human rights on the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol," the ministry said in a statement. "The General Assembly points out that the overall human rights situation on the Ukrainian peninsula if sharply deteriorating and, despite the urges by the international community, the Russian Federation continues to blatantly violate its obligations as an occupying power. The delegations condemned Russias non-compliance with the provisions of the previous UNGA resolutions 71/205 and 71/190 adopted in 2016 and 2017 respectively," the statement says. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that the states also condemned the ongoing arbitrary arrests and detentions, disappearances, searches, violence and ill-treatment of activists, which became an everyday reality in what has been until recently a peaceful and stable Ukrainian autonomous republic. Kyiv has demanded the aggressor state stop the total lawlessness in the occupied territory and ensure that the international law is upheld there, release all illegally detained persons, including political prisoners Oleh Sentsov, Volodymyr Balukh, and Emir-Usein Kuku. "It is important to emphasize that the resolution calls upon all the states and international organizations to refer to Crimea as the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine," the statement reads. "We in Ukraine are sincerely grateful to every state that gave its vote in support of the UN General Assembly's resolution "Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine," the ministry said. Media reports from Iran say that the health condition of Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi has turned worse and he is in the intensive care unit of a hospital. Ayatollah Shahroudi is the head of Irans Expediency Discernment Council (EDC) and a long-time conservative ally of the Supreme Leader, Ali Khamanei. Mehr News agency quoting unofficial sources says Sharoudi is not in a good condition and Qom News has called on the pious and God-loving people to pray for him. Other media outlets have also published similar reports. Ayatollah Sharoudi has not appeared in public since mid-summer and EDC Secretary, former iRGC commander Mohsen Rezaei has explained his absence from meetings as recommended by doctors. The senior cleric was appointed by Khamenei as chairman of EDC in the summer of 2017, after the controversial death of former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani a key politician and power-broker from the early days of Irans revolution. The EDC had been under the chairmanship of Rafsanjani since its inception. The council is tasked by the constitution to act as arbiter between parliament and the Guardian Council, which must approve all legislation, to make sure compatibility with Islamic laws and increasingly, with Khameneis wishes. Although his illness was said to be a common digestive system problem, but last December he was reported to have been hospitalized in Germany for treatment of a serious health problem. German authorities were considering to file charges against him for his role in major human rights violation based on a complaint by a German lawmaker who accused the cleric of committing "crimes against humanity" during his decade overseeing hundreds of executions as the head of Iran's Justice Ministry. Shahroudi was born in Iraq and moved to Iran after the revolution. He is 69 years old. While the price of a whole chicken is $1.3 per pound in the United States, the cost in Iran has gone up to almost $1.15. But the income of an average Iranian is many times less than a middle class American. Analysts in Iran believe that soon chicken is expected to disappear from the grocery basket of families in Iran. A producers union official has said "a 40% drop in production" and the "poultry producers tendency to benefit from the current situation to gain as much as possible", as well as poultry diseases have pushed prices higher. Price comparisons indicate that the price of chicken shows more than 40% rise within the last five months. Prices of many essential goods have been rising in Iran due to the fall in the value of the national currency, made worse by U.S. sanctions. As red meat and fish have become too expensive, the middle class and poorer strata of the Iranian society have turned to buying poultry, significantly increasing price of chicken according to industry experts. Meanwhile, a member of parliament has warned that "anomalous increase in the prices of chicken and red meat might lead to the elimination of poultry from the family grocery baskets across Iran. Meanwhile, an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus among backyard poultry in the north of Iran has further contributed to the skyrocketing price of poultry. The Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), citing a report from Iran's agriculture ministry said on Monday, December 3, "The virus infected ten out of a flock of 138 geese, ducks, free-range chickens in the village of Valerian in the Tehran region." Nirmala murder case: Chaudhary taken to Kathmandu for medial examination Bishal Chaudhary, who was arrested and later released in connection with the rape and murder of Nirmala Pant, was taken to Kathmandu for medical examination on Monday. Iranian activist Reza Khandan, the husband of imprisoned human-rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, has been released from custody in Iran, his lawyer said in a post on Facebook on December 23. Lawyer Mohammad Moghimi wrote that following Khandan's release, both Sotoudeh and activist Farhad Meysami ended hunger strikes that were partially motivated by support for Khandan. Moghimi said Khandan was released on December 23 but did not provide details on the circumstances or conditions. Khandan was detained on September 4 after he complained on Facebook about human-rights violations in Iran, including the imprisonment of rights defenders and the prosecution of women who have campaigned against the requirement to wear the Islamic hijab. Khandan faced charges of acting contrary to Iran's national security and promoting "anti-hijab" activities. On December 2, Khandan refused to attend a hearing before a branch of the Revolutionary Court, arguing that the charges against him are political, so his trial should be held in open session before a jury at the Tehran Criminal Court. Meysami's hunger strike lasted 145 days. Sotoudeh began her hunger strike on August 25. Sotoudeh, 55, was arrested on June 13 and ordered to serve a five-year sentence imposed on her in absentia in September 2016 for allegedly carrying out "activities against national security in collaboration with domestic and foreign antirevolutionary elements," according to Human Rights Watch. International rights groups and the U.S. government have denounced the arrest of the lawyer, who earlier in 2018 represented several women detained for publicly protesting the compulsory hijab. Sotoudeh -- the co-winner of the European Parliament's 2012 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought -- has denied all charges against her. An outspoken critic of the Iranian establishment, Sotoudeh previously spent several years in prison on security charges, including acting against Iran's national security. She has defended journalists, rights activists, and juveniles. With reporting by Iranhumanrights.org Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 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. 24. 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. 24 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: More favorable atmosphere for the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be created in 2019, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference in Baku Dec. 24, Trend reports. The basis of this has already been laid this year, he said. Several meetings were held at the highest level. A meeting is expected between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in January 2019. Russia is ready to continue to help resolving the conflict. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow the author on Twitter:@Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Military cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan is actively developing, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference in Baku Dec. 24, Trend reports. We have an intergovernmental commission, he said. It has recently held its last meeting. The corresponding decision was made there. Azerbaijan has actively participated in international military game competitions over the past few years. As far as I know, some of these competitions may be held in the territory of Azerbaijan at sea next year. Bocharnikov noted that the defense ministers of the two countries contact several times a year, adding that this year, the head of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces visited Azerbaijan three times. He added that some Azerbaijani servicemen are trained in Russian military universities. Ships of the Navy and the Border Service of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation arrive in Azerbaijan's ports, he said. Earlier, 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. 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. In turn, Gerasimov said that the ties of the two countries have historical roots, noting that 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. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 Trend: President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin made a phone call to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on December 24. President Putin congratulated President Aliyev on his birthday and wished him success in his presidential activity and the best of health. President Aliyev thanked for the attention and congratulations. The presidents noted that 2018 was a very fruitful year in the history of Azerbaijan-Russia friendly ties and that reciprocal visits of the heads of state and numerous contacts at international events elevated the relationship to a higher level. The presidents expressed their confidence that positive dynamics in the bilateral relations will continue and that Azerbaijan-Russia strategic partnership will further develop in 2019. Details added (first version posted on 13:00) Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Military cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan is actively developing, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference in Baku Dec. 24, Trend reports. We have an intergovernmental commission, he said. It has recently held its last meeting. The corresponding decision was made there. Azerbaijan has actively participated in international military game competitions over the past few years. As far as I know, some of these competitions may be held in the territory of Azerbaijan at sea next year. Bocharnikov noted that the defense ministers of the two countries contact several times a year, adding that this year, the head of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces visited Azerbaijan three times. He added that some Azerbaijani servicemen are trained in Russian military universities. Ships of the Navy and the Border Service of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation arrive in Azerbaijan's ports, he said. Earlier, 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. 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. In turn, Gerasimov said that the ties of the two countries have historical roots, noting that 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. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 Trend: Prime Minister of Georgia Mamuka Bakhtadze made a phone call to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on December 24. PM Bakhtadze congratulated President Aliyev on his birthday, and wished him new success in his presidential activity and the best of health. President Aliyev thanked for the attention and congratulations. During the phone conversation, President Aliyev and PM Bakhtadze hailed the development of bilateral relations between the two countries in a variety of areas and expressed their confidence that Azerbaijan-Georgia ties will continue developing successfully in 2019 too. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva have attended the inauguration of 110 kV Agh Shahar-2 and Bakikhanov substations and the Birinji Fevvareler Street as well as a groundbreaking ceremony of the Agh Shahar pedestrian bridge and Zaman square in Baku White City. They also viewed the newly-built Fountains Square Park. The president first inaugurated the Agh Shahar-2 substation. Acting Chairman of Azerishig OJSC Vugar Ahmadov informed the president that comprehensive measures are being taken in order to supply the White City with quality and sustainable electricity. Then, the opening of the Birinji Fevvareler Street was held. Chairman of the Board of Directors of Azerbaijan Highway State Agency Saleh Mammadov informed the president of the construction of new roads. President Aliyev cut the ribbon symbolizing the opening of the street. President Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva then viewed the newly-built Fountains Square Park. Executive Director of Baku White City project Ruslan Sadikhov informed the president that the Fountains Square Park, the foundation stone of which was laid by President Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva in December 2016, is part of a pedestrian passage and an 800-car public parking complex. President Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva then laid the foundation stone of Agh Shahar pedestrian bridge and Zaman square. After viewing the work done over the past period and projects to be implemented in the years to come, President Aliyev gave his instructions and recommendations. Details added (first version posted on 14:31) Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 Trend: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, over the past 15 years, has proved himself as the builder of new Azerbaijan over the past 15 years, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Presidents Assistant for Public and Political Affairs Ali Hasanov. Hasanov made the remarks during the event in Baku on Dec. 24 dedicated to the presentation of the book entitled "Ilham Aliyev - chronicle of the success of the fifteen-year presidency. 2003-2018" and the film of the same name. Hasanov stressed that if national leader Heydar Aliyev was the savior of Azerbaijan, his follower Ilham Aliyev over the past 15 years has been developing this country, has demonstrated a new management model and has proved himself as the builder of new Azerbaijan. "Ilham Aliyev, within his 15 years of presidency, has demonstrated that he has global and systematic strategic thinking, Hasanov said. Both the work he carries out in the country and the current foreign policy, the cooperation platforms being carried out upon his initiative, international and regional projects which are being implemented will bring benefit to Azerbaijan and its citizens and serve to strengthen the country for many decades, centuries. Thanks to these initiatives, Azerbaijan, which has no direct access to the open sea, has received the status of a transport and logistics center of the region, through the territory of which the East-West and North-South international transport corridors are stretching, Hasanov added. As the president stressed, this allowed Azerbaijan to lead in competition for international transportation, as well as make important contribution to the development of the non-oil sector. Thanks to the large-scale energy projects being implemented upon the Azerbaijani presidents initiative, the country plays an important role in ensuring the energy security of the West, he said. Today Azerbaijan is the only alternative source in providing Europe with energy and today some countries are provided with energy by 30-40 percent through Azerbaijan. Hasanov stressed that the stability ensured in Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Aliyev makes the country an attractive source of export, which does not promise geopolitical problems, as well as an energy and transport hub. "Thus, Azerbaijan redesigns the energy and transport map of the continent, Hasanov added. The projects created and implemented by Ilham Aliyev, namely, transnational oil and gas pipelines, intercontinental transport corridors, communication lines, ports, shipyards, airports, numerous cultural and medical facilities which were commissioned, national programs being implemented in the field of science, education, will ensure Azerbaijans well-being, sustainable development of our country." He said that over the past 15 years, President Aliyev paid attention to the development of the country's regions, the education of young people, public investments in human capital, social rights and social protection of citizens. President Aliyev paid special attention to the conceptual policy on protection of health care of citizens, national and spiritual values and upbringing of a new generation in the spirit of loyalty to the historical heritage, he said. Hasanov also said that Azerbaijan has established mutually beneficial relations with all neighboring countries except for Armenia. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 Trend: President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a phone call to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on December 24. Erdogan congratulated Ilham Aliyev on his birthday, and wished him the best of health and success in his presidential activity for the sake of prosperity and progress of the people of Azerbaijan. President Ilham Aliyev thanked for the attention and congratulations. The presidents described 2018 as a significant year in terms of the strengthening of friendly and brotherly ties between the two countries, underlining the importance of reciprocal visits and meetings in this regard. The presidents expressed their confidence that the bilateral relations will continue expanding in the years ahead. Nutrition home on the brink of closure due to lack of budget The Nutrition Rehabilitation Home (NRH) at Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital in Rajbiraj, which was set up seven years ago to provide treatment and nutritious food to malnourished children, is on the brink of closure due to budget shortage. Details added (first version posted on 14:31) Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 Trend: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, over the past 15 years, has proved himself as the builder of new Azerbaijan over the past 15 years, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Presidents Assistant for Public and Political Affairs Ali Hasanov. Hasanov made the remarks during the event in Baku on Dec. 24 dedicated to the presentation of the book entitled "Ilham Aliyev - chronicle of the success of the fifteen-year presidency. 2003-2018" and the film of the same name. Hasanov stressed that if national leader Heydar Aliyev was the savior of Azerbaijan, his follower Ilham Aliyev over the past 15 years has been developing this country, has demonstrated a new management model and has proved himself as the builder of new Azerbaijan. "Ilham Aliyev, within his 15 years of presidency, has demonstrated that he has global and systematic strategic thinking, Hasanov said. Both the work he carries out in the country and the current foreign policy, the cooperation platforms being carried out upon his initiative, international and regional projects which are being implemented will bring benefit to Azerbaijan and its citizens and serve to strengthen the country for many decades, centuries. Thanks to these initiatives, Azerbaijan, which has no direct access to the open sea, has received the status of a transport and logistics center of the region, through the territory of which the East-West and North-South international transport corridors are stretching, Hasanov added. As the president stressed, this allowed Azerbaijan to lead in competition for international transportation, as well as make important contribution to the development of the non-oil sector. Thanks to the large-scale energy projects being implemented upon the Azerbaijani presidents initiative, the country plays an important role in ensuring the energy security of the West, he said. Today Azerbaijan is the only alternative source in providing Europe with energy and today some countries are provided with energy by 30-40 percent through Azerbaijan. Hasanov stressed that the stability ensured in Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Aliyev makes the country an attractive source of export, which does not promise geopolitical problems, as well as an energy and transport hub. "Thus, Azerbaijan redesigns the energy and transport map of the continent, Hasanov added. The projects created and implemented by Ilham Aliyev, namely, transnational oil and gas pipelines, intercontinental transport corridors, communication lines, ports, shipyards, airports, numerous cultural and medical facilities which were commissioned, national programs being implemented in the field of science, education, will ensure Azerbaijans well-being, sustainable development of our country." He said that over the past 15 years, President Aliyev paid attention to the development of the country's regions, education of young people, public investments in human capital, social rights and social protection of citizens. President Aliyev paid special attention to the conceptual policy on protection of health care of citizens, national and spiritual values and upbringing of a new generation in the spirit of loyalty to the historical heritage, he said. Hasanov also said that Azerbaijan has established mutually beneficial relations with all neighboring countries except for Armenia. "Ilham Aliyev is a very pragmatic political leader and a realist, Hasanov added. He evaluates the results of his policy in advance. Azerbaijan is pursuing a predictable policy which is managed upon the programs. Ilham Aliyev fulfills the goals which he has set and promises he has made. Hasanov also said that the purposeful policy being pursued by the president is designed to improve the welfare of the population. "This policy is supported by people, he said. The monitoring being conducted by local and foreign structures and surveys which are being carried out testify to this support. The results of the presidential election this year showed peoples great confidence in Ilham Aliyevs policy. According to the survey conducted at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Azerbaijan ranks 20th in the world in the category "societys confidence in politicians", he said. This should be regarded as international recognition of peoples great confidence personally in Ilham Aliyev and in power." Hasanov also said that President Aliyev is a very determined leader who has strong political will. "Ilham Aliyev shows great determination, a titanic will to implement policy, projects, programs planned for Azerbaijan and he is able to implement what sometimes seems impossible, he said. The presented book and film have also showed how resolutely the president protects the interests of the Azerbaijanis in the international arena. The strategic policy, being conducted under the leadership of Ilham Aliyev, is aimed at constant improvement of Azerbaijans authority and role in the international arena." Details added (first version posted on 14:31) Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 Trend: Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, over the past 15 years, has proved himself as the builder of new Azerbaijan over the past 15 years, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Presidents Assistant for Public and Political Affairs Ali Hasanov. Hasanov made the remarks during the event in Baku on Dec. 24 dedicated to the presentation of a documentary and book entitled Ilham Aliyev: Annals of 15-year successful presidency. 2003-2018. Hasanov stressed that if national leader Heydar Aliyev was the savior of Azerbaijan, his follower Ilham Aliyev over the past 15 years has been developing this country, has demonstrated a new management model and has proved himself as the builder of new Azerbaijan. "Ilham Aliyev, within his 15 years of presidency, has demonstrated that he has global and systematic strategic thinking, Hasanov said. Both the work he carries out in the country and the current foreign policy, the cooperation platforms being carried out upon his initiative, international and regional projects which are being implemented will bring benefit to Azerbaijan and its citizens and serve to strengthen the country for many decades, centuries. Thanks to these initiatives, Azerbaijan, which has no direct access to the open sea, has received the status of a transport and logistics center of the region, through the territory of which the East-West and North-South international transport corridors are stretching, Hasanov added. As the president stressed, this allowed Azerbaijan to lead in competition for international transportation, as well as make important contribution to the development of the non-oil sector. Thanks to the large-scale energy projects being implemented upon the Azerbaijani presidents initiative, the country plays an important role in ensuring the energy security of the West, he said. Today Azerbaijan is the only alternative source in providing Europe with energy and today some countries are provided with energy by 30-40 percent through Azerbaijan. Hasanov stressed that the stability ensured in Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Aliyev makes the country an attractive source of export, which does not promise geopolitical problems, as well as an energy and transport hub. "Thus, Azerbaijan redesigns the energy and transport map of the continent, Hasanov added. The projects created and implemented by Ilham Aliyev, namely, transnational oil and gas pipelines, intercontinental transport corridors, communication lines, ports, shipyards, airports, numerous cultural and medical facilities which were commissioned, national programs being implemented in the field of science, education, will ensure Azerbaijans well-being, sustainable development of our country." He said that over the past 15 years, President Aliyev paid attention to the development of the country's regions, education of young people, public investments in human capital, social rights and social protection of citizens. President Aliyev paid special attention to the conceptual policy on protection of health care of citizens, national and spiritual values and upbringing of a new generation in the spirit of loyalty to the historical heritage, he said. Hasanov also said that Azerbaijan has established mutually beneficial relations with all neighboring countries except for Armenia. "Ilham Aliyev is a very pragmatic political leader and a realist, Hasanov added. He evaluates the results of his policy in advance. Azerbaijan is pursuing a predictable policy which is managed upon the programs. Ilham Aliyev fulfills the goals which he has set and promises he has made. Hasanov also said that the purposeful policy being pursued by the president is designed to improve the welfare of the population. "This policy is supported by people, he said. The monitoring being conducted by local and foreign structures and surveys which are being carried out testify to this support. The results of the presidential election this year showed peoples great confidence in Ilham Aliyevs policy. According to the survey conducted at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Azerbaijan ranks 20th in the world in the "societys confidence in politicians" category, he said. This should be regarded as international recognition of peoples great confidence personally in Ilham Aliyev and in power." Hasanov also said that President Aliyev is a very determined leader who has strong political will. "Ilham Aliyev shows great determination, a titanic will to implement policy, projects, programs planned for Azerbaijan and he is able to implement what sometimes seems impossible, he said. The presented book and film have also showed how resolutely the president protects the interests of the Azerbaijanis on international arena. The strategic policy, being conducted under the leadership of Ilham Aliyev, is aimed at constant improvement of Azerbaijans authority and role in the international arena." Hasanov added that Ilham Aliyevs great political culture is also observed in relation to the neighbors. "Despite some incitement and pressure, Azerbaijan has not played the role of a springboard against any country, he said. Even during the recent change of power in Armenia and the inactivity of the state administration, Azerbaijan did not use this in its interests. As a result, today Azerbaijan is recognized as a platform for cooperation and dialogue, it is contributing to an increase in international confidence, he said. It is not a coincidence that the holding of meetings of military leaders of US and Russia, NATO and Russia has become a tradition since 2017. Various Russian and Turkish politicians stress Azerbaijans support rendered to reduce tension between the two countries. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 Trend: Azerbaijani students have successfully represented Azerbaijan in the International Olympiad in Informatics held in Tbilisi, the capital city of Georgia. Claiming the second place in South region, our team was awarded with third place diploma of the International Team Olympiad. The students from the Republic Lyceum with physics, mathematics, and computer science bias, namely, Abutalib Namazov, Murad Eynizade, Ibrahim Taghizade, competed with 19 teams of South region. Azercell Telecom LLC also made a huge contribution to this success. In fact, the students have undergone a long process of preparation in the Preparation Center for International Olympiads with the support of the Ministry of Education and Azercells Barama Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. The preparation center offers the necessary material-technical provisions for students with the view to stimulate their training process for Olympiads, increase their scientific-innovative initiatives and demonstrate their scientific capacities. Notably, participation in the competitions was aimed to determine the knowledge level of the students, increase their experience and intensify the training process according to preparation plan of the International Olympiad in Informatics to be held in 2019 in Azerbaijan. More than 300 students from about 80 countries of the world are expected to take part in this competition. It is worth noting that, Azercell Telecom LLC, the company eminent for projects aimed at development of education and future generation under Corporative Social Responsibility Strategy, supported the Azerbaijani delegation in the International Olympiad in Informatics held in Tsukuba, one of the scientific and technological centers of Japan, in October. The leader of the mobile communication industry, the largest taxpayer and the biggest investor of the non-oil sector of Azerbaijan Azercell Telecom LLC was founded in 1996. With 48 per cent share of Azerbaijans mobile telecom market Azercells network covers 80 per cent of the territory (excluding 20% per cent of the occupied territories) and 99,8 per cent of population of the country. Currently, 4,5 million subscribers choose Azercell services. Azercell has pioneered an important number of innovations in Azerbaijan, including GSM technology, advance payment system, mobile internet services, Metro coverage, 24/7 call centre service, 7 day/week Front Office service, M2M services, one-stop-shopping approach Azercell Express offices, mobile customer services, Online Customer Care and Social Media Customer Care services, mobile e-signature service ASAN Imza etc. Azercell deployed first 4G LTE services in Azerbaijan in 2012. According to the results of mobile network quality and wireless coverage mapping surveys by international systems, Azercells network demonstrated the best results among the mobile operators of Azerbaijan. Azercell is the only company in Azerbaijan and CIS region which has been awarded Gold Certificate of International Investors in People Standard. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 Trend: Russian Railways JSC will cut tariffs on export shipments of ferrous metals and grain cargo to Azerbaijan by 50 percent in 2019-2020, Trend reports with reference to the company. Decrease in tariffs will be applied for export shipments through the Samur station of the North Caucasus Railway bordering Azerbaijan, further passing the Boyuk-Kasik (Azerbaijan)-Gardabani (Georgia) border crossing. Russian Railways JSC also made the relevant decisions regarding other directions. The ministry reported that the formation of tariff proposals was based on a comprehensive marketing assessment, considering the increased competitiveness of rail transport. Decisions are of long-term nature, and this will ensure predictability of the level of tariffs for shippers and maintain a stable volume of transportation of goods for the future, the company said. Tehran, Iran, Dec.24 Trend: Iran seeks to ease the process of visa for its drivers' entry to Azerbaijan and it is an attempt to pave the way for further customs cooperation between the two countries, Hossein Kakhki, Director General of Customs International Cooperation Department of Iran, told Trend. Referring to issuance of visa, Kakhkisaid that some Iranian drivers should apply for visa to enter Azerbaijan from the closest city to Bilasuvar border point, since most of drivers need to extend their visa for further visit in Azerbaijan." "Iran has requested Azerbaijan to issue visa for Iranian drivers at the border city of Bilasuvar," he said. "The discussion is bilateral and it's expected to be reviewed but it's, not finalized yet," he added. Recently, an agreement was reached at a meeting between the border and customs services of Iran and Azerbaijan that would ensure 24-hour passage of passengers, trucks and cars at the Astara, Bilasuvar and Julfa customs border points. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Dec. 24 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: Ashgabat hosted a meeting of a working group on development of interagency cooperation in the context of water, energy and food security in Turkmenistan, Trend reports referring to the "Neutral Turkmenistan" newspaper. The event was organized within the "Central Asia Nexus Dialogue Project: Fostering Water, Energy and Food Security Nexus Dialogue and Multi-Sector Investment". The project is funded by the EU and implemented by the Regional Environmental Center of Central Asia in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature and with the support of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS). Established in the 1990s by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, IFAS aims to finance joint projects and programs to save the Aral Sea and improve the environmental situation in the Aral region. IFAS was granted an observer status in the UN General Assembly in December 2008. Ashgabat put forward earlier an initiative to develop a special UN program for the Aral Sea. On Dec. 17, 2018, PwC Azerbaijan hosted a Business Update Workshop dedicated to the most recent Tax Code amendments and other important changes in the business legislation in Azerbaijan, at Rotunda Hall, Landmark Plaza, Trend reports on Dec. 24 referring to the PwC's press release. The purpose of the workshop is informing our clients and wider business community of the important changes that have been taking place in the business related legislation. In the times of rapid business transformation, we aim to be agile and provide proactive advice to our clients by working closely with the Government of Azerbaijan on improving the countrys business and investment climate, said Movlan Pashayev, Country Managing Partner of PwC Azerbaijan in his opening speech. The workshop was led and moderated by Arif Guliyev, PwC Azerbaijans Tax and Legal Services Leader, who has been closely working with the governmental bodies in the legislative process. The session was attended by over 250 CEOs, CFOs and business owners. The most recent findings of PwCs Paying Taxes report featuring Azerbaijans ranking were also presented in the course of the workshop, by Michael Ahern, PwC Eurasia's Tax and Legal Services Leader. According to this years report, Azerbaijan is ranked 28th in the Paying Taxes 2019. At PwC, our purpose is building trust in society and solving important problems of our clients. We achieve this by offering client centric solutions in tax, legal, assurance and advisory from strategy through execution. Over 140 professionals at PwC Azerbaijan share their thinking, values, experience and solutions to develop fresh perspectives and practical advice for our clients. 2018 PwC. All rights reserved. PwC helps organizations and individuals create the value theyre looking for. Were a network of firms in 158 countries with more than 250,9300 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, tax and advisory services. Tell us what matters to you and find out more by visiting us at www.pwc.com/az Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Russia and Azerbaijan intend to create a trans-Caspian transport line, as well as develop cruise tourism in the Caspian Sea, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference in Baku Dec. 24, Trend reports. On Aug.12, a summit of leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran was held in the Kazakh city of Aktau, which resulted in the signing of a historic document for the region - the convention on the status of the Caspian Sea. I am very pleased that this is considered to be a very important event in Azerbaijan, the ambassador said. This convention allows filling existing agreements with concrete content. He noted that there still remain delimitation issues, but not between Russia and Azerbaijan. Cooperation will be carried out to ensure the safety of navigation, the preservation of biological resources, etc., the ambassador added. At the 5th Caspian Summit, held Aug. 12 in Aktau, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that "Peter The Great" cruise ship is being built in Russia, which will be able to perform all-round cruises across the Caspian Sea to all the five Caspian states. Two types of cruises are planned short (7-8 days) and long (13-14 days) cruises. The short ones will call to several ports in the northern and southern parts of the Caspian Sea, while long cruises will call to the ports of all five coastal states. The commissioning of the ship is scheduled for the next year approximately. Most of the Caspian cruises are planned to begin and end in Baku. In the future, "Peter the Great" will also take cruises connecting the Caspian, Azov and Black seas. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 By Taleh Mursagulov - Trend: The reforms carried out by President Ilham Aliyev in the customs sphere serve to simplify the foreign trade process, Safar Mehdiyev, chairman of Azerbaijans State Customs Committee, said Dec. 24 at the Foreign Trade Participants Forum: Application of Green Corridor Pass System, Trend reports. He noted that the implementation of projects in the transport sector, in particular the implementation of the International North-South Transport Corridor project, the commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, the implementation of the Silk Road project, important projects in the oil sector, the opening of the Baku International Trade Port serve to simplify and accelerate trade, and also turn Azerbaijan into a logistics center. The development of various areas of the Azerbaijani economy makes reforms in customs authorities inevitable, Mehdiyev added. He noted that by making decisions on green corridors, President Ilham Aliyev made a great gift to businessmen. "This is the reform based on international experience, recommendations of the World Customs Organization, and it opens up new opportunities for trade, Mehdiyev said. He noted that with the development of the Azerbaijani economy, import-export operations are growing in the country. The application of this system will start from Feb. 1 next year, and this will allow to conduct import-export operations without leaving office, and this, in turn, will reduce the interaction of citizens with officials, as well as ensure transparency in this area, he added. In conclusion, Mehdiyev invited all entrepreneurs to conduct their import-export operations through the green corridor system. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @TalehMursagulov Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 By Leman Zeynalova - Trend: Azerbaijan and Russia took another step in developing economic cooperation, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference in Baku Dec. 24, answering Trends question about the results of a meeting of the intergovernmental commission held in Moscow. He said the agenda of the intergovernmental commission was very extensive and concerned specific cases to be fulfilled in the coming years, first of all, in 2019, in order to implement documents on economic cooperation. "The intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation is the most important tool for real, practical promotion of our trade and economic relations," he noted. "I can mention some of the areas that were discussed during the meeting of the commission. Topics that were most actively discussed, first at the expert level, then at the ministerial level, included cooperation in trade and economy, agriculture, food security, industry, transport and humanitarian sphere. Concrete tasks were set. This is indeed a new step forward." On Dec. 14, Moscow hosted the 17th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia. The meeting was attended by delegations led by co-chairs of the State Commission Azerbaijans Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev and Minister of Economic Development of Russia Maksim Oreshkin. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Once a mighty publication, Sajha struggles amid financial woes Sajha Prakashan was once a behemoth, established with enormous investment and resources from the government. The institution now is a pale shadow of what it used to be. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 By Sara Israfilbayova - Trend: The 2018 will be remembered as a period of great changes and innovations in Azerbaijans business environment, Deputy Minister of Taxes Metin Eynullayev said Dec. 24 at the Foreign Trade Participants Forum: Application of Green Corridor Pass System, Trend reports. Naturally, the State Customs Committee and the Ministry of Taxes are among the important structures that influence the countrys business environment, said Eynullayev. One of the important tasks set by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in this direction is to ensure transparency, Eynullayev noted. He said that a lot of measures were taken for this purpose in 2018, reforms were carried out and conditions were created for entrepreneurs to freely do business. He noted that the Green Corridor is an example in the striving of the state to ensure transparency in this area. He further stressed that the main goal of the ministry is to encourage entrepreneurs and to voluntarily participate in tax transactions both at the legislative and administrative levels. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @IsrafilbekovaS Tehran, Iran, Dec.24 Trend: Iranian customs official has announced that 95 percent of imported goods held up at the customs, will be released. "More than 95 percent of imported goods would be released in three days. The customs would release the imported goods after registration and allocation of foreign currency, so all these stages should be completed, Ali Maghouli said, Trend reported via ILNA. In previous months there were limits to release the goods from the customs but due to recent approvals, there would not be commodity accumulation at the customs. Before September, the foreign currency rate was normal and the release process was normal as well. We always have commodity circulation in our ports and seek to ease the release process." "The commodity imports generally have stages that include order registration, allocating foreign currency, declaration of goods while the customs is the third stage of imports," he said. Maghouli said that the goods that will be released, arrived at the ports earlier and have gone through registration already, while others haven't. He went on to add that in the new year (starts March 21, 2019), the process of releasing imported goods from customs will be simplified, due to decrease of the foreign currency rate. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Dec. 24 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: Europe is interested in receiving Turkmen gas, Jurgen Krahn, director general of French company CIFAL SA, said in an interview with Turkmenportal, Trend reports. "This is an interesting project," he said. "After the signing of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, the process of ratification of this treaty is underway in all the Caspian countries." He noted that the agreement makes it possible to talk about the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline. "I think that if Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan can quickly agree, this process may begin," he said, adding that a new period is beginning, which allows the EU and Turkmenistan to negotiate a new document. "I think the signing of this framework agreement may take place next year," he noted. "In any case, the EU has great interest in this. As far as I know, a delegation of Turkmenistan recently visited Brussels, where it held talks. In Germany, as far as I know, there is also great interest in helping Turkmenistan." The project to lay a 300-kilometer gas pipeline along the bottom of the Caspian Sea to the shores of Azerbaijan is optimal for the delivery of Turkmen gas to the European market. Further, the Turkmen gas can be delivered to Turkey, which borders European countries. Turkmenistan declared its readiness to supply Europe with an annual volume of up to 30 billion cubic meters of gas over 30 years. The negotiations on the delivery of Turkmen gas to Europe have been conducted since 2011. The Southern Gas Corridor, which includes the Trans-Caspian project, remains a priority for the EU. In May 2015, the Ashgabat Declaration on Energy was signed by the ministers of Energy of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Vice-President of the European Commission for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend: Oil and gas for now have a share of over 60 percent of the global consumption basket, and it's hard to imagine that a serious blow will be inflicted on this share, and that the worlds largest producer (OPEC) will collapse, analyst for energy issues Mehdi Hossein said in an interview with ISNA, Trend reports. He added that the market needs oil. The oil demand grows as the economy of a country develops, and there is a 3.5-4 percent economic growth in the world, so, the demand surely increases, Hossein added. "A question arises: is the supply at the demand level? In my opinion, countries that make changes in the market, for example, Russia, Iraq, the US and others have reached maximum production and cannot produce more than that," he said. Since the day the OPEC was founded, it witnessed economic crises in the energy markets, unstable oil prices, oil war in the 1990s and oil sanctions against Iran, Iraq and Libya, said Hossein. "In my opinion, OPEC could survive due to its well operation," he said. "OPEC still has a big share in the market." Last year, the price of oil reached $44-54 and grew by about 25 percent, he noted. "Last year energy consumption was at the maximum level," he said. "Presently, a decline in prices is observed at the market. The reason is political and physical interference in the market. The US produces 13 million barrels of oil and Russia produces 11 million barrels of oil. Saudi Arabia also maximized its production. The political goals set by these countries arent long-term ones." Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Oil pipelines in Turkey will be protected by domestic drones, Trend reports with reference to Turkish media Dec. 24. Protection of oil pipelines owned by Turkeys BOTAS Petroleum Pipeline Corporation will be ensured first of all. In order to ensure protection of its oil pipelines, Botas signed an agreement with the Turkish defense industry company ASELSAN. Radar systems will also be installed to ensure safety of the oil pipelines. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Azerbaijan and Russia intend to create a joint venture in oil and gas sector, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference in Baku Dec. 24, Trend reports. "Our plans envisage creating joint ventures in an effort to organize oil production. On the part of the states, we will support the enterprises, which in their turn will enhance the development of industrial production. It would be better if our enterprises focus on industry in order to promote the diversification and economy of Azerbaijan, including our economic ties," he said. Bocharnikov noted that there are plans to set up enterprises for machine building in agriculture. "We are interested to deliver to Azerbaijan products of our agriculture machinery enterprises. We are ready to create joint ventures on manufacturing such vehicles," he added. Russia invested $4.2 billion in Azerbaijani economy in different forms, including in the form of joint ventures. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 By Taleh Mursagulov Trend: A meeting of the OPEC-non-OPEC Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee will be held in Baku in late February - early March, the Azerbaijani Energy Ministry told Trend on Dec. 24. Presently, the exact date of the meeting is unknown, the ministry said. "This issue must be coordinated with the member-states of the organization." Azerbaijan undertook to reduce oil production from January 2019 by 20,000 barrels up to 776,000 barrels per day within the OPEC + agreement. In early December, the member-states of the OPEC + agreement decided to reduce the total oil production by 1.2 million barrels per day from January 2019. The reduction will be valid during six months. OPEC member-states will reduce production by 800,000 barrels, while non-OPEC countries - by 400,000 barrels. According to the Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee, 35.47 million tons of oil and gas condensate were extracted in the country in January-November 2018, which is 0.1 percent more than in the same period of 2017. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @TalehMursagulov Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 By Fikret Dolukhanov Trend: Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan may launch a common visa program, Silk Visa, in February 2019, Trend reports on Dec. 21 referring to Uzbek media. The announcement was made by Acting First Deputy Chairman of the State Tourism Development Committee of Uzbekistan Ulugbek Kasimkhojayev. According to him, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have already agreed on the Silk Visa project in the relevant departments, and have to agree on technical details and equipment. Kasimkhojayev noted that other countries in the region are also showing interest in this project. Among them are Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. At the same time, Kazakhstan also proposes to involve Azerbaijan and Turkey to this project. In mid-November, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan signed agreements on the mutual recognition of visa regimes of the Silk Road countries. It was earlier announced that Uzbekistan is planning to introduce a visa-free regime for 22 states. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov It is proposed to introduce a moratorium on alluvial gold mining in Kyrgyzstan. The expert, co-founder of Chatkal Development Fund, Gamal Soronkulov, told at a press conference, Trend reports referring to 24.kg. According to him, the extraction of alluvial gold causes serious damage to the environment. "Since 2004, we have been fighting with alluvial gold mining companies. No one can prove that they benefit, no one knows how much money is transferred to the local and republican budgets. But they cause serious damage to nature: this is a change in the river bed, endangered species of fish, floodplain forest", Gamal Soronkulov said. He stressed that he called for a moratorium on the development. He cited as an example the case in Talas region. The company was given a permission to develop more than 600 hectares of forest for the extraction of 11 kilograms of gold. "After the indignation of local residents, the State Agency for Environment Protection and Forestry withdrew the previously issued decision, the development was suspended", he said. Gamal Soronkulov added that, according to the law, any company must hold a public hearing before development and only then get a license. But in fact, they immediately turn to the State Agency for Environment Protection and get permission. Rural administration on its basis is obliged to allow development by a company. "When the state agency sees the dissatisfaction of local residents, it withdraws its decisions", he added. Meeting to discuss issues related to performance of Hajj 2019 took place in Dushanbe at the end of last week, an official source in the Tajik government told Asia-Plus in an interview, Trend reports referring to news.tj. Presided over by Deputy Prime Minister, Azim Ibrohim, the meeting reportedly brought together senior representatives of relevant ministries and agencies. Speaking at the meeting, Ibrohim noted that the main task of organizers of Hajj was in creating all necessary conditions for Tajik Haj pilgrims. He reportedly ordered relevant government bodies jointly with local authorities to inspect living and financial conditions of persons who want to perform the Hajj next year. Ibrohim, in particular, noted that they last year received complaints from pilgrims about cases of untimely provision of medical aid and poor training of heads of groups. More than 6,200 Tajik nationals reportedly performed the Hajj this year. Recall, Tajik authorities in 2016 introduced new age restrictions for those who want to perform the Hajj. Citizens under the age of 40 are no longer allowed to perform the Hajj. The aim of the decision to introduce new age restrictions is reportedly to give older people an opportunity to achieve their dream to perform the Hajj. The new age limit of 40 has been raised from the limit of 35 that was instituted in April 2015. For the first time the Committee on Religious Affairs (CRA) under the Government of Tajikistan introduced age restrictions on those who want to perform the Hajj in 2010. Only citizens aged 18 to 80 were able to perform the Hajj. In 2011, the CRA designed a new Hajj uniform; men don two-piece suits, while women wear long-sleeved dresses complete with headscarves. The Tajik Hajj uniform is embroidered with the countrys symbols. Each year, Saudi Arabia welcomes millions of Muslims from abroad traveling on Umrah and Hajj. Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a pilgrimage to Mecca which adult Muslims must make at least one in their lifetime, provided they are physically and financially able. The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to God. The pilgrimage occurs from the 8th to 12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th and last month of the Islamic calendar. Because the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar, eleven days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, the Gregorian date of the Hajj changes from year to year. Hajj 2019 is expected to commence August 9, 2019 and continue till August 14, 2019. Parliamentary panel to discuss Medical Education Bill with Dr KC The sub-committee of the Education and Health Committee of the Parliament formed to discuss the Medical Education Bill will sit for another round of discussion with Dr Govinda KC. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 By Huseyn Hasanov, Rashid Shirinov Trend: A meeting with the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Gambia Ebrim Sissay was held in the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan, Trend reports citing the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. The parties highly appreciated the state of political relations between the two countries within the UN and other major international organizations. The sides discussed issues of strengthening bilateral relations between Turkmenistan and the Gambia in the political sphere. In addition, issues related to the legal framework of bilateral relations were discussed during the meeting. "The parties noted the importance of regular political consultations in order to develop cooperation in trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres," reads the message. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Dec. 24 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: Port control procedures and security issues discussed at OSCE-organized training course in Turkmenbashi International Seaport on Caspian Sea, Trend reports referring to the OSCE. More than 25 seaport security and law enforcement officials completed a five-day practical training course on port security management and procedures on December 2018. The course, held at the Turkmenbashi International Seaport on the Caspian Sea, was organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. International experts from the United States and the United Kingdom presented the concepts of maritime security and border and borderlands, layers of risk, and key examples of transnational threats at marine borders such as drug trafficking, piracy and maritime terrorism. The participants discussed port security assessment and planning, emergency preparedness and security control administration. In May 2018, Turkmenistan inaugurated a new seaport on the Caspian Sea, which will become a regional hub connecting Europe and Asia, said Dmitry Zagrotskiy, Officer-in-Charge of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. The increased capacity of the new port will require advanced training on modern port control and maritime security procedures, including marine border checkpoints, for the personnel of the port administration, and law enforcement agencies represented at the port, he said. It is symbolic that guided by the priorities of Turkmenistans transport policy, the Centre organized this training course as a successful accomplishment of its activities in 2018, the year in which the Government proclaimed that Turkmenistan is the heart of the Great Silk Road, Zagrotskiy said. The training programme offered practical exercises and case studies addressing maritime security control and port security management procedures. It also included a visit to the port area to demonstrate methods of cargo and passenger control as well as vessel registration and management procedures. The participants stressed the importance of using advanced screening techniques and equipment to efficiently counter transnational threats at marine borders. Tehran, Iran, Dec.24 Trend: Iran's first vice president Eshaq Jahangiri has stressed the necessity to resolve the problems with customs, and release the goods held at the country's customs. Jahangiri has indicated the importance of avoiding accumulation of stacked goods in ports, customs and warehouses of the Organization for Collection and Sale of State-owned Properties of Iran. The official called for proper management to facilitate the release of the goods, to supply country's basic needs in times of sanctions, Trend reports via IRNA. During a reviewing session of country's customs problems, the first VP stated that the enemies would want to create disorder in Iran's foreign trade. "The government made the necessary plans to conduct the imports inflow under any circumstances and supply basic goods to people. All the organizations should coordinate efforts together to remove the unnecessary rules and avoid the storage of goods at ports and customs," he said, following his visit to Shahid Rajaee port and Bandar Abbas customs checkpoint. Tehran, Iran, Dec. 24 Trend: The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) has warned Iranians to avoid renting bank cards and accounts. Recently, on the social media and messaging channels there have been proposals to rent bank cards and accounts, Trend reports as Tasnim cited a CBI statement. CBI said it is easy to open a bank account or obtain a bank card for Iranian citizens. Renting bank accounts or cards to cover up criminal activities, money laundering and tax fraud or avoid judicial punishment would mean the owners of bank accounts and cards are responsible for these actions, the statement added. According to the law, the owners of bank accounts and cards are responsible for banking transactions, CBI said. Therefore, we advise our fellow citizens to avoid any offer to rent bank accounts or cards in order to be safe from legal punishment. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: The supply of cement, tile, ceramics, iron and fuel to Afghanistans Farah province through Mahirud border of Irans South Khorasan province has been suspended, Chief of Mahirud Customs Office of South Khorasan Province Ali Akbar Kiyani said. There is the license for the abovementioned products till the end of the year. Therefore, the export of these products to Afghanistan is banned, Trend reports referring to IRNA. Kiyani promised that the problem will be solved during a week and the abovementioned products will be exported again. Presently, 30 fuel tanks remain on the Mahirud border, he said. The length of the border between Iran and Afghanistan is 945 kilometers. Some 465 kilometers accounts for South Khorasan province. There are four border markets in the province. Iranian foreign minister on Monday criticized the Europeans for their "slow measures" to salvage Iranian 2015 international nuclear deal, Xinhua reports. "The Europeans are acting slowly in the fulfillment of their commitments under the nuclear agreement (officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or the JCPOA)," Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying by Press TV. "We will not wait for them unless they adopt practical steps," Zarif said. He emphasized that Iran has many options to deal with the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA and would consider them based on its national interests. Washington withdrew from Iran's landmark 2015 nuclear deal in May and imposed batches of sanctions against Tehran, targeting Iran's shipping, financial and energy sectors. Iran relies heavily on the European's assistance against the U.S. pull out of the nuclear deal and their promises to guarantee Iran's interests under the 2015 accord. The EU has stressed that it would set up a legal entity to facilitate legitimate financial transactions with Iran in light of the U.S. withdrawal from the international agreement. The spokesman for Iran's Civil Aviation Organization (CAO) on Sunday dismissed media reports alleging that Berlin intended to ban the countrys Mahan Air airline from using German airports in 2019, Trend reported citing Sputnik. "Iran's Civil Aviation Organization has not received any report from the German officials on sanctions against Mahan Air and the German government's spokesman has said about the claim by Bild that he could not comment," Reza Jafarzadeh told the Fars News Agency. Jafarzadeh added that Mahan Air had been conducting flights to Germany for nearly 15 years, and had a six-month contract for winter flights with the country. The airline carries out six flights between Tehran and Germany per week: four flights from Duesseldorf and two more from Munich. Mahan Air was sanctioned by the US Treasury Department in October 2011. According to the US Treasury, the airline routinely transports fighters and equipment to Syria in order to support the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. On Friday, the Bild newspaper reported that the German government was going to ban the airline from using national airports starting from January 2019. The decision was reportedly made after intensive discussions and followed the US intelligence services claims that German cooperation with Mahan Air would threaten the security of US citizens in German airports. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani named two former heads of the intelligence services to key security posts in his government on Sunday in a step that could affect both next years presidential election and moves toward peace with the Taliban, Trend reported citing Reuters. Asadullah Khalid, who suffered horrific injuries in a Taliban suicide attack shortly after taking over the National Directorate for Security in 2012, was named as acting defense minister. Amrullah Saleh, who served as NDS chief until 2008, was appointed acting interior minister. The appointments come at a critical time, with elections due in April and talks between U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban representatives over a possible peace deal expected to continue in January following three meetings this year. Ghani is expected to run for a second five-year term, and the future of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan is unclear following Khalilzads meetings and last weeks surprise U.S. announcement of plans to withdraw almost half of its forces. British police on Sunday released without charge two people arrested in an inquiry into the illegal use of drones at Londons Gatwick Airport that crippled operations for three days last week, Trend reported citing Reuters. Sussex Police arrested a 47-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman from the local area late on Friday after drones were flown onto the airfield between Wednesday and Friday, forcing about 1,000 flights to be diverted or canceled and affecting 140,000 passengers. Both people have fully co-operated with our inquiries, and I am satisfied that they are no longer suspects in the drone incidents at Gatwick, Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley said on Sunday. The two were held after information was passed to the police by a member of the public, Tingley told Sky News. He said he was confident the arrests were justified. He said authorities were continuing to actively follow lines of investigation to catch those responsible for the most disruptive incursions from unmanned aerial vehicles seen at any major airport. A damaged drone had been recovered a close to the perimeter of the airport, he said, and it was being forensically examined, for example for clues about whether it was controlled remotely from afar or by somebody in the vicinity. No group has claimed responsibility for the disruption. We have kept an open mind throughout and that is still the case with regards to the motivation behind these incidents, he said. The drones were spotted at Britains second-largest airport on Wednesday evening, forcing it to close its runway in the run up to Christmas. Every time the airport sought to reopen the runway on Thursday, the drones returned. Authorities finally regained control over the airfield after the army deployed unidentified military technology to guard the area, reassuring the airport that it was safe enough to fly. The drones caused misery for travelers, many sleeping on the airport floor as they searched for alternative routes to holidays and Christmas family gatherings. Airlines operating at Gatwick, which is located south of London, include easyJet, British Airways and Norwegian. The airport said on Sunday it was offering a reward of 50,000 pounds ($63,275) for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. It said it was expecting to operate a full schedule of 785 flights on Sunday, although a small number of delays and cancellations could occur as the airport fully recovered. Egypt says its security forces have killed 14 militants in separate shootouts in the city of el-Arish in the turbulent north of the Sinai Peninsula, Trend reported citing AP. A Sunday statement said eight militants were killed when security forces stormed the hideout of a "terrorist cell" in a remote part of el-Arish. The forces later gave chase to six more militants who fled the scene, killing all of them in a shootout. The statement did not say when the shooting happened or provide other details. Egypt has for years been battling Islamic militants in northern Sinai. The militants grew more deadly and their attacks more frequent after the 2013 ouster of an Islamist president. However, an all-out campaign by the military this year has brought to a halt high-profile attacks by the militants. Seventeen people have been confirmed killed following an attack by unidentified gunmen in Nigeria's northern state of Zamfara, local police said on Sunday, Trend reported citing Xinhua. The attack in Magami village of Faru district in the Maradun area of Zamfara late Saturday followed a mid-week attack in which 25 people were killed in another area of the state. Zamfara police spokesman Muhammed Shehu said more police officers have been deployed to the area to prevent further attacks. State officials, including the acting governor of Zamfara, Sanusi Rikiji, attended the funeral of some victims of the massacre on Sunday. Zamfara, as well as neighboring Kaduna State in Nigeria's northwest region, has witnessed a series of onslaughts by gunmen in the past six months. Earlier in the year, the Nigerian government had deployed troops to the two states to forestall attacks. Hundreds of people have been killed by gunmen in attacks in Zamfara alone this year. South Koreas transport ministry said it would file a complaint against German luxury carmaker BMW with prosecutors for allegedly delaying recalls and concealing defects that led to several engine fires in the country this year, Trend reports referring to Reuters. The ministry also fined BMW 11.2 billion won ($9.96 million) over delayed recalls. A faulty exhaust treatment system in BMW diesel cars caused 52 vehicle fires in South Korea as of end-November, prompting the company to recall 172,080 models and issue an apology. BMW said it first acknowledged in July this year the faulty EGR system causing fires, but the government said BMW was aware of the problem since 2015 when it created a task force to address the issue. BMW announced the recall of 106,317 vehicles in July, but the automaker did not recall an additional 65,763 vehicles that use the same engines until October, the government said. The rate of BMW vehicles catching fires was 0.14 percent in South Korea, similar to 0.19 percent in Germany and 0.17 percent in the United Kingdom, and lower than those in the United States and China, South Korea said. BMWs South Korean sales fell nearly 10 percent to 47,569 vehicles from January to November from a year earlier. This compared with the imported car markets 13 percent growth and Hyundai Motors 3 percent sales gain. BMW is the second-biggest imported car maker after Mercedes Benz in South Korea. German automakers have in recent years achieved breakneck sales growth in South Korea, long dominated by Hyundai, fueled by their strength in fuel-efficient diesel vehicles and the countrys free trade deal with the European Union and the United States. A group of ships from Russias Pacific Fleet has concluded its visit to Sri Lanka, the Fleets press service said in a statement, Trend reports referring to TASS. "Today, a group of ships from Russias Pacific Fleet, consisting of the Varyag missile cruiser, the Admiral Panteleyev anti-submarine destroyer and the Boris Butoma large sea tanker, has concluded its visit to the Colombo naval base in Sri Lanka where it arrived on December 20," the statement reads. The agenda of the visit included meetings with Sri Lankas navy commanders. In addition, Russian sailors participated in sporting events alongside Sri Lankan navy servicemen. The Pacific Fleet ships embarked on a three-month journey from Russias Far Eastern port of Vladivostok on October 1. The group has already visited ports in Japan, South Korea, Brunei, Singapore, China and India, and also took part in the Indra Navy 2018 Russian-Indian maritime exercise. Members of the Yunarmia Russian patriotic youth organization have sent New Year gifts to children from the Syrian city of Al-Suqaylabiyah, Director of Yunarmias Military-Patriotic Education Department Anton Kuznetsov told reporters, adding that the gifts contained over 600 stationery sets, Trend reports referring to TASS. "This is not the first time Yunarmia is participating in a mission dubbed "From Russian Children to Syrian Children," he said, pointing out that the Russian Defense Ministry and the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Sides in Syria had helped to deliver the gifts to Syria. According to Kuznetsov, Yunarmia members sought to make Syrian kids smile, so each the sets also contain Russian childrens drawings. Kuznetsov added that a charity mission for Syrian kids had been launched a year ago. Since then, Yunarmia members have assembled more than 10,000 gifts. The organization plans to carry on with this activity in 2019. Al-Suqaylabiyah is located in the Hama province not far from the Idlib de-escalation zones border. In August 2018, the city accommodated more than 4,000 refugees from the Idlib province. The Yunarmia patriotic youth organization was established in 2016 at the Defense Ministrys initiative, supported by the Russian president. The organization comprises over 280,000 members. Russias prime minister dismissed the head of the statistics agency on Monday and appointed an economy ministry official to the post, with the government pledging to radically overhaul the bodys data gathering methods, Reuters reported. Economists have raised questions about the independence of the Federal Statistics Service, or Rosstat, saying its economic data has become less accurate and seemed surprisingly optimistic during the countrys economic woes of the past few years. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev dismissed Alexander Surinov as Rosstats head and appointed Pavel Malkov, formerly director of the public administration department at the economy ministry, to replace him. The organization needs serious reform. We need to be talking about a complete overhaul of the team, about new principles and methods of work, finance minister Anton Siluanov said on Monday. Take, for example, real incomes - a hugely important indicator... How Rosstat calculates it, probably only Rosstat knows. The quality of its calculation is terrible, there are lots of issues brought up about it, it needs to change, Siluanov said. The statistics agency drew attention last year when it revised its figure for 2016 gross domestic product growth to a 0.2 percent contraction from a much deeper fall reported previously. It also revised 2015s contraction in GDP to just 2.8 percent from an initial 3.7 percent. President Vladimir Putin placed Rosstat under the economy ministrys control in April 2017 soon after Economy Minister Maxim Oreshkin criticized the agency, which in the past had reported directly to the government. Rosstat declined to comment on Malkovs appointment. The economy ministry said in a statement it hoped Malkov would help develop Rosstat as a key aggregator and independent provider of high-quality data for all of society. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: As part of an anti-terrorist operation carried out in Turkey's Adana Province, a native of Chechnya holding Russian citizenship was detained, Trend reports referring to Turkish media. The detainee, whose name is not made public, is a member of the terrorist organization Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (Organization for the Liberation of the Levant) and was planning a terrorist attack on the eve of the New Year holiday, the reports said. The reports also noted that the detainee participated in the battles in Syria and had close ties with the previously arrested Uzbek citizen Abdulgadir Masharipov, aka Abu Mohammed Khorasani, who organized the massacre in the Reina nightclub in Istanbul on Jan. 1, 2017. Other details of the operation are not revealed yet. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu By Ko Shu-ling, KYODO NEWS - Dec 24, 2018 - 09:15 | All, Feature In March 2016, Taiwan notably celebrated the 120th anniversary of the establishment of postal services across the strait on mainland China. However, very few remember, never mind fete, that postal services in Taiwan were established 130 years ago and modernized by the Japanese about a decade later. Few would count postal services among the signature achievements of modernity. Unlike trains, which were the technological marvels of their age, or great metropolises, symbols of national wealth and progress, postal services are dull, bureaucratic and routine. Yet without the cheap, dependable movement of information provided by legions of postal workers around the world, trains, shipping, urban development, even nations would not exist, at least not in the forms known today. Taiwan owes much to its early postal history, initially under the leadership of one forward-looking governor during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), then the Japanese, whose energetic expansion of the postal system provided the information infrastructure for Taiwan's rapid development after World War II. Methods to convey messages in China existed from ancient times, of course, serving mainly military and governmental needs. But these varied, with results expensive and slow. By the second half of the 19th century, mainland rulers decided that a more reliable means was needed to circulate information not only for the government, but also the public, and in 1897 the Imperial Qing Postal Service was established. Nine years earlier, however, Taiwan Gov. Liu Ming-chuan launched just such a service on the island. Unhappy with the inefficiency of the existing system, which relied on the customs service to transport mail, Liu set up a post office that operated as a monopoly enterprise under his direct supervision. With two main stations, north in Taipei and south in Tainan, and a growing system of sub-stations, the "Modern Postal Service," later renamed the "Taiwan General Post Office," served the needs of government and ordinary Taiwanese. Low rates of literacy in the general population meant that public use of the new service was modest. But interest spread and business grew. The success of Liu's brainchild was due in no small part to his being able to operate under the radar of mainland officials, who had little interest in the affairs of the poor island province. This lack of oversight allowed Liu to innovate freely, improving postal delivery by exploiting other technologies new to Taiwan. Railroads, steamboats and the telegraph were all 19th-century inventions meant to move people, goods and information faster, farther and at lower cost, according to Academia Historica president Wu Mi-cha, and so played an important role in modernizing mail delivery on the island. As well as it worked, Liu's post office was unable to move beyond its mission of delivering mail as cheaply and efficiently as possible. This all changed when Taiwan was ceded to Japan in 1895. Not only did Japanese administrators arrive with a more advanced postal system established 25 years earlier in the Meiji period (1868-1912), but their purpose in deploying it was not simply practical: they hoped the post office would promote unity and, thus, advance their colonial mission. Once resistance to the occupation ended, the Japanese military turned the postal system over to the civilian government, which built upon the foundation Liu had begun. Most importantly, administrators expanded the services offered by the post office to include banking and money transfer, followed later by life insurance and retirement annuities. Telephone and telegram services were added, further reducing distances between Taiwanese, and as services were added more branch offices were constructed. "Post offices were like today's 7-Eleven convenience stores with a variety of products" to serve the everyday communicative and financial needs of consumers, Wu said. As more post offices were built, people were encouraged to use them, and as utilization rose, prices dropped. The Japanese introduction of common school education led to rising literacy rates, which also encouraged use of the post office by the general public. When the Japanese left in 1945, Taiwan's postal system was one of the most extensive in the region, and like much of the infrastructure built during the colonial period, it helped the troops of the Nationalist Party or Kuomintang (KMT) take control as it relocated to Taiwan in 1949. The post office also laid the communicative groundwork for the island economy to take off in the 1960s and 1970s. There were challenges, however, most stemming from the success of the post office itself in promoting services that eventually required dedicated providers. Its monopoly on mail delivery became subject to competition in the 1990s, which along with the rise of such electronic messaging as fax, email and texting had a significant impact on the bottom line. Taiwan has not been alone in grappling with these problems, of course, as post offices around the world find themselves barely able to survive. Taiwan took steps to shore up the post office in 2003 by turning it into a government corporation. Yet unlike Japan, there is no plan to privatize, said Chen Shian-juh, president of Chunghwa Post Co., adding that his company has an obligation to provide service throughout Taiwan regardless of profitability. This said, postal rates were increased last year, and rather than compete with the new forms of communication, Chunghwa Post is developing technologies to modernize postal and banking services, while expanding into new ventures such as electronic commerce and logistics. The island's first automated post office opened on a trial basis in April in Taipei with an eye to reducing paid staff and increasing customer convenience. Again, however, Chen pointed out that as important as it is to trim post office losses, services like the money-losing insurance plan will continue as its purpose is to help build a social safety net. By Noriyuki Suzuki, KYODO NEWS - Dec 24, 2018 - 13:34 | All, Feature In Japan, Yamanashi is synonymous with wine. As well as being famous for being home to Mt. Fuji, Yamanashi Prefecture is the birthplace of domestic winemaking and the name has become inextricably linked with the region's reputation for high-quality produce. His sights set on overseas markets, local industry figure Shigekazu Misawa has been exporting whites made with the Japanese koshu grape in an endeavor to boost the variety's image abroad. With a free trade agreement between Japan and the European Union set to enter into force on Feb. 1, opportunities and challenges are expected to come for the domestic wine industry. "It's true that more wines can be shipped to European markets (after the Economic Partnership Agreement) but the challenge is whether they can establish a reputation," said Misawa, president of Chuo Budoshu Co., known as Grace Wine. Japanese winemakers are in a struggle to win domestic market share at home where imported wines hold a roughly 70 percent stranglehold over sales. Misawa knows firsthand what it takes to compete in overseas markets with deep-rooted wine cultures. Japan hopes that the pact signed in July will help boost exports to the European Union, the world's largest free trade area covering around 30 percent of the global economy. As part of the FTA, the 28-member regional bloc will start accepting wines produced according to Japanese standards, a major shift from the usually strict rules that govern winemaking, enforced on areas such as alcohol content and labeling. Joining the list with Kobe beef and Yubari melons, Yamanashi is registered as a "geographical indication" that will be protected under the agreement. GIs are designed to ensure the quality and reputation of products associated with the place of their origin. "I hope GI Yamanashi will become synonymous with quality and trust overseas. We are still far from Bourgogne and Chablis in France in this respect, but we need to aim for a higher goal," Misawa said. Encompassing the northern side of Mt. Fuji, Yamanashi Prefecture is one of the country's major winemaking regions, with around 80 wineries. The labeling of GI Yamanashi is limited to wines made in Yamanashi, from local grapes. About 1,600 wines have registered to use the GI mark, according to a local wine manufacturers' association. Local wineries launched a project in 2009 to export their wines to Europe and the first promotional campaign was held in 2010 in Britain, a vitally important wine market. The number of bottled wines exported to the European Union stood at around 2,000 in 2010 but grew to around 20,000 in 2017. The volume may still be small compared with wines coming into Japan from the European Union but the popularity of Japanese cuisine, particularly sushi, has boosted the appeal of koshu white wines that are said to pair well with raw fish. But Misawa, the fourth president of his company, which was established in 1923, also thinks there is more work to be done at home. Consumers will be more interested in European wines once the 15 percent tariff on them is scrapped, according to a survey conducted by Sapporo Breweries Ltd. In the online survey targeting around 13,000 adults, a total of 56 percent said they expect to drink more European wine once the FTA takes effect. Local wineries are bracing for an influx of competing European products. Recent years have seen Chilean wine imports on the rise, accelerated by the 2007 entry into force of a bilateral free trade agreement with the South American country. That growth, according to some industry watchers, has enriched the domestic wine market with diverse wine choices at affordable prices. The incrementally reduced tariff on Chilean wines will hit zero in April 2019. Japan and the European Union expect their agreement to achieve high levels of trade liberalization and serve as a counter to the rise of protectionism as U.S. President Donald Trump pursues his "America First" agenda. But the increasingly uncertain fate of Britain's Brexit process is creating concerns. The clock is ticking until Britain's possible departure in March from the bloc, but fears remain about what a "no deal" exit will mean. British Prime Minister Theresa May has put off a parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal with the European Union until January. "Depending on how Brexit goes, we may see more wines (in the Japanese market) from France, Italy, and Spain, especially if the pound depreciates and the cost of importing to Britain increases," Misawa said. "Chances are that the Japanese wine market becomes an appealing destination for wine sellers (that could otherwise distribute to Britain). That being the case, we need to make our GI-approved domestic wines more appealing at home as well." The IPS Officers' Association and the Kerala chapter of IAS and IFS officials' associations raised the demand in separate letters to the state government. 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 Neighbouring country Pakistan plans to make use of GPS-guided mortar for precision attacks in the time to come. According to sources, Pakistan is extremely interested in buying these weapon and has instructed its embassies around the world to hunt for a viable deal. As per the reports, Pakistan is in the weapons market to buy the special and technologically advanced mortar. Apart from some European countries, China also has these special mortars although Beijing has kept its features and abilities classified. According to an official in the Indian Defence Ministry, the directions and target of these mortars can be altered even after they are fired which enables it to target even mobile enemy units. One for feature of this mortar that it can also differentiate between enemy and friendly forces. The GPS-enabled mortar with other countries - apart from China which has kept its special mortars secret - can target enemy establishments with extreme accuracy Earlier, the United States has made use of GPS-enabled mortar to target Taliban in Afghanistan. USA got a extreme sucess in the battle. As such, technological development of these mortars is a constant process, its new variants are even more dangerous. Since Kim Jong-un came to power in 2012, about 1,000-1,500 North Koreans have left the country each year. Between January and November 2018, Seoul has authorised several humanitarian missions in the North, including drugs, milk powder and flour worth US$ 4.15 million. The North slams new US sanctions that threaten denuclearisation on the Korean peninsula. South Korea is trying to mediate. New talks are set with the US. Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies) Between January and November of this year, 1,042 North Koreans have defected to South Korea, the countrys Unification Ministry announced today, a figure in line with the that of last year, when 1,045 people fled the North during the same period of time. Since Kim Jong-un came to power in 2012, about 1,000-1,500 North Koreans have left the country each year. According to South Korean government data, the number of North Korean deserters living in the South reached 32,381 at the end of November. The Unification Ministry also provided data on South Koreas humanitarian commitments to the North. Between January and November 2018, Seoul authorised 14 separate missions. Six civic groups delivered 4.7 billion won (US$ 4.15 million) worth of tuberculosis drugs, milk powder and flour. Last year, South Korea announced a US$ 8 million assistance plan for North Korea through international humanitarian groups, but the plan has yet to be implemented. It was put on hold pending developments in denuclearisation talks with the North and international sanctions against Pyongyang, South Korean media reported. Sanctions and denuclearisation are the cause of the latest tensions between North Korea and the United States. Pyongyang slammed the latest US punitive measures announced on 10 December against three senior North Korean officials. Issued for violation of human rights, sanctions will hit the US assets of Chloe Ryong-hae, Kim Jong-un's right-hand man; Security Minister Jong Kyong-thaek and propaganda official Pak Kwang-ho. In a statement, North Korea expressed "shock and indignation" at the new US sanctions, which could "block the path to denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula forever. North Korean authorities also accused the US state department of being "bent on bringing... relations back to the status of last year which was marked by exchanges of fire". For Pyongyang, the US policy of "maximum pressure" would be its "greatest miscalculation" and that it should instead return to the confidence building that was hoped for following the Singapore summit between the leaders of the two countries. In light of the new tensions, South Koreas Foreign Ministry announced fresh talks with Washington. Stephen Biegun, the US special representative on North Korea policy, is scheduled to start a four-day visit to South Korea tomorrow. He will discuss various issues related to North Korea, including inter-Korean relations, as well as coordinate strategies for "substantive progress" in efforts toward denuclearisation and peace. South Korea is trying to maintain the momentum of dialogue hoping that better relations with Pyongyang will facilitate the process. In fact, the two Koreas are still engaged in steps to reduce tensions. Next week they will hold a highly symbolic ceremony to start work to upgrade and reconnect cross-border roads and railway tracks. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 24, 2018) - Azincourt Energy Corp. (TSXV: AAZ) (the "Company" or "Azincourt") announces that it has completed a non-brokered private placement of 1,000,333 non flow-through units at a price of C$0.06 per unit and 3,983,332 flow through units at C$0.06 per unit for gross proceeds of C$$299,020 (the "Offering"). Each flow through unit consists of one common share and one-half of one common share purchase warrant and each non-flow-through unit consists of one common share and one common share purchase warrant (the "Warrants"). Each whole Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share until December 24, 2019 at a price of C$0.10 per common share. Azincourt will apply the proceeds of the Offering to advance the Company's East Preston uranium project located in the southwestern Athabasca Basin and for general working capital purposes. Closing of the private placement is subject to receipt of TSX Venture Exchange final approval. About Azincourt Energy Corp. Azincourt Energy is a Canadian-based resource company specializing in the strategic acquisition, exploration and development of alternative energy/fuel projects, including uranium, lithium, and other critical clean energy elements. The Company is currently active at its joint venture lithium exploration projects in the Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field, Manitoba, Canada, its East Preston and Patterson Lake North uranium projects in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada, and its 100% owned Escalera Group uranium-lithium project located on the Picotani Plateau in southeastern Peru. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF AZINCOURT ENERGY CORP. "Alex Klenman" Alex Klenman, President & CEO For further information please contact: Alex Klenman, President & CEO Tel: 604-638-8063 info@azincourtenergy.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Story continues This press release includes "forward-looking statements", including forecasts, estimates, expectations and objectives for future operations that are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Azincourt. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. The securities referred to in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities for sale, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities. Any public offering of securities in the United States must be made by means of a prospectus containing detailed information about the company and management, as well as financial statements. THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES Canadian National Railway Company CNI received encouraging news on the labor front when it inked a tentative collective deal with United Steelworkers (USW) a trade union representing workers in Canada, the Caribbean and the United States. As far as Canadian National is concerned, the union (USW Local 2004) covers roughly 3,000 track and bridge workers at this Canada-based railroad operator. However, details of this provisional agreement with USW were not disclosed. The current collective agreement is valid till Dec 31, 2018. Markedly, the provisional deal does not come into effect immediately. In fact, tentative agreements do not necessarily mean that the deal will be operational. The provisional deal inked by Canadian National will be voted upon by union members shortly. It will be effective only if the voting result is favorable. The company would be hoping for favorable outcome as satisfied labor groups generally imply greater operational efficiency. Earlier this month, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company inked another tentative collective deal with Unifor Local 100 the union covering approximately 2,100 locomotive and freight-car mechanics, electricians and apprentices, who work at Canadian National across Canada. This tentative deal will also undergo the ratification procedure before becoming effective. Labor-related updates apart, Canadian National was in the news on the safety front recently. In line with its objective to promote safety, the company announced the achievement of its benchmarks pertaining to the implementation of the positive train control (PTC) plan for 2018. Additionally, last month, the railroad applied for a two-year extension to complete deployment and interoperability. Stocks to Consider Investors interested in the Zacks Transportation sector may also consider Azul S.A. AZUL, Air France-KLM SA AFLYY and Fly Leasing Ltd. FLY,each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Story continues In the past six months, shares of Azul and Air France have gained 49.7% and 19.7%, respectively. Meanwhile, the Fly Leasing stock boasts an impressive earnings history, having outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters, the average beat being 13.5%. More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone! It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market. Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >> 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 Air France-KLM SA (AFLYY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Fly Leasing Limited (FLY) : Free Stock Analysis Report Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) : Free Stock Analysis Report AZUL SA (AZUL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Exxon Mobil Corporation XOM recently pulled back from its $25-billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project in western Canada from environmental assessment after thorough review of the project. Proposed in 2015, the project was expected to be built by the company and its Canadian unit, Imperial Oil Limited IMO, at the north coast of British Columbia. Canadas LNG sector received encouraging news from Royal Dutch Shell plc RDS.A and its partners in the LNG Canada project in October. The $40-billion project is expected to provide the country with its first ever LNG export terminal. However, ExxonMobils latest decision is a setback for the sector, which once received 20 proposals but now has only one confirmed project. With countries looking for cleaner energy sources, global LNG demand is anticipated to rise 100% to 550 million tons per annum (mtpa) by 2030, majority of which is expected to come from the northeast Asia. The West Coast Canada (WCC) LNG export project of ExxonMobil, with proposed capacity of 15 mtpa, was supposed to address this rising demand for LNG. The project also had plans for capacity expansion up to 30 mtpa. Notably, in order to boost LNG business, ExxonMobil has several other focus areas like its projects with Qatar Petroleum and the proposed expansion project in Papua New Guinea LNG operations. The company has planned an aggressive exploration program for developing the resources in Papua New Guinea. Moreover, the acquisition of InterOil gave ExxonMobil high-quality and low-cost resources in the region. Price Performance ExxonMobil has lost 18.9% in the past year compared with 14.1% collective decline of the industry it belongs to. Zacks Rank and Stocks to Consider The company currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Investors interested in the energy sector can opt for some better-ranked stocks as given below: Buenos Aires, Argentina-based YPF Sociedad Anonima YPF is an integrated energy company. Its bottom-line growth for the full year of 2018 is anticipated at more than 27% year over year. It currently has a Zack Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Story continues More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone! It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market. Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >> 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 Imperial Oil Limited (IMO) : Free Stock Analysis Report YPF Sociedad Anonima (YPF) : Free Stock Analysis Report Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDS.A) : Free Stock Analysis Report Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research (Bloomberg) -- Huawei Technologies Co. gear will be ripped out of the core part of a U.K. communications network for police and other emergency responders. BT Group Plc., the company delivering the 2.3-billion-pound ($3 billion) project, has been pulling equipment from the Chinese tech giant out of its own core structure since the 2016 acquisition of mobile carrier EE, which used Huawei gear throughout its systems. That work extends to the Emergency Services Network EE has been building for Britain, though some Huawei parts will remain in the broader access network. While BT says its been an ongoing process to remove some Huawei gear and the ESN decision aligns with a long-standing corporate policy to keep the Chinese company out of the core, critics of Huawei will be emboldened by the step to limit its involvement. Huawei has come under fire from governments globally over fears its equipment could enable Chinese spying. The firm, which has always denied connections with the state and any espionage risks, has been dragged into a trade war between the U.S. and China, with American officials trying to persuade allies to block the tech company from rollouts of next-generation mobile networks. Australia, New Zealand and Japan have all followed the U.S. in imposing bans against Huawei in recent months, and concerns have been raised by authorities in European countries including the U.K., Germany and France. Fully replacing Huawei parts in the core part of the network will take up to four years, with BT footing the bill. A government spokesman told the Sunday Telegraph -- which first reported the ESN action -- that while Huawei parts would be removed, it was content the emergency systems infrastructure does not pose a security concern. We have ongoing plans to swap to a new core network vendor for Emergency Services Network, in line with BTs network architecture principles established in 2006, an EE spokesperson said in emailed comments. This will be managed with no disruption to the ESN service. Story continues A Huawei spokesman told the Telegraph the company had worked with BT for 15 years and that the British carrier had a longstanding policy to use different vendors for different network layers. BT said Huawei remained an important equipment provider, according to the report. (Updates where Hauwei gear is being removed in first, second paragraphs.) To contact the reporters on this story: Jim Jia in Sydney at jjia1@bloomberg.net;John Ainger in London at jainger@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Stanley James at sjames8@bloomberg.net, Steve Geimann, Niveditha Ravi For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. China and the European Union cannot take all the exports Japan will have to direct away from the United States. Tokyo's record-high spending on welfare, military and infrastructure wont do much to soften the serious blow of falling exports. Japans slow and gradual trade adjustment is unlikely if the U.S. wants a meaningful rebalancing of trade accounts. For Japan , exports are not just the key engine of economic growth. They are the foundation of the country's growth model and the essential dynamic component driving its business cycle. Last year, net exports contributed one-third of Japan's GDP growth. In the first nine months of this year, they accounted for nearly a quarter of aggregate demand, and they will probably match their last year's contribution when all the 2018 numbers are in. Japan's $117.6 billion worth of goods sales to the U.S. in the first 10 months of this year are virtually on par with Tokyo's exports to China . The big difference is that, with those sales, Japan is generating a $56.2 billion trade surplus with the U.S., while running, over the same period, a whopping $23.3 billion deficit with China. Two years late, Washington finally seems to have decided that Japan's systematic and excessive trade surpluses with the U.S. must come down and that formidable barriers to Japan's markets have to be removed. Trade negotiations with Tokyo are scheduled to begin on January 20, 2019, with tariff-free exports of American manufactured products and agricultural goods at the top of Washington's wish list. Is the US serious about its Japan trade? A more balanced trade in motor vehicles which account for 75 percent of the U.S. trade deficit with Japan is also being sought. The United Auto Workers union is calling for quotas on Japanese vehicles and parts, with any quota increases subject to the growth of U.S.-made automobile exports to Japan. The writing, finally, may be on the wall, even though Japan could be allowed some time to adjust to the new trading regime, especially in agricultural matters. But the Democrats are already warning the U.S. negotiators to tighten up the enforcement instruments and procedures. Story continues And here is an interesting aside to the trade story from President Donald Trump administration: Results of an opinion poll in Japan, published last Wednesday, showed that only 39 percent of respondents thought that the U.S.-Japan relations were "good" down from 56 percent in last year's poll. Nearly 40 percent thought the relations were "bad," which was almost double from last year's 23 percent. There is an unmistakable moral to those findings for America's worldly pundits, including some of those in the highest offices, calling for commitment and respect to friends and allies. Yes, but a rising hostility is what America is getting from a country whose security is unconditionally underwritten by the United States, and whose economy has flourished, and continues to grow, thanks to unlimited access to American wallets. Still, what we are seeing in Japan now is a Kinderspiel, child's play, compared to Germany extraordinary vilification of America and its leadership another country that freeloads under the American security umbrella and continues to accumulate huge amounts of wealth as a result of $50 billion to $60 billion in annual trade surpluses with the U.S. And here is what America's benevolence is getting in return: Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder asked the government, in a Sunday interview, not to take American advice about with whom it should not trade. Schroeder then recalled, as an apparent badge of honor, his refusal to follow the U.S. in its invasion of Iraq in 2003. There is no need to take partisan or bipartisan sides in the ongoing trade debate. The simple truth is that U.S. friends and allies are questioning Washington ties as soon as the issues are raised about defense burden sharing and squaring their systematically and outrageously unbalanced trade accounts with the U.S. Having made that long detour, let's go back to Japan's export problem. China and the EU can't help Assuming that the U.S. is really serious about narrowing its huge trade gap with Japan, it seems that Tokyo would have to promptly redirect some $50 billion of its overseas sales to Asian and European destinations. The key question here is whether China would be willing to take tens of billions of dollars worth of Japanese exports on top of the $133 billion it took last year, and probably a similar amount it will take by the end of this year. That looks unlikely as a result of China's continuing progress on import substitution and a moderating growth of its domestic demand. Lingering political and security problems are also an obstacle to a greater economic integration of the two estranged Asian neighbors. China is bristling at Japan's National Defense Program Guidelines published last week because, Beijing claims, its intent of power projection is inconsistent with the country's Constitution, which says that "land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained." Beijing notes, with apparent alarm, that the program carries a price tag of 27.47 trillion yen ($243 billion), and it finds particularly objectionable modifications of Japan's helicopter destroyers to allow short takeoff and vertical landing of fifth generation stealth fighters. Ironically, Japan seems to be acquiring 42 F-35B and 63 F-35A airplanes, and two Aegis Ashore missile systems, as part of the new trade deal with the U.S. China and Russia know that all that sophisticated military hardware is pointed at them, and they are very unlikely to come to the rescue of the Japanese economy by taking more of its exports. And neither is the European Union likely to allow Japan to unload more exports in addition to $80 billion it will take by the end of this year. In fact, Japan may end up having big problems with the EU if the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi debacle is allowed to destroy Europe's largest industrial alliance with Japan. "Yellow-vest" protests have put the French government on the back foot, but Renault RNO-FR , a true French institution, and the country's formidable elite, are fizzing with fury at the way the industrial alliance, and the car maker's chairman, are being treated by the Japanese. Stay tuned. China is showing the way here with its response to the jailing of a Huawei executive in Canada. Ottawa is now appealing to its allies for help to free its citizens Beijing has detained. Investment thoughts Japan will not be able to redirect some $50 billion of its U.S. exports to other trade destinations. That will pose a serious problem for Japan's structurally impaired and export-driven economy. Tokyo's announced and totally unaffordable fiscal measures won't soften the blow. A replay of public investments in proverbial "roads and bridges to nowhere" is a blind alley. Large welfare spending for an aging society and huge military outlays are also one-off non-market expenditures with little, if any, consequences for growth dynamics. Sadly, Japan keeps kicking the can down the road instead of coming to grips with its existential problems of society, economy and peaceful neighborly relations. Commentary by Michael Ivanovitch, an independent analyst focusing on world economy, geopolitics and investment strategy. He served as a senior economist at the OECD in Paris, international economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and taught economics at Columbia Business School. More From CNBC (Bloomberg) -- JD.com Inc. avoided the biggest crisis in its history after U.S. prosecutors decided not to press criminal charges against its billionaire founder, freeing Chinas No. 2 online retailer to resume pursuing its global ambitions. Chief Executive Officer Richard Liu wont be charged in connection with a rape investigation in Minneapolis, ending a months-long probe that made global headlines and cast doubt over JDs leadership. On Friday, JD gained 5.9 percent to $21.08 -- still well below roughly $30 before Lius arrest became public. Liu, who controls a majority of the $35 billion companys voting rights, was arrested Aug. 31 and accused of raping a 21-year-old female Chinese undergraduate student. The 45-year-old CEO was participating in a University of Minnesota program for executives at the time. The potential charges had wiped out about $15 billion of market value -- almost a third of JD.coms capitalization -- since September. Liu, whose outsized control tied the firms fate to his own, is regarded as the driving force behind one of Chinas most successful internet companies. Formal charges would have made running the company increasingly untenable for Liu, whose business is backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd. Unlike rival Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., which runs a marketplace for merchants, JD earns about 90 percent of its revenue through direct online sales and the CEO regularly travels the world striking agreements with suppliers. As we reviewed surveillance video, text messages, police body camera video and witness statements, it became clear that we could not meet our burden of proof and, therefore, we could not bring charges, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said in a statement Friday. Because we do not want to re-victimize the young woman, we will not be going into detail. The billionaire, who became a household name in his native China and held a keynote panel at this years World Economic Forum in Davos, was in Minnesota to complete the American residency of a U.S.-China business administration doctorate program at the universitys Carlson School of Management. Story continues In China, JD is the equivalent of a combined Amazon, Federal Express and Visa. It has operations in Thailand and Indonesia, and plans to enter Europe. For the U.S. market, Liu has said he wanted to partner with the likes of Google and Walmart. Hes avoided speaking in public since the allegations surfaced, skipping events including the Chinese government-backed World Artificial Intelligence Conference, where he was set to be a speaker. We are pleased to see this decision, JD.com said on its website. Freemans decision doesnt preclude a civil suit, where the standard of evidence needed is lower for a judgment. Wil Florin, the womans attorney, blasted Freeman and his prosecutors, saying they never reached out to her or her lawyers during the investigation. In a text message, the lawyer suggested she may pursue a civil suit: A civil jury will determine whether Mr. Liu, JD.com and their representatives should be held accountable. If anyone cares to know why victims of sexual assault are hesitant and fearful to come forward to authorities seeking justice for what has been done to them, look no further than the manner in which this was handled, Florin said. On her behalf, we will not permit her dignity to be simply swept under the rug. Liu has consistently denied the accusations. In a blog post, he said the announcement by Freemans office proves I broke no law but apologized to his wife Zhang Zetian, a local social media celebrity dubbed Sister Milk Tea. My interactions with this woman, however, have hurt my family greatly, especially my wife, Liu said. I feel deep regret and remorse and I hope she can accept my sincere apology. In documents and text messages, the student said she was invited to a party with Liu and other participants of the executive program where wine flowed freely. Her attorney alleged the student had been coerced into drinking more heavily than intended. The woman and Liu ended up at her home, where he raped her, she alleged. After a call the next morning from a friend of the student, police found the woman and Liu at her apartment, and he was arrested later that day. Lius lawyer, Jill Brisbois, said the decision by the county attorney confirms our strong belief from the very beginning that my client is innocent. Liu and Brisbois hadnt previously elaborated on what Liu says happened at the dinner in August. On Friday, Brisbois said all interactions between Liu and the woman were consensual. Though both drank wine, Brisbois said, Liu wasnt drunk and the woman didnt appear intoxicated. After the CEOs arrest, the woman made repeated demands for money, and threatened to make her allegations public and to sue Richard if her demands were not met. Freeman confirmed the account of the dinner. There were profound evidentiary problems which would have made it highly unlikely that any criminal charge could be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, he said. The three-month period it took to make a decision had nothing to do with Lius status as a wealthy, foreign businessman. Lius arrest triggered a mixed response back home, where his orange jump-suited mug-shot took over social media feeds. Despite a lack of detail, a substantial faction believed the accusations against him were trumped up. Over the weekend, one womens rights organization suggested the CEO remained accountable for his actions. Liu did not violate the law, which is the judgment of the legal level, the China Womens News, affiliated with the All-China Womens Federation, wrote on its WeChat account. But there is morality behind the law. As a public figure, he should have higher requirements for words and deeds. --With assistance from Ken Wang and Gerrit De Vynck. To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Edwin Chan in Hong Kong at echan273@bloomberg.net;David Ramli in Beijing at dramli1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Robert Fenner at rfenner@bloomberg.net, Edwin Chan, Stanley James For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia on Wednesday charged a second former banker at Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N) in connection with a suspected money-laundering scheme at state fund 1MDB and said it had issued a summons to the bank. Malaysia this week filed charges against Goldman Sachs in connection with its role as underwriter and arranger of bond sales that raised $6.5 billion for 1MDB, the first criminal action against the bank over 1MDB. Tim Leissner, a former partner for Goldman Sachs in Asia, was also charged this week. Goldman Sachs has consistently denied wrongdoing and on Monday said certain members of the former Malaysian government and 1MDB lied to the bank about the proceeds of the bond sales. The U.S. Justice Department has estimated that a total of $4.5 billion was misappropriated by high-level 1MDB fund officials and their associates between 2009 and 2014, including some of the funds that Goldman Sachs helped raise. On Wednesday, Malaysian prosecutors charged the second former Goldman banker, Roger Ng, a Malaysian, with four counts of abetting the bank to provide misleading statements in the offering prospectus for the bonds that the bank helped sell for 1MDB. Ng, who appeared in court to hear the charges, pleaded not guilty to all of them. The case will be heard next on March 18, with prosecutor Manoj Kurup saying he needed time to ensure the attendance of Goldman Sachs. "They did the principal offence that he abetted. So they must have a chance to defend themselves too," Kurup told reporters after the court hearing. "We already have a summons against Goldman Sachs, but because they're outside Malaysia, it takes time to do the legal process." Kurup did not elaborate when reporters asked which Goldman Sachs officials would be summoned. He said Malaysia would be considering mutual legal arrangements with other countries. A Goldman Sachs spokesman said none of the Goldman Sachs entities named in the Malaysia charges had received any summons. Story continues In the charge sheets, Malaysia alleged that three units of Goldman Sachs made untrue statements and omitted key facts in offering circulars for the bonds on the 1MDB management and use of proceeds. Leissner, Malaysian financier Jho Low and a former 1MDB official Jasmine Loo were charged with abetting the bank to commit the offence. Leissner and Ng were charged by the U.S. Justice Department on Nov. 1. Leissner pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money and conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and has agreed to forfeit $43.7 million. Singapore's central bank on Wednesday said it had issued a lifetime prohibition order against Leissner. Malaysia had said Ng would be extradited to the United States to face the charges there, but it was unclear how the new charges against Ng would affect that process. Before Ng was charged on Wednesday, prosecutors filed an application in a Kuala Lumpur court to extradite him. The extradition case will be heard on Jan. 4. (Reporting by Rozanna Latiff, Writing by A. Ananthalakshmi) The MetLife building is seen in New York, March 8, 2010. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo By Nate Raymond BOSTON (Reuters) - MetLife Inc will pay a $1 million fine to resolve claims that it made misleading statements to investors in failing to pay pension benefits to thousands of retirees it improperly treated as "presumed dead." Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin announced the settlement on Wednesday. The deal resolves an administrative case that Galvin's office filed against MetLife in June. As part of the settlement, Galvin's office said that MetLife will provide payments, with interest, to hundreds of Massachusetts retirees and beneficiaries. In an administrative complaint, Galvin's office accused MetLife of making misleading statements to investors regarding the sufficiency of the reserves it was required to maintain to meet its obligations to pensioners. Following December's revelation, MetLife said in February it would increase the reserves by $510 million. The company has estimated that the number of retirees affected, both in and outside Massachusetts, is about 13,500. "Our focus since we self-identified and self-reported this issue has been to enhance our processes so that we deliver better service to our customers," MetLife said in a statement. "This settlement is in line with that focus." The case centers on MetLife's business over the last several decades of acquiring the assets of employer pension plans and converting them into group annuity contracts in a process called pension risk transfer. Galvin's complaint said MetLife relied on inadequate procedures to contact retirees, many of whom may not have known the company took over the pension responsibilities. MetLife contacted them primarily by sending two perfunctory letters at age 65 and 70-1/2. When retirees did not respond to them, MetLife categorized them as "presumed dead," the complaint said. By marking someone as "presumed dead," the assets to which the retiree was entitled were released from the reserve, increasing MetLife's bottom line, Galvin alleged. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) Weve lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So well take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Goal Rise Logistics (China) Holdings Limited (HKG:8457). What Is Insider Selling? Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock on the market. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required. Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. For example, a Harvard University study found that insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year. Check out our latest analysis for Goal Rise Logistics (China) Holdings The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Goal Rise Logistics (China) Holdings In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when Zhijian Zhu bought HK$4.6m worth of shares at a price of HK$0.23 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price. Its very possible they regret the purchase, but its more likely they are bullish about the company. That purchase may suggest an expectation of positive returns over the long term. The only individual insider to buy over the last year was Zhijian Zhu. You can see the insider transactions over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction! SEHK:8457 Insider Trading December 24th 18 I will like Goal Rise Logistics (China) Holdings better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying. Story continues Insider Ownership of Goal Rise Logistics (China) Holdings Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Goal Rise Logistics (China) Holdings insiders own 28% of the company, currently worth about HK$42m based on the recent share price. Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders. So What Do The Goal Rise Logistics (China) Holdings Insider Transactions Indicate? It doesnt really mean much that no insider has traded Goal Rise Logistics (China) Holdings shares in the last quarter. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Insiders own shares in Goal Rise Logistics (China) Holdings and we see no evidence to suggest they are worried about the future. I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can access this interactive graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow for free . If you would prefer to check out another company one with potentially superior financials then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity 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. Natural gas futures closed slightly lower last week. The price action on the daily chart throughout the week suggests bottoming action as buyers continued to come in on the dips, only to be rejected by stubborn sellers parked at technical resistance areas. Although a prolonged span of mild temperatures has pressured the market throughout the month along with rises production, this weeks price action suggests investors may be responding to new forecasts calling for a potential cold snap around January 1. For the week, February natural gas settled at $3.750, down $0.003 or -0.08%. Weekly February Natural Gas U.S. Energy Information Administration Report The EIA on Thursday reported a 141 Bcf withdrawal from U.S. natural gas stocks for the week-ending December 14. That compares to a year-ago withdrawal of 166 Bcf and a five-year average pull of 144 Bcf. Estimates ahead of the EIA report pointed to a withdrawal in the low to mid-130 Bcf range. Furthermore, Bloomberg called for a range of 118 Bcf to 146 Bcf with a median draw of 135 Bcf. Reuters looked for a range of 94 Bcf to 153 Bcf with a median of 133 Bcf. Additionally, Kyle Cooper of IAF Advisors and Bespoke Weather Services each estimated a 133 Bcf draw, while EBW predicted a 145 Bcf draw. Short-Term Weather Forecast According to NatGasWeather for December 21-27, A strong weather system will bring heavy rain over the East Coast the next few days with snow into the coldest air. Mild conditions will dominate most of the rest of the country with highs of 40s and 50s north and 60s to locally 70s elsewhere. There will be a brief cold shot across the Midwest and East next week, focused around Christmas Eve for locally stronger demand otherwise mild. The West will see weather systems with valley rains & mountain snows. Overall, national demand will be lighter than normal due to not enough cold air. Overall, national demand will be low. Forecast Natural gas prices were volatile last week. Not the one-sided volatility weve seen in November and most of December, but the choppy, two-sided variety. This price action was fueled by forecasts that point toward a potential shift to colder temperatures during the first week of the new year. Story continues NatGasWeather said on Thursday, the European weather model was indicating a potential colder trend for the first few days of the new year. Prices eased off modestly after the latest overnight European model backed off the amount of cold December 28-30, although it still shows decent cool shots arriving December 31-January 2, the forecaster said. No major changes overall with a mostly mild U.S. pattern through December 29, then with stronger cooling across the northern and eastern U.S. December 30-January 3 and where it will play out either neutral or slightly bullish depending on just how much cold air arrives across the East. What will be most important over the weekend break is just how cold weather systems December 30-January 2 will be, and if reinforcing cold continues January 4-7, which the weather data sees as becoming less likely. Due to thin holiday trading conditions and the developing forecast for a short-term cold snap after the first of the new year, we could see a short-covering pop to the upside this week. The move could even be exaggerated if sellers decide to take the week off. Strong buyers will only come in to play the long-side if the calls for colder temperatures increase beyond January 3. It seems traders are pricing in the cold snap from December 30 to January 2. If the cold is forecast beyond January 7 then prices could run to the upside. The key resistance area that buyers have to overcome is $3.775 to $3.980. Overtaking $3.775 will be the first sign of strength. If this creates enough upside momentum then look for February natural gas to surge into $3.980. We could see an acceleration to the upside if buyers take out this level with conviction. This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: VATICAN CITY (AP) Pope Francis urged Christians on Monday to forgo the greed, gluttony and materialism of Christmas and to focus instead on its message of simplicity, charity and love. Francis celebrated a Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, opening a busy week for the pope that includes a Christmas Day message and blessing, a Dec. 26 prayer, New Year's Eve vespers and a Jan. 1 Mass. During his homily Monday, Francis lamented that many people find their life's meaning in possessions when the biblical story of Christ's birth emphasizes that God appeared to people who were poor when it came to earthly possessions, but faithful. "Standing before the manger, we understand that the food of life is not material riches but love, not gluttony but charity, not ostentation but simplicity," Francis said, dressed in simple white vestments. "An insatiable greed marks all human history, even today, when paradoxically a few dine luxuriantly while all too many go without the daily bread needed to survive," he said. Francis has focused on the world's poor and downtrodden, its refugees and marginalized, during his five-year papacy. The Catholic Church's first pope from Latin American instructed the Vatican to better care for the homeless around Rome, opening a barber shop, shower and medical clinic for them in the embracing colonnade of St. Peter's Square. To extend his outreach this Christmas, Francis sent his trusted secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to Iraq to celebrate with the country's long-suffering Christians. Catholics are among the religious minorities targeted for Islamic State-inspired violence that has driven tens of thousands from their homes. Parolin met Monday in Baghdad with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi. He is scheduled in the coming days to travel to northern Iraq to meet with Kurdish leaders in Irbil and to celebrate Mass in Qaraqosh in the Nineveh plains, near Mosul, according to the Vatican. The Vatican has for years expressed concern about the exodus of Christians from communities that have existed since the time of Jesus, and urged them to return when security conditions permit. Francis is likely to refer to the plight of Christians in Iraq and Syria during his Christmas Day "Urbi et Orbi" (To the city and the world) speech. He is scheduled to deliver it Tuesday from the loggia of St. Peter's and again at Mass on New Year's Day, which the church marks as its world day for peace. Reports of China using its 'Belt and Road' program for military purposes are 'no real surprise' Last week, the New York Times said it had reviewed a confidential plan about China's military projects in Pakistan under the Belt and Road Initiative. For politics-watchers, the Times' findings strengthened suspicions that the massive infrastructure program serves as a tool to project Chinese power across the globe. Lijian Zhao, deputy chief of mission at the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad, called the Times' report "Western propaganda." China massive Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure program has long been viewed as a platform to project Chinese power across the globe, despite official assertions to the contrary. New findings from the New York Times have now reinforced that argument, giving more weight to the idea that the investment plan may not purely be the economic project that Beijing insists. Last week, the Times said it had reviewed a confidential plan about China's military projects in Pakistan under the Belt and Road. According to the proposal, a special economic zone under the BRI's China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will be created to produce fighter jets while navigation systems and other military hardware will be jointly built at factories in Pakistan. That reveals how the world's second-largest economy "is for the first time explicitly tying a Belt and Road proposal to its military ambitions," the Times said. In response, Lijian Zhao, deputy chief of mission at the Chinese embassy in Islamabad, took to Twitter to protest the newspaper's claims. He called the Times' report "Western propaganda" and emphasized that the bilateral economic corridor was purely economic in nature. Lijian Zhao Tweet: 3. Western propaganda against BRI & CPEC takes an ugly turn. It is now saying there are military strings. CPEC is the flagship project of Belt & Road Initiative & purely an economic program as its name suggests. This is beyond western thinking of unilateralism & zero sum game. Story continues For politics watchers, however, the Times' story strengthens deep-rooted suspicions of the BRI as a tool for the People's Liberation Army , China's armed forces. 'No real surprise' "This should come as no real surprise," said Michael Fuchs, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and a former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs from 2013 to 2016. The Times' report reinforces the notion that China's BRI project has military applications, he continued. That doesn't necessarily mean the Chinese military will use the entire BRI to its advantage, but it will certainly tap into a number of projects, he added. BRI infrastructure schemes in member countries such as Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Djibouti "are all about giving access to China's military," he said. Beijing, last year, formally launched its first overseas military base in Djibouti . Sri Lanka's Hambantota port, which is under control of China Merchants Port Holdings, and a deep-sea port in Pakistan's Gwadar region are widely speculated to be potential bases for China's navy. "Most people working in military circles knew there was a security dimension to [the BRI] so this [New York Times report] is just a confirmation at best," said James Chin, director of the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania. It's impossible, he added, for a country to separate military power and economic power when it is striving for greatness. Cynthia Watson, dean of faculty and academic programs at the National War College, echoed that sentiment, saying it was her opinion that the "BRI is a means to alter China's relationship with this vast swath of nations." "It would be unlikely to completely exclude military [components] in the long run, regardless of policy statements in the past," she said. Global implications Increased China-Pakistan military ties are likely to worry India, which has long been wary of Beijing's network of defense and commercial facilities in countries along the Indian Ocean. "This could be the next step in the growing China-India rivalry," Fuchs said. "From the Indian perspective, the Chinese are trying to surround them so New Delhi may now step up its military activities." Reports of the Chinese military's involvement could damage the BRI's reputation at a time when public anger over the project is already high. Citizens of several member nations are unhappy about the terms of Chinese financing and employment . "Going forward, I think China will still play up the BRI as trade and prosperity but I think more and more people will be suspicious and mobilize the public against the BRI," Chin warned. "In the end, BRI could end up as a logistical route to sell China-made stuff and nothing else." WATCH: India boycotting China's Belt and Road Initiative More From CNBC * Research says over 2 million job ads vanished in China * 51job denies claim, says it distorted facts * 51job says contacted by authorities from top economic work group * Tianfeng shares down nearly 3 pct on Monday BEIJING, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Chinese recruitment service provider 51job on Monday rejected claims that more than 2 million job ads had disappeared from its website this year due to an economic slump, saying a Chinese securities firm was smearing economic prospects. In a statement posted on its official social media account on Wechat, 51job said Wuhan-based Tianfeng Securities had made an "improper" analysis of the platform's data using a web crawler programme in a research note published in November. Tianfeng said it found the number of job listings on 51job shrank from 2.85 million to just 830,000 in six months, from April to September. "The content of that research is contrary to facts," 51job said in a statement, criticising the research approach as loose and irresponsible, stressing it owns multiple recruitment websites besides the main 51job website. It cited the company's robust earnings as evidence that the numbers were false. In both the second and third quarters, 51job's revenue from online recruitment rose more than 30 percent from a year earlier, it said. It did not give details on actual changes of job listings, however. Tianfeng Securities could not be immediately reached by Reuters for comment. "Our research department has always strictly observed relevant regulations and rigorously and objectively analysed data," Tianfeng was quoted as saying in a response to 51job after being contacted by its lawyers, according to 51job's statement. 51job said Tianfeng had declined to make a public apology after deleting the research note from its own platform. Tianfeng's share fell 2.66 percent on Monday from the previous trading day. Tianfeng's findings had misled the market and raised widespread concerns about employment stability and the health of the broader economy, 51job wrote in its statement. Story continues "Who gave Tianfeng Securities the guts to do this?" it wrote, adding it had not been asked to verify the numbers before the research was posted. China's economy has been under growing pressure lately from a combination of domestic deleveraging policies, a campaign to shut polluting industries, and a protracted trade dispute with the United States. Stability-minded policymakers have vowed to prevent extensive job losses, including rolling out measures to reduce costs for struggling companies that choose not to cut staff. China aims to maintain its urban survey-based jobless rate below 5.5 percent in 2018, while keeping the registered unemployment rate, another official gauge, below 4.5 percent. Many analysts say, however, that the government figure is an unreliable indicator of national employment conditions as it measures only employment in urban areas and does not take into account millions of migrant workers. (Reporting by Yawen Chen and Ryan Woo Additional reporting by Stella Qiu) KUWAIT (Reuters) - October's production levels will be the reference point for oil output cuts for most OPEC and non-OPEC producers that agreed on cuts earlier this month, the UAE's energy minister said on Sunday. September levels will be the reference point for a few of the producers, said Suhail al-Mazrouei at a news conference at the meeting of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Companies in Kuwait. Libya, Iran and Venezuela are exempt from the production cuts, he said, adding that he expected their production to fall rather than rise. Mazrouei said the OPEC and non-OPEC producers aim to return the oil market balance to return to summer 2018 levels in the first quarter of 2019. Shale oil producers were the first to suffer from the fall in oil prices he said, as shale oil production slowed. (Reporting by Ahmed Hagagy, Writing by Nafisa Eltahir; Editing by Hugh Lawson) This article is for investors who would like to improve their understanding of price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). Well show how you can use Central China Real Estate Limiteds (HKG:832) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. Central China Real Estate has a P/E ratio of 6.44, based on the last twelve months. In other words, at todays prices, investors are paying HK$6.44 for every HK$1 in prior year profit. See our latest analysis for Central China Real Estate How Do I Calculate A Price To Earnings Ratio? The formula for P/E is: Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share (in the reporting currency) Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for Central China Real Estate: P/E of 6.44 = CN2.5 (Note: this is the share price in the reporting currency, namely, CNY ) CN0.39 (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2018.) Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good? A higher P/E ratio means that buyers have to pay a higher price for each HK$1 the company has earned over the last year. All else being equal, its better to pay a low price but as Warren Buffett said, Its far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price. How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios Earnings growth rates have a big influence on P/E ratios. Earnings growth means that in the future the E will be higher. That means even if the current P/E is high, it will reduce over time if the share price stays flat. A lower P/E should indicate the stock is cheap relative to others and that may attract buyers. Central China Real Estate increased earnings per share by a whopping 72% last year. And it has improved its earnings per share by 1.5% per year over the last three years. With that performance, I would expect it to have an above average P/E ratio. But earnings per share are down 8.0% per year over the last five years. How Does Central China Real Estates P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers? Story continues We can get an indication of market expectations by looking at the P/E ratio. As you can see below, Central China Real Estate has a higher P/E than the average company (5.2) in the real estate industry. SEHK:832 PE PEG Gauge December 24th 18 Central China Real Estates P/E tells us that market participants think the company will perform better than its industry peers, going forward. Clearly the market expects growth, but it isnt guaranteed. So investors should always consider the P/E ratio alongside other factors, such as whether company directors have been buying shares. Remember: P/E Ratios Dont Consider The Balance Sheet The Price in P/E reflects the market capitalization of the company. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. Hypothetically, a company could reduce its future P/E ratio by spending its cash (or taking on debt) to achieve higher earnings. Such spending might be good or bad, overall, but the key point here is that you need to look at debt to understand the P/E ratio in context. How Does Central China Real Estates Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio? Central China Real Estates net debt is 65% of its market cap. This is enough debt that youd have to make some adjustments before using the P/E ratio to compare it to a company with net cash. The Verdict On Central China Real Estates P/E Ratio Central China Real Estate trades on a P/E ratio of 6.4, which is below the HK market average of 10.3. The company has a meaningful amount of debt on the balance sheet, but that should not eclipse the solid earnings growth. The low P/E ratio suggests current market expectations are muted, implying these levels of growth will not continue. Investors have an opportunity when market expectations about a stock are wrong. As value investor Benjamin Graham famously said, In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run, it is a weighing machine. So this free visualization of the analyst consensus on future earnings could help you make the right decision about whether to buy, sell, or hold. You might be able to find a better buy than Central China Real Estate. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings). 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. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Crews at the North American Aerospace Defense Command are ready for their biggest annual mission: tracking an elusive target that propels a bearded senior citizen at mind-boggling speed for a 24-hour intercontinental race that spans the planet. The command, which protects the nation from incoming missiles, enemy bombers and terrorist hijackings, is used to the daily grind of watching slower targets. Santa Claus, though, poses a special problem. The good news is we are well suited for doing this, said Gen. Terrence J. OShaughnessy, a veteran fighter pilot with 168 hours of combat time who now leads NORAD and its legion of Santa trackers. Want to know where #Santa is on Dec 24th? Call us tomorrow at 1-877-446-6723 or e-mail noradtrackssanta@outlook.com to talk to a live #NORAD Santa tracker! We answer our first call at 6 a.m. EST. https://t.co/gSvRD6ezKo pic.twitter.com/iFLhv4kjag NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) December 23, 2018 The command has radars set up around the continent for its regular job and brings in a few more around the planet for the Christmas Eve mission. Click here to track Santa's route. Santas speed is like nothing OShaughnessy faced at the controls of his F-16 fighter. To hit every household on Earth during the 24-hour trip, Santa must make 19,675 stops every second. If you account for time to consume milk and cookies, that jolly old elf could easily exceed the 186,000 miles-per-second speed of light between stops. OShaughnessys F-16 topped out at a pedestrian 1,500 mph on full afterburner thats less than half a mile per second. Cornell University astrophysicist David Rothstein, who apparently does not believe in Santa Claus, claims it is impossible to travel that quickly. This has actually been verified by experiments, and it has been shown that nothing moves faster than the speed of light, the Grinch-like professor wrote on the universitys website. But the general says Santa isnt bound by the laws of physics, such as Einsteins alleged theory of special relativity. And Santa is polite enough to allow the commands American and Canadian fighters to accompany him at brief intervals. The CF-18 Hornets and F-22 Raptors normally rule the skies, but not when Santa Claus is coming to town, the general said. We actually have to ask Santa to slow down, OShaughnessy said. Tracking Santa means calling up the reserves. Christmas Eve dawns at the international dateline thats early Sunday here. So, the trackers all volunteers roll into Peterson Air Force Base at the crack of dawn to help children across the globe ascertain Santas exact location. The tracking mission began in 1955 with a mistake published prominently in The Gazette. An advertisement from a downtown department store offered children the chance to call Santa on Christmas Eve. But the number pushed for the North Pole was incorrect. Instead of Santa, children got Col. Harry Shoup, who was watching for an attack in a military command center. He could have taken that call and said you have a wrong number, OShaughnessy said. But the colonel took a different route and began forwarding the calls to his radar operators. He provided an opportunity to show the goodness of some folks we have working for the military, OShaughnessy said. The commands Christmas Eve job has grown immeasurably. Over the holiday season, millions of people visit NORADs website dedicated to the mission: noradsanta.org. Contributors help the command set up a huge phone bank at Peterson where volunteers, military and civilian, spend 24 hours answering phone calls to the tracking hotline: 1-877-446-6723. The calls come from tens of thousands of children from around the planet. The wrong number has turned into the Pentagons single largest outreach program. It has an audience around the world, OShaughnessy said. The general said it also gives NORAD troops a way to show the public their work outside the usual secrecy. The inner workings of the commands intelligence and surveillance programs are usually highly classified. Santa has some secrets, too, the general said. The elf may deliver presents, but he hasnt delivered blueprints for his physics-defying sleigh. That technology in the sleigh would be great technology to have, the general said, dreaming of high mach numbers rather than sugar plums. But, in its mission to follow Santa, NORAD has finally cracked the code to overcome his blinding speed and stealth, OShaughnessy confided. The key was following the leader of those eight reindeer. The one guiding the sleigh actually shows up on Defense Support Program and Space-based Infrared satellites usually used to track the launch of nuclear-tipped missiles. Fortunately for us, Rudolph has a very bright red nose, he said. Contact Tom Roeder: 636-0240 City Editor Tom Roeder is the Gazette's City Editor. In Colorado Springs since 2003, Tom has covered the military at home and overseas and has covered statehouses in Denver and Olympia, Wash. His main job, though, is being dad to two great kids. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Tents sit on a ridge near Shooks Run in a homeless camp near Fountain Boulevard and Wahsatch Avenue in Colorado Springs last year. We did not have a plan for Lakewoods Green Mountain, which turned out to be a good way to go. You know the drill: Bring water, have sturdy fo The tamales at T-Byrds be on fleek, according to the sidewalk sign in front of the downtown Colorado Springs restaurant on East Kiowa Street. For those not in the know, ... that still means good, right? Cause theyre the best! the message continued, scrawled in colorful markers on the dry-erase board sign. A-frame signs designed to lure passersby into shops and restaurants have begun to take over the sidewalks of downtown Colorado Springs in recent years. Many list specials or advertise a sale. Others simply direct people inside. But some aim higher. Snaps of sidewalk signs often are shared widely across social media, and some businesses might feel pressure to be clever and find a voice through their signs. But there have been missteps, like the sign outside Ink Coffee in Denvers Five Points Happily gentrifying the neighborhood since 2014 that prompted neighborhood protests, boycotts and a national outcry. Staff at The Perk Downtown, a coffee shop on South Tejon Street, began writing daily messages on a chalkboard A-frame sign over the summer, said manager Taylor Dodson. One of the ways we found that actually gets people to look at it is if you have something comical on it, Dodson said. For the most part, it seems to work. We have some regulars who come in every day and say like, Who wrote the sign today? It was so funny, said Lexy Hesselberg, one of the baristas who writes on the sign in the mornings. Well see people take pictures with them, and theyll be like, Oh, my friend is going to love this. Regular customers are more likely to comment on the sign because they see it change every day, Hesselberg said. But Dodson said he does see people take pictures of the sign without coming inside. Naturally, The Perks sign often references caffeine. Some of them I come up with on my own, Hesselberg said. I really like puns and plays on words and that kind of things. Others are inspired by posts she sees on Pinterest. Some are kind of a combo: Ill see one and itll be about beer, so Ill change it and make it about coffee, she said. Customers often comment on T-Byrds signs too, said general manager Julia Viet. Today was tamales, and theyre like, We saw on the sign that you have tamales, whats that about? Viet said. Or theyll be like, Your sign outside is so funny, or something like that. Your sign caught our eye, so we came in. One of the hostesses helps come up with ideas for the sign, Viet said. Oftentimes, inspiration comes from the internet. We recycle some stuff, she said. We try to be creative. Some days its just hard, so sometimes its super basic. But definitely the more creative ones do catch peoples eyes more. The number of A-frame signs seem to be increasing, said Matthew Fitzsimmons, a city planner for downtown Colorado Springs. That could be because when they see that other businesses have them, they want them also, he said. A $10 annual permit is required for each A-frame sign, and the signs must adhere to a slew of regulations, Fitzsimmons said. They must be between 2 feet and 4 feet tall and no more than 30 inches wide. They have to stand in front of the business theyre advertising and must be taken inside at night. They cant be fastened directly to public property, like the sidewalk or a light pole. You can be as creative as you want I love that, when they say clever things that make people want to read them just do it in a safe manner. The permits protect the city from liability, keep passersby safe and allow pedestrian traffic to flow uninterrupted, Fitzsimmons said. A warning notice is sent to a business that doesnt have a permit or that is breaking a rule. Theyre a great way to bring attention to someone that might not be looking at the stores while theyre walking, but they might see a sign and be like, Oh! Todays special, exactly what I wanted, he said. Fitzsimmons said hes a fan of whatever makes our downtown more friendly and (makes) people want to be down here. A-frame signs, I feel, add more character. Each store can kind of express their character on the sign who they are inside. GCompris is a high quality educational software suite, including a large number of activities for children aged 2 to 10. Some of the activities are game orientated, but nonetheless still educational. Here is the list of activity categories with some examples: computer discovery: keyboard, mouse, touchscreen ... reading: letters, words, reading practice, typing text ... arithmetic: numbers, operations, table memory, enumeration, double entry table ... science: the canal lock, the water cycle, renewable energy ... geography: countries, regions, culture ... games: chess, memory, align 4, hangman, tic-tac-toe ... other: colors, shapes, Braille, learn to tell time ... Currently GCompris offers more than 100 activities, and more are being developed. GCompris is free software, it means that you can adapt it to your own needs, improve it, and most importantly share it with children everywhere. The GCompris project is hosted and developed by the KDE community. December 11 12, 2018 Workshops, December 10, 2018 The Revere Hotel 200 Stuart St., Boston, MA SVP R&D leading workshop on Financial Planning and Commercial Development SVP R&D to present A Translational R&D Program with Dronabinol for OSA CFO participating on panel on Funding the Commercial Development of Pharmaceutical Cannabinoids Glen Rock, N.J., Dec. 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTCQB: RSPI) (RespireRx or the Company), a clinical stage pharmaceutical company, focused on the development of medicines that promote neuronal signaling in diseases and disorders of neuronal dysfunction, is pleased to announce that the Company and members of its executive management team are highlighted speakers at the International Cannabinoid Derived Pharmaceuticals Summit at the Revere Hotel, 200 Stuart St. Boston, MA (http://international-cdp.com/). Richard Purcell, RespireRx Senior Vice President of Research & Development will co-lead a workshop on December 10th on Financial Planning and Commercial Strategy for cannabinoids. http://international-cdp.com/whats-on/workshops/ On December 12th, Richard Purcell is scheduled to present Using Cannabis to Treat Previously Untreatable Diseases and will provide a detailed scientific talk on the dronabinol translational research program from in vitro through animal models to clinic trials that demonstrate the mechanism of action and clinical effectiveness of dronabinol for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that affects nearly 30 million Americans, and for which there are no drug therapies. http://international-cdp.com/whats-on/agenda/?curr_day=194 Also, on December 12th, Jeff Margolis, RespireRx Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary, is scheduled to participate in a panel discussion entitled The Funding Challenges Associated with Cannabis-Derived Pharmaceuticals. http://international-cdp.com/whats-on/agenda/?curr_day=194 RespireRx is at the forefront of developing cannabinoids for the treatment of disease, because we are focused on science and medicine, said Dr. Lippa, Executive Chairman, Chief Scientific Officer, Interim CEO and Interim President. By understanding the neurologic mechanisms of how and why cannabinoids effect their therapeutic properties, we have demonstrated that dronabinol works to improve breathing in OSA patients through a well-defined neuronal signaling pathway involving receptors for serotonin, CB1 and CB2 in specific neurons that control the muscles in the upper airway. Rich Purcell will be presenting our translational research, through which we have shown that dronabinol modulates the serotonin pathway to overcome the cessation of breathing that we see in OSA. Through our research efforts, which include two Phase II clinical trials, as well as our partnership with Noramco, Inc. for clinical and commercial supply of dronabinol, and in conjunction with our regulatory consultants, we are preparing a package for FDA to initiate our pivotal trial in OSA. We are excited as a management team to participate in the important conference to advance the commercial development of pharmaceutical cannabinoids. About RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a leader in the development of medicines for respiratory disorders and CNS indications, with a focus on obstructive sleep apnea, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), spinal cord injury, other neurological conditions and drug-induced respiratory depression. The Company holds exclusive licenses and owns patents and patent applications or rights thereto for certain families of chemical compounds that claim the chemical structures and their uses in the treatment of a variety of disorders, as well as claims for novel uses of known drugs. Cannabinoids. RespireRx is developing dronabinol, a synthetic derivative of a naturally occurring substance in the cannabis plant, for the treatment of OSA, a serious respiratory disorder that impacts an estimated 29.4 million people in the United States according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), published in August 2016. OSA has been linked to increased risk for hypertension, heart failure, depression, and diabetes, and has an annual economic cost in the United States of $162 billion according to the AASM. There are no approved drug treatments for OSA. RespireRx believes, pending the outcome of an intended meeting with the FDA, that it will be able to commence a Phase 3 clinical study for the treatment of OSA with dronabinol. The Company further believes that it would only require approval by the FDA of a 505(b)(2) new drug application (NDA), an efficient regulatory pathway. RespireRx believes that the most direct route to commercialization is to proceed directly to a Phase 3 pivotal trial using the currently available dronabinol formulation (2.5, 5 and 10 mg gel caps) and to then commercialize a RespireRx branded dronabinol capsule (RBDC). RespireRx also believes that there are numerous opportunities for reformulation of dronabinol to produce a second-generation proprietary, branded product for the treatment of OSA with an improved profile. Therefore, simultaneous with the development of the RBDC, RespireRx plans to develop a proprietary dronabinol formulation to optimize the dose and duration of action for treating OSA. Ampakines. The second platform of proprietary medicines being developed by RespireRx are ampakines, which act to enhance the actions of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate at AMPA glutamate receptors. Several ampakines, in both oral and injectable forms, are being developed by the Company for the treatment of a variety of breathing and CNS disorders. In clinical studies of respiratory function, select ampakines have shown preliminary efficacy in central sleep apnea and in the control of respiratory depression produced by opioids, without altering the opioid analgesic effects. In animal models of certain orphan disorders, such as Pompe Disease, Retts Syndrome and perinatal respiratory distress, certain ampakines have been shown to improve breathing function. Ampakines also have shown potential as possible therapeutic agents for the treatment of certain neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. Ampakines have demonstrated positive activity in animal models of ADHD, results that have been extended translationally into statistically significant improvement of symptoms observed in a Phase 2 clinical trial of CX717 in adults with ADHD. At present, the major pharmacotherapies available for ADHD are made up of two types of drugs. Stimulants, such as amphetamine, rapidly produce robust effects, but suffer from side effects typical of stimulants, including tolerance, dependence, withdrawal and abuse. For these reasons, stimulants are scheduled by the FDA. Non-stimulants, such as Straterra (atomoxetine) tend to be less effective than stimulants, with a much longer (approximately 4 8 week) latency to onset of action. In a number of animal and human studies, CX717 and other ampakines did not display any stimulant properties typically associated with drugs like amphetamine. In the Phase 2 ADHD clinical trial, statistically significant therapeutic effects were observed within one week. Therefore, we believe ampakines may represent a novel, non-stimulant treatment for ADHD with a more rapid onset of action than alternative non-stimulant treatment options. RespireRx owns certain composition of matter and use patents and patent applications with respect to ampakines CX1739, CX717 and other amakines. The Company has received notice from the University of Alberta that purports to terminate the Companys license in respect of patents associated with respiratory applications of ampakines. RespireRx has been in contact with the University of Alberta and anticipates engaging in a dispute resolution process with respect to its license with the University of Alberta in respect to use patents associated only with respiratory applications of ampakines. Additional information about the Company and the matters discussed herein can be obtained on the Companys web-site at www.RespireRx.com or in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain 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 and the Company intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe harbor created thereby. These might include statements regarding the Companys future plans, targets, estimates, assumptions, financial position, business strategy and other plans and objectives for future operations, and assumptions and predictions about research and development efforts, including, but not limited to, preclinical and clinical research design, execution, timing, costs and results, future product demand, supply, manufacturing, costs, marketing and pricing factors. In some cases, forward-looking statements may be identified by words including anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, expects, plans, contemplates, targets, continues, budgets, may, and similar expressions and such statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding (i) future research plans, expenditures and results, (ii) potential collaborative arrangements, (iii) the potential utility of the Companys proposed products, (iv) reorganization plans, (v) the clinical development, regulatory review and commercialization process, and (vi) the need for, and availability of, additional financing. The forward-looking statements included herein are based on current expectations that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions regarding the Companys business and technology, which involve judgments with respect to, among other things, future scientific, economic, regulatory and competitive conditions, collaborations with third parties, and future business decisions, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are beyond the Companys control. Although the Company believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking information included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by the Company or any other person that the Companys objectives or plans will be achieved. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, regulatory policies or changes thereto, available cash, research and development results, competition from other similar businesses, interest of third parties in collaborations with us, and market and general economic factors. This discussion should be read in conjunction with the condensed consolidated financial statements (unaudited) and notes thereto included in Item 1 of the Companys Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, including the section entitled Item 1A. Risk Factors. The Company does not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events or otherwise. Company Contact: Jeff Margolis Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary Telephone: (917) 834-7206 E-mail: jmargolis@respirerx.com VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Yield Growth Corp. (CSE:BOSS) announces that it will soon commence sales of its Urban Juve hemp oil-infused personal care products to consumers in the US now that the US 2018 Farm Bill has been signed into law. The new Farm Bill removes industrial hemp from the Controlled Substances Act and opens the door for hemp infused products. Passage of the Farm Bill comes at an opportune time for Yield Growth subsidiary, Urban Juve Provisions Inc., which has just launched its premium Urban Juve products in Canada. Urban Juve is an Ayurveda-inspired skin care and wellness brand that rejuvenates and nourishes from within: spirit to skin. Urban Juves key ingredient -- hemp root oil -- combines with natural and pure essential oil-based formulations to create quality products that are currently available online in Canada at urbanjuve.com and are available at select retail stores across Canada. The global industrial hemp market size is expected to reach USD $10.6 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is anticipated to expand at an annual growth rate of 14% during the forecast period. According to Grand View Research, growing population and rising disposable income are expected to result in an increased demand for high-quality cosmetics, personal care products, protein supplements, and other health food products. These factors are expected to be key driving factors for the market over the projected period. With the recent launch of our Urban Juve products in Canada, the passage of the US Farm Bill couldnt have come at a better time for us, said Penny Green, CEO of Yield Growth and Urban Juve. We are poised to capitalize on the huge opportunity presented by the United States cosmetic and wellness market and will open our ecommerce channel to the US shortly. President Donald Trump last week signed legislation into law that includes language lifting the United States decades-long prohibition on domestic, commercial hemp production. The provisions were included within The Farm Bill, which takes effect on January 1, 2019. The significance of this law change should not be underemphasized, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. This law marks the first change in the federal classification of the cannabis plant since it was initially classified as a Schedule I Controlled Substance by Congress in 1970, and paves the way for the first federally-sanctioned commercial hemp grows since World War II. About The Yield Growth Corp. The Yield Growth Corp. is a diverse team of business executives focused on developing cannabis assets to support rapid, sustainable financial growth using viable models for success. Its directors and officers have experience at multi-billion dollar international companies including M.A.C Cosmetics, Aritzia, Skechers, Best Buy, Future Shop, Pepsi and Coca-Cola. Urban Juve Provisions Inc., which has a catalogue of more than 50 wellness formulas, is wholly owned by Yield Growth. Urban Juve organically synthesizes ancient knowledge and modern techniques to create exceptional beauty and wellness solutions. Ayurvedic knowledge delineates three general categories or skin types. Urban Juve has translated these as Vitalize, Balance and Align, each with its own dedicated range of skin and body care formulations. Urban Juve has registered with Health Canada 26 products containing cannabis sativa hemp oil. The company has also filed 11 provisional patent applications in the United States. Urban Juves skin care products are sold in Canada, with distribution agreements signed for markets in the United States and Italy. Urban Juve has licensed its formulas to Yield Growth wholly owned subsidiary UJ Topicals Inc., which is launching its cannabis topicals line in Oregon, U.S.A. For more information about Yield Growth, visit www.yieldgrowth.com or follow @yieldgrowth on Instagram. Visit www.urbanjuve.com and #findyourjuve across social platforms to learn, engage and shop. Investor Relations Contacts: Penny Green, Director, President & CEO Kristina Pillon, Investor Relations invest@yieldgrowth.com 1-833-514-BOSS 1-833-514-2677 1-833-515-BOSS 1-833-515-2677 The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking information and statements (collectively, forward-looking statements) under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates, forecasts, beliefs and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are 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 statements. Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, but are not limited to: risks related to the development, testing, licensing, intellectual property protection, and sale of, and demand for, Urban Juve and UJ Topicals products, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals where applicable, and the state of the capital markets. Yield Growth cautions readers not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements provided by Yield Growth, as such forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future results or performance and actual results may differ materially. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and Yield Growth expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements containing any forward-looking information, or the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/47123ef9-b55a-4b88-8df7-a83488fe2202 English Danish Company Announcement No. 21/2018 Copenhagen, 24 December 2018 In July 2015, the Company initiated an arbitration procedure under the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) against the Republic of Italy related to certain changes in the Italian renewable energy legal framework. These changes negatively affected the value of the investment made in the previous years in the solar technology and infringed article 10 of the ECT. At that time, the Company owned photovoltaic plants for a total installed capacity of 31MW. The Company was granted the final award for this arbitration with a very positive outcome. The award covers the damages, the cost of the arbitration procedure and half of other arbitration-related expenses. The award bears an interest at the rate of annual LIBOR plus 2% per annum, compounded annually, from the date of Assessment (i.e. January 1st, 2015). The net award for the Company amounts to approx. EUR 7.4M which will be accounted for as special items. Athenas Chairman Peter Hstgaard-Jensen comments: This award comes just a month after the award our Company was granted for a similar case against the Kingdom of Spain. We rejoice not only for our Company and its shareholders but also for the protection of the legitimate interest of the investment community, whose commitment over the long run is of utmost importance for the future growth and prosperity of our European countries. The Board of Directors Contact: Peter Hstgaard-Jensen, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Tel: +45 40 10 88 71 Alessandro Reitelli, CEO, Tel: +45 33 36 42 02 Attachment The most common theme found within the life story of the worlds Messiahs is that of an immaculate birth to a virgin mother. Plato wrote about the universal archetype of a second God (the second sephira of the Kabbalah , Chokmah , The Christ ) who impressed himself on the universe in the form of a cross, and his divine man (the virgin-born Bodhisattva ) who would be scourged, tormented, fettered, and have his eyes burnt out; and lastly having suffered all manner of evils, would be crucified. According to the Greek philosopher Speusippus (4th cent. bce) "the divine" Plato was the "son of Apollo" and was himself the product of an immaculate conception. But the tradition of recognizing the immaculate conception of a Son of God was hardly an unprecedented practice in the ancient Greco-Roman world as Hesiod indicated of Hephaistos (Vulcan to the Romans) birth. Hesiods Theogeny clearly states that Hera without loves union bore famous Hephaistos. The Greek hero Perseus was the immaculately born son of princess Danae, whose father, King Acrisius (king of Argos), locked her away from the world in an underground bronze chamber. Zeus penetrated into the bronze chamber of Danae through a hole in the ceiling (symbol of the pineal gland) and descended upon her as a shower of gold. Thus Perseus was conceived. But why was the chamber bronze? Bronze is an amalgam of the metals tin and copper. These two metals are esoteric symbols of the polarities - positive (tin, related to Jupiter) and negative (copper, related to Venus). Bronze is created when the two polarities are brought together and bonded in purity. This is the great secret knowledge of Alchemy by which Danae was able to conceive a divine child. It is the very same secret behind the fiery bronze serpent that Moses raised in the desert to heal the Israelites (Numbers 21:9). "And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole..." - Numbers 21 "The sexual fire of the Third Logos (Binah , the Holy Spirit) in the Hindustan is known under the name of Kundalini and is symbolized by a serpent of burning fire." - Samael Aun Weor , Esoteric Treatise of Hermetic Astrology: Virgo The tyrant King Amulius compelled the chaste Rhea Silvia to become a Vestal Virgin so that she would not bear a son and legitimate heir to the throne. Much to his dismay she bore two sons, the legendary forbears of the Roman civilization. Romulus and Remus were celebrated as the sons of the god Mars, whom favored Rhea Silvia as she drew water from his sacred spring (Yesod , the waters of life). The Greek Dionysus (Bacchus to Romans), titled twice-born by his followers, was born to the virgin Semele. "And the Kadmeid Semele bore an illustrious son, much-cheering Dionysus, after joining Zeus in love, mortal with immortal; now they both are gods." By giving birth to the Golden Child the mortal mother Semele incarnated her Divine Father (the superior aspect of every Monad ) and gave birth to her own immortal soul . Soon after her conception Semele was consumed by Zeus divine fire and the Father of the Gods snatched the fire-born Dionysus from the ashes and thrust him into his thigh for protection. Zeus (Jupiter of the Romans) is the sacred symbol of the Inner Being, and as Father of the gods He is the Christ . In esoteric wisdom, the planet Jupiter rules the femoral arteries and the thighs of the physical body. Dionysus subsequent birth from the thigh of Zeus was symbolic of being born again from his Divine Father. This means that he fabricated the vehicles of the soul and incarnated the superior aspect of his Monad , the Being . Thus he became Platos divine man. Dionysus was said to have invented the art of making wine (symbol of Alchemy ). He traveled extensively to introduce wine (the Great Arcanum) to the world and eventually descended into Hades (Hell) to rescue his mother. This is symbolic of the work of the bodhisattva in the Second Mountain, descending into his own Abyss in order to die (in all of his/her ego ) and go to the sepulcher of the eighth Venustic Initiation (Binah ). This is related to the drama of resurrection. Promised by the angel Gabriel that she would give birth to the Son of the Highest, the virgin (Mary), espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, replied How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And thus the Blessed Virgin Mary immaculately conceived Jesus. Mary was herself believed in early Christian times to have been born of a virgin. One source of Mary's immaculate conception was John of Damascus, who asserted that Mary's parents were filled and purified by the Holy Ghost, and freed from sexual concupiscence. Likewise, the Catholic Encyclopedia confirms (Immaculate Conception), that even the human element (of Mary's origin), the material of which she was formed, was pure and holy. In other words, the Roman Catholic doctrine dictates that the virgin birth of Jesus was unoriginal as, like Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary was conceived without sin. It is interesting to see that St. Paul, recorded the first known reference to Jesus' birth (Between 49 and 55 CE) in Galatians 4:4, as: "But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law." The law, of course, is the law of the Human Soul , the sixth commandment, Thou shalt not fornicate. The sixth commandment is the first commandment of the Human Soul . One born under this law is lawfully born. A Master can only be born to one who fulfills the law of the sixth commandment. Krishna, the Hindu Christ , was lawfully born to his virgin mother Devaki. The newborn Krishna even addresses her in the Bhagavad Purana as chaste lady in accounts of his birth. It is written that Vishnu, Lord of all things, entered the mind of Vasudeva (Krishnas physical father) and in due time Devaki bore the manifestation of the infallible Lorddeposited in her womb by Vasudeva by mental transmission. It is interesting to note that the immaculate conception is performed through Vasudeva instead of directly through Devaki. This is a reminder that in the Alchemical act the husband essentially becomes the wifes Divine Father as the wife becomes the husbands Divine Mother . This was done so that it would come to pass that God himself, the supreme person, will accept birth in the house of Vasudeva and the burden of the earthly realm (will be) removed by your Lordships birth. In another version of the immaculate conception (from the Vishnu Purana) Lord Vishnu plucked a black and a white hair from his head and said, "Both these hairs of mine shall take incarnation on earth and remove the miseries that the people face there This black hair of mine shall take birth as the eighth son of Devaki (Krishna; the white hair became his powerful brother Balarama)." And as foretold the Lord Himself appeared as the eighth issue of Devaki. Possibly the oldest account on record (before 2000 BCE) of this ageless tradition of immaculately born Saviors is the birth of Gilgamesh: "Child of Lugal banda's wife and some great force, Gilgamesh is a fate alive, the finest babe of Ninsun, she who never let a man touch her, indeed so sure and heavenly, so without sin." Referred to by the faithful as the Light of the World, Mithra is recorded over 2500 years ago as a Persian savior born of the virgin Anahita, "the Immaculate One." He is also Mitra son of the virgin Aditi entitled Mother of the Gods in an Indian Vedic tradition over 3500 years old. Mithra had a following that spread from Europe to Asia and was worshipped by Roman emperors for over three hundred years. Mithra worship was very widespread. Thus, as with many other Messiah traditions that survived centuries of cultural adaptation and change, there exists more than one version of Mithras birth and death. The most common version of Mithras immaculate birth is referred to by his epithet the "rock-born." Mithra was called "Theos ek Petras," or the "God from the Rock" as he was born immaculately from a rock. The immaculately born child, Qi (of the Chinese hero of the flood, Yu) was born from a stone as were the earliest Norse gods and the hero Enkidu from the ancient Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh: "Aruru thought of Anu. Then she wet her creative fingers, fashioned a rock, and tossed it as far as she could into the woods. Thus she fathered Enkidu" Those who understand the sacred science of Alchemy , will immediately recognize the meaning of this symbolism. One is aptly reminded of the doctrine of Simon Peter, Cephas Patar, the Rock: I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on it shall not be confounded. One born from the philosophic stone, the (corner)stone the builders rejected, the liquid stone of Mercury which is Yesod (Hebrew: Foundation), has built his house on a foundation of stone. He is twice-born. This also brings to bear the words of the wise King Drupada, from the Hindu epic Mahabharata, who states among all men those who are twice-born are the best. "All the principle tools of (Free)Masonry serve in order to work with the stone. Every Master Mason must chisel well his Philosophical Stone. This stone is the sex. We must build the temple of the Eternal One upon the Living Stone (and not build on sand)." The Perfect Matrimony (p.305) Masonic lodges were keepers of this knowledge of The Great Arcanum before degenerating into elitist social clubs that lost the meanings of their own symbols and rituals. The alchemical symbol of the rock is reinforced by Mithras demonstration of shooting arrows into a rock in order to bring forth water. This is the same lesson exhibited by the Jewish savior Moses when he strikes a rock with his staff to bring forth water. For it is within the stone of Yesod , the sex, that the waters of life are found. This is the key to the mysterious black stone of the Qaabah (dedicated to the Arabian Divine Mother Al-Uzza, particularly revered by the tribe to which Mohammed belonged). This is the secret of the sacred stone from which the sword (of the Kundalini ) is drawn by the one true King (Arthur, the Innermost ). This is the meaning of the rock of Delos that floated on water and gave Leto safe haven to birth the divine twins Apollo and Artemis, after nine days of torment from the serpent Python (which was eventually slain by Apollo). It is the meaning of the great stone that Perseus lifted in order to attain his birthright - his fathers sword (of the kundalini ) and sandals (symbol of walking the Path of his Inner Father) and eventually the Athenian throne (where he is crowned King, a Maleck, Tiphereth ). It is the brilliant blue rock that protects Apache culture hero Child-of-the-Water from his enemies. Within these symbols it is seen that in addition to uniting in sexual alchemy to engender a physical, yet divine child, the immaculate birth is also a symbol of the Second Birth explained by Jesus to Nicodemus, "Except a man be born of water (of Yesod , the sexual force) and (the fire) of the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." This second birth occurs internally. The man born of fire and water is the true man, the Superior Manas . Thus the astute reader will recognize the symbols of water and fire as being prolific in the birth stories of world Messiahs. But one must know how to look. For instance, the name Moses in Hebrew is written (in roman letters) as Moshe. Moshe is comprised of the Hebrew letters Mem , Shin , and He. Mem signifies water. Shin is fire and He is the womb. Therefore the name Moses literally means born of water and fire. It is only through the worshipful uniting of husband and wife in the sacred science of Alchemy that one may be born of water and fire and incarnate the Human Soul . And when the Human Soul (the Solar Causal Body) is born then the Christ can also be born into the stable of the bodhisattva . In depictions of Mithra emerging fully formed from a rock, he is only wearing a Phrygian cap (symbol of the pineal gland), raising aloft a lighted torch in each hand (sometimes wielding a sword in one hand), with red flames shooting out all around him from the petra genetrix (the generative power of the Holy Spirit). The lighted torches are the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth (as stated in Revelations of the Christian Bible). They are symbols of the raised serpents of the Kundalini , Ida and Pingala, that indicate the mastery of one born fully formed (the complete human with the fully created solar vehicles) and standing (united with God, the Tetragrammaton). Similarly, the Aztec hero Huitzilopochtli is said to have sprung from the womb fully formed to immediately engage his mothers enemies in combat wielding his flaming fire-serpent (sword of the kundalini ) , or xiucoatl. His mothers enemies are his own sister (the moon goddess = the lunar forces) and 400 brothers (4 + 0 + 0 = 4 = the inferior quaternary, or the four bodies of sin). Huitzilopochtli was immaculately born of his virgin mother Coatlicue, who was impregnated by a ball of down (from the Quetzal bird / Dove of the Holy Spirit) descended from heaven. Coatlicue (Serpent-skirt) is herself represented in the image of a human caduceus with two serpents for a head. In the Codex Vaticanus the virgin Chimalman was visited by an ambassador of heaven who proclaimed Gods will that she should give birth to a divine son. As soon as he left her house Chimalman conceived a son, the Aztec Christ Quetzalcoatl. In some versions of his birth Quetzalcoatl was born (like Mithra and Qi) from a stone, a precious stone of either jade or emerald. Similarly, Ehecatl (whose love with the chaste Mayahuel was symbolized by a beautiful tree) was born from a stone sacrificial knife, indicating a further characteristic of the Twice-born, sacrifice. The three fundamental requirements to be born again are Alchemical Birth, Mystical Death, and Sacrifice. Sacrifice is the primary characteristic of the Christ and is the Third Mountain of the bodhisattva . All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. The Christ is the crux of all creation, source of all life and light in the universe, that sacrifices Itself moment to moment in order to give birth to the multiple realms and forms upon the eternal Tree of Life. As The Tree of Life is a map of both the organization of the universe and of man, this same sacrifice of the Christ occurs in the internal creation of the vehicles of the soul within any initiate. As above so below. Thus the virgin maiden Xquic (Blood Moon) conceived the Mayan hero-twins, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, when the sacrificed head of Hun Hunahpu (which rested in the Calabash Tree) spat in her extended hand and said, It is just a sign I have given you, my saliva. When asked by her father who was responsible for her pregnancy Xquic replied, There is no man whose face Ive knownWhats in my belly generated all by itself when I went to marvel at the head of Hun Hunahpu It is written that the birth of Zarathustra (Zoroaster) of the Persians was miraculous. His virgin mother Dughdova was impregnated when the glory of Ahura Mazda (the Supreme Lord of the Universe) descended from heaven and entered her house. His soul was placed by Ahura Mazda in the sacred Haoma plant and he was conceived through the essence of Haoma in milk. In another tradition Zarathustra was conceived when his mother was visited by a shaft of light (ala Perseus, Samonocodom, Dung Ming, Nayenezgani, etc.). In yet another account Zarathustra was the son of the great salamander Oromasis. Salamanders are elementals of fire, referencing Zoroaster as one born of fire. It is believed that his future re-incarnation will also be virgin-born. The cultures of Great Britain (Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England) share longstanding traditions of Saviors born of immaculate conceptions: The incomparable hero Chuchulainn was born of the solar god Lugh (his physical father was the prophet Sualtimh, also said to be of virgin birth) and the maiden Dechtire. By the divine grace of Lugh (solar fire), Dechtire was impregnated in a dream while laying by the river Boyne (water). One version of his birth claims that he was born three times (1, physically, 2, as a Twice-born, or Solar Birth, and 3, through Resurrection) and was thus sometimes depicted with three heads (i.e. Brahma, Karttikeya, etc.). A description of him details that his hair stood on end and at the tip of each strand was a spark of fire (Pentecostal fire of the Holy Spirit). The renowned yet mysterious magician Merlin (from Welsh Myrrdin = Hawk or British Moridunon= sea fortress) was recorded to be of an immaculate birth between a parent from the Otherworld and a virgin maiden of royal lineage. The great sage and magician Taliesin was the immaculate progeny of the sorceress Ceridwyn. Ceridwyn prepared a potent brew that would reveal all the mysteries of the universe to the one who drank it. It was intended for her son Afaggdu (Utter Darkness). But three drops spat out of the bubbling brew onto the finger of a small boy named Gwion (White, Shining), who licked them off and immediately received the wisdom intended for Afaggdu. Ceridwyn pursued the boy. He turned into a hare and she became a hound, he turned into a fish, and she became an otterand so forth until he became a grain of wheat and she transformed into a hen and ate him. Ceridwyn soon found she was pregnant and in due course gave birth to the reborn Gwion. He was so beautiful that she couldnt bring herself to kill him. Instead she trussed him up in a leather bag and threw him into the sea (ala Perseus, Karttikeya, Romulus and Remus, Moses, Maui, etc.). He was found and adopted by the nephew of the king of Dyfed, who named him Taliesin (Shining Brow). With the innocence of a child, Gwion (the Buddhata, the Essence) utilized the three drops (three solar atoms of the Logos ) of bubbling brew (bubbling from the heat of the Alchemical forge) to become the grain of wheat (the seed) that fecundated (the three lunar atoms of) Ceridwyn (Mother Nature) and resulted in his rebirth (second birth) as a beautiful child (the Golden Child or Human Soul ; Tiphereth = Beauty). There was also a briefly elaborated upon, but highly revered Celtic hero named Mabon ap Modron who was the progeny of a solar deity (fire) and a river goddess (water) of whom little is known despite his abduction three days after his birth and eventual release from imprisonment in the Otherworld by his rescuers to accomplish a great deed. It is the quest of another hero named Culhwych to find and rescue Mabon, with the help of his uncle King Arthur (by most accounts). To find Mabon required consulting four consecutively older creatures as to his whereabouts until being led to the very ancient Salmon of Llyn Llyw. Only the salmon possessed the answer to the question of Mabons whereabouts before carrying the rescuers to a great wall saying Mabon son of Modron is here, and no one was ever so harshly imprisoned. It required the full force of Arthurs warriors to break through the wall and rescue Mabon. It becomes clear that Mabon is the consciousness imprisoned by Ego . The four ancient animals that lead Culhwych (the Human Soul ) to the salmon (the Christ ) are the vehicles of the soul (Ousel of Kilgrwri Physical Body; Stag of Rhendevre Vital Body; Owl of Cwn Cawlwyd Astral Body; Eagle of Gwernabwy Mental Body). They each lead the warrior (Human Soul ) to the next wisest creation until he finds the Salmon of Llyn Llyw (the Christ ), the only one with the Wisdom he seeks to find and release Mabon (the consciousness and representation of the Solar Causal Body). Culhwych is empowered by his uncle, King Arthur (the Being ), and his warriors (freed consciousness ) to accomplish this task. Once released Mabon (Solar Causal body of Culhwych) does the will of King Arthur (the Being ) and leads the hunt for the powerful boar of Twrch Trwyth and its fierce brood of seven piglets (the Seven Capital Sins/Egos), the death of which results in the betrothal of Culhwych (the Human Soul ) to the beautiful Olwen (the Divine Soul ). This entire story is an allegory for the path of an initiate to be born again. The Initiate is born again with the creation of the solar bodies and symbolic marriage to the Divine Soul . But the task of the Bodhisattva is to self-realize and create the Body of Perfection. This is a higher form of rebirth that requires the Human Soul to descend into his own abyss and die in all of his ego . This is represented as Culhwychs final task in which he must descend into Hell and bring back the blood of the Black Witch (related to the drama of resurrection, which will be the subject of further discourse in a later segment of this work). The name Mabon ap Modron means Son of the Mother. By walking in the path of Mabon ap Modron, Culhwych was also a Son of the (Divine) Mother, as was the Celtic hero Lleu (Bright One) Llaw Gyffes, the immaculately born twin brother of Dylan (the Sea) to the maiden Arianrod when she stepped over the wand of Math, magical ruler of Gwynedd. Such Sons of the Mother of Celtic tradition were always related with the Celtic Sun-god, were always products of mysterious or virgin births, were always carried or cast away soon after birth, and were heirs to kingship upon the completion of seemingly impossible tasks. They also inevitably married the most beautiful woman in the world (the Kabbalistic Geburah , the Divine Soul ). The many ancient cultures of Asia boast an impressive representation of virgin, immaculate births. To only name a few: A nymph bathing in a river in China was touched by a lotus plant, and the divine Fohi (called him who is one and three), founder of the Chinese empire, was conceived. In another version Fohis virgin mother, Moye, was walking along a river bank, when she became suddenly encircled by a rainbow and conceived a divine son. During her twelve years gestation period she dreamed that she was pregnant with a white elephant (i.e. the conception of Shakyamuni Buddha;see below). Chang Ti/ Huang Di's mother became pregnant after witnessing a great flash of lightning around the star Dubhe (in Ursa Major). Similarly, the mother of the Chinese hero of the flood, Yu, became pregnant after seeing a falling star pass through the Pleiades. It is also said that Chinese philosopher and teacher Lao-Jun (Lao Tsu) was said to have been conceived by means of a falling star and emerged from his virgin mothers side (ala Shakyamuni, Indra, etc.; the Human Soul unfolding from the Divine Soul ) after a gestation of 80 years (80 = 8 + 0 = 8, see Padmasambhava below) and was reported to be born with white hair (pure, chaste) and the power of speech (the Verb). In Siam, a wandering sunbeam caressed a young virgin girl, referred to as the Praying Lady, and the great and wonderful deliverer, Samonocodom, was conceived. In the Korean tradition the heroic Dung Ming was conceived when a girl in the harem of the first king of Korai saw a cloud or ray of light enter her bosom. The pregnancy was suspect (implying her chastity ) and the king ordered that she be put to death. But upon hearing her story he let her give birth to the child. Dung Ming was born and despite several attempts on his life by the king, he grew up to be king of Fuyu and founder of the Korean race. Alan-ko of the early Mongols was said to have four immaculate conceptions (including the birth of Bodunchar, progenitor of Ghengis Khan) upon being visited by a 'golden glittering man' who would enter the domicile by way of the smoke hole (i.e. Zeus with Danae) and stroke her belly, his light penetrating into her womb. In China Hou Ji was immaculately conceived when his mother stepped into the footprint of the god of thunder, or the Great Man. Covered by a marvelous brilliance her belly felt suddenly warmed and she later discovered that she was pregnant. The heroic grandsons of the Japanese sun goddess, Hikohohodemi (Prince-Fire-Shade) and Hosuseri (Prince-Fire-Shine) were the immaculately born sons of Kono-Hana-Sakuya-Hime (Blossoms-of-the-Trees-Blooming-Princess). Because she miraculously conceived on the night of her wedding, her doubtful husband accused her of infidelity. Thus she built a muro, a small dwelling, and at the moment of birth set fire to it exclaiming, "If that which is in my womb is not the offspring of the Heavenly Grandchild, it will certainly be destroyed by fire, but if it is really the offspring of the Heavenly Grandchild, fire can not harm it." Needless to say, she and her fire-born sons (three by some accounts) emerged unharmed from the inferno. An account of the Buddha Shakyamunis immaculate birth is found in the Buddhacarita: "These two (the mother and father of Shakyamuni) tasted of love's delights, and one day she conceived the fruit of her womb, but without any defilement, in the same way in which knowledge joined to trance bears fruit." It is further written that Great Maya, mother of Shakyamuni Buddha, conceived when she had a vision of a white elephant. She dreamt that a beautiful white elephant (an Eastern symbol of the Holy Spirit / The Logos ) approached her carrying a lotus blossom and entered her womb. Maya gave birth standing, grasping onto the branch of a tree. This is a clear indication to those whom understand the symbols that she was chaste and having an alchemical (immaculate) birth. Standing = Mastery = having achieved the To Soma Heliakon, the Solar Bodies. Grasping the branch of a Tree (the Tree of Life within, the Being ) she gave birth to the Buddha Shakyamuni (the Golden Child) through the grace of the Holy Spirit. It is also written that Shakyamuni Buddha was born standing and that he immediately took seven steps to declare that this would be his last birth. The seven steps reflect the triumphant creation of the seven serpents (i.e. the seven days of creation in Genesis) and subsequent mastery over nature, the second birth, the standing man. Shakyamuni incarnated his Being (Chesed ) and thus transcended the Wheel of Samsara and the Law of Return. Within this symbol is the key to understanding the septenary nature of the real man revealed by Samael Aun Weor upon quoting the Buddha: Listen to me properly, for in each human Buddha there are seven Buddhas! The astonishing Padmasambhava of Buddhist tradition was immaculately born without a mother or a father. According to the prevailing versions of his birth, and based on his own dictations, Padmasambhava was born from a lotus blossom (and that is the meaning of his name). A ray of red light (fire of the Holy Spirit) pierced the center of a lake (sexual waters of Yesod ) of exceptionally pure qualities (due to transmutation) named Ocean of Milk or The Dazzling Immaculate Lake. A large, immaculate lotus blossom appeared and from the heart of the Great Compassionate One, I, Padma, the Lotus Born Guru was emanated as the syllable HRI (the Verb). The syllable dissolved into light and instantly there arose a beautiful eight-year-old boy perfectly adorned with the characteristic major and minor marks of a buddha. Holding a vajra, trident, and a lotus in his hands, he immediately began giving teachings to the devas and dakinis of the area. The eight year old Padmasambhava explained his heritage as: My father is the self-arisen Samantabhadra, My Mother is the sphere of reality, Samantabhadri. My caste is the union of primordial wisdom and Dharmadhatu. Regarded as the originator of the Dzogchen school of Buddhism, Garab Dorje was miraculously born to a virgin and daughter of King Dharmasoka of India. He was placed in a burning pit for seven days. Remembering a dream foretelling his divine birth, the princess drew him from the pit unscathed and named him Rolang Dewa. The Indian Savior and demon slayer Karttikeya was born from a seed of Shiva (Third Aspect of Hindu Trinity, Holy Spirit), via Agni (God of Fire), who dropped it into the Ganges (waters of life, Yesod ). Hence he was sometimes called Agnibhuva (Agnis son) and Ganga-putra (Son of Ganges), a boy bright as the sun and beautiful as the moon. Karttikeya was (as recommended by Jesus to Nicodemus) born of water (of Yesod , the sexual force) and (the fire) of the Holy Spirit. In another version of Karttikeyas birth it was written that he was born from fire that fell from the third eye of the god Siva (Holy Spirit) into a lake (waters of Yesod ) near Madras. Yet another account made Karttikeya the combined result of the immaculate impregnation of seven different chaste wives of seven sages (it is recorded that seven chaste wombs were necessary for the immaculate birth of Agni as well). This metaphor again accomplishes the aforementioned teaching of Buddha Shakyamuni: for in each human Buddha there are seven Buddhas! For it is urgent that every human soul be born in each of the seven bodies that comprise the true Human Being. This is only possible through the wise use of fire and water within the forge of Alchemy . The Pandava brothers, the central heroes of the ancient Indian spiritual epic The Mahabharata, were each born of a virgin mother (despite several pregnancies) and God(s). It is even clarified for the reader when Surya, the Sun god, offers Kunti the boon of a powerful child like myself and she bashfully replies, Please instruct me how it may be done without my losing my chastity , the god reassures her, How could I, who desires the welfare of all beings, cause anyone to commit a sinful act, which leads only to suffering? Do not fear. Even after uniting with me, you will remain a virgin. This statement is understood by those who understand the principles of Alchemy . And is equivalent to the reason the Greek father of the gods, Zeus, is referred to as The Eternal Virgin despite fathering many heroes through his famous dalliances with mortal women. One who practices Alchemy (White Tantra ) is chaste and remains a virgin despite sexual connection, conception, and birth. Chastity is not abstention from sexual connection; it is abstention from the orgasm . As the Golden Child can only be born within one who practices chastity , He is always born of a virgin. And it is the Divine Mother who creates the To Soma Heliakon of the twice-born through the fire of the Holy Spirit, conserved and sealed by the chaste. The Divine Mother , who never falls (unlike the Human Soul ), is like Zeus (the Divine Father) The Eternal Virgin and Mother of the Golden Child (the Solar Causal Body of the Human Soul ). It is further evident to students of Kabbalah that the five sons of Pandu (the Pandavas) represent the creation of his five solar bodies. It must be remembered that Pandu was cursed to lose his immortality and god-like powers when he succumbed to lustful fornication (breaking the 6th Commandment, which is the 1st Commandment of the Human Soul ). It is only through the great sacrifices and battle waged by his sons Bhima (Malkuth - physical body); Yudhisthira (Yesod the Essence, the part of the Monad that never falls and is shaped in the waters of Yesod to one day be crowned king, and make great sacrifices to attain the highest reaches of Heaven); the twins Nakula (Netzach - mental body) and Sahadeva (Hod - emotional body), and Arjuna (Tiphereth - the human soul and warrior) that he is redeemed. The Pandavas are guided by the wisdom of Krishna (the Christ ) against their wicked and mislead relatives (the legions of Egos led by the three traitors Duryodhana, Shakuni, and Dushashana and encouraged by the power of Karna, Lucifer ). (stay tuned for a study of the world traditions of Lucifer ) The heroic works of the Pandavas are only accomplished by leaving the mundane pleasures of the world (identification with Ego ) behind and descending into the ninth sphere of alchemy (the crossing of the Lingam-Yoni). As Jesus the Christ said unto his disciples, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself (dissolve the Ego ), and take up his cross (practice Alchemy ), and follow me (sacrifice the self for humanity). Likewise, the Dhyani Boddhisattva Vajrasattva predicted of Padmasambhava from the arc of a rainbow (the Logoii, the Christ ) while accompanied by seventy-two thousand gods (72 = 7 + 2 = 9, the waters of Yesod ): " He will reject the kingdom (the material and sensual plane of Malkuth , which literally means kingdom) as rotten." And eventually through acts of asceticism (sacrifice) and meditation , Padmasambhava learned many practices such as the arts of extracting elixir from sand (sublimation of sexual force) and transmuting the filth and flesh from corpses into pure food (releasing the life-giving consciousness from the putrid ego ). But in order to accomplish the goal of transcending life and death to attain perfect Wisdom (Chokmah ) Padmasambhava had to take up his cross, which required a spiritual consort to descend into the ninth sphere. Thus he united with Mandarava in a cave, an act for which he was burned on a mountain of oil and wood for seven days (Mandarava was sentenced to a pit of thorns for 25 days, 2 + 5 = 7) by Mandaravas (Internal) father, the king. Padmasambhava transformed the fire (Holy Spirit) into a lake of pure water (purified waters of Yesod ) and appeared on the seventh day in the same form as his immaculate birth an eight year old child (the consciousness reborn free of ego , The Second Mountain of the bodhisattva ) sitting on a lotus. Padmasambhava and Mandarava were offered the nectar of long life as a couple, and attained the vajrasattva (Diamond Soul ). Meanwhile, on the other side of the world the same stories of immaculately born Saviors were being told amidst the Native American tribes. One such story, widespread among the Plains tribes, was that of Star Boy. Star Boy, was immaculately born to a virgin whom fell in love with a star (the inner star of her Being). He was adopted and eventually grew up to be a monster-slayer. At the climax of his adventures he died when a snake (of the Kundalini ) entered his body resulting in his resurrection to immortality as the Morning Star. According to the Kiowa Nation Star Boy split into two boys (the phenomenon of twins is a common theme in the Savior tradition which will be a subject of further discussion in the next chapter) early in life, one who eventually disappeared into a lake while the other became tsaidetali medicine. In the Blackfoot version Star Boys mother Feather Woman dug up a forbidden turnip plant (ala Eve and the forbidden fruit) for which she was condemned to live a life of suffering in the world that was also condemned (ala Pandora) for her misguided curiosity. She died of sorrow leaving her orphaned son to be raised by Grandmother-Old-Woman-Night. He was frequently maltreated and ridiculed for a very noticeable scar that he wore on his face (the blemish of ego after the fall) and was thus called Poia (Scar-face). Poia went on a great journey to find the Sky-Country and be healed of his scar. For three days, Poia fasted and prayed. On the third day, he saw rays reflecting on the Great Water, forming a path to the Sun. He followed the path and arrived at the home of his true grandparents (he was the son of the Morning Star, Venus), the Sun and the Moon. At the request of his grandson, the Sun removed the scar. The Sun also taught Poia great magic and the truths of the world, which he brought back to his people to relieve their suffering. His grandparents also gave him a magic flute to charm women into falling in love with him (ala Krishna). But because of his mother's disobedience, Poia had to return to earth. However, once he married the chief's daughter (Divine Soul ), who had once rejected him (as one scarred with ego ), the Sun and Moon (alchemy ) allowed him to bring his new wife, to the Sky-Country, where they remained forever. The legendary Posayamo of the Pueblo was born to a virgin while she ate pine nuts. Changing Woman of the Navajo immaculately conceived the twins Nayenezgani (Monster-Slayer) and Tobadjishtchini (Child-of-the-Water) when she stepped dripping with water into the light of the sun. Like Poia the twins went on a dangerous journey to reach the house of their father the sun god. White-Painted-Woman was tormented by cruel monsters, and prayed for help. Thus the spirit known as Life Giver came to her in the form of rain (water) and lightning (fire). Life Giver told her she would have a child, who would be called Child-of-the-Water (born from the waters of Yesod ). Thus the Apache culture hero Child-of-the-Water was immaculately born to White-Painted-Woman and proceeded to slay the demons that tormented her. Deganawida of the Seneca was born to a Huron virgin and possessed a white (philosophic) stone canoe by which he navigated Lake Ontario (sexual waters) to reform the warring Iroquois (consciousness trapped in Ego ). He planted the Great Tree of Peace (Tree of Life), a symbol of the resulting reconciliation. After only seven months a virgin who lived with her mother became pregnant even though she had never been with a man. She gave birth to the boy, Wacdjigega (Hare). The woman soon died, and the child was raised by his grandmother. Earthmaker (God) had created Wacdjigega as the fifth and last of a line of special sons (Trickster, Turtle, Bladder, and Redhorn) for the purpose of rescuing the human race from all evildoers. In the end, he alone succeeded. As the fifth creation of Earthmaker, Wacdjigega represents the Human Soul , the Son who does the will of the Father. According to an Iroquois and Huron story Woman-Who-Fell-From-the-Sky (or Ataentsic, Eternal One) received her name when she plummeted through a hole made by an uprooted life-giving Tree (the Tree of Life). The tree, which provided food for the celestial beings, was uprooted when she committed adultery. In another version she desired to taste of The Great Tree, which it was forbidden to touch (ala the Tree of Knowledge), and sent her reluctant husband to retrieve the delicacies for her. Her cravings led her to peer into the hole dug by her husband at the base of the tree and she fell. She plummeted from the Sky World to the primordial waters that covered the earth. She eventually gave birth to the culture hero twins Little Sprout (or Yoskeha/ Djuskaha) and Flint (or Taweskare/ Othagwenda). In other versions her virgin daughter is said to have immaculately conceived the twins when the breath of the West Wind entered her person. The trickster Flint (stone that gives fire, Lucifer ) was always seeking to thwart Little Sprouts efforts to create a perfect world, saying that people would live too easily and be too happy. The story of their conflicts and compromises crafted the earth. One of the most ancient and longest enduring traditions on record is that of the Ancient Egyptians. Despite the loss of many texts containing the historical and theological past of this very old civilization numerous accounts of virgin, immaculate births have yet remained preserved. To name a few: Thoth, like Padmasambhava, was regarded in certain Egyptian texts as self-created or who came forth from the god himself, created from the heart of Ra (the Logos ). It is revealing to note that Thoth, the symbol of wisdom (the Christ -Mind), was represented by Egyptian priests with virile member erect under which was written "Giver of reasoning." This was a clear key to those who hath ears to hear and eyes to see that real intelligence is born within the Forge of Vulcan, sexual alchemy . And it is perfected through mystical death and the incarnation of the Christ -Mind. Thoth was even considered the inventor of the Caduceus, originally expressed by the simple figure of a cross (both, of course, are symbols of Alchemy ). Nut, the mother of the Egyptian Savior Osiris, was worshipped as the Great Mother, yet an Immaculate Virgin. This is an indirect reference to the immaculate birth of Osiris, whom eventually became identified as the Divine Father aspect of the Logos and as Brother, and Husband of Isis who was also born of the Immaculate Virgin Nut and her brother-husband Geb. Isis is the Divine Mother of the Egyptian pantheon and the virgin mother of the Egyptian Christ , Horus. Isis conceived her divine child as she fluttered around the murdered body of Osiris in the form of a bird. In addition to being the son of Isis it is established in many accounts that Horus is also her brother, born of Nut. One account that attempts to clarify this relationship depicts his birth as the result of the love between Osiris and Isis while they were yet in the womb of Nut. Thus he is born from Nut as the brother and son of Isis. This apparent jumble of interfamilial relationships is an important theme throughout all world traditions. To cite only a famous few examples: Fu-Xi and Nu-Kua of China, Viracocha and Mama Cocha of the Inca, Shamash and Ishtar of Babylon, Zeus and Hera of Greece, Baal and Anat of Assyria, Freyr and Freyja of the Norse, the Celtic Dagda and Brigit, Okikurumi and Turesh of the Ainu, the Hindu Vishnu and Aditi, Aganju and Yemoja of the Yoruba, etc. To begin to grasp the meaning of such a relationship is to remember that there are 3 Aspects of the Divine Mother in the man: Mary the Wife, Mary the Sister, and Mary the Mother (whom all adore the Christ at the cross). As explained in The Perfect Matrimony - "Mary Magdalene, as well as Salambo, Matres, Ishtar, Astarte, Aphrodite and Venus all represent the priestess-wife with whom we must practice sexual magic in order to awaken the Fire (of the Holy Spirit; the Kundalini ) ." When a man unites alchemically with his wife in order to do the Great Work, the Golden Child (Human Soul ) is immaculately conceived and born internally within the womb of his own particular (eternally virginal) Divine Mother . Within the Perfect Matrimony the mans wife is also his sister (priestess and priest) on the Path of Liberation and essentially becomes his Divine Mother (and he Divine Father to her) through the alchemical act. Thus she is mother, sister, and wife to him and he is father, brother, and husband to her. Once immaculately born then the Human Soul incarnates the Divine Father. The Father and the Son become one as affirmed by Jesus of Nazareth, "The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone." - John 8:29 "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." - John 14:9 Subsequently, there comes a time when the Golden Child (Human Soul ) joins, or marries, his Mother (Divine Soul ). This process is analogized in such traditions as the famous Greek story of Oedipus, and will be the subject of further elaboration in a later section (regarding the universal theme of twins within the Messiah tradition). When a calf was discovered to possess certain auspicious marks (is black, and has on his forehead a three-cornered white spot, and the likeness of an eagle on his back; the hairs of the tail are double, and a knot under the tongue) then it was paraded through the city with great ceremony as an incarnation of the god Apis. Herodotus writes By what the Egyptians say, the cow is made pregnant by a light from heaven, and thereafter gives birth to Apis. This immaculate conception was revered as the god himself. Plutarch concurs that the Apis was a fair and beautiful image of the soul of Osiris. A most ancient and powerful symbol of the Divine Mother is the Sacred Cow (Hathor-Isis). The Twice-Born (i.e. Horus) are children of the Sacred Cow. And, as Plutarch asserts, the Divine Father of these Kabirs, or Divine Calves, is the Sacred Bull (Apis-Osiris) called the lord of life forever. One who does not understand the esoteric symbols of this exoteric practice would likely pass it off as absurd and not recognize that it contains the very same drama of immaculate conception as the births of many world Messiahs. The Divine Mother is immaculately fecundated by the Sacred Fire of the Holy Spirit and conceives a Divine Child. It is of interest to note that during his twenty-fifth year (2+5=7) the Apis Bull was drowned in a holy spring after which he was associated with Osiris, the dying and resurrecting god. One is reminded that the drama of the Bodhisattva is to be born again (by incarnating the Father, Chesed = 7 Triumph) via the same (sexual) waters by which he must die (egotistically) in order to resurrect in perfection. In the words of the Great Kabir, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." - Matthew 5:48 In ancient Egypt it was common understanding that Pharaohs born to the throne were incarnations of the sun god. Like the Dalai Lama tradition of Tibet (and the oldest traditions of sovereignty in Britain, China, Japan, Mexico, South America, etc.) the ancient Pharaohs were Masters that were both secular rulers of the kingdom and religious leaders of the priesthood. It is written that Queen (and Pharaoh) Hatshepsut was an example of this tradition. The sun god, Amun, is even said to have described his immaculately born daughter of the virgin queen Ahmose Nefertari in his own words: "Her perfume blends with the perfume of the Land of Pont. Gold covers all her skin; she glitters like a star in the hall of Egypt's celebrations; she will rule Egypt and lead all humans." Within the great temple of Luxor is illustrated the drama of the annunciation, conception and birth of Amenhotep (Amenophis in Greek) III the magnificent, a Pharaoh credited with bringing Egypt to its highest power in ancient times through great diplomatic and economic achievements. The first scene depicts the god Thoth in the act of hailing the virgin queen Mut-em-ua, announcing to her that she is to give birth to a son. In the second scene the god Kneph (assisted by Hathor, the Sacred Cow) mystically impregnates the queen by holding an Ankh cross (a symbol of Alchemy ) to her mouth. As explained in an academic text, "This is the Holy Ghost, or Spirit that causes conception" (Natural Geneses. Massey, Vol. II). In the final scene the child is enthroned, receiving homage from the gods and gifts from men. Conclusion "The religious forms may change; however, the principles do not change We need to progressively comprehend that all religions are only one religion." - Samael Aun Weor , The Perfect Matrimony The drama of immaculate conception is not the exclusive domain of any one religion or world ideology. It is both a real (sexual alchemy ) and metaphorical (internal birth of the Human Soul ) objective truth in the process of any Savior tradition. When husband and wife unite in chastity , the Holy Spirit provides the fire that fecundates the immaculate waters of the Divine Mother aspect of the Monad . The Divine Mother always conceives her son through the Work and Grace of the Holy Spirit. And she is always virginal, before the birth, during the birth and after the birth. Through this transcendental Maithuna the heat and pressure of the hermetically sealed creative force of the Holy Spirit awakens the fiery serpent of the Kundalini . And it is only through virtue, the wise use of this fiery sword, that the vehicles of the soul are created. The child who is then immaculately born is always a Savior. It is this Golden Child that saves the sincere from the darkness of ego and the fate of those garbed in lunar rags instead of the wedding garments of the soul . In truth the Savior is the Christ (by other names: Quetzalcoatl, Osiris, Baldur, Vishnu, etc.) that incarnates within the Human Soul that walks the Direct Path. It is important at this point to make a distinction between a Master of the Spiral Path (Nirvani-Buddha) and a Master of the Direct Path (Bodhisattva ). Both are born again within the forge of alchemy (raising the seven serpents of fire) and incarnate the Being , both die in ego , and both sacrifice for humanity. However, only the Human Soul that chooses the Direct Path, the path of the Bodhisattva , the path of ultimate sacrifice, incarnates the Christ . Within the pages of the Baghavad Gita (ch. 7, verse 3) the Hindu incarnation of Christ (Vishnu) Krishna clarifies for Arjuna (the Human Soul ) "Among thousands of men, perhaps one will strive for perfection; among those strivers, one possibly achieves perfection, and among the perfect, perhaps one knows Me perfectly." The Christ is thus born within the stable of the Bodhisattva . And it is then that the drama of the World Messiah truly begins. New York State Warns Consumers About Consuming Raw Milk from Farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Human Brucellosis Infection Linked to Raw Dairy from Miller's Biodiversity Farm in PA Department of Health Issues Advisory to Raise Awareness with Healthcare Providers ALBANY, N.Y. (December 24, 2018) The New York State Departments of Health and Agriculture and Markets today warned residents about potential dangers of consuming raw (unpasteurized) milk and other dairy products. A New York State resident was recently diagnosed with a RB51 infection, which is a strain of the Brucella abortusbacteria. The investigation identified raw milk or other dairy products from Miller's Biodiversity Farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania as the likely source of the infection. Individuals who consumed raw dairy products from the farm should immediately discard the products and contact their healthcare provider to discuss preventive treatment. Pet owners with concerns about exposure should talk to their veterinarians. State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said, "Raw milk products can contain harmful bacteria which can pose serious health risks. Pasteurization standards are in place to protect the public from diseases which are transmitted in raw milk and dairy products. It is critical for New Yorkers to understand the dangers of these products and avoid their consumption." State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said,"We are working with our counterparts in the New York State Department of Health, as well as authorities in Pennsylvania, to investigate this illness, which resulted from the purchase and consumption of raw cow's milk. We want to remind New York consumers about the potential danger of buying raw milk from this company and others like it." New York State Department of Health's Wadsworth Center Laboratory, in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, confirmed the infection. The individual is being treated and is doing well. This is the third individual infected with RB51 due to raw milk consumption confirmed in the United States in the last two years. The other two individuals, who were both diagnosed in 2017, resided in Texas and New Jersey. After New York State officials notified the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) of the likely source, PDA issued an order of quarantine to stop the sale of dairy products made from raw cow's milk from the farm while the investigation continues. Raw milk does not provide the benefits of pasteurization, which heats milk to a certain temperature for a set period of time to kill harmful bacteria that can cause diseases such as listeriosis, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, typhoid fever, tuberculosis and brucellosis. New York State prohibits the purchase of raw milk except on the farms where the milk is produced and subjects in-state sellers to monthly inspections and testing. Eating or drinking Brucella contaminated raw milk and other dairy products can cause human infection. Brucellosis can cause a range of symptoms including fever, sweats, chills, weight loss, headache, fatigue and muscle and joint pain. Symptoms may appear up to six months after exposure. In severe cases, infections of the bones, joints, reproductive organs, central nervous system or lining of the heart may occur. The infection also can cause fetal loss in pregnant women. For more information, please visit: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/raw_milk_related/dangers_of_drinking_raw_milk.htm; https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/Agriculture_details.aspx?newsid=766 and https://www.cdc.gov/brucellosis/. Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Freemasons killed the king of Portugal The Modest Poster Registered User User ID: 433612 12-24-2018 12:58 PM Posts: 10,458 Post: #1 Freemasons killed the king of Portugal Advertisement https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisbon_Regicide The king was becoming increasingly vulnerable. By then, members of the Republican Party had already decided to support direct (and indirect) dissident groups such as the Carbonaria (organized by elements of Portuguese Freemasonry) to force regime change. On 28 January 1908, several republican leaders were imprisoned in an affair which became known as the Golpe do Elevador da Biblioteca (the Municipal Library Elevator Coup). Police found republican Afonso Costa and Francisco Correia Heredia (viscount of Ribeira Brava), both armed, at the Municipal Library elevator with others who had gathered to attempt a coup d'etat. They were members of a faction known as the Grupo dos Dezoite (Group of 18), who were responsible for executing Joao Franco.[16] Antonio Jose de Almeida, Carbonaria leader Luz de Almeida, journalist Joao Chagas, Joao Pinto dos Santos, Franca Borges and Alvaro Poppe were imprisoned with other conspirators. Jose Maria de Alpoim escaped to Spain. During the events 93 republican sympathizers were detained and their arms confiscated, but the party was only partially dismantled.[16] The Portuguese dissidents were the principal financiers, and the Carbonaria provided the men. It was also discovered that the weapons used in the assassinations were obtained by Goncalo Heitor Freire (a republican and Freemason) through the Viscount of Ribeira Brava, one of the main conspirators. The arms used in the Library Elevator Coup plot, originally guarded in the Armazens Leal, were transported to the viscount's home and hidden. After the plot failed, a group of 18 men met in a mansion in Xabregas[29] on 30 or 31 December, where they plotted to assassinate the royal family.[30] Eight of the eighteen men have been identified; they constituted the first group in the Terreiro do Paco: Alfredo Luis da Costa, Manuel Buica, Jose Maria Nunes, Fabricio de Lemos, Ximenes, Joaquim Monteiro, Adelino Marques and Domingos Ribeiro. The second group took up positions in Santos; a third group waited in Alcantara, covering the road up to the Palacio das Necessidades. The attackers did not believe they would survive the attempt: Manuel Buica had a will drawn up, and Alfredo Luis da Costa paid a debt to a friend. However, the majority of the first group escaped into the crowd and the other groups never intervened in the assassinations. The Lisbon Regicide (Portuguese: O Regicidio de 1908) was the murder of King Carlos I of Portugal and the Algarves and his heir-apparent, Luis Filipe, Prince Royal of Portugal, by assassins sympathetic to Republican interests and aided by elements within the Portuguese Carbonaria, disenchanted politicians and anti-monarchists. The events occurred on 1 February 1908 at the Praca do Comercio along the banks of the Tagus River in Lisbon, commonly referred to by its antiquated name Terreiro do Paco.The king was becoming increasingly vulnerable. By then, members of the Republican Party had already decided to support direct (and indirect) dissident groups such as the Carbonaria (organized by elements of Portuguese Freemasonry) to force regime change. On 28 January 1908, several republican leaders were imprisoned in an affair which became known as the Golpe do Elevador da Biblioteca (the Municipal Library Elevator Coup). Police found republican Afonso Costa and Francisco Correia Heredia (viscount of Ribeira Brava), both armed, at the Municipal Library elevator with others who had gathered to attempt a coup d'etat. They were members of a faction known as the Grupo dos Dezoite (Group of 18), who were responsible for executing Joao Franco.[16] Antonio Jose de Almeida, Carbonaria leader Luz de Almeida, journalist Joao Chagas, Joao Pinto dos Santos, Franca Borges and Alvaro Poppe were imprisoned with other conspirators. Jose Maria de Alpoim escaped to Spain. During the events 93 republican sympathizers were detained and their arms confiscated, but the party was only partially dismantled.[16]The Portuguese dissidents were the principal financiers, and the Carbonaria provided the men. It was also discovered that the weapons used in the assassinations were obtained by Goncalo Heitor Freire (a republican and Freemason) through the Viscount of Ribeira Brava, one of the main conspirators. The arms used in the Library Elevator Coup plot, originally guarded in the Armazens Leal, were transported to the viscount's home and hidden. After the plot failed, a group of 18 men met in a mansion in Xabregas[29] on 30 or 31 December, where they plotted to assassinate the royal family.[30] Eight of the eighteen men have been identified; they constituted the first group in the Terreiro do Paco: Alfredo Luis da Costa, Manuel Buica, Jose Maria Nunes, Fabricio de Lemos, Ximenes, Joaquim Monteiro, Adelino Marques and Domingos Ribeiro. The second group took up positions in Santos; a third group waited in Alcantara, covering the road up to the Palacio das Necessidades. The attackers did not believe they would survive the attempt: Manuel Buica had a will drawn up, and Alfredo Luis da Costa paid a debt to a friend. However, the majority of the first group escaped into the crowd and the other groups never intervened in the assassinations. Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread IceViking strongly condemns physical attacks and harassment directed towards them. They are also often victims of the Islamic idea. This is true when it comes to the cruel and tragic treatment of Muslim women and children when it is in accord with the Koran, the example of Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia, which may be applied regardless of where a Muslim male may find himself in the world, whether in a Muslim or non-Muslim country. However, in no way, shape or form should one judge all Muslim men because of what is in Islamic scripture and what constitutes the Islamic law, Sharia. "Race", ethnicity or basically anything that you are "merely" born with should never be a basis for bigotry and discrimination. Apostates from Islam have been executed for 1400 years in accord with the Koran and the words and actions of the Islamic prophet Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia. They should be lovingly helped. Furthermore, approximately as many as 11,000,000 Muslims may have been killed by other Muslims since 1948. To quote the website The Religion of Peace (TROP), edited by Glen Roberts: While it may be safe to say that a true Muslim would not intentionally kill another true Muslim ( 4:92-93 ), the Quran places no such value on the life of a Muslim who is not true. Consider verse 9:73 : Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is Hell. The Arabic for strive hard uses the same root as Jihad - and the context in this sura is holy war (see v. 86 and 91). Thus, there are two distinct classes of people that a true Muslim is to target with harshness: disbelievers and hypocrites. A disbeliever obviously refers to a non-Muslim, so a "hypocrite" must be a Muslim of some sort. In fact, hypocrites are those who say they believe, but do not act as they should. In other words, they are "Muslims", but not true Muslims. They will go to hell just as unbelievers do, and so, according to the verse, their lives matter for naught. The same sura says that a hypocrite can be recognized not just by lack of piety (reluctance to follow Sharia), but by fear of death ( 9:56 ), reluctance to fight ( 9:44-45 ) and even friendliness toward non-believers ( 9:67 ). A true Muslim would thus be a pious person who relishes martyrdom, is eager to fight, and shuns non-believers. Even the Quranic passage that warns against killing "believers" ( 4:88-94 ) is more complicated than it first appears. It never says that a true Muslim is incapable of killing another Muslim, just that it should not be done. In fact, it makes exceptions for the unintentional killing of "believers" in war and mandates the killing of "hypocrites." Verse 17:33 says, "Do not kill anyone which Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause" . The greatest cause of all is that Islam be superior ( 9:33 ), which is exactly what Islamic terrorists say is their goal. Thus believing Muslims are allowed to be collateral damage in the war on unbelievers. There is sadly a phenomena that I`ve noticed in Sweden and elsewhere of people using true facts about Islamic doctrine and history as a cover for all sorts of irrational targeting of Muslims, ranging from xenophobia and racism to verbal abuse and physical attacks. This is strongly condemned by this website and does not in any way serve serious criticism of orthodox Islam and other important work. It`s also important that one tries to express oneself in a civilized way. Words matter. In this bloggers humble opinion the root cause of the problem is the ancient doctrine of orthodox Islam. In simple terms a non-Muslim is a Kafir. " The Koran defines the kafir and kafir is not a neutral word. A kafir is not merely someone who does not agree with Islam, but a kafir is evil, disgusting, the lowest form of life." An exact quote, as stated in the writings of Dr. Bill Warner in the article "Kafir" at http://www.politicalislam.com/kafir . In the perfect Koran (Allah`s direct and literal word as revealed to Mohammed through the angel Jibril), Muslims are told 89 times to emulate Mohammed in all ways (see Koran 33:21 for instance). Mohammed`s example, the Sunna, is found in the Hadith (stories of what Mohammed said and did) and the Sira (biographies of Mohammed). Islamic law, Sharia , is directly derived from these unchanging scriptures. It is based on the Koran`s numerous commands to obey Allah and obey the Messenger, that is Mohammed (see Koran 4:59 for instance). Islam is Sharia. Sharia is Islam. It is a capital crime for Muslims to deny Sharia in any way. A Muslim is someone who submits to Islam and submitting to Islam means obeying the Sharia of Allah. Sharia law includes pronouncements for both Muslims and non-Muslims (Kafirs). Islam is a "complete way of life", a "complete code of life", a "complete system of life". Islam is not just a religion but also a comprehensive ideology. Islam is a supremacist ideology. Islam is a totalitarian and imperialistic ideology akin to Communism and Nazism. Islam is a civilization. Islamic law, Sharia, is a manual for a civilization. Islamic law, Sharia, governs every aspect of life. It has a say about every conceivable human act . Non-Muslims are morally and legally inferior in Islam. Women are morally and legally inferior in Islam. The History of Jihad: From Muhammad to ISIS by Robert Spencer is the first one-volume history of jihad in the English language and a great book on the topic. Allah guarantees Paradise to those who "kill and are killed" for him (Koran 9:111). A hadith depicts a Muslim asking Muhammad: "Instruct me as to such a deed as equals Jihad (in reward)." Muhammad replied, "I do not find such a deed." (Bukhari 4.52.44) Muhammad himself said: I have been commanded to fight against people so long as they do not declare that there is no god but Allah, and he who professed it was guaranteed the protection of his property and life on my behalf except for the right affairs rest with Allah. (Sahih Muslim 30) Freedom of speech, human rights, democracy, science and human lives are all at stake in the fight against the Islamic Jihad. As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ 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. 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Sorry, but the page you're looking for has not been found Try checking the URL for errors, goto home or try to search below. A man was arrested for allegedly scamming online concert ticket buyers out of MOP40,000 between October and November. Some of the victims filed a complaint with police authorities after being ripped off by the online fraudster who claimed to be selling concert tickets. Buyers were instructed to deposit payment into a local bank account but never received the tickets, public broadcaster TDM reported. Authorities subsequently launched an investigation with the Judiciary Police (PJ) in the hunt for the suspect. The victims followed the instructions of the suspect, depositing the funds into his Macau bank account to purchase the tickets. However, the victims were unable to receive the concert tickets after that. The victims suspected that they had been scammed. Hence, they filed a report with the police to ask for assistance, said Chan Wun Man, a PJ spokesperson. The suspect was arrested upon entry to Macau via the Border Gate and has confessed to the crime. According to him, he had successfully defrauded 17 people and acquired a total of MOP40,000. The PJ has charged the suspect with fraud and his case has been transferred to the Public Prosecution Office. The Macau government hosted a reception on Thursday, December 20, to celebrate the 19th anniversary of the establishment of the Macau Special Administrative Region. The reception followed the annual flag-raising ceremony held at Golden Lotus Square. According to Xinhua, approximately 910 guests attended the reception event, while more than 350 guests attended the flag-raising ceremony. At the reception, Chief Executive Chui Sai On delivered a speech calling for further Macau participation in the countrys national reform strategy and introducing new opening-up policies, under the principle of serving the countrys needs, delivering Macaus strengths. He said that the region was both trusted and valued by the mainlands top official, President Xi Jinping. Chui said that in the year ahead, the local government will work together with the general public, namely to promote further understanding and implementation of the four aspirations for Macau, and their respective spirit, outlined by the Chinese President. Xi outlined these aspirations in an important speech delivered when he received delegations respectively from Hong Kong and Macau in November. Chui recalled that president Xis four aspirations for Macau are: to play a more active role in the nations reform and opening up process; to diligently integrate its development with the countrys overall progress; to make greater contributions to the countrys governance system; and to facilitate people-to-people exchanges at an international level. According to Chui, these four aspirations show that Macau is valued and trusted by the Central Government. In addition, these four aspirations gave Macau a clear direction for its long-term development, he added. The Chief Executive also used his speech to review Macaus ongoing efforts to align the SAR with the countrys overall progress. Specifically he mentioned the signing of agreements to promote Macaus participation in and support of the Belt and Road initiative. Finally, Chui acknowledged that next year will mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the MSAR, coinciding with a change in administration. The process leading to the new administration will be handled according to the law, he said. JD.com Inc. Chief Executive Officer Richard Liu wont be charged in connection with a rape investigation in Minneapolis, ending a probe of more than three months, authorities said. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced the decision Friday. Liu had been arrested Aug. 31 and accused of allegedly raping a 21-year-old female Chinese undergraduate student. Liu, 45, was a participant in a University of Minnesota program for business executives from China at the time of his arrest. As we reviewed surveillance video, text messages, police body camera video and witness statements, it became clear that we could not meet our burden of proof and, therefore, we could not bring charges, Freeman said in a statement. Because we do not want to re-victimize the young woman, we will not be going into detail. Wil Florin, the womans attorney, blasted Freeman and his prosecutors for the decision, saying they never met the woman nor reached out to her or her lawyers during the investigation. If anyone cares to know why victims of sexual assault are hesitant and fearful to come forward to authorities seeking justice for what has been done to them, look no further than the manner in which this was handled by the Hennepin County Attorneys Office, Florin said in a statement. On her behalf, we will not permit her dignity to be simply swept under the rug. Liu has been in China since being released shortly after the arrest. In a blog post, Liu said the announcement by Freemans office proves I broke no law. My interactions with this woman, however, have hurt my family greatly, especially my wife, Liu said. I feel deep regret and remorse and I hope she can accept my sincere apology. I will continue to try in every possible way to repair the impact on my family and to fulfill my responsibility as a husband. The potential criminal charges have hung over JD.coms stock for the past three months. Lius outsize control of voting rights closely linked the firms fate to his own. In China, he is seen as a visionary founder and the driving force behind one of the countrys most successful internet companies. We are pleased to see this decision, JD.com said in a statement on its website. The companys American depositary receipts gained 5.9 percent to USD21.08 on the news still significantly below the closing price of $29.43 on the day before Lius arrest became public. In documents and text messages, the female student said she was invited to a party with Liu and other participants of the executive program where wine flowed freely. Her attorney alleged the student had been coerced into drinking more heavily than she wanted. The woman and Liu ended up at her home, where he raped her, the woman alleged. After a call the next morning from a friend of the student, police found the woman and Liu at the students apartment. Later that day he was arrested. Lius lawyer, Jill Brisbois, said the decision by the county attorney confirms our strong belief from the very beginning that my client is innocent. Liu and Brisbois hadnt previously elaborated on what Liu says happened at the dinner in August. On Friday, Brisbois said in an email that all the interactions between Liu and the woman were consensual. Though the woman and Liu both drank wine that night, Brisbois said, Liu wasnt drunk, and the woman didnt appear drunk either. After Lius arrest, the woman made repeated demands for money, and threatened to make her allegations public and to sue Richard if her demands were not met, Brisbois said. Freemans decision in the criminal investigation doesnt prevent the woman from filing a civil suit against Liu, where the standard of evidence needed is lower for a judgment. Florin, in a text message, suggested the woman may pursue a civil suit, saying a civil jury will determine whether Mr. Liu, JD.com and their representatives should be held accountable. Freeman, in his statement, confirmed the account of the dinner and the subsequent contact of Liu and the woman by police. He said there were profound evidentiary problems which would have made it highly unlikely that any criminal charge could be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. The three-month period it took to make a decision had nothing to do with Lius status as a wealthy, foreign businessman, Freeman said. Formal criminal charges would have made running the company an increasingly untenable task for Liu. Unlike arch-rival Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., which runs a marketplace for third-party merchants, JD earns about 90 percent of its revenue through direct online sales and the CEO regularly travels the world striking agreements with suppliers. Liu, who has become a household name in his native China and held a keynote panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos this year, was in Minnesota to complete the American residency of a U.S.-China business administration doctorate program at the University of Minneapolis and its Carlson School of Management. Co-led by Tsinghua University, the course takes place primarily in Beijing and is aimed at senior executives; the average age of students is 50. Since the allegations arose Liu has largely avoided speaking in public, skipping prominent events including the Chinese government-backed World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai where he was set to be a speaker. Like many founder-led companies, JDs fate is closely linked to the executive who must be present for its board to have a quorum. He controls almost 80 percent of its voting rights even though he owns less than 15 percent of the business. Gerrit De Vynck, Bloomberg Chinese leaders on Friday promised more help to entrepreneurs in 2019 to shore up weakening economic growth as Beijing tries to resolve a tariff war with Washington over technology. An annual planning meeting led by President Xi Jinping called for reforms to state industry and to reduce financial risks, according to a statement carried by the official Xinhua News Agency. Beijing will promote high-quality development of manufacturing, the statement said, suggesting the ruling Communist Party is sticking to plans for state-led industry development. But it gave no indication whether strategies Washington, Europe and other trading partners say violate Chinas market- opening obligations might be changed. Xis government is trying to shore up cooling growth in the worlds second-largest economy and avoid politically dangerous job losses without reigniting a rise in debt levels that economists warn are already dangerously high. The external environment is complicated and severe, and the economy is facing downward pressure, the statement warned. It is necessary to enhance the sense of urgency. Such meetings set Beijings priorities for the coming year, but companies usually have to wait weeks or months to see detailed regulations. Fridays statement echoed earlier ruling party promises to support entrepreneurs who generate Chinas new jobs and wealth. Reform advocates complain Beijing is dragging its feet on promises to rein in the dominance of state industry. Beijing is due to start talks in January with Washington aimed at resolving a tariff battle over U.S. complaints that China steals or pressures companies to hand over technology. President Donald Trump raised U.S. tariffs on USD250 billion of Chinese goods, adding to pressure on export industries that support millions of jobs at a time of weakening global demand. Washington also objects to development plans including Made in China 2025, which calls for state-led creation of global champions in robotics, biotech and other fields. American officials worry those might threaten U.S. industrial leadership. Chinese officials have indicated those programs might be opened to foreign companies, though it is unclear whether that would satisfy Washington. Fridays announcement follows a decline in economic growth to a post-global crisis low of 6.5 percent over a year earlier in the latest quarter. Consumer demand is weakening and auto sales have contracted for the past four months. The slowdown, combined with Beijings fight with Trump, has fed gloom among companies, consumers and investors. Chinas stock market is on track to end this year down 25 percent. The ruling Communist Partys Politburo called Dec. 13 for efforts to stabilize employment, finance, trade and investment and to boost market sentiment. Communist leaders promised for the first time in 2013 to give market forces the decisive role in allocating resources. But reform advocates complained that until recently, they built up state industry and did little for entrepreneurs who have limited access to loans from government banks and can be buffeted by abrupt policy changes. Chinese leaders have stepped up promises to help private business as economic growth weakened. The party needs to create conditions to let the private economy create vitality, Xi said in a Nov. 1 speech to an audience of entrepreneurs. The 2019 economic plan promises tax cuts and to solve the financing difficulties of private enterprises, according to Fridays statement. This week, Beijing unexpectedly announced a 100 billion yuan ($15 billion) lending program for entrepreneurs. Financial analysts said that targeted easing appears to be aimed at shoring up growth without reigniting a rise in debt. Joe McDonald, Beijing, AP Rescue teams yesterday found the bodies of nine construction workers who had been trapped inside a burning potash mine in Russias Ural Mountains. A fire erupted Saturday at the mine operated by the fertilizer company Uralkali in the Perm region, where two teams of workers were doing maintenance work. Uralkali said the mine had shut down its operations for the maintenance. Officials said 17 construction workers were inside the mine in Solikamsk, which is located 1,200 kilometers east of Moscow, when the fire broke out and eight of them were quickly evacuated. The blaze cut off access to nine other workers who were in a different section. Russian news agencies yesterday quoted the rescue operations headquarters as saying that all nine bodies had been found after an hours-long operation and they were now being recovered. The firefighters were still putting out the blaze. The Perm region declared Monday a day of mourning for the workers. Russian President Vladimir Putin urged regional authorities and investigators to conduct a thorough probe into what happened inside the mine. Poor safety standards are often to blame for recurring accidents in Russian mines. The last major Russian mining accident took place in August 2017, when 17 people died after a diamond mine in Siberia flooded. AP In a recent column, I observed that by many measures, China is the worlds largest economy. This means a number of benefits will now flow and indeed are already flowing to China that used to go to the U.S. and Europe. Chief among these is agglomeration, of the tendency of businesses to seek out the biggest markets and the densest concentrations of economic activity. Being the center of the global economy really does have value. But nothing is certain, especially in realms as complex as economics and politics. Chinas vast size is indisputable, but it might easily make mistakes that would prevent the country from leveraging that size for maximum economic benefit. Chief among these self-inflicted wounds would be closing the country to foreign investment, extending state control of the economy and adopting an adversarial relationship with neighboring nations. Ominously, the country seems to doing all of these now, to one extent on another. The magic of agglomeration works best when investment can flow across international borders. For many countries, theres a temptation to wall themselves off from outside capital, and try to have domestic businesses do everything after all, even if foreign companies produce the things they sell in the domestic market locally, much of the profits they make on those sales still exits the country afterward. So why shouldnt China just block foreign companies from operating, and get homegrown businesses to do everything instead? Because if China does that, then American, European, Japanese and other multinational companies will set up their supply chains elsewhere. Instead of capturing the valuable parts of the supply chain something China doesnt do now, but would almost certainly will in the future the country would be forced to replicate the entire chain domestically. [] Unfortunately, there are some signs that China has been creating an increasingly hostile climate for overseas businesses in recent years. China mandates that foreign companies operating in certain strategic industries form joint ventures with local Chinese companies. The multinationals technology is then rapidly stolen or copied; economists Kun Jiang, Wolfgang Keller, Larry Qiu and William Ridley have found empirical evidence that this is the rule rather than the exception. Its then easy for the Chinese government, or entrepreneurs connected to the government, to form a competing company using the appropriated technology, muscling the foreign firm out of the market. Add to this a thicket of rules, relationships and regulatory discrimination designed to favor domestic companies, and its little wonder that multinationals are growing glum about their prospects in China. The drop in foreign direct investment this year might presage a new, troubling trend: The second big danger is that China will re-nationalize much of its economy. Privately owned companies in China are more innovative, have better financial performance and are generally more productive. But the government still controls the economys commanding heights banks, telecoms, energy and auto manufacturing. Ownership of the countrys most advanced technology companies, including Huawei and ZTE, is murky, but many believe the state controls these as well. In recent years, the states role has been increasing. And, more troubling, Chinas total factor productivity growth has been slowing: A few economists even believe Chinese TFP growth is now falling. Rising productivity is the ultimate driver of rising living standards, so this is disconcerting news. Increasing state control may be part of the reason for the slowdown. [] The final big mistake China could make would be to antagonize its neighbors. The countrys aggressive actions in the South China Sea, the East China Sea and the Indian border have not endeared it to its neighbors. Even if they dont spill into war, tensions with neighbors could limit Chinas trade relations with these countries, disrupting local supply chains, slowing the exchange of technology and investment, and delaying East Asias rise as the center of the global economy. In recent decades, wise policies of reform and opening up have turned China into the worlds largest economy. If those wise policies were to continue, there would be nothing to stop China from taking its natural place as the center of the global economy. Noah Smith, Bloomberg [Abridged] Legislators on Monday expressed support for the call of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Gregorio Honasan for the construction of more cell towers to improve the countrys internet speed. Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said if the construction of more cell towers is the main factor in making internet speed faster, then lets do it by all means. Belmonte noted that as it is, the Philippines is lagging behind other Asean countries in terms of internet speed. I am in favor of faster internet speed. If more cell towers is the way to do it, l vote yes, Belmonte said Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, chairman of the House committee on public information, echoed Belmontes view. I totally agree. The DICT [Department of Information and Communications Technology] should prioritize far-flung areas of the country to keep the pace of development, said Evardone, a member of the House committee on information technology. Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez said, cell towers should be shared by all telcos and not just exclusive to one. This way we can spread out its location and make our communications faster and more efficient, Benitez, chairman of the House committee on housing and urban development, said. Paranaque Rep. Gus Tambunting, however, noted there are factors to consider in the construction of more cell towers.Cell sites are important. But it is more complicated than that. Location and right of way should be considered. Also, accessibility and speed are two different things, Tambunting, chairman of the House committee on games and amusement, said. Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel said he hopes Honasan will be able to deliver faster internet service that is vital to countrys growth and development. I hope he makes good in his promise to make the internet faster. It is about time the Philippines will be at par with other countries regarding internet connectivity. If he will be able to improve internet services, this could contribute to our growth and development, Pimentel said. Stakeholders in the telecommunications sector earlier batted for more independent cell tower builders when the draft policy was put forth before the industry by Presidential Economic Adviser Ramon Jacinto. Globe Telecom said the government must implement measures that will ease the process in acquiring permits for the rollout of the cell towers. The company has created an independent tower company with the exclusive purpose of building cell towers. The Securities and Exchange Commission approved the corporate papers of that company last August. However, Smart Communications said the draft guidelines violate the provisions of its franchise, which grants it the authority to construct, operate and maintain its own telecommunications facilities. Senator Cynthia Villar said the National Food Authority would be assuming a better role under a tariffied system and that is making sure the poorest sector of society would continue to have access to cheap rice. Villar, chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and Food and principal sponsor of the rice tariffication bill, made this statement after President Rodrigo Duterte gave the assurance that even with the liberalization of the rice industry, NFA would continue to provide the public particularly the less fortunate with rice that is affordable and safe. We should start with making sure the 4.8 million beneficiaries of the governments conditional cash transfer program, will be provided with rice that is produced by local farmers, Villar said. This way, we will continue to provide local farmers the market for their produce and at the same time provide CCT beneficiaries with safe and quality rice, she added. Villar noted that this scheme would help farmers increase their productivity and profitability by allowing them to produce the rice requirement under the P28-billion rice subsidy of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), at a time when imported rice starts flooding the market.The senator has been calling for a review of the 4Ps program after it failed to bring down poverty figure in the country, which remains at 27 percent after spending billions of pesos and years of 4Ps implementation. She has been advocating for a CCT program tied up with agriculture like what is being done in Brazil and Thailand. She related that the Brazil CCT program, which is the biggest in the world with 8.8 million beneficiaries, farmers were required to grow crops. The government buys their produce and feeds the school children. In Thailand, they require 6 million school children to drink 200 ml of milk everyday, which brought up their dairy industry. The Mail & Guardian reported that Telkom has sunk hundreds of millions of rands into Bain & Company without receiving good value for money. According to the report, Telkom subsidiary BCX paid Bain & Company around R200 million for cost-cutting and turnaround strategies that will not be used. Citing relevant documents, the Mail & Guardian reported that BCX has made a decision not to implement Bains strategies. BCXs own review of the contracts has raised red flags about Its negotiation, implementation and monitoring capacity, which led to millions being paid unnecessarily, it said. So useless were the strategies Bain drafted for BCX that new chief executive Jonas Bogoshi has set them aside and terminated Bains mandate, the Mail & Guardian reported. According to the publication, an internal review highlighted big shortcomings: Some initiatives had no detailed and specific deliverables. Bains expenses were not agreed upon upfront and are now subject to dispute. Bains cost-cutting strategies only realised savings of R201-million R1-billion short of what was planned. A BCX whistle-blower told the Mail & Guardian that the problems at BCX are partly to blame on Bain & Company. This must be investigated because, if the situation is not rectified, there will be no BCX left in the next couple of years, the whistle-blower said. Telkom says it received value from Bain & Company Telkom spokesperson Noma Faku told MyBroadband that BCXs termination of the Bain & Company contract was a result of Jonas Bogoshi taking over as CEO on 1 June 2018. As part of the agreement between BCX & Bain major changes in leadership at BCX would be a valid reason to terminate the agreements, Faku said. Following a review of the organisational strategy, the leadership was comfortable that the organisation could leverage off the work produced by Bain to that point, as part of the revised strategic direction for the business. Faku added that BCX is comfortable that at the time of the termination it had received value for any payments made under the contract. No payments will be made in respect of future or unrealized benefits, Faku said. She added that the decline in fixed voice revenue is one of the major contributors to BCXs current financial position. Various strategies are being implemented to address the decline, including some of the imperatives identified during the Bain mandate, which remain relevant to the business going forward, Faku said. MyBroadband asked Bain & Company for feedback regarding the allegations, but the company did not respond by the time of publication. Staff cuts at BCX In November, BCX informed employees and unions that it has started a Section 189 process, which is a fancy way of saying they plan to cut staff. According to the company around 790 employees across all job categories and in all divisions will be impacted. These planned staff cuts follow an exodus of senior BCX executives in recent months, which include CEO Ian Russell, CFO Refilwe Nkabinde, and COO Mike Buttner. BCX lost its entire top structure in a matter of months, which creates uncertainty in a company. The planned staff cuts will add further to employees worries, and BCX now runs the risk of losing its most productive employees who are not keen to hang around to find out if they will be fired. While staff retrenchments and replacing a full management team are just about as bad as it gets for a company, this is not the scariest part of BCXs message to employees. In its communication to employees and unions, BCX painted a picture of a struggling company without a clear way to dig itself out of this hole. BCX said it has historically provided telecommunications and IT services, where its voice business constituted 50% of revenue in the telecoms division. A decline in voice revenue has negatively impacted the financial position of the company, and this is not likely to stop. The weak South African economy is also hurting the company, with a decline in demand for the products it offers. The changing operating environment has further seen the companys cost-to-income ratio increasing to a very high 82%. And it is set to increase even further to 87% in the next financial year. BCX admitted that its facing competition in all areas of the business, with its competitors offering comparable services at more competitive prices. The proposed regulatory changes related to call termination rates will also hurt BCXs financial position. These problems, BCX said, forced it to restructure the company and cut staff to become more competitive and sustainable. Telkoms relationship with Bain This is not the first time Telkoms relationship with Bain is making headlines. Telkom and its CEO Sipho Maseko have a strong relationship Bain & Company, and according to the Main & Guardian Maseko introduced Bains Vittorio Massone to Jacob Zuma. In July 2014 Bloomberg reported that Telkom awarded a R91.1 million advisory contract to Bain & Company without following an open bidding process. Maseko hired Bain to advise the company on its broadband and mobile strategy within days of the CEOs arrival at Telkom on 1 April 2013. Telkom hit back, saying it believes that the Bloomberg article is erroneously based on the premise that an open tender process is the only procurement process available to Telkom when seeking to procure products or services. Telkom said that due to its unique position of being a public company listed on the JSE and being classified as a State-owned company it has, since 2001, been granted exemption from various provisions of the PFMA and all the treasury regulations issued in terms of the PFMA. Telkom is comfortable that its internal governance processes and policies regarding the approval and conclusion of contracts with suppliers are robust and effective, the company said. Big spending on consultants A few months later it emerged that Telkom spent R1.355 billion on consultants, security, and other in the 2014 financial year. Telkom explained at the time that consultants, security and other service fees increased 2.3%, which was driven by higher costs incurred relating to the companys transformation programme. Some commentators were not convinced this is money well spent. One source close to the company said far too much money is wasted on consultants, and that most of the work can be done internally. Telkom has extremely well qualified and capable staff that can do exactly what the consultants are doing, and even better, said one source. He added that whenever a new top executive joins Telkom, new consultants often follow. The typical mind-set with new entrants is not to trust what Telkom staff tell them, and always check with consultants, he said. On a beautiful sunny day in mid-December, I drove up the Valley to St. Helena to the Napa Valley Vintners Sensory Classroom at the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. Some vintners had already pruned their vines, while other vines were full of colorful leaves. And in a few vineyards, I had already spotted mustard growing. This is a very special time in the Valley! On the agenda for the St. Helena Star/Napa Valley Vintners Tasting Panel was a tasting of 15 Syrah and nine Petite Sirah wines from vintages 2014, 2015 and 2016. The prices ranged from $39 to $80, with an alcohol level between 14.1% abv and 15.5% abv. I was wondering to myself: What can I expect from these wines from the Napa Valley? Syrah has clearly proven itself successful around the world; wines are produced in many styles and display a myriad of dark-fruit flavors. Syrahs origin is unquestionably the northern Rhone Valley of France. However, it is also Australias flagship variety (where it is known Shiraz) and has developed such a distinct personality in Australian terroir that it is regarded by some as a distinct variety. Syrah is a dark-skinned red wine grape. Varietal Syrah can be quite floral in its youth, developing white and black pepper aromas as its ages. Some examples show tanned leather and smoky scents, while the fruit in these wines tends toward the very dark flavors of blackcurrant and plum. Petite Sirah (better known as Durif outside of North and South America), is a natural crossing (most likely due to cross-pollination) from Peloursin vines and Syrah. Petite Sirah originated in France but is scarcely grown there. It is better suited to drier climates such as California, parts of Australia (where it is sometimes made as a sparkling red wine) and Israel. Petite Sirah is a black-skinned grape variety, while Petite refers to the small, intensely colored berries that make Petite Sirah such a distinctive grape variety. The high tannins and acidity present in Petite Sirah make it an excellent candidate for aging. Primary flavors often associated with the wine are blackberry, chocolate and black pepper. Many other characteristics of Syrah can also be noted, such as blueberry, licorice and various herbal elements. These varieties tend to do well in a lot of different sites, said Bill Dyer. Kristin Belair added that they do not need a ton of oak, and it is such a pleasure to see them in true form, in such a great range. Judy Lumgair thought that these grape varieties are well suited to the Napa Valley. Tom Rinaldi opined that in some cases, neither varietal expresses itself well in Napa without Mascara. He prefers Bordeaux varietals for the Napa climate. Jennifer Lamb would match these wines with beef stew or lamb, but they could also go well with pork spare ribs with barbecue sauce. Panelists included a list of Napa Valleys top winemakers, Tom Rinaldi, Jennifer Lamb (Herb Lamb Vineyards), Kristin Belair (Honig), Bill Dyer (Dyer Wines), Julie Lumgair (J Moss Wines) and Scott Sublett (Trinchero Family Estates), joined by Priyam Chirawawala, Chris LaConti, Sean Scully, Henry Lutz and Peter Stoneberg. Following the discussion, the wine scores were revealed. Panelists selected the following first-place wines: Aratas Wine2016 100% Petite Sirah Napa Valley ($58) 14.7% abv A beautiful example of 100% Petite Sirah, well balanced acidity and the robust tannin from the smaller berries and thicker skin of the Petite Sirah, complex aromas of blackberry, black and red cherry, leather and spices. Baldacci Family Vineyards Allwin 2015 100% Syrah, Los Carneros ($45) 14.5% abv Rich concentrated fruit flavors of raspberry and blueberry mingle well with bay leaf and sandalwood. Flavors of black pepper, hints of venison and dark bitter chocolate. The finish is long and pleasant! Eleven Eleven Winery2016 100% Syrah Oak Knoll ($55) 15.5% abv An outstanding wine with robust tannin and a good acidity. Dark flavours of blackberry, blackcurrant and black cherry, combined with spices and white and black pepper. Hoopes Vineyard Sophies Block 2015 96% Syrah, 4% Viognier, Oak Knoll ($50) 14.6% abv An elegant and bold wine, opens with ripe raspberries, black cherry, prune, cardamom, fresh cracked black peppercorns and wet stone and notes of toasted oak. Materra Cunat Family Vineyards2015 100% Petite Sirah, Calistoga ($49) 14.9% abv A beautiful violet color coats the glass as aromas of rose petals, cigar tobacco, marshmallow, and blackberry cobbler fill the air. The full-bodied and chewy, textured flavors of black plum, cedar, savory herbs, and leather mesh together in a symbiotic relationship that is one to behold. Starmont Winery & Vineyards Stanley Ranch 2015, 96% Syrah, 4% Viognier, Los Carneros ($45) 15% abv A beautiful Syrah with a pleasant balance of acidity and robust tannin with flavors of red and blackberry, blackcurrant, black cherry with hints of tobacco and spices from the oak aging. Editors Note: Regina LaConti, WSET Level 3 is the Student Success Advisor at the Napa Valley Wine Academy. She loves writing about and drinking wine. You can contact Regina at lacontire@gmail.com. Only wines from Napa Valley Vintner member wineries are accepted and tasted. Many wineries offer local residents discounts on their wines through the Napa Neighbor program, visit napavintners.com/programs and click on Napa Neighbor to learn more. State Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, recently announced his package of new laws taking effect Tuesday, Jan. 1, involving protection from wildfires and floods, disaster insurance coverage, education and drinking water. This year we made real progress toward building a stronger state and bettering the lives of all Californians, said Sen. Dodd. Many laws passed by the Legislature are key steps that will make noticeable improvements on wildfire safety, education and health. They are steps we can and must build on, which is what I will be focused on in the year ahead. Dodd had a total of 17 bills signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in the session that ended Sept. 30. None of his bills were vetoed. Among those taking effect Jan. 1 are: Senate Bill 532: Adds cyberterrorism to the list of conditions that may be cited for state-of-emergency declarations by the governor, ensuring the state can effectively respond to 21st-century threats. SB 577: Addresses teacher shortage by allowing teacher credentialing coursework to be completed at junior colleges. SB 830: Requires the state Department of Education to compile media literacy resources, instructional materials and professional development programs for teachers to empower students with the tools to evaluate fake and misleading news. SB 894: Allows victims of disasters such as wildfires to use coverage for accessory structures to rebuild their residences if they are underinsured, extends living expenses to 36 months to allow time to rebuild and recover and requires insurers to offer two annual renewals to victims. SB 901: Invests $1 billion over the next five years in to mitigate wildfire risks through proactive fuel management, improves and streamlines forest management practices, provides $25 million in funding for prepositioning of firefighting mutual aid resources, mandates new electric utility wildfire safety standards, planning, oversight and accountability to harden the electric grid while protecting against rate increases. SB 969: Requires, beginning this summer, all garage door motors sold in California to be equipped with backup batteries to ensure people are not trapped when the power goes out during emergencies. SB 998: Protects low-income residents from automatic water shutoffs by enacting the Water Shutoff Protection Act which mandates flexible payment schedules, notice requirements and other due-process procedures that water districts must follow. SB 1040: Ensures seniors and people with disabilities who receive In-Home Supportive Services are able to access care quickly in times of disaster, while supporting their caregivers. SB 1073: Authorizes Napa County to seek state funding for the final phase of the Napa River Flood Control project. In an era of political polarization, disinformation and bombastic rhetoric, eighth-graders in Terry Messmers civics class at St. Helenas Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School are learning about the fundamental pillars of democracy. Eighth grade is when kids start thinking for themselves and questioning, Messmer said. Eighth graders are hungry for justice, so its a perfect time to open their minds. Adolescents who are stepping out of the self-absorbed shell of childhood are shocked when they learn of injustice happening around the world, from Guatemala to Syria, Messmer said. They also get more interested in current events, many of them for the first time. They start noticing things like, for example, President Trump is trying to have kids put in cages on the border whereas they would never have noticed that before, she said. But now they look at something like that and they either think its tremendously unjust or they might agree with it. Messmer said students typically mirror their parents values, especially at first, but then sometimes their opinions start to diverge. Messmer said shes careful not to tell students what to think about controversial issues she just wants to give them the tools to make up their own minds. Its really hard sometimes, but I try not to put my bias into it, she said. The class covers each layer of government city, county, state and federal with the help of guests like former Mayor Alan Galbraith, then-City Councilmember and current Mayor Geoff Ellsworth, Supervisor Diane Dillon, an aide from Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Currys office, and Beth Lincoln of Women Stand Up St. Helena. Congressman Mike Thompson addresses the entire eighth-grade class toward the end of each school year. When I call people they usually come, said Messmer, adding that shed love to have other members of the community address the class about civics. The most recent class studied the November midterms, researching the candidates for mayor, senator and governor and holding a mock election (Galbraith, Kevin de Leon and Gavin Newsom won). A common complaint from students during that part of the course is, Why are we even talking about the election when we dont have any power? Messmer said. I kept saying yes you do, she said. You can talk to your parents and give them your opinions, you can encourage other adults to vote, and in four years youre going to be voting yourselves. Messmer uses online resources like Global Citizen, an organization devoted to fighting extreme poverty, and iCivics, a group founded by former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day OConnor that provides free civically minded video games like Court Quest and Do I Have a Right? The class also covers digital citizenship, teaching kids about online etiquette and how to glean reliable information from the Internet. They use the online news literacy program Checkology, which teaches students to distinguish facts from fiction. The civics class is now in its third year. The Students For Change club formed earlier this year at St. Helena High School was organized mostly by freshmen whod taken civics the year before. That class had particularly strong feelings about issues, Messmer said, but even the less politically aware classes start to get it toward the end of the three-month term when they learn about things like the Civil Rights Movement. Messmer hopes the class produces knowledgeable citizens and voters who can think independently. Protecting our democracy has never been more important, she said. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ST. HELENA At age 16, Larkin Dewyer is proving that you dont need to be an adult to flex your democratic muscles and effect change. A junior, Dewyer serves as vice president of St. Helena High Schools Students for Change club, organized the schools Rock the Congress event in May, interns for Congressman Mike Thompson, worked with Blue Wave Napa Valley to support Democratic congressional candidates, and successfully lobbied the City Council to suspend St. Helenas 10 p.m. youth curfew. Dewyer considers herself a feminist and has always been interested in politics. The 2016 election, the stark contrasts between Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, and a wave of student activism that followed the February 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida convinced her that she was part of a generation that was going to bring about dramatic change, and she wanted to be part of it. Change starts at the local level, Dewyer said. You cant go out and change the world right away its a process. Its important to start local and better your own community before you can better others. A Rock the Congress event in Napa inspired her to organize a similar gathering at St. Helena High School. With only three weeks of preparation, organizers booked a panel of activists and politicians, including Thompson, and attracted more than 100 people. Dewyer reached out to businesses like Robert Mondavi Winery and Gotts, which donated items for a silent auction. Julie Jenanyan, founder of Blue Wave Napa Valley, invited Dewyer to serve on her steering committee. The organization raised more than $57,000 for three candidates, who were each elected to Congress in the Nov. 6 election. Dewyers activism also impressed Thompson and his staff. The St. Helena congressman named her as one of the 2018 Student Leaders of the Year in Napa County, and in September she started an internship in his Napa office. Once a week, Dewyer sifts through letters and emails to Thompson, answers phones, and directs constituents with questions or concerns to the appropriate staff member. As someone who plans to study law and political science and maybe run for office someday, Dewyer said its fascinating to see how politics works on the inside. In November, she stood before the City Council and argued for the elimination of St. Helenas 10 p.m. youth curfew, drawing praise from council members who agreed to suspend it. Students had previously raised the issue during an Oct. 17 mayoral debate between Alan Galbraith and Geoff Ellsworth at St. Helena High School. Dewyers fellow students chose her to speak for them when it came before the full council. With guidance from AP history teacher Evan Blasingame, Dewyer researched constitutional law to challenge the curfew on legal grounds and attacked its effectiveness based on crime statistics she found in an online database. She was struck by stats showing that in 2015 the most recent year for which data was available only six juveniles were arrested in American Canyon, which has no curfew. Meanwhile, 60 juveniles were arrested in Napa, which does have a curfew. Even factoring in Napas higher population, the stats suggested to her that Napas curfew wasnt reducing its juvenile crime rate. Making her case in front of the council was intimidating, but Im glad I did it, Dewyer said. Once the council takes formal action to suspend the curfew, Dewyer hopes her peers will act responsibly in exercising their new privilege. Its a trial period, so we dont want to abuse it, because if we do (the council) will probably put it back into place, she said. Dewyer is eager to work with the Students for Change club on more events this year, like a second annual Rock the Congress or an event focusing on college tuition. Shes also applied to get involved in the Youth Empower Coalition organized by the Womens March. After her junior year is over, she wants to get a summer internship in Sacramento or Washington, D.C. She hopes to keep working in Thompsons office too. Once she graduates, she wants to major in political science, possibly minor in psychology, and pursue a career in law and politics. She said she would love to run for local office someday. She advises younger students who are becoming politically aware to form clubs, go to marches, and plan events. Her own parents support her activism, but she realizes that not every student is that lucky. Dont let people tell you that your opinion isnt right, she said. Stand up for what you believe in, and not just for what your parents believe in. 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. The biggest plot twist of 2018 in the Supreme Court came in the middle of the yearthe ouster of sitting Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno. Following a tension-filled oral argument during the high courts summer session in Baguio City last April that was opened to the public, what was said to be an ordinary shouting match between Sereno and her nemesis, Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, led to the 15-member bench voting 8-6 to remove Sereno from her post by granting the quo warranto petition filed by the Solicitor General last May. The quo warranto decision preempted the impeachment proceedings against Sereno before the House of Representatives, where five fellow magistratesDe Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Francis Jardeleza and Noel Tijamtestified against the top magistrate. The impeachment hearings, as well as the ouster of Sereno, had confirmed rumblings during her six-year tenure as chief justice that many of her colleagues didnt like her. What was supposed to be a record 18-year-term in the top judicial post was cut short after a majority of her colleagues in the high court decided to remove Sereno and annul her appointment in 2012 by then-President Benigno Simeon Aquino III. In June, the Court voted 8-6 to deny Serenos appeal and rule with finality that her appointment by Aquino was invalid because she was not qualified for the post due to lack of proven integrity, which was a key constitutional requirement. The high court ruling cited Serenos failure to submit all required Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth when she was teaching law at the University of the Philippines and during her application for the post, effectively reversing the finding of the Judicial and Bar Council when it shortlisted her for the post. The JBC had required submission of at least 10 SALNs, but Sereno only submitted threefor 1998, 2002 and 2006yet still made it to the shortlist and was later appointed by Aquino. The High Tribunal held that Sereno may be removed via quo warranto proceedings since it is separate and distinct from impeachment. The majority vote was composed of Associate Justices De Castro, Peralta, Bersamin, Jardeleza, Tijam, Samuel Martires, Andres Reyes Jr. and Alexander Gesmundo. The six magistrates who dissented from the ruling were Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Presbitero Velasco Jr., Mariano Del Castillo, Estela Bernabe, Marvic Leonen and Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa. The justices also ordered an administrative case against Sereno for violations of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Code of Judicial Conduct for transgressing the sub judice rule and for casting aspersions and ill motives to the members of the Supreme Court. Apparently unsatisfied with her answers as to why she attacked the justices before her media and public appearances during the pendency of the case, the Court initiated the administrative proceedings against Sereno and later unanimously decided to cite her in contempt, penalizing her with a reprimand and a warning of harsher punishment upon repetition of her violations. The SALN controversy was not the only issue hurled against Sereno. She was likewise accused of enjoying lavish benefits for government officials, including the use of first-class flights and hotel accommodations in her official trips and use of a brand new P5-million Land Cruiser as a service vehicle. Sereno was also accused of delayed appointments in key judicial positions, supposedly to reserve them for her staff.Serenos term as Chief Justice witnessed not just differences in her opinions with other justices but also personal grudges with some of them. De Castro had criticized Sereno for making unilateral decisions on several administrative matters and disrespecting the collegial nature of the Court. During the hearings on the impeachment case against Sereno filed by lawyer Larry Gadon, De Castro revealed that Sereno unilaterally created an office in the judiciaryan act tantamount to the usurpation of Congress legislative power and a clear disregard for the decision of her colleagues in the court. De Castro said she was taken aback when Sereno invited her and the other justices in November 2012just a few months after her appointment as Chief Justice in August that yearand made it appear the judiciary was reviving the Regional Court Administrative Office. De Castro said she discovered that Sereno had actually created a Judiciary Decentralized Office in Region 7, which was not sanctioned at all by the full Court, unlike the RCAO, which has a complete set of officers. De Castro learned from the now-retired clerk of court Enriqueta Vidal that Sereno misled her staff into declaring to her categorically that the 15 justices ratified her administrative order creating RCAO, when in fact no ratification had taken place. On another impeachment charge, De Castro also bared Serenos falsification of a temporary restraining order that could have benefited more party-list groups other than the senior citizens' party. De Castro recalled an instance when she recommended a TRO for disqualification of 14 party-list groups, but Sereno increased the coverage to 53 groups and also expanded the orders tenor to include directing the Commission on Elections to stop proclaiming all party-list groups instead of just one for senior citizens. Sereno, for her part, claimed that De Castros testimonies were ill-motivated, as she recalled how the senior magistrate told her she would never forgive her for accepting the chief justice post in 2012 and bypassing all senior justices. De Castro stressed that seniority is very important in the appointment of chief justice, who needs to have ascendancy over the other justices. Sereno also had a conflict with Jardeleza after she blocked his nomination for a position in the SC. As chair of the Judicial and Bar Council, she moved for the disqualification of Jardeleza. However, the former Solicitor General sought relief from the SC. Serenos colleagues reversed the JBCs decision and ordered Jardelezas inclusion in the shortlist, which eventually led to his appointment to the High Court.Upon Serenos ouster, De Castro was named chief justice by President Rodrigo Duterte. Unlike Sereno, who was a junior magistrate when appointed by Aquino in 2012, De Castro was the most senior of the justices nominated for the post. Even justices admitted the appointment of De Castro brought the Court back to normal with the seniority in judiciary again respected in the appointment of the chief justice. Seniority is important because who is senior will have vast experience as to the workings of the court. It is expected that the senior members will have respect of the rest of the members of the court, De Castro stressed.When she assumed her post as chief justice last Aug. 28, De Castro said she wanted her brief leadership in the judicial branch to be remembered as the one that restored collegiality in the Supreme Court and which was able to institute several reforms in the judicial processes. Although De Castro made history as the shortest serving CJwith a tenure of just 46 daysshe was able to implement key programs and reforms in the judiciary. Vacancies in key administrative positions in the Court have finally been filled after long delay in appointments. Among the key appointments in the judiciary during De Castros tenure were Davao City regional trial court Judge Leo Madrazo as deputy court administrator for Mindanao, a position that was vacant for over one year or since July 2017; lawyer Ma. Carina Cunanan as SC deputy clerk of court and chief administrative officer, a position that had also been vacant since December 2017; and lawyer Librada Buena as new SC first division clerk of court in place of clerk of court Felipa Anama, who retired from the judiciary earlier this year. De Castro also led the Court in increasing the salary of first-level court judges all over the country, in one of the several judicial reforms implemented under her brief term. The Court ordered the implementation of its administrative order that increased the salary grade of judges in municipal trial courts, municipal circuit trial courts, municipal trial courts in cities and sharia circuit courts. From salary grade 26 and 27, the judges in lower courts will now be increased to grade 28 through a resolution issued by the high court last Sept. 11. De Castro retired last October 10, leaving the chief justice post vacant for the second time this year.Bersamin, the third most senior among the nominees, was then appointed by President Duterte as De Castros successor. Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, the most senior magistrate nominated for the chief justice post, was bypassed for the third time, following the appointments of the late Renato Corona and Sereno. Bersamin branded himself as accidental chief justice, recognizing that he is not the most senior among the justices and many court personnel were expecting Carpio to be appointed as chief justice. He cited his 32 years of experience in the judiciary, making him the most senior of the current justices in terms of service and tenure in the judiciary. Bersamin, who will sit 11 months in the top judicial post before retiring in October next year, asked for the cooperation of court officials and personnel, as he vowed to pursue reforms in the judiciary. The Chief Justice said he wants to push through with the proposed revision of the Rules of Court aimed at speeding up the resolution of cases and easing the court dockets. Bersamin said he also plans to bring the wheels of justice closer to the people by tapping law schools and law students to assist the poor in gaining access to legal remedies. Lastly, he vowed to ensure that lower courts will also benefit from reform programs. Bersamin likewise brought back a familiar faceCourt Administrator Midas Marquezas spokesman of the high court, the same position he during the terms of Corona and retired chief justice Reynato Puno. Marquez replaced Atty. Theodore Te, who had resigned shortly after Serenos ouster.The Palace later explained that Carpio was not picked by the President because of his earlier decision not to apply for the chief justice post, in deference to his position against the ouster of Sereno. Carpio said he did not want to benefit from Serenos ouster, which he had voted against, but decided to apply for the post after De Castros retirement because he believed that the vacancy was no longer questionable. But Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo rebutted Carpios explanation, arguing the vacancy from De Castros retirement also stemmed from Serenos ouster. Court observers, however, believed that Carpios stance against Dutertes policy in the territorial dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea doomed his chances to be appointed chief justice. Carpio said he would accept being bypassed anew due to his vocal position on the issue. The President has the prerogative to appoint whoever he wants and I will respect that. But that will not stop me from continuing my advocacy because for me this is more important than anything else, he stressed. Earlier, Carpio has actively called on the Duterte administration to file new protests against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration over the harassment of Filipino fishermen by Chinese Coast Guards in the Scarborough Shoal off Zambales province. He suggested that the Philippine government should seek damages from China for violation of the PCA ruling in 2016 that favored the Philippines claim on the shoal, including its lagoon. More recently, Carpio expressed opposition to the plan for joint exploration and exploitation with China in the waterway, saying it would violate the Constitution. He stressed that joint exploration and exploitation as defined in the law will diminish our full control and thus violate the Constitution. The latest vacancy was Carpios last chance to be chief justice since he is retiring in the same month as Bersamin. St. Helena police on Monday remained on the alert for a man who robbed the downtown Azteca Market with a firearm the previous evening and fled into a nearby neighborhood, prompting a yard-to-yard search. The robbery took place at 789 Main St. at 5:59 p.m. Sunday. Police on Monday morning didnt reveal what was stolen because they said the investigation is still underway, but said no one was hurt. The suspect is a man 5 feet, 5 inches to 5 feet, 8 inches tall, with a thin build, Sgt. Justin Tharp said. The incident was captured by surveillance camera. He was dressed heat-to-toe in black, nothing showing, Tharp said. The suspect ran south into a neighborhood near St. Helena High School. Seven or eight St. Helena police and Sheriffs officers searched an area the size of a city block with two canines for about an hour, to no avail. A California Highway Patrol fixed-wing aircraft with infrared flew overhead. St. Helena police asked residents in the area by Nixle to stay indoors during the search. At 7:05 p.m. Sunday, police released a message saying police activity had concluded, but that the suspect was still at large and to report all suspicious activity. Police ask anyone with information on the case to call Officer Todd Heald at 967-2850. 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. The most obvious and most important victims of Californias chronic and still-growing housing shortage are the countless thousands of families that struggle to put affordable roofs over their heads. The shortage has driven prices skyward in a classic example of a supply-demand mismatch and housing costs are the largest single factor in Californias shameful status of having the nations highest level of poverty. There is, however, another economic dimension to the housing crisis. Its hurting the states overall economy as employers face increasing shortages of skilled workers, especially in coastal areas where the housing squeeze is the tightest and local resistance to housing construction is the most implacable. Ventura County, outwardly a collection of prosperous suburbs surrounded by bucolic agricultural fields and orchards just north of Los Angeles, is a poster child for the syndrome. This month, economists at California Lutheran University delivered some negative news about Ventura Countys economy. The dominant economic story in Ventura County is a continued decline in total economic activity, Matthew Fienup, who heads Cal Lutherans economic forecasting operation, told a gathering of local officials and business leaders. We hesitate to the use the word recession, but we dont know what else to call two consecutive years of economic contraction. Average economic growth over the past four years rounds to 0.0 percent, the worst four-year period for which we have data. While job growth remains positive in Ventura County, sectoral data give little support for optimism. Whether you look to jobs or GDP, the state of the Ventura County economy is weak. Fienup attributed the malaise to a growing housing affordability crisis and the inability of businesses to attract and retain talent and declared that Ventura Countys chronic lack of new construction is driven by a set of urban growth policieswhich rank as the most stringent growth restrictions of any county in the United States. Ventura is one of several California counties and cities that have adopted Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources (SOAR) restrictions that make it virtually impossible to build housing on agricultural land. SOAR is the most virulent form of local not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) policies that are the major impediments to expanding housing construction needed to keep up with population growth, replace housing lost to fires and begin closing a shortage that now is several million units. State officials say California needs to be building 180,000 new units of housing a year a level it achieved prior to the Great Recession, which drove new construction down to as low as 30,000 units. Housing has topped 100,000 in recent years, but thats still short of the demand and the wildfires that devastated communities in Ventura County and other regions are adding to the squeeze. As the new report on Venturas stagnant economy indicates, California will pay a steep economic price if it fails to resolve its housing crisis. Job-creating investment will decline and California will become even more economically polarized with a vanishing middle class. Incoming Gov. Gavin Newsom talks of ramping up housing construction. But talk is cheap. The real question is whether he and the Legislature will confront NIMBYism by intervening in local land use policy and compelling Ventura and other localities that resist new construction to meet the states housing quotas. It would require courage because NIMBYism is most evident in coastal communities that strongly support Newsom and other Democrats at the polls. CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more stories by Dan Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary. President Donald Trump pledged in his campaign that he would not be predictable. He more than lived up to that promise last week, and along the way, he has made a hash out of the way business is being done in Washington. Three times during the week, Trump abruptly and unexpectedly changed course, lending credence to perceptions of a presidency in chaos. The biggest bombshell came Thursday afternoon, when Trump announced that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis would leave the administration at the end of February, and Mattis's resignation letter explicitly stated that he and the president were not in alignment on major policy issues or on America's role in the world. The Mattis news rattled nerves in Washington and no doubt in capitals around the world. It came at the end of another roller coaster day in the history of a presidency that has had many of them. The day began with Trump, for the second time in a week, reversing course on funding for a border wall. He demanded that Congress include funds for the wall, just as a compromise bill without the money he wants was making its way through Congress in an effort to avert a government shutdown this weekend. Trump's allies were already reeling from the announcement via tweet on Wednesday that he was ordering the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria. On this announcement, there was no warning to U.S. allies or to members of Congress, including many in his party who opposed the move - no warning even to some in his administration. Trump is, by his own words, a dealmaker without peer, but his volatility overwhelms his reliability. He demonstrated anew this week that he can change his mind at any moment. Those around him are left to adapt, to pick up the pieces, to explain as best they can - including those whose advice he has spurned or whose words have been shredded by his actions. In this case, it appeared to have cost him the services of his defense secretary. Give the president some credit. His goals remain fixed. He wants a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, or at least he wants the issue of demanding one to use against Democrats, who oppose the wall. He wants the most robust military in the world, but he doesn't seem to want to use it. He has been consistent in questioning the commitment of U.S. forces in trouble spots such as Syria and Afghanistan. On national security policy, he remains a rhetorically muscular noninterventionist. With the announcement on Syria, the focus quickly shifted to the question of whether he would order a rapid drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. However consistent he has been in enunciating goals, though, he has not shown much mastery of navigating the legislative process or of developing support from allies for his foreign policy objectives. He leads by impulse, by upending the status quo, leaving friends and adversaries to scramble. This is not an entirely unsuccessful approach. His trade policies, for example, have roiled relationships, but he has gotten the attention of China, whose policies have been criticized by past presidents and leaders in other nations for years. For that, other nations are no doubt grateful, even if no one is certain how the ongoing dispute will be resolved or when. On Thursday, he signed a new farm bill, and he will soon be able to sign a criminal justice reform bill that was approved with overwhelming, bipartisan support. But the turmoil that goes along with those successes has badly strained the system, and these past few days have highlighted that reality once again. The path he has followed in pursuit of $5 billion in funding for a border wall in the latest spending bill is emblematic of his unorthodox - some would call it destructive - governing style. He staged an Oval Office argument with House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. He was told he didn't have the votes for the $5 billion he wanted. He said he would take a shutdown rather than a walk back. Alarmed Republican allies in Congress, who wanted no part of a shutdown if possible, began pressing for a way out, and earlier in the week, it appeared they had gotten the attention of the White House when the announcement came that it would look for other ways to fund the wall. Meanwhile, the president continued the fiction that taxpayers would not be paying for the wall. Not even the fuzziest of math could make that explanation credible. Trump's retreat early in the week was enough to get Congress to move toward an agreement on a short-term bill to keep the government open until after the new year, without the $5 billion Trump was demanding. Few Republican members of Congress wanted to make this fight at this moment, against united Democratic opposition. But the storyline of the funding fight included the claim that Trump had once again caved on a central promise of his candidacy, that he had blustered and then backed down. On Thursday morning, the dam broke at the White House, and congressional leaders were put in a near-impossible position to find a solution. Congress had until Friday night to find a new way to avoid a government shutdown. The president said he would shoulder the blame if the shutdown occurs. What lawmakers would probably appreciate more than that is for the president to become part of the solution, rather than adding to the problems they already have. The president's explanation for the decision to withdraw troops from Syria went through a series of rewritings. Trump's initial tweet stated that the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, had been defeated in Syria and that that was why the troops could come home. "We have won against ISIS," he said in a White House video. "We've beaten them, and we've beaten them badly. We've taken back the land, and now it's time for our troops to come back home." In doing so, he ignored statements over months from others in his administration that offered contrary analysis and commitments. While the Islamic State has suffered significant losses of territory in Syria, other administration officials say, it has not been defeated. Beyond that, administration officials had vowed to keep U.S. forces there as long as necessary, to counter Iranian influence and activity. By Thursday, Trump had moved to a different explanation, one that no doubt comes closer to his true feelings. He asked, "Does the USA want to be the Policeman of the Middle East. . . Do we want to be there forever? Time for others to finally fight." He said - despite contrary evidence - that Russia, Iran and Syria were unhappy because they now would have to fight the Islamic State alone, which only a day earlier he had claimed had been defeated. Then, in one more burst, he added, "I am building by far the most powerful military in the world. ISIS hits us they are doomed!" Mattis made clear in his resignation letter that he and the president do not see eye to eye on rising threats from Russia and China or on the importance of maintaining "the solidarity of our alliances." His departure will leave a sizable void in the administration's national security apparatus and, more significantly, point to the potential for more chaos in the months ahead. Dan Balz is chief correspondent at The Washington Post. He has served as the papers deputy national editor, political editor, White House correspondent and Southwest correspondent. Artsakh President meets with relatives of soldiers who died in 44-day war last fall Armenias Mirzoyan briefs Croatia FM on latest developments in Karabakh peace process Armenia FM lauds Austria position on comprehensive settlement of Karabakh conflict (PHOTOS) London Christmas tree becomes subject of ridicule Newspaper: Armenia parliament ruling majority faction holds night meeting Newspaper: What did Armenia ex-President Kocharyan discuss with his political teammates? Twitter removes over 3,000 foreign country-related accounts Blinken discusses with Bayramov situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border Armenian FM: Determination of Nagorno-Karabakh's status is subject to negotiations EU fines four major banks totaling $390 million Lavrov: Russian mediation on Karabakh settlement is welcomed by OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs Armenian defense minister discusses Washington's role in OSCE Minsk Group Armenian PM discusses Sochi meeting with defense minister and ruling party MPs Mirzoyan and Blinken discuss settlement of Karabakh conflict Armenia and Lithuania sign military cooperation program Israel calls on to stop Iran nuclear talks Taliban assures Iran border incident will not happen again Lavrov and Cavusoglu discuss South Caucasus situation Almost 9% of infected with COVID-19 in Armenia are vaccinated NEWS.am daily digest: 02.12.21 Armenia premier confers on proposals for large-scale investment programs in urban development Sebastian Kurz announces decision to quit politics President, those in charge of several NGOs discuss Artsakh programs Blinken: US hopes to work with Russia to resolve Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict Armenia President lauds dynamically developing relations with UAE Dollar still going up in Armenia Artsakh ombudsman: Azerbaijan shooting in direction of Karmir Shuka village lasted 10-15 minutes Christmas tree to be installed at Republic Square of Yerevan this year Armenia Security Council chief on deputy PMs Moscow meeting: Agreements not managed to be formulated yet Biden urges Congress to approve nuclear force data transfer to Australia Trump complains about loss of respect for the US Hajiyev: Azerbaijan ready to start talks with Armenia on signing peace agreement Ivan Aivazovsky bust unveiled in Stepanakert Armenia electricity tariffs may increase as of February 2022 Exchange of fire occurs in area of Karabakhs Karmir Shuka village Ardshinbank named the Best Bank of the Year by The Banker international magazine Ex-President Kocharyan chairs meeting of opposition Armenia Faction in parliament 3 more die of coronavirus in Artsakh Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan deputy PMs to continue work in coming days to open regional communications Armenia to get EU assistance to improve its aviation safety Armenia revenue committee ex-chief is appointed Armavir Province governor 40% of Armenia adults have received first dose of Covid vaccine, 23.9% got second dose World oil prices going up 558 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Armenia humanitarian mission medical team delivers healthcare supplies to Aleppo medical facilities (PHOTOS) Russia peacekeepers in Karabakh conduct training Armenia FM in Stockholm, underscores proper, targeted response from international community (PHOTOS) Blinken, Cavusoglu discuss situation in Armenia, Azerbaijan Senator Markey expresses readiness to work in US Senate to facilitate release of Armenian POWs in Azerbaijan Newspaper: Armenia police continue inspections regarding health ministers voyages Newspaper: Armenia PM-Artsakh President tandem devises another operation Travelers to face stricter Covid test rules when visiting US UN Secretary-General urges to increase testing, and not to ban travel due to omicron strain Castro becomes the first female president in Honduras Lavrov: Russia is making efforts to resolve controversial issues between Armenia and Azerbaijan EU Representative: Bayramov and Mirzoyan to meet in Stockholm on December 2 European Commission unveils its alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative Macron says UK PM Boris Johnson is a clown NEWS.am daily digest: 01.12.21 Embassy in Armenia: This year 16 Days of Activism align with US Summit for Democracy US envoy: Armenia has some of the best produce in the world Turkey already assessing economic benefits of opening Nakhichevan corridor Dollar continues increasing in Armenia All Armenian Fund: Working Group reported they received no credible evidence that funds were misappropriated Luc Pierre Devigne: EU discussing with Russia conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan Armenia former President Sargsyan: Artsakh issue is not resolved Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan deputy PMs to meet in Moscow today Russia MFA: OSCE plays useful role in promoting settlement of Karabakh conflict Armenia Inspection Bodies Coordination Bureau: We cant fine PM, parliament speaker for not wearing face masks Armenia State Revenue Committee: Indicators set by 2021 budget will be fulfilled Heavy snowfall in Armenias Ashotsk Armenia opposition lawmaker: Why should Azerbaijanis withdraw from Ishkhanasar hills? Armenia opposition MP: Iran drivers can enter Goris-Kapan road, refuel their cars with Azerbaijan fuel Armenia ex-President Sargsyan attending international videoconference (PHOTOS) Armenia PM sacks head of his staff's foreign relations department 4 more die of coronavirus in Karabakh President invites Romania colleague to Armenia Armenia revenue committee chief: Our customs officers are already on Goris-Kapan motorway 502 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Russia peacekeepers in Artsakh ensure about 150 pilgrims safe visit to Amaras Monastery in 1 week Armenia investigation of criminal case on high treason is over Erdogan expects to discuss Ukraine with Putin Armenia FM to head for Sweden Armenia, Greece, Cyprus special forces hold joint exercises Newspaper: Crimes with use of weapons increase in Armenia in 2021 Newspaper: Actual salaries decrease in Armenia Armenia ombudsman: Azerbaijan army is able to monitor Kapan-Chakaten alternative road as well (PHOTOS) Chairman of Armenia parliament probe committee: We will summon President and Prime Minister to ask questions Armenian analyst states reason why Iran won't renounce exit to Black Sea through Armenia's territory Charles Michel: Political dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan may lead to a sustainable settlement Putin hasn't decided if he will run in the 2024 presidential elections Armenia territorial administration and infrastructure minister meets with Russian deputy transport minister Central Bank of Armenia becomes member of Sustainable Banking and Financing Network (SBFN) Putin: If strike complexes emerge in Ukraine, Russia will give adequate response Lukashenko: Visit to Crimea will mean recognition of it as Russian territory Russia-based Armenian analyst: Implementation of agreements on Karabakh reached in Ashgabat not very likely Qatar calls on Persian Gulf countries to cooperate with Iran Aliyev, Pakistani minister discuss expansion of Azerbaijan-Pakistan-Turkey cooperation format Helsinki Citizens' Assembly Vanadzor Office lodges applications with ECHR under cases of captured Armenian soldiers 53-year-old Russian woman run over by Opel driver at Sakharov Square in Yerevan Immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport rescued nine suspected human trafficking victims who disguised themselves as tourists in an attempt to leave for South Korea. BI Port Operations Division Chief Grifton Medina said the passengers were about to board an Air Asia flight to Taipei when they were intercepted by members of the bureaus travel control and enforcement unit. They admitted that they were actually destined for Korea where they were illegally recruited to work as orange pickers in a plantation in Jeju Island, Medina said. He said the passengers initially claimed they were traveling as tourists to watch a Nanta acrobatic exhibition show in the said island. When asked, they could not explain and had no idea what the Nanta show is all about and their answers to questions by immigration officers were highly inconsistent, Medina said. When pressed on the actual purpose of their trip, they confessed that they were hired to work with a promised monthly salary of P65,000.The victims, whose identities were not divulged due to a prohibition in the anti-trafficking law, were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for assistance and further investigation. NAIA Terminal 3 BI-TCEU Chief Glen Comia said that the apprehension occurred barely three days after immigration officers also intercepted eight trafficking victims who were illegally recruited to work in Cyprus. It appears that only one syndicate was behind the recruitment of these victims, Comia said. This is a well-entrenched trafficking syndicate that operates in both Europe and Asia. As in the case of the Cyprus-bound victims, the Korea-bound passengers also did not know each other and related that they only met at an office in Ermita where they were briefed by their recruiters before their trip. The victims, who all hail from far-flung areas in the provinces, claimed they pay huge sums for processing their travel papers. YEREVAN. Washingtons decision to withdraw the US troops from Syria causes concern. Giro Manoyan, head of the Political Affairs Bureau and the Armenian Cause Office of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun Party of Armenia, stated the above-said at a press conference on Monday. In his words, this decision will open new opportunities for Turkey, in terms of sending its troops to Syria. The infiltration of Turkish troops will be conducted toward the northern and eastern regions of the country [Syria], [and] which are controlled by the Kurds, he said. [But] the [Syrian] Armenian population is concentrated in those regions of Syria. Manoyan noted that the decision to pull the US troops out of Syria was made during a telephonic conversation between the American and the Turkish presidents, but this decision was not unanimously approved by the authorities in Washington. In this connection, we [Armenians] have several reasons for concern, the ARF official said. First, the Armenian populations presence in the Syrian territory where the Turkish armed forces could infiltrate, he explained. Second, the fact that all that will take place relatively slightly away from our [Armenia] borders. Following his remarks on senators resorting to discussions over coffee rather than open debate in the current Senate, former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile says he finds something lacking in the way the present members of the Upper House tackles issues of national and international concern. In my opinion, there is something lacking in the treatment of issues and problems that are coming up in that forum of the people. Mind you, the House of Representatives and the Senate, in a democracy, are not just making laws, said Enrile. They are the forums where you discuss national issues that impinge on the lives of the people that are governed, said Enrile, who is running as a senatorial candidate in the 2019 midterm elections. For the former Senate President, this is the reason why voters must look at the experience and expertise of those being elected into the lawmaking body. You must have people there who have enough sense, enough experience, enough understanding of the national issues that they are tackling. Im not saying that [present senators] dont have that, Enrile added. Unfortunately, he said, the breadth and the width and depth of their experience were not enough. He explained that open debate could lead to pivotal laws of national concern that could change the course of the countrys history. Using an anecdote from his first term as senator from 1987-1992 as an example, Enrile said, We were able to discuss all the problems of the country, so much so that the once very sacred treaty that we have with Americathe military bases agreementwas up for revision and extension. There was only one among 23 other senators that was against it. I was the 2nd one who was against it, he added, saying:Bobby Tanada and I were able to convince 10 others to go along with our position and that is why we knocked out the extension of the military bases of the United States. The historic vote of the Magnificent 12 rejected the proposed 1991 RP-US Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Peace that would have given the United States 10 more years to operate military bases in the Philippines. Citing endangerment to the Philippines sovereignty and rejecting the meager compensation of $203 million a year offered by the US government, then Senators Enrile, Tanada, Agapito Aquino, Joseph Estrada, Teofisto Guingona Jr., Sotero Laurel, Orlando Mercado, Ernesto Maceda, Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Victor Ziga, Rene Saguisag, and former Senate President Jovito Salonga put an end to the Military Bases Agreement signed in 1947. Enrile, who is now seeking a comeback to the Senate floor, further said he was running to help revitalize the Senate as a forum for debate. I must tell you that the 23 senators representing the political interests of the administration at that time were composed of men of experience and learning. And I was able to handle them, 23 of them. I would like to go back to the Senate at this time to do the same thing, the former senator said. Enriles statements followed dismissals by Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senator Panfilo Lacson hitting out at Enriles assertion that the current batch of Senators prefer to talk over coffee than debate at the chamber. Enrile earlier said a Senate must be a deliberative assembly of the peoples representatives where issues are subject to intellectual dissection. YEREVAN. The new Armenian government will preserve the system of super-premiership introduced by the previous regime, leader of Bright Armenia party Edmon Marukyan said. Preliminary amendments to the structure and functions of the government proposed by the Cabinet appeared on the web several hours ago. After studying the changes, one can assume that the executive branch plans to mainly change the staff and structure of the ministries and several inspections, Marukyan said. The security agencies are guided by prime minister just as during the previous regime, he added. Moreover, the State Revenue Committee, which unites tax and customs authorities, remains under the jurisdiction of the government. That is, these bodies are outside the parliaments supervision and do not become accountable to the legislature. Thus, the Cabinet, in essence, preserves the system of super-premiership of the former regime. If the draft is submitted to the parliament in this form, Bright Armenia faction is going to present its proposals, and will vote against this bill in case the proposals are not accepted, Marukyan said. You cut your cable. You brown bag your lunch most days. And lattes? You gave them up long ago in the name of saving money. So why does it seem like youre still struggling to make ends meet? Maybe you need some fresh ideas for cutting costs and improving your budget. We asked financial planners, authors, bloggers and more to share their most creative and effective tips. 1. Treat your savings like a bill. Determine how much and how often you can save (monthly, biweekly) and treat your savings like its a recurring bill. Automate your savings through direct deposit via your employer and make saving one less task to manage month to month. Alternatively, you can schedule an ongoing automatic transfer from your checking to savings account through your bank. Thanks to technology, there are also convenient apps like RIZE and Digit that make savings a real convenience. Holly Reid Toodle, certified public accountant 2. Call your service providers and negotiate discounts. Most saving advice is about cutting back (bleh) and a lot of earning advice is time-consuming and overwhelming. But heres something that people can do within a week or even today: You can negotiate your bills on things like credit card rates, gym membership fees, cable fees, cell phone fees and car insurance. With a quick phone call, you can get these costs lowered, putting more money directly in your pocket and essentially earning back money. Even if you only save $10 a month, thats still a savings of $120 per year. The key is to be nice and cordial, firmly asking what better plans they have to offer you. If things dont go as planned, call back. Ramit Sethi, author of I Will Teach You To Be Rich 3. Ask your employer about discounts. Many corporations offer significant savings to employees on a range of things from phone bills to gym memberships; you just may not know about it. Check in with your human resources team and see where you could be taking advantage of corporate discounts. Jennifer McDermott, consumer advocate for finder.com Story continues 4. Start using cash back apps. Using cash back apps, you can get money back on items you are already buying anyway. Apps such as Ibotta partner with brand name products to offer cash back on their items. You can expect to get anywhere from $0.25 all the way up to five dollars or more, depending on the item. They are always uploading new products and offers, so it never gets stale. Dustyn Ferguson, blogger at Dime Will Tell 5. Then stack cash back and rewards. A lot of people use cash back or rewards credit cards, but there are a few ways you can multiply the effect by stacking a few different cash back or reward offers. For example, if you purchase through Ebates, you can earn cash back from Ebates and still get the rewards from your credit card. You can also use cash back apps like Drop and Dosh that link directly to your credit card. My favorite way to triple-stack rewards is to go through Ebates and purchase discounted gift cards at Raise.com, and pay with a cash back credit card. I get a nice discount on the gift card from Raise, cash back from Ebates, and cash back from my credit card. Marc, blogger at Vital Dollar 6. Follow the one item in, one item out rule. Heres how it works: For any non-consumable item you purchase, you must sell another item (the items dont need to be related to one another). This accomplishes two things: 1. You will think more about each purchase because you may not want to get rid of anything, and 2. You will likely use the items you own regularly. Otherwise, off they go! I personally implemented this with clothing and home decor the past few months, and its been a great system. Rachel Smith, blogger at Budgets and Kale 7. Make extra payments on your mortgage. This might sound counterintuitive, but I highly recommend making extra payments on your mortgage if you want to save money. I know what youre thinking: How does spending more on my mortgage save me money? The answer is interest. Every year you keep your mortgage, you pay more interest. If you make just one extra house payment each quarter, you can pay off your house five years sooner! Rachel Cruze, New York Times best-selling author and personal finance expert 8. Switch to biweekly garbage pickup . We realized that we did not create enough waste to need weekly pickup. Call up your garbage company and see if they will do biweekly pickup instead. We are saving around $15 per month doing so. The Savvy Couple 9. Try the half payment budget method. This payment method is a good idea for those who are living paycheck-to-paycheck and feel like they are unable to cover their bills in a timely manner. I add up all of my bills and divide them by two. Half of my bills are paid out of my first paycheck and the other half is paid out of my next paycheck. This has given me so much financial freedom, and it has removed a huge burden off of my chest. Shatoria Smith, accountant and creator of Coin Countin Mama 10. Stop paying to go to the movies. Sign up to participate in movie screenings. Not only are they free, but you get to see blockbuster movies sometimes months before they come out. You can go to sites like gofobo.com and lionsgatescreenings.com to sign up. Tracy Taylor, certified public accountant 11. Use your grocery stores app. Download your favorite grocery stores app and enable notifications. You might see a free product or discounted item on your grocery list in a popup, allowing you some wiggle room in your budget or a few more dollars to put toward your next goal. Amplify your savings by using your cash-back rewards card. Plus, some stores allow you to scan the items you buy and check them off in your apps cart, and the store will then send you more relevant discounts and freebies based on your actual purchases. Jason Speciner, certified financial planner and founder of fee-only firm Financial Planning Fort Collins Responses have been edited and condensed for clarity. Related... 10 Ways To Save Money That Take An Hour Or Less This Is How Much You Should Save In Your Emergency Fund Trying To Save Money? Delete These 3 Apps From Your Phone Now Also on HuffPost Apps do a lot of things, including help us spend money. Weve rounded up some apps that help us save or at least help us spend less. Here are a few that could tune up your budget this year, with hardly any effort on your part at all. Earny What it does: Earny automatically monitors when retailers reduce the prices on items you purchased. When that happens, Earny contacts the company to get the difference back, without your so much as lifting a finger. What it costs: Free Raise What it does: Before you shop online or in stores, search the Raise marketplace to find discounted gift cards by brand, category or value. Shoppers save an average of 12 percent on purchases, according to a Raise spokesman. You can also sell gift cards you don't want on Raise for cash. What it costs: Free (including shipping on physical cards) Cardpool What it does: Similar to Raise, Cardpool works as a platform for users to buy and sell gift cards. Buyers can get up to 92 percent of a gift cards value. Sellers may have to wait a bit longer for their money because, unlike Raise, Cardpool doesnt post the funds directly to the sellers bank account. Instead, the payment comes in the form of an Amazon eGift Card or a bank check sent via snail mail. What it costs: Free Digit What it does: Digit analyzes your account balances, spending history and upcoming bills to calculate how much you can afford to save every few days. If it thinks you can afford to sock away some extra cash, itll automatically transfer the funds into your Digit account, where you can withdraw the money at any time. What it costs: Free to try, then $2.99 per month Qapital What it does: Qapital allows you to set up certain conditions that trigger the app to transfer cash to your savings. For example, you can direct it to set aside 10 percent every time you get paid. Or get motivational and tell it to set aside $10 every time your fitness app reports that you took 10,000 steps in a day or hit the gym. It can even round up every purchase you make to the nearest dollar and deposit the difference into your savings. What it costs: Free Acorns What it does: Acorns rounds up the cost of your purchases to the nearest dollar and transfers the difference from your checking account into an Acorns account. Then, it invests that money in low-cost exchange traded funds, or ETFs. What it costs: Free to try, then $1 a month (or 0.25 percent a year for larger accounts); also free for college students and anyone under age 24 Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. The Manila International Airport Authority will work closely with the US Department of Homeland Securitys Transportation Security Administration to boost security measures for the protection of air travelers. The move, according to MIAA general manager Eddie Monreal, is in line with the agencys program to enhance and improve security measures at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. We were informed by the TSA about their observations regarding procedures, processes, equipment and personnel posting at the NAIA following an assessment period from Sept. 26 to Dec. 5 this year, during which time the MIAA and the Office for Transportation Security have implemented measures to rectify and make improvements on security issues that were identified, Monreal said. For instance, new background check procedures for newly hired airport personnel will include neighborhood and NICA (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency) checks for those implementing security control, and submission of new NBI clearances for all MIAA access pass holders will be required. Strict measures are being put into place in terms of personnel manning security checkpoints. In case of a delinquency report, the concerned personnel will be immediately pulled out from the line and will undergo retraining before being sent back on line. But, if a second delinquency incident occurs, then that personnel is out, Monreal said. The MIAA chief likewise noted that the procurement process for the needed equipment such as walk-through metal detectors, X-ray machines and alarm systems, are already ongoing, in compliance with government rules and procedures. Procurement for the necessary equipment are ongoing, but we need to understand that we cannot have these instantly. These are not items off the shelves, and manufacturing time after we place the orders may take six months. But, as instructed by DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade, we will make sure there will be no delays in the process so we can make use of these equipment within 2019, Monreal said.Secretary Tugade is monitoring our progress on a day to day basis to ensure that even the smallest concern are being addressed. He doesnt want us to just wait and do nothing. So, while we are waiting for the delivery of these equipment, such as standalone alarm systems, manual interventions have been strictly put in place, for instance, the posting of additional MIAA-contracted guards 24/7. All these, we do, because safety and security have always been a top priority for us at NAIA, he added. Monreal also disclosed that the International Civil Aviation Organization had furnished the MIAA and OTS copies of its latest security audit findings, saying that both agencies satisfactorily complied with ICAO standards with some comments and suggestions on implementing the corrective action plan crafted by the said agencies. In its letter dated Oct. 25, 2018 addressed to OTS Administrator Arturo Evangelista, ICAO was pleased to note the progress that State has made to comply with the standards in Annex 17Securityand the security-related Standards in Annex 9Facilitation to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, and towards the implementation of the critical elements of a State aviation security oversight system. The letter from ICAO is not only encouraging; it also indicates recognition of our firm commitment to comply with international standards of airport safety and security for the traveling public. Rest assured that we will continue to work with our partners to enhance security measures and keep up with the evolving needs of passengers, Monreal assured. For his part, United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim remains convinced that all minor adjustments will be addressed under the leadership of Tugade. I understand that a lot of progress has already been made in NAIA. Theres still work to be done, but I remain convinced that under the leadership of Secretary Tugade, NAIA will be able to address all minor adjustments. We will continue to support as much as we can, Ambassador Kim said. The electronic cigarette market is rapidly evolving from a combination of market forces, innovation, and regulation. Just like the e-cig leaders of yesterday aren't the ones we see today, they're likely not going to be the ones leading the way tomorrow. Juul Labs currently owns most of the U.S. e-cig market with an 80% share, but regulatory changes eliminating most flavors and limiting where its products can be sold could tip the balance again. With the industry in flux and international markets being introduced to the latest technological developments in electronic cigarettes, here in no particular order are the top three e-cig stocks for 2019. Man using a electronic cigarette Image source: Getty Images. Philip Morris International Spun off from Altria (NYSE: MO) a decade ago, Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM) has captured the largest foreign market, Japan, with its IQOS heated tobacco device. Unlike other e-cigs, which heat a nicotine-infused liquid to create a vapor, the IQOS heats real tobacco, which gives it a more-natural cigarette flavor. And this year, the company has begun introducing the device into more countries in Europe, Japan, and Russia. Perhaps most important, it is waiting for the Food and Drug Administration to approve the IQOS for sale in the U.S., possibly with a reduced-harm label, which could give it a marketing advantage over its competitors. The reduced-risk label would mean it could tell smokers who switch to its e-cig that they will have less harmful side effects from using its device. The IQOS would be marketed here by Altria under its Marlboro brand. But if the FDA doesn't award it a reduced-risk label, the IQOS would have to fight for market share just like every other device, and Philip Morris couldn't count on the kind of success it enjoys in Japan. That country regulates the liquids in e-cigs more strictly, so competition has been virtually eliminated. Still, the more cigarette-like flavor could draw many users in. Story continues Altria Altria is included here not only because of the benefit it would derive from marketing the IQOS, but also because it is taking a minority stake in Juul Labs, maybe as something of an insurance policy should things go awry with Philip Morris. That would, of course, mean it's also riding the same horse as the market leader, putting it into the industry's forefront by extension. But also, if the IQOS is approved, Altria would have two entries in the race. The risk is the extra scrutiny Juul is bringing upon itself because of its leadership position and its popularity among teens. Altria withdrew its own e-cig brands from the market just before the FDA issued its new regulations. The MarkTen brand had been the third biggest seller on the market behind Juul and Vuse, but now Altria has cleared the decks for introduction of the IQOS so that it's not competing against itself. British American Tobacco Because British American Tobacco (NYSE: BTI) has the second biggest e-cig brand with Vuse, it can't be counted out, even if its share of the market has steadily dwindled. But it also has a heated-tobacco product -- the glo iFuse -- that it is rolling out. And it plans to submit an application to the FDA to have it marketed here. It may be waiting to see what happens with the IQOS before jumping in. British American has a broad portfolio of cigarette alternatives beyond its e-cig and vapor products. They now account for 900 million pounds ($1.1 billion) in revenue. The glo has been introduced into 16 markets so far and has about a 5% share in Japan. And in the U.S., volumes of the Vuse e-cig are up 30% year to date. But the company operates at something of a disadvantage because it has often been second-to-market with a product, which has given its competitors the opportunity to stake out large claims ahead of it, which it then has to chip away at. Still, it is a global player in both combustible and electronic cigarettes, and with one of the most diversified portfolio of products, it can't be ignored. More From The Motley Fool Rich Duprey has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. When my mother recently came over from Denmark to visit me in London, she had with her 24 numbered, individually wrapped presents. Theyre just small things and trinkets, I can tell from squeezing the parcels. And I know, because shes given me a set of 24 presents like these every year for many years. She took over the task from the nisse, a goblin-like creature from Danish folklore. Until I reached my teenage years and lost my ability to suspend disbelief, it was the nisse who laid out a present for me each morning in December (so nice of my mother to relieve the poor creature of his duty.) These little gifts are called kalendergaver, or calendar presents. SEE ALSO: 15 holiday songs that are super weird but we somehow still love This little tradition is just one of many lovely Danish Christmas traditions that really light up the month of December in our dark corner of the world. You see, come December we in the Scandinavian region are two months into a spell of vast darkness that lasts well into February (come winter solstice, the sun is only up for 7 hours). Christmas represents a shining beacon of light in a dark, dark time, and thats why we make the most of it. Instead of just celebrating the holidays around the end of December, we spread out the celebrations over the entire month to really soak up enough positive energy to get through the dark months. Heres how you can make your Christmas last a whole month, courtesy of the Danes. 1. Make everything a countdown Calendar presents are just one way we keep ourselves busy while waiting for the 24th December to arrive. For us, this day is what it all boils down to, since nothing really happens on the 25th. The major TV channels show 24-part Christmas calendar series for kids, and even gamblers can have it their way with special Christmas-themed scratch cards with one square to scratch for each day. 2. On Sundays, we drink glgg Story continues In Denmark, every Sunday in December represents an opportunity to indulge with glgg (mulled red wine with raisins, almonds and spices), bleskiver (balls of buttermilk pancake batter fried in a special pan with indentations, served with jam and powdered sugar), and listening to the same old Christmas playlist over and over. They are Advent Sundays, the last four Sundays leading up to Christmas. Technically, youre supposed to go to church and wait longingly for Jesuss birthday to roll around, but most people spend the days drinking and eating with friends and family and lighting our Advent wreaths. 3. Observe every possible holiday even if youre not remotely religious Despite not being a particularly religious country (80 percent of Danes say that religion is not important) Danes love to observe traditions rooted in Christianity. On December 13th, we throw in one such celebration just to mark being halfway to Christmas Lucia Day, or St. Lucys day in English. Despite Lucia being a Sicilian saint, the celebration of Lucia day is actually a Nordic tradition. We celebrate Lucia bringing light in dark times. In schools, there will be Lucia parades, where all lights are turned off and children, dressed in white, walk in a line carrying candles and singing the Lucia psalm. One lucky child gets to be the Lucia bride, wearing a crown with lit candles (yes, this tradition is both flammable and weirdly patriarchal, but quite nice). All of this symbolises that we are moving towards lighter times and we wash it down with Swedish saffron rolls (lussekatter). Trust that there will always be carbs at Danish Christmas celebrations. Coffee and Saffron buns. Image: Getty Images 4. Get drunk with your friends, co-workers, everybody Office holiday parties are commonplace all over, but in Denmark you also have to have a traditional Julefrokost, Christmas lunch, with friends. The recipe: lots of traditional food (think pork) and lots of snaps, or akvavit (a very strong alcoholic beverage). Thats pretty much it. Sometimes we include a Christmas present raffle game, but the booze and food is the most important part of any Julefrokost. Image: Getty Images/Hero Images 5. When Christmas Eve arrives, give it your all What all of this leads up to, the climax of this most festive month, is the 24th, Danish Christmas Eve. For most people, the evening starts officially at 4 p.m. with a Disney Christmas special thats been broadcast every year for 50 years. How Disney got to claim our time on this precious Christmas afternoon, Id like to know. We drink Port and eat homemade marzipan confectionary and Christmas cookies. Dinner consists of roast pork with crackling, potatoes, caramelised potatoes, warm red cabbage and crisps. The pudding, Risalamande, a sweet rice porridge with whipped cream, vanilla, and loads of finely chopped almonds is both a delicious dessert and a fun dinner game. Here's the twist: one whole almond has been thrown in the bowl, and the person who gets it is the winner of the mandelgave, literally meaning "almond present". If youre a fun uncle-type youll find the almond and hide it in your napkin to cause confusion youll receive a few strained laughs at best. Image: Getty Images/EyeEm To top all of this off, we hold hands as we walk around the Christmas tree. Not exactly rocking around the Christmas tree, but rather psalming. We sing Christmas songs and psalms and eye the presents underneath, which will be opened later that evening. May these Scandi Christmas traditions brighten your December. They are the ultimate way to have a very gldelig jul (Merry Christmas). American Water Works Companys AWK subsidiary Indiana American Water recently announced the acquisition of the Town of Sheridans water and wastewater systems in central Indiana for a total purchase consideration of $10.75 million. The buyout was approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission in September and the deal was closed by both companies in December. Currently, Sheridan systems serve approximately 60,000 residents. The transaction will add more than 2,500 water and wastewater customers to the companys client base, representing a population of above 3,000 residents. American Water Works Growth Strategy In 2018, the companys planned investment is envisioned in the range of $1.9-$2.1 billion for capital expenditures and acquisitions including the $365-million buyout of Pivotal Home Solution operation from The Southern Companys SO subsidiary, Southern Company Gas. Consolidation is the need of the hour in the fragmented U.S. water utility space. To this end, the company is expanding its customer base through organic initiatives and integrations. In 2017, the company added 15,000 customers through organic growth and 39,514 via acquisitions. American Water Works continues to fortify its market footprint through strategic acquisitions. Till September 2018, the company added 7,600 customers through buyouts and 8,900, organically. On completion of the pending takeovers, nearly 56,000 are expected to be included in its customer base. Such takeovers should boost the companys top line significantly. Merger & Acquisition Activity in Utility Water Space Utility sector operators engage in frequent merger and acquisition (M&A) activities to supplement organic growth. In addition to lending their operations a greater scale and scope, such favorable measures lead to cost synergies and better utilization of resources. The larger the companies are, the more access they get to capital resources, essential for vital infrastructure upgrades. The latest buyout by American Water Works seems to be driven by this agenda. Keeping with this trend, earlier this year, Connecticut Water Service received an offer from SJW Group SJW to merge with the latter. Finally, on Nov 16, 2018, shareholders of Connecticut Water Service approved the proposed merger with the SJW Group. Also, recently, Global Water Resources GWRS completed the acquisition of Red Rock Utilities, a provider of water and wastewater services in the Pinal and Pima counties of Arizona. Price Movement In a years time, shares of American Water Works have inched up 0.7% against the industrys decline of 4%. Story continues Zacks Rank Currently, American Water Works has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone! It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market. Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >> 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 Southern Company (The) (SO) : Free Stock Analysis Report American Water Works Company, Inc. (AWK) : Free Stock Analysis Report SJW Group (SJW) : Free Stock Analysis Report Global Water Resources, Inc. (GWRS) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Star Wars actor John Boyega ran into some trouble with stormtroopers at Disneyland Paris on Saturday. The actor, best known for portraying fan-favorite Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, posted multiple videos on his Instagram account of being taken into custody by the Empires henchmen. In the films, Boyegas Finn decides to leave his life as a stormtrooper behind and join the rebellion to battle the First Order. The clips, posted to his 1.6 million followers, shows Boyega laughing as he is playfully jostled by the costumed employees. Theyre arresting me right now at Disney, he jokes. I get arrested? Damn! The fugitive is in custody, one of the trooper says as Boyega laughs. Otis Bolamu, 38, who sought asylum in the UK after fleeing the government in the Democratic Republic of Congo is set to be deported on Christmas day. (PA). A Christian asylum seeker who fled the Democratic Republic of Congo to escape its government faces being deported from the UK on Christmas Day. Otis Bolamu, 38, had been volunteering at an Oxfam shop in Swansea, South Wales, before he was taken from his bed in the early hours of Thursday morning and held at a detention centre. The Congolese national is currently being detained at the Brook House Immigration Removal Centre at Gatwick and is due to be deported on Christmas Day. Friends and colleagues have criticised the decision and its timing, saying his valid claim of fleeing government persecution in his home country is not being heard as Home Office staff and solicitors are unavailable for talks over Christmas. Mr Bolamu volunteers at Swanseas Oxfam shop. Stick image. PA. Phil Broadhurst, manager of the Oxfam shop in Swanseas Castle Street, said: The main problem is we know he has a good case and has new evidence for a fresh claim, but the problem now is solicitors are off and the Home Office is closed. Our MP, Carolyn Harris, has been very supportive and has been trying to get in touch with the Home Office for two days now but hasnt been able to get any response from them. I think theres certainly a case for saying a principled government would have an amnesty over the Christmas period and not be trying to deport people when they havent go any access to the justice system. His solicitor is on holiday and were trying to get somebody else to help out in the detention centre. But only his current solicitor has all the facts of the full case so its difficult for anyone else. On that basis alone wed hope there would at least be a delay so everyones office is open again, including the Home Secretarys. Mr Bolamu told friends he used to work for the DRC government and fled to the UK in October last year after campaigning for democracy and being warned that he was suspected of spying for the government opposition. After arriving in Swansea, he volunteered at this years Hay Festival and three to four times a week at the Oxfam shop in Castle Street, but was refused leave to remain in August following an appeal. Story continues After his detention, friends and colleagues held a protest in Castle Square, Swansea, on Friday, and a petition set up by Hay, Brecon & Talgarth Sanctuary for Refugees on Saturday had received almost 6,000 signatures by Monday afternoon. A message on the petition page says: All he wants is to be able to worship at his church on Christmas Day. Instead, he is being sent into harms way, with unseemly haste, on the most sacred of all days for Christians, whilst the rest of us will be celebrating. This is a cruel example of the hostile environment at work. Such an action is not at all compatible with the Christmas message of love and compassion. A Home Office spokesman said: The UK has a proud history of granting asylum to those who need our protection. All asylum claims lodged in the UK are carefully considered on their individual merits against a background of relevant case law and up-to-date country information. On Thursday, the DRCs presidential election was delayed until December 30 after a fire in its capital, Kinshasa, destroyed nearly 80% of the citys voting machines a week before. Officials said the blaze appeared to have been started deliberately, and followed earlier violence when security forces opened fire on supporters of opposition candidate Martin Fayulu. On Wednesday, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in DR Congo said the special representative of the UN secretary-general deplored the deaths and urged authorities to take the necessary steps to void further violence, noting obstacles encountered by some opposition candidates during their efforts to hold public meetings in certain cities around the country. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK DUBAI (Reuters) - Bahrain's Foreign Ministry summoned the deputy charge d'affaires of the embassy of Iraq on Monday to denounce footage of former Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki criticizing Manama's crackdown on the Shi'ite opposition. Maliki who now heads an Iraqi coalition called "the State of Law", attended a meeting last week organized by the February 14 movement, a Bahraini activist group which Manama designated a terrorist group in 2014. "Discrimination, marginalization ... have reached a severe limit on the people of Bahrain," Maliki said according to videos from the event published by Iraqi media. He was quoted as urging dialogue with those "demanding freedom and justice" to protect Bahrain and Bahrain's people, Sunnis and Shi'ites. Bahrain described Maliki's statements as "blatant and unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of Bahrain", state news agency (BNA) reported. "(A Bahraini official) described Malikis attitude as a clear solidarity with those who seek to spread chaos, violence and terrorism and exhibit hatred," BNA said. Iraq's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment but it was expected to issue a statement. Bahrain, like Iraq, is a flashpoint for the proxy-war between the two regional arch-rivals Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran. The Gulf island state, where a Sunni Muslim royal family rules over a Shiite-majority population, has closed the main opposition groups, barred their members from running in elections and prosecuted scores of people, many described by human rights groups as activists, in mass trials. Iraq has also struggled for years with the Sunni-Shiite sectarianism that followed the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, ending with the disastrous war against the Islamic State militants. Bahrain, which is home to the U.S. Navys Fifth Fleet, has seen unrest with demonstrators clashing frequently with security forces in Bahrain in recent years, and there have been several bomb attacks. (Reporting by Tuqa Khalid, editing by Aziz El Yaakoubi and Alison Williams) 1992s Home Alone 2 (REX/Shutterstock) Who can forget 1992s Christmas classic Home Alone 2? The Macaulay Culkin-starring sequel sees young Kevin lost and alone in New York and even features a cameo from the current US president Donald Trump. But now The Secret Barrister on Twitter has spun a new angle on the feel-good family movie. The anonymous lawyer claims that Kevin actually commits many crimes in the movie, and if tried in the court of law for his wrong deeds he could actually face up to four years behind bars. In a tongue-in-cheek tweet thread the lawyer tweets a lengthy lecture on all the laws Kevin breaks in the film through the lens of English and Welsh law and assuming Kevin is of criminal responsibility. He begins by outlining the sequels plot: In Home Alone, Kevins family flew to Paris for Christmas and forgot him. Oops. And then precedes to list the various laws the young lad breaks in surprisingly minute detail. First up Kevin breaks a law before he even sets foot in New York. Within the first few minutes of the film he is shown recording Uncle Frank in the shower, which as The Secret Barrister remarks, could be considered voyeurism. And were off! Uncle Frank is in the shower! Kevins recording him! Its voyeurism! Strike one! Frank is fully entitled to be livid. The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) December 22, 2018 And he couldnt seem to help poking fun at President Trumps cameo at The Plaza Hotel. Clearly mocking the alleged crimes that have mounted against Trump since he has been elected president, The Secret Barrister declares: TREASON! SEXUAL ASSAULT! FRAUD! and even God bless his chubby little pervert toes. Theyre in the Plaza! Offences galore! TREASON! SEXUAL ASSAULT! FRAUD! CORRUPTION! Yup, its the Donald Trump cameo. God bless his chubby little pervert toes. The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) December 22, 2018 Then comes Kevins first official crime. By securing a stay at The Plaza Hotel he is committing fraud through false representation, but The Secret Barrister believes Tim Currys hotel manager character and his fellow hotel staff only have themselves to blame and he takes a dig at the current Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, who was secretary of state for justice from 2012 to 2015. Story continues Kevin is now committing fraud by false representation (s1 Fraud Act 2006) to secure a suite at the Plaza. Frankly, Tim Curry and his band of ninnies only have themselves to blame. Their security protocols were presumably designed by Chris Grayling. The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) December 22, 2018 But its not only Kevin who breaks the law. According to The Secret Barrister almost every character featured breaks it in some manner or another. Now its the bandits turn aka Harry (Joe Pesci) and Merv (Daniel Stern) who by planning a burglary could face up to ten years in prison in the UK. But their crimes hardly stop here, as they debate how they intend to kill Kevin clearly with the intention to commit murder. Joe Pesci and Marv are openly discussing killing Kevin. This is veering towards conspiracy to murder territory. Which all seems so unnecessary. They could have just ignored him and got on with their burglary. I bet theyll look back and regret this. The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) December 22, 2018 Back to Kevin, he commits yet another crime by throwing a brick through a shop window. The Secret Barrister cant see how a charge of criminal damage could be avoidable. Kevin sets off the shop alarm by throwing a brick through the window. In the absence of a defence of necessity, there being other options open to Kevin namely calling the police I cant see how we avoid a charge of criminal damage. The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) December 22, 2018 And as the credits roll in, he summarises all of the crimes committed by multiple characters throughout the film. He concludes that Kevin, despite being the films hero, would legally be bound to at least a four year prison sentence. And in addition to their burglary charges, Harry and Merv would be up for an additional 30 years to life in prison. For two counts of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent, Kevin, with the heavy mitigation of youth and the fact that he was, after all, being threatened by madmen, will nevertheless be found dangerous. Extended sentence of detention of 4 years plus 4. The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) December 22, 2018 With over 4k retweets, several readers have also turned sleuths themselves and commented on additional crimes they noticed. For example, one user asked The Secret Barrister if Kevins mum slapping Tim Currys character was an offence to which he agreed it most certainly was. YES. I couldnt type quickly enough, but she absolutely committed a battery (s39 Criminal Justice Act 1988). The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) 22 December 2018 The Secret Barrister remains an anonymous figure, despite publishing a bestselling book The Secret Lawyer: Stories of the Law and How Its Broken. Read more Macaulay Culkin reprises Home Alone role What happened to Macaulay Culkins career? Home Alone fans uncover surprising new detail The Daily Beast Photo Illustration by The Daily BeastOXFORD, MichiganDetailed descriptions of a wish to massacre classmates on his cellphone and in a journal. At least one social media post pointing to elation at access to a handgun bought by his dad. A mom who thanked Trump for my right to bear arms. And a meeting between his parents and school administrators about his conduct just hours before the attack.Authorities on Wednesday identified the teenage suspect in the mass shooting a day earlier at Michigan READ: Reds, allied fronts face destruction READ: No truce with Reds for time in 30 years The public should take the necessary security precautions and remain vigilant as the communist rebels celebrate their 50th founding anniversary on Dec. 26, the Armed Forces of the Philippines Monday. In a statement released to the Philippine News Agency, the AFP accused Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Ma. Sison of ordering the New Peoples Army to escalate attacks and violence over the holidays, despite its declaration of a unilateral ceasefire that the military has rejected. The threat of heightened atrocities marks another year of violence and manifests their nature as a terror group that works to undermine the government, disrupt national development, and damage public and private propertiesall to the inconvenience of the Filipino people, said Col. Noel Detoyato, chief of the militarys public information office. With only atrocities to show for their 50 years in existence, the CPP and NPA have nothing to celebrate and no achievement of which to be proud, he said. Our soldiers on the ground and at all levels of command will continue to monitor and conduct security operations against the CPP-NPA-NDF. We are ready to secure any community threatened by them specially during this season of Christmas celebration, Detoyato said. He also reminded rebels seeking to return to their families and mainstream society that the lines of communication are always open for those that surrender. Sison on Monday said the rebels do not feel intimidated by President Rodrigo Dutertes orders to the troops to destroy the communists. Duterte is failing to intimidate the CPP and the revolutionary masses with his ranting and raving. He merely incriminates himself by openly inciting and ordering his armed minions to engage in mass murder on the basis of mere suspicion that entire legal organizations are communist, said Sison in a statement two days before the 50th founding anniversary of the rebel group. He likewise incriminates himself by inciting and ordering his armed minions to hamlet the Lumad people and engage in the unlawful confinement or detention of entire communities, he added.He said Duterte wanted to replicate the infamous massacre supposedly committed by Indonesian President Suharto in 1965 to 1966. What the bloodthirsty tyrant Duterte does not understand is that the PKI [Communist Party of Indonesia] did not have a peoples army and was completely exposed by its participation in parliamentary elections and in the NASAKOM government of Sukarno, said Sison. The CPP, on the other hand, has a growing peoples army and has always been clandestine since its founding in 1968. As I pointed out earlier, Duterte has to kill 100 to 1,000 non-communists before he can kill a single communist, Sison said. He is definitely succeeding in incriminating and exposing himself as the mastermind of state terrorism and the No.1 violator of human rights in the Philippines, he added. Last week, the President said he would implement his plan to hamlet the Lumad this year to protect them from the communists. The Boeing Company BA recently announced that it has signed an agreement worth $11.7 billion with Nigeria-based Green Africa Airways for delivering 100 737 MAX 8 aircraft comprising 50 firm aircraft and 50 options. The deal marked the largest jet contract ever inked between Boeing and African airlines. Boeings 737 Max Boeing 737 MAX is enjoying brisk demand in the single-aisle market for its fuel efficiency and low carbon dioxide emissions. Powered by Commercial Fan Motor (CFM) International LEAP-1B engines, the Advanced Technology winglet of this airplane enhances its performance. Additionally, the pivoting overhead stowage bins add to the spaciousness of the cabin. The bins lend passengers enough room to keep a carry-on roll-a-board near their seats in addition to providing an extra leg space. This aircraft is 14% more fuel efficient than its closest peer in the single-aisle aircraft market. Currently Boeing manufactures 52, 737 airplanes per month and has plans to expand production volumes to 57 on a monthly basis in 2019. The total backlog of the 737 series is 4,654 airplanes as of Sep 30, 2018. The same is expected to further increase, thanks to the recently clinched contract. Commercial Jet Outlook in Africa According to the companys view, Africas long-term economic growth potential remains strong. The country is projected to require nearly 1,630 new airplanes in the 2018-2037 time period, presenting a market value worth $170 billion. Boeing is predicted to deliver a total of 1,190 aircraft by 2037 to Africa, which in turn should enable the company to capture valuable shares of the significant commercial jet market in this nation. The latest deal with Green Africa Airways will enable the company to duly achieve its delivery forecast for Africa. Price Movement In the past 12 months, Boeing has returned 3.2% versus its industrys decline of 11.5%. Zacks Rank & Other Key Picks Boeing currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Other top-ranked stocks from the sector include Lockheed Martin Corporation LMT, Engility Holdings, Inc. EGL and Raytheon Company RTN, each carrying a Zacks Rank of 2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Lockheed Martin delivered average positive surprise of 13.92% in the last four reported quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2018 earnings has moved 2.9% north in the past 90 days to $17.51. Engility Holdings delivered average positive surprise of 19.98% in the last four reported quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2018 earnings has moved 4% north in the past 90 days to $2.10. Raytheon came up with average beat of 6.71% in the last four reported quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2018 bottom line has been inched 1.8% up in the past 90 days to $10.10. More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone! It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market. Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >> 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 Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Engility Holdings, Inc. (EGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Boeing Company (BA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Raytheon Company (RTN) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research A sizeable part of portfolio returns can be produced by dividend stocks due to their contribution to compounding returns in the long run. Historically, India Glycols Limited (NSE:INDIAGLYCO) has been paying a dividend to shareholders. Today it yields 1.2%. Lets dig deeper into whether India Glycols should have a place in your portfolio. See our latest analysis for India Glycols How I analyze a dividend stock If you are a dividend investor, you should always assess these five key metrics: Is it paying an annual yield above 75% of dividend payers? Does it consistently pay out dividends without missing a payment of significantly cutting payout? Has dividend per share risen in the past couple of years? Does earnings amply cover its dividend payments? Will it be able to continue to payout at the current rate in the future? NSEI:INDIAGLYCO Historical Dividend Yield December 24th 18 How well does India Glycols fit our criteria? The company currently pays out 13% of its earnings as a dividend, according to its trailing twelve-month data, which means that the dividend is covered by earnings. Furthermore, analysts have not forecasted a dividends per share for the future, which makes it hard to determine the yield shareholders should expect, and whether the current payout is sustainable, moving forward. When considering the sustainability of dividends, it is also worth checking the cash flow of a company. Companies with strong cash flow can sustain a higher payout ratio, while companies with weaker cash flow generally cannot. If dividend is a key criteria in your investment consideration, then you need to make sure the dividend stock youre eyeing out is reliable in its payments. Dividend payments from India Glycols have been volatile in the past 10 years, with some years experiencing significant drops of over 25%. These characteristics do not bode well for income investors seeking reliable stream of dividends. Compared to its peers, India Glycols has a yield of 1.2%, which is high for Chemicals stocks but still below the markets top dividend payers. Story continues Next Steps: After digging a little deeper into India Glycolss yield, its easy to see why you should be cautious investing in the company just for the dividend. On the other hand, if you are not strictly just a dividend investor, the stock could still be offering some interesting investment opportunities. Given that this is purely a dividend analysis, you should always research extensively before deciding whether or not a stock is an appropriate investment for you. I always recommend analysing the companys fundamentals and underlying business before making an investment decision. Below, Ive compiled three pertinent factors you should look at: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for INDIAGLYCOs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for INDIAGLYCOs outlook. Valuation: What is INDIAGLYCO worth today? Even if the stock is a cash cow, its not worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether INDIAGLYCO is currently mispriced by the market. Dividend Rockstars: Are there better dividend payers with stronger fundamentals out there? Check out our free list of these great stocks here. To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements. The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Yaounde (AFP) - Anglophone separatists in Cameroon on Monday announced they had launched a virtual currency, the AmbaCoin, to help fund their campaign for independence and provide humanitarian aid. The bitcoin-like currency, based on the blockchain software principle, is named after the "Republic of Ambazonia," a self-declared independent state in Cameroon's Northwest and Southwest Regions. "The People of Ambazonia has created AmbaCoin, a tradeable digital token that can be used as a currency, a representation of an asset, a virtual share, a proof of patriotic citizenship," according to the currency's website. "All sales of the AmbaCoin will be directed to fund the Ambazonian Cause, to assist Refugees & Internally Displaced Persons, to rebuild homes destroyed by occupying military forces, and to defend communities from the repressive regime of La Republique Du Cameroun." According to a clock on the currency's website, the AmbaCoin became operational on Friday. It said there had been more than 28,000 pre-orders for the currency, a figure that could not be verified independently. Buying one "amba" for the "Ambazonian Crypto Bond" costs 25 US cents. In October 2017, radical anglophone leaders declared a "Republic of Ambazonia" in two regions that were incorporated into predominantly French-speaking Cameroon in 1961. The central government in Yaounde launched a crackdown, deploying thousands of troops against armed militiants. More than 200 members of the security forces and at least 500 civilians have been killed, according to the International Crisis Group thinktank, while the UN estimates that more than 437,000 people have fled their homes. The two English-speaking regions were previously ruled by Britain as the Southern Cameroons. Over the years, anglophones have chafed at perceived discrimination at the hands of the francophone majority, especially in law, education and economic opportunities. Resentment built into demands for a return to Cameroon's federal state, which then snowballed into a declaration of independence as the situation polarised. The purported state -- whose name is taken from Ambas Bay on the coast -- also has a flag, a national anthem and a president, but has not been internationally recognised. If you want to get your hands on the newest Hublot Big Bang watch, youll need to pay up in Bitcoin. The innovative Swiss watch company started taking pre-orders for this limited-edition $25,000 model in September exclusively through a partnership with Octagon Strategy Limited (OSL), a digital asset brokerage firm. Is this Hublots effort to expand into a new transactional system, or is this just an attention-grabbing gimmick from a brand known for its conspicuous marketing campaigns? Its probably a mix of both. As a forerunner in the watch market, Hublot is known for pushing the boundaries in its product design and marketing, so its not surprising that its perhaps the first luxury brand to start trading its products in cryptocurrency. To sell a watch in Bitcoin allows Hublot to be very innovative, says Christophe Barre, the companys chief financial officer. The partnership with OSL is also a clever marketing effort to appeal to a younger set of financially shrewd shoppers who have either gotten rich quick from trading in cryptocurrency or want to experiment with the techno currency. Hublots new watch commemorates Bitcoins 10th anniversary: Its limited to 210 pieces in a nod to the finite 21 million Bitcoin, and each watch bezel will be engraved with the identification number of the Bitcoin transaction. Whatever the reasoning, the move leaves Hublot largely alone at the starting gate of luxury product manufacturers getting into the Bitcoin race (though a few top watch retailers have already made the leap). Although a secondary market for art, automobiles, and other luxury goods (including, increasingly real estate) sold for cryptocurrency is quickly growing, luxury manufacturers themselves have remained leery of subjecting their financial performance to the wildly fluctuating emerging markets. Executives at Hublot say they believe they have solved the problem of currency fluctuations with a hedging mechanism, opening a means to a new fount of customers. The watchs price was set (for pre-orders) in dollars ($25,000) and fixed at Bitcoins value on October 31, allowing Hublot to make immediate trades that will eliminate the currency risks, says Barre. Story continues The enthusiasm from Bitcoin holders was quickly obvious to the company; the Big Bang edition watch was almost immediately oversubscribed. Delivery on the watches begins next month. This has encouraged Hublot to explore further forays into crypto. (Says Barre, sounding pleased, I think we may develop other projects.) Its currently exploring ways to accept Bitcoin for products in its boutiques in Hong Kong and Macao. The price of Bitcoin, the most famous of the many forms of cryptocurrency, soared from $970 in 2017 to roughly $20,000 before dropping to $6,321 in October 2018. While nobody knows how many millionaires and billionaires this has minted, its clear that the extraordinary wealth created by cryptocurrencies is injecting energy into secondary luxury markets as the holders of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other currencies seek to spend their newfound riches. After watching the value of her experimental Bitcoin purchases soar, Elizabeth White used her earnings to found the White Company, which serves as a broker for crypto holders to buy yachts, helicopters, automobiles, artworks, and other goods on the secondary market. She says she has 30,000 clients overall and notes, I have 58 clients who have spent $1 million on a transaction. She hedges for currency fluctuations with a hedge-fund partner and pays sellers in fiatcrypto lingo for dollars, euros, and other traditional currencies. She says her self-funded business has an advantage over luxury companies that must meet investors earnings expectations. Established companies would never take that kind of risk, she says. Its very scary. It remains to be seen if other luxury brands will take the plunge, but a number of projects suggest that its more an issue of when (and how) than if. White has just signed a deal for a crypto credit card with a major bank issuer with details to be unveiled before the end of the year. Goldman Sachs has said its exploring a form of trading in Bitcoin that its calling non-deliverable forwards, which are over-the-counter derivatives that would be settled in U.S. dollars with the Bitcoin-U.S. dollar price established by a set of exchanges. Accepting crypto does offer access to a wealthy young group of consumers who may be new to luxury markets and could be good customers for many years to come. White says many of her clients prefer various forms of textingincluding the highly secure and anonymous Signal and Telegramto telephone calls or emails. The younger generation doesnt want to talk to you, she says. If they could send emojis theyd probably be happy. Related stories The 6 Most Coveted Watches of 2018 (Including a Rolex That Has Already Doubled in Price) How Barcelona's Yacht Marina Inspired the Design Behind Breguet's New Watch Collection Here's the Incredible Story Behind the Resurrection of Blancpain's Fifty Fathoms Watch Financial innovation has changed so much that we're all paying for our favorite new smartphone apps from the comfort of our homes at 2 a.m. and using bitcoins transferred from our mobile wallets. Right? Clearly, that's not the case for most Americans. The banking and investment landscape has undergone a tremendous transformation in recent decades, and the pace of change will likely intensify. But that doesn't mean all these newfangled products and services will replace many popular, if somewhat antiquated standbys. Here are some examples from banking, retirement and other areas. Cash: It's still king It's easy to assume paper currency soon will go the way of the dinosaurs. After all, credit and debit cards, cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and electronic-payment systems such as Zelle could make physical cash as obsolete as eight-track cassette recorders. But not anytime soon. Both the volume and value of U.S. currency in circulation have been on long-term upward trajectories, reaching record-high levels, according to the Federal Reserve, which oversees the stuff. "Cash continues to be the most frequently used payment instrument, representing 30 percent of all transactions and 55 percent of transactions under $10," according to a Fed report in November. "While online shopping continues to grow, 77 percent of payments were made in-person." The volume of cash, meaning the number of Federal Reserve notes, has risen for 17 consecutive years. The 41.6 billion bills in circulation at year-end 2017 were worth $1.6 trillion, also a record that has climbed as more paper money has gone into circulation this year. Yet the mix of currency has shifted a bit. There are now more $100 notes out there than $1 bills a recent development with $20 bills next most common, followed in order by $5s, $10s, $50s and $2 bills. Savers around the globe seem to like $100 notes to store their wealth, while smaller denominations are used more for transactions. Story continues At any rate, a cashless society hasn't yet arrived. Americans, and foreigners, like money they can easily recognize and quickly pull out of their wallets, without the need to remember passwords and usernames. More: Millennials prefer cash to credit cards and are gun-shy to debt, new study indicates More: More Americans are giving up on debit cards, new survey reports More: Not all shoppers are sold as more retailers buy into cashless society IRAs: Still on a roll Individual retirement accounts should be falling out of favor by now, as few Americans regularly put money into them despite tax benefits. Only 9 percent of IRA-owning households contributed to their accounts in 2016, the most recent year studied by the Investment Company Institute and people lacking IRAs obviously didn't contribute, either. Yet IRAs are the largest type of retirement vehicle, ahead of workplace 401(k) accounts, pensions, annuities and everything else. How can this be if so few people are making new contributions? Because of rollovers. Rollovers are movements of money from one type of tax-sheltered account into another, especially switches from 401(k)-style plans into traditional IRAs but also moves from one IRA to another. Rollovers are popular because they delay dealing with the tax man, at least (typically) until after an investor reaches 70. Rollovers are largely responsible for the growth of IRA assets, according to the Investment Company Institute. The mutual fund trade organization estimated Americans held $9.2 trillion in IRAs last year, representing 33 percent of all retirement assets, with the share growing. Rollovers become important when people change jobs or retire and a lot of baby boomers are retiring these days, while plenty of younger adults are switching jobs. In such cases, it often makes sense to transfer money from a former employer's 401(k) plan into a rollover IRA. Accounts can be set up at hundreds of brokerages, mutual fund companies or other investment firms that serve as custodians. Bank branches: Still at your service Bank branches aren't a financial product or service but rather a channel that customers can use. And they, too, have been in the crosshairs for obsolescence. But while the number of branches has been in a decades-long retreat, they haven't disappeared and likely won't in our lifetimes. Granted, most people don't conduct most of their banking at branches. In a September survey by the American Bankers Association, 72 percent of respondents said they mainly use online or mobile access. Branches were preferred by only 18 percent of respondents, followed by ATMs, telephones and mail, though most consumers use multiple channels. "Banking in person at branches has consistently maintained its appeal to a large number of people," said Nessa Feddis, a senior vice president at the American Bankers Association. Branches are becoming smaller, more tech-oriented with features such as video tellers, more inviting with couches and lounges, and sometimes are more specialized. A real estate-focused Chase office in Scottsdale, Arizona, has a virtual-reality area, allowing prospective homebuyers to tour properties without needing to visit them. If you're like me, it has been at least a couple of months since you last set foot in a branch lobby. But you probably like knowing your bank or credit union has an office nearby. You likely won't visit to make a deposit or check your balance, but you might go there to open an account, apply for a loan, get a document notarized or seek investment advice. Social Security: Still paying benefits I'm cheating a bit by mentioning Social Security, as the system's day of reckoning won't arrive in 2019 but sometime around 2034. That's the projected date when Social Security's financial buffer, known as the trust-fund surpluses, will run out of money. But Social Security won't disappear even then. It will become a fully pay-as-you-go system, sending benefits to retirees based on whatever income it collects, primarily in the form of payroll taxes but also from recipients whose benefits are partly taxable. The latest estimate, from Social Security's trustees, predicts the system will have enough revenue in 2034 to pay around 79 percent of its obligations. It's unclear what happens after that. "One option would be to pay full benefits on a delayed schedule; another would be to make timely but reduced payments," a June report by the Congressional Research Service said. Other options might include reducing benefits for wealthier recipients or imposing new or higher taxes. Even those dismal scenarios assume Congress does nothing to shore up the system over the next 15-plus years, but some type of bipartisan reform effort could materialize and probably will. As 2034 moves closer into focus, politicians won't have the luxury of kicking the can down the road forever. In some form, Social Security survives for the long haul. Reach Wiles at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8616. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cash is still king and people still use banks here's where technology hasn't taken over Xi Jinping's government hopes to address concerns over forced tech transfer in ongoing US-China trade war - Getty Images AsiaPac China says it plans to ban practices that allegedly allow it to steal valuable technology secrets from foreign companies. The US has previously criticised China for forcing companies that want to do business with it to hand over their intellectual property. In a bid to ease concerns, a new law drafted by Xi Jinpings government could see greater rights given to foreign tech companies and investors. According to the Xinhua News Agency, a state-run press organisation, Beijing is keen to change current rules which dictate the industries accessible to foreign companies as it seeks to change its closed-market image to one that is more open. The foreign investment law is meant to promote and protect foreign investment and ensure foreign businesses enjoy fair treatment, which will boost their confidence in the Chinese market, the agency said. Current laws and regulation in China means foreign companies usually enter joint ventures with Chinese partners to access the market. Its been a source of concern for a number of foreign companies that complain about their tech being forcibly handed over to rivals as a result. But not everyone is convinced by the annoucement. Industry experts claim that China can use informal methods, such as denying administrative approvals, to pressure foreign companies into handing over their technology secrets. More needed than simple rule changes. Reducing coercive tech transfer would require banning and penalising informal demands and threats, [and] heavily constraining industrial policy that directs and constrains investment, Scott Kennedy, director of the project on Chinese business and political economy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, tweeted in response to the proposal. Earlier this year, Cambridge-based chipmaker Arm Holdings, which is owned by Japanese tech conglomerate SoftBank, sold its operations in the country to a Chinese consortium for $775m. The deal has raised concerns about the potential forced transfer of Arms innovations, given Chinas growing semiconductor industry and ambitions to advance in more complex areas such as chip design and manufacturing. This article is for investors who would like to improve their understanding of price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). Well look at China Travel International Investment Hong Kong Limiteds (HKG:308) P/E ratio and reflect on what it tells us about the companys share price. China Travel International Investment Hong Kong has a price to earnings ratio of 9.98, based on the last twelve months. That corresponds to an earnings yield of approximately 10%. View our latest analysis for China Travel International Investment Hong Kong How Do You Calculate China Travel International Investment Hong Kongs P/E Ratio? The formula for price to earnings is: Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for China Travel International Investment Hong Kong: P/E of 9.98 = HK$2.11 HK$0.21 (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2018.) Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good? A higher P/E ratio means that investors are paying a higher price for each HK$1 of company earnings. That isnt necessarily good or bad, but a high P/E implies relatively high expectations of what a company can achieve in the future. How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios P/E ratios primarily reflect market expectations around earnings growth rates. Thats because companies that grow earnings per share quickly will rapidly increase the E in the equation. That means even if the current P/E is high, it will reduce over time if the share price stays flat. So while a stock may look expensive based on past earnings, it could be cheap based on future earnings. Notably, China Travel International Investment Hong Kong grew EPS by a whopping 130% in the last year. And it has improved its earnings per share by 12% per year over the last three years. With that performance, I would expect it to have an above average P/E ratio. In contrast, EPS has decreased by 8.6%, annually, over 5 years. How Does China Travel International Investment Hong Kongs P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers? Story continues The P/E ratio essentially measures market expectations of a company. We can see in the image below that the average P/E (13.9) for companies in the hospitality industry is higher than China Travel International Investment Hong Kongs P/E. SEHK:308 PE PEG Gauge December 24th 18 This suggests that market participants think China Travel International Investment Hong Kong will underperform other companies in its industry. Many investors like to buy stocks when the market is pessimistic about their prospects. If you consider the stock interesting, further research is recommended. For example, I often monitor director buying and selling. A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank Dont forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. Hypothetically, a company could reduce its future P/E ratio by spending its cash (or taking on debt) to achieve higher earnings. Such expenditure might be good or bad, in the long term, but the point here is that the balance sheet is not reflected by this ratio. Is Debt Impacting China Travel International Investment Hong Kongs P/E? Since China Travel International Investment Hong Kong holds net cash of HK$4.9b, it can spend on growth, justifying a higher P/E ratio than otherwise. The Verdict On China Travel International Investment Hong Kongs P/E Ratio China Travel International Investment Hong Kongs P/E is 10 which is about average (10.3) in the HK market. Considering its recent growth, alongside its lack of debt, it would appear that the market isnt very excited about the future. When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. If the reality for a company is not as bad as the P/E ratio indicates, then the share price should increase as the market realizes this. So this free report on the analyst consensus forecasts could help you make a master move on this stock. But note: China Travel International Investment Hong Kong may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with strong recent earnings growth (and a P/E ratio below 20). 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. Weve lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So well take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Informa plc (LON:INF). What Is Insider Buying? Its quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market. We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. For example, a Colombia University study found that insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers. View our latest analysis for Informa Informa Insider Transactions Over The Last Year Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Non-Executive Deputy Chairman Gregory Lock for UK89k worth of shares, at about UK8.18 per share. So its clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the companys future. That purchase may suggest an expectation of positive returns over the long term. Over the last year, we can see that insiders have bought 11.27k shares worth UK92k. Overall, Informa insiders were net buyers last year. Their average price was about UK8.19. This is nice to see since it implies that insiders might see value around current prices (around UK6.17). The chart below shows insider transactions over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! Story continues LSE:INF Insider Trading December 24th 18 For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Insider Ownership Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. I reckon its a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Informa insiders own 0.03% of the company, currently worth about UK2.2m based on the recent share price. Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders. So What Do The Informa Insider Transactions Indicate? There havent been any insider transactions in the last three months that doesnt mean much. However, our analysis of transactions over the last year is heartening. While we have no worries about the insider transactions, wed be more comfortable if they owned more Informa stock. Therefore, you should should definitely take a look at this FREE report showing analyst forecasts for Informa. Of course Informa may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality 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. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- FAW Group, China South Industries Group Corporation and Dongfeng Motor Corporation signed an agreement of intent in Beijing on December 21 to build T3 technology platform joint venture, according to an announcement released on FAW Groups official WeChat account. The yet-to-be-built joint venture is designed to research and develop the cutting-edge generic core technologies and platform of new energy intelligent vehicle industry and provide relevant supporting services. As three investors plan, the T3 technology platform company, aiming to become a pioneer of future forward-looking vehicle technologies to create a car ecosystem which is more environmentally friendly, safer and better, will be dedicated to developing the next-generation vehicle core systems, modules and platforms with new energy and intelligent connectivity as its focuses in order to realize a new round of upgrade and transcendence over vehicle technologies and promote the forming of core competency for next-generation vehicles. On December 1, FAW Group, Dongfeng Motor Corporation and Changan Automobile, whose parent company is a subsidiary of China South Industries Group Corporation, signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province. Three companies decided to cooperate in the innovation of cutting-edge generic technologies, the whole value chain of the automobile industry as well as the strategy for deploying global businesses and exploring new business modes. The T3 technology platform joint venture agreed recently should be counted as part of achievements for three stated-owned automakers' collaboration. READ: Ateneo kicks out student, digs deep into bullying case READ: Palace eyes Ateneo bullying probe Cases of, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said after Ateneo de Manila University dismissed a junior high school student who was caught on video bullying a schoolmate. If there is a kid who committed wrongdoing and the school [expelled] him, do you think the problem will stop? No. Im sure Ateneo is also aware of that, Briones told the Manila Standard in an interview Sunday. Briones said Ateneo should look into its implementing rules and regulations that deal with bullying. They should also look for other [bullying] instances because these instances are not being talked about by the kids to their parents, she added. The parents, on the other hand, should know that the behavioral problems that the children have are connected with their families, so the parents of both the bully and the victim should know these things, she added. Teachers also have an obligation to check the behavior and attitude of their students, she said. Because the children dont speak these problems to their parents casually, the teachers become more aware of these problems, she said. Briones said it would be better if private schools aligned their rules with Department of Education protocols for addressing such matters. In our protocol, the teachers have a duty to really observe the behavior of the children because they are the best persons to know the possible violations in school, she said. A deeper understanding of the bullying problem is really important. Briones said that the DepEd has dealt with many cases of bullying that did not get the media coverage that the Ateneo case did. Ateneo is not the only school that has these problems. There are many instances of bullying [in other places] , she said. Briones said bullying could have a serious effect on children, noting that in other countries, young students have even taken their lives due to the emotional stress and trauma after being bullied. Victims dont get to tell their parents about it. Their classmates cant even do much to help. Some teachers are also not aware of it. They might do something bad to themselves, she said. The DepEd, she said, has been campaigning against bullying by proliferating anti-bullying posters and establishing school councils. Also, through Parent-Teacher Association in schools, parents and the teacher can discuss the problem among themselves, she said.Reporting [the incident], observation [of the students behavior], immediate action from the school, and the support from the parents are critical, she said. We have solved so many cases and saved many children. They were not necessarily given media attention but when everyone cooperates, we can avoid having these incidents, she said. This is really a wake-up call for us, especially for all the teachers, students, and even classmates that when they see instances of bullying, they have to report it, Briones said of the Ateneo case. All these [positive] outcomes will only happen if all of us are going to cooperate, she added. The Palace commended Ateneo for its swift action on the matter. On Thursday, a video of the incident showing a student challenging his schoolmate to a fight inside a washroom in Ateneo went viral, sparking a national conversation where the public and even local officials weighed in. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said the bully should be beaten senseless. The Philippine Taekwondo Association, on the other hand, has proposed an indefinite ban on the Ateneo junior high school student who was caught in a viral video bullying a fellow student. PTA president Robert Aventajado said the student, who happens to be a young taekwondo practitioner, will now be banned from all belt promotions, tournaments, and other events officially recognized by the organization. It recommended that the student undergo counseling. Should the bully or his family reject rehabilitation and counseling, the PTA will have no choice but to expel the practitioner from the association, Aventajado said. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday backed the decision to kick out the bully. Its a very strong warning against bullying in schools everywhere, Guevarra said in a text message. For as long as the parties concerned were afforded due process, and the ADMU decision was in accordance with the published manual of student discipline, I agree completely with the schools action, he added. If you needed any further proof of the difficult straits in which the craft beer industry finds itself, look no further than the latest change to the Brewers Association's definition of craft beer. No longer must a brewery use the traditional ingredients that have laid at the heart of brewing for so long -- now it just needs to make beer in some quantity. Otherwise pretty much anything goes. While the change reflects a desperate attempt by the craft beer industry's trade group to keep Boston Beer (NYSE: SAM) in the fold as the leading craft brewer's beer sales continue to tumble, when the definition no longer captures the essence of what brewing is about it's right to question why they bother having a definition at all. Craft brewer sampling his beer. Craft brewers are no longer required to brew mostly beer. Image source: Getty Images. As goes Boston Beer, so goes the industry This is the fourth iteration of the Brewers Association definition since 2007, and it may be the one that most degrades the purpose of having one in the first place. Removing the requirement that a brewer must use traditional ingredients, it recognizes Boston Beer is struggling to sell its Samuel Adams beer. While depletions of hard cider, tea, and seltzer are enjoying healthy growth, beer depletions continue to fall. ("Depletions" measures the rate at which beer, already held by a distributor, is shipped to retail customers; it's considered an industry proxy for consumer demand.) Boston Beer's non-beer depletions surged 18% in the third quarter of 2018 and shipments soared 23.5% as sales of its Angry Orchard rose cider and berry-flavored Truly brand of seltzer continued to gain popularity. Samuel Adams beer, on the other hand, was down once again -- the fifteenth consecutive quarter its depletions have declined. Boston Beer doesn't report depletions for each of its brands, so it's not certain its non-beer portfolio will surpass beer sales this year. But the Brewers Association is changing its definition before that happens to ensure Boston Beer can still be called a craft brewer because the company accounts for 8% of the total volume the trade group reports each year. Story continues The Brewers Association maintains, "This move was not made because of Boston Beer, but the timing of evaluating and revising the definition is related to Boston Beer." It goes on to note Boston Beer is not alone and other brewers will face a similar challenge in the years ahead, so keeping what's arguably the most recognizable craft brewer within the fold lets it advocate more effectively on behalf of the industry. A rose by any other name The new definition maintains a brewer needs to be small, produce under 6 million barrels annually, and be independent, or not more than 25% owned by a non-craft brewer. (The production limit was raised from 4 million barrels in 2011, again to keep Boston Beer in the category.) But instead of a mandate that traditional ingredients be used, the association opted to require breweries to simply have a brewer's notice from the Treasury Department's Tax & Trade Bureau that allows them to brew beer for sale, though it does stipulate that they actually have to brew beer. The Brewers Association says some 60 brewers were kept out of the organization because they primarily made wine and mead, and now they can be included. Wineries and meaderies may not be top of mind for most people when they think of craft brewing. Yet beer drinkers are willing to recognize "mass craft" beer like Shock Top beer and Blue Moon, even though they're made by Anheuser-Busch InBev and Molson Coors, respectively, so there does appear to be room for an evolving definition. For example, the trade group previously allowed the inclusion of adjuncts to let brewers like D.G. Yuengling & Son into the organization, since its use of corn and rice to brew beer didn't fit the prior definition. And currently, because of marijuana legalization, many brewers are experimenting with new ingredients such as THC and cannabidiol. Ultimately, the Brewers Association's protestations notwithstanding, this change was primarily about Boston Beer and its inability to actually sell beer. That said, investors certainly don't care if the brewer is selling more cider and seltzer than beer as its stock is up 34% in 2018. So maybe this is an issue that only concerns purists, who will be left crying into their beers that what it means to be a craft brewer has been significantly watered down. More From The Motley Fool Rich Duprey has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Boston Beer. The Motley Fool owns shares of Molson Coors Brewing. The Motley Fool recommends Anheuser-Busch InBev NV. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The top five events that inspired Democrats to donate. Graphic: David Foster Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue raised more than $1.6 billion during the 2018 midterm election cycle, according to the organizations year-end report. Those figures are double the amount raised during the 2016 election. While the platform repeatedly broke records for money raised it brought in more than $12 million on Oct. 31 alone ActBlue has scored big from donors during this election cycle from just a few key moments. There were five events in particular that compelled new donors to flock to the platform: The Muslim ban, last years vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the Parkland shooting, protests against the separation of children at the border, and the Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court hearings spurred Democrats to pledge more than $115 million. Thats roughly 7% of all the money brought in since the start of the 2018 election cycle. According to ActBlue, 64% of the 4.9 million donors during the 2018 election cycle were new. The average contribution size was small: just under $40. First-time donors are motivated to get off the sidelines and make a donation for lots of reasons: an inspiring candidate, policy agreement, and breaking news events, said ActBlues spokesman Chris Fleming. That has always been true of small-dollar donors. It's impossible to predict when exactly those moments will happen though, which is why we provide this infrastructure and work hard to make sure our platform is ready for a huge spike in traffic. We want to make it possible for small-dollar donors to give to the candidate or cause they care about in that moment. The money donated during these spikes might be a small fraction of the overall money given to the Democratic party throughout the entire election cycle, but they show how quickly the left can be galvanized around an issue. I think it shows a couple of things, said Carrie Levine, a senior political reporter for the nonprofit Center for Public Integrity. The organization has tracked millions of contribution records since January 2017 to analyze ActBlues impact on the Democratic party. Story continues People who disagree with the presidents agenda are really looking for ways to act in accordance to that. In the 2018 cycle in the flash points, when he did something they opposed, one thing they did to demonstrate was donate to candidates they felt opposed that, she said. One thing we heard over and over again was this is how Im taking action. Youre seeing that play out here in these spikes. Theyre registering their opposition. A Supreme opposition According to ActBlues year-end report, the confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was the largest spike of new donors. Christine Blasey Ford. REUTERS/Jim Bourg Over the course of a few days during Kavanaughs testimony and that of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, more than 105,000 new donors gave through ActBlue. In total, Democrats gave more than $63 million at this time. Thats more than twice the money given during the time period of protests and opposition to children being separated at the border. Democrats were moved to donate some $27 million at that time. Levine said that this figure shouldnt come as a surprise, considering the hearings occurred just a month before the midterms. You cant completely discount the timing. It was very close to the election, Levine said. It came right before the election. So I think the timing was a factor because you had a lot of people paying attention. And Supreme Court nominations have always been galvanizing to both sides. Levine also notes that the Kavanaugh hearings occurred right before the end-of-quarter deadline, when candidates press donors for support. Looking to 2020 If 2018 was any indication, 2020 will shape up to be the most expensive ever. In 2017, 2018 we saw more people than ever see donating as a way of taking action, said Fleming. So we definitely expect the number of contributions, donors, and total dollars raised to continue growing with 2020 being a presidential year. But what will rankle Democratic donors in the run-up to the 2020 election and push them to donate to candidates on the left? Thats still unclear, says Levine, but its likely that the donors who were activated this election cycle will continue to stay engaged. This is an incredibly active news environment and people are paying attention in ways they didnt before. This is very engaged electorate. I think they are sending a signal. The candidates that they back in 2020 will have cash, Levine explained. Washington (AFP) - US Democratic leaders charged Monday that President Donald Trump was "plunging the country into chaos" with multiple crises and said he was offering no way to end a government shutdown. Nancy Pelosi, who takes over next month as House speaker, and Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Republican-led Senate, complained that White House aides were giving inconsistent messages on what Trump would accept to restart the government. "It's Christmas Eve and President Trump is plunging the country into chaos," the two said in a joint statement. "The stock market is tanking and the president is waging a personal war on the Federal Reserve -- after he just fired the secretary of defense," they said. They warned that they saw little solution to the three-day-old shutdown so long as Trump aligns himself with hard-right Republicans in the House of Representatives. "The president wanted the shutdown, but he seems not to know how to get himself out of it," they said. Trump has refused to sign a bill to authorize spending to keep the government functioning as he demands funding for a $5 billion wall on the Mexican border, a top election promise as he railed against unauthorized immigrants. Trump has put off vacation plans in Florida due to the shutdown and has been frequently posting his thoughts on Twitter. On Monday he attacked the Federal Reserve, which is traditionally shielded from political pressure, over a sharp downturn on the stock market and defended his decision to pull all US troops from Syria, which led to the resignation last week of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, often considered the most respected member of his cabinet. Dominic West believes next 007 should be transgender. Dominic West thinks that a transgender actor should play James Bond. The British star, who has often been linked to the spy role, made the suggestion during an interview with the Sunday Times Magazine. Maybe a transgender Bond would be cool, West said. Theres a very cool woman whos the wife of an actor in [his latest film] Colette, who is a captain in the electrical engineers, the highest ranking transgender soldier in the army. The soldier he is referring to is Hannah Graf who has done two tours of Afghanistan and whose husband is trans actor Jake Graf. Shes a beautiful blonde girl who could be Bond, yes, he added. Thats actually a brilliant idea. They should have a transgender Bond because there are a lot of transgender people in the army. Theyd be ideal because they can do everything. Daniel Craig will return as 007 in Bond 25 with Cary Fukunaga taking over as director from Danny Boyle, who dropped out over creative differences. https://t.co/Pk7AEKAAqS If you really want a transgender Bond, then I can think of no one better than @JakeGraf1. Smooth, devilishly handsome and actually an actor!! Hannah Graf (@hannahw253) December 24, 2018 Graf suggested her husband for the role after reading about Wests endorsement. West can next be seen In his new film Colette, in which he plays Willy, the Parisian husband of the titular heroine (Keira Knightley) who he convinces to writes novels under his pen name. Based on the true story of the iconic French writer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, there is a character in the film called Mathilde de Morny (aka Missy), played by Denise Hough, who may have been transgender at the time. Missy was an open lesbian but dressed in masculine clothes, wore her hair short and smoked cigars, and had a relationship with Colette for several years. Story continues Colette is in cinemas on 11 January 2019 READ MORE Christmas TV schedule 2018 The 20 best movies of 2018 The biggest box office hits and misses of 2018 DUBAI (Reuters) - Dubai's transport regulator is to launch a new taxi service with Careem, a ride-hailing rival to Uber in the Middle East. The emirate's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) said the deal was the first in the world between a state transport authority and a private sector ride-hailing service, which have sometimes had testy relations with governments. Almost 11,000 taxis will be operated by the new company, which will be 51 percent owned by the RTA and 49 percent by Careem, said a Careem spokesperson, adding that the venture could later be expanded to include buses and other forms of transportation. RTA said it selected Careem for the venture after receiving bids from five global ride-hailing services. A source close to the deal said Uber was among the unsuccessful bidders. Uber declined to comment. Uber and Careem both operate limousine services in Dubai, a city of about 3 million people, while taxis are also operated by the RTA. Under the new company, which will be operational from April 2019, customers will be able to book taxis through an app, the technology for which will be supplied by Careem. Customers will still be able to hail taxis in the street. Careem, which counts German car maker Daimler and China's largest ride-hailing company DiDi Chuxing among its major backers, competes head-to-head with Uber in most major cities in the Middle East. (Reporting By Tom Arnold; Editing by Kirsten Donovan) By Mark Weinraub CHICAGO (Reuters) - Illinois farmer Brent Johnson had planned to bump up his corn acreage by 10 percent in 2019 and plant fewer soybeans as a way to shelter himself from the lower soy prices caused by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff war with China. But some early winter storms caused him to abandon the late autumn fieldwork necessary to seed the yellow grain in the spring. That will force him and other farmers to devote more of his acreage to soybeans than expected next year. As soybeans are far more affected by the U.S. trade war with China than corn, the trend adds to economic risk across a U.S. farm belt the Trump administration recently said would get up to $12 billion in aid to make up for trade related losses. China resumed buying U.S. soybeans in December as part of a trade war truce following a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump, but the amount of purchases remains well behind the pace of previous years. It is unclear how much U.S. soy China will actually buy with a record Brazilian harvest just weeks away. Even with China back in the market for the first time in six months, the record soybean supplies littering the countryside have weighed on prices -- soy futures were down 8.2 percent so far this year -- and made corn a more attractive option to growers. Corn futures have risen 7.9 percent during 2018 and were on track for their biggest yearly gain since 2012. China historically has imported very little corn. "With some of these corn prices and the corn yields we've had, I wanted to plant some continuous corn (but) the window (to prepare the ground) closed on us too tightly," Johnson said. The severe weather across the U.S. Midwest in October and early November meant farmers left nearly 11 million acres of corn and soybeans from Kentucky to North Dakota standing in their fields as of the end of November the fourth highest amount ever. Story continues Crops left in the ground during winter can still be harvested once the snow melts but face severe yield loss as soybean pods split and corn stalks are often knocked down, and mold is another risk. That will further squeeze farm profits after a bleak year of low prices and few buyers. Analysts are now casting doubt on the U.S. Department of Agricultures early November forecast that 2019 corn plantings will rise about 3 million acres to 92.0 million acres. At that time, soybean acres were seen falling 7.5 percent to 82.5 million. "Because of what happened during fall tillage ... maybe you do not plant as much corn," said Don Roose, president of U.S. Commodities in West Des Moines, Iowa. The weather problems also could cut into the bottom lines of seed and fertilizer companies. Corn requires more tilling and fertilizer applications that cannot be completed with unharvested crops or frozen ground. Seed companies like DowDuPont that earn more money from corn seeds could see their businesses affected by the changes. Two-thirds of DowDuPonts net seed sales are corn and only 20 percent are soybeans. The company said in October it would take a $4.6 billion charge to write down the value of its agriculture business, which has been hurt as Brazilian farmers increased soy planting to meet Chinas demand for South American soybeans and reduced corn output. Bayer , the German drugmaker that bought U.S. seed company Monsanto, has a much bigger market share in corn seeds and related crop protection products than in the soy market, and would also would benefit from rising corn acreage. DowDuPont and Bayer did not respond to requests for comment. Back on his 4,000-acre (1620-hectare) farm in central Illinois, Johnson had planned to boost corn seeding by 400 acres (160 hectares) in 2019 before adverse weather sidelined him in November. After some heavy rain, early snow and hail, he parked his tractor and other equipment in the shed for the winter as there was little benefit to plowing through a sloppy field. "We've learned that turning over mud does not do much good," Johnson said. (Reporting by Mark Weinraub; Editing by Caroline Stauffer and Jonathan Oatis) A new report by research focused cryptocurrency company Clovr, has revealed a significant upsurge in the use of cryptocurrency in remittances across the globe. The study, which surveyed the responses of 707 people sought to delve into their remittance habits, uncovering among other things the destination of transfers, the purpose of the transfers as well as the mediums (including cryptocurrency) by which the money was sent. The survey revealed 20 countries receiving most remittances from the U.S. in 2017. The top ten countries represented on this list are in order, Mexico, China, India, Philippines, Vietnam, Guatemala, Nigeria, El Salvador, Dominican Republic and Honduras. Unsurprisingly, the breakdown of these remittances shows family taking the highest percentage at 76.8 percent. Cryptos Growing Influence and Possibility for Disruption Clovrs breakdown of money transfer methods shows that roughly half of all surveyed people indicated that they use PayPal and money transfer services like Western Union, compared to 15.8 percent who use cryptocurrency, 25.7 percent who use traditional bank wire transfers or credit union, 12.2 percent who use prepaid cards, 11.8 percent who use check or money order via mail, 11.5 percent who use check or money order online, 8.9 percent who use cash via mail, 6.1 percent who use traditional wire transfer via post office, and 1.9 percent who use other methods. To illustrate the potential of cryptocurrency to create substantial disruption in the space due to its low cost and speed, the study revealed that in order to send $500 abroad, banks charge $52.05 on the average, compared to $30.75 for money transfer operators, $34.05 for the post office and $16 for mobile operators. Customer satisfaction was pegged at 93.3 percent for online services, 84.1 percent at money transfer services and 73.3 percent with traditional wire transfer, via bank or credit union. In line with other existing data on cryptocurrency use, the study shows a significant gender knowledge gap on the subject of cryptocurrencies among non-users as men continue to dominate crypto adoption. The study concludes that the money transfer industry is ripe for disruption through the introduction of cryptocurrency-based solutions, which could potentially offer a cheaper and faster way to transfer funds. Story continues An excerpt from the report reads: People sending money home after theyve migrated from other countries to the United States is a practice that will likely continue far into the future As individuals look to make sure that as much of every dollar they send can make it back as close to a one-to-one match as possible digital payment options, like those presented by cryptocurrencies, can pique the interest of customers. The full Clovr report is available here. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post Exploding Cryptocurrency Use in Remittances From US: 15.8% Now Using Cryptocurrency appeared first on CCN. A series of scandals for Facebook, Google and Amazon arguably hurt consumer trust in 2018. Source: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File For the tech industry, 2019 can't get here soon enough. 2018 proved to be a year of reckoning for Big Tech, rife with vast data leaks, mediocre management decisions, problematic work cultures and one companys pageant-like search for a second headquarters (were looking at you, Amazon) that collectively chipped away at consumer trust in the industry. Its no wonder 72% of respondents to a Pew Research Center survey published in June said tech companies can be trusted to do the right thing only some of the time or hardly ever. 2018 was the year that everything kind of came to a head, and in 2019, we're going to start to see, number one, just how complex it is to do an ethics reset and to kind of really take a deep, hard look at the business and the ways in which it may have implications that are unintended,says Susan Etlinger, an analyst with the San Francisco-based Altimeter Group. That leaves one huge question for the most influential tech companies in the world: How can they regain the publics broken trust and rebuild relationships with disillusioned users? It won't be easy. These tech heavyweights will need to be far more transparent about how they use our data and why they need it. Theyll also need to affirm their commitment to providing more diverse, inclusive workplaces and hold their leaders accountable when they fail to protect users and employees. Inform consumers how their data is being used In early September, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on 'Foreign Influence Operations and Their Use of Social Media Platforms' on Capitol Hill in Washington. Source: AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File If this year illustrated anything for the average connected consumer, its that tech firms collect an incredible amount of data from their users: names, hometowns, interests, even recent online searches, among other bits and bytes. But opaque terms of service make it difficult for consumers to comprehend just how much information they're forking over and the applications of that data. Couple that with constant reports of hacks, and it's easy to see why 75% of Pew Survey respondents don't think tech companies are doing enough to protect their data. Story continues Gone are the days of the 30-page terms and conditions, says Penny Wilson, chief marketing officer of the social media management platform Hootsuite. There's got to be an easy way of communicating with a consumer about what information you're using. The tech industry needs to lay out exactly what data it collects, how it collects it and which outside parties that data is shared with. Part of the problem: Many users don't realize companies like Facebook and Google rely primarily on advertising to make money. Case in point, during Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerbergs testimony on Capitol Hill in April, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) asked Zuckerberg how he is able to keep Facebook free to use. To which Zuckerberg famously replied, Senator, we run ads. The truth is, in 2018, advertising accounted for nearly 97% and 86% of Facebook and Googles third-quarter revenues, respectively. Some consumers may also be unaware how much companies track their web-surfing activities for advertising purposes, which in turn can be used by advertisers to target specific audiences. "I think there is no transparency here, because I think the average person, and I think even people in technology, have no idea how much data these big businesses have or is available on you as a consumer," says Gartner research director Julian Poulter. In addition to offering consumers clear and concise explanations of the data they collect, tech companies could regain the publics trust by telling users which outside parties also have access to that information. Facebooks series of scandals this year proved to be an especially harsh lesson in data privacy. The Cambridge Analytica news in March kicked up a firestorm, because the voter profiling firm managed to access up to 87 million users data without their knowledge and consent. And last week, The New York Times published a shocking report about how Facebook shared information with other tech giants including Amazon, Microsoft, Spotify, and Yahoo Finance's parent company Yahoo. Facebook has since said that any information was shared via partner agreements that users agreed to, and enabled features like sending Facebook messages within third-party apps, or integrating Facebook Timelines into specific device makers interfaces. Corporate leadership should be held accountable when companies fail users Google CEO Sundar Pichai appeared before the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill this December to be questioned about the internet giant's privacy security and data collection. Source: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite Providing users with a better understanding of how their data is used is a good start, but tech companies can also improve their image by holding their leaders and themselves accountable when they fail consumers. Consumer protection legislation could provide some accountability, as could forcing executives to resign after major missteps. Currently, though, the U.S. doesn't have any form of comprehensive data protection legislation on the books. But that may soon change, as more lawmakers, and even tech companies themselves, call for some kind of federal data privacy law. The most obvious model to reference when crafting such legislation, the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), stipulates that technology companies lay out their terms and conditions in easy to understand terms and severely penalizes those that dont comply. In July, California passed its own data privacy legislation that would allow consumers to see the information tech companies collect on them, request that it be deleted, and keep it from being sold to third-party services. Failure to meet those rules when the law goes into effect in 2020 could result in a $7,500 fine for each individual violation. Tech companies, however, object to the new law, calling it onerous. When members of Congress questioned tech leaders, including Zuckerberg, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and (eventually) Google CEO Sundar Pichai over user privacy, the executives said they would still support some form of federal privacy legislation. The reason executives objected to the California rule, but still support a federal law is because a patchwork of state-by-state regulations would become too difficult to manage. And while theres been talk that a draft bill for federal privacy legislation may come sometime in early 2019, theres no assurance such a law will be passed by this time next year. Still, some argue that CEOs and other tech company leaders who can't keep user data safe shouldn't be let off the hook so easily. One way to hold them accountable, at least in extreme cases? Make them resign. Scott Galloway, a professor of marketing at NYU Stern School of Business and author of the book, The Four: The Hidden DNA of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google, believes thats what Zuckerberg and Sandberg need to do if Facebook is going to win back disenchanted users who have jumped on the #DeleteFacebook bandwagon. "Carlos Ghosn, the CEO of Nissan, is in a Tokyo prison for alleged expense impropriety, Galloway pointed out. The CEO of J.Crew has a disagreement with his board and is ousted. And yet, we have two individuals who arguably have demonstrated some of the most disingenuouseven recklessbehavior in the history of corporate America, and the media keeps asking questions like what can they do to restore confidence. So, I think the navel-gazing is a little superfluous. They need to be fired. Tech companies should make meaningful strides around diversity Google employees marched across Google's Mountain View headquarters in early November. Source: JP Mangalindan/Yahoo Finance Diversity is another area in which the tech industry falls short. Despite the industrys reputation for innovation, Silicon Valley isnt immune to bias and discrimination. Look no further than this years diversity dataand a series of high-profile scandals at Google and Facebookfor proof. Google almost single-handedly revived the conversation around sexual harassment in tech after The New York Times reported in October that the Mountain View, California-based tech giant paid former Google exec and Android creator Andy Rubin $90 million to resign following sexual harassment accusations from a former girlfriend and Google employee. (Thousands of Google employees walked out of the companys offices in early November, as a result.) Google eventually relented to the pressure and did away with forced arbitration for sexual harassment and discrimination complaints, a key issue the protesters were pushing for. The company also pledged to provide regular, comprehensive lists of harassment claims and if they resulted in an employee being fired. Those same protections, however, dont extend to Googles contractors, which make up a sizable chunk of the companys workforce. A month after the Google scandal, Facebook raised issues around racial bias and discrimination when former Facebook manager Mark Luckie published a Facebook post, which was temporarily removed and reinstated by the social network without explanation. In the post, Luckie denounced Facebooks work culture, as well as the social network as a communications tool for the black community. One of the things that we have to think about as we move into a world that is more and more governed by algorithms, is that if we're going to build systems to interact with people, if we're going to have digital interactions comprise a major part of our daily liveseven if we're just going to be humane and build companies that reflect realityyou know, we need to have diverse employees, says Etlinger. We need to have diverse management teams and diverse boards, and there just isn't any excuse about that anymore. Tech companies must make their workplaces and products safer for all of its employees and users. Its not enough for them to plaster Black History Month fliers around the offices, deploy their own versions of the NFLs Rooney Ruleas Facebook and Pinterest already dowhich requires hiring managers to consider minority candidates for open positions, or even offer courses on managing unconscious bias. Companies should provide solutions that address the root causes of racial bias and discrimination by fundamentally changing peoples views on race, ethnicity and gender. That said, Gina Bianchini, CEO and founder of Mighty Networks, points out that it took women over 70 years to finally gain the right to vote in the U.S.a movement that took so long, some members of the womens suffrage movement died before they could see their work come to fruition. Changing patriarchy is not going to happen in a year, Bianchini explains. Anybody who thinks that were going to make a ton of progress very quickly: theyre sadly mistaken, and thats OK. Tech giants should be mindful as they expand geographically After a 14-month search, Amazon announced it would split its second headquarters into two large regional offices in Queens, New York and Arlington, Virginia with a smaller campus in Nashville, Tennessee. Source: AP Photo/Robert Bumsted While Facebook and Google were taking flack for their own failings, Amazon ran headlong into its own public relations nightmare with its long-hyped search for a second corporate headquarters. What could have been just another search for more commercial office space became a 14-month-long pageant-like search. Candidate cities pulled out all the stops with zany gifts or generous financial incentives: the city of Stonecrest, Georgia, offered to build a new city called Amazon where Bezos could preside as mayor for life, while New Jersey and the city of Newark offered up to $7 billion in state and city tax incentives. The overwrought search finally ended when Amazon announced it would split HQ2 into two large regional offices based in Queens, New York and Arlington, Virginia with a smaller campus in Nashville, Tennessee. The company also reportedly received more than $2 billion in tax incentives for its decision to build in those areas. The HQ2 search left something of a bad aftertaste. With third-quarter 2018 revenues of $56.6 billionup 26% year-over-yearand a market cap of nearly $712 billion, Amazon wasnt hurting for cash. So encouraging cities to compete in a Hunger Games-style competition, in part to maximize state and tax incentives for Amazons gain, seemed tasteless and unnecessary. The notion that there were more than 10 cities that even had the viable infrastructure and the workforces to finance and support [HQ2] didnt make any sense for the tertiary cities, says Dave Hendricks, CEO and founder of Vertalo, a stakeholder registry and compliance platform for regulated security token offerings, who followed Amazons HQ2 search with interest. Its no secret that as tech companies expand, theyre beginning to look outside of pricey Silicon Valley to less cost-prohibitive areas around the U.S. including Portland, Oregon; Austin, Texas and even some less obvious choices that include Detroit, Michigan and Orlando, Florida. However, moving forward, tech companies could be more mindful of how they expand their geographical footprint, as well as their interactions with local officials and residents. Its not only more responsible thing to doits a better look for the company, in general, according to some experts. Translation? Dont get too greedy. That's a lesson that can be applied to Big Tech overall. For an industry with its vast size, swagger, and influence, tech companies should worry as much about protecting their employees and consumers as they worry about boosting revenues if they want consumers to trust them again. As they learned this year, one directly affects the other. And when companies inevitably make mistakes, PR-spun excuses simply wont cut it. If todays Silicon Valley giants are to win back the trust of their usersand remain thriving businesses in the long-termthey'll have to try harder in 2019 and beyond. New York (AFP) - Belgian fashion designer Raf Simons, considered one of the most talented of his generation, will leave Calvin Klein little more than two years after joining it, parent company PVH said Friday. "Both parties have amicably decided to part ways after Calvin Klein, Inc decided on a new brand direction which differs from Simons' creative vision," the company said in a statement. The arrival of the self-taught Simons in New York in August 2016 after four years at Dior caused a sensation. Dubbed "chief creative officer," he had vast powers to revitalize the American brand, which relied on him to boost the profits of its high-end collection. But there has been speculation since November about his potential departure, after an official from PVH apportioned him some of the blame for declining sales. PVH did not specify when Simons would leave, but according to The New York Times, his departure is immediate even though his contract expires in less than six months. No details have been given as to who will replace him or what he will do after his departure. During his short stint at Calvin Klein, Simons garnered praise from the fashion world for his innovative collections, and he has received three awards from the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Calvin Klein's shows at New York Fashion Week were among the most popular but the fashion house will not organize any runway events at the next Fashion Week to take place in February, PVH said. Simons' last Fashion Week runway show in September was inspired by "Jaws," the 1975 Steven Spielberg blockbuster film. "The landscape of America -- literal and psychological -- inspires Calvin Klein. A journey through America leads, inevitably, to the edge of the landscape: the beach," where there is "this incredible idea of beauty, but also a tension," Simons wrote in notes for the show. Simons, 50, has been credited with giving the iconic American label renewed relevancy, his collections diving deep into the good, the bad and the ugly of the United States. Story continues But several industry news sites had speculated about the departure of Simons, after the PVH group head blamed him during a third-quarter earnings presentation for a lack of dynamism in sales. PVH chairman and CEO Emanuel "Manny" Chirico announced a more commercialized marketing approach, signaling that the Simons creative era was ending. Calvin Klein, the New Yorker who in 1968 founded the label bearing his name, sold it in 2003 to PVH which also has the Tommy Hilfiger brand. No crime was reported within the, the National Capital Region Police Office said Monday. The celebration of the nine-daywere generally peaceful, with no significant untoward incidents reported, NCRPO Director Guillermo Eleazar said in a message to reporters. But he said the police had rescued close to 1,000 members of indigenous peoples who were begging for alms in Metro Manila. Eleazar said that, from Dec. 11 up to 5 a.m. of Dec. 24, the police undertook a total of 126 rescue operations that resulted in the rescue of 967 people, 385 of whom were adults or 39.81 percent and 582 were minors or 60.19 percent. This figure included 210 members (21.72 percent) of the Aeta community, 148 members (15.31 percent) of the Badjao community and 609 (62.98 percent) others. A total of the 199 rescued Aetas and Badjaos were minors. Eleazar ordered his five district directors to tighten the security around churches and residential areas to protect churchgoers and thwart burglars. The five districts covered by the NCRPO are the Manila Police District, Quezon City Police District, Northern Police District, Southern Police District, and Eastern Police District. The Team NCRPO celebrates this Christmas by intensifying police visibility to ensure there will be peace, order, safety and joy in our midst every moment of the day, Eleazar said. He said he had already deployed 7,823 police officers in the convergence areas such as transport hubs.They will be posted strategically region-wide at places of convergence and vital installations, Eleazar said. We will post police assistance hubs in all major public markets, malls, churches, airports, LRT and MRT terminals, seaports and transport terminals. The dawn masses, a tradition deeply rooted in the religious culture of Catholic Filipinos, serves as a prelude to the festive and meaningful celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Meanwhile, Eleazar said will be no holiday break for police personnel in Metro Manila and ordered the five district directors to tighten security and remain visible on Christmas Day and New Years Day. Historically, police officers have holiday breaks but we cannot afford those here in Metro Manila because if we let them go on breaks, half of them would be rendering 24-hour duty. We cannot do that here in Metro Manila, Eleazar said. He also ordered the cancellation of all leaves and ordered all policemen to report for work during the holidays. He said they will deploy more uniformed policemen in the areas where the indiscriminate firing of guns happened in the past Christmas and New Year celebrations. We want to insist to the public that we are dead serious in maintaining peace and order, and if people see this they will feel safer, Eleazar said. The FBI agent who went viral when he accidentally shot someone as he performed a back flip on a dance floor will not be sent to jail, a court has ruled. Chase Bishop was on holiday when he visited the Mile High Spirits nightclub in Denver, Colorado one evening last June With a crowd of late night revellers cheering him on, the 30-year-old showed off the impressive gymnastic manoeuvre during which his loaded gun fell from the waistband of his trousers. As Bishop bent down to pick up the weapon from the floor, it discharged into the screaming crowd and hit Tom Reddington, a 24-year-old former Amazon warehouse worker, in the leg. A video of the incident, which shows the agent walking off the dance floor with his hands in the air, subsequently went viral on social media. At the time, Mr Reddington told US media that he thought "some idiot had set off a fire cracker" before looking down at his leg and seeing the blood. Related Video: Dancing FBI Agent Who Shot Man Pleads Guilty He told the court hearing in Denver on Friday that he has since lost his job and may never be able to run again as a result of the injury. "I have done months of physical therapy," he said. "I have sought counselling. However, being in public, especially seeing law enforcement with guns, makes me very uncomfortable." However, he added that he does not hold a personal grudge against Bishop and didnt think he deserved to spend years in jail. Ive done stupid things at bars to impress girls, too, he said but that he hoped he would not be allowed to own a gun for a "long time". Under his deal with prosecutors, Bishop was sentenced to two years probation. He was also fined $1,200 and ordered to pay compensation to the victim. Speaking in court, he said: My whole goal in life is to care, protect and serve people, the agent told the judge as he pleaded guilty to third degree assault. I never expected the result of my actions to lead to something like this. Kelsey Pietranton, an FBI spokeswoman, declined to say if he would continue to work at the agency. Ford Motor Company F is recalling 874,000 F-Series trucks due to fire risks in engine block heaters, per Reuters. The recall in North America consists of 410,000 pickup trucks from the United States and 464,000 from Canada. The splice connector of the heater cable may get blocked due to water and contaminants, which can corrode or damage the cable. The heater cable is used to warm up the vehicle engine during cold weather. That cable might catch fire due to damaged cable splice connector. Three fire reports have been witnessed in Canada due to this issue. However, no incident of accident or injury has been reported. Starting from January, the companys dealers will inspect the heater cable of recalled vehicles. Ford will replace faulty parts if required. The recall covers 2015-2019 Ford F-150 trucks, 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks. Ford Motor Company Price and Consensus Ford Motor Company Price and Consensus | Ford Motor Company Quote The F-Series lineup occupies one of the top spots among best-selling pickup trucks in America. Strong demand for high-end trucks compelled Ford to set a target of selling 1 million F-Series pickups by the end of 2018. However, regular recalls hamper consumers confidence in the brand beside adding to the companys expenses for repairing the faults. Similar to this, in September 2018, Ford recalled roughly 2 million F-150 pickup trucks due to faulty seat belts that could cause fire in vehicles. Apart from frequent vehicle recalls, the companys quarterly results have been strained by market challenges in China and high commodity costs. In third-quarter 2018, Fords adjusted earnings of 29 cents were in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate while automotive revenues surpassed the same. In 2018, Ford anticipates adjusted EPS of $1.30-$1.50. However, cash flow figure is expected to be lower than the 2017 level. Additionally, higher costs, along with worsening Europe and China business, will impede Fords target to achieve EBIT margin of 8% by 2020. Over the past three months, Fords stock has lost 16.1%, underperforming 7.7% decline recorded by the industry it belongs to. Story continues Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider Ford currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A few better-ranked stocks in the auto space are Fox Factory Holding Corporation FOXF, Tesla, Inc. TSLA, and CarGurus, Inc. CARG. Fox Factory and Tesla currently sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) while CarGurus carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Fox Factory has expected long-term growth rate of 5%. Shares of the company have increased 39% year to date. Tesla has an expected long-term growth rate of 35%. Shares of the company have rallied 2.7% year to date. CarGurus has expected long-term growth rate of 5%. Year to date, shares of the company have gained 2.8%. More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone! It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market. Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >> 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 Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Fox Factory Holding Corp. (FOXF) : Free Stock Analysis Report Ford Motor Company (F) : Free Stock Analysis Report CarGurus, Inc. (CARG) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research U.S. investment bank Goldmans GS involvement has heightened in the scandal related to the multibillion-dollar 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) as the bank is expected to be under the purview of Singapores ongoing criminal investigation related to fund flows of the fund, Bloomberg reported. Notably, Goldmans local unit has come under the states probe recently though the banks relation with the Malaysian state investment company has been already under the city-states police examination since the end of 2017. In November, Malaysia's minister of finance, Lim Guan Eng, announced the plan of recouping "full refund" of the fees earned by the bank from the 1MDB deals. Notably, nearly $600 million has been earned by the bank, including three bond offerings in 2012 and 2013, which raised $6.5 billion. Therefore, Singapore authorities are investigating the involvement of the Singapore subsidiary in partly movement of these fees. The heightened investigation follows criminal charges slapped by Malaysia on Goldman and two of its former employees in relation to the 1MDB scandal, last week. However, the bank continues to deny any wrongdoing. Notably, Singapore is in full co-ordination with the U.S. Justice Department which has levied criminal charges against two former bankers of Goldman. The firm continues to cooperate with all authorities investigating this matter, Goldman spokesman Edward Naylor said. Background The Malaysian government seeks to charge a total penalty of more than $2.7 billion worth funds that were allegedly misused and the $600 million that Goldman had received as fees. Moreover, the two employees, if proven guilty, will have to serve prison terms of up to 10 years. Goldman has been scrutinized for playing a role in raising funds through bond offerings for 1MDB the fund which is facing corruption and money-laundering probes in roughly six countries. Notably, per the U.S. Department of Justice, misappropriation of funds, worth nearly $4.5 billion, from 1MDB by top officials of the fund and their colleagues from 2009 through 2014 also included funds raised through Goldman. Early this December, the Federal Reserve sped up the investigation of the matter. Goldmans representatives met with the central bank and defended the banks controls. Bottom Line Although Goldman has resolved quite a few litigation issues, it still faces probes and queries from several federal agencies, and a few foreign governments for its businesses conducted during the pre-crisis period. As a result, the companys legal expenses are expected to remain elevated, which may partially impede its bottom-line growth in the near term. Hit by the scandal and other global issues, shares of Goldman have tumbled in the last few days on rising investors worries. Shares of the company have lost around 31.2% in the past three months compared with the 25.4% decline of the industry. Story continues Goldman currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Stocks to Consider Greenhill & Co., Inc. GHL has been witnessing upward estimate revisions for the past 60 days. Moreover, this Zacks #1 Ranked (Strong Buy) stock has appreciated more than 13% year to date. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Popular, Inc. BPOP has been witnessing upward estimate revisions for the past 90 days. Additionally, the companys shares have rallied nearly 29.3%, year to date. It holds a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), at present. Amalgamated Bank AMAL has been witnessing upward estimate revisions for the past 60 days. Also, the companys shares have gained 2.7%, year to date. It carries a Zacks Rank of 2, currently. More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone! It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market. Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >> 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 Popular, Inc. (BPOP) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Greenhill & Co., Inc. (GHL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amalgamated Bank (AMAL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research The P20 China's Huawei shipped a record 200 million smartphones in 2018, a third more than the previous year, despite criticism over the security of its telecoms equipment. The high volumes were mainly driven by the popularity of its P20, Honor 10 and Mate 20 smartphones, according to the telecoms giant. The 31-year-old company, pronounced wah-way, is the largest telecoms equipment manufacturer in the world and only began selling smartphones in 2009. However, it quickly became a force to be reckoned with. Earlier this year, it overtook its rival Apple to become the world's second largest phone vendor. Now only behind Samsung in the international smartphone market, Huawei said in a statement this week that it has gone from being dismissed as a statistical 'other' to being ranked in the top three phone manufacturer in the world. It has enjoyed a rapid increase in smartphone shipments in the last five years. In 2010 the Chinese company sold 3 million smartphones in 2010, which rose to 153 million units in 2017. The company's smartphone success comes as it faces mounting criticism from several national security agencies, including the UK and US, over the use of its telecoms equipment in national infrastructure. Huawei, whose founder Ren Zhengfei is a former Peoples Liberation Army officer, has been accused of posing a national security risk by US agencies, prompting the US, New Zealand and Australia to block its technology. Huawei has repeatedly denied the accusations. Fears around the company's telecoms equipment escalated earlier this month when its chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, was arrested in Vancouver Airport. Mrs Meng now faces extradition to the US and charges of conspiracy to defraud banks after Huawei allegedly skirted sanctions on selling products to Iran. A few days after her arrest, she was freed on bail following a hearing. Additionally, the head of MI6, Alex Younger, said in a speech earlier this month that the UK government had to make some decisions about its continued use of Huawei technology. We need to decide the extent to which we are going to be comfortable with Chinese ownership of these technologies and these platforms in an environment where some of our allies have taken a very definite position, he said. Investors in Bank of America Corporation BAC need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Jan 18, 2019 $10.00 Call had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today. What is Implied Volatility? Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy. What do the Analysts Think? Clearly, options traders are pricing in a big move for Bank of America shares, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, Bank of America is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) in the Banks - Major Regional that ranks in the Bottom 43% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 60 days, no analysts have increased their earnings estimates for the current quarter, while two have dropped their estimates. The net effect has taken our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter from 65 cents per share to 64 cents in that period. Given the way analysts feel about Bank of America right now, this huge implied volatility could mean theres a trade developing. Often times, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected. Looking to Trade Options? Each week, our very own Dave Bartosiak gives his top options trades. Check out his recent live analysis and options trade for NFLX earnings report completely free. See it here: Bartosiak: Trading Netflix's (NFLX) Earnings with Options or check out the embedded video below for more details: Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Bank of America Corporation (BAC) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research A crashed Lion Air jet should have been grounded over a recurrent technical problem before its fatal journey, Indonesian authorities said Wednesday, as details from the new jet's flight data recorder suggested that pilots struggled to control its anti-stalling system. The preliminary crash report from Indonesia's transport safety agency also took aim at the budget carrier's poor safety culture, but did not pinpoint a cause of the October 29 accident, which killed all 189 people on board. A final report is not likely to be filed until next year. The Boeing 737 MAX vanished from radar about 13 minutes after taking off from Jakarta, slamming into the Java Sea moments after pilots had asked to return to the capital. Investigators said Lion Air kept putting the plane back into service despite repeatedly failing to fix a problem with the airspeed indicator, including on its second-last flight from Bali to Jakarta. "The plane was no longer airworthy and it should not have kept flying," Nurcahyo Utomo, aviation head at the National Transport Safety Committee (NTSC), told reporters. Lion Air's contested the preliminary result and said it was going to seek a written clarification from the NTSC. "We think this statement is not true," President Director Edward Sirait said. "The plane from Denpasar (Bali) was released and it was said (to be) airworthy according to documents and what the technicians have done." "The plane was airworthy," he added. The safety committee's findings will heighten concerns there were problems with key systems in one of the world's newest and most advanced commercial passenger planes. "But we don't know yet whether it's a Boeing or airline issue," said aviation analyst Gerry Soejatman. Investigators have previously said the doomed aircraft had problems with its airspeed indicator and angle of attack (AoA) sensors, prompting Boeing to issue a special bulletin telling operators what to do when they face the same situation. Story continues The report confirmed that initial finding, saying the plane's data recorder detected an issue with the AoA. It also said the plane's "stick shaker" -- which vibrates the aircraft's steering wheel-like control yoke to warn of a system malfunction -- was "activated and continued for most of the fight". An AoA sensor provides data about the angle at which air is passing over the wings and tells pilots how much lift a plane is getting. The information can be critical in preventing an aircraft from stalling. The doomed plane's flight data recorder showed that pilots had repeatedly tried to correct its nose from pointing down, possibly after erroneous data from AoA sensors was fed into a system that automatically adjusts some of its movements. - Dubious record - Black box data showed the plane also had an airspeed indicator issue on multiple earlier flights, said investigators, who have yet to locate the cockpit voice recorder on the sea floor. Lion must take steps "to improve the safety culture" and bolster the quality of its flight logs, the transport agency said. "Airlines need to take paperwork seriously," Soejatman said. "That didn't cause the crash, but it can cause other problems in the environment they're working in." Despite a dubious safety record and an avalanche of complaints over shoddy service, the budget carrier's parent Lion Air Group has captured half the domestic market in less than 20 years of operation to become Southeast Asia's biggest airline. Indonesia's aviation safety record has improved since its airlines, including national carrier Garuda, were subject to years-long bans from US and European airspace for safety violations, although it has still recorded 40 fatal accidents over the past 15 years. The report stopped short of making any recommendations to Boeing but the US planemaker has come under fire for possible glitches on the 737 MAX -- which entered service just last year. The APA, a US airline pilots' union, said carriers and pilots had not been informed by Boeing of certain changes in the aircraft control system installed on the new MAX variants of the 737. "I am really surprised if Boeing has not shared all the flight performance parameters with pilots, unions, and training organisations," University of Leeds aviation expert Stephen Wright told AFP, adding that "a deliberate omission would have serious legal ramifications". In response to Wednesday's report, Boeing said: "(The company) is taking every measure to fully understand all aspects of this accident, working closely with the US National Transportation Safety Board as technical advisors to support the NTSC as the investigation continues." Several relatives of the crash victims have already filed lawsuits against Boeing, including the family of a young doctor who was to have married his high school sweetheart this month. Authorities have called off the grim task of identifying victims of the crash, with 125 passengers officially recognised after testing on human remains that filled some 200 body bags. It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in JTF International Holdings Limited (HKG:8479). What Is Insider Selling? It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market. We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Colombia University study found that insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers. Check out our latest analysis for JTF International Holdings The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At JTF International Holdings Sau-Kwan Kung made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for HK$45m worth of shares at a price of HK$0.90 each. Although we dont gain confidence from insider selling, we note that this large sale was at well above current price of HK$0.41. So it is hard to draw any strong conclusion from it. The only individual insider seller over the last year was Sau-Kwan Kung. Sau-Kwan Kung ditched 68.82m shares over the year. The average price per share was CN0.80. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! SEHK:8479 Insider Trading December 24th 18 I will like JTF International Holdings better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying. Story continues Does JTF International Holdings Boast High Insider Ownership? Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. JTF International Holdings insiders own about HK$32m worth of shares (which is 18% of the company). Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders. So What Do The JTF International Holdings Insider Transactions Indicate? The fact that there have been no JTF International Holdings insider transactions recently certainly doesnt bother us. The insider transactions at JTF International Holdings are not very heartening. The modest level of insider ownership is, at least, some comfort. I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can find historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph. If you would prefer to check out another company one with potentially superior financials then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity 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. It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. On the other hand, wed be remiss not to mention that insider sales have been known to precede tough periods for a business. So well take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Vita Group Limited (ASX:VTG). What Is Insider Selling? Its quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market. Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Harvard University study found that insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year. See our latest analysis for Vita Group The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Vita Group Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider sale was by Co-Founder Maxine Horne for AU$304k worth of shares, at about AU$1.15 per share. So what is clear is that an insider saw fit to sell at around the current price of AU$1.05. While their view may have changed since the sale, this is not a particularly positive fact. We generally tread carefully if insiders have been selling on market, even if they sold slightly above the current price. We note that in the last year insiders divested 615.86k shares for a total of AU$707k. In total, Vita Group insiders sold more than they bought over the last year. The sellers received a price of around AU$1.15, on average. Its not ideal to see that insiders have sold at around the current price. While some insiders have decided to take some money off the table, we wouldnt put too much weight on this fact. The chart below shows insider transactions over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! Story continues ASX:VTG Insider Trading December 23rd 18 I will like Vita Group better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying. Does Vita Group Boast High Insider Ownership? For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. I reckon its a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Vita Group insiders own 21% of the company, currently worth about AU$35m based on the recent share price. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders. So What Does This Data Suggest About Vita Group Insiders? It doesnt really mean much that no insider has traded Vita Group shares in the last quarter. The insider transactions at Vita Group are not very heartening. The modest level of insider ownership is, at least, some comfort. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future. If you would prefer to check out another company one with potentially superior financials then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity 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. Su Zhu, the CEO of FX hedge fund Three Arrows Capital, has said that Binance, the largest crypto exchange in the global market, is also the most trusted among investors within the digital asset community. Citing a poll ran by a small cryptocurrency exchange, Zhu said: Interesting that @binance, a lightly regulated exchange, has also become the most trusted crypto exchange among actual users. You cant build trust by acquiring govt licenses/rubber stamps. https://t.co/1OXkskgHAr Su Zhu (@zhusu) December 23, 2018 Is Binance Lightly Regulated? In most regions, lawmakers impose strict regulations on cryptocurrency trading to prevent the utilization of digital assets in money laundering and processing criminal proceeds. Although the main platform of Binance focuses on pure cryptocurrency-to-cryptocurrency trading, it also operates strictly regulated fiat-to-crypto exchanges in Uganda and soon in Singapore with support from the Singaporean authorities and local financial institutions. Binance could be described as a lightly regulated exchange in comparison to exchanges in the U.S. that are required to be compliant with strict policies, but its fiat on-ramps in Uganda and Singapore are as strictly regulated as fiat-to-crypto exchanges in major markets like the U.S., South Korea, and Japan. The company certainly benefits from crypto-friendly regulations Malta have implemented to facilitate the growth of the local cryptocurrency market. But, as an EU nation, Malta also has uncompromising financial regulations and policies that Binance have to abide by. Since its debut, Binance has placed heavy emphasis on security and investor protection. To this date, the exchange remains in a prestigious group of exchanges alongside Coinbase and a handful of other exchanges of not suffering a single hacking attack or a security breach since its inception. Story continues The trust from investors and traders on Binance toward the exchange likely comes from the track record of the company and the efficient communication between the firms executives and the community. Changpeng Zhao, the CEO of Binance, is well recognized for frequent updates regarding potential updates, changes, and announcements related to the exchange. In previous instances where the company ran important database or server updates, CZ and the Binance team provided hour-to-hour updates, ensuring that the funds of investors on the platform remain safe. Without regulatory pressure, Binance voluntarily established a partnership with Chainalysis, a blockchain data analysis company that traces wallets and transactions potentially involved in fraudulent and criminal operations. In October, Wei Zhou, the CFO at Binance, said: By working with Chainalysis, we are able to continue building a foundational compliance program that enables the next phase of our growth. Our vision is to provide the infrastructure for a blockchain ecosystem and increase the freedom of money globally, while adhering to regulatory mandates in the countries we serve. Do Crypto Exchanges Need Strict Regulation? For immediate investor protection and as a short-term solution, strict policies to ensure a high level of security, transaction monitoring, and Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) systems is certainly a viable option. But, for established exchanges that acknowledge their responsibilities to prevent the usage of digital assets in criminal operations and that are well equipped with strong internal management systems, as Japan as recently proposed, a self-regulatory status could be considered to provide regulatory leniency to the rapidly growing cryptocurrency exchange market. Featured image from Shutterstock. Su Zhu portrait from LinkedIn. The post Investor: Binance is Most Trusted Crypto Exchange Despite Light Regulation appeared first on CCN. READ: 3 more bodies found after solons murder Christmas shoppers on one of Dublins main shopping streets. Pic: PA If youre a brick-and-mortar retailer in the digital age, it can be hard to compete with Amazon (AMZN). And in the last-minute dash before Christmas, consumers at least in the US almost unfailingly put their faith in the e-commerce giant. With warehouses in over 30 states and an intricate delivery network, Amazon has manufactured an image of being almost more than convenient: Search for the product, it appears on your screen and itll often be on your doorstep within the same day. For decades, traditional retailers have been offering similar levels of convenience, at least if you live close to them. What many of them lack, however, is the kind of online presence that would let them compete with Amazons detailed catalogue. In an age defined by screen time and Google searches more than anything else, thats a big problem. READ MORE: Amazon Ramps Up Delivery Program With 10 More Cargo Aircraft But one company is changing that and quickly. Pointy, a Dublin-based startup, has already sold its ingenious little device to more than 1% of US retailers. Talk to store owners and Pointy is invariably described in terms like frictionless, effortless and works like magic. You plug the 349/399/$499 device into your existing point-of-sale system, and the rest just happens. Your store automatically gets a website replete with all of the products you sell. And Pointy also offers a comparable free product for retailers that use newer point-of-sale systems like Clover and Square. That means that when a potential customer inevitably ends up searching online for the thing theyre looking for, theyll be able to figure out that a retailer stocks it and be far more inclined to visit your store than if all they were greeted with was an Amazon listing. We felt that it was crazy that you could find basically nearly any product online, but more often then not you wouldnt know whats in a store down the road from you, Charles Bibby, a co-founder, told Yahoo Finance UK. Story continues Up to now, many of the solutions have centred around helping retailers actually sell goods online. But the reality of selling stuff online is that it can actually be pretty tough, and brick-and-mortar retailers more often than not dont have the resources or time to do that properly, Bibby said. The simplest idea in our eyes was to get them found online for the product searches but then to drive that consumer into the local store. On top of that, not every country has a sprawling Amazon delivery network: Countries like Ireland dont have next-hour delivery and sometimes you just want to go and get it from a shop there and then. The nice thing for the brick-and-mortar retailer is that they dont really have to change their behaviour at all. Founded by Bibby and CEO Mark Cummins in 2014, Pointy now has over 10,000 retailers in the US, UK and Ireland on its platform, and has consistently seen month-on-month growth of 15%. Its staff has doubled in the past year, to more than 60 and the company has raised $19m (15m) to date from backers like Draper Associates, Frontline Ventures and WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg. By the end of 2019, it hopes to be in 6% of US retailers. Weve got a few more ideas as to how we can help local retailers, Bibby said, but our goal at the moment is to get to a point where Pointy is everywhere. Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel's government decided Monday to hold early elections in April with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struggling to keep together a one-seat majority in parliament as he also faces potential corruption charges. Despite Netanyahu's recent legal and political troubles, polls have indicated he would remain prime minister after new elections, putting him in line to become Israel's longest-serving premier. Heads of parties in Netanyahu's coalition agreed to hold the polls in early April "in the name of budgetary and national responsibility," a statement issued on their behalf said. The government was preparing a bill to dissolve the Knesset, or parliament, and hold elections on April 9, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said. Elections were not due until November, but there has been speculation the coalition would not last that long. Netanyahu laid out what he sees as his achievements and said he hoped for a similar coalition to the current one, seen as the most right-wing in Israel's history. "We ask for a clear mandate from the voter to continue to lead the state of Israel in our own way," he said. The decision comes with the coalition struggling to agree on a key bill related to ultra-Orthodox Jews serving in the military like their secular counterparts. Ultra-Orthodox parties hold 13 seats out of the coalition's 61, giving them signficant influence. - 'Hope is returning' - Netanyahu's coalition was left with a one-seat majority after defence minister Avigdor Lieberman stepped down in November over a controversial Gaza ceasefire deal. His resignation cost the coalition five seats. At the time, Netanyahu worked to rescue the coalition and managed to keep it on track for weeks as he faced criticism over the Gaza truce. He said elections then would be irresponsible due to the sensitive security situation facing the country -- an apparent reference to an upcoming military operation to destroy Hezbollah tunnels from Lebanon that was announced earlier this month. Story continues Asked Monday about his earlier comments arguing against elections, he said the tunnel operation was now nearly complete. Opposition leader Tzipi Livni and Labour party chairman Avi Gabbay, part of the Zionist Union alliance, welcomed new elections. "Hope is returning to Israel today and you can breathe a sigh of relief," Livni said. "On his way out, Netanyahu will try to destroy what is left of Israeli democracy and we will stand as a wall against any such attempt." - Tumultuous campaign - Netanyahu is under mounting pressure over a series of corruption investigations. Police have recommended his indictment in three different probes and the attorney general is considering how to proceed. Netanyahu is however not required to step down if indicted -- only if he is convicted with all appeals exhausted -- and polls have indicated his Likud party would remain the largest in parliament after new elections. Some analysts believe he would be better positioned to face potential charges with a fresh mandate. However, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon of the centre-right Kulanu party says he believes any prime minister should resign if indicted. Netanyahu has been prime minister for a total of more than 12 years, from 1996 to 1999 and again since 2009. He could next year surpass the record set by Israel's founding father David Ben-Gurion, who spent more than 13 years in office. The election campaign is sure to be tumultuous, with Netanyahu's opponents likely seeking to erode his reputation as Israel's "Mr. Security". Although the premier's security credentials took a hit over the Gaza ceasefire, Israel's centre-left opposition has been in disarray and may find it difficult to mount a serious challenge. Netanyahu has also benefited from strong backing from US President Donald Trump. A senior White House official said as a result of the election the Trump administration was now evaluating when it would publish its long-awaited Middle East peace plan. "The upcoming election in Israel on April 9 is one of many factors the administration is considering in evaluating the timing of the release of the peace plan," the official said. In his comments on Monday, Netanyahu cited Trump's decision to declare Jerusalem Israel's capital and move the US embassy there -- a major victory for Israel. But wildcard figures could emerge in the campaign, such as former military chief of staff Benny Gantz, with polls showing he could perform well in elections if he decides to join a party. Early elections are the norm in Israel. No Israeli government has served out its full term in some 30 years. Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli leaders have lauded Donald Trump for his list of decisions in support of their country since taking office, but the mercurial president's withdrawal of US troops from Syria will not rank among them. After Trump's surprise announcement of the pullout last week, Israel is concerned over whether its main enemy Iran will have a freer hand to operate in the neighbouring country, analysts say. Israel's response to the announcement has been measured -- careful to point out that it respects the US decision, coupled with pledges to continue to defend its interests in Syria. But beneath those public pronouncements are worries over whether Iran will seek to take advantage of the US absence from the war-torn country and if Russia will respond to Israel's calls to limit it. Beyond that, the manner in which the decision was taken and announced -- and US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis's resignation in response -- may also give Israeli leaders pause, some analysts say. "Since it's our major ally, we want the United States to be strong ... and we want an ally which is being perceived in the region as strong and effective," said Eyal Zisser, vice rector of Tel Aviv University and who has written extensively on Syria. "And I think that what worries some Israelis is what message does this decision -- the way it was taken, what stood behind it -- send to the region?" - 'Even expand our activities' - The United States has only around 2,000 troops in Syria focused on fighting the Islamic State group, but they have been deployed in two areas along the Iraqi border, helping keep Iranian movement into the country in check. There have been warnings from Israel and others that Iran is seeking to form a "land bridge" across to the Mediterranean, and some analysts have said that the US withdrawal could help that effort. With Iran supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his country's civil war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long pledged to keep it from entrenching itself militarily next door. Story continues Israel has repeatedly taken action, carrying out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria against what it says are Iranian military targets and advanced arms deliveries to Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese group. With the United States pulling out, Israel may look more to Russia, which is also backing Assad, to use its influence to limit Iran, some analysts say. But that is not a given, and a friendly fire incident in September that led to a Russian plane being downed by Syrian air defences during an Israeli strike remains an issue. The incident angered Russia and complicated Israel's operations in Syria, particularly after Moscow's delivery of the advanced S-300 air defence system there in response. Netanyahu and Israel's military chief of staff, Gadi Eisenkot, on Sunday sought to tamp down concerns over the withdrawal. The Israeli premier has indicated he was not taken off-guard, saying he had spoken with Trump two days before the December 19 announcement as well as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo the previous day. "The decision to remove the 2,000 US soldiers from Syria won't change our consistent policy," Netanyahu said Sunday. "We will continue to act against Iran's attempt to establish a military presence in Syria, and if the need arises, we will even expand our activities there." - 'A free ride' - Yaakov Amidror, a former national security adviser to Netanyahu and ex-military intelligence official, noted US troops were not directly involved in Israel's fight against Iran's presence in Syria. But he said concerns over whether Iran will take advantage of the US withdrawal were legitimate. "From now on, it will be a free ride for the Iranians and they will use the corridor logistically to enhance their capabilities to build the military forces in Syria and to help Hezbollah afterwards," he told AFP. An analysis by the US-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies think tank said "Israel is among the most important losers" of the withdrawal, along with the United States' Kurdish allies in Syria. But Netanyahu has vowed that Israel will continue to "defend ourselves" and Eisenkot, the military chief of staff, called it "a significant event but it should not be overstated". "For decades weve been handling this front alone," said Eisenkot. Cuneo (Italy) (AFP) - With his portly frame, bushy white beard and twinkling eyes, Italian toymaker and puppeteer Mario Collino could be a stand-in for Father Christmas. But while he too carts around bags of toys made in his workshop, Collino, who performs under the name "Prezzemolo" (Mister Parsley), is more of a Mister Geppetto, the fictional carver and father of the fairytale hero Pinocchio. Collino, a retired Michelin tyre factory mechanic, has spent nearly 30 years touring old-age homes in his native Piedmont region, asking residents to share memories of their childhood playthings. He sketches the objects they describe, builds them from odds and ends in his Aladdin's cave of a workshop near Cuneo in northern Italy, and then goes back to the retirement home with the finished product. "I ask them if it matches up and then ask their permission to put their name on it," he said. His bag of antiquated tricks now runs to 138 toys, puppets and assorted curiosities which he uses in performances in schools, retirement homes and on street markets that leave viewers, young and old, entranced. - Nothing bought, nothing sold - Spinning tops, jumping jacks, a tea towel that becomes a rabbit with flapping ears, a piece of paper that, after a few folds, turns into a frog -- the tools of Collino's trade are simple objects brought to life by his wizardry. Every toy comes with a story or fairytale in Italian or Piedmontese, the Romance language of his region. Some are set to the strains of a homemade barrel organ, with a monkey wrench serving as a handle. Not for Collino the Xboxes and other newfangled, high-tech gizmos that many children have on their Christmas wish lists. Nothing in his grotto is bought or sold. All that is needed is a penknife, a diagram and a vast trove of discarded objects, from umbrella canes to springs, plastic pulleys and wire brushes, to create a toy collection to rival any high-street superstore. Story continues His performances, which regularly take him across the border to France, are free of charge for spectators, with any compensation coming from festivals or other host institutions. Such is his inventiveness he was invited to give a seminar for aspiring architects at Turin's Polytechnic University. A devout man, who regularly embarks on pilgrimages to the Santiago de Compostela shrine in Spain, Collino sees it as his Christian duty to nurture his inner child. "The Lord said if you do not become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. I took that at face value and so I'm still playing!" Examining Jullundur Motor Agency (Delhi) Limiteds (NSE:JMA) past track record of performance is a valuable exercise for investors. It enables us to understand whether the company has met or exceed expectations, which is a powerful signal for future performance. Below, I will assess JMAs latest performance announced on 31 March 2018 and weigh these figures against its longer term trend and industry movements. See our latest analysis for Jullundur Motor Agency (Delhi) How Did JMAs Recent Performance Stack Up Against Its Past? JMAs trailing twelve-month earnings (from 31 March 2018) of 128m has declined by -6.8% compared to the previous year. Furthermore, this one-year growth rate has been lower than its average earnings growth rate over the past 5 years of -2.5%, indicating the rate at which JMA is growing has slowed down. Why is this? Well, lets take a look at whats transpiring with margins and if the whole industry is facing the same headwind. NSEI:JMA Income Statement Export December 24th 18 In terms of returns from investment, Jullundur Motor Agency (Delhi) has fallen short of achieving a 20% return on equity (ROE), recording 8.5% instead. However, its return on assets (ROA) of 3.9% exceeds the IN Retail Distributors industry of 2.2%, indicating Jullundur Motor Agency (Delhi) has used its assets more efficiently. Though, its return on capital (ROC), which also accounts for Jullundur Motor Agency (Delhi)s debt level, has declined over the past 3 years from 15% to 9.3%. What does this mean? Though Jullundur Motor Agency (Delhi)s past data is helpful, it is only one aspect of my investment thesis. Usually companies that endure a prolonged period of reduction in earnings are undergoing some sort of reinvestment phase with the aim of keeping up with the latest industry disruption and growth. I recommend you continue to research Jullundur Motor Agency (Delhi) to get a more holistic view of the stock by looking at: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for JMAs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for JMAs outlook. Financial Health: Are JMAs operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why weve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the trailing twelve months from 31 March 2018. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements. The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Letters edited for clarity and grammar A government shutdown forces everyday people to struggle. I am a law enforcement officer at a federal prison in Florida, and I put my life on the line daily to protect my community in an environment where correctional officers are heavily outnumbered. Prisons are already severely understaffed. Officers across the country are being assaulted while being mandated to 16-hour shifts, more than 70 hours a week. The shutdown forces us to cancel all leave and come to work without pay or face disciplinary action. This is likened to involuntary servitude. Shutting down the government does a disservice to millions of Americans and communities around the nation. Many employees barely make ends meet. Now, before the holidays, we come to work to face furloughs or not knowing whether or when we will get paid because officials in Washington want to play politics. Ray Coleman; Tallahassee, Fla. President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress blew holes in a bipartisan effort to fund the government until February that would have avoided a partial government shutdown! Trump made a promise to his Republican, anti-immigrationists that he would build a "big beautiful wall," and is shutting down the government because he didn't get his way. Let's hope Trump's wrangling doesn't affect too many of his loyal Republican supporters' holiday plans. Ron Lowe; Nevada City, Calif. Fund the wall. This is maybe the first time democrats were against funding anything other than the military. Gus Number 23 (@GEAggas) December 23, 2018 So I woke up this morning to read that the government is in a shutdown. And then I remembered that the Democrats are blaming Trump for it because they thought he was going to cave, even after the White House meeting that we all saw. So with the government shutdown, we see who is for upholding his oath of office to protect and defend this country, and who isn't. Story continues Democrats all of a sudden care about an expenditure that is less than 1 percent of the budget. Barry Levy; Hawthorne, Calif. We are all in agreement that our border security needs improvement. But do we really need a wall that could potentially violate a 50 year old treaty. https://t.co/JC8ILJBiza Robert Shehan (@rob_shehan) December 23, 2018 Republicans will no doubt defend to the end Trump's government shutdown. Trump stated he would accept full blame for the shutdown on national television (while acting like a child). Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Chuck Schumer were forced to watch Trump's border wall temper tantrum, unable to do anything but shake their heads in disbelief as Trump raged about funding the wall. The fact is this Christmas, 800,000 government employees are going on furlough or work without pay. Trump criticized former President Barack Obama back in 2013 during a different shutdown. That was to save the Affordable Care Act. Trump's shutdown is all about him and the wall Mexico was going to pay for. But really, why is anyone surprised that Trump is willing to shut down our government when it's clearly not the one he works for? Robert LaRosa; Whitestone, N.Y. To join the conversation about topics on USA TODAY or provide feedback to this reader roundup, email jrivera@usatoday.com or erivers@usatoday.com, comment on Facebook, or use #tellusatoday on Twitter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Just in time for Christmas, a shutdown over a wall Mexico was supposed to pay for: Readers sound off Gong-pil Choi, the director of the Korea Institute of Finance, said that custody in crypto is crucial in eliminating hacking fears and facilitating the growth of the market. The Korea Institute of Finance, an agency that works with the government to research and evaluate financial policies to bolster the countrys financial sector, has emphasized that the management of public keys to access Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency wallets is burdensome and is difficult for normal investors. Crypto Custody is Key Brokerages and asset managers provide custody of traditional assets because of the risk involved in maintaining ownership over an asset. Director Choi said that in the short-term, the custody market in the cryptocurrency sector will grow rapidly as investors seek for regulated and secure ways to invest in the emerging asset class. He stated: Cryptocurrency exchanges are risky due to hacking fears and the storage of private keys can be burdensome for investors, as in the case of theft, it can cause trouble. Even the traditional financial sector has seen the establishment of the custody market. Cryptocurrencies are more risky than traditional assets and the custody market in crypto will become a rapidly growing market. Major cryptocurrency exchanges in the U.S. market such as Coinbase have started to focus on delivering reliable custodial services to both retail and institutional investors. Some existing businesses in the cryptocurrency space including BitGo have acquired trusted and regulated custodians to operate as cryptocurrency custodial service providers. Even in China, which has imposed a strict blanket ban on cryptocurrency trading, crypto custodians have debuted with strong support from local venture capital firms. In November, a Shanghai-based startup debuted to provide custodian services to cryptocurrency trading platforms and over-the-counter (OTC) exchanges. Kenneth Xu, the CEO of the startup, told SCMP, a Hong Kong mainstream media outlet, that the demand for institutional custodian services has started to increase in Asia especially in regions like Hong Kong and Singapore. Story continues Hwang Hyun-cheol, a general partner at a blockchain investment firm based in South Korea, said that in an event during which a major asset manager or an institution enters the cryptocurrency market, custodial services and regulated investment vehicles are necessary to facilitate a large investment. He explained: If an asset manager that oversees $1 billion puts 1 percent of its capital in crypto, thats already a big amount. These institutions can only enter the crypto market if there are tools to hedge and protect their investments. A strong infrastructure for large-scale institutional investors has to be established. How Far Away is it? Currently, Fidelity remains as the only institution amongst the worlds largest financial organizations to be providing crypto custody to clients. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley shared their intent to provide cryptocurrency products in the short-term but both companies have been waiting for regulatory approval from the U.S. authorities. Due to regulatory leniency, more custodians are expected to debut in Asia first, in established markets like South Korea, Japan, and Singapore. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post Korea Institute of Finance Director: Crypto Custody is Key in Rapid Growth appeared first on CCN. Here are some of the companies the Yahoo Finance team is watching for you today. Some big names could win control of Campbell Soup's international business. Reuters said Kraft Heinz and Mondelez are on the short list and they're moving on to a second round of bidding. The auction could fetch upwards of $3 billion as Campbell looks to focus more on the U.S. market. Nissan won't be holding a snap shareholder meeting in the wake of the scandal involving ousted Chairman Carlos Ghosn. The company said a majority of the board rejected a request from Renault to hold that emergency meeting. A Japanese court, in the meantime, has extended Ghosn's detention until at least New Year's. Facebook is cracking down on a political consultant who tried to spread misinformation during the Alabama senate race. The social network has suspended the account of Jonathan Morgan, who told the Washington Post he created a fake account to research the impact of misinformation on the race. Facebook said in a statement it must "take a strong stand" against those trying to mislead others online. A big time producer is taking his talents to Amazon from Netflix. The showrunner behind Luke Cage, Cheo Hodari Coker, is leaving Netflix to work on shows for Amazon Prime Video. It comes just two months after Netflix canceled the series and others connected to the Marvel universe. The terms of the deal weren't made public. It took a couple tries, but SpaceX has finally launched a military satellite into orbit. The Vespucci GPS satellite is the first of five SpaceX plans to launch with its re-usable Falcon 9 rocket. The new satellites are said to be three-times more accurate than the existing system. I've been hearing recently from readers with some tricky questions about required minimum distributions. These are the mandatory withdrawals that savers over 70 must take from traditional IRAs, 401(k)s and other retirement accounts by December 31. (The exception: You have until April 1 of the year after you turn 70 to take your first mandatory withdrawal.) With just days until the RMD deadline, here are answers to some of those questions. [Question2]I am age 73 and have been taking my RMDs from my 401(k) plan at a university where I was employed until 1993. This year, I returned to the same university, where I am now considered to be an active employee. Can I stop taking my RMDs from the university's 401(k) since I'm working there again? [Question2End] [Answer]Let your 401(k) administrator know about your situation, but you'll probably have to continue taking your RMDs. Even though you generally don't have to start taking RMDs from your current employer's 401(k) while you're still working (unless you own more than 5% of the company), the rules aren't as clear about what happens if you already started taking RMDs and then were rehired by the company several years later. "The IRS regulations are silent about whether required minimum distributions stop when a participant is rehired by the employer that sponsors his or her 401(k) plan," says Michael Weddell, director of retirement for Willis Towers Watson, a benefits consulting firm. "Given that there are no provisions for stopping the payments, we believe the safest course of action is to keep receiving the annual distributions." Whether you're working or not, you still have to take RMDs at age 70 from your traditional IRAs and any 401(k)s you have with former employers. [Question2]May a qualified charitable distribution be made from a solo 401(k) plan? [Question2End] [Answer]No. If you're over 70, you can transfer up to $100,000 each year tax-free from your IRA to charity, which counts as your required minimum distribution but isn't included in your adjusted gross income. But that "qualified charitable distribution" only counts for IRAs, not for 401(k)s - and not for solo 401(k)s, either.[Question2End] Story continues [Question2]Do I have to take RMDs from a tax-free Roth 401(k)? [Question2End] [Answer]Yes. The required minimum distribution amount is based on your entire 401(k) balance, including any designated Roth accounts, says Weddell. That's different from the rules for Roth IRAs. Even though you have to take RMDs from Roth 401(k)s, though, the withdrawals are not taxable. [Question2End] SEE ALSO: 10 Smart Steps to Minimize Taxes and Penalties on Your RMDs EDITOR'S PICKS Copyright 2018 The Kiplinger Washington Editors Lockheed Martin Corp. LMT recently secured a $3.4 billion foreign military sales (FMS) contract for producing Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target (PATRIOT) Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles. The contract was awarded by the U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Albama. Per the terms of the agreement, Lockheed Martin will also manufacture associated ground support equipment and initial spares in relation to the PAC-3 missiles. Work related to the deal is scheduled to be over by Dec 31, 2024. The tasks will be performed in Huntsville, Al; Camden, AR; Ocala, FL; Chelmsford, MA; Grand Prairie and Lukin, TX. A Brief Note on PAC-3 Missiles The PAC-3 missile system is an advanced defensive missile for the U.S. Army and international customers designed to intercept and eliminate incoming airborne threats using kinetic energy. The systems radar set provides tactical functions of airspace surveillance, target detection, identification, classification, tracking, missile guidance and engagement support. Notably, the latest version of this missile systems, the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) interceptor, comes with larger control fins and upgraded actuators that help in increasing maneuverability. Our View Being one of the forerunners in the missile defense space, Lockheed Martins Missile and Fire Control (MFC) unit manufactures advanced combat, missile, rocket, manned and unmanned systems for military customers of the U.S. government and foreign allies. Regarding the aforementioned contract win, it also worth mentioning that PAC-3 is one among the companys top-notch missile systems. Coming to this missile systems performance in recent times, the agreement signed by the U.S. and Swedish officials this August for delivery of PAC-3 MSE missiles to the government of Sweden, is imperative to mention. This deal made Sweden the sixth international customer to sign an agreement for Lockheed Martins PAC-3 MSE missiles, thereby reflecting this missile systems demand in overseas defense space. Story continues Needless to say, such inflow of orders tends to fuel Lockheed Martins top-line performance. Evidently, the companys MFC segment recorded third-quarter 2018 net sales of $2.27 billion, reflecting a solid 16% improvement from the year-ago quarter number. Considering the companys latest contract win, we may expect the MFC segment to consistently deliver top-line growth in coming days as well. Moreover, the fiscal 2019 defense budget provides for an investment plan of $1.1 billion for procuring 240 PAC-3 MSE. With widespread geo-political conflicts across the globe, such funding provisions is likely to keep Lockheed Martin on a growth trajectory. Price Performance In a years time, shares of Lockheed Martin have lost about 19.3% against the industrys 11.5% growth. The underperformance may have been caused by the intense competition the company faces in the aerospace-defense space for its broad portfolio of products and services domestically and internationally. Zacks Rank & Other Stocks to Consider Lockheed Martin currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). A few top-ranked companies in the same sector are Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings AJRD, Teledyne Technologies Incorporated TDY and AeroVironment, Inc. AVAV, each sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Aerojet Rocketdyne delivered average positive earnings surprise of 19.27% in the last four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2018 earnings has increased 43.3% to $1.82 in the past 90 days. Teledyne Technologies delivered average positive earnings surprise of 12.92% in the trailing four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2018 earnings has increased 6% to $8.75 in the past 90 days. AeroVironment delivered average positive surprise of 257.01% in the preceding four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2019 earnings has been revised 13.2% upward to $1.54 over the past 30 days. More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone! It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market. Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >> 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 Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings, Inc. (AJRD) : Free Stock Analysis Report AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Christmas is a time for solidarity and peace-building. Christmas is not a drug to make us forget for few moments our aches and woes, former Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines president Socrates Villegas said in his Christmas message to the Filipino people on Monday. The Filipino people must stand up for life and purity and to choose the Lord, he said. Villegas, archbishop of Lingayen and Dagupan, said Christmas means God has become like us in all things except sin. Christmas is about the courage of God to defeat evil by the power of love. The greater enemy to fight is cowardice and timidity. Tolerance is not a virtue. Tolerance of evil makes us accomplices. It is vulgar to laugh at vulgarity. The outspoken Villegas also took a swipe at the Duterte administration, saying there is violence against political opponents while unsolved murders continue to rise and there are more drugs to buy. There are more criminals set free and the opponents are threatened with imprisonment. Everything is turned into a bad joke. The poor are poorer and the rich are getting poor. We scold children who bully their fellow children but we laugh at elderly bullies who flaunt vulgar humor.We, your bishops, are called useless, and you have been encouraged to kill us. You are admonished to stay home and not go to Church because you will just see hypocrites at Mass who worship a stupid God. Still, Villegas expressed hope for the Filipino people this Christmas because God has embraced the peoples hunger and poverty. God has joined us in our aches and adversities. God is not far. He is near. He has emptied himself of glory and wrapped himself with our human dirt and ugliness so that we may be wrapped by his robe of mercy. It is Christmas. We are happy and we have hope in spite of the darkness we see. This darkness is not godly. This is the same darkness that rejected Christ when he was born two thousand years ago. ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) - Madagascar presidential candidate Andry Rajoelina is leading in an election runoff after 92 percent of the votes were declared, the electoral commission said on Sunday, drawing allegations of fraud from rival Marc Ravalomanana. Rajoelina had 54.86 percent of the vote compared to 45.14 percent for Ravalomanana, the commission said after tallying 92 percent of the results. The two ex-presidents -- Ravalomanana and the man who ousted him in a 2009 coup, Rajoelina -- had previously said they would accept the results, raising hopes of a peaceful outcome and no repeat of the political chaos nearly a decade ago. But Ravalomanana said on Sunday the electoral body should investigate the election. "Fraud and violence have prevailed and this has an impact on the results. The results of this election are not credible and the election is not transparent," he said in statement broadcast on Sunday. "It is true that I said that I will respect the results if the rules are respected. Unfortunately, it is not the case," Ravalomanana said, calling on his supporters "whose rights have been violated, to stand up and defend their choices". The electoral commission said it would help candidates verify the results for themselves. "Candidates' representatives asked for the comparison of the minutes, the verification of the used and non-used ballot. In the name of transparency, the INEC accepts," Thierry Rakotonarivo, deputy chairman of the electoral commission told a news conference on Monday. "Also, to show the will of the INEC, we can also publish the counting sheets, the ballots that have been used and that have been not used if it is needed, even it is not our competence." He said full provisional results would be released on Thursday. "We do not stray from the three principles that have guided us from the beginning: transparency, respect for the law and inclusiveness. We could publish those results sooner, but to give the candidates time to check them, we will only do it on Dec. 27." The EU observer mission said the runoff election was calm. "The voting operations were as calm as in the first round," Cristian Preda, head of the observation mission of the European Union said on Friday. "We did not see any fraud. Both accused each other of fraud, but neither of them had any proof. There are allegations not facts. We told them to bring this to justice." In the first round last month, Rajoelina received 39.23 percent of the vote compared to Ravalomanana's 35.35 percent. Hery Rajaonarimampianina, who became president after Rajoelina stepped down in 2014, came a distant third. (Reporting by Lovasoa Rabary; Writing by Clement Uwiringiyimana; Editing by Darren Schuettler and Catherine Evans) We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So before you buy or sell Petards Group plc (LON:PEG), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling. Do Insider Transactions Matter? Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock on the market. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required. Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Colombia University study found that insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers. See our latest analysis for Petards Group The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Petards Group Executive Chairman Raschid Abdullah made the biggest insider sale in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for UK225k worth of shares at a price of UK0.23 each. That means that even when the share price was below the current price of UK0.27, an insider wanted to cash in some shares. While sellers have a variety of reasons for selling, this isnt particularly great to see. As a general rule we consider it to be discouraging when insiders are selling below the current price. It is worth noting that this sale was only 28.8% of Raschid Abdullahs holding. Over the last year, we note insiders sold 1.13m shares worth UK257k. In total, Petards Group insiders sold more than they bought over the last year. The sellers received a price of around UK0.23, on average. Its not particularly great to see insiders were selling shares around current prices. Since insiders sell for many reasons, we wouldnt put too much weight on it. You can see the insider transactions over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below! Story continues AIM:PEG Insider Trading December 24th 18 If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Insider Ownership Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Petards Group insiders own 23% of the company, currently worth about UK3.6m based on the recent share price. Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders. What Might The Insider Transactions At Petards Group Tell Us? There havent been any insider transactions in the last three months that doesnt mean much. Our analysis of Petards Group insider transactions leaves us cautious. But we do like the fact that insiders own a fair chunk of the company. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future. If you would prefer to check out another company one with potentially superior financials then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity 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. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' departure from the White House has been abruptly brought forward - AP Donald Trump, the US president, on Sunday said he was replacing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Jan. 1 with deputy defense secretary Patrick Shanahan in an acting capacity after Mr Mattis resigned over policy differences and offered to stay in his post for two more months. A source familiar with the situation told Reuters that Trump was irked by the attention given to Mr Mattis' resignation letter, which implicitly criticized Trump's foreign policies and his treatment of military allies after the president's decision to pull troops out of Syria. Mr Trump announced Mr Shanahan's appointment in a tweet, calling the former Boeing Co executive "very talented". In a shock announcement on Wednesday, Trump said he was withdrawing US troops from Syria, a decision that upended American policy in the region. Mr Trump expedited Mr Mattis' departure by tweeting on Sunday. "I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting January 1, 2019," the Republican leader tweeted, accelerating Mr Mattis's planned departure by two months. "Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing. He will be great!" This is a developing story, more to follow Shares of Micron Technology MU decreased more than 3% to close at $30.32 on Dec 21. Moreover, during the trading session, shares slipped to a 52-week low of $30.11. This downside can be attributed to the companys recently reported first-quarter fiscal 2019 results wherein earnings exceeded expectations but revenues missed the same. Moreover, inventory adjustments with several key customers compelled the company to issue a soft guidance for fiscal second quarter, which is an overhang on the stock. Shares of Micron have shed 26.3% of its value year to date, comparing unfavorably with the S&P 500 indexs 9.7% drop. Whats Hurting the Stock? Micron is hit by excess inventory with customers in the cloud, graphics and enterprise market. Fall in demand from key customers like Intel INTC and NVIDIA NVDA is a major headwind for the company. Intels CPU shortage coupled with weak demand for high-end smartphones is dragging down demand for NAND solutions. The company expects revenues in the graphics and datacenter market to be adversely impacted during a couple of more quarters by higher-than-normal inventories in gaming cards and the decline in cryptocurrency-related demand. Such a scenario forced the company to lower its outlook for industry demand and supply of DRAM and NAND solutions and also announced a cut in its capital expenditure. The company has trimmed its projection for NAND bit growth and reduced capital expenditure on NAND as it expects NAND industry supply growth to exceed industry demand in 2019. Moreover, the U.S.-China trade war has made the demand environment highly uncertain for Micron. Micron Technology, Inc. Price and Consensus Micron Technology, Inc. Price and Consensus | Micron Technology, Inc. Quote Is There a Silver Lining? However, management anticipates memory chip demand to improve during the second half of 2019 on the back of a bleak DRAM supply, lower customer inventory and stronger demand from customers. Story continues The company believes that growing demand for new camera and digital features and the increasing application of artificial intelligence will drive content in mobile devices. Robust demand for higher density DRAM products across the data center market is a boon while rising demand for in-vehicle infotainment and advanced driver assistance systems will steadily fuel growth in the automotive market. Additionally, the company plans to manage operating expenses by implementing controls on headcount, slowdown in holiday work schedule and discretionary spending reduction. Although declining NAND and DRAM pricing is a threat to the companys gross margin, Microns focus on improvement in cost structure and raising the mix of high-value solutions in its portfolio makes us positive. Notably, in the last reported quarter, the companys strong high-value solutions, driven by managed NAND products, helped it maintain overall NAND gross margins above 45% despite an oversupply in the industry. Zacks Rank and Stock to Consider Currently, Micron has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). A better-ranked stock in the broader Computer and Technology sector is CACI International CACI, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here . Long-term earnings growth rate for CACI is projected at 10%. More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone! It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market. Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >> 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 CACI International, Inc. (CACI) : Free Stock Analysis Report NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Intel Corporation (INTC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Micron Technology, Inc. (MU) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So well take a look at whether insiders have been buying or selling shares in Hazer Group Limited (ASX:HZR). What Is Insider Selling? It is perfectly legal for company insiders, including board members, to buy and sell stock in a company. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required. Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. For example, a Colombia University study found that insiders are more likely to engage in open market purchases of their own companys stock when the firm is about to reveal new agreements with customers and suppliers. See our latest analysis for Hazer Group The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Hazer Group Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider sale was by Geoffrey Pocock for AU$293k worth of shares, at about AU$0.28 per share. That means that an insider was selling shares at below the current price (AU$0.29). While sellers have a variety of reasons for selling, this isnt particularly great to see. We generally consider it a negative if insiders have been selling on market, especially if they did so below the current price. We note that the biggest single sale was only 14.3% of Geoffrey Pococks holding. Geoffrey Pocock was the only individual insider to sell over the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! ASX:HZR Insider Trading December 24th 18 If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Story continues Insider Ownership of Hazer Group I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. I reckon its a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Hazer Group insiders own about AU$5.9m worth of shares (which is 22% of the company). I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders. So What Does This Data Suggest About Hazer Group Insiders? The fact that there have been no Hazer Group insider transactions recently certainly doesnt bother us. Our analysis of Hazer Group insider transactions leaves us cautious. But we do like the fact that insiders own a fair chunk of the company. To put this in context, take a look at how a company has performed in the past. You can access this detailed graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow . If you would prefer to check out another company one with potentially superior financials then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity 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. By Jessica Resnick-Ault NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices plunged more than 6 percent to the lowest level in more than a year on Monday, pulling back sharply late in the session as fears of an economic slowdown rattled the market. U.S. crude futures and global benchmark Brent hit their lowest levels since 2017 during the session, putting both benchmarks on track for losses of about 40 percent in the fourth quarter. "What's happening in the stock market is raising fears that the economy is grinding to a halt and thereby will basically kill any future oil demand," said Phil Flynn, an analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago. "They're pricing in a slowdown in the economy if not a recession with this drop." The fourth-quarter price decline is likely to cause producers to throttle back on their output, he said. U.S. crude futures have hit the lowest level since June 22, 2017, as jitters have grown about the impact of the escalating U.S.-China trade dispute on global growth and crude demand. Brent crude is at its lowest level since Aug. 17, 2017. Markets across asset classes have come under pressure as the U.S. government shutdown that began just after midnight on Saturday intensified growth concerns. Investors have flocked to safe-haven assets such as gold and government debt at the expense of crude oil and stocks. A gauge of stocks worldwide hurtled toward an eighth straight decline on Monday as investors ignored the U.S. Treasury secretary's actions to reinforce confidence in the economy and U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the Federal Reserve as "the only problem our economy has." The U.S. Senate has been unable to break an impasse over Trump's demand for more funds for a wall on the border with Mexico, and a senior official said the shutdown could continue until Jan. 3. U.S. crude futures settled at $42.53 a barrel, down $3.06, or 6.7 percent. Brent crude futures settled down $3.35, or 6.2 percent, at $50.47 a barrel. The market settled early ahead of the Christmas holiday. Prices extended losses in post-settlement trade. Story continues Brent fell 11 percent last week and hit its lowest level since September 2017, while U.S. futures slid to their lowest level since July 2017, bringing the decline in the two contracts to more than 35 percent for the quarter. The macroeconomic picture and its impact on oil demand continue to pressure prices. Global equities <.MIWD00000PUS> have fallen nearly 9.5 percent so far in December, their biggest one-month slide since September 2011, when the euro-zone debt crisis was unfolding. The U.S.-China trade dispute and the prospect of a rapid rise in U.S. interest rates have brought global stocks down from this year's record highs and ignited concern that oil demand will be insufficient to soak up any excess supply. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia agreed this month to cut oil production by 1.2 million barrels per day from January. Should that fail to balance the market, OPEC and its allies will hold an extraordinary meeting, United Arab Emirates Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said on Sunday. "Oil ministers are already taking to the airwaves with a 'price stability at all cost' mantra," said Stephen Innes, head of trading for Asia-Pacific at futures brokerage Oanda in Singapore. (Reporting by Jessica Resnick-Ault; Additional reporting by Jane Chung and Amaanda Cooper; Editing by Tom Brown and Leslie Adler) A year and a half after their bodies were discovered in their Old Colony Rd. home, Honey and Barry Sherman remain two out of 33 victims of unsolved murders committed in Toronto in 2017. Unlike in many of the other cases, the couples public profile Barry, the founder of pharmaceutical company Apotex and Honey, a well known philanthropist launched the details surrounding their murders firmly into the public eye. While investigators have likely withheld details of the investigation from the public, many aspects of the case and the investigation surrounding it are well known. Here is Yahoo Canadas summary of the ongoing investigation into the unsolved murders of Honey and Barry Sherman in December 2017, starting with the latest updates. 2019 July In July 2019, one of the Shermans four grown children spoke about her experience for the first time since her parents murders in December 2017. Sitting down with CBCs The National, Alexandra Krawczyk said she, her brother and her two sisters live in fear for their safety and the safety of their families. There is still a lot of uncertainty about who killed one of Canadas wealthiest couples, as their killer or killers remain at large. And Krawczyk told CBC that as long as that uncertainty remains, so does the fear that she and her siblings might be targets too. "We don't know where the next target is, right? It's an alarming situation, and I feel that I do have to be on guard, she said in on the show. But that's not going to stop me from doing important work." Despite living in fear, Krawczyk has been working to take up the baton of her parents philanthropic community work. The family launched The Sherman Foundations earlier in 2019 in order to help oversee the projects her parents started. In addition to continuing to help manage the millions of dollars in financial commitments her parents made to causes they supported, Krawczyk told CBC she has taken on more of a public role, representing the family at public community events. Story continues "Right from the beginning I started meeting with people, trying to find out what was happening, what were the loose ends, what were the things that we could help with and keep working on," Krawczyk told CBC. "I'm taking it one step at a time, one meeting at a time. One step leads to the next, and I think I'm on the right path." March On March 7, Canadian media outlets reported on the Sherman familys petition to demolish the Old Colony Road home. According to CTV, the demolition request was scheduled to go before the North York Community Council in a meeting on March 19. As of March 8, Honey and Barry Sherman were still listed along with 31 other people in Toronto whose murders in 2017 remain unsolved. Below the sparse details of the investigation listed in their case files on the Toronto Police Service website is a heading for additional Information. The only thing under that heading reads no further information available. February In a letter dated Feb. 11, a representative of the Sherman family petitioned the North York Community Council for permission to demolish the two-storey home at 50 Old Colony Rd where Honey and Barry Sherman were murdered. The letter describes the bad memories and a stigma still attached to the house following unsolved the double homicide in December 2017. It pains them to have it sit there, the letter says of the surviving family members. No one will purchase the home as it presently stands. The letter also states Coun. Jaye Robinson, the city councillor for the ward where the home is located, has given her blessing to have it demolished. Barry and Honey Sherman. (United Jewish Appeal/Canadian Press) 2018 December The anniversary of the Shermans deaths passed on Dec. 15 without news of any breakthroughs in the Toronto police investigation. Some of the 34 victims of unsolved homicides in Toronto in 2017. (Toronto Police Service) October The month of October 2018 saw a major change to the Sherman familys role in the murder investigation. In a televised news conference on Oct. 26, Greenspan announced the launch of a call centre to handle tips regarding the case, a panel of criminal and forensic experts to assess the tips and a $10 million reward for any information leading to the conviction of the killer. Greenspan also criticized the Toronto Police Services handling of the investigation, both immediately following the Shermans deaths and in the year since. Lawyer Brian Greenspan said Toronto police have not properly handled the case. He accused force of having mishandled the early stages of the investigation by not vacuuming the floors of the home for traces of evidence, not adequately inspecting entrances into the home and failing to notice 25 sets of palm and fingerprint impressions that private investigators later found. On Oct. 31, the Toronto Star reported investigators probing the murders had obtained nine more search warrants that month. September In September 2018, court documents showed Toronto homicide detectives had obtained seven more search warrants as part of their investigation into the Sherman murders. May By May 2018, months had passed with no news about the investigation from police or representatives of the Shermans. But on May 8, the Toronto Star published findings of its own investigation into the familys private autopsy of the couple. The Star reported the autopsy, requested by the family, found both Shermans had been bound at the wrists at some point during the attack, although their wrists were free when their bodies were discovered. Since no pieces of a ligature or rope were found at the scene, private investigators concluded the suspect or suspects must have taken them when they left, meaning Barry Sherman couldnt have done it himself. It was likely this information, the Star suggested, that led the police to announce in January they were investigating a double homicide, rather than a murder-suicide. February On Feb. 1, CBCs Fifth Estate reported Winter had failed a lie detector test over his allegations against Barry Sherman. Winter was also quoted saying he had fantasized about killing the Shermans but had never followed through. In this and previous interviews, Winter alluded to the legal battle he had lost with his cousin. Winter and his siblings launched a lawsuit against Barry Sherman in 2007, demanding a share of the fortune he had amassed after Barry Sherman sold his late uncles their late fathers pharmaceutical company and used the proceeds of the sale to start Apotex in 1974. In September 2017, an Ontario Superior Court judge dismissed the case as fanciful. In addition to losing his claim on Barry Shermans fortune, Winter was eventually ordered to pay him $8 million, plus $300,000 in legal costs. January On Jan. 8, 2018, Globe and Mail quoted the Sherman familys lawyer Brian Greenspan as saying it was simply absurd police would release information suggesting the case was a murder suicide so early into their investigation. Greenspan confirmed the family was conducting its own private autopsy on the Shermans bodies, but declined to comment on the findings of the autopsy. On Jan. 26, having reviewed new evidence in the case, police announced they were treating it as a double homicide. We believe now, through the six weeks of work review, we have sufficient evidence to describe this as a double homicide investigation, and that Honey and Barry Sherman were, in fact, targeted, Toronto Police Det. Sgt. Susan Gomes said during a media event that day. Barry Shermans cousin Kerry Winter. (Carlos Osorio/Toronto Star via Getty Images) In an interview with Daily Mailon Jan. 31, a cousin of Barry Sherman who had recently lost a $1-billion court battle with the late billionaire, made serious allegations against him. Kerry Winter told the British publication he believed Sherman had killed his wife and then himself, despite investigators assessments that both Shermans were murder victims. 2017 December The bodies of billionaires Barry and Honey Sherman were discovered in the couples Toronto home on Dec. 15, 2017, two days after they were last seen alive. A real estate agent who was helping to sell the $6.7 million house made the discovery. Initial reports stated police were not looking for a suspect and had found no evidence of forced entry into the home. The Shermans adult children said those early comments suggested police believed Barry Sherman had killed his wife and them himself. Our parents shared an enthusiasm for life and commitment to their family and community totally inconsistent with the rumors regrettably circulated in the media as to the circumstances surrounding their deaths, the December statement read. We are shocked and think its irresponsible that police sources have reportedly advised the media of a theory which neither their family, their friends nor their colleagues believe to be true. On Dec. 19, the Toronto Starreported that Barry Sherman had been under investigation by lobbying commissioner Karen Shepherd at the time of their deaths. Shepherd was investigating a political fundraiser Barry Sherman had held for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that allegedly broke lobbying rules. With files from CBC and Canadian Press French President Emmanuel Macron Sunday laid into Donald Trump after the American President instructed US troops in Syria to return home following discussions with Turkey. An ally should be dependable, Macron said during a press conference in Chad. I very deeply regret the decision made on Syria. To be allies is to fight shoulder to shoulder. Its the most important thing for a head of state and head of the military, he said. Trump Wednesday announced the withdrawal of some 2,000 US forces present in the war torn-country where they had been giving support to Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Kurdish forces combatting the Islamist State group. The decision according to US officials came in the wake of conversations between Trump and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The telephone conversation between two leaders took place as Turkey gears to launch a major offensive in northern Syria to crush its staunch opponents, the PKK group, that it believes are affiliated to the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), a branch of the SDF. Trump twitted he got assurance from Erdogan to flash out terrorism after US troops leave. Trumps decision, which has been enacted, took US allies in Syria by surprise and led to the resignation of US Defense Secretary James Mattis. Macron reportedly hailed James Mattis on his decision to resign following a fallout with Trump over Syria. The US is leading 12-nation coalition in Syria, entangled in a civil war since 2011. Investors in ArQule, Inc. ARQL need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Jan 18, 2019 $2.50 Call had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today. What is Implied Volatility? Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell-off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy. What do the Analysts Think? Clearly, options traders are pricing in a big move for ArQule shares, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, ArQule is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) in the Medical - Drugs industry that ranks in the Top 29% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 60 days, no analysts have increased their earnings estimates for the current quarter, while four analysts have revised their estimates downward. The net effect has taken our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter from a loss of 5 cents per share to a loss of 8 cents in that period. Given the way analysts feel about ArQule right now, this huge implied volatility could mean theres a trade developing. Oftentimes, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected. Looking to Trade Options? Each week, our very own Dave Bartosiak gives his top options trades. Check out his recent live analysis and options trade for the NFLX earnings report completely free. See it here: Trading Netflix's (NFLX) Earnings with Options or check out the embedded video below for more details: Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report ArQule, Inc. (ARQL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research In mid-December, Harvards early-entry candidates began logging onto the application status portal to learn whether theyd been accepted to one of the worlds most prestigious universities. But for one particularly famous member of the class of 2023, entry into Harvard brought a bit more than congratulations. For David Hogg, it was the last laugh. Thank you all for the well wishes, Mr Hogg tweeted Saturday morning. Ill be attending Harvard in the fall with a planned major in Political Science. Mr Hogg is one of the survivors of the 14 February shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 dead. After the shooting, he became a founding member of Never Again MSD, a group that advocates for stiffer gun control laws. He helped organise The March for Our Lives for stronger gun violence prevention measures, which drew nearly 800,000 people to the nations capital. But the 18-year-olds very public stance on gun control turned him into a target himself. His home was swatted. Hes been accused of being a crisis actor. And even typical teenager ups and downs have made national news. Mr Hogg and Harvard didnt immediately return messages on Saturday. In March, he told TMZ about his rejection letters hed received from four California colleges, even as he organised a movement that was changing the world. Mocking Mr Hogg's comments, Fox News Host Laura Ingraham tweeted a story from a conservative news website that described the teen as a Gun Rights Provocateur and said Mr Hogg was whining. David Hogg Rejected By Four Colleges To Which He Applied and whines about it, Ms Ingraham tweeted. (Dinged by UCLA with a 4.1 GPA . . . totally predictable given acceptance rates.) David Hogg Rejected By Four Colleges To Which He Applied and whines about it. (Dinged by UCLA with a 4.1 GPA...totally predictable given acceptance rates.) https://t.co/wflA4hWHXY Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) March 28, 2018 Mr Hogg took to Twitter, where his number of followers has surpassed 900,000. He compiled a list of 12 companies that advertise on Fox Newss The Ingraham Angle. Story continues In a matter of days, Ms Ingraham lost more than a dozen advertisers, including Johnson & Johnson, Nestle, Hulu, Jenny Craig, Ruby Tuesday and Miracle-Ear. The move showed the influence that Mr Hogg and the other survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting have gained and companies fears about becoming collateral damage in polarising controversies. Ingraham later apologised, but Mr Hogg blasted the move as an insincere effort just to save your advertisers. The apology . . . was kind of expected, especially after so many of her advertisers dropped out, Mr Hogg said on CNN. Im glad to see corporate America standing with me and the other students of Parkland and everybody else. Because when we work together, we can accomplish anything. In rejecting Ms Ingrahams apology, Mr Hogg accused her of being a perpetual bully, who should apologise to other people shed wronged. That didnt happen, but Mr Hogg made no mention of it on Saturday. Instead, he tweeted his response to an overwhelming sea of congratulations. The Washington Post Perrigo Company plc PRGO announced that the Irish Office of the Revenue Commissioners has issued a Notice of Amended Assessment for a tax liability of $1.9 billion (1.636 billion) related to Elan Pharma, the entity which Perrigo acquired in 2013. Shares of the company plunged almost 30% on Dec 21, following the news of such huge tax liability. Perrigos shares are down 57.5% so far this year compared with the industrys decline of 9.2%. The company is planning to file an appeal with the Irish revenue department. Perrigo strongly disagrees with the assessment and stated that no payment is required until all proceedings are complete. The proceedings are expected to take a few years to complete. The notice from the Irish government stated that Elan Pharma is liable to pay the said tax amount related to the sale of Tysabri intellectual property and related assets to Biogen BIIB in 2013. Elan was eligible to receive an upfront payment and future contingent payments from Biogen, which were recognized as trading income attracting a taxrate of 12.5%. However, the Irish revenue department stated in the notice that the sale related to Tysabri should be considered as chargeable gains subject to ahigher tax rate of 33%. This led to a massive tax bill for Perrigo. Perrigo has asked the Irish revenue department for clarification and additional documents in support of the bill. However, the authority has communicated to Perrigo thatno further information will be provided related to this tax bill and the latter should file an appeal by Dec 28, 2018. Perrigo Company plc Price Perrigo Company plc Price | Perrigo Company plc Quote Zacks Ranks & Stocks to Consider Perrigo is a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) stock. Some better-ranked stocks from the pharma space are Haemonetics Corporation HAE and AtriCure, Inc. ATRC, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Story continues Haemonetics earnings per share estimates have moved up from $2.28 to $2.33 for 2018 and from $2.96 to $3.04 for 2019 over the past 60 days. The company delivered a positive earnings surprise in three of the trailing four quarters, with the average beat being 21.27%. AtriCures loss estimates have narrowed from 88 cents per share to 87 cents per share for 2018 and from 64 cents to 56 cents for 2019 over the past 60 days. The company delivered a positive earnings surprise in two of the trailing four quarters, with the average beat being 11.81%. More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone! It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market. Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >> 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 AtriCure, Inc. (ATRC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Perrigo Company plc (PRGO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Haemonetics Corporation (HAE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Biogen Inc. (BIIB) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research London (AFP) - British Security Minister Ben Wallace said Monday the government can now deploy drone detection systems nationwide, after days of device sightings caused chaos at Gatwick Airport and criticism of the government response. Britain's second-busiest airport was forced to close its only runway repeatedly last Wednesday through Friday due to numerous reports of drones, impacting nearly 140,000 passengers and leading to the deployment of soldiers. "We are able to now deploy detection systems throughout the UK to combat this threat," Wallace said in a statement. But he warned: "The huge proliferation of such devices, coupled with the challenges of deploying military counter measures into a civilian environment, means there are no easy solutions." Meanwhile police have received around 30 pieces of "useful information" in the last 24 hours, a police-backed charity said Monday. The tip-offs came after the airport, some 30 miles (50 kilometres) south of London, on Sunday offered a A50,000 ($63,000/56,000 euro) reward for information on the incident. "Within the first 24 hours we had close to 30 pieces of useful information that we passed on to police," a spokesman for CrimeStoppers, a charity that helps police solve crimes, told AFP. "It's been a good response," he said, adding that it pays out rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of perpetrators. It launched the new appeal Sunday after police released without charge a local couple arrested Friday on suspicion of involvement. Paul Gait and Elaine Kirk, who live in nearby Crawley, said in a statement Monday they felt "completely violated" by their two-day detention. The police rejected criticism of their handling of the incident. A detective admitted it was a "possibility" that no drones had actually been in the area -- despite the discovery of a damaged device near the airport perimeter that is now being forensically examined. Story continues "We can unequivocally state that there have been numerous illegal drone sightings at the airport over three days from 19 to 21 December," Sussex police deputy chief constable Jo Shiner said on Monday. "There were numerous reports clustered around 37 occasions where a drone or drones were seen and I am keen for those responsible to be brought to justice," Shiner said. The force provided fresh details on the sightings, noting that five officers were among the witnesses who reported the devices first appearing Wednesday night. Shiner added that police were investigating what would be considered "criminal and reckless behaviour" under an aviation and maritime law punishable by a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Suggestions that there may never have been any drones at Gatwick were down to poor communications, police have said. Ministers were briefed on the latest situation at the airport in a conference call amid growing criticism of the handling of investigation by Sussex Police. The 47-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman were arrested on Friday after a tip-off from a member of the public, while their house in nearby Crawley was searched. They are no longer suspects, say police, who insists investigations are not back to square one. The couple arrested following the Gatwick chaos have been released and are no longer being treated as suspects (PA) Gatwick Airport has offered a 50,000 reward, via Crimestoppers, and another 10,000 has been put up by the charitys chairman Lord Ashcroft to catch the culprits responsible for the chaos, which grounded or delayed around 140,000 passengers. Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley said he hoped the money would persuade someone to come forward with the vital clue. We are actively investigating sightings of drone activity at Gatwick Airport following 67 reports from the evening of December 19 to December 21 from the public, passengers, police officers and staff at the airport, he said. Passengers wait in the South Terminal building at London Gatwick Airport after flights resumed today on December 21 (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) We are interviewing those who have reported these sightings, are carrying out extensive house-to-house enquiries and carrying out a forensic examination of a damaged drone found near the perimeter of the airport near Horley, which is close to the last reported sighting. DCI Tingley revealed that there were some persons of interest, but would not say if police were close to making any further arrests. Around 1,000 flights were cancelled or diverted after drones were spotted inside the perimeter of the UKs second biggest airport on Wednesday. Mr Tingley said there is no video footage available and investigators are relying on 67 drone sightings by multiple witnesses. When asked about speculation there was never a drone, he said: Of course, thats a possibility. We are working with human beings saying they have seen something. Story continues Mr Tingley said police were running a three-pronged investigation including working through information relating to persons of interest, investigating sightings and forensically examining the damaged drone, which was spotted by a member of the public. He explained the examination could be hampered by the wet weather on Friday and Saturday, which could have washed away evidence. And he could not rule out the risk the culprits would strike again at Gatwick or another airport. Someone, somewhere knows either the perpetrator or perpetrators responsible for this, or has information relating to these incidents, he said. But secondly, our tactical response, should there be any more drone sightings, is still in place. Fed up with the negative media coverage over the past four days, President Donald Trump on Sunday expedited the departure of Defense Secretary James Mattis two months earlier than planned and named the Pentagons No. 2 as a temporary replacement. Anger has mounted in the West Wing as television broadcasts and newspaper headlines focused on Mattis candid resignation letter criticizing the Presidents treatment of allies and warming relations with China and Russia, administration officials told TIME. In the letter, which Mattis hand-delivered to the White House on Thursday, Mattis suggested his last day in the Pentagon would be Feb. 28, 2019 to allow sufficient time for a successor to be nominated and confirmed as well as to make sure the Departments interests are properly articulated and protected. On Sunday, Trump ordered Mattis to leave his post atop the Pentagon within nine days. He said Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, a former executive at Boeing Co., would step into role as acting Pentagon chief on Jan. 1. Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing, Trump tweeted in part. He will be great! I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting January 1, 2019. Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing. He will be great! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2018 Mattis couldnt be reached for comment, but administration officials say he has no intention to make media appearances or interviews about his dismissal. He doesnt want to make this process any more difficult than it has to be, an administration official told TIME. Trumps decision to push out Mattis earlier than planned is unlikely to allay the withering criticism raised by both Republicans and Democrats. The response to the resignation within the military and across Washington has been a mix of shock, sorrow and fear. Story continues The Presidents move to hasten Mattis out the door also raises new questions. Mattis said in his letter that he wanted to stay on as Defense Secretary in order to attend upcoming events, including Congressional posture hearings and the NATO Defense Ministerial meeting in February. Now, he will no longer be required to testify to Congress during the hearings, public events in which he would almost certainly be asked about his decision to resign. The retired four-star Marine Corps general has spent the last 23 months of his tenure trying to thread the needle between implementing Trumps policy objectives and maintaining long-standing American principles. But ultimately, it was the abrupt decision to pull out all 2,200 troops fighting ISIS in Syria that pushed Mattis to the breaking point. To Mattis, the decision to pull out without preparation or consultation of allies was abominable. One core belief I have always held is that our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnerships, he said in the resignation letter. While the U.S. remains the indispensable nation in the free world, we cannot protect our interests or serve that role effectively without maintaining strong alliances and showing respect to those allies. Mattis added: Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position. Like Mattis, Shanahan is a Washington state native. He joined the administration after spending more than three decades at Boeing. A mechanical engineer by trade, with two advanced degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Shanahan quietly turned around some of Boeings most-troubled programs, including a multibillion-dollar missile defense system and the problem-plagued 787 commercial airliner. His success earned him the nickname, Mr. Fix-It, inside the company. At the Pentagon, Shanahan has assumed the role of a technocrat, leading efforts to cut wasteful spending and create a standalone Space Force. Hes maintained a low public profile thus far, and its unlikely hes forged strong ties around Washington like Mattis. Shanahan, who has relatively little foreign policy experience, assumes the top job at a time of historic change around the world. Hell have to juggle the continued conflict against terror groups in the Middle East, Russias renewed resurgence in Europe and Chinas muscular rise in Asia. Even before Trumps election, there was a litany of other issues putting pressure on the liberal international order that won the Cold War and advanced American interests for a half century. Shanahan now has a daunting task of navigating this minefield, while simultaneously taking pains to avoid the wrath of an ever-watchful commander-in-chief. De facto Tskhinvali Raises the Issue of Border Demarcation with Georgia at Ergneti Meeting By Gvantsa Gabekhadze Representatives of Georgian eastern, Russian-occupied Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) region have raised the issue of demarcation border with Georgia, which will make the lives of locals easier.We tried to say that this is a practical issue aiming to make peoples lives easier. They will know where the territory of South Ossetia is and where Georgia is located and there will no longer be detentions and judicial proceedings over this issue, Egor Kochiev from the de facto government said on Tuesday after the local meeting on conflict issues with the central Georgian government representatives.He said that the representatives of the central Georgian government refused to talk about the issue, as the Ergneti Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism meeting concern only humanitarian not political issues.Tskhinvali also continued to raise the Otkhozoria-Tatunashvili list, which sanctions people for violation of human rights in the regions, a representative of the State Security Service of Georgia stated.Irakli Antadze says that the discussions regarding the list which was approved by the Georgian parliament this year are not in the format of the IPRM meetings, as the meetings are for the settling of every-day problems for the local population.The Orkhozroa-Tatunashvili list is a political issue when the IPRM meetings are about humanitarian issues. However, the representatives of the occupied regions continue to raise the topic [as they are negative to the list], Antadze stated after the Ergneti meeting.Antadze stated that the Tskhinvali intention to increase fines for illegally crossing the border with Georgia is unacceptable and unlawful, as Tskhinvali is a historic region of Georgia.Tskhinvali intends to increase the fine from 30 USD to 300 USD.The Georgian State Security Service says that after the Russia-Georgia 2008 war, between 2008 and 2017, the Russia-controlled border guards have illegally detained 1,077 Georgian citizens for illegally crossing the border.The money the occupied Tskhinvali budget received due to the detentions amounted to more than 116,000 GEL [more than 42,000 USD] between 2008 and 2017.The next IPRM meeting was scheduled for 8 February 2019.The Russo-Georgian 2008 War was a war between Georgia, Russia and the Russian-backed self-proclaimed republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.The war displaced 192,000 people and while many returned to their homes after the war, 20,272 people, mostly ethnic Georgians, remained displaced.35 Georgians and 6 Ossetians remain missing since the war.Only Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria have recognized the region as an independent republic. The Royal Caribbean cruise liner Empress of the Seas is seen in Havana, Cuba. On Friday, the cruise ship reportedly rescued two fishermen who had become lost at sea. (Photo: SIPA USA/PA Images) Two Costa Rican fishermen were rescued by a passing cruise ship Friday night after having been lost at sea for nearly three weeks. A Royal Caribbean cruise liner picked up the men without injuries, a spokesman for the liner told HuffPost. The two men had been adrift between Jamaica and Cuba since Dec. 1, CNN reports. According to a statement shared by Royal Caribbean meteorologist James Van Fleet on Twitter, the ship, Empress of the Seas, happened to come across the lost men after changing course because of bad weather. UPDATE: @RoyalCaribbean #EmpressoftheSeas rescues two Costa Rican Fisherman after they were adrift Since December 1st, 2018 between Jamaica and Cuba. Details in pics - pic.twitter.com/TBIUPLp2lZ James Van Fleet (@JamesVanFleet) December 23, 2018 Pure luck, lining of the stars, God, whatever you choose to believe, the facts are we would NOT have been in that area at the time had we not switched to go to Ocho Rios, Jamaica and you cant help but think there was a greater plan in all of this, Van Fleet wrote. According to Van Fleet, the fishermens nightmare began when strong winds blew their boat into unfamiliar waters while they slept. When they woke up and realized what had happened, they tried to get back to their fishing gear, but ran out of gas. They said they only had enough food and water with them to last seven days. Royal Caribbean spokesman Ted Miller told CNN that a signal light on the mens boat alerted the cruise liner at 7 p.m. Friday. The cruise ship sent out a smaller boat, known as a tender, to recover the men after rescue centers in Grand Cayman and Jamaica said they were unable to help. One of the fishermen could no longer walk and our Empress of the Seas Crew literally carried him to the tender and carried him onboard, Van Fleet wrote on Twitter. Story continues The men were examined by a doctor, hydrated, fed, clothed and taken to a hospital in Jamaica. The crew of the Empress collected roughly $300 among them as a gift to help the men buy additional food and clothing after leaving the hospital, Van Fleet said. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. According to XDA Developers, Samsung has been working on a new low-light camera mode called Bright Night that may make an appearance in the upcoming S10 lineup. OnePlus brought Nightscape mode to their newest flagship, the Google Pixel 3's Night Sight mode can make low-light shots look like they've been taken in the daytime, and now Samsung, too, has put a revolutionary night camera mode on the docket. Better late than never. Like other leading phone manufacturers, Bright Night mode will allegedly work by taking several pictures for one shot and combining them into one brighter, clearer, correctly-exposed image without relying on an LED flash -- at least according to the code for the latest version of Android Pie for the Galaxy Note 9. Unlike some night modes, such as OnePlus's Nightscape, which work primarily to clarify and detail shots made in low-light instead of brightening the entire image, the code outlines the mode's potential to "take bright pictures even in very dark conditions" much like how the Pixel 3 treats its dark pictures. As rumors float around about the S10 collection's potential six lenses -- which isn't too far-fetched considering that the A9 was just released earlier this month with a whopping four rear cameras -- new modes and camera features are sure to make an entrance. The first S10 is expected to arrive in February 2019, possibly at the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona. Indonesian tsunami Cars and debris litter a beach in Banten, on Dec. 23, 2018, after the area was hit by a tsunami on Dec. 22 following an eruption of the Anak Krakatoa volcano. A volcano-triggered tsunami has left at least 373 people dead and hundreds more injured after slamming without warning into beaches around Indonesias Sunda Strait. (Photo by Dasril Roszandi/NurPhoto via Getty Images) As rescue crews and survivors continue to search debris-strewn beaches for victims along Indonesias Sunda Strait, officials there say the death toll following a devastating tsunami on Dec. 22 has risen to at least 373. Waves hurled without warning into buildings and swept people into the sea on Saturday night following a suspected undersea landslide caused by an eruption on Anak Krakatau, one of the worlds most infamous volcanic islands. In addition to those killed by the surging sea water, Indonesias disaster mitigation agency says well over 1,000 are injured or unaccounted for in areas along the coastlines of western Java and southern Sumatra islands, and the numbers could increase once authorities hear from all stricken areas. 1,459 people are injured, while 128 remain missing, said agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho in a statement. Global Affairs Canada says it is not aware of any Canadians that have been affected by the tsunami, although the Canadian government has issued a new travel advisory for Indonesia following the disaster. In a tweet on Dec. 23, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered his condolences to Indonesia and said Canada would be ready to send aid to the country if needed. A very shocking and tragic situation in Indonesia today we send condolences to everyone affected by the tsunami that caused so much devastation on the Sunda Strait, the tweet read. Canadians thoughts are with you and our government is ready to offer assistance if needed. As of Dec. 24, Trudeau has not elaborated on the type of aid the government plans to send, nor offered a timeline for deploying it. Neither NDP leader Jagmeet Singh or Conservative leader Andrew Scheer have offered statements about the events in Indonesia. Apples AAPL voice assistant Siri has become smarter as discovered by the venture capital firm Loup Venture. Per the firms latest Annual Smart Speaker IQ test, Siris performance has improved the most, by 22 percentage points in terms of questions answered correctly, since the last test. Notably, this year, the test was conducted on four smart speakers, including Apples HomePod, Amazon AMZN Echo, Alphabets GOOGL Google Home and Harman Kardon Invoke. These are supported by Siri, Alexa, Google Voice Assistant and Microsofts MSFT Cortana, respectively. Out of the 800 questions, Siri answered 74.6% correctly and misunderstood only three. In comparison, Alexa answered 72.5% correctly (64% last year test) and misunderstood eight, while Cortana answered 63% correctly (56% last year test) and misunderstood just five questions. Google Voice Assistant topped the test as it answered 88% correctly (81% in last years test) and understood all 800 questions. Amazon & Google Dominate the Smart Speaker Space Amazon & Google currently dominate the smart speaker market. Per data from Strategy Analytics, the two companies accounted for more than 50% of the smart speaker market share, as global shipment surged 197% year over year to 22.7 million units in third-quarter 2018. Amazon shipped 7.2 million Echo devices, reflecting year-over-year growth of 45%. The e-commerce giant had a market share of 32%, which however, declined from 64.8% in the year-ago quarter, highlighting increasing competition. Nevertheless, Amazon is expected to dominate the market, backed by robust features of Echo devices and affordability. Moreover, improving Alexa skills is a key catalyst. Further, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock has a strong focus toward expanding footprint in the global market, which is a major growth driver. Amazon.com, Inc. Revenue (TTM) Amazon.com, Inc. Revenue (TTM) | Amazon.com, Inc. Quote Story continues Google trailed Amazon with 22.7% market share that has also decreased from year-ago quarters 24.5%. However, the search giants device shipment soared 174% year over year to 5.2 million. This Zacks #3 Ranked stocks strong expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) techniques is enhancing Google Assistant skills, which is a key catalyst behind the rapid proliferation of Google Home. Alphabet Inc. Revenue (TTM) Alphabet Inc. Revenue (TTM) | Alphabet Inc. Quote Furthermore, Alibaba BABA and Xiaomi gained the most in terms of shipment although their market share was minuscule. Baidu BIDU gained the most in terms of market share, 8.4%, at the end of the third quarter. Can Apple HomePod Emerge as a Challenger? Apple sold 1.1 million HomePods and gained a market share of 4.8%. This places it at the bottom part of Strategy Analytics list. Notably, the iPhone maker is a late entrant into the smart speaker market. Additionally, rapidly increasing number of new vendors makes it tough for Apple to become a formidable challenger to Amazon and Google in the smart speaker market, at least for 2019. Apple Inc. Revenue (TTM) Apple Inc. Revenue (TTM) | Apple Inc. Quote In fact, market research firm IDC believes, despite widespread availability of Siri, Cortana, and Bixby, these will not be able to challenge Google or Amazons dominance in terms of unit shipment. Nonetheless, it will be unwise to ignore Apples endeavors in this market. A smarter Siri, along with a loyal customer base and expanding global footprint, fortifies Apples competitive position in the market. In addition, superior music quality in HomePod gives the company an edge over other speakers in the market. Further, Apples increased focus on infusing AI and machine learning in its solutions and devices is noteworthy. The company has hired former Google head of search and AI, John Giannandrea, to lead its restructured AI division that includes the machine learning division, Siri team, and the Core ML API team. In addition to all these, acquisition of start-ups like Silk Labs enhances the companys expertise in the domain. Apple currently has a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone! It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market. Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >> 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 Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Apple Inc. (AAPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research It's no secret that without Social Security, many seniors would have a much harder time paying their bills. And data from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a think tank, shows that those benefits serve the important purpose of keeping 30% of elderly Americans out of poverty. All told, 15.3 million seniors live above the poverty line thanks to Social Security income, which means that benefit cuts could be catastrophic. Unfortunately, those cuts are very much a possibility. Social Security's trust funds are expected to run dry in 2034. Once that happens, the program might be forced to cut benefits by as much as 21% if Congress doesn't step in with a fix. That sort of reduction, however, could have severe consequences for the more than 15 million seniors who are currently spared the impoverished lifestyle they would otherwise face. Older man with serious expression Image source: Getty Images. Future retirees are in jeopardy as well, particularly the 42% of today's workers with less than $10,000 set aside for the future. But while it may be too late for low-income seniors to change their fate, those who are still working can take steps to avoid landing in poverty, even if Social Security does end up getting slashed. Social Security won't be enough in retirement Many working folks assume that once they retire, their Social Security benefits will cover all of their bills. Well, they're wrong. In a best-case scenario -- meaning, no future cuts -- those benefits will replace about 40% of the average earner's pre-retirement income. Most seniors, meanwhile, need roughly double that to live comfortably. In fact, Social Security, at its core, is really just a means of poverty protection. And if you want to maintain the lifestyle you became used to during your working years, you'll need retirement income outside of those benefits. So it's crucial to set a portion of your income aside for your golden years. As a general rule, saving anywhere from 15% to 20% of each paycheck is a good way to ensure that you can live the way you want to in retirement. But for some folks, that's just not feasible. Story continues That said, saving 3%, 5%, or 7% of your income is far better than nothing at all. And the sooner you start building your retirement fund, the more comfortable a lifestyle you'll buy yourself down the line. Check out the following table, which shows how much you might retire with, depending on your monthly savings contribution: $100 $207,000 $200 $413,000 $300 $620,000 $400 $827,000 $500 $1.033 million Calculations by author. That 8%, by the way, is just below the stock market's average. When you save in an IRA or 401(k), you get the option on where to invest it, and if you go heavy on stocks, you might very well score that sort of return or higher over a long-term investment window. Now clearly, saving $500 a month will give you a much more sizable nest egg than you'll get by setting aside just $100 or $200 a month. At the same time, any effort you make will go a long way, so if you're not already in the habit of saving steadily, make some lifestyle changes that allow you to free up cash. That could mean downsizing your living space, cooking at home instead of dining out, or canceling your cable plan and gym membership. At the same time, take steps to boost your income. Grow your skills so you're eligible for a raise, or get a side job if your current paycheck doesn't offer much room for savings. Like it or not, you'll need income outside of Social Security if you want to enjoy some of life's luxuries (small or otherwise) as a senior. And if those benefits eventually get cut, you'll especially need money of your own to avoid landing below the poverty threshold. So don't wait -- the sooner you take steps to build savings, the greater your chances of avoiding the financial struggles so many of today's seniors face. More From The Motley Fool The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Early Sunday morning, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soared through the sky from its home in Cape Canaveral carrying a new GPS III satellite for the U.S. Air Force as its first national security mission. Delayed several times due to technical issues with sensors and stormy weather, the 229-foot-tall rocket lifted off at 8:51 a.m. ET, climbing straight away from launch complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, reported CBS News. This is the 20th major rocket launch from Florida this year. Although there wasnt enough propellant for a landing, the rockets first stage was successful with the single engine powering the Falcon 9s second stage ignited as planned. Two planned burns led it into preliminary orbit and an hour later, it completed the launch phase of the mission. Successful deployment of GPS III SV01 to medium Earth orbit confirmed. pic.twitter.com/4lhJpwdsip SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 23, 2018 CBS News reported that the rocket, using its on-board propulsion, will send the GPS 3 satellite through a 12,500-mile-high orbit tilted 55 degrees to the equator. It will take 12 hours to complete one orbit. The Air Force and its partner contractor Lockheed Martin will watch and test the satellite for six to nine months and then take another six to nine months examining the ground systems the spacecraft is declared operational. The satellite is the first of 10 built by Lockheed Martin and has major improvements including a redesigned Nuclear Detonation Detection System and a search-and-rescue payload. The network of new satellites will be used by both the U.S. military and civilians. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who is the chairman of the newly reconstituted National Space Council did not attend Sundays launch, but was there for the initial planned launch on Tuesday. The most important thing is that we get that rocket up safely and securely and it achieves its mission, Pence told spaceport workers, according to CBS News. I know this bird is going to fly and when it flies, its going to make a difference for the security and prosperity of the American people. This mission is the final one of 2018 for Elon Musks SpaceX and the companys 21st launch of the year, which breaks its 2017 record. Square (NYSE: SQ) applied for a banking license late last year, but it withdrew its application over the summer after the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or FDIC, raised some questions about its application. Square is back with answers, and it's ready to make its banking dreams come true. The FDIC wanted to know more about Square's proposed products and services and the infrastructure of the bank. Square says it will offer deposit accounts and loans to small businesses. Additionally, Square has built out its presence in Utah, the proposed home of the bank, and it has named Brandon Soto, a former executive at bank holding company Green Dot, as the proposed CFO of the banking division. What would a banking license mean for Square and its investors? A person inserting a bank card into a Square Terminal device. Image source: Square. A simple path to financial services Square currently offers a suite of financial services to small businesses. Its most noteworthy service is Square Capital, its business lending division. It specializes in offering loans to merchants that couldn't get a loan from a traditional bank. Square says two-thirds of its borrowers said Square Capital was their only option. Square is able to offer loans to merchants other banks won't touch because it has unique access to the inner workings of its merchants' operations. It sees data on every sale thanks to its merchant services products. It might also have insight into a company's inventory turnover thanks to Square's inventory management software. Basically every product Square makes for merchants can feed data to Square Capital to determine a merchant's credit-worthiness. But Square still has to go through traditional banks to make the loans. Investors were disappointed in the first quarter of 2016 when Square had trouble finding new investors amid a more challenging credit market. A banking license would remove that barrier and enable Square to go directly to merchants. Opening the door for less expensive and more integrated service Story continues Square's biggest competitive advantage is that it's built an ecosystem of services for merchants and consumers that enables it to price its services competitively through bundling. Adding its own deposit account for merchants can enable it to offer one of its most popular services for much, much less. Instant Deposit is one of Square's biggest services. It enables its merchants to see money in their bank account in just minutes instead of having to wait up to three days for an ACH transfer to clear. Square charges 1% of the deposit amount for the service. If a merchant held a deposit account with Square's proposed bank, however, Square would likely be able to reduce that fee, since it can monetize the banking services on the other end of the deposit. Square may even have its eyes set on consumer banking functionality to expand the capabilities of Cash App. Outgoing CFO Sarah Friar said she thinks Cash App could eventually replicate all the services of a traditional bank. An FDIC-insured deposit account would enable it to offer things like a savings account or mobile check deposits. Opening the door for competition Square is leading the way among fintech companies in offering financial services to both merchants and consumers. But it's not the only technology company with its sights set on the banking industry and the people it's ignoring. PayPal CEO Dan Schulman said he also sees an opportunity in serving the underbanked. If Square's banking license gains approval, it could open the door for competitors like PayPal and other tech companies to get licenses as well. That would make it a lot easier for deep-pocketed companies with broad reach to catch up to Square's financial services a lot faster than if they had to work with traditional banks. That would really put Square's ecosystem advantage to the test. More From The Motley Fool Adam Levy has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends PayPal Holdings and Square. The Motley Fool has the following options: short January 2019 $82 calls on PayPal Holdings and short January 2019 $80 calls on Square. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Stocks flop to begin a shortened holiday week, as U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchins call to bank CEOs backfires. Well have More on the markets coming up. Plus one bank is bullish on Apple despite a draconian sell-off. Its the call of the day. And Tesla getting hit as a big tax boon goes away. But Elons got a plan we discuss. Plus How can big tech regain users trust following a terrible 2018? Mark Zuckerberg you better be listening, as we have the answers. Catch The Final Round at 12:00 p.m. ET with Seana Smith and Brian Sozzi. Legislative Regulation Needed for Selection of Supreme Court Justices and Chairperson The new version of the Constitution went into effect at the moment the newly elected President was sworn in. According to it, Supreme Court justices are no longer nominated by the President but rather by the High Council of Justice (HCOJ), and they are appointed for life by the Parliament. The Chairperson of the Supreme Court is selected for a 10-year term by the same procedure.Notably, at this moment the legislation does not provide a transparent procedure for selecting and nominating the candidates for Supreme Court justice and Chairperson positions. Neither are there clear criteria on which the candidates are to be evaluated.The Supreme Court is the highest instance of justice over the whole territory of Georgia. Its decisions are final and are not subject to appeal by parties. The Supreme Court plays a huge role in establishing and developing court practices and the interpretation of legal norms. Given the important role of the Supreme Court in the justice system, Supreme Court justices must enjoy high public trust. Justice must be an independent, impartial, veracious and honorable professional who enjoys a good reputation with the public and professional circles.Since the Constitution of Georgia clearly states that additional qualification requirements for common court judges are determined by Organic Law, it is important to implement appropriate amendments to the Organic Law on the Common Courts before starting the selection process for candidates for the Supreme Court. These amendments should establish additional selection criteria and the procedure for nominating the candidates by the High Council of Justice.In addition, given the important role of the Supreme Court, we believe that the Organic Law should provide for the same vote requirement for nominating a Supreme Court justice candidate that is required for judges appointed to the first and second instance courts no less than 2/3 support of the full composition of the High Council of Justice.To guarantee the selection of the judges of the Supreme Court of Georgia complies with international standards and to ensure public trust in the selected candidates, the interviews with judicial candidates at the High Council of Justice must be open and their biographies must be available for the public.The Coalition positively assesses Article 205 of the newly adopted Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Georgia, which obligates the relevant committee to create a working group to assess candidates for the positions of Supreme Court justice and Chairperson in accordance with the requirements provided in the Constitution of Georgia and/or other laws.We believe that the working group should be made up of those legal professionals and representatives of civil society who uphold the principles of democracy and human rights in their work. The working group should be given a reasonable time for this process. The candidate hearings in the committee must be public and stakeholders must be allowed to pose questions. This type of process will ensure the maximal engagement of civil society, thereby raising public trust in the process.The Coalition believes that Supreme Court judges should not be elected before the Organic Law establishes detailed rules for the selection and nomination of candidates by the High Council of Justice.We call on the Parliament of Georgia to immediately start working on the amendments to the Organic Law of Georgia on Common Courts.We call on the High Council of Justice to refrain from nominating candidates before the relevant legislative amendments are adopted. Theresa May took a selfie in Waitrose (PA) Theresa May has posed for a selfie in a supermarket. The UKs beleagured PM Theresa May shrugged off her Brexit woes to do a spot of last minute Xmas shopping and even posed for a selfie with a fellow shopper. Mrs May, 62, visited a crowded Waitrose store (naturally) with husband Philip pushing her trolley when she was spotted by shopper Charles Chapman. The Tory leader who spent the lead up to Christmas facing a Commons revolt over her controversial plans to leave the EU managed to muster a smile and even chatted freely with other shoppers. She even agreed to pose for a photo with Charles as her four bodyguards hovered close by. Charles was looking for bread at the same time as the PM on Friday night. He said Mrs May looked glad to be returning to her normal domestic chores and even agreed to take a selfie with him. Parliament remains deeply divided over Theresa Mays Brexit deal and military He said: She was in high spirits. I thought she had been through a tough time lately so I put my arm around her and asked for a photo. When I asked her to press the shutter, she knew what to do. The graphic designer, from Kiln Green, Berks., bumped into the Prime Minister in the Twyford branch of Waitrose, which is near her Sonning home in Berkshire. Charles said after posing for the photo the PM wished him a merry Christmas and continued her shop. He said: It looked like she was planning a big dinner. I have seen her in Waitrose before but that was before she was one of the most famous people in the world. Theresa May has urged people to come together and ditch Leave and Remain. PA. Britons should dispense the titles Leave and Remain and instead find common ground, Prime Minister Theresa May has urged. Mrs May, who has faced a tricky 2018 with dissent to her Brexit plans from Brussels and within her own party, said it is time for differences to be put aside and focus on what really matters. Writing in the Daily Express, she suggests the concerns of voters extend beyond Britains departure of the European Union, citing schools, the NHS and housing as examples. She wrote: The sooner MPs agree the right Brexit deal, the sooner we can all get back to dealing with those issues and building a country that works for everyone. File photo dated 17/2/2016 of the EU and Union flags. MPs who want to block a no-deal Brexit will have to either vote for Theresa Mays Withdrawal Agreement or a replacement to do it, Andrea Leadsom has warned. It wont be easy, and there is a lot of hard work ahead of us in 2019. But Im confident. Because I know that when the British people come together, there is no limit to what we can achieve. Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29, two years after the Government triggered Article 50. But Mrs May still is yet to secure parliamentary approval for her Brexit blueprint and a vote is due to take place in January. Despite a difficult 2018 Theresa May has pleaded for unity. PA. Few expect it to be approved by a heavily divided Commons, and Tory MPs including Cabinet ministers appear to have begun to polarise between those who might support a no-deal Brexit and those who would actively battle against it. But in her letter, Mrs May likens the country to a family coming together at Christmas, saying: Its a time when we find it within ourselves to put aside our differences and focus on what really matters. Now, two-and-a-half years after the referendum, it is time for us as a country to do the same. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's budget director and chief of staff on Sunday said the partial U.S. government shutdown could continue to January 3, when the new Congress convenes and Democrats take over the House of Representatives. "It's very possible this shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress," Mick Mulvaney said on Fox News Sunday. "I don't think things are going to move very quickly here for the next few days" because of the Christmas holiday, added Mulvaney, who serves as director of the Office of Management and Budget and was named acting White House chief of staff 10 days ago. The U.S. Senate adjourned on Saturday unable to break an impasse over Trump's demand for more funds for a wall on the border with Mexico that Democrats are unwilling to accept. Mulvaney said the White House made a "counteroffer" to Democrats on funding for border security that fell between the Democratic offer of $1.3 billion and Trump's demand for $5 billion. As part of those talks on Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence offered to drop the demand for $5 billion for a border wall, substituting instead $2.1 billion, ABC News reported citing unnamed sources. Mulvaney sought to shift blame for the partial shutdown to Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic nominee for speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, saying she might hold up negotiations to ensure she secures the position. "I think she's in that unfortunate position of being beholden to her left wing to where she cannot be seen as agreeing with the president on anything until after she is speaker," Mulvaney said. "If that's the case, again, there's a chance we go into the next Congress." Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill disputed that account, saying in a statement: "As Mr. Mulvaney well knows, House Democrats are united in their opposition to the President's immoral, expensive and ineffective wall." Story continues The White House should "stop the posturing and start serious bipartisan talks," Hammill said. Financing for about a quarter of federal government programs - including the departments of Homeland Security, Justice and Agriculture - expired at midnight on Friday. More than 400,000 "essential" employees in those agencies will work without pay until the dispute is resolved. Another 380,000 will be "furloughed", meaning they are put on temporary leave. Law enforcement efforts, border patrols, mail delivery and airport operations will keep running. Building a wall to keep migrants from entering the United States illegally was a central plank of Trump's presidential campaign, but Democrats are vehemently opposed and have rejected his funding request. Trump reiterated his push for border security on Sunday, saying on Twitter that "the only way" to stop drugs, gangs, and human trafficking at the border was with a wall or barrier. "Drones and all of the rest are wonderful and lots of fun, but it is only a good old fashioned Wall that works!," the president said in the tweet. Earlier in the week, leaders in both the Senate and House of Representatives thought they had reached a deal that Trump would sign that contained less money for border security, only to watch the president, under pressure from conservatives, re-assert his demand for $5 billion at the last minute. Senator David Perdue, a Republican from Georgia on the Senate Banking Committee, said on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" that he thought a deal this week was possible. "I spoke to the President last night, he wants that," Purdue said, adding "I'm hopeful that cooler heads will prevail and we'll get to some number between $1.6 (billion) and $5 billion on that." (Reporting by Jan Wolfe and Lesley Wroughton; Editing by Mary Milliken and Daniel Wallis) General Mattis had issued a harsh rebuke of Trump's decision to withdraw from Syria in his resignation letter, but was due to stay on until February 28 - Getty Images North America President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he was replacing James Mattis as secretary of defence two months earlier than had been expected, amid what officials said was anger at the general's resignation letter and the attention it had received. Mr Trump's new appointment, the current deputy secretary of defence, Patrick Shanahan, will begin work on January, pushing out his boss from the post he was due to hold until the end of February. Though Mr Shanahan's appointment had been widely predicted, it had not been expected so suddenly. It effectively means General Mattis, who wrote a scathing resignation letter condemning the US leader's decision to withdraw troops from Syria and his disrespectful handling of allies, may not even return to the Pentagon to clear his desk. A senior White House official said that Mr Trump was irked by the attention given to Gen. Mattis' rebuke of his foreign policy. "He just wants a smooth, more quick transition and felt that dragging it out for a couple of months is not good, the official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Pentagon officials had previously insisted Gen. Mattis would stay through February, when he would attend a NATO defence ministers meeting. Tweeting the announcement from the White House on Sunday, Mr Trump wrote: "I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting January 1, 2019. Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing. He will be great!" It was unclear whether Gen Mattis had been informed prior to the announcement. Minutes later, further questions were raised as the president went on to appear to link the Syria withdrawal to expanding trade deals with Turkey - just as Turkish troops began to mobilise on the Syrian border. Mr Trump wrote: "I just had a long and productive call with President @RT_Erdogan of Turkey. We discussed ISIS, our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of US troops from the area. After many years they are coming home. We also discussed heavily expanded Trade." Story continues Last week, Gen. Mattis, a respected military leader who served under both Barack Obama and George Bush, infuriated Mr Trump with an excoriating resignation letter in which he attacked his unilateral decision to withdraw troops from Syria and his lack of respect for America's allies. Brett McGurk, the US ISIS envoy, also announced he was quitting. But Mr Trump's announcement was welcomed by Ankara, which had long been angered by the Western alliance with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the fight against Isil. Turkey views the Syrian Kurdish militia as an extension of the insurgency within its territory and has vowed to dislodge it fighters from the Syrian border region. Turkey has begun reinforcing its military deployment near the Syrian border for a possible operation against Syrian Kurdish militia Credit: AFP As the news that the general was being forced out broke, it was reported that Turkey had begun sending military reinforcements to the Syrian border - the fallout from America's withdrawal announcement apparently starting to take effect. According to the Turkish news station TRT, which broadcast footage, soldiers were heading to the town of Manbij, an area controlled by Kurdish forces. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also confirmed the movement. "Tens of soldiers and more than 50 military gears including trucks and armoured personnel carriers as well as other carriers that carry armoured vehicles in addition to other material and ammunition where it headed to the countryside of Manbij area, said Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the SOHR. "Around 35 tanks and other heavy weapons, carried aboard tank carriers, crossed the Jarablus border crossing in the early evening." Although the Americans have issued no timeline for withdrawal, it emerged on Friday that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey had assured Mr Trump that he would finish off the job of eradicating ISIS in Syria during a high-stakes phone call. During that same call, the US leader reportedly said: "You know what? It's yours. I'm leaving." The president has since faced intense criticism at home this past week and yesterday there appeared to be no sign of that fading. Speaking to CNN, Bob Corker, the Republican chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said: "We're in the final stages, ISIS is now concentrated in the Euphrates river valley, we're just a few months away from finishing something we started where we would annihilate large numbers of ISIS members, and we stopped. I'm just saddened for our country." Exiled Syrian opposition leader Nasr al-Hariri urged the US to coordinate its pull-out with rebel groups. ""An uncoordinated US withdrawal may leave a void that would be filled by Daesh (Isil), the Syrian regime or Iranian militias," Mr Hariri warned on Twitter. Washington (AFP) - Donald Trump on Sunday announced he would replace Defense Secretary Jim Mattis with his deputy Patrick Shanahan, days after the outgoing Pentagon chief quit while citing key policy differences with the US president, notably on Syria. "I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting January 1, 2019," the Republican leader tweeted, accelerating Mattis' planned departure by two months. "Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing. He will be great!" Mattis, 68, had said he would leave at the end of February to allow a smooth transition for the next chief of the world's top military power -- but Trump sped the process amid reports that he was upset over media coverage of the stinging resignation letter submitted by Mattis. The announcement that Mattis would leave the administration came just after Trump stunned Washington and allies abroad in declaring that US troops would leave Syria and significantly withdraw from Afghanistan. Mattis and others had strongly counseled the often impulsive president against those moves -- and the decorated retired general did little to hide his disagreement with Trump. "Because you have the right to have a secretary of defense whose views are better aligned with yours," Mattis said in the letter, "I believe it is right for me to step down from my position." "My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues," Mattis wrote. Shanahan spent over three decades working for aircraft giant Boeing, including as vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems, before moving to the Pentagon as deputy in 2017. Donald Trump has said Turkey will finish off the Islamic State in Syria as he praised the country's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan as "a man who can do it". The US president has doubled down on his decision to withdraw US troops from the region following the departure of his Defence Secretary James Mattis over the move. In a stinging resignation letter Mr Mattis warned that America must "show respect" to its allies. Turkey has been a rare ally in the US decision to withdraw from Syria - AFP Mr Trump has defended his position, tweeting: "President Erdogan of Turkey has very strongly informed me that he will eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in Syria....and he is a man who can do it plus, Turkey is right 'next door.' Our troops are coming home!" The US military confirmed that the order to withdraw American soldiers from Syria had been signed after Mr Trump held talks with his Turkish counterpart to negotiate the terms of the pullout. The US currently has around 2,000 troops in the civil war-racked country, where they have been deployed to assist in a multinational fight against the Islamic State (Isil) jihadist group. President @RT_Erdogan of Turkey has very strongly informed me that he will eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in Syria....and he is a man who can do it plus, Turkey is right next door. Our troops are coming home! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 24, 2018 Turkey was a rare ally that lauded Mr Trump's decision on Syria, a country where it will now have a freer rein to target Kurdish fighters who were armed and trained by the US and played a major role in the war against Isil but are deemed terrorists by Ankara. Mr Trump and Mr Erdogan spoke by telephone on Sunday and "agreed to ensure coordination between their countries' military, diplomatic and other officials to avoid a power vacuum which could result following any abuse of the withdrawal and transition phase in Syria," the Turkish presidency said in a statement. Story continues Mr Trump tweeted that he and Mr Erdogan "discussed (Isil), our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of US troops from the area." Some fear Turkey will now have freer rein to target Kurdish fighters who were armed and trained by the US Credit: Anadolu Agency Mr Trump's advisers have reportedly persuaded the president to withdraw the troops more slowly than he would like in order not to jeopardise their safety. A withdrawal could have extraordinary geopolitical implications, and it runs counter to long-established US policy for the region. Thousands of Isil fighters are thought to remain in Syria, but Mr Trump on Wednesday declared that "we've won against ISIS," using another acronym for the extremists. Late on Sunday he tweeted that President Erdogan had assured him that any remaining Isil fighters will be eliminated. However US politicians - including those from Mr Trump's own Republican party - and international allies fear the withdrawal is premature and would further destabilise the already devastated region. A US pullout, said Mutlu Civiroglu, a Kurdish affairs analyst, will open the way "for Turkey to start its operations against the Kurds, and a bloody war will begin." French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said he "deeply regretted" Mr Trump's decision, and that "an ally must be reliable." Israel has been careful to point out that it respects the US decision, but analysts say that beneath those public pronouncements are concerns over whether its main enemy Iran will have a freer hand. Mr Trump's sudden decision sparked turmoil within his administration, prompting the resignation of Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-Isil coalition, as well as Mr Mattis. Mr McGurk said he could not support Mr Trump's Syria decision, saying it "left our coalition partners confused and our fighting partners bewildered." Plans for the troop pullout will now be overseen by Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, who Mr Trump announced on Sunday would replace Mr Mattis starting January 1. Unlike Mr Mattis, Mr Shanahan has never served in the military and has spent most of his career in the private sector, including with aircraft giant Boeing. Until Mr Trump finds a permanent Pentagon chief, Mr Shanahan will lead plans for US troops to leave Syria along with a significant drawdown in Afghanistan, both of which critics worry will leave war-torn regions at risk of continued and potentially heightened bloodshed. ISTANBUL, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Turkey began reinforcing its positions on both sides of its border with Syria on Sunday, a Reuters witness said, as Ankara and Washington agreed to coordinate a U.S. withdrawal from Syria. The heightened military activity comes two days after President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would postpone a planned military operation on Kurdish YPG militia east of the Euphrates river in northern Syria following the U.S. decision to pull out. He also said Turkey would take over the fight against Islamic State militants. The Turkish presidency said Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call on Sunday agreed to establish military and diplomatic coordination to prevent an authority vacuum from developing as the United States withdraws. Earlier in the day, footage from broadcaster TRT World showed some Turkish convoys entering Syria via the Turkish border town of Karkamis, which is located some 35 km (22 miles) north of the northern Syrian town of Manbij. The convoys are crossing into an area controlled by the Free Syrian Army (FSA), a Turkish ally, and are heading to the frontlines of Manbij, TRT World said. Manbij has been a major flashpoint between Ankara and Washington. In June, the NATO allies reached an agreement that would see the YPG ousted from the town but Turkey has complained the roadmap has been delayed and said Turkish forces would enter the town if the United States does not remove the Kurdish militants. The YPG has been a main U.S. ally in the fight against Islamic State. Ankara says the militia is a terrorist organization and an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency in Turkey since the 1980s. HUNDREDS OF VEHICLES A Reuters witness saw hundreds of vehicles head to the southern border province of Kilis after leaving Hatay, another border province, around 0030 GMT on Sunday, as citizens sounded their horns to celebrate. The convoy included tanks, howitzers, machine guns and buses carrying commandos, the witness said. Story continues Part of the military equipment and personnel are to be positioned in posts along the border while some had crossed into Syria via the district of Elbeyli situated some 45 km (28 miles) northwest of Manbij, Demiroren News Agency (DHA) reported. Reuters could not independently verify the reason for the reinforcements and Turkish officials were not immediately available for comment. Turkey, with support from the FSA, carried out two cross-border operations in northern Syria, dubbed "Euphrates Shield" and "Olive Branch," against the YPG and Islamic State. The military offensives were focused on areas to the west of the Euphrates and Turkey has not gone east of the river, partly to avoid direct confrontation with U.S. forces. The operations carved out de facto buffer zones, which are currently under the control of Turkey and the FSA. (Reporting by Yesim Dikmen; Additional reporting by Tulay Karadeniz; Writing by Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Richard Balmforth) Ankara (AFP) - Ankara's purchase of US missiles worth $3.5 billion will not affect a deal to acquire rival S-400 missiles from Russia, the Turkish presidential spokesman said Monday. "The US Patriot sale process does not affect the S-400 process. We don't see one as an alternative for the other," Ibrahim Kalin said. The US State Department on December 19 said it had informed Congress of plans to sell a package including 80 Patriot missiles, and 60 PAC-3 missile interceptors and related equipment to Turkey. Turkey's plans to buy the Russian S-400s has drawn rebuke from its NATO allies with the United States warning that the purchase jeopardised participation in the F-35 fighter jets programme. Turkish officials have previously said it "needs" the S-400 missile defence system and repeatedly stressed that Ankara would buy systems from allies if they had sold them. Turkish media has reported that the first delivery from Russia will be in 2019. The S-400 order is seen as one of the key symbols of Turkey's closer relationship with Russia under Erdogan and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The two men have also worked closely on finding a political solution to the seven-year Syrian war despite being on opposing sides of the conflict. Turkey has provided support to Syrian rebels and called for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's ouster while Russia's intervention in 2015 helped his Damascus regime recapture swathes of the country. By Lesley Wroughton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. court on Monday ordered Pyongyang to pay $501 million in damages for the torture and death of U.S. college student Otto Warmbier, who died in 2017 shortly after being released from a North Korea prison. Warmbier's parents sued North Korea in April over their son's death. The 22-year-old student died days after he was returned to the United States in a coma, and an Ohio coroner said the cause of death was lack of oxygen and blood to the brain. "North Korea is liable for the torture, hostage taking, and extrajudicial killing of Otto Warmbier, and the injuries to his mother and father, Fred and Cindy Warmbier," Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said in her ruling. Pyongyang has blamed botulism and ingestion of a sleeping pill for Warmbier's death and dismissed torture claims. Fred and Cindy Warmbier said in a statement they had promised their son justice. "We are thankful that the United States has a fair and open judicial system so that the world can see that the Kim regime is legally and morally responsible for Ottos death," the Warmbiers said. "We put ourselves and our family through the ordeal of a lawsuit and public trial because we promised Otto that we will never rest until we have justice for him," they said. "Todays thoughtful opinion by Chief Judge Howell is a significant step on our journey." Howell's ruling was a default judgment, a type of decision entered against a party that does not appear in court. Default judgments against foreign defendants are often difficult to collect. U.S. courts can compensate default judgment holders by ordering the seizure of funds or other assets located within the country, but that is unlikely in this case because sanctions prohibit North Korea from accessing the U.S. financial system. The ruling comes at a sensitive time in U.S.-North Korea diplomatic relations, as the two countries negotiate the dismantling of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program. President Donald Trump has said Warmbier did not die in vain and his death helped initiate a process that led to a historic meeting this year between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump said in a Twitter message on Monday: "Christmas Eve briefing with my team working on North Korea Progress being made. Looking forward to my next summit with Chairman Kim!" He gave no other details. U.S. officials have said a second meeting between Trump and Kim is likely in the new year. A student at the University of Virginia, Warmbier was imprisoned in North Korea for 17 months starting in January 2016. He had been visiting the country as a tourist. North Korea state media said he was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for trying to steal an item bearing a propaganda slogan from his hotel. (Additional reporting by Jan Wolfe; Editing by Mary Milliken and Cynthia Osterman) Kiev (AFP) - Ukraine demanded the release of its sailors and more sanctions against Moscow on Monday after the Russian navy fired on and seized three Ukrainian ships off the coast of Crimea. In a sharp escalation of tensions between the ex-Soviet neighbours, Russia boarded and seized the three ships on Sunday, accusing them of illegally entering Russian waters in the Sea of Azov. The confrontation at sea has raised fears of a wider military escalation and the UN Security Council was to hold an emergency session later Monday to consider a response. NATO also called an emergency meeting on the incident. Ukraine's military was on high alert and parliament was to vote Monday on a request from President Petro Poroshenko to impose martial law for 60 days. In a statement early Monday, Ukraine's foreign ministry denounced "another act of armed aggression" by Russia. It demanded "the return of the captured navy ships" and urged its Western allies "to take all necessary measures to deter the aggressor... by applying new and strengthening existing sanctions." Moscow blamed Kiev for the incident, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accusing Ukraine of a planned provocation and of using "dangerous methods" that put ships in the area at risk. Moscow summoned a senior Ukrainian diplomat to the foreign ministry to complain over the incident. The crisis unfolded as two small Ukrainian warships and a tugboat were heading through the Kerch Strait, a waterway that gives access to the Sea of Azov from the Black Sea and which is used by both Ukraine and Russia. Ukraine said a Russian border guard vessel rammed the tugboat and then fired on the ships, immobilising all three. It said the Kerch Strait was blocked by a tanker and that Russian military aircraft were flying over the area. - Tensions over sea access - Russia's FSB security service, which oversees border forces, confirmed weapons had been fired and the vessels seized, accusing the Ukrainian ships of "violating the Russian border". Story continues Ukraine said six of its servicemen were injured, two seriously. The FSB said only three had suffered non-life threatening injuries and were given medical treatment. Russian news agencies quoted port officials in Crimea as saying the strait was reopened to traffic early on Monday. The confrontation is a dangerous development in the long-running conflict pitting Ukraine against Moscow and Russian-backed rebels in the east of the country. Tensions have been building over the Kerch Strait, where Russia has built a new bridge that gives it a land connection to Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014. Kiev has accused Moscow of blocking access for Ukrainian ships though the strait, the only way in and out of the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea. In recent months both sides had deployed more naval and border vessels to the area. Kiev and the West have also accused Moscow of deliberately blocking ships from accessing the Ukrainian port of Mariupol, which has vital access to heavy industry in the eastern part of the country. Mariupol is close to the region controlled by Russian-backed separatists in a conflict that has caused at least 10,000 deaths since 2014. The European Union and NATO on Sunday urged restraint, with the Western military alliance calling on Russia "to ensure unhindered access to Ukrainian ports in the Azov Sea, in accordance with international law". Black Sea power Turkey expressed concern on Monday while Germany said a Russian blockade of the Sea of Azov was "unacceptable". - 'Significant escalation' - "The incident marks a significant escalation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine," research firm Eurasia Group said. "Western governments will side with Ukraine against Russia over the incident... making new sanctions against Russia likely." The United States and Europe have imposed several rounds of sanctions against Moscow for its actions relating to Ukraine. Poroshenko held a late-night meeting of his military cabinet, proposing the imposition of martial law in Ukraine "to ensure the security and safety of its citizens". It was not immediately clear what measures could be imposed, but the general staff said in a statement that the military was already at "full combat readiness". Eurasia Group said martial law could have wide-ranging domestic consequences, especially with a presidential election due in March and Poroshenko behind in opinion polls. "Poroshenko did not take this kind of action during the worst of the conflict in 2014 and 2015. This raises concerns that... it could lead to postponement of the presidential election," it said. A few dozen protesters rallied outside the Russian embassy in Kiev late on Sunday, setting off flares and laying down paper boats in the snow as Ukrainian police looked on. Exclusive: UN monitor calls for independent investigation into fate of Jakelin Caal, seven-year-old who died after crossing border Jakelin Caals coffin is brought back to her home village, 220 miles north of Guatemala City. Seven-year-old Jakelin died on 8 December in the custody of US border officials. Photograph: Johan Ordonez/AFP/Getty Images The United Nations monitor who acts as global watchdog on the treatment of migrants is calling for an in-depth independent investigation into what happened to Jakelin Caal Maquin, a seven-year-old Guatemalan girl who died in the custody of the US government. Felipe Gonzalez Morales, the UNs special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, has sent a formal complaint to US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, via officials in Geneva, in which he sounds the international alarm about the death. Jakelin died on 8 December, less than 48 hours after she was detained by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at a remote border crossing in New Mexico. Gonzalez is demanding a full independent inquiry into the tragedy, to be led by judges and lawyers and in which the girls family is legally represented and given access to language translation. As a measure to prevent more deaths, he also calls for an immediate end to detention of migrant children in the US and urges the Trump administration to address failings within the immigration system to prevent similar situations. In an interview with the Guardian, Gonzalez said numerous international human rights bodies had repeatedly warned that children should not be kept in detention based on their migrant status. Detention of children has such a severe impact on them that we have repeatedly warned of the risks, he said. The UN monitor stressed that the Trump administration was bound by international laws it could not shirk. When a person, especially a child, is in the custody of a state, that state has to ensure their rights. States have an obligation to care for migrants who arrive at the border, they cannot treat them as animals in inhuman conditions. Im not saying this happened in this case, but the US has a duty in this regard. The intervention of the main international watchdog on the human rights of migrants adds to pressure for the Trump administration to go beyond the routine inquiry that is being carried out by the Department of Homeland Securitys Office of the Inspector General. Lawyers for the girls family as well as several members of Congress have decried such an internal investigation as a grossly inadequate form of self-policing. Story continues Something as serious as the death of this girl should not be left to administrative authorities, Gonzalez told the Guardian. I want to make sure that judges and public attorneys carry out the investigation fully in an independent manner without any pressure from the immigration authorities. An internal CBP inquiry would not be satisfactory. Villagers in tears in San Antonio Secortez, where Jakelin grew up. Photograph: Oliver de Ros/AP The tragic last hours of Jakelin have become a lightning rod for unease about increasingly hardline policies being pursued by Trump at the southern border. After a perilous journey of more than 2,000 miles from her indigenous community in Guatemala, she and her father, Nery Gilberto Caal, arrived at the US border on 6 December. They were among 163 migrants detained by CBP agents at Antelope Wells in New Mexico, including 50 unaccompanied children. Jakelin was reported sick as she and her father were being transported in a bus to the Lordsburg border patrol station, from where she was helicoptered to a hospital in El Paso, Texas. She died in the early hours of 8 December. Many key facts have been disputed. CBP claims it properly cared for the girl, providing her and her father with water and food and doing everything they could to save Jakelins life when her sickness became known. Her father has insisted no water was offered to them. He has said his daughter was in good health when they entered US detention. On Monday, a white coffin carrying Jakelins ended its somber journey home to San Antonio Secortez, a dusty hamlet 220 miles north of the capital. Relatives had set up a small wooden altar overflowing with flowers, photographs of the child and a sign that read We miss you. When a person, especially a child, is in the custody of a state, that state has to ensure their rights Felipe Gonzalez Morales Gonzalez told the Guardian he wanted the investigation to determine whether the Guatemalan family had been placed in hieleras holding cells at the border patrol stations where for years migrants have complained they are kept in freezing temperatures with only aluminum blankets for heat. There have been many complaints about the conditions of migrants in hieleras they are places that pose a risk to the health of the persons detained, Gonzalez said. Earlier this week it was revealed that a five-month-old infant had been hospitalized in North Carolina with pneumonia. Her migrant mother blamed the freezing conditions in CBP custody. Coming as it does on Christmas Eve, the intervention of the UN monitor falls at an awkward time for an administration that has proved sensitive to accusations it shows heartlessness towards migrant children. Trump backed down in June from his controversial policy of separating families, after massive criticism at home and around the world. Gonzalez said using the detention of very young children as a form of deterrence against migration was not only very problematic it was also a violation of international law. You are invading a persons rights as a way of securing public policy, and that is not reasonable, he said. He added that he would be keeping a close eye on new tactics being pursued by federal authorities, ostensibly to deter migrants attempting to cross into the US. CBP appears to be pursuing a deliberate policy of dragging its feet over the processing of asylum applications. This week it was also announced that in future asylum seekers will be returned to Mexico as they await decisions about their claims. Gonzalez lamented the fact that so far his requests for access to the US border with Mexico had not received the blessing of the Trump administration. The UN monitor has made two formal requests to be allowed to make an official fact-finding visit to detention centers and border patrol stations. There has been no reply from the state department. Tampa (AFP) - Life expectancy in the United States dropped yet again as drug overdose deaths continued to climb -- taking more than 70,000 lives in 2017 -- and suicides rose, a US government report said Thursday. The drug overdose rate rose 9.6 percent compared to 2016, while suicides climbed 3.7 percent, said the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics. As a result, the average life span in America dropped to "78.6 years, a decrease of 0.1 year from 2016," said the report. The data comes as the United States grapples with a vast opioid epidemic, fueled by addiction to prescription painkillers as well as street drugs like heroin and synthetic opioids including fentanyl. "The latest CDC data show that the US life expectancy has declined over the past few years. Tragically, this troubling trend is largely driven by deaths from drug overdose and suicide," said CDC director Robert Redfield. "Life expectancy gives us a snapshot of the nation's overall health and these sobering statistics are a wakeup call that we are losing too many Americans, too early and too often, to conditions that are preventable." - A 'very concerning' trend - Overdoses were a major factor when US life expectancy dropped slightly in 2015 for the first time in decades. Another downtick was reported by the CDC in 2016, though those data were later revised to show a flat year, said Robert Anderson, chief of the mortality statistics branch at the NCHS. Overall, the statistics show a "downward trend in life expectancy since 2014," a time period in which Americans have lost 0.3 years of life, he told AFP, describing the trend as "very concerning." Anderson said declines like this haven't been seen since the great flu pandemic of 1918 and World War I -- though those losses were steeper. The peak of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s also saw a nationwide drop in life expectancy. Story continues "We're a developed country, we have a lot of resources, we should have increasing life expectancy, not decreasing life expectancy," he added. Canadians live on average three years longer than Americans. Japan has the longest life expectancy in the world, at almost 84. - 'Hard to digest' - Drug overdose deaths from synthetic opioids like fentanyl -- which killed the musicians Prince and Tom Petty -- and tramadol increased by 45 percent between 2016 and 2017. The rate of heroin deaths was seven times higher than in 1999. CDC figures showed that a total of 70,237 people died of overdoses in 2017. Most of these deaths were unintentional in nature. The rise -- although dramatic at nearly 10 percent year-on-year -- was about half the spike seen a year earlier. In 2016, 21.6 percent more people died from overdoses compared to 2015. Separately released preliminary government data for the first part of 2018 have also appeared to show a leveling off in overdose deaths. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said at a health conference in October, when that data came out, that the "seemingly relentless trend of rising overdose deaths seems to be finally bending in the right direction." But experts urged caution in interpreting the results to mean the opioid epidemic has peaked, or is anywhere near an end. "It is encouraging to see the trajectory of this start to decrease, without a doubt," said Harshal Kirane, director of addiction services at Staten Island University Hospital in New York, who was not involved in the data collection. "What would be a signal of some real change would be when the total number of overdose deaths year to year is actually decreasing," he told AFP. "Seventy-thousand deaths is hard to digest in any way as a positive outcome." Beirut (AFP) - US President Donald Trump's decision last week to pull troops out of Syria could have far-reaching repercussions for the multitude of parties involved in the conflict. Turkey After a call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump appeared to be passing on responsibility for the fight against the Islamic State group (IS) to Turkey. If it fills all of the security vacuum left by the US and its current Kurdish allies, Turkey, which already has sway over northern regions, will extend its influence in Syria to a huge chunk of the country. Turkey has been threatening an offensive against the People's Protection Units (YPG), a US-backed Kurdish militia which controls northeastern Syria and is considered a terrorist group by Ankara. Kurds The YPG, which has spearheaded the ground battle against IS and lost thousands of fighters in the process, sees a US pullout as no less than a betrayal. A Turkish onslaught would put pay to the minority's ambitions of consolidating a Kurdish belt along the Turkish border and securing increased autonomy. The beleaguered Kurds may have to seek a rapprochement with the government in Damascus to guarantee protection from their Turkish archfoes and cut their losses. Damascus and allies If it works with the Kurds, the government could split the US vacuum with Turkey and recover more of Syria, including the former IS stronghold of Raqa and several oil fields. Once rid of US military presence along the Iraq-Syria border, Iran -- Damascus's main backer with Russia -- can consolidate its land bridge to the Mediterranean, a decades-old strategic goal. For Moscow, the US troops withdrawal would complete a process that saw it take over from Washington as the main international player in the Syrian conflict but will also come with added responsibility to solve it. Rebels The various jihadist and rebel outfits stationed in Idlib province, which is already under Turkish influence, could see reshuffled alliances herald a much-feared government offensive on their last bastion. Story continues According to geographer and Syria expert Fabrice Balanche, their only alternative would be to further throw their lot in with Turkey, wage its battle against the Kurds and be used as settlers in reconquered areas. The Islamic State group The jihadists have been confined by the US-Kurdish offensive to an ever-shrinking pocket along the Euphrates River valley. But contrary to Trump's claim, they have not been eliminated and some analysts and officials, including in Washington, see the US pullout as abandoning the fight against IS as victory nears. The jihadists had been planning for military defeat in their last redoubt and a slump in operations against them could allow them to regroup and prepare for "IS 2.0". Israel Israel has been described as one of the big potential losers from a US withdrawal that could encourage Iran and its proxies to develop their military capabilities closer to its northern borders. Yet Israeli officials and analysts have stressed that the Jewish state has long managed that front alone and would continue to do so. It may even look increasingly to Russia to achieve its strategic goals. 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 K3 Capital Group Plc (LON:K3C), by way of a worked example. K3 Capital Group has a ROE of 72%, based on the last twelve months. Another way to think of that is that for every 1 worth of equity in the company, it was able to earn 0.72. Check out our latest analysis for K3 Capital Group How Do I Calculate ROE? The formula for return on equity is: Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders Equity Or for K3 Capital Group: 72% = 5.953 UK8.3m (Based on the trailing twelve months to May 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 Return On Equity Signify? Return on Equity measures a companys profitability against the profit it has kept for the business (plus any capital injections). The return is the profit over the last twelve months. 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 ROE can be used to compare two businesses. Does K3 Capital 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. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. As you can see in the graphic below, K3 Capital Group has a higher ROE than the average (22%) in the Professional Services industry. AIM:K3C Last Perf December 24th 18 Thats clearly a positive. I usually take a closer look when a company has a better ROE than industry peers. For example, I often check if insiders have been buying shares . Story continues Why You Should Consider Debt When Looking At ROE Companies usually need to invest money to grow their 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 K3 Capital Groups Debt And Its 72% Return On Equity Shareholders will be pleased to learn that K3 Capital Group has not one iota of net debt! Its impressive ROE suggests it is a high quality business, but its even better to have achieved that without leverage. After all, with cash on the balance sheet, a company has a lot more optionality in good times and bad. The Bottom Line On ROE Return on equity is one way we can compare the business quality of different companies. A company that can achieve a high return on equity without debt could be considered a high quality business. If two companies have the same ROE, then I would generally prefer the one with less debt. But when a business is high quality, the market often bids it up to a price that reflects this. 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 I think it may be worth checking this free report on 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. This article is written for those who want to get better at using price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). Well show how you can use Khong Guan Limiteds (SGX:K03) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. Khong Guan has a P/E ratio of 51.02, based on the last twelve months. That is equivalent to an earnings yield of about 2.0%. See our latest analysis for Khong Guan How Do You Calculate A P/E Ratio? The formula for P/E is: Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for Khong Guan: P/E of 51.02 = SGD2.05 SGD0.040 (Based on the trailing twelve months to July 2018.) Is A High P/E Ratio Good? A higher P/E ratio means that buyers have to pay a higher price for each SGD1 the company has earned over the last year. That isnt a good or a bad thing on its own, but a high P/E means that buyers have a higher opinion of the businesss prospects, relative to stocks with a lower P/E. How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios Probably the most important factor in determining what P/E a company trades on is the earnings growth. Thats because companies that grow earnings per share quickly will rapidly increase the E in the equation. Therefore, even if you pay a high multiple of earnings now, that multiple will become lower in the future. A lower P/E should indicate the stock is cheap relative to others and that may attract buyers. Khong Guan shrunk earnings per share by 20% over the last year. But EPS is up 30% over the last 3 years. And it has shrunk its earnings per share by 50% per year over the last five years. This could justify a pessimistic P/E. How Does Khong Guans P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers? The P/E ratio indicates whether the market has higher or lower expectations of a company. The image below shows that Khong Guan has a higher P/E than the average (22.7) P/E for companies in the consumer retailing industry. SGX:K03 PE PEG Gauge December 24th 18 Its relatively high P/E ratio indicates that Khong Guan shareholders think it will perform better than other companies in its industry classification. The market is optimistic about the future, but that doesnt guarantee future growth. So further research is always essential. I often monitor director buying and selling. Story continues Dont Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits Its important to note that the P/E ratio considers the market capitalization, not the enterprise value. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. Hypothetically, a company could reduce its future P/E ratio by spending its cash (or taking on debt) to achieve higher earnings. Spending on growth might be good or bad a few years later, but the point is that the P/E ratio does not account for the option (or lack thereof). Is Debt Impacting Khong Guans P/E? The extra options and safety that comes with Khong Guans S$18m net cash position means that it deserves a higher P/E than it would if it had a lot of net debt. The Verdict On Khong Guans P/E Ratio Khong Guan has a P/E of 51. Thats significantly higher than the average in the SG market, which is 11.8. Falling earnings per share is probably keeping traditional value investors away, but the healthy balance sheet means the company retains potential for future growth. If fails to eventuate, the current high P/E could prove to be temporary, as the share price falls. Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. If the reality for a company is better than it expects, you can make money by buying and holding for the long term. We dont have analyst forecasts, but you might want to assess this data-rich visualization of earnings, revenue and cash flow. You might be able to find a better buy than Khong Guan. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings). 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. LURKING FEAR THE ELF CHRISTMAS TWISTER (aka F6 TWISTER) XMAS TALE SILENT NIGHT, BLOODY NIGHT ALL THROUGH THE HOUSE MERCY CHRISTMAS JULEBLOD (aka CHRISTMAS BLOOD) SECRET SANTA DEAD END AMERICAN EXORCIST JACK FROST CHRISTMAS EVIL MOM P2 RARE EXPORTS FEEDERS 2: SLAY BELLS KRAMPUS Graphic was made using icons made by Pixel perfect and srip from www.flaticon.com under a Creative Commons license. Still looking for that perfect holiday movie to watch? Here are 18 christmas horror films to give you some inspiration. They're all available to stream on either Tubi, Vudu, or Prime (not all for free, though). You'll notice that some of the bigger names, like, have been left out. I simply based this ranking on *only* the christmas movies that i've watched this month, and they all had to be movies I'd never seen before. Hopefully this list brings you new titles to watch. There are plenty more holiday horror flicks out there, so please feel free to discuss your favorites or least favorites in the comments!Lurking Fear is loosely based on H.P. Lovecraft's writing. I guess. It was boring. The best part about it was the makeup of the demons, but other than that, simply don't waste your time.One of the shittiest films I've ever seen. Let's start with the acting. Horrible. Scenes of people being stabbed elicited no sound from the victim. The main actor was wooden. He had barely any lines and didn't tell his girlfriend anything, but whenever she'd ask him something he'd say, "It'S wHaT I'vE BeEn TrYiNg To TeLl YoU!" Actually, no you haven't because you've barely said anything all movie! And as for the story - well it took 40 minutes for the stupid elf to kill anyone, and the attack was off-screen. Sometimes the elf was a doll, sometimes it was cheap CGI. When we did finally see the elf attack, it was downright hilarious, which is the only reason why this isn't ranked as The Absolutely Worst on my list. Those few moments were far too rare to give this movie a positive review, though.Well, this isn't really a horror movie, but I watched it for my challenge so I'm counting it. To get an idea of how bad this movie is, let's just say the title card misspelled "Christmas" as "Christams." That's my favorite thing about this movie. The next favorite thing about this movie is, and I don't care that it's a spoiler, but the dog lived. Otherwise, the movie was boring as hell. Not enough action scenes. I wanted more bad fx.It's not that this movie was bad, just that it was... quite juvenile. It's part of a Spanish series called "Films to Keep You Awake". It might be scary if you're like ten years old, but otherwise, no. It's part friendship-drama, but also... zombie movie?! Cute.This movie was a mix of unsettling but also boring. Some of the scenes were genuinely creepy - for example, the killer's phone calls! Also, the violence was well-done; the film begins with someone being burned alive. If you like slashers but haven't seen this, give it a watch. The script isn't perfect but it rings a few good notes. The story's connection to Christmas is thin, but I'm counting it anyway.Gore was A+. Really good practical effects. Story was B-/C+ it got VERY over the top. I was kind of like, oh this is what you're doing...? But, in terms of the Christmas spirit? A+!It's pretty macabre and messed up. Good performance from the lead actor. I rooted for him the entire time.What the film lacks in plot is almost made up in its style and gore. It's decent enough if what you want is a movie that's nice to look at and features a killer in a santa suit, a high body count and the occasional jump scare.Now this was a pleasant surprise. The horrible acting in the opening scene almost made me turn it off, but I decided to give it a chance. The acting definitely improved as the story went on (not saying it's Oscar worthy, of course). And despite the lack of a high budget, the gore was impressive. The film had a retro style look and sound to it. And I never guessed who was responsible for the killings.It's a surreal, well-acted flick that pulls off the laughs and the scares. (With Ray Wise and Lin Shaye though, how could it not be good?!)Falon Joslyn was really great in this - not only is she super cute but she basically carried the entire film. Bill Mosely's part was secondary and minor, although important. Scenes had cool lighting and the synth soundtrack was fun. Not totally keen on the ending, I think that was the weakest part. But overall enjoyable and one to watch with the lights off!So stupid, but so funny. Jack Frost is a murderous snowman with some killer one-liners. Very creative death scenes here. Corny, but fun.Probably the most disturbing entry in all of these. And one hell of an ending!In an early scene, we see that it's Christmas time with the title character setting up her holiday decorations. There's little more to tie this movie to Christmas but I'm still counting this in my Christmas horror. Anyway, what is better than a soon-to-be-grandma turning bloodthirsty werewolf?! I loved this movie!I already wrote about this in my previous post. Wes Bentley is really good in his villain role.This is a weird one! Fun and dark. Recommended if you want to watch something offbeat this holiday season.This no-budget - literally: there was no budget - horror movie about an alien invasion on Christmas Eve is so... awesomely terrible. I thought it would be a one-star viewing, but I was laughing so hard and enjoying the hell out of it so much that I gave it four stars. It'll likely be one of the most entertaining films you've ever seen. Don't watch a trailer because it will give the entire movie away. Just put it on (it's currently available on Prime) and enjoy the ride!So Toni Collette has starred in two of the best horror films of all time?! I guess so! Krampus is hilarious, dark, and shockingly rated PG-13! I found out later that it's made by the same guy who did Trick R Treat, so now it all makes sense why it's so damn good. Will now be part of my annual Christmas movie watch! The net zero carbon emissions movement has finally entered the mainstream for investment professionals. Despite a U.S, delegation declaring its intention to burn more fossil fuels at an environmental conference in Poland, sounding like the energized, fossil fuel advocate and former Alaska governor Sara Palin saying, Carbon? You betcha!, on December 20 a group of 93 institutional investors with $11.5 trillion under management published a letter in the Financial Times. The letter stated strongly that we require power companies to plan their future in a net zero carbon economy. We expect specific timelines and commitments These institutional investors, typically a fairly conservative group, stated more or less accurately that the electric power generating sector accounts for one-quarter of global carbon emissions. And that sector had better clean up its act, so to speak, and do it with relative haste. For example, the investors want all coal-fired power generation owned by portfolio companies shuttered by 2030, that is, within the next decade. Furthermore, these enviro-investors assert that action on climate change remediation delivers offsetting economic benefits. To them, carbon reduction should not be seen at all as an economic negative. This, however, is not the first demand for carbon reduction by investors, and probably will not be the last. Although $11.5 trillion of investments sounds like a large number, it pales in comparison with the total world market for stock and bonds, which totals about $160 trillion, more or less. The anti-carbon investment movement does not, at least at this point, speak for all investors. (The market value of all US electric utility company stocks and bonds totals about $1.2 trillion, incidentally.) Related: Saudis Tread On Thin Ice As Prices Slide But also consider the dynamics of investment management. Managers do not like to take public positions that annoy important clients. Its kind of a basic rule. Large oil companies, for example, might not retain pension fund managers who speak out aggressively about global warming. But above all else, investment management resembles a sport. It is all about the teams performance on game day. No one wants or can long afford to underperform their competitors, occurs by retaining positions in companies which, so to speak, never saw it coming. And managers charged with acting in a fiduciary capacity seldom relish explaining why they failed to anticipate elevated risk and declining return prospects in a significant portion of the stocks comprising their portfolios. There is an enormous amount of money currently dedicated to passive investing with portfolios that essentially mirror the existing market or relevant subset thereof. In the US, the electric utility industry despite its importance for the economy and overall welfare of the population, comprises a rather small portion of the equity market, only 2-3%. In other words, it is possible for institutional investors to build robust portfolios that approximate the markets composition without owning any electric utility stocks. The electric utility industry is barely a factor with respect to broad market indices like the S&P 500. Investment managers wishing to avoid controversy and investors expressing environmental preferences can now both jettison fossil-fueled electricity generators and suppliers from their portfolios without affecting performance. Related: IEA Chief: U.S. Oil Output To Near Saudi+Russian Production By 2025 As an aside we should point out that this new attitude toward carbon emissions could soon put electric companies in the so-called sin bin along with liquor distillers, cigarette manufacturers and casino operators stocks that cause offense to one group or another. Future investors will have to account for not only the usual panoply of business and operating risks. But now there is the additional stigma. And electric company executives may also begin to see diminishing prospects to both their careers and their finances. Electric utility companies in the US and Europe are already moving away from coal and other fossil fuels. As a boiler fuel coal is rapidly losing market share to natural gas. This switch alone reduces CO2 emissions by roughly one half. However, the future of electric power generation over the next decades may turn out to be a rather unpleasant competition between natural gas and the declining cost curves of renewables. These dynamics spring from engineering progress and changing economics rather than investor activism alone. In short, pressure from investors may accelerate a trend already underway. By Leonard Hyman and William Tilles for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Energy planners in Saudi Arabia must be scratching their heads in wonder, even possibly despair. The oil-rich kingdom had picked itself up after threats of near economic collapse in 2015-2016 amid a then oversupply scenario in global oil markets with prices that dropped to multi-year lows, but now things are looking grim once again. After the kingdom's ill-fated decision in late 2014 to open the oil production spigots and ramp up production in the midst of an oil supply glut mostly due to increased U.S. shale oil production, prices tumbled. They had reached over $100 per barrel in mid-2014, but by January 2016 had dipped below the psychologically important and economically damaging $30 per barrel price point. The results for the Saudis was cataclysmic, with problems ranging from historically high budget deficits (reaching a then-record high of $98 billion in 2015) to being forced to put in place its first ever and politically unpopular austerity measures as well as issuing its first international bond sale to raise much-needed funds. By October 2016, with Saudi state coffers low and the government bleeding red ink, Mohamed Al Tuwaijri, the Saudi deputy economic minister, said in a rare appearance on national television, if we (Saudi Arabia) didnt take any reform measures, and if the global economy stays the same, then were doomed for bankruptcy in three to four years." The formation of OPEC+ By late 2016, the Saudis had had enough and were forced to turn to non-OPEC producers to stop the pain, including oil production heavyweight and longtime adversary Russia, forming what is now known as OPEC+. The new group of oil producing partners was able to trim oil production enough to restore OECD oil inventory levels back to five year averages around the third quarter of 2017 and not only put a floor under prices, in essence restoring a semblance of market equilibrium, but their actions drove prices to four year highs this October, so high that it created concerns of demand destruction. Related: Can China Save South Sudans Oil Sector? As the Saudis, albeit with Russias help, regained control of global oil markets, it seemed that the kingdom got its swagger back, including a global charm offensive by its young and charismatic de facto leader Mohammed bin Salman. His softer tone with longtime regional foe Israel, his close relationship with the Trump administration and his plans to revamp the Saudi economy, including less dependency on oil revenue seemed too good to be true - but at the end of the day, it fell apart. The global oil price plunge Global oil markets became saturated again, oil prices have quickly dropped around 40 percent since reaching October highs, along with slowing global economic growth in large part due to ongoing trade tensions between Washington and Beijing are setting in. On top of this laundry list of oil market worries, the worlds top three oil producers, the U.S., Russia and Saudi Arabia, have been pumping oil at record levels. Waning Saudi prestige However, the biggest detriment in the Saudi plan to revamp both its global image and its economy has been Saudi implication in the controversial death of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in early October in the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Now, amid still fresh wounds to Saudi prestige as well as doubt over bin Salmans ability to rule the kingdom, foreign investment in Saudi Arabia is drying up, possibly taking the kingdom precipitously close to the dismal days of 2015 and 2016 when it looked like Saudi Arabia could come apart at the seams. Related: Chinese Refiners Arent Buying U.S. Crude Meanwhile, oil prices are continuing their downward trajectory, with wilder swings that previous markets, likely due to increased speculation and more electric trading of the commodity. Global oil benchmark Brent crude is now trading in the mid-$50s range, while U.S. oil benchmark, NYMEX-traded West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude is hovering in the mid-$40s range, a price point unthinkable just two months ago. It remains to be seen if the new OPEC+ oil production deal to trim output by 1.2 million b/d, starting in January and lasting for six months, with a review period in April, will help oil market jitters and be enough to dry up oversupply. However, given that the U.S. will continue to ramp up production, to an U.S. Energy Information Administration estimated 12.1 million b/d or higher next year, and with the likelihood that no trade deal will be reached between Washington and Beijing by their self-imposed March 2 deadline, oil markets will likely remain nervous with prices through the first quarter remaining in the mid $40 to mid $50s range or possibly lower, at which point deja vu will set in for Saudi Arabia, all too reminiscent of a few years ago when the kingdom barely survived economically. Good luck, Saudi Arabia, youre going to need it. By Tim Daiss for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Chinese liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports soared by 48.5 percent in November 2018, compared to the same month last year, as China continues to have parts of the country switch to natural gas from coal for heating. Chinas LNG imports last month reached 5.99 million tons, beating the previous record of 5.18 million tons from January 2018 in the previous heating season, according to data from Chinas General Administration of Customs, as carried by Reuters. LNG imports into China in the first eleven months of this year jumped by 43.6 percent compared to January-November 2017, to 47.52 million tons and on course to easily beat the full-year LNG import record of 38.13 million tons from 2017, according to the customs data. This winter season, Chinese authorities are determined to avoid another severe natural gas supply shortage. 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. This year, weather is also in favor of Chinese authorities. Milder weather a month into the heating season through mid-December has led to expectations that China wont see another supply crunch between December and February. Over the past week, LNG prices for February delivery in Asia rose slightly compared to the previous week, due to lower shipping rates as more LNG ships have become available and thanks to a slight drop in winter temperatures in some parts of Asia. According to traders who spoke to Reuters, Asian demand as a whole remains subdued, and price rises would be short-lived. A sustainable increase in Asian LNG prices would come if the weather in Asia turns cold for at least three weeks. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: 130 Years of Medicine in Hong Kong: From the College of Medicine for Chinese to the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine Author: Frank Ching Publisher: Springer Nature Singapore Veteran journalist Frank Ching has published a book documenting the history of the faculty of medicine at the University of Hong Kong. The College of Medicine for Chinese, the precursor of the faculty, opened its doors in 1887. At the time, the British doctors who founded the college saw the colony as a stepping stone to mainland China, where millions of sick and suffering patients required treatment. Founding dean Dr Patrick Manson had a vision of the colleges graduates forming an ever-increasing army that would reform medical practice in China and be the pioneers of science. The colleges first batch of students included Sun Yat-sen, who became the founder of modern China. In 1913, the college became part of the new HKU. The universitys faculty of medicine, which celebrated its 130th anniversary last year, emerged as one of Asias finest after weathering financial difficulties, the Japanese invasion and the outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome. The following are excerpts from Chings book. The genesis of the college The College of Medicine for Chinese was founded by Dr Patrick Manson and like-minded doctors who gave freely of their time and service. The College, like the Alice Memorial Hospital in which it was housed, was supported by the London Missionary Society. Many missionaries yearning to deliver the word of God to Chinas teeming masses saw the British colony as a path into the mainland. Manson, who spent more than two decades in Hong Kong and China, was not a missionary out to save Chinese souls but a medical man who saw Hong Kong as a stepping stone to Chinas millions of maimed and sick bodies. The foundation stone of the Alice Memorial Hospital, on the corner of Hollywood Road and Aberdeen Street, was laid on June 3, 1886 by Sir William Henry Marsh, then serving his second stint as Officer Administering the Government. The Reverend John Chalmers, who represented the London Missionary Society which operated the hospital, made another announcement related to the Alice Memorial Hospital. It is intended to make it a school of European medicine and surgery, he said. Story continues That was the genesis of the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese. This announcement was welcomed by Sir William Marsh, the acting governor. Up to then, the colony offered no tertiary education and the proposed medical college would be the first such institution. The first intake, in 1887, consisted of 12 students. Among them, Sun Yat-sen, the revolutionary who became the founding father of the Republic of China after the Qing dynasty of the Manchus collapsed in 1911, emerged as the most distinguished academically. The young man, after returning to Cuiheng Village in Xiangshan County in southern China following a sojourn in Hawaii, proved himself literally an iconoclast by breaking the statue of a god being worshipped by fellow villagers and had to flee to Hong Kong. In the British colony, he studied at the Diocesan Home and then the Government Central School and was baptised as a Christian by Dr Charles Hager, an American Congregationalist missionary. He then enrolled in the education programme of the Canton Boji Hospital under the American Presbyterian missionary John Kerr. However, when Sun learned of the opening of the College of Medicine for Chinese, he returned to Hong Kong and enrolled in it. A formal inauguration of the College of Medicine for Chinese was held on October 1, 1887. Dr Patrick Manson, in his capacity as dean, delivered a lengthy, thoughtful address. He began by announcing the birth of the medical college and asked for sympathy and support from both the government and the private sector, arguing that Hong Kong should be not only a hub of commerce but also a centre of light and guidance to China in all matters pertaining to civilisation. Manson proved sensitive to Chinese sentiments. That European science and other portions of our civilisation will be adopted by China is certain, he asserted, but the rate at which the conversion is to be effected is uncertain. Manson possessed a vision of the colleges graduates forming an ever-increasing army that would reform medical practice in China and be the pioneers of science. As the end of the first academic year neared, plans were made to hold the first professional examinations. The examinations were in two parts, written and oral. The 12 students were each examined in seven subjects. Of the 12 students who took the examinations, six passed in all subjects, one failed botany and the remaining five failed the examinations as a whole. The top student was John Wong, who was born in the United States and who had scored 82 per cent. Next was Kong Wing-wan, who was born in neighbouring Guangdong province and had studied English in Hong Kong before enrolling in the college. He scored 75 per cent. The student who came in third, with 71 per cent, was Sun Yat-sen. He graduated from the college in 1892. Becoming part of HKU and surviving the second world war The college agreed to become part of the new University of Hong Kong in 1913. The university faced bankruptcy within years of its establishment and was rescued by Loke Yew, a business magnate in British Malaya. Many of the students came from Malaya while quite a few others were sponsored by Chinese government institutions. In the 1920s, the Rockefeller Foundation endowed chairs in surgery, medicine as well as obstetrics and gynaecology, providing a major boost to the faculty of medicine. The Japanese invasion of China in the 1930s created a wave of refugees into the British colony. The war drew closer to Hong Kong and, by December 8, 1941, when the university was holding examinations, Japanese bombs began falling on Hong Kong itself. As soon as the Japanese invasion began, the university halted its operations. During the following three years and eight months, Japan occupied Hong Kong. With the exception of a few who managed to flee Hong Kong, most educators who were nationals of countries at war with Japan were kept in internment camps. The bulk of the students fled across the border into China, where medical students generally were able to continue their studies at mainland universities such as Zhongshan University and Lingnan University in Guangzhou. The university reopened its doors in 1948. Medicine under one country, two systems With the approach of 1997, the universitys faculty of medicine, like the rest of the medical profession, prepared for Hong Kongs unification with China under the concept of one country, two systems. The medical profession took steps to safeguard its autonomy. The Hong Kong Academy of Medicine was created to supervise training and to set postgraduate qualifications. The powers of the Hong Kong Medical Council were enhanced to include postgraduate medical education. While previously British-educated doctors were automatically qualified to practise in Hong Kong, they lost this right in 1997. China-trained doctors demanded but were refused similar rights after 1997. The Chinese government did not intervene since everything was done in accordance with the one country, two systems policy and the Basic Law. So although Hong Kong is now part of China, its medical profession is sealed off from that on the mainland. The opening of the 21st century saw Hong Kong struck first by the H5N1 avian flu, which was suspected to have been imported from the mainland, followed by Sars. The medical faculty played its due role, advising the government on the chicken cull and, where Sars was concerned, identifying the coronavirus responsible. The university now runs a hospital in mainland China, the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital. The current hospital chief executive is Professor Lo Chung-mau, chair professor at the universitys department of surgery. The hospital employs more than 500 doctors from the mainland and overseas, including more than 100 Hong Kong doctors. Truly, these doctors can be seen as Mansons ever increasing army that would reform medical practice in China and be the pioneers of science. This article An army of doctors to reform medicine in China: the 130-year history of the faculty of medicine at the University of Hong Kong first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Chinese coffee chain operator Luckin Coffee has vowed to continue subsidising consumers despite bleeding well over 850 million yuan (US$123 million). In a statement on Monday the company confirmed earlier Chinese media reports that it had lost more than that amount in the first three quarters of the year, adding that the full-year loss would be much larger. It is our established strategy that we will race to grab market share through subsidies, the Xiamen-based start-up said. [So far], the loss is in line with our expectation. Founded in 2017, Luckin has had an espresso-charged start in terms of store expansion and valuation, and is now seen as one of the up-and-coming challengers to Starbucks in China. The company has sold over 85 million cups of coffee and has amassed a customer base of more than 12 million in less than a year since its soft launch, according to the statement. It has opened over 1,700 stores in 21 major cities across the country and claims thorough coverage of downtown Beijing and Shanghai, where there is essentially a Luckin cafe within a five-minute walk. Meituan to team with Starbucks China rival Luckin Coffee Meantime, the coffee chains valuation has jumped from US$1 billion in an A round of fundraising in July to US$2.2 billion after it completed a US$200 million B round earlier this month. The latest round was led by its existing investors including Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC, China International Capital Corporation, Joy Capital and Centrium Capital. The formula behind Luckins jump start into unicorn status and blanket coverage is not entirely new, with Chinas on-demand internet service providers typically offering subsidies to quickly gain a critical mass of customers. The strategy was used by ride hailing giant Didi Chuxing during its market share fight with US-based Uber Technologies in 2016, and more recently by Meituan Dianping in its ongoing battle with Alibaba backed Ele.me in food delivery. Story continues Luckin guarantees a delivery time of 18 minutes from the time customers in major cities place their order via their phone app, Luckin chief executive Qian Zhiya said in a July interview. The company is planning a tie-up with on-demand giant Meituan for delivery services, according to people familiar with the matter. Starbucks and Ele.me reached a similar deal in August to help the Seattle-based coffee chain move sales online in China. Alibaba is the parent company of the South China Morning Post. This article Chinas Starbucks challenger Luckin Coffee vows to maintain subsidies even as losses mount 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: House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. PASAY CITY, Philippines House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. said the House of Representatives will heed to President Rodrigo Dutertes call to abolish the Road Board due to allegations of corruptions surrounding the agency. The President has spoken. We heard his message to the House. We will act based on his guidance. As an institution, we will heed the Presidents call, Andaya said in a statement. Andaya earlier claimed that he had talked to the President who allegedly agreed to maintain the board and release the road users tax. Also, Andaya alleged that Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo and Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno were out of touch for saying that the President wanted the Road Board abolished. But on Friday (December 21), President Duterte clarified his position on the issue and said he supports the Senate on abolishing the graft-ridden agency. And I had a talk with president Arroyo and apparently there was a misunderstanding because all along I really wanted to abolish the road tax. And Andaya says now that I was one of those who said that it should be maintained. No, nagkamali sila doon. My feelings about that board is was at the strongest against its being there. Kasi walang ginawa yan kung hindi ma-corrupt, the President said during the Change of Command Ceremony at the Philippine Air Force base in Pasay City. The Road Board is the agency tasked to manage the road users tax known as the motor vehicle users charge (MVUC) which funds road repairs and maintenance works. It has made headlines for allegedly serving as cash cow to corrupt government officials thats why the President wants it abolished. The Senate has adopted and approved the HORs version of the proposal to abolish the Road Board. Both Houses of Congress passed the bill during the Speakership of Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez. The Lower House, however, rescinded its approval on the bill when Speaker Gloria Arroyo took over. Story continues With the decision coming from the President, Andaya said the Lower House can now concentrate on the scrutiny of the 2018 budget, parked pork and P75-billion DBM insertions. Andaya said, however, that the House will support the abolition if the tax from the MVUC will become part of the annual budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as line-item fund in the General Appropriations Act. He also insists that non-road user activities such as garbage collection be removed from the spending menu. Andaya assured that: If the President will send a better bill and certify it as urgent, the House, convinced of its merits, will approve it without delay. Marje Pelayo (with reports from Rosalie Coz) The post House leaders concede on Dutertes call to abolish Road Board appeared first on UNTV News. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte gives a gift to one of the pediatric cancer patients during his visit to the Southern Philippines Medical Centers Cancer Institute Childrens Unit in Davao City on December 23, 2018. | PCOO\Toto Lozano MANILA, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte visited young cancer patients in Southern Philippines Medical Center Institute Childrens Unit in Davao City on Sunday (December 23). In photos released by Malacanang, the Chief Executive was seen interacting, greeting and giving gifts to children. This has been a tradition for the president to visit sick children every holiday. The Palace already said that the president will spend the holidays in Davao with his family. UNTV News & Rescue The post President Duterte visits young cancer patients in Davao appeared first on UNTV News. Estimated global migration flows by region from 2010 to 2015. Numbers indicate millions of people. Credit: Azose and Raftery, PNAS, 2018 On today's increasingly crowded globe, human migration can strain infrastructure and resources. Accurate data on migration flows could help governments plan for and respond to immigrants. Yet these figures, when available, tend to be spotty and error-ridden, even in the developed world. Researchers have developed approaches to estimate migration rates, but even the best of these rely on unrealistic assumptions about the mass movement of people and yield migration rates that can fall far below reality. In a paper published the week of Dec. 24 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, two scientists at the University of Washington unveiled a new statistical method for estimating migration flows between countries, using the so-called pseudo-Bayes approach. They show that rates of migrationdefined as an international move followed by a stay of at least one yearare higher than previously thought, but also relatively stable, fluctuating between 1.1 and 1.3 percent of global population from 1990 to 2015. In addition, since 1990 approximately 45 percent of migrants have returned to their home countries, a much higher estimate than other methods. These more accurate estimates of migration will ultimately help both migrants and the people who assist them, said senior author Adrian Raftery, a UW professor of statistics and sociology. "Planning for migration is no simple task," said Raftery. "You need everything from medical infrastructure and trained personnel to elementary schoolsand governments rely on accurate demographic estimates to help them put the right plans and responses into place." Countries collect migration data through immigration forms at ports of entry, but answers on these forms may contain mistakes, and often fail to collect the types of comprehensive information that demographers need to measure migration accurately. Census forms also tend to ask people where they were born, but usually not when they moved, information which does not accurately reflect the true level of movement. "Migration is much more than the place you left and the place you ultimately settled in," said Raftery. "Researchers have tried for years to develop statistical methods that capture the comprehensive picture of human migration across the globe." Raftery developed these new migration rate estimates along with his former doctoral student Jonathan Azose, a UW affiliate assistant professor of statistics and the paper's lead author. They applied the pseudo-Bayes method to migration estimates by incorporating elements of other methods, and calibrated their estimates against a relatively reliable model of migration among 31 European countries. Azose and Raftery tested the accuracy of pseudo-Bayes against a set of reliable migration figures and discovered that its estimates were typically accurate to within a factor of three, better than many existing estimates. Table showing the largest emigration, return migration and transit migration flows from 2010 to 2015, calculated using the pseudo-Bayes method. Credit: Azose and Raftery, PNAS, 2018 "For the migration field, this level of accuracy is a significant improvement," said Azose. "Even when you look at data from European countries, it's not uncommon for a single migration flow to have estimates that differ by a factor of three or more depending on whether the sending or the receiving country collected the data." They also discovered that, compared to other approaches, pseudo-Bayes can more accurately account for return migration, in which migrants go back to their home countries. "Our estimate shows a higher global flow of migrants in large part because it indicates that return migration is much higher than previously thought," said Azose. The researchers estimate significantly higher migration rates than prior methodsbetween 67 million and 87 million migrants over each five-year period from 1990 to 2015. By comparison, one widely used alternative method, which only estimates the minimum rate of migration, calculates just 34 to 46 million migrants in each five-year period. In addition, while the total number of migrants estimated by pseudo-Bayes increased from 1990 to 2015, the migration rate over that period remained relatively stable as a proportion of global populationbetween 1.1 and 1.3 percent. Azose and Raftery also broke down migration rates by emigration, return migration and transit migration, in which migrants move between two countries that are not their countries of birth. In general, from 1990 to 2015, more than 60 percent of migration was emigration. Transit migration never topped 9 percent. Return migration accounted for 26 to 31 percent of migrants, more than twice the rate of other migration estimates. That high rate of return migration added up over time. From 1990 to 2015, approximately 45 percent of migrants ultimately returned to their home countries. "We estimate a rate of return migration that is significantly higher than other methods, but it is also supported by history," said Raftery. "For example, during the Rwandan genocide in 1994, more than a million migrants left the country, but most returned within three years after the conflict ended." The top migration rates that they observed more recently between countries were consistent with ongoing world events. Migration out of Syria, for example, accounted for two of the top three emigration flows from 2010 to 2015. The researchers would like to refine their method by differentiating between refugees, which are counted by their method, and other types of migrants. In addition, they would like to incorporate data from non-governmental sources, such as social media records, to improve the accuracy of their estimates, as well as develop approaches to forecast future migration. Explore further Experts develop method for including migration uncertainty in population projections More information: Jonathan J. Azose el al., "Estimation of emigration, return migration, and transit migration between all pairs of countries," PNAS (2018). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Jonathan J. Azose el al., "Estimation of emigration, return migration, and transit migration between all pairs of countries,"(2018). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1722334116 Tropical forest diversity. Credit: Oregon State University Scientists have long struggled to explain how tropical forests can maintain their staggering diversity of trees without having a handful of species take overor having many other species die out. The answer, researchers say, lies in the soil found near individual trees, where natural "enemies" of tree species reside. These enemies, including fungi and arthropods, attack and kill many of the seeds and seedlings near the host tree, preventing local recruitment of trees of that same species. Also playing a key role in the tropical forest dynamic are seed dispersers. Seeds from individual trees that are carried a distance awayoften by rodents, mammals or birdshave a chance to get established because the fungi and arthropods in the new region target different species. This restriction of tree recruitment near the adult trees creates a long-term stabilizing effect that favors rare species and hinders common ones, the researchers say. Overturning previous theory, the researchers demonstrate that these interactions with enemies are important enough to maintain the incredible diversity of tropical forests. Results of the study are being published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). "In many North American forests, trees compete for space and some have a niche that allows them to outcompete others," said Taal Levi, an Oregon State University ecologist and lead author on the study. "Douglas-firs are the species that grow best after a fire. Hemlock thrives in the shade and grows well under a canopy. Some species do well at elevation. "But in the tropics, all of the tree species appear to have a similar competitive advantage. There is an abundance of species, but few individuals of each species. The chances of blinking out should be high. But there has to be a mechanism that keeps one species from becoming common, becoming dominant. And it is these natural enemies that have a high host-specificity." Egbert Leigh, of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, best described the diversity of tropical forests in one statement: "How can a half square-kilometer (of forest) in Borneo or Amazonia contain as many tree species as 4.2 million kilometers of temperate zone forest in Europe, North American and Asia combined?" Levi said some tropical forests have as many as 1,000 different tree species living in the same general area. The idea of natural enemies restricting the recruitment of juvenile trees is not new, he said, and in fact was posited nearly a half-century ago by two scientists in what has become known as the Janzen-Connell hypothesis. Although Janzen-Connell effects should prevent one species from taking over, they don't explain or predict how a thousand tree species can be maintained together. In fact, previous researchers suggested that the Janzen-Connell effects could only maintain a very few species, and thus were relatively unimportant to the overall maintenance of tropical forest diversity. Instead, Levi and his colleagues from the University of Florida, Oregon State, and James Cook University in Australia says this close relationship between trees and their natural enemies is the key to tropical forest diversity. They found that if fungi, arthropods and other natural enemies produce even small zones around trees where a new tree of the same species cannot establish, then the very high levels of tree diversity observed in tropical forests can be maintained almost indefinitely. "There is a 'seed shadow' around adult trees and some escape the curve and get out, allowing recruitment in other areas until the host-specific enemies get established in the new location," Levi said. "That's why it is critically important to maintain the biodiversity of birds and mammals in these forests, or recruitment eventually will declineespecially in over-hunted areas." Levi is in Oregon State's Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Explore further 'Cryptic' interactions drive biodiversity decline near the edge of forest fragments iStock/ChiccoDodiFC(NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas) -- A Texas woman was pulled over with hundreds of allegedly stolen packages and envelopes crammed into her Jeep, according to local police. Officers in New Braunfels were called to the Caprock subdivision in the middle of the night Sunday following "reports of a suspicious person possibly tampering with the community mailboxes," the New Braunfels Police Department said. Officers found the vehicle -- described by witnesses as an older black Jeep Wrangler -- and pulled over the driver, identified as 42-year-old Lana Krupka, police said. The Jeep was filled with several hundred envelopes, packages and other pieces of mail, according to police. Based on the addresses, authorities believe the mail came from two subdivisions in New Braunfels, police said. Krupka, who was also allegedly in possession of methamphetamines, was taken into custody, police said. Krupka, of San Antonio, was taken to the Guadalupe County Jail and charged with possession of a controlled substance, police said. Investigators from the U.S. Postal Service's Inspector General's office are leading the investigation into the alleged mail theft, according to New Braunfels police. Federal charges are possible, police said. The postal service is working to return the stolen packages to their owners, the police added. Its Office of Inspector General did not immediately provide comment to ABC News. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Story of Yanxi Palace is the most googled show of 2018 The most googled TV series of the year is from China, a country where the search engine is largely blocked. Story of Yanxi Palace has been a huge hit on iQiyi, Chinas Netflix-style streaming service, where it has been streamed more than 15 billion times. The period drama centres on Wei Yingluo (Wu Jinyan), a maid in the 1700s working at the palace of Emperor Qianlong and investigating the death of her sister. Googles data suggests the show has been very popular in territories like Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Hong Kong, but also in China itself, where access to Google is limited due to censorship, citizens instead using the search engine Baidu. Story of Yanxi Palaces success can partly be attributed to the lack of government interference with its storyline, as shows distributed via online platforms face slightly less censorship than those that air through traditional TV channels. There are 70 episodes of the period drama, which has been broadcast on CTI America in the US but is yet to air in the UK. James H. Morris is a retired professor of computer science and dean of the School of Computer Science as well as the Silicon Valley campus of Carnegie Mellon University. In a series of blogs for Pittsburgh Quarterly he writes about some of the computing pioneers he encountered during his career. Raj Reddy began life in an Indian village, went to college in Australia, earned a Ph.D. at Stanford University, came to Carnegie Mellon University and later launched the Robotics Institute. In other words, hed been to a few county fairs. I met him in his office when I was in the process of deciding to move to Pittsburgh. Raj sat down beside me, not across a desk, and talked about his dream of using computers to read ancient texts from India and China and make them accessible to the world. He assured me that he would help me at whatever I pursued at Carnegie Mellon, and he more than fulfilled that promise. While Allen Perlis, Alan Newell, and Herbert Simon are father figures for me, Raj is like an older brother. He was a pioneer in computer understanding of human speech and robotics. But his greater impact is through the hundreds of peoples he has launched on great careers. Some were students, others were faculty who were hitting road bumps in the academic system. Whenever he finds someone committed to a big, challenging goal, he gives them his whole-hearted support, even if they are very eccentric. When Nico Habermann stepped down from the deanship of the universitys computer science college to lead a new software engineering institute, Newell held a meeting to choose a temporary dean while the university searched for a new one. As usual, none of the senior faculty in the room wanted the job. Raj was the best candidate, but it took an hour considering the alternatives before he agreed to do it. Several months later, I found myself in discussion with Newell and Simon. After some speculation they concluded that Raj should be the permanent dean, making me feel party to the decision, even though I was also a candidate. Raj was a great dean. He continued to raise large research funds. Like Perlis, he promoted new things, creating new programs and departments. He ferreted out sources of university funds like a brilliant tax attorney.When that didnt work, he could be exquisitely charming with the university leaders so that they were happy to increase his budget. Everybodys heard the maxim You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, but Raj showed me how it works as practiced by a master. I remember one of the annual meetings with the universitys chief financial officer. I was expecting us to get a spanking for exceeding our budget. Before the meeting started the CFO and Raj chatted amiably about the great business trip they had recently been on. The deficit was never mentioned. Raj combines the chutzpah of Perlis with the grace of Newell. Nowadays, Raj seems to be on a never-ending world-circling flight, visiting political leaders, overseeing universities, accepting awards and visiting his daughters in California. He stops in Pittsburgh to check in. Sometimes, hell simply fly through Pittsburgh International Airport, where one of his minions will meet him and exchange a suitcase of clean clothes for one with dirty clothes. 19 minutes ago EPA head tours embattled communities, says help on the way RESERVE, La. (AP) Michael Coleman's house is the last one standing on his tiny street, squeezed between a sprawling oil refinery whose sounds and smells keep him up at night and a massive grain elevator that covers his pickup in dust and, he says, exacerbates his breathing problems. Coleman, 65, points to the billowing smokestacks just outside his backyard. Read Article 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. This report was compiled by Lisa Andre. You can reach her at landre@leecentralcoastnews.com. Follow her on Twitter @LAndreSYVNews " " The small spherules on the surface of Mars in this close-up image are near Fram Crater, visited by NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity in April, 2004. The area pictured is 1.2 inches (3 centimeters) in width. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell/USGS After NASA's Opportunity Rover landed on Mars in 2004, the probe revealed a puzzling phenomenon tiny spheres, or spherules, just one-eighth of an inch (0.3 centimeters) in diameter, embedded in Martian rock. They appeared dark blue due to a high concentration of the mineral hematite, an iron ore. According to NASA, the tiny objects presented a minor problem for Opportunity, because they obstructed the grinding tool that the probe used to gather samples of the Martian surface. The spherules were dubbed blueberries, after one scientist observed that the objects resembled blueberries in a muffin, as a 2004 article from Astrobiology Magazine noted. Advertisement But the Martian blueberries were more puzzling than appetizing, as scientists wondered how they originated and what significance they might have in the red planet's natural history. As Astrobiology reported, some scientists initially hypothesized that the blueberries were volcanic ash propelled into the Martian atmosphere, where the ash formed tiny globes before falling back to the surface. Others believed that they formed when water flowed through rock and carried away minerals that then precipitated and formed spheres. More recently, in 2014, scientists suggested the blueberries actually were the remains of small meteorites that crashed into the Martian surface, as this 2014 National Geographic article describes. Now, a paper by researchers from Japanese, Mongolian and British institutions, published in December 2018 in the journal Scientific Advances, supports the idea that the blueberries were formed by water. The scientists studied analogous iron-ore formations on Earth. They found that similarities to the Martian blueberries, combined with evidence of the influence of acid sulfate water on Mars, suggest that the blueberries also formed from the dissolving of carbonate spherules that were possibly formed in the dense atmosphere of early Mars. But as this Space.com article on the research details, scientists can't fully solve the mystery until they have a probe with more sophisticated instruments yielding higher resolution on the part of the Martian surface where the blueberries were discovered. The Mars 2020 Rover will have such capabilities, but unfortunately it will be exploring a different area on Mars. Now That's Interesting NASA scientists who used Opportunity to study the blueberries in 2004 amused themselves by playing blueberry-themed wake up songs for the rover "Berry Nice News" by Raffi and "Huckling the Berries" by bluegrass group Country Cooking, according to their 2004 log. Chinas private sector, the driving force behind the countrys economic miracle over the last 40 years, is struggling amid the Chinese governments campaign to reduce national debt and the trade war with the United States. This is the third story in a series that will detail the challenges private firms face and outline the governments attempts to address them. In late October, the profit-losing state-owned automaker FAW Group received a 1 trillion yuan (US$145 billion) credit line from 16 of Chinas biggest lenders, at the same time that Beijing reiterated its promise to grant the private sector that accounts for more than 60 per cent of the Chinese economy with more loans and market access to stay competitive. The huge credit line led by policy lender China Development Bank underscores the extent of unlevel playing field private firms face and the political clout state-owned enterprises (SOE) companies like FAW the first Chinese automaker to produce the nations first passenger car in 1958 wield. The harsh reality of what private firms are up against, from access to preferential policies and subsidies in doing business to financing, is telling not just in the auto industry but across numerous sectors that SOEs traditionally dominate. Last year, most of the 28 million cars sold in the worlds No 1 market which is opened to private and foreign companies were produced by state-owned manufacturers, as were Chinas top five carmakers, according to official data and PwC. Less than 1 per cent of cars were imported from the US. In China, I think its difficult to have it all, said Larry Hu, chief China economist at Macquarie. China goes through phases [when it comes to policy support]. For a while it favoured state firms more, there were times it was private firms, he said. Keeping a tight leash on its most strategic and lucrative industries would foster the communist ideological premise pushed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, even as the government steps up its charm offensive to win over the private sector to help buffer the slowest economic growth pace in a decade. Story continues Chinas build-up of its economic might is owed to the overhaul of its state economy in tandem with forces of private ownership since reforms began in 1978 despite the inequity that remains. Since the current leadership has taken over, its started a new wave of pushing the private sector back in favour of the state, said Zhang Lifan, a prominent scholar of modern Chinese history in Beijing. Its a regression back to Maos era. Many private firms are facing hard times and are not willing to carry on with their businesses. Marx or market? Chinese scholar raises the question all private business owners want to ask Whether China will make good of its latest round of promises to the private sector is plausible. As early as 2005, the State Council had published a directive to promote growth in the non-state sector, followed over the years by other documents and rhetorics with similar objectives. At the November 2013 Third Plenum, the Chinese government announced reforms to state firms that included selling shares of SOEs in traditionally state monopolies like energy, telecommunications and finance to non-state entities. To shore up their confidence, President Xi told private entrepreneurs last month that their businesses would be protected, and the government would try to find new ways such as tax cuts and bailout funds to do so. Chinas powerful state planner the National Development and Reform Commission said the private sector would be allowed more access to the mixed ownership reform plans with further easing of investment restrictions in the transport, energy and environmental protection industries. Such measures however, an incarnation of what was pledged in 2005, also raise the question of their effectiveness. What has been evident over the years, analysts said, was the governments preference to consolidate the state sector rather than allow non-state firms to compete in traditional industries that SOEs hold a large share of the pie heavy weights like aviation, defence, energy and telecommunications, as well as shipping that are seen strategic to national security and development. Can Chinas leaders restore confidence to private businesses? Take the energy industry, in particular the capital-intensive upstream, or exploration and production segment, which is dominated by three state-owned giants: CNPC, Sinopec and CNOOC. Its a regression back to Maos era. Many private firms are facing hard times and are not willing to carry on with their businesses Zhang Lifan, scholar Oil resources are state-owned and refineries will need to apply for permits from the State Council, or the cabinet, to explore and extract them. Even though auctions to bid for mining rights are open to private firms, they must have a minimal 1 billion yuan in net assets to be eligible. Mikkal E. Herberg, research director of National Bureau of Asian Researchs Energy Security Program in the US, described Chinas upstream oil and gas reform effort as one and a half steps forward and one step back. The leadership understands there is a need to have more competition to become more efficient in a technologically innovative industry, said Herberg. Ultimately, its a very difficult process because it implies losing control. Theyve talked about mixed ownership and made those commitments. But what has actually happened in reality, under Xi, theres little progress. Its mostly window dressing, he said. So far, the closest that private oil firms have come was to establish joint ventures with the state oil producers or provide services to them, like Anton Oilfield Services Group. Another service provider Honghua Group was sold to state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp to help it return to profit after years of losses. What does opening up exhibition giving credit to SOEs and Xi Jinping say to Chinas private firms? Conversely, China has imposed fewer constraints in new economy sectors that state firms have less or minimal expertise, where private businesses have flourished. One area, for example, is the medical payment business in the health care industry. The governments push in recent years from a per-head costing system to a mechanism that categorises patients by diagnoses based on disease groupings has allowed private firms to offer services in collecting huge amounts of data and in the payment process, which included subsidies that mainland hospitals received from the government for certain treatments. We understand it [Beijings latest reform measures on market access] means there would be more opportunities for private companies like ours in public service businesses, like medical payment system, which used to be run by state firms, said Jiang Zhongyuan, founder of IHDpay Group, a start-up in fintech and big data on health care that focuses on the Greater Bay Area. We have also seen the [Guangdong] provincial government launched detailed measures, including the schedule and conditions, to reduce costs for local enterprises and lure more foreign investment. To be fair, governments of market economies in the West also maintain a major role in sectors, such as transport, to protect the interests of their citizens. In Germany, railway operator Deutsche Bahn is a private company with the federal government as its single largest shareholder. On one level we shouldnt be overly critical of China, said George Magnus, a research associate at the University of Oxford China Centre and author of Red Flags: Why Xis China is in Jeopardy. Maybe they dont want private or foreign firms involved in highly sensitive military and technology areas any more than we do in other countries. Thats a level playing field. In recent weeks, China, to address complaints from US and Europe over the role of state firms, has touted the idea of competitive neutrality. Under the concept, companies of different shareholding structures can compete fairly through improved transparency in policies that ensure equitable treatment in areas such as subsidies, taxes, trade instruments such as tariffs, and other support mechanisms, and reforming them where they unnecessarily distort competition. But no details have been made available. Chinas private firms shy away from bank borrowing, delaying investment Meanwhile, with funding costs rising amid the mainlands credit crunch and the effects of the US-China trade war biting, the private sector is facing a tougher time than 2015, when the worlds second largest economy was crimped by slackening growth and a stock market meltdown. Market access will help [the private sector], said Macquaries Hu. But are they [new measures] going to meet the expectations [of having a level playing field]? I dont see it happening yet. Additional reporting by He Huifeng This article Will China make good of its latest promise to give private firms more access in a market that favours the state sector? 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: Chinese trade with North Korea drops by over 50 per cent despite thaw in relations Chinas trade with North Korea shrank 52.9 per cent to US$2.2 billion in the period from January to November compared with the previous year, Reuters reported on Sunday. Citing Chinese customs data, the report said imports from North Korea fell by 88.6 per cent to US$191.75 million in the period, while exports to North Korea dropped 33 per cent to US$2.01 billion. The data showed that trade flows between the two communist neighbours had continued to slide after a 10.5 per cent drop in 2017 despite the easing of tensions on the Korean peninsula and a thaw in relations between Beijing and Pyongyang. In November alone, Chinas total trade with North Korea was valued at US$247.75 million. This was up slightly from US$245.34 million the previous month but that marked a deep contraction from US$388 million in November 2017. Chinas exports to North Korea in November were US$227.7 million, a figure that showed little change from Octobers US$227.45 million in October. Beijing is the countrys sole major ally and by 2016 it accounted for 90 per cent of North Korean trade after other countries gradually cut off ties. However, relations with China began to deteriorate after North Korea began its nuclear weapons tests in 2006 and Beijing eventually gave its support to UN sanctions. Last year China took the unprecedented step of imposing strictest sanctions on North Korea. In addition to the UN Security Council Resolution 2375 passed in September 2017, China went further by stopping all imports of iron ore, coal or lead from North Korea and shutting down all North Korean-owned or joint venture businesses in China. For a few months, starting in November 2017, all exports of oil products to North Korea have been banned, except for a tiny amount of jet fuel. As the sanctions started to bite this year, North Korea dramatically changed trajectory. Story continues Its leader Kim Jong-un began peace talks with South Korea and held a historic meeting with US president Donald Trump in Singapore in June. Kim also made three visits to China his first since coming to power in 2011 as the two sides started to repair their alliance. In the September, Nikki Haley, Americas ambassador to the United Nations, accused China of obstructing UN efforts to issue a report on the implementation of the sanctions against North Korea. In response, Chinese foreign minister spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that China has fully and strictly implemented the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and fulfilled its international obligations. This article Chinese trade with North Korea drops by over 50 per cent despite thaw in relations first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. The head of the United Nations team tasked with monitoring a fragile ceasefire arrived in Yemen's embattled port city of Hodeida on Sunday, a UN source said. Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert is heading a joint committee including members of the government and the Huthi rebels, in charge of monitoring a truce in the vital Red Sea city and its surroundings. Cammaert arrived in Hodeida from the rebel-held capital Sanaa after meeting with government officials in Aden. He is expected on Monday to tour Hodeida's lifeline port, which serves as the entry point for the majority of imports to war-torn Yemen, before starting meetings with the committee on Wednesday. Yemen's warring sides agreed on a ceasefire to halt a devastating offensive by government forces and an allied Saudi-led coalition against rebel-held Hodeida at peace talks in Sweden this month. The UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution authorising the deployment of observers to Hodeida to monitor the truce that came into effect on Tuesday. In Sanaa, Cammaert was met by the head of the Huthi delegation, Ali al-Mushki, as he arrived there earlier on Sunday. The visit to the rebel bastion came after the UN lead monitor urged Yemeni leaders and the Saudi-led coalition to uphold the ceasefire at talks in Aden on Saturday. Cammaert also sought government loyalists' "commitment and cooperation to secure the unhindered flow of humanitarian aid", the UN said, adding that he was conveying "similar messages" to the Huthis in Sanaa. - UN to secure port - Both the government and the rebels have backed Friday's UN resolution to deploy observers to Hodeida. Rebel negotiator Mohammed Abdelsalam said it marked "an important step towards stopping the aggression and lifting the blockade". He was referring to the Saudi-led military coalition that intervened in 2015 and imposed a blockade on Yemeni waters and airports. The internationally-recognised government, in turn, reaffirmed in a statement its "commitment (to respect) the agreement" reached in Sweden and endorsed by the UN resolution. The halt to fighting in the strategic port city follows intense diplomatic efforts led by the UN which culminated in the truce agreed at the peace talks in Sweden. The ceasefire has remained shaky, however, with both sides accusing each other of violations in Hodeida province. The UN monitoring team aims to secure the functioning of Hodeida port and supervise the withdrawal of fighters from the city. The text approved by the Security Council "insists on the full respect by all parties of the ceasefire agreed" for Hodeida. It authorises the United Nations to "establish and deploy, for an initial period of 30 days from the adoption of this resolution, an advance team to begin monitoring" the ceasefire, under Cammaert's leadership. Around 10,000 people have been killed since the Saudi-led intervention began, according to the World Health Organization, although rights groups say the death toll could be five times higher. The conflict has unleashed a major humanitarian crisis and pushed 14 million Yemenis to the brink of famine. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018. (Ronen Zvulun/Pool via AP) JERUSALEM (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is deepening a dispute with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, calling him an "anti-Semitic dictator." Netanyahu on Sunday said the Turkish leader is "obsessed with Israel" and his military "slaughters women and children in Kurdish villages." He spoke at a meeting with Christian soldiers. Speaking in Istanbul Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Netanyahu an oppressor who commits "state terror." It wasn't immediately clear what sparked the latest spat between the leaders. Israel and Turkey were once close allies. But relations have steadily cooled since Erdogan, whose party has roots in Turkey's Islamist movement, became prime minister in 2003. The exchange came just days after the U.S. announced its withdrawal from Syria, where both Israel and Turkey are involved in the seven-year civil war. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent more troops to Syria's border on Monday ahead of an imminent US withdrawal, as the White House announced he had invited Donald Trump to Ankara. Unlike several other allies of the United States, Turkey has praised President Trump's decision to withdraw 2,000 of his ground forces from Syria, a country where it will now have a freer rein to target Kurdish fighters. On Monday Ankara sent more troops to its Syrian border and said an offensive targeting the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia and IS group will be launched in the coming months. Turkey views the YPG as a "terrorist offshoot" of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. But the militia has also been a key US ally in the fight against Islamic State in Syria, working with American forces on the ground there. "Just as we did not leave our Syrian Arabs to Daesh (IS), we will not leave Syrian Kurds to the cruelty of the PKK," Erdogan said during a speech in Ankara. A Turkish military convoy arrived overnight on Monday at the border with local media reporting that some vehicles had entered Syria. In a telephone conversation Sunday between Trump and Erdogan, which both sides described as "productive", they agreed to avoid a power vacuum in Syria after the US withdrawal. "President Erdogan invited President Trump to visit Turkey in 2019. While nothing definite is being planned, the President is open to a potential meeting in the future," a White House spokesperson later said on Monday evening. Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters on Monday that a US military delegation would arrive this week to "discuss how to coordinate (the withdrawal) with their counterparts". A Turkish foreign ministry delegation would go to Washington for talks early January, he added. - 'No slowdown' in IS fight - Trump stunned the US political establishment and allies last week with his decision, days after Erdogan had warned that Ankara would soon launch an offensive in northern Syria. Critics of Trump's decision fear that thousands of Islamic State (IS) group extremist members are still thought to be in Syria, despite Trump's claim of having defeated IS. The US leader tweeted that Erdogan had told him Ankara would "eradicate" the last IS elements. And Kalin vowed that there was "no question of a step backwards, vulnerability or a slowdown in the fight against Daesh (IS)". He added: "Turkey will show the same determination against Daesh. To beat Daesh, we don't need the PKK or the YPG. We can bring peace to this region." - Convoy enters Syria - The Turkish military convoy with howitzers, artillery batteries and several units of the armed forces, was deployed to the border district of Elbeyli in Kilis province, state news agency Anadolu reported on Monday. Parts of the convoy had entered Syria, the private IHA news agency reported, which said the reinforcements would take place "gradually". The deployment began over the weekend with around 100 vehicles, the Hurriyet daily said, and crossed into the Al-Bab region, headed towards Jarabulus and YPG-held Manbij. Jarabulus and Al-Bab were areas captured from IS during Ankara's first military operation in August 2016 which lasted until March 2017. Military reinforcements had also been sent to the Akcakale border town and Ceylanpinar district, both in the southeastern Sanliurfa province. Turkey conducted a second offensive with Syrian rebels against the YPG in its northwestern enclave of Afrin in January this year. Turkish officials have previously said Ankara has no territorial ambitions in Syria. - Warming Turkey-US relations - Trump's move has sparked dismay among many allies and turmoil within his administration. First Defence Secretary Jim Mattis resigned, then Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition, stepped down. American support for the YPG, under the banner of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance, has long been a source of tension between NATO allies the US and Turkey. But relations between the Turkish and American leaders appear to have improved substantially since a crisis in the summer over the detention of a US pastor, since released. Last week, the US approved the sale of $3.5 billion in missiles to Turkey, after American outrage over Ankara's major arms purchase from Russia. But there are still strains over the US refusal to extradite Fethullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based Muslim preacher who Turkey says ordered the 2016 failed coup. By Saad Sayeed ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif was sentenced to seven years in prison on Monday and fined $25 million on corruption charges that he says were politically motivated. The anti-corruption court in Islamabad said in its ruling that the three-time prime minister was unable to prove the source of income that had led to his ownership of a steel mill in Saudi Arabia. Under Pakistani law, this is taken to prove corruption. Sharif had already been sentenced by the same court to 10 years in prison on charges related to the purchase of upscale apartments in London, after the Supreme Court removed him from power. He was freed from custody in September pending an appeal. Sharif's supporters said he would also appeal against his latest conviction. "Appeal is our right, we will protest but will remain peaceful," former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who had succeeded Sharif last year, told reporters outside the courthouse. Sharif was ousted and disqualified from holding office by the Supreme Court in July 2017, and convicted in absentia a year later. He was arrested on July 13 on returning from London. The court ruled on Thursday on two charges related to Sharif's assets: the Al-Azizia Steel Mills in Saudi Arabia, set up by Sharif's father in 2001, and Flagship Investments, a company established by his son, Hasan Nawaz, that owns luxury properties in Britain. Sharif was found to have been unable to demonstrate that his family had acquired the steel mill legitimately, but was acquitted on the second charge, relating to Flagship. Sharif denied the charges which he said were politically motivated. He accused the military and courts of working together to end his political career and destabilise his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party. Sharif was once a favourite of Pakistan's powerful generals but fell out with them. The military has denied exerting any influence over the court proceedings. Story continues Daniyal Aziz, a former lawmaker from Sharif's party, criticised the National Accountability Bureau, the watchdog that charged Sharif, and described the verdict as "the weaponisation of anti-corruption". "With each passing day an expression of a double standard is coming forward from the NAB," Aziz said. Before the verdict, hundreds of Sharif supporters threw stones outside the courthouse at police, who fired teargas. Five months ago, Sharif's PML-N lost a general election to the party of Imran Khan, the new prime minister whose anti-corruption campaign and street protests spurred the cases against Sharif. PML-N and other opposition politicians allege the election was rigged to favour Khan, who is seen as close to the army. Both Khan and the military have denied colluding against Sharif and the PML-N. (Additional reporting by Syed Raza Hasan in Karachi; Writing by Saad Sayeed; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Former Pakistani leader Nawaz Sharif was sentenced to seven years in prison for corruption Monday, state media reported, the latest conviction in a series of allegations which saw him ousted from power last year. Sharif, a three-time prime minister, has denied all the charges against him and claims he is being targeted by the country's powerful security establishment. Monday's conviction, centred on family businesses in the Middle East, is his second stemming from a corruption investigation spurred by the Panama Papers leak, and comes as new Prime Minister Imran Khan has vowed to tackle endemic graft in Pakistan. He was taken into custody and will be sent to a prison in Lahore, and was also fined 1.5 billion rupees ($10.8 million), according to state-run Pakistan Television. Security was tight at the court, with some scuffles breaking out between Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supporters and security forces, who responded with tear gas. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who succeeded Sharif as prime minister last year, said the PML-N would appeal the verdict but would "not resort to violence". "The people of Pakistan and history will not accept this decision," he told reporters in Islamabad. The Supreme Court disqualified Sharif from politics for life over the allegations last year, and directed an anti-corruption body to investigate three different charges regarding his family's properties and businesses. The months-long saga has seen him appear before accountability courts 165 times since September 2017, according to the English-language Dawn newspaper. In July this year, he was convicted in one case revolving around family properties in London, and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was in London at the time as his wife received cancer treatment, but returned to Pakistan days ahead of the election, only to be arrested and imprisoned on arrival. He was released in September after a court suspended his sentence pending an appeal hearing. He was acquitted on the third charge, relating to business in Britain. Sharif has been prime minister three times but power has been a rough ride. He was first expelled from office in 1993 on suspicion of corruption. He won an election in 1997, only to be ousted and exiled after a military coup in 1999. He returned to Pakistan in 2007 and took power once more in 2013 until his ousting last year. No one should have to watch A Christmas Prince alone. Netflixs surprise hit from last year, about aspiring journalist Amber and her wayward royal love interest, Richard, combines every seasonal romantic-comedy cliche into a holiday movie that rivals anything made by Lifetime or Hallmark. Its the kind of movie thats meant to be experienced with a group, huddled around a roaring fire to bask in its goofy tropes and roast its flimsy plot holes like so many chestnuts. Last year, those qualities helped A Christmas Prince become a viral sensation online, with commentators gathered around a figurative hearth to snicker at the heroines inane note taking. Netflix even tweeted to let viewers know that it was in on the joke. Advertisement To the 53 people who've watched A Christmas Prince every day for the past 18 days: Who hurt you? Netflix US (@netflix) December 11, 2017 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But if your friends are too coolor maybe not cool enoughto sit down to watch A Christmas Prince with you for that 19th consecutive viewing, dont despair, because the movie actually comes with a built-in commentator, someone with just the right amount of snark but who wont interrupt the momentum or judge you if you tear up at the end. Hidden among the language options for A Christmas Prince, youll find a track labeled EnglishAudio Description, a feature created primarily so that blind and visually imparied viewers can follow along with the film. A typical audio-description track will chime in between lines of dialogue as needed to explain whats happening on screen for people who cant see. But in the case of A Christmas Prince, the audio description serves another bonus function, because it also happens to be the ideal A Christmas Princewatching companion. Advertisement Advertisement Good audio description does not call attention to itself. Every audio describer Ive spoken to has emphasized that one of the fundamental tenets of the craft is never to show off or distract. By that logic, to single out A Christmas Princes audio description at alleven to praise itis to suggest that the audio describer failed in some way at his job. But thats not really fair. A Christmas Princes audio description, created by Roland Bearne, does exactly what its supposed to, delivering straightforward observations about physical appearances, facial expressions, and other visual cues. For instance: The sign on the terminal building says Aldovia International Airport or A young woman enters and whispers to the man. Advertisement Advertisement Occasionally, Bearne does indulge in some more literary language, but its the kind warranted by a cozy Christmas movie. Take his description of the countryside surrounding the Aldovian palace: A town nestles in a snowy valley surrounded by mountains. Snow-covered chalets are clustered on a high hilltop. Dense evergreen forest is dusted with snow, and a convoy of vans drives along a wooded road. Theres a storybook quality to the word choice thats appropriate, matching the modern-day fairy-tale aesthetic of the movies visuals. Advertisement Advertisement Its not unusual for audio describers to also work as voice artists, and Bearne is no exception, narrating his own description for the film. It helps that his voice has a rich, deep timbre and, as in the case of A Christmas Prince, that he can play up his own jaunty accent so that its befitting of one of the movies own Aldovian royals. (Bearne is British, but he can also do a spot-on American accent when the occasion calls for it.) While the content of the description itself is hardly a Mystery Science Theaterstyle commentary trackthat kind of editorialization would certainly be frowned uponBearnes intonations and inflections are unusually expressive as he narrates. And his delivery is often wry, almost amused, as though he too is enjoying the film semi-ironically. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was so taken with the movies audio description that I reached out to Bearne, who works as a freelancer for a number of post-production houses and studios, including Netflix, to ask him about the track and his process. Bearne has worked as an audio describer for almost two decades, having started his career with Star Trek: The Next Generation for Sky in the early 2000s, and he also brings to the job his skills as an actor and poet, both of which are evident in his description. Some would say I have a preposterous vocabulary, but thats just a quirk of nature, he said. Its lovely when you get a film like A Christmas Prince. Youve got these wonderful establishing shots of these fabulous environments that look like a Victorian Christmas card, and you can allow yourself to share that with your audience. You could just say, Theres a castle on a hill, but that doesnt seem to do it justice, really, does it? Advertisement Advertisement Netflix tried this year to re-create the magic of A Christmas Prince with its sequel, A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding, which winkingly mimics the qualities that made the first one an accidental sensation: schmaltzy heart-to-heart discussions, one-note villains, and absurd plot developments that melt like snowflakes under the slightest scrutiny. Similarly, the sequels audio description honors the originals spirit, and Im happy to report that Bearne returns, sounding equal parts entertained and resigned to be a part of Amber and Richards love story again. While overall a bit more subdued, Bearne does still indulge in occasional poetic license for the sequel: Rudy stares up at the stone and timbered palace perched high in the snowy pine forest. He also develops a new kind of verbal tic, a tendency to use the passive voice, as in Amber is handed a cup of tea and Flags are waved and banners raised and Nail polish is painted on toes. Its as if hes trying to say, yes, this is really happening, and youand Iare just along for the ride. As the old saw goes, if you ask ten film critics which YouTube upload of the music video for Max Headrooms 1986 novelty song Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy) is the best, youll get eleven different answers. Thats fine for film critics, who like nothing better than sitting around watching every YouTube video that looks like it might be a version of Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy), but not a lot of help for harried moms and dads who just want to know which Max Headroom video to have playing in the background while their kids open presents. Unfortunately, the film has been the target of so many restoration efforts, special editions, and directors cuts over the years that picking the best version is utterly quixotic: It all depends what you mean by best. Theres no one-size-fits-all solution, but once you accept that no YouTube upload of Max Headroom singing Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy) is right for everybody, you can make an informed decision about which version is right for you and your family. We broke down the pluses and minuses below. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Max Headroom Merry Christmas Santa Claus (MTV2), 80sMTV, 2011 The original, and still a classic. Those fuzzy, warm Christmas memories of the entire family gathering around to watch the music video for Max Headrooms Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy) all star this 2011 version, which was the YouTube upload of Max Headrooms Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy) we grew up with. But 2011 was a long time ago, and 80sMTVs restoration methodsuploading 360p footage from a webcam pointed at a televisionare no longer state of the art. Seen through modern eyes, its hard to ignore the video artifacts, incorrect aspect ratio, and color timing that completely fails to capture the vibrant reds of the original film. The audio mix, too, is a mess. But sometimes you dont want the best version of Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy) so much as you want to evoke Christmases and Max Headrooms past. This is your madeleine. Advertisement Advertisement Best For: Nostalgia addicts, webcam aficionados. Max Headroom Merry Christmas Santa Claus 45rpm, joshtowens, 2010 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first serious attempt to restore the audio from Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy) is an important historical landmark and an invaluable portrait of film restoration best practices circa 2010. YouTube user joshtowens went back to the original 45rpm single in search of nuances in the sound mix that were lost over the years. He found them: Max Headroom Merry Christmas Santa Claus 45rpm is still the only version of the beloved holiday classic to include the songs full coda. But although its a key resource for academics (and an easy benchmark to measure the audio in other restorations against), Max Headroom Merry Christmas Santa Claus 45rpm makes no attempt to preserve the films original video, replacing it instead with blurry footage of the records original packaging, then a static shot of a record spinning around and around, a little less than 50 rotations per minute. Its compelling, but its not what anyone imagines when they think about watching Still, if youre looking for a break from hidebound Christmas traditions, this is an easy way to spice up the annual routine without entirely breaking with the past. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Best For: Audiophiles, spinning object enthusiasts, people who are doing their own restoration of Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy). Merry Christmas Santa Clause Max Headroom, kotapainting, 2012 Advertisement Advertisement Kotapaintings 2012 version remains the only YouTube upload of Max Headrooms Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy) to correctly preserve the original aspect ratio: 1.33:1, the so-called Academy ratio cinematographer Gregg Toland used when shooting Citizen Kane. On the other hand, it also remains the only YouTube upload of Max Headrooms Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy) to have every frame tinted red, and the only one where the audio has been run through a voice distortion process that makes it seem like Max Headroom is holding Santa hostage. Merry Christmas Santa Clause Max Headroom is perhaps best understood as a reinvention of the original work than a restorationalong the same lines as They Shall Not Grow Old. Advertisement Best For: Your annoying nephew who keeps complaining that watching the same version of Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy) over and over again is not a good holiday tradition; aspect ratio purists. MAX HEADROOM PIRATE INCIDENT (HQ AUDIO) 25th Anniversary Restoration, totalrandomcrap, 2012 Advertisement This is not a YouTube upload of Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy). Its a video of the Max Headroom broadcast signal intrusion, a Nov. 1987 incident in which a still-unidentified television pirate interrupted WTTWs broadcast of the Doctor Who episode Horror of Fang Rock with footage of a man in a Max Headroom mask ranting incoherently, then getting bare-ass spanked with a flyswatter. It is not particularly safe for work and entirely irrelevant to a discussion of Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Best For: Conceptual artists, people who want to watch the Max Headroom broadcast signal intrusion instead of Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy). Advertisement 1986 Max Headroom Merry Christmas Santa Claus by LouveLightChristmas, 2015 Advertisement Anyone attempting to restore Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy) in 2015 faces a Herculean task: keeping fans of the 2010 upload of Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy) we grew up with happy, while bringing out the details YouTube user 80sMTV missed. This is how you get compromises like those found in 1986 Max Headroom Merry Christmas Santa Claus: The colors have been restored to their original splendor, but the video has still been stretched to widescreen in deference to the 2010 upload that defined Christmas for so many of us. The most controversial choice YouTube user LouveLightChristmas madeburned-in close captioning that cannot be disabledremains a topic of heated debate. Its hard to fault an attempt to make Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy) more accessible, even at the cost of some of the filmed image, but using incorrect captions helps no one. Max Headroom clearly sings, From the top of your Christmas stocking to the bottom of your Christmas b-b-b-b-b-bottom,five bsbut the LouveLightChristmas restoration renders this as From the top of your Christmas stocking to the bottom of your Christmas b-b-b-b-bottom, mangling meter and meaning alike. Still, 1986 Max Headroom Merry Christmas Santa Claus is a blend of old and new that, while it might not delight the most nitpicky Max Headroom fans, is well suited for family viewingor showing off the colors on your new 4K TV! Best For: Family viewing, people with new 4K TVs they want to show off the colors on, like I said already. Armed with this guide, you should now be able to confidently press play on the YouTube upload of Max Headrooms Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy) that suits your holiday needs, freeing up more time to spend lobbying the Criterion Collection to give Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (Youre a Lovely Guy) a proper Blu-ray release. Its a Christmas m-m-m-m-m-m-miracle! When screenwriter Daniel Stiepleman first approached Ruth Bader Ginsburg with the pitch that would become On the Basis of Sex, she had two conditions: Get the law right, and Get Marty right. Stiepleman is Ginsburgs nephew, so he knew both Marty (Martin Ginsburg, her late husband) and Ruth herself more intimately than most. He drew on that relationship for his depiction of the justice, who read through the first three drafts of the script before passing the task to her daughter, Janeanother prominent figure in both the legal world and the film itself. Advertisement You might worry that such an arrangement would result in an idealized portrait of Ginsburgs early years, but the creative teams go-to line during press tours has been that the Notorious RBG is a woman, not a superheroand if anything, Stiepleman makes her seem a little less superhuman than she really was. Below, we break down whats fact and whats fiction. The Harvard years On the Basis of Sex opens with a striking shot of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Felicity Jones) alone amid a sea of male students as the university fight song, Ten Thousand Men of Harvard, plays in the background. As Dean Erwin Griswold (Sam Waterston) notes in the film, she was one of just nine women in the Class of 1956. The question he poses to those women at a dinner at his home (How do you justify taking a spot from a qualified man?) is real and infamousas is Ginsburgs wry response that she had come because Marty was a second-year law student, and it was important for a woman to understand her husbands work. (Did she actually believe that? Of course not!) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the film, and in life, Ginsburg soon proved that she deserved her place. She qualified for the Harvard Law Review in her second year and continued to excel even as she juggled caring for her young daughter, Jane, and her husband, Marty, during his illness. When the family relocated to New York for Martys job, she really did go to Griswolds office to argue that she should be awarded a Harvard Law degree after she completed her final year of coursework at another university. Though she came armed with precedent, Griswold refused, and she instead graduated from Columbia at the top of her class, becoming the first woman to make both the Harvard and Columbia Law Reviews. Marty Ginsburg Advertisement Advertisement Throughout the film, Marty (Armie Hammer) holds court at parties, smooths over tense situations, and supports Ruth without question or qualificationall attributes that appear to match the real man. In Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhniks Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, hes described as someone who moved through the world with an easy confidence, tempered by an impish sense of humor. One close friend later said that he wooed and won [Ruth] by convincing her how much he respected her. (And as Ginsburg tells it in the documentary RBG, the competition was fierce: In her first undergraduate semester at Cornell, with its 4:1 ratio of men to women, the young Ruth Bader never had a repeat date.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We dont see that courtship happen on-screenby the films 1956 starting point, they had already married and had Jane, their first childbut their domestic dynamic throughout is accurate. The pair shared the responsibilities of child care, and Martys cooking was as legendary as Ruths was, well, notorious. That balance was disrupted when Marty was diagnosed with testicular cancer in his third year at Harvard. While Ruth didnt physically go to his classes as she does in the film, she did collect notes from his friends and typed up his essays as he dictated thema process that often began near midnight. When he finished around 2 a.m., she would turn to her own coursework. During this period, she slept just a few hours per nightbut her dedication and that of their friends allowed Marty to graduate as planned, and he soon received an offer from a prestigious firm in Manhattan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Marty thrived in New York, where he quickly made partner and became known as one of the countrys best tax lawyers, Ruth struggled to find employment at all. In the new biography Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life, Jane Sherron De Hart recounts how despite RBGs impeccable academic credentials, ethnicity, sex, and motherhood trumped other attributes, and these rejections gnawed away at her sense of professional identity and competence. As we see in the film, she eventually turned (somewhat reluctantly) to academia, becoming the second woman to teach full-time at Rutgers Law School. Moritz v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue Marty was also the one who first brought Charles Moritz (Chris Mulkey)s case to her attention after stumbling upon it himself in a weekly publication of tax court rulings. Moritz was a traveling salesman who hired a nurse to help care for his elderly mother when he was away. He knew there was a tax deduction for the expense, but discovered that as a bachelor, heunlike a woman, a widower, or a divorcewas ineligible. In other words, by refusing to acknowledge and accommodate the possibility of an unmarried man as a caregiver, Section 214 of the Tax Code constituted sex-based discrimination. As De Hart tells it, When she finished reading the facts of the case, Ruths response was just what her husband anticipated: Lets take it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the legal side of Moritzs case is accurate, Ruth didnt fly to Denver to meet with him. It was Marty who made first contact, and he didnt do so face to face. According to Ginsburg herself, We met Charles E. Moritz for the first time in the fall of 1971, the night before the argument. He took us to dinner in Denver. He had to hire a babysitter for his mother. The preparation for the case was also different on both sides. For one thing, Jim Bozarth (Jack Reynor) never turned to the Pentagon for help compiling Appendix E, though another member of the Department of Justices team did. The infamous addendum, which included every provision of the U.S. Code that differentiated on the basis of sex, also came after their court date in Denver, when the Ginsburgs former dean, Erwin Griswold, now U.S. solicitor general, petitioned the court to reverse its decision. The appendix was attached to his appealand was, according to De Hart, a monumental accomplishment, because there were no computers in law offices at the time. The only way the solicitor general could have generated his list, the Ginsburgs concluded, was by using computers at the Department of Defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the film, the Ginsburgs host a moot court at their apartment as a trial run before the real case. Ruth lashes out in anger and stumbles when provoked, leading civil-rights lawyer Pauli Murray (Sharon Washington) to suggest that she cede half of her time to the more conciliatory Marty. But in fact, there was no moot court, and RBG never lost her coolthey had always planned to split the oral argument, with Marty handling the tax-related aspects of the case before handing it over to Ruth to discuss gender. The last-minute edits to the brief were, however, real: As Ginsburg herself explained at the films New York premiere, her secretary at Columbia worried that the male judges would have certain associations with the word sex, and suggested that Ginsburg sub in the more innocuous grammar term gender, which she ultimately did. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the films climax, Ginsburg freezes up under the mens scrutiny and ends up ceding her time, only to make a last-second recovery during her rebuttal. The truth is that there was no rebuttalGinsburg didnt need one. Per De Hart, Answering every question, the novice litigator made precisely the points she had planned. (Stiepleman has admitted to punching up the drama here. In his own words, Ruth Ginsburg never flubbed an argument in her life.) Melvin Wulf Perhaps the greatest victim of creative license in On the Basis of Sex is American Civil Liberties Union legal director Mel Wulf (Justin Theroux), Ginsburgs childhood friend (they really did overlap at Camp Che-Na-Wah), who becomes an avatar for the sexism she faced from other quarters. He comes off as skeptical about the need for a womens rights movement and gun-shy on taking cases that would advance it. In reality, when Ginsburg appealed to him for the ACLUs backing on the Moritz case (via a note that included a playful reference to his role in a Che-Na-Wah production of Ruddigore), Wulf was on board in a matter of days. Advertisement Advertisement On the Basis of Sex shows Ginsburg continually having to prove herself to Wulf, who insists on a mock trial for the still-untested litigator. But as established, the disastrous moot court where he calls her a shrew and asks if it would kill her to smile never happened. Thats not to say he wasnt brash at timeshe bragged that he would be the one to pluck her from obscurity and get the Rutgers law professor doing down and dirty womens rights work in front of the Supreme Courtbut as he later conceded, Maybe she plucked herself from obscurity. In De Harts telling, Wulf and Ginsburg understood each other perfectly. Reed v. Reed In the film, Wulf pushes Ginsburg to write the brief for Reed v. Reed but refuses to let her present it, giving Allen Derr (Joe Cobden) the glory of arguing the first such case to reach the Supreme Court. The truth is that Ginsburg volunteered to take on the brief, and she succeeded in persuading Wulf that a woman should be the one to argue it. They settled on Eleanor Holmes Norton as the ideal candidate, but Derr refused to back down. Realizing he would be unable to take Derr off of the case, Wulf instructed him to make damn sure you know our brief backwards and forwards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Justice Harry Blackmun called Derrs attempt perhaps the worst argued he had ever seen, and its fair to say that it was salvaged only by Ginsburgs writings. As De Hart puts it, Her brief won the case, convincing the justices for the first time in the nations history that gender-based discrimination violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Dorothy Kenyon and Pauli Murray Advertisement The brief for Reed v. Reed credits Dorothy Kenyon (played in the movie by Kathy Bates) and Pauli Murray as co-authors, despite the fact that neither woman touched it, as an acknowledgement of the way they laid the groundwork for Ginsburgs argument. The film does something similar, fudging the truth of their involvement to pay tribute to the pioneering lawyers and activists who came before her. At an event after the New York premiere, Jane Ginsburg confirmed to me that she and her mother never met with Kenyon in the run-up to the Moritz case, and Murray never came to their home to help prepare her for the oral argumentthe scenes are a reflection of the fact that Ginsburg didnt start the movement singlehandedly. After the historic wins depicted in On the Basis of Sex, Ginsburg became the director of the ACLUs Womens Rights Project and continued her campaign against gender-based discrimination. Eventually, Harvard realized it had made a mistake in denying her a law degree and tried to rectify thata gesture she has always refused. Her rationale, as shes described it, is (mostly) borne out by what we see on-screen: You cant rewrite history. This article is published through a partnership with New York Medias Strategist. The partnership is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Every editorial product is independently selected by New York Media. If you buy something through our links, Slate and New York Media may earn an affiliate commission. The abundance of skin-care options out there can be confusing, so much so that you might wonder why a night cream (versus a daytime one) is even necessary: After all, cant you just wear your daily moisturizer to bed? A good way to think of a night cream is not just as a moisturizer, but a targeted refresher for the next day. Dermatologist Noelani Gonzalez, the director of cosmetic dermatology at Mount Sinai West, says its why youll find that night creams tend to be thicker than daytime moisturizers, use exfoliators to improve skin texture, and contain more hydrators to replenish moisture lost during the day (so you wake up looking less tired and puffy). They also contain ingredients like retinol, which shouldnt be used during the day. Advertisement If youre in the market for a night cream, Gonzalez suggests hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and ceramides for hydration, retinol as an acne fighter and anti-ager, or antioxidants like resveratrol for protecting against environmental stress. Glycolic acid also helps exfoliate and renew, and niacinamide helps with redness for those with conditions like rosacea and acne. Here, we asked three dermatologists for their recommendations on the ones that are worth the money (and added some of our own tried-and-true favorites). If your goal is anti-aging, Gonzalez and dermatologist Debra Jalimanan assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinais Icahn School of Medicinelike this RoC night cream. A big perk is that this ones formulated in a tube versus a jar, so it has a longer shelf life, but also retinol and glycolic acid for smoothing skin. Jaliman considers it a dupe for the much more expensive Strivectin Advanced Retinol Intensive Moisturizer: Similar ingredients, very different price points. Both derms suggested this drugstore CeraVe night cream, too, which Jaliman says delivers comparable results to much more expensive options. She calls out the ceramides and hyaluronic acid in it as excellent hydrators, plus the niacinamide as a trusted redness reducer. This is an excellent moisturizer for when the weather starts getting cold and your skin starts losing more moisture, she says. Heres another in the drugstore range. Gonzalez and New York Citybased dermatologist Hadley Kinga clinical instructor of dermatology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell Universitysuggested this one for its hydrating elements. It has antioxidants, green-tea extract, and a peptide-B3 complex, which helps hydrate and exfoliate skin, says Gonzalez. If your skin is on the drier end, a cream thats chock-full of hydrators can help. Jaliman recommends this one from No7 for replenishing moisture: This night cream has shea butter, glycerin, and ceramides, which are perfect ingredients for someone in need of a highly hydrating moisturizer. More sensitive types might revert to a more natural option, and for them, Gonzalez recommends Burts Bees Intense Hydration Night Cream. Its great for those with sensitive skin, and the product doesnt test on animals or use animal ingredients. King also alerted us to the fact that DHC (the same Japanese company that produces the culty cleansing oil) has a great night cream. With olive oil and squalene, the emollient properties of this night cream are powerful, providing deep hydration and sealing in moisture. If you have combination skin, Gonzalez says this SkinCeuticals cream is a solid choice for exfoliating and moisturizing. With alpha hydroxy acids, glycolic and lactic acid, aloe vera, and essential oils, it soothes dry skin, boosts skin radiance, and reduces the appearance of lines. For the person whos going all-in on night creams, Gonzalez adds that this pricey, yet results-oriented, SkinMedica Age Defense Retinol Complex has a little bit of everything: Retinol for anti-aging, niacinamide (which has been shown to be anti-inflammatory in clinical trials and to enhance the skins barrier function), essential oils, and antioxidants to help smooth skin and give it a more rejuvenated look. And heres a retinol-enhanced night cream that always ends up on my empties list. I find that its gentle enough to prevent burning or tingling on my reactive skin, and helps me wake up with smoother, more radiant skin. Its my absolute favorite product for overnight results. I use it sparingly before days when I know I want my skin to look good. When Im not using the Murad night cream, Ive found that spacing it out with this firming cream from Good Science Beautya new skin-care line created by a scientistreally helps. Its the first non-retinol night cream Ive ever found that gives me comparable results (brighter, smoother skin) without any skin irritation. It relies on barley extract for firming skin, contains emollients like essential oils and glycerin, and uses a patented silicon complex to help all of the ingredients penetrate the skin better. And if youre just looking for a potent retinol to layer at night, people go nuts for this Verso night cream because it contains a Whos Who of skin ingredients, like retinol, vitamin C, antioxidants, and hyaluronic acid. I wouldnt suggest it for every day, or for people with very sensitive skin, but it would make a good night cream for someone with oilier, more acne-prone skin. Slate has relationships with various online retailers. If you buy something through our links, Slate may earn an affiliate commission. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. All prices were up to date at the time of publication. I recently came upon Survivor Library, an archive of scanned books collected by Rocky Rawlins, who describes himself as not a prepper in the traditional sense, but has a deep interest in maintaining and distributing volumes that describe practical skills that would still be useful after an EMP hits. Survivor Library doubles as a fascinating archive of practical old nonfiction books, covering topics from canning to surveying to smithing to herbalism. I clicked on the heading for Toys, and thats where I found it: a trove of late-19th and early-20th-century books, advising children on how to make their own toys at home. Advertisement Survivor Library is an archive, but its also something of an argument for reversion to an older way of life. The inclusion of late-19th-century books on morality, and of many 100-year-old textbooks covering American history, paints a picture of post-apocalyptic Americans rolling back the clock in their social relationships while learning how to use plows with horses again. Books make their way into this archive in part because they are in the public domain, so the choice to include these may have been in part a pragmatic one. Even so, the idea of a future where people revert to the beliefs of mainstream Americans, ca. 1900, is nostalgic for some and horrifying for the rest of us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At first glance, these Make Your Own Toys books evoke only that nostalgia. Looking at these books in mid-December, as I struggled to keep my own toy purchases under control, the idea of 19th-century children constructing their own playthingsprobably by the fire, while calmly listening to their mother playing the pianois eminently appealing. But as with many things in the history of childhood, childrens toy-making was less idyllic than it seems. Its hard for a modern parent to fully grok the paucity of toys in Colonial American households. Historian Karin Calvert points out that in the Colonial period, neither playing games nor possessing toys was considered inherently childish by definition, and the most expensive store-bought toys were made for a wealthy adult market. Children whittled wooden whistles and pinwheels for themselves, when they were allowed, but they were often employed at jobs inside the homeand sometimes forbidden to play by religious parents, who believed it to be frivolous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Looking at portraits of children of elites, Calvert noticed an increased presence of toys around 1770, and a concurrent increase in expectations that childhood was a time for play. But in the first half of the 19th century, American homesespecially the poorer oneswere still relatively barren of playthings. In her history of dolls, Miriam Forman-Brunell cites memories recorded by Harriet Robinson, a mill girl growing up in New England. Robinson had no toys, except a few homemade articles of our own. I had but a single doll, a wooden-jointed thing, with red cheeks and staring black eyes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even kids who had access to rare, expensive, fancy toys were, it seems, not likely to play with them too often, preferring their homemade playthings, which came with fewer restrictions. In her memoir New England Girlhood, which described her childhood in Massachusetts in the 1820s and 1830s, Lucy Larcom wrote of her ragchildren. Larcom described these as absurd creatures of my own invention, limbless and destitute of features, except as now and then one of my older sisters would, upon my earnest petition, outline a face for one of them, with pen and ink. Nonetheless, Larcom loved the absurd creatures far better than I did the London doll that lay in waxen state in an upper drawer. Advertisement Advertisement At this point, children making toys for themselves at home was still a matter of necessitynot of adult prescription. The earliest example I found of an adult moral argument that kids should make their toys came from writer Maria Edgeworth. In her Practical Education (1815), Edgeworth suggested giving children suppliescard, pasteboard, substantial but not sharp-pointed scissors, wire, gum and waxwhen they were too small to use saws and planes. Kids could use these tools to make models of furniture, architectural forms, and models of simple machines, choosing at first such as can be immediately useful to children in their own amusements. Advertisement This edict was in line with Edgeworths belieflater to be repeated again and again by Progressive Era educatorsthat overly finished toys bored children, and that boredom made them petulant and disagreeable. A baby-house could be a good toy if unfurnished because it prompted children to make things to fill it up, Edgeworth wrote; if provided full of furnishings, it was tiresome and would not be played with for long. Childrens toy-making wasnt always virtuous. The Civil War marked something of a watershed for the industrially manufactured childrens toys market. Before the war, few kids might have had store-bought toys; afterward, the expansion of industrial capabilities and innovations in materials brought more and more adult-made toys into childrens lives. Historian Howard Chudacoff describes this as a transitional period, when childrens toys were a mishmash of the self-made and the mass-produced. William Allen White, a journalist who grew up in Kansas in the 1870s, remembered homemade sleds, wagons, bows and arrows, as well as the whistles, stick horses, and little railroads with whittled ties that he made for himself. Bellamy Partridge, who grew up in the 1880s and whose father forbid him to play cards, took dominoes and secretly made them into a deckshowing that childrens toy-making wasnt always inherently virtuous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adult claims for toy-making as an educational practice also increased in this period, and it became clear that the strict gender divides of the second half of the 19th century would find their own manifestations in toy-making. Ebenezer and Alice Landells, in their The Girls Own Toy-maker, and Book of Recreation (1860), stipulate in their introduction that girls should learn to make such items as dolls clothes, baskets, and pincushions to develop their aesthetic judgment and prepare to decorate their own homes when they grew up and got married: Nothing is more becoming than to see a home neatly and tastefully embellished by the handiwork of its inmates, they wrote. Girls who knew how to make things out of paper and cloth could make their homes pretty, craft presents to give their friends, or have the pleasing gratification of adding by their skill to the funds of some charitable or benevolent institution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the Landells had a different pitch for the boys. Many of our young friends have no doubt heard their parents join in the lament that has been made by some clever men on the general want of knowledge of common things, Ebenezer Landells wrote in the introduction to The Boys Own Toy-Maker (1860). Who, they asked rhetorically, would be the more useful person of two cast on Robinson Crusoes desert islandthe man who could only speak Greek and Latin, or the boy who, in hour of need, could erect a little hut or even construct a boat from the lessons learnt in play-hours? For boys, the Landells believed in time spent learning how to use a saw or make a model of a ship with full rigging. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the 19th century moved into the 20th, the old tradition of home toy-making took on more moral significance for Progressive Era reformers who were interested in anchoring children in everyday doing, while leading them away from the pleasures of shopping. Late-19th-century mothers in the American upper middle class, Forman-Brunell writes, took doll manufacturers to task by rejecting their products, preferring cloth dolls that taught virtue and understanding. Fancy Gilded Age dolls that reflected conspicuous consumption, ritual, and display were out. Forman-Brunell cites advice writers who suggested that making dolls rather than indulging a love of dress and finery would prevent degeneration into godless anarchy. These people, in other words, were also nostalgic for earlier times; we arent the first generation to wish our childrens playroom shelves were barer. Advertisement Several authors of these early-20th-century books that form the bulk of the make toys at home literature were teachers of manual training, a precursor to vocational education that drew inspiration from Swiss educator Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi. The manual training movement incorporated wood and metal work into typical curricula, and, unlike later models of vocational training, was designed to further liberal arts teaching rather than replace it. Advertisement Advertisement The list of things that home toy-making was supposed to teach was long. Thrift: [Children who make their own toys] will learn a lesson in economy they will not forget, a lesson they can apply to real work as well as play work, Carrie Williams wrote in Tin Can Toys and How to Make Them (1916). Patriotism: Mabel E. Turner wrote in an introduction to Leon H. Baxters Toy Craft (1922), Of how much greater value is one such plaything actually put together by a child than any number of toys made in a factory or imported from some foreign country? (Before World War I, many manufactured American toys came from Germany.) Carefulness: Leon Baxter wrote, Each year American parents spend millions of dollars for toys for the children. In a short time a large part of these toys are broken, and lie in the corner or the back yard. This is because of the destructive habits children have developed. These same habits have been formed because, since birth, toys have cost these children nothing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People in the early 20th century perceived the world as increasingly full of waste. Food was more likely to come in packages from the store, and more and more manufactured items were available to the typical consumer. Toy-making children could, in a very specific sense, help their households hew more closely to the model of domestic economy previous generations knew well, where most things were reused instead of thrown away. Morley Adams wrote in his Toy-Making at Home (undated, but probably early 20th century), In every household there are countless things which are thrown away immediately they have served one purpose. TheseAdams listed cotton-reels, matchboxes, broken clothes pegs, mustard tins, eggshellswere the debris of a society that had more and more sloughed-off material to spare. Homemade toys were a chance for kids to close the loop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of these Progressive Era educators, unlike the more stringent Landells of a few decades before, were forward-thinking in their prescriptions for girls interested in making toys. The girl who has had a course in handwork or woodworking, argued R. Bassett, an English secondary-school headmistress, in an introduction to Toy-Making in School and Home (1916), does take a more intelligent interest in things around her. That girl was good at failure and has what we would now call grit: She does not give up in disgust. She finds out the cause of the failure and tries again and again until she gets better results. Bassett thought that women were often limited in their amusements and their hobbies because of the many tools they didnt know. How helpless we are with a screw or a saw, how futile our attempts to adjust a loose door-handle, or to set the knives of a mowing machine! Bassett fretted. It is humiliating to call for help in such simple jobs, and tantalizing not to be able to enjoy the carpenters bench as our men-folk do in their hours of leisure. The cultural belief, inherited from the Victorians, that girls should be most interested in sewing and working with paper, were limiting the lessons girls learned from making her toys: The little girl deals with wee things: stitches are small, dolls are small; there is a fatal tendency sometimes to niggle, to finicknot that men-folk are immune from thisto love uniformity and tidiness for their own sakes, to seek regularity rather than utility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Progressive Era goldmine of make your own toys advice manuals and activity books had an afterlifein Boy Scouts, in Girl Scouts, in 4-H groups. Homemade toys, Howard Chudacoff writes, were still fallbacks for families with lower incomes, even in the middle of the 20th century, as the market for childrens things expanded and mass production brought prices ever more down. Chudacoff refers to testimonies by children that mention a companion doll made from straw and cloth rather than Patsy or Betsy Wetsy; building materials consisting of scavenged bricks or wood rather than Lincoln Logs or erector sets; games improvised from buttons or stones rather than formal board games such as Monopoly or Rook. So many toys of 2018made of molded plastic, or embedded with electronicsare unmakeable by typical adults, let alone by children. Would we be better off if our children still made their own blocks, boats, and carts? Gather up cardboard, penknife, paste, and calico scraps, and make a dollhouse bed with your kids this holiday week. Good luck with that tiny pillowcase. U.S. stocks were falling for a fourth straight session on Monday as investors looked on nervously at the chaos in Washington. In addition to the continuing government shutdown that had no obvious end in sight, investors were also reacting nervously to a series of moves by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin that were meant to calm the waters but seem to have had the exact opposite effect. The benchmark S&P 500 index is experiencing the worst December since the Great Depression as all of its 11 major sectors were in the red Monday. For now, stocks are on track to have their worst year since 2008. Advertisement On Sunday, Mnuchin said he had been in touch with the heads of six major banks and they assured him they had ample liquidity available for lending. The statement left many Wall Street insiders scratching their head because even though stocks have been going through a rough patch this month, no one had really thought the problem was due to a lack of cash for lending. Mnuchin also said he would convene the Presidents Working Group on financial markets, which also rattled investors. It seems unexpected, abrupt and unnecessary, Michael Purves, chief global strategist at Weeden & Co in Greenwich, Connecticut, told Reuters. The regulators told Mnuchin on Monday that there was nothing strange going on in the markets. Analysts warned Monday that the selloff is likely to continue if there is still gridlock in Washington and the partial government shutdown drags on. While sentiment looks to be skewed towards fear, most market participants seem to be looking for a plausible excuse to sell, Nomura strategist Masanari Takada wrote in a note, reports Bloomberg. When Sen. Bob Corker appeared on CNN Sunday, he had no shortage of criticism for President Donald Trump, hitting hard at the commander in chief both for his Syria policy and his demand for border wall funding that led to a partial shutdown of the government. The Republican senator from Tennessee said during the interview that Trump pushed the government into a shutdown as a way of scoring political points. This is a made-up fight, so the President can look like hes fighting, but even if he wins, our borders are going to be insecure, Corker said. The senator added that the insistence on the wall was a purposefully contrived fight and said that the whole thing is juvenile. He also said he was saddened by the presidents decision to pull troops out of Syria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is a made-up fight, so the President can look like he's fighting, but even if he wins, our borders are going to be insecure." GOP Sen. Bob Corker says President Trump pushed the government into partial shutdown as an act of political posturing. https://t.co/tvNLgFv2qG pic.twitter.com/Xy69wtNOZE CNN (@CNN) December 23, 2018 "I'm just saddened for our country in being so unreliable I'm devastated by this," Republican Sen. Bob Corker says of Trump's decision to pull troops out of Syria. Via CNN. pic.twitter.com/gASFZJlWjm Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 23, 2018 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump didnt like that one bit and shortly afterward took to Twitter to rip into the senator in a pair of tweets, one of which contained a badly misspelled word. Senator Bob Corker just stated that, Im so priveledged to serve in the Senate for twelve years, and thats what I told the people of our state thats what Id do, serve for two terms. But that is Not True - wanted to run but poll numbers TANKED when I wouldnt endorse him, Trump wrote. The president then repeated his frequent criticism of Corker that blames him for the horrible Iran Nuclear Deal, which I ended. Advertisement Advertisement Senator Bob Corker just stated that, Im so priveledged to serve in the Senate for twelve years, and thats what I told the people of our state thats what Id do, serve for two terms. But that is Not True - wanted to run but poll numbers TANKED when I wouldnt endorse him..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2018 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement .....Bob Corker was responsible for giving us the horrible Iran Nuclear Deal, which I ended, yet he badmouths me for wanting to bring our young people safely back home. Bob wanted to run and asked for my endorsement. I said NO and the game was over. #MAGA I LOVE TENNESSEE! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2018 It could have all ended there, but Corker decided to pick up the baton. Yes, just like Mexico is paying for the wall, Corker wrote while retweeting Trumps criticism. He then used the hashtag #AlertTheDaycareStaff. Corker made the dig at a time when Trump is apparently particularly vulnerable to that type of criticism. Reports claim the president was particularly angry at the coverage surrounding Defense Secretary James Mattis resignation letter because it pushed the story line that some key advisers were the adults in the room keeping Trumps worst instincts in check. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California State University-Long Beach Students at California State University-Long Beach can pursue a Master of Science (MS) in Counseling with an option in Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT). The program offers a 2-, 2.5- or 3-year track and prepares students for state licensure. Students in the program receive training in a wide range of areas, including spirituality, human sexuality, trauma, child counseling, couples counseling and chemical dependency. The program has a thesis or comprehensive exam option and requires students to participate in multiple fieldwork experiences, some of which may take place at the on-site clinic, while others take place in the local area. Alliant International University Alliant International University offers a Master of Arts (MA) and Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Marital and Family Therapy at its Irvine, San Diego, Sacramento and Los Angeles locations. The MA program is also available online, offers day and evening classes, can be taken full- or part-time and requires 600 total hours of hands-on clinical training. The PsyD requires a dissertation and allows students to specialize in policy, clinical, supervision, teaching or research. Students in the program also receive hands-on training through practicum experiences and a doctoral internship. University of Southern California The University of Southern California in Los Angeles has a Master of Marriage and Family Therapy program that prepares students for state licensure. The program follows a cohort model and includes coursework that is research- and practice-based. Students learn how to work with clients through videotaped clinical practice and hands-on field experiences that total a full year of experience before the end of the program. Students also participate in practice sessions with their peers, where students may choose to share personal information for practice. Chapman University Orange's Chapman University provides an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy that is 1 of 8 MFT programs in the country that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy (COAMFTE). The program requires a 1-year practicum experience that takes place on-campus at the Frances Smith Center for Individual and Family Therapy. The program can be completed in 3 years and also requires a comprehensive exam and capstone project. Students may also choose to further develop their leadership skills through participation in the International Marriage and Family Therapy Honor Society, Delta Kappa. Azusa Pacific University Azusa Pacific University in Azusa offers a unique MA in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in MFT. The program meets state licensure requirements and also offers a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) option through one additional course or a Substance Use Disorders certificate through 11 additional units. The standard MA program requires 63 to 66 units and requires a comprehensive exam and a clinical placement that can take 12 to 30 months to complete, depending on course scheduling. Students are also required to participate in 40 hours of individual psychotherapy or 20 hours of individual and 20 hours of group therapy. University of Kentucky The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky contains a doctoral program in psychology. Depending on your research interests, you can choose from five different specialty areas for studying. Your options are: Clinical psychology Developmental psychology Social psychology Behavioral neuroscience and psychopharmacology Cognition, learning and performance Each of the options is designed to reflect a specific methodology used within the study of psychology. By choosing one specific path, you will be paired with individual faculty members who specialize in that given cluster. You will have the chance for interdisciplinary study, as each faculty member has experience with branches outside their specialization. Western Kentucky University No matter your interest in psychology, Western Kentucky University has a program that will suit your needs. The Master of Arts degree with a concentration in clinical psychology lets you begin a career in different clinical settings, which might include addiction, suicide prevention, or forensics. There is also an Education Specialist in School Psychology degree, which could get you ready for a career in child evaluation and intervention. Finally, the Doctor of Psychology in Applied Psychology degree gives you the skills necessary to become a practicing psychologist. Union College Located in Barbourville, Union College has four different options for graduate study in psychology. All but the Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology can be earned entirely online; the clinical M.A. is a hybrid program that requires you to attend some courses in person. On top of that curriculum, students may choose to add another 12 credits to earn an endorsement in clinical psychology. Both the master's in clinical psychology and the Master of Science in Substance Abuse prepare students to become psychological practitioners, while the other master's, in general psychology, is intended for those who want to become college professors or continue their graduate study. Finally, Union offers a combined undergraduate/graduate Chemical Dependency Counselor Certificate designed to prepare students to help those with addiction. Kentucky State University KSU offers an interdisciplinary master's in behavioral science through the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The program focuses on forensic psychology, with theoretical backgrounds in applied research methods, criminology, statistics and other disciplines. You will develop professional research experience in the science and practice behind psychology, and the ways that it coincides with the law and other social sciences. Classes for this graduate program are held in the evening, and you have the option of creating a part-time or full-time schedule. Louisville University Earning a doctorate with Louisville University means you can specialize in two different tracks. The Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology combines treating human problems with the research you will perform at the doctoral level. You'll develop the necessary skills to better your understanding of behavioral, mental, and emotional disorders. The Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology emphasizes research to understand what goes into the actions of human behavior. You can specialize in neuroscience, development, cognition, or visual and auditory science. The withdrawal of US forces, the resignation of Brett McGurk, a ten year old boy killed in Idleb and Iraqi approval of the US decision. Catch up on everything that happened over the weekend. 1. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, which has spearheaded the ground battle against jihadists, warned that a US pullout would allow the Islamic State (ISIS) to regroup and launch a counterattack. Al-Araby al-Jadeed quoted a statement by the SDF, the US-led coalitions main military partner in the battle against ISIS, as saying the move, will have a negative impact on the counterterrorism campaign. The statement continued, It will give terrorism the momentum to recover and conduct a terrorist campaign in the region, and warned that it would create a political and military vacuum in the area, leaving its people between the claws of hostile parties. 2. The New York Times reported that Brett McGurk, the Special Presidential Envoy to the International Coalition fighting the Islamic State (ISIS), has accelerated his resignation, telling colleagues this weekend that he could not carry out President Trumps newly declared policy of withdrawing the 2,000 troops stationed in Syria. McGurk, a seasoned diplomat, considered by many to be the glue holding together the sprawling International Coalition that has been fighting the terrorist group, was supposed to retire in February. But according to an email he sent to his staff, he decided to move forward his departure to Dec. 31, 2018, after Trump did not heed his own commanders and blindsided Americas allies in the region by abruptly ordering the withdrawal of US troops. His decision follows the departure of Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, whose own resignation letter has been seen as a rebuke of the Presidents actions in the region. 3. On Saturday, a ten-year-old boy was killed when militants of a former al-Qaeda branch opened fire on a van carrying civilians in northern Idleb province, local activists told Zaman Al Wasl. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham said its checkpoint in the town of Maarret Mesrin, opened fire on a minibus after the driver refused to stop. The group, who were formerly-known as Jabhat al-Nusra, has killed most of its opponents, including citizen journalists and human rights advocates. 4. Some 110,000 Syrian refugees returned from Lebanon to their home country in 2018, Lebanese General Security Head Abbas Ibrahim told local news channel MTV Friday, The Daily Star reported. Syrian activists have voiced concern about the fate of the returning Syrian refugees, after the Lebanese caretaker Minister for Refugee Affairs, Mouin Merehbi, made statements, which said that 20 Syrian refugees, who had returned from Lebanon to Syria, had been killed by regime forces. 5. President of Iraq, Barham Salih, told US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, over a phone call, that the crisis in Syria can be solved by respecting the decisions of Syrian people and allowing them to determine the future of their country, emphasizing that the withdrawal of US forces from the Syrian territory should be a helping factor in settling the crisis. According to a statement issued by the Iraqi Presidents Office on Saturday, and published by SANA, President Salih said that the Syrian people paid a heavy price as a result of terrorism, which committed the most heinous crimes, in addition to the destructive foreign interventions. Saleh stressed that the withdrawal of US forces should help to restore security and stability, and be based on respect for the rights of Syrians and their independent decision. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Click the photo to write a caption and have a chance to win a free subscription to the Norfolk Daily News. While the French have stated that they will remain in Syria for the time being, they have been unable to give the SDC any of the guarantees they had been hoping for writes Basnews. Riad Darar, chair of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC), the political wing of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has revealed the contents of his discussions with French officials in Paris, regarding the American withdrawal from northeastern Syria. In an interview with Basnews, Darar said that his visit to France was to discuss the recent situation following the American withdrawal decision, In fact, this decision was a surprise to everyone, including us, despite the fact that we were ready for a moment like this, which we have been expecting would come. He added, However, this moment is coming with Turkish threats at the gates. The Turkish army is threatening to invade the region, and this is a difficult matter. Darar continued, The French were also surprised (by the withdrawal decision), and they asked us if we knew anything about it before hand. We assured them it was a surprise to us, like them, and then there was a discussion about the consequences of the decision and how it might be possible to act. He added in his statements, published on the website on Sunday, that, The French are like othersthey cant move without American cover, because America is the one who can make the decisions and make the moves. Darar pointed to the SDCs request for the European Union and the International Coalition forces to take a position, and for the Coalition to continue its presence until the Islamic State is defeated, and then to continue to support the area, to defend it from external threats, and then for a decision by the Security Council, if possible, for air cover or to prevent threats. He added, We cannot make full, guaranteed promises because there are discusses and consultations, and therefore there were promises for us to meet another time to find out what happened after their consultations with the other parties. Opening to the Opposition The head of the SDC continued, saying, We are open to solutions, which could include agreements with the opposition, to make ourselves a united front in the Geneva negotiations, and us participating in the political process. This could be done after discussions and positive intervention from those who can communicate with all sides. He noted that, The confirmation by the Turks that they have delayed their invasion is a positive step. This gives us a chance to open the door to find more than one way into a political solution with all parties. He closed, saying, We have more than one scenario which could spare the region from threats that could come in time. We are not rushing, because we are also taking everyones pulse about how the coming process could work for a real Syrian-Syrian solution that preserves the country and from later consequences. 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. There is a desperate need for housing in Syria, but there have been complaints that the houses being built are exclusively for the wealthy reports Al-Ayam. Real estate expert Ammar Youssef said that, Every residential project proposed today is aimed at the wealthy, and medium-income citizens. Even decent-income citizens cannot afford to live in these houses. In an interview with the Syrian newspaper Al-Ayam, he questioned whether these projectsor what the newspaper described as dream citieswere meant for Syrians. The expert asked whether there were Syrians who could pay four million Syrian pounds per square meter, which means that a 100-square meter apartment would cost half a million pounds. Who is this for? Youssef added, The government, if it continues with this mentality, will be unable to solve the housing crisis for the next 100 years, especially since three million homes have been destroyed. The real need today in Syria is a million and a half homes annually, which increases by 100,000 to 150,000 every year due to a number of factors, including the growing population and the separation of families from one another. The Housing Ministry injects between 2,000 and 3,000 apartments annually, and so everything thats been discussed so far is empty talk. Sources told Al-Ayam that, All the rumors about there being Russian, Chinese and Iranian companies that want to participate in reconstruction is just talk. Despite these companies coming and expressing their desire to invest, they have been content to merely inquire, due to the fact that they face a number of obstacles, such as the instability of the exchange rate, and the mechanism for bringing in and taking out their money. Sources in the Housing Ministry have told the paper that there are, negotiations with the Russians and Iranians, but the matter requires stability in the market, labor, basic materials, and fuel. A number of experts believed that it is the right of citizens for the government to secure small-area housing of no more than 30 square meters. Sources inside the Ministry said that, the matter of small housing requires there to be a social culture for people to accept this idea. Sources in the Ministry of Housing and Public Works said that the share of public housing institutions in housing was no more than seven percent. They added that, the institution is still waiting for the entry of other parties, such as real estate developers, despite there being 53 real estate development companies, but not one of them today has dared to begin building. 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. The most common crime committed by minors is theft, but courts have also seen minors accused of terrorism offences reports Damas Post. The head of the minors court in Damascus and Quneitra, Judge Futoun Droubi, confirmed that there has been an increase of 50 percent in crimes by minors, compared to figures from before the crisis. Before the crisis, there were fewer crimes by minors, but today sophisticated means of committing crimes have been developed in various styles. Theft has increased greatly, as well as moral crimes, and begging. Minors have begun to use infants to beg (relatives or rented from their parents), either as part of organized work or as a result of the loss of a breadwinner and amid the growing tide of begging which brings in a decent income. He said that 20 misdemeanor cases are heard daily, which even include crimes of terrorism, where the minor takes up arms and threatens the family, and this leads to him joining terrorist groups, with a large portion of these minors coming from Deir ez-Zor. Droubi also noted the participation and involvement of minors in a number of crimes such as dealing drugs, especially hashish, which has spread widely. The judge said that there has been a large increase in the rate of theft, with 80 percent of the cases heard relating to theft, which includes minors participating in theft in the areas their families have left. The judge also pointed to the weak capacities of the centers for reform of minors, whether in terms of selecting an appropriate person or in terms of cleanliness or the lack of appropriate means to provide food. Before the crisis, the situation in these institutions was bad for about 20 percent, and now with the crisis its about 80 percent. For her part, the Director of Social Affairs and Work in the Damascus countryside, Fatima Rashid, said that in 2010 the number of minors in the Khalid bin Walid Academy was 327, and from 2011 to 2017 that number rose to 892 minors, and in 2018 alone, until the date of reply from the Ministry, 180 minors had been admitted. 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. Ankara Saturday vowed to launch a probe into the smuggling of a shipment of arms to Libya, which is under UN arm embargo. The Libyan authorities based in Tripoli reportedly had seized last week, two containers of weapons and munitions disguised as construction material in the Western port of Khoms. The shipment was coming from Turkey. The discovery raised eyebrows in the oil-rich North African county and the UN mission in Libya called on the global body to investigate the shipment. Libya has been since 2011 under UN arm embargo following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi ousted in a NATO-backed revolution. The country since then has been unmanageable as the UN-backed government in Tripoli, challenged by an east-based rival administration backed by warlord Khalifa Haftar, failed to impose its authority. Both administrations are supported by foreign countries, which have been swaying influence. UN experts have documented deliveries of weapons from destinations including Sudan, Egypt, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates despite the ban on weapons imports, The New Arab reports. Visiting the North African country on Thursday, Turkeys top diplomat, Mevlut Cavusoglu denied Ankaras involvement and assured Libyan authorities Turkeys cooperation in identifying the smugglers. We are going to take firm measures on this subject, Cavusoglu said in translated comments at a press conference in Tripoli. We are starting an investigation to determine how the arms were loaded into containers and how they entered Libya. Haftar have repeatedly accused Turkey and Qatar of supporting the UN-backed government in Tripoli as well as Islamists. Pushing back accusations, Cavusoglu charged unnamed Western and Arab countries of sending tanks, missiles, and drones to Libya, in apparent reference to alleged outside support for Haftar, the London-based media comments. Syrian security services chief Ali Mamluk held talks with Egyptian officials in Cairo over the weekend on a rare visit to the country, Syrian state media said Sunday. His Saturday visit came "at the invitation of" Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel, the official SANA news agency said. It came just one week after a surprise visit to Damascus by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who became the first Arab leader to visit the Syrian capital since the conflict began in March 2011. Mamluk and his Egyptian counterpart discussed topics of common concern including "political, security and counterterrorism issues", SANA said. It was the second official visit by the secretive Syrian security official to the Egyptian capital since the outbreak of Syria's seven-year war. His last trip to Cairo was in October 2016, according to SANA reporting at the time. Mamluk was appointed as the head of national security in 2012 after a major explosion in Damascus killed four top security officials. He is considered to be a key member of President Bashar al-Assad's inner circle and is blacklisted under EU sanctions. In November, France issued arrest warrants for three Syrian intelligence officials -- including Mamluk -- wanted for "complicity in acts of torture" and "complicity in war crimes" among other charges. Syria's war has killed 360,000 people and displaced millions since starting in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-regime protests. Seven years after the deadly bomb attack that wrecked the Argana cafe in Djemaa el-Fna square, a popular tourist spot in Marrakech, Morocco was targeted again by extremist lone wolves who killed lately two Scandinavian female tourists in the Atlas Mountains. Their horrible crime, which raised serious concerns over tourism sector in the North Africa Kingdom, was unanimously condemned by all components of Moroccan society, including Govt officials, political parties, artists, NGOs, media outlets, sportsmen, foreign tourists, local communities, academics, intellectuals The murder of the two Scandinavian backpackers sent shockwaves across the country and trigged unprecedented chain of solidarity with the families of the victims. Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, a 24-year-old Danish student, and her Norwegian friend, Maren Ueland, 28 were found dead inside their tent near Imlil by French mountaineers on December 17. The ISIS copycat killers wanted to instill fear in the country but Moroccans of all walks of life stood firm. They did not give in to terrorism and showed a united face against terror. Vigils and minutes of silence took place in Rabat, Casablanca, Tangiers, Marrakech and the village of Imlil, where the murdered tourists were found. Filled with pain and sorrow, hundreds of Moroccans gathered across the country, lying flowers and lighting candles for the two murdered tourists, sending a strong message around the world that terrorism will never defeat Morocco, divide it, destroy its values of tolerance or disrupt its way of life. On the contrary, something positive, a united front, comes out of this terrible tragedy that does not change the beauty of Morocco, nor the kindness, openness and generosity of its people. Moroccan authorities captured four men involved directly in the appalling killing of the two Scandinavian tourists. Aged between 25 and 33, the killers pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in a video made a week before their crime. Nine more arrests were made on Thursday and Friday for links to the perpetrators. Moroccan investigators believe the four main suspects acted on their own initiative, despite their allegiance to the ISIS terror group. According to Mr.Boubker Sabik, a spokesman for the Moroccan security and domestic intelligence services, the killers had headed to the Imlil area with the intention of committing a crime but without prior selection of their target. They acted alone, he stressed, noting that the crime was not coordinated with the Islamic State. He also said that the arrest of nine more people in various Moroccan cities having ties with the main suspects helped to thwart a terrorist plot hatched against the country. The horrendous twin-murder committed in the Atlas Mountains shows that the fanatics still constitute a serious threat to the national security of the country wherein all Moroccans remain united in their resolve to combat extremists and stand for the values of tolerance, freedom, mutual respect and coexistence between people of different cultures, creeds and traditions. Though Vietnam-grown farm produce remains popular with Chinese consumers, agricultural exports from Vietnam are set to face huge hurdles in meeting new standards to enter China from 2019. From June 1, 2019, all Vietnamese farm products must have food safety certification and origin traceability in order to be approved for export to China, officials said at a forum of agricultural exporters in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday. Vietnams northern neighbor has imposed a 50-percent import tax on Vietnamese rice since June 2018, seriously hurting one of Vietnams crucial exports. As of the end of November, only 1.3 million out of 5.8 million metric tons of Vietnams exported rice was bound for China. China now accounts for only 22 percent of Vietnams total rice exports, compared to 30 percent in previous years, said Nguyen Ngoc Nam, general director of Vietnam Southern Food Corporation (Vinafood 2). It is not expected that this number can be improved by the end of this year, Nam said. Alongside increased tax, tightened regulations have also played a part in cutting Vietnams rice exports to China. Out of 150 member enterprises of the Vietnam Food Association, only 21 are authorized by Chinese authorities to export rice to the 1.3-billion-people market. We have submitted requests for other businesses to be added to the list [of approved exporters] but the Chinese side has not responded, Nam said. Rice is not the only Vietnamese farm produce to face new hurdles entering China, as fruits grown in the Southeast Asian country are also subject to tax and technical barriers when imported into China. China currently only fully sanctions the import of dragon fruits, watermelons, rambutans, mangoes, longans, lychees, bananas and jackfruits from Vietnam. Chinese authorities are considering expanding the list to include other fruits and vegetables such as durians, grapefruits, passion fruits, sweet potatoes, coconuts, sugar apples, and mangosteens, Tran Thanh Nam, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, told Fridays forum. A perfect example of how tightened Chinese regulations have hurt Vietnamese agricultural exporters is the case of Vietnamese durians, which have plunged in price after China imposed a new regulation earlier this year requiring that the fruits origin be traceable. It was a blow to Vietnamese durian growers, who had quickly expanded their farm area for two to three years prior to the announcement due to increased demand from China. Before China tightened control on durian imports in November, Vietnamese durians unofficially made their way into China through Thailand, where the fruits are labeled as Thai-grown to bypass Chinese customs. Vietnamese enterprises need to focus on producing high-quality produce for export to China to target consumers with high spending power, said Wei Xiang Qian, a representative of Sunwah Group from Liaoning, China. There are roughly three million consumers [in China] falling into this segment, Wei said. According to the Chinese entrepreneur, Vietnamese fruits have an advantage for their unmatched tastiness, making them popular with Chinese consumers. Liaoning Province, in northeastern China, has one of the countrys harshest winters, when fruits and vegetables are scarce and expensive, said Xing Jun, a representative from a local distributor of agricultural produce. If Vietnamese enterprises invest in improving the quality of their produce, there is still a lot of space in this market in the future, said Deputy Minister Nam. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A ceremony was organized on Sunday in the north-central Vietnamese province of Thanh Hoa to officially put into commercial operation the countrys largest oil refinery and petrochemical plant. The Nghi Son oil refinery and petrochemical plant, located at the namesake economic zone in Tinh Gia District, is designed with a capacity of ten million metric tons of crude oil per year, at a cost of nearly US$9.3 billion. The facility is able to produce such types of fuel as Ron 95 and Ron 92 gasoline, benzene, liquefied gas, and others. The project was approved by the provincial Peoples Committee in April 2008. According to a representative of Nghi Son Company, which operates the facility, the plant has produced approximately 4.5 million metric tons of fuel since May, contributing over VND8 trillion ($344 million) to the provinces budget. Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asserted that the Nghi Son plant is significant to national development in terms of politics, economics, society, security and defense. The refinery also contributes to ensuring national energy security. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the ceremony. Photo: Tuoi Tre The commercial operation of the plant marks a breakthrough development in the countrys oil refinery-petrochemical sector, the premier said. Nghi Son, together with the Dung Quat oil refinery in the central province of Quang Ngai, will collectively meet about 80 percent of the domestic fuel demand, thus reducing Vietnams reliance on fuel imports, PM Phuc added. Nghi Son is the biggest project in Vietnam regarding construction scale and total investment, the top official underlined. The project is a symbol of international cooperation that received special attention and support from the Vietnamese government and its important partners, namely Japan and Kuwait, Phuc said. It also helps create a skilled workforce, serving as a nucleus for the development of human resources in the region. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Morocco and South Korea have agreed to enhance further their cooperation ties in the fields of higher education, renewable energy, automobile and investment. Six agreements were sealed during the work visit paid to Morocco by Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon who met in Rabat his Moroccan peer Saad-Eddine El Othmani and attended the Morocco-Korea business forum convened in Casablanca. The two countries agreed to set up R&D platforms on green & smart building and smart microgrids. Seoul also pledged to set up an automotive training institute in Casablanca to share its experience with Morocco in this highly competitive sector. South Korea and Morocco have signed respectively 52 and 55 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). Despite their huge potentials, trade exchanges between the two countries remain below expectations, not exceeding $660 million in 2017. Korea is Moroccos 20th trade partner and 16th investor. Major South Korean companies operating in the North African Kingdom include LG, Samsung, Daihatsu, Hyundai and Kia. Last year, Korea invested $43.7 billion worldwide but only 1 pc of this amount was injected in Morocco. To reverse this trend, the two countries pledged to explore all joint business opportunities, focusing on car industry, IT sector, renewable energies, water resource management and triangular cooperation as Morocco is the second investor in Africa. Competition for the overseas retiree dollar is fierce around the world and no more prominent than in Southeast Asia. As living costs for foreigners continue to rise in their home countries, more citizens move to this part of the world. Estimates indicate that the number of Americans retired overseas has doubled in the last 15 years to several million, plus nomads and seasonal travellers. In comparison, there are close to 100,000 citizens from the United Kingdom retired in Spain and Portugal alone. Tens of thousands of Australians are retired on Bali but there are so many seasonal and part-time visitors that its hard to get an accurate count. Determining the number of retirees in Vietnam is more difficult because there is no official retirement visa program, although my estimation is that the total number of foreigners living here is well over 100,000. Of those, most are working or are business owners, but its safe to say the number of retirees is in the tens of thousands. Whats so good about retiring in Vietnam? Value for Money I spent several years rotating between six countries in Southeast Asia and found that not only is Vietnam the least expensive, but the quality we receive is high relative to the other destinations in the region. Sure, you can eat for a couple of U.S. dollars in Cambodia or the Philippines but youll usually need to spend more to get a quality, nutritious meal. In Vietnam its easy to enjoy a healthy, delicious meal in a low-end restaurant for less than two dollars. Bun rieu cua (crab noodle soup) Vietnam is the second-largest coffee-producing country in the world, so its easy to find a great cup for US$0.50. Rents are higher in the largest cities but affordable to downright cheap in most areas, and most buildings are of sturdy concrete construction. Ive rarely seen a cheaply built hotel or apartment building in Vietnam with paper thin walls. Outside the two largest urban areas Ho Chi Minh City and the capital Hanoi its easy to find a comfortable, large apartment for less than $500 per month with studios going for half that price or less. Affordable visa options are available, including business visas (investment or work activity is not required) valid for 6 to 12 months costing between $250 for the former and $500 for the latter, including invitation letters and stamping fees paid upon arrival. Friendly, energetic people Ive spent four decades living in various countries around the world including 10 years in Southeast Asia and the Vietnamese take the crown for the most welcoming locals. When foreigners bring the right attitude to Vietnam embracing the culture, customs, and food, truly wanting to learn how things are done and why, and accepting that like anywhere else its not perfect then the welcome mat comes out. The people bend over backwards to make us happy and comfortable and treat us fairly. The generosity is amazing half the time that I go for a coffee or a beer I cant move quickly enough to pay the bill because someone has already snapped it up. This one statistic tells all: 25 years ago nearly 60% of the population lived below the poverty line today its around 10 percent. Thats an unparalleled turnaround among developing countries. The Vietnamese are hard workers, focused on service, entrepreneurial by nature, and eager to advance and move up the socio-economic scale. The country has yet to be taken over by large corporations and as a result many run their own small businesses and that counts for a lot of the enthusiasm and energy. Things work in Vietnam In most developing countries even the smallest task can become a big story, such as getting phone service or shopping. Not in Vietnam. Every coffee shop and small business has free Wi-Fi and it works. I dont even use my phone service never have everywhere has functional Wi-Fi. Go to the market and you can expect to pay a fair price for goods. Prices are often marked on products and negotiating is not customary, so no need to know complex haggling rules. Of course there are scams just like everywhere in the world, but they are fewer and further between in Vietnam. Tourists are sometimes cheated as happens all over the world, but rarely is the known foreign resident scammed. What about health care? Its critical to every retiree, so how does Vietnam stack up? Vietnam is on a par with the neighboring countries as well as the Philippines and Indonesia. Thailand and Malaysia are both a step up from the bunch and Singapore is apparently world-class, and all those places have world-class costs to go with that standard. I have an excellent doctor and dentist right here in Da Lat, both at very affordable prices. I found them by doing ground work with locals and expats, so its not as straightforward as were used to in our home countries. A locally-owned bakery in Da Lat Variable climates and seasons Vacationing abroad is one thing, but retiring to live full-time abroad means the weather plays a much larger role, and Vietnam has a climate for every taste. Most countries in the region have two seasons: wet and dry, so there is not a lot to choose from. Its either hot or sweltering, dry or throwing down rain for months on end. In Vietnam there are several climates when its raining in the south, its usually dry in much of the central and northern regions, and vice versa. When its coldest in the north its much warmer in the south. The country stretches some 1,600 kilometers from north to south at varying altitudes, so for the beach lover nearly all of the coast is gorgeous, plus many great cooler weather enclaves up in the hills. I wont even get into the never-ending natural beauty all over Vietnam or this article would turn into a thick book. Truly there is something for everyone from pristine beaches to rolling hills of rice terraces, to mountains and beautiful cities. Da Lat City in the Central Highlands of Vietnam Stability and security Feeling safe and secure is by no means a sure thing in many developing countries, but in Vietnam women walk outside alone at night and there are relatively few petty crimes. Sure, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are huge mega-cities and have all the issues that come with them, including street snatchings and theft. Outside the largest cities there is little risk of becoming a victim of violent crime. The government is predictable and stable relative to most developing countries. There are no uprisings, coups, drastic changes in policy, unlike many other countries. Life is peaceful and pleasant here. Add it all up and what have we got? An affordable if not downright cheap cost of living, welcoming locals, efficient services, variable climates, endless beauty, plus a stable political and social environment. Will it always be like that? Certainly not Vietnam is still in its infancy as a retirement destination because the lack of a formal retirement program makes some foreigners hesitant to settle here. As a tourist destination its blossoming rapidly, so costs will have to increase over time. I envisage a retirement program for foreigners being put in place in the coming years and many more retirees flocking here to live. Vietnam is right at the sweet spot for the foreign retiree, dont wait for the crowd! Politics -- Vietnamese State President and Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on Sunday sent a letter of greetings to Japanese Emperor Akihito on his 85th birthday, while Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc cabled a congratulatory message to his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on the occasion. -- Vietnam-South Africa relations have prospered in all fields since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1993, Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa Vu Van Dung said on Sunday on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations. Society -- Starting 2019, the installation of underground power lines, drainage system and telecom cables in Ho Chi Minh City must be done using underground drilling technology without causing disruption to traffic on the surface, according to a new decision by the municipal transport department. -- Northern Vietnam is expected to stay cool this week with temperatures remaining in the range of 16-23 degrees Celsius and occasional rains in the forecast in Hanoi, while the countrys southern areas will have ample sunshine and temperatures falling between 23 and 33 degrees Celsius over the same period. -- There have been no reports of any Vietnamese national harmed in a deadly tsunami that hit the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra on Saturday, killing at least 222, the Vietnamese Embassy in Indonesia said in statement on Sunday. -- A fire started by welding sparks that killed seven people at an eatery in Dong Nai Province in southern Vietnam on Friday has once again put spotlight on welding safety in Vietnam, where amateur and self-trained welders operate openly with disregard for basic safety measures. Business -- A US$9 billion oil refinery and petrochemical complex located at the Nghi Son Economic Zone in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa officially entered commercial operation on Sunday, raising Vietnams crude oil refining capabilities by ten million metric tons yearly. -- The unregulated use of fine-meshed nets in offshore fishing in Vietnam has led to even the smallest of fish and marine species being caught in fishermens nets, threatening the sustainability of aquatic resources in Vietnamese waters. -- Sixty-eight foreign airlines based in 25 countries and territories outside of Vietnam are currently operating flights to and from Vietnamese airports, as more foreign carriers are racing to launch routes to Vietnam to tap into the countrys growing middle class with huge demands for air travel. --Vietnams 200 best enterprises, which together generated more than VND912 trillion ($39 billion) in revenue and contributed over VND72 trillion ($3 billion) to the state budget in 2018, were on Sunday honored with the 2018 Vietnam Gold Star Award in a ceremony held in Hanoi. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Seafood supplies are being depleted at an alarming rate in the waters off the south-central Vietnamese coast and fishermen are getting discouragingly lower incomes as banned trawlers and small-mesh fishing nets have been stubbornly employed. Vietnam has forbidden bottom trawling and the use of nets with mesh sizes under 10 millimeters for many years but the practices can be still seen in the waters along the coastline from the resort city of Nha Trang to Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, next to Ho Chi Minh City. A number of small-horsepower boats that drag nets along the sea bottom or pull the banned nets operate just a few nautical miles from the coast of Ba Ria-Vung Tau after dusk and before dawn to dodge authorities. Around 1,600 out of a fleet of nearly 6,000 offshore fishing boats with 90-horsepower engines employ the trawling practice, said Nguyen Duc Hoang, deputy head of a local aquaculture agency. The net of a boat at sea in Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre Consequences of the indiscriminate use are sinking in. Marine resources are now overstretched, with fish stocks declining seriously due to bottom trawling, Hoang underlined. He said efforts to crack down on the illegal fishing methods have been impeded by the modest patrol coverage. A local fisherman said his yearly haul has dwindled by 20-30 percent in recent times as others take advantage of bottom trawling and fine-mesh nets. No creatures, even as small as a finger, can escape the nets, he said. Such nets are capable of catching ten-kilogram mackerels while sparing no young fish just about several grams, even though the small fish, usually dead before boats return to the shore, can only be used as fertilizer or discarded, he said. The fisher added that the fish he once commonly found such as soles and ilisha, or ray-finned fish, are no longer seen in his catch. Seafood is seen on a boat in Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre Another fisherman described the scale of marine fish stock depletion as awful, saying the nets that many boats are using can even trap fish eggs. If people keep catching fish this way, future generations will not have seafood to eat, let alone to export, he said, adding he hopes for no large profits from his job. Its more than good to break even after an offshore trip, he added. The shrinking seafood populations are also noticed in the waters off Nha Trang. But here there is another problem related to the fish stock decrease: more and more people are leaving low-paid fishing to gravitate to other types of work that offer better job security and more satisfying salary, and that are less physically demanding. Mai Thanh Phuc, head of the municipal fishing association, said amongst those who have stopped fishing are old people who would prefer to be employed in urban areas and get VND5-6 million ($215-258) monthly, which is higher than the average income of VND3-5 million ($129-215) from sea fishing. Another reason is that an offshore fishing trip may take a month but fishermen are always at risk of making losses, Phuc said. A way out of the worst-case scenario, he suggested, is providing fishing vessels with modern equipment. Vietnams agriculture ministry is carrying out a policy of granting loans to fishermen. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A recent deadly fire at a diner in the southern Vietnamese province of Dong Nai has once again rung the alarm bell on imminent fire and explosion hazards posed by careless welding activities across the country. Seven people were killed after a flame engulfed the eatery named Ruby in Long Khanh Town, Dong Nai on Friday afternoon. The restaurant owner had a team of welders repair and upgrade some areas of the building prior to the tragedy that killed himself and six workers. A police investigation later stated that sparks from the welding activities had triggered the fire. On Thursday, welding sparks also caused an oil barrel to explode in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, injuring three people. In late March, a wood processing facility in District 12, Ho Chi Minh City caught fire as a welder was doing his job. A more serious accident occurred at a confectionery facility in Hanoi in July 2017, killing eight people and wounding two others. In early 2016, 13 people died as a blaze burned down a karaoke bar in the capital. Careless welding activities were the reason behind the two fatal fires in Hanoi. In the wake of the Ruby fire, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters have paid a visit to multiple welding shops across Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai to have a closer look at the dangerous activities. The correspondents first arrived at a location on National Highway 13 in Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City, whose owner is N.T. Danh, a welder with seven years of experience. I studied welding at a vocational school and started working for several firms to save enough money to open this shop, Danh stated. The owner said he often reminds his employees to keep flammable objects as out of reach as possible and to always wear protective gear and check the wires and circuits of their tools. A small-scale welding shop in Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre The most important thing is to follow all the basic safety rules, which helps minimize the hazards, he remarked. H.T.P., who owns a welding facility on National Highway 1 in Thu Duc, said he started his career as an amateur. Its a very difficult job. Welding rods can get as hot as 2,000 degrees Celsius and the sparks are extremely hot, P. stated. The man admitted his shop lacks proper firefighting devices, adding that a welders caution matters most. Likewise, many welding shops in Dong Nai do not meet safety standards, according to the Tuoi Tre reporters observation. Some of the facilities are too small and many employees do not have enough protective gear. According to Duong Duc Thinh, who previously worked at Vinashin Nhon Trach, a shipbuilding firm in Dong Nai, many welders started their job as amateurs and are not equipped with a basic knowledge of the profession. They are supposed to thoroughly clean and prepare the area and protect themselves when performing the job, Thinh said. Hoang Danh Do, a welder with eight years of experience, added that many employees do not pay enough attention to fire and explosion hazards. Welders at medium and small facilities are not trained to respond to fire, which only exacerbates the situation if a blaze does occur, a representative from the Ho Chi Minh City fire department assessed. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A new high-speed tourist boat tasked with ferrying passengers to Ly Son Island off Quang Ngai Province in central Vietnam was launched on Saturday, offering visitors a high-end travel experience to one of the countrys most well-preserved coral islands. The boat, constructed by a military-owned shipbuilder on a contract with Bien Dong Company which runs daily ferries to Ly Son, is the most modern of its kind to have ever operated the route. It is the second new ship to be launched this year to replace Bien Dong Companys old fleet, which it plans to retire for the better service of customers. The ship, named Super 2 Bien Dong, is built of an aluminum alloy with twin engines imported from the U.S., boasting a combined 2,600 horsepower. It can cruise at an average speed of 35 nautical miles per hour, cutting the time it takes to travel from Sa Ky Seaport in Quang Ngai to Ly Son Island by half, or from more than one hour down to 30 minutes. The boat is installed with a total of 150 passenger seats with safety features meeting international maritime safety standards. The high-speed boat Super 2 Bien Dong is launched at a ceremony in Quang Ngai Province in central Vietnam, December 22, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre Super 2 Bien Dong cost a whopping $1.2 million to build, according to Tran Dinh Xem, director of Bien Dong Company. Most ferry boats to Ly Son are old, so we want to give the experience of traveling to the island a facelift and bring the island closer to the mainland, Xem said. Around 30 kilometers off Quang Ngai, Ly Son Island is home to the Ly Son Marine Reserve and the Binh Chau Global Geopark, hosting one of the countrys most well-preserved coral reefs. The island is also famous for its native species of garlic, the Ly Son garlic, which is superior in taste and cannot be grown elsewhere in the country. The high-speed boat Super 2 Bien Dong is launched at a ceremony in Quang Ngai Province in central Vietnam, December 22, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Count me, along with Colonel Lang, as a strong supporter of Trump's decision to pull U.S. troops from Syria and to start a drawdown in Afghanistan. Ignore for a moment the fact that we never should have been in Syria in the first place. We went there, not to defeat ISIS, but to destroy the regime of Bashar Al Assad. We essentially launched an unprovoked invasion of Syria while Barack Obama was President. Our troops on the ground in Syria remain there in violation of international law. We do not even have a sound Authorization for Use of Military Force aka AUMF. We are still using the justification for going after Bin Laden as the green light for trying to destroy Assad. There is no legal justification for this but, as Colonel Lang frequently reminds me, this ain't about Hoyle. The hysterical reaction to Trump's decision clearly ignores the fact we have a very small footprint in Syrian--were only talking about a little more than 2000 Special Ops and Special Forces personnel. We have not deployed conventional forces as we did in Iraq in 2004 when more than 6000 Marines stormed Fallujah. The SpecOps units that have been in Syria are not going into towns controlled by ISIS and slugging it out. They do not have that capability. They are doing some training, advising assistance, and intel collection. Our main killing force are drones. A thief donned a rather festive disguise while breaking into a business in Fort Collins, Colorado, on December 18. Security footage shared to Facebook by Fort Collins Police Services shows a woman wearing a huge Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer head as she steals from the business, which is located on 300 Hickory Street, according to the post. The red-nosed bandit managed to get away with a number of items according to the police, and they are urging people with any information on the suspects identity to come forward. Credit: Fort Collins Police Services via Storyful A tribunal has sentenced former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif to seven years in prison for corruption. His party said the decision was a black spot on the justice system. The verdict came after Sharif was removed from power last year over corruption allegations. Sharif, who was serving his third stint as prime minister, has denied any wrongdoing. He is accused of possessing assets beyond his known sources of income, and was arrested after the ruling was announced. Supporters of Nawaz Sharif gather in Islamabad (BK Bangash/AP) He can appeal against the verdict, under which he was also fined 25 million dollars for not disclosing how his family set up the Al-Azizia Steel Mills when he was exiled to Saudi Arabia by Pervez Musharraf, a former dictator who toppled Sharifs government in 1999. The same court acquitted Sharif in a second case relating to his familys business in Britain. According to Pakistans anti-corruption body, it will challenge the acquittal of Sharif, who was sent to jail a day before his birthday. After being held at a jail in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Sharif, on his request, is expected to be taken to a jail in Lahore on Tuesday. They had to punish him and they have punished him in a false case, said Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a top leader of Sharifs Pakistan Muslim League party, who served as prime minister when Sharif was removed from power last year. People will not accept this verdict, he said. Sharif denies wrongdoing (BK Bangash/AP) Information minister Fawad Chaudhry said the court decision unmasked the real face of Sharif, who failed to provide a money trail of his assets. Those defending Sharif should be ashamed, he said, as the Pakistani people have been defrauded. Sharif was sentenced to 10 years in prison in July over the purchase of luxury apartments in London. He appealed against that sentence and was released on bail in September, along with his daughter and her husband, who were co-accused in the case stemming from documents leaked from a Panama law firm. Story continues The two cases on which the court ruled on Monday were related to Sharifs foreign assets, which he insists are owned by his sons. His two sons, who are currently living in London, were declared absconders by the court. There were protests in Islamabad (BK Bangash/AP) Shortly before the announcement of the verdict, clashes erupted between supporters of Sharif and police in Islamabad. Several female supporters of Sharif were seen crying and chanting slogans. Sharifs daughter, Maryam Nawaz, has suggested he is being punished for resisting unseen forces, an apparent reference to the military, which has directly ruled Pakistan for half its modern history and retains a powerful role behind the scenes. She wrote in a series of tweets that the people of Pakistan were standing by her father. ITAI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday released a commemorative Rs 100 coin in memory of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Senior BJP leaders, including Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, BJP Chief Amit Shah, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and senior leader Lal Krishna Advani, were also present at the event. This Rs 100 currency will be the highest denomination in the form of a coin. The launch of Rs 100 coin comes weeks after the government introduced Rs 200 denomination note for the first time. The former prime minister died at the AIIMS in the national capital in August at the age of 93 following prolonged illness. Addressing the gathering, Modi said he would go to Vajpayee's memorial on Tuesday to reiterate his commitment to the ideology and path shown by the statesman. "Atal Ji wanted democracy to be supreme. He built the Jana Sangh. But, when the time came to rescue our democracy he and others went to Janata Party. Likewise, when the choice was between remaining in power or comprising on ideology, he left Janata Party and formed the BJP," the prime minister said. Features of the Rs 100 coin One side of the coin features former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, with his name inscribed in it. His dates of birth and death are written at the bottom of the coin. The other side of the coin features the Ashoka Pillor Lion Capital with 'Satyamev Jayate' inscribed at its bottom. This side also has 'India' carved in English while 'Bharat' in Devanagari. The Rs 100 coin, which weighs around 135 grams, is made up of four metals, including silver (50 per cent), copper (40 per cent), zinc (5 per cent), and nickel (5 per cent). Also read: Make space for Rs 100 coin in your wallet! Govt to also issue new Rs 5, Rs 10 coins PM Modi at the release of a commemorative coin in memory of former PM AB Vajpayee: Today political scenario is such that if one has to stay out of power for 2-5 yrs, one gets restless. Atal Ji sat in opposition & didn't stop raising his voice for the people? pic.twitter.com/eqYG8DCNUE - ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2018 Meanwhile, on this occasion, the PM Modi also said while for some, power is oxygen and they cannot live without it, Vajpayee spent a long part of his career in the opposition benches raising issues of national interest. The late prime minister never compromised on the ideology of the party, Modi said. He said, the party, which "Atalji built brick by brick" has become among the largest political parties. Prime Minister Modi said Vajpayee as a speaker was unparalleled. "When he spoke, the nation spoke... when he spoke the nation listened," he said. Also read: Govt to issue Rs 75 coin to mark 75th anniversary of Tricolour hoisting by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Earlier this year, it was reported that the government may also introduce Rs 1000 coin, however, the government has not made any announcement on that. The Opposition parties had even asked the Finance Minister in the Rajya Sabha to clarify whether they had any plan to introduce Rs 1,000 coin. Ever since demonetisation in 2016, the government has introduced several changes in existing currencies and issued three new denomination -- Rs 200 and Rs 2,000 notes. The new currency note of Rs 2,000 value was issued immediately after the note ban and Rs 200 currency note was introduced earlier this year. Apart from this, the government also issued the currency notes of Rs 50 and Rs 500. Edited by Manoj Sharma with PTI inputs Venezuela Nicolas Maduro Vladimir Padrino military army parade REUTERS/Marco Bello Venezuela's navy "intercepted" a ship exploring for oil on behalf of Exxon Mobil Corp in Guyanese waters over the weekend, Guyana's foreign ministry said in a statement. The latest incident in a century-old border dispute comes after a series of offshore oil discoveries have given Guyana the potential to become one of Latin America's largest producers. The ministry added that it would report the incident to the United Nations and send formal communication to Venezuela's government. GEORGETOWN/CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's navy "intercepted" a ship exploring for oil on behalf of Exxon Mobil Corp in Guyanese waters over the weekend, Guyana's foreign ministry said in a statement, while neighboring Venezuela said the incident occurred within its territory. The latest incident in a century-old border dispute comes after a series of offshore oil discoveries have given Guyana the potential to become one of Latin America's largest producers. In OPEC member Venezuela, by contrast, crude output has tumbled to the lowest levels in nearly 70 years amid an economic crisis. The Ramform Tethys vessel, which belongs to Norwegian company Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS) and was conducting seismic survey work on behalf of Exxon, stopped exploration and turned east after being approached by the Venezuelan navy, PGS spokesman Bard Stenberg said in a statement. "Guyana rejects this illegal, aggressive and hostile act," Guyana's foreign ministry said in a statement late on Saturday, adding that the move "demonstrates the real threat to Guyana's economic development by its western neighbor" and "violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country." The ministry added that it would report the incident to the United Nations and send formal communication to Venezuela's government. It said it would inform the governments of the various homelands of the 70 crew members aboard the vessel, flagged by the Bahamas, of the "threat to their safety." Story continues A spokeswoman for Exxon said the U.S. oil firm's seismic explorations in the western portion of Guyana's Stabroek Block "have been paused until they can be safely continued," and that the vessel was operating in Guyana's exclusive economic zone. In a statement on Sunday, Venezuela's foreign ministry said its navy, during a routine patrol, had encountered two boats hired by Exxon in an area under "undoubtedly Venezuelan sovereignty" and "proceeded to apply the appropriate international protocols." The ministry said the boats' captains told the navy they had permission from Guyana's government to explore in the area, and that the boats turned around after being told Guyana did not have jurisdiction in that area. It also said it informed the UN and sent a protest note to Guyana's government. Neither PGS nor Guyana's foreign ministry immediately responded to requests to clarify whether one or two research ships were involved in the incident. Longstanding dispute Colombia Venezuela map Wikipedia Commons Venezuela's socialist President Nicolas Maduro has previously criticized Guyana's decision to allow oil exploration in the waters off the shore of the Essequibo region, a sparsely populated and dense jungle area equivalent to around two-thirds of Guyanese territory that Venezuela also claims. Guyana says Caracas agreed to relinquish the area after a ruling by an international tribunal in 1899, but Venezuela later backtracked on that decision. The U.N. earlier this year referred the dispute to the International Court of Justice, a move welcomed by Georgetown but criticized by Caracas. The dispute has heated up in recent years as Exxon has announced the discovery of more than 5 billion barrels of oil off the shore of Guyana, an English-speaking nation of 750,000 with no history of oil production. In a statement, U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Robert Palladino faulted Venezuela for the latest incident. "The Venezuelan Navy aggressively stopped ExxonMobil contracted vessels operating under an oil exploration agreement with the Cooperative Republic of Guyana in its Exclusive Economic Zone," he said, saying Guyana had the right to explore there and urging Venezuela to respect international law and its neighbors' rights. Washington is a critic of Maduro's government, which it accuses of corruption and human rights violations. On Friday, Guyana's parliament toppled the government in a no-confidence vote, paving the way for elections in three months. NOW WATCH: This two-faced truck is made from two Chevy Silverados here's what it looks like on the road See Also: FILE PHOTO - Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi attends the celebration ceremony of the first anniversary of defeating Islamic state in Baghdad, Iraq, December 10, 2018. Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office/Handout via REUTERS By Ahmed Rasheed BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's parliament approved on Monday two more ministers in Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi's cabinet but political divisions blocked his attempts to form a complete government as the defence, interior, and justice portfolios remain empty. Intensifying disagreements between the rival Islah and Bina blocs, led by populist Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and Iran-backed militia leader Hadi al-Amiri, have prevented the formation of a full government of 22 ministers. Lawmakers were scheduled to vote on the final five remaining empty posts but managed only to approve Shaima Khalil as education minister and Nawfal Moussa as migration minister before the session descended into chaos. Abdul Mahdi was confirmed as premier in October after months of political gridlock that followed an inconclusive May election. He was sworn in with only a partial cabinet and has since been trying to get a full government up and running. The post of interior minister has emerged as the biggest stumbling block over which parliament's two biggest coalitions are arguing. Amiri's bloc has repeatedly nominated Falih Fayadh, who once led the umbrella grouping of militias known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces. Sadr's coalition has consistently rejected him. Lawmakers allied with Sadr walked out of Monday's session when Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi put forth Fayadh's name for a vote, as they have done several times in the last few months, thus breaking quorum and ending the session. Halbousi said he would ask Abdul Mahdi to put forward a different name next time. "We walked out of the session because we strongly reject holding a vote on Falih Fayadh as interior minister. We will never show leniency and our position is firm. No vote for partisan candidates," said lawmaker Jamal Fakhir. The deadlock over forming a cabinet has raised the prospect of further unrest as the country struggles to rebuild and recover after three years of war with Islamic State. The prime minister faces the daunting task of rebuilding much of the country after that war, solving acute economic problems and coping with power and water shortages. (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Peter Graff) More than 300 refugees were rescued attempting to cross the Mediterranean sea off the coast of Libya on December 22, Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms has said. The NGO devotes itself to search and rescue missions at sea. Due to poor weather conditions, its ship, Open Arms, which is carrying the refugees, is only expected to arrive at its destination on December 28, Spanish media said. The Spanish government has authorized for the ship to dock at Algeciras, after it was refused permission to dock in Italy and Malta, Spanish media reported. The Prime Minister of Italy, Matteo Salvini, said that Italian ports were closed to the ship. A two-day-old baby and his mother were rescued from the ship by a Maltese helicopter, according to Spanish media. More than 2,000 migrants have died attempting to cross the Mediterranean in 2018, according to the International Organization of Migration. Credit: Proactiva Open Arms via Storyful Reuters New coronavirus variants highlight the need for countries to do their own research and development on COVID-19 vaccines, said a senior Philippines trade official, adding that people will only be safe once the whole world is vaccinated. The Philippines is looking to work with its trading partners on this as vaccine demand is unlikely to wane anytime soon, said Allan Gepty, assistant secretary at the Department of Trade and Industry in an interview at the Reuters Next conference. The new COVID-19 variants highlight that "we have to continue doing our respective research and development in this area because there is a truism that no one is safe unless everyone is safe," said Gepty. Gatwick airport is the second-largest airport in Britain and it came to a standstill when drones appeared above the runway. These are UAVs or unmanned aerial vehicles and are a flight safety hazard because they can damage aircraft. The authorities had to suspend flights and search for those who had disturbed the Travel plans of thousands during the festive season. The Guardian reports Sussex police arrested two persons in this connection. They were a man and a woman from Crawley but they were not involved. The police investigated, found them to be innocent and released them without charge. Police have ruled them out of their inquiries and have begun a fresh search for those who used drones to paralyze Gatwick airport. They have offered a prize to anyone who can provide information that will bring the culprits to justice. The drones caused a major disruption This incident of drones stopping flights at Gatwick airport has come as a shock to airports all over the world. These devices are remote controlled machines and investigating agencies must be able to zero in on the operator's location. In this case, the police appear to be clueless. They did arrest two persons from West Sussex on suspicion of disrupting services at the airport and endangering the safety of passengers. However, they turned out to be innocent. Det Ch Supt Jason Tingley of Sussex police has confirmed this. He has revealed that there was a damaged drone found near the airport. Forensics experts will examine it for telltale signs of those who used it to create a chaotic situation at the airport. #GatwickDrones | Two people arrested in conjunction with the widespread disruption of flights at Gatwick Airport have been released withour charge. Both people have fully co-operated with our enquiries and are no longer suspects https://t.co/ijFWo3D5BO Sussex Police (@sussex_police) December 23, 2018 Apart from Sussex police, the military also entered the scene but the drones kept appearing. Discuss this news on Eunomia The culprits had outsmarted the law but lost one drone. In the opinion of the authorities, there is no link to terrorism or involvement of any foreign power in the Gatwick incident. Airports need to be alert to drone menace According to BBC, there was a suspension of flights at Gatwick airport for more than 36 hours after the first sighting of the drones near the runway. The result was cancellation or diversion of nearly 1000 aircraft. This, in turn, affected travel plans of more than 140,000 passengers and airports all over the world will probably look at this as another serious matter related to the safety of aircraft. In this case, the authorities deployed unidentified military technology to regain control and resume services. This technology can cut off communications between the drone and its operator but cannot track down those who are behind the scene. Incidentally, drones can help control the US-Mexico border. The 2019 security landscape holds new developments, promises, threats as well as opportunities to tackle the issues that our industry faces today. While we have witnessed several cases of information leaks including the major Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data breach, we also saw some cyber security advances such as privacy updates around GDPR to safeguard the data of citizens of the country. Organizations must look to the threat horizon, accelerate and collaborate to out-innovate and out-maneuver the attackers. As we head into 2019, here are five security predictions to prepare for: 1. 'Unique human identities' to be under attack As the world goes digital, we will witness a new wave of attacks against emerging 'unique human identities'. Biometric fingerprint, voice and face recognition have proven effective in consumer devices, and organizations will look to new authentication methods like embedded human microchips. Attackers will increasingly target these identities to gather massive amounts of biometric data for their own benefits. Genetic consumer-services, biometric stores within organizations and more will become key targets, further elevating privacy concerns. With the evitable occurrence of a data breach the network parameter disappearing, organizations must adapt and secure identities of employees as well as their customers. 2. Government sanctioned social media accounts to become critical infrastructure Social media is being used by different government agencies across the world to communicate with their citizens. In order to encourage the use of this dynamic medium of interaction, Department of Electronics and Information Technology have a framework and guidelines formulated for the use of social media for government organizations. These guidelines will help them to make informed choice to meet the requirement of interaction with varied stakeholders. In 2019, we will witness government sanctioned social media accounts (elected officials and agencies) as critical infrastructure. Just like government text messages are monitored, similarly social media will be regulated as well. The social media framework for the government of India has been created to enable government agencies to use these platforms more effectively and reach out to the stakeholders. Social media allows real time engagement but it also has a dark side, illustrated in the past year by the false missile alerts that sent residents of Hawaii and Japan into a panic. This provides a glimpse of how attackers could use official social accounts to spread chaos. 3. Trade wars to trigger commercial espionage Government policies designed to create 'trade wars' will trigger new ways to steal intellectual property and other trade secrets to gain competitive market advantages. Nation-state attackers will combine unsophisticated, yet proven, tactics with new techniques to exfiltrate IP, as opposed to just targeting PII (personally identifiable information). Many such attacks will be carried out by malicious external attackers and we will also see an uptick of insider attacks, especially in cutting-edge industries like autonomous cars. We will also witness attacker dwell times extend as nation-states spend more time conducting reconnaissance and carrying out these trade-driven attacks. In the black market we will see the emergence of nation-state weapons getting commercialized. This same phenomenon happened after Stuxnet, Petya and NotPetya - where cyber criminals take pieces of code from massive nation-state attacks and incorporate them into their attacks. 4. Blockchain to help supply chain Blockchain will transform the supply chain in 2019. Throughout the history of supply chains, there have been various innovations. Following allegations of nation-states targeting the supply chain at the chip level to embed backdoors into both B2B and consumer technologies, organizations will embrace blockchain to secure their supply chains. Every transition is recorded on a block and across multiple copies of the ledger which is highly transparent. The distributed nature of blockchain makes it suited to validate every step in the supply chain. We will see blockchain help increase the efficiency and transparency of supply chains and positively impact everything in the business. 5. Transferring of trust and risk to third parties like Google and Facebook The embrace of Google's BeyondCorp strategy - shifting access controls from the network perimeter to individual users and devices without the need for a traditional VPN will expand the attack in 2019 if we do not take necessary precautions. This 'zero trust' approach can open up several attack vectors. First, it transfers risk and trust to third parties, like Google or Facebook and then the identity providers are exposed to an expanding attack surface with the help of authentication protocols and temporary API keys that can be compromised. This transfer of trust opens up the very real possibility of attackers weaponizing identity provider assets or services to expose credentials or allow privileged access. Second, the BeyondCorp approach requires an organization to expose some of its infrastructure in order to allow employees to use applications or access the network. Whenever organizations expose assets to the outside world, they also expose the errors they have made. Attackers will look at the visible weaknesses to exploit the company whether it is ports that are open that should not be or mis-configured security settings. The author is the Regional Director of Sales - India, CyberArk archives 28 Nov - 5 Dec (1) 14 Nov - 21 Nov (1) 7 Nov - 14 Nov (1) 10 Oct - 17 Oct (1) 22 Aug - 29 Aug (3) 15 Aug - 22 Aug (1) 8 Aug - 15 Aug (3) 1 Aug - 8 Aug (1) 25 Jul - 1 Aug (3) 18 Jul - 25 Jul (1) 11 Jul - 18 Jul (1) 27 Jun - 4 Jul (4) 20 Jun - 27 Jun (3) 13 Jun - 20 Jun (1) 30 May - 6 Jun (2) 23 May - 30 May (4) 2 May - 9 May (3) 25 Apr - 2 May (4) 4 Apr - 11 Apr (2) 28 Mar - 4 Apr (4) 28 Feb - 7 Mar (1) 7 Feb - 14 Feb (2) 10 Jan - 17 Jan (2) 27 Dec - 3 Jan (2) 13 Dec - 20 Dec (3) 6 Dec - 13 Dec (1) 29 Nov - 6 Dec (1) 15 Nov - 22 Nov (6) 8 Nov - 15 Nov (1) 25 Oct - 1 Nov (1) 18 Oct - 25 Oct (3) 4 Oct - 11 Oct (1) 27 Sep - 4 Oct (1) 20 Sep - 27 Sep (2) 13 Sep - 20 Sep (4) 6 Sep - 13 Sep (3) 30 Aug - 6 Sep (1) 23 Aug - 30 Aug (1) 16 Aug - 23 Aug (4) 9 Aug - 16 Aug (1) 2 Aug - 9 Aug (3) 26 Jul - 2 Aug (4) 19 Jul - 26 Jul (5) 12 Jul - 19 Jul (2) 5 Jul - 12 Jul (7) 28 Jun - 5 Jul (2) 21 Jun - 28 Jun (7) 14 Jun - 21 Jun (4) 7 Jun - 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To be honest, I slept straight through it. That particular winter was brutally cold. I lived in a worn-out house some fifteen minutes from campus, and the water heater in the basement was broken. So I skipped the ice-cold shower at 8AM, the wet walk through a foot of snow, and the monotone reading of a few representative poems by a long-tenured professor. I stayed in my warm bed, wrapped up in the comforter. From that morning until only a few weeks ago, my mental image of Robert Frost was that of a grey-haired, folksy New Englander who wrote modest poems about country life. I knew The Road Not Taken, though I didnt understand it. I was familiar with a handful of other titles Fire and Ice, Mending Wall, Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening but I cant say if I had ever really read these poems. If so, they hardly made an impression on me. In short, I had Frost figured as a quaint poet of nature, a leftover from 19th Century America. I now realize that I was wonderfully mistaken, that Robert Frost isnt what he seems, and that the fundamental experience of reading Frost is discovering that the poems arent what they seem. Harold Bloom has called Frost a trickster and a mischief maker. In The New Yorker, Joshua Rothman describes Frosts poetic sleight of hand, his characteristic tendency for deception. In his own words, Frost considered poetry the one permissible way of saying one thing and meaning another. For nearly fifty years, the poet hid ulterior meanings behind plain language. But I didnt know about any of this as a sleepy undergraduate. I didnt feel the stimulating effect of Frosts literary gamesmanship until this past November. I was flipping through a collection of poems edited by Seamus Heaney and Ted Hughesmajor poets themselvescalled The Rattlebag. I should mention that I dont often flip through collections of poems. Poetry isnt a part of my daily routine, and Im weak on the technicals, especially when it comes to the metrical buffet of iambs, anapests, spondees, trochees, and dactyls. In other words, Im an occasional, general reader of poetry, someone who enjoys the form without particular aims. This is why I own a copy of Heaneys and Hughes Rattlebag, a diverse assortment of short poems arranged alphabetically and intended for serendipitous discovery. On a quiet weeknight, I sat on the couch, muted the television (which showed a stern Anderson Cooper on CNN), and opened the anthology to D, where I cursorily read the following poem: Desert Places Snow falling and night falling fast, oh, fast In a field I looked into going past, And the ground almost covered smooth in snow, But a few weeds and stubble showing last. The woods around it have itit is theirs. All animals are smothered in their lairs. I am too absent-spirited to count; The loneliness includes me unawares. And lonely as it is that loneliness Will be more lonely ere it will be less A blanker whiteness of benighted snow With no expression, nothing to express. They cannot scare me with their empty spaces Between starson stars where no human race is. I have it in me so much nearer home To scare myself with my own desert places. Immediately, I liked the sound of the poem, its brooding atmosphere. I read it again, twice over, three times. Bruce Springsteen once described his reaction to hearing Bob Dylans Like A Rolling Stone for the first time: That snare shot sounded like somebodyd kicked open the door to your mind. I felt something similar reading this poema sudden, visceral appreciation. Then I noticed the poets name in small caps, appearing (in a clever editorial decision by Heaney and Hughes) after the poem itself. ROBERT FROST. I was surprised. Desert Places didnt match my vision of the poet as a genial, homespun New England rustic, as Brad Leithauser describes the Frost stereotype. Desert Places is downright sinister, more heavy metal than folk, while at the same time conveying a noble stoicism. The poem is complicated, in other words, and, in my ignorance, I didnt expect such crafty inventiveness from the Poet Laureate of Vermont. I wanted to learn moreto see how wrong I had been about the Bard of New England. I went to my desk, turned on the monitor, and looked up Desert Places on the excellent Modern American Poetry Site (MAPS), which features critical interpretations of American poetry. Scrolling through the commentary, my sense of Frost and his poetic universe continued to widen. I am not a nature poet, Frost once said in an interview, All my poems have got a person in them. In the case of Desert Places, the speaker is initially frightened by nature, utterly separated from the woods, the weeds, the animals, and the benighted snow with no expression, nothing to express. Frank Lentricchia of Duke University writes of the poet-speaker: Probably no poem of Frosts so well accommodates the wide emotive swings of self which may be probed from early on in his career. In Desert Places we watch the speaker go to the brink in his projection; then he comes back to normality, withdraws from dark vision, and rests in the stability of a balanced ironic consciousness. As well as any poem of dark vision that he wrote, Desert Places gives evidence of Frosts ability to achieve aesthetic detachment from certain sorts of destructive experience. Another critic argues: Desert Placesvividly demonstrates the power of the imagination to influence the travelers perception of the region he observes. Frost offers a cold, Western spin on that old piece of yogi wisdom: the world is as you are. Then theres that final line. Here are Seamus Heaneys impressions: Consider, for example, the conclusion of Desert Places, which I have just quoted: I have it in me so much nearer home / To scare myself with my own desert places. However these lines may incline toward patness, whatever risk they run of making the speaker seem to congratulate himself too easily as an initiate of darkness, superior to the deluded common crowd, whatever trace they contain of knowingness that mars other poems by Frost, they still succeed convincingly. They overcome ones incipient misgivings and subsume them into the larger, more impersonal, and undeniable emotional occurrence which the whole poem represents. Desert Places, then, culminates in a cool, stoic victory. According to Albert J. von Frank, The poem restores him to himself, equips him with a sense of who and where he is, defined positively this time, in relation to nature and to the objects to which he will give meaning poetically. [] He can locate home because, for the first time in the poem, he can see that there is something in him which does not exist elsewhere, and that something is the potential to create meaning. Reading these interpretations enriched my understanding of Frosts wider project, which is to explore the territory between the inner self and the outer world. This grand literary theme is at the heart of all experience, and, for Frost, the dichotomy is best negotiated through artistic expression. In a short essay entitled The Figure a Poem Makes, Frost suggests that a poem provide a momentary stay against confusion. He continues: Every poem is an epitome of the great predicament; a figure of the will braving alien entanglements. Confronted with chaos, faced with the confusion of alien entanglements, Frost counters with poetic form. And he does so, to quote Marianne Moore, in plain American which cats and dogs can read. This plainnessthe apparent simplicity of Frost is an integral part of his defense against disorder. As Clive James nicely puts it in an article for Prospect Magazine, Frost worked the miracle of disguising the complicated as the elementary. For weeks, Ive lugged around a copy of Frosts Collected Poems, and Ive now encountered his disguising of the complicated as the elementary in dozens of unvarnished lyrics. What strikes me about reading Frost today is that so much of contemporary life works the other way around: we attempt to pry basic truths from a dizzying field of complexity. It is difficult for me to read or watch the news, for example, without wondering if we arent collectively missing the point, if there arent simpler and worthier principles hidden underneath the accumulated layers of culture. To begin with whats known and work outwards, as Frost does, is a refreshing alternative to scattered understanding. There is great force in the self-containment of Frosts lyric poems, each one an island universe to be explored and thought through. Consider Neither Out Far Nor In Deep, a beach tour in four stanzas: Neither Out Far Nor In Deep The people along the sand All turn and look one way. They turn their back on the land. They look at the sea all day. As long as it takes to pass A ship keeps raising its hull; The wetter ground like glass Reflects a standing gull. The land may vary more; But wherever the truth may be The water comes ashore, And the people look at the sea. They cannot look out far. They cannot look in deep. But when was that ever a bar To any watch they keep? I read Neither Out Far Nor In Deep on a crowded train. This is practically nothing, I thought, looking up at the people around me and back down to the page. First of all, of course, the poem is simply there, in indifferent unchanging actuality, wrote Randall Jarrell, one of Frosts foremost supporters. Take stock of whats here: the people, the sand, the gull, the ship, the sea. And what happens? The people look at the sea, though they cannot look out far and they cannot look in deep. Thats all. What is this poem about then? I was puzzled as the subway car rumbled back and forth: something about our search for meaning. (Frost, Ive quickly learned, doesnt pull punches). According to Peter D. Poland, Frosts cryptic little lyric Neither Out Far nor In Deep remains as elusive as the truth that is so relentlessly pursued in the poem itself. Mordecai Marcus, who has written an excellent volume that includes commentary on every poem Frost wrote, provides a helpful summary: The people turn from the varying sights of land towards the distances of water, representing mysteries they hope to grasp, though the water may not really possess any more such truth than does the land. But the people continue to prefer this attempt at further vision, just as they do at the poems opening. Despite their determination and persistence, they cannot achieve a penetrating vision of realitynature and human natureor what lies behind it. But they will not stop looking. In the last two lines, the speaker calmly withdraws, balancing admiration and skepticism, glad to see human speculation continuing but confident that it will not achieve much. The poem has been seen as a harsh commentary on human limitations. The poet tells us the truth at the same time as he interrogates our search for it. For this, Randall Jarrell congratulates Frost: This recognition of the essential limitations of man, without denial or protest or rhetoric or palliation, is very rare and very valuable, and rather usual in Frosts best poetry. Ive wondered about this poem off and on since reading it. I take Frost to be saying that people will be sitting on beaches and gazing out at oceans until the end of time. Some critics seem to think that Frost holds the people in contempt, but I believe hes among them, staring out himself. If the poet is different, its because of what Jarrell recognizes as very rare and very valuable. Frost faces up to the facts: he knows his own nature. Following Frosts death in 1963, John F. Kennedy delivered a eulogy for the poet at Amherst College, where a groundbreaking ceremony for the Robert Frost Library was being held. It was October; the president would be killed a month later. Kennedy long admired Frost, asking the poet to read at his inauguration. (Frost famously deviated from reading a poem hed written for the occasion and instead recited The Gift Outright from memory). Nearly two years later, Kennedy spoke wonderfully of Frosts artistic courage: Our national strength matters; but the spirit which informs and controls our strength matters just as much. This was the special significance of Robert Frost. He brought an unsparing instinct for reality to bear on the platitudes and pieties of society. His sense of the human tragedy fortified him against self-deception and easy consolation. I have been, he wrote, one acquainted with the night. And because he knew the midnight as well as the high noon, because he understood the ordeal as well as the triumph of the human spirit, he gave his age strength with which to overcome despair. At bottom, he held a deep faith in the spirit of man. And it is hardly an accident that Robert Frost coupled poetry and power, for he saw poetry as the means of saving power from itself. When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the areas of mans concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses, for art establishes the basic human truths which must serve as the touchstone of our judgment. The artist, however faithful to his personal vision of reality, becomes the last champion of the individual mind and sensibility against an intrusive society and an officious state. The great artist is thus a solitary figure. He has, as Frost said, a lovers quarrel with the world. In pursuing his perceptions of reality he must often sail against the currents of his time. This is not a popular role. If Robert Frost was much honored during his lifetime, it was because a good many preferred to ignore his darker truths. Yet in retrospect, we see how the artists fidelity has strengthened the fiber of our national life This is a poignant speech. It captures whats drawn me to Frost over these recent weeks, and it makes me hopeful that poetry can still speak to power. In the midst of political turmoil and technological sprawl, its easy to lose sight of our more basic condition. Frost sees it because hes strange enough and bold enough to stare into the midnight woods. Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening was written in 1922, yet it remains powerful today. For me, the poem reads as an exhortation to roll out of bed, to look far and deep, and to go for many miles in search of wherever the truth may be. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year. He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sounds the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake. The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep. by Jeroen Bouterse It is simultaneously awkward and exciting to read about your own consciously and responsibly adopted beliefs as something to be anatomized. It is also something atheists are not always much disposed to. On the contrary, perhaps: many forms of atheism present themselves as a consequence of free thought, of emancipation from tradition. The internal logic of their arguments prescribes that while religious beliefs, being non-rational, are in need of cultural or psychological explanation, atheism is really just what you will gravitate towards once you finally start thinking. One question here will be whether this is necessarily the case. Most Atheists Just Dont Get It To the extent that what I just said is a recognizable self-description, we deserve the injustice that John Gray does to us in his Seven Types of Atheism (2018). Of the seven types Gray distinguishes, only two its more withdrawn, Epicurean or mystical manifestations get a positive review. One other version (God-haters) is interesting but also confused, hardly atheistic, and of course evil. The remaining four types are primarily variations upon the theme of the naive progressivist: people who think they have left behind monotheistic religion, but who have in fact replaced it with a new God: humanity, or some proxy to humanity science, or progress, or Enlightenment, or secular political utopia. Idolizing or deifying something while claiming to be an atheist requires some self-delusion, according to Gray, and he readily psychologizes this phenomenon. Atheists understanding of religion has been unthinkingly inherited from monotheism (5); new atheists are unwitting disciplines of Comtes positivism (11); twenty-first-century atheists are unthinking liberals (20); secular thinkers have continued to try to harmonize Jewish and Greek views of the world without knowing what they are doing (29). A charitable reading of this is that Gray is not pointing out lack of cognitive capacity, but lack of historical awareness. He regrets the lack of cultural perspective of modern-day atheism, and wishes it would take into account its religious roots rather than presenting itself as transcending history through reason. It is regrettable that he has phrased an important point so carelessly, saying literally that Comte was more intelligent than the secular thinkers who followed him (10), and that contemporary transhumanists are less intelligent than their ancient precursors (68). The point is clear, anyway: when you dont see the extent to which you are indebted to previous thinkers or actors, then you are guilty of avoidable self-deception. The interesting question then becomes why some ideologies encourage this kind of self-deception. As a matter of individual psychology, you can be an unthinking Epicurean or mystic just as easily as an unthinking secular humanist; but some types of atheism (like some types of theism) seem to require the unexamined assumption that they are part of a wave of progress. There is no reason to look back, for behind us is only the rubble of monotheism. We used to have faith, now we have reason, and thats all that needs to be said. Thinking Secular Humanists Just by naming his book n types of atheism (where n is an integer greater than one), Gray helps us to recognize that atheism isnt necessarily allied to one specific kind of liberalism or progressivism. (That n happens to be seven is an echo of William Empsons Seven Types of Ambiguity.) That said, there is some sleight of hand involved in implying that all genuinely self-aware and intellectually serious versions of atheism have to be cognizant of the fact that Enlightenment is a mistake and progress an illusion. Gray may have good reasons for his unrelenting pessimism, but surely not enough to rule out the possibility that anyone who knows their history could sympathize with socially optimistic versions of atheism. This is the question I want to pose: is or is it not possible for new atheism, or secular humanism, or any consciously irreligious but socially and politically engaged movement or ideology, to be intellectually honest about its historical roots in, and resemblance to religious ideas? This question consists of two parts. First: to the extent that we draw our guiding notions from a monotheistic past, do these notions themselves survive the criticism that there is no God? Gray admits that to say categorically that they dont would be a genetic fallacy (the idea that beliefs that historically depend on false beliefs must be false); but he still thinks notions such as the idea of a universal moral law will wither away under the light of atheism unless you unthinkingly continue employing them, presumably. I am not so sure that without religious concepts there isnt any language left in which we can phrase socially optimistic beliefs, or that universalistic moral concepts such as human dignity can only survive if they are strictly philosophically grounded or that we even need the notion of universal morality in order to formulate socially progressive secular ideals. For now, in any case, I am more interested in the second part of the question: can we atheists see our own beliefs as rational and simultaneously as on a par with other beliefs that is to say: can we see our atheism as something in history, as continuous with religious and monotheistic beliefs? The Symmetry Principle I believe that the answer to this is yes. However, many forms of atheistic discourse seem to demand a negative answer: no, they say, there actually is some absolute difference in outlook, in mentality, between those who believe in truths and those who believe in falsehoods. Reason leads you to the conclusion that there is no God, so alternative conclusions need to be the result of a contamination of reason by something else, such as faith or emotion or bias. Nor, of course, is atheism alone in this: the problem of how to square the sincerity of ones beliefs with the recognition that reasonable people could hold different beliefs is even greater for believers in divine providence. Atheists and monotheists have a very similar problem here. In science studies, a contested and ambiguous principle says that we have to look at successful and discarded theories in the history of science symmetrically. That is: we shouldnt reserve one type of explanation for theories we think are true, and a wholly different type for theories we think are false where, for instance, true theories are the result of a proper application of the appropriate scientific methods, but false theories are the result of ideological bias. Rather, we should assume that the same types of factors are at play every time, albeit in different constellations and resulting in different outcomes. The symmetry principle is controversial because it smacks of relativism: it looks like it flattens out the important distinction between true and false ideas. Cant we say that Galileo was right about the motion of the earth and that Aristotle was wrong, and doesnt that tell us something about the virtues of their scientific endeavors? Well, yes, and no. The point is that, as historian of science Michael Bycroft puts it succinctly, the truth-value of a belief is a poor guide to its rationality (here, p. 24). Of course Aristotle was wrong and Galileo right or at least less wrong; but that is different from saying that as soon as the heliocentric theory was launched, there were no good arguments to believe in the motionlessness of the earth. It is also different from saying that heliocentrists only had good arguments for their position. In Setting Aside All Authority, Christopher Graney presents reasonable and thoughtful 17th-century Jesuits who carefully weigh the scientific evidence, while still of course having to conclude in the end that the earth stands still; and, on the other hand, Copernicans who got their idea about the moving earth right, for reasons completely alien to our scientific reasoning. At its best, the symmetry principle is not parochial, but ecumenical: it tells us, not that all opinions are myth and everything is just a matter of power or of choosing sides, but that all beliefs, including the ones we ourselves have inherited or opted into, are an inextricable mix of mythos and logos; of good reasons, powerful arguments, powerful metaphors, appeals to common sense, social commitments, class interests, of the idols of the tribe and the marketplace. This is true about my true beliefs as well as about your false beliefs. Another Type of Atheism? In a similar vein, I think we can be quite symmetrical in our psychological, sociological or ideological explanations of secular and religious movements. The recognition that atheism didnt fall from the skies does not lead to a repugnant kind of epistemic relativism. It is perfectly well possible for modern atheists or secularists to see ourselves as playing on the same field as theists. It is harmless, even, to see our own beliefs as partly continuous with monotheistic beliefs, and to see theistic ideas as possible sources of wisdom, with which it is possible to have meaningful conversations. Atheisms raison detre is not to be the purest-possible opposite to theism; it is to try to rethink our place in the world, and our existential, social and political hopes and expectations, from the assumption that there are no gods not one. That assumption is literal: that is what matters. Even if on some level, in some types of atheism, new notions have attained a similarly exalted status as has the Creator in most types of monotheism, a world in which we are on our own is fundamentally different from one in which we can enter in some relation to supernatural beings that actually exist. If Gray has managed to define some all-too-sanguine types of atheism as necessarily historically naive, we should immediately add another one to the list, which has all the virtues and vices of the first types, but is historically aware. Gray is right to deplore what he sees as a willed ignorance of the history of ideas in some new atheists (22). I believe he is also right in suggesting that this ignorance is not a mere accident, but that it serves an exaggerated idea of the discontinuity between monotheism(s) and atheism(s). He is wrong, however, in believing that a progressive kind of atheism would fall apart if it stopped kidding itself; that it could not survive an honest and modest assessment of its place in intellectual history. It can, and it should. Reference John Gray, Seven Types of Atheism. Allen Lane: 2018. by Thomas ODwyer A pretty doll in a box at the foot of the bed what could make a better Christmas morning for a little girl? Aaw, shes so pretty. The doll promised happy days to come hair to brush and style, outfits to make and match, private chats to be had. Good chats, with someone who only listened, never talked. A doll was the essence of childhood for millions of young girls over centuries, even millennia. A toy became a baby, a little sister or even a little me. The doll was a simple thing until the middle of the last century but alas, it is no longer, like childhood itself. You cant find toys like that anymore, say the oldsters about their memories of playthings. In reality, grumbling adults are indifferent to such things, unless they are collectors. To children, toys and dolls are as new and exciting as they have ever been. We may think modern dolls have morphed into figures of complexity, controversy and even creepiness. They have become trend setters, celebrities and psychotic misfits analysed, criticised, rarely praised. Are dolls still loved? Are they innocent companions or sexist props, propagandists for adulthood, training aids for womanhood? It is narcissistic, this human urge to fashion models of ourselves, and its quite ancient. In prehistory, dolls represented some aspect of religion. Gods themselves are invisible dolls, fashioned in the human image and likeness. Early dolls were fetishes. The origin of this word was in sorcery, charms and spells, exposing the purpose of dolls. The fetish differs from an idol in that it is worshipped for itself, not as a representative of an invisible spirit. It is unsurprising that little humans adopted these images as playthings. Archaeologists have found carved female figures in Egyptian tombs from as far back as the 21st century BC. Many were well worn before burial, indicating that someone had played with them. Many were found in groups along with musical instruments and dance trappings. This suggests that their aim was to entertain the departed person dancing dolls. Stories from classical Greece refer to dolls as playthings and the theme is universal. Ancient Japanese and African dolls combined overlapping functions of play, magic and spirituality. Those that have survived are of carved wood, stone, ivory or bone the nonperishable rag and straw dolls have long since disintegrated. Dolls were common in the Americas, north and south, before Europeans arrived. The new settlers added corn and rag dollies. In some regions of South America, in a ritual named la ultima muneca (last doll), a 15-year-old girl dances one last time with a doll. She then surrenders it to an adult, to symbolise the end of her childhood. The English word doll is relatively modern. A dictionary of slang published in 1699 has the entry: Doll, short for Dorothy. Also a Childs Baby. The word began to replace puppet, baby or babies baby after it appeared in a 1751 article in the London Gentlemans Magazine. Doll had for long been a pet name for women named Dorothy, as Sal is for Sally. Up to the 19th-century craftsmen made dolls to look like adults. Baby dolls appeared around the middle of the century, and by its end child and baby dolls predominated. The concurrent appearance of the dolls house hints at the role of dolls in the Victorian-era West. These upper-class toys were passed from mother to daughter and at first were models of the family house. The childs doll was not the companion it became in the 20th century, but it was a childs baby, or more accurately, a girls baby. Boys did not play with dolls and dolls houses but with tin soldiers and toy trains. So dolls and their houses groomed girls for their lives of motherhood and house management. Henrik Ibsens play, A Dolls House, scandalised Norway in 1879. In it, Nora Helmer declares she has been treated like a doll, a plaything, all her life, by her father and then by her husband, Torvald. He demands that she do her duty as a wife and mother, but Nora says her duties to herself are equally important. Her slamming of the door as she leaves her dolls house was a loud bang that echoed through the rigid patriarchal households of Europe. Victorian dolls heads were made of porcelain, and the bodies of cloth, leather or wood. Wax dolls also proliferated before 1900 as modellers won commissions for imitations of Queen Victorias children. With the arrival of plastics in the 20th century, doll industries boomed when many new materials became available. Mass production rose, but manufacturers became aware that they were selling only to half of the worlds children. Boys might secretly play with their sisters dolls, but no young guy worth his developing manhood would be seen dead with one. In the early 1960s, the American company Sears tried to market Johnny Hero as a boys doll this description alone doomed Johnny to oblivion. In a stroke of genius, the Hasbro toy company in 1964 coined the term action figure and launched G.I. Joe. The military Joe with his changeable uniforms was a manly and successful start to the boy-dolls industry. While boy dolls tried to catch up, eventually moving from the military into science fiction and superheroes, girl dolls continued to race ahead. Dolls as pretend babies could only go so far growing girls were losing interest. With teenage newly established as a distinct stage of human development, it was also a significant new marketing target. Ruth Handler was the wife of Eliot Handler, the founder of the Mattel toy company. She noticed that her pre-teen daughter Barbara gave adult roles to her paper dolls while playing. At that time, play dolls still represented infants. Ruth suggested that Mattel consider adult-looking dolls but her husband and his partner said parents would never buy sexy looking dolls for their daughters. Ruth persisted and Mattel unveiled Barbie at a New York toy fair in March 1959. Yes, Barbie had breasts, and in Europe so did her copycat, Sindy. But more important than breasts, Barbie had accessories. This is the marketers dream pioneered by King C. Gillette and carried on by modern makers of printers. (Gillette sold cheap razors to increase a continuous market for blades). Before Barbie, parents bought a doll and that was it, apart from finding some scraps for dressmaking. Now they had to buy accessories, and continue buying them, and then along came Ken. (The Handlers children are Barbara and Ken). Barbie and her imitators attracted much attention from child psychologists and feminist activists. She was pretty, but also successful. She began as a teenage fashion model, but Barbie has since been an astronaut, surgeon, athlete, TV anchor, air force pilot, diplomat, engineer and much more. A Paris Louvre exhibition in 2016 displayed 700 individual Barbie dolls along with a mountain of material about her. In 2015, Christies of London auctioned an Andy Warhol painting of Barbie for $1.1 million. Feminists still grumble shes not one of them, and equate Barbie with a bimbo. Other women say her body is ridiculous, her form as unrealistic as her careers. And Ken call that a husband? Some regard the Barbie-Ken duo as borderline creepy. Which brings us to the dark side of dolldom, and how dolls turned from innocent cute babies into sinister objects of horror. This is a journey to Uncanny Valley, a haunted place where inanimate figures look human but not quite; something is a little off. The uncanny valley hypothesis is shown as a rising graph which indicates that as objects become more human-like, we grow more empathetic towards them, up to a certain point. This point becomes a cliff edge from which the graph plunges into a vale of revulsion. This is a real phenomenon toystores have refused to stock dolls that are so lifelike they repel customers, and designers are aware of it. But if designers of toys or more recently, robots press on through the uncanny valley, adding more lifelike features, something interesting happens as the accuracy improves. The graph of our empathy starts to climb again and leaves the uncanny valley. Presumably, when we achieve science-fiction quality robots, they will enjoy the same love as baby and pretty-girl dolls. Uncanny Valley is populated mostly by modern creations made for scary movies. Its not clear how many dolls would have been regarded as creepy 150 years ago. But now we and our children have been exposed to Annabelle and Chucky from Childs Play, and to all the dolls in Dolls. Poltergeist scored a double by also making clowns horrific rather than hilarious. By extension, we have rediscovered the grotesque and cruel aspects of childrens lives, as well as their individuality. Adults might have been aware that children could be cruel to their dolls gouging out eyes and tearing off limbs but it took Hollywood to introduce us to the bloody vengeance wrought by mutilated toys. And, as in The Shining, The Exorcist, and Village of the Damned, children too could be as evil and scary as their dolls. This is all a long way from the innocence of Tiny Tears, a much-loved 1950s chubby baby in a pink-check dress. She came with a baby bottle, a small pipe that blew bubbles, and little ducts that could drop tears from her big blue eyes. Before the modern era, children in art often looked like little men and women. It was in the malleable wax dolls head of the 19th century that we see the first likeness of a real baby. As the century moved on, even the clothing of dolls broke free from adult designs and, like their human counterparts, dolls became children. As the 20th century gathered speed, the dolls, and their owners, turned full circle to become wannabe grownups. Hello, Barbie and Bratz dolls girls with a passion for fashion and Darth Vader and Spiderman. We are now in an era where dolls have again moved out of the childs realm to share an adult one. Grownups have become serious collectors and restorers of antique and modern dolls. Since 1995 grown women have embraced reborn dolls crafted to look and feel like human infants, with as much realism as possible. They may bathe, clothe, and care for these reborns as if they were real, and some push their strollers around in stores and public parks. The practice has stirred the interest of psychologists, but for many people, the lifelike infants stroll a bit too close to the brink of Uncanny Valley. Anyone who had paused to admire a cute baby, only to realise its an artificial breathing zombie, will definitely shudder at the memory. Also strange has been the sight of grown men in fistfights and riotous behaviour while trying to grab scarce toys in Christmas stores. The first doll craze was a genteel affair. In 1890, Russian artists Vasily Zvyozdochkin and Sergey Malyutin created the matryoshka nesting dolls that have become almost a symbol of their country. Matryoshka dolls suggested a pregnant mother or a chain of mothers carrying on the family line. Matryoshka dolls were first shown at the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1900. After a slow start, demand for the toys expanded until several factories were set up in Russia to export them all over the world. The dolls, now made in a myriad of themes far from motherhood, remain the most popular souvenir bought by visitors to Russia. There were explosions of public demand for toy dolls in 1920 Raggedy Ann and in 1924, for a Flossie Flirt doll. But the Cabbage Patch craze of 1983-84 was something else. Riots erupted at toy stores across Canada and the United States as parents physically fought over these odd-looking dolls. Millions of children had started demanding them from Father Christmas, and frantic parents knew he had to deliver them. By 1984 sales of Cabbage Patch Kids and related merchandise passed $1 billion and 115 million dolls have since sold worldwide. Tickle-me-Elmo became a U.S. fad in 1996 and there was more violence over limited supplies and heavy demand. In 1998 parental battles and fights increased as supplies of the Furby robotic doll dwindled. Frustrated parents turned to the new Internet, where Furbies sold for two or three times their sale price. Many parents were cheated by another new phenomenon online scammers who took their money and delivered nothing A brief scan of todays Internet shows that doll collecting is now a vast adult, and oddly male, enterprise. There are museums, auctions and online trading, plus a global network of doll hospitals. There is even a Doll Doctors Association in Maryland. The oldest doll hospital opened in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1830, but these are not repair shops where children bring their favourite toys to be fixed. Henri Launay has run his hospital in northeast Paris for 50 years and said in a newspaper interview that he had restored more than 30,000 dolls. Most of his clients have been adults in their 50s and 60s, he said. At the doll hospital / Two old ladies insert the stuffing in dolls, / their hair, their eyes, wrote the British poet Dennis Silk. Its hard not to make a judgment here old ladies in search of lost youth, rejuvenating pretty dolls, probably for old male collectors. For the doll , its just a makeover, an eternal reinvention, as Christmas rolls around again, eternally. Out there, everywhere, some little girl is waiting to feel that delicious weight at the foot of the bed. So, there will always be a dolly, as songwriter Jerry Herman observed: Youre lookin swell, Dolly / I can tell, Dolly, Youre still glowin / Youre still crowin / Youre still goin strong. Three local students advance in BIG Idea competition The three students from Doland and Eureka will present their ideas at Northern State University on Dec. 8. Editors note: this story reflects an update from APD about where the suspect was when he began shooting A man driving a known stolen vehicle fired at officers before he was fatally shot by police Sunday evening, according to an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman. This is the departments sixth fatal shooting this year and its ninth officer-involved shooting. No officers were injured in Sundays incident. Officer Simon Drobik told reporters late Sunday that around 7 p.m. police working in the Southeast Area Command stopped a stolen car on Pennsylvania between Central and Copper. As that felony stop was being conducted, the individual began firing upon our officers, Drobik said. Multiple officers on scene fired back. Drobik initially said the man jumped out of the car and began firing, but APD on Monday said in a statement that the man began firing from inside the vehicle, and then exited after at least one officer fired. The male exited the vehicle injured and officers provided lifesaving efforts on scene. The male did not survive his injuries and died on scene, APD said Monday. Drobik did not say how many officers fired, but he said multiple officers are being interviewed. This is all going to be under investigation, Drobik said. We have a huge crime scene back there, so our criminalistics will be out taking a look at the scene and trying to put back the pieces together. The shooting is being investigated by a multijurisdictional team, he said. Drobik warned that the investigation would likely last through the night. The 300 block of Pennsylvania is home to modest houses, apartment complexes and a couple of local businesses. On a Sunday afternoon in August, police shot and wounded a man just a couple of blocks away, in the 200 block of Dallas NE. Officers said then that a man armed with a rifle was banging on doors of an apartment complex telling occupants he was going to kill them. He later went into his apartment before re-emerging and firing shots, at which point officers returned fire. Mescalero High School and Eastern New Mexico University-Ruidoso teacher Marty Lane was recently named the Higher Education Art Teacher of the Year by the New Mexico Art Education Association. Lane is a native of Kansas City, Mo., who currently resides in the south-central Ruidoso mountains of New Mexico. In her late teens she discovered her passion for two interrelated disciplines and vowed to pursue them: art and communication. Today, she lives out this vision and teaches art and communication courses for Eastern New Mexico University-Ruidoso, Mescalero Apache High School, and the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. Her primary focus is in the visual arts, working with students at Mescalero Apache High School as she continues to teach at ENMU Ruidoso and IAIA. In addition to a variety of art classes. Lane teaches dual-credit art and communication courses that prepare high school students to pursue their higher educational endeavors. Lane holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business and Arts from ENMU-Portales and a Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership from Gonzaga University. She is currently working on a second Master of Arts degree. She said her love of art and travel compels her to take students abroad. She provided an ENMU student trip to Italy, Sketching Tuscany in 2015, and in March 2019 she will take a group of 26 Mescalero students and chaperones on an eight-day trip to Europe that will focus on Italy: Art and Culture. Many of the students who participate in this adventure will receive college and high school credit for projects that are related to the trip, Lane said. The Mescalero schools are big on visual arts. They promote it in K-12th grades and they are very supportive, Lane said. In addition to a passion for teaching, Lane continues to work in her studio and maintains an extensive travel art journal. I encourage my students to keep an art journal (sketchbooks) and add to it every time they have the chance, Lane said. Drawing and watercolor painting are her primary media. She is an award-winning Signature Member of the New Mexico Watercolor Society and is a popular workshop teacher who emphasizes drawing skills and good art habits. In 2015 she developed and taught alongside Michael Hurd in the Legacy Workshop at his ranch in San Patricio. Lane supports the Apache tribal cultural initiatives, while integrating Apache language and history are a part of her instructional curriculum. Students are currently working on the Apache Language Coloring Book, which will serve to raise cultural awareness beyond the reservation. Students are also producing a series of large-scale collages featuring several of their prominent historic leaders. Earlier this year, students traveled to do volunteer work, reinforcing awareness of the tragedies suffered by the Mescalero Apache tribe and their imprisonment at Fort Sumner. The reservation, initially, was to be a self-sufficient and they were taught to be modern farmers. In 1865, there were some 500 Mescalero Apache interned at the Bosque Redondo. Those strong enough to flee managed to escape that year and by 1868, the U.S. Army had determined that Fort Sumner and the Bosque reservation had failed. Lane aspires to see her students succeed in their higher educational goals and invites interested and promising students to travel with her to Santa Fe twice a year to explore these possibilities at the Institute of American Indian Art. Mescalero currently has three 2018 graduates at IAIA. We welcome suggestions for the daily Bright Spot. Send to newsroom@abqjournal.com. NM Art teacher receives Prestigious Award COPPER THIEVES COST YOU BIG BUCKS: If it seems readers have been reporting a lot of street lights out, its because they have. Johnny Chandler, who handles information for the citys Department of Municipal Development, says many of the outages are because we have experienced quite a bit of copper theft in Albuquerque in 2018. DMD Director Patrick Montoya says there were 71 incidents of copper theft from Dec. 1, 2017, to Nov. 30, 2018, meaning taxpayers got hit with a $390,000 repair bill. Chief Operating Officer Lawrence Rael is quick to add thats just the cost of the repair the cost of losses due to power outages, including lost business, makes it even higher. SO WHOS GONNA FIX IT? The city of Albuquerque has 20,800 street lights across the city, according to Montoya. On Oct. 31 the city entered into a 14-year contract with Citelum to maintain those lights, and Citelum finished converting all of them to LED this month. Rael says the citys LEDs shine that cool white light, in the parlance of holiday lights, while those owned by PNM are sodium lights that shine a more yellow, or warm light. Last week the city met with PNM, which owns 10,779 street lights, to discuss the utility also converting to LED, and Rael says that is teed up and a request for proposals is in the works. And that conversion to lower-energy-use LED is good for city taxpayers, who Rael says foot the street light electric bill no matter who owns and repairs the lights. Now on to repairs. When Mayor Tim Keller took office Dec. 1, 2017, Montoya says the city had 1,600 lights out. Citelum drove the city, did an inventory, and in the last year erased that backlog. Citelum has a manager, six employees and two trucks dedicated to shining a light on Albuquerque, he explains, and with the backlog addressed they are now dealing with the five to 10 calls that come in daily to report an outage. But wait, you say, I know a light thats been out for weeks/months/years! Chances are the city does not own it, Rael says. In addition to the city and PNM, theres Bernalillo County, New Mexico Department of Transportation and other municipalities. Montoya explains the patchwork nature of ownership makes figuring out whos responsible for repairs a challenge. There are even streets where a few lights are city, then PNM, then city; streets where the city owns lights on one side and PNM the ones on the other. Chandler says folks can go to envisionabq.com to see who owns which street lights in Albuquerque. The best way to report a light out regardless of the entity that owns it in Albuquerque is by calling 311. They will get the reported outage to the correct agency. Meaghan Cavanaugh, who handles information for PNM, says folks can also report streetlight outages at 888-DIAL-PNM. If they are not owned by PNM we will re-direct them to the city. And Montoya adds that Paul Sanchez at DMD has been detailed to the Citelum project and is coordinating replacement and repair. His number is 768-5369. OUT AT UNSER AND I-40: Bob Trudo called to report the lights on southbound Unser to eastbound Interstate 40 ramp have been out for two years. Chandler says the I-40 and Unser street light outage is related to copper theft. Citelum will have to bring down the pole to re-wire it. They are currently working on a plan to. We do not have a time frame on this repair but will fix that street light as soon as we can. OUT ON SAN PEDRO: Bernie Butterfield called to report the lights on San Pedro from Lomas to Constitution have been out for three weeks and its very dark from the fairgrounds north. Recently a car without its lights came barreling down San Pedro and almost hit him. Chandler says that outage is also due to copper theft. Approximately 6,000 feet of wire was stolen. Citelum is getting approval and a traffic control plan in place to replace the wiring in those lights. OUT ON COORS: And Terry Wilmot emails, Weve had a street light out for eons and eons (at 4901 Coors NW). Weve called the city multiple times, weve done the same with PNM. Eventually it will come on after asking for help, but then, shortly, it goes out again. Chandler says the 4901 Coors NW street light has had an on again/off again strobing problem for some time. Citelum hopes to have this light repaired before the new year. IS IT REALLY THIEVES? Meanwhile, L. Martin recently saw lights out all along Wyoming, Gibson and Lomas I thought the city must not have paid (its) light bill! I dont believe for a second that thieves are scaling a 25 pole to steal copper wiring. Or that the city is transitioning to LED lights or halogen or anything else. This is a city safety issue i.e. crime prevention for people walking and driving at night. Lets get to the bottom of this. Chandler explains, Typically a copper thief will cut the copper wiring at the central control panel, which is found in the ground. Once they cut the copper wire, they just pull wire out. They do not have to climb any poles to steal the wire, just from the base or junction box. Citelum and the city of Albuquerque now use aluminum wiring and replace all copper with aluminum. We also place stickers on the pole and utility boxes that indicate aluminum wiring as a deterrent for would-be thieves once aluminum has been installed. The aluminum wiring stickers should be a deterrent as well as special locks on the boxes that make it difficult to open the boxes with standard tools bought at a hardware store. Editorial page editor DVal Westphal tackles commuter issues for the Metro area on Mondays. Reach her at 823-3858; dwestphal@abqjournal.com; or P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, N.M., 87103. There was likely never going to be comprehensive immigration reform or any deal amnestying the DACA recipients in exchange for building the wall. Democrats will not consent to a wall. For them, a successful border wall is bad politics in almost every manner imaginable. Yet, 12 years ago, Congress, with broad bipartisan support, passed the Security Fence of Act of 2006. The bill was signed into law by then-President George W. Bush to overwhelming public applause. The stopgap legislation led to some 650 miles of a mostly inexpensive steel fence, leaving about two-thirds of the 1,950-mile border unfenced. Back then, nearly 50 million foreign-born immigrants didnt live in the United States, perhaps nearly 15 million of them illegally. Sheer numbers have radically changed electoral politics. Take California. One out of every four residents is foreign-born. Not since 2006 has any California Republican been elected to statewide office. The solidly blue states of the American Southwest, including Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico, voted red as recently as 2004 for George W. Bush. Progressives conclude that open borders are good long-term politics. Democrats such as Hillary and Bill Clinton and Barack Obama once talked tough about illegal immigration. They ruled out amnesty while talking up a new border wall. Progressives saw illegal immigration as illiberal or at least not as a winning proposition among union households and the working poor. Democratic constituencies opposed importing inexpensive foreign labor for corporate bosses. Welfare rights groups believed massive illegal immigration would swamp social services and curtail government help to American poor. What happened? Again, numbers. Hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants have flocked into the United States over the last decade. In addition, the Obama administration discouraged the melting-pot assimilationist model of integrating only legal immigrants. Salad-bowl multiculturalism, growing tribalism and large numbers of unassimilated immigrants added up to politically advantageous demography for Democrats. A wall would likely reduce illegal immigration dramatically and with it future Democratic constituents. Legal, meritocratic, measured and diverse immigration in its place would likely be politically neutral. And without fresh waves of undocumented immigrants from south of the border, identity politics would wane. A wall would also radically change the optics of illegal immigration. Now, in unsecured border areas, armed border patrol guards sometimes stand behind barbed wire. Without a wall, they are forced to rely on dogs and tear gas when rushed by would-be crossers. They are easy targets for stone-throwers on the Mexican side. A high wall would end that. Border guards would be mostly invisible from the Mexican side. Barbed wire, dogs and tear gas ingredients for media sensationalism would be unnecessary. Instead, footage of would-be crossers trying to climb 30-foot walls would emphasize the degree to which some are callously breaking the law. Such imagery would remind the world that undocumented immigrants are not always noble victims but often selfish young adult males with little regard for the millions of aspiring immigrants waiting patiently in line and following the rules to enter the United State lawfully. Thousands of undocumented immigrants cross miles of dangerous, unguarded borderlands each year to walk for days in the desert. Often, they fall prey to cartel gangs and dehydration. Usually, the United States is blamed for their plight, even though a few years ago the Mexican government issued a comic book with instructions on how citizens could most effectively break U.S. law and cross the border. The wall would make illegal crossings almost impossible, saving lives. Latin American governments and Democratic operatives assume lax border enforcement facilitates the outflow of billions of dollars in remittances sent south and helps flip red states blue. All prior efforts to ensure border security sanctions against employers, threats to cut off foreign aid to Mexico and Central America, and talk of tamper-proof identity cards have failed. Instead, amnesties, expanded entitlements and hundreds of sanctuary jurisdictions offer incentives for waves of undocumented immigrants. The reason a secure borer wall has not been and may not be built is not apprehension that it would not work, but rather real fear that it would work only too well. Email authorvdh@gmail.com. (C) 2018 Tribune Content Agency LLC. WASHINGTON President Donald Trumps abrupt decision to pull American troops from Syria is riskier than it looks. It ends a low-cost, high-impact mission and creates a vacuum that will be filled by one of a series of bad actors. Iran, Russia, Turkey, Islamic extremists, the Syrian regime take your pick, theyre all dangerous for American interests in the Middle East. Trumps withdrawal from northeast Syria will end a campaign that was never really seen or understood by the American people. It was a small-footprint, low-visibility war carried out by U.S. Special Operations forces, in partnership with a Kurdish-led militia. Because most Americans didnt watch the conflict on television, they didnt appreciate the unlikely fact that it was successful. It destroyed the Islamic State; it stabilized northeast Syria; it blocked Iranian expansion; it checked Russian hegemony; it gave the U.S. some bargaining leverage for an eventual political settlement in Syria. But none of that evidently mattered in the end to Trump. He was elected to end wars in the Middle East, even successful ones. His Syria decision was opposed, near as I can tell, by the Pentagon, the State Department and key regional allies. Trump did it anyway. This decision scares me partly because Ive seen with my own eyes the hard-won gains we may be giving up, in visits to the secret bases where this war was waged. Its hard to describe the competence of American troops in Syria without sounding corny. Suffice it to say that they found a way to project American power with maximum damage to the enemy and minimum cost for America. We can grant some of Trumps larger points, even as we assess the potential costs of his decision. Every war must end, as strategist Fred Ikle once remarked about Vietnam, and the war against the Islamic State had all but ended. As the terrorist threat receded, so did the legal rationale for deploying American troops the overstretched authorization to use military force against terrorists passed Sept. 14, 2001. The White House shouldnt be faulted, either, for stressing that Americas national military strategy now focuses on the threat of great-power competitors, Russia and China, rather than terrorists. U.S. strategy became lopsided after 9/11, misallocating resources, and now its time for a rebalancing. I get all that. And finally, analysts whove followed Syria knew that at some point, the U.S. would have to retreat from its all-in support for the Syrian Kurdish militia that fought so bravely, to the last man and woman, to liberate eastern Syria from the torture chamber of the Islamic State. America was going to have to break the Kurds hearts eventually, as we seem to with so many of our brave allies. But not now, not when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was threatening an invasion, trying to jawbone America into abandoning its allies. This kind of bullying shouldnt work against a superpower. But sadly, it just did, with lasting cost to American credibility. Senior administration officials try to put the best face on Trumps mistaken decision. This will be a measured, step-by-step withdrawal, says one. It will be conditions-based, with the timeline moving left or right depending on force protection and other factors. Thats what youre supposed to say about a pullout, but I doubt it will convince many people in Tehran, Moscow or Ankara. Whats truly distressing is that until Trumps sudden turnabout, the United States had something of a virtuous cycle going in the region. Not only was the Islamic State almost extinguished, but U.S. power was creating conditions for future stability. The new Iraqi government was eager to be a partner; Iran was realizing it had overreached in Syria; Sunni Arab allies such as Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates wanted to help contain Turkish power and create a more stable Syrian state. Trump aborted this positive momentum. He ceded power in northern Syria to Turkey and its proxies, which have made a ruinous mess everywhere in Syria theyve tried to control. He abandoned a Syrian Kurdish ally that had imagined that sacrificing lives at Americas request would count for something. It didnt. Trumps Syrian legacy: He has proved even more irresolute than his predecessor, Barack Obama. How does that feel, Mr. President? Last week, in one of her last acts in office, Gov. Susana Martinez signed New Mexico executive order 2018-055. The order takes aim at those state rules written by un-elected regulators state government boards, commissions and agencies by requiring sound economic analysis before new rules affecting New Mexicans can take effect. Its a major, and much-needed, advancement for evidence-based policy in New Mexico. Economic analysis for regulations may sound boring, but its actually a critical tool that helps ensure that your governments decisions which affect you, your employer, or your business are wise ones. Analysis helps regulators bring together all the most pertinent information about a problem and its possible solutions to determine whether a particular rule is likely to do more good than harm for society. As an example, economic analysis played an important role in the 1980s when the Reagan administration decided to phase out the lead content in gasoline. While we dont remember President Reagan or his staff as big regulators, a well-crafted analysis from the Environmental Protection Agency helped convince them that, in this case, the benefits of a new rule outweighed the costs. This decision has almost certainly led to some significant health improvements for Americans. For comparison, some European countries didnt ban lead in gasoline until a decade or more later. Economic analysis has a long and bipartisan history in the federal government. Although President Reagan is often credited with bringing regulatory analysis to Washington, Presidents Ford and Carter both issued their own executive orders requiring analysis for major federal regulations. The current order in place was put there by President Clinton. Since then, presidents of both parties have reaffirmed the importance of analysis in rulemaking. In this sense, Gov. Martinez is following a well-established tradition. And its about time New Mexico was beginning to fall behind. A 2010 study from New York Universitys Institute for Policy Integrity graded the regulatory procedures in all 50 states. The authors gave New Mexico a D-, finding that the state has none of the guiding principles looked for in the evaluation, such as consistent rulemaking procedures across agencies or regulatory oversight from the Legislature or governor. At that time, New Mexico was one of only two states that had no economic analysis requirement in place for regulations, the other being Wyoming. New Mexicans shouldnt feel too bad, however, because analysis in other states is sometimes a check-the-box exercise. While there may be a requirement in place that is nominally being followed, in practice, no serious analysis happens. Thats largely because states under-invest in the talent required to do analysis in a serious way. This doesnt need to be the case in New Mexico. But in order to make Gov. Martinezs order truly effective, Gov.-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham should make sure the right personnel are in place. That means hiring economists with a background in cost-benefit analysis. My recent report from the Mercatus Center found that the New Mexico Administrative Code contains an astonishing 9.2 million words. Among those are more than 125,000 restrictive terms like shall or must. For comparison, neighbor Arizona has just 64,000 restrictions in its rulebook and Utah has 88,000. This may help explain why New Mexicos economy grew by a meager 0.1 percent last year, compared to Utahs 2.5 percent growth and Arizonas impressive 3.1 percent growth rate. Unfortunately, New Mexicos thousands of regulations were put in place without the scrutiny of economic analysis. But thats starting to change with Gov. Martinezs actions last week. Her order represents a giant leap forward, bringing New Mexico regulation into the 21st Century. There remains work to be done, but more carefully thought-out policy is coming to the Land of Enchantment. James Broughel is author of the new study A Snapshot of New Mexico Regulation in 2018. A case in which it is alleged a 7-year-old girl was forced into prostitution has produced some startling revelations in addition to the allegation itself. Among them: CYFD received more than 20 tips about the family alleging emotional, physical and medical abuse, and neglect in years leading up to arrests. Two of the tips mentioned possible sexual assault. But the girl remained in the custody of the couple now charged with her abuse. In November 2017, Albuquerque police were called to the girls school after her teacher, while helping her change clothes, noticed blood in her underwear. The teacher said in court the police officer said they couldnt be collected as evidence and threw the clothes away. Officials from the state Attorney Generals Office said theyve been left in the dark about a police internal affairs investigation into the case and it could potentially affect the prosecution of one of the people charged. Albuquerque police Chief Michael Geier disciplined five officers in the case after reviewing investigations by the Civilian Police Oversight Agency and the Albuquerque Police Departments Internal Affairs Bureau. And the revelations in turn raise several questions: How could the girl remain in the custody of James Stewart and Teri Sanchez, who have been charged in her abuse, with so many tips to CYFD? Why would a police officer be told not to collect physical evidence of possible abuse even if others believed it didnt occur? Why didnt APD share information with the Attorney Generals Office about the internal investigation? Is it possible that could get the case dismissed? The accusation that the AGs Office has been kept out of the loop is the latest in a case that has sickened the public, a case in which Stewart has been indicted on human trafficking, criminal sexual contact of a minor and other charges, and Sanchez faces multiple counts of child abuse. Deputy Attorney General Clara Moran said in a Dec. 12 letter to Albuquerque City Attorney Esteban Aguilar that strict discovery deadlines in the 2nd Judicial District Court could be affected by APDs interviews with witnesses in the case. Moran said she had asked police in May to include prosecutors if they interviewed witnesses during the internal affairs investigation and threatened to seek a court order to compel APD to release documents from the investigation if the city hadnt done so within 48 hours. As of last week, that had not occurred and the AG served a subpoena to get the records. Courts have dismissed cases because those deadlines havent been met. If that happens, many would consider it a crime of its own. The community does not need another Victoria Martens case-in-shambles debacle. The police department and the AG should have been working together from the start. The good guys need to get on the same page to ensure this case is not lost on a technicality. APD also has some housekeeping to do. According to the Civilian Police Oversight Agency investigation, one officer didnt follow procedures when he/she reported earlier child abuse allegations involving the girl to a state child welfare agency and didnt see it was also investigated by law enforcement. And the officer who failed to collect the 7-year-olds bloodstained underwear as evidence didnt violate department policy because Crimes Against Children Unit detectives, who talked to the girl and her brother and decided there was no proof of a crime, said it didnt need to be collected. Not following through is unacceptable in this line of work lives are on the line. And not collecting evidence, especially bloody evidence, and considering the history with CYFD, simply defies credulity. You would think both would be covered by standard operating procedure. While all involved work to get this case on track, it is essential they also take a hard look at internal policies to prevent another child from remaining in a situation of unspeakable abuse. The taxpaying public expects all involved to get justice served, not serve up excuses. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal The state Supreme Court on Thursday voided a nearly $4 million judgment against the Children, Youth and Families Department, finding that the District Court exceeded its authority to award damages. The opinion brings a nearly two-decade-old case to a close. The case was initiated in 2001 as an abuse and neglect proceeding, which turned into a dispute over whether the department violated a court ruling that the children at the center of the case could not be placed with former employees of a Los Alamos group home where they had been living. CYFD was eventually found to be in contempt of court and the plaintiffs were awarded damages. On Thursday, the state Supreme Court found that then-state District Court Judge Barbara Vigil did not exercise contempt power properly, and vacated the entire award. Vigil is now on the Supreme Court, but she recused herself from the appellate proceedings. Jerry Walz, who represented CYFD, said the ruling was a victory for the state. We always felt we had the high ground both legally and morally, he said. Walz said that, with interest, the judgment would have been closer to $7.5 million. The Journal was unable to contact attorneys representing the parents who initiated the lawsuit. Two girls had been taken from their parents following allegations that their father sexually abused them and their mother failed to protect them, according to the opinion. The father later pleaded no contest to allegations that he touched his children in a way that made them feel uncomfortable and which they reasonably received as sexual. And the mother pleaded no contest to allegations that she knew or should have known about the abuse, the opinion says. The goal of CYFDs initial treatment plan was reunification with the parents, but the girls were adamant that they did not want to reunify with their parents. In 2002, CYFD filed a report indicating that reunification with the parents was no longer a viable plan. The girls then lived at the Casa Mesita Group Home in Los Alamos. CYFD reported in 2003 that the children were ready to transition into regular non-relative foster homes in the Los Alamos area. The parents filed an objection to the CYFD placements, arguing that it would be inappropriate because two of the potential foster parents were therapists at the group home where the girls had been residing. The court agreed, determining that the placements would constitute dual relationships because of the patient-therapist relationship that formerly existed, which are prohibited by a code of ethics that governs clinical councilors in the state. CYFD told the District Court in 2004 that it could not find suitable foster parents in Los Alamos and that the girls had transitioned into a semi-independent living arrangement. By then, the girls were renting a room from the daughter of one of the employees, which a judge later characterized as a way to get around her ruling. The District Court held CYFD in contempt for violating its placement decision and ordered the agency to pay the parents more than $1.6 million in compensatory damages and more than $2 million in attorney fees. The District Court also determined that CYFDs violation of the placement decision resulted in the parents diminished chances of reconciliation with the girls. The contempt order was later affirmed by the Court of Appeals. But in an opinion authored by Justice Petra Maes, the Supreme Court found that the District Court did not exercise its contempt power for the purpose of preserving the parents chance of reconciling with their daughters or for the purpose of pushing CYFD to comply with its order regarding their placement. She wrote that the punitive nature of the award in this case seems obvious, and noted that punitive sanctions can only be imposed in certain criminal contempt of court proceedings. Therefore, the contempt order cannot be upheld as a proper use of civil contempt power, the opinion states. Accordingly, we reverse the contempt order. BEIJING Chinas legislature is considering a law to ban local governments from forcing foreign companies to hand over technology, an issue that helped to spark Washingtons tariff war with Beijing. Beijing rejects complaints companies are required to trade technology for market access. But officials including Premier Li Keqiang promised this year to crack down as tensions with Washington heated up. A proposed foreign investment law taken up Sunday by the legislature would make clear officials cannot force the transfer of technology as a condition of ventures, the official Xinhua News Agency said. Washington and Beijing have raised tariffs on billions of dollars of each others goods in a dispute over American complaints Chinas industry plans are based on theft of technology and violate its market-opening obligations. The proposed law promises foreign investors their patents, copyrights and other intellectual property will be protected, according to Xinhua. Forced technology transfer is one issue Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed Dec. 1 to negotiate as part of a cease-fire in their tariff war, the White House announced earlier. The Ministry of Commerce said last week envoys for the two sides planned to meet in January for talks. Chinese regulators say forced technology transfer is contrary to official policy. But companies in industries including auto manufacturing and pharmaceuticals that want to operate in China must do so through partnerships that require them to share know-how with potential local competitors or teach them how to develop their own. It began when Debbie McDermott allowed her daughter Jamie to raise two sheep for a 4-H project. Eventually, her 165-year-old farm was transformed into a successful, family-run, custom fiber processing mill. McDermotts Stonehedge Fiber Mill, which opened in 1999 in East Jordan, Michigan, now produces more than 700 pounds of yarn monthly for customers in 38 states and Canada. It produces an additional 15,000 pounds monthly for its personal lines of yarn, including Shepherds Wool, which is milled and dyed in-house before its shipped and sold in about 300 shops. I really think the appeal is our yarns made in the U.S., and people are more and more going toward U.S.-made products as a support for U.S. companies, McDermott said. Most garments worn in the United States in the first half of the 20th century were American-made, but the decline of the American textile industry began after World War II, according to knitting and wool industries expert Clara Parkes. Shes a member of the American Sheep Industry an industry trade group and author of several books on knitting. In recent years, however, theres been a slow-growing demand for wool yarn thats completely produced in the United States, from sheep to skein, Parkes said. One reason, she thinks, could be that consumers are turning back to wool because of the environmental risks of microplastics in garments made from synthetics like acrylic, nylon and polyester. The microplastics are released into waterways when the synthetic garments are washed. Locally sourced yarn helps not only the environment but local businesses too, Parkes said. Theres the environmental impact of shipping goods all the way across the world and bringing it back, but now people are asking themselves, What if I can get the wool here and just keep it here?' McDermott echoed that sentiment: Shopping local is allowing farmers to raise and keep their animals on the farm. Consumer interest in locally sourced yarn inspired the Michigan Fiber Cooperative to produce a line, Fresh Water Fiber, which uses wool and alpaca from Michigan farms. Its processed by Stonehedge Fiber Mill and dyed by Why Knot Fibers in Traverse City. One store that stocks Fresh Water Fiber is Wool & Honey in Cedar, Michigan. Owner Melissa Kelenske said she buys from Michigan-based fiber artists and companies that focus on producing high-quality, ethically sourced yarn with attention to their environmental impact. I think the farm-to-table movement of eating local, shopping local basically the major slow food movement laid the ground work for the knitting industry, Kelenske said. Another yarn company that supplies Wool & Honey is Brooklyn Tweed, of Portland, Oregon. Knitwear designer Jared Flood founded the company in 2010 to preserve, support and sustain American textile production by doing business with sheep farmers, fiber mills and dyers across the United States. The business concept was not so much about patriotism as supporting local economies, said Christina Rondepierre, Brooklyn Tweeds marketing manager. It was also the revitalization of East Coast mills and dyeing houses and the whole U.S. textile industry so they could sustain income and make sure towns and business were able to stay afoot, Rondepierre said. For example, the Harrisville, New Hampshire, Historic District mill village spins some of Brooklyn Tweeds yarns. The village was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977. But patriotism, too, is helping to revive the American wool industry. After Ralph Lauren drew flak for making its Team USA apparel for the 2012 Summer Olympics in China, the fashion company had all Team USA apparel for the 2014 Winter Olympics made in the United States. The yarn used for the closing ceremony sweaters was 4,000 pounds of Shepherds Wool from Stonehedge Fiber Mill. McDermott was shocked when a Ralph Lauren representative asked her to supply the yarn. It was a mouth-dropped-open moment when I realized who I was talking to on the phone, she said. It was a neat experience. Prev 1 of 35 Next In the past year the staff photographers of the Albuquerque Journal have shot thousands of pictures. Many of these photos never made it into print or online for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it was due to lack of space in the newspaper. Other times the photos didnt seem newsy enough. Often the photographer thought it just didnt seem like the kind of picture we would use in the paper and didnt submit it for publication. This holiday season we would like to share with you the staffs selection of our favorite photographs each photo capturing a moment that has special significance to the photographer. We hope you find some special meaning in them, too. Some 250 people came to the second annual STEM Boomerang event at the University of New Mexico, allowing young professionals who left the state to explore job opportunities here at home. The event, launched last year, aims to stem the states chronic brain drain by connecting local business and government leaders with those who left to pursue science, technology, engineering and math careers in other states. About 150 of them attended the daylong conference on Thursday. Featured were workshops, round-table discussions and networking opportunities with representatives from some 40 local businesses and institutions seeking qualified STEM professionals. Economic development organizations, trade associations and government agencies sent representatives as well. Last year, about a dozen out-of-state professionals found jobs through connections made at STEM Boomerang, said University of New Mexico biology professor Maggie Werner-Washburne, the events lead organizer. This year, the goal is 25. These arent jobs that happen overnight, she said. Its about building relationships that lead to jobs over time. Megan Barela Hudgell, who earned undergraduate degrees in biology and biochemistry at UNM and left in 2013 for a doctoral degree at George Washington University, said its all about networking. Hudgell, 28, attended STEM Boomerang both last year and this year. Last year I got a feel for whats here, Barela Hudgell said. This year, I came with my curriculum vitae to directly talk with companies and get my name into their hands. Its difficult to make connections from outside New Mexico, so this is a unique opportunity to put myself out there and interact with people face to face. Albuquerque native Monica Sandoval-Johnson, 31, learned about New Mexicos vibrant startup economy at the conference and made connections with local companies. She did undergraduate work at UNM, earned a doctoral degree in toxicology at the University of Colorado, and is pursuing post-doctorate studies at the University of North Carolina. I learned about a lot of startup companies here that I wasnt aware of, she said. Im disconnected from these local networks and opportunities, but companies here are hiring, and they really want people to come back to New Mexico. For more seasoned professionals like David Vigerust, who left New Mexico in 1995 to earn a degree in molecular pathology at Vanderbilt University and is now chief scientific officer at a diagnostic company in Tennessee, the possibilities for building his own business here were eye opening. I really got a flavor for how much is available here to start a company, Vigerust said. Theres a lot of infrastructure now, with places to get seed money and support. For job recruiters like Spaceport America engineer David Bushman, the event offered direct contact with qualified professionals looking for jobs. Theyve been all over the country building experience and skills, Bushman said. We want them to come home with those skills and strengthen New Mexico. A man who fired at officers and at least one other person was fatally shot in a Christmas Eve incident involving police at the Motel 6 near Carlisle and Prospect NE, according to Albuquerque Police Department spokesman officer Simon Drobik. Prev 1 of 4 Next Albuquerque and State Police officers responded to reports of an active shooter at the motel about 11 a.m. Monday. One witness told police he had been shot at by the suspect. We received multiple shots-fired calls at the Motel 6, Drobik said. People were calling in. When officers arrived on scene, a confrontation ensued with the gun-wielding man and officers returned fire, Drobik said. The man was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. As multiple officers were involved, it was unclear what gunshots proved fatal to the suspect. The incident took place near the State Police headquarters on Carlisle. State officers responded when they heard shots coming from the motel. No one else was injured in the incident. It was not immediately clear whether the man was a guest at the motel. The investigation is ongoing, Drobik said. No officers involved in the incident have been identified. Drobik said there were still multiple officers from both agencies to interview who were on scene. Police on Monday did not identify the man or say what his motive might have been. Mike Fossenier, who was in town from Littleton, Colo., visiting his fiancee, said he was across the street when he heard sirens and noticed that officers were putting on vests and getting rifles out. All of a sudden we heard a lot of gunfire about 15 or 20 shots, Fossenier said. We didnt know what they were shooting at right away, but I looked up and saw a guy on the balcony, and he dropped when they were shooting. I dont know if he was shot. I dont know if he was taking cover, but when we saw him drop, we thought we better hide. Mondays incident is APDs second officer-involved shooting in less than 24 hours. At around 7 p.m. Sunday, Albuquerque police shot and killed a man near Pennsylvania and Copper after he opened fire during a traffic stop, Drobik said. The man had been driving a known stolen vehicle when police stopped him. APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said Monday that the driver refused to get out of the vehicle. The male shoots at officers and at least one officer returned fire, Gallegos said. The male exited the vehicle injured and officers provided lifesaving efforts on scene. He has not been identified and his family has not been notified. _Headline> Central New Mexico Community College has approved a new social media marketing certificate, a program it developed in conjunction with Facebook. Donna Diller, CNMs dean of the School of Business and Information Technology, said the colleges governing board approved the certificate in November. The program will officially launch in January, though Diller said students were able to take classes that count toward the certificate during the fall 2018 term. Were really excited to provide this education for our students, said Diller. CNM is here when the workforce needs updated training in response to changes in the industry . . . Were excited to continue working with Facebook. Facebook, which is building a $1 billion data center in Los Lunas, provided the Journal with information about its role in the program but declined to comment on the record. The social media giant announced its partnership with CNM in June at Albuquerque Community Boost, a weeklong event at the National Hispanic Cultural Center aimed at the small business community. Company officials said then that the certificate will be the first educational program of its kind for the social media giant, and its first partnership with a community college. Diller said the certificate is either 26 or 27 credit hours, depending on the students electives, and can be completed in as little as two terms. The courses, a mixture of existing classes and new ones, can be taken either online or in traditional classrooms. Among the course titles: Principles of Marketing, Visual Communication, Project Management Fundamentals and Social Media Strategies. Diller said she expects between 20 and 50 graduates in the first year. For New Mexico residents, the cost is about $1,400, including tuition and fees, and financial aid may be available for those who qualify through CNMs existing financial aid resources. In addition to Facebook, the certificates curriculum was developed with input from organizations such as Albuquerque Economic Development and local public relations firms, Diller said. She described Facebooks role as primarily that of a consultant, and said the company is developing new curriculum that will be used in some of the courses. Diller said the program wont focus solely on Facebook, but also Twitter, Instagram (which is owned by Facebook), LinkedIn and other social media platforms. Asked whether CNMs certificate would include an ethics component in light of recent international scrutiny over the role of social media platforms in spreading disinformation, Diller said such discussions are likely to arise in the programs business marketing courses where current events are regularly discussed. A New Mexico cannabis company is expanding to include the cultivation and production of hemp. Ultra Health has been awarded continual production licenses to grow hemp at its Bernalillo and Tularosa locations, according to a press release. The company said it is dedicating a total of 872,000 square feet of its operation to hemp cultivation. The Tularosa campus will become a hub for cannabis commerce, where all parts of the plant will be processed into a variety of products, the company said. President Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill last week, removing hemp from the Controlled Substances Act. The bill altered the language of a major drug law that had not been changed for 50 years. Hemp until now has been considered a controlled substance because it comes from the same plant species as high-THC cannabis. The Farm Bill also legalized interstate commerce of hemp products, allowing hemp farmers to access crop insurance, and granted state and tribal governments the ability to impose separate requirements on the production and sale of hemp products. Hemp supporters in New Mexico have said the product could be a lucrative crop for New Mexico farmers and could help the states economy because it can be used to make clothes and other products. By expanding our operations from solely medical cannabis to hemp cultivation and production, we look forward to providing medicine to meet each patients needs while also serving every day consumers, Duke Rodriguez, CEO and president of Ultra Health, said in the release. A company representative could not be reached for comment Monday. The outgoing Gov. Susana Martinez opposed state legislation allowing hemp, arguing that it would complicate law enforcement efforts. She tried to veto a hemp bill in 2017, but the state Supreme Court later ruled that she failed to follow the proper procedures to reject the legislation. DENVER Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has declared a disaster emergency because of a propane shortage that could leave 33,000 customers without enough fuel in the midst of winter. Hickenloopers declaration, issued Tuesday, temporarily relaxes restrictions on how many hours propane truck drivers are allowed to work. The order says rules that prohibit ill or fatigued drivers from working are still in effect. State officials blame the shortage on production problems at Colorado propane facilities. Suppliers have begun to bring in propane from out of state, requiring longer trips for delivery drivers. Officials say expected cold weather will make the shortage worse. Hickenlooper says shortage is primarily affecting rural areas of the state. WASHINGTON The lights were not twinkling. The toy trains were not whirring. Even the nearby bathrooms were locked. The national Christmas tree, symbol of a countrys seasonal cheer, instead stood as an icon of a government in paralysis, as the partial shutdown stretched into the holiday with an array of federal services frozen, some 800,000 public servants either idled or about to be and the disruption to the broader public bound to grow when the quiet spell ends later this week. Already facilities at many national parks were shuttered, if the parks were accessible at all, and thousands of federal buildings were to remain closed when the work week resumed unless President Donald Trump and members of Congress quickly break through a budget impasse that the White House said could drag on into 2019. Under cloudy skies in a brisk wind on the third day of the shutdown, the capital put on little holiday wonder for visitors like Greg Forcherio of Columbia, Maryland, a government contractor with no office to work in after the holidays as long as federal buildings stayed closed. He, his wife and their toddler on Monday came to see the giant, glittering spruce tree brought from Colorado to serve as the national Christmas tree, normally a focal point for Washington holiday visitors. But a locked chain-link fence blocked access to the site and the nearby White House visitors center and its bathrooms were closed, with a hand-scrawled sign directing visitors to portable toilets, which also were chained shut. Kind of annoying when youve got young children, Forcherio said. Access to the site was restored later Monday and finally, as night fell on Christmas Eve, the lights returned. The government had announced a day earlier that it would be sealed off because of the shutdown and because repairs had slowed after an episode of vandalism on the tree before the weekend. It reopened with money from the National Park Foundation, a charity. A labor organization representing U.S. Treasury employees said Monday that federal workers around the country were cutting back on spending and changing holiday plans with family because of the shutdown. Just in case anyone still thinks a partial shutdown over a holiday weekend is harmless, think again, Tony Reardon of the National Treasury Employees Union said in a statement. Your friends and neighbors around the country who work for the federal government are already showing signs of financial stress. In the mountain town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Taylor Futch said the shutdown has already put extra stress on her family, whose sole income comes from her husband, a wildlife biologist who works with black bears for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. With two young daughters, the couple is facing an $800 land payment due at the beginning of January as well as a mortgage, car payment and the usual bills. Were trying to gather up a couple things just in case I need to start selling stuff on Facebook or eBay, she said. If his paycheck doesnt get here on Friday, we may not have enough for the mortgage. Federal workers at the agencies affected by the gap in appropriations go unpaid as long as the shutdown lasts. They were expected to get retroactive pay once the impasse was broken. The shutdown affected national parks unevenly, some still accessible with bare-bones staffing levels, some operating with money from states or charitable groups and others locked off. Arizona and Utah officials implemented plans to keep open Grand Canyon, Zion, Arches, Bryce Canyon and Zion national parks and provide services such as public restrooms, shuttles and trash collection. Concession operations such as lodges remained open, and Utahs money for parks in that state included visitor centers. Among sites closed outright: in the southwest alone, Bandelier National Monument and Valles Caldera National Preserve in northern New Mexico, White Sands National Monument in southern New Mexico, Petrified National Forest National Park in northern Arizona and Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in south-central Arizona. Of the roughly 800,000 federal employees facing deferred pay, more than half were deemed essential, such as U.S. Secret Service agents and Transportation Security Administration airport agent. About 380,000 were to be furloughed. Legislation ensuring that workers receive back pay was expected to clear Congress. The immediate impact was blunted by the timing of the shutdown spanning a weekend and now Christmas Eve and Christmas, both federal holiday days. But there was little chance to solve anything before Thursday at the earliest, when the House and Senate return to work. Trump stayed at the White House, canceling plans to spend the holidays in Florida, and kept up a torrent of tweets on Monday about his critics and his insistence on money for a border wall, the issue at the heart of the budget dispute. Not far from those quarters, Terri Lyons, visiting from Rockville, Maryland, with her 27-year-old daughter as they do every Christmas, found the lights off at one of her favorite monuments, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, when she visited Sunday night. A single guide tried to show tourists around in the darkness. But people were drawn to the illuminated Lincoln Memorial, she said. It was the only one with lights. On Monday morning, standing at the fence surrounding the tree, Lyons listened to the foreign tourists around her and said she felt embarrassed. I feel for the people trying to visit from outside of the country, what they think of us, she said. ___ Associated Press writer Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville, Tennessee, and Paul Davenport in Phoenix contributed to this report. Calif. - The future of PG&E has been put into question today. The California Public Utilities Commission has outlined steps it could take against the utility giant, including breaking up PG&E. Other options being considered are replacing some of the current board of directors, and also converting the company into a public agency The discussion was started not just because of the Camp Fire, which killed at least 86 peope and destroyed 15,000 structures, but also because of a deadly pipeline explosion that happened in 2010 in San Bruno. Paul Moreno, a spokesperson for PG&E, provided the following statement: PG&E Response to CPUC Proposals We understand and recognize the CPUCs serious concerns and acknowledge that while we have made progress, we have more work to do. Were open to a range of solutions that will help make the energy system safer for the customers we serve. Safety Culture PG&Es most important responsibility must always be public and employee safety and we are committed to working together with policymakers, regulators and all stakeholders to provide safe and reliable energy that our customers expect and deserve. The companys Board of Directors and senior management team have been actively exploring additional changes beyond the corrective actions and new programs weve implemented at the operational level. Our shared goal is to improve our culture and practices that will more fully reinforce our commitment to safety, integrity and risk reduction. We are committed to taking the actions necessary to do our work safely and re-earn the trust of our customers, regulators and other stakeholders. Wildfire Cost Recovery Methodology With respect to the wildfire cost recovery methodology, we believe that all stakeholders can agree that there needs to be a timely resolution of the proceeding. All Californians would benefit from the CPUC accelerating this important work to support the wildfire victims. We'll continue to update as we learn more. Heavier rain and moderate to heavy snow bringing mountain travel impacts over the northern Sierra and mountains of western Plumas County into the early morning hours on Christmas Day. Chance of thunderstorms this afternoon as the cold front moves through the region. Light lingering mountain snow showers possible Wednesday and Thursday. We're seeing the calm before the storm across interior NorCal early this morning with varying amounts of cloud cover across the region and only a few areas of light precipitation. There are some areas of thicker fog across the northern half of the Sacramento Valley. Temperatures remain rather mild ranging from the 30s in the mountains to the 40s to around 50 elsewhere. Satellite imagery shows the strengthening system off the coast to the west of Oregon presently. Light to moderate warm-advection precipitation will pick up again this morning across the mountains and northern Sacramento Valley, then the cold front is forecast to move quickly across NorCal this afternoon into this evening bringing a relatively brief shot of heavier precipitation along with the potential for thunderstorms. A few lingering showers later tonight into early Christmas as the system moves southeast of the area. Strong forcing and increasing instability may allow for some embedded thunderstorms with enhanced rain rates with the front, but rapid storm movement should limit overall rain amounts at any one location. Nevertheless, it appears there is at least some potential for debris flow issues for the Mendocino Complex Fire, Camp and Carr fire burn areas as higher resolution models continue to indicate a few rounds of thunderstorms for that area this afternoon. Snow is expected to return to the higher elevations of the northern Sierra by late morning with travel impacts likely to worsen late this afternoon and early this evening as the front moves in. Snow levels will remain high today, but lower behind the front this evening. 8-18 inches of snowfall accumulation expected over the higher passes with up to 2 feet over the peaks. Travelers over the Sierra passes are advised to travel this morning if possible, and to be prepared for winter driving including having chains. The storm system shifts east by early Christmas morning, so a significant drop off in precipitation is expected. Conditions for Christmas Day should be mainly dry through the day except for lingering mountain snow showers. Brisk northerly flow will bring drying and clearing into Thursday except for some lingering showers possible across the higher elevations. Predominantly dry conditions are expected Friday through New Year's Eve. On Friday, a trough will be digging into the Four Corners region with a highly amplified ridge building in through the day behind this feature. Dry and breezy conditions will prevail in the afternoon as an increased pressure gradient sets up over the Sierra. North winds across the mountains and the Sacramento Valley are expected to range between 20 to 30 mph. There may be a small chance for precipitation Sunday into Monday and it does look to be a bit colder in the mornings this weekend, with lows in the Valley in the low to mid 30s, reaching into the 20s and teens at higher elevations. DB Corp Ltd has grown to be a Rs 2,400-crore media house today, becoming the largest read newspaper group of India with more than 25.3 million readers. DB Corp Ltd publishes Dainik Bhaskar (leading Hindi newspaper), Divya Bhaskar (largest circulated Gujarati newspaper) and DNA (the second largest read English newspaper in Mumbai). DB Corp is on a high as their Hindi newspaper, Dainik Bhaskar, has emerged as the leader in the circulations chart of ABC for the January-June 2018 period with 4,251,236 copies (without accounting for the circulation of Gaya and Patna), toppling the leadership of its competitor, Dainik Jagran(4,144,706 copies). In an email interaction with Girish Agarwal, Promoter-Director, DB Corp Ltd, speaks about the Groups growth during 2018, strategy for the future, print industrys performance and more. As per the ABC data, Dainik Bhaskar has achieved the No. 1 positioning, moving ahead of Dainik Jagran by 10+ per cent. What was your strategy in achieving this? Is there a specific market which has seen a bigger growth? Our ground connect, ability to quickly adapt to the changing needs of the readers, a well-structured research approach and continuous strive for excellence have helped us achieve this pole position. Our signature twin knock model, wherein we physically reach out to our potential readers, has helped us achieve the numbers. In Bihar, for example, we have reached out to around 7 lakh households, covering 534 blocks and 38 districts in just 6 months! As per ABC Jan-Jun 2018 data, print has been seeing an upward trend. How has this year been for the print industry? This year has really been very eventful for us. Inspite of increasing raw material costs and other challenges, we have achieved several milestones this year. This year, we became the largest circulated newspaper and the largest newspaper group in the country. The industry has also appreciated our brand initiatives. With more than 52 wins so far at various international and national forums, we are one of the most awarded media brand today. Will there be a revision of advertising rates now that you are No. 1? Yes. Ideally there should be a revision of advertising rates as per the circulation strength. In all fairness, we expect a fair share of ad revenues. However, there are several other factors which need to be considered before taking any decision. Do you think advertisers need to revisit their print strategy? Yes, of course. There is a lot of scope for advertisers to try something new in terms of innovation, design and content to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Since the reach of newspaper has increased to rural areas as well, it offers a lot of scope for the advertisers. Advertisers and agencies should actively work on innovations in print ads. What has the response been from the young readers? What innovations have you introduced to attract women readers? Would you say that digital is proving to be a lead generator for Dainik Bhaskar? Women and young readers have always been an integral part of our readers-mix. Our supplements, lifestyle & knowledge content and TG specific engagement initiatives are specifically designed to cater this TG. Our recent initiatives like Junior Editor and Little Chanakya have been majorly focused on young readers. Initiatives like Madhurima Club, and Kitchen Queen are some of our women-focused initiatives. How has the vernacular press performed in 2018? Over the last few years, vernacular press is putting in a lot of effort to improve their content and reader engagement. This has helped the print industry to not only retain the audience, but also helped us grow. Geographic expansion with regard to both numeric and weighted reach has been one of our key strategies to grow over the last couple of years. Our leadership in Rajasthan and addition of more than 1lakh copies in Gujarat over the last one year are the results of such efforts. Newsprint is expensive, is there a collective body to address this issue? Yes. Newsprint is expensive and the continuous increase in raw material cost has been a major challenge for the bottomline of the print industry. In order to handle this issue, players in the industry should collaborate and find out ways to optimise on cost. When is the IRS 2018 data expected to be released? The commencement of field work has been announced. Hopefully, we should now have the IRS data more regularly from here on. Do you see a higher growth in numbers due to the election season, which has already begun? Yes, we are quite sure of surge in readership in the next few months. Elections always generate a lot of interest. The relevance of news reaches all time high during this period. The recently concluded elections were no different. States like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh generated a lot of interest during the recently concluded Assembly elections. What would be your message to the advertisers? Innovation is the need of the hour. As a medium, newspapers offer huge potential to create meaningful engagement with the target audience. Advertisers, agencies and newspapers can collaborate to make the medium more exciting. DesignCafe, a Bengaluru based online home interior design platform, announced that WestBridge Capital will invest upto Rs 200 cr in a series B round of funding with participation by existing investor Fireside Ventures. Founded in 2015 by Gita Ramanan and Shezaan Bhojani, Design Cafe is a reputed player in the online home interior market, which is largely fragmented and unorganized. Built on a strong technology backend, the company offers customized interior solutions & personalized designs to consumers. DesignCafe was set up to address a large personalization and execution gap that existed in the mid-segment (i.e. homes of 1,000-2,000 sq ft.) home interior market. The company also allows Consumers to visualize their home in virtual reality before execution. The company proposes to use the additional capital to expand operations in 6 other cities including Mumbai, NCR and Hyderabad. Bangalore based, boutique Investment Bank Sprout Capital Advisors LLP was the exclusive financial advisor on the transaction. Commenting on the deal, Sandeep Singhal, Managing Partner, Westbridge Capital, said, We have been impressed with Design Cafes rapid scaling up and initial success. Their high customer satisfaction rate is an excellent achievement and is a testimony to the companys deep domain expertise in this sector, hard work and good business judgment. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with Design Cafe in their journey of taking the business to even greater heights and building a marquee brand in home design services and products. Kanwaljit Singh, Managing Partner of Fireside Ventures said DesignCafe operates in a large white space and have built a solution that caters to a large target audience. Gita and Shezaan come with significant design experience which helps them understand the consumer need better. We have backed the company since its early days and are excited to partner with them to build a large home interior services Brand Speaking on the occasion, Shezaan Bhojani, Co-founder, Design Cafe said, We are very pleased to have Westbridge, one of the leading PE investors in India, join the Design Cafe team. We are also excited to strengthen our already close relationship with existing investor Fireside Ventures, who is also participating in this round. These investors share our long-term mindset and align with our values and we are thrilled to have them join us in our journey to script the next chapter of Design Cafe. In the latest evidence of the unparalleled market leader position of NDTV Convergence, the company has struck an unprecedented five-year deal with Taboola, the worlds largest content discovery platform. The five-year deal ties NDTV Convergence exclusively to Taboola and involves a minimum guarantee of more than INR 300 crores for NDTV Convergence, making it one of the largest deals not just for digital content but for the media space in its entirety. Like NDTV, Taboola operates with the user at the centre of its universe which is what makes this such a natural fit, said Suparna Singh, CEO of the NDTV Group. Taboolas energy and innovation allow us to enlarge our own goals; we share their pride and excitement in learning, redefining, and then recreating all over again. And this deal proves that Brand NDTV remains unchallenged and the go-to for world-class companies. The new partnership is vastly north of the last NDTV-Taboola arrangement that lasted three years and was worth INR 100 crores based on traffic projections. NDTV.com has 200 million uniques (source: Google Analytics, October 2018), making it Indias largest news website and the 23rd-largest in the world, ahead of Washington Post, Huffington Post and others (source: Similar Web, Unique Visitors for News and Media Category, October 2018). This is the largest deal that Taboola has ever signed in the APAC region. Taboola uses its presence on sites like NDTV to recommend content from across the internet to the audience and to offer highly-personalized native advertising. The growth of the mobile internet in India is skyrocketing, and with over half a billion smartphone users, its mobile adoption is second only to China. Mobile users are continually looking for those moments of next, and publishers such as NDTV are well positioned to deliver a dynamic, personalized content experience to their readers, said Adam Singolda, founder and CEO of Taboola. We are humbled that NDTV, our oldest and largest partner in India, has made a long-term, five-year commitment to joint innovation in this most exciting market. This weekend on NewsX, Indias leading English news channel, NewsX-TSG Roundtable will capture a complete round up of the key trends that shaped India in 2018 and the news that became headlines - From Supreme Court judgments to big fat Indian weddings; From aadhaar to Sabarimala, recognizing individual's rights; Start of a new era for India's LGBT communities; Adultery no longer a criminal offence in India; India unleashed its own #metoo. The guests including Mr. Dilip Cherian, Image guru; Ms. Seema Goswami, Senior journalist, Columnist & Author; Ms Kaveree Bamzai, Consulting editor, India today group and Ms Deepika Bhardwaj, Film-maker will have an interesting discussion on how 2018 was a roller coaster ride for Indians. In another show, No Holds Barred, there will be an interesting discussion with Mr. Sanjay Khan, Actor, Director, Producer and Author on his journey in Hindi film industry, during the discussion he will also talk about his book The Best Mistakes of My Life. This weekend Cover Story will capture a special narrative that discusses on the highlights of what happened in Indian Politics in the year 2018. In another show, Policy & Politics, watch out for an exclusive interview on the subject, Bureaucracy: What is the price paid for being honest? With Mr. Anil Swarup the now Retired IAS officer who juggled coal, labour & education portfolio. This weeks Legally Speaking will focuses on how Apple and Samsung were fined 15 million Euros by antitrust regulators for planned Obsolescence of their phones, with software updates deliberating slowing down their phones forcing customers to buy new phones. The panelists will include, Adv. Sarosh Zaiwalla, Founder Zaiwalla & Co UK and Adv. Alkanshree Dahar, Managing Partner law Offices of India. In the weekly Auto & Tech show, Living Cars & Tech, watch out for a special half hour that focuses on the drive and this week latest car review. Profiling of Moto sport team as they head to Dakar 2019 for the toughest rally in the world. In the Technology segment, there will be the first impressions on the new smart watches, review on latest games and News from the world of Tech. Watch out for a special discussion on the book Didi: The Untold Mamata Banerjee with Mr. Jayram Ramesh, Member of Parliament; Mr. Sanjay Singh, Member of Parliament; Mr. Swapan Das Gupta, Member of Parliament and Ms. Shutapa Paul, Author of the book. NEWSX-TSG ROUNDTABLE News Anchor: Ms Priya Sahgal, Senior Executive Editor, NewsX Guests: Mr Dilip Cherian, Image guru; Ms. Seema Goswami, Senior journalist, Columnist & Author; Ms Kaveree Bamzai, Consulting editor, India today group and Ms Deepika Bhardwaj, Film-maker Topic of discussion: Complete round up of the key trends that shaped India in 2018 Episode Time: Sunday, 23rd December @ 2.30 pm & 8:30 pm NO HOLDS BARRED News Anchor: Ms Sheela Bhatt, National Political Affairs Editor, NewsX Topic of Discussion: Conversation with Bollywood Actor - Mr. Sanjay Khan, Actor, Director, Producer and Author Episode Time: Sunday, 23rd December @ 7:30 pm COVER STORY News Anchor: Ms. Priya Sahgal, Senior Executive Editor, NewsX Topic of Discussion: 2018, The Year of Churn Episode Time Sunday, 23rd December @ 9:30 am and 6:30 pm LEGALLY SPEAKING News Anchor: Mr Tarun Nangia, Associate Editor- Special Projects NewsX Topic of Discussion: How Apple and Samsung were fined 15 million Euros by antitrust regulators Guests: Adv. Sarosh Zaiwalla, Founder Zaiwalla & Co UK and Adv. Alkanshree Dahar, Managing Partner law Offices of India. Episode Time: Sunday, 23rd December @ 12:30 pm LIVING CARS & TECH Topic of discussion: Review of latest car and new smart watches Episode Time: Sunday, 23rd December @ 4:30 pm Onida, a leading Indian consumer durable manufacturer is gearing up to release a new print campaign for its air conditioners with the slogan Torture Tested Onida Inverter ACs with their iconic Devil in their current print ad campaign. With their range of Inverter ACs, the company continues to deliver technologically superior products to consumers who want the best in functionality and design. At the core of the AC ad are six products: Coral as principal, others being Wave, Regalio, Iris, Indium, Onyx. These are Internet-of-Things (IoT) and Wi-Fi enabled ACs with strong 4-way swing delivering an anti-fungal environment and using green eco-friendly refrigerant and 100% copper coil which delivers powerful cooling even at temperatures at 52 Degree Celsius. Onida has close to 50 types of Air Conditioners, one of the widest range of Inverter ACs in the market and all the features and benefits of these products have been driven by Indian consumer insights. The brand is focussing on print ad-campaign across leading TOI and other regional dailies in tier 2 & 3 cities like Ahmedabad, Baroda, Rajkot, Surat, Kolkata, Guwahati, Patna, Hyderabad, Vizag, Mangalore, Mysore, and Raipur. Besides very strong BTL activities have been planned with all the MBOs across India, to deliver the essence of the brand and enhance visibility. Commenting on this development Mr. Vijay Mansukhani MD Mirc Electronics said This is a strategic move to create dealer confidence of being the first mover in the AC space and to generate customer interest pre-season. We are confident that this preseason offer will bring maximum benefits to our channel and consumers. We deeply understand the Indian family and their preferences and place them at the forefront of our innovations and offerings The brand continues to focus on Owners Pride, built around the cooling prowess and smartness of the Onida Inverter ACs, which are packed with new age inverter technology for the delight of the consumers. 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. Afghan Taliban attached conditions to talks with Kabul govt Afghan Taliban have attached conditions to talks with the Kabul government that also include cancellation of a security agreement signed with United States to keep a limited number of troops in the country. Afghanistan and the US had signed the Bilateral Security Agreement or BSA to allow around 10,000 military service members in Afghanistan to train and advise Afghan security forces. Taliban had long been refusing to hold talks with the Kabul administration on the plea that it is a party to the conflict and has no powers to make decisions. The US is the real party to the war and the Kabul regime is part of the American side and has no separate status. The power centre is the US embassy and command of the foreign forces and not the presidential palace and that is why the Islamic Emirate held talks with the US and asked them to quit Afghanistan, a Taliban commentary said. If the Kabul administration wants to reach an understanding with the Islamic Emirate, it should first immediately scrap the bilateral security agreement with the US, and tell the Americans to leave Afghanistan, tender apology for the crimes committed by foreigners and their local allies since their invasion and signing the BSA and hand over the cases to the Islamic court of national traitors for their crimes against humanity, the commentary said. US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who led the US side in two-day talks with the Taliban leaders in the United Arab Emirate on December 17-18, also slammed the Taliban for refusing to meet Afghan negotiators, which were also attended by security, military and intelligence officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Prime Minister Imran Khan and other officials had taken credit for facilitating the talks in UAE but could not succeed to convince the Taliban meet Afghans. Pakistani officials insist reconciliation is an Afghan affair and bringing the Taliban to the table is a shared responsibility of all countries, which have contacts with the Taliban political office. The Taliban on Sunday expressed doubts about the US move to hold talks with the Taliban leaders. The US role, to a large extent, is seemed to be dubious and contradictory as on one side Zalmay Khalilzad had been involved in talks with the Islamic Emirate over the past few months and also paid visits to different countries, but on the other the US has intensified the war with airstrikes and ground operations. The NATO chief and the US chairman of the joint chiefs of the staff committee are saying they will not withdraw troops and to extend invasion, the Taliban said on website on Sunday. The Taliban commentary said the US coming to the table is their political success and that end to the on-going war through political debate and negotiations will not be easy as it is expected but it needs deep thinking and detailed discussions. Defence experts in Afghanistan say Taliban cannot win the war even if the US withdraw most of the remaining troops as Afghan security forces are capable of resisting the Taliban. Shah Nawaz Tanai, who briefly served as defence minister during the communist regime, told Daily Times that the Afghan army and other forces can defend the present system despite the fact that the US and its NATO allies have not given heavy weapons to the Afghan forces. A vast majority of Afghans also favour the democratic system and political governments and majority do not accept the Taliban, he said from Kabul where has leads a political party. Talking about the US decision to withdraw half of the troops, Tanai said the move could be an attempt to encourage the Taliban strike a peace deal. He however said if the Taliban did not reach a deal then war could be intensified in Afghanistan. MOSUL, Iraq Christmas remains a sad affair in Mosul, a city that once hosted a lively Christian community, even two years after its liberation from the Islamic State (IS). This is largely because most of the Christians who fled five years ago have not come back and few churches have been renovated to bring back the Christmas spirit of the past, Samer Elias, a Christian Iraqi researcher and writer, told Al-Monitor. Elias book, "Mosul Churches, History and Pain," which was published in November, documents how Mosuls churches and other Christian heritage sites were destroyed by IS. Elias calls on the Iraqi authorities to allocate more financial resources for the restoration and reconstruction of these churches, pointing out that the current process is very slow. Only one church has been rebuilt in Mosul the Chaldean Church of St. Paul in al-Muhandisin district. The reconstruction was financed by the Chaldean Patriarchate, in cooperation with an Italian institution. UNESCO is currently working on the construction of two churches in the western part of Mosul the Dominican Fathers Church known as the Our Lady of the Hour Church, and the Syriac Immaculate Church, Elias said. But even the recently renovated Chaldean Church of St. Paul remains deserted during the festive season, as most of the Christian community still has not returned to Mosul. The head of the Gilgamesh Center for Antiquities and Heritage Protection in Mosul, Faisal Jaber, told Al-Monitor that the Christians are hesitant to return because of the security situation. Just the reconstruction of churches with no guarantee of stability is not persuading the Christians to return, he said. Jaber expressed concern about the current government's policies toward the Christian heritage in general and misappropriation of Christian property in particular. He gave as an example the case of the Organized Crime Directorate at the Ministry of Interiors intelligence service that uses Al-Nasr nunnery and neighboring monasteries as their headquarters. He believes that the use of a religious site by a government security service without paying the owners rent further strengthens the fears of the Christian community that the IS ideology is dominant and the Christians are still a vulnerable minority. Elias also spoke of other practices that cause both anger and anxiety among Christians, such as using destroyed churches as waste dumps or holding concerts there both considered as unrespecful to the sanctity of places of worship. In addition, the Christian church authorities do not give a single, unified message to the Christians on whether they can return. Elias noted, The Chaldean Church encourages the immediate return of Christians to Mosul, while the Syriac Orthodox community is calling for international guarantees for the return of Christians. Meanwhile the Syriac Catholic community mostly based outside Mosul in the Ninevah valley has largely responded to the demands of return. Christian leaders are aware of the complex situation and say they face repetitive questions by their community on whether it is safe to return. Today we are all called to have a deep spiritual reading of the prophets texts and words, to discover the rich meaning in our faith and [to gain strength from what] we went through during IS' occupation of our towns in August 2014. Our homes were destroyed and we were displaced. We lived for over 3 years in camps away from our towns. The towns were liberated in 2017 and the reconstruction process has begun, although it is a bumpy road filled with challenges, Cardinal Mar Luis Rafael I Sacco told Al-Monitor. Though he tries to motivate Christians to use the spiritual experience in the Old Testament to find strength, Sacco said he understood the hesitation to return. The church cannot overlook the extent of the human suffering the displaced have gone through during the time of their displacement," he noted. On the political level, the cardinal expressed belief that the issue of return requires a political consensus between the countries of the region and the central government as well as the Kurdistan Region." "Any demographic change is not acceptable because our properties and homes are neither for acquisition nor for sale," he added. Christians have come to realize that their return is a challenge that cannot be faced alone and requires coexistence with other communities in the region. Based on this, the head of the Department of Endowments in the Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs in the Kurdistan Region, Khaled al-Bir, stressed the need to preserve all religious heritage sites without any discrimination. The lack of financial resources for the reconstruction of the Ninevah churches is the first obstacle down this path. Therefore we seek assistance from international organizations and churches. The area is also home to other religious and ethnic minorities. We may be fortunate to receive aid for the reconstruction of churches, and therefore we ought to be wise enough to develop an approach for the reconstruction of the diverse religious heritage in the area, including the Islamic and Yazidi heritage sites that have also been destroyed, Bir said. This approach holds an important message, as it reveals that the rebuilding of churches is an integral part of the process to rebuild trust between Christians and the various components of the city. This also requires raising awareness among the citys Muslim community about the importance of Mosuls religious heritage, which is not associated with Christians alone. A 28-year-old employee of a north Birmingham Piggly Wiggly was shot to death inside the store Monday afternoon. The Christmas Eve shooting happened inside the store at 2500 29th Ave. N. He identified the victim as Jerika Manuel. She was a mother. Sgt. Johnny Williams said the shooting happened shortly before noon. when someone entered the store and started an altercation with the female employee who was fatally shot. He later updated that information to say Manuel and the suspect, whose name has not been released, were involved in a physical altercation just before the suspect shot the victim. The suspect fled the scene before police arrived. No arrests have been announced. Manuel is Birminghams 105th homicide victim this year. Of those at least seven have been ruled justifiable and therefore police will not include those in their year-end tally. In all of Jefferson County, there have been 153 homicides, including the 105 in Birmingham. The city finished 2017 with 111 homicides. Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham police homicide detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. One of four people killed in an Atlanta plane crash has been identified as a mother of three and a graduate of the University of Alabama. Danielle Mitchell Robinson, shown with her three children, died in a plane crash in Atlanta on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018. She was a University of Alabama graduate. Danielle Mitchell Robinson, 32, was aboard a flight from Atlanta to Memphis when the crash happened Thursday, authorities said. Robinson was traveling with co-workers from Memphis-based Sunshine Enterprise Inc, according to the Associated Press. We honor the lives of those lost in yesterday's tragic plane crash: Wei Chen, John Chen, Bruce Pelynio, and Danielle Robinson. Blue Skies and Fair Tailwinds. Our hearts are with the families they leave behind. pic.twitter.com/MYR1UO6b2W Millington Airport (@MillingtonAirpt) December 21, 2018 Robinson leaves behind three children, a family member told Atlanta NBC affiliate 11 Alive News. The womans uncle said she was engaged to be married in March. Before attending the University of Alabama, Robinson graduated high school in Hoover, family members told WBRC Fox 6 in Birmingham. The other plane crash victims were identified as Wei Chen, prominent businessman and CEO of Sunshine Enterprises Inc., John Chen and Bruce Pelynio. The company wholesales and distributes Chinese construction and industrial equipment in North America. The company employs 400 people, with operations in Memphis, Los Angeles, New York, Houston and Atlanta, according to the AP. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the Cessna 560 jet crash. Protest organizer Carlos Chaverst Jr. has been banned from the Riverchase Galleria for one year. At the request of mall officials, Chaverst was trespassed Sunday night. Chaverst was accompanied by two other protesters after announcing on Facebook a silent protest set for 8 p.m. He was not arrested but issued a trespass warning, Hoover city officials said. He is subject to arrest if he returns to the property before Dec. 15, 2019. Authorities said mall management prepared trespass paperwork against Chaverst following a Saturday, Dec. 15, protest at the Galleria and served the paperwork on him when he returned Sunday night. The Dec. 15 protest was limited after authorities said the group could not chant or carry signs inside the mall. Since the Nov. 22, 2018 death of Emantic Fitzgerald EJ Bradford Jr. at the hands of Hoover police officer at the Riverchase Galleria, multiple protests have been held in Hoover -- including the Galleria, outside Hoover Mayor Frank Brocatos home, Sams Club, Walmart, Buffalo Wild Wings and on Interstate 459, where protests briefly shut down traffic at the Interstate 65 interchange. One week ago tonight, a group of about 60 took their protest to Ross Bridge and later the YMCA on Highway 150 at South Shades Crest Road. Chaverst, 25, has twice been arrested for actions during the ongoing protests on charges of disorderly conduct and loitering. One of the disorderly conduct charges stemmed from his use of a bullhorn in a Ross Bridge subdivision. His loitering charge stemmed from wearing a mask in public at a Dec. 6 protest at Renaissance Ross Bridge. Chaverst said said Sunday night the trespass warning is part of the overall cover-up of what happened to Bradford Thanksgiving night. Its two days before Christmas. Im inside the mall not bothering anyone. So I am banned from the building until Dec. 15, 2019 based upon a (previous) protest. If that was the case then, why wasnt I told then? He said his banning from the mall is borderline discrimination. Youre saying certain people cant come in based upon what? The way we look? Its still a public facility because the general public is allowed in. Im looking forward to taking this matter up in court. " Including Chaverst, eight protesters have been arrested on misdemeanor charges as a result of the demonstrations. Last week, Chaverst and other activists with the Birmingham Justice League announced a temporary stay of protests in Hoover after a meeting with Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato and City Administrator Allan Rice. Organizers had said protests would resume in Hoover if city officials do not make changes and adopt policies suggested by the Justice League. We came to somewhat of an agreement of some things that we as some citizens and non-citizens of Hoover would like to see. They were very receptive to some of the things we brought to the table. They were already in the process of doing of the things on their own. It was a really good exchange, said Iva Williams, adviser for the Birmingham Justice League. Chaverst the following day, however, said that Hoover city officials had until 5 p.m. Friday to meet their demands before the protests would resume. Hoover City officials did not publicly respond the groups demands. On Saturday, two protesters were arrested during a banner drop at the mall. Cara McClure, of Black Lives Matter Birmingham Chapter, was taken into custody shortly after displaying signs on the railing overlooking the food court. The Riverchase Galleria is private property and mall officials said she couldnt display the signs. Authorities said she was arrested when she refused to leave. Martez Files, a Black Lives Matters organizer and an adjunct professor for African American Studies at UAB, was charged with disorderly conduct following McClures arrest. The investigation into the death of Bradford, as well as the wounding of 18-year-old Brian Wilson and 12-year-old Molly Davis, an innocent bystander, continue. Once the State Bureau of Investigation completes the probe, the findings will be turned over to Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall. Asif Zardari team to appear before SC on fake bank accounts case LAHORE: PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardaris legal team will appear before a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court hearing the fake bank accounts case here on Monday (today). Led by Farooq H. Naek and Lateef Khosa, the team will appear before the court at its Lahore registry to represent the PPP co-chairman. PPP deputy information secretary Chaudhry Munawar Anjum said Mr Zardari would not appear before the court as his legal team would represent him. He said the PPP had always respected and strengthened the judiciary and believed that they were facing politically motivated cases. He said former president Asif Zardari had faced 17 cases in the past and was acquitted by the courts. The PPP believes that the Joint Investigation Teams report has been fabricated under political influence for victimising its leaders. It is the PPPs stance that if the report is fabricated, we will go to the people, he said. Mr Anjum said Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted to eliminate the PPP and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz to run opposition-free government and turn the country into One Unit and impose civil martial law. We always fight against the non-democratic forces and will continue to do so, he added. Chief justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar will sit at the Lahore registry the entire week starting from Monday (today) after returning from Turkey and performing Umra. A two-judge bench consisting of the chief justice and Justice Ijazul Ahsan will hear multiple independent cases, including delay in inquiries into the fake bank accounts case involving Asif Zardari, Omni groups owners and Summit Bank vice chairman Hussain Lawai. The JIT tasked with probing the fake bank accounts case has submitted a sealed report to the court. Other cases to be heard include the transfer of Islamabad inspector general of police on political grounds, illegal encroachment upon properties belonging to the Hindu community in Sindh and illegal occupation of private land by PML-N MNA Afzal Khokhar and MPA Saiful Malook Khokhar. Last week, Chief Justice Nisar visited Turkey where he met President Tayyip Erdogan and attended Urs of Maulana Rumi. Sub-Saharan migrants tell stories of horror, activists note that forced deportation from Algeria is an ongoing trend. In 1991, Michael George Johnson was 11 years old when he left his country for the first time. Both his parents were killed months earlier in one of post-independence Africas worst instances of bloodshed, the Liberian civil war. Johnson spent the following 27 years searching for a safe place to settle and trying to leave the ghosts of the conflict behind. One day at the beginning of October he arrived in Niger, having survived a week-long, forced trip through the Algerian desert. Johnson was one of dozens of mass expulsions of migrants in 2018 [Francesco Bellina/Al Jazeera] Weve been gathered in buses, travelling from town to town without food, obliged to walk for 30km in the Sahara with a gun to our heads, and packed like animals in a truck until we reached Agadez, he recalled. The convoy carried a total of 279 people, rounded up in police operations all over Algeria. There were Cameroonians, Ivorians, Guineans, Nigeriens, women and children, we saw everything there, he added. Johnsons forced trip was one among dozens of mass expulsions of migrants organised by Algerian authorities in 2018, attracting international criticism over the countrys treatment of sub-Saharan citizens, often abandoned in the desert, hours away from the closest border post in Niger. Terrible year 2018 has been a terrible year for migrant workers in Algeria, marked by the biggest number of arrests and deportations ever, human rights activist Fouad Hassam told Al Jazeera. A member of the Algerian League to Defend Human Rights, Hassam assisted some migrant workers in the city of Oran, his hometown in north-west Algeria, and has received threats for his work. Civil society actors and NGOs have been attacked for defending migrants, he said over the phone. But this is only a part of the collective paranoia that rules our country: activists, bloggers, journalists, unionists or artists are seen as a menace, and migrants as well. One of the first expulsions of migrants, he explains, was triggered by a fight between some sub-Saharan workers and locals in the suburbs of Algiers two years ago. Security forces arrested 1500 sub-Saharans, deporting hundreds to the border with Niger. From that moment on, things only got worse: your skin colour was a crime, Hassam said. No matter what your legal status, you could be locked up and deported anytime, only for being black. Security forces arrested 1500 sub-Saharans in 2016, according to Hassam [Francesco Bellina/Al Jazeera] Johnson says he experienced that persecution firsthand. I knew that Algeria was unsafe, he recounts, but after endless travels, I could finally work as a daily labourer in construction sites, earning something to fulfil my dream, which is to reach France. Journey through hell In the years preceding, Johnson lived in Mauritania, the Ivory Coast and Sudan, where he tried unsuccessfully to cross the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia. He headed to Algeria after a dramatic passage through Libya, where he was detained and tortured by armed men. In Algeria, I had to hide, but at least there was some work, he says. His European dream was interrupted abruptly one night in Algiers. On our way back from work, the police took all the blacks to a barracks. They didnt check our documents and the next morning, they threw us in a bus. Those asking to go home to collect their things were beaten hard. Johnson says it was a journey through hell. He and his companions were insulted and beaten at every stop. They told us it was a punishment for being in the country, and that we never have to come back, he said. During one of the stops of his convoy, he says a Liberian woman was raped in turn by three agents inside a police facility and forced to dance naked in front of them. One man died of internal bleeding, after being kicked all over his body. We buried him with our own hands in the desert, he says, his voice trembling as he recalls those moments. George Oldman Harris, another Liberian who made the same journey a few weeks before him, shakes his head as Johnson speaks. Harris says he was deported five times since 2013 [Francesco Bellina/Al Jazeera] I know very well what it is like, he said. Algerians deported me five times since I entered the country in 2013. The two met in Agadez and decided to reach Niamey with a common purpose: making some money in order to avoid going back to Liberia empty-handed. Like hundreds of other refoules (the rejected ones in French), as theyre called in Niger, they pass their days walking in the citys busy market squares looking for opportunities and a place to lay their heads. Rights groups slam racial profiling Transit centres offered by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are packed with people demanding to return to their home countries through the UN agencys voluntary return programmes. As push-backs continue, were submerged by requests, but we cant open a new centre overnight, an IOM official told Al Jazeera. These summary expulsions are justified by referring to a 2014 agreement between Algeria and Niger, but in reality, we are facing enormous violations of international norms and human rights, Amnesty International researcher Debora Del Pistoia said. According to a note sent to Al Jazeera by Nigers interior minister, Mohamed Bazoum, the 2014 document was a declaration of intent and not a formal pact. Its aim, the note says, was to restrict cases for push-backs to Niger of Nigeriens who were forced into begging in Algerian cities But among the deportees, there are refugees and asylum seekers registered in Algeria and people from all over West Africa, who were detained and deported illegally, says Del Pistoia. Amnesty Internationals campaign, Forced to leave, launched on December 20, calls on Algerian authorities and their partners to immediately stop these practices and avoid any form of racial profiling. Asked for a comment by Al Jazeera, the Algerian interior ministry didnt respond. During a conference on global migration earlier this month in Morocco, Minister of the Interior Noureddine Bedoui said Algeria respects the rights and dignity of migrants but had been through a huge and continuous arrival of migrants and had to take measures to reduce it. According to Del Pistoia, statements by top Algerian officials, such as Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahias in July 2017 that migrants were a source of criminality, drug and other plagues contributes to a climate of xenophobia, where black migrants become the scapegoat for Algerias internal problems. UNHCR counted 77 registered refugees deported in 2018, while at least 3100 migrants were expelled to Mali and left in desert areas controlled by armed groups [Francesco Bellina/Al Jazeera] Data collected by Amnesty International shows a sharp increase in collective expulsions from Algeria to Niger: from 1,340 people in 2014, 9,300 in 2017 to 26,000 in 2018 40 percent of whom were abandoned in the Sahara and forced to walk for hours to reach Assamaka, Nigers first border post. Among people expelled to Niger in 2018, UNHCR counted 77 who were registered as refugees in Algeria, and as such, should be granted special protection. Moreover, at least 3,100 people were expelled to Mali through the year and abandoned in desert areas controlled by armed groups In Niameys Wadata square, around the Grand Marche or in the alleys of the crowded Katako market, deported migrants, carrying all their belongings in backpacks, are a common sight. Youll see many with mental health problems, after all they went through, says Johnson, who is hoping to make some money from the citys construction boom in view of the 2019 African Union summit. Going home seems then to be the only option left, with a hope that George Weah, our new president, will respect his promises and bring Liberia out of the wars heritage. Goma, DRC A young voice sings, Whats up in Congo Kabila? Why so much crime, violence, corruption and killings? The lyrics are from the latest album by Shusha Ma Flow, a hip-hop collective made up of teenagers living on the streets of Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Here in Goma life is dangerous. We live in a war zone, says 16-year-old Asili Power (nicknamed Black Magic Power). Hundreds of children live on the streets here. Most have fled the armed conflict between the government and more than 120 armed groups in the area. Despite the presence of more than 16,000 UN peacekeepers in the region, the conflicts rage on. Elections were scheduled for December 23 but were postponed by a week. Officials cited a fire that destroyed voting machines, but opposition groups accused authorities of trying to keep President Joseph Kabila, who is due to step down after ruling the country for nearly 18 years, in power. Gomas street children find shelter in the citys many slums, which have been dubbed al-Qaeda or FBI. Here they face many dangers, including drug abuse, forced recruitment into armed groups and rape. The young rappers of Shusha Ma Flow want to change the status quo. People in Congo are suffering, but Africa is able, says 19-year-old Ivoire Papati Dance. Music activist Wanny S-King works with PASO, a social change association based in Marseille, to teach Gomas street teenagers to channel their anger and fear into art. The state puts them in prison, instead of caring for these kids, Wanny says. Wanny knows the streets. After his political protest song Wale Wale began to hit the bars of the city, Kabilas administration began to actively hunt him. Wanny is sceptical about the presidential elections: You might replace the president, but the corrupt system does not change. Yet, the rappers of Shusha Ma Flow believe in the power of their beats: Hip-hop transports me into paradise, rap slams the sound of all my troubles. SONGS: https://soundcloud.com/association-paso/sets/shusha-ma-flow-maisha-mu-barabara/s-nUpaS https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=pyRfeHkcZBA On December 8, the League, the far-right party led by Italys Interior Minister and Vice Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, organised a major rally in Rome. Around 200 buses and three trains were arranged to bring supporters from all over the country into Piazza del Popolo, where the demonstration was being held. When the captain, as Salvini is known among his supporters, arrived, speakers started to blast out the notes of Nessun dorma (None shall sleep) an aria from the final act of Giacomo Puccinis famous opera, Turandot. Vanish, o night! Fade, you stars! Fade, you stars! the tenor sang, At dawn, I will win! I will win! I will win!. The choice of music, of course, had a symbolic meaning. It was an attempt by the supporters of the League to tell everyone in the country that Salvini, and no one else, was the ultimate winner and de facto leader of Italian politics in 2018. And Salvini really did win big in 2018. After all, the League once a scandal-ridden, far-right regional movement stuck around 4 percent of the vote managed to secure 17 percent of the vote at the March 4 general election under Salvinis leadership and made the 45-year-old politician Italys kingmaker. A couple of months later, the populist Five Star Movement which won the Italian election with 32 percent of the vote reached a deal with Salvinis League to form a coalition government. By June, Salvini was already the most influential politician in Italy and a major cause for concern in Brussels. A total rejection of Europe? When the Five Star League coalition was formed, many in Europe believed that the new formation will be nothing more than yet another democratically elected anti-system executive power in the Western hemisphere. They assumed, once in power, Salvini, who previously promised to deport 500,000 immigrants if elected, called Islam a threat that is incompatible with the constitution, and was filmed saying Italy needed mass cleansing, would be forced to soften his rhetoric. This is why, in Europe, concerns about Salvinis election victory focused on his anti-European Union stance, rather than his far-right, xenophobic ideas. Many voiced their fears about the governing parties ever-increasing criticism of Brussels version of Europeanism, and questioned whether Italy may soon pose a serious threat for the future of the union. Some analysts even claimed that the eurosceptics have already won Italy and that Italians fully rejected the European Union and its impositions by electing parties like the League and the Five Star. For example, on May 16, Matthew Goodwin, a professor of politics and international relations at the University of Kent, published an article in the conservative British daily Telegraph wrongly arguing that Italys new populist government shows its not just British voters questioning the EU dream. Days later, one of Britains most prominent Brexit campaigns, Leave EU, promoted the article on its official Twitter account, with the comment Professor [Goodwin] sums up the crisis in Italy perfectly: elites are hollowing out our democracies and its no surprise that ordinary people are mobilising to beat the establishment! But despite some European pundits and prominent Brexiteers believing Salvinis success is a confirmation that Italy is now a virulently euro-sceptic nation, the truth is a lot more nuanced. At the moment Italian attitudes towards European institutions are less questioning than expected. A European commission survey published in November 2018 showed that, across member states, the overall trust in the EU currently stands at 59 percent. Meanwhile, the latest Eurobarometer published in December demonstrated that 64 percent of Italian citizens believe that membership of the EU is something positive, while only 15 percent view it negatively. A year ago, the share of Italians viewing the membership positively was only 49 percent. In other words, while Salvini undoubtedly succeeded in making the most extreme eurosceptic viewpoints mainstream, the Italian publics support for the EU is not fading at an alarming rate under his rule. Legitimisation of xenophobia While Salvinis Italy does not appear to be an imminent threat for the future of the European project (at least for now), another major aspect of his tenure mainstreamisation of xenophobia should cause alarm across Europe and beyond. In its first six months in power, the League Five Star coalition already managed to disprove all academic theories claiming that extremist parties would become more moderate once they take part in national governments. On the contrary, rather than moving towards the centre since taking on the role of the countrys de facto leader, Salvini pushed his far-right rhetoric even further, and increased his popularity while doing so. Just 10 days after he was appointed interior minister, for example, he made international headlines by refusing docking rights to the NGO-run Aquarius rescue boat, which had 629 refugees and migrants on board. While the move attracted international condemnation, it greatly boosted Salvinis standing in Italy. Public opinion polls show support for the League has jumped from 17 percent to about 30. In October, the northern Italian town of Lodi, governed by Salvinis League party, did something that would be unthinkable in Italy only a couple of years ago it implemented an apartheid-type resolution denying free school buses and meals to children of non-EU migrants. Salvini personally congratulated the mayor, and declared the gravy train is finished. Meanwhile the mayor of Riace, Domenico Mimmo Lucano, who helped rejuvenate the towns economy by welcoming thousands of refugees, has been put under house arrest for allegedly aiding and abetting illegal immigration. Salvini, who once referred to the mayor as a nobody in a video, celebrated his arrest and wondered on Twitter, what would his opponents who want to fill Italy with immigrants say now about Riace. The celebration and legitimisation of anti-immigrant policies, as well as the condemnation and even criminalisation of any pro-immigrant behaviour, is likely to continue in Salvinis Italy in the coming years. It will be this fundamental change in the Italians attitude towards immigrants, and far-right ideas, that marks the legacy of Italys populist government. Under the new coalition government, far-right ideas and policies are gradually becoming accepted in the media circles and public opinion. Italian moderates are offering a platform to these ideas in a misguided attempt to appease and control them, in almost the same way that they offered a platform to Benito Mussolini and his fascist ideas in the interwar period (and we all know how that ended). The euro-sceptic wave in Italy is rightfully a cause for concern for Europes progressive elites. However, they should actually focus their attention on Salvinis successful efforts to create a closed, xenophobic community, as his anti-immigrant rhetoric is likely to have more lasting and dangerous consequences for Italy. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. The AmbaCoin is named after the so-called Republic of Ambazonia, a self-declared independent state in Cameroon. Anglophone separatists in Cameroon have announced the launch of a virtual currency to help fund their campaign for independence and provide humanitarian aid. The AmbaCoin, a bitcoin-like currency based on the blockchain software principle, is named after the so-called Republic of Ambazonia, a self-declared independent state in Cameroons Northwest and Southwest Regions. 180918182108421 The People of Ambazonia has created AmbaCoin, a tradeable digital token that can be used as a currency, a representation of an asset, a virtual share, a proof of patriotic citizenship, according to the currencys website. All sales of the AmbaCoin will be directed to fund the Ambazonian Cause, to assist Refugees & Internally Displaced Persons, to rebuild homes destroyed by occupying military forces, and to defend communities from the repressive regime of La Republique Du Cameroun. According to a clock on the currencys website, the AmbaCoin became operational on Friday. It said there had been more than 28,000 pre-orders for the currency, a figure that could not be verified independently. Buying one amba for the Ambazonian Crypto Bond costs 25 US cents. Declared independence last year In October 2017, separatist anglophone leaders declared a Republic of Ambazonia in two regions that were incorporated into predominantly French-speaking Cameroon in 1961. The central government in Yaounde launched a crackdown, deploying thousands of troops against the fighters. More than 200 members of the security forces and at least 500 civilians have been killed, according to the International Crisis Group think-tank, while the UN estimates that more than 437,000 people have fled their homes. 181007072249247 The two English-speaking regions were previously ruled by Britain as the Southern Cameroons. Over the years, anglophones have chafed at perceived discrimination at the hands of the francophone majority, especially in law, education and economic opportunities. Resentment built into demands for a return to Cameroons federal state, which then snowballed into a declaration of independence as the situation polarised. The purported state whose name is taken from Ambas Bay on the coast also has a flag, a national anthem and a president, but has not been internationally recognised. Patrick Cammaert called on the government forces and Houthi rebels to respect the hard-won truce, a port official says. The head of the United Nations team tasked with monitoring a fragile ceasefire in Yemens flashpoint city of Hodeidah has visited its lifeline docks, according to a port official. Patrick Cammaert, retired Dutch general, called on Yemens Saudi-backed government forces and Houthi rebels to respect the hard-won truce, Yehya Sharafeddin, Hodeidah port deputy director, said on Monday. The [UN] official promised us that the war will end, Sharafeddin told AFP news agency by phone after Cammaert visited the docks, through which the majority of imports and humanitarian aid enter Yemen. He said the Yemen war had been forgotten for years, but that the international community is now adamant about ending it, he said. Cammaert is heading a joint committee, which includes members of the government and the Houthi rebels, in charge of monitoring the truce in Hodeidah and its surroundings that began on December 18. Cammaert arrived in the Red Sea city from the rebel-held capital Sanaa, after meeting with government officials in Aden. Yemens warring sides agreed on the ceasefire to halt a devastating offensive by government forces and an allied Saudi-led coalition against rebel-held Hodeidah at peace talks in Sweden this month. According to the UN, Cammaert will chair a meeting of the joint committee on Wednesday. That meeting will be one of the priorities of Cammaerts mission, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Sunday. General Cammaert is encouraged by the general enthusiasm of both sides to get to work, immediately, he added. The UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution authorising the deployment of observers to Hodeidah to monitor the truce. Sharafeddin said that Cammaert stressed the importance of implementing the agreement and will visit battlefronts [in the city] at a later time. Shaky truce The ceasefire, the result of intense diplomatic efforts led by the UN, has remained shaky, with both sides accusing each other of violations in Hodeidah province. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said on Monday that the Houthi rebels have violated the truce agreement 138 times since it came into effect. The latest Security Council resolution on Yemen puts the Houthi militias under international pressure, he said during a press conference in the Saudi capital Riyadh. The UN monitoring team aims to secure the functioning of Hodeidah port and supervise the withdrawal of fighters from the city. The text approved by the Security Council insists on the full respect by all parties of the ceasefire agreed for Hodeidah. It authorises the UN to establish and deploy, for an initial period of 30 days from the adoption of this resolution, an advance team to begin monitoring the ceasefire, under Cammaerts leadership. About 10,000 people have been killed since the coalition intervened in 2015, according to the World Health Organization, although rights groups say the death toll could be five times higher. The conflict has unleashed a major humanitarian crisis and pushed 14 million Yemenis to the brink of famine. The 63-year-old, who is reportedly worth $715m, says he and his wife want to give the money to charity after his death. Chow Yun-fat, the Hong Kong star of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, has vowed to donate his entire fortune reportedly $715m to charity after he dies. The 63-year-old multimillionaire known to western audiences for films such as the Oscar-winning Pirates of the Caribbean and gangster classic A Better Tomorrow joined Forbes list of highest paid actors in the world for the first time in 2015. This money isnt something you possess forever. When youre gone one day, you have to leave it to others to use it, he told South Koreas Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation in an interview aired last week. You cant bring the money in your bank account with you after you die, he said, adding his wife strongly supports his decision. Wealth gap Hong Kongs wealth gap was at its widest last year for nearly half a century, fuelling discontent as the former British colony marked two decades under Chinese rule. Sky-high prices and the cost of living outstrip many ordinary residents salaries, with apartments becoming increasingly cramped and generations of families forced to share. Meanwhile, the citys mega-rich continue their display of extreme wealth and pursuit of status symbols. Chow, affectionately nicknamed Brother Fat in Hong Kong, has won praise for taking an opposite tack. Local media give wildly varied estimates of his wealth, but say he is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Chow has said he has no idea how much he is worth. Chow says his wife agrees with his decision to donate his fortune [File: Vincent Yu/AP] His wife Jasmine Tan has previously described how her husband often eats at street stalls and only gave up his beloved Nokia flip-phone when it died after years of use. In his interview with MBC, Chow, a native of Lamma Island which was once a traditional fishing village, also discussed the joys of a simple meal a favourite is savoury Chinese turnips accompanied by rice. I am happy if theres food to eat, because we were quite poor then. Ill be very happy eating sweet potatoes and vegetables, and even happier if I have chicken and meat during the new year, he said. Dozens of billionaire business figures have signed up to The Giving Pledge started by Bill Gates and Warren Buffet to encourage the worlds wealthiest to donate their fortunes. But Hollywood and Asian acting stars are noticeably absent from the list. Childs mother says the three hospitals gave different pretexts for denying the family help. Beirut, Lebanon A three-year-old Palestinian boy died after hospitals across Lebanon allegedly refused to provide him with a bed in an intensive care unit. Mohammed Wehbe suffered from a serious brain condition and urgently needed treatment after his condition worsened. He was admitted to Tripolis Islamic Hospital on December 14. However, the hospital did not have a bed in the ICU, and when his family contacted at least three other hospitals, they said they were turned down. He died three days later. If he had been admitted to an intensive care unit on the first day, and received the care he needed, he would have still been alive in my lap, his mother, Umm Mohammed, said. Mohammed suffered from hydrocephalus, a chronic neurological condition in which spinal fluid build up and puts pressure on the brain. Umm Mohammed said that the different hospitals gave different pretexts for denying the family help. She claimed that Hammoud Hospital, where the boy had been treated previously, refused to admit Mohammed because they had not paid his previous bill in full. Hariri and Karantina hospitals refused to admit him, she said, because they claimed to not accept patients of other hospitals. I accept Gods destiny, she told Al Jazeera. But I curse the hospitals, including Hariri hospital, Karantina hospital and Hammoud hospital. Mohammed was eventually moved to Tripoli Government Hospital on a promise that he would be moved to the specialised paediatric care unit, but by then it was too late. He died in the emergency ward before he could be admitted. Mohammed lived in the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp with his parents and sister. Fellow residents said they were angered at the failure of even the final hospital, which had a bed in the intensive care unit, to move him there in time. There have been daily protests in the camp since Mohammeds death. UNRWA funding Milad Salameh, an activist in the camp, told Al Jazeera that he suspected the delay was caused by the hospital waiting for the transfer of payment from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). UNRWA pays for healthcare and education to more than five million Palestinian refugees in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. Salameh said he believed that the agency had been cutting corners since the US withdrew its share of funding. People are suffering from the shrinking of UNRWA services, he said. They got angry and took to the streets and started burning tyres. However, UNRWA denied this and said that the specialised care that Mohammed needed was unavailable in any of the hospitals until December 17. 180901071620633 The UNRWA medical team in the North (of Lebanon) and in Beirut exerted all possible efforts to find a bed for the child in any hospital across Lebanon that would have such a specialised paediatric care but there were no beds available until early afternoon of December 17, when UNRWA succeeded in finding him a bed at the Tripoli Governmental hospital. He unfortunately passed away on the night of the 17th, UNWRA said in a statement. The protesters have erected a tent on the main street demanding a hospital be built inside the camp, which is home to 40,000 Palestinians. The residents also say they see a trend. They say Mohammed was not the first child to die because of a lack of concern towards Palestinians and inadequate medical facilities. While the individual hospitals have not commented, Lebanons caretaker Health Minister Ghassan Hasbani denied the allegations. He said that Mohammed had been treated in a number of hospitals earlier and his treatment was financially assured by the UNRWA. He added that the childs condition had deteriorated beyond the scope for successful treatment and reached a very advanced stage, which led to his death. Umm Mohammed however still believes that whether it was due to the familys lack of money, his Palestinian identity, or a lack of medical facilities, Lebanon failed her son. My son is sleeping in peace now away from the heartless people in this country, she said. Moroccan authorities say four men were acting on their own initiative, despite having pledged allegiance to ISIL. Authorities in Morocco believe four suspects involved in the killing of two Scandinavian female tourists in the Atlas Mountains were acting on their own initiative, despite having recently pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, Daesh, also known as ISIS) group, an official said on Sunday. Boubker Sabik, a spokesman for the Moroccan security and domestic intelligence services, also said the arrest of nine more people in various Moroccan cities over suspected links to the killers had foiled a terror plot. The two tourists Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, of Denmark, and Maren Ueland, 28, of Norway, were found dead early on Monday of last week with knife wounds to the neck near the village of Imlil, on a route to Toubkal, North Africas highest peak and a popular hiking and trekking destination. Sabik said on the state 2M TV channel that the four suspects, aged between 25 and 33 years, had headed to the Imlil area intent on committing a crime but without selecting their target in advance. They had pledged allegiance to ISIL in a video made on Friday before the bodies were found, but without agreeing on this in advance with any foreign entity. Love wolves The suspects acted alone according to Sabik, describing them as lone wolves. The crime was not coordinated with the Islamic State, he said. Lone wolves do not need permission from their leader, he added, without explaining how the authorities had come to their conclusion. Thomas Hegghammer, a senior fellow at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment, has described the killings as amateurish. 150325063807154 Everything about this case seems improvised and opportunistic. I dont think this is ordered from Daesh leadership. This looks more like an initiative from Daesh sympathisers in Morocco, he told the Norwegian national broadcaster NRK. Of the four suspects, one had previously served a two-year sentence in 2013 as part of a crackdown on individuals who planned on joining an extremist group abroad, he said, adding that this suspect had radicalised the other three. Sabik dismissed reports that one was of the suspects was a returning foreign fighter from the Middle East. He said that all four, who originated from the outskirts of Marrakech, had only informal jobs and a low level of education. Terrorist plot Referring to the nine other suspects arrested on Friday, he said their arrests spared Morocco a terrorist plot. Electronic devices, unauthorised hunting rifles, knives and materials that could be used for bomb-making were found in the course of those raids. Sabik gave no details of this suspected plot but said Morocco is stepping up efforts to counter security threats posed by the return of ISIL fighters. So far 242 out of 1,669 Moroccans who joined the ISIL group had been arrested, he said. Some fighters were using false passports and trying to hide among refugees heading for Europe as foreign fighters suffer setbacks in the Middle East. 181220100842730 Moroccan authorities were still trying to authenticate a video that has been shared on social media purporting to show the beheading of one of the victims. The video has no background, and the clothes of the victim are not identical to those in reality, he said. However, the Danish intelligence service authenticated the video showing the murder of one of the victims. The PET (intelligence service) confirms that a video circulating on the internet shows the murder of one of the two women killed in Morocco, the authorities said in a statement on Thursday. Compared with other countries in North Africa, Morocco has been largely insulated from attacks by armed groups. The most recent took place in April 2011, when 17 people were killed in the bombing of a restaurant in Marrakech. Morocco has stepped up its effort to counter armed groups with the creation in 2015 of its own version of the FBI. The Central Bureau for Judicial Investigations has so far dismantled up to 57 cells of armed groups planning attacks in the country, including eight in 2018. Al Jazeera meets the Nicaraguan cartoonist who is challenging the government crackdown through his art. A deepening political crisis in Nicaragua has prompted President Daniel Ortega to crack down on his critics. He has expelled international monitors who had been documenting his governments alleged crimes that have killed more than 300 protesters since April. Thats pushing Nicaraguans to find alternative forms of protest such as art. Al Jazeeras Manuel Rapalo meets one such artist from the capital, Managua, who has since had his studio raided by members of the national police. Court to announce reserved verdict against Nawaz Sharif today ISLAMABAD: The accountability court will announce it reserved verdict in Al Azizia and Flagship references filed against deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif today (Monday ). Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik had on Wednesday reserved the verdict to be declared on December 24. During the last hearing, defence counsel Khawaja Haris presented a rebuttal to statements made by the prosecution. Nawazs counsel also petitioned the court for additional time to submit some more documents; however, the court rejected the request. At the end of hearing, PML-N supremo and former thrice prime minister stepped up to the rostrum and said to accountability court judge Arshad Malik is this my last appearance before court? Accountability judge replied yes this is your last appearance. Nawaz Sharif further went on to say that not a single penny corruption could be proved against me. It was very painful to attend the court hearing in case that was filed on the bases of assumptions. Former premier Nawaz Sharif also met his younger brother and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif at the Ministers Enclave after reaching Islamabad from Lahore on Sunday. The siblings discussed prevalent political scenario alongside the reserved verdict in NAB references Flagship, Al-Azizia- against Nawaz. The both leaders formulated the strategy for a power show and also directed PML-N lawmakers and workers to reach Islamabad to join the power show. They also agreed to seek support from the Pakistan People s party (PPP) to steer out of political quagmire. During the meeting, the duo discussed various aspects of post-verdict situation, and agreed to launch a mass contact campaign in view of a guilty verdict landing Nawaz Sharif behind the bars (as the case may be). The former prime minister said no matter what the accountability court decides in the corruption references against the Sharif family, they will take a legal course of action in the matter. The Sharif familys trial had commenced on September 14, 2017. On July 6, after four extensions in the original six-month deadline to conclude all three cases, the accountability court announced its verdict in the Avenfield reference. Nawaz, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Captain (r) Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year, respectively, in prison. Nawaz and his sons, Hussain and Hasan, are accused in all three references whereas Maryam and Safdar were accused in the Avenfield reference only. The two brothers, based abroad, have been absconding since the proceedings began last year and were declared proclaimed offenders by the court. Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Sunday vowed to play an active part in mobilising PML-N workers to raise voice for justice for party leader Nawaz Sharif, sources said. The daughter of the former prime minister expressed her ambitions in a meeting with Nawaz on Sunday, sources said. She was quoted as saying that the accountability courts decisions that were meant to distance her father from the masses were grounded in baseless assumptions. Maryam Nawaz also posted an emotional post on social media about her parents. The last time I saw HER was in the coffin. The last time I saw HIM smile was with HER. May Allah have mercy on both of you. Ameen, she said in tweet. After nearly 40 years, Nigeria is trying to revive the idle steel factory, once billed as Africas biggest steel plant. After 38 years, Nigerias parliament has finally approved $1bn to revive one of Africas biggest steel plants. The approval came after an exclusive Al Jazeera report on how corruption was blocking the companys revival. Al Jazeeras Ahmed Idris revisits the Ajaokuta Steel Company. Sharif was sentenced on one of two corruption charges and acquitted in the other case. A Pakistani anti-corruption court has jailed former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for seven years on corruption charges. The court found on Monday the three-time prime minister was unable to prove the source of income for the ownership of a steel mill in Saudi Arabia, Geo News reported. He was acquitted on a separate corruption charge. Sharif was sentenced in July to 10 years in prison by the same court, on charges related to the purchase of upscale apartments in London, after the Supreme Court removed him from power. He was released from prison in September pending an appeal. Sharif has denied all the charges against him and says he is being targeted by the countrys powerful security establishment. Reporting from Islamabad, Al Jazeeras Kamal Hyder said that Sharifs party would take the verdict seriously. This is indeed something which is going to be taken seriously by his political party. However, it should also be remembered that Nawaz Sharif was earlier arrested in the Avenfield property case, he was sent to prison. He then lodged a review petition and was released on bail, he said. His lawyers, of course, will file an appeal, but it may take some time. He also has to wait for the verdict on this initial appeal in the Avenfield property case. Security was tight at the court on Monday, with some clashes breaking out between Sharifs supporters and security forces. There were scuffles with some of his party supporters when he arrived at court, the police resorting to tear gas, but quickly bringing the situation under control, Hyder reported. We are told that over 1,000 policemen, as well as paramilitary forces have been deployed along the main avenues leading to the court. Sharif has been prime minister three times. He was first expelled from office in 1993 on suspicion of corruption. He won an election in 1997, only to be ousted and exiled after a military coup in 1999. He returned to Pakistan in 2007 and took power once more in 2013 until his ousting last year. Residents of badly-affected areas wary of second tsunami as death toll jumps to more than 370 people. South Lampung, Indonesia The wedding party had already begun when the first wave struck Rajabasa, a village in South Lampung on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. At first, Abdulrahman, the village head, and the dozens of other unsuspecting guests thought there had been a car accident. We were chatting and then there was a loud crash, Abdulrahman, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, said. We all ran to the road to see if there had been an accident. Then we saw the water. The first wave was quite small, but the second one was much larger and stronger. Everyone panicked and we turned and ran for our lives, he added, noting that there were no warning signs at all. It was meant to be a happy day; then the sea came. In Pictures: Tsunami hits coastal towns on Sunda Strait A devastating tsunami struck the islands of Sumatra and Java on Saturday evening, sending a wall of water crashing some 20 metres inland and leaving behind a trail of destruction. Experts believe the seismic sea wave was triggered by an underwater landslide caused by the eruption of the nearby Anak Krakatoa volcano, located on the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. As of Monday evening, the death toll stood at 373 people, with 1,459 injured. A further 5,665 were displaced, according to the latest update on Monday by Sutopo Nugroho, the spokesperson of the Indonesian Disaster Agency (BNPB), while 128 others were still missing. In Rajabasa village, the wedding party was taking place about 30 meters from the shore, so most of the guests were able to scramble to higher ground. Others, however, were not so lucky. Abdulrahman: Were scared, but this is our home [Teguh Harahap/Al Jazeera] Magdalena had decided not to attend the wedding festivities as her three-year-old daughter wanted to sleep. When the waves came, her small wooden house, sitting some 10 metres away from the shore, collapsed on top of both of them. We found Magdalena wrapped up in her mosquito net inside the house that night. Her daughter Anisa washed ashore in Sukaraja village about a kilometre-and-a-half away the next day, Abdulrahman told Al Jazeera on Monday. They were reunited at the local hospital and buried together yesterday. No chance of many survivors The area along the coastline around the districts of Kalianda and Rajabasa bore the brunt of the tsunami that hit Sumatra. Hundreds of homes and business have been washed away destroying the livelihoods of many locals in the process. Medi Herlianto, director of emergency facilities at BNPB, flew in by helicopter from the capital, Jakarta, on Sunday to assess the damage along the coastline in South Lampung. The agency has not finished compiling data, but in South Lampung alone, at least 58 people have been found dead, 250 injured and eight are still missing and presumed dead. There is no chance that there are any more survivors at this point, Herlianto told Al Jazeera. Our goal now is to work with the local government to provide humanitarian aid and help with the evacuation process, he said, adding that some 1,000 people in South Lampung were displaced. Arinal Djunaidi, the incoming governor of Lampung, told Al Jazeera that he is committed to helping the survivors of the ruinous tsunami. We need to help them get back to their daily lives as soon as possible and start the cleanup process. We have brought in 13 excavators to help move the debris and have already cleared the main roads to the villages in the area, he said. Residents in Rajabasa village have set up a post to distribute food and clothing donations [Teguh Harahap/Al Jazeera] Volcanos rumbling noise getting louder Local residents such as Abdulrahman are also providing assistance on the ground. In Rajabasa village, a command post has been set up to distribute food and clothing donations from residents in neighbouring areas. For now, the post is run only by men. Women, children and the elderly have been moved to temporary shelters on higher ground in case of another tsunami. Experts have warned that if Anak Krakatoa continues to erupt, it could trigger more underwater landslides and more deadly waves. For Abdulrahman, who has lived in Rajabasa village all his life, the fear is real. We can see the volcano from here but it usually just glows like the tip of a cigarette, he said. But over the last few days, the light from the eruptions has been glowing brighter and the rumbling noise from the volcano has been getting louder. Rajabasa residents holding solidified lava which washed up from the volcano [Teguh Harahap/Al Jazeera] Abdulrahman and groups of male residents from Rajabasa village have been keeping watch around 10 meters away from the shoreline to guard the homes that are still standing and have now been vacated. He said that many of the volunteers are afraid but are trying to remain sanguine. We feel calm knowing that our wives and children are safe on higher ground, Abdulrahman said. Of course were scared that another tsunami could hit our village of any time, but we grew up here and our ancestors always told us that Krakatoa was a threat on the horizon. Were scared, but this is our home. Reporter Claas Relotius, who was fired, may have pocketed donations intended for Syrian children, Der Spiegel says. Influential German news weekly Der Spiegel has said it would file a criminal complaint against a disgraced reporter after it emerged he may have embezzled donations intended for Syrian street children. Claas Relotius, 33, who was fired this month after admitting to making up stories and inventing protagonists in more than a dozen articles in the magazines print and online editions. Spiegel said it now had information that Relotius allegedly launched a campaign for readers to give money to help subjects of an article he wrote but that the bank details he gave directed the funds to his own account. Der Spiegel will give all the information it collects to public prosecutors as part of a criminal complaint, it said on its website. Spiegel said concerned readers had in recent days reported Relotiuss call for donations purportedly for orphaned Syrian children living on the streets of Turkey. It said it had been unaware of the campaign and that it was not immediately clear how much money was raised from the appeal, apparently made by email to readers who contacted him about the story. Spiegel published the article by Relotius in July 2016 but a Turkish photographer who worked with him on the piece has since noted significant inaccuracies. The magazine said it now believes Relotius may have simply made up one of the main protagonists, whom the article described as young siblings. Relotius described his attempts to help the children in a subsequent collection of articles, including a months-long effort to bring the children to Germany to be adopted by a family. Spiegel said this also appeared to be a lie. In its most recent edition, the magazine said the scam was the worst thing that can happen to an editorial team. Acknowledging the damage to faith in its own work and the media in general, it apologised and promised to do everything to boost our credibility again. In the wake of Relotiuss resignation, the United States ambassador to Germany has called for an independent investigation into his actions. Ambassador Richard Grenell said on Friday that the revelations are troubling to the US Embassy, particularly because several of these fake stories focused on US policies and certain segments of the American people. In a letter to the magazines incoming chief editor, Steffen Klusmann, the ambassador wrote: It is clear, that we were victims of a campaign of institutional bias. Der Spiegel rejected Grenells charge of bias. When we criticize the American president, that is not anti-Americanism, rather it is criticism of the policies of the man in the White House, acting chief editor Dirk Kurbjuweit said. US president says leaders discussed slow and highly coordinated withdrawal of US troops and ISIL in phone call. US President Donald Trump has said his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, informed him he will eradicate whatever is left of Isis in Syria. In a tweet late on Sunday, Trump said that Erdogan is a man who can do it plus, Turkey is right next door. President @RT_Erdogan of Turkey has very strongly informed me that he will eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in Syria.and he is a man who can do it plus, Turkey is right next door. Our troops are coming home! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 24, 2018 Taking to social media earlier in the day, Trump said he had spoken on the phone with Erdogan about a slow and highly coordinated withdrawal of US troops from Syria. We discussed ISIS, our mutual involvement in Syria, and the slow and highly coordinated pullout of US troops from the area, Trump said in a tweet on Sunday, referring to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group. After many years they are coming home. Trump said he and Erdogan also discussed heavily expanded trade between the US and Turkey after the two NATO allies relationship went into a tailspin over the summer as a result of a number of issues. Erdogan said in a separate tweet: I had a productive call with (Donald Trump) today, in which we agreed to strengthen our coordination on a range of issues, including our trade relations and the developments in Syria. Later on Sunday, a US military spokesperson told AFP news agency that the order to pull US troops out of Syria had been signed, without providing further details. 181221024610726 Trumps surprise decision on Wednesday contributed to the abrupt resignation of Pentagon chief James Mattis on Thursday. Mattis cited significant policy differences with the president as a reason for quitting. On Sunday, Trump announced Mattis would be leaving his post on January 1, two months earlier than expected. Trumps decision to pull troops out of Syria also prompted the early resignation of the USs top envoy in the fight against ISIL, Brett McGurk, who said he would leave at the end of the year, instead of in mid-February as previously planned. Washington began air raids in Syria in 2014, a year before US ground troops moved in to fight the ISIL group and train Syrian rebels in the war-ravaged country. I just had a long and productive call with President @RT_Erdogan of Turkey. We discussed ISIS, our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of U.S. troops from the area. After many years they are coming home. We also discussed heavily expanded Trade. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2018 Turkey sends forces to the border The conversation between Trump and Erdogan came amid activity at the Turkish-Syrian border, with Ankara sending reinforcements to the region. Erdogan, who in the previous weeks threatened to conduct a military operation into northern Syria, said on Saturday that he might postpone the planned incursion on the armed Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) group, after the USs surprise announcement to withdraw its troops from Syria. 181223093326924 Washington has for years supported the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the fight against ISIL in Syria, as part of an international coalition dominated by the YPG. Ankara considers the US-backed YPG a terrorist group and an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged attacks on Turkish soil since the 1980s as they sought autonomy. The US has an estimated 2,000 US troops in Syria. In the past two years, Turkey has conducted two offensives into northern Syria, dubbed Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch. Ankara working with other countries to carry Khashoggi investigation to the UN, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says. Turkey is working with other countries to carry the investigation into the killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi to the United Nations, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said. Cavusoglu made the comments during a news conference in Tunis alongside his Tunisian counterpart on Monday. He also called on Saudi Arabia to share its findings on the case with the international community. Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul nearly three months ago. He entered the building on October 2 to obtain a document certifying he divorced his ex-wife so he could remarry. He was killed and dismembered inside the consulate, in what Turkey called a premeditated murder orchestrated by the Saudi government. Saudi officials have countered that claim, insisting Khashoggi died in a rogue operation, after initially claiming he had left the building before vanishing. 181223165045724 In November, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held talks with Cavusoglu on the killing. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric at the time told reporters that the UN had not yet received a formal request from the Turkish side. In October, only weeks after the murder, four prominent rights groups Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders urged Turkey to ask the UN to investigate the disappearance of Khashoggi. Michelle Bachelet, the new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has told Al Jazeera that it is time for the UN to investigate Khashoggis death as the Saudi investigation appeared to be going nowhere. However, Guterres, last month said he was sticking to his position that he will not act until he gets a referral from one of the UNs major bodies and one of the member states of the UN. Raiders on several motorbikes shoot Magami village residents indiscriminately in the latest attack in Nigeria. At least 17 people were shot dead in the latest attack on villages in northern Nigerias Zamfara state over the weekend, according to witnesses and police. Kasimu Bello, resident of Magami village in the Maradun district, told AFP news agency on Monday that unidentified gunmen entered his village on several motorcycles on Saturday, shooting people indiscriminately as they tried to flee. After the attack, we collected 17 bodies, which we buried, he said. Another resident, Umaru Bawa, confirmed the attack, saying: The bandits pursued people like chickens and shot them dead as they ran into the bush. Mohammed Shehu, state police spokesman, said his operatives would arrest and bring to justice the perpetrators of this dastardly act. The assault came just days after 25 people were killed on Wednesday in similar raids on two villages in Birnin Magaji district. This violence must stop Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the latest attacks in a statement, saying these horrendous acts of violence are crimes against humanity. This violence must stop, he said. To this end, a major operation by the Nigerian Armed Forces, Police, Department of State Services and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, is being considered to restore peace and stability in the region. Deadly cattle raids in Zamfara: Nigerias ignored crisis Farming and herding communities in Zamfara have for years been wracked by cattle rustling and kidnapping for ransom, prompting villagers to form vigilante gangs as a protection force. However, the villagers too are accused of carrying out extrajudicial killings, leading to tit-for-tat violence. In April, troops were deployed to Zamfara to fight the gangs and police banned the civilian militia in an attempt to curb the cycle of reprisals. Last month, the police claimed to have killed 104 outlaws in Birnin Magaji district, in a clash in which 16 policemen were killed. Early this month, an influential traditional ruler in the state called for civilian militia members to be given assault rifles to defend themselves. The continued raids by cattle thieves in Zamfara and the resource conflict between farmers and herders in central Nigeria have added to Nigerias security challenges as the military battles the Boko Haram armed group in the northeast. Late on Friday, troops fought off the groups attempt to overrun a base in Damasak on the border with Niger after an hours-long fight in which one civilian was killed. On Saturday, troops foiled attempts to seize two bases in Logomani near the border with Cameroon and the town of Gajiram. Several Boko Haram fighters were killed and their vehicles destroyed, sources said on condition of anonymity. Reuters reporters were sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of breaking the countrys Official Secrets Act. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, the two Reuters news agency journalists jailed while reporting on last years Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, are set to appeal the decision on Monday. The reporters were arrested in December 2017 and later sentenced to seven years in prison under the countrys colonial-era Official Secrets Act for what prosecutors said was the possession of classified material on security operations. The duo who have spent more than a year behind bars pleaded not guilty, insisting that they had been framed by the police. Reuters also disputed the charge and said they were set up after probing the massacre of 10 Rohingya during a military crackdown that forced hundreds of thousands of people belonging to the long-persecuted, mostly Muslim minority to flee their homes in western Myanmars Rakhine State for neighbouring Bangladesh. The ruling in September by a Yangon district court sparked international outcry and widespread condemnation. 181211233617965 Media advocates say the convictions sent a chilling message about investigating sensitive issues in Myanmar as it emerges from decades of military rule. But calls for the reporters release have fallen flat inside Myanmar, with civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi saying in September that the jailing of the reporters had nothing to do with freedom of expression. She said they were not jailed because they were journalists. Outside Myanmar, Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, have been feted with a string of prestigious awards presented in their absence and hailed as heroes. The two reporters were also jointly named Time Magazines Person of the Year this month, alongside other persecuted and slain journalists, as concerns grow for deteriorating press freedoms around the world. The anniversary of their arrest on December 12 was marked by newsrooms publishing photos of their staff flashing two thumbs up, a defiant gesture Wa Lone made at court that became synonymous with the duos resilience. 181207065931858 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 December 12. 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. The trial was widely regarded as a sham and payback for uncovering the September 2017 massacre in Inn Din village. One whistle-blowing police officer told the court his superior ordered a sting to entrap the reporters. More than 720,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine State to Bangladesh since the militarys crackdown last August, bringing accounts of rape, arson and mass killings. United Nations investigators have said the evidence warrants charges of genocide against the countrys top generals, but the army maintains it was defending itself against Rohingya militants. For yet another year, Gazas Christian minority celebrates Christmas under siege, unable to join family in West Bank. Gaza Strip For yet another year, Gazas tiny Orthodox Christian minority will not be able to celebrate Christmas with a visit to Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. With the ongoing Israeli siege on the enclave, Palestinians in Gaza are prohibited from uniting with family members in the West Bank, and are barred from visiting Bethlehem, where the Nativity Church is located. Before Gaza fell under siege, the days of Christmas were livelily celebrated with the attendance of dignitaries in large public squares with music, diverse shows, scout parades, a huge lit-up tree and tens of people dressed as Santa, Samir Abu Nussira, a resident of Gaza, told Al Jazeera. The streets were beaming with joy and excitement, people were genuinely happy, Nussira said. Back then, we used to celebrate at the Nativity Church, then visit our relatives in other parts of the West Bank on Christmas Eve, Nussira continued. This year, however, my wife and I petitioned [the Israeli authorities] to travel with our kids to Bethlehem for Christmas, but only my children received a permit to travel out of Gaza, while my wife and I were rejected. Permits for Christians to cross over from Gaza are subject to age restrictions [Walid Mahmoud/Al Jazeera] Israel allows Christians to exceptionally petition to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), an Israeli military body that administers parts of the West Bank, to cross over from Gaza during the holiday season but permits are rarely granted. Petitioning does not guarantee acceptance, according to Kamel Ayyad, Director of Public Relations of the Orthodox Church in Gaza. Twelve years ago, Gaza was home to more than 3,000 Christians, according to the Orthodox Church [Walid Mahmoud/Al Jazeera] This year, we submitted 1,000 petitions to visit Bethlehem and Jerusalem, but we received 104 rejections with the Israelis citing security concerns, which if their usual pretext, Ayyad told Al Jazeera. Some 350 people were accepted, and the rest never heard back about their applications, he said. Most of those accepted were children, while their parents received rejections and were not granted permits to escort them, Ayyad added. He noted that Israel sets age criteria where petitioners need to be 18-years-old or younger, or 50 and older. Still, many who were above 50-years-old had their petitions rejected, Ayyad said. There are no clear rules or processes here, and its only getting worse every year, he said. Israel does not differentiate between Muslim and Christian Palestinians. If you are merely Palestinian, youll continue to be subjected to Israels collective punishment, strict measures and travel bans. COGAT claims on its website that freedom of worship and religion is part of the values Israel promotes, and we are working to promote their fulfilment. A statement from the Israeli government denied placing age restrictions on permits for Gazas Palestinian Christian residents to travel to the occupied West Bank. Permits are approved and issued in accordance with the relevant protocols and criteria, and are subject to standard security clearances, the statement said. One people Despite the challenges, Palestinians in Gaza come together and embrace the spirit of Christmas in a display of Palestinian unity. This year, a pre-Christmas celebration was held at the front yard of the Young Mens Christian Association (YMCA) in Gaza City on Saturday, where people from across the Palestinian political and social spectrum came to enjoy a celebratory evening. A huge Christmas tree was neatly decorated and lit up, a young chorus performed several music tracks, scouts paraded with drums and Palestinian flags, and people of different ages dressed up as Santa Claus, including children. The occupation prevented us from celebrating in Bethlehem, but we nonetheless will continue to celebrate wherever we are, Elias Al-Jilda, a YMCA board member, told Al Jazeera. Through our celebration, we show the world our love for life and our homeland, as we show that we, as one Palestinian people, will continue to seek dignity and freedom through the simplest of things. For some, lighting up the Christmas tree is a sign of hope for better things to come [Walid Mahmoud/Al Jazeera] Our presence here shows that we are one people, with no place for hate and discrimination between us, Gazas Mayor Ibrahim Abu Al-Naja told Al Jazeera. Our days of happiness are few, but we should nonetheless always show our oppressor that despite the blockade, we will rejoice and light up the Christmas tree. For some, lighting up the Christmas tree is a sign of hope for better things to come. We greatly hope for a life of peace and security; where the blockade is lifted and the West Bank reunites with Gaza, Majid al-Amsh, a YMCA member, told Al Jazeera. Decreasing numbers The old Orthodox Church of Saint Porphyrius, in Gazas city centre, is preparing for the celebrations on December 25. Twelve years ago, Gaza was home to more than 3,000 Christians; who held tight to their homes despite the hardships of living under occupation. According to the Orthodox Church, the number of Gazas Christian community members barely exceeds 1,000 [Walid Mahmoud/Al Jazeera] But the Israeli blockade coupled with occasional Israeli air raids and scourges of violence drove most to escape from the Gaza Strip over the years. According to Ayyad from the Orthodox Church in Gaza, the number of Gazas Christian community members barely exceeds 1,000. And those left in Gaza continue to be conflicted between continuing to endure a difficult life under the siege and following in the footsteps of others in exile. At least 43 killed and 10 others wounded after attackers storm Afghan government building triggering gun battle. The death toll in hours-long coordinated attack on a government building in the Afghan capital has risen to at least 43 people, according to health officials, making it one of the deadliest assaults on Kabul this year. Hundreds of people were trapped on Monday on a site where the Ministry of Public Works and other offices are located when gunmen stormed the building and began moving from floor to floor targeting employees. Others killed included a police officer and three of the attackers, who were shot dead by Afghan security forces, Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said. Another 10 people were wounded in the attack. The attack began in the afternoon when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a car outside the public works ministry. Gunmen then stormed the building of the National Authority for Disabled People and Martyrs Families, taking civilians hostage as they fought a gun battle against Afghan soldiers. Afghan security forces went from floor to floor of the building in an operation to rescue over 350 people inside, but had to exercise restraint in their operations against the attackers given the number of employees there, a senior security official said. There was a frightening sound from the explosion, Hassib Ulah, a local shopkeeper, said. We got scared and escaped. People were very upset and everyone was running away. Ambulances raced to the scene during a lull in the shooting, a witness who lives nearby told Reuters. At least 20 people wounded in the clashes were taken to the hospital. An official working in another government building close by said employees had locked themselves in their offices after hearing the explosions and gunfire. During the standoff, which reportedly went on for eight hours, the buildings second floor caught fire, according to local media. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The Taliban launches regular attacks and controls nearly half of Afghanistan. But the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group is also active. Both armed groups have previously launched coordinated attacks like the one on Monday. Flames rise from a government building after an explosion and attack by gunmen [Rahmat Gul/AP Photo] The raid capped a tumultuous few days in Afghanistan where officials are reeling from US President Donald Trumps plan to slash troop numbers, which many fear could harm efforts to end the 17-year war with the Taliban. On Thursday, an official said the US president was planning to withdraw at least 5,000 of the 14,000 American troops in Afghanistan. The US intervened in Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban from power in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington. The assault comes a day after President Ashraf Ghani appointed Amrullah Saleh and Assadullah Khaled, both former spymasters, known for their anti-Taliban and Pakistan stance, to head the interior and defence ministries, respectively. Explosions heard Mushtaq Rahim, a security analyst based in Kabul, told Al Jazeera that he had passed by the area a few minutes after the attack took place. The blast took place just before staff left their offices for the day, he said. Theres a lot of smoke coming out of the area. A fire had broken out in the building where the ministry is placed. Several apartment buildings and a government public works department building are located in the same area of the eastern Kabul neighbourhood where the attack took place. One of the wounded civilians broke several bones after jumping from the third floor of a building to escape the attackers, a correspondent of the AFP news agency said at a hospital. Plumes of black smoke could be seen rising from the compound, with at least two military helicopters circling above. Journalists near the scene reported hearing numerous explosions in the hours after the attack began mid-afternoon. Mondays attack was the biggest in Kabul since November 28 when the Taliban detonated a vehicle bomb outside the compound of British security firm G4S, killing at least 10 people and leaving a massive crater in the road. Shah Mehmood Qureshi to leave for four-nation tour Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will leave for a four-nation tour today (Monday) as part of the governments policy of outreaching to the neighbouring countries. The foreign minister will begin the journey by visiting Iran, which would be his first visit since assuming the office in August this year. In Tehran, the minister will meet his counterpart Javad Zarif, besides meeting President Hasan Rouhani. Foreign Office Spokesman Dr Faisal told Daily Times that the foreign minister, who is being accompanied by foreign secretary and senior officials, will visit Afghanistan, Iran, China and Russia from December 24-26, 2018. It would be foreign ministers third visit to Afghanistan within four months and second within last two weeks. During the visit, the spokesman said that the foreign minister will discuss Pakistans bilateral relations with the senior leadership of these countries to strengthen cooperation in various areas. Implementing the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan is eager to strengthen its ties with neighbours and regional partners, the spokesman said. Besides a detailed exchange of views on important areas of bilateral cooperation, views will also be exchanged on the fast changing regional and international environment during the foreign ministers talks with leaders of neighbouring countries, diplomatic sources said. Recent developments concerning peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan would also be discussed. The spokesman said Pakistan had always maintained that the solution to the conflict in Afghanistan lies in an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process. International communitys recent consensus to adopt this as the guiding principle to resolve the 40-years old Afghan conflict, vindicates Pakistans long held view, he commented. Meanwhile, the foreign minister said war is no option for solution to Kashmir dispute. After President Trump announced the withdrawal of American troops from Syria, in his usual manner (via Twitter), a flurry of indignation struck him. The squall is no less than after the unilateral withdrawal of America from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in October of this year. As we know, this flurry of indignation concerning nuclear missiles soon subsided. However, it sank only after Trump's critics finally bothered to read the text of the treaty and were able to ascertain that it concerns only land-based missiles and does not affect sea, air, and space-based nuclear weapons at all. At the same time, the USA has at least a tenfold advantage over Russia in sea-based and air-based nuclear systems. The hysteria about this in America and Europe has remained calm for a long time, but in Russia, this move of Trump still causes undisguised irritation. I hope the unfair accusations of "betraying the Allies" and "New Year's gift to Iran and Russia" will soon also subside. An example must be taken from Russia she has already learned her lessons in dealing with Trump, and there is no euphoria in the Kremlin about the "withdrawal of American troops" from Syria. Why? Firstly, only about two thousand ground-based troops will return home from Syria. Syria remains clamped on all sides by the American 6th Fleet (operations in the Mediterranean) and 5th Fleet (operations in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea). We are talking about not only naval forces, but also powerful carrier-based aircraft. Also, the American Air Force, which is based on numerous airfields in the Middle East, Turkey, Greece, and Italy, participated and will continue to participate in Syrian operations. In addition, in agreement with NATO, France will expand its involvement in military operations in the north of Syria and fill the "gap" due to the departure of American infantry. At the same time, the withdrawal will take place in such a way that the French military will immediately replace every unit of the American military. In other words, the power vacuum that Obama left in 2011 when withdrawing troops from Iraq will not be repeated in Syria. Secondly, before our eyes, Trump's plan for a comprehensive settlement of conflicts in the Middle East is beginning to materialize. This plan is completely unoriginal, and Trump is not the first to decide to use "peaceful" oil and gas as the weapons in a protracted conflict to achieve his goals. At the end of 2008, it was used by the Russian oil industry, stopping the supply of energy to a freezing Europe, and at the end of 2018, it was used by the American oil industry, flooding the world market with cheap and abundant energy. Thanks to the American oil industry workers, the U.S. came out on top in the world in oil production (in September of this year) and natural gas (two years ago). The export of American energy is increasing every year, and energy's price is falling. The fall in the price of oil only since September of this year has already reached about 40%, and from the point of maximum in 2008, the price of oil has fallen by about 70%. The fall in natural gas prices since 2006 has continued uninterrupted and has already reached about 75%. These economic results lead not only to well marked price reductions at gas stations across America, but also to a strategic change in the situation in the Middle East. The Muslim world, which lost its influence and entered a long decline after the defeat at Vienna on September 11-12, 1683, received an unexpected delay at the beginning of the twentieth century. First, in 1908, oil was found in Iran, then in Iraq in 1927, and then in Saudi Arabia in 1938. Note that the centuries-old loss of leadership of the Muslim world in the economic, political, and military spheres was the background that eventually led to the creation of modern Israel. Oil adrenaline led to the creation of fabulously wealthy Muslim kingdoms, which the USSR took advantage of, providing them well developed methods of political terror. However, no one expected anything else from Russia, credited with inventing political terror in the 19th century. The Kurds, scattered across the territories of four countries, are traditionally considered allies of the United States. However, one should not forget that for a long time, the movement of the Kurds was headed by the communists, who were supported by the Soviet Union, and the terrorist infrastructure of the Kurds was created mainly with the help of the USSR. Should we be reminded that the Marxist-Leninist Labor Party of Kurdistan is still the leading political force of the Kurds (which, after being included in the list of terrorist organizations in 2003, has changed its name several times, trying to cover its tracks)? The innovations of American engineers (such as shale oil) lead to the fact that a hundred-year temporary delay, given to the Muslims of the Middle East, is coming to an end. After the discovery of oil in the Middle East, the war between the Sunnis and Shiites, which continues from the end of the 7th century, broke out with a new force. But at present, the lack of oil super-profits is forcing Muslims to seek alliances previously considered in the realm of fantasy. Sunni Muslims joined forces with Israel and the United States against the Shiite Muslims of Iran, the ruling elite of Syria, and Russia. The protracted conflict in Syria has led to the fact that, as often happens, there are almost no "good guys" among the opposing sides. Everyone knows a case when, during the time of President Obama, a group of militants in Syria, supported by the Pentagon, fought with a group of militants in the same Syria, sponsored by the CIA. In the current situation, Trump has made the only right choice: to take the American guys out of harm's way and extinguish the conflict with the help of oil and gas weapons. The withdrawal of the American infantry from Syria was prepared long ago and came as a surprise only to the uninformed. Trump ordered the development of a plan for leaving Syria as early as February of this year, and in April, this plan was partially declassified and made public. An unexpected "victim" of the withdrawal of U.S. infantry from Syria was the U.S. secretary of defense, James Mattis. General Mattis is one of the most talented combat generals of our time. He, like General Patton before him, perfectly knows methods of military tactics and military strategy, and he does not accept civilian methods in solving military problems. Mattis was unable to come to terms with the fact that the victory over Islamic terrorism would be won by the innovations of American engineers, rather than a professional and well trained army, and decided to retire. Well, we wish our guys to return home safely, and we wish General Mattis inspiration for his memoirs in the New Year. Russia and its friends in Iran, Syria, and Venezuela in the new year should not hope for pleasant surprises. A Chinese warship's aggression against a U.S. Navy vessel last month makes questionable the wisdom of American dependency on China for 71% of America's rare earth minerals (REM). According to a recent U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) summary report, the U.S. produces only 24% of the REMs needed to produce many American manufacturing necessities. Rare earth minerals are necessary for agriculture fertilizers, high-tech and green energy products, oil-refining processes, and military equipment. The USGS conducts monthly, quarterly, and yearly analysis on more than 90 nonfuel mineral commodities from more than 180 countries, tracking domestic supply and production of these commodities. Using prior-year data, the USGS calculates the U.S.'s net import reliance on mineral commodities and publishes the findings in annual USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries. According to the 2017 USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, the United States depended 100 percent on foreign sources for 20 of the 90 rare earth minerals the USGS tracks, including niobium and manganese. In 1954, the U.S. fully relied on foreign sources for only 8 mineral commodities. Thus, dependence on foreign imports has grown 250 percent in 60 years. Currently, China produces 93 percent of the world's REMs and is the largest global REM-exporter. As global demand for green technologies has increased, China has leveraged its dominant market position by limiting REM exports and creating record-high prices. In 2007, China stopped REM shipments to a U.S. petroleum refinery for several months, creating panic over a nationwide gasoline shortage. China has continued wielding market power as a political weapon, as a Chinese embargo of REM exports to Japan in 2010 halted Japanese production of hybrid cars and wind turbines, a significant Japanese income source. This embargo also affected Japan's ability to produce guided missiles and thus threatened Japanese national security. China's trade restriction on yellow phosphorus in 2010 caused the U.S., the E.U., and Mexico to file trade violation complaints against China with the World Trade Organization. Because the U.S. depends on some minerals with small production quantities, if this trend continues, even small supply disruptions can have major economic impacts. Certain REMs are critical for U.S. high-tech, energy, and defense products. These manufactures utilize minerals sucah as gallium, silicon, nickel, chromium, cobalt, and titanium. The U.S. depends on imports for 94% of its gallium and 81% of its cobalt and titanium. REMs such as potash, bromine, and nitrogen help produce higher agricultural yields, essential to a healthy food supply. As China could increase trade barriers, over-reliance on REM imports endangers the American economy and national security. According to USGS reports, an estimated 13 percent of the world's REM resources are primarily in the western U.S. on protected Bureau of Land Management lands. According to one USGS estimate, untouched REM deposits in North America could produce more than twice the amount of REMs used in U.S. industries today. Domestic production could also allow the U.S. greater future self-sufficiency over a long-range period as REM import prices continue to increase. Although some arguments favor conserving American natural resources in case global resources deplete, a 71-percent reliance on REM imports at any time nonetheless remains questionable in light of strong political tension. Greater self-reliance measures could be the nation's salvation during unexpected international conflicts. Congress could aid American self-reliance by altering domestic mining policies. Entrepreneurs need easier access to permits so that prospectors will have more incentive to open mines, as current state and federal agency reviews demand an estimated five to ten years for a mining permit. Congress could also approve legislation that encourages investment in America's vast mineral resources. Business risk analysis is intended to predict and prepare for unexpected external business environment changes. This includes possible technological changes, natural disasters, political conflict, and international trade barriers. The U.S. government's current commodities trade policies risk America's stability, especially during times of war. While working for a global commodities company and major employer in Israel, Israel Chemicals, Ltd. (ICL), I observed war's effects on the company's international trade. The 2014 Gaza Strip conflict caused a costly three-month blockade on ICL's exports. According to a recent Freakonometrics publication, the U.S. has been at war 222 years out of 239 since America's 1776 founding, or 93 percent of America's existence, with only 20 years of peace. In today's volatile political climate, no country should ever depend on imports for essential survival needs. The U.S. has enough domestic resources that such high dependency is neither wise nor necessary. To read more from Tiara Lusk, go here. Three months before the Empire of Japan attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, National Socialist German Workers' Party (Nazi) forces looked to attack Iran for access to the Persian oil fields. Japanese forces had been at war with China and had been heavily reliant on imported materials for their military forces, particularly oil from the fields in and around Long Beach, California. President Roosevelt cut off American oil to Japan, and British and Soviet Union forces thwarted Nazi incursion into the oil fields of the Middle East. With little oil trickling into Germany or Japan to feed their military industrial bases, the war-fighting would soon cease. In those early days the American left, the communist sympathizers like Alger Hiss, Ethel and Julius Rosenberg, half of Hollywood, and countless others who did everything they could to undermine the United States. Plans for aircraft, manufacturing, and nuclear technologies were stolen by friends of Moscow and found their way to some office in the Kremlin. But the left could not alter the trajectory of the expanding U.S. petroleum industry. Cheap energy made the economy boom. In the 1960s and '70s, the Democratic Party, through public policy and its proxies, primarily the environmentalists, made to strangle the oil industry, hamstring the aviation and transportation industries, kill supersonic transport programs, curtail offshore drilling, and choke the coal and nuclear power industries, all under the rubric of environmentalism. Remember, the ozone layer was being decimated by all that pollution, and Iron Eyes Cody was shedding tears on TV, hoping to keep America beautiful. The environmentalists lobbied hard and had some successes. However, try as they might, American capitalists still controlled the energy sector and especially the oil fields. History shows that when socialists and communists succeed in revolutions or civil wars, the first thing the new leaders do is to nationalize the natural resources of the country. These men controlled their country's natural resources as well as their nation's treasury and enriched themselves. Lefty studies with predetermined outcomes were offered as proof that the right, Republicans specifically, are interested only in dirty air and dirty water. It is another way of saying capitalist control of the energy sector needs to be under the control of a more altruistic group, someone who cares about dirty air and dirty water. The left's main problem is that America is huge, and the government is very strong and hard to overthrow. Gaining direct control of America's oil would have to come from something other than revolution. Has not the left embarked on a strategy of disinformation, to emphasize perceived negatives and dire consequences that would naturally disqualify oil? Remember, at first their anti-petroleum campaign focused on the impending doom of "global cooling." New York City was going to freeze over in the next ice age, which would likely occur "in the next few years." Americans were to blame. We were told incessantly that we were burning up more than our fair share of resources, primarily oil. Americans and their cars. Charlatan scientists who didn't know how a watch worked became experts on the climate. They soon determined that global cooling was not well thought out, as it provided a greater reason for more oil-drilling in order for the masses to stay warm. So "global warming" became the left's new strategy to control the oil fields. Oil is "bad," and renewables, like wind and solar and batteries, are "good." Remove oil from the equation, and all will be better, they claimed. Our plan to leave that nasty oil in the ground is the only solution. The global warming industry is nothing more than a scheme to disqualify oil and replace control of the oil fields with "alternatives" such as windmills, solar cells, geothermals, and other inefficient means and uneconomical methods of power generation. There is no science behind global warming or the left's latest poll-tested iteration, climate change. The left's version of climate change is fake news. Fake news, fake science, fake terror. Newsflash for liberals: Throughout the Earth's history, the climate has changed. T-Rex didn't drive a SUV contributing to his downfall, making the ice caps melt, and drowning him in miles of ocean debris until the next ice age came along. When Lenin led the Russian Revolution, one of his first official acts as comrade-leader was to nationalize Russia's natural resources. The wealthy were stripped of their possessions and found themselves as slaves working the gold and silver mines, where the freshly mined gold and silver went into Lenin's private vault. The communist Nicolas Maduro sits on one of the world's largest oil reserves. The people of Venezuela are starving and eating their house pets while, reportedly, his daughter is worth billions. Vladimir Putin and the other KGB colonels were the ultimate opportunists: after the Soviet Union dissolved, they assumed control of the oil fields and became Russian billionaires. This is what communists do when they gain control their country's natural resources. This is what the left in America desires. Not for altruism. Not that they care for anyone or the environment. For the control of oil. You wonder why the left in America and Europe are so mad at President Trump for killing the Iran nuclear deal? Churchill and Stalin stopped Hitler from pillaging the Iranian oil fields. President Trump stopped all the signatories of the Iranian nuclear deal from making millions from the oil that would be no longer embargoed or prohibited under sanctions. It's the Iranian oil, stupid. That's how oil transactions work when you can't steal the country and its natural resources. Yes, this is another thing that the election of Donald Trump stopped. He also stopped the carpet bombing of the American energy sector by onerous regulations from Washington Democrats and their friends on the left. When congress passes a law prohibiting incandescent light bulbs and only allows for much more expensive "alternatives," the American public will be forced to pay more for the same service: light. Remember Obama said energy prices would have to necessarily skyrocket. Someone has to pay for all that Democrat-mandated and priced clean air and clean water. Green energy is big business and those stinking green energy light bulbs don't last and aren't worth a crap. In America, these snake oil climate change salesmen cannot directly overthrow a czar or a rapacious communist dictator in order to control the American oil fields. Their get rich quick scheme has been to beat the drum that oil is bad and terrorize an uniformed United States population with a cock and bull story that the world will come to an early end unless Americans reject the poison of petroleum and embrace the clean, the green, the skyrocket prices of light bulbs, windmills and solar panels while you drive your tiny government-mandated electric car. Cue Al Gore: "Climate change is real!" We must not allow the Democrats and their friends on the left to control America's oil fields. To do so, will mean a slow and painful death for America. Joseph Stalin said, "In the final analysis, that is what it is all about, who will own the oil fields?" In a surprising move, the Albanian government announced on Wednesday, 19 December that it had expelled Iran's ambassador, Gholamhossein Mohammadnia, and another diplomat for "damaging its national security." The Iranian opposition group, the Mujahedin-e Khalq, (MEK), said last February that Iran's ambassador, Mohammadnia, was a high-ranking official of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS). In March 2018, a car bomb attack targeting a gathering of MEK members in Tirana, the capital of Albania, was foiled. Two Iranians were temporarily detained and expelled from Albania. On 19 April, Prime Minister Edi Rama, in an interview with the Albanian Vision Plus TV, referred to the threat posed by the Iranian regime's terrorist attacks. The Albanian arrests were referenced in the U.S. Department of State's fact sheet on the Iranian regime's terrorism in Europe on 5 July. The U.S. embassy in Albania, on 20 December released a letter from President Donald Trump thanking Edi Rama for "steadfast efforts to stand up to Iran and its destabilizing activities and efforts to silence the dissidents around the globe." President Trump's letter and further remarks by the Albanian interior minister, Mr. Sander Lleshi, leave no doubt that the expulsions were made due to the Iranian regime's malignant activities against the MEK in Albania. In an interview with the Albanian Vision Plus TV, on Thursday evening, Mr. Lleshi said, "If you have closely followed the latest developments in Europe, there has been similar evidence in other European countries where MEK members have been threatened by the Iranian security services[.] ... We have welcomed them as friends. We do not consider them as a risk or threat to our security, because otherwise we would not have accepted them to Albania. This is the stance of the Albanian government, the Albanian police and other security authorities towards these individuals." Flag of Albania. John Bolton and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani have visited the group in Albania. Since all the MEK members relocated from Iraq to Albania in 2016, distinguished European and U.S. politicians frequently visit them in Albania, where they built a big camp near the village of Manze on the Adriatic Sea. The late Senator McCain and a number of ranking U.S. senators including Senator Blunt also visited and supported them in 2017. The Albanian media reported earlier this week that former congressman Patrick Kennedy, participating in a large gathering of MEK and Albanian citizens in Ashraf in Manze last weekend, coincidentally called on the Albanian government to expel the Iranian ambassador for the country's anti-MEK terrorist activities. For the purpose of this article, Hassan Mahmoudi, a human rights analyst who writes extensively on Iran and opposition issues, said the expulsion of the Iranian ambassador from Albania for terrorism-related matters and Mr. Lleshi's remarks that the Albanian authorities do not consider the MEK a risk or threat to the security of Albania have foiled two years' efforts of the Iranian regime's fake news campaign in international media to demonize the MEK as a terrorist military cult in Albania. This is the usual pre-terrorist operation tactic of the Iranian regime to prepare grounds for bombings and assassinations of the MEK victims. Albania has not yet announced the name of the second diplomat expelled, but sources close to the authorities expressed that he is Mostafa Roodaki, first secretary of the Iranian embassy in Albania. He was, before moving to Albania, responsible for intelligence stations in all European countries based in Austria. Security sources said that by paying money, Roodaki used an MEK ex-members to carry out the MOIS conspiracies against the MEK. The Iranian embassy and MOIS agents in Tirana have also deployed a number of Albanian-language websites and nationals such as Habilian and Gazeta Impakt to demonize the MEK as its pre-terrorist operation tactic. Habilian is run from Iran, but Gazeta Impakt is edited by an Albanian, Olsi Jazexhi. To escape a lawsuit, Gazeta Impakt does not reveal the name of its editor. Olsi Jazexhi, at an Iranian website, Iranian.com, frantically attacked the decision to expel the Iranian ambassador and referred to the government of Albania being used as a prostitute. Olsi Jazexhi is despised in Albania as an advocate of the Iranian regime and an Islamic extremist, regularly attacking Albanian heritage and national heroes such as Skanderbeg, who liberated Albania in the 15th century from the Ottoman Empire. According to confidential security reports, Roodaki through Olsi Jazexhi organized public meetings in Albania in November 2017, and some MOIS agents, such as Anne Singleton, were invited to misinform the media against the MEK. A report commissioned by the Pentagon and released by the Library of Congress introduces Singleton and her husband, Massoud Khodabandeh, as recruited agents who run the Iran-Interlink website on behalf of the MOIS. Iran-Interlink is hosted by Ravand Cybertech, an entity run by the Iranian regime, as reported by The American Enterprise Institute. The Khodabandeh couple introduced themselves as advisers to the Iraqi government. Colonel Wes Martin (U.S.), former anti-terrorism and force protection officer of all coalition forces in Iraq, writes that their relations with Iraq are nothing but continuous efforts by the Khodabandeh couple to legitimize seven massacres carried out by Iran-backed Iraqi forces against MEK members in two camps outside Baghdad Ashraf and Liberty. Although Albania is safer following the expulsion of the Iranian diplomats, the danger is not gone yet. Apart from deploying Albanian nationals for its end, Iran has established a number of so-called cultural and educational centers in the Balkans as a cover to pursue its terrorist agenda. One such centers in Albania is the Saadi Foundation, which the Albanian government must shut down, as France did with the Iran-linked Center Zahar last October at the same time that the French authorities took action against the Iranian regime's diplomats for their involvement in terrorism. See also: "The unspoken fear of Democrats about moving the California primary to March"; "California's new early primary makes money, not retail politics, the key to picking a presidential nominee" Claiming that it wants its votes counted first for a change, ballot-harvesting California has decided to muscle into the forefront of the 2020 presidential primaries, in order to have its votes counted first. And early-primary states, such as New Hampshire, are alarmed, according to this long, interesting piece by Politico's Natasha Korecki: California's newly instituted March 3 primary date is rattling the early presidential state map, as Democratic state and party officials grapple with the shadow cast by the nation's most populous state. The idea that millions of absentee and mail-in votes could be cast in advance of California's actual primary election day and the prospect that presidential candidates might bypass the early states entirely to concentrate on target-rich California is finally beginning to sink in. It shows what a muscular hardball game California is playing in attempting to foist itself and its political ways onto the national stage. On the one hand, writing as a Californian, I am not that unhappy about this rousing of the giant California bear, given that states with very small populations in areas weakly connected to the rest of the country have such an outsized influence on the elections, and it's become a monopoly for them. Do I enjoy Republican candidates stating their great fealty to ethanol funding and other things beloved of Iowa's corn lobby? No, I don't. I am a free marketer, and I don't think this kind of pork is a national interest. Yet we see it all the time, due to the outsized influence of Iowa on the elections. Worse still, the winnowing system of early primaries always left California with scraps to choose from. In 2012, I got stuck with just Mitt Romney on the primary ticket. I would have been delighted to vote for Herman Cain, Rick Perry, or Newt Gingrich, all of whom campaigned in earlier states but were out by the time California came around. Combine it with the fact that I live in a state that always goes blue, and I get the sense that my vote doesn't count anymore, neither in the primaries nor in the general. California is just doing what the early states are doing, which is setting their primary early. If one state can do it, they all can, and soon enough, they all will, even-steven, with no more primaries spread out. What that's going to do is entice all states to set their primaries early, given the perceived "narrative" advantage. There's also an advantage to being a late state if the primary is close, but California is choosing the advantages of "early," which could set the political narrative to a lot more heinous stuff than just ethanol funding. The green lobby and open borders advocates are salivating. The other voters in down-primary states may also react to whatever horror California may choose, but only if the early candidates are not all shaken out. What would be fair is a rotating primary system for a set set of date slots sometimes a small state gets first dibs, sometimes a large state. The whole primary system, premised on electoral college votes, was designed to make each state matter and force candidates to pay attention to the votes in every state. I recall reading as a schoolkid that New Jersey didn't want to enter the union otherwise, given that New York would get all the attention at election time and squash the value of any New Jersey votes. The Electoral College system was a bid to placate that concern. California's muscle-in to set the "narrative" is more of a propaganda war move than an actual end to the votes of small states, given that the electoral college has not been abolished, but rest assured: California's Democrats have that on their list, too. So you can see that California's muscle-in is creepy. The move does have an Achilles heel: the state is oh, so fond of ballot-harvesting, a borrowing from Mexico's nasty style of patronage politics, which is illegal in most states. California's secretary of state, Alex Padilla, presides over a system in which Democratic operatives go house to house, collecting mail-in ballots in Democrat-registered or independent-registered households that many voters never asked for, "helping" indifferent voters fill those kitchen-table ballots in, and then taking those ballots to the poll-counters. They collect only the Democratic ballots on those kitchen tables and leave the Republican ones behind. In the last midterm, they used this system to keep turning in ballots until they got the result they wanted, flipping all of conservative Orange County's seats blue, including those of precincts where Republicans had been winning on election night. Everything, see, comes down to the ballot harvest, and they will take all the time they can to..."count all the votes," as they say. That could mean that if California's central planners don't get the result they want in an early primary, they could just keep harvesting, and harvesting, until they do. This would make California not such an early state primary, after all. The Politico piece notes that near the bottom. For California Republicans, that will be an interesting thing. Most likely, the counters will count the ballots quickly this time, given the likelihood that only the most extreme Democrats will vote in the primary without prompting and get the extreme result they want. The Republicans they won't care too much about, but the Republicans will matter, too. That fast count, done in the name of setting the agenda, will stand in stark contrast to the slow count of the midterm and, undoubtedly, the general election in 2020. The manipulation of the vote will be obvious enough to everyone. Funny how they count votes fast in California during the primary time and count votes slow in the general. Perhaps it will bring some momentum to a much needed move to end ballot-harvesting in all 50 states. California is spending over $100 million preparing for the 2020 Census to maintain its top spot to maximize the federal population spending jackpot. The key for California to keep growing its top spot in state and local government spending that hit $587.9 billion this year is maximizing its number of legal and illegal residents who currently justify $107.5 billion in direct federal transfers and about $376 billion of indirect transfers to pay for federal salaries, income support, student financial aid, U.C. grants, corporate subsidies, and a slew of other items. California has allocated $100.3 million for "outreach" this year to maximize the number of state residents to be counted in the 2020 U.S. Census. Only 10 other states have allocated any cash for "outreach." California's funding is over 27 times the $2.3 million by number-two Georgia and 66 times the $1.5 million funded by number-three Illinois. Attorney General Xavier Becerra complained to NPR that the reason California needs to invest in the Census because: "We always, as taxpayers in the state of California, pay more in taxes than we get back to our state. And so we're going to fight where we need to make sure that we get the resources that we provided to the federal Treasury." Becerra is technically correct that California gets back only about $0.99 for every dollar of federal taxes paid by state residents, according to the non-partisan Legislative Analysts' Office. But the real reason California is spending so much more is the Commerce Department's 2020 Decennial Census Form, will include questions for U.S. citizenship. The amount of federal cash California receives is inflated by a nation-high 2.35 million illegal aliens and about 1.6 million children born to illegal aliens over the last 18 years. Subtracting that 3.95 million residents from the 39.6 million total California residents could eliminate up to 10 percent of federal spending, or up to $48.2 billion. With no citizenship question on the 2000 Census under the Clinton administration, California became the first state to invest in "outreach" when it allocated $28 million for its "Complete Count Committee." For the 2010 Census under Obama, California allocated $2.3 million for the committee, and $10 million of private funding was raised. But with the 2020 Census asking the citizenship question, Governor Jerry Brown issued an executive order appointing a 25-member "Complete Count Committee" led by California Senate president pro tempore, Toni G. Atkins; Assembly speaker Anthony Rendon; and 23 progressives members. Brown's press release emphasized: "It is vitally important for California to do everything it can to ensure that every Californian is counted in the upcoming census." Gov. Brown and his Democrat allies say they are worried about an undercount of California residents. But the real concern is that many illegal aliens will not fill out a 2020 Census form and admit they are an illegal alien, because they are currently collecting benefits restricted only to citizens. In addition to Democrats worrying about a lower count costing the state tens of billions of dollars in federal funding, they are also fear that with the census determining the number the allocation of U.S. congressional representatives. A low count could cost California up to three of its current 53 U.S. House of Representatives seats. The State of California sued the Commerce Department in March in an effort to keep the citizenship question off the 2020 Census. Secretary of state Alex Padilla, an advocate of California being a sanctuary state told reporters: "The citizenship question is the latest attempt by President Trump to stoke the fires of anti-immigrant hostility." The Supreme Court appears to have intervened in the operations of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigations for the first time. But we know precious little about what really is going on, beyond the mechanics of an order issued Sunday afternoon by the chief justice of the United States. That order was reproduced in a tweet yesterday showing the relevant text: BREAKING: Chief Justice John Roberts halts contempt order against company owned by foreign country and penalties in mystery grand jury subpoena matter, pending response due by Dec. 31 and further order of Roberts or the Supreme Court. pic.twitter.com/IRPeQFe3HF Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) December 23, 2018 This leaves the underlying issue entirely opaque, like everything else we have read about the secret proceeding. Kevin Daley of the Daily Caller News Foundation puts together what minimal evidence we have about the matter: Very little is known of the case, which reached the justices on Saturday, because the matter has proceeded through the federal courts under seal, meaning strict confidentiality prevails over every detail. The scant facts which are available about the case are these: a grand jury issued a subpoena to an unnamed company owned by a foreign government some time during the summer of 2018. That firm, referred to in court filings as "the corporation" has been fighting the subpoena in federal court since August. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit released one of the few public filings in the matter on Dec. 18. Since the entity is owned by a foreign government, it sought to quash the subpoena under the protections of the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. The D.C. Circuit rejected those arguments, and found that the corporation must comply with the subpoena. The company appealed that decision to the Supreme Court Saturday. The corporation faces a fine for every day that it fails to abide by the subpoena. The order does not address the merits of the case but is entirely procedural. The order temporarily halts the fines for noncompliance with the subpoena until the full court reviews the matter and renders a decision. We don't even know for sure that a Mueller grand jury probe is what at issue, though there are clues that suggest so: [S]everal facts indicate the special counsel's involvement: CNN saw senior Mueller lawyers return to the Justice Department immediately after the conclusion of a recent secret hearing in the matter an entire floor of the courthouse where that proceeding was taking place was sealed, a highly unusual move. On a separate occasion, Politico overheard lawyers and court officials discussing this matter with specific reference to the special counsel. What's more, Judge Greg Katsas, President Donald Trump's first appointee to the D.C. Circuit, recused himself from this case. Katsas was a lawyer in the White House counsel's office in the early days of the Trump administration, where he handled topics bearing on the Mueller probe. The judge told lawmakers he would recuse himself from cases relating to Mueller's investigation during his confirmation hearing. I have lost count of how many times the mainstream media have told us that "the beginning of the end" is at hand for the Trump presidency. Those who can't stand President Trump are hoping this will be a smoking gun for some sort of financial impropriety or maybe even suggest an actual bribe. But it could also be something that has little or no relation to Trump. We don't even have a clue as to the foreign company's identity, other than the fact that it is owned by a foreign government, which rules out Deutsche Bank, which did a lot of business with the Trump Organization. At the moment, the order is what Winston Churchill called "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma." Churchill was referring to the old USSR and added, "But perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest." Given the original focus on Russia when Rod Rosenstein commissioned the special counsel, if Russian national interest is not at the root, Mueller may be straying into Beria territory: "Show me the man, and I'll show you the crime." Shehbaz Sharif summoned meeting of PAC Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif has summoned a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of parliament on Dec 28, according to reports. The parliament body has summoned senior officials of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The auditor general of Pakistan and the officials of the power wing of the Ministry of Energy will brief the PAC in the meeting, sources said. Shehbaz Sharif was elected the PAC chairman at a meeting of the committee at Parliament House in Islamabad on Friday. The PAC in a move unanimously elected Shehbaz as its chairman. The PAC comprises 23 members of the Lower House and six members of the Senate. The government and the opposition on Wednesday agreed over a formula for formation of the standing committees in a meeting of parliamentary leaders chaired by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar. Three pillars of the global elite media establishment have egg on their faces in the scandal engulfing Germany's most prestigious news organization, Der Spiegel. This brings new depth to an expression that the English language has borrowed from German: "schadenfreude," the admittedly perverse pleasure that people take in the woes of others. Most AT readers are aware that the proud and mighty Spiegel "took fake news to an 11" by publishing a sneering profile of Fergus Falls, Minnesota that was full of made-up slanders. Der Spiegel occupies a special place in German journalism, famous for investigative reporting and (falsely, we now know) renowned for its fact-checking. Its headquarters building on the Hamburg waterfront reflects its pride and prominence. Photo credit: HH Oldman. The purported yokels of Fergus Falls managed to so thoroughly debunk the lies about them peddled by Claas Relotius that even CNN has had to yank the award it gave him: "Journalist of the year, 2014." What makes this comeuppance even more delicious for conservatives is that Columbia Journalism conferred a sort of journalistic sainthood on Der Spiegel in 2010, declaring it "The world's largest fact checking organization." The fine folks of Fergus Falls, by exposing the slipshod standards employed by three prominent and pompous shills on two continents, Der Spiegel and CNN, have rocketed my schadenfreude into orbit. Isn't it time for CJR to publish a retraction? Der Spiegel is now positioning itself as a victim. Its own involvement in publishing what appears to be actual criminality is being exposed as Relotious's work finally gets the scrutiny it never had before, when his lies flattered the pompous prejudices of his publishers. Bruce Golding reports in The New York Post: Der Spiegel said Sunday it had uncovered information that Claas Relotius allegedly solicited contributions after writing an article about Syrian urchins living on the streets of Turkey but directed donations to his own bank account. "Der Spiegel will give all the information it collects to public prosecutors as part of a criminal complaint," the magazine said on its Web site, according to Agence France-Presse. The influential publication said it was unaware of the purported charity campaign at the time and didn't know how much money Relotius, 33, may have raised, apparently by responding to readers who emailed him after reading his July 2016 report. A Turkish photographer who worked with Relotius has since claimed that the article has major inaccuracies, and Der Spiegel said Relotius apparently invented the two young siblings who featured prominently in it. He later wrote about trying to help the children get adopted by a German family, which Der Spiegel also said appeared to be a lie. Given Der Spiegel's decades of emphasizing its fact-checking capabilities, its apparent collaboration with a fraudulent appeal for funds may have civil or criminal law implications, though I am not a lawyer in either the U.S. or Germany. But it does sound like one of those complaints we have seen in American courts alleging that the defendant "knew or should have known" about the fraud. The Z Man blog has interesting comments on the broader implications for German media: In Germany, this is quite a scandal in media circles, because Der Spiegel is like their version of [the] New York Times. That is, it positions itself as the official arbiter of truth, with regards to public morality. They not only decide what is true, they decide which truths can be said. Worse yet for them, they have been bragging about their fact checking for a long time. As a result of this tent pole toppling over, the German media is scrambling to convince everyone that it is an isolated incident, not a system failure. The amusing bit is the German media is rushing around looking puzzled, as to how the vaunted fact checking system could have failed. After all, the best people are in control of the media. How could the best people have made such basic errors? As is the case in America, whenever these things happen, the media hand-wringing is just a dodge. What really concerns them is how easy it was for two bumpkins from dirt country to sluice out the facts from the fiction in this particular article. That's always the thing with these scandals. The media big shots always come off as if they have been insulted about their shenanigans being revealed. In this case, the other major media outfits are rallying to defend Der Spiegel. In the dreaded private sector, competitors are always quick to take advantage of the mistakes of a competitor. In the main stream media, the opposite is always true. They circle the wagons and begin lecturing the hoi polloi about the dangers of questioning the media. That is the real cause of these scandals. For a long time, the mass media in the West has been a mono-culture. You can't have a career in the media if you don't hold all the right opinions. To call the media an echo chamber for the left is to understate the problem. The better analogy is a school of fish. Each individual just reacts to those around him, giv[ing] the effect of the school having agency as a whole. What looks like collusion is just the result of a uniformity of mind, experience and social class. The German media and ruling class no doubt want this scandal to go away and will attempt to bury it. It exposes the casual and sloppy snobbery toward the United States that is so common in Europe as to remain unquestioned, even invisible to the locals. But Ambassador Richard Grenell, for one, is not likely to let the matter drop: . @DerSPIEGEL says they dont have any anti-American bias. But the facts tell a different story. Below are only a few examples. @sefi99 #spiegelgate pic.twitter.com/zf5uraPoqD Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) December 21, 2018 Because I have roots in the same part of Minnesota and a love for the good people who inhabit these small towns, I would like to see the editors and top management of Der Spiegel fly to Fergus Falls to offer a formal apology to the town for their negligence and willingness to believe calumnies about them with no basis in fact. Anything less is an inadequate response. Update: This Spiegel report, "A fantastic Town," chronicles reporter Christoph Scheuernmann's journey to Fergus Falls to apologize. It's a start: The town also illustrates the degree to which an editorial team that liked to appear skeptical, suspicious and sharp-toothed had shown almost blind faith in Relotius. The editorial team I work for. It's painful for me to even have to write that. I believe it's called "too-good-to-check" in the old joke. It had to happen. As we suspected would happen. The caravan migrants, still cooling their heels out of sight of tourists in an isolated redoubt of Tijuana, in line awaiting for their U.S. asylum claims to be adjudicated, have finally turned on their rabidly left-wing organizers namely, Pueblo Sin Fronteras. The Associated Press has a pretty good report about the scope of the migrant disgust: Thousands are now in Tijuana on the U.S. border, where they are likely to be camped for months or longer with no easy way to get into the United States, creating what is fast becoming a humanitarian crisis in this overwhelmed city. Many blame Pueblo Sin Fronteras, or People Without Borders, made up of about 40 U.S. and Mexican activists. Critics, including former allies and some of the migrants themselves, say Pueblo Sin Fronteras downplayed the dangers of such treks, especially for families and small children, and misled the participants about how long they would have to wait on the Mexican side to apply for asylum. They were Chavistas, and as Chavistas, they were offering up the big goody-style free-stuff packages, except that they wanted Uncle Sam, not Hugo's oil money, to pay for them. When that fell through and the migrants ran into a U.S. president with a serious interest in border laws meaning what they say they mean, they got left high and dry, as stiffed on the promises as Venezuela's fleeing refugees are. The goody pot never materialized, though it might for some of them as they wait their turns in line. With 90% of the migrant caravan composed of military- and gang-aged young men, don't hold your breath. What's more, the migrants are not only angry at the Pueblo Sin Fronteras for its false promises of easy entry at the U.S. border, encouraging that (and the AP does not let them off the hook, either: it clearly pins the sponsorship role this group played, naming thing after thing they did to prove it), but also angry that the mysteriously funded NGO apparently discouraged them from taking Mexico up on its generous offer of school, jobs, and legal status in Mexico's near-to-home southern states of Chiapas and Oaxaca, where labor shortages abound and jobs are there to be filled, all in a similar culture to Central America's nations. Migrants could get a leg up pretty quickly with neither enhanced education nor a language change necessary in those places, and crime is not bad there, either, either by Mexican state comparisons or, especially, as compared to Central America. The Mexican offer really was generous, and according to the AP, they seem to have run up against an expiration date, courtesy of Pueblo Sin Fronteras, whose project really has been political. We know that the migrants have turned on the organizers because suddenly, they are nowhere to be found in Tijuana. Some are still talking for the cameras, but the Tijuana mayor says he wants them behind bars for their crummy little stunt (which has cost Tijuana a lot of money), and Pueblo Sin Fronteras itself says it no longer wants to sponsor any more caravans. Good riddance. But, not to celebrate or anything, they say they will pursue their open-borders agenda by other means, which will probably be left-wing lawyers in the States. The fact remains that their name stinks among the migrant community, and word among that group has a way of getting around. The reverberations should be strong for that, while questions are more than necessary here about who funds them that's a question that shouldn't go away. For now, nice to see at least some of their caravan pawns and camera-fodder moms-and-kids getting angry. Frankly, after that particular stunt, they have a right to be. Image credit: Screen grab from Unite America First via YouTube. Its hard to imagine that under this small metal cap lies the worlds deepest borehole. Now surrounded by ruins, the Kola Superdeep Borehole was a scientific project undertaken by the Soviet Union in the 1970s to better understand the Earths crust. The crust is the earths outermost layer. It is a thin shell in comparison to the earths dimensionabout 30 to 50 kilometers thick and is made of light rocks such as granite and basalt. The crust floats above the Earths mantle, the semi-solid mass of molten rocks that make up the bulk of the planet. Underneath the mantle is believed to lie a solid core of iron. The first attempt to drill through the crust was undertaken by the United States in the early 1960s. It was an ambitious attempt because the objective was not to simply drill into the crust but to drill all the way through it and into the mantle. In the process, geologists hoped to gain valuable insight into the earth's age, makeup, and internal processes, as well as to provide answers to the mystery of continental drift, which at the time was still controversial. In the spring of 1961, five holes were drilled off the coast of Guadalupe Island, Mexico, under Project Mohole, which was described by one historian as the earth sciences' answer to the space program. It was chosen to drill through the sea floor because the earths crust was thinner under the oceans. The hole reached only 183 meters before the government pulled funding and the project was abandoned in 1966. Five years later, the Soviets decided to take a crack at the crust. Unlike the Americans, the Soviets set a modest target depth of 15 km, but more realistically, they just wanted to see how deep they could go before technical difficulties became insurmountable. The drilling of Kola Superdeep Borehole. Image taken in 1974. Photo credit: Mezencev Sabourov/Wikimedia Engineers started drilling in the Kola Peninsula, in the far northwest of Russia, in 1971. In 1979, they broke the world depth record held by the Bertha Rogers hole in Oklahoma, United States, at 9,583 meters. In 1983, the drill passed the 12,000 meters mark and Soviet scientists erupted in jubilation. For a year, the drill lay idle as delegates from the scientific community and politicians visited the site to witness the unique drilling project. The rusty drill bit used to drill to the unprecedented depth was displayed to those who visited. A postage stamp with image of the site and special cancellation envelopes were quickly released. While everyone was busy celebrating, the drill lay uncared and unrepaired. Consequently, when drilling commenced a year later, a 5-km-section of the drill string twisted and broke off. After all attempts to recover the broken section failed, drilling was restarted from a depth of 7 km. It took another five years to reach its final depth of 12,262 meters. Engineers hoped to reach 15,000 meters by 1993, but the temperature was much higher than expectedabout 180 Cand that wrecked havoc on the equipment, and it was decided that drilling deeper was not feasible. Since the purpose of the borehole was to understand the nature of the earths crust, the deep drilling experiment was hailed as a success because of the interesting facts that came to the surface. Scientists expected to find the so-called boundary of granite to basalt at a depth of about 7 km. Instead they found a fractured area that had been thoroughly saturated with liquid water, which was a surprising find given the enormous depth. They also found microscopic plankton fossils at depths of 6 kilometers. Another unexpected discovery was a large quantity of hydrogen gas. The mud that flowed out of the hole was described as "boiling" with hydrogen. Another ultra-deep drilling project commenced in Bavaria in 1990 where German engineers drilled to a depth 9,101 meters. Like the Kola Superdeep Borehole, the German Continental Deep Drilling Programme too encountered unusually high temperatures of more than 260 C. At that temperature and pressure, the rocks behave like fluid and its very difficult to keep the borehole open. In 2008, an oil well drilled in the Al Shaheen Oil Field in Qatar reached depth of 12,289 meters beating the Kola Superdeep Borehole and becoming the longest borehole in the world. But in terms of true vertical height, the 9-inch-wide Kola Superdeep Borehole still retains the title of the deepest borehole. Core sample extracted from Kola Superdeep Borehole, 1980s. Photo credit: Ivanovic Vladimir Khmelinsky Core sample lifting and extracting at Kola Superdeep Borehole, 1980s. Photo credit: Ivanovic Vladimir Khmelinsky The site today. Photo credit: Alexei Zaitsev Photo credit: Bigest/Wikimedia Photo credit: Rakot13/Wikimedia Photo credit: Alexander Egortsev Christmas is fast approaching and with yet another year coming to a close, youre running out of time for picking up gifts for your loved ones. Even though multi-billion-dollar corporations are hardly near the top of Santas list of good children and its not like most of us can afford to gift them anything significant either, we thought it would still be fun to ponder what the worlds largest Android phone makers would want for Christmas 2018, which is exactly what were going to do here. Without further ado, heres what Android Headlines believes are the best gifts for showing your favorite smartphone company that you appreciate it this holiday season: Samsung: an anti-aging cream Advertisement This has been a rather strange year for Samsung seeing how its flagship Android devices reportedly sold below internal expectations and while the company appears unconcerned about that state of affairs, its currently also preoccupied with a new advertising strategy; one thats targeting gamers. Rumors of a dedicated gaming smartphone being in the works in Seoul notwithstanding, Samsungs marketing team spent the better part of this year trying to get people to think of its latest smartphones as mobile gaming machines. It hence jumped on the Fortnite bandwagon and most recently spent a lot of dollars on pitching the Galaxy Note 9 to teenagers instead of adults looking for a productivity powerhouse, which was a curious decision and one that seemingly delivered mixed results. Regardless, as Samsung now wants to appear more youthful, it could certainly use a few barrels of anti-aging cream to cover its giant 80-year-old corporate face so that it could possibly greet yet another generation of consumers with some hello-fellow-kids gimmicks and get away with it. Huawei: a lawyer or ten Huaweis long history of issues with the West and the United States in particular has been escalating throughout 2018; dropped carrier agreements, trade secret theft lawsuits, and spying allegations were plentiful, culminating with the arrest of its CFO in Vancouver earlier this month. And while the companys legal department is definitely anything but tiny, it could still certainly use all the help it can get fighting off its current problems. So, if you want Huawei to feel appreciated this holiday season, send it a few lawyers, just dont package them together because they can reportedly be rather quarrelsome. Advertisement LG: study drugs If theres one thing LG has been lacking both in 2018 and previous years, its some semblance of focus, particularly in the high-end segment of the smartphone market. Its latest flagship strategy is so erratic and all over the place that even veteran industry watchers have trouble keeping up with it and understanding what every one of its many premium devices released in recent months is meant to achieve. So, if you happen to be a doctor, this phone maker would certainly appreciate a Christmas gift in the form of a prescription for something like Adderal or Focalin that would help it regain some focus and figure out what exactly is it trying to do in the most lucrative mobile market out there the one for flagship devices. Google: a new design team Advertisement Google seemed rather pleased with its talent raid of HTC performed in early 2018 but even as its mobile engineering department is now more stacked than ever, its top offerings continue to underwhelm in terms of design. Thats particularly true of the Pixel 3 XL, an Android smartphone featuring whats arguably the ugliest notch out there. How and why that unbecoming cutout came to be hasnt been clarified to date but whats certain is that Googles design team could certainly use some strengthening, so if youre out there shopping for Alphabets subsidiary this holiday season, consider picking up a hardware designer or ten. HTC: an HTC phone Advertisement HTC had a bad year in 2018 that managed to be even worse than its 2017, which itself marked an unprecedented low for the company. Its smartphone division is barely existent in terms of innovation talent following the aforementioned Google raid, the number of devices its releasing annually dropped to a record low, their only unique selling points like digital power keys can largely be described as gimmicks, and things are generally not looking up. Given that depressive state of affairs, a small token of affection is likely all HTC needs to feel loved this holiday season, so just show it you remember its products exist and buy it an HTC smartphone for Christmas. Xiaomi: A U.S. visa Xiaomi has been flirting with a U.S. entry for so long that its entire will-it-wont-it saga is getting kind of tiresome. Someone should just get it a U.S. visa and be done with it, or better yet negotiate a carrier agreement for the Beijing-based device maker. After all, B&H is unlikely to make it relevant in the highly competitive stateside smartphone market, no matter how great of a value deal the Poco F1 is. Advertisement OnePlus: A new marketing slogan OnePlus has been one of the most consistent performers in the industry ever since launching its first device in 2014 but what was once a catchy tagline used by a promising startup is now becoming a subject of ridicule as the company continues growing, scaling up its R&D efforts, and ultimately making compromises. Compromises that go directly against the never settle mantra which now appears ripe for retirement. So, gifting OnePlus for Christmas 2018 shouldnt be too expensive of an endeavor, just come up with a nice catchy slogan that isnt laughably debunkable but still does a good job at capturing the essence of its brand. Something like never pay more than you need for the latest Snapdragon chip and plenty of RAM. ZTE: a break Advertisement After everything that happened over the course of the last twelve months, ZTE just needs to be left alone this holiday season. No more fines, federal investigations, board overhauls, management revamps, and new oversight boards. Granted, ZTE largely brought its issues with the U.S. government upon itself and can arguably be happy it wasnt forced into bankruptcy several months back but if theres anything this state-owned Chinese phone maker needs for Christmas, its a break. Sony: a product strategy Sony as a whole has been doing rather well recently but its mobile division isnt going anywhere nice. Between mounting losses and underwhelming devices, the company could certainly use a new product strategy. Its exact focus isnt even that important because as things stand right now, Sony isnt doing much to differentiate its products in any segment, from entry-level to the very top end of the price bracket. Coupled with the fact that many of its rivals are undercutting it across all categories, Santa will certainly have issues with bringing a smile to Sonys face for Christmas, so maybe you can help him do so with a brand new product strategy; ideally, one that doesnt suck. Advertisement Motorola: a software developer Motorola has been streamlining its product portfolio over the course of this year but when it comes to software updates, its still one of the worst OEMs out there, with security patches for its devices being rare and far between. Things have gotten so bad that tech enthusiasts who care about things like mobile security are now largely circumventing the entirety of Motorolas portfolio, so if you long for the days when this company used to be a division of Google, gift it a software developer or 50 this holiday season and hope it still remembers how to organize an after-sales unit after sitting on its hands for so long. Huawei surpassed 200 million Android smartphone shipments in 2018, the company confirmed over the weekend, being quick to point out how the new milestone is exactly what it promised to achieve a year ago. The unprecedented figure includes both Huawei and Honor-branded handsets, with the latter being described as a significant contributor to the firms new internal shipment record, particularly thanks to the critically acclaimed Honor 10. The P20 and Mate 20 Android flagship lineups also sold remarkably well and are the other two major factors responsible for the historic success, a company spokesperson said. But nobody feels like celebrating While nearly every other handset manufacturer on the planet bar Samsung and Apple would be celebrating the new milestone, Huaweis management currently doesnt appear to be in the mood to indulge in festivities as the firms conflicts with Western governments particularly the United States one are presently reaching new heights and have even escalated into a full-blown diplomatic earlier this month. On December 1, Canadian authorities arrested Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou on the behest of the U.S. Department of Justice, with stateside authorities suspecting the veteran executive of being personally involved in an illegal banking scheme that involved fraud and was organized with the intention of breaking the Commerce Departments trade sanctions placed on Iran. Advertisement Ms. Meng, 46, is suspected of personally hiding Huaweis ties to Skycom Tech, a Hong Kong company operating in Iran, with investigators believing the firm in question is actually a Huawei satellite. While its presently unclear whether the alleged conspiracy actually led to any trade embargoes being broken, the fraud itself is enough for Ms. Meng to face up to 30 years in federal prison, assuming Ottawa agrees to extradite her. The veteran CFO has been with the company since its startup days in 1993 and is one of three children of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, a former official of the Peoples Liberation Army whose close ties with Beijing are among the main reasons Huawei continues to face distrust in the West. Shes currently under limited house arrest after a Vancouver court set her bail at the equivalent of $6.5 million, though it also ordered her passport to be taken, concluding she poses a flight risk. Huawei hardly blameless Even before Ms. Mengs arrest, Huawei has been clashing with both the U.S. government and American companies for almost two decades, facing accusations of being a national security threat and a repeated perpetrator of large-scale trade secret theft. Even as the company has always been dismissing those allegations as baseless, it has a track record of being on the short end of the stick in many settlements concerning cases of trade secret theft, including those involving established technology firms such as Cisco Systems and Motorola. Last year, T-Mobile even won a lawsuit alleging Huawei engineers sketched and stole components of its secret mobile user experience testing robot Tappy during a routine visit to its Bellevue, Washington operations. Advertisement With the advent of 5G, Washington is now lobbying for its allies to drop Chinese telecom equipment, particularly solutions from state-owned ZTE and Huawei. While the latter is describing itself as an employee-owned company, its opaque shareholder voting structure and the fact that its stock can only be held by current employees often raised concerns in the West. Many members of the U.S. intelligence community previously warned that even if Huawei isnt directly controlled by Beijing, Chinas strict laws allow its communist government to easily compel the firm into yielding sensitive customer data or spying on its clients on behalf of the Far Eastern country, a notion that Huawei often dismissed as frivolous. This January, Huawei was close to a large-scale return to the U.S. after agreeing a distribution partnership with AT&T, the second-largest wireless carrier in the country. The collaboration was meant to see AT&T carry the Mate 10 range of Android phablets but the telecom giant dropped the initiative mere hours before the thereof was meant to be officially announced at this years CES, having reportedly been pressured to do so by U.S. legislators and regulators who threatened it with scrapping its lucrative federal contracts if it proceeds with the idea of working with Huawei. The American governments push against Huawei also yielded results in other segments over the course of this year; earlier this month, Deutsche Telekom agreed to drop all Huawei-made 5G technologies in order to have stateside regulators approve the proposed merger of its subsidiary T-Mobile and SoftBanks Sprint. Back in late August, the Australian government indirectly banned its network gear by tightening the requirements for state telecom suppliers. South Korea, Japan, and Canada are presently understood to be pondering similar moves. Huawei is now once again daring the Western governments to show any evidence of its products and services posing a spying risk but the global intelligence community remains adamant the crux of the issue isnt what the company did or did not do in the past but what it could feasibly be forced to do by the Chinese government in the future, its ties to Beijing and a history of trade secret theft and corporate espionage accusations notwithstanding. Advertisement Consumer electronics ambitions still growing Regardless of its issues in the U.S. and some other Western markets, Huaweis ambitions in the consumer electronics segment keep growing, as does its commercial performance. Numerous company officials previously said the firm doesnt need the U.S. to become the worlds largest smartphone vendor, even though a significant stateside presence would be preferable. The firm is presently the third-largest handset manufacturer by sales and shipments, behind Apple and Samsung, though it also trumped Apples performance in two consecutive quarters this year and appears to be close to overtaking it on an annual basis as well. Recent reports suggest Huawei is already working on a number of new wearables, smartphones, and flagship system-on-chip for mobile devices the Kirin 985. Still, the current global political climate makes it unlikely that most of Huaweis products will be coming to the U.S. in 2019, so its Western ambitions will likely once again be stopping with Europe over the next twelve months. The Nokia 9 PureView has got to be one of the most anticipated smartphones of 2019, and the device has just surfaced in a new picture. This time around we get to see a real-life image of the phone, though this phone seems to be created by a third-party source, and its not exactly a leak, per se, despite the fact a man holds it in his hand in this image. The phone has been created based on various rumors and leaks, though, and considering that the device leaked on a number of occasions thus far, this image may actually be quite accurate. As you can see, the back part of the phone is pictured in an image, and you get a really good look at its left side, its back, and cameras that are located there. The phones back side will be made out of glass, while the phones frame will be made out of metal. That back side will be curved on the sides, and the same goes for the top and bottom part of the phones back side. Nokias logo is easily visible on the back of the device, as are those seven rings, five of which are the phones cameras. The bottom four plus the top ring are reserved for cameras, which is easily noticeable in the provided image, while the top-left and top-right rings are there for an LED flash, and some sort of a dual sensor, at least according to rumors. The phones power / lock, volume up, and volume down buttons are visible in the provided image as well, and theyre located on the right-hand side of the phone. The front side of the device is not pictured here, but if previous leaks are to be believed, the phone will not include a notch or a display camera hole, instead, the company will opt for top and bottom bezels, which will not be as thin as they are on todays flagships, but they wont be that thick either. Whats The Story Thus Far? The Nokia 9 PureView was expected to arrive quite some time ago, back in September, as the Nokia 8 launched back in September last year. Well, that did not happen, obviously, and a reason for that is a delay initiated by HMD Globals Chief Product Officer (CPO), Juho Sarvikas, at least based on reports. Mr. Sarvikas actually delayed the release of the phone several times, and managed to anger some of the companys employees by doing so, but he did not feel like the device is ready to be released. In the meantime, HMD Global managed to acquire rights to use the PureView branding, which will allegedly be included in the phones name in the end, even though the original name of the device was supposed to be the Nokia 9. The latest delay of its launch allegedly came because the phones cameras are not as good as theyre supposed to be, which could have something to do with the inclusion of the PureView technology, which takes time to implement properly. The Nokia 9 PureView is expected to arrive in early 2019, though it remains to be seen which SoC will fuel the device. The phone was supposed to launch with the Snapdragon 845, but considering that the Snapdragon 855 had been announced already, HMD Global may look to include that one instead, as the company probably does not want to be late to the party again, as it were with the Nokia 8 Sirocco earlier this year, a phone which got released with the Snapdragon 835, despite the fact the Snapdragon 845 was available at the time, and as a result of that, the phones sales were not good at all. Advertisement What Else To Expect? The Nokia 9 PureView will probably sport a rather large display, its size is expected to be at least 6 inches, while the company will probably utilize an 18:9 display aspect ratio. The device will include at least 6GB of RAM, though variants with more RAM are also a possibility. A rather large battery is also expected to be a part of the package, a battery of at least 4,000mAh, while the phone will be water and dust resistant as well. Android 9 Pie will ship out of the box on the device, and its also worth noting that the Nokia 9 PureView is a part of Googles Android One project. All in all, the Nokia 9 PureView will be your typical flagship which is expected to sport extremely capable cameras, especially considering HMD Global delayed its launch due to those cameras, as the company seems to be eager to get that part right. HMD Global had released quite a few Android-based Nokia smartphones thus far, though none of them was considered to be best out there, or in the top three, so it remains to be seen if the Nokia 9 PureView will change that, though the company will need to utilize the Snapdragon 855 in order to make that happen, as the Snapdragon 845 will seem outdated early next year, thats for sure, especially considering this phone is supposed to be the next big thing for the company. Samsung is working on a new fitness wearable called the Samsung Galaxy Sport codenamed Pulse under the model designation SM-R500and is set to include Bixby out-of-the-box, according to information picked up by SamMobile. Details on the wearable are still slim but it will reportedly feature 4GB of internal storage and bring Bixby Reminder support when it launches. Development on the Samsung Galaxy Sport is said to have just kicked off but its launch window is thought to be around the same time as that for its upcoming Galaxy S10 family of flagships. Those are presently expected to arrive at MWC 2019 in Barcelona in late February, following Samsungs traditional release timeline. Bixby support Samsung recently revealed the presumed counterpart to the new wearable, the Samsung Galaxy Watch back in August, and has indicated at the time that the Galaxy brand will be used for its wearables moving forward. So it is not surprising that the Korean tech giant would use the Galaxy branding with the new smartwatch. That particular smartwatch is also expected to receive Bixby support at some point in the future via a software update to the Tizen platform both it and the newly rumored Samsung Galaxy Sport operate on. Again, that isnt surprising since Samsung revealed that all of its appliances and electronics would feature Bixby by 2020. Less clear is exactly which variation of Bixby will be included. A major update is forthcoming for the digital AI-driven assistant and has been suggested to arrive alongside the launch of the first-ever Samsung folding smartphone, tentatively the Samsung Galaxy F. Thats presently predicted to arrive in early 2019 but it isnt known if that will be ready in time for the global mobile events set to take place in early Spring or if it will arrive later. Advertisement Regardless of which version of Bixby arrives with the Samsung Galaxy Sport, it may be the first wearable to feature the assistant if the Samsung Galaxy Watch isnt updated first. Samsung hasnt laid out a timeline for the update on the latter accessory and may plan to set the new watch apart from its sibling by introducing the feature on its fitness wearable first. Thats in addition to the more health-oriented features that will likely be included and expectations that it will not feature mobile connectivity outside of the standard phone-to-watch interactions. An odd model designation Rumors and leaks are generally best taken with a dose of skepticism but the model designation in use for Samsungs Pulse does seem to warrant additional caution here. Samsung and other companies typically use model numbers that move upward with each successive device and that doesnt hold with regard to the apparent predecessor to the new Samsung Galaxy Sport. The Samsung Gear Sport was sold under the model designation SM-R600 which would seem to indicate the new watch will be at least SM-R650 or SM-R700. Instead, the model is reportedly set at SM-R500. That could be, and most likely is, down to the fact that the larger of those two numbers was already used by the Samsung Gear S3. To avoid confusion, the company may simply be resetting its designations until a less confusing naming scheme can be worked out. Discussion about wargaming and military history, primarily WWII in North Africa. Also discussion about AFV's and artillery. Nine-year-old Arjun and his family arrived from Orlando, Florida on Emirates flight EK220 At a celebration, Arjun along with his mother Ramya, father Venkatesh and thirteen-year-old brother Varun, were personally greeted by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Airports and warmly welcomed on this, their first visit to Dubai. HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Airports said: This landmark billionth passenger achievement is the result of team work and collaboration, and special thanks goes out to each and every member of the airport community who have played a role in this journey. Sheikh Ahmed added: Of course, we would not be in this position if it werent for the visionary leadership of HH Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum and HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President & Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai both of whom foresaw the development of Dubai into a global centre for trade, tourism and commerce enabled by a fast-growing and world-leading aviation sector with top-flight airport infrastructure. The billionth customer is arguably the most significant in a long litany of achievements since the airport first opened in September 30, 1960 with a tiny terminal building and a runway of compacted sand. Today the hub is widely considered a benchmark for its quality infrastructure, passenger and cargo volumes and high service levels despite unrelenting growth. DXB handles an average of 7.5 million customers every month and this year broke its own traffic record thrice with more than 8.3 million customers in a month. This image of a so-called available apartment rental was emailed to a local couple seeking housing. The Aspen-Pitkin Housing Authority posted the original ad for the unit on its website, and has since removed after a local couple shared information about its suspicious nature. As you can tell, this blog is totally screwed. Im really sorry about this but its totally out of my control. Until it gets fixed, Im blogging over at my... (coolendelkid/Bigstock.com) (coolendelkid/Bigstock.com) The Fair Work Ombudsman in Australia is asking students, backpackers and other visa holders undertaking causal work in the coming year not to be afraid to speak out if they are underpaid.It has been active in 2018 in securing penalties against employers who deliberately take advantage of overseas workers. Going into 2019 the FWI is going to be prioritising young workers.'Employers should note that we are prioritising matters involving requests for assistance from young workers as they can be particularly vulnerable in the workplace and reluctant to complain. We encourage any workers with concerns about their wages or entitlements to contact us,' said Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker.The cases this year include a carwash cafe owner on the gold Coast who was fined $70,000 for requiring an overseas worker to pay back over $21,000 of her wages and underpaying dozens of other workers.The workers were underpaid amounts ranging from $82 to $6,329, with 26 of them underpaid more than $2,000. A Court has ordered the owners to rectify all outstanding underpayments in full.Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker pointed out that this kind of conduct is completely unacceptable and designed to exploit employees, including visa holders, who can be particularly vulnerable.'Any employer who tries to profit from underpaying migrant workers should take note that we will act to ensure such conduct is met with serious consequences. All workers in Australia have the same rights and protections at work, regardless of citizenship or visa status,' she said.'The largest underpayment in the case related to the overseas worker who was underpaid through a cash-back scheme. The worker is a Korean national who was in Australia on a 457 skilled worker sponsored visa,' she explained.'Workers who are asked to pay wages back to their employers should contact the Fair Work Ombudsman for free advice and assistance. Any businesses who unlawfully ask for money back from their employees will face enforcement action,' she added.In another case a catering company in regional New South Wales underpaid workers, including cooks and waiters, including a teenager, aged 17, and three aged in their early 20s.Most of the underpayments were the result of casual employees being paid flat rates of $20 an hour and $10 an hour to a part-time employee, paid below apprentice rates despite not being correctly registered as an apprentice. The flat rates were not sufficient to cover the minimum hourly rates and weekend penalty rates the casual employees were entitled to at the time under the Registered and Licensed Clubs Award.It is also graduates who stay on after studying who can suffer. A multinational education company is making major changes to its workplace practices after the Fair Work Ombudsman discovered the underpayment of two Chinese graduates on 485 temporary graduate visas in its Melbourne CBD branch. On Saturday, Dec. 22, Cubas National Assembly approved a new constitution for a national referendum on Feb. 24, which would mark the countrys biggest political overhaul in a generation. Why it matters: As popular frustration persists over Cuba's struggling economy and lackluster 1.5% growth, President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who entered office in April 2018, needs to show loyalty to the countrys old guard while modernizing its political and economic structures. The big picture: In June, Cuba began the process of updating the Soviet-style constitution it adopted in 1976 though still pledged to uphold the irrevocable nature of socialism, as codified by a previous constitutional revision in 2002. A 33-person constitutional reform commission, headed by Raul Castro, approved a draft in July and then initiated a three-month consultation. Official press reported that more than 8.9 million Cubans gathered at over 133,000 meetings across the country, resulting in 783,000 proposals. However, some Cubans boycotted or ignored the consultation and others have questioned its validity, given the Communist Party's control of the process. Where it stands: While the new constitution would not mark a political transformation, it proposes noteworthy changes: A 10-year presidential term limit, consisting of two 5-year terms Minimum and maximum ages for the presidency as 35 and 60, based on the beginning of the first term A new role of prime minister in addition to the president, separating the heads of government and state Governors for each of the islands 15 provinces, which would potentially devolve more authority away from Havana A more formally recognized role for non-state actors in the economy, including small private businesses, worker-owned cooperatives, private property and foreign direct investment. However, the extent of this opening has yet to be determined. Yes, but: The process has not been without controversy. The committee ignored calls to allow direct elections or opposition parties. Language assuring commitment to advancing toward a communist society, which went missing from the original draft, was reinstated in the final version. A proposed amendment to recognize same-sex marriage though championed by Raul Castros daughter Mariela Castro sparked a groundswell of religious protest and was ultimately omitted. The bottom line: Even if approved on Feb. 24, the constitution will do little to buy goodwill among frustrated Cubans unless Diaz-Canel takes bolder steps to revive the economy. Daniel P. Erikson is managing director at Blue Star Strategies, senior fellow at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, and the author of "The Cuba Wars: Fidel Castro, the United States, and the Next Revolution." Democrats are increasingly embracing a sweeping progressive plan to tackle climate change that includes a massive increase in government programs on everything from job guarantees to health care. Why it matters: While it's unlikely to become law any time soon, if ever, expect the plan called the Green New Deal and championed by Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to permeate the next Congress and 2020 presidential campaign. They don't have a fully detailed plan yet but their main goal, at least for now, is to change the debate. The big picture: The trend to embrace more progressive energy and climate policies is part of the Democratic Partys broader leftward shift over the last decade on various issues, like embracing "Medicare for All" as the next step in health care beyond the Affordable Care Act. Republicans, meanwhile, have moved further to the right and largely rejected climate change as an issue. Driving the news: Some three dozen Democratic lawmakers, including potential presidential candidates Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and billionaire activist Tom Steyer, back the plan and the creation of a special congressional committee in the next Congress to flesh out details. Virtually all of this support has come since Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive and self-described democratic socialist, participated in a mid-November rally in the office of incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The event was organized by the youth-led Sunrise Movement, which backed Ocasio-Cortez in her surprise primary victory over Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley. It definitely shows there is an appetite among Democrats for progressive policies that are bold and visionary, which is a departure from a lot of what Democrats have been running on for the last several years. Stephen O'Hanlon, spokesman for Sunrise Movement The details: Ahead of any actual legislating, the Green New Deal is mostly a catchy slogan, largely unknown by the public, which represents broad progressive policies. What details are available are outlined on Ocasio-Cortezs election website: An eventual goal of 100% of electricity coming from renewable energy, a controversial proposition. Right now, such sources make up just 17% A guarantee of federal jobs for those working in the transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources. Federal programs guaranteeing basic income and universal health care. While health care has little to do with energy and climate, the outline says it would help "promote economic security, labor market flexibility and entrepreneurism." Theres no price tag on the plan yet, but the outline says it would be paid for by a combination of the Federal Reserve and a collection of even more unprecedented funding sources, including a new public bank. A tax on carbon emissions could be one way to raise revenue, says Ocasio-Cortez spokesman Corbin Trent. Between the lines: The Green New Deal represents one of the largest proposed expansions of government in decades, on the level of President Franklin Roosevelts original New Deal during the Great Depression, World War II and the interstate highway system three models cited by backers of the policy. The policys various parts, as articulated on Ocasio-Cortezs website, must be advanced altogether, her spokesman says. This is not a piecemeal solution. This is economic mobilization were driving for, Trent said. One of the things I fear, is that if we didnt already have an interstate highway, our current government would be unable to deliver on such a big problem." The backstory: 2019 marks a decade since Democrats last tried big climate policy on Capitol Hill. Back then, with control of both chambers of Congress and the White House, Democrats pursued a market-based policy where companies could trade permits of carbon dioxide to comply with an overall cap on emissions in a system called cap-and-trade. That policy is far more flexible and less ambitious than what the Green New Deal would likely be. Some big oil companies and utilities backed the cap-and-trade bill, which narrowly passed the House. Democrats couldnt get enough support for it even among some in its own party in the Senate, and the effort died the next year. The other side: Progressive support for the Green New Deal is growing significantly while other, more bipartisan, efforts on carbon taxes move along more slowly and with less rhetorical firepower. A Green New Deal is unlikely to get any Republican support, and probably won't get even a majority support in the Democratic caucus. Its also dead on arrival in the Republican-controlled Senate. Tom Pyle, who runs a conservative advocacy group American Energy Alliance, says the plan is more a shift in messaging than actual policy in response to what he describes as the left's failure to advance climate change policy through other efforts, such as carbon taxes and fossil-fuel infrastructure protests. The bottom line: For now this isnt about passing legislation in the upcoming Congress. Its largely about changing the narrative to make climate change a 2020 issue as Democrats attempt to wrestle back the White House from Trump. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the heads of the other coalition parties decided this morning to dissolve the Knesset and hold early elections on April 9th, 2019. The elections were supposed to be in November 2019. Why it matters: This high-stakes political drama is connected to the attorney general's upcoming decision whether to indict Netanyahu on three separate cases of bribery. Last week, the state prosecutor said a decision on the Netanyahu cases will be made in the next several months. The decision to go for early elections might influence his timetable. Just a month ago, after the resignation of Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Netanyahu fought hard to keep his coalition together, warning in a press conference that the Israeli security situation was very unstable and early elections would be dangerous. Today, Netanyahu tossed aside this talking point and announced early elections. The bottom line: The early elections in Israel are very meaningful for the White House and its involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian process, with Netanyahu being one of President Trump's staunchest allies in the international community. A senior White House official told me, "The upcoming election in Israel on April 9 is one of many factors we are considering in evaluating the timing of the release of the peace plan." Go deeper: Netanyahu is fighting for his political survival For more than a year, we have reported exceedingly pessimistic forecasts about the future of jobs: Robots and automation, we've written, are likelier than not to wipe out a large portion of current U.S. employment by 2030 or so. But there are ways to both cushion the blow of automation and meet the challenge posed by China. Driving the news: The problem isn't only that companies seem likely to automate at a faster and faster pace, but that the U.S. and other advanced economies are doing little to get prepared. Meanwhile in a tech race against the U.S. China is in a headlong push to deploy as much advanced robotics as it can. Here's how to soften the blow: 1. Decide to keep humans in the mix with robots As of now, report after report tell us not to worry that robots will not wipe out jobs, but instead work alongside humans. If only it were so easy. In fact, there has to be an affirmative policy decision, either by government, companies or both, to develop automation as a machine-human endeavor. The likelihood is that government will have to take the lead. "Government will have to step up, a political leader who sees a threat to his own political power," says Jeffrey Brown, head of the future of work project at the Bertelsmann Foundation. 2. Initiate aggressive, long-term job training and upskilling Even the most optimistic forecasts urge a massive campaign to reskill tens of millions of Americans, and hundreds of millions of people around the world. Government should take the lead, but companies need to revive traditional practices of training new workers. One option: tax incentives. "There can be a knowledge tax credit for training front-line workers," says Rob Atkinson, president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. 3. Award low-interest education loans, and forgive debt Education and skills training will be a core fact of life for the the next work force, the next after that, and so on. Everyone will have to up their game, and keep doing so, in everything from AI and medicine to plumbing and electric work. Skilling and retraining has to be national policy, because the nations that don't do so will fall behind as nations. "In China, the state is leading in establishing new training centers in schools," said Paul Triolo, head of geotechnology at the Eurasia Group. More: An entire generation of Americans is weighed down by unconscionable college debt. Figure out how to forgive it. 4. Aggressively fund research in AI, robotics and quantum computing Should Washington assume a central role in the country's development of futuristic technology? Yes. Long-term, aggressive government funding and shaping will be central to both first-out invention and deployment of next-generation technologies. "We need focused government action," says Samuel Brannen, director of risk and foresight at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "Then suddenly we will leap past the Chinese like we did the Soviets." Sign up for the daily Axios Future newsletter Go deeper: The AI crossroads: Dystopia vs. utopia Our company is looking for 700 tons of straw pellets per month delivered to EU, Poland, Ostrolek. Let us know your terms of delivery and payment in your offer. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has reaffirmed his governments intention to deepen Armenias relations with neighboring Iran despite U.S. economic sanctions re-imposed on the Islamic Republic. We intend to deepen not only economic but also political relations with Iran. All prerequisites for that exist in Armenia, he told reporters during a weekend visit to Vanadzor. Pashinian spoke while attending the official opening of an Armenian-Iranian joint venture that will manufacture pressurized gas cylinders in Armenias third largest city. Top executives of the Iranian company Rad Sane and its Armenian partners that have built the plant also announced other investment projects when they met with Pashinian before the ceremony. In particular, they are planning to assemble Iranian-designed cars in Armenia. Our cars could enter the Armenian market already in March, said Arayik Asrian, a co-owner of the new plant. I said during our conversation that we are very interested in having new investments flow in from Iran and more Iranian tourists visit Armenia, stressed Pashinian. The Armenian leader already pledged last month to develop relations with Iran very intensively. He said the United States understands our situation and policy. Earlier in November, a team of officials from the U.S. state and treasury departments visited Yerevan to explain the sanctions Armenias government and private sector. Iran was also high on the agenda of U.S. National Security Adviser John Boltons October trip to Armenia. Bolton said he hold Pashinian that Washington will enforce the sanctions very vigorously. Commercial and other traffic through the Armenian-Iranian border is therefore going to be a significant issue, he said. Pashinian said his government is doing its best to minimize the negative impact of the sanctions on Iranians doing business in Armenia. He again acknowledged that in the last few months Armenian commercial banks have closed the accounts of Iranian citizens living in the country. Pashinian insisted that the U.S. administration has no problem with law-abiding Iranian nationals having bank accounts in Armenia. Armenian banks, he said, are simply afraid of being blacklisted by Washington. Some banks have already realized that there wont be problems with the accounts of private individuals [from Iran] who have not been sanctioned, he went on. This is not a state problem but we are now very closely cooperating, discussing and talking to solve that problem. Prosecutor-General Artur Davtian said on Monday that his office will appeal against an Armenian courts to decision to release Manvel Grigorian, a retired army general prosecuted on corruption charges, from custody on bail. The district court in Yerevan ordered Grigorians release on health grounds on Friday. The 62-year-old suffers from a number of serious illnesses, reportedly including cancer. The court order provoked angry protests in the town of Echmiadzin, Grigorians place of residence until his arrest in June. Hundreds of local residents blocked a nearby highway over the weekend. Several dozen people gathered outside the prosecutors headquarters in Yerevan on Monday, demanding Grigorians renewed arrest. Davtian addressed the crowd, saying that his office will ask the Court of Appeals to overturn the lower court ruling. The appeal will be filed by the end of the day, he said. Davtian insisted that Grigorians illnesses are not incompatible with incarceration. The once powerful general should be kept behind bars because he could obstruct justice if he remains at large, added Armenias chief prosecutor Davtian also told the protesters: I want you to understand one thing: these are legal processes, the court is independent, and any pressure on the court is unacceptable. Grigorian was arrested when security forces raided his properties in and around Echmiadzin. They found many weapons, ammunition, medication and field rations for soldiers provided by the Armenian Defense Ministry. They also discovered canned food and several vehicles donated by Armenians at one of Grigorians mansions. Grigorian, who served as deputy defense minister from 2000-2008, denies the accusations of illegal arms possession and embezzlement leveled against him. By Trend Russian Railways JSC will cut tariffs on export shipments of ferrous metals and grain cargo to Azerbaijan by 50 percent in 2019-2020, Trend reports with reference to the company. Decrease in tariffs will be applied for export shipments through the Samur station of the North Caucasus Railway bordering Azerbaijan, further passing the Boyuk-Kasik (Azerbaijan)-Gardabani (Georgia) border crossing. Russian Railways JSC also made the relevant decisions regarding other directions. The ministry reported that the formation of tariff proposals was based on a comprehensive marketing assessment, considering the increased competitiveness of rail transport. Decisions are of long-term nature, and this will ensure predictability of the level of tariffs for shippers and maintain a stable volume of transportation of goods for the future, the company said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova The year 2019 will be eventful in terms of development of trade cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference in Baku on December 24. The ambassador noted that Russia regards relations with Azerbaijan as a strategic partnership. This year saw strengthening of this strategic partnership. Activity was observed in all areas of cooperation, he said. Speaking about the priorities of cooperation for 2019, Bocharnikov noted that they include continuation of work in the areas agreed upon in 2018. This year, we agreed on a lot of things, above all, on the development of trade and economic relations, the diplomat said. He said that the parties also plan to increase humanitarian cooperation next year. Bocharnikov also touched upon the tourism aspect of relations, saying that Russia and Azerbaijan intend to create a trans-Caspian transport line, as well as develop cruise tourism in the Caspian Sea He highlighted the importance of signing the convention on the status of the Caspian Sea this year in August. I am very pleased that in Azerbaijan it is considered as a very important event. This convention allows us to comply with the agreements reached on specific issues, said diplomat adding that there are still unsettled delimitation questions, but not between Russia and Azerbaijan. Bocharnikov said that efforts will be made to ensure the safety of navigation, preservation of biological resources and cooperation in other areas. Two types of cruises on the liner - short (seven to eight days) and long (13-14 days) - are planned. Short cruises will cover calls to several ports in the northern and southern part of the Caspian Sea, while long cruises will include calls to the ports of all five Caspian countries. Approximate commissioning of the liner is scheduled for next year. Most of the Caspian cruises are planned to begin and end in Baku. In this sense, it is necessary to build ships, and one ship is being built in the Astrakhan region. The commissioning of the ship is scheduled for the next year approximately. He also noted that Azerbaijan is becoming a recognizable and attractive tourist destination for Russian citizens in both summer and winter. Opening of Azerbaijan Tourism Board in Russia will promote the recognition of Azerbaijan by Russians as a tourist destination. The ambassador mentioned his recent visit to the Azerbaijani ski resort in Shahdag. We are establishing active cooperation between the ski resorts of Azerbaijan and North Caucasus, he added. The possibility of the connection the Azerbaijani and North Caucasian resorts of Russia by a single ski pass was discussed during a business forum entitled 'Invest in the Caucasus' in Grozny this December. In 2018, there was a rise in Russian tourist flow to Azerbaijan by 20 percent, more than 800,000 Russians visited Azerbaijan. In January-October 2018, 2,420,400 foreigners and stateless persons from 194 countries arrived in Azerbaijan, and this indicates a 6.1 percent growth compared to the same period of 2017. Russians made up the majority of the tourists who visited Azerbaijan. As many as 31.1 percent of the tourists came from Russia. Speaking about trade relations, Ambassador said that Russia invested $4.2 billion in Azerbaijan. In Azerbaijan today there are over 720 Russian joint ventures that cover various areas: agricultural production, industrial production, trade, services. Bocharnikov noted that Azerbaijan and Russia intend to create joint ventures (JV) in oil production as well as there are plans to set up enterprises for machine building in agriculture. "Our plans envisage creating joint ventures in an effort to organize oil production. On the part of the states, we will support the enterprises, which in their turn will enhance the development of industrial production. It would be better if our enterprises focus on industry in order to promote the diversification and economy of Azerbaijan, including our economic ties," he said. Answering a question about the results of the 17th meeting of the intergovernmental commission held in Moscow on December 14, Bocharnikov mentioned that Azerbaijan and Russia took another step to develop economic cooperation. The agenda of the intergovernmental commission was very extensive and concerned specific cases to be implemented in the coming years. Topics that were most actively discussed include cooperation in the trade and economic sphere, agriculture, food security, industry, transport and humanitarian field. Military cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan is actively developing, he noted. Bocharnikov went on to add that the corresponding decision was made ther at the meeting of the intergovernmental commission. "Azerbaijan has actively participated in international military game competitions over the past few years. As far as I know, some of these competitions may be held in the territory of Azerbaijan at sea next year. Bocharnikov noted that the defense ministers of the two countries contact several times a year, adding that this year, the head of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces visited Azerbaijan three times. He said that some Azerbaijani servicemen are trained in Russian military universities. Ships of the Navy and the Border Service of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation arrive in Azerbaijan's ports, he said Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Bocharnikov said that a more favorable atmosphere for the settlement of the conflict will be created in 2019. The basis of this has already been laid this year, he said. Several meetings were held at the highest level. A meeting is expected between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in January 2019. Russia is ready to continue to help resolving the conflict. Russia is a strategic partner of Azerbaijan. Last year, the two countries celebrated the 25th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations. The legal framework between the countries includes over 180 documents, including about 50 in the economic sphere. Azerbaijan is one of the main economic partners of Russia among the CIS countries and Russia remains one of Azerbaijans main foreign trade partners. Interregional cooperation plays an important role in the development of Russian-Azerbaijani trade and economic relations and the increase in trade turnover. Russia ranks first in terms of export of non-oil products from Azerbaijan. According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, the trade turnover with Russia in January-October 2018 amounted to almost two billion dollars. At the same time, the export of Azerbaijani products accounted for 509.98 million dollars. Compared with the same period last year, the trade turnover between the countries increased by 15 percent. Azerbaijan invested more than $1 billion in the Russian economy, and Russia invested over $4 billion in the economy of Azerbaijan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The 2018 will be remembered as a period of great changes and innovations in Azerbaijans business environment, Deputy Minister of Taxes Metin Eynullayev said Dec. 24 at the Foreign Trade Participants Forum: Application of Green Corridor Pass System, Trend reports. Naturally, the State Customs Committee and the Ministry of Taxes are among the important structures that influence the countrys business environment, said Eynullayev. One of the important tasks set by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in this direction is to ensure transparency, Eynullayev noted. He said that a lot of measures were taken for this purpose in 2018, reforms were carried out and conditions were created for entrepreneurs to freely do business. He noted that the Green Corridor is an example in the striving of the state to ensure transparency in this area. He further stressed that the main goal of the ministry is to encourage entrepreneurs and to voluntarily participate in tax transactions both at the legislative and administrative levels. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova 2018 has been a fruitful year for Azerbaijan. The passing year has brought many victories and achievements in country's cultural life. Magnificent venues, large-scale cultural events attract a greater number of foreign tourists to the country. With each passing year, Azerbaijan Union of Composers gains overwhelming success. In an interview with Day.Az, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Union of Composers, UNESCO Peace Artist, People's Artist of Azerbaijan Firangiz Alizade shared her thoughts about the latest achievements of the union. The year 2018 marks the100th anniversary of the genius national composer Gara Garayev. The birthday of legendary composer was widely celebrated throughout the world. Firangiz Alizade noted that many concerts, new films and original projects carried out in different countries of the world marked a wide recognition of the heritage of the great composer, who left behind not only wonderful musical works, but also his students and followers. The opening of Gara Garayev House-Museum is also remarkable event in country's cultural life. The museum's collection includes many exhibits related to the creative work of national composer. The year 2018 also marks the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. A series of events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic were organized by Azerbaijan Union of Composers. "Scientific conferences were held on the themes "The role of Uzeyir Hajibeyli in the formation of ADR", "The works of Azerbaijani composers in the years of independence", "The theme of the liberation struggle in Azerbaijans stage works", etc. There were also new works by our composers dedicated to this significant date," said Firangiz Alizade. Speaking about the activities of the Union of Composers, she stressed that they attach great importance not only to the work of prominent public figures, but also to the work of the young talents. Annual plenums with participation of young composers and musicologist, round tables and meetings are organized by the Azerbaijan Union of Composers. "Thanks to the attention and care of our country's President Ilham Aliyev, our young composers and musicologists receive a monthly stipend that helps them in the implementation of many interesting ideas," she added. The scholarship is also received by representatives of the older generation of members of the union, many of whom are already on a well-deserved rest, but at the same time continue their creative work. Another highlight of this year was the holding of the 5th Mugham Alemi International Festival on the eve of the Novruz holiday. The festival was organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva. Azerbaijan Union of Composers is proud to organize the festival's extensive program. The composer also recalled that the 9th Silk Road International Music Festival was held in Shaki. The International Scientific Symposium was held as part of the festival, bringing leading scholars and musicologists from 11 foreign countries. The events associated with the name of national leader Heydar Aliyev occupy a special place in the activity of the Azerbaijan Union of Composers. Memorial concerts, conferences are held every May and December. Frangiz Alizade added that the outgoing year was successful for her as a composer. American piano duo-ZOFO successfully performed the composer's song "Spring Morning in Baku" (based on the film by S. Bakhlulzade) in the cities of Europe and Australia. Moreover, the Dutch firm "HORIZON 8" also features her work " Nasimi Passion". In conclusion, Frangiz Alizade expressed her gratitude to the President of Azerbaijan for his support and attention to the people of art. Firangiz Alizade is best known for her works which combine the musical tradition of the Azerbaijani mugham and 20th century Western composition techniques, especially those of Arnold Schonberg and Gara Garayev. Her works have been performed at festivals in Stockholm, Warsaw, London, Heidelberg, Amsterdam, New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Frankfurt, Berlin, Zurich, Bonn and Cologne. Alizade also enjoys long productive cooperation with Kronos, which has presented her works, including Mugamsayagy, Absheron, and Oasis since 1993. In 2016, "Dance", an academic work by prominent Azerbaijani composer Firangiz Alizade, was performed in the framework of tour, organized by the world-renowned Kronos Quartet. In 2017, Azerbaijan's State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater marked the 70th anniversary of prominent composer. Many art and public figures, as well as her admirers attended the event. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova A presentation of the "The Last Session" documentary dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic has been held in Georgia. The president of Baku Media Centre, Arzu Aliyeva, is an executive director of the film. The event took place in Amiran cinema theater being co-organized by the Azerbaijani Embassy in Georgia and the representation of SOCAR in this country, Trend reported. Speaking at the event, the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Georgia Dursun Hasanov spoke about the historical significance of ADR, the role of the Azerbaijani people in the history of statehood. The film shows that despite the fact that the ADR existed for only 23 months, it is one of the most glorious pages in the history of Azerbaijan. ADR was also the first democratic republic in the East. Hasanov informed about the exhibition, official reception, conference and other events held in Georgia in connection with the 100th anniversary of the ADR. The documentary sheds light on the last days of the difficult history of the ADR. Then the film "The Last Session" was screened in English with Georgian subtitles. Among the spectators were senior officials of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Georgia, the head of the Georgian representation of SOCAR Mahir Mammadov, representatives of the Azerbaijani and Georgian intelligentsia, youth and students. The film was greeted by the audience with great interest and applause. In an interview with journalists, Georgian political scientist Tengiz Tkhilava stressed that the film was shot at a high professional level, and that the film made a great impression on him. "I watched the screen work in one breath. The film was created with great emotion and is rich with interesting facts," he said. Notably, the film was previously screened in Turkey. "The Last Session" documentary is dedicated to remarkable history of Azerbaijan. The image of Mammad Emin Rasulzade in the ADR period was embodied by actor Elnur Huseynov, and in the period of his old age - his grandson Rais Rasulzade. The film script is written on the basis of archival documents that have not been studied and classified before. The screen work reflects the unequal, but an irreversible and decisive struggle of the founders of the ADR both with the invading army and with the internal patrons of this army. Despite the fact that this struggle ended tragically, it is emphasized that it has become a glorious history of the independence of Azerbaijan. Despite tough bans during the Soviet period, the ADR flag began to be used in the late 1980s during the national liberation movement. The tricolor flag was approved on November 17, 1990 as the national flag of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic at the session of the Supreme Majlis of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, which was initiated and chaired by Heydar Aliyev. All these historical moments reflect interesting and original shots at the end of the film. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova A play "In Search of Meaning" directed by Ilgar Safat has been premiered at International Mugham Center. "In Search of Meaning" is based on the play of the same name by Israeli writer and playwright Ido Netanyahu. The premier of the play was held with great success, Trend Life reported. The spectators greeted the creative team with a storm of applause. The creative team included folk artists Lyudmila Dukhovnaya and Mabuda Maharamova, actors Azer Aydemir and Rumiya Agayeva, who brilliantly perform on the stage of Mugham Center. Author of the play Ido Netanyahu is the son of the famous historian Benzion Netanyahu and brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who together with his spouse came to the premiere from Jerusalem. At the opening of the evening, well-known expert in the field of international relations, head of the Baku International Center for Multiculturalism in Israel and Israeli organization International Projects for Society Arye Gut said that the play of the Israeli playwright was presented for the first time in Azerbaijan. "Azerbaijan has been and remains the homeland for representatives of many religions and peoples, a vivid example of multiculturalism and tolerance for many countries. Historically there was a fraternal attitude towards the representatives of the Jewish community of the country. This is our second home. The performance is another bridge of culture between Azerbaijan and Israel," he said. Director Ilgar Safat stressed the importance of the project, which was staged with the assistance of the Narimanfilm film studio. "The play tells about a famous psychologist, an eminent scientist Victor Frankl, who went through the horrors of the Holocaust, survived in four fascist death camps, and created such a powerful direction in psychology as logotherapy. The tragedy of the Holocaust is very close to the Azerbaijani people, who survived the Khojaly genocide," he said. Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan Dan Stav emphasized the high level of relations between the countries. "Azerbaijan is historically a tolerant country where people of the Jewish community, all citizens, regardless of nationality and religion, are highly respected. There are strong ties between the Jewish and Azerbaijani people that were laid many centuries ago and today play an important role in further strengthening relations between our countries. I would also like to note the great contribution of Azerbaijan to the victory over Nazism and fascism in the years of the Great Patriotic War, when more than 350,000 brave sons and daughters gave their lives for the sake of a peaceful future," he said. After the premiere of the performance, Israeli writer and playwright Ido Netanyahu expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome. "Within a few days of being in Azerbaijan, I personally became convinced of the beauty of Azerbaijan, its ancient and modern architecture, the original culture and traditions, tolerance and hospitality of the people, " he added. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend December 24 is the birthday of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. Ilham Aliyev was born in Baku on December 24, 1961. He entered the Moscow State University of International Relations (MGIMO) in 1977 and graduated it in 1982. Upon his graduation, Ilham Aliyev continued education as a postgraduate student at MGIMO and received a Ph.D. degree in history in 1985. He taught at the Moscow State University of International Relations between 1985-1990. From 1991 to 1994 Ilham Aliyev was involved in private business sector, heading a number of industrial-commercial enterprises. He was vice president, and later the first vice president of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) from 1994 to 2003. He was actively involved in implementation of then President Heydar Aliyev's oil strategy. Ilham Aliyev was twice elected to the Milli Majlis (parliament) of Azerbaijan in 1995 and 2000, and resigned from his post in 2003 due to his appointment to the post of prime minister. Ilham Aliyev has been presiding over the National Olympic Committee since 1997. He was re-elected to this post in 2016. He was elected deputy chairman of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party in 1999, first deputy chairman in 2001, and party chairman in 2005. Ilham Aliyev headed the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) from 2001 to 2003. Ilham Aliyev was elected deputy chairman of PACE and member of the PACE bureau in January 2003. He was appointed Prime Minister of the Azerbaijan Republic after his candidacy was approved by the country's parliament on August 4, 2003. Ilham Aliyev was elected president of Azerbaijan on October 15, 2003, gaining over 76 percent of total votes. He assumed his post on October 31, 2003. Ilham Aliyev was re-elected as president for the second term, gaining 88 percent of votes in the election, held on October 15, 2008. He assumed the duties of the presidency on October 24, 2008. On October 9, 2013, Ilham Aliyev was elected for a third term by an overwhelming majority of voters (84.54 percent) for the next five years. He assumed the post on October 19, 2013. At the presidential election in Azerbaijan, which took place on April 11, 2018, Ilham Aliyev won the election, gaining 86.02 percent of votes. He assumed the post on April 18. By voting for stability, sustainable socio-economic development, progress and independent policy, the Azerbaijani people ensured a happy and prosperous future of a free and democratic Azerbaijan Republic. Azerbaijan once again demonstrated to the whole world that it is a modern, democratic country, where all freedoms are guaranteed. The creation of a strong army meeting modern standards, along with dynamic economic development, has become one of the main factors characterizing modern Azerbaijan. The formula A powerful army based on strong economy became one of the main directions of activities of President Ilham Aliyev. The power and strength of the Azerbaijani army was demonstrated on June 26, 2018 at a military parade on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the countrys Armed Forces and on September 15 at a parade dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Bakus liberation. This made it possible to witness the strength and capabilities of the Azerbaijani army, to see what it has achieved in the last quarter of a century and to show once again that in recent years Azerbaijani army has greatly strengthened. Thanks to the care and attention given to the army building by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Ilham Aliyev, today Azerbaijan has the strongest army in South Caucasus. This was proved during the April battles in 2016, when the valiant Azerbaijani army gave a tough response to the Armenian aggressors. The Azerbaijani army liberated a large area occupied by Armenia, thus opening another glorious page in the country's history. That demonstrated the world the power and aspiration of Azerbaijan for returning the occupied territories at any cost. The successful operation carried out in May 2018 by Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Separate Combined-arms Army, resulted in the liberation of 11,000 hectares of land seized by Armenians in the early 1990s, and embarked continuation of the series of victories of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. As a result of successful actions in May 2018, the village of Gunnut of the Sharur district and the strategic heights of Khunut (2,065 meters), Gyzylgaya (1,683 meters) and Mehridag (1,869 meters), located around the village, returned to the control of Azerbaijani units. The operation once again showed the strength of the Azerbaijani army. These events once and forever changed the recent situation and proved the unacceptability of the status quo in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. 2018 was marked by another success achieved in the country's foreign policy. The final resolution adopted following the NATO Summit expresses unequivocal support for the territorial integrity of the countries of the South Caucasus, including Azerbaijan. And as a logical continuation of this process, for the first time in many years, the Partnership Priorities document signed between Azerbaijan and the EU envisaged support for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in the context of the inviolability of Azerbaijans internationally recognized borders. The year of 2018 also saw such significant events as the launch of the biggest energy project of the century - the Southern Gas Corridor in May, which is of strategic importance for the entire Southeast Europe. President Ilham Aliyev launched the first phase of the project the next day after celebrating the centenary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and on the opening day of the 25th jubilee International Caspian Oil & Gas Exhibition and Conference, which is very symbolic. Azerbaijan has already delivered gas produced from its Shah Deniz field through the first segment of the Southern Gas Corridor - from the Sangachal terminal to the expanded South Caucasus Pipeline, and with the commissioning of the TANAP gas pipeline in June, the gas entered Turkey. The implementation of the Southern Gas Corridor demonstrates the independence and success of Azerbaijans energy policy, as well as the trust of foreign partners to it. Namely Baku offered Europe a way to increase energy security and diversify supplies. Thanks to the policy of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan has received the status of a global geopolitical center and has become a venue for holding political, economic, military, energy, transport and communication, sporting and cultural events and meetings of global importance. All the above mentioned achievements show that over the past year, Azerbaijans position has become even stronger both on the world political stage and in the sphere of trade and economic relations. The country has further strengthened its international influence, and the partners admit it as a strong, independent and reliable player. We can say with pride that success achieved by Azerbaijan is the result of successful domestic and foreign policy pursued by President Ilham Aliyev. And we are confident that even brighter future is ahead of independent Azerbaijan under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz A new residential complex for 1,000 IDP families has been inaugurated in the territory of Absheron district. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the opening ceremony, Azertag reported. Chairman of the State Committee for Refugee and IDP Affairs Rovshan Rzayev informed the head of state of the work done. The construction of the complex started this March. The new residential complex houses all necessary infrastructure facilities, including a school, kindergarten, club, medical center, telephone station, amusement park and playgrounds for kids. Extensive landscaping work was carried out and green areas were laid out in the territory. This is the 101st residential complex built for internally displaced persons. President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva viewed conditions created in the apartments of the newly-built complex. The building has 77 one-room, 420 two-room, 406 three-room, and 96 four-room apartments. The head of state and First Lady then familiarized themselves with the conditions created at the kindergarten. President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva also viewed conditions created at Hal secondary school of Gubadli. All necessary conditions were created in the 792-seat school. After viewing the school, President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva met with IDPs. The head of state congratulated the residents on the opening of the new campus. Speaking on behalf of IDPs, father of the national hero Nariman Hamidov and Agil Guliyev thanked President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva for the excellent conditions created for them. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz About Me Scott Because prophetic scriptures are found throughout the bible, it is obvious that a comprehensive, systematic approach would be useful, if not necessary, for the understanding of prophecy. Past prophecies have been fulfilled in a literal manner, as confirmed by the dating of these writings and historical records of confirmation. These past prophecies also serve as a model of how to interpret future prophecies. A literal view of prophecy clearly indicates a certain sequence of events will occur within a single generation, concluding with the Tribulation and Second Advent and these events will be obvious. The prophetic signs appear to be present in this generation and we believe these signs are revealed in the news from around the world. View my complete profile By Trend President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin made a phone call to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on December 24. President Putin congratulated President Aliyev on his birthday and wished him success in his presidential activity and the best of health. President Aliyev thanked for the attention and congratulations. The presidents noted that 2018 was a very fruitful year in the history of Azerbaijan-Russia friendly ties and that reciprocal visits of the heads of state and numerous contacts at international events elevated the relationship to a higher level. The presidents expressed their confidence that positive dynamics in the bilateral relations will continue and that Azerbaijan-Russia strategic partnership will further develop in 2019. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Prime Minister of Georgia Mamuka Bakhtadze made a phone call to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on December 24. PM Bakhtadze congratulated President Aliyev on his birthday, and wished him new success in his presidential activity and the best of health. President Aliyev thanked for the attention and congratulations. During the phone conversation, President Aliyev and PM Bakhtadze hailed the development of bilateral relations between the two countries in a variety of areas and expressed their confidence that Azerbaijan-Georgia ties will continue developing successfully in 2019 too. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Georgia imported more than 1.28 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in January-November 2018, the report of the Georgian Electricity System Commercial Operator (ESCO) said. More than 1 billion kilowatt/hours of electricity imported by Georgia over this period accounted for Azerbaijan. The volume of electricity imported by Georgia in November amounted to 219 million kWhr, 215.5 million kWh or 98 percent of which was supplied by Azerbaijan. During the first eleven months of 2018, Georgia's electricity exports amounted to 588.6 million kWh, 23.1 million kWh of which were sent to Azerbaijan. Recently, Azerbaijan and Georgia signed a memorandum on the prospects of Azerbaijani-Georgian power systems after discussion of the state of the power systems of Azerbaijan and Georgia, as well as the construction of a 330 kW two-way (duplex) transmission line. Azerenergy JSC is the main exporter of electric energy in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan exported 1.380 billion kWh of electricity worth $64.9 million, that is 444.7 million kWh of 47.55 percent more than in the previous year, according to the State Customs Committee (SCC). The electricity was sold at $0.047 or 0.0799 manats a kWh. Electricity export made up 0.42 percent of Azerbaijans total export. Georgia is expected to double electricity imports per year. According to the forecast of Georgian Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, Georgia will import more than 2.8 million kWh of electricity in 2019. The current import was 1.4 million kilowatt / hour. The maximum limit for imports in the next year is predicted to be 407.9 million kWh in March. The creation of the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey energy bridge will enable to integrate into the European electricity market in the future. Georgia can join the European energy system through the submarine power line in the Black Sea. It is expected to implement line linking of Georgia with Bulgaria and Romania. More than $ 3 billion will be spent on construction. In this case, Georgia will be connected to the European energy grid, that means Azerbaijan will also be able to supply electricity to Europe. Bilateral diplomatic relations between Baku and Tbilisi are manifested in the various fields particularly trade, transport and energy since 1992. The two countries broadly cooperate in regional energy development, transportation and economic partnership projects such as Southern Gas Corridor, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline (BTC), Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway (BTK), the TRACECA, and the BSEC. SOCAR also is deeply involved in the energy market in Georgia which was established in 2006. The company's activity includes retail and bulk selling of fuel in Georgia, importing of petroleum and liquid gas, construction of oil terminals and warehouses. At present, there are over 70 filling stations operating in the country. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Europe is interested in receiving Turkmen gas, Jurgen Krahn, director general of French company CIFAL SA, said in an interview with Turkmenportal, Trend reports. "This is an interesting project," he said. "After the signing of the Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea, the process of ratification of this treaty is underway in all the Caspian countries." He noted that the agreement makes it possible to talk about the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline. "I think that if Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan can quickly agree, this process may begin," he said, adding that a new period is beginning, which allows the EU and Turkmenistan to negotiate a new document. "I think the signing of this framework agreement may take place next year," he noted. "In any case, the EU has great interest in this. As far as I know, a delegation of Turkmenistan recently visited Brussels, where it held talks. In Germany, as far as I know, there is also great interest in helping Turkmenistan." The project to lay a 300-kilometer gas pipeline along the bottom of the Caspian Sea to the shores of Azerbaijan is optimal for the delivery of Turkmen gas to the European market. Further, the Turkmen gas can be delivered to Turkey, which borders European countries. Turkmenistan declared its readiness to supply Europe with an annual volume of up to 30 billion cubic meters of gas over 30 years. The negotiations on the delivery of Turkmen gas to Europe have been conducted since 2011. The Southern Gas Corridor, which includes the Trans-Caspian project, remains a priority for the EU. In May 2015, the Ashgabat Declaration on Energy was signed by the ministers of Energy of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Vice-President of the European Commission for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Pipe-laying vessel Pioneering Spirit has begun construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline in the waters of Finland, "Nord Stream 2 AG", the operator of the pipeline, told Report. Pioneering Spirit ship with dynamic laying capacity has joined the ship fleet to lay Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in the exclusive economic zone of Finland. The operator informed that so far about 370 km of the gas pipeline has been laid. Pioneering Spirit belongs to the Swiss company Allseas, which signed an agreement with Nord Stream 2 for the pipe-laying of the undersea part of Nord Stream-2 in April this year. The vessel was previously used in laying pipes at the seabed in the Turkish Stream project. The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, implemented by the Russian gas giant Gazprom, is expected to come into service at the end of 2019. The pipeline is set to run from the Russian coast along the Baltic Sea bed to the German shore. With the total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters of gas (more than a quarter of Gazprom's export), each of the pipelines two stretches will have a capacity of 27.5 bln cubic meters. The aggregated design capacity of Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 is therefore 110 billion cubic meters of gas per year. The new pipeline will double the capacity of the first stretch and will basically follow its route. The total cost of the pipeline is estimates at 9.5 billion euros. The project has received national permits in Sweden, Finland, Germany and Russia. At present, Eastern Europe mainly imports gas from Russia's energy giant Gazprom. Russian gas enters Europe via several gas pipelines. Some of them pass through the territory of Ukraine, and some go through the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Gazprom's share in gas exporters to Europe was 43 percent last year. The 1220-kilometer-long Nord Stream 2 pipeline expects Russia to double the volume of gas it transfers to Western Europe. The launch of the Nord Stream-2 pipeline will allow European consumers to save at least 7.9 billion euros per year on energy resources. German experts have calculated that from 2020 European consumers will save about 7.9 billion euros per year, after Nord Stream-2 is completed, and if the global demand for LNG grows, this figure may increase to 24.4 billion euros. This gas pipeline is twice shorter than the current line from Ukraine to Germany. From this point, the price of transit will be cheaper. Defining Nord Stream 2 as a political instrument, the United States strongly condemned Germany's signing of the Nord Stream-2 gas deal with Russia, claiming that Europe's gas dependence on Russia will increase further. The U.S. also stated that Russia will further bolster the military presence in the Baltic Sea, under the pretext of protecting the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The U.S. House of Representatives urges European countries to abandon construction of Nord Stream-2 project to transport gas from Russia to Europe. A resolution adopted by both parties says that the pipeline is a radical step back in Europe's energy security and U.S. interests. Speaking about energy security, some of the European countries are meant to be protected from Russia, while the rest mainly consider import diversification. In this challenging situation, the key country is Germany that is interested in buying Russian gas. However, Germans want to find solutions that would not complicate their relations with the U.S. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the Nord Stream-2 project would be accepted only if Russian gas supplies will not cut off from Ukraine. The U.S. increases oil and gas imports to Europe, while Germany is preparing to build a new terminal to buy gas from the United States. Such a terminal has already been built in Poland and Lithuania, and last year Poland purchased the first gas from the United States. Meanwhile, Russia is eager to establish new energy routes in which Ukraine will not be a transit country. Russian President Vladimir Putin told Chancellor Angela Merkel during his visit to Germany this September that Russia is ready to fund this project alone if the U.S. imposes sanctions on other Nord Stream 2 participants. Deutsche Welle writes that even if Russia is able to fund the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline alone, it is hardly possible referring to the European Antimonopoly Law. Ukraine is strongly against the project assessing it as a tool to undermine the EU's unity and to reduce the level of security in the region. Recently, the European Parliament members are calling to stop the Nord Stream 2 project underlying that the pipeline is political project that poses threat to European energy security. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend A meeting with the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Gambia Ebrim Sissay was held in the Foreign Ministry of Turkmenistan, Trend reports citing the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. The parties highly appreciated the state of political relations between the two countries within the UN and other major international organizations. The sides discussed issues of strengthening bilateral relations between Turkmenistan and the Gambia in the political sphere. In addition, issues related to the legal framework of bilateral relations were discussed during the meeting. "The parties noted the importance of regular political consultations in order to develop cooperation in trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres," reads the message. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Today, tea is the most common drink in Iran. Iranians consume about 5 percent of the world's total tea. Perhaps, tea can be safely called the national drink of Iran. Without tea, it is no possible to hold an event in the country. At official meetings, reception, weddings, funerals, tea plays the main role. Consumption of tea in Iran is a kind of ceremony that each family and each person performs in accordance with their tastes, culture and capabilities. Tea in Iran is drunk only from glass or crystal cups, allowing to enjoy the cherry color of tea. Iran has exported about 12,571 tons of tea in the amount of $ 18 million since March 2018, said a high-ranking Iranian official. The head of the Iranian Tea Organization Habibollah Jahansaz added that this figure, respectively, indicates a 51 percent and 40 percent increase in tonnage and cost, compared with the corresponding period last year, Mehr News reports. Referring to the "favorable position of Iranian tea in world markets," the official said that this agricultural product is currently being shipped to 34 countries in Europe and Asia. Iran also imports tea, mainly from India, Sri Lanka and Kenya. As Jahansaz said, Iranians consume about 105,000 tons of tea per year, of which only 25,000 tons are supplied by domestic producers. The official noted that during the three harvest seasons of the current year, Iranian farmers collected a total of 25,633 tons of tea. Tea is harvested three times a year: the first season begins in late April, the second harvest season begins in early June, and the last in Autumn, in late September. The country has more than 25,000 hectares of tea plantations, which are located in the northern provinces of the country - Gilan and Masendaran. Iran began to grow tea in 1900 when Persian Prince Kashaf acquired seeds in India and trained local farmers to grow tea. Nowdays, Iranian tea plantations are located in the north of the country, south of the Caspian Sea and are quite extensive in area. Iran ranks 10th in the world in the production of tea, and the annual consumption of this drink in the country is 100,000 tons. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Iran's first vice president Eshaq Jahangiri has stressed the necessity to resolve the problems with customs, and release the goods held at the country's customs. Jahangiri has indicated the importance of avoiding accumulation of stacked goods in ports, customs and warehouses of the Organization for Collection and Sale of State-owned Properties of Iran. The official called for proper management to facilitate the release of the goods, to supply country's basic needs in times of sanctions, Trend reports via IRNA. During a reviewing session of country's customs problems, the first VP stated that the enemies would want to create disorder in Iran's foreign trade. "The government made the necessary plans to conduct the imports inflow under any circumstances and supply basic goods to people. All the organizations should coordinate efforts together to remove the unnecessary rules and avoid the storage of goods at ports and customs," he said, following his visit to Shahid Rajaee port and Bandar Abbas customs checkpoint. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Bakhytzhan Sagintayev signed a resolution approving the draft agreement between the governments of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan on trade and economic cooperation in the field of oil and oil products supply, Kazakh media reports on December 24. The draft agreement was approved on the basis of the agreement on the EAEU dated May 29, 2014 and the agreement on the accession of Kyrgyzstan to the agreement on the EAEU dated December 23, 2014, based on interest in deepening the mutually beneficial cooperation between countries in the supply of oil and oil products and ways of Eurasian economic integration. Minister of Energy of Kazakhstan Kanat Bozumbayev, as indicated in the document, is authorized to sign on behalf of the Kazakh Government an agreement between the Government of Kazakhstan and the Government of Kyrgyzstan on trade and economic cooperation in the supply of oil and oil products, allowing changes and additions that are not of a fundamental nature. The authorized organizations that ensure the planning and organization of the transportation of goods classified in the group 27 of the TN VED of the EAEU, within the framework of this agreement are: National Company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy JSC, KTZh-Freight Transport JSC, National Company Kyrgyz National Enterprise Temir Zholu, says a document published on December 24. According to the agreement, the parties each year, until December 31, 2018, are required to draw up a balance of domestic consumption production, a supply of imports and exports of goods in Kyrgyzstan, including the volumes of supplies of oil and oil products from Kazakhstan and Russia to Kyrgyzstan. "Goods provided for by the list of goods classified in the group 27 of the Commodity nomenclature of foreign trade activities of the EAEU, supplied from the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kyrgyz Republic in accordance with this agreement, without collection of export customs duties in Kazakhstan, are not subject to export, as well as export to third countries," mentioned in the information. Diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan were established on August 27, 1992. In January May 2018, mutual trade increased by 9.8 percent, comparing to the same period of last year. Kyrgyz and Kazakh authorities plan to increase trade between countries. The main goal is to increase bilateral trade to $ 1 billion by 2020. Kyrgyzstan supplies electricity, dairy products, vegetables and fruits, live cattle, garments, glass to Kazakhstan. Oil and oil products, wheat, coal, wheat flour, vegetable oil, inorganic chemicals, mineral raw materials, flat iron and stainless steel are imported from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan. As many as 824 joint ventures have been established in Kazakhstan, which operates in the following areas: wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, professional, scientific and technical activities, construction, services. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Iran plans to create a new petrochemical complex in the province of Hormozgan, adjacent to the waters of the Persian Gulf, reports IRNA with reference to the official in petrochemical complex. As Behzad Mohammadi, Managing Director of the National Petrochemical Company (NPC) said, a new petrochemical complex will be built in the Parsian Energy Intensive Industrial Special Economic Zone (PEISEZ). He stressed that given the existing technical infrastructure, such as proximity to the airport, the Persian Gulf, the Assalouye region and raw materials, Parsian could become a new center of the country's petrochemical industry. Access to a variety of liquid and gas raw materials is one of the main attractions of the petrochemical industry of Iran for investors. No doubt that this industry is the most profitable industry of Iran. PEISEZ, with an area of 9,800 hectares, is located 15 km west of the city of Parsian in the province of Hormozgan, 20 km from the international airport "Persian Gulf International Airport" and 43 km from the port of Pars. This region is one of the main poles of development in the country, which allows you to create various energy-intensive industries due to its economic, environmental and geographical position. Iran's petrochemical industry has more than half a century. The National Petrochemical Company began work in Iran under the state leadership of the National Oil Company of Iran in 1963. The first project of the company was based on the production of chemical fertilizer in the city of Shiraz in the south-east of the country. Petrochemical products make up the largest volume in the statistical tablet of the export of non-oil products of Iran, it is more than 40 percent of the total non-oil export of the country. Iran exports its petrochemical products to several dozen countries in different parts of the world. As many as 13 percent of products are exported to the Indian subcontinent, 23 percent to the countries of Southeast Asia, 22 percent to China, 18 percent to the countries of the Far East, 5 percent to Europe and 19 percent to the Middle East. In recent years, a variety of Irans petrochemical products has led other branches of the Iranian economy to continue their activities despite the problems caused by the U.S. sanctions. Despite the sanctions imposed against the export of Iranian oil, and consistently, the decline in oil exports, they did not affect the export of petrochemical products. The most important feature of the Iranian petrochemical industry is the presence in the country of rich oil and gas resources to provide the necessary raw materials from the petrochemical industry. Iran ranks 4th in the world in terms of oil resources and uses the second largest gas reserves in the world. Iran is the only state in the Middle East that produces a large amount of necessary equipment for the petrochemical industry on its territory. In addition to some types of high-tech equipment, Iran is able to produce most types of equipment on its territory. The presence of young educated experts, as well as innovative companies, speaks of the bright future of the petrochemical industry in Iran. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Whale Watching Week Takes Over Oregon Coast Starting Thursday Published 12/23/2018 at 3:59 AM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff (Oregon Coast) The Oregon coast will be whale central for at least a week, as the peak of the gray whale migration is happening now. It all climaxes with the annual Whale Watching Week, starting December 27 and going until December 31. Put on by Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD), it features volunteers from the Whale Spoken Here program stationed at 24 sites along the coastline, helping people spot the great cetaceans from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Every winter some 20,000 gray whales migrate south from Alaska to the warmer waters off Baja, Mexico to give birth. The Whale Watching Week happens as this mass movement is at its greatest density, with OPRD saying around 30 whales per hour swim past any given point along the route. Some of these can be Humpbacks and Orcas as well. Luke Parsons, head of the Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay, said whales are a special part of the Oregon coast. Besides giving the coastline a major boost in tourism, some of the big goals of the program include creating awareness and compassion for whales and other marine life. Whale spotting has been difficult lately, according to Parsons, because of gnarly stormy weather. This tends to keep them farther out from shore and large swells hide them from view. No major storm issues are in the weather forecasts for this week, and wave height starts out relatively minor for the early week. Seas begin building to around 15 feet later, however, but its difficult to tell if that marine forecast will affect visibility of whales closer to shore. If you cant make it out to the Oregon coast during Whale Watching Week, there is still some good numbers to be had for a little while into January. On the central coast around Depoe Bay to Newport there are always the so-called resident whales of the area. Each year, roughly 200 out of that 20,000 whales linger at some place along the Pacific United States, with a decent number becoming residents in this area. Plenty of whales are simply hanging out and attempting to feed, having not migrated all the way south to Mexico in the winter. These whales are chomping on the copious mysid shrimp that hide in the huge number of kelp forests off areas like Depoe Bay, Cape Foulweather and down near Yachats. Whale experts on the Oregon coast know this because the residents tend to come in closer to shore, and they stick to predictable feeding areas. They also engage in a different kind of diving pattern: the whale's fluke comes up out of the water. That's a signal they're heading straight down to the bottom, Parsons said. Experts on the central Oregon coast also recognize many of the same whales returning over and over. The Whale Watch Week sites begin with one on the Washington coast at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, Ilwaco, Washington. See Best of Oregon Coast Lodging for Whale Watching, Whale Watch Week The farthest one north on the Oregon coast is at Ecola State Park in Cannon Beach, and the next is 15 miles south at the Neahkahnie Mountain Historic Marker Turnout on Highway 101, just above Manzanita. On the Three Capes Tour there is Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint, Cape Lookout State Park (that one requires a 2.5-mile hike to the site at the tip of the Cape), and then several miles south at the top of Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City. In Lincoln County, you'll find the most sites: Inn at Spanish Head Lobby on 10th floor (Lincoln City), Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint (near Depoe Bay), The Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay, Rocky Creek State Scenic Viewpoint (just south of Depoe Bay), Cape Foulweather and the Devil's Punchbowl State Natural Area (both between Newport and Depoe Bay), Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area in Newport, and Don Davis City Park, also in Newport. The next one is about a 30-minute drive south, past Yachats, at the Cape Perpetua Interpretive Center and the Cook's Chasm Turnout (directly on the Lincoln County/Lane County line). About 15 miles south of there is the Sea Lion Caves Turnout the large Highway 101 turnout south of tunnel, and a bit north of Florence. On the southern Oregon coast, the Whale Watch sites are Umpqua Lighthouse, near Umpqua Lighthouse State Park, Shore Acres State Park, Face Rock Wayside State Scenic Viewpoint, Battle Rock Wayfinding Point in Port Orford, Cape Ferrelo, and Harris Beach State Park in Brookings, Oregon. Whale photos above courtesy Seaside Aquarium More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted A handful of Houston-area parents made the news this year for their alleged involvement in crimes ranging from murder and kidnapping to child abandonment. One of the most gruesome and notable cases involves a Houston woman who allegedly drowned and decapitated her 5-year-old son. Luhui Lui, 43, was charged with capital murder in late November. Officer Kolin Burmaster, a Beaumont Police Department motorcycle patrolman known for his strict but even-handed enforcement of traffic laws, was working Interstate 10 two days before Thanksgiving. I noticed these two motorcyclists pulled over. They waved me down, and they were from France, Burmaster said. They had rented motorcycles, I guess, from Florida - they had Florida tags on them - and I think they were just touring. Im not sure. In their broken English they had said, Where is the Cowboy Harley Davidson? and I thought, OK, follow me. No problem. > > RELATED: Beaumont's toughest cop may have the city's biggest heart Moments later, a devastating wreck landed Burmaster in intensive care for three days. The incident was front-page news, and the department was inundated with well wishes from people in the community who knew of The Burmaster, either by reputation or through first-hand experience. He and his wife, Amanda Burmaster, spoke with the Enterprise about the wreck, the recovery and what the holidays are like this year. He was released Dec. 14 from Kate Dishman Rehabilitation Hospital, where he received aggressive care for multiple broken bones and torn ligaments. At one point burly Marine veteran couldnt move his right arm. Burmaster, 66, is now back in the log-cabin-inspired lakeside home in Village Mills he shares with his wife, Amanda, 41. He gets around, for now, with a wheelchair, a walker and Amandas constant attention. Yet he insists he will not let his injuries force him into retiring earlier than hed planned. Burmasters boss says the incident affirms his status among his colleagues and among the people of Beaumont. He cant believe all of the support hes been getting from the community, Police Chief James Singletary said. Hes just blown away by the support. People are calling and texting all the time to check on him, and that just tells you what kind of guy he is. > > RELATED: Kindness from Beaumont cop legendary for writing tickets brings woman to tears The police veteran is matter-of-fact about the Nov. 20 wreck. I got the Christmas lights up on Monday, and then the wreck took place on that Tuesday, Burmaster said. It happened near the College street intersection. As he led the way to the motorcycle shop, Burmaster saw what appeared to be a clean shot to merge into the left turn lane. Another car made a sudden move. This guys front end pops out between the vehicles into my lane, just that quick - nothing I could do, he recalled. Next thing I know I was upside down and I cant breathe - I guess from the broken ribs. Watching his bodycam footage made him wince, but its given him clarity about what happened. The driver was cited. I had some verbiage for him in between deep breaths. If I had an opportunity to talk to him, first Id probably apologize for the verbiage, but secondly I hope hes learned not to automatically assume the coast is clear, he said. But theres no hard feelings. None at all. Accidents happen. If hed been out a little bit further, Im not sure where Id have ended up. That door post is a pretty solid part of the vehicle I dont know. Burmaster said he was also thankful he was wearing his standard-issue safety gear. If I hadnt have had my body vest on - my bulletproof vest it could have been a different set of circumstances. Those ribs could have punctured my heart, punctured my lungs, just a lot of things, he said. Despite the extent of his injuries, Burmaster did not have to undergo surgery. His recovery has been difficult, but its been helped by the constant presence of his wife, a home-health nurse who rarely left his side then or since. The staff at Dishman got her a bed of her own so she could remain nearby. Other than those Christmas lights, their home is devoid of holiday decoration. But the couple, who have been married for 10 years, seem to be in high spirits. I had seven broken ribs on the right side two ribs were broken in two different places, Burmaster said. I have a fractured pelvis, and there is a medical term for the bone, but theres a chipped bone somewhere in my right leg. Your acetabulum, Amanda clarified. And your knee. Both knees, but the right is really giving me a fit, Burmaster said. In addition to a torn meniscus in his right knee, Amanda Burmaster said, the rehab specialists suspect a rotator-cuff injury as well. When the bike hit, the front wheel immediately went left hard. Im still holding on to the handle bars so it just tore everything up in my right shoulder, Burmaster said. There were a lot of people at the scene that tried to help, Amanda Burmaster said. They rushed in, really trying to help him. Burmaster said the bystanders wanted to move him, and he knew it was a bad idea. I guess I was kind of upside down, and I dont know if my bottom was up on the car or what - I dont know what the contortion was. , he said. But I didnt want them moving me because I thought, If theres something really seriously broken then I want to make darn sure that Im doing the right thing here. Officer Bobby Rector, whod been riding with Burmaster earlier that day, heard about the accident on the radio and rushed to the scene. Once the paramedics got there a short time later, he left to find Amanda. The ambulance gets there and of course the first thing they want to do is cut my boots off, Burmaster said. And Im just like, Not the boots! Those are expensive. So I told them to just pull them off. But they had to have something to cut, so they cut my pants off, he added with a wry smile. His good friends Sgts. Howard Trahan and Eric Wilson showed up. At that point I started to relax a little bit. I know they would make sure everything would be OK, he said. Rector, meanwhile, was struggling with how to break the news to Amanda. Hes trying to tell her, Hes been in an accident, hes OK. She says, Well what do you mean by OK? and he goes, Well, um uh. Hes trying to come up with the right words and he says, Well, hes (grousing) about his motorcycle being damaged. Thats when I was like, OK. Hes OK, Amanda said. I didnt know if he was unconscious or had a head injury or what, but when he said that, I thought, Yep, thats him. Complaining about the damages to the motorcycle. When he started his outpatient rehabilitation at Frazier Physical Therapy in Silsbee, Burmaster said, the staff was pleasantly surprised She said, Man, for everything that youve been through youve come a long long way, and its because of Dishman, Burmaster said. They worked me pretty good. It was twice a day, an hour and a half each time. It was like clockwork. Theyre funny and easy to get along with and just a good group of people. I cant speak highly enough of them. Amanda Burmaster said everyone theyve interacted with has been amazing and supportive, from Singletary, who calls or visits every day, to fellow members of the BPD traffic unit, to everyone at the hospital and not just the nurses and doctors. I was down in the cafeteria and there was this guy - I never introduced myself or anything - but word gets around and apparently, he knew who I was, Amanda said. Every time Id go down there hed make sure to ask how he was doing. Burmaster was apprehensive at first, given that hed likely given some of his caregivers a citation or two. Sometimes the conversation isnt pleasant on a traffic stop, and I was a little concerned about that, he said. But all of the people who I had written tickets to were very polite and they laughed about it. It made me feel a lot better. His wife added, with a laugh: I think I would have jabbed a needle in a little to hard, but they didnt. Amanda Burmasters job as a nurse meant helping with her husbands care came naturally, but he was still full of gratitude. It was nothing to her. Its just what she does, he said, his eyes welling. But when you cant do anything for yourself, and she helped me do everything, Im so thankful for her. Im just thankful to be home for Christmas, he added. Were celebrating life. Burmaster predicts he will be back patrolling the streets, likely in three to six months. Id love to say Id be back on a bike in 60 days, but I think realistically itll be 90 to 100 days, Burmaster said. Its really improving every day - as far as the mobility and the aches and the pains I have - but I dont want to jump on that motorcycle and not be ready and push everything back again. So Im doing everything exactly as Im told. People have asked Burmaster if the accident has prompted him to consider retirement, but his response is always curt. He plans to work two more years. No, he said. No way. I have every intention at the end of 2020, but Im going to retire my way. I dont want to retire out on an on-job injury. I want to get back in the saddle where I belong and retire off the motorcycle. Now my guardian angels may ask for a transfer, but thats just the way its going to be. I think its the best job in Beaumont, I really do, he said. I mean, you get to experience the different fragrances each season as it changes, and every day is a different day. Most folks, theyre just really really nice people. haley.bruyn@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/HaleyWrites_BE A Co Tyrone construction firm facing legal action over alleged structural defects in school buildings in the Republic has reported a rise in pre-tax profits to 4.32m. Western Building Systems in Coalisland, which specialises in modular buildings in the UK and Ireland, said turnover had dropped over the 12 months to April 2018 from 37.22m to 34m. But a statement from the company, whose managing director is Martin McCloskey, also said pre-tax profits had increased from 4.15m to 4.32m. The business, which mainly focuses on the education, health and commercial sectors, said that employment had risen from 45 to 54. Directors described the performance for the year as "satisfactory, set against a background of increased competition and reduced margins". The accounts have not yet been filed at Companies House. The company added the outlook for the 2018/19 financial year is "encouraging" and expected to be in line with 2017/2018. In October, the Republic's Department of Education said it would be taking legal action against Western over alleged structural defects in school buildings. The department said "precautionary measures" would be needed at 22 schools. However, the company's projects in Northern Ireland are not under scrutiny. The NI Department of Education said most buildings supplied by Western in NI schools are "single-storey, modular classrooms rather than larger, multi-storey wings supplied via the so-called 'rapid build' construction system used in the Republic. Northern Ireland's popularity as a filming location is worth around 270m to the economy, an industry figure has said. The second series of the Channel 4 hit Derry Girls and the highly anticipated finale of Sky Atlantic's Game Of Thrones were among the highlights of a bumper 2018. In total, nine TV dramas and six feature films were made here in the last 12 months. Northern Ireland Screen chief Richard Williams said the industry is now estimated to be worth 270m. Game Of Thrones alone is estimated to have brought more than 206m into the local economy over eight series. The HBO show's legacy is set to live on through a tourism project. The 2018 roll call, which includes Mrs Wilson and Krypton's second series, were all filmed with funding support from NI Screen. Cameras also rolled on Dublin Murders, Doing Money, Death And Nightingales and Line Of Duty's fifth series. Torvill And Dean was shot on location here earlier in the year and will be aired in a prime time slot on ITV at 9.15pm on Christmas Day. However, it is not just dramas which are flourishing, but the animation sector too. Sixteen South's Lily's Driftwood Bay was nominated for best pre-school series at the 2018 International Emmy Awards, and took home an Irish Film and Television Award for best animation. Pablo from Paper Owl was nominated for a children's Bafta. There was success for local filmmakers, with The Dig, written by Belfast man Stuart Drennan and directed by Ryan and Andrew Tohill, winning best Irish feature at the Galway Film Fleadh and enjoying a North American premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival. Other independent films shot this year include Cathy Brady's Wildfire, Terry Loane's Agatha Christie & The Truth Of Murder, Aoife Crehan's The Last Right and Paul Billing's Angel Makers. Meanwhile, the sixth instalment in the Paul and Nick franchise, Paul and Nick's Big New Zealand Food Trip, broadcast on both UTV and STV to strong audience figures. NI Screen has focused on skills development and training to help the sector grow locally. This included employing 65 trainees in craft and technical, production, post-production, animation, gaming and VFX roles. The body also ran a new entrants' training course for 36 people and placed 12 undergraduates in animation and gaming roles, and launched two new schemes, Aim High 5 and an animation internship, as well as five other training programmes. Mr Williams said 2018 had been a fantastic year for the screen industries in the local region. "As we enter phase 2 (2018-22) we hope to deliver a minimum of 300m in direct Northern Ireland spend, a 20% increase on Phase 1," he added. A special short story: a woman in an unhappy relationship and her elderly friend both dreading being home alone at Christmas "Do you like my cushion?" said Heidi. Lara affected a look of interest. The cover was made from old ties machine-stitched together - cheap silk ones with repeating patterns of reindeer and plum puddings. Christmas Market, she thought, dismissively and in Alastair's voice, for it was exactly what he might have said had he been there. Nothing in Belfast was quite good enough for Alastair - not a bar or restaurant, not the Ulster Museum, not the Titanic Building ('who in their right mind commemorates a ship that sank?') - but the Christmas Market put him in especially bad twist. He'd have laughed at Heidi's cushion, or been snide about it. "So, do you like it?" said Heidi. Lara set it back on the faded settee and looked at it in a way she hoped appeared admiring. "Very nice... Colourful." "Marion my careworker lady Her little ones chose it. For 'Miss Heidi'." Lara stretched her arm so that her watch could peep out from under her sleeve. "I'd need to go " If you wanted to exit Heidi's, you had to announce the intention three or four times before she actually accepted you were leaving. And even then, she'd invariably come out to the front to see you off, keeping you talking while the driver glared, then waving in a guilt-inducing kind of way, as you were finally driven off. That first announcement - "I'd need to go" - it was like the initial reading of a piece of draft legislation in the House of Commons, done for the show of it and in the knowledge that the real work was still ahead and might not run to schedule. "Hitler," said Heidi, by way of nothing they had been talking about. "Did I tell you I heard him on the radio?" "Today?" It was conceivable. Just a few weeks back, she'd seen Sigmund Freud on Royal Avenue. "Hardly!" said Heidi. "No, years ago. When I was a little girl Eightnine, maybe, I heard him I mean, I heard him many times, but this particular time he said In the future, youth will rule. The young people will rule the world, the Fuhrer said. And I thought - the youth, the young people, that's me. In the future, I will rule." Lara set her half-drunk cup of tea on the occasional table, lifted her handbag and sat forward so that she was perched in her chair like a sprinter ready to launch. In a moment, she would say again that she had to leave. She was about to speak when she saw some writing in Heidi's uncertain hand on the back of a flyer from a double-glazing firm. Luxembourg - pretty girl, good voice. Germany - boys, novelty tune. France - elegant lady, very French Notes on the Eurovision Song Contest, Lara realised. Maybe the most recent contest, but just as likely the one from last year, or the year before. She sensed the loneliness that had motivated her downstairs neighbour to write them. Notes scribbled in lieu of a friend to talk to. Notes to consult when the scores were being given - Allemagne, deux points; Luxembourg, douze. Next time it was on, Lara resolved, she'd call down with a bottle of prosecco and some nibbles... Next time... For sure... "The young people will rule the world," said Heidi. "And he was not wrong. At night, when I cannot sleep (which is almost every night these days) I look out of my window and I see young people walking home - the boys full of beer and bravado, the girls, naked almost, hardly able to walk" Lara raised herself but Heidi was not done. "And in the morning, the bus shelter is smashed yet again; some paint spray on a wall." She sighed. "That's the young, ruling the world while the old stay indoors and keep their heads down." "I know what you mean," said Lara, standing up. She herself slept with earplugs and valerian, or with Ambient Sounds from the Equatorial Rain Forest. "Are you going?" said Heidi. "But you've hardly warmed the chair." Lara made an apologetic face. "I'm sorry, but I need to get to the airport." Heidi beamed. "Why didn't you say? Is it somewhere nice?" Lara laughed. "Oh, no such luck. No, I'm going up to meet a friend at the airport hotel before they fly on to Boston." "A friend?" said Heidi. She tutted in a disapproving but maternal kind of way. "Maybe that man friend of yours, the one who snores?" "That's the one," she said. "Some friend," said Heidi, "fitting you in between flights like a business meeting." "Busy man," Lara managed, sensing the old woman's gaze on her, feeling as though she were being judged and found wanting. "He's hoping to land a big contract." "At Christmas?" "The day after. Ordinary day there." "Give him up," said Heidi. "It's his work he loves, not you." Heidi sighed. "My mother always said, 'If you have to run after him, he's not the One. The One is the one who runs after you'" Lara smiled. Often, but especially over the past twelve months, she had sensed the pointlessness of her life with Alastair, their brief times together, the long, and lengthening, times apart, the sudden, unexpected invitations to lunch, or dinner, or Italy. It was like being held in a queue on the phone where they periodically reminded that you were important and valued. She'd been on hold so long that hanging up had ceased to be an option. It would be like calling time on hope, acknowledging that five whole years had been a waste, then resigning herself, and soon, to a life like Heidi's, on her own with the Eurovision Song Contest, and some tat from the Christmas market. They were at the main door of the apartment block by then. Heidi went to open it, then she stopped. "Oh, I'm so stupid! I've something for you... " "Oh, there's no need," said Lara. She could see her taxi waiting in the car-park with the engine running and wondered how long it might have been there. If it had arrived at the time she had booked it to arrive, it would have been there a whole ten minutes, the driver seething, surely, and with the meter running. "I can't let you go without your Christmas gift," said Heidi as she shuffled off back into the apartment. "But I've nothing for you..." Lara called after her, having discounted the idea of dashing upstairs to her own place and fixing a stick-on bow to a bottle of last year's liquid soap. Christmas presents were another Alastair no-go area. The unequal exchanges annoyed him. Two years ago, he had given his sister Mags fifty pounds in an envelope and in return received a framed photograph - "Herself and the layabout nephew at Torr Head." By mutual consent he and Lara bought each other nothing lest the value of their respective gifts fail to net off in the great Bank of Christmas Reckoning. "Here," said Heidi, handing her a box, wrapped in thin, partridge-in-a-pear-tree paper. "Merry Christmas!" "Thank you" said Lara. She shook her head. "You shouldn't have." She could see through the paper that it was the tin of amaretti she herself had brought Heidi from Siena at the end of June, a reward for having kept a watch on her flat in case the feckless young people took a shine to it. She planted a kiss on the old woman's cheek and made to go but Heidi clutched at her arm. "Give him up," she said, whispering. "If you leave him God will send you an angel" She smiled, mischievously. "It's what they say" She let go of Lara's arm. "And if he doesn't send you one, maybe he'll send one for me instead..." The airport hotel was decorated for Christmas - subtle trees, tasteful Santas, and, via discreet speakers, jazz trio versions of the festive standards. There were only a few people in the lobby. Alastair, rounder and more stooped than last time, had nabbed himself a corner table by the window and was sitting with a purple paper crown perched at an angle on his head. At first she thought he hadn't seen her arrive as he was occupied dipping a dessert spoon into a stainless steel teapot and seemed oblivious to everything else. But when she was almost at his table, he looked up. "I asked for a cup of tea and a pot of hot water," he said, "and she goes and brings me a pot of tea." He sighed. "I mean, how hard is it? CUP OF TEA" He pretended to drink a cup of tea, sipping it with his little finger raised like a maiden aunt. "AND A POT OF HOT WATER I mean it's not integral calculus." "Can I have a cup?" "But it's awful." He made a face. Tea where Alastair was concerned had to be just so. Also, toast and porridge. Stamps on envelopes had to sit straight and wine arrive promptly and before the starter. At the cinema, crunchers of popcorn and rustlers of sweet papers were routinely shushed or tutted at. What had once been endearing had lately become slap-round-the-head annoying. Or had she only started noticing what was always there. "I'll risk it," she said, taking the teapot from him and pouring. The tea splashed dispiritingly dark against the white of the cup. "I ate the biscuit they gave me," said Alastair. He held up his index finger. "One biscuit" "I've biscuits here," she said, tapping the gift-wrapped lid of the amaretti. "I'm fine," he said. "But you have one." "I'm fine too" Outside a plane lifted itself into the clear night sky. It climbed until it became a speck of light, indistinguishable from the stars but for the fact that it was moving. And then it was gone. "Wonder where it's heading." "Nowhere special." "Why not?" "There's only a few flights tonight - London Birmingham, maybe" "London's special," said Lara. She thought of a show at the Palladium when she was small, a baffling conjuror on the Thames Embankment, buskers playing Beatles songs when the Beatles were still new, her hand in her father's, that last winter of contentment... "Did you see Mags?" "Couldn't make it. Said it was too big a trek out here for just a bit of lunch. I'll pay, I said, but no dice." "Oh well," said Lara. Alastair yawned. "Oh well indeed." She spotted his laptop - perched on the side of the table, charging, purring softly like a sleeping, contented cat - and tried to recall if she'd ever seen him without it. "I'd a card from my father," she said, shrugging off her coat. There had been a card for her that morning, lying on the cold chessboard tiles of the communal hallway -a canary yellow envelope with an American stamp and her father's return address on a pre-printed sticker. The card itself was a print of Connecticut Hall in the snow. Alastair fished about in the tea-pot with his spoon. "Oh really... what did he say?" "From Dad, Debs and kids." Same as always. "And Debs is?" "I told you - Wife Number Three." "Trophy?" "Whatever." Alastair reached across and began to ease open his MacBook. "What will you do tomorrow?" said Lara. "Sleep. Then work." He flipped the screen fully upright. "I've my pitch to finalise." "And you can't take the day off?" "Why would I do that? Everything's shut. It would drive you to work." "Well, I hope you're giving Bob the day off." "Bob? Bob who?" He tapped the space bar and the screen lit up showing an unread message with a red exclamation beside it. "Cratchit." said Lara. "Bob Cratchit." Alastair smiled, his eyes still on the screen. "Tiny Tim can go take a running jump God bless him So, what about you?" He pecked out a sentence or two on his keyboard. "Tomorrow? Plans?" There was a whooshing sound to indicate that an email had been sent. "You know me - quiet," she said. Three days off; one microwave dinner per day; one sensible glass of wine to keep it company; three walks with her Fitbit. Then the office would re-open and things would soon be back to the way they were. Alastair looked up from his computer, glanced at his watch, then edged a key card for the hotel room across the table to her. "Give me a few minutes to tidy the place up, would you." He got up, groaning as he did so, and shuffled to the lift, his laptop under one arm, the plug trailing, the purple paper crown still on his head. Her taxi, white and faintly grand-looking, rolled up to the kerb. The driver stepped out, thirty years old, maybe, tall and solidly built, his hair black and cut close. Despite the cold, he was wearing a white T-shirt that set off his summer tan. "No luggage?" he said. He had an accent, eastern European, Lara reckoned, but maybe further afield. Sheepishly, she handed him the tin of biscuits and her coat, then he held open the door. Inside was warm and smelled of cinnamon. There was music playing glockenspiels and voices in a sparse, engaging rondo. Are you just arrived? he said as they drove off. Yes, she said, because it saved her saying more. For family? he said. an old lady I know, said Lara. From Vienna, originally. Vienna the driver said, wistfully. The hair on the back of his neck was a dark stubble. He wore a slim, gold chain, something she would not normally have liked but on him seemed oddly appropriate. His driving was competent and reassuring, not fast and flash. When they reached the traffic lights, they flicked from red to green as though they had been expecting him. Youve been there? No. But someday Me too. She watched a plane a shimmering dot in the sky that was either taking off or coming in to land. Any plans yourself? For tomorrow, I mean. God laughs at plans! he said. He slapped the steering wheel. This is what Ill be doing. All day? The whole day; the whole night! Isnt it dangerous? said Lara, picturing Heidis young people roaming the darkness like imps of mischief. Never. Never? People are always glad to see me, especially this time of year. Besides, I was in the army back home. Military service. A whole year of it Now Im for peace and love peace for the man, and love for the woman... She smiled, extricating her phone from her bag. There were three missed calls since shed switched off the sound... four now. And any number of unread texts. She pressed it to her ear and heard Alastairs recorded voice: Are you okay? Are you coming up or not? Weve little enough time as it is... It made her laugh out loud. Whats funny? said the driver. Just a voice message... my Christmas voice message... She sat back and let the cinnamon and the glockenspiel music drift over her, feeling herself slip into a kind of half sleep that lasted maybe half an hour and left her feeling rested and renewed. Thats a thing you must see, the driver was saying. He nodded to his left. The Titanic place. She yawned. The ship that sank, scolding herself for slipping into Alastair-speak. The ship that sank he said. And also all the ones that never sank. She looked at it, austere and illuminated, reflecting in the dark blue of the still channels around it, like a star briefly come to rest on a perfect calm. In the morning, Lara lifted the better bottle from the wine rack and slipped it into a Santa-stuck-in-the-chimney wine bag. She took her ready meals and a heat-up baguette from the fridge, unwrapped the box of amaretti and managed not to let the whole lot fall as she walked carefully downstairs. She would do it, she had decided. Spend the day with Heidi. Share what she had with her. Indulge her, all her old talk about Vienna in its twilight. Drink coffee from her dainty cups with the jugendstil owls, laugh at some bubbling celebrity on a pre-recorded Christmas special two sad cases, happy at last. Martin Tyrrell is a Belfast writer whose stories and essays have appeared in a number of publications including Verbal, Cadenza, Critical Review and the Dublin Review of Books. In 2014, his story Father Figures was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. He is a current grant holder under the Arts Council of Northern Irelands Support for the Individual Artist Programme. In our era of multiculturalism, perhaps the image of The Adoration of the Magi is quite apt: the three wise men who bring gifts to the infant Jesus are depicted as representing three different ethnicities. King Gaspar of Godolie hails from the region we now call the Yemen; Melchoir, King of Tarsis, is from a province of Turkey, and Balthazar, King of Nubia, would have travelled from Egypt-Sudan. Ever since the Christmas card was invented in the early Victorian era, the Magi has been a compelling image. Edward Burne-Jones's exquisite Magi tapestry - executed by the renowned William Morris in 1894 - has achieved iconic status, with its lush floral framework, its simple manger of wattle and thatch, the infant Jesus turned towards the Magi and the Angel (note the perfect feet) holding the light which has guided the kings thither. Burne-Jones, one of the brotherhood of Pre-Raphaelite artists which included Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Everett Millais and William Holman Hunt, had painted the Magi on several previous occasions. He was a man of religious sensibilities, but the image of the newborn babe safe in the arms of his mother may have had particular resonance for him. Born in Birmingham in 1833, his own mother died four days after his birth, and his gloomy father could never bring himself to show affection for the son who had cost his wife's life. Then, as a young married man himself, Burne-Jones and his wife Georgiana experienced the loss of a child through stillbirth (caused by scarlet fever in late pregnancy), which even in an era when infant - and maternal - deaths were not uncommon, was felt as a deep grief by the couple. As a youth, Ned Burne-Jones was sent to Oxford to be ordained in the Anglican Church and it was there he met William Morris, the arts and crafts pioneer, who became a lifelong friend and collaborator. Gradually, his vocation was transferred to art, especially after seeing Fra Angelica's The Coronation of the Virgin at the Louvre. The Pre-Raphaelites were Romantics attracted to Mediaeval and chivalric ideals, as well as to faith. The Arthurian myths, the stories of Chaucer and legends and fairy tales were also all part of their imaginative vision - a reaction against some of the brutalities of Victorian industrialisation. Burne-Jones was dazzled by John Henry Newman, and considered becoming a Roman Catholic, like Newman. But it was a step too far, especially as his wife was the daughter of a Methodist preacher, and in any case the attraction was probably more aesthetic than devotional. The Church of Rome was, to him, "a refuge of beauty" and the repository of the European civilisation that he had found in France and more especially in Italy, where he had been so smitten by the beauties of Renaissance painting. Ritual brought comfort, he felt. It should also shield the poor from the rich. Faith, for the Pre-Raphaelites, was essentially connected to beauty in painting, architecture, and ritual. Beauty, said Burne-Jones, "exalts the spirit". He disliked plainness and austerity in church design. These artists didn't always see a contradiction in upholding religious ideals while taking a mistress (or even, according to the biographer Fiona MacCarthy, perusing pornography), and to the stoical dismay of his wife, Ned had a passionate extra-marital relationship with one, if not two, women. The couple had decided to cease marital relations to avoid the risks of another dangerous pregnancy - two children had survived - which may have been a factor. Yet the marriage endured and at the end of his days Burne-Jones was surrounded by a warm extended family. All his life, he continued to produce stunning, vivid, brilliant religious stained-glass church windows, pictures of the Apostles - notably St Peter - the evangelists, saints and angels, as well as entrancing work based on the Sleeping Beauty legend, which he believed was an allegory of resurrection from death. His work was always adorned with the rich texture of nature: he loathed the "plundering" of the countryside, and would have fitted harmoniously into the modern ecology movement. Georgiana noted that women always liked his Nativity pictures and when he did his first major Magi and Shepherds with the Annunciation as a triptych for a Brighton church, she called it "by far the most important work he has ever done". The tapestry of the Magi came towards the end of his life and it brought together two aspects of Christianity he loved - "the Christmas Carol side and the mysticism." A young girl asked Burne-Jones if he believed in the story of the Star of Bethlehem guiding the Magi, and he replied: "It is too beautiful not to be true." He died in 1898 and, as so often happens, he and the Pre-Raphaelites fell out of fashion in the succeeding decades. It was the generation of the 1960s which rediscovered the aesthetics of the Pre-Raphaelites, with their pale faces and flowing locks. David Bowie considered Burne-Jones an inspiration and composer Andrew Lloyd-Webber owns one of the finest of all Burne-Jones collections. In art, he was a Mediaevalist - he often lamented that he wasn't born in the Middle Ages - but in politics Edward Burne-Jones was a liberal progressive. He was vehemently against all imperialism, opposed the Boer War and supported the Irish national cause. He felt a "Celtic mysticism" in solidarity with Ireland, citing his own Welsh heritage, and he much admired Michael Davitt. "Anything that comes on the English from Ireland they most richly deserve," he said, "for their insulting pride and bullying of poor Irish folk." Piquantly, much as he loved Christmas for its carolling and its mysticism, even in the 1890s he disliked its excesses. On January 1, 1896 he told his studio assistant, Thomas Rooke: "I'm so glad Christmas week is over - it's a horrid time - everyone so sodden and overfed children so spoiled and cross." So, not much changes! Edward Burne-Jones - a full retrospective of his work is at the Tate Gallery in London until February 24 Cora Campbell appeared at Newtownards Magistrates Court on Monday after she was found unconscious under the M3 bridge. A teenager accused of involvement in the vicious assault on Bangor pier was remanded into custody after a judge said the only way to protect her from killing herself with drugs was to refuse her bail. Refusing to release 18-year-old Cora Campbell at Newtownards Magistrates' Court on Monday after hearing how she was found unconscious under the M3 bridge, District Judge Mark Hamill said he had to act in her interests". Theres no way in the world that I will grant bail because these drugs are going to kill her and the only way to protect her is to refuse bail, declared the judge. Campbell, with an address at English Street in Downpatrick, is one of three teenagers accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to a teenager in an attack on April 20 which was recorded and spread across social media resulting in millions of views. A 16-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy have also been charged. Previous courts have heard claims that the victim was lured to the pier where she was allegedly attacked by Campbell and her co-accused, the two landing numerous kicks and punches. At one stage the victim had alcohol poured in her face and a male recording the footage can be heard encouraging the two to continue the attack. In court on Monday, a police officer recounted how paramedics were called to an unconscious female under the M3 bridge on December 22. A male who was with her told the paramedics she had taken heroin and lyrica and when they managed to revive her, Campbell admitted she had taken the drug Lyrica. As part of her bail conditions, Campbell was barred from taking or abusing both illegal drugs and prescription medication and the officer told the court police feared for the teenagers safety if she was freed again. Defence solicitor Andrea Reid said she had instructions to apply for bail, submitting the teenager could be freed to live with her mother in Newcastle which would remove her from negative peer influences in Belfast. Judge Hamill said the most recent breach was anticipated and tragically predictable and told the lawyer in no uncertain terms, do not ask me again for bail - Im not going to give her any more chances because shes going to kill herself". Campbell is due to appear again on January 4. Terrified neighbours called police after they spotted a man waving a gun above his head while threatening to shoot his dog, a court has heard. On Monday, Newtownards Magistrates Court heard how neighbours of 29-year-old Keith Crooks called police at around 1.30am on December 23 when they heard him screaming and shouting at his dog which had escaped from his home at New Line Crescent in Killinchy. A police officer described how neighbours reported Crooks was repeatedly coming in and out of his home looking for his dog, at one stage with a gun in his hand and at others carrying a knife. Crooks, the court heard, was allegedly threatening to kill it, to shoot it. Standing handcuffed in the dock, Crooks was charged with having an imitation firearm, two counts of having bladed articles in public, namely a 20-inch machete and a six-inch knife, and breaching a violent offences prevention order by having ammunition on December 23 this year. The officer, who said she believed she could connect Crooks to the charges, told the court that when his home was searched, police uncovered the two knives, a blank firing pistol and 30 blank firing rounds. She said police were objecting to bail amid fears that Crooks, currently on probation for worryingly similar offences, would either reoffend or interfere with witnesses who were caused a great deal of distress by the incident. Crooks defence Solicitor said alcohol had played a significant role in the regrettable offence, after he drank a bottle of vodka on top of his medication, but submitted that he could be freed to live with his mother in Dundonald. Refusing bail, however, and remanding Crooks into custody to appear again via videolink on January 18, District Judge Mark Hamill said he had managed to torpedo your bail and probably managed to torpedo your probation. Bus and rail fares are to be discounted in the New Year. Translink is continuing to discount fares into the New year to support Belfast's recovery after the devastating Primark fire. Business in the city was left decimated after the fire at Bank Buildings in August which forced the closure of 14 businesses and impacted footfall at dozens of others around the safety cordon needed after concern the building could collapse. Read More Since the fire millions have been pledged to support the city with a marketing campaign launched in a bid to encourage people back into the city. And Translink discounted fares to support the drive and will continue to do so into January. New Year discount fares include: A 5 Family & Friends ticket providing unlimited all day travel for up to 2 adults and 4 children across the entire Metro and Glider system from January 1 - 31 An Ulsterbus & Goldline day return ticket for the price of a single ticket after 9.30am from January 1 31; and A third-off NI Railways day return tickets anytime on Saturdays and Sundays from January 5 27. Translink Group chief executive Chris Conway added: "Were pleased to kick-start 2019 with a range of great value fares and encourage more people to choose public transport for their New Year journeys. We want to continue supporting Belfasts recovery and help local traders by attracting as many people as possible into the city centre to enjoy the fantastic shopping and hospitality on offer. Following a busy Christmas period, were looking forward to welcoming all our customers on board public transport with this New Year discount travel package." Tributes have been paid to a "courageous" Co Armagh primary school teacher who passed away after a two-year battle with cancer. Colette Clarke died at home on December 19 with her funeral service held in St Malachy's Church, Armagh, on Saturday on what would have been her 48th birthday. Colleagues and pupils from St John the Baptist Primary School in Portadown were among hundreds who attended the Requiem Mass conducted by Mrs Clarke's brother, Fr Liam McKinney. Special flowers were prepared to mark the significance of her birthday, with burial afterwards in St Patrick's Cemetery. Fr Peter McAnenly, administrator for St Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh, described Mrs Clarke as a "wonderful, wonderful young woman". "It's just such a tragedy, as Sunday marked what would have been her fifth wedding anniversary to her husband Noel," he said. "She and her family were very well-respected by the community. "The many people visiting the family home and the huge crowds attending St Malachy's were a testament to that." Mrs Clarke's ill health had initially forced her away from the classroom, but she had been able to return for a period this year to her school. "She was a very giving person and a girl of tremendous faith, that was a source of great strength for her," added Fr McAnenly. Throughout her extensive medical treatment Mrs Clarke often spoke out about the importance of donating blood, sharing her own experiences on social media. In July she posted a heartfelt message to thank the many friends, relatives and healthcare workers who cared for her. Tributes to the popular teacher continued to flood in on social media throughout the weekend. One woman commented: "Colette was an inspiration of courage and faith." More than 700 people have taken part in a protest in Co Roscommon calling for forced evictions to end. It comes weeks after a private security firm evicted an elderly family from their farm near Strokestown. The incident sparked a major police operation after a number of people were taken to hospital with injuries and a dog with the security personnel was killed. Some of the victims are reported to be from Co Antrim. Two men were arrested as part of the Garda investigation into alleged criminal damage and assault. The men were later released and a file is being prepared for the Republic's Director of Public Prosecutions. Two members of the family have since returned to the home. Hundreds of people took to the streets of Strokestown yesterday where public representatives addressed the crowd. Padraig A'Tailliura O Conghaile, from protest group Glor na Tuaithe (Rural Voice), said the public had been left angered at the forced evictions. "People are really angry at what is happening and this is definitely the start of evictions," he said. "The people are very angry about what the Government is doing to them. We must stand firm and the only way we will win is through people power. "We elected these people in and we can get them out. We paid off the bankers and yet they have thrown these people out of their homes. "There are thousands of homes in Ireland at risk of being taken over. It's scandalous." Speaking to the crowd, local councillor Ivan Connaughton said: "I am here to stand with the people of Strokestown and the people of Roscommon and Ireland. This is only the tip of the iceberg what happened here, it's a national issue. "I am asking the representatives in Dail Eireann to stand with the people of Roscommon and Ireland. "They need to implement legislation to ensure no person has to leave their home or farm in this country." Dan Hoban, from Republican Sinn Fein, said he had not "lost faith" in the Irish people. "I am proud of you all here today in support of the (evicted) family," he said, adding: "The power of the people is going to win in the end." Theresa May has hailed the work of the Armed Forces from Salisbury to Syria in her Christmas message to UK servicemen and women. Mrs May highlighted the work done after the Russian Novichok attack in Wiltshire as well as those serving further afield in her end-of-year message to those who will not be at home with their loved ones. She said UK forces had continued to demonstrate why you are the finest in the world. You should be incredibly proud of all that you do, just as the whole country is proud of youTheresa May From playing a vital role in cleaning up after a sickening nerve agent attack on the streets of Salisbury, protecting our waters and our skies from Russian intrusion and strengthening our allies in Eastern Europe, striking at terrorism as part of the Global Coalition against Daesh, and along with our US and French allies sending a message to the Assad regime that we will not stand by while chemical weapons are used, as they were in April on families, including young children, she said. Time and again, you have stood up to aggression and those who flout the rules-based international order. You should be incredibly proud of all that you do, just as the whole country is proud of you. Expand Close Prime Minster Theresa May switches on the lights on the Downing Street Christmas tree (Dominic Lipinski/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Prime Minster Theresa May switches on the lights on the Downing Street Christmas tree (Dominic Lipinski/PA) She added: Now as we approach the New Year, there will be new challenges ahead. But I know you will continue to meet them in the same way that you have always done. With courage, determination, resilience, ingenuity. Qualities that are as vital now as they have ever been. Detectives are examining a damaged drone found close to the last reported sighting at Gatwick Airport after two people held over the disruption were released without charge. The 47-year-old man and 54-year-old woman were arrested on Friday after a tip-off from a member of the public, while their house in nearby Crawley was searched. Sussex Police insisted the force was "not back to square one" after ruling out the pair - who made no comment as they darted inside their home yesterday morning - as suspects. Gatwick Airport has offered a 50,000 reward, through Crimestoppers, and another 10,000 has been put up by the charity's chairman Lord Ashcroft to catch the culprits responsible for the chaos, which affected around 140,000 passengers. Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley said he hoped the money would persuade someone to come forward with the vital clue. "We are actively investigating sightings of drone activity at Gatwick Airport following 67 reports from the evening of December 19 to December 21 from the public, passengers, police officers and staff at the airport," he said. "We are interviewing those who have reported these sightings, are carrying out extensive house-to-house enquiries and carrying out a forensic examination of a damaged drone found near the perimeter of the airport near Horley, which is close to the last reported sighting." He said there were some "persons of interest", but would not reveal if police were close to making any further arrests. Around 1,000 flights were cancelled or diverted after drones were spotted inside the perimeter of the UK's second biggest airport on Wednesday. Mr Tingley said there is no video footage available and investigators are relying on 67 drone sightings by witnesses. Asked about speculation there was never a drone, he said: "Of course, that's a possibility. We are working with human beings saying they have seen something." Separately yesterday, a technical glitch temporarily grounded flights at Birmingham Airport. Staff said the disruption began at around 6pm and was cleared around two hours later. A spokesman said: "Following the earlier air traffic control technical fault, Birmingham Airport has now resolved the issue and operations have now resumed." Ministers will discuss the Gatwick Airport drone drama in a Christmas Eve conference call as detectives examine a damaged drone in a bid to catch the culprits. A 47-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman who were arrested in the probe were released without charge after two nights in custody as police said they were no longer suspects. Sussex Police insisted the force was not back to square one as investigators probe 67 sightings and forensically examine a damaged drone found near the runways perimeter. Gatwick Airport has offered a 50,000 reward, through Crimestoppers, and another 10,000 has been put up by the charitys chairman Lord Ashcroft to catch the culprits responsible for the chaos, which affected around 140,000 passengers. #GatwickDrones | Gatwick Airport Ltd has offered a 50k reward through Crimestoppers, for information leading to the arrest & conviction of those responsible for the criminal act that disrupted flights. Reward will only be made if the information is given to Crimestoppers first pic.twitter.com/x9sBgxaj9z Sussex Police (@sussex_police) December 23, 2018 Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley said he hopes the money will persuade someone to come forward with the vital clue. Asked about speculation there was never a drone, he said: Of course, thats a possibility. We are working with human beings saying they have seen something. But he later clarified: We are actively investigating sightings of drone activity at Gatwick Airport following 67 reports from the evening of December 19 to December 21 from the public, passengers, police officers and staff at the airport, he said. Expand Close Police outside the home of a man and woman who were released without charge (Gareth Fuller/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police outside the home of a man and woman who were released without charge (Gareth Fuller/PA) We are interviewing those who have reported these sightings, are carrying out extensive house-to-house enquiries and carrying out a forensic examination of a damaged drone found near the perimeter of the airport near Horley, which is close to the last reported sighting. He said there were some persons of interest but would not reveal if police were close to making any further arrests. Around 1,000 flights were cancelled or diverted across three days after drones were spotted inside the perimeter of the UKs second biggest airport on Wednesday. A Government source said that the disruption at the airport would be discussed in a conference call on Christmas Eve, which ministers will be involved with. Mr Tingley said there is no video footage available and investigators are trying to confirm sightings from members of the public, police officers and ground staff, as well as forensically examining the damaged drone, which was found near the runways perimeter, in Horley, by a member of the public. But he explained the examination could be hampered by the wet weather on Friday and Saturday, which could have washed away evidence. Expand Close Passengers stranded at Gatwick (Isabel Infantes/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Passengers stranded at Gatwick (Isabel Infantes/PA) And he could not rule out the risk the culprits would strike again at Gatwick or another airport. Someone, somewhere knows either the perpetrator or perpetrators responsible for this, or has information relating to these incidents, he said. But secondly, our tactical response, should there be any more drone sightings, is still in place. Queen Elizabeth II arrives at Kings Lynn railway station in Norfolk, after travelling from London at the start of her traditional Christmas break, which will be spent on the Royal estate at Sandringham. The Queen has sent condolences to Indonesia after a tsunami struck the Sunda Strait, killing more than 370 people. An eruption of an island volcano sent a 20-metre-high wall of water inland, damaging houses and hotels. Undersea landslips from the eruption of Anak Krakatau an island formed from previous blasts from Krakatoa were recorded 24 minutes before the tsunami struck at around 9.20pm on Saturday local time. "Prince Philip and I were deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life following the devastating Tsunami in Indonesia," - Her Majesty The Queen. The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) December 24, 2018 At least 373 people have been killed and more than 1,400 are injured, according to the Associated Press. In a message to the president of Indonesia and the Indonesian people, the Queen said: Prince Philip and I were deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life following the devastating tsunami in Indonesia. We send our sincere condolences to all who have lost loved ones and those whose homes and livelihoods have been affected. I pay tribute to the courage and dedication of the emergency services and the volunteers that are providing support. Elizabeth R. The FCO has updated travel advice, saying people in the area should follow the advice of local authorities. It advises that before travelling to the coastal areas of western Java and the south of Sumatra, people should also check with their travel operator and monitor local media. The tsunami comes less than three months after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck central Sulawesi, causing widespread damage and killing 2,256 people. More than 70,000 homes were said to have been damaged, while communications, water and electricity infrastructure was also severely impaired. Queen Elizabeth II and Shylah Gordon, aged 8, attach a bauble to a Christmas tree during her visit to Coram, the UKs oldest childrens charity, to open the Queen Elizabeth II Centre at its base in central London. The royal family are at the heart of many Christmas Day traditions from decorating a festive tree to serving up a roast turkey. It is Queen Charlotte, the German-born wife of George III, who is credited with introducing the Christmas tree to the UK. Expand Close Queen Charlotte, painted by Johan Zoffany (PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Queen Charlotte, painted by Johan Zoffany (PA) She is known to have a decorated an evergreen tree for her royal family as early as the 1790s, using candles, paper flowers and sweets as was the custom in Germany. But the habit did not spread much beyond the royal family at that time. The Christmas tree was actually popularised by Queen Victorias consort Prince Albert, who presented large numbers of trees to schools and Army barracks. Expand Close A 20ft Norman Fir Christmas tree being decorated in St Georges Hall at Windsor Castle, Berkshire (Steve Parsons/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A 20ft Norman Fir Christmas tree being decorated in St Georges Hall at Windsor Castle, Berkshire (Steve Parsons/PA) In 1848, a print showing the royal couple with their children around a tree was published in the Illustrated London News. After this, the popularity of decorated fir trees escalated throughout society. Even now, the Queen continues Prince Alberts tradition by sending Christmas trees each year to Westminster Abbey, Wellington Barracks, St Pauls Cathedral, St Giles Cathedral and Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, Crathie Church and local schools and churches in the Sandringham area. Expand Close Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (PA) The Queen and her family enjoy a traditional roast turkey for their festive lunch. Henry II, who ruled from 1154 to 1189, ate boars head, pickled in brine and stuffed, braised and roasted, at his banquets, according to the Royal Collection book A Royal Christmas, which explores how the royals have celebrated Christmas through the ages. Royal turkey first appeared at the Christmas feast table of Henry VIII in the 1540s and became a Noel dish. Expand Close Portrait of Henry VIII by Holbein (Lauren Hurley/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Portrait of Henry VIII by Holbein (Lauren Hurley/PA) But its rise in popularity across the country in the late 19th century is down to Queen Victorias eldest son, the future Edward VII, for whom it was a personal favourite. King George IV was partial to a plum broth on Christmas Day, made using large quantities of port, brandy, madeira, sherry and claret, as well as beef and veal, while medieval monarchs dined on roast swan and gilded peacocks. George IV used to give his staff plum broth and mince pies at Christmas and on New Years Day, while Queen Victoria presented her household with plum puddings. Each year, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh give 1,500 Christmas puddings to members of staff, including those in the Court Post Office and police serving at the palaces. Expand Close The Queen gives 1,500 Christmas puddings to members of staff (Peter Byrne/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Queen gives 1,500 Christmas puddings to members of staff (Peter Byrne/PA) Traditionally the puddings are from royal grocer Fortnum & Mason, but last year they were reportedly from the Tesco Finest brand. According to A Royal Christmas, until the 19th century, gifts were actually exchanged on New Years Day, in a tradition dating back to the 13th century. Expand Close A Royal Christmas (Royal Collection Trust/Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2018/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Royal Christmas (Royal Collection Trust/Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2018/PA) The monarch would be given presents by their subjects, and then would reciprocate. The Queen also gives gifts to her staff, personally handing out the presents, usually vouchers, to long-serving members of the household. The monarch and Philip send around 750 Christmas cards every year, which will usually feature a family photo. The cards are signed Elizabeth R and Philip, and include their official cyphers. Family, friends, and members of the Royal Household are the recipients, but British and Commonwealth Prime Ministers, Governor-Generals and High Commissioners may also be sent one. The duke has a further 200 cards delivered to different regiments and organisations close to him. The first Christmas card was sent by educator and inventor Henry Cole in 1843 a friend of Prince Alberts, and the royal familys love of Christmas meant they quickly adopted the idea. Tugs manoeuvre the Kuzma Minin, a 16,000-tonne Russian cargo ship, as attempts are made to refloat it after it ran aground off Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth. A Russian ship has been held in a British harbour while inspectors probe a breach in its fuel tank. The 16,000-tonne Kuzma Minin will be moved by tug boats to a sheltered spot within Falmouth Harbour in Cornwall later on Christmas Eve as a precautionary measure. The cargo ship, named after a Russian resistance fighter, has been directed not to leave the harbour until repairs have been made after a Port State Inspection by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency confirmed a breach in one of the fuel tanks. There have been no reports of pollution but a follow-up inspection will be made before the ship can be released. The vessel has full electrical and engine power, and all 18 Russian crew onboard are said to be safe and well. A spokesperson for the MCA said the Secretary of States Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention and the Environment Group will continue to monitor the situation. The ship ran aground off Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth at about 5.40am last Tuesday in what was described as extreme and horrific weather before it was refloated during high tide. Police are continuing to investigate the attack in Kirkcaldy (Andrew Milligan/PA) Three people have been arrested over an attempted murder in Kirkcaldy. Three others were injured in a disturbance in Cawdor Crescent around 5.30am on Sunday with an attack on a 38-year-old man treated as attempted murder. A 42-year-old man was seriously injured, and a 31-year-old woman sustained minor injuries during the incident. They were all taken to hospital for treatment with the 38-year-old said to be in a critical condition. Police said two men, aged 27 and 35, and a 34-year-old woman have since been arrested in connection with the incident and inquiries are ongoing. Detective Inspector Paul Dick said: We are currently treating this as a targeted attack and I want to reassure the community that a thorough investigation is underway. A man remains in a critical condition as a result and anyone who may have information which could be relevant is urged to come forward as soon as possible. Those who can help can contact Police Scotland via 101, quoting incident number 1010 of 23rd December, or report information anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Paddy Ashdown in Comber, where he grew up Politicians in Northern Ireland have paid tribute to former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown. The 77-year-old passed away on Saturday night after a short battle with bladder cancer. Born in India, Lord Ashdown spent much of his childhood in Co Down. Naomi Long, leader of the Lib Dems' sister party Alliance, said she was deeply saddened by the news. She added: "Paddy was a genuinely inspirational and dynamic politician who I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet. "A great orator and enormously charismatic figure, he was always insightful in his analysis and forthright and passionate in articulating his views. "His was a lively and valued addition to any debate and I know he will be sorely missed by all who knew him and by those with whom he served in Parliament. "Paddy was a great friend to Northern Ireland, having grown up here, and a strong supporter of our peace process. We in Alliance always valued his input and support. "He was a true statesman of international stature and politics is much poorer for his passing." Lord Ashdown, whose real name was Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, was born into an Irish family in 1941. Daniel O' Connell, one of Ireland's most famous nationalist leaders, was an ancestor. His father was an Army colonel in the sub-continent, and when he retired he moved the family to a pig farm in Comber. Lord Ashdown joined the Royal Marines and served as a commando and in the elite Special Boat Service, spending the last years of his military career in Northern Ireland. In an interview in 2010 he said he counted himself "with great pride to be a Northern Irishman". In 2014 he said: "I am really sad I lost my Northern Irish accent because I lost my identity and a bit of my blood." Lord Ashdown was credited with making the Lib Dems a significant third force in politics during the 1990s. After quitting as leader in 1999 he was knighted and elevated to the peerage as Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon. He paid a lead role for the Remain campaign in the 2016 EU referendum. Current Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable said Lord Ashdown had "made a real mark" and it was "a hugely sad day". The party's former leader and ex-deputy Prime Minister Sir Nick Clegg said Lord Ashdown was "the most heartfelt person I have known". Prime Minister Theresa May said he "served his country with distinction" in both his military and political careers. "He dedicated his life to public service and he will be sorely missed," she added. Former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair said he admired the former Lib Dem leader "as a man and as a political visionary and leader". Former Alliance leader David Ford, who knew Lord Ashdown through the ties between their respective parties, said the former Royal Marine Commando "never forgot" his roots. "He kept Northern Ireland in his memory all his life," he said. "I can remember one day when I had the pleasure of flying in a helicopter past the house in Comber he was brought up in. He was as excited as a small boy to look down on that. "He certainly gave many good memories to some of us for his involvement in Northern Ireland. "As a Northern Irishman who played a role in different parts of the world, he never forgot where his roots were." Another former Alliance Party leader, Lord Alderdice, said that Lord Ashdown's death was a "big loss". "An irrepressible character of whom I have so many happy and amusing memories, and to whom I owe such a lot," he added. "But for now I am just deeply sad." Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie described Lord Ashdown as "a decent man with strong values". Philip Smith, a UUP councillor in Mr Ashdown's former home town of Comber, said: "His compassionate yet strong community-based liberalism brought me into elected politics some 25 years ago." Former Strangford MP Lord Kilclooney (John Taylor) said: "His early life was very much influenced by his life in Comber, Co Down. "He was always proud of his strong connections with Northern Ireland - hence he was called 'Paddy'. "His politics were not unionist and certainly not Irish nationalist, but I greatly respected his opinion. "I very much admired his role in Bosnia Herzegovina, a country torn apart by sectarian division." SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said: "I'm sorry to hear that Paddy Ashdown has died. A man who talked a lot of sense when that was a rare commodity." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Lord Ashdown would be "greatly missed". Former Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted that he had "seldom known a public servant with so much energy and dynamism." "The UK, liberal democracy and rational, moderate, cross-party debate have lost a great advocate," he added. A German journalist who was found to have made up information for numerous articles may now be charged with allegedly soliciting donations for Syrian orphans from his readers. The German magazine Der Spiegel said its award-winning former reporter Claas Relotius asked readers by email from his private account for donations to be transferred to his personal bank account. Der Spiegel said it is not clear how many people donated money, how much Relotius collected or what happened to the money. But the magazine said it will press charges and will work with prosecutors to find out the details. Der Spiegel announced on Wednesday that Relotius, 33, who worked first as a freelancer and later full-time, had fabricated interviews and facts in at least 14 articles. It has since fired him. People run away from the site of a clash between insurgents and security forces in Kabul (Rahmat Gul/AP) A sustained coordinated assault on a government building in the Afghan capital of Kabul has killed 29 people, an interior ministry spokesman has said. Most of them were employees of the department for martyrs and disabled persons, Najib Danish added. Another 23 people were wounded, including three policemen. Expand Close Flames rise from a government building after an explosion and attack by gunmen (Rahmat Gul/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Flames rise from a government building after an explosion and attack by gunmen (Rahmat Gul/AP) The assault began with a suicide bomber who blew up his explosives-laden car in front of the multi-storey building in an eastern neighbourhood of Kabul. Within minutes of the powerful explosion three gunmen, armed with assault rifles and explosive devises, stormed the building. For nearly eight hours they rampaged through the office complex terrorising employees. Expand Close Afghan security forces arrive at the site of the attack (Rahmat Gul/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Afghan security forces arrive at the site of the attack (Rahmat Gul/AP) Some of the employees managed to hide and police quickly evacuated 357 other employees, Mr Danish said. Witnesses reported hearing at least five explosions as police and gunmen traded fire. One of the dead was a police officer but the rest were civilians including two women. Sului Piew has been missing in Thailand for a week (Suphan Buri City via AP) Four elephants mounted by their mahouts have joined the search for a two-year-old boy from Burma who has been missing in Thailand for a week. They joined hundreds of rescuers to help comb through a sugarcane field for traces of the missing child. Expand Close Four mahouts and their elephants attend a prayer session with rescue workers before joining the search (Suphan Buri City via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Four mahouts and their elephants attend a prayer session with rescue workers before joining the search (Suphan Buri City via AP) Sului Piew, a son of migrant workers from Burma, went missing on December 17 when he went out to play near the sugarcane plantation where his parents work. Nimit Wanchaithanawong, the governor of Suphan Buri province, said Suluis family was alerted to his disappearance when his three-year-old friend told her parents that she saw Sului being abducted. The latest to offer assistance to the search operation are the mahouts and their elephants, who will scour the vast plantation for signs of life. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, a daughter of Dubais ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, left, meets Mary Robinson, a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former president of Ireland, in Dubai (United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation via AP) The United Arab Emirates has released photos of a daughter of Dubais ruler after friends and supporters say she was forcibly returned to Dubai after fleeing months earlier. The state-run WAM news agency carried a government statement saying the princess is at home and living with her family in Dubai. Expand Close Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, left, eats a meal with Mary Robinson, a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former president of Ireland, in Dubai (United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, left, eats a meal with Mary Robinson, a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former president of Ireland, in Dubai (United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation via AP) Her father is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubais ruler and the UAEs prime minister and vice president. The government said Sheikha Latifa met with Mary Robinson, former UN high commissioner for human rights and former president of Ireland, on December 15 at the familys request. Photos show the two women smiling in what appears to be a home. Expand Close Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, left, meets Mary Robinson, a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former president of Ireland, in Dubai (United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, left, meets Mary Robinson, a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former president of Ireland, in Dubai (United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation via AP) Sheikha Latifa had previously appeared in a 40-minute video saying she was imprisoned off and on for several years and abused. The release of the photos comes months after friends and supporters say she disappeared following commandos storming a boat carrying her off the coast of India after she fled the Emirates. Human rights organisations have raised concerns over Sheikha Latifas fate in the time since. A car that crashed into the entrance of the Crossroads United Methodist Church in Columbus, Ohio (Brooke LaValley/The Columbus Dispatch via AP) A car crashed through the wall of a church in the US during a service, injuring six people and shattering stained glass. Firefighters said the injured at Crossroads United Methodist Church in Columbus, Ohio, were treated for cuts and other injuries. The Rev Jay Anderson said members were singing a hymn when the car crashed through the wall. He said the wall just exploded and pieces of glass went flying. Expand Close The car is towed out of the doorway (Brooke LaValley/The Columbus Dispatch via AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The car is towed out of the doorway (Brooke LaValley/The Columbus Dispatch via AP) Mr Anderson said the church was unusually crowded because there was a special Christmas performance, with about 100 people inside. One woman who was sitting in a pew struck by the car said she slid across the aisle. The crash left a wide hole in part of the church. Police did not identify the driver or say whether charges were planned. Faced with a significant number of her own MPs, as well as all of the DUP, refusing to accept Theresa May's withdrawal agreement, which is backed by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) in Northern Ireland and the Ulster Farmers' Union, one wonders if the DUP lives in a "parallel universe" and in complete disregard of its own business community which survives to a large extent through trade with Europe? With the critical date for Parliament "rubber-stamping" the withdrawal agreement looming ever nearer, Northern Ireland and British industry need to put pressure on the doubter MPs by discrediting those like the DUP who oppose the wishes of their trade and industry and the majority of the people of our United Kingdom. Of course the one "damp squib" which has, apparently, produced doubts in the minds of DUP and others is the so called "backstop" where the focus remains on the EU agreeing to introduce guarantees which will avoid permanent links to the customs union. Of course the answer and solution could lie with the Taoiseach and the Dail agreeing to establish immigration controls on people travelling between the EU and Ireland of a similar nature to those currently under discussion in England. Surely that's not the end of the world for the Taoiseach or his citizens? Given the historic links Ireland has with Great Britain and the importance of her trade with the UK, there is every reason for the Irish Government to support the withdrawal agreement, if for no other reason than its own self-interest. Ian Beattie MBE Bristol In an age where we are, sadly, increasingly cynical, the thinking goes that Christmas is at best a hijacked pagan orgy, that of Saturnalia, and at worst a humongous hybrid of religious conditioning and monetary manipulation. Given the excesses in both celebration and in spending - for those who can afford it, that is - both arguments, arguably, stand up. For me, though, Christmas runs deeper than mere religiosity or economic stimulation, its origins profound, sacred and etched in our very psyche, with enough magic to go round the world, making its celebration something very special. Why Christmas came to be an almost global phenomenon - even for people who never set foot inside a church - has to be understood in context. And the context - which does predate Christianity by tens of thousands of years - is that December kicks off winter in the Northern Hemisphere. And, for most of human history, for nearly all our ancestors, winter spelt out not just the doom and gloom of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), but the salient fact that many would not make it to the other side of the Winter Solstice. They would, in fact, die. The darkest days of December past saw plunging temperatures that would chill the weakest and oldest to the grave and climate play havoc with hunters and gatherers, so it was, with so little fodder or warmth, in many ways the survival of the fittest. As TS Eliot puts it in The Journey of the Magi, "A cold coming we had of it..." In the birth, too, of Jesus, the Christ Child, there is the story of hope, of life, of renewal, of salvation. Those of our ancestors who did miraculously manage by fluke, or by fortune, to make it beyond December 21, that shortest of days and longest of nights, celebrated the survival of nearest and dearest by feasting on what morsels they had managed to forage, and celebrated like there was going to be no tomorrow, as so very often that was the case. Life for our forefathers was brutish and short, tenuous even. The majority of us, though by no means all contemporary humankind, are so detached from that notion today - when the cold means nothing more than mild annoyance and sometimes slippery roads - that it's hard to grasp how recent this was, and that this was the way of all flesh for virtually all of human history. Every year, you headed into winter with just enough stored food and fuel to get by. The old and the sick knew they might not make it through, and an especially harsh winter could mean that no-one would feel the sun's warmth ever again. Every year, you watched all of the plants turn brown and shrivel into husks, followed by an unrelenting darkness and cold that threatened to swallow you and everything you loved. Looking back at that scenario, even as recently as 150 years ago - little wonder Dickensian times are so entwined with many of the Christmas traditions still with us today - we can see how resilient we humans are: how innate is the struggle to survive that to live to the dawn of a New Year is cause for celebration, with a feast or festival, or just outright debauchery. Such celebrations went by many names over the millennia and everyone did it their own way, hence the variations on how Christmas is celebrated throughout the world, even to the point that it is not necessarily on December 25. Deep down, though, the message was, and is, always the same: "We made it through another year, so let's spend a few days reminding each other of what's good about life." No matter how black, white, male, female, Irish, English, tall, short, ugly, or pretty you have felt this year, you are part of a family that has been targeted by an unforgiving cosmos since its inception but has, against the odds, survived. We humans are an inherently heroic species that has spent about 99% of its short lifetime in dire circumstance. And if you see no Christmas cards telling you that, it's not because it's not true, but rather because there's little profit to be made telling you so. Despite the history lesson here, Christmas isn't special because of what it was, or where it came from. It's special because of what it still is: a festive gathering around the fire - no matter the means of celebration - that might well be the last time you see the faces of loved ones you celebrate with. That part of Christmas has not changed. There's always the empty chair on this day of days. This Christmas, statistically, some of you are in fact travelling to see your grandparents, parents, or siblings for the very last time. You don't know it's their last Christmas, of course - and if you somehow could know, you'd maybe do it differently. You'd try to stretch out those moments, instead of losing the day in a haze of alcohol. You'd spend a little more time digging up and sharing old memories and laughing about your collective past. You'd spend less time worrying about the gifts and the cost, and more about how we're really spending the precious little time we have left with one another. So, as you gather with family and friends - those you love - this Christmas Day, celebrate it with this in mind. You don't get many of these. Make them count. ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani anti-corruption court on Monday jailed former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for seven years on graft charges he says were politically motivated. The court found the three-time prime minister was unable to prove the source of income for the ownership of a steel mill in Saudi Arabia, Geo News reported. We are pleased to share Forward. our shared strategic plan to create public good. This is a targeted and intentional plan, with four strategic and foundational objectives, each with four initiatives. Because of the input of our community, Forward. belongs to each of us. We are not losing sight of our goal to redefine student success, and to elevate our commitment to research, creative activities, partnerships and external engagement. To accomplish these objectives, we must be efficient and effective and, above all, it is our people our students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends, parents, families and community members that power our University and help us achieve excellence. Forward. demonstrates our commitment to embrace our role as a 21st-century public university for the public good. While this plan builds off our momentum and will serve as our University's guiding strategy, it is not defined just by goals and metrics. It is defined by your actions. It is defined by our collective aspirations and limitless potential. It is defined by our journey, forward. Regards, Rodney K. Rogers, Ph.D. President By Michelle Harvey While celebrity deaths such as Tom Petty and Prince have highlighted the danger of fentanyl, the narcotic continues to be pervasive where people seek a powerful high. "When prescription opioids started declining, we had an addicted population of drug users with money in their pockets," said Dr. Travis Worst of Bowling Green State University's Center for the Future of Forensic Science and Department of Chemistry. "First they turned to heroin, which in competition with opioids had dropped in price. But drug dealers realized that fentanyl, which works on the same brain receptors as heroin, was easier and cheaper to put on the market." About a hundred times stronger than morphine, raw fentanyl is toxic and must be diluted. Unfortunately, so-called "dark chemists" sometimes experiment with different strengths with users as their unwitting test subjects, and sometimes to devastating results. Over the course of two days in April 2015, for example, 23 people in Akron, Ohio, overdosed on high concentration fentanyl. Nine of them died. Because the drug is quickly absorbed through the skin, its danger extends not only to users but to anyone who comes into contact with it. Consider some real scenarios: A police officer collects evidence at the scene of a crime, brushes some of the powder off his uniform and overdoses 30 minutes later. A hospital nurse cleans a room after treating an overdose patient and soon becomes ill. Over the past two years, Ohio has seen 17 occupational overdoses or adverse reactions by first responders and others exposed to the drug. The health emergency called for immediate attention. Through the Center for the Future of Forensic Science, BGSU was uniquely poised to address the crisis. Established on campus in 2014 in conjunction with the Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), the center was developed as a collaborative resource for teaching and research. Dr. Jon Sprague, its director and BCI Eminent Scholar, got the call in summer of 2017. With a Ph.D. in pharmacology and an interest in forensic science, Worst had been at the FBI's Counterterrorism and Forensic Science Research Unit, then moved to the Chemical and Biological Science Unit, created after 9/11, looking at hypothetical scenarios such as anthrax and rycin attacks. From there he went to the Ohio BCI and worked with Sprague on research involving drug chemistry. Worst joined BGSU in 2016 as the only pharmacologist at the Center. A year later, Noah Froelich, a junior from Sylvania who had come to BGSU because of its new Forensic Science program, was seeking to pair with a faculty member for his Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship. He approached Sprague, who connected him with Worst just as the call came to address the fentanyl issue. They got right to work. "We had a research paper from China on the subject and knew there was a way to breakdown fentanyl, but the chemicals they used were expensive," Froelich said. "We looked for commercially available products in the U.S. that might contain the active ingredient, sodium percarbonate (SPC), that we might want to look at. We found it in OxiClean, specifically the Versatile Stain Remover." Worst and Froelich designed a study to see if the laundry detergent would remove fentanyl from lab surfaces. They spread out varying concentrations of the drug, then scrubbed the surfaces after different periods of time with either OxiClean or tap water. Next, they swabbed the area for anything left behind and put the residue into a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer, an instrument that heats, vaporizes and separates the multiple components of a solution into its individual parts. The pair found that the majority of the time, the detergent removed all traces of fentanyl. The BCI promptly issued a bulletin to more than 900 law enforcement agencies in Ohio recommending that OxiClean be used in situations where the drug might be encountered. "This new scientific research is great news for Ohio's first responders, and responders across the nation, as we are all forced to deal with the day-to-day reality of the opioid epidemic," said Mike DeWine, Ohio Attorney General. "This is the kind of research that can make a difference for Ohioans, which we plan to do more of, alongside our amazing scientific partners at BGSU." Worst and Froelich subsequently published their research in the Journal of Forensic Sciences a real achievement for an undergraduate. With a double major in chemistry and forensic science, Froelich continues to do research with his faculty mentors. He's currently looking to find faster ways to analyze compounds modified by clandestine labs that produce illicit street drugs that are chemically different enough from controlled substances to be considered legal. "I really enjoy science and doing the research," Froelich said. "As the evidence gets better, the better our criminal justice system will be. There's less ambiguity, more bad guys go to jail, the innocent man is freed. It's fulfilling that I can help with that." Dr. Rodney Rogers is Bowling Green State University's new president. The BGSU Board of Trustees promoted him permanently to the post at its meeting Feb. 23. Rogers was named interim president in December 2017 and assumed the role on Jan. 1. He has a long history with the University, having served most recently as provost and senior vice president since 2012, and as dean of the BGSU College of Business for the prior six years. Rogers is BGSU's 12th president. He succeeds President Emeritus Mary Ellen Mazey. Megan Newlove, chair of the trustees, cited the University's tremendous progress and Rogers' pivotal role in that success as keys to his selection. "Rodney Rogers brings a wide range of talents and accomplishments to the position," Newlove said. "Under his leadership of academic affairs, enrollment has risen. The students we recruit are the most academically prepared in our history. Student retention has improved. Graduation rates are up. He's overseen the creation of critical new programs, launched our eCampus and Honors College, and improved relations with our faculty." Newlove added, "He has been an effective fundraiser for the University and has played an integral role in the planning and development of our new and renovated facilities. We believe the best leader for BGSU right now is already in place. We are extremely pleased that Dr. Rogers has agreed to remove the 'interim' from his title and continue serving BGSU." Rogers, who holds an MBA from the University, said he is honored by the appointment. "It's an absolute privilege to have the opportunity to lead my alma mater," Rogers said. "I look forward to working with our faculty, staff and alumni to continue to strengthen our University, provide an outstanding education for our students, and prepare them for life after BGSU." According to Daniel Keller, vice chair of the trustees, Rogers' BGSU experience and his understanding of the higher education landscape were also critical. "While BGSU is doing well, there are daunting challenges ahead for higher education institutions," Keller said. "The board believed that our next leader needed to have an intimate understanding of our University and a firm grasp of the challenges facing higher education, particularly in Ohio. We're counting on Dr. Rogers to turn those challenges into opportunities for BGSU and continue the very positive momentum that we're currently enjoying." Despite the challenges ahead, Rogers stressed that BGSU is well positioned for the future. "We are a much stronger University today, thanks to the leadership of President Mary Ellen Mazey," he said. "Our focus will be on continuing that momentum through the implementation and focus of our strategic plan. We have a solid leadership team in place to further elevate our University." A native Ohioan, raised in Kenton, Rogers is experienced in both academia and business. In addition to his MBA from BGSU, he has a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University and a B.A. from Ohio Northern University in music. Before completing his doctorate, he practiced as a certified public accountant for 10 years. Before joining BGSU, Rogers served as associate dean and director of academic programs within the School of Business at Portland State University in Oregon. He has taught financial reporting at various universities including Portland State, Case Western Reserve, Thunderbird: The American Graduate School of Management, and the Ecole de Management at EuroMed-Marseille in France. As a faculty member, his research focused on the ways in which financial analysts use information, strategies firms employ to disclose information to the marketplace and the institutional role of the accounting profession within capital markets. He was a Visiting Research Fellow at the Cranfield School of Management in England. In addition to his academic work, Rogers consulted with a variety of businesses and organizations including Nike Inc., Wendy's International, Starwood Resorts, The Standard, Vestas-America and Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. This included the design and delivery of executive education programs integrating the development of financial acumen with leadership competencies, which have been delivered in the United States, The Netherlands, China, Thailand and Canada. Rogers served on the board of the Wood County Hospital, is a current member of the board of directors of the Toledo Zoo and Aquarium, and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Council on Academic Affairs of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities. He and his wife, Dr. Sandra Earle, have two sons, Isaac and Spencer. Isaac is a sophomore at BGSU. Seguin, TX (78155) Today Areas of dense fog early. Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High 81F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy during the evening followed by cloudy skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. ACCESSIBILITY Report an Issue Accessibility Enhanced Pages BGSU offers alternative versions of all of its pages for our users. You can select the high-contrast version below to persist throughout your BGSU website experience. Accessibility Information Toggle High Contrast Events To individuals with disabilities, please indicate if you need special services, assistance or appropriate modifications to fully participate in events by contacting Accessibility Services, access@bgsu.edu, 419-372-8495. Please notify us prior to the event. Title IX Administrative Contact information Complaints or notice of alleged policy violations, or inquiries about or concerns regarding Title IX (sexual harassment) and procedures, may be made internally to: Lakeshia Dowlen, Title IX Coordinator, Office of Title IX, 207 Hayes Hall, Bowling Green, Ohio 43403, 419-372-8476. Inquiries may be made externally to: Office for Civil Rights (OCR) U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20202-1100 Customer Service Hotline #: (800) 421-3481 OCR@ed.gov Title IX Deputy Coordinators See It. Hear It. Report It. I taught myself how to make a website based on my YouTube channel, XVSound, when I was 15, Greening said. I would take music artists that werent that cool and find cool movie clips and chop them up and make footage to kind of go along with the song, almost like mood music. That channel started to blow up and to date that channel has 3.9 million views in total and has more than 10,000 subscribers. That positive experience got him thinking: How could he make this into a brand? The result was XVTech, which focused on web design and social media marketing. Greening quickly turned around three local clients, a juice shop, Chris Huff from P80Fitness Studio, and DJ BJ 3525 from Hot 107.5. His next client was a hydro light factory in Warren, Michigan, which sells hydroponic lighting for large indoor agricultural facilities. I developed for them a brand new website and an e-commerce system, Greening said. I also helped them map out a shipping logistics system to make their business more efficient. That business had made over $600,000 of revenue two months after launching that website. Then, I was like, OK, now I can actually make people some money. It was about this time that Greening enrolled at BGSU, which he said was perfect because, I wanted to get away from home, but not too far from home. And its a university my mother is really happy with, and only 90 minutes from home. Plus, there are few distractions. Once he arrived at the University, he decided to delve deeper into online marketing. Now, Greening Corporation United specializes in online marketing and rankings as well as public relations and content creation for law firms and large corporations. One of Greenings clients is Goldberg, Persky, and White P.C., a national mesothelioma law firm specializing in mesothelioma and asbestos litigation. He began to work with one of their managing partners while he was only 19. This firm had never run large advertising campaigns other than some TV spots, Greening said. Lane Clack is a nationally recognized mesothelioma lawyer and managing partner of Goldberg, Persky, and White. Having done hundreds of millions of dollars in legal case work, Lane was not an easy man to impress. It took months of hard work and dedication to bring their firm to top spots in Google and help victims of asbestos exposure get the compensation they deserve. He started working with Clack during his freshman year and signed a contract for $55,000 out of his Centennial Hall residency to develop and rank in Google a 5,000-page website and asbestos exposure jobsite database. There were a lot of multimillion dollar law firms outranking my client online, and, honestly, I didnt know if I would be able to do it, Greening said. But two months later, I was able to beat every one of them with the new website I built for the firm. I did their commercial, their press release content, I write their blog posts Im pretty much a full-suite marketing solution for them, and I automate the online presence of the firm. Since then, theyve expanded their website into other states and my company signed a new contract with them worth several hundred thousand dollars to begin to market the firm nationally. Donovan Greening has helped us dominate our Michigan and West Virginia markets, Clack said. From his digital marketing efforts, we have seen several million dollars in new claims being filed with our firm. Greening says he often feels like Bruce Wayne with two identities, being a full-time student while working to achieve his personal and professional goals with his company. Focusing on business and balancing business with school is very difficult, said Greening, who recently picked up a local Stanley Steamer franchise as a client. Within 15 minutes, I could be jumping on the phone with an attorney or another executive and I need to be a high-level consultant very quickly. But when I am back in my dorm, I get to be a kid again. Its very interesting, this double life Im living right now. Greening says its hard to connect with his peer group, and not just because he is working full time and earning a large income while also being a full-time student. He remains very career focused and doesn't have time for some college activities, which is hard for some of his peers to understand. In using SEO to get his clients to be highly ranked, Greening combines his computer skills with his business acumen. He says a lot of companies dont realize how important SEO is to their bottom line. If you get a Michigan personal injury law firm ranked high in Google for a keyword like Michigan auto accident lawyer, its very valuable to him and his clients, he said. Something like that is universally applicable to just about anything: auto insurance, buying a house, schools, online degree programs, appliances, whatever. Greening currently is seeking more law firms that would like to be ranked in the top spots for their state in a practice area of their choice. Companies have to design their websites with SEO in mind, and if they dont understand this critical feature, theyre going to miss out on a lot of business, he said. Most people are on their phones all day long and theyre going to do a quick search and go with whatever is the most convenient. Being on Page 1 is where they are going to turn to because they dont really second-guess those rankings. A lot of companies that deserve to be at the top are on the back pages because they dont really understand how people are searching for their products. Eventually, Greening wants to have a small, agile firm in which I work with some of the top brands in the world while at the same time doing something beneficial something that adds to the value of peoples lives and makes them No. 1. The networking hes done and the business connections hes made at the University have been priceless, Greening said. The upper-level connections Im making with people like President Rogers and others, I believe will really help me out, not only with growing my business but also in helping me develop as a young man, he said. Im still trying to find myself, but Ive solidified what I want to do and Im running as fast as possible to accomplish my goals. Ive not slowed down at all. Its cool making connections with faculty because just talking to them you learn a lot more. One of the best connections Ive made is with Dr. Gene Poor. I love that guy and really look up to him. Poor, the Hamilton Endowed Professor of Entrepreneurship emeritus, began the visual communication technology program at the University, teaches in the entrepreneurship program and is the founder of LifeFormations, which makes animatronic figures for museums, theme parks and other venues. Its taken me 50 years to have a student like him, Poor said. Hes aggressive, passionate, persistent and full of energy. Hes an amazing young man; one in a million. Hes so interesting in terms of how he thinks. I have him speak to my classes and its like having a 50-year-old business man speak to a bunch of 19-year-olds telling them about the world of business. Donovan understands things that most young people dont understand. He has a unique perspective about work and what he can learn from the University. He takes this whole experience very seriously. Greening would like to demonstrate to his peers that if he can start his own business and be successful then they can, too. My goal is to help Bowling Green State University become the school for young entrepreneurs, he said. If we could become the go-to university for entrepreneurs in the Midwest and beyond, that would be awesome. To learn more about Greening Corporation United, visit the company website. Bowling Green State University has chosen a Texas fundraising professional to lead its advancement and alumni efforts. Pam Conlin, assistant vice president for principal and major gifts at Southern Methodist University, will join BGSU on Oct. 8 as the new vice president for University Advancement and president of the BGSU Foundation. "Now more than ever, universities need strong philanthropic support to achieve their vision," said BGSU President Rodney Rogers. "As a public university focused on creating public good, we must increase our support for scholarships, professorships, facilities and programs. We are confident that, with her expertise, Ms. Conlin will be a strong leader for these efforts. Her immediate priority will be strengthening our engagement and outreach to successfully complete our Changing Lives for the World campaign." Conlin has worked in advancement and alumni relations at SMU since 1999, in positions of increasing responsibility. Most recently, she worked to develop and implement an aggressive plan for growth in principal gifts. Prior to that, as assistant vice president for university development, she played a key role in SMUs capital campaign that concluded in 2015, well exceeding its $1 billion goal. I am proud to join a university that is so committed both to its students and to creating public good, as the name of its capital campaign Changing Lives for the World expresses, Conlin said. BGSU has always had a strong reputation, and Im excited to help it achieve its mission. The move to Bowling Green marks a return to Ohio for Conlin, who received her undergraduate degree from Miami University. Mercy Health will serve as a key partner with BGSU and will provide clinical experiences for students and employment opportunities for graduates. Together the organizations will also explore ways to enhance the health and well-being of their communities through research, grants and other training opportunities. According to leaders of the organizations, linking Mercy Colleges strong, established programs and the clinical expertise of Mercy Health with BGSUs academic breadth and scope as a tier-one, comprehensive public university will benefit students and the state. BGSU students come from throughout Ohio and the Midwest, aligning with the service areas of Mercy Health, Ohios largest health care provider. This partnership is a great fit, said BGSU President Rodney Rogers. As a public university, we have an obligation to create public good. That meshes seamlessly with Mercys mission to provide health care and wellness services to all in need. Together, we can strengthen health care education in Ohio and better serve our students. Nurses and allied health professionals are absolutely essential for providing high-quality health care in this region, said Bob Baxter, president and CEO of Mercy Health - Toledo Region. Were already experiencing a nationwide shortage of nurses and the need is growing as our population ages. By working with BGSU, we can better meet that demand and enhance our ability to serve our patients and families in northwest Ohio and across the state. We look forward to aligning our mission with BGSUs and to continue reaching both traditional and nontraditional students for the betterment of our communities. Health care is such an important industry in Ohio and our colleges and universities must continue to innovate in order to meet the workforce needs of this growing sector of the economy, said John Carey, chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education. Pending final review and approval of the proposal, I look forward to working with the faculty, staff and administrators at BGSU and Mercy College on next steps in order to meet the need for health care professionals in Ohio. BGSU and Mercy Health have begun the due diligence process necessary to execute an agreement. The transfer, which would include Mercy Colleges nine degree programs and six certificate programs, is expected to take two to three years to complete. In the meantime, Mercy College will continue to serve its approximately 1,500 students. Mercy College and BGSU are deeply committed to ensuring the continued success of our Mercy students, said Mercy College President Dr. Susan Wajert. All current students, a record 1,300 in multiple degree programs in Toledo and 200 in an associate degree program in Youngstown, will be able to complete their programs of study. Given the breadth of BGSUs academic programs and its robust student-life offerings, well be able to offer more students a deeper, richer college experience. BGSU is committed to honoring Mercy College and the Sisters of Mercys 100-year legacy of providing quality education in nursing and other health care program disciplines, aligned with the mission of Mercy Health. According to BGSU, Mercy College faculty and staff will continue to be an essential part of program operations following the transition. We look forward to welcoming Mercy College faculty and staff to the BGSU family, said Dr. Sue Houston, BGSU vice president for academic partnerships. Their expertise and dedication will be absolutely critical to the success of our students and these academic programs. According to Baxter, changing market dynamics and declining reimbursement for provider-based nursing programs are also factors in Mercy Healths decision to pursue a relationship with BGSU. This will allow us to focus on our core business providing nationally recognized health care programs and services locally and across Ohio and Kentucky, Baxter said. "At the same time, well benefit from an expanded pipeline of qualified, highly trained nurses and allied health professionals by allowing BGSU to do what they do best preparing students for careers and life. For more than 40 years, BGSU had partnered with the former Medical College of Ohio and then the University of Toledo (UT) in a unique consortium for nursing education. Earlier this year, UT notified BGSU that it wanted to phase out its partnership. As a result, BGSU has been working to develop a full nursing program. When UT approached us about discontinuing the consortium, we both recognized that it limited our ability to meet the growing demand for nurses and health care providers, Rogers said. Adding Mercy College to BGSU gives us high-quality, extremely competitive nursing and allied health programs that we can build upon and grow. We look forward to building upon this initiative with Mercy Health and upon our partnerships with other health care providers to continue developing new programs to meet the workforce needs of the state of Ohio in health care. Any final agreement will require the approval of the BGSU Board of Trustees and the boards of trustees for Mercy College and Mercy Health. In addition, the Ohio Department of Higher Education, the Higher Learning Commission, the Ohio Board of Nursing, the U.S. Department of Education, and professional accrediting bodies for each of the accredited programs will also need to approve the plan. About BGSU Bowling Green State University is a tier-one, comprehensive public university serving more than 20,000 students on two campuses in northwest Ohio. The University has nationally recognized programs and research in the natural and social sciences, education, arts, business, health and wellness, humanities and applied technologies. About Mercy College of Ohio Mercy College of Ohio is a member of Mercy Health, the largest health care provider in the State of Ohio, and one of the largest health systems in the country. A Catholic health care ministry, Mercy Health employs more than 33,500 and provides nationally recognized programs and services at more than 600 points of care across Ohio and Kentucky. I really liked both experiences, she said. The culture was different at each company, but I learned a lot. It really reassured me that the data science field is where I want to go. Data science is a new area of specialization at BGSU, being developed by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. The field integrates math, statistics and computer science to prepare for the rapidly expanding need for data scientists. Veronica comes to BGSU with an unusually strong experience in computing and technology, said Dr. James Albert, Distinguished University Professor and undergraduate coordinator in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. She was a student leader in INTERalliance of Greater Cincinnati, a group promoting IT career pathways for Cincinnati students. BGSU is organizing a new data science club and Veronica is interested in being an officer for this new organization. Obviously, we are excited to have Veronica in our data science program. Historically, most jobs for data scientists have required a masters degree in computer science or a related field. Now that schools such as BGSU are offering bachelors degrees in data science, that requirement could change. The median annual wage for data scientists in 2017 was $114,520, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Employment of data scientists is projected to grow 19 percent from now to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Menendez, who is minoring in computer science, is a member of BGSUs Class of 2022, the most academically prepared class in Universitys history. There are more than 3,600 new students in the freshman class, which has an ACT average score of 23, SAT average score of 1,110 and average GPA of 3.46, also a University high. Another reason Menendez chose BGSU over other universities was the size of campus and the friendliness of all the faculty and staff she met during her visits on Presidents Day and on a Falcon Friday. I just liked the people; they were all really nice, she said. She also felt the size of the campus was just right, large enough but still intimate. I really like that because I came from a small high school, so its a good transition, she said. Menendez came to BGSU without really knowing anyone, but shes already making friends. I met some people in my residence hall, and Im really looking forward to meeting new people through my classes and extracurricular activities. By Marie Dunn-Harris 95 Not many high school students can say they received their associate degree just weeks after receiving their high school diploma. Thanks to Ohios College Credit Plus program, Kimble Arnold was able to do just that, and even more. The Monroeville, Ohio, native went on to complete his Bachelor of Science degree at 19 years old and was the youngest in his class to receive a bachelors from BGSU in December. It was a great opportunity for me to meet new people and have a lot of new experiences that I wouldnt have been able to have just in the high school setting, Arnold said. While a student at Firelands, Arnold worked in the Teaching and Learning Center on campus, where he tutored students in chemistry, math, biology, computer science and Spanish. Kimble created great memories for many of our student tutees, young and old, who credit him with their academic success in several of the science classes, said Brigitte Green-Churchwell, director of Student Academic Enhancement. For us in the Teaching and Learning Center, Kimble provided a great service that continued our quality reputation of academic support to our campus community. We are grateful for all the encouragement and tutoring expertise in science and math that he has offered the students of Firelands, said Alyson Wilson, senior mathematics lecturer. Arnold received his associate degree in science, highest distinction in spring of 2016. Because of the many credit hours he had already taken, he was able to complete his Bachelor of Applied Health Science degree with honors only a year and a half later. After receiving his diploma, Arnold was able to continue working at the Teaching and Learning Center while he applied to medical schools. Everyone at Firelands is rooting for Kimble and we are very confident in his future in the medical field, Wilson said. Arnold recently found out that he was accepted into medical school at the University of Toledo. Im going from being a Falcon to being a Rocket, so itll be interesting for sure, he said. Arnold isnt sure what specialty he wants to study just yet. Hes interested in psychiatry or anything related to allergy, immunology or radiology. Im going in with an open mind and let the specialty pick me, he said. Whatever path he chooses, his peers know he has a bright future ahead. Kimble is genuinely interested in the faculty and staff when he asks, How are you doing today? Wilson said. That's what will bring comfort to future patients he meets in the medical field. While Arnold moves ahead with his career, he will always remember the time spent at BGSU Firelands and the College Credit Plus program. Its been a wonderful opportunity, he said. Ive met a very diverse group of people and learned about differences between people that I wouldnt have met otherwise. Ohios College Credit Plus program is in its fourth year, and has had nearly 65,000 students participate. Public high school students who are interested in CCP can now notify their principal of their interest. The deadline for declarations of intent is April 1. A digital forensics lab is being constructed in 308 Mathematical Sciences Building, and Wu and Roy have received a grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a division of the U.S. Commerce Department, to support the incorporation of national standards into the departments digital forensics curriculum and teaching tools. Digital forensics is the other side of the coin from cyber security, said Wu, whose research has been related to software engineering and software assurance related to security. As Roy said, Its a post mortem, after youve been attacked. You want to know where it came from, how it was successful (what were your vulnerabilities they exploited that allowed it to happen), and where is the attacker now? Those are the three big pieces. Typically, the attacker intentionally or unintentionally leaves a few traces behind, he said. Since cybercrime has become more common, once a computer crime has been committed, police or the FBI now seize computers or other electronic devices and the digital forensic analysis starts. It begins with finding digital artifacts or proofs hiding in the computer or on the network, on the Wi-Fi router or in the smartphone. They will analyze a computers inner stuff, smartphones inner stuff and the network devices inner logs. Because this has become such a prominent national and international issue, the government is very interested in promoting high-quality study of digital forensics and has made financial support available to educational institutions, Wu said. BGSUs $56,336 NIST grant was one of only four awards totaling about $266,000 NIST has made this year to support standards education in undergraduate and graduate-level curricula. For example, for digital forensic reports to be deemed reliable and useful, all equipment should meet the standards set by NIST, and students should be trained in its proper use, Roy and Wu said. They are encouraging academics to apply the national standards to designing curriculum, so as to expose students to the relevant standards, Wu said. We need to know the major and minor requirements for a tool to be eligible to qualify according to the standards so we can design the lab accordingly and help students learn better and also be aware of those standards and those tools. Roy pointed out that although NIST is not widely known among the public, it sets and promotes numerous standards for many of the technologies of the United States, which all government offices and contractors should use. The grant application is open to all technology, not just computer science, and only about five awards are given nationally for all types, making the process highly selective and competitive. Receiving this grant is very important for us, he said. Students will explore the theoretical aspects of digital forensics, and through a series of laboratory exercises, will use digital forensics tools in hands-on activities that will illustrate the importance of employing standardized methods to the integrity of test results. Your students become more familiar with this so they become prepared for the workforce in the future, said Wu, who worked as guest researcher at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland, before joining BGSU. Roy was the first faculty member hired for the digital forensics program, about three years ago. His Ph.D. and research expertise are in computer security. He is also co-investigator on a separate, three-year National Science Foundation grant related to cybersecurity involving security vetting of Android apps. He manages $100,000 of the $500,000 grant, on which he partners with fellow researchers from Kansas State University and the University of South Florida. The proliferation of online apps makes it difficult to keep pace of security threats. In response, "Data-driven Approaches for Large-scale Security Analysis of Mobile Applications" investigates how to apply big-data analysis techniques to analyze mobile apps for the Android platform to accurately identify underlying security problems. We are asking, Is there any security vulnerability hiding in your smartphone? Roy said. The computer science department is collaborating with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation facility on campus to expand the curriculum in digital forensics and cybersecurity, said department chair Dr. Joseph Chao. In fact, the BCIs digital forensics officer is a BGSU graduate who changed careers from law enforcement to computer science, he said. If we have enough interest, digital forensics could become a new degree, Chao said. With all this publicity surrounding these issues, such as the alleged Russian hacking during the U.S. election process, this field will become even more important. The departments other two foci are software engineering and data science, commonly referred to as Big Data. Were focusing on these three areas as the most timely and important in the immediate and near future, Chao said. U.S. News & World Report recently released an inaugural list of the Top Universities for International Students. Bowling Green State University ranked in the top 75 of public universities offering resources to help international students adapt to and graduate from U.S.-based schools. As international students consider their U.S. university options, it is vital that they understand whether schools will offer them financial aid, English labs, housing and dining services during holidays, and other services, said Anita Narayan, managing editor of Education at U.S. News. This list is a natural extension of our mission with the Best Colleges rankings, which have helped students and their families make decisions about their education for more than 30 years. The Top Universities for International Students range from private institutions, such as Columbia University in New York, American University in Washington, D.C., and California Institute of Technology, to public schools, including the University of Virginia, Mississippi State University and East Carolina University. We have always strived to make our campuses welcoming to international students, and these rankings confirm that our efforts to help them assimilate to the U.S. and northwest Ohio are working, BGSU President Rodney Rogers said. Our faculty and staff are world class, and are committed to helping our students succeed here and in life. Through the dedicated team of the International Programs and Partnerships (IPP) office, BGSU offers its global falcons immigration support services, different programs to acclimate international students to American culture, opportunities to engage with the campus community, and the advising they need to succeed, said Dr. Marcia Salazar-Valentine, IPP executive director. Our team advocates for international students throughout their career at the University and welcomes them each and every day at our office at 301 University Hall, she said. To compile the list, U.S. News began with the National Universities in its annual Best Colleges rankings and then evaluated those that best support the needs of international students. Nineteen initial indicators were combined, in some cases, to create the six final indicators used in the analysis. These include graduation and retention rates for international students, availability of English as a Second Language programs and grant aid to international students. U.S. News developed the methodology with input from U.S. News Global Education, a company dedicated to connecting international students with the top universities in the United States. Prospective students visiting usnews.com/colleges and subscribers to U.S. News College Compass can access the complete data for all of the National Universities, including information on graduation rates, student life, enrollment and more. The new education initiative serves U.S. News' broader mission of providing trusted information and rankings to help students navigate their higher education options. U.S. News publishes annual rankings of the Best Colleges, Best Global Universities, Best Online Programs and Best Graduate Schools. The focus of the meeting was on role played by Traditional and Complementary Systems of Medicine (TM&CM) in the health care of people, with respect to combating non-communicable diseases and promotion of health alongside the modern medicine across the world with very low cost An interactive meeting on Globalisation of Traditional and Alternative Systems of Medicine with Ambassadors/High Commissioners of 15 countries was recently organized by ministry of AYUSH. The meeting was coordinated by Central Research Council of Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, New Delhi and was attended by Shripad Naik, Minister of State for AYUSH along with the Ambassadors/High commissioners of Bhutan, UAE, Cuba, Iran, Ghana, Hungary, Trinidad, Oman, Equatorial Guinea, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Switzerland, Mauritius, Bangladesh and The United Kingdom. The focus of the meeting was on role played by Traditional and Complementary Systems of Medicine (TM&CM) in the health care of people, with respect to combating non-communicable diseases and promotion of health alongside the modern medicine across the world with very low cost. Ambassadors, High commissioners and representatives from the participating countries acknowledged the need for diligent integration of TM&CM with modern medicine in combating Non-Communicable diseases to reduce the exorbitant health care expenditure for individuals and to the National exchequer. There was consensus in the meeting that all stake holding countries should come together to work for the globalization of traditional medicine systems for the benefit of humanity. For this purpose, it was acknowledged, induction of Indian Medical systems like Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha in the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) of the WHO would be desirable. The efforts made by the Ministry in creating Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani (ASU) morbidity codes and standardized terminologies in line with W.H.O guidelines for quantification and reporting of health services by AYUSH systems at national level through NAMASTE portal were also discussed. Last week, Vietnam Farmers Association and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development co-organized the festival. On this occasion, the ministry introduced the logo. According to the ministry, Vietnamese rice has been exported to 150 nations and territories in the world. Of these, Asian market accounts for 68 percent, Africa 15 percent and America 6 percent. Despite much export volume, the Vietnamese rice markets efficiency, competitive ability and development has been low. Vietnamese rice quality is not inferior to Thai rice. So the logo unveilment is predicted to help Vietnamese rice develop more firmly. The Ministry of Industry and Trade said that Vietnam now accounts for 15 percent of the worlds rice export volume. Vietnams export price has been higher than rivals such as Thailand, India and Pakistan by US$50-100 a ton. It averages $504.4 a ton this year, up 14.6 percent over 2017 thanks to the increasing export ratio of high quality products such as fragrant, sticky rice and Japonica varieties. Reports by the Processing and Market Development Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development show that rice export reached 5.8 million tons in volume and US$2.6 billion in value last year, up 21 percent and 22 percent over 2016. Rice harvest in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam (Photo: SGGP) In the first 11 months this year, it touched 5.6 million tons and US$2.8 billion. The rice volume and value are expected to reach 6.1 million tons and $3.1 billion for the entire year, a year on year increase of 5.7 percent and 19.6 percent respectively. Acting head of the department Nguyen Quoc Toan said that after introducing the logo, the ministry will register it with World Intellectual Property Organization and seek countries consensus on the presence of the Vietnam rice logo. Afterward, ministries and associations will work together to improve rice export regulations towards intensifying high quality rice export through official channels. The focus of the logo is a stylized rice ear picturing Lac Viet bird, the symbol of Vietnam known in the world. The ellipse shaped outline of the logo is also the shape of rice and the earth, meaning Vietnamese rice has been known all over the world. The green logo brings the message that Vietnams agricultural industry has been developing with clean, safe and environmentally friendly products. By THANH HAI Translated by Hai Mien Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on December 24, 2018 2018/12/25 Q: Reports say that the tsunami that occurred on the evening of December 22 at the Sunda Strait in the west of Indonesia, has killed at least 281 people and injured 1,016 others. Has China sent messages of condolences or provided assistance to the Indonesian side? A: Indonesia is a friendly neighbor of China. China has been closely following the tsunami at the Sunda Strait which has caused heavy casualties and losses of properties. President Xi Jinping has sent messages of condolences to President Joko Widodo to convey deep condolences to the bereaved families and express sincere sympathy to the injured and people in the disaster-stricken areas. We are convinced that under the leadership of the Indonesian government, the people in the disaster-affected areas will rise above the difficulties and rebuild their homeland at an early date. The Chinese side will provide assistance to Indonesia's disaster relief efforts as its capacity allows through the Red Cross and other channels. Q: Canada's Foreign Minister said over the weekend that Canada will press its allies to keep talking out about the case of the two Canadians detained by China. The Canadian Foreign Minister also said that she had discussed the conditions under which the Canadians have been detained with the Chinese side. Also last week, both Britain and the EU expressed concerns about the detention of the Canadians. What is your reaction? A: The Chinese side is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to the relevant remarks made by these individual countries including Canada and the US. China's competent authorities took compulsory measures in accordance with the law against the Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor because they engaged in activities undermining China's national security. The relevant departments in China have ensured their legitimate rights and interests in accordance with the law and offered necessary assistance to the Canadian side to fulfill their consular duties. We urge the relevant countries to earnestly respect China's judicial sovereignty. As for the UK and the EU expressing concern over the detention of the Canadian citizens, I wonder how they are involved in this case? Where were their voices when the senior manager of the Chinese company was illegally detained by the Canadian side at the behest of the US side? It is quite obvious that the human rights they are talking about have different standards when it comes to citizens of different countries. I also want to ask the Canadian side something. At the behest of the US side, it illegally detained the senior manager of the Chinese company who has violated no Canadian laws as the Canadian side itself has acknowledged. This action, which is far from legal, legitimate and reasonable, is what truly merits the name of arbitrary detention. The Canadian side cannot stop talking about its so-called legal obligations under its bilateral extradition treaty with the US. Does that mean that it can turn a blind eye to and trample on the basic norms of international law and international relations? Does that mean that it is okay for Canada to ignore its obligations in terms of protecting the legal rights and interests of Chinese nationals? We have all noticed that such moves by the Canadian and US sides have invoked severe criticism and strong opposition from people with a sense of justice in Canada, the US and other countries. The ugly nature and impacts of the Meng Wanzhou case cannot be clearer. Once again, we strongly urge the Canadian side to correct its mistakes, immediately release Ms. Meng Wanzhou, and ensure her legal and legitimate rights and interests. We also strongly urge the US side to immediately withdraw its arrest order for Ms. Meng Wanzhou. Q: The Daily Nation of Kenya recently reported that in a letter to the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), the Office of the Auditor General of Kenya raised questions over its Mombasa-Nairobi Railway loan payment agreement with the Export-Import Bank of China which uses the Mombasa Port as a collateral, revealing that Kenya could lose the port if it defaults in the payment. In response to this, the Office of the Auditor General clarified the situation and dismissed the report on December 19. KPA Managing Director Daniel Manduku told the media that there is no risk of losing the port. In fact, they will pay this loan ahead of time. What is your comment? A: Regarding the issue you mentioned, we have checked with the relevant Chinese financial institution and found that the allegation that the Kenyan side used the Mombasa Port as a collateral in its Mombasa-Nairobi Railway payment agreement with the Chinese financial institution is not true. The report you just cited said that the Kenyan side also has made clarifications on it. At present, the China-Kenya cooperation on the Mombasa-Nairobi railway is progressing smoothly. When cooperating with African countries including Kenya, Chinese companies and financial institutions will always conduct joint and thorough scientific study on the feasibility of the projects and then proceed to determine the construction and funding plans and scales to guard against causing debt risks and fiscal burdens for Africa. Q: In response to a joint peace statement by the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Arakan Army (AA), the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services of Myanmar made a peace announcement on December 21 on an immediate suspension of all its military actions in Northern Myanmar until April 30, 2019, and it will negotiate for ceasefire with ethnic armed groups. This development has been warmly welcomed by all sectors in Myanmar. What is your comment? A: The relevant ethnic armed groups in northern Myanmar and the Myanmar military released peace statements successively on halting military actions and reaffirming their commitment to resolving issues through dialogue and negotiation. This marks an important positive step in the peace process in Myanmar. China welcomes and supports that. Peace is what all ethnic groups in Myanmar aspire for. An early realization of peace and reconciliation in Myanmar serves Myanmar's fundamental interests. Dialogue and consultation represent the only right way out of the current issue. China, as a friendly neighbor, sincerely hopes that all parties in Myanmar could seize the trend for peace, act on the current important opportunities, meet each other halfway, and actively engage in contacts and dialogues so that Myanmar could realize national reconciliation, peace and development at an early date. China has been playing a positive and constructive role in promoting dialogue and reconciliation among all Myanmar parties at their request. We will continue to work with Myanmar to jointly ensure peace and stability of the China-Myanmar border areas and act as a staunch supporter for Myanmar's peace process. Q: We noted that the ROK and the US held the DPRK-related working group meeting on December 21. Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs of the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lee Do Hoon said that the ROK and the US believed that the period from now to the beginning of next year is the critical stage to establish a permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula and that they agreed to jointly promote the resumption of US-DPRK dialogue. The two sides agreed to waiver sanctions on such cross-border projects as railways and highways between the ROK and the DPRK. Stephen Biegun, the US Special Representative for the DPRK issue said that the US would not ease sanctions on the DPRK but it would still consider accumulating the mutual trust between the US and the DPRK. What is your comment? A: We have noted relevant reports. Since this year, there has been a big turnaround regarding the situation on the Korean Peninsula. Those hard-won progresses meet the shared aspirations of all relevant parties as well as the international community and should be cherished by all relevant parties. We have seen that the situation on the Korean Peninsula and the peace talks are at a crucial stage. The US and the DPRK are discussing the implementation of the consensus reached during their leaders' meeting. The DPRK and the ROK are also continuously promoting reconciliation and cooperation. We hope that the relevant parties can seize the opportunity, meet each other halfway, demonstrate goodwill to each other, advance the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of a permanent peace regime on the Peninsula in a coordinated way, address each other's legitimate concerns, continuously enhance political mutual trust and move forward the political settlement process of the Korean Peninsula issue. Q: The US has failed at its push to cap its share of UN peacekeeping funding at 25%. What is your comment? A: On December 23, the Fifth Committee of the UN General Assembly reached consensus and adopted a resolution on the annual contribution and peacekeeping funding shares of UN members for the period 2019-2021. The resolution maintained the current share calculating methods and sent out the core message that the principle of capacity to pay and multilateralism must be upheld, which is also China's consistent position. We welcome and support the adoption of this resolution by the General Assembly. We hope that all parties could earnestly implement this resolution to ensure a stable and predictable fiscal foundation for the UN. Q: Papers released by WikiLeaks on December 21 showed that US embassies in many countries have been buying spying tools. For instance, in August, the US Embassy in El Salvador requested a list of items including 94 spying devices, such as night vision cameras that can be installed in cars and the cameras masqueraded as everyday objects, including pens, lighters, shirt buttons, and glasses. The US Embassy in Ukraine has stocked up on covert radios and voice recorders, among other items. The release also highlights that the US Consulate-General in Frankfurt is a covert base for US hacking operations across Europe. What is your comment? A: I believe many people after seeing this piece of news will have the same question as I do: why do they need so many spying tools? What are they going to do with them? For whom and for what purposes are these items meant? Just a few days ago, the US drew some of its allies together to accuse China of sabotaging US cyber-security over a long period of time. These papers released by WikiLeaks just proved that the US who is so good at a thief crying "stop thief" is putting on the show again. I believe the PRISM case is still fresh in our memory though five years have passed. According to the disclosed information at that time, the US carried out massive spying and espionage activities around the globe. Its own allies were also targeted. The US still owes the world an explanation to that. Now with the new information exposed by the WikiLeaks, the US also needs to clarify it. I also want to remind these allies of the US that on the issue of cyber-security, they should not forget what they have been through just because time has passed and the wounds may have healed. Q: The UN General Assembly just adopted a resolution on members' financial contributions and peacekeeping shares for the period 2019-2021. China will become the second-largest financial contributor to the UN's regular budget and peacekeeping operations. What is your comment? A: The core principle of the UN in determining its budget contributions is the capacity to pay. China's total economic volume is huge, but its per capita national income is low and it still belongs to the group of developing countries, which serves as the main basis to determine China's capacity to pay. In accordance with this resolution just adopted by the General Assembly, China's contributions to the UN's regular budget and peacekeeping operations will surge substantially in the next three years, shouldering 12% and 15.2% respectively. This is a result of the increase in China's economic aggregate and per capita national income in recent years as world's second largest economy and a reflection of China's growing international influence. China is firmly committed to upholding multilateralism and fulfilling its financial obligations to the UN as a developing country. While contributing to world peace and development, we will also resolutely safeguard our legitimate rights. Meanwhile, we urge all countries to pay their shares for regular budget and peacekeeping operations in time and in full to support the UN in playing a bigger role in maintaining world peace and promoting common development. Q: Has there been a date set for the deportation of Sarah McIver, who is charged of working illegally in China? A: The competent Chinese authority will deal with it in accordance with the law. Q: Recently, some western media have been hyping up Xinjiang-related issues. Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reported that over the past one year or so, Xinjiang stepped up its program of mass surveillance, detention and assimilation of Muslims and relevant practices are being replicated in other parts of China with Muslim communities. What is your comment? A: First of all, I want to point out that with regard to Xinjiang-related issues, recently some western media, in order to fabricate sensational news, has played a disgraceful role and led to negative effects. They reported Xinjiang in a very irresponsible way either based on hearsay or citing false or fictional sources. We all know that respecting truth is the lifeline of media reports. Recently we have seen many scandals involving the western media in this regard. We hope that the relevant media can observe the professional ethnics of the press. I have to point out that some western politicians and media have made a fundamental mistake on Xinjiang-related issues since they have replaced the concept in a disguised way and defined the efforts China has taken to fight terrorism, uphold stability and eliminate extremism in Xinjiang as the actions specifically targeted at Uygurs or Muslims. Regarding this issue, recently, we have made quite a few clarifications and explanations. Given the recent hyping up by some western media, I think it is necessary for me to stress a few more points. First, opposing linking terrorism with certain nationality or religion is the consistent position of the Chinese government. Second, the Uygur ethnic group is a member of the big family of 56 nationalities in China. According to my information, in the early years after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the population of Uygur ethnic group was only over 3 million, and now it has increased to around 12 million. The vast majority of the Uygur people live in harmony with people of other 55 nationalities and enjoy a happy and contented life. You all know that quite some well-known stars in China are Uygurs. They are active on the artistic stage to carry forward the cultures and arts of the ethnic minority groups in Xinjiang and make these cultures and arts shine brilliantly on stages across China and through the media outlets. Third, as for the people affected by terrorism and extremism, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has taken a series of measures, including setting up vocational education and training institutions, to address both the symptoms and root causes. Steps have been taken to help those people learn languages, study laws and acquire skills so as to get rid of the control of religious extremism and return to normal life. This can be compared to the principle of "Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi" in traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions. Jun-Chen-Zuo-Shi, four kinds of herbs with different effects, can achieve the optimal result of treating the root cause of the illness, enhancing each other's effects and curing the disease and saving the patient after being used together as they can coordinate with each other. Facts have proven that the steps taken to fight terrorism and uphold stability in Xinjiang in the past two years have achieved positive and remarkable results. A couple of years ago, Xinjiang witnessed frequent violent terrorist attacks, but now there has not been a single violent terrorist attack in Xinjiang in the past 24 months and the sense of security of people of all ethnic groups there has been greatly enhanced. Fourth, you mentioned some US media reported that China has stepped up program of surveillance and installed a lot of surveillance facilities in Xinjiang. Installing surveillance facilities is a common practice in countries around the world to maintain security and stability. According to a research report that I once read, as early as in 2010, that was eight years ago, there were 4.2 million surveillance cameras in Britain, accounting for 25% of the world's total and covering the streets, alleys and expressways in almost all cities. There were about 500 thousand surveillance cameras in the downtown of London alone. The New York police also built a city surveillance system, where the surveillance devices targeting pedestrians and vehicles can be found in every corner of New York and the information in personal mobile phones is being tracked and examined. These surveillance cameras or devices are unconscious and unbiased. We cannot say that the use of surveillance devices in Britain, the US and other countries is unbiased, justified and necessary while the use of them in China is biased, discriminatory and unjustified. The surveillance devices themselves cannot discriminate and target certain ethnic group. Instead, they are used to deter bad people and protect good people. Why western countries taking these measures is protecting human rights while China doing the same thing is violating human rights? I think there is only one explanation: double standards are applied here. At last, I also want to point out that the measures taken by Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to fight terrorism, eliminate extremism and safeguard security and stability are useful, effective and positive explorations in terms of taking preventative steps to counter terrorism. We are willing to step up the exchange of experiences with other countries that are beset with terrorism and extremism so as to achieve continuous improvement. But we firmly oppose that certain countries' officials and media apply double standards on this issue, politicize and stigmatize the efforts and measures China has taken to counter terrorism and eliminate extremism, and viciously attack China's policies on ethnic groups and religion. We once again urge certain western countries' officials and media to abandon ideological biases, view the measures taken by Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to uphold security and stability in an unbiased and objective way and stay committed to showing a real China that is making progress and pursuing opening-up to the world in an all-dimensional, objective and all-round manner. PR Newswire CHENGDU, China, Dec. 23, 2018 CHENGDU, China, Dec. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- What will pop into your mind when the word "carnival" is mentioned? You might think of parade floats in Brazil, passionate dance in Cuba, or tomato fight in Spain. Yet in Chengdu, a southwest city in China, the answer is: food. On December 18, the 15th International Food Festival of Chengdu and 2018 Hotpot Culture Month of Chengdu-City of Gastronomy was launched in Chengdu, China. The food carnival will end on January 10, 2019. The International Food Festival of Chengdu is an important local food culture festival. Up to now, 14 sessions have been held to sustain and grow local cuisine scene. The annual event makes Chengdu an ideal place to enjoy food. As a highlighted food festival brand in Chengdu, this year's session comes with the theme "Food Culture-Inheritance, Innovation, Inclusiveness, Openness". Focusing on the development trend of global catering industry, the festival aims to shape Chengdu into an international food industry pacesetter and a visible cuisine city, and build a world-class food industry ecosystem. While world-renown Sichuan cuisine ranks top among "Eight Cuisines" in China, Chengdu is where Sichuan cuisine originated and develops. Early in 2010, Chengdu was rated as "City of Gastronomy" by UNESCO, the first Asian City that had received such an honor back then. At present, there are more than 100,000 catering stores and 600,000 catering workers in Chengdu. Last year, Chengdu achieved RMB 79.4 billion of sales revenue in catering industry, second only to Guangzhou. With strong industrial base and obvious comparative advantages, Chengdu has congenital conditions in both time and place for developing Sichuan cuisine industry. In 2015, Chengdu was identified by Ministry of Commerce of the P.R.C as a pilot city for optimizing the environment to promote the transformation development of the catering industry, Chengdu's Sichuan cuisine industry has since then embarked on a journey of rapid development. In recent years, Chengdu has launched projects such as the evaluation on Sichuan cuisine flagship store in building Sichuan cuisine "Five Famous (famous food, famous restaurant, famous chef, famous festival (meeting) and famous street (district))" brand system, the protection and inheritance of "time-honored brand" restaurants, the internationalization of Sichuan cuisine, the establishment of "Chengdu Sichuan cuisine overseas promotion center" and the acceleration of the development of "Internet Plus cuisine", and has set up "Chengdu Sichuan cuisine overseas promotion center" abroad to bring Chengdu cuisine originally on the streets of the city into an orderly industrial development track. Chen Xiaobing, an officer of Chengdu Municipal Commission of Commerce, said: "I think Sichuan cuisine has entered a stage needing industrialization and going out of Sichuan and China, and in the process of going out, it shall be industrialized." Market is the best witness to the industry. Today, Sichuan cuisine is no longer just a delicacy on Chengdu people's dining tables, and a large number of Chengdu catering brands are going abroad to make the world have a taste. The famous Chengdu catering enterprises such as Haidilao Hot Pot, Old House, Chengdu Impression and Sichuan Folk have opened hundreds of chain stores overseas. Sichuan cuisine is one of the most popular Chinese cuisines for overseas consumers, according to The Survey on Overseas Recognition of Chinese Cuisine organized by the Chinese Cuisine Association and the Global Times in 2017. Being recognized in international market, the mission as the origin of Sichuan Cuisine, and the responsibility as a world "City of Gastronomy", all these mean a bright future for the catering industry in Chengdu as it seeks to go global. Bian Jiang, Vice Chairman of China Cuisine Association, said: "We are witnessing an enabling role of food culture in boosting communication, understanding, and friendship among people of all countries, and it is important for Sichuan Cuisine to make greater efforts in overseas expansion." He also holds that the international development of Sichuan cuisine should be deepened continuously while focusing on the promotion of Sichuan cuisine's traditional culture. This can be done through building international brands of Sichuan cuisine, telling stories concerning Sichuan cuisine well in international languages, governmental coordination and promoting the interconnected development of Sichuan cuisine industry and other measures. "With the cognition, acceptance and love of overseas people as the start point and the purpose, for Sichuan cuisine, efforts should be made in adjusting cultural dissemination means, enriching presentation modes and adding international elements." Behind the "internationalization", lies the inheritance and innovation of Chengdu food's tradition and elements. "The hot taste should reflect its art while the numb its feeling." How to make "better" Sichuan cuisine, Lan Guijun, Sichuan cuisine master in Chengdu, emphasizes that innovation should be made based on the inheritance while adhering to the "root". Now, with the reputation and influence of the City of Gastronomy, and the ideas and modes of industrial development, food is bringing unprecedented opportunities to Chengdu in the context of open international view and economic thinking. At the food festival, there are a wide range of distinctive Chengdu cuisines such as Pork Lungs in Chili Sauce, Spicy Hot Pot, Hot Chuan, which are highly praised by gourmets all over the world. Chengdu food, is becoming one of the most recognizable symbols of the city. For Chengdu, behind the food carnival, lies not only the satisfaction of appetite, but also the confidence and determination of Chengdu food industry to go global. Image Attachments Links: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=327200 http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=327211 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/come-to-capital-of-pandas-for-the-international-food-festival-of-chengdu-300770569.html SOURCE The Organizing Committee of the 15th International Food Festival of Chengdu EURONEXT PRESS RELEASE REGARDING OSLO BRS VPS Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Lisbon, London and Paris - 24 December 2018 - Euronext, the leading pan-European exchange, has approached the Board of Directors of Oslo Brs VPS Holding ASA ("Oslo Brs VPS") to seek its support for a 625m[1] cash tender offer for all the outstanding shares of Oslo Brs VPS, the Norwegian Stock Exchange and national CSD operator, headquartered in Oslo. If its offer is accepted, Euronext, a pan-European group managing the national stock exchanges of five European countries, would be fully committed to support the development of Oslo Brs VPS and of the broader Norwegian financial ecosystem. Euronext strongly believes that Oslo Brs VPS' unique strategic and competitive positioning, including a global leading position in seafood derivatives and a deep-rooted expertise in oil services and shipping, would further strengthen Euronext's position as the leading market infrastructure for the financing of the real economy in Europe. This transaction, if completed, would follow Euronext's recent acquisition of the Irish Stock Exchange and would represent another key milestone in the delivery of the group's vision to build a consistent pan-European marketplace offering best-in-class capital markets services. Following an invitation to consider an acquisition of shares in Oslo Brs VPS organized by a group of its shareholders, Euronext has already secured support for the offer from Oslo Brs VPS shareholders representing 49.6% of all outstanding shares, through a combination of irrevocable pre-commitments to tender their shares in the context of the offer to be launched, and share purchases. As part of the contemplated transaction, Euronext would, as soon as practical, launch a NOK 6.24 billion (625m[1]) all-cash offer for the outstanding shares in Oslo Brs VPS, at NOK 145 per share, representing a 32% premium on Oslo Brs VPS's closing price on 17 December 2018[2] and 34% on Oslo Brs VPS's 3-month volume-weighted average share price. Euronext's offer will be subject to certain customary conditions including a short due diligence period, minimum acceptance threshold of 50%, regulatory approvals and a favourable vote of Euronext shareholders. There can be no certainty that a transaction will be completed. The company undertakes no obligation to update the market on the discussions. Euronext will communicate material information, if any, in due course. CONTACTS - Media Pauline Bucaille: +33 1 70 48 24 45; [email protected] Analysts & investors Aurelie Cohen: +33 1 70 48 24 17; [email protected] About Euronext Euronext is the leading pan-European exchange in the Eurozone, covering Belgium, France, Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal and the UK. With 1,300 listed issuers worth 3.9 trillion in market capitalisation as of end September 2018, Euronext is an unmatched blue chip franchise that has 24 issuers in the Morningstar Eurozone 50 IndexSM and a strong diverse domestic and international client base. Euronext operates regulated and transparent equity and derivatives markets and is the largest centre for debt and funds listings in the world. Its total product offering includes Equities, Exchange Traded Funds, Warrants & Certificates, Bonds, Derivatives, Commodities and Indices. Euronext also leverages its expertise in running markets by providing technology and managed services to third parties. In addition to its main regulated market, Euronext also operates Euronext GrowthTM and Euronext AccessTM, simplifying access to listing for SMEs. For the latest news, find us on Twitter (twitter.com/euronext) and LinkedIn (linkedin.com/euronext). DisclaimerThis press release is for information purposes only and is not a recommendation to engage in investment activities. This press release is provided "as is" without representation or warranty of any kind. While all reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the content, Euronext does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness. Euronext will not be held liable for any loss or damages of any nature ensuing from using, trusting or acting on information provided. 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For any request regarding the processing of your data, please use our data subject request form or email our Data Protection Officer at [email protected] Your personal data will be retained as long as necessary for the Purpose and will be accessible only to the extent necessary for this specific Purpose. [1] Based on an exchange rate of EUR 1.00 = NOK 9.97 as of December 23, 2018. [2] Which is the last trading day before Euronext submitted its offer to certain Oslo Brs VPS shareholders. 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 PR Newswire NEW YORK, Dec. 24, 2018 NEW YORK, Dec. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and The Rockefeller University have discovered a new use for a long-standing computational concept known as "blacklisting," which is commonly employed as a form of access or spam control, blocking unwanted files and messages. Using blacklisting as a filter to single out genetic variations in patient genomes and exomes that do not cause illness, researchers have successfully streamlined the identification of genetic drivers of disease. This method is described in the December 2018 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Science of the United States of America. In whole-exome sequencingthe process of identifying variations in protein-coding genes to determine the genetic underpinnings of any given illnesstens of thousands of genetic variants are identified, but only a few are deemed pathogenic, meaning disease-causing. Traditionally, in order to identify pathogenic mutations, scientists must sift through considerable amounts of data and remove genetic variants that are unlikely to cause disease, slowing down the process of genetic analysis and, subsequently, clinical treatment. To address this cumbersome process, researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine and The Rockefeller University investigated and subsequently identified a large portion of the non-pathogenic genetic variants, from which the "blacklist" was generated. Following this, they developed a program, known as ReFiNE, and a corresponding webserver that other researchers can use to automate the creation of their own blacklists. "Until now, there has been no viable published method for filtering out non-pathogenic variants that are common in human genomes and absent from current genomic databases," said Yuval Itan, PhD, Assistant Professor of Genetics and Genomic Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine and senior author of the publication. "Using the blacklist, researchers will now be able to remove genetic 'noise' and focus on true disease-causing mutations." Noting the data-centric society we live in, Dr. Yuval says efficiency is key. His hope is that this contemporary tool can be used by clinicians, researchers, and scientists across the globe to conduct genetic analysis more quickly and accurately, helping to accelerate the pace of genomic medicine. This work was partially supported by NIH grants: P01AI061093, U24AI086037, R18AI048693, T32GM007280, R01AI088364, R01AI095983, R01AI127564, and the Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Paper Cited: Title: Blacklisting variants common in private cohorts but not in public databases optimizes human exome analysis Journal: PNAS About the Mount Sinai Health System The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest integrated delivery system encompassing (with the addition of South Nassau Communities Hospital) eight hospital campuses, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai's vision is to produce the safest care, the highest quality, the highest satisfaction, the best access and the best value of any health system in the nation. The Health System includes approximately 7,480 primary and specialty care physicians; 11 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 410 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. The Icahn School of Medicine is one of three medical schools that have earned distinction by multiple indicators: ranked in the top 20 by U.S. News & World Report's "Best Medical Schools", aligned with a U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" Hospital, No. 12 in the nation for National Institutes of Health funding, and among the top 10 most innovative research institutions as ranked by the journal Nature in its Nature Innovation Index. This reflects a special level of excellence in education, clinical practice, and research. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 18 on U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" of top U.S. hospitals; it is one of the nation's top 20 hospitals in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Geriatrics, Nephrology, and Neurology/Neurosurgery, and in the top 50 in six other specialties in the 2018-2019 "Best Hospitals" issue. Mount Sinai's Kravis Children's Hospital also is ranked nationally in five out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked 11th nationally for Ophthalmology and 44th for Ear, Nose, and Throat. Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai St. Luke's, Mount Sinai West, and South Nassau Communities Hospital are ranked regionally. For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. SOURCE Mount Sinai Health System 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. OTTAWA - A timeline of the Meng Wanzhou case, and rising tension between Canada and China. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 24/12/2018 (1074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, talks with a member of her private security detail after they went into the wrong building while arriving at a parole office, in Vancouver on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck OTTAWA - A timeline of the Meng Wanzhou case, and rising tension between Canada and China. Aug. 22: A New York court issues a warrant for the arrest of Huawei Technologies chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou. Dec. 1: Canadian authorities arrest Meng at Vancouver's airport while she is en route from Hong Kong to Mexico, after an extradition request from the Americans. The news becomes public on Dec. 5. Dec. 6: China demands Canada release Meng and "immediately correct the mistake'' officials made in arresting her. The Chinese also say they were not briefed on the reasons for Meng's arrest. In Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Meng's case is part of an independent legal process with no outside political influence. Dec. 7: Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland says Canada's envoy to China has briefed Chinese officials about Meng's case. She declines to comment on suggestions from analysts and former diplomats that China will likely retaliate by jailing Canadians. In Vancouver, Meng appears in court, where allegations of fraud are laid out. The U.S. alleges Meng misled American banks in a bid to get around American sanctions on Iran. Dec. 8: Canada's ambassador to China, John McCallum, is summoned to a meeting with China's assistant foreign minister so the country can register complaints about Meng's arrest. "China strongly urges the Canadian side to immediately release the detained Huawei executive ... or face grave consequences that the Canadian side should be held accountable for,'' the assistant minister, Le Yucheng, says in a statement. Dec. 9: China summons the American ambassador to China to lodge similar complaints about Meng's case and demand the U.S. rescind the order for her arrest. Dec. 10: Chinese authorities arrest two Canadian men. Michael Kovrig, who was on leave from Global Affairs Canada, and entrepreneur Michael Spavor. Kovrig's arrest becomes public on Dec. 11. Spavor's becomes public on Dec. 12. Meanwhile, China's vice premier, with responsibility for the domestic economy, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin talk about the ongoing tariff battle between the two countries. Dec. 11: In the morning, Kelly Craft, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, tells reporters it is "absolutely false'' to assume a political motive behind the Meng's arrest. Later in the day, Meng is released on $10 million bail. In an affidavit submitted for a bail hearing, Meng, 46, details a lifetime of health issues, including thyroid cancer, sleep apnea and high blood pressure. The day ends with U.S. President Donald Trump telling Reuters in an interview that he would "certainly intervene'' in Meng's case "if I thought it was necessary'' to help forge a trade deal with China. Dec. 12: China's foreign ministry says it has no information about Kovrig, but says the organization he worked with the International Crisis Group was not registered in China, making its activities in the country illegal. The Liberals spend the day outlining how the extradition process will work, reiterating that it is an independent process. Trudeau reaffirms Canada's commitment to the rule of law, "regardless of what goes on in other countries.'' Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould says she takes her "extradition responsibilities and obligations very seriously'' and that the final decision on extraditions lies with her. Freeland warns 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. Dec. 13: Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer accuses Trudeau of taking a "naive approach'' to China, leaving Canada without "the leverage that we might otherwise have'' to resolve the situation. He calls on Trudeau to reach out to the highest levels of the Chinese government. Earlier in the day, Trump's trade adviser, Peter Navarro, says the arrests of the two Canadians were plainly a response to Meng's arrest: "That's the Chinese playbook and again the problem we always have with China is when we launch legitimate concerns over whatever it is, China comes back and does these kinds of actions.'' China's foreign ministry says Kovrig and Spavor have been detained on suspicion of "endangering national security.'' Dec. 14: Canadian officials are granted consular access to Kovrig, and McCallum meets with him in Beijing. Meng's case comes up during a meeting between Freeland and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, with the two agreeing that no politics be injected into the extradition process. Pompeo publicly calls on China to release Kovrig and Spavor. In an interview with The Canadian Press, Trudeau says Canada will shortly be granted consular access to Spavor. Dec. 16: Canadian diplomats in China are granted consular access to Spavor. Dec. 19: Global Affairs Canada says a third Canadian has been detained in China. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government has no reason to believe the case is linked to the detention of Kovrig and Spavor. The next day, China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying says the Canadian woman, Sarah McIver, received an administrative penalty for illegal employment. Dec. 20: Indictments unsealed in the United States allege two Chinese citizens targeted companies in Canada and around the world as part of a years-long hacking campaign to steal data. Dec. 21: Kovrig's employer, the International Crisis Group, says he has not been given access to a lawyer while in custody. A source familiar with the conditions of Kovrig's detention says he is questioned three times a day and kept in a room with the lights on continuously. Freeland formally demands both men be let go, calling in a statement "for their immediate release." Similar statements come out from the United States, Britain and the European Union. Dec. 22: During a visit to Canadian peacekeepers in Mali, Trudeau says countries around the world are "extremely disturbed" by China's detention of Spavor and Kovrig. Dec. 24: China's foreign ministry calls out the U.S., Britain and EU, saying the trio should be condemning Canada for Meng's arrest. Spokeswoman Hua Chunying says Canada should "correct its mistakes" and stop acting at the behest of the United States. She says Kovrig and Spavor's rights are being respected while in custody. OTTAWA - Western allies' support for Canada in its argument with China over the arrests of two Canadians on national-security grounds have made China "very dissatisfied," its foreign ministry said Monday. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 24/12/2018 (1074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Michael Kovrig (left) and Michael Spavor, the two Canadians detained in China, are shown in these 2018 images taken from video. People around the world are "extremely disturbed" by China's detention of two Canadians, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in Mali this weekend as he called for Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor to be released. Canada is communicating with China about how important it is to release the detainees, Trudeau said Saturday in reference to the two men taken into custody on security grounds earlier this month. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP OTTAWA - Western allies' support for Canada in its argument with China over the arrests of two Canadians on national-security grounds have made China "very dissatisfied," its foreign ministry said Monday. Spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the detention of Huawei Technologies' chief financial officer is a much bigger international offence than China's own arrests of two Canadians, including a former diplomat. After Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Vancouver on an American extradition warrant, Chinese authorities picked up researcher and analyst Michael Kovrig, who is on leave from Canada's foreign service to work for the anti-war International Crisis Group, and businessman Michael Spavor, who arranges exchanges with North Korea. In the last few days, officials from the United States and Europe have joined Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland's complaints about the arrests. Saturday, for the first time, Freeland directly demanded that China release the two. U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino called for their freedom on Friday. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was deeply concerned about a political motive for their arrests. A statement from the European Union said the national-security claim "raises concerns about legitimate research and business practices in China." Germany and France have issued similar statements. Hua suggested Canada's allies were being hypocrites and should turn their attention to Meng's detention. "Where were their voices when the senior manager of the Chinese company was illegally detained by the Canadian side at the behest of the U.S. side?" Hua asked in a regular briefing at the Chinese foreign ministry, whose transcript is posted in English to the ministry website. "It is quite obvious that the human rights they are talking about have different standards when it comes to citizens of different countries." Sources familiar with Kovrig's situation say he is been held without access to a lawyer, in a cell with the lights on around the clock, and questioned three times a day. Hua said Kovrig and Spavor's rights are being respected in Chinese custody and Canadian diplomats have been allowed to see them, as Global Affairs Canada has confirmed. Hua says Canada should "correct its mistakes" and free Meng. Meng is currently out of custody on $10 million bail, staying at a house in Vancouver and not allowed to leave the country. The U.S. wants her to face fraud charges over allegations she lied to American banks in an effort to get around Iran sanctions; law-enforcement officials asked Canada to detain her when she passed through Vancouver on her way to Mexico. However it ends up, the extradition process could take years. "Canada cannot stop talking about its so-called legal obligations under its bilateral extradition treaty with the U.S.," Hua said. "Does that mean it can turn a blind eye to and trample on the basis norms (sic) of international law and international relations?" Hua also took a question about a third Canadian, Albertan Sarah McIver, who has reportedly been detained in China over a visa problem. Canada has said it doesn't believe her arrest is related to the other two. Asked when McIver will be deported, Hua said: "The competent Chinese authority will deal with it in accordance with law." Hua said last week that McIver had been sentenced to an administrative punishment, without specifying what that meant. OTTAWA - Unless you really hurry, sending a letter to Santa for next Christmas will cost you a nickel more. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 24/12/2018 (1074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Canada Post says the cost for an individual stamp on a letter sent within Canada will cost $1.05, instead of a loonie. Other increases range between a dime to 35 cents depending on the size of the letter being sent within the country. Canada Post employee Shelly Paul delivers the mail in snowy Water Valley, Alta., Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh OTTAWA - Unless you really hurry, sending a letter to Santa for next Christmas will cost you a nickel more. Starting Jan. 14, Canada Post says the cost for an individual stamp on a letter sent within Canada will be $1.05, instead of a loonie. Other increases for mail within the country range between a dime and 35 cents depending on the size of the letter. The cost of sending letters to the United States will go up between seven and 20 cents, while overseas mail will need an extra 15 to 20 cents to get there. The new rates are the first increase since March 2014. Canada Post says the increases should generate $26 million in revenues for the postal service, of which $11 million will come from consumers and the remaining $15 million from small and medium-sized businesses. Regulatory text posted online Monday estimates that the new rates will cost the average Canadian household about 65 cents next year. The average cost for small businesses that use stamps to pay postage will be about $14.21. Canada Post has long pointed to declines in letter mail as more Canadians opt to send emails instead of a written note. The regulatory text says that letter mail volume has almost been cut in half since 2006 about two billion letters and along with it revenue for the Crown corporation. Federal rules require Canada Post to set postage rates that are fair, reasonable and enough to help defray the costs of operation. "Given the current rate at which letter mail volumes are declining and the other financial pressures faced by Canada Post, it may no longer generate sufficient revenue to meet its service obligations in the future without regular changes in its rate structure," says a posting in the Canada Gazette, a government publication detailing new federal rules and regulations. In late November, Canada Post said it expects to finish its fiscal year with a loss. The postal service was ordered in September to increase pay for suburban and rural postal employees by 25 per cent, which the agency said would cost $550 million by the end of the year, including a charge of $130 million that was put on its books in the final quarter of 2017. Postal workers went on rotating strikes in late October, but about a month later the Liberals legislated an end to job action after Canada Post complained that a backlog of parcels had reached historic levels ahead of the crucial holiday shopping period. Managing to get 149,000 travellers through an airport during Christmas season is no mean feat - but Cork Airport duty manager Kevin Cotter is insistent he has got as good a team as Santas elves and reindeer to pull it off, writes Padraig Hoare. The numbers forecasted to arrive and depart at Cork Airport over the Christmas and New Year period are up 3.5% compared with the same time last year, and its all shoulders to the wheel during a frenetic time, according to Mr Cotter. The team will be making sure families reunite right up to this evening, when the last Christmas Eve flight arrives from Birmingham. Imagine the busiest period of the summer holidays, and condense it all into a couple of weeks. Thats Christmas at Cork Airport. People have been arriving home for a couple of weeks, some coming all the way from Australia. Friday was our busiest day, it was all hands on deck. Yes, it is very busy but when you see the magic that happens when grandchildren meet grandparents for the first time having come from Australia, or mothers and fathers hugging their children, or reuniting brothers and sisters, then you think we are in a very privileged position to help make it happen. Its a wonderful time, and our staff more than play their part. We are very proud of them all. Each year the planning begins in earnest just a little earlier than the year before, as Cork Airport grows and grows. It can be months in advance. Well have an idea from the airlines in August, and that is usually pretty accurate. We firm up the details as we then go along. We have learned to be proactive rather than reactive in recent years, and the planning is down to a tee. Everyone knows their role and what it going to be required, said Mr Cotter. Over 2.4 million passengers will pass through Cork Airport in 2018, its third consecutive year of growth, and this will rise again in 2019 by a further 7% to 2.6 million. In June 2017, Cork Airport was named Airport Council International (ACI) Best Airport in Europe in its class , serving under five million passengers, and has been lauded as one of the worlds friendliest airports. The growth at Cork Airport has seen extended routes and services added this winter season, including Ryanairs new winter service to Faro, Portugal, along with its London Luton route. Aer Lingus has added capacity with its new Lisbon route, which started in October, as well as extending its Tenerife service to a twice weekly frequency. It means families leaving Cork as well as coming home, Mr Cotter said. People are using the Christmas period more and more to take family holidays. It can be very expensive in summer, so we are seeing more and more people fly to the likes of Lisbon. Its a holiday not likely to be forgotten by those families, and we are there to make the beginning of it as comfortable as possible. There will even be a crew working on Christmas Day, with a helicopter flight due to take off. Midnight on Christmas night, and the cycle begins again for the dedicated staff. The first departure for Amsterdam takes off at 6am on St Stephens Day. Ill be here today, but home with my family for Santa in the morning and for Christmas dinner in the afternoon. Then its back up that night. Yes, there are sacrifices to be made by our staff, but knowing what they are doing to help families all over the region to have a good Christmas makes it worthwhile for them. I could not speak highly enough of the dedication and professionalism of the team in Cork Airport, they are second to none anywhere. Cork Airport is hosting over 30 school and adult choirs gospel, traditional and orchestral to get people into the festive mood throughout December. The festive atmosphere helps keep the staff morale up during the busy season. Mr Cotter said: To have more than 30 choirs full of children and adults is fantastic. We have seen them brighten the halls every day, and when you see people waiting start to sing along and dance, then it really brings home what Christmas is all about. In the Kitchen with Video Series Join Darina Allen for Stir It Up Sunday and cook along with her as she makes her mothers plum pudding recipe. She also makes Mrs Hanrahans sauce - a recipe that is so delicious that Darina says people ask for more plum pudding just so they can have more sauce! Join Darina Allen as she makes her mother's plum pudding with Mrs Hanrahan's sauce. Homeless campaigner Fr Peter McVerry says the Government should be building more homes not hostels to address the homeless crisis. Any 12-year-old can tell you that the current strategy is not working, he told the Pat Kenny show on Newstalk. Any business that kept getting worse results every month for two and a half years would know that their business plan was not working, he said. They should be building more homes not hostels which are only a solution for the problem of rough sleepers. Fr McVerry said there is a need to respect the privacy and dignity of homeless people. He called for the provision of single rooms for people accessing services. Nobody is listening, they keep building dormitories. Thats a political solution so they can say beds are available, but people dont want to use them. He said that the most frequent complaint he got from people is that their personal items had been stolen. People were reluctant to sleep in dormitories because of problems with drink and drugs. Sleeping with their shoes on was not enough as frequently their shoes were stolen from their feet while they were sleeping, he explained. People sometimes slept with their shoes and items under their pillow. Fr McVerry pointed out that in 2009 his organisation provided beds every night for 57 people, in 2018 that figure was 1,200 and he expects it will be up to 1,600 next year. The numbers of homeless people has shot through the roof. Years ago I warned of a tsunami of homeless people and politicians laughed at me. I thought it might rise to 5,000, now that figure is 10,000. He said it was obscene to have buildings sitting empty in the middle of a crisis. He did not understand why Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) could not be used to return the buildings to use as homes. CPOs had been used to acquire land for the building of a ring road around Galway, he pointed out, but they could not be used to purchase empty houses, why was this he asked? The budget for the Fr Peter McVerry Trust in 2018 was 28million he said, 8million of which they had to raise themselves. For 2019 it will be 33million of which 20million will be provided by the State and the remainder will be raised by the organisation. When asked his hopes for 2019 he replied: to go out of business. Meanwhile, almost 4,000 children will be without a home this Christmas. The homeless crisis has shown no signs of slowing down this year with almost 10 thousand people staying in emergency accommodation this week. Dr Sharon Lambert from UCC has worked with many homeless people. She says one mother had to invent a way to calm her autistic son, when they change hotels. "Because they have to move so often she had to devise her own strategy for dealing with that which is she gets her son to enter the hotel room backwards so that he is slowly introduced to the new environment but he would spend the first 24 hours banging his head against the wall because he is so distressed by the change." A teenage boy who was told his cancer in the skull was terminal in Ireland is back in Cork celebrating Christmas after a successful life-saving operation in the States. Aaron McMahon has just returned from receiving treatment in Essen, Germany. He was also back in the States for tests earlier this month. This summer, the native of Shanagarry, Co Cork underwent an arduous eleven-hour surgery to remove a chordoma tumour at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre. His father, Paul McMahon, says after a traumatic couple of years they are looking forward to having a few days of reprieve over the Christmas break. "I am telling everyone to just throw their mobile phones in a bucket in the house. I have my best pal here Aaron helping me put up lights. "My older son Andrew will be home. He and Aaron are very close. When we were told Aaron was terminal we didn't know if we would see this Christmas. "We were told it was palliative care but we wouldn't give up. If we had done what they (medical personnel in Ireland) told us to do Aaron would be dead. I have no doubt we would be visiting a grave this Christmas." Paul promised his wife Gail that they would explore every option to save their son's life. He once even joked with her that if all else failed he would "go down to West Cork and ask the O'Donovan brothers to row them over to the States." Everything I hoped for came true but we are still fighting a battle. I remember one of the doctors in Pittsburgh told Aaron that he had done exceptionally well for someone who had gone through such major trauma. Mr McMahon says while the tumour was removed this isn't the end of the end of the story for 18-year-old Aaron. With an illness such as his, there is no wrapping it all up in a neat bow. He will require numerous trips to the States and Germany over the coming years. He still has health difficulties and challenges and is on twelve tablets a day. "They call it 'no active disease.' His tumour has been removed but this cancer originates in the bone. He has not been given a cancer clear dignosis and there are still risks. "There are new treatments coming. There are new trials out there and all these kinds of things which I am following like a hawk. "There is always a chance of a reoccurence of the cancer." Aaron has yet to secure a new oncologist in Ireland. Paul says they have received no help from official Ireland. When a kid is looking at you startled and saying 'They don't care about me' well what do you say? "Aaron received a letter from the HSE turning him down (for funds.) It was sent in his name. He was just 17. That was unforgivable. There has been no support." Paul says his only mission is to see Aaron go on to live the life he deserves. "He is very talented with his hands. He is good with music. He just needs a chance." Aaron was back in Pittsburgh for a week earlier this month so he could be assessed. They normally stay in motels but on their most recent trip they were given accommodation by a generous Arklow woman living Stateside called Vanessa Milton. "She contacted us last summer while we were there and she is married to a Texan and living in Pittsburgh. Their little daughter really loved Aaron. Aaron totally relaxed because they weren't staying in a motel." Aaron is taking it step by step in the coming months and is celebrating every milestone. He hopes to attend a Premier League match in the New Year. Paul says they are extremely grateful for the "phenomenal" fundraising efforts carried by the community for Aaron on his Go Fund Me page. They also appreciate the support of the Gavin Glynn Foundation. The fundraising will have to continue as the family are back in Pittsburgh in the New Year and are still awaiting their hospital bill for surgery. His treatment will be ongoing for the coming years. "We have the costs of flights accommodation hiring a car and all that in the States. And further treatment. We are so grateful for the support we have received so far. We got mass cards. We got beautiful messages. The story hit Irish America as well. Aaron first spotted his reoccurring headaches in 2013 and they got progressively worse by 2016. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour and had surgery in Dublin before going to Germany for treatment. Earlier this year the family were told that his condition was terminal. However, surgeons in Pittsburgh intervened and he had surgery in the summer. Chordoma is part of a group of malignant bone and soft tissue tumours called sarcoma and is diagnosed in one million people per year. To donate to his ongoing and extensive costs visit gofundme.com/aaronmcmahon New-York based award-winning photographer Mariette Pathy Allen has been documenting transgender lives across the world for decades. For one of her latest projects, she trekked through Cubas historic streets in 2012 and 2013 where the LGBT community has lost the extreme shackles it once had. Allens project, TransCuba, consists of over 30 intimate portraits of transgender mens and womens home lives across Cuba. The exhibit, a collective effort with The Box Gallery in Palm Beach, proudly lines the walls of Compass, the LGBT Community Center of the Palm Beaches, through the end of December. The Box Gallery owner and Compass volunteer Rolando Barrero meticulously curated the exhibit, which was unveiled at Compass PUSH! PhotoFest as part of Transgender Day of Remembrance on Nov. 20. Hopefully [TransCuba] will normalize the idea of transgenders in other countries, Barrero said. Allen seamlessly amplifies the message that transgender people arent unique to the United States, he said. The photos are part of her TransCuba publication. In her book, she accompanies her photographs with detailed interviews with dozens of transgender Cubans. The book also features a portion written by Mariela Castro, who is director of Havanas Cuban National Center for Sex Education and daughter of Cuban leader Raul Castro. The government-funded organization has pushed for LGBT rights and HIV prevention education since 1989. Forty years ago, Allen took a group photo of crossdressers at a hotel in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. This sparked her interest in following the LGBT community, her website reads. When I took a group picture, I was moved by the experience of looking into the eyes of one of the people in the group, she said. I felt as if I was looking at the essence of a human being rather than a man or a woman. TransCuba is her third book, along with three others: Transformations: Crossdressers and Those Who Love them, The Gender Frontier and her latest, Transcendents: Spirit Mediums in Burma and Thailand. Cuba has taken strides in granting LGBT rights since the 1960s and 70s. During Fidel Castros reign, gays and lesbians were imprisoned, fired and sent to forced labor camps called re-education camps, according to BBC. But Raul and Mariela Castros influence has opened new doors for the trans community. The Cuban government offered its first free transition surgeries in 1997 while 13 people were allowed to change their names and photos on their IDs that year, according to the International Journal of Cuban Health and Medicine. Despite these steps forward, the trans community still faces discrimination and poverty in some areas. On Tuesday, Cuba announced they would not include same-sex marriage language in their new constitution draft after widespread popular rejection of the idea, the Associated Press reported. Barrero said Allens photos portray these areas as a world of humbleness and acknowledges their thorny uphill battle fighting for LGBT equality in a country thats still struggling for basic human rights. The TransCuba exhibit pushes the limit, Barrero said. Generally, [people] dont document this community... TransCuba humanizes transgenders instead of placing a label on them. Eileen Battersby, a former Irish Times literary correspondent, has died following a car crash in Co Meath on Saturday. She was critically injured in a single-vehicle crash which happened in Sheephouse on the Oldbridge to Donore road, four kilometres outside Drogheda. Gardai wish to seek the public's assistance in tracing the whereabouts of 29-year-old Tomas Martinkus, who is missing from his home in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon. He was last seen on the December 19 around . 5am. His family and friends are concerned for his safety. The chief executive of Irish Water Safety has offered advice to people planning a Christmas swim tomorrow. John Leech told RTEs Morning Ireland that with the good weather forecast for Christmas Day it is expected that many people will participate in charity swims around the country in rivers, lakes and the sea. However, he warned that freshwater is colder than the sea so anyone contemplating swimming in a river or lake should keep their swim very short. Get in, get out quickly, get warm, he said. He also suggested that swimmers should enter the water gradually and should splash water on the back of their neck. He cautioned swimmers to be careful when walking on slipways. Swimmers should stay in their depth so that if they become dizzy or get a cramp they can easily wade from the water. It is not a good idea to jump or dive in because of the danger of cold water shock. Mr Leech also advised not to drink before swimming as alcohol increases the heart rate which, when combined with the cold water could cause cramp or panic. When swimmers get out of the water after their swim they should warm up quickly to avoid hypothermia. Dont stand around chatting in your togs. He said he would encourage people to participate in a Christmas swim as there are fantastic health benefits. Police in the North say a man in his eighties has died following a fire in Enniskillen. It broke out at a house in Braeside Park in Enniskillen at around 11am this morning. Thousands of fishing industry workers could lose their jobs in a no-deal doomsday Brexit due to immediate restrictions in coveted British waters. Agriculture and Marine Minister Michael Creed also warned that isolated coastal communities, already plagued by decades of recession, will be among the worst affected and must be protected by the EU. Noting a third of the multi-million euro industry is based on stocks taken from UK waters, Mr Creed said the sectors 10,000-strong workforce is facing a really serious challenge and that thousands of jobs could be at risk. This is a really serious challenge, he said. About a third of the value of our fishing industry is caught in UK waters, so theres no way of dressing up a hard Brexit for the fishing industry that makes it more palatable than the obvious impact. Weve been very involved in building a coalition with other member states the Dutch, the Danes, the Belgians, the French, the Swedes, the Germans who all have exposure from UK waters. And weve been putting our analysis into the [EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel] Barnier taskforce. But if Britain crashes out... youre talking about an industry, you can do the maths yourself, but youre talking about an industry where about a third of our industry is in UK waters. Now, not all of that would necessarily be a casualty because you can catch some of the stock where it migrates, but a third of our industry is in UK waters in value terms, its an industry that employs in excess of 10,000 people between onshore and processing side on the fishing boats, so you can do the maths. The Agriculture and Marine Minister said that while the national economy will be badly hit by any cut to fishing income, isolated coastal towns and villages will be among the worst damaged economically by the pending political storm. He insisted that the EU needs to ensure the damage for these vulnerable areas is limited and said officials in Brussels must support our industry during this precarious time. What has to be borne in mind is this is going to hit in regional communities and peripheral communities where there arent a lot of other readily available alternatives [to fishing industry jobs], he said. If it happens, then this is an issue we will be going hot-to-trot to the EU commissioner on, looking for support for our industry. Mr Creed was speaking after the Government last week published detailed plans on how Ireland is preparing for a no-deal Brexit crisis. The plans include: A focus on pressure points that industry might encounter and how they can be mitigated; The critical issue of reciprocal access to fisheries waters and resources between the EU and UK; Supply chain logistics in the event of a doomsday no-deal scenario. [/factbox] Asked about the increasing probability of a no-deal cliff edge on March 29 a situation that is now just 14 weeks away, should it happen Mr Creed said he still believes that officials and politicians in Britain can step back from the brink and agree a deal before the March 29 deadline. However, he added: The odds [on a no-deal Brexit] are certainly shorter. My money would still be on a deal, but I wouldnt be putting a lot of money on it. Santa, his reindeer and "a very, very large sleigh" have been given permission to enter Irish airspace at any point after 5pm this evening, the Government has announced. In an official statement this Christmas eve, Transport Minister Shane Ross said his department has been in touch with Mr Claus and "assured him there will be no obstacle" in coming to Ireland "as soon as it gets dark" tonight. My aviation chiefs have been in touch with Santa and assured him that there will be no obstacle to his entering Irish air space as soon as it gets dark this Christmas eve. "Santas sleigh has been checked for air worthiness and is fully approved for round-the-world travel. All permits and insurance credentials are in order," Mr Ross said. He added: This year I have been informed that Mrs Claus will be accompanying Santa in her role as chief navigator. "She has advised that milk, cookies and carrots are the best items for children to leave out before they go to bed. Santa ans Mrs Claus are understood to have said it is okay - and in some households strongly encouraged by parents - to leave a small drink out for Santa tonight. However, Mr Ross said Santa added to him that he does not drink the alcohol until he returns home to the North Pole for a merry knees up once his work is completed. "I have to set a good example to everyone and myself and Mrs Claus are very happy to keep our Christmas drink until were safely home in front of the fire on Christmas morning," Santa is believed to have told the Government minister. The Sinn Fein leader says being a TD is not a "get rich quick" scheme. It is after it was revealed Sinn Fein no longer enforces its policy that elected representatives should take the average wage. Update: Paula Staunton has been found safe and well, gardai have confirmed. Earlier: Gardai appeal for help finding missing Cork woman Gardai are appealing for help in finding a missing 42-year-old woman in County Cork. Paula Staunton from Mallow was last seen at 4pm yesterday afternoon. She is 5'4" tall and of slim build and was wearing all black clothing. Paula has access to an 08C registered black Kia Rio hatchback car. Anyone with information is asked to contact Mallow Garda Station 022-31450 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111. Police have acknowledged that suggestions there may never have been a drone at Gatwick Airport were down to "poor communications". Ministers were briefed on the latest situation at the airport in an hour-long conference call chaired by Transport Secretary Chris Grayling. A man who allegedly sexually touched a teenager on a Sydney bus will spend Christmas behind bars, after being refused bail on Christmas Eve. Police allege that the 54-year-old approached a 17-year-old girl as she walked through the Caltex service station on the corner of Illawarra Road and Hill Street in Marrickville on Sunday, and tried to speak to her. The girl ignored him, and kept walking to a nearby bus stop. Police allege that the man followed her to the bus, also getting on and sitting next to her while he touched her inappropriately and performed an indecent act. Other people on the bus intervened, detaining the man when he got off the bus on nearby Cook Street, where officers from the Inner West Local Area Command arrested him. It is the best Christmas present the Schweizer family could ask for. Three-year-old Everly Schweizer is home and well in time for Christmas after a two-year battle with cancer. Everly Schweizer was just 18 months old she was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma. Credit:Shannon Schweizer Everly, who turns four in January, was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma when she was just 18 months old. It all started when she was feeling slightly unwell, had fevers and darkness around the eyes. A man has been left with two chipped teeth, a black eye and a bloody nose after a violent road-rage attack in Melbourne's north. Police believe the 20-year-old victim was driving about 8pm on Friday when the attack occurred on the corner of Mickleham and Barrymore roads in Greenvale. The corner of Mickleham and Barrymore roads where the attack occurred. Credit:Google Maps The exact circumstances of the attack are still being established by police, however it's believed three men - unknown to the victim - assaulted the man before fleeing. Its believed multiple witnesses stopped at the scene to help the victim, but they had all left by the time police arrived on scene. It has been a shocking year of family violence. Once Christmas was over, a few days or a week later, they may start to make their move away, she said. "We need to be more vigilant and responsive because we know that women are possibly staying for the sake of children on Christmas Day and it may well be a time that something happens," she said. "We can't relax and think that everything is going to be ok over Christmas. "We generally have at least three deaths between Christmas and New Year." Everybody needs to step up She said while celebrating, families and friends need to be vigilant. Be alert to warning signs, such as someone humiliating their partner. If you got the feeling something may be wrong, ask the woman if she is ok. Would she like to talk? "Everybody needs to step up," Ms Hartwig said. "We often rely on government and non government agencies to be solving this issue, but I do think it's about a broader shift around shifting beliefs and attitudes. Where there is disrespect it can lead to other forms of violence occurring, whether it's humiliation socially in a setting, particularly around Christmas time. " Choose an appropriate time to ask an open question, such as: 'Im wondering if everything is OK at home?' 1800RESPECT general manager Nicole McMahon 1800RESPECT general manager Nicole McMahon said the service had seen a big surge in people seeking support in December, and especially on the days following significant holidays. Last year calls in December increased by 22 per cent. "During the holidays there is a lot of pressure to have fun, spend time with family and friends and share good times which may delay people from reaching out," she said. Ms McMahon said many people were glad to have the chance to talk about what they were going through. "You might talk to them about the things youve noticed that have given you cause for concern," she said. "Give them the opportunity to open up at their own pace. Avoid pressuring them to reveal anything they are not ready to do, and be wary that adding your opinion can come off as being judgemental. If they are not ready to elaborate, you may just want to reinforce that you are there if they need you. Department of Communities assistant director general Jackie Tang said callers to the WA mens domestic violence helpline often made contact soon after a violent family incident has taken place. But others would ring up days or weeks after something had happened. "Many call about their own situation but some callers make contact out of concern for a friend or relative," she said. Loading "The most important thing to do is get anyone in danger, out of danger, quickly, and ascertain the callers most immediate needs." The men's domestic violence helpline - run by the Department of Communities - received 1086 calls in 2017/18 from perpetrators and male victims of family and domestic violence in WA. Its hardly surprising over 1000 people reached out to the helpline, considering 2018 has been a shocking year for family and domestic homicides. Ms Tang said the range of situations callers to the helpline are in "varies enormously." "Some are very reluctant to give many details about their situation, or understate the severity of their situation. Callers may be in a state of panic or severe anxiety," she said. "The full extent of their situation may not become apparent in one initial call. "The skill in talking with men who call the helpline is in patiently drawing this kind of information out of them. "The person who takes a call coming in to the mens domestic violence helpline will in the first instance be a trained social worker." The families authorities knew nothing about Ms Hartwig said it was concerning that in a number of the cases where somebody was killed this year the victims had not made any contact with the police previously. Neither had their friends or family. "Police had no history recorded or any contact from that family," she said. "So there is a lot of unreported domestic violence going on where it can end up in a death unfortunately." Victims may not reach out for help for reasons including fear, negative stigma, and not wanting to lose their children. "Until we as a community can say 'all victims will get a helpful and positive response' then those victims will not come forward," she said. "That's part of the negative social responses and perhaps why victims don't report. They may be faced by the victim blaming response or disclose to family members or friends because that's the type of thing they might hear. 'Did you do something to provoke him'? Loading "Because nine times out of 10 they're actually, in the public persona, quite charming and well respected. Not acting out violently. Perpetrators do know where, when and who to be violent towards, generally it's their partners or children." 'I don't want to lose hope' Despite the terrible year WA has experienced with respect to family and domestic violence, the chief executive of a newly established family violence group remains hopeful that attitudes and services are changing for the better. "The numbers and the scale of what we've seen this year in particular has just been frightening," Stopping Family Violence chief executive Damian Green said. "As bad a year as its been, I think we are at the very beginning of some meaningful changes to our service system that have the potential to make a really significant difference. "Its so easy when we've had years like we've had this year to lose hope. "I don't want to lose hope, I think there is a lot of good work happening out there and we just have to continue to build it and invest in it." Mr Green said a key part of what his organisation was setting out to achieve was intervening in men well before their violent behaviour escalated. "Part of our job as an intervention (service) is to raise their awareness that what they are doing is not OK and to give them options to behave differently." Minister for the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Simone McGurk said this week she wanted West Australians to look out for their loved ones this festive season. ACT government executives must "actively encourage" their staff to join a union, under a new policy that has been criticised as politicising the public service. Directorate bosses now have to supply new starters with union membership forms and fee structures, according to the new "Union Encouragement Policy" distributed to ACT public servants last week. Workplace relations minister Rachel Stephen-Smith. The ACT government has set a new policy forcing public service bosses to actively encourage their staff to join a union. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong The policy requires all executives, managers and supervisors to put aside their personal views, and adopt a "positive and supportive role, not simply passively accept membership recruitment and representative activity by unions". Union officials or representatives also must be given the chance to recruit new members during work hours "provided that work is not unreasonably disrupted". Kabul: Never mind who's being naughty or nice, Santa Claus himself supposedly has had bigger problems in Iraq and Syria, where he either did or did not get arrested in the run-up to his big night this year. Various accounts widely shared in local social media during the weekend before Christmas had Papa Noel, as Christians in Iraq and Syria call him, being arrested by Iraqi police, drafted into the Syrian army or going off to fight the Islamic State group. Acrobatic performers, dressed in Santa Claus costumes in Iraq. Credit:AP The reports grew so widespread that police in Iraq, a country where sectarian divisions often lead to bloodshed, took pains to publicly deny them. "A group of sarcastic posts spread talk of the arrest of Papa Noel with a picture written on it, 'Karbala police arrest Papa Noel,' and this picture spread on social network sites," said Colonel Alaa Al-Ghanimi, the spokesman for police in Karbala, the Shiite holy city in central Iraq. Rabat: Moroccan authorities believe four suspects in the killing of two Scandinavian tourists had travelled to the Atlas Mountains intent on committing a crime but had not selected a target in advance. They were apparently acting on their own initiative, even though they had just pledged allegiance to Islamic State, an official said on Sunday. Pictures of Maren Ueland and Louisa Vesterager Jespersen are displayed during a candlelight vigil outside the Norwegian embassy in Rabat. Credit:AP Boubker Sabik, spokesman for the Moroccan security and domestic intelligence services, also said the arrest of nine more people in the case had foiled a terror plot. Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, 24, from Denmark, and Maren Ueland, 28, from Norway were found dead early on Monday near the village of Imlil on a route to Toubkal, North Africa's highest peak and a popular hiking and trekking destination. (DV) Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado is being sued again this time by a transgender attorney refused service. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the baker who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding citing religious beliefs. This time a transgender woman requested a cake that was pink on the inside and blue on the outside to celebrate her transition. The status of being male or female is given by God, is biologically determined, is not determined by perceptions or feelings, and cannot be chosen or changed, said Masterpice Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips in an opinion piece in USA Today. The Supreme Court ruled in his favor because the justices believes the Colorado Human Rights Commission despise what he believes and how he practices his faith. Phillips was back in court this week suing the governor of Colorado and member of his administration prompted by charges lodged by Autumn Scardina, a transgender Denver attorney. He claims bullying by the state, according to the Denver Post. The state wants the charges thrown out, but the judge is unlikely to dismiss the suit. In this case, Phillips charges hes never made a cake like the one requested, but added plenty of anti-trans explanations based on his religion into the refusal. Phillips stopped making wedding cakes and even after the ruling hasnt begun offering them again. Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC Make a post-plunge plan! So youve just finished the New Years Day Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge into the ocean or perhaps youve watched your foolish friend do the same. Now what? There is plenty to do in the Peoples Playground on New Years Day! After-party Party with the Polar Bears, at the Plunges official after-party at Coney Island Brewery. The small space below MCU Park plans to install a heated tent in its front yard to accommodate the huddled masses yearning to get drunk. The brewery has eight taps, but your first choice should be The Plunge a Belgian-style ale with a warming hit of spice and for today, $1 from each Plunge ale sold will go to the Coney Island Alliance. A glass to commemorate the occasion can also be yours for $10. Coney Island Brewery [1904 Surf Ave. at at W. 17th Street, (718) 9960019, www.coney islan dbeer.com ]. 11:30 am8 pm. Free. Get a drink Warm up with a shot of whiskey! Every bar along with the Boardwalk will be open on New Years Day the only challenge will be fighting through the crowds! Stop by Toms Diner, Rubys Bar and Grill, or Pauls Daughter (1229 to 1001 Riegelman Boardwalk, between Stillwell Avenue and W. 12th streets), or stop for a beer and gawk at the Freak Bar (1208 Surf Ave. at W. 12th St., www.coney islan dusa.com ). Eat up! Fill up after your ordeal in the freezing water! In addition to the many fried foods available on the Boardwalk, several eateries along Surf Avenue will be open. Stop for natures most perfect food a Nathans hot dog at Nathans Famous Frankfurters (1310 Surf Ave. at Stillwell Avenue in Coney Island, www.natha nsfam ous.com ). For a sit-down meal, you can grab a coal-fired pizza from Grimaldis (1215 Surf Ave. between Stillwell Avenue and W. 12th Street), or make your out-of-town visitors feel at home with a stop at Grimaldis next-door neighbor Applebees. (Note: usual Coney Island mainstays Kitchen 21, Wahlburgers, and Garguilos will be closed on New Years Day). Seaside sorcery After a cold snap of reality, stop by a family-friendly show of marvels from Magic at Coney! You can catch either of two afternoon performances from the enigmatic magician Lee Alan, illusionist Omar Olusion, and mentalist Gary Dreifus. Sideshows by the Seaside (1208 Surf Ave. at W. 12th St., www.magic atcon ey.com ). Noon and 3 pm. $10 ($5 kids). Shark show The New York Aquarium will be open as usual on New Years Day, so after you imitate a polar bear, visit the other mammals at the sea lion show, or check out the predators of the Ocean Wonders: Sharks! exhibit. New York Aquarium [602 Surf Ave. between W. Fifth and W. Eighth streets, (718) 2205100, www.nyaqu arium.com ]. 10 am4:30 pm. $24.95 ($19.95 kids). Reach arts editor Bill Roundy at broun dy@cn gloca l.com or by calling (718) 2604507. Sign up for our PoliticsNY newsletter for the latest coverage and to stay informed about the 2021 elections in your district and across NYC This frost-resistant-fountain project is frozen in place! Prospect Park joggers are furious that meadow keepers have yet to install three out of four non-freezing water fountains that they promised to debut by Thanksgiving. Its an issue of government accountability, said Redmond Haskin, a Park Slope resident and avid runner. Dont promise something and then blow by it. Locals in 2016 voted to fund the four fountains which cost taxpayers some $175,000, but retail for a modest $2,000 each via Park Slope Councilman Brad Landers participatory-budgeting initiative. And last moth, Lander and meadow stewards with the Prospect Park Alliance announced the arrival of the ever-flowing H20 dispensers, which are supposed to hydrate park-goers between November and April, when the standard water fountains in Brooklyns Backyard are switched off. But locals looking to quench their thirst since then said no fountains arrived after workers installed the first new contraption near Vanderbilt Playground ahead of the Prospect Park Track Clubs Turkey Trot run on Thanksgiving Day. They were eager to have one working so they could have an event before the Turkey Trot, said Stanely Greenberg, who bicycles through the park regularly. I was impressed by the speed of construction, and surprised by how it just stopped. Alliance leaders blamed the delay on bad weather, according to the groups spokeswoman Deborah Kirschner, who said rain and freezing temperatures stalled the excavation work necessary to hook up the rest of the fountains, which will be connected to waterlines buried deep enough that they wont ice over. And there is not a set date for the three remaining fountains to debut, according to Kirschner, who said one going in near the parks Garfield Place entrance will likely be installed next, followed by the last two at Ball Fields 6 and 7. 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 (WB) Members of Baltimores leather community will have to go some place other than the Baltimore Eagle this season to spread holiday cheer. Baltimores liquor board decided not to take action on a request to transfer ownership of the liquor license for the recently shuttered leather bar until it has more information on which to base a decision. The board held a hearing on Nov. 29 to consider a request to transfer the license to Baltimore Eagle LLC, an entity headed by Lorraine Parrish and Kathleen Church, who are affiliated with the landlords of the property at 2022 N. Charles St. But after hearing from three lawyers with different positions on the transfer, the board members stopped the public meeting and said they would take up the matter again on Jan. 10. That means the bar, which closed in July following a dispute between the landlords and their managers, must remain closed at least until then. Before it closed, the Baltimore Eagle was operated by a group called 4 Crazy Guys LLC, headed by Charles King and Greg King. Lorraine Parrish is married to Ian Parrish and is the daughter-in-law of Charles Parrish, the landlords of the Eagle property, and Church is an employee. According to their liquor board application, Lorraine Parrish would own 99 percent of the stock in Baltimore Eagle LLC and Church would own one percent. The Eagles liquor license had been transferred to the Charles Street property in 2016 from the Hippo, a gay dance club that closed in 2015. The Eagle had been dormant for several years following the death of a previous owner and reopened in late 2016 after extensive renovations. At the Nov. 29 hearing, the board members said they needed to determine who controls the liquor license now before they can make any decisions about transferring it to new operators. An attorney for the Parrishes told the liquor board that he believes the license automatically reverted to the landlords after 4 Crazy Guys abruptly shut the business in July. He cited an 1823 court ruling that he said supports his position. An attorney for John Yelcick, the primary investor in the club, told the liquor board that Yelcick has a judges order awarding him the liquor license. The liquor board postponed its decision after a third attorney, Adam Spence, said he was the court-appointed receiver for the assets of 4 Crazy Guys group, including the liquor license. Spence warned the liquor board that it does not have the jurisdiction to transfer the liquor license of a business under receivership until it is authorized to do so by a judge with the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. He said a court hearing on the matter has been scheduled for Jan. 7. We have two parties who are disputing who owns the liquor license, Spence said after the hearing. I cant have the liquor license transferred until the court makes sense of it. Before it closed, the Eagle was one of the largest LGBTQ-friendly clubs in Baltimore. The dispute became public after the Kings posted a message on their website stating that their landlords meddled and interfered with the way they operated the business. Ian Parrish said the applicants were prepared to reopen the bar right away, if the board had granted the transfer request. He said the principals of Baltimore Eagle LLC have been working to assemble a staff to operate the business in case the license transfer was approved but understand they will now have to wait until the next liquor board hearing. Parrish declined to say who would be hired. Before it closed, the Eagle had about 30 employees. The newly elected Congress government in has decided to return the of farmers in Bastar district acquired by the government in 2008 for then proposed plant project in the area. Chief Minister has issued directions to the officials concerned for completing the process required for returning the to farmers, mostly tribals, and present a proposal in this regard in the next Cabinet meeting, an official statement issued here Monday said. Notably, Baghel and Congress president had promised to farmers ahead of the just concluded state polls that their in Lohandigua area of the district, which remained unused as cancelled its project, will be returned to them if the Congress came to power. In the party's manifesto also, it was promised that the agricultural lands acquired for industrial purpose, on which no project was established within five years of acquisition, will be returned to farmers. A total of 1764.61 hectare of private land of about 1,707 farmers of ten villages was acquired by then government for the plant in February 2008 and December 2008, a government public relation official said. The villages in which land acquisition was done includes Chhindgaon, Kumhli, Beliyapal, Bandaji, Daabpal, Bade Paroda, Belar, Dhuragaon and Sirisguda of Lohandiguda Tehsil and Takarguda under Tokapal tehsil. In 2005, Tata Steelhad signed an agreement with the Raman Singh-led BJP government for setting a steel plant with an investment of around Rs 195 billion in Lohandiguda, he said. In 2016, Tata Steel had scrapped the project. (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.) Over 1,700 tribal farmers in Chhattisgarh's Naxal-hit Bastar area will get back more than 1,700 hectares of land acquired for the now-abandoned project, state government officials said on Monday. Newly elected Chhattisgarh Chief Minister has directed officers concerned to take necessary steps in this regard, they said. "A Cabinet meeting will be called soon where the final decision will be officially taken," a senior official said. Ahead of Assembly polls in the state, President had last month announced that the land acquired for the project would be returned in case his party was voted to power. A total of 1,764.61 hectares of private land, owned by 1,707 tribal farmers of ten villages under Bastar region, was acquired for the steel project, that was to be set up in Lohandiguda area, the official said. However, the company had in 2016 reportedly decided to drop the project apparently due to law and order problem coupled with protest from locals. The land, thus acquired by the government, was not returned to the farmers, he said, adding now the chief minister has decided to return it to the owners. The decision is an important step to restore the confidence of tribals in government that is a prerequisite to address the Naxal issue in the state, another senior state government official said here. Chhattisgarh's Bastar area is considered to be one of the worst-hit Naxal regions in the country. Uttar Pradesh and TCS had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the UP Investors Summit in February 2018 relating to the establishment of the proposed IT facility, spanning about 74.76 acres, in Sector 157 of Noida. The land cost was computed to be Rs 6.88 billion and under the terms of the MoU, the government had promised a 25 per cent rebate on land value, which comes to ... 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 The on Monday approached the against a Calcutta High Court order not allowing its Rath Yatra in West Bengal. The party, which sought an urgent hearing, has planned to launch the yatra from three districts of the state. The has challenged the Friday order of the division bench of the high court which had set aside the order of a single judge allowing the yatra. The party approached the seeking permission to hold the campaign 'Save Democracy Rally', which would cover 42 parliamentary constituencies in the state ahead of the 2019 general elections. The apex court has received an appeal from the against the high court division bench's order, an official of the Registry said. The official said the petition is under scrutiny. Later, advocate Mahesh Aggarwal, who has filed the petition on behalf of the BJP, said effort is being made so that the plea is heard in a day or two. The apex court, at present, is on vacation till January 1. The BJP has sought an urgent hearing of its special leave petition. The high court's division bench, comprising Chief Justice Debasish Kargupta and Justice Shampa Sarkar, Friday send the case back to the single bench to consider intelligence inputs by state agencies. The two judges' bench order came after hearing an appeal moved by the West Bengal government, challenging the Thursday order of the single judge. The division bench also asked the single-judge bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty to hear the case afresh to consider the intelligence inputs and dispose the matter expeditiously. The rallies, according to the original schedule, were supposed to be launched by BJP president from Bengal's Cooch Behar district on Decemebr 7, Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas on December 9 and from Tarapith temple in Birbhum on December 14. A Central Pollution Control Board-led task force on Monday recommended a closure of factories located in hotspot industrial areas and a ban on construction activities till Wednesday in view of the severe air pollution in the capital. Delhi's air quality remained in the 'severe' level for the third consecutive day on Monday as wind speed and other meteorological factors remained "highly unfavourable" for dispersion of pollutants. People have been advised by the authorities to minimise outdoor activities and avoid the use of private vehicles as the city battles its worst pollution levels since Diwali. The CPCB has recommended to the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) to shut down industries located in the hotspot industrial areas of Wazirpur, Mundka, Narela, Bawana, Sahibabad and Faridabad until Wednesday. It also recommended a ban on construction activities in Delhi, Faridabad, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Noida during the same period. The CPCB added that the traffic police should deploy special teams to ensure smooth vehicular movement, especially in identified high traffic corridors. "Police department concerned to strictly ensure that non-destined heavy-duty vehicles travel through eastern and western peripheral expressways. Agencies concerned to ensure strict action against illegal industries," the CPCB-led task force said. On Saturday, the task force had recommended that authorities intensify ground actions to enforce measures already in place, particularly to control emissions from vehicles and burning of biomass. The other recommendations made are: agencies concerned to increase surveillance to find industrial waste dumping or burning especially in hotspots that are vulnerable to high pollution level, water sprinkling and mechanized sweeping to be intensified and traffic police to ensure smooth flow of traffic, including during long holidays. The task force also urged people to avoid using private vehicles particularly diesel vehicles and minimize outdoor exposure for next three to five days, especially for those with respiratory illness, the CPCB said. On Monday, 32 areas of the capital recorded 'severe' air quality, while five areas recorded air of 'very poor' quality, according to the CPCB. In NCR, Noida recorded the worst air quality with an AQI of 464. Faridabad and Ghaziabad also recorded 'severe' quality air, it said. The overall PM2.5 level (fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometre) was recorded at 369 and the PM10 level at 533 here, the CPCB said. Delhi's air quality turned 'severe' on Saturday. On Sunday, the city recorded its second-highest pollution level of the year at an AQI of 450. According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), the air quality is likely to improve on Tuesday but will remain in the upper end of the 'very poor' or in the 'severe' category. "The wind speed and ventilation index are highly unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants," it said. Ventilation index is the speed at which pollutants can get dispersed. A ventilation index lower than 6,000 sqm/second with an average wind speed less than 10 kmph is unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants. The index was 4,500 sqm/second on Monday, the IITM said. In a major breakthrough in unravelling the overground network of in urban areas, the Chhattisgarh Police Sunday arrested a senior technical officer at the Hyderabad-based Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) who they said is working as a Maoist operative and allegedly supplying various materials to ultras. The operative, identified as N Venkat Rao alias Murty (54), was arrested by a team of local police in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh when he was heading towards Rajandgaon town from Deori in Maharashtra on a motorcycle, a senior officer told PTI. "Twenty-three detonators, documents, Maoist literature, a laptop, a mobile phone and two chargers were recovered from his possession," said Inspector General of Police (Durg Range) GP Singh. Murty, a native of East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh, is working as a senior technical officer at NGRI, Hyderabad, he said. NGRI works under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. As per preliminary information, Murty had been supplying various materials, including explosives, to senior Maoist cadres, particularly in the bordering areas of Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, the IG said. He said a leader who had surrendered a couple of months ago had revealed crucial details about "overground network" of "Notably, a senior leader and Division Committee Secretary of Gondia-Rajnandgaon-Balaghat division of Maoists Kumarsai alias Pahad Singh, who had surrendered before police in Durg range couple of months ago, had revealed crucial details about overground network of Maoists functioning in urban areas,"the police officer said. Based on inputs provided by Pahad, separate teams of police were sent to different states to collect information about the urban operatives of Maoists. Meanwhile, police received a tip-off that a key Maoist operative, who had been actively supplying various materials to Maoists, was about to travel to Rajnandgaon from neighbouring Maharashtra, following which check posts were set up on the route, he said. During checking on Sunday, Murty was stopped in Baghnadi police station area and arrested after Maoist-related material was found from his possession, Singh added. "During interrogation, Murty revealed that he was inspired by radical students' union protest in Andhra Pradesh in the 1980s and since then he had been supporting the Maoist ideology," he said. The operative also revealed that delivery or transportation of explosives to Maoists was being done in different areas in the country based on his directions, the IG said terming the arrest as a big achievement. Besides, he had been actively propagating Maoist propaganda through various means in the society. He was traveling to Rajandgaon to meet some senior cadres with an intention to execute a major incident in the district, the IG added. The is scheduled to take up a batch of petitions in the Ram Janmabhoomi- title dispute case for hearing on January 4. The matter is listed before a Bench comprising Chief Justice and Justice S K Kaul. ALSO READ: BJP wants daily hearing in Ram temple case The Bench is likely to constitute a three-judge Bench for hearing as many as 14 appeals filed against the Allahabad High Court judgement, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land be partitioned equally among three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. The BJP is of the view that the should hear the Ram temple land dispute case on a daily basis to deliver an early judgement, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said Monday. "Our wish is that there should be a daily hearing on that matter so that we have an early judgement," he said responding to a question on the issue. A memorial of former prime minister will be dedicated to the nation on his birth anniversary on Tuesday at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in New Delhi. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other eminent personalities will attend a prayer meeting at the memorial near Rajghat, according to the 'Atal Smriti Nyas Society', which has developed the memorial -- Sadaiv Atal. An official said a vacant piece of land was made available for the memorial at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry. It was constructed by the Centre Public Works Department (CPWD) at a cost of Rs 105.1 million. The project was funded by the Atal Smriti Nyas Society, he said. ALSO READ: PM Modi releases commemorative coin to honour Atal Bihari Vajpayee "Atalji's thoughts and vision are a source of inspiration to the people of the country. To enable people to pay their respects to the great soul, an initiative to develop his samadhi was taken up by the society," the official said. Senior BJP leader and society president Vijay Kumar Malhotra told PTI that the memorial is spread over 1.5 acres of land at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, where Vajpayee was cremated on August 17. He said the memorial reflects the former prime minister's personality as a poet, humanist, statesman and a great leader. It is enclosed by nine bas-relief walls which have inscriptions of the poetry of Vajpayee, he added. ALSO READ: Vajpayee's portrait to be installed in Parliament's Central Hall Malhotra said not a single tree was cut down in developing 'Sadaiv Atal' at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, which also houses samadhis (memorials) of former presidents, prime ministers among others. Vajpayee had passed away at AIIMS after a prolonged illness on August 16. He was cremated on August 17 with full state honours. The founding members of the society include Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Bihar Governor Lalji Tandon, Gujarat Governor O P Kohli, Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, BJP leaders Vijay Kumar Malhotra and Ram Lal among others. A crucial trilateral meeting of officials from India, Afghanistan and Iran on the strategically-important was held on Monday during which they agreed on the routes for trade and transit corridors between the three countries. The first meeting of the follow-up committee for implementation of the trilateral Chabahar agreement between India, Afghanistan and Iran at the level of Joint Secretary or Director General was held in the Iranian port city of Chabahar, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. On the occasion, India Ports Global Limited company opened its office and took over operations at the Shaheed Behesti port at Chabahar. Positive and constructive discussions were held between the three sides on full operationalisation of the Trilateral Transit Agreement for international transit and transport through the They agreed on the routes for the trade and transit corridors between the three countries, the MEA said. ALSO READ: Afghanistan praises US for exempting Chabahar port from Iran sanctions It was agreed to finalise at the earliest, the protocol to harmonise transit, roads, customs, and consular matters. During the meeting, it was agreed to allow cargo movement at Chabahar using Transports Internationaux Routiers Convention provisions, the MEA said. It was decided to hold an event to promote and popularise the potential of Chabahar on February 26, 2019. A study would also be initiated for determining measures to make the route attractive, decrease logistic costs and pave the way for smooth operationalisation of the Chabahar Agreement. The next Follow-up Committee meeting, followed by the second Coordination Council Meeting at the level of secretaries or deputy ministers, will held in India. In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan inked a pact which entailed establishment of Transit and Transport Corridor among the three countries using as one of the regional hubs for sea transportation in Iran, besides multi-modal transport of goods and passengers across the three nations. ALSO READ: Govt plans to begin interim operations at Chabahar port in Iran soon The port in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich nation's southern coast is easily accessible from India's western coast and is increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistan's Gwadar Port, which is being developed with Chinese investment and is located at distance of around 80 km from Chabahar. The Chabahar Port is considered a gateway to golden opportunities for trade by India, Iran and Afghanistan with central Asian countries besides ramping up trade among the three countries after Pakistan denied transit access to India. Hitting out at Naveen Patnaik's BJD government in Odisha, Prime Minister on Monday alleged the "demon of corruption" has become strong in the state with an all-pervading 'percentage commission culture'. Virtually sounding a poll bugle in Odisha where state elections would coincide with the national polls next year, Modi alleged that inefficiency and corruption have kept the state backwards despite assistance from the Centre and sought to know who is "feeding and patronising the demon of corruption". Modi was addressing a rally in Khurda town near the state capital Bhubaneshwar after launching a slew of projects for the state and releasing a stamp and a coin to commemorate Odisha's 1817 Paika rebellion. ALSO READ: PM Modi to inaugurate development projects worth Rs 145 bn in Odisha today "Demon of corruption in the form of chit fund scams and PC (percentage commission) culture has grown strong in Odisha," he said. The (BJP) has declared Odisha as a priority state for the state as well as Lok Sabha elections. of (BJD) has been at the helm of affairs since 2000 in the state and will be seeking a fifth term as CM next year. In a stinging attack on the BJD government, Modi said, "The Centre has launched a slew of projects and pumped in huge funds for Odisha's development, but despite all these, the state is lagging behind." ALSO READ: Odisha banks on unique campaign to burnish investor image The prime minister said people are realising there is a wave for change to take the state to a new path of progress and development and the people here, including farmers and women, are raising their voice. Modi inaugurated a new IIT-Bhubaneswar campus and launched projects worth over Rs 145 billion in Odisha, which he said would accelerate the state's development and make the state an engine for transformation of the country into a 'New India'. Accusing the state government of inaction on the 'Swachh Bharat' (Clean India) campaign, Modi said the country has achieved 97 per cent 'swachhata' (cleanliness), but Odisha is lagging far behind other states in becoming 'Open Defecation Free (ODF)'. Claiming that children are suffering from malnutrition in the state, he said farmers are struggling due to lack of remunerative prices for their produce and in absence of proper irrigation facilities. Modi alleged the state government has failed to provide safe drinking water to the people, while teachers are forced to agitate against denial of adequate salary due to the government's apathy. The prime minister also alleged the Odisha government's refusal to join the 'Ayushman Bharat' scheme deprived people of the state of free healthcare benefits. "People of the state want to know as to why Odisha government refused to link with Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana which would have enabled them to get free medical treatment outside the state," Modi said at the rally. He said Odias would have availed of free medical facilities up to Rs 500,000 in major hospitals outside if the state had joined the scheme. Stating that around 600,000 people have benefitted from the Centre's flagship health care scheme, Modi said, "I regret that not a single Odia is among the beneficiaries." Asserting that the Centre is committed to strengthening healthcare services in Odisha, Modi said his government has taken steps for setting up five medical colleges in the state. Modi, who earlier in the day dedicated a 100-bed revamped and upgraded ESI Hospital to the nation readied as a cost of Rs 735.1 million, said the state government should also wake up to meet the people's needs. Affirming the Centre's commitment to all-round development of Odisha, Modi said a whopping Rs 15 million is being invested in the oil and petroleum sector in the state which would make it the country's petro-hub. While a plastic park and polypropylene project are coming up in Paradip near the Indian Oil refinery, a bio-fuel plant is being set up in Bargarh and a strategic oil reserve is being established in Chandikhole, he said. The prime minister also laid foundation stones for two projects -- Indian Oil's pipeline from Paradip to Hyderabad at a projected cost of Rs 38 billion and GAIL's gas pipeline from Angul to Bokaro in Jharkhand at a projected cost of Rs 34.37 billion under the Urja Ganga Yojana. Modi said people in 19 districts of the state would be able to get cheap piped cooking gas with the spread of these pipeline projects. Asserting that the Centre is taking all steps to strengthen connectivity and road networks in Odisha, Modi said Rs 43.61 billion is being spent for four National Highway projects of 263 km to streamline traffic and check mishaps in the state. Central funds for infrastructure projects in the state have been increased five times during the BJP-led NDA government, he said. New highways, rail lines and airports are coming up in the state due to the Centre's initiative, he said. Noting that 35 lakh free LPG connections have been provided to the poor people in the state, Modi said 70 per cent of the state population use cooking gas now, as against only 20 per cent earlier, and the aim is to reach all. He alleged the BJD government was neglecting farmers and pitched for a mandate for the to take the state forward to a path of development. Modi alleged the state government has failed to fulfil the 2014 election promise to provide irrigation facilities to additional 1 million hectares of land. The advisors of President Donald Trump have discussed arranging a meeting between him and the Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell in the coming weeks, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a source. Trump has recently been critical of the Fed for raising borrowing costs this year, especially as the US stocks have tumbled, and yields on the US government debt have begun to signal a possible recession ahead. ALSO READ: US govt shutdown: White House says Trump OK with less money for border wall Trump has frequently attacked Powell, who was sworn in as Fed chairman ... TOP STORY UK says no for the second time -Talks to resume with Govt, PNP and UK in 2019 By Delana Isles REQUESTED changes to the TCI Constitution were rejected this week amid the surprise revelation that the United Kingdom had already denied similar modifications three years ago. Following her visit to the UK this week, Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson said the British government refused to engage her delegation on constitutional amendments. During a press conference in Providenciales on Tuesday (December 11), she stated the reason was because of a lack of agreement from the Opposition. However, she revealed that she learned that the proposed changes, which are based on the work of the TCI Constitutional Review Committee in 2015, had previously been wholly rejected in 2015. Minister of State Rt. Hon. Grant Shapps issued a letter to former Governor Peter Beckingham on July 30, 2015. (more) A Hollywood performance Rufus Ewing By Delana Isles FORMER Premier Rufus Ewing has called out what he describes as a Hollywood worthy performance by Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson. His remarks came in the wake of a live broadcast press conference held by the premier last week Tuesday, during which she claimed she had been deceived by the Opposition party. The premier said that constitutional and Crown land changes she had been engaging the PNP on had been previously rejected by the United Kingdom while under the partys administration. She stressed that the current PDM Government was only recently made aware of these rejections and accused the current Opposition of playing games with important issues of national interest. This week, Ewing roundly denied that the territory was not made aware of the 2015 constitutional changes rejection and added that he is not aware of the rejection of the Crown land bill as accused by the premier. "The recent statements by the honourable premier concerning the British governments refusal of the recommendations for constitutional change and the matter of the Crown land bill is nothing but a smoke screen designed to confuse, mislead and deceive the people about the real truth, that the Government is incompetent and impotent and is not working for the people, business community or country, Ewing said. He added that the position of the British government and refusal of the original constitutional recommendations, as were approved and submitted by the House of Assembly to the British Government, were made known to the speaker of the House, the premier and the leader of the Opposition in a July 2015 letter addressed to the speaker of the House. "The British governments refusal of the constitutional changes was communicated to the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands during the sitting of the House of Assembly shortly after the letter was received, the former premier stated. He further stated that after the letter of refusal by the British government, he and Cartwright Robinson (who was leader of the Opposition at that time) discussed meeting with the UK ministers in a bipartisan representation to negotiate for at least some of the more critical recommendations. "I invited the premier to join me at such meeting in London and to give input into the constitutional revisions, but her cooperation was not forthcoming, Ewing remarked. He said this non-cooperation by Cartwright Robinson, and reasons why, were highlighted in an email to him from the then governor Peter Beckingham, which was in response to Ewings email of inquiry on several matters. The following are excerpts of these emails: Email to Peter Beckingham Dear Governor, I know that your time is winding down to depart these beautiful islands, but there are two important matters that it seems would be left unfinished and that is the matter of the CFO position and the constitutional changes. I am grateful for your efforts in looking at recommendations for constitutional changes submitted by the House of Assembly and also coming from the recent meetings with the Opposition and yourself. However, I am extremely concerned that following on from our (FCO Minister Doddridge, Governor, CFO, Minister of Finance, Richard Holmwood and myself) meeting following the last JMC there has been no movement on my request and our agreement as to the way forward. The agreement was that the CFO would remain in place for six months as a transitional provision after the loan guarantee would have been lifted on payment of the bond in February past. Our agreement was also that an order in council would be made so as to remove the position of CFO from the TCI constitution and repeal the CFO ordinance. The six month period has now expired end of August and none of the above have taken place and with your departure it is likely to be delayed even further or not take place at all, both of which are totally unacceptable. As I had communicated to Minister Duddridge should this occur I would have no other choice then to take action to see that this is done as a matter of principle to fully restore and maintain democracy in these Islands. Governor you know that I have nothing personal against the CFO and while he was helpful in many instances, his authority as provided for under the CFO ordinance did not allow us to govern to the extent that the people elected us to govern in a democratic society. I had made a pledge that I will not go through a second term in office with such authority in place that can supersede the authority of Cabinet on matters of policies for which the people elected us to make decisions on to the betterment of our people. So, in that regard I am looking for your support in getting the CFO repeal bill on the Cabinet agenda this week and approving it to go to the House of Assembly or to just get the FCO to do what they promised to do ASAP. Respectfully, Premier Email response (excerpts) Dear Premier, Many thanks for your email about the CFO position and constitutional change. On constitutional change, as the solicitor general said yesterday, it is going to be difficult for ministers to proceed without assurances that there is a bipartisan agreement to the changes you made, and which we passed to the FCO some months ago. Unfortunately, we did not succeed in securing the Opposition leaders agreement to a bipartisan approach on the current process. She indicated that she wished to stall on any move on this until after the election. I realise this doesnt give you the entire answers you are seeking, but I hope that it will at least go some way to satisfy you that London is aware of the pressures for change. They will have been left in no doubt about that after your speech yesterday, which I have forwarded to them urging them to look at how to get this resolved by the time you visit London, if not before Peter Former premier Ewing continued that as evidenced by these exchanges, Premier Cartwright Robinson had the opportunity for bipartisan collaboration to address the constitutional issues, but she refused on the grounds that she wanted to wait until after election to have to opportunity to take credit, and lead the change herself, or not at all. "Now she has the gall to be pointing fingers and casting blame on others when she failed to act at that time. "Madam premier is nothing more than a movie star who acted her way to stardom making people believe that she can do the job. "This is not Hollywood, but you deserve an Oscar as the best man for the job, Ewing said. He then urged the premier to stop acting, and get to work on the peoples business. Crown land On the issue of Crown land, which again the Premier claim no knowledge of a 2015 refusal during last weeks press conference, Ewing again pointed out that the claims of the bill being rejected are inaccurate. "We as a Government had to address this pressing issue of the Crown land and drafted a Crown land bill which was requested to be reviewed by the British government. "During my last bilateral meeting with FCO Minister Anelay in November 2016 she stated that the Crown land bill was being reviewed and they were awaiting further comments from the AG Chambers with whom they were in dialogue. He added that it was anticipated that the Crown land bill would have been one of the first bills to be brought to the House of Assembly by the new Government in 2017. "I made an inquiry via email to the AG in January 2018 on the matter of the Crown land bill in response to the Taylor Bay debacle, and she stated that on the proposals in Crown land bill, we continue to engage with the UK on the proposals with a view to finalising them as soon as possible. "So I am flabbergasted that the premier would make a statement saying that the British Government sent us a letter rejecting the Crown land bill when no such decision was made or letter sent. He continued that he is extremely disappointed that after so much work was done by his Government in drafting a Crown land bill, and making strong recommendations such as the return of Crown land to ministerial Government, after two years in office the premier can tell the people that the British government refused the PNP Crown land bill. "Madam premier, please tell the people what work your Government has done on the issue of Crown land. "Stop pointing fingers at others to cover-up your Governments failure to address the issues of the people. "All of the heavy lifting was done for you, just get to work and see it through. Less than two hours after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis went to the White House on Thursday to hand a resignation letter to President Trump, the president stood in the Oval Office and dictated a glowing tweet announcing that Mattis was retiring with distinction at the end of February. But Trump had not read the letter. As became apparent to the president only after days of news coverage, a senior administration official said, Mattis had issued a stinging rebuke of Trump over his neglect of allies and tolerance of authoritarians. The president grew increasingly angry as ... was on alert on Monday after the US State Department warned of the risk of a terrorist attack in Spain's second-largest city during the holidays. "Exercise heightened caution around areas of vehicle movement, including buses, in the Las Ramblas area of during and New Year's. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, and other public areas," the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs said in a tweet on Sunday. Asked about the warning during an interview with Rac1 radio on Monday, Catalonia's regional interior minister Miquel Buch said police "were working on this threat". "We take seriously all threats, all of them are investigated," he added, without giving further details. Top-selling Spanish newspaper El Pais, citing anonymous police sources, said the authorities were looking for a 30-year-old Moroccan man with a licence to drive buses. Barcelona-based daily El Periodico de Catalunya said Catalan regional police had circulated an internal note that the man could try to drive a bus into crowds in Contacted by AFP, a spokesman for the regional police force in Catalonia did not confirm police were seeking a Moroccan man but said a "temporary reinforcement of security measures in areas of high concentration of people" was in place. Spain has kept its terrorist alert unchanged at the second-highest level despite the US State Department warning, although security measures were boosted in December for the holiday period, a Spanish interior ministry spokesman said. On August 17, 2017 a van rammed into crowds on Barcelona's tree-lined Las Ramblas boulevard, killing 14 people. The 22-year-old Moroccan driver then stole a car after killing the driver and fled. Several hours later five of his accomplices mowed down pedestrians on the promenade of the seaside resort of Cambrils south of Barcelona before stabbing a woman to death. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, Spain's deadliest in over a decade. The US National Tree is likely to remain dark and closed to the public on eve amid the partial government shutdown that according to authorities has "complicated" repairs for the tree damaged by a man who climbed up the blue spruce last week. The National Park Service (NPS) on Sunday announced that the tree will stay dark during the shutdown, which was expected to be lengthy. "During the federal government shutdown, the White House Visitor Centre and National Christmas Tree site will be closed," the announcement on the NPS website said. The tree, which is located by the White House, was damaged when an "emotionally distressed" man tried to climb it on Friday. The man stayed on the tree for about an hour before he was talked into climbing down. As he descended, he got tangled in the lights and damaged some of them, the Hill newspaper reported. Now, with no funding in sight for the repairs, the NPS said that the tree will remain inaccessible and decidedly un-festive until there is a breakthrough on the Capitol Hill. The partial shutdown that officially kicked in on Friday midnight has dealt a blow to several national parks and landmarks forcing them to close their doors to visitors during the holiday season. However, Washington was apparently not following in the footsteps of New York and Arizona, who, despite being hit equally hard by the shutdown, kept up on the bills for the Statue of Liberty and the Grand Canyon, allowing them to stay open during the weekend. An anti-corruption court in on Monday sentenced ousted prime minister to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case while acquitting him in the Flagship Investments corruption case in the high-profile Panama Papers scandal. Accountability Court II Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik announced the verdict in the two remaining corruption cases against the Sharif family, after reserving the decision last week. In its decision, Judge Malik said there was concrete evidence against the 68-year-old former premier in the Al-Azizia reference, and that he was unable to provide a money trail in the case, Geo TV reported. Sharif was present in the court when the verdict was announced. The Supreme Court set the deadline for Monday to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases against the three-time former prime minister. Three cases -- Avenfield properties case, Flagship Investment case and Al-Azizia steel mills case -- were launched by the National Accountability Bureau on September 8, 2017, following a judgment by the apex court that disqualified Sharif. Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case in July 2017. In July 2018, Sharif, his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year, respectively, in prison in the Avenfield properties case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices. However, the three were bailed out by the Islamabad High Court in September. PHILANTHROPISTS and proprietors of Gilleys Enterprises, Galmo and wife Althea Williams, are now etched in the TCIs annals after receiving the first Humanitarian of the Year award on Saturday (December 15). The power-couple was lauded for their unwavering commitment to enhancing the lives of many families and individuals in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Mr and Mrs Williams were the recipient of the award which recognises the work of people in the community who are devoted to the welfare of humanity. The co-founders of the Edward C Gartland Youth Centre and chairs of the recently founded Gilley Family Foundation were credited for their work in education. Through their tangible support they have afforded many young people the opportunity to further their education by sponsoring various scholarships over the years. Speaking at a gala-style event hosted at the Shore Club, Galmo Williams said: "We are grateful for winning this award tonight but also recognise that there are others in this category that have worked just as hard for our community. "We are proud just to be nominated alongside them and to be here today. This award is not the end because we plan on working even harder. "It is our commitment to continue passing it on, the former TCI premier said. "For us, its not just about our kids and our family but how we can help other families within the Turks and Caicos. Other nominees for the 2018 Humanitarian of the Year Award included Marion Williams, founding member of the SNAP Centre, Jasmine Thomas of the Youth Department, Angela Williams founder of Ashleys Learning Centre and Tanis Wake-Forbes co-founder of the Provo Childrens Home. The auspicious event saw many local entrepreneurs, high school students and citizens being awarded for their outstanding contributions. It also featured a Junior Humanitarian Award which was awarded to Jessica Corvil. Corvil, a student of Raymond Gardiner High School in North Caicos, was celebrated for her work in youth empowerment. She launched a girls empowerment organisation in April 2018 to help address challenges facing young women and provide them with an outlet for inspiration and change. The young activist upon receiving her award said: "I wanted to reach out to young girls because as a young woman myself I went through a lot in my younger years and I wanted these girls to know they are not alone. Junior Humanitarian of the Year nominees included Estacio Ariza for his work in promoting culture in the community of North Caicos, Briann Gardiner for her contributions to the community of North Caicos, Jessica Corvil for youth empowerment, Arian Louis in the area of education and youth empowerment and Ryesha Higgs for her immediate response to vulnerable residents following hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. Director of the TCI Human Rights Commission, Sabrina Green, said the first Humanitarian of the Year event in the Turks and Caicos Islands shines a light on the fact that there are a wide variety of wonderful people who are doing important work across the TCI. She said the commission saw it fit to highlight and acknowledge the work of these individuals. "Sometimes I feel we dont give the people who work among us the credit they deserve for the work that they do, these awards are a way that we can address that. "Education is one of the most successful ways to pull people out of poverty, reduce discrimination and build a secure and successful society so it was wonderful that the winners of both the junior and senior award do a lot of work in that area. "Hon. Galmo and his wife Althea Williams do a great deal of work across the Islands to help the youth achieve their dreams by providing not only scholarships but also recreational facilities. She said that in this way they provide opportunities for the children of poor families and seek to break the cycle of poverty in which families can sometimes feel trapped. "Jessica Corvil at the young age of 16 is addressing issues that she herself has experienced in her life, helping to empower young women to know their own minds and make good decisions, Green added. "She has not allowed her experiences to break her but has found her strength and then lent of that strength to others "Issues such as teenage pregnancy lead to young girls missing out on education, condemning them and their families to a life lived in poverty. "Jessica, like the Williams, has found a way to break the poverty cycle, Green said. "Both our winners of the first Humanitarian of the Year Awards in the Turks and Caicos Islands are contributing valuable work to build a better Turks and Caicos Islands for all our futures. Green encouraged nominees to continue the selfless work they do while also urging others to give back to their communities. "I would like to congratulate all the nominees for these awards, not just our winners, the fact that they were nominated at all demonstrates that the people that they worked to help recognise their value to their communities and the Turks and Caicos Islands. "Our nominees and winners have worked with no thought for themselves, with no knowledge that there would one day be an award that they might win. "They have worked to help those less fortunate than themselves and they are a credit to our country. "It is our hope that all our nominees continue their work and that, by shining a light on their activities, others will be inspired to become more active in their communities and that one day some of these people may be nominated as Humanitarians of the Year. (By Olivia Rose) The Trump administration is arranging a phone call on Monday with top US regulators to discuss financial markets as stocks fell again amid concern about slowing growth, the government shutdown and the independence of the Federal Reserve, the Treasury Department said. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will host the call with the president's Working Group on Financial Markets, known colloquially as the "Plunge Protection Team." Mnuchin made calls to top US bankers on Sunday and got reassurances that banks were still able to make loans, the Treasury said. US stocks have ... An Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel was killed and 24 others sustained injuries after a bus they were travelling in plunged into a deep gorge near Khooni Nala area on Jammu-Srinagar highway in Ramban district on Monday. The injured passengers have been rushed to Ramban district hospital for treatment, while those who were critically injured are being evacuated to Jammu via chopper. "We have rescued 24 persons with injuries and one has been killed. We are evacuating seriously injured to Jammu via chopper. 35 persons were travelling in the bus," said Ramban Deputy Commissioner Showkat Aijaz. The cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained. Further details are awaited. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A total of 13 people have been arrested in relation to the beheading deaths of two tourists in Morocco. CNN quoted the state-controlled 2M news agency, stating that nine out of the 13 arrested were detained in different cities for their alleged connection to the four murder suspects. Four people are suspected in the killing of the 28-year-old Maren Ueland of Norway and 24-year-old Louisa Jespersen of Denmark. 2M quoted a Moroccan national security spokesman Boubker Sabik as revealing that one of the four suspects has previously served a two-year sentence in an extremism-related case. The bodies of the two travelers were found Monday in the High Atlas mountain range. The two women were spotted with three men in their hotel in Marrakesh before heading to the Atlas Mountains for a hike. They were found in Imlil which is an unguarded and remote area on the mountain range. The tourists were killed using a "melee weapon", stated the state-run Maghreb Arab Press as quoted by CNN. While the Moroccan government has termed the murder a "terrorist and criminal act," the Danish Prime Minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen stated that the killings seem to be "politically motivated and thus a terrorist act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi's Patiala House Court on Monday permitted retired Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi and his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi, the two accused in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, to travel abroad based on conditions. While Tyagi had sought permission to travel to USA and Canada in March, Sanjeev had sought permission to travel to Switzerland in January. As part of the conditions laid down by the court, both the accused have been asked to share their travel details, including addresses of stay and contact details, with the Central Bureau of Investigation. Tyagi has been directed to intimate authorities 48 hours before leaving the country and returning from the USA and Canada. Additionally, he has been asked to furnish Rs 5 lakh bank guarantee. In September last year, the CBI had filed a charge sheet against SP Tyagi, former Air Marshal JS Gujral and 10 others in the case. The charge sheet, which was filed before a special court, also named as accused Sanjeev Tyagi, lawyer Gautam Khaitan, Carlo Gerosa, and Guido Haschke, alleged middlemen Christian Michel, former AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini and former Finmeccanica chairman Giuseppe Orsi. The Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland helicopter deal, which was finalised during the previous government headed by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, got mired in the allegations of kickbacks. On Saturday, Michel, who was brought to India earlier this month from Dubai, was sent to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody for seven days by the Patiala House Court. The court also dismissed the bail plea of the British (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "Everyone has a right to share their thoughts," said filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar while reacting to Naseeruddin Shah's recent comments on Bulandshahr violence incident. Bhandarkar stated that since India is a democratic country, one can express his opinions. However, according to him, there is no intolerance in the country. "Everyone has the right to speak. We live in a democratic country. I don't think there is any fear. Everyone is equal in India and this is his point of view. This is the special thing about our country that everyone can express their opinions. I don't think there is any problem or intolerance," the 50-year-old said. Meanwhile, Bollywood actor Ashutosh Rana took sides with Shah and urged that one must ponder over the statement rather than merely reacting on it. "Everyone should have a right to share their thoughts with their friends or other people without any fear. We should be wary of reacting, acting or doing a trial on any such comment. If any of our brother or friend is saying something, we should not only listen to them but must also ponder over it," Rana said while interacting with media. "Independence stands for simplicity and gentleness and that is what our culture is," the actor added. Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has been facing flak for his recent comment over the Bulandshahr violence incident in which two people including a police official were killed over rumour of cow slaughter. "At many places, the death of a cow is being given more importance than the killing of a policeman. I feel anxious for my children because tomorrow if a mob surrounds them and asks, 'Are you a Hindu or a Muslim?' they will have no answer. It worries me that I don't see the situation improving anytime soon," Shah had said in a video which surfaced on the social media earlier this week. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bangladesh Election Commission has barred television channels in the country to live broadcast from inside the polling centres during the General Elections on December 30, while deciding not to issue press stickers for the journalists travelling on motorcycles to cover the polls. The decision, in force from December 22, comes in the backdrop of a set of election guidelines for the media organisations, which prohibit journalists from using motorcycles. A circular has also been issued by Bangladesh's Home Ministry calling for a ban on unauthorised motorcycles for four days starting from December 29. The Election Commission has also barred live streaming of the elections in social networking platforms, including Facebook and Twitter from the polling booths. It added that only one journalist would be permitted at a time to enter the booth, according to Bangladeshi media reports. However, the Election Commission of Bangladesh has agreed to issue stickers for scribes travelling in other modes of vehicles such as sedans and microbuses. The 11th General Election of Bangladesh is scheduled to take place on December 30. Almost 104.2 million registered voters will cast their votes at about 40,000 polling stations to elect their representatives from across the country. Earlier on December 15, the country's Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda had said that no live coverage or telephone conversation would be allowed from the polling centres during the elections. He had added that journalists should not enter the polling booths in large groups. "Journalists, however, can use the mobile phone to take photographs inside the polling centres and broadcast live from the corridor or the ground of the polling centres," Huda had said. The Election Commission is hinting at slowing down Internet speed across the country on the polling day. Secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed said that internet speeds for 3G and 4G services would be downgraded to 2G level during the voting and would come back to normal after 5 pm (local time) on that day, after polling concludes, as per the reports. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the country's telecom operator is calling for a complete shutdown of mobile internet services or blocking all social media platforms during the elections. Locals have expressed concerns that a complete blackout or a partial shutdown of Internet services would be a huge blow for local and international businesses, impacting communication services, including ATM facilities, The Daily Star reported. The Bangladesh government is also facing flak for preventing foreign observers from monitoring the high-stake elections. As of now, 146 foreign election observers from different countries and organisations have been accredited to undertake the election monitoring missions. To ensure a free and fair election, more than 600,000 security personnel from police, Border Guard Bangladesh, Rapid Action Battalion, Coast Guard, Ansar, and Village Defence Party, would be deployed at polling stations. The ruling Bangladesh Awami League-led Grand Alliance will be locking horns against the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led Jatiya Oikya Front (National Unity Front) and Left Democratic Alliance, where 300 constituencies of the 350-member Parliament are up for grabs. Incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is seeking to win a third term. For the BNP, which is looking down and out, following the conviction of its chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia for corruption, is expecting to re-establish itself in the political spectrum after five years. The BNP also boycotted the last general elections in 2014 due to widespread political violence in which the Awami League won with a thumping majority of 234 seats. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Birthday wished poured in for Anil Kapoor from his Bollywood friends, family and co-stars, as the ace actor turns 62 today. The elated 62-year-old, who rung in the special day with his family, was seen cutting a cake with wife Sunita, daughter Rhea Kapoor, and son Harshvardhan Kapoor while Sonam Kapoor was seen participating in celebrations via video call. Taking to their social media, actors Arjun Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Juhi Chawla, Anupam Kher, Preity Zinta, Kirron Kher, and others wished Anil health, wealth and happiness. Here's what they wrote: Arjun Kapoor: The maddest man child who's 26 going on 62 !!! Janamdin Mubarakan !!! It's been a privilege to be ur nephew & an honour being ur co star... @AnilKapoor #whataplaya #chaiwaala #slumdogmillionaire #jhakaas #agelesswonder. Anupam Kher: Happy birthday my dearest friend @AnilKapoor. May God give you all the happiness in the world. May you rule the world in every department of life and profession. May you continue to look the way you are looking for the last forty years. You are the bestest. Love and prayers. Rajkummar Rao: Happy birthday my favourite @AnilKapoor sir. Thank u for teaching me so many things. What a great day to launch #EkLadkiKoDekhaToAisaLaga's new movie poster! Juhi Chawla: Proud to be a part of such a relevant film #EkLadkiKoDekhaToAisaLaga. And what a day to launch our first look. Happy birthday @AnilKapoor .Trailer relases 27th Dec. #LetLoveBe The 'Fanney Khan' star's daughter Sonam, too, shared an adorable post for her daddy dearest. The actor, who has often been praised for ageing backwards, has given major hits like 'Mr India,' 'Nayak,' 'Judaai,' 'Dil Dhadakne Do,' and 'Race', among others. He has also worked in Hollywood movies including 'Slumdog Millionaire' and 'Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.' The 'Mubarakan' actor shared the first look of his upcoming film 'Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga', which also stars Sonam, Rajkummar Rao, and Juhi Chawla, as a birthday treat to his fans. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TDP stitched an alliance with the Congress, as it assured to award special status to Andhra Pradesh, said Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday. According to media reports, Congress President Rahul Gandhi in September while addressing a gathering in Kurnool had assured that his party will confer special category status on Andhra Pradesh after it emerges victorious in next year's general elections. Further accusing BJP of betraying Andhra Pradesh, Naidu here said that the "BJP is more dangerous than Congress. "It's true that Congress caused loss to the state earlier. But they are ready to support AP in the matter of special status. BJP didn't implement the things in AP Reorganization Act and betrayed our state. Now BJP is more dangerous than Congress to the state," he said. Demanding special status for his state, Andhra Chandrababu Naidu held "Dharma Porata Deeksha" (struggle for justice) protest against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, at Srikakulam town on Saturday. While addressing a public meeting; the Chief Minister asserted that he will not stop until justice is done to the state of Andhra Pradesh. Furious with the BJP, Naidu accused it of betraying Andhra Pradesh. "Modi had sworn at the abode of Lord Balaji to build a capital for Andhra Pradesh, which would be greater than Delhi, to fulfil the promises of reorganization act , to give special package in the lines of Bundelkhand package. But he did not fulfil not even a single promise." "He cheated by not giving special status to Andhra Pradesh, whereas the status is extended for 11 states'' he added. He further cornered the Centre for ignoring his relentless endevaours to attain a special status for Andhra Pradesh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The West Bengal unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) moved the Supreme Court against the order by Calcutta High Court's division bench which barred the party from conducting its 'Save Democracy Yatra' in West Bengal. The bench, headed by Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court Debasish Kar Gupta, on Friday quashed the order of the court's single bench allowing the BJP to hold its yatra. The single-judge bench, which gave a green signal to the yatra, was asked to reconsider the case based on intelligence input. The division bench was hearing a plea filed by the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government. On Thursday, the single bench of the High Court had allowed the BJP to proceed with its yatra in the state and directed that the administration should ensure there is no breach of law and order. Earlier, the state government had refused permission for the proposed yatra citing intelligence reports of possible communal violence in areas where the BJP planned to hold rallies. The BJP had planned to hold yatras, beginning from Cooch Behar district on December 6 and moving further to Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas district on December 9 and Tarapith in Birbhum district on December 14. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister and BJP leader Giriraj Singh on Monday launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee equating her to North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un. His comments come in the wake of recent controversy over BJP's proposed yatra in the state which is being opposed by the Mamata Banerjee-led government. Singh told ANI, "West Bengal is the only state in the country where there is no place for democracy. Mamata Banerjee is playing the role of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Bengal. Like Kim, she kills everyone who raises voice against her". He made the statement soon after the BJP filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the order by Calcutta High Court's division bench which barred the party from holding its 'Save Democracy Yatra' in the state. Singh said that in the democracy, anybody can organise rallies in any part of the country. "Nobody can stop us, we will win the case in the Supreme Court," he added. Last week, the single bench of the High Court had allowed the BJP to proceed with its yatra in the state and directed that the administration should ensure there is no breach of law and order. However, the order was challenged by Mamata Banerjee-led government in the division bench of the High Court. Earlier, the state government had refused permission for the proposed yatra citing intelligence reports of possible communal violence in areas where the BJP planned to hold rallies The BJP had planned to hold yatra, beginning from Cooch Behar district on December 6 and moving further to Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas district on December 9 and Tarapith in Birbhum district on December 14. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Delana Isles AS ANOTHER year draws to a close, the same cannot be said of the Special Investigation and Prosecution Team (SIPT)s trial of former Government ministers and others. The trial, which began on December 18, 2015, officially marked its three year anniversary this past week and there is no indication of when it will be coming to a close. Over the past three years, successive Governments have bemoaned its cost to the territory and the need for that cost to be shared with the United Kingdom. These two points were again raised by Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson during a recent live broadcast press conference in Providenciales. The premier disclosed that during her recent visit to the UK she attended a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) - which is conducting an inquiry into the UKs relationship with its overseas territories. During this time, she shared the need for the cost for the SIPT trial "which is now nearing $100 million to be shared by the UK. "As the minister of finance, it is my responsibility to say how burdensome the cost is becoming, and looking back it has been almost $100 million, the premier said. She added: "Last year, we budgeted $9.1 million for the operations. This year we had to do the same, and who knows if there are appeals, if there are convictions, if we will continue to budget $10 million; that is money that can go in rebuilding. Over the past year, the territory has been engaged in numerous rebuilding efforts to infrastructure that was damaged as a result of hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. "At the end of the day, Premier Cartwright Robinson added, "what we are saying is: okay, fine and dandy, you want to say something went wrong, things went wrong, that is for the court to determine; but things went wrong there too with the bodies that had to play that game, so they [UK] must also bear some responsibility. In spite of these continued calls for the UK to share some responsibility and costs of the trial, the situation remains the same. From the inception, the UK has been adamant that it will not fund the process indefinitely, that the territory must pay to clean up the mistakes of its past, and that the British taxpayer should not be burdened with the cost of this process. A March 31, 2010, report from the UK House of Commons outlines that the initial costs of setting up the SIPT were met by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). This amounted to a total spend of about 435,000 to the end of January 2010 (including the fees of the five-strong senior management team, one researcher, the rental costs of offices and associated IT, and telephone and travel costs). "The FCO stretched the limited resources of the Overseas Territories Programme Fund to cover the cost of the core team until February 10, 2010, and agreed to provide an additional 36,000 to allow Ms [Helen] Garlick to begin to recruit the core intelligence and research unit and to rent more UK office space, the report outlined. In addition to these costs, the FCO also reportedly agreed to fund an analyst for four weeks at a cost of 5,000. Following those payments, the TCI Government has since been covering the cost of the investigations and the subsequent trials. No case submissions Meanwhile, a few months short of the three year anniversary, the prosecutor in the SIPT trial wrapped up the Crowns presentation of its evidence against the eight defendants in September this year. The judge is now considering several no case submissions that were recently submitted by the defence lawyers. When the trial resumes on February 14, 2019, the no case submissions, which were all submitted in written form to the court, will possibly be discussed in open court and a decision will be announced by the trial judge whether he will accept or reject the defence submission that the Crown has failed to prove its case against the defendants. If rejected, the defence lawyers can then present their own evidence and witnesses to either refute or offer alternate explanations of the Crowns evidence, or they can rest their own case. If the defence lawyers do not wish to present their own evidence or witnesses and as such rest their case, the decision will then rest with the trial judge to determine if the Crowns evidence was sufficient to find the defendants guilty of the charges against them. Asked about the future of the trial and whether the territory may see it coming to a close in 2019, Premier Cartwright Robinson did not want to wager a guess on that, and seemed concerned at the possibility of another three, or however many, more years of paying money out of the territorys coffers. "Id rather not say much on that, because I would not like to foot that bill; or at least we [UK] can share the cost, so we [TCI] can put some of those monies to rebuilding efforts, she stated. The SIPT trial resumes February 14, 2019. The United States has returned the body of the 7-year-old minor girl, who died in US custody, to Guatemala. The Guatemalan minor had fled her native land with her father, Nery Gilberto Caal, in search for a better future. The pair were taken into custody by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) when they reached the US-Mexico border after a 2000-mile journey on December 6. The girl allegedly died in custody due to dehydration and shock. Her body was transported by plane from Texas, and will now be sent to her indigenous community, Raxruha. The Caal family's attorney has alleged that the deceased minor and her father were not given water for around 8 hours after they were detained at Antelope Wells, according to CNN. However, the CBP has said that the migrants "had access to food, water and restrooms" while they were waiting at Antelope Wells to be transported to the border patrol station. (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 Monday asserted that he cannot tolerate humiliation of heroes like Rani of Jhansi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Chief Minister's remarks came in the context of journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhemcha who was arrested under the Security Act (NSA) last month for allegedly making derogatory comments against him. Singh told ANI, "I can tolerate criticism but not the humiliation of my leaders; he was abusing as well as humiliating the heroes like Rani of Jhansi and PM Modi. It is totally beyond freedom of expression." Further substantiating his argument, Singh stated: "Justified or not, that will be the work of the court. It is a democratic country, we have the right to criticise but we should not forget there are also some restrictions." Wangkhemcha, who was working for a local news channel in the northeastern state, had reportedly uploaded several videos last month, calling Singh a puppet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government. In his video clips, Wangkhemcha had apparently criticised the state government for observing Rani of Jhansi's birth anniversary and allegedly used derogatory words against the Chief Minister. He had filed the petition on December 19 challenging his detention. On December 14, the state government had reportedly ordered that Wangkhemcha should be kept under detention for a year. As per reports, the journalist was arrested on separate charges of sedition on November 21. On November 25, a local court released him on bail. On November 27, Wangkhemcha was detained under the NSA, which allows for detention of up to 12 months without trial, and has since been kept in a jail in Imphal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday launched a fresh attack on the Congress alleging that the Rahul Gandhi led party has betrayed the farmers of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Rajasthan. "It is in Congress' nature not to fulfil its promises. It has betrayed the farmers of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Rajasthan. They (Congress) have not waived off their (farmers) loans completely. Farmers are getting notice after notice," he asserted. He further alleged, "The Congress party had told the nationalised banks to forego the loans but did not pay them the money. When the banks did not agree the party paid them a very small amount." Elaborating upon the plight of farmers, the minister accused the Congress of having anti-farmer policies and blamed it for their bad condition. "397 farmers have committed suicide in Karnataka, earlier some 3000 farmers had taken their life in the state. Farmers of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan will also suffer in their regime," said the minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress party and Congress Party (NCP) have reached a consensus on sharing 40 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. Speaking to ANI, NCP president Sharad Pawar, stated on Monday, "In Maharashtra, NCP and Congress will together contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections along with Peasants and Workers Party of India. Till now, we have decided the seat-sharing on 40 seats, still, eight are left. If any consensus is not reached on remaining eight seats then the final decision will be taken by the two party chiefs in New Delhi." During 2014 general elections, the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress had fielded political contenders for 27 constituencies in Maharashtra, while the Pawar-led NCP had contested on 21 seats. Earlier, the seat sharing was fixed at 26:22, but later the NCP decided not to contest from the Hatkanangale constituency as it did not have any contender. This seat was later contested by the Congress. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi cabinet on Monday granted its approval to the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) recommendation for the installation of high-resolution CCTV cameras in Tihar, Rohini and Mandoli prison complexes at an estimated cost of Rs 120 crore to monitor special treatment meted out in prisons to select inmates. This proposal of the Home Department will be executed by the PWD and will include supply, installation, testing and commissioning of CCTV surveillance systems, including comprehensive maintenance at the three prison complexes. The decision for the installation of an adequate number of high resolution and ultra-modern CCTV cameras in the three prison complexes has been taken to ensure that there is no VIP treatment to rich and influential inmates inside the jail. It will also aid in ensuring the safety and security of inmates, since there have been incidents of violence which have even resulted in serious repercussions, including murders. PWD has already carried out the detailed survey of the three prison complexes along with the respective jail superintendents. All the three jails have desired maximum areas to be covered under CCTV supervision, which are legally permissible. Integrated CCTV system with strong backbone connectivity will involve IP cameras for surveillance, Storage Area Network (SAN/NAS) using RAID 6 Hard disk arrays, cameras with inbuilt video analytics as well as back up for 30 days at two locations (Main Control room and Jail Control room) The proposal for supply, installation, testing and commissioning of CCTV surveillance system at Tihar, Rohini, and Mandoli Prison Complex was considered by the EFC in its meeting held on December 12. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Monday asked the Transport Department to withdraw its previous order regarding the increase in parking charges in South, East, and North Delhi Municipal Corporations. After the withdrawal of order, vehicle owners are not required to deposit enhanced parking fee till the matter is examined afresh. On December 21, Delhi government had issued orders for hiking the one-time parking payment charge. The now-withdrawn order was to be applied to commercial and non-commercial vehicles. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader Raj Babbar on Monday said the BJP should not discuss Lord Hanuman's roots any further, as a "stroke of his tail" took away three states-Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh-from them. Speaking to ANI, he said: "BJP should now understand that they should not tease Lord Hanuman any more. A stroke of his tail has already taken three states away from their foothold. Now your (BJP) Lanka is going to be burnt." Babbar's comments come amidst the row over Lord Hanuman's caste, which was triggered after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath while campaigning in Rajasthan's Alwar district last month said that Hanuman was a "Dalit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dedicating IIT-Bhubaneswar to youths with the hope that the new facility will provide employment opportunities to them, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that his government aims to "develop eastern India as the gateway to South-East Asia." "IIT-Bhubaneswar will spur industrial development of Odisha, and work towards technologies to improve the lives of the people," he said in his address to the gathering on the occasion, unraveling plans to expand "healthcare infrastructure, road network, and oil and gas pipeline infrastructure" in Odisha. "I got the opportunity to dedicate IIT-Bhubaneswar to the youth. Rs 1,260 crore has been spent on its construction. This grand campus will not only be a center of dreams for the youths of Odisha but will also provide employment opportunities," Prime Minister Modi said. Prime Minister Modi, who reiterated the Union Government's commitment to all-round development of Odisha, earlier in the day inaugurated developmental projects worth Rs 14,523 crore in Bhubaneswar under the Centre's 'Purvodaya' vision. Prime Minister Modi said that the total worth of the projects which were either inaugurated or for which the foundation stone was laid on Monday was worth over Rs 14,000 crore. "The investment is a continuation of the special focus on the state by the central government for rapid socio-economic development to unleash the true potential of Odisha and bring it on par with the most developed states in the country," he said. In Bhubaneswar, Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation of Paradip Hyderabad Pipeline Product Project (PHPL) and Bokaro-Angul section of Jagdishpur-Haldia and Bokaro-Dhamra Gas Pipeline Project under the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga scheme. The 1,212-kilometre long Paradip-Hyderabad product pipeline is being built by the Indian Oil Corporation at a sanctioned cost of Rs 3,800 crore. It is capable of transporting 4.5 million metric tonne per annum (MMTPA) of petrol, diesel, kerosene, and aviation turbine fuel (ATF). The pipeline originates at Paradip and traverses through three states-Odisha (329-km), Andhra Pradesh (723-km) and Telangana (160-km) before terminating at Hyderabad. It has delivery cum pumping stations at Behrampur, Vizag, Rajahmundry, and Vijayawada. The 667-km long Bokaro-Angul pipeline section of the landmark Jagdishpur-Haldia-Bokaro-Dhamra Pipeline Project, also a part of PM Urja Ganga scheme, is being built by the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) at a sanctioned cost of Rs 3,437 crore. The Prime Minister also inaugurated an archeological museum at Lalitgiri, and an ESI Hospital in Bhubaneswar, which was recently ramped up from a 50 to 100 bedded hospital. Moreover, Prime Minister Modi participated in the ceremony to mark laning of sections of four highways, namely, Chandikhole-Bhadrak section of NH 5 (New NH 16), Khandagiri Flyover, Bhubaneswar on NH 5 (New NH 16), Cuttack-Angul section of NH 42 (New NH 55) and Tangi-Puintola section of NH 5 (New NH 16). Furthermore, Prime Minister Modi issued Paika Rebellion Commemorative Stamp and coin and established Buxi Jagabandhu Research Chair at Utkal University. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has moved to Delhi's Patiala Court for open-ended non-bailable warrants against four promoters of Sterling Group in connection with an alleged Rs 5,000 crore bank loan fraud case. ED is said to be in the process to issue Red Corner Notices against the key directors of the company-Nitin Sandesara, Chetan Sandesara, Dipti Sandesara and Hitesh Patel. The court will be hearing the matter on January 5. Earlier the court had issued the non-bailable warrants against the four accused, which could not be served despite the efforts made by the ED because of the unavailability of the accused concerned. Hence, ED has now sought an open-ended non-bailable warrant which as per the guidelines of Interpol would enable the agency in the opening of a red notice against them. Earlier on December 6, the adjudicating authority made under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) had confirmed Rs 4,700 crore attachments by the ED in the case of Sterling Biotech Group. The properties of the group included movable and immovable properties of Sterling Biotech Ltd spread across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Delhi etc. ED had previously moved the special PMLA Court in Delhi and filed the complaint under Section 4 of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act against four persons, namely, Nitin Sandesara, Chetan Sandesara, Dipti Sandesara, and Hitesh Patel. All the four accused are promoters of Sterling Group and fled the country to allegedly avoid a criminal investigation. ED has sought to confiscate their properties in India and abroad. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday said that the central government wants the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit to be heard on day to day basis in the court. "The government wants the Ram Temple matter to be heard on day to day basis so that this issue is resolved at the earliest," Javadekar said at a press conference here. The Supreme Court had adjourned the hearing of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit till January 2019. However, pressure is being mounted on the Centre to initiate construction of the temple in Ayodhya. On Sunday, Union Minister Rajnath Singh's address at an event in Lucknow found himself in an awkward situation after slogans demanding the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya were raised in the middle of his speech. "Jo Mandir Banwayega, Vote Usi Ko Jjyega (We will vote for the party which will construct the Ram Temple)," the audience chanted disrupting Singh's speech. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, meanwhile, asserted that only the BJP government would be able to construct the Ram Temple. Adityanath was addressing a Youth Kumbh event in Lucknow, "Whenever construction work of Ram Temple begins, our supporters will participate. Apart from our government, no one else will be successful in completing this task," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Attack, arrest of Sheaf of Paddy campaigners continue BNP men gherao Chandrpur Sadar Police Station Md Joynal Abedin Khan : The firing, attacking and arresting of the Sheaf of Paddy campaigners continued in last few days by violating the instructions of the Election Commission (EC). Some ruling party candidates, leaders and supporters have already carried attacks after attacks on Oikyofront and BNP campaigners and their electoral offices as well as houses and other establishments. They also gave open threats to BNP men in order to win the polls to be held on December 30. Awami League (AL) leaders and activists have fired on dozens of BNP candidates and supporters across the country, report our district correspondents quoting witness and Police. The government backed campaigners torched and vandalized over one hundred houses, polls offices and others establishments, they reported. In the meantime, the law enforcing agencies have arrested several thousands leaders, activists and campaigners of Sheaf of Paddy based on lists of the ruling party's after declaring the polls schedule. The BNP men also alleged that most of leaders and activists were arrested without cases and legal cause as per the demands of the ruling party men. In Chadpur, BNP men on Monday gherao Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station as police arrested district BNP Joint-Convener Advocate Solim Ullah and BNP MP candidate Sheikh Farid Ahmed alias Manik. Police also arrested 10 BNP men from the gherao program. In Sunamganj, BNP's Sunamganj-4 candidate (Sadar, Biswamvopur) Fazul Haq Asfia on Monday claimed that police continued the arrest of the campaigners without any case or cause. In Narsingdi, Police on Monday created bar on the campaign of BNP leader Dr Moin Khan while the Jubo League men attacked the campaigners just in front of the office of the Palsah Upazila Nirbahi (UNO). In Noakhali, at least three people were injured in an attack on BNP leader Moudud Ahmed's motorcade during an election campaign at Charkakra union's Notun Bazar in Companyganj on Monday. The injured have been identified as Ashraf, Raquib, Belayet, Afsar Uddin, and Md Rakib. Moudud, who is contesting the 11th general election for Noakhali-5, blamed Chhatra League for the attack. Besides, BCL men fired to target the BNP leader Joynul Abedin Farooq while he was campaigning at Kablipur Union in Senbagh in the afternoon. Earlier, his motorcade was attacked by the BCL men Noakhali-2 constituency on December 16. In Natore, BNP candidate of Natore-2 Sabina Yasmin Chhobi came under attack once again allegedly by ruling party men while campaigning in Tebaria area of Natore town on Monday afternoon. Five supporters of Chhobi were injured in the attack around 5:30pm in Tebaria Hat area, our correspondent reports from the spot, said Abul Hasnat, additional superintendent of police of Natore circle. In Nilphamari, the AL's MP candidate for the Nilphamari-3 constituency (Jaldhaka) Major (Rtd) Rana Mohammad Sohel on Sunday threatened the people in a electoral rally that he would win in the election at any cost as he managed the all administrations, including election related officers. Besides, the detective police arrested six persons without any case or arrest warrant order from Jaldhak upazial on Sunday night. In Dhaka, BNP's candidate for Dhaka-9, Afroza Abbas, and her supporters came under attack again yesterday allegedly by AL men while conducting electioneering in the capital's Maniknagar area on Sunday. Elsewhere in Chattogram, BNP candidate for Chattogram-2, Azim Ullah Bahar, and 14 others were injured in an attack allegedly by AL men at Tokirhat area under Fatikchhari upazila yesterday. In Barishal, BNP candidate for Barishal-5, Mojibor Rahman Sarwar, alleged that the ruling party and police were preventing him from electioneering and threatening the BNP men to leave the constituency. Barishal's Superintendent of Police SM Saiful Islam denied the allegation. In Chattogram, two BNP candidates alleged that police were implicating their activists in "false cases" and harassing BNP men continuously. The BNP candidate for Chattogram-8, Abu Sufian, and for Chattogram-12, Enamul Haque, came up with the allegations in separate press conferences at Chattogram Press Club. Congress President Rahul Gandhi gave the party members a message stating that while hard workers will be rewarded, hardliners will be dealt with strictly. After multiple meetings with Rajasthan leaders and observers, Rahul Gandhi gave the final nod to team Gehlot in Rajasthan. As many as 23 MLAs are going to take oath on Monday including an MLA from alliance partner Rashtriya Lokdal. However, five ministerial berths will reportedly remain vacant. While deciding the Rajasthan cabinet, AICC general secretary in charge of Rajasthan, Avinash Pandey and Congress observer for the state on government formation, KC Venugopal was involved in the process. "Congress President intends to focus on having a cabinet with a majority being fresh faces. The cabinet can be summarised into a blend of the old guards with new energetic leaders from the state guard this will give governance a good shape," the Congress leader said. Rahul Gandhi intends to send a message to his party men that any harm to the party will not be ignored. Cabinet has been finalised for Rajasthan and for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh meetings are underway with the state leaders, stated a source. Karnataka Cabinet Expansion is a clear example of Rahul's actions, where two ministers, including Ramesh Jarkiholi, were shunned by Congress from the Cabinet. Jarkiholi was dropped for his alleged hobnobbing with opposition leaders and by missing the Cabinet meetings and party assignments. The message from Gandhi was loud and clear that anti-party activities wouldn't be tolerated, the sources added. The source said Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are likely to follow Rajasthan Formula. A senior Congress leader involved in the process told ANI, "Rahul Gandhi was of the opinion that those who have tried to harm the party or have ignored the party's agenda must not be let off." Congress President is also expected to soon finalise the list for cabinet members for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Meanwhile, According to sources, 10 MLAs are expected to be the part of the cabinet in Chhattisgarh. The cabinet expansion is scheduled for December 25 in Raipur. Recently Congress has witnessed victory in states of , Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, where the party was out of power for years. It is noteworthy that Lok Sabha elections are only a few months away and will be the real test for the party and party chief Rahul Gandhi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Effecting the biggest ever seizure of heroin this year, the Special Task Force (STF) of Haryana Police has arrested a Nigerian from DLF here and recovered 3.2 kg heroin from his possession. The value of the seized drug in the international market is around Rs 12 crore. Stating this in a statement, a spokesman of the Haryana Police Department said that arrested accused has been identified as Taraour Ahmed, a resident of Nigeria. Currently residing in Delhi, he was arrested following a tip-off by a team of STF Hisar from Sikandarpur Metro Station area in Gurugram. Divulging the details about the seizure, he said that an STF team, which was present in Gurugram, got secret information about drug smuggling. On getting information, police team immediately rushed at Sikandarpur metro station, DLF-2 area where it spotted a suspicious person with scooty at a street in front of metro station gate. After seeing police, accused suddenly started scooty in a hurry. The police team immediately nabbed him. When searched, 3.2 kg heroin was recovered from his possession hidden in scooty. A case under relevant sections of NDPS Act was registered against him at DLF-2 Police Station, Gurugram. "The accused would be taken on police remand by producing him in the Court so that the name of supplier involved in this racket of drug peddling could be unearthed," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a shocking incident of suspected honour killing, a woman was allegedly burnt alive on Saturday night by her father in collusion with other family members as the man she married was from a different caste. They also allegedly threw the bones of the deceased in a canal to destroy evidence. The deceased P Anuradha, a resident of Kalamadugu village in Mancherial district, hailed from Yadava caste while her husband Laxman was from Padmashali caste. According to the police, the couple was having an affair for the last four years. Commissioner of Police of Ramagundam V Satyanarayana told ANI that after Anuradha's parents learnt about the affair they made her lodge a harassment complaint against Laxman in Jannaram police station. "However, they (Anuradha and Laxman) left for Hyderabad this month and got married in Arya Samaj on December 3, and from there they shifted to Warangal. They returned to their native place Kalamadugu village on Saturday. The duo's intention was to settle the case filed against Laxman and live together in the village," said V Satyanarayana. Anuradha's parents and relatives, however, allegedly came to the residence of Laxman on late Saturday night and took away Anuradha forcibly. She was allegedly beaten up and later burnt alive, said the police commissioner. The incident was reported to the police in the wee hours of Sunday. Police said that three persons including Anuradha's father have been taken into custody. "A case has been registered under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code. We have recovered the bones from a small water canal as the accused had thrown the bones of Anuradha after they burnt her. Further investigation is on," said Satyanarayana. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Moving away from the distressful life of Naxal violence for decades, Karli in Chhattisgarh is moving step by step, inching closer to becoming an industrial hub. The predominantly tribal region that has witnessed scores of gruesome Naxal attacks on security personnel is now an ideal example of how a small initiative can pave a way for empowering scores of women residing in the region where female literacy, as per the 2011 Census, is as low as 33 per cent. Recently, Karli's development plan received a push with the state administration setting up Shakti, a garment factory. The aim to open the factory was to hone the skills of the unemployed women and provide them with a source of stable income. At present, women working in this factory receive an income of Rs 3000 every month. Not only that, an increment will also be given in the beginning of January. The factory at present is getting bulk stitching orders from big players in the readymade garments sector. Meena Bhogami, a worker of the Shakti told ANI, "I am thankful that I got a job here. I stay with my ailing mother and all the responsibility of running a household is on me. Earlier, I used to keep hoping for a stable income. I failed many times to get a decent job. Later, I got to know that the state administration has opened Shakti factory where they required tailors. Without any hassle, I got the job in no time". Bhogami, also lauded the state administration for its noble move and making efforts to uplift the women of the society in Chhattisgarh. Another woman, Rajshri, working in the same factory said, "I have done a course in stitching but earlier there was no employment in this region so I had to move to Tamil Nadu. With the salary of just Rs 8000 per month, I was not able to save money for my family living here. The moment I got to know that the factory has been opened in this area, I moved back." Giving out details about Shakti, District Collector Saurabh Kumar said that there are 25 women shareholders who are running this firm. "This company is of Government of India like Khadi and Village Industries. Private entities can come and give orders directly to Shakti. However, all the modern types of equipment required for making the cloth are provided by the state administration." Interestingly, the products manufactured by these women such as shirts, pants, uniforms, etc will be sold in big supermarkets opened in the metropolitan cities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has urged India to commemorate 'Balochistan Day' just the way Pakistan commemorates 'Kashmir Day.' "India must commemorate Balochistan Day like Pakistan celebrates Kashmir Day. India has to openly support the people of Balochistan. Kashmir has always been a disputed territory between India and Pakistan, while the case of Balochistan is totally different. It is a wholly occupied territory under the military's guns," Hussain said in a statement. The MQM leader claimed that although Balochistan has never been part of Pakistan. "If Pakistan claims that India has occupied Kashmir so the claim is automatically reversed as Pakistan's military establishment is the aggressor against Balochistan, which was an independent state. Pakistan's military invaded the territory and occupied it on gunpoint. So, there is no difference," he said. Hussain criticised the Pakistani military by saying that it is the "world's top coward" as it has always stood defeated against Indian troops. "If only the army of Bangladesh would launch an assault on Pakistan's military, the coward military Generals would immediately lay their weapons and would surrender to them," he said. The MQM leader, while addressing the people of occupied Kashmir, said that when they get free, they should never become part of Pakistan, as upon doing so, they would be rendered slaves of Pakistan's "crooked and ghoulish military." Hussain vehemently criticised the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for prosecuting the politicians and ignoring the massive corruption of the military Generals, who, he claimed, minted billions and trillions through corrupt practices. He further said that 70 million Mohajirs, whose ancestors had founded Pakistan and had migrated to their new homeland, are being treated like slaves and facing continued genocide at the hands of the Pakistani military. "Mohajirs had sadly ignored the advice of eminent Indian scholar Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, who had warned them not to leave India for Pakistan or less they would be treated there in Pakistan as slaves and he was correct," the MQM leader noted. "The division of India was the biggest blunder in history," Hussain added. Continuing his tirade against the military of Pakistan, Hussain said: "Pakistan's military is the producer, promoter and protector of terrorism and terrorists. They had produced every single terrorist gang operating worldwide form Pakistan." "Today, the ghoulish military establishment is calling the United States of America as an enemy of Pakistan and is duping the people of Pakistan by asserting that China is Pakistan's best and trusted friend. The ghoulish military is asserting, too, that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is meant for a prosperous Pakistan but the fact is that the CPEC is meant to pack Pakistan," he said. Hussain noted that under a multi-pronged strategy, the demonic military establishment is butchering Mohajirs. "Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan had promised to construct 50 million homes for the poor but soon after the military establishment imposed him on the people of Pakistan as country's Prime Minister, he launched a demolishing process of the properties of Mohajirs per the plans of the draconian military establishment of Pakistan," he said. Hussain also urged Mohajirs to unite in their fight against the establishment and for the sake of their rights and freedom, along with the people of Balochistan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here on Monday, and said the two leaders will come out with a concrete plan very soon. "Our dialogue will continue, very shortly we will come out with a concrete plan. We are discussing things. I will continue with my efforts," he told media here. KCR, who is expected to emplane for New Delhi after visiting Kalimata temple, will make a courtesy call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the capital. He will also call on Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora. In New Delhi, Rao is slated to meet Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav. He will also be meeting various union ministers to discuss issues related to Telangana. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pro-Khalistan activists in Canada under the banner of 'The Sikh Community' honoured Pakistan Army Chief Qamar Jawed Bajwa ostensibly for his role in laying of the cornerstone for the Kartarpur corridor, a proposed border corridor between India and Pakistan. The corridor will connect the Sikh shrines of Dera Baba Nanak Sahib and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur. Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, Pakistani consul general in Toronto, who was there to receive the medal on the behalf of Bajwa, was not only seen fraternising with the secessionist elements but also peddling lies and misinformation against India. The Kartarpur corridor is the result of decades-long diplomatic efforts between New Delhi and Islamabad. The event in Canada, however, was to seek Pakistan Army chief's support for Khalistan, a demand of separate homeland for Sikhs in the Indian state of Punjab. This is not the first time when Pakistan used an overseas territory to spew venom against India in order to further its agenda of destabilising the country. It has been using such tactics for years and has ramped up its efforts recently. Ever since the foundation stone for the Kartarpur corridor was laid last month, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has been working overtime to malign India and create a narrative at the same time to showcase Pakistan as a peace-loving and a minority-friendly nation. However, in a blow to its falsehoods and deceit, the United States of America blacklisted Pakistan a few days back for violating the religious freedom in the country, calling it "countries of particular concern". Pakistan has already been grey-listed by FATF (Financial Action Task Force) for its increasingly patronising role in terror funding from its territory. Numerous incriminating evidence in the past had established the fact that Pakistan was covertly supporting the secessionist movement of Khalistan. However, the nefarious agendas and policies have now taken a dramatic shift with Islamabad openly and brazenly embracing the anti- India elements in other countries. Pakistan Army, which largely calls the shots regarding internal and external policies of the country, has been assertively fuelling and funding the Khalistan movement. People working at its payrolls have been spreading propaganda and lies about India. Pakistan is currently facing global isolation owing to its unrelenting support to terrorism. The US recently cancelled its military aid to Islamabad after Pakistan's inability to take any action against surging terrorism from its land. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An alleged gang-rape victim tried to immolate herself in the office of Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) here on Monday. The woman had filed a complaint of gang rape. Alleging inaction in the case on the part of the police, she attempted self-immolation at the senior police official's office. Woman police personnel somehow managed to thwart her self-immolation attempt. The woman alleged that no action was being taken on her complaint despite raising it at different levels. However, the police have denied her charges and claim that her complaints were unsubstantiated. Rajesh Kumar, SP, Meerut Rural, said: "She poured kerosene oil on her and entered our office. She alleged that she had filed a complaint against three people for gang rape yet no action was taken. I have spoken with the concerned investigative officer and was informed that no strong evidence has been found yet." Alleging that it was a pressure tactic by the woman, Kumar asserted that action will be taken against the woman for trying to attempt suicide. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi led BJP government at the Centre is aiming to become a "peeping Tom," said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi here on Monday. "The ultimate ambition of Prime Minister Modi and the government is to become a peeping Tom and turn India into a nanny state," Singhvi told reporters here in an apparent reference to the recent mass e-surveillance notification of Union Home Ministry. Singhvi said the NDA government is seeking to amend 'The Intermediary Rules, 2011' governed under the 'Information Technology Act, 2000' in a disclosed manner, which would amount to further intrusion of privacy. He said that such an amendment under the draft's Section 3(5) can authorise authorities to break the end-to-end encryption. "The BJP government will hold the keys to personal and professional data of all sections," he added. "Be it a journalist whose 'sources' for a particular story can now be traced or be it any opposition leader whose strategy or discussions shall now become open to the government's scrutiny. Be it, bureaucrats or officers who do not often toe the ruling political party's line or be it businessmen whose 'ease of doing business' shall now be hampered by harassment or be it, ordinary citizens whose private conversations shall now become a 'de-crypted' file in the government offices," he noted. The Centre on Friday announced the move to authorise select security and intelligence agencies for the interception, monitoring and decryption of any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource. The agencies empowered by the Centre in accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000, include IB, Narcotics Control Bureau, ED, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), CBI, Investigation Agency (NIA), RAW, and the Commissioner of Police, Delhi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mumbai's Dindoshi Sessions Court on Monday reserved the order on the anticipatory bail application filed by actor Alok Nath in the Vinta Nanda rape case for December 26. The actor had filed the bail application in the Mumbai court on 14 December. On November 21, a rape case was registered against Nath by the Mumbai Police, based on a complaint filed by the writer-producer, who accused him of raping her 19 years ago. The FIR was booked under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Amidst the #MeToo movement, Nanda had narrated her horrifying ordeal in a Facebook post in October. She was the writer and producer of teleserial 'Tara' in the 90s, in which Nath played a lead role. In the wake of these allegations, the 62-year-old 'Vivah' actor was recently expelled from the Cine and TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The two jailed Reuters journalists in Myanmar - Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo - will be lodging an appeal on Monday challenging the seven-year prison sentence handed to them under the country's Official Secrets Act in September this year. The two journalists, who have been lodged in a Myanmar jail since a year, are accused of being in possession of classified material on security operations. However, the duo has refuted the charges and pleaded not guilty, claiming that they have been framed by the police. Both reporters were named as TIME's Person of the Year 2018 earlier this month, amongst other titles which have been bestowed on the duo. They were covering the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar's Rakhine state in December last year when they were detained. There have been repeated calls by the international community for their release, with many drawing attention towards press freedom in Myanmar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's Accountability Court on Monday conceded to Nawaz Sharif's demand to be lodged in Kot Lakhpat jail, also called Lahore Central jail, and not in Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, where he refused to go. "The Accountability Court, headed by Judge Arshad Malik, approved Sharif's request to be lodged in Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore," News International reported. Former Pakistan Prime Minister has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment following his conviction in corruption and money-laundering Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference case, a day ahead of his 69th birthday. In addition to this, the former Prime Minister was also fined USD 2.5 million. However, he was acquitted in the Flagship Investments reference. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Expressing concerns over the state of healthcare sector in Odisha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took a jibe at the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government asserting that the people are asking the state government why the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) or the Ayushman Bharat scheme are not being implemented. Addressing a public rally here during his day-long visit in the state, the Prime Minister said: "Today, people of the state are asking why Odisha has not accepted Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. If Odisha had implemented this scheme, people across the country would have got free medical care". Talking about his cleanliness campaign, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Prime Minister Modi said that when the country achieved 97 per cent of cleanliness in the country, he questioned why Odisha was lagging behind in the mass movement. Continuing his tirade against the BJD, the Prime Minister said: "In Odisha, both children and mothers are suffering from malnutrition. More than half of the positions for doctors in the state are lying vacant. Farmers are facing issues over irrigation and they are not getting suitable procurement. Chit fund scam has emerged here, corruption is thriving in Odisha." He said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre is making tireless efforts to improve the healthcare facilities in the state, adding that five new medical colleges have been approved in the state. Talking about his government schemes, Prime Minister Modi elaborated: "We are spending five times more on infrastructure and connectivity in villages and cities of Odisha. Under the Mudra Yojana, more than one crore loans have been given to the youth of Odisha. Nearly 12 lakh houses have been constructed here under the Pradhanmantri Awas Yojna." "35 lakh gas connections have been given to women in Odisha. Four-and-half years ago, only 20 per cent families had gas connection, and now it is 70 per cent. In the near future, everyone should have a gas connection and we are working in that direction," he added. He said that families of around 18 lakh farmers are beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, adding that in the event of crop failure, Rs 1700 crore have been provided to them. Talking about farmers' welfare, Prime Minister Modi further said: "Farmers and consumers should not be intermediate. For this, the farmers are being connected via the Internet through the mandis, and are being connected through online banking. To increase the income of the farmers, special attention is being given to farming as well as other related activities like animal husbandry, poultry, beekeeping and fish farming." Invoking late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Prime Minister Modi recalled that when the BJP was in power in the 2000s, a campaign to connect villages and cities of Odisha began. Heaping praises on Vajpayee, Prime Minister Modi said: "The determination that Atalji had shown during a cyclonic storm that came here 20 years ago, is still remembered by the people here today. The work that he (Vajpayee) had started for the development of Odisha is being carried forward by us at a fast pace now." Underlining that Odisha is emerging as a centre of higher education, the Prime Minister elucidated: "With the efforts of the central government, prominent institutes like IIT Bhubaneswar, IIM Sambalpur, IISER Brahmapur will help the youth to scale new heights. A world-class skill development institute has also been established in Bhubaneswar. In addition, more than 90 Eklavya schools have been opened for the education of tribal children." Before signing off, Prime Minister Modi went on to say that the central government's main goal is -- all-round development of Odisha and development that encompasses the people of the state, including youth, women, farmers and entrepreneurs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday released a commemorative coin worth Rs. 100 as a tribute to late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a day before his 94th birth anniversary. The commemorative coin has the Emblem of India on its front face while the reverse side of the coin has a portrait of Vajpayee and his name inscribed in both Devanagari and Roman. Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said: "Our mind is not ready to believe that Atal Ji is no longer with us. He was a stalwart loved and respected across all sections of society." He further said that over decades Vajpayee's voice remained the voice of the people. "As a speaker, he was unparalleled. He is among the best orators our nation has produced," the Prime Minister added. Prime Minister Modi stated that a long part of Vajpayee's career was spent in the opposition benches, but he always spoke about interest. "Atal Ji wanted democracy to be supreme. The party which Atalji built has become among the largest political parties. Generations of Karyakartas were fortunate to be mentored by him. Atal Ji built Jana Sangh but when the time came to rescue our democracy he and others went to Janata Party. Likewise, when the choice was between remaining in power or compromising on ideology, he left Janata Party and formed the BJP," the Prime Minister added. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Minister of State for Culture Mahesh Sharma, BJP president Amit Shah and veteran BJP leader LK Advani were also present at the event. Vajpayee passed away on August 16 at All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) in Delhi following a prolonged illness. The veteran leader, who led the Democratic Alliance government from 1998-2004, was the first ever person from the BJP to have become the Prime Minister. Vajpayee served as Prime Minister thrice -- briefly in 1996, and then twice more, 1998-1999 and a full term between 1999 and 2004. His birthday, which falls on December 25, is celebrated as 'Good Governance Day' by the BJP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Modi on Monday will inaugurate projects worth over Rs 145 billion during a day-long visit to Odisha. The projects are related to higher education, health, road and highways and culture. PM Modi will also inaugurate ESIC hospital in Bhubaneshwar costing Rs 735 million. The Prime Minister will inaugurate the Lalitgiri Archaeological Museum which houses huge sculptures of the Buddha and various Buddhist deities. He will also release a commemorative coin and a postage stamp in memory of Paika Rebellion at a function in (IIT) Bhubaneswar. This year marks the 200th anniversary the 1817 Rebellion led by Buxi Jagabandhu of Khorda district against the British. President Ram Nath Kovind has greeted the people of the nation on Christmas eve while expressing hope that the spirit of the festival inspires promotion of humaneness in the society. "On the occasion of Christmas, I extend my warm greetings and best wishes to all fellow citizens in India and abroad, and especially to my Christian brothers and sisters," President Kovind said in a message. "Jesus Christ symbolised peace, harmony and hope. Christmas is a celebration of human values that nurture mutual caring and sharing and transform life itself into a festival. May this Christmas inspire us to promote fraternity and humaneness in our nation and across our planet," he added. With festive fervour in the air ahead of Christmas, preparations are in full swing across various pockets of the country, ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Tuesday. Celebratory instincts, in case of Christmas, are not just among Christians, but for the society at large. The prime message, as the saying goes, is to bring peace and prosperity, irrespective of one's religion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has appealed to the youth of the country to work towards building India of Swami Vivekananda's dream. Singh was addressing the closing function of Yuva Kumbh here on Sunday where he said that only youths can make India a world leader i.e. 'vishwa guru'. He said, "Our cultural inheritance is rich and we should be committed to it." The Yuva Kumbh was organised to publicise the Kumbh-2019 to be held at Prayagraj next year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader and former minister Ramalinga Reddy cried foul over being denied a ministerial berth in the state cabinet while questioning the decision of removing him as a minister. "Juniors should become ministers, but four-five (of those) who became ministers earlier they are still in the cabinet including RV Deshpande, DK Shivakumar, G Parameshwara and others. My question is, you kept all these people who are capable and seniors but removed me. I'm asking, why?" the seven-time MLA told ANI. On Sunday, Congress' Ramesh Jarkiholi had reportedly threatened to quit the party after he was dropped from the HD Kumaraswamy cabinet. An audio clip had surfaced where Jarkiholi purportedly said he and others would resign and people would get to see the changes within a week. However, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara ruled out the possibility of Jarkiholi resigning from the party. "Whatever is appearing in media is different from reality. I have already spoken to Ramesh Jarkiholi, he is not resigning. Issues are being differently put in TV channels and reality is different, so I request media not to manipulate these issues," Parameshwara said in Tumkur. Reacting on Reddy being denied a ministerial berth in the state cabinet, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the decision was solely taken by the high command. "Me and Krishna Byre Gowda were not the reason for Ramalinga Reddy not being included in the cabinet. We were not even considered. The decision was taken by the high command," Parameshwara clarified. Reddy had reportedly claimed that there were four people who took the decision of dropping him, including Parameshwara. On Saturday, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Dinesh Gundu Rao recommended six names for cabinet posts and announced the removal of two ministers, Ramesh Jarkiholi and R Shankar. "We are filling six remaining cabinet posts and replacing two ministers. Ramesh Jarkiholi and R Shankar have been removed," Rao said while addressing the media here. The KPCC president said that the two ministers have been removed as they were unable to fulfill their duties. "It is basically done on the basis of their performance. Again after one year, we will be doing an overall evaluation of all the ministers. We cannot have ministers who are not performing," Rao added. In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, KPCC president had recommended a total of 12 names for the post of Parliamentary Secretaries, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Special Representative in New Delhi and Political Secretary to the Chief Minister. Names of MLC A. Abdul Jabbar, MLA Anjali Nibalkar, MLC Ivan D' Souza, MLA Manthesh S. Koujalagi, MLA Roopa Shashidhar, MLC K. Govindaraj, MLA Raghavendra K. Hintal, MLC MA Gopalaswamy and MLA Durgappa Hulageri were recommended for the post of parliamentary secretaries, while MLA Sharnabasappa Darshanapur, MLA Dr. Ajay Singh and MLA V.Muniyappa were recommended for the post of Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Special Representative in New Delhi and Political Secretary to the Chief Minister, respectively. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump, while quoting US Senator Rand Paul, noted that "it should not be the job of America to replace regimes around the world," on Monday. Paul made the comments while lauding Trump's decision to withdraw US troops from Syria, mentioning that the country has "spent several trillion dollars on these wars everywhere". "Thanks @RandPaul "I am very proud of the President. This is exactly what he promised, and I think the people agree with him. We've been at war too long and in too many places...spent several trillion dollars on these wars everywhere. He's different...that's why he got elected," Trump tweeted while quoting Paul. "It should not be the job of America to replace regimes around the This is what President Trump recognized in Iraq, that it was the biggest foreign policy disaster of the last several decades, and he's right...The generals still don't get the mistake," he further tweeted. Paul's comments come in the wake of increased criticism from American media and other Republican Senators like Lindsey Graham dismissing Trump's claim of defeating ISIS in Syria. "We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency," the US President had tweeted on December 19. The same day US officials confirmed that plans were underway to pull troops from the region. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The registrar of the Supreme Court on Monday declined to give an urgent hearing before the vacation bench on an appeal of Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) West Bengal unit against the Calcutta High Court's division bench order on the 'Save Democracy Yatra'. This came hours after the BJP approached the vacation bench of the Supreme Court against the order of the Calcutta High Court's division bench barring the party to hold the massive campaign rally in West Bengal. On December 21, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court quashed the order of a single bench allowing the BJP to hold its Yatra. The bench, headed by Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Debasish Kar Gupta, was hearing a plea filed by the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government. Earlier, the single bench of the High Court had allowed the BJP to proceed with its yatra in the state and directed that the administration to ensure that there was no breach of law and order. The West Bengal government had refused permission for the proposed yatra citing intelligence reports of possible communal violence in areas where the BJP planned to hold rallies. The party had planned to hold the massive rallies, beginning from Cooch Behar district on December 6 and moving further to Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas district on December 9 and Tarapith in Birbhum district on December 14. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court will take up on January 4 the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case along with public interest litigation (PIL) questioning delay in the adjudication of the matter. The Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi will decide on "fixing the date of hearing before the appropriate bench". In October, Justice Gogoi had said an appropriate bench will decide the future course of hearing in January next year. On November 12, the Supreme Court had rejected a plea seeking an early hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit. Meanwhile, an advocate, Harinath Ram, filed a PIL in the top court, requesting it to hear the matter on an urgent basis and in a time-bound manner. The petitioner stated that the apex court should understand the sentiments of millions of Hindus in India, as their emotions are "inextricably attached to the identity of Lord Ram." The advocate further stated that the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid matter has been pending for the last several decades, but has not seen the light of the day "even when the country boasts of having functional and effective justice delivery system." In 2010, the Allahabad High Court had divided the disputed land in Ayodhya into three parts for each of the parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Just a day ahead of his birthday, former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday was sent to jail for seven years by an accountability court here in a corruption case and his all assets was also frozen. The Accountability Court in its judgment said: "In terms of Section 10 (a) of the Ordinance, all assets, properties, rights, receivables and interests of and in Hill Metal Establishment (HME) stand forfeited to the Federal Government of Pakistan." "Meanwhile, under Section 9 (a)(v) of the Ordinance, the former Pakistan Prime Minister shall cease to hold any public office, if any, held by him, and further he shall stand disqualified for a period of ten years, to be reckoned from the date he is released after serving his above sentence, for seeking or being elected, chosen, appointed or nominated as the member of representative of any public body or any statutory or local authority or in the service of Pakistan or of any province," the court further ordered. Sharif was also slapped with a fine of USD 2.5 million in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case of money laundering, tax evasion and hiding offshore assets, which was initiated against him on September 14 last year, according to Pakistani media reports. After the verdict, the 68-year-old leader of Pakistan Muslim League (N) was taken into custody from the court premises for being sent to Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore, Geo News reported. Accountability Court Judge Arshad Malik sentenced Sharif, saying there was concrete evidence against him in the Al-Azizia reference and that he was unable to provide a money trail in the case. The sentence came just a day ahead of Sharif's 69th birthday. The court, however, acquitted him in another case related to the Flagship Investments reference. The two cases, along with one more, were initiated against Sharif by Pakistan's National Accountability Bureau (NAB) last year after the Supreme Court ordered his disqualification from Prime Ministership. After the judgment, Sharif told reporters, "My conscience is clear as I never did corruption... I never misused my powers." Sharif requested that he be sent to Kot Lakhpat jail and not Adiala prison in Rawalpindi, which was conceded by the judge. In July, Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz were convicted in absentia in another case -- Avenfield corruption reference--by the accountability court. Apart from jail sentences, fines of eight million pounds and two million pounds were slapped on the father-daughter duo, respectively. Sharif's son-in-law Captain (Retd) Muhammad Safdar was also given a one-year sentence but was exempted from paying fine. However, the trio was released in September by the Islamabad High Court owing to lack of evidence. Earlier this month, Pakistan's Supreme Court had asked the accountability court to wrap up the corruption cases by December 24, after previously granting it seven extensions to conclude the NAB references. The accountability court inferred in its judgment that the former Pakistan Prime Minister has been prosecuted under Section 9 (a) (v) and Section 10 of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO). The court judgment further mentioned that Sharif would also not be allowed to apply for or be granted or allowed any financial facilities in the form of any loan or advances or other financial accommodation by any bank or financial institution owned or controlled by the Government for a period of ten years. The accountability court also said that the two sons of Nawaz Sharif, Hassan Nawaz Sharif and Hussain Nawaz Sharif are absconding and have already been declared as proclaimed offenders. "Perpetual non-bailable warrants of arrests are issued against them directing the NAB authorities to enter their names in the relevant register of Public Officers under intimation to this court," the court said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Working in collaboration, Terre des Hommes (TDH) and the Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI) were judged at the 2018 United Nations Forum on and Human Rights to have developed the most innovative and inspiring solutions to take the UN Guiding Principles on and Human Rights (UNGP) from paper to practice. As winner, TDH - presenting our multi-stakeholder approach - has now been invited to present this approach to eliminate child in mica mining in India at the UN Regional Forum on and Human Rights in 2019 in Bangkok. The UN Forum in Geneva is the world's largest annual gathering on business and human rights, with more than 2,000 participants from government, business, community groups and civil society, UN bodies, national human rights institutions, trade unions, academia and the media. "We're thrilled to receive this recognition at the UN Forum," said Carel Kok, CEO Terres des Hommes. "Our efforts to address child in India reflect our global commitment to change the lives of the children by raising the visibility of child's rights and bring together all the actors that play an important part of the solution." The common approach taken by Terre des Hommes and RMI to promote human rights and eliminate child in Indian mica mining encompasses a comprehensive program that involves multiple partners drawn from government, civil society and local communities as well as business actors. The program also recognizes that the creation of a sustainable mining sector and eradication of children rights violations in supply chains can only be achieved by simultaneously addressing all factors - economic, social - and by ensuring the commitment of all actors to contribute to and adopt the solutions. The Terre des Hommes and RMI programs will provide additional means of livelihood, quality education and health care in 100 villages throughout the mica mining region in the states of Bihar and Jharkhand. The integrated approach also includes the creation of responsible workplace standards covering environmental, health and safety obligations that will be implemented by owners of mica mines and processors and efforts to enable a legal framework to regulate the sector. "It's an honor for the Responsible Mica Initiative to receive this esteemed recognition by the UN Forum," explained Fanny Fremont, Executive Director, Responsible Mica Initiative. "It's a testament to the commitment of all of our members and program partners who have joined forces to create a responsible and sustainable mica sector." Terre des Hommes is a founding partner of the Responsible Mica Initiative. The organizations conduct their programs in parallel, each focusing on different villages to maximize their impact, while leveraging the diverse stakeholder relationships they have developed that are critical to the success of their programs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) American actor Gabrielle Union opened up about how she bonded with her daughter Kaavia James Union Wade while she was in the surrogate's womb. Gabrielle and Dwyane Wade welcomed Kaavia together via surrogacy on November 7, this year. 'The Bring It On' star has been very vocal about her struggles with infertility and has been speaking more about it since Kaavia came into the world, reported E! Online. On Sunday, Union joined Connie Simpson aka Nanny Connie on an Instagram Live and talked about her bond with her little one, the nanny and which celebrities knew about the surrogacy. Connie Simpson has also helped celebrity couples like Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel and John Krasinski and Emily Blunt. Union explained that she had a chance meeting with Connie. "What people didn't know at that moment that I came across Nanny Connie is that we had just implanted our embryo into our surrogate. Nobody knew. We had not told anyone," she said. Union also revealed the steps that she and Wade took to bond with the baby while she was still in the surrogate's womb. She said she and the 'Miami Heat' star along with his three kids that she shares with Siohvaughn Funches, recorded themselves while speaking. "The surrogate would play it with headphones on her belly so Kaavia could get used to our voices," she said. Union also explained that it wasn't just her family's voices that she heard. She also heard Astroworld and Beyonce. "Kaav heard everything from Astroworld to Beyonce to Earth Wind and Fire to The Whispers," Union said. The little munchkin apparently loves the Hamilton soundtrack, too. The 'Being Mary Jane' star also disclosed that Kaavia was born a few weeks early. "We thought we had at least two more weeks," she said. Union also said that American actor Jessica Alba was the one who supported her throughout the surrogacy process. She said that she "confided in her early on." On December 10, Union posted an Instagram video about her tiny tot's "birth journey" and it provided an insight into how Wade and Union met their "miracle baby." In the video, the couple gave glimpses into the months leading up to Kaavia's birth and why they chose the surrogate route. "Every family is unique. How each family is created and comes together is special. Kaavia James Union Wade's journey into our arms was long and at times brutal. There were heartbreaks that nearly broke us and streams of tears that turned into raging rivers. And then came Kaavia James," she captioned the video. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has again pushed for a wall in its Southern border with Mexico despite a partial government shutdown in the country which may continue till 2019. The shutdown was triggered by a lack of consensus between lawmakers and the US President on the funding for the wall which was one of Trump's electoral promises. "The most important way to stop gangs, drugs, human trafficking and massive crime is at our Southern Border. We need Border Security, and as EVERYONE knows, you can't have Border Security without a Wall. The Drones & Technology are just bells and whistles. Safety for America!" Trump tweeted on Sunday (local time). Meanwhile, Trump's next acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney told Fox News, "It is very possible that the shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress." The US Constitution mandates the Congress to convene in the new year on January 3, unless a different day has been designated by law by the preceding Congress. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP will not be spared if the saffron party does indulge in 'jumla' in the name of God, said Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Monday. "The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will not be spared if it does 'jumla' in the name of God," Thackeray said here while addressing a gathering. He said that he would like to talk about the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the plight of farmers rather than indulging in the 'useless debate' over a pre-poll alliance. "It has been 30 years and still you say that matter is in the court. Hindus are innocent but not fools. Let there be a discussion in the Parliament on the Ram temple issue. Who you are favouring on this issue will be clear," he said. "Babri Masjid was demolished. Now you are sleeping like 'Kumbhakaran' on your power bed. When will we see a Ram temple? If you will do 'jumla' in the name of God, we will not spare you without kicking you out. We will not leave the Ram Mandir issue and will not let anyone leave this also," added Thackeray. Continuing his tirade against the Central government, Thackeray said, "I am not going into the useless debate of alliance or no alliance. I just want to get the relief for my farmers. The thing which happened with Rafael, the same thing happened with crop insurance also. If seeking justice is a crime, if asking questions to government is a crime, I will do that crime." Demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should visit the drought-hit areas in Maharashtra, he said, "I don't have any interest in seat sharing. Just tell me when you are compensating farmers for their losses. I have to tell the PM that he travels around the world, sometime he should come to a drought-hit area also. There are claims of Rs 32,000 crore of loan waivers but a single farmer can't be benefitted by it." Criticising the Central government on Rafale fighter jet deal, Thackeray said, "A company which had no experience was given a contract. Soldiers of our country need a pay hike, which you don't give, but you do scams in the purchase of arms and ammunition. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A United States court has ordered North Korea to pay USD 500 to the family of the student who died after he was arrested for theft in the country in 2016. A 22-year-old Otta Warmbier was on a guided tour in the South-Asian Communist nation in January 2016. During the tour, Warmbrier was arrested for trying to steal a poster from a restricted portion of a building to which he later confessed during a televised conference, reported Sputnik International. "North Korea is liable for the torture, hostage taking, and extrajudicial killing of Otto Warmbier, and the injuries to his mother and father, Fred and Cindy Warmbier," the court noted. During his trial in Pyongyang, Warmbier was found guilty of committing "hostile act" and was sentenced to 15 years of hard labour. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The cops in West Bengal will be "stripped of their uniforms" one day as they are not "worth wearing" the khakhi, BJP's state unit president Dilip Ghosh has said. "The policemen are registering false cases against my party workers. A day will definitely come when we will strip you of your (police) uniforms. Police aren't worth wearing the uniform," said Ghosh, while addressing a public meeting on Saturday in Birbhum district. Ghosh also accused the police of lodging "fake" cases against his party workers. "Above all, you are insulting us. We are keeping a record of everything. We will also identify those officers who had slapped false cases against us after coming to power. They will have to pay us back from their own pockets," he said BJP's Kharagpur MLA also stated that the portrayal of Jharkhand is quite negative all across and claimed that all those involved in the criminal incidents belonged to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led TMC. "There is a general perception that people from Jharkhand are coming to West Bengal and making bombs. Can't the police catch them? All those involved in these incidents are from the TMC," alleged Ghosh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On 26 December 2018 Allahabad Bank announced that the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has served a notice informing their decision to go on one day's strike on 26 December, 2018 in support of their certain demands. The Bank is taking all the necessary steps in terms of the existing guidelines for smooth functioning of Bank's Branches/Offices on the day of Strike, in the event the Strike materializes. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharat Forge Ltd is quoting at Rs 500.3, down 0.25% on the day as on 13:19 IST on the NSE. The stock tumbled 31.27% in last one year as compared to a 1.96% rally in NIFTY and a 22.56% fall in the Nifty Auto index. Bharat Forge Ltd dropped for a fifth straight session today. The stock is quoting at 500.3, down 0.25% on the day as on 13:19 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is down around 0.15% on the day, quoting at 10737.9. The Sensex is at 35702.26, down 0.11%.Bharat Forge Ltd has eased around 12.57% in last one month.Meanwhile, Nifty Auto index of which Bharat Forge Ltd is a constituent, has increased around 1.12% in last one month and is currently quoting at 9337.25, down 0.82% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 14.34 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 21.66 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark December futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 502.1, down 0.02% on the day. Bharat Forge Ltd tumbled 31.27% in last one year as compared to a 1.96% rally in NIFTY and a 22.56% fall in the Nifty Auto index. The PE of the stock is 27.45 based on TTM earnings ending September 18. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Himachal Futuristic Communications rose 1.44% to Rs 21.15 at 10:38 IST on BSE after the company won overseas contracts worth Rs 148 crore from Larsen & Toubro. The announcement was made yesterday, 23 December 2018. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 57.13 points, or 0.16% to 35,684.94 On the BSE, 4.18 lakh shares were traded in the counter so far, compared with average daily volumes of 8.92 lakh shares in the past two weeks. The stock had hit a high of Rs 21.80 and a low of Rs 21 so far during the day. Himachal Futuristic Communications (HFCL) announced that it has been awarded two contracts totalling Rs 148 crore by L&T to execute the Telecommunication Systems projects for the Mauritius Metro Express Project and for the Dhaka Metro Mass Rapid Transit System. The Mauritius Metro Express Project is along a 26 km route that will connect Curepipe to Immigration Square in the capital Port Louis and will feature 19 stations. The Dhaka Metro Mass Rapid Transit System Project is along a 20 km route and is an elevated metro rail system with 16 Stations and a Maintenance Depot, connecting Uttara and Motijheel. Net profit of Himachal Futuristic Communications rose 57.97% to Rs 39.76 crore on 97.64% rise in net sales to Rs 1137.41 crore in Q2 September 2018 over Q2 September 2017. HFCL is a leading telecom infrastructure developer, system integrator and manufacturer of high-end telecom equipment and optical fibre cables, having its manufacturing facilities at Solan, Goa and Chennai. 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 was trading with small losses in mid-morning trade. At 11:26 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 56 points or 0.16% at 35,686.07. The Nifty 50 index was down 26.05 points or 0.24% at 10,727.95. Mixed cues from other Asian markets spoiled investors sentiment. Key indices opened with minor losses and continued trading in a narrow range with small losses in mid-morning trade. Among secondary barometers, the BSE Mid-Cap index was down 0.35%. The BSE Small-Cap index was down 0.65%. Both these indices underperformed the Sensex. The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was negative. On BSE, 827 shares rose and 1234 shares fell. A total of 124 shares were unchanged. Most auto shares declined. Hero MotoCorp (down 3.07%), TVS Motor Company (down 2.45%), Bajaj Auto (down 2.02%), Eicher Motors (down 1%), Ashok Leyland (down 0.9%), Escorts (down 0.66%) and Tata Motors (down 0.26%), edged lower. Maruti Suzuki India (up 0.12%) and Mahindra & Mahindra (up 0.44%), edged higher. Pharmaceuticals shares were mixed. Lupin (down 1.94%), Divi's Laboratories (down 1.64%), Strides Shasun (down 1.09%), Dr Reddy's Laboratories (down 0.88%), GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals (down 0.7%), Aurobindo Pharma (down 0.3%), Cipla (down 0.2%) and Cadila Healthcare (down 0.18%), edged lower. Alkem Laboratories (up 0.09%), IPCA Laboratories (up 0.54%), Piramal Enterprises (up 0.59%), Glenmark Pharmaceuticals (up 0.82%), Wockhardt (up 1.20%) and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (up 1.34%), edged higher. Himachal Futuristic Communications (HFCL) rose 1.92% after the company won overseas contracts worth Rs 148 crore from Larsen & Toubro. The announcement was made yesterday, 23 December 2018. HFCL announced that it has been awarded two contracts totalling Rs 148 crore by L&T to execute the Telecommunication Systems projects for the Mauritius Metro Express Project and for the Dhaka Metro Mass Rapid Transit System. The Mauritius Metro Express Project is along a 26 km route that will connect Curepipe to Immigration Square in the capital Port Louis and will feature 19 stations. The Dhaka Metro Mass Rapid Transit System Project is along a 20 km route and is an elevated metro rail system with 16 Stations and a Maintenance Depot, connecting Uttara and Motijheel. On the economic front, India's GST Council in the thirty-first meeting held on Saturday, 22 December 2018, at New Delhi announced reduction in GST rates/exemptions on 23 goods and services, including movie tickets, TV/monitor screens and power banks, and exempted frozen and preserved vegetables from the levy. Of the 23 goods and services on which rates have been slashed, tax rate on seven items in the 28% slab has been brought down. With this, only 28 goods are left in the highest 28% tax bracket. The new GST rates will be effective from 1st January 2019. Overseas, Asian stocks were mixed, following last week's market turmoil in the US. US stocks closed steeply lower Friday, as investors digested the implications of a tighter US monetary policy, flagging global growth and uncertainty surrounding US-China trade relations. US equity market on Monday will end early as it is Christmas Eve and will be closed on Tuesday for the Christmas holiday. Meanwhile, the US federal government partially shut down for the third time this year early Saturday as lawmakers in Washington continued to wrangle over funding for President Donald Trump's proposed border wall. Key lawmakers and Trump administration officials returned midday Saturday to resume negotiations over Trump's border-wall funding demand of at least $5 billion. By the middle of the afternoon, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced his chamber would adjourn for the Christmas holiday, not returning until 27 December 2018. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Strides Pharma Science announced that its stepdown wholly owned subsidiary, Strides Pharma Global, Singapore, has received approval for Polyethylene Glycol 3350 and Electrolytes for Oral Solution USP, 236 grams/2.97 grams/6.74 grams/5.86 grams/22.74 grams/4 Liter from the United States Food & Drug Administration (US FDA). The product is a generic version of GoLYTELY of Braintree Laboratories, Inc. Strides has already garnered an important market share for Polyethylene Glycol 3350, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Bicarbonate and Potassium Chloride for Oral Solution (IMS market share at 22%) and Polyethylene Glycol 3350, Powder for Solution (OTC). With the current approval, Strides now offers a complete range of PEG 3350 Laxatives for the US markets comprising of 3 approved products addressing a combined Rx and OTC opportunity of ~US$ 400 Mn as per IMS and IRi data. The product will be manufactured at flagship facility in Bangalore and will be marketed by Strides Pharma Inc. in the US market. 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 death toll in a devastating tsunami that hit the coast of Indonesia after a volcanic eruption reached 373 on Monday, as rescuers continued digging through the rubble with bare hands and heavy machinery to find survivors amid warnings of more deadly waves in the coming days. At least 128 people were still missing and nearly 1,500 were injured after the tsunami struck the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra almost without warning late Saturday, shortly after the Anak Krakatau volcano erupted in the Sunda Strait dividing the islands, said the National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB). According to the figures released on Monday, at least 11,687 people were displaced by the tragedy, which damaged 611 houses, 69 hotels, 60 shops and 420 boats. President Joko Widodo visited the disaster zone to monitor rescue efforts and said he was praying for the victims, CNN reported. Indonesia's Ministry of Maritime Affairs said the tsunami was triggered when the Anak Krakatau volcano erupted in the Sunda Strait, prompting a series of underwater landslides. Most of the victims were Indonesians, but foreigners were also visiting the affected areas ahead of Christmas. "Sixty four hectares of the slope collapsed ... Our sensors did not sound early warning because they are for tectonic activity not volcanic activity," spokesman Rahmat Djamaluddin said. According to local media reports, the wave reached as high as three metres (10 feet). Eyewitnesses described fleeing for their lives as beachfront homes were swept away in the wave. BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho warned that more tsunamis were possible as long as the volcano remained active. "We are cautioning the people to remain cautious. Agencies are still continuing to analyze the root cause ... the Krakatau volcano continues to erupt, which could potentially trigger another tsunami." Sutopo also raised the issue of Indonesia's outdated tsunami buoy network which he said hasn't worked properly since 2012. The country established the early warning system after the Indian Ocean tsunami struck on December 26, 2004, killing 226,000 people in 14 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. This time, there was no warning from the sensors, said Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency head Dwikorita Karnawati. A lack of warning was also blamed for the death toll in Indonesia's October tsunami which killed over 2,000 people on the western coast of Sulawesi. Just over 20 minutes after the eruption, a wall of water between 6 and 10 feet high hit the coastline of northwestern Java and southeastern Sumatra, washing away everything in its path along the shoreline, including people, boats and cars. Pandeglang in northern Java's Banten province was the worst affected area. Other hard-hit areas with casualties and damages were Serang, Lampung Selatan, Tanggamus and Pesawaran. Footage shared on social media showed a large wave crashing into a tent in the Tanjung Lesung beach resort in west Java, where popular Indonesian rock band Seventeen was performing. Members of the band were seen being swept away as the wave destroyed the stage. Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres) was providing assistance to local health services, while the UN offered humanitarian and logistical assistance, mainly for transport and mobile kitchens. The Indonesian Red Cross was providing first aid. Anak Krakatau had been spewing ash and lava for months, with plumes reaching hundreds of feet in the air in the weeks leading up to the tsunami. The volcano's name means "Child of Krakatau", the island rising from the sea in 1927, after one of the largest, most devastating eruptions in recorded history occurred at the original Krakatau volcano in 1883. That eruption, which caused the original volcano to collapse into the sea, killed over 36,000 people in far-reaching tsunamis and sent so much ash into the sky that global temperatures fell. This tsunami has added more deaths and misery to a year of tragedies in Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands and 260 million people that lies on the "Ring of Fire", an area of great seismic and volcanic activity that is shaken every year by some 7,000 earthquakes. --IANS soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seven civilians have been killed in an explosion in Afghanistan's Ghazni province, officials said on Monday. "Seven civilians were killed following an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion in Ghazni late Sunday," government spokesman Harif Noori told Xinhua news agency. The incident occurred when a running mini bus touched off the IED along a dusty road in Shahkhog area of Dih Yak district. The official blamed the Taliban militant for the attack. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A "resurgent" Al Qaeda is looking to carry out terror attacks on passenger planes and airports, UK Security Minister Ben Wallace has warned following the widespread chaos at the country's Gatwick Airport over multiple drone sightings that triggered security concerns and led to numerous flight cancellations. In an interview with British newspaper The Sunday Times, Wallace said Al Qaeda -- the group behind the World Trade Centre attacks that killed almost 3,000 people in the US on September 11, 2001 -- "still aspires for aviation attacks" and was developing technology to bring down airliners. "The aviation threat is real. Al Qaeda have reorganized. They are pushing more and more plots towards Europe and have become familiar with the new methods," he said. The rise of the Islamic State overshadowed the Al Qaeda threat in recent years -- particularly after its most prominent leader, Osama bin Laden, was taken down by the US forces in Pakistan's Abbottabad in 2011. But Wallace said the danger had never truly diminished. "Al Qaeda sat quietly in the corner and tried to work out what the 21st century looked like while IS became the latest terrorist boy band." "But they have not gone away," he said. Al Qaeda and its affiliates are now active in Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Libya and other countries in the Middle East under a new generation of leaders. Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden's former deputy, is still its spiritual head. Wallace said improvements in airport security meant terrorists were less likely to smuggle explosive through terminal security systems. "They have explored other ways of getting bombs on planes. We've talked publicly about an insider threat issue. If you can't get in the front door, you're going to try to get in the back door," he told the Times. Wallace said British intelligence chiefs were concerned about US President Donald Tump's decision to pull out troops from Syria and said that it will create a "new safe haven for Islamists to launch attacks on the West". Wallace's statements came amid several drone sightings at Gatwick Airport over the weekend that triggered a security concern and led dozens of flights to be cancelled. However, according to the British authorities the incident was not terror-related. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 28 people died, including 25 employees of the Vice Ministry for Martyrs and the Disabled, and another 20 were wounded on Monday in an attack on that government department in Kabul. Three attackers were also killed in a seven-hour battle with security forces, Efe reported. "The cleanup operation in the area ended after almost seven hours ... For the moment, there are 25 people dead and more than 20 wounded in the attack," said Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi, who also confirmed the deaths of the attackers. A suicide bomber detonated a car bomb at the entrance of the building, the department being a part of the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry, about 3:15 pm, thus clearing the way for two other armed terrorists to get inside the facility. During the assault, security forces evacuated 350 government employees and are now looking for more dead and wounded in each of the building's rooms, said Rahimi, adding that the casualty toll could rise in the coming hours. "Now, ambulances have been allowed to access the zone to (remove) the bodies and (evacuate) the wounded to hospitals," he said. So far, no group has taken responsibility for the attack. In 2018, Kabul has been the scene of many such attacks, the latest of them coming in late November when Taliban attackers killed 15 people and wounded about 30 in a 10-hour battle with security forces after assaulting a facility of Britain's G4S security firm. The most serious attack this year came last January, when the Taliban blew up an ambulance bomb near the old Interior Ministry, which still houses government offices, killing more than 100. --IANS vc/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Internet giants like Google, Facebook and Twitter must take steps to block the spread of material that tells people how to end their lives, Britain's minister for suicide prevention has demanded. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Jackie Doyle-Price said that sites like Wikipedia, Google, Facebook and Twitter were behaving like "unruly teenagers" who had to be "dragged, kicking and screaming" into taking action. She was appointed as Britain's first suicide prevention minister in October, The Daily Mail reported on Monday. Internet giants should treat self-harm methods in the same way they tackle online extremist content, the minister said in the interview, adding that the companies could face regulation if they fail to take action on such material. "Publicising methods of how to take your own life are just as irresponsible as publishing hate videos and terrorism videos. It's the same thing; it leads to death and it leads to death that is preventable," the minister was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph. The minister also revealed plans to expand mental health services for children in Britain which would also help combat mental distress. --IANS gb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ahead of the general elections in Bangladesh on December 30, the Border Security Force (BSF) has heightened patrolling and vigil along the India-Bangladesh frontiers, a top BSF officer said here on Monday. "Keeping in mind the general elections to the Bangladesh Parliament, we have further increased the security along the India-Bangladesh borders. "BSF troopers are always ready to deal with any kind of situation," BSF Tripura Frontier officiating Inspector General (IG) Ashok Kumar Yadav told the media. "We have asked the BSF commanders and the troopers to keep a close watch on the borders. Patrolling has also been increased," he added. He also ruled out any possibility of mass infiltration. Bangladesh media reports, monitored here, said that about 400-450 platoons of army troopers were deployed in 389 areas in 270 constituencies across Bangladesh on Monday to assist with the December 30 poll process. "The Election Commission earlier announced that the army would be deployed as a striking force across the poll-bound country. The soldiers would remain in the field until January 2 or till the 11th Parliamentary elections ends," the media reports added. Quoting the poll official the reports said that the forces have been deployed to build up confidence among the people and political parties. Two militants of the banned National Liberation Front of Tripura, who were hiding in Bangladesh, surrendered before the BSF officials on Monday. The BSF's acting IG said that around 50-60 cadres of Tripura militant outfits were still hiding in their temporary camps in Bangladesh, mostly in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. "However, majority of these rebels are keen to return to mainstream." According to the official, 13 extremists surrendered to the BSF in Tripura in 2018. Bangladesh and India share a 4,096-km long international border, the fifth-longest land border in the world. A large portion of the border along Tripura and West Bengal is already fenced and work was underway for fencing the remaining part of the border. --IANS sc/in/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hundreds of businessmen and traders took out a candle march in Bihar's capital on Monday to protest the killing of a young businessman. Bihar Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav also joined the march. Protesting businessmen and traders shouted slogans and demanded arrest of criminals behind the killing. Gunjan Khemka, an industrialist, was shot dead last Thursday in Hajipur in Vaishali district, leading to panic among businessmen and traders of the area. Khemka, son of Patna's well-known businessman Gopal Khemka, was targeted on way to his factory in Hajipur, about 30km from Patna. Police are yet to make any breakthrough. Twenty-four hours after Khemka's killing, four businessmen, including a construction firm owner, were shot dead in the state. Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress leaders have criticised Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for the rise in crime and collapse of law and order. Besides Tejashwi Yadav, senior Congress leader Tarique Anwar and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party chief and former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha have questioned Nitish Kumar's claims on improvement in law and order in the state. --IANS ik/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Seen as a slanted attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid growing unease in ties with the BJP, Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said with various scams in the country, "it seems chowkidars have become thieves" -- a takeaway from Congress slogan. Referring to what he termed as "scams" in the defence and agriculture sectors besides 'jumlas' of other schemes such as Rs 15 lakh in every Indian's bank account or the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, Thackeray attacked the ruling ally Bharatiya Janata Party on various fronts. Addressing a much-anticipated rally in the temple town of Pandharpur, Solapur district, he hit out at the BJP for getting "possessed" by the spirits of gods in raking up the Ram temple before elections, but achieving nothing in the past over three decades. "I went to Ayodhya (November) and have come to the holy land of Pandharpur. I want to wake up the sleeping Kumbhakarna -- you exploited Ram temple to win elections and now you are in a slumber. We will not rest till the Ram temple is constructed," Thackeray roared. "The PM makes all kinds of promises which he says will be implemented by 2022 - this means people must vote for him in 2019. After that, he will again say everything was a 'jumla' to be said during elections," Thackeray said. He said when the BJP is questioned about the temple construction, it says the matter is "in courts". "But was it not aware of this 30 years ago?" he asked. Congratulating Janata Dal (U) chief Nitish Kumar and Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan for their pacts with the BJP, Thackeray countered: "What is their stand on the Ram temple? Why are they silent on it?" He demanded a parliamentary debate on the Ram temple and Hindutva issues, where "it will become clear who is with NDA and against." Dwelling on the farmers issues, he said the government has indulged in 'jumlas' such as doubling farmers' incomes, but there is no such scheme. Despite tall claims, crop insurance and debt waiver have not reached the common peasantry, he said. "There is a scam bigger than Rafale in the agriculture sector. Despite having four state-run insurance companies, the government has given out contracts to 12 companies who have nothing to do with crop insurance. The poor farmers may be debt-ridden, but they will not flee like Vijay Mallya or Nirav Mod-Mehul Choksi," Thackeray said. Touching upon Rafale, he said most questions raised on it have not been answered yet, but the government claims it has got a "clean chit' from the courts. He alleged that "there are scams in defence purchases sector" undermining the crucial requirements for the country's security. "The government is now invading privacy of individual Indians and blaming Congress for everything. Tomorrow, they will impose Emergency and say even the Congress did it," Thackeray said. Barely a week after BJP President Amit Shah in Mumbai expressed "confidence" in working out an alliance with Sena for the 2019 elections, Thackeray hinted otherwise. "The Shiv Sena will form the next government. We are not interested in seat-sharing talks -- that can go to hell. We want to first resolve the farmers issues and construct the Ram temple." However, probably leaving a small window open for negotiations, he added in the same breath that "the people of the state will decide whether to go for alliance", but vowed to unfurl the Sena flag over the state. Claiming that the defeat in the five state elections recently has "shattered the BJP's arrogance", he said the people of those states voted courageously without bothering about "options and alternatives" (to the BJP). Referring to the drought situation in the state, he said recently a Central team came and carried out a hurried survey. "But now he (Thackeray) would go on a tour of all the drought-hit regions of Maharashtra in January and every Shiv Sena 'shakha' (branch) will act as relief centres for farmers." Meanwhile, BJP state President Raosaheb Patil-Danve, reacting to Thackeray's hard-hitting speech, said the Rafale verdict has been given by the Supreme Court and said 90 per cent farmers have already got the benefit of the loan waiver announced in June 2017. --IANS qn/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over a million Christians spread across Maharashtra rung in Christmas by singing carols, ringing church bells, lighting candles, attending midnight mass and exchanging Christmas greetings here on Monday at midnight. Several lakh Christians, dressed in their warm finery, thronged churches, schools, colleges and open grounds to attend the special midnight mass which started at 10 p.m. in view of the noise pollution rules enforced in Maharashtra. Many Christian-dominated areas of Mumbai like Colaba, Fort, Mazagaon, Byculla, Marine Lines, Mumbai Central, Dadar, Bandra, Santacruz, Andheri, Malad and Borivali wore a festive look since the past one week. Most Christian homes were lit up with Christmas stars, twinkling fairy lights, colourful festoons and big and small Christmas trees to celebrate the Yuletide spirit. Later, many Children and adults dressed in Santa Claus costumes went around distributing sweets and gifts to the poor in their localities. Malls, multiplexes and shopping plazas were decked up with lights and Christmas trees for the festive season to lure shoppers, offering special festive season discounts and freebies. After the Midnight Mass, there were big and small private parties in which the non-Christians greeted their brethren with hugs and exchanged Christmas greetings as the festivities continued through the night. Elsewhere in Thane, Palghar, Ratnagiri, Nashik, Pune, Solapur and other cities in the state which have a sizeable Christian population, Christmas was celebrated with joy, religious fervour and revelry. Christian communities, like Roman Catholics, East Indians, Marathi Christians, Konkani, and others celebrated Christmas in their own traditional ways. The Christmas break also enabled thousands of non-Christians from Mumbai, Thane and Pune to revel in Christmas festivities in tourist resorts like Matheran, Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Jawhar and coastal Konkan. --IANS qn/oeb/vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Controversial hoardings portraying Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as the next prime minister and a 'Kalyug ka Avtaar' (reincarnation in Kali Yuga) were removed from many public places in Agra after the municipal corporation noticed them, an official said. The hoardings put up by the Uttar Pradesh Navnirman Sena were placed under the 'Yogi for PM' campaign, triggering a flutter in political circles. As the hoardings dotted the city landscape, Agra Mayor Naveen Jain ordered their immediate removal. The civic authorities have also ordered action against the advertising agency that put up the billboards. The hoardings carry a picture of Lord Ram and the monk-turned-politician thanking him for renaming of Faizabad district as Ayodhya. Hoardings portraying Adityanath as the future prime minister and a man of action had recently created controversy. These, too, were removed soon after they were put up. Those billboards were also put up by the UP Navnirman Sena. --IANS md/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi Assembly on Monday released an official bulletin to clarify that the resolution adopted on the anti-Sikh riots by the House on December 21 did not have any mention demanding withdrawal of the Bharat Ratna conferred on late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The Assembly Secretariat issued a three-page "brief summary of House proceedings" which showed that the resolution had sought to call the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as "genocide" and did not mention Rajiv Gandhi's name. Soon after the Assembly released the bulletin, Opposition MLAs had called the dropping of the award withdrawal as "illegal, unauthorized and unconstitutional." On Monday, leader of the Opposition Vijender Gupta and MLAs O.P. Sharma, M.S. Sirsa and Jagdish Pradhan held a meeting in the Delhi Assembly. "The resolution containing the reference was unanimously passed by the Assembly on Friday. However, the bulletin of December 21 issued on Monday as per rule by the Assembly showed that the reference to the withdrawal of Bharat Ratna from Rajiv Gandhi has been dropped from the resolution passed by the House that day," Gupta said. "It was felt that the resolution asking for withdrawal of Bharat Ratna is now an inseparable part of the proceeding of the House and cannot be amended in this manner," he said. Sirsa had on Monday submitted a notice to the Secretary, Delhi Assembly, seeking removal of the Speaker for dropping the line from the resolution which read that "this House also resolved that Centre should withdraw Bharat Ratna from the then acting PM Rajiv Gandhi". He said the resolution has been illegally, unauthorizedly and unconstitutionally amended by none other than the Speaker himself. "The Speaker's deliberate, planned and sustained action is a clear-cut case of blatant forgery out of unpardonable moral and ethical turpitude." A controversy erupted on December 21 when AAP MLA Jarnail Singh, after reading the resolution for speedy trial of cases and justice for the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, added a line demanding the withdrawal of the Bharat Ratna award given to Rajiv Gandhi alleging that the late prime minister "justified anti-Sikh riots". "The House urges the Centre to take back India's highest civilian award 'Bharat Ratna' from late former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi for justifying the 1984 anti-Sikh riots," Singh added after reading out the resolution passed by the House. The line was not part of the original printed resolution, but was handwritten and was suggested by AAP MLA Somnath Bharti, he claimed. The Delhi Assembly had adopted the resolution by a voice vote. However, there was a doubt over whether the line was a part of the resolution. Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, the Delhi government and the AAP had maintained that the demand for the withdrawal of Bharat Ratna was not part of the resolution and that it was only a demand of the MLA, which can only be considered as a proposed amendment to the resolution. Later, AAP MLA Alka Lamba claimed that the party asked her to support the award withdrawal demand, over which she had walked out of the House. The speculation of party demanding resignation of Lamba surfaced soon after. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia later said that no such demand was made by the party from Lamba. On her part, Lamba, too, said she was "not resigning". The Delhi Assembly had a short duration discussion on 1984 riots during the two-day session beginning December 20. The last among the members who spoke on the discussion was Singh, where he put his demand for the award withdrawal. --IANS nks/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi Metro has replaced public buses as the go-to mode of transport for the common man in the city over the years and continues to expand its reach, having added nearly 100 km of network this year. The Delhi Metro, which began its journey with a mere 8-km-long Red Line connecting Shahdra and Tis Hazari, will turn 16 on Christmas Day. It was on December 25, 2002, 16 years ago, when the Delhi Metro was inaugurated by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the then Prime Minister, along with then Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. The metro has gone strength to strength since then and will soon boast of being one of the largest metro networks in the world, after Shanghai and Beijing, and is expected to even overshadow the London Underground. During its construction in three phases, the metro has spread its network across 317 km of the city and its suburbs. By the time the Phase-III winds up next year, it will have expanded to 349 km, and with Phase-IV, which has just been given the green signal and is expected to be completed by 2022, the Delhi Metro will cross the 400 km mark. In words of the Delhi Metro Rail Corp, the current year was "historic" in terms of construction of several new stretches, totalling a length of a "record" 87 km. The expansion of the metro has not been a cakewalk along the years, with the transporter facing all kinds of roadblocks, from acquiring land-- as in the case of Shakurbasti and Trilok Puri-- to tunnelling around the Old Delhi area, known for its historical monuments. At present, it has eight color-coded lines: Red, Yellow, Blue, Violet, Orange, Green, Magenta and Pink, with the last two being the latest addition to the fleet. The phase-IV, still to go on floor, is no less ambitious and aims to touch some of the harder to reach outskirts of the city, like Bawana and Narela in northwest Delhi. With 231 stations over and below ground across the network, the Delhi Metro ferries approximately 26-27 lakh riders every day. -- IANS vn/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Online home interior design platform DesignCafe said on Monday that it has raised funding of up to Rs 200 crore from WestBridge Capital. According to the Bengaluru-based DesignCafe, the company was set up to address a large personalisation and execution gap that existed in the mid-segment home interior market of homes in the 1,000-2,000 sq ft bracket. "WestBridge Capital will invest up to Rs 200 crore in a series B round of funding with participation by existing investor Fireside Ventures," the DesignCafe statement said. "The company proposes to use the additional capital to expand operations in 6 other cities including Mumbai, NCR and Hyderabad." Commenting on the deal, Westbridge Capital Managing Partner Sandeep Singhal said in a statement: "We have been impressed with Design Cafe's rapid scaling up and initial success. Their high customer satisfaction rate is an excellent achievement and is a testimony to the company's deep domain expertise in this sector, hard work and good business judgment." --IANS ravi-bc/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Fearing a conservative backlash, Facebook has reportedly shelved a feature intended to encourage more civil discussion among users of opposing political beliefs. Joel Kaplan, Facebook's Global Head of Policy, flagged that the project -- known as "Common Ground" -- could lead to accusations that the site was biased against conservatives, The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. Kaplan, a former White House aide to George W. Bush who has emerged as Facebook's protector against allegations of political bias, was concerned that the change would disproportionately impact the conservative users, said the report. Sources told the WSJ that the Common Ground project would have changed how the News Feed was ranked and de-emphasised "hateful" comments, The Verge reported. Conservatives alleged in the past that Facebook was biased against them, a charge that the social media giant denied. While "Common Ground" might have been halted apparently to remove bias, there are concerns that Kaplan, who attened Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation hearing, himself has been biased. --IANS gb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Coastal residents near Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano have been warned to keep away from beaches amid fears it could trigger a new tsunami. On Saturday, giant waves crashed into coastal towns on the islands of Sumatra and Java, killing at least 222 people and injuring 843. It is thought that volcanic activity set off undersea landslides which in turn generated the killer waves. Anak Krakatau was erupting again on Sunday, spewing ash and smoke, the BBC reported. Video shot from a charter plane captured the magnitude of the event in the Sunda Strait, between Sumatra and Java. President Joko Widodo has expressed his sorrow for the victims and urged people to be patient. Rescue efforts are being hampered by blocked roads but heavy lifting equipment is being transported to badly hit areas to help search for victims. The head of the National Disaster Management Agency, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, held a news conference on Java. "Recommendations from [the] Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency are that people should not carry out activities on the beach and stay away from the coast for a while," he said. "The potential for a fresh tsunami is still possible because the volcanic eruption of Anak Krakatau continues to occur, potentially triggering tsunami." Anak Krakatau, which formed in 1927 after the Krakatoa volcano eruption, has seen increased activity in recent months with people asked to avoid the area around its crater. On Friday, it erupted for two minutes and 12 seconds, creating an ash cloud that rose 400 metres above the mountain. It struck at during a holiday, with few of the warning signals that might have come had it been generated by an earthquake. Seawater did not recede as in an earthquake tsunami and experts say that even if there had been warning buoys near the volcano, there would have been minimal alert time. However, officials say a warning siren did go off in some areas. The waves destroyed hundreds of buildings, sweeping away cars and uprooting trees in several popular tourist destinations including the Tanjung Lesung beach resort, west Java. Footage shared on social media showed a large wave crashing into a tent in the resort, in which popular Indonesian rock band Seventeen was performing. Members of the band were seen being swept away as the wave destroyed the stage. Officials say more than 160 people were killed in Java's Pandeglang tourist district. On Sumatra, 48 were reported dead in South Lampung, and deaths were also reported in Serang district and Tanggamus. So far, no foreign nationals have been reported dead, officials say. Indonesia is prone to tsunamis because it lies on the Ring of Fire - the line of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that circles virtually the entire Pacific rim. In September, more than 2,000 people died when a powerful earthquake struck just off the central Indonesian island of Sulawesi, setting off a tsunami that engulfed the coastal city of Palu. On December 26, 2004, a series of huge waves triggered by a powerful earthquake in the Indian Ocean killed about 228,000 people in 13 countries, mostly in Indonesia. However, tsunamis caused by volcanic activity like this are less frequent. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday said the state has submitted a project for Rs 157 crore for channelisation of Seer rivulet and also sought a loan of Rs 85 crore from BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) for infrastructure projects in Sarkaghat area of Mandi district. Addressing a public meeting in the Sarkaghat assembly constituency, the Chief Minister said an additional Rs 26 crore has been sanctioned by the Central government for the constituency under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. He said there was all-round development in the one year tenure of the BJP-led government, and he has visited 63 state assembly areas to ensure personal contact with the masses. He further said the Jan Manch programme of the government has proved to be successful in redressal of public grievances. Taking a dig at the previous Congress government in the state, he said that it had left a loan burden of Rs 46,500 crore due to financial mismanagement under its rule. "Now, Opposition leaders are trying to intimidate the government by submitting charge sheets against the functioning of the ruling government. The fact is that the opposition has nothing adverse to say against the government," he said. Thakur said that the state government will hold a function at Dharamshala on December 27 to mark the completion of one year in power, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the state-level function. --IANS vg/oeb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday expressed grief over the loss of life and damage caused by a tsunami that hit the coast Sunda Strait in Indonesia killing 281 people. "My deepest condolences to the families of victims who lost their lives in the Tsunami... Our prayers are with them as we stand by our Indonesian brothers in this hour of grief," she tweeted. On Saturday, giant waves crashed into coastal towns on the islands of Sumatra and Java, killing at least 281 people and injuring 1,016. It is thought that volcanic activity set off undersea landslides which in turn generated the killer waves. Saturday's tsunami struck without a warning. Anak Krakatau erupted again on Sunday, spewing ash and smoke. Death toll steadily rose through the day as more and more bodies were recovered. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed his grief at the huge calamity. "Saddened by the loss of lives and destruction in Indonesia caused by the Tsunami after the eruption of a volcano. "Condolences to the bereaved families and wishing the injured an early recovery. India is ready to assist our maritime neighbour and friend in relief work," he tweeted last evening. Social media went viral with images of video shot from a charter plane that captured the magnitude of the volcanic event in the Sunda Strait, between Sumatra and Java. Coastal residents near Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano were again warned on Monday to keep away from beaches amid fears it could trigger a new tsunami. --IANS nks/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The death toll in a devastating tsunami that hit the coast of Indonesia after a volcanic eruption reached 281 on Monday, as rescuers continued digging through the rubble with bare hands and heavy machinery to find survivors amid warnings of more deadly waves in the coming days. At least 57 people were still missing and more than 1,000 were injured after the tsunami struck the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra almost without warning late Saturday, shortly after the Anak Krakatau volcano erupted in the Sunda Strait dividing the islands. Indonesia's National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) said that at least 11,687 people were displaced. President Joko Widodo visited the disaster zone on Monday and said he was praying for the victims, CNN reported. Indonesia's Ministry of Maritime Affairs said the tsunami was triggered when the Anak Krakatau volcano erupted in the Sunda Strait, prompting a series of underwater landslides. "Sixty four hectares of the slope collapsed ... Our sensors did not sound early warning because they are for tectonic activity not volcanic activity," spokesman Rahmat Djamaluddin said. According to local media reports, the wave reached as high as three metres (10 feet). Eyewitnesses described fleeing for their lives as beachfront homes were swept away in the wave. BNPB spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho warned that more tsunamis were possible as long as the volcano remained active. "We are cautioning the people to remain cautious. Agencies are still continuing to analyze the root cause ... the Krakatau volcano continues to erupt, which could potentially trigger another tsunami." Sutopo also raised the issue of Indonesia's outdated tsunami buoy network which he said hasn't worked properly since 2012. The country established the early warning system after the Indian Ocean tsunami struck on December 26, 2004, killing 226,000 people in 14 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. But this time, there was no warning from the sensors, said Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency head Dwikorita Karnawati. A lack of warning was also blamed for the death toll in Indonesia's October tsunami which killed over 2,000 people on the western coast of Sulawesi. Just over 20 minutes after the eruption, a wall of water between 6 and 10 feet high hit the coastline of northwestern Java and southeastern Sumatra, washing away everything in its path along the shoreline, including people, boats and cars. Pandeglang in northern Java's Banten province was the worst affected area. Footage shared on social media showed a large wave crashing into a tent in the Tanjung Lesung beach resort in west Java, where popular Indonesian rock band Seventeen was performing. Members of the band were seen being swept away as the wave destroyed the stage. The disaster damaged 611 houses, 69 hotels, 60 shops and 420 boats. Most of the victims were Indonesians, but foreigners were also visiting the area ahead of Christmas. The tsunami also reached the southern tip of Sumatra, where at least 48 people were killed in the South Lampung region. Two other districts or regencies on the southern end of Sumatra - Tanggamus and Pesawaran - were also affected. Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres) was providing assistance to local health services, while the UN offered humanitarian and logistical assistance, mainly for transport and mobile kitchens. The Indonesian Red Cross was providing first aid. Anak Krakatau had been spewing ash and lava for months, with plumes reaching hundreds of feet in the air in the weeks leading up to the tsunami. The volcano's name means "Child of Krakatau", the island rising from the sea in 1927, after one of the largest, most devastating eruptions in recorded history occurred at the original Krakatau volcano in 1883. That eruption, which caused the original volcano to collapse into the sea, killed over 36,000 people in far-reaching tsunamis and sent so much ash into the sky that global temperatures fell. This tsunami has added more deaths and misery to a year of tragedies in Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands and 260 million people that lies on the "Ring of Fire", an area of great seismic and volcanic activity that is shaken every year by some 7,000 earthquakes. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iranian foreign minister on Monday criticised the Europeans for their "slow measures" to salvage Iranian 2015 international nuclear deal. "The Europeans are acting slowly in the fulfillment of their commitments under the nuclear agreement (officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or the JCPOA)," Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying by Press TV. "We will not wait for them unless they adopt practical steps," Zarif said, reports Xinhua news agency. He emphasised that Iran has many options to deal with the US withdrawal from the JCPOA and would consider them based on its national interests. Washington withdrew from Iran's landmark 2015 nuclear deal in May and imposed batches of sanctions against Tehran, targeting Iran's shipping, financial and energy sectors. Iran relies heavily on the European's assistance against the US pull out of the nuclear deal and their promises to guarantee Iran's interests under the 2015 accord. The EU has stressed that it would set up a legal entity to facilitate legitimate financial transactions with Iran in light of the US withdrawal from the international agreement. --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif has said supporting the Palestinian cause is one of the principle policies of the country. "Unfortunately, counter measures to the (Palestinian) resistance movement take place from the Muslim world today," Zarif said on Sunday in a meeting with a visiting delegation of the Islamic Hamas movement, IRNA news agency reported. Zarif urged the Muslim countries to set aside differences and unite when it comes to the issue of Palestine, Xinhua reported. "Supporting Palestine is a principle policy of the Islamic republic," Zarif stressed. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The leaders of Israel's governing coalition announced on Monday that they have agreed to hold the next general elections in April next year, seven months earlier than required by law. The announcement came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition has been struggling to govern with a razor-thin majority. The current legislative term was set to expire in November. "Out of national and budgetary responsibility, the leaders of the coalition parties decided unanimously to dissolve the Knesset (Parliament) and go to new elections at the beginning of April after a four-year term," the government coalition said in a statement. "The partnership in the Knesset and in the government will continue during the elections," said the statement cited by Efe news. The call for early elections is a new chapter in a government crisis caused by disagreement over a bill to increase the recruitment of ultra-Orthodox Jewish people for mandatory military service, proposed by Yesh Atid, one of the main coalition parties that is led by Yair Lapid. Netanyahu has scheduled a vote on the bill -- which has been rejected by religious sections that are also a part of the coalition -- on January 7. Lapid, however, announced that his party would vote against the bill, breaking the coalition's consensus as he considered that Netanyahu had given in to ultra-Orthodox interest groups out of fear. The Prime Minister was weakened last month after Avigdor Lieberman resigned as the Defence Minister due to disagreement over the need to carry out a military offensive in the Gaza Strip. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his government will maintain its current policy regarding the conflict in Syria despite the US decision to withdraw its forces deployed there. Netanyahu made these remarks on Sunday after the White House said that the withdrawal of US troops had already begun, Efe news reported. "The decision to withdraw 2,000 US troops from Syria will not change our consistent policy," Netanyahu said at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting. "We will continue to act against Iran's attempts to entrench itself militarily in Syria, and to the extent necessary, we will even expand our actions there," he said. "I would like to reassure those who are concerned. Our cooperation with the US will continue in full and finds expression in many areas: operations, intelligence and many other security spheres," Netanyahu added. In related news, Israel's military chief of staff, Gadi Eisenkot, on Sunday described the US decision as a "significant event, but there is no need to overstate it". --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two Reuters journalists jailed for violating Myanmar's Official Secrets Act appeared in a court here on Monday to appeal against their convictions. In September, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were sentenced to seven years in jail each 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. The court indicated on Monday that a decision would be announced next month, Efe news reported. Ahead of the court session, Reuters' Editor-in-Chief Stephen Adler said the agency was "looking forward to demonstrating to Myanmar's High Court why it should reverse the convictions due to the egregious errors committed by the trial court in condemning them to prison for seven years". "We will explain to the appellate judge why, under the law, the only possible conclusion is that the appellate court must restore our reporters' freedom and reaffirm Myanmar's democratic principles," Adler said in a statement. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, aged 32 and 28 respectively, were detained on the night of December 12, 2017, in possession of "confidential documents" which they say had been handed to them by two police officers. In April, police captain Moe Yan Naing testified that a senior official had ordered him and other subordinates to give secret documents to Wa Lone to set him up, a claim the authorities have denied. The pair were investigating the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslims at Rakhine's Inn Din village during a Myanmar Army crackdown last year after Rohingya rebels launched a series of attacks on security posts in the region. Seven Myanmar soldiers were in April sentenced to 10 years in prison for the Inn Din massacre. On December 11, the Reuters reporters were named by Time magazine as "People of the Year" along with murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and several others. "These two journalists did not in any way harm Myanmar. Instead, they did it an incredible service: In keeping with the freedoms promised them under Myanmar's Constitution, they honestly reported the truth," said Adler. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) worker H. Prakash was killed by four assailants due to alleged personal rivalry in Karnataka's Maddur town in Mandya district, police said on Monday. "Prakash, 50, was attacked by four men with a machete on Monday evening due to suspected personal rivalries. He succumbed to his injuries," Maddur police station sub-inspector Kumara told IANS from Mandya district, about 100km southwest from here. The JD-S worker was also a former Zilla Panchayat (ZP) member of the district, the police officer said. A hunt was on to nab the accused, he added. Chief Minister and JD-S leader H.D. Kumaraswamy expressed shock over the party activist's death. "Prakash was a loyal party worker. The district police have been directed to take steps to arrest the accused," a statement from Kumaraswamy's office said on Monday night. --IANS bha/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actress Keira Knightley wanted to quit films after getting diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in her early 20s. In an interview to The Sunday Times' Style magazine, Knightley said: "I did think about it. Particularly at the point when I had a breakdown. I had PTSD and panic attacks. I literally couldn't work for a year and I didn't know whether there would be an end to that." But it was Knightley's friends and family, who supported her through thick and thin and helped her to battle the low period. "I have a super-solid background and thank f**k for that. My family and my small but very close group of friends just wrapped me up. And I think, without that, it would have been a very different story. "I knew I always had somebody there to cuddle me who didn't want anything from me. Ultimately, I didn't want them (the media and paparazzi) to win. The only thing I want to do is make films." Knightley found herself propelled into the limelight at just 17, following her breakthrough role in 2002 hit "Bend It Like Beckham", and was given an Oscar nod for Best Actress, four years later, after starring in "Pride and Prejudice". By 23, she was reportedly the 'second highest-paid woman in Hollywood', but her success came at a price, as she suffered a breakdown at 22 following a "very intense and lonely" period, reported dailymail.co.uk Recalling her breakdown, she said: "If you (female stars) weren't breaking down in front of them, then it was worth their while to make you break down in front of them so suddenly there was a level of violence, it felt, in the air. That is not a thing that anybody would react to well. "I did have a mental breakdown at 22, so I did take a year off there and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder because of all of that." --IANS sim/nv/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 24 (IANS/Mongabay) Is the devastating 2018 flood in Kerala linked to climate change? Based on a study that does not find any long-term increase in the mean or heavy monsoon rainfall in the state, researchers argue that attributing the event to climate change can be "difficult". The analysis is by researchers at the Water and Climate Lab at the Indian Institute of Technology-Gandhinagar, who looked at the event from the lens of hydroclimatology -- the effect of large water bodies on climate. Factoring in the long-term (1951-2017) changes in mean and extreme precipitation, air temperature and total run-off in Kerala, researchers said that during this 66 year period, the state witnessed a significant decline in monsoon rainfall while the temperature rose. "Therefore, long-term trends indicate drying and warming in the monsoon season in Kerala. Kerala had two remarkable extreme rain events in 1924 and 1961, which is prior to the global warming era," Vimal Mishra, the lead author of the study, told Mongabay-India. "Therefore, we hypothesise that the 2018 event may be similar to earlier extreme events and also driven by the natural variability of climate. However, the role of climate warming on 2018 flood in Kerala needs to be diagnosed," Mishra said. The 2018 event threw up a "surprise" from the trends perspective. "Both extreme rainfall and run-off during 1951-2017 show a decline. Moreover, there has not been a considerable increase in the frequency of extremes associated with rainfall in the state. Therefore, from the trends perspective the 2018 event was surprising," Mishra explained. "Climate change has posed profound implications on extreme precipitation and flood events globally. Therefore, there is no doubt that we should take climate change seriously in terms of the rising frequency of extreme events," said Mishra. Until we can scientifically attribute the 2018 flood to climate warming we can't say this was caused by climate change, he reasoned. "Since there is no increase in mean and extreme precipitation in Kerala over the last six decades, the extreme event during August 2018 is likely to be driven by anomalous atmospheric conditions due to climate variability rather anthropogenic climate warming," the study said. The researchers also questioned if the flooding in Kerala was caused by the human activities other than climate change. They believe the severity of the flood and the damage caused might be affected by several factors, including land-use and/or land cover change, antecedent hydrologic conditions, reservoir storage and operations, encroachment of flood plains, and other natural factors. Climate scientist Arpita Mondal, who works on detection and attribution of hydroclimatic change, agrees with one aspect of the study in that attributing hydrological events are particularly difficult. "We must also understand that floods are hydrological events, and not necessarily an atmospheric one. Hydrology is what happens to rain when it falls on the ground," IIT-Bombay's Mondal told Mongabay-India. "Therefore, the translation of heavy rainfall to floods is also dependent on the catchment characteristics and local factors, such as antecedent moisture conditions, land-use characteristics such as perviousness of the surface, floodplain encroachment, reservoir releases and so on," she said. Since these are complicated, interlinked processes, she said, attributing hydrological events are particularly difficult. "This is one aspect highlighted in this study, and I completely agree with that," Mondal said. Ecologist Rajiv Chaturvedi said that generally for Kerala, published literature pointed to increasing droughts, so it's no surprise that the trends associated with extreme and total rainfall in the state for 1951-2017 do not show an increase, but decrease. "It is agreed by most of the researchers that in Kerala the key problem today is drought, and drought is going to be the future problem as well (based on high resolution climate model projections) and not flood," Chaturvedi said. Mishra emphasised that research is needed to understand what impact the historic land cover change in Kerala caused on the severity of flood in August 2018. Reservoirs might have played a key role in at least worsening the flood situation in the state during August 2018, the researchers stressed. For instance, the group had earlier reported that excess rainfall had caused above-normal reservoir storage even before the onset of extreme rainfall (August 15-16). "The extreme rainfall in the catchments of major reservoirs forced reservoir operators to open the gates and release a considerable amount of stored water, which might have added to the severity of floods in the state," they observed in the study. But India's Central Water Commission (CWC), in its report on the Kerala floods, has held that "dams in Kerala neither added to the flood nor helped in reduction of the flood" while squarely holding the heavy rainfall responsible for the disaster. According to historical records, the region witnessed one of its most severe floods in 1924 and the CWC report noted that the rainfall of August 15-17, 2018 in Kerala was "almost of the same order as that of rainfall which occurred during July 16-18, 1924". Chaturvedi believes the sudden flood was so devastating (from the dam management perspective) as water resources in the state were managed for drought mitigation (keeping dams in full capacity). "And prolonged drought in the state could certainly be linked to climate change going by previous studies. Kerala is certainly experiencing the impacts of climate change in the form of declining rains, and its subsequent effect on vegetation productivity and carbon stock growth in vegetation," the ecologist said. (In arrangement with Mongabay.com, a source for environmental news reporting and analysis. The views expressed in the article are those of Mongabay.com. Feedback: gopi@mongabay.com ) --IANS sahana/vm/sac (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two public interest litigations (PIL) were filed before the Supreme Court on Monday challenging the constitutional validity of the Centres order empowering intelligence agencies and Delhi Police to snoop on all computers, seeking the quashing of the December 20 order. The petitions filed by advocates M.L. Sharma and Amit Sahni respectively, contend that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) order was "illegal, unconstitutional and ultra vires to the law" and expressed apprehension that citizens may be penalised for expressing views opposing those of the government. The MHA order authorised 10 Central agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as well as the Delhi Police to "intercept, monitor and decrypt any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer". The order also binds subscribers or service providers or any person in charge of the computer resource to extend all facilities and technical assistance to the agencies and a failure to do so is penalised with seven-year imprisonment and fine. The petition by Sahni said the MHA order was a "blanket order" and made without any reasoning as mandated by the Information and Technology (IT) Act. "Every citizen cannot be suspected as a criminal and the objective of passing the order is to have a surveillance country," said the petition seeking withdrawal of the order for being "unconstitutional, undemocratic and an assault on fundamental rights of the citizens". The petition by Sharma said the MHA order "has been issued to find political opponents, thinkers and speakers to control entire country under dictatorship to win coming general election under an undisclosed emergency as well as slavery which cannot be permitted". "The blanket surveillance order must be tested against fundamental right to privacy," it said and also asked the court to prohibit the agencies from initiating any criminal proceedings or investigation against anybody under the provisions of the Information Technology Act based on the notification and expressed apprehension of serious danger and injury to the freedom, life and liberty of the citizens. Pointing to the MHA order being "silent" on the reasons for empowering the investigating agencies with "such vast powers", the petition argued that people may be subjected to investigation by the Central agencies "without recording reasons in writing". Incidentally, Sharma was recently reprimanded by the Supreme Court for filing "frivolous" PILs and was imposed a fine of Rs 50,000. While the Opposition has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of turning India into a "surveillance state", the BJP-led Central government has defended the decision citing national security and claiming that the order was a mere repetition of the rules passed during the UPA regime in 2009. --IANS and/akk/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday condoled the death of former Union minister Jai Narain Prasad Nishad. "Saddened by the demise of Captain Jai Narain Prasad Nishad Ji. He served our nation with great diligence," Modi tweeted. Nishad, 88, also a former Member of Parliament, was undergoing treatment at a Delhi hospital, where he breathed his last on Monday. Modi said Nishad's efforts for the progress of Bihar were noteworthy. "His work towards empowering the poor will always be remembered. Condolences to his family and supporters," he said. --IANS spk/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 106th Indian Science Congress at Lovely Professional University in Phagwara near Jalandhar in Punjab on January 3. A spokesman for LPU, the country's largest private university, said the theme of the four-day (Jan 4-7) mega event is 'Future India: Science & Technology'. The Prime Minister will address an audience of about 30,000 scientists, researchers and students on the occasion. The Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) has been organising the event annually with an aim to bring together science fraternity across the world to discuss scientific innovations and researches at a common platform. Six Nobel laureates from countries such as Germany, Hungary, England and some others will participate in the event along with ministers, scientists and researchers. The Science Congress will attract over 20,000 delegates, including 3,000 acclaimed scientists and researchers, besides students from 40 countries, the spokesman said. LPU Chancellor Ashok Mittal said: "Lovely Professional University is proud to be one of the first private universities in the country to host the Indian Science Congress. I am confident that this edition of the Science Congress will set new benchmarks for scientific discourse in India." The event will also include 'Children's Science Congress' and 'Women Science Congress'. The Children's Science Congress will offer an opportunity for children in the age group of 10-17 years to showcase their innovative ideas. --IANS js/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to seven years in prison for owning a steel factory abroad without disclosing its ownership. The ruling was slammed by his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, as "the "last hiccup of blind revenge". Judge Arshad Malik imposed hefty fines on the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader after ruling that Al-Azizia Steel Mills -- a Saudi Arabian firm carrying the name of his son -- belonged to the former Prime Minister and that he was unable to demonstrate how the project was funded, Dawn newspaper reported. The police took Sharif, 68, into custody following the verdict by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court here. He requested the judge to keep him imprisoned in Lahore, instead of the city of Rawalpindi near Islamabad. The three-time Premier was expected to appeal against his latest conviction and maintained that he never misused his powers or indulged in corruption. "My conscience is clear as I never did corruption," he told reporters outside the court following the verdict. His daughter took to Twitter to criticise the ruling, saying: "One man has been sentenced for the fourth time. This is the last hiccup of blind revenge." Sharif's sons -- Hassan and Hussain -- who are not in Pakistan, were declared absconders. Sharif was, meanwhile, acquitted in another case of alleged corruption concerning the Flagship Investments firm in the UK for lack of evidence. He and his sons were also accused of using 16 offshore companies to acquire and manage expensive properties. A disqualification of 10 years from holding any public office was part of the sentences awarded to Sharif, said NAB special prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi. The disqualification will go into effect following his release from jail after serving the seven-year sentence. Sharif was taken away from the court premises amid strong security measures. The verdict led to clashes between his supporters and the security forces guarding the court. The agitated PML-N supporters tried to enter the court and threw stones at the police personnel, who responded with tear gas. Former Prime Minister and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi termed the verdict "another black decision" and said there was neither any evidence nor any witnesses in either case. "This is another black (day) for Pakistan, another black decision," he said. The verdict was hailed by the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), whose Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that the "real face of Nawaz Sharif has been unmasked today". He said that the people who were still defending Sharif "should be ashamed of themselves because the money involved in the scam belonged to the people of Pakistan". The trial against the Sharifs commenced on September 14, 2017 after Pakistan's anti-corruption body filed three cases relating to the Avenfield properties case, Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investment Limited on the Supreme Court's directives in the landmark Panamagate verdict. Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar were sentenced to 10 years, seven years and one year in prison, respectively by the same court in July in the Avenfield case -- ownership of four luxury flats in London. They later bailed on appeal when the Islamabad High Court suspended their sentence in September. The Supreme Court had set the deadline for Monday to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases against the former Prime Minister. Sharif's sons are accused in all three references whereas daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar were accused in the Avenfield reference only. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 60,000 people have been affected by flash floods and heavy winds in Sri Lanka's northern part after days of heavy rains, officials said on Monday. Out of those affected, over 11,000 people were evacuated to safe locations as their homes were inundated due to continuous rains, Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency. As of Monday morning, flood waters were receding and the situation was normalizing but people were told to remain cautious as more rains were expected in the coming days, said Disaster Management Centre spokesperson Pradeep Kodippili. The worst-affected districts were Mullaitivu, Killinochchi, Mannar, Vavuniya and Jaffna. No deaths or injuries were reported so far. Military and the police were involved in rescue operations while President Maithripala Sirisena directed officials to provide immediate relief to the affected people. The Meteorology Department warned of more rains in the north, east and north central provinces and said heavy falls were expected in Central, Sabaragamuwa and Western provinces. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi paid a visit to Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Monday to discuss the ongoing peace efforts in the war-torn country. This is Qureshi's second visit to Kabul since December 15, during which he is expected to exchange views with Afghan officials on matters pertaining to mutual interests including the ongoing peace process, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Foreign Minister Qureshi in meeting with his Afghan counterpart noted that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan is for the interest of Pakistan and stressed regional cooperation to make succeed the ongoing peace efforts in Afghanistan," it said. Appreciating Pakistan's efforts for peace, Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani emphasized holding direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban group, the statement added. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russian digital solutions provider Zyfra plans to reach the target of $50 million in India-related deals by 2021, the company said on Monday. A statement said Zyfra has managed to reach $3 million in contracts with its Indian counterparts this year. During 2018, the company has supplied Indian industrial manufacturers with artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT)-based solutions as well as autonomous vehicles, it said. "The company has already set agreement with Spudweb, Abcon Group and 10 more companies totally accounting for around $2.5 million in contracts," the statement added. Commenting on the development, Zyfra MD Pavel Rastopshin said in a statement: "India is an important industrial hub. The need for digitalization is really high here as the country tends to solve various tasks, namely to increase production efficiency, cut costs, improve the quality of the final product and to save working places at the same time." Earlier this year, Zyfra unveiled its manufacturing data collection (MDC) plus system in India. "It is a real-time machine monitoring and with hundreds of customizable reports and charts that can be used to track jobs, parts, operations, work centres, scrap costs, downtime and people," it said. Founded in 2017, Zyfra, which has an Indian arm, plans to sign contracts with Indian firms working in the machine-building, aircraft and steelmaking industries. --IANS bc/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Saudi-led military coalition backing the government in Yemen's civil war on Monday accused the Houthi rebels of repeatedly violating the ceasefire in the strategic port city of Al Hodeida. During a press conference held in the Saudi capital, a spokesperson for the coalition, Turki al-Malki, claimed that the rebels breached the ceasefire for 138 times between Dec. 18, the day it came into force, and Sunday. The spokesperson claimed that the Houthis attacked the army and militia loyal to the government using different kinds of weapons and projectiles, Efe reproted. Al-Malki also celebrated the resolution the United Nations Security Council adopted on Friday to back the agreement the government and rebels reached in Sweden on December 13. The accord entails a ceasefire in the port city disputed by the rebels, who have had it under their control since 2014, and the pro-government troops, which in June launched an offensive to seize it. The coalition continued its operations in Yemen, but it stressed its commitment towards the ceasefire agreed in the coastal city. The UN mission monitoring the ceasefire, headed by Gen. Patrick Cammaert, arrived in Hodeida on Sunday after meeting with the warring parties in the capital of Sana'a and Aden, the temporary headquarters of the internationally-recognized government. --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The key equity indices traded slightly lower during the afternoon session of the trade on Monday, following its Asian peers. Investor sentiments were also weighed by uncertainty due to a partial US government shutdown and a slowdown in global growth. "US markets fell close to 10 per cent in just a week so domestic markets are taking cues from the weakness in the global markets," Astha Jain, Senior Analyst, Hem Securities. Export-oriented IT, healthcare and Teck stocks on BSE gained while index pivotal finance traded lower. At 1.24 p.m., BSE Sensex traded 39.25 points or 0.11 per cent lower at 35,702.82 after touching a high of 35,910.67 and a low of 35,616.55. The Nifty traded 16.30 points or 0.15 per cent lower at 10,737.70. The domestic currency which closed at 70.15 per US dollar, traded on a flat note. The benchmark Brent Crude prices declined earlier in the day but rose slightly at 54.10 a barrel later. --IANS ravi/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An accountability court on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to seven years in prison in Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference, while acquitted him in the the Flagship Investments reference. The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader was taken into custody after the verdict and will be transported to Adiala Jail. He was also fined Rs 1.5 billion in the Al-Azizia reference. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Superstar Shah Rukh Khan has thanked choreographer Remo D'Souza for creating "amazing" choreography for "Mera naam tu" in Anand L. Rai's directorial "Zero". While promoting his film on the sets of StarPlus dance-based reality show "Dance Plus 4", SRK took out a moment to compliment Remo, who is also one of the judges of the show. Recalling his memories with the choreographer, with whom he also worked 21 years ago in "Pardes" movie's hit song "Zara tasveer se tu", the "Raees" actor said: "21 Years ago, on this very set when we were shooting for 'Pardes' 'Zara tasveer se tu' song, there was this guy who was wearing a blue jumpsuit and dancing behind me and I didn't even know his name. "Nobody knew that this boy will went on to become what he is today and Remo has achieved great heights of success because he believed in his craft and passion." Shah Rukh also said that Remo's journey has been an inspirational story. "If you work hard, you can also become like him. Right from that song to choreographing us in 'Zero', his kindness, goodness and hard work has paved the way for him to be where he is today. Remo uses the artistes personality amazingly in the choreography and I want to thank him for the way he has created 'Mere naam tu' song in 'Zero'," he said. Also starring actresses Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma, "Zero" hit the screens on December 21. -*- Vicky Kaushal to pay respect to martyrs of Uri attack in Lucknow Ahead of the release of his film "Uri", actor Vicky Kaushal has headed to Lucknow to pay homage to the martyrs of 2016 Uri attack. "In Lucknow today to pay respects to the martyrs of Uri attack," Vicky tweeted on Monday. In September 18, 2016, terrorists from Pakistan attacked a military base in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir leaving 19 Indian soldiers dead. Eleven days later, the Indian Army retaliated with a series of surgical strikes on terrorist camps across the border. Being organised by Amar Ujala, the event "Jai Hind, Jai Hind Ki Sena" will witness the star cast of the film paying tributes to the brave soldiers and their families. The film directed by Aditya Dhar is based on the Uri attack of September 2016. It also features actress Yami Gautam in pivotal role. -*- Sonam Kapoor wishes father Anil a happy birthday As veteran actor Anil Kapoor turns 62 on Monday, his daughter and actress Sonam Kapoor wrote a heartfelt note for him on social media. "Happy birthday dad... this has been a momentous year for both of us. For the first time in 10 years of being in this industry I shared a frame with you and was your co-star. And you also had to see me get married.. all this was a complete roller coaster... hard and beautiful at the same time. "I'm thankful for the teachings of love, progressive ideals and morals that have been a part of my upbringing , and each year I realise more and more what a gift that is in this day and age.. love you so much," Sonam posted on Instagram along with a behind the shoot photograph from their upcoming film "Ek Ladki ko dekha toh aisa laga". Popular for mouthing his famous "jhakaas" dialogue in films and at events, Anil has delivered hits like "Mr. India", "Taal", "Biwi No. 1" and "Race". Apart from "Ek Ladki ko dekha toh aisa laga", he will also be seen in "Takht" and "Total Dhamaal". --IANS sim/nv/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday hinted that the country may eventually have a single standard rate of GST through merging of 12 and 18 per cent slabs, adding that the 28 per cent slab will soon be phased out, except in case of luxury and "sin goods". He said the country should eventually have a Goods and Services Tax (GST) structure which would have only slabs of zero and five per cent and a standard rate, with luxury and "sin goods" as an exception. "A future roadmap could well be to work towards a single standard rate instead of two standard rates of 12 per cent and 18 per cent. It could be a rate at some mid-point between the two. Obviously, this will take some reasonable time when the tax will rise significantly," Jaitley said in a Facebook post. Regarding the highest tax slab of 28 per cent, the Minister said with the GST transformation completed, India was close to completing the first set of rate of rationalisation by phasing out the highest slab except in luxury and sin goods. "The sun is setting on the 28 per cent slab... Today, barring tobacco products and some luxury goods, almost all items had been transferred from 28 per cent slab to 18 and 12 per cent. "Only cement and auto parts are items of common use which remain in 28 per cent slab. Our next priority will be to transfer cement into a lower slab. All other building materials have already been transferred to 18 and 12 per cent... The 28 per cent slab is now a dying slab," he said. Attacking the Congress and other opposition parties, Jaitley said their criticism of the GST was "ill-informed" and "motivated". He said during the pre-GST regime, a large number of commodities were taxed heavily and that the Congress legacy was a 31 per cent indirect tax. "Those who oppressed India with a 31 per cent indirect tax and consistently belittled the GST must seriously introspect. Irresponsible politics and irresponsible economics is only a race to the bottom," he added. Jaitley said the political noise outside the GST Council was inconsistent with the harmony inside as at its 31 meetings, the body has "behaved with utmost responsibility" taking several thousand decisions unanimously and with consensus. Referring to the government falling short of the collection targets, the Minister said the targets set in the GST regime were unprecedentedly high, with a 14 per cent increase over 2015-16 tax collections guaranteed. "Thus, even when 18 months have not been finished since the launch of GST, on this day every state has a target of improving its revenue with three 14 per cent increases compounded annually over the base year of 2015-16. This is close to a 50 per cent being reached in the second year itself," he said. "It is almost an unachievable target. Yet six states have already achieved it, another seven are within a striking distance of achieving it and only 18 are still more than 10 per cent away from achieving it." Jaitley said that those states which do not achieve the target of 14 per cent are paid out of the compensation cess. "The requirement of compensation cess in the second year is expected to be much lower than the first year," he said, adding the average monthly tax collected in the first year was Rs 89,700 crore as compared to Rs 97,100 crore per month in the second year. "This increase in the tax collection has to be factored keeping in mind the significant rate reduction which has taken place in the GST" which amounts to about Rs 80,000 crore per year, he said. --IANS vv/in/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) France's President Emmanuel Macron has said he deeply regrets US President Donald Trump's controversial decision to withdrawal all US troops from Syria. "An ally must be dependable," said Macron, who reportedly called Trump to warn him against the plan, the BBC reported on Sunday. The US said the Islamic State (IS) group had been defeated, a claim disputed by allies and US politicians. France, a key part of the US-led coalition against IS in Syria and Iraq, said its troops would remain in Syria. Some 2,000 US troops have helped rid much of Syria's north-east of the jihadist group, but pockets of fighters remain. Critics of Trump's decision say it could lead to a resurgence of the group, and Defence Secretary Jim Mattis resigned over the issue. Speaking on a visit to French troops in Chad, Macron said: "To be allies is to fight shoulder to shoulder. It's the most important thing for a head of state and head of the military." Trump's sudden announcement on Wednesday and Mattis' resignation sparked concern even among Republican supporters of the President. The US special presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat IS, Brett McGurk, also quit over the decision. Meanwhile, the French president paid tribute to Gen Mattis, calling him a "reliable partner". Macron's remarks are the latest in a series of recent tense exchanges between the two leaders who are often described as close allies with a good personal and working relationship. He also stressed the importance of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters credited with playing a major role in the virtual elimination of IS after it overran large swathes of Syria four years ago. "I call on everyone... not to forget what we owe them," he said. The President, who has long pledged to pull troops out of Syria, continued to insist that his decision was the right one and that, now that IS was defeated on the ground, other players could take care of the situation. The US troops have largely been stationed in the Kurdish region in northern Syria and the Pentagon said it was transitioning to the "next phase of the campaign", without giving details. A recent US report said there were still as many as 14,000 IS militants in Syria and even more in neighbouring Iraq. There is a fear they will shift to guerrilla tactics in an attempt to rebuild their network. But the partnership between the US and the Kurds has enraged neighbouring Turkey, which views the Kurdish YPG militia -- the main fighting force in the SDF -- as an extension of a banned Kurdish group fighting for autonomy in Turkey. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Police arrested three persons on charges of trying to extort Rs 1 crore from a businessman in the name of dreaded gangster Ashok Pradhan at west Delhi, an officer said on Monday. Neeraj, Bhojraj and their accomplice Yogender were arrested on Saturday night following a police raid at Najafgarh's Nangli village. "Neeraj and his accomplices were trying to extort Rs 1 crore from a Dwarka-based businessman. They had called up the victim in the first week of November. The accused told the businessman they were shooters belonging to dreaded gangster Ashok Pradhan, threatening to kidnap and kill his son if he did not give them the extortion amount," a senior police officer told IANS. "The victim later complained to the Dwarka North Police Station. During investigation, the police teams with the help of call details and technical surveillance tracked the location of the accused and raided them," the officer said. "During interrogation, the accused said they wanted to get easy money, so they made a plan to extort the businessman. We are trying to establish their connection with gangster Ashok Pradhan," said the officer. --IANS sp/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Coming down heavily on Left parties, Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Monday said communists were out to destroy the Indian culture and civilization, but Tripura was a glaring example of stopping them. Deb was addressing a gathering at a conference of the Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana and said that people of Tripura have discarded the communist ideology and opted for following the ancient Indian culture and civilization. "The communists have led to a growth of some goons. They are trying hard to destroy the Indian culture and civilization. The communists want to choke the peoples' voice and mislead them," he said. "The BJP is not trying to saffronize the country, it is the communists who have unsuccessfully tried to make the whole world red,'' he said. Deb also said that great king like Alexander came to win India, but had to bow to the self-esteem of a king like Porus. The Tripura Chief Minister blamed the Mughals and the British for unsuccessfuly trying to destroy the Indian culture. "The communists are also trying hard to do the same," he said. Deb released several books related to history during the function. --IANS ah/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has said that he had a telephonic conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over issues related to Syria. "We discussed ISIS (IS), our mutual involvement in Syria, and the slow and highly coordinated pullout of US troops from the area," Trump said on Sunday on his Twitter account, describing the phone conversation as "long and productive", Xinhua reported. The two leaders also discussed expanded trade between the two countries in their phone call. Trump agreed to withdraw US troops from Syria during his phone conversation with Erdogan on December 14, the media had reported citing officials. The State Department cleared Turkey to purchase a package of Patriot missile systems on December 18, with an estimated cost of $3.5 billion. The Trump administration announced on December 19 that it started returning US troops home from Syria after claiming a victory in the fight against the IS, without revealing any detailed timetable. The decision to withdraw US troops in Syria was widely regarded as the last straw for Defence Secretary James Mattis' resignation on December 20. Following Mattis, Brett McGurk, the US envoy for the global coalition to defeat Islamic State (IS), also resigned on December 21, which was another sign of senior officials' objection over the US troops withdrawal from Syria. The time-frame for US troops withdrawal from war-torn Syria is expected to be 60 days and 100 days, informed sources said. The US has deployed troops to Syria fighting the IS since 2015, and there are more than 2,000 US soldiers in Syria. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has agreed to visit Turkey in 2019, Turkey's presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin announced on Monday. Speaking at a press conference after a cabinet meeting in capital Ankara, Kalin said Trump accepted the invitation by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a weekend phone call between the two leaders, but without giving exact date of visit. The presidential spokesperson also said a US military delegation was expected to arrive in Turkey this week to discuss coordination for US pullout from Syria, Xinhua news agency reported. Turkey will also closely coordinate with Russia to avoid a possible power vacuum in Syria after US withdrawal, including in the area east of Euphrates, he added. Kalin stressed Turkey is determined to continue its fight against terrorism, saying "our troops will continue to stay in Syria's Idlib to assure regional security and stability." Trump announced last week a surprise decision to withdraw troops from Syria, where US has backed the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia against Islamic State (IS). --IANS vc/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Monday approved a proposal to give "exceptional pension" to police personnel who are injured in discharge of their duties and go into coma while on duty, a government spokesman said. Until now the "exceptional pension" was only given to policemen who lost their lives on duty. The state cabinet also approved a proposal of giving 25 per cent discount in the purchase of land by the Tata Consultancy for establishing a Rs 2,300 crore unit in Noida which would employ 30,000 persons. In a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the cabinet also passed five other important proposals that included the constitution of a Bundelkhand Development Board (BDB) and Poorvanchal Development Board (PDB), which would be headed by Adityanath, and would include two deputy-chairmen and 11 non-government members. The two boards would also have two experts and would have a tenure of three years each. In the wake of problems faced by traders in the state with regards to the GST, the state cabinet also gave its nod to the constitution of the Uttar Pradesh Traders Welfare Board. It would similarly be headed by the Chief Minister and have three deputy chairpersons and 11 non-government members. The board would meet every three months and look into the problems being faced by the traders, with regards to the GST roll out and find remedies, the spokesman said. The state cabinet also approved an excise policy for the financial year 2019-20, Health Minister and state government spokesman, Siddhartha Nath Singh said. He added that allotment of liquor vends and shops would now be done on a lottery basis. About 60 per cent of liquor shops would be modernised and the new policy would take care of the pitfalls and lacunae in the past policies. In 2017-18, the Excise Department earned a revenue of Rs 10,118 crore while it earned Rs 15,005 crore in 2018-19. This, Singh said, meant that the department had earned 48 per cent more profit in the current financial year. --IANS md/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A partial US government shutdown over budget spending could continue right up to the opening of the next Congress on January 3, an aide of President Donald Trump has said. The shutdown began at midnight Friday after the Opposition Democrats resisted Trump's demand for $5 billion for his Mexico border wall. Trump's acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, suggested Democrats were "beholden" to their left wing, the BBC reported on Sunday. A Democratic senator said his party opposed any funding for the wall. "That's correct," Sen Jeff Merkley told an ABC news interviewer when asked if his party was not going to approve any money for the Trump administration's project. "None." Earlier, the party offered a sum of $1.3 billion for border security. Trump himself took to Twitter on Sunday to defend his plans for the border with Mexico. "It's very possible that this shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress," Trump's acting chief of staff told ABC. "This is what Washington looks like when you have a president who refuses to sort of go along to get along." In a separate interview for Fox News, he said he was waiting to hear from Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer about a new Republican offer, without specifying the sum. Speaking to ABC's This Week programme, Sen Merkley said a "30-foot concrete wall" and "30-foot steel spikes" were "not the smart way". His Republican Party controls both chambers of the outgoing Congress and the budget was indeed passed by the House on Thursday by 217 votes to 185. However, he needs to find 60 votes in the 100-seat Senate, where the Republicans currently have 51, so he needs to enlist the support of Democrats there. Nine of 15 federal departments, including State, Homeland Security, Transportation, Agriculture and Justice began partially shutting down after funding for them lapsed at midnight (05:00 GMT Saturday). Hundreds of thousands of federal employees will have to work unpaid or are furloughed, a kind of temporary leave. The current Congress reassembles on Thursday after the Christmas holiday. On January 3, new members of Congress will be sworn in, having been elected in November's mid-term elections. From that point, Democrats will enjoy a majority in the House of Representatives. Trump has said the shutdown could last a "very long time". --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US State Department has asked its citizens to exercise caution on Las Ramblas avenue in Barcelona due to the presumed risk of a terrorist attack "with little or no warning" during the Christmas season. The State Department issued the warning on its Travel Twitter account on Sunday, Efe news reported. "#Spain: Exercise heightened caution around areas of vehicle movement, including buses, in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona during Christmas and New Year's. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, and other public areas," tweeted the State Department. In addition, the US Consulate in Barcelona repeated that message on its Web page and asked Americans to avoid Las Ramblas, which runs from the Cataluna Square to Portal de la Pau Square, as well as to exercise additional vigilance regarding their own safety during the Christmas holidays. The consulate also reminded Americans that the emergency telephone number in Spain is 112 and asked them to pay attention to advisories and warnings that might be issued by Spain's Civil Guard, the National Police and the Mossos d'Esquadra, Catalonia's autonomous police force. On August 17, 2017, members of a jihadist cell ran over pedestrians along Las Ramblas and a few house later did the same to several people in the coastal town of Cambrils, acts that resulted in a total of 16 deaths and injured more than 100 people. Just a day after the attacks, US President Donald Trump spoke with then-Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to offer him any assistance he deemed necessary under the circumstances. The State Department regularly issues travel warnings and advisories to inform Americans about security in countries they may be intending to visit. Currently, Spain is designated a Level 2 nation by the US, meaning that Washington is advising its citizens to look out for possible risks to their safety. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi on Monday said that the US troops' withdrawal from neighbouring Syria would have a negative impact on Iraq. "We have discussed... the US decision to withdraw troops from Syria, because this has great repercussions on Iraq," Abdul Mahdi told a press conference after a weekly cabinet meeting, Xinhua news agency reported. "If there is a security tension in Syria (by the US pullout), there will be a wave of migration, and Iraq will be one of the first countries to be exposed to such issue," Abdul Mahdi said. "The terrorists may leave the Syrian territory and try to go to Iraq, and this also would have repercussions on our country," Abdul Mahdi added. He stressed that Iraq needs to take precautions from now so that it will not be affected. In addition, Abdul Mahdi denied that Iraq had received any request from the US to host its withdrawing troops from Syria. "So far, there is no confirmation and we have not been informed about the settlement of the US troops in Iraq, and we have not received any request for Iraqi intervention in Syria," he added. The prime minister mentioned that the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had informed him of the pullout of the US troops before the implementation of the decision, asserting that Pompeo confirmed that the United States will continue to support Iraq in its war against terrorism. Abdul Mahdi's comments came two days after he held a phone call with Pompeo, who explained the details of the scheduled pullout from Syria. Recently, US President Donald Trump declared a plan to withdraw all US troops from Syria, citing the full defeat of IS millitants in the country. These troops were part of a US-led coalition which has been fighting and conducting airstrikes against IS targets in both Iraq and Syria. --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) For many allies of the United States, the flaws in President Donald Trumps trade war with China which is on hold for 90 days following the Xi-Trump meeting in Argentina lay in the approach, not the motivation. Indeed, Europe and Japan share many of Trumps grievances. What they fail to acknowledge is that there is also plenty they can do to make the global trading system and their relationships with China fairer and more efficient. To be sure, China needs to take steps to reform its policies. For starters, Chinas and non-tariff barriers are higher than those of the US and other high-income countries (though not higher than most developing countries with comparable income levels). And there are many restrictions on foreign firms wishing to operate in China, including limits on foreign ownership of domestic firms. Reducing barriers to the would benefit not only foreign producers, but also Chinese households and firms that use imported parts. Trade liberalisation would function like a tax cut, raising income and improving efficiency without requiring the government to increase the budget deficit. Chinas past trade liberalisation, following its accession to the World Trade Organization 17 years ago, indicates that such a move would not lead to a spike in unemployment, as long as the Chinese labour market remains sufficiently flexible. Illustration by Ajay Mohanty China would also do well to respond to another key complaint, by strengthening protection of intellectual property. The Chinese government claims that it abandoned the policy of requiring foreign multinationals to share their IP in exchange for market access two decades ago. But the US and European chambers of commerce in China say that the actual practices are different. In the past, when Chinas own innovative capacity was weak, stronger IP protection would have meant merely more rents for foreign firms. Today, however, as Chinas firms are developing their own valuable IP, and their global footprint has grown much larger, stronger and reciprocal IP protections would benefit Chinese firms as much as foreign companies. China should also reform its subsidy programmes and industrial-policy regime. Most countries use taxes and subsidies to promote certain economic activities. Still, the proportion of government programmes that create distortions and inefficiencies, rather than address market failures, is higher in China than in high-income countries. ALSO READ: Trade war and China's economic prospects Such policies include subsidies that favour state-owned firms over private firms, leading to waste and lost productivity. In order to level the playing field among Chinese firms and for foreign firms, government programmes should be subjected to more systematic cost-benefit analysis. But if global trade is to be truly fair, the advanced economies and, in particular, the US also have to make some changes. In fact, these countries barriers on Chinese goods and investment are not as low as commonly believed. In the US, for example, on many textile and garment imports, of which China has been the worlds most efficient producer, are in the 20 per cent range, much higher than the average US rate. Further raising the effective Chinese firms face is an anti-dumping regime that is often used as an instrument of protectionism, with rules that are biased against Chinese producers. The average US tariff rate severely understates the actual tariff rates applied to Chinese goods. Similarly, US free-trade agreements have artificially tilted US demand away from more efficient Chinese producers toward less cost-effective firms in countries like Mexico. Despite the word free in the name, free-trade agreements are not truly about freer trade, as they discriminate against firms in countries outside the FTAs in favor of sometimes less efficient firms in the participating countries. This effect which is not sufficiently limited by existing World Trade Organization rules undermines efficient resource allocation and hurts not only workers in countries outside an FTA, but also, in many cases, low-income households within it. Furthermore, the US regime governing foreign investment is not always fair, predictable, or transparent. When it comes to labeling a proposed investment a national security threat, the criteria appear very discretionary. ALSO READ: Trade war or tech war? According to the US lawyers with whom I have spoken, who advise on cross-border mergers and acquisitions, because US screening processes for deals involving Chinese investors can face long and unpredictable delays, Chinese firms often have to pay an extra 15% to make their bids viable. In this manner, the US foreign-investment regime effectively expropriates Chinese firms that wish to invest in the US. Inefficient or distortionary policies are rarely simple mistakes. As a rule, they serve the interests of powerful and well-organised special interest groups that are likely to resist any change. But if China and the US reach a grand bargain on a package of policy changes that would reduce or eliminate distortions on both sides, domestic resistance may be easier to overcome. Such cooperation could be extended to help reach a bargain on WTO reforms that would further support fairness in the global system. For example, anti-dumping rules could be better harmonised with domestic anti-monopoly rules, and regulations could be created or strengthened to minimise the discriminatory effects of FTAs and to prevent governments from using subsidies to state-owned firms to bypass WTO rules. Such a balanced and reciprocal approach would help to ease tensions over cross-border trade and investment. Equally important, it would bolster fairness and efficiency in the worlds two largest economies a change that would benefit not just the US and China, but the entire world. The writer is a former chief economist of the Asian Development Bank, and currently is professor of finance and economics at Columbia University Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2018 One thing that is clear about the Indian voter is that she has learnt to reject, and has very little to choose from. Most often, her vote is against someone than a positive vote for someone. Even in the just-concluded Assembly elections, the electorate was dissatisfied with the BJP rather than enamoured with the Congress. Even as we criticise the BJP, let us face that the problems are structural and every government across the board is facing them: A deep agrarian crisis, and pervasive joblessness in urban areas. No political party has a solution, or is even attempting to raise and discuss ... The new Cabinet of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister will take oath on December 25. The oath ceremony would take place at Raj Bhawan in Bhopal at 3 pm. veteran Nath was sworn-in as chief minister on December 17, six days after his party posted a narrow victory over the BJP, which ruled the state for 15 years. Nath has been camping in New Delhi since the past three days to finalise the list of his Cabinet colleagues, to be sworn in Tuesday, in consultation with President and other senior party leaders. Their names have not been made public so far. According to party sources, one or two Independent MLAs may get into the new Cabinet. Though the Congress, with 114 seats, emerged as the single largest party in the 230-member Assembly, it failed to cross the halfway mark on its own and enlisted support of the BSP and the SP, which have won two seats and one, respectively. Four Independent MLAs, who are rebels, have also extended their support, taking the total number of MLAs on the Congress side to 121. ALSO READ: CM Kamal Nath carries out reshuffle of senior officials The had won 109 seats. The MP Assembly session is going to begin on January 7 with the oath-taking by newly elected MLAs. Chief Minister Monday blamed the NDA-led Centre for the "urea crisis" in the state, alleging that urea racks meant for and were diverted to He said an "artificial crisis" was created in the states where the government was formed, and the matter was being investigated. "It seems that urea racks meant for and were diverted to which led to the crisis. It was an artificial crisis created in the states where governments changed," Gehlot told reporters outside the Raj Bhawan. A resurgent had recently made significant gains in the assembly elections of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Gehlot said instructions have been given so that such urea crisis is not faced in any of the districts. He also slammed Prime Minister for his remarks that urea was distributed under police protection in Rajasthan during the previous government. The chief minister said such incidents never occurred during (his earlier tenure of) 2008-2013. "The prime minister had quoted in a public meeting that urea was distributed under police protection during the Congress rule. In fact, in past five years of BJP government, urea crisis had occurred, farmers were lathicharged. How could he (Modi) make such a statement?" he said. Two women of menstruating age started trekking Sabarimala early Monday morning despite strong protest from devotees. On Sunday, the Sabarimala foothills had witnessed high drama as hundreds of devotees blocked paths and chased away a group of 11 women of menstruating age being escorted to the hill shrine by police. Bindu from Malappuram and Durga of Kozhikode are on their way to the hilltop shrine in Kerala under heavy police protection. "We are here to seek 'darshan' (offer prayers) of Lord Ayyappa. The Supreme Court order must be enforced and hope, police will provide us security," Bindu told media while on the way to Sabarimala. Kerala had witnessed massive protests by devotees and the BJP opposing the apex court verdict of September 28 permitting women of all age groups into the shrine. Thousands of devotees have gathered at the foothills of the shrine as the first phase of the annual pilgrimage season to Sabarimala comes to an end in the next three days. Bindu and Durga, escorted by police, have reached Marakootam, about a kilometer from the Sannidhanam. They are waiting for more police personnel to accompany them. The women were earlier stopped at Appachimedu, a place en route Sabarimala, by protesters, who were later removed by police. The BJP has started protesting in front of the houses of these women against their attempt to trek the hill. The bid of the 11 women, who were members of a Chennai-based women empowerment outfit, 'Manithi', to reach the shrine to offer prayers was unsuccessful on Sunday as they were forced to return by protesting devotees. The trek to Sabarimla starts from Pamba, which is around four kms from the hilltop shrine. The first phase of the 41-day long annual pilgrim season at the Lord Ayyappa temple would culminate on December 27 with the puja. Over a dozen women, including a journalist and an activist of menstruating age, had also earlier tried to trek to the shrine, nestled in the Western Ghats forests, but could not make it due to protests by devotees and right-wing activists. The Kerala High Court earlier this month had appointed a three-member committee, vesting them with powers to oversee law and order and other problems faced by pilgrims during the ongoing annual season. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Warnings of the disastrous effects of climate change not just dominated scientific discourse but also hit uncomfortably close to home this year with consequences such as extreme weather events, floods and wild fires seen across the world. Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg caught the world's attention this month at the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24) in Katowice, Poland, with a fiery speech shaming global leaders for being "too immature" to confront the truth of climate change. "You only talk about moving forward with the same bad ideas that got us into this mess, even when the only sensible thing to do is pull the emergency brake," she said in her speech. The 15-year-old's passionate plea to save the planet for the sake of future generations was an apt climax to a year peppered with research reports warning that inaction is turning the only known planet with life into a "hothouse". A report, released ahead of COP24, showed global emissions have reached historic levels with no signs of peaking. The report estimated that mitigation efforts need to be tripled to meet the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global temperature rise this century to well below two degrees Celsius. Researchers assessed that only 57 countries are on track to do so by 2030. Despite global scientific consensus on the topic, numerous advocacy groups, conspiracy theorists and oil company lobbyists continued to deny climate change, significantly hampering efforts to reduce global emissions. Meanwhile, climate change has already begun to take a toll. Extreme weather due to climate change this year left a trail of devastation across the globe, including in India, according to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), which said 2018 is set to be the fourth warmest on record. The long-term warming trend continued in 2018, with the past four years being the warmest in 138 years of climate record keeping. Other telltale signs of climate change, including sea level rise, ocean heat and acidification and sea-ice and glacier melt, continue, according to a WMO statement. In August, Kerala suffered its worst flooding since the 1920s, killing over 250 people and displacing more than 1.4 million people. Major wildfires affected Athens in Greece in July, causing at least 91 deaths. British Columbia in Canada broke its record for the most area burned in a fire season for the second successive year. California suffered devastating wildfires, with November's Camp Fire being the deadliest fire in over a century for the US, killing at least 86 people. The continuing global warming trend caused the Arctic region to experience the second lowest overall sea-ice coverage on record this year, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Melting of polar ice contributes to rising sea level, a phenomenon that can affect lives in many ways. While the threat of rising sea levels to coastal cities and communities throughout the world is well known, a Virginia Tech study showed that even a minor rise in sea levels due to climate change can increase the risk of potentially devastating tsunamis around the world. Other studies also spelt out the dire future in store in large swathes of the globe if preventive action is not taken. A study from University of Melbourne in Australia found poorest regions of the world will bear the worst brunt of climate change, even if global average surface temperatures reach the 1.5 or 2 degree Celsius limits set by the Paris agreement. Deaths caused by severe heat waves will increase dramatically by 2080, particularly in countries located near the equator such as India if we fail to counter climate change, according to a global study by Monash University in Australia. Research also showed that climate change significantly affects global economy, owing to increased health and operational costs with rising temperatures. The Indian economy would lose up to USD 210 billion every year due to its carbon dioxide emissions, according to a global study which found the country is likely to suffer highest economic damage from climate change -- second only to the US. "The economic damages model indicates that as temperature rises, economic growth in India will slow," Katharine Ricke, an assistant professor at UC San Diego, told PTI in September. A Harvard study showed millions of Indians are at risk of becoming nutrient deficient by 2050, as rising carbon dioxide levels are making staple crops such as rice and wheat less nutritious. A team from the Australian National University concluded that our planet is at the risk of entering an irreversible hothouse' condition - where global temperatures will rise by four to five degrees and sea levels may surge by up to 60 metres higher than today - even if targets under the Paris climate deal are met. Another study published in the journal Nature Geoscience revealed that large areas of the polar ice caps could collapse. Significant changes to ecosystems could see the Sahara Desert become green and the edges of tropical forests turn into fire dominated savanna, it said. While the debate on minimising the causes of climate change continues, research in 2018 made it clear that time is quickly running out for planet Earth. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A new government coming to power in Nagaland early this year raised hopes of a solution to the decades-old Naga problem but as 2018 draws to a close, people of the state are now questioning where is the "change" as promised by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. The chorus for a resolution before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections grew louder during the year. It also became a major issue before the assembly elections in February. Various Naga tribal bodies under the aegis of core committee of Nagaland Tribal Hohos and Civil Organisations gave a rigorous call of "solution before the election". However, the BJP decided to participate in the February 27 state elections. The BJP's call of "Election for Solution" compelled other political parties including the then ruling Naga Peoples' Front and newly-floated Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) led by Rio and other parties filing nominations to contest the poll. The NDPP and the BJP, which snapped ties with former ally NPF, formed the People Democratic Alliance (PDA) and fought the election on a 40:20 seat sharing basis and managed to win 29 seats (17: NDPP, 12: BJP) to dethrone the 15-year-old NPF government. Even after the signing of the framework agreement with NSCN(IM) in 2015 and six Naga nationalist political groups joining the talks separately, there has not been a breakthrough on the decades-old Naga problem. Impeachment of Khongo Konyak from NSCN(K) led to creation of a new rebel group and founder chief late S S Khalang's nephew Yung Aung took over as its chairman. Following appeals by the state government, Naga tribal bodies, FNR, Naga Mothers Association and Goan Burahs Federation, the NSCN(K) earlier this month declared its willingness to re-enter into ceasefire with the Centre. The Nagaland Goan Burahs Federation recently took out a statewide peace rally seeking a solution to the long-pending issue from the Centre as a Christmas gift. Nagaland, which came into being on December 1, 1963, has been experiencing insurgency for decades. Several Naga groups have been claiming not to be part of India and have been demanding a greater Nagalim. Mid-year, Nagaland plunged into an emergency-like situation during monsoon season with flash floods and landslides damaging almost every part of the state. Several villages in the 12 districts remained cut off from the mainland. The state government submitted a proposal of around Rs 800 crore to the Centre for relief and rehabilitation work. In November, a team of the 15th Finance Commission led by its Chairman N K Singh visited the state and assured that it would make a "very positive and sympathetic and innovative approach to fast track the development of the economy of Nagaland". The year also witnessed resurgence of the demand for inclusion of Dimapur district into the fold of Inner Line Permit. Apex students' body Naga Students' Federation carried out mass public rallies demanding ILP imposition in Dimapur fearing mass exodus of illegal immigrants into the state following Assam's declaration of the final draft of National Register of Citizens. The students' body as well as Nagaland Tribes Council have been accusing the state government of inaction in opposing the proposed Citizenship Amendment Bill while the government has standing on Nagaland being protected by the Inner Line Regulatory Act. Towards the year-end, 2.5 lakh visitors came together for the Hornbill festival at Naga heritage village Kisama. Billed as the "festival of festivals", it has been showcasing the rich culture and tradition of the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 65 top US universities, including Harvard and MIT, have challenged the Trump administration in a court against its new stringent visa policy for foreign students, warning that the new 'backdating' rule will have a detrimental effect on America's higher education system. The new policy announced by the Trump administration in August places restrictions on overstaying a visa. Under longstanding immigration policies, when an individual is no longer authorised to remain in the US such as when a visa expires a period of "unlawful presence" begins. After six months of unlawful presence, an individual can be forced to return to their country of origin and subject to a three year bar from the US. Prior to the August policy change, individuals only began to accrue unlawful presence the day after the government issued an official determination that the visa holder was "out of status". With the new rules, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can set retroactive start dates for unlawful presence that begin the day after an individual's degree programme is complete or the day after a person's visa expires. The top institutions, including Harvard, MIT, Cornell, Yale, and Princeton signed onto an amicus brief filed Monday, arguing that the new rule puts visa-holding students in a position to make "tough choices". These institutions argue that the new policy's use of a "backdated unlawful-presence clock" will render tens of thousands of F, J and M categories of visa holders subject to three and 10-year re-entry bars without any opportunity to cure. According to the National Association of Foreign Student Advisors (NAFSA), students contributed USD 39 billion to the US economy during the 2017-2018 academic year. The same study found the economic activity of foreign students supported over 455,000 American jobs. The 65 institutions and one higher education system Board, mostly member institutions of the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, signed the brief which urges the federal court to grant them motion for a preliminary injunction. The brief explains that the new 'backdating' rule introduces considerable uncertainty into the calculation of unlawful presence and needlessly exposes students to devastating reentry bans. "The new rule will harm students and scholars, as well as institutions which host them," it said. It notes the new backdating rule by US Citizenship and Immigration Services will likely result in fewer international students, scholars and instructors contributing to the communities. The brief supports Guilford College, et al in its lawsuit against US Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M Nielsen et al. It was filed in the US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. "International students and scholars are vital members of our campus communities and important contributors to our nation," said John J DeGioia, Georgetown University President and Presidents' Alliance Steering Committee Member. "The talents, perspectives, insights and passion to serve our world that they bring our campus communities benefits our nation and contributes to the common good that we all share," he said. The brief argues that a 10 per cent rise in the ratio of foreign graduate students to total graduate students results in a 5.1 per cent increase in patent grants. International students and scholars also continue to contribute to the US economy beyond their periods of enrolment. For example, in a study of American startup companies valued at USD 1 billion or more, it was found that nearly one quarter of such businesses had a founder who first came to the United States as an international student, it said. The backdating rule introduces significant uncertainty and punishes students for reasons that are frequently beyond the students' control. In some cases, students and exchange visitors can fall out-of-status due to unwitting clerical and technical errors, often of someone else's making, the brief said. In many cases, the infraction will not be discovered (or determined, as the F, M, and J regulations are not always clear and may be subject to varying interpretations) until the individual reapplies for another immigration benefit, such as an optional practical training allowance or an H-1B visa, it said. "A ban, in turn, could have devastating immediate consequences for a student's course of study and would outright bar the student from reentering the US for any reason even for business purposes, or to see a child for a period of year," the brief said, adding that the new rule will diminish US' ability to compete for international students and scholars. This decline in international student enrolment and in engagement with international researchers and professors will have a detrimental effect on the system of higher education in the United States. "As of today international students continue to make this country the global leader in higher education, but the gap is closing. The United States' 'market share has dropped from 23 per cent in 2000 to 16 per cent in 2012' with China, Canada, Britain and Russia all vying for the same pool of talent," it said. : Fourteen people including seven tourists from Kerala were seriously injured Monday when two vans collided near Dhanushkodi, police said. The tourists were part of a 100-member group from Kerala and were on their way to Dhanushkodi in six vans when the accident occurred, police added. One of the vans in which the tourists were travelling and a van transporting locals collided resulting in injuries to 14 people, police said. They said the injured were being treated in a hospital in Ramanathapuram. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least eight people died when dense fog led to a pile-up on a national highway in Haryana's Jhajjar district on Monday, police said. Around eight-10 vehicles were involved in the crash that occurred due to poor visibility near the Badli flyover on the Rohtak-Rewari highway. It was difficult to pinpoint which vehicle had hit the other first. An SUV was sandwiched between two trucks, with several vehicles following closely behind, a senior police officer said. Eight people, including seven women, travelling in the SUV were killed and 10 others injured, said Inspector Seema, station house officer (city), Jhajjar. The deceased, aged between 30-60, belonged to Kirodh village of the district. They were among the 10 people who were in the vehicle and were heading for Delhi's Najafgarh area to condole the death of a relative, the inspector said. The injured were admitted to a hospital in Jhajjar town, from where two of them were referred to another hospital in Rohtak, she added. The district deputy commissioner has constituted a seven-member committee, headed by the sub-divisional magistrate, to find out the exact reason behind the accident. "The committee will submit a detailed investigation report within two days, along with solution/suggestion for rectification of the accident-prone spot," an order issued by the deputy commissioner said. State Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar announced a compensation of Rs 2-lakh each to the families of the deceased, Rs 1-lakh each to the seriously-injured and Rs 50,000 each to the persons who have suffered minor injuries. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The AAP Monday alleged that its office in central Delhi's DDU Marg was ransacked by Youth Congress workers during a protest and warned that such "action could lead to a reaction". Convener of AAP's Delhi unit Gopal Rai said that a complaint will be filed with police, which the party claimed to have been a "mute spectator" during the Sunday's incident. "Its a very heinous act. Such action could lead to a reaction. We will file an FIR against ransacking of our office by Youth Congress," Rai said at a press conference. Delhi unit of the Youth Congress Sunday evening staged a protest outside the AAP office against a resolution in Vidhan Sabha on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots demanding withdrawal of Bharat Ratna given to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. Maken had also taken part in it. When asked if this will have a negative impact on prospects of a possible alliance between the AAP and the Congress for Lok Sabha elections, Rai quipped, "Where is the alliance?" He said the AAP was capable of challenging the BJP single handedly in Delhi in next year's Lok Sabha elections. "There is anger against BJP all across country. In Delhi we are capable of discharging this responsibility (defeating BJP). We have started preparations on all seven seats." On the resolution in Delhi Assembly, Rai said the demand for withdrawal of Bharat Ratna given to Gandhi was an "individual idea" of a member of the House. "It was an amendment that was not voted prior to passage of the entire resolution in the House, Speaker of the House has already clarified it," he said. He, however, said that Congress is "guilty" of anti-Sikh riots in 1984. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A suicide and gun attack on a Kabul government compound killed at least 29 people on Monday, an official said, in the latest bloody violence to strike the Afghan capital. The raid capped a tumultuous few days in Afghanistan where officials are reeling from US President Donald Trump's plan to slash troop numbers, which many fear could harm efforts to end the 17-year war with the Taliban. It also comes after a major security shake-up in Kabul. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the assault on the site where the Ministry of Public Works and other offices are located, which officials declared over after more than seven hours. At least 20 people were wounded in addition to those killed, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said. Most of the victims were civilians. Afghan forces killed three of the attackers and freed more than 350 people trapped inside the compound, Danish added. A fourth attacker died in a car bomb explosion that launched the attack. One of the wounded civilians broke several bones after jumping from the third floor of a building to escape the attackers, an AFP correspondent at a hospital said. Plumes of black smoke could be seen rising from the compound, with at least two military helicopters circling above. Journalists near the scene reported hearing numerous explosions in the hours after the attack began mid-afternoon. Ashraf, a witness who works at the Ministry of Public Works and who goes by one name, said earlier he had heard militants inside the compound exchanging gunfire with security forces. "They are also firing at the NDS facility nearby," he told AFP after escaping the compound, referring to the Afghan spy agency, the National Directorate of Security. Public works ministry spokesman Mehdi Rohani spoke to AFP as he and his colleagues were fleeing to a safe room shortly after the gunmen stormed the area. "A car bomb detonated at the entrance of the ministry's parking lot," he told AFP by mobile phone as he ran from the scene. "I can hear some gunfire outside the building. We are fine." The attack came after an American official told AFP late last week that Trump had decided to pull out "roughly half" of the 14,000 US forces in the country. The unexpected move stunned and dismayed foreign diplomats and Afghan officials in Kabul who are intensifying a push to end the conflict with the Taliban. The assault also comes a day after President Ashraf Ghani appointed Amrullah Saleh and Assadullah Khaled, both former spymasters known for their anti-Taliban and Pakistan stance, to head the interior and defence ministries, respectively. Militants have previously attacked government ministries and departments because they are often poorly defended and seen as soft targets. Monday's attack was the biggest in Kabul since November 28 when the Taliban detonated a vehicle bomb outside the compound of British security firm G4S, killing at least 10 people and leaving a massive crater in the road. While there has been no official announcement of a US drawdown, the mere suggestion of the United States reducing its military presence has rattled the Afghan capital and potentially undermined peace efforts. General Scott Miller, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, said Sunday he had not received orders to pull forces out of the country. Trump's decision apparently came Tuesday as US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met with the Taliban in Abu Dhabi, part of efforts to bring the militants to the negotiating table with Kabul. Many Afghans are worried that President Ashraf Ghani's fragile unity government would collapse if US troops pulled out, enabling the Taliban to return to power and potentially sparking another bloody civil war. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) High alert will be sounded along the international border in Tripura, hours before the Bangladesh general election, as the BSF steps up efforts to avert any "untoward situation" in the poll-bound country, a senior official said here Monday. Tripura shares 856-km-long border with the neighbouring country. Bangladesh is set to go to polls on December 30. Pitted against the Sheikh Hasina-led ruling Awami League (AL) and its various allies is the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) which had boycotted the last parliamentary elections. Security has already been beefed up in the border areas in Tripura to check infiltration bids, the senior Border Security Force (BSF) official said. "Our main objective is to check influx of anti-social elements. We will ensure that law and order is maintained along the border to avoid any unpleasant situation in poll-bound Bangladesh," said AK Yadav, the officiating Inspector General (IG) of BSF, Tripura Frontier. Talking to reporters, Yadav claimed that militancy has been largely contained in Tripura owing to persistent efforts by security forces over the past few years. "Law enforcement agencies of Bangladesh have also adopted a zero tolerance attitude to anti-Indian activities on their soil and our joint efforts have paid off well," he said. The IG, however, cautioned against militant activity in the border areas, given the fact that Bangladesh law enforcement agencies have demolished their hideouts in the past few months. "The militants often befriend local people or try and make inroads into the country with the help of their relatives residing here," he said. Altogether, 13 militants have surrendered before the BSF during 2018, while 17 insurgents laid down their arms last year, Yadav added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh Army on Monday said certain quarters were propagating a false campaign against the military through social media ahead of the December 30 general elections to tarnish its image and cautioned the citizens to remain vigilant. The army in a statement also advised all concerned to visit the official website of the Bangladesh Army and its social media accounts on Facebook and Youtube for any information regarding the force. "Efforts are underway to tarnish the image of the military propagating different campaigns in the name of army and its various agencies through fake websites, Facebook accounts and YouTube channels," the statement said. It also asked the citizens not to share contents propagated by websites, Facebook pages, YouTube channels that publish fake news, rumour and propaganda that are aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the army. The statement came a day after the authorities called out the army, navy, air force and paramilitary troops to "extend all-out support" to the Election Commission for the holding of a free and fair election. Earlier in a statement, the home ministry said the armed forces would be stationed at different "nodal points" and convenient places in every district, sub-districts and major cities, while the elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police's special armed battalion would be deployed as mobile and striking forces from December 26 to January 2. Meanwhile, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda said the forces have been deployed to remove the fear of all including the political parties. "The purpose of deploying the armed forces is to assure the voters (that the voting would be conducted peacefully). They will have more faith in the election once the armed forces are on patrol," he said at an election-related function at the Election Commission. About 400-450 platoons of the armed forces are deployed in 389 areas in 270 constituencies across the country. The army will work in 389 designated areas and the navy in 18. It will also be in charge of operating the electronic voting machines (EVMs) to be used at 845 voting centres in six constituencies. Earlier in the day, ruling Awami League general secretary and road transport minister Obaidul Quader urged everyone to refrain from making any such comment, which would make the conduct of the army controversial. "You earlier made controversial the Election Commission, judiciary department and law enforcement agencies, including police. Don't make the army controversial," he said in an apparent reference to the main opposition BNP led by jailed ex-premier Khaleda Zia. "The army are on field to maintain law and order ahead of the upcoming general election," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The West Bengal cabinet has decided to introduce an online system to ease the process of property mutation and check illegal practices, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Monday. The move will benefit people who complain of harassment by block land reform officers (BLRO), she said. "People often face difficulties when they approach the BLRO. Some say they were asked to pay bribe. We have initiated actions against such people, but it takes time. "The cabinet has now taken a revolutionary decision to introduce an online system for granting mutation," Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat. Sources said several people have lamented about the problems faced by them in the registration process, at the recent district administrative meetings. In all legal transactions, mutation (transfer of title) is a mandatory process, in which the buyer transfers the ownership title of the property he just bought. Once the property is mutated, the details are updated in the revenue records of civic bodies. The Block Land & Land Reform Office facilitates the mutation process. "Around 12 lakh people get their properties mutated every year. This (online system) is a big scope for common people to get their work done at ease. For the farmers, we have already made title transfer mutation-free and tax-free," she said. The cabinet has also given its nod for regularizing land ownership in Midnapore's Khas Mahal, where over one lakh people have been living without valid documents for more than 70 years. Khas Mahal is government land, which is leased out to individuals for residential purposes for a fixed period of time. "We have decided to regularise lands to the families who have been staying in Khas Mahal in Midnapore. These people have nowhere to go," she said. Apart from that, the CM said, refugee colonies in Alipurduar will be legalized too. "We have already handover legal documents to 462 families and the rest would receive the papers shortly. We are trying to regularise the refugee colonies that come under state jurisdiction," she said. The CM clarified that the government will also seek regularization of settlements that come under the authority of Indian Railways. Talking about the state's business prospects, the CM said many organisations have evinced interest in investing in the leather industry. "There are around 1,000 people who have showed interest in investing in the leather industry. We need 350-acre of land and steady supply of water. If we find land for the projects then it will also generate employment for three lakh people," she stated. Banerjee also said that a proposal to set up a logistics hub by e-commerce major Flipkart was approved by the cabinet. "The council of ministers have given their consent to a proposal by Flipkart to set up a logistic hub at Haringhata at an estimated investment of Rs 991 crore. The land for the project will be allotted from the industrial park in Nadia district," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Malik Monday e-inaugurated the Rs 85-crore Bhawan-Bhairon passenger ropeway, which is expected to make travel easier for Vaisno Devi pilgrims. Malik, who is also the chairman of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, dedicated the high-tech project to pilgrims visiting the famous hill shrine, at a function in Raj Bhavan here on Monday, an official spokesman said. He said the ropeway will reduce travel time between Bhawan and Bhairon Temple (one-way journey) from one hour to just about three minutes. The board has decided to keep the ticket price low, with the to and fro journey costing Rs 100 per passenger, the spokesman said. The governor lauded the efforts of the officers and engineers "who made this mega project a reality" and gave valuable inputs to the shrine board to operate the ropeway system in a "hassle-free" manner. Speaking on the safety aspect of the project, Malik said rescue and relief preparations should be of international standards. The ropeway has a carrying capacity of 800 persons per hour. The Electro-Mechanical Components and cabins of the ropeway have been imported from Switzerland. The system has been fully equipped with all safety gear as per relevant standards and codes, the spokesman said. "The passenger ropeway is a bi-cable jig-back system with two fully enclosed spacious cabins. It can carry 40 to 45 persons in each compartment in one go. Proper provision for ventilation has also been made," he explained. The project has been executed by a consortium of Messrs Garaventa AG, Switzerland and Messrs Damodar Ropeways Construction Company (Private) Limited, Kolkata under the overall supervision of Messrs RITES Limited. "With the completion of this ambitious project, devotees, particularly the elderly and specially-abled, would be able to fulfill their wish of paying obeisance at Bhairon ji Temple which was earlier difficult due to the steep climb to an altitude of 6,600 feet," he said. The board has established a ticketing hall, automated fare collection counters, turnstile barrier gates, stairs and ramp leading to the ropeway station and other associated facilities for the pilgrims, he added. Additional life insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh for the ropeway passengers, which will be over and above the insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh available to track 'yatris', has also been approved by the board during its 63rd meeting, the spokesman said. The horizontal distance of the passenger ropeway is 375 metre, vertical rise is 236 metre and the slope length is 443 metre. It has a complete power back up system at the drive station. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering will be on a three-day visit to India from Thursday, during which he will hold talks with counterpart Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs said Monday. This is Tshering's first visit to the country since taking charge last month. The ministers of Foreign Affairs, Economic Affairs and other senior officials will be accompanying the Bhutanese prime minister, a statement said. During the December 27-29 visit, Tshering will deliberate on ways to step up ties between the two neighbours and also call on President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and other ministers will call on the Bhutanese prime minister, the statement said. The two sides are likely to discuss all aspects of bilateral relations, including high-level exchanges, people-to-people ties, and economic, development and hydropower cooperation, it said. The upcoming visit of Tshering will provide an opportunity to the two sides to review the progress in the multifaceted partnership, and discuss ways and means to expand the enduring ties of friendship and cooperation, the statement said. Tshering's visit comes a month after Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale's official trip to Bhutan, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Youth Congress (IYC) alleged its activists had been attacked by members of the BJP in Odisha on Monday. No reaction was available as of now from the BJP. The IYC's nationwide "Yuva Kranti Yatra" was started this month from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. The 'yatra', launched in the run up to Lok Sabha elections next year, will cover all the states and reach New Delhi in the last week of January. "The attack on Youth Congress Yatra comes on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was himself in Odisha. The participants of the 'yatra' were pelted with stones by BJP goons in which many Congress activists and a driver were injured," alleged IYC spokesperson Amrish Ranjan Pandey. This clearly shows the BJP's frustration, he charged. The Youth Congress through this 'yatra' intends to "expose the Modi government's false promises" on development, he said. "We will not tolerate this and BJP must understand that violence has no place in a democratic set-up like India," Youth Congress president Keshav Yadav, who is leading the yatra, said in a statement. The "attack" on Youth Congress Yatra exposes the true nature of the BJP which has always supported "violence and destruction", said vice president of the outfit Srinivas BV. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP is of the view that the should hear the Ram temple land dispute case on a daily basis to deliver an early judgement, Union Minister said Monday. "Our wish is that there should be a daily hearing on that matter so that we have an early judgement," he said responding to a question on the issue. Hindutva groups have been pressing the government to bring a law to pave way for the temple's construction in Ayodhya without waiting for the court's verdict ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Ally even held a mass gathering in Ayodhya last month and often takes potshots at the BJP on the issue. The BJP has so far not made its position clear on the demand for a law. Declining an urgent hearing, the has fixed the politically sensitive issue for the first week of January before an "appropriate Bench" and left a decision on the timeline to it. Javadekar also rejected the Opposition's accusation of snooping against the government after it authorised 10 agencies to intercept any information on computers, saying there is nothing new about this as it has been happening since the was in power. He also played down the efforts of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, who heads the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, to form a Federal Front and his meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister regarding this. Every political party has a right to do their politics, he said, claiming that the BJP-led Democratic Alliance (NDA) is strong and will be back in power in 2019. The body of a 7-year-old girl who died while in custody of the US Border Patrol arrived in her native Guatemala on Sunday and was to be driven hours into the countryside and handed over to family members for a last goodbye. A white coffin containing Jakelin Caal was received in the afternoon at Guatemala City's international airport by representatives of the country's Foreign Ministry and then loaded into the back of a black hearse by workers in orange vests. No family members were on hand. Domingo Caal, the girl's grandfather, told The Associated Press that the family didn't have money to travel from their poor hamlet to Guatemala's capital. At Domingo Caal's home in the village of San Antonio Secortez, in the department of Alta Verapaz, relatives set up a small wooden altar flanked by vases overflowing with flowers, with photographs of Jakelin and the hand-lettered message, "We miss you." Behind the house, dozens of women prepared tamales and beans to feed mourners. Relatives expected the body to arrive early Monday. Caal and her father, Nery Caal, were traveling with a group of 163 migrants who arrived at the New Mexico border earlier this month. After they were taken into custody Dec. 6, the father told a U.S. agent that the girl was sick and vomiting. The father signed a paper stating that Jakelin was in good health, but it is not clear how much he understood what it said. The form was in English, and agents read it to him in Spanish. A bus carrying the two left the Antelope Wells port of entry for the Lordsburg station, roughly 90 minutes away. By then, according to a Customs and Border Protection statement, Jakelin's temperature had reached 105.7 degrees Fahrenheit (40.9 degrees Celsius). Emergency medical technicians had to revive her. She was then flown to a hospital in El Paso, Texas, where she died the next day. Guatemalan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marta Larra said the ministry had sent a diplomatic note to the U.S. State Department asking for it to monitor the case and determine the cause of death. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan Monday Monday attacked the Maharashtra government over the state not figuring among top 15 states in the startup ranking declared by Centre for the country, attributing the faring to the Devendra Fadnavis dispensation's "indifference". Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar was quick to hit back, saying Chavan made the comments without fully understanding the issue and said someone who had been a chief minister should not defame the state. Mungantiwar sought to underscore Maharashtra was home to highest number of startups (2,787) in the country. The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), in its report released on December 20, has ranked Gujarat first among states in startups. "The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) on December 20 came out with a report on implementation of policy meant for startups (for 2018). "Maharashtra could not figure even among top 15 states, which is disappointing," Chavan told reporters here. He said the report covers 27 states and 3 Union Territories in the country. "The (state) industries department is responsible for it (the ranking). But we cannot blame the industries department alone...the chief minister also is responsible for it...the government is being indifferent," Chavan added. Chavan said the rankings have proved as "hollow and untrue" the announcement of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis about making Maharashtra "Startup Capital" of the country. The ex-chief minister accused the BJP-led government in the state of being late in declaring its policy on early stage ventures (announced at the beginning of 2018). Chavan said the BJP-led government was seeking credit for the schemes like 'Make in Maharashtra' and 'Magnetic Maharashtra', but was allegedly not paying attention to ground realities. The former Union minister rued that Maharashtra, "which was once number one in industries" will now have to learn lessons from Gujarat when it comes to startups. "The state's performance has consistently fallen in ease of doing business category too. In 2015, Maharashtra was ranked 8th, in 2016 it was on 10th position, in 2017 it slipped to 11 and now plunged to 13 in 2018," he said. "Lack of long-term policies, bickering between ruling parties have resulted in government neglecting industries in the state and that is resulting in growing unemployment," the Congress leader charged. Launching a counter attack, Mungantiwar said someone who had been a chief minister should not defame the state. "He has been addressing press conferences based on information that's convenient to him, without fully understanding the issue...someone who had worked as a minister in the PMO should not interpret convenient meanings," said Mungantiwar, attacking Chavan, in a statement. The BJP minister said the report itself has stated that Maharashtra is home to the highest number of startups in the country. He said Maharashtra came out with its startups policy in February 2018 and observed that the DIPP evaluated the policy till May 2018. Mungantiwar said Maharashtra was put in "emerging" state for startups category given it the evaluation happened over only few months. "Maharashtra indeed is the startup capital being home to highest number of startups. Hence, (Chavan) should not mislead highlighting statistics conveniently," he said. Mungantiwar also trashed Chavan's claims on ease of doing business index and said Maharashtra attracted investment the most in the country. He said Maharashtra was leading when it came to industrial growth rate in the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China on Monday said it "resolutely opposes" statements made last week by Canada and the US demanding the release of detained Canadians. "The Chinese side expressed strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the statements made by Canada and the US," Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a regular press briefing. Beijing this month detained two Canadians -- Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat and an advisor with the International Crisis Group (ICG) think tank, and businessman Michael Spavor -- whom they accuse of engaging in activities that "endangers China's security'. This comes after Canadian authorities arrested Huawei Technologies' chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou. A third Canadian, a woman named Sarah McIver, was being held pending deportation for working illegally in China. Canada's top diplomat Chrystia Freeland on Saturday called on allies for support in securing the release of the detained Canadians noting that the arrests are a "worrying precedent" for the entire international community. Britain, Germany and the European Union have all issued statements expressing concerns about what are believed to be tit-for-tat arrests related to the high-profile detention in Canada of the Huawei executive. China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying dismissed these statements saying the countries seem to have "different human rights standards for citizens of different countries." "What does this matter have to do with the UK or the EU? "Where were they when the Canadian side illegally detained Chinese business executives at the request of the US?" she said. Meng has been released on bail in Vancouver pending a US extradition hearing on US fraud charges related to sanctions-breaking business dealings with Iran. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A court in southern China Monday sentenced over 20 people in connection with a series of deaths at a care centre, where 21 people including a 15-year-old autistic boy perished under squalid conditions in 2016. The director of the centre, Li Cuiqiong, was given a suspended death sentence with a two-year reprieve, while another official who worked closely with Li was given a life sentence, state-run Xinhua agency reported The two men, who worked for the civil affairs department in Xinfeng County had "used their power to set up and illegally operate the care center," Xinhua said. Supervisory authorities in Guangdong have also taken "disciplinary action" against 107 civil servants for their role in the scandal, Xinhua said, without offering details. An expose in March 2017 by state-run Beijing found that poor conditions at Lianxi care agency for the homeless, elderly and mentally ill in Shaoguan, Guangdong province had led to the deaths within a span of a few months. Accounts of crowded, unsanitary conditions at the facility triggered widespread outrage in China, with people pouring scorn on the government's treatment of vulnerable members of society. "Was it murder? Did the [centre] pocket government subsidies instead of spending money on the patients?" a commenter on the Twitter-like Weibo asked at the time. Lei Wenfeng, the autistic teenager, who had wandered away from home and got lost, died in December 2016 after staying at the centre for just over a month. The centre was privately run, but financed by the local government, according to the state-run China Daily. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Christian Bale has revealed that he would love to collaborate with Adam McKay in a comedy. The 44-year-old actor, who is more known for doing serious projects such as "The Machinist", "American Psycho" and "The Dark Knight" trilogy among many others, praised the filmmaker for his "stunning" light-hearted movies. "I'd be interested in working with (Adam McKay) on anything. He's shown an incredible ability to take things that most people would shy away from, un-cinematic, and make stunning films out of those. "We've been able to do incredibly long hours and very tough films, but with the best of humour, and that's really quite remarkable. He's a really surprising individual, and a truly, astonishingly talented filmmaker," Bale told Cinemablend. The actors comments come after McKay admitted he and his collaborator Robyn Wholey are eager to get back to the world of comedy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and police personnel were injured after a "law-violation programme" of the party turned violent in Basirhat town of West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Monday. According to the police, they had initially tried to pacify the BJP supporters, but resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd after the party workers threw stones at the force. Several BJP workers and police officials were injured in the clash in Basirhat -- about 60 km east of Kolkata. BJP state president Dilip Ghosh, who was present at the event, claimed that the stones were thrown by "outsiders" who had nothing to do with the party. "We were conducting our 'law-violation programme' peacefully, but the police started unprovoked lathi-charge. Those who have pelted stones are outsiders, they have nothing to do with the BJP." Senior TMC leader Jyotipriyo Mullick alleged that the saffron party was deliberately trying to create violence and demanded that Ghosh be arrested for instigating violence. The BJP has been organising "law-violation programmes" in various parts of the state in protest against the Trinamool Congress government's decision to not allow its proposed rath yatras. The Supreme Court on Monday declined to accord urgent hearing on a plea challenging a Calcutta High Court order of not allowing the party's rath yatras in the state. The three-phased "Save Democracy Rally" was scheduled to be held this month and cover all the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies. The rallies were to be flagged off by BJP president Amit Shah. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and police personnel were injured after a "law-violation programme" of the party turned violent in Basirhat town of West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Monday and at least 54 people have been either arrested or detained in connection with it, police said. Inspector in-charge of Basirhat police station, Premashis Chattoraj was among the injured, the police said. According to the police, they had initially tried to pacify the BJP supporters, but resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd after the party workers threw stones at the force. Basirhat in North 24 Parganas district is about 60 km east of Kolkata. BJP state president Dilip Ghosh, who was present at the event, claimed that the stones were thrown by "outsiders" who had nothing to do with the party. "We were conducting our 'law-violation programme' peacefully, but the police started unprovoked lathi-charge.Those who have pelted stones are outsiders, they have nothing to do with the BJP," he said. Senior TMC leader Jyotipriyo Mullick alleged that the saffron party was deliberately trying to create violence and demanded that Ghosh be arrested for instigating it. TMC MP from Basirhat Lok Sabha consituency, Idris Ali accused BJP of trying to flare communal violence in the state ahead of Christmas and New year celebrations. The BJP has been organising 'law-violation programmes' in various parts of the state in protest against the Trinamool Congress government's decision to not allow its proposed rath yatras. The Supreme Court on Monday declined to grant urgent hearing on a plea challenging a Calcutta High Court order of not allowing the party's rath yatras in the state. The three-phased "Save Democracy Rally" was scheduled to be held this month and cover all the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies. The rallies were to be flagged off by BJP president Amit Shah. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A college student was arrested Monday in connection with a suspected honour killing case in Beed district of Maharashtra, police said. However, main accused persons in this case are still at large and efforts are on to nab them, an official said. The Beed city police arrested the student, Krishna Kshirsagar, for his alleged involvement in the murder of 25- year-old Sumit Shivajirao Waghmare, he said. According to the police, Kshirsagar, who is in his mid 20s, allegedly helped a key accused, Balaji Landge, flee after committing the crime. "We have arrested Kshirsagar and verifying his role in the crime," said Sudhir Khiradkar, Sub Divisional Police Officer of the Beed city. Waghmare, who studied in the third year at the Aditya Engineering College in Beed, was stabbed to death on December 19 outside the college, police said. Waghmare had married his classmate Bhagyashree Landge two months ago by going against the wishes of her family. While Waghmare and his wife were coming out of the college after appearing for an exam, Bhagyashree Lande's brother Balaji Landge and one more person confronted them and stabbed the couple before fleeing, police said. Waghmare died on way to the Beed Civil Hospital, while his wife suffered injures in the attack, they said. Police suspect it was case of honour killing as Bhagyashree Landge's family was opposed to her marriage with Waghmare. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The on Monday accused Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of doing " of division" and of helping the BJP by proposing a non- front of other parties. spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi made the remarks after Rao met Odisha Chief Minister on Sunday and his counterpart Mamata Banerjee on Monday in an effort to forge a non-BJP and non-Congress alliance. Singhvi said the Congress will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in an alliance with a number of other parties and emerge victorious. "If you talk of exclusion and do not want to ally with those who want to ally with the Congress, then you are doing ' of division' and you want to help the ruling party... I don't think other parties will get trapped in this," he told reporters when asked about the TRS chief's proposal. Singhvi said if one wants to keep the principal opposition party out of an alliance, "it becomes clear that they want to help someone else". The Congress said his party did not have any problems with one political meeting another and that "everyone is free to meet anyone". "You will see that the Congress will emerge victorious after it contests elections with many other parties," he said. Rao met Banerjee on Monday and said efforts to cobble together a non-BJP and non-Congress alliance will continue. He claimed that very soon they will come out with a concrete plan for the Lok Sabha elections. The TRS chief met the a day after he met his Odisha counterpart and BJD Naveen Patnaik, another strong regional JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda Monday dismissed any threat to the ruling coalition headed by his son H D Kumaraswamy after the recent cabinet rejig. The government was stable and the alliance will efficiently fight the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he told reporters. "Nothing will happen...why do you have doubts? It is all your (media) creation," Gowda said in response to a question about troubles for the coalition government after the ministry expansion and reshuffle on Saturday. Pointing out that there are senior leaders and high command in the Congress to resolve all issues, he said "don't worry, the coalition government will work efficiently." "We (alliance partners) will fight efficiently during parliament polls, there are no issues...I'm saying there is no trouble for coalition government," Gowda added. Kumaraswamy Saturday had expanded his six-month-old cabinet, inducting eight members from the Congress in the much-awaited exercise, while dropping two ministers. The rejig was marked by rumblings of dissidence, as many senior congress MLAs were upset over their exclusion. The JD(S) was not part of this round of cabinet expansion. Asked when JD(S) will fill vacant slots under its quota, the party patriarch said "JD(S) is a small party and whatever we get, it is great for us, we don't have any dispute." After the recent cabinet expansion, Kumaraswamy cabinet's strength now stands at 32. According to to the pact between the two parties at the time of formation of the coalition government in May, two posts are now vacant from JD(S). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Disgruntlement within the Congress triggered by the H D Kumaraswamy ministry rejig in Karnataka continued to simmer Monday with miffed ministerial aspirants pouring out their anger publicly. Sulking over being dropped as minister, Ramesh Jarkiholi indicated his plans to quit as party MLA and said he would make his decision public in four days. Supporters of another senior state Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy staged a protest after holding a meeting here and expressing displeasure about their leader not being considered during the cabinet expansion Saturday. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy sought to play down the developments, saying such "emotional reactions" were common and he would speak to the sulking leaders and pacify them. His father and JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda dismissed any threat to the government and said it was stable and the alliance will 'efficiently' fight the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In the much-awaited exercise, the six-month old Congress-JDScoalition ministry headed by Kumaraswamy was expanded Saturday wih the induction of eight members from the national party. However, it was marked by rumblings of dissidence as several senior congress MLAs are upset over their exclusion,with legislators including Reddy, B C Patil, B K Sangamesh and Bheema Naik coming out openly to give vent to their anger. Meanwhile, allocation of portfolios to the newly inductedMinisters is also getting delayed. Sources said, the wait is on for the arrival of Congress General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal as there was growing demand for plump portfolios among the new ministers. Ramesh Jarkiholi told reporters Monday: "Did you see TV yesterday; I'm committed to it. when, why all thesethings I will discuss (with supporters) and decide... whatever you heard about my phone conversation,I'm committed to it." He said ".giveme four days time.I will inform the people of the state aboutmy decision. I have many things to discuss with you (media)." A purported conversation involving Ramesh Jarkiholi was aired by local TV channels on Sunday where he can be heard speaking about his plans to quit as a Congress MLA, which hadfueled speculations about him defecting to the BJP. Ramesh Jarkiholi, accused of hobnobbing with the BJP, along with R Shankar, an Independent lawmaker who showed reluctance to be an associate member of the Congress, were dropped during the rejig. The Congress leader, who was also not attending cabinet and party meetings, has been replaced by his brother Satish Jarkiholi. He has been claiming support of a sizeable chunk ofparty MLAs and had come under the party scanner over reportsthat BJP was trying to tap him to dislodge the government. Supporters of Reddy, who had held the home portfolio in the previous Congress ministry, said they have decided to petition the party leadership for inducting him into the cabinet at the earliest and threatened to quit their posts if it was not done. Reddy had on Sunday openly alleged that "injustice" was meted out to him. Reacting to the development, Kumaraswamy said, he will speak to Jarkiholi, Reddy and otherMLAs and pacify them. ".such developments or emotional reactions are common when expectations are not met.I will speak to MLAs, Ramesh who is my good friend, also Ramalinga Reddy." he told reporters. "All MLAs are efficient," he said adding that "such reactions are common in today's political scenario. Congress has ability to resolve the issues. I will also talk to them as I share good relationship with them." On his part, Karnataka Congress chief Dinesh Gundu Rao said, no MLA will quit the party and "we are all together and there will nodamage to the government which is "very stable". Warning against any anti-party activity, he said such actions would be viewed seriously. Leader of the party in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said in Kalburgi that noone will leave the party, adding the Jarkiholibrothers had worked for Congress party. Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah too said, "no one will resign....there is no such thing." Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said the decision to leave out Reddy from the cabinet was taken by the party high command. Reacting to media reports about Reddyblaming him and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Krishna ByreGowda for his exclusion, he said: "we are not responsible for it.. it is the decision of the party high command,they have only taken suggestions from us...." he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 49-year-old gangster, who was absconding after getting bail in the murder case of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's brother-in-law Ismail Parkar 22 years ago, was arrested here Monday, police said. Dayanand Salian alias Pujari, a member of the Arun Gawali gang, was arrested by the unit-7 of Mumbai Police's Crime Branch after a trap was laid for him at Kanjurmarg in eastern suburbs, an official said. Pujari was allegedly involved in serious crimes like murder and attempt to murder carried out at the behest of the Gawali gang, he said. He was arrested by the Nagpada police in connection with the 1991 murder of Ismail Parkar, Ibrahim's brother-in- law, he said. Ismail Parkar was the husband of Hasina Parkar, Ibrahim's sister, he said. Pujari was arrested in 1993 and got bail in 1996, the official said. He then fled the city and went to Uttar Pradesh, where he had been working as a cook under a fake name, the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi University's Academic Council will be meeting on January 2, according to an official notification by the varsity Monday. The Academic Council was supposed to meet on December 12 but the meeting was postponed, a move that was met with criticism from the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA). In a letter written on December 11 to the varsity's vice-chancellor, the DUTA had said, "Teachers are no longer willing to put up with the administration's lackadaisical approach towards matters of governance and believe that you must either act or step down." The DUTA had urged the Academic Council to take up the matters pertaining to the regularisation or absorption of teachers through permanent appointments. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday hit out at the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government in Odisha, saying the "demon of corruption" in various sectors has become strong in the state. Modi, who launched a slew of projects for the state and released a stamp and a coin to commemorate Odisha's 1817 Paika rebellion, was addressing a BJP rally in Khurda town. The prime minister in an apparent jibe at the BJD government, asked,"Who is feeding the demon (of corruption)?" "The demon of corruption has grown in chit fund, PC (percentage commission) culture... The truth of Odisha's development is not hidden. Farmers, women are raising their voice," he said. He also hit out at the Odisha government for not adopting the Centre's mega health scheme Ayushman Bharat. "People of the state are asking why they have been deprived of the benefits of the health scheme which is available in other states of the country," Modi said. Polls in Odisha are due to be held along with the general elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A leading doctor here and two others have been arrested for allegedly murdering his partner in Nepal and keeping her social media and WhatsApp accounts active for seven months to deceive her family, police said. Dr D P Singh and his two accomplices were arrested on Friday from Daudpur for allegedly killing Rajeshwari alias Rakhi Srivastava, Special Task Force Inspector General (IG) Amitabh Yash said. Singh is the director of a hospital in Gorakhpur and both his accomplices -- Pramod Kumar Singh and Deshdeepak Nishad -- are his employees, he said. On June 24, the victim's brother, Amar Prakash Srivastav, lodged a complaint against Rajeshwari's second husband Manish Sinha at Shahpur police station under sections 366 (kidnapping), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, the IG said. It became clear earlier this month that Singh and his accomplices had killed Rajeshwari in Nepal in June, Yash said. They went to Nepal on June 4 and returned on June 6 after killing Rajeshwari. The accused had offered her a sedative-laced drink before pushing her off a hill in Nepal's Kaski district, he said. On June 8, the woman's body was recovered by the Nepal police, he added. The accused kept Rajeshwari virtually alive for seven months. They kept her WhatsApp running and updated her social media account, Yash said. According to police, Rajeshwari met Singh in 2011 and they got married the same year. Singh was already married. Later the couple started having frequent arguments and Rajeshwari even lodged a rape case against Singh at Cant police station in Gorakhpur, they said. In February 2018, Rajeshwari married Sinha, a native of Bihar's Gaya district, and went to Nepal with him, the IG said. Sinha returned to India on June 3 but Rajeshwari stayed back, Yash said. Later, when Sinha tried calling his wife, she did not answer her phone but her WhatsApp account remained active. Her account only became non-operational on October 4 at around 11.30 pm, he said. During interrogation, Singh and his accomplices admitted to have killed Rajeshwari, he said. Singh told police that Rajeshwari lived in a house in Nepal which he had bought. He decided to kill her as she would repeatedly ask him to transfer the ownership of the property in her name. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British Security Minister Ben Wallace said Monday the government can now deploy drone detection systems nationwide, after days of device sightings caused chaos at Gatwick Airport and criticism of the government response. Britain's second-busiest airport was forced to close its only runway repeatedly last Wednesday through Friday due to numerous reports of drones, impacting nearly 140,000 passengers and leading to the deployment of soldiers. "We are able to now deploy detection systems throughout the UK to combat this threat," Wallace said in a statement. But he warned: "The huge proliferation of such devices, coupled with the challenges of deploying military counter measures into a civilian environment, means there are no easy solutions." Meanwhile police have received around 30 pieces of "useful information" in the last 24 hours, a police-backed charity said Monday. The tip-offs came after the airport, some 30 miles (50 kilometres) south of London, on Sunday offered a 50,000 pounds (USD 63,000/56,000 euro) reward for information on the incident. "Within the first 24 hours we had close to 30 pieces of useful information that we passed on to police," a spokesman for CrimeStoppers, a charity that helps police solve crimes, told AFP. "It's been a good response," he said, adding that it pays out rewards for information leading to the arrest and conviction of perpetrators. It launched the new appeal Sunday after police released without charge a local couple arrested Friday on suspicion of involvement. Paul Gait and Elaine Kirk, who live in nearby Crawley, said in a statement Monday they felt "completely violated" by their two-day detention. The police rejected criticism of their handling of the incident. A detective admitted it was a "possibility" that no drones had actually been in the area -- despite the discovery of a damaged device near the airport perimeter that is now being forensically examined. "We can unequivocally state that there have been numerous illegal drone sightings at the airport over three days from 19 to 21 December," Sussex police deputy chief constable Jo Shiner said on Monday. "There were numerous reports clustered around 37 occasions where a drone or drones were seen and I am keen for those responsible to be brought to justice," Shiner said. The force provided fresh details on the sightings, noting that five officers were among the witnesses who reported the devices first appearing Wednesday night. Shiner added that police were investigating what would be considered "criminal and reckless behaviour" under an aviation and maritime law punishable by a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The police here have arrested four persons, including a couple, and seized over 26 kg of cannabis from them, claiming Monday to have busted an "organised syndicate" of drug dealers operating in the national capital region, A team from Sector 20 police station apprehended the four Sunday in a raid at their hideout in a jhhugi cluster in Noida, Sector 18, an official said. Those arrested included Hema, the syndicate's kingpin, her husband Sanjay alias Babu and their aides Pappu and Sajid, a senior officials said, adding that a man, who claims to be a journalist, is linked to the gang but is absconding. As much as 26.5 kg of cannabis and a cash of Rs 35,000 as sale proceed of the contraband were seized from the accused," Superintendent of Police (Crime) Ashok Kumar said. The officer described the gangsters' hideout as a "factory-like establishment" from where, he said, 10 kg of plastic used to make small packets, packaging equipment and weighing machine too were seized. The gang procured cannabis from Ghaziabad and Bihar, among other places, and sealed it here in small plastic packets for local sale, Kumar said. They sold the cannabis in packages worth Rs 50, Rs 100 and Rs 200, he said. Dubbing the couple as kingpin of the gang, the SP said they had been involved in the illegal trade for quite some time now. The couple and their accomplices have a criminal record too, Kumar said. Two other gang members, identified as Prakash and Lalit Mohan, are absconding," the officer said, adding the latter one claims to be a journalist. Asked about the role of the accused who claims to be a journalist, the officer said during interrogation it has emerged that he was an active member of the gang. He is said to have facilitated the gang's work at different places and had an important role in its operations, the SP said. A sedan, used by Babu to ferry the cannabis across the NCR, too was impounded, the police said. Sector 20 Station House Officer Manoj Pant said the gang was on the police radar for long and its kingpin, Hema, had a well-connected network across the NCR. Some months back, we had carried out an operation against drug traffickers and peddlers during which we had raided several slums. Hema especially was on our target but had managed to escape then to Bihar. She has finally been caught after a long chase, Pant, who led the raid Sunday, told PTI. He said the gang's network was so effective that the amount seized from the scene (26.5 kg) was only for a day's consumption. Those arrested have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, among other charges, the police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Monday approached a seeking issuance of open ended non-bailable warrants (NBW) against four directors of a pharma firm in a Rs 50 billion probe case. The agency has sought warrants against Sterling Biotech Ltd (SBL) directors Nitin Jayantilal Sandesara, Chetankumar Jayantilal Sandesara, Dipti Chetan Sandesara and Hiteshkumar Narendrabhai Patel. Additional Sessions Judge Siddharth Sharma listed the matter for hearing on January 5. The has registered the alleged bank fraud case against the firm SBL under sections of the Prevention of Act (PMLA). The accused are also being probed by the for allegedly bribing senior income tax department officials as part of an earlier criminal complaint. Asep Sunaria heard a loud "whoosh" just seconds before a wall of water threw him off his motorbike, swallowing his house and the village he called home until Saturday night. As rescuers hunted for survivors of the volcano-triggered tsunami that killed at least 281 people along Indonesia's coast, 42-year-old Sunaria was trying to come to grips with a disaster that struck without warning. "The water came from over there with a sound like the wind -- 'whoosh'," he recounted to AFP. "I was shocked. I didn't expect it at all -- there was no warning ... At first I thought it was just a tidal wave but the water rose so high." He and his family sprinted from Sukarame village to higher ground, leaving them with only the clothes on their back. But they were among the lucky ones. Some villagers perished when the powerful tsunami struck on Saturday night, sweeping over popular beaches of southern Sumatra and the western tip of Java and inundating tourist hotels and coastal settlements. Experts say it was likely triggered by a massive underwater landslide following an eruption of the Anak Krakatoa volcano in the Sunda Strait. "My family are safe but my house has been destroyed -- everything's gone," said Sunaria. "Now I'm looking for bodies that have not been found. We only found one yesterday and we're looking for spots where more bodies could still be buried." Another villager, Sunarti, waded through knee-deep water as she searched for belongings outside her destroyed house. "We found two dead bodies over there yesterday," the 61-year-old indicated. Sunarti said her 100-year-old mother survived and was staying at higher ground until they could be sure there would be no more killer waves -- something experts have warned remains a serious risk. "My life was already tough," Sunarti, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, told AFP. "We're very poor and now this happens" Down the road in Cilurah village, survivor Ade Junaedi said he witnessed nature's fury firsthand. "It happened very quickly," he said. "I was chatting with a guest at our place when my wife opened the door and she suddenly let out a panicked scream. I thought there was a fire, but when I walked to the door I saw the water coming." Back in Sukarame village, Sunarti and her hungry neighbours waited for outside aid to arrive in their stricken community. "There's been no help at all so far," she said. "Some people are starving. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Monday expressed his profound grief over the death of former union minister Capt. Jai Narayan Prasad Nishad in Delhi. Nishad breathed his last at a private hospital in Delhi Monday morning, family sources said. The CM announced that his cremation would be held with full state honours, an official release said. Nishad was 88. He is survived by a son Ajay Nishad and four daughters. Ajay Nishad is a BJP Lok Sabha member from Muzaffarpur constituency. Late capt. Nishad represented Muzaffarpur in Lok Sabha four times besides serving as union minister between 1996-98. He won Lok Sabha seat from Muzaffarpur both on RJD and JD(U) tickets. In his condolence message, Kumar said that Capt. Nishad's death has caused an irreparable loss to the society and politics. Nishad was very popular in his area and had interest in social works, he added. Kumar talked to the former union minister's son Ajay Nishad over phone and consoled the bereaved family members. He prayed to almighty to give strength and courage to the relatives and followers to bear the loss. Former Bihar CM Rabri Devi and Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav also condoled the death of Capt. Nishad. In his message, Tejashwi Yadav said that the death of Nishad has caused irreparable loss to both society and politics as he was a very sensitive social worker. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Colombian man who pretended to be a Roman Catholic priest for 18 years hearing confessions and celebrating weddings, was exposed just before Christmas, the diocese in Spain where he was preaching said Monday. Marriages and baptisms carried out by Miguel Angel Ibarra remain valid but confessions are not even though the "grace of God acted" on the faithful who were deceived, the spokeswoman for the diocese of Cadiz and Ceuta told AFP. Ibarra moved to Spain from Colombia in October 2017 and had been in charge of the church in the village of Medina Sidonia, which is home to some 11,000 people, in the southern region of Andalusia. He had pretended to be a priest for the past 18 years, the she added. Colombian church officials informed the diocese on December 13 that it had received a complaint that Ibarra had forged his ordination documents and that after carrying out a "thorough investigation" they had concluded that he had never been ordained, the Spanish diocese said in a statement. He was ordered to go back to his archdiocese of origin in Colombia, Santa Fe de Antioquia, it added. The diocese of Cadiz and Ceuta said it regretted that "events like this could overshadow the work of parishioners and ordained priests, who serve the Church every day in an exemplary way." Like in other increasingly secular European countries, Spain is finding it difficult to attract new recruits to the priesthood in recent years and has had to resort to importing priests, often from its former colonies in Latin America. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A famous Turkish actor was on Monday accused of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and inciting an armed uprising over comments made during a television programme last week, local media reported. Metin Akpinar -- who is also a well-known comedian in Turkey -- was taken in by police for questioning on Monday, along with another Turkish actor, Mujdat Gezen. "If we don't become a (democracy)... the leader might be hung from his feet or maybe poisoned in the cellars or meet the same end as other leaders in the past," Akpinar, 77, reportedly said on television on Friday. An Istanbul court said the two men would be released on conditional bail after they were summoned to give statements to prosecutors. But they will have to report to a police station once a week and are banned from leaving Turkey. Both men are suspected of "insulting the president". Akpinar also was suspected of "inciting an armed uprising against the government", the Istanbul public prosecutor said Monday, quoted by Hurriyet daily. The probe is still ongoing and the men will be formally charged after an indictment is prepared by the prosecutor. Akpinar had also claimed on opposition Halk TV that any leader who "turned to Russia except Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) left office" through coups, referring to the founder of modern Turkey. Turkey witnessed three military coups in 1960, 1971 and 1980. In 1997, an army-led campaign forced the government to resign and then in July 2016, there was an attempted overthrow of Erdogan blamed on a US-based Muslim preacher. Akpinar said democracy was the "only option to save Turkey from polarisation". Gezen, 75, was more direct in his remarks against Erdogan on the same programme: "He tells the people 'know your place'. Look Recep Tayyip Erdogan, you cannot test our patriotism. Know your place." The investigation into the men came after the president said Sunday: "They should be brought to account for this by the judiciary." Erdogan hit out at the "so-called artists" during a speech in Istanbul. "We cannot leave this business without giving a response, they will pay the price." Thousands of Turks including artists and journalists have been prosecuted in recent years over allegedly insulting Erdogan, although most have not been imprisoned. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A famous Turkish actor testified to Istanbul prosecutors on Monday after authorities opened a probe into whether comments he made on television threatened President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with death, local media reported. Metin Akpinar, also a well-known comedian in Turkey, is accused of making "insulting" statements that alluded to Erdogan. "If we do not reach this (democracy), like what happened to all forms of fascism, the leader might be hung from his feet or maybe poisoned in the cellars or meet the same end as other leaders in the past," he reportedly said on television on Friday. The Istanbul public prosecutor said on Sunday that Akpinar was being investigated over "insulting comments that targeted the Turkish president with coup and death threats". Akpinar, 77, and another Turkish actor, Mujdat Gezen, had been taken by police officers separately to give testimony in the same investigation. Akpinar had also claimed on opposition Halk TV that any leader who "turned to Russia except Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk) left office" through coups. Ataturk was the founder of modern Turkey. Turkey has witnessed three military coups in 1960, 1971 and 1980. In 1997, an army-led campaign forced the government to resign and then in July 2016, there was an attempted overthrow of Erdogan blamed on a US-based Muslim preacher. Akpinar said democracy was the "only option to save Turkey from polarisation". Gezen, 75, was more direct in his remarks against Erdogan on the same programme: "He tells the people 'know your place'. Look Recep Tayyip Erdogan, you cannot test our patriotism. Know your place." The investigation into the men came after the president said on Sunday: "They should be brought to account for this by the judiciary." Erdogan hit out at the "so-called artists" during a speech in Istanbul. "We cannot leave this business without giving a response, they will pay the price."Thousands of Turks including artists and journalists have been prosecuted in recent years over allegedly insulting Erdogan, although most have not been imprisoned. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The fertiliser ministry Monday said it has asked the Railways to give priority to the movement of urea to Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan from ports and rejected reports that the two states are facing any shortage of urea. The domestic suppliers have already been advised to supply the urea, highly subsidised fertiliser, according to the allocated supply plan for December, it said. For Madhya Pradesh, 3.70 lakh tonne was allocated as compared with the state's requirement of 3.50 lakh tonne for December. Out of which, about 1.85 lakh tonne of urea has been sold so far. In the case of Rajasthan, the total allocation was 2.89 lakh tonne as against the requirement of 2.70 lakh tonne for the current month. Of which, 2.31 lakh tonne of urea has been sold so far. "As on date, in the month of December, the urea supplies to both states are ahead of pro-rata requirement. ...The internal distribution within the state is the responsibility of state government," the ministry said in a statement. Fertiliser Minister Sadananda Gowda last week said the reports of urea shortage have emerged ever since governments changed in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh recently though the supply has been made to them as per their requirement for the ongoing rabi (winter) season. The Congress is in power in the two states. Stating that the government is monitoring the situation closely on a day-to-day basis, the ministry said it is in regular touch with all the states, fertiliser companies and Railways to ensure the supply. "Based on the feedback of State Agriculture Departments of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the Department of Fertilizer has requested Railway Board today (Monday) to accord overriding priority to urea movement for both the states from the ports (along with other states) till December 31," the ministry stated. At all-India level, about 36.20 lakh tonne of urea has been allocated for supply in the current month to all the states, higher than the requirement of 33.07 lakh tonne. Of the total allocation, 20.94 lakh tonne of urea has already been sold to farmers so far in the current month across the country, it said. Urea is sold at a government fixed price of Rs 5,360 per tonne. It is the most commonly used fertiliser because it is highly subsidised. "The given data makes it clear that the Union government has been taking proactive measures to ensure adequate supply of urea in the rabi season 2018-19 to all states and there is sufficient stock available at the state level," the ministry said. On an average, the Central government is supplying nearly 1 lakh tonne of urea per day from plants and ports combined to various states as per the allocations, it added. With regard to domestic production of urea, the ministry said the units are running as per target and there is sufficient inventory of nearly 10 lakh tonne at various ports. More inventory of 10 lakh tonne is lined up which is expected to arrive in December and January. The ministry said it regularly advises state governments to lift the allocated quantity of fertilisers and ensure efficient distribution at the ground level to the farmers. India produces about 24 million tonne of urea annually and imports about 5-6 million tonne to meet the deficit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A fire broke out Monday afternoon on the second floor of the University Grants Commission office near ITO in central Delhi, the UGC said. A call about the blaze in the office record room on the second floor of the building was received at 2.16 pm and six fire tenders were rushed to the spot, said an officer from the Delhi Fire Service, adding the fire was brought under control by 2.45 pm. According to the UGC, the fire broke out in Room No 219 of the UGC building. "Immediately, the UGC administration came into action and tried to extinguish the fire and informed the Delhi Fire Service and the police department as well. The Delhi Fire Service and the police department controlled the fire without any loss of life," the UGC said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The formal functioning of Siang district with Boleng as its headquarters began on Monday with Chief Minister Pema Khandu signing the formal declaration letter and handed over it to Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Takuk. The district was created several years back by bifurcating the Upper Siang district but due to hiccups following selection of district headquarters, it was not officially functioning. Khandu earlier, laid the foundation for district office building and inaugurated the 2X1500 KW Subbung Small Hydroelectric Project at Supsing village. Speaking at a public function during the launch of the second leg of the Arunachal Rising campaign, Khandu congratulated the people of the district for formal functioning of the new district headquarters, an official release said here. He also congratulated the people for the hydroelectric project and said with the launch of the new hydro project, the district has achieved the status of power surplus district. Khandu said the construction of the project dragged on for the last 24 years but as soon he assumed the post of the Chief Minister the project was given all required funding for its completion. "The present government will never keep any projects pending, which are of public importance," Khandu said. Assuring full support of the government for creation of infrastructures for the district headquarters, Khandu said budget provision would also be made. He also assured that the location of different government offices under the district headquarters would be decided between Boleng and Pangin with due consultation from community bodies, local organisations and from approval of the cabinet. The chief minister further informed that the construction of Rasing bridge over Siang River will be in coming days approved by the Centre. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Union minister Captain Jai Narain Prasad Nishad died at a hospital here Monday following prolonged illness, sources said. Nishad (88), also a former Member of Parliament, was undergoing treatment at the Max Hospital, Saket, in south Delhi, where he breathed his last, they said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled his demise in a Twitter post. "Saddened by the demise of Captain Jai Narain Prasad Nishad Ji. He served our nation with great diligence. Captain Nishad's efforts for the progress of Bihar were noteworthy. His work towards empowering the poor will always be remembered. Condolences to his family and supporters," he tweeted. "The former minister died today and the body was handed over to the family at around 1 pm," a hospital source said. He was an MP from the Muzaffarpur constituency in Bihar, and his son, Ajay Nishad, is currently a lawmaker. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Goa government has been pitching for inclusion of the coastal state under the Centre's ambitious 'PRASAD' scheme, which it said would help in reviving infrastructure at the heritage monuments and places of archaeological importance, Archives Minister said Monday. The move comes in the wake of a section of people opposing the Central government's "Adopt a Heritage scheme", under which the monuments are supposed to be taken up for infrastructure upgradation by private parties. Goa Archives and Archaeology department has been communicating with the Union government to cover the state under Union Tourism ministry's Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spirituality Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) scheme. State Archives Minister Vijai Sardesai said the talks are on with the Central government so that the infrastructure at the heritage monuments and places of archaeological value could be taken up for upgradation under Central funds. He said the discussions are currently on and that the state government is optimistic that the Union government will consider the proposal from Goa. Ministry of Tourism has listed twelve cities including Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh), Gaya (Bihar), Dwarka (Gujarat), Amritsar (Punjab), Ajmer (Rajasthan), Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu), Vellankani (Tamil Nadu), Puri (Odisha), Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), Kedarnath (Uttarakhand) and Kamkhya (Assam) under PRASAD scheme. A senior officer from Archives and Archaeology department said a mission directorate has been set up in the union ministry of tourism to implement PRASAD scheme in these cities. "There were apprehensions that we (government) would hand over our monuments to private parties under 'Adopt a Heritage scheme'. To dispel these, the state government has decided to put up infrastructure under the Centrally-sponsored scheme", the officer said. Apprehensions were raised over handing over of Old Goa churches and historic Cab-de-Rama Fort to the private parties under the Heritage scheme. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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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 The Army's 4th Infantry Division helped in the removal of the wagons, derailed two days ago in Uttar Pradesh, and made a busy railway line operational on Monday, an official said. Nineteen wagons of the goods train jumped tracks near Baghauli railway station in Hardoi district on Saturday, disrupting the services on the Lucknow-Delhi route, a defence spokesperson said. Twenty-five personnel of the unit, also known as the Red Eagle Division, was rushed from Kanpur to assist the administration. The rescue operation started at 11.00 pm on Sunday with heavy earth-moving machines like armoured recovery vehicle and material handling cranes, said Arvind Sinha, regional spokesperson, Ministry of Defence, Allahabad region. After the operation was over, the railway line was made operational by 11.30 am on Monday, the spokesperson added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Goods and Services Tax has had a "negative" effect on tourism in Jammu and Kashmir, a parliamentary panel has noted, adding the Centre should reconsider the indirect tax regime on tourism-related activities in the northern state. The Committee on Development of Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir, in its report, said according to the stakeholders, sourcing of products and materials is an issue in the state. It said unlike other states, residents of Jammu and Kashmir and its business owners spend huge amounts of money on procuring essentials, most of which have to be flown in, which increases their capital expenditure. "The sensitive nature of Jammu and Kashmir must be taken into consideration during the development of tourism in the region. The implementation of GST on tourism in the region will have manifold effects, mostly negative on its economy," the committee said. It said small business owners of small-scale hotels, bed and breakfasts and home stays cannot list their properties on various travel intermediary websites as there is a levy of 18 per cent of GST, which cuts across the little profit they make, making their venture "unsustainable". "In this regard, the Committee recommends that the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on tourism-related activities in the state must be reconsidered. It must be done in a cautious and phased manner in order to ensure that the delicate state of tourism in the region is not adversely affected," the panel said, adding the Ministry of Tourism must initiate dialogue with the Finance Ministry in this regard. The Committee also expressed worry over the "negative publicity" which it cited as a major hindrance to increasing footfall in the region. "This perception overshadows the true narrative of the region as not all parts of the state are in conflict or affected by it," it remarked. The panel also recommended that the Tourism Ministry organise its own publicity campaign in order to remove the negative impression of the state which is based on incorrect facts. The ministry should also involve the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the External Affairs Ministry for the removal of advisories imposed by various countries against travel to Jammu and Kashmir, the parliamentary panel added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Looking to position Gujarat as the best investment destination, chief minister Vijay Rupani will outline the framework of state's long-term vision during the the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit next year, said officials here on Monday. A special event, Sprint 2022, showcasing present as well as future investment opportunities in Gujarat, will be organised on January 19, the second day of Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit, to be held at Mahatma Mandir here between January 18 and 20 next year. "Sprint 2022 is being organised during Vibrant Summit with an aim to position Gujarat as the best investment destination by highlighting our transformation plan by 2022 and beyond," T Natarajan, MD of GSPC, told reporters here. During this event, the CM will outline the framework of Gujarat's long term vision, highlighting major projects we want to complete by 2022 and where we would take Gujarat by 2035, said Mukesh Puri, Principal Secretary, Urban Development and Urban Housing Department. Gujarat government will showcase some mega infrastructure and urban projects and their status by 2022, at the event. Some of the projects to be highlighted during the event are, Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, Dedicated Freight Corridor, Dholera SIR, GIFT City, Bullet Train, Statue of Unity and Dream City near Surat. Industry leaders, entrepreneurs, strategists and top government functionaries would participate in the event, and share their views on subjects like urban planning, affordable housing, transport infrastructure, mobility and social inclusion and multi-modal affordable transport among others, Puri said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani Monday said his government is mulling to introduce 'Sanskrit Board' to popularise the ancient language among the masses. He made the announcement while inaugurating a two-day state-level convention of 'Samskrita Bharati', a non-profit entity, at Kolavada in Gandhinagar district. "To popularise Sanskrit among the masses, my government is mulling to introduce Sanskrit Board. We will provide all necessary help and make necessary arrangements in this regard in consultation with experts and Samskrita Bharati," Rupani was was quoted as saying in an official release. The Sanskrit Board will be on the lines of other exam boards like the CBSE and the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board, the release said. Rupani recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi had started 'Shree Somnath Sanskrit University' at Veraval town of Gir Somnath district when he was Gujarat chief minister. In his speech, Rupani alleged that some "pseudo secularists" of the country had tried to sideline the language by projecting it differently. Terming Sanskrit as India's heritage, Rupani called upon the people to save the language and popularise it. According to the release, the CM assured the audience that his government will work towards building adequate infrastructure to popularise the language. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gunmen at the weekend killed 17 people in the latest attack on villages in northern Nigeria's Zamfara state, witnesses and police said on Monday. The assault came just days after 25 people were killed in similar raids on two villages in the region. Gunmen on motorcycles stormed Magami village in the Maradun district area of the state on Saturday, shooting indiscriminately as residents fled. "After the attack, we collected 17 dead bodies which we buried," Magami resident Kasimu Bello told AFP. "The gunmen entered the village on several motorcycles, shooting people as they tried to flee," he said. Another resident Umaru Bawa confirmed the attack, saying "the bandits pursued people like chickens and shot them dead as they ran into the bush." Zamfara state police spokesman Mohammed Shehu said his operatives would arrest and "bring to justice the perpetrators of this dastardly act". He also vowed to end the rampant armed attacks in the state. On Wednesday, 25 people were killed when gunmen raided two villages in Birnin Magaji district of the state. Farming and herding communities in Zamfara have for years been wracked by cattle rustling and kidnapping for ransom, prompting villagers to form vigilante gangs as a protection force. However the villagers too are accused of carrying out extra-judicial killings of suspected bandits, leading to tit-for-tat violence. In April, troops were deployed to Zamfara to fight the gangs and police banned the civilian militia in an attempt to curb the cycle of reprisals. Last month the police claimed to have killed 104 bandits in Birnin Magaji district during a clash in which 16 policemen were killed. Early this month, an influential traditional ruler in the state called for civilian militia members to be given assault rifles to defend themselves. The continued raids by cattle thieves in Zamfara and the resource conflict between farmers and herders in central Nigeria have added to Nigeria's security challenges as the military battles Boko Haram jihadists in the northeast. Troops have repelled attacks on bases in northeast Nigerian Borno state where Boko Haram has in recent months targeted posts. Late Friday troops fought off an attempt to over-run a base in the town of Damasak on the border with Niger after an hours-long fight in which one civilian was killed. On Saturday, the troops also foiled jihadist attempts to take over two bases in Logomani near the border with Cameroon and the town of Gajiram. Several jihadists were killed in the fight and their vehicles destroyed, sources said on condition of anonymity. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Governor K N Tripathi on Monday urged the authorities of Jadavpur University to ensure that the academic atmosphere of the varsity is not disturbed. Delivering his address at the convocation of Jadavpur University as Chancellor, Tripathi called upon the faculty and students to strive towards making JU a premier institute in the state and country. "It is the duty of the university administration to be updated about the happenings in the campus, during and even after class hours," he said, referring to reports about people frequenting the campus after dusk. Asked to comment on the matter, JU Vice-Chancellor Prof Suranjan Das told reporters, "We will do whatever is permissible within the law." The university authorities had recently said entry of outsiders will be monitored after dusk. Meanwhile, Tripathi also greeted people of the state on the eve of Christmas. "May the ideals of peace, amity and sacrifice prevail," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scientists at IIT Kharagpur are developing detailed city-level maps that can help identify areas likely to experience maximum damage in the event of an earthquake. The research will help state governments quickly identify areas with high hazard risk and send in rescue and relief teams when a disaster strikes, without losing precious time manually surveying the affected region. "Saving time during a disaster is important, because time is life," said Professor Sankar Kumar Nath from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, West Bengal. Nath presented his research, which he says encompasses 25 years of his work, at the 16th Symposium on Earthquake Engineering organised at IIT Roorkee, Uttarakhand in collaboration with the Indian society of Earthquake Technology. Seismic microzoning is a technique that involves mapping the different factors such as plate tectonics, soil quality, ground motion equations, topography, type of buildings etc to understand which areas within a city may get most affected by an earthquake. It also takes in to account secondary hazards such as the landslides or floods that may be triggered by quakes. "You can also know which places the road may be closed, from which route rescue should be taken and what kind of relief material is required immediately after the earthquake strikes, without having to waste time to do a manual survey of the damage first," Nath told PTI. The system can also help state governments estimate the funds required for rescue and rehabilitation after disaster strikes. For example, using his model Nath estimates that the city of Kolkata may bear losses of up to 231 million in the event of an earthquake. "But this is not taking into consideration the essential facilities (hospitals, schools etc) -- if you take essential facilities into consideration it will be about 500 million," Nath said. According to Nath, at least one million people in India are at risk of being severely affected by quakes in the Himalayan region. IIT Kharagpur is among the list of institutes included in the Ministry of Earth Sciences' Expression of Interest for seismic microzonation of eight 'priority cities' like Patna, Meerut, Amritsar, and Agra. The institute is planning to bid for microzonation of a number of cities, Nath said. IIT Roorkee, IIT Delhi and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore are among the other institutions that have been mentioned in the limited tender for seismic microzonation. The bidding for the tender closes on January 15. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ahead of New Year, Gujarat Police have seized illicit liquor worth Rs 19.34 lakh that was smuggled to the Gir Somnath district headquarters in a fishing boat from Union Territory of Daman, police said Monday. Local crime branch of Gir-Somnath district police raided a fishing boat that had arrived at Veraval harbour, around 400 kms from here, on Sunday morning and seized 10,597 liquor bottles and 2,764 beer cans hidden inside the storage area of the boat, said LCB police inspector B B Koli. Veraval is the headquarters of Gir Somnath district. "In total, we have recovered IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor) worth Rs 19.34 lakh and seized the fishing boat worth Rs 20 lakh", he said, adding that a sailor identified as Hari Bandia was arrested during the operation. Bandia told police that the IMFL was meant to be delivered to a local bootlegger Jitu Agiya, the police inspector said. The boat to bring IMFL from Daman was hired by Agiya, he said, adding that hunt is on to nab Agiya and his accomplices. "As per his plan, Agiya had sent the boat to Daman. A bootlegger, named Gafar, loaded the liquor stock in his boat and transferred it to Agiya's boat mid sea near Daman coast", Koli said. He said the bootleggers took the sea route for smuggling liquor due to heavy police presence on roads and highways in the view of upcoming New Year. Gujarat has a sumptuary law in force since 1960 that proscribes the manufacture, storage, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian-American Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, a fierce critic of Donald Trump, has come out in support of the President's decision to pullout US troops from Syria and Afghanistan, saying his party colleagues should not pile on without offering an alternative vision. The 42-year-old Congressman, who represents Silicon valley, has surprised many by coming out in strong support of president's decision to withdraw American troops from Syria and his reported plans to bring back nearly half of the 15,000 of his troops from war-ravaged Afghanistan. Khanna said that he is doing so in the national interest. "A few days ago, I was with Trump as he signed one of my bills. I said Mr President, China has not been in a war since 1979. If we want to win the race against them, we should not get bogged down in war. He nodded and then observed that they have enriched themselves without firing a shot," Khanna wrote in an op-ed published in The Washington Post. Khanna, who is on the Armed Services Committee, was re-elected for the second term in the November mid-term elections. "President Trump is receiving an onslaught of criticism for his decision to withdraw troops from Syria and Afghanistan. Congressional Democrats should not pile on without offering an alternative vision," he wrote. He said that though the president's desire on troops withdrawal should be applauded, but he should be challenged to assemble a team that does so with better planning. "We should applaud the president's desire to put an end to these interventions, but should challenge him to assemble a team that does so with better planning and diplomacy. We should articulate a foreign policy doctrine of responsible withdrawal that prioritises restraint and human rights," he said. Khanna said that Trump's instincts as a candidate of ending the war and bringing troops home were spot-on. "There should be a short timeline for bringing home our troops to allow for a smooth transition. We should engage in direct talks with the Taliban and seek a negotiated settlement, involving regional actors such as Pakistan, Iran, Russia, China and India," Khanna said. However, his open support and praise of Trump has angered his own party colleagues. The entire Democratic leadership has rallied behind the outgoing Defence Secretary James Mattis for his opposition to Trump's move on Syria and Afghanistan. The decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan has not been officially announced yet. "The genuinely anti-war & left-wing member of Congress, Khanna, has been idiotically & hilariously attacked as a "Trump apologist" because he praised Trump's desired withdrawal of troops from Syria & Afghanistan," tweeted Intercept Journalist Glenn Greenwald. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government Monday said the aircraft accident investigation wing AAIB is pursuing with Airbus and Pratt & Whitney (P&W) the incident of IndiGo plane emitting smoke mid-air with amid allegations that the probe is going slow. On December 10, IndiGo's A320 neo plane made an emergency landing in Kolkata after smoke filled the plane's cabin. The pilots issued a MayDay call and the passengers were evacuated using emergency chutes. The IndiGo incident involving an A320 neo aircraft, was the first instance globally of smoke detected from a P&W engine a senior DGCA official said last week. The incident is being probed by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau(AAIB). "There is no question of any probe being hushed up. On the contrary, the AAIB is pursuing the matter with Airbus and P&W for assessing the reasons and recommending remedial measures," civil aviation secretary RN Choubey told PTI. He was responding to a query about allegations that the probe was being hushed up due to pressure from the ministry and IndiGo. IndiGo, on its part, also denied "influencing" the probe. According to an industry source, the AAIB mid-way changed the probe team and brought an official, whose integrity has come under question in the past. "The AAIB investigation team that was sent to Kolkata after the incident, was discarded the moment they returned back to Delhi. The decision was taken after a senior airline official met a top ministry official and AAIB chief," the source alleged. IndiGo had downplayed the incident saying in a statement, that the the flight "made an emergency landing as a precaution due to a suspected smoke in cabin". "Investigation is still underway and as a responsible corporate representing the Indian aviation industry, IndiGo will never influence any authority in its on-going investigation," IndiGo said in a statement to PTI. The query was sent to the airline's interim Chief Executive Officer Rahul Bhatia on the issue. According to the source, as per the the AAIB procedure manual only the officer who has visited the spot should be made the investigating officer. "In this particular case neither the DG nor the senior official who had accompanied him are investigating officers of the case," the source alleged. Queries sent to AAIB chief remained unanswered. (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. Iraq's prime minister says his government could deploy troops inside Syria, in the latest fallout from the US decision to withdraw from the war-torn country. Adel Abdul-Mahdi says his government is "considering all the options" to protect Iraq from threats across its borders. The US stunned the international community last Thursday when it announced it would pull its forces out of Syria, leaving its allies, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, to fight the the Islamic State group alone. IS militants hold a pocket of territory along the Syrian-Iraqi border. Iraq is keeping reinforcements at the frontier. Abdul-Mahdi spoke to reporters at a press conference on Monday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli media are reporting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has agreed to hold early elections on April 9. Monday's move comes after the ruling coalition appeared to come up short on votes needed to pass a contentious piece of court-ordered legislation. Netanyahu's religious, nationalistic coalition has been roiled by internal divisions for months. Avigdor Lieberman resigned as defense minister last month to protest what he perceived to be the government's weak response to rocket attacks from Hamas-ruled Gaza. A new law extending the military draft to ultra-Orthodox men appears to have triggered the government's downfall. Netanyahu's ultra-Orthodox partners are demanding the legislation be weakened and his razor-thin parliamentary majority seems to be making such a compromise impossible. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel was killed and 34 others were injured Monday when a bus carrying them skidded off the road and fell into a gorge along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, police said. Five of the injured ITBP personnel are in a critical condition, a police officer said. The vehicle was part of a Jammu-bound convoy and the accident occurred near Khuni Nallah in Ramban district around 8.45 am, a police officer said. An ITBP personnel was killed while 34 others, including a civilian driver and conductor, were rescued and rushed to the district hospital in Ramban, the officer said. Trees prevented the bus from falling further down in the gorge, the officer said. Around 35 people were travelling in the bus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jammu and Kashmir Police Monday seized 180 kilograms of poppy husk from an oil tanker in Samba district of the state. Acting on a tip-off, a police team intercepted the tanker at Tapyal village on Jammu-Pathankot highway and during its search found poppy straw concealed in one of its empty chambers, a police officer said. The poppy straw was being smuggled to Punjab from Kashmir, he said. The driver of the tanker, Karan Singh, a resident of Himachal Pardesh, was arrested and booked under the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the officer said. In a separate incident, police arrested a man, identified as Gulzar Ahmed alias Gaggu of Bari Brahmana from the Sarore area, after seizing 5 grams of heroin from his possession, he said. He too was booked under the NDPS Act, the officer said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Meeting a second regional satrap in two days, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Monday held parleys with his West Bengal counterpart and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and said efforts to forge a non-BJP and non-Congress alliance will continue. Rao, the chief of Telangana Rashtra Samithi(TRS), also said the planned alliance will very soon come out with a "concrete plan" for the next year's Lok Sabha elections. The meeting at the state secretariat came a day after Rao met his Odisha counterpart and BJD president Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar. Fresh from a resounding victory in his home state Telangana, Rao is meeting prominent leaders in a bid to provide an alternative to the Congress and the BJP. Rao is also expected to meet BSP supremo Mayawati and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, both former chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, among others in the next couple of days. Describing his meeting with Banerjee as a "very pleasant one", Rao said "discussions (on a Federal Front) will continue". "Discussions with didi is always there. When two political leaders meet, they definitely discuss matters of mutual interest and matters of national interest. "We had a very pleasant discussion. We will continue our discussion. There is a dialogue which I had started yesterday. This is a unification of forces across the nation. I met Odisha's Chief Minister yesterday and today I met didi," Rao told reporters. Banerjee, who was beside Rao at the brief media interaction, did not offer any comments about the meeting. "Our dialogue will continue. Very shortly we will come out with a concrete plan," Rao said recalling the congratulatory call he got from the Trinamool Congress(TMC) supremo after he was elected as the chief minister for the second time. "I came to visit the Kalighat (famous Kali temple in Kolkata) and I thought of meeting didi and seek her blessings," he added. Asked about his mission to evolve a non-BJP and non-Congress alliance, Rao said," I will continue with my efforts. It is the mission of KCR, I will continue in my mission." The Congress on its part accused Rao of doing " of division" and helping the ruling BJP by proposing a non-Congress national front of other parties. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi expressed confidence that the Congress will emerge victorious after contesting polls together with a number of parties in the next elections. "If you talk of exclusion and do not want to ally with one who wants to ally with the Congress, then you are doing ' of division' and you want to help the ruling party....I don't think, other parties will get trapped in this," he told reporters in Delhi when asked about the TRS chief's proposal. Singhvi said if one wants to keep the principal party other than that in power, out of an alliance, "it becomes clear that they want to help someone else". The Congress leader said his party did not have any problems in a leader of one opposition party meeting another and that "everyone is free to meet anyone". As the opposition parties work out their strategies for the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP said the Congress and its President Rahul Gandhi are not acceptable as a pivot to many parties outside the party-led NDA and dubbed the "so-called" opposition unity against the saffron party as a "bogus claim." "That the so-called Opposition unity against the BJP is a bogus claim is evident from the multiple fronts being forged by non-NDA parties," the BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao told PTI in Hyderabad. Rao was responding to a question on Rao's stepped-up efforts to forge a non-Congress, non-BJP front of regional parties. "The efforts of TRS chief KCR (Chandrasekhar Rao) and the apparent interest of some regional parties shows that the Congress and its President Rahul Gandhi are not acceptable as a pivot to many parties outside the NDA," Rao said. "The BJP will highlight in campaigns that these ragtag coalitions are a threat to stability and development and are driven by personal agendas." From the anti-BJP bloc, while some leaders like TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and DMK's M K Stalin are trying to forge a broad coalition that includes Congress, others like Rao and Banerjee are strong votaries of a Federal front of regional parties. Banerjee has also planned a grand rally of opposition parties in Kolkata on January 19. West Bengal accounts for 42 Lok Sabha seats. Stalin's "Rahul-for-PM" proposal recently was not taken kindly by the TMC and other parties who advocated that leadership issue of the opposition camp should be decided after the Parliamentary polls. After meeting Patnaik, Rao emphasised a "dire need" for unification of regional parties to provide an alternative to the Congress and the BJP. Both the chief ministers had a detailed discussion on national issues, including the need for "better friendship among regional parties", Patnaik said. "This is just the beginning of a dialogue... We will meet again and discuss how to take things forward," Rao said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hollywood star Keira Knightley has revealed that she thought of quitting acting following the overnight success of "Pirates of the Caribbean". The actor said she nearly turned her back on Hollywood after suffering from Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In an interview with The Sunday Times' Style magazine, Knightley was asked if she ever thought about quitting acting, she said, ''I did think about it. Particularly at the point when I had a breakdown. I had PTSD and panic attacks. I literally couldn't work for a year and I didn't know whether there would be an end to that." "I have a super-solid background and thank f**k for that. My family and my small but very close group of friends just wrapped me up. And I think, without that, it would have been a very different story. I knew I always had somebody there to cuddle me who didn't want anything from me. Ultimately, I didn't want them (the media and paparazzi) to win. The only thing I want to do is make films," she added. The actor said she found stardom "very intense and lonely". ''It was very intense and lonely. If there's a camera at a party, I don't think that's a party, so I was never interested in being in that scene. I always wanted to be top of the class, and I always wanted to be perfect, and I always thought that I could just do fame right. "I tried being 5lb heavier, but then people say you have cellulite, and then 5lb lighter, and then you're anorexic and causing people to die. It was just so much. But in a funny way I think I was quite lucky in that it was so insane that I sort of recognised it," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) :A Kenyan student, doing MBA at a college here, and two locals have been arrested for allegedly selling narcotics to students and others, police said Monday. Acting on a tip-off, M Raymond, the Kenyan, and the other two were arrested last night and 10 gms of cocaine and 127 packets of ganja totally worth Rs 1.30 lakh seized from them, a police release said. Raymond had come to the country on a student visa in 2013 and was in the second year of his MBA programme at a private college in the city, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dutch carrier KLM Monday said it has launched a Whatsapp service family updates for its customers and inner circle, which will provide an update of flight status. After booking a flight on the airline's website customers can opt-in to receive their booking confirmation and flight status updates via WhatsApp. KLM passengers who receive their boarding pass via WhatsApp will get an invite to use this latest KLM WhatsApp service, free of charge, the airline said adding KLM will then send a message to the friends and family of participating passengers as soon as the flight has departed. Immediately after landing or if the flight is delayed, even before the passenger has Wi-Fi or data roaming, the home front will receive a notification. ********** Magenta Power sets up EV charging station at HPCL staff colony * Electric vehicles charging infrastructure services provider Magenta Power has set up an EV charging station "ChargeGrid" at the the HPCL staff colony in Chembur in Mumbai. The charging station, which can charge up to three EVs, will be connected and operated via ChargeGrid App which will allow cashless transactions and remote monitoring for the EV users, according to a release. ChargeGrid App provides an integrated platform for viewing network of charging stations. Magenta is partnering with HPCL to establish suitable charging infrastructure for EVs at various other locations in the country, the release added. *************** HMSI to use inland waterways for transporting vehicles in Guj * Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Monday said it would use inland waterways for transporting vehicles by using the newly launched Roll-on, Roll-off (Ro-Ro) Ghogha-Dahej ferry service in Gujarat. A company release said it first dispatched its shipment by road from its Narsapura plant in Karnataka to Dahej in South Gujarat, where it was put on the Ro-Ro vessel and transported to Ghogha in Saurashtra. The shipment arrived at Honda dealership in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, it added. Besides reduction in both time and distance, the service will also cut down the carbon emissions by approx 150 kg per trip, the company said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Patients registered under the Maharashtra government's flagship health scheme will soon be able to avail free treatment at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), state Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane said Monday. The Goa government will soon sign a pact with its Maharashtra counterpart to empanel the state-run GMCH under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY), the popular health scheme of the Maharashtra government. Rane said card-holders under the MPJAY will become eligible to avail free medical treatment at the GMCH once the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is signed. The GMCH, located near Panaji, is extensively used by the residents of neighbouring Sindhudurg district in coastal Maharashtra. Since January this year, the Goa government started charging patients who are not domicile of Goa, as the hospital was getting overloaded with admissions and referrals from outside the coastal state, mainly from Maharashtra and Karnataka. The minister said the details of the proposed MoU were finalised through a video-conferencing between him and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanavis last week. "There were some issues which were needed to be discussed. They have been sorted out during discussions with the Maharashtra CM", Rane said. MPJAY is mainly aimed at improving access of BPL families to quality medical care for identified speciality services requiring hospitalisation for surgeries and therapies or consultations through an identified Network of health care providers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 23-year-old man was arrested for his alleged involvement in stealing mercury and saffron worth Rs 40 lakh from a shop in the Lahori gate area in Old Delhi, police said Monday. He was identified as Karan Singh, a native of Gonda in Uttar Pradesh, they added. On the intervening night of November 29-30, some burglars barged into a shop at Tilak Bazar, Lahori gate, after breaking its rear window and took away mercury and saffron worth Rs 40 lakh, said Rajiv Ranjan, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime). On Sunday, police on a specific input nabbed Singh near Khari Bawli Chowk, Tilak Bazar, he said. During interrogation, it was revealed that he, along with his friends Dinesh Kumar, Ram Prakash, Parveen and Vinod, had committed the theft, said Ranjan. Parveen runs his office-cum-godown in Tilak Bazar and deals in incense sticks. He is a close friend of Kumar who works as a porter in Tilak Bazar, the officer said. Kumar knew about the items like saffron and mercury sold in the shop. He shared this information with Singh and others and together they made a plan to steal them, the officer added. Mercury and saffron worth Rs 25 lakh has been recovered from Singh, Ranjan said, adding the four others are still at large. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Rich tributes were paid to AIADMK founder and late chief minister M G Ramachandran on his 31st death anniversary Monday. Chief Minister K Palaniswami, deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam and senior party leaders paid floral tributes at the memorial of Ramachandran at the Marina Beach here. While Panneerselvam is AIADMK Coordinator, Palaniswami is the Joint Coordinator. Later, they took a pledge to win the coming bylections to the assembly and the parliamentary polls. Actor-turned politician Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR among his followers, had formed the AIADMK after quitting the DMK in 1972 and captured power in the state in 1977. He continued as the chief minister for 10 consecutive years till his death on December 24, 1987. By-polls to 20 assembly constituencies, including the 18 which fell vacant following the disqualification of the sitting AIADMK members who sided with ousted Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader TTV Dhinakaran. The other two seats Thiruvarur and Tiruparankundram are vacant following the death of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi and AIADMK MLA A K Bose respectively. Scores of workers of the ruling AIADMK offered prayers and paid floral tributes at the memorial and elsewhere marking the occasion. A report from neighbouring Puducherry said Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, his ministerial colleagues and legislators of Congress paid homage to the late leader. AIADMK workers, led by its Legislature party leader A Anbalagan, offered tributes at their party headquarters and recalled MGR's contribution to the upliftment of the downtrodden. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress Monday accused the Modi government of "violating" the privacy of individuals and converting India into a "nanny state" in the wake of reports of the Centre's proposal to amend the Information Technology Act. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the government should place in public domain its draft amendments proposal that mandates online platforms to provide user information to the government within 72 hours. He said if these amendments were cleared, there would be a tremendous expansion in the power of the "big brother" government on ordinary citizens, "reminiscent of eerie dictatorships". The government plans to amend the IT rules wherein social media platforms and messaging apps will be required to deploy tools to "identify" and curb unlawful content as well as follow stricter due diligence practices, say the draft amendments. The IT ministry officials held a meeting last week with senior executives of Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter and other companies to discuss the proposed changes in the Information Technology (IT) rules. The Congress also hit out at the Centre's recent order enlisting 10 central agencies to 'snoop' on common people. Singhvi alleged that the Modi government wanted to create a "surveillance state". "The Congress party's single point demand is to withdraw the December 20 order (on snooping) and to place these draft amendments in public domain for public consultation so that India is saved from becoming a police state," he told reporters. "Violating the privacy of people has become the norm, Modi government has become a 'peeping Tom'. Systematic and systemic ground work is being laid by the Modi government to convert India into a nanny state. "The Modi government is opening an extra constitutional detective agency to snoop on us, steal our data and clamp down on freedom," the Congress leader said. Singhvi alleged 'The Intermediary Rules, 2011' that the government now seeks to amend, provides immunity for online platforms and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for the content transmitted and published by end users. He termed the move as "unconstitutional" which was in "gross violation of people's right to privacy, thus cementing and reaffirming the concept of an image of an Orwellian State". He said as per media reports, the Modi government and large online platforms were privately discussing how to censor and break encryption of private data, social media, e-mails, messages and calls. This, Singhvi said, was a remarkable shift from 2011 when under the Congress-led UPA, these draft rules were placed online for public consultation by the Ministry of Electronics and IT. "Why is the public being kept out of this deliberation?Nobody will have the fundamental Right to Privacy and all this will only lead to Inspector Raj," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed threats to target Kurdish fighters Monday as he sent more troops to the border with Syria ahead of an imminent US withdrawal. Turkey was in Syria "to return the freedom of our Arab brothers and sisters, to return the freedom of our Kurdish brothers and sisters", he said during a speech in Ankara. "Just as we did not leave our Syrian Arabs to Daesh (IS), we will not leave Syrian Kurds to the cruelty of the PKK," he said during a speech in Ankara. A Turkish military convoy arrived overnight on Monday at the border with Syria, with local media reporting that some vehicles had entered Syria. In a telephone conversation Sunday between Trump and Erdogan, which both sides described as "productive", they agreed to avoid a power vacuum in Syria after the US withdrawal. The US leader tweeted that Erdogan had told him Ankara would "eradicate" the last IS elements. Turkey has said any offensive targeting the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia and the Islamic State (IS) group will be launched in the coming months. Ankara views the YPG as a "terrorist offshoot" of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. Unlike several other allies of the United States, Turkey has praised US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw 2,000 his ground forces from Syria. Trump stunned the US political establishment and allies last week with his decision, days after Erdogan had warned that Ankara would soon launch an offensive in northern Syria. Critics of Trump's decision fear that thousands of Islamic State (IS) group extremist members are still thought to be in Syria, despite Trump's claim of having defeated IS. A Turkish military convoy with howitzers, artillery batteries and several units of the armed forces, was deployed to the border district of Elbeyli in Kilis province, state agency Anadolu reported on Monday. Parts of the convoy had entered Syria, the private IHA agency reported, which said the reinforcements would take place "gradually". The deployment began over the weekend with around 100 vehicles, Hurriyet daily said, and crossed into the Al-Bab region, headed towards Jarabulus and YPG-held Manbij. Jarabulus and Al-Bab were areas captured from IS during Ankara's first military operation in August 2016 which lasted until March 2017. Military reinforcements had also been sent to the Akcakale border town and Ceylanpinar district, both in the southeastern Sanliurfa province. Turkey conducted a second offensive with Syrian rebels against the YPG in its northwestern enclave of Afrin in January this year. Turkish officials have previously said Ankara has no territorial ambitions in Syria. In a tweet on Sunday, Trump said he discussed a "slow & highly coordinated pullout" of troops from Syria with Erdogan, even as some allies expressed they dismay. French President Emmanuel Macron said he "deeply regretted" the US decision. Trump's move has also sparked turmoil within the administration. First Defence Secretary Jim Mattis resigned, then Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition, stepped down. American support for the YPG, under the banner of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance, has long been a source of tension between NATO allies the US and Turkey. But relations between the Turkish and American leaders appear to have improved substantially since a crisis in the summer over the detention of a US pastor, since released. Last week, the US approved the sale of $3.5 billion in missiles to Turkey, after American outrage over Ankara's major arms purchase from Russia. But there are still strains over the US refusal to extradite Fethullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based Muslim preacher who Turkey says ordered the 2016 failed coup. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lawyers lodged an appeal Monday to free two Reuters journalists jailed for their reporting on Myanmar's Rohingya crisis, decrying the sentence as a "mistake" that has already resulted in the pair being locked up for a year. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were arrested in December 2017 and later sentenced to seven-year prison terms for what prosecutors said was a breach of official secrets law for the possession of classified material on security operations. Reuters disputed the charge and said the two were set up by police after probing the massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslims during a military crackdown. Their conviction in September sparked widespread global condemnation, including from US Vice President Mike Pence, who asked civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi to intervene. But calls for their release have fallen flat inside Myanmar, where Suu Kyi has yet to speak up for the reporters publicly. Their trial was criticised by rights groups as a sham and payback for uncovering the September 2017 massacre in Inn Din village in Myanmar's Rakhine state. During the trial a whistle-blowing policeman told the court his superior ordered a sting to entrap the reporters. On Monday lawyers for the pair submitted an appeal to the High Court. "This seven-year jail sentence is a mistake," the journalists' lawyer L Khun Ring Pan told the bench, in a hearing attended by embassy officials and free media advocates as well as the wives of the jailed journalists. "They were trying to find out who was involved with the (Inn Din) case. That's why they tried to meet the police... they did not ask for anything secret." More than 720,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine state to Bangladesh since the military's crackdown last August, bringing accounts of rape, arson and mass killings. UN investigators have said the evidence warrants charges of genocide against the country's top generals, but the army maintains it was defending itself against Rohingya militants. "We hope for fairness. We want them to be free," Wa Lone's wife Pan Ei Mon told AFP while a second lawyer Than Zaw Aung said "we hope to hear good news" when the appeal judge rules over coming days. Media advocates say the journalists' convictions under the British colonial-era official secrets law aimed to muzzle media investigating allegations of atrocities in Rakhine and other sensitive issues in Myanmar as it emerges from decades of junta rule. "This is unacceptable for a country that claims to be transitioning towards democracy," Daniel Bastard from Reporters Without Borders (RSF) told AFP. Myanmar dropped six places in RSF's latest World Press Freedom Index. Outside the country the two young men have been feted with awards presented in their absence and hailed as heroes. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were also jointly named Time Magazine's Person of the Year this month, alongside other persecuted and slain journalists, as concerns grow for deteriorating press freedoms around the world. The anniversary of their arrest was marked by newsrooms publishing photos of their staff flashing two thumbs up, a defiant gesture Wa Lone made at court that became synonymous with the duo's resilience. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Monday sentenced ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case while acquitting him in the Flagship Investments corruption case in the high-profile Panama Papers scandal. Accountability Court II Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik announced the short verdict in the two remaining corruption cases against the Sharif family, after reserving the decision on December 19. Judge Malik said there was concrete evidence against the 68-year-old former premier in the Al-Azizia case, and that he was unable to provide a money trail in the case. The court found Sharif culpable in Al-Azizia case and sentenced him to seven years in jail and also imposed a USD 2.5 million fine on him, according to initial reports. Judge Malik said that there was no case against Sharif in the Flagship reference. Sharif was present in the court with his lawyers. He was immediately taken into custody. It was unclear whether he will be taken to Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail or Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail. The verdict was announced almost immediately after Sharif arrived in the courtroom. He has the option to challenge the verdict against him. Three cases - Avenfield properties case, Flagship Investment case and Al-Azizia steel mills case - were launched by the National Accountability Bureau on September 8, 2017 following a judgment by the apex court that disqualified Sharif in the Panama Papers case in July, 2017. In July, 2018 Sharif, his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law Captain (retd.) M Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year respectively in prison in the Avenfield properties case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices. However, the three were bailed out by the Islamabad High Court in September. The Supreme Court set the deadline for December 24 to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases against the three-time former prime minister. Security has been beefed up around the judicial complex, with heavy contingents of police and Rangers deployed around the building and along roads leading to the court. A large number of Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supporters and senior party leaders were present outside the court to show their support for the party's supreme leader. Several senior PML-N leaders, including former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, were also present. Following the verdict announcement, PML-N supporters clashed with security personnel. Tear gas and baton-charge was used to disperse the protesters. Ahead of the verdict, Sharif said his conscience was clear. "I do not have any sort of fear; my conscience is clear. I have done nothing that would force me to bow my head. (I) have always served the country and this nation with absolute honesty," he said while talking to senior party leaders in a special meeting in Islamabad before going to the court. He also said that there was no evidence against him. "I hope justice will be done and I will emerge victorious," he said. Sharif was driven to the court by his nephew Hamza Shehbaz in heavy police escort. The apex court initially set six month deadline to conclude the three cases but it was subsequently increase around eight times on the request of the accountability court. Sharif's two sons - Hassan and Hussain - were also co-accused in all three cases but they were declared absconders for failing to appear before the court even for a single time. The court decided to hear their cases separately once they returned back. Ahead of the verdict, Sharif also met his younger brother and Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif at Ministers' Enclave. The younger Sharif was also facing probe by the NAB. Last week, the judge rejected application by Sharif's lawyer Khawaja Harris to provide one week time to submit more documents but allowed him to provide any document by Friday last. The judge also observed that the court was bound to follow December 24 final deadline set by the Supreme Court. The three-time former prime minister and his family have denied any wrongdoing. Sharif, who religiously followed the proceeding by appearing before the court for at least 78 times, told the media after the court reserved the judgment last week that he has not committed any corruption. A long series of court cases in which the Sharif family have fought accusations of money laundering, tax evasion and hiding offshore assets culminated in Monday's judgement. Since September 2017, Sharif has appeared before the accountability courts some 165 times, Dawn reported. The two references against Hussain and Hasan, that the accountability court took up Monday, concern the setting up of the Al-Azizia and Hill Metal Establishment in Saudi Arabia, and Flagship Investment in the UK. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thirty eight people, mostly Congolese soldiers, were hurt on Monday when an Antonov transport plane missed its landing at Beni in eastern DR Congo, military officials said. The plane was carrying 68 passengers and four crew, they said. There were no fatalities. "There are 38 injured, including the four crew, and 26 Congolese soldiers with another 8 soldiers in serious condition," said Lieutenant Somwe Mulimbi, in charge of security at Beni airport. A regional spokesman for the army, Captain Make Hazukai, said the plane "missed its landing" but did not give further details about the accident. The Soviet-Russian Antonov is routinely used for troop transport and freight in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Last Thursday an Antonov 26 chartered by the national electoral commission to deliver election material crashed near Kinshasa. The plane, operated by the company Gomair, was about to land after flying to the central city of Tshikapa. Five crew and one passenger died, according to an air-traffic control official. Russia said three of its citizens, who were crew members, were among the dead. Presidential, legislative and provincial elections were due to have been held last Sunday, defusing a two-year-old crisis over the future of President Joseph Kabila. But national election supervisors ordered a week-long postponement, blaming a warehouse fire that destroyed voting machines and ballot papers earmarked for Kinshasa. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "Bumblebee" actor Hailee Steinfeld says she is lucky to be in Hollywood at a time when the representation of women, both in front of and behind the camera, is witnessing an upward swing. The actor, whose recent release is the first "Transformers" spin-off, says having Christina Hodson as the screenwriter was an assurance that her character of Charlie Wilson, a headstrong vulnerable teenager who befriends the affable autobot Bumblebee, was in good hands. "I do find that we are seeing a lot more of that. I feel really lucky to be in the age that I am in and feeling that I am a part of the change that's happening. More females are having that light shone on them in terms of filmmaking, writing, producing and acting. "Christina Hodson wrote an amazing script. She wrote of a young female character in a way that I don't think anyone else could have. Kelly Fremon Craig with whom I've worked in 'The Edge of Seventeen' contributed as well. It was nice to just have the understanding of a female write a female's voice," Steinfeld told PTI when asked whether the studios had started paying attention to female voices leading and writing a film. Mounted with signature hi-end VFX, thrilling car chases and action sequences, the "Transformers" prequel is a first film in the series that focuses on the bond of friendship between a human and an alien robot. Director Travis Knight, who describes himself as "the child of the '80s" who was in love with the "Transformers" cartoons and toys, said he always wanted to take the Michael Bay-created franchise a mile ahead by instilling a "resonant heart" beating at the centre of the film, while giving a tribute to the original series. Knight said he and Hodson were like "kindred spirits" as the process of cracking the story together was a "wonderful" experience. The writer was already connected to the project before he came aboard. "Lorenzo (producer) and the studio set up a writers' room to explore different kinds of stories they can tell within the 'Transformers' universe. This was one of the ideas that emerged from that was the 'Bumblebee' stand-alone story. So she was already involved with the project when I came in," he said. Knight added the film is the fruit of a "great creative collaboration" with Hodson. "The kind of story that I wanted to tell because Christina has developed this reputation in Hollywood, a kind of bada** writer who writes action movies and this film definitely has that. But I wanted to tell something that had a really resonant heart beating at the centre of it. "And it was a really wonderful moment when I was sort of talking about that and she would be like 'That's what I want too!' And so we were really like kindred spirits. That's what you wish for as a filmmaker - find a real collaborative partner in that process," he told reporters here. Also featuring John Cena, Jorge Lendeborg Jr, John Ortiz, Jason Drucker and Pamela Adlon. Releasing on January 4, 2019, "Bumblebee" - A Paramount Pictures movie, will be exclusively distributed in India by Viacom18 Motion Pictures. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Special Task Force (STF) of Haryana Police arrested a Nigerian national from Gurgaon on Monday and allegedly recovered 3.2 kilograms of heroin from him, an official spokesperson said. The accused has been identified as Taraour Ahmed, he said. "Currently residing in Delhi, he was arrested following a tip off by a team of STF Hisar from Sikandarpur Metro Station area in Gurgaon," the police department spokesperson said in a release here. He said the police team spotted Ahmed standing with a scooter before the metro station's entrance in DLF-2 area. After seeing the team, the accused suddenly started his scooter but was nabbed immediately. A search led to the recovery of 3.2 kilograms of heroin from his possession, he added. A case has been registered against Ahmed under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act at DLF-2 police station, the spokesperson said. The accused would be taken into police remand after producing him in a court so that Ahmed's supplier can be traced, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Shiv Sena asked the BJP Monday to clear its stand on the Ram temple issue and demanded a discussion in Parliament even as it mounted an attack on senior ally-the BJP over a range of issues, including the Rafale jet deal. Targeting the BJP, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said his party will not allow any 'jumlas' (rhetoric) in the name of Lord Ram or any other Hindu god and asserted those who were voted to power on the temple issue are now sleeping like Kumbhakarn. Addressing a rally in this temple town in Solapur district, Thackeray, who visited Ayodhya last month, asked BJP allies to clear their stand on the Ram temple issue. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should discuss the matter in Parliament. "I want to tell BJP one thing, we can forgive you on 'ache din' jumla and the promise of Rs 15 lakh to each person. But we will not forgive you if you come up with one more jumla on our faith or in the same of god. We will beat you up. "We will not allow you to make any more false promises in the name of Ram or any other Hindu god," he said. The Shiv Sena will expose such 'jumlas' in Maharashtra, Thackeray said. The Sena chief demanded a discussion on the Ram temple and Hindutva issue in Parliament, saying this will reveal the stand of NDA partners and opposition parties. Referring to recent seat-sharing pact finalised between the BJP, the JD (U) and the LJP in Bihar for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Thackeray said, "I congratulate BJP for joining hands with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who had given a slogan of RSS-free Bharat." "The way Shiv Sena has backed the Ram temple and Hindutva issue, I want Nitish Kumar and Ram Vilas Paswan (LJP chief) to show similar political will," Thackeray said. He said his party has been "aggressively" taken up the issue of the Ram temple and Hindutva. "I have taken up the issue with a purpose just before the general elections and I am not afraid of any consequences," he said. The Sena chief said it has been 30 years since the Babri Masjid was razed, but the Ayodhya matter is still in court. Thackeray also referred to court's verdict in the Soharabuddin Shaikh fake encounter case in which all 22 accused, most of them policemen from Gujarat and Rajasthan, were acquitted. "The accused people in the Soharabuddin fake encounter case were acquitted but the Ayodhya court case is still going on. You are getting verdicts in cases of your convenience while others are left hanging," Thackeray said. He said, "You just not only demolished the structure, but the violence that erupted in the aftermath helped you get into power. Now, you are sleeping like Kumbhakarn". Speaking about the Centre's proposal of allowing agencies to intercept information from computers, he said some people are saying it dates back to the UPA regime. "If it is so, then why it is being discussed at all. Congress did it hence it lost the election. Congress was dethroned from power because it tried to do something like this. If you are also going to do it, then you will also impose emergency," he said. Thackeray also raised the issues related to farmers and drought situation in Maharashtra. "If farmers' get angry, I am not going to waste my time in negotiating seats with the BJP. I want farmers to get debt-free, I want the Ram temple to be built and beneficiaries should get due benefits of crop insurance scheme," he said. He said he will personally visit arid regions of Maharashtra and talk to people affected by water scarcity. Thackeray indicated his unwillingness to enter into an alliance with the BJP for the upcoming polls. "Why should I join hands in the name of Hindutva with someone (a reference to BJP) facing so many allegations of corruption, be it Rafale jet fighter deal or crop insurance scheme. "What happened with the Rafale deal is happening in the crop insurance scheme also. In both the cases, companies having no experience were given the task to implement the programmes," Thackeray claimed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Trend Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan may launch a common visa program, Silk Visa, in February 2019, Trend reports on Dec. 21 referring to Uzbek media. The announcement was made by Acting First Deputy Chairman of the State Tourism Development Committee of Uzbekistan Ulugbek Kasimkhojayev. According to him, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have already agreed on the Silk Visa project in the relevant departments, and have to agree on technical details and equipment. Kasimkhojayev noted that other countries in the region are also showing interest in this project. Among them are Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. At the same time, Kazakhstan also proposes to involve Azerbaijan and Turkey to this project. In mid-November, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan signed agreements on the mutual recognition of visa regimes of the Silk Road countries. It was earlier announced that Uzbekistan is planning to introduce a visa-free regime for 22 states. The number of Japanese companies operating in India has gone up to 1,441 till October this year, on account of improving business environment in the country, said Ambassador of Japan to India Kenji Hiramatsu. In a communication to Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu, the Ambassador said there was a significant increase in the number of companies in metal manufacturing and services. "We have completed the annual survey of Japanese business establishments in India...the number of Japanese companies in India has reached 1,441 as of October 2018, which is an increase of 72 companies or 5 per cent as compared to the previous year," Hiramatsu said. He added that manufacturing sector accounts for half of the total Japanese companies. The Ambassador said he would like the Indian leadership to resolve issues related to tax, customs, financial and capital regulations and infrastructure as it would help in achieving "our mutual goal of doubling the number of Japanese companies in India and foreign direct investment to India in five years". India has received USD 28.16 billion during April 2000 and June 2018. The bilateral trade between the countries has increased to USD 15.7 billion in 2017-18 from USD 13.6 billion in 2016-17. Trade gap is in favour of Japan. Both countries have also implemented a free trade agreement (FTA) in August 2012. Under an FTA, duties on most of the products, traded between the countries, are either eliminated or reduced sharply. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The order has been signed for the withdrawal of American troops from Syria, where they have been deployed to assist in the war against the Islamic State jihadist group, a US military spokesperson said on Sunday. "The execute order for Syria has been signed," the spokesperson told AFP, without providing further details. US President Donald Trump has declared the jihadist group "largely defeated," and made the surprise decision to bring US forces home -- a move that many US politicians and international allies fear is premature and would further destabilize the already devastated region. The decision -- which was followed by another to make a significant cut to the number of American troops in Afghanistan -- has prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and US envoy to the international anti-IS coalition Brett McGurk. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Monday that the "real face of Nawaz Sharif has been unmasked today", hours after an accountability court sentenced the three-time former prime minister to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption case. Addressing a press conference on Monday evening, Chaudhry said that the people who are still defending Sharif should be ashamed of themselves because the money involved in the scam belongs to the people of Pakistan, Dawn reported. "As per the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law, if a person is unable to justify the sources of his earnings then that amount is considered as corruption," Chaudhry, a senior leader of Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party, was quoted as saying by the paper. Chaudhry added that the 68-year-old PML-N leader was unable to provide money trail for his assets, therefore, he was sentenced to seven years in prison. In his verdict, Accountability Court II Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik Monday said there was concrete evidence against the former premier in the Al-Azizia case, and that he was unable to give the trail of the money used to set up the Al-Azizia steel mills in Saudi Arabia by his family in 2001 and later on the Hill Metal Establishment also in Saudi Arabia. Commenting on the verdict, Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz said that the ruling against her father in the Al-Azizia case was "blind revenge's last hiccup". In a series of tweets in Urdu, Maryam termed the verdict an indictment of "the government's weakness", reminding them that "governments are not run by targeting opponents." "Governments are run on the basis of their character and performance," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistani national Mohammed Imran Warsi, who is set to be repatriated to his native country after spending 10 years in a Bhopal jail, Monday left for the Wagah border. Before boarding Shatabdi Express for Delhi, the 40-year-old said that he would first meet his mother after reaching his home country. "I will meet my mother on reaching Pakistan and then I will contact my wife and children, who are living in Kolkata. I will see how they can be moved to Pakistan," he told reporters. Warsi hoped that the governments of India and Pakistan would help him in his efforts to take his family to Pakistan. Mangalwara police station in-charge Umesh Chouhan confirmed Warsi's departure. "He would be taken to Amritsar from Delhi and then to the Wagah border", he said. Chouhan said four police personnel are accompanying Warsi, who would be handed over to the BSF (Border Security Force) officials along with the documents. "We have to hand over Warsi to BSF officials before December 26. Possibly, our officials will do so on December 25", he said. Warsi, a resident of Karachi, was convicted in 2008 by a court in Bhopal under the Official Secrets Act and the Passport Act. Among other charges, the court had found him guilty of conspiracy, cheating and forging documents. He completed his sentence in March this year and has been staying at Bhopal's Shahjahanabad police station ever since as he awaited completion of the legal formalities for his repatriation. Recalling his time in prison, Warsi had Sunday said he was taking "good memories" of his stay in India to his home country. Warsi was also grateful to his fellow inmates, who he said had collected money to help him pay a fine imposed by the court. Warsi had reached Kolkata in 2004 and got married to Shazia, his distant relative. He lived in Kolkata for four years and the couple had two sons. He said he came to Bhopal after learning that getting a passport was easy in the city. He was arrested in 2008 following a complaint by his wife's relatives, who, he claimed, were angry after the couple demanded its share in property. His repatriation comes close on the heels of that of Mumbai resident Hamid Nihal Ansari, who returned home last week after spending six years in a Pakistani jail on espionage charges. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Monday demanded that the Centre accord the Paika Rebellion of 1817 as the first war of Independence against British rule and said his government will provide free land for the memorial proposed to be set up by the Centre. Hailing Baxi Jagabandhu as a legendary revolutionary and the brave son of the soil who fought valiantly against the Britishers to free the country from their rule, Patnaik said the Paika Rebellion launched under his leadership was the first war of Independence in India against British rule. Paikas were traditional landed militia under the state's Gajapati rulers, Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, the military chief of the King of Khurda, had led his army of Paikas in 1817 against the British East India Company for tinkering with the revenue system and forced its forces to retreat. The rebellion came to be known as Paika Bidroh or Paika rebellion. "If the Centre accords this status to the Paika Rebellion, it will be a best tribute to Bakshi Jagabandhu," Patnaik said adding the Paika Rebellion had posed a major challenge before the British rule across the country. The chief minister said the state government will provide free land and all cooperation for a memorial for Paika Rebellion of 1817 proposed to be set up by the Centre. "It is a matter of happiness that the Central government has decided to establish a Paika Rebellion memorial at Barunei. I welcome this proposal. The state government will provide free land and all cooperation for this," Patnaik said. The chief minister was speaking at a function where Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new campus of IIT-Bhubaneswar at Arugal and unveiled a slew of projects worth Rs 14,500 crore for Odisha through video conferencing from there. The Chief Minister also reiterated the demand before the prime minister that a new train from Odisha in the name of Bakshi Jagabandhu be started. Patnaik thanked the Prime Minister for releasing a commemorative postage stamp and a coin on the occasion of bicentenary celebrations of the Paika Rebellion and for inaugurating a Chair on the Paika Rebellion in the Utkal University. Regarding the projects for which Modi laid the foundation stone, Patnaik promised his government's support for their timely completion. Congratulating the IITians, Patnaik said IIT-Bhubaneswar has already witnessed three convocations and has become one of the leading institutes of the country in science and technology. "You have all come from different parts of the country to learn and grow. You all are young and the best brains of the land. I believe throughout your life, a piece of Bhubaneswar will always be with you. I wish you all of you to fulfil all your dreams and play a significant role in realising the dreams of our nation through your pursuit of knowledge and brilliance," Patnaik said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the new campus of IIT-Bhubaneswar and launched a slew of projects in the state worth Rs 14,523 crore during his day-long visit to Odisha. He also released a stamp and a coin to commemorate the Paika rebellion of 1817. Inaugurating the projects via video conferencing from the state capital, the prime minister said these would accelerate the state's development and help it become "an engine for transformation of the country into a new India". "Our focus is on progress of east India in general and Odisha in particular," Modi said during a day-long visit to Odisha, which is his second in three months. He dedicated to the country the new campus of IIT Bhubaneswar built at a cost of Rs 1,660 crore and also laid foundation stone of the campus of Indian Institute of Science and Education Research (IISER) at Berhampur, which will cost around Rs 1,600 crore. He also unveiled and laid foundation stone for a host of projects related to higher education, health, road and highways and culture. Stating that the Centre has launched a large number of infrastructure projects in the eastern region and in this state, Modi said these initiatives will act as a catalyst to make the region a gateway for south Asia. Asserting that the Centre's resolve was to ensure rapid development of eastern India including Odisha, the prime minister said "Our motto is 'sabka saath sabka vikas' to ensure balanced development of all regions and prosperity of all sections of the society." Modi said the new IIT and IISER campuses would facilitate higher studies and research in science and technology and Odisha's identity as a centre of knowledge and innovation will also be revived with the establishment of these institutes. At the same time, they would play a major role in accelerating industrial development in the state and generating employment for the youths. "The youths will not only be able to translate their dreams into reality but also help in fulfilling the nation's dreams," he said. The prime minister also laid foundation stone of Indian Oil's pipeline from Paradip to Hyderabad at a projected cost of Rs 3,800 crore and GAIL's gas pipeline from Angul to Bokaro in Jharkhand at a projected cost of Rs 3,437 crore under the Urja Ganga Yojana. Modi said these projects will go a long way in strengthening the Centre's endeavour at providing the people with clean and green energy. While facilitating supply of petro products from Paradip refinery, the pipelines would transform Odisha into the petro hub of east India, he said. He also laid foundation stones for four national highway projects of 263 km to streamline traffic and check mishaps in the state at a total cost of Rs 4,361 crore. The projects include six-laning of Chandikhole-Bhadrak section of NH-16, flyover on NH-16 at Khandagiri in Bhubaneswar, four-laning of Cuttack-Angul section of NH-42 and further widening of the Tangi-Puintola section of NH-16. Asserting that the Centre is committed to provide improved healthcare facilities to people, Modi dedicated a 100-bed revamped upgraded ESI Hospital here to the nation. An amount of Rs 73.51 crore has been spent for the project. He also inaugurated the Baxi Jagabandhu research laboratory in Utkal university. At the programme where the coin and the stamp commemorating the Paika rebellion were released, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said the Paika rebellion of 1817 should be recognised as the first struggle of independence. Paikas were traditional landed militia under the state's Gajapati rulers at that time. Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, the military chief of the King of Khurda, had led his army of Paikas in 1817 against the British East India Company for tinkering with the revenue system and forced its forces to retreat. The rebellion came to be known as 'Paika Bidroh' or Paika rebellion. Patnaik said the state government would provide land free of cost for a memorial proposed to be set up by the Centre near Barueni in Khurda district in memory of Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadha. Modi also inaugurated an archaeological museum at Lalitgiri, one of the earliest Buddhist settlements in Odisha situated 120 km north of Bhubaneshwar. Governor Ganeshi Lal, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram were among those who attended the function. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday released a stamp and a coin to commemorate the Paika rebellion of 1817 in Odisha. He also inaugurated the new campus of IIT-Bhubaneswar, built at a cost of Rs 1,660 crore, and launched a slew of projects worth Rs 14,523 crore for the state. The Paika Rebellion, many claim, was the first war of Independence against the British. Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan among others were present on the occasion. In the early 1800s, the farming community of Odisha had risen in rebellion when the British started tinkering with the revenue system. Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, the military chief of the King of Khurda, had led his army of Paikas forcing the British East India Company forces to retreat. The rebellion of 1817 came to be known as Paika Bidroh (Paika rebellion. Paiks were traditional landed militia under the state's Gajapati rulers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 106th Indian Science Congress on January 3 next year at Lovely Professional University near here, the varsity said on Monday. A release by LPU Chancellor Ashok Mittal said the theme of the four-day event is 'Future India: Science and Technology' and it will culminate on January 7. Modi will also address an audience of about 30,000 scientists, researchers and students on the occasion, he said. The Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) has been organising the event annually to bring together science fraternity from across the world to discuss innovations and researches. This year, six Nobel laureates from countries like Germany, Hungary, England and others will be participating in the science congress to make it the largest such gathering of its kind in the country, the varsity said. Cabinet ministers including Union Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan and Textile Minister Smriti Irani will also attend the event, it added. Eminent scientists from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Department of Science and Technology, University Grants Commission and All India Council for Technical (AICTE) are also slated to take part, it said. The science congress will attract over 20,000 delegates including 3000 acclaimed scientists and researchers, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The recent climate summit in Poland "fared much better than expected" and India has been able to present its successes and concerns at the global level, a top Ministry official said on Monday. Union Secretary C K Mishra said India, which played a "positive" role, was able to get a "fair amount of applause" for its efforts and also recognition to the issues that it raised. He also said the set of rules that was finalised by 200 nations at the summit is "robust, forward looking and from India's perspective embodies what we have been arguing". Negotiators from nearly 200 countries Sunday finalised a set of rules that will make the 2015 Paris deal to curb global warming operational in 2020, after a two-week summit. The outcome of the talks in the mining city of Katowice aims to limit the rise in global temperature to well below 2C. "Katowice fared much better than what we had expected. There were successes. We now have a guideline in place to take things forward. By and large the outcome has been good. "We have been able to, at the global forum, present both India's successes and concerns. We were also able to get fair amount of applause to what we have done (efforts) and recognition of what (concerns)we raised. We played a positive role," Mishra told reporters at a press conference here. India had after the summit termed "positive" the outcome of climate talks as it sets nations on the path for successful implementation of the historic Paris Agreement, and had asserted it engaged in the negotiations "constructively" while protecting the country's key interest. "As far as Conference of Parties (at Poland) was concerned, there were lot of apprehensions when we went. They were largely that we may not have an understanding and a document which is good enough. Fortunately those apprehensions have proven to be wrong. "We got a document, which is robust, forward looking and from India's perspective embodies which we have been arguing. For us it is critical that whatever we have been arguing at various forums is part of it," Mishra said. He said one of the things which came out sharply was the issue of mitigation and asserted that the agreement focussed on various aspects including information to facilitate clarity, transparency of understanding, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and its accounting system. "One of the critical decision which came out was that developed countries will continue to support developing countries in achieving their NDC," Mishra said. Another thing in the mitigation aspect was that it recognized differentiation which India has been standing for and we have been advocating support from developed countries in resource and technology and also been stating that differentiation should be the core argument. "This is recognized in the final document," he said. Mishra said on the issue of adaptation, there was an apprehension that mitigation will form the focus the discussion and adaptation may not be at the core. "But the guidelines actually recognises the adaptation needs of developing countries which basically means adaptation is part of the global thought process," he said. He, however, said the discussion on markets did not proceed very well and did not conclude. "It does not mean discussions are over. It will continue. It (discussions) will flow into 2019. That chapter is not yet been closed," he said, adding that some good decisions also came up on the issue of finance. The Paris Agreement looks at an adaptation fund which will be funded by developed countries. The adaptation fund will function from Jan 1, 2019. This was also agreed, he said. Mishra said on the issue of transparency, one of the critical elements that india was looking for was it was saying let countries report according their capacities and capabilities. "This has by and large been agreed to." He said on the outcome portion of global stock take process, India as a country felt that the aspect of equity was not factored as well as it should have been. "Therefore India has raised reservations. Those reservations has been taken on record and will be discussed," he said. The Secretary said the UN secretary General is going to hold a high-level event in 2019 at UN headquarters to address climate change issues and its aim is to encourage countries to raise ambitions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Police on Monday claimed that it has cracked the Muzaffarpur ex-Mayor Sameer Kumar murder case and said the murder was the fallout of land dealing business. Senior Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar said the ex-mayor's murder was a fallout of a land dealing. The SSP claimed that Govind Kumar had shot the ex-mayor dead as as he was not being given his share in the land dealings. The SSP had earlier constituted a special team headed by City SP Rakesh Kumar to solve the case. The former mayor of Muzaffarpur Sameer Kumar and his driver Rohit Kumar were shot dead on September 23, 2018 near the fire brigade office under the jurisdiction of Muzaffarpur Town police station. Kumar was the mayor of Muzaffarpur Municipal Corporation between 2002 to 2007. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Trend President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a phone call to President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on December 24. Erdogan congratulated Ilham Aliyev on his birthday, and wished him the best of health and success in his presidential activity for the sake of prosperity and progress of the people of Azerbaijan. President Ilham Aliyev thanked for the attention and congratulations. The presidents described 2018 as a significant year in terms of the strengthening of friendly and brotherly ties between the two countries, underlining the importance of reciprocal visits and meetings in this regard. The presidents expressed their confidence that the bilateral relations will continue expanding in the years ahead. Miffed with the Congress leadership over being dropped from the ministry, Ramesh Jarkiholi Monday indicated his plans to quit as party MLA and said he would make his decision public in four days. A purported conversation involving Ramesh Jarkiholi was aired by local TV channels Sunday where he can be heard speaking about his plans to quit as a Congress MLA, which had fuelled speculation about him defecting to the BJP. "Did you see TV yesterday, I'm committed to it. when,why- all those things I will discuss (with supporters) anddecide.I won't speak much... whatever you heard about my phone conversation, I'm committed to it," Jarkiholi told reporters here. The congress leader said he will take a decision. "Give me four days time.I will inform the people of the state about my decision. I have many things to discuss with you (media)," he said. A purported conversation involving Ramesh Jarkiholi was aired by local TV channels on Sunday where he can be heard speaking about his plans to quit as a Congress MLA, which hadfuelled speculation about him defecting to the BJP. Jarkiholi said he will not be meeting any party leaders. Asked how many MLAs are with him, he questioned the mediapersons, saying "why should I tell you, I need nottell anything to you..don't ask me." Ramesh Jarkiholi (Municipal Administration Minister), accused of hobnobbing with the BJP, along with R Shankar (Forest and Environment Minister), an Independent lawmaker who showed reluctance to be an associate member of the Congress, were dropped in the rejig of H D Kumaraswamy-led Congress-JD(S) coalition cabinet Saturday that sawinduction of eight new ministers. Ramesh Jarkiholi, who has allegedly been cosy with BJP leaders and not attending cabinet and party meetings, has beenreplaced by his brother Satish. Ramesh Jarkiholi has been claiming support of a sizeable chunk of party MLAs and had come under the party scanner over reports that the BJP was trying to tap him to remove the Kumaraswamy government. Meanwhile, speaking on the development, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said no one will leave the party. Speaking to reporters at Kalburgi, he said Jarkiholibrothers have worked for the Congress party, adding, "according to my information; he will not quit the party." "I'm confident that he will stay in the party and work towards strengthening it further," he added. On the other hand, supporters of another senior disgruntled party MLA Ramalinga Reddy held a meeting in the city and expressed displeasure about their leader not being considered during cabinet expansion and even staged a protest. Supporters said they have decided about petitioning party leadership to induct him into the cabinet at the earliest. Reddy had Sunday openly alleged that "injustice" was meted out to him. Reacting to reports about Reddy blaming him and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Krishna Byre Gowda for his non-induction into the cabinet, deputy chief minister GParameshwara said "We are not responsible for it." "..it is the decision of the party high command, they have only taken suggestions from us," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Power is like oxygen for "some people" with restlessness setting in if they are out of it for even "two or five years", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday while taking a jibe at the opposition but without naming anybody or any party. Releasing a Rs 100 commemorative coin in the memory of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the eve of his 94th birth anniversary, Modi said the late premier spent most of his political life in the opposition benches but always thought of the country and its people. "Today's political landscape is such that if someone has to stay out of power even for two or five years, they become restless," he told the gathering. Vajpayee, he added, committed every second of his life for the welfare of the people. "For some people, power is oxygen...they can't live without it. A long part of Atal-ji's career was spent in the opposition benches but he spoke about national interest and never compromised on the ideology of the party," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) added on Twitter while quoting the prime minister's speech. Vajpayee's long-time associate and BJP veteran L K Advani, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP president Amit Shah were also present at the event. Discussing Vajpayee's political journey, Modi said he always kept the nation and democracy before himself and the party. "Atal-ji wanted democracy to be supreme. He built the Jana Sangh. But when the time came to rescue our democracy, he and others went to the Janata Party. Likewise, when the choice was between remaining in power or comprising on ideology, he left Janata Party and formed the BJP," Modi said. The party which "Atal-ji built brick by brick" is now among the largest political parties in the world, the prime minister said, adding that Vajpayee had sown the seeds of the lotus (the BJP symbol) in the country. Vajpayee's prowess as a speaker was unparalleled, Modi said, describing him as among the best orators India had produced. "When he spoke, the nation spoke... when he spoke, the nation listened. Atal-ji's voice was not only voice of the BJP, it was an expression of the common man's aspirations," he said. The mind, Modi asserted, is not ready to believe that Vajpayee is no longer alive. "Though he was away from public glare for nearly a decade due to ill health, the way people gave him a farewell on his demise showed the mark he had created in people's minds," Modi said. The former prime minister died in August this year at the age of 93 following prolonged illness. Modi said he would go to Vajpayee's memorial on Tuesday to reiterate his commitment to the ideology and path shown by the statesman. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court Monday declined to accord an urgent hearing on the BJP's plea against the Calcutta High Court order not allowing its Rath Yatra in West Bengal. An official of the apex court registry and the BJP's lawyer said that the petition will be heard in a normal course. The decision not to give urgent hearing was taken by the officials of the registry, the lawyer said. The BJP's West Bengal unit had sought permission to hold the campaign 'Save Democracy Rally', which would cover 42 parliamentary constituencies in the state ahead of the 2019 general elections. As an interim relief, it also sought an ex-parte stay on the operation of the December 21 order of the high court. It had challenged the December 21 order of a division bench of the high court which had set aside the order of a single judge allowing the yatra. In the plea filed through advocate E C Agrawala, the BJP said their fundamental right to hold a peaceful yatra cannot be withheld. The party had planned to launch the yatra from three districts of the state. The high court's division bench had last Friday send the case back to the single judge to hear it afresh and also to consider intelligence inputs by state agencies. The order of the division bench had come after hearing an appeal moved by the West Bengal government challenging the Thursday order of the single judge. The rallies, according to the original schedule, were supposed to be flagged off by BJP president Amit Shah from Bengal's Cooch Behar district on Decemebr 7, Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas on December 9 and from Tarapith temple in Birbhum on December 14. In the plea filed in the apex court, the BJP's West Bengal unit contended that authorities cannot abridge their right and they have a duty to facilitate them in exercising their democratic right. The plea arrayed as parties the State of West Bengal, its Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Director General of Police and Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order). It said that the party's fundamental right to hold a peaceful yatra cannot be withheld on the ground of mere surmises and conjectures as done by the state authorities repeatedly. The plea alleged that the state government was repeatedly "attacking" the fundamental right of citizens due to which different petitions were filed challenging the activities of the state government in denying permission to different organisations and the top court has allowed the citizens to organise their events. It claimed that earlier also, permission was denied several times at the last moment to "harass the BJP" which later moved the high court and that the party "is facing such political vendetta since 2014 in West Bengal". "The activity proposed to be organised by the petitioner (BJP WB unit) is to create awareness among citizens about their choice and make them more informed as citizen and therefore, any unreasonable assumption cannot be allowed on pretext of reasonable restriction," the plea said. It claimed that the high court has failed to appreciate that the order of the authorities is not justified in the eyes of the law as it is in contravention of the provisions of law and total ignorance of the principles established by the apex court in many judgements. "The high court must have appreciated the fact that the respondents are misusing the procedure of law to prohibit petitioners to exercise their constitutional rights on some of other pretext," the petition read. The plea said that the BJP has emerged as the main opposition party in West Bengal and its rise and dissatisfaction of people against the present state government can be seen from recent elections there. "The state of West Bengal, the All India Trinamool Congress is trying to snatch voting rights of the people by threatening them and demolishing the democratic right of the people, which could be seen by the fact that 34 per cent of seats in Panchayat elections went uncontested," it said. The petition said the BJP has decided to protest against lawlessness like fear to contest the election and post poll violence, which are very much prevalent in the state. It said the party is losing valuable time in starting with the yatra which is required to be completed in a time-bound manner in view of certain upcoming festivals. The plea added that they have given information and representations to police and other authorities but they did not bother to respond. "It is apparent that the State of West Bengal is showing political vendetta and willfully trying to stop the petitioner to exercise its fundamental rights in the State of West Bengal... police has every right to regulate that but the law does not give power to police authorities to restrain citizens to hold any peaceful rally," it said, adding that the BJP has given its route map to the police as national level leaders, several MPs and CMs have agreed to join the yatra. It alleged that every time the BJP is facing same "vindictive" attitude of the state government and that there is a basic difference between a political party and government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam's brother O Raja, who was sacked for "anti-party" activities last week, was Monday re-inducted into the AIADMK after he expressed regret for his action, the party said. Panneerselvam and Chief Minister K Palaniswami, the party's Joint Coordinator, announced the re-induction of Raja, the former panchayat body chief hailing from Theni district. "O Raja, who was removed from the party, is being allowed to function as member from today onwards after he expressed regret for his action in person and through letter, and requested that he be inducted in the party," they said in a statement. Raja was sacked from all posts and the AIADMK's primary membership by the two leaders on December 19 for "going against the party's policies and bringing disrepute to it". The ruling party had then welcomed the action, saying the leadership would not tolerate any indiscipline, irrespective of the person's status. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The country's largest steel maker SAIL Monday said it has supplied 35,400 tonne of steel for the construction of Bogibeel, Asia's second-longest rail-cum-road bridge that will be opened to traffic by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. "Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has supplied around 35,400 metric tonnes of steel for the construction of Bogibeel road-cum-rail bridge on the river Brahmaputra," the PSU said in a statement. The quantity, it said, is little over 50 per cent of the total steel supplied for the bridge. "SAIL has supplied TMT rebars, plates and structurals for this 4.94-km long bridge, which hascomposite welded steel truss girders in its structures," it said. The 4.9 km-long Bogibeel Bridge on the Brahmaputra river has been constructed at Rs 5,900 crore. The bridge reduces travel time from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh to four hours and will cut out the detour of over 170 km via Tinsukia. It will also reduce Delhi to Dibrugarh train travel time by about three hours to 34 hours as against 37 hours currently. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi Arabia has agreed to spend necessary money to help rebuild Syria, US President Donald Trump said Monday, thanking Riyadh for the move. Trump's comments came days after he announced withdrawal of American troops from Syria, a decision termed by many experts and lawmakers as "rash" and "dangerous". The President argued that there was no need for the US to spend tax payer's money now that the ISIS has been defeated. "Saudi Arabia has now agreed to spend the necessary money needed to help rebuild Syria, instead of the United States," Trump tweeted. "See? Isn't it nice when immensely wealthy countries help rebuild their neighbours rather than a Great Country, the U.S., that is 5000 miles away. Thanks to Saudi A!" he added. Trump's decision to withdraw US troops from Syria triggered resignation of US Defence secretary James Mattis who said Trump needs someone in the position with "views better aligned" with those of the president. Brett McGurk, the US envoy to the global coalition fighting the ISIS, also resigned last week in protest to Trump's decision. Earlier, Trump had said his Turkish counterpart assured him that any remaining Islamic State group fighters in Syria will be eliminated. "President @RT_Erdogan of Turkey has very strongly informed me that he will eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in Syria," Trump tweeted around midnight Sunday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court is scheduled to take up a batch of petitions for hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case on January 4. The matter is listed before a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul. The bench is likely to constitute a three-judge bench for hearing as many as 14 appeals filed against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgement, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land be partitioned equally among three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. The apex court on October 29 had fixed the matter in the first week of January before an "appropriate bench", which will decide the schedule of hearing. Later, an application was moved for according an urgent hearing by advancing the date, but the top court had refused the plea, saying it had already passed an order on October 29 relating to the hearing on the matter. The plea for early hearing was moved by the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) which is one of the respondents in the appeal filed by legal heirs of M Siddiq, one of the original litigants in the case. A three-judge bench of the top court had on September 27 by a 2:1 majority refused to refer to a five-judge constitution bench the issue of reconsideration of the observations in its 1994 judgement that a mosque was not integral to Islam. The matter had arisen during the hearing of the Ayodhya land dispute. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Elaborate security arrangements have been made in and around the city as well as the areas bordering West Bengal to avert any attempt to disrupt normal life during Christmas and New Year festivities, a senior official of the state police department said. Altogether, 21 divisional mobile vans will be patrolling the capital city and its surrounding areas over the next few days to ensure hassle-free celebrations, he said. "We have chalked out a detailed plan for this period. Traffic have been restricted or diverted on several roads leading to Park Street the hub of festivities. Apart from that, we have erected check points at Dharamtala, Sealdah, Howrah and other entry points to the city," the officer said. Special arrangements have also been made for tourist spots, such as Victoria Memorial and Alipore Zoo, amusement parks, shopping malls and metro stations, he said. "Besides, 13 Quick Response Teams (QRT) and 14 Heavy Radio Flying Squad (HRFS) vans will be stationed at crucial corners in the city," the officer stated. Local police stations have issued mandatory rules for night clubs, bars, hotels and restaurants too. "CCTVs are a must at every restaurants, hotels and shops. Our officers in plain clothes as well as in uniform will be monitoring these places all throughout the day," the senior police officer maintained. Talking about arrangements in Park Street, the officer said the entire area has been divided into seven zones. "Eleven watchtowers have been installed in and around Park Street. Ten senior police officials of Deputy- Commissioner (DC) rank will also be posted there to look after operations conducted by the deployed force," he said. The Kolkata Traffic Police has barred entry of cars to Park Street from 4pm every day, starting tomorrow till New Year's Eve. During the festival days, a Detective Department (DD) team and police personnel in plain clothes will be posted to check drunk driving. A team of bike-borne women officers will be doing the rounds of the city to keep a watch on the eve-teasers. "Twenty-five such teams will be in action primarily keeping an eye on Park Street and its surrounding areas," the officer elaborated. As a part of the security arrangements, 16 police booths have also been set up to aid people, he said. In case of emergencies, the Kolkata Police Disaster Management Group (DMG) team will be on standby to offer assistance to the revelers, he explained. On security planning at the districts bordering the state, a senior official said, "Adequate measures have been taken to thwart untoward activities at interstate boundaries as well as India-Bangladesh border. "We have convened special meetings with the BSF over border surveillance. Any attempt to breach peace at the border areas will be dealt with an iron hand," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday targeted senior ally BJP by raking up the alleged corruption in the Rafale deal and said the party's perception of being a "world winner" had been shattered with the results of the just-held state assembly polls. Thackeray, who had visited Ayodhya last month to push for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in the holy town, said he may soon visit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi. The Sena leader, whose party is a constituent of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and state, was addressing a public rally in Solapur district here. Thackeray, who has consistently attacked the Modi government on a range of issues, said he has already taken the decision on whether to form an alliance with the BJP for the upcoming General Elections. The Sena chief in January had announced his party would contest all future Lok Sabha and assembly elections on its own. In the last six months, the BJP leadership has been consistently stressing on an alliance with the Sena for the upcoming polls. The Amit Shah-led party has regularly insisted that the Maharashtra-based outfit is its natural ally and they will resolve their differences amicably. However, at the Pandharpur rally, Thackeray appeared to be in no mood to spare the lead NDA constituent. "The BJP's perception of a 'world winner' has been shattered by the results of the assembly elections in the five states. "The outcome of Mizoram and Telangana assembly elections has given a clear message that voters have rejected national parties and chosen strong regional options," he said. In the just-held polls, the BJP was ousted from power in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh by the Congress, while regional parties did well in Mizoram and Telangana. "The Chhattisgarh assembly election has also given a strong message against the BJP. People were fed up with the BJP government and hence they rejected it," said Thackeray. He also took on the Modi government over issues like allegations of irregularities in the Rafale fighter jet deal and implementation of crop insurance scheme for farmers. "There have been several allegations over the Rafale fighter jet deal and I do not know how the Supreme Court has given a clean cheat. But I know the Modi government has refused pay hike for jawans," the Sena chief said. Commenting on the finalisation of seat-sharing in Bihar between the JD(U), the LJP and the BJP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he asked chiefs of the two regional parties to clarify their stand on Ram mandir and Hindutva. "Nitish Kumar (the JD-U chief) and (LJP president) Ram Vilas Paswan should declare their views on Ram mandir and Hindutva," the Sena leader said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan Monday said the Shiv Sena was raising the Ram temple issue, as it is staring at defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. On a day Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray addressed a gathering in the temple town of Pandharpur in Solapur district and raised the pitch for construction of the temple on the disputed site in Ayodhya, Chavan said the ruling party is "lacking in performance" to seek votes. Chavan, a former chief minister of Maharashtra, also said the Sena harping on the temple issue suggested the "failure" of the ruling parties, including the BJP, in implementing the development agenda. "We all know what the Central and state governments (led by BJP-Shiv Sena) have done on the front of development. Both the parties are clearly staring at their imminent defeat in polls," Chavan told reporters here. "Hence, they are engaging into the issues such as Ram temple, Ram statue, changing of names and the Pandharpur Yatra in Maharashtra," he added. The former Union minister also dismissed reports that he is likely yto contest the Lok Sabha polls from Pune. "I have said it in Karad, Pune and I am saying it again in Mumbai too. I am nowhere related to the issue of contesting polls from Pune", he said. Responding to a query on Congress veteran DY Patil joining the NCP, Chavan said he was "surprised" to read the about Patil's cross over. It could be Patil's decision to join the NCP, he said. He said the Congress and the NCP are holding seat-sharing talks for upcoming polls "in harmony" and that an arrangement would be finalised soon. When asked to comment on RSS leader Krishna Gopal's reported comment that India is secular because of Hindus, Chavan said the Congress "did not take the RSS seriously". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Trend The supply of cement, tile, ceramics, iron and fuel to Afghanistans Farah province through Mahirud border of Irans South Khorasan province has been suspended, Chief of Mahirud Customs Office of South Khorasan Province Ali Akbar Kiyani said. There is the license for the abovementioned products till the end of the year. Therefore, the export of these products to Afghanistan is banned, Trend reports referring to IRNA. Kiyani promised that the problem will be solved during a week and the abovementioned products will be exported again. Presently, 30 fuel tanks remain on the Mahirud border, he said. The length of the border between Iran and Afghanistan is 945 kilometers. Some 465 kilometers accounts for South Khorasan province. There are four border markets in the province. Distress in some sectors of the economy has slowed India's GDP growth, the consequences of which could be "far reaching", former chief economic advisor Kaushik Basu said Monday. Basu, who was conferred the degree of Doctor of Literature (honoris causa) at the convocation of Jadavpur University here, told reporters that India's gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate has "slowed down" in recent times as "distress was being witnessed" in some sectors. "This has resulted in a decrease in job creation and it is a cause for concern," he said. Basu, the former World Bank chief economist, said distress has been "very much visible in the agriculture sector" as the "condition of farmers is bad". The country's economy grew at 7.1 per cent in July-September, the lowest in three quarters, according to the latest government data. Stating that the slowdown may continue for six months to one year and its consequences could be "far reaching", Basu said the government needs to pay attention to the condition of people in villages. Basu said the agriculture sector is still feeling the effects of demonetisation, while other sectors had factored in the note ban to a large extent. "Many farmers who had resorted to heavy borrowings in the December 2016-January 2017 period could not tide over the situation as yet. The distress in the agri sector is very much there," the economist said. Asked about farm loan waiver, Basu said it was needed in India because of "special circumstances". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has arrested two persons and seized charas and ganja worth around Rs 2 crore from their possession from near the Indo-Nepal border in Bihar's West Champaran district, officials said on Monday. Acting on a tip off, SSB personnel arrested two smugglers and seized 9.4 kg of charas worth Rs 1.88 crore and 37 kg of ganja worth Rs 7 lakh from their possession while they were crossing into Indian territory from Nepal side Sunday, SSB's 47th battalion Commandant, Priyavrat Sharma said. The SSB team arrested smugglers with charas and ganja from near Purrainia village under the jurisdiction of Sikta police station of the district, he said. The smugglers have been identified as Kapil Mukhiya, a resident of West Champaran district and Balmiki Mahto, a resident of Parsa district in Nepal, the Commandant said. The SSB has handed over the arrested smugglers and the seized contraband substance to Narcotics Bureau, Patna for further action, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The DMK Monday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for describing its alliance with the Congress as "opportunistic" and asked if the BJP's reported attempts to join hands with its rival AIADMK was indeed ideology based. The ruling AIADMK lashed out at Stalin for his remarks, saying it was not in any alliance. Responding to Modi's criticism of the DMK-Congress tie-up as "opportunistic," Stalin said, "There are reports that PM Modi is trying to strike an alliance with the AIADMK. Is it an alliance of ideology or loot is my question," Stalin, also Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, told reporters here. He has been often critical of the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, with his party levelling repeated charges of corruption against it, including chief minister K Palaniswami. Stalin also alleged Modi had tried to ensure the merger of the earlier rival factions headed by AIADMK leaders Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam. Post their merger in August 2017, Panneerselvam was made deputy to Palaniswami. On Sunday, Modi had recalled the past rivalry between the Congress and its southern ally DMK, and said none had forgotten where the two parties stood on the Jain Commission. "That time Congress said either it is DMK or it is us. But today they are together. If not opportunism, what explains their alliance," he asked. Responding to Stalin's criticism, senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar accused the DMK and Congress of being "responsible" for the failure to prevent mass Tamil civilian casualties during the Sri Lankan ethnic strife in 2009. He indicated that then chief minister, the late DMK president M Karunanidhi, wielded tremendous clout in the Congress-led UPA government but did not do anything on the matter. "What name can be given to that alliance (between DMK and Congress) -- a murderous alliance. This is the name the people of Tamil Nadu have given to them," he told reporters. The AIADMK was not holding any alliance talks right now and such matters will be decided by the party leadership, and the decision-making bodies of General Council and Executive, he said. "Why is he (Stalin) giving certificate as if we have entered into an alliance," Jayakumar said and accused Stalin of making such comments based on "assumption." Stalin, when asked about criticism of DMK joining hands with the Congress despite it being a victim of Emergency, said BJP-led rule "is worse than the Emergency." He said former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who had implemented Emergency, had later "expressed regret for that.""That is democracy. But today Modi is leading a dictatorial rule which is worse than Emergency," he said. In his interaction with party workers Sunday, Modi had said many leaders in the 'mahagatbandhan' were "arrested and tortured" during the Emergency, without naming anyone. Stalin was one of the leaders incarcerated during the Emergency. Many other DMK leaders were also jailed then. Jayakumar hit out at the DMK over this also, saying though DMK leaders were jailed during the Emergency, Karunanidhi later aligned with late Indira Gandhi though he had made very critical and "demeaning" remarks against her. On his proposal to project Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the opposition for next year's polls, Stalin said he had only expressed DMK's "feeling." "None has opposed this feeling. Only, there are opinions that this could have waited and the announcement made after some time," he said. "I am confident that soon those who are making such remarks will also wholeheartedly accept this," and support the idea, he said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the TMC supremo, has said the topic could be discussed only after the 2019 Lok Sabha election and once the opposition alliance emerged winners. Similary, Samajwadi party leader Akhilesh Yadav has said Stalin's proposal may not necessarily be the opposition alliance's opinion. Stalin had made the "Rahul for PM" pitch ahead of the Lok Sabha polls last week at a DMK organised public rally here. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Hyderabad Monday said its students saw as many as 213 offers from 80 companies during the phase-I of campus placements for 2018-19. In 2017-18, 191 students had been placed in 68 companies. A total of 418 students registered for the phase-I of placements held between December 1 and December 22, a press release said here. The students have accepted 17 pre-placement offers from companies such as Amazon, Microsoft, Schlumberger, Qualcomm, Goldmansachs, Swiggy, Electronic Arts and DeShaw, the release said. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recruited two students, it said. Speaking about the phase-I placements, acting faculty-in-charge of placements, IIT-Hyderabad, Amit Acharyya said, "I am happy to see the demand for our students at all levels, be it UG, PG or PhDs, is at its peak." "Many Japanese companies have shown interest in our students and more than 10 Japanese companies visited the campus this year," Acharyya said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav Monday took part in a procession taken out by traders' bodies in the city in protest against the murder of a young industrialist in Vaishali district last week. Gunjan Khemka, who was also the convenor of the state BJP's small industries cell, was shot dead on Thursday by a motorcycle-borne unidentified assailant. His killing had drawn strong reactions from the business community in the Bihar capital who complained that such incidents made them feel insecure. On Sunday, barely a couple of hours after Khemka's home was visited by Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, Yadav - who is the leader of the opposition in the state assembly - met the bereaved family members and consoled them. On Monday evening, he again appeared at a candle light march taken out by various organisations of businessmen and industrialists where he said he wished to lend his voice to their concerns. Talking to reporters on the occasion, Yadav who is himself a former Deputy CM, told reporters "our party stands in solidarity with the businessmen who are naturally feeling insecure in a regime where those in power stand with folded hands before anti-social elements". The RJD heir apparent's remark was an obvious jibe at Sushil Modi, who had at the Pitri Paksh Mela held in Gaya in the month of September urged criminals to refrain from indulging in anti-social activities "at least" during the fortnight-long fair, during which people from far-off places visit the pilgrim town. The Deputy CM has since been pilloried by the opposition parties in the state which have been alleging that the gesture indicated the Nitish Kumar government's inability to maintain law and order. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray Monday indicated his unwillingness to enter into an alliance with the BJP for the upcoming polls, asking why he should join hands with "someone" facing "corruption" charges. He demanded a discussion on the issue of Ram temple in Parliament and said it has been 30 years since the Babri Masjid was razed, but the Ayodhya matter is still in court. Thackeray also attacked his senior ally over the Rafale fighter jet deal, saying a private company which had no experience in making aircraft was given a defence contract. Addressing a rally in this temple town in Solapur district, Thackeray said, "Why should I join hands in the name of Hindutva with someone (a reference to BJP) facing so many allegations of corruption, be it Rafale jet fighter deal or crop insurance scheme." Upping the ante on the Ayodha issue, he said a discussion on Ram temple in Parliament will reveal the stand of NDA partners and also opposition parties. The Shiv Sena is currently a constituent of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and also in Maharashtra. Thackeray had in January this year said his party will fight all future polls alone, though the BJP has been repeatedly calling for an alliance with the Maharashtra-based regional party. Besides general elections in 2019, Maharashtra will face assembly polls in the second half of the next year. "Not all of us are gathered here today in the name of Hindutva. Many are farmers, some of them are farmers' children and we are here to seek justice for farmers," he said. The Sena leader alleged irregularities in a central government-sponsored crop insurance scheme for farmers. "Despite the government having four state-run companies, 12 private companies were also roped in (implementing the scheme). Those companies have milked the system and gained thousands of crores in profits," he alleged. "What happened with the Rafale deal, is happening in the crop insurance scheme also. In both the cases, companies having no experience were given the task to implement the programmes," Thackeray claimed. The Sena chief said going by this criteria women self-help groups should be asked to make bullets. "If you can give fighter jet making contract to some Ambani, then you should award the bullet making contract to women self-help groups," he said sarcastically. "Even if we assume the Rafale deal is corruption-free, why are farmers not getting insurance repayment?" he asked. The Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence is an Indian offset partner of Dassault, the French company that is suppling 36 Rafale jets to India under a Rs 58,000-crore deal. Reliance Defence has strongly denied allegations of getting undue benefits from the multi-billion dollar Rafale deal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister K Palaniswami and various political party leaders extended their greetings on the eve of Christmas. In his message, Purohit said, "the festival of Christmas marks the birthday of Lord Jesus Christ and is celebrated with merriment and joy." "On this happy occasion I convey my heartiest greetings and best wishes to all our Christian brothers and sisters," he said in a Raj Bhavan release. Palaniswami appealed to the people of Tamil Nadu to follow the preachings of Lord Jesus and spread love and promote brotherhood on the occasion. He noted that late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa implemented a subsidy scheme for members of the Christian community to undertake a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and so far 3,236 people had benefited, he said in a release. MDMK chief Vaiko, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam founder TTV Dhinakaran and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss were among those who extended Christmas greetings to the people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tolerance is a crucial aspect of the Indian culture which has taken in people from different countries after they migrated here, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said here Monday. The minister's remarks come amid a raging debate on actor Naseeruddin Shah's statement on mob violence in the country. Delivering the 31st endowment lecture of the Intelligence Bureau, Gadkari said unity and diversity is an integral part of the Indian culture. "Justice for all and appeasement of none... It's a fact that an individual is considered great because of his or her religion, caste, language and but his quality and productivity," he said. The minister said politics is an instrument of socioeconomic change. "Winning elections is important but if socioeconomic transformation does not take place... progress of country and society does not take place, then you getting elected and the incumbent getting defeated has no meaning," he said. Highlighting the need for collective decision making among bureaucrats, the minister said taking views of juniors is not in the system. "Discussing issues with juniors, taking their suggestions, involving them in discussions, listening to them gives a better ground report," he said. The senior BJP leader said it is very important to take people together. "People must have collective spirit. It is important to take people together. You can be very good and very impressive but if you do not have people to support you, what is the use?" he said. Lauding the efforts of the "silent and tireless" role of the IB in making the country a secure and safe place, Gadkari said it is the aim of all of us to work for comprehensive and all-round development of the country. Stating that nobody is born evil or perfect, Gadkari said police can play a key role in converting the incarcerated into contributors for society's welfare. The minister also denounced the culture of "not taking decisions" among bureaucrats to avoid any inquiry. Gadkari said performance audit is a better alternative to financial audit to evaluate the managerial and administrative ability of officials. He said though transparency is equally important, but it must accompany time-bound decision making and delivery. The Intelligence Bureau completed 100 years of its existence in 1987 and celebrated 1988 as its centenary year. On December 23, 1887, the Central Special Branch was set up under orders issued in London by the Secretary of State for India. The Central Special Branch was renamed as the Criminal Intelligence Bureau and, thereafter, as the Intelligence Bureau, MHA spokesperson said in a statement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday met his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee and said efforts for a non-BJP and non-Congress alliance will continue. He further said that very soon they will come out with a concrete plan for the next year's Lok Sabha elections. Rao, who met his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat here, described it as a "very pleasant one". He said that "discussions (on Federal Front) will continue". The TRS chief came to meet Trinamool Congress president and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee a day after he met his Odisha counterpart and BJD president Naveen Patnaik, another strong regional leader. Fresh from victory in his home state Telangana, Rao is meeting prominent leaders to provide an alternative to the Congress and the BJP ahead of the 2019 election. From eastern metropolis as per an earlier official release he would go to Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and latter to BSP chief Mayawati and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav among others. "Discussions with didi is always there. When two political leaders meet, they definitely discuss matters of mutual interest and matters of national interest. "We had a very pleasant discussion. We will continue our discussion. There is a dialogue which I had started yesterday. This is a unification of forces across the nation. There is a dialogue I started yesterday. I met Odisha's Chief Minister yesterday and today I met didi," Rao told reporters. "Our dialogue will continue. Very shortly we will come out with a concrete plan," he said recollecting about getting congratulatory call from Banerjee after he was elected as the Telangana Chief Minister for the second time. "I came to visit the Kalighat (famous Kali temple in Kolkata) and I thought of meeting didi and seek her blessings," he said. Asked about his mission on non-BJP and non-Congress alliance, KCR said," I will continue to do with my efforts. It is the mission of KCR, I will continue in my mission." With general election not very far, efforts to cobble up ties among parties have gained momentum. Among anti-BJP bloc, while some leaders like N Chandrababu Naidu and DMK's M K Stalin are trying to forge a broad coalition including Congress, others like TRS chief and Mamata Banerjee are strong votaries of Federal front of regional parties. Mamata Banerjee whose state has 42 Lok Sabha seats has also called a grand rally in Kolkata on January 19 of opposition parties. Odisha has a total of 21 Lok Sabha seats while Telangana carved out of Andhra Pradesh has 17 seats. Stalin's "Rahul-for-PM" proposal recently was not taken kindly by TMC and other parties who advocated that leadership issue of the opposition camp should be decided after the Parliamentary polls. After meeting his BJD counterpart Naveen Patnaik on Sunday, the TRS president had emphasised a "dire need" for unification of regional parties to provide an alternative to the Congress and the BJP ahead of next year elections. Both the chief ministers had a detailed discussion on national issues, including the need for "better friendship among regional parties", Patnaik said. "This is just the beginning of a dialogue... We will meet again and discuss how to take things forward," Rao said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister on Monday met his West Bengal counterpart and asserted that the dialogue for a Federal Front will continue. "Very shortly we will come out with a concrete plan," Rao told reporters after meeting the (TMC) president at the state secretariat here. "My efforts for non-BJP, non- alliance will continue," he added. The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief met Mamata a day after meeting Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar, another strong regional party leader. Rao, fresh from victory in his home state Telangana, is meeting leaders to provide an alternative to the and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2019 election. More than 1,300 exhibitors from 59 countries will be showcasing their latest offerings at Intersec 2019, a leading trade and networking event for safety, security and fire protection, which opens next month in Dubai, UAE. The annual event will run from January 20 to 22, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Organised by Messe Frankfurt Middle East, the expo will encompass the seven sections of commercial security; fire and rescue; perimeter and physical security; safety and health; homeland security and policing; information security; and smart home and building automation. More than 500 exhibitors from across the world have already confirmed their presence at Intersec 2019, including two-thirds of the world's Top 50 security providers, as global security brands continue to make a beeline for the mega safety and security event, to tap into and harness the enormous growth potential of the wider regional market, said the organisers. Recent market figures released by Knowledge Partner 6W Research estimates that the Middle East market for commercial security will reach $7.4 billion by 2024, achieving a sustained compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.6 per cent. The research indicated that demand for IP-based video surveillance systems, access control and intrusion detectors would continue to drive the market, which is fuelled by increased government spending on infrastructure projects and the imposition of stringent regulatory policies, creating increased opportunities for global security brands. Upcoming mega events in the region, such as the Expo 2020 in Dubai and the expected influx of millions of additional visitors are also expected to create demand for the latest in video surveillance systems and intelligent monitoring apparatus. Access control systems continue to remain in high demand in the Middle East, registering a market revenue of $300 million in 2017. Increasing awareness of security threats and a growth in IT spending will keep the market driving ahead. Meanwhile the demand for biometric access controlled systems has surged across the Middle East with the growing adaption of fingerprint and eye scanners across the region. The largest share of deployment of such systems in the region remains in the commercial sector. According to 6W Research, the market for intelligent video analytic software and systems is also on the rise across the entire region and are expected to create huge growth opportunities for manufacturers, vendors and distributors. Andreas Rex, show director, Intersec, said: Commercial security continues to be one of the chief driving sectors of Intersec as companies across the region continue to invest in cutting-edge intelligent security systems to protect their investments and facilities in an increasingly complex security scenario. As the most influential and significant international trade platform for safety, security and fire protection in the wider region, Intersec 2019 will showcase a wide spectrum of the latest developments in the commercial security sector, he added. Leading international security solutions provider CP Plus will be front and centre at Intersec 2019 with their latest range of intelligent surveillance products. Gaurav Khemka, director, CP Plus, said: Indeed, we have had a long association with Intersec, and we look forward to it each year with renewed enthusiasm. Video surveillance has evolved manifold over the years and as a market leader we have always strived to stay ahead of the competition. The new age surveillance is all about automation, intelligence, and resource efficiency. This year we are focused on showcasing our artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) based technologies - IP surveillance solutions; Network PoE switches; 4K analog HD solutions with H.265+ Codec; law and enforcement solutions such as bodyworn cameras and Mobile DVRs; command and control room solutions including Integrated VMS and health monitoring systems; time and attendance solutions with cloud management; and multi-apartment video door phone systems, he added. Intersec 2019 will also have a number of extra features including the Future Security Summit which will address key issues such as: AI, security integration, emergency preparedness and response, data protection, IoT and much more. Also returning is the SIRA Forum, with the latest updates in security law and industry regulations in Dubai, while a one-day Fire Safety and Protection Conference will involve authorities, fire chiefs, engineers, fire fighters and emergency response professionals, it stated. TradeArabia News Service : The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) juggernaut rolled on in 2018 with the party storming to power with a two-thirds majority in the assembly elections to form its second straight government in the state. During the year, the state witnessed one of the worst road tragedies in the country when 60 people were killed in a bus accident in September. Verdicts in key terror cases saw Hindutva preacher Swami Aseemanand being acquitted by an NIA court in the 11-year old Mecca Masjid blast case and two terrorists awarded capital punishment in another blast case. TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao, who scripted the stunning victory in the December 7 polls, swiftly elevated his son K T Rama Rao as the working president of the party and announced plans to push his initiative for a non-BJP and non-Congress front at the national level. The outcome of the first ever polls after Telangana came into being in 2014 proved right Rao's gamble of going to the people months ahead of the assembly's term was to end in April next year. The presumption that there was a positive mood among the people in TRS favour came true as Rao, who spearheaded the statehood movement since 2001, further cemented his position in the state. TRS won 88 of the 119 assembly seats, riding the popularity of a slew of its government's welfare projects, including the farmer-centric schemes, quelling challenges from the Congress-led front and BJP. The Rao government's populist 'Rythu Bandhu' crop investment support scheme and the 'Rythu Beema' life insurance scheme launched during the year paid rich dividends to the ruling party at the hustings. Any hopes the Congress had of staging a comeback in the state, carved out of Andhra Pradesh during the UPA rule headed by it were dashed as it ended up with just 19 seats. Keen to halt the TRS' return to power, the Congress and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) buried their decades-old rivalry and forged the Praja Kutami (Peoples Alliance) along with Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) and Communist Party of India (CPI). Even before the party could recover from the ignominious poll defeat, four of its six MLCs defected to the TRS and were promptly recognised by the Legislative Council chairman as members of the TRS on December 21. For BJP, which was looking at strengthening its position in Telangana, it was a disappointing outcome as the party ended up with just one seat, having contested the polls on its own. The party had five MLAs in the previous assembly. Soon after his resounding victory, the 64-year old Rao, who rose to become the mascot of Telangana pride after successfully realising the statehood goal in 2014, announced plans to play a pro-active role in national He vowed to work for installing a non-Congress, non-BJP government at the Centre after the 2019 elections. Moving quickly, Rao appointed his son K T Rama Rao as TRS working president, a move seen by many as the latter's anointment as heir apparent. Prior to the assembly dissolution, Rao had set out on a mission to form a third alternative to BJP and Congress and had met regional satraps, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and DMK President M K Stalin. Left leaning poet and writer Varavara Rao, accused of having Maoist links, was taken into custody in November by the Pune police from Hyderabad in a case related to Elgar Parishad conclave which has set off violence in Maharashtra. The arrest, along with those of four rights activists, for alleged Maoist links, triggered outrage, with opposition leaders, lawyers and authors condemning it. In March, ten Maoists, including six women and a constable of the Greyhound commando force of Telangana Police, were killed in an encounter in the forest area of Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district bordering Telangana. In a major road tragedy, 60 people were killed when a state-run Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) bus fell into a gorge at Kondagattu in Jagtial district on September 12. On April 16, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Hyderabad acquitted Hindutva preacher Swami Aseemanand and four others in the May 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case. A powerful remote controlled blast had ripped through the over four centuries-old mosque here during an assembly of devotees on May 18, 2007 when they had gathered for Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58. A Hyderabad metropolitan court on September 10 sentenced to death two terrorists, convicted of killing 44 people and wounding 68 others in two coordinated blasts here in 2007. The court also convicted another person of harbouring the perpetrators in the national capital and other places, and awarded him life imprisonment. Former Rajya Sabha member Nandamuri Harikrishna, son of TDP founder N T Rama Rao and brother-in-law of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, died in a road accident in Telangana's Nalgonda district on August 29. The TRS government's efforts to woo investors saw Swedish furniture giant Ikea making its foray into the Indian market by opening its first outlet here in August at an investment of over Rs 800 crore. The state capital continued to be one of the favoured destinations for IT companies with Qualcomm announcing plans to set up its largest campus outside the US here at an investment outlay of USD 400 million (Rs 3,000 crore). Smartphone brands OnePlus and Oppo and superbike maker Benelli also announced plans to invest in Telangana. Tech majors Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple already have offices in Hyderabad. Telangana stood second in the ease of doing annual business ranking of states and Union Territories by the World Bank and Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) for 2017-18. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump late Sunday said his Turkish counterpart assured him that any remaining Islamic State group fighters in Syria will be eliminated, after Trump abruptly ordered US troops in Syria to leave. "President @RT_Erdogan of Turkey has very strongly informed me that he will eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in Syria," Trump said in a Tweet around midnight Sunday, using another acronym for the jihadist group. Repeating a pattern of admiring comments towards global strongmen, Trump added that Erdogan "is a man who can do it." Trump appeared to be elaborating on a phone call he had earlier on Sunday with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. They discussed Trump's withdrawal of the US troops which were assisting in the multinational fight against IS, and whose departure has shocked global partners and American politicians alike. "Our troops are coming home!" Trump said in his late-Sunday tweet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Turkish court ordered the release from pre-trial detention of Austrian student and journalist Max Zirngast, charged with being a member of a terror group, his lawyer said Monday. Tamer Dogan told AFP that his client Zirngast, 29, was due to be released in the next few hours, having been detained since September. An Ankara court registered a charge against him of being "a member of an armed terrorist organisation", then ordered his release pending trial, the daily Hurriyet reported. He is accused of having links to the extreme leftist Turkish Communist Party (TKP)/Kivilcim group, which is banned by Turkey as a terror organisation. Zirngast, who writes for the far-left German-language magazine Re:volt, denies the charge against him. Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl said Vienna welcomed the pending release. "We will continue to press for a rapid conclusion of the criminal proceedings. I wish Mr Zirngast a Merry Christmas under these circumstances," she posted on Twitter. Zirngast published articles on the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. The PKK is banned as a terrorist organisation by Ankara and its Western allies. Zirngast has been in Turkey for three years and was a masters student at Middle East Technical University (ODTU) in the political sciences department. In an opinion piece for the Washington Post in November, he wrote that his arrest was "a perverse confirmation of the authoritarianism I've spent the past several years chronicling and opposing". He also criticised the attempt to "silence the entire democratic opposition in Ankara". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent more troops to Syria's border on Monday ahead of an imminent US withdrawal, threatening a Kurdish militia there as a US delegation prepared for talks on the pullout. US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw 2,000 US troops from northern Syria has dismayed many of Washington's allies, and critics say Turkey will look to benefit in its fight against US-backed Kurdish forces inside Syria. Turkey has said any offensive targeting the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia and the Islamic State (IS) group will be launched in the coming months. Turkey views the YPG as a "terrorist offshoot" of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. But the militia has also been a key US ally in the fight against Islamic State in Syria, working with American forces on the ground there. "Just as we did not leave our Syrian Arabs to Daesh (IS), we will not leave Syrian Kurds to the cruelty of the PKK," Erdogan said during a speech in Ankara. A Turkish military convoy arrived overnight on Monday at the border with Syria, with local media reporting that some vehicles had entered Syria. Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters on Monday that a US military delegation would arrive this week to "discuss how to coordinate (the withdrawal) with their counterparts". Kalin also said a Turkish foreign ministry delegation would go to Washington for talks on the pull-out on January 8. In a telephone conversation Sunday between Trump and Erdogan, which both sides described as "productive", they agreed to avoid a power vacuum in Syria after the US withdrawal. Unlike several other allies of the United States, Turkey has praised Trump's decision to withdraw 2,000 of his ground forces from Syria. Trump stunned the US political establishment and allies last week with his decision, days after Erdogan had warned that Ankara would soon launch an offensive in northern Syria. Critics of Trump's decision fear that thousands of Islamic State (IS) group extremist members are still thought to be in Syria, despite Trump's claim of having defeated IS. The US leader tweeted that Erdogan had told him Ankara would "eradicate" the last IS elements. And Kalin vowed that there was "no question of a step backwards, vulnerability or a slowdown in the fight against Daesh (IS)". He added: "Turkey will show the same determination against Daesh. To beat Daesh, we don't need the PKK or the YPG. We can bring peace to this region." The Turkish military convoy with howitzers, artillery batteries and several units of the armed forces, was deployed to the border district of Elbeyli in Kilis province, state agency Anadolu reported on Monday. Parts of the convoy had entered Syria, the private IHA agency reported, which said the reinforcements would take place "gradually". The deployment began over the weekend with around 100 vehicles, the Hurriyet daily said, and crossed into the Al-Bab region, headed towards Jarabulus and YPG-held Manbij. Jarabulus and Al-Bab were areas captured from IS during Ankara's first military operation in August 2016 which lasted until March 2017. Military reinforcements had also been sent to the Akcakale border town and Ceylanpinar district, both in the southeastern Sanliurfa province. Turkey conducted a second offensive with Syrian rebels against the YPG in its northwestern enclave of Afrin in January this year. Turkish officials have previously said Ankara has no territorial ambitions in Syria. Trump's move has sparked dismay among allies and turmoil within the administration. First Defence Secretary Jim Mattis resigned, then Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition, stepped down. American support for the YPG, under the banner of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance, has long been a source of tension between NATO allies the US and Turkey. But relations between the Turkish and American leaders appear to have improved substantially since a crisis in the summer over the detention of a US pastor, since released. Last week, the US approved the sale of USD 3.5 billion in missiles to Turkey, after American outrage over Ankara's major arms purchase from Russia. But there are still strains over the US refusal to extradite Fethullah Gulen, the Pennsylvania-based Muslim preacher who Turkey says ordered the 2016 failed coup. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Another bid by two women in their forties to trek to the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa here was foiled Monday by protesting devotees, a day after a similar effort by a group of 11 women failed. The attempt by the two women - Bindu (42), a CPI(ML) activist from Koyilandy in Kozhikode district, and Kanakadurga (44), said to be a civil supplies employee from Angadipuram in Malappuram - came after 11 women activists of a Chennai-based outfit were prevented from reaching the shrine and chased away by devotees chanting Ayyappa mantras on Sunday. A case has been registered against 150 people for rioting and causing obstruction, police said. Though the police at first gave them protection and tried to take them to the temple despite protests, they soon realised that it was dangerous and advised them to abandon their plans. The two women, who reached Pamba at around 4 am, faced massive protests from devotees at Apachimedu and Marakootam, about one km from 'Sannidhanam' (temple complex), as they were being escorted by police. Ayyappa devotees surged in large numbers to the narrow pathway while the women were being escorted, and there was a minor scuffle with police for over an hour. Police tried to evict the pilgrims who shouted "go back" and chanted Ayyappa mantras and a tense situation prevailed with the restive devotees showing no signs of backing off. Seeing the growing number of protesters, including young children, and to prevent the situation from getting out of hand, the women were advised to return by the police. Though both women, who had trekked about 4.5 km, initially insisted they would offer prayers at the shrine, Kanakadurga complained of uneasiness shortly thereafter and fainted and had to be rushed to Pamba hospital, police said. Bindu was also taken to the hospital. Both were later shifted to the Kottayam medical college hospital. A cameraman of a Malayalam TV channel was injured in a the scuffle between media personnel and police when the former tried to talk to the two women when they were being moved to the hospital. Bindu told reporters that both were fine and there were no health issues and it was only a ploy by police to shift them to the hospital to prevent them from reaching Sannidhanam. While Industries Minister E P Jayarajan insisted that the government would not take any stand which will destroy the peace in Sabarimala, Opposition Congress hit out at the Left government, saying it was playing a "double game". "The protestors are behaving like Taliban militants," Jayarajan said. Attacking the state government, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said it was playing a "double game." "What was witnessed in Sabarimala on Sunday and Monday is a drama, which is an insult to Kerala, police and people of the state," he said. Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Oommen Chandy said the government's interest was to put up a "women's wall" from Kasaragode to Thiruvananthapuram, Flood relief and rehabilitation, Sabarimala pilgrimage season are not matters which are of any concern of the government, he told reporters. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, earlier this month, had announced that the 'Women's Wall' would be formed on January 1 from the northern district of Kasaragode to the southern most district of Thiruvananthapuram "to demonstrate the secular and progressive mindset of the state". BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai said the party was waging a 'Dharma Yudh' (religious war) and until the government protects the faith of Hindus, the protests would continue. CPI(M) veteran V S Achuthanandan wanted the government to arrest those who protested in front of the houses of the two women. Earlier, Bindu told reporters that the government should implement the September 28 Supreme Court verdict and they be allowed to go to the shrine. The women said they had not asked for any police protection. "The Supreme Court has given a verdict. So it is the government's duty to help us climb the hills," they said. Some BJP workers raised slogans at Thiruvanathapuram railway station against three women activists of "Manithi" who were returning to Tamil Nadu this afternoon. The three had come to Thiruvanathauram reportedly to meet the chief minister, a day after 11-members of the outfit unsuccessfully tried to make it to the Ayyappa shrine Sunday. However, since Vijayan was away at Kozhikode, the meeting did not take place, official sources said. Since the top court verdict, no women in the 10-50 age group, who are traditionally barred from entering the shrine, have been able to enter the 'sannidhanam' and offer worship to the presiding deity Lord Ayyappa, who is a "Naishtika Brahmachari" (perennial celibate). Kerala had witnessed massive protests by devotees opposing the entry of girls and women in the 10-50 age group into the shrine after the CPI(M)-led LDF government decided to implement the apex court verdict allowing all women to offer prayers at the temple. The Congress-led UDF and BJP are opposing the entry of young women, saying they are with the devotees. Four transgenders recently offered prayers at the temple while the attempt by over a dozen young women have been foiled by protesting devotees so far. The two-month long pilgrimage season began on November 16 and the first phase will end Thursday. The shrine has been witnessing heavy rush since the past few days. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) chief on Monday mouthed the Congress' oft-repeated jibe of "chowkidar chor hai" made in the context of the Rafale fighter jet deal to mount a veiled attack on his senior ally -- the and Prime Minister President has been repeatedly hurling the "chowkidar chor hai" (the guard is a thief) jibe at Modi to claim irregularities and favouritism in the and award of offset contracts related to the Rs 580-billion defence agreement with France. However, the government has rejected the charges. Addressing a rally in this temple town in Solapur district, Thackeray used the slogan in a different context while narrating an incident. Thackeray said, "In one of the state tours, a farmer showed me a pest-infested lime tree. The lime tree is actually used to make pesticides but this was a plant that was infested with pest." "The farmer told me that for the first time in his lifetime, he had seen a lime tree getting infested, which they have been using to make pesticides. I had told him that now, days have changed. Security persons have become thieves." "Halli paharekarich chorya karaylaa laagale aahet. (Today, security persons have themselves become thieves)," he said in Marathi. 'Paharekari' is a Marathi equivalent of the Hindi word chowkidar. Thackeray, whose outfit is part of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and also in Maharashtra, did not take any names, but the significance of his comments was not lost on anyone. Thackeray and his party have been often criticising the and its top leaders, including Modi, on a range of issues. However, this was perhaps for the first time a ally has publicly made the "chowkidar chor hai" taunt. The origin of this line dates back to the run-up of the 2014 general elections when Modi had promised to work as a 'chowkidar' to guard the people's money and their trust once elected to the top office. At the rally, Thackeray also said "There have been several allegations over the Rafale fighter jet deal and I do not know how the Supreme Court has given a clean cheat. But I know the Modi government has refused pay hike for jawans." The British government has decided to ban third-party sales of puppies and kittens to improve animal welfare. Animal Welfare Minister David Rutley said Sunday the ban "is part of our commitment to make sure the nation's much-loved pets get the right start in life." The decision follows a public consultation that found widespread support for banning third-party sales. The government says this will help crackdown on "puppy farms" and make it harder for unscrupulous dealers that disregard animal welfare. Under the new measure, people wishing to adopt a puppy or kitten would have to deal directly with a breeder or a re-homing center, rather than pet shops or other commercial dealers. Animal welfare groups praised the government measure as an important step forward. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Uttar Pradesh government Monday asked districts in western part of the state adjoining Delhi to strictly adhere to a three-day ban on industrial and construction activities imposed by the Supreme Court-appointed Pollution Control Authority. The order was issued to thedivisional commissioners of Meerut and Saharanpur divisions and district magistrates of Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida), Ghaziabad, Hapur, Meerut, Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar, Bulandshahr and Shamli in a letter by Chief Secretary Anup Chandra Pandey. As the national capital's air quality remained in the 'severe' category for the third consecutive day Monday, the EPCA ordered that industries in pollution hotspots -- Wazirpur, Mundka, Narela, Bawana, Sahibabad and Faridabad -- and construction work across Delhi-NCR remain closed until Wednesday. The Ghaziabad administration said the ban has been relayed to industries and law enforcement agencies have been asked to take action against violators, while in Noida, all efforts will be made to adhere to the guidelines, officials said. "The brick kilns have been shut and industries, particularly those in Sahibabad industrial area have been told to suspend work for the next three days," Ghaziabad District Magistrate Ritu Maheshwari said. She said the administration will monitor the situation and act accordingly, while ensuring action against offenders. Noida DM Brajesh Narain Singh said his administration was already working on three fronts penalty, prosecution and arrest to ensure implementation of the orders of the Supreme Court, the National Green Tribunal and the EPCA on containing pollution. "We are issuing fines to violators, we have already prosecuted two government agencies for flouting pollution norms and have even arrested people for defying ordersunder CrPC section 151. If similar situations emerge, we will use these instruments (penalty, prosecution, arrest) more to ensure compliance to the advisory," he told PTI. In the letter, the chief secretary reiterated the EPCA's orders and instructed the administrators of various districts to keep the UP Pollution Control Board in Lucknow regularly updated on the actions taken. The EPCA has directed the traffic police to deploy special teams and ensure congestion-free traffic flow particularly in identified high traffic corridors and told the police department to strictly ensure that non-destined heavy duty vehicles travel through eastern and western peripheral expressways. The agencies concerned have also been asked to ensure strict action against illegal industries, intensify ground action and make all efforts to control polluting activities, particularly waste burning. "The ventilation index which allows dispersion (of pollutants) is extremely poor and it is expected that these conditions will prevail for the next two days," the EPCA said. In light of this and the expected weather conditions for the coming few days, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) task force has made these recommendations, which, the EPCA directs, should urgently be complied with. These actions have been taken on the recommendations of the CPCB, which said the reason the ban is imposed till December 26 is because winds are expected to pick up and the pollution could go down then. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The son-in-law of an Uttar Pradesh minister has alleged that some men tried to abduct him when he was returning to Muzaffarnagar from Delhi, police said Monday. The miscreants chased Amit Prakash Agarwal's car Sunday evening on a highway here, but when the trader reached the city, they stopped pursuing him, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sudhir Kumar said. Amit Agarwal is the son-in-law of Uttar Pradesh minister Rajesh Agarwal and apart from several properties and businesses here, he also owns a cinema hall. Police have registered a case on a complaint lodged by Amit Agarwal and launched a search to nab the unidentified men, who allegedly attempted to abduct the businessman , the SSP said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A group of Utar Pradesh Education Department's teaching instructors, agitating for raise of their wages, Monday disrupted a statute-unveiling function of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh here. The home minister had arrived here to unveil the statue of little-known warrior queen Avantibai of Ramgarh, situated in present-day Madhya Pradesh. She had played a leading role during the 1857 revolt against the British empire. The instructors reached the venue of the home minister's function and raised slogans against the government, seeking hike in their honorarium and regularisation of their services. They were, however, pacified by the Union minister, who assured them of looking into their problems after the function. In his brief address, Singh recalled the valour of Avantibai, who like legendary Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi, was fiercely opposed to the Lord Dalhousie's 1848 "doctrine of lapse" aimed at arbitrary annexation of Indian kingdoms on death of their rulers without a direct heir. The minister regretted that not much could be done to commemorate the contribution of the brave sons and daughters like her. "At least we can pay homage to her by garlanding her statue on a particular day and recall the contributions made by freedom fighters like her for the country," the Union minister remarked. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Swissport is further expanding its business in the Middle East with new contracts from the Dutch airline KLM and the largest Indian carrier IndiGo. The Swiss aviation services company, global market leader of airport ground services and cargo handling, will provide KLM with ground handling services in Dammam. IndiGo will initially be handled by Swissport at Jeddah, followed by Dammam and Riyadh. As of February 1, 2019, Swissport will be providing the full range of ground services from passenger services to ramp operations to the Dutch airline KLM for its 10 weekly flights at King-Fahd airport in Dammam. Swissport will serve KLMs Airbus A330 widebody aircraft during the stopovers of flights between the Dutch metropolis of Amsterdam and Muscat, the capital of Oman. With KLM, the first major European carrier has opted for Swissports Saudi affiliate. As of March 15, 2019, Swissport will handle IndiGos daily flights at Jeddah, followed by Dammam in April and Riyadh in September, supporting the carriers rapid growth in the region. IndiGo is a private-owned carrier with a hub in the Indian capital of Delhi. With a fleet of currently 195 Airbus A320 family aircraft, which is to grow to 250 aircraft the near future, IndiGo has become the largest Indian carrier. With KLM and IndiGo, Swissport is adding two prominent names to its growing client portfolio in the Middle East. Our businesses in Saudi Arabia and Oman have developed from two greenfield start-ups into established organisations in just a couple of years, said Nils Knudsen, chief commercial officer of Swissport International AG. These latest wins further consolidate our position as a high-quality service provider on the Arabian Peninsula and form a solid base for further growth, added Mark Skinner, Swissports senior vice president Middle East & Africa. In addition to the new business with KLM and IndiGo, Swissport recently commenced operations with flydubai, Jordan Aviation, Fly Baghdad and Sun Express for airport ground services at the Saudi port city of Jeddah and has already started serving them. Fly Jordan, a second Jordanian airline to be handled by Swissport, will launch a Jeddah service early 2019. On January 1, 2019, Swissport will also start serving SalamAir of Oman at Muscat International Airport. - TradeArabia News Service A US judge on Monday ordered North Korea to pay USD 501 million over the death of American Otto Warmbier, ruling that the university student likely suffered torture. The parents of Warmbier sued North Korea in a US court after the 22-year-old was flown back to the United States last year in a coma, unrecognizable to his family and dying within days of his return. Beryl Howell, the chief judge of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, awarded USD 501,134,683.80 to the family, most of it in punitive damages. "An American family, the Warmbiers, experienced North Korea's brutality first-hand when North Korea seized their son to use as a pawn in that totalitarian state's global shenanigans and face-off with the United States," she wrote. "North Korea is liable for the torture, hostage-taking, and extrajudicial killing of Otto Warmbier, and the injuries to his mother and father, Fred and Cindy Warmbier," she wrote. She said that North Korea did not submit any response to the lawsuit, which the family filed under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which allows US-based plaintiffs to sue governments for offenses not considered to be covered by diplomatic immunity. North Korea is highly unlikely to pay the amount voluntarily and, as one of the world's most isolated countries, it is believed to have few assets in the United States that could be seized. But the verdict comes as President Donald Trump negotiates a deal on North Korea's nuclear arsenal, raising the possibility of future US payouts, which could become entangled by the court-ordered damages. Warmbier, a student at the University of Virginia, traveled to North Korea on a tour but did not return home, with the regime pulling him away at the Pyongyang airport and charging him with crimes against the state for allegedly taking down a poster in support of leader Kim Jong Un. The lawsuit said the family was continually advised by the State Department to stay quiet, believing North Korea would make a demand in return for Warmbier's safe release. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Veteran CPI(M) leader Nirupam Sen, whose tenure as West Bengal's Industry minister saw rapid industrial growth in the state but also the exit of the Tata Nano project after violent protests, died here Monday after a prolonged illness, family sources said. He was 72. The former politburo member of the party is survived by wife, a son and a daughter. Sen passed away at 5.10 am following a cardiac arrest, hospital sources said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had spearheaded the anti-land acquisition movement in Singur, and CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury condoled the death of the Marxist leader. The state government has announced a half-day holiday in educational institutions and offices on Monday as a mark of respect to the departed leader. The former state Commerce and Industry minister was on life support system after his health condition deteriorated in early December and had been critical since then. "Sen was fighting kidney ailments. He was impaired by a cerebral attack in 2013," an official at the hospital said. One of the most prominent faces of the Buddhadeb Bhattacharya cabinet after the CPI(M)-led Left Front was voted to power in 2001, Sen was handed the charge of Commerce and Industry. It was under the leadership of Bhattacharya and Sen that the Left Front started selling the dream of industrialisation in the state and shifted focus to private investments. This shift in the policy reaped them heavy dividends, resulting in the Left Front's resounding victory in the 2006 Assembly election. The Buddhadeb Bhattacharya government had acquired 997 acres of farmland at Singur in Hooghly district and handed it over to the Tata Motors in 2006 to set up the manufacturing plant for its Rs one lakh-car, Nano. But by the end of 2006, land acquisition movement at Singur over the Tata Nano car plant had started taking a toll on the regime. The protest against the forcible land acquisition ultimately led the Tata Motors to shift the car plant from Singur to Gujarat in 2008. The anti-land acquisition protest in Singur and Nandigram, led by the then opposition Trinamool Congress, was one of the reasons behind the fall of the 34-year-old Left Front government in the state in 2011. Faced with intense criticism both within and outside the party, Sen, then a CPI(M) politburo member, had withdrawn himself from active In the next few years, due to ill health, he stepped down from the politburo, the central committee and earlier this year during the CPI(M) party congress, he stepped down from the state committee. He was a three-time MLA from Bardhaman Dakshin constituency. Party sources said Sen's body would be taken to his residence and then to a private mortuary in the city. "On Wednesday, Sen's body will be taken to the CITU office here and then to the party's state headquarters where people will be allowed to pay their last respects," the sources said. His mortal remains would be consigned to flames in Burdwan, his home town, on Wednesday. West Bengal Chief Minister and ruling Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee condoled Sen's death. "Saddened at the passing away of Nirupam Sen, former Minister of West Bengal. Condolences to his family and well wishers," Banerjee said in a tweet. In his condolence message, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury described Sen as a "dedicated communist". "A dedicated Communist, who devoted his entire life to the cause of the working class and the peasantry. He served in various capacities including as a member, Polit Bureau (sic) and a senior Minister in Left Front governments," Yechury tweeted. The party's West Bengal secretary Surya Kanta Mishra, politburo member Md Salim and other leaders also offered their condolences. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajkummar Rao, who had a great year with "Omerta" and "Stree", Monday said he is happy with the popularity of content-driven cinema and hopes every year turns out to be good for him as an actor. The 34-year-old actor has seen a steady rise to stardom with critically-acclaimed turns in film after film and is happy that people have started noticing it. "I want every year to be mine, every year should be of cinema. I am overwhelmed. I am happy where cinema is going, people are enjoying watching films and they are spending hard earned money and watching it," Rajkummar said at the promotional event of his upcoming film "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga". The films of superstars have not worked this year but Rao said it would be wrong to write them off. "They are superstars nobody can touch them and there is a reason they are superstars. They are ruling for 30 years. Just because one or two films did not work, I still love them. I have respect for them," he said in response to a question about the poor performance of star-driven projects this year. The actor, however, believes content is being given a priority in the last few years. "Content is above everything. The story has to be an important aspect of filmmaking. People are writing good stories and characters. Also, actors are playing characters, they are working hard. It is a welcome change," he added. "Stree" produced by filmmakers Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK has won several awards at Star Screen Awards 2018. "We are happy the film is getting a lot of recognition. We had lot of fun making it. It is translating into awards now. It is great time for cinema," Rajkummar said. Talking about "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga", he said, "I was very moved, it is a fine script. It is a special film. It is a family film. It is very entertaining and I said yes to it." The film also stars Anil Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Juhi Chawla. Rajkummar, who has worked with Anil Kapoor in "Fanney Khan" said, he shares a great rapport with the actor. "He is a student of cinema, his dedication to work is unmatchable. I have immense respect for him and I learn a lot from him." The film, produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Rajkumar Hirani in association with Fox Star Studios, releases on February 1, 2019. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Director Vijay Ratnakar Gatte says his film "The Accidental Prime Minister", which hits the screens in January, will be available in Hindi, English, Tamil and Telugu languages as they want to reach a wider audience. The film, starring Anupam Kher in the role of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, is based on Sanjay Baru's book of the same name. "The Accidental Prime Minister" was originally shot in English and Hindi but the maker then decided to simultaneously release in Tamil and Telugu, Gatte said. "Since the film is a story of the prime minister's office and belongs to the whole country, we want it to reach as far as possible and not just restrict it to the Hindi audience' Gatte said in a statement. The film, which is produced by Bloom Arts, Sunil Bohra & Dhawal Gada, will be released in about 3000 screens. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Monday accused his Odisha and Telangana counterparts Naveen Patnaik and K Chandrasekhar Rao of trying to block the construction of the multipurpose Polavaram project on the Godavari. He vowed to complete the project by December 2019 and maintained that Polavaram project caused no problems to either Telangana or Odisha. Naidu asserted that no force could stop the work. "During their meeting in Bhubaneswar yesterday, Patnaik and KCR discussed steps to stop the Polavaram project works. I dont understand why they are trying to block the project that is the lifeline of Andhra Pradesh," Naidu said, addressing farmers. He maintained that there was no problem whatsoever for Telangana while Odisha would get to use five tmcft of water. "We also assured Odisha that people in the submergence areas of the project (falling in the neighbouring state) will be fully rehabilitated," he added. Naidu said he would talk to Patnaik on the issue. The chief minister addressed farmers at the Polavaram project site after launching the process for installation of the dam radial gates. The project could never be completed if it was stalled for any reason, he said and pleaded with Patnaik not to pursue with court cases on Polavaram. He also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not showing any interest to visit Polavaram. "He visits every project in Gujarat but has shown no interest to visit Polavaram even once. On top of it, the Centre is also not releasing funds for the project," Naidu said. The revised detailed project report on Polavaram, for an estimated expenditure of over Rs 55,000 crore, was yet to be approved, he said. "There is no other project that is being built at such a brisk pace. Once completed, Polavaram will become wonder of India," Naidu said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 35-year-old woman was injured after two unidentified men allegedly fired at her while she was sitting outside her parent's residence in outer Delhi's Aman Vihar area, police said on Monday. The woman, Geeta, is a resident of Agra and had recently come to Delhi to meet her parents, they said. In her statement to police, she alleged that she was sitting beside a bonfire outside her parent's residence on Sunday night when the two men came there and asked her to handover the jewellery she was wearing, a senior official said. When she resisted, the men allegedly opened fire at her and fled from the spot after snatching her jewellery, he said. The woman sustained a bullet injury on her thigh and was rushed to a nearby hospital, the officer said, adding that she is out of danger. Based on Geeta's statement, a case has been registered and the matter is being probed, he said. Police said they have scanned the footage of CCTV cameras installed in the area to ascertain the sequence of events. However, the cameras did not capture the entire sequence. In the footage the accused are only seen fleeing from the spot, they said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Six people, including the father and the brother ofa 22-year-old woman who was allegedly murdered in a suspected case of honour-killing in Mancherial district of Telangana, were arrested Monday, police said. Meanwhile, a video purportedly showing P Anuradha saying she wanted to live with A Laxman and that her parents would be responsible if anything happens to him or her, went viral. Also, she had purportedly said the police should take cognisance of the video. Anuradha, who married Laxman from a different caste, was found dead under suspicious circumstances Sunday with her kin confessing to the police that they'd burned her body in Mallapur village in nearby Nirmal district before discarding the remains in a canal. Laxman had complained to the police that she was forcibly taken away by her parents on Saturday night. On Sunday, her father Sathaiah, brother and some relatives were taken into custody for questioning. Six people, including the father and brother of the woman, have been arrested. The woman was throttled to death besides being beaten up by her father and others for the inter-caste marriage, a police official told PTI. Laxman used to work as a computer operator while Anuradha was a diploma-holder in education. Both got married in Hyderabad during the first week of this month as the parents of Anuradha refused to let her marry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Six people, including the father and brother of a 22-year-old woman were arrested Monday for allegedly killing her as she had married a man from a different caste in Mancherial district of Telangana, police said. Both Anuradha and A Laxman had got married here during the first week of this month as her parents refused to let her marry him, the police said. On Saturday night, her parents forcibly took her away from Laxman's house, the police said. Following this, Laxman lodged a complaint. Based on the complaint, police said her father, brother and some relatives were taken into custody for questioning on Sunday. During interrogation, the relatives confessed to have fatally beaten her up, burned her body and disposed of the remains in a water body, they said. Laxman used to work as a computer operator while Anuradha was a diploma-holder in education. Earlier, a video purportedly showing P Anuradha saying she wanted to live with Laxman and that her parents would be responsible if anything happened to him or her, went viral. She had also purportedly said the police should take cognisance of the video. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ritesh Agarwal-led Oyo will focus on building capacity rather than cutting down on profits for the year 2019 as the unicorn start-up reworks its strategy for India. Also, the company has no immediate plans to raise further capital after its recent $1 billion in funding from a clutch of investors. This was revealed in a letter issued by Agarwal, and co-signed by the company's South Asia CEO Aditya Ghosh, to the Oyo employees. The letter explains Oyo Hotels is now a "well capitalised" company and will focus more on the growth prospects in its home market, reported the Economic Times. The year 2018 turned out to be a big year for hospitality start-up. It has expanded its global footprint by moving into China and the UK and is close to turning profitable. Also, the company entered the coveted unicorn club by raising $800 million from Japanese telecom major Softbank through Softbank Vision Fund. Oyo also received a $200 million funding from Singapore's ride-hailing company Grab, of which $100 million is expected to be released by December end. Now the company plans to invest around $200 million of these funds for expansion and quality improvement in India. "Today, we are committing to invest $200 million in India, with the focus on building strong capabilities that will help us further improve the quality of customer experience in India. We will cross leverage this in other markets as well," Agarwal said. Also read: OYO raises $1 billion from SoftBank, Sequoia and other existing investors to enter unicorn club The letter added the company will "focus on capacity building and look at opportunities for both organic and inorganic growth as long as it helps us in this mission. Rest assured, you will have all the resources and support you need to achieve your goals, make our collective vision for 2023 a reality". The recent shift in Oyo's strategy comes days after Aditya Ghosh joined as its India and South Asia CEO from December 1. Earlier reports said Ghosh was roped in to only focus on accelerating growth in the home markets, specifically India and China. Ghosh joins Oyo Hotels & Homes following a stint as an advisor to Tata Trusts. He had stepped down from his position as IndiGo's president and whole-time director in July. Agarwal's letter says the company can now boast a strong balance sheet, which will help it focus on maintaining the highest quality standards. "With a strong balance sheet, we today can go more places than ever, introduce new categories, invest in our assets, while maintaining our high-quality standards, without raising any further capital," the email stated. Reports suggest Oyo is now valued at between $4.5 and 5 billion -- in the same league as Ola, India's largest taxi-hailing service -- after the recent round of funding. In its previous round last September, when Oyo had raised about $260 million from SoftBank and other investors, it had been valued at about $850 million. Also read: Ritesh Agarwal's OYO forays into long-term housing rentals with OYO Living Notwithstanding the company's sound financials and its growth plans, Oyo has also been accused of violating several industry norms, including breach of contracts with hotel operators and putting consumer safety at risk. It remains to be seen how Oyo will tackle these problems amid its plans to become the largest hotel chain in the world by 2023. Edited by Manoj Sharma In an attempt to curb attrition, Wipro will pay a one-time bonus to junior employees with less than five years of experience, who have continued working in the company after campus recruitments. A person in the know said that Wipro will pay a percentage of their total compensation with the January salary. However, these B1 and B2 level employees will have to commit to stay with the company till 2020 to avail this benefit. A Wipro spokesperson said: "We incentivise high-performing individuals who are engaged in future-focused niche technologies and domains with periodic salary interventions. The recent intervention was for junior employees hired from campuses for technical roles. These employees will be eligible for annual increments as well." This move comes as IT service rivals Infosys, Cognizant, HCL Technologies and Wipro lose employees to each other. Especially, when such companies are looking to expand their digital base in India, they would want to retain engineers with expertise in areas such as cloud, digital as well as business segments. Wipro's arsenal of young talent is also quite mighty. The company had employed 1.75 lakh people as on September 30, a significant part of which have experience of 1-5 years, considered as junior employees. According to a report in The Economic Times, Saurabh Govil, head of Human Resources at Wipro said that high level of attrition at the junior level is due to a demand-supply gap. Analysts believe that one way of bringing down this attrition rate is to increase pay in a significant manner. Junior employees switching companies for a small pay hike is a trend often observed in such companies. In turn, high attrition affects quarterly results and street performance, said an expert in the report. In the last three years, firms like Infosys, HCL, Wipro and Cognizant have invested millions of dollars to train existing workforce in new technologies and redeploying them in projects. Additionally, the battle for such talent fluent in new technologies is only getting fiercer. UAE telecom group Etisalat has signed a partnership agreement with Azizi Developments, one of the leading private developers in the UAE, under which all its customers will get eLife services package in their homes. Real estate clients can apply for eLife services before moving into their home, thus reducing waiting time to enjoy seamless and high-speed connectivity, said a statement from Etisalat. The agreement was signed by Mohamed Al Zarouni, senior vice president, indirect sales at Etisalat, and Farhad Azizi, chief executive officer of Azizi Developments. "We are pleased to partner with Azizi Developments to promote the availability of eLife products and services across a wide partner base and offer benefits of convenience, coverage and value to customers," remarked Al Zarouni. Azizi Developments clients will now have the flexibility of purchasing our services right at their doorstep or prior to moving to their homes, he added.-TradeArabia News Service It's a season of farm loan waivers announcements in the country as many states, including newly elected state governments in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, have declared packages for loan write-offs for small and medium land-owning farmers. Experts suggest the farm loan waivers announced by these state governments are nothing but populist "political" measures taken by these governments in the run-up for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The newly formed Congress-led governments in MP, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan are the latest to do so apart from Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Punjab. According to a Business Standard report, in the four states -- Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Punjab -- only 40 per cent of the promised amount has been waived to date, and just half the beneficiaries have benefited. Also Read: PM Modi releases Rs 100 coin in memory of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government had announced waiver for loans up to Rs 1 lakh covering about 0.86 crore farmers by spending Rs 36,400 crore. However, the actual disbursals to farmers were Rs 24,700 crore, 32 per cent lower than actual credit target. Similarly, Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government announced a loan waiver of Rs 34,000 crore of which only Rs 17,000 crore has been disbursed so far. In Punjab, the Captain Amarinder Singh government announced farm waiver of over Rs 10,000 crore, but the actual amount of loans waived was just Rs 3,600 crore, which is Rs 6,400 lesser than the promise. Meanwhile, in Karnataka, the Kumaraswamy-led government has completed its first tranche of loan waiver of Rs 8,200 crore for 0.2 crore farmers, while its second tranches of Rs 40,000 crore is moving at slower speed, according to the agency report. Also Read: Arun Jaitley on GST: Future roadmap will be to work towards a single rate Earlier loan waiver announcements have also proved that a less percentage of people benefit from such schemes. Past experiences show that state governments had not been able to implement loan waivers scheme successfully. One of the main reasons for the unsuccessful implementation of this scheme is too much documentation. Farmers are usually not educated enough to understand their eligibility for loan types or loan application process and ultimately fail to meet bank requirements. Most of the farmers also fail to qualify for loan waivers due to various reasons, including higher limit, lack of coordination between administration and bankers. Also, be it the Centre or states, the budgetary constraints actually leave no scope for such freebies. The quantum of funds that is needed to carry out such an exercise is way higher than the state's ability to bear such one-time expenses, which can cause an inordinate delay in the loan-waiver process. Edited by Chitranjan Kumar The Infosys stock rose in early trade today amid a report that the IT firm may consider a proposal for a second share buyback of $1.60 billion very soon. The Infosys stock rose up to 2.025 to 658.80 on the BSE. The large cap stock opened at 658 level compared to the previuos close of 645.75 on the BSE. The stock has gained 25.96% during the last one year and risen 25.85% since the beginning of this year. 36 of 44 brokerages rate the stock "buy" or 'outperform', six "hold", one "underperform" and one "sell", according to analysts' recommendations tracked by Reuters. The stock is trading below the 50 day and 200 day moving average of 662.65 and 678.96. The buyback announcement is likely to be made on January 11 when the board of the company meets on January 11 to consider the audited quarterly results, according to a report by The Times of India. The buyback would be announced at a 20% to 25% premium at the current market price, the report adds. In November 2017, the Bengaluru-based firm announced first ever share buyback in the 36-year long history where the IT firm bought more than 11.30 crore shares for a price of Rs 1,150 apiece. Infosys spent around Rs 13,000 crore to buy back a total of 11,30,43,478 equity shares of a face value of Rs 5 from registered shareholders as on November 1, 2017. The Infosys buyback offer opened on November 30 and continued till December 14 last year. Edited by Aseem Thapliyal The pace of technology disruption has reached a crescendo in 2018. Society, in general, and industry and government, in particular, are spiritedly embracing digital technologies. Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Machine Learning, Big Data Analytics, Robotic Process Automation, and 3D Printing are increasingly becoming mainstream, cutting across industries. For instance, blockchain was originally thought to be an application in financial services and retail. It has now found its way into agriculture, healthcare, governance, logistics, etc. These technologies are providing numerous new opportunities for large enterprises as much as they are aiding the start-ups in developing new products and service-lines, improving efficiency, productivity, and competence levels, giving thrust to the economic growth of the country while simultaneously bringing about social equality. While opening up an abundance of new opportunities, these technology disruptions are presenting a formidable challenge to the $167-billion (2017-18 revenue) strong Indian IT industry which is employing about four million professionals. Today, upskilling and reskilling of over 50 per cent of the industry workforce has become an indispensable obligation for the IT-ITES industry. Also, students and fresh graduates need to be skilled in these new technologies. As a major step to mitigate this challenge, in February this year, NASSCOM launched "Future Skills," an AI-enabled learning platform to get India accelerated on the journey to building skills. The platform enables the discovery, continuous learning, and deep skilling in the emerging technologies with the ability to customize individual learning path for each professional based on their ambitions and their capabilities to learn. The government has identified information technology as one of the 12th champion services sectors earlier this year and initiated an action plan. Also, the government has set-up Rs 5,000-crore fund for realizing the potential of these champion services. As a part of the union budget 2018-19, it is heartening to see NITI Aayog setting-up a national level programme on Artificial Intelligence. This is quite a forward-looking step to leverage this important technology in key sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, smart cities and infrastructure, and smart mobility and transportation. In 2018, we also saw a major spurt in start-ups in India. India has retained its position as the third-largest start-up base in the world with over 4,750 technology start-ups, with about 1,500 startups in 2018 alone, as reported by NASSCOM. Start-ups are dynamic engines for employment generation and worldwide, start-ups create 60% of the new jobs. It is gratifying to see India embarking on this strategy and creating an enabling ecosystem for start-ups. In the context of India scaling up 30 positions in 2018 over its 2017 ranking of ease of doing business, it would be prudent to expect that the Indian start-up ecosystem, especially the tech start-ups, would attract greater interest from investors across the world. As we step into the new year, the future continues to look bright for the Indian IT-ITeS industry. The industry is anticipated to grow around 10% for several more years. Apparently, the talent requirements for the new opportunities are different from that of the past. To monetize the opportunity, we as a nation in general, and as IT industry in specific, have to make interventions in technology, talent, and ecosystem. Indian IT companies have to adopt these new technologies in a big way by skilling their employees and by taking risks in building products around these technologies. To create growth momentum, the government has to create clusters around each of these disruptive technologies. The creation of Centres of Excellence (CoE) in Big Data, Analytics, and AI is a good first step in this direction, but we need to populate these CoEs with domain experts to truly provide the right advice and consultancy to the industry. In 2019, we anticipate some interventions to promote the industry ecosystem with better infrastructure. It is imperative to have more incubators to fuel the start-up ecosystem. On that count, every technology institution in the country should have an active incubator. Talking about technology institutions, we anticipate a number of interventions from AICTE in 2019 to improve the employability of talent being produced across the country. Revamping the pedagogy, encouraging learning using Massive Online Open Courseware (MOOCs), upgrading the quality of the existing faculty, improving the industry-academia connect, placing priority on emerging technologies at the undergrad level, etc. are some of the trends you will see in the short-term. I believe 2019 will be challenging, yet with an abundance of opportunities on the horizon, it could be quite a gratifying one as well. BVR Mohan Reddy, Founder & Executive Chairman - CYIENT Limited, Former Chairman - NASSCOM 24 Dec 2018, 7:36 PM Jaitley, Kamal Nath to join over 100 Indian leaders at World Economic Forum in Davos Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and two of his union cabinet colleagues are likely to travel to Switzerland's snow-laden resort town of Davos next month for the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting, which would also be attended by three chief ministers, including Madhya Pradesh's Kamal Nath and over 100 Indian CEOs. Microsoft's Indian-origin CEO Satya Nadella and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim will be among the co-chairs of the 2019 edition of this annual congregation of world leaders from January 21-25. India Inc welcomes GST slash; says the move to boost economy India Inc on Sunday cheered the GST Council's decision to slash tax rates on 23 goods and services and said the move will push demand and boost the economy. The council reduced tax rates on goods and services including movie tickets, TV and monitor screens and power banks, and exempted frozen and preserved vegetables from the levy.The reduced rates are likely to come into effect from January 1, 2019 High bandwidth charges could spoil in-flight mobile services for India High satellite bandwidth charges are likely to play a spoiler in the uptake of in-flight mobile services in India as these would make the facility costlier by 30-50 times at Rs 700-1,000 for a two-hour journey, says an industry official.The chief technology officer of broadband technology firm Hughes India, K Krishna, told PTI that satellite bandwidth charges in India are 7-8 times higher compared to other parts of the world due to the condition that bandwidth can be procured from Indian Space Research Organisation only. Japan court extends Carlos Ghosn detention by 10 days A Japanese court on Sunday extended for 10 days detention of ousted Nissan Motor Co chairman Carlos Ghosn, who is facing new allegations of making the carmaker shoulder $16.6 million in personal investment losses.The extension announced by the Tokyo District Court means Ghosn will remain in Tokyo's main detention centre, where he has been confined since his arrest last month on initial allegations of financial misconduct. TCS, Wipro, IBM among firms shortlisted by RBI for setting up Public Credit Registry The Reserve Bank of India has shortlisted six major IT companies, including TCS, Wipro and IBM India, to set up a wide-based digital Public Credit Registry (PCR) for capturing details of all borrowers and wilful defaulters. The proposed PCR will also include data from entities like market regulator Sebi, the corporate affairs ministry, Goods and Service Tax Network (GSTN) and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) to enable banks and financial institutions to get a 360-degree profile of the existing as well as prospective borrowers on a real-time basis Rs 60,000 crore likely compensation to states this year for revenue loss under GST The GST Council has estimated that in the current financial year, the total compensation cess required this year to pay to the states to compensate for the loss of revenue would be around Rs 60,000 crore compared to Rs 48,000 crore paid in the eight months of the last financial year. The GST was implemented from July 2017, and hence revenue from GST was available for the eight-month period last year. Aadhaar all set for a massive revamp Aadhaar, India's extraordinary attempt to give every citizen a biometric identity, is set for a massive revamp with new offline verification tools and non-intrusive ways for people seeking to voluntarily use the 12-digit unique number for new bank accounts and mobile connections. After twists and turns in 2018, led by the landmark Supreme Court ruling on the constitutional validity of Aadhaar, the UIDAI's efforts around offline modes like eAadhaar and QR code that can leverage the unique ID without any access to biometrics or even revealing the 12-digit number would gather pace in 2019. Nine bank unions call for a strike against the proposed amalgamation of BoB, Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank Close to 1 million employees of various banks, including private lenders, have called for a one-day strike on December 26 to protest against the proposed amalgamation of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank with Bank of Baroda. "This amalgamation is not in the interest of banks or bank customers. It is rather detrimental to both," the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) said. The UFBU is an umbrella organisation of nine unions. Close to two decades after its launch, e-Choupal, a well-recognised rural-digital infrastructure network of ITC Ltd, the FMCG, hotels, agri-business and information technology conglomerate, will take a new avatar as a mobile phone application. The new digital platform, or the e-choupal 4.O, will serve as a plug-and-play platform for agri-startup companies in India and is expected to be launched by mid-2019. E-Choupal was ITC's farmer empowerment initiative by providing internet kiosks in villages. This initiative now comprises about 6,100 installations covering over 35,000 villages and serving over 4 million farmers. While the existing e-Choupals and agri-extension programmes of ITC will continue to exist, it will not be expanded any further as the company will move to initiate the new plug and play ready digital platform for agri-startups to build and expand their businesses. "We are refining the services of more than 20 startups at the moment. These startups will be able to use our platform for providing many services including location specific weather forecasts, crop advisory, quality testing of crops etc to farmers," S Sivakumar, head, Agri and IT Business, ITC says. E-Choupals, coupled with flagship agri extension programme - "Choupal Pradarshan Khet", has been famed for the dissemination of deep understanding of agricultural practices, collaborations with India's premier research institutes, and a competitive and efficient supply chain that helped ITC deliver immense value across the agricultural value chain. It has helped ITC's agri-business too as it routes its procurement needs almost entirely through such networks. In fact, ITC's strength in agri business is the extensive backward linkages it has established with the farmers. This networking with the farming community has enabled ITC to build a highly cost effective procurement system. "The e-Choupal model has been specifically designed to tackle the challenges posed by the unique features of Indian agriculture, characterised by fragmented farms, weak infrastructure and the involvement of numerous intermediaries, among others. The e-Choupal model creates a significant two-way multi-dimensional channel, which can efficiently carry products and services into and out of rural India, while recovering the associated costs through agri-sourcing led efficiencies," the company states. In line with its mission of improving the quality of life in rural India, ITC's agri business has launched a flagship extension programme called 'Choupal Pradarshan Khet' (CPK) or demonstration plots to help farmers enhance farm productivity by adopting agricultural best practices. Started in 2005-06, ITC's Choupal Pradarshan Khet (CPK) or demonstration plots to help farmers enhance farm productivity cover a wide range of crop portfolio including soya, paddy, cotton, maize, bajra, wheat, gram, mustard, sunflower and potato. Over the years, ITC has undertaken 83,388 number of CPKs covering 4.4 Lakh acres under crop development project, in approximately 5,000 villages benefiting more than 10 Lakh farmers. "Out of the 10 lakh aggregate beneficiaries, incomes of around 34,000 farmers have doubled (107 per cent growth) by adopting all the practices and recommended inputs. Balance farmer's income has also shown an income increase of 30 per cent to 75 per cent, depending on adoption of various recommended practices. It was found that the farmers are happy with the interventions by ITC as their yield and income has increased considerably, post ITC's intervention", the company claims. Moving away from desktop-based interface at the village level to a mobile platform based e-Choupal 4.O will not change the basic features of ITC's approach to increasing farmer income, says Shivakumar, adding that addressing the four elements of the farmer profitability equation - improve farm productivity, improve product quality & integrity, reduce cost of cultivation & risk mitigation - will remain the focus. The government plans to amend the IT rules wherein social media platforms and messaging apps will be required to deploy tools to "identify" and curb unlawful content as well as follow stricter due diligence practices, as per draft amendments. IT ministry officials held a meeting last week with senior executives of Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter and other companies to discuss the proposed changes in the Information Technology (IT) rules. Against the backdrop of mob lynching incidents triggered by rumours circulated on WhatsApp and other social media sites, the government has been exploring ways to curb misuse of such platforms. Besides, the effort is to tackle spreading of fake messages on social media ahead of the general elections in 2019. Also Read: Smartphones still not 'made' in India; key parts still imported from China On Monday, the government said it is committed to freedom of speech and expression and privacy of its citizens, amid criticism from certain quarters over larger implications of the amendments. The government last week had authorised ten central agencies to intercept data on any computer, a move that had triggered a political storm with Opposition accusing the Centre of trying to create a "surveillance state". According to the draft amendment proposed to the IT rules, which pertain to social media and other online platforms with respect to content, automated tools will have to be deployed to identify and disable "unlawful content". "The intermediary (social media platform) shall deploy technology-based automated tools or appropriate mechanisms, with appropriate controls for proactively identifying and removing or disabling public access to unlawful information or content," said the draft that has been placed on IT ministry's website on Monday. Another change proposed is that the platforms would have to inform its users to refrain from hosting, uploading or sharing any content that is blasphemous, obscene, defamatory, "hateful or racially, ethnically objectionable". Users would be asked to guard against hosting or sharing information that violates any law, deceives or misleads receivers about the origin of messages that are grossly offensive or menacing in nature, or those which threaten national security. The IT ministry is seeking feedback from the public on the draft amendments by January 15 before taking a final decision. E-mails sent by PTI to social media platforms, including Google, Facebook and WhatsApp seeking comments on their discussions with the government remained unanswered. In its statement on Monday, the IT ministry asserted that the government does not regulate content appearing on social network platforms, although these companies are required to ensure that their platforms are not used to commit and provoke terrorism, extremism, violence and crime. It also cited recent instances of misuse of social media by criminals and anti-national elements that have brought new challenges to law enforcement agencies. "These include inducement for recruitment of terrorists, circulation of obscene content, spread of disharmony, incitement of violence, public order, fake news etc. "A number of lynching incidents were reported in 2018 mostly alleged to be because of fake news/ rumours being circulated through WhatsApp and other social media sites," the ministry said. Another proposed amendment is that platforms or intermediaries with over 50 lakh users in the country will be required to have a permanent registered office in India with physical address. This is likely to impact most international social media platforms given that India is a key market for them. Besides, these platforms will have to appoint a nodal officer in India for round-the-clock coordination with law enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with the rules, the draft said. As per the proposals, the intermediary -- after a court order is communicated or being alerted by a government agency -- will have to remove or disable access "as far as possible immediately, but in no case later than 24 hours". "When required by lawful order, the intermediary shall within 72 hours of communication, provide such information or assistance as asked for by any government agency or assistance concerning security of state or cyber security..." as per the draft. Among others, it has been proposed that the platforms will inform their users at least once a month that if the rules are violated, access and user rights of consumers can be terminated. These internet companies will also have to preserve relevant records for 180 days for investigation purposes or longer periods, if required. In a detailed statement made in July in the Parliament, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had emphasised the government's resolve to strengthen the legal framework and make social media platforms more accountable under law. WhatsApp had drawn flak from the government after fake messages circulating on its platform had triggered incidents of mob violence in various parts of the country. Fake news has been an issue globally for social media giants. WhatsApp, on its part, has taken a number of steps including introduction of a forward label to help identify such content. While the assembly of mobile phones in India has emerged as a bright spot for the economy over the past four years, the manufacturing of parts which is the logical next step in the country's ambition of becoming a smartphone-making hub, is still stuck in uncertainty. India has recently toppled Vietnam to become the second largest mobile phone maker after China. Thanks to the Phase Manufacturing Programme (PMP), the country is home to 268 mobile phone assembling units, according to India Cellular and Electronics Association estimates. However, India still relies on imported parts from China for the assembly because of the lack of an ecosystem of component manufacturers here. "There is a lot of uncertainty around India's duty structure for mobile phones. The issue has been raised in the World Trade Organisation and the US has taken a stand as far as duty is concerned. If there is clarity that this duty is here to stay, say, for at least five years, big-ticket investments in component manufacturing will start coming in. After that, the ecosystem will develop and the duty protection won't be needed anymore,"said Atul B Lall, MD of Dixon Technologies which assembles mobiles for brands. The PMP levies duty on key mobile parts in phases to curb import of components and localise them. So far, a basic customs duty (BCD) is levied on batteries, chargers and adaptors etc. Manufacturers have also forayed into the assembly of Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) or otherboards, which constitute up to 60 per cent of a phone. The target for 2019-20 includes assembly of display and touch glass. Meanwhile, international giants like Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo have been pumping money into India, the second largest market for smartphones, to boost capacities of factories where their phones are assembled. In July, Korean smartphone maker Samsung set up the world's largest mobile phone factory in Noida. Recently, China's Vivo said it will invest Rs 4,000 crore over the next four years to set up another factory in Uttar Pradesh. "Till March 2018, Vivo invested over Rs 200 crore more to set up a surface-mount technology unit for PCB assembly," said Vivo India's brand strategy director, Nipun Marya. Vivo has reportedly said they are keen on expanding into component making soon. Fellow Chinese player and rival Oppo is also supposedly holding talks with component makers about opening units here for its upcoming industrial park in Greater Noida. The expansions are sure to draw in more Korean, Chinese and Taiwanese component makers to set up shop in India and kick start a components ecosystem as there is already increasing interest from them, smaller manufacturers say. Recently, China's Xiaomi held a meeting of its global suppliers to explore the possibility of opening units in India. The firm had said $2.5 billion investment would come into India if the suppliers set up shop in the country. "Component manufacturing requires heavy investments. It doesn't make sense for component makers to come to India just to make for India because they are already working with partners elsewhere for this. At least if the neighbouring countries offer a small market, they can establish themselves here," says associate research manager at International Data Corporation, Jaipal Singh. The year 2018 wasn't a good one for the smartphone industry. For the first time in years we witnessed a slowdown. IDC reported a 6% year-on-year decline in third-quarter shipments, down to 355.2 million units. Strategy Analytics put the total at 360 million units, down 8%. Even the likes of Apple felt the heat. People aren't switching phones as fast as they used to. There aren't too many new features that wow customers and the Chinese market, the erstwhile growth engine of the industry, has saturated. However, companies aren't giving up, yet! Along with the usual increase in megapixel and DxOMark scores, 2019 will bring some radical new design changes and the small steps towards the 5G internet speeds. Let's take a look towards the smartphone trends that will dominate 2019: 5G: 5G has become a race and everyone wants a place at the starting block. The fifth generation cellular mobile communication Tsunami will probably start with Samsung or OnePlus phones sometime in the first half of 2019. 5G has the potential for more than just faster download speeds. According to Delloitte, 5G is expected drive several advancements, including digital transformation across industries, providing a platform for end-to-end IoT connectivity, enabling faster connections for consumers, and even providing a more cost-effective platform for carriers. However, none of that is expected to happen in 2019. Investing on a 5G enabled phones won't make much sense considering the fact that you won't be using any of its features for another 5-7 years. Also Read: Here's how you can create your own WhatsApp stickers Foldable phones: Two foldable phones were showed off in 2018 and results were a bit underwhelming. But 2019 could witness a slew of new designs and phones with the foldable form factor. Google has already partenered with Samsung to create a version of Android tailored to the new foldable reality. Camera holes: No more notches in 2019. Yes, camera hole/pin hole/punch hole design it seems is where the future is heading towards before companies find a more elegant solution. Samsung Galaxy A8 and Honor Nova 4 gave a quite glimpse at what 2019 may offer. In-screen fingerprint reader: Race to increase the over-all screen to body ratio made companies to play around with the location of fingerprint scanners. Some even ditched it completely. However it made a small come back in the latter half of 2018. Optical fingerprint scanners were a bit slower than the physical ones, but next year Samsung is coming up with ultrasonic fingerprint scanners which will be faster and more secure. Multiple Cameras: One was never enough so we had two. But, what about four or five cameras? The Nokia 9 PureView was one of the most-discussed phones of 2018 due to its rumoured penta-camera setup on the back panel. Race to add as many zoom, wide angle and AI cameras will continue in 2019. However, investing in a bit of software could go a long way in getting that perfect shot. Edited By: Udit Verma French company EDF has submitted a techno-commercial proposal to the government for the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant (JNPP), in a significant step towards the progress of the project, sources said. A techno-commercial offer is an important step in the negotiations process as it helps the two parties determine the cost of the project and tariff of the electricity generated from it. Also Read: India Inc welcomes GST slash; says the move to boost economy The offer comes less than a week after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian agreed to expedite work on the project. "Both countries are working to start the Jaitapur nuclear energy project as soon as possible. We are glad that NPCIL and EDF have made progress based on the Industrial Way Forward Agreement. Today, we have adopted the Status of Progress for Implementation of Industrial Way Forward Agreement," Swaraj announced after holding talks with visiting French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on December 15. Sources said the proposal has been submitted to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), an atomic power plants operating public sector undertaking under the Department of Atomic Energy. The government will now study the techno-commercial offer, sources added. This includes the cost of the project, loan to be given by France and overall tariff of the electricity. The Indo-French deal was signed in September 2008. Negotiations first began with French company Areva, but last year, French utility company EDF took over its nuclear reactor business after the former faced financial issues. There have been several factors that were hindering the power plant, which includes the "reference plant". Since Areva, and now EDF was bringing in new technology, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), the country nuclear watchdog, asked for a reference plant. A reference plant is a functional power reactor and the Areva had then cited a power reactor at Flamanville. The JNPP, proposed to be the largest nuclear park in the country to be built in coastal Maharashtra, will have six reactors with a capacity of 1650 MW each. Also Read: GST Council plans to reduce tax rates on under-construction flats, houses to 5% Also Read: Jaitley, Kamal Nath to join over 100 Indian leaders at World Economic Forum in Davos Also Read: Tata Motors assures UK PM Theresa May of JLR commitment: report Cases of cryptocurrency mining and cryptojacking will continue to grow in 2019, as attackers target smart devices and home assistants to build cryptomining farms, according to Esets latest trends report. Along with cryptomining, Cybersecurity Trends 2019:Privacy and intrusion in the global village details the predictions of top experts from the global cybersecurity firm, revealing the cybersecurity trends set to impact businesses in 2019. Trend #1: Cryptomining continues to rise Cryptocurrency mining beat ransomware in terms of media attention in the past year, and cryptojackingthe process by which a device is hijacked illegitimatelyshows no signs of slowing down, according to Eset senior security researcher David Harley. We can expect to see more coin-mining software attempting to remove competing coinminers on compromised systems in order to get a higher-calorie slice of the processing pie, said Harley. Trend #2: Automation to advance social engineering campaigns Eset asserts that 2019 will see an increase in cybercriminals use of automation and machine learning in attempts to collect more data so they can launch more personalized and sophisticated social engineering campaigns. While it is unlikely that cybercriminals will have access to the wealth of data stored by vendors, such as peoples regular shopping trips, they could employ webtrackers that follow victims between websites or gather information from data brokers to form profiles. Lysa Myers, Eset senior security researcher, said: While some phishing and other fraud scams have certainly improved in their ability to mimic legitimate sources, many are still painfully obvious fakes. Machine learning could help increase effectiveness in this area. Trend #3: Data privacy will make or break companies In 2018, issues around data privacy and protection came sharply into focus following a number of high-profile cyberattacks, data leaks and privacy missteps, as well as the implementation of GDPR. Eset senior security researchers Stephen Cobb and Lysa Myers commented that in light of incidents such as Cambridge Analytica, we are likely to see people searching for alternatives to the platforms such as Facebook that currently dominate. Given the importance of customer data to companies, individuals, and to cybercriminals, Eset argues that the ability to properly manage data privacy could decide which companies stay in business in 2019. Trend #4: A move towards a global privacy law? Following the implementation of GDPR, Eset questions whether the EU legislation is the first step towards a global privacy law, particularly as similar models start to appear in California, Brazil, and Japan. Considering this, Eset warns against dismissing privacy rights and data protection as an EU anomaly. The pressure to protect customers data and ensure the privacy of sensitive information is a global issue and will certainly encourage a move towards GDPR-style privacy around the world. Trend #5: Attackers set their sights on smart home devices An increase in the adoption of cryptocurrencies, as well as a rise in the number of devices connected to the internet, could mean that smart devices and home assistants become the entry point for attackers to build cryptomining farms in 2019. Cybercriminals have used IoT devices to launch major denial of service attacks, but as more devices become connected and engrained into peoples lives in 2019, attackers will continue to hunt for the devices vulnerabilities and use them to implement threats like scams, ransomware, and cryptocurrency mining more widely. TradeArabia News Service India Inc on Sunday cheered the GST Council's decision to slash tax rates on 23 goods and services and said the move will push demand and boost the economy. The council reduced tax rates on goods and services including movie tickets, TV and monitor screens and power banks, and exempted frozen and preserved vegetables from the levy. Also Read: Jaitley, Kamal Nath to join over 100 Indian leaders at World Economic Forum in Davos The reduced rates are likely to come into effect from January 1, 2019, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters after the 31st meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council here Saturday. "At a time when stronger demand can speed up growth, the reduction in tax rates for items used by different sections of society can be expected to impart a necessary boost to the economy," CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said. Rajeev Talwar, president, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry said consistent indirect tax revenue growth along with reduction in high GST rates indicate that tax base is widening and economic activity is expanding. Ficci President Sandeep Somany said the GST Council has followed a pragmatic policy by bringing down rates gradually, taking into consideration the revenue realisation and affordability, and this will stabilise and strengthen GST further. The 28 per cent slab is now restricted to only luxury and sin goods apart from auto-parts and cement -- the tax rate on which could not be cut due to high revenue implication. Also Read: GST Council plans to reduce tax rates on under-construction flats, houses to 5% Also Read: France submits techno-commercial offer for Jaitapur nuclear power project Also Read: Tata Motors assures UK PM Theresa May of JLR commitment: report A PIL was filed on Monday in the Supreme Court challenging the government's notification authorising 10 central agencies to intercept, monitor and decrypt any computer system. The petition filed by advocate Manohar Lal Sharma seeks to quash of the government's December 20 notification. According to the government's notification, 10 Central probe and snoop agencies are now empowered under the Information Technology (IT) Act for computer interception and analysis, Ministry of Home Affairs officials said. The 10 agencies notified under the new order are the Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Bureau, Enforcement Directorate, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (for Income Tax Department), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Central Bureau of Investigation, National Investigation Agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, Directorate of Signal Intelligence (in service areas of J-K, North East and Assam) and Delhi Police commissioner. Jaguar Land Rover owner Tata Motors has reportedly assured Prime Minister Theresa May of the company's commitment to Britain's automotive industry despite the ongoing turmoil of Brexit. According to 'The Sunday Times', Tata Sons chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran is understood to have written to the British premier to stress that the Tata Group plans to keep investing in JLR and has no intention of selling the firm. The UK newspaper quoted sources as saying that the letter was designed to reassure ministers in Britain about its long-term commitment to the UK as it seeks government support for electric and driverless technology, and for building a battery factory in the Midlands region of England. The report comes amid reports of JLR being forced to make job cuts, shedding more than 1,000 agency staff and putting 2,000 workers at its Castle Bromwich plant in the West Midlands on a three-day week. JLR CEO Ralf Speth has made regular interventions to warn against a "hard Brexit", or crashing out of the European Union (EU) without a good deal in place, which would adversely hit the car maker's supply chains and sales. The Tata Group had acquired the iconic British luxury car brand from Ford in 2008 for USD 2.3 billion, reviving its sagging fortunes to a profitable company employing 40,000 staff. However, falling diesel sales, waning consumer confidence, a collapse in the Chinese market and Brexit contingency planning have wreaked havoc in recent months. The Midlands-based company racked up half-year losses of 354 million pounds between March and September, reversing profits of 953 million pounds for the same period a year earlier. The Tata Group declined to comment on the letter quoted in UK media. The Bank of Inner Mongolia is seen in Hohhot, capital of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Photo: VCG The former chairman of a major joint-stock bank based in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region was handed a suspended death sentence on Friday after being convicted of corruption involving over 600 million yuan ($87 million). Yang Chenglin, 66, the former chair and Communist Party chief of the state-backed Bank of Inner Mongolia Co. Ltd., was convicted of crimes that included accepting bribes and embezzling bank funds from 2000 to 2013, according to a statement (link in Chinese) from the Intermediate Peoples Court of Baotou, a major industrial city in the region. Yang was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, and will not be eligible for parole or a sentence reduction after the death penalty is reduced to life imprisonment in two years, the statement said. All his property will be confiscated. Yangs crimes were very serious, and had an especially bad social influence, which warranted the death penalty, but the death penalty will not be imposed immediately as he exposed the crimes of others and confessed wrongdoings that had not been discovered by investigators, the statement said. Yang Hai, Yangs son, was sentenced to 19 years in prison and fined 3 million yuan for taking bribes and embezzlement, the court said. In addition, Zhang Ting, Yang Chenglins mistress, was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 700,000 yuan for taking bribes, it said. In July 2014, the elder Yang was arrested on suspicion of bribery by the Peoples Procuratorate of Inner Mongolia. Yangs fall took place after he retired from the bank in August 2013. Several people close to the Bank of Inner Mongolia told Caixin that his wrongdoings were exposed during the exit audit. Yangs arrest was followed by a series of corruption arrests at the bank, leading to the imprisonment of Yao Yongping and Yan Ping, the banks former president and vice president respectively. Yaos crimes were revealed by Yang, according to the sources. Yang was one of the most senior officials at the bank. In 1999, he helped found Hohhot City Commercial Bank Co. Ltd., the predecessor of the Bank of Inner Mongolia, and he was the banks chairman for 14 years. Contact reporter Liu Jiefei (jiefeiliu@caixin.com) By Noelle Mateer / Dec 24, 2018 04:02 PM / World Going from China to Sweden for Christmas? You might want to be careful at least according to Chinas foreign ministry, which issued a travel warning over the weekend. The travel advisory stated that more than 40 incidents, such as theft and robbery, had occurred in Sweden involving Chinese travelers over the past three months, the South China Morning Post reported. Why the past three months? The plight of Chinese travelers in the Nordic country has been in the spotlight since September, when a group of tourists were forcibly removed from a hotel by Swedish police. The incident sparked outrage online, as well as the Chinese Embassy to Swedens initial warning, which was originally in effect until Dec. 22. This warning is a renewal of the first one, due to the security situation in Sweden, it says, SCMP reported. Related: Internet Users Turn on Sweden Over TV Show Ridiculing Chinese Tourists | BY Ricki Green | Tourism Fiji has announced a revitalized global brand campaign ready to roll-out in 2019. Created by Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand and Goodoil Films, the refined campaign builds upon the destinations current brand messaging; Where Happiness Finds You, while showcasing the breadth of experiences available to visitors. The campaign assets have been developed to demonstrate that the Fiji brand goes beyond just relaxation by highlighting Fijis Bula Spirit, and emphasizing the range of unique experiences that are offered throughout Fijis 333 islands, with powerful imagery designed to evoke an emotive response and create real interest in the destination. The suite of assets developed span TV commercial, out-of-home, digital / online, cinema, social media and variations have been made to appeal to families, couples, adventure and luxury travelers around the world. Says Matthew Stoeckel, CEO for Tourism Fiji: Fiji is famous for its stunning environment, world-class resorts and of course its hospitality. The new creative assets also showcase the wide range of experiences within the destination while continuing to showcase Fijis stunning landscapes and sharing the bula spirit of Fiji, which makes it the place where happiness truly finds you. Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand developed multiple versions of the campaign assets to suit each of Tourism Fijis global markets including the USA, UK, Europe, China, Japan, Singapore, India, Australia and New Zealand. The assets are currently rolling out on the destinations social media channels, before launching further activity in Tourism Fijis core markets in 2019. Says Toby Talbot, chief creative officer, Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand: Everyone who comes to Fiji seems to leave happier. The authentic spirit of the people and the place are what makes it such a uniquely happy place in the world right now. Everything we have created is grounded in the extraordinary emotive connection that the Fijian people make with visitors. From the incredible singing to the addictive bula! of locals that greet you throughout the islands, this campaign is about bottling that happiness and sharing it with the world. Goodoil Films director, Justin McMillan, said he found it refreshing and rewarding to work on a project where the unpredictability of nature dictates the shoot schedule. Says McMillanI found it refreshing to work on a project where I finally learnt the true value of time. Fiji will not bend for your schedule. Your schedule needs to work for Fiji. I was lucky enough to be surrounded by an amazing crew who respected these rules and lived by them. Tide vs light vs clouds vs trade winds dominated our daily conversations, with the local fisherman being our best source of knowledge when it comes to planning the next day of shooting. Fiji must be one of the trickiest places on the planet to forecast. Ever since I visited Fiji years ago with my family, the people of Fiji have always held a special place in my heart, so I found it easy to go the extra mile on these films for them. We all left the shoot with a feeling of satisfaction knowing we couldnt have tried any harder for the people of Fiji. In addition to the revamped global assets, Tourism Fiji is also developing a new website to be launched in 2019 which will share personal stories through video, featured blogs and listicles which highlight the diversity of experiences available throughout Fiji. Tourism Fiji Matt Stoeckel CEO Sera Cawanibuka Global Brand Manager Antonio Racika Marketing Manager, Asia Rush Pathak Global Social Media Manager Stephanie Robinson Content Manager Prodution company Goodoil Films Justin McMillan Director Mark Foster Executive Producer Katie Kempe Producer George Mackenzie Business Director Crighton Bone D.O.P Simon Njoo Editor Kim Tillbury Production Design Post Production Blockhead Sound Design Franklin Road Music Igelese Ete Creative agency Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand Paul Wilson Managing Director Toby Talbot Chief Creative Officer Susie Darling Head of Account Management Amanda Chambers Head of Production and Content David McIndoe Head of Strategy Jordan Sky Creative Director Kristal Knight Creative Director Guy Roberts Creative Director The Mena digital startup ecosystem is rapidly growing, with funding reaching $650 million from 270 deals in 2017, said organisers of the Global Entrepreneurship Week 2018 in Bahrain, citing a recent report by ArabNet and Dubai SME. Global social entrepreneurship organization Ashoka, global technology company SAP, and members of the World Economic Forums Global Shapers Community joined forces to drive dialogue and action with social entrepreneurs during the event. During the recent ChangemakerXchange Talks and Actions at the University of Bahrain and Brinc Batelco IoT Hub, six startup leaders presented, inspired, and empowered young people and social entrepreneurs to embark and scale their startup journeys. The event was part of a larger effort to celebrate entrepreneurship during Global Entrepreneurship Week 2018, promoted by Tamkeen. Strong turnout at the ChangemakerXchange Talks and Actions shows Middle East entrepreneurs are global leaders in using technology to make a social impact, said Batoul Husseini, director of Corporate Social Responsibility, SAP Mena. By fostering connections, learning, and collaboration, SAP and Ashoka are helping startups to scale, exchange best practices, and foster social change. Leveraging the power of technology including artificial intelligence and machine learning, blockchain, cloud, and the Internet of Things was a main topic of discussion. Lana Al Attar, founder of Bahrains Gudjuju digital agency with a conscious, talked on Using Technology to Empower Good. Saad Hamid, the CEO of Pakistani digital consultancy DEMO and founder of the SkillsFirst digital skills bootcamp, presented on What Does Opportunity Mean in a Digital World?. Reaching new levels of funding was also highlighted. Ammar Shawoosh, a Saudi Arabian entrepreneur and consultant, presented on Five Lessons to Leverage Your Competitive Advantage. Ameen Hadeed, the CEO of Iraqi medical startup Pharx, presented The Journey: From Survival to Entrepreneurship. Nour El Assaad, the founder and president of the Lebanese anti-bullying nonprofit No Label NGO, presented on The Power of Self-Learning and Perseverance. Yostina Boules, the founder of waste-to-electricity startup Taqa Solutions in Egypt, presented on Women in Tech. While exploring the potential of harnessing technology for social change, the social entrepreneurs also took time to deepen their bond on a human level and to cultivate their wellbeing. These are important practices to sustain their motivation and becoming more effective in their work as changemakers. TradeArabia News Service life-style, life Good relationships thrive and survive through holidays. It's no doubt a happy Christmas for many. But research shows that it's also a time when break-ups spike. Money worries pile on the pressure. So does enforced proximity to close relatives you might rather not be so close to. Fractured families mean that new partners might have to meet children from previous relationships. And all with an expectation of happy families and Christmas joy. So what do the professionals advise as ways to prevent the pressure cracking relationships which might basically be sound? Juleen Schiefelbein of Relationships Australia in Canberra pointed to research the organisation did after the Christmas before last. The researchers got responses from 1650 people. By its nature, the sample is unscientific - only people in difficulty would have been seeking relationship advice. Happy couples weren't. With that caveat, the researchers found: "Around one-third of survey respondents indicated that their family relationships were highly negatively affected at Christmas due to work-life balance factors (men 31 per cent, women 33 per cent). "One third of people responding to the monthly survey also reported that their family relationships were highly negatively affected due to financial worries at Christmas (men 28 per cent, women 34 per cent), with men reporting lower rates of relationship stress due to financial worries than was reported by male survey respondents in 2014 (33 per cent). "When asked about the effects of increased consumption of food, drugs, alcohol or gambling on their family relationships at Christmas, 20 per cent of women and 13 per cent of men reported that their family relationships were highly negatively affected. " Ms Schiefelbein has a three point advice sheet to stop the strain breaking the relationship: She sums it up as "the key is to keep talking. Make your relationship a priority". Ms Schiefelbein makes a distinction between listening and hearing. In the melee of the high-pressure holidays, don't just turn an ear to your partner and seem to be listening but make listening an active matter. "Take the time to be grateful to each other," she says. The advice is echoed by another professional. Psychologist Jacqui McCabe-Austin said, "No matter how busy the lead-up to Christmas, just take 30 minutes being relaxed with each other. "Just feel really relaxed and non-stressed with each other inclose proximity. "This is an essential thing to do. Turn off the TV, turn off the devices. Turn down the lights. Turn off the kids and just chill with each other, just for half an hour". Ms McCabe-Austin'd the principle psychologist at JMA Psychology Canberra which advises people whose relationships are in difficulty. If there are problems in a relationship, she thinks addressing them early is important. Don't let things fester. "The biggest problem that I see is people addressing the problem too late," she said. "You don't service a car only when it breaks down. She recommends "preventative maintenance". "It's a good approach to take to a relationship." /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/4f62a37d-b921-4271-b220-b77bdb6215e3/r10_0_5461_3080_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg comment The Australian College of Nursing is pleased to see the ACT government taking steps to protect our nurses and midwives with the release last week of its Nurses and Midwives Towards a Safer Culture The First Step Strategy. Unfortunately, violence against healthcare workers is all too common and not restricted to one hospital or state. The World Health Organisation found up to 38 per cent of health workers suffer physical violence at some point in their careers. For the nursing profession this number is much higher. It is estimated that between 80per cent and 95 per cent of nurses face repeated episodes of aggression each year. Research suggests nurses are one of the most at risk occupational groups. It is hard to believe that the very people who care for us when we are most vulnerable face potential injury every time they go to work and more is not being done to protect them. Governments, health managers and our justice system must adopt a zero-tolerance approach to violence against healthcare workers. Healthcare workers are saving the lives of Australians and should never have their own lives and wellbeing threatened simply because they have pursued this noble calling. Australian College of Nursing CEO, Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward, Deakin Your editorial ("The ACT is in the slow lane to transport reform", canberratimes.com.au, December 20) is correct in suggesting the Barr government is engaging in some long-term development and planning. The quality of the planning, however, is poor. Where, for example, are the assessments demonstrating: (a) Light rail is the best option for inter-town public transport? (b) The urban renewal benefits of light rail are superior to those associated with a busway? (c) Kowen has greater environmental and infrastructure costs than the preferred greenfields development options to the west of the city? And (d) The 70 per cent infill policy is superior to alternative infill shares of say 50 or 60 per cent? Also absent is a plan indicating the infrastructure required to accommodate the projected growth, its cost and where and when it is to occur. Sadly the Barr government has not been prepared to undertake the assessments necessary to ensure the future development of Canberra is on a sound footing. It is unlikely the needs of the community will be met in the most socially, economically, financially and environmentally responsible manner. The good news is the government has the time to undertake the assessments to demonstrate it is not an incompetent administration. Please put some substance behind the rhetoric. Mike Quirk, Garran One of the few positive aspects of retired General David Hurley's sudden appointment as the next governor-general is that it will, yet again, be a constant reminder of the extremely close links between the monarchy and the military. We note direct election of the head of state for the Republic of Ireland has produced not one militarily aligned president thus far with no adverse effects apparent. The announcement was made by PM Morrison despite Bill Shorten's request to delay the appointment. He did this knowing full well that then PM Rudd extended Quentin Bryce's term beyond the 2013 election. This action enabled Tony Abbott to recommend present incumbent Peter Cosgrove, another retired army man complete with newly minted knighthood. Given the new appointment has no bipartisan agreement Morrison appears to have consulted only himself and the next G-G will not be sworn in until after the election, it also offers the tantalising prospect of a new Labor PM advising the Queen to rescind Morrison's recommendation and replace it with a nominee of his own choice. By doing so, the ALP would signal that it means business by quickly and spectacularly bursting the Sydney bubble so well described by John Warhurst ("Morrison's narrow view of the world guided by traditional values set to be tested", December 20, p18-19). The anticipated outrage would only last for a few days before finding a new object of its desire. Sarah Brasch, Women for an Australian Republic, Weston I am amazed that General David Hurley was the Prime Minister's "only choice" for governor-general. His appointment is the third Anglo-Saxon male from the military in a 20-year period. The governor-general appointments in Canada over the last 20 years reflect far greater diversity in choice. They are Adrienne Clarkson, female journalist, whose family escaped from Hong Kong to Canada in 1944; Michaelle Jean, female journalist who came to Canada from Haiti; David Johnston, Anglo-Saxon male academic and university president; and currently Julie Payette, female astronaut and engineer, French Canadian (and single mum of a teenager). Perhaps the Prime Minister should get out more or consult with those who do. Elspeth Humphries, Yarralumla The CSIRO and BoM have released their State of the Climate 2018 report, which shows alarming changes to the climatic conditions around Australia. Since 1910 both our land and ocean temperatures have increased by 1 degree, rainfall and stream-flow have decreased across southern Australia, sea levels have risen, the ocean has acidified and the fire season has lengthened. This is because atmospheric carbon dioxide was 405ppm in 2017, an increase of 46 per cent from the level of 278ppm in 1750. For the past 2000 years, CO2 has been about 280ppm. Other greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide, methane and synthetic gases have also increased, and when the impact all the greenhouse gases are converted to an equivalent of CO2, then the CO2e reached 501.5ppm in 2017. If we'd held a plebiscite in 1970, a time when environmental awareness was on the rise, and asked the question 'should we make the above changes to the chemical composition of our atmosphere which will cause the above changes to our climate', the answer would have been: "are you mad?" But, here we are, in 2018, and these changes have been made without our consent. The report predicts more extremely hot days, a higher bushfire risk, more extreme storms, further decreasing rainfall, higher sea levels, more marine heatwaves resulting in coral bleaching. This is complete madness. Stuart Walkley, Lyneham Re: "ACTPLA took no notice of panel's advice" (December 17, p2), the "panel" is the National Capital Design Review Panel (Interim), which is jointly chaired by the ACT government architect and the chief planner of the National Capital Authority (NCA) and contains other eminent design professionals. It was set up to encourage high-quality design of significant development projects in areas of special national concern under the National Capital Plan, in this case the Manuka Circle-Canberra Avenue precinct. The ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA)'s Notice of Decision (October 10, 2018) on the Liangis hotel development application makes no reference to the recommendation of the panel (March 7, 2018), despite the Development Control Plan for Manuka Circle stating: "Redevelopment proposals must be considered by a joint NCA/ ACT Government Design Review Panel prior to being approved by the Territory planning authority." The role of the NCA in the sorry saga is also curious. ACTPLA's Notice of Decision says "advice provided on 5 January 2017 (from the NCA) was noted providing support for the 'redevelopment concept"'. However "advice received on 4 July 2018 (from NCA) in relation to this development application provide commentary on a number of aspects". We are not told what these "aspects" are, and ACTPLA has chosen to deal with only one, that the proposed building "marginally exceeds" the building height limit. ACTPLA goes on to say that "the statutory time frame for providing advice expired on 26/06/2018", therefore presumably justifying it in ignoring any other inconvenient advice from NCA, even though the decision was only made more than three months later. Are these the actions of a really "independent" planning authority, or is this a body which meekly succumbs to pressure to approve a redevelopment proposal which the National Capital Design Review Panel (Interim) recommended "is not considered to meet key provisions set out in the Manuka Circle Development Control Plan or the aspirations for high- quality architectural response in this prominent location"? R. Johnston, Kingston I agree wholeheartedly with S. Bragg (Letters, December 18) about Civic being "somewhat dowdy". However, I would go further and say that parts of it are actually quite shabby. While walking around Civic on Tuesday afternoon (December 18), I couldn't help but notice how rundown and ragged the Sydney and Melbourne buildings, in particular, are looking. Paint has peeled off everywhere, in some places exposing the masonry or timber beneath. There are numerous cracks, with one up to four millimetres wide and extending for several metres. In one place, a chunk almost the size of two bricks had fallen off the top of one of the columns. On my way home in the bus I couldn't help but notice that along Commonwealth Avenue, between the Parkes Way overpass and the bridge, a large number of the trees looked very forlorn. Many of their branches were dead for most or all of their length. This is not a city centre of which we can be proud. Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin So the result is in. The inquiry into "competitive neutrality" has found the ABC and SBS have no case to answer. That is, they are not competing unfairly against the commercial media and are not breaching their charters. What a surprise! And how much, I wonder, did this Pauline Hanson-inspired attack against our public broadcasters cost the taxpayer? I wonder, too, if media shareholders will be told how much dividend they will be forgoing to pay for the wasted but no doubt costly preparation of the commercial "arguments" against the ABC and SBS . The ABC in particular has been vindicated, so when are the haters going to wake up to the fact that our public broadcasters just keep on rating highly in terms of respect and trust. You'd think our parliamentarians would be directing all their efforts in trying and muster even a tiny comparison with those favourable levels. Eric Hunter, Cook At a time when Australia and the international community has joined in condemning the seizure of Ukrainian naval personnel and their vessels and reaffirmed world support for Ukraine's sovereignty and integrity, it is unacceptable for an Australian newspaper to carry a paid advertisement from Russia defending what are currently disputed war crimes (The Canberra Times, December 21, p15). The advertisement mocks the international findings that a Russian missile downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, killing 298 innocent souls including 38 Australians. In the past few days The Netherlands have demanded Russia accept responsibility and pay compensation. The Netherlands is considering referring Russia to an international court after reaching an impasse with the Kremlin over responsibility. Australia has added its support. In a letter dated December 4, 2018, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne reaffirmed Australia's steadfast support of Ukraine and "robust sanctions in relation to threats against its [Ukraine's] sovereignty and territorial integrity". "Australia is committed to working with its partners to resist Russian conduct when it is inimitable to global security," she said. Ukraine has initiated legal proceedings against Russia in the International Courts in The Hague accusing Russian with Terrorism and secondly the abuse of Human Rights in relation to Russia's Annexation of Crimea. For an Australian newspaper to accept payment for Russian propaganda defending internationally-condemned potential war crimes is unacceptable. Stefan Romaniw OAM, vice president, Ukrainian World Congress; chairman, Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations. UNACCEPTABLE RISK The "five eyes" should hire a rocket scientist to explain to Huawei that a vertical monopoly by a single sovereign consortium of the critical minerals for, the production of, the supply and installation of, the control systems for and the maintenance of global communications is considered, of itself, an unacceptable risk ("Huawei calls on US, others to show risk proof", December 20, p27). Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor COALITION INCENTIVE So, a Labor victory at next year's federal election is what's needed to keep Andrew Barr in politics now there's an incentive to vote for the Coalition. Ian Pearson, Barton BARR HAS LOST WAY I agree it is time for Andrew Barr to consider "other external development opportunities". I initially supported him, having always voted ALP until the last local election. But he seems to have lost his way. He has not listened to the vocal needs of the community. Geoff Clark, Narrabundah EDITORIAL HITS MARK Re your editorial "Climate and energy plans turn farcical", December 21, p.20). It refers to the "deluded wishful thinking of political chancers such as Tony Abbott, Angus Taylor, Scott Morrison, Barnaby Joyce and Peter Dutton". Promote that writer I say. Peter Moran, Watson ARDERN ON WISH LIST If you have a link to Santa please tell him that all Australians want for Christmas is Jacinda Ardern for PM. If he could just pick her up as he passes NZ and drop her here it would be much appreciated. The Kiwis have had their turn, they have to learn to share. G. Hellyer, Belconnen 'FAKE' FINANCES The Coalition tell us that we are about to recover from the "debt and deficit disaster" left to posterity by Howard and Costello. Next year the MYEFO predicts a "surplus", despite the fact that it is obtained by, for example, cutting the budget for universities by hundreds of millions of dollars a year. Fake surplus, fake MYEFO, fake Treasurer and fake Finance Minister. Adrian Gibbs, Yarralumla SENSELESS SLAUGHTER Having trained at Singleton many years ago, I'm disgusted with anyone, from Minister [Christopher] Pyne to the lowest minion, involved in the senseless, heartless slaughter of the 150 brumbies there, regardless of the methodology employed. For me, this was the last straw in the continuing saga of the government's dysfunctional behaviour. It's lost my support at the forthcoming federal election. D. Callaghan, Kingston /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/360f9e12-6beb-4c7e-93f5-35f685620b4e/r0_226_3662_2295_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news The Auditor-General has released legal advice that says he can't discuss redacted sections of his own report even if the committee he answers to already has the information. In September the Australian National Audit Office released a report into Defence's $2.2 billion procurement of the Hawkei light protected vehicles, but with sections of the conclusion redacted after Attorney-General Christian Porter issued a certificate suppressing the information on the request of contractor Thales. Thales requested that the Attorney-General enact the never-before-used clause of the Auditor-General's Act to ensure information that would damage the company's commercial interests wouldn't be made public. The certificate issued cited both commercial and national security reasons for suppressing the information. In the ensuing parliamentary inquiry over the use of the certificate has resulted in the redacted information being tabled at Senate estimates, showing that it included a cost comparison between Thales' Hawkei vehicle and a similar US Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. Despite the information being available to the committee, the advice given to Auditor-General Grant Hehir from the Australian Government Solicitor was that Mr Hehir still could not in any way communicate the information redacted under the certificate, or discuss the information if it is already before the parliament. According to the advice, it is "irrelevant ... whether or not the particular information the subject of the Attorney-General's certificate is already, or subsequently becomes, known to the parliament, a parliamentary committee or a member of the parliament or of a committee". The advice draws a distinction between revealing or divulging information, as opposed to communicating or providing information, and concludes that even if the auditor-general didn't reveal or divulge the information, he still can't communicate the information, which then bars him from discussing it with the committee. It would be "at odds" with the Act if the auditor-general were provide information to parliament, a committee, or an MP if the information was subject to a certificate even if the auditor-general believed the information was already known, the advice said. "There is also the difficult practical question of how the Auditor-General would come to be in a position to know with certainty that the parliament, committee or a member knows the relevant information." Mr Hehir has been tight-lipped despite repeated questioning from the committee about the nature of the information that is redacted, refusing to comment on whether the sections discuss value for money. He has however expressed frustration both in the report and in hearings at the effect of the suppression. He wrote he was unable to make a conclusion on the audit's original intent - whether the Hawkeis were "effective and achieved value for money". Before the Attorney-General agreed to issue the certificate, Thales attempted to quash the publication of the report in the Federal Court, a case which cost the government at least $182,706.01, according to a document tendered to the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit. "The final cost is not yet known," the letter from Mr Hehir to the committee from July 5 said, as it was written before the company withdrew its legal action. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/83ded6bd-a421-46ea-8587-6265cc48a7d8/r0_107_2000_1237_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg news, latest-news Tanjung Lesung: The death toll from the Indonesian tsunami has risen to 373 people, while authorities are warning people to stay away from local beaches because of the risk of another tsunami. Another 1495 people have been injured and 128 are missing but the number of people displaced has halved from 11,453 to 5361 as locals begin to return to their homes after a powerful wave hit on Saturday evening. Nearly 48 hours after the tsunami struck without warning, authorities expect the death toll will continue to rise as they finally gain access to some of the areas hit by the tsunami. The BMKG, Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency, has said it believes the violent eruption by the Anak Krakatoa volcano at about 9pm on Saturday night was the primary trigger for an underwater landslide that in turn triggered the tsunami about 30 minutes later. It has also said that rain and high waves continued to the landslide and ultimately to the tsunami. The hardest hit areas include Carita and Tanjung Lesung, both popular tourist destinations, on the island of Java, and Lampung on the island of Sumatra. Heavy rain battered the Javanese coastline overnight and on into Monday morning, making conditions more difficult for the rescue workers, police and army who are pouring into the disaster zone. The spokesman for disaster agency BNPB, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, warned that, "People should stay away from the beaches because of the risk of another tsunami. Late on Monday evening, Sutopo announced that several areas which had been previously inaccessible because of road blocks caused by debris washed up by the tsunami were now receiving help. "Officers have been able to access these areas officers, vehicles, machinery and heavy equipment," he said. In one of those areas, Sumur, 36 people had been found dead and another 476 people were found injured. Evacuations and rescue efforts will continue there on Tuesday morning. This is where the joint search teams have found more victims. Indonesian authorities have been criticised for the fact that locals received no warning before the tsunami struck. Earlier in the day, Sutopo called on the Indonesian government to spend the money on an early warning system that could detect volcano-triggered tsunamis. "There was no early warning system for the tsunami which caused a lot of victims because people didnt have a chance to evacuate. President Joko Widodo has now ordered that an early warning system that can detect volcanic eruptions and undersea landslides should be purchased. Indonesia already has an early warning system for earthquake-triggered tsunamis, following the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, though this failed at Palu and cost hundreds of people their lives. Sutopo said locals had begun to return to their homes after rumours of a second tsunami approaching had spread in the region - authorities had warned such an event was a possibility - but the number of displaced people had since halved. Anak Krakatoa, or the child of Krakatoa has been erupting intermittently for months and there is a chance that another eruption could trigger another tsunami in the area. Anak Krakatoa began to emerge from the ocean in 1927, 44 years after the huge eruption of the original Krakatoa volcano which killed more than 30,000 people and played havoc with global temperatures and crops. Many of the beachside villages along the Javanese coastline still appeared all but abandoned on Monday. Sutopo added that Indonesian authorities were sending more heavy machinery as what had been sent already was not sufficient to deal with the massive destruction. In the beachside village of Sambolo, one of the hardest-hit areas, at least a dozen cars lay by the roadside, flipped on their side or crushed by debris. At the Villa Stephanie, six cars sat side-by-side, damaged but not destroyed at the abandoned villa, which took heavy damage from the wave. Sutopo said the casualties had been found in five affected districts, namely Pandeglang, Serang, South Lampung, Tanggamus and Pesawaran. Thousands of joint personnel from the police, army, search and rescue agency and various non-government organisations were involved in the effort, Sutopo said. Heavy equipment was deployed, some from Jakarta about three hours away, to help the excavation. Indonesia has endured a dreadful year already in terms of natural disasters, with the resort island of Lombok hard hit by a series of earthquakes in August. The Sulawesi city of Palu was then smashed by an earthquake and tsunami in late September. The damage in places like Carita and Tanjung Lesung is severe, and these are populated areas too, but, relatively speaking, the damage from the two disasters earlier this year appears to have been more severe. Mr Joko is expected to visit the disaster zone, which is just over 100km from the capital of Jakarta, later on Monday. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/b49448f1-c149-487b-9259-81f3a7fd9282/r0_197_2016_1336_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg Fifteen outstanding women entrepreneurs from the Middle East and India were honoured for their business ingenuity and contribution to the overall economic development of the country at the fourth edition of Indywood Film Carnival held recently in Hyderabad, India. Through the Vanitha Ratna Awards, Indywood aims to promote excellence in entrepreneurship and innovation among women-owned businesses in all sectors across the world. The awards were presented to Dr Alka Kalra, director of Eduscan Group; Bubbles Kandhari, director of Al Dobowi Group; Elsamma Joseph, managing director of Blue Rhine Group; Leena Parwani, entrepreneur, chairwoman of Icareinsure brokers DMCC and LPH Insurance Brokers; Cicily Johnson, director of First Flight Couriers (Middle East); Mini Sajan Varghese, CEO of Saj Hotels & Resorts; Premi Mathew, founder of Protect your mom/hair for hope India; Chitwan Malhotra, founder of World Health Forum; Monika Agarwal, CEO and director of Artin - Artistic interiors; Dr. Sowmiya Ramesh, director of D.G. Hospital, Bengaluru and founder and director - County Meat; Rehana Basheer, founder of Rehana Basheer Fashion Designing; Dr. Shikha Nehru Sharma, founder and managing director of Nutri-HealthSystems; Dr. Neelima Vemula, CEO of Yesmart Electronics; Manisha Kumar Chhabra, CEO of WOW Marketing and Kritika Rawat, co-founder of K Kompany. Indywood is honoured to celebrate the achievements of women entrepreneurs who have been instrumental in driving business success in India and Middle East, said Sohan Roy, founder and director of Indywood. We are proud to put a spotlight on winners who are exceptional leaders, innovators and rising stars. Their leadership, passion and entrepreneurial spirit serves as an inspiration for the next generation of entrepreneurs to pursue their aspirations," he added. The fourth edition of Indywood Film Carnival (IFC 2018), a flagship venture of $10 billion Project Indywood, aims to elevate Indian cinema to an international level. IFC 2018 was a one-stop platform for showcasing the latest technology and future possibilities in the entire spectrum of filmmaking, skill development, pre-production, production, technical support, post-production, distribution, marketing and release among others. - TradeArabia News Service Shell Oman Marketing Company has launched a joint promotion with Ooredoo Connect with Shell Helix; under which customers buying a 4-litres pack of specially-labelled Shell Helix - HX5, HX7 or Ultra, will be eligible to redeem a RO1 ($2.59) Ooredoo recharge card absolutely free. Shell Helix engine oils are designed to meet customers engines needs. From the first synthetic motor oil designed from natural gas, Shell Helix Ultra with PurePlus Technology, to premium multi-grade oils for everyday driving environments, Shell Helix range has an oil to suit every engine. Khalid Al Awaisi, retail country manager of Shell Oman Marketing said: At Shell Oman we are dedicated to make our customers journeys better. Shell is the number one global lubricant supplier and has a 70-year history of innovation, and we trust that our quality lubricants with advanced engine protecting technology will meet our customers expectations. In addition, we are glad to be working with our strategic telecom partner, Ooredoo, to offer our customers a free Ooredoo recharge card so they can stay connected with their loved ones. Both companies have recently signed an agreement to provide network solutions, as well as high quality and reliable telecoms services to Shell Oman Marketings network of over 187 Shell Service Stations, strategically located throughout the Sultanate. This offer is valid only on specially-labelled promotional Shell Lubricants 4-litre packs until February 2 at participating Shell Service Stations. Ooredoo recharge cards should be claimed immediately at the time of purchase. TradeArabia News Service 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. The inaugural direct flight from Wroclaw (Poland) to Ras Al Khaimah arrived yesterday (December 23) to a warm welcome from officials of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) and Ras Al Khaimah International Airport. Operated by Enter Air - a charter airline of reputed tour operator TUI Poland - the new route will be served once a week every Sunday, providing Polish travellers a direct and more accessible access to Ras Al Khaimah, one of the fastest-growing destinations in the Middle East. Ras Al Khaimahs attractiveness as a destination for international travellers continues to be strong, accounting for 62 per cent of overall visitors in the first three quarters of 2018. As part of its Destination 2019 strategy, RAKTDA has significantly increased its promotions in Europe showcasing the diversity of the destination to core audiences in key markets. Commenting on the launch of the new route, Haitham Mattar, chief executive officer of RAKTDA said: We are delighted to welcome the first direct flight from Wroclaw to Ras Al Khaimah. Over the last few years, Poland has become one of the strongest international tourism source markets to RAK, and therefore this step is an important strategic development that will further facilitate the successful bilateral ties between both countries. Moreover, this new addition expands the network of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport even further, reflecting the strong global confidence in the emirates travel and tourism industry. Europe is a key market for the emirate, and we are very confident that this new route will be extremely successful in increasing visitor arrivals to Ras Al Khaimah even further. We are pleased to welcome Enter Air to the growing list of international carriers at Ras Al Khaimah International Airport. We strongly believe that such partnerships will continue to augment the Emirates connectivity with all major source markets, as we remain committed to the expansion of new long-haul routes to meet growing international tourist arrivals, added Sanjay Khanna, chief executive officer of Ras Al Khaimah International Airport. One of Ras Al Khaimahs key growth milestones in 2018 was the launch of Jebel Jais Flight- the worlds longest zipline on Jebel Jais, the highest mountain in the UAE. This put Ras Al Khaimah on the global map as it broke the world record and strengthened the emirates credentials as the fastest growing adventure tourism destination in the region. Another key factor in the growing popularity of the emirate was a calendar of world-class events, and the increase in international partnerships with travel trade through the opening of overseas offices and a series of trade roadshows throughout the year. Ras Al Khaimah International Airport now welcomes direct charter and scheduled services from various global destinations including Cairo, Islamabad, Jeddah, Lahore, Peshawar, Calicut, Katowice, Poznan, Warsaw, Luxemburg, Prague and Moscow in addition to Wroclaw. - TradeArabia News Service Dubai-based Hospitality Management Holdings (HMH) has announced that it no longer manages the Coral Dubai Al Barsha, effective December 20. Brett Schafer, chief executive officer of Faisal Holding (which owns HMH together with Manafa), commented: This is a mutual decision reached between HMH and the owner of the property due to the owners amendment of their asset management strategy from a Management Agreement to a Lease Agreement format." "Both parties are working closely towards a seamless and quick transition. I would like to equally thank the owner for giving us the opportunity for managing this property, as well as HMH and the team at the Coral Al Barsha Hotel who have made this journey a success, and of course our loyal visitors who have stayed with us, stated Schafer. Aboudi Asali, chief executive officer HMH, added: We value our partnership with the owner and have reached a common decision to discontinue the management operations of Coral Dubai Al Barsha from December 20 and we are always more than happy to support. HMH is equally expanding its portfolio while investing across the region, with 5 new properties being launched in 2019 in various destinations across the Middle East and North Africa. HMH recently announced the expansion of its offering through its first budget hotel under the ECOS Hotels brand. The 321-room property is located in Al Furjan Community and is scheduled to serve guests visiting Dubai for the Expo 2020. Currently, HMHs pipeline includes 19 hotels under various stages that represent HMHs five brands across its regional footprint. - TradeArabia News Service The top five fastest-growing states between July 1, 2017, and July 1, 2018, were all in the South and West, according to U.S. Census Bureau population estimates released today. Nevada and Idaho topped the list with a growth of about 2.1 percent each in the last year alone. They were followed by Utah (1.9 percent), Arizona (1.7 percent), Florida and Washington (1.5 percent each). Oman Air hosted the annual Gulf Flight Safety Council (GFSC) meeting in Muscat on December 5 and 6 at the Golden Tulip Hotel Seeb. Attendees included representatives from Boeing, Airbus, Paca, Royal flight, Royal Air force of Oman, Royal Oman Police, Air Navigation Services, Oman Aviation Services, and Oman Airports as well as from oil industry and regional airlines. The meeting involved workshops, presentations and discussions on various relevant topics which had participation from working groups from Flight Operations and ATC, Flight Data Monitoring, Ground Operations, Cabin Safety and Helicopters. These sessions allowed participants to network and exchange information and experience as well as discuss the best practices and safety related matters, arising in airlines and aviation contexts, in a confidential environment. Speakers also gave fascinating presentations on topics such as Human Factors in Aviation and Flight Data. Captain Ali Sulaiman, executive vice president, flight operation, Oman Air, welcomed the delegates and emphasised the importance of such meetings which keeps the members abreast of current practices and situations. Captain Waheed Khalfan Al Subhi, senior manager, safety and emergency response planning, concluded the event by thanking the attendees. He said: We would like to extend our thanks to the members and management of GFSC for ensuring the success of this meet. The various working sessions were helpful in understanding the newer methods and best practices in handling the safety aspects in our respective fields. I would also like to thank the GFSC chairman Captain Hafed Al Binfalah for the opportunity given to hold the prestigious and important event in Oman. The Gulf Flight Safety Council (GFSC) was originally founded in 2004 by a group of Gulf-based safety professionals from various aviation companies including airlines, regulators, air traffic service providers, airports, ground handling service providers & air navigation services. The group meets twice a year to discuss safety improvement initiatives, including coordination with international organisations and bodies such as Iata and ICAO. - TradeArabia News Service VFW Post 4848 on Amnicola Highway provided two veteran families with food, brand new clothing, and toys for their children. Over $700 was raised by the members. Ashley Broom went out to purchase the gifts and food for the family. Michelle Sanders and JC Penney in Nashville donated all the clothes. VFW Post members Lisa Cyrus, Ashley Broom and Charlene Frost wrapped all the gifts and clothes. VFW Post Commander William Robinson and Stacy Kehoe delivered the items to the families on Veterans Way. William Robinson said, Ms. Kehoe connected with the families on Veterans Way last year as they were moving into their homes. She made us aware of the needs of these families and our members wanted to assist. Two of the four families that live on Veterans Way are also disabled. Being a veteran myself, I appreciate the sacrifice these family members made for our country so our members and Ms. Kehoe wanted to show our appreciation in this manner. Last year, our Post donated food and clothing and also some household furniture to some of these families in their time of need. Theology professor dismissed by Southwest Baptist U. appeals firing Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A theology professor who was fired from Southwest Baptist University will be appealing the decision and asking to be reinstated on Friday. Clint Bass, a tenured professor at the university's Redford College of Theology and Ministry was dismissed "with cause" on Nov. 28 after he raised concerns about theological views held and being furthered by other faculty. The university's president, Eric Turner, said in a letter to Bass that he had made unsubstantiated allegations against his colleagues that were unfounded, which he found disturbing and said warranted his firing. When Bass informed SBUs administration about his concerns that the college of theology and ministry was doctrinally unstable, they reportedly demanded that he turn over his personal diary of notes supporting his claims, under threat of dismissal, a Change.org petition demanding his reinstatement asserts. An Audio recording from a university forum reveals that some of the college's faculty have dismissed the understanding of Hell as a place of eternal torment and instead promote annihilationism, the view that the wicked will cease to exist. It also reveals an endorsement of "inclusivism," the notion that salvation can be found apart from Christ, and credence to purgatory, an after-death process of salvation. Bass turned over his notes, and when those who were accused were confronted they either denied or reframed their views and he was fired, the petition continues. As of Friday morning, it had garnered over 1,220 signatures. Several theology professors from other Southern Baptist seminaries and colleges have written letters in support of Bass, arguing that the evidence against him was insufficient for termination and asked the school to reconsider their move. In Bass dismissal letter, Turner, who is in his first year as president, said that a systematic inquiry of the allegations was done and were "determined as unfounded. Turner's letter expresses that he was "disturbed, disheartened, and discouraged" that Bass had relied on hearsay of students and his personal conclusions to base his allegations that fellow colleagues were promoting errant theology. The college president wrote he was also dismayed that Bass hadn't approached his colleagues with whom he interacts regularly nor his department chairs, dean, provost, and administration but instead maintained his own notes on his colleagues. "It was only after learning of a denial of a promotion as a faculty member you chose to use your notes and accusations as leverage for your position," Turner said, providing several grounds for dismissal related to Bass' alleged failure to abide by the Matthew 18 standard of conflict resolution and the official University Principles and Expectations guidelines. The Christian Post called Turner's office for further comment Thursday but did not receive a response by press time. Andrew Walker, senior fellow in Christian ethics at the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission and an SBU alumnus, expressed his concerns on Twitter Wednesday, asking for an additional inquiry because the school's action seemed hasty and the firing seemed "excessive." "I want to believe that all parties are acting in good faith, and I've actively sought out the administration for details concerning this event, as well as asking to sit down with the new president to express alumni concerns. I hope such a meeting will occur," Walker said. "As an alum, I've recommend[ed] SBU publicly. I did so with reservation. Until this matter is resolved and theological integrity clarified, I will be unable to recommend @SBUniv. Schools that market themselves as Southern Baptist schools should teach Southern Baptist doctrine." He added: "A third-party investigation, were it to show the administration acted properly, would remove the suspicion that Bass' firing was theologically-motivated. Until then, there will be justified speculation and skepticism over the details of his dismissal." SBU is a private, four-year Christian university in Bolivar, Missouri, that was founded in 1878. The school has an enrollment of 1,400 undergraduate students. Born Again Christians Continue Declining, Only Minority Believe They Must Share the Gospel: Survey Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The percentage of born again Christians in America continues declining, a major religious survey has found. And only a minority of the faithful believe they have a strong personal responsibility to share the Gospel. "Christianity in America is going through a time of substantial challenge. The Church at-large is not likely to grow in the future unless some fundamental changes in practice are made," said researcher George Barna, speaking about the American Culture & Faith Institute survey results released Tuesday. "Fewer churches emphasize and equip people for evangelism these days, and the results are obvious and undeniable. The implications of ignoring gospel outreach especially among children, who are the most receptive audience to the gospel are enormous. All the 'church growth' strategies in the world cannot compensate for the absence of an authentic transmission of the good news of what Jesus Christ has done for humanity." The results, drawn from a monthly nationwide survey this year that in total interviewed 9,273 American adults, found that just 31 percent of adults identify as born again, following a trend of decline since 2010. ACFI warned that the demographic data does not give hope that the trend is likely to reverse in the near future, as older generations are more likely to be born again. The poll noted that 33 percent of the 65+ age group category and 37 percent of the 50 to 64 group are born again, compared to 31 percent of those in their 30s and 40s, and only 23 percent of adults under 30. "As older Americans pass away, the population proportion of younger adults will increase, continuing to drive down the born again proportion in the years to come," the survey argued. "Children and teenagers are exhibiting a lower likelihood of becoming born again, too, further limiting the possibility of the growth of this segment." Still, the research established that youngsters are most likely to accept Jesus Christ as their savior before they finish high school, as two out of every three individuals who become born again do so before the age of 18. "Another 8 percent do so during the period traditionally thought of as college years (ages 18 to 21); 8 percent more do so from age 22 through 29; and another 8 percent do so during their thirties. Only 9 percent of adults accept Christ as their savior at age 40 or later," the sruvey noted. Republicans are more likely (45 percent) to be born again, compared to Democrats (27 percent) and independent voters (26 percent). The survey also found that 51 percent of political conservatives met the born again criteria, compared to only 27 percent of moderates and 19 percent of liberals. The researchers believe that the decline in born again Christians is largely due to attitudes toward evangelism and salvation. Only 21 percent of adults affirm that they have a strong personal responsibility to share the Gospel with people who hold different views. Among born again Christ followers, 39 percent agree. "Even more disturbing is the fact that adults are about equally likely to believe that eternal salvation can be earned through personal goodness or good deeds (25 percent) as believe salvation cannot be earned (20 percent). Once again, the profile of born again Christians on this matter was different but not by as much as might be expected given their personal commitment to and experience of grace-based salvation," they explained. Fifty-five percent of Protestants and only 19 percent of Catholics said that eternal salvation is based solely upon their redemption by Christ. A noteworthy shift in the last two decades, ACFI pointed out, is that 38 percent of Christians now do not identify as Protestant or Catholic, which was "virtually unheard of a quarter-century ago." "Today, that point of view is challenging the self-identification of 'Protestant' as the national norm. That change corresponds with the widespread decrease in peoples' loyalty to social institutions and to adopting traditional labels for one's views and relationships," the survey stated. As for the reasons behind decisions to follow Christ, 29 percent of born again Christians pointed to the influence of their parents. Church events influenced 20 percent of conversion decisions, and other family members or relatives influenced 16 percent of decisions to become a Christ follower. Barna warned in his conclusions that American parents are failing to engage their children in the faith. "If you eliminate both family and churches as evangelistic influences in a child's life, what are the chances that the child will have a positive exposure to the gospel? They are very slim," he said. "In fact, the research suggests that the greatest hope in such circumstances is that they will face difficult life situations that produce a deeply felt need for a spiritual solution, and that Jesus will be among the options they consider. We are essentially abandoning both the future of the Church in the U.S. and the best interests of our young people through our wholesale dismissal of evangelism and the importance of having Jesus in our lives." Observers, such as Chuck Lawless, dean and vice president of Graduate Studies and Ministry Centers at Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, have in the past suggested that Christians who don't evangelize haven't been "genuinely turning from sin to trust Christ." "Deep down, they believe there are multiple ways to God and no one has intentionally, clearly shown them otherwise from the Scriptures," Lawless said in July. . By Ram Puniyani The scene of violence in the name of emotive issues has been continuously throwing new patterns of instigating and orchestrating violence. In recent times we saw the major violence following the demolition of Babri Mosque (1992), Godhra train burning (Gujarat carnage 2002), murder of a Swami (Kandhamal 2008), on the pretext of love Jihad (Muzzafarnanger 2013) among others. The gross pattern seems to be to spread hatred against sections of society and unleash the hate, which gets converted in to violence. In last couple of years, what has dominated the scene of violence has been the accusations related to slaughter of cows, beginning with horrifying murder of Mohammad Akhlaq down to the killing of Junaid, Cow-beef have been used as a weapon of hate. In this very series follows the Bulandshahr killings of two men, one of them being a Hindu police officer. This tragedy goes on to show the underbelly of communal violence, which in due course brings into its orbit not only the religious minorities but people from the majority religion also. As such the violence does not involve much killing of majority community, though they also suffer in small number. In this case, in Bulandshahr, we see the major victim is not only a Hindu but an officer of the state police. While full details are yet to come out with SIT probing, whatever can be gleaned from the media reports is frightening enough. Support TwoCircles In beginning of December 2018 a large congregation of Muslims, Ijtema, took place in Bulandshahar. The congregation had participation of Muslims, by rough count of around fifty lakhs. These religious congregations do keep taking place in different parts of the country. Nearly seventy Kilometers away from the place of this congregation, in village Siyana of Bulandshahar, this incidence came to notice. It seems someone had thrown the remains of a slaughtered cow in an agricultural filed. The villagers noticed carcass, reported it to police, which planned to initiate the action as per law. As the carcass was being taken away in the tractor, some 40-50 youth from outside descended on the village and took charge of tractor. As per some reports the beef was thrown in the field by those belonging to Bharatiya Janta Morcha andBajrang dal. Reports by some journalists, report (video) shows that the whole incident was orchestrated by outsiders. The youth took the tractor to the police station, lodged the FIR and created ruckus. Yogesh Raj, local Chief of Bajrang Dal, who lodged the FIR, was booked as the prime accused in the incident. Various versions are in the air. What followed led to the death of Inspector Subodh Singh in a brutal manner. Sudarshan TVs, Suresh Chavanhke, the right wing channel close to RSS, tried to link up the violence to the Muslims-Itjema. As per Chavankes tweet the violence was indulged in by the Muslims participating in Itjema. This was countered by the police authorities who tweeted that the incident had nothing whatsoever to do with the Itjema, which was at a place far away and was a peaceful event. Many other theories also started being thrown up. One being that one Jitendra Malik, who is part of Rashtriya Rifles posted in Kashmir, was present on the spot and was the culprit of the violence. His elder brother denied the charge and promised to prove the innocence of his brother. Malik was brought back from his duty in Kashmir, but nothing much seems to have been proven about his complicity. The usual question is who did it? Before that lets see the very revealing facts related to the Inspector, SHO, who as per his sister was killed in a planned manner. Subodh Singh was the one who had investigated the Mohammad Akhlaq case leading to arrest of many culprits. It is said that it was he who always took the right stand especially on Hindu-Muslim issues. Probably he was not letting Hindutva groups to have their divisive ways. The local unit of BJP related organizations had written to the officials demanding transfer of Singh. The other highlights related to the incident are mixed, disturbing and appreciable both types. One is that many of those who had come to attend Ijtema were sheltered in the Shiva Temple. SHO Singhs teenager son appealed for peace and harmony in the area. He said I would appeal to the entire country, please stop Hindu-Muslim violence. People get violent at the slightest provocation. People should understand and think that they are bound by the law. In response the DSP in a moving face book post stated I salute Abhishek who even after losing his father is not speaking the language of hatred and violence, On the other side the Chief minister of UP, Mr. Adityanath, in the aftermath of this tragedy commented that incidents related to Cow slaughter are increasing and need to be curbed. This Cow-Primacy got reflected in the statement of BJP MP who advised the investigating team to examine whether SHO came under attack as he failed to check the cow slaughters and cow smuggling! The murder of Singh a serving police official is relegated to second place in Yogi-BJP scheme of things. These are disturbing signs of times where the politics is being dictated by Modi-Yogi, in which emotive issues are taking precedence over human lives, which does not disturb them so far as these serve their political agenda of polarization! Meanwhile the sense of insecurity is reigning supreme in the village, where the incident took place. The villagers who repeatedly affirmed that their village had braved all the communal incidents like Babri Demolition violence Muzzafarnagar violence, etc. is now fearing for their safety, feeling insecure in the places where they have been living in peace in decades. In the trajectory of patterns of violence, Bulanshahr is yet another pattern of probably a planned violence, where the major victim can be from majority community itself; yet another victim of cow politics! Pastor lists 7 things depressed Christians can do to navigate Christmas Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The holidays can be hard on those who struggle with depression. The thought of mixing with happy people fills you with dread. The thought of remembering lost loved ones fills you with gloom. How can people be so happy when you are so sad? How can people celebrate when you are in mourning? It jars your soul and scrapes your tender wounds, doesnt it? said David Murray, professor of Old Testament and practical theology at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary and pastor of Grand Rapids Free Reformed Church in Michigan, on Crossway.org. The pastor, who is also an author, warned that hiding away or lashing out will not help with depression, but will only make it worse. With that in mind, he proposed seven suggestions for Christians to navigate Christmas that will also help with their healing. Murray started off with what he called the too obvious suggestion to pray, but said that sometimes people miss the obvious. Plead: Lord, I am weak, I need your power, I need your patience, I need your joy. Promise: I will rely on you alone to carry me and even use this time for my help and healing. Its amazing how the gospel can turn the greatest pain into the greatest therapy, he wrote. Next, those struggling should share with their friends and family about their depression and ask for prayers and protection from those who dont understand what theyre going through. Thirdly, he urged Christians to make plans carefully over Christmas, warning that too much withdrawal from social events will only depress you further; but so will total immersion. So, plan ahead and choose wisely which social occasions you will go to and how long to spend there. Perhaps try to avoid going to too many gatherings on consecutive days or evenings. You need downtime to be quiet and to refuel, he pointed out. Murray then talked about the importance of having a regular routine, which he said is vital for those struggling with depression. Your body, mind, and soul flourish when you are following a predictable pattern of sleeping, eating, working, and relaxing. All this is threatened by the irregularity and unpredictability of the holidays, he noted. "You will have to accept a degree of change in this area in these weeks, yet still fight to maintain as much regularity as you can. You dont want to waste all your good work in this area. The pastor also mentioned the benefits of exercise and how hard it is to be consistent in this regard over the holidays. He said that with so much sitting around and so much food, it is important to continue to be active for ones physical, mental and spiritual health. Those with depression should also try to preach to themselves. Youre going to be tempted in the next few weeks to write a chapter that dwells on the present estrangement with your daughter and how much you miss her at family occasions, he offered as an example. While we cant deny the reality of this, and we continue to pray and work toward reconciliation, can I suggest that you write another chapter in parallel with it? Write a chapter on the way God has reconciled you to his Son through his death on the cross (Eph. 2:1418; 2 Cor. 5:1821), he noted. Fixing your mind on this greatest estrangement and reconciliation story will help you to balance a bitter experience with the sweetest experience, and will also give you hope in Gods reconciling power. Its amazing how the gospel can turn the greatest pain into the greatest therapy. Finally, Murray advised believers to preach to others as well. The unbelievers in your family will be looking to see how you react to your recent losses and how you are responding to your depression. They will see you are sad and they will ask how you are doing. How about this for an answer: Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing (2 Cor. 6:10). That should startle them! he wrote. But it will also start some profitable conversations that give you an opportunity to testify to Gods grace to you in these days. Recently, Pastor J.D. Greear of The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, criticized the way some churches deal with depressed Christians. "Sometimes, I think we can be too quick with our answers in church: Are you feeling sad? Life got you down? Well, that can't be from God! Just pop on some K-love, cause everything in the Christian life should be positive and encouraging all the time," Greear wrote on his website in October. "But when you are experiencing depression, you don't need a quick encouragement. You need a God who walks through pain with you." Sexual assault: Houston ministry leader on how churches can help those hurting Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Houston's First Baptist Church is offering a support group on sexual assault to help victims recognize what was done to them, and free themselves from shame. The counselor-led group, which is due to begin in January at the Texas megachurch, also seeks to offer a Biblical perspective on how the life and ministry of Jesus Christ can help those in pain. Adam Mason, Minister of Counseling Services, and Cynthia Barkley, Counseling Ministry Associate, spoke on the phone Monday with The Christian Post about the objectives and aspirations of the support group. I think the main thing that we want to demonstrate to our church members is that the church sees and cares about all sorts of pain that they are going through. [With] this particular topic coming to the forefront, and not just in the national news and media the popular culture as well [it] seems like the church should have a response, Mason said. If the church is going to be relevant to modern culture, then we need to have our finger on the pulse of society. We need to be able to respond in a compassionate way, in a way that is Christ-centered, in a way that is loving, but also in a way that is clinical and competent as well, he added. Mason, who is both an ordained minister of Christian counseling in the Southern Baptist church and a licensed professional counselor in the state of Texas, indicated that the purpose of the group is to show that the church cares and has the resources to serve as an entry point for victims of sexual assault The church can serve as a referral source both to additional groups, or individual counseling. We are fortunate that our church does have a professional counseling center that we can refer folks to. But we also have strong relations with Christian counselors in the community and can refer people to them as well, he explained. Mason pointed out that the support group is open to anyone in the community, though it is targeted toward women. Although we recognize that men are also victims of sexual assault, this initial group is going to be targeted at women who identify themselves as the victims of some form of sexual assault. Whether they are Christian or not, whether they are church members or not, we dont care, he added. The Minister of Counseling Services revealed that it was his conversation with Gregg Matte, the senior pastor of First Baptist Houston, which launched the idea for the support group. He said that Matte was really disturbed by the amount of sexual abuse that was being uncovered in society, and approached him during the hearings for now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Matte was concerned what effect the public hearing was having on women who had been the victims of sexual assault, he noted. The two discussed if it was relevant for the church to address topics of sexual abuse, and if so, what that would look like. It was through that conversation that they decided the best way with the resources they had was to offer support, therapy groups, and start conversations. As the website notes, part of the support group will make use of the 2011 workbook Rid of My Disgrace: Hope and Healing for Victims of Sexual Assault by Justin and Lindsey Holcomb, which tackles the physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual pain victims of assault suffer. Mason explained that the group will walk through the book, but added in a caveat that the book has a strong emphasis on forgiveness. While it would be the Christian goal to always be in a place to forgive, we want to be careful about requiring that too early in the process, he explained. When a woman is telling someone for the very first time they are a victim of sexual assault and for your response to be well you need to forgive the person it seems incredibly uncompassionate, and really un-Christian even. While that is a conversation we will have at some point for their benefit, we want to be able to present that conversation in a way that is more compassionate than perhaps the book might give at first glance. Sexual assault continues being exposed throughout multiple industries and places in society, affecting many churches as well, both Catholic, and Protestant, and others. The #ChurchToo movement online, along with #MeToo, has seen thousands of women and men share their stories of rape and other forms of assault they have suffered at the hands of church leaders and other members of the Christian community. I dont know if you can separate this particular sin or grievance from any other sin or grievance in human nature prior to this point. Man has shown the capacity through the inspiration of God of accomplishing great and noble things, Mason reflected, pointing to technology, music, artwork, and enterprises like hospitals, seminaries, colleges and universities. Man through the inspiration of God is capable of accomplishing some amazing, amazing feats, but that is almost masked by the capacity of man to do evil, Mason continued. He said that when it comes to sexual assault, the Church needs to have a response that is Godly, Biblical, and relevant. I dont know if any particular generation has had it more difficult than the next. I know from a personal perspective I am more grieved by the current trend of abuse among church leadership. [But] to say that that is more difficult than the abuses of the Middle Ages that took place in the Church, I dont know if we can say that realistically. At the same time, it is a huge cause for distress for those of us in ministry to acknowledge that the very place where people should be coming for healing and for hope is the source of pain, he added. It is tragic that that happens, but we cannot let the fact that there are a few folks, and sometimes quite a few folks, who are erring, somehow communicate that the Church has lost its ability to minister, lost its ability to be a part of the solution, he insisted. The Church has to own up to its responsibility, it has to be accountable for whatever role [it has] within a culture that allows that to happen." Mason urged that weve got to be transparent, we have to be honest, we have to be open." We cant change the fact that we contributed in some factor to that causation, but we can contribute to the healing. Healing people in a way that takes them to God, instead of away from God. Part of that healing is recognizing common misconceptions about sexual assault. Mason said that one of the main misconceptions that counselors hear is that somehow, the victim is at fault for what happened to them. Somehow the way they dressed, the way they acted, the fact that they were drinking that somehow that gives permission to the abuser because they didnt say no, because they didnt fight enough, he listed out. Looking back at his experience of serving as a Christian counselor for 30 years, and Barkley for 10, he said that both of them have had occasions where they would speak to a woman about her experience, and realize she has yet to label it as sexual assault. She is not at that point identified that she is a victim of sexual assault, because she is carrying so much blame and shame for that, Mason said of some examples, adding it is important to help victims realize what happened to them, and free them from that shame. The support group will also examine how Jesus Christ responds to the pain of people's past, and the pain they are going through now. Barkley said that the focus on the Gospel is about allowing them (people) to walk through the grieving process. And being with them, and knowing that Jesus is there with them, carrying them through the whole stages of that grieving process, and laying that down for the Father. She added that the groups are about being non judgmental, and offering a place where they can come and feel safe, be safe, and talk about hard topics. The Counseling Ministry Associate shared her hopes that people will walk away with an understanding of what happened to them, and be able to walk in grace and freedom through Christ. She said she hopes that they can begin their healing journey, whatever that looks like. Mason concluded with his hopes that the group can offer people the courage to acknowledge what had happened to them, the courage to cast aside any shame associated with that. The courage to embrace the hope that they were not, are not, and will not be defined by what happened to them, because it is what happened for them through the Gospel message that matters. Trump signs prison reform bill FIRST STEP Act: 'Everybody said it couldnt be done' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment President Donald Trump signed into law on Friday what proponents say is the most comprehensive federal prison reform bill in decades. Trump signed the bipartisan, evangelical-backed FIRST STEP Act at the Oval Office of the White House joined by criminal justice reform advocates, faith leaders, ex-offenders and lawmakers who've pushed hard to pass the bill before the close of the current Congress. According to the White House, the bill paves a new pathway for our federal justice system and reforms decades of policies that have failed Americans. White House officials noted that approximately 77 percent of state inmates and 38 percent of federal inmates are rearrested within five years of their release. Trump admitted that he did start off a little bit on the negative side when it came to his opinion of the FIRST STEP Act but was persuaded over the last few weeks by speaking to people really involved and by looking at the successes that states like Texas, Kentucky, Georgia and others that are known for being tough on crime have had passing similar reforms. Criminal justice reform everybody said it couldnt be done, Trump said at the signing ceremony. They said that the conservatives wont approve it and the liberals wont approve it. They said nobody is going to approve it, everybody is going to be against it. It has been many years, numerous decades and nobody came close. He thanked the individuals in the room for their efforts in pushing for the legislation, including his daughter, Ivanka, and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who received an applause from the advocates in the room for their efforts within the White House. He also thanked Democrat lawmakers Sens. Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, among other congressional leaders, for their support of the bill. This was incredible bipartisan support, Trump said. Everybody worked so hard on this. Behind me is a cross section of everybody in our country. We have everybody here. We had everybody wanting this. We had a few people that didnt and thats OK. It is impossible to get 100 percent. The bill passed in the Senate last week by a margin of 8712, a tally that the president called unheard of. In the House, the bill passed this week by a vote of 35836. You look at this vote, 35836, you dont have votes like that, he added, before noting that border security isn't getting the same support. Last month when announcing his support for the bill, Trump assured that the bill was only a first step but noted that it's a big first step. He said it will make communities safer and give former inmates a second chance at life after they have served their time. Thanks to our booming economy, they all now have a chance at more opportunities than they have ever had before, Trump said at the time, stating that the job market is the best it's been in over 50 years. This is true. Our economy is so strong that when people are getting out of jail they are actually able to find jobs," the president added. "I have three instances of companies that hire people coming out of prisons. And they are so thrilled by the performance of these people. Now they are doing it more and more and more. He added that the legislation will provide low-risk inmates with new incentives to learn the skills they need to find employment, avoid old habits and follow the law when they are released from prison. The new incentives will encourage participation in vocational training, educational coursework and faith-based programs like Prison Fellowship that Trump says will help reduce their chances of recidivism. Under the law, eligible prisoners can participate in such programs to earn time credits to spend part of their sentence in halfway houses or some kind of supervised release. Prison Fellowship, an evangelical prison ministry founded by the late Chuck Colson, says that the bills passage opens the door for it to install the Prison Fellowship Academy in federal prisons. The program is installed at 80 prisons in 27 states and has helped countless ex-offenders find God and get on the right path to a successful release. This legislation will increase the access of faith-based and nonprofit organizations, like Prison Fellowship, to provide desperately needed programming in the federal prison system and help reduce recidivism, Prison Fellowship President James Ackerman said in a statement. From our work in many states across the country, we can say without hesitation that these programs restore lives putting people on a new path and eventually reduce crime. The law also addresses some issues with mandatory minimum sentencing laws for low-level, nonviolent drug offenders by lowering mandatory minimums for second-time offenses to 15 years instead of 20 and lowering the mandatory sentence for a third offense to 25 years instead of life in prison. The law also makes retroactive a 2010 bill reforming sentencing disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine offenses. The approximately 3,000 people convicted before the 2010 reforms that would have received lower sentences can petition for release. Before the signing, the president mentioned the name of Alice Johnson, a grandmother who was sentenced to life in prison in 1996 for her role in a Memphis cocaine trafficking organization who exhibited good behavior in prison. Earlier this year, Trump commuted Johnsons sentence and she was released after an appeal from celebrity Kim Kardashian. Alice Johnson, I let her out. She was in jail for 22 years and she had another 28 years and the crime was, let's say, I think most of you would agree, is not worth 50 years in prison, Trump explained. The legislation also broadens the safety valve that allows courts to have discretion to avoid giving mandatory minimum sentences in cases where the mandatory sentences might not be appropriate. There was another case where a judge came to me and he was mandated to put a man in jail for 28, approximately, years. He wanted him to go to jail for two years, Trump explained. He actually left the bench. He quit. He was a highly respected judge and is a respected person. He left the bench because he was so saddened that there was nothing he could do. Because this young man was mandated to spend a good portion of the rest of his life in jail and the judge had no power to do anything about it. There was some opposition to the bill that felt that the law didnt go far enough to address the inadequacies in the U.S. mandatory sentencing laws and war-on-drug policies that have led to mass incarceration. Meanwhile, a few conservatives staunchly opposed the bill on claims that it could lead to the release of thousands of dangerous and violent criminals in federal prison. Also speaking at the signing ceremony was Vice President Mike Pence, who assured Trump that he is fulfilling part of his vow to make America safe again by singing the legislation. By opening the doorway to more opportunities for not just education but character education and faith-based programs in our system, we are going to see more families intact again, Pence, the former Republican governor of Indiana, said. More people are going to choose a better pathway when they come out having paid their debt to society. I think back to that election night where you pledged to be the president to all the American people, Pence added. And today, Mr. President, I look across this room and this bill represents your commitment to stand up for all of the American people and the values they hold dear. The bill is modeled after successful reforms that have taken place in states like Georgia and Texas. In pushing for the passage of the bill, criminal justice advocates have continually pointed out that some of the same reforms that are also in the FIRST STEP Act have helped Texas reduce its crime to its lowest rate in decades, close eight prisons and save billions of dollars. The legislation was backed by over 2,500 faith leaders from various theological backgrounds, according to the White House. Among those are prominent evangelical leaders. The Trump administration had over the course of the year met with various faith leaders to hear their thoughts on the issues with the justice system, including a heavily criticized meeting with black pastors. The First Step Act responds to longstanding concerns that have been expressed by the National Association of Evangelicals and others about the overuse of incarceration and the destructive impact of prison life, Galen Carey, vice president of government relations at the National Association of Evangelicals, said in a statement. Timothy Head, executive director of the conservative evangelical grassroots organization Faith & Freedom Coalition, said that it has been extremely challenging as the organization and other groups supportive of criminal justice reforms have lobbied hard over the past four years for some kind of substantial relief. [T]odays bill signing proves that all of the time and effort was worth it as inmates in the federal system will now have a smarter, fairer, system that will reduce recidivism and restore lives, Head said in a statement. [F]ederal justice reform is now a reality. Although some critics have questioned how much of an impact the FIRST STEP Act will have, supporters say it is the most consequential criminal justice bill in a generation. The strong and effective leadership of conservatives made these reforms possible, Pat Nolan, the director of the American Conservative Union Foundations Center for Criminal Justice Reform and former Prison Fellowship executive, said in a statement. As a result, inmates will leave prison prepared to be good parents, good employees, and good neighbors. And our communities will be safer. Catholic senior center accused of censorship denies barring residents from saying 'Merry Christmas' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Catholic senior center in Washington state is refuting claims that it has barred residents from saying Merry Christmas and singing Christmas carols but is "doubling down" on a policy prohibiting residents from decorating the exterior of their apartment doors. Providence Health Services, a nonprofit Catholic health care provider, received a letter Monday from one of the nations leading conservative religious freedom law firms relaying concerns made by a resident of its independent-living senior apartment complex in Chehalis, Washington. Aided by funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide affordable housing to low-income elderly individuals, Providence Place has been accused by Alliance Defending Freedom of banning any Christian religious reference in any Christmas decoration, celebration, or Christmas card. The letter from ADF attorney Blake Meadows states that the unnamed resident wanted to express her Christian beliefs during the holiday season by saying Merry Christmas to other residents and singing Christmas carols in the public common areas of the complex. According to the organization, the resident also sought to place religious messages and secular Christmas cards on the outside of the door to her apartment. Additionally, the resident wants to replace a mezuzah on her door frame. She claims she was told to remove the mezuzah by building manager Katrina Newman. As Christmas approached, Ms. Newman informed the residents that the Fair Housing Act prohibited residents from saying Merry Christmas, singing Christmas carols that reference Christ, or displaying any decorations referencing the Christian religion during the holiday season, the letter claims. Interestingly, Ms. Newman permitted a menorah in the public space because it was cultural Expression. Newman is also accused of informing residents who wanted to display their Christmas cards on their apartment doors that no cards with any religious reference could be displayed. The resident is concerned that she will be punished or even evicted from Providence Place for engaging in private religious expression and celebration, Meadows' letter reads. On Dec. 3, Newman sent a note to residents stating that when they decorate the common areas of the facility, they should think festive, not religious. Newman deemed things like greenery, colored lights, and snowflakes to be appropriate, adding that Christmas trees, Santa Clause and a menorah were also deemed nonreligious by the HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. Newman warned that items such as the Star of David, Nativity scenes and a crucifix shouldn't be used in common areas. ADF, which has won nine U.S. Supreme Court cases in the last seven years, states that such censorship is not required by the Fair Housing Act to receive funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Meadows letter added that HUD does not prohibit the discussion of religion in facilities its funds and points out that HUD Secretary Mel Martinez assured over 17 years ago that HUDs policy is not to discriminate against people of faith by barring the use of religious symbols to celebrate faith-based events. Because Providence Place is a private, nonprofit corporation not a government controlled entity it is not bound by the Establishment Clauses prohibition on the government endorsement of religion, Meadows letter contends. Indeed, Providence Place is free to allow the residents to engage in religious discussion and prayer. Leslie Leber, compliance and quality director for Providence Supportive Housing, told The Christian Post that reports that Providence Place barred residents from saying Merry Christmas or singing Christmas carols are erroneous. She argued that the contents of the ADF letter are factually inaccurate. Our residents may express themselves freely, including by wishing others a Merry Christmas and singing Christmas carols, she wrote in an email. We do not limit religious speech in any way. Leber added that each resident is free to decorate their housing units as they choose. However, the exteriors of apartment doors are reserved by the facilitys landlord for their exclusive use. According to Leber, the exterior door rule is applied consistently, irrespective of a residents religious tradition. She noted that Providence Place has not been contacted by any resident in regard to such issue. Providence Place welcomes feedback from our residents and we maintain a tenant-grievance process that would allow a resident to raise an issue of this sort, she concluded. The contents of the letter sent by the Alliance Defending Freedom are factually inaccurate and do not reflect the mission and values of Providence Place, which is a place of peace and healing for our community. ADF senior counsel Matt Sharp told CP in a statement that Leber's response indicates that Providence Place is "doubling-down" on "religious censorship." "On Dec. 3, Providence Place told its resident that if they wanted to decorate the doors to their own apartments, Santa Clause and a Christmas tree are OK, but a Nativity scene or Star of David are 'religious symbols and should not be used,'" Sharp wrote. "Providence is now doubling-down on their religious censorship, claiming that they have the exclusive right to determine what decorations can be displayed by residents on their doorways and in other public places." "More than 15 years ago, then-HUD Secretary Mel Martinez publicly affirmed that HUDs policy allows 'religious displays as well as nonreligious symbols [] in common areas of public housing sites.' HUD has not changed this policy," Sharp added. "Yet Providence Place insists on banning residents from decorating their doorways with religious Christmas cards or even a Nativity scene. We sincerely hope that Providence Place fixes this error so that all Providence Place residents can freely celebrate the holiday of their choice." Sharp recently declared on radio outlet KTTH that ADF is looking at all potential legal options" if Providence doesn't do the right thing. Weve seen this pop up a lot, this over sensitivity to the celebration and expression of Christmas and a complete misunderstanding what federal law is, Sharp said. On Dec. 12, Providence Place Director of Housing Timothy Zaricznyj sent a letter [obtained by The Federalist] to residents addressing what he said were mistruths. I also want to address those residents at Providence Place who feel that as Christians, they are somehow being attacked, Zaricznyj wrote. It is tremendously difficult for our team members to uphold these values [of acting in the spirit of kindness, grace, and generosity of spirit] when their efforts toward bringing Providence Place into compliance without standards is misrepresented by some residents and their personal integrity and intentions are slandered. Priest who said he urinated in communion wine, was attracted to satanism gets 25 years for child porn Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Rev. W. Thomas Faucher, a retired Idaho priest who once claimed to have urinated in communion wine at least once at his church, was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison without parole for what investigators said was the most disturbing child pornography case they had ever seen. According to the Idaho Statesman, Faucher, 73, who pleaded guilty in September to five felony crimes stemming from amassing thousands of child porn images and videos on his home computer, will also have to register as a sex offender. He apologized in the courtroom ahead of his sentencing at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise. I am deeply sorry that I was and have been connected to that in any way, Faucher said while acknowledging that he now knows child porn is not a victimless crime. I was one really sick puppy. I screwed up big time ... I feel so much remorse and anger. Detective John Brumbaugh, whos been on the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for five years, testified Thursday that he received a cybertip about two images sent from wtfauch@aol.com that was linked to the St. Marys Catholic Church website. Over several months, Brumbaugh said verified chats and emails showed Faucher was actively seeking interests with gay men, satanic interests as well as the rape and killing of minors. The detective described the contents of the images police found on Fauchers cellphone, computer and Dropbox account containing more than 2,500 files displaying child pornography described as violent, disturbing, torturous and included children crying. The volume of [images] was something I havent come across, Brumbaugh said. The disgraced priest also expressed a desire to have sex with boys, had satanic desires, an attraction to 6-year-old boys and expressed excitement at the thought of killing someone authorities said. The volume of [images] was something I havent come across, Brumbaugh explained, noting that the case disturbed everyone who worked on it. Brumbaugh said Faucher also had images of black slavery and discussed using racist language. Images of Faucher urinating on a cross and canon law book were also found. Bishop Peter F. Christensen and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise said in a press statement that the shocking discovery of the evil Faucher harbored has forced them to start the process of defrocking him. The volumes of shocking information that the law enforcement investigation uncovered reveal the heinous nature of child pornography and the tragic impact upon its victims. While we cannot begin to fathom what brought Faucher to the point that he was able to enter into this evil and dark world, we are thankful for the efforts of the law enforcement community in doing what it can to protect our children from these crimes, the diocese said. Since his actions came to light in February, Faucher has been unable, and continues to be unable, to function as a priest in the Catholic Church. Christensen, said now that the criminal case is over, the church has started the process of turning the case over to authorities in Rome. We have already begun our preparations to turn this case over to Church authorities in Rome, Christensen said. Our response should send a clear message that we will not tolerate these sorts of behaviors from anyone who holds a leadership position in our diocese. 300 Hindu radicals terrorize Christian children at Sunday school, threaten to beat them Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A pastor in India said a mob of 300 Hindu extremists terrorized Christian children and threatened to beat them for attending a Sunday school class he was leading. Pastor Selva Raj of Amathur village in Indias Tamil Nadu state told Morning Star News that the attack happened on Nov. 11. The mob of 300 or so radicals destroyed a shed near the worship building before descending upon children in a Sunday school class. They took away the Bible storybooks and some song and activity books from the children and tore them into pieces, Raj told Morning Star News in a piece published on Wednesday. They scared the children away by telling them that they will be beaten up if they are seen in the church premises ever again. The Hindu radicals then pressured both police and landlords to banish the pastor from the village. Despite pressure to leave the village, Raj said he has refused to do so. I told them that I am not going to write anything, he said. The inspector also told them, If he has done something wrong, you tell us, and we can give him a strong warning to not do it. But we do not have the authority to tell anyone to leave the village. Raj explained that local Hindu leaders have been highly opposed to the presence of Christians in Amathur, and for years have been chasing away other pastors. He vowed to continue offering Bible study classes for the children, no matter the cost. Im ready to become martyr for Christ, the pastor said. Until my Lord provides us a building, we will continue serving the Lord. It is fine even if we do not have shelter, we will not stop worshiping Him. We are ready to die for Christ. Christians have been attacked, beaten and threatened by Hindu radicals throughout rural areas in India, often falsely accused of trying to forcefully convert other believers. A pastor who leads a congregation in Madhya Pradesh State said in September that 15 families were scared off from going to church due to threats made by Hindu radicals, but they continue to worship Jesus in secret. "The radicals say they will beat and kill my church members if they continue to attend the services," Pastor Singh, as the church leader was identified, told International Christian Concern at the time. "Prior to May this year, around 200 people used to worship regularly in my church," he added. "But now only 50 to 60 people attend my church on Sunday. They are under tremendous pressure from Hindu radicals." In other instances, Christian families have been pressured into converting back to tribal religions. Three families faced such a fate in October in Lisiya village, West Singhbhum District, after Hindu radicals began destroying their homes and threatening to take their land and resources. "Pastors and Christians from Lisiya and surrounding village churches tried to encourage them to continue in the Christian faith in these testing times," area resident Subod Sinku said of the difficulties placed upon the Christians. Child soldier trained to attack Christians explains how he found Jesus, escaped extremism Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A man who was trained as a child soldier to attack Christians shared what led him to the Bible and Jesus, despite threats to his life. Christian broadcaster SAT-7 shared the story of the man, identified only as 24-year-old Jahan, in an article on Thursday, noting that he was born in Afghanistan. I was young and loved rifles, and all I heard was about killing this person and that person because we were told they were no good, attacking infidels and those who had become Christians, Jahan recalled. We were told we have to go to war against them. One day, my father was asleep, and I ran away. I worked and earned 20 rupees a day, and with hardship, I managed to get to Iran. Smugglers helped him through a perilous journey over fields and mountains, until he finally reached Iran at the age of 15, and became a builders apprentice. I experienced much hardship to be able to have light in my life. I got to read His book and found Him. One of my friends was a Christian and told me all about his faith over the phone, he said. When I read the Bible, I understood that what I had been taught is very different. Someone who reads the Bible can go to his God and solve his problems. Jahan declared that he is now in a happy place as a Christian, but is sad for his father and mother, who are still living a radicalized life. They dont answer my calls and I know if they found me, they would kill me. Even here, I am in danger. To my father, I hope you live a long and healthy life. I am your child, but I dont want to live in a dark world, he said. Persecution watchdog group Open Doors USA ranks Afghanistan as the second worst country in the world for Christians, behind only North Korea. "Because all Christians in Afghanistan are essentially converts, they are unable to express their faith, even in private. In many cases, upon being discovered, these converts are considered insane for leaving Islam. If they cannot be convinced to return to their former faith, they are sometimes committed to psychiatric institutions," the group explains on its website of the suffering that Christians face. "Others experience loss of personal property and businesses, beatings and even death at the hands of their own family members and communities. Knowing this, believers risk everything when telling others about Christ, also endangering those they witness to. Afghanistan Christian persecution is a tragic tale that is both old and new and seemingly not going anywhere." Islamic extremism is a problem in the country. The Islamic State terror group, and other terrorist factions, have for years been at war with government soldiers. Back in November, IS fighters killed 27 soldiers at a mosque at an Afghan army base, wounding another 44. Terror groups have stepped up their deadly attacks in the past couple of months, AFP noted, aiming to spread their influence in the country. Jesus was more like Asia Bibi or Christians in China, not illegal migrants: Priest Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The suffering of Jesus Christ is closer to what persecuted Christian Asia Bibi went through than that of migrants, a Roman Catholic priest has said. The priest, Father Alfredo Morselli, told Italian newspaper Il Giornale on Thursday that "Christ was a persecuted person, more like Asia Bibi or Catholics betrayed and sold off to the Chinese government, rather than migrants who would like to grant all rights. When it comes to the topic of millions of migrants making their way from the Middle East and North Africa to Europe being compared to Joseph, Mary, and Jesus, he said: "For the anti-Christian creed, religion no longer concerns Jesus Himself, but indulges in peoples own interpretation of Christs story. Morselli made references to several big developments when it comes to persecuted Christians around the world this year. Bibi, the Christian mother of five, spent eight years on death row in Pakistan on charges of blasphemy before being released in October. Bibi said she relied on her faith in Jesus throughout the dark times and despite pressure from Islamic hardliners to claim guilt. The Catholic Church in China has meanwhile been divided over the Vatican's decision to cooperate with the Chinese government and allow it to install its own bishops. Some Catholic church leaders have said that the Chinese government will continue its crackdown on Christians, however, forcing churches to take on Communist ideology or risk being harassed, or even demolished. In his interview with Il Giornale, Morselli insisted that Jesus must always be at the center, and not be pushed aside for political causes. A church that sells the Cross and does not put Jesus in first place, the only [place where He belongs], does not attract anyone," he said. Turning back to Bibi's plight, given that the Christian mother and her family remain in Pakistan without any concrete offer of asylum, he added: "I would say that as there was no place for Jesus in the hotel, there is no place for Asia Bibi in the Vatican. While Morselli didn't mention Pope Francis by name, the head of the Roman Catholic Church has been one of many church leaders who've make a comparison between Jesus and the plight of refugees around the world. "We encounter Jesus in those who are poor, rejected, or refugees. Do not let fear get in the way of welcoming our neighbor in need," Francis tweeted on World Refugee Day back in June. Francis also argued that the dignity of a person does not lie with their status as a citizen or a refugee. He encouraged people to help those fleeing war and poverty, calling it an "act of humanity." In Protestant circles, Paula White, U.S. President Donald Trump's spiritual adviser, positioned back in July that it was inaccurate to compare Jesus to migrants who were attempting to enter the U.S. illegally. "I think so many people have taken biblical scriptures out of context on this, to say stuff like, Well, Jesus was a refugee," said White, the senior pastor at New Destiny Christian Center in Apopka, Florida. "Yes, He did live in Egypt for three-and-a-half years. But it was not illegal. If He had broken the law then He would have been sinful and He would not have been our Messiah." Mark Tooley, president of the Washington-based think tank Institute on Religion & Democracy, argued at the time that White is trying to defend Trump's hard stance on illegal immigration, however. "We Protestants in our politics often want to think we have direct guidance from Him on public policy issues, as proven by a few select Bible verses we learned in Sunday school," wrote Tooley, who is a conservative Methodist scholar. "But the Bible almost never gives us such detailed counsel for contemporary statecraft. Instead we have Scripture, the church and Christian tradition offering broad principles about human dignity and divine justice that should inform our debate and decision making." Dissent in the Church of England over new guidance on transgender services Recent guidance from the Church of England on a 'celebratory' service for transgender people has caused alarm among evangelicals. The document, released earlier this month, encourages churches to be 'creative and sensitive' in using liturgy to help people mark their transition to a new gender. Ministers are advised to use the transgender person's chosen name and pronouns during the ceremony, which would incorporate the existing rite for the Affirmation of Baptismal Faith and should, the guidance instructs, have a 'celebratory character'. Ministers are also told that they could present gifts such as a Bible inscribed in the chosen name or a certificate. Although approved by the House of Bishops, the document has dismayed evangelicals in the Church of England who believe that gender is assigned by God at birth. According to The Sunday Times, the Rev Ian Paul, a member of the Archbishops' Council has urged bishops and other leaders in the Church of England to 'stop allowing themselves to be hijacked by these very small interest groups'. On Friday, the former Bishop of Rochester, Michael Nazir-Ali, released a statement in which he said that the Bible 'clearly teaches' that God made man male and female. He said that although it was important to be 'compassionate' towards transgender people, the guidance from the Church of England would lead to confusion among Christians and not help people struggling with gender dysphoria. 'The social function of gender is moreover based on biological difference and cannot be divorced from it,' he said. 'The Church should be compassionate and sensitive towards those who experience gender dysphoria but its fundamental teaching must be based on a revealed truth and objective biology and its relation to social structure. 'Superficial accommodation to culture, without adequate theological grounding, may look kind but will lead to further confusion amongst the faithful without truly helping those with issues about their biological sex and its concomitant gender.' The Church of England Evangelical Council has called the guidance 'theologically and pastorally questionable'. In a statement, the CEEC said it was concerned that churches that refuse to hold such a service will not receive any support from the Church of England if they are accused of being 'transphobic'. They added that the recommendation of liturgy raises 'major questions' for Christians. 'This is because many Christians who accept the legitimacy of transition in certain circumstances would understand it in terms of painful necessity, a consequence of our fallen existence, and a form of pastoral accommodation and not as a cause of celebration,' the CEEC said. 'In addition, many Christians view gender transition as a rejection of God's good purposes in creation and so something that is contrary to God's will. As such, it should not be undertaken, however desirable it might seem. It certainly should not be celebrated by the Church, particularly in the context of submitting to Christ as Lord. 'This is because human beings do not bear the image of God in an asexual manner.God created human beings to bear his image as embodied creatures who are either male or female (Genesis 1:26-28 and 2:18-24). 'We are called to witness to this created good as the church and to live thankfully within this dimorphic sexual pattern. This means accepting the sex into which we were born as God's good gift to us, however problematic we may experience it to be.' Christian Concern's chief executive Andrea Minichiello Williams, who is a lay member of the Church of England's General Synod, has also been critical. She said the Church of England was on a 'devastating trajectory towards an outright denial of God and his word'. 'It is not loving to mislead people - and wider society - into the falsehoods and myths of transgender ideology,' she said. Hong Kong Christians wear black to protest China church closures Christians in Hong Kong are coming to church dressed all in black as a protest against mainland China's crackdown on prominent congregations. Church leaders at the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu including its pastor Wang Yi are the latest to have been arrested by the authorities, who are particularly targeting 'underground' churches which are not part of official bodies. According to the South China Morning Post, the movement has been started by five progressive Christian groups that have launched an internet campaign in support of the action. Organisers said they had reached 47,000 people via Facebook. The Post visited one church in Tai Po where a third of the 500-strong congregation was dressed in black. Next week numbers are expected to rise. Hong Kong, formerly a British colony, experiences greater freedom than mainland China and Christians are more able to voice dissent. According to a prayer letter from Early Rain Covenant Church reported by China Aid, some of those still in custody have been denied access to their lawyers. Around 160 people from the church have now been arrested, some of whom have now been released but some of whom face criminal charges. According to China Aid, preventing prisoners meeting with lawyers is 'a tactic that violates Chinese law but is often employed during procedures targeting prisoners incarcerated for political or religious reasons'. 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. Libyan authorities exhume bodies of 34 Ethiopian Christian martyrs The bodies of 34 Ethiopian Christians executed in Libya by Islamic State (IS) in 2015 have been exhumed from a mass grave, Libyan authorities said on Monday. The grave was unearthed on Sunday, after information was obtained during investigations of arrested IS members, the interior ministry's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) said on its Facebook page. A video posted on social media in April 2015 appeared to show IS militants shooting and beheading the Christians, who were wearing orange jumpsuits, on a beach. The video, in which militants call Christians crusaders who are out to kill Muslims, showed about 15 men being beheaded on a beach and another group of the same size shot in their heads in scrubland. Both groups of men are referred to in a subtitle as 'worshippers of the cross belonging to the hostile Ethiopian church'. The CID displayed drone images of the mass grave, which appeared to be on a farm near the coastal city of Sirte. The bodies will be repatriated to Ethiopia once 'domestic and international legal procedures are completed', it said. Hundreds of thousands of people have migrated from sub-Saharan Africa to Libya in recent years, many hoping to eventually reach Europe. Islamic State took control of Sirte, the hometown of Libya's former leader Muammar Qaddafi, in 2015 and lost the city late in 2016 to local forces backed by US air strikes. Also in 2015, 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians were executed by ISIS in Libya. Their bodies have been repatriated to their home province of Minya and they are regarded as martyrs. Pilgrims converge on Bethlehem to celebrate Jesus' birth Filing past a 16-metre (52-ft) Christmas tree in Manger Square, visitors from all over the world made a Christmas Eve pilgrimage to Bethlehem, the town revered as the birthplace of Jesus. The Palestinian town in the Israeli-occupied West Bank is enjoying its busiest Christmas in years, with hotels nearly fully booked and the security situation relatively calm. Lines of pilgrims squeezed through a narrow sandstone entrance to the Church of the Nativity to visit the grotto where Christian faithful believe Jesus was born. 'This place is wonderful. I feel like the real Christmas (is celebrated) here,' said Joseph Ahlan, a pilgrim from Malaysia. Maria Moeva, a visitor from Bulgaria, said she could feel 'all the passion of the people who are here to celebrate the birth of Christ'. The acting Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, led an annual procession from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and will later celebrate Midnight Mass in the Church of the Nativity, originally built in the 4th century. In Manger Square, visitors were entertained by choirs singing carols, bagpipe players and a Palestinian scouts' marching band. While the security situation has eased since a wave of Palestinian knife and car-ramming attacks in 2015, Israeli roadblocks and a six-metre Israeli-built concrete separation barrier that snakes around the town are still part of the Bethlehem vista. Palestinians see the barrier as a land grab, in territory they are seeking as part of a state of their own. Israel, which captured the West Bank in a 1967 war, says the fences and walls it has erected help prevent Palestinian attacks. UK scientists are more atheist than the rest of the population Stephen Hawking and Richard Dawkins may not be alone in their atheism as new research has found that nearly half of the UK's scientists do not believe in God. Researchers at Rice University, Baruch College and West Virginia University wanted to find out if there were differences in levels of faith between academic scientists and the rest of the population. The study also examined the differences in belief between scientists at more and less prestigious universities. It found that those in elite science departments were more likely to be non-believers, being twice as likely as their non-elite peers to have never attended religious services. And overall, academic scientists in the UK were found to be more atheist than the rest of the population. The researchers found that while only 18 per cent of the general population said they did not believe in God, this was far higher among scientists at 45 per cent. Lead author Elaine Howard Ecklund, director of Rice's Religion and Public Life Program, said the prevalence of atheism among elite university scientists may be the result of cultural pressures. 'Individuals who are at the most elite institutions may disproportionately feel the cultural pressure to secularise,' she said. 'So, if those methods and mindset are inherently in conflict with religion, then these successful scientists would experience the greatest erosion of religious faith. 'This distinction could have an impact on how the public views scientists, in a national context where some minority groups are bringing challenges to teaching evolutionary theory, for example. 'Elite scientists might express less religiosity because they assume that, as elite scientists, they are supposed to be or need to be less religious to fit a professional ideal. 'Because they might already be on the fringes of that professional ideal in the first place, nonelite scientists may feel less social and cultural pressure to further conform to it.' Study co-author Jared Peifer, from Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business, said there may be a concern among some scientists that being religious 'would violate some professional norm'. Ecklund added: 'This norm might result from the history of public conflict surrounding issues like evolution and human embryonic stem cell research, which are most clearly connected to the biological sciences.' A previous study this year by Ecklund and West Virginia University's Christopher Scheitle found that 40.4 per cent of Protestant scientists and 63.6 per cent of Muslim scientists in the US reported experiencing religious discrimination in their field of work. 'There is often an assumption among scientists that everyone is irreligious,' Scheitle said. 'While it is true that academic scientists are, on average, less religious than the general public, religious scientists do exist and they are working in an environment where they might be seen as or at least feel like outsiders.' What has Isaiah's Immanuel prophecy got to do with the birth of Jesus? Every year at Christmas we read that passage from Isaiah 9 that begins, 'There will be no more gloom for those who were in distress... in the future he will honour Galilee of the Gentiles' and so on. We do tend to miss out the first word of the chapter, which is 'Nevertheless' in other words, everything that follows has a context. What's gone before is a picture of muddle and confusion, fear, politics, war, destruction and hunger. We skip all that and go straight to the nice bit. In fact this sublime chapter, with all its promises of a better world, of peace and harmony, is rooted in messy and painful human experience. It's part of a section in Isaiah that begins in chapter 7 and deals with an existential threat to Judah. At this time there were two Hebrew kingdoms. Under Solomon's son Rehoboam Israel had split in two; the northern half was Israel, the southern half was the tiny state of Judah, which remained loyal to David's dynasty and where the old capital of Jerusalem was. Syria and Israel had attacked Jerusalem and failed to conquer it; Ahaz, king of Judah, was understandably terrified. Isaiah was the court prophet. His job was to stiffen the king's spine and offer him worldly advice, like any good courtier; but it was also to get him to lift up his eyes from his present trials and tribulations so that he could see what God was doing. Chapters 7-9 of Isaiah are the extraordinary record of those anxious times and of what was said in the court and council of the king. Isaiah tells Ahaz not to worry; the threatened conquest won't happen. Instead, one of the two great super-powers of the ancient world, Assyria, will invade Syria and Israel and lay them waste. He says, 'The wealth of Damascus and the plunder of Samaria Israel's capital will be carried off by the king of Assyria.' And he warns Ahaz that his job is to remain loyal to God: 'If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all' (7:9). There's a ring to that! He warns of dark times ahead for Judah as well, and historically this is what happened Assyria obliterated the northern kingdoms and left Judah as a sort of vassal state, impoverished and subservient (7:17). Isaiah makes his own statement of faith, his own testimony: 'I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob. I will put my trust in him' (8:17). But it's not just politics. Interwoven with these fragments of history there's something else. Isaiah can dimly see, in the history of God's dealings with Israel, hints of something far greater and far more significant. It's like shafts of light breaking through the clouds on a stormy day. So in chapter 7, Isaiah says that God will give Ahaz a sign that Syria and Israel will be defeated. Verse 14 says: 'Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel, God with us.' Because Matthew uses those words in his story of the birth of Jesus, our minds leap straight to that. For Isaiah's hearers, that wasn't the point. And they didn't hear him say, 'A virgin shall conceive', either; a better translation is 'a young woman' and certainly not 'the virgin', as the NIV has it; that's reading back into the text something you think ought to be there. Because this is a prophecy for King Ahaz. It goes on, 'Before the boy knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the right, the land of the two kings you dread Israel and Syria will be laid waste' (7:16). In other words, stick it out for a couple of years and Israel and Syria won't be a problem any more. The young woman in question may have been Isaiah's wife; we don't know. What we do know is that it happened just as he said: first Syria fell, then Israel. There's nothing miraculous about that, it's just statecraft. But these are also shafts of light lancing down from the far future. Matthew in his Gospel describes Joseph, discovering that his fiancee Mary is pregnant and having a vision in which he's told, 'What is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.' Matthew says: 'All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: "A virgin shall be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel which means, God with us' (Matthew 1:22). So the act of rescue that God performs for his people in about 740 BC, and the sign that he gave to his people that he would do that, become a promise to the world that God would do that for everyone. Immanuel wasn't the only child born with a name that said something about God Isaiah had two other sons and gave them both symbolic names but Mary's child would be utterly, completely different. The Immanuel born in 740 BC would live and die, and the only thing significant about him was his name: but the Immanuel born to Mary would be the saviour of the world. So we start in the muddle and mess of ancient Middle Eastern politics, and we end in a different place entirely. The same thing happens with chapter 9 and the tremendous vision of a future in which the people walking in darkness have seen a great light, the rod of the oppressor is broken and every warrior's boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be fuel for the fire, because to us a child is born. Again, it starts with advice to Ahaz. There are the enemies to the north, Israel and Syria. There's a hostile superpower to the east, Assyria. There's another to the south, Egypt. And Ahaz is surrounded by panicky people, each of them with a different word of advice, including fortune-tellers and pagan priests, people who thought you could summon the dead and tell the future by consulting the entrails of goats. And Isaiah said: 'When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people enquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and to the testimony!' And it's then that this great chapter 9 begins, with its 'Nevertheless'. Suddenly it becomes not just the vision of an immediate future in which one tiny country's political independence is secure for a few more years; it becomes huge. It's the vision of a future where everything is right; where there is shalom for everyone. And one person will hold it all together: 'For to us a child is born; to us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders.' Why 'on his shoulders'? Because government is a weight; it's a load to carry. We can see this at the moment very clearly, where national and international problems seem overwhelmingly complex. Isaiah's talking about the affairs of a tiny Middle Eastern country, and he's trying to give its king a bit of backbone. At the same time there's this vision of glory, where he sees God stepping in and making things new, and giving hope to the hopeless, helping human beings flourish in body, mind and spirit, bringing shalom. When Jesus goes to Nazareth and reads the scroll in the synagogue in Luke 4, the passage is: 'The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour.' And he is quoting from Isaiah. What Isaiah dimly saw all those years ago comes true in Jesus. He is Immanuel, God with us, and he calls us to make that new world real. Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods Exxon Mobil's efforts offshore of Guyana were abruptly halted when the Venezuelan navy confronted a contract vessel. The offshore waters of the small South American nation Guyana have become Exxon Mobil's largest point of emphasis outside of West Texas' booming Permian Basin. But century-old border disputes with neighboring Venezuela threaten Exxon's efforts along with its joint venture partner, Hess Corp. of New York. Exxon Mobil confirmed it "paused" its seismic data-recording along the western portion of what's known as the Stabroek Block offshore of Guyana. A Norwegian seismic vessel contracted by Exxon Mobil fled the region after being intercepted by Venezuelan authorities. "Seismic operations on the Stabroek Block offshore Guyana have been paused until they can be safely continued," an Exxon Mobil spokeswoman said. "Our main concern is for the safety of crew members and others in the area. RELATED: In Guyana, Exxon oil project stirs international tensions "We are in communication with the necessary authorities," she added. "The acquisition of seismic data is being conducted under license from the government of Guyana. The vessels were operating within Guyana's exclusive economic zone." Venezuela is facing its own economic and geopolitical crisis and the socialist nation has seen its oil production fall to its lowest level in several decades. The deepwater dispute is pending before the International Court of Justice, the United Nation's court system in the Netherlands. And it's not the first tie tensions have boiled over. Five years ago, the Venezuelan navy seized a ship contracted by The Woodlands-based Anadarko Petroleum. But it's the Exxon Mobil-led effort that's truly revitalized the oil interests of Guyana. Because of the exploration efforts, Guyana actually led the world this year in new oil and gas discoveries, even ahead of Russia and the United States. In fact, Guyana accounted for almost a quarter of the 8.8 billion barrels in oil equivalent discovered so far this year. Exxon and Hess announced well more than 2 billion barrels in new discoveries offshore of Guyana this year, increasing their overall recoverable resources in the region to about 5 billion barrels of oil equivalent. Commercial production from Guyana is expected to begin in 2020. Christmas came early this year for Lone Star College. Heavy metal band Metallica, in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges, donated $1 million to 10 community colleges nationwide including The Woodlands-area school, according to KOMO News. In December, each college received $100,000 as a gift from the rock legends' All Within My Hands Foundation. Formed in 2017, the nonprofit is dedicated to creating sustainable communities by supporting workforce education, the fight against hunger, and other critical local services. With Christmas arriving right as school lets out for the holiday break, that leaves a long vacation after Santa's come and gone. Why not get the family out of the house with a quick trip somewhere special nearby? Houston police are searching for a woman who allegedly robbed a pregnant woman as the victim was taking her child out of a car in a South Gessner Walmart parking lot. The victim believes the suspect followed her out of the Vo's Grocery Store on West Bellfort and to an area bank prior to the robbery on Oct. 8 at about 2:45 p.m., police said in a press release. Dec. 11 At 7:09 p.m., Officers Lysack, Liccketto, Guerra, and Sgt. Hefferin along with personnel from the Bellaire Fire Department, were dispatched to the 5100 block of Beech Street in reference to a male who was not conscious and not breathing. Officers were advised CPR was in progress while units were enroute. Bellaire Fire Department personnel arrived on scene and took over medical care. The victim was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased. At 6:02 p.m., Officer Liccketto was dispatched in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle on Azalea Trail Lane. The owner of the vehicle left her vehicle while picking up her child. While the owner was inside the residence, an unknown suspect opened her passenger door and took her purse. At 6:44 p.m., Officer Liccketto was dispatched to the 4700 block of Willow Street in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle. An unknown suspect broke the front and rear driver side window. Nothing was missing from the vehicle. At 9:45 p.m., Officer Liccketto was dispatched to the 4900 block of Holt Street in reference to a criminal mischief. An unknown suspect broke the driver side side-view mirror. Dec. 12 At 12:34 p.m., Officer D. Rocha was dispatched the 5400 block of Braeburn Drive for a burglar alarm. While checking the back of the residence, Ofc Rocha observed a damaged rear window near the back door and found the residence had been burglarized. Cpl. D. Clawson and Ofc H Lopez arrived and assisted Ofc Rocha with checking the residence for any possible suspect(s) still inside. The resident arrived and initial investigation showed multiple items had been stolen. Ofc Lopez assisted in the processing of this incident. Dec. 13 At 11:28 a.m., Officer Vorhees was dispatched to the Bellaire ER at 5314 Bellaire Blvd. in reference to a criminal mischief. The reportee stated an unknown suspect(s) struck the chrome awning above the business in front of 5314 which is presently empty and for lease. Dec. 14 At 6:49 p.m., Officer Schwausch was patrolling the 5400 block of Bellaire Boulevard when he observed a red Dodge Ram run a red light while turning left from a straight only lane. Officer Schwausch initiated a traffic stop on the Dodge. The Dodge failed to stop for Officer Schwausch and evaded for approximately 2.2 miles before crashing into a metal fence and dumpsters. Further investigation found the driver to be driving while intoxicated. The driver was charged with driving while intoxicated (over double the limit and open container) and evading in a motor vehicle. Corporal Kramer assisted with this investigation. At 9:19 p.m., Officer Younger made contact with the victim who advised an unknown suspect forced entry into his vehicle and stole a backpack with a laptop in it in the 4600 block of Bellaire Boulevard. Dec. 15 At 3 a.m., Officer Ortega observed the suspect vehicle stopped for the green signal light in the 6700 block of South Rice Avenue southbound. Officer Ortega drove around the vehicle and observed the driver to be asleep in the driver seat behind the steering wheel. Officer Ortega initiated a welfare check on the vehicle. After further investigation the driver was placed into custody for driving while intoxicated. At 10:34 a.m., Officer Vorhees responded to a robbery of a person at 5100 Bellaire Blvd. The victim stated a black male in a two door gray older vehicle exited the passenger side and stole her purse. The suspects drove west bound on Bellaire Blvd. At 1:49 p.m., Officer Andrade was dispatched to the 4600 block of Braeburn Drive in reference to a burglary of a motor vehicle. Upon arrival, Officer Andrade met with the victim who stated he withdrew cash from the Bank of America and drove home. The victim stated approximately four minutes after he parked his vehicle and entered his home an unknown suspect broke the victims vehicle window and stole cash from the center console. At 9:23 p.m., Officer Younger initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for running a stop sign at 4600 Pin Oak Park. Officer Younger identified that the driver was driving while license suspended during his investigation and placed him in custody. Officer Younger found the driver to be in possession of illegal narcotics and to be unlawfully carrying a firearm. Officer Schwausch assisted with this investigation. At 8:08 p.m., Officer Schwausch was patrolling the 7200 block of IH 610 SB when he observed a beige Lexus travelling in front him without tail lights when required. Officer Schwausch initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle and found the driver was driving with a suspended driver license and without proof of financial responsibility. The driver was arrested for driving while license invalid - enhanced. Dec. 16 At 3:50 a.m., Officer D. Norman observed a Silver Ford F-150 fail to maintain a single lane of traffic in the 5100 block of Bellaire Blvd. Officer Norman followed the vehicle and observed the vehicle continue to swerve and fail to maintain a single lane multiple times. Officer Norman initiated the patrol vehicle emergency lights and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle for the above listed violation in the 5500 block of Bellaire Blvd. During the investigation, Officer Norman determined the driver to be driving while intoxicated. Officer Norman placed the suspect in custody for driving while and intoxicated and transported the suspect to the Bellaire Police Department Jail for processing. At 12:27 a.m., Officer Norman, while on patrol in the 7100 block of Chimney Rock Road southbound, observed the suspect vehicle to be stopped in the median impeding east and westbound traffic of the 5400 block of Jessamine Street. Officer Norman initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. After further investigation the driver was placed into custody for driving while intoxicated. Officer Ortega will be the reporting Officer in this case. At 9:39 p.m., Officer Marcotte initiated a traffic stop on a 2016 Ford F150 for failure to maintain a single lane of traffic and speeding in the 5100 block of Bellaire Boulevard. The driver showed signs of intoxication and was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI). Ramon Espinosa, STF / Associated Press Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador outlined a plan Sunday to amplify and modernize railways, refineries and ports in southern Mexico and said foreign investors wouldnt be allowed to participate. For strategic sovereignty reasons, Lopez Obradror said, we arent going to have foreign investment in the projects. Michael Ciaglo, Staff / Houston Chronicle The Greater Houston Partnership has developed an online tool to help address the growing shortage of workers for middle-skills jobs. The tool features a series of "My Life As" career videos of young workers in various careers in Houston. A fact sheet with each video offers details on that career. All the careers featured in the videos require less than a bachelor's degree. Children usually expect to receive holiday toys from a bearded man in a red and white suit. At James L. Ketelsen Elementary School, however, a green gator and University of Houston-Downtown Police Department officers served as Santas helpers. For the fourth consecutive year, UHDPD led a toy drive for children at the nearby school. On Dec. 20, officers and UHDs Gator mascot delivered items to Ketelsens students. Participating officers included Sgt. Trinity Delafance, Officer Tabitha Rivera, Officer Ricardo Reyna, Officer Raymond Jenkins and Lt. Frederick Varela. Ketelsen faculty and Principal Shelene Livas also joined the festivities. Officers arrived with gifts in hand while students assembled in the school library. Once students were in place, UHDs Gator mascot made a grand entrance receiving waves and hugs. Then, the real fun began with officers presenting boys with gifts wrapped in green and girls with presents wrapped in red. More than 30 students benefitted from UHDPDs toy drop off. Its always good to give to others, Delafance said. Many of the children we met today may not receive gifts this year, so receiving a toy today is special for them. Students moved to the schools lobby to unwrap their gifts, which included everything from Barbie items to My Little Pony playsets. We are very fortunate to have this UHD partnership, Livas said. Our students benefit greatly from the generosity of UHDPD. This gift delivery not only helps our students, it helps families who may not be able to provide the kind of holiday theyd like to offer their children. Its great to see them receive these presents here at school. They experience the holiday spirit and learn about giving, receiving and sharing. We are most appreciative that UHD continues to visit us each holiday season. Livas added that Ketelsens collaborations with the University extend beyond holiday goodwill. She said that the school serves as a training ground for many student teachers from UHDs Urban Education program and many Ketelsen faculty are UHD alumni. In addition to taking toys to Ketelsen kids, UHDPD officers delivered gift cards to students at Marshall Middle School. The cards are for area eateries, which will benefit nine students and their families. This was the second year that UHDPD contributed gifts to this middle school. I was informed that at least one of the students at Marshall had never had a home cooked meal, Delafance said. Its important that we do this for these students. Were supposed to take care of each other. To see the smiles on the students faces is priceless. Thats why we do this. Dec. 14 An Officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby to speak with a complainant, in regards to an identity theft that had already occurred. At 9:40 a.m., an officer was dispatched to a residence located in the 5300 block of Mercer in regard to a report of suspicious activity. Upon arrival it was discovered that an unknown person had made entry into the residence without permission. A report for burglary of a habitation was generated. Dec. 15 An Officer was dispatched to the Hedwig Village Police Department, to take custody of a subject, who has outstanding West University Place Police Department warrants. The subject was taken into custody and transported to the West University Place Police Department jail without incident. Dec. 16 Officers were dispatched to the 2800 block of Sunset in reference to a motor vehicle operator striking a parked vehicle. Officers arrived on location and observed the motor vehicle operator in the drivers seat with the ignition on. The driver (Tuongvy Le) showed signs of intoxication and was subsequently arrested for the criminal offense of Driving While Intoxicated. Officers were dispatched to the 2700 block of Albans in regard to a report of suspicious activity. Officers arrived on location and located the two individuals on the side of the structure behind a fence. Officers smelled an odor of a narcotic upon contact and a further investigation discovered one of the individuals was a resident and subsequently was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia. All individuals were released from the scene without further incident. Dec. 18 At 10:25 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the 3500 block of Rice in reference to an accident that had already occurred. An officer conducted a traffic stop in the 3100 block of Robinhood for expired registration. During the course of the traffic stop, it was discovered the driver was in possession of narcotics paraphernalia. The driver was cited and released. Dec. 19 An officer observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed in the 6300 block of Buffalo Speedway. A traffic stop was conducted and after further investigation, the driver (Elizabeth Duarte) was arrested for outstanding warrants out of the Bellaire Police Department and the passenger was arrested for Public Intoxication. At 3:38 a.m., an officer observed a silhouette of a person, in the 5900 block of Kirby on the west side of the street, hiding behind a tree. The officer attempted to make contact with the suspect when he began running west toward the fence. On or about 10 minutes later the suspect was observed walking southbound on the east side of the street. The suspect (Joseph Chase) was placed in custody for Evading on Foot. At 6:23 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the 3000 block of Rice Blvd. in regard to a report of a burglary of a motor vehicle that had already occurred. An Officer was dispatched to the 3100 block of Rice Blvd. in regard to a report of a burglary of a motor vehicle that had already occurred. At 9:28 a.m., a police officer was dispatched to the 5900 block of Annapolis, in reference to a Burglary of a Motor Vehicle, which had already occurred. An Officer was dispatched to the 12000 block of South Main to take a subject into custody that had an outstanding warrant with the West University Place Police Department. An Officer arrived and placed the subject into custody and was transported to our jail facility without incident. An Officer a vehicle in the 4100 block of Bissonnet traveling westbound with an obscured temporary tag. The officer initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle in the 5600 block of Innsbruck. Upon further investigation, it was discovered the driver was in possession of narcotics. The driver was eligibility to participate in the Misdemeanor Marijuana Diversion Program. Dec. 20 An Officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby to meet with a Harris County Precinct 5 Constable to take custody of a subject who had outstanding West University Place Police Department warrants. The subject (Joshua Matzen) was taken into custody and booked into the West University Place Police Department Jail without incident. Officers were dispatched to the 5400 block of Kirby in reference to a 911 hang-up. Moments later, dispatch advised Officers of a robbery that just occurred. Officers arrived, and upon further investigation, it was determined an unknown subject brandished a firearm, obtained cash from a register and left the scene from a local business. The unknown male suspect was not on location upon Officers arrival. Officers were called to the 6000 block of Charlotte regarding a package theft that had already occurred. Christian Arabs Thank Israeli Mall for Christmas Tree Contact: CJCUC Media Department, 516-882-3220 ASHDOD, Israel, Dec. 24, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- Fifty Christian Arabs living in the Holy Land joined the staff of Ohr Torah Stone's Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation (CJCUC) to visit the holiday tree at Ashdod's Big Fashion Mall to express their appreciation to the management for not removing it from their premises despite pressure from City Hall. "While the Christmas tree is not worshipped in Christianity nor used in any Christian sacred ritual, it has become the identifiable symbol of the holiday," remarked Pastor Steven Khoury, head of Holy Land Missions and the leader who mobilized the group's visit. He added, that "Christians represent 2% of Israel's population and are committed citizens of the country; it is important that our holiday symbols and concerns are represented in Israel's greater society." Photo: A higher resolution version is available online Two weeks ago, Big Fashion Mall erected the holiday tree and it caused a political uproar where Ashdod's Deputy Mayor Avi Amsalem called it an offense to Judaism and requested the management to remove the "disgrace" from the mall's premises. As an Orthodox Jewish organization that advances Jewish-Christian relations in Israel and around the world, CJCUC condemned the Deputy Mayor's remarks. According to CJCUC's Executive Director, David Nekrutman, the remarks of Amsalem hit a raw nerve to the Christian community living in Israel and a more active response was needed that would represent unity and not divisiveness. With the help of Pastor Steven Khoury, a decision was made to bring Jews and Christians, a day before Christmas, to visit the mall as a symbol of unity and peace. "The State of Israel is a democracy and champions religious freedom," commented Nekrutman, "we should embrace our Christian brothers and sisters and make them feel welcome in our country." In responding to those who find the Christmas holiday symbol an affront to Judaism, Rabbi Pesach Wolicki, CJCUC's Associate Director said, "a tree does nothing to undermine Judaism. In a Jewish state, we should be mindful of those who are not Jewish and respect their traditions." Both Nekrutman and Wolicki observed that in the Diaspora, Jews are very appreciative when Jewish symbols, such as the Chanukah menorah, are displayed in the public places. It demonstrates that the governments and communities accept the Jewish people. A midterm election marked by a surge of straight-ticket Democratic voters in the Houston area changed the local political landscape for the next few years. A slew of fresh faces are preparing to replace Republican office-holders in 2019. Most notably, a 27-year-old political neophyte, Lina Hidalgo, is replacing longtime incumbent Harris County Judge Ed Emmett to oversee the third-largest county in the U.S. A 23-year-old Houston man was about a block from his home late Sunday night when he struck a police SUV so hard it flipped the vehicle several times, causing it catch fire and injure the two police officers inside, prosecutors said Monday in court records. Cesar Collazo allegedly plowed into the SUV while intoxicated in the 10100 block of Telephone Road, about a block from his apartment in Quail Meadows, which also houses an HPD storefront. It was one of three suspected drunken drivers to be involved in a crash with police officers on Sunday night. Collazo was charged with two counts each of intoxication assault of a peace officer and failure to stop and render aid after causing serious bodily injury, which is the official charge for a hit-and- run. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. On Monday, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said both Houston police officers injured in the fiery crash are expected to survive, but one sustained serious burns. During the mid-morning press conference outside Memorial Hermann Hospital, Acevedo and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner asked for the community to pray for both officers to recover and return to the job. "I simply want the people of Houston to pray for both of these officers, Officer Reid, Officer Daily, pray for their families," Turner said. "That's what's important, to show that we are very supportive of both of them." He and Acevedo cautioned Houstonians not to drink and drive, especially during the holidays. "There is no excuse for driving under the influence," the chief said. "We urge everyone during the holidays and throughout the year, if you're going to drink, don't drive." The injured officer who was driving, 25-year-old John Daily, has been with the department for about a year. He underwent surgery around 4:30 a.m. and was expected to have another surgery Monday, Acevedo said. During a pre-dawn press conference, Acevedo said he is "in for the fight of his life," with burns on 50 percent of his body. OUT OF CONTROL: Houston is 'ground zero' for drunken and drugged driving The other officer, 25-year-old Alonzo Reid, sustained less severe burns and is expected to recover. Police said Reid and a civilian pulled Daily from the fiery wreckage. Meanwhile, Collazzo was not severely injured, Acevedo said. "Our officer is supposed to be flying home to see his mother and father in California ... but instead of going to see his family they're going to come here because they got a call nobody should get," Acevedo said during the briefing. "And that's that their 25-year-old vibrant son who is just starting his career with the Houston Police Department is in here fighting for his life." Daily's mother and father, who appeared with Reid's mother at a mid-day press conference with Acevedo, said they were proud of their sons. "John's a tough guy," his father, Olen Daily, said. "He'll get through this." Acevedo said the crash occurred around midnight while the officers were on the way to assist another officer. He said the two officers were driving a full-size Chevy Tahoe with lights and sirens activated. That's when the suspect pulled in front of them while trying to turn, causing the Tahoe to roll several times and catch fire. Reid was able to get out of the vehicle with the help of a civilian. They pulled Daily from the burning car, Acevedo said. If they hadn't, "we could be talking about a dead officer right now," Acevedo said. HELD ACCOUNTABLE: Bartenders' arrests in recent Houston drunk driving death are first for new TABC initiative Collazzo, who drove away from the scene, was later apprehended while driving to an apartment complex on Telephone Road, police said. Acevedo was visibly frustrated during the news conference. He said the crash was one of three involving police officers and drunken drivers during Sunday night and Monday morning. At around 10 p.m., a female drunken-driving suspect backed into responding officers' police car at a Walmart at 111 Yale. Then, after the crash on Telephone Road, another drunken driver struck a police car in the 200 block of West Little York and fled the scene. None of the officers in those incidents were injured. "So that's three police cars in one night struck by drunk drivers ... it irks me beyond description," the chief said. Staff writer Brian Rogers contributed to this report. 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 Texas Equusearch Authorities are searching for a Houston man who went missing after walking out of Sam Houston Hotel last week. Chris Snellings, 52, was last seen around 6:45 p.m. at the hotel on Prairie Street, according to Texas Equusearch. When the Legislature convenes in Austin on Jan. 8, Harris Countys House delegation will include two new Democrats who flipped seats long held by Republican lawmakers. Last month, state Rep.-elects Gina Calanni, D-Katy, and Jon Rosenthal, D-Houston, knocked off two-term state Rep. Mike Schofield and 12-term veteran Rep. Gary Elkins, respectively. Both wins demonstrated the changing political makeup of Harris Countys fast-growing west suburbs, areas that played a major role in turning the county solidly blue during the midterms. Republicans are sure to take aim at the seats in 2020 and beyond, though Calanni and Rosenthal say they recognize the conservative constituencies in their districts and plan to focus on issues that work for both sides of the political aisle. I won my district with 50.8 percent. The Republican guy got 47.7, said Rosenthal, who considers himself a progressive Democrat. So, I had a 3-point margin, which means I represent a district thats pretty much 50-50. I feel like, no matter what I have in my heart, I have to represent the district 50-50. Thats what the job is. Both new lawmakers undoubtedly were bolstered by a combination of favorable trends for Democrats, including an unpopular Republican president and galvanizing Democrats running at the top of the ticket and in an overlapping congressional district. Still, if the political forces of President Donald Trump, Rep. Beto ORourke and Rep.-elect Lizzie Pannill Fletcher helped the two Democrats get near the finish line, their campaigns helped them cross it. Calanni, for instance, personally knocked on more than 10,000 doors in the 132nd District and raised nearly $139,000 in the month or so before the election. She ultimately won her race by 113 votes, or .17 percentage points. Nearby, eight-term state Rep. Dwayne Bohac, a Houston Republican, survived by a whisker: 47 votes, out of more than 48,000, in House District 138. Rosenthal, meanwhile, won Texas 135th District by 3.2 percentage points. Though he was far outraised by Elkins, the incumbent was sitting on $334,000 in campaign cash by Oct. 27, a sum that would have been difficult to fully spend by Election Day. Upcoming session Calanni, 41, and Rosenthal, 55, both say they will focus on the topic that appears set to dominate the legislative session: reforming how the state funds public education. The two Democrats made it a top issue of their races, with Rosenthal putting the focus of the campaign on his calls for the state to kick in more funds for public education. Calanni, a former bankruptcy and tax paralegal in the Travis County attorneys office, considers herself a moderate and said she previously has voted for candidates from both parties. She was among the numerous candidates who joined the political fray for the first time in 2018 after growing upset over the divisiveness between the two parties. I definitely identify as a Democrat, but I think there are a lot of things, especially on a local level, that are not really separated into party issues, she said. Calannis campaign focused on topics that fit that description: flood control and mitigation, sex trafficking and, foremost, the need to reform education funding. When Im knocking on a door and talking to people that I know are Republicans, then I talk specifically about public education and that we dont have enough funding for it, she said. Already, Calanni plans to introduce legislation that would address sex trafficking, a pervasive issue in Houston and one that has drawn the attention of liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans alike. Before she ran for office, Calanni worked for several nonprofits focused on the issue. Calanni said she would aim to provide work programs to teach job skills to sex trafficking victims, similar to an initiative already operating in Harris County. Calanni also wants to provide counseling services for victims and to strengthen business licensing requirements to prevent businesses from operating as brothels. The 132nd District, which went to Trump in 2016 by about 4 percentage points, runs from Cypress to Katy on Harris Countys western border. To its east is the 135th District, which encompasses many of Harris Countys northwest suburbs, including Bear Creek, Copperfield, Cypress and Jersey Village. Trump won the district by 2 percentage points. Rosenthals run for office can be traced back to Trumps election, after which he founded a chapter of Indivisible, an anti-Trump advocacy group, in Texas 7th Congressional District. The group began meeting with a coalition of other local progressive grassroots organizations, and somewhere along the line, Rosenthal made the plunge with the understanding that his new Democratic friends would be fully behind his candidacy. Just the fact that I came from a group of activist groups started me off with kind of a volunteer base, Rosenthal said. The original plan was, Ill raise as much as I can, but Im going to rely heavily on progressive activists to help us. Around Labor Day, Rosenthal drew support from a handful of local teacher groups focused on public education advocacy. That marked an inflection point in the campaign, he said, because they helped him raise money and ramp up his ground game. Looking ahead to the session in Austin, Rosenthal intends to play a role in the effort to reform public education funding, but also hopes to introduce legislation to regulate how much interest payday lenders can charge. The measure would reverse some of the regulations lifted by Elkins, who owns several payday lending businesses and authored bills to lift interest caps on payday loans. Speakers race In November, shortly after the midterm elections, state Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, released a list tallying the 109 House members who said they planned to vote for him for House speaker. Outgoing House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, did not seek re-election; the next speaker will be elected by a vote on the House floor Jan. 8. Calanni and Rosenthal, having just won their elections, did not appear on Bonnens initial list, but both say they have met with the presumptive speaker and plan to vote for him. Right now, this is probably the best guy for the job, Rosenthal said. He is totally committed to public education finance reform without injecting his opinion into the conversation. Rosenthal also was encouraged by Bonnens history of standing up to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Texas Senate, on issues favored by the House. If youre looking for someone to put in the ring with our lieutenant governor, I dont know if you could pick a better person on either side of the aisle, Rosenthal said. Calanni appeared more cautious in her support for Bonnen, though she said an initial meeting with the Brazoria County Republican left her with a positive impression. The reality is that, unless something wild happens, hes going to be the next speaker, Calanni said. More likely than not, she said, Bonnen will help members work together across the aisle something she intends to do herself. He came across as a very nice man that seemed like he wanted to really get things done, that he was protective of the House and making sure that our bills were not going to get blocked, Calanni said. jasper.scherer@chron.com twitter.com/jaspscherer The year 2018 was a busy one for CJR. We grew our audience, released a new app, and took over a newsstand in midtown Manhattan. We also published three magazines covering threats to reporters, the struggles of working journalists, and race in media. To celebrate the end of 2018, we have compiled the most popular stories published this year. Heres the countdown: 10. CJR Special Report: Photojournalisms moment of reckoning Freelance journalist Kristen Chick interviewed more than 50 people for a CJR investigation that spanned five months, revealing sexual misconduct in photojournalism. The piece detailed allegations that male gatekeepers in the industry have abused their positions to make unwanted sexual advances toward women. Meanwhile, publications, institutions, agencies, and industry leaders have turned a blind eye. 9. Freelancers are precarious. When should they push back? In the summer, Abby Seiff wrote an article explaining how powerless freelancers are. She revealed that The Washington Post killed her commissioned story because she retweeted a criticism of the paper. Although she was able to speak out, other freelancers cannot for fear of losing assignments. This allows editors to abuse their powers, stringing writers along with endless questions or killing stories for unjust reasons. At the end of the day, no one wants to be the one to raise a voice. The stakes are too high; the scales too tipped, Seiff says. 8. Meditations on Axioss smart brevity longform CJR published a story about Axios at its launch in January 2017. However, with the recent announcement that the site is taking its Smart Brevity model and applying it to longform (whatever that means), we thought it was time to catch up with the outlet. Despite claiming that the media is brokenand too often a scam, writer Lyz Lenz says Axios is a fairly standard online media project: SEO-optimized articles, with lots of links to other pages on the site. 7. The Times tech columnist unplugged from the internet. Except he didnt Farhad Manjoo joined the Opinion section of The New York Times in November. In March, when he was still serving as a tech columnist, he wrote a widely lauded piece about the benefits of unplugging from technology. I turned off my digital news notifications, unplugged from Twitter and other social networks, Manjoo wrote. However, journalist Dan Mitchell revealed that Manjoo tweeted many hundreds of times during the period he claimed to be disconnected. I think its clear that I meant I unplugged from Twitter as a source of news, not that I didnt tweet at all, he told CJR in response to our findings. 6. Behind the story: Olivia Nuzzi on how she got Hope Hicks to talk Olivia Nuzzi revealed how she got former White House communications director Hope Hicks to talk to her. The New York magazine Washington correspondent explains to Elon Green that trust was a big factor in gaining access to her source. The piece includes many great moments, like the time Jared Kushner called Secret Service on Nuzzi because she refused to delete a recording of him in the West Wing, and opening the door to Corey Lewandowskis house after she knocked and no one answered. 5. Meet the journalism student who found out she won a Pulitzer in class Kelsey Ables, who was our intern at the time, came into the CJR newsroom and told us her classmate found out she won a Pulitzer Prize during class. We asked her to write up a story about Mariel Padilla, who won the award for her work with The Cincinnati Enquirer covering the citys heroin crisis. The CJR article includes screenshots of texts from people telling the 23-year-old she just won one of the top prizes in the profession. 4. The source: How hacked emails and a yacht in Monaco ended my career at WSJ The firing of journalist Jay Solomon from The Wall Street Journal because of his dealings with a source raised many questions. Solomon, in this first-person piece, explains how attempts to maintain a relationship with an Iranian-American businessman led him into situations that made him appear too involved with his source. I blended in, and perhaps my presence was seen as consent or a willingness, Solomon wrote. 3. Seymour Hersh on spies, state secrets, and the stories he doesnt tell Veteran reporter Seymour Hersh speaks with Elon Green about his long career as an investigative journalist, including his interviewing process and his reporting on the My Lai massacre and the Nixon administration. When I talk about something secret and I show up with a tape recorder, Im dead, Hersh says. He also expresses strong views on how the press is treating the current administration: The secret to Trump, I think, is he wants to be loved by The New York Times as much as by Fox News. But asked how the Times is handling Trump? I think theyre overpunching. 2. An Arizona school district kept a secret blacklist for decades. A reporter found it In January, we published a story that reinforces one of the oldest adages of journalism: always stay until the end. Arizona Daily Star reporter Hank Stephenson explained in a first-person piece that he attended a meeting held by the Tucson Unified School District. At the end of it, a new superintendent confirmed the lists existence. After three hours, I was the only reporter left in the room. Sometimes thats all it takes, Stephenson writes. 1. The mystery of Tucker Carlson Lyz Lenzs profile of Fox News host Tucker Carlson is CJRs most popular story of 2018. The piece attempts to explain how Carlson went from a respected conservative writer to making remarks about immigrants that have sent advertisers running. As a single mom and freelance writer struggling in journalism, Lenz juxtaposes her life with Carlsons (Carlson is worth over $8 million, but claims to be part of the disenfranchised class of America). She also explains how his incendiary language is what has attracted the likes of David Duke, President Donald Trump, and an audience of 2.7 million viewers. The more outrage he inspires, the braver, the bolder, the more courageous he seems to his audience, Lenz writes. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today The Editors are the staffers of the Columbia Journalism Review. LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- Anonymous Mobile Labs, founded in 2015, joined forces with the Alabama mobile app developer Junto. The month-old merger, now called Junto LLC, will make the coming year one to build its portfolio, as well as consume other applications and similar developers in the Cleveland area, said Anonymous Mobile Labs co-founders Michael DeAloia and John Farrall. Michael DeAloia Junto LLC command hub is operated out of Lakewoods LaunchHouse located on Westwood Avenue. In the past, Anonymous Mobile Labs released a few applications for Apple's iOS that included Kanja, a patients medical record keeping platform, as well as AudioDrop, an audio recording app designed for the minimalist user niche. Anonymous Mobile Labs offered solutions for data storage in a simplistic manner. Catering to the user, who requires a fast and basic setup, is the foundation of each of the software apps that were branded under Anonymous Mobile Labs wings. John Farrall In today's saturated market for downloadable smartphone applications, supporting the desires and whims of the simple consumer and grabbing consumer attention can be a tricky feat to accomplish. Having spent some time with the AudioDrop application, which got my attention since I am an avid Hi-Fi audio enthusiast, it is both nimble and user friendly. DeAloia explained this minimalistic design was intentional. Both Kanja and AudioDrop offer features such as automatic uploads of file recordings made on your smartphone to a linked Dropbox cloud storage bin, as well as a basic user interface. Earlier in 2018, DeAloia and Farrall reached out to Junto investor Rob Heiser with a potential business opportunity in mind. Both parties agreed that a merger made sense. DeAloia said that creating a local ecosystem and retaining employees, investors and home grown application development were all important concepts going in to Junto LLC's future. Anonymous Mobile Labs needed a fresh pair of eyes he said. He added that Heiser's level of experience as CEO of Segmint, a bank and data analytics application that is centered in Akron, was another factor in the merger. Rob Heiser DeAloia said now he wants to find numerous ways to raise capital, turn out a higher rate of investors that are willing to support him, and also hire more employees for the venture itself. Currently, DeAloia is hunting for a president of Junto LLC and will soon accept resumes for the position. -- Michael Piskor is a technology freelancer for The Plain Dealer. CLEVELAND, Ohio A Cleveland man is charged in a drive-by shooting that caused a car to roll over in the citys Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood. Darren D. Allen, 20, is charged with felonious assault in the Dec. 4 shooting on East 114th Street near Forest Avenue, according to court records. He is not in custody but authorities obtained an arrest warrant for him Thursday, court records say. Allen shot at a Ford Focus as it drove through the neighborhood, causing its driver to swerve to avoid the gunfire, according to police reports and court records. A 19-year-old driver and his 18-year-old passenger both refused medical treatment after the Focus rolled over and crashed. The Focus driver was westbound on Forest Avenue about 1:30 p.m. when he saw a white sedan pull up behind him at high speed. The sedan passed his car, and a gunman leaned out a window and started shooting at the Focus, police reports say. The driver ducked down in his seat and turned north onto East 114th Street. He drove onto a tree lawn and up the guide wire of a utility pole, causing the Focus to roll over onto its hood, police reports say. Officers found two bullet holes in the rear drivers side of the Focus. They also found five bullet casings in the street on Forest Avenue. Surveillance video from a nearby home showed the gunman leaning out of the white sedan, but the footage was black-and-white and grainy, police reports say. The Focus was towed so it could be checked for evidence. Allens criminal history includes convictions for assault, receiving stolen property and possessing criminal tools, according to Cuyahoga County court records. He is also charged with escape and criminal damaging in a case filed earlier this year in Cuyahoga County. Details of the case were not immediately available Monday morning. To comment on this story, visit Mondays crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio Two robbers pulled a man from a car, pistol-whipped him and shot him four times in the legs Sunday in Clevelands Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood, police said. The 26-year-old man was shot twice in each leg during the robbery that happened about 5:15 a.m. on Shale Avenue near East 110th Street. One of the gunshots struck his right femur, breaking the bone, according to a police report. An ambulance took him to University Hospitals for treatment. His condition was not immediately available Monday morning. The 26-year-old man and three women were driving in a red Chevrolet Cobalt when one of the women felt sick. They pulled over on Shale Avenue. The two robbers were walking in the area, and they came up to the car. One robber pulled out a gun and used it to smash the cars passenger-side window, police reports say. The robbers pulled the 26-year-old man from the car. One robber pistol-whipped him in the head, causing him to fall to the ground. The robber then fired four shots at the man, striking him twice in each leg, police reports say. The other robber forced the three women to hand over their belongings. The robbers took an Apple iPhone 6, credit cards, an ID and approximately $100 before they ran away, police reports say. Cleveland police officers found a spent bullet casing at the crime scene. The shooting remains under investigation, police said. To comment on this story, visit Mondays crime and courts comments page. Grit. Hard work. Intelligence. These are some of the ingredients of success. But there's another that can't be left off the list, according to Google billionaire Eric Schmidt: luck. "I would say I'm defined by luck, and I think almost anyone who's successful has to start by saying they were lucky," said Schmidt on the Conversations with Tyler podcast. "Lucky of birth, lucky of having intellectual and intelligent family home life, upbringing, global upbringing, etc." Schmidt's own life is an example: To start with, his father was an economist who moved the family to Italy when Schmidt was young. "And this is at a time when people didn't travel the way they do today, and so it was quite exotic to grow up Italian, and I think that really changed me," he said. It opened up his view of the world. "As an American, I've always thought Americans were very, very locally focused, and even today in the world you all live in, we're still too locally focused and not globally focused," Schmidt said. Then, there was his schooling. Schmidt, now 63, studied architecture at Princeton University, though that major didn't last. "I was a terrible architect," Schmidt told Cowen. "But I turned out to be a pretty good engineer, and this was at a time when computer science didn't exist. At Princeton, I walked in and I said, 'Look, I think I'd rather do computers.'" New Release! Former Executive Chairman of @Google @ericschmidt joined Tyler for a conversation @villageglobal on Google, lessons from failures, city building, and more #CowenConvos #WednesdayWisdom Schmidt went on to graduate with an electrical engineering degree and then got his masters and Ph.D in computer science at the University of California, Berkeley. It was perfect timing the fact that computer industry was just getting started was absolutely key to his success. "I had the benefit of being early in the computer industry, so that's like super luck," said Schmidt. Indeed, his ability to pursue his interest in computers drove the rest of his career. Schmidt, who is worth about $12.7 billion according to Forbes, went on to be the CEO of Google from 2001 to 2011 and the executive chairman of Google's parent company Alphabet until he stepped down in January 2018 to be a technical adviser. Schmidt also says he was lucky "because I had good taste in friends, and they helped me out." Schmidt did not specify which friends, but earlier in the podcast, Schmidt said he learned about charismatic leadership working with Scott McNealy, a co-founder and former CEO of the computer technology company Sun Microsystems. Also, during his time at Google, Schmidt worked with the co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. "The best things in your life will come from the people that you hang out with," Schmidt said. "That has worked incredibly well for me." With his good luck, Schmidt was savvy, he says, and that created his good fortune. "But my real opportunity is, I look at each of these stages, I was picked early, I worked with smart people, people took a risk on me, and I learned." Schmidt is not the only ultra successful person to acknowledge how the luck of their upbringing has played a significant role in their success. "My wealth has come from a combination of living in America, some lucky genes, and compound interest. [Both] my children and I won what I call 'the ovarian lottery,'" Warren Buffett, who is now worth more than $79.1 billion according to Forbes, told Christiane Amanpour in 2010. "I was born in the right country at the right time," said Buffett, now 88. "Bill Gates has always told me if I had been born many thousands of years ago, I'd have been some animal's lunch because I can't run very fast, I can't climb trees, and some animal would be chasing me and I say, 'Well, I allocate capital.' The animal would say, 'Those are the kind that taste the best,'" Buffett said. Billionaire Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has also said he owes his success to the serendipity of his upbringing. Zuckerberg's father was a dentist who provided a comfortable life, so Zuckerberg was afforded the freedom to pursue his interests. Currently worth more than $46.9 billion according to Forbes, Zuckerberg famously dropped out of Harvard to focus on Facebook. "Let's face it. There is something wrong with our system when I can leave [Harvard] and make billions of dollars in 10 years while millions of students can't afford to pay off their loans, let alone start a business," Zuckerberg said in his 2017 commencement address at the university. "We all know we don't succeed just by having a good idea or working hard. We succeed by being lucky too," Zuckerberg said. "If I had to support my family growing up instead of having time to code, if I didn't know I'd be fine if Facebook didn't work out, I wouldn't be standing here today. If we're honest, we all know how much luck we've had." See also: How an ex-lawyer built Halo Top into an ice cream sensation with $347 million in sales Mark Zuckerberg: Success comes from 'the freedom to fail,' so billionaires like me should pay you to do that Billionaire Mark Cuban: 'One of the great lies of life is follow your passions' A trailer is filled with soybeans at a farm in Buda, Illinois, July 6, 2018. Daniel Acker | Reuters From trade tensions to supply concerns, farmers face daunting challenges and more uncertainty heading into 2019. But farmers are cautiously optimistic about the outlook despite predictions of more pain ahead. Low commodity prices and trade disputes have led to tough times for farmers and caused soybean and pork operations to lose money. The difficult conditions in the farm sector also have driven more dairy farmers out of business. "If you look at the heartland of the U.S., which is largely propped up by corn, soybeans and wheat, we're going into year five of a pretty difficult time," said Curt Hudnutt, executive vice president of Rabo AgriFinance and head of rural business in North America for Rabobank. "So we expect there to be challenges in 2019." Barring any major breakthrough on trade, economists and bankers are not hopeful about a significant upturn in farm income in 2019. Farmers have faced several years of lackluster profits, and supply concerns could keep prices at depressed levels in the new year. The U.S.-China trade war resulted in Beijing slapping retaliatory tariffs on thousands of U.S. goods, including soy, corn, beef, pork, tree nuts and dairy products. China also targeted other industries, including chemicals and machinery. Soybeans American soybean farmers have been among the hardest hit by China's tit-for-tat tariffs. Through Friday, U.S. soybean futures are down 11 percent from prices set in early April before the 25 percent tariff on U.S. soybeans was announced by Beijing. "If you're raising corn or soybeans right now it's a pretty sobering crop outlook," said David Widmar, co-founder of Agricultural Economic Insights, an Indiana-based ag research and consulting firm. "A few years ago it was wheat taking the big hit." In the first 10 months of 2018, U.S. shipments of soybeans to China fell by about 62 percent, reaching 8.2 million metric tons, compared with 21.4 million metric tons in the year-ago period, according to government figures. The soy tariff, which took effect July 6, resulted in China turning mostly to Brazil and Argentina for its beans. Brazil already is the world's top soybean exporter and continues to increase its soy acreage and is expected to have its largest-ever crop in the 2018-19 season. The recent bit of good news is China this month returned to buying American soybeans after a nearly six-month absence without substantial purchases. There have been at least three rounds of U.S. soybean purchases by China this month, and it follows Washington and Beijing agreeing on Dec. 1 to a temporary trade truce. Trump's farm aid The Trump administration's emergency trade aid program for farmers affected by the retaliatory tariffs will provide some relief for certain commodity producers. The so-called market facilitation program involves $9.6 billion and is designed to mitigate the impacts of tariffs imposed by China, Mexico and other countries. President Donald Trump speaks to the press before departing the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, December 7, 2018. Jim Young | Reuters The U.S. Department of Agriculture expects soybean producers to get a total of about $7.3 billion in direct payments from the market facilitation program. "The second tranche of the trade mitigation program is going to help farmers that are in some pretty tough times," said Richard Guebert, president of the Illinois Farm Bureau and a grower of soybeans, corn and wheat. "It will not make them whole, but it buys them time that they can meet their obligations and get past the first of the year." For soybean producers, the trade aid comes at a critical time when many have completed the harvest but still have ongoing expenses. Some farmers face soaring storage costs this year after deciding to hold on to more of their crop in hopes of seeing better prices next year. "I do have hope and optimism that things will get better in 2019," said Guebert. "But we still have a lot of things to work on to get there." Last year, China bought more than $12 billion worth of U.S. soybeans, representing nearly 60 percent of all U.S. soy exports, according to the USDA. Trade tensions could heat up again in 2019 as the temporary truce in the U.S.-China trade war is set to expire March 1. The truce could be extended, but a long-term trade deal to resolve differences between the world's two largest economies remains elusive. In addition, the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement still needs to be formally approved by all three countries and doesn't remove tariffs the allies placed on a variety of U.S. food and agricultural products, including some meats and dairy-related goods. The retaliatory levies were in response to President Donald Trump imposing import duties on foreign steel and aluminum products. Sagging farm income Without trade issues getting resolved, no major uptick in net farm income is anticipated in 2019. Also there are oversupply concerns with some major commodities, including soy, as the USDA projects domestic soybean stocks will reach 955 million bushels by the end of the 2018/19 marketing year, doubling from the year-ago period. "We still have an awful lot of supply here in the U.S.," said Daniel Kowalski, an economist and vice president of CoBank's Knowledge Exchange Division. "We have too much milk, too much grain, too many soybeans, among other things." Corn loaded in trucks is seen at Wessling Farms near Grand Junction, Iowa. Scott Morgan | Reuters Net farm income, considered a broad measure of farm profitability, is forecast to decline 12.1 percent to $66.3 billion in 2018 when compared with 2017, according to the USDA. If that is realized, the agency said inflation-adjusted net farm income would be 3.3 percent above 2016, a year when it reached the lowest level since 2002. "Farm income in 2018 is going to be half of what it was in 2013," said Kowalski. "And it's unlikely to be decisively better in 2019." In December, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago released its quarterly AgLetter and said a survey of agricultural bankers found 61 percent who responded expected more "forced sales or liquidations of farm assets owned by financially distressed farmers" to increase over the next three to six months when compared with the prior year. "There's concern that multigenerational family farms probably won't be able to continue because of these continuous low prices and decreased farm income," said Kevin Papp, president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau and a corn and soybean grower. The farm downturn also is a setback to the rural economy as agricultural households facing financial stress look for ways to tighten their belt and hold back on purchases of cars, farm equipment and other items. "There's a direct correlation between the pain on the farm and pain on Main Street in rural America," said CoBank's Kowalski. "This impacts local businesses across the board." Pork and beef In the pork sector, producers have been pressured by hog prices below the costs of production and faced retaliatory tariffs imposed by China as well as Mexico. Scott Morgan | Reuters The value of U.S. pork exports to China (including Hong Kong) fell 16 percent in the January-October period compared with a year ago, according to the U.S. Meat Export Federation. For Mexico, the export value of U.S. pork shipments declined 9 percent in the same period. Demand for U.S. pork could recover in 2019 given there have been widespread outbreaks of African swine fever in China since August, resulting in more than 630,000 pigs being destroyed. The incurable disease, which is not dangerous to humans, isn't limited to China, since there have been several farms hit with the swine virus this year in Europe. In the U.S. beef sector, the beef cow herd is expected to increase slightly next year as strong domestic and global demand continues. "The beef cow herd is expected to remain pretty stable and potentially just increase a hair so we will still be under pressure from a lot of beef supplies," said Kevin Kester, president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and a California cattle rancher. "That's why it's important to keep our export markets going." The U.S. beef industry has seen record value exports this year to South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines, according to USMEF, the meat export trade group. But the industry faced a setback of sorts in July when China imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on American beef products on top of the 12 percent import levy that already existed. "We're not expanding probably what we would be doing (in China) if the tariffs weren't there," said Kester. "Right now the U.S. beef has a 37 percent tariff." But Kester said exports into the Hong Kong market "are exploding. We are going to be over $900 million (this year) into Hong Kong. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that probably quite a bit of that ends up in China someplace." Dairy struggle For the dairy sector, though, hard times have forced some smaller dairies out of business through foreclosure and others have exited on their own after having negative profit margins for five years. The tariffs from China and others have only exacerbated the dairy industry's pain. A dairy farm worker Jorge milks cows at Mancebo Holsteins in Tulare, California. Jane Ross | Reuters A more balanced trade in motor vehicles which account for 75 percent of the U.S. trade deficit with Japan is also being sought. The United Auto Workers union is calling for quotas on Japanese vehicles and parts, with any quota increases subject to the growth of U.S.-made automobile exports to Japan. The writing, finally, may be on the wall, even though Japan could be allowed some time to adjust to the new trading regime, especially in agricultural matters. But the Democrats are already warning the U.S. negotiators to tighten up the enforcement instruments and procedures. And here is an interesting aside to the trade story from President Donald Trump's administration: Results of an opinion poll in Japan, published last Wednesday, showed that only 39 percent of respondents thought that the U.S.-Japan relations were "good" down from 56 percent in last year's poll. Nearly 40 percent thought the relations were "bad," which was almost double from last year's 23 percent. There is an unmistakable moral to those findings for America's worldly pundits, including some of those in the highest offices, calling for commitment and respect to friends and allies. Yes, but a rising hostility is what America is getting from a country whose security is unconditionally underwritten by the United States, and whose economy has flourished, and continues to grow, thanks to unlimited access to American wallets. Still, what we are seeing in Japan now is a Kinderspiel, child's play, compared to Germany's extraordinary vilification of America and its leadership another country that freeloads under the American security umbrella and continues to accumulate huge amounts of wealth as a result of $50 billion to $60 billion in annual trade surpluses with the U.S. And here is what America's benevolence is getting in return: Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder asked the government, in a Sunday interview, not to take American advice about with whom it should not trade. Schroeder then recalled, as an apparent badge of honor, his refusal to follow the U.S. in its invasion of Iraq in 2003. There is no need to take partisan or bipartisan sides in the ongoing trade debate. The simple truth is that U.S. friends and allies are questioning Washington ties as soon as the issues are raised about defense burden sharing and squaring their systematically and outrageously unbalanced trade accounts with the U.S. Having made that long detour, let's go back to Japan's export problem. Facebook reportedly killed a feature meant to expose its users to different perspectives over fears of being seen as having a liberal bias, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Sunday. Facebook's most prominent conservative executive and global policy head Joel Kaplan reportedly pushed for the feature to be squashed, according to the Journal. Facebook has long faced criticism of having a liberal slant, which has ramped up as the company's top executives have had to face lawmakers to testify over its use of user data. Kaplan, in particular, has emerged as a controversial figure as the company has entered the limelight, most notably after attending Justice Brett Kavanaugh's hearing over alleged sexual misconduct. The Journal report found that Kaplan, a former aide to President George W. Bush, had key input on the types of information that would be exposed to Facebook's users. Kaplan reportedly raised concerns over an internal analysis by Facebook about how its users were exposed to a range of information. The report found that Facebook's right-leaning users were less likely to be exposed to different viewpoints and therefore more polarized, according to the Journal. Facebook's so-called Common Ground initiative, which proposed in part to boost articles in the News Feed that were highly liked and commented by a range of users across the political spectrum, was meant to bring a greater range of perspective to users. Kaplan argued that the initiative would quiet conservative voices to a disproportionate degree, the Journal reported. In a statement, a Facebook spokesperson said, "Understanding a wide variety of perspectives is an important part of our product development process and is essential for building products and services that serve everyone. The public policy team, led by Joel Kaplan, is tasked with understanding the perspectives of groups, regulators, governments, NGOs and other stakeholders from around the world and using that knowledge to inform product discussions and decisions. The team plays an essential role in ensuring that we adopt objective standards and that our policies are applied fairly and consistently." Facebook has tried other ideas to stop the spread of misinformation on its site and help users distinguish quality information from that which is less well-sourced. It has added a number of third-party fact-checkers to help it rank information in the News Feed and give context to the source of various articles. The program has faced criticism of its own, including that it can only review a limited amount of information based on the capacity of its fact-checkers. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Watch: Inside Facebook's effort to fight election manipulation The political fight has affected hundreds of thousands of federal workers around the country. About 380,000 government employees were expected to face furloughs. More than 420,000 workers were projected to temporarily work without pay though the affected pay cycles will not come for a few weeks. But the stalemate could last much longer as Trump and Democratic leaders give no ground on funding for the barrier on the U.S.-Mexico border. On Sunday, incoming White House chief of staff and Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney said "it's very possible this shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress," which starts on Jan. 3. Congress and the White House have failed to break an impasse over President Donald Trump 's demand for $5 billion to build his proposed border wall. About a quarter of the government will remain unfunded until at least Thursday, when the Senate will next convene. A partial government shutdown entered its third day Monday, with little hope of a quick resolution as lawmakers left town for the holidays. The shutdown started Saturday when Congress failed to pass seven spending bills covering nine federal departments before funding expired. Negotiations continued over the weekend, but leaders appeared to make little progress. In a Christmas Eve tweet, the president claimed Democrats only turned against the concept of a border wall when he made it part of his campaign. He wrote of the wall: "Desperately needed!" While many Democrats supported legislation in 2006 to build fencing on the border, they did not support the more substantial barrier as conceived by Trump. Trump tweet Democrats have refused to approve money for the proposed wall, a core Trump campaign promises that sparked chants among supporters across the country. Trump repeatedly promised Mexico would fund the barrier, but it has refused to do so. On Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell put the burden on Democrats and the Trump administration to strike a deal to end the shutdown. Vice President Mike Pence met with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Saturday. A Schumer spokesman said Pence made an offer for border security funding, according to NBC News. "Unfortunately, we're still very far apart," the spokesman said. Senators previously negotiated a spending deal with $1.6 billion for border security, but it didn't include funding for Trump's wall. Last week, the chamber passed a measure to fund the government through Feb. 8 without money for the barrier. Then, as Trump threatened to veto the bill, the House rejected it and instead passed short-term spending legislation with $5 billion for wall constriction. Sen. David Perdue, a Georgia Republican and Trump ally, put Pence's offer at somewhere between $1.6 billion and $5 billion for border security, according to NBC. The White House needs Schumer's cooperation to get the 60 votes needed to push a bill through the GOP-controlled Senate. Republicans currently hold a 51-49 majority. It will expand to 53-47 after Jan. 3. Before the new Congress, Republicans can pass a spending measure in the House with only GOP votes. But Democrats will take control of the chamber next year. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, an ardent opponent of the wall, will likely become speaker. Trump has insisted the border wall is necessary for border security. He repeatedly threatened a shutdown if Congress did not provide money for the barrier. Earlier this month, he said he would be "proud" to close the government for border security and "take the mantle" if funding lapsed. In a tweet Sunday, the president claimed "the only way to stop drugs, gangs, human trafficking, criminal elements and much else from coming into our Country is with a Wall or Barrier." He added: "Drones and all of the rest are wonderful and lots of fun, but it is only a good old fashioned Wall that works!" Trump tweet Trump has muddied his own messaging on the necessity of a wall. He has repeatedly lauded his administration for cracking down on illegal immigration which does not currently have the barrier the president desires. Earlier this month, he said the border is "tight." Schumer and Pelosi on Monday issued a terse statement blaming the president for "continuing the Trump Shutdown just to please right-wing radio and TV hosts." "Meanwhile, different people from the same White House are saying different things about what the president would accept or not accept to end his Trump Shutdown, making it impossible to know where they stand at any given moment," the top Democrats said. "The president wanted the shutdown, but he seems not to know how to get himself out of it." Trump canceled a planned trip to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida as the partial government shutdown started. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. "To be allies is to fight shoulder to shoulder. It's the most important thing for a head of state and head of the military. An ally should be dependable," he said, according to Reuters. "I very deeply regret the decision made on Syria," Macron said while at a press conference in Chad on Sunday. Trump first made the announcement via Twitter last Wednesday in a move that blindsided lawmakers and officials and drew strong opposition from Republicans and Democrats alike. Macron was referring to the local forces that Washington has supported since it first entered Syria's nearly eight-year long civil war in 2015. Roughly 2,000 U.S. troops, including special forces, work in partnership with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an amalgamation of Arab and Kurdish militias that do most of the fighting against the so-called Islamic State (IS) on the ground while the U.S. provides training, weaponry and air support. Of the SDF, the Syrian Kurdish militia fighters of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) have been described by the Pentagon as the most effective partner in driving IS out of the region, and have lost thousands of fighters since the counter-IS offensive began in 2014. Now, those forces will be left on their own to combat what remains of IS and national security experts warn that without the U.S. presence, the Islamic extremist group will see a resurgence. What's more, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is threatening an imminent invasion of Kurdish-held territories in northern Syria. Ankara sees the YPG as intimately tied to the Kurdistan Workers' Party, a designated terrorist group that's led a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state. Erdogan has amassed Turkish troops along the Turkish-Syrian border and is threatening to "cleanse" the area of "terrorists," a move the Pentagon has repeatedly called unacceptable. Experts now fear that a Turkish offensive will force the Kurdish militias to abandon their counter-IS efforts in order to focus on defending themselves from the Turks. YPG forces are reportedly already digging ditches and trenches in preparation for a Turkish onslaught. On hearing those reports, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Thursday, "they will be buried in their ditches when the time comes." Trump, defending his decision via Twitter, said on Monday: "President @RT_Erdogan of Turkey has very strongly informed me that he will eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in Syria....and he is a man who can do it plus, Turkey is right "next door.'" Tweet The president wrote earlier that "allies are very important but not when they take advantage of U.S." Trump's backers, meanwhile, see his move as a campaign promise kept. Many others support the decision as a means of ending a Middle Eastern military engagement they say had no endgame and no defined outcome. "Americans have to be realistic. The problems of ISIS and the Syrian Kurds are not going be settled by 2,000 American special forces," former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford told NPR on Friday. "ISIS is smaller, it can be managed by Syrians, and it should be managed by Syrians." Check out the companies making headlines before the bell: Campbell Soup Campbell is moving closer to divesting its international business, according to Reuters. Sources say Kraft Heinz and Mondelez International have been short-listed to participate in the second round of bidding. Tesla Tesla has cut prices for its Model 3 in China by up to 7.6 percent, with the starting price for the car now at about $72,000. Tesla has cut China prices three times in the past two months, most recently in November when it cut the cost of its Model X and Model S. CVS CVS will be allowed to continue integration of insurer Aetna. A federal judge reviewing the already completed deal said he would not halt the process, after CVS offered to allow Aetna to continue to make critical decisions independently during the review. Netflix Netflix will surpass Sky in U.K. subscribers by the end of the year, according to the Guardian newspaper. The paper quotes an industry consultant as saying Netflix will have 9.78 million subscribers as of December 31, while Sky's subscriber rolls will fall to 9.45 million. Apple Chinese companies are urging employees to boycott Apple, according to Japan's Nikkei newspaper. The paper said those companies are doing so in retaliation for the arrest of Huawei CFO Sabrina Meng. Apollo Global The private-equity firm is in discussions with China's HNA to buy technology products distributor Ingram Micro, according to The Wall Street Journal. The paper said HNA is hoping to sell Ingram for $7.5 billion, an amount that would include $1.5 billion in assumed debt. Snap Snap CEO Evan Spiegel is the subject of a critical article in today's Wall Street Journal, which quotes analysts as saying that Spiegel's "imperious" style of management is no longer effective. Credit Suisse Credit Suisse is on track for a return on equity of 10 percent or more in 2019, according to chairman Urs Rohner. That follows cost cuts by the Swiss bank as well as the sale of a unit. Rohner was quoted in an interview in a Swiss newspaper. Amazon.com Amazon is among a number of companies being pressed by the Securities and Exchange Commission for more details about its revenue, according to The Wall Street Journal. The SEC wants to know how much of Amazon's revenue comes from its Amazon Prime program, according to letters between the SEC and Amazon seen by the Journal. The paper said Amazon and others like Ford Motor and truck maker Paccar have pushed back against the SEC requests. Facebook The stock was removed from the "Best Ideas" list at Wedbush, which points to "Investment Price Discipline" for the move. However, Wedbush still rates Facebook "outperform" with a $220 price target. A customer speaks with a sales agent while standing between a Ford Motor Co. Everest sport utility vehicle (SUV), right, and a Mustang sports car on display at a Ford dealership in Shanghai, China, on Thursday, July 19, 2018. Oilai Shen | Bloomberg | Getty Images It is not a great time to sell cars in China. The world's largest car market is experiencing what some industry watchers say is its biggest slowdown in two decades. Foreign automakers, such as General Motors have so far been able to weather the storm, but others, such as Ford, have watched their business in the region deteriorate. China is the world's largest car market, with about 28 million vehicles expected to sell in 2018, according to IHS Markit. That is compared with about 17 million expected in the U.S., the world's second largest car market. Auto sales in China fell 14 percent in November over the same month in 2017, said the Chinese Association of Automobile Manufacturers. This has continued a general downward trend in the country that began in July, but the November declines are the worst so far this year. The Chinese government has reportedly considered taking action to reverse course, and automakers are unrolling plans to revamp lineups and devote more attention to one of the last great growth opportunities in the world. "This is the first sustained downturn in memory," said Michael Dunne, CEO of ZoZoGo, a firm that advises automakers on doing business in China. "We would have to go back to the Asian financial crisis in 1998-1999 to see the last time China had flat or down sales for four months or more in a row." There are a few factors that have contributed to the slowdown in the region. One is a crackdown this year by the Chinese government in certain unconventional forms of lending, Dunne said. For several years China permitted a form of peer-to-peer lending that allowed wealthier Chinese to lend money directly to the less wealthy, without going through a traditional banking system. This form of peer-to-peer lending has made a lot of credit available to newly minted members of China's growing middle class, particularly in second- and third-tier cities, which are so named for their smaller size and smaller economies when compared with first-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. This has made this demographic one of the fastest growing markets in China's automotive industry. But since the beginning of 2018, as many as 25 percent of the businesses facilitating this type of lending have been closed or shut down, Dunne said. That has put the remaining three quarters on notice, and stoked fears they may be the next to come under scrutiny. Everyone in that business has grown a lot more careful and the cash flows that were formerly so available to this important segment of buyers have dried up. There is some disagreement over just how influential peer-to-peer lending is in China as the auto market has matured. "In the new-car market, P2P is a relatively small financing method," to Jacob George, who is vice president and general manager of J.D. Power Asia Pacific. "It is only about 2.7 percent of the retail credit market. The captive auto financing companies are the biggest source of loans if the customer doesn't pay cash which occurs about 40 percent of the time. Hence, we don't believe that this will have a major effect on the new-car market." They were a more significant and growing source of funds in the used car market, until 2018, George said, but tighter regulations have likely shrunk the market. The reason for the discrepancy could be that when consumers secure loans through informal or unlicensed channels, they either take the money to a dealership and pay cash for a vehicle, or take the money to a bank and secure a loan, Dunne said. Thus when surveyed, consumers might be saying they are using loans from banks rather than unlicensed channels. Bazaar Corporate Radar | Feb 22, 2021, 12:00 AM IST Bazaar Corporate Radar Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar. 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 Gatwick: The drone may not have been there in the first place Innocent couple held for 36 hours Daily Mail Department for Transport accused of holding up military response over cost concerns Daily Telegraph Services at Birmingham Airport suspended BBC Police defend their investigation Daily Telegraph A mind-boggling mix of complacency and incompetence Stephen Glover, Daily Mail The Queen is to urge the British people to overcome deeply held differences The Gatwick airport investigation descended into farce last night after police said it was possible that no drones had been there in the first place. The officer leading the inquiry caused confusion after nearly 70 public sightings of the devices led to flights being grounded for three days, with the travel plans of more than 140,000 people disrupted and the military deployed. Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley said there was always a possibility that there may not have been any genuine drone activity in the first place because the police were relying on human sightings. His comments came as the airport offered a 50,000 reward through Crimestoppers for the arrest of the culprits and the police released a couple after 36 hours. Sources at the Department for Transport said they were bemused by Mr Tingleys comments because the devices appeared to have been caught on video and police had reported that the drone user flashed lights at them. The Times The Queen is to urge Britain to overcome deeply held differences by treating one another with respect and as a fellow human being in her Christmas message to the nation. Her Majesty will share a message of peace and goodwill she says is needed as much as ever in her annual festive broadcast. Even with the most deeply held differences, treating the other person with respect and as a fellow human being is always a good first step towards greater understanding, she will say. As head of state, the Queen remains publicly neutral on political matters. Daily Telegraph My Christmas wish: the return of civility to British public life Will Heaven, Daily Telegraph PM uses Christmas message to praise the armed forces Mays flying high this Christmas as Corbyn remains a pathetic non-entity Trevor Kavanagh, The Sun Williamson denies leadership plotting The Prime Minister hailed the work of the Armed Forces from Salisbury to Syria in her Christmas message. Theresa May highlighted the work done after the Russian Novichok attack last March.And she said UK Forces continue to demonstrate why you are the finest. From playing a vital role in cleaning up after a sickening nerve agent attack on the streets of Salisbury, protecting our waters and our skies from Russian intrusion and strengthening our allies in Eastern Europe, striking at terrorism as part of the Global Coalition against Daesh, and along with our US and French allies sending a message to the Assad regime that we will not stand by while chemical weapons are used, as they were in April on families, including young children. Time and again, you have stood up to aggression and those who flout the rules-based international order. You should be incredibly proud of all that you do, just as the whole country is proud of you. The Sun Gavin Williamson is furious at what friends regard as an attempt by senior Tories to smear him following untrue claims he was overheard discussing his chances of succeeding Theresa May. Allies of the Defence Secretary believe a senior party figure has embellished an eavesdroppers account of a conversation he had with a friend to make it sound as though he was plotting against Sajid Javid and Jeremy Hunt. The Daily Telegraph has established that the man he was dining with was former MP James Wharton, who described descriptions of their conversation as utter rubbish. However, the row reflects the bitter in-fighting between rival Cabinet ministers which has intensified since Mrs May announced she will not fight the next general election. Daily Telegraph Leadsom woos Tory MPs over cosy dinners Andrew Pierce, Daily Mail Brexit 1) No deal isnt an option, declares Ellwood May cuts cabinet break short to rally Brexit deal support Financial Times Foster vows to defeat the backstop Belfast Telegraph Brexit 2) Corbyn faces backlash from Labour Remainers Leaving the European Union without a Brexit deal would damage Britains security and influence around the world for years to come, the defence minister Tobias Ellwood believes. Mr Ellwood, tipped as a future cabinet minister, writes in The Times that leaving without an agreement is simply not an option. He is the latest government minister whose firm opposition to a no-deal Brexit suggests that they would rather quit than remain in post should it become policy. The Times Jeremy Corbyn faced a backlash from pro-EU Labour supporters last night for saying the party would continue with Brexit if he won a snap election. A shadow minister questioned Mr Corbyns stance while some members threatened to resign from the party. One said she had voted for Mr Corbyn twice as leader and fought and campaigned for the party but would be damned if shed campaign for a Labour election manifesto offering Brexit. Clive Lewis, a shadow Treasury minister, described the woman as a solid comrade adding: Shes not the first member to say this to me and its becoming a genuine concern. The Times JK Rowlings festive swipe at the Labour leader Daily Mail Warning that seats could be lost The Guardian Pledge to Leave is unfathomable warns SNP The Scotsman Brexit 3) Redwood calls for the chance to be taken to cut VAT Labours tax plans would add 15 to the cost of Christmas dinner MPs are demanding the Government uses its Brexit freedoms to slash tax, as shock figures show the high street is on life support.It comes as a think tank said the taxman will take almost 6billion this Christmas 5.2billion of that from VAT. Retail experts say the extortionate tax burden, along with bad weather and unfair online competition, has seen the number of high street shoppers drop by up to 10.3 per cent in the crucial week before Christmas. The TaxPayers Alliance (TPA) said each household would stump up 211 for the taxman this Christmas.former minister John Redwood says Britain is over-taxed. He said: We should take off VAT from things that should not be taxed and lets start by cancelling VAT on domestic fuel. Daily Express The cost of Christmas dinner could soar by more than 15 per cent under Labours green tax proposals, analysis shows today. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnells proposed tax on imported food according to how far it has travelled could add 15 to the Christmas dinner bill, the Tories claim. It would push up the cost of a traditional meal from 99.37 to 115.01. Mel Stride, Financial Secretary to the Treasury blasted: Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnells reckless plans would put an extra squeeze on families over Christmas. Just like last time, Labours economic incompetence would hit hardworking people in the pocket. Figures show at this time of year 50 per cent of food bought by UK families comes from abroad. The Sun Scrooge Jez Leader, The Sun Google must stop promoting self harm, demands Doyle-Price Google should grow up and stop promoting material that is fuelling self-harm and deaths, Britains first minister for suicide prevention has declared. Jackie Doyle-Price accused internet giants of lacking social responsibility as she urged them to block the spread of disturbing material telling the young and vulnerable how to end their lives. And she promised new targets for treatment of mental health problems in children, with a maximum four-week waiting time set to be unveiled in the NHS 10 year plan. Daily Telegraph Universal Credit requirement to pay for childcare upfront is a barrier to work The Universal Credit system leaves too many UK claimants with children facing a stark choice between turning down jobs or getting into debt, MPs warn. The Work and Pensions Select Committee says the way parents have to pay for childcare up front, then claim it back afterwards is a barrier to work. Committee chairman Frank Field said it was irresponsible to put this burden on struggling, striving parents. The government said childcare support is more generous under the new system. BBC US Government to stay shut after talks fail dAncona: Ashdown understood that compromise is a strength The US government will remain partially shut until at least Thursday after Donald Trump failed to resolve an impasse with Congress over his demand that spending bills to fund the government include $5bn towards building his US-Mexico border wall. Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate majority leader, said the chamber would remain in recess until Thursday, meaning there is almost no chance that Congress can vote on bills that are needed to enable hundreds of thousands of employees to return to work. Mr Trump cancelled plans to spend the holidays at his Palm Beach resort, and the White House said his wife Melania would return to Washington from Florida to spend Christmas with her husband. I will not be going to Florida because of the Shutdown Staying in the White House! #MAGA, Mr Trump tweeted on Saturday evening. Financial Times Increasingly, the word centrist has become a term of abuse, denoting complicity in the excesses of global capitalism, crypto-Blairism, membership of the metropolitan elite, a privileged background, insufficient doctrinal purity, or all of the above.Ashdowns death should be a sharp reminder that true centrism is none of these things, and that robust social democracy the belief that decency and economic competence march together betrays needy people much less than the narcissism of ideological fixity does. Ashdown understood that compromise was a sign of strength, and usually a precondition of meaningful action. Matthew dAncona, The Guardian >Yesterday: LeftWatch: Ashdown laid the foundations for both the triumphs and trials of the Liberal Democrats Johnson: 20 reasons to feel good about the world Foges: The Church should be cherished, not mocked What is the single worst feature of Christmas? I think it is probably the constant exhortations to be jolly when you may be feeling far from jolly. How do you feel if someone spots you momentarily frowning and cries, Cheer up, its Christmas!? Do you beam at them or do you quietly grind your teeth? So if I tell you that the world is not as bad as all that in fact, its rather wonderful I am conscious that not everyone will automatically feel boosted or buoyed. There he goes again, my legions of detractors will say. More of this blasted optimism. Cant he put a sock in it? To which the answer must be a respectful no, because I am genuinely mystified and appalled by the negativity that seems to have enveloped us all, and which seems in total defiance of the data. Boris Johnson, Daily Telegraph On every university campus and at every chin-stroking dinner party there are the acolytes of Richard Dawkins who think they are rendered interesting by the opinion that religion is the root of all evil. Well, come with me, Dawkins-ites, to the schools, hospices and care homes where thousands of Christians do good work every day. Seek out the grittiest, grimiest edges of British life and they are there. They are helping addicts limp to liberty from drugs with infinite patience. They are supporting families who are mired in debt. They are caring for those in prison cells whom no one else cares about any more. They are giving shelter and warm meals to the homeless. At one church I attended, a man who had slept rough for years was the clean-shaven collection plate bearer, his set of shiny new teeth bought for him by fellow members of the congregation. Beneath the dramatic saving of souls there are the thousands of small acts of kindness that stitch communities together (especially in the countryside). Those parish activities of flower arranging, fetes and Bible groups may be easily lampooned but they punctuate the day for the elderly and isolated. If a dying person wishes a vicar to be there to hold their hand, the hand will be held. If the lonely desperately need a warm welcome, the welcome can be found in a church. Clare Foges, The Times The Virgin, the Child and an image of loving kindness Leader, Daily Telegraph Faith offers hope and a sense of togetherness during a troubled phase in national life Leader, The Times News in brief US President Donald Trump's statement about withdrawal of American troops from Syria caused anger and even panic in Europe and among some forces in Syria itself. Publications in the European press prove that. Russia believed that Trumps decision was a positive stem, but it was still skeptical about implementation of his plan. Russia's UN envoy Vasily Nebenzya expressed doubts about withdrawal of American troops from Syria. He said that we should wait for actual actions. He was right. Washington has previously declared about withdrawal of troops from Iraq and from Afghanistan, but they're still there. Press secretary of the Russian President, Vladimir Peskov, commenting on Trump's statement, noted that "presence of Americans on Syrian soil doesn't contribute to political and diplomatic settlement." "We all know situation in some areas of Syria that are under the US control. There's a humanitarian catastrophe, terrorist groups are being armed and trained, local population is unable to receive medical assistance or simply leave the area. I'm talking about the area close to the Jordan-Iraq border," Peskov stressed. Hee made it clear that the United States didn't behave like reliable partners in Syria and didn't followed agreements that were reached. For example, Russia and Iran fulfilled Israel's request - Iranians withdrew 100 kilometers from the border - while the US troops, who were supposed withdraw from designated regions of Syria, didn't leave. "And that's why we know that Americans always say that they'll withdraw their troops from somewhere, US Presidents make decisions like that all the time... They have been withdrawing troops from Afghanistan for many, many years, and as a result significant part of this country is controlled by the Taliban (organization banned in the Russian Federation). We know about difficult situation in Iraq, where Americans still remain... That's why we should wait and see whether Americans will really leave territory of the Syrian Arab Republic," he concluded. However, majority of participants in the Syrian conflict believe that this time White House may be more consistent compared to other cases. Obviously, one of the reasons for this belief is resignation of Defense Minister James Mattis, who, in contrast to Trump, believed that troops shouldn't be withdrawn from Syria. Organization of Syrian Kurds "Syrian Democratic Council" rushed to Paris for help. During talks with President Emmanuel Macron, they said that terrorists of ISIS (banned in Russia and other countries) are still there, although they are pretty worn out. Until now, Kurds received help from the American troops, which Turkey openly criticized. Following the meeting, Macron promised to replace Americans in this particular role. Following French leader, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Natalie Loiseau confirmed that Paris will maintain military presence in Syria despite Washington's decision. Unlike its overseas ally, France doesn't believe that the fight against ISIS has ended. Loiseau noted that Europe should make any decisions on its own, without constant pressure from the United States - "They have their own priorities, we have ours." Unlike France, other European countries are not as active. No official requests to reconsider its decision have been sent to Washington, perhaps because there's no decision at the official level yet. Europe doesn't trust Trump's statements anymore. It also believes that Mattiss resignation is a prove that American troops will be withdrawn from Syria. However, for some reason, it doesn't take into account the fact that reasons for his resignation can be associated not only with this situation, but also with long-existing contradictions with president. In other words, Trump, prone to authoritarianism, can no longer tolerate a minister who had different views on many things. Disputes between Mattis and Trump were pretty public. This includes different views on Iran, joint exercises with partner countries, the US military presence in other countries, in particular in Syria, torture of prisoners of war, etc. Obviously, their differences could no longer be ignored, and Mattis understood that, while Trump didn't mind. Mattis was a democrat among members of the Republican Party, but his authority wasn't as big as of some leaders of the Democratic Party. In other words, believing that Mattis' resignation was a result of the Syrian issue is wrong. Especially since this is not the first and it seems that it won't be the last resignation in the Trump team. The only question that remains is whether Washington will actually withdraw its troops from Syria or not? We can expect more activity from the extremist groups, especially ISIS and not because Americans played a major role in suppressing those terrorists, but because it's in their interest to demonstrate inability of other players to maintain stability in Syria, to achieve military return with greater rights and powers. In addition, Trump hopes to pressure Europeans in the issue of NATO funding, as well as use situation in Syria as a trump card in other geopolitical issues. Six years ago, the TaxPayers Alliance reported that in the last year, five times more Labour people were appointed to public bodies than Tories. Since then, the figures have varied, and some Conservative members or supporters have been selected to fill important posts. Nonetheless, it remains the case that, since it took office in 2010, our Party has punched beneath its weight when it comes to public appointments. One of the reasons seems to be that Tories simply dont apply in the same number as Labour supporters. To help remedy this, every week we put up links to some of the main public appointments vacancies, so that qualified Conservatives might be aware of the opportunities presented. Consumer Council for Water Chair The Chair has the following leadership responsibilities: lead on formulation of the Councils strategy; leading the board in its relationship with the Executive, providing support but constructively challenging where necessary; acting as the public face of CCWater to raise its profile not only with consumers but also policy makers and government; campaigning on behalf of consumers and championing their views to Ofwat, policy makers and Government; ensuring that the board, in reaching decisions, takes proper account of guidance provided by Welsh ministers and/or the Secretary of State of appropriate departments; promoting the efficient and effective use of staff and other resources; and delivering high standards of regularity and propriety. Time: Two days per week. Remuneration: 33,280 per annum. Closes: 07 January Home Office Designate Commissioner for Domestic Abuse Domestic abuse is a terrible crime. Two million adults a year experience it, yet it remains largely hidden, as most victims do not speak to the police or other public bodies. And when they do the quality of the services which they receive will vary significantly according to where they live. Transforming the response to domestic abuse is a key priority for the Government, so we are establishing a Designate Domestic Abuse Commissioner, which will offer a unique opportunity to make a huge difference to victims and survivors of domestic abuse across England and Wales. The post holder will provide public leadership on issues of domestic abuse, ensure that the voices of victims and survivors are heard, and drive real improvements in the provision of services. Time: 2-3 days per week. Remuneration: 108,000-140,000 per annum pro rata. Closes: 07 January Ministry of Justice Victims Commissioner The Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses (Victims Commissioner or the Commissioner) is a statutory role, established in legislation under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 and amended by the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. The Secretary of State for Justice (Justice Secretary) is responsible for appointing the Commissioner and in doing so must consult the Attorney General and Home Secretary. The role is independent of government The Commissioner may, for any purpose connected with the performance of their duties as above, make proposals to the Justice Secretary for amending the Victims Code (at the request of the Justice Secretary or on their own initiative); make a report to the Secretary of State; make recommendations to an authority within their remit and consult any person they think appropriate. Time: Full-time. Remuneration: 108,000 per annum. Closes: 11 January UK Statistics Authority Non-Executive Director The non-executive members of the Authority are responsible for: strategy: setting the overall strategic direction and vision of the Authority and its executive office, within the policy framework laid down in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007; governance: providing strong governance of the Authoritys executive office, ONS; working with executives: providing oversight, guidance and support to the National Statistician as the Chief Executive of the Authority, and the Director General for Regulation as the Authoritys principal adviser on the ongoing development and operation of the Authoritys assessment work; support and challenge: supporting and challenging the Government Statistical Service and ONS in delivering the Authoritys strategy; advocacy: acting as effective advocates and influential ambassadors for the UK Statistics Authority among key stakeholders; Independence: ensuring that the Authority remains beyond reproach on the question of independence, and reports as necessary to Parliament and the devolved legislatures Time: Two days per month minimum. Remuneration: 15,000 per annum. Closes: 18 January Prison Service Pay Review Body Chair As Chair of the Prison Service Pay Review Body you will have responsibility for working corporately with members to advise the Government annually on the pay of Governors, Operational Managers, Prison Officers and support grades in England and Wales and equivalent posts in Northern Ireland. The appointed individual should be available for Review Body duties from the end of May 2019. Candidates for the PSPRB post who are the Chair or members of other Review Bodies may apply, but would need to resign their current position if they were appointed. This role represents an influential, worthwhile and intellectually stimulating challenge. We are looking for a new Chair with senior management level experience, and a strategic/senior level understanding of unionised environments and employee relations. To help you decide if you have the qualities and skills required for this post, we have listed below the criteria that we will apply when assessing candidates. Time: ~35 days per annum. Remuneration: 350 per diem Closes: 21 January Department for International Development Independent Commissioner for Aid Impact A Board of Commissioners is being recruited to ICAI for a single four-year term from 2019. As a Commissioner you will use your professional expertise, experience and senior leadership skills to set the direction for ICAIs work, ensuring it delivers high quality, impartial scrutiny of the impact and value for money of UK aid. You will work as part of teams to generate credible assessments of UK aid spending. You will work independently to hold Government to account, reporting directly to Parliament. A full information pack, along with supporting documentation, can be found at the foot of the advert. To be successful in this role you will need to demonstrate successful leadership within your specialism with extensive experience in international development and in at least one of evaluation, audit or finance contexts as well as an understanding of public policy. Time: 70 days per annum. Remuneration: 381 per diem, plus expenses. Closes: 23 January Civil Nuclear Police Authority Independent Members The Civil Nuclear Police Authority (CNPA) is a body corporate established by the Energy Act 2004 and an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB) of the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The CNPA has a statutory responsibility for maintaining an efficient and effective Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC). The CNC provides an armed response capability for the UKs civil nuclear industry, operating from units based at licensed nuclear sites throughout the UK and providing armed escorts road and marine for movements of nuclear materials within the UK and overseas. The CNPA sets the strategic direction for the CNC and ensures that its policing meets the needs of the nuclear operating companies. This could mean denying unauthorised access to nuclear material or recovering control of nuclear material lost to unauthorised persons. Time: 35 days per annum. Remuneration: 17,500 per annum. Closes: 27 January We are analyzing the site. Please wait a few seconds.. 100% Website edbtopst.org uses latest and advanced technologies like: Boostrap. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 20719 bytes (20.23 kb uncompressed) and 6182 bytes (6.04 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2019-09-30, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. 100% Website nelsoncountygazette.com uses latest and advanced technologies like: JQuery and Php. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 211356 bytes (206.40 kb uncompressed) and 27980 bytes (27.32 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-11-22, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "lately seemed disturbed because he knows he couldn't divide Syria." Speaking at a news conference, Cavusoglu said that Netanyahu had sympathy for the PKK terrorist group as "he was planning to divide Syria using PKK/YPG." "When his plan collapsed, he seemed disturbed ... The common feature of the PKK and Netanyahu is that they are both baby killers," Anadolu Agency cited Cavusoglu as saying.. Yesteryear, Netanyahu attacked Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan over Turkey's counter-terror operation and Cyprus issues on Twitter. NYK Cruises has announced the Asuka II will sail a world cruise in 2020, departing on April 2, 2020 and returning on July 14 for a 103-day sailing roundtrip from Yokohama. The ship will first head to Southeast Asia, then sailing to India and through the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, before transiting to Northern Europe and up the coast of Norway. A northern trans-Atlantic crossing sees calls in Iceland and then on the U.S. East Coast, highlighted by New York. A Caribbean leg follows, before a Panama Canal transit and then a visit to San Francisco before crossing the Pacific on the way to Hawaii and back to Japan. The news follows a hiatus year as the company will not operate a world cruise in 2019, a year that is about "grand voyages" for the single-ship Japanese line. In February, a 33-day cruise will sail to Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei. The voyage will include two guest chefs, serving Italian and French cuisine, in addition to more traditional offerings. The big news in the ships deployment for 2019 is the return to Alaska after 15 years. BRIDGEPORT A teenager in custody in connection with an earlier assault at Central High School was charged Monday with the fatal shooting of 12-year-old Clinton Howell. Tajay Chambers, 18, was charged with murder with special circumstances, carrying a pistol without a permit, second-degree larceny and risk of injury to a child. Chambers is expected to be arraigned in Superior Court on Wednesday. Police Chief Armando Perez confirmed the arrest and said that three juveniles were also charged in connection with the case. The three juveniles, ages 12, 14 and 16 have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, carrying a pistol or revolver without a permit and larceny in the second degree. I feel so bad for the (Howell) family, but I am glad that we have been able to bring them justice. Our guys did a great job in the investigation, Perez said. Police said Howell was shot once in the chest around 9 p.m. outside his familys light green duplex in the 200 block of Willow Street. His family said he had just walked home after buying some snacks at a nearby store. Capt. Brian Fitzgerald said the boy was rushed to Bridgeport Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time after, becoming the citys 11th homicide of 2018. Police said the boy was a bystander, and the target of the drive-by shooting had been his older cousin who was also standing outside the house. Police sources said Chambers had been involved in an ongoing dispute with Howells cousin, who was not identified. On the evening of Dec. 18, the sources said, Chambers drove slowly by the Willow Street home. They said the cousin fired a pellet gun at Chambers car. Chambers drove off, returning a short time later and fired at the cousin, hitting Howell, police sources said. Chambers was arrested the night of Dec. 19 on an outstanding warrant charging him with second-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace. The following day, Superior Court Judge Tracy Lee Dayton, aware that police were moving to arrest Chambers in the murder, ordered him held in lieu of a $500,000 bond. To ensure that Chambers wasnt going anywhere, ICE agreed to put a detainer on Chambers, who they said is an undocumented immigrant from Jamaica. Police said Chambers is accused with two other young men of assaulting a 16-year-old boy in the stairwell of Central High School on Oct. 12. Police said Chambers struck the victim in the head and then kicked the victim down the flight of stairs. The victim advised the boys that he was not into gang stuff, so he did not understand why they were confronting him. The incident was caught on the schools video surveillance system. Turkish police detained 22 suspects in nationwide operations against the Gulenist Terror Group (FETO) on Monday. Twenty two people were detained in operations in Bursa, while $25 thousand were seized during searches. According to Ankara, FETO orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, which left more than 250 people killed and nearly 2,200 injured. A new investigation by the Illinois attorney general's office has identified 500 priests and clergy members with credible claims of sexual abuse against them, all of whom have not been previously identified by church officials and some of whom are still active within the church. On Wednesday, outgoing Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan released the preliminary findings of an investigation that her office launched in August of this year. Before her office's investigation, the six diocese in Illinois had publicly named 140 priests with claims against them. After Madigan's investigation began, the Catholic Church named an additional 45 priests themselves. But Madigan's investigation has found 500 separate priests and clergy with credible abuse claims against them, according to Maura Possley, the communications director for the attorney general. "Because I know that the church has too often ignored survivors of clergy sexual assault, I want to share the initial findings from our work," Madigan said in a statement released along with her preliminary findings on Wednesday. The Illinois report is the latest update in connection with a string of ongoing investigations into sex abuse within the Catholic church across the country. The names of the 500 priests and clergy have not been publicly released by Madigan's office and Possley noted that the investigation is ongoing. Possley confirmed that some of the 500 priests and clergy are active ministry, but did not disclose how many and noted that the investigation into the accusations against them continues. Of the 185 priests and clergy identified by the Archdiocese of Chicago and the five other diocese in Illinois, each individual is listed as either deceased or liaised, which means they have been removed from the church, except for three individuals in Springfield who were classified as "not active in ministry." In the statement released by Madigan's office, it notes that Madigan "anticipates additional names will be disclosed as her offices investigation continues." "While the findings are preliminary, they demonstrate the need for and importance of continuing this investigation," Madigan said in the statement. Madigan chose not to seek re-election for a fifth term so she will be leaving office in January, but her successor, Kwame Raoul, posted on Twitter Wednesday that he is "committed to continuing this work when I begin my term as attorney general." Madigan's report states that the her office "found multiple examples where the Illinois Dioceses failed to notify law enforcement or DCFS [Department of Children and Family Services] of allegations they received related to clergy sexual abuse of minors" and noted that different dioceses used different criteria to determine whether a claim against an individual should be considered credible. "While the Illinois Dioceses have touted their 'independent audits' as evidence that they are adequately responding to clergy sexual abuse allegations, the audits are seemingly not designed to discover clergy abuse, but rather are perfunctory, 'check the box' exercises done in a routine manner by the same entity nationwide, using a process that does not appear to involve a systematic review of the contents of files or the decisions a diocese made," the report states. Archbishop Blase Cupich acknowledges after the retiring Cardinal Francis George presents the crozier the during his Installation Mass at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, Nov. 18, 2014.more + Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago, released a statement expressing his "profound regret of the whole church for our failures to address the scourge of clerical sexual abuse." "There can be no doubt about the constant need to strengthen our culture of healing, protection, and accountability. While the vast majority of abuses took place decades ago, many victim-survivors continue to live with this unimaginable pain," Cupich said in his statement. The archdiocese noted in the statement that they "stand ready to cooperate with all institutions and agencies that care for children." PHOTO: Ongoing Investigations Catholic ChurchABC News Ongoing Investigations Catholic Church There are now at least 16 jurisdictions across the country that have launched investigations into clerical sex abuse following the release of a Pennsylvania grand jury report detailing the alleged cover-up of decades of abuse by hundreds of Catholic priests. In addition to the ongoing Illinois investigation, officials in Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia and the District of Columbia -- as well as the Archdiocese of Anchorage in Alaska -- told ABC News their offices were reviewing their options and considering taking similar action. Erie has a child care 'crisis.' But help could be on the way Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 23) Lawmakers had put up at least 30 million as a reward for information leading to the capture of the killers of AKO BICOL Party-list Representative Rodel Batocabe. In a statement released Sunday, the AKO BICOL Party-list said they had pledged 15 million, while Albay Governor Al Francis Bichara pledged another 2 million. Other members of the House of Representatives, meanwhile, pooled together 15 million to add to the bounty, as more than 150 congressmen pledged at least 100,000 each. Batocabe was killed, along with his police escort, Orlando Diaz, by unidentified gunmen after attending a charity event in Daraga, Albay Saturday. They were rushed to the hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival. Batocabe was running for mayor of Daraga in the upcoming elections. His wife, Gertie, said her husband was slain on their wedding anniversary. Meanwhile, the chief of police of Daraga, Albay, PCSupt. Benito Dipad, was relieved following Batocabe's killing. Malacanang also denounced the killing, and extended condolences of Batocabe's family. "Proper authorities are now investigating this brazen murder as we vow to leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators of this felonious act to justice," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Saturday. Russia's President Vladimir Putin is open to meeting with the U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. "With regard to contacts at the highest level, President Vladimir Putin, at a press conference following the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, said that he was open to meeting with the U.S. president when the American side was ready," the top Russian diplomat pointed out in an interview with Sputnik. "Now it is difficult to say when and where such contacts may take place," he noted. The long-awaited talks between Putin and his U.S. counterpart on the sidelines of the G20 summit were cancelled by Donald Trump over the Kerch Strait incident. Dear Editor, To all those seniors who voted Democratic, I hope you noticed that now that the Democrats control the entire New York state government, theyll be coming after your Medicare. This week, the Democratically controlled New York City Council passed a resolution asking the state Legislature to pass a single payer for all of us. Among the provisions the federal government would turn over all Medicare payment to New York state so everyone would come under the state-controlled medical plan (no choice for you). It would also cover all illegal immigrants in the plan. What seniors can be guaranteed is, if this plan is adopted, the quality of our coverage will decrease. If its such a good plan, why cant seniors have a choice of continuing to use Medicare or the state plan? The reason is obvious: The state plan wont be as good. How long before they begin denying seniors some procedures, since given your age, its not cost effective? While the City Council resolution has no legal force, they are appealing to Democratic legislators, some of whom were elected from this county, and it may pass. Hopefully, there will be a lawsuit that will allow seniors a choice. Those of you who are still working and have company-paid insurance: Watch out that the state doesnt take their premiums and include you in the state plan. If this passes, one result will be an increase the exodus of seniors and working people to other states, as the plan also calls for an increase in payroll taxes, further encouraging businesses to relocate. John Habersberger, New Paltz jhabersberger@hvc.rr.com French President Emmanuel Macron said that he deeply regretted U.S. President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. "I very deeply regret the decision made on Syria," Macron said at a press conference with the Chadian President Idriss Deby. "To be allies is to fight shoulder to shoulder. Its the most important thing for a head of state and head of the military. An ally should be dependable," Reuters cited the French leader as saying. Paddy Ashdown retired as his party's leader almost 20 years ago but he remained the Lib Dems' patriarch, their kingpin, a reassuring figure in troubled times. He could so easily have retired to Somerset but he went on campaigning, giving interviews, proclaiming his beliefs in that dry, staccato voice, his eyes narrowed like dolphin spouts. Military swimmer-canoeist Ashdown reporting for duty, sir! Ashdown, who died on Saturday aged 77, was the punchiest leader the Liberals had for a century, and his departure leaves a hole in the British Centre Left. Beyond our shores, he served four years as the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, helping to govern that war-stricken part of the Balkans. Lib Dems' patriarch Paddy Ashdown during his army days on the Falls Road in Belfast Since his death from cancer which he was told he had just two months ago tributes have poured in from across the political spectrum. A man of brisk confidence, Ashdown was a gift to cartoonists and sketchwriters and he could irritate political opponents with his moral certitude. The military swagger he brought to branch Lib Dem meetings in suburban halls created a comical contrast with the spongy pacifism of his party's activists. Paddy was a derring-do merchant in a sea of Private Godfreys. When he was coping with yet another windy Lib Dem squabble, it was not hard to send him up as a commando planning to garrote enemy agents with a length of cheesewire. Ashdown could sometimes make a chump of himself, whacking the table with grandiose assertions that would promptly prove 100 per cent wrong. He swore blind said he would eat his hat that the exit poll (which looked bleak for his party) in the 2015 General Election was awry. It was duly proved all too right. Something similar occurred in 2016 on the night of the EU referendum, when pugnacious Paddy, breezily certain Remain would romp home, told David Dimbleby's election-night programme on BBC1: 'I will forgive no one who does not respect the sovereign voice of the British people once it has spoken, whether it is a majority of 1 per cent or 20 per cent. 'When the British people have spoken, you do what they command. Either you believe in democracy or you don't.' Then, when Leave won by a clear margin, Ashdown was left blinking a bit. He was soon plotting to stop Brexit, sounding just as sure of himself. Paddy Ashdown attending a 'Spitting image puppet auction' at Sotheby's London Such behaviour in other politicians would have looked sly; somehow we forgave Ashdown because he was such a Tigger, such a relentless optimist, the sort of commander who, having had his face blackened by an exploding banger, would bark: 'Right, men, on we forge to ever-greater success!' And he could laugh at himself. For all that moral self-polishing, in private he was not a prig. Lib Dem rank-and-filers looked at his chiselled features with gleaming adoration. They may have respected Nick Clegg and loved Charlie Kennedy but they revered Paddy. He made them feel they could win, even if they usually couldn't. One of the few former Special Forces members to belong to the Lib Dems, Ashdown had an ability to make his liberalism seem manly and his manliness liberal. You didn't need to be a Europhile to concede that he was one of the few Remainers who could make our membership of the European Union sound vaguely patriotic. Born in Delhi in 1941, he was one of seven children whose father, an Ulsterman, was an Indian Army officer who escaped from Dunkirk. Paddy Ashdown and his wife Jane outside their Kennington home after reports of his affair Christened Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, the lad was nicknamed Paddy at Bedford School on account of his Irish brogue. By then the Ashdowns had left India and were pig-farming with mixed results at Comber, Co Down. With his Indian and Irish roots, Paddy Ashdown was never quite part of the British Establishment, even if his Centre-Left views would eventually become the default setting at Whitehall. Never a bookish child, he left school early to join the Royal Marines rather than follow his parents to a new life in Australia. Military life suited the rangy lad's appetites for travel, comradeship and action. In time he joined the Special Boat Section, where he was credited with perfecting a technique called 'Goldfish' for leaving and entering submarines below the surface. Despite earlier academic weaknesses, he became a handy linguist, mastering Mandarin among other languages. After postings in the Far East he was put in charge of a Royal Marine unit in Belfast, and once arrested the civil rights activist John Hume, who later became an MP. A press photograph caught Ashdown posing by his armoured car. He was never averse to publicity. After leaving the Armed Forces as a captain he worked in the early Seventies as a British diplomat in Switzerland. It was around this time that he was rumoured to have worked for MI6, allegedly eavesdropping on Chinese officials. After five years he threw in that safe but low-profile life on the shores of Lake Geneva, in part to pursue political ambitions back home. He had long been a Labour voter, but an encounter with a Liberal canvasser persuaded him otherwise. Becoming a Liberal MP so soon after the Jeremy Thorpe scandal was not easy and he failed to win Yeovil at the first attempt in 1979. He struggled to earn a living in Somerset, where he had settled with his wife Jane, whom he had married in 1962. There were spells as an executive with Westland helicopters and at a sheepskin company. He also did a stint as a youth officer working for Dorset County Council. A 20 per cent local swing in the 1983 general election brought him the Commons seat he craved, and he held Yeovil comfortably until his retirement from the House in 2001. With Michael Foot taking Labour to the Left, and the defection of Roy Jenkins, Shirley Williams and their SDP colleagues, the Eighties were a tricky time for ambitious Centrists. Ashdown played up the small-c conservatism of his military background while attacking the Thatcher government on various Left-wing causes such as union rights at GCHQ and the U.S. Air Force's use of British bases in the bombing of Libya. Having created a political brand as a progressive, he was well positioned to become leader of the Social and Liberal Democrats (the 'Salads') after the pantomime-horse duo of David Steel and Robert Maclennan. In July 1988 he duly won the leadership ballot by 72 per cent, beating Alan Beith. A year later the party changed its name to the Lib Dems. Sitting at the desk once used by Liberal prime minister Herbert Asquith, Ashdown was prone to writing militaristic 'position papers' with bullet points and sweeping conclusions. In meetings he would stab his ballpoint pen at presentation charts, quite the field marshal hitting a topographical map of the battlefield. The oatmealy Liberals had never quite known a leader like this. Privately, Ashdown was not so bullish. With his party on less than 9 per cent in the opinion polls and facing severe financial difficulties, he understood the scale of the challenge he faced. But slowly their fortunes improved and support eventually doubled. Barely a month into his leadership, he was writing privately of his desire to merge his party with Labour. He held discussions to that effect with figures such as Tessa Blackstone and John Eatwell, who would later become leading Blairite peers. The Lib Dems' decision to vote with John Major's government over the Maastricht Treaty infuriated Old Labour hands but won Ashdown the gratitude of Major and the interest of a certain Europhile Labour frontbencher called Tony Blair. Although Ashdown would denounce Labour in public almost as much as he did the Conservatives, behind the scenes he sought common cause with the party, particularly once Blair succeeded John Smith as Opposition Leader in 1994. Ashdown's diaries, published in 2000, are full of Ashdown noting 'useful discussions' with Blair about proportional representation, and secretly 'passing messages', MI6-style, to the Blair leadership. He and Blair plotted, so Ashdown claimed, to reshape British politics to something more akin to European social democracy. Yet Ashdown was never quite able to pin Blair down he was neither the first nor the last to find that in dealings with our Tony and Blair's landslide election win in 1997 meant he had no further use for Ashdown. He flourished politically at a hustings or in a broadcasting studio. The House of Commons was not his natural arena. He lacked rhetorical variety and spoke the English language with a blurted efficiency rather than poetic invention. The very self-assurance that worked well in a TV programme could sound shallow in a parliamentary debate. It would be fair to say that Ashdown was more popular with the public than he was with his fellow MPs. Voters were gripped but politically unswayed when Ashdown's past affair with his secretary, Patricia Howard, made the newspaper front pages in 1992. His new sobriquet, 'Paddy Pantsdown', only made him more of a national character. Electors took the view that if his wife was prepared to forgive him, which she was, then so would they. Ashdown's energy levels suggested a man a decade younger, and the public liked him. He and his successor, Charles Kennedy, built the Lib Dems into a significant third force at Westminster, to the point where they won 62 seats in the 2005 general election. Nick Clegg may later have stolen the personal glory of becoming deputy prime minister, but he owed his prominence to the years of hard work that had begun with Ashdown. Paddy Ashdown was, whatever you thought of his political beliefs (not least his mad desire for Britain to ditch sterling for the euro), a tireless contributor to public life. He was, above all, a great galvaniser. For some 40 years he trudged up and down the country, speaking at party events, shaking activists' hands, raising their morale. At a Lib Dem conference in Bournemouth a couple of years ago, I made it back to my seaside hotel late one night after reviewing a play in London. The lift doors were just closing when Paddy stuck his heel in the way and jumped inside. It was well after midnight and he had plainly had a long and liquid evening he was not an entirely abstemious character. He was on genial but philosophical form, remarking on the relentlessness of party-political life. We had a brief 'why does anyone bother with this madness?' sort of conversation. Early the next morning I went down to breakfast, confident Paddy would still be in bed with a hangover. Nope. There he was in the dining room, spick and span, loudly proclaiming to a table of journalists his belief that the Lib Dems were the coming gang. 'Just you wait and see,' he kept saying. 'We'll be back!' As a result of Gatwicks drone fiasco last week, the Christmases of some 140,000 people have been ruined. It is an appalling story. What is so depressing is that nobody apart from the long-suffering and generally well-behaved passengers comes out of it well. Of course, it goes without saying that the true villains are the pathologically selfish morons or maybe there was only one demented perpetrator who flew their drones over Gatwick airport. The idea that those responsible might face a maximum of only five years in prison for deliberately and cruelly causing such upheaval at a cost of untold millions of pounds is farcical. If the culprits are ever caught, they should be given much longer sentences. As a result of Gatwicks drone fiasco last week, the Christmases of some 140,000 people have been ruined Crisis But there are many wider questions arising from this debacle. One has to ask whether there is any other major developed country in the world that would have responded to these drone antics with such a mind-boggling combination of complacency and incompetence. And beyond this question is an even more fundamental and deeply troubling one. What does it say about the authorities that what should have been a relatively minor and easily-dealt-with irritation became a major crisis that has turned us into an international laughing stock? For wherever one looks there was ineptitude on a grand scale, and some venality. The police, the Government, the airlines and Gatwick airport itself they all let down the people whom they are supposed to serve. Let us examine the defects of all these bodies. In a way, police failings were the least egregious, if only because they were the most predictable. Sussex Police chiefs had evidently given almost no thought to the possibility of a drone attack at Gatwick. When it happened, officers were reduced to keeping a lookout in neighbouring fields. As early as Saturday afternoon, much of the national Press suspected that blundering bobbies had arrested an innocent local couple, who were yesterday released without charge having had their faces plastered over the front pages. Although the police claim they have other people of interest in their sights, no one can be confident they will quickly identify the criminals responsible for this outrage. Indeed, thats if there are any culprits, since last night the police admitted there may not even have been any drone activity in the first place. Whatever idiocies the boys in blue have committed, they were probably surpassed by those of the Government, and in particular the hapless Transport Secretary Chris Grayling. Already justly under fire following repeated railway cock-ups, Grayling now faces accusations on a wider front. It was reported that this year he shelved plans to regulate drone use in Britain, despite being warned on many occasions about the risk drones pose to airports. The reasoning was that his civil servants have been preoccupied with Brexit. The Transport Secretary must tell us whether this grave allegation is true. If it is, it is very difficult to see how this serial bungler can be allowed to continue in his job. What could be more important than the safety of passengers at airports, Brexit or no Brexit? Moreover, the Government needs to explain why officials at the Department of Transport and the Home Office seemingly dragged their feet for many hours after the first drone sighting last Wednesday night. Even though a crack RAF team of electronic warfare specialists was reportedly ready to fly into Gatwick by helicopter, cautious Whitehall pen-pushers were reluctant to request military assistance until the following day. Needless to say, if this had happened in Moscow, Putins sharpshooters would have blown the drones out of the sky within a couple of hours. That may not be how things are done in democracies. But its hard to imagine the authorities in France or the U.S. responding with such bumbling indecision. What has happened to our country that the authorities took the best part of three days before they finally succeeded in neutralising these unarmed machines which were, if truth be told, not much more than sophisticated toys? As with the police, it can at least be fairly stated that the Governments many shortcomings are attributable to a kind of ingrained half-wittedness, and cant be laid at the door of unscrupulousness or greed. Alas, the same cant be said of the airlines. Granted, they were not in any way responsible for the activities of the drone freaks. Yet some of them behaved with a callousness and ruthlessness that hard-pressed passengers will recognise. Arguably, airlines should not be expected to compensate passengers as a result of events beyond their control, which will have involved them in extra costs they did not expect. What is so depressing is that nobody apart from the long-suffering and generally well-behaved passengers comes out of it well Ordeal But there are myriad stories of them cashing in by dramatically inflating the price of pre-Christmas tickets that passengers bought after their original flights were aborted. The cost of cancelled tickets was covered, but some passengers were made to pay a lot more for re-booking. For example, the Mail reported on Saturday that one couple from Hertfordshire claimed it cost them 7,000 to re-book flights home from New York. A man flying to Ghana to attend his uncles wedding was forced to pay at least double the price of his original ticket. Meanwhile, countless passengers complained about lack of information from their airlines. One woman, whose flight to Morocco had been cancelled, told Radio 4s PM programme on Saturday that she had racked up 100 in call charges seeking guidance on a premium line costing 50p a minute. Yet throughout all this, as they were forced to wait hours while being told little or nothing by their airlines, most people reportedly endured their undeserved ordeal stoically, sometimes even with good humour. Shambles Gatwick airport itself the fourth and last of the guilty parties was also criticised by some passengers for providing scant information. It stands accused of the perhaps more serious failing of having been warned about the drone threat as recently as July, and doing virtually nothing about it. In a well-ordered country, Chris Grayling would issue threats and bang heads together at the airlines and at Gatwick, and ensure that sharp practices are reversed and mistakes addressed. But can anyone have confidence that our inadequate Transport Secretary will do this? Part of me hopes against hope that this disgraceful shambles was just a one-off and does not tell us very much about the deficiencies of the police, the feebleness of our stricken Government, the grasping and high-handed character of some airlines, and the complacency of airport authorities. But Im afraid it is not possible to be wholly sanguine. When General Richard Dannatt, former Chief of the General Staff, describes what happened at Gatwick as a national embarrassment of near-biblical proportions, he does not exaggerate. How they must be sniggering in Brussels, Berlin and Paris! This country, as we all know, finds itself at a critical juncture in its history. We face enormous challenges. I have always been sure we will meet them, one way or another. But who, after the chastening events of the past few days, can be quite so certain? Every now and then a product comes along that causes a storm on Amazon, with reviewers gushing about the perfect pair of tweezers or hailing the latest 'miracle eye cream'. And 2018 has had its fair share of these. From the Korean face wash that sold out in ten days to the hair irons that notched up over 30,000 reviews, there are certain beauty products that seemed to send shoppers wild. So to make sure you don't miss out on this year's best buys, we've brought you a rundown of some of the top rated and most popular products from 2018. Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay, $10.95 With close to 20,000 reviews and a 4.4 star rating, this deep pore cleansing mask has earned itself a cult following on Amazon and is particularly popular amopng acne sufferers. Comprised of 100% Calcium Bentonite Clay, the mask has variously been described as 'fabulous', a 'miracle product' and a 'magic beauty routine'. And at just over $10 a 1lb pot, it's nothing short of a steal. CLICK TO BUY Slant Tweezers, $8.47 These surprisingly affordable tweezers are proving to do just as good a job as pricier products. According to the brand, the slanted model features 'perfectly calibrated tension for more control and a stress free tweezing ritual' to root our every stubborn hair. Popular in both the US and the UK, on this side of the Atlantic, the tweezers boast an average of 4.3 stars with shoppers describing them as 'absolutely perfect' and 'the best ever'. CLICK TO BUY HSI Professional Glider, $39.99 Boasting an impressive 30,000 reviews with an average of 4.3 stars, this flat iron has been hailed as the 'holy grail' of straighteners by reviewers. It credits tourmaline-infused ceramic plates with reducing static and frizz, and eight micro-sensors with HeatBalance technology for evenly distributing heat. CLICK TO BUY TruSkin Naturals Vitamin C Serum, $19.99 This serum promises to claims to target the most common signs of aging including brightness, firmness, fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots & sun spots. The brand highlights the thousands of Amazon customers who 'rave about brighter, fresher looking skin, improved tone and clarity, smaller pores, less breakouts, fine lines and dark spots'. CLICK TO BUY Active Wow Teeth Whitening Charcoal Powder, $19.99 Charcoal powder has become ever-more popular in 2018 as a means for natural teeth-whitening, and this particular product has notched up more than 18,000 views on Amazon with an average 4.3 star rating. Fans of the powder rave about the difference the product makes in just a few uses. CLICK TO BUY Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask, $9.99 This natural silk sleep mask and blindfold now has has more than 10,000 reviews on Amazon with shoppers hailing it as the best product of its kind for its ability to completely block out light. The manufacturers say its success is all down to being made from 100 per cent breathable mulberry silk on both sides. CLICK TO BUY Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera, $8.99 With a 4.5 star rating and nearly 11,000 reviews, this alcohol-free toner has been a consistent best seller for Amazon in 2018. Reviewers praise the product's affordability (it's currently half-price on Amazon), and have variously described it as 'super effective', 'magic on my skin' and 'the best toner I've ever tried'. CLICK TO BUY Baebody Eye Gel, $23.95 This popular eye gel is packed with Hyaluronic acid, Matrixyl 3000, vitamin E and plant stem cells with women claiming the potent formula is 'the best they've ever used'. It currently has over 13,000 reviews on Amazon, with many customers sharing before and after photos to illustrate the product's effectiveness. CLICK TO BUY Unrefined Ivory Shea Butter, $14.49 With an average rating on 4.5 stars, this organic Ghanaian shea butter has a legion of fans on Amazon, who say it 'transforms hair and skin' and 'works wonderfully' and is 'super mosturizing'. According to the manufacturer, it 'relieves eczema, moisturizes skin, boosts collagen production, fades scars and stretch marks, and reduces inflammation'. CLICK TO BUY Banila Co. Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm, $16.95 After earning a cult following in the UK, this K-Beauty favorite launched in the US in June to rave reviews. When it went up for sale to US customers on Amazon, the cleanser, which boasts a lightweight sorbet-like texture that helps to remove makeup and impurities, flew off the shelves and sold out in just ten days. CLICK TO BUY Amope Pedi Perfect Electronic Foot File, $16.94 Amope's electronic foot file is designed to buff away hard skin in minutes for smooth results after just one use. Its fans on Amazon, where the foot file has a 4.1 star rating, call the product a 'miracle worker' and 'fantastic', and rave about 'instantly beautiful' and 'baby soft' feet. CLICK TO BUY Pura D'or Anti-Thinning Shampoo, $27.99 This shampoo promises to fight hair thinning naturally using a 'powerful blend of biotin, pumpkin seed, black cumin seed oil, nettle, and other plant-based ingredients to help increase volume and thicken hair'. Fans on Amazon hail the shampoo as 'the product that saved my hair', 'spectacular value', and 'an excellent discovery'. CLICK TO BUY Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Rosewater, $7 This hydrating mist has been dubbed a 'miracle worker' by thousands, with the likes of Kylie Jenner, Bella Hadid and beauty YouTuber Nikkie Tutorials endorsing it publicly. With an average of 4.4 stars, the spray has earned its fair share of fans on Amazon, with reviewers describing it as 'amazing', a 'skincare must-have', and a 'miracle for my skin'. CLICK TO BUY O'Keeffe's Working Hands Hand Cream, $6.49 This budget-friendly hand cream has earned an impressive 4.5 stars on Amazon. Perfect for winter, it promises to heal, relieve, and repair extremely dry, cracked hands. And thousands of reviewers agree, with customers describing it as a 'blessing', 'magic' and a 'miracle product'. CLICK TO BUY DailyMail.com may earn commissions on sales from the links on this page. A lawyer has gone viral with a hilarious analysis of every law broken in Home Alone 2. Popular anonymous Twitter account The Secret Barrister broke down the crimes carried out in the Christmas classic, according to English and Welsh law. The sequel to the original festive hit sees Kevin McAllister (Macaulay Culkin) board the wrong plane in the airport, landing him alone in New York City, where he is once again pursued by the 'Sticky Bandits', Marv (Daniel Stern) and Harry (Joe Pesci). Live tweeting the film over the weekend, the legal expert explained Kevin could face up to four years in a young offenders institution for his actions, while Marv and Harry could be locked away for life. Popular UK-based Twitter account The Secret Barrister broke down the crimes carried out in the Christmas classic Home Alone 2, according to English and Welsh law. Pictured, Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McAllister in the film The Secret Barrister kicked off the Twitter thread by explaining it would conduct the analysis through the lens of English and Welsh law, even though the film takes place in New York Not even Kevin's parents would escape without an offence after losing Kevin again, clocking up eight months immediate custody for child neglect. The Secret Barrister is behind the bestselling book The Secret Barrister: Stories of the Law and How It's Broken, which was published earlier this year. The Secret Barrister kicked off the Twitter thread by explaining it would conduct the analysis through the lens of English and Welsh law, even though the film takes place in New York. The first offence takes place within minutes of the film beginning when Kevin records Uncle Frank in the shower - an act of voyeurism. From there, the offences get worse and worse including treason, sexual assault, fraud and corruption. The brilliant thread breaking down every offence in the film has been liked more than 3,000 times and has hundreds of replies The barrister wrote: 'The Sticky Bandits are conspiring to commit a commercial burglary. Max sentence 10 years. 'Thats right. Even millions from a childrens toy store on Christmas Eve. If youre going to commit an acquisitive offence, this is the one. On an early guilty plea, thats 6.66 yrs.' The Secret Barrister added: 'Let me be clear, for any children watching: I am *not* suggesting you should actually go and commit a commercial burglary. Just that its better, for you, than a domestic burglary (14 years) or robbery (life). Glad thats clear.' Crimes committed in the movie include child abduction, GBH, and arson with intent to endanger life Other offences racked up include child abduction, GBH, and arson with intent to endanger life. Even the wonderful bird lady could technically be prosecuted under the Vagrancy Act 1824. Twitter users adored the thread, praising the Secret Barrister for their dedication and suggesting other movies that needed analysing. Stephen Rading-Stanford wrote: 'I never knew I needed this, but now I want more! How about Jingle All The Way?' Emma P added: 'This is already a treat! *settles in with a glass of red and the remote poised*' Hugo Glendinning tweeted: 'Weirdly enjoyable despite having little interest in either details of law or the Home Alone movies.' Twitter users have been sharing the weird and wonderful places they've ended up sleeping at their parents' house again this year. British writer and musician Rhodri Marsden, 47, began the annual tradition in 2011, asking his followers to share their unusual sleeping arrangements after returning home for the Christmas period. Using the hashtag #DuvetKnowItsChristmas, social media users have shown off the sofa beds and cramped studies they have been relegated to this festive season. Clinton Davey looked like he was staying in the red room from Jane Eyre at his father's house for Christmas. The spare room is apparently Mexican themed and comes with a sombrero One Twitter user, Kuma-Chan, posted this snap of a London Underground duvet cover. A teddy bear in seen under the duvet wearing a tiny Christmas hat Eleanor Binks is staying in her vicar mother's religious room - complete with three pictures of Jesus looking over her Another Twitter user, Peter Sketch, said he was disqualified from the challenge since he is staying an an inn this Christmas rather than his family home. He posted this picture of an elephant, which he described as 'the heffalump that greeted me when I arrived' One Twitter user, from Cornwall, is sleeping on the couch this Christmas - but their set up was ruined when their cat peed on one of the duvets This year Rhodri, who plays with Leeds-based post-punk band Scritti Politti, has also teamed up with homelessness charity Shelter to encourage people to donate money after sharing their snaps. In a video, Rhodri reads a poem parodying The Night Before Christmas using photos of disappointing yuletide beds from previous years. He said: ''Twas the night before Christmas, and throughout the land, the sleeping arrangements were carefully planned. Catriona Swanson visited her mother's home for Christmas this year - and had to stay in the 'craft room' Fi KP said: 'Kindly admire Le Festival Brun de Polycotton et Chatons Follement Polymer that is The Pensioners spare room. I will die of the sparks' Jule Sverne is staying in her bed from her teenage years as she returned home for Christmas 'Down in the kitchen, a picturesque scene, a mattress, a pillow, a washing machine. A living room crammed with all manner of junk, a rickety ladder leads up to a bunk.' The poem continues for two minutes, before a message asking people to donate to Shelter appears. While the official social media campaign kicks off at 9pm tonight, plenty of followers are already getting in on the fun. Craig Hamilton was greeted by an old teddy bear when he returned home for Christmas Natalie's mother bought her Christmas and dog themed sheets for her stay over the festive season - despite her turning 31 next week Ana Sampson McLaughlin has offered up a room with elephant wallpaper and a matching clock to her in-laws this year One posted: 'A few days early, but settled in at my dads for Christmas celebrations, usual setup in the spare room with its Mexican theme complete with Sombrero! #DuvetKnowItsChristmas.' Sharing a snap of a teddy bear, Craig Hamilton tweeted: 'Hello, old friend. We meet again. #DuvetKnowItsChristmas.' Natalie added: 'It's a bit early but I've just got home for Christmas. Gold star for my wee maw who has put this on my bed. (I'll be 31 next week) #DuvetKnowItsChristmas #beddinggoals.' Rhodri Marsden started an annual tradition of Brits sharing their unusual Christmas sleeping arrangements with this tweet in 2011 As the year draws to an end, many will be feeling tired and in need of some decent quality rest. But if exhaustion is a year-round problem for you, it could be that you're doing something wrong - and need to rectify your shut-eye habits. Here, speaking to FEMAIL, Bondi-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo revealed the seven reasons why you're always tired - and what you can do to improve your sleep. So what are they? Here, speaking to FEMAIL, Bondi-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo (pictured) revealed the seven reasons why you're always tired - and what you can do to improve your sleep While devices are often blamed for keeping people awake at night, Olivia (pictured) said it's not just your iPad and iPhone that are to blame, but also your overhead lights at home 1. You've got lights on in the evening While devices are often blamed for keeping people awake at night, Olivia said it's not just your iPad and iPhone that are to blame, but also your overhead lights at home. 'Research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrionology and Metabolism proved that room lights - yes, the regular ones in your ceiling or lamps - suppress the sleepiness hormone melatonin by 90 minutes, leading to shorter and lighter sleep,' Olivia told FEMAIL. Solve it: 'You can solve this by wearing blue light blocking glasses, using plug in sleep suitable lights or both.' 2. You're hitting the snooze button in the morning People who hit the snooze button often fall victim to thinking that the snooze button allows them a precious few extra minutes in the morning. But, in fact, Olivia said it does the opposite. 'Scientists at the University of California highlighted that this factor contributes to sleep inertia, or that groggy "haven't slept at all" feeling,' she said. Especially for those who have had a late night, she added, the jolts of the alarm can 'disrupt you during the deep stages of sleep, which is the period when our bodies are repairing themselves to their full functioning level'. Solve it: 'You can remedy this by labelling your alarm clock with something you're excited about for that day,' Olivia said. 'In order to turn off the alarm, you read your motivation, and are more likely to get up.' Olivia warns against the snooze button, which can wreak havoc with your sleeping patterns due to the continuing jolt of the alarm, which disrupts your sleep (stock image) 3. You've had a long, hot shower just before bed Many around the world turn to a long, hot shower just before bed in order to make them feel relaxed and ready for sleep. What are the seven things stopping you from sleeping? 1. You've got overhead lights on at home. 2. You're hitting the snooze button in the mornings. 3. You've had a long, hot shower just before bed. 4. You've been working late at night. 5. You've been overdoing wine, beer or cocktails. 6. You haven't asked for help. 7. You're Australian, or are overdoing the work hard, play hard attitude. Advertisement But Olivia said this could be to blame for making you feel restless once you hit the sack. 'Although showering does enhance the relaxation of our muscles, if you've had a super steamy shower and literally jumped straight into bed, chances are you've raised your core body temperature, and consequently, are unable to get into a deep sleep,' Olivia said. 'According to the journal Science Advances, light sleep means you don't undergo repair of body systems, which allows you to feel energetic.' Solve it: 'You can sole this by having a short, lukewarm shower at least one hour before bed.' 4. You have been working late at night Sadly, in 2018, many of us take our day jobs home with us. And working late into the night is not only bad for your work/life balance, but also wreaks havoc with your sleep. 'Stimulating your brain into the highly active brainwave state of alpha, engaging late night work lengthens the time required to fall into that deep sleep,' Olivia said. 'As a result, it's possible you haven't had deep quality sleep for long, or perhaps at all, which means your brain hasn't had a chance to recover from the previous day's activities.' Solve it: Olivia recommends solving this by 'disconnecting yourself from all work after your shower' in favour of 'a relaxation activity such as reading, chatting with your partner or listening to calming music'. 5. You've been overdoing wine, beer or cocktails Olivia highlighted that the academic journal Sleep Disorders said that heaviness of alcohol consumption correlates with increased daytime tiredness. 'This is hardly surprising,' she said. 'The main ingredient in alcohol is sugar, which stimulates the body in a similar vein to caffeine.' She added that pumping up your body ready for action is the opposite of what you should be doing ahead of a good night's sleep. Solve it: 'Having a soda with lime and lemon without vodka is a great way to help this, or finishing with alcohol at least three hours before bed.' 'Although showering does enhance the relaxation of our muscles, if you've had a super steamy shower and literally jumped straight into bed, chances are you've raised your core body temperature, and consequently, are unable to get into a deep sleep,' Olivia (pictured) said 6. You haven't asked for help Sleeplessness and insomnia is a problem that millions struggle with. And Olivia told FEMAIL that if you're really finding life hard, you might do well to reach out to a professional. 'Far from telling you to simply "do less", professionals should examine modifiable factors which correlate to excessive fatigue,' she said. 'In doing so, you can make decisions which empower and energise you.' Solve it: Olivia recommends you sign up to her free newsletter, which will send you 'tips and tricks on how to improve sleep, enhance energy and reduce stress'. Alternatively, you can see a professional. 7. You're Aussie The last reason, Olivia explained, is not something many can do much about. 'With a nationwide apprecation of "working hard, playing hard" it's no surprise that Sealy Posturepedic's 2018 Sleep Survey found that 77 per cent of Australians do not get enough sleep,' she said. 'Championing ourselves for pushing through, pepping ourselves with espresso martinis and getting everything done, we subliminally send messages to each other that to rest is to be lazy or inefficient.' Solve it: Olivia recommends reading articles about the true impact of sleep - and acting accordingly. To find out more about Olivia Arezzolo, you can sign up for her free sleep tip series here. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held a telephone conversation, during which the two leaders discussed current topics on the bilateral agenda, according to the Kremlin website. "During the telephone conversation, Russian President Vladimir Putin warmly congratulated President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on his birthday. Several current topics on the bilateral agenda were also discussed," the press service of Azerbaijani president said. Earlier, Putin sent a message of congratulations to Aliyev. Advertisement Hundreds of fatherless brides have tied the knot in a mass ceremony in India funded by a diamond tycoon who has married off more than 3,000 women in the past eight years. Mahesh Savani, who believes that giving away brides is a blessing from God, has been funding and organising mass weddings for fatherless women in Surat every year since 2010. This year's ceremony saw 261 women, including six Muslim and three Christian couples, blessed by Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, reports DNA India. Hundreds of fatherless brides tied the knot yesterday in a mass wedding ceremony in Surat, India, yesterday Diamond tycoon Mahesh Savani (pictured centre) has been funding mass wedding ceremonies every year since 2010 In India, fathers are expected to pay for their daughters' weddings, which can mean that if a bride's father has died or is extremely poor, her chances of getting married are almost non-existent But generous business Mahesh, who believes that giving away brides is a blessing from God, has been funding these weddings before giving household items to help the newlyweds start married life This year's event saw 261 brides get married, including six Muslim and three Christian couples, blessed by Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani Mahesh, alongside several Indian Administrative Service and Indian police officers, performed the Hindu wedding ritual of 'Kanyadaan' - the practice of giving away one's daughter in marriage. This year, event organisers gave the newlyweds household items to start their new lives, and insurance worth 200,000 rupees (2,300) each. In previous years, Mahesh gave gifts worth 500,000 rupees (5,600). Of yesterday's 261 brides, 118 had no brothers or sisters, and 54 were orphans. He has said previously that he feels a 'social responsibility' to help the woman who can't afford their own weddings. Pictured: A group of happy brides pose for a selfie ahead of the mass wedding ceremony in Surat in India yesterday Mahesh has said previously that he feels a 'social responsibility' to help the woman who can't afford their own weddings Indian weddings are incredibly expensive and traditionally take place over several days. Pictured: women show off their intricate henna ahead of the ceremony Mahesh said he began his charitable campaign in 2008 after a distant relative died, which left him responsible for organising his daughter's weddings Weddings in India are expensive affairs with the bride's family traditionally expected to pay the groom a large dowry of cash and gifts. Fathers in India also traditionally pay for their daughters' weddings, which can mean that if a bride's father has died or is extremely poor, her chances of getting married are almost non-existent. Mahesh said he began his charitable campaign in 2008 after a distant relative died, which left him responsible for organising his daughter's weddings. So far, Mahesh has helped fund the weddings of 3,172 brides. This year, event organisers gave the newlyweds household items to start their new lives, and insurance worth 200,000 rupees (2,300) each Pictured: A Hindu couple take part in a ritual during the mass wedding. Mahesh, alongside several Indian Administrative Service and Indian police officers, performed the Hindu wedding ritual of 'Kanyadaan' The Hindu wedding ritual Kanyadaan is the practice of giving away one's daughter in marriage Parents of a baby born with her heart outside her body said it is a 'massive present' to have her home in time for Christmas. Naomi Findlay and Dean Wilkins, from Nottingham, are parents to Vanellope, the first baby in Britain to ever survive being born with their heart outside the body. The parents-of-four appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain where they called her miracle arrival home a 'massive present' for the family. Vanellope named after a feisty character in the Disney film Wreck-It Ralph - weighed just 3 lb 8oz when she was delivered at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester on November 22 last year. Mother Naomi said: 'It's pretty overwhelming to be honest, its something we didnt see happening, its amazing it really is.' Naomi Findlay and Dean Wilkins, from Nottingham, are parents to Vanellope, they are delighted at being allowed to have her home in time for her first family Christmas Little Vanellope was the first baby in Britain to ever survive being born with its heart outside the body and has arrived home for the first time Doctors told her parents, who had earlier watched scans of their unborn child playing with her own heart in the womb, to expect the worst. Vanellope, who had the extremely rare condition ectopia cordis, underwent three operations in her first three weeks. Her heart was covered by protective plastic and her chest opened to make room for the organ, which naturally sank into her body over two weeks. Then a protective mesh shield was installed over the heart and the cavity covered with a skin graft. Now after undergoing hours of extensive training in CPR and life support Vanellope is allowed home for four nights a week and spends three in hospital, with the plan to have her home permanently soon. Naomi explained: 'There is talk of a life changing surgery, to reconstruct her breast bone and sternum in order to give her ribs the support and be more mobile.' Vanellope currently wears a chest brace that is basically her sternum and acts as a safety net, so if she rolls, or anything drops its not dropping directly on to her heart. The parents are just pleased that they are all together: 'This time last year we were running around the wards of Glenfield Hospital. 'It is one big massive present we can enjoy it as a whole family now.' Now after undergoing hours of extensive training in CPR and life support Vanellope is allowed home for four nights a week and spends three in hospital, with the plan to have her home permanently soon Naomi Findlay and Dean Wilkins were in hospital praying that their daughter would survive a year ago - and she was last week healthy enough to watch her brother's play 'At times this year her life was hanging by a thread, but she survived and she now has her own page in the medical encyclopaedias,' Naomi said previously. 'That's how special she is.' Vanellope still needs oxygen and has to take a cocktail of drugs, but weighs 18 lb and was last week healthy enough to watch her elder brother in his school Nativity play. 'That was a miracle in itself,' said Naomi. 'Having her at home with us is the only present we need.' The family are hoping for more good news in the New Year. Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia of Sweden shared a previously unseen snap of themselves with their two sons in their annual Christmas card. The royals are seen walking hand-in-hand with Alexander, two, and Gabriel, one, down a beautiful woodland path. Between them is their beloved dog, Siri. The photo was shared on the inside of their festive greeting, which was posted on the couple's official Instagram account today. The image was accompanied by the message 'God Jul' - meaning Merry Christmas in Swedish and 'Gott nytt ar' - which means Happy New Year. Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia of Sweden shared a previously unseen snap of themselves with their two sons, Alexander, two, and Daniel, one, in their annual Christmas card Fans of the royal couple were quick to comment on the adorable picture, with many of them wishing them a happy Christmas Carl Philip, 39, and Sofia, 34, also signed their names. Fans of the royal couple were quick to comment on the adorable picture, with many of them wishing them 'God Jul' - which means Merry Christmas in Swedish. This wasn't the first festive picture that the couple have shared on the royal Instagram. Last week Prince Carl Phillip shared a cute picture of him and his son Prince Alexander with a Christmas tree. Fans from across the world shared their festive greetings in a number of different languages His son was wearing a Christmas jumper, as well as a Santa hat as he helped his dad with Christmas trees. Prince Carl Phillip revealed that Prince Alexander was helping him receive trees at the Royal castle of students. The couple have had a busy few years, with their two sons being born. Prince Alexander, Duke of Sodermanland was born in April 2016, while Prince Gabriel, Duke of Dalarna who was born in August 2017. Proud parents: Sofia and Carl Philip with sons Alexander and Gabriel at Gabriel's Christening in June The couple got married in June 2015 in a lavish ceremony in Royal chapel Slottskyrkan, Stockholm. Sofia, a former glamour model and reality TV star met Prince Carl Phillip through mutual friends at a lunch. Earlier this year Prince Carl Phillips revealed that he was dyslexic, after misreading a name on TV. In September the royal couple also spoke about their dog, Siri, who went missing. He ran away from their home, but with the help of the authorities manged to find him again. Christmas shoppers have received the very worst substitutions they've received in their online food shops. Twitter users from across the UK shared posts about their festive mishaps - including one lady who received shoe polish instead of kiwi fruit. Another was left baffled when she was sent HP sauce instead of cranberry sauce - pointing out that she didn't think it would go quite as well with the turkey. Here, FEMAIL shares some of the best examples - and they'll make you think twice about ordering online next year... Clare Brown, a mother-of-six from Warwickshire, was offered the distinctly less festive HP sauce instead of cranberry in her shop John Fidler got a meatier order than he bargained for when his vegetarian sausages were substituted Daniel Sparrow, from Biggleswade in Bedfordshire, was given apple scented bleach for his apple crumble For most strange substitutions, there is at least some obvious link between the two items - but not in the case of Steven, from Southwick in West Sussex, who was given a pork pie instead of vegan mayonnaise Another Welsh Twitter users was given Kiwi branded shoe polish instead of the fruit Rhodri Marsden, who plays with Leeds-based post-punk band Scritti Politti, was given turmeric instead of nutmeg Claire Harffey, from Windsor, was given just one rump steak in exchange for a huge roast beef joint Colin Seabrook, from Romford in east London, tried to make pancakes with his kids but was given lemon wipes instead of lemons Another Twitter user was given sweet potatoes instead of peaches, forcing her to head to the shops Hannah was offered onion rings instead of calamari - and understandably decided to reject the substitution Gareth Davies joked that heading to Tesco after his food delivery was becoming an annual tradition because of all the substitutions Rev Tom Buchanan was given blueberries instead of cranberries for his festive feast A New Jersey woman has shown why it's always best to lead with kindness even when it comes to dealing with a rude neighbor. Candice Marie Benbow, 37, was pushed to her limit last week when her loud next-door neighbor was blasting his music yet again, this time playing songs at top volume until four in the morning. Though her patience was tried, however, Candice didn't bang on the wall, go next door to yell, or even call the police. Instead, she baked her neighbor a cake, and was rewarded later with a face-to-face conversation with her neighbor that didn't go as expected. Sweet: Candice Marie Benbow, 37, was fed up with her neighbor blasting loud music every evening so one night, up at 4am from his tunes, she baked him a pound cake She delivered it with a letter the next day, dropping it outside his door when he didn't answer Candice shared her aggravation on Twitter on December 15 with a thread that quickly earned widespread attention. 'I wanted the best way to tell my neighbor that he tried it with his late night party. So I wrote him a letter and baked him a cake,' she wrote. She included a snapshot of the letter, which she'd typed up and left with the cake outside his door. 'We haven't formally met and I hate we're doing so under these circumstances,' the note began. 'When you come home every evening and blast music, I've come to expect it. Sometimes, it's a song I hadn't heard in a while and I appreciate the throwback. Other times, it's something I've never heard before and I've been able to google a few lyrics and add it to my weekly playlists. To be fair, you've helped me catch a vibe. 'But last night... Fam, you tried it. You really, really did,' she wrote, noting that she had finally been pushed to her limit. Tsk tsk! While she kept her note kind, she also pointed out that he was being inconsiderate and not thinking about his neighbors 'I don't know if you were hosting the official after-party for our building's holiday social or single-handedly determining this generation's R&B king. But 3am is just too late to be that loud. 'At 3:26, I couldn't tell if you were playing some uptempo hits from The Weeknd or you pushed shuffle on some house/techno. Either way, I could have done wihtout that part of the set. 'At 3;47, I realized it was much more advantageous to reflect on your musical tastes and eat potato chips than try to sleep. You really love a piano solo and some soulful drums. 'At 4:55am, I should be dreaming about all the things I want Michael B . Jordan and/or Malik Yoba to do to me. I should be dreaming about the life I could have with Lena Waithe if she was single. 'I should not be up singing Maxwell's "Ascension" simply because you want to be the second floor's DJ. 'At 4:07, you settled down. I really appreciated that. In the future, as you're hosting your kickbacks and come-throughs, please remember the rest of us. As a peace offering, I hope you will enjoy this pound cake. Practical: As her post went viral, she explained that as a woman living on her own, she wasn't about to start trouble with a stranger in the middle of the night 'At 3:30, when I decided to bake it for you, I realized I was taking your feelings into much more consideration than you were taking mine. I hope that changes especially since I'm only three months into a 13 month lease.' Adding to her Twitter thread, Candice said that she went to his apartment and knocked on the door to drop off the cake and the note, but he didn't answer. Instead, she left it outside and later saw that it was no longer there. 'Im taking that to mean he got and read it,' she wrote. At first, she had no update, as her neighbor didn't confront her about the peace offering so she took some time to answer some of the comments she received from other Twitter users. 'Folks are calling what I did extra,' she wrote. 'It was extra AF. Throwing a house party at 3am is extra AF, too.' To those who asked why she didn't 'just go over there,' she replied: 'I live alone. I didnt know who/what I couldve met going by myself. And it was 3AM!!! Im not getting dressed to leave my apartment at 3am because n****s wanna be inconsiderate. Plus, I couldnt find my bra. It was 3am. It worked! The night after she dropped of the cake, her neighbor lowered his music To those who asked why she didn't call 911, she had this today: 'I ONLY call police for emergencies. They are killing us every other day and getting away with it. Had anything resulted in an unfortunate outcome, not only would my safety be at risk, Id feel horrible. I dont call the police on us if I can help it.' She said that she took the cake-baking route because, at the end of the day, they would still be neighbors, and she thought it would be better to keep things cordial. 'Ultimately, as a single woman, I gotta be mindful of how I navigate tense situations. I have to live here, too. I knew I needed to say something. I was looking for a way that didnt make it confrontational. Plus I really love to bake!' she wrote. 'I know folks are saying they wouldnt eat the cake but I hope he takes into consideration that I put my real name on the letter, wouldnt incriminate myself and just wouldnt be that mean! LOL! So I hope he eats the cake but more than that, I hope he doesnt do that s*** again!!' And as it turned out, he didn't. Later that evening, after dropping off the cake, she wrote: AND HIS MUSIC TONIGHT IS THE LOWEST IT HAS EVER BEEN!' Three days later, she had another update. She took to Twitter to say that she met her neighbor, Tommy, and he's 'so freaking cool'. Friends! And three days later, they met and posed for a smiley photo together. Her neighbor, Tommy, apologized and said her pound cake was amazing Compassion: Candice also learned that Tommy was grieving his daughter, who died this year making her all the more glad she approached the problem with kindness 'He apologized for the noise, promised to invite me to the next party and most importantly...HE SAID MY POUND CAKE WAS AMAZING!!!!' she wrote, posting a picture of the pair smiling together. 'My neighbor is a music video producer. EVERYTHING makes sense now,' she added. 'While talking to Tommy, I learned that he's new to the area as well *and* this is his first Christmas without his daughter, who passed away earlier this year in a car accident. 'Y'all know how rough grieving was for me in the months following Mama's death. I can only imagine what it would have felt like for someone to confront me with anger when I'm trying my best to get through my first holiday season.' The outcome made her even more glad that she approached the situation in a sweet, patient way. Bravo! The story, and their new friendship, has inspired thousands of people on social media 'It was a sweet and gentle reminder that we never know what folks are going through and it is always best to lead with kindness. When we can extend grace, we really should,' she concluded. Since then, 172,000 people have liked Candice's thread, and many have applauded her for being such a good example to others. 'This thread was a reminder to be kind when communicating with others. Many kudos to you for how you handled that situation and prayers to him while hes grieving,' wrote one. 'I did something similar with my neighbor. Went over with a plant to explain I could hear every footstep. She was so lovely and havent heard her since. Plus I have a new friend! Its better to kindly deal with things rather than let resentment build up,' wrote another. 'You are a wonderful person. Thanks for sharing a little grace with all of us,' tweeted a third. Many Australian families will be celebrating Christmas the traditional way - serving up family and friends a delicious roast turkey. And while its generally accepted that you'll wash a bird before placing it in the oven to get rid of any germs, it turns out this isn't as effective as you may have believed. Two types of bacteria are associated with poultry: Campylobacter and Salmonella - and neither washing a turkey in hot or cold water will kill these. In fact, if you do wash a bird in the sink you may contribute to the spread of these bacteria through droplets of water which can touch, and contaminate, other surfaces. Many Australian families will no doubt be celebrating Christmas dinner with a delicious roast turkey (stock image) This can happen without you even noticing, and it's then that you're most likely to get sick. An infection of Campylobacter will see you suffering from abdominal pain, chronic and even bloody diarrhoea, fever and vomiting. Symptoms can last between four and 10 days. Salmonella infection has similar symptoms, with people developing diarrhoea, fever and cramps that can last between 12 and 27 hours. If you do wash a bird in the sink you may contribute to the spread of bacteria through droplets of water which may touch and contaminate other surfaces (stock image) The severity of salmonella can lead to death in some cases. Even if you purchase turkeys which have been raised organically, this doesn't mean they will be free of these bacteria strains, Yahoo reports. If you find there is an excess of moisture on your bird as you are preparing to cook it, Foodsafety.com.au recommends using paper towels to mop up the excess. Food preparation tips for cooking poultry: * Do not wash raw poultry before cooking as this will spread any bacteria throughout your kitchen. You can mop up any excess moisture with a paper towel * Always wash and dry hands and clean surfaces after contact with raw poultry * Defrost poultry in the fridge or microwave in a container which prevents juices from dripping onto other food * Make sure the raw poultry juices do not contaminate other food, especially food like desserts or salads that won't be cooked again * Always use clean plates and utensils and wash and dry thoroughly between using for raw and cooked poultry. Never place cooked food back on the same plate or cutting board that previously held raw poultry * Cook any poultry meat to 75 degrees Celcious using a meat thermometer in the thickest part or until the juices run clear and are no longer pink. Make sure frozen poultry is defrosted right through to the centre before cooking Source: Australian Institute of Food Safety Advertisement The organisation also advises thoroughly washing and drying your hands after any contact with raw poultry. Lastly, all poultry should be defrosted in the fridge or microwave in a container which prevents juices from dripping on to other foods. When cooking poultry, including turkey, always ensure there's no pink showing when you cut through the thickest part of the bird. If you have a meat thermometer, 75 degrees Celsius is the recommended safe internal temperature. If you're hosting a big family gathering for Christmas Day but are feeling a little overwhelmed when it comes to the wine, then this pairing guide might just be the solution. Sommelier Matt Day, of London, has shared a helpful list of supermarket wines that will compliment and enhance every course you serve - no matter what your budget. Among those suggested is Tesco's Finest Yarra Valley Pinot Noir, 11, which is perfect with roast turkey while vegetarians can pair their nut roast with Asda's Gran Colina Rioja for just 5. Meanwhile a 7.99 bottle of Lidl fizz is sure to kick off the day right. Here Matt, in-house sommelier at wine recommendation app Corkscrew, details his favourites for FEMAIL... Matt recommends pairing a sparkling whine such as Lidl's Clairette de Die, available for 7.99 (above), with a smoked salmon and scrambled egg breakfast While Matt advises that goose definitely needs a white wine such as Morrisons The Best Vouvray, 8.50 (left), he recommends pairing wine with a little bit of age to pair with beef like Morrisons The Best Rioja Grand Reserva, 12, above Breakfast The rigours of Christmas day demand a sustaining breakfast that whets the appetite for the feast to come. Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon is a classic, but quite tricky to pair with wine. Eggs create a film over your taste buds and smoked salmon is oily (which clashes with certain wines) and very strongly flavoured so a light, soft Prosecco would be destroyed. I find the best pairing for smoked fish is Fino sherry, but that may not be everyones cup of tea especially in the morning. Sparkling wines will work as long as they are fresh (no mature vintage champagne), full-flavoured and high in acidity. This could be a case where a cheaper sparkling wine works better, but if you do insist on champagne go for a non-vintage rose. Recommended Sparkling Wines: Marques del Norte Cava Brut (5.50 Asda) Aldi Exquisite Collection Cremant du Jura (8.29 Aldi) Lidl Clairette de Die (7.99 Lidl) Adrien Chopin Champagne Brut (17.99 Morrisons) Sainsbury's Brut Rose Champagne (19.99 Sainsburys) Mulled wine Good mulled wine is the cornerstone of any successful Christmas. Get it right and it has the power to transform the most miserable granny or irksome neighbour into the life and soul of the party. Contrary to popular belief, the quality of the wine does matter and warming, spicy wines are naturally suited to mulling. Southern France, Spain and southern Italy offer excellent value for money reds, oozing with bottled sunshine, which are soft and fruity and enjoyable mulled or straight from the bottle. Recommended Mulling Wines: Torretta di Mondelli Nero d'Avola (4.00 Sainsburys) El Puente Tempranillo (4.75 Morrisons) Toro Loco Organic Red (4.99 Aldi) Lidl Costieres de Nimes Rhone (6.49 Lidl) Tesco Finest St. Chinian (6.50 Tesco) Recipe: Make your own mulled wine Above, Lidl's France Costieres de Nimes AOC Glonem Vignobles and Compagnie 2017 is 6.49 and recommended as a mulling wine - Heat (dont boil) red wine in a large pan with sugar to taste (roughly 3 tbsp. per bottle). - When the sugar has dissolved, squeeze in the juice of an orange, retaining the skins. - Push cloves into the orange skins and add them to the pot with a couple of cinnamon sticks (or 2 tsp. powder) and a good grate of nutmeg. - If you require a bit more kick (in case of especially difficult relatives) add a good slug of cognac, whisky or cherry brandy for extra richness. - Simmer for 20 minutes and serve Advertisement Dinner Good with turkey Turkey (white meat and darker leg meat) with all the trimmings (chipolatas, sprouts, roast potatoes, parsnips, cranberry sauce, spiced red cabbage) is such a clash of strong flavours and multiple proteins and carbohydrates that a perfect wine match is virtually impossible. White wine is probably a slightly better match that red, but ripe Pinot Noir from New Zealand and California or juicy Gamay from Beaujolais are a good choice. Whites should be rich and full-bodied think Semillon from the Hunter Valley (Australia) and Bordeaux or oaked Chardonnay from Margaret River (Australia) or Burgundy or white Rioja. Recommended turkey wines: Morrisons Beaujolais (5.00 Morrisons) Sainsbury's, Taste the Difference Cotes Du Jura Chardonnay (9.00 Sainsburys) Aldi Lot Series Tasmanian Pinot Noir (10.99 Aldi) Tesco Finest Yarra Valley Pinot Noir (11.00 Tesco) Chateau Tour Logan, Pessac-Leognan (17.99 Waitrose) Good with Goose Matt recommends pairing Lidl's Winemaker's Selection Clare Valley Riesling, 6.99, with goose Goose definitely needs a white wine rather than a red wine. Its richness can be countered beautifully by an off-dry white such as Riesling, a rich Pinot Gris from Alsace or a Chenin Blanc from the Loire. Recommended Goose Wines: Lidl Winemaker's Selection Clare Valley Riesling (6.99 Lidl) Aldi Exquisite Clare Valley Riesling (6.99 Aldi) Dr Loosen Riesling (7.50 Sainsburys) Morrisons The Best Vouvray (8.50 Morrisons) Cave de Beblenheim Pinot Gris Reserve (8.99 Waitrose) Good with Beef Roast beef has quite a subtle flavour that is all too easy to overpower. A medium-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend from Bordeaux is great and a wine with a little bit of age such as a Rioja Reserva is even better. Recommended Beef Wines: Aldi Hawke's Bay Red (6.99 Aldi) Morrisons The Best Rioja Grand Reserva (12.00 Morrisons) Condado De Haza Ribera Del Duero (13.50 Sainsburys) Christian Moueix Saint Emilion (15.00 M&S) Chateau Senejac Haut-Medoc Cru Bourgeois (16.99 Coop) Good with Nut Roast Nut roast is a rich and savoury dish that works well with savoury, earthy reds or full-bodied oaky whites. Grenache based wines from the Rhone are a great choice and nutty, oaky white Rioja works extremely well. Recommended Nut Roast Wines: Gran Colina Rioja (5.00 Asda) Cru Des Cotes Du Rhone Vinsobres (8.00 Sainsburys) Morrisons The Best Rioja Blanco Reserva (13.00 Morrisons) Tesco Finest Gigondas (14.00 Tesco) Les Closiers Chateauneuf-du-Pape (21.00 M&S) Morrisons The Best Rioja Blanco Reserva, 12, is recommended with beef, while this 21 bottle of Les Closiers Chateauneuf-du-Pape from M&S will be the perfect pairing with a nut roast Pudding Above, Sainsbury's Taste the Difference 12 Year Old Oloroso Sherry, 8 Christmas pudding is one of the most forgiving desserts and can be paired with many different styles of sweet wine. Nutty sweet Sherry or Madeira is a perfect match to the dried fruit and nuts of the pudding, but botrytised white wines like Sauternes or Tokaji are a classic and delicious choice. Recommended Christmas Pudding wines: Morrisons Oloroso Dry Sherry (6.00 Morrisons) Lidl Late Harvest Tokaji (6.99 Lidl) Sainsbury's Taste the Difference 12 Year Old Oloroso Sherry (8.00 Sainsburys) Tesco Finest Sauternes (12.00 Tesco) Blandy's Duke of Clarence Rich Madeira (12.29 Waitrose) Using fish skin to heal burns can be cheaper and less painful than bandages, a scientist has said. And children relish having scales like the superhero Aquaman, according to Felipe Rocha, a neurologist at the Federal University of Ceara in Brazil. Tilapia skin is increasingly being used on burns due to it being rich in moisture and a type of collagen that is similar to the protein found in human skin. This is thought to interact with a patient's immune system to speed up healing. More than 300 patients worldwide have had the unusual therapy, which shows up as a fishy pattern even after it has been sterilised and the scales removed. Pictured is a doctor wrapping a child's burned skin with sterilised tilapia fish skin at Dr Jose Frota Institute in the north-eastern coastal city of Fortaleza, Brazil, on May 3 last year Although the 'bandage' may seem off-putting, many children relish looking like the superhero Aquaman. Pictured is the actor Jason Momoa in a still from the title film released this year Although many patients can be reluctant to have fish skin wrapped around their burns, a growing number of children are actually arriving at hospital requesting the 'bandage'. 'The major concerns were whether the skins would subsequently come off, if the fish odour would remain,' Dr Rocha told The Times. 'With the passage of time and the success of the research, the patients already arrive at the hospital wanting the treatment with the skin of the tilapia. 'In relation to children the skin ends up being kind of playful, like: "Gaining a skin and looking like a superhero".' Aquaman is an American superhero film, starring Jason Momoa and Amber Heard. It was released this year and is based on the DC Comics character. Once sterilised, tilapia skin undergoes radiation therapy to kill any lingering viruses. It can then be stored for up to two years if refrigerated, before simply being cut to size and placed over a burn instead of a bandage. The skin is then removed after around one week, with no need for daily dressing changes. Tilipia skin has been shown to be more resistant than the previously used pig skin, which enables it to withstand stretching. Wounds may also close faster, with patients reporting less pain, when treated with fish skin over the traditional silver sulfadiazine, according to unpublished research presented at conferences. The idea reportedly first came from the Brazilian cosmetic surgeon Dr Marcelo Borges after he read about the use of tilapia skin to make bags, belts and shoes. The fish skin is now taken as a by-product of the food industry, with farmers being happy to provide it for free due to the 'medical and humanitarian impact', according to Carlos Roberto Koscky Paier, a biotechnology technician at the Federal University of Ceara. He was speaking at the World Innovation Summit for Health in Doha last month. The unusual approach has previously been used in vaginal-reconstruction surgery, as well as by vets at UC Davis Veterinary Hospital after a series of pets got burned in a camp fire earlier this month. A nurse is pictured cleaning a patient's hand after removing tilapia fish skin at Dr Jose Frota Institute on May 2 last year. A big advantage of the alternative therapy is the lack of daily dressing changes. Patients have also reported less pain and faster wound healing A tilapia fish and tilapia fish skins are displayed in Jaguaribara, Ceara, on April 26 last year. The skins are taken as a by-product of the food industry, with farmers donating them WHY IS FISH SKIN USED IN VAGINAL-RECONSTRUCTION SURGERY? Surgeons at the Assis Chateaubriand Maternity School, Brazil, have performed vaginal reconstruction surgery using fish skin in women born without a cervix, uterus or ovaries. Before being used, the fish skin undergoes a special cleaning and sterilisation process followed by radiation exposure to kill any viruses. This removes all the skin's scales and odour, leaving behind a light-coloured gel dressing that can be stored for up to two years in refrigerated, sterile packaging. Tilapia fish skin is used in the surgery Why is the fish-skin method used? The 'fish-skin method' is considered less invasive than the traditional technique of creating a vaginal canal using skin grafts from patients' groins. Dr Leonardo Bezerra, from the Assis Chateaubriand Maternity School, said: 'This procedure can be time consuming and painful as the patient needs to recover from a large incision which leaves a scar that can be unsightly and stigmatising. 'There is also the possibility of discomfort with the reconstructed tissue.' The fish-skin surgery also has a faster recovery rate with no visible scars, or risks of rejection or infections. Patients are typically able to walk after around 12 days, with the mould being replaced with silicone or a sponge for comfort. Traditional surgery requires patients to spend weeks in hospital and essentially relearn how to walk. What does the procedure involve? Dr Bezerra said: 'To make the "new vagina" we insert a vagina shaped acrylic mould, lined with the skin of tilapia, into the space created between the bladder and the rectum. 'The device remains there for 10 days to prevent the walls from closing. 'During this period the skin of the tilapia is absorbed, and the cells and growth factors released by the membrane transforms, like stem cells, into the patient's tissue cells. 'Finally, the patient's body completely incorporates the tilapia skin becoming biocompatible with it. 'The fish skin stimulates cellular growth and the formation of blood vessels and creates a new canal equal to that of an actual vagina.' Why are tilapia fish used? Tilapia fish are readily available in Brazil's rivers and farms. Their skin, which is typically thrown away, contains large amounts of moisture and is rich in collagen, which promotes healing. It is also disease resistant and as strong as human skin. Tilapia skin has previously been used to heal more than 200 severe-burn victims without the use of gauzes that have to be changed regularly. Advertisement Watching your grandparents eat probably isn't on the list of things you were looking forward to doing this festive season. But Christmas dinner could be the perfect opportunity to check out your elderly relatives' oral health. Dentists have said a big family get-together, like December 25 lunch, is the perfect opportunity to check up on the state of pensioners' teeth. Avoiding hard foods, or eating or speaking differently, could be a sign they have potentially serious mouth problems they ought to see a dentist about, experts said. The NHS has also suggested people look for warning signs of dementia and depression in their loved ones this Christmas. Getting the family together at Christmas presents an ideal opportunity to check on your elderly relatives' teeth to see if they are showing signs of problems that need a dentist's attention, according to the Royal College of Surgeons (stock image) Professor Michael Escudier, a dental specialist at the Royal College of Surgeons, advises people quiz their older relatives on when they last went to the dentist. 'Bring up the fact "I was with the children and went to the dentist",' he told The Times. 'And [ask them] "Who do you see now?". If she says she doesnt see anyone, it might give you a clue she is overdue a visit.' Professor Escudier warned tooth problems can be more serious than they seem. They can cause pain, make it difficult for people to eat - meaning they go hungry or become malnourished - and lead to infections. Gum disease, which can be triggered by the build-up of plaque on the teeth, has even been linked to a raised risk of heart disease and lung problems. Older people who live alone, or do not have carers that check on their teeth regularly, are most likely to have problems that go unnoticed. Professor Escudier said: 'It can also severely impact on a persons quality of life - if they are in pain or struggling to speak, its unlikely they will want to socialise, which can be very isolating.' POOR ORAL HYGIENE RAISES BLOOD PRESSURE Brushing and flossing your teeth could prevent you from developing high blood pressure, a study claimed in October. Researchers said those who have healthier gums and little tooth decay have lower blood pressure. Patients with high blood pressure and inflamed gums are 20 per cent less likely to have their blood pressure in a healthy range compared to patients with no signs of periodontal disease. The team, from the University of L'Aquila in Italy, said the findings show patients with hypertension may benefit from routine dental care. 'Physicians should pay close attention to patients' oral health and urge those with signs of periodontal disease to seek dental care,' said lead author Dr Davide Pietropaoli. 'Likewise, dental health professionals should be aware that oral health is indispensable to overall physiological health.' Advertisement A good way to notice whether something might be wrong is to see whether someone's speech has changed or whether they are struggling to eat properly. And just because they have dentures it does not mean they do not need to visit the dentist, Professor Escudier added. 'Dentures dont go on for ever,' he said. 'If you have had them for four or five years, they might need realigning or adjusting.' The advice comes after a report released earlier this year revealed the majority of older people living in supported accommodation have problems with their oral hygiene. Some 70 per cent of them have noticeable plaque on their teeth, while another 61 per cent have hardened plaque, the Public Health England report suggested. Up to four in ten said they felt pain when being examined by a dentist and a third worried they would not be able to get up stairs to a dentist's office. And research published in 2014 by University College London found losing teeth is a sign of worsening mental and physical health in older people. The study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, analysed data from more than 3,100 over-60s in England. It found people who had lost all their natural teeth performed about 10 per cent worse in walking speed and memory tests compared with people who still had them. When people are spending time with their older, and potentially more isolated, relatives, they should also be mindful of warning signs about their mental health. Problems like depression and early signs of dementia might be easier to spot during the festive period. Professor Alistair Burns, NHS England's national clinical director for dementia and older people's mental health, said: 'Dementia is an insidious disease that develops slowly and may go unnoticed in people we see every day. 'As families and friends get together over Christmas, there is an opportunity to spot warning signs that may have been missed. 'There are lots of reasons why people might be forgetful or absent-minded at such a busy time of the year but it could also be the sign that something can be wrong. The important thing is to look for changes in normal behaviour.' Anyone worried about a family member should encourage them to see a GP or offer to take them themselves, Professor Burns said. A nine-year-old girl with cystic fibrosis will spend Christmas in hospital while she waits for a life-saving double lung transplant. Ruby Walker, from Arbroath, Angus, was diagnosed with the disease when she was just two weeks old and was relying on a constant supply of oxygen by seven months. While receiving treatment at a critical care unit in Edinburgh, she is at the top of the national 'super urgent' list for the operation. Her family, who are desperate to have her home, worry 'the window for transplant is closing' as Ruby urgently needs a new pair of lungs. The youngster, who is a pupil at Hayshead Primary School, has been waiting for more than two years. Ruby Walker, nine, will spend Christmas in hospital while she waits for a life-saving double lung transplant. The cystic fibrosis sufferer is pictured at home in Arbroath, Angus, in 2016 Her family are desperate to have her home and worry 'the window for transplant is closing'. Pictured in 2016 is Ruby's brother James, mother Diane Boyd and sister Emileigh Walker Ruby's mother Diane Boyd, an activities coordinator, said: 'Unfortunately this Christmas Ruby won't be able to sit next to our Christmas tree as she will remain in the critical care unit in Edinburgh. 'Ruby is really not having the best time just now and we feel like the window for transplant is closing and the need for a donor is now ever so urgent.' The youngster's condition seemed to be manageable until she caught a chest infection at seven months. This led to a secondary infection that damaged her lungs and left her dependent on oxygen. Things then took a turn for the worse in October 2016 when doctors discovered her lung function had dropped to just 35 per cent - a healthy person uses a maximum of 70 per cent. She was put on the transplant list at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. As Ruby's health deteriorated, she stopped doing her favourite activities, including dancing, swimming and riding her bike. She even struggles to walk up the stairs at home and a support worker at school is always by her side to help her carry her oxygen tank. Ruby's family hoped she would have a transplant earlier this year, however, for unknown reasons, the operation did not go ahead. She was then added to the super urgent transplant list as her health deteriorated - causing her to become a top priority nationwide. Things took a turn for the worse earlier this month when Ruby suffered a collapsed lung that almost left her in a coma. It was caused by her having too much carbon dioxide in her body. She was then transferred to intensive care in Edinburgh where she was given ventilation. CF is a life-limiting condition caused by a faulty gene found in one in 25 people. It affects many parts of the body - including the lungs and digestive system - by clogging them up with a thick, sticky mucus. Ruby Walker was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was just two weeks old and has relied on a constant oxygen supply for most of her life. She is pictured in 2016 with her bucket list At the top of Ruby's bucket list was to meet Olly Murs, which she did last year The condition affects around 10,400 people in the UK, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Some 30,000 suffer in the US, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry statistics show. A lung transplant is an option for patients who are not responding to standard treatment, such as medication and physio. The average wait for the operation is 18 months, according to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. At least 346 people are waiting for a call to say a new pair of lungs are ready for them, NHS figures revealed this month. Ruby has previously been in the press when she wrote a bucket list in 2016, which included 'being a queen for a day', 'going to the biggest toy shop ever', 'becoming famous' and 'being a zoo keeper'. She even met her idol Olly Murs backstage when he performed in concert at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow in 2017. Ms Boyd said Ruby now has just one more dream to come true - getting new lungs. Ruby told the Daily Record in June 2017: 'A transplant would mean Id be able to ride my bike and just be able to breathe. Organ donation is a brilliant thing thats so nice for someone to do that.' In a tweet in November 2016, Ms Boyd wrote that all Ruby wanted for Christmas was to meet Olly Murs and have a new set of lungs - she is still waiting for the latter more than a year later Ruby was able to tick off the top item on her bucket list - meeting her idol Olly Murs backstage when he performed in concert at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow in 2017 Ms Boyd said: 'Ruby has a good enough understanding of what is going to happen but she doesnt think too much of the operation itself. 'Every day youre waiting on the phone ringing about a transplant. You want it to ring but youre scared. Its not nice. 'Im quite scared for her and how ill shes become. This is the only option thats left for her. Its the gift of life. Right now were watching Ruby deteriorate and she doesnt have the quality of life she should have. DOES THE OPT-OUT ORGAN DONATION SYSTEM WORK? After the decision was made in Wales two years ago, figures showed an immediate rise in the availability of organs. Between December 2015 and June the following year, half of the transplants in Wales came from patients whose consent had been deemed. But critics hit back and warned that there is a lack of proof that an opt-out system actually helps to increase the number of donor organs. Spanish officials implemented the system in 1979 and saw rates of donor organs increase after 10 years, the BBC reports. But Sweden, which adopted a similar scheme 20 years ago, still has one of the smallest stocks of donor organs in Europe. Advertisement 'I knew that I was going to outlive my child and Ive always found that really hard to get my head around.' Many organ donation opportunities are lost every year because families do not know if their loved one wanted to be a donor or not. A new opt-out system for organ donation is planned in England by 2020, where adults will be presumed to be organ donors unless they specifically record their decision not to be. One in ten patients are estimated to opt out, research by the University of Stirling suggested, which is promising considering that figures show fewer than 5,000 people die in circumstances where organ donation is possible. Under the proposed opt-out system in England, family members are still given a final opportunity to not go ahead with the organ donation. Wales became the first country in the UK to adopt the system in 2015, which was deemed a 'significant' and 'progressive' change. Scotland has plans to introduce an opt-out system and Northern Ireland has also expressed an interest. Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said that Moscow and Baku intend to create a trans-Caspian transport line, as well as develop cruise tourism in the Caspian Sea. On August 12, a summit of leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran was held in Aktau, which resulted in the signing of a historic document for the region - the convention on the status of the Caspian Sea. "I am very pleased that this is considered to be a very important event in Azerbaijan. This convention allows filling existing agreements with concrete content," the ambassador said at a press conference in Baku. Bocharnikov said that there still remain delimitation issues, but not between Russia and Azerbaijan. "Cooperation will be carried out to ensure the safety of navigation, the preservation of biological resources, etc.," he added. A drug commonly given out by the NHS to breast-cancer patients may affect their brain function and memory, research suggests. Letrozole is primarily used to treat breast cancer and was prescribed 755,866 times last year in the UK, NHS Digital statistics show. Although Cancer Research UK states up to 30 per cent of patients experience side effects like hot flushes and fatigue, new research suggests the medication's complications may be far more serious. When given to monkeys, the drug reduced the function of their brain cells in a region known as the hippocampus, and worsened their performance on memory tests, after just four weeks. Letrozole is primarily used to treat breast cancer and was prescribed 755,866 times last year in the UK, NHS Digital statistics show. It is already associated with hot flashes and fatigue The study was carried out by the University of Massachusetts at Amherstand led by research associate Dr Nicole Gervais. Some breast cancers are stimulated by the hormone oestrogen, which may get converted from testosterone via the enzyme aromatase. Letrozole - which is given as a tablet - is an aromatase inhibitor (AI). Letrozole only works in women with this form of breast cancer who have been through the menopause. This is due to them no longer producing oestrogen via their ovaries, with the hormone therefore only coming about via aromatase. The drug is linked to joint pain and raised cholesterol levels in one in ten people, as well as loss of appetite, hair thinning and vaginal dryness in one per cent of cases. It is often given after surgery or chemo to prevent cancer returning or spreading. Letrozole may bring about depression, forgetfulness and insomnia due to aromatase being expressed in the hippocampus, which is the brain region that controls emotion, memory and thought processing. 'Four weeks of an oral AI has adverse effects on multiple behavioral, neuronal and physiological outcomes in marmosets,' the authors wrote in The Journal of Neuroscience. In the first study of its kind, three male and five female marmoset monkeys were fed letrozole - also known by its brand name Femara - hidden in pudding. The amount given was calculated 'based on the recommended dose for women'. These monkeys were compared against six males and two females who were just fed the pudding. Marmosets were chosen due to the 'organisation of the brain being comparable to a human's', the authors wrote. The monkeys also 'share many similarities with humans in sleep, cognitive ability and anxiety profiles'. Urine samples from the animals were analysed to determine levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Signs of anxiety were also monitored in the animals' behaviour, such as their 'hair standing on end' or any agitated movements. When the experiment ended, the monkeys were put down so changes to their brain structure could be analysed. Results suggest the animals given letrozole had reduced brain cell activity in the hippocampus and performed worse on memory tests. The letrozole group demonstrated a drop in performance of five to seven per cent, however it is difficult for the authors to interpret how meaningful this change would be. They also spent more time acting agitated and had higher facial temperatures - a sign of hot flushes. While the link between these symptoms, including effects to the brain, and the use of aromatase inhibitors has been made before, it's the first time a clear direct link has been made. Dr Gervais told MailOnline: 'Women have also been treated with chemotherapy, radiation thereapy and other anti-estrogen medications with known effects on the brain, and so it has been a challenge to tease apart the unique contributions of aromatase inhibitors to the reported side effects.' Although the findings can't be applied to women in general, Dr Gervais said: 'They can inform women considering taking this medication about what some of the effects might be. 'These findings might also help normalize some of the experiences women currently taking the medication are having.' Although concerning, the researchers stress further studies are required and letrozole has been shown to boost survival among breast-cancer patients. Five-year disease-free survival was higher in a group treated with letrozole - at 95 per cent - compared with 91 per cent among a placebo group, researchers at the Avon International Breast Cancer Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center found. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, with nearly 1.7million new cases diagnosed in 2012, according to the World Cancer Research Fund. It even affects one in eight women at some point in their lives in both the US and UK. They were pests to the farmer's wife, according to the nursery rhyme. But blind mice have led scientists to an 'extremely valuable' discovery of hundreds of new genes which could explain problems with people's eyesight. Studying the DNA of 300 of the rodents has flagged up 261 genes which have been linked to hereditary sight loss for the first time. Researchers say because mice's genes are so similar to humans' their findings could lead to diagnosis and treatment of more genetic diseases. Scientists studied the DNA of blind mice (pictured, the three blind mice in the movie Shrek 2) in order to link hundreds of genes to vision loss for the first time they hope the findings will translate to people's genes and help medics identify new types of hereditary sight problems Scientists at the University of California, Davis studied information from a data bank of mice's genetic material. They found 347 genes linked to vision or eye problems, with just 86 of them having been studied in the past. Only around 50 to 75 per cent of hereditary eye diseases in humans can be explained with current science. But the researchers believe these hundreds of new genes found in mice could be a key to explaining and therefore being able to treat the other 25 to 50 per cent. 'This is extremely valuable for people with hereditary eye disease,' said researcher Professor Ala Moshiri. 'The whole ophthalmic community is going to start using these data. 'In [cases of eye disease we can't explain] we know the mutation is there but we don't know where to look. 'Now eye centers that do DNA sequencing can call back patients and screen them for these new genes. 'We expect that more and more of these genetic diseases will be treatable.' Two of the most common causes of vision loss in adults are glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, both of which are thought to be inheritable. And more than 60 per cent of eye problems at birth are ones inherited from the baby's parents. Scientists are moving closer to understanding all genetic causes of blindness thanks to data from the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium. The IMPC is a project trying to work out what every single gene in a mouse is responsible for, with the aim of translating it to humans. Scientists do this by isolating and deactivating a single gene at a time and observing what effect it has on the mice. This has so far been done more than 7,000 times and has revealed genetic causes of death, deafness and even bad breath. Researchers are now working alongside eye care centres in Texas and Iowa in order to compare the mice's genes to those of opthamologists' patients. The study was published in the journal Communications Biology. Advertisement Christmas 1974 was one festive season Darwin residents vividly remember - and would rather forget. December 24 will mark 44 years since Cyclone Tracy wiped out the city, claimed 71 lives and forced the evacuation of most of the population. Small by world standards, the category-four catastrophe was arguably the most significant tropical cyclone in Australia's history, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. As Darwin prepares for another anniversary, humanitarian response and disaster management experts Associate Professor Akhilesh Surjan and Dr Jonatan Lassa from Charles Darwin University believe another category-four cyclone - or worse - will strike the Northern Territory capital again one day. Darwin residents were unprepared for the carnage caused by Cyclone Tracy in the early hours of Christmas Day 1974 33,000 people were evacuated from the Northern Territory capital, including Mrs M Gatis and her children, Nectaria, 3, and 14-month-old Poppy (pictured) Dr Lassa went as far as predicting a more severe category five cyclone to hit the city in the future. 'It's not a question of whether or not whether it will happen, it will happen. The question is how well the city responds,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'Only time will tell when we'll get another category four cyclone,' Dr Surjan said. Despite previous cyclones causing extensive damage in January 1897 and March 1937, most Darwin residents were unprepared for the havoc that turned their city to rubble in the early hours of Christmas Day, despite warnings in the days leading up to the disaster. Aircraft boarding steps lie in ruins on the tarmac at Darwin Airport in the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy The anemometer at Darwin Airport recorded a gust of 217 km/h before it was destroyed. The city's electricity and communications were cut off by flying debris, which meant that the rest of Australia remained unaware of the catastrophe until late in the afternoon on Christmas Day. Around 49 Darwin residents were killed while another 16 died off the coast. The death toll was increased to 71 in 2005 after the Coroner declared the six people who still remained listed as missing had 'perished at sea'. Cyclone Tracy destroyed almost everything in its path, leaving streets littered with roofs that had been blown off homes The rest of Australia remained unaware of the devastation that struck Darwin until late in the afternoon on Christmas Day Cyclone Tracy was a costly lesson for Darwin, where all houses are now constructed according to stronger building codes Very few buildings escaped unscathed as the damage bill ran into hundreds of millions of dollars. More than 25,000 of Dawin's 47,000 residents were left homeless. Three-quarters of the population fled within days as the city began the long and expensive process of rebuilding. Within a week, only 10,638 people remained in Darwin, mostly men who were required to help in the massive clean-up operation. Most residents were evacuated to Adelaide, Whyalla, Alice Springs, Sydney and Brisbane, and many chose not to return to Darwin when it was rebuilt. Experts say the widespread devastation caused inflicted on Darwin (pictured) in 1974 could happen again The northern suburb of Wagaman was deserted by residents after their homes and possessions were destroyed 'It's said that Darwin has risen from the ashes a number of times,' Dr Surjan said. 'The first was in 1942 when the city was bombed by the Japanese during World War II and then again in 1974 with Cyclone Tracy. There was so much destruction that it took three years to clean up. Two thirds of the city's residents were evacuated and those who remained worked towards the clean-up.' A number of costly but important lessons were learned from 1974. Since the disaster all houses have been required to adhere to stronger building codes and every dwelling in Darwin must have a 'cyclone shelter' - a small area surrounded by brick walls. Dr Lassa said the widespread devastation inflicted on Darwin in 1974 is unlikely to be repeated but could happen again. Tourists staying at the Shady Glenn Caravan Park faced utter devastation when the cyclone struck Since the disaster (pictured) all dwellings in Darwin must have a cyclone shelter Cyclone Tracy destroyed everything in its path, including planes at Darwin Airport (pictured) which were tossed around like rag dolls by winds of up to 217kmh 'Things are better but Mother Nature remains the same,' he told Daily Mail Australia. Professor Surjan added 'While Darwin is attracting more investment, we need to be more ambition and ensure that every new building is built for a category five cyclone. It may cost more now but it will save money in the future.' The pair believe an investment in preparedness is the key to avoiding another natural disaster having such a catastrophic impact. They are calling on governments to invest in preparedness, prevention and pre-disaster activities. Despite suffering an eye injury, this resident was determined to stay in a caravan beside his house, which was badly damaged. He lost almost everything, but not his sense of humour The remains of John O'Brien's home on Van Dieman St in Wagaman are a testament to Tracy's destructive power 'The best way to address disaster scenarios is to create a built habitat that is resilient to the multi-hazard risk factors in any given place,' Professor Surjan said. 'Former Secretary General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon reminded us in 2015 that for every dollar invested in preparedness, seven dollars are saved in response and recovery.' The experts are also warning against complacency. Cyclone Marcus was regarded as the worst cyclone to hit Darwin since 1974 when it struck the city in March this year. A woman struggles to comprehend what is left of her home in the aftermath of the natural disaster This Darwin resident used a wheelbarrow to carry some of his salvaged possessions Huge amounts of rubble block the way into the Vic Hotel in Smith Street in the cyclone's aftermath While no lives were lost in the category-two cyclone, there was still extensive damage across the city, mostly from fallen trees. 'In the first few days after Marcus, more than 1800 insurance claims were lodged out of a population of 60,000, 25,000 had power cut off,' Professor Surjan said. 'It takes a long time to recover from the cost, particularly for businesses. So small and medium-sized business need a contingency plan so they're prepared for when these emergencies happen.' Dr Surjan says it's not uncommon to see complacency among the growing population of Darwin, which has attracted many residents from overseas and other parts of Australia not accustomed to cyclone activity. 'In the eye of a cyclone, people often have parties out in the open, which isn't a good thing,' Dr Surjan said. He says the community plays an important role in cyclone preparedness. 'The community is the first responder to cyclones,' he said. This Darwin resident had a sense of humour judging by these signs. The home was one of the few suburban houses that remained on its foundations when the city was smashed A policeman carries an injured girl into the terminal at Darwin Airport to be evacuated two days after Cyclone Tracy Not even the office of local newspaper Northern Territory News was spared from the destruction Cyclone Tracy continues to have a long-lasting affect on residents who were living in Darwin at the time. A Facebook page called Surviving Tracy: Real Stories is dedicated to reliving memories of the devastation that went as far as the eye could see. 'How did you survive your date night with Tracy - the b**** from hell? Lets make sure no more stories are lost,' the page description states. Veteran newsreader Ron Wilson was 19 when his family home was destroyed. There were scenes of total devastation in Darwin in the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy, which wiped out entire suburbs More than four decades on, Mr Wilson still has post-traumatic stress disorder caused by the disaster and broke down in tears on live television earlier this year while discussing the awful effect it had on his family. 'It becomes part of your life when it happens during your formative years, where a lot of your ideals are strongly influenced by such a s a big impact,' he told Channel Seven's Weekend Sunrise in May. 'Our whole family was affected by it.' An emotional Mr Wilson said he'll never forget the support given by the Salvation Army afterwards, with the charity would giving him and his mum $20 a day. 'They were there for us,' Mr Wilson said. 'I spent the money on public phone, trying to get a job. This was in the days before mobile phones so to apply for jobs, you had to go and stand there.' Thousands of Darwin residents left homeless by the disaster chose to be evacuated out of the city by plane An anemometer at Darwin Airport recorded a gust of 217kmh before it was destroyed. Pictured is the aftermath at the airport Police have been slammed for posing in pictures with rescued koalas and wallabies despite a sharp rise in sex and violent crimes. Victorian officers appeared to be busier helping out stricken marsupials despite a rise in lawless activity. In just five years, sex crimes in the state soared by 53.2 per cent as violent assaults climbed by 19.3 per cent and stalking and harassment rose 27.8 per cent, damning new Crime Statistics Agency figures showed. Victoria Police's Twitter page gave a different impression, which angered crime victim and advocate Noel McNamara. Police have been slammed for posing in pictures with rescued marsupials despite a sharp rise in crime (pictured is Sergeant Dwayne Morrison taking adopted wallaby 'Ralphie' to work) 'It's pretty disgusting. It's disgraceful,' the president of the Crime Victims Support Association told Daily Mail Australia. Mr McNamara, whose daughter Tracey was murdered in 1992, said the publicity stunts on social media showed the police downplayed the seriousness of crime. 'They're usually associated with the bleeding hearts - they just think everything is perfect in the world,' he said. 'Their eyes aren't open properly to what goes on.' The Medal of the Order of Australia recipient said this made the public cynical about law enforcement officers. 'When they see a policeman cuddling a koala, we think, "We wish that koala would have a leak on him",' he said. Another image shows a bemused koala, which officers have named Constable T. Bear, wearing a policeman's hat In one social media post, Sergeant Dwayne Morrison from the East Gippsland region, north-east of Melbourne, was photographed taking his adopted wallaby 'Ralphie' to work. Noel McNamara: 'It's pretty disgusting' Sergeant Morrison boasted about rescuing the 'orphan' from the side of the road. Another image from the other side of Victoria showed a bemused koala, which officers had named Constable T. Bear, wearing a policeman's hat. Officers from Warnambool, in Victoria's south-west, dressed up the marsupial after rescuing it from the roadside and bringing it back to the station. Two other police officers took time out of their day to do a photo shoot with Tilly, a dog who had run away. The officers chased the pet pooch after its owner had a medical episode while driving. Victorian Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien said 1,000 extra crimes had been committed every week since 2014, when Labor came to power. 'That is not safe, that is not secure,' he told reporters last week. Two other police officers took time out of their day to do a photo shoot with Tilly, a dog, who had run away The Crime Statistics Agency last week released data from October 1, 2017, to September 30, 2018, which showed a sharp rise in violent crime even as overall crime fell. In two years, reported sexual offences increased 6.7 per cent from 8,010 to 8,544. In the same time period, reports of stalking, harassment and threatening behaviour increased by 6.4 per cent to 7,175. African gang crime is also on the rise with more than 200 Sudanese people charged during the past year. 'Sudanese people running around, invasions, it's just disgusting,' Mr McNamara said. Carolyn Worth from the Victorian Centres Against Sexual Assault told Daily Mail Australia they are working closely with Victorian Police to tackle sex crimes in the state. Regarding the surge of animals posts online, Ms Worth argued they were simply messages to 'lighten the material' on the police social media page. But although social media users often appreciated seeing 'feel-good' content on their news feeds, some questioned the police's focus. Police last month posted an image of two officers who had found a young boy's missing bicycle at Brunswick, in Melbourne's inner-north. 'Yet when we call to report a fight has broken out in Sydney Road they can't be a**ed to come down,' a disgruntled user commented. Missing pets are featured heavily on the Twitter feed, but while social media users often appreciate the 'feel-good' content, some have questioned the police's focus Acting Superintendent Mark Zervaas from Victoria Police's Family Violence Command, told Daily Mail Australia more than 450 investigators were dedicated to investigating sex and child abuse crimes. 'These detectives work with the victims, ensure they are listened to, are aware of their options and receive the assistance they need,' he said. Victoria Police also launched a sex crimes social media campaign earlier this week. 'Through this campaign, we hope to encourage more victims to report to police, let them know the support available to them around the process, and to challenge some common myths and misconceptions about sexual offences,' Acting Superintendent Zervaas said. Simcha Rotem, an Israeli Holocaust survivor who was among the last known Jewish fighters from the 1943 Warsaw ghetto uprising against the Nazis, has died at the age of 94. Rotem, who went by the underground nickname 'Kazik,' took part in what is widely considered the single greatest act of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust. Though guaranteed to fail, the Warsaw ghetto uprising symbolised a refusal to succumb to Nazi atrocities and inspired other resistance campaigns by Jews and non-Jews alike. Rotem, who died in Israel on Saturday after a long illness, helped save the last survivors of the uprising by smuggling them out of the burning ghetto through sewage tunnels. The Jewish fighters battled for nearly a month, fortifying themselves in bunkers and managing to kill 16 Nazis and wound nearly 100. Simcha Rotem (pictured in 2014), an Israeli Holocaust survivor who was among the last known Jewish fighters from the 1943 Warsaw ghetto uprising against the Nazis, has died at the age of 94 Rotem (pictured), who went by the underground nickname 'Kazik,' took part in what is widely considered the single greatest act of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust Battle of honour: A Jewish rebel is seen leaving a house surrounded by German soldiers inside the Warsaw Ghetto, during the uprising that peaked during April and May 1943 'This is a loss of a special character since Kazik was a real fighter, in the true sense of the word,' said Avner Shalev, chairman of the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. 'The challenge for all of us now is to continue giving meaning to remembrance without exemplary figures like Kazik.' Rotem was born in 1924 in Warsaw, at a time when its vibrant Jewish community made up a third of the city's population. After World War II broke out, he was wounded in a German bombing campaign that destroyed his family home. His brother and five other close relatives were killed. Shortly after, the city's Jews were herded into the infamous ghetto. The ghetto initially held some 380,000 Jews who were cramped into tight living spaces, and at its peak housed about a half million. Life in the ghetto included random raids, confiscations and abductions by Nazi soldiers. Disease and starvation were rampant, and bodies often appeared on the streets. The Jewish fighters battled for nearly a month, fortifying themselves in bunkers and managing to kill 16 Nazis and wound nearly 100. Pictured: Nazi SS troops guard members of the Jewish resistance captured during the Warsaw ghetto uprising in 1943 The resistance movement began to grow after the deportation of July 22, 1942, when 265,000 men, women and children were rounded up and later killed at the Treblinka death camp. As word of the Nazi genocide spread, those who remained behind no longer believed German promises that they would be sent to forced labour camps. A small group of rebels began to spread calls for resistance, carrying out isolated acts of sabotage and attacks. Some Jews began defying German orders to report for deportation. The Nazis entered the ghetto on April 19, 1943, the eve of the Passover holiday. Three days later, the Nazis set the ghetto ablaze, turning it into a fiery death trap, but the Jewish fighters kept up their struggle for nearly a month before they were brutally vanquished. The teenage Rotem served as a liaison between the bunkers and took part in the fighting, before arranging for the escape of the few who did not join revolt leader Mordechai Anielewicz in the command bunker on 18 Mila Street for the final stand. The Nazis and their collaborators ultimately killed 6 million Jews before the Allies' victory in World War II brought an end to the Holocaust. Rotem, who died in Israel on Saturday after a long illness, helped save the last survivors of the uprising by smuggling them out of the burning ghetto through sewage tunnels After the war, Rotem immigrated to pre-state Israel and fought in its war of independence. He was later an active speaker and member of the Yad Vashem committee responsible for selecting the Righteous Among the Nations, non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. In 2013, on the revolt's 70th anniversary, he was honored by Poland for his role in the war. While the world marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27, the date of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp, Israel's annual Holocaust memorial day coincides with the Hebrew date of the Warsaw ghetto uprising - highlighting the role it plays in shaping the country's psyche. Even the day's official name - 'Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day' - alludes to the image of the Jewish warrior upon which the state was founded. The valiant ghetto battle offered a powerful contrast to the image of feeble Jews being marched to their deaths in Nazi camps. 'Kazik fought the Nazis, saved Jews, immigrated to Israel after the Holocaust, and told the story of his heroism to thousands of Israelis,' said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 'His story and the story of the uprising will forever be with our people.' Rotem is survived by his two children and five grandchildren. With his passing, there is only a single known remaining Warsaw ghetto uprising survivor left in Israel - 90-year-old Aliza Vitis-Shomron. Her main task in the ghetto had been distributing leaflets and smuggling weapons before she was ordered to escape and tell the world of the Jews' heroic battle. She said news of Rotem's death brought tears to her eyes. 'It's a difficult day because this really means that this is it. I'm the only one left and there is no one else to keep the story alive,' she told The Associated Press. 'He was the last fighter. I'll keep speaking till my last day, but no one lives forever. After me, who will keep telling?' A cleaner has been charged with the hit-and-run death of a 32-year-old carpenter who was killed walking home from a Christmas party. James Travers was walking to the Geelong South home he shared with his girlfriend when he was struck on the corner of Yarra and Verner Streets at about 3.15am on Sunday morning. Jamie Neskovski, 27, from Lovely Banks in Geelong's northern suburbs, has been charged with dangerous driving causing death and fail to render assistance. Mr Neskovski has an online profile describing himself as the manager of a Geelong cleaning company. The family of James Travers, 32, believed to be a carpenter, who died in a hit-and-run collision on his way home from a night out have paid tribute to a 'gentle man' with a 'big heart' Mr Travers' (pictured left) mother told The Sunday Herald 'I'm shattered, heartbroken, he was my baby' The family of a Mr Travers earlier today paid tribute to the 'gentle man' with a 'big heart'. His mother went to the scene of his death on Sunday afternoon, according to The Sunday Herald . 'I'm shattered, heartbroken, he was my baby,' she told the publication. The carpenter was killed in an alleged hit-and-run collision as he walked home from a night out (scene and police tape pictured) 'He had a big heart.' One resident on Yarra Road, where the street was still closed off by police at about midday on Saturday, told Daily Mail Australia his death was especially sad given the proximity to Christmas. Another family friend at the scene said the carpenter was a 'generous guy - a really good fella'. Another resident in the residential area in South Geelong said police officers told them the person who died did not live in the area. Inspector McGregor said the man had been out with friends and added it was a 'terrible time of year' for the incident to occur. This year 207 lives have now been lost on Victorian roads with just over a week left, compared to 247 in 2017. Activist group Pueblo Sin Fronteras is under fire for encouraging thousands of Central Americans to risk their lives to join the Migrant Caravan. In October, the caravan was faced with a choice; continue to the U.S. southern border or stop and put down roots in Mexico, where the government offered to let them stay. Pueblo Sin Fronteras, a group of 40 Mexican and US activists escorting the caravan, warned the migrants that the offer might be too good to be true and called a voice vote on whether to continue. 'Let's keep going!' the crowd yelled amid applause. And they kept going. Thousands are now in Tijuana on the U.S. border, where they are likely to be camped for months or longer with no easy way to get into the United States, creating what is fast becoming a humanitarian crisis in this overwhelmed city. Activist group Pueblo Sin Fronteras is under fire for encouraging thousands of Central Americans to risk their lives to join the Migrant Caravan (migrant activist Irineo Mujica, center, of the group Pueblo Sin Fronteras, holds a megaphone as a Central American migrant speak to reporters during a press conference in Tapachula, Mexico in October) Many blame Pueblo Sin Fronteras, or People Without Borders. Critics, including former allies and some of the migrants themselves, say Pueblo Sin Fronteras downplayed the dangers of such treks, especially for families and small children, and misled the participants about how long they would have to wait on the Mexican side to apply for asylum. Adelaida Gonzalez, 37, of Guatemala City, who joined the caravan with her 15-year-old son and neighbor, said that now that she is in Tijuana, she wishes she had accepted Mexico's offer to stay and work in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas. 'We were never told along the way that it would be this hard,' said Gonzalez, after seeing the border wall topped with razor wire and the long waiting list for asylum seekers. A Pueblo Sin Fronteras leader, Irineo Mujica, emphatically rejected the criticism. Irineo Mujica, activist with 'Pueblo Sin Fronteras,' (pictured December 11), is accompanied by an unidentified man as he enters the U.S. consulate during a demonstration by Central American migrants in Tijuana, Mexico 'Our commitment first and foremost was protecting the lives of migrants and giving them as much information as possible,' Mujica said. 'To blame the people who are helping is crazy.' Pueblo Sin Fronteras founder Roberto Corona said in the organization's defense that attorneys along the way told the migrants they could be held in U.S. detention centers for months and possibly separated from their children. In the end, he said, the migrants - many of whom are fleeing poverty and violence in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala - made their own decision. 'They know the wall is very big, and they will not be very welcome in the U.S. by many people,' Corona said, 'but still they have hope of coming here, that at least their rights will be more protected, and they will be able to make a living.' President Trump previously declared the caravans an 'invasion,' and sent several thousand troops to 'harden' the border, including with barbed wire This is the fourth and biggest caravan of Central American asylum seekers that Pueblo Sin Fronteras has helped reach Tijuana, a trek that angered President Donald Trump and prompted him to send troops to the border. When the caravan crossed into Mexico, it numbered 7,000; about 5,500 made it to Tijuana. Pueblo Sin Fronteras maintains it simply accompanies the migrants to protect their rights. But the organization clearly plays an essential role: It helped charter the route, arrange bus transportation and negotiate with Mexican officials to provide protection. It also raised more than $46,000 online for emergency housing and food. As the caravan crossed Mexico, the organization held nightly assemblies to decide the next day's destination. It alerted towns to prepare for migrants who camped in their squares. For the Central Americans, there was a feeling of safety in numbers. For decades, migrants crossing Mexico have been robbed, kidnapped and killed by gangs and corrupt officials. But traveling with the caravan was not without risks. One migrant was killed when he fell off a truck. Another was run over and killed on a highway. Two were stabbed and strangled after leaving a Tijuana shelter. Others have been attacked with rocks by local residents angry over the mass arrival. Last month, a march by the migrants in Tijuana to demand the United States accelerate its asylum process degenerated into violence. Demonstrators threw rocks at U.S. border agents and tore down fencing, letting dozens rush through. U.S. authorities fired tear gas into Mexico, sending crowds that included children running and screaming. 'There is no reason to make these inhumane journeys,' Alejandro Solalinde, a Mexican priest recognized for his work with migrants, said of the caravans. Sergio Tamai, whose organization operates migrant shelters in the Tijuana area, said he called Mujica to express concerns about the Tijuana march beforehand - 'and we all saw what happened - a disaster.' Migrants say they are grateful for all Pueblo Sin Fronteras has done, but they were not prepared for the long wait in Tijuana. Some 3,000 people were already in line to ask for asylum before the caravan arrived, and U.S. authorities are processing only about 100 claims per day at the crossing, resulting in overflowing shelters in Tijuana. And the wait just got longer: The Trump administration announced Thursday that asylum seekers at the border will now be forced to wait in Mexico while their cases slowly wind their way through the clogged U.S. immigration courts. Previously, migrants were allowed into the U.S. while their claims were processed. Maria Meza (2nd from R) runs away from tear gas with her daughters Jamie Mejia Meza, aged 12, and her five-year-old twin daughters Saira Mejia Meza and Cheili Mejia Meza (L-R) in front of the border wall between the US and Mexico on November 25, 2018. They were members of the caravan stuck in Tijuana Esmeralda Siu, a Tijuana shelter manager, said many caravan members knew nothing about the difficulty in getting asylum. 'They come in desperation and so they hear what they want to hear,' she said. As for their escorts, 'it seems like they are putting the migrants at great risk.' Corona, Pueblo Sin Fronteras' founder, said that the caravans served their purpose but that he doesn't foresee the organization accompanying any more of them. 'We need to find out how can we reach the hearts and minds of the American people and Mexican people and mostly the policymakers who can come up with a permanent solution,' he said. A system dubbed 'metering' limits how many can ask for asylum each day at US ports of entry, leading to months-long waits in Mexico for thousands of migrants fleeing violence in Central America. Sometimes US border authorities allow individuals considered vulnerable, such as unaccompanied minors, be processed more rapidly. President Trump previously declared the caravans an 'invasion,' and sent several thousand troops to 'harden' the border, including with barbed wire. Activists say metering is intended to deter asylum applicants by making the process arduous, while US officials maintain the system only exists to manage overcapacity at ports of entry. CBP said in response to questions that this year it had seen a more than 100 percent increase in asylum seekers processed at ports of entry and that it processed people as quickly as possible. 'As we have done for several years, when our ports of entry reach capacity, we have to manage the queues and individuals presenting without documents may need to wait in Mexico as CBP officers work to process those already within our facilities.' Lawyers from Al Otro Lado were also with the children. The organization has accompanied vulnerable groups to the border in order to request asylum, bypassing the semi-formal list system that controls the numbers of migrants who try to enter each day. Earlier this month, a single mother and her 9-year-old daughter were able to ask for asylum at the San Ysidro port of entry only after a congresswoman - who was touring the port at the time - stepped in and told CBP officers they were required to process them by law, according to Lindsay Toczylowski, executive director at the Immigrant Defenders Law Center. Lara Trump showed off her carved physique during a stroll in a white bikini during the Trump family getaway in Mar-A-Lago. After it was clear on Saturday that the President would be remaining in Washington D.C. to deal with the aftermath of a partial government shutdown, first lady Melania left Florida to spend the holidays with her husband back in the capital. Meanwhile, the family of Donald's son Eric Trump arrived in the Palm Beach resort owned by the President yesterday and have not curtailed their vacation. In her short time there, photos have captured Lara taking in the Florida sun with her family dog. Scroll down for video Charlie the dog with Lara Trump in white bikini attire at Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida While Lara was seen with a bikini top on Saturday, she appears on Sunday in the Florida sun with the more flattering attire Lara out and about on the Sunday before Christmas at Mar-A-Lago Wearing shades and flaunting her abs, Lara Trump with Charlie the dog Lara Trump walks across the grass at Mar-A-Lago At one point, Lara took a moment to observe the course while keeping cool in her cap and bikini She was later seen in a white t-shirt and short pushing her son along in a car toy The mom pushed Luke up and down the green in the car themed stroller On Sunday, Lara appeared in skimpier attire, showing off her ripped form in the white swimwear, accompanied by dog Charlie. The television host and producer's fitness regimen is in evidence as she moves about the resort, showing off the results from the kind of exercise she posted a video of herself doing lunges while swinging a kettlebell on Instagram. Still, despite the workout time, the 36-year-old mom still has time for her son, Luke, taking a trip to the local Target while he wears giant, yellow earmuffs. Meanwhile, Charlie the dog gets caught in the low-angle sunlight by the water, squinting for Instagram. Luke Trump sits in the shopping cart during an excursion to Target with mom Lara Lara Trump shows off her workout routine in a video tagging her personal trainer, Michael Maloney, just four days ago Lara Trump captioned: This photo sums up Charlie pretty well #MajorTude #ThinksHesHuman Lara Trump apparently on the phone as she and Eric walk dog Charlie at Mar-A-Lago on Saturday Eric Trump was seen carrying his son Luke out of car at the Palm Beach resort arriving on Saturday She wrote in her post that she is 'reflecting on all of our many blessings' and wishes her followers a 'healthy and happy holidays' Guilfoyle showed her many followers her view from The Mar-a-Lago Club Another member of the family, Donald Jr., has said he would be spending the holidays with his girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle. Guilfoyle posted photos of her view in Mar-A-Lago as well as a pic of her standing with talk show host and Trump supporter Rush Limbaugh attending the Turning Point USAs Student Action Summit and Winter Gala at the Palm Beach resort. President Trump, however, continues to remain in Washington on Sunday despite the adjournment of Congress for the holidays. As the budget impasse over his border wall will continue at least until the end of the recess next Thursday, some of his time was spent on Twitter. 'The only way to stop drugs, gangs, human trafficking, criminal elements and much else from coming into our Country is with a Wall or Barrier. Drones and all of the rest are wonderful and lots of fun, but it is only a good old fashioned Wall that works!,' he tweeted about his desired security wall. Trump continues to defend his wall Trump announced Mattis' departure on Sunday A 20ft wave came crashing down on the beaches in the Sunda Strait overnight He also pushed Defense Secretary Jim Mattis out of his administration earlier than the February 28 departure date by announcing Mattis' departure on New Year's Day and appointing Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan as acting secretary. The President also took time to tweet condolences for those killed in the devastating Indonesia Tsunami. 'Unthinkable devastation from the tsunami disaster in Indonesia. More than two hundred dead and nearly a thousand injured or unaccounted for. We are praying for recovery and healing. America is with you!,' Trump tweeted Sunday afternoon. Fast food giant Hungry Jack's has been accused of replacing its casual workers over Christmas with interns. The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union shared an advertisement on its Facebook page from employment services Max Solutions, which contained a call out for Hungry Jack's interns in Sydney. The union slammed the initiative which they claim is part of the federal government's '$4 per hour 'internships'.' 'Hungry Jack's Stores are ramping up recruitment for Christmas - and are looking to help out young people with their first job,' the advertisement said. Hungry Jack's has been slammed after an advertisement appeared online for internships with the fast food giant The federal government has introduced Youth Jobs PaTH, which stands for Prepare, Trial, Hire, to place young jobseekers into internships for up to 25 hours a week. 'Employers can trial a young person in an internship for between four and 12 weeks to see how they fit into the team and if they are suitable for ongoing employment,' the Youth Jobs PaTH website says. 'Interns are unpaid by the business and receive a fortnightly incentive paid by the government.' Unions say the $200 per fortnight incentive amounts to just $4 per hour. Businesses collect an upfront payment of $1,000. But the Hungry Jack's placement requires the successful interns to work 15 hours a week, which works out to about $6.60 per hour. The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union posted on Facebook: 'The Federal Government's $4 per hour 'internships' were not supposed to swallow up jobs'. 'This year Hungry Jack's literally replaced its Christmas casual hires with the taxpayer funded internships. These were real jobs paid by Hungry Jack's but are now paid by the Government and guaranteed to be no more than three months,' the post claimed. 'An entire seasonal workforce replaced with this rotten program.' Hungry Jacks released an official statement on its social media accounts addressing the outcry. 'Hungry Jacks Pty Ltd is transparent in its workplace agreements and complies with all relevant legislation. Currently, the corporation is not advertising for interns and employs no interns in its restaurants,' the statement read. Social media users shared their thoughts on the internships, with one saying 'As if junior rates weren't bad enough' 'From time to time, internships are offered to the long-term unemployed. These internships, part of the Federal Governments Youth Job Path Program, last from 4 to 12 weeks and aim to assist people in gaining employment.' The statement continued by stating that the corporation participate in programs which can assist the unemployed. 'Hungry Jacks franchisees also participate in similar socially responsible programs to assist the long-term unemployed and it is the obligation of each individual franchisee to ensure employees are paid under the relevant and current awards,' the statement read. 'Hungry Jacks places the utmost importance on the fair treatment of all stakeholders connected to the company.' Meanwhile Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus labelled the program a 'whopper rip-off'. 'These Christmas jobs (or extra hours for current Hungry Jack's employees) are replaced with $4/hour internships. And who pays? We do!' she wrote on Twitter. The advertisement said 'Hungry Jack's Stores are ramping up recruitment for Christmas - and are looking to help out young people with their first job' (stock image) The advertisement for the internships has also been slammed on social media. 'Times are dire and corporate job agencies are to blame,' one user tweeted. 'Love to get compensated for my labour with slaw,' another said. One Facebook user posted: 'I've never worked for [Hungry Jack's] but over the years I've done my share of fast food work. It's no job for softies. It's damned hard work and should be paid fairly'. Daily Mail Australia contacted Max Solutions and Hungry Jack's for comment. A promising rugby league player who escaped a troubled community only to return home and kill a father-of-two with a single punch won't spend a single day in jail. Father-to-be Patrick Tarawa, 21, had made his way out of the deprived town of Kaikohe in New Zealand's far north to attend school in Auckland but returned when his parents separated. His return would prove disastrous, though, when he became embroiled in a road rage row in January with Chris Vujcich, 58, after the grandfather cut in front of his car on the wrong side of the road. Father-to-be Patrick Tarawa, 21, (right) had made his way out of the deprived town of Kaikohe in New Zealand's far north to attend school in Auckland but returned when his parents separated With an unborn child on the way with his teenage girlfriend, Tarawa followed Vujcich's car back to the 58-year-old's home in the town. The two had a verbal argument, before Tarawa knocked Vujcich unconscious with a punch to the head, court documents obtained by the NZ Herald reveal. The 21-year-old then drove away, leaving Vujcich to die on a rain-soaked concrete footpath. Sentencing the footy player to 10 months in home detention and 400 hours community service this month, Justice Kit Toogood criticised Tarawa's 'gross overreaction to Mr Vujcich's perceived poor driving'. But the judge also took into consideration the convicted Kaikohe man's youth and geographical location. His return would prove disastrous, though, when he became embroiled in a road rage row in January with Chris Vujcich, 58, after the grandfather cut in front of his car on the wrong side of the road Justice Toogood said: 'You have several previous convictions but they are minor - for petty theft and driving offences. 'They are symptomatic, regrettably, of problems which young people particularly in this part of the country suffer through deprivation.' Tarawa's aunt Evelyn told the NZ Herald her son had wanted to repay his debt to the Vujcich family. She said: 'He wanted to go to jail and do his time. He was happy to do three years, so the (Vujcich) family would have something. 'I said "it's not going to change anything. They are going to hate you - you took their father, their grandfather. They are always going to hate you."' A judge took into consideration the convicted Kaikohe man's (right) youth, geographical location and previous minor convictions - sentencing him to 10 months in home detention and 400 hours community service this month Kaikohe (pictured) is categorised as one of New Zealand's most deprived areas by The University of Auckland's Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) Vujcich's sister Megan, meanwhile, said the emotionless expression she saw in Tarawa's face in court served to make their pain even stronger. Kaikohe is categorised as one of New Zealand's most deprived areas by The University of Auckland's Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). Much of the town's industry has disappeared since the 1980s, and there is no longer the airport that once welcomed Queen Elizabeth II. Russia and Azerbaijan plan to create joint ventures in the oil sector, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference in Baku. "Our plans envisage creating joint ventures in an effort to organize oil production. There are plans to set up enterprises for machine building in agriculture. We are interested to deliver to Azerbaijan products of our agriculture machinery enterprises. We are ready to create joint ventures on manufacturing such vehicles," Trend cited the envy as saying. "On the part of the states, we will support the enterprises, which in their turn will enhance the development of industrial production. It would be better if our enterprises focus on industry in order to promote the diversification and economy of Azerbaijan, including our economic ties," Bocharnikov added. A scientist of the Institute for Economics of the RAS, Alexander Karavaev, told Vestnik Kavkaza that it is about creating a fundamentally new production. "In Soviet times, Azerbaijan hosted the production base of mounting and production of various equipment for production installations, pipelines, pump systems and compressors. But 30 years since the collapse of the USSR all of it became inoperative . Therefore, Bocharnikov is talking not about the resumption of cooperation, but about a new word in the systematic import substitution of equipment affecting the efficiency and characteristics of production," he said. "Such a task was set before Russian producers some time ago due to the sanctions. For Azerbaijan, market demands dictate the task of strengthening the economy's industrial component. SOCAR and Rosneft will be the main investors and main consumers. Some of the products will go to foreign markets. In addition, there is an interesting project for the possible construction of a polymer enterprise in Russia. Like SOCAR Polymer, but with investments going to Russia," Alexander Karavayev stressed. Head of the 'Caspian Barrel' Center for Oil Research Ilham Shaban noted that it's about the development of the Goshadash oil and gas field. "During Ilham Aliyevs visit to Russia on September 1, a memorandum was signed between SOCAR and Rosneft on joint development of the Gosadash field. According to officials, in 2019 they were going to deepen relations with Azerbaijan in the oil production," he recalled. "Azerbaijan said that it is planned to conduct a more in-depth analysis of this structure, in which SOCAR has conducted exploration work since 2012. After a deeper exploration, the companies will be able to sign a specific contract and start joint production in the Caspian. For Rosneft, it will be the first offshore project outside Russia," Ilham Shaban concluded. The Queen will preach a message of conciliation to a nation divided by issues such as Brexit in her Christmas broadcast tomorrow. Speaking about the birth of Jesus and the Christmas story, she will say: 'I believe his message of peace on Earth and goodwill to all is never out of date. It can be heeded by everyone; it's needed as much as ever.' She will also reflect on the importance of treating others with consideration, saying: 'Even with the most deeply held differences, treating the other person with respect and as a fellow human being is always a good first step towards greater understanding.' It understood that the Queen means to highlight the current manner of political discourse surrounding contentious issues such as Brexit, which has become bitter in the extreme. The Queen records her Christmas Day message, in which she will preach a message of conciliation to the nation, in the White Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace Although it was filmed a fortnight ago, its release is particularly timely given last week's incident in which Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was allegedly seen to mutter 'stupid woman' about Theresa May during Prime Minister's Questions in Parliament, leading to widespread public outrage. He has denied the remark, claiming he actually said 'stupid people'. The Queen, although politically neutral and scrupulous in her efforts not to take sides, is clear, however, in her message to politicians of all parties and on both sides of the Brexit debate: Listening to others and treating those who oppose you with respect leads to better understanding when we disagree. Perhaps it could also be taken on board by her nearest and dearest, given recent reports of a rift between the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Indeed, the Queen will refer in her speech to the places from which she draws strength and encouragement, family being one of them. Hard-working Anne leaves Wills and Harry in the shade The Queens four children carried out the most official royal duties this year, with Princess Anne the hardest-working for the third year in a row. Analysis of palace statistics reveals that Charles, Andrew, Edward and Anne undertook 675 days of engagements more than double the number carried out by the younger royals. Anne was the busiest, working 180 separate days, according to examination of the Court Circular, the official list of royal engagements. In contrast, Prince William worked for 120 days, with Prince Harry completing 98. Both their wives carried out around 50 days of engagements, although that number is expected to rise significantly next year. Kate had several months off on maternity leave and Meghan was not added to the circular until her wedding in May. While the Queens children have been regularly helping her with the more traditional duties such as charity visits and plaque unveilings, the younger generation have tended to focus on fewer projects that they have initiated, including their Heads Together mental health project. And although William and Harry worked fewer days than their father, aunt and uncles, the number was up a fifth on 2017. The Queen herself worked for more than 120 days, often welcoming heads of state. Prince Philip has scaled back his duties, but the 97-year-old still managed six official engagements. Much of his work has been taken over by Edward, who was the second hardest-working royal on 170 days, followed by Charles on more than 160 days and Andrew on more than 140. The number of days worked by the royals can differ greatly from the actual number of engagements, as many may take place in a single day. Advertisement She will say: 'Through the many changes I have seen over the years, faith, family and friendship have been not only a constant for me but a source of personal comfort and reassurance.' The Christmas message was filmed in the White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace on December 12 and has been produced this year by Sky News. The Queen wears a silk and lace cocktail dress by her senior dresser, Angela Kelly, and a gold, ruby and diamond brooch which was a present from the Duke of Edinburgh in 1966. A 1949 picture showing the couple with a six-month-old Prince Charles stands prominently on her desk, a reminder that the Prince of Wales celebrated his 70th birthday last month. Catching the eye amid the splendour of the drawing room is a gilded piano that was made for Queen Victoria in 1856. Yesterday the Queen was seen braving heavy rain to attend church at Sandringham, her Norfolk estate, where the Royal Family is gathering for the festive season. A crowd of around 200 huddling under umbrellas were gathered to watch her arrive by car for the carol service at St Mary Magdalene Church, but were disappointed when 97-year-old Prince Philip failed to attend. Despite his advancing years, Philip walked around 400 yards from Sandringham House to the church nearly every Sunday during the Royal Family's Christmas break last December and January, but following his hip replacement earlier this year is clearly taking things easy. A royal source denied that there were any fears for Philip's health, pointing out that he had been photographed at a Christmas party at Buckingham Palace last Wednesday. The Queen was driven to the service in her maroon Bentley with Prince Edward, his wife the Countess of Wessex and their 15-year-old daughter, Lady Louise Windsor. The Queen, who wore a red and grey tweed coat with a matching festive feathered hat, looked well as she walked briskly into the church while sheltering under an umbrella. A Buckingham Palace spokesman refused to say why the Duke of Edinburgh had not attended, describing the Royal Family's stay at Sandringham as 'private'. Veteran royal watcher Alan Mowton, who has been in the crowd at Sandringham church services every Christmas for 41 years, said: 'I thought the Queen looked very well. It was lovely to see her. This picture from April 26, 1949, showing a 23-year-old then-Princess Elizabeth with the Duke of Edinburgh and a baby Prince Charles, was on the Queen's desk during the broadcast 'It was a bit of a shame not to see Philip, but it is understandable that he might miss a service at his age, particularly when the weather is like this. But in previous years we have seen much worse weather here and he has turned out.' Prince Edward joked about the weather with the crowd as he got out of the front passenger seat, saying to them: 'You must be very keen or foolish to stand here!' Cafe owner Ian Roper, 52, of Sheringham, Norfolk, replied instantly: 'We are here to see you.' The prince promptly retorted: 'Really I hope the sun comes out for you.' Mr Roper said: 'He was very friendly and it was nice for him to say a few words.' Rachel Stewart, 45, of Dersingham, Norfolk, who was also in the crowd, said: 'The Queen looked in a bit of a hurry because of the rain today. Normally she gets out of the car much slower.' The service was conducted by Sandringham rector, the Rev Canon Jonathan Riviere, who said prayers 'for the aged and little children'. The congregation joined in the singing of carols Once In Royal David's City, Away In A Manger, Silent Night, While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks By Night and Hark The Herald Angels Sing. Other members of the Royal Family are expected to arrive at Sandringham today and to join the Queen at a church service tomorrow. The moment a bouncer violently shoves a teenager onto the road was caught on film by a witness, who said the man didn't provoke him. Raymond Wedlake, from New Zealand, was waiting outside the Chic bar in central Christchurch when the altercation began between the bouncer and the man. The footage showed the man, much smaller than the bouncer, talking with him outside the establishment. The man didn't make any physical contact with the bouncer, who made a move just a few seconds into the confrontation. The moment a bouncer violently shoves a teenager onto the road was caught on film by a witness who said the man didn't provoke a physical response However once the bouncer has the man backed up to the side of the street he forcefully shoved him with both hands, sending him back onto the road and into the front of a parked car As the bouncer tried to get a hold of the mans shirt, he moved away, appearing to attempt to avoid a physical altercation. However once the bouncer has the man backed up to the side of the street he forcefully shoved him with both hands, sending him back onto the road and into the front of a parked car. Mr Wedlake told the Herald the man did appear to be intoxicated but wasn't confrontational. 'The bouncer pushed him a couple of times, minor, but he wasn't doing anything except trying to gain entry and holding his ID up,' he said. The incident has been reported to New Zealand Police as the owner of the bar spoke out and said an internal investigation has been launched 'He wasn't aggressive or anything, just like the video shows, and then the bouncer stepped in there and completely pushed him Chic owner Peivand Yazdan told the New Zealand Herald he had launched an internal investigation and assured the public appropriate actions would be taken. 'There is no excuse for what has taken place at the door...we are truly shocked with what has happened as are many people that have messaged us as they too know him as a friendly gentleman,' he said. The incident was reported to New Zealand Police. Sydney Airport is sitting above a poisonous pool of water with record levels of toxic chemicals, but the details have been hidden from the public for decades. Secret lab results that were made available this week show the water at the airport in Mascot has some of the highest levels of contamination in the country. The damning report by Airservices Australia shows the waterways are polluted with two types of chemicals known as perfluorinated compounds (PFAS), which are used in firefighting foam. Sydney airport is allegedly sitting of a poisonous pool of water with record levels of toxic chemicals, but the details have been hidden from the public for decades The damning report by Airservices Australia shows the waterways are polluted with two types of chemicals known as perfluorinated compounds (PFAS), which are used in firefighting foam The chemicals don't break down in the environment and have been polluting the water since the 1970s, but authorities kept the lab results a secret for years, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Under the freedom of information laws, the publication acquired the secret test results that were provided to authorities six years ago. The report found alarming levels of toxins in the water under the airport, known as Botany Sands Aquifer, which is fed via an underwater system that flows from Centennial Park. Details in the report also showed an area at the airport's former fire training grounds, which has become a parkland used by the general public, is also contaminated. The results have sparked fears among Botany bay residents, who previously accessed the waterway via their backyard bores until the early 2000s. Campaigners against PFAS contamination said the report shows a lack of transparency about the site, which is owned by the government but leased to Sydney Airport Corporation. President of the Coalition against PFAS, Lindsay Clout slammed the government for their lack of remediation, given private polluters nearby had to spend millions to clean up plumes of contaminated water. Mr Clout told Daily Mail Australia property prices have collapsed and businesses closed in contaminated PFAS communities in Williamtown, Oakey and elsewhere. 'We've seen lives destroyed and major health-issues from cancer to immunity suppression linked to lengthy exposure of this banned chemical,' Mr Clout said. 'So what exactly will the Government be telling the tens of thousands of businesses and home owners in Sydney now that these secret reports have been forced into the light?' Secret lab results that were made available this week allegedly show the water at Mascot has some of the highest levels of contamination in the country The report found alarming levels of toxins in the water under the airport, known as Botany Sands Aquifer, which is fed via an underwater system from Centennial Park (pictured) The campaigner also told SMH: 'How will they justify the hypocrisy of forcing the private sector to clean up their toxic mess in the middle of one of Australia's largest urban and industrial areas while one kilometre down the road they've been keeping their own toxic plume hidden from the public?' According to NSW Health, there is no conclusive evidence that exposure to PFAS causes cancer, but studies suggest they may promote some cancers in animals. Airservices Australia has since defended its handling of the lab results, with a spokesperson saying the company shared details with the NSW Environment Protection Authority and Sydney Airport Corporation. The spokesperson said Airservices Australia was aware it was one of several sources of PFAS in the area, and was working towards remediation. 'We are leading a number of research and development projects to find a viable, robust remediation solution,' the spokesperson said. A Sydney Airport spokesperson told the publication the polluted water was a 'matter of public record', which had been previously reported by the media. The airport has commenced its own management actions to prevent the migration of the toxic chemicals, which includes applying sealant and relining drainage pipes. Two infant girls from the Northern Territory have died in as many days, with at least one death under police investigation. An 18-month-old girl died a day after she was flown by the Royal Flying Doctor Service from Alice Springs hospital to Adelaide on December 15. The infant, who was initially flown from the town of Yuendumu, had suffered hypoxic shock from sepsis, according to The Australian. Two infant girls from the Northern Territory have died recently, with at least one of the deaths now subject to a police investigation (stock image) The condition strikes when an infection such as blood poisoning sparks a violent immune response in which the body attacks its own organs. She was known to the Northern Territory's child protection agency, a spokeswoman for Territory Families told the publication. Her death is now being investigated by Northern Territory police after officers received information which raised concerns. 'We will be working with our colleagues in South Australia to investigate the circumstances surrounding this matter,' Acting Commander Bradley Commander Currie said in a statement. Both infant girls were flown to Alice Springs by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (stock image), before being taken to Adelaide The RFDS told The Australian a girl about the same age was also flown Alice Springs to Adelaide on December 15, after initially being flown from Tennant Creek. 'At Tennant Creek, the patient suffered a respiratory arrest leading to brain injury, and was intubated and ventilated for airlift to Alice Springs and the Adelaide flight,' a RFDS spokesman said. The girl later died. She had reportedly choked on a balloon, according to local sources. A student was asked by her university to take down a sign saying 'F**k Nazis. You are not welcome here' because it wasn't inclusive. Nicole Parsons, who attends University of Massachusetts-Amherst, was living in dorms when she says she became frustrated when several hate crimes happened on campus. A resident assistant had a 'Happy Hanukkah' sign on their door that was defaced with a swastika. Nicole Parsons (pictured) was shocked when her university asked her to take down a sign which read 'F**k Nazis. You are not welcome here' in response to several hate crimes Parsons displayed the sign on the window of her campus accommodation after a 'Happy Hanukkah' sign was defaced with a swastika Parsons said she was angered by the incident and she responded with her own sign. She subsequently received an email from one of the university's residence directors asking her to remove the sign. She told Buzzfeed: 'I was in absolute shock. This email tells me the university cares more about the feelings of Nazis than the safety of their students'. 'I thought maybe if I hang the sign up, maybe the person who drew the swastika will see it and see someone condemning their actions, even if the administration doesnt do it'. In an email, Eddie Papazoni to Parsons claimed that while sign is permitted under Freedom of Speech, he wanted to discuss the impact that her sign had. He added: 'There are some in the community that have expressed that the sign should be taken down as it has created mixed emotions in the community on how to proceed, issues of inclusion, and the ability to be active members of their community'. Parsons claimed the email the university sent her 'cares more about the feelings of Nazis than the safety of their students' One of the university's residence directors sent her an email saying her sign created mixed emotions Papazoni said he could not force her to take the sign down. However he asked that she do it anyway 'so that all students can be a part of an inclusive residential experience, as well as having a respectful environment to be a part of here on our campus'. University of Massachusetts-Amherst later said they would permit the display of the sign Parsons later removed the sign to avoid negative attention and had made plans prior to the sign being posted to move out of campus housing. In a subsequent statement on Facebook, the university claimed that the email sent to Parsons was 'poorly worded' and should never have been sent. It added: 'UMass Amherst emphatically rejects Nazis, and any other hate group, a view expressed in the students sign. 'However, we are sensitive to the use of profanity, which some could find inappropriate. 'The university respects the students right to display the sign and it may remain up'. Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff said his party will subpoena special counsel Robert Mueller's report if President Donald Trump tries to invoke executive privilege to keep it secret. 'I'm prepared to make sure we do everything possible so that the public has the advantage, as much information as we can,' Schiff, the incoming chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said on CNN's 'State of the Union.' 'We ought to make sure this report is public. There may be parts of the report that have to be redacted because they involve classified material or grand jury material,' he added. Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff said his party will subpoena special counsel Robert Mueller's report if President Donald Trump tries to invoke executive privilege to keep it secret Special Counsel Robert Mueller (left) is investigating whether President Donald Trump (right) and his campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 election, which Trump has denied If Democrats subpoena and obtain the report, they could release it to the public. They will have that power when they take control of the House of Representatives in January. There are no indications when Mueller may drop his much anticipated report. He will turn it over to the Justice Department, who will decide the next steps. Schiff also said the panel should give Mueller transcripts of its interviews with Donald Trump Jr. and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who serves as a senior adviser in the White House. That would allow the special counsel to determine whether or not the two men lied to Congress about their dealings with Russians during the 2016 campaign. 'Mueller is in a better position to make that decision about perjury than I am. He has the benefit of the information that I don't. I have sufficient concerns where I think we should take that step with all the transcripts,' he said. He declined to talk about specifics but said he's concerned about several Trump officials the committee has heard from. 'I have concerns about several witnesses but think that the special counsel ought to have advantage of the evidence that we accumulated and the ability to prosecute those who have come before the committee and lied,' Schiff added. Former White House counselor Steve Bannon and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions also spoke to the committee behind closed doors. On Thursday, the House Intelligence Committee voted to give Mueller a transcript of their session with GOP operative Roger Stone, who advised the Trump campaign. The special counsel is examining Stone's ties to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange as part of his investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia in the 2016 presidential race, a charge the president has repeatedly denied. In September, the House Intelligence Committee voted to release transcripts of all its interviews - including Trump Jr's and Kushner's - but it offered no time frame for the release. The transcripts have to be scrubbed for classified and personal information. Kushner testified before the panel in July 2017 and Trump Jr. spoke to it in December 2017. Trump Jr. spoke to the committee for more than seven hours about his contacts with the Russians during the campaign. He was at the infamous June 2016 Trump Tower meeting where he, Kushner and then campaign manager Paul Manafort spoke to a Russian national who claimed to have damaging information about Hillary Clinton. At the time of the panel's vote on the transcripts, Schiff accused Republicans of 'trying to bury them as long as they can.' Donald Trump Jr (left) and Jared Kushner (right) talked to the House Intelligence Committee about the June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower with a Russian national Mueller's team last week requested GOP operative Roger Stone's (left) testimony to the intelligence panel and Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen (right) pleaded guilty to lying to Congress Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Donald Trump, Jr., Vanessa Haydon Trump and Tiffany Trump at the Republican National Convention in July 2016 When he takes over the committee in January, Schiff can hold another vote on releasing the transcripts with a time frame. Mueller requested Stone's transcript last week, which could be seen as a sign he's preparing to charge Stone. Stone came into Mueller's sights after statements he made during the 2016 presidential election suggested he had prior knowledge that WikiLeaks had hacked Democratic emails and would release them ahead of the election. Stone has denied this. One of the charges against Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen is lying to Congress, which he pleaded guilty to doing when he spoke to Senators about how long conversations went on with Russians about the possibility of building a Trump Tower Moscow. He was sentenced to three years in prison for that and other charges. An Iranian-born former Labor senator has slammed a hardline Muslim preacher for declaring wives were committing a 'major sin' if they withheld sex from their husbands. Sam Dastyari has told his 78,000 Facebook followers Sunni fundamentalist Nassim Abdi's September sermon in western Sydney was 'sickening' and 'horrendous'. 'It should be called out as the twisted perversion of Islam that it is,' he said earlier this month. Scroll down for video An Iranian-born former Labor senator has slammed a hardline Muslim preacher (pictured) for declaring wives were committing a 'major sin' if they withheld sex from their husbands Sam Dastyari (pictured) has told his 78,737 Facebook followers Sunni fundamentalist Nassim Abdi's September sermon in western Sydney was 'sickening' and 'horrendous' Mr Dastyari, who moved from Iran to Australia almost 31 years ago when he was four, describes himself as a 'cultural Muslim' and has previously criticised One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's anti-Muslim rhetoric. The author of 'One Halal of a Story' divided his own Facebook followers by criticising Mr Abdi, from the Saudi-funded Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah Association. 'It's a bit sickening that Sam Dastyari is attacking the Islamic faith, the faith of his original home country,' one man said. Mr Dastyari himself fled to Australia in January 1988, under a family reunion program, to escape Iran's repressive Islamic theocracy. Several people, however, defended Mr Dastyari. 'I'm Catholic. I can out Catholic BS if I see and hear it too,' one man said. A Muslim man was also incensed at Mr Abdi's Sunni fundamentalist sermon. 'I'm Muslim myself and Islam in no way allows the men to force their women, under no circumstances,' he said. 'This imam is talking bull and he is the follower of their big brother Saudi. 'He is not the follower of Islam. He doesn't even known what Islam is full stop.' Nassim Abdi (pictured) preaches a Salafist, seventh-century version of Islam at the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah Association's Auburn mosque, in western Sydney Mr Abdi preaches a Salafist, seventh-century version of Islam at the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah Association's Auburn mosque, in western Sydney. He was condemned by New South Wales government ministers Mark Speakman and Pru Goward in September, along with feminists Catharine Lumby and Eva Cox, when he insinuated wives had a duty to provide sex for their husbands. 'If the husband calls the wife to be intimate and there's no legitimate reason for the woman to say no, then she must answer the call of her husband,' Mr Abdi said. 'She must answer the call of her husband and if not she has committed a major sin. Sam Dastyari divided his on Facebook followers (pictured) in criticising Mr Abdi, from the Saudi-funded Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah Association A Muslim man was also incensed at Mr Abdi's Sunni fundamentalist sermon One man called him out for his beliefs and saying a wife needed to have a 'legitimate reason' to refuse sex 'If the man calls the wife to bed and she refuses, the angels curse this woman and he sleeps with her whilst he's angry, the angels curse her until she wakes up.' One man called him out for his beliefs. 'Legitimate reason? How about she doesn't want to. Stone age idiots,' he said. Mr Abdi, who preaches Sharia law as derived from the Quran and the Islamic Hadith, this week became defensive following Mr Dastyari's condemnation. Sam Dastyari has joined New South Wales ministers Mark Speakman and Pru Goward in condemning Nassim Abdi's sermon delivered at Auburn in western Sydney 'Remember, I'm preaching to a Muslim crowd about beliefs and rules for Muslims,' he told his 643 Facebook followers. 'Don't be uneducated, ignorant and arrogant enough to play victim and think I'm trying to change your "way of life". 'Don't take what I preach from Islam to Muslims as a message to you directly, the exact same way you don't take what another priest in a church or Rabbi in a synagogue as being directed to you. Be mature in your way of thinking.' Mr Abdi has previously said Muslims would believed in Christmas would go to hell. He has also described as sinful women showing their ears and neck in public and listening to music. Suge Knight has claimed that rapper Tupac Shakur talked about faking his own death shortly before he was gunned down in 1996. The revelation was made by ex-Death Row Records CEO Marion 'Suge' Knight in an interview with filmmaker Antoine Fuqua, which aired during Showtime's recently released documentary American Dream/American Knightmare. Knight gave the interview sometime between December 2011 and November 2012. He is currently serving a 28-year prison sentence for voluntary manslaughter, after pleading no contest to charges in September, stemming from a fatal 2015 hit and run. Marion 'Suge' Knight (pictured in 2011/2012) made the claim during an interview in Showtime's recently released documentary, American Dream/American Knightmare Knight said that he and slain rapper Tupac Shakur were in Maui when Shakur talked about faking his own death and later being excited about shooting a music video in which he is gunned down and then goes to heaven. Knight and Shakur are seen here in April 1996 In the documentary, Knight recounted a conversation he had with Shakur while they were in Maui, not long after Knight posted Shakur's $1.4million bail in October 1995. 'We was in Maui, you know what I mean, and Pac had, like, never been to Maui,' Knight said in the documentary, according to the Daily Beast. 'And he get to talking about faking his own death. And Pac was more down for doing, like, the the the last little videos and shit of him dying all in the white, you know what Im sayin, with Redd Foxx and everybody like that.' Knight recorded the interviews in 2011 and 2012. He is currently serving a 28-year sentence for voluntary manslaughter. Knight is pictured here in 2015 The videos Knight was referring to appears to have been the music video for Shakur's track, I Aint Mad At Cha, in which Shakur is depicted being shot by a hooded figure and going to heaven. The video was filmed in May 1996, four months before Shakur was killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. Knight also said that Shakur behaved unusually when working on the music video. 'He was cussin everybody out. With this particular video, he was like, man, whats up, right?' Knight said. 'And I felt like, he talkin about this s**t, and our dreams and our future is built together because we plannin on doing, so if you talkin about not bein here, losing your life, and doin all these muthaf****n videos where you dead and s**t, Im like, s**t if somethin really happen to you, n***a, I aint gonna be that muthaf***a there with tears in my muthaf****n eyes, Im gonna be that muthaf***a like, s**t, still pushin for you.' Shakur was shot four times and died from internal bleeding at the hospital on September 13 Knight (right) also recounted the moments before and after Shakur was fatally shot during a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in September 1996. They are seen here in August 1996 Knight's claims that Shakur talked about faking his death could be seen as dovetailing with a popular conspiracy theory that 'Tupac is still alive,' which has prompted numerous alleged sightings of the rapper known as 2Pac around the world. Knight's own son claimed in October that Shakur is, in fact, still alive and living in Malaysia. Meanwhile, during a 2017 interview for the investigative documentary, Who Shot Biggie and Tupac?, when Knight was asked if Shakur could still be alive and living in hiding somewhere, he said, 'With Pac you never know.' The American Dream/American Knightmare documentary also features scenes in which Knight drives down the Las Vegas strip, recreating the route that he and Shakur took when Shakur was fatally shot. Knight recalled the aftermath of the shooting that occurred on the night of September 7, 1996, when a Cadillac pulled up alongside Knight's BMW beside their vehicle and fired several shots into the car, four of which hit Shakur. Knight was hit by fragmentation as he tried to shield Shakur. 'Thats when we got jacked up by the police. They wanted to search us and shit,' Knight said, adding that when the ambulance arrived, Shakur was in good spirits and joking around about people not knowing how to release the BMW's seatbelt. 'Pac was cool, laughing. He said, Man, you can tell you all is some broke muthaf***s, you dont know how to take them expensive seatbelts off. If muthaf***a was in a Honda, youd have had me out the car already,' Knight said. 'When we was both goin to the hospital, we laughed and joked the whole way. He looked at me, and he was like, "Man sweaty head, you need to be at the hospital faster than me, n***a, you bleedin out your head and s**t. How can you see with blood out your eyes?"' Shakur died from internal bleeding at the hospital on September 13, 1996. During the Las Vegas strip drive, Knight seemed to deny rumors that he had been involved in Shakur's death. 'What kind of man gonna turn around and say, "Hey, shoot him and shoot me in the head too when I cover him up,"' Knight said. 'Not only did I lose the idea of a friend you can have, or a little brother you can have, Pac was one of those incredible artists that I know for a fact he worked way more alive than dead.' Knight can then be seen opening the stopped car's door and vomiting onto the street. A Japanese boy has died a day after he was pulled unconscious from a lagoon in far north Queensland. The seven-year-old was taken to Cairns Children's Hospital in a critical condition after being pulled out of the water by lifeguards at Cairns Esplanade Lagoon about 4.15pm on Saturday. The family had only arrived in the country hours prior to the tragedy, a police spokeswoman said. The decision was made to turn off his life support on Sunday afternoon. The seven-year-old was taken to Cairns Hospital in a critical condition after being pulled out of the water by lifeguards at Cairns Esplanade Lagoon about 4.15pm on Saturday (stock) District Duty Officer Senior Sergeant Duane Amos told The Cairns Post that the young boy was attended to by lifeguards and paramedics before being transferred to hospital. 'He was critical at that stage. Our best wishes are with the family and the child at this stage,' he said. The consular were notified to support the family during the difficult period. 'It's a tragic circumstance for them on what should be an enjoyable time in the festive season,' Sen Sgt Amos said. He warned families to keep and eye on their children during the holiday period when they're out swimming. He also urged those who don't know how to swim to keep out of the water. According to Lifesaving Australia, as at 24 December 2018, there have been 24 drowning deaths reported in Australia this summer. Two brothers and a woman were arrested after cops discovered animals, birds and sea creatures in their one bedroom apartment in New York. Yesenia Crisostomo Diaz, 43, her husband Richie Rodriguez, 29, and his brother Willie, 28, were arrested on Friday for keeping the animals in their South Bronx home and exposing a child to the creatures. The New York Post reported that police found two 80-pound snapping turtles in a custom 200-gallon fish tank, six smaller turtles, a two-foot eel, two pigeons and four finches inside their one bed apartment in a public housing complex. Richie Rodriguez is seen holding one of his pet snapping turtles which cops seized Friday They also found a dove, a possum inside a kennel and a pit bull inside a bedroom. Police searched the Adams Houses apartment Friday and found a collection of creatures cramped inside the home, according to authorities. The trio were each charged with a violation for keeping a prohibited wild animal and charged with acting in a manner injurious to a child because Richies 6-year-old daughter sometimes visited them. Speaking from his home in Westchester, Richie, 29, insisted he has a passion for animals and likes to care for them. He told the New York Post: 'My hobby is my animals. Everyone has a passion. For others, its drugs and women. For me, its animals'. Rodriguez said he bought one of his turtles in a store almost years ago and believed that because they were for sale he did not need a permit to own them. A possum similar to the one seen here is contained in a list of creatures which cannot be sold, given, received, kept, or exhibited in New York City unless they are in a zoo or aquarium Finches similar to the one seen above are permitted to be kept as a house pet provided they pose no risk to native wildlife and endangered species in New York He claimed such his is love of animals that he took the possum into his house after finding it injured in a nearby park. He had nursed it back to health over the past few months. Rodriguez claimed he was angry that police had taken his goldfish, which is not exotic. He was also annoyed they took his brothers pit-bull puppy for which he claims they have papers. Two 80-pound snapping turtles similar to the one pictures, were found at the home An NYPD spokesman told Dailymail.com that the animals were found 'enclosed in a small tank or cage. 'They appeared to look healthy and Animal Care and Control was contacted. All animals were removed from the location', he added. The spokesman could not say how big the apartment was or whether it was located on the ground floor of the building. Animal Care Centers of NYC, which is currently taking care of the creatures, said they were all in good health. Neighbors claimed that they weren't dismayed by having so many rare animals living in their midst. Ramon Rosario, 52, who owns two parakeets, told the New York Post: 'Everyone in this building has animals'. Development of trade cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia will be raised to the new level in 2019, Russia's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mikhail Bocharnikov said at a press conference in Baku. The ambassador noted that Russia regards relations with Azerbaijan as a strategic partnership. "This year saw strengthening of this strategic partnership. Activity was observed in all areas of cooperation," Trend cited the diplomat as saying. Speaking about the priorities of cooperation for 2019, Bocharnikov noted that they include continuation of work in those areas, on which cooperation was agreed upon in 2018. "This year, we agreed on a lot of things, above all, on the development of trade and economic relations," he noted. Bocharnikov stressed that the parties also plan to increase humanitarian cooperation next year. According to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee, the trade turnover between the countries amounted to $2.266 billion in January-November 2018, increasing by 19.7% compared to the same period of the last year. French president Emmanuel Macron yesterday blasted Donald Trump's decision to withdraw US troops from Syria. Mr Macron said during a visit to Chad: 'I very deeply regret the decision made on Syria. 'To be allies is to fight shoulder to shoulder. It's the most important thing for a head of state and head of the military. An ally should be dependable. Emmanuel Macron (pictured on Sunday in N'Djamena, Chad) said he 'deeply regrets' Donald Trump's decision to withdraw 2,000 troops from Syria 'An ally must be reliable, to coordinate with its other allies.' His comments came as the US envoy in the global fight against Islamic State followed Mr Trump's defence secretary Jim Mattis out of the White House door in protest at the President's policies. Brett McGurk quit over the 'reckless' plan to pull 2,000 troops out of Syria with the President claiming the terrorists had been defeated in their homeland. Mr McGurk said the IS militants were on the run, but not yet defeated. Macron paid tribute to Defense Secretary James Mattis, who said he was resigning on Thursday following Trump's Syria announcement. 'I want here to pay tribute to General Mattis... for a year we have seen how he was a reliable partner,' Macron said at a news conference with his Chadian counterpart Idriss Deby. It comes as US defence secretary Jim Mattis (pictured left with Trump) resigned over the decision Mattis, 68, was one of Trump's first cabinet picks and has spent nearly two years at the Pentagon. In his resignation letter Mattis spelled out to the world what seemed obvious to many observers: Trump's world view was irreconcilable with his own. 'My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades' immersion in these issues,' Mattis wrote to Trump, who has sought closer ties with Russia and heaped contempt on NATO and other alliances. 'Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position.' Mick Mulvaney says he and President Donald Trump joked about a 2016 video in which the next acting White House Chief of Staff calls his future boss a terrible human being. Mulvaney, who has served as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, appeared on ABCs This Week on Sunday, where he was asked about the now-viral clip. Look, I think what's wrong with Washington, D.C. - people spend a lot more time looking at what people say instead of what they do, Mulvaney said. Mick Mulvaney says he talked with Trump about the 2016 clip in which he called Trump "a terrible human being." "We joked about it ... what's wrong with Washington, D.C.? people spend a lot more time looking at what people say instead of what they do" https://t.co/U6HBRktFZG pic.twitter.com/EKqUjQevvY This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 23, 2018 Mick Mulvaney says he and President Donald Trump joked about a 2016 video in which the next acting White House Chief of Staff calls his future boss a terrible human being. Audio and video emerged of Mulvaney trashing Trump during the 2016 campaign even as he endorsed him over rival Hillary Clinton. Mulvaney is seen right alongside his Democratic opponent, Fran Person, during the race for South Carolina's 5th Congressional District seat The former South Carolina Republican says Trump knows that I have been fighting with him to fight for ordinary Americans for the last two years. He likes having me around and I like working for him, Mulvaney says. Trump this month tapped Mulvaney to serve as his 'acting' Chief of Staff, following an awkward search after his announcement that Chief of Staff John Kelly will be leaving shortly. Soon after he revealed the choice this month, audio and video emerged of Mulvaney trashing Trump during the 2016 campaign even as he endorsed him over rival Hillary Clinton. It may have hit a nerve. According to Axios, Trump recently asked an adviser, 'Did you know [Mulvaney] called me a terrible human being back during the campaign?' The was a reference to a debate video where Mulvaney did, in fact, call Trump a 'terrible human being.' Trump was 'furious' when he saw the video, according to the account. It quoted a spokeswoman saying the recording was from before Mulvaney met Trump implying it would not be a breach of friendship. The former South Carolina Republican says Trump (seen above) knows that I have been fighting with him to fight for ordinary Americans for the last two years Immediately after the video surfaced, newly unearthed audio recordings revealed still more condemnation by Mulvaney. As with earlier explosive video recordings, these remarks from 2016 include cutting comments by Mulvaney, a former House member, against the character and integrity of the man who tapped him to fill what is traditionally one of the nation's most powerful positions. Mulvaney lamented that Trump had said 'atrocious things' on the infamous 'p****' tape that came out a week before the spoke in the newly uncovered radio interview, and said Trump should in no way be a model for his own daughters. But incredibly, Mulvaney slipped the scathing comments into an endorsement of Trump, arguing he was the lesser evil in a choice between the GOP candidate and Hillary Clinton, who he compared to a 'man-eating lion.' 'Should either of these people be, be a role model for my 16-year-old triplets? No,' Mulvaney told South Carolina's Jonathon and Kelly show, which is broadcast by Clear Channel, CNN reported. Mulvaney was also quoted as saying in 2015 that Trumps idea for a wall along the border with Mexico were childish and simplistic. The fence doesn't solve the problem, Mulvaney said during an interview unearthed by CNN. Is it necessary to have one? Sure. Would it help? Sure. But to just say build the darn fence and have that be the end of an immigration discussion is absurd and almost childish for someone running for president to take that simplistic of [a] view. The comments emerged before the partial shutdown of the federal government, in part over Trump's demand for a border wall, with House Republicans bowing to his demand and inserting $6billion in new border funding that immediately ran into resistance in the Senate. A police dog who was stabbed through the skull and eye socket by a man resisting arrest is recovering thanks to the love and attention from his constable. Caesar, a 20-month-old German Shepherd, was stabbed twice in the head on Saturday morning by a man who was allegedly stealing a motorbike. A heartwarming photo surfaced online after New Zealand Police shared the moment Constable Josh Van Der Kwaak cuddled up to his canine helper. Caesar, a 20-month-old police dog (pictured), was viciously stabbed by a man resisting arrest and is recovering thanks to the love and attention from Constable Josh Van Der Kwaak (left) Caesar is said to be recovering well from his ordeal at a local veterinary clinic. Both wounds have been stitched up and an X-ray shows no major damage, police said. The 30-year-old man, a forestry worker from Onerahi, was charged with stabbing a police dog and resisting arrest. The stabbing took place after police were called to reports of a burglary at a Parua Bay home just before 6.30am. Caesar (right, with his handler) was stabbed twice in the head on Saturday morning by a man who was allegedly stealing a motorbike The accused faces a raft of stealing charges, as well as failing to stop for police, resisting arrest and intentionally wounding a police dog, the NZ Herald reported. He did not enter a plea to the charges and will remain behind bars until next year after a brief court appearance on Monday but was granted interim name suppression. He will next appear in court on January 14. John Ibrahim's younger brother was exposed as a key player in an international smuggling ring when he was heard in secret recordings telling an associate he had '50 kegs of coke in Lebanon'. Michael Ibrahim, 40, gave police what they'd been waiting for when he confessed he had overseas drug contacts to an undercover agent on November 14, 2017. The 40-year-old's confession took 18 months of work by the operative, who went under the assumed name Joe Smith*, The Daily Telegraph reported. Michael Ibrahim, 40 (pictured top with his brother John right), gave police what they'd been waiting for, when he confessed he had access to overseas drugs to an undercover agent Michael Ibrahim (pictured right with his brother John left) eventually confessed after 18 months of work by the operative, who went under an assumed name Every day the agent would 'clock on' for his shift by recording a unique monotonous message into his concealed recording device. This daily ritual resulted in more than 150 recordings, including the conversation with Michael Ibrahim, which ultimately led to his downfall. A team of police officers, who were listening in to every conversation, kept track of their man and the intricate international smuggling ring he was masterminding. Ibrahim would eventually sign his own arrest warrant when he told the wire-wearing operative he knew people who could organise the international shipment of drugs. The conversation, which included Smith, Ibrahim and his friend and business associate Ryan Watsford, took place just before 9pm on November 14, 2017. Ibrahim was recorded asking the operative whether he wanted him to organise a container, to which Smith replied 'Just let me talk to my guys first'. Watford was then heard asking whether it was easy for him to 'get stuff in'. 'Listen, Ive got f**ken 50 litres and 50 kegs of coke in Lebanon,' Ibrahim added. The trio were then recorded talking about how much money could be made from the potential shipment being discussed, which included an up front fee of $50K. Watford then switched the conversation subject to that of importing cigarettes, implicating Ibrahim and his overseas contacts. Michael Ibrahim (pictured right) told the undercover agent he trusted him and would introduce him to his overseas contact, so they could discuss the transaction in detail Every day the agent would 'clock on' for his shift by recording a unique monotonous message into his concealed recording device (stock image) 'You know what we should do now is press ahead with the cigarette thing with Michaels contacts. Cause thats f***king massive,' Watford said. Ibrahim then confirmed he had an overseas contact to the undercover agent by referring to a guy who had 25 grand for a container in China. Smith then questioned Ibrahim about his contact having connections in the Middle East, to which he replied: 'He's got connections everywhere'. Ibrahim told the agent he trusted him and would introduce him to his overseas contact, so they could discuss the transaction in detail. 'Meet him Lebanon ready. As soon as you tell me ''yep, this is the company, this is what youve got to do'' Ill go,' Ibrahim said. Smith then told the 40-year-old whatever they needed he could provide. Armed with only his recording device, Smith eventually brought down more than 20 people included in the racket, including several key bosses in the illegal drug trade. The conversation, which included Smith, Ibrahim (pictured left with John, back, and Fadi Ibrahim, right) and his and business associate Ryan Watsford, took place just before 9pm on November 14, 2017 A team of police officers, who were listening in to every conversation, kept track of their man and the intricate international smuggling ring he was masterminding Details of the recording comes after Ibrahim pleaded guilty to being the man behind the international crime racket on Tuesday, facing Sydney's Central Local Court. Operation Veyda was launched in March 2016, with the sole purpose of bringing Michael Ibrahim and his family friend and business associate Ryan Watsford to justice. Six months later, Watsford would lead the operative - who was given the pseudonym for safety - to Michael Ibrahim and eventually convince him to vouch for the officer as being 'like a brother'. But before that, Smith had to work over Watsford. The pair made contact in June 2016, when they would meet up to discuss international money laundering techniques and services Smith could provide. Watsford found the operative to be a charming, professional smuggler and money-launderer with a secret method that promised containers full of drugs and cigarettes snuck past border security, The Sunday Telegraph previously reported. Michael Ibrahim, 40, pleaded guilty to being the man behind an international crime racket on Tuesday, facing Sydney's Central Local Court. Operation Veyda was launched in March 2016, with the sole purpose of bringing Michael Ibrahim (left) and his business associate Ryan Watsford (right) to justice After building trust with Watsford, Smith was eventually introduced to Ibrahim at the Sheraton on the Park hotel in Sydney later that year. Smith would go on to infiltrate Michael's drug and tobacco smuggling syndicate, helping them bring tonnes of cigarettes into the country. What followed was months of negotiations, with the undercover operative slowly convincing the crew that he was a legitimate supplier with serious contacts. 'I vouch for you like I've known you all my life,' Michael told the police operative at one point, according to the Daily Telegraph. 'That's what you got to understand. It falls on my head, because I sit there and vouch for you.' On another occasion, when asked if he trusted Smith by a member of the drug syndicate, Michael Ibrahim replied: '100 per cent... he's my mate.' It was eventually that trust that would be Michael's downfall. Michael (right) was one of 20 men arrested in a series of police raids in Sydney and Dubai last year, and was charged with a plot to import 900,000 packets of cigarettes, 1.9 tonnes of the drug ecstasy and 15kg of meth Michael was one of 20 men arrested in a series of police raids in Sydney and Dubai last year, and was charged with a plot to import 900,000 packets of cigarettes, 1.9 tonnes of the drug ecstasy and 15kg of meth. The 40-year-old will return to court in January for sentencing after pleading guilty to his role in the syndicate. The case against him relied heavily on the undercover agent's 150-plus secret recordings, which exposed his involvement in the ring. John Ibrahim, the more well-known brother, is not facing any charges and there is no suggestion he has committed any offences. * The pseudonym used by the undercover operative was changed by the publication in order to comply with court orders. Convicted drug smuggler Cassie Sainsbury will spend another Christmas languishing behind bars in one of Colombia's toughest jails. The young Adelaide woman has been holed up in El Buen Pastor prison in the capital of Bogota since she was arrested while trying to fly out of the city in April 2017. The then 22-year-old was later sentenced to serve a six years in jail after she was caught carrying 5.8kg of cocaine worth $1.3million. Convicted drug mule Cassie Sainsbury (pictured) will be spending her second Christmas locked up in a Colombian prison Sainsbury was arrested while trying to fly out of Bogota, the capital of Colombia, in April 2017. She is pictured after her arrest Her second Christmas in prison is set to be more tolerable than the first, with a new love blossoming and Sainsbury adapting to life behind bars. Sainsbury's first Christmas in jail was marked by fellow inmates holding up signs saying 'Cassandra asks freedom immediately' and claims she was being targeted and bullied. She also claimed discrimination was rife among prisoners, who in turn accused her of 'causing problems'. El Buen Pastor jail is Bogota's largest female prison. Sainsbury - who became known as 'Cocaine Cassie' - last month hinted she has taken a same-sex lover while behind bars. Speaking from her Colombian prison cell, Sainsbury told New Idea her romance was 'something that's just starting'. Sainsbury also opened up about teaching English to both inmates and prison guards and her friendships with rumoured drug dealers. She revealed details about her first few months in prison, telling the publication she initially struggled with the food but has since adapted to life behind bars - and even made friends. Sainsbury (pictured centre) said she initially struggled with being prison but has since adapted to life behind bars Sainsbury (pictured left and right being led by authorities) said she has made friends in prison but keeps her distance from others 'I have a friend called Gina, the other one is Margary and the other one is Stella. I think Gina is in prison for selling drugs,' Sainsbury said. 'I've met a lot of people that are here for murdering several people or terrorist attacks. Basically, I keep my distance from them.' Sainsbury broke-up with former fiance Scott Broadbridge after she was sentenced but they continued to pretend they were together until April. The February break-up came just months after the couple revealed they would be having a 'lavish' prison wedding - and that Mr Broadbridge would 'be there til the end'. She told KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie O show the couple 'kept their break-up very quiet' for months - giving the illusion they were still together. Sainsbury has been behind bars in El Buen Pastor prison (pictured) since her arrest Sainsbury has hinted at a same-sex lover behind. She is pictured here with her former fiance Scott Broadbridge. The couple broke-up earlier this year 'For quite some time things just weren't good between us. From the moment I got in here the relationship was doomed,' she said. Sainsbury has always maintained her innocence. She previously claimed she was unable to remember the password to her phone, which she claimed contained vital evidence in relation to her case. Sainsbury could be released as early as 2020, with good behaviour and time served, if early release is approved by a Colombian judge. Australian holidaymakers are increasingly ditching their traditional Bali haunts for two unlikely overseas destinations. The Indonesian island has for decades been a firm favourite for those in search of an affordable holiday, but new figures show some further afield locations have started to catch the Aussie tourist's eye. Data compiled by travel agents and operators have revealed the changing trends as 2018 comes to a close - with one unlikely island nation taking out the top spot of Australia's favourite holiday destination. Australian holidaymakers are increasingly spurning their traditional Bali haunts for two unlikely destinations - New Zealand (stock image pictured) and Sri Lanka Travellers have looked across the Tasman for their holidays, with the New Zealand government reporting a three per cent increase in Australian visitors in July compared to the same month in 2017 (stock image of Fiord Milford Sound on the country's south island) Figures from Intrepid Travel show Australian bookings to Sri Lanka have surged 40 per cent in the last 12 months. Intrepid Group CEO James Thornton said food-specific tours like spice markets and cooking classes run by locals was raising Sri Lanka's tourist profile. Of the top 10 nations that visited Sri Lanka during August this year, the number of Australian visitors has increased more than any other country since last year. In August 2017, 5,959 Australians arrived on the tear-drop shaped island, but this number increased by 38.3 per cent for the same period this year with figures hitting 8,239. Travellers have also looked across the Tasman for their holidays, with the New Zealand government reporting a three per cent increase in Australian visitors in July compared to the same month in 2017. 975 visits from more than 40 cruise ships are expected at ports in New Zealand during the 2018 summer season, and an industry head said seven vessels would make their first visit in that period. 'Theres no doubt our region has the attention of the worlds leading cruise lines, and Australia and New Zealand have stamped their place on the global cruise map,' Cruise Lines International Association managing director Joel Katz told Escape. Supporting data released by the Sri Lankan government lasty year, figures from Intrepid Travel show Australian bookings to the Indian Ocean island have surged 40 per cent in the last 12 months (stock image) Intrepid Group CEO James Thornton said food-specific tours like spice markets and cooking classes run by locals was raising Sri Lanka's tourist profile (pictured aerial photo of the town of Mirissa, Sri Lanka Perhaps most surprising of all is the influx of visitors from Down Under to the eastern European city of Kiev. Skyscanner's list of emerging destinations based on a survey of Australians found 2018 saw a 129 per cent increase in flights to the Ukranian capital compared with last year. The Christian city's rapid growth in popularity was almost double that of the second most searched location - which was Thessaloniki in Greece. 'One reason Kiev is gaining popularity with Aussie travellers could be because it offers a much friendlier welcome than it did when it was part of the Soviet Union,' Skyscanner travel guru Michael Gierson said. Perhaps most surprising of all is the influx of visitors from Down Under to the eastern European city of Kiev (pictured St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery in the Ukrainian capital) 'One reason Kiev (stock image pictured) is gaining popularity with Aussie travellers could be because it offers a much friendlier welcome than it did when it was part of the Soviet Union,' Skyscanner travel guru Michael Gierson The new data could be a sign Australians are increasingly shunning party and music scene in favour of a calmer experience. In a post in August, blogger Kirsten McCroskrie wrote Sri Lanka was not a 'party place' like other parts of south east Asia. 'Excessive public drunkenness is pretty rare and disapproved of, and the nightlife is pretty subdued even in larger towns and cities,' she said. 'Of course, there are pockets of coastal and areas of cities like Colombo where you'll find backpacker-style parties just don't go expecting Full Moon-style excess.' A male relief teacher rubbed the shoulders of young girls and made raspberry blowing noises at them in a 'misguided effort' to bond with his students. The man was 58 when he taught composite year five and six class and assaulted two girls, aged 10 and 11, in front of other students. The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal was told last week the man massaged a girl's shoulders and then asked: 'Do you like back rubs?' A male relief teacher was 58 at the time when he rubbed the shoulders of two young girls aged 10 and 11 (stock) He massaged the back of another girl and joked she could become a foot massager in the future, which amused students, the tribunal was told. A Magistrate last year accepted the teacher massaged the girls 'in a misguided effort to have rapport with the class'. Many students said they felt uncomfortable and found the behaviour 'weird'. 'His behaviour was odd,' said the tribunal members. 'It would have been disturbing not only for the two girls but also for other students in the classroom. 'It would have made many students uncomfortable and anxious.' The teacher said he had been under great stress during the assaults because his wife was unwell. He added that he accepts full responsibility for his conduct. The man pleaded guilty in 2016 to two charges of common assault on two girls and was fined $1,200 with no conviction recorded (stock) He pleaded guilty in 2017 to two charges of common assault on two girls and was fined $1,200, with no conviction recorded. The tribunal was told the teacher was previously convicted for the assault of a girl, 16, from his neighbourhood which involved an uninvited hug in 2004. The tribunal heard the 16-year-old girl was distressed by the assault. 'Taken together with the later assaults, it can be seen that [the teacher] has a history of occasionally acting inappropriately with young people,' the tribunal said. The man must provide a detailed psychological report if he is to re-register as a teacher, the tribunal imposed on December 19. Being lonely at Christmas is as bad for your health as suffering from a chronic disease, Britain's top GP has warned. Research has shown that lonely people are around 40 per cent more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke, said Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairman of the Royal College of GPs. She stressed that said Christmas can 'amplify' feelings of social isolation. Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, has warned that research has shown 40 per cent of lonely people are more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke. (Stock image) Half a million older people are expected to be on their own over the festive period, while studies have shows one in 20 adults in England often or always feel lonely. Professor Stokes-Lampard said: 'Any festival or gathering where people get together can extenuate or magnify feelings of being isolated or lonely. 'People usually are already vulnerable and also it's darker the whole SAD (seasonal affective disorder) thing about short days amplifies these things. As a GP, we see the adverse impact these things have on people's health. These are as bad as chronic diseases to your health.' An Age UK study found that Christmas will be 'just another day' for 530,000 over-65s, with many grieving for people they have lost and recalling happier times. Statistics this month showed one in ten children often feel lonely. According to an Age UK study Christmas will be 'just another day' for 530,000 over-65s. (Stock image) Professor Stokes-Lampard encouraged people to be 'good citizens' and speak to friends and neighbours in 'moments of meaningful connection'. She said this should include 'not just saying hi or waving to the neighbour but actually saying 'How are things going?' Having a little chat. Checking in on people in more than a trivial way.' Dr Amanda Thompsell, of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, is calling for old and young people to swap skills to tackle loneliness. That could see youngsters taught how to sew on buttons, while teaching pensioners about technology. Jeremy Corbyn will pay tribute to those who emulate the Biblical Good Samaritan in his Christmas message. In a video that will run on social media on Christmas Eve, the Labour leader will draw on the parable from St Luke's gospel to praise those who help the nation's destitute, saying they are people who will not 'walk by on the other side'. Mr Corbyn will say during the festive period he sees 'the compassion of the Good Samaritan in people across our country everyday but especially at Christmas'. His emphasis on those who help homeless people and refugees comes after charity Crisis published a study on Sunday showing homelessness has reached a record high, with more than 170,000 families and individuals experiencing destitution. Jeremy Corbyn will pay tribute to those who emulate the biblical Good Samaritan in his Christmas message, praising volunteers at homeless shelters and food banks Mr Corbyn, 69, will add: 'Whether it's people helping in homeless shelters offering comfort and meals for those looking to escape the freezing temperatures and dangers of sleeping rough... 'Those ensuring food banks are fully stocked for people who can't afford to eat properly this Christmas... 'Or volunteers raising money for refugees who've been forced to flee war, oppression and devastation... 'These are people who will not 'walk by on the other side'. 'They do what's become so necessary in a system that is failing to provide for people's basic needs. 'They embody what's best and most compassionate in all of us. They make me certain that we can build a fairer society which works for everyone.' In Theresa May's festive message she pays tribute to the work of the Armed Forces this year, especially in response to the Salisbury nerve agent attack. Meanwhile the Queen will use her Christmas Day broadcast to say the Christian message of 'peace on earth and goodwill to all' is needed 'as much as ever'. In the broadcast, recorded on October 12 amid the swirling Brexit drama in Westminster, the monarch will highlight Jesus's message - often cited at Christmas. The Queen, 92, will say: 'I believe his message of peace on earth and goodwill to all is never out of date. It can be heeded by everyone; it's needed as much as ever.' A White Christmas is likely in the Great Lakes and Sierra regions while parts of the Northwest can expect anything but a Winter Wonderland. New York and the Northeast could see a light dusting of snow Christmas Eve, but it's not expected to stick as temperatures are set to rise and bring light rain. Meanwhile, Boston and the Great Lakes region are already seeing some snow with temperatures expected to stay down for a White Christmas. The Pacific Northwest, however, is experiencing heavy rains and flooding mixed in with snow, making for potential travel trouble. Around 30 states from coast to coast have at least some snow cover currently, according to latest forecasts. New York and other Northeastern states could experience light dusting Christmas Eve, but it's not expected to stick as temperatures are expected to rise New York and other Eastern states could be set for a White Christmas as two separate weather fronts race eastward on and converge Shades of blue on the weather map outline where there could be snow which on Monday which include New York and Pennsylvania. States in the Northwest will also have snow due to a series of storm systems moving in from the Pacific The National Weather Service said that 'light snow accumulations are possible' in New York and New England on Monday going into Tuesday The next weather system to hit the east is moving over the Great Lakes region and over the Gulf Coast. The system will move toward the Eastern Seaboard bringing showers to the mid-Atlantic and snow to higher elevations in Pennsylvania, New York, northwestern New Jersey and New England. The National Weather Service said that 'light snow accumulations are possible' in New York and New England on Monday going into Tuesday. 'Light lake-enhanced snow showers through Christmas Eve to the upper peninsula of Michigan and northern lower Michigan' are also expected, the forecaster added. However it will be a different story in the Northwest where a powerful Pacific storm is bringing travel trouble over, according to the National Weather Service. The forecaster says hazardous travel is likely across all of the California mountains. Heaviest snow is expected for the Northern Sierra Mountains and will spread into the Great Basin, then into the Plains mid week. Radar and satellite imagery from Sunday morning show that the first of several rounds of storms is already affecting the area from Northern California all the way up to Seattle. Moderate to heavy rain showers are the main concern for the lower elevations of Oregon and Washington, while snow is affecting mountainous areas. Rainfall totals are expected to range from one to three inches through Wednesday. Snow in mountainous areas is also expected across western Oregon and northern and north-central California by Christmas Eve. Snow falling Sunday night and into Christmas Eve could bring snow from the Great Lakes into the Northeast on Christmas Day A series of storm systems will cause snow and heavy rain in the Pacific Northwest which will move in across the East on Christmas Day The odds are looking good for New Yorkers and those in surrounding states to expect snow on Christmas Day Snow showers will linger in the Rockies on Christmas Day, but the areas west of the mountains that see rain should be dry on Tuesday. However another system will approach from the west, bringing with it more rain and unsettled weather for the end of the holiday week in the Pacific Northwest. 'As a result, heavy snow is likely for much of the southern/central Rockies northeastward into the northern and central Plains states, with potentially heavy rain and thunderstorms farther south through the southern Plains. 'This may result in some post-holiday travel difficulties during the middle of the week,' according to the National Weather Service. A winter storm advisory is currently in place for the Olympics and Cascades in North America Weather warnings are currently in place for the Cascades and sections of the northern Rockies, with 12 to 24 inches of snow in the Cascade Range passes between the Willamette Valley expected to fall. 'Were really encouraging people traveling over the Cascades to plan for winter weather chains, studded tires and all the essentials', National Weather Service meteorologist David Bishop said. Forecasters said the storm will continue to strengthen as moves into the southwestern US by later Christmas Day. The exact track may not be distinguishable until the storm first emerges from the Rockies. Unsettled weather is starting to take effect in Seattle (pictured) where a storm is moving in from the Pacific Snow creates treacherous driving conditions at Snoqualmie Pass which travels through the Cascade Range But there is a possibility snowfall of at least several inches may extend from northern New Mexico to central and northeastern Colorado to South Dakota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Cities and major airport hubs that may receive accumulating snow from the storm include Denver and Minneapolis. 'Increasing winds with the storm are likely to cause extensive blowing and drifting snow and perhaps blizzard conditions on Wednesday and Thursday,' according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Isaac Longley. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that it will not be easy to solve the problem of the illegal armed presence of the United States on Syrian territory. "Washington is constantly putting forward new conditions that violate the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of the SAR, despite the fact that these principles are enshrined in the main resolutions of the UN Security Council," Lavrov pointed out in an interview with Sputnik. "Let's see how this 'withdrawal' from Syria, announced by President Donald Trump, will play out," the top Russian diplomat stressed. On December 19, U.S. President Donald Trump declared that the U.S. has won against the ISIS terror group operating in Syria and made the announcement he was bringing home all U.S. forces from the war-torn country. Minister for suicide prevention Jackie Doyle-Price said internet giants need to take action Technology giants including Google and Facebook should be forced to remove content about suicide and self-harm, the governments minister for suicide prevention has demanded. Jackie Doyle-Price, 49, said internet giants need to take action against self-harm methods in the same way they tackle online extremist content. The MP for Thurrock, Essex, was appointed as Britains first suicide prevention minister in October. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, the minister said that sites Wikipedia, Google, Facebook and Twitter were behaving like unruly teenagers who had to be dragged, kicking and screaming into taking action. She told the paper: Publicising methods of how to take your own life are just as irresponsible as publishing hate videos and terrorism videos. Its the same thing; it leads to death and it leads to death that is preventable. Mrs Doyle-Price cited Wikipedia were totally irresponsible for hosting pages with descriptions of common suicide techniques. If someone who is vulnerable and considering taking their life reaches that state of utter low self esteem and self worth and they decide to go on the internet and start looking at ways to kill yourself they are going to find access to those techniques thats just totally irresponsible, she said. The MP warned that internet giants could face regulation if they fail to take action, saying: 'They are mature companies so they should stop behaving like unruly teenagers and start behaving like mature responsible players in the marketplace. It is time for Google to grow up' She added: They are not new kids on the block any more; they are mature companies so they should stop behaving like unruly teenagers and start behaving like mature responsible players in the marketplace. It is time for Google to grow up.' She warned that internet giants could face regulation if they fail to take action. I wouldnt rule anything out. The challenge is to the providers here dont think the government wont regulate. The minister added that a 10-year-plan for the NHS expected to take shape next month will see a huge expansion in mental health services for children, including targets which will limit waiting times to four weeks. She said it would also help combat mental distress and will include mindfulness classes for five-year-olds. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have also given their backing After more than 26,000 readers rallied to answer the Daily Mails call for hospital volunteers, we talk to both patients and helpers and hear how it has given them so much in return... My lovely helper became a friend Breast cancer patient Kim Jones, 52, says volunteer Elsie Grounsell, 72, offered her a lifeline after her diagnosis last year. Kim, who works for a double glazing company, lives in Wallsend, North Tyneside, with husband Chris, 58, a managing director of a plumbing company. Elsie, a widow from Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, and a former cancer patient, has volunteered for 20 years at North Tyneside General Hospital. Elsie, pictured right, says: I was a similar age Kim was when I developed breast cancer. Ive volunteered in some way or another ever since I felt so grateful for the care I had, I wanted to give something back' Kim says: The date I was diagnosed with breast cancer January 23, 2017 will stick with me for ever. It came as a complete shock. But it would have been so much more traumatic if it hadnt been for Elsie. While the doctors had run through what might happen, my head was spinning so much I didnt really take it on board. Then the staff put me in touch with Elsie. Seeing her made such a difference. Its tempting to think youre all alone when you go through something like this but Elsie had also had breast cancer she knew what it was like, and made me feel so supported. Breast cancer patient Kim Jones, 52, right, says volunteer Elsie Grounsell, 72, offered her a lifeline after her diagnosis last year My first appointment with Elsie was before I started treatment, I then saw her whenever I went in for more. She made me feel reassured. She took the time to talk through everything thoroughly with me, so I knew what to expect. I had thick dark hair that fell below my shoulder and losing it was one of the worst points. I didnt want to go out and my confidence vanished. 'But Elsie gave me advice about how to clip my hair to disguise the bald patches and she chatted to me and made me feel so much better about things. I definitely regard her as a friend. She is such a lovely woman, and she does this all as a volunteer. She is life-enhancing. Elsie says: I was a similar age Kim was when I developed breast cancer. Ive volunteered in some way or another ever since I felt so grateful for the care I had, I wanted to give something back. I volunteer two days a week for four hours although that can vary. I volunteer for the Top To Toe support scheme and we give patients practical advice and emotional support. The hospital staff are amazing but we fill in those gaps. Volunteering is now a huge part of my large life. And as much as I would rather not have had cancer, its got me involved in things I never would have thought of doing, and met people I never would have otherwise met. So for that I am grateful. I signed up after support I got Carol Looby, 66, a retired air traffic controller assistant who lives in Leeds, describes how a volunteer changed her life in more ways than one. She says: Just before Christmas five years ago I donated blood as usual then, on the way home, I fell over and broke my thigh bone and needed surgery that evening. I was told Id be discharged after just four nights to be honest, I was worried about how Id manage, as I live alone. Then the hospital explained I was only allowed home alone because of a scheme run by the Red Cross, Home from Hospital, which provides support with things like shopping and mobility when patients are discharged. By the time I got home, a lady called Beth was already there with a walking frame. Then a young man called Asaim visited me once a week and did the shopping, made tea and hot water bottles: he was a godsend. I kept in touch with the local Red Cross office and was asked if Id like to volunteer, too. The invitation came at the perfect time as Id recently retired and was looking for something else to do. Initially I helped out for about ten hours a week at the hospital, in the wheelchair office for people who need to borrow one after theyve been discharged. I now volunteer for five hours a week helping people in their homes after theyve been discharged. Its a lovely feeling to know Im doing a bit of good and it all came about because a volunteer helped me they changed my life. Power of a cuppa and a chat Marilyn Ward, 65, a retired hospital administrator from Dereham in Norfolk, volunteers at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital as a settler in, a scheme to help vulnerable patients into their homes after they have been discharged. There is real satisfaction in knowing that youve helped changed someones life with something as simple as a cup of tea and a chat, she says. I saw this with the first person I helped, a man in his 70s who was recovering from a hip replacement. He also had depression and anxiety, made worse by the prospect of going back to his house, where he lived alone. My role was to meet him when he was dropped off then we went into the house together: it was dark, cold and empty, and sitting on the table, neatly laid out, were his car ownership and tax documents. He said: I left the documents here so my neighbour could take my car if I died. It was heart-wrenching. For the first hour I was there, this man wouldnt look up. But by the time wed chatted and Id even made him laugh he was able to look me straight in the eye. Two months later I bumped into him and he was a totally different man. When I retired, I wanted to do something useful with my new free time. I felt like being my own boss this volunteer job is perfect as I dont do set hours. Interviews: Lucy Elkins, Jo Waters and Amanda Cable A supermarket worker has urged last-minute shoppers to remain calm after reports of squabbles over turkeys and limited parking spaces. Julie Weatherson told panic buyers they should be 'ashamed' of themselves as they scrambled over each other to pick up last minute Christmas essentials. 'Oh for god sake. I work in a supermarket and it's ridiculous. We are shut for 24 hours people that is it??? Why do you feel the need to bulk buy?' she told Hull Live. Christmas chaos has broken out in supermarkets across the UK as last-minute shoppers squabble over the last turkey and limited parking spaces (shoppers in Grimsby Asda) 'The amount of people we had shoving and pushing people with trolleys yesterday was embarrassing. Should be ashamed.' Shoppers found themselves trapped in car parks due to high levels off traffic and then stuck on congested motorways. Sophia Howard was stuck in Tesco's car park in Chelmsford for an hour and questioned on Twitter why nobody was managing traffic flow. An onlooker told how two elderly women came to blows over a turkey in Liverpool and had to be separated by staff, calling their spat 'turkey rage'. He described the events on his Twitter page, writing: ' 'All kickin off in Sainsbury's Rice Lane. Turkey rage. Nuts. Two old dears having a full on kick off over a turkey. Had to be separated by staff. Serene it ain't. 'One of them was about to use her walking stick as a weapon. Just hearing it continued in the car park. Merry Christmas, everyone.' Further north of the country, Tom Clark told Hull Live: This is the worst part about Christmas - shopping and traffic. 'I need a lie down after this, it's done me in. I wouldn't wish it on my own enemy, this.' Cars queue outside a Sainsbury's in Grimsby as one woman complained she was stuck in a Tesco car park in Chelsmford for an hour People took to social media to lament the chaos that had broken out in stores Meanwhile on Twitter, those who had braved the shops took to the social media platform to complain about the chaos that had erupted inside supermarkets nationwide. Lucy Byrne, who was also feeling turkey rage, wrote: 'Going Asda today was a regrettable choice. Proper turkey rage.' While Zoe Harrison lamented the busy stores: 'Just been to Sainsbury's to get the rest of the Christmas food shop and I've actually never seen chaos like it. Chill out it's only closed for one f***ing day.' Brits who rushed to the shops in hope of bagging their Christmas treats just two days before the day, were met with empty shelves and people stocking piling their trolleys Peter Monggomery also appeared confused as to why people stock pile food, writing: 'Heading to the supermarket at this time of year, I'm never sure if people are shopping for Christmas lunch or the Armaggeddon. Those heading out on Christmas Eve have been warned to expect severe significant delays in some areas. In Surrey today, there were major problems on the M25 anti-clockwise following a crash involving a number of vehicles. Three lanes were closed at one point. Half of UK motorists will take to main roads or motorways on Monday, according to AA research. Those heading out on Christmas Eve have been warned to expect severe significant delays in some areas Analysis by the RAC and traffic information supplier Inrix predicted that roads will be busiest between 11am and 1pm. The worst road for long delays is expected to be the M1 northbound from Junction 21 (Coventry/Leicester) to Junction 26 (Nottingham/Ripley). The M25, M5, M6 and M40 have also been identified as 'likely to see significant delays' over the festive period. In addition to the threat of long queues, drivers are also being hit with Christmas getaway fuel costs at a five-year high. UK forecourts are charging motorists an average of 1.21 per litre for petrol and 1.31 per litre for diesel, according to Government data. The last time prices were this high in the run-up to Christmas was 2013. Some of Network Rail's 330 Christmas engineering projects have already begun, forcing a number of lines to be closed. Airports are seeing a spike in demand in the build-up to Christmas. Travel trade organisation Abta expects more than 4.7m people to head abroad from the UK between December 18 and January 2. Mrs May called an emergency Brexit meeting for January 2 Cabinet ministers have been summoned to an emergency meeting on January 2 by Theresa May cutting short their Christmas break, it was reported last night. The Prime Minister wants to have discussions about a no-deal Brexit as she tries to pile pressure on her critics ahead of a vote on her withdrawal plan early next month. There is growing confidence within the Government that Mrs May's deal will pass a vote in the Commons, although it may be on the second or even third attempt according to the Financial Times. Environment Secretary Michael Gove is thought to be particularly worried about a disorderly exit from the EU, which he thinks could lead to empty supermarket shelves if the Dover-Calais trade route is blocked. The Cabinet meeting will be led by Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay, a week before debates on the deal restart in Parliament. One minister told the FT the meetings are 'all about show really'. Theresa and Philip May brave the elements to attend their local church in Berkshire on Sunday 'It's to prove that we are pulling out all the stops to prepare for the worst,' the minister said. Meanwhile Mrs May called for warring political factions to drop the labels 'Leave' and 'Remain' to heal divisions within the country. In a letter seen by the Daily Express, the Prime Minister said that Christmas was a time 'to put aside our differences and focus on what really matters'. 'Now, two and a half years after the referendum, it is time for us as a country to do the same,' she said. 'To dispense with the titles of 'Leave' and 'Remain,' and instead find common ground and focus on what we can achieve together. 'For I believe that's what the vast majority of people in this country want to happen.' She added: 'The sooner MPs agree the right Brexit deal, the sooner we can all get back to dealing with those issues and building a country that works for everyone.' A man who came home from work one day to find his neighbours had built a brick wall covering his entire bedroom window has finally found a solution after 70 days of 'waking up in complete darkness every morning'. Oscar Gordon, from Melbourne, described his bedroom as a 'glorified cupboard' after he found builders constructing a brick wall directly outside his bedroom two months ago. 'Paying full rent to wake up in complete darkness every morning,' the 33-year-old wrote over his Instagram account in November. But just in time for Christmas, it appears a solution has been found. Scroll down for video Oscar Gordon, 33, (pictured) found his bedroom window had been entirely covered by a neighbour's brick wall 'Prisoners in their cell get more light than I do in my bedroom,' he told A Current Affair last month. 'I wake up, I open my eyes and I'm like, 'Oh yep', put the gym gear on and I'm ready to make myself a coffee. I open my bedroom door and realise that it's 2am.' The former KISS FM executive digital content producer received overwhelming support after taking to social media to express his frustration. Now, he has taken to Instagram to update his followers on the course of events. 'It's a Christmas Miracle!!!, he wrote on Sunday. 'Remember that whole Prison Cell Bedroom thing?... 70 days later and I've come home to a little bit of LIGHT!' After ongoing discussions with the landlord and Yarra council, a creative solution to add some light into the room was found by installing a skylight in the ceiling. 'Prisoners in their cell get more light than I do in my bedroom,' Mr Gordon said at the time Mr Gordon's good friend Sophie Monk (right) was outraged. 'Orange is the New Black has a better view!' she posted In a creative twist, Mr Gordon found a way to add some light into the room by installing a skylight in the ceiling (pictured) 'This is OUTRAGEOUS,' radio presenter Fifi Box posted on Instagram at the time. Jackie O added: 'Nobody puts baby in a basement.' Even Mr Gordon's good friend Sophie Monk was outraged. 'Orange is the New Black has a better view!' she posted. The situation stunned foreman Keith Schleiger from Channel Nine's The Block, who had to visit Mr Gordon's home to see it for himself. 'Oscar, I have never, ever seen anything remotely like this. I don't know what to say,' Keith said. Mr Gordon has been inundated with support since taking to social media to express his frustration. Pictured is Fifi Box's reaction Even radio personality Jackie O weighed into the debate on social media Sophie Monk weighed into the debacle currently facing her friend Oscar Gordon MS-13 allegedly used a 13-year-old girl to lure a man to a New York City bird sanctuary, where they shot him multiple times. Ian Cruz, 23, from Far Rockaway, Queens, was discovered lying dead and half-naked in the nearby Bayswater Point State Park last Friday. Sources told the New York Post that the teenage girl messaged Cruz online and encouraged him to meet her to have sex in the woods some time between December 15 and 16. Instead, a group of four gang members, including the girl, shot him several times in the head using .22 caliber firearms. Police at the scene of Bayswater Point State Park where Ian Cruz was discovered dead last Friday. He was shot multiple times in the head by four members of MS-13 Cops arrested four people in the gruesome killing, including an unidentified 13-year-old-girl and 15-year-old boy. Investigators believe that the group used the same girl to entrap and kill 17-year-old Harold Sermeno. Sermeno, who was also from Far Rockaway, was found fatally shot outside the Five Towns Community Center on Tuesday. It is believed that both men were mistaken for rival gang members, but it is unclear whether they knew the girl was 13, sources told the New York Post. Police arrested Yonathan Sanchez, 22; Carlos Guerro, 18; the two teens and another teen on Saturday. They were all charged with murder and weapons possession. The MS-13 gang was started by Central American immigrants has been responsible for dozens of heinous and brutal killings across the US. Targeting the group and stopping their crimes was designated a 'priority' last year by the Department of Justices Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. Prosecutors are able to pursue any legal avenue to target MS-13, according to Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Police believe the notorious gang used the same entrapment method in the killing of 17-year-old Harold Sermano on Tuesday Ian Cruz, 23, from Far Rockaway, was found lying dead and half naked at this site According to an indictment seen by the New York Post, all five accused of killing Sermeno were together at an apartment in Far Rockaway on Wednesday. Cops later found 900 rounds of .22-caliber ammunition, according to a criminal complaint. The girl only started appearing the apartment about three weeks ago while the men had been present for a while, according to neighbor Matthew Woodard. 'I heard she was heavily involved. You dont expect a 13-year-old-kid to be caught up in something like that'. Donald Trump recently announced the need for his border wall to protect America's borders from gangs like MS-13 MS-13s motto is 'mata, viola, controla' which means 'kill, rape, control,' Robert Hur, an official with the Justice Department told Fox News. Gang members perpetuate a number of various criminal acts, according to the FBI. It said most of the crimes are carried out against members of rival gangs, but 'often' innocent people are hurt as well. MS-13 recruits are middle- and high-school students, predominantly in immigrant communities, who are said to risk violent retribution if they leave. Donald Trump recently announced the need for his border wall to protect America's borders from gangs like MS-13, which has caused a government shutdown as Democrats say they wont agree to the provide the funding. In a video Trump said: 'It's very dangerous out there, drugs are pouring in, human trafficking. So many different problems including gangs like MS-13. We don't want them in the United States...We need a great barrier, and if we don't have it, it's never going to work,' he said. Chris Christie says President Donald Trump is a stubborn old man. The former Governor of New Jersey who once headed the Trump transition team says that the President, 72, is at an age where no amount of persuasion will convince him to change his mind. When people get older, they become more and more convinced of the fact that what theyre doing is the right thing and it becomes harder to convince them otherwise, Christie, who was rumored to be in line for the Attorney General position, said on ABCs This Week on Sunday. Christie referred to Trump as a '72-year-old relative.' Comparing Trump to a "72-year-old relative," Chris Christie says Mick Mulvaney is "right that he shouldn't try to manage the president." "When people get older they become more and more convinced of the fact that what theyre doing is the right thing" https://t.co/brbelwXHpt pic.twitter.com/id7x3Pe9nV This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 23, 2018 Chris Christie, the former Governor of New Jersey who once headed the Trump transition team, says that President Donald Trump, 72, is at an age where no amount of persuasion will convince him to change his mind Christie referred to Trump as a '72-year-old relative.' He was discussing the role of incoming White House Acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney Christie appeared on a panel of television commentators to discuss the tumultuous week at the White House, which included the naming of Mick Mulvaney as acting Chief of Staff, the removal of Defense Secretary James Mattis, and the announcement of a rapid troop withdrawal from Syria. There was also the partial government shut down, which came about after Congress refused the Presidents demand for billions of dollars toward funding a border wall. When asked about Mulvaneys job description as Acting Chief of Staff, Christie said the best thing to do is let Trump be Trump. I was encouraged by hearing him say he wasnt going to try to manage the president, Christie told ABC News. I think that one of the mistakes - I think a very well-intentioned mistake that Gen. Kelly made is that he tried to manage the president. I dont think you can do that. Manage the things you can manage, Christie said. And if Mick does that, I think he'll be successful. If he doesn't, it'll be hard. Mulvaney, who also appeared on This Week on Sunday, says he and Trump joked about a 2016 video in which he calls his future boss a terrible human being. Mulvaney, who has served as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, was asked about the now-viral clip. Look, I think what's wrong with Washington, D.C. - people spend a lot more time looking at what people say instead of what they do, Mulvaney said. Mick Mulvaney says he talked with Trump about the 2016 clip in which he called Trump "a terrible human being." "We joked about it ... what's wrong with Washington, D.C.? people spend a lot more time looking at what people say instead of what they do" https://t.co/U6HBRktFZG pic.twitter.com/EKqUjQevvY This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 23, 2018 Mulvaney says he and Trump joked about a 2016 video in which the next acting White House Chief of Staff calls his future boss a terrible human being. Audio and video emerged of Mulvaney trashing Trump during the 2016 campaign even as he endorsed him over rival Hillary Clinton. Mulvaney is seen right alongside his Democratic opponent, Fran Person, during the race for South Carolina's 5th Congressional District seat The former South Carolina Republican says Trump knows that I have been fighting with him to fight for ordinary Americans for the last two years. He likes having me around and I like working for him, Mulvaney says. Trump this month tapped Mulvaney to serve as his 'acting' Chief of Staff, following an awkward search after his announcement that Chief of Staff John Kelly will be leaving shortly. Soon after he revealed the choice this month, audio and video emerged of Mulvaney trashing Trump during the 2016 campaign even as he endorsed him over rival Hillary Clinton. It may have hit a nerve. According to Axios, Trump recently asked an adviser, 'Did you know [Mulvaney] called me a terrible human being back during the campaign?' The was a reference to a debate video where Mulvaney did, in fact, call Trump a 'terrible human being.' Trump was 'furious' when he saw the video, according to the account. It quoted a spokeswoman saying the recording was from before Mulvaney met Trump implying it would not be a breach of friendship. As Beto O'Rourke's popularity within the Democrat party rises, Bernie Sanders supporters appear to be making a concerted effort to take O'Rourke down. While neither Texas Rep. O'Rourke, 46, or Vermont Sen. Sanders, 77, have declared that they intend to seek the party's presidential nomination for the 2020 election, that hasn't stopped Sanders' supporters from attacking O'Rourke both online and in print, NBC News reported. O'Rourke captured the attention of Democrats nationwide while running for Senate against incumbent Ted Cruz, a Republican, during the November midterm elections. Despite losing by 2.6 per cent of the vote, many supporters see him as the potential ticket to unseating Donald Trump during the 2020 election or hope that he'll land the vice president slot on the ballot. Bernie Sanders supporters are said to be on the attack as Beto O'Rourke's (pictured) star is rising within the Democrat party and there are hopes that he'll seek a presidential nomination Sanders (shown) supporters are denying that there's a coordinated attack against O'Rourke The problem with O'Rourke, Sanders supporters say, is that he isn't a progressive enough candidate for their tastes. To them, O'Rourke is too cozy with corporate donors and congressional Republicans and unwilling to use his newfound spotlight to help other Democrats, to say nothing of his voting record. Journalist David Sirota, who had worked for Sanders in the past, started the ball rolling by tweeting his surprise that O'Rourke had received the second-highest amount of donations from the oil and gas industry in 2018. Cruz took the top spot. Sirota, however, failed to acknowledge the fact that O'Rourke refused money from corporate PACs, that the donations came from a handful of executives and lower level employees employed by oil and gas companies Texas' biggest industries and that all the donations combined accounted for less than 0.5 per cent of the money O'Rourke raised for his midterm campaign, according to NBC News. Sirota then doubled down on his O'Rourke criticism with an article he wrote for Capital & Main in which he examined O'Rourke's voting record and detailed the various ways O'Rourke 'undermined his own partys efforts to halt the GOP agenda, frequently voting against the majority of House Democrats in support of Republican bills and Trump administration positions.' A former Sanders worker tweeting his surprise that O'Rourke received the second-highest amount of donations from the oil and gas industry in 2018 Sanders supporters have been busy tweeting negatively about O'Rourke's political past The Sanders supporters war against O'Rourke is being seen as detracting from the positive message of other potential candidates, including Senators Kamala Harris and Cory Booker While O'Rourke had a chance at dethroning Cruz, liberal activists 'sucked it up' because they hoped he would win, progressive activist and Sanders supporter Nomiki Konst told NBC News. 'But now its a different story.' Especially true now that a new Quinnipiac University poll revealed that 59 per cent of millennial voters and 51 per cent of overall voters said they didn't know enough about O'Rourke to form an opinion about him. On the other hand, the majority of those polled had already developed their opinion about Sanders. Norman Solomon, a delegate for Sanders at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, told NBC News that now, 'millions of Americans are seeing pieces that look underneath the superficial gloss of projections onto Beto.' Although O'Rourke might be 'a big step up for red-state Texas statewide,' Solomon said he's 'actually a big step down for where the majority of Democrats are nationwide, adding that if Democrats 'buy the Beto package, were gonna have buyers remorse later on.' Despite this seeming glomming on of progressives against O'Rourke, Sanders supporters denied that they were executing coordinated attacks against O'Rourke and stating that Sanders has not spoken out against the younger Texan. Still, the Sanders supporter attacks against O'Rourke are being seen as potentially detrimental to the Democrat cause, according to party members who aren't affiliated with either camp. Former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau told NBC News that, 'I dont think theres much appetite among Democratic voters to re-live some of the dumb Twitter fights that we saw in the 2016 primary.' He added that 'its more productive to focus our time and energy talking about why we support the candidates who inspire us.' Aside from Sanders and O'Rourke, Favreau mentioned California Sen. Kamala Harris and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker as being progressives with positive messages who are being eyed for the party's presidential nomination. The big four banks are snooping through personal transactions to catch customers lying about their expenses when applying for loans. Minor expenses from a coffee, kebab purchase, monthly Netflix subscription to an Uber Eats order will be questioned and can hurt someone's chances of receiving a loan. One man was asked about why he hadn't declared he had a pet in his loan application after noticing a $50 pet related transaction, which was a gift for a friend. Customers applying for loans will have banks quiz them about their personal expenses from a kebab purchase to their daily coffee One customer was asked why he hadn't declared he had a pet after a bank noticed he had a $50 pet related transaction, which was just a gift for a friend A woman was asked if she was pregnant after a big four bank noticed she had been purchasing items at a baby shop, reports The Daily Telegraph. Another loan applicant was asked about whether they were pregnant with their second child after banks had noticed baby purchases. Banks are demanding more rigorous information from customers and their expenses following pressure from the royal commission, which saw widespread misconduct in the financial industry. Mortgage brokers are asking for double the amount of personal information compared with two years ago. The numbers of home loans granted is at its lowest since 2014. One Mortgage Choice broker had to resubmit a customer's loan for renovation after a bank questioned by they had rounded their credit card balance by 14 cents. One woman was asked if she was pregnant with her second child after they noticed she had been making baby purchases 'They want to see the actual expenses and account statements of the home loan applicant from the last three to six months, rather than just taking their word for it,' said Mortgage Choice executive Susan Mitchell. Vicky Doneska and her husband Risto, who had to refinance their home loan, noticed the amount of paperwork they had to complete had increased. 'It got to the point where I felt like asking how much more information could they possibly need,' said Ms Doneska. Westpac, Australia's second biggest home lender, increased their expenses categories from six to 13 earlier this year to get customers to provide more information about how they spend their money. Westpac's loan application require customers to specify expenses such as groceries, recreation, transport and other basic expenses. Banks will now take HELP debt, a loan given to students when studying at public universities into account when customers apply for a loan, which applies to 2.7 million Australians. A knife-wielding man on top of a block of units has refused to come down as police crowd around the property. Police were called to the property in Orange, New South Wales, after reports of an armed man standing on the roof of a unit block on at 1pm on Monday. Dramatic vision from the scene shows the shirtless man, with blood dripping from his leg, waving two kitchen knives at officers below. Scroll down for video A knife-wielding man on top of a block of units has refused to come down as police crowd around the property in Orange, New South Wales (pictured) At one point the man can be seen holding the knife to his throat. Police were only able to confirm that officers were responding to an incident on Dalton Street. Pedestrians and motorists are being urged to avoid the area and surrounding streets have been blocked off from the public. Turkey has begun bolstering its military presence in Kilis near near its border with Syria, a war monitor said. The Turkish IHA news agency reported that a convoy of Turkish troops had been sent into Syria overnight. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the reinforcements were sent to the front line with Manbij, where U.S. troops have been based. According to the Observatory, 50 vehicles crossed into Syria - carrying troops and equipment. A Turkish military official said the military reinforcements were dispatched to the areas administered by Turkey in northern Syria. The Turkish buildup comes even though Turkey said it would delay a promised offensive in eastern Syria in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw his country's troops earlier this week. The remains Jakelin Caal Maquin (pictured) who died while in custody of US Border Patrol arrived in her native Guatemala on Sunday The body of a 7-year-old girl who died while in custody of the U.S. Border Patrol arrived in her native Guatemala on Sunday. A tiny white coffin containing the remains of Jakelin Caal Maquin was received on Sunday afternoon at Guatemala City's international airport by representatives of the country's Foreign Ministry The coffin was loaded into the back of a black hearse by workers in orange vests. Jakelin Caal died on December 8 in a hospital in El Paso, Texas, in the early hours of the morning. Her remains were then driven hours into the countryside to be handed over to family members for a final goodbye in the village of San Antonio Secortez. Domingo Caal, the girl's grandfather, told The Associated Press that the family didn't have money to travel from their poor hamlet to Guatemala's capital. At his home in the department of Alta Verapaz, relatives set up a small wooden altar flanked by vases overflowing with flowers. Photographs of Jakelin lined the walls with the hand-lettered message 'We miss you'. Behind the house, dozens of women prepared tamales and beans to feed mourners. Relatives expected the body to arrive in the pre-dawn hours Monday in the hamlet of about 420 people who mostly live off growing of corn and beans. The village has no paved streets, running water or electricity, and residents say declining crop yields and a lack of work have pushed many in the community to emigrate in recent years. A man, thought to be a government official, approaches the body of Jakelin Caal Maquin after her remains were repatriated to Guatemala at La Aurora International Airport on Sunday A man, thought to be a government official, identifies the body of Jakelin Caal Maquin. Domingo Caal, the girl's grandfather, told Associated Press that the family didn't have money to travel from their poor hamlet to Guatemala's capital The presumed government official takes special care in placing the casket into the coffin Caal and her father, Nery Caal, were traveling with a group of 163 migrants who arrived at the New Mexico border earlier this month. After they were taken into custody December 6, the father told a U.S. agent that the girl was sick and vomiting. Her death marked another turning point in the debate over the Trump administration's hardline approach to immigration enforcement with many questioning whether better medical care could have saved her. A GoFundMe page authorized by the Guatemalan consulate has been set up to help Jakelin's family. The funds will cover the family's basic needs, including medical care for the girl's three siblings and the construction of a bathroom and a kitchen in their home, said Priscilla Villareal, a community organizer in Texas who created the page. This week the Department of Homeland Security released a more detailed timeline of the events which preceded her death. She was detained along with her father Nery at 9.15pm on December 6th as they crossed into the US in New Mexico illegally. At 10pm that night, Nery was questioned about their health and, according to Customs and Border Patrol, told agents that neither he nor his daughter had health problems. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials say he did not understand when he was asked in Spanish if his daughter was in good health and answered yes because his native tongue is Mayan. Nery was questioned in Spanish and his answers were translated to English and marked onto a Form I-779. On Friday, officials repeatedly eschewed blame for Jakelin's death by telling journalists about the form. Mortuary employees carry the body of Jakelin Caal Maquin to make the long journey to the remote village of San Antonio Secortez where her family lives Her remains were then driven hours into the countryside to be handed over to family members for a final goodbye in the village of San Antonio Secortez The hearse makes the long drive to the remote village of San Antonio Secortez where the girl's family live A large media contingent were present as the hearse carrying the girl's coffin made its way to her hometown where her family and mourners will have a prayer service Nery was questioned in Spanish and his answers were translated to English and marked onto a Form I-779. On Friday, officials repeatedly eschewed blame for Jakelin's death by telling journalists about the form. But in light of the fact that Spanish was not, as they claimed, his first language, it remains unclear if Nery knew what he was saying when he told the agents that his daughter was healthy. It also remains unclear what he would have told them had he understood the questions fully. Jakelin's mother Claudia Maquin said of her death: 'Every time they ask me what happened to the girl, it hurts me again' 'Jakelin and her father speak Q'eqchi' and Spanish is their second language. Neither of them speaks English. 'Yet, CBP is relying on forms signed by her father which are in the English language. 'It is unacceptable for any government agency to have persons in custody sign documents in a language that they clearly do not understand,' lawyers Enrique Moreno, Elena Esparza and Lynn Coyle, who represent Caal's father, said in a joint statement. He also fought the government's initial claim that Jakelin had not eaten or drank water for 'days' before she died. 'Prior to going into CBP custody and contrary to the report that Jakelin 'had not eaten or had any water for several days,' Jakelin had not been crossing the desert for days. 'Jakelin's father took care of Jakelin - made sure she was fed and had sufficient water. She and her father sought asylum from border patrol as soon as they crossed the border. 'She had not suffered from a lack of water or food prior to approaching the border,' the lawyers said. The child's cause of death has not yet been determined and no information about her autopsy has been released. Last week, CBP officials spoke on a conference call along with officials from the Department of Homeland Security where they gave reasons including brain swelling, liver failure, septic shock and dehydration for her death. Claudia Maquin, 27, shows a photo of her daughter on December 15 Domingo Caal Chub, 61, (pictured), Nery's father, and the rest of the family are said to speak a Mayan dialect with both English and Spanish being their second languages Nery is now staying at Anunciation House, a shelter for migrants in El Paso. It is not known if he will travel back to the village where his family lives to mourn the death of Jakelin. Guatemalan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marta Larra said the ministry had sent a diplomatic note to the U.S. State Department asking for it to monitor the case and determine the cause of death. Domingo Caal said his son has a January 3 court date in the United States to determine his migratory status. Tekandi Paniagua, the Guatemalan consul in Del Rio, Texas, told The Associates Press that he had spoken with the girl's father who said he had no complaints about how they were treated. Caal asked the Guatemalan consulate in Texas, which had reached out to him, if he could see his daughter one last time before her body was sent back to her homeland. Members of the Caal Maquin family and neighbors stand in front of Claudia Maquin's house in Raxruha, Guatemala This is the home Jakelin lived in with her father, mother, grandfather and three siblings where they survived on $5-a-day Dozens of women prepared tamales and beans to feed mourners when Jackelin's remains eventually arrive for a funeral service That request prompted special arrangements at a private funeral home last Friday, when he said goodbye to Jakelin. The family lives in a hut in San Antonio Secortez, a mountainous hamlet which has only 420 inhabitants, and they survive on $5-a-day which they earn through harvesting corn and beans. According to the family, Nery paid a smuggler to take him and Jakelin to the border. His father Domingo, who speaks Spanish like 'most' other men in the town, told The Associated Press that he borrowed money to pay for their journey and used their plot of land as a surety. 'He was desperate,' he said. The family contradicted what his lawyers seemed to suggest by saying that they never intended to apply for asylum. Most of the men in the village know Spanish but Nery's was 'broken', according to Guatemalan officials. Jakelin's mother Claudia held back tears as she described her life in Mayan. Her grandfather, Domingo Caal Chub, 61, translated her remarks into Spanish. 'Every time they ask me what happened to the girl, it hurts me again,' she said. Border Patrol officials on Friday maintain that agents did everything they could to save the girl but that she had not had food or water for days. Jakelin's family is asking for an 'objective and thorough' investigation to determine whether officials met standards for taking children into custody. Hundreds of residents fled for their lives after cracking sounds coming from a high rise sparked fears the building could collapse. More than 200 residents of Opal Tower in Sydney Olympic Park were evacuated along with more than 3,000 from nearby buildings. Fleeing with few of their possessions, they have no idea if they will able to return to their homes for Christmas and many will spend the night in a shelter. Residents said they heard loud cracking sounds about 2.45pm coming from the 10th floor and began to rush outside. Scroll down for video Hundreds of residents have fled for their lives after cracking sounds coming from the roof of their high rise sparked fears the building will collapse at any moment More than 200 residents of Opal Tower in Sydney Olympic Park were evacuated Police then arrived and evacuated the rest of the residents. The 117m tower contains 392 units along with a childcare centre and other amenities. Some residents said the doors to the building were jammed and police had to break them down with heavy equipment to help residents escape. One also claimed they could hear movement in the building during strong winds. Firefighter search and rescue teams and public works engineers went inside the 34-storey building to assess it after a huge crack was found in its structure. NSW Fire Acting Superintendent Greg Wright said they would 'determine if the building is safe to inhabit or if any other remedial works are required'. Firefighter search and rescue teams and public works engineers are inside the 34-storey building assessing it after a huge crack was found in its structure More than 3,000 people in nearby buildings were also told to leave and those coming home were not allowed back inside Police and firefighters stand guard outside the exclusion zone they set up to keep people away He hoped to have completed this process in several hours and know if and when residents could return to their homes. 'We don't know (when that will be) until the engineers assess the building and find out what caused the issue - or if there's a major issue with the building,' he said. NSW Police Detective Superintendent Philip Rogerson said the building, which was only completed in March and opened in August, had moved one to two millimetres. The tower was being monitored with specialist laser monitoring equipment to detect any movement, but none had been recorded since the crack opened. Fire crews shut off the water and gas and took the building off the power grid while police taped off a 250m radius. Police said an emergency services operation is underway after concerns were raised for the structural integrity of the 30-storey Opal Tower (pictured) at Sydney Olympic Park Residents were left stranded in the park nearby, not knowing how long it would be until they were able to return to their homes Opal Tower is only months old The 117m Opal tower has 392 apartments over 34 storeys along with a childcare centre and other businesses and amenities. Brand new high rise was built alongside numerous other similar blocks in Olympic Park as it transforms into a major population centre. The building was only completed in March and opened in August, and cost $165 million to build by developer Ecove, which built many of the others nearby. Two-bedroom apartments are on sale for $934,000 and one bedrooms for $620,000. The company also created One30 Hyde Park tower in the Sydney CBD. The tower was designed by architecture firm Bates Smart and built by Icon Construction. Advertisement More than 3,000 people in nearby buildings were also told to leave and those coming home were not allowed back inside. They included 55 children in a childcare centre who were moved elsewhere and later released to their families. The operator of the nearby Botania tower told its residents in an email: 'there is a potential for the tower to collapse, a 1km radius has been evacuated'. Residents were left stranded in the park nearby, not knowing how long it would be until they were able to return to their homes. Many will spend the night in Sydney Showground's Exhibition Hall 4 and await news of whether they can return for Christmas. Police said when it was safe to do so they would, with the help of the RSPCA, begin rescuing pets that were left behind in the evacuation. Trains running between Lidcombe and Olympic Park were cancelled as a precaution but buses are replacing them. A resident stands on her balcony as evacuations began. She was one of about 140 who left the building under police orders Police and fire fighters shut off the water and gas and took it off the power grid, and will use specialist equipment designed to monitor the building for any more movement using lasers Opal Tower is one of several new apartment towers in Olympic Park and cost $165 million to build. It was developed by Ecove, which also built many other new towers in the suburb along with One30 Hyde Park tower in the Sydney CBD. Two-bedroom apartments are on sale for $934,000 and one bedrooms for $620,000. 'We are aware of the concerns that have arisen with the Opal Building and confirm that the builder has been notified,' Ecove said. 'As a precaution the building has been temporarily evacuated whilst it is being assessed by the relevant authorities.' The tower was designed by architecture firm Bates Smart and built by Icon Construction. Residents mill around outside the building and ask police about when they will be able to go back inside Donald Trump doubled down on his US-Mexico border wall demands in a pair of tweets he posted Sunday night. The federal government is in the midst of a partial shutdown due, in part, to Congress refusing Trump's demand for billions of dollars which would be used to fund his border wall. The stalemate over the wall led parts of the government to shut down Saturday after funding for numerous departments and agencies expired. Despite this, Trump tweeted Sunday night that 'Mitch McConnell just told a group of people, and me, that he has been in the U.S. Senate for 32 years and the last two have been by far the best & most productive of his career. Tax & Regulation Cuts, VA Choice, Farm Bill, Criminal Justice Reform, Judgeships & much more. Great!' Donald Trump doubled down on his border wall demands in a tweet Sunday night and claimed Mitch McConnell said the last two years were the most productive in his Senate career Trump posted these two tweets on Sunday night while at the White House for the holidays About 15 minutes later, Trump tweeted, 'The most important way to stop gangs, drugs, human trafficking and massive crime is at our Southern Border. We need Border Security, and as EVERYONE knows, you can't have Border Security without a Wall. The Drones & Technology are just bells and whistles. Safety for America!' The tweets come on the heels of news from Trump's newly-appointed White House chief of staff and budget director Mick Mulvaney stating that he's waiting to hear from Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York about a counteroffer the White House presented Schumer over the weekend. Mulvaney would only say the offer was between Trump's $5.7billion request and $1.3billion Democrats have offered. 'We moved off of the five and we hope they move up from their 1.3,' Mulvaney said less than a day after a senior administration official insisted that Congress would have to cave into Trump's demand for the shutdown to end, highlighting Trump's unpredictable negotiating style. Schumer's office said the parties remained 'very far apart.' It's unclear when exactly McConnell (pictured December 22) spoke with Trump, however Trump's new White House chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, said he is waiting to hear back about a counteroffer from the Democrats, which is said to be between $5.7billion and $1.3billion Democrats had said they were open to proposals that don't include a wall, which Schumer said is costly and ineffective. They have offered to keep spending at existing levels of $1.3 billion for border fencing and other security. Earlier Sunday, Democrats continued to hold firm in opposition to a wall, which Trump promised his political base he would build. Mulvaney said 'the president's not going to not accept money for a border wall.' Democrats aren't the only ones resisting Trump on the wall, however. Republican Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, who is leaving Congress in January and has criticized Trump on other issues in the past, called the border-wall fight a 'made-up fight so the president can look like he's fighting.' 'This is something that is unnecessary. It's a spectacle. And, candidly, it's juvenile. The whole thing is juvenile,' Corker said, arguing for measures that he said would secure the border better than a wall. Trump had savored the prospect of a shutdown over the wall, saying he'd be 'proud' to force one over an issue that was one of his biggest campaign promises. He had said he wouldn't blame Democrats for a shutdown but now blames them for not contributing to the 60 votes needed for such legislation to clear the closely divided Senate. The closure affects hundreds of thousands of federal workers across the country and was expected to last at least through Thursday, when the House and Senate meet again. Monday and Tuesday, Christmas Eve and Christmas, respectively, are federal holidays, meaning the government would have been closed anyway. That means Wednesday is the first day the public could begin to feel the effects of lost government services, Mulvaney said. He predicted the shutdown could go into January, when Democrats assume control of the House based on their midterm election gains. 'It's very possible that this shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress,' Mulvaney said. Justin Goodman, a spokesman for Schumer, countered: 'If Director Mulvaney says the Trump Shutdown will last into the New Year, believe him, because it's their shutdown.' Trump recently declared he'd be 'proud' to shut down the government over border issues. About 800,000 federal employees are expected to be impacted by the partial government shutdown. More than half of those employees are deemed essential, such as U.S. Secret Service agents and Transportation Security Administration airport agents, and must work without pay, though retroactive pay is expected. Another 380,000 were to be furloughed, meaning they will not report to work but would be paid later. Legislation ensuring that workers receive back pay was expected to clear Congress. A man charged with a sex attack on a bus in Sydney's inner west will not be released on bail because he is a 'danger to the community'. Timothy Patrick Palmer, 53, was travelling from Marrickville, in Sydney's inner west, when he allegedly touched a 17-year-old girl's thigh while pleasuring himself on Sunday. Palmer has been denied bail to go home for Christmas after appearing before Parramatta Local Court on Monday, 9News reported. Timothy Patrick Palmer, 53, allegedly touched a 17-year-old girl's thigh while pleasuring himself on Sunday A man who allegedly stalked and sexually touched a teenage girl on a public bus has been dubbed a 'danger to the community' (stock) He will remain behind bars until his next court appearance on January 7. The prosecutor described Palmer's actions as calculated and predatory and said he was a 'danger to the community'. Parramatta Local Court told this was not the 53-year-old man's first offence and he had previously spent time in jail for stalking and intimidating. His young victim was walking through a petrol station at about 11am on Sunday when the man - who was not known to her - approached her. Police claim he attempted to speak to her, but she ignored him and made her way to a nearby bus stop on Illawarra Road. But the man followed her and tried once more to speak with her, before following her onto the bus and taking the seat next to her. It was there that the man allegedly touched her thigh 'inappropriately', while performing an indecent sex act on himself. Police were able to charge him when a number of members of the public intervened and detained him until police could arrive. He was taken to Newtown Police Station and charged with sexually touch another person without consent, stalk/intimidate intend feat physical etc harm, and carry out a sexual act with another without consent. A man who was blinded and badly disfigured by his girlfriend is suing police over claims they failed to act on information that could have prevented the incident. Daniel Rotariu, 31, had 96 per cent pure sulphuric acid poured over him by Katy Leong while he slept in their Leicester home in July 2016. Leong was jailed for life after being found guilty of attempted murder and will serve at least 17 years. Police watchdog the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) said officers and staff had received reports that Leong was 'acquiring acid to carry out a premeditated attack on an unnamed third party.' Daniel Rotariu, pictured during an appearance on Good Morning Britain in July last year, is suing Leicestershire Left: The bed in which Mr Rotariu was sleeping in when Leong, attacked in in the Leicester home they shared. Right: Katy Leong, who was jailed for 17 years for attempted murder The IOPC investigation found Leong was not contacted about this allegation. Mr Rotariu, 33, told the Guardian: 'They received information that Katie was acquiring acid but they just closed the file and did nothing. 'I'm living in a prison of darkness. It took away my independence, my ability to work. 'It took away my sight, I will never see my fiancee and my baby's face.' Daniel Rotariu (pictured before the attack) had 96 per cent pure sulphuric acid poured over him He added that he still visits hospital weekly more than two years after the attack and that he was suing to hold the force to account. Leicestershire Police told the paper they are aware of the legal proceedings, but declined to comment further. Leong and her former boyfriend, Mark Cummings, were both accused of attempted murder with Mr Cummings cleared by the jury at Leicester Crown Court in 2017. The court heard Mr Cummings, then 46, had ordered the acid online - but that the attack was 'driven and orchestrated' by Leong who was convicted. Police standing guard outside the home where Daniel Rotariu was attacked with acid while he was asleep Speaking at the time, Angela Clark, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'The evidence revealed a picture of her fascination with attacking someone using acid, including her possession of a book written by an acid attack survivor. 'The evidence of forensic medical experts confirmed that the acid was poured for about six seconds, and that a smaller dose of acid could have been fatal. 'All this evidence clearly showed that she had planned and implemented the attack fully intending to kill, so she was prosecuted for attempted murder.' A father has been fined 70,000 and accused of 'reckless vandalism' after he demolished a stairwell and cheese room at his Grade II-listed mansion home. Property developer Laurence Daw, 32, was criticised by Cheshire East Council officials for the renovations he made to Aston Park House in Cheshire, which is so old it was listed in the Domesday Book. He spent 480,000 renovating the historic house, which he bought in a derelict state for 320,000 in 2016. As well as the fines, Mr Daw must carry out 250 hours of community service. Aston Park House in Cheshire is so old it was listed in the Domesday Book. Property developer Laurence Daw, 32, has been fined for the alterations he made to the Grade II-listed mansion The property is described in records as a Queen Anne country house. Mr Daw slammed the council after he was taken to court, claiming that there was no proof he had 'willfully caused reckless damage to the house'. According to the Manchester Evening News, he said: 'I would warn anybody thinking of buying a listed property not to bother.' Cheshire East Council listed Mr Daw's offences as the unauthorised demolition of a two-storey historic cheese room and tradesman's entrance, the removal of sash windows, gable coping stones, guttering and lime mortar pointing. He was also accused of removing part of a staircase, floor tiles, door frames, window linings and architraves were also removed along with ceilings and soffits and an external boundary wall, while insulation spray foam was used on the fabric of the building, according to the council. Ainsley Arnold, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for housing, planning and regeneration, said: 'Mr Daw's actions with this property amounted to reckless vandalism and I want to thank the council officers, who have worked with Historic England and other experts, for their diligence and commitment in bringing this case to court and achieving this result.' The legal issues started when Mr Daw installed double glazed windows and Cheshire East Council listed other offences like the unauthorised demolition of a two-storey historic cheese room and tradesman's entrance Charles Smith, Historic England's north-west principal adviser for heritage at risk, said: 'Our built heritage makes a positive cultural, social and environment contribution to the nation. It is, however, a fragile resource. 'We will continue to work closely with Cheshire East Council to rectify as much of the damage as possible. We hope that this sad episode will remind other owners of the need to treat listed buildings with respect and care.' Meanwhile, Mr Daw expressed his dismay at the whole situation: 'At no point during the course of the proceedings was there any suggestion or indeed finding by the court of any wilful intent on my part to cause reckless damage.' While he accepts that some of the work on the house, carried out by third party contractors, was 'incorrect', he maintains that he had obtained appropriate consent at each stage. Historic England will now work closely with Cheshire East Council 'to rectify as much of the damage as possible' He slammed the council for its 'heavy handed' approach to the case and claimed that Aston Park House was derelict and in a 'perilous state of disrepair' when he bought it. From Kent, Mr Daw said that he moved his family from London for a better life and only wants the best for them. He added: 'My intention was never anything else but to create a safe and secure family home whilst undertaking to incur significant financial resources to restore a derelict and crumbling property. 'Whilst I fully respect the role that Council planning officers undertake, what I have had to endure has been deeply unpleasant, a waste of taxpayer resources and entirely unnecessary.' Mr Daw pleaded guilty to 15 offences under the 1990 Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act and three offences under the 1984 Building Act. He runs a string of property companies, mostly registered to an address in Kent, but gave addresses in Knutsford and Burnley to the court and was previously living in a mobile home at Aston Park House. Chris Evans leaves Wogan House in London with his son Noah after presenting his final BBC Radio 2 breakfast show Tearful listeners bid farewell to Chris Evans this morning as he hosted his last ever Radio 2 breakfast show after 13 years at the BBC station. The DJ, 52, who is returning to Virgin almost 20 years after he left, was joined by his family for his final show in which he struggled to contain his emotion. Fans inundated Twitter during the broadcast saying how 'mornings will never be the same again' and thanked him for his 'beautiful and emotional goodbye.' The former Top Gear host was also joined by Nicole Kidman, who rang into the show - and was kept on hold for 15 minutes. Later as he left Wogan House he said he was looking forward to having a lie-in before he starts his new job. He said: 'I get 28 days off, then I'm back at the coalface,' he said, as he stood outside Wogan House while wearing pyjamas emblazoned with Brussels sprouts. 'I feel sad and very happy and very excited.' One fan wrote on Twitter: Chris Evans you have brightened up our mornings all these years. We love you in out house and will miss you at Radio 2. Another said: Heard Chris Evans' farewell speech this morning. GUTTED!! Honestly don't know it I will get over it or how I will cope. There's no one like him. Farewell you heartbreaker.' And one fan added: 'So sad that today is @chrisevens last show. Mornings will never be the same again. Beautiful and emotional goodbye. Good luck for your new adventure.' After the show Evans said he was not feeling nervous about returning to Virgin almost 20 years after he was sacked for not showing up for work. 'I've done it before. I think we'll be all right,' he said. It will not be the last that the star sees of the BBC, as the DJ has signed up for what he called 'Strictly Come Dancing, baby! ' Evans has already been tipped as a winner of the show, but the broadcaster, who is being replaced by Zoe Ball on Radio 2, downplayed his chances, saying: 'I'm sure that's not going to happen.' Chris Evans leaves Wogan House in London, with his wife, Natasha, and sons Noah (right) and Eli, after presenting his final BBC Radio 2 breakfast show, which he has presented since 2010 He said that when deciding to leave the BBC, where he was earning at least 1.6 million, he thought about the words of his predecessor, the 'great man ' Sir Terry Wogan. Sir Terry had said 'there may not ever be a right time to go but there could be a wrong time to stay,' Evans said. Evans, wearing pyjamas hailed his wife Natasha Shishmanian 'my gravity, my compass, my guiding light' in a heartfelt speech. Evans thanked her for giving him 'enough certainty and security' to leave the BBC after 13 years. Evans met fans outside Wogan House in London as he signed autographs and was interviewed by the media He said: 'Thank you to my family for putting up with me, and for having someone in your personal orbit that does a job like this, particularly my daughter Jane. 'Thank you to you all for listening but most of all I would like to thank my wife Natasha, my gravity and my guiding light, for giving me enough certainty to feel confident enough to embark upon a bit of uncertainty again. 'It is what I like. I crave the uncertainty but you can only do that against a backdrop of certainty and security. 'Uncertainty is where creativity lives. Comfort and creativity are not the great bedfellows, let me tell you. 'None of us look forward to saying goodbye to the things and people we love. Why would we want it any other way.' Evans and wife Natasha Shishmanian pictured together in October 2015. Today the broadcaster called her 'my gravity, my compass, my guiding light' He wrapped up the speech with Amazing Grace. Evans and his wife recently welcomed twins Walt and Boo in September. They also have sons Noah, nine, and Eli, six. The former Top Gear host, said of today's show and if he would be shedding more tears: 'It was great and the kind of show we wanted to do today, we wanted to leave them laughing and not crying because there's been a lot of tears throughout the show, hopefully always for the right reasons but enough now. 'Enough now, Happy Christmas everyone.' Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman called into the show to request a song from him as a surprise. Evans kept her on hold for a few minutes but said afterwards: 'I thought we had someone on the phone who was requesting a record, which is fine because they called in to request one, what I didn't know is that the team had called Nicole Kidman and she was hanging on the phone for 14 mins from a beach in Australia. Apparently she loved it, which is good!' Evans was recently pictured outside the Virgin Radio studio where he will begin broadcasting his show on January 21 She requested Run Rudolph Run by Chuck Berry. Later reduced his wife to tears, who was a guest in the studio, asking her to read out a message he had written from the perspective of their children. She said: 'Today's gobsmackers are chosen by Noah and Eli Evans for their mum Tash.' She began to cry, saying: 'Oh, for goodness sake.' She continued: 'They say that while everybody is talking about our dad we wanted to pick two songs for mum. During this morning's show Twitter was deluged by fans saying how sad they were that he was leaving 'One is because she loves nothing more than to dance in the sunshine with a grapefruit G and T, laughing uncontrollably with the people she loves. 'The other is her mascara moment, with Michael Jackson with Love Never Felt So Good. But first, Razorlight with America.' Evans began the show by telling listeners: 'It is sad. It's a sad day today. 'But it is also an exciting day for everyone. You've got to turn the pages sometimes. Chris Evans, with his replacement, Zoe Ball, who will take over hosting when Evans departs the show 'If you wait for other people to turn them it might never happen, you know what I am saying?' The Christmas Eve show was the former TFI Friday and Top Gear host's last before he is replaced by Zoe Ball in the new year. Replying to emails and text messages, Evans asked fans: 'Please don't shed too many tears during our final morning.' He added: 'This is your show. It's a two-way street today. Truly, definitively. It is your input.' Evans has been at BBC Radio 2 since 2005 and has had the breakfast slot since January 2010. His Virgin Radio breakfast show will begin on January 21. Evans said he was excited to be hosting his final BBC Radio 2 breakfast show on Christmas Eve. He said: 'It's Christmas Eve. It's so exciting, I'm so excited. Nine years. We thought it was eight. It was nine on the breakfast show.' Evans explained that his team had created a yearbook of their favourite moments. He said: 'They've put together this lovely album of the special moments. Glastonbury in the mud, when we recorded from my house. MEMORABLE MOMENTS FROM CHRIS EVANS' CAREER 1983: Chris Evans began his professional career at Piccadilly Radio 1990: He became a presenter at BBC London radio station GLR on the Saturday afternoon show. 1992: He presented a Sunday afternoon show on BBC Radio 1, replacing Phillip Schofield. 1993: Evans left GLR and joined the new Virgin Radio. Six weeks later he walked out 1995: He began presenting BBC Radio 1's flagship breakfast show. 1997: He quits the BBC Breakfast show 1997: He buys Virgin Radio and rejoins as breakfast show host 2000: He sells the station to Scottish Media Group 2001: Evans is sacked for failing to show up to work for six days 2005: He joins Radio 2 2010 The DJ replaces Sir Terry Wogan in the breakfast slot 2015: He takes over the helm of Top Gear, but quits after one series Advertisement The Pudsy cup, more recent photographs, the Globe Theatre, the anniversary of the Normandy landings, Prince Harry, then the big anniversary of the Dambusters at Biggin Hill. Lovely, lovely book this is.' Evans said he finally understood viewers' sadness at his departure after listening to a selection of moments from the past year. The clips featured recordings of Evans' coverage of the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, BBC Children in Need and the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. He said: 'I forgot about the Olympics. I forgot about the whole of the Olympics that we did. The thing is, we have had a right laugh. We've had a right laugh. 'Suddenly I get it. Suddenly I get what all the texts are about. Listening back to the show, it's not half bad, is it? It's not Terry [Wogan], but it's not bad, is it? 'I mean, with the amount of brain cells I have, and after he left this mortal coil.' The Reverend Kate Bottley also thanked Evans for featuring her on his breakfast show's Pause for Thought section. The former Gogglebox star said: 'Four and a half years on since my first Pause for Thought, it's been a blast, love and blessings to Chris Evans for the next bit of the adventure BBC Radio 2 go in peace.' Evans held back sobs as he thanked his family and wife for supporting him during his broadcasting career. Following the emotional speech from Evans, Zoe Ball tweeted: 'Wow Chris Evans that was a very special speech. Congrats young chap. Thank you for the radio joy. 'Merry Christmas to you Tash and the monkeys @BBCRadio2'. Evans then thanked the BBC for inviting him to return and play 'that incredible music' once again. He said: 'Thank you to the BBC for supporting me, and trusting me with one of their precious microphones for the last years, for allowing me to grow every minute of every day that I have been on air. 'Live from Glastonbury, live from the beaches of northern France for the commemoration of the Normandy landings or having a blast in the middle of one of our regular Friday shows. 'The mayhem there of the usually attendant nonsense that they involve. And yes, all that incredible music. Right here in Terry's old studio. Studio 6C at Wogan House in London.' A record number of 'massive' funnel-web spiders have been handed in to the Australian Reptile Park near Sydney prompting experts to issue a warning for Christmas holidays. About 20 of the spiders had been handed into the park over the last week and they were mostly males with leg spans of up to 10 centimetres. 'They're even scaring me and I have to work with them,' Dan Rumsay from the Australian Reptile Park told the ABC. A record number of 'massive' funnel-web spiders have been handed in to the Australian Reptile Park near Sydney prompting experts to issue a warning for Christmas holidays The park is the only place in Australia where the venom from the spiders is harvested to make anti-venom. The wet weather is apparently not the reason for the record number of the spiders, the deadliest in the country, being found. 'This time of year is the typical time males mature, and once they mature they actually stop feeding and they just spend all of their time searching for females,' Victoria Museum senior curator of entomology Ken Walker told the publication. Mr Walker also told a story of a young boy he met last year who was bitten after 'putting on his Harry Potter costume to go to a dress-up party and a spider was actually hiding in the clothes basket... so make sure you check those things.' Although there has not been a recorded fatality from a funnel-web bite for over 35 years, experts are warning people to be vigilant through the summer. Although there has not been a recorded fatality from a funnel-web bite for over 35 years, experts are warning people to be vigilant through the summer The oldest mother of quadruplets in the UK has said she is the 'happiest woman alive' after all four babies have come home from the hospital in time for Christmas. Francesca, Fredrica, Grace and George Britten were due to leave hospital next month. But the two-months olds are doing do well that even the weakest, Fredrica, was discharged last week, Tracey Britten, 51, told The Sun. She said: My fab four are my Christmas miracle. 'It's happy chaos and it was tempting to leave their name tags on so we can tell them apart. It's a nightmare in the dark. 'We have to make a note of who has had their bottle. Then you forget where you've put them down. But we're so thrilled.' Tracey Britten photographed during her pregnancy. The mother-of-three and grandmother-of-eight now has four healthy babies to add to her family Mrs Britten, who lives in Arnos Grove in London, also has three grown-up kids and eight grandchildren. This year ahe and her husband Stephen, a roofer, spent 7,000 on IVF treatment in Cyprus. She was given odds of a million-to-one on all four of the pregnancies surviving, and was advised to abort two but decided against it. She went on: 'The Good Lord delivered four beautiful babies. It's the most wonderful and amazing thing and I'm the happiest woman alive.' Early this year, with cost of treatment in British clinics around 14,000 for the recommended three cycles being prohibitively expensive, the couple decided to spend 7,000, left to Mrs Britten in her mother's will, to pay for treatment abroad. They found a clinic in Cyprus, The Kolan British IVF Center, where a doctor declared her physically 'like a 30-year-old'. After taking the preparatory drugs at home, they flew back to Cyprus where her eggs were fertilised with Stephen's sperm and the embryos placed in an incubator, to see which would thrive. A few days later, the healthiest four were inserted into her womb and the couple flew back home. Mrs Britten was advised to abort two of her four foetuses but decided against it after bonding with them having seen ultrasound photos of her pregnancy She said: he went on: 'The Good Lord delivered four beautiful babies. It's the most wonderful and amazing thing and I'm the happiest woman alive' An agonising two-week wait followed before she was due to attend a private clinic in London, where a blood test would reveal if the cycle had been successful. However, after 12 days the couple could stand the suspense no longer and she took a home urine test. 'When the word 'Pregnant' flashed up on the display screen, neither of us could actually believe our eyes,' she said. Later scans revealed that, while one of the embryos had failed to implant, another had split into two, creating identical twin girls. Two weeks later, after going to her local hospital in London with stomach pains, she was advised to 'reduce' the pregnancy by having two of the babies injected in the womb to stop their hearts. The consultant said he had known only one mother of quads to make it to 34 weeks. With a history of premature births her middle child was born ten weeks early Mrs Britten's chances of keeping her babies in the womb long enough to avoid them being born with serious medical problems were slim. Infants born before 28 weeks are more likely to have disabilities, including cerebral palsy, and problems with their eyes, lungs, heart and kidneys. Also, the risks to her own health were not insignificant, with an increased risk of developing potentially fatal pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. By opting to abort two, and then carrying the dead foetuses until after the birth, she was advised she would increase the chances of survival and good health for her other babies. But by then, she'd had several scans in which she had seen the four foetuses with their beating hearts and kicking limbs and had bonded with each of them as individuals. Desperate for an alternative, three months into the pregnancy, she contacted a specialist in the U.S. who has delivered 150 sets of quads. He reassured her that her chances of a successful pregnancy were increased because, at 5ft 7in, Mrs Britten is relatively tall, meaning there would be more room for the babies to grow. All four of her little ones - the smallest of which was born weighing under two pounds - are now strong enough to come home from hospital in time for Christmas She also talked things through with a counsellor in London, who invited a retired paediatrician to one of their sessions. It was he who convinced her not to go ahead with a selective termination. 'He knew of quads who had survived after being born at 23 weeks and said if I could get to 28 weeks, I would be fine,' she said. 'He also asked if I would be able to bear to watch two of my children growing up while thinking about the two I didn't have.' Mrs Britten was due to have the injections the following day, at around 13 weeks into her pregnancy, but, deciding to let 'nature take its course', rang the hospital and cancelled the appointment. The quadruplets were born on October 26 via caesarean section at London's University College Hospital. Yesterday she added: 'Francesca Pauline was first. She is totally chilled. Her identical twin Fredrica Patricia was next and was only 1lb 15oz. 'There was some concern but she's sleeping and feeding. Grace Ellen, reminds us of Graceland. I'm a huge Elvis fan. And George Edwin is named after my idol George Michael.' She added: 'I get emotional just looking at them and hearing them cry is music to my ears.' The mystery of the missing drone which grounded more than 1,000 flights at Gatwick Airport last week has turned police into a laughing stock as the stunned public was told there may not have been a flying nuisance at all. Officers over the weekend said they are considering all options when investigating how a device was able to hover over the runway and prevent 14,000 passengers from flying. Flights were suspended for more than 36 hours from Wednesday, causing Christmas travel chaos at the airport in Crawley, West Sussex. Planes cannot take off with a drone in airspace over the crash risk the devices pose. But police said they are open to the option that snipers were called in to shoot down a drone that never existed. Twitter users were baffled by the claims, using hilarious memes to poke fun at police. A parody account called Gatwick drone was set up which posted an image of army tanks outside an airport with the caption: Come on lads, bit excessive. Another user said: It's one of the most difficult decisions as a parent. At what age do you tell your kids there's no such thing as the Gatwick drone? Jon Gaunt added: UK is laughing stock of world! This Govt couldnt organise a Pee up in a brewery! Whos heading investigation? Inspector Clouseau? Twitter mocked the police over the drone which may never have existed causing travel chaos The airport has now offered a 50,000 reward to catch the suspect who operated the device. On Friday, Paul Gait, 47, and wife Elaine, 54, were arrested by Sussex Police and held for 36 hours before being released without charge. Friends and family repeatedly insisted the pair were not the 'Eco-warriors' behind the attack and claimed officers under pressure to get results had 'hastily' arrested the wrong couple. Mr Gaits boss said his employee was at work all day and had police bothered to ask he could have given his alibi. On Sunday, it was claimed a drone was found broken in pieces near the airport, However, Superintendent Jason Tingley said there was 'no available footage and they are relying on witness accounts.' This comes despite witnesses providing MailOnline with video footage of drones hovering above the airspace last week. The police were accused of incompetence by relatives of those arrested over the Gatwick drone investigation The public made some hilarious suggestions over the capturing of the drone - although police were unsure whether or not there was a suspect to catch Asked about speculation there was never a drone, he said: 'Of course, that's a possibility. We are working with human beings saying they have seen something.' It emerged yesterday that since drone tracking equipment arrived at Gatwick on Thursday, no unauthorised drone activity has actually been registered. Det Ch Supt Tingley said the arrests made on Friday night were as a result of a tip-off from a member of the public. 'I'm completely satisfied the arrests were lawful, bearing in mind the burden of proof and likely suspicion at the time of arrest,' he said. 'Obviously we had to be sure prior to release, in terms of that investigation, they were no longer suspects. I won't apologise, but what I will say is we really do appreciate their co-operation and we have put a lot of effort and resources into supporting them when they were released from questioning.' Turkish jets destroyed six PKK terrorists in northern Iraq, the Turkish Defense Ministry said. The airstrikes were carried out in Zap and Hakurk regions on Sunday, the ministry said on Twitter, adding that the terrorists were plotting attacks on Turkish bases. According to the ministry, the airstrikes also destroyed the shelters and caves of the terror group, Anadolu Agency reported. A grandfather has given a tearful tribute to his grandson who was killed in his home, just one day before Christmas. Dwayne Wright, 26, was shot dead through the fly screen of his front door in Altona, south-west Melbourne on Sunday night. His body was discovered inside the blood-splattered housing commission and a man has since been arrested, while two others are being questioned. Scroll down for video John Wright has given a tearful tribute to his grandson who was brutally shot dead in his home, just one day before Christmas His body was discovered inside the blood-splattered housing commission (pictured: Dwayne Wright) His heartbroken grandfather John Wright made a tearful video obtained by 9News in which he said: 'I only got to know my grandson for a short time. 'To take my grandson from me is one of the worst things you can do to a grandfather.' He added that to take another person's life is 'inexcusable'. His heartbroken grandfather John Wright made a tearful video obtained by 9News in which he said: 'I only got to know my grandson for a short time Neighbours told 9News they had heard an argument taking place outside the property in the moments leading up to the shooting (pictured: Dwayne Wright) Neighbours told 9News they had heard an argument taking place outside the property in the moments leading up to the shooting. Detectives spent the whole of Sunday night at the property, while forensic detectives were at the scene on Monday. They were seen removing bags of evidence from the property. Police arrested a 48-year-old man on Monday afternoon who is likely to be charged with murder, 9News reported. Detectives were seen removing bags of evidence from the property According to audio recordings from inside the Saudi consulate, Jamal Khashoggi was offered tea moments before he was killed Jamal Khashoggi was offered a cup of tea at Saudi Arabian consulate before being drugged and brutally murdered, according to a new account of the final months of life. The 59-year-old journalist had decided to leave his native Saudi Arabia for the U.S in September 2017, but was lured to the embassy in Istanbul on in October this year to collect papers for his upcoming marriage. Listening devices planted inside the building by Turkish intelligence captured the 'kill squad' planning the murder in the days before and carrying it out on October 2. A new report by the Washington Post, to which Khashoggi was a contributing columnist, says that when he arrived at the consulate a member of the team asked 'whether he would take tea'. The paper reports that there was an 'edge' in Khashoggi's voice when he accepted the drink that betrayed his sense of unease. Police CCTV video showing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi (right) entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey on October 2, where he was 'offered a cup of tea' before being brutally murdered and his body dismembered Shortly afterwards, a member of the Saudi 'kill squad' chillingly told the journalist he would be 'going back to Saudi Arabia', before injecting him with a lethal dose of sedative. Khashoggi's final gasps for air are audible on the tape recordings, officials told the Washington Post. They added that there was nothing to suggest that the team had any intent to take Khashoggi alive. Further reports quoting those who have listened to the recordings claim Khashoggi's last words were to tell his killers 'I can't breathe'. Just moments after his gasps faded, the silence on the tape gives way to the sound of an electric saw, consistent with reports that Khashoggi's body was dismembered. His remains - thought to have been dissolved in acid - have never been found. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman today attended a graduation ceremony for the 95th batch of cadets from the King Faisal Air Academy in Riyadh The murder of Jamal Khashoggi (right) has caused global outrage and damaged the reputation of crown prince Mohammad bin Salman (left), Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler The case has caused global outrage and damaged the international standing of crown prince Mohammad bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto ruler. Last week Time magazine put Jamal Khashoggi on its cover, naming him along with three other journalists and a newspaper as its 2018 Person of the Year for standing up for the truth in the face of persecution and violence. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said he will not give up the case and has criticized Riyadh for repeatedly changing its story. Turkey has been seeking to extradite 18 suspects, including 15 members of an alleged assassination squad. Earlier this month, the U.S Senate passed a resolution holding Mohammed bin Salman responsible for the killing and calling for the Saudi Arabian government to 'ensure appropriate accountability'. President Donald Trump shows a chart highlighting arms sales to Saudi Arabia during a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Washington on March 20, 2018. Trump has said he will stand by the Saudi government despite Khashoggi's murder Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a graduation ceremony for the 95th batch of cadets The passage came shortly after the Senate approved a different measure to end U.S. military support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. The double whammy of votes were seen as lawmakers' expression of anger and frustration with Trump's handling of U.S.-Saudi relations. Trump has said he wants Washington to stand by the Saudi government and the prince, who he describes as a key ally, despite the CIA also reporting that it was probably him who ordered Khashoggi's killing. Saudi officials have rejected the accusations. The Saudi public prosecutor is seeking the death penalty for five suspects, as the kingdom tries to contain its biggest political crisis for a generation. Donald Trump has complained of being 'harassed from the beginning' as he defended his decision to pull US troops out of war-torn Syria. In a Twitter rant on Sunday, the President also claimed he had received assurances from Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan that his country would plug the gap left by American troops - and continue the campaign against ISIS. Trump has faced widespread criticism for the shock decision last week - with many fearing the withdrawal could lead to a resurgence of ISIS. The President tweeted on Sunday that 'harassment has been with me from the beginning'. Scroll down for video Trump hit out at critics on Sunday saying in a Twitter rant that he had faced 'harassment from the beginning' Trump also backed the capabilities of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (pictured) to take up the fight against ISIS 'The President has been remarkable. I do not doubt that he will thrive in this new environment, and he will be a constant reminder of what populism is. Thank you to Tammy Bruce and Steve Hilton. Presidential Harassment has been with me from the beginning!' Trump wrote. He also voiced his support for President Erdogan's ability to tackle ISIS, saying 'he's a man who can do it'. 'President Erdogan of Turkey has very strongly informed me that he will eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in Syria....and he is a man who can do it plus, Turkey is right next door. Our troops are coming home!' Trump added. The surprise announcement from U.S. President Donald Trump last week that Washington would withdraw its roughly 2,000 troops has upended a pillar of American policy in the Middle East. In a series of tweets on Sunday, Trump said Erdogan 'is a man who can do it' as he slammed his critics Trump declared last Wednesday that his administration has won the war against the ISIS terror army, even though the Pentagon has said the group still has 30,000 soldiers in Iraq and Syria. Critics say it will also make it harder to find a diplomatic solution to Syria's seven-year-old civil war. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed on Sunday to coordinate to prevent an authority vacuum from developing as the United States withdraws from Syria, the Turkish presidency said. In a phone call between the two leaders, Erdogan also expressed satisfaction with steps taken by Washington regarding combating terrorism in Syria and said Turkey was ready to provide any type of support, the presidency said. President Donald Trump (left) is pushing Defense Secretary James Mattis (right) out of his administration as of January 1 After the withdrawal announcment on Wednesday, Trump's defence chief Jim Mattis said he would be stepping down on Thursday - in an apparent show of defiance against the decision. The timing of his announcement was unmistakably linked to the president's announcement Thursday of a troop pullout from Syria that the two men disagreed about. 'Because you have the right to a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects,' Mattis wrote after his litany, 'I believe it is right for me to step down from my position.' 'One core belief I have always held is that our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnerships,' he wrote. 'While the US remains the indispensable nation in the free world, we cannot protect our interests or serve that role effectively without maintaining strong alliances and showing respect to those allies.' A Dunkirk survivor who later became the oldest person in Britain to change sexes has died at the age of 99, prompting requests from friends for veterans to attend her funeral. Louise Jennings, from Sheffield, was 20 when she was called up to the army as Robert. She was rescued from Dunkirk alongside 12 other soldiers during World War II, where she served as a sergeant. Her funeral will now be held at Beauchief Abbey in Sheffield on Friday, January 4 and friends have asked for people with military connections to attend. Dunkirk survivor Louise Jennings, from Sheffield, was 20 when she was called up to the army as Robert. At 70, she became the oldest person in Britain to undergo gender reassignment surgery While at Dunkirk as a sergeant, she led 20 troops during the evacuation. She had been called up to the Army in 1939 and was part of the intelligence team in the Durham Light Infantry 10th Battalion. Louise spent the bulk of the war up to that point helping frontline troops from a base at Walworth Castle, near Darlington. She said: 'When we got to France we were lined up and started to walk inland. 'But when we got a few miles from the sea, it was 'halt-turn about and march back'. 'We had to get back to Dunkirk. I was extremely tired and extremely hungry. God knows what we were doing there. 'There was no use being scared. I was very lucky - I could have been involved in all sorts of things, but I wasn't.' The then-male soldier collapsed from exhaustion against a massive boulder before having to row out to a British destroyer warship waiting to pick up the troops. Louise, then Robert, far right with older brother John, father Arthur and mother Ellen. Louise served as a sergeant and led 20 troops during the evacuation of Dunkirk Louise lived as a man for the first 70 years of her life, happily married to wartime sweetheart Edith for more than 40 of those years. Though she was happy, she always knew something wasn't quite right and after her wife died of cancer in 1989, she decided to act on feelings she had kept secret for years. She said: 'I have always regarded women as superior. As a man I considered myself inferior to women. 'I took the decision not long after Edith died - I don't think I spent a long time thinking about it. I rather felt that I was wrong anyway.' Louise's (back row centre as Robert) funeral will be on January 4 in Sheffield and her friends are asking army veterans to attend She underwent full gender reassignment surgery and adapted her former middle name, Louis, to become Louise. She was also a talented artist, working with paint and sculpture in a range of styles. Her home is full of sketches and models for bigger pieces, and many of the originals are on display around Sheffield. Among that number is a painting of Dunkirk, which hangs in the city's Graves Gallery. The piece captures the sheer mass of people on the French coast, with the boats in the water lit up by gunfire in the sky. Louise, who did not have any children, has exhibited work as far away as San Francisco. Vanessa Wruble, from Brooklyn, left Women's March and formed her own group called March On A former leader of the Women's March has claimed that she was kicked out of the group because she is Jewish. Vanessa Wruble, from Brooklyn, left and formed her own group called March On, which is set to hold a protest on the same day as Women's March next month on January 19. Wruble claims that she confided in the Women's March group that it was her Jewish heritage that inspired her to try to help repair the world. She alleged that she was told by fellow leaders Tamika Mallory, a black gun control activist, and Carmen Perez, a Latina criminal justice reform activist, that Jews needed to confront their own role in racism before they kicked her out. The activist told the New York Times that one of the group insisted that centering a Jewish woman at the heart of the campaign may deter other groups such as Black Lives Matter from supporting the movement. Wruble's new progressive group states a strong message against anti-Semitism while the Women's March will focus their protest on women of colour this year. Mallory and Perez denied the allegations to The Times. Mallory said in the statement issued to the outlet: 'Since that conversation, we've all learned a lot about how while white Jews, as white people, uphold white supremacy, all Jews are targeted by it.' Bob Bland, Linda Sarsour, Carmen Perez and Tamika D. Mallory who apparently told Wruble to leave the group attended the BET Social Awards (pictured in February 2018) Mallory admitted during the statement that she said she did not trust white women, 'they are not trustworthy she said. She added that Wruble allegedly used to gossip about other women in the group rather than speaking her mind. Mallory said: 'Every single one of us has heard things that offended us. We still do the work.' However they added that they believe white women are untrustworthy, while claiming that They condemned anti-Semitism and said that although the role of Jewish women were initially discussed during their first meeting, it had nothing to do with Wruble's departure from the group. The national chapter of Women's March has come under question recently due to its ties with the Nation of Islam's leader Louis Farrakhan, due to his anti-Semitic comments. Mallory, who is now co-president of the Women's March group, has been critised for her attendance at an event held by Farrakhan. Demonstrators chant while marching towards Trump Tower during the Women's March in New York in January 2017 During the event Mallory uploaded an image of herself with the leader and captioned the picture 'the GOAT', which stands for greatest of all time, on social media. These anti-Semitic accusations have left some women reconsidering their alligence to the group. Some have announced that they will not attend the Women's March protest next month. Teresa Shook, who created the first Facebook suggesting the idea of a march, has since called for the group's leaders, including Mallory and Perez to resign. Race issues have often been at the forefront of the group, which was initially supported to work for all races, as Black and Latina women lamented the fact that white women were organising a march without them. During Wruble's first meeting with Mallory and Perez she claimed they educated her on the 'darker side' of Jewish history, which left her feeling shocked. She said that she researched her own history and researched the role the Jews had in the slave trade, and read a review suggesting that Jews were especially at fault. However Wruble added that she tried to move on from the discussion because she wanted to work with them and plan the march, but claimed she often felt left out. Wruble claimed that Perez informed her that the Nation of Islam would be providng the security for the upcoming march, and Wruble informed her this would leave the march open to criticism. She added that Perez also congregated a group of activists, however Wruble soon noticed the group did not include any Jewish women. During an interview Perez denied that the Nation of Islam were hired as security and that they asked her to leave because she is Jewish. Schools in China have started giving students uniforms equipped with tracking chips to wear in order to monitor their activities. The 17-per-set uniform comes with two chips embedded in the shoulder areas and works with an AI-powered school entrance system, which is equipped with facial recognition cameras. The news comes after China started building the world's largest surveillance network three years ago. The 'Sky Net' project has seen 20 million facial-detection cameras installed to identify any of the 1.4 billion citizens within three seconds. Scroll down for video Pupils in 11 schools (one of them pictured) in China have been given the 'smart uniforms' The 'smart uniforms' are produced by Guizhou Guanyu Technology. According to the company's website, it specialises in developing high-tech school equipment using big data technologies. Chang Chengfei, a manager from Guanyu Technology, told MailOnline that the uniforms had been rolled out in 11 schools in the provinces of Guizhou and Guangxi. They can record the time the pupils enter and leave the school with the help of the 'smart school entrance system'. The entrance system, powered by facial recognition camera, can capture a 20-second-long video of each pupil going in or coming out of the school. The footage will be uploaded onto an app in real time for teachers and parents to watch. An alarm will go off if the school gate detects any pupil who leaves the school without permission. A poster from the Guizhou Guanyu Technology shows two young models wearing the AI-powered uniform which could help track the activities of students on campus The uniform (above) costs 17 a set and can be customised based on the school's requirement Guanyu Technology spent two years developing the product before launching it in July in 2017 ahead of the new school term. According to Mr Chang, the uniforms could help track the pupils on campus, but not outside the school. He added that the use of the uniforms had been approved by the faculty of each school as well as the parents of the pupils. Each set costs 150 yuan (17), the average price of a school uniform in China. It comes in a variety of colours and can also be customised based on the school's requirement. Guanyu Technology said on its social media account that it developed the 'smart uniforms' to help ensure the safety of school children as well as facilitating the management of pupils from teachers and parents. China Daily reported last months that the uniforms were 'highly popular' among the schools that were using them and would be promoted to more schools nation-wide. However, a Chinese commentator wrote in a blog today questioning if tracking pupils by their uniform was the right way to manage them. The author wondered if the schools had invaded the privacy of the pupils and raised the question: 'Is this love?' Multiple schools in China have started using AI technology to keep track of their students' behaviour. In May, the Hangzhou No. 11 High School in east China's Zhejiang province installed facial-recognition cameras in the classrooms to ensure that pupils pay attention during the lesson The cameras installed at the front of the classroom would record students' attentiveness In May, the Hangzhou No. 11 High School in east China's Zhejiang province installed facial-recognition cameras in the classrooms to ensure that pupils pay attention during the lesson. The surveillance cameras installed at the front of the classroom would record students' attentiveness and their facial expressions. It is reported to be China's first smart classroom behaviour management system. The headmaster of the Hangzhou No. 11 High School said the smart classroom scheme was part of the school's goal to implement facial recognition technology on campus to facilitate learning among students. China has been spearheading the use of facial recognition cameras to monitor its population since 2015. The country has installed 20 million cutting-edge security cameras in what is believed to be the world's most advanced surveillance system. The number is expected to triple by 2020. The surveillance system, part of the 'Sky Net' operation, has also been used to identify criminal suspects and road safety offenders. For example, 40 sets of surveillance cameras dubbed 'robocops' to identify reckless drivers and regulate traffic were implemented in Shenzhen, China's south-east city last month. Jaywalkers would also have their faced beamed onto large LED screens and face a fine as soon as they violate road rules. Bardia Pezeshki, 52, sent 350 workers home from his plant in Livingston, Scotland without pay A tycoon has denied that he is a 'Grinch' after he was pictured enjoying himself at a company party just days before he sent 350 workers home without pay before Christmas. Bardia Pezeshki, 52, is the CEO of technology plant Kaiam in Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland. He has come under fire after workers at the plant were sent home before Christmas without pay. They have also been told to stay away from the factory until the new year following a dramatic sudden collapse at the firm. Despite the picture of him enjoying a boozy bash, where he hosted 150 employees, Dr Pezeshki insists that he has worked tirelessly and 'invested a fortune' to keep the company afloat. He was also criticised after he flew home to California last Thursday - without telling his workers they would not be paid. They were eventually told on Christmas Eve. The company, which makes optical components, has an unclear future, plunging workers and their families into financial uncertainty. Speaking from his $3 million home in San Francisco, Dr Pezeshki denied he was a coward and a Grinch: 'l am no sure l deserve the humiliation that me and my family are going through. 'My wife and children feel abandoned because I dedicated so much to the company. I am not a Grinch.' Staff at technology firm Kaiam's Livingston plant have been summoned to a meeting with administrators KPMG tomorrow to find out whether the facility has a future. The under-fire boss has admitted he 'may have made mistakes' but is not a 'coward or a criminal'. He complained of the 'incredible sacrifice' he has made to build the business and the 'heavy toll on one's personal life and family'. And in a letter to local MSPs who had demanded an explanation of the firm's sudden collapse, he added: 'I know this is really painful but it was quite unpredictable. Workers were told on Christmas Eve that they wouldn't be paid and have also been told to stay away from the factory 'There is nobody chickening out or enjoying their holidays. l am not sure l deserve the humiliation that me and my family are going through.' But local Labour MSP Neil Findlay said his 'sob story' would ring hollow with hundreds of families facing a bleak Christmas and beyond. He said: 'Mr Pezeshki's sob story will ring hollow with hundreds of workers who he's left unpaid and who will be asking the question: where is the huge windfall he received front the business deal in England?' He added: 'The behaviour of the chief executive of this company has been nothing short of outrageous. He has shown a complete disregard for a loyal workforce. People have been treated with contempt. The collapse of Kaiam came despite the sale of a plant in England for $80m last year. Speaking from his $3 million home in San Francisco, Dr Pezeshki denied he was a coward and a Grinch In May 2017 Kaiam completed a deal to purchase Compound Photonics (CPI in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, then sold it to optics and photonics firm II-VI for $80m in August. Mr Pezeshki confirmed he got a 'windfall' from that deal but insisted all of the profits were put into Kaiam 'to help pay wages'. He said he made 'very little' from the sale. John Jack, 54, a production operator at Kaiam's Livingston factory, said: 'Managers let it slip about the deal and we were led to believe it would secure our future. But they never spent a penny on the plant. Some machines are held together with sticky tape.' Dr Pezeshki claims to have 25 years' experience of 'generating, developing, and commercialising optoelectronic technology, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue'. His online CV also boasts that he can 'raise capital, negotiate contracts and build the key elements of a successful business.' A former student at the prestigious Stanford University, he has been CEO of California-based Kaiam Corporation since 2009 and has a house in the affluent San Francisco Bay area. He relocated to Edinburgh after taking over the Livingston plant but flew home for Christmas. Mr Pezeshki has written a book called Answers To The Ultimate Questions Of Life, The Universe And Everything, in which he describes religion as 'absurd and ridiculously outdated'. He argues that we should all let go of our strong sense of identity so that 'selfishness, evil, and our fear of individual death' will leave us. Kate and Gerry McCann have said they will never give up hope in the search for Madeleine and say Christmas - their 12th since she went missing - will never 'be the same without her'. In a brief but poignant festive message posted today, Mr and Mrs McCann thanked all their supporters for their 'kind and continuing good wishes' and said they 'dearly miss' Madeleine. The couple, who will spend a quiet Christmas with 13-year-old twins Sean and Amelie, added in a posting on the Find Madeleine website: 'The investigation is ongoing and our hope remains.' In a brief but poignant festive message posted today, Mr and Mrs McCann thanked all their supporters for their 'kind and continuing good wishes' and said they 'dearly miss' Madeleine Former GP Kate and heart doctor Gerry, both 50, began the message by addressing their supporters: 'We couldn't let a Christmas go by without passing on a warm thank you to all our supporters for the kind and continuing good wishes, especially at this very busy time of year. 'We miss Madeleine dearly. Christmas will never be the same without her, but we will continue to make the best of what we have. 'The investigation is ongoing and our hope remains. May 2019 be a peaceful and positive one for us all.' Next to an image of a sparkling silver tree the couple from Rothley, Leicestershire, signed off: 'Thank you. Kate & Gerry.' Prayers will be said for Madeleine during the Christmas Day church service in the McCann's village. File photo Three-year-old Madeleine vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007 while her parents were dining in a nearby tapas restaurant with friends. The couple try to keep the festive season as fun and normal as possible for the sake of their twins. But Mrs McCann said the occasion is always 'tinged with pain and longing' preciously saying: 'Madeleine should be here and we should be celebrating with her. 'We have not lost hope that we may get to celebrate another Christmas with her.' Prayers will be said for Madeleine during the Christmas Day church service in their village whilst a candle in memory of the youngster burns around the clock in the square beside the war memorial. Scotland Yard detectives hunting for the youngster have been granted funding until the end of March next year to continue their search. Mrs McCann has told in the past how she still buys Christmas gifts for Madeleine and places then in her pretty pink room which has remained untouched since she vanished more than ten and a half years ago. It has become a shrine to with photos and drawings as well as festive offerings and birthday parcels. The couple cling onto a glimmer of hope that their eldest child - who would now be aged 15 - could one day return home. Former GP Kate and heart doctor Gerry, both 50, began the message by addressing their supporters: 'We couldn't let a Christmas go by without passing on a warm thank you.' The couple are pictured in Loughborough on April 28, 2017 The Metropolitan Police are chasing up two vital lines of inquiry and have told Maddie's parents Kate and Gerry they are 'hopeful of getting a result.' Officers recently told the couple: 'We're hopeful we can get a result.' The operation Grange team, who had been thought to be focusing on just one, revealed during a meeting they had 'two specific and active' lines of inquiry. The McCanns are 'greatly encouraged' that cops - who so far have been handed 11.75 million of taxpayers' money for the high-profile search - could finally be closing in on their daughter's alleged kidnapper. Advertisement Black and white images of Christmas time seances have lifted the lid on creepy Christmas traditions in Victorian Britain - when the most wonderful time of the year was used for calling back the dead. The incredible photographs offer a remarkable insight into the world of the Victorian seance - where participants gathered to receive messages from ghosts. Mediums - or those with psychic ability - were invited into living rooms around Britain to connect the living with the afterlife. The darkest days of the year were seen by many Victorians as a time when the dead would have a particularly strong access to the living. Throughout Europe and the United States, Christmas was originally connected to the 'pagan' Winter Solstice celebration and the festival known as Yule. Medium Stanislawa Tomczyk was pictured in a 'trance' levitating scissors in 1909. Magician William Marriott (second from right, right hand picture) held an spooky evening at a home in England, circa 1920 Those who claimed to be mediums were able to pull off some spooky seances, but they were soon debunked. Magician William Marriott (second from right) demonstrates how to fake a seance by levitating the table with his foot A table levitates during Eusapia Palladino's seance at home of astronomer Camille Flammarion, France, 25th November 1898. Eusapia Palladino was an Italian Spiritualist physical medium. She claimed to possess extraordinary powers such as levitating tables and communicating with the dead The Fox sisters who claimed to communicate with a spirit in their home in 1848. Forty years later, the siblings would confess that they used their fingers and feet to trick their audiences The high child mortality rates and relatively short life expectancies made grief a prominent facet of nineteenth century life. So it is unsurprising that some Victorians longed for contact with the loved ones they had lost through seances during the holidays. Although several frauds were exposed, many 'mediums' during the 1800s believed that were able to reach out to the dead during these gatherings. Consequently, the Victorian seance became a veritable craze and the focus of much scientific study - with people like Queen Victoria and Arthur Conan Doyle participating in them. The surge of interest in seances began when teenage sisters, Kate and Margaret Fox claimed to communicate with a spirit in their home in 1848. Forty years later, the siblings would confess that they used their fingers and feet to make spooky noises. However up until then, the Fox sisters pursued a lucrative career, giving seances before large audiences. By the 1850s, many Victorian households would engage with so-called 'Mediums' for seance parties inside their parlour. These seances were generaly conducted with a group of participants seated around a table in a dark or at least semi-dark room. Both men and women took part in the meetings where they tried to contact the dead. In 1903 A Mandolin levitates above Eusapia Palladino's head (left) while a seance can be seen being conducted in Bristol, England, December 1872 (right) Medium Marthe Beraud in action, 1910. Marthe's show-stopping seance specialty was excreting ectoplasm. The material was said to be formed when mediums were in a trance state which could only be created in near darkness (light, mediums said, would make it disintegrate), and it was emitted from orifices on the medium's body. But rather than being some spiritual substance, the so-called ectoplasm was usually gauze, muslin, chiffon, or, in the case of Mina 'Margery' Crandon, sheep's lung. Beraud was the first medium to perform the ectoplasm trick, and one of her outspoken supporters was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle A seance with five people around table, four of them looking upward, and one man holding a guitar and tambourine on pole, circa 1900 Eusapia Palladino performs a seance for Julian Ochorowicz, (left) and Dr Sagard (right) in France, 1894. The black and white images show how the spiritual evenings went The mediums were in work all around Europe. Pictured: A seance taking place in at the studio of Baron von Erhardt, Rome, Italy, 1909 Famous Italian medium Eusapia Palladino, (left), performs a seance, circa 1890s. Pictured right: A seance held in Shell Grotto, Margate in Kent, 1930. A seance taking place at the studio of Baron von Erhardt in Rome, Italy, 1909. Seances ended up being a craze for Victorians who wanted to contact the dead Mediums or magicians? Famous Italian medium Eusapia Palladino (left) in Warsaw, Poland in 1893. She was eventually proven to be a fraud Marthe Beraud apparently showing a light manifestation between her hands (right) and a materialisation on her head in 1912. In 1922, scientists sat in on 15 of Beraud's seance, and thoroughly debunked her A seance taking place in at the studio of Baron von Erhardt, Rome, Italy, 1909. Ten years later scientists fought back against mediums and began to debunk their practices A seance with the table moving, held in Paris, 1900. Victorians became fascinated with contacting the dead through mediums A group of people in France hold a seance in an attempt to make contact with the dead, circa 1870. Men and women gathered around tables to try to reach out to their loves ones The medium would often go into a trance that would allow the ghostly spirits to communicate through their body. These seances were particularly popular during the holiday season as the evenings got darker and colder. Fake mediums would often employ tricks such as spirit photography, table rapping and levitating objects with concealed wires to heighten the experience of the seance for their participants. Queen Victoria purportedly participated into seances to communicate with her late husband Albert and Arthur Conan Doyle turned to seances following the death of his son Kingsley in 1918. But perhaps the best-known series of seances conducted at that time were those of Mary Todd Lincoln who, grieving the loss of her son, organized Spritualist seances in the White House, which were attended by her husband President Abraham Lincoln. The demise of the Victorian seance in a dark room came with the invention of the pocket torch which increase the risk of exposure of charlatan mediums. Police marksmen in Rio de Janeiro will have a license to kill in the line of duty from next year, as part of a new government crackdown aimed at curbing gang crime. Patrol teams of marksmen with high-powered weapons will join police on raids of crime hotspots where they will be authorized to shoot armed suspects, said Flavio Pacca, a security adviser to Governor-elect Wilson Witzel. As many as 120 of the specially-trained sharpshooters will work in pairs, one to shoot and the other to cover him whilst filming the deaths, Bloomberg reported. Rio de Janeiro's Governor-elect Wilson Witzel is planning to give snipers a license to kill as they accompany police on patrols 'The protocol will be to immediately neutralize, slaughter anyone who has a rifle' said Witzel, a former Brazilian marine and federal judge. 'Whoever has a rifle isn't worried about other people's lives, they're ready to eliminate anyone who crosses their path. 'This is a grave problem, not just in Rio de Janeiro, but also in other states,' he added. Witzel won the governship of the state of Rio de Janeiro in October on a platform similar to that of President-elect Jair Bolsonaro. He is a key ally of 'Tropical Trump' Bolsonaro, who ran on promises to clean up Brazil using tough measures to tackle crime and bring back 'traditional values'. Rio de Janeiro's Special Police Unit (BOPE) members patrol during a security operation at Complexo do Alemao favela in Rio de Janeiro. Crime rates have soared in Brazil's famous seaside city A soldier patrols during an operation while pedestrians wait to cross the street in Rio de Janeiro (file image) Bloomberg reported that Rio's homicide rate soared to an eight-year high this year and muggings have more than doubled since 2011. However, it is not clear whether Witzel will legally be able to implement his 'license to kill policing' methods. His critics point out that officers can only fire their weapons when there is a proven genuine threat from the target, otherwise it would be considered a homicide under United Nations law, Brazilian newspaper Folha reported. United Nations resolutions recommend gun use only when it is 'strictly necessary to protect human life.' But Pacca believes that the plans will have public backing because people are fed up with living in fear. 'It's not for nothing that Bolsonaro was elected, not for nothing that Witzel was elected,' he said. Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro (left), taks to his appointed Defense Minister General Fernando Azevedo e Silva (right) next to Rio de Janeiro's Governor-elect Wilson Witzel (centre) U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker has said he is ready to pay a visit to Moscow as soon as the Ukrainian seamen detained in the Kerch Strait are released. "I hope I will be able to do it next year as soon as the seamen are released," he said in an interview with 1+1 TV channel. Volker also said that he has decided that it would be inexpedient for him to visit Moscow after U.S. President Donald Trump canceled his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Interfax reported. On November 25, three ships from the Ukrainian Navy illegally crossed Russias border. They ignored legitimate demands to stop issued by vessels belonging to the FSB Border Service and the Black Sea Fleet and continued to perform dangerous maneuvers. In order to stop the Ukrainian ships, the Russian forces had to detain the vessels. In three days time she will settle down around the tree at Sandringham with the rest of the Royal Family on Christmas Eve. But 20 years ago the then-Meghan Markle was just another pretty teenager in a festive hat singing her heart out to the tongue-in-cheek song Santa Baby. Newly-unearthed footage of the 17-year-old future duchess sees Meghan hamming it up on stage at the December 1998 Immaculate Heart High School Christmas show in Los Angeles. Newly-unearthed footage of the 17-year-old future duchess sees Meghan hamming it up on stage at the December 1998 Immaculate Heart High School Christmas show in Los Angeles Already a seasoned performer, she takes to her role with gusto, lip-syncing the words as she comically asks Father Christmas for a yacht, a convertible and a ring. Dressed in a sleeveless all-black outfit, she put on a scene-stealing performance with the help of fellow pupil Natalie Fryman, who, like Meghan, also became an actress, at what was known as the Christmas Liturgy Show. Before the performance, Meghan and her classmates can be seen holding candles as Silent Night plays in the background. She can then be seen larking around and hugging her friends. At the time Meghan was in her senior year at High School before heading off to university. Dressed in a sleeveless all-black outfit, she put on a scene-stealing performance with the help of fellow pupil Natalie Fryman, who, like Meghan, also became an actress, at what was known as the Christmas Liturgy Show One audience member said: After being a bit of an awkward teen, by this point Meghan has blossomed into an attractive young woman and this show that she was really relishing it. The performance went down really well. The lyrics are quite amusing to think about now. One audience member said: After being a bit of an awkward teen, by this point Meghan has blossomed into an attractive young woman and this show that she was really relishing it# Santa Baby became a huge hit when it was first recorded by Eartha Kitt in 1953 and its cheeky lyrics, urging Santa Cutie to hurry down the chimney with an embarrassment of riches, has been covered by everyone from Madonna to Kylie Minogue. Meghan, 37, will for the second year running be enjoying Christmas with the Queen at Sandringham after a whirlwind year which saw her get married to sixth in line to the throne Prince Harry and fall pregnant with their first child, which is due in the spring. They are due to arrive at the estate on Christmas Eve when, according to a German tradition introduced by Prince Albert, the Royal Family exchange gifts, which are then laid out on tables to be opened on Christmas Day. The youngest members of the family are also allowed to finish decorating the Queens tree, before the adults enjoy a black-tie dinner. All eyes will be on Meghan and Harry on Christmas Day as they walk to church with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge after recent reports concerning their difficult relationship. But contrary to reports, Meghans mother, Doria Ragland, has not be invited to join them. Instead the duchess will spend time with her mother privately over the festive season. A dog abandoned at a lonely Siberian bus stop has a new owner this Christmas after waiting in vain some six months for his master to return. The loyal pet refused to budge, even when temperatures sank to minus 30C, getting excited only when grey-coloured cars passed by. 'This is such a faithful dog, we think his unknown master had a grey car,' said local farmer Sabyrgali Baysagurov who tried and failed to catch the mongrel. Hachiko pictured waiting for his owner at the bus stop where he was dropped in Siberia The faithful dog was abandoned in Mametkino village in Siberia, 1,547 miles east of Moscow 'He would chase only cars with this colour hoping to find his owner..' The dog was abandoned in the summer when Siberian was warm. In recent weeks temperatures slumped and locals left food for the dog who was christened Hachiko after a legendary Japanese pet that waited more than nine years for its owner who had died. Hachiko's owners left him at the Mametkino bus stop in summer when it was warm, but he waited six months for them to return during which time the weather fell to -30C Villagers gave up trying to remove the animal and provide it a home, instead taking daily food to the bus stop. In autumn, they even put a kennel at the spot in autumn but the dog preferred to lie on straw given by local pensioners and watching for the few passing cars in Mametkino village 1,547 miles east of Moscow. When temperatures sank to a bone-chilling minus 30C, the food froze before the abandoned dog could eat it. Villagers tried to re-home the dog several times, eventually leaving him a kennel, but he did not want to move Volunteer Irina has now given Hachiko a new home in time for Christmas with her other pets - a St Bernard dog and two cats His desperate plight was reported in the media in Novosibirsk region and eventually a team of animal rescuers drove 250 miles to save the animal amid concern grew that this Russian Hachiko's loyalty would lead to his death. Baysagurov was quoted saying: 'It is freezing now but the dog is still there, waiting for his master.' Volunteer Alexey said: 'We read about the dog and came to rescue him next day. Volunteer Irina who adopted Hachiko after a team drove 250 miles to save him 'He did not trust us, and did not want to come close. 'We tried many options, but after an playing "catch me" game my colleague Irina managed to throw a blanket over the dog and we took it into the car. 'We warmed him up, he became much more friendly.' Irina: 'I simply admire this dog, his faithfulness. 'It is not what you always see with people.' She has now given him a new home in time for Christmas with a St Bernard dog Beethoven, and cats Marusya and Ivan Ivanovich. The Russian Hachiko is 'doing well' and seems happy in his new home, she said. Hachiko at his new home with owner Irina (left), who said she admired him for his faithfulness One family got a shock after discovering a baby python was found hiding in a roll of toilet paper. Snake catchers were called to a home in Brisbane's Redlands on Sunday night to remove the reptile from its prime spot. The baby python was hidden in the middle of the toilet roll, having wrapped itself around the steel toilet paper holder. The baby python was hidden in the middle of the toilet roll, having wrapped itself around the steel toilet paper holder Social media users were entertained by reptile's hiding place. 'Bloody awesome at least you're in the right place to freak out and sh** yourself if you hate snakes,' one person said. 'If the person was suffering constipation, Im 100 per cent sure this little fella fixed their problem pretty quick,' another person said. This was not the first time a python has wound up in a Brisbane bathroom. Last year, Elite Snake Catching Brisbane shared a picture of another reptile curled up inside an empty toilet roll holder. Last year Elite Snake Catching Brisbane shared a picture of another reptile curled up inside an empty toilet roll holder Pythons are the main snake species around Brisbane, Elite Snake Catching Brisbane's Stewart Lalor told MSN. He said pythons were 'pretty harmless' but urged people not to try to pick them up. 'If you have a snake, the best thing to do is not to panic; being bitten is extremely rare and they are only dangerous if you interact with them.' He said people should expect to see more snakes from now on as they are most active in summer and most likely to be seen emerging from bushland on hot days. Four men who were arrested after military operatives swooped on a cargo ship in the Thames Estuary have revealed they are Nigerian and Liberian. Samuel Jolumi, 26, Ishola Sunday, 27, Toheeb Popoola, 26, and Joberto McGee, 20, are accused of threatening crew on the Grande Tema ship 11 days after boarding in Nigeria. The ship's operator said the men were detained after the Special Boat Service (SBS) were airlifted on to the vessel, which was carrying toxic chemicals. Scroll down for video The four men in their 20s who were arrested after military operatives swooped on a cargo ship (picture) in the Thames Estuary have revealed they are Nigerian and Liberian A dozen heavily armed Special Boat Service commandos, left, abseiled from a helicopter, right, on to the cargo ship in the English Channel on Friday night (file pictures) The men appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court today charged with one count each of affray, by threatening violence. The hearing was adjourned while prosecutors consider amending the charges to ones under maritime law. All four of the defendants spoke only to confirm their particulars, with McGee giving his nationality as Liberian and the others saying they are Nigerian. The 71,000-tonne ship set off from Lagos, Nigeria, on December 10. After becoming aware alleged intruders were roaming the ship, the crew holed themselves up in the bridge and kept control of the vessel. Essex Police was called at around 9.15am on Friday to a call relating to the safety of the crew on board the Grande Tema. A dozen heavily armed Special Boat Service commandos abseiled from a helicopter on to a cargo ship on a daring mission to end the hostage drama. This red line shows how the ship is going in circles as the migrants demand that they are taken to Britain's shores and the crew remain in control This graphic shows the ship's route to Britain after it left Nigeria on December 10 as well as five piracy incidents along the coast of Africa Under cover of darkness, the troops swung on to the deck of the 770ft Grande Tema to tackle the stowaways who allegedly were weilding iron- bars. As their Royal Navy Merlin helicopter hovered overhead, the SBS team armed with assault rifles rounded up the men and locked them in a cabin before freeing the ship's 27 Italian and Filipino sailors. Once the mission understood to have been codenamed Operation Buckthorn was complete, the troops were joined by police officers who arrested the stowaways. SBS boarded the ship and detained the four people at around 23:00 on Friday night in a 20-minute operation - 14 hours after the authorities were first alerted. The vessel was sailing in circles in the Thames Estuary until the SBS unit were helicoptered onto the ship. The crew holed themselves up in the bridge and kept control of the vessel until help arrived Shipping monitoring sites show the position of the vessel just north of the town of Margate It was not until 4.20am on Saturday that the vessel docked at the Port of Tilbury in Essex, according to MarineTraffic.com. The ship's operator, Grimaldi Lines, said there were no reports of injuries. Spokesman Paul Kyprianou told reporters that the SBS descended on to the ship by helicopter before the men were arrested. Paul Kyprianou said: 'Just before the Special Forces made their intervention, we were asked to switch off all the lights. 'Then they stormed aboard and the stowaways were put in a cabin. Then another helicopter landed on the ship with six police officers on board. 'The whole operation took about 20 minutes. Everything went smoothly. They [the crew] are just glad they are safe. You can imagine.' The defendants, all of no fixed address, were remanded in custody, to appear at the same court on December 31. Children around the world can follow Santa Claus across the globe as he makes his journey from the North Pole to their living room by checking NORAD's live tracker. Father Christmas made the final preparations to his present-filled sleigh before he and his reindeers, led by Rudolph and his shiny nose, took flight earlier today. He is whizzing through the skies at an estimated 1,800 miles per second in order to cover the 316,899,308 miles needed to drop off gifts at every child's house. Children around the world can follow Santa Claus across the globe as he makes his journey from the North Pole to their living room by checking NORAD's live tracker It's a hectic night for Santa who runs a tight schedule and will be dropping off gifts at 390,000 homes per minute during his trip. Some of the first homes Santa visited were Auckland, New Zealand and he was most recently spotted flying over Christchurch. So far today Santa has delviered more than 300,000,000 gifts to excited children who are sleeping soundly in their beds. Santa dashed past the statue of liberty during last year's flight Father Christmas made the final preparations to his present-filled sleigh before he and his reindeers, led by Rudolph and his shiny nose, took flight earlier today as shown on the NORAD tracker website NORAD's Santa tracker appeared at risk this year after the federal government shut down on Friday at midnight after Democrats rejected President Donald Trump's proposed $5.7billion border wall bill. But the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), which is funded by the federal government, announced that it would still track Santa's flight across the globe, despite the freeze on its funds. In a statement it said: 'In the event of a government shutdown, NORAD will continue with its 63-year tradition of NORAD Tracks Santa on Dec. 24.' 'Military personnel who conduct NORAD Tracks Santa are supported by approximately 1,500 volunteers who make the program possible each and every year.' It's a hectic night for Santa who runs a tight schedule and will be dropping off gifts at 390,000 homes per minute during his trip (elves preparing gifts at the North Pole) Children call in to NORAD on Christmas Eve to ask about Santa's whereabouts and last year Melania Trump helped answer the calls and share updates on where Old Saint Nick is around the globe. NORAD has been following Santa's movements from space since 1955, when an advert encouraging children to phone Santa gave out its number instead. It told children to give Santa Claus a call 'any time day or night' on his private phone, but accidentally gave the number ME-2-6681, which connected to the NORAD 'hotline'. Colonel Harry Shoup received the call on a telephone meant to be used during an incidence of impending attack by the Soviet Union, but responded in a playful way and let the boy know where Santa was en route from the North Pole. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) will track Santa Claus' location this year despite the government shutdown Colonel Shoup ordered staff to answer calls with an update on Father Christmas' location and the tradition has continued, now with a live tracker of Santa's journey online. The website shows his path above different countries and has a counter that reveals the number of presents delivered. Although Father Christmas won't set off until Christmas Eve, the site has been live all this month to get people ready. If users cannot access the tracker or a phone line there is also an email address you can contact to get the latest updates. According to the website the email address is; noradtrackssanta@outlook.com As well as a clock with a countdown to Christmas Eve there are weather updates, games, films and Christmas stories available on the site. Volunteers are manning NORAD's 157 phone lines and computers at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs to field hundreds of phone calls, emails and tweets from anxious children, wondering what time Santa will arrive 'One of our favourite places on the website is the Holiday Activities page under Library', according to the NORAD Facebook page. 'You can see a personalised message from Santa, Elf Yourself, print out colouring pages, and SO MUCH MORE'. Volunteers are manning NORAD's 157 phone lines and computers at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs to field hundreds of phone calls, emails and tweets from anxious children, wondering what time Santa will arrive. It says you can phone the call centre on 00-1-719-556-5211. They generally get around 70,000 calls from children in around 200 countries checking his location. Parents and guardians will also want to ensure their children are in bed before Santa arrives so he stops and makes his much-anticipated delivery. Volunteers will share Santa's location on Facebook and Twitter. In 2014 Santa got 1.6 million Facebook likes. Normally the NORAD facility is responsible for defending the skies of the US and Canada and was originally located within Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs in order to withstand a nuclear attack. You can also track Santa using Amazon Alexa by installing the NORAD Tracks Santa skill which is free from Amazon. Another tracker - Googles Santa Tracker website and Android app - also went live today. For 13 years, Googles Santa Tracker has been a fun, educational and interactive way for fans to celebrate the holiday season', a Google spokesperson said. This allows fans worldwide to follow Santa's progress on either the desktop web, mobile web (Android/iOS), Android app, Android TV app and Chromecast. A family was surprised to come home from Christmas shopping to find a large kangaroo relaxing in their swimming pool. Jen Harlow from Wonga Park, about 28km north-east of Melbourne, returned home at about 11am to find the marsupial taking a dip in her pool. For the last month the family noticed the kangaroo appearing near their fenced off pool area before the animal became bold enough to jump in, according to 9 News. A family has come home to an early Christmas visitor on Monday when their swimming pool was taken over by a large kangaroo The 'roo was tall enough to stand in the shallow end of the pool - even posing for a photo while munching some grass Ms Harlow had collected. After trying to help the animal out with a leaf scoop, she contacted wildlife professional who thought a ladder might do the trick. Eventually, the 70kg kangaroo was sedated and loaded into a car with the help of four people. The head of a Chinese shipbuilding institute is facing trial for illegally possessing Canadian citizenship and taking bribes, according to a Chinese anti-corruption watchdog. Bu Jianjie, the director of a research institute under the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), has been expelled from the Communist Party of China and is under investigation by authorities of Hebei Province. The news comes amid the ongoing political tensions between China and Canada due to the arrest of an executive of Chinese tech giant Huawei in Vancouver. Bu Jianjie (pictured), the head of the 718 Research Institute under the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) has been expelled from the Communist Party and is facing trial Mr Bu, the head of CSIC's 718 Research Institute, broke the rules of the 'orgnisation' by obtaining Canadian nationality without informing the authorities, the Commission for Discipline Inspection of Hebei Province said in an online announcement today. The former leader is also said to have failed to register part of his company's income in its financial system, taking funds for personal use and accepting bribes. The Commission accuses Mr Bu of 'losing aspirations and faith' as well as having 'swelling greed'. High-level members of China's Communist Party are prohibited from attaining citizenship of a second country, according to the Party's regulations on disciplinary action which was published in 2015. China does not recognise dual nationality. It remains unclear if Mr Bu has renounced his Chinese nationality. State-run CSIC is responsible for refitting Beijing's first aircraft carrier Liaoning and building the country's first domestically developed aircraft carrier Type 001A (pictured) The Hebei authority said the Hebei People's Procuratorate would investigate Mr Bu's case and set up trials. State-run CSIC is responsible for refitting Beijing's first aircraft carrier Liaoning and building the country's first domestically developed aircraft carrier Type 001A. In June, the company's general manager Sun Bo was sacked and investigated by China's top anti-corruption watchdog for allegedly selling state secrets to the CIA. Reports from last week claimed Mr Sun could face a death penalty for allegedly disclosing a complete set of data regarding China's Liaoning aircraft carrier to the U.S. intelligence agency. Mr Bu's punishment comes as political tensions escalate between China and Canada over the arrest of Meng Wanzhou. Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou arrives at a parole office with a security guard in Vancouver on December 12. She was arrested in Canada under a U.S. warrant on December 1 Ms Meng, one of the most powerful women in China, was arrested in Vancouver at the request of the United States on December 1 - a move that has enraged Beijing while it is engaged in a trade war with Washington. Ms Meng is accused by the United States of misleading multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating U.S. sanctions. She was released on bail in Vancouver, where she owns two homes, while waiting to learn if she will be extradited to the United States. She is due in court on Feb. 6. China has detained three Canadian citizens since Ms Meng was arrested in Canada. The first two of them - former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor - were accused of endangering the state security by Beijing. China has detained two Canadian citizens - former diplomat Michael Kovrig (left) and businessman Michael Spavor (right) - in apparent retaliation for the arrest of Meng Wanzhou The third detainee - school teacher Sarah McIver - was accused of working illegally in China. However, her case is said to be separate from the former two due to its 'different nature'. The Canadian government has said several times it saw no explicit link between the arrest of Meng, the daughter of Huawei's founder, and the detentions of Kovrig and Spavor. But Beijing-based Western diplomats and former Canadian diplomats have said they believed the detentions were a 'tit-for-tat' reprisal by China. Advertisement Thousands of British Armed Forces personnel working around the world have sent Christmas messages home to their loved ones. UK troops are involved in 35 operations in more than 30 countries from Somalia and South Sudan to Kuwait and Ukraine. A total of 14 naval vessels will be at sea, from Type 45 Destroyer HMS Dragon in the Gulf to Type 23 Frigate HMS Argyll in the Asia Pacific. In the South Atlantic, more than 1,000 personnel are stationed in the Falkland Islands along with survey ship HMS Protector whilst in the Caribbean, RFA Mounts Bay has been on alert over the hurricane season. Royal Air Force's 903 Expeditionary Air Wing personnel posing in Christmas gear at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. Around 11,000 sailors, marines, soldiers, airmen and airwomen are serving on operations overseas, covering more than 30 countries across the world British troops in Mali opening Christmas parcels. In Mali, RAF Chinook helicopters from RAF Odiham are supported by around 90 British troops to support French counter-terrorism operations Royal Navy personnel (left to right) Karl Mann, Matthew Scott, Curtis Brearton, Oliver Holden and Zac Jones on board HMS Argyll which is currently deployed in the Asia-Pacific region over Christmas. A total of 14 naval vessels will be at sea, from Type 45 Destroyer HMS Dragon in the Gulf to Type 23 Frigate HMS Argyll in the Asia Pacific In total, about 11,000 sailors, marines, soldiers, airmen and airwomen are serving on operations overseas. Rear Admiral John Weale, head of the Submarine Service, said: 'While everybody is enjoying their Christmas, I ask that you remember those submariners we have deployed, we have submarines deployed 24/7, seven days a week, 365 days a year. 'They will not be able to dial home this Christmas, so to their family members I wish you all a happy Christmas and to all submariners, thank you and happy Christmas.' In Europe, 150 UK personnel of the Queen's Royal Hussars are deployed to Poland and about 850 British personnel of the 1 YORKS are in Estonia on NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) deployment. British troops from 83 EAG/901 EAW posing in Santa hats at Al U'Deid Air Base in Qatar. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: 'We should all take a moment to think of our armed forces personnel and their families, whose selflessness and support at this time of year is vital' British troops in Malakal, South Sudan, opening Christmas parcels. The military are in the African nation on a peacekeeping mission Troops from the Royal Anglian Regiment in Santa hatsat Camp Qargha, Kabul, Afghanistan In Africa, 120 Army troops are deployed to wildlife reserves in Malawi to assist local forces with counter-poaching and halt the population decline of many of Africa's animals, including elephants, rhinos and lions. Troops will also be in peacekeeping missions in Somalia and South Sudan. In Mali, RAF Chinook helicopters from RAF Odiham are supported by around 90 British troops to support French counter-terrorism operations. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: 'We should all take a moment to think of our armed forces personnel and their families, whose selflessness and support at this time of year is vital. Personnel from the Royal Air Force's 903 Expeditionary Air Wing personnel posing in Christmas gear at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. Also in Europe 150 UK personnel of the Queen's Royal Hussars are deployed to Poland and about 850 British personnel of the 1 YORKS are in Estonia on NATO's Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) deployment personnel from the Royal Air Force's 903 Expeditionary Air Wing personnel posing in Christmas gear at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus 'This Christmas, like any other day, our servicemen and women will be displaying their unique professionalism around the world and at home. 'To the entire Armed Forces community, I wish you all the happiest possible Christmas and thank you for your remarkable service in 2018.' Residents of a luxury tower block are facing the prospect of sleeping on concrete floors in a temporary shelter after their building was evacuated over fears it could collapse. More than 200 residents of Opal Tower in Sydney Olympic Park were evacuated on Monday afternoon along with more than 3,000 from nearby buildings. After fleeing with just their essential belongings, they have no idea if they will able to return to their homes for Christmas. Many residents were been forced to book accommodation on their phones while authorities dithered for several hours. Scroll down for video Residents could be spending Christmas Eve sleeping on a concrete floor in a temporary shelter after they were forced to evacuate over fears the apartment building could collapse About 100 people are still stranded in a temporary shelter at the nearby Royal Agricultural Society building as they wait for the all clear from authorities People sat on what few chairs were available and if they were lucky, used a table to eat or play cards Just before midnight on Christmas Eve, residents from the surrounding buildings were allowed to return to their homes. But around 100 were still stranded in a temporary shelter at the nearby Royal Agricultural Society building as they wait for the all clear from authorities. Many people claim they have been left in the dark, having received no information from emergency crews about when they might be able to return home. 'We've been told nothing. We don't know how long we will be stuck here, maybe until tomorrow,' one group told Daily Mail Australia. Hundreds of residents have fled for their lives after cracking sounds coming from the roof of their high rise sparked fears the building will collapse at any moment Another family had enough and set out on foot towards hotel rooms they booked last minute on their phones. 'We weren't even in the tower, we live nearby and just know what's on the news. It's very frustrating,' they said. People sat on what few chairs were available and if they were lucky, used a table to eat or play cards. One group somehow found a couch and one of them took a nap on it curled up under a blanket, but others had to sit on the hard floor. Salvation Army volunteers brewed tea and coffee and handed out basic food to the residents well into the night. NSW fire service, police, and other agencies were locked in hours of crisis talks with engineers who assessed the building. They were at midnight still deciding whether it was safe for residents to go home, and where to put them up for the night if it was too dangerous. Around 2.45pm residents heard loud cracking sounds coming from the 10th floor and began to rush outside. Police then arrived and evacuated the rest of the residents. The 117m tower contains 392 units along with a childcare centre and other amenities. Firefighter search and rescue teams and public works engineers are inside the 34-storey building assessing it after a huge crack was found in its structure Some residents said the doors to the building were jammed and police had to break them down with heavy equipment to help residents escape. One also claimed they could hear movement in the building during strong winds. Firefighter search and rescue teams and public works engineers went inside the 34-storey building to assess it after a huge crack was found in its structure. NSW Fire Acting Superintendent Greg Wright said they would 'determine if the building is safe to inhabit or if any other remedial works are required'. More than 3,000 people in nearby buildings were also told to leave and those coming home were not allowed back inside Police and firefighters stand guard outside the exclusion zone they set up to keep people away He hoped to have completed this process in several hours and know if and when residents could return to their homes. 'We don't know (when that will be) until the engineers assess the building and find out what caused the issue - or if there's a major issue with the building,' he said. NSW Police Detective Superintendent Philip Rogerson said the building, which was only completed in March and opened in August, had moved one to two millimetres. The tower was being monitored with specialist laser monitoring equipment to detect any movement, but none had been recorded since the crack opened. Fire crews shut off the water and gas and took the building off the power grid while police taped off a 250m radius. Police said an emergency services operation is underway after concerns were raised for the structural integrity of the 30-storey Opal Tower (pictured) at Sydney Olympic Park Residents were left stranded in the park nearby, not knowing how long it would be until they were able to return to their homes Opal Tower is only months old The 117m Opal tower has 392 apartments over 34 storeys along with a childcare centre and other businesses and amenities. Brand new high rise was built alongside numerous other similar blocks in Olympic Park as it transforms into a major population centre. The building was only completed in March and opened in August, and cost $165 million to build by developer Ecove, which built many of the others nearby. Two-bedroom apartments are on sale for $934,000 and one bedrooms for $620,000. The company also created One30 Hyde Park tower in the Sydney CBD. The tower was designed by architecture firm Bates Smart and built by Icon Construction. Advertisement Earlier, more than 50 children in a childcare centre were moved elsewhere and later released to their families. The operator of the nearby Botania tower told its residents in an email: 'there is a potential for the tower to collapse, a 1km radius has been evacuated'. Police said when it was safe to do so they would, with the help of the RSPCA, begin rescuing pets that were left behind in the evacuation. Trains running between Lidcombe and Olympic Park were cancelled as a precaution but buses are replacing them. Opal Tower is one of several new apartment towers in Olympic Park and cost $165 million to build. It was developed by Ecove, which also built many other new towers in the suburb along with One30 Hyde Park tower in the Sydney CBD. Two-bedroom apartments are on sale for $934,000 and one bedrooms for $620,000. 'We are aware of the concerns that have arisen with the Opal Building and confirm that the builder has been notified,' Ecove said. A resident stands on her balcony as evacuations began. She was one of about 140 who left the building under police orders Police and fire fighters shut off the water and gas and took it off the power grid, and will use specialist equipment designed to monitor the building for any more movement using lasers 'As a precaution the building has been temporarily evacuated whilst it is being assessed by the relevant authorities.' The tower was designed by architecture firm Bates Smart and built by Icon Construction. Residents mill around outside the building and ask police about when they will be able to go back inside Pictures showing 'missing' Dubai princess Latifa have been released by the UAE in a bid to prove she is 'at home and living with her family'. The photos show Princess Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum posing with the former UN high commissioner for human rights Mary Robinson in Dubai. Rights groups had called on the UAE to disclose the whereabouts and condition of Sheikha Latifa, daughter of Dubai's ruler, amid widespread reports she was forcibly returned after fleeing the Gulf Arab state. The 33-year-old had not previously been seen in public for more than nine months while her Instagram account had been closed down. Pictures showing 'missing' Dubai princess Latifa have been released by the United Arab Emirates The photos show Princess Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum, daughter of Dubai's ruler, posing with the former UN high commissioner for human rights Mary Robinson Rights groups had called on the UAE to disclose the whereabouts and condition of Sheikha Latifa, following reports in the international media that she was forcibly returned after fleeing the Gulf Arab state 'At the request of the family, on 15th December 2018, Mary Robinson, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former President of Ireland, met with Her Highness Sheikha Latifa in Dubai,' the UAE foreign ministry said. 'Photographs taken during the afternoon they spent together have been shared, with their consent. 'During her visit to Dubai, Mary Robinson was reassured that H.H. Sheikha Latifa is receiving the necessary care and support she requires.' It said: 'The communique responds to and rebuts false allegations and provided evidence that Her Highness Sheikha Latifa was at home and living with her family in Dubai.' The ministry said the UAE Mission in Geneva shared the statement with the Office of Special Procedures at the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Latifa was snatched from a yacht after trying to flee with the help of French former spy Herve Jaubert and long-time friend Tiina Jauhiainen. The Princess (left) escaped with Ms Jauhiainen (right) and planned to start a new life in America but three weeks into her escape bid, their yacht Nostromo was surrounded by Indian forces Earlier this month, Dubai Ruler's Court said she celebrated her 33rd birthday with her family and that they are 'deeply saddened' by speculation regarding her whereabouts. In an extraordinary statement, a spokesman lambasted the BBC for making a documentary about the case 'intruding' on her private life. It was the first time the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had broken its silence on the speculation surrounding Latifa after she went missing on March 5. That statement came as footage showed her training for her escape by swimming in a plush pool in scuba gear on February 12. The princess later attempted to flee her 'gilded prison' with the help of Herve Jaubert, and her Finnish marital arts teacher. The footage was filmed by her teacher, Tiina Jauhiainen, who also joined her on the mission first driving into neighbouring Oman before sailing to India. She had contacted Mr Jaubert years earlier asking him for help after she had read about him escaping from the country, he has said. Princess Latifa Maktoum's Identity Card (pictured above) which states her full name as Sheikha Latifa Mohd Rashed Almaktoum Latifa was last seen on March 5 being dragged into a rubber boat by Indian and Emirati forces, according to those who were with her. But in a statement, Dubai Ruler's Court later claimed that Latifa was 'vulnerable to exploitation' by Mr Hauve, who had a criminal record. He and his 'accomplices' demanded payment of a ransom of $100million shortly after she disappeared for her return, it was claimed. A spokesman from the Dubai Ruler's Court said: 'This private family matter has caused significant upset and distress for all concerned, most of all Sheikha Latifa.' It said she was 'adored and cherished' by their family and was now safe in Dubai. Miss Jauhiainen had told the BBC that on the day of the escape Latifa changed her clothes and sunglasses, and the pair crossed into Oman. They then headed out into international waters by inflatable boat and jet ski to meet Mr Jaubert in a yacht flying the US flag. The trio set sail for India, where Latifa hoped to claim political asylum in the US, but were stopped by armed men just 30 miles from the coast and taken back to Dubai. International Human rights organisation Guernica 37, which has monitored the case, said it welcomed the conformation that Sheikha Latifa is alive. But it added: There remains very serious concerns as to her state of health and whether she continues to be detained against her will. These serious questions remain unanswered. The Government of the United Arab Emirates has not addressed why it has taken some nine months for the issue to be addressed, or why it has taken some nine months for there to be confirmation of Sheikha Latifas whereabouts. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 24) The provincial police chief of Albay and the regional director of the Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) were relieved following the killing of AKO BICOL Party-list Member Rodel Batocabe. Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde said Albay Provincial Police Director SSupt. Milo Pagtalunan, and the PSPG head were temporarily removed from the posts to pave way for an impartial probe in Batocabe's killing. "We temporarily or administratively relieved the chief of police there, and also the provincial director, and also the regional chief of PSPG (Police Security and Protection Group) just to pave the way for an impartial investigation. And also, kung meron silang pagkukulang doon sa pangyayari [to check if they had liabilities in the incident]," Albayalde said. The country's police chief said the PSPG head was relieved to verify reports that he wanted to remove Batocabe's security aide, Orlando Diaz. "We received information na parang noong una, gusto yatang [at first, he wants to] i-relieve 'yung security detail nitong si Congressman," he said. Both Batocabe and Diaz were shot by unidentified gunmen on Saturday, December 22, after a charity event in Daraga, Albay. He also directed the head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Amador Group, to take the lead in the probe of Batocabe's slay. Albayalde said investigative groups are in the process of retrieving closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage in the area of Daraga. He added they are still looking at two angles in Batocabe's slay: that he refused to give money to members of the New Peoples' Army extorting from him, and a political angle since Batocabe was running for a mayoral seat in Daraga. Lawmakers had put up at least 30 million as a reward for information leading to the capture of the Batocabe's killers. By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 24, 2018 | 10:13 AM | GOLDEN POND Officials at Land Between the Lakes are putting rules in place to prevent the spreading of a disease affecting the deer population.According to WKDZ, U.S. Forest Service officials are prohibiting the transport of harvested deer across state lines. The decision comes after officials with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency reported seven white-tailed deer have tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Tennessee.In a press release, LBL Environmental Stewardship Manager John Westbrook said the serious disease can have a catastrophic impact on deer and elk herds, but hunters can help keep it from spreading by following the rules.Kentucky Fish and Wildlife officials say Kentucky and Tennessee are limiting the transport of certain deer parts across state lines. Hunters cannot bring a deer into the neighboring state unless the brain and spinal column have been removed.Hunters are being encouraged to check with game processors before taking any meat across state lines. On the Net: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has agreed to hold early elections on April 9. The move comes after the ruling coalition appeared to come up short on votes needed to pass a contentious piece of court-ordered legislation. Mr Netanyahu said his coalition 'unanimously' agreed to disband the government and hold a new election. At a meeting of his Likud faction, he listed his accomplishments in office and said he hoped his current religious, nationalistic coalition would be the 'core' of the next one as well. FILE - In this Nov. 18, 2018 file photo, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a statement in Tel Aviv, Israel. Israeli media is reporting Monday, Dec. 24, 2018, that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition government has agreed to call an early election for April 9. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit, File) The latest polls appear to predict another solid victory for Mr Netanyahu, though an indictment over mounting corruption charges could still trip him up. Mr Netanyahu's coalition has been rocked by internal divisions for months. Avigdor Lieberman resigned as defence minister last month to protest against what he perceived to be the government's weak response to rocket attacks from Hamas-ruled Gaza. But a new law extending the military draft to ultra-Orthodox men appears to have triggered the government's downfall. Mr Netanyahu's ultra-Orthodox partners are demanding the legislation be weakened and his razor-thin parliamentary majority seems to be making such a compromise impossible. Ultra-Orthodox parties consider conscription a taboo, fearing that military service will lead to immersion in secularism. But years of exemptions have generated widespread resentment among the rest of Jewish Israelis. Earlier, Yair Lapid of the opposition Yesh Atid party announced he was rescinding his support for the bill, calling the coalition's hoped-for compromise a payoff to draft dodgers. As a result, Mr Netanyahu convened his fellow coalition faction leaders and the decision was made to dissolve parliament and go to elections. Another victory for Mr Netanyahu would assure his place in history as Israel's longest-serving leader and allow him to solidify his close alliance with US President Donald Trump. Another term would also allow Mr Netanyahu to push forward with his nationalistic agenda and worldwide campaign to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions. With the opposition parties currently splintered, the only thing that seems to stand in his way is potential criminal charges over corruption allegations. Police have recommended he be indicted on bribery and breach of trust charges in three different cases. The country has long been eagerly awaiting the attorney general's decision on whether to press charges. The justice ministry announced on Wednesday that deliberations were continuing and were 'not dependent on political events'. Mr Netanyahu has angrily dismissed the accusations against him, characterising them as part of a media-driven witch hunt that is obsessed with removing him from office. Elections were previously scheduled for November 2019. But since Mr Lieberman's resignation the coalition has been relying on the slimmest of parliamentary majorities, just 61 out of its 120 members, and has found governing difficult. The last time a government served its full term was in 1988. Since then, elections have almost always been moved up because of a coalition crisis or as a strategic move by the prime minister to maximise his chance of re-election. The Trump administration is pushing back against claims from former FBI Director James Comey and Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren that federal workers will feel the government-shutdown crunch in the form of missed paychecks during Christmas week. According to official instructions the White House issued last week, government employees will be at risk of delayed paychecks on January 11, if the shutdown isn't ended by then. But Comey claimed Sunday that employees of his old agency and their families 'will spend Christmas without a paycheck' because of the partial shutdown that began Friday at midnight. Warren tweeted that affected workers 'will go without a paycheck over the holidays.' Russ Vought, the deputy director of the White House's Office of Management and Budget criticized Warren's 'inaccurate' claim: 'Federal employees will receive their next paycheck, even under a lapse.' Former FBI Director James Comey inaccurately claimed this weekend that workers at his old agency will go without paychecks over Christmas because of the partial government shutdown 'FBI families will spend Christmas without a paycheck, said Comey, a reliable opponent of President Donald Trump Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren made the same claim, ignoring that federal workers won't see their paychecks affected until January 11 Warren claimed on Twitter the an 'avoidable' shutdown means 'hundreds of thousands of federal employees will go without a paycheck over the holidays' The deputy director of the White House office that instructs federal agencies what to do in the event of a shutdown fired back, saying federal employees will still be paid this coming Friday Comey has stood as an uncompromising opponent of President Donald Trump since his firing in May 2017, and began using Twitter this year to express his outrage at what he sees as a presidency being run off the rails. 'FBI families will spend Christmas without a paycheck,' he tweeted. 'This president promised Mexico would pay for the wall but innocent people are now paying the price for another lie. Our thoughts are with hardworking public servants and their families.' Trump initiated a longstanding feud with Warren during his presidential campaign, mocking her as 'Pocahontas' for her decades-long claim that she is part American Indian. Warren acknowledged this month that she is not 'a person of color.' The battle between the two is expected to heat up if Warren enters the Democratic Party's presidential primary race in 2019. Dan Pfieffer, a former senior aid to President Barack Obama who now co-hosts the 'Pod Save America' podcast, tweeted that news media have written few stories 'about the government workers who won't get a paycheck over the holidays.' The most visible government closures this week include national parks like the Joshua Tree National Park. It was was open but its visitors center and other facilities were closed The White House's official shutdown guidance specifies that pay scheduled for December 28 and the days immediately following will be 'issued at the normal time' The federal government's pay calendar calls for checks on December 28 for work done between December 9 and December 22 Civilian federal employees are paid every two weeks for work ending a week or more earlier. The last full pay period of 2018 ended Saturday, and Congress had already budgeted for that money. Workers at the FBI and other agencies will be paid as usual, despite the shutdown, beginning on Friday, December 28. OMB sent guidance to all federal Cabinet agencies last week, including the Justice Department. 'Saturday, December 22, is the last day of the December 9-22 biweekly pay period. ... Paychecks for that pay period should be issued at the normal time (generally, in the December 28 to January 3 time range),' it read. One exception the White House agency spelled out applies to a small number of employees who worked on Satutrday, the day the shutdown began. That day's work won't be reflected in their pay until the government is reopened at full strength. If federal employees are denied paychecks in mid-January, they will be repaid what the federal treasury owes them as soon as the shuttered segments of the government are re-opened. Donald Trump (pictured) cancelled his own plans to travel to Mar-a-Lago for Christmas as the government readied for a shutdown; unlike the independently wealthy president, most federal workers will feel the bite of missing paychecks if the shutdown lasts to January 11 It's unclear how long the stalemate between the White House and Senate Democrats might last. President Donald Trump is holding out for billions of dollars in funding to fulfill his campaign promise to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. Democrats will take over the House of Representatives on January 3. The impasse could last well into the month if it isn't resolved by then. Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff who ran OMB until two weeks ago, said Sunday: 'I don't think things are going to move very quickly here the next couple of days.' 'It's very possible that the shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress,' he said on the Fox News Sunday program. The shutdown affects about 25 per cent of the federal budget covering nine agencies: the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, State, Transportation and Treasury. Congress exempted itself this year by voting to fund its own operations until the fall of 2019. Patrick Shanahan, named yesterday as President Trump's new acting Defense Secretary, is a former long-serving Boeing executive. The father-of-three, 56, is set to step up from his role as Deputy Defense Secretary to take over from Jim Mattis in the new year. Shanahan, 56, was proposed for the deputy role last year after moving up the ranks at the aerospace giant, which he joined in 1986. New acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, right, listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in April 2018 Announcing his appointment on social media, Trump wrote: 'I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting January 1, 2019.' 'Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing. He will be great!' Former Secretary of State Jim Mattis stepped down from his post two months early amid anger that he had resigned from his role, which was seen as a snub to the president. Shanahan,poses for his official portrait in the Army portrait studio at the Pentagon in July 19, 2017 Shanahan has a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington and two advanced degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The former Washington student went on to obtain a Master of Science in mechanical engineering and a Master of Business Administration from MITs Sloan School of Management. Shanahan was dubbed as Boeing's 'fix-it' man in March 2016 by the Puget Sound Business Journal and was responsible for both commercial and military planes. He earned the titled after being crediteed for getting the 787 Dreamliner on track after production problems in the programs early years. After holding senior positions in the 767 program and managing the 757 program he was awarded the position of vice president and general manager of Boeings Rotorcraft Systems in Philadelphia. Shanahan also headed up U.S. Army Aviation programs, which included Boeings ballistic-missile defence program. President Trump announced the appointment on Twitter yesterday morning Shanahan is known for having a good relationship with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, he often visited them as project leader within the Pentagon (pictured with Pence and Mattis in August 2018) Other highlights of his Boeing career include managing the Boeing Missile Defence Systems and leading the the Boeing 787 Dreamliner development program. Before joining office as Deputy Defense Secretary, Shanahan took on the role of senior vice president of Boeings Commercial Airplane Programs in 2008, until he left in 2014. The father-of-three is the son of Vietnam veteran Mike Shanahan who served his country in the U.S. Army before returning home and pursuing a law enforcement career, the Department of Defense's website reports. Shanahan during his time as vice president and general manager of Airplane Programs in 2009 Shanahan was dubbed Boeing's 'fix-it' man in March 2016 by the Puget Sound Business Journal and was responsible for both commercial and military planes Shanahan, who is believed to be divorced, has said his father raised him to put service before himself. Prior to his confirmation, the late John McCain said that he wasn't happy that Shanahan would be leading the Pentagon with no previous military experience. It has also previously been reported by The Hill that Shanahan wasn't close with his superior Mattis, but he is well-liked by the White House. He is especially known for having a good relationship with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, he often visited them as project leader within the Pentagon. Shanahan previously told Defense News: 'Too often we focus on process, or budget, or level of effort. The Pentagon should focus on outcomes and outputs our performance. 'This focus on performance should drive us to field unmatched lethality, execute on our modernization plans and achieve this affordably.' He added that he wants to focus on making the system viable to change so that when a leader moves on it doesn't all fall apart, as it shouldn't be dependant on their presence, Shanahan said that his job is to force change which he plans to do in a systemic way. Former child actor Jimmy Bennett, who has publicly accused Asia Argento of sexually assaulting him when he was 17 years old, has gone to ground without ever reporting the alleged crime to the police in Los Angeles as he promised to do months ago. As TMZ first reported Monday morning, the 22-year-old Bennett has been laying low since late September, when he traveled to Rome for a live taping of an Italian talk show, during which he was mocked for claiming to have been forced into a sexual intercourse by Argento, then aged 37. Officers with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office have reportedly made several attempts to contact Bennett about the incident, but to no avail. Scroll down for video Laying low: Jimmy Bennett (left), 22, reportedly has not been taking calls from the LA County Sheriff's Office and has not filed a police report against Asia Argento (right) concerning their 2013 sexual encounter Although Bennett has not spoken publicly since September, he has remained active on social media, including posting this selfie on December 14 In November, Bennett, 22, shared on Instagram a photo of himself enjoying a bagel Yet Bennett has continued posting messages on social media, most recently on December 14, when he shared a selfie showing himself looking disheveled while enjoying a massive breakfast of bacon, eggs and waffles. Although in early September Bennett signaled his intention to file a sexual assault report against Argento and cooperate with the investigation, he has yet to follow through on his promise. Argento, who has emerged as a vocal participant in the #MeToo movement after accusing Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexually assaulting her, has alleged that she was the real victim and 'froze' when Bennett 'jumped' on her. In April, Argento agreed to pay Bennett a $380,000 settlement, which the actress' then-boyfriend, celebrity chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain, financed before taking his own life. Argento played Bennett's mother in the 2004 movie The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things (pictured) The pair reconnected in 2013, when Bennett was 17 years old and Argento was 37 Argento played Bennett's mother in the 2004 movie The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things. The two reconnected in 2013, when the Italian actress reached out to Bennett about a film project and invited him to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Marina Del Ray, California, for a meeting. During his appearance on the popular Italian program Non e l'Arena in late September, Bennett, accompanied by his lawyer told the host that he showed up at the hotel thinking there would be a film audition. Instead, he claimed Argento offered him champagne, started passionately kissing him, then unbuckled his pants and pushed him onto the bed, where the two ended up having a sexual intercourse. The host of the show questioned the idea that Argento, as a woman, could rape a young, healthy, 17-year-old man, and sought to poke holes in Bennett's narrative by asking him whether he climaxed during the encounter, which the interviewee said he did. Bennett was ridiculed over his claims on Italian TV in late September (left). Argento (right) appeared on the same show a week later and claimed Bennett 'jumped' her In April, Argento agreed to pay Bennett a $380,000 settlement, which the actress' then-boyfriend, celebrity chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain, financed A week after the bombshell interview, Argento, 43, appeared on the Italian talk show and offered a completely different version of events, claiming that she 'froze' when Bennett began to kiss her and touch her 'in a way that was not that of a child with his mother, but that of a boy with crazy hormones.' 'He literally jumped on me; he put me sideways across the bed. He did what he had to do. He didn't use a condom. It lasted for two minutes. He had an orgasm. 'I was cold, unable to move. Shocked, I asked him afterwards why he had done this, and he told me that I had been his sexual fantasy since he was 12 years old.' She also compared the incident to her encounter with Weinstein. 'I had not even defended myself in the meeting with Weinstein. I think it's because of some childhood trauma.' The revelation in August that Argento had sex with Bennett and then agreed to pay him $380,000 four years later after he threatened to go public with the story hit the actress and the #MeToo movement like a bomb. Argento initially denied they had had sex. But when texts leaked two days later that showed her saying 'He jumped me', Argento said through an attorney that she was the victim, not Bennett. Lyle Menendez has told how he will spend his first Christmas in 23 years with his brother Erik since the siblings were convicted of killing their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion. In an exclusive prison interview with DailyMail.com, Lyle said he and Erik will 'definitely' spend Christmas Day together and hopes the festive period will be 'special' and a 'little less dark.' The Menendez brothers are serving life sentences without the possibility of parole for fatally shooting their parents Jose and Kitty Menendez in 1989 after suffering years of horrible abuse. The pair had an emotional reunion in April this year after almost 22 years apart and have been inseparable since being moved into the same prison together. Reunited: Lyle (left) and Erik (right) Menendez (pictured in 1990) will spend Christmas together behind bars for the first time since 1996. The brothers, who were convicted of murdering their parents in 1989, were reunited at the same facility in April this year Erik, 48, (left) and Lyle, 50, (right) are now serving their life sentences at Echo Yard, within the R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, California Prior to their reunion the last time they saw each other in person was September 10, 1996 following the end of their second trial at which they were both found guilty of first-degree murder. And now Lyle, 50, has opened up about how he hopes to have a Christmas dinner with his 48-year-old younger brother and share 'family time' while hanging out at the prison. The pair is being held in the same unit, Echo Yard, within the R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, California - a modern facility which focuses on rehabilitation. Lyle says he and Erik 'see each other every day' but he expects Christmas to have a 'different' feeling. 'Prison is pretty compact, everybody's kind of in a little beehive here together so I see him throughout the day,' Lyle said. 'And it's definitely going to be a different feeling on Christmas, I think, it's interesting.' Lyle says he and Erik have joined the EastLake Church while behind bars after it opened up a branch within the prison recently. And he said the pastor gave a sermon last week about not losing faith in really dark times and still having hope. He said: 'It made me think that every Christmas - it's generally a difficult time for people in prison, separated from their family and loved ones and maybe thinking about why they are here, but really for me it was really especially so separated from Erik and so I think this one, I just couldn't help but think it's going to be a little bit less dark. This is the prison in San Diegowhere the two brothers have been doing time since April this year. The Echo Yard facility focuses on rehabilitation and for Christmas this year, it will be hosting a holiday play for the inmates and a meal Although Lyle and Erik are in the same facility, the two are in different programs but try to see each other as much as they can 'I told the pastor that afterwards, you know, and it's a constant realization that, wow, my brother is here with me and it's a little different this year, so we'll see what Christmas is like.' Lyle says for the most part December 25 will be a regular day in prison life but he hopes it will be 'special' having his brother with him for the first time in two decades. Lyle's wife is also coming down from Sacramento to visit him which he says is 'wonderful'. He says other inmates at the facility are throwing a holiday play but neither he nor Erik are taking part. 'I'm not in the play, I'm not going to be a reindeer in the play, there were some openings for reindeers, but I'm not gonna... I'll go watch with my brother and they do a holiday meal. 'Sometimes the warden comes and eats with the inmates and we'll see, it's my first one here.' Asked if he had a gift for brother Erik or whether he had made him a festive card, Lyle responded: 'I haven't done anything like that, but that's not a bad idea maybe I will.' He added: 'I think for us the gift is just being here together. It can be bittersweet, right, because being together brings back a lot of memories and things from the past... it's like seeing a family member that you have so much history with, not all of it good. 'But at the same time it's just, two decades being separated, every day is sort of shocking. So to just see my brother is just sort of a shock, so I don't think it'd be any different on Christmas.' The brothers, who were 21 and 19 at the time, gained notoriety after killing their parents Kitty and Jose Menendez (center) in 1989 in their Beverly Hills mansion Chilling crime scene photos showing the blood-soaked couch where Jose Menendez was shot five times by his own sons became central to the prosecution Lyle - prisoner K13758 - said he and Erik - prisoner K14101 - had settled in well at R.J. Donovan and are both busy with the various rehabilitation programs and 'freedoms' on offer there. 'It's always interesting to adjust to a new place. So, so far, you know, I think, so good. I definitely like it here in San Diego.' He added that he and his brother have plenty of opportunity to see each other. 'We're both in different programs. I try as much as I can to make contact with him throughout the day,' Lyle explained. 'I try to at least exercise with him every day, so we'll try to figure out a time to do that. 'So that becomes a time where we can meet up and then we can go to meals together and then we have the same job as an NDA worker, an assistant caregiver worker where you push wheelchairs and help some of the guys that have disabilities so we can meet up for that everyday in the evening. So we find time.' Asked whether things have changed in their relationship since being reunited Lyle said his brother - who was a teenager when he first arrived in prison - had 'grown' and become more 'confident' as an adult in the prison system, but it's something they haven't had chance to talk about. He said: 'At some point I imagine he'll talk about that. We'll talk about it together, but right now we're just sort of, I'm just happy to be with him and you know, it's definitely a very loving brotherly bond and it's amazing how the separation doesn't change that at all.' In April, speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Lyle revealed the moment he was reunited with Erik after 22 years apart. He said he tightly embraced his younger brother and said to him, 'finally' as they both burst into tears. The brothers argued that they were driven to murder their father and mother after a lifetime of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse Lyle said: 'It's been 22 years. So it was just something I wasn't sure was ever going to happen. 'It was just a remarkable moment for me and my whole family who's had to visit us in separate prisons in two parts of the state.' Lyle said the 'sudden separation' in the 'dead of night' had been difficult to deal with in 1996 when the pair was removed from their jail cells and sent to two different prisons. He said the separation was 'hugely traumatizing' for both of them. 'We just always knew that one of the things we wanted to do was try to be reunited,' he said. It has been nearly 30 years since Lyle and Erik shot dead their wealthy parents in Beverly Hills. On August 20, 1989, the brothers walked into the den of their $5million Beverly Hills mansion and shot their father Jose point blank in the back of the head, then shot their mother Kitty in the leg as she tried to run out of the room. In the end they shot their father five times and their mother nine, with the final bullet for each going into their kneecaps in an attempt to make the murders look like a mob hit. It was not until March of the following year however, that police had enough evidence to arrest them, and the two were not convicted for the murders until 1996, with both given life sentences. The brothers argued that they were driven to murder their father and mother after a lifetime of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Erik said that he was sodomized by his father for the first time when he was six-years-old, and Lyle testified that Jose also made him molest his own brother when they were children. Lyle revealed his second wife Rebecca Sneed (right) will also visit him from Sacramento on Christmas The younger brother also testified that Jose forced him to perform four different kinds of sexual acts: oral sex, anal sex, hand massage, or having pins stuck into his buttocks or thighs. Lyle said that in addition to his father, his mother also sexually molested him. He also testified that his father forced him to perform oral sex on his mother multiple times and sodomized him when he was just a child. While the juries were deadlocked the first time the brothers were tried, they did not get the desired result in their second trial. On March 20, 1996, the brothers were found guilty of first-degree murder, receiving life sentences and being spared the death penalty. They appealed their case all the way up to the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals but were denied every time. At the time of their conviction in 1996 the judge in the case, Superior Judge Stanley Weisberg, and the Los Angeles District Attorney were under a huge amount of pressure after OJ Simpson was acquitted in the murder of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman the year before. The feeling at the time was that they needed a win. And many believed that ultimately this affected the outcome of the second Menendez trial - also a huge a case. The Menendez brothers are being held in Echo Yard at the R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility, which houses around 800 men, is bordered by 70ft high concrete walls with ground-floor doors leading into cell blocks. Echo Yard, classified by the CDCR as a 'non-designated programming facility,' runs a special program that doesn't follow the usual prison rules. Cells are a racial mix, sex offenders and transgender inmates are housed with everyone else and gang affiliations are banned. All the inmates take educational and rehabilitation courses and prisoners publish a monthly newspaper, perform music in bands and raise service dogs for wounded veterans and autistic kids. There are yoga sessions, art classes, and correspondence courses in geography, history and other subjects. Police in Fort Collins, Colorado have issued a Christmas appeal to track down a burglar who dressed up as 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer' to perform a heist. The Fort Collins Police Department posted a remarkable clip of the burglary on their social media account accompanied by a Christmas jingle and new lyrics to the famous carol. 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Burglar. Had a very shady scheme. And if you saw the video. It would want to make you scream,' the FCPD's Facebook post read. The woman can be seen bursting into the office in Fort Collins, Colorado before rooting around in the cupboards 'All of the other burglars. Used to steal without disguise. They weren't like this Rudolph. She's different from the other guys.' In the CCTV footage, the woman can be seen busting into a Fort Collins business, turning on the lights and filling a backpack with loot before making off. The woman can be seen wearing a gigantic reindeer head as she enters the room, but eventually decides to remove the unwieldy disguise - revealing her face to the camera. She then puts her costume back on, rummages through the store's cupboards and makes off through the same door. She momentarily takes her unwieldy outfit off, revealing her face to the CCTV cameras above Police in the town are now appealing for help from the public in identifying the woman - who remains at large. 'All kidding aside, in the early morning hours of December 18, someone actually broke into a business in the 300 block of Hickory Street and stole several items...while attempting to disguise herself as one of Santa's helpers,' The FCPD's post continued. 'If you have any info about this incident or know suspect's identity, let us know so we can notify St. Nick.' A Brooklyn priest killed himself inside a church rectory just two weeks before Christmas and was discovered after his pastor requested a wellness check, it has been revealed. The body of Patrick Burns, 57, was discovered on December 14 in the living room of the rectory at the Holy Name of Jesus Roman Catholic Church in Windsor Terrace. A 16-page suicide note was also found in the property following the check which was requested by pastor Father Larry Ryan, sources said. Patrick Burns, 57, had reportedly struggled with health issues and spent time away from the church on medical leave A Diocese of Brooklyn spokeswoman described the death as a 'tragedy'. The churchs music director, Ivonne Rojas, told the New York Post that she was 'shocked and amazed' by the news. Burns had reportedly struggled with health issues and spent time away from the church on medical leave, according to The Tablet magazine. He was ordained in 1992 and had previously served in Bushwick, Jackson Heights, Sunset Park and Corona. According to the magazine's obituary the priest attended the Good Shepherd School in Marine Park and later Sheepshead Bay High School. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article then you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255, alternatively you can visit the website at by clicking here. China has shown off its latest drone bomber as it releases footage of the unmanned aircraft completing its first flight. Wing Loong I-D, a type of combat and spy drone, can carry more than 10 different types of weapons and fly up to 35 hours without refuelling. It is also able to scout information from as high as 7,000 metres (22,965 feet), according to Chinese news site Sina Military. The unmanned warplane completed its maiden flight at an airport in western China yesterday Wing Loong I-D reportedly flew for 30 minutes before landing smoothly during the first flight The fighter jet is reported to be equipped with a variety of bombs and missiles. One of them is the BA-7, or Blue Arrow-7 laser-guided missiles. The semi-automatic, air-to-surface missile is reported to be one of the most powerful anti-tank missiles in the world by Chinese media. It is able to destroy tanks with armor as think as 1.4 metres (55 inches) from as far as 7,000 metres (22,965 feet), according to a military blog on QQ.com. Wing Loong I-D is also armed with YZ-212 laser-guided bomb, YZ-102A anti-personnel bomb and 50-kilogram LS-6 miniature guided bomb, said Sina Military. An upgrade from the Wing Loong I, the newest drone is wider and can carry a heavier load. China has flaunted its latest military drone Wing Loong I-D. The combat and spy jet is seen during this year's China International Aviation and Aerospace exhibition on November 15 According to Sina, the Wing Loong I-D has a wider wing span of 17.5 metres (57.4 feet), compared to Wing Loong I's 14 metres (45.9 feet). In addition, it can carry an external load of up to 400 kilograms (881 pounds), compared to Wing Loong I's 100 kilograms (220 pounds). Wing Loong I-D completed its maiden flight at an airport in western China yesterday. According to CGTN, which released the video of the flight, Wing Loong I-D flew for about 30 minutes before landing smoothly. Wing Loong I-D is armed with BA-7 laser-guided missiles (pictured). The air-to-surface missile is reported to be one of the most powerful anti-tank missiles in the world by Chinese media The report also said the multi-purpose aircraft was the first drone to be built with composite materials, meaning it is lighter than its peers. It was unveiled in June and can be sold to overseas buyers. Wing Loong I-D is developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute, a part of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China. It is the latest addition to the Wing Loong serial drones, which are branded as China's most advanced unmanned aerial vehicles. Its sister plane Wing Loong II (pictured) is a stealth drone and is considered by Chinese media as Beijing's answer to MQ-9 Reaper, the most feared military drone in the U.S. Air Force Its sister aircraft, stealth bomber Wing Loong II, can avoid radar detection and successfully destroyed targets 40 kilometres (25 miles) away with laser-guided missiles. Having completed its maiden flight in February last year, Wing Loong II boasts a top speed of 370 kilometres (230 miles) an hour and can reach an altitude of 9,000 metres (30,000 feet), according to a previous report by Xinhua News Agency. The warplane is considered by Chinese media as Beijing's answer to MQ-9 Reaper, the most feared military drone in the U.S. Air Force. Advertisement The Philippine communist movement, backed by a formidable guerrilla army, will mark its 50th anniversary on December 26. New photographs have been released showing what life is like as an insurgent in the Philippines. The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People's Army (NPA) rose in 1969 to fight US military and economic control and topple oppressive far-right dictator Ferdinand Marcos through a protracted war. Ever since, the CPP-NPA has been waging one of the longest armed insurgencies in Asia, which peaked during the 1980s under Cory Aquinos 'total war' campaign. Despite past attempts to achieve peace, both the rebels and the current government under Rodrigo Duterte accused each other of violating ceasefires in recent years, which prompted Duterte to terminate peace talks in November 2017. On December 5 2017, Duterte declared the CPP-NPA a terrorist organization after several attacks by the NPA on the government. But poor farmers have been inspired to join the armed conflict because of extreme poverty caused by low produce price compared to high priced agricultural inputs controlled by businesses. Members of the rebel NPA group helping villagers with their work in a copra farm on December 10, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region, Philippines. The coconut trees were planted by coconut farmers who earn USD3 per kilo of coconut painstakingly processed into copras Jerry, a pseudonym he used as an NPA guerilla fighter, 32, stands in a clearing in a farming village on December 11, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region, Philippines. Life as a guerilla is hard, but life as a farmer who has no means of fighting back is worst, says Jerry, who has been an NPA rebel for years A coconut farmer sitting by a kiln for processing copras in the Philippines on December 15, 2018 NPA guerilla fighters prepare for a program and presentation inside a stronghold on December 13, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region NPA guerilla fighters catch and skin a jungle python on December 11, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region, Philippines Members of the rebel NPA group helping villagers with their work in a copra farm on December 10, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region, Philippines New Peoples Army guerillas help with farm work on December 11, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region, Philippines. Backed by a formidable guerrilla army, the communist movement in the country led by the Communist Party of the Philippines will mark its 50th year anniversary on December 26 Jerry, a pseudonym he used as an NPA guerilla fighter, 32, (left) stands in a clearing in a farming village on December 11, while New Peoples Army guerillas secure a beach (right) New Peoples Army fighters position themselves to secure a temporary camp in a farming village on December 11, 2018 An NPA fighter with his dog on December 12. Despite past attempts to achieve peace, both the rebels and the Duterte government accused each other of violating ceasefires in recent years NPA guerilla fighters march in formation inside a stronghold on December 12, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region New Peoples Army guerillas secure a beach on December 11, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region, the Philippines Members of the rebel NPA group helping villagers including children with their work in a copra farm on December 10, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region New Peoples Army fighter with his rifle on December 10, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region, Philippines Noemi, 37, on a lookout in his sentry position during a brief camp out in the jungle on December 11, 2018 NPA guerilla fighters march in formation inside a stronghold on December 12, 2018. On December 5 2017, Duterte declared the CPP-NPA a terrorist organization after several attacks by the NPA on the government New Peoples Army guerillas arrive at a villagers house on December 12, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region, Philippines A New Peoples Army fighter with his rifle on December 11, 2018. Backed by a formidable guerrilla army, the communist movement in the country led by the Communist Party of the Philippines will mark its 50th year anniversary on December 26 The CPP and the New People's Army has been waging one of the longest armed insurgencies in Asia since it formed in 1969 Members of the rebel NPA group helping villagers with their work in a copra farm on December 10, 2018 Ka Arjun, 36, with his rifle inside a villagers house on December 12, 2018. Arjun is an alias that chose to name himself while serving as a combat fighter. Arjun never finished high school while trying to help his parents work in the fields for food. He later joined the NPA hoping to help others fight against poverty like his As the crisis in our society gets worse, the NPA grows stronger. 1 kilo of copra cannot even buy half a kilo of rice these days, that is why farmers are revolting, JL (left) says New Peoples Army fighters prepare and eat dinner in a farming village on December 11. The armed insurgency reached its peak with more than 25,000 fighters during the height of the Marcos government atrocities and Cory Aquinos total war campaign in the 1980s New Peoples Army fighters prepare and eat dinner in a farming village on December 11. The communist movement in the country led by the Communist Party of the Philippines will mark its 50th year anniversary on December 26 NPA guerilla fighters prepare for a program and presentation inside a stronghold on December 13, 2018 NPA guerilla fighters march in formation inside a stronghold on December 12, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region, Philippines The coconut trees were planted by coconut farmers who earn USD3 per kilo of coconut painstakingly processed into copras. Extreme poverty caused by low produce price compared to high priced agricultural inputs controlled by businesses attract poor farmers to join the armed conflict NPA guerilla fighters march in formation inside a stronghold on December 12, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region, Philippines An M16 rifle of an NPA guerilla fighter sits on a makeshift bench on December 14, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region, Philippines New Peoples Army guerillas on a patrol outside a remote village on December 12. The armed insurgency reached its peak with more than 25,000 fighters during the height of the Marcos government atrocities and Cory Aquinos total war campaign in the 1980s New Peoples Army fighters prepare and eat dinner in a farming village on December 11. Despite past attempts to achieve peace, both the rebels and the Duterte government accused each other of violating ceasefires in recent years A hammock, rifle, ammo pouch, and a few set of clothes belonging to a New Peoples Army fighter in a temporary camp in a farming village on December 11, 2018 NPA guerillas securing a position on December 12, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region, Philippines. Backed by a formidable guerrilla army, the communist movement in the country led by the Communist Party of the Philippines will mark its 50th year anniversary on December 26 NPA guerilla fighters prepare for a program and presentation inside a stronghold on December 13, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region NPA guerilla fighters perform an inspection of their firearms on December 13, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region, Philippines NPA guerilla fighters prepare for a program and presentation inside a stronghold on December 13, 2018 in a remote village in the Bicol region, Philippines As a young boy, Randy Heiss never had any of his letters answered by Santa Claus. After coming across a balloon with a Christmas list addressed to Saint Nicholas, he was determined to give an eight-year-olde girl everything she asked for. Randy, 60, had gone out for a hike with his dog Feliz the morning of Dec. 16 when he came across a shredded balloon resting atop of the grass near his ranch in Patagonia, Arizona. He was about to pick it up and toss it in the garbage when he noticed the handwritten note attached to a string. Randy, who is not fluent in Spanish, had no idea what the letter, signed by Dayami, said, but he was pretty sure it was a Christmas list. Randy Heiss (right) drove from Patagonia, Arizona to Nogales, Mexico, to deliver gifts to Dayami (center), who addressed a Christmas list to Santa Claus and tied it to a balloon. Her sister Ximena (left) also received some gifts Dayami thanked the Heiss family for taking the time and effort to reply to her letter She tied this note to a balloon and hoped that Santa Claus would bring her gifts His wife Marcella Heiss, who reads and speaks Spanish, then figured it was a girl who had put together a list because she had asked for an 'Enchantimals' doll, an 'Enchantimals' dollhouse, clothes, art supplies and slime, among other items. For Randy and Marcella, the note brightened their holiday after losing their only son nine years ago. They have no grandchildren. At first, Randy told the Washington Post that he took to his Facebook account seeking help from some friends he had in the Mexican border city of Nogales. He made a wild guess that the winds had blown the letter up north from the town that's just 20 miles southwest from his home. Days went by without any leads before Randy reached out to Radio XENY, a station based out of Nogales. Dayami (second from right), her sister Ximena (right) with two other young boys moments before they each let go of balloons with Christmas lists attached to them Marcella Heiss (right) interacts with Ximena at a local radio station in Nogales, Mexico after she and her husband made a 45-minute drive from Arizona to meet with the girls which had sent Santa Claus a Christmas list attached to a balloon 'My husband said, "I know I am going to find her,"' Marcella told Univision. 'Just like the girl had faith, he had faith that he was going to find that girl.' A message was placed on the station's Facebook account last Wednesday. A day later, Dayami and her family had been located. Randy and his wife drove to a local Walmart and rounded up some gifts for Dayami and her four-year-old sister Ximena, and then made the 45-minute drive across the Mexico-U.S. border. The Heiss family met Dayami and her family at the radio station's office. As was the case with Randy, Dayami and Ximena had seen a couple of Christmases come and gone without Santa responding to their carefully crafted lists. 'Their eyes were wide open with wonder,' he said to the Washington Post. 'Like, 'Oh, my gosh, this really did work!' ' 'We now have friends for life,' Randy said. 'And, for a day, that border fence with its concertina wire melted away.' The Christmas Season is about bringing families together. And, since it's just before Christmas, let me share you a story that makes me ashamed to be Jamaican. It is a story of how Fred Carby , an affluent and now retired Jamaican dentist who resides in Richmond Hill, Ontario, teaches us about evil and true hypocrisy. now get this, 20 April 2015, when Dezrin's son was illegally evicted by her abusive husband. The eviction was made totally against the will of Dezrin and left her to suffer in a "House of Hell". As a result of Mr Carby's apparent evil ways and hypocrisy, Dezrin Carby-Samuels , his sister, had been left to suffer in silence since,, when Dezrin's son was illegally evicted by her abusive husband. The eviction was made totally against the will of Dezrin and left her to suffer in a "House of Hell". In just a matter of weeks, Dezrin lost the ability to walk, write and talk. In the accompanying photo, we see what Dezrin looked like just after a few weeks of being abuse by her over 6' and nearly 200 lb husband back in 2015. Since 12 June 2015, Dezrin has been blocked from getting the care that she needs that had been provided by her son. Fred turned his back on his own sister who wanted to see her son to help her toward recovery, Now, Fred could take apparent delight in his sister's destruction and he had no interest in any assistance his nephew could provide to help his ailing sister. Arguably, a responsible brother would have intervened against the abusive husband in a manner to ensure that Raymond, his nephew, would be empowered to continue prevent Dezrin from being subjected to abuse. But it soon became apparent that Fred Carby in a most bizarre way saw the turn of events in which his sister was getting abused as finally him getting the "upper hand" with God. According to so-called middle class Jamaican values, if something bad happens to you, it's not for anyone to intervene because that would be somehow acting "against God". Why you think there's so much poverty in Jamaica"? It's because of "middle class" Jamaican values believing that people who are poor or even suffer wife abuse is simply "God's will" -- apparently for Fred Carby, even if that wife abuse is happening against your own sister! But religion is only the beginning of Fred Carby's own apparent irresponsible behaviour which resulted in Dezrin loosing the ability to walk, write and talk. And what is even more shocking about Mr Carby's complicity is that his had mother when she was alive, she had told him to make sure that in any case of crisis that he would be there to help his sister. However, when Dezrin needed Fred the most, Fred's "Red Eye" tendencies came out more than ever. You might wonder what a "Red Eye" person is? In Jamaican vernacular, that's a person who sees your success; becomes jealous of it; wants that success to become your own; and then seeks to take delight in any misfortune that the "successful person" might eventually run into. For Fred Carby, his "Red Eye" tendencies began when he was very young. You see, his father had lived in Portland, Jamaica and wanted Fred, his only son, to stay by his side there to help work the fields. He had let Dezrin, with his other daughters, to live what could be regarded as a more comfortable and urban lifestyle in Kingston, Jamaica. Rather than wishing success for his sister, for Fred, him having to live in Portland, Jamaica, became an apparent longstanding source of resentment, even though that wasn't Dezrin's choice. This enraged him. He began to regard Dezrin as the "spoiled little princess" even though Dezrin very much loved her brother and looked forward to always seeing him. When Fred moved to Canada in the late 1950's, his jealously grew when he saw Dezrin and her new husband driving a "nice car". He kept bugging Dezrin's husband to sell it to him not because he wanted it for himself, but because he just couldn't stand seeing his sister and her husband in his vehicle. When Dezrin's husband did sell the car that he loved to drive so much to Fred, Dezrin's husband was shocked to find out that Fred immediately sold it after purchase. Like I said, he didn't want the car for himself, he just wanted the car out of his sight because of "Red Eye" jealously. Years after, Dezrin with her husband moved to the States. Upon their return, they got a nice house in Thornhill, followed by another nice home in southern end of Richmond Hill, Ontario not far from the current Express Highway 407 Toll Road. When Fred saw the home Dezrin lived in after one visit he became apparently furious because he could not afford to buy such a home after being subjected to a financially demanding wife which led to divorce. For more than 10 years, Fred refused to visit his sister, even though both of them lived in Toronto. This made Dezrin very upset who loved her brother. When Fred learned that Dezrin and her husband were going to sell their home, Dezrin who has been a sister who loved her brother despite his "Red Eye" tendencies, consented to sell their home to Fred for a substantively discounted price. So, when Raymond shared news of his sister being abused by her husband it is shocking but predictable that Fred Carby didn't do the things necessary to spare his sister from a "Living Hell". He just allowed the abuse to continue, and turned his back against Raymond, his own nephew who sought to protect Dezrin from spousal abuse. It is apparent that Fred Carby is an evil man who replaced a love for his sister other brothers would have with a profound jealously masked in a pathetic hypocrisy over the years. Words cannot fully describe Mr. Carby's utter complicity of a supposedly "God-fearing" "Christian man" who turned his back against his own sister and nephew. This story provides critical insight on why Jamaica suffers from so much poverty and social injustices. If Jamaica embraced "middle class values" which sought to support one another in a spirit of love and empathy, rather than the evil and "Red Eye" tendencies of Fred Carby which is so profound that it can be inflicted against one's own sister, Jamaica would be a much more gentle place supportive of the quality-of-living of all Jamaicans. Chief Justice John Roberts halted a court order holding a mysterious, unnamed, foreign government-owned company in contempt - the latest twist in a secret case making its way speedily through the court system as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Sunday's order from Roberts only puts a pause on the matter - long enough for the Supreme Court justices to decide whether they want to intervene in the case. That pause will last until the high court has time to review a response from the government, which is due on or before December 31. Chief Justice John Roberts halted a court order holding a mysterious, unnamed, foreign government-owned company in contempt This is the first known legal challenge in special counsel Robert Mueller's (pictured) investigation to make its way to the Supreme Court This is the first known legal challenge in the Mueller investigation to make its way to the Supreme Court. The range of possibilities on the company's identity is vast, CNN reports. It could be anything from a sovereign-owned bank to a state-backed technology or information company. These types of companies have been frequent recipients of requests for information in Mueller's investigation. The unidentified foreign government-owned company had asked the Supreme Court on Saturday to halt the grand jury subpoena it received. The move came after a federal appeals court rule the company had to comply with the subpoena. The company had been required to turn over 'information' about its commercial activity in the criminal investigation, CNN reported. The appeals court also said the company could face fines for every day of noncompliance. Roberts' holding order also puts a pause on any fines it would wrack up. There has been an usual level of secrecy surrounding the unidentified company and the case. When it was argued at the D.C. circuit court earlier this month, the courtroom was closed to the public, Politico reported. Court personnel ordered journalists to leave the floor where lawyers were presenting their positions. The three-judge panel in the D.C. circuit court rejected the company's argument that its status as an extension of a foreign government makes it immune from grand jury subpoenas. The judges also were not persuaded by the company's claims that complying with the subpoena would violate the law in the companys home country. The pause on the case is in place while Supreme Court justices determine whether or not they want to take up the unidentified company's appeal The request to the Supreme Court (pictured) is the latest twist in the case, which is under seal and has made its way through the federal court system Mueller and multiple congressional committees are looking into allegations that there was collusion between Russian operatives and Trump associates during the presidential campaign and transition. In January 13, 2017, the Senate select committee announced that it was conducting a probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 Presidential Election. The investigation was sparked by a declassified report from the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) that described a multifaceted effort led by Russian President Vladimir Putin to interfere with the election by releasing damaging information about Hillary Clinton to help Donald Trump. It is understood that the company's challenge of the subpoena appears to have begun in September. In its ruling this past week, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia gave few clues about the company and its country of origin or what Mueller's team sought. In a three-page decision obtained by CNN, the Supreme Court judges describe how they had learned confidentially from prosecutors that they had 'reasonable probability' the records requested involved actions that took place outside of the United States but affected the U.S. Prosecutors claim that the Mueller team is also examining actions related to Turkish, Ukrainian and other foreign government interests. Mueller has already indicted three Russian companies and 25 Russians for their alleged contributions to a social media propaganda scheme meant to influence American voters and to the hack of the Democratic Party. The special counsel and other Justice Department units continue to pursue several investigations related to Mueller's investigation. Mueller is known to be investigating Donald Trump (left) for possible obstruction of justice, including over the firing of FBI Director James Comey (right) It is thought that Mueller is nearing the end of his investigation and could submit his confidential report to the attorney general as early as February. Mueller is now tying up loose ends in his investigation into allegations of 'links and/or coordination' between the Trump campaign and the Russian government, U.S. officials and others familiar with the situation told NBC News. Nineteen months into his investigation, Mueller has yet to publicly provide evidence of the central crime he was appointed to investigate: a conspiracy between members of Donald Trump's campaign and the Russian government to influence the 2016 election. Mueller is also known to be investigating Trump for possible obstruction of justice, including over the firing of FBI Director James Comey. When it is complete, Mueller's report will likely go to Bill Barr, Trump's appointee as attorney general who has yet to be confirmed. A Teen Mom star gleefully laughed while her husband pulled a handicapped man's truck from his spot for being too close to their illegally parked car. Jenelle Evans was with her husband David Eason in Wilmington, North Carolina, when he decided to use his truck to move the vehicle of Terry Hill, a construction worker who was at a nearby job. Video of the incident, which occurred in June, has resurfaced after it was revealed over the weekend that police were investigating the matter and would possibly be pressing charges against Eason. In the video, Evans films her husband while he drags away the car, laughing as she yells: 'Pull that motherf****r out of the way.' The video clearly shows that it was Eason's car who was parked illegally, with the motor of his boat jutting well into Hill's parking spot. Scroll down for video Illegal move: Video has emerged of Jenelle Evans laughing at her husband while he tows a handicapped man's car out if its spot (David Eason hooking up the car) Family: David Eason towed Terry Hill's car using his own truck back in June because the vehicle was parked too close to his boat's engine (Eason and Evans with their daughter on left) Hill spoke about the incident in an interview with WECT last week. He said that a co-worker noticed that his truck was being towed and alerted him to the fact, at which point he confronted the couple. At that point his truck had already been yanked out of the spot, and the couple was unapologetic. 'It takes me a little while to get down the set of steps because of my knees. And I get down there, and he was hooking back up to his boat then. And my truck was sitting way back up in that mans driveway at an angle,' said Hill. 'I said, "What in the world? What are you doing?" And he was still hooking his boat back up, and he went to cussing and threatening me and all this mess, so I just took his number down from his truck.' Hill then said he decided to contact authorities at that point while the two fled the scene. 'I called the police, and he said, "Im going to whoop your butt." And I said, "Go right ahead, thats your privilege if you want to,"' said Hill. 'He was just fussing and cussing. He just jumped in his truck, him and his girlfriend, and drove on off.' In the aftermath of the incident, Hill was forced to pay for repairs to his transmission and the power steering hose. He also believes that the video edits out the moment that his car swiped a utility pole on the side of the street. Around the world: He later decided to press charges against Eason, who was removed from Teen Mom earlier this year over homophobic comments he posted online (Eason above with a Confederate flag) Hill initially said that he had no plans to press charges against Eason because the young man is 'crazy.' That all changed however on Friday evening, a few hours after her shared his story. 'I went home last night, and I was talking with my wife, and she says, "Somebody has to stop this guy," and the viewers that we talked to on her computer, they said, "Yall need to press charges," and so I decided I would,' said Hill. Eason, who went on a nationwide tour in order to photograph the Confederate flag in all 50 states, was cut from Teen Mom earlier this year after making a number of homophobic and transphobic comments online. Theresa May's team is confident it can win the Brexit vote in January even if they have to hold it twice, a source has revealed The Prime Minister's team is 'confident' it can win the Brexit vote in January even if they have to hold it twice, it has been revealed. Rebel MPs are also said to have come under fire for undermining Theresa May and the tone from Eurosceptics is softening giving hope for a deal being done. However some MPs are proving more difficult to get on board and a source said convincing Jacob Rees Mogg is still a 'work in progress,' reports the Sun. The source added: 'It's now very much our expectation that we can win this vote, if not the first time then the second time around.' It was also revealed today that Cabinet Ministers have been summoned to an emergency meeting on January 2, meaning their Christmas break will be cut short. The Cabinet meeting will be led by Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay, a week before debates on the deal restart in Parliament. There is said to be a growing confidence within the Government that Mrs May's deal will pass a vote in the Commons, even if it takes a few attempts. However Environment Secretary Michael Gove is thought to be particularly worried about a disorderly exit from the EU, which he thinks could lead to empty supermarket shelves if the Dover-Calais trade route is blocked. Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood stressed the importance of the Government fixing a deal today. The Prime Minister, pictured attending Church yesterday with her husband, has urged the country to 'find common ground' in the lead up to the vote in Commons He said: 'No deal is simply not an option. Leaving without a deal would mean access to around 40 international security programmes would be significantly reduced. 'Exchanges of critical intelligence data would halt until new arrangements are in place. 'We would immediately reduce our ability to tackle threats from terrorism to cybercrime, modern slavery to fraud.' Meanwhile Mrs May has urged Britons to 'dispense' of the titles Leave and Remain and instead 'find common ground' in the lead up to the vote in Commons. Writing in the Daily Express, she suggests the concerns of voters extend beyond Britain's departure of the European Union, citing schools, the NHS and housing as examples. She wrote: 'The sooner MPs agree the right Brexit deal, the sooner we can all get back to dealing with those issues and building a country that works for everyone. 'It won't be easy, and there is a lot of hard work ahead of us in 2019. But I'm confident. Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29 but Mrs May is yet to secure parliamentary approval for her Brexit blueprint (file picture) 'Because I know that when the British people come together, there is no limit to what we can achieve.' Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29, two years after the Government triggered Article 50. But Mrs May still is yet to secure parliamentary approval for her Brexit blueprint and a vote is due to take place in January. In her letter, Mrs May likens the country to a family coming together at Christmas, saying: 'It's a time when we find it within ourselves to put aside our differences and focus on what really matters. 'Now, two-and-a-half years after the referendum, it is time for us as a country to do the same.' A suspected drunken driver head-butted a state trooper and his wife threw her shoes and underwear in protest after they were pulled over on Long Island, authorities say. New York State Police say 38-year-old Michael Nelson was pulled over during a traffic stop where officers say he was found to be visibly intoxicated. He then head-butted the trooper several times while being arrested around 1.30am Sunday on the Southern State Parkway in Hempstead, authorities say. Nelson's 29-year-old wife Alexandra Nelson was arrested after police say she got out of their 2017 Mercedes-Benz and tried obstructing his arrest. Michael Nelson, 38, was driving drunk with his wife Alexandra, 29, in the passenger seat in Hempstead, New York Sunday They were pulled over during a traffic stop at 1.30am where officer noticed Michael was drunk and as they tried to arrest Michael, he headbutted an officer repeatedly, police say Police say the combativeness continued at the East Meadow Barracks where they were detained. In addition to throwing objects, troopers say Alexandra was spitting at them and Michael refused to take chemical tests. 'The second incident was later at the station, she threw urine-filled underwear at troopers,' Lt. Victor Gesule. of the New York State Police, said, according to News12. Michael is charged with driving while intoxicated, second-degree assault, criminal possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest and harassment, police said. His wife is charged with second-degree attempted assault, criminal possession of a controlled substance, obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct, according to police. A lawyer for the couple says the charges 'are quite overblown.' Lawyer Marc Gann says troopers escalated the situation and that there's 'much more to the story.' A 54-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after he slashed another with a machete. Firearms officers attended an address in Rustington, West Sussex, and shot the man with rubber bullets after receiving reports that he was attacking another. The man's injuries are serious but are not believed to be life threatening, police say. A 54-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after attacking another with a machete. Pictured, police at the scene Firearms officers rushed to an address in Lawrence Avenue, Littlehampton, West Sussex, and shot him with rubber bullets after receiving reports that a man was attacking another The man's injuries are serious but are not believed to be life threatening, police say Detective Superintendent Carwyn Hughes said: 'We're still trying to establish exact circumstances and anyone who saw what happened is asked to contact police quoting Operation Mongoose.' The man's injuries are currently being assessed by an ambulance crew. Detectives investigating a fatal stabbing in north London have named the victim. Portuguese national Wilham Mendes, 25, was stabbed to death in Tottenham in what may have been a robbery, police said. Officers were called on Saturday, December 22 to a report of a stabbing in Albert Place at about 1.20am, by the London Ambulance Service (LAS). Officers attended along with the LAS and found Wilham, who has lived in the UK since 2015, suffering from multiple stab injuries. Portuguese national, Wilham Mendes, aged 25, is believed to be the man stabbed to death in Tottenham. He was taken by London Ambulance Service to an east London hospital where he was pronounced dead at 2.13am. A post-mortem examination will be held in due course and Wilham's family has been informed. On Sunday police arrested two males on suspicion of murder. One boy was 15-years-old and another suspect is a 16-year-old male. They remain in custody at north London police stations. The Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command investigate led by Detective Chief Inspector Glen Lloyd. DCI Lloyd said: 'Although we have made two arrests, our investigation continues to gather pace. Early enquiries by my team have established a possibility that Wilham was stabbed during a robbery and I would like anyone who saw the events leading up to or immediately following the murder to contact my officers without delay. 'No matter how small a detail, no matter how little you saw, your information could prove vital to our investigation and at the very least would assist in confirming details that we already have. The young boxer was living in London after moving to the English capital in 2015 'At the heart of our investigation is the loss of an innocent and promising young man who was brutally murdered in the street. 'Our thoughts are with Wilham's family as they struggle to cope with their loss at what should have been a happy time of year for them.' 'If you are reluctant to speak with police directly, please share what you know with Crimestoppers anonymously.' Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting CAD 503/22 Dec. To remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Police arrested 64-year-old Jerry Lynn Burns on Wednesday morning and charged him with first-degree murder The family of a man suspected of murdering 18-year-old Michelle Martinko in 1979 have spoken out after his arrest last week. In a statement released over the weekend, the family of 64-year-old Jerry Burns said his arrest was 'a complete shock'. 'The family of Jerry Burns would like to thank our friends and the Manchester community for the support we have received since Jerry's arrest,' the statement said. 'We would also like to extend our sympathy to the Martinko family.' 'The charge against Jerry comes as a complete shock to us and we are doing our best to carry on with our lives,' the family's statement continued. 'During this difficult time and as the justice system runs its course we ask that our privacy be respected. Thank you.' Police arrested the 64-year-old on Wednesday morning in connection with the December 19, 1979, stabbing death of Martinko. Burns has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held in the Linn County jail in Cedar Rapids. Police say a breakthrough occurred when a blood sample from the crime scene matched with a sample taken from the suspect. In a statement announcing the arrest, police said Burns was questioned at his job in Manchester, Iowa and denied killing Martinko. He could not offer a 'plausible explanation' for why his DNA was found at the crime scene, authorities said and had no recollection of the crime. Bond was set at $5million and his next hearing is scheduled for December 28. 18-year-old Michelle Martinko was stabbed to death on December 19, 1979 It was just after 4am on December 20th 1979 when Martinko's body was found inside her family's car which had been parked at a shopping mall. She had driven to the mall to look for a coat after leaving an end-of-year school choir dinner. Martinko was found with stab wounds her face and chest. An examination showed she was stabbed at least eight times. Wounds on the teen's hands showed that she fought her killer. She was found fully clothed and had not been sexually assaulted. Detectives were able to make a DNA match using newer forensic technology whereby Cedar Rapids police were able to user DNA from a 2006 case. Detectives were able to use genetic genealogical research to 'narrow profile down to a specific pool of suspects,' which included Burns. Chief Wayne Jerman of Des Moines police explained how forensics managed to matched a blood sample from the crime scene with a sample taken from the suspect four decades eariler Detectives then managed to covertly obtained DNA from Burns before matching it with DNA evidence they had on file from Martinko's killing, according to the Des Moines Register. They found a match after Burns had cut his hand and left some of his own bloody behind. Two partial male DNA profiles were developed from DNA found in the car one from blood on Martinko's clothes and another on the Buick's gear shift knob. Police Chief Wayne Jerman commended his investigators' persistence in the case and explained how new forensic techniques was about to help the investigation according to KCRG. The family credited 'the work of several generations of Cedar Rapids uniformed police and detectives in bringing Mr. Burns to justice' in a statement. 'The community can be very proud of its law enforcement, and for the tremendous comfort and support area residents have extended to our family over the 39 years since Michelle's death,' the family statement continued. 'Our heartfelt thanks to everyone.' 'The family never gave up hope that this case would be solved,' Jerman said. Days after Martinko's 1979 killing, police received more than 200 phone calls and letters from people who wanting to help, according to coverage by the Des Moines Register at the time. Countless leads were followed and hundreds of people were interviewed but the case went cold after a year - until now. An Argentinian radio presenter has been instructed to co-host his show alongside a feminist every week for five months after being accused of sexism. Angel Etchecopar is not allowed to critise his guests or interrupt them as part of the programme which is due to begin in March for a five month period. He has been accused of using his show on Argentina's Radio 10, El Angel Del Nodia to attack feminists and has described them as 'feminazis' and 'disgusting people', according to French newspaper Le Monde. Etchecopar was charged with 'disrespectful, insulting, denigrating and discriminatory' outbursts against women. Angel Etchecopar is not allowed to critise his guests or interrupt them as part of the programme which is due to begin in March for a five month period However the case against him was dropped after Etchecopar managed to convince a female judge of his remorse, and she decided to opt for a probation-based solution. Prosecutor Federico Vilalba Diaz said that Etchecopar appeared repentant and nothing like the media personality he portrays, reported La Nacion. A different gender specialist will appear on the show each week and they will discuss a list of topics chosen by gender violence prosecutor Veronica Guagnino. Etchecopar was charged with 'disrespectful, insulting, denigrating and discriminatory' outbursts against women Mr Diaz said: 'It seemed important to me that the listeners of Baby Etchecopar could listen to other voices and other explanations, different from the ones they are used to. It is a non-punitive idea, but one that aims to improve tolerance.' As part of the agreement Etchecopar is also banned from making offensive remarks about women as well as having to donate 15,000 pesos ($756) to the Catholic Charity Association Caritas. If any of these clauses are broken then the agreement will be ended and he will face reprosecution. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is up and working as she recuperates from cancer surgery. A spokeswoman for the court, Kathy Arberg, also says that Ginsburg remained in New York at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center on Sunday. No information has been released on when Ginsburg might return home. Ginsburg underwent surgery Friday to remove two malignant growths in her left lung. Doctors say there is no evidence of any remaining disease. The associate justice, 85, had the growths removed after they were discovered by a CT scan when she cracked three ribs in a fall in her office last month. The court said that there are no remaining signs of cancer in her body after the treatment, at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Scroll down for video Ruth Bader Gisburg has had two cancerous growths removed from her lungs, the Supreme Court said last week. She spoke about her health in New York on Saturday 15 December during a question-and-answer session at the Museum of the City of New York Current bench: Bader Ginsburg's colleagues on the Supreme Court are from front left: Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts, and Associate Justice Samuel Alito Jr. Standing behind from left: Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch, Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Elena Kagan and Associate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh. The court next meets on Jan. 7 Despite her health problems, Ginsburg has never missed arguments. She remains in hospital where she is 'recovering comfortably' and will do so for a few days, the court said. The statement said that Ginsburg had a 'pulmonary lobectomy.' 'According to the thoracic surgeon, Valerie W. Rusch, MD, FACS, both nodules removed during surgery were found to be malignant on initial pathology evaluation,' the court statement said. 'Post-surgery there was no evidence of any remaining disease. Scans performed before surgery indicated no evidence of disease elsewhere in the body. Currently no further treatment is planned.' Treatment: Thoracic surgeon Valerie W. Rusch has found no evidence of remaining disease after removing two cancers The justice fell in her office on November 8, fracturing three ribs. She was treated at George Washington University hospital in Washington D.C., where the tests were carried out which led to Friday's surgery in her native New York. The survival rate for patients who undergo lobectomies is high, with between 85 to 95 per cent of people treated living five years or more afterwards. It is Bader Ginsburg's third treatment for cancer since she joined the court in 1993. In 1999 she was successfully treated for colorectal cancer and in 2009 for pancreatic cancer. Among other health problems, she also broke two ribs in a fall in 2012 and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014. She was hospitalized after a bad reaction to medicine in 2009. Appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1993, Ginsburg is now both the oldest member of the bench and the leader of its four-justice liberal wing. She rebuffed suggestions from some liberals that she should step down in the first two years of President Barack Obama's second term, when Democrats controlled the Senate and would have been likely to confirm her successor. The 85-year-old Brooklyn native was interviewed by NPR legal correspondent Nina Totenberg last Saturday, speaking of her health and saying she was 'almost repaired' Movie phenomenon: Ruth Bader Ginsburg is to be played by Felicity Jones (center) in On The Basis of Sex, which comes out on Christmas Day. It also stars (from left) Justin Theroux, Mimi Leder, and Armie Hammer, and was directed by Daniel Stiepleman With the star: Justin Theroux and Armie Hammer both posted pictures with the Supreme Court Justice earlier this month, ahead of a Washington D.C. screening of On The Basis of Sex She already has hired clerks for the term that extends into 2020, indicating she has no plans to retire. Ginsburg had spoken of her health in New York on Saturday, saying she was 'almost repaired' from the fall in her office which cracked two ribs. The 85-year-old Brooklyn native was interviewed by NPR legal correspondent Nina Totenberg and when asked how her health is, Ginsburg said 'it's fine, thank you,' adding that her ribs are 'almost repaired'. 'And yesterday was my first day doing my whole workout routine,' she said, in a reference to a high-intensity workout which has become famous in its own right. Her trainer had stopped her from doing upper body work in the aftermath of the fall. Ginsburg was the second woman to become a member of the Supreme Court, following Justice Sandra Day OConnor, who retired in 2006. O'Connor, 88, said in October she is suffering from dementia. Ginsburg called Trump an egotistical 'faker' when he was running for president in 2016. Trump responded by saying her 'mind is shot' and she should quit the court. Ginsburg later expressed regret for her comments, saying 'judges should avoid commenting on a candidate for public office.' When she fell last month, however, Trump said he was praying for her recovery. Bader Ginsburg's cultural fame has led to her being nicknamed 'Notorious RBG.' and she is now the subject of an upcoming biopic, On The Basis of Sex, in which she is played by British actress Felicity Jones. Two men have been arrested after a woman was reportedly raped in a town centre churchyard on Christmas Eve. Greater Manchester Police said two men are being questioned on suspicion of rape after a woman in her 30s was attacked in Stockport, Greater Manchester, this morning. A cordon remains in place around St Mary's Church in the Market Place, on Churchgate. A GMP statement said: 'At around 8.05am today (Monday 24 December 2018), police were called to reports that a woman had been raped outside a church on Churchgate in Stockport earlier this morning. St Mary's Church in the Market Place in Stockport has been sealed off by police after a woman was reportedly raped 'A woman, aged in her 30s, has been taken to hospital and is being supported by specially trained officers. 'Two men, aged 44 and 57, have been arrested on suspicion of rape and remain in custody for questioning. 'A scene is in place and enquiries are ongoing.' Items of clothing and sleeping bags could be seen in the doorway of the church and a cordon was placed around the outside of the building. Several more jumpers remain hanging from street bollards outside of the cordon. Sleeping bags and clothes can be seen hanging up outside the church in the churchyard where the woman was reportedly attacked Two men are being held in police custody after the alleged sex attack close to a church on Christmas Eve Detective Inspector Julia Bowden, of GMP's Stockport borough, said: 'We have launched a full investigation and have specially trained officers supporting the victim as she receives treatment in hospital. 'Whilst we believe this is an isolated incident and have two men in custody, our investigation is in the very early stages and our enquiries will continue at the scene throughout the afternoon. 'I would encourage anyone who thinks they might have even the smallest piece of information that could assist our investigation to please get in touch as soon as possible. 'Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting reference number 405 of 24/12/2018, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.' A few months ago, Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg weaved through a series of U.S. Congress meetings when defending his company of data-mining misdeeds. But he is back in mainstream media after reports emerged that the company committed greater crimes by mishandling private user data. Documents from a California lawsuit -- that are in the possession of lawmakers in the United Kingdom point to the unrelenting fact that Facebook overlooked and disregarded the spirit of the law, and that such activities contributed to its success. Internal documents reveal that Facebook used Onavo to furtively observe activities by its major business rivals such as Snapchat and WhatsApp -- both of which were, at the time, Facebooks acquisitions targets. Onavo is a virtual private network company that was later on acquired by Facebook U.K. lawmakers, after intensively scrutinising the documents, found out that Facebook had secretive whitelisting agreements with different companies. In the agreement, those companies were accorded preferential access vast amounts of user data. According to Bloomberg, Facebook Inc. wielded user data like a bargaining chip, providing access when that sharing might encourage people to spend more time on the social network -- and imposing strict limits on partners in cases where it saw a potential competitive threat, emails show. Except with the approval of Zuckerberg, some competitors were not authorised to use Facebooks data and tools. Preferential Access and Restriction to Facebook Data Reporting for Bloomberg, Nate Lanxon and Sarah Frier wrote, In early 2013, Twitter Inc. launched the Vine video-sharing service, which drew on a Facebook tool that let Vine users connect to their Facebook friends. Alerted to the possible competitive threat by an engineer who recommended cutting off Vines access to Facebook data, Zuckerberg replied succinctly: Yup, go for it. Zuckerberg embraced the idea of sharing user data with third-party developers but only if it would help people stick to sharing their stories on Facebook. And in doing so, increasing Facebooks value. According to Natural News, Facebook had also facilitated the propagation of a data-mining app developed by a company known as Six4Three that pored through peoples Facebook profiles and pulled out all photos of girls in bikinis. Unconsented Secret Global Surveys An article published by Natural News reported that a Facebook user, McKay was shocked to learn that Facebook had stored about two years worth of phone call metadata, or basic incoming and outgoing call information, from his Android phone including names, phone numbers, and length of calls made. Facebook conducted Global Surveys that tracked users habits and data such as calls and message without the users consent or knowledge. According to Natural News,a Facebook engineer who admitted that Facebooks Android app contained the ability to continually upload a users call and SMS (text message) history, which of course wasnt publicly revealed. Although the said engineer warned that from a PR perspective, it would be a risky affair, Facebook stuck to their illegal acts. Staff at a beauty salon in China have been forced to slap themselves in the face for 100 times after failing to hit their sales targets, it is alleged. Workers who were punished must show their boss they had hit themselves hard enough, or they would face a further cash penalty for failing to carry out the punishment properly, Mr Pan accused. Employees were also subject to other extreme penalties, including eating raw chilli peppers and onions as well as drinking vinegar; and some were forced to complete 10-kilometre cross-country running, Mr Pan added. At least three employees at the hair salon in Wuxi, China, had to slap themselves according to China's CDTV. The workers hadn't sold enough hair products to their customers, it was claimed Mr Pan, who used to work as a manager at the Runfa Hair Salon in the city of Wuxi, told of the horror to China's Chengdu TV Station yesterday. He said each employee was required to sell 3,000 to 4,000 yuan (342 to 456) worth of hair products to their customers each day, and those who failed to do so would be given the harsh physical punishment. Mr Pan claimed that the staff were made to slap themselves in front of their co-workers during meetings. '(We) must slap ourselves according to his (the boss's) requirement. If your face was not red enough or the effect (of the hitting) was not obvious enough, you would be fined 500 yuan (57),' Mr Pan told a reporter. He said he and his colleagues protested against the penalties, but they were fired the next day. It is claimed that the hair salon still owed the employees wages while sacking them. Mr Pan (pictured), a former manager at the salon, also accused the company of forcing their employees to eat raw chilli peppers and onions as well as drinking vinegar as punishment It is said that the boss of the Runfa Hair Salon (pictured) gave out extreme penalties during staff meetings. The workers' sales performance was reviewed every day, according to reports The TV station also aired footage of the punishment provided by Mr Pan which shows at least three workers including Mr Pan beating themselves quickly and repeatedly. According to China's employment contract law, employers are not allowed to humiliate and give corporal punishment to workers. Furthermore, the employer shall be liable for compensation if any harm is done to the worker. Mr Pan and his colleagues have reported the case to the local authorities, the report said. Chinese companies have been known for carrying out public humiliation rituals as punishment - from crawling on the streets to worm-eating. Last month, employees at a home improvement firm in Zunyi, Guizhou province, were whipped with belts, forced to drink urine and eat insects because they hadn't reached their targets. In October, 30 male employees at a gym were forced to strip down to their boxers and parade around the streets of Jiangmen, Guangdong for failing to meet their sales quotas. In 2016, an employer in Hanzhong, Shaanxi forced its employees to eat squirming mealworms following their failure to reach targets. Shocking footage from June 2016 shows the boss of Shanxi Changzhi Zhangze Agricultural and Commercial Bank in Changzhi stage paddling eight people. In October 2015, one particularly angry boss made his 12 employees crawl around a lake in Zhengzhou, Henan as penance for not reaching the expected profit. Many sufferers tore their shirts and trousers during the ordeal and one employee was spotted crying by the side of the road. A man and woman were dramatically rescued after they were left clinging to rocks at a British resort when they were trapped by the tide. The pair had to be airlifted to safety after getting stuck 30 - 40ft up on Towan beach, Newquay, Cornwall near a pub in the early hours. Coastguard rescuers, the helicopter and lifeboats were also scrambled in the early hours of Saturday. The pair had to be airlifted to safety after getting stuck 30 - 40ft up on Towan beach, Newquay Newquay Coastguard Rescue Team described the incident as 'two lives saved by great teamwork'. A spokesman said: 'At 3.20am Saturday 22 December our volunteers, along with Newquay RNLI lifeboats, were paged to attend two persons cut off on the rocks at at Towan Beach. 'Newquay inshore lifeboat was quickly on scene and located the casualties but, due to their position, were unable to extract them. Cornwall Coastguard rescuers, the helicopter and lifeboats were also scrambled in the early hours of Saturday 'Our team arrived and gained communication with the pair who were stuck 30 foot up on a rock outcrop below Belushis pub, completely cut off by the tide. 'A number of options to rescue them were identified but the safest was by helicopter. 'Rescue 924 attended and safely winched both casualties to safety whilst our team and the lifeboat provided safety cover. 'After providing safety cover in the bay during the rescue, the lifeboat crew returned to the harbour at 4.30am,' a spokesman said A spokesman for Newquay RNLI added: 'Our RNLI lifeboat volunteers were woken by their pagers at 3.26am on Saturday after a 999 call was received' 'Padstow Coastguard team were paged and provided a helicopter landing site at the Barrowfields where the casualties were landed, cold and wet but luckily uninjured'. A spokesman for Newquay RNLI added: 'Our RNLI lifeboat volunteers were woken by their pagers at 3.26am on Saturday after a 999 call was received, reporting two people trapped by the tide on a rock at the southern end of Towan Beach. 'The charity's D class inshore lifeboat launched with three crew onboard and quickly arrived at the scene. 'But with a two-metre swell hitting the rocks and with the man and woman not in immediate danger, sat at the top of the rock approximately 30-40ft above the water, it was decided that the Coastguard search and rescue helicopter would provide the safest evacuation. The helicopter crew rescued both people from the rock and landed them safely at the Barrowfields 'With support on the cliff top from Newquay Coastguard, the helicopter crew rescued both people from the rock and landed them safely at the Barrowfields, where they were met by colleagues from Padstow Coastguard and the police, cold and wet but otherwise unhurt'. 'After providing safety cover in the bay during the rescue, the lifeboat crew returned to the harbour at 4.30am. 'Please stay safe and respect the water over the Christmas holidays. 'Don't go into the sea after drinking alcohol and if you see anyone in difficulties, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.' Donald Trump tweeted a slap at Senate Democrats on Monday, complaining that many of them voted to fund a U.S.-Mexico border fence 12 years ago and claiming they're only opposing it now because he is president. 'Virtually every Democrat we are dealing with today strongly supported a Border Wall or Fence. It was only when I made it an important part of my campaign ... that they turned against it,' the president wrote. The Senate passed a giant funding bill nine months ago that provided $1.57 billion for border security, including a limited amount of 'pedestrian fencing' and 'secondary fencing.' The final vote was 65 to 32. Of the nine senators in the Democratic leadership, seven voted in favor of it. Only Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, among the most liberal lawmakers in Congress, refused to support the bill. Among the 'yes' votes were Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin and Patty Murray, the top three Senate Democrats. President Donald Trump (left) tried Monday to put pressure on Democrats who refuse to fund his long-promised border wall, needling them for supporting the idea in the past Trump claimed in a tweet that the only reason Democrats have changed their tune on a U.S.-Mexico border barrier is that he is now president Trump wants to erect steel-bar walls like this one along much of the 1,900-mile border between the U.S. and Mexico Trump was also referring to a far more ambitious 2006 Senate bill that passed by an 80 to 19 margin. The Secure Fence Act provided the George W. Bush administration with $1.4 billion for 652 miles of double-layer border fencing. Then-senators Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton supported it. Schumer and Murray also voted yes. Trump has mocked many in their party for what he sees as a political flip-flop, now that the House has passed $5 billion in new wall funding only to see it stalled by Senate Democrats. The resulting stalemate resulted in a partial government shutdown over the weekend when senators couldn't agree on a funding package to keep a quarter of the federal budget flowing. The three top Senate Democrats all voted for a modest amount of Trump's wall funding in March, included in a $1.6 billion border security package: (L-R) Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin and Patty Murray The president's stalemate with Schumer and other Democrats in the Senate produced a partial government shutdown Friday at midnight as Republicans insist Democrats help them pass a funding bill that the House has already approved Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, both Democratic senators in 2006, voted in favor of $1.4 billion in funding for then-president George W. Bush to fence off 652 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border; Schumer, now locked in a battle with Trump, voted in favor of the same bill Obama, while a junior senator in his only term, said during a 2006 floor speech that the bill provided 'better fences and better security along our borders,' and predicted it would 'help stem some of the tide of illegal immigration in this country.' Congressional analysts at the time estimated that the border barrier would cost $50 billion over 25 years, including massive amounts of money to maintain and repair it. Most of the existing fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border was erected with the 2006 funding. By 2015 the Government Accountability Office reported that the money had produced about 650 miles of it. The total cost at that point, including personnel, was approximately $2.3 billion, the government watchdog said. The US Coast Guard called off its search on Sunday for a missing father and son whose plane disappeared off the coast of Florida after a trip to Walt Disney World. After searching for 56 hours and covering 1,400 square miles, there was no sign of 51-year-old Peter Renzulli and his 19-year-old son Daniel, of Bridgewater, New Jersey. The Piper PA-46 departed from Orlando on Thursday morning and was heading towards Princeton Airport. About 30 minutes into the flight, the plane disappeared from the radar. A distress call around 9.45am was made to the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, which in turn notified the Coast Guard. The US Coast Guard called off it search for Peter Renzulli, 51 (left), and his son Daniel, 19 (right, with his sister), after their plane disappeared off the coast of Florida. The two had been vacationing at Walt Disney World in Florida and were heading back home to Bridgewater, New Jersey The Piper PA-46 (file image) departed from Orlando on Thursday morning and was heading towards Princeton Airport. About 30 minutes into the flight, the plane disappeared from the radar Aviation records, viewed by NJ.com, showed the plane was registered in Texas. The website also reported that FlightAware.com, an online flight tracker, showed the plane reached an altitude of 22,000 feet before plummeting at a rapid speed. Despite several boats and helicopters being deployed by the Coast Guard, there was no sign of the aircraft or of the two men. 'The suspension of an active search and rescue case is never an easy decision to make,' Christopher Eddy, search and rescue mission coordinator for the Coast Guard 7th district, said in a statement. 'We always want the best case scenario to happen and will continue to monitor for new information that could aid responders.' The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into the incident. A distress call was received by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, which notified the US Coast Guard. On Sunday, the Coast Guard called off the search after a 56-hour hunt that covered 1,400 square miles. Pictured: Daniel, left, and Peter in 2013 It's unclear who was piloting the Piper PA-46, but Peter had completed 30 hours of advanced training in the aircraft. The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation into the incident. Pictured: Daniel, left, and Peter, right 'The family was devastated to learn that the aircraft could not be located,' Justin Marchetta, a Parsippany aviation attorney, said in a statement. 'Peter and Daniel are accomplished pilots and their disappearance is heartbreaking. 'We ask that the privacy of the Renzulli family be respected at this difficult time and we ask that those following this story keep the Renzullis in their thoughts and prayers.' Marchetta said the father and son had recently been in Orlando on vacation at Walt Disney World. Although it is unclear whether Peter or Daniel was piloting the plane, the family said Peter had undergone more than 30 hours of the raining in the aircraft that disappeared. According to his LinkedIn profile, Peter was a certified public accountant with the firm Bookkeepers2Go and an adjunct professor at Rutgers University. Daniel graduated Bridgewater-Raritan High School this past June and was in his freshman year at Michigan State University, according to his Facebook page. Hundreds of people will be going hungry on Christmas day after 20,000 worth of meat was stolen from a farm shop. Countless turkeys were stolen alongside lamb and ribs of beef in the 'mindless' theft from Johnson's in Old Hurst, Cambridgeshire. Police were notified at 7.47am on Monday, December 24, and are now appealing for witnesses. Countless turkeys were stolen alongside lamb and ribs of beef in the 'mindless' theft from Johnson's in Old Hurst, Cambridgeshire. Image undated PC Poppy McCullagh said: 'This mindless act will have a devastating effect on the business and leave hundreds of families without their turkey dinner this Christmas. 'I am appealing to anyone with information, or who may be offered meat for sale, to contact us.' Yesterday, chaos broke out in several UK supermarkets as shoppers squabbled over the remaining turkeys on sale. One Twitter user told how two elderly women came to blows over a turkey in Liverpool and had to be separated by staff, calling their spat 'turkey rage'. A murder probe has been launched by police following the death of a 43-year-old man who suffered serious lacerations to his body in Stockton. Officers were called to a report of an incident at around 7.15am on Westbourne Street, Parkfield, on Sunday, and the man later died in hospital. Earlier that morning, at around 5.45am, police had attended another incident on nearby Yarm Road which resulted in a 36-year-old man being taken to hospital. He had suffered a head injury and lacerations to his torso but has now been released from hospital. A murder probe has been launched by police following the death of a 43-year-old man after an incident on Westbourne Street (pictured), Parkfield, on Sunday Officers believe that these two incidents are linked. On Sunday, two men aged 18 and 39 were arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder in connection with both incidents and they both remain in custody. Two further men, aged 20 and 29, have also been arrested on suspicion of conspiring to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. They also both remain in custody. Anyone who believes they have captured relevant CCTV or dashcam footage, in the Westbourne Street or Yarm Road areas at the time of the incidents, are asked to contact police. Police were also called to an incident on nearby Yarm Road the same morning and a 36-year-old man was taken to hospital. The believe the two are linked (pictured is Wesbourne Street) Detective Superintendent Warren Shepheard of Cleveland Police said: 'We understand the levels of concern caused by incidents of this nature and increased patrols will remain in the area whilst enquiries continue. 'Please approach our officers with any concerns you may have and they will happily assist.' Officers are also still appealing to anyone who may have witnessed either of the incidents or anyone with information to contact Cleveland Police on 101, quoting event number 232633. Independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-uk.org. A defiant shopkeeper who was was left bloodied and bruised after being attacked at his shop has vowed that thugs would not make him give up his business. Jimmy Morar confronted yobs who were banging on the windows of his Premier Convenience Store on Freeman Street, Birkenhead. Footage from the shop's cameras shows a man approaching Mr Morar before punching him. Jimmy Morar was assaulted after confronting yobs at his store in Birkenhead, leaving him bloodied and bruised. Mrt vowed not to give up his business The thug hurled items at him including chocolate bars and a ceramic bowl, before approaching him again and raining further blows down on him. As the thug carries out the sickening attack, two other youths also entered the shop and spat in the direction of Mr Morar. Merseyside Police said several items were stolen from the shop and a 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-boy have been arrested on suspicion of robbery. Unperturbed, Mr Morar, who suffered several cuts to the face, opened his shop as normal the day after the attack. Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, he said: 'I was just getting ready to close the shop, it was about 7.30pm. 'I heard a big bang on the window. I had a look on my CCTV and I saw one lad sitting on the floor and a girl with a dog standing there. 'I went out and said 'why the hell are you banging on my window?', they started being abusive and using racist language, saying things like 'You P**i bas***d'. 'I didn't even react and went back inside. 'Then within a minute this lad walks in, he was charging up to the till, angry and being abusive, saying bad things. 'I said 'just forget it and go away' and the next thing boof, a punch landed on my face. 'Then he started picking things up and throwing them. He was throwing chocolate bars and he also threw a ceramic bowl at me that luckily just missed me. 'He came back behind the till and kept punching me. I was in the corner and there was nothing I could do. 'It was very scary, he was a big lad. He'd already cut me with the first punch then he kept hitting me again - two, three, four punches. After that 'I hardly knew where I was. 'As soon as they left I just locked the door and called the police and my wife Sue to say what had happened. 'This is not about me - I want to bring awareness abut these things.' There has been an outpouring of support on social media for Mr Morar after the footage and photos showing him bleeding after the attack were shared on social media by a family friend. The father-of-four, 58, who works in the shop seven days a week, is thankful for the support. 'I would like to thank everyone who has supported us after the incident. We want to bring awareness that this sort of behaviour is not acceptable in the community', he said. He said: 'I opened the next day as normal, I had to, otherwise I would live in fear. 'My family said 'dad, you're not going back but I woke up at 6 and went to work as normal, just opened the shop as normal'. 'People have been coming in giving information and names. There has been tremendous support and love and encouragement to find these people. 'I've been in the shop business for over 20 years and we've had this one for two years. We have had petty stuff before like shoplifting but nothing like this.' Mr Morar has been blind in his right eye since childhood and said he feared he could have lost the sight in his other eye. He said: 'I could have been seriously injured. I'm blind in my right eye, if a punch had landed on my left eye I could have lost the sight in that eye. 'We work very hard long hours to provide a good service to the community and a lot of people appreciate it. They become like friends and family and we see them day in, day out. 'Shopkeepers need to be protected and together we must stop these thugs coming around and trying to jeopardise our livelihood.' Jimmy Morar's Premier Convience Store in Freeman Street, in Birkenhead Merseyside Police said enquiries were ongoing to establish the whereabouts of anyone else suspected of being involved in the incident. The 16-year-old and 17-year-old arrested on suspicion of robbery have been taken to police stations for questioning. Detective Inspector Paul Parry said: 'This was a disgusting incident in which a member of staff was assaulted, robbed and subjected to abhorrent racial abuse when simply going about his daily business. 'We will not tolerate such appalling behaviour and I would ask that anyone with information or who witnessed this incident comes forward as we continue to investigate. 'Merseyside Police takes all reports of hate crime and robberies targeting businesses extremely seriously and I want to reassure local businesses that we are determined to find all of those responsible and ensure that Wirral remains a safe place to live, work and visit.' Anyone with information is asked to contact @MerPolCC, call 101 with reference 18400074056 or you can call @CrimestoppersUK anonymously on 0800 555 111. Renee Abeyta was cleaning at her Colorado residence when a home surveillance application on her cell phone alerted her of visitor at her front door. The Lakewood resident stepped out the home and surveyed the area but found nothing. Thinking something was amiss, she opened her home security system's app on her cell phone. A video captured the moment a woman non-nonchalantly walks up to her residence's front door, picks up a package and jets off. Abeyta got in her car and gave chase as the woman fled on foot carrying a bag with the stolen cooking pot cover purchased as a Christmas gift. 'I thought no way this is happening to me,' she told Fox Denver affiliate KDVR. Renee Abeyta was alerted by her home's security system that a visitor was at the door. She checked a mobile app and saw a woman walking from her home with a package containing a Christmas gift she had purchased An unnamed woman is caught by a home surveillance system moments before she stole a package that had been left outside a home in Lakewood, Colorado The thief surveys her surroundings before she makes off with Renee Abeyta's package Renee Abeyta was determined to run a few additional miles to retrieve her stolen package She abandoned her car and ran after the suspect for almost a minute. 'What's your name? Did you just steal something?' Abeyta could be heard saying as she recorded the woman after she had parked her car. 'Give it. I am going to call the f****ng police,' she continued. 'I've got you on camera, b**ch, give me the f****ng thing now!' At one point in the video, the fleeing thief expresses her innocence. 'Leave me alone lady,' she blurted out. 'I did not take anything.' A camera above the front door entrance at a home in Colorado shows a woman walking off with a package Renee Abeyta said she drove up to the suspect before parking the car and chasing the woman for almost a minute. She said she was willing to run further just to retrieve her package 'You f***ed with the wrong person. What's wrong with you,' Abeyta said. After a lengthy chase, Abeyta was able to force the woman to come to a stop and hand over the package. She was willing to run a couple of more miles. 'Hopefully that girl and other people don't steal stuff because it's Christmas,' Abeyta said. 'I mean these presents are for people.' The furious stepmom of the 15-year-old girl killed by a Saudi man who fled the US is questioning the man's bail deputy's involvement in his disappearance. Investigators believe Abdulrahman Semeer Noorah used an illicit passport and cut off his ankle tracker to skip his $1million bail for the manslaughter charges of Fallon Smart who was hit by his gold Lexus when he illegally swerved around stopped traffic letting the teenager cross the road in Portland, Oregon in August 2016. Fresh claims say the Saudi citizen, then 21, fled on a private jet with the help of the Saudi government after being given permission from his bail release supervisor, Deputy Kari Kolberg, to study at college that afternoon. Reports say Kolberg only learned of his disappearance after returning from a weekend trip where she didn't have cell phone service. Smart's stepmom is suspicious of those claims. 'So Kari Kolberg gave him special permission to study on campus and he goes missing that same day?' Tiffany Quincy said on Facebook Tuesday. 'Oh, and she is out of cell range and nobody else is monitoring him that day? Somethings not right.' Officials believe Abdulrahman Sameer Noorah fled the US on a private jet with help from the Saudi consulate last year after being given permission to leave his home by his bail release supervisor. He was accused of manslaughter for the death of Fallon Smart, 15 Smart's stepmom Tiffany Quincy is suspicious of Noorah's bail release supervisor Deputy Kari Kolberg's involvement in his disappearance Officials say they are doing everything they can to get Noorah back to the United States after he fled on board a private jet with the help of his country's consulate. Noorah has denied the manslaughter of the 15-year-old. The Portland Community College man went missing June 10, 2017 just two weeks before he was due to stand trial - and the Saudi government confirmed to US Marshals this July that Noorah had returned to Saudi Arabia seven days after he went missing. He is believed to have packed a bag, was picked up by a private black GMC Yukon XL car that drove him two miles to a sand-and-gravel yard, then he cut off the tracking device on his ankle before beginning his journey back home. KSA has no extradition agreement with the USA. 'We're doing everything we can to get him back,' Eric Wahlstrom, a supervisory deputy US Marshal in Oregon told Oregon Live. Investigators used sniffer dogs to search a nearby park and the location where Noorah's monitor was eventually found. Then surveillance footage of the vehicle he's believed to have escaped in corroborated the story according to a GPS log. Noorah skipped bail in Portland, Oregon after the Saudi consulate posted $100,000 bond in 2016. Yet, despite the luxurious transport home, and generous bond posted by his consulate, it doesn't appear that Noorah's parents are influential. His mother is a kindergarten teacher, and his father owns a trailer business, according to a report by his Deputy Kolberg, Willamette Week reports. However, Saudi Arabia often posts bail for its citizens arrested in the US, including $2million for Ziyad Abid, a Saudi student who was accused of murdering a bar owner in Missouri in 2013, and later that same year, they paid $5 million bail for a Saudi princess accused of human trafficking. Noorah escaped two weeks before he was due to stand trial for the manslaughter of Fallon Smart Smart was killed as she crossed the road in a car which Noorah was driving Courtesy of KOIN Police found a bag packed with clothes, a cell phone and computer at his home. No flights through the US or Canada showed up with his name leading investigators to believe Saudi Arabia gave him a passport under a different name to cross a border. The consulates in Los Angeles and Washington declined to comment to Oregon Live about Noorah. Noorah's bail had been raised from $280,000 to $1million as he was deemed a flight risk. But it didn't stop him from evading the law as the consulate provided posted $100,000, the 10 per cent needed in the state to be released. As the money was given directly to him it meant the KSA government was not responsible for the full amount owed. However authorities cannot find the individual to collect anyhow. According to records, the country worked with private investigators to handle his case before he vanished. Her family didn't want Noorah to get bail for fear he would flee the country which he later did He denied manslaughter despite admitting being behind the wheel at the time He had to hand over his passport when he paid the amount on September 11, 2016 and remained under house arrest at the home of his US host Terri Stanford as he continued his studies on a scholarship. The Saudi Arabian embassy financially supported Noorah with monthly payments of around $1,800. His host who has seen many exchange students come through her door - described him as 'one of the kindest boys I've ever met'. Two years ago she said she was worried about his 'mental stability' and 'declining health' as he stopped eating, sleeping and being social before he was due to stand trial. 'He suffers immensely from remorse and the effects of his trauma,' she wrote in a letter to his lawyer. Stanford said Noorah began to take prescription medicine and was hospitalized on more than one occasion. She claimed eventually 'he couldn't function' and she believed 'there was no way he was going to survive jail'. The Saudi Arabian embassy posted his bail in 2016 and he was placed under house arrest It came after his grandmother passed away, his mother became ill and pressure mounted with his exams due to take place a week before the trial start date. Two of his attorneys declined to speak to Oregon Live. Multnomah County prosecutor Shawn Overstreet agreed 'he was not doing well' at the time. Noorah was driving around 50 mph or 60 mph on a suspended license when Smart was killed. Fallon's family are outraged that he fled after pleas to deny him bail. Her uncle wrote on Facebook last year: 'It seems to me, based on previous facts and strange occurrences, there are strings being pulled for this man. I am not making accusations, but am simply stating facts, and what one might speculate based on those facts.' In 2012, the Saudi government paid bail for Oregon first-degree rape suspect Ali Hussain Alhamoud, who was also accused of other sex crimes. On the same day he flew back to his country. In 2015, KSA paid the $100,000 for a male accused of rape in Utah. Monsour Alshammari was later found trying to flee at the US-Mexico border. Saudi Arabia is also believed to have helped a squad of 15 men leave the country on a private jet the same day journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered at the consulate in Istanbul in October. A spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday that President Donald Trump has accepted an invitation to visit the country that straddles Asia and Europe. The spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, told reporters after a Cabinet meeting that Trump wants to make the trip in 2019 but a date hasn't been set. Kalin says Erdogan extended the invitation during a weekend phone call between the two presidents on the withdrawal of American troops from Syria. Erdogan visited the White House in May 2017. President Donald Trump as accepted an invitation to visit Turkey and will likely go next year, according to a spokesman for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Trump says Erdogan has reassured him that his country could eradicate the remnants of ISIS from Syria with logistical help from Washington This photofrom the Military Council of Manbij City shows U.S. troops based near the northern Syrian town speaking with residents; they will soon be redeployed elsewhere Trump tweeted on Sunday that he had a 'long and productive' call with his counterpart from Turkey in which they discussed 'the slow & highly coordinated' pullout of U.S. military personnel. Trump's surprise decision to withdraw troops from Syria was also announced last week after a call with Erdogan. Kalin also said that American military officials will come to Turkey to meet with their Turkish counterparts and discuss coordination on Syria. U.S. troops are preparing for withdrawal following Washington's surprise decision to pull out of Syria, where it has backed the Syrian Kurdish YPG forces against ISIS. Kalin said there will be no step back or slowdown in the fight against the Islamic State, and that Turkey will work closely with Russia in Syria, where Vladimir Putin backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Turkish-backed Syrian fighters are also preparing to deploy in eastern Syria alongside Turkish troops once American forces withdraw. Those soldiers have already begun massing on the front line of a town held by Kurds. Chair of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Council Ilham Ahmad attends a press conference in Paris, Friday, Dec. 21, 2018. Against the advice of many in his own administration, President Donald Trump is pulling U.S. troops out of Syria. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) A Syrian Kurdish official said her group is reaching out for help to protect the Kurdish-administered areas against a possible Turkish offensive after Americans are no longer in the region. 'We will deal with whoever can protect the good and stability of this country,' said Ilham Ahmed, a senior Kurdish official. Ahmed said her group is discussing with the Russians, the Syrian government and European countries ways to deal with the U.S. withdrawal. She didn't elaborate. Trump has said the withdrawal from Syria will be slow and coordinated with Turkey, but hasn't provided a timetable. Turkey says the two countries are coordinating to ensure there is no 'authority vacuum' once the U.S. troops leave. The U.S. president stunned his Cabinet, lawmakers and much of the world by rejecting the advice of his top aides and agreeing to a withdrawal in a phone call with Erdogan on Dec. 14. The call prompted the resignation of widely respected Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and set off a frantic, four-day scramble to convince Trump to either reverse or delay the decision. American troops have been in Syria to fight ISIS since 2015. Despite losing their physical caliphate, thousands of the terror army's fighters remain in Iraq and Syria, and the group continues to carry out insurgent attacks. Miguel Angel Ibarra, pictured, has been exposed as a fake priest after conducting marriages and baptisms for 18 years A Roman Catholic priest has been exposed as a fake after 18 years, a diocese in Spain has announced. Miguel Angel Ibarra was found to have never been ordained after claims emerged he had faked the documents that admitted him to the priesthood. The diocese of Cadiz and Ceuta said marriages and baptisms he had carried out after moving from his native Colombia would remain valid. Confessions he had received from worshippers are no longer valid but the 'grace of God' still acted on the faithful, Church authorities said. Ibarra moved to Spain from Colombia in October 2017 and had been in charge of the church in the village of Medina Sidonia. The village in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia is home to some 11,000 people. He had pretended to be a priest for the past 18 years, a spokeswoman for the diocese added. Colombian church officials informed the diocese on December 13 that it had received a complaint that Ibarra had forged his ordination documents. After carrying out a 'thorough investigation' they concluded that he had never been ordained. He was ordered to go back to his archdiocese of origin in Colombia, Santa Fe de Antioquia. The diocese of Cadiz and Ceuta said it regretted that 'events like this could overshadow the work of parishioners and ordained priests, who serve the Church every day in an exemplary way.' Like in other increasingly secular European countries, Spain is finding it difficult to attract new recruits to the priesthood in recent years and has had to resort to importing priests, often from its former colonies in Latin America. An eight-year-old boy who was battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer passed away last night - just hours after his parents made a desperate plea for donations. Luke Bell, from Darlington in County Durham, had been battling neuroblastoma for two years, but his family were told recently that his cancer had spread. His heartbroken parents confirmed he died 'peacefully' and 'surrounded by the people he loved the most' on Sunday on the TeamLuke Facebook page. Mark and Becky Bell said: 'Last night our world was changed forever. This latest battle has been one too many, and our little superhero is no longer with us. Luke Bell, eight, from Darlington, County Durham, (pictured with parents Mark and Becky) passed away on Sunday after a two-year battle with cancer 'Luke passed away peacefully, comfortable and in his favourite place surrounded by the people he loved the most. 'Words can't describe just how devastated and heartbroken we are, though we can take some consolation from the fact he is now free of pain.' His parents also thanked everyone who had been involved with fundraising or donating to Luke's cause. 'As a family we would like to thank everyone that has been involved with Luke's journey, whether it's been donating, fundraising, messages of support or sharing his story,' they said. His heartbroken parents said Luke (pictured with Mr Bell) had passed away 'peacefully, comfortable and in his favourite place surrounded by the people he loved the most' 'The number of people that have reached out to us over the last 20 months has been a real source of strength and we will always be grateful for that. 'Now is not a time for sadness, for Luke wouldn't stand for it. Now is the time for focussing on the positives, the amazing memories and the incredible impact he has had on so many lives. 'At only eight years old Luke has shown such a huge amount of strength, bravery and courage to fight as long as he did. 'The world seems a darker place today without his infectious smile.' Luke (pictured with parents Mark and Becky and sister Alysha) had been diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer, in April last year The news comes just a day after Mr and Mrs Bell made a desperate plea to the public to raise 50,000 for experimental treatment at the Paediatric Cancer Centre in Barcelona, Spain. Mr Bell told the Mail on Sunday his son had been accepted onto the trail and was due to begin on January 21. The treatment would have cost about 140,000, of which the Bells had raised 95,000. He said: 'He has been accepted on to the trial, starting on January 21, but he has to be well enough to start it. 'In November, his NHS consultant said that his cancer had spread to his skeletal system and that his bone marrow is now made up of 70 per cent cancerous neuroblastoma cells. 'We were told he has only got weeks or a few months at best to live.' Neuroblastoma, which Luke was diagnosed with in April last year, strikes fewer than 100 children a year in the UK. Between his diagnosis and last Christmas he had 11 rounds of chemotherapy and surgery to remove a large tumour wrapped around his adrenal gland and a kidney. In January, the family were told Luke was clear of cancer but in April were given the devastating news that it had returned. Police in Idaho who are working with authorities in Colorado on the Kelsey Berreth case appear to have discovered the missing mom's cell phone. The Twin Falls Police Department revealed over the weekend that officers from the force played a role in the investigation into Patrick Frazee by obtaining search warrants and examining evidence in the case. That statement did not say what evidence, but Twin Falls is in the area where Berreth's phone last pinged off a cell tower. At the same time, court documents show that her fiancee Patrick Frazee will be fighting the charge of first degree murder as he has asked that all evidence in the case be turned over to his legal team and filed a motion asking to limit pretrial publicity. He has also been forced to replace his lawyer with a public defender ahead of the trial. Frazee is next due in court on December 31, but could also make an appearance on Thursday when a custody hearing has been set for his daughter Kaylee, who is still in protective custody. Scroll down for video New development: Idaho police revealed over the weekend that had obtained vital evidence in the Kelsey Berreth (left) case, hinting that the woman's cell phone has been found (accused fiance Patrick Frazee right) Suspect: Police served an arrest warrant on Frazee early Friday morning (above being cuffed) in Colorado, one month after his fiancee went missing The Twin Falls Police shared news of their role in the investigation over the weekend. 'Detectives from the Twin Falls County Sheriff's Office and Twin Falls Police Department worked with the Colorado Bureau of Investigations and the FBI to prepare and serve several search warrants as well as processing some items of evidence with the assistance of Twin Falls County and Twin Falls City Evidence Technicians,' read the statement. Berreth's cell phone pinged off a tower in Gooding, Idaho three days after she went missing, around the same time her employer received a text stating that she would not be in for work that week. There has still been no body found in the case, but that did not stop authorities from charging Frazee with first-degree murder. He had previously been working with a private lawyer on the case, but records now reveal he has been assigned a public defender. Frazee was served with an arrest warrant early in the morning on Friday and then walked away in handcuffs to be charged with first-degree murder as well as solicitation of murder. Berreth was last seen on Thanksgiving day entering a supermarket near her home in Woodland Park with her infant daughter Kaylee before handing over the girl to Frazee. Frazee, 32, is the father of the young girl. Authorities also said on Friday that they believe Berreth was killed in her home based on evidence they uncovered during their search of the property. Away he goes: He was transported to the Teller County Jail, a source with knowledge of the investigation told DailyMail.com, and the FBI searched his property Patrick Frazee, the fiance of missing Colorado mother Kelsey Berreth, was arrested for murder Friday morning and taken to the Teller County jail, nearly one month after Berreth vanished. https://t.co/v1AD1Unjb5 pic.twitter.com/EgUoQac1pY ABC News (@ABC) December 21, 2018 Police arrived at the Teller County home of Frazee before daybreak on Friday morning and were seen cuffing Frazee at dawn in images obtained by ABC News. He was transported to the Teller County Jail, a source with knowledge of the investigation told DailyMail.com, and the FBI and members of the CBI searched the property. Sheila Frazee, the mother of the suspect, was briefly detained by authorities but not placed under arrest. The divorced mother-of-four, who is a registered nurse, lives with her youngest son at the ranch, which she outright owns according to public records. She also owns two additional properties in the area. Her son meanwhile attends to the ranch and also breeds dogs. That same source said that Frazee's arrest came after authorities obtained new information about Berreth that has lead them to believe she is no longer alive. Frazee was arrested after cell records and data provided new details regarding Berreth's disappearance, according to officials. The solicitation charge was also addressed at a news conference on Friday, with officials saying that Frazee asked someone to commit some sort of crime but refusing to elaborate beyond that at this time. On Friday, Frazee appeared at Teller County court via video conference where the judge read him his charges - first-degree murder as well as solicitation of murder. The audience at court was unable to see the screen. None of his relatives were present during the hearing. He will be held without bond pending his next court appearance on December 31. As for where the body may be, police told residents of Woodland Park that they should expect an increase in police activity around the area in the coming days. Agents are also at Berreth's home looking for evidence. Last image: She was last seen at a supermarket on Thanksgiving with her daughter Kaylee, 1, (above) but Frazee previously told authorities he saw his fiancee later that day Mommy dearest: Sheila Frazee, the mother of the accused murderer, was also led off in handcuffs (right) and is being detained Avoiding the spotlight: Berreth's family will not be speaking to the press authorities said on Friday (mother Cheryl berreth above) This now the second high-profile case to emerge from Colorado involving the murder of a partner in just the past six months. In August, Chris Watts killed his wife, unborn son and two young daughters just 150 miles north in Weld County. It was also revealed early on in the investigation that authorities believed Frazee was the last person to see Berreth before she disappeared on Thanksgiving. She was last seen on surveillance video entering a grocery store on Thanksgiving Day with her daughter. Frazee later told police that the couple met later that afternoon so that he could pick up the couple's daughter. The two did not live together despite being engaged, a fact that many on social media suggested was a bad omen after learning of the disappearance. It was Berreth however who had been hesitant to move in with her fiance because he still lived with his mother. The investigation continues: Law enforcement at the home of Berreth on Friday after Frazee's arrest (above) Ranch: The property where Frazee lives with his mother, which authorities have searched multiple times (above) She instead decided to get her own home after moving to Colorado from Washington to be with Frazee. In May, Berreth paid $184,900 for a two-bedroom home in Woodland Hills, where she lived with her daughter. A family member claimed soon after Berreth went missing that she had split with Frazee on the day she was last seen, but that has never been confirmed by investigators. There were a number of details that had puzzled the public in the wake of Berreth's disappearance, including the fact that she had just baked fresh cinnamon buns before she went missing. Frazee managed to turn heads as well when he made a trip to the local waste management facility on Wednesday. President Donald Trump went after the 'Fake News' media In his latest Christmas Eve outburst pushing back on reports he lashed out at Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker over the prosecution of Michael Cohen. Trump's slam on the media followed earlier attacks on the Federal Reserve, retiring Republican Sen. Bob Corker, and congressional Democrats amid a government shutdown that has him at the White House while first lady Melania Trump and other family members are in Florida. 'I never lashed out at the Acting Attorney General of the U.S., a man for whom I have great respect. This is a made up story, one of many, by the Fake News Media!' Trump wrote at 11:55 AM, precisely an hour after he called the fed the 'only' problem in the U.S. economy amid another market selloff. President Donald Trump lashed out at the 'Fake News' media for reports that he lashed out at Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker over the prosecution of Michael Cohen He was referencing a CNN report that Trump twice 'lashed out' at Whitaker following developments in the case of his longtime lawyer. Although sources cited in the report did not say Trump told Whitaker to stop the investigation, the incidents, if they occurred as reported, would appear to show him weighing in in an investigation which has implicated him in his longtime lawyer's campaign finance violations. The report said Trump first lashed out at Whitaker during Cohen's guilty plea Nov. 29 to lying to Congress when he submitted testimony. Cohen had not revealed that his work on a potential Trump tower project in Moscow continued into June of 2016, in the midst of Trump's run for the White House. Trump reportedly raged again a week later when federal prosecutors in New York said in court filings that Trump directed Cohen to arrange hush payments to two women who claim they had affairs with him. Acting AG Matt Whitaker has assumed oversight of the Russia probe Trump denying lashing out against his acting attorney general The reported outbursts came during developments during Michael Cohen's guilty plea and prosecutors' filings The president hit at a number of targets on Christmas Eve According to the filing by prosecutors: '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' Trump. The report put Trump in the familiar role of venting to his attorney general about an investigation that could potentially implicate him. Before Trump pushed Attorney General Jeff Sessions to resign, he regularly railed against Sessions for his decision to recuse himself from the Russia probe over his own campaign contacts with Russians. Trump named Whitaker, a former US attorney in Iowa, as 'acting' attorney general to fill in for Sessions. It soon came to light that Whitaker made multiple public statements critical of the Mueller probe. Trump's nominee as the permanent replacement, former Attorney General William Barr, submitted an unsolicited memo to the Justice Department arguing that Mueller should not pursue obstruction of justice matters against Trump. Following Trump naming him acting AG, Whitaker has now assumed oversight of the Russia probe, though day-to-day matters are being handled by deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein. One of three white men condemned for the June 1998 dragging death of a black man in Texas will be executed next spring. John William King will face lethal injection on April 24, 2019 at 6pm after District Judge Craig Mixson signed the execution order on Friday. In October, the US Supreme Court denied King's appeal, which suggested he had ineffective lawyers during his capital murder trial. King - along with Lawrence Russell Brewer and Shawn Berry - was convicted in 1999 for killing of James Byrd Jr in Jasper, which is about 125 miles northeast of Houston. John William King (left in 2018 and right in 1998) will be executed next spring for his role in the 1998 dragging death of a black man in Texas. King will face lethal injection in April 24, 2019 at 6pm after the US Supreme Court rejected an appeal from him in October King - along with Lawrence Russell Brewer and Shawn Berry - was convicted in the June 1998 death of James Byrd Jr (pictured) who thought he was accepting a ride home when he got into the truck with the three men On June 7, Byrd accepted a ride home from Berry, whom he was acquainted with. King and Brewer were also in the truck. The three men drove Byrd to a deserted road where they severely beat him, urinated and defecated on him and chained him to the pickup truck by his ankles. They then preceded to drag him for three miles. Byrd was alive for the majority of the dragging. He died about halfway through after his body hit a culvert, which severed his right arm and head, CNN reported at the time. Byrd's remains were dumped in front of an African-American church before the men drove off to a barbecue, according to the Texas Observer. A great deal of evidence placed the men along the road Byrd was dragged on including a wrench with 'Berry written on it' and a lighter that was inscribed with 'Possum', which was King's nickname in prison. Berry, Brewer, and King dumped the mutilated remains of the body in front of an African-American church on Huff Creek Road, then drove off to a barbecue. The three men drove Byrd to a deserted road where they severely beat him, urinated and defecated on him and chained him to the pickup truck (pictured) by his ankles. They dragged him for three miles. Byrd died when his body hit a culvert, severing his right arm and head Berry, Brewer, and King dumped the mutilated remains of the body in front of an African-American church on Huff Creek Road, then drove off to a barbecue. Pictured: Several of King's racist tattoos King in particular has several racist tattoos which include Nazi symbols, a black man hanging from a tree, the words 'Aryan Pride' and the symbol for the Confederate Knights of America King in particular has several racist tattoos which include Nazi symbols, a black man hanging from a tree, the words 'Aryan Pride' and the symbol for the Confederate Knights of America (a prison gang in Texas that affiliated with the KKK and the Aryan Brotherhood). He claimed during his trial that he had been gang-raped by several black inmates during a prior sentence. Both King and Brewer were sentenced to death while Berry was given life in prison. Brewer, 44, was executed in September 2011 in the Huntsville Unit Prison after exhausting his appeals. For his last meal he ordered: two chicken-fried steaks smothered in gravy with sliced onions; a triple-patty bacon cheeseburger; a cheese omelet with ground beef, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and jalapenos; a bowl of fried okra with ketchup; one pound of barbecued meat with half a loaf of white bread; three fully loaded fajitas; a meat-lover's pizza; one pint of Blue Bell vanilla Ice Cream; a slab of peanut-butter fudge with crushed peanuts; and three root beers. When prison officials presented him with the meal, he said he wasn't hungry and didn't eat any of it. The meal was subsequently discarded. State Senator John Whitmire, a Houston Democrat, was outraged and penned a letter to the prison agency's executive director, Brad Livingston, asking for the practice of last meals to end. Within hours, Livingston replied that the practice was terminated efffectively immediately, reported The New York Times. Death row inmates now receive a last meal that is the same meal other inmates receive in the chow line. Brewer, 44, was executed in September 2011 in the Huntsville Unit Prison after exhausting his appeals. He ordered a lavish meal but ate none of it. Texas now no longer serves last meals to inmates on death row. Pictured: Brewer in 1998, left, and in 2011, right Berry, 42, is currently serving life in prison and will be eligible for parole in 2038. He currently spends 23 hours a day in an eight-by-six-foot cell and is allowed out for an hour for exercise. Pictured: Berry in 1998, left, and right, undated Berry, 42, is currently serving life in prison and will be eligible for parole in 2038. He currently spends 23 hours a day in an eight-by-six-foot cell in the Ramsey Unit at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Berry is allowed outside one hour a day for exercise. In 2001, then-Governor Rick Perry signed into Texas state law the James Byrd Jr Hate Crimes Act. In 2009, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act was signed into federal law by then-President Barack Obama. A Brazilian man has been charged with drug offences after cocaine worth more than 200,000 was found concealed in a suitcase at Belfast City Airport. Around four kilos of the Class A drug was seized on Sunday when a passenger was stopped after arriving on a flight from Brazil via Heathrow. Valdire Medeiros Da Silva, 47, who lives in Portadown, was then interviewed by National Crime Agency investigators and arrested. Valdire Medeiros Da Silva, 47, was stopped after arriving at Belfast City Airport on a flight from Brazil via Heathrow He was charged with the importation of Class A drugs, possession and possession with intent to supply Class A drugs. John Oldham, Assistant Director, Border Force North, said: 'This is just one example of the crucial work that Border Force officers do every day to help keep the UK safe. 'Detections of dangerous class A drugs such as this are testament to their dedication and expertise. 'Illegal drugs have a significant impact on our society, being the root cause behind countless burglaries, thefts and robberies. 'They are also used as a commodity by organised criminals linked to violence and exploitation of the vulnerable.' Medeiros Da Silva will appear at Belfast Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, investigators said. Two competing GoFundMe campaigns - one raising money to pay for President Donald Trump's border wall and the other seeking funds to buy ladders for migrants to climb over said wall - are both continuing to draw donations. The original crowdfunding campaign, entitled We The People Will Fund The Wall, surpassed $16.5million as of Monday afternoon, on its way to its lofty $1billion goal. More than 272,000 people have donated to the page since it was created on Sunday by Brian Kolfage, a triple amputee Air Force veteran. The campaign description says in part: 'It's time we uphold our laws, and get this wall BUILT! Its up to Americans to help out and pitch in to get this project rolling.' A GoFundMe page raising money to fund President Trump's border wall, which was created by triple amputee Air Force veteran Brian Kolfage (left) on Sunday, has surpassed $16million as of Monday. A counter-campaign raising money for ladders for migrants to use to surmount that border wall, created Wednesday by human rights activist and transgender Army veteran Charlotte Clymer (right), reached $142,000 as of Monday Citizens can mail money as 'gifts to the United States,' according to the US Treasury Department. But its not clear whether the Department of Homeland Security can accept gifts. On Wednesday Charlotte Clymer, a transgender Army veteran and human rights activist from Texas, launched her own fundraising page in response, titled Ladders to Get Over Trump's Wall. It's description says: 'We saw some folks are raising money for a border wall to keep out our migrant siblings and fellow human beings, who are fleeing violence and persecution and whose tragically-underpaid labor is essential to the US economy. 'Seems like a bad idea on countless levels for everyone involved. Maybe we should focus on human rights and creating a community that reflects our supposed values. 'And even though at a rate of $1.7million daily, it would take their fund about 35 years to raise the $21.7billion that Trump's own Department of Homeland Security says would be needed to build said wall, we wanna make sure ladders are ready to send over to our undocumented friends and help them.' In six days, that page has raised more than $142,000 toward its $100million goal as of Monday, with donations made by more than 6,400 people. More than 272,000 people have donated to Kolfage's campaign We The People Will Fund The Wall (above) in less than a week as it climbs toward a lofty goal of $1billion In six days, transgender Army veteran Charlotte Clymer's counter campaign has raised more than $142,000 toward its $100million goal as of Monday The campaign wars over the wall come after Trump appeared to back down from threats of a government shutdown to secure the $5billion he wants for the wall. He signaled that he would sign the last spending bill he will get from a Republican-controlled Congress for the rest of his term without the desired wall money. Kolfage (above in January 2016) lost both legs and his arm in a 2004 insurgent attack in Iraq The sting for conservatives was deepened by an announcement on Tuesday that the US will increase aid to Mexico and Central America to $10.6billion. Democrats mocked the GoFundMe to build the wall as evidence of Trump supporters' gullibility, gloating that federal funding for Trump's signature proposal is looking increasingly less likely. 'It's up to Americans to help out and pitch in to get this project rolling,' the page reads. 'If the 63million people who voted for Trump each pledge $80, we can build the wall.' The fundraising page says it has contacted the Trump Administration to secure a point of contact where all the funds will go, but adds it has 'many very high level contacts already helping'. The page says further: 'As a veteran who has given so much, 3 limbs, I feel deeply invested to this nation to ensure future generations have everything we have today,' while elaborating on Kolfage's history as a Purple Heart Medal recipient. The married father-of-two lost both legs and his right arm in a 2004 insurgent attack in Iraq. Kolfage (pictured left and right with his wife) launched the campaign as Senate Democrats insisted they would not include money for Trump's wall in the budget. The married Florida father-of-two received a Purple Heart for his service to the United States Kolfage said on the GoFundMe page: 'Too many Americans have been murdered by illegal aliens and too many illegals are taking advantage of the United States taxpayers' (file photo) Clymer's campaign was launched three days after Kolfage's after the self-described liberal writer and feminist noticed how quickly the veteran's efforts gained traction. 'You see, theyll never reach their goal, but no matter how much we raise, were going to reach ours,' the Ladders page says. 'Supporting an organization working to help immigrants seeking legal asylum. This GoFundMe isnt really about ladders at all. Its about lifting people up.' Clymer, who works as the press secretary for rapid response at the Human Rights Campaign, explained in the description that if the goal is not met, funds raised will go toward the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES). RAICES is the largest immigration legal services provider in Texas, according to its website. 'If this seems ludicrous, we welcome you to the coalition of reasonable adults,' the campaign summary further says. Clymer's campaign was launched three days after Kolfage's after the self-described liberal writer and feminist (pictured) noticed how quickly the veteran's efforts gained traction The description on Clymer's Ladders to Get Over Trump's Wall is pictured in full above Last week Trump made the claim that the US military would build his border wall and Mexico would pay for it - indirectly under the new trade agreement. 'Mexico is paying (indirectly) for the Wall through the new USMCA, the replacement for NAFTA! Far more money coming to the US. 'Because of the tremendous dangers at the Border, including large scale criminal and drug inflow, the United States Military will build the Wall!,' he tweeted. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Tuesday the administration's legal team was looking into whether the White House could redirect funds to build the wall. President Donald Trump claimed on Monday that Saudi Arabia has agreed to pay money to rebuild Syria amid criticism of his plan to remove U.S. troops from Syria. 'Saudi Arabia has now agreed to spend the necessary money needed to help rebuild Syria, instead of the United States. See? Isn't it nice when immensely wealthy countries help rebuild their neighbors rather than a Great Country, the U.S., that is 5000 miles away. Thanks to Saudi A!,' he tweeted. He offered no details, such as how much money they will spend, what it will be spent on, who exactly it will go to and when it will be given. Trump has long bemoaned the amount of money the U.S. spends abroad and complained that other countries don't pay their share. President Trump (left) has claimed Saudi Arabia will pay to rebuild Syria. He has courted Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman (right) as an ally in the Middle East He offered no details, such as how much money they will spend, what it will be spent on, who exactly it will go to and when it will be given '...We are substantially subsidizing the Militaries of many VERY rich countries all over the world, while at the same time these countries take total advantage of the U.S., and our TAXPAYERS, on Trade. General Mattis did not see this as a problem. I DO, and it is being fixed!,' he tweeted earlier Monday. The president spent much of Monday tweeting, including 10 tweets in four hours on a variety of subjects, including the government shut down, funding for his border wall, the resignation/firing of Defense Secretary James Mattis, and Syria. Mattis' resignation was reported to be, in part, because of Trump's decision to withdraw troops from Syria. 'Because you have the right to a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects,' Mattis wrote in his resignation letter, 'I believe it is right for me to step down from my position.' Trump's latest tweet on Syria comes as some lawmakers from his own Republican Party were critical of his decision to pull the 2,000 U.S. troops out of Syria. 'We were going to leave Syria. But to leave it when you're within a couple of months of doing something that is very important in the fight against ISIS and the president knows that, and we pull - jerk the rug out from under two months in advance, that's hard to understand,' outgoing Republican Sen. Bob Corker said on CNN's 'State of the Union' on Sunday. Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney said the decision would hand a victory to ISIS. 'I am deeply, deeply concerned and I oppose strongly the president's decision apparently to withdraw troops from Syria. The apparent decision that- that we're now going to be looking at withdrawing troops from Afghanistan,' she said Sunday on CBS' 'Face the Nation.' Earlier this year, the Saudis promised the president $100 million for American efforts to stabilize Syria. That money finally arrived in American accounts in October, on the same day Secretary of State Mike Pompeo landed in Riyadh for discussions about the fate of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, who, at the time, was still considered missing. It was later discovered he was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. U.S. intelligence agencies believe Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman was involved the decision. Trump has expressed doubt MBS - the prince is known by his initials - was involved in the killing. Trump has long complained the U.S. spends to much abroad 'I think he knows that he has made a mistake,' GOP Sen. Bob Corker said of Trump's decision on Syria Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney said the decision would hand a victory to ISIS 'We may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of Mr. Jamal Khashoggi,' Trump said in a statement in November after it was revealed Khashoggi was murdered. 'In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They have been a great ally in our very important fight against Iran.' The president has defended Saudi Arabia as an important ally in the Middle East and a strong economic partner to the United States. 'If we abandon Saudi it would be a terrible mistake,' Trump told reporters in December. A 43-year-old man has been stabbed in south-east London as a violent year in the capital draws to a close. Burnt Ash Lane in the borough of Bromley was shut following the attack near a Toyota garage. The man was taken to hospital but his injuries were not life-threatening or life-changing, police said. One witness said the police incident on Monday night was 'causing havoc' in nearby streets as people tried to avoid the police presence. A person has been stabbed near a Toyota garage on Burnt Ash Lane (pictured) in south-east London as a violent year in the capital draws to a close, the Metropolitan Police said tonight Police in Bromley said: 'We dealt with a stabbing at around 5.10pm this evening in Burnt Ash Lane. 'A 43-year-old man was taken to hospital, where injuries were assessed as not life-threatening or life-changing. 'Urgent inquiry ongoing. No arrest at present.' There has been renewed focus on the number of homicides in the capital this year, amid rising levels of violent crime in the UK. With the lowest number of Metropolitan Police officers since 2001, there has also been a worsening of the violence on the capital's streets. Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt, who has dealt with violent crime for around a decade, said in June that weapons such as zombie knives, hunting knives and machetes were being used more often. The latest toll means it will be the fourth year in a row that at least 100 homicides have been recorded in London. Senior figures have blamed the drugs trade as one factor fuelling the violence, with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick, London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Justice Secretary David Gauke hitting out at middle-class cocaine users. Between April and early September the Met's Violent Crime Taskforce also seized 1,500 knives, more than 180 guns, 600 other weapons and made 4,000 violent crime arrests. Melania Trump boarded a plane in Palm Beach on Monday afternoon to return to Washington D.C. for Christmas as President Donald Trump complained on Twitter he was 'all alone (poor me) in the White House.' The first lady, wearing a red coat, appeared to be traveling solo. The first couple's son, 12-year-old Barron, was not spotted. She boarded a C37A government plane - an adapted Gulfstream V - for the approximately two and half hour flight to the nation's Capitol. Melania Trump boarded a plane in Palm Beach on Monday afternoon The first lady, wearing a red coat, appeared to be traveling solo Her return comes as President Trump has been on twitter storm - 10 tweets in four hours - on a range of subjects She and the president will call into NORAD's Santa Tracker on Monday night Her return comes as President Trump has been on twitter storm - 10 tweets in four hours - on a range of subjects, including complaining he is alone in the White House. 'I am all alone (poor me) in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come back and make a deal on desperately needed Border Security,' he wrote. Melania Trump was spotted boarding the plane at 12:55 p.m., 23 minutes after Trump's tweet. This evening, she and the president will make phone calls into the NORAD Santa Tracker at 6:30 p.m., CBS News reported. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has been tracking Santa's flight across the globe for 63 years. NORAD is funded by the Pentagon. Military spending for fiscal year 2019 was approved earlier this year, meaning service people are not affected by the government shut down. The first couple made similar calls last year from Mar-a-Lago. The Trumps were originally scheduled to spend 16 days at Mar-a-Lago, the Southern White House, over the holidays. The first lady boards a plane to return to the White House after the president tweeted he was 'all alone' She is returning to spend Christmas Eve with the president The first lady was spotted boarding a plane to return to the White House shortly after the president tweeted he was 'all alone' in the White House First Lady Melania Trump will take Christmas Eve NORAD calls just as she did last year with President Donald Trump at their Mar-a-Lago Estate. Pictured above last year Last year, Melania and President Trump took calls nine and six calls respectively from the grandeur of their Mar-a-Lago estate on Christmas Eve Donald and Melania surprise kids calling NORAD to track Santa But plans changed when the government shut down on Friday at midnight after Democrats and Trump could not come to an agreement on funding his border wall. Trump wants his wall fully funded at $5 billion while Democrats offered $1.3 billion. Negotiations are stalled and not expected to resume until Thursday. Most lawmakers have left town for the holidays. The White House announced over the weekend President Trump would stay at the White House and the first lady, who was already in Florida that point, would return to spend the holidays with him. 'Due to the shutdown, President Trump will remain in Washington, D.C. and the First Lady will return from Florida so they can spend Christmas together,' White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement on Saturday. Kevin Spacey will be arraigned on a charge of felony sexual assault next month. Michael O'Keefe, the Cape and Islands district attorney in Massachusetts, said on Monday afternoon that Spacey will appear January 7 at Nantucket District Court. 'On December 20, 2018 following a public show cause hearing at Nantucket District Court, Clerk Magistrate Brian Kearney issued a criminal complaint of indecent assault and battery against Kevin S. Fowler, also known as Kevin Spacey,' read a release from the district attorney's office. 'The incident is alleged to have occurred on or about July 7, 2016 at a local restaurant.' The victim's mother, Heather Unruh, said last year that Spacey repeatedly stuck his hand down the pants of her 18-year-old son. The boy was eventually able to get away when a woman walked over to him while the actor was in the bathroom and said: 'Run!' At the time, Spacey was trying to convince the boy to join him at a party said Unruh, who now hopes to find the mystery woman who she believes saved her son from a far worse fate. When the boy eventually got to his grandmother's home, he told his younger sister what had happened and then called his mother. At the same time as the charge was announced, Spacey released a bizarre video on Monday suggesting that he was preparing to make a comeback. Scroll down for video Judgment say: Kevin Spacey (above in June 2017) will be charged with felony sexual assault after he allegedly molested a teenager at a Nantucket bar in the summer of 2016 Opening up: The boy's mother, Heather Unruh (above), has spoken publicly about the incident multiple times in the past, saying Spacey fondled her son's genitals Scene: Spacey is now due in Nantucket District Court on January 7 of next year to be indicted on charges related to the alleged assault (Spacey outside the bar where the alleged assault occurred in 2016) In the video, entitled Let Me Be Frank, Spacey acknowledges the charges which have been made against him and suggests he will overcome them and revive his career. He then makes a number of cryptic statements, at one point stating: 'If I didn't pay the price for the things we both know I did do, I'm certainly not gonna pay the price for the things I didn't do.' Spacey then closes out the video by stating: 'I feel surprisingly good and my confidence grows each day that soon enough you will know the full truth. 'Wait a minute, now that I think of it, you never actually saw me die, did you? Conclusions can be so deceiving. Miss me?' That last comment seems to be a reference to Frank Underwood, the character he played on House of Cards. The lawyer for the victim gave a brief statement on Monday, saying: 'The complainant has shown a tremendous amount of courage in coming forward. Let the facts be presented, the relevant law applied and a just and fair verdict rendered.' The family has yet to speak out, but at a press conference last year Unruh declared: 'I want to see Kevin Spacey go to jail. I want to see Kevin Spacey see the hand of justice come down on him not just for my son, but every victim who speaks the truth.' KEVIN SPACEY SAYS HE WILL MAKE COMEBACK AFTER SEX CHARGES I know what you want. Oh sure, they may have tried to separate us but what we have is too strong, is too powerful. I mean, after all, we shared everything you and I. I told you my deepest darkest secrets. I showed you exactly what people are capable of. I shocked you with my honesty. But mostly I challenged you and made you think and you trusted me even though you knew you shouldn't. So we're not done no matter what anyone says. And besides, I know what you want you want. Him back of course. Some believed everything and I've just been waiting with bated breath for him he confess it all. They're just dying to have me declare that everything said is true and that I got what I deserved. Wouldn't it be easy if it was all so simple. Only you and I both know it's never that simple. Not in politics and not in life, but you wouldn't believe the worst without evidence, would you. You wouldn't rush to judgment without facts , would you? Did you? No, not you, you're smarter than that. Anyway, all this presumption made for such an unsatisfying ending, and to think it could have been such a memorable send-off. I mean, if you and I've learned nothing else these past years it's that in life and art, nothing should be off the table. We weren't afraid. Not of what we said, not of what we did, and we're still not afraid. Because I can promise you this: If I didn't pay the price for the things we both know I did do, I'm certainly not gonna pay the price for the things I didn't do. Well, of course they're gonna say I'm being disrespectful not playing by the rules, like I ever played by anyone's rules. But I never did and you loved it anyhow. despite all he animosity, the headlines, the impeachment without a trial despite everything despite even my own death. I feel surprisingly good and my confidence grows each day that soon enough you will know the full truth. Wait a minute, now that I think of it, you never actually saw me die, did you? Conclusions can be so deceiving. Miss me? Advertisement DailyMail.com uncovered two photos of Spacey from that week in Nantucket back in 2016, including one taken with a co-worker of the victim at The Club Car, where the alleged assault took place. The other shows the Oscar winner, 59, with his constant companion, manager and former pop star Evan Lowenstein. Reps for Spacey have not responded to multiple requests for comment about this incident over the past year. Spacey immediately faced some swift repercussions when these allegations first broke last year. He was cut from Ridley Scott's finished film 'All the Money in the World' and replaced by Christopher Plummer, just six weeks before it hit theaters. It was also revealed around that time that Spacey was the focus of a 2012 investigation on the set of House of Cards. Media Rights Capital revealed that during the filming of the show's first season there was a complaint made about 'a specific remark and gesture' made by Spacey. The studio said they launched an investigation into the incident soon after the unidentified worker complained, and were 'confident the issue was resolved promptly to the satisfaction of all involved' after Spacey went through a 'training process.' What the studio did not do however is tell higher-ups like the creator of the Emmy-winning series. 'Mr. Spacey willingly participated in a training process and since that time MRC has not been made aware of any other complaints involving Mr. Spacey,' said the studio. That remark came off a bit odd seeing as it was issued in response to a story that detailed the sexual harassment or assault that eight crew members claimed to have suffered at the hands of Spacey on the 'House of Cards' set. Things then took another bizarre turn when the show's creator Beau Willimon said that he was hearing about this complaint for the first time. It is unclear why producers made the decision not to tell the man who put the show together about the incident. 'We are deeply troubled to learn about these new allegations that are being made to the press concerning Kevin Spacey's interaction with members of the crew of House of Cards,' said MRC in their statement. 'As the producer of the show, creating and maintaining a safe working environment for our cast and crew has always been our top priority. We have consistently reinforced the importance of employees reporting any incident without fear of retaliation and we have investigated and taken appropriate actions following any complaints.' Then came the news of the incident five years ago on the set of the show. 'For example, during our first year of production in 2012, someone on the crew shared a complaint about a specific remark and gesture made by Kevin Spacey,' read the statement. 'Immediate action was taken following our review of the situation and we are confident the issue was resolved promptly to the satisfaction of all involved.' House of Card's sixth and final season is the first without former top-billing star Spacey after being accused of sexual assault. A rookie student pilot answered nature's call just moments after the two-person small plane he was flying experienced engine failure and landed on an Alabama highway in broad daylight. A couple and their children were driving along Interstate 20 in Talladega on Saturday afternoon when they came upon the shocking scene and captured it on video, including the moment the pilot-in-training stepped out of the Cessna parked on the side of the road and headed to a nearby field to relieve himself. In the video, Fredie Carmichael's wife asks him to pull over to make sure everyone on board the plane is OK. Fredie Carmichael and his family were driving from Georgia to Mississippi when they witnessed a small plane land on I-20 in Alabama Saturday The plane experienced an engine failure shortly after taking off from Talladega Municipal Airport A student pilot stepped out of the plane unharmed and stood on the highway, with Carmichael's wife videotaping him Feeling relieved: The student then headed to the shoulder of the road and proceeded to urinate 'Maybe they're having a medical emergency,' she speculates. At that moment, the student pilot emerges from the left side of the plane and flashes a thumbs up sign at the occupants of the vehicle to signal that all is well. The man, with his hair tied in a ponytail, then heads towards the grass on the shoulder of the highway and proceeds to urinate, with his back to the road. 'Is he peeing?' the woman in the car asks with a gasp, then instructs her son to close his eyes. The plane had just taken off and was 4 or 5 miles away from Talladega Municipal Airport when the engine failed. Neither the student nor the instructor, veteran pilot Jim Williams, was harmed Williams (pictured) has been flying planes and teaching for 36 years The pilot, Jim Williams, told WSB-TV he went through the troubleshooting process, but nothing was working. 'I was out of options,' he said, 'and the interstate was the closest, so I made a left turn and dodged some traffic and a sign and manged to get it stopped.' Carmichael, who lives in Georgia and was driving through Alabama on his way to Mississippi to spend Christmas with family, said it look like the right wing of the Cessna was going to clip a car that was in front of him. Williams said he's worked as a flight instructor for the past 36 years. Saturday's flight was his student's first lesson. A federal judge on Monday ordered North Korea to pay $501million in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the parents of Otto Warmbier, who died last year after being released from that country. US District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington DC ruled that North Korea should pay damages to Fred and Cindy Warmbier after finding Pyongyang 'liable for the torture, hostage taking, and extrajudicial killing' of the 22-year-old son. North Korea has consistently denied torture claims, instead blaming a rare medical condition called botulism and ingestion of a sleeping pill for Warmbier's death. Otto was a University of Virginia student who was visiting North Korea with a tour group when he was arrested and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in March 2016 on suspicion of stealing a propaganda poster. He died in June 2017, shortly after he returned to the US in a coma and showing apparent signs of torture while in custody. Scroll down for video A federal judge has ordered North Korea to pay more than $500million in a wrongful death suit filed by Cindy and Fred Warmbier (pictured in May), the parents of Otto Warmbier Otto Warmbier was sentenced in March 2016 to 15 years of hard labor for allegedly stealing a propaganda poster while touring North Korea Fred and Cindy Warmbier said in a joint statement they had promised their son justice. 'We are thankful that the United States has a fair and open judicial system so that the world can see that the Kim regime is legally and morally responsible for Ottos death,' the Warmbiers said. 'We put ourselves and our family through the ordeal of a lawsuit and public trial because we promised Otto that we will never rest until we have justice for him,' they said. 'Todays thoughtful opinion by Chief Judge Howell is a significant step on our journey.' The judgment against North Korea is largely a symbolic victory for now, since there is no practical way to force Kim Jong-Un's regime to pay the Warmbiers. US courts can compensate holders of judgments against foreign powers by ordering the seizure of funds or other assets located within the country, but that is unlikely in this case because sanctions prohibit North Korea from accessing the US financial system. The ruling comes at a sensitive time in US-North Korea diplomatic relations, as the two countries negotiate the dismantling of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program. President Donald Trump has said that Warmbier did not die in vain and his death helped initiate a process that led to a historic meeting this year between Trump and Kim Jong Un. Fred and Cindy Warmbier, pictured in April, said in a joint statement they had promised their late son justice Otto was pressured to make a televised confession in February 2016 (pictured) and then convicted of subversion after a one-hour trial The family's lawsuit, filed in April, had sought more than $1billion in damages. The complaint described in horrific detail the physical abuse Warmbier endured in North Korean custody. When his parents boarded a plane to see him upon arrival in the US, they were 'stunned to see his condition,' according to court documents. The 22-year-old was blind and deaf, his arms were curled and mangled and he was jerking violently and howling, completely unresponsive to his family's attempts to comfort him. His once straight teeth were misaligned, and he had an unexplained scarred wound on his foot. An expert said in court papers that the injuries suggested he had been tortured with electrocution. A neurologist later concluded that the college student suffered brain damage, likely from a loss of blood flow to the brain for 5-20 minutes. The complaint also said Warmbier, who was from a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio, was pressured to make a televised confession and then convicted of subversion after a one-hour trial. He was denied communication with his family. In early June 2017, Warmbier's parents were informed he was in a coma and had been in that condition for one year. Medical experts in Cincinnati could find no evidence of botulism on his return. He was taken off life support shortly afterwards on June 19, 2017. A landfall in eastern Russia could have been caused by a meteorite, locals claim A massive landfall in eastern Russia was caused by a meteorite, a falling UFO or a massive bomb, it was claimed today. First pictures from a remote location in Khabarovsk region show how the 390 mile long Bureya River was partially dammed by a monumental rock fall. The top was severed from a large hill with rocks crashing down and forming a new 525 ft-high mound in the river bed. Hunter Anton Ivanov found the dramatically changed landscape in the remote spot on 14 December - but the footage has only been revealed now There are reports of patches of 'hot rocks' and sightings of 'extraterrestrial meteorite fragments'. Alexey Maslov, the head of Verkhnebureinsky district, said after witnessing the newly formed hill: 'We are trying to find the explanation for this incident. I insist that it was a meteorite.' He was backed by Dr Evgeny Zubko, a cosmic dust expert from the School of Natural Sciences at the Far Eastern Federal University, who said local residents had noted 'a blast wave'. First pictures from a remote location in Khabarovsk region show how the 390 mile long Bureya River was partially dammed by a monumental rock fall 'Whether it will be possible to find the fragments of a meteorite depends on the parameters of the fall - and good luck.' However Maslov also claimed it could be 'an explosion, a bomb, or a falling plane.' Yet there were no reports of military missiles that went astray here, let alone plane crashes, or Russian bomb tests. 'The riverbed is blocked by a bulk' up to 2,624 ft wide, said Maslov. The height looms from 262 to 525 ft above the river level. 'There is no radiation,' he said. But he believed 'an object entered at a sharp angle, pulled down the mound - and spread it along the river bed.' The Bureya River in the remote Khabarovsk region of eastern Russia is 390 miles long. It formed a new 525 ft-high mound in the river bed Those who have seen the carnage insisted 'it cannot be man-made', he said. One eyewitness said: 'They either started some major building site or a UFO collapsed here.' First images from the scene of the rockfall show a man standing and waving on the newly-formed dam showing the scale of the debris. Hunter Anton Ivanov found the dramatically changed landscape in the remote spot 14 December - but the footage has only been revealed now. It is believed the carnage was caused in early December, reported The Siberian Times. Dr Evgeny Zubko, a cosmic dust expert from the School of Natural Sciences at the Far Eastern Federal University, said local residents had noted 'a blast wave' Alexey Maslov, left, the head of Verkhnebureinsky district, said he insists it was a meteorite. Boris Shustov, right, head of the Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said no sizeable meteorite had been registered penetrating the earth's atmosphere 'You don't come across this every day,' he said. 'Such scale, such force. 'There is lots of earth, thousands of tons. 'It can be seen that something flew here, touched the top of the hill and landed in the water. There are reports of patches of 'hot rocks' and sightings of 'extraterrestrial meteorite fragments'. There are warnings of flooding for villages upstream because of the partial blockage of the river 'It smells like hydrogen sulphide and vapour comes out in some places. 'We even found a spot on the very top where there are warm stones, we used them to keep our hands warm. 'It looks like it was very hot there. 'The ice edges are slim as if they were in boiling water.' Other theories include a landslide caused by an earthquake. Aleksei Makhinov, regional chairman of the Russian Geographic Society, said: 'The cause of the landslide could have been an earthquake,' he said. 'A meteorite could have been the reason too but it is unlikely.' Boris Shustov, head of the Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said no sizeable meteorite capable of wreaking such havoc had been registered penetrating the earth's atmosphere. The Bureyskaya hydro power station reservoir downstream is receiving less water. And there are warnings of flooding for villages upstream because of the partial blockage of the river. Stoney Westmoreland, who stars as the grandfather in the popular Disney Channel series Andi Mack, has been arrested for allegedly trying to lure a 13-year-old in for sex A 48-year-old actor who portrayed the grandfather of a middle school girl in a popular Disney Channel series has been charged with six felony counts for allegedly attempting to lure a minor for sex. Stoney Westmoreland, who stars in Andi Mack, began communicating with the 13-year-old he matched with on an app commonly used for arranging hookups, according to a police affidavit. The affidavit states that the middle-aged man requested naked photos from the teen. He also sent the victim pornographic images in return, it is alleged. Now he is facing charges including attempted exploitation of a minor and enticing a minor. Westmoreland later attempted to meet the victim for sex by using a ride-sharing app to order the victim a car, it is claimed. That's when he was taken into custody by the Salt Lake City Police Department and FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. He has been charged with four counts of dealing in materials harmful to a minor and one count of enticing a minor by internet or text. Further investigation is currently underway. Westmoreland is seen starring in the American comedy series next to main character, Andi Mack, played by Peyton Elizabeth Lee The series follows 13-year-old Andi Mack and her friends around their middle school Westmoreland has also starred in the TV series Scandal, NCIS: Los Angeles, Weeds and Gilmore Girls, to name a few. The American comedy series, Andi Mack, first aired on the Disney Channel in April 2017 and is currently still running. The series, which has positive viewer ratings on IMDb and Google, takes viewers into the everyday life and drama of 13-year-old Mack, played by Peyton Elizabeth Lee. Disney cable network announced late Friday that Westmoreland has been fired. 'Given the nature of the charges and our responsibility for the welfare of employed minors, we have released him from his recurring role and he will not be returning to work on the series which wraps production on its third season next week,' a representative said. Andi Mack cast photo is seen. Westmoreland, pictured far right, was arrested Thursday TV Guide has been slammed for publishing an op-ed calling actor Chris Pratt 'problematic'. On Friday, the publication released the article titled 'How to love Chris Pratt without hating yourself'. It was part of 'TV Guide's 12 Day of Chris-Mas' series, which highlights a different actor named Chris over 12 days from 'worst' to 'best', with Pratt being ranked at number five. Fans said the article was simply a hit-piece and that Pratt was being attacked for his Christian beliefs and generally more conservative views. TV Guide has been slammed for publishing an op-ed calling actor Chris Pratt 'problematic' Writer Kaitlin Thomas takes several issues with the Hollywood star including when Pratt (left and right) tried to rehome his cat and for mocking outrage culture. Additionally, Thomas takes issue with the fact that Pratt is an avid hunter who raises lamb for slaughter on his farm The article begins by discussing Pratt's rise to fame from his roles on The WB's Everwood and NBC's Parks and Recreation to the blockbusters Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World. However, writer Kaitlin Thomas says that Pratt 'remains the most complicated and divisive of the Chrises' due to 'some problematic aspects of his life offscreen [sic] '. The first example she gives is when Pratt tried to rehome his aging cat on Twitter, asking if any fans were interested in taking the pet. He later explained that it was because he and then-wife Anna Faris were trying to start a family and that he had found the cat home. Additionally, Thomas takes issue with the fact that Pratt is an avid hunter who raises lambs for slaughter on his farm. Further on in the article, Thomas discusses how Pratt mocked outrage culture in a Facebook post from May 2015. 'I want to make a heartfelt apology for whatever it is I end up accidentally saying during the forthcoming #JurassicWorld press tour,' he wrote at the time. 'I hope you understand it was never my intention to offend anyone and I am truly sorry. I swear. I'm the nicest guy in the world. And I fully regret what I (accidentally will have) said in (the upcoming foreign and domestic) interview(s).' Several Twitter users expressed outrage over what they viewed as a hit piece on the blockbuster star While Thomas believe the post to be funny, she says it 'lacks cleverness'. He has since apologized, however, for comments including an April 2017 interview with Men's Fitness in which he said many stories in Hollywood 'don't resonate with me' and called for more movies representing 'the average blue-collar American'. Thomas says that the notions that Pratt is not represented in the roles he plays or that that Hollywood movies representing working-class America are far and few between are both untrue. The Daily Wire accused TV Guide of attacking Pratt because he is openly Christian - which is not mentioned in the article. Several Twitter users expressed outrage over what they viewed as a hit piece on the blockbuster star. 'Chris Pratt = huge. TV Guide - for people incapable of operating the remote,' one user wrote. 'wow. people really keep trying to find problems where there are none. @prattprattpratt you're an admirable man...keep sticking to what you believe in,' tweeted another user. One user quipped: 'While Woody Allen and Roman Polanski are winning awards, the TV Guide attack Chris Pratt for eating meat and being a Christian. Give me a break.' A dream holiday turned into a nightmare for a couple after their van caught fire and the pair became stranded in the Outback. Adam Papadopoulos and Maddalena Bertato were on the Nullarbor, about 1,000km outside of Perth when trouble struck them. Gale force winds rocked the vehicle before it rolled off the road, Perth Now reported. 'The van, started to roll, and it rolled and rolled and rolled and rolled,' Ms Bertato said. Adam Papadopoulos and Maddalena Bertato (pictured) were on the Nullarbor, about 1,000km outside of Perth when trouble struck them An injured Ms Bertato became wedged in the overturned vehicle. 'I look left and I see her with one foot out of the windscreen, theres no window,' Mr Papadopoulos said. With a fractured neck, Mr Papadopoulos managed to safely pry his partner from the van before it went up in flames. 'It just completely caught fire, the whole van was on fire, like a fireball,' Mr Papadopoulos said. Ms Bertato was left with a fractured arm and an exposed bone, a fist-sized hole in her knee and ripped tendons in her ankle. Mr Papadopoulos and Ms Bertato had sold up in London to buy the van so they could take a road trip around Australia. Now the pair were left stranded and injured and they they had just witnessed their entire life-savings go up in flames. A passing driver spotted the troubled pair and took them halfway to Norseman, before an ambulance and plane carried them the rest of the way to Royal Perth Hospital. Mr Papadopoulos was released from hospital while Ms Bertato remains in hospital with months of rehabilitation ahead. With a fractured neck, Mr Papadopoulos managed to safely pry his partner from the van before it went up in flames, (pictured, Nullarbor) Bee brains have evolved to be so energy efficient that they may be able to count using only four nerve cells, scientists have found. Simulations with a brain model used just four nerve cells and found this simplistic organ would be able to count up to, and beyond, five. The small number of nerve cells needed to count indicates that brain size is not as important as brain organisation, scientists claim. Scroll down for video Bee brains have evolved to be so energy efficient that they can count using only four brain cells, scientists have found. Simulations with a simple brain model used just four nerve cells and found this simple organ would be able to count up to, and beyond, five (stock image) Simulations showed the simple brain was capable of counting small quantities by closely studying one item at a time. Previous studies have found bees count in the same way. But, humans use a different method and look at the whole group of items before counting them. In lab experiments, bees can count upwards of five and can be trained to select the smaller or larger of two values. Bees can even choose the value of zero, when trained to select the lesser of two quantities. The research suggests bees don't need to understand complex mathematics to achieve these feats of quantitative comparison. 'Our model shows that even though counting is generally thought to require high intelligence and large brains, it can be easily done with the smallest of nerve cell circuits connected in the right manner,' says Vera Vasas, a researcher at Queen Mary University of London. 'We suggest that using specific flight movements to scan targets, rather than numerical concepts, explains the bees' ability to count.' Scientists think their findings, published in the journal iScience, prove animal intelligence doesn't always have to rely on a larger number of neurons. In lab experiments, bees can count upwards of five and can be trained to select the smaller or larger of two values. Bees can even choose the value of zero, when trained to select the lesser of two quantities (pictured) 'Instead, a small number of nerve cells simply need to be arranged in the right way.' An improved understanding of the intelligence of insects could be used to design more efficient artificial intelligence algorithms. 'Careful examination of the actual inspection strategies used by animals might reveal that they often employ active scanning behaviors as shortcuts to simplify complex visual pattern discrimination tasks,' Dr Vasas said. 'Hopefully, our work will inspire others to look more closely not just at what cognitive tasks animals can solve, but also at how they are solving them.' The African clawed frog is known to eat its own tadpoles but scientists have now found it prefers the taste of young South African frogs. This endangered species lives in ponds around Cape Town, South Africa where the clawed frogs have been introduced as pets and taken over as an invasive species. Scientists put the cannibalistic amphibian in a tank with tadpoles of both species and found they preferred to eat the offspring of their cousin species. Scroll down for video The African clawed frog (pictured) is known to eat its own tadpoles but scientists have now found it prefers the taste of young South African tadpoles. Scientists put the cannibalistic amphibian in a tank with tadpoles of both species and found they preferred to eat the offspring of their cousin species (stock image) John Measey at Stellenbosch University in South Africa tested the menu preferences of the frogs by putting animals in different tanks with a range of tadpoles. By placing African clawed frogs in tanks with tadpoles of their own species and those of the Cape platanna, the team found that the frogs prefer eating the tadpoles of their endangered cousin. Dr Measey says the research, published in the African Journal of Ecology, suggests the frog is able to tell the difference. 'That is very bad news for the Cape [platanna],' he says. African clawed frogs are found on four continents and have spread around the world sue to their popularity as a pet. They are not naturally found in Cape Town, despite their ubiquitous nature around the rest of the world and are considered a foreign species. African clawed frogs (pictured) are found on four continents and have spread around the world sue to their popularity as a pet (stock image) WHAT IS THE AFRICAN CLAWED FROG? Its name comes from the three short claws on each hind foot, which it uses to tear apart its food. The species is found throughout much of Sub-Saharan Africa (Nigeria and Sudan to South Africa), and in isolated, introduced populations in North America, South America, and Europe. African clawed frogs are found on four continents and have spread around the world sue to their popularity as a pet. They are known cannibals of both their own offspring and tadpoles of related species. Advertisement Their presence, experts claim, is a threat to the prolonged survival of endemic species, such as the Cape platanna. 'It's another interesting example where human alteration of the landscape has changed the playing field,' says James Vonesh at Virginia Commonwealth University, a co-author of the study, according to New Scientist. Some conservationists, including Dr Measey, say it may be necessary to forcibly remove them from these areas to protect the vulnerable native wildlife. A former commander of the International Space Station (ISS) believes Jeff Bezos will outshine rivals Richard Branson and Elon Musk in the pursuit of commercial space flight. The billionaire founder of Amazon set up Blue Origin, a firm which he hopes will one day enable low cost passage to space. Polarising maverick Elon Musk is often in headlines and Richard Branson's high-profile Virgin Galactic endeavour has had a spate of recent successes. NASA astronaut Terry Virts however, believes it is Bezos' no frills and relatively quiet approach to space flight which will see him distinguish himself above his peers. Scroll down for video NASA astronaut Terry Virts (pictured) believes it is Bezos' no frills and relatively quiet approach to space flight which will see him distinguish himself above his peers A former commander of the International Space Station (ISS) believes Jeff Bezos (pictured) will outshine rivals Richard Branson and Elon Musk in the pursuit of commercial space flight. The billionaire founder of Amazon set up Blue Origin 'I think Bezos is in it for the long run. He's not out there on Twitter, he's not out there talking about himself,' Mr Virts said in an interview with CNBC. 'He's the speak softly and carry a big stick kind of guy.' The former astronaut lavished praise on the Amazon founder for his approach to the space race but said both Musk and Branson have helped the advancement of science too. He said Musk's enthusiasm and popularity was fantastic for getting people, and particularly children, interested and passionate about space again. He also pointed out the success of the Falcon 9 rocket as a key turning point in making satellite launches cheaper and more accessible since the Russian Soyuz rocket has become increasingly unreliable. The former astronaut (pictured on-board the ISS) lavished praise on the Amazon founder for his approach to the space race but said both Musk and Branson have helped the advancement of science too WHO IS JEFF BEZOS? Jeff Bezos is best known as the founder and CEO of online giant Amazon. Born in New Mexico and raised in Houston, Texas, he went on to attend the prestigious Princeton University and graduated in 1986. After a decade or so of work on Wall Street, Mr Bezos founded his own company in 1994. Jeff Bezos was born in 1964 and is founder and CEO of Amazon. He is also the richest person in the world He initially called his company Cadabra, and then reportedly changed the name to Amazon when a colleague misheard it as 'cadaver'. Initially, it was launched as an online book store working out of Bezo's garage in Seattle but rapidly grew to include a variety of goods and services. Now, Amazon is one of the biggest companies in the world and the most successful website in the world. In 2018, the company is worth around $900 (691 billion). Mr Bezos himself has an estimated net worth of $150 billion (115 billion). He has bought and accumulated a variety of different companies and outlets including: Whole Foods, The Washington Post, Twitch and IMDB. He has a controlling share of 17 per cent in his first company, Amazon. In 2017, Jeff Bezos surpassed Bill Gates to become the richest person in the world, and the richest person of the modern world. He has been married since 1994 and has four children. Advertisement While he branded Branson 'cool', the former ISS veteran called Bezos the 'real deal' and said his company, Blue Origin, is 'legit'. He added: 'The BE-4 engine that he is making, I think is going to be the most important rocket engine of the 21st century.' 'He's doing things a little bit slower and he is doing it all on his own. Most of his programmes are not with NASA or the government.' 'I think he has some spare change lying around the couch that he can fund this stuff with. 'I think he is the long, slow and in the long run he is going to make a real impact in getting to the moon, getting people into space and really impacting the 21st century space economy.' One glimpse of this golden city perched on the edge of a steep ravine and you wonder why it isn't a rival to Venice or Florence. But at least Matera, in Italy's southern Basilicata region, takes over as European Capital of Culture (jointly with Plovdiv, Bulgaria) in January. The instep of Italy's bony foot is used to being overlooked. True, Matera's troglodyte dwellings, ancient cave churches and underground water cisterns have enjoyed UNESCO World Heritage Site status for 25 years. But it has taken until now for Matera to capture the world's attention. Not so shameful: The sun sets over the Matera's old town UNDER THE SURFACE Hundreds of dwellings in the city, some natural, some hewn out of the soft, fossil-speckled tufa rock, are known as sassi - literally 'stones'. As recently as the Sixties, their inhabitants were so poverty stricken that Matera was best known as 'the shame of Italy'. Happily, times have changed. Some sassi are now bijou homes, artisanal workshops, museums, Airbnbs, restaurants or even elegant hotels. WHERE TO START On the Piazza del Duomo, outside the cathedral, from where there are sensational views over the city and gorge. Twist and turn down a jumble of stone staircases and through arches between sassi stacked like cells in a beehive to Matera's number one rock star, the Chiesa di Santa Maria di Idris, a church entirely dug, over the centuries, out of a gigantic boulder. A cave in the Santa Maria di Idris, Matera's church carved out of an enormous boulder WHAT'S ON IN 2019? On Saturday, January 19, Matera will explode in celebration at an opening ceremony involving marching bands from villages across Basilicata. The idea is to revive the great traditions of southern Italy on a grand scale. After that, Matera is drawing on its geology and history in a series of theatrical and musical events and exhibitions themed on 'Ancient Future'. The more bizarre-sounding include Quantum Danza, musical and dance performances that take their inspiration from quantum physics. A Story of Redemption is an exhibition charting the refurbishment of abandoned sassi. SOUNDS BIBLICAL Along with the historical centre, 'Sassi', the Park of the Rupestrian Churches is a UNSECO World Heritage Site So evocative is Matera of the Holy Land that it was chosen by Mel Gibson as the set for Jerusalem in his 2004 film The Passion Of The Christ. The city has featured in numerous other movies including Pier Paolo Pasolini's classic The Gospel According to St Matthew. GETTING AROUND This is best done on foot. There is really little alternative to the labyrinthine, traffic-free alleys and staircases. Roots and Routes, a Capital of Culture theme, links together points of interest in a series of mapped itineraries between historic sites and buildings housing exhibitions and events. Something different: Hike away from the 'Sassi' district into the Gravina Canyon ON THE MENU All sorts of treats. Tuck into Basilicata specialities such as Baccala alla lucana (salted cod with Senise red peppers). The local Cacioricotta cheese, made from a blend of goat's and sheep's milk, is delicious. Sniff out the crumbly strazzate almond biscuits flavoured with local Strega herbal liqueur. If you splash out just once, make it the exquisite La Cucina, Le Bubbole restaurant in a candle-lit cave underneath the Palazzo Gattini (see below). Booking is essential. BEST PLACES TO STAY Romantic mansion: A a vaulted double room at the Palazzo Gattin The sybarite's choice is five star Palazzo Gattini (palazzogattini.it), a ravishingly romantic mansion at the heart of the sassi district with vaulted rooms, a spa pool in the basement and glorious views from the roof terrace. Doubles are from 168. To get in touch with your inner troglodyte without compromising on style, there is Le Grotte della Civita (legrottedellacivita.sextantio.it), a bijou cave hotel carved out of the tufa stone cliff. Doubles from 133. Or, for a budget sassi experience, try the three-star Caveoso Hotel (caveosohotel.com). Doubles from 60. ANYTHING ELSE? Hike from the sassi district down into the Gravina canyon. Cross the footbridge, then wind up the cliff on the other side, which is pocked with 150 or so mysterious chiese rupestri (cave churches) concealing tiny shrines and beautiful frescoes. At the top you reach the Parco della Murgia Materana, a wild, protected plateau with views of Matera back across the gorge. Non-stop flights between London and Sydney could be closer to take off after aircraft manufacturers reportedly met with Qantas officials to discuss which ultra-long-range jets could carry out the job. The airline has previously said it is working to close the 'tyranny of distance' between Australian cities on the east coast and global financial centres such as the British capital by 2022. The Australian flag carrier has been considering an order for jets to carry out the service, which is expected to take 20 hours and 20 minutes. Non-stop flights between Sydney and London appear to be a step closer after Qantas bosses meet with officials from aircraft makers Boeing and Airbus. Pictured is a Qantas 787 Dreamliner, which is currently flown on the Perth to London route, which began in March And according to the Sydney Morning Herald, senior executives from both Boeing and Airbus were in Sydney last week to pitch their aircraft to airline bosses. It is believed that Boeing's 777X-8 model, which is still under development, could be capable of carrying out the long flight as well as a version of the Airbus A350-1000, which entered service in February. Qantas has not announced how many ultra-long haul jets it will order, but CEO Alan Joyce previously said it could be a 'reasonable-sized fleet' given that potential routes include Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to London, New York and Paris or Frankfurt. Ultra-long-haul flights are aimed primarily at business travellers and can allow airlines to charge a 20 per cent premium over one-stop rivals, according to industry data. Airbus's first customer for the ultra-long-range A350-900ULR, Singapore Airlines, launched 19-hour flights from Singapore to New York in October, which is the longest commercial flight in the world. It ordered seven of the jets, which carry more fuel than a typical A350-900. Airbus is already developing a range of ultra-long-range jets. The first customer for its A350-900ULR model is Singapore Airlines, which use the aircraft on its Singapore to New York route - the world's longest commercial flight Sydney to London is an even more demanding journey and Qantas wants to do it with more passengers than the 161 business and premium economy seats that Singapore Airlines plans to use on its ultra-long haul routes. But as planemakers look to modify designs, airports are also looking to adapt facilities. Qantas offers pre-flight yoga classes to Perth-to-London passengers in its lounge and has adapted its menu in all classes. The Perth to London route has sold better than expected, particularly in premium cabins. It is operated on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert said the airport was considering the construction of special arrival lounges for ultra-long-haul flights. He explained: 'At the moment, 70 per cent of the world's population is reachable from Sydney on one direct flight. A rendering of a Boeing 777X long range aircraft. Qantas could purchase this model for its ultra-long-haul fleet 'Once those aircraft come to market the entire population of the world will be reachable in one flight. It is just an amazing step change in aviation.' However, despite Qantas working on delivering non-stop flights between Australia and the UK, it appears British Airways are not considering launching similar routes. In June, Willie Walsh, the CEO of BA's parent company IAG, ruled out the carrier flying non-stop to Sydney. Mr Walsh said: 'Code sharing is an option but in terms of using our metal, we're not considering it. 'Personally the idea of sitting on an aircraft for 21 hours to get from Heathrow to Sydney, it does not appeal to me.' This appears to mean that in the future, passengers flying BA to destinations in Australia will still have to stop off in Singapore or Hong Kong. Only Australian and British carriers have the rights to fly non-stop flights between the UK and Australia. He's been in Australia promoting his new blockbuster, Aquaman. And on Thursday, American star Jason Momoa was left shocked when it started hailing in Sydney during a freak summer storm. The 39-year-old was enjoying the warmer weather when hailstones hit, with Jason taking to Instagram to share a video of himself and his friends watching the wild weather. Even a superhero is shocked! Aquaman star Jason Momoa can't believe his eyes as hail lashes Sydney during a freak summer storm Jason had enjoyed lunch on a balcony on Sydney Harbour when the storm hit. 'It is hailing!' Jason screamed, shocked. 'That's f**king hail. It's hailing in Australia,' Jason added, before picking up a hailstone. Wild weather: Jason had enjoyed lunch on a balcony on Sydney Harbour when the storm hit Shocked: 'That's f**king hail. It's hailing in Australia,' Jason added, before picking up a hailstone He and his friends then couldn't believe it when a double rainbow appeared in the sky. The storm hit in the afternoon during peak hour, with the storm expected to last throughout the night. Jason is in Australia promoting his new blockbuster, Aquaman, which also stars the likes of Nicole Kidman and Amber Heard. New role: Jason is in Australia promoting his new blockbuster, Aquaman, which also stars the likes of Nicole Kidman and Amber Heard In the new movie, Aquaman is the half-human underwater King of Atlantis. Jason meanwhile told TV Week last week that the best thing about starring in Aquaman is the opportunity for him to be play a character that marginalised kids can look up to. 'There are a whole bunch of kids out there who don't have someone they can identify with,' Jason said. 'I think that's a big responsibility, to be this outsider character and the first brown-skinned superhero,' he added. Rebecca Judd and her family have bid farewell to the desert oasis of Dubai. And on the final day of their holiday, the 35-year-old has taken to Instagram to share commemorative family photo of their vacation before flying back home to Melbourne. The 35-year-old posted a photo of herself with her husband Chris and their children son Oscar, seven, daughter Billie, four, and two-year-old twin boys Tom and Darcy on the steps of the luxury resort, Atlantis The Palm. 'We've had the best time!' Rebecca Judd shares a family photo on the last day of their luxury holiday in Dubai She wrote in the caption, 'Tribe. Thank you so much for bringing us to Dubai and hosting us all week,' and tagged Visit Dubai. 'We've had the best time and have created lifelong family memories. Here we are, signing off on the steps of @atlantisthepalm. See you next time,' along with the hashtags #mydubai #visitdubai #differentinwater. In total the Judd clan stayed in the tourist hot spot for a six days, and enjoyed many family friendly activities. Flying in style: The family appeared to have flown first class with Emirates after the brunette beauty shared a photo of one of her son Tom sitting comfortably in his seat with headphones on while watching a cartoon Living it up: After arriving, the family headed straight to the luxurious Palazzo Versace Dubai, where a one-night stay in their largest suite, fit for six people, costs over $3,000 a night The family appeared to have flown first class with Emirates after the brunette beauty shared a photo of one of her son Tom sitting comfortably in his seat with headphones on while watching a cartoon. An estimated price for return tickets to Dubai and back to Melbourne for a family of six like the Judds is valued $84,925 - according to the Emirates website - with one adult ticket priced at more than $20,000. After arriving, the family headed straight to the luxurious Palazzo Versace Dubai, where a one-night stay in their largest suite, fit for six people, costs over $3,000 a night. Lavish experiences: On the next day they enjoy a lavish $900 dinner experience with Arabian Adventures at the Dubai Desert Conservation range Desert dreams: They rode a camel, watched a falcon show and a traditional Arabic style three course meal On the next day they enjoy a lavish $900 dinner experience with Arabian Adventures at the Dubai Desert Conservation range where they rode a camel, watched a falcon show and a traditional Arabic style three course meal. The family visited a number of kid-friendly theme parks and attractions such as Kidzania and the Dubai Frame. At Legoland Dubai, Bec popped on a bikini swam around the pool with Oscar and Billie. Attractions: The family visited a number of kid-friendly theme parks and attractions such as Kidzania and the Dubai Frame Theme parks: At Legoland Dubai, Bec popped on a bikini swam around the pool with Oscar and Billie Rest and relaxation: After a day of fun in the sun with the kids, Bec treated herself to a luxurious afternoon tea during her stay at the Palazzo Versace After a day of fun in the sun with the kids, Bec treated herself to a luxurious afternoon tea during her stay at the Palazzo Versace. Halfway through their stay the family moved to the five-star Atlantis The Palm, where Bec took her twin boys to the resort's Aquaventure Waterpark. Later, she and hubby Chris enjoyed a child-free date night at the hotels renowned restaurant, Ossiano, famous for it's incredible aquarium. More family friendly fun: Halfway through their stay the family moved to the five-star Atlantis The Palm, where Bec took her twin boys to the resort's Aquaventure Waterpark. Date night: Later, she and hubby Chris (right) enjoyed a child-free date night at the hotels renowned restaurant Ossiano A quick scroll through her recent posts appear something like an advertisement for Dubai, which has raised questions about who is picking up the bill for the lavish vacation. Bec has been documenting every moment and tagging Visit Dubai - the official tourism board for the holiday hotspot - on every post. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Bec Judd and Visit Dubai for comment. Anna Heinrich has spoken candidly about why she doesn't feel pressured to have a baby with Tim Robards. The lawyer, who met chiropractor Tim on The Bachelor in 2013, said they are happy to follow their own pace and not compare themselves to other Bachelor couples. She told The Daily Telegraph on Friday that everything will happen when the time is right. 'We have always put a priority on doing what is right for us': Anna Heinrich speaks candidly about public pressure to have a baby with Tim Robards after fellow Bachelor couple Matty J and Laura Byrne announced pregnancy 'If we were swayed by what others do or say then we would have been married six months after the show,' she said. Tim, 36, added: 'We have always put a priority on doing what is right for us and our relationship.' Their comments come days after Matty 'J' Johnson and Laura Byrne, who met on The Bachelor in 2017 after Tim and Anna met, announced they are expecting their first child together. 'I'm so bad at keeping secrets so I'm EXTREMELY excited to let everyone know, we are having a little baby!' Matty wrote on Instagram on Sunday. Making their own path! Discussing expectations they face, Anna, 32, said: 'If we were swayed by what others do or say then we would have been married six months after the show' Another surviving reality show couple! Their comments come days after Matty and Laura, who met on The Bachelor in 2017, announced they were expecting their first child together Tim and Anna got married in Manduria, Italy on June 07 earlier this year. Following their lavish ceremony, the couple later bought a new home together upon their return to Australia and have both embarked on exciting new TV roles. Five years after finding fame on The Bachelor, Anna returned to her reality roots on Kyle Sandilands' Channel 10 pilot show Trial By Kyle. Happy memories! Earlier this year, Tim and Anna got married in Manduria, Italy on June 07 The beauty will be returning to the TV courtroom in 2019, with the show having been commissioned for a full season. Tim, however, turned his hand to acting with a successful stint in Neighbours. He has since expressed his excitement at 'focusing more' on finding different roles in the new year, after playing Pierce Greyson on Ramsay Street. Lots happening! Following the lavish ceremony, the couple later bought a new home together upon their return to Australia and have both embarked on exciting new TV roles Grease legend Didi Conn has revealed she was inspired to sign up for Dancing On Ice after years of caring for her son Danny. The 67-year-old acting superstar told MailOnline at the show's launch that she wanted to take on a new challenge after Danny, 26 who has autism moved to a farm where he now works. It comes as Didi joins stars such as James Jordan, Brian McFadden, Gemma Collins and Wes Nelson in this years Dancing On Ice lineup and will make her debut on the rink when the show returns in January. Sweet: Grease legend Didi Conn has revealed she was inspired to sign up for Dancing On Ice after years of caring for her son Danny When asked why she decided to sign up for the show, Didi explained: 'I have a son who has special needs so is living on a farm and working there and this has given me the time in my life to find out who is Didi not Didi mommy?' 'It was definitely a challenge, it was something I thought, gee Id like to try that. It just seemed like a challenge that I thought, well I love England, I love London, so why not?' Didi had previously spoken about her son's autism during an interview with CNN in 2009, where she admitted that after he was originally diagnosed with the developmental disorder it was something she struggled to comprehend. Candid: The actress became the show's oldest ever contestant after Danny who has autism moved to a farm (above with professional partner ukasz Rozycki) She said at the time: 'I became the Queen of Denial. I wouldn't believe there was something "wrong" with my son. Can you imagine waking up two three times a night, every night, with your child for 12 years? 'I knew I had to change myself, become somehow bigger, larger, stronger, able to envelop him, subdue him, keep him safe; but, instead I went in the opposite direction. 'The shock of his diagnosis found me shrinking, hiding, disappearing, guilty and overprotective. I would not take any jobs. I would never leave him alone. What if he set the house on fire?' Classic: Didi won legions of fans for her portrayal of Frenchie in the hit 1978 musical Grease Didi has been paired up with Polish pro ukasz Rozycki on Dancing On Ice, and at 67 years old has become the show's oldest ever contestant. Despite a tough training regime, the actress admitted she had no idea how difficult some of the elaborate skating moves would be. She said: 'We got an email which said: "Now please promise you wont post any pictures of your tricks or your lifts and I was thinking tricks and lifts!" What about right and left?' Didi was joined at the recent Dancing On Ice launch by X Factor runner-up Saara Aalto, who said she was also on the lookout for something else to test her fears, after wowing British viewers with her vocal talents in 2016. Sensational: Also speaking at the launch was X Factor runner-up Saara Aalto, who also explained that she was on the lookout for a new challenge She explained: 'I want to learn a new skills and it is difficult. I have skated when I was a child but its we go outdoor just with our friends, but we don't learn any proper technique. 'You have to think about everything, every single muscle in your body. I love a challenge and I love performing, Im excited to see what can I do on the ice, what kind of outfits what kinds of songs, how to bring the showgirl in me to the ice.' The Finnish songstress added: 'My partner [Hamish Gaman] loves lifting, I thought it was going to be easy because hes strong, but haven't been able to sleep well in the last three weeks. 'Every night Im thinking about the lifts its so much more scary that I thought.' Dancing on Ice returns on Sunday 6th January at 6pm on ITV. They only just tied the knot two weeks ago. But according to an industry 'insider', Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough are already feeling the strain in their marriage. A source reportedly told Woman's Day on Monday that the breakfast TV star's sudden demotion at Nine 'could prove problematic' for their union. 'The honeymoon is well and truly over': Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough 'are reportedly already feeling the strain in their marriage' after the breakfast TV star's sudden demotion 'The honeymoon is well and truly over now - although it barely even began,' the 'insider' claimed of Karl, 44, and Jasmine, 34. 'When Karl and Jasmine first got together, he was the biggest name on Australian TV. But that's no longer the case, and it's possible that could change the dynamics in any marriage,' the source added. It's been claimed that after Karl's axing as Today show host, the couple are going to be spending all their time around one another, which may cause strain in the marriage. Reports: It's been claimed that after Karl's axing as Today show host, the couple are going to be spending all their time around one another, which may cause strain in the marriage Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Karl and Jasmine's representatives for comment. It's no doubt been a chaotic two weeks for Karl and Jasmine, who tied the knot at the One&Only Palmilla resort in Mexico on December 8. While the pair were celebrating their honeymoon with billionaire pal James Packer in Aspen last week, news broke that Karl had lost his role as Today show host after almost 14 years. Wedding: It's no doubt been a chaotic two weeks for Karl, 44, and Jasmine, 34, who tied the knot at the One&Only Palmilla resort in Mexico on December 8 Axed: While the pair were celebrating their honeymoon with billionaire pal James Packer in Aspen last week, news broke that Karl had lost his role as Today show host after almost 14 years Despite the controversy surrounding Karl's exit from Today, it was confirmed on Wednesday that he will remain at Nine. Darren Wick, director of news and current affairs at Nine, issued a statement on Wednesday about his future at the network. 'Karl remains on contract with the network and will continue to host This Time Next Year, which records in February,' he said in a statement. After returning to Australia with Jasmine on Friday following their honeymoon, Karl insisted to media at the airport that he's not disappointed in his sudden demotion. 'I'm moving forward with a sense of excitement about what's to come,' he said. Still at Nine: Despite the controversy surrounding Karl's exit from Today, it was confirmed on Wednesday that he will remain at Nine She has been enjoying a sun-soaked break away on her lavish Christmas holiday, in Dubai and The Maldives. And Denise Van Outen looked stunning on Saturday, as she slipped into a form-fitting white swimsuit for a day at the beach with her fiance Eddie Boxhall and daughter Betsy. The Loose Women panellist, 44, and her city trader beau, 45, looked to be in the throes of love as they walked hand-in-hand along the beach, as they stay at the Grosvener House Hotel. Stunning: Denise Van Outen showcased her slim figure in a white mesh swimsuit during a day at the beach with beau Eddie Boxhall and daughter Betsy in Dubai on Saturday Denise looked stunning as she showcased her slender legs, toned abs and sun-kissed skin in the strapless white mesh swimsuit. Her blonde locks were brushed into tousled waves, and the presenter protected herself from the brilliant sun by wearing a pair of oversized black shades. While she chose to go barefoot for their walk along the ocean, Denise added a touch of glitter to her ensemble with a gold necklace and matching bracelet. Sensational: Denise looked stunning as she showcased her slender legs, toned abs and sun-kissed skin in the strapless white mesh swimsuit Sweet: The Loose Women panellist, 44, and her city trader beau, 45, looked to be in the throes of love as they walked hand-in-hand along the beach Eddie kept things simple as he stripped down to a pair of black board shorts for their outing, while he completed his look with a pair of robust shades. Denise's daughter looked adorable in a striped monochrome dress, while she wore her brunette locks pulled back into a chic ponytail. The eight-year-old, who is shared by Denise and her ex-husband Lee Mead, was in high spirits as she spent the day with her mum. Stylish: Her blonde locks were brushed into tousled waves, and the presenter protected herself from the brilliant sun by wearing a pair of oversized black shades Mummy's girl: Betsy, who is shared by Denise and her ex-husband Lee Mead, was in high spirits as she spent the day with her mum Casual: Eddie kept things simple as he stripped down to a pair of black board shorts for their outing, while he completed his look with a pair of robust shades Meanwhile, just three months ago Denise moved to back to London with Eddie for Betsy's new school term. The family uprooted from Kent for Betsy to attend a specialist school that caters to those with dyslexia by providing extra support. Speaking about her move to the city from countrylife, she told Little London magazine: 'Id also started on Loose Women and work was dragging me back to the city, and I have to say, Im loving being back. 'Having done all the teashops and farms, I just needed to get back to city life, it was nice to step away for a bit and then come and appreciate all the things Id forgotten I loved about London.' Messing around: Denise and Eddie seemed to be having a great time on the beach Cute: Denise's daughter looked adorable in a striped monochrome dress, while she wore her brunette locks pulled back into a chic ponytail She continued: 'I had a nanny in Kent who went above and beyond to help me out, but Id often be sitting on a motorway wishing I could be putting Betsy to bed myself, being here allows me to do that. 'You definitely have more access to kids things in London, too, they really need that, and I need it- I bumped into my friend Angela Griffin on Hampstead high street the other day and she said the same of country life I cant do it!"' Denise has recently discussed the possibility of having children with partner Eddie, admitting she worries the timing is against her. Making a change: Meanwhile, just three months ago Denise moved to back to London with Eddie for Betsy's new school term The Loose Women star told the Mirror: 'I would have more kids but Im 44, [but] I dont know. Eddie has two kids already and they are grown up.' She added: 'If it happened, then fine but I think probably all my eggs are shrivelled up. 'We are never in the right place at the right time, every time I see him Ive got to drop the p-word.' The theatre star also reflected on giving birth to her daughter, who she shares with ex-husband Lee Mead, saying she wishes she had started having kids earlier. They have just hurtled through a total of three wedding receptions. And Priyanka Chopra was bubbling with praise for her new husband Nick Jonas when she fired up her Instagram page in London over the weekend. The 36-year-old Bollywood superstar planted a kiss on her man's cheek as she congratulated him on winning GQ's Most Stylish Man Of 2018 gong. 'Most stylish man': Priyanka Chopra was bubbling with praise for her new husband Nick Jonas when she fired up her Instagram page in London over the weekend 'Honoured to be kissing the most stylish man on the planet.. may the style Gods always shine down upon u my love,' captioned Priyanka, who won a National Film Award in India for Fashion, a scathing movie about the modeling industry. Nick rose to fame in a boy band with his brothers Joe - who is engaged to Game Of Thrones star Sophie Turner - and Kevin - who is married to hairdresser Danielle Jonas. Danielle recently told Us Weekly that 'I go back and forth' on the question of when Nick and Priyanka will have children, explaining: 'I always say like: "Oh yeah. For sure. The next year." But then, like, I see them sometimes and Im like: "Uh, maybe they will wait." So Im torn. I dont know yet.' She heaped praise on the marriage, saying: 'They both are very career driven and they just know. I think theyre old enough - like, Priyanka is old enough to just know how to handle everything and I dont know, they just really work.' Family matters: Danielle Jonas, the wife of Nick's elder brother Kevin Jonas, told Us Weekly that 'I go back and forth' on the question of when Nick and Priyanka will have children Party on: They have just hurtled through a total of three wedding receptions, most recently this Thursday in Bombay for Priyanka's fellow Bollywood stars With all three of their receptions out of the way, Nick and Priyanka are reportedly going to have on a honeymoon in Switzerland to see out the year. 'PeeCee and Nick will take off for Switzerland by December 28. Their week-long vacation will include a stopover at Montreux; the two plan to ring in the New Year in the resort town on Lake Geneva,' an insider dished to the newspaper Mid-Day. Their first reception was in New Delhi's diplomatic enclave and played host to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reportedly gave two roses for a wedding gift. Smashing: Newlyweds Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh were the showstopping guests at Thursday's reception, which was held in the film star neighborhood Bandra Priyanka's mother Madhu Chopra then held a Bombay reception for the press this Wednesday, with another fete the next night for the 'film fraternity.' It has become fashionable in Bollywood for a movie star couple to have a wedding out of town for their friends and family, before returning to India for a reception that essentially serves as a red carpet event for Bollywood celebrities. Newlyweds Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh were the showstopping guests at Thursday's reception, which was held in the film star neighborhood Bandra. Generosity: Their first reception was in New Delhi's diplomatic enclave and played host to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reportedly gave two roses for a wedding gift Priyanka and Deepika were seen in a Filmfare Instagram video from the event dancing to Pinga, a song they appeared in for the 2015 war epic Bajirao Mastani. In that film, Deepika and Priyanka respectively play the second and first wife of 18th century Maratha ruler Bajirao I - who was played by Ranveer. Elon Musk posting a gushing tweet this Friday about Bajirao Mastani, including a GIF of Ranveer and a link to Deepika's big solo number Deewani Mastani. Rolling revelry: Priyanka's mother Madhu Chopra then held a Bombay reception for the press this Wednesday (pictured), with another fete the next night for the 'film fraternity' Ranveer and Deepika's Bombay reception for movie stars happened to fall on the same weekend as Nick and Priyanka's actual wedding ceremony. Priyanka and her husband married at the start of the month at the sumptuous Umaid Bhawan in Jodhpur, in a weekend of revelry including Christian and Hindu nuptials. Built during the British Raj for the ruling family of the princely state of Jodhpur, Umaid Bhawan became a hotel after Indian royalty was abolished in the 1970s. The palace is owned by Taj Hotels, the same chain that owns the site of both the Delhi reception and the second Bombay reception. He's the son of the legendary Steve Irwin who has a very special talent. And it turns out that Robert Irwin is an award-winning photographer, with numerous accolades under his belt. Earlier this year, the 14-year-old had one of his images selected as highly commended in the most prestigious photography competition in the world. 'So honoured!': Award-winning photographer Robert Irwin, 14, highly commended in the most prestigious competition in the world Taking to Instagram earlier this year, Robert gushed over the honour . 'So very proud for my photography to be highly commended in the world's most prestigious wildlife photography competition, 'Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards' here in London,' he wrote beside a picture of himself posing next to his creation. 'Honoured to be part of the event, among some of the greatest photographers of all time. Congratulations to all of the other amazing commended and winning images. 'Thrilled that my photo will be part of a gallery going worldwide': Roberts selected photograph featured a large huntsman spider mauling a desert tree frog against a dark backdrop 'Thrilled that my photo will be part of a gallery going worldwide to hopefully inspire other young people to take up photography and appreciate the natural world,' he concluded. Roberts selected photograph featured a large huntsman spider mauling a desert tree frog against a dark backdrop. In addition, Robert was selected as a Highly Honoured Winner at the Nature's Best Windland Smith Rice International Awards in November. He's talented! In addition, Robert was also selected as a Highly Honoured Winner at the Nature's Best Windland Smith Rice International Awards in November Grinning from ear-to-ear while holding his achievement, Robert penned a reflective note beside an Instagram post. 'Honoured and humbled to be selected as a Highly Honoured Winner! Thank you to all of the judges and organisers, my amazing mum, and thank you @ascullyphoto for encouraging me to enter!' he wrote. Meanwhile, Robert's website lists his achievements and awards - which include landing as a runner up in the 2016 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of Year competition. He was unceremoniously fired from the job he had loved for almost 14 years, while he was meant to be enjoying his honeymoon in Aspen. And now details of the phone call where Karl Stefanovic, 44, was let go as host of the Today show have emerged. Speaking to Woman's Day, an insider claimed that the axing came after Karl rang Nine management to complain that his brother, Peter Stefanovic, had been dumped from Weekend Today. 'He was told to tone down the Jasmine midlife crisis' thing': Karl Stefanovic was fired from Today after 'ruining his family man image' and 'ignoring requests to 'stop wearing white pants and silly hats' 'He didn't have a job at the end of that telephone call,' they said. Karl had begun to lose touch with the show's audience after divorcing wife Cassandra Thorburn before being linked to the much-younger Jasmine Yarbrough three months later. But it was the couple's lavish nuptials, held at the elite One & Only Palmilla Resort in Mexico, which apparently concerned Nine's executives. Luxury: It was the couple's lavish nuptials, held at the elite One & Only Palmilla Resort in Mexico, which apparently concerned Nine's executives 'He was reportedly told to tone down the 'Jasmine midlife crisis' thing he had going on. He was told not to be seen as part of some A-list, to stop wearing white pants and silly hats,' the source said. Karl's new lifestyle, coupled with the revelation by Daily Mail Australia that his children did not in fact attend the wedding, was reportedly the final straw for Nine management. 'They wanted a relatable dad and respected family man, but all the public could see was an embarrassing midlife crisis being played out week in week out. He ignored everyone's advice and thought he was untouchable.' Breakup: Karl had begun to lose touch with the show's audience after he lost his family man appearance by divorcing wife Cassandra Thornburn (pictured) Still here! Despite the controversy surrounding Karl's exit from Today, it was confirmed on Wednesday that he will remain at Nine While it was initially hoped that the fantasy wedding would boost Karl's popularity, it had the opposite result with the show's audience. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Nine for comment. Despite the controversy surrounding Karl's exit from Today, it was confirmed on Wednesday that he will remain at Nine. Darren Wick, director of news and current affairs at Nine, issued a statement on Wednesday about his future at the network. Goodbye Today, hello This Time Next Year! After returning to Australia with Jasmine on Friday following their honeymoon, Karl insisted to media at the airport that he's not disappointed in his sudden demotion 'Karl remains on contract with the network and will continue to host This Time Next Year, which records in February,' he said in a statement. After returning to Australia with Jasmine on Friday following their honeymoon, Karl insisted to media at the airport that he's not disappointed in his sudden demotion. 'I'm moving forward with a sense of excitement about what's to come,' he said. Karl Stefanovic has reportedly hired lawyers to obtain an audio recording of his ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn that was sold to the media earlier this month. According to The Daily Telegraph, top lawyers at Sydney's Swaab Attorneys 'will this week send a court order demanding the raw audio of an interview conducted at Sydney Airport the same day Karl married Jasmine Yarbrough'. The audio, recorded by paparazzo and freelance journalist Jonathan Marshall, features Cassandra speaking negatively about Karl. Drama: Karl Stefanovic has reportedly hired lawyers to obtain an audio recording of his ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn that was sold to the media earlier this month It was later sold to New Idea magazine for an estimated $15,000. Cassandra, 47, has repeatedly denied that she ever gave the interview, telling Daily Mail Australia at the time that 'there was no interview or rant'. She also denied it during an appearance on Studio 10, firmly telling host Sarah Harris: 'I didn't do an interview with New Idea, so that's one thing.' Denial: Cassandra, 47, has repeatedly denied that she ever gave the interview, telling Daily Mail Australia at the time that 'there was no interview or rant' Karl's latest legal drama comes just days after he was dropped from the Today show after 14 years as host. Despite the public dumping, Karl appeared positive and upbeat which speaking with reporters after he touched down in Sydney on Friday. 'I suppose, as they say, a change is as good as a holiday, I'm looking forward to getting back to work,' Karl told The Daily Telegraph. Dropped: Karl's latest legal drama comes just days after he was dropped from the Today show after 14 years as host He continued: 'I'm moving forward with a sense of excitement about what's to come.' Meanwhile, Darren Wick, Director of News and Current Affairs at Channel Nine, confirmed that Karl would be staying with the network next year. 'Karl remains on contract with the network and will continue to host This Time Next Year, which records in February,' he said. Gemma Collins has insisted she is not Dancing On Ices fat joke as she promises to win over her critics and be crowned next years champion. The TOWIE star, 37, has already started to shed the pounds and dropped an entire dress size after training daily for the last three months. Speaking to The Sun, Gemma said: Everyone thinks Im the fat joke on the show but whatevers going to happen in my life, I can do this. And Im going to prove every f***** out there wrong. People will be eating their words. Determined: Gemma Collins has insisted she is not Dancing On Ices fat joke as she promises to win over her critics and be crowned next years champion When I first started, I couldnt even cross my legs over. I was like, Oh no, my legs are too big, but now they cross over fine. I think people will be impressed with what I can do. Size 20 Gemma admitted she was also concerned as to whether her skating partner Matt Evers would be able to lift her, but the reality star was amused to find that he could actually lift her. But even if the GC - as she is dubbed by fans - takes a fall, shed hardly be worried after revealing shes insured for a couple of million. Slimmer: The TOWIE star, 37, has already started to shed the pounds and dropped an entire dress size after training daily, with her partner Matt Evers, for the last three months She explained: Im not worried about injuries. Im insured, actually, for a couple of million, so if I do have an accident, it sort of does me a favour, if you know what I mean. But I dont want to. Starting early next year, Gemma will compete alongside the likes of Strictly professional James Jordan, Brian McFadden and Coronation Street star Jane Danson. And it seems Gemma has already made quite the impression on her co-stars, as former Westlife star Brian exclusively told MailOnline, the reality star has been kicked out of the show's group chat on WhatsApp on two occasions, after being rude. He said: 'She gets removed when she's rude, she can be a diva to the ITV people, when she's a diva to us she gets blocked.' Worries: Size 20 Gemma admitted she was also concerned as to whether her skating partner Matt Evers would be able to lift her Going for glory: Gemma is paired with dancing professional Matt and has claimed she is 'in it to win it' - setting her sights on the Dancing on Ice title Brian's revelation comes after Gemma vowed that she was on a mission to be crowned Dancing On Ice champion with partner Matt, as fans got a glimpse of her training in a recent preview for the new series. She said: 'I'm not here to take part I'm here to take over,' before saying to Matt: 'Opening night I want to to the splits I want to do a couple of spins I want to do fireworks. 'Torvill and Dean you better take a step to the left, because I'm about to win the Bolero Cup.' She told BANG Showbiz: 'I'm doing really well, watch this space ... Am I in it to win it? I'm 'The GC' baby, anything can happen, you never know... You're out! Westlife star Brian McFadden exclusively told MailOnline, the reality star has been kicked out of the show's group chat on WhatsApp on two occasions, after being rude 'I'm a star, a star was born when I came into the world. There's only one 'GC' I always tell Arg I'm a star baby! Think Beyonce for the routines!' And Gemma isn't worried about falling and injuring herself on the ice because nothing can compare to the terrifying moment when she fell through a trapdoor at the BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards last year. She said: 'I'm not scared of falling guys, I'm alright if I fall a bit. Obviously, I'm not as fit as the others. You just sweat so much around the ice, but any fall compared to the Teen Awards is just not going to beat what happened there... 'If I can fall down a trapdoor at the Teen Awards I'm not scared to fall on the ice.' Dancing On Ice returns on Sunday 6th January at 6pm on ITV. He's featured in glamorous campaigns for top fashion houses like Balmain, Moschino and Versace in the past. But Australian male supermodel Jordan Barrett looked somewhat dishevelled when he visited a trendy street eatery in SoHo, New York, on Sunday. Clearly making the most of his holiday downtime, the 21-year-old model opted for a relaxed look during the outing. It's 'Derelicte': Model Jordan Barrett tied his greasy locks in a small bun as he stepped out for a bite to eat in SoHo, New York on Sunday That's different! Jordan made his way around town in an oversized red jumper and tri-colour trousers The blonde hunk pulled his noticeably greasy hair into a small bun as he made his way around town in an oversized red jumper and tri-colour trousers. Despite his state of dress, Jordan looked upbeat as he laughed and joked while sitting outside. He appeared as though he had just finished his shopping, with a Net-A-Porter bag sitting beside him at the cafe. For the outing, Jordan opted for an oversized red jumper featuring the cover of Deadly Doll, a single by his friend Jesse Jo Stark. Keeping it casual: The blonde hunk pulled his noticeably greasy hair into a small bun as he made his way around town in an oversized red jumper and tri-colour trousers The model teamed the jumper with a pair of tri-colour tan, blue and maroon corduroy pants, cropped at the ankle. He finished the look with a pair of black joggers. Hungry? Jordan appeared in high spirits while sitting in New York's chilly temperatures The fashion star has been turning his talents to other pursuits lately. He seemingly risked disaster as he precariously photographed US model and actress Emily Ratajkowski in a bathtub full of water. The 22-year-old shirtless star was seen framing up his friend for the perfect shot, as Emily pouted for the camera with bubbles covering her lithe frame. Sauce with that? The fashion star was spotted drizzling sauce over his food at the cafe Jordan also said he was looking at turning his talents to acting in an interview with Executive Style magazine, last month. He revealed he has been taking acting classes since 2016, confirming he has already been cast in a motion picture. The publication went on to reveal that filming has been paused on the movie until the filmmakers find a suitable actor to play Jordan's father in the film. 'But I'm sure it will be fine,' Jordan nonchalantly told the publication. 'Everything always works out. Like, I force everything to make sure that it works out,' he added confidently. Paris Hilton did some last-minute Christmas shopping in Beverly Hills Sunday with her sister Nicky and mother Kathy. The three were spotted leaving Barneys New York with multiple shopping bags. Paris, 37, and Nicky, 35, were dressed in bright colors that belied the winter setting. Swanky shopping: Paris Hilton did some last-minute Christmas shopping in Beverly Hills Sunday with her sister Nicky and mother Kathy. The three were spotted leaving Barneys New York with multiple shopping bags Summery clothes: Paris and Nicky were dressed in bright colors that belied the winter setting The 5ft8in Simple Life star wore a bright, multi-colored pattern dress with an azure cardigan. She carried a black leather bag in addition to her shopping bag. Nicky, 5ft7in, wore a pale yellow dress with zebras printed on it and carried a striking canary yellow purse. Kathy, 59, was dressed in an ankle-length, rust-colored dress. She had matching beige boots and a beige purse and wore a long chain of beads around her neck. Classy clothes: Kathy, 59, was dressed in an ankle-length, rust-colored dress. She had matching beige boots and a beige purse and worse a long chain of beads around her neck Non-fiction star: Paris can currently be seen in the new Netflix original documentary American Meme Paris can currently be seen in the new Netflix original documentary American Meme. The film dives into the world of four social media influencers, including Hilton, Josh Ostrovsky, Brittany Furlan, and Kirill Bichutsky. 'It's such an important topic right nowjust how social media has completely changed the world,' she told the hosts of Good Day New York. 'When you see this film, you really get to dive into my life.' The two-hour movie is currently Netflix's number one documentary. 'I'm so proud,' Hilton said. 'I feel like my story has never been told. I really wanted to say my truth and let people know how I really feel and what I've been through.' Social media influencers: American Meme dives into the world of four social media influencers, including Hilton, Josh Ostrovsky, Brittany Furlan, and Kirill Bichutsky Nicky's husband, heir James Rothschild, was absent from their shopping trip. Her sister Paris was until recently engaged to The Leftovers star Chris Zylka, 33. The actor presented her with a ring worth $2 million back in January, but the couple called off their engagement in November. She reunited with her husband Mark Wright earlier this week for Christmas, as the couple continue their long-distance relationship. And Michelle Keegan enjoyed some downtime as she dressed up like Cher for a fun karaoke night, in a video shared by her cousin Katie Fearnehough on Sunday. The actress, 31, looked incredible as she completely transformed into the music icon, 72, for the performance. Going for it: Michelle Keegan showed off her singing skills as she transformed into music icon Cher for a fun Karaoke night with her cousin Katie Fearnehough on Sunday And despite catching his wife's impressive debut, Mark was forced to miss the rest of the evening's festivities due to a sickness bug. The former TOWIE star took to his Instagram account to share a video of Michelle in character, although he later added a video of himself lying in bed with his hand on his head. He captioned it with: 'When the party is in full swing downstairs. Mr. Brightside karaoke & you have sickness bug :(,' followed by a sad face emoji. For her Cher debut, Michelle put on a stunning display as she slipped into a biker jacket and a plunging black tank top which showed off her ample assets. Uncanny: The actress (L) looked incredible as she completely transformed into the music icon (R, pictured in 1989) for the performance Figure-hugging: The actress complemented her look with a pair of sleek trousers, while she highlighted her trim frame by wearing a dazzling jewelled belt Bad timing: And despite catching his wife's impressive debut, Mark was forced to miss the rest of the evening's festivities due to a sickness bug She complemented her look with a pair of sleek trousers, while she highlighted her trim frame by wearing a dazzling jewelled belt. The Our Girl star donned a curly black wig over her head to replicate Cher's iconic mane, and she wore a glamorous palette of make-up for a chic flourish. On Monday, Michelle was seen leaving Manchester - where she has wrapped filming her new comedy series Brassic - and preparing to reunite with Mark at their marital home in Essex. The former Coronation Street star has spent the past three months filming in the Northern city that was formerly her home, but is now set to enjoy Christmas with her husband. Gorgeous: Michelle put on a stunning display as she slipped into a plunging black tank top which showed off her ample assets Stylish: The Our Girl star donned a curly black wig over her head to replicated Cher's iconic mane, and she wore a glamorous palette of make-up for a chic flourish Dress up! Michelle joined her cousin Katie (R) and a friend at the fancy dress karaoke party It comes amid claims Mark asked to leave his presenting gig with US television show Extra to return home to Essex and start a family with his wife Michelle. With the host permanently based in Los Angeles to present Extra and his wife previously flying all over the globe for Our Girl, it is a credit they have gone to great lengths to keep the spark alive in their marriage. A Hollywood agent told MailOnline Mark risks ruining his US presenting career and future success Stateside if he does return to the UK. Back together: Michelle reunited with her husband Mark Wright earlier this week for Christmas, as the couple continue their long-distance relationship They said: 'If Mark does in fact leave Extra he is abandoning his chance of ever achieving commercial success in the United States. 'He should be thanking his lucky stars that he was given this job as it is literally a once in a life time opportunity. 'With such a wide talent pool to choose from in Hollywood and New York, there are no longer second chances for a British personality who hasnt been able to click with the American television audience.' Wedding day: Mark and Michelle tied the knot at Hengrave Hall in Suffolk in May 2015 as part of a 1 million magazine deal However, a spokesperson for Mark told the MailOnline the reality star-turn-presenter had no plans to quit his lucrative job in the States to have children. It comes following reports the Essex star wants to return to his hometown and focus on work opportunities based in the UK instead. Mark and Michelle tied the knot at Hengrave Hall in Suffolk in May 2015 as part of a 1 million magazine deal. The couple have been together for six years after meeting on separate holidays in Dubai in late 2012. WARNING: Spoliers ahead Brianna Randall handfasts, which is marriage, with Roger Wakefield after he followers her back in time on the latest episode - called Wilmington - on Outlander. The newlyweds take part in a steamy romp, with the daughter of Claire and Jamie Fraser losing her virginity to her new husband. However the lovebirds get into an argument about him withholding information regarding her mother dying in a fire - and when he asks her if she wants him to leave - she doesn't stop him. After he leaves - presumably back to the future, Brianna heads to the pub and is attacked and raped by Stephen Bonnet after she tries to buy her mother's ring from him. Happy newlyweds: Brianna Randall handfasts, which is marriage, with Roger Wakefield after he followers her back in time. The newlyweds take part in a steamy romp, with the daughter of Claire and JAime Fraser losing her virginty to her new husband 'Is she alive? it's bad luck to wear jewelry of the dead' Brianna asked Bonnet when he held her mom, Claire Fraser's ring. He reveals that her mother is alive and well last time they saw each other. They head to a room to speak on the ring and he grabs her and slaps her face before dragging her and ripping her clothes off and raping her. She screams 'somebody help me' and the patrons of the pub all still keep gambling as she is heard screaming and crying. Afterwards, she is bleeding from her face. Terrifying: After he leaves - presumably back to the future, Brianna heads to the pub and is attacked and raped by Stephen Bonnet after she tries to buy her mother's ring from him Evil: He reveals that her mother is alive and well last time they saw each other Horror: They head to a room to speak on the ring and he grabs her and slaps her face before dragging her and ripping her clothes off and rapes her Awful: She screams 'somebody help me' and the patrons of the pub all still keep gambling as she is heard screaming and crying 'If you find your mother, give her my regards,' he said to her as she left. Just hours earlier, she reunites with Roger, after he comes back in time - 1769 North Carolina - to protect her. 'What are you doing here? she tells him that wasn't the plan. She reveals she would have told him but she didn't know where they stood after their last talk but that she loved him. She is hesitate to get intimate with him because they are not engaged and 'that seemed to be important' to Roger. He says he wants all of her or none at all. 'Well then you have all of me,' she said. Roger looks shocked, as he says 'you'll marry me?' She nods yes with a big smile. He tells her they should handfast, which when they make a promise for a year and a day to get married. She agrees. They complete it and become man and wife. Night of passion: They complete it and become man and wife They seal it with a kiss and the newlyweds have a night of passion. Afterwards, Bree and Roger talk about their experience as a newly married couple. 'I don't think I've ever been so happy,' she said to Roger. Brianna and Roger are lounging around after their intimate moment. In the moment: They seal it with a kiss and the newlyweds have a night of passion Focused: The lovebirds can't get enough of each other They talk about the smudged date on Claire and Jamie's obituary and she asks him how he knows about the smudged date. She gets angry that he knew about the obituary and did not tell her about her parents. Roger said that they can't decide who lives and dies. Brianna angrily says: 'That was my decision to make. I would have never have done that to you Roger. How dare you take that choice away from me.' 'I didn't want to break your heart.' but she says 'No you wanted me to be happy so I'd marry you.' So in love: Brianna and Roger are lounging around after their intimate moment He then tells her now that they are man and wife he should listen to her, which didn't sit well with her. Brianna angrily tells him she didn't ask him to come. He asks her if that's what she wants - for him to return to the stones. Roger says shes asking like a child and maybe this marriage was a mistake. 'if you really believe that then you should go,' she told him. Roger asks her to look him in the eye and say it if that's what she really wants. 'No one is stopping you.' Brianna said. Trouble: He then tells her now that they are man and wife he should listen to her, which didn't sit well with her Harsh: Brianna angrily tells him she didn't ask him to come Meanwhile Jamie and Claire head to a play together. Claire sets eyes on Colonel George Washington at the play and wants to meet him. As Martha and George Washington went inside for the play, Claire tells Jamie: 'George Washington will be perhaps the most famous American to ever live.' 'What does he do to gain such notoriety?' Jamie asked. 'Well he's the man that wins the war against the British. And he will be the first leader of this country, but he won't be a king he'll be called a president. Elected by the people.,' she tells Jamie. Jamie later inds out that the governor wants to arrest insurgents as they try and rob a carriage filled with British soldiers. There is a spy who told him the insurgents plans. In talk: Meanwhile Jamie and Claire head to a play together He has Claire keep the governor distracted as she performs emergency surgery on a man with a hernia. Claire impresses the governor with her skills as a surgeon as she fixes his intestines and stitches him up. 'I see now why your husband says he can't live without you in the wilderness,' the governor tells Claire after he says he believes she saved the man's life. Plans: Jamie later finds out that the governor wants to arrest insurgents as they try and rob a carriage filled with British soldier She's an ageless beauty who is regularly seen hitting the gym. And Melanie Griffith put her gym-honed legs on display as she headed out in Aspen on Sunday. The 61-year-old actress donned black leggings while walking through the ski town with her daughter Stella Banderas, 22. Stunning: Melanie Griffith put her gym-honed legs on display as she headed out in Aspen on Sunday Melanie turned the celebrity-filled streets of the ski town into her own personal catwalk as she zipped on a fitted, quilted black jacket. A gold purse elegantly hung across her body and she donned trendy black boots with fur tops. The Working Girl star painted her lips a vivid pink and let her blonde tresses fall freely across her shoulders. She shaded her eyes with a pair of purple-lensed sunglasses and accessorized with simple glittering earrings. Out and about: The 61-year-old actress donned black leggings while walking through the ski town with her daughter Stella Banderas, 22 Stella matched her mother with an all black ensemble of her own. The daughter of Antonio Banderas also showed off her slender legs in a pair of skintight black jeans. She pulled a puff dark coat around her shoulders and donned a black turtleneck underneath. Matching: Stella matched her mother with an all black ensemble of her own Earlier this month, Melanie revealed she desperately tried to seduce Alec Baldwin while filming Working Girl but he turned her down. She gave an Oscar-nominated performance as secretary Tess McGill, trying to scramble up the corporate investment ladder in the 1988 classic. Alec, 60, played her cheating boyfriend in one of his first big roles. Alec Baldwin is handsome and charming, and I just had such a crush on him,' she dished to The Hollywood Reporter in an interview to celebrate the movies 30th anniversary, published on Monday. 'But he wouldnt go there with me. I was like, Oh come on, have a romance with me! But no, Alec said, I cant do this with people I work with. Hes a sweetheart.' They are still in the process of getting divorced seven years after she filed. But Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver have still remained amicable co-parents, as they took their 27-year-old daughter Christina to a Brentwood nail salon on Saturday. The actor, 71, appeared in high spirits as he treated himself to a pedicure alongside his child and estranged wife, 63, who broke up with him after she discovered he welcomed son Joseph Baena with the family's housekeeper. Family time: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver have still remained amicable co-parents, as they took their 27-year-old daughter Christina to a Brentwood nail salon on Saturday The erstwhile Governor and First Lady of California were spotted riding off that day in a gleaming silver Mercedes SUV, with Maria at the wheel. Maria, whose mother was the sister of John F. Kennedy, married Arnold in 1986 in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, site of the old Kennedy Compound. Along with Christina, they share three other children - 25-year-old son Patrick, 29-year-old daughter Katherine and 21-year-old son Christopher. Patrick starred in this year's Midnight Sun co-starring Bella Thorne and Christopher is attending the University Of Michigan. Lap of luxury: The actor, 71, appeared in high spirits as he treated himself to a pedicure with his daughter and the journalist, 63 En route: The erstwhile Governor and First Lady of California were spotted riding off that day in a gleaming silver Mercedes SUV, with Maria at the wheel History: Maria, whose mother was the sister of John F. Kennedy, married Arnold in 1986 in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, site of the old Kennedy Compound Meanwhile, Katherine is carrying on a relationship with Jurassic World beefcake Chris Pratt, who is a decade her senior and separated from his wife Anna Faris last year. Christina and Maria co-produced a Netflix documentary this year entitled Take Your Pills that is critical of widespread Adderall usage in the US. The film screened at the South By Southwest Film Festival this March, and the mother-daughter duo were quoted in WWD promoting the project. Said Christina: 'It was an idea I had after I graduated from college, just after seeing the overuse and over-prescription of Adderall and also the existential identity crisis me and a lot of my friends had after transitioning off of Adderall.' All in the family: Christina and Maria co-produced a Netflix documentary this year entitled Take Your Pills that is critical of widespread Adderall usage in the US The film screened at the South By Southwest Film Festival this March, and the mother-daughter duo were quoted in WWD promoting the project She shared: 'I searched for resources and help with Adderall addiction, and wasnt able to find much coverage on [the ADD and ADHD prescription medicine] any long-term studies, what would happen if you continued to take it.' The showbiz legacy continued: 'I love documentaries, and searched for one on it, and thought it was something important to cover.' Though Maria first filed for divorce in 2011, a TMZ report over the summer this year revealed that the legal finish had still not been put on the split. Details: Along with Christina, Arnold and Maria share three other children - 25-year-old son Patrick, 29-year-old daughter Katharine and 21-year-old son Christopher Naomi Campbell revealed a rarely seen part of herself on Sunday her natural hair. The British supermodel, 48, posted a wigless selfie to Instagram captioned 'Bare it all.' It's a rare reveal for Naomi, who is almost always seen wearing wigs or weaves. Showing off: Naomi Campbell revealed a rarely seen part of herself on Sunday her natural hair. The British supermodel, 48, posted a wigless selfie to Instagram captioned 'Bare it all' Naomi had her dark hair done up in corn rows. She seemed to be lounging on wicker furniture. The model and philanthropist was fully done up, even just for a casual selfie. What a difference: The model and philanthropist revealed last year that she had suffered bald patches and a receding hairline from years of using extensions, braids and weaves; pictured in December in Miami, Florida The model and philanthropist revealed to the Evening Standard last year that she had suffered bald patches and a receding hairline from years of using extensions, braids and weaves. Women who regularly use these types of hairstyles can suffer from central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, a form of hairloss that can be permanent. Luckily, most of her bald patches had grown back after giving them time to rest. Phew: Luckily, most of Naomi's bald patches had grown back after giving them time to rest; shown in Johannesburg, South Africa in December Earlier in December, Naomi made an appearance at the Global Citizen Festival in honor of Nelson Mandela's 100th birthday. The supermodel first met the late South African president in 1994. She made multiple donations to his political causes and his own party, the African National Congress. The anti-apartheid referred to Naomi as 'honorary granddaughter.' Honoring a legend: Earlier in December, Naomi made an appearance at the Global Citizen Festival in honor of Nelson Mandela's 100th birthday; pictured in Johannesburg, South Africa John Boyega has given the Star Wars universe a key detail about the upcoming movie in the iconic motion picture anthology. According to the publication Empire, production on the film is underway 'under the working title "trIXie," and that the 26-year-old actor, who's played Finn in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, 'has confirmed the film takes place roughly one year after the events of The Last Jedi.' The magazine reminded fans of the depleted state of the Resistance as The Last Jedi concluded, adding that the remaining members are 'practically able to fit around the holochess table in the Millennium Falcon,' suggesting 'a different type of warfare for Episode IX.' The latest: John Boyega, 26, has given the Star Wars universe a key detail about the upcoming movie in the iconic motion picture anthology as the magazine Empire reported it 'has confirmed the film takes place roughly one year after the events of The Last Jedi' Actor Oscar Isaac, who plays the character Poe Dameron in the franchise, previously compared the remnant of the Resistance to 'guerrilla fighters' speaking with USA Today this past August. Isaac said the Resistance members are 'adhering closer to something like the Revolutionary War fighters or even the guerrillas in Cuba with Che and Fidel and all these guys living in the mountains, coming down to do some attacks, and going back and trying to hide from the "empire" of the United States. 'It's that kind of ragged at this point.' Boyega over the weekend stoked the interest of Star Wars fans as he was mock arrested by Stormtroopers as he visited a Disneyland in Anaheim, California over the holiday weekend. Fun time: Boyega over the weekend stoked the interest of Star Wars fans as he was mock arrested by Stormtroopers as he visited a Disneyland in Anaheim, California over the holiday weekend Humorous: The London native joked, 'Theyre arresting me right now at Disney - I get arrested? Damn!' Focused: Boyega has played Finn in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi The London native joked, 'Theyre arresting me right now at Disney - I get arrested? D**n!' The film, which includes Star Wars mainstays Mark Hamill and Billy Dee Williams as well as Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Lupita Nyong'o and Billie Lourd, is slated to arrive in theaters December 20, 2019. 'The World's Hottest Grandma' has risked another Instagram ban after the social media giant abruptly removed one of her topless photos for allegedly violating their guidelines. Gina Stewart, 48, was 'deeply disappointed' this week to discover that a nude image she posted on Instagram to promote her 'Almost Naked' 2019 calendar was removed. In addition to losing thousands of 'likes' and comments from fans, the busty granny revealed that there was another heartbreaking reason why the photo ban has upset her so much. Too sexy for social media? The World's Hottest Grandma Gina Stewart (pictured) was distraught after one of her naked photos (above) was banned from Instagram this week Gina explained on social media that her own mother battled cancer recently, and that a portion of the sales from her 'Almost Naked' calendar will go to a charity to support breast cancer research. 'I wrote about the reasons behind my calendar launch and said that I will be donating to a cause that I am passionate about, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, because of my mothers battle with cancer recently,' she wrote. 'Unfortunately, all of the supportive comments from my followers were lost due to the post being banned, sadly, by Instagram,' she continued. 'All I can say is, Instagram, have a heart.' A good cause: The 48-year-old explained on social media that her own mother battled cancer recently, and that a portion of the sales from her 'Almost Naked' calendar will go to a charity to support breast cancer research 'All I can say is, Instagram, have a heart': The mother-of-four has pleased with the social media giant to reconsider banning her photo The mother-of-four added that the photo in question was 'glamorous and complied with the guidelines.' In the image, the Gold Coast-based beauty is perched naked on her bed with her cascading blonde locks strategically placed over her breasts. After the photo ban, Gina defiantly posted the image on Twitter, where nudity and pornographic content is allowed. 'It's glamorous': The mother-of-four added that the photo in question was 'glamorous and complied with the guidelines' This isn't the first time that that the racy social media star has had a photo banned from Instagram. In October, a photo of a naked Gina reclining in a silver throne was yanked from the social media website for being too raunchy. When contacted for comment by Daily Mail Australia at the time, the mother-of-four said: 'Yes, Instagram removed it because it said it did not comply with their guidelines. Not the first time: In October, a photo of a naked Gina reclining in a silver throne was yanked from the social media website for being too raunchy 'But the guidelines say no nipple and nipples were not being shown in the picture, so I have asked Instagram to please re-post it. Its only a naked side shot and my hair is covering me.' Gina also stated that her images are artistic and inoffensive, and should be allowed up as a form of self-expression. 'All my photos are tasteful and only implied nudity,' she explained. 'Instagram is a place for artistic self-expression and creativity. 'Like the quote says from Dita Von Teese says, glamour isnt about age, shape, or size. You dont have to be pretty to have it. Anyone can create it.' She cuts a stylish figure at even the most casual of occasions. This Sunday was no different, as Jaime King tried to cram in some last-minute holiday shopping in Beverly Hills. The Hart Of Dixie star, 39, was dressed in an arresting blue overcoat and bell-bottom jeans. Clock's ticking: Jaime King crammed in some last-minute holiday shopping in Beverly Hills on Sunday The 5ft9in model was draped in a loose-fitting, baby blue plaid overcoat. The coat had an olive green strip running down the back, as well as a green lining. Her wide-flared jeans peaked out beneath with a pair of brown leather boots. She complemented her ensemble with a dark green alligator print hand bag. The actress and model kept her blonde hair swept to the side and slightly messy. Simple chic: The Hart Of Dixie star, 39, was dressed in an arresting blue overcoat and bell-bottom jeans No fuss: The actress and model kept her blonde hair swept to the side and slightly messy Shopping trip: Jaime complemented her ensemble with a dark green alligator print hand bag On December 15 the Sin City actress made an appearance at the launch event for TINGS magazine in Los Angeles. She was dressed in a punky golden jacket with decorative leather braids. Jaime completed the look with flared acid wash jeans. Turning heads: On December 15 the Sin City actress made an appearance at the launch event for TINGS magazine in Los Angeles Celebrity party: On December 4, Jaime attended HAIM and Maya Rudolph's BY FAR party at the Chateau Marmont Earlier this month, Jaime attended HAIM and Maya Rudolph's BY FAR party at the Chateau Marmont. The Bulletproof Monk star wore an autumnal colored floral print dress. She spiced the outfit up with a pair of lace-up patent leather boots and an alligator print purse. Kourtney Kardashian posted a photo Sunday of her spending some quality time with her youngest child, Reign, after a busy vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The 39-year-old reality star had been spotted wearing a bikini in Mexico earlier with her ex Scott Disick and his girlfriend Sofia Richie. Despite reports of awkwardness between Scott's former and current girlfriend, the trio seemed to be having a great time. Family time: Kourtney Kardashian posted a photo Sunday of her spending some quality time with her youngest child, Reign, after a busy vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Kourtney and Sofia seemed to be enjoying each other's company at one point, as they lounged side by side on deck chairs, the younger woman leaned over and smiled at something on Kourtney's phone. Despite having the on-again-off-again relationship status this year, it appears Scott and Sofia are stronger than ever and becoming a blended family. Kourtneys sister Khloe took to Twitter to praise the trio for their co-parenting, tweeting: Beyond proud of all of them!!!! This is LOVE!! Your children before anything else!! All amazing adults right right!!! What a group: Scott Disick headed off to holiday with Mexico this weekend with his three children, their mother Kourtney and his girlfriend Sofia Richie Quality time: Kourtney and Sofia seemed to be enjoying each other's company at one point, as they lounged side by side on deck chairs, the younger woman leaned over and smiled at something on Kourtney's phone Kourtneys sister Khloe took to Twitter to praise the trio for their co-parenting Scott hid his beach body in a flowing oversize black T-shirt and a pair of saucy leopard print swim trunks as he walked across the beach with the two women. When the Hollywood heartthrob occasionally went topless, he draped a towel around his shoulders, possibly staving off the possibility of a nasty sunburn. Sofia and Kourtney sizzled in their barely-there two-pieces, showing off their enviably taut midriffs as they stretched themselves out beside each other on their deck chairs. Kourtney, who was already of voting age when Sofia was born, opted for a sleek black bathing suit that complemented her sleek double-bridge shades. Meanwhile, Sofia, the daughter of musical icon Lionel Richie and half-sister of reality TV legend Nicole Richie, opted for a sizzling burnt-orange number that played up her chiseled frame. Earlier in the vacation, on Saturday, the unlikely trio were spotted out to dinner together. A place in the sun: Sofia and Kourtney sizzled in their barely-there two-pieces, showing off their enviably taut midriffs as they took in the sunshine on the Yucatan Peninsula Meanwhile: Sofia, the daughter of musical icon Lionel Richie and half-sister of reality TV legend Nicole Richie, opted for a sizzling burnt-orange number that played up her chiseled frame What a hunk: Scott hid his beach body in a flowing oversize black T-shirt and a pair of saucy leopard print swim trunks as he walked across the beach with the two women It appears much of the drama is behind them after a year of break ups and make ups between Scott and Sofia. In February, Kourntey's supermodel sister Kendall gave disapproving remarks when she commented 'Awww Scott and his kids' on a photo of Scott and Sofia driving with daughter Penelope. Kourtney and Scott's two elder children - Mason, eight, and Penelope, six - had their births documented on Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Feel the heat: Kourtney showed off her statuesque legs in a tiny denim skirt she pulled over her bathing suit Mother and daughter: Kourtney and Scott's two elder children - Mason, eight, and Penelope, six - had their births documented on Keeping Up With The Kardashians However, their youngest child, a son called Reign who celebrated his fourth birthday about a week ago, was born away from the cameras. Kourtney was seen heading down a set of stone steps while lovingly cradling the baby of the family, who was himself holding a little bottle of milk to nourish himself during his beach day. Lionel gave an interview to Sydney's Daily Telegraph earlier this year and suggested that his daughter's relationship with a much older man was just a youthful fancy. Christine McGuinness has revealed that her marriage to husband Paddy is 'stronger than ever', several months after his 'boozy' night out with Nicole Appleton. The couple's seven-year marriage was rocked back in February, when snapshots emerged of TV presenter Paddy, 45, enjoying a night out in London with All Saints star Nicole, 44, while Christine, 30, was home in Cheshire with their three children. But Christine has now revealed that things between the two have improved greatly, telling The Sunday Mirror: 'Paddy and I are ending the year so much stronger. As a family, as a marriage, as a couple, as a mum and dad, we are stronger. Stronger than ever: Christine McGuinness has revealed that her marriage to husband Paddy is 'stronger than ever', several months after his 'boozy' night out with Nicole Appleton The blonde beauty, mother of twins Penelope and Leo, four, and two-year-old Felicity, continued: 'This year has been really poignant. I turned 30, went back to work and got that "me time" back as the twins have gone to school' And while the fitness devotee has been open about the challenges her family has faced since her twins' autism diagnosis, she believes that it has changed both her and TV presenter Paddy for the better. She said: 'Its made Paddy and me better people as well as making you think about what is important in life.' Scandal: The couple's seven-year marriage was rocked back in February, when snapshots emerged of TV presenter Paddy, 45, enjoying a night out in London with Nicole Appleton Nicole was blamed for breaking Christine's heart after Paddy was pictured linking arms on a night out with her. Back in February, Nicole was pictured arm-in-arm with Paddy on a boozy night out in London while his wife was at home looking after their three children. While neither party ever confirmed the details of their evening out, it led to a brief split between Paddy and Christine, who patched things up later that month. Love: In an interview with The Sunday Mirror, Christine said, 'Paddy and I are ending the year so much stronger. As a family, as a marriage, as a couple, as a mum and dad, we are stronger' Meanwhile, Paddy and Christine have reportedly won their battle with neighbours to build a sensory room for their autistic children at the family's 2.1million home. The Take Me Out host and his wife are said to have originally requested the amenity - which will provide more space for twins Leo and Penelope, five, and Felicity, two, to play - just four months after moving into their mansion earlier this year. According to The Sun, neighbours previously complained to the local council over the renovations, describing it as 'out of character' for the village. We are family: Take Me Out host Paddy, 45, and his 30-year-old wife are the proud parents of twins Leo and Penelope, five, and Felicity, two In addition to the sensory room, the pair, who live close to Wayne and Coleen Rooney's UK home, have also requested a media room and a second kitchen. The East Cheshire Council planners who received five letters of objection from neighbours and the Prestbury Amenity Society granted the TV stars permission and ruled the works in the seven-bedroom home as 'not an alien feature'. Case Officer Matthew Keen ruled: 'The design of the proposals would respect the form and character of the original dwelling. The relatively low nature of the proposed extension would ensure the impact on the street scene is acceptable.' She is known for her stunning looks and fabulous figure. Victoria Silvstedt showcased her jaw-dropping frame during a sun-soaked day at the beach in Saint Barthelemy in Guadeloupe on Saturday. The Swedish beauty, 44, wowed as she stepped out of the water in a pretty two-piece bikini, which featured a floral print, a tie-front bikini top and unique cap-sleeves. Wow! Victoria Silvstedt, 44, showcased her jaw-dropping frame during a sun-soaked day at the beach in Saint Barthelemy in Guadeloupe on Saturday Victoria ensured all eyes were on her washboard abs in her low-slung bikini briefs, adorned with elegant ruffle detailing. The blonde bombshell threw her hair up into an effortless up-do, and shielded her eyes with an over-sized pair of glamorous shades. Opting to forgo most jewellery, Victoria risked gaining a distinctive tan-line as she chose to keep her chunky metallic watch on her wrist during her day in the sun. Victoria has been spending the past couple of months in the French Riviera and has frequented Cannes, St Barts and enjoyed a day out on Philip Green's super yacht in Monaco. Stunning: The Swedish beauty wowed as she stepped out of the water in a pretty two-piece bikini, which featured a floral print, a tie-front bikini top and unique cap-sleeves Victoria ensured all eyes were on her washboard abs in her low-slung bikini briefs, adorned with elegant ruffle detailing The blonde beauty has enjoyed a lengthy stint in the spotlight after being chosen to represent her country in the Miss World pageant in 1993. After her pageant days, the Scandinavian stunner was spotted by Hugh Hefner and went on to become a Playboy Playmate. Since her career rocketed, she has modelled for some of the world's most prestigious fashion houses, including Chanel, Dior and Valentino. It's a hard life: Victoria has been spending the past couple of months in the French Riviera and has frequented Cannes, St Barts Despite the glamorous veneer to her lifestyle as a young model, she revealed there was a dark side in a recent interview with Female First. Victoria said: 'I started very young to model in Paris when I was 18, I remember like starving myself to fit into the clothes and it was an amazing experience but you know I did shows for Valentino, Chanel, so it was really prestigious. But it never felt like it was my thing, I'm not like a runway skinny model, I'm more curvy. It was torture, I put myself through starvation, you know torturing myself. He's been soaking up the sun with his famous parents during their annual winter trip in Barbados. And Simon Cowell's lookalike son Eric, four, beamed with delight as he dressed up as a pirate during an evening stroll across the sandy shores of the Caribbean with his mother Lauren Silverman. American socialite Lauren, 41, relished on the island as she treated herself to a glass of rose during her holiday. Having fun: Simon Cowell's son Eric, four, beamed with delight as he dressed up as a pirate during an evening stroll with his mother Lauren Silverman in Barbados Appearing in high spirits, the music mogul's mini-me teamed his blue shorts with pirate attire, featuring a signature grey hook, eye patch and beaded necklace. Meanwhile, Lauren stunned in a blue off-shoulder maxi dress, embellished with flashy patterns throughout, as well as a sizzling thigh-high slit. Opting for minimal make-up, the New Yorker wore her brunette tresses in a half up half down style and accessorised with a pair of chic oversized sunglasses, diamond stud earrings and a selection of gold dainty necklaces. She grinned from ear-to-ear during her idyllic walk along the beach as she held onto a glass of wine, while joined by pet dogs Squiddly, Diddly and Freddie. Winter break: American socialite Lauren, 41, relished on the island as she treated herself to a glass of rose during her holiday The Sun reported that Simon, 59, pampers his dogs Squiddly, Diddly and Freddy by flying them in a private plane. According to the publication, the X Factor judge also ensure that his pets get their own reclining seats, organic food and mineral water served in porcelain dog bowls. They travel with Simon regularly as he works in both Los Angeles and London, as well as an annual trip to the Caribbean, and on the flight the dogs get their own squeaky toys to play with, and bespoke jumbones. Chic: Meanwhile, the New Yorker stunned in a blue off-shoulder maxi dress, embellished with flashy patterns throughout, as well as a sizzling thigh-high slit 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. The pair then welcomed their son Eric in February 2014. They named him after Simon's late father, who died in 1999. Sizzling! Earlier that day, the mother-of-two looked stunning in a gorgeous black swimsuit, which featured cut-out details to showcase her slender frame The duo appeared to be without Simon during their beach day, with the star only 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 Harris. 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. Busy bee: The duo appeared to be without Simon during their beach day, with the star only just recently wrapping filming for The X Factor this year (pictured together earlier this month) 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.' She recently revealed she had split from her fiance Andrew Brady following an on-off nine month romance. And Caroline Flack looked stylish as she donned a designer ensemble to walk her beloved French Bulldog Ruby outside her North London home on Sunday. The Love Island host, 39, who is reportedly ditching alcohol in the New Year, looked effortlessly chic in an all-black outfit of skinny jeans, a lacy camisole and a blazer coat. Fashion show: Caroline Flack looked stylish as she donned a designer ensemble to walk her beloved French Bulldog Ruby outside her North London home on Sunday Giving a nod to her celebrity status, she accessorised her ensemble with a Burberry scarf, Gucci handbag and Ray-Ban sunglasses. Caroline styled her blonde highlighted brunette locks into a sleek straightened hairdo, she added a slick of make-up. The presenter, who has been starring as Roxie Hart in Chicago, appeared preoccupied as she walked Ruby outside her home. Chic: The Love Island host, 39, who is reportedly ditching alcohol in the New Year, looked effortlessly chic in an all-black outfit of skinny jeans, a lacy camisole and a blazer coat Details: Giving a nod to her celebrity status, she accessorised her ensemble with a Burberry scarf, Gucci handbag and Ray-Ban sunglasses Caroline's appearance comes as she is reportedly set to ditch alcohol in a bid to focus on her West End role. According to The Sun, the 39-year-old presenter's New Year's resolution will help her maintain a 'clear head' following her tumultuous love life with Apprentice star, Andrew Brady, 28. A source told the publication: 'Caroline is on a mission for a new year, new start. She wants everyone to get back to talking about her for all the right reasons, rather than her rollercoaster love-life. Stylish: Caroline styled her blonde highlighted brunette locks into a sleek straightened hairdo, she added a slick of make-up Busy: The presenter, who has been starring as Roxie Hart in Chicago, appeared preoccupied as she walked Ruby outside her home Fresh start: Caroline's appearance comes as she is reportedly set to ditch alcohol in a bid to focus on her West End role New year, new me: According to The Sun , the 39-year-old presenter's New Year's resolution will help her maintain a 'clear head' following her tumultuous love life with Andrew Brady, 28 'Shes staying completely sober so she can focus on her leading role as Roxy in West End show Chicago, which comes shortly after she filmed the Strictly Christmas Special. 'It means that she can have a clear head and put perspective on everything', they added. MailOnline has contacted Caroline's representatives for further comment. Out with the old: The 39-year-old recently revealed she's split from her The Apprentice star fiance following an on-off nine month romance Moving on: A source told the publication: 'Caroline is on a mission for a new year, new start. She wants everyone to get back to talking about her for all the right reasons.' The TV star made her West End debut earlier this month at the Phoenix Theatre in London, just two weeks after announcing she had taken on the lead role of Roxie, replacing Alexandra Burke in the role. She is performing alongside American YouTube star Todrick Hall until the musical's close on January 5. Meanwhile, Caroline recently insisted she 'won't go back' to former beau Andrew as she confirmed that they no longer live together after officially ending their volatile romance. Impressive: The TV star made her West End debut earlier this month at the Phoenix Theatre in London Last week, she told The Sun: 'I'm on my own now. So I'm sorting myself out, I'm doing what I want to do. I'm putting my head into this, into work and focusing on acting. After confirming that they are now living apart, Caroline confessed that, although the split necessary, she is still fond of her ex, and indeed wouldn't be drawn into bad-mouthing him. Caroline also insisted that their relationship is over for good. When asked if she will go back to her ex, she simply responded: 'I'm not going to.' It's over! The pair split at the beginning of December, just as the Love Island host made her West End debut Heartbreak: Last week, Caroline told The Sun: 'I'm on my own now. So I'm sorting myself out, I'm doing what I want to do. I'm putting my head into this, into work and focusing on acting This is quite a bold statement from the presenter, who said just weeks ago that she and Andrew had a 'raw love' and needed to be happy in themselves 'before we can be together'. As the news broke of her decision to end her relationship with Andrew once and for all, Caroline took to Instagram and shared a reflective post to reveal that she would be taking time off after her stint in Chicago. Posting a photograph of herself wearing a 'Choose Love' jumper, she captioned the snap: 'Its been a crazy old year.... Ive had some of the best moments of my life in 2018 ... and I wont forget it in a heartbeat... 'But as we get nearer to the new year its a time for reflection and change..... so gonna take me some time off after Chicago ... Have a lovely Christmas and a happy new year ... and remember to Choose Love.' The end: After confirming that they are living apart, Caroline confessed that, although the split necessary, she is still fond of her ex, and indeed wouldn't be drawn into bad-mouthing him Not going back: Caroline also insisted that their relationship is over for good. When asked if she will go back to her ex, she simply responded: 'I'm not going to' The tempestuous couple endured a strained relationship with a string of high-profile bust ups. Caroline first got together with the reality star in January, and but split in March for the first time, amid claims Andrew was unfaithful and fears he was using the presenter for her fame. Soon reconciling, Caroline even had his initials tattooed on her inner wrist just weeks after the duo had met. Following a whirlwind romance, the pair then became engaged in April (after just three months together) and broke the news on their respective Instagram accounts. Looking back: Caroline first got together with Andrew in January, and but split in March for the first time, amid claims Andrew was unfaithful and fears he was using her for her fame Inked-up love: Soon reconciling, Caroline even had his initials tattooed on her inner wrist just weeks after the duo had met Shock engagement: Following a whirlwind romance, the pair became engaged in April (after just three months together) and broke the news on their respective Instagram accounts Dramatic: However, just one month later, in May, the showbiz couple broke things off again, but reunited days later However, just one month later, in May, the showbiz couple broke things off again, but reunited days later. In June, the pair bought an adorable French Bulldog puppy named Ruby, but in early July Caroline announced their next break-up in a statement on social media. It read: 'I'm sad to announce that Andrew and I have decided to part ways. Unfortunately it was not to be. I wish him all the best. At least there's a Villa waiting for me. It's back to the ol' grafting.' Despite her amicable public statement, sources close to Flack said that a 'fame hungry' Brady was 'full of lies' and used her to 'increase his status.' Cute! In June, the pair adopted an adorable French Bulldog puppy named Ruby, but in early July Caroline announced their next break-up in a statement on social media Just two days after their split Andrew Brady took to Twitter to confess he had met with Celebs Go Dating producers a day after his split from fiancee Caroline Flack. It was reported before that Caroline was left 'in utter shock' after discovering her ex-fiance was secretly planning to appear on the show before they had even announced their split. According to The Sun, the TV presenter confessed to friends that she believes he was cheating, and added: 'I really tried to help him and support him, but I feel he just used me. He's fame hungry.' Amid claims of a 'messy' break-up, due to his alleged infidelities and 'fame-hungry' nature, Andrew shared a lengthy statement about the split on Twitter in July - claiming he was 'not perfect'. At the end of July it was reported that the television presenter had flown back from filming Love Island in Majorca to kick Andrew out of her home after their split. But soon afterwards, Caroline and Andrew rekindled the flames of their romance when they were spotted kissing during a pizza date after a cosy 'make-or-break' getaway to Ibiza in August. In early September Andrew moved his things back into the presenter's London home, and Caroline returned to wearing her sparkling engagement ring. The Sun reported in October that Caroline had begun to question their future following a drunken rant he allegedly made during their holiday in Portugal. According to the publication, the reality star had been booted out of a juice retreat for bringing in alcohol before launching into an 'abusive' shouting fest at the Love Island host. Dramatic: At the end of July it was reported that the television presenter had flown back from filming Love Island in Majorca to kick Andrew out of her home after their split Can't keep up: But soon afterwards, Caroline and Andrew rekindled their romance when they were spotted kissing during a pizza date after a 'make-or-break' getaway to Ibiza in August Caroline was said to be 'devastated' by his behaviour which led fellow guests at the resort to complain, as management chose to evict Andrew for the incident. But as well as a their heated argument on holiday in Portugal in the autumn, last month the pair had a row which resulted in Andrew prank-calling an ambulance. It was claimed business entrepreneur Andrew made the call to the emergency services vindictively, insiders shared with MailOnline. A source told MailOnline the episode as a 'non-event and an attempt by Brady 'to embarrass Caroline. Which it seems he has successfully achieved.' 'This is not the first time he has attempted something like this by any means,' they added. It's been a rough December for Cassandra Thorburn. But Karl Stefanovic's ex-wife appeared determined to put on an unforgettable Christmas for their three children - Jackson, 19, Ava, 13 and River 12. Taking to Instagram, the 47-year-old former journalist showed off her decorated Christmas tree surrounded by an enormous selection of wrapped presents. O Christmas tree! Cassandra Thorburn prepares to shower children with gifts and custom stockings after ex-husband Karl Stefanovic returns from his honeymoon with new wife Jasmine Captioning the twinkly image with a simple, 'Merry Christmas', a trio of stockings could clearly be seen bearing the names of her kids. The festive display comes after Cassandra revealed she won't spend 'Christmas Eve or Christmas morning' with her younger brood. 'I get Christmas [Day] afternoon,' she said during an appearance on Studio Ten just three days after Karl, 44, tied the knot with new wife Jasmine Yarbrough in Mexico. Resilient: The festive display comes after Cassandra revealed she won't spend 'Christmas Eve with the children or Christmas morning' with her brood Cassandra explained that her eldest son Jackson would be with her over the holidays, but River and Ava 'don't have that option' and will be with their father and new wife Jasmine. She added, rather pointedly: 'You have to follow what's set in place. The younger children have to follow the rules.' 'And as a parent, it's their Christmas, you have to encourage them.' Raw honesty: During an appearance on Studio Ten earlier this month, Cassandra explained that her eldest son Jackson would be with her over the holidays but River and Ava 'don't have that option' and will be with their father and new wife '[You say to them] "You know what, you're going to have a great Christmas, and when you come back home, we're going to have a great afternoon".' Meanwhile, days after his unceremonious sacking from the Today show, Karl has reportedly hired lawyers to obtain an audio recording of Cassandra that was sold to the media earlier this month. According to last weekend's Sunday Telegraph, top lawyers at Sydney's Swaab Attorneys 'will this week send a court order demanding the raw audio of an interview conducted at Sydney Airport the same day Karl married show designer, Jasmine, 34'. Drama: Karl Stefanovic has reportedly hired lawyers to obtain an audio recording of his ex-wife Cassandra that was sold to the media earlier this month The audio, recorded by paparazzo and freelance journalist Jonathan Marshall, features Cassandra speaking negatively about Karl. It was later sold to New Idea magazine for an estimated $15,000. Cassandra has repeatedly denied that she ever gave the interview, telling Daily Mail Australia at the time that 'there was no interview or rant'. It appears the honeymoon period is far from over for newlyweds Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough - who recently returned from their honeymoon in Colorado. The high-profile couple were seen packing on the PDA as they walked their German Shepherd, Chance The Yapper, in Sydney on Sunday. Karl, 44, looked relaxed and upbeat as he warmly embraced his shoe designer wife, 34, just days after he was axed from the Today show on December 19. The honeymoon ain't over yet! Newlyweds Karl Stefanovic (right) and Jasmine Yarbrough (left) pack on PDA as they walk their dog Chance The Yapper following his Today show axing The pair, who tied the knot in Mexico earlier this month, put on an affectionate display for onlookers, complete with kisses, hugs and romantic exchanges. At one stage, the Channel Nine identity was seen planting a loving kiss on the cheek of his new wife as they made their way through the green space. Soon after the freshly-minted Mr and Mrs Stefanovic were seen passionately locking lips in the middle of the path. Peck on the cheek! At one stage, the Channel Nine identity was seen planting a loving kiss on the cheek of his new wife Awkward! Jasmine appeared to be caught in a rather compromised position at one point as Karl pecked her on the cheek Locking lips! Soon after the freshly minted Mr and Mrs Stefanovic were seen passionately locking lips in the middle of the path However, the amorous display didn't stop there, as the duo were also spotted cuddling on a nearby park bench. Karl was seen wrapping his arms around the derriere of his blonde lady love, while she tenderly touched his shoulders. The television journalist exchanged his usual suit and tie for a casual ensemble, consisting of a Pink Floyd T-shirt, white trucker style hat, blue shorts and Nike trainers. More cuddles! However the amorous display didn't stop there, as the duo were also spotted cuddling on a park bench Don't let go! Karl was seen wrapping his arms around the derriere of his blonde lady love, while she tenderly touched his shoulders The Nine network star's wedding band also glistened in the sunshine, as did Jasmine's impressive diamond sparkler. Meanwhile, a makeup-free Jasmine looked every inch the natural beauty as she swept her blonde locks into a ponytail and in turn exposed her flawless complexion. Jasmine also showed off her lithe figure in form-fitting activewear and a pair of purple sneakers. Thoroughly relaxed: Having recent returned from their lavish Aspen honeymoon, the pair looked thoroughly relaxed as they enjoyed their first festive season as husband and wife Having recently returned from their lavish Aspen honeymoon, the pair looked thoroughly relaxed as they enjoyed their first festive season as husband and wife. Karl's smile may also be inspired by a rumoured radio career which could be on the horizon after it was announced the Today show host would be no longer be on the Nine program in 2019. Following his axing from the Nine show, after 14 years in the role, it has been claimed he is keen to 'branch out' and land a breakfast radio show. The Sydney Morning Herald claimed on Sunday that Karl's 'ideal' would be 'something primetime in TV and radio at breakfast.' 'He loves broadcasting,' a source close to Karl allegedly told the publication. Natural beauty! Meanwhile, a makeup-free Jasmine looked every inch the natural beauty as she swept her blonde locks into a ponytail and in turn exposed her flawless complexion 'The next stop is for [Karl] to branch out into radio and move into a new phase of his TV career.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Karl's representative for comment. Despite the controversy surrounding Karl's exit from Today, it was confirmed last week that he will remain at Nine. Darren Wick, director of news and current affairs at Nine, issued a statement about his future at the network. Positive outlook: After returning to Australia with wife Jasmine Yarbrough last week following their honeymoon, Karl was looking to the future with much positivity Employed: Despite the controversy surrounding Karl's exit from Today, it was confirmed last week that he will remain at Nine fronting show This Time Next Year 'Karl remains on contract with the network and will continue to host This Time Next Year, which records in February,' he said in a statement. After returning to Australia with wife Jasmine Yarbrough last week following their honeymoon, Karl was looking to the future with much positivity. 'I'm moving forward with a sense of excitement about what's to come,' he told the waiting media at the airport. It's believed Karl received the call that he would be axed from the program while he was on his honeymoon with Jasmine. Iraqi Assyrians Prepare to Celebrate Christmas in Areas Liberated From ISIS Iraqi Assyrians are able to celebrate openly once again, as many poured in to pray at St. Joseph's Chaldean Catholic Church. ( AFP) Iraqi Christians are preparing to celebrate their first Christmas together in areas liberated from ISIS, amid high security after calm has been restored following years of fear. Iraqi Christians form an integral part of Iraq's civilization, as they are ethnically related to nations and peoples that built the early civilizations in Mesopotamia, such as Assyrians, Chaldeans and others. In recent years, large numbers of Iraqi Christians have departed the country and went abroad, while many others have fled their villages and cities following a wave of violence committed by ISIS, which was threatening their existence. But today Iraqi Christians are able to celebrate openly once again, as many poured in to pray at St. Joseph's Chaldean Catholic Church in Iraq. In Sulaymaniyah, the northern Kurdish region of Iraq, some 60 to 70 displaced Christian families living in Mosul and the Nineveh plains are currently preparing for the Mass. According to official statistics, the number of Iraqi Christians before the US invasion was about one and a half million, while today it is less than 300,000. On Dec. 10, Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael sent a request to the head of the Iraqi parliament asking that the first day of Christmas be declared an official holiday in Iraq. Though Iraq has not declared Dec. 25 an official holiday so far, Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government announced it will be halting schools on Tuesday for Christmas holidays. She's among a host of celebrities and well-heeled travellers who have decided on Barbados to celebrate the Christmas season in the sunshine. And Emma Forbes, 53, continued to turn up the heat even higher on Sunday, when she stepped out onto one of the Caribbean island's pristine beaches in a plunging black lace-up swimsuit. The radio and TV presenter proudly displayed her jaw-dropping physique in the eye-catching number, which she teamed with a patterned sundress. Soaking up the sunshine: Emma Forbes was spotted soaking up the sun in Barbados on Sunday Ageless beauty: The 53-year-old looked phenomenal in her swimsuit as she hit the beach Shielding her eyes with a pair of oversized sunglasses, Emma accessorised with a range of jewellery that included a pendant necklace and a chunky gold bracelet. After making her way to the beach with a beverage in hand, the broadcaster settled onto a sun lounger, where she sprayed on tanning lotion before continuing to bask in the glorious tropical rays. The TV sensation confessed her secret to looking fabulous at 50 when she appeared on ITV's Loose Women in June 2017. Life's a peach! Emma's scanty swimwear highlighted her incredible figure Legs eleven! The brunette beauty showed off her enviably tanned and toned pins Stunning: Emma looked sensational as she frolicked in the crystal clear waters Fun in the sun: Emma cooled off with a dip in the sea alongside her husband Graham Wow: The 53-year-old beauty wowed as she stepped out in a plunging black lace-up swimsuit Jaw-dropping: The radio and TV presenter proudly displayed her jaw-dropping physique in the eye-catching number, which she teamed with a patterned sundress Morning pick-me-up: Emma made her way down to the beach with a warm beverage in hand Of her lifestyle change, she told panelists: 'I had my children and never lost my baby weight. It's fine when kids are aged two or three, but theres a problem when they are 20. 'For me, I wanted to lose that weight. I didnt recognise myself. You dont look at that section of you.' She continued: 'Everyone made such a big deal about me turning 50 and were like are you gonna have a party? But I just wanted a change. You're very vulnerable at 50.' Emma is mother to Lily, 21, and Sam, 19, from her 31-year marriage to wealthy financier Graham. Accessories: Shielding her eyes with a pair of oversized sunglasses, Emma accessorised with a range of jewellery that included a pendant necklace and a chunky gold bracelet Love and marriage: Broadcasting beauty Emma is mother to Lily, 21, and Sam, 19, from her 31-year marriage to wealthy financier Graham The blonde bombshell married the banker in a romantic ceremony in September 1987. Emma claimed it was their leaving home which also prompted her to take action and change her lifestyle. She said: 'I had empty nest syndrome and I didnt want to be at home and eating. I just thought, have a lifestyle change. 'I didnt want surgery. I'd end up on Botched. I thought it's time to get on top of health. So I gave up sugar and I walked. I hiked up mountains.' Fun in sun: She's among a host of celebrities and well-heeled travellers who have decided on Barbados to celebrate the Christmas season in the sunshine Safety first: As she settled into her sun lounger, TV star Emma sprayed on some suntan lotion Showing off her new blonde locks, Emma said she decided to change her hair colour on a whim within the last 24 hours when on the show. She said: 'Thats what happens when you're 50 and hormonal. You do radical things. It only happened in the last in the 24 hours. 'I just thought it would be fun a bit of reinvention. My husband said Ive always preferred blonde hair. Been with him 30 years!' Fabulous at 50: The TV sensation confessed her secret to looking fabulous at 50 when she appeared on ITV's Loose Women in June 2017 Matthew Davis of Legally Blonde fame had a very short engagement indeed. The 40-year-old hunk proposed to his yoga teacher girlfriend Kiley Casciano in Venice, California this Sunday - and married her within the day. He shared an Instagram album that night celebrating their union, including a heartwarming photo of the newlyweds cuddling up together and a sweet caption. A very short engagement: Legally Blonde star Matthew Davis proposed to his yoga teacher girlfriend Kiley Casciano in Venice, California this Sunday - and married her within the day 'When you ask your lover if they want to get married while shopping in the produce section of Erewhon, and 3 hours later youre married on Christmas Eve Eve.' Matthew was sure to show his gratitude in his caption, adding: 'Thanks to Abbot Kinney for the last minute provisions. #AVeryMarriedChristmas'. The duo posed with their rings for their Instagram album, including one sweet snap of their hands folded over each other on top of a restaurant menu. Matthew also shared a photo of the two rings - his a double-band without a gem in it, hers with an elegant clear stone - sitting in their boxes. '#AVeryMarriedChristmas': He shared an Instagram album that night celebrating their union, including a heartwarming photo of the newlyweds cuddling up together and a sweet caption Whirlwind: 'When you ask your lover if they want to get married while shopping in the produce section of Erewhon, and 3 hours later youre married on Christmas Eve Eve,' he wrote A fine romance: The dynamic duo posed with their rings for their Instagram album, including one sweet snap of their hands folded over each other on top of a restaurant menu Kiley, who has already changed her surname to Davis on Instagram, posted her own snap of the two of them modeling their wedding rings. Her Insta Stories had played host to a photo of her then-fiance with a heart emoji over his chest and a thought bubble reading: 'I'm about to get married!' She also uploaded a snap of her hand resting over his, with both of them wearing their wedding rings to indicate they were, as her caption has it: 'Bonded'. Wedding glamour: Matthew also shared a photo of the two rings - his a double-band without a gem in it, hers with an elegant clear stone - sitting in their boxes Feeling festive: Kiley, who has already changed her surname to Davis on Instagram, posted her own snap of the two of them modeling their wedding rings Deep breath: Her Insta Stories had played host to a photo of her then-fiance with a heart emoji over his chest and a thought bubble reading: 'I'm about to get married!' Meanwhile, on his own Insta Stories, Matthew posted a smoldering picture of his bride and gushed: 'This is my beautiful, amazing, hot a** wife!' At the start of his 2001 star-making movie Legally Blonde, Matthew's character Warner Huntington III takes Reese Witherspoon's Elle Woods on a dinner date. Elle is convinced Warner is about to pop the question to her, but he breaks up with her instead, wanting a woman with more substance than she. Touching: She also uploaded a snap of her hand resting over his, with both of them wearing their wedding rings to indicate they were, as her caption has it: 'Bonded' Meanwhile: On his own Insta Stories, Matthew posted a smoldering picture of his bride and gushed: 'This is my beautiful, amazing, hot a** wife!' Throwback to 2001: At the start of his star-making movie Legally Blonde, Matthew's character Warner Huntington III takes Reese Witherspoon's Elle Woods on a dinner date It is the expected-proposal-turned-breakup that kicks off the plot of the movie, as Elle heads to Harvard Law School in order to impress her used-to-be. In real life, Matthew married Joan Of Arc Emmy nominee Leelee Sobieski in 2008, but they were divorced by the end of the following year. On top of his Legally Blonde role, Matthew is also known to fans as one of the stars of The CW's The Vampire DIaries, which ran from 2009 until 2017. Heartbreak: Elle is convinced Warner is about to pop the question to her, but he breaks up with her instead, wanting a woman with more substance than she Jilted: It is the expected-proposal-turned-breakup that kicks off the plot of the movie, as Elle heads to Harvard Law School in order to impress her used-to-be She used to be proud of her gap-toothed smile, refusing to have dental work and protesting: 'The gap makes me who I am.' But it seems Jordyn Woods has changed her mind. The 21-year-old has shared 10 snaps in the past few days showing off her perfect pearlies...without a single note of explanation. Where's it gone?: Kylie Jenner's pal Jordyn Woods showed off her perfect smile - mimus the gap between her front teeth - in this Instagram she posted on Saturday Although the model looks beautiful, her fans have had a mixed reaction to her new smile after embracing her previous imperfection. 'She is all Kardashiand now she was perfect before. Now she nip and tucked just like them,' one commenter wrote. 'Goshveneers :(((( another instagram face with no individuality,' another said. One fan even called her out for previous comments about loving the gap. The way she was: The 21-year-old model, here seen at an event in October 2017, used to be proud of her gappy, imperfect smile Hanging with her bestie: Jordyn kept her mouth firmly closed when she was spotted going to Travis Scott's concert Miami with Kylie Jenner in November No gap: The celebrity painted her perfect pout revealing her eqully perfect teeth 'Damn you said the gap was staying a few months ago smh you phony for that,' the fan said. Jordyn has yet to make any comment about her dental surgery or reply to all the comments, either for or against. She didn't mention it on December 17, which appeared to be the first time she posted a snap of her new look. Mixed comments: Her followers have had a mixed reaction to her new smile after embracing her previous imperfection In June 2017, Jordyn spoke out on Instagram about the pressure she has faced from others in the industry to change her smile. 'Today on set.. often people have the nerve to say, "Fix your teeth." For your information, no, I will not fix my gap to blend in with the rest of society! My gap makes me who I am,' she captioned a smiley selfie. 'Your individuality is one of your special powers in this generation where everyones trying to fit in and keep up.' Keeping quiet: Jordyn posted this selfie on Sunday but she has yet to comment on her pearlies They are clearly determined to get along, and give their kids a very happy family Christmas. But that doesn't mean there isn't a little competition between Kourtney Kardashian and Sofia Richie, as they vacation together in Mexico. Kourtney stripped to her bikini as she shared a revealing photo to Instagram to mark Monday morning. Spread between two chairs, the mother-of-three stretched out, showing her core strength and impressive abs. She fake-casually held a cup of tea in one hand, while holding out the newspaper to read in the other. 'Almost spilled the tea,' wrote Kourtney. She has befriended Sofia since the 20-year-old began dating her ex Scott Disick. And all three adults took Kourtney and Scott three children to Mexico for a pre-Christmas getaway this week. On Sunday night they enjoyed a movie night on the beach, complete with hearts made from candles in the sand. Despite reports of awkwardness between Scott's former and current girlfriend, the trio seem to be having a great time. Family time: Kourtney Kardashian posted a photo Sunday of her spending some quality time with her youngest child, Reign, after a busy vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico On Sunday Kourtney and Sofia seemed to be enjoying each other's company at one point, as they lounged side by side on deck chairs, the younger woman leaned over and smiled at something on Kourtney's phone. Despite having the on-again-off-again relationship status this year, it appears Scott and Sofia are stronger than ever and becoming a blended family. Kourtneys sister Khloe took to Twitter to praise the trio for their co-parenting, tweeting: Beyond proud of all of them!!!! This is LOVE!! Your children before anything else!! All amazing adults right right!!! What a group: Scott Disick headed off to holiday with Mexico this weekend with his three children, their mother Kourtney and his girlfriend Sofia Richie Quality time: Kourtney and Sofia seemed to be enjoying each other's company at one point, as they lounged side by side on deck chairs, the younger woman leaned over and smiled at something on Kourtney's phone Kourtneys sister Khloe took to Twitter to praise the trio for their co-parenting Scott hid his beach body in a flowing oversize black T-shirt and a pair of saucy leopard print swim trunks as he walked across the beach with the two women. When the heartthrob occasionally went topless, he draped a towel around his shoulders, possibly staving off the possibility of a nasty sunburn. Earlier in the vacation, on Saturday, the unlikely trio were spotted out to dinner together. A place in the sun: Sofia and Kourtney sizzled in their barely-there two-pieces, showing off their enviably taut midriffs as they took in the sunshine on the Yucatan Peninsula It appears much of the drama is behind them after a year of break ups and make ups between Scott and Sofia. In February, Kourntey's supermodel sister Kendall gave disapproving remarks when she commented 'Awww Scott and his kids' on a photo of Scott and Sofia driving with daughter Penelope. Lionel gave an interview to Sydney's Daily Telegraph earlier this year and suggested that his daughter's relationship with a much older man was just a youthful fancy. She jetted to Australia this week to spend Christmas with her family. Yet Dianne Buswell still had a 'special someone' on her mind as she shared a sweet tribute to her new boyfriend Joe Sugg. Taking to Instagram on Monday, the Strictly Come Dancing professional, 29, shared a sweet throwback snap sitting on her beau's lap. Pining for him: She jetted to Australia this week to spend Christmas with her family. Yet Dianne Buswell still had Joe Sugg on her mind as she shared a sweet tribute to her new boyfriend She wrote: 'When I was sat on Santa Suggs lap he asked me what i wanted for Christmas ? My response was( apart from a tamagotchi ) I have everything that makes me happy Already. 'honestly feel so so lucky Im in Australia with the best family a girl could wish for .. .and I have a very special somebody waiting for me when I return to the uk @joe_sugg. 'I hope everybody out there has the most amazing Christmas spent with loved ones and having the best time sending you all joy and happiness merry Christmas you amazing lot xx [sic]'. Cute: Dianne has been sharing some sizzling snaps from Down Under after she returned home to Australia to visit her family during the festive season Dianne confirmed her romance with her Strictly dance partner a day after the show final, following weeks of speculation. And after months of keeping their romance under wraps, Dianne now isn't shy of gushing over her beau, and paid a playful tribute to him on Sunday. Posing next to the cartoon statue with blue irises in a striped cami top and denim shorts, Dianne playfully captioned her post: 'He has the same eyes as Joe'. The professional Strictly star also gave her 510,000 followers a glimpse into her fun times on the beach, as she donned a gorgeous lilac swimsuit. The gorgeous redhead could be seen posing up a storm in the idyllic water as she belted out classic Disney tunes and compared herself to Ariel from The Little Mermaid. Funny: Posting to her Instagram Stories on Sunday, Dianne shared a cheeky photograph next to a doll, in which she pointed out it had the 'same eyes as Joe' Playful: The professional Strictly star also gave her 510,000 followers a glimpse into her fun times on the beach, as she donned a gorgeous lilac swimsuit Following on from the Strictly final last week, Joe and Dianne appeared to confirm many fans' speculation that they were dating, taking to Instagram to post a snap where they appeared to be in the throes of love. After missing out on the glitterball trophy to Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton, Joe and Dianne still looked to be the picture of happiness in the touching post. He wrote: 'I may not have won the glitter ball, but I've won something a million times more special.' Sweet: Following on from the Strictly final last week, Joe and Dianne appeared to confirm many fans' speculation that they were dating The YouTube star's grandmother Phyllis exclusively told MailOnline that he is 'head over heels' for Dianne, adding: 'I may be 95 but I could see that twinkle in his eye - and the way they looked at each other. 'He brought Dianne over to meet me too and thats a sign that there is romance in the air.' Following their dance stint, they enjoyed a festive getaway to the New Forest with Joe's sister Zoe Sugg (Zoella), 28, and her boyfriend Alfie Deyes, 25. The group tapped into full relaxation mode at The Yews at Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa in Hampshire, where prices start at 2,850 per night. Heather Locklear will spend Christmas at home after being temporarily released from her treatment facility. The former Melrose Place star was admitted to rehab for an indefinite period after suffering a mental health breakdown in November. She will now spend the holidays with her boyfriend, Chris Heisser, and adult daughter Ava Sambora, a source told People magazine. Home for Christmas: Heather Locklear is to spend the holidays at home as she's temporarily released from rehab following psychiatric hold; she is seen back in April Together: Ava flew back from Hawaii to be with her mother (file picture) 'Heather is out for a few days for the Christmas holidays,' the source told the magazine. Heather returned home on Saturday, with Ava jetting home from a Hawaii trip with her Bon Jovi rocker dad Richie Sambora that same day. The source said: 'Heather is doing well. She's smiling and happy to be out. She can only put her best face forward.' The 57-year-old actress was admitted to be treated at a inpatient treatment facility for an indefinite period last month following a November 18 incident in which she was placed on a psychiatric hold. Seeking help: Locklear is pictured in a mugshot following her June 24 arrest in Ventura, Ca The move comes after the actress, a TV staple in the 80s and 90s on programs such as T.J. Hooker, Dynasty and Melrose Place, was previously in rehab this year on two occasions. She first entered rehab in March, after a February incident when she was arrested amid accusations of attacking a police officer checking on a domestic dispute; and in June, after she was arrested in connection with accusations she assaulted a police officer and an EMT. In her latest stint, she rehabbed for a three-month period before concluding in November. Locklear, who was in two celebrity marriages - to Motley Crue's Tommy Lee from 1986 until 1993, and Bon Jovi's Sambora from 1994 until 2007 - was not charged with any offenses in the most recent incident. Difficult: The star was pictured in a mugshot following her February arrest in Ventura Hollywood beauty: Heather was snapped in 2016 on a red carpet in Beverly Hills She was held based on her therapist's recommendation, was hospitalized for a week, and then put on a psychiatric hold. Locklear in September acknowledged her battles with substance abuse, and how she hopes to bounce back. 'Addiction is ferocious and will try to take you down. Recovery is the best revenge,' wrote Locklear, who's been seen in recent years on shows such as Franklin & Bash and Too Close to Home. She advised her followers to 'be kind to everyone you meet, your light just might change their path.' A transgender sex worker who passed on HIV when she had unprotected sex with a man has had her sentence of six years in a male prison slashed to four years. Clayton James Palmer, who identifies as a woman and is known as CJ, was sentenced in the West Australian District Court earlier this year for causing grievous bodily harm. She took her case to the WA Court of Appeal, arguing the term was manifestly excessive, and on Thursday the judges unanimously agreed it was severe. She will now be eligible for parole in April. The judges noted Palmer had been moved from the prison's crisis care unit to the special protection unit. "The conditions of prisoners housed in the SPU are less restrictive than those in the CCU," the judges said. "The appellant can now access gender neutral toiletry products and has been provided with female underwear." The court previously heard Palmer had visited the WA Substance Users Association in August 2014 to get tested for sexually transmitted infections and was later told there was a positive indication of HIV. She never returned follow-up phone calls or messages and continued to advertise sexual services online. Palmer met the victim soon after and continued to see him until August 2015, telling him she was regularly tested for diseases. A doctor told the victim he had HIV the following month. Police found Palmer, who had moved to NSW, through online advertisements for her services under the name Sienna Fox. Five supermaxis lead the battle for line honours in this year's Sydney to Hobart yacht race, while the 52-foot Ichi Ban will strive to become the first boat in over 50 years to earn successive handicap wins. Here's a look at some of the leading contenders for line honours and overall victory. LINE HONOURS * COMANCHE - Going for back-to-back line honours, all of her four supermaxi rivals will struggle to keep pace with this imposing beast of a boat boat if the long range forecast of strong northerlies over the first 24 hours eventuates. * WILD OATS XI - Perhaps the best performed big boat across a variety of conditions, this grand old dame of the supermaxis remains very competitive and will look to add to her record eight line honours wins, though the last was back in 2014. * BLACK JACK - The line honours winner in 2009 as Alfa Romeo, this proven light wind performer is now more competitive in heavier airs and may need to be to trump her other maximum length rivals. '* INFOTRACK - Relegated from fourth to 24th last year after being penalised for a rule infringement, the 2016 line honours winner as Perpetual LOYAL will fight hard to stay close to the other supermaxis. * SCALLYWAG - Back after finishing third across the line in 2061, the Hong Kong supermaxi has had less preparation time than her four Australian counterparts and also had the unwanted hassle of suffering sail damage in the Big Boat Challenge earlier this month. OVERALL HONOURS * ICHI BAN - Matt Allen's 52-foot flyer is bidding to become the first boat for over 50 years to go back-to back in overall honours and will start favourite after winning the vast majority of her races on handicap since her 2017 Sydney to Hobart triumph. * TEASING CHIEF - Perhaps the pick of the overseas contenders, this 54-foot French yacht has recorded good results in both the 2017 Middle Sea and RORC Transatlantic races. * PRIVATEER - This Cookson 50 from the United States is considered one of the dark horses for overall honours and a threat to the Australian hopefuls. * CHUTZPAH - Victorian Bruce Taylor has come close to taking overall honours on numerous occasions in 37 previous cracks at the race and if the forecast northerlies blow long and hard enough, his 40-foot boat could potentially deliver him a long sought after win. * WILD OATS X - The race's first all-female professional crew has the experience and the boat to push for overall honours, with the 66-foot yacht finishing 11th on handicap last year. Mukhlis Abdul Holik's heartwarming story has become a sensation across Indonesia Indonesian third-grader Mukhlis Abdul Holik begins the long haul to school with a knapsack strapped to his back and hands stuffed into a pair of sandals -- to guard against road burn. It is no ordinary trip for the eight-year-old. He has severely deformed feet and legs so tiny that he only reaches up to his classmates' waists when standing. With his mom in tow, the gap-toothed pupil crawls from his West Java village across rocky paths and an old wooden bridge that he navigates on his hands alone, as his sneakers dangle in the air. Holik's heartwarming story has become a sensation across the country of 260 million, and earned him a meeting with Indonesian president Joko Widodo, after media covered his trip to school and back -- a distance of nearly six kilometres. Holik crawls from his West Java village across rocky paths and an old wooden bridge that he navigates on his hands alone, as his sneakers dangle in the air "The road is steep but he crawls every day," said Holik's mother Pipin, who like many Indonesians goes by one name. "If we've got money, then he can take a motorcycle taxi but if things are tight, he's got to crawl. He never complains.... rain or shine, he always goes to school." Holik met the country's leader on December 3 -- the UN's International Day of Persons with Disabilities. "I asked Abdul when we met if he wanted anything from me," Widodo said in a statement. Holik declared himself "very happy" after meeting Indonesian President Joko Widodo "I thought he'd want me to give him a present. But he didn't want anything. He just said he wanted to go to university." The pupil declared himself "very happy" for meeting his idol Widodo, who got a full report on Holik's ambitious future plans. "I want to be a firefighter, a doctor and an astronaut," he told AFP. The United States has granted Iraq an extended exemption from reimposed sanctions on Iran to keep on importing desperately needed electricity and gas to generate it The United States has granted Iraq a 90-day extension to an exemption from reimposed sanctions on Iran to keep on importing energy, a government source said on Thursday. President Donald Trump reimposed crippling unilateral sanctions on Iran's energy and finance sectors on November 5 following his May decision to abandon a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between major powers and Tehran. But he gave Iraq a 45-day waiver to continue buying electricity and natural gas to generate it from its eastern neighbour. Iraq was expected to use that time to submit a plan on how it would wean itself off Iranian supplies. In the days leading up to the deadline Thursday, Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi said a delegation of Iraqi officials would travel to Washington to discuss sanctions. And on Thursday, a government source involved in the talks, told AFP the delegation had secured a 90-day extension so Iraq could keep buying both Iranian electricity and gas. Asked whether the US had pressured the Iraqi delegation to partner with US companies to fill the eventual gap, the source said the issue was part of "complicated discussions". Iraq faces a chronic power shortage that often leave homes without mains electricity for as much 20 hours a day and was a key driving factor behind mass protests this summer. To cope with the shortages, Iraq pipes in up to 28 million cubic metres of Iranian gas a day for power generation and also directly imports up to 1,300 megawatts of Iranian electricity. That dependence is uncomfortable for Washington, which sees Tehran as its top regional foe. Last week, US Energy Secretary Rick Perry discussed sanctions with Iraq's ministers of oil and electricity in Baghdad, and said Iraq should partner with US companies to become energy independent. US Energy Secretary Rick Perry presses Iraq to partner with US firms to end its dependence on imports of Iranian power and gas during a visit to Baghdad on December 11, 2018 "Working together, the US and Iraq can develop Iraq's oil, gas and water industries," Perry said. Iraq's electricity ministry said it could stop relying on Iranian electricity within two years, but that halting gas imports would be much more difficult. One solution would be developing Iraq's ability to capture gas flares, the gas set alight during oil extraction. The World Bank estimates that wasted flares represent an annual loss of about $2.5 billion -- enough to fill the gap in Iraq's gas-based power generation. A second source with close knowledge of the negotiations told AFP Washington was trying to convince Iraq to partner with American firms General Electric, Baker Hughes and Orion to capture flares. "The US tells Iraqi officials it's a win-win-win: they stop relying on Iran, they capture their own gas and they benefit US companies in the process," the source said. Neither Iraq's electricity ministry nor the US embassy in Baghdad responded to AFP requests for comment. Chinese police officers stand guard outside the Canadian embassy in Beijing on December 10, 2018 The third Canadian detained in China is being held for working illegally in the country, the Chinese foreign ministry said Thursday amid diplomatic tensions over the previous two detentions on national security grounds. The Canadian, a woman named Sarah McIver, faces "administrative penalties", said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a press briefing in Beijing, without specifying what the penalties entail. Canada's National Post newspaper has identified McIver as a teacher from Alberta. Hua said that McIver's case is different from the previous two detentions, which were carried out by China's state security apparatus. McIver is being held by a local public security bureau, said Hua. On December 10, former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and China-based business consultant Michael Spavor were both detained and accused of engaging in activities "that endanger China's national security". The detention of the three Canadians comes against a backdrop of escalating tensions between China and Canada, which arrested Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wangzhou on December 1. Meng was released on bail last week in Vancouver pending a US extradition hearing on US fraud charges related to sanctions-breaking business dealings with Iran. Roughly 55 percent of the population is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture Three newly elected Indian state governments have waived up to $8.6 billion in farm loans in a bid by Rahul Gandhi's main opposition Congress party to boost support ahead of 2019 elections. The sorry plight of farmers in India, where thousands commit suicide every year, is set to be a major issue in the polls when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will run for a second term. Last week Congress wrested power from Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in three state elections, partly by promising the help voters working in agriculture. Late Wednesday the new government of one of these states, Rajasthan, announced a write-off on loans of small farmers up to 200,000 rupees ($2,850), at an estimated cost of $2.5 billion. The two other states, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, where Congress ended 15 years of BJP rule, announced similar plans this week to forgo loans worth nearly 440 billion rupees. The move signals Congress's intent to latch on the growing disquiet in rural areas, where 68 percent of India's 1.25 billion people live, against Modi, 68. "It's done!," Gandhi, 48, whose standing was boosted by the state election successes, said on Twitter. "We asked for 10 days. We did it in 2." Modi swept to power in 2014 largely on promises of improving lives of poor, ending corruption, boosting the economy and more jobs. But tens of thousands of farmers have rallied in recent months -- including 80,000 in New Delhi this month -- over his government's failure to mitigate their problems. Modi had pledged to double farm income by 2022 but most say nothing has changed. His opponents accuse him of being pro-rich and ignoring the plight of millions of poor farmers. Political parties often promise farm loan waivers or other agricultural sops to win support in rural India. Roughly 55 percent of the population is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture, making the community the largest voting bloc. The agriculture sector accounts for around 15 percent of India's economic output. But nearly 300,000 farmers have killed themselves in the last two decades, as drought -- or flooding -- poor yields and low prices push them into a cycle of debt and despair. Two BJP state governments in 2017 announced similar packages for farmers worth 770 billion rupees but Modi's government ruled out a similar nationwide amnesty plan in July. But recent media reports suggest that Modi's government may reconsider and announce a multi-trillion dollar relief package in the run up to the elections, which are due by May. The previous Congress-led alliance in 2008 promised a nationwide farm loan waiver of more than 700 billion rupees, helping it win a second term in office in 2009. Shares in European aircraft maker Airbus tumbled nearly nine percent after French daily Le Monde reported that it could face fines of several billion dollars under a US corruption inquiry Shares in European aircraft maker Airbus tumbled nearly nine percent Thursday after French daily Le Monde reported that it could face fines of several billion dollars under a US corruption inquiry. The newspaper said the US Department of Justice opened a probe for "improper practices" at the end of 2017 and informed Airbus it was under investigation at the end of the summer. In a statement, the company said it was cooperating with US authorities. The inquiry stems from Airbus's disclosure in early 2016 that it had neglected to inform authorities about payments to middlemen in securing several contracts, in particular in Asia. A few months later Britain's Serious Fraud Office opened a fraud, bribery and corruption inquiry over alleged "irregularities concerning third-party consultants." It was cooperating with France's Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF), which also launched an inquiry into the deals. Airbus had already warned in October 2017 that the investigations could have a "material impact" on its earnings. If the Justice Department's inquiry leads to a court ruling against Airbus, it could be excluded from bidding on international contracts for five years, Le Monde said. At around 12:30 pm (1130 GMT) Airbus shares were down 8.9 percent at 79.42 euros on the Paris stock exchange, which was 1.4 percent lower overall. Indian police want to interview two American missionaries suspected of encouraging dead missionary John Allen Chau to travel to North Sentinel Island, in breach of a strict cordon put around its isolated inhabitants One month after an isolated tribe killed an American missionary seeking to convert them, Indian police have still not tried to retrieve the body of John Allen Chau from his remote island grave. But they are still trying to interview two American missionaries suspected of encouraging Chau to go to North Sentinel in the Andaman Islands, in breach of a strict cordon put around its isolated inhabitants. Chau, 26, was cut down in a hail of arrows, according to fishermen who dropped him off nearby, as he marched towards the Sentinelese tribespeople with his "Jesus loves you" message. Investigators in the Indian Ocean chain of 500 islands will formally ask two American missionaries who had spoken with Chau before his death to give evidence, police said. "We have initiated the process of serving them a notice to be part of (the) investigation," local police chief Dependra Pathak told AFP. The notice, which would have to go between the Indian and US governments, would only require the Americans to answer questions. The identities of the Americans, a man and a woman, have not been given. They are known to have left India. Chau was killed in mid-November but news of his death only emerged six days later. The incident cast a new spotlight on efforts to protect one of the world's last "uncontacted" tribes, whose language and customs remain a mystery to the rest of the world. Outsiders are banned from travelling near the island to protect the tribe from outside diseases. Police have twice sent a vessel close to North Sentinel in a bid to see where Chau may have been killed. They acknowledge that it is unlikely that they would risk provoking the tribe by setting foot on the island. Anthropologists and activists for isolated tribal communities have called on Indian authorities not to try to retrieve the body. "We are still awaiting the firm view of the Anthropological Survey of India and field experts," Pathak said. "What we have gathered is that going over there is not desirable for their health and psychological wellbeing." Seven people, including six local fishermen, were arrested for helping Chau travel to the remote island. All were granted bail this week. Two Indian fishermen were killed in 2006 after their boat drifted onto North Sentinel. One week after their deaths, their bodies were put on stakes facing out to sea on the beach. Voters consult an electoral notice in Lome's Be neighbourhood on polling day with 14 opposition groups urging a boycott citing "irregularities" and demanding constitutional reform Security in Togo was tight Thursday as voters turned out for legislative elections overshadowed by bloody pre-ballot clashes and an opposition boycott. Police, military police and troops were out in force as polling stations opened at 7 a.m. (0700 GMT), although the mood in the capital Lome was calm. The tumultuous buildup to the elections saw a ban on protests and clashes with security forces that cost six lives, according to an opposition tally. Togo, a tiny west African country wedged between Ghana and Benin, has endured months of upheaval with demonstrators demanding President Faure Gnassingbe step down. Gnassingbe has been in power since 2005 after succeeding his father, General Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled the country with an iron first for 38 years. A coalition of 14 opposition parties are refusing to take part in the elections, claiming the organisation is flawed. They are demanding an overhaul of the electoral commission, greater transparency and constitutional reforms to limit the number of presidential terms. Voters were calmly waiting in line in the Doumassesse district of the capital Lome which is a stronghold of the ruling Union for the Republic (UNIR) party, according to an AFP reporter at the scene. "I have come out to cast my ballot as a good citizen must," said one voter, Adje Messo-Hanam. "I am not afraid, as Togo is a peaceful country." On Wednesday, General Yark Damehame, Togolese security minister, warned that "necessary arrangments" were in place to thwart those "wishing to prevent the elections." The main challenge for UNIR is to secure four-fifths of the parliament's 91 seats -- or 73, up from its current 62. That would allow the party to pass reforms unchallenged in parliament, including changes to the constitution that would pave the way for Gnassingbe to run for office again in 2020 and 2025. The polls are being held after months of talks to solve the political crisis led by Ghana and Guinea, mediators for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). ECOWAS pushed for elections before year's end -- a recommendation the opposition dismissed as rushed. A picture taken on December 18, 2018 shows the tourist village of Imlil in Morocco's High Atlas range Here is a recap of previous attacks targeting foreign tourists holidaying in North Africa, after Moroccan authorities arrested three suspects in the murder this week of two Scandinavian hikers. - Morocco - On April 28, 2011, a bomb attack on a popular tourist cafe in the city of Marrakesh kills 17 people, 11 of them European citizens, and wounding dozens of others. Popular tourist cafe in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh after an April 2011 bomb attack The two men responsible for the attack are sentenced to death and seven others handed jail sentences ranging from two to 10 years. The bombing is the deadliest in Morocco since attacks in the coastal city of Casablanca in 2003 that killed 33 people and 12 bombers. - Tunisia - Ambulance evacuates victims of the gun attack on the Tunisian capital's Bardo Museum in March 2015 On March 18, 2015, two men gun down 20 foreign tourists and a policeman at the Bardo National Museum in Tunisia. Among the dead are French, Italian and Japanese nationals. The two attackers are shot dead by security forces. The carnage, claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group, is the deadliest assault on foreigners in Tunisia since 2002. Twenty-five people are being tried for the attack and could face the death sentence. On June 26, 2015, a Tunisian student goes on a shooting spree at the Riu Imperial Marhaba Hotel in the beach resort of Sousse, killing 38 foreign tourists including 30 from Britain. The attack is claimed by IS. The trial begins in May 2017 with 26 Tunisian nationals prosecuted including six members of the security forces accused of not assisting people in danger. - Algeria - Village of Ait Saada in Algeria near where the body of Frenchman Herve Gourdel was found in September 2014 On September 21, 2014 French national Herve Gourdel, 55, is kidnapped while hiking in a national park in the northeastern Kabyle region of Algeria. Three days later the IS-linked Jund al-Khilifa, or "Soldiers of the Caliphate", claims to have beheaded Gourdel in a video posted online after Paris rejected their demand to halt air strikes in Iraq. Gourdel's body is found three months later. Numerous extrajudicial detention centres have been set up in China's vast, troubled Xinjiang region, holding as many as one million ethnic Uighurs and other Muslim minorities, according to UN estimates Pakistan on Thursday defended its close ally China against a growing outcry over Muslims who are being detained by Chinese authorities, saying the issue was being "sensationalised" by foreign media. Numerous extrajudicial detention centres have been set up in China's vast, troubled Xinjiang region, holding as many as one million ethnic Uighurs and other Muslim minorities, according to estimates cited by a UN panel. Among them are believed to be dozens of women who married men from neighbouring Gilgit-Baltistan region in Pakistan, where people regularly cross the border into China for trade. "Some section of foreign media are trying to sensationalise the matter by spreading false information," Mohammad Faisal, spokesman for Pakistan's ministry of foreign affairs, told reporters at a weekly press briefing in Islamabad on Thursday. "As per Chinese authorities, out of 44 women, six are already in Pakistan. Four have been convicted on various charges, three are under investigations, eight are under going voluntary training. Twenty-three women are free and living in Xinjiang of their own free will," he added. In recent years, Pakistan has heavily pushed its relationship with China, lauding the tens of billions of investment dollars that Beijing is pouring into the country as a "game changer". Beijing has also upgraded the treacherous mountain road connecting Gilgit-Baltistan to Xinjiang. But China has had difficulty reconciling its desire for development with fears that Uighur separatists will import violence from Pakistan. Chinese authorities have long linked their crackdown on Xinjiang's Muslims to international counter-terrorism efforts, arguing that separatists are bent on joining foreign extremists like Al-Qaeda. They describe the camps as "vocational education centres" for people who appear to be drawn towards Islamist extremism and separatism. But human rights activists say members of China's Muslim minorities are being held involuntarily for transgressions such as wearing long beards and face veils, and that the region has become a police state. Faisal said his ministry and Chinese authorities will continue to coordinate on this matter. "The Chinese authorities have also offered to arrange visits to Xinjiang of the families of the convicted women," said Faisal. Supporters of Democratic Republic of Congo opposition leader Martin Fayulu run as police teargas fills on December 19, 2018 in Kinshasa, after a demonstration The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor warned on Thursday of a risk of "grave crimes" in the troubled Democratic Republic of Congo ahead of elections scheduled for this weekend. Fatou Bensouda said she would "not hesitate to take action" over such crimes linked to Sunday's vote, which is due to select a successor to President Joseph Kabila, in power for nearly 18 years. "I am concerned by the growing tensions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the risk of escalating violence that could lead to the commission of grave crimes under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court," Bensouda said in a statement. The Hague-based prosecutor made an "appeal to the Congolese people, and more particularly to the authorities, political actors, their supporters and sympathisers, to do their utmost to prevent and avoid any conduct of criminal violence." Bensouda added that she would "closely monitor developments in the DRC in the days and weeks to come and identify any act of incitement or resort to violence." "Experience in other countries has demonstrated that when passions run high during elections and people do not act with restraint, this may lead to large-scale crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC," she added. "In such a case, my office will not hesitate to take action". The ICC was set up in 2002 to try the world's worst crimes including war crimes and crimes against humanity. So far most of its cases have involved African countries, including in the DRC. Problems have piled up ahead of the Congolese vote, with violence at electoral rallies, inter-ethnic conflict, militia attacks in the east and an Ebola outbreak. Electoral campaigning officially began on November 22, since when at least six people have died in violence, according to a Congolese rights NGO called Acaj. The authorities deny that there have been any deaths linked to the campaign. The DRC's national election commission is mulling whether to postpone the vote after nearly 8,000 of some 10,000 voting terminals for the capital Kinshasa were destroyed in a warehouse blaze, sources there said. Afghan forces patrol in Ghazni in August 2018 following days of intense fighting against Taliban militants. US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has raised doubts about the Taliban's desire to end the 17-year war US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad raised doubts Thursday about the Taliban's desire to end the 17-year war, after the militants refused to meet with a Kabul-backed negotiating team. While he was certain the Afghan government wanted to stop the conflict, Khalilzad told Ariana News that he questioned whether the Taliban were "genuinely seeking peace". "We have to wait and see their forthcoming steps," Khalilzad said according to a translation of the interview provided by the US embassy in Kabul. Khalilzad's remarks to Afghan media following his latest face-to-face meeting with the Taliban echoed those expressed privately by some Western diplomats in the capital. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan also attended the talks in Abu Dhabi earlier this week, which the United Arab Emirates hailed as "positive for all parties concerned". But the Taliban would not meet with a 12-person Afghan delegation, Khalilzad said, describing the decision as "wrong". "If the Taliban are really seeking peace, they have to sit with the Afghan government ultimately to reach an agreement on the future political settlement in Afghanistan," the former US ambassador to Kabul said. The Taliban have long refused to talk directly to the Afghan government, which the group accuses of being a puppet of the United States. In a message released Tuesday the militants said they had held "preliminary talks" with Khalilzad on Monday. They also said they had held "extensive" meetings with officials from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, repeating demands for international forces to be withdrawn from Afghanistan. Those three countries were the only ones to recognise the Taliban's 1996-2001 regime. The meetings are the latest in a flurry of diplomatic efforts as Washington seeks a way out of the Afghan conflict, which began with the 2001 US-led invasion of the country that had harboured Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks. While US President Donald Trump wanted to end the war, Khalilzad told Tolo News that Washington's "main objective" was to ensure Afghanistan did not pose a threat to the United States in the future. While ruling out a "pre-9/11 situation" in Afghanistan, Khalilzad said he had told the Taliban that "if the menace of terrorism is tackled, the United States is not looking for a permanent military presence" in the country. Khalilzad repeated his desire for a peace deal before the Afghan presidential election scheduled to be held in April, but added it was up to the "government and the Taliban". Tobacco giant Altria says it is making a major investment in e-cigarette maker Juul to move forward with converting adult smokers to non-combustible products US tobacco giant Altria, maker of major brands such as Marlboro and Chesterfield, announced Thursday that it will buy a 35 percent stake in popular e-cigarette maker Juul for $12.8 billion. The investment gives Juul a valuation of $38 billion -- more than twice its current value of $16 billion. "We are taking significant action to prepare for a future where adult smokers overwhelmingly choose non-combustible products over cigarettes," said Altria CEO Howard Willard. "We have long said that providing adult smokers with superior, satisfying products with the potential to reduce harm is the best way to achieve tobacco harm reduction. Through Juul, we are making the biggest investment in our history toward that goal." E-cigarettes expose users to significantly lower levels of potentially toxic substances, except for nicotine, the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine said this year. Converting conventional cigarette smokers to vaping would therefore reduce the number of cancer cases. Juul CEO Kevin Burns said the Altria investment had offered his company "a truly historic opportunity to improve the lives of the world's one billion adult cigarette smokers." But Juul, founded in 2015, has nevertheless found itself at the center of controversy over the appeal of its products to young people. Numerous parents and high schools say teenagers are using Juul, raising fears that a new generation is being exposed to nicotine, which is addictive but not cancerous. The US Food and Drug Administration has denounced "an epidemic of regular nicotine use among teens." In recent months, Juul has suspended in-store sales of certain flavored offerings and scrapped its social media presence. "We certainly don't want youth using the product. It is bad for public health, and it is bad for our mission," which is "eliminating cigarettes," Burns said in November. Under the deal with Altria, Juul will remain fully independent, a statement from Altria said. US forces and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) members patrol the Kurdish-held town of Al-Darbasiyah in northeast Syria bordering Turkey on November 4, 2018 Syrian Kurdish forces said Thursday they will keep fighting the Islamic State group in eastern Syria unless they come under Turkish attack, after their US allies announced their withdrawal. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) stressed they would freeze operations if Turkey attacked, as widely expected after a pullout of US forces which have served as a buffer. "The Hajin battles continues," said Mustefa Bali, a spokesman for the Kurdish-dominated force, referring to the main front against IS in the Euphrates Valley. "The US decision is just a decision and does not yet affect the situation on the ground," Bali told AFP. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, fighting was ongoing on Thursday. Backed by air strikes from the US-led coalition, SDF forces last week seized Hajin, the largest village in the last pocket of territory still controlled by IS in eastern Syria. Hundreds of die-hard jihadists, however, have regrouped in Sousa and Al-Shaafa, the last two hubs in the ever-shrinking rump of the group's once sprawling "caliphate". "We have previously said that, if attacked, we would dedicate ourselves to the defence of our land," Bali said. "The scenario of a halt in the anti-terrorist battle is tied to Turkish threats," the SDF spokesman added. He also hinted the US pullout, which many Kurds see as a betrayal, could make Syria's autonomous Kurdish administration less inclined to retain custody of detained IS fighters whom Western countries do not want to return home. Bali did not suggest the Kurds would release detained jihadists but argued that Turkey risked targeting prisons in order to wreak chaos. "Of course, if Turkey attacks, it will affect the fate of these prisoners," he said. "Turkey may target these prisons as it tries to release these terrorists." The Kurds have repeatedly complained they do not have the capacity to handle the burden of more than 3,000 IS detainees and family members, urging Western powers to repatriate their nationals for trial at home. Wester powers, including countries with significant contingents of captured foreign fighters such as France, have been reluctant to take back jihadists. A handout picture provided by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on December 18, 2018 shows Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attending the 2019 budget meeting in Riyadh Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia is on course to post a higher deficit and lower economic growth than budgeted, due to a renewed fall in oil prices, economic experts said. For the kingdom to achieve the objectives set out in its 2019 budget released on Tuesday, oil prices must average at least $80 (70 euros) per barrel, reports said. The world's largest crude exporter issued an expansionary budget for next year, projecting record spending based on generous oil revenues, based on a recovery of oil prices from depths plumbed in 2015. But in the past few weeks, much of the earlier gains in oil markets have been wiped out as prices dived by around 35 percent. "Saudi Arabias 2019 budget was premised on optimistic assumptions regarding oil prices that are likely to be disappointed," London-based Capital Economics said in a report on Wednesday. "We think that oil prices will stay low and our end-2019 forecast for Brent is $55 a barrel as global oil demand growth weakens," it said. Saudi Arabia projects a deficit of $35 billion next year, or 4.6 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), about 32 percent lower than the estimated deficit of $52 billion for 2018. Spending is estimated at $295 billion, the largest in the oil-rich kingdom's history, while revenues -- mostly from oil -- are estimated at $260 billion, up 24 percent on 2018 estimates. "The authorities estimate that oil revenues will come in at 662 billion riyals next year which, by our calculations, assumes that oil prices will average around $80 a barrel," Capital Economics said. Saudi Jadwa Investment, an independent think-tank, estimated that oil revenues will come in at least $9 billion lower than projections, due to the renewed fall in oil prices. It said this will result in a deficit of $44 billion, $9 billion higher than the official projection. Capital Economics expected the budget deficit to be around double the government's projection at around 10 percent of GDP. The reports also said that GDP growth next year will be lower than the government's forecast of 2.6 percent -- Capital Economics estimated a rate of 1.3 percent, while Jadwa predicted 2.0 percent. Saudi Arabia has posted repeated budget deficits since oil prices crashed in 2014, accumulating a combined shortfall of $313 billion since then. But it has managed to reduce gradually the size of the annual budget gap, thanks to the recovery of oil prices between early 2016 and October 2018. It has also sought to bolster revenues by imposing a value-added tax, levies on expatriates and hikes in fuel and power prices. Kurdish demonstrators gather to protest near the border wall separating Turkey from Syria in the western Syrian countryside of Ras al-Ain The US decision to pull troops out of eastern Syria will leave the Kurds exposed to Turkish military threats and forced to cooperate with Damascus, analysts said Thursday. In a shock announcement, US President Donald Trump ordered a full troop pullout of Syria, where he claimed the Islamic State group had been defeated. His statement on Wednesday was met with dismay by some of his own allies at home and abroad but the hardest-hit were Syria's Kurds who have been spearheading the fight against IS. Days earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was planning a new military offensive against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) east of the Euphrates River in Syria. Turkey views the YPG as a "terrorist offshoot" of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. "If the withdrawal decision is really implemented, this will open way for Turkey to start its operations against the Kurds and a bloody war will begin," said Mutlu Civiroglu, a Kurdish affairs analyst. The SDF, in which the YPG is the key element, has already warned that a Turkish offensive would led to a freeze of anti-IS operations and could also have an impact on the fate of the many Western jihadists it has begrudgingly kept in its own prisons. - Talks with Damascus - With tension rising on the border between Turkey and Kurdish-controlled areas of Syria, the US had set up observation posts in a bid to rein in its NATO ally. The announcement by the White House coincided with news that Washington had approved the $3.5-billion sale of Patriot missiles and associated equipment to Turkey. "Turkish escalation in Syria seems to be bearing fruit," said Joshua Landis, who heads the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. "Clearly this decision is a blow to Kurdish aspirations and hopes in north Syria, but the Kurds have been preparing for just such a day," he said. The Kurds have long tried to secure self-rule in the area and have taken a frontline role in the West's fight against IS way beyond their heartland's boundaries in a bid to win durable support. The political leadership of the self-declared Rojava region the Kurds unilaterally proclaimed two years ago has already begun talks with Damascus. The Kurds have military control over territory covering almost 30 percent of Syria, including some of its most oil-rich regions. The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has warned the Kurds to give up on its self-rule plans or face military action. - 'Twitching in the wind' - Trump's announcement contradicts previous statements that US forces would remain in Syria as long as Iran maintained a military presence there. "The logic of staying in Syria is very weak. The US is surrounded by enemies that are determined to force it out of Syria and has not one neighbouring government as an ally," Landis pointed out. A US officer (R), from the US-led coalition speaks to a fighter from the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) at the site of Turkish airstrikes in northeast Syria He argued that Washington owed Syria's Kurds some form of assistance and said any withdrawal should come with guarantees, such as "more money, some autonomy and control over local oil and protection from Turkish forces". In the town of Ras al-Ain, near Syria's border with Turkey, demonstrators said Thursday that the US was abandoning them. "The whole world is taking the view that the Kurdish cause can be bought and sold," said Khaled Usso, a 45-year-old who attended a protest against Turkish military threats and Trump's decision. "This is a major betrayal of the people of Rojava," he said. Joost Hiltermann, Middle East programme director at the International Crisis Group think-tank, said a hasty US withdrawal would leave the Kurds more exposed than ever. "The decision, if carried out precipitously, would leave the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces twitching in the wind," he said. "Both Turkey and Syria want to eliminate the YPG as a military actor," Hiltermann warned. Disgraced Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, who is facing charges of sexual assault, arrives for a court hearing A US judge on Thursday refused to dismiss sexual assault charges against disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, and set the next hearing in the case for March. "We are obviously disappointed that the charges were not dismissed today," Weinstein's attorney Ben Brafman told reporters after a brief court hearing in Manhattan. "I still believe the charges need to be dismissed," Brafman said. "This is not about the MeToo movement," he added. "It's a specific criminal case." Judge James Burke set the next hearing in the case for March 7. The 66-year-old Weinstein is facing five counts over an alleged rape in March 2013 and a forced act of oral sex in 2006. He could face life in prison if convicted. The Hollywood producer has been accused by more than 80 women of sexual misconduct and has been a focus of the #MeToo campaign. The government of Sheikh Hasina, who is seeking a record fourth term in office, has been accused by civil society groups of drifting towards authoritarianism, silencing dissent and the press Facebook has shut down several fake news sites with apparent links to the Bangladeshi government, the social media giant said Thursday, days before the country goes to the polls in a bitterly contested election. The government of Sheikh Hasina, who is seeking a record fourth term in office, has been accused by civil society groups of drifting towards authoritarianism, silencing dissent and the press by using an onerous digital-security law. At least six people have been killed in election campaign clashes between Hasina's ruling Awami League and the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), whose incarcerated veteran leader Khaleda Zia was last month handed another stiff jail term. Facebook said it had suspended nine pages and six accounts it had linked to "individuals associated with the Bangladesh government" and which posted anti-opposition content while masquerading as independent news sources. "This kind of behaviour is not allowed on Facebook under our misrepresentation policy because we dont want people or organisations creating networks of accounts to mislead others about who they are, or what theyre doing," the company said in a statement. There was no immediate comment from the government, but the country's election commission announced Wednesday it set up a body to monitor and check "rumours and propaganda" in social media over the December 30 polls, according to the state run BSS news agency. Earlier this month the government blocked more than 50 websites and news portals for what it said were security reasons, prompting an outcry from rights advocates. Facebook has been working to repair its battered reputation, improving the speed with which hate speech is taken down from the platform. The Facebook decision came only a day after it removed hundreds of pages and accounts in neighbouring Myanmar with hidden links to the military, as the company scrambles to respond to criticism over its failure to curb hate speech and misinformation. An violent army crackdown last year drove more than 720,000 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar into Bangladesh, while a torrent of dehumanising material about the stateless group spread on the site. An independent report commissioned by Facebook concluded last month that the company should have done more to prevent the platform from being used to foment division and incite offline violence against the Rohingya. TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran is blaming the United States and Israel for Albania's expulsion of two Iranian diplomats accused of engaging in criminal activities that threatened the small European country's security. The official IRNA news agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi as saying "Albania has become an unintentional victim of the United States, Israel and some terrorists groups." He says the U.S. and Israel are working to destroy relations between Iran and European countries, and that Albania should not allow others to dictate its relations with Tehran. U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton praised Albania in a tweet for expelling "the Iranian ambassador, signaling to Iran's leaders that their support for terrorism will not be tolerated." COVINGTON, Ga. (AP) - A police officer in Georgia who was shot in the head has returned home after months of physical rehabilitation. News outlets report Covington police Officer Matt Cooper finished his inpatient brain injury rehab program Wednesday and got to go home. Police say officers responded to a report of shoplifting at an area Walmart in September and three suspects fled, shooting at officers. Authorities say Cooper was shot in the head by 21-year-old suspect Aaron Demonta Fleming, who was shot and killed at the scene. Authorities have said Fleming's gunshot wound was likely self-inflicted. The other suspects were taken into custody. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said then that Cooper was hospitalized in serious condition. He underwent several surgeries and was later transferred to the rehabilitation center. WASHINGTON (AP) - Former President Barack Obama surprised patients as he delivered gifts at a children's hospital in Washington. The former president, wearing a Santa cap and carrying a sack of presents, greeted patients and their parents at Children's National on Wednesday with a "ho, ho, ho!" He told them his reindeer were "stuck in some snow," but he wanted to make sure he visited. Obama chatted with patients in their rooms and stopped by several playrooms. He also recorded a video message for those he couldn't visit. The hospital tweeted that Obama "warmed our hallways and put smiles on everyone's faces!" Obama tweeted a message of thanks to the hospital. The former president last visited the hospital in 2014. TIRANA, Albania (AP) - Albania's opposition center-right Democratic Party has returned to parliament for the first time since July - and almost immediately one of its lawmakers threw an egg at the prime minister. Opposition lawmaker Endri Hasa on Thursday was seen throwing the egg at Edi Rama's belly while he was speaking. The leadership expelled Hasa for 10 days. The opposition has been boycotting parliament since the summer break. A few flares were thrown outside the parliament building by opposition supporters. Students, who have been boycotting lessons for more than two weeks, were in a separate group, saying they were against any act of violence. The government has agreed to fulfill students' requests for a lowering of tuition fees, but wants a dialogue to discuss ways to do it. TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) - A former boyfriend of a "Jersey Shore" cast member is accused of seeking $25,000 for not divulging secrets to the media. Toms River police on Wednesday charged Thomas Lippolis with third-degree extortion. Police say Lippolis had dated cast member Jenni "JWoww" Farley for close to a year 10 years ago. Police say Farley's publicist had received a call from Lippolis demanding money in exchange for his silence. It could not be determined if Lippolis has a lawyer. Farley is seeking a divorce from her husband, Roger Matthews, whom she married in October 2015. LONDON (AP) - Britain's broadcasting regulator says Russian state-owned TV channel RT broke impartiality rules seven times after the poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skripal. Skripal, a former Russian intelligence agent, and his daughter Yulia were left critically ill after being exposed to the nerve agent Novichok in the English city of Salisbury on March 4. They were eventually discharged from hospitalization. Britain says Russia poisoned the Skripals with a Soviet-made nerve agent. Russia denies involvement. Regulator Ofcom said Thursday that the seven breaches came in programs over a six-week period, mostly about the Skripal poisoning or the conflict in Syria. It said they "represent a serious failure of compliance with our broadcasting rules." The regulator said it was considering a "statutory sanction," which could range from a fine to a license suspension. NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - The death penalty is not off the table for a Navy veteran charged with killing a Virginia woman whose kidnapping inspired the creation of an Amber Alert-like system for missing adults. Eric Brian Brown was arrested last year in connection with the September 2017 kidnapping of 19-year-old Ashanti Billie. Her body was found about 330 miles (530 kilometers) away from Norfolk, in Charlotte, North Carolina. The 46-year-old is charged with one count of kidnapping resulting in death and assault resulting in serious bodily injury and theft. A murder warrant from North Carolina remains unserved. A spokesman for the U.S. attorney for Virginia's eastern district tells The Virginian-Pilot no decision has been made regarding whether to seek the death penalty. Brown has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and isn't currently competent to stand trial. ___ Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://pilotonline.com BERLIN (AP) - A German federal court on Thursday overturned the conviction of a Rwandan man sentenced to 13 years in prison as an accessory to war crimes in eastern Congo. In 2015, a Stuttgart court convicted Ignace Murwanashyaka and Straton Musoni over their roles as the former president and vice president, respectively, of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a mostly ethnic Hutu militia. Both were convicted of leading a terrorist organization. Murwanashyaka was also convicted on four counts of being an accessory to war crimes. Germany's Federal Court of Justice rejected an appeal by Musoni, who was given an eight-year sentence, but overturned Murwanashyaka's conviction and sent his case back for a retrial. The court cited legal errors in the reasoning of the original verdict that could have counted both for and against Murwanashyaka, including doubts about the war crimes conviction and whether he encouraged or facilitated attacks on villages. The court said that section of the Stuttgart court's verdict was contradictory in parts. The Stuttgart court said that Murwanashyaka was the international representative of the group known by its French acronym FDLR, coordinated its activities and, as a member of its executive committee, issued statements denying or covering up crimes it committed. The Stuttgart court found that he facilitated attacks by FDLR rebels in 2009 on the Congolese villages of Mianga, Busurungi, Chiriba and Manje, though it didn't find evidence that he ordered the attacks as a military commander. The two men, who had lived in Germany since the 1980s, were arrested in November 2009. The FDLR is made up mostly of Hutu refugees from Rwanda who took shelter across the border in Congo after the 1994 genocide in which more than 800,000 people were killed, mostly ethnic Tutsis but also moderate Hutus. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Washington, D.C., City Council has passed a bill promising the District's electric grid will run entirely on renewable energy by 2032. WTOP-FM reports the council on Tuesday unanimously passed the Clean Energy D.C. Omnibus Act of 2018. It includes requirements for new and existing buildings, electric car tax incentives and possible carbon fees on gas sales. Chairman Phil Mendelson says the bill still needs to secure funding. The District's chief financial officer says the bill will cost $91 million to implement over the next four years. Councilman Vincent Gray says the bill will increase fees funding the Sustainable Energy Trust Fund, which provides energy assistance to low-income residents and supports sustainability programs. The bill also says the District will work with Maryland and Virginia to reduce regional carbon emissions. ___ Information from: WTOP-FM, http://www.wtop.com HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) - The Zimbabwean government says there is "no need" to extradite Grace Mugabe, the wife of the country's former leader, to neighboring South Africa after police there issued a warrant for her arrest. Energy Mutodi, Zimbabwe's deputy minister of information, said Thursday that the government objects to the move by South African law enforcement against Mugabe, who is accused of assaulting a woman in Johannesburg last year. Mutodi says former president Robert Mugabe was the country's founder and that "harassment of his immediate family members is not in the best interests of Zimbabwe." Earlier this year, a South African court ruled that South Africa's government acted illegally when it granted diplomatic immunity to Grace Mugabe after the alleged attack at an upscale hotel. BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. (AP) - A man crept into the back seat of an SUV while the driver was returning a shopping cart in a Walmart parking lot and police say he robbed the driver when he re-entered the vehicle. Boynton Beach, Florida, police spokeswoman Stephanie Slater said in an email that when the driver entered the Honda SUV Dec. 9, the man ordered him to go to the nearest ATM. The driver told investigators he felt a gun muzzle pressed against his side. The victim withdrew $200, handed it over and the robber walked away. Surveillance video showed the man entering the SUV. On Wednesday, police arrested 50-year-old Keith Kalnas on charges of armed robbery and kidnapping. Records don't say whether he has a lawyer. Police warn shoppers to always lock their car doors. PARIS (AP) - Airbus shares are sinking on a French news report that the U.S. Department of Justice has opened an official investigation into alleged corruption by the European plane-maker. British and French authorities were already investigating alleged fraud and bribery related to Airbus' use of outside consultants in commercial plane sales. Airbus has warned that the investigations could lead to significant penalties and promised to stop working with middlemen. The Le Monde report said U.S. investigators have launched a formal probe of their own. Airbus said Thursday that it's cooperating with U.S. authorities, which requested information related to the British-French investigations that could fall within U.S. jurisdictions. The company's share price dropped sharply on the report Thursday before rallying, and was trading down 5 percent in early afternoon at 82.53 euros ($94.13). FILE - In this May 6, 2016 file photo, the logo of the Airbus Group is pictured in Suresnes, outside Paris. Shares in Airbus are sinking on a report in Le Monde that the U.S. Department of Justice has opened an official investigation into alleged fraud by the European planemaker. Authorities in Britain and France were already investigating alleged fraud and bribery related to Airbus' use of outside consultants in commercial plane sales. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)) BALTIMORE (AP) - The city of Baltimore has recorded 300 homicides for the fourth straight year, as its troubled police department awaits a permanent commissioner. News outlets report the city's 300th homicide was recorded shortly before midnight Wednesday, when a 30-year-old man was fatally shot in the face and upper body. Before 2015, Baltimore hadn't reached 300 homicides in a single year since 1999. The Baltimore Sun reports the 1990s were the city's deadliest decade by body count, but saw a lower death rate, as there were 100,000 more residents then. Last year, the city reached the 300th mark by Nov. 2 and recorded 342 homicides in total, a per capita record. Baltimore police have been roiled by scandal and leadership turnover, with the department's top post changing hands three times this year. BAGHDAD (AP) - President Donald Trump is declaring victory over the Islamic State group in Syria, but the militants remain a deadly force, and U.S. partners warn a premature U.S. withdrawal will allow them to storm back. The U.S. commander-in-chief made the announcement in a tweet Wednesday, using the surprise declaration to justify a sudden decision to remove all U.S. troops from Syria, a policy shift that caught lawmakers by surprise. But the jihadists still hold territory in Syria and top leaders, including the group's self-styled caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, remain at large. The U.S. is estimated to have 2,000 soldiers deployed in the war-torn country. In new tweets Thursday, Trump claimed Russia, Iran and Syria are not happy about the U.S. leaving. A look at the claims: ___ FILE - This image made from video posted on a militant website July 5, 2014, purports to show the leader of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, delivering a sermon at a mosque in Iraq during his first public appearance. President Donald Trump declared victory over the Islamic State group in Syria in a tweet Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018, but the militants remain a deadly force, and U.S. partners warn a premature U.S. withdrawal will allow them to storm back. The jihadists still hold territory in Syria and top leaders, including the group's self-styled caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, remain at large. (Militant video via AP, File) TRUMP: "We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency." - tweet Wednesday. THE FACTS: The militants still hold a string of villages and towns along the Euphrates River in eastern Syria, where they have resisted weeks of attacks by the U.S.-supported Syrian Democratic Forces to drive them out. The pocket is home to about 15,000 people, among them 2,000 IS fighters, according to U.S. military estimates. But that figure could be as high as 8,000 militants, if fighters hiding out in the deserts south of the Euphrates River are also counted, according to according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict through networks of local informants. Observatory head Rami Abdurrahman said they include seasoned militants who have fought global wars of jihad since the 1990s. The SDF, a Kurdish-led force that is America's only military partner in Syria, said Thursday: "The war against Islamic State has not ended and the group has not been defeated." The group is at the front lines of the battle against IS along the Euphrates River. It said a U.S. withdrawal would leave Syrians "between the claws of enemy forces." At their height in 2014, Islamic State militants controlled approximately a third of territory in Syria and Iraq, including major cities in both countries. The group flourished in the political vacuum of Syria's civil war, in which President Bashar Assad has violently put down a 2011 uprising against his family's 40-year rule. The pocket along the Euphrates represents just one percent of the territory it once held. But recent attacks in Iraq show the group is still capable of mounting deadly attacks, even without holding urban areas. In November, IS militants stormed a security meeting near Karma in western Iraq and killed nine security officers. In the year since Iraq's government declared its own victory against the group, IS militants have mounted increasingly audacious attacks on roads and villages in the country, kidnapping and killing civilians and security officers and sewing fear of a brewing resurgence. Trump's own advisers have described the battle against IS as a long-term commitment that depends on stabilizing Syria after nearly eight years of civil war. "Nobody is declaring mission accomplished," said Brett McGurk, the Special Presidential Envoy to the coalition to defeat IS in Syria and Iraq, on Dec. 11. A week before that, Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the U.S. still had a long way to go in training local Syrian forces to prevent a resurgence of IS and stabilize the country. He said it would take 35,000 to 40,000 local troops in northeastern Syria to maintain security over the long term, but only about 20 percent of that number had been trained. Bolton, the national security adviser, said in September that the U.S. would keep a military presence in Syria as long as Iran was active there. "We're not going to leave as long as Iranian troops are outside Iranian borders and that includes Iranian proxies and militias," he said. Iran is a key supporter of Assad, the Syrian president. TRUMP: "Russia, Iran, Syria & many others are not happy about the U.S. leaving, despite what the Fake News says, because now they will have to fight ISIS and others, who they hate, without us." - tweet Thursday. THE FACTS: The U.S. military presence has been contentious for Syrian President Bashar Assad and its Russian and Iranian allies, and all are expected to try and fill the void created by a U.S. withdrawal. Russian President Vladimir on Thursday welcomed the U.S. decision to withdraw its forces, saying "it has done the right thing." A lawmaker in Damascus put it more bluntly, saying it would be "recognition that Syria has won" the war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu weighed in, saying the Israeli military will intensify its activity in Syria to prevent Iranian entrenchment following the withdrawal of American forces from the country. ___ Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2018 file photo, American troops look out toward the border with Turkey from a small outpost near the town of Manbij, northern Syria. President Donald Trump declared victory over the Islamic State group in Syria in a tweet Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018, but the militants remain a deadly force, and U.S. partners warn a premature U.S. withdrawal will allow them to storm back. Trump's tweet contradicted a September policy statement by his national security adviser, John Bolton, who said that U.S. forces were in Syria to counter Iranian influence, not just to defeat IS. (AP Photo/Susannah George, File) ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Greece is finally recovering from a fiscal crisis that stretched on for years. But for many taxpayers, the anguish is far from over. With a 350 billion euro ($400 million) bill still to pay after eight years of international bailouts, the country's tax office is resorting to increasingly draconian tactics, reaching directly into the bank accounts of ordinary citizens who have fallen behind on payments. Retired school teacher Yiota Kalomiri thought some mistake had been made when she saw half her pension missing in April. Bank staff informed her they had received a seizure notice and instructions to execute it without providing any warning or formal notification. "It was awful and it had an immediate effect on us," said Kalomiri, who lives in the small southern town of Methoni. "It is appalling and unfair - a policy imposed by people who don't understand what it feels like to go to the supermarket with hardly any money or the notion of a life with some dignity." She said the money was seized from a joint bank account to pay for the tax arrears of her husband, who is currently unemployed. His debts, totaling some 2,500 euros ($2,860), were for income and property taxes. Successive waves of emergency taxes heaped on Greeks during the crisis have left over 100 billion euros ($114 billion) uncollected. That's equivalent to more than half the country's GDP. In this Thursday Dec. 20, 2018 photo, a man waits to cross the street as cars drive outside the building of the Greek Finance Ministry in central Athens. With a 350 billion-euro bill still to pay after eight years of international bailouts, Greece's tax office is resorting to increasingly draconian tactics _ reaching directly into the bank accounts of ordinary citizens who have fallen even a few weeks behind on payments. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) October data released this week by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue - the official name for the tax office - revealed the staggering extent of the problem. More than 4.1 million taxpayers, equivalent to two-thirds of people with taxable income in Greece, are currently in arrears. And some 1.15 million have been subjected to asset seizures, mostly money docked directly from their bank accounts. Seizure orders can lead to the confiscation of salaries, pensions, and even benefits paid out by the state, both for privately employed and public workers. A report published in October by Greece's ombudsman says money has been taken in some cases even after outstanding debts have been settled, and with little opportunity to challenge mistakes. "It is clear that citizens are taken by surprise because the action can be taken without warning," said Christina Florou, co-author of the 70-page report. "They suddenly discover that their accounts have been frozen and in some cases they are even denied amounts required to live." Greece sought help from other eurozone members and the International Monetary Fund in 2010 when it came to the brink of bankruptcy in the wake of the global financial crisis. The country remained under the threat of financial collapse through three successive rescue programs that ended in August this year. But in a 2019 budget approved by parliament this week, the country committed to maintaining austerity measures and bailout-era emergency taxes indefinitely in return for a pledge from lenders to improve repayment terms in the coming years. Without that additional debt relief, the economy could lurch back into crisis. Greeks have been bombarded with tax hikes on their income, property, and purchased goods, with an end-of-year "solidarity surcharge" added to the annual bill. Various groups of self-employed people were even been asked to pay taxes on their projected income. According to a recent study, the average Greek had to work till July 18 just to clear his or her taxes. That's 50 days more than at the start of the crisis. Authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but in a presentation to parliament in July, revenue authority governor George Pitsilis said priority for seizures was given to taxpayers with large debts, and no action was taken for people who owe up to 500 euros. "The role of governor is truly an unpleasant one . It must be carried out in a technocratic, a cold, way, leaving personal feelings to one side," he said. "But we must also consider the special circumstances our country is in. (Politicians) want the revenues but not the measures - and that makes a bit of an impression on me. If the revenues could be collected by themselves, with no action taken, we'd all be very happy." Back in southern Greece, Yiota Kalomiri joined small protests in recent months outside banks in the coastal city of Kalamata. She said she managed to limit some of the money seized every month by obtaining her pension by check instead of direct deposit. "I want people to know that this is happening without our consent and that it's not OK," she said. "They are trampling on people's lives in a way that's so heavy-handed, so undemocratic. It's unfair, and to speak out is a question of our survival." ___ Follow Gatopoulos at http://www.twitter.com/dgatopoulos LISBON, Portugal (AP) - Portugal's Socialist government has approved an increase in the country's minimum wage to 600 euros a month ($687) from Jan. 1. The Cabinet passed the proposal Thursday, saying in a statement that the measure would cover more than 750,000 workers. When the center-left government came to power in 2015, the minimum wage was 505 euros a month. It has increased the amount each year, and it currently stands at 580 euros - the lowest in western Europe. In the European Union, only eastern European countries have lower minimum wages than Portugal. The government, which faces a general election next October, also granted an extra 10 euros a month to pensioners. Portugal's is one of the 19-country eurozone's smallest economies. NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) - New imaging technology is providing a new look at sunken submarines in Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound - helping to make the case for preservation of the wreckage sites. University of Rhode Island professor Rod Mather says three sunken submarines - the USS G-1, USS L-8 and the German U-853 - were imaged last summer, along with the sunken Black Point merchant ship. The Newport Daily News reports there are plans to image a fourth submarine, the USS Bass, next summer. American forces sunk the 55-crew German sub in 1945 after it fired a torpedo at the Black Point, killing 12 of the 46 men aboard. The images are the result of new, high-resolution technology developed by the federal Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. Maher says the images may help win historic designation for the sites. ___ Information from: The Newport Daily News. TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) - A few weeks ago it was just another overgrown street corner weed. Now it's decked out with Christmas lights and ornaments and sprouting holiday goodwill. The Christmas weed, as it's affectionately known across Toledo, has become an overnight holiday attraction, bringing out hundreds of children and adults who have been lining up for selfies and leaving behind donations for the needy. It all began when one family decorated the weed to spread some Christmas cheer. But the sad and scraggly weed has grown into something bigger. "It's a true Christmas story," said Jimmy Izbinski, who joined the fun this week by putting on a Santa Claus suit and waving to motorists passing by with smiles on their faces. "With love, a weed can be a beautiful thing." The weed, which once stood 4 feet high (1.2 meters high) and shoots out from the edge of a traffic island, started out with just a bit of tinsel and garland nearly two weeks ago. In the past few days, others have added lights, candy canes and glass ornaments - leaving little of the weed visible - while surrounding it with canned goods, blankets, clothes and wrapped gifts. A dead potted plant draped with Santa hats and bows has been added to the collection. In this Dec. 18, 2018 photo, Jimmy Izbinski, wearing a Santa suit, waves to motorists passing the Christmas weed in Toledo, Ohio. The street corner weed decked out with lights and ornaments is spreading holiday goodwill. (AP Photo/John Seewer) At some point over the past few days, someone apparently ripped off the top of the weed, but that didn't dampen the good cheer. Of course, there have been jokes about whether the weed might be the variety that could get you arrested in Ohio, and there's a Facebook page dedicated to daily updates. So many donations have been pouring in that the city brought in bins on Wednesday to handle the overflow and warned people to be careful while stopping at the busy intersection. All of the contributions, the city said, will be given to local charities. "It's awesome that the community is coming together to share the spirit like this," said Tenley Hauser, of nearby Temperance, Michigan, who stopped by to see the weed this week. "It started out with a little weed and look what it's turned into." KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Kansas City's Secret Santa has hit the streets again delivering good cheer in the form of $100 bills. The Kansas City Star reports that the man made stops Tuesday at a tiny house village for homeless veterans, along with discount and second-hand stores. Several elves joined him, including Jackson County Sheriff Darryl Forte and County Executive and Royals Hall of Famer Frank White. The Secret Santa tradition began years ago with a man named Larry Stewart. Stewart was touched by a stranger's kindness at his lowest point. He later became wealthy and decided to share his good fortune with strangers. When Stewart was dying of cancer, he enlisted the current Secret Santa, who insists on anonymity. He's carried on the tradition for 12 years and says it "never gets old." ___ Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com Wind power generation hit a new record for Britain this week as renewables play an increasing role in the energy mix, figures show. Onshore and offshore wind generated 15 gigawatts of power between 11.15am and 12.15pm on Tuesday, supplying 34.7% of Britains electricity needs, figures from Drax Electic Insights confirmed by National Grid show. Separate figures from the Government show the rising role of renewables, which made up a record third (33.1%) of electricity generation from July to September, up from 30% in the third quarter of 2017. ANOTHER RECORD BROKEN! To celebrate, here's a #wind emoji for every GW... https://t.co/XiO59eyKlL National Grid ESO (@NationalGridESO) December 18, 2018 The increase in renewables pushed low-carbon electricitys share of generation to a new record of 56% over the three-month period, up from 54% during the same time last year, the Business Department figures show. The share of power generated by gas fell slightly to 38.6% compared with the previous year, while coal accounted for 2.5% of the mix, down from 2.9% for the third quarter of 2017. Industry body RenewableUK said a record amount of offshore wind infrastructure was installed in 2018, with more than two gigawatts of capacity becoming operational, enough to power more than 2.3 million homes. It included the worlds largest operational offshore wind farm, Walney Extension, which officially opened off the coast of Cumbria in September, powering nearly 600,000 homes. The Walney Extension in the Irish Sea (Peter Byrne/PA) With the opening of Walney Extension, the UK hit a historic milestone of 20 gigawatts of onshore and offshore wind generation capacity. That is enough to power more than 14 million homes throughout the year and cut carbon emissions by 25 million tonnes a year, RenewableUK said. RenewableUK also revealed there is set to be a huge increase in battery storage, which can store excess electricity generated from green power and release it to the grid when needed, with many projects alongside wind and solar farms. Some 400 projects are operational or in the pipeline, the industry body said. Executive director Emma Pinchbeck said: Setting a new wind energy generation record in December is a great Christmas gift in an exceptional year for the UKs world-leading renewable energy industries weve smashed record after record. In the years ahead, the electricity system will be smarter and cleaner for people. Like the Ghost of Christmas Future, 2018 has shown us portents of a new type of energy system led by renewables. In the present, were celebrating the fact that UK wind and marine energy are keeping the Christmas tree lights on. Weve hit another #cleangrowth milestone: 56% of electricity generated came from low carbon sources like wind and solar in the last quarter Stats out today show how our #IndustrialStrategy has boosted our home grown clean energy sector https://t.co/Pg8jYkYfUj pic.twitter.com/FBsLypV0rT Dept for BEIS (@beisgovuk) December 20, 2018 Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry said: Christmas lights across the UK will be powered by record levels of clean energy over the festive break. Todays figures show how continued investment in new windfarms and clean energy has boosted the amount of electricity generated from low carbon sources to a record 56% over the last quarter. Greenpeace UK policy director Dr Doug Parr said: Solar and wind technologies are powering ahead beating new records for low costs and high production despite unhelpful government interventions. Meanwhile, after all the support theyve received, the fracking industry hasnt gone much further than drilling a handful of holes in the ground, while the much-touted nuclear renaissance is falling apart one doomed project after the other. Its about time ministers looked again at their energy policy, stopped backing the wrong horse, and gave their full support to clean, affordable, quick-to-build renewable energy. A 29-year-old man refused to recognise a magistrates court in Northern Ireland as he was charged with a series of terror-related offences. Niall Lehd, a serving prisoner, refused to stand when asked by District Judge Nigel Broderick at Ballymena Court in Co Antrim on Thursday morning. He was charged with a number of terror offences relating to two periods of time including on dates between 2011 and 2013 the intention to commit acts of terrorism, manufacturing explosive devices, the preparation of an act of terrorism and providing information likely to be of use to terrorists; and between dates in 2016, further charges including possession of explosive devices. The court heard Ledh is due to be released from prison in March 2019. Dressed in a casual leisure wear type jacket, Lehd nodded to the court clerk from a seated position in the dock when asked whether he understood the charges that had been put to him. Detective Constable Andrew Allen told the court that he believed he could connect Lehd to the charges. A 29-year-old man arrested in the North West area yesterday (18/12) has been charged with a number of terrorism-related offences. He is due to appear at Ballymena Magistrates Court tomorrow, Thursday 20th December. Police Service NI (@PoliceServiceNI) December 19, 2018 No application for bail was made, and Ledh was remanded in custody to appear again at the court via videolink on January 17. Lehd was arrested in custody on Wednesday by detectives who are investigating the discovery of weapons in two forest parks and a number of other sites near Larne, Co Antrim. Former Royal Marine Ciaran Maxwell (Met Police/PA) A dissident republican who infiltrated the British military was last year sentenced to 18 years in prison for supplying and building bombs found at the sites. Former Royal Marine Ciaran Maxwell stashed anti-personnel mines, mortars, ammunition and 14 pipe bombs four of which were later used in 43 purpose-built hides at eight locations in Northern Ireland and England, including hauls buried in barrels at Carnfunnock and Capanagh forest parks near Larne. Maxwell, originally from Larne, was a serving member 40 Commando based at Norton Manor Camp in Taunton, Somerset, at the time of the offences. He was sentenced at the Old Bailey after pleading guilty to preparation of terrorist acts between January 2011 and August 2016, possessing images of bank cards for fraud and possessing cannabis with intent to supply. Retired Swedish racing driver Kenny Brack has lost the latest stage of a UK court fight with his estranged wife over millions of pounds. Anita Brack, who also comes from Sweden, had asked three Court of Appeal judges to overturn decisions made by a High Court judge two years ago. She says she is entitled to half of the 11 million, and complained that a ruling by Mr Justice Francis unfairly left her with 500 000 and Brack more than 10 million. Brack, who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1999, said her appeal should be dismissed. Appeal judges Lord Justice Lewison, Lady Justice King and Lord Justice Peter Jackson on Thursday ruled in Ms Bracks favour after analysing evidence at a Court of Appeal hearing in London. They said Mr Justice Francis had fallen into error and should reconsider Ms Bracks claims at a further High Court hearing. Retired Swedish racing driver Kenny Brack, who has lost the latest stage of a fight over millions of pounds with his estranged wife Anita. PA/Stefan Rousseau Lady Justice King urged the Bracks to try to negotiate a settlement and avoid the need for further litigation. She said they had subjected themselves to punishing litigation for more than three years at a huge financial and emotional cost. Judges have heard that the Bracks, who are in their early 50s, started living together in 1994, married in 2000 and split around five years ago. They have two children and lived in Maidenhead, Berkshire, when married. The couple signed a prenuptial agreement during a romantic weekend at a luxury hotel near Niagara Falls, Canada, shortly before marrying, judges have heard. Ms Brack says that Niagara agreement, plus two similar agreements, were unfair to her. A profile on Motor Sport magazines website says Brack became a star in America after racing in Swedish Formula 3 during the late 1980s. His career ended after he was seriously injured in an accident while racing in Texas in 2003. Motor Sport says Brack was hit fencing at 200mph and suffered a broken back, sternum, ankles and right leg. Former US president Barack Obama delighted patients and staff at a childrens hospital, donning a Santa hat to deliver gifts. The official Twitter account for the Childrens National, a hospital in Washington DC, shared a video of the trip with the caption: Thank you @BarackObama for making our day so much brighter. Your surprise warmed our hallways and put smiles on everyones faces! Our patients loved your company and your gifts! Thank you @BarackObama for making our patients day so much brighter. Your surprise warmed our hallways and put smiles on everyones faces! Our patients loved your companyand your gifts! https://t.co/bswxSrA4sQ #HolidaysAtChildrens #ObamaAndKids pic.twitter.com/qii53UbSRS Children's National Hospital (@ChildrensNatl) December 19, 2018 The footage shows Mr Obama, 55, handing out presents and talking and playing with overjoyed children around the hospital on Wednesday. The former president, who served two terms from 2008 to 2016, told staff: I just want to say thank you to all of you guys for the chance to talk to some of the wonderful kids and their families at a time that is obviously tough for folks. President Barack Obama waves outside 10 Downing Street, London. As a dad of two girls I can only imagine, in that situation, to have nurses and staff and doctors and people who are caring for them and looking after them and listening to them and just there for them and holding their hand thats the most important thing there is. What a great reminder of what the holiday spirit is meant to be all about. A post on the hospitals Instagram account showed pictures of Mr Obama with a large sack of presents, talking to staff and posing for selfies with patients. Who said the Grinch stole Christmas?! read the caption. Our patients and their families received a HUGE holiday surprise when @barackobama warmed our hallways with a huge bag of gifts for our patients! Thank you so much for visiting! An estimated 597 homeless people died in England and Wales in 2018, with the numbers rising by 24% over the past five years. The figures from the Office for National Statistics come as temperatures plunge across the country so what do you do when you see someone sleeping rough on the streets? The initial answer is the same wherever you are. Specialists and volunteers say having a chat with a rough sleeper, if you feel comfortable doing so, can go a long way. Without being intrusive, it is advised that you might want to ask their name, who they are and what their situation is. What is somewhat harder is working out what to do next and this depends on the situation. Here are a few things to consider. Does the person need emergency help? 1. If the person in question is likely to be under 18 or is sleeping rough with a child in their care, this is a matter to refer to the police and social services immediately as local authorities have a legal obligation to provide shelter to children. 2. If the person is in need of urgent medical attention, for example if they have an open wound or appear to be seriously ill, calling 999 for an ambulance will get them professional help quickly. 3. Another immediate concern, especially in cold conditions, is where the person is set to spend the next few hours. Day shelters offering food and clothing and usually during the winter months night shelters that offer safe, warm sleeping areas, are in operation in many areas, so Google those running in your area or search via homeless.org.uk. (PA Graphics) Will they be outside in sub-zero temperatures? During the extremely cold weather specifically, when temperatures fall to zero degrees or lower for three days special measures come into action with the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP). When this comes into force, the local authority and other organisations in the area will work to offer extra temporary accommodation where possible. Your local authoritys housing options number usually easy to find online can give you more information on whether SWEP is in place and what local shelter options are available. How do I alert the local authority? Assuming none of the above applies, and no immediate shelter is available, you can still help a rough sleeper get on the path to engaging with services usually through their local authority. It is important, if you have been able to speak to them, that you get their consent to do this. One option available for members of the public in England and Wales is StreetLink a service that centralises reporting of rough sleepers. A call or online referral to StreetLink will, where appropriate, be passed to the relevant local services usually local authority outreach teams who operate at night. Each councils team has a different timetable dependent on demand, but they typically aim to reach a rough sleeper in one to three nights and offer support. Sending an alert about a rough sleeper when SWEP provision is in place will ensure local services are aware of the individual and can refer them to this emergency accommodation. Due to the high volume of calls, StreetLink advises that the best method to refer rough sleepers is via the website or app. What if I live outside England and Wales? There is no equivalent centralised service for referring rough sleepers in Scotland or Northern Ireland. In Scotland, Shelter Scotland can offer help and advice, while people in Northern Ireland are advised to refer rough sleepers to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive as a first port of call. What information do I need to give? Local outreach teams will welcome as much of the following information as possible in order to locate a rough sleeper: Night-time sleep location: This is absolutely key in many cases, as this is when most outreach teams operate. If you have this information, be as precise as possible. A physical description: For obvious reasons, this can go a long way to helping outreach workers find someone who is rough sleeping. Any particular concerns: Health issues (whether the rough sleeper has medication that requires refrigeration, for example), or other concerns workers should be aware of if and when they meet the rough sleeper. (PA Graphics) Should I give my own money? Many have different views and feelings about giving money to people they meet on the street, and there isnt any right answer to this issue. Some feel more comfortable donating to housing or homelessness charities of which there are a number to help tackle the issue. However, if you are unable to help in any other way, theres certainly no harm in offering someone a warm drink, some food or a blanket or even just someone to talk to for a while. Judges at Scotlands highest civil court have rubber-stamped a European Court of Justice (ECJ) decision allowing the UK to unilaterally revoke its withdrawal from the EU. The Luxembourg court ruled last week that the UK can go back on its decision to trigger Article 50, which started the Brexit process, without the agreement of the other 27 EU member states. The ECJ found that if this does happen it must be decided following democratic process, and would mean the UK remains in the EU as a member state. It referred the case back to the Court of Session in Edinburgh where a hearing before three judges took place on Thursday, in which it approved the decision. Scotlands most senior judge Lord Carloway, the Lord President, said: This court will grant a declarator which mirrors the decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union. Comprehensive win at the Court of Session. Article 50 can be revoked and even UK Government attempt to deny our expenses is rejected. Awesome team effort @andywightman @joannaccherry @C_Stihler @AlynSmith @davidmartinmep @JolyonMaugham & our exceptional legal team. pic.twitter.com/CMHVphuR9f Ross Greer (@Ross_Greer) December 20, 2018 The case was brought by a cross-party group of Scottish politicians, Labour MEPs Catherine Stihler and David Martin, SNP MP Joanna Cherry and MEP Alyn Smith, and Green MSPs Andy Wightman and Ross Greer, together with lawyer Jolyon Maugham QC, director of the Good Law Project. The Court of Session approved the ruling by the ECJ (Jane Barlow/PA) t was originally heard in the Court of Session and two attempts by the UK Government to appeal against the referral to the European court were rejected. The UK Government argued the case was a hypothetical validity challenge, but the ECJ disagreed. In a statement following its ruling on December 10, the ECJ said: The full court has ruled that, when a member state has notified the European Council of its intention to withdraw from the European Union, as the UK has done, that member state is free to revoke unilaterally that notification. That possibility exists for as long as a withdrawal agreement concluded between the EU and that member state has not entered into force or, if no such agreement has been concluded, for as long as the two-year period from the date of the notification of the intention to withdraw from the EU, and any possible extension, has not expired. It added: The revocation must be decided following a democratic process in accordance with national constitutional requirements. This unequivocal and unconditional decision must be communicated in writing to the European Council. #ECJ: UK is free to unilaterally revoke the notification of its intention to withdraw from the EU Case C-621/18 Wightman #Brexit pic.twitter.com/KUOI2eQ48C EU Court of Justice (@EUCourtPress) December 10, 2018 The UK Government has stressed it has no plans to revoke Article 50. Environment Secretary Michael Gove previously said the European court ruling does not change the UKs intention to leave the EU on March 29. Those behind the case said the UK is now free to change its mind on Brexit if it chooses and the ruling enables the UK Parliament to back a Peoples Vote knowing a remain outcome could be acted upon. Lawyers representing the Council of the European Union and from the European Commission had argued at a hearing at the ECJ in November that revocation is possible but would require unanimous agreement from all member states. Meanwhile, the UK Government has been ordered to pay 105,000 in legal fees after losing its case. It was the maximum amount available to the politicians and lawyers who pursued the action. Andrew Webster QC, representing the UK Brexit Secretary, highlighted the petitioners had crowdfunded around 200,000 for their legal fees so the court could take some comfort in that. The awards are to be split 60,000 and 45,000 between the two groups who were involved in the process. Speaking outside the court, Mr Greer said: Throughout this whole process we have seen the contempt the UK Government has shown us for attempting to lead them into finding some legal clarity here. In no other example we have found in modern history has a government anywhere gone to these lengths to limit their options, to limit the options of their own parliament. They have yet again been roundly defeated, we have opened up another avenue in the Brexit process. Its very much now a political process, not a legal process. Tens of thousands of passengers have been suffering travel chaos after drones were flown around Gatwick Airport. Here is a look at what help customers could be entitled to: Will those affected be entitled to compensation? Despite the frustration for those who have suffered disruption, the event is considered to be an extraordinary circumstance. A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority said: Given the reasons for the current disruption at Gatwick Airport, the Civil Aviation Authority considers this event to be an extraordinary circumstance. In such circumstances airlines are not obliged to pay financial compensation to passengers affected by the disruption. Queues of passengers in the check in area at Gatwick Airport (Thomas Hornall/PA) Alex Neill, Which? managing director of home products and services, said: This situation will understandably be frustrating for both the airlines and the tens of thousands of passengers travelling to and from Gatwick ahead of Christmas. Whilst these extraordinary circumstances unfortunately mean you are not entitled to compensation, you may still be entitled to meals, refreshments, hotel accommodation or transfers. You dont have to cancel your tickets though, as depending on the length of the delay, your airline should be providing you with alternative travel options or accommodation. What are extraordinary circumstances? Compensation for delayed or cancelled flights hinges on the reason for the delay and the length of notice passengers are given. Which? says that in cases where the airline can prove the delay was caused by extraordinary circumstances, no compensation is payable. Extraordinary circumstances are situations out of the airlines control, for example, a security risk, political instability or severe weather that makes flying dangerous. What support can people get? The Civil Aviation Authority says that under EU261 regulations, passengers who no longer wish to take their flight can contact their airline for a refund. The @UK_CAA is offering advice to passengers impacted by the disruption at Gatwick Airport. Please visit the following website to find a leaflet on your rights as a passenger: https://t.co/9hxLyyJBvB.#Gatwick #Gatwick_Airport pic.twitter.com/ljUaFDKcMo UK Civil Aviation Authority (@UK_CAA) December 20, 2018 For passengers still wishing to fly, it advises them to contact their airline to understand the options available. Which? says that, generally speaking, if someones flight is delayed for at least two hours, depending on the length of the flight, their airline may give them two free phone calls, faxes or emails; free meals and refreshments appropriate to the delay; and free hotel accommodation and hotel transfers if an overnight stay is required. Gatwick passengers If you're 2+ hours late you're entitled to: 2 free phone calls/emails Free meals & refreshments Free hotel if an overnight stay is required Alternative flight or a full refund if 5+ hours late & you decide not to travelhttps://t.co/dyW9gKSq2T Which? (@WhichUK) December 20, 2018 If a flight was delayed for more than five hours they may be able to choose between being rerouted on a different flight or getting a refund just as if the flight had been cancelled. How can insurers help? Martyn James, spokesman for consumer help website Resolver.co.uk, suggests that as well as speaking to the airline, you can also speak to your travel insurer to see if you have any options in your insurance policy. Giving general advice, the Association of British Insurers said people should speak to their airline or travel company first. A spokesman said: For additional travel disruption costs, such as missed hotel bookings or already paid for activities that you can no longer make, you should speak to your travel insurer as these may be covered under the terms of your travel insurance, depending on the type of cover you have bought. Drones at Gatwick Have your travel plans been affected by the #drones at #Gatwick? Click here to read our latest update https://t.co/gT8K94MGqp Please RT pic.twitter.com/pxhlacFMYZ AXA Insurance UK (@axainsurance) December 20, 2018 Insurer Axa says if customers need to change the dates of their trip they should make contact to update their policy. A family court building in Dublin has been evacuated after a suspect device was found. The security alert was triggered at Phoenix House in the Smithfield area of the city. A cordon is in place and bomb disposal officers from the Irish Defence Forces are being deployed. The is a large gardai presence outside the courts complex. A Garda spokeswoman said: Gardai are currently at the scene of an incident at the courthouse in Smithfield. A courthouse has been evacuated due to a suspect device being located. The area has been cordoned off. The army EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) team are currently en route. Five boxes of documents relating to the Guildford pub bombings have been destroyed, Surrey Police have admitted. The blunder was blamed on a driver who left them in the wrong place, a pre-inquest review at Woking Coroners Court heard. A coroner is considering whether to resume a full inquest into the 1974 IRA attacks. Original proceedings did not conclude after the Guildford Four were convicted over the bombings, which killed four soldiers and a civilian and injured dozens more. They were handed life sentences, but had their convictions overturned in 1989, and their case became one of the best known miscarriages of justice in British legal history. Gerard Conlon, one of the Guildford Four, is released by the Old Bailey (John Stillwell/PA) Jeremy Johnson, representing Surrey Police, said on Thursday that 3,895 documents have been catalogued over the past year, and it could take years to assess the remainder. Its known that five boxes of material have been destroyed, but they contain documents which, at least to a large extent and possibly to a complete extent, are copied elsewhere, he said. He said the boxes were requisitioned on November 7 2016 to address media enquiries before being returned to the store on December 8. The driver who returned them erroneously left them in the wrong place and they were collected by a contractor and destroyed. That obviously should not have happened and that matter was referred to the information commissioner at the time. Families of the victims of the Guildford bombings, as well as survivors and Paddy Armstrong a member of the Guildford Four are calling for the inquest to be resumed. The aftermath at the Horse and Groom pub (PA) Soldiers Caroline Slater, 18, William Forsyth, 18, John Hunter, 17, and Ann Hamilton, 19, and civilian Paul Craig, 22, died in the blast at the Horse and Groom pub on October 5 1974. Brenda Campbell QC, representing the family of Ms Hamilton, said: Their journey over the last 45 years as a family, and generations of the same family, is a very private one. They neither seek nor do they receive the limelight. They do not make this application lightly. They are aware it could increase the pain of their journey. Ms Campbell said they have pored over a yellowing scrapbook of newspaper cuttings, articles and photographs they collected in a bid to search for answers, and spoke of a deep void of information. She told the coroner they had not been involved in the criminal trial or a five-year public inquiry carried out by Sir John May, and are left asking basic questions about how Ms Hamilton died. One example given was a discrepancy between whether the bomb went off at 8.30pm or 8.50pm. Of course they want to know who did it, of course they want to know why no one ever faced justice for what happened to our sister, the barrister continued. But it is the big questions and the small questions that remain entirely unanswered for the purposes of this inquest. Ms Campbell said the confessions of two men who admitted involvement but were not charged over the bombings have never been the subject of any independent, meaningful investigation. Surrey Police force said in a statement it neither requests nor opposes the resumption of inquests and the case is not being reinvestigated or made subject to a formal review at this time. Mr Johnson told the coroner: I would submit the focus is not on questions such as who planted the bombs, what were the bombs made of, what did the police get wrong in their original investigations. The focus is to be on the statutory questions an inquest is meant to answer and whether or not there is a practical proposition of throwing new light on these questions after all these years. Coroner Richard Travers said he would hand down his judgment on whether to resume a full inquest on January 31. Nicola Sturgeon has described ScotRail delays as unacceptable as it was indicated around 5,000 trains are axed or partially cancelled each year. Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw raised the issue of the performance of Scotlands railway operator at First Ministers Questions in a week in which hundreds of train services have been cancelled. The First Minister said not all the cancellations were ScotRails fault but a number of delays which were their responsibility were significant and unacceptable. Punctuality on our train service is reaching its worst point for 12 years - with hundreds of trains cancelled. The SNP promised they would sort things out, but two years down the line things have actually got worse.#FMQs pic.twitter.com/NIVOdvgXgJ Scottish Conservatives (@ScotTories) December 20, 2018 She said ScotRail caused 144 cancellations on Monday and there were thought to be around 40 axed services on Thursday. Mr Carlaw said people want to know why the Scottish Government is failing to deliver on rail services. He said: Weve got new official figures that show that since 2011 there have in fact been more than 35,000 cancellations or part cancellations caused entirely by ScotRail, that amounts to some 5,000 a year. ScotRails performance was highlighted during First Ministers Questions (PA) Punctuality on our train service is reaching its worst point for 12 years, hundreds of trains cancelled and shortages of staff because people are being trained to use the new class of trains which are also delayed, causing another 100 services to be cut last month. Doesnt the First Minister think train passengers across Scotland are owed an apology? Ms Sturgeon agreed. She said: Weve seen a significant and unacceptable number of delays that are clearly the responsibility of ScotRail. FM: We will continue the work to invest in our railways and to improve the number and quality of services. #FMQs The SNP (@theSNP) December 20, 2018 I can report to Parliament that cancellations of this type have fallen as the week has progressed from around 144 on Monday to an estimated 40 today. Progress is being made but it is not good enough, we expect, indeed we demand, better from the rail operator and the Transport Secretary continues to work closely with them to ensure that we continue to see improvements in the days to come. She said the overall level of cancellations this week were due to a number of factors, including infrastructure issues such as signal failures and train crew shortages not all the responsibility of ScotRail. The First Minister said deaths on the railway had also led to knock-on impacts on services, and she added that the sympathies of the Parliament are with the families of those involved. Three more suspects have been arrested over the killings of two Scandinavian tourists in Moroccos Atlas Mountains. The development came as the Danish intelligence agency said the killings may be related to Islamic State. The three new suspects were arrested in Marrakech as they tried to flee in a bus, according to national security spokesman Boubker Sabik. He said authorities are investigating whether the three have terrorist affiliations, adding that no other suspects are being sought. The bodies were found near Imlil(2M via AP) Another suspect was arrested on Tuesday, and a Moroccan prosecutor said he had affiliations to an extremist group, without naming it. The killings have shocked Morocco, a popular tourist destination where attacks on foreigners are extremely rare. The womens bodies were found on Monday in the Atlas Mountains, an area prized by hikers. The killings can be considered politically motivated and thus an act of terror, Danish Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen said. He said there are still dark forces that want to fight our values and we must not give in. Mr Loekke Rasmussen confirmed the victims identities as Louisa Vesterager Jespersen, of Denmark, and Maren Ueland, from Norway. Denmarks Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen in Copenhagen (Philip Davali/Ritzau via AP) What should have been a holiday trip turned into a nightmare, he told reporters in Denmark. In neighbouring Norway, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said terrorism is not the only lead that is being investigated in Morocco but said the case still emphasises the importance of combating violent extremism. We trust that Moroccan authorities are doing their utmost to arrest those responsible for the murders, she told a scheduled news conference. In a statement, Denmarks domestic security agency said the preliminary investigation indicate, according to Moroccan authorities, that the killings may be related to the terrorist organisation the Islamic State group. The bodies were found in a remote mountainous region, 10 kilometres (six miles) from the village of Imlil often the starting point for treks to Mount Toubkal, North Africas highest peak. Moroccan media outlets reported that investigators have video surveillance footage showing three suspects putting up a tent near the victims tent and leaving the area after the killings. A forensic team at the scene(2M via AP) The website of state broadcaster 2M published photos that they said were of the three suspects taken on a bus. The Norwegian victims mother, Irene Ueland, told broadcaster NRK that her daughter had taken safety precautions before making the trip. Authorities in Denmark and Norway on Wednesday warned their citizens against hiking without local guides in Morocco after the killings. Danish police officials said they have sent an officer to Morocco to assist in the investigation. Morocco is generally considered safe for tourists but has battled with Islamic extremism for years, and more than a thousand Moroccans are believed to have joined IS. An anti-terrorism rally is planned for Moroccos capital on Saturday. The Queen has arrived in Norfolk by train to begin her Christmas break, travelling without the Duke of Edinburgh. She caught the 10.42am Great Northern service from Kings Cross station in London and arrived at platform two in Kings Lynn on time, at 12.31pm. Guarded from the cold by a brown coat, black gloves and headscarf, the Queen stepped from the front carriage of the train onto the platform. She briefly mingled with passengers as she was escorted through a side exit to a waiting Range Rover. The Queen at Kings Lynn railway station (Joe Giddens/PA) Sandringham, the Queens private estate in Norfolk, is a 30-minute drive from Kings Lynn. Passenger Phil Kay, 62, who boarded the train at Downham Market, said he did not know the Queen was on board until he arrived at Kings Lynn and saw police and photographers on the platform. I didnt see her, well, not that we went up that end of the train but its marvellous isnt it? he said. I think its great that she does (travel by train). It just makes her more acceptable to the people doing things like that. Police patrols at Kings Lynn station (Joe Giddens/PA) The Queen will be joined by other members of the royal family for part of the festive period and they will attend their traditional Christmas Day church service. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be among those walking the short distance from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene Church on December 25. Nicola Sturgeon has defended her Governments record on education, saying there are now as many primary school teachers as there were when she was a child. During First Ministers Questions, Labour leader Richard Leonard cited the comments of two teachers, who are purportedly SNP members, describing a crisis where schools are understaffed. Mr Leonard said a teacher in North Lanarkshire called Esther wrote in the Scottish Educational Journal: Despite what you have said yourself on many occasions, it is becoming clear that education is not a priority for this Government. There are 3,000 fewer teachers than when the SNP came to power, Mr Leonard said. We're working to empower schools, teachers and parents in order to give young people the best education available. #FMQs https://t.co/3E5kabpN5s The SNP (@theSNP) December 20, 2018 The First Minister responded: We saw just last week a rise of almost 500 in the number of teachers in our schools, that follows a rise in the year before and the year before that as well. The number of primary school teachers is at the highest level since I was at primary school in 1980, added Ms Sturgeon. Nicola Sturgeon has defended her Governments record on education (Jane Barlow/PA) Mr Leonard said: There are 3,000 fewer teachers in our classrooms, no progress has been made in closing the attainment gap, and Scotland is facing its first teachers strike since Margaret Thatcher was in Downing Street. Nicola Sturgeon told us that education is her top priority, but parents dont believe that, teachers dont believe that, and now even her own party members dont believe that either. Teacher levels are high and our schools have never been in better condition. Find out more -> https://t.co/ZBDC6gAB0G pic.twitter.com/UpjhVhSnfa ScotGov Education (@ScotGovEdu) December 11, 2018 Scottish Government statistics last week indicated schools employed the full-time equivalent (FTE) of 51,138 teachers. The total of 24,899 FTE primary teachers is the highest since 1980, the Government said. Overall teacher numbers, including those working in early learning and childcare centres, are the highest they have been since 2010 at 51,959. As a result, the teacher workforce in 2018 is 447 higher than it was the previous year. The First Minister has called on the UK Government to stop wasting time and revoke Article 50 to enable Brexit to be halted through a Peoples Vote. Nicola Sturgeon said Theresa May appears to have given up attempts to make a case for her bad deal on Brexit and warned that it would not pass through the Commons. Speaking at First Ministers Questions, she said: My position and view is very clear and I made this view clear to the Prime Minister yesterday in London. The Government should at this stage request an extension of Article 50, now an extension would have to be agreed by the EU27, but it should do that to allow time for a second EU referendum and if the result of that referendum, as I hope it would be, is remain not just in Scotland but across the UK then Article 50 can be revoked. When we first called for a People's Vote in the Scottish Parliament, we stood alone. Now the SNP and Greens have joined us. Labour members overwhelmingly want to remain. C'mon @LabourRichard and @jeremycorbyn, that fence is looking extremely uncomfortable. #FMQs Scottish Lib Dems (@scotlibdems) December 20, 2018 We know from the recent ECJ court judgment that it is possible for the UK to retain membership on current terms, contrary to the false choice thats been offered by the Prime Minster. She seems to me to have given up trying to make any positive case for her bad deal and instead, extraordinarily for a government leader, is threatening to impose the disaster of a no-deal outcome on people she is supposed to serve. Nicola Sturgeon said the UK Government must stop wasting time on Brexit (Jonathan Brady/PA) I would call on the UK Government to start acting in the interests of the people it serves, ask for that extension, allow people to look at this again and, if people change their minds, to revoke Article 50 and end this sorry mess once and for all. FM: The PM's tactics are to run down the clock, to attempt to make this decision her deal or no deal. That is a dreadful approach to be taking when there are alternatives. But that also seems to be Jeremy Corbyn's position as well. #FMQs The SNP (@theSNP) December 20, 2018 Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie exclaimed hallelujah at the SNP supporting a Peoples Vote on the Brexit deal, and asked how the Labour leadership could be convinced to support it too. The Prime Minister is indulging in a form of psychological no-deal warfare in a desperate gamble to revive her dead deal, he said. Commenting on a Peoples Vote, Ms Sturgeon replied: I think momentum is building. The father of a three-year-old boy injured in a suspected acid attack has appeared in court alongside other alleged conspirators charged over the assault. The youngster suffered serious burns to his face and arm at the Home Bargains store in Worcester on July 21. His 39-year-old father is charged with conspiring to commit grievous bodily harm in connection with the incident, in the Tallow Hill area of the city. He appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Thursday, alongside three men and a woman, all facing the same charge, for what was listed as a pre-trial hearing. Two other men, similarly charged, and also set to be tried over the allegations, did not attend court. A trial date for January 21 has already been fixed. (PA Graphics) The accused, all sat in the dock alongside the father, were Adam Cech, 27, and Jan Dudi, 25, both from Birmingham and Norbert Pulko, 22, from London. Martina Badiova, 22, of Newcombe Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, also appeared with the men. Not present were Saied Hussini, 41, from London, and Jabar Paktia, 41, from Wolverhampton. The defendants spoke with the assistance of two interpreters, speaking the Farsi and Czech languages, and were flanked by several dock officers. About a dozen family and friends of the defendants were sat in the public gallery, above the dock. Adjourning the case, Judge Robert Juckes QC, told the defendants: You will understand, all of you, this has been a hearing intended to make sure the trial goes ahead without any difficulties, on January 21. Until that day, I shall remand you in custody as before. The trial, estimated to last up to six weeks, will take place back at Worcester Crown Court. Belfast appears to be bouncing back after the devastating Primark fire, with pre-Christmas footfall around city shops up by almost 20% on last year. Figures obtained by the Press Association indicate that shoppers are finally returning to the city centre in large numbers in the wake of Augusts blaze in the landmark retail store. Footfall for the week beginning December 10 was up 19% on the same period in 2017. Figures were also up 7% on the previous week. December 14 was the citys busiest shopping day of the year to date. Despite the months of disruption caused by the fire in Primarks historic Bank Buildings, city centre footfall across the whole of 2018 is actually up 5% on the year before, with Belfast apparently bucking a downward trend experienced on other UK and Irish high streets. Primarks landmark Bank Buildings caught light in August (Liam McBurney/PA) The fire that ripped through the popular store forced the closure of a main city centre junction for months, badly hitting trade. Shops within a safety cordon around the buildings charred shell were closed entirely, while other nearby retailers saw footfall badly hit as shoppers stayed away. Primark, Belfast City Council and the Treasury have all contributed to multimillion-pound recovery efforts. An estimated 1,000 people queued to enter the new Primark store in Belfast earlier in December (Rebecca Black/PA) As part of the plans, the council launched an ad campaign and built a number of winter-themed visitor attractions in the heart of the city in a bid to attract people back in. The increase in footfall came in the week after Primark opened a new store in the city and the council opened a walkway beside the fire cordon, re-connecting a main shopping thoroughfare. The walkway has enabled some of the closed shops to reopen. Restrictions remain in place as Primark works to dismantle and make safe the Bank Buildings ahead of a major rebuild project. The building has become an unintentional attraction in itself following the fire, with visitors keen to see and take pictures of its blackened facade. Shoppers in Belfast city centre as work continues on the charred shell of the Bank Buildings (Rebecca Black/PA) The footfall figures compiled by Belfast One the city centres Business Improvement District (BID) indicate that shoppers who had stayed away in recent months are now returning in force. Lord Mayor Deirdre Hargey welcomed the upturn in footfall. She told PA: These figures are great news with just days to go to Christmas and will provide a much-needed boost for local retailers who have faced a very challenging year. Ms Hargey said the Belfast Alive campaign to draw shoppers back to the city centre had paid dividends. Plans are already being developed for how we can further build upon this approach, both into the springtime and over the next three to five years, to make Belfast a really vibrant place to visit, with work also still on track for the cordon to be further reduced over the next few months, she said. Clare Maguire, managing director of Belfast One BID, said: We are delighted that footfall in the city centre is showing a positive trend and hope that this continues right up to, and beyond, Christmas. The new walkway between Donegall Place and Royal Avenue has been a real success and its great to see some of those businesses who were located within the Bank Buildings cordon are now back open and trading again. McDonalds franchisee Paul Connan, who was forced to close after the fire, was able to reopen his restaurant when the protected walkway was constructed. He said the area had been very busy since pedestrian access was extended. Business is up on the same time last year during peak times, due to our proximity to the walkway and the attractions nearby, which have been vital in drawing people back into Royal Avenue and Castle Place, he said. We still have a way to go to regain footfall in the early mornings and evenings, but our team are looking to 2019 with great positivity, and we look forward to seeing whats next for the city centre. A Royal Navy warship has made two massive drug busts within 48 hours, seizing 75 million worth of narcotics in the Middle East. Portsmouth-based HMS Dragon intercepted two boats on the notorious drug smuggling route known as the Hash Highway with 10 tonnes of drugs on board. They are the third and fourth hauls for the Type 45 destroyer in the space of a month, taking the total drugs seized to 13.3 tonnes during the first three months of the ships deployment. Sailors from HMS Dragon and Royal Marines were launched on fast boats to halt the two dhows a type of vessel common to the Middle East in two separate missions over a two-day period. One of the dhows (Royal Navy/PA) After boarding and painstakingly searching the boats, they removed hundreds of sacks of narcotics with a UK street value of more than 75 million. Royal Navy Lieutenant Jonathan Bennett, who took part in both raids, said: To achieve two major drugs busts in under 48 hours is a massive achievement for the team. Our Royal Navy and Royal Marines boarding teams worked long hours in very challenging seas to remove nearly 10,000kg of narcotics. During the second boarding, the sea deteriorated resulting in increasingly hazardous conditions for our searchers. We had to endure heavy seas, large amounts of ship movement and a dangerous working environment, all while removing over 300 heavy bags of narcotics and transporting them back to Dragon successfully. (The crew with the haul (Royal Navy/PA) As weather conditions worsened, Dragon deployed her Wildcat helicopter to aid the boarding teams work. It allowed them to return the drugs back to ship quickly, with their work complete before midnight. Lieutenant Elliot Titman, of Devon-based 42 Commando Royal Marines, said: These recent operational successes represent a positive start to this deployment and are the result of the efforts of the whole ship together with support from our combined task force partners. This deployment is the culmination of a long specialist training programme and the team and I look forward to continuing to deliver on operations in the coming months. HMS Dragon left for this deployment in September and will continue to be operational in the Gulf over the holiday period. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson added: Seizing four hauls of this magnitude is a remarkable achievement and represents a significant dent in the pockets of criminals who seek to put these drugs on to our streets. The global narcotics network is a scourge that we are absolutely committed to tackling, as part of our commitment to security in the Gulf and across the world. The post-Brexit settlement scheme for EU nationals will enter its first public testing phase next month, the Government has announced. So far the online application platform has been restricted to people in specific professions. From January 21, it will be opened up to EU nationals who are living in the UK and who have a passport, as well as their non-EU family members with biometric residence cards. While the expansion will substantially widen the pool of people able to apply to confirm their post-Brexit immigration status, the Home Office emphasised that the scheme would still be in a testing phase ahead of the full launch in March. Immigration Minister Caroline Nokes said: Securing the rights of EU citizens living in the UK has always been our priority. We are well on track to deliver a system that will make it easy and straightforward for them to obtain status once we have left the EU and continue to live their lives much as they do now. The Home Office has announced details of the next test phase for its EU settlement scheme (Kirsty OConnor/PA) This is a completely voluntary test phase, which will give us valuable insight into how the system works and if any changes need to be made before the full launch. So far the EU settlement scheme has been tested in two private beta pilots. The initial findings from the second phase, which ends on Friday and has been open to staff in the higher education, health and social care sectors, have been positive, the Home Office said. By December 13, more than 15,500 applications had been made and over 12,400 of these had been concluded. Some 71% of the concluded applications were granted settled status, with the rest granted pre-settled status. Many received their decision within 24 hours, while 77% applicants who provided feedback said that they found the online application process easy, or fairly easy, to complete. EU nationals and their family members who wish to remain in the UK beyond 2020 need to apply to the scheme. Those who have lived continuously in the UK for five years can apply for settled status, meaning they are free to go on living and working in the UK indefinitely. People who do not have five years residence can seek to stay until they have, at which point they can seek settled status. The Government has designed an online application platform for the scheme, which will remain open until the end of June 2021. Applicants are asked to prove their identity, declare any criminal convictions and upload a facial photograph. Officials check employment and benefits data to confirm proof of residence, while all applications are run through UK criminality and security databases. It is anticipated that the total number of applications could run to more than 3.5 million. The US Department of Justice has opened an official investigation into alleged corruption by European plane-maker Airbus, according to a French news report. British and French authorities are already investigating alleged fraud and bribery related to Airbuss use of outside consultants in commercial plane sales. Airbus has warned that the investigations could lead to significant penalties and promised to stop working with middlemen. The (Michel Euler/AP) The Le Monde report said US investigators have launched a formal probe of their own. Airbus said it is co-operating with US authorities, which requested information related to the British-French investigations that could fall within US jurisdictions. The companys share price dropped sharply on the report before rallying. Northern Ireland Ambulance Service has urged people to consider alternatives before calling for an ambulance, especially during the busy winter period. NIAS said that during 2017/18, delayed turnaround times at hospitals reduced emergency ambulance cover by 72,000 hours. In a statement the service said its focus over the winter period will be to respond to life-threatening calls as quickly as possible. We will do all we can to deliver the highest quality of care in the most timely manner possible, a spokesman said. However, the public also have a role to play by ensuring that they contact us only when it is necessary to do so. We would ask the public to consider alternatives such as self-care, GP or pharmacy attendance or self-referral to ED (emergency departments) to enable us to keep ambulances free for real emergencies. The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service has urged people only to call in emergencies in the busy Winter period. (PA Archive) A plea has also been made for respect for ambulance staff. The BBC reported earlier this month that there had been 2,278 reported incidents of abuse of staff in Northern Ireland since 2012/13. Verbal abuse or disruption accounted for most incidents, at 1,231, followed by physical abuse, assault or violence in 890 cases. There were 483 incidents in 2017/18. We would also appeal that, at all times but particularly over the holiday period, our staff be afforded the respect they deserve and be able to attend incidents to which they have been called to deliver ambulance care, without fear of assault, either verbal or physical, an NIAS spokesman said. The men and women who work for NIAS will be leaving their families over the Christmas period to serve their community and will do so with respect and dignity. We ask that they be afforded the same courtesies. The owner of a garage used by Banksy as a canvas for his latest artwork is paying for a security firm to protect it from vandals. Ian Lewis, 55, has also accepted an offer from a fan for the mural to be covered by a perspex screen while he decides what to do with the street artists latest work. Mr Lewis, a steelworker at Port Talbots Tata Steel plant, said he has not slept properly since the artwork which shows a child playing in the falling ash and smoke from a fire appeared on his hand-built garage. On Thursday he said he was paying out of his own pocket for a security team to guard the Banksy work after admitting he was struggling with the attention it has been receiving. An ash pile from a bonfire close to where a new artwork by street artist Banksy appeared on a garage wall in Port Talbot (PA) Mr Lewis said: It started off as fun, but now its gone to stress. Its down to not sleeping, but now Ive got the security there its taken that weight off me. They will stay there indefinitely now I think. Ive also got a guy whos going to put a perspex screen around it later today. He was there taking photos and told me hes a big fan. Ive never experienced anything like this, to be honest with you. My phone is ringing, on my house phone theres 1,000 messages on it. Ive been down the chemist for 10 minutes and everyones talking to me. Ive gone from an everyday steelworker to a face in the press. Artwork by street artist Banksy (Ben Birchall/PA) The father-of-one said he has not decided what to do with the artwork, and denied receiving any offers to sell it. He said: Nobodyd got in touch with me, theres these rumours going around Im having big offers, but nobodys offered me anything. Im really just rolling with it at the moment and I dont know where its going. I have got someone whos come on board and given me a bit of advice. Im trying to get my head around it. All Im saying is Im not going to rush into anything. Banksy claimed responsibility for the new artwork on his website and Instagram account on Wednesday after it appeared on the side of Mr Lewiss garage on Tuesday morning. The work is Banksys first in Wales and is believed to be a comment on the towns industrial heritage and pollution linked to its famous steel plant. Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council erected metal fencing around the garage wall on Wednesday, and was consulting other councils who have experience of dealing with Banksy artworks. A businessman who launched legal action against Google in a fight for the right to be forgotten over a past crime has ended his court battle. Earlier this year, the man who cannot be named for legal reasons lost his case at the High Court. Three Court of Appeal judges in London were due to hear the latest round of the action on Thursday, but the hearing did not go ahead. A spokesman for the judiciary said the Court of Appeal had granted the businessmans request to withdraw his appeal. The request to withdraw was made by mutual consent between the parties. Master of the Rolls Sir Terence Etherton, Lady Justice Sharp and Lord Justice Coulson were due to hear the mans appeal against a ruling made in his case by a High Court judge in April. A spokesman for the judiciary said the Court of Appeal had granted the businessmans request to withdraw his appeal (Yui Mok/PA) Mr Justice Warby announced findings in separate cases brought by two businessmen who were convicted of criminal offences many years ago. They argued that their convictions were legally spent and they have been rehabilitated. Lawyers said their claims, brought under data protection law and for misuse of private information, were the first of their kind to be aired in England. Mr Justice Warby ruled in favour of one businessman in his action against Google, but rejected the case of the other man, who was jailed for a more serious offence. The businessman who lost, who can only be referred to as NT1, was due to have his case considered again by the three appeal judges. Announcing his April decision, Mr Justice Warby said the businessmen complained of results returned by Google Search that featured links to third-party reports about their convictions. Their claims were based, he said, on the right to be forgotten or, more accurately, the right to have personal information delisted or de-indexed by the operators of internet search engines. The businessman who failed in his action to be delisted, complained about three links returned by Google providing information about his conviction for conspiracy to account falsely, for which he received a sentence of four years. The businessman who won, referred to as NT2, was sentenced to six months for conspiracy to carry out surveillance. In his case, which related to complaints about 11 source publications, Mr Justice Warby ruled that an appropriate delisting order should be made. In NT2s case, the crime and punishment information had become out of date, irrelevant and of no sufficient legitimate interest to users of Google Search to justify its continued availability, the judge said. He had acknowledged his guilt and expressed genuine remorse. There was no evidence of any risk of repetition. Rejecting NT1s claim, the judge said the crime and punishment information retains sufficient relevance today. A former Northern Ireland minister has revealed his family links to HMS Caroline. Sir Richard Needham, who served as Economy Minister in Northern Ireland from 1992-95, has loaned two historic naval uniforms which belonged to his uncle, a former commander of the Royal Navy war ship. Richard Needham (left) in the 1990s with then Prime Minister John Major (PA) Francis Needham, the fourth Earl of Kilmorey, commanded HMS Caroline during the Second World War. HMS Caroline is now permanently docked in Belfast and is open as a visitor attraction. The ship, its dock, pump house and wharf recently underwent a 20 million refurbishment and restoration process to become a maritime museum. An aerial view of the Lottery-funded restored HMS Caroline at Alexander Dock in Belfast (Niall Carson/PA) The uniforms will form part of the ships collection of artefacts displayed on board and in the pump house visitor centre. During the Second World War, HMS Caroline, then a training vessel for the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, was put back in service as a strategic communications centre for the North Atlantic Fleet throughout the war. This was the second time in the ships life that it had participated in battle having played a key role for the Grand Fleet in the First World War at the battle of Jutland in 1916. Sir Richard Needham presents the two uniform coats belonging to his uncle Francis Needham, the Fourth Earl of Kilmorey to HMS Caroline trustee, John McMillen. (Jonathan Porter/Press Eye/PA) Sir Richard maintains strong ties with the region. I am very pleased to see the uniforms back where they came from, he said. I have always been a supporter of Northern Irelands heritage, business and development ambitions, and am proud to be associated with the countrys history through family as well as through politics. Captain John Rees OBE, chief of staff at the National Museum of the Royal Navy and the director who took charge of the restoration programme, expressed deep gratitude to Sir Richard for the loan of the uniforms. HMS Caroline has spent almost 100 years of its life in Belfast and, in that time, connections made with local people in peace time as well as during war times remain strong as ever, he said. The Kilmorey connection brings HMS Caroline even closer to the fabric of Northern Ireland and Ireland, and the role played by thousands of Irish people during both world wars. These uniforms are terrifically significant in telling that story. HFCL awarded overseas contracts worth Rs 148 crores by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) to set up Telecommunication Systems for Mauritius Metro Express & Dhaka Metro Mass Rapid Transit System Projects Himachal Futuristic Communications Limited (HFCL) announced that it has been awarded two contracts totalling Rs 148 crores by L&T to execute the Telecommunication Systemsprojectsfor the Mauritius Metro Express Project and for the Dhaka Metro Mass Rapid Transit System. The Mauritius Metro Express Project is along a 26km route that will connect Curepipe to Immigration Square in the capitalPort Louis and will feature 19 stations. The Dhaka Metro Mass Rapid Transit System Project is along a 20 km route and is an elevated metro rail system with 16 Stations and a Maintenance Depot, connecting Uttara and Motijheel. The scope of work for HFCL includes,Design, Manufacturing, Supply, Installation, Execution, Testing and Commissioning and Training for Communication Network, Control & Monitoring (C&M) Systemwhich includes Operation Management & Control System (OMCS), Voice Communication System (VCS), Emergency Help Telephony System (EHTS), Master Clock System (MCS), Closed Circuit Television (CCTV), Passenger Information Display Signs (PIDS), Public Address System (PAS), Passenger Information Kiosks (PIK), Electronic Access Control System (EACS) and Spares. These overseas projects are the first of their kind which have been awarded to HFCL, and are a recognition of its capability in designing, integrating, installing and commissioning complex systems in telecommunications for Railways and Metros that have to be executed within well-defined time lines and meet stringent operating conditions. It has been the endeavour of the Company to expand its business outreach beyond India and these projects will provide a foothold to access similar markets overseas. Mahendra Nahata, Managing Director of the Company said "TheCompany's experience from the three ongoing similar projects being executed by it for Alstom Services India Private Limited, L&T Railways Strategic Business Unit, and China Railway Signal & Communication for turnkey telecommunication systemson the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridorsof Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL)will certainly help the Company in executing the Mauritius Metro Express Project and the Dhaka Metro Project efficiently." For long, debates on air pollution have centred around PM2.5 and PM10 levels, even as an invisible killer remains unnoticed Another winter has arrived and the discourse has invariably turned towards air pollution, especially in the metro cities. Of course, the centre of discussion is New Delhi which is considered to be a hotspot for air pollution. The situation is precarious because it is home to a large population of the diplomatic community and many foreigners who remain more concerned about bad air days than Indians in general because the most serious effect it has on an individuals health. Many diplomatic corps now consider Delhis pollution crisis as the new capital punishment. Increasingly, we come across new studies that estimate the number of Indians who would die early due to air pollution or those who will have to set aside a large part of their budget for health, to take care of the diseases arising due to the foul air we breathe. The same is true for increased Government health expenditure the reimbursement cost under Ayushman Bharat or treatment cost in Government hospitals will be very high due to pollution-related diseases. In hindsight, it must be mentioned that the entire discourse on air pollution in the Indian context centres around the mean concentration of particulate matter (PM)10 (particles smaller than 10 microns) and PM2.5 (particles smaller than 2.5 microns, about 25 to 100 times thinner than a human hair). This is solely due to the fact that Indias Central Pollution Control Board has the facility to monitor only PM2.5/PM10 pollutants in Delhi or elsewhere. As a result, we are probably missing the bulls eye in respect of measuring air pollution levels. Consequently, we are probably underestimating the deleterious effects of air pollution by tonnes. Let us be clear. There also exists other pollutants in the atmosphere that are more harmful than PM10/PM2.5 but are usually not talked about. These are nanoparticles that are sources of both natural and man-made processes soil erosion, dust storms, burning of unprocessed fuel and industrial and mechanical processes. All of these release several million tonnes of nanoparticles in the air that have an adverse affect on ones health. While studies have extensively researched on the health impacts of PM2.5 and PM10 exposure, evidences on the toxic effects of nanoparticles on human health are insufficient and beyond the scope of a single discipline. The study calls for an interdisciplinary research team of scientists, health professionals and epidemiological researchers who must be convinced about the scientific composition, transmission and exclusive effects of nanoparticles on human health. The large surface area and chemically reactive nature of nanoparticles make risk assessment highly uncertain. Inhalation is the most common route through which people get exposed to nanoparticles. Ingestion and dermal contact of engineered nanoparticles are also popular transmission mechanisms. Inhaled particles can enter the blood circulation from where they can be carried to different health organs, such as heart, kidney and liver. This can give rise to cardiovascular, pulmonary diseases and respiratory illnesses. Evidences show that nanoparticles, accumulated in the vascular sites, can clot the blood vessels, and hence increase the likelihood of a heart attack or a stroke. Occupational exposure to these toxic elements can increase the risk of lung cancer, and long-term exposure to higher concentrations of nanoparticles can even lead to deaths. For patients with pre-existing heart or pulmonary conditions, the situation can get worse when exposed to elevated particle concentrations. Infant mortality, neonatal complications and birth defects are also likely to increase with ever increasing concentrations of matters smaller than 10 m. Incidentally, while pollution masks are available in the market, they provide protection against PM10/PM2.5. The same is not true in the case of pollution from nanoparticles. Moreover, with no mechanism available to record the extent of air pollution from nanoparticles, the risk arising from the same is now a black box. Thus, there is an urgent need for the Government to raise awareness on the dangers of nanoparticles. Monitoring stations must also measure the same. Without quantifiable statistics, we may not be able to move ahead in highlighting the dangers of air pollution. (The writers are Senior Fellow, National Council of Applied Economic Research) Geneticist PC Kesavan and agriculture scientist MS Swaminathan have set the cat among the pigeons by saying that the Green Revolution has been a failure When a scientist, who basked for decades in the glory of a technology that rescued India from starvation, says that the green revolution was a failure and the claims made for generation next Genetically Modified (GM) crops are utterly bogus, the shock waves are likely to resonate for a long time. Unsurprisingly, modern technologies for sustainable food and nutrition security by geneticist PC Kesavan and agriculture scientist MS Swaminathan (Current Science, Vol. 115, No. 10, November 25, 2018), has set the cat among the pigeons. Given the sharp rebuttal by angry scientists, the article merits scrutiny. Kesavan-Swaminathan state that none of the modern technologies, aimed at boosting food production, including the Green Revolution of the 1960s, is sustainable because of adverse environmental and social impacts. The Bt and HT (herbicide-tolerant) crops are highly unsustainable, cause environmental damage, exhibit genotoxic effects and have failed to achieve the original objective of reducing the need for chemical pesticides. Swaminathan claims he warned about the ecological consequences of the Green Revolution at the Indian Science Congress, Varanasi, in 1968. This is hardly known even today and does not match his public positions, especially the promotion of GM crops, in recent years. The gene-based Green Revolution reduced the height of wheat and rice crops without altering the length of the grain-bearing panicle, hoping that these dwarf and semi-dwarf plants could uptake high levels of chemical fertilisers and water, and produce greater number of heavy grains. This high-input technology of inorganic chemical fertilisers, chemical pesticides and fungicides needed copious irrigation with groundwater drawn with thousands of pumps (electricity was given free). Some of these high-yielding varieties were grown continuously over large areas, displacing several locally adapted varieties and landraces, leading to loss of biodiversity, while being more susceptible to pests and diseases with potential for widespread failure. Kesavan-Swaminathan claim it was already known that chemical inputs exert deleterious effects on soil and water, which constitute the ecological foundations of sustainable agriculture. Given the extent of soil and water degradation, and the explosion of health epidemics among the population, we need a White Paper on which authorities know about the ill-effects of chemical agriculture and let it be extended all over the country, barring the hill regions. In the West, private companies are being sued for suppressing data that exposed the poisonous effects of glyphosate; India must also fix responsibility. Swaminathan says he warned that the Green Revolution was showing yield fatigue by the late 1980s and reached peak decline by the mid-1990s. Modern biotechnology using recombinant DNA (r-DNA) allows genes from widely different species to be inserted into another species. This is so undesirable and fraught with danger that one is astonished it never raised moral qualms with scientists worldwide. As Kesavan-Swaminathan now admit, the problem with genetic engineering is that all molecular and cellular events triggered by the process are not yet understood. As the cost of GE seed, like Bt cotton, and inputs, are exorbitant compared to non-GE seeds, small and marginal farmers cannot withstand financial losses if crops fail for any reason. GE organisms have shown many unintended effects, raising health safety concerns. Calgene Companys Flavr Savr tomato, the first GE food crop in the US, was withdrawn in barely two years in the late 1990s after stomach lesions developed in experimental rats. GE failed in L-tryptophan, causing the deaths of 37 people and paralysis in about 1,500 people. Hence, Kesavan-Swaminathan insist that the assumption of substantial equivalence to give market approval to genetically modified (GM) crops is wholly unscientific and extremely dangerous. Ironically, all arguments in favour of commercial cultivation of GM Mustard rest on equivalence. The duo debunk claims that hybrid Bt-cotton has led to an unprecedented increase in Indias cotton production. According to Keshav Kranthi, former Director, Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur, from 2008 onwards, Bt-cotton yield stagnated at around 500 kg/ha and may be lower at present, despite large increases in the area under Bt-cotton cultivation. Pest resistance to Bollgard II was already evident in 2008 and secondary pests are a serious concern. As Kranthi observes: Bt-cotton was supposed to have conferred two major benefits to cotton production: (a) high yields due to effective protection of bolls from bollworm damage and (b) reduction in insecticides recommended on bollworm control. Official data show that none of these promises was kept in the past ten years in India. The Union of India in its counter affidavit in the Delhi High Court (in WPCC No. 12069 of 2015), correlated farmer suicides with failure of Bt-cotton. Simultaneously, leading American cotton scientists, Gutierrez and co-workers, showed that farmers annual suicide rates in rainfed areas are directly related to increases in Bt-cotton adoption (ie costs). Indian data establishes the failure of Bt-cotton due to rising resistance, hybrid policy and secondary pests. Blaming Monsanto is not enough. Why did State Governments allow poor farmers to incur debt from private money-lenders (not covered by loan waivers) and grow high-input food and/or cash crops in rainfed areas? The failure of these crops triggered farmer suicides year after year, yet no State agriculture Ministry ever told poor farmers to grow hardy crops and practice sustainable agriculture. In irrigated areas, farmers were not educated about the soil and water pollution caused by chemical fertilisers and pesticides. The Supreme Court-appointed Technical Expert Committee had recommended a total ban on HT-crops. Given the failure of Bt-cotton and rising health concerns with Bt-crops, Kesavan-Swaminathan support the ban on commercialisation of Bt-brinjal, imposed by Jairam Ramesh, then Union Minister for Environment , Forests and Climate Change. Two Parliamentary Standing Committees (of 2012 and 2017) concluded that regulators failed to uphold rigorous and independent test protocols for GMOs and conflicts of interests hampered proper regulation. All HT-crops of corn, soy and cotton are resistant to roundup, whose active ingredient is the herbicide glyphosate, which was classified as a group 2A carcinogen by the World Health Organisations International Agency for Research on Cancer, in 2015. Today, Argentina suffers significant birth defects and cancers in HT-soy regions. After the California Supreme Courts verdict on Roundups link to cancer, Kesavan-Swaminathan advocate that Deepak Pentals HT-mustard hybrid DMH-11, tolerant to glufosinate, must be banned as the genotoxic glufosinate is as hazardous as glyphosate. They add that India has several mustard varieties and hybrids that out-yield DMH-11. This is what activists have consistently argued. (The writer is Senior Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library; the views expressed are personal) At a time when the Education sector is faced with serious challenges, Malaviya's vision finds relevance and a reason to contemplate As we celebrate the birth anniversary of Mahamana Madan Mohan Malaviya today a freedom fighter and a great son of mother India who was born on this day in 1861 we must also remember about his phenomenal contribution and his vision for higher education of this country. Besides being a great educationist, Malaviya was a social reformer, who founded the BHU. While the formation of the BHU holds the foremost expression of his vision par excellence, his ideas on education remain highly relevant in the present scenario. The higher education system as it exists today is marred by administrative corruption, nepotism and promotion of vested interests, failing institutional integrity and quality research, managing cost and crumbling infrastructure, poor student-faculty ratio and apathy for talent. All of these have come at the cost of undermining nation-building efforts and the failure to respond and take along the palpable amount of youth energy, driven by a sense of confidence and aspiration. To put it on factual terms, a former Indian Ambassador to the US told this writer: Almost close to six billion dollar is the amount spent by Indians only on tuition fees at universities in the US, emphasising on the importance of higher education among the present generation. Faced with new challenges of fiscal prudence, the countrys higher education sector reflects a sense of disillusionment. Contrarily, Malaviya dreamt of establishing an ideal scheme for the higher education that would act as a foundational block for the creation of an inclusive, accessible, equitable and diverse knowledge society. For him, all of this was above parochial interests. Malaviya conceived a unique model of education based on the values of integration, harmony and peace, deriving from our rich cultural heritage and combining the same with science, reason and an inquisitive mind, much like the way he shaped and formed the BHU. This is very well expressed in the motto of this pioneering institution, which suggests: The end of all knowledge is the attainment of immortality. For Malaviya, the essence of our education system must be openness and acceptance of noble thoughts from all directions, and also sending out its own message to the outer world. Knowledge remains the biggest source for balance of power in contemporary times. In the past, India has always been recognised as an epitome of civilisational wisdom, but at a time when the system is faced with serious challenges, Malaviyas vision for education finds much relevance and contemplation today for both our leadership and educationists. The same was echoed at the 2009 World Conference on Higher Education which noted that, Higher education must pursue the goals of equity, relevance and quality simultaneously. Malaviya emphasised that as the system fails to insulate itself from the challenges of marketisation and globalisation, collective efforts must be put to protect our indigenous knowledge, tradition, culture and values. In search of the new, we must not fall prey to complete Westernisation. Rather, we must build a system combining traditional wisdom with modern innovative thinking and scientific rationality with spiritualism. He believed that Indias spiritual traditions, given its liberal and non-conformist beliefs, will always attract philosophers, scholars and educationist. As the urban-based middle class look for inner peace, it has made deep inroads into the newly affluent society. Rabindranath Tagore noted: Is not the East the mother of spiritual humanity and does not the West quite often turn their faces to that serene mother, the East? Being a great votary of protecting vernacular languages and accessible public education, Malaviya always warned against the modern education system becoming subservient to the forces of market and privatisation. As our current system of education is faced with financial crunch, Malaviya laid emphasis on higher public spending on education. Interestingly, while China spends almost four per cent of its GDP on education, India remains much below at 2.7 per cent of its GDP, as per latest financial estimates. For Malaviya, good education and critical learning were the noble ways towards self-realisation ie salvation or moksha, which is considered as the supreme duty for Hindus. He believed that religion and education were interdependent and existed in harmony with each other. The relation between both, he argued, was going through a new change. In pursuit of serving the humanity, it shall be build on the foundations of social charity, higher morality and greater public good. While addressing the second session of the Congress in Kolkata in 1886, Malaviya emphasised that to revitalise our motherland, we need to impart our young minds with education founded on Indian ideals, which must be combined with the richness of science and learning from the West. Malaviya believed that the demands of modern industry would make it essential for India to introduce an extensive system of technical and industrial education. The centrality of skill-based technical education was at the core of his education scheme. His educational policy was envisioned on multi-disciplinary research-based academic model. For him, modern universities were like power houses, taking the young minds away from misery, ignorance and darkness to new levels of development and empowerment. Malaviya very well understood the problem of unemployment and its relation with quality of education. Hence, his vision outlined the role for developing the mind even with average intelligence, based on imparting new skills, technological tools and vocational training. For him, the framework of modern higher education should always address and respond, keeping in mind societal trends, nature of economy and demographic composition. In the present age, driven by consumerism and capitalism, Malaviyas vision of education, establishing it as the most honoured value against wealth, must form the guiding force to formulate and execute educational policies. Nations that fail to learn from the vision of its great leaders are most likely to remain in non-viable fantasy for long in the future. By carrying forward Malaviyas vision and mission, we can surely pay tribute to him. (The writer holds PhD from East Asian Studies, JNU and teaches at the University of Delhi) How an event is presented to the Kashmiris and the nation at large helps build the narrative to a large extent. Hence, the media has a larger role to play in Jammu & Kashmir The State of Jammu & Kashmir is passing through a very crucial phase. While Government agencies are working diligently to restore normalcy in the State, vested interests, which include pro-Pakistan sympathisers and soft separatists, are determined to ensure that the State remains in turmoil. The modus operandi adopted by spoilers is to build a situation that alienates people and gives rise to an anti-Government mindset. In other words, an anti-Government perception is built among the public to promote their narrative of the Government being anti-Kashmiris. In such a scenario, media has an important role to play. The manner in which an event is presented to the Kashmiris and the nation at large, helps build perceptions to a large extent. Lets have a look at the recent Pulwama incident which once again was an ugly attempt by spoilers to derail the process set in by the Governors Administration to win over the youth and restore normalcy in trouble-torn south Kashmir. Most media headlines read: Seven civilians, three militants, one jawan killed in Pulwama gunfight. The vernacular Press crossed all limits and chose to highlight National Conference leader Omar Abdullahs tweet, who described the incident as a massacre. Local Kashmiri media, too, did not lag behind in arousing passions. Both, technically and grammatically, there is nothing much wrong in the quoted headlines. But factually, it appears to be incorrect and worded inappropriately. The same headlines should have actually read: Seven stone-pelters, three terrorists killed and one jawan attained martyrdom in Pulwama encounter. The usage of correct terminology helps build correct perceptions. The media needs to realise this. The second is a matter of fact headline and portrays a better image of the security forces who undertake these operations as duty and service to their nation. Terrorists are enemies of the nation and those who assist them are their sympathisers. They deserve no leniency. The nation needs to recognise the sacrifices made by soldiers and should be indebted to the forces who are involved in anti-terror operations be it in Kashmir, the North-East or in the Maoist heartland. It is time that the mainstream leadership in Kashmir and the civil society start investing in the return of normalcy. It appears to be difficult because there are numerous vested interests involved whose existence, politically or otherwise, depends on Kashmir remaining a melting pot. But the majority, who has only been suffering and has gained nothing from the ongoing turmoil, is yearning for peace. At least for their sake, the need to change mindsets and give peace a chance is essential. Kashmiris have been exploited to the hilt by these power brokers who have given nothing to them except false and broken promises. The effect of the turmoil is equally being felt by other two regions of the State where demand for trifurcation is gaining momentum but it is not in the nations interest. Rather than pacifying the public and preaching restraint, leaders, who have occupied the highest chair in the State, issue provocative statements. Nothing could have been more ill-timed than this tweet of a former Chief Minister: Protests around encounter sites are now the norm, not the exception. Why are we unable to learn how to handle them better? Indirectly, the leader tried justifying the stone-pelting on our security forces and blamed them for not being able to handle stone-pelting mobs who are blood thirsty. Another former Chief Minister tweeted, No country can win a war by killing its own people. Even without going through the facts, this leader blamed the Indian nation for the civilian causalities that occurred because the so-called civilians, who were actually friends and sympathisers of the trapped terrorists, were hurling stone missiles at the soldiers. They were preparing to return to their barracks after a successful encounter with no collateral damage. In the bargain, they lost one of their comrades who made the supreme sacrifice to ensure that Kashmiri awam is not troubled by the terrorists. Rather than being indebted to the martyr and his family, these goons dared to not only attack the jawans with stones, but also had the audacity to climb on their vehicles and snatch the bodies of terrorists. How then can our security forces be blamed for the civilian causalities? Human rights are universal and applicable to everybody, including the soldiers. Another tweet of the same Chief Minister read: South Kashmir has been reeling under fear for the last six months. As if prior to that, when the leader was at the helm, south Kashmir was a heaven. What does the leader want to convey? If at all south Kashmir is reeling under fear, it is due to the barbaric jihadi terror unleashed by the terrorists, duly financed and supported by Pakistan. Does the leader want south Kashmir to be handed over on a platter to the jihadis? Or does the leader want the security forces to kill the terrorists and eliminate the terror support network? Was no lesson learnt from the unsuccessful experimentation of giving amnesty to stone-pelters who were eventually recycled to strengthen the terror network? Why should terrorists be referred to as militants? There is a distinct difference between a militant and a terrorist. What cause are these terrorists fighting for except furthering Pakistans agenda of bleeding India through thousand cuts? There is quintessential evidence to prove that what is going on in Kashmir is not militancy but Pakistan-sponsored proxy war. The entire terror infrastructure and network has the support of Pakistan, including arming, equipping and financing. Unfortunately, even the official handouts issued by the State Government use the word militant and not terrorist, for reasons best known to the police and bureaucratic machinery of the State. Hopefully, the Governor will take note of this anomaly and issue directives for its rectification. It is a fact that civilians are supposed to be civilised. Certainly those using stone-pelting to kill security personnel deliberately cannot claim to be civilised. The truth is that there were three heavily armed terrorists and seven lightly armed terrorists. All of them were killed in a mandated military operation conducted by the security forces in an area declared disturbed by a competent civilian authority. All of them died of their own will and security forces cannot be held responsible or blamed for the same. The three heavily armed terrorists could have surrendered when appealed by the police and lived thereafter. They chose not to do so out of their own will. The seven should have used discretion and stayed away from the encounter site. A thorough scrutiny of their call history revealed that they were summoned to reach the site after the encounter began and that they came from different places. They were not essentially locals. They were summoned as part of an escape strategy, which TA soldier-turned-terrorist Gowhar Thokar, had mastered and successfully escaped from the security forces cordon on numerous occasions previously. How can the jawan, who laid down his life for the motherland, be clubbed with the terrorists, the nations traitors and referred to as killed? Let nobody in this country harbour any doubt that the martyrdom of jawans in the line of duty cannot be belittled by using wrong terminology. The jawans (term used for all ranks including officers) are not killed but they willingly die for a cause, which is neither his personal agenda nor his ideology. He lays down his life unflinchingly for namak, naam and nishan and his country without caring for his family. He is a martyr and deserves to be referred to as such. There is no greater sacrifice known to man than to lay down ones life in defence of the nation. A nation that fails to honour its martyrs is bound to fail. In the words of Napoleon Bonaparte, It is the cause, not the death, that makes the martyr. Discretion is better part of valour. Insensitivity needs to be replaced with apathy and care. Proper selection and use of correct terminology will certainly help the nation win the battle of perceptions. (The author is a Jammu-based political commentator and strategic analyst. The views expressed are entirely personal) An Indian woman was on Sunday rescued by authorities in Bahrain after a Bahraini enslaver allegedly threatened to keep her for at least 25 days. The Indian Embassy in Bahrain announced her rescue on Twitter hours after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, in a tweet, directed the Indian Ambassador in the Gulf nation to intervene in the case. The Indian mission said the woman has been rescued by Bahraini authorities. On Saturday, humanitarian organisation Justice Upheld had tweeted that an Indian woman has been enslaved by her employer in Bahrain and she feared for her life. The organisation, quoting the enslaver, Sunday said he was going to keep her for at least 25 days as he had paid 'lots of money for her'. He is extremely annoyed that the matter has been reported to the Indian authorities. We are concerned about her safety, the organisation said. Soon after the Indian Embassy in Bahrain, headed by Ambassador Alok Kumar, tweeted that the Mission has initiated action to rescue her. However, Swaraj asked Kumar for immediate intervention, saying the situation appeared to be serious. Alok - I know you are working for her rescue. The situation appears to be serious. This requires immediate intervention on your part. Pls keep me informed, Swaraj tweeted. Details of the case as well as about the woman are not immediately available. In a separate case, Swaraj asked the Indian Embassy in Washington to assist an Indian family which sought her help saying their passports and other belongings were stolen from their hotel room in Chicago. Dear @SushmaSwaraj Ji, an unusual incident of theft has left us devastated here in Chicago while returning back to India. All our belongings, including passports were stolen from our hotel room booked at Edward Hotel and there's no one willing to help. Please intervene, Jyoti, a member of the family, tweeted. Nepal Army chief General Purna Chandra Thapa will visit India next month where he will be conferred the title of honorary general of the Indian Army, a senior Nepal Army official said on Sunday. It is a customary practice between the two neighbouring nations to award the honorary title to each others army chief. Chief of Army Staff General Purna Chandra Thapa will be leaving for India, his first international tour since taking charge of the Nepal Army, on Junary 11, Nepal Army spokesperson Brig Gen Gokul Bhandaree said. During his six-day tour, General Thapa will be handed over the insignia of the honorary chief of the Indian Army by President Ram Nath Kovind at a function to be held at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, he said. General Thapa will also meet Defence Minister Nirmala Sitaraman and visit some of the defence training institutes. He will return on January 16, Bhandaree said. The Nepal Army chief, who took charge of the Himalayan nation's defence force on August 9, is visiting India on the invitation of his Indian counterpart General Bipin Rawat. Earlier in July, General Rawat was in Nepal to receive the similar honour from Nepal's President Bidya Devi Bhandari. The practice of exchanging the title of honorary chief has been going on since 1950. Similar to the practice followed by Nepali Prime Ministers, there is a tradition in the Nepal Army that sees its chiefs make New Delhi their first international destination after taking command of the defence force. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched the website of the Cyber Coordination Centre as a one-stop shop on all cyber related issues, whether it is cyber crime or cyber security. The portal launched at the conclusion of the DGPs conference would also act as a bridge between law enforcement agencies on the one hand, and academia and private cyber security professionals on the other. The PM also announced the institution of a new national honour for National Unity on the pattern of Padma Awards, the Government said in a statement. The annual award would be given to any Indian who has contributed to national unity in any manner, it said, adding that the PM drew inspiration from iconic Congress leader Sardar Patels contribution towards unification of the country. The three-day Conference also focused on improving cyber security in the country and on preparing the Police forces to prevent and investigate cyber crimes and financial frauds. The announcement of the new awards came at the conclusion of the annual conference of Director Generals of Police and Inspector Generals of Police held at Kevadiya in Narmada district of Gujarat, near the statue of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, countrys first Union Home Minister who is dubbed to have unified close to 600 princely States into the Indian Union. Modi also released a commemorative postal stamp on the National Police Memorial and a special issue of Indian Police Journal on police martyrdom, published by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D). The PM also advised the top police brass that a national level parade may be organised by police forces of about three to four states near Patels statue at Kevadiya every year on Patels birthday on October 31, observed as National Unity Day. It was Patel, who, as the home minister of the country, had inaugurated the first conference of Inspector Generals of Police in Delhi in 1948. For this reason, Patels message of national unity was the underlying theme of this years conference, it said. At the conclusion of the conference, Modi lauded the contribution of the police forces in maintaining internal security and directed the heads of police forces to take steps towards creating a more responsive and sensitive police force, the statement said. The PM further stressed on the need for coordination of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Central agencies with the state police forces and amongst neighbouring states was absolutely essential for successfully dealing with complex issues of crime prevention and management of law and order in the country, it said. Modi advised the DGPs to make imaginative use of information technology to reach out to all sections of society through websites and apps to provide various police related services and safety advisories. He highlighted the misuse of social media by anti-national forces for creating mass unrest and for radicalising vulnerable youth in this context. A large number of issues concerning internal security, criminal justice system, terrorism, left wing extremism and bridging the gap between police and public were discussed at the conference. Days after hike in one time parking fee charges in the national Capital, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Monday withdrew the order of a 18-fold hike in one-time parking charges for cars and annual fees for commercial vehicles from January 1. The order issued by the Transport Minister cited that the December 21 order appears to be irregular for many reasons. Gahlot tweeted, Transport department has been directed to withdraw the order dated 21.12.2018 regarding increase in parking charges in South/East/North Delhi Municipal Corporations. Owners of commercial/non commercial vehicles need not deposit the enhanced parking fees till the matter has been examined afresh. He said in the previous order the revised charges were not notified by the Union Urban Affairs Ministry that has administrative control over the municipal corporations. Also, no opinion was sought from the Law Department of the Delhi Government. Union Urban Affairs Ministry, being the administrative department for MCDs, ought to have notified the revised charges in the first instance. For instance Transport Department is only a collection agent on behalf of the corporations. Secondly there is no reference to the parking lots under the control the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and the Delhi Cantonment Board, said Gahlot in the order. The December 21 order was issued on behalf of then Transport Commissioner Varsha Joshi on her last working day at the department. She is currently holding the charge of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation Commissioner. The order had raised the one-time parking charges of cars from existing Rs 4,000 to up to Rs 75,000 based on price of the vehicles. The annual parking charges of commercial vehicles like buses were also raised from existing Rs 6,000 to Rs 75,000. The order further said, The opinion of the Law department ought to have been taken before issuing this order. Also, department could not have issued this order without placing the file before the Minister (Transport). Earlier in the day, a delegation of State Transport Authority Operators Ekta Manch met the Transport Minister demanding withdrawal of the hike. We will continue to struggle for the demand for complete withdrawal of the annual parking charges, Delhi Taxi Tourist Transporters Association president Sanjay Samrat said, adding a demonstration will be held in the national Capital on December 27 to demand complete lifting of annual parking charges for commercial vehicles. KCR meets Mamata to intensify bids for Federal Front sans BJP, Cong A day after the BJP sealed its seat-sharing deal with Janata Dal(U) and the LJP in Bihar, the Congress revived its alliance with the NCP in Maharashtra on Monday. Away from the political manoeuvering of the BJP and the Congress, TRS supremo and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao kept up his effort to float a Front excluding both these major players as he engaged with his West Bengal counterpart and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee. Both the Congress and the NCP had contested the last Lok Sabha polls together but went separately in the Assembly polls held a few months later. In Maharashtra, the NCP and the Congress will together contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, along with the Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWI). Till now, we have decided seat-sharing on 40 seats, still eight are left. If any consensus is not reached on remaining eight seats then the final decision will be taken by the two party chiefs in New Delhi, tweeted NCP president Sharad Pawar. AICC sources in Delhi said the performance of the two parties in the in the 2014 Assembly polls has been the basis of the seat-sharing arrangment as then the Congress had won 61 seats, while the NCP 41. Our talks for seat-sharing with alliance partners have come to the final stage, which needs to be approved by the party leadership. The other minor issues that are left over sharing of seats will be resolved by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, said Congress leader Ashok Chavan. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress had fielded 27 candidates in Maharashtra, while the NCP had contested on 21 seats. The Lok Sabha seats that are yet to be agreed upon includes Ahmednagar, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Aurangabad, Yavatmal, Nashik, Nandurbar, and one in Mumbai which the Samajwadi Party is desiring to contest in case the SP-BSP and Congress alliance takes place in Uttar Pradesh. A senior Congress leader said the NCP was keen to contest from Pune and Jalna Lok Sabha seats, which are from the Congress quota but said the NCP has now agreed to withdraw its demand. Though the Congress is yet to decide its candidate from Pune, party insiders said a senior Shiv Sena leader, who is likely to defect, is being considered the party candidate from Jalna Lok Sabha constituency. State BJP president Raosaheb Danve is a four-time MP from this constituency. Both the Congress and the NCP have also agreed to share three seats with other allies Hatkanangale in Kolhapur for the Raju Shetti-led Swabhimani Paksha, Amravati in Vidarbha for the Rajendra Gawai-led Republican Party of India (RPI) and Akola for the Prakash Ambedkar-led Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM). The SP has also been demanding one seat in Mumbai. Meanwhile, K Chandrashekhar Rao on Monday met Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna (Bengal State secretariat) in Kolkata where the two leaders engaged in a productive discussion over the possibilities of stitching together a viable Federal Front ahead of the 2019 general elections. Rao, who had just before the Assembly elections in his State, said his discussions with Mamata was quite encouraging. After meeting Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaikji, I have come to meet Mamata didi. Here we have a fruitful discussion. We shared the matters of mutual interest and national interest, said KCR, adding the topics of discussion were usual, as they veered around issues that are likely to crop up when two national leaders meet. We discussed certain issues that are crucial for the nation. On whether he still wanted a non-BJP, non-Congress Government at the Centre and whether he still was working towards that end, Rao said, That is the mission of KCR. I will continue to give my efforts. This (a Federal Front) is not a small thing to do. Dialogues are going on and they will continue. On the future of the continuing dialogues, he said, We will give you good news soon. Our talks will continue and we will come out with a concrete plan. We are discussing things. I will continue with my efforts, he said. KCR is likely to meet SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati in Delhi. Rao is expected to stay in Delhi for a few days during which he is also likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and some senior Union Ministers. Earlier on the day KCR said the country needs a change for which dialogue has begun. We are doing our part but nothing concrete has emerged. We have just begun the dialogue and we will meet again to discuss how to take things forward. Dwelling on the meeting with the Odisha Chief Minister, KCR said the leaders needed to talk to more people across the nation adding there was a dire need for the unification of the regional parties as there is a strong need for an alternative to the Congress and BJP. Both Rao and Mamata had met in March when he had come to visit the Bengal Chief Minister in Kolkata. His Mondays visit came days after the visit of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah. An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Monday sentenced ousted premier Nawaz Sharif to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case but acquitted him in the Flagship Investments case, concluding a series of three court cases against the Sharif family in the high-profile Panama Papers case. Three cases Avenfield properties case, Flagship investment case and Al-Azizia steel mills case were launched against the Sharif family by the National Accountability Bureau on September 8, 2017, following a judgment by the Pakistan Supreme Court that disqualified Sharif in the Panama Papers case in July last year. Accountability Court II Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik Monday announced the short verdict in the two corruption cases against the Sharif family, after reserving the decision on December 19. Judge Malik said there was concrete evidence against the 68-year-old former premier in the Al-Azizia case, and that he was unable to give the trail of the money used to set up the Al-Azizia steel mills in Saudi Arabia by his family in 2001 and later on the Hill Metal Establishment also in Saudi Arabia. The court sentenced Sharif to seven years in jail and imposed a $2.5 million and 1.5 million pounds fine on him. The court also ordered to seize the Al-Azizia and Hill Metal properties. Judge Malik, however, said that there was no case against Sharif in the Flagship case. Sharif, who was present in the court, was immediately taken into custody. His lawyer requested the judge that the PML-N quaid (supreme) be shifted to Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore instead of Adiala Jail. The request was granted. The verdict was announced almost immediately after Sharif arrived in the courtroom. He has the option to challenge the verdict against him. Sharif was also disqualified for 10 years from holding any public office. The disqualification will go into effect following his release from jail after serving the seven-year sentence. In July, 2018 Sharif, his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law Captain (retd.) M Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year respectively in prison in the Avenfield properties case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices. However, the three were bailed out by the Islamabad High Court in September. The apex court set the deadline for December 24 to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases against the Sharif family. The three-time former prime minister has maintained that the cases against him were initiated on the basis of allegations levelled by his political rivals and the report of a joint investigation team in the Panama Papers case was biased. In an emergency meeting after the verdict, the NAB decided to challenge Sharifs acquittal in the Flagship case in the high court. The Supreme Court initially set six month deadline to conclude the three cases but it was subsequently increase around eight times on the request of the accountability court. A long series of court cases in which the Sharif family have fought accusations of money laundering, tax evasion and hiding offshore assets culminated in Mondays judgment. Since September 2017, Sharif has appeared before the accountability courts some 165 times. Commenting on the verdict, Sharif said that his conscience was clear as he was never involved in any kind of corruption. I was never involved in misuse of authority and corruption so my conscience is at peace, he said. His daughter Maryam broke months-long silence and took to twitter to criticize the judgment as vengeance. Punishment to the same man for the fourth time. (This was) blind revenges last hiccup but victory is Nawaz Sharifs, thank God, she tweeted in Urdu. ...These verdicts will vanish, what will remain is Nawaz Sharifs honesty and the opponents burden of tyrannies because government, power and privileges are there to end. It does not take long for tides to turn. Remember, when tyranny crosses limits, it ends, she said. She accused Prime Minister Imran Khans party of conspiring against her father, claiming that the government officials head to work each day thinking what do I have to do against Nawaz Sharif today? We will protest against the verdict and overcome it, former premier and senior PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said. He said the deposed premier should have been acquitted in both cases as the top accountability watchdog had no evidence against the Sharif family. Security was beefed up around the court, with heavy contingents of police and Rangers deployed around the building and along roads leading to the court. A large number of Sharifs Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supporters and senior party leaders, including Abbasi, were present outside the court to show their support for the partys supreme leader. Following the verdict announcement, PML-N supporters clashed with security personnel. Tear gas and baton-charge was used to disperse the protesters. Meanwhile, legal expert Shah Khawar said that acquittal of Sharif in one case and conviction in the other will go in his favour. The two cases are connected as in both cases money trail was required. So Sharifs lawyer will use it at appeal level, he said. The court also issued permanent arrest warrants of Sharifs two sons Hasan and Hussain. Both are co-accused in all three cases but they were declared absconders for failing to appear before the court even for a single time. The court decided to hear their cases separately once they returned back. The Congress party is in favour of formalising policies of the Grand Alliance to run Government before deciding its leader. Speaking at a press conference, the Congress State president Ajoy Kumar said, Our only one goal is to prevent BJP to take power in the Sate and the Center. There is no issue of leadership in the alliance. Before announcing face of the alliance the leaders of the alliance will sit together and formalise a policy on which the government will work. The Kolebira bye election will not affect the health of the alliance. Criticizing the State government, Kumar said, The government is not taking initiative on the killing of Amit Topno as he was a journalist. He used to report on the Pathalgadi issue. It is duty of the journalist fraternity to raise the issue vehemently. In another case some days earlier a journalist was beaten up by the police. The government is trying to silence voices of media but the Congress will not let them to do so as media is for the pillar of democracy. Our Party president Rahul Gandhi has said that we will support the journalists irrespective of they will support us or not, he added. On the issue of delaying on shape of the alliance Kumar said, There is no confusion in 11 to 12 seats of parliamentary seats and also in around 70 State Assembly seats. We will sort it out very soon. This is right that we have to sit together with other partners of Grand Alliance. Addressing the gathering on the occasion Congress Legislature Party Leader Alamgir Alam said this is message for the upcoming coming elections in 2019 in the State and the Centre. Peoples faith has increased on Rahul Gandhi. We will meet para teachers on December 26 and will try to pacify them. We will raise the every issue in the ongoing session of the State Assembly, he added. Newly elected MLA form Kolebira Naman Bixal Kongadi was also present on the occasion. Extending thank to the Congress party he said, Thanks to Rahul Gandhi with the State and the District committees have shown faith on candidates like me who have no money and backdoor support. It is only Congress party can give ticket to honest and hardworking people irrespective of their weight. Director Higher Education Abu Imran, including other bureaucrats, academicians and experts present during the State level Educational Convention and Gala Award Ceremony 2018 on Monday urged to the students and members of minority communities to stay away from political polarization and focus on their goals. Experts opined that only Education can change their respective families status ensuring overall development of the specific minority community, they belong to. The delegates were speaking during the programme organised annually by American Federation of Muslim of Indian Origin (AFMI) USA and Canada in association with Friends of Weaker Society, Ranchi to felicitate the young talents of minority groups who have achieved distinction in State Board examination, CBSE and ICSE exams. Abu Imran, Director Higher Education said that due to the negligent approach until now and apathy of Muslim leaders in creating apt environment for promoting education among the minority community members, in Jharkhand alone merely two to three per cent students of minority communities get the privilege to receive higher education. He further held feeble guardianship responsible for not able to convince the children to pursue education with utmost seriousness. Imran added that due to several myths and political polarization, the people of minority communities are still lagging behind. Leaders of other communities do establish institutions but very few leaders from the minority communities side take an initiative to bring change in education system or else establish institutes of excellence. Pity politics, focus on small issues have drained the real issues, Imran stated. Further, during the career counseling session, Imran, an Alma Mater of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) asked the students to focus on new career options and encouraged the students to opt for legal studies and other vocational subjects apart from the evergreen career options Medical and Engineering stream. In addition, IPS officer, Mohammad Arshi emphasised on the fact that being religious does not mean being communal. According to me, people who are actually more religious are the ones who are secular, said the senior IPS Officer. Arshi backed for adopting Mix-Culture concept and encouraged the audiences to embrace the culture of other sects to widen their knowledge sphere. He advised the parents to share their insights and develop friendly equation with the kids. Arshi stressed on adopting different methodologies to groom ones personality and develop self-confidence to achieve the desired goals in life. Do not underestimate yourself or rather compare yourself with others. Change in outlook, fostering of hobby, good listener, keen observer, strong moral foundation are the qualities that aids the students to achieve great heights in life, Arshi added. Similarly, Vice-Chancellors (VCs) of different State-owned universities underlined different facts about the importance of linking oneself with the modern education system, new age technology and numerous government schemes meant for the students of minority groups for their overall progress. During the concluding ceremony, Minister Welfare, Minority Affairs, Dr. Louis Marandi assured to remove all stumbling blocks creating hurdles in ensuring the growth of the minorities. Marandi on the occasion promised to introduce more welfare schemes and scholarship programmes for the minority community students. The Minister too encouraged the members of minority community to support girls in realising their dreams, aspirations. In the presence of several dignitaries, around 233 talented students received the monetary assistance. Top 10 candidates got a cheque of Rs. 3,000 each while other meritorious students received a cheque of Rs. 1,500 each. Till date, 4,500 minority students have received the scholarship assistance from these umbrella organisations since 2008. Aam Aadmi Partys (AAP) quivering ship in Punjab, it seems, is making for the shore. In its first attempt, AAP managed to win back one of its eight rebel legislators, besides taking on board a former judge who had headed a governments commission on sacrilege cases. AAPs Punjab unit has been a divided house after the partys Delhi leadership unceremoniously removed Sukhpal Khaira from the post of the Leader of Opposition in the Vidhan Sabha in July. Soon after, eight MLAs including Khaira, revolted against the party causing a vertical split in the party, and have only recently joined hands with partys suspended MP Dr Dharamvira Gandhi, Bains Brothers Lok Insaaf Party, BSP, besides others to announce a Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA). However, the new week bring some good news for AAP as Justice (retired) Zora Singh, who had headed a commission to probe incidents of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib in Punjab during the SAD-BJP regime, joined the party on Monday. Besides, rebel MLA from Garhshankar Jai Kishan Rori too re-joined the party. Rori had reportedly distanced himself from the Khaira group from the recent past, not participating in their rallies and meetings. He was not even seen during the rebel groups Insaaf March, and other public activities of the group. With Rori joining AAPs official group, it has gained the strength of 13 MLAs, with the rebel faction reduced to seven. I have sorted out the differences with the leaders and will now work to strengthen the party in the state, said Rodi. He said that to aware the people of Punjab about work done by AAPs Delhi government will be his responsibility so that the people can know about the intentions of the party. It has been learnt that differences cropped up between Rodi and Khaira over their future, while apparently led to his decision to part ways with the rebel faction. At the same time, Justice Zora Singhs joining AAP would give the party chance to take on SAD-BJP, and on the Congress as well as over the issue of sacrilege incidents. He is the one who looked into all the cases and know so much about the issue which would be useful for the party as the Congress is exploiting this issue against the SAD and the Badals ahead elections, while Congress itself is also to be blamed for not acting against the culprits till date, a senior AAP leader told The Pioneer. Notably, AAP MLA and known advocate HS Phoolka had released Justice Zora Singh Commission report before the SAD-BJP government. Justice Zora Singh Commission of Inquiry, set up by the then Akali-BJP government to probe sacrilege incidents, had submitted its report on June 30, 2016. Rejecting Justice Zora Singh panels report as inconclusive, Capt Amarinder Singh government had set up the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission of Inquiry in April 2017, soon after coming to power. Both Justice Zora Singh and Rodi formally joining AAP in the presence of partys national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann, Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, MLA Amarjeet Singh Sandoa, among others, in New Delhi. Justice Zora Singh said that he chose to join AAP because of its pro-people policies and he was impressed with the work done by AAP in the field of education and health. I hope that I will be able to contribute to make the society a better place to live while working with AAP, he said. Serving in the field of judiciary for 35 long years, Justice Zora Singh remained uncontroversial during his service. Regarding sacrilege cases, Justice Zora Singh said: I had submitted the detailed report to Badal government, but no action was taken on that by Badal government. Even the Capt Amarinder Singh government did not bother to take action against Badal in the cases of desecration. Welcoming Justice Zora Singh into the party, Kejriwal said that his joining will further strengthen the party and AAP will work hard to meet the aspirations of the people of the state. Mann said that had the Congress Government implemented the recommendations of Justice Zora Singh Commission, the then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, the then DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, and other people responsible for desecration would have behind the bars today. However, AAPs suspended MLA Sukhpal Khaira described the development as adding zero to zero and getting a zero. Discredited Justice Zora Singhs induction into AAP only shows its political bankruptcy, he said adding that the Badals very conveniently used Zora Singh to shield guilty police officers responsible for the killings of two Sikh youth at Behbal Kalan and the guilty of sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib through this dummy judge who played to their tunes for petty remunerations as head of the Zora Commission. Khaira said the Commissions findings were so irrelevant that neither the Badals nor Capt Amarinder took any cognisance. He is a typical example of retired judges willing to sign on dotted lines of the governments merely for few lakhs of salary, car, security etc, he added. Mincing no words, Khaira said: Justice Zora Singh is a discredited man in Punjab. Therefore, I term this as an act of political bankruptcy on the part of AAP. In view of the state governments decision to enforce provisions of Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) which prohibits strikes in the health services, the association of the government doctors said that it would take the final call on the proposed strike soon. Following the threat of strike given by the Provincial Medical Health Services (PMHS)- the mighty association of the doctors of the state health services, the state government swung into action on Sunday and decided to enforce ESMA in the health department. Talking to The Pioneer, the president PMHS, Dr D P Joshi said that association is not in the least perturbed by the ESMA threat the state government is dangling about. We are bothered about the services to the patients. I am now in Delhi and on my return, we will discuss the issue in the working committee of the association and take the final call on the proposed strike, he said. Notably, PMHS is demanding the pending demand of uniform implementation of Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) scheme be accepted without further delay. The doctors further are for the transfer order of general secretary of PMHS be revoked. They are also vociferous on meetings of Departmental Promotion Committee ( DPC) be held twice a year. The PMHS is also demanding vehicle allowance be given to the doctors. On the call given by PMHS, all the doctors of state health services registered their protest by donning black arm bands over the past one week. The State Government today tabled supplementary budget for the FY 2018-19 in the tune of Rs 1,117.12 crore on the first day of the three-day Winter Session of Jharkhand State Assembly here on Monday. Although opposition MLAs raised contemporary issues during the hour-long proceedings of the House, Speaker Dinesh Oraon suspended the proceedings after condolences till December 26. Before the beginning of the session JMM MLAs protested in front of the main gate of the house raising slogans and holding placards in support of para teachers. The MLAs had also adorned T-Shirts with slogans written on them. As soon as the House began and the Government presented the supplementary budget Opposition MLA Rajkumar Yadav came in the well of the House and started raising slogans. The opposition party leaders joined the chorus but Speaker Dinesh Oraon called for condolence expression. The Speaker, CM Raghubar Das, Opposition Leader Hemant Soren, JVM leader Pradeep yadav, AJSU party MLA Chandraparakash Chaudhary among others paid tributes to several people including former PM AB Vajpayee, writer VS Naipaul, ND Tiwari, Anant Kumar, Kuldeep Naiyyar, Ajit Wadekar, martyrs of security forces among others. Some MLAs also paid tributes to para teachers, who have died during their protests since last session of Assembly. The government has made provision of Rs 19,449.21 lakh for Home, Prisons and Disaster Management Department, while Rs 19,415.66 have been proposed to be allotted to the Health and Family Welfare Department. Rural Development, Energy, Law and Drinking water Departments have also been given a major share of the budget. Earlier, JMM executive president cum Leader of Opposition Hemant Soren said that the Winter Session was merely an eyewash. Why has the session been called is a big question. Earlier there was doubt on calling the session, but now when it is running there will be many questions. There are so many things. We will not reveal our strategy but the Government is going to be surrounded from all sides on many issues, he said. BJPs Chief Whip RK Kishore targeted the Opposition saying that it was not letting the House run from the last three sessions. The government is ready to discuss any issue in the House. Solutions can only come out through discussion, he said appealing to the Opposition parties to put their viewpoint in the House. Meanwhile, the Speaker chaired the Business Advisory Committee meeting in the House on Monday and it was decided that a special debate on para teachers issue will be conducted in the Assembly on Wednesday. Himachal chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Monday said the previous Congress government left the State with a loan burden of Rs. 46,500 crore due to its financial mismanagement. He accused the earlier government of announcing 21 degree colleges during the last few months of its tenure without any budget provisions. "Now, the same Opposition leaders were trying to intimidate the Government on name of charge sheet on the functioning of one year of the Government," he said. Addressing a public meeting at Baldwara in Sarkaghat Assembly constituency of Mandi district, the Chief said an additional amount of Rs. 26 crore has been sanctioned by the Centre for Sarkaghat Assembly constituency under PMGSY and a 33 KV Sub Station would be constructed at Semala to solve the voltage problem of the area. Chief Minister announced opening of IPH Sub Division at Badrota and PWD Sub Division at Badharwar. The Chief Minister said that the State Government has submitted a project of Rs. 157 crore for channelisation of Seer Khud which would be sanctioned and implemented soon. He said that Rs. 85 crore project has also been posed for BRICS funding under Phase-II for Sarkaghat area. He said that the one year's tenure of the present State Government has ensured that all the areas of the State get their due share in matter of development. Thakur said the Jan Manch programme of the State Government has proved successful in redressal of public grievances and claimed that even the Congress leaders are participating in it for redressal of their grievances. Reena wins Pride of India award Bhopal: BK Reena won Pride of India award for her outstanding work in the field of social work. The award function was being organised by World Book of Records, London at Radisson hotel in Indore. She was accoloded by international music icon and disco king Bappi Lehri. The dignitaries praised the work being done by Brahmakumari for mankind. Reena is the director of Brahmakumaris centre Gulmohar Bhopal. She has been working in the field of social welfare for the past 25 years. She is a motivational speaker. PK Sinha gets farewell Bhopal: In a simple programme held at Third Floor Administrative Building BHEL, Bhopal DK Thakur, Executive Director bade farewell to PK Sinha General Manager (SYX & PYX); Dipak Sharma General Manager (CEE) along with 10 other employees comprising of 03 officer and 07 workmen on their superannuation from the organisation. Thakur in his address wished all the employees a happy retired life. On this occasion Binoy Kumar AGM (HR), all general managers and DROs were present. Christmas celebrated in unique atmosphere Bhopal: Christmas Eve was celebrated a unique atmosphere, people come forward with Santa Claus spirit to save the life of others. The occasion was Blood Donation Camp organized on Monday at No; 10 in the market by Jaswant Dangi Welfare Society. This was the Ninth year of the camp in which more than 1000 people participated and 251 units of donated blood was collected by evening. Blood donors included merchants, students, working class people, peasants, women, police, politicians whose deeds are different, but today their motive was same, to save the life of the needy by donating blood. The organizers Satwant Thakur, Gopal Thakur and others thanked the people who participated in the camp. Upendra Mohan Sharma, Blood Bank In-charge of Hamidia Hospital, Bhopal was present on the occasion. CM extends Christmas greetings Bhopal: Chief Minister Kamal Nath has extended greetings to the people specially those of Christian community on the pious occasion of Christmas. The Chief Minister said that the birth of Jesus Christ was a Divine event on the earth. Lord Jesus enriched the humanity by his noblest teachings to observe peace, spread love, have mercy and promote harmony and brotherhood in the society. Nath said that the divine messages of the Lord Jesus will remain relevant as long as humanity lives on. Oath of good governance day administered Bhopal: Chief Secretary Basant Pratap Singh administered the oath of good governance day to the officers and employees today. After offering flowers on the portrait of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Park, Vallabh Bhawan Singh administered the oath for establishing the highest standards of good governance, to the officers and employees of Satpura-Vindhyachal Bhawan and the Mantralaya, Among those present on the occasion were Additional Chief Secretary General Administration Department Shri Prabhanshu Kamal, Additional Chief Secretary Animal Husbandry Department Manoj Shrivastava, Principal Secretary Energy ICP Keshari, Principal Secretary Finance Anurag Jain, Principal Secretary Farmer Welfare and Agriculture Development Rajesh Rajoura, Principal Secretary Tribal Welfare SN Mishra and Principal Secretary Home Malay Shrivastava. Revision of photo electoral rolls to start from Dec 26 Bhopal: The revision of photo electoral rolls for the Lok Sabha elections will start from December 26. Claims and objections can be made on the electoral rolls. Applications can be given for adding names to the roll, for making amendment and adding constituency and names of new voters. Applications can be made online on www.nvsp.in the website of Election Commission of India. The names of all eligible citizens who will be completing 18 years on January 1, 2019 will be included in the electoral rolls for the Lok Sabha elections. Claims and objections will be accepted till January 25, 2019 along with the publication of the photo voter list format on December 26, 2018. Pre-Christmas celebration at Hema school Bhopal: Students at HEMA Hr Sec School organised a pre-Christmas celebration. It was celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm during morning assembly where small children dressed in colourful attire danced and song welcoming the infant Jesus. Carol songs were also played and Santa Claus distributed Chocolates. School Principal Anurag Upadhyay emphasized the importance of caring and sharing and spreading goodness all around and wished Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all the kids and staff. The essence of Christmas came alive at HEMA Hr Sec School when the students and teachers got together and shared the merriment. Blood donation camp at Adhunik A total of 62 units were blood collected at the 8th blood donation camp organised by CSR Department of Adhunik Power & Natural Resources Limited, Padampur under the aegis of its social wing Nav Nirman Sanstha supported by NGO Voluntary Blood Donors Association and Jamshedpur Blood Bank at its heath center. Senior official of the company Ravinder Kumar Agarwal set an example for the others by donating blood first on the list. Rakesh Gupta, CEO and Bhalchandra Nellikwar, Plant Head boosted the morale of donors. Sanjeet Sinha of CSR department and his teams vital contribution helped camp concluded with success. SAIL supplies steel for bridge Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has supplied around 35,400 metric tonnes of steel for the construction of Bogibeel Road-cum-Rail Bridge on the river Brahmaputra. This quantity is little more than 50 per cent of the total quantity of steel supplied for the bridge. SAIL has supplied TMT Rebars, Plates and Structurals for this 4.94 KM long bridge,which has composite welded steel truss girders in its structures. Earlier, SAIL had supplied 90 per cent steel for the construction of the Dhola-Sadiyabridge, which is Indias longest bridge. Group song competition at SBPS Tiny tots of KG I and KG II participated in Inter-house Group Song Competition that was organised at the premises of Sarala Birla Public School on Monday. The auditorium resonated with the melodious voices of the young vocalists. They presented Bhajans like Hum Parampita ke Bachche Hain, Jaun Tore Charan Kamal Par Wari, Naman Karu Sadguru Charana, and Bhavsagar Taran Karan Hey Gurudev. They mesmerised the audience by their brimming talents. The competition culminated with the announcement of the winners. 1st prize was bagged by Samveda house, 2nd prize by Atharvaveda and 3rd prize by Yajurveda house. 17 students qualify in KVPY Test As many as 17 students of DPS, ranchi qualified the prestigious KVPY Aptitude Test, 2018. The Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) is an on-going program of fellowship on Basic Sciences, initiated and founded by the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, to attract exceptionally highly motivated students for pursuing basic science courses and research career in science. This programme aims to assist the students to realize their potential and to ensure that the best scientific talent is groomed for the research and development in the country. Winter Camp at RAV Kinder Castle The funfilled Winter Camp 2018 began at R.A.V. Kinder Castle, Vrindavan Colony with the energies of the little champs participating in this much awaited camp. More than 50 Kids of all ages from different schools took Part in this Camp. Experts from every field to strengthen the qualities and scratch out the hidden talents in the small wonders are arranged in this winter camp. Ravi Prakash, Director, of the school put focus on the benefits of learning and growing together with the help of these kinds of group camp activities, which is the most important activities needed for every child for their overall development on today's scenario in a must and we are ever working on this sector since beginning. There will be Grand Christmas Celebration tomorrow he added. In a major relief to the state government and the people of Uttarakhand, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has suspended its lock- out call of all private hospitals and clinics based in the state from Tuesday. The IMA suspended its agitation following a meeting with the state chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Monday evening. Informing about the suspension of their agitation, the general secretary IMA, Dr D D Chaudhury said while talking to The Pioneer that the CM has assured of changes being made in the Clinical Establishment Act. He, however, added that the IMA has only suspended its agitation for the time being. If the assurances are not fulfilled the doctors would resume protest, he warned. The private doctors of the state spearheaded by Uttarakhand chapter of IMA are up in arms against the provisions of the Clinical Establishment Act. They are pressuring the state government to bring in a more acceptable Uttarakhand Health care Establishment Act. On the call given by the IMA, many clinical establishments, including private hospitals, stopped giving admission to new patients from Monday. The IMA had threatened that it would enforce a complete shutdown at all the private hospitals and clinics from Tuesday. In an attempt to thaw the ice between IMA and the state government, senior BJP leader Munna Singh Chauhan took a delegation of IMA for a meeting with the secretary medical health Nitesh Jha on Monday morning. The meeting, however, remained inconclusive. The IMA had recently submitted an exhaustive draft document of the Uttarakhand Healthcare Establishments Act which, according to it, should replace the more stringent Clinical Establishment Act and submitted it to the state administration. It would be recalled that the Uttarakhand High Court (HC) in a recent landmark judgment had directed the state government to seal all such hospitals and clinics not registered under Clinical Establishment Act. Acting on the order, the state administration had tightened its grip on the private hospitals, an action which infuriated the IMA. IMA is of the firm view that the act should not be passed in its present form. It has suggested that Uttarakhand government should follow the Haryana model of the act where all the clinical establishments having less than 50 beds are exempted from the stringent provisions of the act. Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday released the book 'Prince, Patron and Patriarch Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala', co-authored by the Maharajas grandson, Brigadier (Retd) Jagjit Singh, and Cynthia Frederick. Besides the authors, Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore was also present on the occasion, which saw the Chief Minister hail the Maharaja as one of the scripters of modernization of Kapurthala. He recalled how his own grandfather Bhupinder Singh, along with Maharaja Jagatjit Singh, brought Patiala and Kapurthala on the world map through modernization. Describing the book as a candid tribute by a grandson to the erstwhile exceptional royal king of Kapurthala, the CM regaled the audience with anecdotes showcasing the far-sightedness of the Maharaja, whom he recalled meeting once as a 6-year-old, and the valour of his grandson, Brigadier Jagjit Singh. The 1920s and the 1930s were Europes golden years, and some of the Indian rulers visited the region to see what they could bring back to Punjab for the states betterment, he added. His family association with Maharaja Jagatjit Singh went back 12 generations, said the Chief Minister, adding that the book went beyond a narration of historical facts to give a new perspective to the golden era. Capt Amarinder complemented both the authors for the extensive research which they had undertaken to explore and bring out various dimensions of the most epochal events, both within India and abroad, which Maharaja Jagatjit Singh was witness to. Speaking on the occasion, Cynthia Meera Frederick, a conservation architect who was intrigued by the Maharaja's love for French architecture, thanked the CM for launching the book. A team led by the senior officials including the City Managers of Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) along with the ward councilors inspected the status of sanitation in different wards on Monday. Predominately focusing on areas under the supervision of RMSW Essel Infra, the inspection was carried out. With merely a few days left for the Swacchta Survekshan 2019 to begin, the civic guardians appeared unsatisfied with the work undertaken by the solid waste management company. According to the City Managers who assisted the team, the Municipal Corporation is planning to take the existing arrangements in its own hand soon, looking at the feeble approach of the agency. After the inspection of different wards, scrutiny reports in audio-video formats have been submitted to the senior officials for final assessment. The report is likely to be evaluated soon. The work undertaken by the solid waste management company here is unsatisfying. Dearth of labourers, lack of garbage collection vehicles, indefinite strike of sanitation workers, troubled Mini-Transfer Stations (MTSs) including irregular coverage of garbage collections in the defined areas still persists despite rounds of warnings to the firm and revising the work ward-wise, said RMC City Manager on anonymity. Further, the City Manager admitted that if the present status of door to door garbage collection and disposal is not improved, it will be highly difficult for the States biggest Urban Local Body (ULB) to cope up with other cities participating in the Swacchta Survekshan 2019. The sanitation competition being organised annually since 2016 by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) to encourage cities to improve on different parameters of urban sanitation is getting bigger and better with every passing year. Beginning with 73-odd urban cities in the country, the competition, this year will cover 4000 urban belts with some additional key features along with the old elements. Brainstorming is being done to make some alternate arrangements, however, how much duration will be consumed in drafting out the final proposal is yet to be decided by the officials and RMC health section, the RMC City Manager added. With an aim to ensure no VIP treatment is meted out to inmates inside the Delhi prisons premises, Delhi Government has approved a proposal recommended by the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) to install high resolution Closed Circuit Television Camera (CCTV) in the premises of Tihar, Rohini and Mandoli prison with a cost of Rs 120 crore. The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday. According to the Government, the project will ensure safety and security of inmates since there has been incidents of violence which have even resulted in serious repercussions, including murders. This proposal of the Home Department will be executed by the PWD and will include supply, installation, testing and commissioning of CCTV surveillance system, including comprehensive maintenance at Tihar, Rohini and Mandoli Prison complexes, the Government said in a statement. The project will be executed at a cost of Rs 120 crore, it added. The statement said that the state governments move to provide such a large sum of money for better functioning of jails and to introduce transparency in them was the first in the country. After getting approval from the Haryana Government and national Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) board for the construction of Rapid Rail connectivity from Delhi-Gurugram-Shahjahanpur-Neemrana-Behror Urban Complex (SNB) corridor under the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), the authorities have floated tenders for pre-construction work on the Phase-1 corridor. The two tenders that were issued by the (NCRTC) include, Pile Loading Test and Geo-Technical Survey for around 75km length of the corridor in Haryana. The NCRTC board recently approved the DPR (Detailed Project Report) of Delhi-Gurugram-SNB RRTS corridor. Once implemented, it will encourage people to leave their personal vehicles behind for a world class public transport system like RRTS, said Sudhir Kumar Sharma, Chief Public Relation Officer at NCRTC. As per the official and the Detail Project Plan, the Delhi- Gurugram - SNB Corridor will be constructed in three phases which will be extended up to Alwar in Rajasthan. The SNB station will also be act as a major interchanges which will provide an interchange to three lines. The first phase is from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to SNB which wil cover a length of 106 km stretch with covering Bawal (Haryana), Gurugram, Manesar, Panchgaon, Rewari and other areas. The Last station SNB will be then extended to Sotanala, with Shahjahanpur, Neemrana and Behror in between and the third phase is from SNB to Alwar. The SNB station will be one of the major interchanges from where people cn change the trains and go three places including Rajasthan and Haryana. It will also help a lot of farmers, students and workers who travel to and from Delhi and Haryana as this line will pass through the industrialised areas of Haryana, added Sharma. The 106 km Delhi-Gurugram-SNB corridor will be both elevated and underground. The Rapid Rail will run on the elevated stations with covering about 71 km which includes 11 stations and the remaining 35 km will be underground with 5 stations that will fall mostly in Gurugram and Delhi. This corridor will converge with other RRTS corridors in Sarai Kale Khan and will be interoperable, facilitating commuters movement from one corridor to another without the hassle of changing trains. Similarly, RRTS will be seamlessly integrated with other modes of transport like Railway Stations, Metro stations, ISBTs and Airport in National Capital Region, said the CPRO. Officials at NCRTC further said that the estimated time of completion of this corridor excluding the excluding 1 year of pre-construction activities is 2024. Currently, the NCRTC is working on the first line of RRTS i.e. Delhi-Ghaziabad- Meerut line. The pre-construction work such as Geo-Technical Survey, Utility Diversion works and Road widening work is under progress. This RRTS line is 82 km in length and has a total 16 RRTS stations. The recent bungalow spat between the Lokayukta and the state government is reportedly an effort to demean the office of the Ombudsman on lines of Gujarat government which during Narendra Modi's regime did not deem it proper to appoint a Lokayukta. The circumstances and also the apprehension of Lokayukta officials indicated that the government was either trying to use pressure tactics on the Ombudsman or was not allowing his office to carry out probe into corruption charges, in which even ministers and senior officials were under the scanner. Sources said that despite the Lokayukta enjoying all protocols like the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, the Estate department cancelled his allotment of Type-VI bungalow in Gautampalli just as the state government wanted to pressure the anti-graft agency. The Lokayukta is reportedly making an enquiry into a matter related to Estate department, beside probing charges against senior officials and even ministers of Yogi government. Though the High Court has already cancelled the Estate departments orders and even passed strictures against it, the Ombudsman's office laid bare its apprehension of the government using pressure tactics. "We cant rule out the possibility of pressure tactics being used in the bungalow allotment order. But we would like to make it clear that we are not working under any pressure and will not bow to any in the future, asserted secretary at Lokayukta office Pawan Kumar Upadhyay. Upadhyay said this during a joint press conference with chief investigating officer Rakesh Kumar in Lucknow on Monday afternoon. Upadhyay, however, refused to reveal anything further saying that the law did not permit them to reveal investigation or any other details. The tangential inference though was that the present government was attempting to make the Lokayukta office look like a 'defunct organisation. "Several of our demands regarding staff crunch or absence of basic facilities were pending with the government for long and the same is creating hindrance in probe as well as early disposal of matters, confirmed Upadhyay. "At present, the Lokayukta office has just three investigating officers and so we demanded to increase the number to at least six, but our demand went unheard," he added. Similarly, the Lokayukta office demanded the posting of an IG rank officer, one DIG, 3 SP rank, 10 Deputy SPs and 25 constables (on deputation) along with their clerical staff but nothing was done in this regard. Even at present, the three investigating officers posted in Lokayukta office have no clerical or other staff or even vehicles and facilities for visiting any place for investigation. Upadhyay said that seeing sensitive matters were monitored by Lokayukta office, they also asked for personal security guard to senior officials but that demand was also not fulfilled so far. Interestingly, in a letter to the state government, the Lokayukta office made it clear that the behaviour of the government towards their demands was adversely affecting their working. Earlier, Upadhaya informed that how a Lucknow division bench of the Allahabad High Court quashed an order of the government ordering change in the official accommodation of the Lokayukta and passed the verdict observing critical views on the functioning of the state government officials. The court also made observation against the government for ignoring suggestions of Advocate General in the matter and even asked Chief Secretary to apprise the highest functionary of the state about the way officials and departments were functioning. The order was passed by a division bench, comprising Justices Devendra Kumar Arora and Ranjan Roy, on December 21 last. The court also made critical remarks on the bureaucracy by commenting: "In fact, the record reveals that a note was put up for approval of Principal Secretary in this matter, who, it appears, did not even bother to apprise himself of statutory provisions governing the conditions of service of the office of Lokayukta. Treating it as a routine matter, as if, the Lokayukta was any other government servant, he put his signatures thereon without any query whatsoever. We do not appreciate such a casual attitude towards such a high functionary of the state." Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed his Cabinet colleagues to visit different states and invite Governors and Chief Ministers of respective states to attend the coming Kumbh Mela to be held at Prayagraj between January 15 and March 4. While inviting Governors and Chief Ministers, each minister will also hold press conferences and invite local leaders for the grand function. This was informed by government spokesperson and Health Minister Sidharthnath Singh in Lucknow on Monday. "We will request that at least one person from each village in the country should attend the Kumbh Mela. If the gram pradhan attends the mela, it would be better, he said. Singh said that Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya will go to Madhya Pradesh while Deputy CM Dr Dinesh Sharma will visit Gujarat. Other ministers assigned the task include Suresh Kumar Khanna, who will be visiting Maharashtra, Sidharnathnath Singh Karnataka, Srikant Sharma Rajasthan, Rajesh Agarwal Haryana and Satish Mahana Telengana and Andhra Pradesh. Singh said that he would leave for Karnataka on December 26. Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi will visit Goa to invite the Governor and Chief Minister for Prayagraj Kumbh. Nandi, who hails from Prayagraj, said in Lucknow on Monday that he would be leaving for Goa on Monday but would meet the Governor and CM on December 26. During their interactions, the ministers will invite the dignitaries on behalf of CM Yogi Adityanath and will hand over a Kumbh logo, Angvastram and a coffee table book on UP. The state government is expecting around 150 million people to attend Kumbh Mela this time and has made elaborate arrangements for their stay and other facilities. American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected] | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. 9 hours ago China clears Boeing 737 Max to fly again BEIJING (AP) Chinas aviation regulator cleared the Boeing 737 Max on Thursday to return to flying with technical upgrades more than two years after the plane was grounded worldwide following two fatal crashes. China is the last major market where the Boeing 737 Max was awaiting approval after the United States allowed flights to resume in December 2020 and European Union regulators gave permission in January. Read Article There is not enough analysis data for PFO Global. 4.8 Community Rank Outperform Votes PFO Global has received 50 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes PFO Global has received 19 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment PFO Global has received 72.46% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about PFO Global and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe PFGBQ will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe PFGBQ will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Raymond James Financial, Inc., a financial holding company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the underwriting, distribution, trading, and brokerage of equity and debt securities, and the sale of mutual funds and other investment products in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. The company operates through Private Client Group, Capital Markets, Asset Management, RJ Bank, and Other segments. The Private Client Group segment provides securities brokerage services, including the sale of equities, mutual funds, fixed income products, and insurance products to their individual clients; and borrowing and lending of securities to and from other broker-dealers, financial institutions, and other counterparties. The Capital Markets segment offers securities brokerage, trading, and research services to institutions with a focus on sale of the United States and Canadian equities and fixed income products; and manages and participates in underwritings, merger and acquisition services, and public finance activities. The Asset Management segment engages in the operations of Eagle, the Eagle Family of Funds, Cougar, the asset management operations of Raymond James & Associates, trust services of Raymond James Trust, and other fee-based asset management programs. The RJ Bank segment provides corporate loans, SBL, tax-exempt loans, and residential loans. The Other segment engages in private equity activities, including various direct and third party private equity investments; and private equity funds. Raymond James Financial, Inc. was founded in 1962 and is based in St. Petersburg, Florida. 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 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 Drax Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the generation and supply of electricity in the United Kingdom. The company operates through three segments: Generation, Customers, and, Pellet Production. It produces low carbon and renewable electricity; and provides system support services to the electricity grid. The company owns and operates Drax Power Station that produces electricity from biomass and coal with an installed capacity of 3,906 megawatts (MW) located in Selby, North Yorkshire; Cruachan Power Station, a pumped hydro storage station, with an installed capacity of 440 MW located in Argyll and Bute, western Scotland; and Lanark and Galloway hydro-electric power stations with an installed capacity of 126 MW located in southwest Scotland. It also owns and operates combined cycle gas turbine power stations, including Damhead Creek power station with an installed capacity of 805 MW; Rye House power station with an installed capacity of 715 MW; Shoreham power station with an installed capacity of 420 MW; and Blackburn power station with an installed capacity of 60 MW located in England. In addition, the company owns and operates Daldowie fuel plant that processes sludge from a wastewater treatment plant and converts it into dry and low-odour fuel pellets. Further, it manufactures and sells compressed wood pellets for use in electricity production; supplies and manages electricity and gas for large industrial and commercial sector customers, as well as small businesses; and provides debt recovery services. Drax Group plc was incorporated in 2005 and is based in Selby, the United Kingdom. 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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 24) The National Union of People's Lawyers (NUPL) hits back against President Rodrigo Duterte's order to destroy the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its legal fronts. In a statement Monday, the NUPL said they strongly denounced the "draconian and lawless order" given by the President, adding it was obvious the government wanted to impose its will upon the people "without any respect for valid and legitimate criticisms and for any legal activities that may constitute resistance to government actions." "Such an order is further exacerbated by (Communications) Secretary Martin Andanar, arguably a media practitioner who has totally forgotten what rights and freedoms really mean, as supposedly meant to impute certain party-list groups and non-government organizations. The order, coming from the Commander-in-Chief, puts the the parliamentary and legal struggles of the Filipino people and State security forces in the dangerous crossroad," the NUPL said. President Duterte issued the order on Sunday, December 23, as the CPP's 50th founding anniversary neared. The order came after the CPP said the New People's Army its armed wing would observe a truce during the holidays and its anniversary. The NUPL said Duterte's order put all organizations "red-tagged" by the military at risk merely because they have been suspected of involvement. They added it "allows the military to usurp judicial determination at the expense of due process and the justice system." The NUPL argued the Bill of Rights guaranteed Filipinos to political beliefs, to petition the government for redress of grievances and against any governmental action that deprives life, liberty or property. They said this is without the mandatory requirement of due process of law. They also questioned what law or legal authority the administration had to issue such an order. "Duterte's order to destroy the suspected legal fronts of the CPP, as it is addressed to the armed forces of the government, has its implementation by military action or means involving destructive acts against freedoms, liberties and even lives," said the NUPL. It pointed out those targeted by the order were the most vocal against the government and "the Duterte government wants to bully them to submission and silence." "With such kind of orders and mindset and its lawless governance, this government forfeits altogether whatever moral authority it has usurped when it sees red all over," the NUPL said. There is not enough analysis data for Eaton Vance Tax-Managed Global Diversified Equity Income Fund. 4.3 Community Rank Outperform Votes Eaton Vance Tax-Managed Global Diversified Equity Income Fund has received 146 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Eaton Vance Tax-Managed Global Diversified Equity Income Fund has received 81 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Eaton Vance Tax-Managed Global Diversified Equity Income Fund has received 64.32% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Eaton Vance Tax-Managed Global Diversified Equity Income Fund and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe EXG will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe EXG will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next 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. 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The following companies are subsidiares of Exxon Mobil: AKG Marketing Company Limited, Aera Energy LLC, Al-Jubail Petrochemical Company, Ampolex (Cepu) Pte Ltd, Ancon Insurance Company Inc., Barnett Gathering LLC, Barzan Gas Company Limited, Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Celtic Exploration Ltd., Coral FLNG S.A., Cross Timbers Energy LLC, Ellora Energy Inc., Esmeroon Oil Transporta Imperial Oil Limited, Esso (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd, Esso Deutschland GmbH, Esso Erdgas Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 15) Limited, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 17) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Angola (Overseas) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Chad Inc., Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, Esso Exploration and Production UK Limited, Esso Global Investments Ltd., Esso Italiana S.r.l., Esso Nederland B.V., Esso Norge AS, Esso Petroleum Company Limited, Esso Raffinage, Esso Societe Anonyme Francaise, Exxo Holdings Inc., Exxon Azerbaijan Limited, Exxon Chemical Arabia Inc., Exxon International Finance Company, Exxon Luxembourg Holdings LLC, Exxon Mobile Bay Limited Partnership, Exxon Neftegas Limited, Exxon Overseas Corporation, Exxon Overseas Investment Corporation, ExxonMobil (China) Investment Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil (Taicang) Petroleum Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil Abu Dhabi Offshore Petroleum Company Limited, ExxonMobil Alaska Production Inc., ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., ExxonMobil Australia Pty Ltd, ExxonMobil B Resources Company, ExxonMobil Capital Finance Company, ExxonMobil Capital Netherlands B.V., ExxonMobil Central Europe Holding GmbH, ExxonMobil Cepu Limited, ExxonMobil Chemical France, ExxonMobil Chemical Gulf Coast Investments LLC, ExxonMobil Chemical Holland B.V., ExxonMobil Chemical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil China Petroleum & Petrochemical Company Limited, ExxonMobil Development Africa B.V., ExxonMobil Development Company, ExxonMobil Egypt (S.A.E.), ExxonMobil Exploracao Brasil Ltda., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Norway AS, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Romania Limited, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Tanzania Limited, ExxonMobil Finance Company Limited, ExxonMobil Financial Investment Company Limited, ExxonMobil France Holding SAS, ExxonMobil Gas Marketing Europe Limited, ExxonMobil General Finance Company, ExxonMobil Global Services Company, ExxonMobil Golden Pass Surety LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Company Holland LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Norway AS, ExxonMobil Hong Kong Limited, ExxonMobil International Services SARL, ExxonMobil Iraq Limited, ExxonMobil Italiana Gas S.r.l., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Inc., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Ventures Inc., ExxonMobil LNG Services B.V., ExxonMobil Lubricants Trading Company, ExxonMobil Oil Corporation, ExxonMobil PNG Limited, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical BVBA, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical Holdings Inc., ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH, ExxonMobil Production Norway Inc., ExxonMobil Qatargas (II) Limited, ExxonMobil Qatargas Inc., ExxonMobil Ras Laffan (III) Limited, ExxonMobil Rasgas Inc., ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, ExxonMobil Russia Kara Sea Holdings B.V., ExxonMobil Sales and Supply LLC, ExxonMobil Technology Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Funding Ltd., Fujian Refining & Petrochemical Co. Ltd., Golden Pass LNG Terminal Investments LLC, Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC, Gulf Coast Growth Ventures LLC, Imperial Oil Limited, Imperial Oil Resources Limited, Imperial Oil Resources N.W.T. Limited, Imperial Oil/Petroliere Imperiale, Infineum Italia s.r.I., Infineum Singapore Pte. Ltd., InterOil Corporation, Jurong Aromatics Corporation Pte Ltd, MPM Lubricants, Marine Well Containment Company LLC, Mobil Australia Resources Company Pty Limited, Mobil California Exploration & Producing Asset Company, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company, Mobil Chemical Products International Inc., Mobil Corporation, Mobil Equatorial Guinea Inc., Mobil Erdgas Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Mobil Exploration & Producing Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil International Petroleum Corporation, Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil Oil Exploration & Producing Southeast Inc., Mobil Oil New Zealand Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Mobil Producing Texas & New Mexico Inc., Mobil SerLimited, Mobil Venezolana De Petroleos Inc., Mobil Yanbu Petrochemical Company Inc., Mobil Yanbu Refining Company Inc., Mountain Gathering LLC, Mozambique Rovuma Venture S.p.A., Palmetto Transoceanic LLC, Papua New Guinea Liquefied Natural Gas Global Company LDC, Permian Express Partners LLC, Phillips Exploration LLC, Qatar Liquefied Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (II), SPI Limited, Saudi Aramco Mobil Refinery Company Ltd., Saudi Yanbu Petrochemical Co., SeaRiver Maritime Inc., South Hook LNG Terminal Company Limited, Tengizchevroil LLP, Terminale GNL Adriatico S.r.l, Trend Gathering & Treating LLC, Wolverine Pipe Line Company, XH LLC, XTO Delaware Basin LLC, XTO ENERGY, XTO Energy Canada, and XTO Holdings LLC. (ANSA) - Milan, December 24 - The Italian foreign ministry is working day and night to bring home Silvia Romano, an Italian aid worker kidnapped in Kenya, Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini said Monday. "I know that the foreign ministry is working day and night, they've asked us not to go into the merits of the ongoing initiatives, we are confident, we're doing everything possible, with all the resources that a State has at its disposal, to bring Silvia home," he said. On December 18 Kenya media reported that dozens of people had been arrested as part of the operation to find Romano, who was kidnapped last month. The arrests were made at the weekend in two villages in the area of the Tana River, according to the reports. Kenya's Standard Media said that "at least 100" arrests were made. "We are working 24 hours a day to save her," local police chief Noah Mwivanda was quoted as saying by Standard Media. Romano is still believed to be in the forest near the River Tanta. The kidnappers have been "surrounded" and it "appears difficult" that they can advance further towards Somalia, where they were reportedly heading earlier, sources said. It was also reported that Romano, 23, was being forced to wear a niqab. One of the kidnappers' wives, arrested on Sunday, was said to be actively collaborating with investigators. Romano worked for a Marche-based NGO. The armed gang that abducted her on November 20 tried to get her to immediately hand over a ransom but she had no money on her, an eye witness told ANSA. Texas Pacific Land Corp. operates as a landowner in the State of Texas. Its surface and royalty ownership allow revenue generation through the entire value chain of oil and gas development, including through fixed fee payments for use of the firm's land, revenue for sales of materials used in the construction of infrastructure, providing sourced water and treated produced water, revenue from its oil and gas royalty interests, and revenues related to saltwater disposal on land. The company also generates revenue from pipeline, power line and utility easements, commercial leases, material sales and seismic and temporary permits related to a variety of land uses including midstream infrastructure projects and hydrocarbon processing facilities. The company operates through following segment: Land and Resource Management and Water Services and Operations. The Land and Resource Management segment focuses on managing oil and gas royalty interest and surface. The Water Services and Operations segment offers operators an unparalleled breadth of service across the majority of the Permian Basin. The company was founded in April 2020 and is headquartered in Dallas, TX. Read More Franklin Covey Co. engages in consulting and training in the areas of strategy execution, customer loyalty, leadership, and individual effectiveness. It operates through the following three segments: Direct Offices, Education Practice, International Licensees and Corporate and Other. The Direct Offices segment includes sales personnel that serve the United States and Canada; international sales offices located in Japan, China, the United Kingdom, and Australia; governmental sales channel; and public program operations. The Education Practice segment includes domestic and international Education practice operations, which are focused on sales to educational institutions such as elementary schools, high schools, and colleges and universities. The International Licensees segment primarily comprised of royalty revenues received from these licensees. The Corporate and Other segment includes leasing operations, shipping and handling revenues, and certain corporate administrative expenses. The company was founded by Brent L. Bishop, Stephen R. Covey and Hyrum Wayne Smith in 1983 and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT. 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.. Greif, Inc. engages in the production of industrial packaging products and services. It operates through the following segments: Rigid Industrial Packaging and Services, Paper Packaging and Services, Flexible Products and Services, and Land Management. The Rigid Industrial Packaging and Services segment involves the production and sale of rigid industrial packaging products, such as steel, fibre and plastic drums, rigid intermediate bulk containers, closure systems for industrial packaging products, transit protection products, water bottles and reconditioned containers, and services, such as container life cycle services, blending, filling and other packaging services, logistics and warehousing. The Paper Packaging and Services segment involves the production and sale of containerboard, corrugated sheets, corrugated containers and other corrugated products to customers in North America. The Flexible Products and Services segment involves the production and sale of flexible intermediate bulk containers and related services on a global basis and the sale of industrial and consumer shipping sacks and multiwall bag products in North America. The Land Management segment involves the ma Read More Global X S&P 500 Covered Call ETF's stock was trading at $42.74 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, HSPX stock has increased by 15.5% and is now trading at $49.38. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. (ANSA) - Pescara, December 24 - A convicted burglar was arrested by police Monday after coming home from Romania to spend Christmas with his mother in Pescara. The fugitive has been sentenced to six years and 11 months in jail for robbery, extortion and making false statements. The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 211 E. Russell Road LLC, Air-Relief, Belliss & Morcom Brasil, Belliss and Morcom, Boardwalk Enterprises, Charm Merger Sub Inc., CompAir, CompAir (Hankook) Korea Co. Ltd., CompAir Acquisition (No. 2) Ltd., CompAir Acquisition Ltd., CompAir BroomWade Ltd., CompAir Canada, CompAir Finance Ltd., CompAir GmbH, CompAir Holdings Limited, CompAir Holman Ltd, CompAir International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CompAir Korea Ltd, CompAir South Africa (SA) (Pty) Ltd., CompAir UK Ltd, CompAir USA, Consolidated Distribution Holdings Ltd., DV Systems Inc., Emco Wheaton, Emco Wheaton GmbH Branch, Emco Wheaton Gmbh, Emco Wheaton UK, Emco Wheaton USA Inc, Enza Air Propriety Limited (South Africa), GD Aria Holdings #2 Limited, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Investments Limited, GD First UK Ltd, GD German Holdings GmbH, GD German Holdings I Gmbh, GD German Holdings II GmbH, GD German Investments GmbH, GD Global Holdings, GD Global Holdings II, GD Global Holdings UK II Ltd., GD Global Ventures I B.V., GD Global Ventures II B.V., GD Global Ventures III B.V., GD Industrial Products Malaysia SDN. BHD., GD Investment KY, GD UK Finance Ltd., Gardner Denver (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Austria GmbH, Gardner Denver Bad Neustadt Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Belgium NV, Gardner Denver Brasil Industria E Comercio de Maquinas Ltda., Gardner Denver CZ + SK sro, Gardner Denver Canada Corp, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Engineered Products India Private Limited, Gardner Denver FZE, Gardner Denver Finance II LLC, Gardner Denver Finance Inc & Co KG, Gardner Denver France SA, Gardner Denver France SAS, Gardner Denver Group Services Ltd, Gardner Denver Group Svcs Ltd, Gardner Denver Hoffman, Gardner Denver Holdings, Gardner Denver Holdings Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Ltd, Gardner Denver Iberica, Gardner Denver Industries Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd. Branch, Gardner Denver International, Gardner Denver International Ltd., Gardner Denver Intl Ltd Middle East Regional Rep Office, Gardner Denver Investments, Gardner Denver Italy Holdings S.r.L., Gardner Denver Japan, Gardner Denver Kirchhain Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Korea, Gardner Denver Korea Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd South Africa, Gardner Denver Ltd., Gardner Denver Ltd. Branch (Ireland), Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co, Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Gardner Denver Nash Brasil Industria E Comercio De Bombas Ltda, Gardner Denver Nash Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd., Gardner Denver Nederland BV, Gardner Denver Nederland Investments B.V., Gardner Denver Oberdorfer Pumps, Gardner Denver Oy, Gardner Denver Petroleum Pumps, Gardner Denver Polska Sp z.o.o., Gardner Denver Pte Ltd., Gardner Denver S.r.l., Gardner Denver Schopfheim GmbH, Gardner Denver Schopfheim Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Schweiz AG, Gardner Denver Slovakia, Gardner Denver SudAmerica S.r.l., Gardner Denver Sweden AB, Gardner Denver Taiwan Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas, Gardner Denver Thomas GmbH, Gardner Denver Thomas Pneumatic Systems (Wuxi) Co., Gardner Denver Thomas Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver UK, Gardner Denver Water Jetting Systems, Garo Dott. Ing. Roberto Gabbioneta S.r.l., Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom, ILMVAC (UK) Ltd., ILS Innovative Labor Systeme, ILS Inovative Laborsysteme GmbH, Indonesia Foreign Trade Representative Office, LeROI, LeRoi International Inc, MP Pumps Inc., Mako Compressors, Nash, Nash Elmo, Oina VV, Oina VV Aktiebolag, Robuschi, Rotary Compression Technologies, Runtech Systems, Runtech Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Runtech Systems Inc., Runtech Systems OY, Shanghai CompAir Compressors Co Ltd, Shanghai Compressors & Blowers Ltd., Syltone, TCM Investments, TIWR Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, TODO AB, Tamrotor Marine Compressors AS, Thomas Industries, Thomas Industries Inc., Tri-Continent Scientific, Welch Vacuum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zinsser Analytic, Zinsser Analytik GmbH, and Zinsser NA. The following companies are subsidiares of Occidental Petroleum: 1PointFive Inc., 1PointFive P1 LLC, APC Aviation Inc., APC International Holdings LLC, APC Midstream Holdings LLC, APC Venezuela Srl, ARCO Long Beach, Altura Energy, Amarok Gathering LLC, Anadarko 20-25 Company, Anadarko 20-36 Company, Anadarko 20-47 Company, Anadarko 20-48 Company, Anadarko 20-49 Company, Anadarko Algeria Block 403 c/e Company, Anadarko Algeria Block 406B Company, Anadarko Algeria Company LLC, Anadarko Algeria Oil & Gas Company, Anadarko Brazil Investment I LLC, Anadarko Brazil Investment II LLC, Anadarko Canada E&P Limited, Anadarko China Holdings 2 Company, Anadarko Colombia Company, Anadarko Consolidated Holdings LLC, Anadarko Cote d'Ivoire Block 103 Company, Anadarko Cote d'Ivoire Company, Anadarko DBMOS Operator LLC, Anadarko Development Company, Anadarko Development Holding Limited, Anadarko E&P Onshore LLC, Anadarko Egypt Holdings Company, Anadarko Energy Holding Limited, Anadarko Energy Services Company, Anadarko Exploracao e Producao de Petroleo e Gas Natural Ltda., Anadarko Finance Company, Anadarko Gabon Company, Anadarko Ghana Mahogany-1 Company, Anadarko Global Energy S.a.r.l, Anadarko Global Funding 1 Company, Anadarko Global Funding II Ltd., Anadarko Guyana Company, Anadarko Holding Company, Anadarko International Development S.a.r.l, Anadarko International Energy Company, Anadarko International O&G Company, Anadarko International Trading Corporation, Anadarko Jordan Company, Anadarko Kenya Company, Anadarko LMM S.a.r.l, Anadarko Land Corp., Anadarko Mexico B.V., Anadarko Mexico S.a.r.l, Anadarko Midkiff/Chaney Dell BR Corp., Anadarko Midkiff/Chaney Dell LLC, Anadarko Natural Gas Company LLC, Anadarko New Zealand Company, Anadarko OGC Company, Anadarko Offshore Holding Company LLC, Anadarko Offshore Well Containment Company LLC, Anadarko Oil & Gas 5 LLC, Anadarko Peru B.V., Anadarko Petroleum, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Anadarko Realty LLC, Anadarko Rockies LLC, Anadarko Royalty Holdings Company, Anadarko UK Corporate Limited, Anadarko US Offshore LLC, Anadarko USH1 Corporation, Anadarko Venezuela Company, Anadarko Venezuela LLC, Anadarko Venezuela Srl, Anadarko WCTP Company, Anadarko West Texas BR Corp., Anadarko West Texas LLC, Anadarko Worldwide Holdings C.V., Atlantic Rim Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Aventine LLC, Baseball Merger Sub 2 Inc., Bear Branch Exploration LLC, Big Island Trona Company, Bitter Creek Coal Company, Bravo Pipeline Company, Cain Chemical, Cain Chemical Inc., Carbon Finance Labs LLC, Concord Petroleum Corporation, Conn Creek Shale Company, D.S. Ventures LLC, DMM Financial LLC, Deerwood Exploration LLC, Downtown Plaza II, Elk Hills Field, FLAG Development LLC, FP Westport Commodities Limited, FP Westport GmbH, FP Westport LLC, FP Westport Limited, FP Westport Services LLC, FP Westport Trading LLC, Fosters Mill Exploration LLC, Glenn Springs Holdings Inc., Globrep Representaciones S.A., Grand Bassa Tankers Inc., Grupo OxyChem de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Headwater II LLC, Houndstooth Resources LLC, INDSPEC Chemical B.V., INDSPEC Chemical Corporation, INDSPEC Chemical Corporation, INDSPEC Chemical Export Sales LLC, INDSPEC Holding Corporation, Ingleside Cogeneration GP LLC, Ingleside Cogeneration Limited Partnership, Interore Trading Ltd., Joslyn Partnership, KERR-McGEE TT E&P LTD., KM BM-C-Seven Ltd., KM International Insurance Ltd., Kerr-McGee Corporation, Kerr-McGee Natural Gas Company Inc., Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas Onshore LP, Kerr-McGee Shared Services Company LLC, Kerr-McGee Stored Power Corporation, Kerr-McGee U.K. Energy Corporation, Kerr-McGee Worldwide Corporation, Kerr-McGee do Brasil Ltda., Kerr-McGee of Canada Northwest Ltd., Laguna Petroleum Corp., Laguna Petroleum LLC, Liwa Oil & Gas Ltd., MC2 Technologies LLC, Mariana Properties Inc., Marico Exploration Inc., Miller Springs Remediation Management Inc., Moncrief Minerals Partnership L.P., NGL Ventures LLC, Natural Gas Odorizing Inc., New OPL LLC, OEVC Energy LLC, OEVC Midstream Projects LLC, OIH LLC, OLCV CE Holdings ULC, OLCV CE US Holdings Inc., OLCV Net Power LLC, OLCV Services LLC, OOG Partner LLC, OOOI Chem Holdings LLC, OOOI Chem Sub LLC, OOOI Chemical International LLC, OOOI Chile Holder LLC, OOOI Ecuador Management LLC, OOOI Oil and Gas Sub LLC, OOOI South America Management LLC, OPM GP Inc., OPM Holdco LLC, OTCF LLC, OTH LLC, OXY CV Pipeline LLC, OXY Campus LLC, OXY Inc., OXY LPG LLC, OXY Libya E&P Area 103 BR4 B.V., OXY Libya E&P Area 35 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P Concession 103 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P EPSA 102 B.V., OXY Libya E&P EPSA 1981 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P EPSA 1985 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P NC 143 144 145 150 B.V., OXY Libya Exploration SPC, OXY Libya LLC, OXY Little Knife LLC, OXY Mexico Holdings I LLC, OXY Mexico Holdings II LLC, OXY Middle East Holdings Ltd., OXY Oil Partners Inc., OXY PBLP Manager LLC, OXY Support Services LLC, OXY Tulsa Inc., OXY USA Inc., OXY USA WTP LP, OXY VPP Investments LLC, OXY West LLC, OXY of Saudi Arabia Ltd., OXYCHEM (CANADA) INC., OXYMAR, Oakwood Exploration LLC, Occidental (Bermuda) Ltd., Occidental (East Shabwa) LLC, Occidental Advance Sale Finance Inc., Occidental Al Hosn LLC, Occidental Angola Holdings Ltd., Occidental CIS Services Inc., Occidental Canada Holdings Ltd., Occidental Chemical Asia Limited, Occidental Chemical Belgium B.V.B.A., Occidental Chemical Chile Limitada, Occidental Chemical Corporation, Occidental Chemical Export Sales LLC, Occidental Chemical Far East Limited, Occidental Chemical Holding Corporation, Occidental Chemical International LLC, Occidental Chemical Investment (Canada) 1 Inc., Occidental Chemical Receivables LLC, Occidental Chemical de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Occidental Chile Investments LLC, Occidental Chile Minority Holder LLC, Occidental Colombia (Series G) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series J) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series K) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series L) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series M) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series N) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series O) Ltd., Occidental Crude Sales Inc. (Canada), Occidental Crude Sales Inc. (International), Occidental Dolphin Holdings Ltd., Occidental Energy Marketing Inc., Occidental Energy Ventures LLC, Occidental Exploradora del Peru Ltd., Occidental Exploration and Production Company, Occidental Hafar LLC, Occidental International (Libya) Inc., Occidental International Corporation, Occidental International Exploration and Production Company, Occidental International Holdings Ltd., Occidental International Oil and Gas Ltd., Occidental International Services Inc., Occidental Joslyn GP 2 Co., Occidental LNG (Malaysia) Ltd., Occidental Latin America Holdings LLC, Occidental Libya Oil & Gas B.V., Occidental MENA Manager Ltd., Occidental Middle East Development Company, Occidental Midland Basin LLC, Occidental Mukhaizna LLC, Occidental Oil Asia Pte. Ltd., Occidental Oil Shale Inc., Occidental Oil and Gas (Oman) Ltd., Occidental Oil and Gas Corporation, Occidental Oil and Gas International Inc., Occidental Oil and Gas International LLC, Occidental Oil and Gas Pakistan LLC, Occidental Oil and Gas of Peru LLC, Occidental Oman (Block 27) Holdings Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 51 Holding Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 51 LLC, Occidental Oman Block 65 Holding Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 65 LLC, Occidental Oman Block 72 Holding Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 72 LLC, Occidental Oman Gas Company LLC, Occidental Oman Gas Holdings Ltd., Occidental Oman North Holdings Ltd., Occidental Oriente Exploration and Production Ltd., Occidental Overseas Holdings B.V., Occidental PVC LLC, Occidental Peninsula II Inc., Occidental Peninsula LLC, Occidental Permian Ltd., Occidental Permian Manager LLC, Occidental Permian Services Inc., Occidental Peruana Inc., Occidental Petrolera del Peru (Block 101) Inc., Occidental Petrolera del Peru (Block 103) Inc., Occidental Petroleum (Pakistan) Inc., Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Occidental Petroleum Corporation Political Action Committee, Occidental Petroleum de Venezuela S.A., Occidental Petroleum of Nigeria, Occidental Petroleum of Oman Ltd., Occidental Petroleum of Qatar Ltd., Occidental Power Marketing L.P., Occidental Power Services Inc., Occidental Qatar Energy Company LLC, Occidental Red Sea Development LLC, Occidental Research Corporation, Occidental Resource Recovery Systems Inc., Occidental Resources Company, Occidental Shah Gas Holdings Ltd., Occidental South America Finance LLC, Occidental Specialty Marketing Inc., Occidental Tower Corporation, Occidental Transportation Holding Corporation, Occidental West Texas Overthrust Inc., Occidental Yemen Ltd., Occidental Yemen Sabatain Inc., Occidental del Ecuador Inc., Occidental of Abu Dhabi (Bab) Ltd., Occidental of Abu Dhabi (Shah) Ltd., Occidental of Abu Dhabi Holdings Ltd., Occidental of Abu Dhabi LLC, Occidental of Abu Dhabi Ltd., Occidental of Bahrain Ltd., Occidental of Bangladesh Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Chipiron) Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Cosecha) Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Medina) Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Putumayo) Ltd., Occidental of Colombia (Teca) Ltd., Occidental of Colombia PUT-36 LLC, Occidental of Dubai Inc., Occidental of Iraq Holdings Ltd., Occidental of Iraq LLC, Occidental of Oman Inc., Occidental of Russia Ltd., Occidental of South Africa (Offshore) Inc., Occidental of Yemen (Block 75) LLC, Oceanic Marine Transport Ltd., Opcal Insurance Inc., Oryx Crude Trading & Transportation Inc., Oxy BridgeTex Limited Partnership, Oxy C & I Bulk Sales LLC, Oxy Canada Sales Inc., Oxy Carbon Solutions LLC, Oxy Carbon Storage LLC, Oxy Climate Ventures Inc., Oxy Cogeneration Holding Company LLC, Oxy Colombia Holdings LLC, Oxy Colombia TopCo Ltd., Oxy Delaware Basin LLC, Oxy Delaware Basin Plant LLC, Oxy Dolphin E&P LLC, Oxy Dolphin Pipeline LLC, Oxy Energy Canada Inc., Oxy Energy Services LLC, Oxy Expatriate Services Inc., Oxy FFT Holdings Inc., Oxy Holding Company (Pipeline) Inc., Oxy International Ventures Ltd., Oxy LPG Terminal LLC, Oxy Levelland Pipeline Company LLC, Oxy Levelland Terminal Company LLC, Oxy Low Carbon Ventures LLC, Oxy Midstream Strategic Development LLC, Oxy Oleoducto SOP LLC, Oxy Overseas Services Ltd., Oxy Permian Gathering LLC, Oxy Permian Plaza LLC, Oxy Petroleum de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Oxy Renewable Energy LLC, Oxy Salt Creek Pipeline LLC, Oxy TL LLC, Oxy Taft Hub LLC, Oxy Technology Ventures Inc., Oxy Transport I Company LLC, Oxy Vinyls Canada Co., Oxy Vinyls Export Sales LLC, Oxy Vinyls LP, Oxy Westwood Corporation, Oxy Y-1 Company, OxyChem Ingleside Ethylene Holdings Inc., OxyChem do Brasil Ltda., OxyChile Investments LLC, Oxychem Shipping Ltd., Permian Basin JV Tax Matters Member LLC, Permian Basin Limited Partnership, Permian VPP Holder LP, Permian VPP Manager LLC, Phibro, Placid Oil LLC, Ramlat Oxy Ltd., Rio de Viento Inc., Rodeo Midland Basin LLC, San Patricio Pipeline LLC, Scanports Shipping LLC, SequestCo LLC, Stetson Exploration LLC, Sun Offshore Gathering Company, Swiflite Aircraft Corporation, Transok Properties LLC, Troy Potter Inc., Turavent Oil GmbH [in liquidation], Tuscaloosa Holdings Inc., UP Petroleo III Ltd., Upland Industries Corporation, Venezuela US SRL, Vintage Gas Inc., Vintage Petroleum, Vintage Petroleum Argentina Ltd., Vintage Petroleum Boliviana Ltd., Vintage Petroleum International Finance B.V., Vintage Petroleum International Holdings LLC, Vintage Petroleum International LLC, Vintage Petroleum International Ventures Inc., Vintage Petroleum Italy Inc., Vintage Petroleum South America Holdings Inc., Vintage Petroleum South America LLC, Vintage Petroleum Turkey Inc., WGR Asset Holding Company LLC, WGR Canada Inc., Wardner Ranch Inc., Western Gas Resources Inc., Western Gas Resources-Westana Inc., Western Midstream Holdings LLC, Woodlands International Insurance Ltd., and YT Ranch LLC. Papillon Resources Limited (Papillon) is engaged in the exploration and development of resource projects located in Mali. The Company has joint venture interests in a portfolio of gold tenements (granted licences and applications) in western and southern Mali. The Company's primary focus continued to be the advancement of the Fekola Project (Fekola or Project) located in south western Mali adjacent to the border with Senegal. Papillon completed its pre-feasibility study (PFS) for the project. The Company's subsidiaries include Mali Goldfields SARL, Songhoi Resources SARL, Bamagold SARL, Waraba Resources SARL, PIR Mali SARL, Papillon Exploration (AUS), Papillon Mining (AUS), Papillon Exploration (UK) and Papillon Mining (UK). Read More Suncor Energy Inc. operates as an integrated energy company. The company primarily focuses on developing petroleum resource basins in Canada's Athabasca oil sands; explores, acquires, develops, produces, transports, refines, and markets crude oil in Canada and internationally; markets petroleum and petrochemical products under the Petro-Canada name primarily in Canada. It operates in Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; Refining and Marketing; and Corporate and Eliminations segments. The Oil Sands segment recovers bitumen from mining and in situ operations, and upgrades it into refinery feedstock and diesel fuel, or blends the bitumen with diluent for direct sale to market. The Exploration and Production segment is involved in offshore operations off the east coast of Canada and in the North Sea; and operating onshore assets in Libya and Syria. The Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil and intermediate feedstock into various petroleum and petrochemical products; and markets refined petroleum products to retail, commercial, and industrial customers through its other retail sellers. The Corporate and Eliminations segment operates four wind farm operations in Ontario and Western Canada. The company also markets and trades in crude oil, natural gas, byproducts, refined products, and power. The company was formerly known as Suncor Inc. and changed its name to Suncor Energy Inc. in April 1997. Suncor Energy Inc. was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More iShares North American Tech-Software ETF's stock was trading at $211.67 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, IGV stock has increased by 90.9% and is now trading at $404.05. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. The following companies are subsidiares of Boston Scientific: 34 Biomedical Merger Corp., 9357-1867 Quebec Inc., Acurate Industria e Comercio Ltda., Advanced Bionics, Advanced Stent Technologies, American Medical Systems, American Medical Systems Europe B.V., Apama Medical, Apama Medical Inc., Asthmatx, Atritech, Augmenix, Augmenix Inc., Augmenix K.K., BSC International Medical Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BSC Medical Device Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BTG, BTG Australasia Pty Ltd, BTG Europe B.V., BTG IM Holdings Ltd., BTG International (Holdings) Limited, BTG International Asia Limited, BTG International Canada Inc., BTG International Germany GmbH, BTG International Healthcare Inc., BTG International Healthcare LLC, BTG International Healthcare Limited, BTG International Inc., BTG International Limited, BTG Limited, BTG Management Services Limited, BTG Medikal Limited Sirketi, Bard Electrophysiology, Barosense, Biocompatibles Inc., Biocompatibles International Limited, Biocompatibles UK Limited, Boston Scientific (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Boston Scientific (South Africa) Proprietary Limited, Boston Scientific (Thailand) Ltd., Boston Scientific (UK) Limited, Boston Scientific AG, Boston Scientific Argentina S.A., Boston Scientific Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Boston Scientific Benelux NV, Boston Scientific Canada Limited, Boston Scientific Ceska republika s.r.o., Boston Scientific Chile SpA, Boston Scientific Colombia Limitada, Boston Scientific Comercial de Costa Rica BSCR S.R.L., Boston Scientific Far East B.V., Boston Scientific Gesellschaft m.b.H., Boston Scientific Group plc, Boston Scientific Hellas S.A., Boston Scientific Hong Kong Limited, Boston Scientific Iberica S.A., Boston Scientific India Private Limited, Boston Scientific International B.V., Boston Scientific International Finance Limited, Boston Scientific International S.A., Boston Scientific Israel Ltd., Boston Scientific Japan K.K., Boston Scientific Korea Co. Ltd., Boston Scientific Lebanon SAL, Boston Scientific Limited, Boston Scientific Ltd., Boston Scientific Medical Device, Boston Scientific Medical Device Limited, Boston Scientific Medizintechnik GmbH, Boston Scientific Middle East FZ-LLC, Boston Scientific Middle East SAL, Boston Scientific Nederland B.V., Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation, Boston Scientific New Zealand Limited, Boston Scientific Nordic AB, Boston Scientific Peru S.A.C., Boston Scientific Philippines Inc., Boston Scientific Polska Sp. z o.o., Boston Scientific Portugal - Dispositivos Medicos Lda, Boston Scientific Pty Ltd, Boston Scientific Romania S.R.L., Boston Scientific S.A.S., Boston Scientific S.p.A., Boston Scientific Scimed, Boston Scientific Scimed Inc., Boston Scientific Services Private Limited, Boston Scientific TIP Gerecleri Limited Sirketi, Boston Scientific Technology & Engineering Services Private Limited, Boston Scientific Uruguay S.A., Boston Scientific Vietnam Company Limited, Boston Scientific de Costa Rica S.R.L., Boston Scientific de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Boston Scientific del Caribe Inc., Boston Scientific do Brasil Ltda., Bravo Bidco Limited, BridgePoint Medical, Cameron Health, Cardiac Pacemakers Inc., Cardiac Pathways Corp, Catheter Innovations, Claret Medical, Claret Medical Inc., Cosman Medical, Cosman Medical LLC, CryoCor, Cryterion Medical, Cryterion Medical Inc., Cryterion Medical Ireland Limited, EKOS LLC, EMcision, EMcision International Inc., EP Technologies, EP Technologies Inc., Electron Acquisition Corporation, EndoChoice, EndoChoice Holdings Inc., EndoChoice Inc., EndoChoice Innovation Center Ltd., EndoChoice Israel Ltd., Endotex, Enteric Medical Technologies, Galil Medical Inc., Galil Medical Ltd., Galil Medical UK Limited, Guidant, Guidant Delaware Holding Corporation, Guidant Europe NV, Guidant Puerto Rico B.V., Hong Kong Medtech Trading Limited, Intelect Medical, Millipede, Millipede Inc., NXT Merger Corp., Notebook Merger Sub Ltd., Novate Medical Limited, NxThera, NxThera Inc., PT Boston Scientific Indonesia, PneumRx GmbH, PneumRx LLC, PneumRx Liimited, Protherics Medicines Development B.V., Protherics Medicines Development Limited, Protherics UK Limited, Provensis Limited, RMI Acquisition Corp., Remon Medical Technologies, Rhythmia Medical, Robert S. Smith M.D. Inc., Roxwood Medical Inc., SNS Merger Corp, Sadra Medical, Sadra Medical Inc., Securus Medical Group, Securus Medical Group Inc., Special K Merger Corp., StarMedTec, Stream Enterprises LLC, Symetis, Symetis SA, Target Therapeutics, Target Therapeutics Inc., The LumenR Tissue Retractor System, Veniti, Veniti Inc., VertiFlex, Vertiflex Inc., Vessix Vascular, Xlumena, Zuma Investment Pty Ltd, iogyn, nVision Medical, and nVision Medical Corporation. The following companies are subsidiares of Global Payments: ACTIVE Network - Communities and Sports, Active Network (HK) Limited, Active Network IPICO (CA) Inc., Active Network IPICO (US) Inc., Active Network IPICO Holdings (US) LLC, Active Network IPICO Holdings (US) LLC, Active Network IPICO Innovation Inc., Active Networks LLC, AdvancedMD, Athlaction Intermediate LLC, Athlaction Topco LLC, AuctionPay, Comercia Global Payments Entidad de Pago S.L., DEBITEK INC, Digital Dining LLC, Dinerware LLC, DolEx Europe S.L., Educational Computer Systems Inc., Ematters Australia Pty Ltd., Equifax Credit Services LLC, Ezi Holdings Pty. Ltd., Ezi Management Pty Ltd., Ezidebit, Ezidebit (NZ) Limited, Ezidebit HK Ltd., Ezidebit Pty Ltd., GP Finance LLC, GPC Financial Corporation, GPS Holding Limited Partnership, GPUK LLP, Global Payment Holding Company, Global Payment Systems Asia-Pacific (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd., Global Payment Systems LLC, Global Payment Systems of Canada Ltd., Global Payments - Caixa Acquisition Corporation S.a.r.l., Global Payments - Realex Payments Holding Limited, Global Payments - Servicos de Pagamentos S.A., Global Payments Acquisition Corp. 1 B.V., Global Payments Acquisition Corp. 2 B.V., Global Payments Acquisition Corp. 3 B.V., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 2 LLC, Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 2 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 3 LLC, Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 3 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 4 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 6 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 7 LLC, Global Payments Acquisition Corporation 7 S.a.r.l., Global Payments Acquisition Corporation HK Holding Limited, Global Payments Acquisition PS 1 C.V., Global Payments Acquisition PS 2 C.V., Global Payments Acquisition PS 3 C. V., Global Payments Acquisition PS1-Global Payments Direct S.e.n.c., Global Payments Asia-Pacific (Hong Kong Holding) Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific (Hong Kong) Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific (India) Private Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific (Shanghai) Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific (Singapore Holding) Ltd., Global Payments Asia-Pacific Lanka (Private) Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Macau Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Maldives Private Limited, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Philippines Incorporated, Global Payments Asia-Pacific Processing Company Limited, Global Payments Australia Pty 1 Ltd., Global Payments Australia Pty 2 Ltd., Global Payments Canada GP, Global Payments Canada Inc., Global Payments Card Processing Malaysia Sdn. Bhd, Global Payments Check Recovery Services Inc., Global Payments Check Services Inc., Global Payments Direct Inc., Global Payments Europe d.o.o. Sarajevo, Global Payments Europe s.r.o., Global Payments Gaming Canada Inc., Global Payments Gaming International Inc., Global Payments Gaming Services Inc., Global Payments Integrated, Global Payments Limited, Global Payments Process Centre Inc., Global Payments South America Brasil-Servicos de Pagamentos S.A., Global Payments UK 2 Ltd., Global Payments UK Ltd., Global Payments s.r.o., Greater Giving Inc., Heartland Acquisition LLC, Heartland Payment Solutions Inc., Heartland Payment Systems, Heartland Payment Systems LLC, Heartland Payroll Solutions Inc., IPICO South Africa (Pty) Ltd., JumpForward LLC, Maximum Solutions LLC, Merchant Services U.S.A. Inc., Modular Data Inc., NDC Holdings (UK) Ltd., NDPS Holdings Inc., PCAmerica LLC, Pay and Shop Limited, PayPros LLC, Payment Processing, Payroll 1 Inc., Realex Payments, SICOM Systems, Sabrir Invest S.L., Sentral Education, Spolecnost pro informacni database a.s., Storman Holdings Pty Ltd., Storman Software Inc., Storman Software Limited, Storman Software Ltd., Storman Software Pty Ltd., TeamPages Inc., The Active Network (Asia) Pte. Ltd, The Active Network (Aus-NZ) Pty. Ltd., The Active Network (EU) Ltd., The Active Network Ltd., The Active Network Ltd. (Chengdu), The Active Network Ltd. (Xian), Total System Services, TouchNet Information Systems Inc., UCS Terminal Joint Stock Company, United Card Service Joint Stock Company, VEPF III AIV VI-C Corp., VEPF IV AIV VII-C Corp., VFF I AIV IV-C Corp., Web Active Corporation Pty Ltd., Xenial, Xpient LLC, eWAY, eWay Europe Limited, eWay Payments Asia Pte Ltd., eWay Payments Inc., eWay Payments New Zealand Limited, eWay Payments North America Inc., and eWay Payments Pty Ltd.. 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.. ConocoPhillips engages in the exploration, production, transportation and marketing of crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and liquefied natural gas on a worldwide basis. It operates through the following geographical segments: Alaska; Lower 48; Canada; Europe, Middle East and North Africa; Asia Pacific; and Other International. The Alaska segment primarily explores for produces, transports and markets crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. The Lower 48 segment consists of operations in the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico. The Canada segment is comprised of oil sands development in the Athabasca Region of northeastern Alberta and a liquids-rich unconventional play in western Canada. The Europe, Middle East and North Africa segment consists of operations and exploration activities in Norway, the United Kingdom and Libya. The Asia Pacific segment has explorations and product operations in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. The Other International segment handles exploration activities in Columbia and Argentina. The company was founded in 1875 and is headquartered in Houston, TX. Read More DTE Energy Co. operates as a diversified energy company, which engages in the provision of electricity and natural gas sales, distribution and storage services. It operates through the following segments: Electric, Gas, Non-Utility Operations, and Corporate & Other. The Electric segment engages in the generation, purchase, distribution and sale of electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers in south-eastern Michigan. The Gas segment engages in the purchase, storage, transportation, distribution and sale of natural gas to residential, commercial and industrial customers throughout Michigan and the sale of storage and transportation capacity. The Non-Utility Operations segment engages in gas storage and pipelines, power and industrial projects, and energy trading. The Corporate & Other includes various holding company activities, holds certain non-utility debt, and holds energy-related investments. The company was founded in January 1995 and is headquartered in Detroit, MI. Read More iShares MSCI Thailand ETF's stock was trading at $63.83 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, THD stock has increased by 14.8% and is now trading at $73.27. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Medtronic Plc is a medical technology company, which engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of device-based medical therapies and services. It operates through the following segments: Cardiac and Vascular Group; Minimally Invasive Technologies Group; Restorative Therapies Group; and Diabetes Group. The Cardiac and Vascular Group segment consists of products for the diagnosis, treatment, and management of cardiac rhythm disorders and cardiovascular disease. The Minimally Invasive Technologies Group segment focuses on respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, renal system, lungs, pelvic region, kidneys, and obesity diseases. The Restorative Therapies Group segment comprises of neurostimulation therapies and drug delivery systems for the treatment of chronic pain, as well as areas of the spine and brain, along with pelvic health and conditions of the ear, nose, and throat. The Diabetes Group segment offers insulin pumps, coninuous glucose monitoring systems, and insulin pump consumables. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Thermo Fisher Scientific: 236 Perinton Parkway LLC, 27 Forge Parkway LLC, ABR--Affinity BioReagents, ACI Holdings Inc., ARG Services LLC, ASPEX Corporation, Abgene Inc., Abgene Limited, Acoustic Cytometry Systems Inc., AcroMetrix LLC, Acros Organics B.V.B.A., Advanced Biotechnologies Limited, Advanced Scientifics (ASI), Advanced Scientifics Inc., Advanced Scientifics International Inc., Affymetrix Biotech Participacoes Ltda., Affymetrix Biotech Shanghai Ltd, Affymetrix Inc, Affymetrix Japan K.K., Affymetrix Pte Ltd, Affymetrix UK Ltd, Afora S.A.U., Ahura Scientific, Alchematrix Inc., Alchematrix LLC, Alfa Aesar, Alfa Aesar (China) Chemical Co. Ltd., Alfa Aesar (Hong Kong) Limited, Allergon AB, Alphine Mountain Limited, Ambion Inc., Apogent Denmark ApS, Apogent Finance Company, Apogent Holding Company, Apogent Technologies Inc., Apogent Transition Corp., Apogent U.K. Limited, App-Tek International Pty Ltd, Applied Biosystems B.V., Applied Biosystems Finance B.V., Applied Biosystems International Inc., Applied Biosystems LLC, Applied Biosystems Taiwan LLC, Applied Biosystems Trading (Shanghai) Company Ltd., Applied Biosystems de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Applied Scientific Corporation, Avances Cientificos de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Avocado Research Chemicals Limited, B.R.A.H.M.S. Biotech GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. UK Ltd, BAC BV, BAC IP BV, Barnstead Thermolyne LLC, Beijing Phadia Diagnostics Co Ltd, Bender MedSystems GmbH, BioTrove Corporation, BioTrove International Inc., Bioanalysis Labsystems S.A., Biochemical Sciences LLC, Biolab, BmT GmbH Laborprodukte, Bonsai Tecnologies - Sistemas para Biotecnologia e Industria Unipessoal Lda, Brammer Bio, Bumi-Sans Sendirian Berhad, CAC Limited, CB Diagnostics AB, CB Diagnostics Holding AB, CEPH International Corporation, CHK Holdings Inc., CRS Robotics, CTPS LLC, Capitol Scientific Products Inc., Capitol Vial Inc., Cellomics Inc., CellzDirect Inc., Cenduit GmbH, Cenduit LLC, Cezanne S.A.S., Chase Scientific Glass Inc., Chromacol Limited, Clintrak, Clintrak Clinical Labeling Services LLC, Clintrak Pharmaceutical Services LLC, Cohesive Technologies (UK) Limited, Cohesive Technologies Inc., Columbia Diagnostics Inc., Compendia Bioscience Inc., Comtest Limited, Consolidated Technologies Inc., Consultores Fisher Scientific Chile Ltd, Core Informatics, Core Informatics LLC, Core Informatics UK Ltd., D-finitive Technologies Inc., DCG Systems B.V., DCG Systems C.V., DCG Systems G.K., DCG Systems GmbH, DCG Systems Korea Ltd., DCG Systems LLC, DPI Newco LLC, DSM Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Dharmacon, Diagnostix Ltd., Dionex (China) Analytical Ltd, Dionex (Switzerland) AG, Dionex (UK) Limited, Dionex Austria GmbH, Dionex Benelux B.V., Dionex Brasil Instrumentos Cientificos Ltda, Dionex Canada Ltd., Dionex China Limited, Dionex Corporation, Dionex Denmark A/S, Dionex Holding GmbH, Dionex I LLC, Dionex Pty Ltd., Dionex S.A., Dionex S.p.A., Dionex Singapore Pte Ltd., Dionex Softron GmbH, Dionex Sweden AB, Distribution Solutions International Inc., Doe & Ingalls Investors Inc., Doe & Ingalls Limited, Doe & Ingalls Management LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties II LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties LLC, Doe & Ingalls of California Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Florida Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Maryland Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Massachusetts Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of North Carolina Operating LLC, Doublecape Holding Limited, Doublecape Limited, Drakeside Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Duke Scientific Corporation, Dynal Biotech Beijing Limited, EGS Gauging Ltd., EGS Gauging Technical Services Company, EP Scientific Products LLC, Ecochem N.V., EnviroEquip Pty Ltd, Epsom Glass Industries Limited, Equibio Limited, Erie Electroverre S.A., Erie Finance Limited, Erie LP Holding LLC, Erie Scientific Company of Puerto Rico, Erie Scientific Hungary Kft, Erie Scientific LLC, Erie U.K. Limited, Erie UK 1 Limited, Erie UK 2 Limited, Erie UK Holding Company, Erie UK Senior Holding Limited, European Laboratory Holdings Limited, Eutech Instruments Europe B.V., Eutech Instruments Pte Ltd., Eutech Instruments Sdn Bhd, Ever Ready Thermometer Co. Inc., FEI Asia Pacific Co. Ltd., FEI Australia Pty Ltd, FEI CPD B.V., FEI Company, FEI Company Japan Ltd., FEI Company of USA (S.E.A.) Pte Ltd., FEI Czech Republic s.r.o., FEI Deutschland GmbH, FEI EFA Inc., FEI EFA International Pte. Ltd., FEI Electron Optics B.V., FEI Electron Optics International B.V., FEI Europe B.V., FEI France SAS, FEI Global Holdings C.V., FEI Hong Kong Company Limited, FEI Houston Inc., FEI Italia Srl, FEI Korea Ltd., FEI Melbourne Pty Ltd., FEI Microscopy Solutions Ltd, FEI Munich GmbH, FEI Norway Holding AS, FEI SAS, FEI Saudi Arabia LLC, FEI Servicos de Nanotecnologia Ltda., FEI Technologies Inc., FEI Technology de Mexico S.A. de C.V., FEI Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., FEI Trondheim AS, FEI UK Ltd., FHP LLC, FRC Holding Inc. V, FS (Barbados) Capital Holdings Ltd., FS Casa Rocas Holdings LLC, FS Mexicana Holdings LLC, FSI Receivables Company LLC, FSII Sweden Holdings AB, FSII Sweden Holdings I AB, FSIR Holdings (UK) Limited, FSIR Holdings (US) Inc., FSUK Holdings Limited, FSWH Company LLC, FSWH II C.V., FSWH International Holdings LLC, Fermentas China Co. Ltd, Fermentas Inc., Fermentas International, Fermentas Sweden AB, Fermentas UK Limited, Fiberlite Centrifuge LLC, Finesse Scientific Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Finesse Solutions AG, Finesse Solutions Inc., Finnzymes Oy, Fisher Alder S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Asia Manufacturing Ventures Inc., Fisher Bermuda Holdings Limited, Fisher BioImage ApS, Fisher BioPharma Services (India) Private Limited, Fisher BioSciences Japan G.K., Fisher BioServices Inc., Fisher Bioblock Holding II SNC, Fisher CLP Holding Limited Partnership, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 1, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 2, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 3, Fisher Canada Limited Partnership, Fisher Chimica BVBA, Fisher Clinical Logistics LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services (Bristol) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Colombia) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Korea) Co. Ltd, Fisher Clinical Services (Mexico) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Peru) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services Colombia S.A.S., Fisher Clinical Services GmbH, Fisher Clinical Services Inc., Fisher Clinical Services Japan K.K., Fisher Clinical Services Latin America S.R.L., Fisher Clinical Services Limited Liability Company, Fisher Clinical Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Clinical Services Peru S.R.L, Fisher Clinical Services Pte Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services U.K. Limited, Fisher Emergo B.V., Fisher Germany Holdings GmbH, Fisher Hamilton China Inc., Fisher Hamilton Mexico LLC, Fisher Holdings ApS, Fisher Internet Minority Holdings L.L.C., Fisher Laboratory Products Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Fisher Luxembourg Danish Holdings SARL, Fisher Manufacturing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Maybridge Holdings Limited, Fisher Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Scientific (Austria) GmbH, Fisher Scientific (Hong Kong) Limited, Fisher Scientific (M) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Scientific (SEA) Pte. Ltd., Fisher Scientific A/S, Fisher Scientific AG, Fisher Scientific Australia Pty Limited, Fisher Scientific Biotech Line ApS, Fisher Scientific Brazil Inc., Fisher Scientific Central America Inc., Fisher Scientific Chile Inc., Fisher Scientific Colombia Inc., Fisher Scientific Company, Fisher Scientific Company L.L.C., Fisher Scientific Costa Rica Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Fisher Scientific Europe Holdings B.V., Fisher Scientific GTF AB, Fisher Scientific Germany Beteiligungs GmbH, Fisher Scientific GmbH, Fisher Scientific Holding Company LLC, Fisher Scientific Holding HK Limited, Fisher Scientific Holding U.K. Limited, Fisher Scientific Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Scientific Holdings (S) Pte Ltd, Fisher Scientific International LLC, Fisher Scientific Investments (Cayman) Ltd., Fisher Scientific Ireland Investments Unlimited, Fisher Scientific Ireland Limited, Fisher Scientific Japan Ltd., Fisher Scientific Jersey Island Limited, Fisher Scientific Korea Ltd, Fisher Scientific Latin America Inc., Fisher Scientific Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Fisher Scientific Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Scientific Mexico Inc., Fisher Scientific Middle East and Africa Inc., Fisher Scientific Norway AS, Fisher Scientific Operating Company, Fisher Scientific Oxoid Holdings Ltd., Fisher Scientific Oy, Fisher Scientific Pte. Ltd., Fisher Scientific S.A.S., Fisher Scientific S.L., Fisher Scientific SPRL, Fisher Scientific The Hague I B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague II B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague III B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague IV B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague V B.V., Fisher Scientific U.K. Limited, Fisher Scientific UK Holding Company 2, Fisher Scientific UK Holding Company Limited, Fisher Scientific Unipessoal Lda., Fisher Scientific Venezuela Inc., Fisher Scientific Worldwide (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Fisher Scientific Worldwide Holdings I C.V., Fisher Scientific Worldwide Inc., Fisher Scientific de Mexico S.A., Fisher Scientific of the Netherlands B.V., Fisher Scientific spol. S.r.o, Fisher Servicios Clinicos (Chile) LLC, Fisher Servicios Clinicos Chile Ltda, Fisher WWD Holding L.L.C., Fisher Worldwide Distribution SPV, Fisher Worldwide Gene Distribution SPV, Flux Instruments, Fuji Partnership, G & M Procter Limited, G V Instruments Limited, GV Instruments Canada Ltd., GV Instruments Inc, Gatan Inc, General Scientific Company Sdn Bhd (M), Genomed molekularbiologische und diagnostische Produkte GmbH, Gerhard Menzel B.V. & Co. KG, Gold Cattle Standard Testing Labs Inc., Golden West Indemnity Company Limited, Goring Kerr Detection Limited, Greenville Service Company Inc., HENO GmbH i.L., Hangar 215 Inc., Helmet Securities Limited, Henogen, HighChem, HyClone International Trade (Tianjin) Co. Ltd, Hybaid Limited, I.Q. (BIO) Limited, IDnostics AG, ILS Laboratories Scandinavia AB, Inel Inc., Inel SAS, InnaPhase Inc., InnaPhase Limited, IntegenX, Intrinsic BioProbes Inc., Intrinsic Bioprobes Inc., Invitrogen (Shanghai) Investment Co. Ltd., Invitrogen Argentina SA, Invitrogen BioServices India Private Limited, Invitrogen Europe Limited, Invitrogen Finance Corp., Invitrogen Holdings LLC, Invitrogen Holdings Ltd., Invitrogen Hong Kong Limited, Invitrogen IP Holdings Inc., Invitrogen Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ion Torrent Systems Inc., Ionalytics Corporation, JSC Thermo Fisher Scientific, Jouan LLC, Jouan Limited, Jouan SA, Kendro Containment & Services Limited, Kendro Laboratory Products Ltd, Kettlebrook Insurance Co. ltd., Keystone Scientific, KonTEM GmbH, Kyle Jordan Investments LLC, LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, LTC Tech South Africa PTY Ltd., La-Pha-Pack GmbH, Lab Vision (UK) Limited, Lab Vision Corporation, Lab-Chrom-Pack LLC, Lab-Line Instruments Inc., Labomex MBP S. de R. L. De C.V., Laboratoire Service International - L.S.I, Laboratory Management Systems Inc., Laboratory Specialties Proprietary Ltd., LambTrack Limited, Laser Analytical Systems Inc., Liberty Lane Investment LLC, Liberty Lane Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Life Sciences International (Poland) SP z O.O, Life Sciences International Holdings BV, Life Sciences International LLC, Life Sciences International Limited, Life Technologies AS, Life Technologies Australia PTY Ltd., Life Technologies BPD AB, Life Technologies BPD UK Limited, Life Technologies Brasil Comercio e Industria de Produtos para Biotecnologia Ltda, Life Technologies Chile SpA, Life Technologies Clinical Services Lab Inc., Life Technologies Co. Ltd., Life Technologies Czech Republic s.r.o., Life Technologies DaAn Diagnostic (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Life Technologies Europe B.V., Life Technologies Finance Ltd., Life Technologies Finland Oy, Life Technologies GmbH, Life Technologies Holdings PTE Ltd., Life Technologies Inc., Life Technologies International B.V., Life Technologies Japan Ltd., Life Technologies Korea LLC, Life Technologies Limited, Life Technologies Magyarorszag Kft, Life Technologies New Zealand Ltd., Life Technologies Norway Investments US LLC, Life Technologies Polska Sp z.o.o., Life Technologies SA, Life Technologies SAS, Life Technologies s.r.o, Linkage Biosciences Inc., Linkage Biosciences S.a.r.l., Loftus Furnace Company, Lomb Scientific, Lomb Scientific (Aust) Pty Limited, MTI-GlobalStem, Marketbase International Limited, Matrix MicroScience Inc., Matrix MicroScience Ltd., Matrix Technologies Corporation Limited, Matrix Technologies LLC, Maybridge Chemical Company Limited, Maybridge Chemical Holdings Limited, Maybridge Limited, Medical Analysis Systems Inc., Medical Analysis Systems International Inc., Medical Diagnostics Systems Inc., Metavac LLC, Microgenics Corporation, Microgenics Diagnostics Pty Limited, Microgenics GmbH, Microm International GmbH, Microm Laborgerate S.L.U, Molecular BioProducts Inc., Molecular Probes Inc., Molecular Transfer Inc., NAPCO Inc., NERL Diagnostics LLC, NOVODIRECT GmbH Labor- und Industrie- Megerate, Nalge (Europe) Limited, Nalge Nunc International (Monterrey) LLC, Nalge Nunc International Corporation, Nanjing WeiKangLe Trading Industrial Co Ltd, NanoDrop Technologies LLC, National Scientific Company, Navaho Acquisition Corp., Neomarkers Inc., New FS Holdings Inc., NewcoGen PE LLC, Nihon Dynal K.K., Niton Asia Limited, NovaWave Technologies Inc., Nunc A/S, ONIX Systems Inc., OXOID CZ s.r.o., Odyssey Holdings Corporation, Odyssey Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Odyssey Luxembourg IP Holdings 1 S.a r.l., Odyssey Luxembourg IP Holdings 2 S.a r.l., Odyssey Venture Corporation, Omega Data Systems, One Lambda Inc, Onix Holdings Limited, Orme Scientific Limited, Owl Separation Systems LLC, Oxoid (ELY) Limited, Oxoid 2000 Limited, Oxoid AS, Oxoid Australia Pty. Limited, Oxoid Company, Oxoid Deutschland GmbH, Oxoid Holding SAS, Oxoid Holdings Limited, Oxoid Inc., Oxoid International Limited, Oxoid Investments GmbH, Oxoid Limited, Oxoid N.V., Oxoid New Zealand Limited, Oxoid Pension Trustees Limited, Oxoid Senior Holdings Limited, Oxoid UKH LLC, PAX - DSI Acquisition LLC, PE AG, Pacific Rim Far East Industries LLC, Pacific Rim Investment LLC, Panomics L.L.C., Panomics S.R.L., Patheon, Patheon API Inc., Patheon API Manufacturing Inc., Patheon API Services Inc., Patheon Austria GmbH & Co KG, Patheon B.V., Patheon Banner U.S. Holdings Inc., Patheon Biologics (NJ) LLC, Patheon Biologics Australia Pty Ltd, Patheon Biologics B.V., Patheon Biologics LLC, Patheon Calculus Merger LLC, Patheon Cooperatief U.A., Patheon Development Services Inc., Patheon Finance LLC, Patheon France SAS, Patheon Holdings B.V., Patheon Holdings I B.V., Patheon Holdings II B.V., Patheon Holdings SAS, Patheon I B.V., Patheon I Holding GmbH, Patheon Inc., Patheon International AG, Patheon Italia S.p.A., Patheon KK, Patheon Life Science Products International GmbH, Patheon Manufacturing Services LLC, Patheon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Patheon Pharmaceuticals Services Inc., Patheon Puerto Rico Acquisitions Corporation, Patheon Puerto Rico Inc., Patheon Regensburg GmbH, Patheon Softgels B.V., Patheon Softgels Inc., Patheon U.S. Holdings Inc., Patheon U.S. Holdings LLC, Patheon UK Limited, Patheon UK Pension Trustees Limited, Pelican Acquisition Corporation, Perbio Science (Canada) Company, Perbio Science AB, Perbio Science BVBA, Perbio Science France SAS, Perbio Science Inc., Perbio Science International Netherlands B.V., Perbio Science Invest AB, Perbio Science Nederland B.V., Perbio Science Projekt AB, Perbio Science Sweden Holdings AB, Perbio Science Switzerland SA, Perbio Science UK Limited, Phadia AB, Phadia Diagnosticos Ltda, Phadia GmbH, Phadia Holding AB, Phadia International Holdings C.V., Phadia Korea Co. Ltd, Phadia Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., Phadia Malta Holdings Limited, Phadia Oy, Phadia Real Property AB, Phadia Sweden AB, Phadia Taiwan Inc., Phadia US Inc., Phadia s.r.o., Pharmacaps Mexicana SA de CV, Phenom-World B.V., Phenom-World Holding B.V, Phenom-World Innovations B.V., Phinotex, Pierce Biotechnology Inc., Pierce Milwaukee Holding Corp., Pierce Milwaukee Inc., Polychromix, Power Sweden Holdings I AB, Power Sweden Holdings II AB, Power Sweden Holdings III Aktiebolag, Princeton Gamma-Tech Instruments LLC, Princeton Security Technologies, Prionics AG, Prionics Asia Ltd., Prionics Deutschland GmbH, Prionics France SAS, Prionics Italia S.r.l., Prionics Lelystad B.V., Prionics USA Inc., Priority Air Express LLC, Priority Air Express Pte. Ltd., Priority Air Express UK Limited, Priority Air Holdings Corp, Priority Solutions International, Promedica Pty Limited, Proxeon, Proxeon Biosystems ApS, Qiagen, REP GBP I-B Blocker Inc., Raymond A Lamb Limited, Remel Europe Limited, Remel Inc., Richard-Allan Scientific Company, Robbins Scientific LLC, Robocon Labor- und Industrieroboter Gesellschaft m.b.H, Rupprecht and Patashnick, Rupprecht and Patashnick (R&P), Russell pH Limited, S.C.I. du 10 rue Dugay Trouin, SCI Inno 92, STC Bio Manufacturing Inc., Samco Scientific (Monterrey) LLC, Samco Scientific LLC, Saroph Sweden AB, Schantz Road LLC, Seradyn Inc., Shanghai Life Technologies Biotechnology Co. Limited, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (C-I) Trading Co. Ltd, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (S) Trading Co. Ltd, Southern Trials (Pty) Ltd., Specialty (SMI) Inc., Spectra-Physics AB, Spectra-Physics Holdings Limited, Spectra-Physics Holdings USA LLC, Spectronex, Staten Island Cogeneration Corporation, Sterilin Limited, Stokes Bio Ltd., Sweden DIA (Sweden) AB, SwissAnalytic Group GmbH, Systems Manufacturing Corporation, TFLP LLC, TFS Breda B.V., TFS LLC, TFS Singapore HK Limited, TFSL Financing GP LLC, TFSL Senior GP Holdings 2 LLC, TK Partnership, TKA Wasseraufbereitungssysteme, TMOI Inc., TPI Real Estate Holdings LLC, TSP Holdings I LLC, TWX LLC, Technology Design Solutions Pty Ltd, Thermedics Detection de Argentina S.R.L, Thermo Allen Coding Limited, Thermo Asset Management Services Inc., Thermo BioAnalysis LLC, Thermo BioAnalysis Limited, Thermo BioSciences Holdings LLC, Thermo CIDTEC, Thermo CRS Holdings Ltd., Thermo CRS Ltd., Thermo Cambridge Limited, Thermo Cayman Holdings Ltd., Thermo Corporation, Thermo DMA Inc., Thermo Detection de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Dutch Holdings Limited Partnership, Thermo EGS Gauging LLC, Thermo Eberline Holdings I LLC, Thermo Eberline Holdings II LLC, Thermo Eberline LLC, Thermo Electron (Calgary) Limited, Thermo Electron (Chile) S.p.A., Thermo Electron (Karlsruhe) GmbH, Thermo Electron (Management Services) Limited, Thermo Electron (Proprietary) Limited, Thermo Electron A/S, Thermo Electron Australia Pty Limited, Thermo Electron Export Inc., Thermo Electron Holdings SAS, Thermo Electron Industries, Thermo Electron LED GmbH, Thermo Electron LED S.A.S., Thermo Electron Limited, Thermo Electron Manufacturing Limited, Thermo Electron Metallurgical Services Inc., Thermo Electron North America LLC, Thermo Electron Pension Trust GmbH, Thermo Electron Puerto Rico Inc., Thermo Electron SAS, Thermo Electron Scientific Instruments LLC, Thermo Electron Sweden AB, Thermo Electron Sweden Forvaltning AB, Thermo Electron Weighing & Inspection Limited, Thermo Elemental Limited, Thermo Environmental Instruments LLC, Thermo Fast U.K. Limited, Thermo Finland Holdings LLC, Thermo Finland Holdings MT1 B.V., Thermo Finland Holdings MT2 B.V., Thermo Finnigan LLC, Thermo Finnigan Limited, Thermo Fisher (CN) Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher (CN) Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher (CN) Malta Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher (CN-I) Luxembourg LLC, Thermo Fisher (CN-II) Luxembourg LLC, Thermo Fisher (Cayman) Holdings I Ltd., Thermo Fisher (Cayman) Holdings II Ltd., Thermo Fisher (Finland Holdings 2) LLC, Thermo Fisher (Finland Holdings) Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher (Gibraltar) II Limited, Thermo Fisher (Gibraltar) Limited, Thermo Fisher (Heysham) Limited, Thermo Fisher (Kandel) GmbH, Thermo Fisher CHK Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher China Business Trust, Thermo Fisher China Business Trust II, Thermo Fisher Costa Rica Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Thermo Fisher Cyprus Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Detection Mexico LLC, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics (Ireland) Limited, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AB, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AG, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AS, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Aps, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Austria GmbH, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics B.V., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics GmbH, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics K.K., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Limited, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics NV, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics S.L.U., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics S.p.A. , Thermo Fisher Diagnostics SAS, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Thermo Fisher Eurobonds Ltd., Thermo Fisher Financial Services Inc., Thermo Fisher GP LLC, Thermo Fisher German Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Germany B.V., Thermo Fisher India Divestco Private Limited, Thermo Fisher India Holding B.V., Thermo Fisher Insurance Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Insurance Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Investments (Cayman) Ltd., Thermo Fisher Israel Ltd., Thermo Fisher Production et Services SAS, Thermo Fisher Project Cyprus LLC, Thermo Fisher Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Asheville) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Australia) C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Barbados) Holdings Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Breda) Holding BV, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific (CN) Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (China-HK) Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (DE) Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Ecublens) SARL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance II) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance III) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance III) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Fuji) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Holding II) B.V. & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Hong Kong) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (IVGN) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (IVGN) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Johannesburg) (Proprietary) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mexico City) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Milwaukee) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mississauga) Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Monterrey) S. De R.L. De C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (NK) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) Austria Holding GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) UK LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) UK Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN-I) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN-II) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN1) UK Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Panama) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Panama) Dutch LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Praha) s.r.o., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Real Estate 1) GmbH & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Real Estate 1) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Schweiz) AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Shanghai) Instruments Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Suzhou) Instruments Co. Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Thailand) Co. 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Ltd., ThermoLase LLC, ThermoSpectra Limited, Trek Diagnostic Systems LLC, Trek Diagnostic Systems Ltd., Trek Holding Company II Ltd., Trek Holding Company Ltd., Trex Medical Corporation, USB Corporation, Union Lab Supplies Limited, United Diagnostics Inc., VG Systems Limited, Westover Scientific Inc., ZAO PE Biosystems, eBioscience GmbH, eBioscience Ltd, eBioscience SAS, and picoSpin LLC. Rowan Companies PLC (NYSE:RDC) announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October, 31st. The oil and gas company reported ($1.13) earnings per share for the quarter, beating the Zacks' consensus estimate of ($1.15) by $0.02. The oil and gas company had revenue of $192.90 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $179.39 million. Rowan Companies had a negative trailing twelve-month return on equity of 9.19% and a negative net margin of 42.12%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down 33.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company earned ($0.16) EPS. View Rowan Companies' earnings history. Skeena Resources Limited, a junior mining exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of base and precious metal properties in Canada. The company holds 100% interests in the Snip gold mine covering an area of approximately 1,932 hectares; the Spectrum-GJ copper-gold properties covering an area of 43,500 hectares; and the Porter Idaho silver property that consists of 46 crown-granted mineral claims; and Blackdome gold mine property. It also has an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Eskay Creek property covering an area of approximately 6,151 hectares. The company is based in Vancouver, Canada. 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. 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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.. UniFirst Corp. engages in the design, manufacture, personalization, rental, cleaning, delivery, and sale of a range of uniforms and protective clothing. It operates through following segments: U.S. Rental and Cleaning, Canadian Rental and Cleaning, Manufacturing, Specialty Garments Rental and Cleaning, First Aid, and Corporate. The U.S. and Canadian Rental and Cleaning segment purchases, rents, cleans, delivers and sells uniforms and protective clothing and non-garment items in the United States and Canada. The Manufacturing segment designs and manufactures uniforms and non-garment items primarily for the purpose of providing these goods to the U.S. and Canadian Rental and Cleaning reporting segment. The Specialty Garments Rental and Cleaning segment sells specialty garments and non-garment items primarily for nuclear and cleanroom applications and provides cleanroom cleaning services at limited customer locations. The First Aid segment provides first aid cabinet services and other safety supplies as well as maintains wholesale distribution and pill packaging operations. The Corporate segment consists of costs associated with its distribution center, sales and marketing, informatio Read More Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. Mumbai: Neha Dhupia says doing films would take a while as she does not know what her character would require her to do in terms of the look. The actor welcomed baby girl, Mehr last month with husband Angad Bedi. "If I have to mould myself into a certain character, it could be a little while before I could commit myself to it. I don't know physically what the character will expect out of me. I have worked through all shapes and sizes. "I was pregnant when I did 'Roadies' and am coming back for a new season after becoming a mother. But for me to play a part, something like a 'Tumhari Sulu', I need to be there physically 100 per cent. But I won't go slow. I want to be a mom, be on stage, do everything," Neha told PTI. The actor recently began shooting for the 16th season of the MTV adventure reality show "Roadies". Neha, 38, says though it is good to get back to work, she had to overcome the guilt of leaving her daughter at home. "It feels great but initially you are struck only with guilt, the kind you have never known before. You constantly feel 'Oh my God what is my child doing?' "When you are with your child you are like I must cope up with work, because I am a workoholic. The balance is extremely important." The actor says it is important to move past the guilt. "There are constant reminders you give yourself that just because you are going to work doesn't mean you love your child less. A mother who decides to be at home after giving birth is as beautiful a mother as the one who decides to work. I have had the luxury to take her with me wherever I go. I will work around it," she said. The theme for the latest edition of "Roadies" is about hailing real-life heroes by giving them a chance to be a part of the series, "Roadies Real Heroes". Auditions start from January. Mumbai: Superstar Prabhas is known to be generous when it comes to hosting people, and according to his close friends and family, he is the warmest host. Even when his co-star Shraddha Kapoor started shooting for Saaho, on her first day on the set, Prabhas treated her to a delectable spread of Hyderabadi food. The food came from Prabhas's home and the idea was to welcome her on the sets of the film and make her feel at home. This definitely shows the warm side of the actor. Prabhas is used to hosting his relatives and close friends. But now that he has an erratic work schedule, it isnt possible as often. But whenever he has some free time, he loves hosting dinners and personally looks into all the preparations, right from the guest list to what all will be served at the table, keeping in mind each persons preferences. Not many know that Prabhass favourite cheat meal is biryani. So, he ensures that biryani is a staple dish in every dinner party that he arranges. Superstar Prabhas enjoys a huge Pan India fanbase owing to the tremendous success of the Baahubali franchise. While Baahubali: The Beginning made Prabhas a household name, Baahubali: The Conclusion established the actor as a pan India Superstar. The actor will be next seen in the big-budget film 'Saaho' alongside Shraddha Kapoor. Shades of Saaho video that released on his birthday witness Prabhas in a never before seen avatar and the glimpses into the film has created a buzz in social media and the college goers are already imprinting his style while riding bikes. He is currently shooting in Italy shooting for his next movie under the direction of Jil fame Radha Krishna Kumar. The working title of the movie is Amour along with Pooja Hegde. Trees stopped the bus from falling further down the gorge, police said. (Photo: ANI) Srinagar: One Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel was killed and 34 others were injured after a bus carrying carrying them skidded off the Jammu-Srinagar highway and fell into a gorge, police said. The accident occured near Khooni Nala in Ramban district around 8:30 am, police said. 24 people have been injured and those seriously injured were moved to Jammu via chopper. "We have rescued 24 people with injuries and 1 dead. We are evacuating seriously injured to Jammu via chopper. There were reportedly 35 people travelling," news agency ANI quoted DC Ramban saying. Trees stopped the bus from falling further down the gorge, police said. A team of rescue personnel comprising Army, police and local volunteers are at the spot to save those trapped. They then decided to search Karthik's house itself, and found the baby lying dead. He was wrapped in a towel and placed beneath a bed. (Representational Image) Bengaluru: A month-old baby was found smothered to death, allegedly by his relatives, at a house in Vivek Nagar. The baby was one of the twins born to Karthiks wife last month. Police said that on Friday the baby had fever and Karthik offered put him to bed in the hall. He later left to a medical store to buy fever drops and his wife was there at the hall. A few moments later, the other baby who was in the other room, began to cry. Karthiks wife went inside, leaving the baby in the hall. When Karthik returned from the store, he found the baby at the hall missing. When he asked his wife, she too was shocked to know about his disappearance. They began a search for the baby in the neighborhood and later on the same day approached Ashoka Nagar police station and lodged a kidnap complaint. The police too searched for the baby for hours, but drew a blank. They then decided to search Karthik's house itself, and found the baby lying dead. He was wrapped in a towel and placed beneath a bed. Preliminary investigation revealed that the baby was smothered to death. The body was shifted to a hospital for postmortem. During investigation the police came to know that Karthik had a fight with his brother Arvind and father Chittaraju. Later he along with his wife had shifted to a different house. The police have detained Arvind and Chittaraju for questioning. An official of the apex court registry said it has received an appeal from the BJP against the high court division bench's order. (Photo: File) New Delhi: The BJP on Monday moved Supreme Court against Calcutta High Court order not allowing its rath yatra in West Bengal. The party has challenged the order of the division bench of the Calcutta High Court which had set aside the order of a single judge allowing the rath yatra. An official of the apex court registry said it has received an appeal from the BJP against the high court division bench's order. The officials said the petition is under scrutiny. On Friday, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court stayed order by its single-judge bench a day before granting conditional approval to the Bharatiya Janata Partys rath yatra, disrupting its plans to flag off the first rally from the temple town of Tarapith in Birbhum district on Saturday. Read: BJP to move Supreme Court for permission to hold rath yatra in West Bengal The rallies were supposed to be launched from three different locations in the state, crisscrossing it before converging in Kolkata. (With PTI inputs) The Malkajgiri SOT was acting on a tip-off about an illegally run massage parlour beside the post office in Nacharam on Sunday. (Representational Image) Hyderabad: Three women from Secunderabad were rescued and five persons including two customers were apprehended from an illegally run massage centre at Nacharam by the Rachakonda Special Operations Team. Police raided a massage centre on Sunday evening and found that illegal activities were going on and booked a case. The Malkajgiri SOT was acting on a tip-off about an illegally run massage parlour beside the post office in Nacharam on Sunday. They raided the place in the evening and rescued three women who were engaged to extend adult services to customers for money. Inspector G. Naveen Kumar said the raids were conducted at Essenz Spa and Saloon, a unisex spa, where the owner P. Sriram, 32, had employed two persons, M. Manikanta, 28, and B. Rajesh, 21, to work as organisers. They had recruited three women hailing from Secunderabad to work as masseurs to customers for money. Apart from arresting the owner and his two employees, customers N. Nageswar Rao, 38, and Santosh, 26, were arrested. About Rs 7,570 cash, four bill books, a catalogue, six mobile phones and three registers were seized, and the accused persons handed over to Nacharam police for further action. Exuding confidence about the BJP forming government after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he said, 'The people of the three states in which BJP lost the recent Assembly elections by slight margin will definitely vote for BJP in Lok Sabha.' (Photo: File) New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Monday said that if the BJP-led central government doesn't "back off then Ram temple can be constructed in Ayodhya even tomorrow". Speaking to ANI, Swamy further asserted that Ram temple would be built before the Lok Sabha elections 2019. Backing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's recent statement claiming that only BJP can build Ram temple in Ayodhya, Swamy said, "Yogi Adityanath is right in saying so. If the government doesn't back off then Ram Mandir (Ram temple) can be constructed even tomorrow. Ram Mandir (Ram temple) would be constructed ahead of Lok Sabha elections." Exuding confidence about the BJP forming government after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he said, "The people of the three states in which BJP lost the recent Assembly elections by slight margin will definitely vote for BJP in Lok Sabha." Speaking at Yuva Kumbh in Lucknow, Adityanath had on Sunday said that Ram temple in Ayodhya can be built only by BJP. "Some people were speaking about Ram Janmabhoomi, they were saying that they will only vote for the party that will build Ram temple. I want to assure you that whenever that happens and we'll be the ones to do it, nobody else can do it," he said. He said the central government should have a long time strategy on reaching out to the Jammu and Kashmir people across the state. (Photo: File) Jammu: Separatist-turned-mainstream politician Sajad Lone on Sunday said his party, People's Conference, favours "constructive engagement" for resolution of the Kashmir problem for a lasting peace in the region. "Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has a role to control the situation but the solution is not available with our assembly... At the political level, it is the central government which has a bigger role and then it spans across the Line of Control (LoC) as well. "We are in favour of it and it should be done through constructive engagement," Lone told reporters while welcoming several prominent persons to his party fold in Jammu. The people who joined Lone's party included former MLA Zanskar Syed Mohammad Baqir Rizvi, Peoples Democratic Party's additional spokesperson Abhijeet Jasrotia, laywers Abrar Ahmad and Irfan Inquilabi from Poonch and Ashish Pandita. He said the state assembly does not have the power to resolve Kashmir issue. "If I promise you a solution of the conflict on the basis of a vote which is inadequate to resolve it, it will tantamount to lying (to the people). This is beyond the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly as the provincial government has a limited role to control the symptoms, which is violence," said the People's Conference leader, flanked by former minister Imran Ansari. He said the People's conference is not against the constructive engagement or dialogue to resolve the issue. "The constructive engagement of any sort on the conflict is not a substitute to reach out to the people of the state. Two measures are there to address any conflict - the operational which the Army and the police are taking care of and the second one is structural which is not based on dialogue alone," he said. He said the central government should have a long time strategy on reaching out to the Jammu and Kashmir people across the state. "When I say reach out, it does not mean economic doles, it means engaging and removing the mistrust and when you speak about the conflict resolution, you never talk in days and years but it takes decades. The state assembly has a six-year tenure while the conflict resolution takes decades," he said. Replying to a question about the lack of measures by the BJP-led government at the Centre to address the Kashmir problem, Lone shot back, "Why only five years, let us talk about 15, 20 and 25 years. "I am saying there should be a long time strategy. The Manmohan Singh-led government have done no wonders. What type of dialogue or engagement he held? The working group were formed and I prepared a roadmap under the name of 'Achievable Nationhood' on their direction but they refused to acknowledge it. Instead, it was shelved." Referring to the roundtable conferences and working groups, he said, "Roundtable was meant to be with separatist but the PDP went under the table and pleaded that they will be left irrelevant if the mainstream parties were involved, they were aware that they (separatists) will then not share the table with them. "What happened to the recommendations of the working groups, interlocutor's reports? Nothing was implemented. It is a fine art of lying. How long we will lie? First, whom they met, their own people who have no grudge," he said, adding they (the National Conference and the PDP) are propagating dialogue with separatists but who sabotaged the dialogue with militants in 2002 when the PDP was in power. He asked, "Who called the media to the guest house where dialogue was scheduled between militants and the government. All the three (Hizbul Mujahideen militant commanders involved in the dialogue) were killed. Who is sabotaging?" The former minister in the PDP-BJP government said one is trying to go sincerely to reach out and resolve, other is pretending to resolve. "What we have seen are the pretensions of different sorts," he asserted. Criticising the National Conference leadership, he said it was the rigging in 1987 state elections which led to the eruption of militancy in the state. "Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed the recent court order handing over life imprisonment to Congress leader Sujjan Kumar in 1984 Sikh riots case. The verdict plays a deterrent for others although the sentence was given after 34 years but who is responsible for the death and destruction in the valley and why they are being allowed to walk away with it," he said. "I am not saying that it (1987 rigging of elections) was the cause but it definitely was the greatest facilitator to change a historically peaceful population and trigger violence. Nobody is talking about it. Why are we obsessed with only the symptom, killing is the symptom, there is a disease and 1987 is the part of the disease and unless you bring the perpetrators of 1987 to book, this thing will not stop," he said. Bindu from Malapurram and Durga from Kozhikode were escorted by the police but were forced to return from Appachimedu. (Photo: File) Sabarimala: In yet another failed attempt, two women of menstruating age trekking to Sabarimala temple to offer prayers to lord Ayyappa were turned back by protesters. Bindu from Malapurram and Durga from Kozhikode were escorted by the police but were forced to return from Appachimedu, two kilometres away from the hill top shrine, when protesters stopped them from trekking further. They were brought back to Pamba base camp. Meanwhile, lord Ayyappa devotees held protest outside the residence of Bindu at Perinthalmanna in Malappuram. Kerala: Lord Ayyappa devotees hold protest in Perinthalmanna, Malappuram, outside the residence of Bindu, a woman devotee who began the trek to #SabarimalaTemple today morning. She is being brought back to Pampa base camp now following protests against her entry to the temple. pic.twitter.com/d8XcPAohhF ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2018 Both Bindu and Durga started to trek to Sabarimala in the wee hours of Monday under heavy police protection. "We are here to seek 'darshan' (offer prayers) of Lord Ayyappa. The Supreme Court order must be enforced and hope, police will provide us security," Bindu told media while on the way to Sabarimala. On Sunday, the Sabarimala foothills had witnessed high drama as hundreds of devotees blocked paths and chased away a group of 11 women of menstruating age being escorted to the hill shrine by police. Kerala had witnessed massive protests by devotees and the BJP opposing the apex court verdict of September 28 permitting women of all age groups into the shrine. Thousands of devotees have gathered at the foothills of the shrine as the first phase of the annual pilgrimage season to Sabarimala comes to an end in the next three days. The BJP has started protesting in front of the houses of these women against their attempt to trek the hill. The bid of the 11 women, who were members of a Chennai-based women empowerment outfit, 'Manithi', to reach the shrine to offer prayers was unsuccessful on Sunday as they were forced to return by protesting devotees. The trek to Sabarimla starts from Pamba, which is around 4 kilometers from the hilltop shrine. The first phase of the 41-day long annual pilgrim season at the Lord Ayyappa temple would culminate on December 27 with the puja. Over a dozen women, including a journalist and an activist of menstruating age, had also earlier tried to trek to the shrine, nestled in the forests of Western Ghats, but could not make it due to protests by devotees and right-wing activists. The Kerala High Court earlier this month had appointed a three-member committee, vesting them with powers to oversee law and order and other problems faced by pilgrims during the ongoing annual season. 'My efforts for non-BJP, non-Congress alliance will continue,' TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said. (Photo: ANI) Kolkata: TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday met his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee and asserted that the dialogue for a Federal Front will continue. "Very shortly we will come out with a concrete plan," Rao told reporters after meeting the Trinamool Congress (TMC) president at the state secretariat in Kolkata. "My efforts for non-BJP, non-Congress alliance will continue," he added. The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief met Mamata Banerjee a day after meeting Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar, another strong regional party leader. Rao, fresh from victory in his home state Telangana, is meeting leaders to provide an alternative to the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2019 election. Hyderabad: Telangana state advocates of the Hyderabad High Court on Sunday met President Ramnath Kovind and discussed about the discrimination being faced by them. A delegation led by president of Telangana High Court Advocates Association, C. Damodar Reddy, submitted a memorandum to the President stating that there were no proper appointments and elevations from the bar since 2010 and so far only 15 advocates from the bar have been elevated as Judges. They added that 21 Judges were appointed through promotion from the District Judges since 2010. Out of 26 Judges, there are only 5 Judges who are native of the state, they said. The sanctioned strength of the Hyderabad High Court is 61, out of which only 26 judges are present. They also complained about issues regarding the bifurcation of the officers. They said that according to the guidelines, options of employees shall be considered first for allocation in order of their seniority. But, there are only about 20 per cent of officers and employees who are native of Telangana state as against the entitlement of 42 per cent out of the total employees and most of them are lower grade employees. Former Air Chief S P Tyagi is the first chief of Indian Air Force to be charge sheeted in corruption or criminal case by CBI and he has denied all charges against him. (Photo: PTI | File) New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday allowed former Air Chief S P Tyagi, accused in the VVIP chopper case lodged by the CBI, to travel abroad in March next year. Special Judge Arvind Kumar permitted Tyagi and his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi's plea to go to the United States of America. Hearing on a similar plea filed by them in the ED's money laundering case was adjourned to January 3. If the ED opposes the plea to travel abroad, the court may deny permission later. The CBI on September 1, 2017, had filed a charge sheet in the case in which Tyagi and British national Christian Michel were named among the accused. Nine others were also named in the charge sheet in connection with a bribery case in the VVIP chopper deal. Tyagi (73) is the first chief of the Indian Air Force to be charge sheeted in a corruption or a criminal case by the CBI and he has denied all charges against him. Singh, who is a Lok Sabha lawmaker from Lucknow, was speaking at the Yuva Kumbh event in the Uttar Pradesh capital when members attending the function interrupted his speech for around four minutes. (Photo: File) Lucknow: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday found himself in an uncomfortable situation after slogans demanding the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya were raised in the middle of his speech in Lucknow. Singh, who is a Lok Sabha lawmaker from Lucknow, was speaking at the Yuva Kumbh event in the Uttar Pradesh capital when members attending the function interrupted his speech for around four minutes. "Jo Mandir Banwayega, vote ussi ko jayega (We will vote for the party, which constructs the Ram Temple)," the audience chanted disrupting Singh's speech. Meanwhile, the organisers requested the audience to maintain calm and listen to Singh. Singh then told the audience that he would only speak if they maintained silence. It may be recalled that the Chabahar port project will give India sea-land connectivity to Afghanist-an and central Asia through Iran. New Delhi: India took an important step on Monday to operate and develop the crucial Iranian port of Chabahar, with the India Ports Global Limited company taking over operations at the Shaheed Behesti port at Chabahar. This took place on a day when the first meeting of the Follow-up Committee for implementation of the trilateral Chabahar Agreement between India, Afghanistan and Iran was held in Chabahar. New Delhi said that during Mondays meeting, positive and constructive discussions were held between the three sides on full operationalisation of the Trilateral Transit Agreement for international transit and transport through the Chabahar Port and that they agreed on the routes for the trade and transit corridors between the three countries. New Delhi further said that it was agreed to finalise at the earliest the Protocol to harmonise transit, roads, customs, and consular matters and that it was agreed to allow cargo movement at Chabahar using TIR Convention provisions. It may be recalled that the Chabahar port project will give India sea-land connectivity to Afghanist-an and central Asia through Iran. The Chabahar project has enabled India to bypass Pakistan which had earlier refused to grant New Delhi access for shipment of wheat through the direct land route to Afghanistan from India that passes through Pakistani territory. It may also be recalled that just last month, India had welcomed the US waivers given to India to exempt it from sanctions regarding its participation in the Chabahar port project in Iran. The MEA said, It was decided to hold an event to promote and popularise the potential of Chabahar on 26 February 2019. Also, a study would be initiated for determining measures to make the route attractive and decrease logistic costs. Mea on waivers given by the US On the waivers given by the US on Indian participation in the development of the Chabahar Port in Iran as well as construction of an associated railway line, New Delhi had said it appreciated the fact that the US recognised the role which this Port will play to bring strategic and long term benefits to Afghanistan as well as enhance Afghanistans connectivity with the outside world. Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over a host of issues, including the Ram temple, Rafale deal and its allys dismal Assembly poll results, in his Pandharpur rally on Monday. Speaking in Marathi, Mr Thackeray even used the same jibe that the Congress often uses to criticise the Prime Minister. Addressing a huge crowd at Pandharpur, Mr Thackeray said, Halli paharekarich chorya karaylaa laagale aahet (Nowadays, security guards are the ones committing thefts. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been repeatedly hurling the chowkidar chor hai (the guard is a thief) jibe at Mr Modi. Taking potshots at the government over the Rafale scam, Mr Thackeray said, I dont know how the court has given the government a clean chit in this. You know, nowadays watchmen have become thieves. In the procurement of planes, they have pulled off a scam. On the one hand, this government is refusing to raise the pay scale of soldiers while on the other, they carried out this scam. Mr Thackeray was in Pandharpur, Solapur on Monday to carry out a puja of Lord Vitthal. On temple issue, he said, I have raised this issue for the elections. I am not one of those people who hide their intentions. I want to ask the BJP when it will build the Ram Mandir. Now, they are saying that the case is in court. I want to ask them that when they mobilised people in 1992 to bring down the mosque, that time too the case was in court. You did that and then came to power. You enjoyed power but Ram is still to get his place. New Delhi: The Supreme Court is scheduled to take up a batch of petitions for hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case on January 4. The matter is listed before a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S.K. Kaul. The bench is likely to constitute a three-judge bench for hearing as many as 14 appeals filed against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgement, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land be partitioned equally among three parties the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. Demanding special status for his state, Andhra Chandrababu Naidu held 'Dharma Porata Deeksha' (struggle for justice) protest against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, at Srikakulam town on Saturday. (Photo: File) Amravati: TDP stitched an alliance with the Congress, as it assured to award special status to Andhra Pradesh, said Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday. According to media reports, Congress President Rahul Gandhi in September while addressing a gathering in Kurnool had assured that his party will confer special category status on Andhra Pradesh after it emerges victorious in next year's general elections. Further accusing BJP of betraying Andhra Pradesh, Naidu here said that the "BJP is more dangerous than Congress. It's true that Congress caused loss to the state earlier. But they are ready to support AP in the matter of special status. BJP didn't implement the things in AP Reorganization Act and betrayed our state. Now BJP is more dangerous than Congress to the state," he said. Demanding special status for his state, Andhra Chandrababu Naidu held "Dharma Porata Deeksha" (struggle for justice) protest against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, at Srikakulam town on Saturday. While addressing a public meeting; the Chief Minister asserted that he will not stop until justice is done to the state of Andhra Pradesh. Furious with the BJP, Naidu accused it of betraying Andhra Pradesh. "Modi had sworn at the abode of Lord Balaji to build a capital for Andhra Pradesh, which would be greater than Delhi, to fulfil the promises of reorganization act, to give special package in the lines of Bundelkhand package. But he did not fulfil not even a single promise." "He cheated by not giving special status to Andhra Pradesh, whereas the status is extended for 11 states'' he added. He further cornered the Centre for ignoring his relentless endeavours to attain a special status for Andhra Pradesh. Atalji's thoughts and vision are source of inspiration to people of country. An initiative was taken to enable people to pay their respects to the great soul, an official of Atal Smriti Nyas Society said. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: A memorial of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be dedicated to the nation on his birth anniversary on Tuesday at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal here. President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other eminent personalities will attend a prayer meeting at the memorial near Rajghat, according to the 'Atal Smriti Nyas Society', which has developed the memorial-- Sadaiv Atal. An official said a vacant piece of land was made available for the memorial at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry. It was constructed by the Centre Public Works Department (CPWD) at a cost of Rs 10.51 crore. The project was funded by the Atal Smriti Nyas Society, he said. "Atalji's thoughts and vision are a source of inspiration to the people of the country. To enable people to pay their respects to the great soul, an initiative to develop his samadhi was taken up by the society," the official said. Senior BJP leader and society president Vijay Kumar Malhotra told PTI that the memorial is spread over 1.5 acres of land at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, where Vajpayee was cremated on August 17. He said the memorial reflects the former prime minister's personality as a poet, humanist, statesman and a great leader. It is enclosed by nine bas-relief walls which have inscriptions of the poetry of Vajpayee, he added. Malhotra said not a single tree was cut down in developing 'Sadaiv Atal' at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, which also houses samadhis (memorials) of former presidents, prime ministers among others. Vajpayee had passed away at AIIMS after prolonged illness on August 16. He was cremated on August 17 with full state honours. The founding members of the society include Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Bihar Governor Lalji Tandon, Gujarat Governor O P Kohli, Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, BJP leaders Vijay Kumar Malhotra and Ram Lal among others. Hubballi: Expressing his displeasure over not considering him for a ministerial berth, Congress leader S.R. Patil claimed that it is a loss to the people of the region, party and the state government. Sating that he never hankered after any position even after working as a loyal worker of the party for more than four decades, he said he will find out who was responsible for his missing the Legislative Council chairmans post despite assurances from the head of the coordination committee, Mr Siddaramaiah. Upset over the decision to sideline him, he said that power is not always with one person in politics and expressed the hope that a good opportunity will come to him in the future. Maintaining that more ministerial berths to North Karnataka will help resolve injustice done to the region, he said such efforts will become fruitful only if important portfolios are allotted to these ministers. He opined that the representation in the cabinet should be qualitative, instead of quantitative, to redress the regional imbalance. Expressing satisfaction over giving representation to Bagalkote district by inducting MLC R.B. Timmapur into the cabinet, Mr Patil said that the government has taken the right decision by giving ministerial berth to the Left community of Scheduled Caste. I never approached any leader seeking a ministerial berth. But I am upset because I am sidelined for the post of Legislative Council chairman even after party leaders on their own assured me that I would get the post. But I am satisfied that the government has given priority to North Karnataka during Cabinet reshuffle. But prominent portfolios should be assigned to the ministers to ensure comprehensive growth of this backward region. I welcome that majority of the legislators inducted into the cabinet hail from AHINDA communities, he told Deccan Chronicle. Claiming that denial of a proper position for him has caused resentment among his loyalists, he said that he is not aware that his loyalty to Mr Siddaramaiah and differences among top leaders cost him dearly. Politics is always uncertain and it is like a wheel which keeps rotating. Therefore, power will not rest only in one person for a long time, he said. Hyderabad: MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday said Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan should learn something from Indias inclusive politics. Mr Khan in an address at Lahore on Sunday, referring to the comments of veteran Hindi actor Naseeruddin Shah, had said, We will show the Modi government how to treat minorities...Even in India, people are saying that minorities are not being treated as equal citizens. Reacting to the comments, the MIM chief said on Twitter: According to the Pakistani Constitution, only a Muslim is qualified to be President. India has seen multiple Presidents from oppressed communities. It is high time Khan Sahab learns something from us about inclusive politics and minority rights. On December 20, Shah in an interview expressed concern over the recent Bulandshahr riots which claimed two lives including police officer Subodh Kumar Singh, who was investigating the Akhlaq lynching case. Visakhapatnam: Supporters of TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao were a disappointed lot on Sunday after being stopped by the police from meeting him. Mr Raos supporters had put up banners and hoardings right from the airport to Chinamushidivada where Mr Rao visited the Sri Sarada Peetham and prayed to Goddess Rajasyamala under the guidance of Peethadhipati Swaroopanandendra Saraswati. At the airport, Mr Rao had received a warm welcome and his supporters had hoped to meet him. However, the police had arranged tight security for Mr Rao. Telangana state police had taken charge of the security of the ashram from Satur-day night. This not only raised the hackles of other political leaders but also left Mr Raos supporters, particularly those from Velama community, upset. Mr Konijeti Adinaray-ana, a fan from Kakinada, who came to the port city to meet Mr Rao, was stopped by the Telangana state police from doing so. The local police also refused to give permission to Mr Adinarayana to take out a bike rally. Another supporter, Mr Pusarlapati Ramana Raju, staged a protest at the ashram. Representatives of the Velama community rais-ed slogans demanding that Mr Rao meet them. Meanwhile, members of the AP Pratyeka Hoda Porata Samiti came with an open letter addressed to Mr Rao, seeking his support in their fight for Special Category Status for AP. The letter was sent to Pragathi Bhavan, the CMs camp office, in Hyderabad. After performing special prayers, Mr Rao and his family took the blessings of Swami Swaroopanandendra. they left for Bhubaneswar in the evening as he continued his political-spiritual yatra. He met his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar and will visit Konark temple and Puri Jagannath temple on Monday. Hubballi: The head of Coalitions Coordination Committee, Mr Siddaramaiah, said here on Sunday that another cabinet reshuffle will be taken up after the Lok Sabha elections next year. Addressing a press meet during a felicitation programme of newly elected legislator Anand Nyamagouda at Jamkhandi in Bagalkote district, he said that an opportunity will be given to other eligible and aspirant candidates at that time. Terming the BJP a sinking ship, he said that none of the Congress legislators will join the saffron party. The BJP is losing peoples trust. The triumph of Congress in three states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh is a perfect example. The people will throw away the communal party from this country, he said. On the cabinet expansion, the former chief minister said that in every party, there will be few leaders who will be unhappy after the cabinet expansion. It is difficult for senior leaders to address the grievances of such leaders. Everyone is equally capable of handling portfolios, he said. Reacting to the allegations of BTM Layout MLA and senior Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy, Mr Sidddaramaiah said that none of the leaders conspired to drop him from the cabinet and that it was the decision of the high command. Addressing the media in Belagavi, he said that the dissatisfaction of several legislators, including B.C. Patil and former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, will be addressed. He clarified that AICC president Rahul Gandhi will not contest from Karnataka in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Expressing confidence that the Congress will win more number of seats in the general elections, he said that the party is making all preparations to face the BJP. Terming the attempts being made by Mr Yeddyurappa to come to power as a dream, he said that the state BJP president has been spouting more lies about the collapse of the coalition government. The bank has been favoured due to its ability to raise large amount of funds. New Delhi: In one of the biggest fund mobilisation exercise of its kind, the State Bank of India (SBI) has decided to raise around $2 billion overseas to help power sector financier Power Finance Corporation (PFC) acquire governments entire 52.63 per cent stake in state-owned infrastructure finance company REC (erstwhile Rural Electrification Corporation). Top sources in the banking sector said the government has favoured SBI to mobilise external commercial financing for PFC due to its size and experience and ability to raise large amount funds overseas at most competitive rates. The finance ministry has been sounded that the bank may get mandate to do Rs 12,000 crore fund hunting for PFC after the plan also got the power ministrys nod. Subject to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approval, SBI may either tap SBI London or New York for funds. If this is not available then the bank will seek mandate to raise funds from overseas. In this case, SBI will underwrite the debt backed by government guarantee. At Fridays closing on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) at Rs 109.35 a price, the government share in REC is valued at Rs 12,000 crore. The amount will be higher if PFC gives a premium over the prevailing price. Soon SBI will be given the mandate for this fund raising exercise as the government wants to complete the deal between two power sector financiers over the next couple of months. This is also essential to help the Centre mobilise targeted Rs 80,000 as disinvestment proceeds for FY19 as it has only reached about Rs 34,000 crore, said a banking source privy to the development. RBI and PFC officials did not respond to FCs mobile phone messages, while senior REC officials could not reached. But a top official in SBI confirmed the development asking not to go on record as formal nod was yet to come from RBI. It is good development that would help PFC reduce its cost of acquiring government shares. Overseas funds would be 400-500 bps lower than those available in the domestic market. It will also help PFC overcome the shortcomings in domestic debt market that has crumbled in absence of credible demand, said a market analyst not willing to be named. While SBI would help PFC with funds needed for the acquisition, sources said the power sector entity may itself look at viability of own overseas bond issue, including raising overseas rupee-denominated bond or masala bonds. But with less time on hand, SBI could a better bet. The overseas fund-raising exercise for PFC would also depend on ECB balance available for FY19. RBI has fixed a cap on the outstanding stock of ECB at 6.5 per cent of the GDP at current market prices. Based on the gross domestic product (GDP) figures at 2018 March-end, the soft limit works out to $160 billion for FY19. But the outstanding stock of ECB as on September 30 stood at $ 126.29 billion. Last week, the PFC board has granted in-principle approval to the deal pursuant to the decision of the cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA) regarding purchase of the government shareholding in REC along with transfer of management control. CCEA earlier on December 6 had approved the sale of government's 52.63 per cent stake in REC to PFC. Bengaluru: If Saturdays cabinet rejig has left one affable and mild mannered politician an angry man, it's veteran Congressman Ramalinga Reddy. In an interview with Deccan Chronicle, Mr Reddy for once did not shy away from naming senior leaders who had deprived him of what he had always coveted a cabinet berth. According to my knowledge, seniors like me, Roshan Baig and H.K. Patil were not considered to give an opportunity to those who have not become ministers despite being elected to the state assembly a second or third term. Okay fine. If this is the yardstick, why has it been made applicable to only me, Mr Baig and Mr Patil? Why not Major Industries Minister K.J. George, Water Resources and Medical Education Minister D.K. Shivakumar, newly sworn-in minister M.B. Patil and Deputy Chief Minister Dr G. Parameshwar who have been ministers more than five times? I want to know why this special rule is imposed on us and not on others, said the former minister, baring his anguish on being left out. And who does he blame for this injustice? Was it because the Reddy quota was already taken over by another Reddy Shivshankar Reddy leaving him with no slot? Community is definitely not the reason I was left out. My observation is that under the garb of giving representation to North Karnataka Congress legislators, the party has given the ministerial berths to those who had threatened to join the BJP.'' He also suspects that the lies conveyed by Deputy CM Parameshwar and RDPR Minister Krishna Byre Gowda to those who matter did him in and spoilt his prospects. Question and Answer with Ramalinga Reddy veteran Cong MLA. Why berths for new faces only not applicable to Dr G, DKS, KJ? The cabinet expansion done to fill up the vacant berths in the Congress quota has caused severe heartburn among senior party leaders. One among the upset leaders is former minister and BTM layout MLA R Ramalinga Reddy who wields huge influence in Bengaluru assembly constituencies. He spoke frankly with Deccan Chronicle and said a few leaders who are unable to stomach his growing popularity in state politics, are trying to sideline him. But its not possible as long as people are with him. His daughter and Jayanagar MLA Sowmya Reddy refused to accept the post of parliamentary secretary saying that veteran Congress leaders, including her father, have been ignored by the party high command. Here are excerpts from an interview with Ramalinga Reddy. Why were you denied a berth in the Congress-JDS coalition government? The reason for this is simple. According to my knowledge, seniors like me, R Roshan Baig and H.K. Patil were not considered to give opportunity to those who have not become ministers despite being elected to the State assembly a second or third term. Ok fine. If this is the yardstick, why has it been made applicable to only me, Mr Baig and Mr Patil? Why not Major Industries Minister K.J. George, Water Resources and Medical Education Minister D.K. Shivakumar, newly sworn-in minister M.B. Patil and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwar, who have been ministers for more than five times? I want to know why this special rule is used on us and not on others. This point has not been brought to the notice of the Congress high command and All India Congress Committee President Rahul Gandhi. I know quite well that both Dr Parameshwar and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Krishna Byre Gowda have spoken lies on us. I dont have a personal grudge against them as they are experienced and its a honour to have them in the council of ministers. Your leaders say that Mr Shivashankar Reddy has been made a Cabinet minister under the Reddy quota. So, they havent considered your name. Your comments? What sort of logic is this? Mr Shivashankar Reddy was elected from Chikkaballapura district and made a minister to give representation to that district. If caste had been considered, how come KPCC President Dinesh Gundurao, revenue minister R.V. Deshpande and Legislative Assembly Speaker K. R. Ramesh Kumar, who are all Brahmins, in top posts? How are Health and Family Welfare Minister Shivananda Patil and Mr M.B. Patil who are both Lingayats, in the Cabinet? Let state Congress leaders have the heart to admit discrimination has been done to me. It is being done systematically to sideline and push me into a corner in state politics. Were you promised a minister post before the recent cabinet expansion? In my 40-year political career, I have never begged anyone to make me a minister. I did not lobby when the coalition government came to power this year. I have never asked anyone for a ministers post and I will not do this in future too. Has the Congress neglected senior leaders in the recent cabinet expansion? Not all of them but some of them have been definitely neglected or sidelined. Apart from this, I cannot say anything. Is it true that seniors like you have been given a raw deal in a bid to give more representation to north-Karnataka region keeping in view the coming Lok Sabha polls? I would have definitely kept quiet if it was the real intention. Its true that North Karnataka region has been neglected and it should be given a big chunk. But my observation is that under the garb of giving representation to North Karnataka Congress legislators, the party has given the minister posts to those who had threatened to join the Bharatiya Janata Party. The state leaders have identified such legislators and appeased them. Its purely appeasement politics by some of our party leaders. Why are your party leaders against you? I know very well that a few leaders are conspiring against me to keep me out of Bengaluru politics. All sorts of baseless allegations are being hurled at me to portray me badly before the high command. A lot of Congress councillors in BBMP are protesting against the Congress for denying you a berth in the state cabinet. Will you continue to take an active role in strengthening the relationship between Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) in the BBMP? I am indebted to all my friends (followers) for reposing faith in me. I have already appealed to them not to hold any rally or dharna against the Congress. It's true that they are very sad that I was not made minister. Having being denied the cabinet berth, will you campaign for the Congress in the coming Lok Sabha polls? I have complaints against a few individuals and not against the Congress which has given me everything. I will definitely work to ensure a majority for the party in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. According to you, what played the most important role during the cabinet expansion- was it money or caste? I totally rule out money in the selection of ministers. Seniority has been totally neglected and there was partiality in this exercise. It is nothing but a pick and choose method adopted to select MLAs for minister posts. Hyderabad: The analysis put out by BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya over the vote and seat share of the BJP and the MIM in the recent Telangana Assembly elections is attracting sharp criticism in social media. Mr Malviya said in a tweet: In Telangana, AIMIM with just 2.7% vote share won 7 seats but BJP with 7% got just won. Let that sink (sic). He sought to project that the BJP had won fewer seats though it had got more votes than the MIM. The percentage of votes is misleading because it is the votes garnered by a party versus total votes polled in the state. Mr Malviya did not mention the MIM contested only eight seats of the total 119 seats whereas the BJP contested 118 and lost its deposit in more than 100. The MIM lost only one seat. If Mr Malviyas analysis were to be correct, the Telugu Desam contested 11 seats, secured 3.5 per cent vote share and won two seats meaning that it secured more than MIM vote share and half of the BJP vote share. The difference between the TRS and Congress was 18.5 per cent. But the TRS won 88 seats and the Congress 19. The TRS contested all 119 seats and got 46.9 per cent vote share. The Congress contested 100 seats and got 28.4 per cent votes. The vote share vs seats can be compared when two parties contest the same number of seats. Political analysts said it was wrong to compare votes when the BJP contested 118 seats and the MIM eight. Hyderabad: Why is he visiting Andhra Pradesh? To see whether the people of Andhra Pradesh are alive or dead, asked Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is to visit the state on January 6. Mr Naidu had asked the same question in relation to Congress president Rahul Gandhi when he had visited AP in 2015 and 2017. The question may be the same but the issue is different. Mr Naidu was upset with the Congress and Mr Gandhi for allowing the bifurcation of AP state and he is now upset with Mr Modi for not granting special category status to AP. Ever since the BJP announced the proposed visit of the Prime Minister to AP, TD leaders and ministers have been opposing it, saying he should visit the state only after resolving the pending issues relating to assurances given to AP during state bifurcation. Now, Mr Naidu has joined the chorus of disapproval. He questioned how Mr Modi can visit the state when he has not fulfilled the assurances given during the 2014 Lok Sabha election. Mr Modi is visiting the state to see if the people of AP are alive or dead, asked Mr Naidu. Once the TD left the NDA earlier this year because the Central government did not grant special status to AP as promised, Mr Naidu turned against the and criticised his visit to AP. In 2015, after the 2014 elections and the states bifurcation, Mr Rahul Gandhi, then vice-president of the Congress, came to Anantapur district for the first time to participate in the Rythu Bharosa Yatra organised by the AP Congress Committee. Mr Naidu, who was strongly against the bifurcation of the state and a separate state of Telangana, had objected to the visit and asked whether Rahul Gandhi is visiting AP to see if the people of AP were alive or dead. In 2017 too Mr Gandhi participated in the Rythu Bharosa Yatra in Guntur. Till the Telugu Desam was with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the BJP, Mr Naidu criticised the Congress. Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) president and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is consulting leaders of several regional parties to see if they are interested in forming the Federal Front. The formation of such a Federal Front would be possible only after the general election next year. At present there are two Fronts at national level the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) led by the Congress. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is trying to unite all anti-BJP parties at national level to fight the BJP in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. But Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is trying to form his Federal Front at national level to fight both the BJP and the Congress. Both Chief Ministers are consulting the same parties. Except for one or two parties, the parties they are both consulting are supporting, directly or indirectly, the UPA; they are not touching NDA allies. To weaken the BJP, Mr Naidu should break the regional parties alliance with the NDA. To weaken the BJP, Mr Naidu should break the regional parties alliance with the NDA. Similarly, Mr Rao should woo the allies of both the BJP and the Congress. Mr Rao on Monday held second round of talks with West Bengal Chief Mini-ster Mamata Banerjee. He is also planning to meet DMK chief M.K. Stalin, Janata Dal (United) chief Deve Gouda, former UP Chief Ministers Akhilesh Yadav (SP) and Mayawati (BSP). Mr Naidu has held discussions with the same leaders for the anti-BJP coalition. Parties supporting the UPA have been forming alliances of their own, but the allies of the NDA show no such inclination. At one time the Congress, Trinamul, BSP and SP had stated that they would form the Mahagathbandan (grand alliance) against the BJP in the next parliamentary elections. But recently, the Trinamul has decided to fight on its own. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has also told his party leaders in West Bengal to fight the Trinamool Congress. In Uttar Pradesh, the BSP, SP and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) have decided to fight the Lok Sabha elections together, without an alliance with the Congress. Only the Biju Janata Dal, who supported the NDA from outside, was consulted by Mr Rao. While parties are supporting Mr Raos proposal, they may take a decision only after seeing the Lok Sabha results. Hyderabad: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is also on a mission to form her own political Front, surprisingly did not utter a word during the joint media conference with Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) in Kolkata on Monday after the two leaders held discussions about the proposed new Federal Front. When Mr Rao met Ms Banerjee in March 2018 to discuss the federal front, she shared her ideas along with him at the press meet. But this time she did not say a word and just stood by Mr Raos side as he briefed the media. Mr Rao has stepped up his campaign to form a non-BJP, non-Congress Federal Front with a visit to Bhubaneswar where he met Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday. He then went on to meet Ms Banerjee on Monday. Mr Rao told the media: After getting elected in the Assembly elections, I have started efforts for formation of a Federal Front, discussing with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik yesterday (Monday). We had pleasant discussions, we discussed national politics and we will come with a concrete plan very soon. He said he would continue dialogue in future also. I am not in a hurry. It is not a small thing to form the Federal Front. At the appropriate time we will come out with a strong plan. He said that their target was an alternative government at the Centre, to bring qualitative change in politics. After the meeting with Mamata Banerjee, Mr Rao went to the Kalighat temple and offered special prayers. Ms Banerjee is also keen to unite the Opposition parties and had met several opposition leaders, including Sharad Pawar of the NCP, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah met Ms Banerjee in Kolkata last Friday. In August, Ms Banerjee camped in Delhi and met a number of Opposition leaders. Trinamul leaders, commenting on the Mr Raos meeting with Ms Banerjee, said that everyone wants to listen to Ms Banerjee and share their thoughts with her: They did not attach much importance to her meeting with Mr Rao. Spain has kept its terrorist alert unchanged at the second-highest level despite the US State Department warning. (Photo: AFP) Barcelona: Barcelona was on alert on Monday after the US State Department warned of the risk of a terrorist attack in Spain's second-largest city during the Christmas holidays. "Exercise heightened caution around areas of vehicle movement, including buses, in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona during Christmas and New Year's. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, and other public areas," the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs said in a tweet on Sunday. Asked about the warning during an interview with Rac1 radio on Monday, Catalonia's regional interior minister Miquel Buch said "Police were working on this threat". "We take all threats seriously, all of them are investigated," he added, without giving further details. Top-selling Spanish newspaper El Pais, citing anonymous police sources, said the authorities were looking for a 30-year-old Moroccan man with a licence to drive buses. Barcelona-based daily El Periodico de Catalunya said Catalan regional police had circulated an internal note that the man could try to drive a bus into crowds in Barcelona. Contacted by AFP, a spokesman for the regional police force in Catalonia did not confirm police were seeking a Moroccan man but said a "temporary reinforcement of security measures in areas of high concentration of people" was in place. Spain has kept its terrorist alert unchanged at the second-highest level despite the US State Department warning, although security measures were boosted in December for the Christmas holiday period, a Spanish interior ministry spokesman said. On August 17, 2017 a van rammed into crowds on Barcelona's tree-lined Las Ramblas boulevard, killing 14 people. The 22-year-old Moroccan driver then stole a car after killing the driver and fled. Several hours later five of his accomplices mowed down pedestrians on the promenade of the seaside resort of Cambrils south of Barcelona before stabbing a woman to death. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, Spain's deadliest in over a decade. The newly elected Prime Minister of Bhutan, Lotay Tshering, is going to be the last foreign leader to visit India before 2018 comes to its end. Tshering will pay a state visit to New Delhi from Thursday to Saturday. This is going to be his maiden visit to India after taking over as Prime Minister of Bhutan last month. He will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and call on President Ram Nath Kovind during his stay in New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs stated. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and other ministers will call on Prime Minister of Bhutan during his visit to New Delhi. Tshering, an urologist-turned-politician, led his party Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) to win the National Assembly elections in Bhutan in October and November. The upcoming visit of the Prime Minister Tshering will provide an opportunity to the two sides to review the progress in our multifaceted partnership and to discuss ways and means to expand the enduring ties of friendship and cooperation for the benefit of the two peoples, Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson of the MEA, said in New Delhi. Tshering is set to be the last foreign leader to be hosted by Prime Minister in 2018. Modis first foreign guest this year was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who visited New Delhi from January 14 to 19. The first foreign leader New Delhi is set to host in 2019 is Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, who will be on a visit to India in the second week of next month. By Neil A. Sheehan Times Correspondent NETHER PROVIDENCE >> While expressing dismay and disgust at racially charged letters and a photo apparently linked to Strath Haven High School students, Wallingford-Swarthmore School District officials are also tempering expectations about how the district may be able to respond to the incidents if they occurred off-campus. At the same time, the district is planning a community forum for Jan. 2 to discuss what happened, learn from it and provide support to students and family members who were on the receiving end of the materials. In an update issued on Dec. 21, Superintendent Lisa Palmer wrote that Wallingford-Swarthmore is actively working with multiple law-enforcement agencies to investigate the incidents and to determine what role Strath Haven students played. Inquiries about those investigations should be referred to the Delaware County District Attorneys office, Palmer said. While the call for swift repercussions is strong, a thorough investigation must be conducted before we can move to disciplinary measures, she stated. We are shocked, disappointed, and angry. We understand the wide range of strong emotions this incident invokes. We do hope our community can address this incident in a way that honors our integrity, rather than responding with additional hateful words on social media. Palmer cited widespread reports of inappropriate behavior and bullying toward those students believed to have been involved. We hope that our school community will recognize that fighting hateful actions this way is not appropriate and wont achieve the path forward and resolution that our community deserves. The districts policy on student behavior limits what it may do to discipline a student for an action that takes place outside of school grounds and/or activities. As we continue working with law enforcement to investigate this matter, we may find that these incidents are beyond the reach that school law allows, It came to light last week that Swarthmore police were investigating racially fraught letters delivered to some residents in the borough. In addition, a photo surfaced on a social media platform of two individuals wearing what appeared to be Ku Klux Klan-style hoods. Palmer told the Daily Times last week that she didnt know who was in the picture. At the same time, she said the incidents appeared to be connected to students at the high school and investigations were under way. Among other things, the letter declared that as a result of amazing changes by President Trump, there is now a law against filthy nutheads like yourself living in our country, adding that the residents would be evicted if they did not leave. The letter also threatened that if the residents did not depart, they could be put up for adoption or executed, along with their children. A student protest of the incidents took place outside of the school last Wednesday. Palmer, in her update message, said that regardless of the outcome of the probes, it is our responsibility and duty to work to improve racial relations in our school community, to focus on our school climate, and to facilitate conversations about these events. We will do all of these things. The superintendent said the district was working with the local NAACP, Anti-Defamation League and other individuals and organizations that have experience with similar issues to help our students to process and discuss these incidents. Those conversations have just begun and will continue in earnest after the holiday break, she said. On a related note, the NAACP said representatives of the organization met with Palmer and the high schools principal, Kristopher Brown, last Friday to work on strategies aimed at addressing the deep concerns rising in the community in the wake of the incidents. Together, district leadership and the NAACP share a common concern for the well-being of the student body of the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District as well as that of the families and general stakeholders who are at once shocked and disturbed by the racist behavior demonstrated by these acts, James Mason, president of the Media Area Branch of the NAACP, stated in a media statement. He added that the NAACP and the district were cooperating on organizing the Jan. 2 community forum. Following a very productive meeting, the NAACP wants the public to know that we support the efforts of Wallingford Swarthmore School District as they confront this difficult and painful issue with openness and honesty, said Joan Duvall-Flynn, president of the NAACP Pennsylvania State Conference of Branches. The Central government may introduce prepaid electricity recharge cards similar to the ones for mobile phones. New Delhi: With electricity bill defaults and power theft running into hundreds of crores, the Union power ministry plans to make all meters in the country prepaid in next three years from April 1, 2019. Unlike the current practice of paying power bills after the consumption, the consumers will have to buy power before using it. The Central government may introduce prepaid electricity recharge cards similar to the ones for mobile phones. This move would also address the issue of inflated bills that many consumers complain of. Apart from these, officials said the prepaid metres would help power transmission and distribution companies to cut transmission and distribution losses caused by power theft. According to the ministry of powers Urja data, around 24 per cent of power produced in the country is lost due to power theft, which pushing discoms into bankruptcy. The power loss/theft in Telangana ranged betw-een 15 per cent and 17 per cent, Andhra Pradesh eight per cent and 11 per cent, Karnataka 14 and 15 per cent, Tamil Nadu 13 to 15 per cent, Kerala 11 to 15 per cent, Mahara-shtra 19 and 28 per cent, Gujarat 14 and 19 per cent, Uttar Pradesh 35 and 38 per cent, Madhya Pradesh 30 per cent, West Bengal 30 and 40 per cent, and Odisha 38 and 39 per cent. Many power distribution companies suffer losses as people dont pay their dues or indulge in power theft. The installation of pre-paid meters will mean that the consumers will have to first pay for the amount of electricity they want to consumer and then use it. Many private societies have already installed pre-paid meters for their residents in National Capital Region (NCR). This step is likely to bring revolution in power sector by way of reduction in AT&C losses, better health of Discoms, incentivisation of energy conservation, ease of bill payments and doing away with the paper bills," said power ministry officials. They said that move towards smart meters is a pro-poor step as consumers need not pay the whole month's bill in one go, instead they can pay as per their requirements. Power ministry said that manufacturing of smart prepaid meters will also generate skilled employment for the youth. State governments had earlier signed the power for all document and had agreed to supply 24x 7 power supply to their consumers. Thus the distribution licensee will provide 24x7 power to their consumers by April 1, 2019 or earlier. Howe-ver the appropriate commission in exceptional circumstances for the reasons to be recorded in writing may grant extension in this time period, said the Union power ministry. OREM When 14-year-old Emarie Thomas was in fourth grade, her mom taught her class ballroom dancing. Among the members of her class was a girl named Mary, who had special needs. The school's principal had urged the other kids to include Mary and be kind to her which Emarie says they all did. Then, the class showed off their dance skills during a performance. "After the performance, her parents came up to us in tears and were like, 'I just couldn't pick her out. She just felt like everybody else,'" Emarie told the Deseret News. She says that experience affected her, so much so that earlier this year, the teen started a weekly dance class for adults with special needs at the TURN Community Services art center in Orem this spring. And she recruited her sisters and mom as co-teachers. On Friday evening, a group of about 12 dancers of all abilities, a few wearing elf hats and Christmas apparel, flowed into the studio and greeted each other, ready to practice. "Jingle Bell Rock" played as the dancers warmed up, first stretching and then performing exercises across the floor. Emarie and her sisters Glory, 17, and Mary Elizabeth, 20 led the students in the warm ups and a choreographed routine, while their mom, Noel Thomas, danced with the students. As the group practiced twirling from one side of the room to the other, the teachers reminding them to "spot" a point on the wall, student Wesley Hogan wore a huge smile as he said, "Spin like a top, spin like a dreidel." He said his favorite part of attending the dance class is "I feel better when I'm dancing," especially to Michael Jackson songs. Darren Ford, a student, also said his favorite part of the lessons is, of course, "the dancing" and the chance "to get to know people." Lenny Jones agreed that the dancing is the best part. While most of the students in the studio Friday joined in the dancing, some watched and smiled. One woman held a pink marker and a coloring book, offering them to friends to take a turn coloring. Dave Hennessey, TURN executive director, said the lessons give the students an opportunity to do something they otherwise "never would do and maybe never would have done." "I think there's the social aspect of them coming together, how much they enjoy being together and learning together. And then there's the skill development that they get," Hennessey said. "Then there's the friendship that they have with the Thomas family. They love them. They love each other," he added. "And the recognition that they've gotten from being in public and performing, that's a very neat thing." Since the class formed in spring, they have since performed at several community events. Though starting the class was Emarie's idea, service seems to be a family tradition for the Thomases. Glory started Orem Kindness Week when she was 14. She said when she teaches dance to those with special needs, "They just teach me so much, and I just have the best time." "They've really taught me how to love. Because every time I see them outside of dance class, they're always like, 'I missed you! I missed you!'" she recalled. "And they always come up and give me a big hug, and so they really taught me how to be selfless and how to not worry about little things, but just to love people. They've also taught me to be patient and just be very understanding and compassionate, because sometimes they need a little extra help." Emarie said the activity helps her bond with her family. "It makes me so happy." "One day, I was really stressed about school. I had a bad grade in a class and it was a Friday. I was like, 'I just want to go home and relax, and watch TV,'" she recalled. "But then I was like, 'Oh no, I have to come here.' I was like so negative, that I have to come here. But then after the class, I just got so much happier because these kids are joy. They're just pure joy," Emarie said. "I love them so much." MOAB Troopers are investigating why a car lost control and rolled near Moab, hospitalizing the driver and two passengers Sunday evening. The single-car crash happened about 5:30 p.m. Sunday on state Route 191, about 5 miles south of Moab, the Utah Highway Patrol said. One person was not wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the northbound car, according to a Facebook post from Grand County Emergency Medical Services. The three were transported to Moab Regional Hospital. One in the group was seriously injured and was flown by helicopter to St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado. "The cause of the crash and whether all the occupants were properly restrained is under investigation," the UHP said. The crash closed the road in both directions for about an hour Sunday evening. Troopers on Sunday urged travelers to do safety checks on their cars before heading out on a holiday road trip, to wear seatbelts correctly and limit distraction, and to take regular rest stops to prevent drowsy driving. Annie Knox The police has registered two separate cases against the pilgrims who blocked the women and tried to attack them. Police personnel escort women activists as they return after being surrounded by a mob to stop their attempt to reach Sabarimala temple on Sunday. (Photo: AFP) Thiruvananthapuram/Pamba: Sabarimala witnessed high-voltage tension for nearly eight hours on Sunday as 11 women from Tamil Nadu, aged below 50, tried to trek the hills to worship at the Ayyappa shrine amid stiff and relentless resistance. After braving mounting protest from a large posse of male pilgrims at Pamba for nearly eight hours, the women first took refuge in the police guard room to escape a violent mob and subsequently dropped their plans. While Selvi, leader of the Chennai-based outfit Manithi who led the group, alleged that they were forced by the police to return, superintendent of police Karthikeyan Gokulachandran, the police controller of Pamba, claimed that they decided to return given the tense situation. Ms Selvi also said that they would approach the court and will try to visit Lord Ayyappa again. Manithi had announced its plans to take a group of about 50 women to Sabarimala about a week ago and had also sent a request to the chief ministers office seeking protection. They received an assurance to provide security, Ms Selvi had earlier told this newspaper. By Saturday evening, when the group of women reached Kumily, they were escorted by the police till Pamba on a minibus. Given that there were protests at many places, the cops reportedly took odd routes to reach Pamba. While all vehicles with devotees are allowed only up to Nilakkal, the minibus with the women was allowed to go up to Pamba. By around 4 am Sunday, they reached Pamba and went to the Pamba Ganapathi temple to prepare the Irumudikettu (offerings to Lord Ayyappa that has to be carried on the head while trekking). But the priests refused to help them prepare it. Hence they themselves prepared the Irumudikettu and proceeded towards the hill. But about 50 meters ahead on the trekking patch, a group of about 100 male pilgrims blocked their way by squatting on the ground and raising Ayyappa chants. The women also squatted, determined not to go back and raised counter chants. As time passed, the number of protesters increased. Though police officers on the spot held deliberations with Ms Selvi, the women seemed adamant, in no mood to retreat. With no end in sight, by around 11 am, the police started removing the protestors one by one forcibly. In the meantime, another police party tried to take the womens group towards the trekking path. But more male pilgrims rushed towards them aggressively. Scared, the women ran back and took shelter in the nearby police guard room. The massive posse of police later took them to the Pamba police station where Mr Karthikeyan held discussions with them and they subsequently retreated. They were given police security till Kumily. The police has registered two separate cases against the pilgrims who blocked the women and tried to attack them. About 11 of them were arrested by evening. No prominent leader of the BJP, RSS or other political outfits was present at Pamba during the protests, police sources said. After the Supreme Court order lifted restrictions on women below 50 and children above 10 visiting Sabarimala, about a dozen women, including Bhoomatha Brigade leader Trupti Desai, have ventured to visit Sabarimala. But all were in vain, till now. While Microsoft is yet to even mention anything about the next generation of Xbox consoles, Industry analyst Michael Pachter has some keen insight into what Microsoft could launch in the coming years. A few years ago, Microsoft made an ambitious announcement at E3, revealing what was at the time knows as Project Scorpio, a console capable of playing games at 4K with 60fps and HDR visuals. The console launched as the Xbox One X and is now 2 years old. There have been rumours of new consoles slated for a 2020 release, but it is only now that we are hearing something semi-concrete about it. It is possible that Microsoft is working on two new consoles for the next release, hoping to attract a larger audience. Michael Pachter, an American video game analyst believes that Microsoft will utilise the two-console approach for the next generation of consoles. The running theory is that Microsoft has multiple consoles in development with the code names Scarlet, Anaconda, and Lockhart, and will be two separate releases. One Xbox will be a cheaper model, with no internal hard drive or optical drive. This console will leverage Microsofts game streaming service, allowing users to get into the Xbox space for potentially as little as $100. The second console will be a more traditional console, capable of playing games at 4K with a frame rate of 240fps. Theres also the suggestion that the console may support VR gaming. So I think there will be a streaming device, like a $100 Xbox console that doesnt run in 4K or 240 frames per second. And then I think there will be a more expensive $400 console that supports 4K, 240 FPS, virtual reality. Pachters predictions are in line with all the rumours that have been circulating about the next generation of Microsofts consoles. Earlier reports have said that Microsoft is likely to release two consoles, in an approach similar to the current one of having an Xbox One S and an Xbox One X, but this time, one less powerful console that streams games while the other, a more powerful console with a traditional setup. What is unexpected in Pachters statement is the VR bit, given that Microsoft had stopped all work on bringing VR to the Xbox One a while back. It is possible that the company did so in order to focus on new hardware, given that there hasnt been any development from Microsoft in the AR/VR space. Microsoft has a tradition of keeping its hardware on lockdown when it comes to leaks. In the last few years, the companys hardware devices have had very little leak-out about them. In fact, when Microsoft sent out dev kits for the Xbox One, they employed a clever painting technique that would help the company identify the source of the leak, if an image of the console or the controller were to ever make it online. Similarly, Microsoft is keeping a tight lid on the next generation of consoles, but hopefully, the company will reveal something this year at E3. Only three of the four cameras on the Huawei P30 Pro can be used to take photos. One of the sensors is rumoured to be a telephoto lens with 10X optical zoom while the fourth sensor will be a ToF sensor for 3D face scanning. Highlights The Huawei P30 Pro will come with a quad-camera setup on the back Only three of the four sensors can be used to take photos The fourth sensor will be a ToF (Time of Flight) sensor for 3D face scanning The Huawei P20 Pro was the worlds first smartphone with a triple-camera setup on the back. The company worked with iconic German camera brand Leica to develop the cameras. And even in our review, we had noted that it set a benchmark for smartphone cameras. Now, to keep the momentum alive, Huawei might use a quad-camera setup on the successor P30 Pro, according to a new leak on Weibo. Earlier leaks had confirmed that the less-powerful P30 will keep the triple-camera setup, and for the Pro version, Huawei will add another ToF 3D camera. While the P30 Pro cant claim to be the worlds first phone with a quad-camera setup (that record is set by the Samsung Galaxy A9), the implementation will be interesting to see. Only three of the four cameras on the Huawei P30 Pro can be used to take photos. One of the sensors is rumoured to be a telephoto lens with 10X optical zoom. Even the Huawei P30, reports stated, will have a telephoto lens with 5X optical zoom. Both will be a first for a smartphone. The fourth sensor will be ToF (Time of Flight) sensor that might be used for 3D face scanning. The leaked render on Chinese social-networking site Weibo shows three sensors grouped together vertically along with the LED flash and a laser focus module. The fourth lens is in a separate housing, along the same vertical plane. Ever since the Huawei P10, Huawei has continued to work with Leica to develop its cameras and this time wont be any different, as the Leica branding can be seen etched on the body. Earlier renders had revealed the Huawei P30 Pro would switch the wide rectangular notch with a water-drop notch to increase the screen-to-body ratio. Not surprisingly, the P30 Pro will have a gradient colour finish. Both the Huawei P30 and the Huawei P30 Pro are expected to launch in March, 2019. The phones will be powered by the 7nm Kirin 980 SoC and will run on EMUI 9.0 based on the latest version of Android. Related Links: Huawei P30 may offer triple-rear camera setup and 5x lossless zoom Huawei P30 Pro might come equipped with 38MP Sony IMX607 sensor, details leaked Subscriber content preview Insurance firms bankroll private Medicare push CEO Allyson Schwartz rejects any suggestion that the Better Medicare Alliance is a front for the insurance industry. By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR and RICHARD LARDNER Associated Press WASHINGTON A group gaining influence in Washington as a champion for Medicare beneficiaries is bankrolled by major health insurance companies that are trying to cash in on private coverage offered through the federal health insurance program. The Better Medicare Alliance claims a far-flung network of seniors, with a Facebook community of more than 380,000 and 110,000 signed up to receive email alerts. Its website displays profiles of BMA Seniors who describe private Medicare plans in glowing terms. . . . login or purchase a To read this story in fullor purchase a subscription. Subscriber content preview SEATTLE (AP) Federal officials are planning to airlift more mountain goats out of Olympic National Park and relocate them to the North Cascades in Washington state next year. KOMO-TV reports the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service announced the decision Wednesday, agreeing on helicopter landings, temporary fencing, salt blocks and other actions needed to move the goats. . . . Subscriber content preview SEATTLE Two small century-old apartment houses at 500 E. Union St. have sold for a little over $2.2 million, according to King County records. The seller was the estate of the longtime owner. The buyer was 500 E Union LLC which is associated with AGM Real Estate of Bellevue. Public records indicate a loan from Sound Credit Union. . . . Around 70,000 personnel of various central paramilitary forces including CRPF, BSF and ITBP, besides the state police, have been deployed in Bastar. Bhopal: Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday ruled out any possibility of withdrawing security forces from insurgency-hit Bastar, saying, such a move may prove suicidal. There is no proposal to withdraw paramilitary forces from Bastar. It may prove suicidal if forces are moved out of the region, he said. Mr Baghel, however, said the Maoist problem facing the state could alone be tackled through talks, not with the bullet-for-bullet strategy, as was adopted by the previous Raman Singh government. Bullet-for-bullet strategy cannot solve the Naxal problem. Maoists have expanded their base from merely three blocks to 15 districts in Chhattisgarh due to the strategy adopted by the previous state government, he added. Chhattisgarh has witnessed second largest deployment of paramilitary forces after Jammu and Kashmir in the country. Despite this, Chhattisgarh could not be made free of Naxal influence. This clearly indicates that social-economic-political way is the alternative route to solve the problem, he added. Around 70,000 personnel of various central paramilitary forces including CRPF, BSF and ITBP, besides the state police, have been deployed in Bastar. The chief minister, who is likely to expand his Cabinet on December 25, hinted at evolving a new strategy to deal with the vexed issue. Sections of people affected by Maoist violence such as tribals, traders, police and paramilitary forces besides various social organisations and intellectuals would be involved in the exercise to solve the Maoist menace in coming days, he indicated. Subscriber content preview SEATTLE The Windermere Estates apartments, at 10746 16th Ave. S.W., sold for almost $6.3 million, according to King County records. The seller was Reverse Now VII LLC, which acquired the property in 2006 for almost $2.2 million. . . . Tata Motors reassures UK PM May on JLR: report Tata Motors, the owners of iconic British brand Jaguar Land Rover, has reportedly assured Prime Minister Theresa May of the companys commitment to keep investing in the business and safeguard the interest of Britains automotive industry despite the expected post-Brexit troubles. In a letter written to the British prime minister, Tata Sons chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran has reassured the UK government of the Tata Groups plans to keep investing in JLR, according a report in The Sunday Times. Quoting sources, the UK newspaper said Tata Motors has also sought government support for electric and driverless technology, and for building a battery factory in the Midlands region of England. The report comes amid reports of JLR being forced to make job cuts, shedding more than 1,000 agency staff and putting 2,000 workers at its Castle Bromwich plant in the West Midlands on a three-day week. JLR CEO Ralf Speth has made regular interventions to warn against a hard Brexit, or crashing out of the European Union (EU) without a good deal in place, which would adversely hit the car makers supply chains and sales. The Tata Group, which acquired the British luxury car brand from Ford in 2008 for $2.3 billion, has since revived its sagging fortunes and made the company employing 40,000 workers, a profitable concern. The automobile market, however, saw a decline with rules against diesel cars and the entry of electric vehicles. Jaguar Land Rover has been hit more by the collapse in the Chinese market and contingency planning for Brexit. The Midlands-based company reported half-year losses of 354 million between March and September, reversing profits of 953 million for the same period a year earlier. Petrol now costs less than Rs70 a litre, diesel at Rs63.83 a litre State-run oil marketing companies have slashed fuel prices for the fourth straight day on Monday, tracking international crude oil prices that have fallen more than 36 per cent since early October. On Monday, OMCs reduced prices of petrol and diesel by 18-23 paise per litre across major cities of the country. Petrol price in the national capital Delhi fell below the Rs70 per litre mark to Rs69.86 with today's price revision while diesel prices fell below to Rs63.83 a litre. In Mumbai, petrol has become 21 paise cheaper at Rs75.48 while diesel now costs 19 paise less at Rs66.79 a litre. In Chennai, petrol is retailing at Rs72.48, down 22 paise from yesterday's Rs72.70 while diesel price is down 20 paise at Rs67.38 per litre. In Kolkata, the price of petrol is down 20 paise at Rs71.96 while diesel in the city is retailing at Rs65.59 down 18 paise. Meanwhile, Brent crude futures closed below $54 at $53.82 per barrel on Friday, hitting the lowest level since the second quarter of 2017. It fell more than 12 per cent last week. This was supported by gains by the rupee, which appreciated against the US dollar last week. International price of crude oil have shed more than 36 per cent since early October to trade at $54 (47 euros) per barrel, due to fears of oversupply and weak global demand. Opec oil ministers said on Sunday they expect prices will arrest their recent slide and rebalance early next year, when a deal on new production cuts takes effect. One Crolly lady enjoyed a wonderful day on Monday when she celebrated her 103rd birthday among close family, neighbours and friends. Biddy Doherty from Cro na gCuige, Crolly was born in 1915 - a year after the first world war had started. Things were very different in Ireland back then. Times were harder and Ireland was on the brink of a civil war. A nicer person you couldn't meet Biddy married Hughy Doherty from Machaire Loisc in Gaoth Dobhair and raised four lovely girls. Well known shopkeeper Stephen O'Donnell from Crolly said that Biddy is one of the nicest women that you could ever meet. She is a lovely lady, generous, Holy, honest and she has a wonderful heart. She is very well respected in this area, Mr O'Donnell said. Ms Doherty's home has always been a place where neighbours and friends easily call in to spend time with her. A huge circle of friends Over the years, Biddy has amassed a huge amount of friends among them Gaoth Dobhair's Maire Rua. Together they have a lot of fun and laughter. You couldn't find a nicer person than Biddy, Mr O'Donnell, who knows the family well, said. When asked why many people live to a great age in the area, Mr O'Donnell replied: It might have something to do with Cloch Mhor Leim a tSionnaigh - a huge rock that sits at the side of the road in Crolly and is well known by locals in the area. This January on TG4 sees a new 13 part series examining life in townlands all over Ireland. The series which will include townlands from Donegal and is presented by Sile Nic Chonaonaigh who discusses the connection local people have with their homeplace, the influence the landscape has on life there, the culture that informs them and the changes in the ways people in rural Ireland are now making a living. Townland It's hard to describe the deep rooted connection that many Irish have with their native townland, but that indeed is the journey at the heart of the new seriesBailte. There are over 60,000 townlands in Ireland, the townland is the smallest, yet perhaps the most important geographical division we have. It is from our various townlands that we see the wider world for the first time, but it also where others first see us as individuals as well. We are seen amongst our neighbours and within the natural landscape of our townland. This connection is very much inline with the Irish idea of where you come from represents who you are, it stems back to our bond with home and our townland. Generations It is in the townland that we see local pride in its purest form, generation after generations of communities trying to overcome their friends and relatives from the nearby townland. Each week, the series makers visit a different townland and try to uncover their history and their folklore while also learning more about what life is like for local people. Some townlands Sile visits have hundreds of locals, while others have much fewer, while one townland we visit has just the one family. Vibrant communities The series is celebration of local pride, of hard working, vibrant communities where locals and small enterprises work hand in hand to ensure their community is more than just a mere layby and a pretty spot on the Wild Atlantic Way. We see generations of families and neighbours living and working side by side amongst the hills, fields and shorelines that they have inhabited since famine times, thus giving them a unique perspective on home and place Remote areas As well as the many advantages of living in rural townlands, the series also shares the difficulties living in remote area, rural depopulation, lack of basic services, unemployment and the uncertain futures of both the farming and the fishing industries. The series finds the pulse of rural Ireland in 2019. With the spectacular backdrop of rural Ireland and an honest telling of contemporary life Bailte gives a distinctive portrayal of Irish life Machaire Rabhartaigh In the series Sile visits Baile an Lochaigh and Baile na nGall in West Kerry, Cill Rialaigh in Uibh Rathach, South Kerry, Heilbhic in Ring, Waterford, Cartur, Muighinis, Baile Dhubhloch and Camus Uachtair in Galway, Cill Einne on the Aran Islands, An Ghleann on Cape Clear, in Cork, Eachleim in Erris, Mayo; as well as Machaire Rabhartaigh, Dun Allt agus Taobh an Locha in Donegal Series begins on Wednesday January 9, 2019 at 8.30pm on TG4 Shyam Bahadur Singh, however, made it clear that he has no intention to join any other party. Incidentally, Singh has been involved in a number of incidents in the past which have left his party red-faced. (Photo: vidhansabha.bihar.nic.in) Patna: An MLA of the ruling JD(U) in Bihar on Monday claimed that he has resigned from the party in protest against alleged high-handedness of the administration which has lodged cases against people of his constituency for staging a protest against land-grabbers. Shyam Bahadur Singh, who represents Barharia in Siwan district, appeared before a number of local news channels claiming that he visited the residence of state JD (U) president Vashishth Narayan Singh and as the latter was not at home, he left his resignation letter at the place. The state party president said he has not yet seen the resignation letter but added the MLAs concern will be taken note of and suitable action taken. The MLA said "there is a moribund sugar mill in my constituency. The land on which it is situated was being encroached upon by mafia elements. When locals protested the administration lodged cases against nearly 200 of them. Our party is in power. How can I show my face to the people of my constituency in such a situation"? He, however, made it clear that he has no intention to join any other party. I have full faith in the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who heads our party. My resignation notwithstanding, my loyalties will remain with the JD (U)," he said. Incidentally, Singh has been involved in a number of incidents in the past which have left his party red-faced. He faced public censure after a video went viral wherein he was seen gyrating alongside bar dancers. Also, many eyebrows were raised when he once reached the state assembly riding an elephant. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Prem Chandra Mishra took potshots at the ruling party saying "you can imagine the state of affairs in Bihar and make out how genuine the claims of good governance are when a member of the ruling party is so demoralised." RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav also reacted to the development saying "we have always been saying that Nitish Kumar has lost control over the bureaucracy. Now his own MLA is confirming the same" ALONE, the charity that supports older people to age at home, is asking people in Louth to give the gift of friendship this Christmas and into the New Year. The charity is asking the public to help older people living alone by reaching out to their older neighbours and friends, by donating to ALONE, or by becoming a Befriending volunteer. The charity is also urging older people experiencing loneliness to get in touch with them for help. Sean Moynihan, CEO of ALONE, commented, Christmas can be one of the loneliest times of the year for some older people. However we need to remember that the loneliness felt at Christmas continues throughout the winter, and many older people will begin the New Year by themselves. "There are more than 100,000 older people across Ireland who are struggling with loneliness and Christmas is just one of many long nights throughout the winter months which can be particularly difficult. "We can all be guilty of getting caught up in the build up to Christmas as we reunite with friends and family, but it is important to remember that some older people may not have these connections to spend the festive season with. ALONE say that there are a number of ways the public can help an older person, starting with reaching out to an older person for a conversation. However, the charity is urging the public not to forget about the older people in their lives after the festive season. Moynihan continued, On Christmas Day, ALONE will deliver Christmas dinners to older people who will be spending this Christmas by themselves, but loneliness isnt just for Christmas day. "We hope that communities will come together to reach out to older people in need of support or assistance, and, if they need it, to encourage them to pick up the phone and get in touch with ALONE. Alternatively, anyone looking to volunteer with ALONE can sign up as a Befriending volunteer. He concluded, ALONE and the older people we support need help all year round. Last year we doubled the number of people we supported but donations only increased by 15%. The donations we receivefrom the public at Christmas help us to continue supporting older people across the country. We want to thank everyone one who has, and continues to, support us. For those who have concerns about their own wellbeing, or the wellbeing of an older person in their community, ALONE can be contacted on (01) 679 1032. To make a donation and help aid ALONEs work this Christmas visit www.alone.ie 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. Selling location data collected by mobile phones has become a lucrative business, The New York Times reported Monday. Location advertising sales are expected to reach US$21 billion this year, according to the article. At least 75 companies receive anonymous, precise location data from applications with the location services feature activated. Several of those outfits claim to track 200 million mobile devices in the United States -- about half of all devices in the country, the Times reported. The data is very accurate, coming within a few yards of a person's whereabouts at a point in time, and is updated often -- as frequently as 14,000 times a day, the paper noted. With that kind of accuracy and frequency, calling the data "anonymous" is a bit misleading. "If you are collecting a person's location over time, and it's tied to a unique identifier, it's disingenuous to call that anonymous," said Natasha Duarte, a policy analyst with the Center for Democracy & Technology in Washington, D.C. "If you have information about where people are going and where people live, you can build the story of who that location data belongs to," she told TechNewsWorld. Someone can learn a lot about you from your location, said French Caldwell, CFO of The Analyst Syndicate, an IT research and analysis group. "They can tell what your interests are and who you're meeting with," he told TechNewsWorld. "Your location data tells more about you than your Social Security number." Not So Anonymous Businesses that collect consumer data typically say they're not interested in individuals but in patterns. Data collected on individuals is "anonymized" by attaching it to an ID number. However, that ID doesn't even have the cover of a fig leaf for anyone with access to raw location data. Those people, who include employees or customers of the data collector, still could identify individuals without their consent, as the Times did in compiling its report. Not surprisingly, the leaders in location-based advertising are Google and Facebook. Both companies offer mobile apps that they use to collect location data. They say they don't sell it but use it only internally, to personalize services, sell targeted ads online, and determine if the ads lead to sales in the physical world. Google did not respond to a request for comment for this story. Facebook, through spokesperson Jay Nancarrow, declined to comment. Some large companies have started to get in front of the location data issue before it becomes a problem for them. For example, Verizon and AT&T announced during the summer that they would stop selling their customers' location data to data brokers. Deceptive Omissions Most mobile apps request permission to use a device's location services before accessing them, but the Times found that process could be misleading. An app might ask for location services access for one purpose but use the information for multiple purposes. "Not all app notices are perfectly clear as to what location data is being used for," CDT's Duarte said. "Often the app will ask, 'Do you want us to use your location to provide you with local weather information, or personalize your experience, or improve the accuracy of the maps that you're using?' They don't list all the other purposes the data will be used for -- like advertising and sales to third parties," she pointed out. Some 1,400 popular applications contain code to share location information, the Times reported. About 1,200 were written for Android phones and 200 for Apple models. In a sample of 17 apps sending precise location data, three Apple iOS programs and one Android offering mentioned that location data could be used for advertising while seeking permission to access the service, the Times found. Creepiness Factor Understanding what's done with location data can be an onerous task for a consumer. It requires reading user agreements and privacy policies, and changing settings for all the apps on a phone. "That can be incredibly time-consuming," Duarte said. "No individual has the capacity to do that properly, and it's not a burden we should be placing on individuals to depend on location-based services." How concerned are consumers about possible abuse of their location information? "Most consumers don't care, but there's a creepiness factor that bothers them a little bit," said The Analyst Syndicate's Caldwell. "We've all been on the Web and looked at a new pair of shoes or something, and all of sudden all you see in your browser for hours are ads for those things," he continued. "The same kind of thing is happening with your physical location," Caldwell pointed out. "Stores are tracking your location and will start pushing suggestions to you based on where you went in that store. There's a creepiness factor there." Legislation Needed Consumers are very concerned about what's being done with their location data, maintained Duarte. "The problem isn't that consumers are not concerned," she said. "It's that even if you're very concerned, it's impossible for anyone to have the capacity and time to understand all the things companies are doing with your data, and then go into your settings and make the choices that align perfectly with your personal privacy interests," Duarte explained. "What really needs to happen is for our laws to recognize that location privacy in a commercial context has to be built into any service," she suggested. Congress should pass a commercial privacy law, "which would include limits on how companies can collect and use location information," Duarte said. Such a law might include provisions already adopted in Europe's General Data Protection Regulation, which allow people to access information companies have collected about them, correct information if it's used to make important decisions about them, and delete information. One area where U.S. lawmakers may want to depart from the GDPR is in consent. The European rule allows data to be collected if consent is given by the owner of the data. "Some uses of information shouldn't be allowed even with consent," Duarte said. "One of those uses might be repurposing of location information -- collecting the information for a location-based service, then reusing it for something completely unrelated -- like location-based advertising -- or selling it to a data broker." 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. At least eight million tons of plastic ends up in the world's oceans every year, and some of it washes up on the beautiful pink-sand beaches of Bermuda. But one inventive artist has found a way to turn this tragedy into a unique and educational take on the traditional Advent calendar, CNN reported. Every day this December, travel photographer Meredith Andrews has been using her Instagram to add a new page to her "Adventgram." Each page photographs a collection of artfully arranged plastic items Andrews has found. "I'm just trying to say that this is all of our problem. We are choking in plastic. We are drowning in plastic," Andrews told CNN. "Killing our ocean and choking our ocean with plastic is going to have such a detrimental effect on everyone on the planet." Andrews focuses on a specific category of trash each day, and offers viewers suggestions for how they can stop more of that item from ending up in the sea. December 1, for example, focused on toothbrushes. "Roughly 3.5 billion toothbrushes are sold each year and in the US alone that equates to 50 million pounds of waste," Andrews wrote. "Think about making the change to a toothbrush made of bamboo." Andrews explained her process to CNN. "I think about what I have, what I've done the day before, what message I want to express and actually in a way I sort of let the trash guide me," she said. Entries range from expected items like bottle caps (Dec. 2) and plastic rope from fishing gear (Dec. 6), to more surprising finds like deodorant containers (Dec. 17) and glow sticks (Dec. 7), which long-line fisherman use as lures. December 20th's entry on plastic toys doubles as a last-minute shopping suggestion for anyone with children in their life. "Try Green Toys who make their rocket ships, tug boats & submarines from recycled plastic," Andrews wrote. This isn't the first time Andrews has used her artistic skills to raise awareness about ocean plastic pollution, as a scroll through her Twitter and Instagram feeds shows. On the Fourth of July, she tweeted an American flag made from plastic, with the message, "Now just don't forget to clean up after yourselves." Her piece "The Rainbow Connection" was featured in an exhibit of trash art organized by the litter-cleanup group Keep Bermuda Beautiful this summer, The Royal Gazette reported. Andrews has done Adventgrams in previous years too, using found objects to shape numbers, but this year is the first year she has focused on using beach trash to count down the days till Christmas. The JD(U), which has only two MPs, will contest from 17 seats, while the BJP, in spite of having 17 MPs, will also contest from 17 seats. New Delhi: After several rounds of closed-door meetings with allies over seat-sharing arrangement in Bihar for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday announced that his party and chief minister Nitish Kumars Janata Dal (United) will contest from 17 seats each, while Ram Vilas Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) will fight from the remaining six. The JD(U), which has only two MPs, will contest from 17 seats, while the BJP, in spite of having 17 MPs, will also contest from 17 seats. Mr Nitish Kumar, who managed to get seats equal to that of the BJP, said the decision of the candidates for the seats will be taken later. We hope to do better than 2014, said Mr Shah, while announcing the agreement in New Delhi. We will work together and will improve our performance, he said. The deal suggests a victory of sorts for the LJP which had adopted an aggressive stand seeking a better bargain from the BJP after the exit of Upendra Kushwaha-led Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) from the ruling alliance. One of the biggest tasks for the BJP was to win the confidence of the LJP and resolve the differences as in recent times Mr Ram Vilas Paswans son Chirag had been quite vocal about his partys differences with the BJP. A deal was sealed with the LJP after Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, also a Cabinet minister in the NDA government at the Centre, and his son met finance minister and BJP leader Arun Jaitley on Friday. After Sundays development, Mr Chirag Paswan said there was never a problem in the alliance as he has nurtured the NDA tree for five years under Mr Modis leadership. The LJP will also be given a Rajya Sabha berth with Mr Ram Vilas Paswan likely to be its candidate. Mr Shah asserted that the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar will win more than the 31 seats it had got in 2014 and expressed confidence that it will come back to power at the Centre in 2019. Bihar has 40 Lok Sabha seats. On the decision to send Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, presently a Lok Sabha member from Hajipur in Bihar, to the Rajya Sabha, the Bihar CM said it is a recognition of his long service to the country. Mr Paswan is a nine-time member of the Lok Sabha and the decision means that the 72-year-old leader is unlikely to contest any more election and will be handing over the reins of the party to his son. A few days ago, one of NDAs allies in Bihar, Mr Kushwahas RLSP jumped ship and joined the Congress-led grand alliance as BJP did not give his party the number of seats he had been demanding. To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020. Washington DC, Dec 23 (efe-epa).- The Pentagon formally began on Sunday the withdrawal of US troops from Syria, where there are over 2,000 soldiers deployed as part of an international coalition against the Islamic State terror group. "The order for Syria has been signed,? a Pentagon spokesman told EFE. He did not provide further details. Citing an unnamed defense official, CNN reported the order was signed by Defense Secretary James Mattis, who will step down from his position at the end of the year. Mattis announced his departure from the administration on Thursday, a day after US President Donald Trump proclaimed the ?defeat" of the IS in Syria and announced the withdrawal of soldiers deployed in the country. After Mattis? resignation, the special US envoy to the coalition against the IS, Brett McGurk, also resigned in protest against the decision to pull US troops from Syria. Both Mattis and McGurk have publicly expressed their concern about the way Washington has treated its allies in Syria. In his resignation letter, Mattis strongly defended US alliances across the world and said Washington should treat its allies with respect and be "resolute and unambiguous" in its approach to the countries which challenge it, such as China and Russia. Trump believes that he has fulfilled his objective in Syria by militarily defeating the jihadists and considers that other countries, such as Turkey, can finish the work that the US began. According to the international coalition led by the US, the IS in Syria and Iraq only has 1 percent left of the territory they came to dominate in 2014, proclaiming it their caliphate. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 24) Parts of Luzon and Mindanao may experience rains in the next few days as two low-pressure areas (LPAs) are now affecting the country, weather officials said Monday. In its 11:00 am update, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said it is monitoring an LPA located 325 kilometers west-northwest of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. PAGASA added this LPA will bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains over Northern Palawan. However, the weather bureau also said another LPA outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) is under watch. At 10:00 am, the said LPA was last spotted 1,270 km east of Mindanao and will enter PAR within 24 to 36 hours. The trough of that LPA outside the PAR is expected to bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains over Caraga and Davao Regions and the provinces of South Cotabato, Sarangani, and Sultan Kudarat, the weather bureau said. It advised residents in those areas, especially those living near river channels, in low lying areas and in mountainous areas, to take precaution against possible flooding and landslides. PAGASA said that weather system may develop into a tropical depression within 24 to 48 hours and will be named "Usman" upon entry into PAR. Meanwhile, light to moderate to at times heavy rains may prevail over Calabarzon, Isabela, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, and Bulacan due to the tail-end of a cold front, while Metro Manila and the rest of northern and central Luzon may experience occasional light rains. Opening of the bridge coincides with former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birth anniversary under whose government work had started in 2002. Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Indias longest road-cum-rail bridge-Bogibeel Bridge in upper Assams Dibrugarh on Tuesday. The bridge will be thrown open to the public on Tuesday which coincides with the birth anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee under whose government the work had started in 2002. The state administration has made elaborate security arrangement with Northeast Frontier Railway running four trains to ferry people who are willing to be the part of inaugural ceremony of the bridge. Constructed for Double Line Broad Gauge Track and three-lane road, this bridge will be the lifeline of the north eastern part of the country and will facilitate connectivity between north and south banks of river Brahmaputra in the eastern region of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. The biggest advantage of the bridge will be easy movement of troops from southern to northern bank. This means travelling to the farthest most point of India's border with China will be shortened by several hundred kilometres. Informing that the bridge is also going to enhance the national security of the eastern region of India by facilitating swift movement of defence forces and their equipment up to China border, sources in the northeast frontier railway said, Almost 75 per cent of the 4,000-km long border that India shares with China is in Arunachal Pradesh and the bridge will help in logistical support for Indian Army manning this border. Pointing out that the Government of India gave utmost importance to this Bridge Project by declaring it a National Project in the year 2007 thereby assuring availability of fund for speedy construction, sources in the N F Railway said. Bogibeel Bridge Project was also the part of Assam Accord and was sanctioned in the year 1997-98. The foundation stone of the Project was laid by the then prime minister H D Deve Gowda on January 22, 1997. However, work on the project commenced during Atal Bihari Vajpayees regime on April 21, 2002. The bridge has a total length of 4.94 km (revised from earlier 4.31 km). The sanctioned estimated cost of the Project was Rs 3,230.02 crore. Revised estimate of the project amounts to Rs 4,857 crore which has been approved and sanctioned by the Railway Board to cover escalation and increased bridge length, the spokesperson of the NF railway said. The remote districts of Anjaw, Changlang, Lohit, Lower Dibang Valley, Dibang Valley and Tirap of Arunachal Pradesh will be greatly benefited by this bridge. The bridge will reduce the road distance from Dibrugarh, in Assam to Itanagar by 150 km and the railway travel distance between these two points will be reduced by 705 km. German left-wing leaders tweet caused panic Sahra Wagenknechts tweet calling Yellow Vest protests in front of the Chancellery was banned. Germany is facing another democracy scandal nowadays. Alluding to the demonstrations in France, the leader of the left-wing faction Sahra Wagenknecht posed in front of the Chancellery with a yellow jacket and called for similar protests in Germany. Wagenknecht now tries to encourage their compatriots to a little more resistance. In France, those who have not been heard by politicians for many years have raised their voices, said Wagenknecht in a 75-second video clip posted on the website of the "rise" movement he founded last weekend. "They take to the streets against a president of the rich and have at least tore the first concessions from him, I think we need a lot of pressure in Germany". Unfortunately, there are many people who are lonely and exhausted at Christmas. Let's put pressure on the politics of the rich in 2019, too. Let's bring social protests to the streets and the chancellery. Let's stand like the breath vests in France! tweeted Wagenknecht. Left-wing leader's this tweet caused panic among the German government and banned immediately from Twitter. Israel arrests 15 Palestinians in West Bank raids There are more than 6,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, according to official figures. Israeli forces rounded up 15 Palestinians in overnight raids carried out across the occupied West Bank, according to the Israeli military on Monday. The individuals were arrested for suspected involvement in popular terrorist activities, the army said in a statement, without elaborating on the nature of these activities. The Israeli forces frequently carry out wide-ranging arrest campaigns across the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem on the pretext of searching for wanted Palestinians. According to Palestinian figures, more than 6,000 Palestinians continue to languish in Israeli detention facilities, including six parliament members, 52 women and 270 minors. President Erdogan: Israeli PM heading 'state terror' Turkish president calls Benjamin Netanyahu 'voice of oppressors' after he attacks him in a tweet. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday said the Israeli prime minister is heading "state terror", responding to his tweet attacking the Turkish president. Speaking at a mass opening ceremony in Istanbul's Arnavutkoy district, President Erdogan issued statements. "Erdogan is the voice of oppressed and you Benjamin Netanyahu are the voice of oppressors. You are conducting state terror," he said. "Israel has no right to accuse anyone without accounting for its own sins, crimes against humanity, massacres and destruction," he added. On Sunday, Benjamin Netanyahu, on his Twitter account, attacked President Erdogan over Turkey's counter-terror operation and Cyprus issues. He also noted that Netanyahu is uncomfortable that Turkey has always stood with the oppressed and suffering Palestinians. However, Israel is oppressing women and children by kicking and dragging them and leaving them at the mercy of its police and soldiers, he added. "Turkey is countering terrorism, not treating innocents as terrorists," he said. Trump and Erdogan discuss US troops pullout from Syria In a phone call, US, Turkey leaders discussed Daesh terror group, mutual involvement in Syria. US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he discussed with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the phone about the withdrawal of US troops from Syria. TROOPS ARE COMING HOME In a Twitter post, Trump said the phone conversation was "long and productive". He also praised President Erdogan's attitude toward Syria conflict. "We discussed ISIS, our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of U.S. troops from the area. After many years they are coming home," Trump wrote, using alternate for Daesh. The duo also discussed "heavily expanded" trade. For his part, Erdogan said in a Twitter post that the two leaders had agreed to increase coordination on a number of issues including commercial relations and developments in Syria. President Trump had announced plans last Wednesday to withdraw roughly 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria after a phone call with Erdogan on Oct. 14 in which the two leaders agreed on the need for more effective coordination on the war-torn country. Reports have suggested US forces will leave within 60 to 100 days. Trumps decision to pull out of Syria was followed by resignations from U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis and special presidential envoy for the global coalition to defeat Daesh Brett Mcgurk. The withdrawal comes on the eve of a possible Turkish military operation in northeastern Syria against the YPG/PKK terrorist group. Since 2016, Ankara has carried out two similar military operations in northern Syria. Turkish Airlines countrys largest service exporter The national flag carrier Turkish Airlines has been named as the countrys largest service exporter on Friday. Turkeys 500 Largest Service Exporters Award Ceremony was held in Istanbul by Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM) in coordination with Trade Ministry. Speaking at the ceremony, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the total turnover of awarded 500 firms was $93 billion in 2017 as their services exports amounted to $23 billion. "These 500 firms made more than half of our total services exports," Erdogan said. Turkey continues to move towards its aims with democracy, economy, and security, the president added. SERVICES EXPORT SURPLUS UP 22 PERCENT Carrier firms Sun Express and Pegasus, logistic company Ekol, construction contracting company Gap Insaat were also among the top 5 service exporters. Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said Turkey had $22 billion services export surplus during the January-October period, up 22 percent compared to the same period last year. The country's services export surplus was around $1 billion in 1984, $7.9 billion in 2002 and $20 billion in 2017, she noted. "Our target is to double or triple this figures with contributions of new services sectors, " she added. Services export becomes one of the most powerful instruments for fighting against the current deficit, Pekcan said. The country ranked as 29th last year with its $43.7 billion services exports in the world, Pekcan reminded. She said Turkey does not only exports goods to all around the world but it also exports contractor services, software, TV series, movies, and health services. Turkey is among the top 10 countries in the textile and tourism sectors, and the country will be a regional power in e-commerce, medical tourism, information technologies, and software sectors, Pekcan noted. "This year, just our game software exports will exceed $1 billion, which is equal to Turkey's steel exports to the US," she said. New sustainable biopolymer technology developed by Tel Aviv University researchers may one day free the world of its worst pollutant A new Tel Aviv University study describes a process to make bioplastic polymers that don't require land or fresh water -- resources that are scarce in much of the world. The polymer is derived from microorganisms that feed on seaweed. It is biodegradable, produces zero toxic waste and recycles into organic waste. The invention was the fruit of a multidisciplinary collaboration between Dr. Alexander Golberg of TAU's Porter School of Environmental and Earth Sciences and Prof. Michael Gozin of TAU's School of Chemistry. Their research was recently published in the journal Bioresource Technology. According to the United Nations, plastic accounts for up to 90 percent of all the pollutants in our oceans, yet there are few comparable, environmentally friendly alternatives to the material. "Plastics take hundreds of years to decay. So bottles, packaging and bags create plastic 'continents' in the oceans, endanger animals and pollute the environment," says Dr. Golberg. "Plastic is also produced from petroleum products, which has an industrial process that releases chemical contaminants as a byproduct. "A partial solution to the plastic epidemic is bioplastics, which don't use petroleum and degrade quickly. But bioplastics also have an environmental price: To grow the plants or the bacteria to make the plastic requires fertile soil and fresh water, which many countries, including Israel, don't have. "Our new process produces 'plastic' from marine microorganisms that completely recycle into organic waste." The researchers harnessed microorganisms that feed on seaweed to produce a bioplastic polymer called polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). "Our raw material was multicellular seaweed, cultivated in the sea," Dr. Golberg says. "These algae were eaten by single-celled microorganisms, which also grow in very salty water and produce a polymer that can be used to make bioplastic. "There are already factories that produce this type of bioplastic in commercial quantities, but they use plants that require agricultural land and fresh water. The process we propose will enable countries with a shortage of fresh water, such as Israel, China and India, to switch from petroleum-derived plastics to biodegradable plastics." According to Dr. Golberg, the new study could revolutionize the world's efforts to clean the oceans, without affecting arable land and without using fresh water. "Plastic from fossil sources is one of the most polluting factors in the oceans," he says. "We have proved it is possible to produce bioplastic completely based on marine resources in a process that is friendly both to the environment and to its residents. "We are now conducting basic research to find the best bacteria and algae that would be most suitable for producing polymers for bioplastics with different properties," he concludes. ### The research was partially funded by the TAU-Triangle Regional R&D Center in Kfar Kara under the academic auspices of Tel Aviv University, and by the Israeli Ministry of Energy and Infrastructures. American Friends of Tel Aviv University supports Israel's most influential, comprehensive and sought-after center of higher learning, Tel Aviv University (TAU). TAU is recognized and celebrated internationally for creating an innovative, entrepreneurial culture on campus that generates inventions, startups and economic development in Israel. TAU is ranked ninth in the world, and first in Israel, for producing start-up founders of billion-dollar companies, an achievement that surpassed several Ivy League universities. To date, 2,500 US patents have been filed by Tel Aviv University researchers -- ranking TAU #1 in Israel, #10 outside of the US and #43 in the world. Lithium-ion batteries are used in different areas - from mobile phones and laptops to cardiac pacemakers and electric vehicles. Currently, scientists are trying to increase battery power while reducing its size. The team of researchers from Russia and China in collaboration with an industrial partner managed to increase the battery's energy capacity by 15%. The results were demonstrated at the "Advanced Batteries for XEV / ESS Conference scientific conference" in Qingdao, China. The efficiency was increased by adding a solid electrolyte to the battery's cathode. The solid electrolyte was synthesized by Daniil Alexandrov, a master student of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU). Researchers managed to increase the battery's capacity by 15% compared to the one with liquid electrolyte. This achievement helped to reduce the weight of the entire product. The tests were carried out in the laboratory and the battery sample was developed on the basis of the Joint Innovation Center "Science - Technologies" of ENV (Energy New Vehicle), established in China in collaboration with the Polytechnic University. "The improvement of cathode materials and functional additives is one of the main tasks of our joint research center. In the framework of the development of energy-saving technologies, clean energy and electric transport, the result obtained in our center hastens the massive introduction of "green technologies" into the real life,"- said Mr. Wang Tsinshen, Director of ENV(Energy New Vehicle), alumni of SPbPU. ### On today's increasingly crowded globe, human migration can strain infrastructure and resources. Accurate data on migration flows could help governments plan for and respond to immigrants. Yet these figures, when available, tend to be spotty and error-ridden, even in the developed world. Researchers have developed approaches to estimate migration rates, but even the best of these rely on unrealistic assumptions about the mass movement of people and yield migration rates that can fall far below reality. In a paper published the week of Dec. 24 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, two scientists at the University of Washington unveiled a new statistical method for estimating migration flows between countries, using the so-called pseudo-Bayes approach. They show that rates of migration -- defined as an international move followed by a stay of at least one year -- are higher than previously thought, but also relatively stable, fluctuating between 1.1 and 1.3 percent of global population from 1990 to 2015. In addition, since 1990 approximately 45 percent of migrants have returned to their home countries, a much higher estimate than other methods. These more accurate estimates of migration will ultimately help both migrants and the people who assist them, said senior author Adrian Raftery, a UW professor of statistics and sociology. "Planning for migration is no simple task," said Raftery. "You need everything from medical infrastructure and trained personnel to elementary schools -- and governments rely on accurate demographic estimates to help them put the right plans and responses into place." Countries collect migration data through immigration forms at ports of entry, but answers on these forms may contain mistakes, and often fail to collect the types of comprehensive information that demographers need to measure migration accurately. Census forms also tend to ask people where they were born, but usually not when they moved, information which does not accurately reflect the true level of movement. "Migration is much more than the place you left and the place you ultimately settled in," said Raftery. "Researchers have tried for years to develop statistical methods that capture the comprehensive picture of human migration across the globe." Raftery developed these new migration rate estimates along with his former doctoral student Jonathan Azose, a UW affiliate assistant professor of statistics and the paper's lead author. They applied the pseudo-Bayes method to migration estimates by incorporating elements of other methods, and calibrated their estimates against a relatively reliable model of migration among 31 European countries. Azose and Raftery tested the accuracy of pseudo-Bayes against a set of reliable migration figures and discovered that its estimates were typically accurate to within a factor of three, better than many existing estimates. "For the migration field, this level of accuracy is a significant improvement," said Azose. "Even when you look at data from European countries, it's not uncommon for a single migration flow to have estimates that differ by a factor of three or more depending on whether the sending or the receiving country collected the data." They also discovered that, compared to other approaches, pseudo-Bayes can more accurately account for return migration, in which migrants go back to their home countries. "Our estimate shows a higher global flow of migrants in large part because it indicates that return migration is much higher than previously thought," said Azose. The researchers estimate significantly higher migration rates than prior methods -- between 67 million and 87 million migrants over each five-year period from 1990 to 2015. By comparison, one widely used alternative method, which only estimates the minimum rate of migration, calculates just 34 to 46 million migrants in each five-year period. In addition, while the total number of migrants estimated by pseudo-Bayes increased from 1990 to 2015, the migration rate over that period remained relatively stable as a proportion of global population -- between 1.1 and 1.3 percent. Azose and Raftery also broke down migration rates by emigration, return migration and transit migration, in which migrants move between two countries that are not their countries of birth. In general, from 1990 to 2015, more than 60 percent of migration was emigration. Transit migration never topped 9 percent. Return migration accounted for 26 to 31 percent of migrants, more than twice the rate of other migration estimates. That high rate of return migration added up over time. From 1990 to 2015, approximately 45 percent of migrants ultimately returned to their home countries. "We estimate a rate of return migration that is significantly higher than other methods, but it is also supported by history," said Raftery. "For example, during the Rwandan genocide in 1994, more than a million migrants left the country, but most returned within three years after the conflict ended." The top migration rates that they observed more recently between countries were consistent with ongoing world events. Migration out of Syria, for example, accounted for two of the top three emigration flows from 2010 to 2015. The researchers would like to refine their method by differentiating between refugees, which are counted by their method, and other types of migrants. In addition, they would like to incorporate data from non-governmental sources, such as social media records, to improve the accuracy of their estimates, as well as develop approaches to forecast future migration. ### The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. For more information, contact Raftery at raftery@uw.edu and Azose at jazose@gmail.com. Grant numbers: R01 HD54511, R01 HD70936. Uncertainty dominated on Wednesday with a big shift in sentiment during the day. The Pound to Dollar (GBP/USD) exchange rate failed to hold above 1.3350 and dipped back below the 1.3300 level before edging just above the 1.3300 level in early Europe on Thursday. The Pound to Euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate retreated to 1.1725 before a recovery to 1.1755... - Polygon (MATIC) has traded higher by as much as 18% during the Wednesday trading session. - All risk on market shave experienced massive rallies after Tuesdays selling pressure, but detection of the Omicron variant in the US (California) has brought in more selling. - FUD is the name of the game. Polygon (MATIC) Daily Ichimoku Chart PLEASE NOTE: All currency values on this site, as of 31st October 2009, are now sourced from a range of inter bank sources in relation to the British Pound base currency. These rates are updated every 5 minutes to reflect the latest figures presented to us. Prior to this date the exchange rates were obtained from the European Central Bank as per their last data available in relation to the EURO base currency. Exchangerates.org.uk believes this information to be accurate, however does not warrant or guarantee such accuracy. Users of this website are advised to verify any values before using it. Exchangerates.org.uk makes absolutely no warranties regarding any values on this website, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy or availability. Modi said during his third interaction with his party's Karyakarthas in Tamil Nadu, on Sunday. Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi lashed out at Congress and its allies for attempting to form a grand alliance against his BJP. He said these parties are coming together as Mahagathbandhan only for their "personal survival." Their alliance is not based on ideology but is unholy and opportunistic alliance with the Congress, Mr. Modi said during his third interaction with his party's Karyakarthas in Tamil Nadu, on Sunday. "Many political leaders today are talking about a grand alliance or the Mahagathbandhan. Let me tell you that this alliance is for personal survival, not ideological support. This alliance is for power, not for people. This alliance is for personal ambitions and not for people's aspirations," Mr. Modi said while interacting with the Karyakarthas in Chennai Central. He was responding to a question from a party member on whether the Congress and its allies will save themselves from their past sins. The Prime Minister interacted with BJP booth Karyakarthas from Chennai North, Madurai, Tiruchy besides Tiruvallur districts on the occasion through video conferencing. Several of these parties and their leaders are deeply inspired by Dr. Lohia, who was deeply opposed to the Congress, its ideology and the way Congress did politics. "What sort of a tribute are they paying to Dr. Lohia by forming an unholy and opportunist alliance with the Congress? Dr. Lohia always said the Congress is a compromised party, which had made compromises on many ideological issues," Mr. Modi further said. Dr. Lohia had said the Congress was responsible for the caste and inequality in the country and he was pained that the Congress, after 1947 was not the Congress of Mahatma Gandhi, but it had leaders who got used to power and luxury. The top leadership of several parties who are now aiming for a seat in the Mahagathbandhan were arrested and tortured during the emergency. "Sadly today these parties and Congress have become oxygen for each other. But people know very well the real nature of these parties. Whenever they are in power, the State is complete breakdown of law and order, corrupt and criminal elements are supreme when these parties govern," Mr. Modi said. Three convenience store groups are challenging the city of San Antonios new law that bans retailers from selling tobacco products to young adults. The groups who say most of their members are of Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian descent allege in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday that banning the sale of tobacco products to young adults 18 to 20 years old discriminates against retailers. San Antonio is the first major Texas city to pass a Tobacco 21 law. It took effect Oct. 1. The groups say their members and other small retailers are being singled out because they are the only ones subject to punishment even though the so-called Tobacco 21 law that City Council passed in January was purportedly enacted to protect the health of young adults. RELATED: On Oct. 1, San Antonio becomes the first Texas city to raise tobacco buying age Stores that violate the law can face fines of up to $500, while young adults caught purchasing, using or possessing tobacco face no penalties or enforcement measures. Without any enforcement provision for the (purchase, use and possession) of tobacco products by persons aged 18 to 20, (the law) is clearly biased against one class for the benefit of another, the lawsuit states. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox The suit was filed by the Association of Convenience Store Retailers Inc., South Texas Merchants Association Cooperative Inc. and Texas Food and Fuel Association Inc. After preliminary review of the complaint, we stand behind our ordinance and will prepare to defend it in Federal Court, City Attorney Andy Segovia said in an emailed statement. Clinton Glenny II, a San Antonio attorney representing the three groups, didnt respond to a request for comment. Check ExpressNews.com for updates. Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD The gee-whiz phase of San Antonios experience with dockless e-scooters is definitely over. By now, downtown residents and workers are used to seeing, and sometimes dodging, scooters speeding down streets and sidewalks. And its almost routine to find them clustered around street corners like paperclips to a magnet. Scooters also are turning up in neighborhoods and business districts far from the center city. E-scooter company Bird first rolled into the city in June, and six competitors so far have followed suit. The companies have applied for a combined 12,600 scooter permits and 2,000 e-bike permits, according to the Center City Development & Operations Department. People took 300,000 scooter rides in November, the city department reported. Yet the questions remain: Are e-scooters here to stay? And how will the fierce competition between providers shake out? Now Playing: There are simple rules to follow while on a scooter in San Antonio. Video: San Antonio Express-News The answers, analysts and academics say, depend on government regulation, the possibility of market consolidation, the companies financial strength and how they handle public safety problems, maintenance and vandalism. However, while the scooter-sharing industrys growth is hard to predict, theres clearly a demand for quick ways to travel short distances around town. Especially in dense urban areas, parking spaces are increasingly hard to find parking, and its a hassle to take the car or wait for an Uber or Lyft ride for a short trip, said Mike Ramsey, a transportation analyst at Gartner Inc., a Connecticut-based market research firm. Scooters are filling a hole, he said. Theyre easy to access via smartphone app and not difficult to operate, and people can hop on in their work clothes, said Dana Yanocha, a senior research associate at the New York-based Institute for Transportation & Development Policy. Those advantages might seem small, she said, but they make a difference to customers. Thats why dockless scooters are catching so quickly, Yanocha said. A regulatory soft touch Local governments around the country have been almost as quick to regulate the industry as new riders have been to hop on. Ramsey said thats a departure from their reaction to ride-hailing. As the popularity of Uber and Lyft exploded five years ago, transforming metro transportation and threatening the taxi business, local officials scrambled to figure out how best to regulate the newcomers. When ride-share arrived in San Antonio, city officials rushed to devise rules amid an outcry from cab companies about passengers safety and the financial impact on their business and drivers. But the resulting ordinance was deemed too burdensome, and the ride-hailing companies abandoned San Antonio streets. They later returned after the city council adopted a compromise ordinance in 2015 with the aid of Councilman Roberto Trevino and industry advocacy group Tech Bloc. On ExpressNews.com: As e-scooters attract riders in San Antonio, officials look to regulate them, but not too much When e-scooters rolled into San Antonio earlier this year, city leaders used a soft touch in developing regulations. A six-month pilot program began in October, with rules for riders that include yielding to pedestrians, staying off the River Walk and using bike lanes when possible. Companies must have insurance, employ a local fleet manager, quickly correct violations and pay vendor and vehicle fees. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio approves e-scooter rules Im excited about the fact that we demonstrated here in San Antonio that we can accommodate a brand-new technology for which theres really no regulatory scheme, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said in October. Having rules in place that improve public safety for riders and pedestrians without driving up costs too high for dockless scooter companies to compete could help the industry grow. San Antonio officials said theyll use data on local ridership, citations and accidents, along with public testimony, to craft the final regulations. Theyre also working on a safety campaign. A wave of consolidation? As funding from investors has poured in, more startups have jumped into the mix. The potential for growth is significant, Gartners Ramsey said, but the potential for consolidation is also significant. Dockless scooter and bike companies have had an easy time breaking into markets because their startup costs are relatively low, said Bill Barker, an urban planning professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. But competition among the scooter companies could get fierce, he said. Lime, Razor, Bird and Blue Duck Scooters are already operating in San Antonio, and Spin, Wind and JUMPs scooters and e-bikes will likely be arriving soon. On ExpressNews.com: Scooters on San Antonio streets to multiply as two more companies want in While Lime does not disclose ridership statistics for specific cities, Sam Sadle, the companys director of government relations and strategic development, said in an email they scale the size of our scooter fleet based on demand. San Antonio is appealing because of the warm climate, residents interest and the numerous parts of town where scooters are a better fit than cars, Sadle said. San Antonio is open to new mobility ideas, he added. Razor has deployed several hundred scooters in the Alamo City, Chief Operating Officer Danny Simon said in an email, and recently rolled out the Razor Share EcoSmart, a scooter with a seat and basket. Locally based Blue Duck launched in San Antonio with 25 scooters in July and has since added another 125, according to Chief Marketing Officer Elizabeth Houston. The startup has also expanded to Corpus Christi and expects to add more markets in early 2019. Customers have taken more than 11,000 rides on Blue Duck scooters since Oct. 1, according to the company. Theyre here for the long-term, Houston said of e-scooters, and San Antonio is becoming a model city for micro-mobility. A representative from Bird could not be reached for comment. Traveling the final leg Fast-growing, second-tier cities such as San Antonio tend to sprawl, making the last, short distance to your destination after finding a parking space or getting off the bus more of a challenge, said Steven Pedigo, who directs New York Universitys School of Professional Studies Urban Lab at the Schack Institute of Real Estate. Small-scale transportation systems can help people get from one neighborhood to another, he said. But cities have to address questions about safety and congestion, including where the scooters will be parked and stored. It cant just be the Wild West, Pedigo said. How companies will deal with upkeep as well as damage to and even the destruction of their equipment is another question. In some places, people annoyed by the proliferation of e-scooters have gone as far as tossing them into trash cans and lakes. Some have burned them. One of the business problems with dockless bikes and scooters is that people will destroy them, UTSAs Barker said. How much vandalism goes on is going to be an important factor in their success. Scooters and e-bikes have real potential in markets like San Antonio, where the weather is warm and the traffic is worsening, said Paul Mackie, director of research and communications at Mobility Lab in Arlington, Va. But figuring out how many scooters cities can support is crucial. If city governments allow too few, for example, companies might focus on high-traffic spots such downtown areas and skip suburbs and low-income neighborhoods. They have to be readily available, too. Thats something thats been missing in transit, Mackie said. People arent sure when the bus or train is going to come, so they default to cars. E-scooters arent a cure-all for all the small gaps in a citys transportation system. In fact, they have a few obvious drawbacks. For example, they can be hard to use with bags in tow or when its raining. They have a niche, Barker said. It remains to be seen whether another technology will replace them. madison.iszler@express-news.net Brett McGurk, the U.S. envoy to the international coalition fighting the Islamic State, has resigned in protest of President Donald Trump's decision to abruptly withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. His resignation, confirmed by a State Department official familiar with the matter, comes on the heels of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' announced departure earlier this week because of differences with the White House over foreign policy, immediately following Trump's announcement on Syria. Mattis said he would stay on until February to ensure a smooth transition. Both Mattis and McGurk objected to what they saw as shortsighted decision and a breach of faith with U.S. allies including the Syrian Kurds, who fought alongside U.S. forces in Syria and now face a dangerous and uncertain future. For Trump, the long-serving officials are the first high-profile departures in protest of his policy decisions. McGurk had already planned to leave by mid-February to take up a year-long post at Stanford University in March. Instead, he submitted his resignation letter, effective Dec. 31, to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo late Friday. In a tweet Saturday evening, Trump asked if McGurk was a "Grandstander." "The Fake News is making such a big deal about this nothing event," Trump wrote. The resignations send a worrying signal to foreign partners whose support is crucial to containing the Islamic State, said former officials. Trump this week ordered the withdrawal of all 2,000 or so U.S. troops from Syria and declared the Islamic State defeated. The move blindsided senior officials and ran counter to his own top aides' advice, including that of Mattis. "We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency," Trump tweeted on Wednesday, a day before Mattis announced his resignation. But earlier this month, McGurk said that the Islamic State was far from vanquished despite its loss of territory. "Nobody working on these issues day to day is complacent. Nobody is declaring a mission accomplished," McGurk said at a State Department briefing. "Defeating a physical caliphate is one phase of a much longer-term campaign." McGurk, appointed to the job in 2015 by President Barack Obama and retained by Trump, had long maintained that the U.S. mission in Syria should focus on countering the Islamic State rather than wider regional ambitions such as the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad, said diplomats who worked with him over the years. Like many administration officials dealing with counter-Islamic State policy, McGurk was taken aback when Trump national security adviser John Bolton announced in September that U.S. forces would stay there for the indefinite future as part of a plan to counter Iran-a new goal for the deployment. "We're not going to leave as long as Iranian troops are outside Iranian borders and that includes Iranian proxies and militias," Bolton said. At the time, the Syria policy had been loosely based on a likely drawdown by the end of 2019, and McGurk and others were doubtful that Trump, who had repeatedly insisted he wanted to leave Syria, was fully cognizant of or had signed off on the new decision. McGurk meanwhile was seeking to stabilize the eastern third of Syria, which had been liberated from the militants and was under U.S. control. Trump had announced that the United States would no longer pay to help restore vital services such as electricity and water to towns and cities destroyed by combat, including heavy U.S. air bombardment, and McGurk successfully solicited coalition contributions to cover the financial shortfall. Aside from Mattis' resignation, the most significant factor in McGurk's decision was an inability to reconcile the president's decision with his experience as the U.S. diplomat who "spent time with the guys on the ground who have been fighting and dying," including Kurdish fighters in Syria, said an official familiar with his views. "To just suddenly, in one split second" have to tell them the United States was leaving, "is hard to face." Even so, the official said, McGurk had always told the fighters "you cannot count on us for a longterm stay," and advised them to start thinking about Syria's future after the Islamic State's defeat. Numerous U.S. officials have said that final territorial defeat remains months away, and that thousands of militant "sleeper cells" throughout Syria have been conducting guerrilla attacks in liberated areas and are awaiting a U.S. departure to reorganize. The United States began airstrikes in 2014 against Islamic State strongholds in Syria, a country already riven by civil war since 2011. U.S. ground troops entered the country in 2015 to provide support to the Kurdish-led forces fighting the militant group. McGurk, who played a leading role in negotiating the 2011 U.S. withdrawal from Iraq for Obama, sought ways to forge alliances in a region rife with sectarian and other rivalries. He was, for instance, the driving force behind the creation of the Syrian Democratic Forces, led by Kurds but also including Arabs - a move that he hoped would assuage Turkish concerns. The Syrian Kurdish militia, the YPG, is closely affiliated with the PKK, which is regarded as a terrorist organization by both Turkey and the United States. The move, though, never fully satisfied any of the parties. And with the pending U.S. withdrawal, what happens to the SDF's 60,000 fighters is unknown. Speculation has ranged from an all-out battle with Turkish forces currently massed on the border, to a Kurdish deal with Assad that would put the SDF under the control of Assad allies Russia and Iran. Several U.S. officials said late last week that the ongoing status of the U.S. air war, which has been engaged in daily strikes against a remaining ISIS pocket in southeastern Syria, also remains unclear. McGurk's tenacity and personal touch in building relationships served the counter-ISIS effort well, colleagues said. He met face-to-face with Kurdish and Arab leaders of the SDF, and was a constant presence in Baghdad and Irbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, becoming the most recognizable American official in the country at a time when an Islamic State blitz threatened both capitals. "At the end of the day he was focused on defeating ISIS," said one former official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the matter's sensitivity. "All of his engagements make this [Syria decision] untenable because there's a betrayal to foreign partners." McGurk valued partnerships, not only with the Kurds but with the British and the French, opposing a rapid withdrawal that left America's commitment to those partners in limbo, said one diplomat, who was not authorized to speak about U.S. personnel. His departure likely will complicate the counter-ISIS effort, said former officials. "Anybody coming into this role will have a very difficult time being credible with our foreign partners," said Nicholas Rasmussen, former director of the National Counterterrorism Center under Presidents Obama and Trump. "Obviously our diplomats are only as credible as the willingness of their country to live up to their commitments, and that has been undermined significantly in this case." - - - The Washington Post's Liz Sly in Beirut, Tamer El-Ghobashy in Toronto and Anne Gearan in Washington contributed to this report. --- Video Embed Code Video: A bipartisan group of senators on Dec. 20 urged President Trump to reconsider his announced withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Syria.(Patrick Martin/The Washington Post) Embed code: DALLAS In spring of 2017, Edward Titche Elementary School, routinely rated one of Dallas ISDs lowest-performing campuses, was a long way from being a model for the rest of Texas. Damien Stovall, who would take over as principal the following fall, remembers touring the school. He found children prekindergarteners included aimlessly wandering the building during class hours. Inside the classroom was not much better, he said. You had students using profanity, teachers arguing back and forth with the kids. The description of students from teachers to me was awful, Stovall said. Weve seen and heard many things about the school that were unnerving. In his first days as principal, Stovall started by setting the most basic of expectations for students: how to walk in the hallways. A little more than a year later, on a recent Thursday morning, students quietly moved in orderly single-file lines through the halls of Titche as elevator music played outside the schools library and front entrance. Students in colorful classrooms attentively took tests and tended to worksheets, their teachers buzzing across the rooms offering assistance. By installing a new principal, replacing nearly all of Titche Elementarys educators with highly-rated teachers and setting clear standards for students, order had been restored. Along the way, so had Titches academic standing. After five consecutive years of an improvement required rating under the states academic accountability system, the elementary school scored an 88 this year, equivalent to a B grade. The campus also jumped from eighth-worst to second-best under Dallas internal School Effectiveness Indices, which measure student progress at each campus. The remarkable improvement at Titche and several other chronically low-performing Dallas schools has earned widespread acclaim from Texas education leaders and politicians in recent months, and has the potential to help shape education policy across the state. As Texas legislators consider overhauling the states much-maligned school finance system next year, several powerful education officials are pushing to create policies that reward districts for adopting campus transformation methods similar to Dallas. Most of their campuses really did knock the roof off, which is pretty amazing, said Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath, who served as a Dallas ISD school board member from 2011 to 2015. It really speaks to the idea that demography is not destiny. Even students from the most challenging circumstances can perform at extraordinarily high levels. Dallas turnaround initiative, known as Accelerating Campus Excellence, or ACE, is built on a simple premise: putting the best educators in front of the neediest kids. Large, urban school districts have struggled for decades to entice high-performing teachers to work in high-poverty neighborhoods, where students often present greater academic and behavioral challenges. In Houston ISD, for example, students in the districts highest-need schools are half as likely to have a teacher rated highly effective when compared to their peers, even after educators were offered $5,000 bonuses to work at those campuses. Dallas has bucked that trend at its 10 ACE campuses, home to about 6,000 students. Under the ACE model, Dallas leaders replaced each campus principal with an experienced administrator who had produced results in other long-struggling schools. The district then empowered the principals to replace virtually their entire teaching staffs with educators who scored well on the districts rigorous, data-driven evaluation model, known as the Teacher Excellence Initiative. To entice employees to work in ACE schools, the district offered top-rated educators bonuses ranging from $6,000 to $12,000, depending on the teachers evaluation rating. Dallas also refurbished each campus, provided additional funding for social services and extended the school day by one hour. The initiative remains relatively new six schools started the program in 2015, with four more added in 2017 but the early returns are promising: At the first six ACE schools, the percentage of teachers rated proficient, exemplary or master has increased from 24 percent before the initiative to 75 percent this year. The 10 schools averaged a B-level grade, with one school earning an A-level grade, under Texas accountability ratings system. Several schools last year ranked among the top performers under Dallas School Effectiveness Indices, led by Rusk Middle School (second out of 41 middle schools) and Blanton Elementary School (fifth out of 150 elementary schools). In- and out-of-school suspensions are down at all 10 campuses, highlighted by Titche Elementary cutting its total from 245 in 2016-17 to 29 in 2017-18. Teachers at most ACE schools reported levels of satisfaction with campus culture and trust that exceeded district averages last year. When we shifted the proficient teachers to schools like Titche, we saw the dramatic shift, said Shatara Stokes, director of the ACE schools program. It takes the focus away from what kids cant do. Now, its what they can do and the conditions they need to succeed. Turning promise into policy Several state leaders have touted Dallas promising results in recent months, suggesting other school districts should implement similar practices. Gov. Greg Abbott highlighted Dallas reforms and results in a presentation this fall on school finance reform, as first reported by the Texas Tribune. Morath often cites the districts efforts in public speeches. In July, members of the Texas Commission on Public School Finance, a bipartisan group of legislators, educators and advocates appointed by Abbott to make recommendations for system reforms, suggested the state should employ specific systemic incentives to ensure a sufficient number of our better teachers work in high-need schools. Commission members cited Dallas ACE initiative, writing that it has shown the tremendous potential of this strategy. Its no secret in education circles that schools surrounded by generational poverty, in neighborhoods with lots of challenges, have a hard time keeping the best teachers. Thats just fact, said state Rep. Diego Bernal, D-San Antonio, vice chair of the Texas House of Representatives Public Education Committee and a school finance commission member. (Districts) have to figure out how to crack that code, and Dallas ISD has done that. Still, turning Dallas reforms into statewide policy could face roadblocks. Legislators and education leaders largely agree that districts should receive more state funding if they implement systems similar to ACE, but they have not crafted any parameters for qualifying for money. I think theres bipartisan support for doing something like this, but the approach seems to matter to people quite a bit, Bernal said. It would have to be done delicately. One point of contention could be the extent to which lawmakers require districts to employ teacher evaluation tools in exchange for increased state funding. Abbott and other Republican leaders often couple their praise of Dallas with commendation of the districts teacher evaluation and merit pay systems. Morath said the districts ACE initiative is inextricably linked to its teacher evaluation tool. Some teachers unions, however, often argue that educator evaluation tools can be unfair and overly reliant on students standardized test scores. I dont believe that its the (evaluation tool thats causing this progress at all, said Rena Honea, president of the Alliance-AFT, a union representing about 5,500 teachers and support staff in Dallas. They evaluators have been forced to go into classrooms and work with teachers again. That interaction and those conversations have helped, for the most part. It also is unclear whether any legislation would be rolled into a comprehensive overhaul of Texas school finance system, which has not been significantly reformed since 1993. State Rep. Dennis Bonnen, an Angleton Republican who is expected to become Speaker of the House next year, has said school finance reform is his top legislative priority headed into the 2019 session, though success is far from certain. Its working smarter A few Texas school districts including Houston ISD already have adopted similar tactics for raising achievement at chronically lower-performing schools. Garland and Richardson ISDs, which both border Dallas, have implemented versions of ACE in their districts this school year. Garland uses the initiative at two campuses and Richardson has phased it in at four schools. While Garlands model mirrors Dallas, it is different in key ways. The district offers flat salary incentives of $10,000 to teachers, rather than rating-based pay increases. Garland does not use a teacher evaluation system for rating educators, though it does analyze testing data to identify teachers whose minority and impoverished students have shown significant academic growth. We were turning over with brand new baby teachers, brand new baby principals. They may work hard, but they dont have the experience to meet the students challenges and needs, said Jovan Wells, Garlands chief academic officer. This strategic staffing model is a whole other level for us. Its working smarter. At HISD, which has faced potential state sanctions tied to chronically low performance at several campuses the past two years, district officials last year adopted some reforms that mirror ACE under a program called Achieve 180: staff salary incentives, more professional development opportunities, increased supports for students emotional and social well-being. The two programs, however, have diverged in several areas. HISD initially spread its initiative across 42 schools, compared to Dallass six campuses. The district also offered smaller teacher salary bonuses of $5,000, and it did not require teachers to possess strong performance ratings to work in Achieve 180 schools. HISD also reported average first-year staff turnover of nearly 50 percent at Achieve 180 campuses, significantly lower than Dallas. Additionally, HISD did not see more highly-rated teachers move into Achieve 180 campuses. We just push for principals to select highly effective teachers, but theres no system in place to approve the teachers hired at each particular campus, said Felicia Adams, HISDs area superintendent over Achieve 180. HISD allows principals significantly more autonomy to hire teachers than campus leaders in most school districts. Still, HISD saw some positive results from the program. Prior to Achieve 180s implementation, 25 schools covered under the initiative failed to meet state academic standards in 2017; that number fell to 10 in 2018. Most schools saw positive growth in math and reading compared to prior years though few matched the immediate turnaround of Dallas ACE schools. As Dallas and Houston officials have trumpeted their successes, they have had to pinch pennies elsewhere to cover costs for their initiatives. HISD dedicated about $16 million in new spending on Achieve 180 in 2017-18, which required offsetting cuts as the district grappled with a budget shortfall of about $100 million. Dallas leaders, who allocated about $7 million on ACE in 2017-18, asked local voters in November to approve a tax increase that, in part, funded continuing the initiative. About 60 percent of voters approved the request. I think the community responded positively to the results, Stokes said. It helps restore trust in the district to say youre making decisions that are really for students. jacob.carpenter@chron.com twitter.com/chronjacob When retired Gen. James Mattis was named the nations 26th secretary of defense, a fellow Marine sent him a congratulatory message saying that family, friends and neighbors were delighted because they were sure hed always do the right thing. Retired Lt. Gen. Paul Van Riper closed the letter by saying he would pray for Mattis every night. I will live up to the performance and ethical standards that I learned from the Vietnam generation that raised me in the Corps, Mattis wrote back to Van Riper, who led a rifle company in Vietnam and had been his mentor since the late 1980s. Thanks for the prayers. Ill need every one of them. At the end of last week, Van Riper was thinking of another prayer to say after Mattis penned a stunning resignation letter in the wake of President Trumps abrupt order to begin pulling U.S. troops out of Syria. The administration also announced it would cut the number of U.S. troops by half in Afghanistan amid talks with the Taliban. The resignation struck many as a marker that showed just how far Mattis and Trump had drifted apart. Some saw it as a smack-down of Trump at the hands of the legendary Mattis, known for a 41-year Marine Corps career, a 5,000-book library and sayings that resonate throughout an insurgent warfare-scarred military, one of them, Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet. Still others saw it as simply an expression of political reality, noting Mattis own words. We must do everything possible to advance an international order that is most conducive to our security, prosperity and values, and we are strengthened in this effort by the solidarity of our alliances, Mattis wrote in his resignation letter. Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position. OnExpressNews.com: GIs arriving in Texas for border mission, but why? Administration critics, and some Republicans, who interpreted the letter as a pointed critique of Trumps foreign policy, raised concerns about how the resignation might affect the United States relationship with its allies. Carl Bildt, European Council of Foreign Relations co-chair, wrote on Twitter early Friday, the day after Mattis announced his resignation, A morning of alarm in Europe. Citing Bildt, retired Army Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling tweeted, The number of messages Ive received from former colleagues in European Armies in the last 12 hours confirm this. Hertling retired six years ago as commander of U.S. Army Europe. I was surprised, said retired Army Lt. Gen. Guy Swan, a former commander of U.S. Army North in San Antonio, referring to Mattis resignation. I thought that he was on firmer ground with the president. Its clear over the last several months that advice that he has given hasnt always been received well by the president and I think it got to the point where as he said in his letter the president is entitled to a secretary of defense that is more aligned with his views. Retired Gen. Ronald Fogleman, who as Air Force chief of staff was the last high-ranking Pentagon official to resign on principle in 1997, struck the same theme, telling the San Antonio Express-News, It is important that he does not in that letter say, I disagree with the direction youre taking the country, I disagree with the direction youre taking the military. What he says in that letter is, You deserve to have people serve with you who think like you do. He added: Everybody uses this president as a punching bag. Its BS. Hes the president of the United States and hasnt been treated that way by the opposition, by lots of people in Washington. I just find that really distasteful. And so everybodys looking for another opportunity to kick this guy in the ribs and theyll probably use this Mattis departure to do that. And I dont think Mattis is interested in kicking the president in the ribs as he leaves. I think Mattis is trying to point out to people the way the system works. Fogleman said he took early retirement after finding himself out of step with the thinking of other members of the Joint Chiefs and Defense Secretary William Cohen, a former Republican senator from Maine who served under President Bill Clinton. Like Swan and others, retired Gen. Mark Welsh III, a former Air Force chief, cautioned against drawing interpretations beyond the fact that Mattis and Trump disagreed on some issues. He feels the president would be better served by a secretary of defense who is more aligned with his thinking and I wouldnt read too much into it other than that exactly what he said, said Welsh, a San Antonio native who is dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M. Yet others, one of them U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, were disturbed. This is bad news for the nation and the security of the world, he said on Twitter. Andrew Bacevich, a retired Boston University professor of international relations, indicated he understands why Mattis resigned. The troubling aspect of the Syrian decision is the lack of process. We have a president who makes decisions on impulse, going with his gut. In effect, his senior advisers become irrelevant, Bacevich said. Mattis had planned on retiring Feb. 28, but Trump on Sunday said Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan would replace him Jan. 1. When President Obama ingloriously fired Jim Mattis, I gave him a second chance. Some thought I shouldnt, I thought I should. Interesting relationship but I also gave all of the resources that he never really had, Trump said in a tweet. Allies are very important but not when they take advantage of U.S. Thomas E. Ricks, author of Fiasco, The Generals and Churchill and Orwell The Fight for Freedom, said that, in 2013, Mattis learned Obama had fired him in a note passed to him by an aide. READ ALSO: Decisive and profane, Mattis seen as the pure warrior Mattis was a national security scholar at the Hoover Institution in 2016 when he came under consideration for the Pentagons top job. He had retired from the corps a few years earlier, requiring the Senate Armed Services Committee to waive a rule requiring candidates for Cabinet posts to have been out of the armed forces for seven years. The rule sought to preserve the image if not the reality of civilian control, and some who counted themselves as friends and admirers of Mattis were nonetheless nervous about granting the waiver. Still, he wasnt the only general who would come into the administration. Marine Gen. John Kelly would head Homeland Security and later serve as chief of staff. Retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, would briefly serve as national security adviser. For those nervous about Trumps many statements of praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Rodrigo Duterte, president of the Philippines, and Trumps often negative comments about NATO and the European Union, Mattis was welcomed as a guardrail who would prevent rash actions. But not everybody saw it that way. When asked about Mattis two years ago, retired Gen. Eugene Habiger acknowledged him as an outstanding leader, but said he wasnt worried that Mattis would be needed to prevent the president from going too far. That hasnt changed. I bristle at the characterization that he was the adult in the room, said Habiger, a San Antonio resident who led the Air Forces Strategic Command. I think thats a characterization of the left-wing media, to be very candid with you. There are lots of people in the Department of Defense who have a steady hand on the tiller. Welsh, the former Air Force chief, said many people talk about Mattiss nature as a warrior, but said he also has a servants heart and believes in serving his country honorably. Welsh remains optimistic. I think we will in the future have great leadership in these positions again, and Im just sorry to see this particular great leader leaving at this time, Welsh said, referring to Mattis. For his part, Van Riper thinks no one comes close to Mattis. There are stories about his old friend he keeps close to heart. Theres the time Mattis, then a two-star general, left his post as a division commander in the Iraq war and came home. Rather than immerse himself in his library, Mattis hit the road, crisscrossing the county to visit the families of Marines who had been killed under his command. He was so devoted to his troops that a commandant of the corps found found him serving as the officer of the day at Christmas. The reason? So a captain could spend the holiday with his family. OnExpressNews.com: Trump wants border wall built with military spending Years before, as a young officer, Mattis became involved with a woman who feared the long separations that awaited them as a couple if he stayed with the corps. As she pushed him to give up the Marines, friends tried to tell her what the corps meant to him. In the end, he married the Marines, surrounded by his world of books. Thats why they called him the warrior monk, Van Riper said. When he exits the Pentagon, Mattis will return to his home library. Van Riper recalls the time that his old friend set down a schedule three hours of physical fitness training followed by six hours of reading. He might get back to that again. That, for Van Riper, is a shame. He thinks Mattis is not only the most important person in the Trump administration but a senior defense official the likes of which the United States hasnt seen since George C. Marshall, who oversaw the Army during World War II and later served as secretary of state, developing the plan that revitalized western Europe. Mattis, in my mind, rates as the sort of statesman we used to have, he said. We havent had those sorts of statesmen since the early stages of the Cold War. When asked what happens after Mattis is gone, Van Riper replied, Pray. sigc@express-news.net A San Antonio couples dream of returning Christmas lights and a universal spirit of good will to Alamo Plaza resulted in the revival of a tall, glowing Christmas tree in one of San Antonios most sacred and cherished public places a tradition that dates more than a century back but faces an uncertain future today. In 1983, businessman Harry Leeper, a native San Antonian, and his new bride, Rossana, who had grown up in the European-style countryside of Connecticut, had just begun living on the top floor of the four-story, early 1890s Reuter Building on the plaza. From that vantage point, they noticed something off: Alamo Plaza was a darkened dead zone amid the colorful lights that filled downtown San Antonio during the holidays. We wanted to illuminate Alamo Plaza because it was pitch black when we returned from our honeymoon, said Harry Leeper, a real estate broker and former tour trolley operator. It was just a big black hole, his wife added. So they began working with Ron Darner, the citys parks and recreation director, to donate 4,000 white lights for the 13 oak trees in the plaza. A yuletide renaissance that followed in the 10 years they lived downtown, including the return of a giant community tree that had been missing for more than a decade, felt like a second childhood, filled with dreamy holiday memories. It gathered so many people, and it was such a delight in every way, shape and form, Rossana said. On ExpressNews.com: Protesters say Christmas tree should be at Alamo Newspapers and historians have recorded many Christmases at the Alamo, with incandescent lights and wreaths adorning the iconic church in the late 1800s in disregard of todays preservation standards for a fragile, mid-1700s limestone structure. In 1913, the San Antonio Express reported that San Antonios first community Christmas tree would be illuminated in Alamo Plaza on Christmas Eve, under the coordination of the Rotary Club, to unite all of the people in celebrating peace on earth and good will toward men. The 50-foot tree from Kerr County would be adorned with tinsel, shiny ornaments, oranges, apples and colored lights, and celebrated with the singing of carols and gifts for needy children, and the whole affair promises to be one of the most unique Christmas celebrations ever held in the Southwest, the Express announced. The Express also published a public appeal from John B. Carrington, a publicist who later founded the Texas Cavaliers and pioneered San Antonios Fiesta traditions, to broaden the Christmas spirit to embrace sharing and community. This movement should grow and expand until it becomes one great community Christmas where all may come and commingle out in the open, Carrington told a local Christmas Cheer Committee. The next year, Santa and volunteers gave some 2,000 indigent children toys and bags of fruit and mixed nuts on the night of Dec. 23 in the plaza, where a great 40-foot Christmas tree, resplendent in its hundreds of electric lights, shone like the guiding light on a storm-beaten coast. The traditional tree in Alamo Plaza continued for decades, with the city parks department building an artificial one a telephone pole and steel frame covered in whole cedars and boughs. But the city abandoned the tradition by the mid-1970s. Holiday lights on the River Walk became a new local custom while the plaza was renovated with new landscaping and street alignments. The Leepers role in local Christmas lore was to bring lights back to the plaza. On Dec. 1, 1984, historian Henry Guerra and Mayor Henry Cisneros officiated at the first Alamo Plaza Lighting Ceremony. Some 300 people attended as illumination returned to the Alamo. Cisneros said it would become an annual event. A giant New Years Eve party in San Antonio the following year, including a fireworks show, centered on Alamo Plaza as the city rang in the start of 1986 the Texas sesquicentennial and 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Alamo. According to archives, Cisneros told public relations executive Lionel Sosa, who had offices on the plaza, that the one thing missing was a giant Christmas tree. With sponsorship from one of Sosas clients, Kroger supermarkets, and revenues from sales of a poster of that New Years celebration, a giant tree returned to the plaza in December 1986. The Leepers, who had bought a Christmas tree from a lot on Austin Highway owned by Jim Schillert, tasked him with finding the largest tree he could in Michigan. He brought in a 40-foot Douglas fir. The Leepers then turned to a close friend, interior decorator Roberto Esparza, to spruce it up. Esparza used red cotten swags with bows, coated in plastic for weatherproofing, and tiny white lights to decorate the tree in a simple, classic style. Several years later, parade float designer-builder Jaime Vega led an effort to return a giant Santa figure to the roof of the historic Joskes building, reviving another Alamo Plaza tradition from the 1950s to 70s that Harry Leeper recalled from his boyhood. San Antonios official Christmas tree, with an annual lighting held the evening after Thanksgiving, right before tens of thousands of lights are illuminated on the River Walk for the Holiday River parade, remained in Alamo Plaza for 30 years. Last year, it moved to Travis Park to provide more space for programming, such as food trucks, movie screenings and visits with Santa. Thousands of people packed the park Nov. 23 to see this years official tree, a blue spruce from Michigan, illuminated in a brilliant swirl of red and white lights. H-E-B sponsors the annual tree lighting, as a prelude to San Antonios river parade to kick off the holiday season. H-E-B also donated a 20-foot tree in Alamo Plaza for this year. Decorated with lights and ornaments, San Antonians and visitors can pose for snapshots by a tree, with the renowned Alamo church in the background, as they have in previous years. But that may soon change. The public-private makeover planned for the plaza, with construction from 2020 to 2023, will convert it to an outdoor interpretive space focusing on the sites history as an 1836 battle site and the Mission San Antonio de Valero, which operated there from 1724 to 1793. On ExpressNews.com: Uncertain future for Alamo Plazas Christmas tree tradition City and state officials overseeing the Alamo plan have said they want to preserve local customs. But its too early to say whether a Christmas tree will continue to be placed directly in front of the church. It now has been 35 years since Harry and Rossana Leeper thought of bringing Christmas back to Alamo Plaza. Some who helped, including Darner, Guerra and Esparza, have died. But the Leepers would like the tradition of a tree in the plaza left intact, in some form, even if Christmas continues in Travis Park, Main Plaza and other public spaces downtown. It would be in keeping with the original function of that Christian mission that there be a celebration of Christmas there, said Harry Leeper. Maybe that would be a great way to punctuate completion of the new Alamo Plaza. The city owes it to itself to keep the universal spirit of community in the historic plaza, Rossana Leeper said. Were such a cultural city, a beautiful city that people all over the world love, and I think thats part of the magic of having it in Alamo Plaza, she said. Scott Huddleston is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | shuddleston@express-news.net | Twitter: @shuddlestonSA Lord Ayyappa devotees held protest outside the residence of Bindu at Perinthalmanna in Malappuram. Bindu from Malapurram and Durga from Kozhikode were escorted by the police but were forced to return from Appachimedu. (Representational Image | PTI) Sabarimala: In yet another failed attempt, two women of menstruating age trekking to Sabarimala temple to offer prayers to lord Ayyappa were turned back by protesters. Bindu from Malapurram and Durga from Kozhikode were escorted by the police but were forced to return from Appachimedu, two kilometres away from the hill top shrine, when protesters stopped them from trekking further. They were brought back to Pamba base camp. Meanwhile, lord Ayyappa devotees held protest outside the residence of Bindu at Perinthalmanna in Malappuram. Kerala: Lord Ayyappa devotees hold protest in Perinthalmanna, Malappuram, outside the residence of Bindu, a woman devotee who began the trek to #SabarimalaTemple today morning. She is being brought back to Pampa base camp now following protests against her entry to the temple. pic.twitter.com/d8XcPAohhF ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2018 Both Bindu and Durga started to trek to Sabarimala in the wee hours of Monday under heavy police protection. "We are here to seek 'darshan' (offer prayers) of Lord Ayyappa. The Supreme Court order must be enforced and hope, police will provide us security," Bindu told media while on the way to Sabarimala. On Sunday, the Sabarimala foothills had witnessed high drama as hundreds of devotees blocked paths and chased away a group of 11 women of menstruating age being escorted to the hill shrine by police. Kerala had witnessed massive protests by devotees and the BJP opposing the apex court verdict of September 28 permitting women of all age groups into the shrine. Thousands of devotees have gathered at the foothills of the shrine as the first phase of the annual pilgrimage season to Sabarimala comes to an end in the next three days. The BJP has started protesting in front of the houses of these women against their attempt to trek the hill. The bid of the 11 women, who were members of a Chennai-based women empowerment outfit, 'Manithi', to reach the shrine to offer prayers was unsuccessful on Sunday as they were forced to return by protesting devotees. The trek to Sabarimla starts from Pamba, which is around 4 kilometers from the hilltop shrine. The first phase of the 41-day long annual pilgrim season at the Lord Ayyappa temple would culminate on December 27 with the puja. Over a dozen women, including a journalist and an activist of menstruating age, had also earlier tried to trek to the shrine, nestled in the forests of Western Ghats, but could not make it due to protests by devotees and right-wing activists. The Kerala High Court earlier this month had appointed a three-member committee, vesting them with powers to oversee law and order and other problems faced by pilgrims during the ongoing annual season. Sarah Lum is no stranger to diabetes or the daily necessity of taking insulin injections. The 30-year-old mother has lived with Type 2 diabetes for more than a decade, and the condition runs in her family. Her mother, uncle and grandfather were all diagnosed with it. Lum does not mind needles, but shes aware that her mother now deals with scar tissue resulting from two decades of insulin shots. That was one of the reasons she decided to enroll in a clinical trial in San Antonio for a form of oral insulin. Over the course of 12 weeks, Lum will be taking three capsules a day before meals. The drug was developed by the Israel-based Oramed Pharmaceuticals, which is testing it in an ongoing phase two trial at about three dozen sites across the United States, including in Texas. My whole familys got it, so I got to do something to help them out, Lum said. It feels pretty great to know theres an easier way to take insulin, hopefully, in the future, without having to stick yourself over and over again. Dr. Douglas Denham, medical director of Clinical Trials of Texas and principal investigator of the local trial Lum is participating in, said there would be several benefits associated with an oral version of insulin, if it is ultimately approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Taking a pill rather than a shot could be a major improvement for diabetics who are averse to injections, he said. While Lum is not bothered by needles, she knows the experience of taking shots can be uncomfortable for other diabetics. Theres a lot of people that are still squeamish in general, even if they still take insulin, she said. Oral insulin could also lead to improved medication compliance among patients because of ease of use, Denham said. Research has found that adherence to medications is poor among people with chronic conditions, including diabetics, with only half of those patients taking their medications as prescribed. If we can find a way to get it to them so they can get it on a regular basis, I think long term its going to be wonderful, a great therapeutic advantage for us, Denham said. Lum said it was less time consuming to take insulin orally, and the regimen had the added benefit of forcing her to eat more regularly. Physicians are also hopeful that orally taken insulin could lead to fewer side effects, Denham said. When insulin is administered via injection, it has to travel through the bloodstream to get to the liver, and some of the insulin may get trapped along the way. As a result, patients need more insulin when it is done by injection, putting the patient at risk for low blood sugar or weight gain. Oral insulin, however, is designed to imitate the way that the body would naturally process insulin as it works its way through the digestive system to get to the liver, Denham said. Were trying to mimic how the body normally, in a nondiabetic, would function, he said. Lauren Caruba covers health care and medicine in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | lcaruba@express-news.net | Twitter: @LaurenCaruba The shutdown of the federal government did little to dampen the enthusiasm of tourists who made their way to Mission San Jose on Sunday for some pre-Christmas sightseeing. Several didnt even realize that San Jose, along with missions Concepcion, San Juan and Espada that comprise the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park, was officially closed. Despite the shutdown, most of the federally-operated park remains accessible by the public. The Mission San Jose parking lot was open, the grounds were open, even the bells atop the Catholic church, which is run by the Archdiocese of San Antonio and remains open, rang out as Sunday services began. I didnt know the government was shut down until you just told me, said Shannon Adams, visiting the mission from Waxahachie. And I couldnt tell that the mission was closed either. The missions, along with large parts of the federal government, have been closed since Dec. 22 when Congress and the White House failed to reach an agreement on a stopgap spending bill that President Donald Trump insisted would include funding for a border wall. With lawmakers home for the Christmas holiday, the impasses is expected to continue at least until Thursday. Federal shutdowns closed the missions for three days in in January and 16 days in October 2013. The Alamo is owned and operated by the state and isnt affected by the federal shutdown. Within the Mission San Jose compound, nothing seemed amiss Sunday. Children scrambled over and around the ancient stone walls while their parents read the descriptive signage, admired the famed Rose Window and poked around the reconstructed rooms of the Convento, where Spanish missionaries lived and worked. But the nearby visitor center, where restrooms are located, was locked up tight, a sign in the window reading, in part, (National Park Service) personnel will not be available to provide guidance, assistance, maintenance, or emergency response. Any entry onto NPS property during a period of federal government shutdown is at the visitors sole risk. On ExpressNews.com: A federal shutdown would affect access at San Antonio missions Sunday was the first time the Lu family of Tulsa, Oklahoma, had visited San Jose. Dad George, a real shutterbug, said that he knew about the government shutdown, but hadnt realized it would affect the missions. Were still enjoying the park, but I hope they can come up with a good way to maintain it and keep it in good shape, he said. Its not a good feeling to see a national park shut down for a political issue. Although the park service gift shop was among the facilities shuttered, the church gift shop remained open and, as during previous government shutdowns, was doing a brisk business. We continue to welcome tourists even though we have to explain that the shutdown has nothing to do with us, said Mary Casias, who was working behind the counter Sunday morning. We had a very good day yesterday. Both our rooms were packed with shoppers. Some visitors said they didnt care about the shutdown as long as they could use a bathroom the church bathrooms are open while at least one thought the park service buildings were closed because it was a Sunday. On ExpressNews.com: How Mission San Jose might have looked 300 years ago Groundskeeper Manuel Garcia works for the Archdiocese, so he was on hand in case he was needed as the Sunday church services went on as scheduled. Once the final service ended at 1 p.m., the church opened to visitors. San Jose is the only mission fully enclosed behind a gated wall. Garcia said church officials open and close the gate nearest the church. The south gate, however, on the far side nearest the visitor center, is handled by federal employees. It stayed closed in 2013 but was open during the last shutdown in January. And on Sunday, it was again open, thanks to dedicated park rangers who showed up despite being furloughed. They do it as a courtesy, Garcia said. When theyre done they may stay a little while but soon theyll head home. Jay and Nikki Patel from Dallas said they were disappointed that the park service buildings at the mission were closed. But they were trying not to let it get in the way of the other fun stuff they had planned. And, as they started to leave, Jay Patel turned to confirm, SeaWorld is still open, right? Richard A. Marini is a features writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | rmarini@express-news.net | Twitter: @RichardMarini On a busy pre-holiday evening, as a perfect light streamed into a tiny sanctuary in Southtown, mourners slowly began arriving. They were brought there by a haunting photo of a little girl, a migrant, who almost made it. She had made it through a treacherous journey from Guatemala this month. She made it across the U.S.-Mexico border to request asylum. Then she died of dehydration, shock and liver failure in the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol. None of them knew Jakelin Caal Maquin. They paid their respects anyway. They cried for her loss anyway. They prayed and sang for her and for those who most loved her, for whom there will be enduring pain. They prayed for the officers with her when she was presented with distress, and for those who were there when she died. They, too, have been through trauma, and trauma can last forever. Jakelins vigil drew mothers and fathers with children close to her age. She was 7. Social justice activists arrived, as did students, members of a Brown Beret group and those who work in social services and spend their working lives assisting people in crisis. The service at the San Antonio Mennonite Church was a moment that reveals what a people can be when at their best, when they stop to care enough. We havent seen much of it on the federal level, on social media sites, on Fox News, in the White House and from Homeland Security chief Kirstjen Nielsen, who addressed the House Judiciary Committee on the same day and couldnt answer basic questions. How many migrants have died in Border Patrol custody? I dont have an exact figure for you, she said. I will get back to you with the number, she added after repeated questions, in a moment that revealed what a people can be when they dont care. About 35 people gathered at the church in response to a Facebook invitation by local members of Voto Latino, a civic engagement group based in Washington, D.C. Rolando Cantu, a San Antonian home for the holidays from American University in Washington, D.C., where hes part of a Voto Latino chapter, was called into action to raise awareness about Jakelins death, the Border Patrols lack of transparency and efforts to hold it accountable for migrant deaths in its custody. Sandra Ogogor, another Voto Latino representative in San Antonio, said the organization has joined others, including Congressman Joaquin Castro, in calling for an investigation into Jakelins death. Not just her, she said, but the others who have died in Border Patrol custody. The vigil heard from Maximo Anguiano, who said he was hurt and heartbroken. This is about us, he said about Jakelins death. This is about all of us. The vigil was held on precious ground, where a pastor and his church have been living the Gospels, long sheltering and feeding migrants released from U.S. detention and helping them on their way to relatives and friends in the United States. The father of daughters, 6 and 8, Pastor John Garland was at the center of the local response to a 2016 debacle, when immigration officials released hundreds of migrant families from detention at once, overwhelming the San Antonio volunteers who help them at the downtown bus station and the airport. The pastor delivered a series of poetic, rhythmic prayers that put the group with the child and her father on the ground, in custody, in fear and in death. He celebrated her life, Garland said. He hoped for her future. He delighted in her. He feared for her. He must have been panicked. He must have cried out. God, we ask that you bless his heart and his soul, and we ask, God, that they be healed. For Jakelins mother, Garland prayed, She dreamed for her daughter. She loved her daughter. She feared for her daughter, and she said goodbye to her daughter. God, we pray for this mothers heart. We pray for her tears. We pray for that ache that will live in her, and we ask for healing. In a darkened church, with only a light beaming on a wooden cross, Jakelins mourners walked up to the altar, small white candles in hand. Each used an Advent candle to light theirs. They sang Silent Night and heard the story of another childs birth more than 2,000 years ago, and how he, too, was once a refugee, a migrant. Before they stood in a long silence, before it broke, Garland made one last prayer, for her eyes, he said, for what she saw; for her ears, and what they heard; for her voice that spoke and sang. And, God, we give you thanks, he said, for her becoming. 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 president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, J. Antonio Fernandez oversees a $35 million annual budget and social service programs that served more than a quarter-million people this year. His agency runs a home for neglected children that has been in existence for more than a century. It serves as a conduit of the State Departments Office of Refugee Resettlement, and it provides services from diapers for needy families to outreach that keeps seniors engaged. But if he had to choose only one job to do for the rest of his life, the 46-year-old Spanish-born executive and licensed professional counselor would work in a food pantry. His job affords him that task from time to time, usually aboard the agencys Mobile Relief Unit, which comes complete with a kitchen and can be deployed to feed the needy locally or at sites of natural or man-made disasters. One of the latter happened last summer, when Catholic Charities was selected by the federal government as one of four sites to reunify immigrant families previously detained and separated at the U.S.-Mexico border. A court order derailed the separation policy, at least for awhile, and the agency reunited 190 parents and children split up at the border. It was an emotional, round-the-clock project that was at turns joyous and agonizing. It showed on Fernandezs face. It was an experience Ill never forget, he said. Larry Benson Jr., who chairs the Catholic Charities board, describes Fernandez as a classic manager who knows how to find, hire and retain capable employees; a tireless fundraiser guided by best practices learned at one of the largest Catholic Charities organizations in the country; and a leader who has been able to galvanize hundreds of volunteers in an emergency and in a few hours. He has a good handle on what a problem is, what the solution is, or how to find it, and sussing out what needs to be done, Benson said. Theres also his work ethic. Hes tireless, honestly, he works endlessly, perhaps more so than he should, Benson said. Sometimes thats more than 80 hours a week. Christina Higgs, Catholic Charities spokeswoman, said, He cant turn it off. Hes always on the clock. I do my best not to send emails after midnight, Fernandez said, crediting his wife, Tanya, for keeping family life together. Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller recruited Fernandez from Chicago, where the archbishop was an auxiliary bishop. They worked together for about five years. The way he approached offering services is what touched me, Garcia-Siller said. What he has done quickly and well is connect with people and connect people to services. That is his gift. Fernandez, who was third in command at Catholic Charities in Chicago, took a pay cut to come to San Antonio. He says he did it because I believe in that man, because I wanted to work for Gustavo. If theres any confusion about who the Catholic agency serves, Fernandez makes clear the criteria is need, not membership in the archdioceses churches, and includes people of no religious affiliation. His own faith life goes deep, however. He was born into a devout Catholic family in Gijon, a coastal city in northern Spain in the post-Franco era. He went to Catholic schools and played rugby. He says academics werent a priority at the time, so he joined the Spanish army after high school, hoping to see the world. Fernandez was assigned to a desk and dreamed an American dream, he said, not wanting to return to a town in which hed always be Tony Jr., son of a well-known businessman. After his military service, he convinced his father to let him enroll in an English-language program in Chicago. Im still learning, he joked, a nod to his well-known Spanish accent. He promised and delivered good grades. Chicago was thrilling and tough. I was surrounded by people, but alone. Thats how the army was useful, giving him the fortitude to keep moving forward, he said. He stopped in to church each day, got involved in it and kept doing well in school. He ultimately earned a bachelors and two masters degrees. Hes now taking a break from a Ph.D. program in industrial psychology. He also became a U.S. citizen, marrying one, and remains close to the church. His family attends St. Luke Catholic Church, where his daughter goes to school. No isnt an option On World Day of the Poor, a Catholic observance established by Pope France, Fernandez led a team that gave out food boxes at the Guadalupe Community Center on the West Side. Among the volunteers were members of the Presbyterian Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We dont say no to people, he said. We always have to say yes. As with other executives in the nonprofit world, fundraising is job one. Catholic Charities puts on 24 events each year and just wrapped up its annual St. Nicholas Ball, which raised more than $1 million, officials said. Benson said such unrestricted funds are crucial in running a charity. At the end of the day, were a small corporation, Fernandez said. We do all this without forgetting the human component. At the agencys helm since 2013, Fernandez has grown it from 17 to 45 programs and its annual budget from $9 million to $35 million, he said. During his tenure, St. PJs Childrens Home and Seton Home were moved under the Catholic Charities umbrella. Volunteers have grown from 90 to 8,000 in five years, and the agency served more than 250,000 people, up from 65,000, he said. The job has had its downside, Fernandez said, noting the difficult decision last year to cut personnel in refugee programs from 75 to 35. The refugee program constitutes the biggest chunk of the agencys expenses, $4.5 million, followed by $4.3 million for disaster relief. Smaller amounts, about $1 million each, go to Caritas Legal Services and family self-sufficiency assistance. The agencys revenue comes from a variety of sources, including foundations, corporate and individual giving, government grants, United Way donations and the archdiocese, which donated $1.1 million this year. The agencys annual report says 86 cents of every donated dollar goes to direct services. Among its newest projects is a $120,000 mobile unit that will be equipped with restrooms, showers and laundry services for the homeless. It can be deployed during disasters, too. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is helping fund it. Catholic Charities also recently established a microlending project that makes loans of $300 to $500 at no interest. The next project Fernandez is nursing is a mobile health clinic, but he needs at least $200,000 to fund it. During Hurricane Harvey, the agency organized a caravan of 100 truckloads of supplies to Houston, Beaumont, Corpus Christi and Victoria. It sent aid to Puerto Rico during Hurricane Maria as well. The same challenges remain as when Fernandez started, he said: funding and fundraising; getting the right people on the agencys board, committed to its work; immigration, always; and treating people like human beings, always. Looking back, forward Fernandez credits both his parents for how far he has come. His first job was at his fathers electronics business, now run by his sister. He worked there throughout his childhood, beginning with a mop. But his father took him to important meetings, he said, from bottom to top. I saw him in charge. He was good with budgets. From his mother, Lucia, who didnt graduate from high school, Fernandez said he inherited a more tender side, which influenced his decision to study psychology and counseling. His first job in Chicago was with a child welfare program. His daughter Elis, 7, often spends Saturdays with her dad wherever he is. Sometimes hes at Seton Home, where Catholic Charities houses mothers between the ages of 12 and 17 and whose children are newborns to 6 years. Fernandez has been too busy to have a five- or 10-year plan for his own career, he said. But one appointment could be pointing to one destination. Catholic Charities USA tapped Fernandez to serve on its national board last year and sent him to Puerto Rico during Hurricane Maria. Only a few of the nations Catholic Charities top executives serve at that level. Im satisfied and happy where I am, Fernandez said. I love my clients. I love working in a food pantry. 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 The abrupt and pointed resignation of Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis on Thursday alarmed official Washington. Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., called him an "an island of stability amid the chaos of the Trump administration." Retiring Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., told The Washington Post that "having Mattis there gave all of us a great deal more comfort than we have now." Mattis' departure seems to be provoking unease, especially considering how dangerous our nuclear-command arrangements are. The notion that Mattis, a former four-star Marine Corps general, could have blocked or defied a move by Trump to impulsively launch nuclear weapons may have seemed comforting, but it shouldn't have been. The secretary of defense has no legal position in the nuclear chain of command, and any attempts by a secretary of defense to prevent the president from exercising the authority to use nuclear weapons would be undemocratic and illegal. With or without Mattis, the president has unchecked and complete authority to launch nuclear weapons based on his sole discretion. The reaction to Mattis' resignation, however, could open the door for the new Congress to create long-overdue legal barriers preventing the president from initiating a nuclear strike. Such a step could be implemented without any negative impact on U.S. security or that of our allies. Every day, the U.S. nuclear early warning system is triggered by some event or another, mostly civilian and military rocket launches by one or more of a dozen countries with ballistic missiles. When such launches appear to threaten North America, the head of U.S. Strategic Command is alerted, and sometimes these alerts warrant the urgent notification of the president. That alert comes by way of a direct call from the Strategic Command or via the White House Situation Room, the emergency-operations bunker beneath the East Wing, or the national security adviser. Partly a remnant of the Cold War, this system remains in place today to ensure the president can be notified quickly of any direct threat to the United States' nuclear arsenal and the facilities that control it. That way, he can launch nuclear missiles before they are destroyed or the U.S. government is incapacitated by incoming weapons. In normal times, this system is precarious, and it can pressure even experienced leaders to consider nuclear weapons in a crisis sooner than warranted. Alerts stemming from ambiguous ballistic nuclear missile threats occurred multiple times during the administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and some alerts went directly to those presidents. Yet, this system seems especially ill-suited to a president who has demonstrated time and again that he can be provoked into taking rash action, and who, as a candidate, openly questioned why the United States could not use the nuclear weapons it possesses. This is a dangerous set of instincts for a commander in chief with sole and unchecked authority over almost 4,000 nuclear weapons, nearly 1,000 of which could be fired within a few minutes. For over a year, Mattis has been trying to reassure congressional leaders that he could help check some of Trump's impulses, in part by intervening in the nuclear chain of command. In a break with normal procedures, Mattis reportedly told the commander of the Strategic Command to keep him directly informed of any event that might lead to a nuclear alert being sent to the president. He even told the Strategic Command "not to put on a pot of coffee without letting him know." Congressional leaders interpreted this to mean that Mattis would either deal with a possible threat before it reached Trump or ensure he was present to advise Trump when such an alert arrived. This assurance may have helped ease concerns about our nuclear weapons for some members of Congress, but only if they were unfamiliar with how the command and control structure truly works. Personal relationships and back channels are no way to manage a nuclear arsenal. Even informed observers are surprised to learn the president can order the use of nuclear weapons without the input - or consent - of the secretaries of Defense or State, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff or the vice president. They only have a role in the presidential launch protocol if the president has given prior approval for them to be notified and solicits their advice. Otherwise, none of these people would need to be involved or informed that the president has decided to use a nuclear weapon. Under standard procedure, an attempt would be made to contact key national security officials, but in some real-world and exercise scenarios, it has proven impossible to tie them into a quickly convened emergency teleconference. Should he wish, the president could exclude all of them, and even bypass the primary designated adviser - the four-star general in charge of U.S. strategic forces - by ordering a low-ranking on-duty emergency operations officer at the Pentagon or elsewhere to transmit a launch order directly to the executing commanders of strategic U.S. submarines, silo-based missiles and bombers. Trump could have learned all this in a briefing about nuclear weapons shortly after he took office, and his military aide, ever at his side, could explain and assist in issuing a direct order to a lower-level officer at any time. Even if Mattis had been with Trump at a time of nuclear crisis, his resignation letter drives home the fact that Trump might very well have simply ignored his counsel. Trump, as he is proving in stark terms, listens only to himself. And any attempt by another person to physically block the president from issuing a launch order would probably result in his or her removal by the Secret Service. It is delusional and fundamentally undemocratic to think that our strongest check on a president bent on initiating nuclear war without justifiable cause might be a defense secretary trying to keep the president from communicating his launch authority using the so-called Gold Codes. When the United States faced the prospect of sudden nuclear attack from the Soviet Union, this system helped reinforce deterrence based on a balance of nuclear terror. But since the demise of the U.S.S.R., and even with a more aggressive Russia, the whole arrangement raises questions about its necessity, risks and consistency with democratic values. It is well past time for the system to be reformed to ensure that it hews to our Constitution and mitigates as much as possible the very real risks associated with a renewed arms competition with Russia. One key issue is whether Trump - or any president - should have the legal ability to independently initiate the use of nuclear weapons. It seems reasonable that the president needs to be able to quickly order a nuclear response if an adversary employs nuclear weapons first against us, and that he would not have time to consult with Congress or the Cabinet if nuclear missiles were headed here. (The flight time of ballistic missiles over intercontinental distances is 30 minutes or less, and the president would have only about five to seven minutes to decide whether and how to respond.) However, our chain of command is not just a presidential preference - it can be determined by legislative action. Congress can and should prohibit any president from using nuclear weapons first. The incoming chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., proposed such legislation last year. It states that it is the policy of the United States not to be the first to use nuclear weapons. Congress could make any first-use illegal, constraining the president from issuing such an order and obligating any member of the military to disobey a command to do so. A no-first-use policy would also ratchet down tensions with Russia and facilitate reductions in the number and types of nuclear weapons in both U.S. and Russian arsenals. The logic and political salience of this position is growing, with some 20 members of the incoming Congress - including House Speaker-to-be Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. - now on record supporting no first use. Legislation to bar first use probably wouldn't get through the Republican Senate or be signed into law by Trump. But recognition that the system puts too much power in the hands of one person increases the likelihood that the next president will either adopt such a posture or accept legislative controls. Maintaining an outdated and unstable system is clearly too dangerous. Bending norms and the military chain of command to prevent a disastrous presidential decision is not a reliable safeguard, and extralegal measures should not be how the United States prevents a nuclear war. Neither Mattis nor anyone else can reassure the American people that a president will not, on a whim, use the most fearsome weapons humans have ever invented. Only laws can constrain such a dangerous prospect. It is well past time for our country to take control of the nuclear chain of command. --- Blair is a research scholar in Princeton University's Program on Science and Global Security and a founder of Global Zero, the international movement for the elimination of nuclear weapons. Wolfsthal is a former senior director at the National Security Council for arms control and nonproliferation. He is now a senior adviser to Global Zero in Washington. Clayton Hell is a burly thick-armed man who looks just like what you might think a former heavy equipment operator in a limestone quarry should look like except that the world he sees is nothing but shadows and blur. Legally blind since 2001 from a rare bacterial infection, Hell, 67, didnt require much motivation to learn Braille or perfect his white cane skills in Austin at the states Criss Cole Rehabilitation Center. But he confesses he was not always upbeat about the life-altering challenges. I could be like Grinch, he laughs. Then Hell met a golden retriever named Chip, the first of two guide dogs that have broadened his life to the point that he now addresses national conventions for blind business owners like himself. I would say thats the most rewarding thing that we see, said Sandy Merrill, CEO of Guide Dogs of Texas, the only internationally-accredited dog training school in Texas and one of only 11 in the nation. We see someones life transformed. We see them reach their potential. Just being able to safely move from one place to another is a huge problem, said Merrill, at the San Antonio headquarters of the organization near Nimitz Middle School off Blanco Road. But with a dog, you have this living thing to make the world accessible again. You get invited to events. You can hold a job, go back to school, get out the door. Chip came from a GDOT program at the Dominguez State Jail. Hell is now on his second dog, a black lab named Ziva, who rested at his feet in the conference room of the guide dog organization as he explained how the group and his sighted companion have helped his life. I was 53 in 2005 and still had a teenager at home, and I had gotten remarried, when my sister said I should get a guide dog, Hell said. I still had to support my family. It made sense. Determined not to be someone who rages about misfortune, Hell took Chip everywhere, until Jan. 14, 2011, when he let Chip out into his four-acre back yard so he could play. He never came back, said Hell. He died of an embolism. I had been raised on a farm and had dealt many times with the death of animals, but this was tough. I wont say I didnt grieve, but I did not let it destroy me. Hell went back to using a white cane for awhile until he could be placed with another dog. The guide dog organization has an extensive puppy-raising and training program that tracks breeding information throughout the country so they can use only animals with the perfect temperament and skills for guide dogs. The folks who raise guide dog puppies are among some 150 volunteers without whom the organization would not succeed, Merrill said. Its a huge, 24/7 commitment of your life and time, she said. And then we have the puppy sitters. They help when the puppy raisers need a break or a vacation, you know, so they wont go insane. And there are also volunteer boarder families who take home dogs that are in training so that they can relax, play with families and not have to be stuck in kennels over the weekends. Hell and Ziva have now been together about seven years and soon she will have to go into retirement, as most dogs do around age 10. Hell, who lives near Marion in Guadalupe County, still is awed by his calm professional companion. She has barked one time in seven years, he said. It was at a Sams Club, one Saturday morning, and when she let out this huge woof, I literally jumped off the ground. Im still not sure what caused it. Ziva and many guide dogs can do cool stuff like finding the restrooms in a big strange store, said Hell. At H-E-B, she will go past all the yummy smells in the produce section and take me to the mens room, or find the nearest exit. He smiled when he recalled the first time Ziva set eyes on another guide dog. Oh, they know when its not just a regular dog, he chuckled. They get very excited when they see one of their own. Merrill, who is a certified trainer herself, said it takes about two years of training before a dog is ready to be matched with a human, and three to four years to train the instructors. The waiting list for new dogs is about two to three years. Since 1998, their dogs have provided more than 230,000 days of guided work. Unlike other schools, she said, GDOT takes the dog to the home of the blind person rather than have the client come to a school and just grab one of several dogs. They are not assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. The GDOT trainers work with the clients in their own neighborhood, so they can navigate not only the typical residential curbs, sidewalks and crosswalks, but unique construction detours or street features. Merrill said the training organization receives no government support and operates on an annual budget of about $800,000 that comes from individual donors, corporations and foundation grants. They have three instructors now, and in a normal year would hope to put out eight to 10 new dog-and-client teams. If they had more money, she said, they would get more blind people matched up more quickly. Weve doubled our inquiries in the last year, she said, suggesting that aging baby boomers and an increasing rate of diabetes may be part of the reason. To qualify for a guide dog, clients must be a resident of Texas, legally blind and at least 17 years of age. For more information, call 210-366-4081 or check out www.guidedogsoftexas.org Bruce Selcraig is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read his stories on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | BSelcraig@express-news.net Low cost carrier Wizz Air will introduce at least four new routes from Macedonia by March 26, 2019 after it won a tender for the provision of state subsidies. The carrier is obligated to introduce two new routes each from Skopje and Ohrid by the end of March. The airline will also have to add a further two new destinations from Ohrid within the next year. All six destinations will have to be maintained on a year-round basis for the duration of the financial incentives, until 2022. Wizz Air was the only airline to apply for the subsidies. The tender was held for the third time this year after two previous attempts were annulled. A similar three-year subsidy policy was enforced in both 2012 and 2015, with the no frills airline being the sole beneficiary. It resulted in Wizz Air basing four aircraft in the Macedonian capital and launching over a dozen new routes. The Macedonian Minister for Transport and Communications, Goran Sugareski, said, "The Government of the Republic of Macedonia is strongly committed to the development of air transport by creating conditions for airlines to launch new routes. At the Public Call, only one application for financial support was submitted to the Ministry of Transport and Communications, from Wizz Air. After the Commission responsible for the implementation of this Public Call evaluated the bid, it was established that Wizz Air met all the conditions and criteria specified in the call". He added, "I want to congratulate Wizz Air. They remain a serious partner in developing air traffic in Macedonia. As a responsible government, we promised to continue stimulating air traffic. Our goal is for the public to get as many new destinations as possible at affordable prices". Wizz Air will receive benefits amounting to five million euros over the next three years. It will be granted some 1.4 million in 2019, 1.7 in 2020 and 2021 each, as well as 277.000 euros in 2022. Furthermore, the government will grant the low cost carrier a one-off payment of 40.000 euros for each new route launched, as well as nine euros per passengers for each new destination from Skopje for the first year, eight euros during the second year and seven during the third. On the other hand, the carrier will receive thirteen euros per passenger during the first year of operations on new routes out of Ohrid, twelve during the second and eleven euros per traveller in the third year. The low cost airline is soon expected to announce its new routes from Macedonia. It previously noted, "In the last seven years, since we first started to operate in Macedonia, Wizz Air has become the leading airline in the country and gained the confidence and loyalty of more than 4.6 million passengers transported since 2011 across the nation by constantly investing in local operations and bringing affordable travel opportunities for passengers. This year, the Wizz team in Macedonia has grown to more than 140 local members, and according to industry standards, Wizz operations have facilitated more than 900 indirect jobs in 2017". It added, "Wizz Air underlines its commitment to Macedonian customers by expanding its low fare network and creating more affordable travel opportunities from Skopje and Ohrid airports, currently offering thirty routes to fourteen countries and 1.6 million seats on sale in 2018, a 23% growth compared to 2017". During the first three quarters of the year, Wizz Air handled 1.098.511 passengers on flights to and from Macedonia, resulting in a passenger share of 60.3%. Among low cost carriers operating to the country, Wizz Air holds a 92% share. Reggie Thomas / Contributed photo This ones a tough act to top in local theater: Grammy winners Marc Cohn and The Blind Boys of Alabama will be in Fairfield on Jan. 5 to perform at the FTC Warehouse, and they will perform both apart and together. Cohn, who won his Grammy for the soulful tune Walking in Memphis, survived being shot in the head in 2005 in an attempted carjacking. He was married to ABC news personality Elizabeth Vargas at the time, but they split a few years ago and share two children. 'BJP's perception of a 'world winner' has been shattered by the results of the assembly elections in the five states', Sena chief said. Pandharpur (Maharashtra): Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday targeted senior ally BJP by raking up the alleged corruption in the Rafale deal and said the party's perception of being a "world winner" had been shattered with the results of the just-held state assembly polls. Thackeray, who had visited Ayodhya last month to push for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in the holy town, said he may soon visit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi. The Sena leader, whose party is a constituent of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and state, was addressing a public rally in Solapur district in Maharashtra. Thackeray, who has consistently attacked the Modi government on a range of issues, said he has already taken the decision on whether to form an alliance with the BJP for the upcoming General Elections. The Sena chief in January had announced his party would contest all future Lok Sabha and assembly elections on its own. In the last six months, the BJP leadership has been consistently stressing on an alliance with the Sena for the upcoming polls. The Amit Shah-led party has regularly insisted that the Maharashtra-based outfit is its natural ally and they will resolve their differences amicably. However, at the Pandharpur rally, Thackeray appeared to be in no mood to spare the lead NDA constituent. "The BJP's perception of a 'world winner' has been shattered by the results of the assembly elections in the five states. The outcome of Mizoram and Telangana Assembly elections has given a clear message that voters have rejected national parties and chosen strong regional options," he said. In the just-held polls, the BJP was ousted from power in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh by the Congress, while regional parties did well in Mizoram and Telangana. "The Chhattisgarh Assembly election has also given a strong message against the BJP. People were fed up with the BJP government and hence they rejected it," said Thackeray. He also took on the Modi government over issues like allegations of irregularities in the Rafale fighter jet deal and implementation of crop insurance scheme for farmers. "There have been several allegations over the Rafale fighter jet deal and I do not know how the Supreme Court has given a clean cheat. But I know the Modi government has refused pay hike for jawans," the Sena chief said. Commenting on the finalisation of seat-sharing in Bihar between the JD(U), the LJP and the BJP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he asked chiefs of the two regional parties to clarify their stand on Ram mandir and Hindutva. "Nitish Kumar (the JD-U chief) and (LJP president) Ram Vilas Paswan should declare their views on Ram mandir and Hindutva," the Sena leader said. BRIDGEPORT Cracks found in the stairwells and roof of the Fairchild Wheeler Interdistrict Magnet Schools complex are cosmetic in nature and shouldnt prevent the school board from signing off on the project. So says school board Chairman John Weldon, who said several board members inspected the school complex on Friday. My understanding is that the building's structural integrity has not been compromised, but that the types of defects present are those that could get worse over time if not properly addressed, Weldon said. I don't think it is something that should stall approval of the building to allow the city to obtain its reimbursement from the state for it. The Fairchild Wheeler Interdistrict Magnet School complex has been opened and occupied for five years. Still, the project has yet to be signed off by the school board which is required for the state to release the final $5 million in bond money to the city. City officials blame the protracted delay on the state. Largely at the urging of city Finance Director Ken Flatto, the sign-off request was finally presented to the school board last month. Chris Taylor, a board member and chairman of the boards facilities committee, demanded to inspect the facility first. He did not like what he saw. On a tour, he found cracks in some stairwells and problems on the roof that he called concerning. That prompted the full board to take a look before authorizing a sign-off. Weldon said it appears many of the defects observed are cosmetic in nature caused by the settling of the building, which is set into a hilly, undeveloped wooded area. Once he consults with Schools Superintendent Aresta Johnson, Weldon said he will suggest the issues found at Fairchild be made a high priority on the districts upcoming capital plan. Whether Fairchilds flaws are a matter of workmanship or maintenance, some city officials worried that refusing to sign off on the project sends the wrong message to a state poised to invest heavily in another $115 million city school building project. Who is responsible? City Council President Aidee Nieves asked, telling the citys School Building Committee last week that there needs to be a clearer line drawn between who needs to do what once a school building project is complete. We cant be held back $5 million when we just bonded $20 million for another school. We dont know if the state is looking at that stuff. A new Bassick High School is said to be one of only eight projects on the priority bonding list headed to the new governor and Legislature when the session opens in February. The $20 million in bonding money authorized by the council last month will cover such things as the architectural work on the new school. John Ricci, public facilities chief for the city, told the school building committee that his staff, too, believes the flaws in Fairchild to be more a matter of wear and tear than major construction issues. Anyone can walk through a building, see a settlement crack and say Oh, faulty construction, Ricci said. If we were told about that problem two months ago, it would be caulked, painted and youd never see it. Larry Schilling, a school construction liaison for the city, said there is a minimum one-year warranty on all new construction, longer for major pieces of equipment and 20 years for the roof. He said he meets with Alan Wallack, the school boards facilities liaison, every two weeks to address building issues. All issues brought to their attention have been addressed, Schilling said. Christina Smith, a city council member and chairwoman of the school building committee who has a background in architecture, urged more proactivity when it comes to maintenance. Wallack said the state is putting provisions into new school bonding projects which require the school board to allocate enough dollars to make sure the structure is properly maintained. He said the school board annually sends a ranked capital priority list to the council. Chronic budget cuts last year led to a heavy reduction in school maintenance staff. Flatto told the committee that it will take six months to a year after the school board agrees to sign off for the city to get its final reimbursement. Because it was an inter-district magnet school, the state funded 95 percent of the $126.8 million project. At Flattos urging, other completed school building projects will also be making their way to the school board for sign-off in the coming months, including the Discovery Magnet School which was completed before Fairchild in 2011. When Suzi Jensen went to see her mom in prison at the age of 12 she was only allowed to hug her twice, once at the beginning of the visit and once at the end. They just had tables and you had to sit across the table from her, said Jensen, now in her 30s. At that age, being a 12-year-old girl, there were a lot of things happening, big changes and not being able to sit and cry and talk to her was terrible. Jensens mothers first prison sentence four years, on grand larceny charges was followed by subsequent arrests, leaving Jensen and her two younger sisters to largely grow up without their mom, and a secret they didnt share with the outside world for years. All my friends thought my mom had moved to Pennsylvania, Jensen said. I felt like I couldnt tell anyone about it and my grades started dropping. I was on the junior national honor society and I got kicked off. There was no outlet. I had no idea what to do with these feelings. Jensen is not alone. One in 14 children nationally have experienced the incarceration of a parent, according to Child Trends. In June 2016, there were 8,248 incarcerated adults in Connecticut who reported being caregivers to a total of 18,034 dependents, according to the Department of Correction. The number of children in Connecticut who are impacted by the criminal justice system is much higher, however, which experts say carries a trauma of its own. More than 62,000 children living in Connecticut in 2010 had a parent who was arrested, according to a recent publication from the Tow Youth Justice Center at the University of New Haven. In a 2014 study, parental incarceration was proven to be independently associated with increased risk of learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, behavioral and conduct problems, developmental delays and speech or language problems. And one of the few things that has been shown to help reduce these negative health outcomes for both the child and their parent, is regular visitation. A childs ability to continue a relationship - even on a limited basis - with an incarcerated parent has been shown to help prevent negative health and performance outcomes, including academic failure and substance abuse as well as decrease the rate of recidivism in their parents. Children are so afraid for their parents well-being, said Aileen Keays Yeager, the project manager for the Children with Incarcerated Parents Initiative at the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy at Central Connecticut State University. To be able to hug them, to touch their arm, to know they still love me because theyre talking to me right now is life altering for kids. Visiting gives children the chance to see their parents and be assured that they are safe. Without regular contact, kids may begin to view their parents as strangers and believe that their parents neither love nor care about them, according to a report for the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Today, the standard contact visit places a child across a folding table from their parent. Contact visits are granted based on an inmates criminal status, as well as their behavior within the correctional facility, said Karen Martucci, director of the External Affairs Division of the Department of Corrections. We make a concerted effort to have an opportunity for visitation at least once on the weekend and sometimes on the evenings during the week, Martucci said. Its challenging to have a visitation schedule, but we do believe in family reunification and visits are part of that. Although the DOC does not offer video visits, it does allow for phone calls through a third party provider. But these visits, or phone calls, are not always possible. Obstacles to visiting First and foremost, theres the obstacle of the table. In Connecticut our contact visits are not full contact, Yeager said. You are allowed a brief hug and kiss at the beginning and end and then they must sit on the opposite side of the table. It is difficult for little kids. In addition to the table, the intimidating demeanor of correctional officers - standing nearby, uniformed and unsmiling - all around the room can make it nearly impossible for children to feel comfortable. Visits are really tough. It can be a long travel, waiting time and it isnt the friendliest of environments, Yeager said. But what really bothers the kids is the way the COs are. Just over the border, in New York State, this is all different. I toured New York maximum security prisons where there is full contact visits allowed for hours, Yeager said. Incarcerated parents are allowed to hold their children. Families can cuddle on couches. The childrens areas are filled with toys, and feel much more like a home. It just recognizes that these are children, families, it is human contact, Yeager said. Studies show that this type of contact helps childrens health and reduced risk of recidivism for their parents. Almost two years ago, Connecticut opened its first full contact unit at a facility in Cheshire for inmates ages 18 to 25. The True Unit is focused on preserving families and giving inmates an opportunity to stay connected with their loved ones. A second similar unit - The Worth Unit - opened just this year at York Correctional Institute, the states only prison for women. However, there are undeniable risks. We are always looking for the next best thing, but also keeping in mind that visitation is the number one introduction of contraband into the prison system, Martucci said. Without safety and security, re-entry programs dont work. Visitation rooms are considered the most vulnerable place in a correctional facility the weakest link. We try and weigh the reality of the safety concerns against the health and well-being of children and reduced recidivism of that parent, Yeager said. To me easing up on the visitation restrictions is worth improving child well-being and safety. Other options in Connecticut Although traditional visitation continues to look like it is portrayed on TV, with folding tables and hard tiled floors, a handful of nonprofit groups across the state with the help of the DOC have made other, more fulfilling, types of visits possible. After Judy Dworin - founder of the Judy Dworin Performance Project - established the Performance Residency at York Correctional Institute in Niantic, Dworin realized that something needed to be done for the children of the female inmates. The program began with children in Hartford whose mothers were in prison. The children and parents attended separate group sessions and then joined together for a creative performance opportunity. These sessions give mothers and children the opportunity to hold hands, dance together, have conversations in a more comfortable environment, and share a meal. It was a beautiful three-hour engagement, very powerful for everybody, Dworin said. This year, in addition to the Mothers Day and summer visits, Dworins group will be incorporating a holiday visit. Suzi Jensen works with children at Parkville Community School in 2017 as part of the Judy Dworin Performance Project For at least six of the women in the group, they had never had a meal with their child. It was incredibly moving and it is every single time, Dworin said. For all of these visits, there is a way for them to interact with their children that is more meaningful than sitting across a table. And for the children, it not only gives them a way to connect with their parents, but also with others like them. The first thing the kids said that they wanted was to meet more kids like them, it was such a tremendous release to be with other kids experiencing the very same thing, Dworin said. Yeager, who is now the Programming Coordinator for the Judy Dworin Performance Project, said that having an opportunity to share their emotions in a place where everyone can empathize is huge for these kids. They have a place to express their feelings and be safe. They can tell us if they miss their mom or dad, or if they are mad at their mom and dad, Yeager said, We want them to feel like its not their fault. In addition to the program at York, in 2016 Dworin launched a program for fathers at the Cybulski Reintegration Center in Enfield as a part of Gov. Dannel P. Malloys Second Chance Initiative. The program allows time for fathers to reconnect with their children and partners in activities like dance and arts and crafts, things that truly make them feel like a family, Dworin said. Recent cuts, an uncertain future When the Children with Incarcerated Parents Initiative at the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy at Central Connecticut State University first opened in 2008 it had a $500,000 line item in the state budget, in addition to several projects that had separate state funding. In 2017, this totaled nearly $900,000. Last year that all changed. We just had a significant reduction, Yeager said. Currently we get $250,000 and most of that goes to Connecticut Appleseed, who are funding the CLICC (Connecting through Literacy: Incarcerated Parents, their Children, and Caregivers) program. Instead of the research the office once did on this understudied population, Yeager said, they now mostly just provide technical assistance and training. We are sustaining our scholarship program however, said Yeager, referring to money set aside for students at CCSU with incarcerated parents. Last year we gave $1500 a semester to three students. Students can have it continue for up to six semesters as long as they maintain a certain grade point average. This continuation is made possible by an endowment created at CCSU following the closure of Families in Crisis, a nonprofit that helped the children of incarcerated parents and partnered with Dworins programs. When they closed, they actually had a surplus of funds, Yeager said. So they gave it to us for our scholarship program. Editors note: The nonprofit Family Re-entry Inc. program based in Bridgeport and with offices in Norwalk and New Haven has never closed. Its status was incorrectly reported in an earlier version of this story. Guyana Goldfields Inc. provides exploration and production of gold. It engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, production, and operation of gold mineral properties. The company also owns and operates gold drilling rights. The company was formerly known as Chiboug Copper Company Limited and changed its name to Guyana Goldfields Inc. in January 1995. Guyana Goldfields Inc. was incorporated in 1994 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. As of August 25, 2020, Guyana Goldfields Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Zijin Mining Group Company Limited. Read More Delta Galil Industries Ltd. engages in development, design, production, marketing and sale of underwear, socks, children's wear, leisure wear and Activewear as well as in development, design, marketing, distribution and sale of branded products in the category of men's and women's jeans and outerwear and related products. It operates through the following segments: Delta USA, Global Upper Market, Schiesser, Delta Israel, and Delta Premium Brands. The Delta USA Segment engages in the development, design and marketing of lingerie, socks and Activewear to Private Labels. The Global Upper Market segment develops, designs, manufactures and markets men's and women's underwear, socks and Activewear manufactured at the Company's plants and sold to retail chains and to brands in Europe and the United States. The Schiesser segment covers the development, design, manufacture and marketing of labeled women's, men's and children's underwear and Activewear under the Schiesser brand. The Delta Israel segment is involved in the development, design and marketing of labeled women's and men's underwear, socks and Activewear products, as well as children's wear under the Delta brand. The Delta Premium Brands segment engages in development, design, marketing, distribution and sale of premium products under the brands 7 For All Mankind, Splendid, Ella moss. The company was founded by Dov Lautman and Eliezer Peleg in 1975 and is headquartered in Caesarea, Israel. Read More Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Limited, an investment holding company, manufactures and sells BMW vehicles and automotive components in the People's Republic of China and internationally. The company offers minibuses under the JinBei, Renault, Haise, Grand Haise, and Granse brands, as well as multi-purpose vehicles under the Huasong brand. Its automotive components include moldings, seats, axles, safety and airbag systems, and interior decoration products, as well as engines for minibuses, sedans, sport utility vehicles, light duty trucks, etc. The company also provides BMW sport activity vehicles. In addition, it offers auto-financing services to customers and dealers. Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Limited has strategic partnerships and alliances with BMW, Toyota, Magna, Bosch, Continental, Delphi, TI Automotive, and Johnson Controls. The company was incorporated in 1992 and is headquartered in Central, Hong Kong. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Laboratory Co. of America: 1957285 Ontario Inc. dba Quality Underwriting Services, 2089729 Ontario Inc., 2248848 Ontario Inc., 3065619 Nova Scotia Company, 3257959 Nova Scotia Company, 896988 Ontario Limited, 9279-3280 Quebec Inc., Accupath Diagnostic Laboratories Inc., Alpha Medical Laboratory LLC, Assets of Pathology Inc, Beacon LBS IPA Inc., Beacon Laboratory Benefit Solutions Inc., CannAmm GP Inc., CannAmm Limited Partnership, Center for Disease Detection International, Center for Disease Detection LLC, Centrex Clinical Laboratories Inc., Chiltern, Clearstone Central Laboratories (U.S.) Inc., Clearstone Holdings (International) Ltd., Clipper Holdings Inc., Colorado Coagulation Consultants Inc., Colorado Laboratory Services LLC, Correlagen Diagnostics Inc., Covance Inc., Curalab Inc., Cytometry Associates Inc., Czura Thornton (Hong Kong) Limited, DCL Acquisition Inc., DCL Medical Laboratories LLC (DE), DCL Medical Laboratories LLC (FL), DCL Sub LLC, DIANON Systems Inc., DL Holdings Limited Partnership, Decision Diagnostics L.L.C. (aka DaVinici/Medicorp LLC), Diagnostic Services Inc., DynaLifeDX, Dynacare - Gamma Laboratory Partnership, Dynacare Company, Dynacare G.P. Inc., Dynacare Holdco LLC, Dynacare Laboratories Inc., Dynacare Laboratories Limited Partnership, Dynacare Northwest Inc., Dynacare Realty Inc., DynalifeDX Infrastructure Inc., Endocrine Sciences Inc., Esoterix Genetic Counseling LLC, Esoterix Genetic Laboratories LLC, Esoterix Inc., Execmed Health Services Inc., FirstSource Laboratory Solutions Inc., GDML Medical Laboratories Inc, Gamma Dynacare Central Medical Laboratories GP Inc., Gamma Dynacare Central Medical Laboratory Limited Partnership, HHLA Lab-In-An-Envelope LLC, Health Trans Services Inc., Home Healthcare Laboratory of America LLC, IDX Pathology Inc., Impact Genetics Corp, Impact Genetics Inc., Kaleida LabCorp LLC, Lab Delivery Service of New York City Inc., LabCorp BVBA, LabCorp Belgium Holdings Inc., LabCorp Central Laboratories (Canada) Inc., LabCorp Central Laboratories (China) Inc., LabCorp Central Laboratories (Singapore) Pte., LabCorp Development Company, LabCorp Employer Services Inc., LabCorp Health System Diagnostics LLC, LabCorp Indiana Inc., LabCorp Japan G.K., LabCorp Limited, LabCorp Michigan Inc., LabCorp Nebraska Inc., LabCorp Neon Ltd., LabCorp Neon Switzerland S.a.r.l., LabCorp Specialty Testing Billing Service Inc., LabCorp Specialty Testing Group Inc., LabCorp Staffing Solutions Inc., LabCorp Tennessee LLC, LabCorp UK Holdings Ltd., LabWest Inc., Laboratoire Bio-Medic Inc., Laboratory Corporation of America, Lifecodes Corporation, LipoScience Inc., Litholink Corporation, MEDTOX Scientific Inc., MNG Laboratories, Medical Neurogenitics LLC, Medtox Diagnostics Inc., Medtox Laboratories Inc., Monogram Biosciences Inc., Monogram Biosciences UK Limited, Myriad Autoimmunes Vectra Testing Business, NWT Inc., National Genetics Institute, New Brighton Business Center LLC, New Imaging Diagnostics LLC, New Molecular Diagnostics Ventures LLC, Orchid Cellmark Ltd., Orchid Cellmark ULC, PA Labs Inc., Path Lab Incorporated, Pathology Associates Medical Lab LLC, Pee Dee Pathology Associates Inc., Persys Technology Inc., Pixel by LabCorp, Princeton Diagnostic Laboratories of America Inc., Protedyne Corporation, ReliaGene Technologies Inc., SW/DL LLC, Saint Josephs-PAML LLC, Sequenom Biosciences (India) Pvt. 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.. After meeting his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee, KCR asserted that the dialogue for a Federal Front will continue. 'My efforts for non-BJP, non-Congress alliance will continue,' TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said. (Photo: ANI) Kolkata: TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday met his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee and asserted that the dialogue for a Federal Front will continue. "Very shortly we will come out with a concrete plan," Rao told reporters after meeting the Trinamool Congress (TMC) president at the state secretariat in Kolkata. "My efforts for non-BJP, non-Congress alliance will continue," he added. The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief met Mamata Banerjee a day after meeting Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar, another strong regional party leader. Rao, fresh from victory in his home state Telangana, is meeting leaders to provide an alternative to the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2019 election. HDFC Bank Ltd. engages in the provision of banking and financial services, including commercial banking and treasury operations. The firm also provides financial services to upper and middle income individuals and corporations in India. It operates through the following segments: Treasury, Retail Banking, Wholesale Banking and Other Banking Operations. The Treasury segment consists of bank's investment portfolio, money market borrowing and lending, investment operations and trading in foreign exchange and derivative contracts. The Retail Banking segment provides loans and other services to customers through a branch network and other delivery channels. The Wholesale Banking segment provides loans, non-fund facilities and transaction services to large corporates, emerging corporates, public sector units, government bodies, financial institutions, and medium scale enterprises. The Other Banking Business segment includes income from para banking activities such as credit cards, debit cards, third party product distribution, primary dealership business, and the associated costs. The company was founded by Aditya Tapishwar Puri in August 1994 and is headquartered in Mumbai, India. Read More CAE Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and supplies simulation equipment and training solutions to defense and security markets, commercial airlines, business aircraft operators, helicopter operators, aircraft manufacturers, and healthcare education and service providers worldwide. The company's Civil Aviation Training Solutions segment provides training solutions for flight, cabin, maintenance, and ground personnel in commercial, business, and helicopter aviation; flight simulation training devices; and ab initio pilot training and crew sourcing services, as well as end to end digitally-enabled crew management, training operations solutions, and optimization software. Its Defence and Security segment offers training and mission support solutions for defense forces across multi-domain operations, and for government organizations responsible for public safety. The company's Healthcare segment provides integrated education and training solutions, including surgical and imaging simulations, curriculum, audiovisual and centre management platforms, and patient simulators to healthcare students and clinical professionals. The company was formerly known as CAE Industries Ltd. and changed its name to CAE Inc. in June 1993. CAE Inc. was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Saint-Laurent, Canada. Read More iShares MSCI Austria ETF's stock was trading at $15.26 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWO shares have increased by 62.2% and is now trading at $24.75. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. McDermott International, Inc. provides engineering, procurement, construction and installation, and technology solutions to the energy industry worldwide. It operates through five segments: North, Central and South America; Europe, Africa, Russia and Caspian; the Middle East and North Africa; Asia Pacific; and Technology. It designs, engineers, and constructs upstream offshore oil and gas facilities, downstream oil and gas facilities, gas-fired power plants, liquefied natural gas import and export terminals, atmospheric and refrigerated storage vessels and terminals, water storage and treatment facilities, pipe and module fabrication, hydrocarbon processing facilities, pipe fabrication and manufacturing, and refining and petrochemical facilities. The company also provides gas processing, refining, petrochemical and coal gasification technologies, as well as a supplies catalysts, equipment, and related engineering services. It serves national, integrated, and other oil and gas companies, as well as producers of petrochemicals and electric power. McDermott International, Inc. was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Read More If the ED opposes ex Air Chief Tyagis plea to travel abroad, the court may deny permission later. Former Air Chief S P Tyagi is the first chief of Indian Air Force to be charge sheeted in corruption or criminal case by CBI and he has denied all charges against him. (Photo: PTI | File) New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday allowed former Air Chief S P Tyagi, accused in the VVIP chopper case lodged by the CBI, to travel abroad in March next year. Special Judge Arvind Kumar permitted Tyagi and his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi's plea to go to the United States of America. Hearing on a similar plea filed by them in the ED's money laundering case was adjourned to January 3. If the ED opposes the plea to travel abroad, the court may deny permission later. The CBI on September 1, 2017, had filed a charge sheet in the case in which Tyagi and British national Christian Michel were named among the accused. Nine others were also named in the charge sheet in connection with a bribery case in the VVIP chopper deal. Tyagi (73) is the first chief of the Indian Air Force to be charge sheeted in a corruption or a criminal case by the CBI and he has denied all charges against him. iShares MSCI United Kingdom ETF's stock was trading at $25.60 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWU shares have increased by 26.9% and is now trading at $32.48. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. The challenge of climate change could post a threat to traditional UK growing patterns, according to an annual harvest yield survey. The publication of Strutt & Parkers annual Harvest Yields Survey offers a fresh end-of-year perspective on the 2018 season. However, at a time when farmers are looking ahead to 2019, the analysis highlights the difficulties many faced this summer. The survey shows that yields were lower than in 2017 for everything apart from second wheats and winter barley. The data is based on the performance of combinable crops across nearly 50,000 hectares in the East of England, Midlands and South East England. According to the results, the overall winter wheat yield for 2018 was 8.5t/ha, which was 7% lower than in 2017 and 9% lower than the five-year average, although higher than the Defra national average of 7.8t/ha. First wheats averaged 8.7t/ha (down from 9.5t/ha in 2017), while second wheats averaged 8.0t/ha 3% higher than last year, when second wheats struggled because of a dry start to the spring which limited the uptake of nitrogen. Tom FitzGerald, farm consultant and agronomist with Strutt & Parker, said the results are a reminder of the difficult growing season many farmers faced because of the extreme weather in 2018. While we had good establishment of autumn crops, a prolonged winter and wet spring delayed the drilling of spring crops and this was then followed by drought conditions from the end of May until mid-August, with ear emergence, flowering and grain fill all affected as a result, he said. The weather is always a huge unknown for farmers so, once again in 2019, the priority should be focusing on the areas which growers can influence, such as boosting performance though close attention to detail and finding ways to make cost savings. 'Resilient to extreme weather' However, recent analysis from scientists at the Met Office suggests a world climate in which heatwaves will occur much more frequently due to climate change. This means UK growers will need to start thinking of ways to adapt to less moderate and predictable weather than previously used to, Mr Fitzgerald said. For example, warmer winters as a result of a changing global climate delayed the start of the UK blackcurrant growing season resulting in lower quality yields, scientists highlighted earlier his week. Mr Fitzgerald added: We already know that arable crop production is set to get tougher in the UK, with margins likely to tighten as direct payments are phased out as part of the Agricultural Bill. The chemical control of pests, weeds and diseases is also becoming more challenging, due to the reduction in available chemistry and growing resistance problems. Growers may want to consider whether there are new crops which could help to make their rotation more resilient to extremes of weather, for example by improving drainage and soil microflora or by reducing soil borne pests and diseases, he said. Drought affect on crops The crop least affected by this summer's drought was winter barley, as the crop had already filled its grains and senesced by the time the drought took hold, the Harvest Yields Survey shows. Average yields of 7.7t/ha were 5% up on 2017 and 2% up on the five-year average. Spring barley yields averaged 5.6t/ha, 5% lower than in 2017 and 10% below the five-year average. Winter oilseed rape averaged 3.4t/ha, compared to 3.7t/ha in 2017, with the crops struggling to maintain the number of seeds set per pod which limited yield potential. Bean yields dropped by around 30% with the drought conditions hindering seed fill and also affecting quality. NFU Cymru is urging Welsh Government to "take note of the emerging evidence in England" following the publication of a bovine TB eradication strategy update. The statistics found within Defras update "underline the benefits of badger culling" in reducing the level of bovine TB in areas of England where the disease is endemic, the union says. The two initial badger cull areas in England are seeing the benefits of reduced disease in cattle over the four year cull period, with the number of new confirmed cattle breakdowns down by around 50%. In the Gloucester area the incidence rate has dropped from 24% to 12% in the 12 months following their fourth year of badger culling. Similar results were observed in Somerset with new incidence dropping from 10.4% to 5.6%. NFU Cymru Milk Board Chairman, Gareth Richards said the disease situation is, at best, static in some areas of Wales, which is in contrast to areas of England where culling has taken place over a period of time. Figures released by Defra and comments by the Defra Chief Vet, Christine Middlemiss, make for heartening reading for English cattle farmers as they tackle the scourge of bovine TB," Mr Richards said. This is in stark contrast to the strategy employed in the High TB Area in South West Wales where we know there is infection in the badger population. New herd incidences here remain unchanged over the last 12 months at 12.5 new breakdowns per 100 Officially TB Free (OTF) herds, but this is an increase compared to 24 months ago when the figure was 10.5 new breakdowns per 100. This is despite stringent cattle control and strict biosecurity measures employed by those farming families suffering the misery of a TB breakdown." Mr Richards added: Latest statistics show that nearly 10,000 cattle were slaughtered in the year to September 2018. This cannot be allowed to continue if we are to have any hope of getting on top of bovine TB and meet Welsh Governments own target of total eradication between 2036 and 2041. NFU Cymru says the effective control of badgers in areas where the industry knows that they are suffering from disease must be part of the strategy if farmers are to have a "truly comprehensive" TB eradication strategy in Wales. Welsh Government has so far ruled out following the strategy employed in England to actively remove the disease from the wildlife population. 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. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Sonam & Anand Walk Hand In Hand Actress and Bollywood's top fashion icon, Sonam Kapoor was spotted with her husband Anand Ahuja, walking hand-in-hand at the airport today. Sonam was wearing a black polka dot dress with a long black over coat while Anand wore a white tee with a black jacket and black denims. The two got married in May this year, in a close knit Sikh ceremony in Mumbai, after having dated for over 4 years. They were probably traveling back to Mumbai on the occasion of Sonam's father Anil Kapoor's birthday today. Alia & Varun Return From Kalank Work Trip Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan were spotted at the airport traveling together. Alia looked cool in an urban - casual avatar. She wore a white full sleeved crop top with a dark wash pair of jeans and white sneakers. She looked pretty with her hair pulled up in a half-ponytail. Varun, on the other hand, was sporting an all denim casual look. He had on a blue shirt, with a denim jacket and light wash pair of jeans. The two were returning from a work trip to Hyderabad. Alia and Varun are working together on Dharma Productions' next big movie, Kalank. Hrithik Roshan's All Black Airport Look Greek god-esque looking Hrithik Roshan is a sight for sore eyes. Today, we spotted him at the airport, looking handsome as ever. Hrithik was in an all black avatar with a black t-shirt, dark wash denims, a back leather jacket and a hat. He smiled to himself as he was snapped by the cameras. Its been a while since we saw him on the big screen. Hrithik is starring in Vikas Bahl's next, Super 30, a movie based on the life of mathematician Anand Kumar and his educational program. Super 30 is scheduled to release on January 25th, 2019. Akshay & Twinkle Leave For Holiday With Kids The much loved couple, Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna were also traveling today. Twinkle looked pretty in a dark blue off shoulder jumpsuit, with a brown tie front around the waist. Akshay looked comfortable in a black track suit with a black hat. Both of them sported sleek sunglasses which rounded off their looks. The two of them were leaving on a holiday with their kids, Nitara and Aarav. Akshay's next movie Kesari, is scheduled for release on March 21st, 2019, in which he will star opposite Parineeti Chopra. The much-loved Rajinikanth is arguably the biggest and most decorated name in the Tamil film industry today. A legend in the truest sense, he is considered to be a humble person and a terrific actor. At present, he is gearing up for the release of Petta. The film has already created a great deal of buzz amongst the fans and it is slated to get a good release. Now, here is some good news for the 'Thalaiva Army'. In an exciting development, Petta has completed the censor formalities and been passed with a 'U/A' certificate. The makers were asked to make a few cuts in order to get the said rating. A few 'offensive' words have been muted keeping in mind 'decency'. Similarly, a visual of a gun has been shortened a bit while one featuring a bloodstain has been darkened. The censor details have also confirmed that the film is nearly 2 hours 52 minutes long. In case you did not know, Petta is touted to be a commercial drama and it has been directed by Karthik Subbaraj. The buzz is that the Hindu-Muslim bond is going to be an important aspect of Petta. Besides Rajini, Petta also has Simran and Trisha in the lead. The supporting cast features names like Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vijay Sethupathi. Petta will release during the festive season of Pongal. Is This The Storyline Of Rajinikanth-Karthik Subbaraj Team's Petta Movie? Tej Pratap Yadav had a week ago declared that he would henceforth take an active interest in the party affairs. Tej Pratap Tadav had been in prolonged state of reclusion after filing petition seeking divorce from his wife of 6 months as he has been miffed over refusal of his family to back his decision. (Photo: File | Youtube screengrab) Patna: In a remark that could trigger fresh speculations about a rift within RJD national president Lalu Prasads family, his elder son Tej Pratap Yadav on Monday made it clear that he would not shy away from assuming the leadership of the party if given a chance. Yadav was responding to queries from journalists at the RJD state headquarters in Patna, after beginning a daily 'Janta Durbar' programme. He had a week ago declared that he would henceforth take an active interest in the party affairs. Why not, Yadav shot back when asked if he was ready to take over the reins of the party if the need arose. He also hastened to add, The leadership vests with the people and I am here to serve them. The RJD MLA and former Bihar minister had been in a prolonged state of reclusion after filing a petition seeking divorce from his wife of six months as he has been miffed over the refusal of his family to back his decision. He was last week allotted a bungalow by the Nitish Kumar government about a kilometer away from the residence of his mother Rabri Devi, where his father also used to live prior to his imprisonment in a fodder scam case, as he was reportedly reluctant to live with his family members. After announcing the commencement of his daily 'Janta Durbar' programme at the partys Veerchand Patel Marg office on Twitter, Prasad spent close to four hours inside the chamber that had been reserved for his father, sitting on his chair, listening to grievances of party supporters. Responding to queries of journalists afterward, he said, "The Janta Durbar has been started at the party headquarters but I will be similarly holding such darbars at various places including at my assembly constituency Mahua. I do not wish to cause inconvenience to our supporters living away from Patna. There are speculations that the mercurial elder son of Lalu-Rabri has been feeling uneasy with the growing clout of younger but more savvy brother Tejashwi Yadav, who has emerged as the partys de facto leader in the absence of their father. Notably, after their simultaneous electoral debut in the 2015 assembly polls, Tej Pratap was awarded a cabinet berth but Tejashwi was appointed the deputy chief minister. After the party lost power because of Chief Minister Nitish Kumars exit from the ruling alliance, Tejashwi was designated the leader of opposition in the state assembly. Also at the RJDs national council held last year a resolution was unanimously passed in the presence of Lalu Prasad declaring Tejashwi as the chief ministerial candidate for the next assembly polls. Tej Pratap Yadav has often remarked, drawing an analogy from the epic Mahabharata that he saw his younger brother as Arjuna and himself as Lord Krishna. The remark has often been construed by opposition parties like the BJP as an expression of resentment against Lalu Prasad for favoring the younger son ignoring the claim of the elder one. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS RESTRICTED AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES (INCLUDING ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA), CANADA, AUSTRALIA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER STATE OR JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH RELEASE, DISTRIBUTION OR PUBLICATION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR ISSUE OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, SUBSCRIBE FOR OR OTHERWISE ACQUIRE ANY SECURITIES OF SERINUS ENERGY PLC. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION AS DEFINED UNDER THE MARKET ABUSE REGULATION (EU) NO. 596/2014. JERSEY, Channel Islands, March 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Serinus Energy plc ("Serinus", "SEN" or the "Company") (AIM:SENX, WSE:SEN), announces a placing of 21,553,583 Units (as defined below) at a price of 10.5p per Unit (the "Placing Price"), to raise in aggregate gross proceeds of US$3 million (the "Placing"). The Placing has been undertaken by the Company with institutional and other investors. Completion of the Placing is conditional, inter alia, upon admission of the Placing Shares (as defined below) to trading on AIM. The Placing Price represents a premium of 2.4% to the closing mid-market price on 19 March 2019. Each Unit comprises one ordinary share of 10.5p each in the Company (the "Placing Shares") and 0.105 share purchase warrants of the Company (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant, which is unlisted and fully transferable, will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one ordinary share at the Placing Price for a period of 24 months from the date on which the shares issued pursuant to the Placing are admitted to trading on AIM (the "Closing Date"). The Warrants must be approved by a special resolution of the Company's shareholders (at a meeting to be convened shortly) before they can be exercised. The funds raised pursuant to the Placing will be used to repay funds owed to the EBRD of US$2.9 million, payable on 31st March 2019. Assuming performance of the Company's assets in Romania and Tunisia is in line with management's forecasts and the relevant oil and gas prices during the period remain at or above current levels, the Company expects to be fully funded for at least the next 12 months following completion of the Placing. Certain waivers of loan covenants by the EBRD, which were previously granted on 30 September 2018 and 31 December 2018, will continue to be required in future quarters through to the end of September 2019. Details of the Placing The Company has conducted the Placing as principal. A total of 21,553,583 Units (comprising of 21,553,583 ordinary shares and 2,263,127 Warrants) have been placed with placees at the Placing Price to raise gross proceeds of US$3 million. Application has been made for the Placing Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM ("Admission"), with Admission of the Placing Shares expected to occur on or around 26 March 2019. The Placing Shares will rank pari passu with the existing Ordinary Shares, including the right to receive all dividends and other distributions declared after the date of their issue. Following Admission of the Placing Shares, the Company will have 238,872,388 ordinary shares of no par value in issue with voting rights. This figure may then be used by shareholders in the Company as the denominator for the calculation by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the share capital of the Company under the Financial Conduct Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rules. About Serinus Serinus is an international upstream oil and gas exploration and production company that owns and operates projects in Tunisia and Romania. For further information, please refer to the Serinus website ( www.serinusenergy.com ) or contact the following: Serinus Energy plc Jeffrey Auld, Chief Executive Officer Calvin Brackman, Vice President, External Relations & Strategy +1-403-264-8877 Numis Securities Limited (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker) John Prior Paul Gillam Emily Morris +44 (0) 20 7260 1000 GMP FirstEnergy (Joint Broker) Hugh Sanderson Jonathan Wright +44 (0) 20 7448 0200 Camarco (Financial PR - London) Billy Clegg Owen Roberts +44 (0) 20 3781 8334 TBT i Wspolnicy (Financial PR - Warsaw) Piotr Talarek +48 22 487 53 02 Important notices Numis Securities Limited and FirstEnergy Capital LLP, who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, are acting solely for the Company and no one else in connection with the Placing and will be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing advice in relation to the Placing or any other matters referred to in this Announcement. This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 ("MAR"). Market soundings, as defined in MAR, were taken in respect of the Placing, with the result that certain persons became aware of inside information, as permitted by MAR. That inside information is set out in this announcement. Therefore, those persons that received inside information in a market sounding are no longer in possession of inside information relating to the Company and its securities. This announcement and the information contained in it is restricted and is not for publication, release or distribution, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in, into or from the United States, Australia, South Africa or Japan or any other state or jurisdiction in which publication, release or distribution would be unlawful, restricted or unauthorised (each a "Restricted Territory"). This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or issue, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, acquire or subscribe for shares in the capital of the Company in any Restricted Territory or any other state or jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not authorised or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of such jurisdictions. Subject to certain exemptions, the securities referred to in this Announcement may not be offered or sold in any Restricted Territory or for the account or benefit of any national resident or citizen of any Restricted Territory. In any European Economic Area ("EEA") member state, this announcement is only addressed to and is only directed at qualified investors in that member state within the meaning of Directive 2003/71/EC as amended (together with any applicable implementing measures in any member state, the "Prospectus Directive"). Any securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration under the Securities Act or pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. There is no intention to register any securities referred to herein in the United States or to make a public offering of the securities in the United States. There will be no public offer of the securities described herein in Australia, Canada, Japan or South Africa. In the United Kingdom, this announcement and any other materials in relation to the securities described herein are only being distributed to, and are only directed at, and any investment or investment activity to which this announcement relates is available only to, and will be engaged in only with, "qualified investors" (as defined in section 86(7) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) who are (i) persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments who fall within the definition of "investment professionals" in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order"); or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may be lawfully communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). Persons who are not relevant persons should not take any action on the basis of this announcement and should not act or rely on it or any of its contents. Based on this announcement, no Placing Shares have been nor will be publicly offered as defined in the Prospectus Directive and as implemented in member states of the EEA, including Poland. Any person making or intending to make any offer of Placing Shares hereby within any such EEA member state should do so only in circumstances in which no obligation arises for the Company to publish a prospectus. The contents of this announcement have not been reviewed by any regulatory authority in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. You are advised to exercise caution in relation to the Placing. If you are in any doubt about any of the contents of this announcement, you should obtain independent professional advice. This announcement includes forward-looking statements, which include all statements other than statements of historical facts, including, without limitation, those regarding the Company's and/or its subsidiaries' (the "Group") financial position, business strategy, plans and objectives of management for future operations, or any statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words "expects", "will", or similar expressions or negatives thereof. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors beyond the Group's control that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Group to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions regarding the Group's present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Group will operate in the future. These forward-looking statements speak only as at the date of this announcement. The Company, its directors and its or their advisors expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Group's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based unless required to do so by applicable law. BLACKROCK FRONTIERS INVESTMENT TRUST PLC Statement re Investment of C Share Proceeds LEI: 5493003K5E043LHLO706 24 December 2018 BlackRock Frontiers Investment Trust plc (the "Company") has been informed by the Manager that as at 24 December, over 85 per cent. of the Net Proceeds of the recent issue of C Shares have been invested in accordance with the Company's investment policy. In the absence of unforeseen circumstances the Company expects the Calculation Date, being the date of which the Conversion Ratio is calculated, to fall on 7 January 2019 and the Record Date for the transaction to fall on 11 January 2019. The Ordinary Shares arising on Conversion will rank pari passu with, and will have the same rights as, the Ordinary Shares of the Company already in issue, including the right to receive dividends declared subsequent to Admission. For the avoidance of doubt holders of C Shares will not be entitled to the final 2018 dividend in respect of the year ended 30 September 2018, which is payable to Ordinary Shareholders on the register on the record date of 4 January 2019. The last day for trading in the C Shares on the London Stock Exchange for normal settlement (in order to enable settlement prior to Conversion) will be 9 January 2019. The Company intends to make a further announcement in due course setting out the Conversion Ratio applying to the Conversion of C Shares into Ordinary Shares and the expected date when such conversion will occur. Unless otherwise defined, capitalised terms in this announcement shall have the meaning given to them in the Prospectus. Enquiries: BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited 020 7743 3000 Simon White Kevin Mayger Winterflood Securities 020 3100 0000 Neil Morgan Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 24, 2018) - Match Capital Resources Corp. (TSXV: MHC.H) ("Match" or, the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has set December 28, 2018 as the closing date for its previously announced business combination with Braingrid Corporation (the "Business Combination") pursuant to which, among other things, Braingrid Corporation ("Braingrid") will complete a reverse takeover of Match. In connection with the completion of the Business Combination, Match will change its name to Braingrid Limited and complete a consolidation of its issued and outstanding common shares on the basis of one post-consolidation share for every eight pre-consolidation shares. Pursuant to the Business Combination, among other things, shareholders of Braingrid will receive two (2) post-Consolidation common shares of Match in exchange for each common share of Braingrid held by such shareholder immediately prior to the effective time of the Business Combination. As a result of the Business Combination, former shareholders of Braingrid will hold approximately 96% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company (the "Braingrid Shares") immediately after completion of the Business Combination. The Company will continue the business of Braingrid as described below. In connection with the completion of the Business Combination, the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") conditionally approved the listing of the Braingrid Shares and Match's common shares were delisted from the TSX Venture Exchange. Listing of the Braingrid Shares is subject to, among other things, satisfaction of the customary listing conditions of the CSE. Subject to satisfaction of these and other conditions, the Braingrid Shares are expected to begin trading on the CSE on December 28, 2018 under the trading symbol "BGRD". "Braingrid Limited's public listing on the CSE is a major milestone for the Company that will provide investors with a unique opportunity to invest in a precision agriculture company focused initially on the cannabis sector," said Michael Kadonoff, who will be the Chief Executive Officer of Braingrid Limited. A listing statement describing Braingrid Limited, prepared in accordance with the policies of the CSE, is available on the CSE's website and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The information regarding Braingrid Limited and the Business Combination in this press release is qualified in its entirety by reference to the more detailed disclosure included in the listing statement. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, and these securities will not be offered or sold in any jurisdiction in which their offer 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 "1933 Act"), or any state securities laws of the United States. Accordingly, these securities will not be offered or sold to persons within the United States unless an exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws is available. ########## Contact: Doug Harris Chief Financial Officer Braingrid Corporation ir@braingrid.io About Braingrid: Braingrid Limited (braingrid.io) is a global technology company that provides an affordable, versatile and quick-to-install sensor platform for cannabis cultivators. Braingrid captures real-time data needed to increase revenues, reduce costs and risks, and connects cultivators to their grow on a microclimate level. FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release includes forward-looking information and statements, which may include, but are not limited to, information and statements regarding or inferring the future business, operations, financial performance, prospects, and other plans, intentions, expectations, estimates, and beliefs of Braingrid. Information and statements which are not purely historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information and statements involve and are subject to assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause actual events, results, performance, or achievements of Braingrid to be materially different from future events, results, performance, and achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking information and statements herein. Such forward looking statements include statements regarding the proposed closing of the Business Combination. Although Braingrid believes that any forward-looking information and statements herein are reasonable, in light of the use of assumptions and the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in such information and statements, there can be no assurance that any such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, and accordingly readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance upon such forward-looking information and statements. Any forward-looking information and statements herein are made as of the date hereof, and except as required by applicable laws, Braingrid assumes no obligation and disclaims any intention to update or revise any forward-looking information and statements herein or to update the reasons that actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in any forward-looking information and statements herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 24, 2018) - Golden Share Resources Corporation (TSXV: GSH) ("Golden Share" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, in connection with the upcoming spinout ("Spinout") of its energy storage business into Harmony Energy Technologies Corporation ("Spinco"), January 3, 2019 (the "Record Date") has been set as the record date for the Spinout. On that date, all common shares of Golden Share ("Old GSH Shares") will be withdrawn from the CDS & Co. system (the "CDS System"). All shareholders of record as of the close of business on the Record Date, upon receipt by the depositary of their share certificates/DRS advices and letters of transmittal, will then receive 1 share of Spinco for every 10 Old GSH Shares, with fractions being rounded down. Those shareholders will also receive 1 new common share of Golden Share ("New GSH Shares") for each Old GSH Share. New GSH Shares will subsequently be redeposited in the CDS System. Golden Share received the final approval order approving the spinout from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on December 14, 2018 and expects to complete the Spinout on or about January 7, 2019 For more information on the Spinout, please see Golden Share's press release of October 15, 2018 and December 13, 2018 as well as Golden Share's management information circular dated October 22, 2018 (the "Circular"). About Golden Share Golden Share Resources Corporation is a junior natural resource company focusing on mineral exploration in the province of Ontario, Canada, a mineral rich and politically stable jurisdiction. WARNING: Certain statements in this press release may be forward-looking, including those with respect to the date of the completion of the Spinout. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurances that its expectations will be achieved. Such assumptions, which may prove incorrect, include that no legal, financial, technical or other obstacles will delay or prevent the completion of the Spinout. A description of other risks affecting the Company's business and activities appears on pages 16 to 18 of its 2017 annual management's discussion and analysis, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Additional risks relating to the Arrangement and to Harmony Energy Technologies Corporation's business are set forth in the Circular. No assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking information in this press release will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits the Company will derive therefrom. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements in order to account for any new information or any other event, except as required under applicable law. The reader is warned against undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. This press release does not constitute an offer of securities by Golden Share, Spinco or any other party for sale in the United States, nor may any securities referred to herein be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration as provided in the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and the rules and regulations thereunder. The securities referred to herein have not been registered pursuant to the Securities Act and there is no intention to register any of the securities in the United States or to conduct a public offering of securities in the United States. 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. For more information, please visit www.goldenshare.ca or contact: Golden Share Resources Corporation Nick Zeng, President & CEO Tel: (905) 968-1199 E-mail: info@goldenshare.ca NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 24, 2018) - Empire Minerals Corporation Inc. (the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that the Autorite des Marches Financiers ("AMF") has issued an order effective December 21, 2018, revoking the Cease Trade Order which was issued by the Commission des Valeurs Mobilieres du Quebec/Quebec Securities Commission, the predecessor of the AMF, in April 1975. Further to the continuation of the Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders held on December 19, 2018, the shareholders reaffirmed the results of the meeting from October 31, 2018 as announced on November 5, 2018. For more information, please contact: Angelo Parravano CEO angeloparravano@rogers.com Singh expressed apprehension that some states are not according priority to fiscal discipline, which was not the case earlier. New Delhi: Finance Commission Chairman N K Singh on Saturday sounded a note of caution against fiscal slippage, saying it would adversely impact the country's macroeconomic stability as well as investment climate. The remarks come in the backdrop of several states, including Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, which witnessed a change of government, announcing farm loan waivers. Singh expressed apprehension that some states are not according priority to fiscal discipline, which was not the case earlier. He also emphasised on strengthening the Centre-state relationship through institutional mechanisms. Addressing the 'Skoch Summit' in New Delhi, he said the government should look at ways to further accelerate the reforms process pertaining to the factors of productionlabour, land, capital. Speaking at the event, Bibek Debroy, Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, said there is a need to re-examine all institutional structures to push the country's growth. He said India's per capita income is approaching the $2,000 mark and it would increase further, but there will still be challenges. "Yes, India's per capita income will go up, yes India will be transformed by 2030 or 2040, but all said and done India will still remain relatively poor," he said. The GST Council is likely to consider lowering GST on under-construction flats and houses to 5 percent in its meeting next month New Delhi: The GST Council is likely to consider lowering GST on under-construction flats and houses to 5 percent in its meeting next month, an official said. Currently, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is levied at 12 percent on payments made for under-construction property or ready-to-move-in flats where completion certificate has not been issued at the time of sale. However, GST is not levied on buyers of real estate properties for which completion certificate has been issued at the time of sale. An official said that this 12 percent GST rate ideally would have been partially offset by way of taxes paid on inputs by builders and hence the actual incidence of GST on under-construction home buyers would have been around 5-6 percent. However, builders are not passing on the input tax credit (ITC) benefit to consumers. "One of the proposals before the Council is to lower the GST rate to 5 percent for builders who purchase 80 percent of inputs from registered dealers," an official said. The official said that currently builders are paying for the inputs for construction in cash and are not passing on benefits to consumers and hence, there is a need to bring them to the formal channel. Major construction material, capital goods and input services used for construction of flats and houses attract 18 percent GST, while cement attracts 28 percent tax. Prior to GST rollout, under-construction housing projects attracted 4.5 percent service tax and a value added tax (VAT) of 1-5 percent depending on the state. Also inputs used in construction attracted 12.5 percent excise duty in addition to 12.5-14.5 percent VAT. Besides, entry tax was also levied on the inputs. After adjusting for credits on inputs used, the effective per-GST tax incidence on such housing property was 15-18 percent. The Finance Ministry has time and again asked real estate dealers to pass on GST rate cut benefits to buyers, but to no avail. Briefing reporters after the GST Council meeting on Saturday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said that builders can adjust some portion of the 12 percent GST against the taxes paid on inputs like cement which attract 28 percent levy. "The potential homebuyers feel they are not getting benefited under GST. Certain proposals have come before the Council and the law and fitment committee will look into the matter and the matter will come up in the next council meeting. There was a total consensus that something needs to be done," Jaitley had said. Currently, in case of affordable housing projects like Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, Rajiv Awas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana or any other housing schemes of state governments, GST is levied at 8 percent, which can be adjusted by builders against its accumulated ITC. The Finance Ministry had earlier this month said that for such affordable housing projects, after offsetting ITC, the builder or developer in most cases will not be required to pay GST in cash as the builder would have enough ITC in his books of account to pay the output GST. The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India's hatchback Swift emerged as the best-selling passenger vehicle (PV) model in November, pushing down the company's entry-level car Alto, which occupied the number one spot in the same month last year, to the fourth position. New Delhi: The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India's hatchback Swift emerged as the best-selling passenger vehicle (PV) model in November, pushing down the company's entry-level car Alto, which occupied the number one spot in the same month last year, to the fourth position. According to data by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Swift sold 22,191 units last month as against 13,337 units in the year-ago month when it occupied the sixth spot in the best-selling PV model list. Retaining the second place last month was MSI's compact sedan Dzire with 21,037 units sold, albeit lesser number compared to 22,492 units in November last year. MSI's premium hatchback Baleno also retained its third spot with 18,649 units. It had sold 17,769 units in November 2017. The company's entry-level small car Alto came in the fourth spot with 14,378 units sold in November as compared to 24,166 units in the same month last year, when it occupied the top spot. Another model from MSI's stable, Vitara Brezza sold 14,378 units last month coming at the fifth spot, down from the fourth position in November 2017 when it sold 14,458 units. Completing a sweep of the top six spots for MSI was Wagon R with 11,311 units sold last month, down from fifth in November last year when it clocked 14,038 units. Hyundai Motor India Ltd's (HMIL) premium hatchback Elite i20 sold 10,555 units in November coming at seventh position, up from eighth in the same month last year when it sold 10,236 units. HMIL's SUV Creta clocked 9,677 units to be at the eighth position, moving up one slot from November last year when it registered 8,528 units. Another compact car from the company's stable, Grand i10 sold 9,252 units last month coming in at the ninth spot, down from seventh in the year-ago month when it sold 13,249 units. Making an entry into the top ten best selling PV models was HMIL's comeback model Santro with 9,009 units. It was re-launched in October this year after it was discontinued in December 2014. There is a picture of Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the reverse side of the coin. The former prime minister's name is inscribed in both Devanagari and Roman Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a commemorative Rs 100 coin in memory of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on his 94th birth anniversary today. This is the highest denomination of coin in India so far. The former prime minister died at the AIIMS in the national capital in August at the age of 93 following prolonged illness. BJP veteran and Vajpayee's long-time associate L K Advani was present along with other members of the party -- Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP president Amit Shah were also present at the event here. BJP veteran and Vajpayee's long-time associate L K Advani was on the stage. Besides Advani, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP president Amit Shah were also present at the event. Modi hailed Vajpayee, whose birthday falls on Christmas Day (tomorrow), as an 'unparalled' speaker. "He is among the best orators our nation has produced. The party which Atalji built has become among the largest political parties. Generations of Karyakartas were fortunate to be mentored by him," he said. "Atalji wanted democracy to be supreme. He built the Jana Sangh. But, when the time came to rescue our democracy he and others went to Janata Party. Likewise, when the choice was between remaining in power or comprising on ideology, he left Janata Party and formed the BJP," the prime minister said. "For some people, power is oxygen... they can't live without it. A long part of Atalji's career was spent in the Opposition benches but he spoke about national interest and never compromised on the ideology of the party," PM Modi said. Modi said the mind 'is not ready' to believe that Vajpayee is no longer alive. Though he was away from public glare for nearly a decade due to ill health, the way people gave him a farewell on his demise showed the mark he had created in people's minds, Modi said. The coin has the national emblem on the front face and its valueRs 100, is inscribed below the emblem. It has the words Satyamev Jayate inscribed below the Lion Capital of Ashoka Pillar in Devanagri script. The word 'Bharat' is inscribed on the coin in Devanagri and 'India' in the Roman script. Prime Minister Narendra Modi releases commemorative Rs 100 coin in memory of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. pic.twitter.com/wE1KHYgEsZ ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2018 There is a picture of Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the reverse side of the coin. The former prime minister's name is inscribed in both Devanagari and Roman. The years 1924 and 2018 are inscribed below Vajpayee's portrait to mark the year of his birth and death respectively. Vajpayee died at the AIIMS in the national capital in August at the age of 93 following prolonged illness. --With PTI inputs At a time when the cost of land has quadrupled over the past five years, the Strategy fails to present fresh thinking on land acquisition. If NITI Aayogs new strategy paper is any indication of the economic direction this government would take if it returns to power in 2019, the portents are mixed. From economic growth and doubling farmers incomes to reforms in labour and infrastructure, the Strategy for New India @ 75 is mostly in tune with such reports of the past and addresses troubling issues. But barring agriculture --- to which it devotes three chapters (modernising agriculture, policy and governance, and value chain and rural infrastructure) --- it fails to see ground realities or offer fresh solutions. In fact, in this report, these three chapters are the best conceived and focus on real issues of increasing productivity, pushing marketing reforms, amending the Essential Commodities Act, encouraging land aggregation, and strengthening logistics and value chains. And yet, the burning issue of farm loan waivers is missing. Beyond the farm, this Strategy will be yet another well-thought, well-crafted document that will lie buried in some dark corner of Indias policy crypt. It is one thing to put together a group of experts together and create a vision, a direction, or in this case a strategy; it is quite another to see it come to life. This Strategy shies away from making hard recommendations. It visualises India as a $4 trillion economy by 2022-23 from $2.7 trillion in 2017-18. That presumes a compounded annual growth rate of 8.2 percent per annum. This number is almost 1 percentage point higher than Indias current growth expectations, and depends on conditions that are internal (reforms) as well as external (global headwinds as economics get nationalistic and close doors) to Indias actions. This number is almost within reach --- but not without future-ready big changes. For instance, over the next five years, while the Strategy aspires to increase the investment rate to 36 percent from 29 percent, exports to $800 billion from $478 billion, and share of manufacturing to 25 percent from 15 percent, the underlying policies that can enable and catalyse these numbers are missing. In particular, reduction of inspector Raj at the factory level and policy uncertainties such as retrospective taxation in general, and labour and land reforms --- the focus of this essay --- in particular. Labour laws The big Strategy sounds impressive: Encourage increased formalisation of the labour force by reforming labour laws, easing of industrial relations and ensuring of fair wages, working conditions and social security through significant productivity improvements in the economy. But again, well-articulated is rarely well-executed --- and we see no big reform recommendations. But when it comes to reforms, they are conspicuous by their absence. Going granular, the Strategy gives three directions on labour. First, it suggests simplifying and modifying labour laws applicable to the formal sector to introduce an optimum combination of flexibility for employers and security for employees. This is an old argument that has been unable to jump over the political barrier. Repeating it makes no sense. Second, it aims to push compliance of the labour laws. This is like putting bad execution chasing bad laws and will deliver an additional administrative burden for manufacturers that are already reeling under and exhausted by the unusually-heavy compliance burden of the goods and services tax (GST). Above all, it will give greater power to rent-seekers wearing the garb of public servants. It is destined to slow, not speed up, growth. And three, it aims to bring a National Policy for Domestic Workers to recognise their rights and promote better working conditions. Whether the State has adequate capacity to deliver on this law remains an open question and the proposal will remain a grand political narrative with no power or capacity to implement it. Further, it seeks to overhaul the labour dispute resolution system to resolve disputes quickly, efficiently, fairly and at low cost and proposes to strengthen labour courts and tribunals for timely dispute resolution. It also pushes to make compliance with the national floor level minimum wage mandatory and suggests the expansion of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, to cover all jobs. In trying to remain politically-correct and labour-sensitive, it misses the big picture altogether. It does not take into account the fact that the worlds fastest-growing large economy can no longer run on 20th-century laws. It needs a different legal architecture to face the 21st-century challenges. Mere incrementalism will not do. To meet the challenges of disruptions going on, particularly through artificial intelligence and robotics, India needs to change in the way it approaches the lawmaking process, such that laws enable rather than block entrepreneurs, and encourage them to use labour rather than machines. For instance, using technology to enhance the labour inspection system is good, to expect manufacturers to get attracted to this inspection, invest money and create jobs rather than use robots is being ostrich-like. Two questions. First, why should capital flow into manufacturing at all, given the huge mesh of laws, rules and regulations that raise barriers to productivity at every step the entrepreneur takes? And second, if manufacturing is an attractive and profitable proposition but labour policies remain unchanged or are burdened by greater compliance, why shouldnt a manufacturer use robots? They remain unanswered. Land acquisition On the other troubling hurdle before not merely manufacturing but infrastructure as well --- land acquisition --- the Strategy has two solutions. First, make Bhumi Rashi, a web-based portal to bring transparency in land acquisition for road projects, functional by March 2019. And second, sensitise stakeholders with details like how to determine the market rate, decide compensation and disbursement. Both are good ideas, and do take us two steps forward from where we stand. But this is not a strategy to fix the land problem, it is only an expression and capture of information around it. The real issue around land acquisition is an underlying suspicion of the state, which the report glosses over. This suspicion has definite justification in the collective consciousness of those losing their lands --- there is the problem of force, of compensation, of resettlement, of rehabilitation and most important, of not getting the money in banks. Between 1947 and 2004, for instance, 60 million people have been displaced by the acquisition of 25 million hectares of land, according to erstwhile Planning Commission estimates, based on a study by Walter Fernandes. The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation & Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013 attempted to fix some of these anomalies but has perhaps pulled the policy lever to the other side, resulting in a stalemate. At a time when the cost of land has quadrupled over the past five years, the Strategy fails to present fresh thinking on land acquisition. It is unable to see that land is a marketable factor of production, whose value rises with development, or even an expected development. It continues to view land from the perspective of poverty, inequality, justice, even as returns from land can transform economic lives forever. New ideas such as land value capture, a tool that allows governments to use the expected gains from property values due to planned infrastructure that help create it, as two models in Japan and South Korea have shown, are invisible. Of course, India has its own political economy and will need to find its own way to addresses the concerns of all stakeholders --- land owners, labour that gets a livelihood from that land, and the government and industry that hope to acquire it --- to deliver products, GDP and jobs. Perhaps we are being too naive in expecting a Strategy for growth to be real, grounded or practical. With general elections four months away and losses in five states behind it, the government is unlikely to risk talking about sensitive issues. So, when the Strategy talks about the government getting out of non-strategic public sector enterprises, it seems blind to the travails of Air India, a sublime example of policy failure, across governments, before a tiny group of entrenched, entitled unions, and leaves the exchequer burdened. It is this capture by the few of the entire policy-making fraternity that kills this report. For instance, while it suggests amendments to seven key laws --- Essential Commodities Act, 1955; Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2016; Airports Authority of India Act, 1994; University Grants Commission Act, 1956; Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Older Persons Act, 2007; Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts Act, 2015; and Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 --- it leaves reformist amendments to both land and labour laws out of legislative domains. At a time when policymaking is lagging a world under disruption, India needs to think big and deliver innovative policy solutions that are in tune with the changes, are flexible to adapt and support, rather than stall, business activity upon which rests the success or failure of a bigger political issue --- jobs. It needs to unshackle itself get out of the intellectual arguments of the past. Those solutions will not serve us any longer because the policy status quo is in conflict with the new world. The Congress chief had recently said he would not let Prime Minister Narendra Modi sleep until loans of all farmers are waived in the country. New Delhi: On the occasion of Kisan Diwas, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday promised the farmers that he will make all efforts to secure their future. The Kisan Diwas or National Farmers Day is observed across the country on this day to celebrate the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh, the fifth Prime Minister of India. Agrarian stress and farmer issues have been major poll planks of the Congress. As promised by the Congress President soon after coming to power in three states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh the Congress waived off farm loans. After the farm loans were waived off by these state governments Mr. Gandhi tweeted, "We asked for 10 days, we did it in two," Taking to Twitter, Mr Gandhi said that he will make every effort to secure the future of the farmers. He tweeted, " I salute the farmers of the country of the occasion of Farmer's day. We are there because of you. Thank you farmers. I will make every effort to secure the future of farmers. It is not a promise but also my duty." The Congress chief had recently said he would not let Prime Minister Narendra Modi sleep until loans of all farmers are waived in the country. The Congress has been demanding a farm loan waiver from the central government for all farmers in the country. Mr Gandhi has been raising farmers' issues alleging that there is continued agrarian distress under the current government, a charge the Centre has denied. Mr. Gandhi had earlier highlighted the problems of farmers and sought to share their plight by meeting them wherever they have launched a stir, including in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, where a few farmers died last year in police firing during an agitation. In the ongoing winter session of parliament the Congress is expected to raise the issue of agrarian crisis too. The commerce ministry is preparing an incentive package for labour-intensive sectors like leather with a view to promote shipments and address issues of exporters, Union Minister Suresh Prabhu said. New Delhi: The commerce ministry is preparing an incentive package for labour-intensive sectors like leather with a view to promote shipments and address issues of exporters, Union Minister Suresh Prabhu said. He said there have been challenges for the export sector over a period of time, such as issues related to credit availability. "We are preparing a package which will ensure that exporters' woes are addressed properly. There have been challenges for the export sector over a period of time and one big challenge is credit," Prabhu said. He said the package would focus on labour-intensive sectors such as leather, textile and marine products as they would help in creating jobs. The minister said there has been a sharp decline in credit to the export sector and the department of commerce has taken up the matter with the finance ministry and with the RBI. "I am supposed to meet new RBI Governor (Shaktikanta Das) and will explain him, what are the new things we need to do at export front. We are also saying that RBI should classify credit to export as priority sector lending," he added. The other challenge, he said, which the export sector is facing is related to refund of Goods and Services Tax (GST). The minister suggested that introduction of e-wallet mechanism will effectively address the woes of exporters who have been complaining of delays in a refund of taxes under the GST regime. "If there will be an e-wallet, they (exporters) do not have to pay the tax first. Today, the problem is that they get a refund over a period of time. They have to first pay upfront and in that, your working capital gets locked up that is why we want to address that issue," the commerce minister said. As per a proposal under the e-wallet mechanism, a notional credit would be transferred to exporters' accounts based on their past record and the credit can be used to pay taxes on inputs. Talking about the steps to reduce transaction cost for exporters, Prabhu said the ministry is in the process of presenting a bill on multi-modal transport in Parliament. This will help enhance efficiency in the logistics sector, he said adding each logistics company will be rated by a regulatory organisation, which will be created by the industry. India's exports grew by a meagre 0.80 percent to $26.5 billion in November. During April-November this fiscal, exports rose 11.58 percent to $217.52 billion. Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President Ganesh Kumar Gupta believes that timely and affordable credit to exporters are important to boost shipments. Basu said India's gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate has 'slowed down' in recent times as 'distress was being witnessed' in some sectors Kolkata: Distress in some sectors of the economy has slowed India's GDP growth, the consequences of which could be "far-reaching", former chief economic advisor Kaushik Basu said Monday. Basu, who was conferred the degree of Doctor of Literature (honoris causa) at the convocation of Jadavpur University in Kolkata, told reporters that India's gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate has "slowed down" in recent times as "distress was being witnessed" in some sectors. "This has resulted in a decrease in job creation and it is a cause for concern," he said. Basu, the former World Bank chief economist, said distress has been "very much visible in the agriculture sector" as the "condition of farmers is bad". The country's economy grew at 7.1 percent in July-September, the lowest in three quarters, according to the latest government data. Stating that the slowdown may continue for six months to one year and its consequences could be "far-reaching", Basu said the government needs to pay attention to the condition of people in villages. Basu said the agriculture sector is still feeling the effects of demonetisation, while other sectors had factored in the note ban to a large extent. "Many farmers who had resorted to heavy borrowings in the December 2016-January 2017 period could not tide over the situation as yet. The distress in the agri sector is very much there," the economist said. Asked about farm loan waiver, Basu said it was needed in India because of "special circumstances". By Ahmed Hagagy KUWAIT (Reuters) - OPEC and allied oil producers are ready to hold an extraordinary meeting and will do what is needed if the current cut in oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day does not balance the market next year, the United Arab Emirates' energy minister said on Sunday. Extending the output agreement signed in early December will not be a problem and producers will do as the market demands, Suhail al-Mazrouei told a news conference at a gathering of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries in Kuwait. 'What if the 1.2 million barrels of cuts are not enough By Ahmed Hagagy KUWAIT (Reuters) - OPEC and allied oil producers are ready to hold an extraordinary meeting and will do what is needed if the current cut in oil output by 1.2 million barrels per day does not balance the market next year, the United Arab Emirates' energy minister said on Sunday. Extending the output agreement signed in early December will not be a problem and producers will do as the market demands, Suhail al-Mazrouei told a news conference at a gathering of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries in Kuwait. "What if the 1.2 million barrels of cuts are not enough? I am telling you that if it is not, we will meet and see what is enough and we will do it," Mazrouei said. "The plan (to cut oil production) is well studied but if it does not work, we always have the power in OPEC to call for an extraordinary meeting," he added. "If we are required to extend for (another) six months, we will do it... I can assue you an extension will not be a problem. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its Russia-led allies agreed earlier this month to slash oil production by more than the market had expected. Still, oil prices fell on Friday to their lowest since the third quarter of 2017 as global oversupply kept buyers away from the market ahead of holidays over the next two weeks. The UAE minister said a joint OPEC and non-OPEC monitoring committee would meet in Baku at the end of February or the beginning of March, as producers aim to return the oil market to the balance reached in the summer of 2018. Mazrouei was speaking at a joint news conference with the Iraqi and Algerian energy ministers as well as Saudi Arabia's OPEC governor, Adeeb Al-Aama. Al-Aama said oil market oversupply had fallen to 37 million barrels of crude in November from 340 million barrels in January 2017, when OPEC and its allies began cutting production in an attempt to lift the price of crude. Iraqi Oil Minister Thamir Ghadhban said there was an expectation that the oil output cut decision could be renewed, adding that Iraq would be willing to extend the production agreement in April. OPEC is set to hold its next oil output policy decision meeting that month in Vienna. "We will be watching the prices and how they react over time," Ghadhban said. Saudi Arabia is fully committed to the reduction agreement, Al-Aama said, adding that the world's top oil exporter's production in January is see at 10.2 million bpd, lower than its output target of 10.3 million bpd under the recent pact. The kingdom has over committed with previous cuts, reducing more than its share and reaching a compliance of 120 percent from January 2017 until May 2018, Al-Aama said. (Writing by Nafisa Eltahir and Rania El Gamal; Editing by Dale Hudson, Hugh Lawson and Richard Balmforth) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Twelve of the 13 protesters killed when police opened fire on a demonstration against the Sterlite copper smelter in Tamil Nadu in May were hit by bullets in the head or chest, and half of those were shot from behind, autopsy reports show. Thoothukudi: Twelve of the 13 protesters killed when police opened fire on a demonstration against Vedantas copper smelter in Tamil Nadu in May were hit by bullets in the head or chest, and half of those were shot from behind, autopsy reports show. Two others died after bullets pierced the sides of their heads, according to the reports produced by forensic medicine experts from several government hospitals and reviewed by Reuters. They have not been previously published. In the case of the youngest to be killed, a bullet entered the back of 17-year-old J Snowlins head and exited through her mouth, the autopsy found. The deceased would appear to have died of cardio-pulmonary arrest due to firearm bullet injury to the back of the neck, forensic medicine experts who examined Snowlins body wrote. When Reuters visited her family, they said they had not collected the teenagers autopsy report. We are continuing to exist, thats it, said her mother. Indian police rules allow the use of live ammunition to quell civil unrest, but stipulate the response should be proportionate and officers should not shoot to kill. Police Standing Orders for Tamil Nadu, the state where the shootings took place, say that, when using firearms, aim should be kept low, preferably well below the waist level, and directed against the most threatening part of the mob. The incident was the deadliest at an environmental protest in India in a decade. A working group of United Nations human rights experts in May condemned the apparent excessive and disproportionate use of lethal force by police. Federal police are investigating the shootings, which took place as protesters were marching to the local government headquarters in the port city of Thoothukudi, demanding that a copper smelter controlled by London-headquartered Vedanta Resources be shut for allegedly polluting the environment. No police officers have been arrested or charged in connection with the killings. In a statement following the incident the Tamil Nadu state government, which is responsible for the police, said: Due to unavoidable circumstances, we had to take action to bring the situation under control. The Thoothukudi district administration and state police officials did not respond to emails seeking comments on the autopsy reports. Federal police investigating the deaths did not respond to requests for comment on the autopsy findings. Vedanta did not respond to a request for comment. The company, which had no involvement in the shootings, has previously expressed regret over the deaths at the protest, which it called absolutely unfortunate. Four senior police and two government officials who were present on the day told Reuters in June they were forced to fire live ammunition as the crowd turned violent and threatened a neighbouring Vedanta employees apartment building. Detail of deaths Among the eight people killed from bullets entering their head or body from behind or the side, 40-year-old Jansi, who like many people in Tamil Nadu goes by just one name, was shot a few hundred metres away from her house in a narrow street close to Thoothukudis seafront. She was shot through the ear, the report into her death showed. A bullet went through the forehead of 34-year-old Mani Rajan. The deceased would appear to have died of penetrating injury to the brain due to the firearm bullet injury to the right side of forehead, Manis autopsy report said. The dead also included a man in his 50s, six men in their 40s, and three men in their early 20s. The head of the forensic science department at the Thoothukudi Medical College, where the autopsies were conducted, declined to comment, as did two of the principal examiners. Reuters contacted 11 of the 13 families or friends of those killed, 10 of whom said they were not pursuing any legal action. One of the 11 said he was in touch with a lawyer and wanted justice, but did not elaborate further. Two of the families could not be reached for comment. Authorities in Tamil Nadu ordered the permanent closure of the Vedanta smelter on environmental grounds immediately after the shootings at the 22 May protest. That order was overturned by a ruling from Indias green court on 15 December. Vedanta, controlled by billionaire Anil Agarwal, has always denied damaging the environment. On Friday, the state high court asked the firm not to reopen the plant for another month, until it had heard an appeal from activists challenging the green court decision. Minimum force The shootings are being investigated by a court-mandated commission as well as the federal police. Officials familiar with the investigations said they were not likely to conclude any time soon. Fifteen police weapons were discharged in total, including three self-loading rifles (SLR), according to a state government documents submitted to the investigation commission and reviewed by Reuters. Of 69 live bullets used, 30 were fired from the three SLRs, according to the documents. Police fired an additional four rounds from .303 rifles and 12 shots from .410 weapons. The Police Standing Orders, an exhaustive manual on police action, recommends the use of .303 and .410 rifles as a last resort against violent crowds. Unlike the colonial-era .303 and .410, the SLR is modern rifle capable of continuous fire, said Jacob Punnose, former police chief of the neighbouring Kerala state. There is no illegality per se, he said, referring to the use of SLRs in such circumstances. But it definitely goes against principle of minimum force. Teltumbde had claimed that he was being falsely implicated in Bhima Koregaon case. In his plea, the activist denied all the charges against him even as the police opposed. Mumbai: The Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon violence, in which several rights activists are being investigated by the Pune Police, was a "deep-rooted" conspiracy which had "extremely serious repercussions", the Bombay High Court has said. The observation was made by a division bench of Justices BP Dharmadhikari and SV Kotwal while dismissing a petition filed by Anand Teltumbde, one of the activists accused in the case, seeking to quash an FIR against him. Teltumbde had claimed that he was being falsely implicated in the case. In his plea, the activist denied all the charges against him even as the police opposed the same and claimed that they have ample evidence implicating him. The bench had dismissed the activist's plea on 21 December, the order for which became available on Monday. The bench observed that there was incriminating material against Teltumbde. "The offence is serious. The conspiracy is deep-rooted and has extremely serious repercussions. Considering the nature and magnitude of the conspiracy, the investigating agency is required to be given sufficient opportunity to unearth the evidence against the accused," the bench said. Expressing its satisfaction with the probe agency, the bench said that Pune Police had sufficient material against Teltumbde and that allegations against him were not "baseless". The High Court further noted that initially the probe by the police was limited to the violence that had erupted on 1 January, 2018, a day after the Elgar Parishad event was held at historic Shaniwarwada in Pune. "However, now the scope of the investigation is not restricted to the Koregaon-Bhima incident, but the activities leading to the incident and subsequent activities as well are the subject matter of the investigation," the bench said. Therefore, Teltumbde's connection with the banned organisation, Communist Party of India (Maoist), will have to be probed into, it said. "In the present case, the allegations and material against the petitioner (Teltumbde) travel beyond mere allegations of him being a member of the banned organisation. His participation and active role is spelt out in the material collected by the police," the judges said. While opposing Teltumbde's plea, Additional Public Prosecutor Aruna Kamat-Pai had submitted to the High Court five letters allegedly written by the accused to each other in which Teltumbde's name was mentioned as an active participant. Teltumbde's counsel Mihir Desai claimed that the letters cannot be relied upon to prove his complicity, as they name a person 'Anand' or 'Comrade Anand' and hence it cannot be conclusively said that the person referred to in the letters is in fact the petitioner. However, the bench said it was satisfied that the police has the material to establish the identity of Teltumbde as 'Anand' or 'Comrade Anand', as referred to in the documents and letters submitted, which also form part of the chargesheet. In November, Pune Police had filed a chargesheet in a local court against ten activists and absconding Maoist leaders in the Elgar Parishad case. It named ten accused including activists Surendra Gadling, Rona Wilson, Shoma Sen, Mahesh Raut and Sudhir Dhavale, who were arrested in June. Other five accused named in the chargesheet are Maoist leaders Dipak alias Milind Teltumbade, Kishan Da alias Prashant Bose and Prakash alias Rituparn Goswami. The police had alleged that inflammatory speeches and provocative statements made by several activists during the Elgar Parishad conclave had contributed to the violence that broke out around Koregaon Bhima village the next day, 1 January. The particular day marked the bicentennial celebration of the 1818 battle of Koregaon Bhima. Several activists were named in the FIR lodged on 8 January. Eight more activists, including Teltumbde, were named in another FIR filed in October. Some of the activists - Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves, Sudha Bharadwaj, P Varavara Rao and Gautam Navlakha - have already been arrested by the police. According to police, the Elgar Parishad event was funded and supported by Maoists. The Manipur chief minister's remarks came in the context of journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhemcha who was arrested under the National Security Act in November for allegedly making derogatory comments against him. Imphal (Manipur):Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on Monday asserted that he cannot tolerate humiliation of national heroes like Rani of Jhansi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The chief minister's remarks came in the context of journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhemcha who was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) in November for allegedly making derogatory comments against him. Singh told ANI, "I can tolerate criticism but not the humiliation of my leaders; he was abusing as well as humiliating the national heroes like Rani of Jhansi and PM Modi. It is totally beyond freedom of expression." Further substantiating his argument, Singh stated: "Justified or not, that will be the work of the court. It is a democratic country, we have the right to criticise, but we should not forget there are also some restrictions." Wangkhemcha, who was working for a local news channel in the northeastern state, had reportedly uploaded several videos in November, calling Singh a puppet of Narendra Modi-led central government. In his video clips, Wangkhemcha had apparently criticised the state government for observing Rani of Jhansi's birth anniversary and allegedly used derogatory words against the chief minister. He had filed the petition on 19 December challenging his detention. On 14 December, the state government had reportedly ordered that Wangkhemcha should be kept under detention for a year. As per reports, the journalist was arrested on separate charges of sedition on 21 November. On 25 November, a local court released him on bail. On 27 November, Wangkhemcha was detained under the NSA, which allows for detention of up to 12 months without trial, and has since been kept in a jail in Imphal. Keeping with the poll promise, the newly formed Congress government in Chhattisgarh announced Monday that it will return more than 1,700 hectares of land to tribals and farmers in Bastar, which was acquired by the previous Raman Singh government for the now-shelved Lohandiguda steel plant in the district Keeping with the poll promise made by the Congress president Rahul Gandhi during his campaign in tribal region Bastar, the newly formed Congress government in Chhattisgarh announced on Monday that it will return more than 1,700 hectares of land to tribals and farmers, which was acquired by the previous Raman Singh government for an integrated steel plant in Bastar. Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel has instructed his officials to complete the formalities of returning the land to tribals in Bastar and bring the proposal for approval before the first cabinet meeting to be held after oath-taking ceremony of his ministers. The previous BJP government had acquired 2,042 hectare of land including private, government and forest land for Tata Steels 5.5 million tonne per annum (MTPA) greenfield integrated steel plant at Lohandiguda in Bastar district, which turned into a Singur-like situation due to severe protests from locals and the project got shelved. Its a historical decision of sorts. The chief minister has issued instructions to complete the formalities of returning the land to tribal farmers. It will be presented in the first cabinet meeting of the state government for final approval. The land was acquired by the previous government for Tata Steel plant, which couldnt be materialised due to heavy protest by locals on land acquisition issue, a senior official in Chhattisgarh government told Firstpost on condition of anonymity. The Chhattisgarh Congress in its poll manifesto Vachan Patra had promised that if it came to power it would return the land acquired for Tata Steel project to tribal farmers. "After formation of our government in Chhattisgarh, we will return the land acquired by the state government from tribals for Tata Steel project, Rahul Gandhi had announced at Jagdalpur, district headquarters of Bastar in November during his election campaign. Tata Steel had signed an MOU with the former BJP-led state government in 2005 for setting up of steel plant with a proposed investment of Rs 19,500 crore. The Raman Singh government saw it as an opportunity to generate employment and bring economic development in the Maoist-hit region, but due to massive protests and other multiple factors, the project failed to take off. The company was allotted 2,500 hectares of iron ore mine at Bailadila in 2008 to supply raw material for the proposed steel plant. A prospecting license was issued to the company. Tata Steel, however, gave up the plan to construct the steel plant citing 'unfavourable local law and order situation'. The MOU ended in 2016. According to the details accessed by Firstpost, out of the total 2,042 hectares of land, besides 173.03 hectares of revenue and 105.81 hectares of forest lands, 1,764.61 hectares of land was acquired from tribal farmers for the steel project. Since Bastar region had been notified as a tribal area, the company couldnt directly purchase land from the villagers. Instead, the state government acquired land in Lohandiguda and paid compensation to villagers. But the land acquisition led to a fierce protest. "We had to fight a long battle against this land acquisition both outside and inside the court, which was forcefully done. Along with me, many others were jailed and faced police oppression. The Raman Singh government acquired tribal land for Tata Steel project at Lohandiguda and then transferred it to its land bank, which was illegal. We protested for a decade against the land acquisition, because what would tribal farmers do if their only source of income was snatched, alleged former MLA and Communist Party of India (CPI) leader in Bastar, Manish Kunjam. The Left parties along with tribal farmers and local villagers staged a series of fierce protests over land acquisition. Kunjam, who challenged the previous governments decision in the court, was arrested along with several protestors and jailed. The land acquisition at Lohandiguda had created a Singur-like situation in Chhattisgarh. In 2006, Tata Motors proposed Nano factory at Singur in West Bengal had generated massive farmer protests and controversy over land acquisition by the then Left government in the state. "A large swathe of land across 10 villages was forcefully acquired (by the Chhattisgarh government) without taking proper permission of gram sabhas. There had been issues related to payment of compensation to farmers. According to the Land Acquisition Act, if (acquired) land isnt used for more than five years, it has to be returned to the original landholder. But, the previous state government converted the acquired land for the Tata Steel into its land bank. Instead, the government should have identified the landholders and returned it to them. It's a good decision taken by the present government, said CPM state secretary Sanjay Parate. In a major breakthrough in unravelling the overground network of Naxals in urban areas, the Chhattisgarh Police on Sunday arrested a senior technical officer at the Hyderabad-based National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), who they said is working as a Maoist operative and allegedly supplying various materials to ultras. Raipur: In a major breakthrough in unravelling the overground network of Naxals in urban areas, the Chhattisgarh Police on Sunday arrested a senior technical officer at the Hyderabad-based National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), who they said is working as a Maoist operative and allegedly supplying various materials to ultras. The operative, identified as N Venkat Rao alias Murty (54), was arrested by a team of local police in Rajnandgaon district of Chhattisgarh when he was heading towards Rajandgaon town from Deori in Maharashtra on a motorcycle, a senior officer said. "Twenty-three detonators, Naxal documents, Maoist literature, a laptop, a mobile phone and two chargers were recovered from his possession," said Inspector General of Police (Durg Range) GP Singh. Murty, a native of East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh, is working as a senior technical officer at NGRI, Hyderabad, he said. NGRI works under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. As per preliminary information, Murty had been supplying various materials, including explosives, to senior Maoist cadres, particularly in the bordering areas of Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, the inspector general said, adding that the Naxal leader who had surrendered a couple of months ago had revealed crucial details about "overground network" of Naxals. "Notably, a senior Naxal leader and Division Committee Secretary of Gondia-Rajnandgaon-Balaghat division of Maoists Kumarsai alias Pahad Singh, who had surrendered before the police in Durg range a couple of months ago, had revealed crucial details about overground network of Maoists functioning in urban areas," the police officer said. Based on inputs provided by Pahad, separate teams of police were sent to different states to collect information about the urban operatives of Maoists. Meanwhile, police received a tip-off that a key Maoist operative, who had been actively supplying various materials to Maoists, was about to travel to Rajnandgaon from neighbouring Maharashtra, after which check posts were set up on the route, he said. During checking on Sunday, Murty was stopped in the Baghnadi Police Station area and arrested after Maoist-related material was found in his possessions, Singh added. "During interrogation, Murty revealed that he was inspired by the radical students' union protest in Andhra Pradesh in the 1980s and he had been supporting the Maoist ideology since then," he said. The operative also revealed that delivery or transportation of explosives to Maoists was being done in different areas in the country based on his directions, the policeman said, calling the arrest as a big achievement. Besides, he had been actively propagating Maoist propaganda through various means in the society. He was traveling to Rajandgaon to meet some senior cadres, with an intention to execute a major incident in the district, the inspector general added. Daily bulletin: Indonesia tsunami toll rises to 281 even as at least 1,000 people are left injured; KCR to meet Mamata Banerjee today; Narendra Modi will unveil projects worth Rs 15,000 in Odisha today; day's top stories KCR likely to meet Mamata Banerjee today for talks on forming anti-BJP, anti-Congress front Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) is expected to meet his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee on Monday to discuss ways to strengthen his plans to build a non-BJP and non-Congress front. An NDTV report said, "Manata who is interested in forming an alliance of regional powers to reach a better bargaining position with the Congress has given a positive response to KCR. A number of leaders, who are expecting to join the Opposition front against the BJP, have shown interest in the idea." This comes a day after the Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief met Biju Janata Dal leader and Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday. Also, during his visit to Delhi from 25 December, the Telangana chief minister is scheduled to meet Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav. Indonesia 'volcanic tsunami' kills 281, toll expected to rise The toll from a volcano-triggered tsunami in Indonesia has risen to 281, with more than 800 people injured. "As many as 222 people are dead, 843 people are injured and 28 people are missing," Indonesia's national disaster agency spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. "This number is predicted to increase because not all victims have been successfully evacuated, not all health centres have reported victims and not all locations have got complete data," he said. Without warning, a tsunami after a volcanic eruption slammed into popular beaches around Indonesia's Sunda Strait on Saturday night, cutting a swathe of destruction and triggering mass panic as it swept inland. Authorities said the tsunami may have been triggered by an abnormal tidal surge due to a new moon and an underwater landslide after the eruption of Anak Krakatoa, which forms a small island in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. "The combination caused a sudden tsunami that hit the coast," Nugroho said, but added that Indonesia's geological agency was working to ascertain exactly how it happened. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Odisha Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to unveil projects worth around Rs 15,000 crore in Odisha on Monday. During his visit, he will visit the new campus of IIT-Bhubaneswar at Aragul, built at a cost of Rs 1,660 crore, and also launch a slew of projects related to higher education, health, road and highways, and culture via video conferencing. Modi is also scheduled to address a public meeting near Khurda. Rajasthan Cabinet to take oath today The swearing-in ceremony of 23 newly-elected legislators of Rajasthan will be held on Monday at Raj Bhavan in Jaipur. The names of council of ministers 22 of whom are from the Congress, and one is from Rashtriya Lok Dal were finalised by Rajasthan Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, after rounds of discussions with party president Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders, sources said. The swearing-in ceremony is expected to be held at 11.30 am. According to PTI, Rahul intends to focus on having a cabinet with a majority being fresh faces. The report also said that the Rajasthan Cabinet will be a blend of the old and new and will give an opportunity to those who have not held ministerial portfolios in the past. Women unable to enter Sabarimala temple, blame police Eleven women from Chennai-based NGO 'Manithi' on Sunday attempted to enter the iconic Sabarimala temple in Kerala, but were unsuccessful due to strong protests from Lord Ayyappa devotees. They also claim that the police forced them to abandon their visit and return to the base camp at Nilakkal. The Kerala Police reportedly rejected the charge and said that the group of women, comprising seven devotees and three activists, had returned of their own will for security reasons. India Today reported that two cases had been filed against the protesters based on the complaints lodged by members of the group. Malala Yousafzai praises Shah Rukh Khan's Zero Nobel Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai has lavished praises on Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's performance in his latest release Zero. Malala, who watched the film on Friday, posted a video message on social media and said: "Hello, Shah Rukh Khan. It was very nice to watch your movie. It was very entertaining, and my whole family loved it." Xiaomi Mi Play to launch today in China The latest smartphone from Chinese giant Xiaomi is going to be the Mi Play, to be launched in China on Monday. This is going to be the first in the line of the new 'Play' series smartphones that Xiaomi has planned in its Mi lineup. The phone is said to feature a water drop notch and will likely sport a mid-level Qualcomm chipset. The Mi Play is perhaps a gaming-centric device, though we shall know for sure after the phone is announced. There is no official release date for India at the moment, but we can be almost sure that the country will be the next stop after China. Bank employees call for day-long strike on 26 December Close to a million employees of various banks, including private lenders, have called for a day-long strike on 26 December to protest against the proposed amalgamation of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank with Bank of Baroda. The call for the strike comes on the heels of an officers' union of state-run banks observing a day-long strike last Friday on similar grounds, along with a demand for immediate settlement of their wage negotiations. With inputs from agencies An RTI query has revealed that the subcommittee led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, which was set up to conduct a feasibility study of the Bullet train project has not held a single meeting to date, let alone conducting an in-depth study In a shocking revelation, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, has overlooked his own orders before approving the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project. On 27 February 2017, the home department of the state issued a circular noting the formation of a subcommittee to conduct an in-depth study of the bullet train project. The subcommittee, said the circular, would be headed by Fadnavis himself. More than six months later, On 12 September 2017, the home department issued another circular approving the project. However, an RTI query has now revealed that the subcommittee has not held a single meeting to date, let alone conducting an in-depth study. Along with Fadnavis, three others on the panel of the subcommittee were Chandrakant Patil (Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, and Public Works), Vinod Tawde (Minister for Education) and Diwakar Raote (Minister for Transport). Patil did not respond to a message or several phone calls. His associates kept asking this reporter to call later. And there was no response from him till the publishing of the piece. The state government issued a clarification on 24 December 2018 at 10.20 pm on its website, which was sent to Firstpost the following day after publishing the story. The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting of 7 September 2017 based on the recommendations of the subcommittee, it says. Raote, in a telephonic interview, passed the buck to Fadnavis and said he has no clue about it. "I am not looking into the bullet train, the chief minister is," he said. Upon pointing out his name is on the panel, Raote said, "My name may be there, but I have no clue about it. I don't know what this committee is, and I do not recall attending anything pertaining to it." The RTI revelation and Raote's admission suggests the chief minister had no intention of examining the project with sincerity. RTI activist Jeetendra Ghadge, who had filed the RTI request, said, The Maharashtra government has clearly rushed into approving the project under the pressure of the Central Government without even looking at its feasibility or the interests of their own state. It's really shocking that they ignored their own orders to approve such a mega project, which has no practical benefit to Maharashtra, and further, it will add more financial stress to the already loan-burdened state." Touted as Narendra Modis plan to upgrade the infrastructure in India, the 508-kilometre high-speed rail project is estimated at 1.08 lakh crore rupees, with Central Railway footing half of the bill, and the rest of the 50 percent of the expenses to be shared equally between Gujarat and Maharashtra. However, the clarity ends there. On 3 January 2017, the transport department of the state home department solicited inputs from others on the bullet train project, in which the planning department said the MoU should clarify how the revenue would be shared between Centre, Gujarat and Maharashtra after the project is operational". The revenue department had even more pertinent objections. It noted the project is "likely to make losses, which means one would have to infuse capital repeatedly to keep it afloat". "In this regard, it is important to know what the responsibility of the state would be," it said, adding, "There is no information or estimate available regarding how much profit or loss this project would make." In conclusion, the revenue department asked to examine how many people go to Ahmedabad for work from Maharashtra currently, in order to establish the benefits for the state. Yet, in its circular dated 12 September 2017, the Maharashtra government gave a go-ahead to the project with the subcommittee that was formed to look into it not meeting even once. "It is a known fact that the project will benefit only Gujarat state and the Gujarati population living in Mumbai. Unfortunately, Maharashtra has to bear an equal share of the cost, which is unfair on the Maharashtra state's taxpayers," said Ghadge. The RTI query further revealed that the Ministry of Railways has paid more than Rs 18 crores for undertaking a joint feasibility report of the bullet train project. Both the states involved in executing the project appear to be circumventing the due process and law. The farmers that are set to lose their land to the project have opposed the acquisition, claiming the Gujarat government has not followed the due process. According to a Hindustan Times report of October 2018, A year after the project was kicked off, only 0.9 hectares of land have been acquired out of the 1,400 hectares needed. At this rate, the project is set to miss the completion deadline of 2023. The representatives of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which is providing 81 per cent of the loan to India for the project, had visited Surat earlier in December. Khedut Samaj Gujarat president Jayesh Patel told The Indian Express on 9 December, "We showed all the documents to the JICA officials, including the petitions and affidavits filed by the affected farmers in the High Court.... We informed them that over 2,200 farmers in 192 villages spread across eight districts of Gujarat have been affected by the bullet train project." He added: The Gujarat government did not listen to their issues and the declared compensation is so less that with that money they cannot purchase another agricultural land in the nearby area for livelihood. We showed them pictures and newspaper cuttings of the arrest of farmers by the police when the land acquisition officials turned to the fields for measuring land. They (JICA officials) were shocked to find that the government did not hold talks with the affected farmers over land acquisition, and teams were sent directly to the fields for marking the land. Following the woman officer's allegation, the Army ordered a court of Inquiry and attached him for facing the probe at HQs 17 Corps in Ranchi. Major General was found guilty under Section 354 A (attempt to outrage the modesty of a woman) and Section 54 of the Army Act (conduct unbecoming of an officer). (Photo: File) Chandigarh: A serving Major General has been recommended for dismissal from service by a General Court Martial (GCM) for allegedly misbehaving with a woman officer. The GCM, presided over by a LT General Giriraj Singh, found the Major General guilty under Section 354 A (attempt to outrage the modesty of a woman) and Section 54 of the Army Act (conduct unbecoming of an officer), prosecution counsel D S Ahluwalia said on Monday. The verdict is subject to confirmation by the Chief of Army Staff, the prosecution counsel said, adding the officer had the right to appeal before the Army Chief against the verdict. The case dates back to 2016 when the Major General was posted as Inspector General, Assam Rifles. A woman officer accused him of calling her to his room and misbehaving. Following the woman officer's allegation, the Army ordered a court of Inquiry and attached him for facing the probe at HQs 17 Corps in Ranchi. The Major General had refuted the allegation levelled against him. Firstpost Editor's Picks: Swami Gopal Das disappearance, NDA sealing deal with Paswan, spike in militant deaths in Kashmir; today's must-read articles Steady network of informers allowed 70% spike in Jammu and Kashmir militant killings this year The fight has become so close that an informer knows an overground worker and vice versa. On the streets of South Kashmir, people know who was responsible for whose killing. They also know who is likely to become a militant and why. But it would be a mistake to believe that a militancy-free Kashmir would be possible in 2019. In fact, there are fears that the situation may go from bad to worse. As repression grows and a political solution evades this raging conflict, positions have hardened, and more boys are adopting the path of violence. According to officials, 176 Kashmiri youngsters crossed over to insurgency this year. NDA scores against mahagathbandhan by sealing deal with Paswan, tells allies BJP is open to accommodate their concerns The way the BJP leadership treated Ram Vilas Paswan meeting him immediately after LJP expressed its concerns and then sending a chartered flight to Mumbai to make him and Chirag fly to Delhi for sealing the seat-sharing deal and Shah announcing it in the presence of Nitish Kumar stands out as an exception. The formula is 17 BJP, 17 JD(U) and 6 LJP (for the 40 Lok Sabha seats from Bihar), as well as a Rajya Sabha seat for Paswan. However, by sacrificing concerns for one or two seats, the BJP leadership has sent a larger message that it is open to accommodate the concerns of the allies, in short, it will not hesitate in taking a step forward if needed to maintain the coalition dharma. Ganga pollution protest: Bizarre disappearance of Swami Gopal Das from Dehradun hospital puts doubt on govt's intent Mystery continues to surround the disappearance of Swami Gopal Das who had been fasting for the last six months to save the Ganga river. He was last seen on the evening of 4 December when he was admitted to the Government Doon Medical College (GDMG) in Dehradun having been brought there from AIIMS Delhi. His aged parents, Shamsher Malik, a farmer from Panipat district and his mother, Shakuntala Devi dismiss outright the district authorities' version that their son left the GDMG hospital voluntarily. Apparently, when he 'disappeared from GDMG on a December night, he left behind his few belongings including his mobile phone. The two Dehradun policemen who had been assigned the task of keeping an eye on him were not with him at the time when he walked out of the hospital. Citizenship Amendment Bill: BJP dumps indigenes in Assam in a bid to make Hindu Bengali refugees citizens for poll gains Although the next Assembly election in West Bengal is not due in the immediate future, the ruling party at the Centre wants to counter the formidable challenge posed by Mamata Banerjees All India Trinamool Congress. The BJP feels it would be able to make electoral inroads by pandering to a major section of the Bengali voters by invoking sentiments of Bengali linguistic nationalism especially in respect of those Hindu refugees likely to enter India from Bangladesh. Chandrababu Naidu stares at an uncertain future after TDP's humiliating defeat in Telangana Andhra Pradesh chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has been left high and dry after the Congress-led Prajakutami bloc, of which his Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is a constituent, was swept away in the Telangana polls by the KCR tsunami. While TRS has announced its plans to play a part in Andhra politics, TDP's rivals YSR Congress and Jana Sena have started mocking Naidu's fiasco in Telangana, calling his defeat in the neighbouring state a firm indication of his imminent fall in Andhra polls too. Kamal Nath wasted no time in getting down to business in Madhya Pradesh, but Digvijaya's help key in path ahead Ruled out from the chief ministerial race, Digvijaya Singh had thrown his weight behind Kamal Nath during the elections. So, while the move to re-allot the bungalow can be considered a thank you note of sorts, there is another reason: Nath is new to the political ecosystem of Bhopal and has never had any experience of managing Madhya Pradesh, having remained largely confined to his turf in Chindhwara. Digvijaya, on the other hand, knows the workings of the state administration like the back of his palm. Late Captain Nishad had won Lok Sabha seat from Muzaffarpur both on Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Janata Dal United JD(U) tickets. Patna: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday expressed his profound grief over the death of former union minister Captain Jai Narayan Prasad Nishad in Delhi. "Nishad breathed his last at a private hospital in Delhi Monday morning," family sources said. "The chief minister announced that his cremation would be held with full state honours," an official release said. At 88, Nishad is survived by a son Ajay Nishad and four daughters. Ajay is a BJP Lok Sabha member from Muzaffarpur constituency. Late captain Nishad represented Muzaffarpur in Lok Sabha four times besides serving as union minister between 1996-98. He won Lok Sabha seat from Muzaffarpur both on Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Janata Dal United JD(U) tickets. In his condolence message, Kumar said that Captain Nishad's death has caused an irreparable loss to the society and politics. "Nishad was very popular in his area and had interest in social works," he added. Kumar talked to the former union minister's son Ajay over phone and consoled the bereaved family members. He prayed to almighty to give strength and courage to the relatives and followers to bear the loss. Former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav also condoled the death of Capt. Nishad. In his message, Tejashwi Yadav said that the death of Nishad has caused irreparable loss to both society and politics as he was a very sensitive social worker. On learning of her sons disappearance, Gopal Das distraught 60-year-old mother Shakuntala went on a fast unto death at Triveni ghats in Rishikesh from 13 December. Mystery continues to surround the disappearance of Swami Gopal Das who had been fasting for the last six months to save the Ganga river. He was last seen on the evening of 4 December when he was admitted to the Government Doon Medical College (GDMG) in Dehradun having been brought there from AIIMS Delhi. His aged parents, Shamsher Malik, a farmer from Panipat district and his mother, Shakuntala Devi dismiss outright the district authorities' version that their son left the GDMG hospital voluntarily. Apparently, when he 'disappeared from GDMG on a December night, he left behind his few belongings including his mobile phone. The two Dehradun policemen who had been assigned the task of keeping an eye on him were not with him at the time when he walked out of the hospital. Gopal Das, who has a PhD in Environmental Sciences and was a keen environmentalist, began fasting to save the Ganga on 24 June at Badrinath. He then moved down to Rishikesh where he continued his fast from Triveni Ghat in Rishikesh. And on 12 October, learning of the death of GD Agarwal (Swami Sanand) he decided to move to Matri Sadan to continue his fast from there. Providing details of the case, medical superintendent of GDMC KK Tamta said, "Given the sensitivity of the case, the hospital administration immediately informed the local police about his arrival and two policemen had been deployed by the district administration to keep guard on him. Gopal Das was in a stable condition during his brief stay at the hospital. We provided him with a nasogastric (NG) tube when he arrived but he was adamant that he did not want any medication." Tamta also said that the hospital administration had provided the CCTV footage of his leaving the hospital to the police. Gopal Das parents along with several activists insist that after his hurried discharge from AIIMS Delhi he was brought to Dehradun and dumped outside the district magistrates office. "My son was not a dacoit that he needed to go into hiding. And even if he did want to leave the hospital, why would he leave his mobile phone behind?" asks his aged father. Malik further pointed out, "There is something very sinister about the way he was brought from AIIMS Delhi to Dehradun. The hospital attendants at AIIMS had informed him that the authorities did not want to suffer the embarrassment of having him around during the Winter Session of Parliament. If that was the case, why they did not leave him in his village with us." On learning of her sons disappearance, Gopal Das distraught 60-year-old mother Shakuntala went on a fast unto death at Triveni ghats in Rishikesh from 13 December. A week later, she has been persuaded to break her fast after receiving an assurance from the district authorities that they would intensify their search to find her son. Both parents question the length to which the central and state machinery were misused to harass and torture their 40-year-old son as he was moved from one medical facility to another. "During the period of his fasting, he was moved in and out of more than a dozen hospitals. We follow the practices of Mahatma Gandhi and yet he was treated worse than a criminal," said Shakuntala. Ganga activist Mallika Bhanot, a member of the Uttarkashi based NGO Ahvaan who was in regular touch with Gopal has kept a record of this harassment. "On 12 October, he was forcibly taken to AIIMS Rishikesh. Four days later, he was discharged and allowed to return to Matri Sadan when the following day he was again taken to AIIMS Rishikesh from where on 22 October, he was shifted to PGI Chandigarh. The authorities in PGI kept him in the ward with patients suffering from communicable diseases. Five days later, he was moved back to AIIMS Rishikesh only to be released on 1 November," said Bhanot. "But this did not end his harassment because two days later he was referred to Jolly Grant Hospital in Rishikesh and then from there he was taken to Rishikul Ayurvedic college also in Rishikesh. From there, once again he was dumped back at AIIMS Rishikesh and then from there he was suddenly moved to an Ayurvedic facility in Sarita Vihar. By then he was so broken that he had to be admitted to the ICU at AIIMS on November 7," she said. "For a nation that owes its independence to non-violence fasts of Mahatma Gandhi, for the government to show such high handedness and animosity is shocking. He was within his rights to fast as an expression of protest and yet he was bundled from one place to another only to harass him and break his spirit." SP Haridwar Mamta Vohra justifies the governments decision to take him to AIIMS Rishikesh. "We are authorised to take whatever steps that are deemed fit to save his life. He was declared medically unfit so we got him admitted to AIIMS Rishikesh," said Vohra. Nor do the top cops of Uttarakhand agree with the parents' version that Swami Gopal had been dumped outside the district magistrates office on a cold December evening. Both SSP Dehradun Nivedita Kukreti and Vohra insist that they had seen the CCTV footage provided by GDMG which shows Gopal Das walking out of the hospital. Kukreti, whose office is located a stones throw from the GDMG pointed out, "I have seen the CCTV footage which shows him going out of the hospital. A missing complaint has been filed. So let us see when we are able to locate him." But his parents and close associates are not willing to buy this explanation. "A man who has been fasting for the last six months is hardly in a condition to simply walk out and disappear into the blue. Even when he was on his way to Dehradun after his discharge from AIIMS on 4 December, he took a video of how his two attendants were torturing him and making fun of him along the way. In this video, he expresses apprehension that he will be killed in the same way Swami Sanand was. My question to the government is that when Modi came to power, he had said, he was the son of Ganga. Then why he has not bothered to address the concerns of the seers and saints who are protesting and fasting to save the Ganga," said Malik. Swami Sivananda of Matri Sadan which has been in the forefront of the fight to save the Ganga river also questions the governments intent in not being willing to address the questions being raised by his community. "Even during the Congress regime, the Sant community undertook repeated fasts and many of us were subjected to force-feeding. But no member of our community ended up losing our lives. Here this young sant Gopal Das was been tossed from one medical facility to another in order to break his spirit. It was obvious that the government wanted him out of the way because they do not want bad publicity," said Sivananda. "Irom Sharmila, who wanted the AFSPA to be repealed in Manipur, was also kept alive by force-feeding for 16 long years. Here because of the ill-treatment meted out to Gopal Das, a man who was hale and hearty while fasting on the banks of the Ganga ended up suffering enormously simply because he wanted the government to take firm steps to end sand mining and to restore the smooth flow of the Ganga. Are these not legitimate demands?" asked Sivananda. Environmentalist Ravi Chopra heading the People's Science Institute in Dehradun fears the worst. "I am extremely worried. It is time the government make a statement explaining how a seer can just vanish in this extraordinary manner. There is no doubt that he was physically and psychologically harassed and we need to know why he was treated in this manner," Chopra said. Medha Patkar, Swami Agnivesh, Rajendra Singh, Bharat Jhunjhunwala and several other leading activists have written an open letter to the government expressing shock at how the government made no attempt to dialogue with Gopal Das even though he had been fasting for 171 days. Instead, they kept transporting him from one hospital to another and kept pressurising him to give up his fast rather than make any attempt to understand his concerns. "Exactly the same thing happened with Swami Sanand who ended up sacrificing his life after having fasted for 112 days. As Sant Gopal Das was brought in police custody to AIIMS Delhi by Uttarakhand police we hold the Governments of Uttarakhand and India directly responsible for his disappearance. We also demand that Government should enter into dialogue with fasting Saints. Right now Brahmachari Atmabodhanand is also sitting on fast at Matri Sadan, Haridwar," the open letter said. Brahmachari Aatmabodhanand of Matri Sadan has also been on fast since 24 October. He too is also bearing the harassment from local authorities as also being subjected to forceful hospital admissions despite being stable in health. His associate Brahmachari Dayanand pointed out, "Our fast consists of the sant taking some salt, warm water and honey. This helps to stabilise the individual and keeps him in good health. I myself had undertaken a fast for one month and was fine. This was what Swami Sanand was also taking and as long he was at Matri Sadan, he was normal. He would take regular walks and also do all his personal chores himself. But in the case of Brahmachari Aatmabodhanad too, the local SDM took him forcibly to AIIMS Rishikesh. Within two days of his admission there, he became seriously ill. Fearing the worst, we managed to get him discharged. We have brought him back to Matri Sadan, had him treated by a local doctor and have managed to stabilise him." Shakuntala Devi is in no mood to be silenced. This doughty 60-year-old blames the government squarely for her sons disappearance. "Till my last breath, I am determined to fight for the implementation of the Ganga Protection Management Act. My son lost his life for Ganga Mata. I too will not budge from Rishikesh till such time as the government concedes to our demands," she said. Swami Gopal Das is the fourth swami to have undertaken a lengthy fast to save the Ganga. Swami Nigamand Saraswati fasted unto death in 2011 and Baba Nag Nath sacrificed his life in 2013 to save the river. In Madhya Pradesh, many farmers and agricultural experts believe that the farm loan waiver announced by Kamal Nath will not achieve its desired result. Bhopal: Arjun Patidar is a traditional farmer in Madhya Pradesh who has been tilling his land since 1999. He will soon be debt-free, thanks to the new Congress state governments farm loan waiver announcement. Yet, Patidar is against the policy. It will lead to a bad trend, he says, explaining why. Such loan waivers are likely to change the mentality of farmers. Farm loan is a cycle and almost 90 percent of farmers pay off the debt every year and then take a new loan. But now, they may just skip the loan installment and wait for elections and the resulting waivers, he points out. Many other educated and informed agriculturists in the state agree with Patidars theory, which is also supported by NGOs, agri-startups and experts. Madhya Pradesh recently became the first Congress state to dole out this largesse. Within hours of assuming the post, Chief Minister Kamal Nath declared a waiver of short-term farm loans of up to Rs 2 lakh taken before 31 March, 2018, from nationalised and co-operative banks. The other states where Congress won in the recently-held Assembly elections, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, quickly followed suit, and the announcement was subsequently taken up by states ruled by other parties as well. But is this what Madhya Pradesh really needs? Sachin Kumar Jain, a social researcher and trainer associated with Vikas Samvad Human Development Resource Organisation, calls the loan waiver good politics but bad for the economy. He believes that unless the government has taken the step by keeping a larger policy in mind, the move is going to affect the states economy and development planning badly. Madhya Pradesh has consistently posted record agricultural growth in the last few years, though average total earnings of farm households in the state continue to lag. The loan waiver is set to burden the exchequer by Rs 50,000 crore and put a strain on the states finances. Says Jain, The government could have opted for a direct cash transfer scheme to ensure a minimum income to farmers, instead of waiving off loans. We should focus on freedom from the burden of loans, rather than just waiving the debt. Studies in Madhya Pradesh have noted that incomes of small farmers have not seen a significant rise, and that more than half of the loan burden comes from debts that are run up via informal channels. Agriculturists speak A new breed of gentlemen farmers in Madhya Pradesh, who have quit salaried jobs to go back to their roots, discuss the possible solutions. Parv Kapoor, a 26-year-old graduate in biotechnology from Manipal University, took up farming in 2015 soon after completing his graduation. Now he owns 40 acres in Shahpura village near Bhopal. Kapoor insists that funds should be utilised in knowledge-based agriculture. Fortunately, I come from a strong business background and can bear risks, but the common farmers do not have such a buffer, he explains. Talking about innovations in farming, he says, I used to visit others' farms to learn about innovative technology and took the help of traditional farmers to implement the practices. Farming is challenging, as one cannot be sure of the amount and rate of produce. In such an environment, a farm loan waiver is not the solution, as farmers may fall into the debt trap again." Kapoor stressed on areas which should be the focus of the government. I see that farmers in my team have benefited from the waiver, but it is not going to help in the long run. The government could have pumped this money into creating knowledge-based agriculture, he adds. He explained how farmers have no control over their investment and the failure of insurance schemes. I had cultivated urad in 2017 on 15 acres of land with an investment of Rs 2.5 lakh. But the crop failed. I got the insurance claim in 2018 after a years wait. There are many such government schemes but the funds can be better spent in creating awareness about innovative and organic farming, Kapoor points out, suggesting that the government should improve mechanisms to provide subsidy on farm equipment than give loan sops, and form a body to regulate the minimum support price (MSP) in the private market. But for many, like researcher Jain, even MSP is not the solution. Only 10 percent of farmers in the state sell their produce at government-run mandis (markets), he says. Could the money have been better used? For Prateek Sharma, a former banker with Kotak Mahindra Bank who now runs the startup Green and Grains in Dhaba Khurd village 100 kilometres away from Bhopal, a digital marketplace and production control are the solutions to farming problems. Sharma, despite belonging to a family of farmers, had to face unexpected problems after entering the sector mainly lack of funding and market interest. Like the others, he too says farm loan waivers are of no help as many farmers have taken Kisan Credit Card loans from private banks. What is needed is a mechanism to calculate the demand of agro-products before farmers start with cultivation, as they are usually clueless about demand and have to often slash prices of their produce due to overproduction, he explains. Instead of wasting money on loan waivers, Sharma says, the government can allot funds to create a digital marketplace. The money can be further used for procurement of farm produce for the next few years and then to store, market and sell it to processing units, and even to export. The funds could have been used to set up basic infrastructure such as food processing units, cold storage and warehouses in every district of Madhya Pradesh, Sharma adds. On the financial burden of the waiver on the state, Sharma pointed to the assessment of the State Level Bankers Committee. Around Rs 50,000 crore is the amount to be waived off. Banks are happy as they will be relieved from the risk of bad debts, but it will affect the economy in a bad way, he says. Swapnil Tripathi, an entrepreneur operating the agri-startup Lok Kalyan which works in Madhya Pradesh's tribal areas to curb migration, echoed Sharma, asking the government to invest in creating a platform for farm produce something that his startup is doing on a small scale with impressive results. The artisans are repaying the small loans they take in self-help groups and are multiplying their profits too. The government should support this model on a large scale, Tripathi says. The loan waiver, if it costs the Madhya Pradesh government Rs 50,000 crore, is expected to compromise spending in other areas, hit urban development projects and affect job opportunities. According to government data, Madhya Pradeshs agriculture growth rose from 3.7 percent in 2014-15 to 20.4 percent in 2016-17. However, the services sector witnessed a decline from 12.5 percent in 2015-16 to 8.8 percent in 2016-17. Congress thinks otherwise When asked about the financial burden on the state exchequer due to the farm loan waiver, Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza says, "Farmers ensure food security for us, so they should get their right. A loan waiver is their right and the need of the hour. Rather than spending crores on advertisements and wasting money on schemes like the Misabandi pension, we will cut the unnecessary expenditure of the government and ensure that the economy of Madhya Pradesh will not suffer." Other party leaders think that the chief minister is capable of handling the situation and will make sure to bring in more revenue to offset the extra burden. Congress MLA from Bhopal Dakshina-Pashchim, PC Sharma, is of the view that the loan waiver will encourage farmers to work with more enthusiasm. It (waiver) will motivate the farmers and as a result, Madhya Pradesh will get maximum output from them to boost the economy as well. Apart from this, our chief minister Kamal Nath is an expert in managing finances, and he knows how to get funds for farmers without harming the states financial strength, Sharma says. (Manish is a Bhopal - based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com) Fifteen miners were trapped in the 'rat-hole' mine on 13 December after water from nearby Lytein river gushed into it. All efforts to trace the labourers have turned futile as the water level in the mine showed no signs of receding in the past 11 days. Shillong: The man, who was arrested in connection with the mine mishap in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district a fortnight ago, has admitted that he was the owner of the 370-foot-deep illegal quarry, police said on Sunday. Fifteen miners were trapped in the "rat-hole" mine on 13 December after water from nearby Lytein river gushed into it. All efforts to trace the labourers have turned futile as the water level in the mine showed no signs of receding in the past 11 days. Krip Chullet, who was arrested on 14 December, admitted during interrogation that the mine in Lumthari village of Khliehriat area around 80 km from Shillong belonged to him, Superintendent of Police Sylvester Nongtynger told PTI. Two mine managers, Mohesh and James Sukhlain, are still on the run, he said. Sukhlain facilitates mine operations, while Mohesh is the person responsible for bringing labourers from West Garo Hills district and Assam, the SP said. Earlier, the police had said Chullet was involved in hiring labourers and sending them down the shaft. Around 20 miners had entered the 370-foot mine on 13 December. After reaching the bottom of the pit, they entered the horizontal tunnels, often termed "rat-holes", as each just about fits one person. According to local people, one of the diggers could have accidentally punctured the walls of the cave, following which the river water gushed into it. Five people were able to climb out of the flooded mine, leaving the others behind. Seven of the 15 trapped labourers hail from West Garo Hills district, five from Assam and three from the remote Lumthari village, where the accident took place, the SP said. The state government had on Saturday announced an interim relief of Rs 1 lakh each to the families of the 15 miners and sought high-power submersible pumps from Coal India Ltd to flush out the water and rescue them. Over 100 personnel of the national and state disaster response forces, along with the police, have been waiting for the water level to subside to begin the rescue work. Mining expert Jaswant Singh Gill, who arrived at the site two days ago, has made recommendations to the state to hasten the operation, NDRF Assistant commandant SK Singh said. The family members have now given up hope that the miners would be rescued alive. Shohor Ali, who hails from Magurmari village in West Garo Hills district, has his son, brother and son-in-law trapped in the mine. "We have all lost hope to see them alive. I just wanted the authorities to help us retrieve the dead bodies for their last rites," he told PTI. Ali also said that all three of his family were lured to Lumthari with a promise of Rs 2,000 as wage per day. "I was the first person to get in touch with MLA (Rajabala constituency) Azad Aman to find out about the accident," he added. The MLA, on his part, said he had contacted the police as soon as he received the information. "It took the police several hours to locate the mine," the Congress MLA told PTI. The Rajabala MLA, however, said the relief offered to the labourers were insufficient. "I have met the chief minister (Conrad Sangma). I have also written to the chief secretary and sought help from Meghalaya Human Rights Commission demanding relief payment to the affected families," he added. Fearing a rise in the number of suicides, alcoholism and housebreaking incidents, farmers in Marathwada are demanding that the Maharashtra government immediately provides jobs to the youth under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) Pune: Group of adults and youths chatting under big trees, inside community halls or near temples, is a common sight nowadays in villages in Marathwada. Sometimes one can see a group of women sitting idle as well. As there has been less than 5 percent sowing this Rabi season due to lack of rain, there is no work for daily wagers who relied on weeding, tilling, and other agriculture-based works to earn a livelihood. Having experienced drought three years ago, elders in the village express the need for the government to offer work through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005. They say, failure to do so would result in housebreaking incidents in the daytime, a rise in the number of suicides, and bad habits like alcoholism and gambling will go up. At 12 in the noon, a few adults and youth, sitting in front of gram panchayat in Pakharsagvi village, five kilometres from Latur, were discussing the drought of 1972 which is considered as the worst ever drought till now. Women at the same time had gathered at a village temple to sing bhajans (devotional songs). In general, all these adults would be in farms. Farmers would be waiting for the harvest that will be out by January and labourers would be choosing which farm to work. But, currently, all agricultural lands are dry. A few farmers who have little water are growing jawar or gram, and are managing on their own to avoid shelling more towards labour charges," says Bhagwat Shingan, a 70-year-old farmer from Pakharsagvi. "The situation looks grim. How many more days can these adults, especially the youth, sit talking here? The government needs to offer jobs otherwise life will be very difficult," he adds. According to Shingan, in 1972, the then government in power, thankfully, offered jobs to almost everybody and that is what the government should do now. Namdev Badgire, a farm labourer from Mamdapur village near Patoda in Ambejogai in Beed district, said, "I don't any own land and work as a labourer in others farms and so does my wife, brother and his wife. Since we work as labourers we don't have grains kept aside for house consumption like most farmers do. Our lives depend on what we earn as a daily wage. The quantity of grains we get at ration shops is not enough for our family of eight which includes two children each of me and my brother. Where can we get money for their schooling, travelling, grocery shopping, health emergencies, and festival celebrations? Not everybody can migrate to cities like Pune or Mumbai. Besides, what are the chances of getting good work, or a safe place to stay and that too after leaving our children behind? The option for us is to stay at home, and that is why we want the state to give us jobs." Vasant Narare, also from Mmdapur village, claims that after 1995-98, people in his village have never seen a tehsildar or talathi offering any work under the earlier National Rural Employment Guarantee Act or after the MGNREGA. "In fact, Maharashtra has a separate act and MGNREA. We do read the news that so many jobs were provided, that a number of public works were done and youth were provided jobs and how crores of rupees have been spent on this. But believe me, I am 45 years old and I have never seen anybody in my village getting any job under these schemes, says Narare. Badgire added that at least seeing the severe drought situation and the increase in the number of suicides, "the state should implement and execute these schemes effectively and their officials should keep a check on whether jobs are being provided at the local level to beneficiaries having job cards". Shingan informs that all construction sites and most of the MIDC factories requiring water are no longer operational in Latur after the local administration prohibited any kind of usage of water apart from drinking, animal and daily usage. "Villagers go to Latur spending Rs 15-20 and wait there for 3-4 hours expecting some work, but they return home empty-handed spending the same amount. They are losing money in the hope of finding some work, yet they cannot afford to lose hope and keep going every day. Go to Shivaji Chowk in Latur and you will meet labourers coming from nearby villages every day, he says. Kaushabai Bhande from Kasarkheda in Latur taluka said, What can we do if we don't get work? Nowadays we are not even getting work as housemaids due to saturation. What option do women like us having no land have? If we manage to get food we will eat otherwise we drink water and sleep. That is what we have been doing. Jijabai Ghule who is also from Kasarkheda, says, Three years ago Marathwada faced severe drought conditions. We saw daily incidents of housebreaking back then. If people dont get jobs it's going to happen again." Shingan shared his experiences, Housebreaking is not the only menace rising out of unemployment. The number of suicides is already going up and will be much higher. If it continues, addictions like alcoholism, gambling and drugs like weed will catch adults. Purushottam Bhapkar, divisional commissioner of Marathwada region, didn't reply to calls as to when would work under MGNREGA will be availed to people in the area. Since June, hardly a week has gone by in Jammu and Kashmir without a militant casualty. Till 23 December, at least 247 militants were killed, nearly all of them too poorly trained to understand the intricacies of guerrilla warfare. Editors Note: As another turbulent year comes to an end in Jammu and Kashmir, Firstpost will run a series of reports on how the state changed in 2018 and how these changes will translate on the ground. This series will focus on new-age militancy and the changing political landscape in the Valley, as well as the ever-increasing gap between the three regions of Jammu and Kashmir. *** In the three decades of insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, never has the unrest been so personal and so dangerously fought as it is today. In the bouts of violence that erupt every now and then in the Valley, only a blurry distinction remains between militants, government forces and protesters. This year, militants were slaughtered like sheep, one after another, and at regular intervals, taking the toll to the highest in a decade. Most of the militants died in lopsided gunbattles. In 95 percent of the encounters, they failed to inflict any casualty on the security forces. Since June, hardly a week has gone by without a militant casualty. Till 23 December, at least 247 militants were killed a 70 percent jump from the figure at this time last year most of them from Kashmir and nearly all of them too poorly trained to understand the intricacies of guerrilla warfare. Clashes between security forces and protesters also worsened in recent months, pushing the region into a vortex of violence. Sympathisers try hard to give the trapped militants a chance at survival by pelting stones at security forces. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir had said in Parliament that as many as 759 incidents of stone-pelting were reported over the year. These clashes have proved deadly as this year alone, 59 civilians were killed in firing by security forces near encounter sites. While the civilian casualties has angered people, the killing of militants has become easier over time. For instance, in one case in Shopian, a counterinsurgency police officer climbed up a wooden staircase without any protective gear, pushed his AK-47 through the window of the house and moved his gun around with his finger on the trigger. He continued to fire till the three armed militants inside were killed. Most of these one-sided firefights don't last even an hour. But it would be a mistake to believe that a militancy-free Kashmir would be possible in 2019. In fact, there are fears that the situation may go from bad to worse. As repression grows and a political solution evades this raging conflict, positions have hardened, and more boys are adopting the path of violence. According to officials, 176 Kashmiri youngsters crossed over to insurgency this year. As against the claims of officials, Kashmiri youngsters continue to be recruited into militant ranks, which is a cause for worry for the security establishment. In the absence of a political outreach, the sense of alienation among people in Kashmir has only increased. The killings, as a top officer of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, told this reporter, are "not the answer". "Militants are showing their presence whether by getting killed in encounters or attacking security forces," he said. "The answer is in somehow getting these boys out of the woods and making them understand that violence is not the answer... A proper rehabilitation policy accompanied by political engagement can help in the long run." As was seen in the early 1990s, a unique phenomenon took place last year, wherein all militant groups including the Hizbul Mujahideen designated a commander for nearly every district in Kashmir. Security forces have killed nearly all but three of these commanders: Reyaz Naikoo, the operational chief of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Zeenat ul Islam, another top Hizbul commander, and Zakir Musa, the head of the Al-Qaeda linked Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. "This is a major achievement for security forces, which became possible because of a strong network of human intelligence. Despite informers being killed, the inflow of intelligence has not stopped at all," the police officer said. On Saturday, six militants were killed in an orchard in Pulwama's Tral area. The police said this would have been impossible without the facilitation of local informers. "Make no mistake, while there is overwhelming support for militancy, there are also those who are ready to put their neck out and provide intelligence about militants in South Kashmir," the officer emphasised. A policeman, an army soldier or a paramilitary trooper can only kill a militant if the intelligence provided is reliable, accurate and comes at a suitable time. The staggeringly high number of militants killed would have been impossible if local informers had not provided the information that led to these encounters. In one case, an army officer based in South Kashmir said a teenage boy who works as an informer had called to say he had seen a stranger in a lane going to his house. When the forces arrived 15 minutes later, they had killed two boys in a graveyard. Militants killed the teenage informer a few days later. The fight has become so close that an informer knows an overground worker and vice versa. On the streets of South Kashmir, people know who was responsible for whose killing. They also know who is likely to become a militant and why. But the continuing killings have not become a deterrent. Instead, there is a debate on whether militants are killed for the sake of rewards. As former state finance minister Dr Haseeb Drabu, who has a close perspective on the conflict economy, wrote in a stinging article for The Indian Express, militant killing has become "key axiom on which the state paradigm of tackling militants is built". "An entire system formal and informal has come into being, centred on making money to eliminate militants rather than eliminating militancy... What this entire system does is to institutionalise violence and in the process, also redefine bravery. Not to be left behind, the media contributes to this system through the commercialisation of violence. It is sickening and without sensitivity," Drabu wrote. Two women in their mid-forties started trekking to Sabarimala early on Monday morning despite strong protest from devotees. Two women in their mid-forties, who attempted to enter Sabarimala temple on Monday morning, were brought back to the Pampa base camp amid strong protests. The women, from Kerala's Malappuram and Kozhikode cities, had reached within a kilometre of Sannidhanam the entrance to the Sabarimala shrine after the Kerala Police removed protesters at the site attempting to create an obstacle at Appachimedu, which is a part of the temple complex. On Sunday, the Sabarimala foothills had witnessed high drama as hundreds of devotees had blocked the path and driven away a group of 11 women who were escorted to the hill shrine by the police. On Monday, too, Bindu and Durga were heading to the Sabarimala shrine under heavy police protection. "We are here to seek 'darshan' (offer prayers) of Lord Ayyappa. The Supreme Court order must be enforced, and we hope the police will provide us security," Bindu told reporters en route to Sabarimala. Kerala: Lord Ayyappa devotees hold protest in Perinthalmanna, Malappuram, outside the residence of Bindu, a woman devotee who began the trek to #SabarimalaTemple today morning. She is being brought back to Pampa base camp now following protests against her entry to the temple. pic.twitter.com/d8XcPAohhF ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2018 Trivandrum: BJP workers protest against women activists who returned from Pathanamthitta. #SabarimalaTemple pic.twitter.com/YYugJIXzEZ ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2018 Kerala had witnessed massive protests by devotees and the BJP opposing the apex court verdict of 28 September permitting women of all age groups into the shrine. Thousands of devotees have gathered at the foothills of the shrine as the first phase of the annual pilgrimage season to Sabarimala comes to an end in the next three days. Bindu and Durga, escorted by police, had reached Marakootam, about a kilometre from the Sannidhanam early on Monday. The women were earlier stopped at Appachimedu, a place en-route Sabarimala, by protesters, who were later removed by police. The BJP started protesting in front of the houses of these women against their attempt to trek the hill. The bid of the 11 women, who were members of a Chennai-based women empowerment outfit, 'Manithi', to reach the shrine to offer prayers was unsuccessful on Sunday as they were forced to return by protesting devotees. The trek to Sabarimala starts from Pampa, which is around four kilometres from the hilltop shrine. The first phase of the 41-day long annual pilgrim season at the Lord Ayyappa temple will culminate on 27 December with the puja. Over a dozen women, including a journalist and an activist, had also earlier tried to trek to the shrine, nestled in the Western Ghats forests, but could not make it due to protests by devotees and right-wing activists. The Kerala High Court earlier this month had appointed a three-member committee, vesting them with powers to oversee law and order and other problems faced by pilgrims during the ongoing annual season. The Supreme Court said on Monday that it will take up a batch of petitions in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case for hearing on 4 January. The matter is listed before a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice SK Kaul. The Supreme Court said on Monday that it will take up a batch of petitions in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case for hearing on 4 January. The matter is listed before a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice SK Kaul. The court is yet to appoint a third justice to the bench hearing these petitions. The bench is likely to constitute a three-judge bench for hearing as many as 14 appeals filed against the Allahabad High Court judgment, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land should be partitioned equally among three parties the Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. Earlier, CJI Gogoi had rejected the Uttar Pradesh governments plea for an early hearing and ordered the listing of the appeals in the first week of January. We have our own priorities. Whether hearing would take place in January, March or April would be decided by an appropriate bench, the CJI said. In September, former CJI Dipak Misra had rejected a plea to refer to a larger bench a 1994 ruling of the apex court, in which it observed that a mosque is not an essential part of the practice of the religion of Islam and namaz by Muslims can be offered anywhere, even in open. Meanwhile, Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday said that the BJP is of the view that the Supreme Court should hear the Ram temple land dispute case on a daily basis to deliver an early judgment. With inputs from PTI It has been four years since the passing of the landmark judgement of the Supreme Court, wherein the court granted recognition and certain rights and protection to the transgender community in India. It has been four years since the passing of the landmark judgement of the Supreme Court, wherein the court granted recognition and certain rights and protection to the transgender community in India. This judgement was followed by two private member bills and then the present government bill for the codification of the rights of transgender persons. The present bill which was first introduced on August 2016 was sent to the Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment (the Committee) after a month, which then resulted in the committee giving its final report in July 2017. This week the bill was finally passed by the Lok Sabha with corrections based on the report of the Committee. This Bill was a watershed moment in the legislative history of the country, being the first bill cleared from the Lok Sabha that seeks to provide protection to the transgender community in the country. This bill was long overdue considering that it was 1871 when the Criminal Tribes Act was passed in the country that consisted of a separate chapter on Eunuchs. In this act, Eunuchs were defined as impotent men, who were supposed to be compulsorily registered and prohibited from wearing womens clothes or dancing in the streets, ostensibly to criminalise the traditional communities of transwomen present in the country at the time. The bill has taken a progressive stand as to the definition of the word transgender and defined it in an expansive fashion as a person whose gender does not match with the gender assigned to that person at birth and includes trans-man or trans-woman (whether or not such person has undergone Sex Reassignment Surgery or hormone therapy or laser therapy or such other therapy), person with intersex variations, genderqueer and person having such socio-cultural identities as kinner, hijra, aravani and jogta. However, the bill is also courting controversy due to the fact that it requires trans persons wishing to avail themselves of the benefits of the act to seek certification of being transgender from a District Screening Committee, and rightly so as it hits at the very core of the demand of self-determination, which the community has been very firm and vocal about, and which was also a crucial aspect in the private member bills. The Bill seeks to set up a tedious procedure for obtaining an identity certificate, which will 1) require an application being moved in the office of the District Magistrate, 2) the application being sent to the screening committee, 3) the screening committee reviewing the application (and in all likelihood the applicant) and giving its recommendation back to the District Magistrate, 4) the District Magistrate then issuing the identity certificate, which will entitle one to protection under the law. The bureaucratic situation in the country is not a hidden fact, and the ordeal that such a procedure will put an applicant through, which requires not only the convening of meetings but might also require the committee to reach a joint decision. This provision can be contrasted with a simpler procedure for obtaining a disability certificate which requires an application to the certifying authority, consisting a board of government doctors, and the doctor who specialises in the disability of the applicant will then examine the applicant on the basis of set parameters and then grant or deny a certificate. What is even more curious is the fact that the screening committee is required to have a transgender representative, while the act clearly stipulates that one has to be screened by the committee before they can be certified as transgender, so the possibility of such committees ever being set up is also suspect and would require certain persons to be deemed to be transgender by a process not provided in the bill. A bare perusal of the Bill does not make out any need for such certification, as the bill largely provides for negative rights, ie, rights that require a lack of action; for instance, the right to not be discriminated against at work, right to not be externed from property, which are such rudimentary rights that there can be no reason to put in restrictions of screening before providing the same. Further the positive rights provided in the Bill are contained in Sections 9, 15, and 16 of the Act, which also provide for setting up of Vocational Training Institutes and providing relevant medical facilities, which are again not something of such value that will (or can) be misused by persons pretending to be transgender, leaving the reason for requiring certification in this bill unclear. Hence, the requirement of obtaining a certificate for such rights is patently unreasonable and against the spirit of the act itself. It is also important to point out that the present bill does not provide or mention anything about reservation being provided to the transgender community. Further, the bill proposes very transphobic provisions such as the offence of enticing transpersons to beg, which has the potential to criminalise the tradition of many trans communities which include the practice of seeking alms in return for blessings, and the same should further be looked in light of the fact that begging per se has been decriminalised in the country*. Also, the bill in numerous places provides for dangerously vague provisions that can be misused by persons in authority such as section 9(4), which merely states that The appropriate Government shall take steps for the rescue, protection, and rehabilitation of transgender persons to address the needs of such person, but does not at all state how the government agencies will decide who needs rescue, protection, and rehabilitation, and the same is open to misuse for arresting and detaining transpersons, as was commonly being done to homeless persons under the Beggary laws. While it is a positive sign that the government is taking some interest in the rights of transgender persons, such half-hearted attempts at creating legislation will create loopholes that can potentially do more damage than good, and create rights that can never be enforced. *Read order of Honble Delhi High Court dated 07.08.2018 in W.P.(C) 10498/2009 & CM APPL. 1837/2010 Kartikeya Bahadur is a practicing human-rights lawyer with specialisation in Access to Justice from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. He is an extramural researcher with Monk Prayogshala. He also asked the BJP to clarify about the stand of its alliance partners on Ram Mandir issue Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over a host of issues, including the Ram temple, Rafale deal and its allys dismal Asse-mbly poll results, in his Pandharpur rally on Monday. Speaking in Marathi, Mr Thackeray even used the same jibe that the Congress often uses to criticise the Prime Minister. Addressing a huge crowd at Pandharpur, Mr Thackeray said, Halli paharekarich chorya karaylaa laagale aahet (Nowadays, security guards are the ones committing thefts. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been repeatedly hurling the chowkidar chor hai (the guard is a thief) jibe at Mr Modi. Taking potshots at the government over the Rafale scam, Mr Thackeray said, I dont know how the court has given the government a clean chit in this. You know, nowadays watchmen have become thieves. In the procurement of planes, they have pulled off a scam. On the one hand, this government is refusing to raise the pay scale of soldiers while on the other, they carried out this scam. Mr Thackeray was in Pandharpur, Solapur on Monday to carry out a puja of Lord Vitthal. After the prayer, he addressed the rally where he spoke of the Ram Mandir, drought and farmers welfare. On temple issue, he said, I have raised this issue for the elections. I am not one of those people who hide their intentions. I want to ask the BJP when it will build the Ram Mandir. Now, they are saying that the case is in court. I want to ask them that when they mobilised people in 1992 to bring down the mosque, that time too the case was in court. You did that and then came to power. You enjoyed power but Ram is still to get his place. He said the BJP shouldnt make empty promises on issues related to God or else Hindus would punish it in the next elections. He also asked the BJP to clarify about the stand of its alliance partners on Ram Mandir issue. I want to congratulate Nitish and Paswan. BJP bowed down before them. Nitish wanted an RSS-mukt Bharat. The BJP is now enjoying an alliance with him. But I want to ask the BJP, what is their position on the Ram Mandir? Are they supporting it? asked Mr Thackeray. Mr Thackeray also said that he doesnt care about an alliance or seat sharing, but his concerns are the drought, farmers and the Ram Mandir. Mr Thackeray also announced a tour of drought-affected areas in January 2019. Talking about the crop insurance scheme, Mr Thackeray said, I have proof. There is a scam. Eleven companies that had no experience in insurance were given tenders. They collected crores of rupees. But in return, they gave almost none, said Mr Thackeray. The Sena chief also said that he would visit Varanasi and other cities as well with regard to the Ram temple issue. But I want to ask you (the people) how much longer should we continue doing this? I will go to every drought-hit area in the state. Shiv Sena will stand with those who are affected by the drought, said Mr Thackeray. The Sena leader also raised the issue of the Union governments information surveillance circular. If you are doing the same thing that the Congress did in the past, what is the difference between you and it? asked Mr Thackeray. Mr Thackeray also slammed the BJP for putting the question where is the option? to the public. The people of Chhattisgarh found the option. I want to congratulate them. BJP leaders felt that only they would win every election. The people have brought them down a peg or two, said Mr Thackeray. In a setback to Sterlite, the Madras High Court on Friday ordered status quo as existed before the National Green Tribunal set aside a Tamil Nadu government order for the closure of the company's copper plant in Tuticorin. Madurai: In a setback to Sterlite, the Madras High Court on Friday ordered status quo as existed before the National Green Tribunal set aside a Tamil Nadu government order for the closure of the company's copper plant in Tuticorin. Justices KK Sasindhran and PD Audikesavalu of the Madurai Bench also restrained the Vedanta group from taking any steps to reopen the unit. Hearing a petition against reopening of the Sterlite unit following the 15 December NGT order, the court directed that status quo will continue till 21 January and ordered the state government to inform the court by the deadline whether it intended to file an appeal against the tribunal verdict. The bench issued a notice to the state chief secretary and the Chief Executive Officer of Sterlite to file their counter. The court was hearing a petition filed by Fatima of Tuticorin opposing re-opening of the copper smelter plant. The petition noted that prima facie, Fatima was right in her contention that she "had been denied an opportunity to make a mention before the tribunal" because the order had not been "pronounced" in an open court, but had been "uploaded" on the official website. The state government had, on 28 May, ordered the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to seal and "permanently" close the mining group's copper plant following violent protests by locals over pollution concerns. On an appeal by the Sterlite, the NGT had quashed the order, holding that that it was "non-sustainable" and "unjustified". A bench headed by NGT chairperson AK Goel had asked the TNPCB to pass a fresh order of renewal of consent and authorisation to handle hazardous substances, subject to appropriate conditions for protection of environment in accordance with law within three weeks from 15 December. Reacting to the development, the state government had on the same day said it would file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the tribunal order. Sterlite had on 20 December said it had sought permission from the TNPCB for reopening the plant. The petitioner alleged that the NGT order was available on the Internet even before the tribunal pronounced its verdict and accused the Vedanta group of being behind it. Hence, the NGT order should be set aside and permission should not be granted to reopen the factory, she contended. The state government had ordered closure of the unit following violent protests by locals, leading to the death of 13 people in police firing on 22 and 23 May in Tuticorin. The locals had been agitating against the Sterlite unit alleging that it was causing pollution. After the NGT order too, several outfits with the backing of the Left parties and local religious bodies have been agitating against the Sterlite unit, prompting the police to tighten security to it and also at important places in the southern district. The green panel in its order has said Sterlite should spend within three years Rs 100 crore on welfare of inhabitants of the area as offered by it during the hearing. The bench had also suggested that the company take steps for safeguarding environment, like creating a dedicated website where the stakeholders can lodge their environment related grievances. Addressing media in Chennai on 20 December, Sterlite Chief Executive Officer P Ramnath had said after getting the TNPCB permission, it would take about two months for making the plant operational. "We have already approached the TNPCB. As per the NGT order, they (TNPCB) have been given three weeks to renew the consent. We have also made our request to the TNPCB," he said. The order to withdraw American troops from Syria has been signed, the US military said Sunday, after President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart agreed to prevent a power vacuum in the wake of the controversial move. Washington: The order to withdraw American troops from Syria has been signed, the US military said Sunday, after President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart agreed to prevent a power vacuum in the wake of the controversial move. The announcement that US troops would leave the civil war-racked country where they have been deployed to assist in the multinational fight against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group shocked global partners and American politicians alike. "The execute order for Syria has been signed," a US military spokesperson told AFP when asked about the withdrawal order, without providing further details. Turkey was a rare ally that lauded Trump's momentous decision on Syria, a country where it will now have a freer rein to target US-allied Kurdish fighters who have played a key role in the war against IS but are deemed terrorists by Ankara. Trump and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by telephone on Sunday and "agreed to ensure coordination between their countries' military, diplomatic and other officials to avoid a power vacuum which could result following any abuse of the withdrawal and transition phase in Syria," the Turkish presidency said in a statement. Hours earlier, Trump had tweeted that he and Erdogan "discussed (IS), our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of US troops from the area." Both US politicians and international allies fear the withdrawal is premature and would further destabilize the already devastated region. A US withdrawal, said Mutlu Civiroglu, a Kurdish affairs analyst, will open the way "for Turkey to start its operations against the Kurds, and a bloody war will begin." French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said he "deeply regretted" Trump's decision, and that "an ally must be reliable." New Pentagon chief US troops will leave under the auspices of a new Pentagon chief set to start next month, after James Mattis resigned from the post citing key differences, including on Syria, with the often-impulsive Trump. Several US politicians from both parties rejected Trump's claim that IS had been defeated, and the decision also caused alarm and dismay in the US military over the prospect of suddenly abandoning Washington's Kurdish partners. And Trump's sudden decision sparked turmoil within his administration, prompting the resignation of Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition, as well as Mattis. Plans for the troop withdrawal will now be overseen by Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, who Trump on Sunday said would replace Mattis starting 1 January. Mattis, 68, had said he would leave at the end of February to allow a smooth transition for the next chief of the world's top military power but a reportedly angry Trump accelerated his departure by two months. Defence spokeswoman Dana White tweeted that Mattis would still assist in the handover, working with Shanahan to ensure the department "remains focused on the defence of our nation during this transition." According to US media, the Republican leader voiced resentment over news coverage of Mattis' stinging resignation letter that laid bare his fundamental disagreements with the president. Days later, special envoy McGurk made a similar move, saying he could not support Trump's Syria decision that he said "left our coalition partners confused and our fighting partners bewildered." Unlike Mattis, Shanahan has never served in the military and has spent most of his career in the private sector. He spent over three decades working for aircraft giant Boeing, including as vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems, before moving to the Pentagon as deputy in 2017. Until Trump finds a permanent defence leader, Shanahan will lead plans for US troops to leave Syria along with a significant drawdown in Afghanistan, both of which critics worry will leave war-torn regions at risk of continued and potentially heightened bloodshed. In his latest book historian David Gilmour presents a social history of the British Empire in India, climbing down from the most glittering of personalities and the commonest names. In his latest book historian David Gilmour presents a social history of the British Empire in India, climbing down from the most glittering of personalities and the commonest names. Gilmour talked to Firstpost about why he chose to look sideways, why he thinks stereotypes are bad for history and why there is more to it than just the debate of right and wrong. When you began researching or writing this book, were you clear that you werent going to do this chronologically? How different were the challenges then? Of course Ive written books chronologically. Biographies are of course chronological because they follow the life of a person. I did not find this particularly difficult, to be honest. So many years of research went into reading the personal papers, letters of so many people, I felt it made more sense, and was also easier, to look at the way they lived, approach all this thematically. Obviously, I have had to leave out some people the likes of Robert Clive and Warren Hastings, for example, hardly appear in the book. But I dont think Ive left out any occupations. I think, or at least I hope, I have discussed everything in the case of women at least. Why a social history of the British? Some would say a social history, or a literary history, is rather sympathetic towards the British. How would you respond to that? There are different types of histories. There is a cultural history, economic history and so on. They can be studied separately. There have been a lot of political histories about the Raj from both sides. But there has never been a social history of the British in India. There is the idea that people have that every Briton came to India to conquer it, govern it or exploit it for personal gain. But many more did not, many were here accidentally. For example, if you were a young 18-year-old Briton who had joined the regiment in Lancashire or Yorkshire, you didnt know you were going to be sent to India. A lot of the women who came here didnt come here out of choice either. So I wanted to concentrate on a lot of these ordinary people, who accidentally ended up here. Not just write about Viceroys and Generals. You say in the book that British history, like any other, was down to individual character. Of course, an exhaustive document of each character is impossible to write, but how does one then balance this macro-study with the usually broader approach? Or do the two need to co-exist? I always prefer to write about people as individuals and human beings and not as groups, categories and classes. And I thought that balance had to be brought in. As soon as you start writing about people as individuals all types of stereotyping dissolves because you see the complexity of motives on an individual level, which really is the crucial thing here. To club them together, like for example Edward Said does, where you are either an oppressor or a victim, leaves out all the different categories in between. Said, for example, saw the Irish as victims. But to be a supporter of home rule for Ireland you did not have to be a victim. An Irish Catholic civil service officer, for example, who supported Irish home rule was happy to rule 48 million Indians while he was here. So it is complex on a personal level. Individuals often get left out of it, and I hate generalisations. You write in the introduction that pig-stickers, like prostitutes, are also a part of history. Are historians guilty of filtering? Would you say yours has been a bottom-up approach? I think they are to some extent. Whenever historians write about the working classes they write in generalities. I have written two biographies of famous people [Rudyard Kipling and Lord Curzon] and that only helped me to want to write about the common people, those who have been forgotten. People in Britain are so distant that may not always care that their grandfather for a forest commander in India or a tea planter in Assam. They have been forgotten, and I felt they needed to be rescued. Of course, we have very little time to read history as a subject in schools. Even in Britain, we are taught world history more than we are taught British history. There is only so much time. But I think it is important for schoolchildren to know the basic chronology of the country they live in. Afterward, you can specialise. But I really doubt how many hours can be dedicated to the exercise. I pity it, but that is how it is. You have written two biographies about men who are variably popular in History (British and Indian). But here you ventured sideways into some of those who havent yet been read or known as well. What did they reveal that was different from the likes of Kipling and Curzon? What were the similarities? I have had a simple approach to this. To study the archives, the documents, the records and the reports, and go to the writing table and write. I dont think there has to be a debate about similarities and differences. I dont think writers should try and write from the perspective of the others. So I limited myself to Britons. We still have this thing in Britain that a family might have letters that are 100 years old but they will ask questions like why do you want to read the letters of a medical officer compared to some of the more famous people, Kipling as you say. And I say because even a century later they illuminate so much, about the way people lived and the key choices they made. I find that very satisfying. A layered theme the book draws on is that of isolation, the loneliness of some Britons in India. What psychological impact do these numbers account for this is a time when mental health wasnt a thing and does it point to the need of, maybe, exploring a psychological side to this History, for both sides? It hasnt been done to a satisfying degree yet, not that I know of. One often comes across army reports about the suicides of private soldiers in the Indian Army. Private soldiers were aged 18-19 and they probably did not know anyone they could talk to. A lot of that is unexplained. There are just names and dates in documents. I wish there was more detail. In the case of British women, for example, living in sub-district areas language was a barrier. Their husbands might have picked it up well before their arrival because they had to work and talk to locals. But with women it took time, they couldnt really make friends with locals that easily. Most of these women arrived as mothers, sisters and wives. Not until the end of the 19th century did some of them begin to emerge as officers, doctors etc. But yes, loneliness was a big thing, which I feel is still understudied. Did anything during your research, in the archives, jump out at you? I was constantly surprised. Especially just how few Britons were here, considering a lot of them went to Australia, to America and elsewhere. I think what struck me were the personal motivations of some of these people beyond conquer and govern. Some of them were just desperate to get out of Briton. The British comedian Norman Wisdom, who was very famous in the 1950s, for example only wanted to run away from his abusive father who beat him. So he joined the Army, and months later he was in Lucknow learning to play the trumpet. He had no idea, he would end up here but he did and lived here for six years. He honed his craft by acting in regimental theatres and returned to England, better than before. So that was a nice story that has stuck with me. How has the understanding of the Rajs imperial past evolved in Britain over the years? Where does it stand today, what do you think needs to change, if anything at all? Ten years ago, there were five volumes of Oxford History of the British Empire that were released, written by scholars from around the world, including India. It is not the most readable book, I mean you wont take it on holiday, but it was pretty comprehensive. I know there is this opinion that the British dont acknowledge this imperial past, but maybe that is because they are not needed to. Even when the Jallianwala massacre happened, the top diplomats in the British government condemned it outright. So I think it is absurd to demand an apology for something you havent done. We can all regret it, of course, and acknowledge how it changed the course of events. But this demand for coming to terms with something seems to me a demand to agree with a persons own personal interpretation of history. I dont think we need to debate history, I think we should study it. By Aditi Pinto Unseasonal rain and snowfall are impacting agriculture in Himachal Pradesh. Normal snowfall at the right time is beneficial to winter crops. It helps in root development, preventing soil from getting washed away and other benefits. Climate change is estranging mountain farmers from their lands, driving youth away from agriculture. There is a major need to amplify farmers' demands for monetary compensation and crop insurance. Unseasonal rain and snowfall is the main reason for agriculture failing in Himachal Pradesh. Hailstorms or torrential rains are usually destructive to our crops while snowfall is not, said Uma Devi of the Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh, when speaking to Mongabay-India. However, the post-monsoon heavy snowfall in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir, which came in two heavy spells in late September as well as early November 2018, were exceptions, and are now attributed to exacerbated climate change in the Himalayan region. Tourists were escaping the hot plains and flocking to the mountains to see snowfall. But the snowfall at this time of year was unexpected and is a calamity for the farming communities in these mountainous terrains. In the Lahaul district of Himachal Pradesh, located at around 3300 metres, snowfall in late September was disastrous for the summer crop of potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage as well as apples, pears, plums and cherries. Farmers of the district suffered a collective loss of more than Rs 300 million. The last time such untimely, heavy snowfall occurred was in 1955. In Jammu and Kashmir, the government has declared the early November snowfall as a natural calamity. Such heavy snowfall in these early months came as a total surprise and has not occurred in the last 20 years. In Doda, situated above 1500 metres in the Chenab valley, stories have emerged of destroyed maize crops as well as destruction to apple, walnut and persimmon orchards that were awaiting pruning in early December. Photo by Aditi Pinto Late September was the time that pastoralists from the nomadic Gaddi tribe were to descend from the higher Dhauladhar mountains in the Kangra and Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh with their flocks of goats and sheep to begin their journey towards the Punjab region. This year, many shepherds were stuck, loss of life to cattle and horses were in the hundreds, and many awaited evacuation near the treacherous Bara Bhangal pass, at around 4000 metres, while the state responded to mainly foreign tourists stranded near Manali. Farmers demand compensation While the state government has offered a compensation of Rs 370 million for apple damage, so far there is no compensation on potato crop, said Rakesh Chand of the Lahaul Potato Growers collective, a network of 2,000 potato growers. Lahaul farmers are cut off from the rest of the state when the Rohtang pass closes, unlike Spiti which is still connected through Kinnaur. The livelihood of 80 percent of Lahaul relies on potato sales, for seed purposes to Gujarat and West Bengal and as food to the rest of the country. At this time potato farmers are protesting that the West Bengal state government has blocked their potato for seed purposes saying that there is an illness. We are asking that this blockade be lifted. Untimely, snowfall has not just blocked the Rohtang road out to markets for pahadi (mountain-based) farmers, but also changed the reputation of their otherwise highly acknowledged crop. As farmers from Lahaul marched to the the district collectors office to demand compensation, emergency compensation was sanctioned by the State Disaster Response Fund of Jammu & Kashmir. Mohammed Afzal Parray of the CPI (M) issued a statement saying that, The government should provided compensation keeping in view the recurring losses to the farmers. A tree takes at least a decade to mature and the snowfall has ruined the hard work of years of farmers. Farmers in the Kashmir Valley are now rallying for better crop insurance schemes. While compensation is the need of the hour, it is important in the context of climate change to not jump to a conclusion that snowfall is always destructive to agriculture. Instead, it is necessary to evaluate the historic connection between snowfall and agriculture, and furthermore the role that a rightly timed snowfall played in agriculture. The benefits of seasonal snowfall In the Kandbari village in Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh, which stands at around 1,400 metres above sea level, Balak Ram blissfully remembers snowfall. He says, It used to snow and cover the base of the wheat crop. The snow protected the wheat from insects or rotting. It was only snowfall that didnt require us to spray our crops. Nowadays, given the lack of snow, we need to spray chemicals. In the neighbouring Nain village, Roshan Lal shares that less snow means less nutrition for the wheat crop. If snow falls between December and February, it is beneficial to our wheat and kidney bean crops. The seeds lie dormant, the roots develop, until the moment the snow melts and the seeds sprout. However, if it snows at the wrong time, it is very problematic. According to scientists, normal snowfall at the right time is beneficial to winter crops in more ways than one. Snowfall of one foot, depending on the density, is equivalent to one inch of rain and provides a lot of moisture. Unlike rainfall, snow allows root development. Even when the top of the crop lies dormant, if the roots are well developed, the crop receives more nutrition. Furthermore, snow prevents the soil from being washed away with heavy rainfall and it has an insulating temperature, as it takes longer for moist soil to get cold than dry soil. In the Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, located at around 4,200 metres, Tsering Dawa Duni shares that there is only one growing season as in this dry desert, the winters from December to March are too cold for agriculture. The main crops grown here are sorghum (jowar), other millets and green peas; pea is our major cash crop. Some farmers in lower Spiti who have begun to grow wheat and rice, grow both in the summer months. As snow fell here in early November, the agricultural work had majorly wrapped up, yet the snowfall came as an early surprise and has cut out connectivity in the region. Photo by Aditi Pinto Duni said that there are two regions in Spiti (Upper and Lower) where the Lower is closer to Kaza (the city). Farmers in Spiti, particularly upper Spiti, are used to snowfall from late November onward. This year, it caught them by surprise, as it came earlier. For generations, villagers have dried vegetables and meat, depended on cheese and barley porridge to survive the winters. Other farmers, who live close to the city, depend on buying pulses and vegetables, and suffer much more with untimely climatic phenomena, as they cannot buy from anywhere and have no stock of food to rely on, he added. Climate change and agriculture in the Himalayas The Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE), located near Manali in Himachal Pradesh, has recorded that in the last 25 years, while rainfall has increased, snowfall has decreased. Their study, however, does not delve into untimely snowfall. Furthermore, the research shows that while in the northern Himalayan region overall, we can see a trend of global warming, the minimum temperatures have seen a sharp decrease. The change from seasonal rain and snow to flash storms and untimely snow has also meant the growth of pests in crops. The wheat crop in Himachal Pradesh currently has a huge aphid problem, aphids being a big sentinel of climate change. According to crop scientists at Palampur Krishi Vigyan Kendra, tuber crops which were always more hardy and resistant are also seeing a new pest in the form of the "tuber moth". Additionally, villagers of Rakkar, Kangra district shared that the majority of Himalayan farmers get their water for consumptive and irrigation use from glaciers. Snowfall that occurs at the right time of year, for example from late-November to February and in the right quantity, can also increase the stability of the glacier water system. Untimely snowfall in September-early November melts quickly, as the surrounding atmospheric temperatures are still relatively high and serves no real purpose. An ongoing study conducted by Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun shows that in farmers in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand have stopped growing close to 30 traditional crops, including millets and local vegetables, owing to climate change. At the same time, the state government through climate-sensitive agriculture is encouraging farmers to grow off-season vegetables such as tomatoes, green peas, cauliflower so as to supply them to the plains areas. Additionally, given the decline of apple orchards, farmers are encouraged to grow tropical fruits such as kiwis, pomegranates and pineapples. All in all, this increases farmers dependence on the market, which in times of climate change, means that farmers have less sovereignty, self-sufficiency and therefore are dependent on monetary economy. Image courtesy of Mongabay-India It is also the loss of food sovereignty that bites deep, just like the snow bite in current times. In the Tandi village, Kullu district that stands at around 2,000 metres above sea level, Daleep Ram says, Snow forms a natural fertiliser when it mixes with the soil. In the olden days, this layer of snow on the soil was very beneficial. Nowadays, the snow has reduced and the wheat crop is not as strong. This also means that we have to work harder to grow our crop. Many people are now not working their lands and instead setting up home-stays or leaving the village in search of jobs. Climate change is estranging mountain farmers from their lands, driving youth away from agriculture seeking other employment, and therefore it is necessary to amplify farmers demands for monetary compensation and crop insurance. At the same time, in the long-run, given the prediction for more climatic disasters, especially in the northern Himalayas, it is equally vital to strengthen farmer sovereignty and local food systems in the region. 16:01 (ist) SC declines urgent hearing on BJP's plea on Rath Yatra The Supreme Court on Monday declined to accord urgent hearing on the BJP's plea challenging a Calcutta High Court order not allowing its Rath Yatra in West Bengal. The lawyer associated with the plea said they have been informed by the apex court registry that the matter would be listed in the normal course. The top court is closed for winter vacations. The party, which sought an urgent hearing on the petition, had planned to launch the yatra from three districts of the state. The BJP had challenged last Friday's order of the division bench of the high court which had set aside the order of a single judge allowing the yatra. The party approached the Supreme Court seeking permission to hold the campaign 'Save Democracy Rally', which would cover 42 parliamentary constituencies in the state ahead of the 2019 general elections. PTI The Congress did not anticipate such an adverse outcome as the TDP in alliance with the BJP won 15 seats and stood second in many in 2014 when the Telangana sentiment was at its peak. Andhra Pradesh chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has been left high and dry after the Congress-led Prajakutami bloc, of which his Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is a constituent, was swept away in the Telangana polls by the KCR tsunami. Naidu entered the elections with a three-pronged strategy. The immediate task was to ensure the presence of TDP in Telangana politics at a time when it was facing an existential crisis. Large-scale desertions, erosion of traditional vote base, the estrangement of 2014 ally BJP and more significantly the changed political idiom post bifurcation of Andhra, etc., have contributed to the predicament staring the TDP in the face in Telangana. So, as Naidu himself pointed out several times in his interaction with Telangana party leaders, an alliance was crucial for the TDP to make its presence felt, however feeble it may be. Naidu has admitted that his party tried to forge a coalition with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). The purported reason cited for such an expectation was the unity of the Telugu people. However, no such union could be worked out. The TRS president, Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), strongly dismissed any such possibility existed at any time, much to the embarrassment of Naidu who acknowledged that such a plan could not materialise because of the kar seva of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With the premature dissolution of the state Assembly, the TDP came closer to its arch-rival Congress. Naidus party left the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) over the special status demand for Andhra and kicked off an anti-BJP tirade. Calling KCR an undeclared friend of Modi, Naidu defended his new-found love for the Congress. To give it some legitimacy, he created a backdrop of national political compulsions to defeat the BJP and its allies. The Congress-TDP alliance was a precursor to any such possible arrangement in Andhra Pradesh early next year when the state Assembly goes to polls along with the Lok Sabha. So, the second part of the strategy was to test the waters. The third tactic was to make ground for Naidus national political ambitions. Like his Telangana counterpart, Naidu has also set in motion the succession plan in Andhra Pradesh. He has inducted his son Nara Lokesh into the cabinet by bringing him to the Legislative Council through an indirect election. Any success in the Telangana experiment would have delivered significant political dividends for Naidu both in his own state Andhra and also in national politics, at a time when he suddenly became the Congress trusted ally to mobilise other regional and smaller parties into an anti-Modi conglomeration led by the grand old party. But his Telangana counterpart successfully checkmated Chandrababu Naidu. So, the shishya has surpassed the guru, at least for now: KCR had his early political lessons under the Naidu-led TDP. In a swift and potent move, Chandrashekar Rao turned the threat into an opportunity. To outwit Naidu, he relied on political chemistry. By painting the TDP as an Andhra party, KCR used the opposition alliance as his main electoral weapon. This triggered a powerful sentiment among the core Telangana electorate that had launched the movement for a separate state, questioning the political domination of the leadership from Seemandhra region, which now constitutes the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh. With the other two parties, YSR Congress and Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena opting out of the Telangana election, the entire attack was focused on Chandrababu Naidu. Given his machinations and diabolical stand on the demand for a separate state in the run-up to the bifurcation of united Andhra Pradesh, people of Telangana were always suspicious of his role. The Congress did not anticipate such an adverse outcome as the TDP in alliance with the BJP won 15 seats and stood second in many in 2014 when the Telangana sentiment was at its peak. The Seemandhra voters completely rallied behind the TDP in 2014. But now, they too are politically divided owing to the clear battle lines drawn in the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh. This is evident from the YSR Congress and Jana Sena cadres across Andhra Pradesh celebrating the victory of the TRS and the defeat of the TDP-Congress alliance. Post 2014, the TDP suffered massive erosion with most of its MLAs and leaders deserting the party in search of greener pastures in the ruling TRS. KCRs cleverly crafted welfare schemes could effectively rally the other backward classes (OBC), previously the preserve of the TDP in the united state too. The TDP alliance with Congress was unnatural compared to its 2014 tie-up with the BJP. What made things much worse was the overwhelming role of Naidu in electioneering on behalf of the Prajakutami. Amid speculation that the combine may win, he was keen to create a perception that he was the author of the alliances mandate. Even as KCR and his team were firing salvos at Naidu for what they described as an encroachment into the neighbouring political terrain, the TDP chief's every step was strengthening the TRS propaganda. Naidu fielded the granddaughter of TDP founder NT Rama Rao from Kukatpally assembly seat that has a sizeable presence of Seemandhra electorate. Several ministers descended on the Telangana campaign trail. Naidus brother-in-law and actor Nandamuri Balakrishna, TDP legislator from Andhra Pradesh, also stepped into the canvassing. All this created a strong perception in the core Telangana voter that Naidu was trying to control the fledgeling states politics by remote control, as repeatedly alleged by KCR and other TRS leaders. Though it is wrong to make a sweeping conclusion that the TRS won and the Prajakutami lost because of Naidus overenthusiasm, it is beyond doubt that the TDP leaders intense campaign cost the grand alliance. However, its difficult to assess the adverse impact empirically. So, in the wake of the debacle, the Telangana Congress leaders too started to rethink the role of Naidu in the partys politics in the state. Sources in state Congress said that the local leaders, in fact, carried such apprehensions even before the polls. But Rahul Gandhi was keen on roping in Naidu with an eye on national politics. However, Naidu should have played a restricted and positive role in the Telangana electioneering instead of taking KCR head on. Andhra Pradesh Congress chief Raghu Veera Reddy has already clarified that the ties with Naidu are for national politics and no decision has been taken on alliance in the state, indicating the divided opinion. KCR has said that he would give a return gift to Naidu for his role in the Telangana elections. The newly appointed working president of TRS, KT Rama Rao, has also announced his partys plans to play a part in Andhra politics, though the exact contours have not been defined yet. The rival YSR Congress and Jana Sena leaders have started mocking Naidus fiasco in Telangana, calling his defeat in the neighbouring state a firm indication of his imminent fall in Andhra polls too. In fact, TDP leaders like deputy chief minister KE Krishnamurthy and minister Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu have earlier publicly expressed displeasure over the tie-up with Congress only to retreat after being reprimanded by the leadership. But, such voices of dissent may grow stronger in the wake of the Telangana debacle, giving Chandrababu Naidu more sleepless nights. So Digvijaya Singh's help will be invaluable, if not indispensable, for Kamal Nath, at least in the early days in the chief minister's office in Madhya Pradesh. Editor's Note: This column presents the travel notes of a student of Indian politics and serves as a journal marking the run-up to General Election 2019. Sandip Ghose's day job as a marketing executive takes him deep into the country's interiors, which affords him the chance to listen to, and make sense of, India's concerns. These pieces will run in tandem to the frequency of his travels. Views expressed here do not reflect those of Ghose's employer. Read the series here *** Barely four days after the new Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh was sworn in, no one expected to see much change in Bhopal. But the canvas of the city has already changed beyond recognition there was not one poster or hoarding of former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan or Prime Minister Narendra Modi in sight. Almost overnight, all billboards and posters were replaced with congratulatory messages for Chief Minister Kamal Nath. Even Congress president Rahul Gandhis photos are on the fringe, and party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, who was Nath's comrade-in-arms during the elections, is also conspicuously absent from the frames. Truly, BJP's 'kamal' (lotus) has been replaced by Congress' Kamal Nath, if one were to go by the wallscape of the Madhya Pradesh capital. This is a remarkable feat, considering that Nath has been operating as a single-member cabinet since taking oath on 17 December and also doubling up as the state Congress president. Within this short span of time, the chief minister also carried out a major bureaucratic reshuffle in a swift move, he transferred 48 IAS officers, including 24 collectors. Nath also transferred the Superintendent of Police of his Chindhwara Lok Sabha constituency to the police headquarters. Clearly, Nath got down to business without much ado. And he has reason to: Nath knows he has to get his act together fast, with the 2019 Lok Sabha elections approaching. Delivering a sizeable number of seats for the Congress in Parliament must be his first mandate from Rahul. Therefore, it's not surprising that some of the officers transferred were from constituencies where the Congress lost in the Assembly elections. One of the first orders Nath passed after assuming office was re-allotting the bungalow to senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh that the Chouhan government had asked "Diggy-Raja" to vacate. Ruled out from the chief ministerial race, Digvijaya had thrown his weight behind Nath during the elections. So, while the move to re-allot the bungalow can be considered a thank you note of sorts, there is another reason: Nath is new to the political ecosystem of Bhopal and has never had any experience of managing Madhya Pradesh, having remained largely confined to his turf in Chindhwara. Digvijaya, on the other hand, knows the workings of the state administration like the back of his palm. Digvijaya had maintained strong links within government circles even during his long political sanyas (hiatus) and also knows the bureaucracy intimately. Many of the senior officers of today were either collectors, or held other junior posts, when he was Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. Some of them had surely kept in touch with him during his stint at Delhi in the UPA government. So Digvijaya's help will be invaluable, if not indispensable, for Nath, at least in the early days in office. As a result, there is an equal number of party men queuing up at Digvijaya's doorstep as they are at Nath's office. Bhopal is the quintessential state capital where people instantly change loyalties and try to align with the new power axis. There is little time wasted in shedding tears. Unlike in Indore, where one could sense a touch of remorse about Chouhans loss, in Bhopal, there was no visible withdrawal symptom. People seem to have come to terms with the change in dispensation. Perhaps even more significant is that despite the thin majority the Congress has in the Assembly, there is no apprehension of instability. It was heard through the grapevine that Chouhan had a war chest ready to mobilise the numbers required for the BJP to form the government in Madhya Pradesh. However, he is believed to have received instructions from Delhi to not indulge in any horse trading. By the same evening the Congress had staked claim to form the government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already tweeted his congratulatory message to the winners, quashing all speculations of a replay of Goa or Karnataka. Quick to get off the crease, Nath announced a farm loan waiver in Madhya Pradesh even before the victory celebrations had ended. By simple calculations, the waiver translates into a bill of Rs 38,000 crore, which will prove to be a crippling blow to the already debt-ridden state exchequer. But those who have gone through the fine print noted that the waiver is pinned with riders and conditions that will severely restrict the actual payout. In another populist order, Nath notified that all new industries must employ 70 percent of workers from within the state another policy that will not be easy to implement but will be a good line to sell during the Lok Sabha election campaign a few months down the line. Considerable thought and homework must have gone into making these policy announcements even before a cabinet and new administration was brought into place. This indicates that the Congress is working with a sense of purpose and a plan. This is a refreshing change in the party, different from peoples recollection of the earlier Congress rule. It also inspires confidence in people that the government is serious about delivering on its promises. Moreover, it also ties in with the impression people have of Nath. How he has nurtured his own constituency over the years is part of Madhya Pradesh folklore. It is often compared with how little other Congress heavyweights had done in their dynastic boroughs. As a Union minister, he always came across as efficient and a go-getter. Above all, people think of Nath as a businessman. So one feels taken aback when a hardcore trader, traditionally a BJP supporter, says: Modiji ne toh vyapario ke liye kucch nahin kiya, shayad yeh kucch karey (Modi did not do anything for traders, perhaps Nath will do something). If this impression and momentum can be sustained in the coming months, it could hold the Congress in good stead for 2019. Meanwhile, Chouhan, it seems, has been advised to eschew politicking and focus on the Lok Sabha polls. The RSS pins the responsibility for the loss in Madhya Pradesh on Chouhan for his mai ka lal comment on reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. But the BJP cannot dispense with Chouhan for the Lok Sabha polls. There is no other pan-Madhya Pradesh leader with his level of grassroot connect. The party also believes there could be a sympathy factor towards Mamaji for losing the Assembly polls by the skin of his teeth. Chouhan himself has more than one reason to do better than his best for the elections. First, a poor show in Madhya Pradesh will reduce his own relevance both at the state and national level. Second, if wishes to have a go at the big job in Delhi in the event of the BJP falling short of an absolute majority, he would need the numbers from Madhya Pradesh to back him up. Furthermore, the BJP is taking a lot of solace from its vote share of 41 percent, which was a decimal point higher than Congress 40.9 percent. It also argues that it lost a number of seats only by a very small difference. It may be tempting for the BJP to add a swing factor for Modi and predict that the Lok Sabha outcome will be very different from that of the Assembly polls. However, the arithmetic may not be all that simple. Being in power is going to give the Congress a definite edge that the BJP cannot afford to underestimate. The Congress has a core-competency in managing the administration, and Digvijaya Singh is a past master at it. Nath himself has proven his mettle as a general in the Assembly polls and will now operate from a position of strength. There is no better tonic than a victory. Coming back to power after 15 years is bound to re-energise the party organisation. Finally, Rahul will return to campaign with renewed vigour and will, no doubt, keep training his guns at Modi. But it can be said with a great deal of certainty that under Digvijayas tutelage, Nath will re-open the investigations into the Vyapam scam as well as other cases to put Chouhan on the back foot. For the BJP, upper-caste angst is not the only problem. It can no longer afford to gloss over the disenchantment of the middle class and its traditional voter base among the trading community, which has yet to come to terms with the GST and greater transparency in transactions. But the saffron party has other issues to worry about, too. It needs serious introspection, nay investigation, into its losses in certain regions like Chambal, where the BJP was literally wiped out. When the odds are against you, you cannot go to war with a divided house. Back in Indore, when I asked the taxi driver to head to Sarafa Bazar for a late-night binge, the driver said Sarafa was no longer the destination for visitors. The place to go now is 56 Dukkan, Indores food street since Rahul visited it last month. The Congress party in Karnataka is facing vocal displeasure from its own MLAs over the party leaderships decision to not grant certain members like Ramalinga Reddy and Ramesh Jarkiholi with ministerial ranks in the newly expanded cabinet. The Congress party in Karnataka is facing vocal displeasure from its own MLAs over the party leaderships decision to not grant certain members like Ramalinga Reddy and Ramesh Jarkiholi with ministerial ranks in the newly expanded cabinet. Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday expanded his six-month-old cabinet, inducting eight members from the Congress in the much-awaited exercise marked by rumblings of dissidence. According to a report by Livemint, analysts said that the Congress pacific move after the expansion, of nominating 37 of its MLAs for roles like the heads of boards, corporations, and parliamentary secretaries, may not curb the exponential dissidence within the party. The report said, The partys decision to ignore senior leaders and reward troublemakers with cabinet berths due to "political compulsions, has not gone down well with many veterans, and is likely to have an impact on the preparations for next years Lok Sabha polls. A day after being dropped, Belagavi strongman Ramesh Jarkiholi reportedly went into hibernation, much to the discomfort of the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) government in Karnataka. Ramesh (former municipal administration minister) was accused of hobnobbing with the BJP, and R Shankar (former forest and environment minister), an Independent lawmaker who showed reluctance to be an associate member of the Congress, were the two MLAs dropped in the rejig. Ramesh, who has allegedly been getting close to BJP leaders and has not been attending cabinet and party meetings, has been replaced by his brother Satish Jarkiholi. However, senior Congress leader and former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah denied claims of there being any discontent in the ranks of the party, according to PTI. He said, There is no discontent in the party and nobody will resign. His (Ramesh's) brother has been made minister from his family," Siddaramaiah told reporters in Jamakhandi. However, The New Indian Express reported that Ramesh, after being dropped from the cabinet, has decided to quit as MLA. The new ministers were administered the oath of office and secrecy at the Glass House at Raj Bhavan by Governor Vajubhai Vala amid open expression of dissent by several Congress legislators who were left out of the exercise. Apart from Satish, the new inductees are MB Patil, CS Shivalli, MTB Nagaraj, E Tukaram, PT Parameshwar Naik, Rahim Khan and RB Thimmapur. Seven of these leaders have been picked from north Karnataka to address concerns of the region and counter the BJP in its area of influence. Congress president Rahul Gandhi had given the go-ahead for the rejig on Friday night after state party leaders and AICC in-charge of Karnataka KC Venugopal met him and discussed the issue that had been delayed for very long. Ramesh has claimed the support of a sizeable chunk of party MLAs and had come under the party scanner over reports that the BJP was trying to tap him to remove the Kumaraswamy government. The names of Ramesh and Shankar were recommended to the governor for being dropped, the chief minister's office said. Congress' coalition partner JD(S) was not part of this round of cabinet expansion and it is likely to induct new ministers from its side post 'Sankranti' (mid-January), party sources said. According to the pact between the two parties at the time of formation of the coalition government in May, there were six vacant ministerial slots for Congress and two for JD(S). This is the second expansion of the 26-member Kumaraswamy ministry. With the cabinet expansion being deferred repeatedly, several aspirants, especially those from Congress, had openly expressed their displeasure over the delay, piling pressure on the party to fill its quota so as to avoid any trouble ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. As the list of probable ministers came out, lawmakers who were aspirants for ministerial berths, spoke publically, giving vent to their displeasure over being kept out. Sowmya Reddy (MLA), daughter of senior Congress MLA and former minister Ramalinga Reddy, expressed resentment over her father not being considered in the cabinet expansion, pointing out his contribution for the party's growth in Bengaluru city. Reddy's supporters staged a protest in front of the KPCC state headquarters and tried to march to Raj Bhavan while the swearing-in ceremony was underway on Saturday. Sowmya also said she had declined the post of parliamentary secretary. Another aspirant and Hirekerur MLA BC Patil was also unhappy over not being considered for any ministerial post. His supporters staged a protest in his constituency. "I don't know the reason, but I have not got (ministerial post) this time also," he said. On his next course of action, Patil said he would follow party workers' directions and work for his constituency's development. Another Congress MLA BK Sangamesh from Bhadravathi said he was the lone party legislator from Shivamogga district, the stronghold of BJP president BS Yeddyurappa, and said Siddaramaiah had promised to make him a minister. He said he would decide his further course of action after discussions with party workers and resign if they asked him to do so. Hagaribommanahalli MLA Bheema Naik hit out at the party leadership for giving chance to Parameshwar Naik and neglecting him. Many senior Congress MLAs were also reportedly miffed over their exclusion. As the voice of dissent became shrill, KPCC president Dinesh Gundu Rao warned that the party would not brook any indiscipline. "Indiscipline or speaking against the party will not be tolerated. We have shown tolerance but it will not be possible to continue with the same. We will enforce discipline," he said. However, Rao did not foresee any problem as a fallout of Saturday's exercise. The KPCC chief also sought to placate the disgruntled MLAs, saying the party would evaluate the performance of ministers after the Lok Sabha polls when the ministry would have completed one year and drop those found not up to the mark and give chance to aspirants in their place. Reacting to the exercise, senior BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa said the disgruntlement would "explode", as there are too many aspirants. "In my opinion, the dropping of Ramesh would have repercussions. Let's wait and see what will happen," he added. Ruling out any attempts by BJP to take advantage of the situation, Yeddyurappa said, "We have 104 MLAs, we will work as the Opposition. We are watching the situation about the confusion between Congress and JD(S) and its repercussions. We will call our legislature party meeting later and discuss with our high command on steps to take." In tandem with cabinet expansion, Congress has recommended the appointment of 19 legislators as heads of boards and corporations and nine as parliamentary secretaries to ministers, besides, three others have been appointed as political secretary to the chief minister, state special representative to Delhi and deputy chairman of the state planning commission. With inputs from PTI KCR, through his proposed non-Congress, non-BJP front, wishes to create a space for himself in national politics after putting in place a firm succession plan back home. K Chandrashekar Rao is on a national political pilgrimage of sorts, purportedly aimed at building a non-Congress, non-BJP political front. However, he appears to have two other objectives. Firstly, KCR wishes to carve out a space for himself in national politics after putting in place a firm succession plan back home. His son KT Rama Rao has been made working president of the TRS immediately after the Assembly elections, and is poised to take over from his father as and when KCR shifts to national politics. Secondly, KCRs objective will be to win the maximum possible seats out of 17 Lok Sabha constituencies in Telangana. The TRS chief would want a non-Congress, non-BJP political narrative to convince the electorate in 2019, at a time when the choice for them is polarised between the Narendra Modi-led BJP and the Congress. KCR led his party to a landslide victory in the recently-held Assembly elections, and is expected to sweep the Lok Sabha seats in the state, unless some unprecedented political developments occur. In 2014, the TRS won 11 out of 17 Lok Sabha seats, while the Congress tally was reduced to only two. The TDP, MIM, BJP and YSR Congress had secured victory in one seat each. However, if the voting pattern from the Assembly election is repeated in 2019, the TRS is expected to win at least 14 seats while its ally, the MIM, is likely to retain the lone Hyderabad seat, which it represents in the present Lok Sabha . The Congress led People's Front, which defeated the TRS by a narrow margin in two seats Khammam and Mahabubabad will find it extremely difficult to win these seats this time. The TRS has already started wooing the Opposition MLAs who have won Assembly seats which are a part of these two parliamentary constituencies. The two TDP MLAs who won from this region are expected to join TRS, and one of them is likely to be inducted into KCRs cabinet. The TRS, despite having won 88 out of 119 seats and getting the support of two Independent MLAs, is still poaching Opposition MLAs with an eye on the Lok Sabha polls. KT Rama Rao has already asserted that his party will win 16 out of the 17 seats, leaving the remaining one for its ally, the MIM. The TRS also hopes that the grand alliance may fizzle out by the Lok Sabha polls. Going by the voting pattern in the Assembly elections, the Congress has some chance only in two seats. However, its allies, the TDP and the CPI, may also want to contest from these two seats, namely Khammam and Mahabubabad. In 2014, the TDP had won two seats in this region. The CPI had contested the Khammam seat in 2014 in alliance with the Congress. The YSR Congress had won the Khammam seat in 2014. However, its lone MP defected to the TRS, and the party has already announced its intention not to contest in Telangana. With the BJP losing ground in national politics and the Congress not yet ready to fill the space, KCR hopes for a more decisive role for the regional parties in the formation of the central government in 2019. If the TRS gets 14 to 15 seats, KCR may play a critical role in the fractured verdict and splintered polity. The Congress is the TRS principal opponent in Telangana. The BJP is weak in the state, and got further decimated in the recent Assembly elections. The saffron party lost four of the five seats it held earlier. It even struggled to save its deposits in most of the seats, even as it contested in more than 100 of 119 seats. Thus, the BJP's claim of emerging as an alternative to the TRS is totally misplaced. The party may not even retain the Secunderabad seat represented by its veteran leader Bandaru Dattatreya, if one looks at the voting pattern in the recent Assembly elections. At a time when the national political mood is polarised between the BJP and Congress, KCR fears an advantage for the latter. This is precisely why he resorted to premature dissolution of the state Assembly, paving the way for early polls. Meanwhile, Congress leaders express optimism in public that the 2019 polls will be favourable to them in Telangana, given the anti-Modi political mood and the party winning three states . Given this political reality, KCR has cleverly proposed a non-BJP, non-Congress federal front in 2019. The TRS has sought to justify his political moves by claiming that they are aimed at securing a better bargain for Telangana vis-a-vis the Centre. His talk of an alternate policy agenda only serves to camouflage his political strategy, given that the regional formations which KCR has approached have displayed political pusillanimity and have not demonstrated any clear commitment to alternative policies. Several regional parties have aligned with both the Congress and BJP at different points of time. They have not even shown any steadfast commitment to federalism, leave alone chalking out an alternative policy trajectory. Further, their actions have been motivated by their interests in their home states, and thus, they lack a national political agenda. Telangana chief minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) on Monday met his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata and said that they would soon come out with a 'concrete (political) plan' while asserting that the dialogue for a federal front will continue. Telangana chief minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) on Monday met his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata and said that they would soon come out with a "concrete (political) plan" while asserting that the dialogue for a federal front will continue. Rao said that he would continue his efforts to conjure up non-BJP, non-Congress parties through dialogue as that is the aim of his party. Rao told reporters that he and Mamata discussed matters of political interest and the like-minded leaders will come out with a concrete plan soon. The TRS chief met Mamata a day after meeting Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar, another strong regional party leader in a bid to bring together a third-front featuring regional parties before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. On Sunday, KCR had asserted that there is a dire need for the unification of regional parties to replace Congress and BJP. "The country needs a change for which dialogue has begun. We're doing our part but nothing concrete has emerged. We've just begun the dialogue; we will meet again to discuss how to take things forward. We need to talk to more people across the nation. There's a dire need for the unification of regional parties as there's a strong need for an alternative to Congress and BJP," Rao had told the media in Bhubaneshwar. KCR is now scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Wednesday and later BSP president Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. With inputs from agencies Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 24) A day after Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) dismissed the student filmed bullying a fellow student, the Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA) weighed in with a decision on their own regarding the issue. A statement released Monday said the PTA committee tasked to investigate the issue "recommends a sanction of an indefinite ban of the student involved from all sanctioned events...effective immediately." The student was revealed to be a Taekwondo practitioner. The PTA also recommended the student undergo rehabilitation, and that the association would support him through the process. "The aim for this is to allow the individual to own responsibility for his actions, show remorse and contribute positively to the community," it said. It added, however, should this option be declined, the PTA would have no choice but to expel the student from the association. "Supervised counseling and rehabilitation are conditions for reinstatement," according to the PTA. Meanwhile, at a press briefing Monday, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde denied rumors the student's father was a cop. "Hindi po totoo na 'yung father nung bully na 'yon ay pulis. Hindi po totoo," he said. [Translation: It is not true that the bully's father is a policeman. It's not true.] Albayalde added he has asked the Anti-Cybercrime Group to look into social media accounts supposedly belonging to the student who figured in the video. He then asked parents to teach their children proper manners. "Itong mga bata...may magulang yang mga 'yan. At tayong mga magulang, remember lalong-lalo na tayong mga Pilipino, protective tayo sa ating mga anak. At sana, 'tong mga bully na 'to, turuan ng mga magulang ng good manners at right conduct," he said. [Translation: These children have parents. And we, as parents - especially Filipinos - are protective of our children. And I hope these bullies will be taught good manners and right conduct by their parents.] On Saturday, ADMU released a statement saying it had dismissed the student shown in the viral video. "After a thorough investigation that included listening to all parties involved, the decision of the administration is to impose the penalty of dismissal on the student caught bullying another student in the comfort room of the school," the statement read. According to Department Order No. 88 of the Department of Education, the penalty of dismissal (exclusion) is when "the school is allowed to exclude or drop the name of the erring pupil or student from the school rolls for being undesirable, and travel credentials immediately issued." Expulsion, on the other hand, is an extreme penalty where an erring student will not be admitted to any public or private school in the country. This decision would need the approval of the Secretary of Education. Police were working on this threat. We take all threats seriously, all of them are investigated, regional interior minister Miquel Buch said. Spain has kept its terrorist alert unchanged at the second-highest level despite the US State Department warning. (Photo: AFP) Barcelona: Barcelona was on alert on Monday after the US State Department warned of the risk of a terrorist attack in Spain's second-largest city during the Christmas holidays. "Exercise heightened caution around areas of vehicle movement, including buses, in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona during Christmas and New Year's. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, and other public areas," the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs said in a tweet on Sunday. Asked about the warning during an interview with Rac1 radio on Monday, Catalonia's regional interior minister Miquel Buch said "Police were working on this threat". "We take all threats seriously, all of them are investigated," he added, without giving further details. Top-selling Spanish newspaper El Pais, citing anonymous police sources, said the authorities were looking for a 30-year-old Moroccan man with a licence to drive buses. Barcelona-based daily El Periodico de Catalunya said Catalan regional police had circulated an internal note that the man could try to drive a bus into crowds in Barcelona. Contacted by AFP, a spokesman for the regional police force in Catalonia did not confirm police were seeking a Moroccan man but said a "temporary reinforcement of security measures in areas of high concentration of people" was in place. Spain has kept its terrorist alert unchanged at the second-highest level despite the US State Department warning, although security measures were boosted in December for the Christmas holiday period, a Spanish interior ministry spokesman said. On August 17, 2017 a van rammed into crowds on Barcelona's tree-lined Las Ramblas boulevard, killing 14 people. The 22-year-old Moroccan driver then stole a car after killing the driver and fled. Several hours later five of his accomplices mowed down pedestrians on the promenade of the seaside resort of Cambrils south of Barcelona before stabbing a woman to death. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, Spain's deadliest in over a decade. Congress veteran Kamal Nath was sworn-in as Madhya Pradesh chief minister on 17 December, six days after his party posted a narrow victory over the BJP. Bhopal: The new Cabinet of Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath will take oath on 25 December in Raj Bhavan at 3 pm. Congress veteran Nath was sworn-in as chief minister on 17 December, six days after his party posted a narrow victory over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which ruled the state for 15 years. Nath has been camping in New Delhi since the past three days to finalise the list of his Cabinet colleagues, to be sworn in Tuesday, in consultation with Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other senior party leaders. Their names have not been made public so far. According to party sources, one or two Independent MLAs may get into the new Cabinet. Though the Congress, with 114 seats, emerged as the single largest party in the 230-member Assembly, it failed to cross the halfway mark on its own and enlisted support of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP), which have won two seats and one, respectively. Four Independent MLAs, who are Congress rebels, have also extended their support, taking the total number of MLAs on the Congress side to 121. The BJP had won 109 seats. The Madhya Pradesh Assembly session is going to begin on 7 January with the oath-taking by newly elected MLAs. Stalin on 16 December had vowed to make Congress chief Rahul Gandhi the country's next prime minister, lauding him for having the ability to defeat the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre. Villupuram (Tamil Nadu): Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief MK Stalin on Sunday stood by his remarks about making Congress president Rahul Gandhi the Opposition's prime ministerial candidate and said that some state leaders would take a call on the recommendation at a later date. "Some people questioned whether I can propose Rahul Gandhi's name as the prime ministerial candidate. What is wrong in that?" he said at an event in Villupuram. "If we do not propose (Rahul Gandhi's name), then who will? Did anyone deny it? Some state leaders are planning to decide on it after sorting out differences in their respective states," he said. Stalin on 16 December had vowed to make Congress chief Rahul Gandhi the country's next prime minister, lauding him for having the ability to defeat the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre. "In 2018, on the occasion of unveiling Thalaivar Kalaignar statue, I propose, we will install a new prime minister in Delhi. We will build a new India, as the son of Thalaivar Kalaignar, I propose the candidature of Rahul Gandhi from Tamil Nadu," he had said. The DMK chief reiterated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a 'sadist' as he did not visit Tamil Nadu after cyclone Gaja that left a trail of destruction and claimed more than 50 lives in the state. "Today, the topic is being widely debated. What's wrong in my comment? I did not say it at a personal level. Not as a leader of the BJP, he's the prime minister now. I am saying he did not even offer condolences to those who lost their lives due to cyclone Gaja," Stalin said. Reacting to his remarks, BJP Tamil Nadu unit president Tamilisai Soundarrajan said in Chennai that Stalin has become the "saddest Stalin". "Stalin called Modi sadist in the presence of Congress Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, but it is he who is the saddest," she told reporters. Narendra Modi, who launched a slew of projects for the state and released a stamp and a coin to commemorate Odisha's 1817 Paika rebellion, was addressing a BJP rally in Khurda town. Khurda (Odisha): Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday hit out at the Naveen Patnaik-led Bjiu Janata Dal (BJD) government in Odisha, saying the "demon of corruption" in various sectors has become strong in the state. Modi, who launched a slew of projects for the state and released a stamp and a coin to commemorate Odisha's 1817 Paika rebellion, was addressing a BJP rally in Khurda town. The prime minister in an apparent jibe at the BJD government, asked,"Who is feeding the demon (of corruption)?" "The demon of corruption has grown in chit fund, PC (percentage commission) culture... The truth of Odisha's development is not hidden. Farmers, women are raising their voice," he said. He also hit out at the Odisha government for not adopting the Centre's mega health scheme Ayushman Bharat. "People of the state are asking why they have been deprived of the benefits of the health scheme which is available in other states of the country," Modi said. Polls in Odisha are due to be held along with the general elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated a slew of development projects in Odisha and also hit out at the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated a slew of development projects in Odisha and also hit out at the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government, saying that the "demon of corruption" in various sectors has become strong in the state. Modi, who launched a slew of projects for the state and released a stamp and a coin to commemorate Odisha's 1817 Paika rebellion, was addressing a BJP rally in the Khurda town where in an apparent jibe at the BJD government, he asked, "Who is feeding the demon (of corruption)?" "The demon of corruption has grown in chit fund, PC (percentage commission) culture... The truth of Odisha's development is not hidden. Farmers, women are raising their voice," he said. Modi also hit out at the Odisha government for not adopting the Centre's mega health scheme Ayushman Bharat. "People of the state are asking why they have been deprived of the benefits of the health scheme which is available in other states of the country," Modi said. Modi reiterated that his government at the Centre is fully committed to the all-around development of Odisha as he announced projects worth Rs 14,000 crore for the emerging state. He also inaugurated the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, which is built at a cost of Rs 1,260 crore and said it would prove to be a centre of the dreams for Odisha's youth and also provide employment. The investment is a continuation of Centre's 'Purvodaya' vision through which Modi laid the foundation stone of various infrastructure projects on Monday. In Bhubaneswar, Modi laid the foundation of Paradip Hyderabad Pipeline Product Project (PHPL) and the Bokaro-Angul section of Jagdishpur-Haldia and the Bokaro-Dhamra Gas Pipeline Project (PM Urja Ganga). In Lalitgiri, Modi inaugurated an archaeological museum. He also inaugurated an Employee's State Insurance (ESI) Hospital in Bhubaneswar, which was recently ramped up from a 50 to 100-bed hospital. Moreover, the prime minister participated in the ceremony to mark landing of sections of four national highways, namely Chandikhole-Bhadrak section of NH 5 (new NH16), Khandagiri Flyover, Bhubaneswar on NH 5 (new NH16), Cuttack-Angul section of NH 42 (new NH55) and Tangi-Puintola section of NH 5 (new NH16). He also established the Buxi Jagabandhu Research Chair at the Utkal University. Modi also stressed on the judicious use of Odisha's natural bio-fuel resources and announced an oil reserve in Chandikhole and a special bio-fuel plant for the state. Polls in Odisha are due to be held along with the general elections in 2019. Earlier in the day, Modi released a commemorative coin worth Rs 100 as a tribute to late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a day before his 94th birth anniversary. The commemorative coin has the Emblem of India on its front face while the reverse side of the coin has a portrait of Vajpayee and his name inscribed in both Devanagari and Roman. Speaking on the occasion, Modi said: "Our mind is not ready to believe that Atal ji is no longer with us. He was a stalwart loved and respected across all sections of society. As a speaker, he was unparalleled. He was among the best orators our nation has produced." Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, finance minister Arun Jaitley, Minister of State for Culture Mahesh Sharma, BJP national president Amit Shah and veteran BJP leader LK Advani were also present at the event. The former prime minister's birthday, which falls on 25 December, is celebrated as the 'Good Governance Day' by the BJP. With inputs from agencies Releasing a Rs 100 commemorative coin in the memory of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the eve of his 94th birth anniversary, Narendra Modi said the late premier spent most of his political life in the opposition benches but always thought of the country and its people New Delhi: Power is like oxygen for "some people" with restlessness setting in if they are out of it for even "two or five years", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday while taking a jibe at the opposition but without naming anybody or any party. Releasing a Rs 100 commemorative coin in the memory of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the eve of his 94th birth anniversary, Modi said the late premier spent most of his political life in the opposition benches but always thought of the country and its people. "Today's political landscape is such that if someone has to stay out of power even for two or five years, they become restless," he told the gathering. Vajpayee, he added, committed every second of his life for the welfare of the people. "For some people, power is oxygen...they can't live without it. A long part of Atal-ji's career was spent in the opposition benches but he spoke about national interest and never compromised on the ideology of the party," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) added on Twitter while quoting the prime minister's speech. Vajpayee's long-time associate and BJP veteran L K Advani, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP president Amit Shah were also present at the event. Discussing Vajpayee's political journey, Modi said he always kept the nation and democracy before himself and the party. "Atal-ji wanted democracy to be supreme. He built the Jana Sangh. But when the time came to rescue our democracy, he and others went to the Janata Party. Likewise, when the choice was between remaining in power or comprising on ideology, he left Janata Party and formed the BJP," Modi said. The party which "Atal-ji built brick by brick" is now among the largest political parties in the world, the prime minister said, adding that Vajpayee had sown the seeds of the lotus (the BJP symbol) in the country. Vajpayee's prowess as a speaker was unparalleled, Modi said, describing him as among the best orators India had produced. "When he spoke, the nation spoke...when he spoke, the nation listened. Atal-ji's voice was not only voice of the BJP, it was an expression of the common man's aspirations," he said. The mind, Modi asserted, is not ready to believe that Vajpayee is no longer alive. "Though he was away from public glare for nearly a decade due to ill health, the way people gave him a farewell on his demise showed the mark he had created in people's minds," Modi said. The former prime minister died in August this year at the age of 93 following prolonged illness. Modi said he would go to Vajpayee's memorial on Tuesday to reiterate his commitment to the ideology and path shown by the statesman. Looking at the NDA's seat-sharing formula for Bihar, it remains to be seen whether the BJP has promised Nitish Kumar enough to keep the JD(U) leader's prime ministerial ambitions under wraps. The National Democratic Alliance on Sunday announced the much-awaited breakup of the Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, putting to rest once and for all speculation on whether the BJP will hold its own or give in to the demands of allies for a bigger chunk of the constituencies. Looking at the numbers announced, the latter appears to have won BJP chief Amit Shah announced that the saffron party and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) (JDU) will both contest from 17 seats and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) will fight it out from six constituency. In addition to this seat-sharing formula, the NDA also nominated Paswan as its Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar. The discussions between the constituents of the BJP-led NDA in Bihar for seat-sharing for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections have been in focus in political circles as they follow the recent troubles in the alliance in the state. On 19 December, the Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) had left the NDA, with its president Upendra Kushwaha blaming the split on the "arrogance" of the BJP and the Bihar chief minister. Kushwaha had also quit as a Union minister, following disagreements with Nitish and the BJP leadership over a seat-sharing offer that was "not respectable and, hence, not acceptable". But he had refused to divulge the number of seats the RLSP which has two seats in the 40-member Bihar Assembly and three in the Lok Sabha was offered. However, the one to emerge the most gleeful out of this deal is the Bihar chief minister. Despite winning only two Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 elections of the 38 it had contested, the BJP has now offered it an equal representation from the NDA. The JD(U) had also lost deposits in 23 seats. One could also call this a "comeback" for Nitish, who has harboured prime ministerial ambitions, which were popularly the reason why his JD(U) had quit the NDA and contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls solo. Another reason that proves why the deal was win-win for the JD(U) is the lower representation for the LJP, which will contest only six seats as compared to seven in the last parliamentary election. This is most likely why the Paswan was offered a Rajya Sabha ticket instead. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP had won 22 seats from Bihar. For the saffron party to bow to the JD(U)'s demands and cut back on its share of seats in Bihar indicates that the BJP is wary of losing out on more allies and any possible dissent or difference of opinion ahead of the elections. To ensure this, Nitish's support in the eastern state was vital, regardless of his abysmal loss in the 2014 polls. "Seat-sharing was a unanimous decision that was made keeping in mind the political situation on the ground in Bihar. All the three parties are hopeful that the NDA will win more seats together than it had won in the 2014 general elections," Shah told reporters after announcing the seat-sharing formula. The key here is "keeping in mind the political situation". This statement by the BJP president holds an undertone of apprehension that the current political situation is of dissent, as well as of people's disenchantment with the BJP. Losing out on the support of either regional party in Bihar would have cost the BJP in the coming months. Coming back to Nitish. The Bihar chief minister had the support of a number of Bihar BJP legislators for the post of prime minister ahead of the last parliamentary elections. The BJP leaders were not pleased about Nitish being ignored for the post over Narendra Modi, and neither was the Bihar chief minister. Miffed over the move though not on record Nitish had quit the NDA and the JD(U) contested the 2014 elections alone, only to fare the worst among all parties in Bihar. After the 2015 Bihar Assembly elections, the JD(U) had jumped boats and allied with the Rashtriya Janaya Dal (RJD) and Congress to form the so-called mahagathbandhan, which also marked a shift in political ideology. Even then, Nitish remained vocal about the Centre's policies, such as demonetisation, that he was not particularly pleased with. Club this with Ram Vilas Paswan's son Chirag's statement that the BJP was focussed on "non-issues" like the Ram Temple, and not the "real issue" of development, and we have a very nervous BJP. Nitish is a smart, 68-year-old politician who plays his cards well. He learnt from his mistakes from 2014 and manoeuvered the BJP well this time to ensure that the JD(U) got what it wanted. That the BJP is on shaky ground is evident to all, let alone the Bihar chief minister, and he played this to his advantage. The seat-sharing formula for Bihar was not only a safe decision by the BJP, but also a masterstroke by Nitish, whose prime ministerial ambitions could just resurface closer to 2019. Now it remains to be seen whether the BJP has promised Nitish enough to keep these ambitions under wraps. But this is where it would be significant to mention Kushwaha's remarks: The RLSP chief had alleged that there's a "group of NDA leaders in Bihar that doesn't want to see Narendra Modi as the prime minister again". Kushwaha was perhaps the most amused by the figures the NDA announced on Sunday. Amit Shah told reporters gathered at the press conference in Delhi that the BJP will be contesting from the same number of seats as its former rival Nitish's JDU was earlier part of the Mahagathbandhan with the RJD and Congress and gave his current rivals much reason to laugh. "The BJP always used to say they have a 56-inch chest, but now it seems they've bowed down in front of Nitish Kumar and divided seats equally. But people do not care about how many seats you contest on, they will vote for the one who works for the public," he had said. The RJD wasn't quiet either about the NDA announcement. Party leader and Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav had claimed that the BJP had given into arm-twisting by both Nitish and Paswan in an attempt to retain power in the state. "Now you can understand the dire straits the NDA is in," he said. He might as well be right. The BJP's recent losses in Assembly elections have the party on the back foot, a situation that Nitish has milked well for itself in the Hindi heartland state. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday alleged its office in central Delhi's Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg had been ransacked by the Youth Congress workers during a protest and warned that such 'action could lead to a reaction'. New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday alleged its office in central Delhi's Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg had been ransacked by the Youth Congress workers during a protest and warned that such "action could lead to a reaction".The party filed a complaint at IP Estate Police Station here, saying it was the second time such an incident had taken place in the last two months. The complaint demanded action against Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken and chief spokesperson Sharmistha Mukherjee. Calling the AAP's charges "idiotic and absolutely baseless," Mukherjee said her party's protest march was held peacefully. "AAP is desperately trying to grab attention and shift focus from what they did in the Delhi Assembly recently by passing an anti-Sikh riot resolution in which they sought to defame late Rajiv Gandhi," she told PTI. Convener of AAP's Delhi unit Gopal Rai alleged that Delhi Police acted as a "mute spectator" during the alleged ransacking on Sunday. "It is a very heinous act. Such action could lead to a reaction. We will file an FIR against the ransacking of our office by Youth Congress," Rai said at a press conference. The Delhi unit of the Youth Congress Sunday evening staged a protest outside the AAP office against a resolution in the Vidhan Sabha on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots which purportedly demanded the withdrawal of Bharat Ratna given to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. Maken had also taken part in it. When asked if this will have a negative impact on prospects of a possible alliance between the AAP and the Congress for the Lok Sabha elections, Rai said, "Where is the alliance?" He said the AAP was capable of challenging the BJP single-handedly in Delhi in next year's Lok Sabha elections. "There is anger against BJP all across the country. In Delhi, we are capable of discharging this responsibility (of defeating BJP). We have started preparations for all seven seats." On the resolution in the Delhi Assembly, Rai said the demand for withdrawal of Bharat Ratna given to Gandhi was an "individual idea" of a member in the House. "It was an amendment that was not voted prior to passage of the entire resolution in the House. Speaker of the House has already clarified it," he said. He, however, said the Congress was "guilty" of anti-Sikh riots in 1984. Veteran CPM leader Nirupam Sen, credited as the architect of West Bengal's industrial drive during the Left Front rule, died at a city hospital on Monday morning after a prolonged illness, family sources said. Kolkata: Veteran CPM leader Nirupam Sen, credited as the architect of West Bengal's industrial drive during the Left Front rule, died at a city hospital on Monday morning after a prolonged illness, family sources said. He was 72 years old. The former politburo member of the party left behind his wife, a son and a daughter. Sen passed away at 5.10 am following a cardiac arrest, hospital sources said. The former West Bengal commerce and industry minister was on life support system after his health condition deteriorated in early December and had been critical since then. "Sen was fighting kidney ailments. He was impaired by a cerebral attack in 2013," an official at the hospital said. One of the most prominent faces of the Buddhadeb Bhattacharya cabinet after the CPM-led Left Front was voted to power in 2001, Sen was handed the charge of commerce and industries. It was under the leadership of Bhattacharya and Sen that the Left Front started selling the dream of industrialisation in the state and shifted focus to private investments. This shift in the policy reaped them heavy dividends resulting in the Left Front's resounding victory in the 2006 assembly election. But by the end of 2006, the land acquisition movement at Singur over the Tata Nano car plant had started taking a toll on the regime. The protest against the forcible land acquisition ultimately led the Tata Motors to shift the car plant from Singur to Gujarat in 2008. The anti-land acquisition protests in Singur and Nandigram led by the then-opposition Trinamool Congress was one of the reasons behind the fall of the 34-year-old Left Front government in the state in 2011. Faced with intense criticism both within and outside the party, Sen, then a CPM politburo member, had withdrawn himself from active politics. In the next few years due to ill health, he stepped down from the politburo, the central committee and earlier this year during the CPM party congress, he stepped down from the state committee. He was a three-time MLA from Bardhaman Dakshin constituency. Party sources said Sen's body would be taken to his residence and then to a private mortuary in the city. "On Wednesday, Sen's body will be taken to the CITU office here and then to the party's state head quarters where people will be allowed to pay their last respect," the sources said. His mortal remains would be consigned to flames in Burdwan, his home town, on Wednesday. At a Shiv Sena gathering at Ayodhya, Uddhav Thackeray had demanded that the BJP-led government declare a date for the construction of the Ram Mandir to start. "Pehle Mandir, Phir Sarkar" With this slogan, meaning first Ram Temple, then government, the Shiv Sena has made its intention clear. The party is rejuvenating its demand for a Ram Mandir at the disputed site in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, and is trying to gather support for the movement. The Sena leadership has ordered its cadres to mobilise crowds for the party's rallies to press for the demand for the temple. The Sena also plans to hold more such Ram Mandir-focussed rallies in the state's Vidarbha and Marathwada regions in the coming months, in an attempt to increase its vote base in these regions. This is not unlike the BJP's strategy to appeal to Hindu sentiments and make Ram Temple the focus of its campaigns ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections over development and other pressing issues like the state of the economy. Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray's rally on Monday in Pandharpur in Maharashtra's Solapur district is the second such gathering the party has organised in a month to pressure the Centre on the Ram Mandir also, and also one could say to cement its image as another formidable Hindutva force. As a Sena leader confirmed, the Pandharpur rally is part of the party's strategy to promote Thackeray as a true Hindutva leader. At Sena gatherings at Ayodhya on 24 and 25 November, Thackeray had demanded that the Narendra Modi government wake up from its "Kumbhakarna-like slumber" and declare a date for the construction of the Ram Temple to start. He had also urged the Centre to frame a legislation or ordinance to facilitate the construction, assuring his party's support for it. Thackeray's statement nearly sounded like a dare to the BJP, its ally in Maharashtra, though one that's hanging by a thread. "Since we decided to go solo, we need to expand our base and win more seats," the same Sena leader was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. Although the Sena has reiterated on numerous occasions that the party will contest future elections solo, BJP chief Amit Shah said on 19 December that he was confident the Sena would be with them in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Thackeray-led party's Hindutva focus, and its attempt to hijack the Ram Temple dispute ahead of the parliamentary elections could be seen as a move to pressurise the BJP ahead of seat-sharing talks in Maharashtra. In a report on 21 December, The Times of India had quoted sources as saying that the BJP was in favour of beginning seat-sharing talks with the Shiv Sena for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. "The BJP needs the Sena as much as the Sena needs the BJP," the newspaper quoted a BJP functionary as saying. "Whatever may be the Sena's public posturing, it cannot join hands with the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) combine, nor can it venture to go alone in the polls." The party functionary also highlighted the obvious: "We are aware that the Sena may demand more seats in the state Assembly elections. This can be mutually decided once we get down to the brass tacks." In the current 289-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, the BJP has 122 seats, the Sena 63, Congress 42 and the NCP 41. Furthermore, the BJP's drubbing in the three Hindi heartland states in the recently-concluded Assembly elections is another reason for the Shiv Sena's sub-par enthusiasm to ally with the BJP. The Sena doesn't want to be at the receiving end of people's anger against the BJP for the Centre's policies such as demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax. Now, the Sena is mounting pressure on the BJP on the one subject the national party rakes up before every election. On 20 December, the Sena said the BJP's 2014 promise to construct the Ram Temple was another "jumla" (rhetoric) for the party, and that failing to achieve this would ultimately lead to its ouster. "When will achhe din come for Lord Ram, who has been living in an open tent for the past 25 years while those in power are warming their seats?," the Sena said in a sarcastic remark. However, the BJP hasn't been entirely quiet about the Sena's attacks on it on the Ram Mandir dispute. "How can the Shiv Sena hijack the issue? The people who thrash north Indians and drive them out, who don't even have the mentality to serve humanity, how will they serve Lord Ram?" BJP MLA Surendra Singh had said after Thackeray's speeches at Ayodhya. The Sena's renewed focus on Hindutva can possibly be explained with this statement by a Maharashtra BJP functionary: "Uddhav saheb knows that he cannot retain his 18 MPs and 63 MLAs in Maharashtra by basing his politics only on Marathi manoos. He needs to reach out to the larger Hindu constituency in Mumbai and Maharashtra even if he wants to renegotiate the terms of an alliance with the BJP." Only time will tell if the BJP functionary's analysis holds true. Nawaz Sharif has been acquitted in the Flagship Investments corruption case in the high-profile Panama Papers scandal. Sharif, who was removed from office last year after being disqualified from serving his third stint as prime minister. (Photo: File) Islamabad: An anti-corruption court in Pakistan sentenced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to 7 years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case while acquitting him in the Flagship Investments corruption case in the high-profile Panama Papers scandal. Accountability Court II Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik announced the verdict in the two remaining corruption cases against the Sharif family, after reserving the decision last week. In its decision, Judge Malik said there was concrete evidence against the 68-year-old former premier in the Al-Azizia reference, and that he was unable to provide a money trail in the case. Sharif, who was removed from office last year after being disqualified from serving his third stint as prime minister. He was accused of possessing assets beyond his known sources of income. Three cases - Avenfield properties case, Flagship Investment case and Al-Azizia steel mills case - were launched by the National Accountability Bureau on September 8, 2017 following a judgment by the apex court that disqualified Sharif. In July, 2018 Sharif, his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year respectively in prison in the Avenfield properties case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices. However, the three were bailed out by the Islamabad High Court in September. (With PTI inputs) Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday targeted its ally BJP by raking up the alleged corruption in the Rafale deal and said the party's perception of being a 'world winner' had been shattered. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday targeted its ally BJP by raking up the alleged corruption in the Rafale deal and said the party's perception of being a "world winner" had been shattered with the results of the just-held state Assembly polls. Uddhav also used Congress' "chowkidar hi chor hai jibe" for the prime minister. Referring to what he termed as a "scam" in the defence and agriculture sectors besides 'jumlas' of other schemes such as Rs 15 lakh in every Indian's bank account or the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, he attacked the BJP and prime minister Narendra Modi during his public address in Maharashtra's Pandharpur town. Addressing a much-anticipated rally in the temple town of the Solapur district, Uddhav hit out at the BJP for getting "possessed" by the spirits of gods in raking up the Ram temple before elections, achieving nothing in the past over three decades. "I went to Ayodhya (November) and have come to the holy land of Pandharpur. I want to wake up the sleeping Kumbhakarna -- you exploited Ram temple to win elections and now you are in a slumber. We will not rest till the Ram temple is constructed," he roared. Uddhav, who had visited Ayodhya last month to push for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in the holy town, said he may soon visit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi. The Sena leader, whose party is a constituent of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and state, was addressing a public rally in the Solapur district. Uddhav, who has consistently attacked the Modi government on a range of issues, said he has already taken the decision on whether to form an alliance with the BJP for the upcoming General Elections. The Sena chief in January had announced his party would contest all future Lok Sabha and assembly elections on its own. In the last six months, the BJP leadership has been consistently stressing on an alliance with the Sena for the upcoming polls. The Amit Shah-led party has regularly insisted that the Maharashtra-based outfit is its natural ally and they will resolve their differences amicably. However, at the Pandharpur rally, Thackeray appeared to be in no mood to spare the lead NDA constituent. "The BJP's perception of a 'world winner' has been shattered by the results of the assembly elections in the five states. "The outcome of Mizoram and Telangana assembly elections has given a clear message that voters have rejected national parties and chosen strong regional options," he said. In the just-held polls, the BJP was ousted from power in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh by the Congress, while regional parties did well in Mizoram and Telangana. "The Chhattisgarh assembly election has also given a strong message against the BJP. People were fed up with the BJP government and hence they rejected it," said Uddhav. He also took on the Modi government over issues like allegations of irregularities in the Rafale fighter jet deal and implementation of crop insurance scheme for farmers. "There have been several allegations over the Rafale fighter jet deal and I do not know how the Supreme Court has given a clean cheat. But I know the Modi government has refused pay hike for jawans," the Sena chief said. Commenting on the finalisation of seat-sharing in Bihar between the JD(U), the LJP and the BJP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he asked chiefs of the two regional parties to clarify their stand on Ram Mandir and Hindutva. "Nitish Kumar (the JD-U chief) and (LJP president) Ram Vilas Paswan should declare their views on Ram mandir and Hindutva," the Sena leader said. With inputs from agencies Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Sunday said whenever Ram temple is constructed at Ayodhya it would be only by 'us' and no one else and termed Hindu culture as India's only culture. Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said whenever Ram temple is constructed at Ayodhya it would be only by "us" and no one else and termed Hindu culture as India's only culture. In an apparent reference to the issue, Adityanath said, "Some people here were speaking about Ram Janmabhoomi. Friends, whosoever does this job or whenever this job is done, this job will be done by us, no one else will be able to do so". He, however, did not elaborate who would undertake the work. Addressing a gathering in Lucknow on the occasion of Yuva Kumbh, Adityanath said, "India is a nation, and it has only one culture. India has a thought (soch). Here languages, castes, regions, eating habits, dialects may be different. From a political point of view there can be differences in India, but the country has one culture, which is known as "Hindu culture. And, all of us should feel proud about it," he said. Pointing towards Congress president Rahul Gandhi, the chief minister said, "Those who used to consider Ram and Krishna as myth, are making attempts to flash their janeu (sacred thread) and tell their gotra to mislead people (Jo log Ram aur Krsihna ko mithak maante rahe hai, unn logo dwaraa janeu dikhaakar aur gotra bataakar bharmaane kaa prayaas kiyaa jaa raha hai)." Without naming anyone, Adityanath said, "We have the opportunity of understanding these conspiracies, which represent the negativities in the country and making an effort to push the country towards disintegration. Preparations will be made to hatch this conspiracy at every level, but it is important that we have to remain alert". On employment generation in the state, the chief minister's process is on to recruit 69,000 teachers and 50,000 policemen in the state, which will be completed in the initial month of 2019. He said the One District, One Product scheme will generate jobs for 20 lakh youth in the next 5 years and that an investment climate was being created. Adityanath along with UP Governor Ram Naik participated in the inaugural session of the Yuva Kumbh. Adityanath also said, "Kumbh is the symbol of India's unity and integrity, and its spirit is that youth power should be used for nation building. The state government will make efforts to provide all possible facilities to pilgrims at the Kumbh. The state government will also establish grand statue of Bharadwaj Muni and Goddess Saraswati in Prayagraj." Speaking on the occasion Ram Naik said, "The world has now started to realise the strength of India The 2019 Kumbh in Praygraj will introduce the world with India's cultural greatness. Press Trust of India Famous writer Ruskin Bond on 23 December said technology associated with "Artificial Intelligence" (AI) is a bit "frightening", as some people will be able to control a large population of world through the innovation. Bond, while participating in the Indore Literature Festival, told PTI," AI technology is a bit frightening now. There is danger that some people will be able to control a large population of world through this technology. We need to be careful so that this technology cannot take over our complete command". The Indian writer of British descent, famously known as "Indian William Wordsworth", however, said AI technology is in its early stage now, so, it is to be seen that how this technique is developed in future". Asked about the effects of AI techniques on human creativity, Bond said, "If any mechanical technology starts to create something for you, then hardly any possibility is left for human creativity. The 84-year-old writer said, "When I was studying in school, some of my friends used to get me write their love letters. In future, there is a possibility that such people would take help of robots with AI technology to get their love letters written". He also expressed his concern about the increasing pressure on children as far as career is concerned in this age of competition. "Competition for career has increased a lot for children nowadays. I feel that children are more under pressure than adults in this case", Bond said. He said there should not be too much pressure on children. "They should be given liberty to choose their career", he added. Press Trust of India Scientists have developed disposable paper-based sensors that can measure glucose concentrations in saliva, paving the way for a pain-free alternative to diabetics for monitoring their blood sugar levels daily. Strips of pH-sensitive paper are commonly used to test whether a liquid is acidic or alkaline. Researchers are now working to apply similar principles to create paper sensors that quickly indicate disease biomarkers. Key to this approach is replacing traditional electronic circuitry in the sensors with low-cost plastics that can be manufactured quickly and in large quantities. A team from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia used inkjet technology to produce sensors sensitive to small sugar concentrations in biofluids. Utilising a commercial ink made from conducting polymers, the team printed microscale electrode patterns onto glossy paper sheets. They printed a sensing layer containing an enzyme, glucose oxidase, on top of the tiny electrodes. The biochemical reaction between available glucose and the enzyme creates electrical signals easily correlated to blood sugar levels. Paper is porous, which makes it challenging to print conducting and biological inks that are dissolved in water, said Eloise Bihar, a postdoctoral researcher at KAUST. Printing the enzyme is tricky, as well its sensitive to variations of temperature, the voltage applied at the cartridge, and the pH of the ink, said Bihar. While fluids, such as sweat or saliva, contain enough sugar for monitoring purposes, they also contain molecules, such as ascorbic acid, that interfere electrically with conducting polymers. Coating the sensor with a nafion polymer membrane that repels the negative charges present in most interfering species enabled measurement of only the relevant glucose levels in saliva samples from volunteers. Experiments showed the top coating gave the sensor an unprecedented shelf life the enzyme could be kept alive and active for a month if stored in a sealed bag. These results are encouraging the team to expand the capabilities of this approach by incorporating different enzymes into the sensing layer. Get live Stock Prices from BSE and NSE and latest NAV, portfolio of Mutual Funds, calculate your tax by Income Tax Calculator, know markets Top Gainers, Top Losers & Best Equity Funds. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Jim Mattis resigned as the US Secretary of Defense on Thursday in protest over Donald Trump's decision to pull all US troops out of Syria. Washington: Irritated with the criticism and fallout from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' resignation, President Donald Trump on Sunday pushed the Pentagon chief out the door two months earlier than planned, an acrimonious end to a tense relationship that had been eroding in recent months. In a series of tweets, Trump appeared to question why he had put Mattis in his Cabinet in the first place and said Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan will take over as acting secretary on 1 January to cover the accelerated departure. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, not the president, notified Mattis of the decision, said a senior administration official who insisted on anonymity to discuss personnel issues. The sudden change strips Mattis of any chance to further frame national security policy or smooth rattled relations with allies through the originally planned transition at the end of February. And it reflects White House displeasure with the retired Marine Corps general's blistering resignation letter, which he delivered to Trump on Thursday. Mattis resigned in protest over Trump's decision to pull all US troops out of Syria. US officials, however, said that the reaction to his decision to leave including the shock and dismay expressed on Capitol Hill annoyed Trump and likely led to Mattis leaving earlier than planned. "When President Obama ingloriously fired Jim Mattis, I gave him a second chance. Some thought I shouldn't, I thought I should," Trump tweeted Saturday, foreshadowing his displeasure and the Sunday announcement. He also fumed over the media coverage of his Syria withdrawal order, suggesting he should be popular for bringing troops home. "With me, hit hard instead by the Fake News Media. Crazy!" Trump tweeted. I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting January 1, 2019. Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing. He will be great! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2018 A White House official said Trump decided Mattis should leave the administration earlier than planned to avoid a drawn-out transition when someone on hand whom they consider a qualified deputy capable of running the Pentagon in an acting capacity. The official asked not to be identified publicly discussing personnel matters. Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Buccino, a spokesperson for Shanahan, said the former Boeing Co executive will accept the appointment as acting secretary. "Deputy secretary will continue to serve as directed by the president, and the Department of Defense will remain focused on the defense of the nation," Buccino said on Sunday. It is unusual for the Pentagon to have an acting secretary of defense. Historically when a secretary has resigned, he has stayed on until a successor is confirmed. For example, when Chuck Hagel was told to resign in November 2014, he stayed in office until Ash Carter was confirmed the following February. While Mattis' resignation followed Trump's announcement that he would soon pull all of the approximately 2,000 US troops out of Syria, officials said that the decision was the result of an accumulation of disagreements. In a stunning resignation letter, Mattis made clear he did not see eye to eye with a president who has expressed disdain for NATO and doubts about keeping troops in Asia. Mattis was also unhappy with Trump's order to develop plans to pull out up to half of the 14,000 U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Earlier Sunday, Trump's acting chief of staff said that Trump had known for "quite some time now" that he and Mattis "did not share some of the same philosophies ... have the same world view." Mick Mulvaney told ABC's "This Week" that the president and his defense chief "just could never get on the same page" on Syria, adding that Trump had said since his presidential campaign that "he wanted to get out of Syria." Mulvaney said the president "is entitled to have a secretary of defense who is committed to that same end." Asked whether Trump wanted a Pentagon leader willing to challenge him or someone in lock step with his views, Mulvaney said "a little bit of both". "I've encouraged him to find people who have some overlap with him but don't see the world in lockstep with him," Mulvaney said. The Pentagon on Sunday would only say that Mattis serves at the pleasure of the president. Other officials said it wasn't clear whether Mattis had spoken directly to Trump about the accelerated departure. Mattis had been at work on Friday, and defense officials had insisted he was planning to stay through February, when he would attend a NATO defense ministers meeting. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., joined leading Republicans on foreign affairs in urging Trump to reconsider his decision to withdraw American forces from Syria. "We believe that such action at this time is a premature and costly mistake that not only threatens the safety and security of the United States but also emboldens" the Islamic State group, President Bashar Assad's government, Iran and Russia, according to the letter, signed by McConnell and eight other senators, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC, who organised it. They asked Trump to "not make any final decision for 90 days to allow time to adequately study the impacts of this decision on our partners, our allies and the re-emergence of IS and other terror groups, to ensure our nation's strategic interests are secured." But Mulvaney, asked on ABC whether there was any chance the president might change his mind on Syria decision, said: "No. I think the president has told people from the very beginning that he doesn't want us to stay in Syria forever. You're seeing the end result now of two years' worth of work. But keep in mind it's not unusual for a president to lose members of the Cabinet over these types of disagreements." Just after tweeting the announcement about Shanahan, Trump said he had had "a long and productive call" with Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Trump said they discussed IS, "our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of US troops from the area. After many years they are coming home." Shanahan, a longtime Boeing Co. executive, was nominated for the deputy job in early 2017. He moved up through the management ranks at Boeing over a career that began in 1986. The Puget Sound Business Journal called him a Boeing "fix-it" man in a March 2016 report. He oversaw the company's global supply chain strategies and use of advanced manufacturing technologies. Shanahan was central to getting the 787 Dreamliner on track after production problems in the program's early years, the report said. French president Emmanuel Macron's comments come after Donald Trump pulled out US troops from Syria, leaving thousands of Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, which the Pentagon spent years training and arming against IS, vulnerable to Turkish attack. N'Djamena, Chad: President of France Emmanuel Macron on Sunday criticised US president Donald Trump's decision to withdraw American forces from Syria, saying "an ally must be reliable". In a sign of the growing diplomatic rift between the two leaders, Macron said "I deeply regret the decision" by Trump to pullout US troops. Trump last week ordered a complete troop pullout from Syria, asserting that the Islamic State group had been defeated, as well as a significant withdrawal from Afghanistan. Analysts said the momentous reversal of years of US foreign policy will leave the war-torn regions at risk of continued and potentially heightened bloodshed. France has said it will maintain its participation in the coalition fighting IS in Syria. "To be an ally is to fight shoulder to shoulder," Macron said in Chad's capital N'Djamena with his Chadian counterpart Idriss Deby, adding that France was doing just that in the fight against jihadist groups in Chad. The US troop pullout in Syria will leave thousands of Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, which the Pentagon spent years training and arming against IS, vulnerable to Turkish attack. Turkey, which fears the separatist ambitions of Kurds in its own country, has threatened to launch another offensive against Kurdish groups in Syria that Ankara accuse of being "terrorists". On Saturday, a senior Kurdish official called on the US to prevent a potential Turkish offensive, calling it America's "duty to prevent any attack and to put an end to Turkish threats". Once a 'special relationship' In his remarks Macron also paid tribute to Defense Secretary James Mattis, who announced he was resigning on Thursday after Trump told the world about his Syria U-turn. "I want to pay tribute to General Mattis... for a year we have seen how he was a reliable partner," Macron said. Mattis, 68, was one of Trump's first Cabinet picks and has spent nearly two years at the Pentagon. In his resignation letter Mattis made clear that Trump's world view was irreconcilable with his own. "My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades' immersion in these issues," Mattis wrote to Trump, who has sought closer ties with Russia and heaped contempt on NATO and other alliances. "Because you have the right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position." Brett McGurk, the US special envoy to the anti-IS coalition, also announced he would bring his departure forward from February due to the Syria policy change. Since Trump became president, Macron has attempted to develop a "special relationship" with the billionaire tycoon despite widely differing political beliefs and styles. The pair had seemed to share a special camaraderie in the early days of their respective presidencies, a "bromance" of sorts that included patting and playful banter. But differences over policy in particular the Paris climate accords which Trump opposed have become increasingly hard to paper over and tensions in their relationship have become more apparent. Allies must be 'reliable' Even early on, when Macron and Trump shared a handshake at their first meeting at a NATO gathering in Brussels in May 2017, photographers focused on the white-knuckle grip of the presidents' handshake as the two tried to out-muscle each other. After Trump pulled out of the Paris climate accords, Macron played on the words of Trump's electoral slogan "Make America Great Again", instead saying "Make Our Planet Great Again". In July 2017, when Trump flew into Paris for Bastille Day, France's national holiday, Trump praised his host, saying: "France is America's first and oldest ally." But Trump raised eyebrows when attempting to compliment Macron's wife Brigitte by telling her she was "in good shape". In April, Macron visited Washington and the powerplay between the two was again evident to see, with Trump appearing to flick a piece of dandruff off Macron's jacket on national television, saying "we have to make him perfect. He is perfect." Later, despite Macron repeatedly appealing to Trump to preserve the Iran nuclear deal, Trump exited the multiparty agreement negotiated by his predecessor Barack Obama and reimposed punishing sanctions on the Iranians. Then in November, Trump publicly lambasted Macron and mocked the French president's approval rating over remarks about Europe taking greater responsiblity for its own defence. On Sunday Macron indicated his own disappointment at the frayed relations with the US. "An ally must be reliable, to coordinate with its other allies," Macron said. The new policy announced by the Trump administration in August places restrictions on overstaying a visa Washington: As many as 65 top US universities, including Harvard and MIT, have challenged the Trump administration in a court against its new stringent visa policy for foreign students, warning that the new 'backdating' rule will have a detrimental effect on America's higher education system. The new policy announced by the Trump administration in August places restrictions on overstaying a visa. Under longstanding immigration policies, when an individual is no longer authorised to remain in the US such as when a visa expires a period of "unlawful presence" begins. After six months of unlawful presence, an individual can be forced to return to their country of origin and subject to a three year bar from the US. Prior to the August policy change, individuals only began to accrue unlawful presence the day after the government issued an official determination that the visa holder was "out of status". With the new rules, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can set retroactive start dates for unlawful presence that begin the day after an individual's degree programme is complete or the day after a person's visa expires. The top institutions, including Harvard, MIT, Cornell, Yale, and Princeton signed onto an amicus brief filed Monday, arguing that the new rule puts visa-holding students in a position to make "tough choices". These institutions argue that the new policy's use of a "backdated unlawful-presence clock" will render tens of thousands of F, J and M categories of visa holders subject to three and 10-year re-entry bars without any opportunity to cure. According to the National Association of Foreign Student Advisors (NAFSA), international students contributed $ 39 billion to the US economy during the 2017-2018 academic year. The same study found the economic activity of foreign students supported over 455,000 American jobs. The 65 institutions and one higher education system Board, mostly member institutions of the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, signed the brief which urges the federal court to grant them motion for a preliminary injunction. The brief explains that the new 'backdating' rule introduces considerable uncertainty into the calculation of unlawful presence and needlessly exposes international students to devastating reentry bans. "The new rule will harm international students and scholars, as well as institutions which host them," it said. It notes the new backdating rule by US Citizenship and Immigration Services will likely result in fewer international students, scholars and instructors contributing to the communities. The brief supports Guilford College, et al in its lawsuit against US Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M Nielsen et al. It was filed in the US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. "International students and scholars are vital members of our campus communities and important contributors to our nation," said John J DeGioia, Georgetown University President and Presidents' Alliance Steering Committee Member. "The talents, perspectives, insights and passion to serve our world that they bring our campus communities benefits our nation and contributes to the common good that we all share," he said. The brief argues that a 10 percent rise in the ratio of foreign graduate students to total graduate students results in a 5.1 percent increase in patent grants. International students and scholars also continue to contribute to the US economy beyond their periods of enrollment. For example, in a study of American startup companies valued at $ 1 billion or more, it was found that nearly one quarter of such businesses had a founder who first came to the United States as an international student, it said. The backdating rule introduces significant uncertainty and punishes students for reasons that are frequently beyond the students' control. In some cases, students and exchange visitors can fall out-of-status due to unwitting clerical and technical errors, often of someone else's making, the brief said. In many cases, the infraction will not be discovered (or determined, as the F, M, and J regulations are not always clear and may be subject to varying interpretations) until the individual reapplies for another immigration benefit, such as an optional practical training allowance or an H-1B visa, it said. "A ban, in turn, could have devastating immediate consequences for a student's course of study and would outright bar the student from reentering the US for any reason even for business purposes, or to see a child for a period of year," the brief said, adding that the new rule will diminish US' ability to compete for international students and scholars. This decline in international student enrollment and in engagement with international researchers and professors will have a detrimental effect on the system of higher education in the United States. "As of today international students continue to make this country the global leader in higher education, but the gap is closing. The United States' 'market share has dropped from 23 per cent in 2000 to 16 per cent in 2012' with China, Canada, Britain and Russia all vying for the same pool of talent," it said. The tsunami on Sunda Strait is the second deadly tsunami in Indonesia that is already hit by an air crash, forest fires and floods Thousands of Indonesian residents on the coastal towns of Sumatra and Java were caught unawares on Saturday night as giant waves crashed into houses, sweeping away cars, uprooting trees and killing over 280 people. The disaster struck without warning and the tsunami was likely caused by undersea landslides from the Anak Krakatau volcanic eruption on the Sunda Strait. This is the second deadly tsunami in this country that was already hit by an air crash, forest fires and floods. Saturday's incident comes less than three months after nearly 2,000 people were killed in a strong earthquake on the central island of Sulawesi. It also throws light on the vulnerability of Indonesian archipelago and the need to strengthen the nation's tsunami early warning system. Archipelago's peculiar location Indonesia is located at the meeting point of three major continental plates -- the Pacific, Eurasian and the Indo-Australian plates, as well as the smaller Philippine plate. The nation sits on top of a tectonically complex region along the 'Pacific Ring of Fire' a horseshoe-shaped volatile region of earthquakes and volcanic activity encircling the Pacific ocean. The archipelago's equatorial location also subjects the country to a variety of extreme weather conditions. Disaster-prone year Early this year, in February, hundreds of acres of forests were razed in the Riau province in Sumatra, with the state officially declaring a disaster alert. More than 100 people had died when an earthquake hit the Lombok island near Bali in August. The tourist island was already hit by tremors 6.4 magnitude in July, 2018 that killed 29 July. In the same month, 31 people had died when a ferry travelling from Sulawesi to Selayar island sank. Coincidentally, this incident took place the same day that officials had called off the search for 164 people who were presumed drowned on 18 June when a ferry sank in a deep volcanic crater on Sumatra island. The Sulawesi tsunami in September also caused huge damage to the people in Palu, a highly populated city. The 7.5 magnitude earthquake turned large parts of the town to a rubble and there were about 170 aftershocks which hampered rescue operations. The official death toll is more than 2,000. Before the country could recover from Sulawesi tsunami, a Lion Air Boeing 737 plunged into the sea on 28 October, minutes after taking off, killing all 189 people on board the aircraft. Delhi native Bhavye Suneja was the captain of this ill-fated plane that was enroute from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang. The tsunami on Saturday on the Sunda Strait seems to be the final blow to its residents during the Christmas weekend. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, head spokesman of the country's natural disaster agency, took to Twitter and said Indonesia has no early warning system for landslides or volcanic eruptions. The current early warning system is for earthquake activity. Indonesia must build an early warning system for tsunamis that are generated by underwater landslides & volcanic eruptions[Landslides] triggered the 1992 Maumere tsunami and the Palu 2018 tsunami, he wrote. Anak Krakatau has been erupting since June 2018 until now, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, head spokesman he said. Yesterdays eruption was not the biggest. The October-November 2018 period had a larger eruption, Nugroho added. He also said Indonesias tsunami buoy network had not been operational since 2012. Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been sentenced to 7-years of imprisonment in the Al-Azizia Mills graft case by an accountability court in Pakistan. He was held liable for inability to explain assets beyond means in the Al-Azizia reference case, but has been acquitted in the Flagship Investment reference case. Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been sentenced to 7-years of imprisonment in the Al-Azizia Mills graft case by an accountability court in Pakistan. He was held liable for inability to explain assets beyond means in the Al-Azizia reference case, but has been acquitted in the Flagship Investment reference case. The anti-corruption court also slammed a $25 million fine on the ex-chief of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz). The accountability court judge Muhammad Arshad Malik had reserved the judgment after completing the hearing in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and the Flagship Investment cases against the deposed prime minister earlier in December. The judge on Wednesday rejected the application by Sharif's lawyer Khawaja Harris to provide one week time to submit more documents but allowed him to submit additional documents. The Supreme Court had set the deadline for Monday to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases against the three-time former prime minister. Meanwhile, Sharif held a long meeting with the PML-N president and his younger brother Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday at his residence to discuss party matters and the post-verdict scenario. Both the leaders also agreed to seek support from the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) to steer out of the political situation if the leader is convicted. They also formulated the strategy to launch a mass contact campaign in view of the verdict landing Sharif behind the bars, reported The News International. Sharif is expected to take further legal recourse now. However, Sharif, who arrived in Islamabad from Lahore on Sunday, said that his conscience was clear. "I do not have any sort of fear; my conscience is clear. I have done nothing that would force me to bow my head. (I) have always served the country and this nation with absolute honesty," he said while talking to senior party leaders in a special meeting in Islamabad before going to the court. Sharif, in July 2017, was disqualified by the Supreme Court over the Panama Papers scandal, which also led to the filing of three corruption cases against him. He and his sons, Hussain and Hasan, are accused in all three references whereas his daughters Maryam Nawaz and Safdar were accused in the Avenfield reference case. Later on 6 July, an accountability court sentenced the Sharif, Maryam and Sharif's son-in-law retired captain Safdar in the Avenfield reference case. His sons were also co-accused in all three cases but they were declared absconders for failing to appear before the court even for a single time. The court decided to hear their cases separately once they returned back. Currently, the family is on a bail granted by the Islamabad High Court which pointed out serious faults with judge Muhammad Bashirs decision of sentencing them for having assets beyond means in the London apartments case. Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has backed Prime Minister Imran Khan's peace initiatives, saying the new government has extended a hand of peace and friendship towards India with utmost sincerity but it should not be taken as Islamabad's weakness. Karachi: Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has backed Prime Minister Imran Khan's peace initiatives, saying the new government has extended a hand of peace and friendship towards India with utmost sincerity but it should not be taken as Islamabad's weakness. Addressing the passing out parade of Midshipmen and Short Service Course at the Naval Academy in Karachi on Saturday, Bajwa said that Pakistan was "a peace loving country and believes in peace". Lauding the efforts of Khan's government to achieve peace between Pakistan and India, the army chief said peace benefits everyone and it is time to fight disease, poverty and illiteracy instead of fighting against each other. "Our new government has extended a hand of peace and friendship towards India with utmost sincerity but it should not be taken as our weakness," Bajwa said. The powerful army, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 71 years, has always wielded considerable power in the matters of foreign policy. The India-Pakistan ties strained after the terror attacks by Pakistan-based terrorists in 2016 and India's surgical strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The ties further nose-dived in 2017 with no bilateral talks talking place between them. Amidst deadly skirmishes along the Line of Control and diplomatic bickering for better part of 2018, the consensus on both sides to open the Kartarpur corridor for Indian Sikh pilgrims has created a ray of hope for improvement in India-Pakistan ties. "Wars bring death, destruction and misery for the people. Ultimately all issues are resolved on the table through negotiations that is why we are trying very hard to help bring a lasting peace in Afghanistan by supporting Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace plan," Bajwa said. He also warned that Pakistan is yet to get out from terrorism or sabotage phase of an unannounced war against it. "Like the terrorists before; the protagonists of the new threats are at times, our own people. Mostly misguided by ambitions, blinded by hate, ethnicity or religion or simply overawed by social media onslaught, some of our own boys and girls readily fall victim to such dangerous or hostile narratives," Bajwa said. Referring to hybrid warfare, the army chief said information and modern technology has changed the nature of warfare now being waged and has tilted the balance in favour of those nations that have embraced the change readily. "But frankly speaking, even that will not be sufficient as the ever-increasing threat of hybrid war, to which we are subjected to, will need a totally new approach and change of traditional mindset," he said. Advising future military leaders to prepare themselves for the threats they will face, Bajwa said that they should be able to "gauge the enemies latest moves and be ready to respond, even when a surgical strike exists only in cognitive domain or media or even when the attack comes, not in the battlefield but in cyber space, or against country's ideological frontiers." "The response to such onslaughts or threats cannot always be kinetic in nature," he said, adding that a superior narrative needs to be propagated to deal with attacks in the cognitive domain. by Mathias Hariyadi Five districts have been affected Pandeglang, Serang, South Lampung, Tanggamus and Pesawaran all in Banten and Lampung provinces. Vandalism, limitation of funds and technical difficulties caused the warning system to fail. The activity of the Anak Krakatau could trigger further submarine landslides. Jakarta (AsiaNews) - The death toll from the tsunami that yesterday struck tourist resorts in the Sanda Strait, between Java and Sumatra, rose to 281 (207 in Pandeglang alone). The injured number 1,106, with 57 missing and 11,687 displaced, this according to the latest reports from Indonesias National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB). "The number of victims and damage will continue to rise," a BNPB spokesperson said. International experts warn that another tsunami cannot be ruled out. The tsunami affected five districts: Pandeglang, Serang, South Lampung, Tanggamus and Pesawaran. All of them are in Banten and Lampung provinces. Damages have also been reported in Panimbang Beach, Tanjung Lesung Beach, Teluk Lada Beach and Sumur Beach. Most of the casualties were staying at Mutiara Hotel Carita Cottage, Sambolo Village and Tanjung Lesung Hotel. The unexpected tsunami was caused by an eruption and a landslide of 640,000 square metres on Anak Krakatau (Child of Krakatoa), a volcanic island. Residents in South Lampung, Anyer Beach and Pandenglang did not receive any warning from local authorities about possible seismic sea waves. Vandalism, limitation of funds, [and] technical difficulties have led to the absence of functional tsunami buoys, said BNPB spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. Bad weather has made rescue work more difficult. More than 3,000 people have been evacuated from Pandeglang. As volcanic activity continues, experts do not rule out the possibility of another tsunami in the Sunda Strait. "The likelihood of further tsunamis in the Sunda Strait will remain high while Anak Krakatoa volcano is going through its current active phase because that might trigger further submarine landslides," said Richard Teeuw of the University of Portsmouth in England. Jacques-Marie Bardintzeff of the University of Paris-South warns that "we must be wary now that the volcano has been destabilised". President Joko Widodo who is still in a remote area of Banggai in Central Sulawesi has told Social Affairs Minister and Indonesian Armed Forces Commander Air Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto to monitor the situation on the ground and provide emergency aid. The US presence in Syria ensures a professional performance by the Free Syrian Army and its coordination with the Kurdish SDF. Both have the common aim of preventing Islamic State's resurgence as also giving way to a Syrian government victory Total US military withdrawal from Syria and a similar partial pull back from Afghanistan are intrinsically linked, but US president Donald Trumps decision bears too many complexities to address both regions jointly in a single essay. Hence this analysis is only limited to Syria and West Asia although some linkages are discussed in the course of the analysis. Against the run of advice from his advisers and allies, Trump has unilaterally decided to use his own strategic sense and discretion to order the withdrawal of 2,000 US servicemen from the Syrian theatre within 30 days. The decision to cut the strength of 14,000 advisers, trainers and other servicemen in Afghanistan by 50 percent followed thereafter. Much is being written about the manner in which the apparently maverick decisions have been taken, but surely this was not something unexpected because election promises weigh obsessively on the US presidents mind and the re-election process is but a year away. The one thing to be taken note of is the fact that the decision appears to have been largely influenced by Trumps discussion with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan on 14 December, 2018, in which Erdogan attempted to prevail upon the US president to leave the war to NATO, with Turkey as its representative. The Syrian civil war has the presence of a complex set of forces namely the Syrian government and its international allies Iran, Russia and Hezbollah, a loose alliance of Sunni rebel groups (mainly the Free Syrian Army), the majority-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Salafi jihadist groups (including al-Nusra Front), and the Islamic State. The SDF Kurdish fighters and the Free Syrian Army are backed by the US; the SDF has proved to be the most capable of US allies in the struggle against Islamic State. However, SDFs apparent victory over Islamic State has not been taken kindly by Turkey which perceives its domination as portents of its eventual alignment with Turkish Kurds to form a Kurdish homeland in a post-conflict situation. Thus it's important to realise that this civil war is not the usual one with government forces aligned against just one set of rebels. No one can be certain who is an ally and who the adversary. How Trumps decision will affect West Asia and international security at large is for us to examine. The sub-questions which come to mind are; firstly whether terrorism in West Asia and that gravitating towards Europe and possibly to the US mainland no more exists with the apparent defeat of the Islamic State; secondly, does the presence of 2,000 US troops and advisers really mean much to the situation; thirdly, will the withdrawal of one element of the many parties to the war contribute to any stabilisation; and fourthly, who will dominate the residual mess left behind by the US withdrawal. Trumps reason for withdrawal, besides his promise to the American people to do so, is his self-proclaimed victory for the US. Victory and defeat in as complex a hybrid war as the one raging in Syria is a misnomer and at best a ploy towards justification. With the military defeat of the Islamic State by the various forces in Iraq, followed by the neutralisation of the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa in Syria, the Islamic State lost a large strength of its fighters and its ability to wage a hybrid war remains suspect. However, in a networked and virtual state, Islamic State still retains capability. The US presence, albeit minuscule in terms of fighting capability, ensures a professional performance by the Free Syrian Army and its coordination with the Kurdish SDF. Both have the common aim of preventing Islamic State's resurgence as also giving way to a Syrian government victory. Two months ago, US Ambassador James Jeffrey, the US Special Representative for Syria Engagement, had stated that the US would stay the war to support a diplomatic initiative even as the Syrian Army was preparing to launch an assault on Idlib, the last stronghold of the Syrian rebels. Simultaneously, the Islamic State under attack by the Kurdish SDF is battling in its last bastion of Hajin where 5,000 fighters are reportedly holed up. The US pullout may not mean the end of diplomatic and material support, but the absence of backing for planning and training will mean two things. First, the Syrian rebel forces would be most likely decimated by the joint effort of the Syrian government, Iran and Russia with a huge humanitarian impact. Second, Turkey may enter the war to counter the Kurdish SDF and to prevent it from joining forces with Turkish Kurds fighting for a homeland in east and south Turkey; the US presence had thus far held back such direct Turkish involvement. That could prevent a full-scale defeat of the Islamic State at the hands of the SDF and potentially create conditions for its possible resurgence. In the above complex environment, it may seem apparent that the Syrian government-Russia-Iran combine emerges at advantage. No doubt an advantage would be gained, especially with US absence. However, there can be no clear-cut victory because the complex alignments may lead to further exacerbation of the situation. What are the possibilities here? First, a new wave of displaced people is likely to occur as the Syrian government forces assault Idlib. There can be no prediction in which direction this flow of displaced people will take place and Europe would have to brace itself once again with unpredictable consequences. Second, there is no guarantee that Bashar al-Assads forces will not employ chemical weapons to evict the rebel fighters adding further to the turbulence both militarily and diplomatically. Third, the entry of the Turkish Army could catch the SDF off-balance, giving a reprieve to the Islamic State even as the Kurds engage the Turks in a fight which can have no prediction of any early termination in favour of either. Even with uncertainty looming large, Iran could be a temporary beneficiary with the Shia crescent seemingly embedded more strongly in the Levant. However, two more players whose security is adversely affected are unlikely to stay silent or inactive even as their interests are trampled all over by Iran, Russia and the Syrian government. These are Israel and Saudi Arabia who would be watching the developments most carefully and would be extremely critical of Trumps decision. Mutuality of interests and probable proxy US backing could tempt them to attempt filling the void created by the US pullout. This would be aimed at preventing the complete Iran-Hezbollah domination of the Levant. It appears that Trump gave little consequence to the advantage gained by Russia, from his decision. The balancing of US-Saudi-Israel equation against the Russia-Iran-Syria one would now get irretrievably disturbed in favour of the latter. This makes little sense of Trumps avowed intent of disallowing Iran the space or advantage in its favour and lays bare what could happen if there is a return to any turbulence in Iraq. The presence of 5,000 US troops in Iraq is still keeping that nation stable. Will Trump abdicate that responsibility too, to ensure his re-election? One needs to recall the premature US pullout from Iraq by then president Brack Obama in 2011 without any segment of stabilisation. In fact, the reason why Iraq erupted with the Islamic State's presence uncontested was due to this premature action. The effect a US pullout from Syria, under similar circumstances, will have on the larger security of West Asia is even more unpredictable. With an imminent cutback in the US military presence in Afghanistan and the potential collapse of the Afghan government along with the Afghan National Army, both West and South Asia are heading for instability that will cause inevitable misery for the people of the region. 2019, indeed, is going to be strategically a very significant year for the world. After creating Guinness World Record by building the largest light mosaic (logo) in the world, back in September and inaugurating over 500 Mi Stores simultaneously at the exact same time in November. Xiaomi at the launch of Mi Play smartphone today achieved a new Guinness World Record by building largest animated mobile phone mosaic using Mi Play smartphone in China. Even though it was already done using 504 mobile phones, Xiaomi has used 1008 mobile phones to form a Christmas tree pattern for achieving the new Guinness World Record. Xiaomi said that it took two weeks of preparation. It started building the 7.9-meter-high Christmas tree mobile phone mosaic at 4AM and it was completed by 4PM. Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun said that when he arrived at the venu, he realized how complicated it was. The whole process required simultaneous control of more than a thousands mobile phones and required playing Christmas videos. Source by Paul Wang The action will be repeated on 30 December. We want to let mainland Christians know that we have learned of what has happened and we strongly support them, said one Hong Kong Christian. Hong Kong (AsiaNews) Hundreds of Hong Kong Protestants turned up for prayers dressed in black on Sunday as an expression of solidarity with Christians facing persecution in mainland China. The idea of wearing mourning black in solidarity with suffering fellow Christians spread online over the past few days. The action will be repeated next Sunday. According to the organisers, at least 47,000 people were reached by the message on social media. Four of the five Christian groups that organised the dress-in-black action were founded after Hong Kongs 2014 Occupy movement, a civil disobedience campaign for greater democracy in the city. The goal of this action is to raise awareness of the fate of many Protestant communities in China. In recent weeks, three unofficial Protestant churches have been closed, namely the Zion Church in Beijing, the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, and the Rongguili Church in Guangzhou. Wang Yi, the pastor in Chengdu, and his wife, were arrested along with a hundred other members of the community on charges of "inciting subversion against state power". In reality they only wanted to worship outside state-controlled official communities. With respect with Sundays action one Hong Kong Christian said We want[ed] to let mainland Christians know that we have learned of what has happened and we strongly support them. The Vimala Dermatological Centre in the Versova is home to 60 patients. A student dorm of some 83 students is associated with the centre. The nuns help leprosy patients "forgotten by everyone. Mumbai (AsiaNews) For leprosy patients in Mumbai, Christmas "is like the Hindu festival of Diwali. On that occasion, the victory of light over darkness is celebrated. For us Christ is the light of the world, he comes to enlighten the heart of every man," said Sister Bertilla Capra, of the Missionaries of the Immaculate Conception (female congregation associated with the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions), who spoke to AsiaNews. The nun heads the Vimala Dermatological Centre, one of the most important hospitals for the treatment of leprosy located in Versova, a Mumbai neighbourhood, On Saturday, she along with 60 patients and 83 girls from the student dorm associated with the facility, celebrated the birth of Christ. Founded in 1976, the Centre is a place of reference for patients suffering from Hansen's disease in Maharashtras main city. In over 40 years it has treated thousands of people, offering various treatments, plastic surgery and rehabilitation as well as physiotherapy services. At present, nine nuns work at the facility together with scores of experts from around the Indian state. "The less serious patients, those at the first stage of the disease, are treated at home, the nun explained. The most serious cases, which already show sores and infections in the limbs, are hospitalised since they require specific medical treatment and surgery." The Christmas celebration took place in a hospital hall where the girls from the dorm put on a play about the birth of Christ. "Everyone was involved, Sr Bertilla said. The girls performed the show, and the patients and the nuns joined in. It was an unassuming ceremony, without ostentation, to show the values that Jesus taught us. "After the show, the characters from the Nativity Scene together with the sick went to the hospital centre, where Santa was waiting for them with presents. Great gifts were given to the sick and to the girls. This was followed by singing, refreshments and games." Although the facility is run by nuns, most patients are Muslims or Hindus. "We are here for them, said Sr Bertilla. Our presence is a testimony: to spread Jesuss message of love and peace. We offer this service to help these people." As for the wider community, "our work is appreciated, said the nun because we take care of those who are forgotten. Leprosy patients are still shunned. They need assistance but nobody cares." by Melani Manel Perera The development of human beings can happen only in a society where there is mutual respect, justice and peace, the Bishops Conference says in its Christmas message. A sincere commitment by everyone is needed to create such an environment in our country, they add. A Catholic leader juxtaposes the inn, symbol of extreme consumerism, to the manger, symbol of simplicity. Colombo (AsiaNews) The Bishops of Sri Lanka have called on the faithful to celebrate Christmas with charity for the poor in their Christmas message. Let us commit ourselves to change all that is not in keeping with God's holy will in our midst by becoming agents of peace, harmony and reconciliation and by forgetting the petty difference which hinder the common good, said the official statement released by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka (CBCSL). For the CBCSL, Christmas have a duty to be more sensitive to the human needs and sufferings that prevail in our country. As Jesus was born among the poor, Christmas invites us to pay careful attention to the poor and be sensitive to the various forms of human needs and sufferings prevailing in our society. The question of poverty can be alleviated only by creating just economic structures. According to the bishops, "The development of human beings can happen only in a society where there is mutual respect, justice and peace. A sincere commitment by everyone is needed to create such an environment in our country. Sanjeewa Indrajith, a member of the Apostolate of Renewal, agrees with the bishops appeal for an environmentally friendly society and the rediscovery of the humble origins of Christmas. He noted how Christ came into the world in a manger, surrounded by the warmth of ox and sheep and the gifts brought by Three Wise Men. In light of this, we must promote an eco-friendly Christmas. Let us rediscover that Christ was born in the midst of nature." The Catholic man compares the image of the inn where Mary and Joseph sought accommodation for birth of the son of God with that of the manger. "The inn is synonymous with obsessive consumerism, the culture of waste, competition, free markets. The manger instead indicates simplicity, quiet, serenity, care, love and the spirit of communion. As the story in Genesis put it, God stopped to observe what he had created, and "saw that it was good" (Gen. 1:18). Thus, "Let us abandon the inn full of consumerism and let the manger prevail, which is a symbol of simplicity, a genuine lifestyle, care and love". Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Forbidden Christmas, repressed Santa Clause and Christmas trees from gloomy 90s of Georgia - GeorgianJournal Lets see if you can wrestle with women- Interior minister to the opposition - GeorgianJournal Samsung Galaxy A10 will be the company's first phone with UD fingerprint sensor News oi-Karan Sharma Samsung Galaxy A10 will be the company's first phone to sport an under-display fingerprint sensor. All you need to know. Samsung is said to be working on its upcoming smartphone under its Galaxy A-series. The upcoming smartphone is dubbed as Samsung Galaxy A10, now it has been reported that the Galaxy A10 will be company's first phone to sport under-display fingerprint sensor, similar to what is available on smartphones like OnePlus 6T, Huawei Mate 20 Pro and Oppo R17 Pro. According to previous reports the Samsung Galaxy A10 is said to be powered by Qualcomm's top-end Snapdragon 845 processor. This will be the first time the company is going to make use of Qualcomm 845 SoC in its Galaxy A-series smartphone. Just to recall, Qualcomm has already launched its latest Snapdragon 855 processor recently. It has been reported that Samsung's next-generation flagship smartphones, Galaxy S10 and foldable smartphone will be equipped with the latest processor. Both the smartphones are expected to be unveiled at MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2019 which is going to take place in Barcelona. It is possible that the Samsung Galaxy A10 will be launch before the launch of the flagship phones. So far the company has ignored the in-display fingerprint sensor in its smartphones. Even during the launch of Galaxy S9 and Note 9, it was rumored that the phone will feature an under-display sensor, but the company did not go ahead with the technology. Currently, the in-display sensor is available on selected smartphones, this technology allows you to unlock the phone by just placing your finger on the display. The smartphone will join Samsung's recent introduced Galaxy A-series phones such as Galaxy A7 2018 and Galaxy A9. Do note that, all these are based out of rumors and it's always better to take this information with a pinch of salt. Moreover, the company hasn't nodded on any of this information about the upcoming smartphone. 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 Jio users might suffer if RCom deal fails: Report News oi-Priyanka Dua The deal was agreed was inked in 2017, which if cleared RJIL or its nominees will acquire assets under four categories - Towers, Optic Fiber Cable Network ("OFC"), Spectrum and Media Convergence Node It seems that Reliance Jio subscribers in Delhi, Maharashtra, and West Bengal are likely to face disruptions if it does not manage to acquire spectrum from Anil Ambani led Reliance Communication, ET reported. According to the report Mukesh Ambani owned Reliance Jio will need to set up five contiguous blocks of premium 800 MHz bands the markets of including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. It's critical that the spectrum trading deal gets cleared soon as it will give Jio exclusive access to RCom's 4G spectrum that will help it create contiguous blocks in the 800 MHz band, which is absolutely essential for LTE coverage to avoid service disruptions in key markets," ET quoted Rohan Dhamija, partner & head of India & Middle East at Analysys Mason. To recall, the deal was agreed was inked in 2017, which if cleared RJIL or its nominees will acquire assets under four categories - Towers, Optic Fiber Cable Network ("OFC"), Spectrum and Media Convergence Nodes ("MCN") from RCOM and its affiliates. These assets are strategic in nature and are expected to contribute significantly to the large-scale roll-out of wireless and Fiber to Home and Enterprise services by RJIL, it added. An asset monetization process for RCOM assets was mandated by the lenders of RCOM, who appointed SBI Capital Markets Limited to run the process. The process is supervised by an independent group of industry experts. RJIL emerged as the successful bidder in the two-stage bidding process. RCOM also worked closely with all Lenders and SBI Capital Markets Limited, the advisors appointed by the Lenders, to run a competitive process for the monetization of its valuable assets, comprising: 122.4 MHz of 4G Spectrum in the 800/900/1800/2100 MHz bands Over 43,000 towers, amongst the top 3 independent tower holdings in India 1,78,000 RKM of fiber with pan India footprint 248 Media Convergence Nodes, covering 5 Million sqft used for hosting telecom infrastructure Consequent to the agreement, RJIL or its nominees will acquire assets under four categories - Towers, Optic Fiber Cable Network ("OFC"), Spectrum and Media Convergence Nodes ("MCN") from RCOM and its affiliates. These assets are strategic in nature and are expected to contribute significantly to the large-scale roll-out of wireless and Fiber to Home and Enterprise services by RJIL, it added. An asset monetization process for RCOM assets was mandated by the lenders of RCOM, who appointed SBI Capital Markets Limited to run the process. The process is supervised by an independent group of industry experts. RJIL emerged as the successful bidder in the two-stage bidding process. 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 WikiLeaks: US Acquires Forensic Phone Data Kits Through Consulate in Germany Sputnik News 21:19 23.12.2018(updated 21:41 23.12.2018) Earlier WikiLeaks published the "US Embassy Shopping List" database, where it revealed more than 16,000 procurement requests by US embassies around the globe. Due to the documents published by WikiLeaks it has become known that among the order requests made by the US diplomatic facilities there is such a device as a Cell Phone Analyzer with specifications that allow its owner to extract and decode all the data from Android, iOS and Windows mobile OS platforms, while "bypassing pattern lock/ password/ PIN". The device was ordered to be delivered to a US diplomatic facility in Yerevan, Armenia. According to the "Purchase Request 50003172" made in April 2016 from the Regional Procurement Support Office (RPSO) of the American Consulate General in Frankfurt am Main, the device ordered for Armenia is able to decode "Apps data, passwords, emails, call history, SMS, contacts, calendar, media files, location information, etc.", while being able to do "foreign language translation of content from extraction". Another "Purchase Request 5560931" completed in November 2016 from Frankfurt am Main's RPSO included a list of various items such as "software and hardware solutions for forensic examination of mobile phones", "laboratory tool and hardware solutions for forensic examination of mobile phones", "software for expert evaluation and data analysis" from computers, etc. The abovementioned items had to be delivered to the US Embassy in Podgorica, Montenegro. WikiLeaks' Twitter account also provided information regarding last year's request made by the US Embassy in Panama, which "sought licenses for Cellebrite's Universal Forensic Extraction Device (UFED) in order to extract data from the phones of people detained or arrested in Panama". The specifications of UFED became available after WikiLeaks' published the "US Embassy Shopping List". US embassies around the world purchase forensics devices that extract data from cell phones and bypass passwords. The US consulate in Frankfurt helped acquire forensics tools for the embassies in Armenia and Montenegro: On December 21 WikiLeaks made purchase orders from US embassies publicly available, providing information about more than 500 diplomatic requests that revealed hints about American covert operations. "For example, in an August 2018 procurement request for 'Tactical Spy Equipment', the US Embassy in El Salvador asked vendors to provide 94 spy cameras, most disguised as everyday objects such as ties, caps, shirt buttons, watches, USB drives, lighters and pens," WikiLeaks' press release from December 21 reads. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Spy Mania: MI5 Reportedly Makes Secret List of MPs With 'Links' to Russia, China Sputnik News 10:28 23.12.2018 Russia and China have on multiple occasions faced accusations of interference in domestics affairs from a number of Western countries. Both Moscow and Beijing denied the allegations, citing lack of evidence as well as the West's own attempts to meddle in third countries' affairs around the world. Britsih Secret Service MI5 has drawn up a secret list of some 30 members of the House of Lords with "direct" financial links to China or Russia, Daily Mail reported, adding that the intelligence service considers their influence on UK Parliament to be a major threat to national security. The media outlet claims that there are peers with board memberships on Moscow-owned companies or positions with Chinese firms, as well as some Russian expert, an author of books about the country and executives of Russian banks, mining firms and state-backed shipping conglomerates. Security sources alleged that concerns within MI5 and the Home Office went beyond commercial ties, with some members of the House of Lords "suspected of being cultivated by enemy agents". Some have been critical of sanctions against Russia and expressed their views in the House of Lords, having also asked to probe the government's foreign policy decisions "while working for Russian firms", Daily Mail wrote. The British outlet went on to claim that some of the comments made in the Lords chamber had been published by RT, which was earlier accused by the Britsih Office of Communications (Ofcom) of breaking broadcasting rules. In a separate development, the Czech counter-intelligence agency, Security Information Service (BIS), has issued warnings of intensified espionage activity by Russia and China, the BBC reported. The agency reportedly said that both countries were pursuing a long-term strategy of undermining the West, with Chinese spies posing risk to Czech citizens, while Russian agents wage hybrid wars to gain influence over the country. Earlier this week, Alexander Venediktov, an aide to the Russian Security Council secretary, told Sputnik that each new stage of UK's hysteria over alleged threat from Russia coincided with aggravation of crisis related to the "painful" Brexit process. Both Moscow and Beijing have repeatedly been accused of espionage by a number of European countries and the United States. The two countries flatly denied the allegations as unfounded. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In the report on the selection of a new type of fighter aircraft, a proposal was made to start negotiations with the US for an F-16 aircraft 21.12.2018 Defense Minister Krasimir Karakachanov and Economy Minister Emil Karanikolov submitted today to the Council of Ministers, on 21 December, a report on the results of the work on the implementation of the updated investment project "Acquisition of a new type of combat aircraft" adopted by the National Assembly. It proposes to the Council of Ministers to submit for approval to the National Assembly a decision to instruct the government to prepare a draft international agreement and to negotiate with the government of the United States of America to acquire a new type of Air Force Air Force. The document is based on the Joint Task Force (WGU) final protocol to assess the responses to the project proposal request and the Political and Military Group (LFG) report for consultations with the States participating in the procedure. At a press conference in the Ministry of Defense, the Deputy Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov - the head of the political-military group and Major General Tsanko Stoykov - was the chairman of the joint working group and project leader. "The acquisition of a new multi-purpose fighter such as F-16V Block 70 from the United States, equipped with the latest generation of radar and armament, will raise the new combat qualities of the Bulgarian military aviation. At the same time, the dependence of the Republic of Bulgaria on third parties will be eliminated during the operation and management of airplane life cycles. The motives for this proposal correspond to the interests of the foreign policy and national security of the Republic of Bulgaria, both in the region and in the alliance, "said Deputy Minister Zapryanov. Major General Tsanko Stoykov noted that the joint working group has followed clear rules - objectivity and impartiality towards the parties. "We strived to be as accurate as possible when considering the three proposals. We have done everything we can to meet the deadlines of the roadmap adopted by the National Assembly, "he said. In response to journalistic questions, Minister Krassimir Karakachanov pointed out that the choice of a new type of combat aircraft is based on the reports that the political-military group and the project management board have done. "The Minister of Defense is only a mediator between the working groups and the Council of Ministers," he said. "If the Council of Ministers takes note of the proposal in the report, a resolution of the National Assembly and negotiations with the United States. When achieving results that are in the interest of our military aviation and the Ministry of Defense, we are proposing to sign a contract. It has to be drafted by four ministers - defense, economy, finance and foreign affairs, and if approved by the Council of Ministers, the ratification of the treaty by the National Assembly will take place. " Minister Karakachanov also clarified that, according to US law, part of the information could be provided by the US after the country was elected to conduct direct negotiations. "This is not about talks between a state and a firm, but about negotiations between states," the defense minister said. "All the information we have about the questions we are asking, including the real and feasible price improvement, can only be achieved in direct negotiations between the two governments as the procedure is sanctioned by the US Congress," he said. "In this situation, there are two options - either to stop the project and start over, which means to lose at least a year and a half, or to start direct negotiations with the ambition to improve the price, get all the necessary parameters, to make our final opinion and to offer a contract. This is the procedure. If there is no contract at mutually beneficial conditions, we always have the option to continue with the next proposals, "said Minister Karakachanov. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemeni army shoots down Saudi drone IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Dec 23, IRNA -- The Yemeni Army and popular committee have shot down the Saudi drone in Saada Province, northern Yemen. According to Arab media 'Al Mayadeen', the Yemeni air defense system downed the Saudi drone on Sunday. The Saudi media have showed no reaction yet. Meanwhile, the Yemeni artillery unit targeted Saudi military forces position in Asir City. In the meantime, Yemeni artillery and the popular committees conducted mortar attack on Saudi position in Al-Raboah. Earlier, spokesman for Yemeni Armed Forces Brigadier General Yahya Saree said despite the fact that UN delegation entered Yemen to observe truce in western Yemen, Saudi forces increased attacks on Al Hudaydah port city. The Saudi-led coalition has violated the truce agreement 223 times since the beginning of the cease fire, he added. 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 Hamas: shutting Palestinain parliament illegal IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Dec 23, IRNA -- Palestine's Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in a statement has denounced the decision by Head of Palestinian National Authority Mahmoud Abbas to shut down the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). Abbas established Constitutional Court in order to achieve his goals, including illegally dissolving the parliament, the statement, issued on Saturday, read. The decisions adopted by Abbas have destroyed Palestine's political structure and legal bodies, Hamas said, urging all the Palestinian groups and people to stand against his decisions. Mahmoud Abbas announced on Saturday that PLC is to be shut down in six months as well as the parliamentary election which is planned to be held then. Hamas won most of the parliament's seats in 2006 election and has repeatedly opposed its dissolution, stressing that Abbas is not authorized to close it. Parliamentary elections must be held every four years according to Palestinian Constitution, but as the parliamentary sessions was paused in 2007, no elections have been held since 2006. 9462**2044 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen's Ansarullah hails UN ceasefire efforts IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Dec 23, IRNA -- Spokesman of Yemen's Ansarullah welcomed the United Nation delegation's visit to Yemen to establish ceasefire in al-Hudaydah port city, according to a Yemeni television channel. Mohammad Abdulsalam stressed that UN Security Council's decision to dispatch a delegation to Yemen is an important step toward ending Yemen's siege in order to achieve a comprehensive political agreement, Yemen's al-Masirah TV network reported on Saturday. The delegation headed by Patrick Cammaert arrived at El Eden International Airport in south of Yemen early Sunday to meet Ansarullah officials on al-Hudaydah ceasefire. The United Nations Security Council enacted resolution 2451 to support the Stockholm Agreement on deployment of a team in order to facilitate monitoring and implementing the Agreement and establishing truce in important Yemeni ports. The resolution mainly focuses on sending essential commodities to the Yemeni people, supporting the Stockholm Agreement, assigning the Secretary-General of the United Nations to implement it and observing the ceasefire. The fourth round of Yemen peace talks kicked off on December 6 with the attendance of the UN special envoy Martin Griffith and the government representatives, and agreed to establish truce in Yemeni ports of al-Hudaydah, al-Salif, and Ayn Issa. Saudi Arabia and its regional allies attacked Yemen in March 2015 to bring back to power the deposed president of Yemen Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. Since then, the invaders have committed horrible war crimes against Yemeni civilians. 9462**2044 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Saudis escalating attacks on Yemen's Al Hudaydah IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Dec 23, IRNA -- Despite the fact that UN delegation entered Yemen to observe truce in western Yemen, Saudi forces increased attacks on Al Hudaydah port city, spokesman for Yemeni Armed Forces said. The Saudi-led coalition has violated the truce agreement 223 times since the beginning of the cease fire, Yemeni TV Channel 'Al-Masirah' quoted Brigadier General Yahya Saree as saying Saturday night. Saudis have so far targeted different areas in Al Hudaydah with 51 missiles and 155 artillery shells, Saree added. He went on to say that Saudi jet fighters have bombarded Sana'a, Saada, Ma'rib, Al Jawf and Taiz 42 times. Earlier, the United Nations Security Council ratified its first resolution dubbed Resolution 2451 to support the Stockholm agreement and establishing truce in important Yemeni ports. The resolution was proposed on December 17, and the UK distributed its draft on December 19. Russia, China and Kuwait were against some articles of the resolution including, those related to Saudi Arabia pressures against Iran and the kingdom's claims that the country is sending missiles to the Yemeni Ansarullah movement. Meanwhile, the US has also presented a draft which mostly focused on humanitarian issues and controlling transit in ports and has omitted the article related to war crimes. The reason behind US concerns was that, due to UN secretary general reports on the heinous killing of Yemeni citizens in the Saudi-led air strikes, the coalition commanders and the Saudi officials who authorized the attacks are subject to war crimes. The resolution mainly focuses on sending essential commodities to the Yemenis, supporting Stockholm agreement, assigning the Secretary-General of the United Nations to implement it and observing the ceasefire. 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**2044 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Great March of Return protests to continue until end of Gaza siege: Hamas Iran Press TV Sun Dec 23, 2018 10:19PM A senior official of the Islamic resistance movement, Hamas, says Palestinians will continue the Great March of Return rallies until the end of the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip. Mahmoud al-Zahar, a co-founder of Hamas and a member of its leadership in the Gaza Strip, made the remarks in a Sunday interview with Iran's Al-Alam News Network in Tehran. He said the anti-occupation rallies, known as the "Great March of Return," have produced important results, and will not be stopped before the Israeli regime's siege on the enclave is lifted. Tensions have been running high near the fence separating Gaza from the occupied territories since March 30, which marked the start of the protests. Palestinian protesters demand the right to return for those driven out of their homeland. The clashes in Gaza reached their peak on May 14, the eve of the 70th anniversary of Nakba Day, or the Day of Catastrophe, which coincided this year with Washington's relocation of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to occupied Jerusalem al-Quds. More than 220 Palestinians have so far been killed and over 20,000 others wounded in the renewed Gaza clashes, according to the latest figures released by the Gaza Health Ministry. Gaza has been under Israeli siege since June 2007, causing a decline in living standards as well as unprecedented unemployment and poverty. Friday to be decisive day for Israel The military wings of Hamas warned in a joint statement on Sunday that the coming Friday will be "decisive" in determining their response to the killing of four people during recent border protests. The groups declared they had prepared retaliation steps, and that their use will be dependent upon Israel's policy. It will be "a decisive day in examining the Zionist enemy's behavior and intentions toward our people in the March of Return," the Sunday statement said. The deaths were "a total crime and clear recklessness by the Zionist enemy," which has "crossed red lines," they continued, as reported by Israeli media. "Regarding these crimes, the resistance will not act lightly with the enemy and stand by idly," the statement warned. The statement came after several Palestinians, including a teenage, were shot dead by Israeli fire and nearly fifty others sustained injuries during the latest Great March of Return protests in Gaza. Iran main backer of Palestinians In his interview with Al-Alam, al-Zahar further described Iran as the main supporter of the Palestinians, and said Hamas does not do anything without consulting with Iran over the issue. Al-Zahar made the remarks during his visit to Tehran at the head of a delegation of the Hamas faction in the Palestinian Parliament. He earlier held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, advisor to Iran's Leader Ali Akbar Velayati, and Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani. In the meeting with al-Zahar, Zarif once again reiterated the Islamic Republic's principled policy to support Palestine, urging all countries in the Muslim world to boost their unity to defend the Palestinian cause. "We hope that some Muslim countries that have pinned their hopes on the support of the Zionists and the US will return to the Muslim world and realize that the Zionists are not a trustworthy friend or partner for anybody," Zarif said. The Iranian foreign minister added that efforts to counter the Palestinian resistance are unfortunately being made from inside the Muslim world, saying that all countries and Islamic movements are also under such pressure. For his part, Zahar hailed Iran's real support for Palestine and expressed hope that the Palestinian people's resistance and the Muslim world's support would put an end to the Zionist project as soon as possible. Back in May, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said resistance is the sole way to save the oppressed Palestinian nation. Ayatollah Khamenei reaffirmed Iran's unwavering support for Palestine and Palestinian fighters, noting that strengthening the resistance front in the Muslim world and intensifying the fight against the occupying regime of Israel and its supporters were the solution to the Palestinian issue. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UAE trying to sabotage agreements struck between Yemeni sides in Sweden peace talks: Ansarullah official Iran Press TV Sun Dec 23, 2018 06:57PM A high-ranking member of the Yemeni Houthi Ansarullah movement has accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of attempts to scupper agreements recently reached between warring sides during the latest round of UN-sponsored peace negotiations in Sweden. Addressing representatives of various Yemeni political parties in the capital Sana'a on Sunday evening, Secretary-General of Ansarullah political bureau, Fadhel Abutaleb said the Abu Dhabi regime is trying to torpedo the accords by means of its mercenaries, mainly Tareq Mohammed Abdullah Saleh a Yemeni military commander and the nephew of the late Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh. He described the agreements reached during peace talks as a victory for the Yemeni people, stressing that the triumph was scored through the steadfastness of people from all walks of society over the countries involved in the ongoing military aggression on Yemen. Abutaleb also called on mercenaries fighting on the side of Saudi Arabia and its allies to withdraw from the strategic Red Sea port city of Hudaydah. The top Ansarullah official then praised UN Security Council Resolution 2451 on Yemen as more effective and helpful compared to previous one. He urged Yemeni political parties, factions and organizations to form an advisory committee and support the national delegation and the political leadership with their visions. Delegates from Ansarullah movement and representatives loyal to former Yemeni president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi sat down for a round of peace negotiations in Rimbo, Sweden, earlier this month. The talks resulted in the announcement of a break-through agreement. The document includes three provisions: a ceasefire along the Hudaydah front and the redeployment of armed forces out of the city and its port; an agreement on prisoner exchange; and a statement of understanding on the southern Yemeni city of Ta'izz. 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 Hadi back to power and crushing Ansarullah movement. According to a new report by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research organization, the Saudi-led war has so far claimed the lives of around 56,000 Yemenis. The Saudi-led war has also taken a heavy toll on the country's infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The UN has already said that a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in dire need of food, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger. According to the world body, Yemen is suffering from the most severe famine in more than 100 years. A number of Western countries, the US and Britain in particular, are also accused of being complicit in the ongoing aggression as they supply the Riyadh regime with advanced weapons and military equipment as well as logistical and intelligence assistance. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump fires Mattis early, names aide as acting Pentagon chief Iran Press TV Sun Dec 23, 2018 06:43PM US President Donald Trump has named Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan as the acting Pentagon chief, saying he will replace outgoing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis earlier than previously scheduled. "I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting January 1, 2019. Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing," the president said in a tweet on Sunday. "He will be great." A former Boeing Co. executive, Shanahan joined the Trump administration in 2017. He has supervised many of Boeing's strategic weapons programs, including the V-22 Osprey, CH-47 Chinook and the AH-64D Apache aircraft. He has also overseen the US military's experiments with laser, including the Airborne Laser and Advanced Tactical Laser programs. Shanahan's appointment means that Trump wants to end Mattis' term as Defense Secretary two months before his planned departure. Mattis announced he would quit the Trump administration on Thursday, a day after Trump's decision to withdraw US troops from Syria. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of Trump, said the president's decision was a "wise choice." Democratic Representative Ted Lieu, on the other hand, blasted Trump's decision. "How to describe this?" Lieu, a frequent Trump critic, tweeted. "PETTY. WEAK. JUVENILE." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Egyptian forces kill 14 militants in Sinai Peninsula Iran Press TV Sun Dec 23, 2018 05:48PM Egyptian security forces have killed 14 suspected Takfiri terrorists in an exchange of fire in the country's restive Sinai Peninsula amid an ongoing military campaign against the Daesh terrorist group. The Egyptian Interior Ministry said in a statement Sunday that the militants had been under surveillance prior to the raid by security forces on their hideout in the town of el-Arish. The ministry stated that an exchange of fire lasting several hours killed eight militants. The other six attempted to flee but were killed in a police chase. According to the statement, the militants were suspected of planning attacks on "important and vital facilities," armed forces and police personnel. The army launched the campaign on February 9 after President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi gave it a three-month deadline to crush Daesh in Sinai. Sisi has said setbacks by Daesh in Syria were driving its terrorists to try to relocate to Libya and Sinai. The group has killed hundreds of soldiers, policemen and civilians, mainly in its North Sinai stronghold but also elsewhere in Egypt. The Sinai Peninsula has been under a state of emergency since October 2014, after a deadly terrorist attack left 33 Egyptian soldiers dead. Over the past few years, terrorists have been carrying out anti-government activities and fatal attacks, taking advantage of the turmoil in Egypt that erupted after the country's first democratically-elected president, Mohamed Morsi, was ousted in a military coup in July 2013. The Velayat Sinai group, which is affiliated with Daesh, has claimed responsibility for most of the assaults. The group has expanded its attacks to target members of Egypt's Coptic Christian community as well as foreigners visiting the country, prompting Cairo to widen its controversial crackdown, which critics say has mostly targeted dissidents. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President Ghani replaces top security chiefs amid rising Taliban insurgency Iran Press TV Sun Dec 23, 2018 03:27PM Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has replaced two of the country's top security chiefs with staunch anti-Taliban officials in the wake of intensified assaults by the militant group across the war-ravaged country. In a presidential decree on Sunday, the president appointed Amrullah Saleh and Assadullah Khaled to the critical posts of interior minister and defense minister, respectively. Both men will serve as acting ministers until the parliament approves their appointments. Saleh, who fought against the Taliban in the 1990s, served as head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS), the Afghan spy agency, from 2004 to 2010. Khaled was briefly the NDS chief in 2012 before being wounded by a Taliban bomber. There was no official explanation for the sudden reshuffle, but it comes months after Ghani rejected the resignations of former Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak and Defense Minister Tariq Shah Bahrami following criticism over an increasingly deadly insurgency. Four top security officials in Afghanistan's government resigned in August. The president later rejected the resignations of three of them. He then directed the interior and defense ministers and the spy master to continue their duties, rejecting their letters of resignation. Ghani, who is planning to seek re-election in April, could also be trying to strengthen his security credentials ahead of the vote. US President Donald Trump has ordered the start of withdrawing some 7,000 troops from Afghanistan. The figure accounts for about half of the total number of American boots on the ground in the country. The US State Department's special envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, confirmed he held "productive" meetings in Abu Dhabi with Afghan and international partners "to promote intra-Afghan dialogue towards ending the conflict." Khalilzad, the Trump administration's special envoy to Afghanistan, said the Taliban's demand remained an agreement over the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan. The US, meanwhile, has sought assurances from the militant group that its forces would not be attacked. The militant group also said they had held "extensive" meetings with delegates from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - the only three countries to recognize the Taliban government during its five-year rule in the late 1990s, reiterating demands for international troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan. The meetings are the latest in a flurry of diplomatic efforts aimed at putting an end to a 17-year-old war in Afghanistan which began with the US invasion in 2001. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemeni forces shoot down Saudi-led combat drone in Sa'ada Iran Press TV Sun Dec 23, 2018 01:45PM Yemeni army forces, supported by allied fighters from Popular Committees, have intercepted and targeted an unmanned aerial vehicle belonging to the Saudi-led military coalition, as it was flying in the skies over a mountainous region in the country's northwestern province of Sa'ada. An unnamed Yemeni military source told Arabic-language al-Masirah television network that Yemeni air defense forces and their allies shot down the Chinese-made CH-4 combat drone with a surface-to-air missile on Sunday afternoon. The CH-4 drone has a 3,500- to 5,000-kilometer range and a 30- to 40-hour endurance. It is also capable of carrying six missiles and a payload of up to 250 to 345 kilogram. The unmanned aerial vehicle can fire air-to-ground missile from altitude of 5,000 meters, therefore it can stay outside of effective range of most anti-aircraft guns. Also on Sunday, Yemeni soldiers and Popular Committees fighters thwarted an infiltration attempt by Saudi troops and their troops, killing and wounding scores of them in Saudi Arabia's southwestern border region of Jizan. A Yemeni military official, requesting not to be named, said Yemeni troopers and their allies also managed to advance in the al-Maslub district of Yemen's northern province of al-Jawf. A number of Saudi-backed militiamen loyal to former Yemeni president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi were killed and wounded in the process. The development came a day after Yemeni missile defense units launched a domestically-developed Zelzal-1 (Earthquake-1) ballistic missile at a position of Saudi mercenaries east of al-Khobe district of Jizan, located 966 kilometers (600 miles) south of the Saudi capital Riyadh, killing and wounding many of them. Yemeni soldiers and allied fighters from Popular Committees also fired a salvo of Katyusha rockets at Holom military base in the Naqil al-Kashabeh district of Yemen's southwestern province of Dhale. Several Saudi mercenaries were killed and wounded as a result. 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 Hadi back to power and crushing Ansarullah movement. According to a new report by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research organization, the Saudi-led war has so far claimed the lives of around 56,000 Yemenis. The Saudi-led war has also taken a heavy toll on the country's infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The UN has already said that a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in dire need of food, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger. According to the world body, Yemen is suffering from the most severe famine in more than 100 years. A number of Western countries, the US and Britain in particular, are also accused of being complicit in the ongoing aggression as they supply the Riyadh regime with advanced weapons and military equipment as well as logistical and intelligence assistance. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Saudis step up attacks, violate Hudaydah truce 223 times: Yemen army Iran Press TV Sun Dec 23, 2018 11:05AM Yemen's army, which alongside the Houthi movement has been defending the country, says Saudi Arabia has increased its attacks in breach of a UN-brokered truce in the port city of Hudaydah. Army spokesman Brigadier Yahya Sariyah told al-Masirah TV that the Saudis have violated the Hudaydah ceasefire 223 times since December 17, when the truce took effect. The ceasefire violations included 51 missile attacks, 155 cases of artillery fire and shelling as well as infiltration attempts, he added. Saudi warplanes, Sariyah said, continue to fly intensely over Hudaydah. Over the past 48 hours, they have conducted 42 air raids on the provinces of Sa'ada, al-Jawf and Ma'rib. Yemeni fighters, meanwhile, have clashed with Saudi mercenaries, killing and injuring dozens of them. The Hudaydah truce was reached recently in Sweden during peace talks between delegations from the Houthis and Yemen's former Saudi-allied regime. The warring sides agreed to the withdrawal of their forces and the deployment of UN monitors to the port, the entry point for most of Yemen's commercial goods and vital aid. UN monitors arrived in Yemen on Saturday to oversee the fragile truce. On Sunday, retired Dutch Major General Patrick Cammaert, who heads the UN team, arrived in the Houthi-held Yemeni capital, Sana'a, before heading to Hudaydah. Separately on Sunday, the Yemeni air defense shot down a drone belonging to the Saudi-led coalition. The CH4-type drone was brought down in Sa'ada by a surface-to-air missile, said the Yemeni army spokesman. The Chinese-made advanced drone has the capability to carry a variety of munitions, such as four AR-1 missiles at a height of 7,200 meters. Hudaydah has seen some of the heaviest fighting in the Saudi-led war on Yemen. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates launched the Hudaydah offensive in June but have been facing strong resistance from Yemeni armed forces led by the Houthis as well as the city's residents. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lebanon govt. impasse continues as Sunni MPs retract pick for cabinet Iran Press TV Sun Dec 23, 2018 10:58AM Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri says new complications have prevented the formation of a government following a meeting that was hoped to resolve a seven-month dilemma. The problems came up on Saturday, a day after Hariri said he hoped he would announce the make-up of the government after the session. "A number of obstacles have appeared in the last hours that led to delaying the government," a senior official told Reuters, without saying when those setbacks would be cleared. "The obstacles include the problem of Sunni representation and the problem of portfolio distribution," the official added. Lebanon's first parliamentary vote in nine years was held on May 6, with over 500 candidates vying for seats. According to official results, the resistance movement of Hezbollah, which defends the country against Israeli aggression, and its political allies won more than 70 of the 128 seats. Hezbollah's allies include the Amal Movement led by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and the Christian Free Patriotic Movement founded by President Michel Aoun. The Western- and Saudi-backed Hariri, however, lost more than a third of the seats held by his party's lawmakers. The cabinet seats must be allocated among rival groups according to a sectarian system that permits Sunnis, Shias and Christians to represent the portfolios. Hariri, himself a Sunni Muslim, has resisted a seat demanded by a group of six Sunni MPs allied to Hezbollah. In a compromise, the lawmakers had agreed to be represented in cabinet by another figure acceptable to them but they withdrew their support for the candidate - Jawad Adra - on Saturday after he "did not consider himself an exclusive representative" of the Sunni MPs. The most powerful ministries have already been allocated but fresh disputes have reportedly arisen over portfolios of secondary significance. Lebanon is in dire need of an administration because the country is heavily indebted and suffering from low economic growth. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Desperate Abbas making weird claims as Hamas popularity rises Iran Press TV Sun Dec 23, 2018 10:00AM Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas is resorting to the oddest tactics, accusing Hamas of being directly funded by the Israeli premier after dissolving the Palestinian parliament. In a speech in Ramallah Saturday, Abbas claimed that PM Benjamin Netanyahu was providing Hamas with the money with which it funded attacks against Israelis. "Netanyahu personally takes money and gives it to Hamas. What does that mean? [Hamas] sends weapons, equipment and funds here," Abbas claimed. Israel has blamed Hamas for a recent increase in the West Bank attacks during which three Israelis, including two soldiers, were shot dead. The attacks have reinforced the patriotic image of Hamas in the West Bank which is controlled by the Palestinian Authority. A public opinion poll released on Tuesday showed that Abbas would lose to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh if elections were held today. The poll conducted by prominent pollster Khalil Shikaki showed that Haniyeh would win with 49 percent to Abbas' 42 percent. Abbas's term was meant to expire in 2009, but he has remained in office in the absence of elections. Shikaki linked the results to what is perceived as a Hamas win in its latest confrontation with Israel and frustration with Abbas's government. The survey found that the majority of Palestinians (53 percent) have negative views about the Palestinian Authority and that 43 percent of them hold Abbas responsible for the deteriorating conditions in the Gaza Strip. Abbas has sought to pressure Hamas in recent months by reducing salaries in the Gaza Strip, which is under an Israeli blockade, among other moves. His administration has opposed recent arrangements that have seen Qatar provide millions of euros in aid for salaries and fuel in the Gaza Strip, bypassing the Palestinian Authority. Abbas is apparently left seething. On Saturday, Abbas announced his intention to dissolve the Palestinian parliament which is controlled by Hamas following a landslide victory in 2006. But he reserved his real fury for Hamas when he accused the Israeli regime of facilitating the delivery of money to the Gaza Strip to help the resistance movement stay in power. Scores of Palestinians have been arrested in a stepped-up Israeli crackdown in the West Bank amid the perception that support for Hamas is rising in the occupied territories. On Friday, the West Bank experienced military raids of extraordinary proportions compared to recent years after protests were held in Ramallah, Nablus and Hebron (al-Khalil) to mark the 31st anniversary of Hamas. Local police fired into the air and beat demonstrators after participants raised a Hamas flag and refused to wave Fatah and other flags. "It's been a long-known fact that Hamas is incredibly popular in the West Bank," former Israeli lawmaker Einat Wilf told The Media Line. "No elections are being held for a reason: The outcome is certain. It's been a reigning assumption since my time in the Knesset (the Israeli parliament) that Hamas will win an election, if one were to take place." Retired Israeli Brigadier General Shlomo Brom said the spike in Hamas' popularity is "mostly because of the failure of the government in Ramallah and a drop in Palestinian support for Abbas." "Abbas' agenda of security cooperation, dialogue and negotiations with Israel is failing, therefore the public is preferring the opposite agenda which they have in Hamas," he added. Unlike Abbas who has an ill reputation for collaborating with Israel on security and political issues, Hamas takes credit for its three wars with the Tel Aviv regime in Gaza since 2008. On Friday, about half a million Palestinians turned out to mark the anniversary of the founding of Hamas despite a crippling Israeli siege which has put the enclave in the throes of a humanitarian crisis. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump defends decision to withdraw US troops from Syria, slams Mattis, McGurk Iran Press TV Sun Dec 23, 2018 09:21AM President Donald Trump has defended his decision to pull US troops out of Syria, criticizing personnel from his national security team who resigned this week. Trump announced the decision on Wednesday after he declared victory against Daesh terrorists in Syria. Following the announcement, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis offered his resignation with the State Department's senior envoy to the so-called anti-Daesh coalition, Brett McGurk, resigning from his post afterwards. Trump said in a tweet Saturday that McGurk's tenure had been slated to expire in February, accusing him of blowing his exit out of proportion. News reports on Friday said that McGurk would leave the Trump administration in February, but hastened his decision because of Trump's order. In another tweet, Trump criticized media for reporting that his decision had been made without first consulting senior officials at the Pentagon. In a later massage, he attacked Mattis directly, saying he had given the former general a second chance after being fired by former President Barack Obama. He also criticized a section of the defense secretary's official resignation letter that detailed the need for close ties with US allies. Meanwhile, senior members of the Republican Party have expressed concern about Trump's decision, vowing to investigate the resignation of Mattis. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who said the resignation had saddened him, vowed to hold a hearing with Mattis in attendance to investigate the troop withdrawal. "I'm going to ask for hearings like right now about Syria," he said, before heading into a meeting with Republicans. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman James M. Inhofe, a Republican from Oklahoma, noted that it was "inappropriate" for the president to have ignored his national security advisers. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey deploys military reinforcements to Kurdish-held northern Syria Iran Press TV Sun Dec 23, 2018 07:04AM Turkey has dispatched military reinforcements to northern Syria, which is held by US-backed Kurdish militants, as American troops prepare to leave the Arab country. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on Saturday that dozens of Turkish tanks and heavy weapons had been deployed to a region between the cities of Jarabulus and Manbij, both situated in Syria's Aleppo Province. "About 35 tanks and other heavy weapons, carried aboard tank carriers, crossed the Jarabulus border crossing in the early evening," SOHR head Rami Abdel Rahman said. "They headed for an area near the Sajur River, between Jarabulus and Manbij, not far from the front lines where Kurdish fighters of the Manbij Military Council are stationed." The fresh military build-up comes a few days after President Donald Trump ordered a quick withdrawal of all 2,000 US forces from Syria claiming victory over the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in the war-stricken state. Turkey has "cautiously" welcomed the planned withdrawal. According to reports in Turkish media, Trump made the decision to pull US troops out of Syria in a recent phone call with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Observers say it appears that the US has chosen to strengthen its alliance with Turkey at the expense of its Kurdish allies in Syria. Washington has long been supporting the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an anti-Damascus coalition of Kurdish militants, as its most effective partner in Syria. Ankara, however, views the SDF as a terrorist organization and an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) that has been seeking an autonomous Kurdish region since 1984. On Thursday, Turkish Defense Minister General Hulusi Akar warned that Kurdish militants operating east of the Euphrates River would be "buried in the ditches" they dig. Over the past two years, Turkey has conducted operations against Kurdish militants in parts of northern Syria that lie west of the Euphrates River. It has not gone east of the river, partly to avoid direct confrontation with US forces. Last week, however, Erdogan announced plans to start a new military operation in Syria and then decided to delay it after Trump's announcement to withdraw troops. "Our phone call with President Trump, along with contacts between our diplomats and security officials and statements by the United States, have led us to wait a little longer," Erdogan said. "We have postponed our military operation against the east of the Euphrates river until we see on the ground the result of America's decision to withdraw from Syria," he noted. A senior Kurdish politician on Friday called on France to play a larger role in Syria following Trump's decision to withdraw US troops. An Elysee Palace official said advisers to French President Emmanuel Macron had assured SDF of their support in a meeting with the group's figures in Paris Friday. France, a leading member of the US-led coalition, has said it would keep troops in Syria. France's pronouncement of support came even as the SDF said it would stop its alleged fight against Daesh terrorists. Turkish officials have not yet reacted to France's indications of support for Kurdish militants. On Friday, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu emphasized that the delay in the operation did not mean that Turkey had given up on future Syria campaigns. "It doesn't mean that we gave up on our determination to launch operations against the YPG in the future," he said, referring to the People's Protection Units, the backbone of the SDF. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghan President Announces Government Shakeup By RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan December 23, 2018 Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has announced that Assadullah Khalid, the former head of Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security (NDS), as the country's defense minister and Amrullah Saleh, also a former intelligence chief, as interior minister. Ghani made the announcement in a December 23 decree in which he asked the parliamentary affairs minister to send the nominations for approval to Afghanistan's lower house of parliament, known as the Wolesi Jirga. Both men will serve as acting ministers until the parliament approves their appointments. No official reason was given for the shakeup. The move comes several months after Ghani rejected the resignations of former Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak and Defense Minister Tariq Shah Bahrami over political differences. Khalid and Saleh both served as heads of NDS under former President Hamid Karzai. Both men have blamed Pakistan for the Taliban's resurgence in recent years and have called for it to be declared a state sponsor of terror. Khalid was badly injured in an assassination attempt in Kabul in 2012. Ghani's announcement comes ahead of Afghanistan's presidential election scheduled for April 2019. It also comes amid reports that the United States is planning to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan. U.S. Special Envoy for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has been meeting with Taliban leaders in hopes of bringing the Afghan war to an end. The Taliban has so far refused to engage with Afghan government representatives. With reporting by the BBC, and Tolo News Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghan-president-announces-new-defense -and-interior-ministers-/29671872.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 Shanahan to Become Acting US Defence Secretary After Mattis Resignation - Trump Sputnik News 20:20 23.12.2018(updated 20:42 23.12.2018) MOSCOW (Sputnik) US President Donald Trump said Sunday that US Deputy Secretary of Defence Patrick Shanahan will become acting Secretary of Defence starting from 1 January 2019. "I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defence, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting January 1, 2019. Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing. He will be great!" Trump wrote on Twitter. The US president also noted he had had a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the crucial issues, concerning the military withdrawal from Syria. The statement comes after earlier this month General James Mattis wrote a resignation letter, stating that Trump has a right to have a Secretary of Defence "whose views are better aligned" with those of the US president. The move followed Trump's decision to pull out all 2,000 troops from Syria starting immediately after he declared victory over the Daesh* terror group. * Daesh (ISIL/ISIS/IS/Islamic State) is a terrorist organisation banned in Russia Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Macron Voices Deep Regret Over US Decision to Withdraw Troops From Syria Sputnik News 18:31 23.12.2018(updated 18:58 23.12.2018) PARIS (Sputnik) - French Economic Affairs Minister Nathalie Loiseau claimed that Paris would maintain its military presence in Syria, while French Defence Minister Florence Parly refused to confirm that statement. "France will continue to be involved in the Eastern Mediterranean As for the question concerning our US allies, I deeply regret the [US] decision on Syria", Macron said at a joint press conference with his Chadian counterpart Idriss Deby. The president stressed that being allies meant to "fight shoulder to shoulder", stating that nobody should forget about the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), fighting against terrorists in the region. "An ally must be reliable and act in coordination with other allies", he added. The president's comment comes after White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders announced earlier this month that the United States had begun the pullout of its forces from Syria. She noted that the troops' withdrawal did not mean the end of the US-led international coalition's fight against the Daesh* terrorist group. The statement followed President Donald Trump's remark about Daesh's defeat in Syria. * Daesh (ISIL/ISIS/IS/Islamic State) is a terrorist organisation banned in Russia Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Bulgarian President Slams Buying US F-16 Fighters as "Triumph of Lobbyism" Sputnik News 13:46 23.12.2018 The country's government announced recently that they recommended replacing its existing air fleet of MiG-29s with jets by Lockheed Martin. They picked them over a bid by Sweden with its newly-made Gripens and Italy's used Eurofighters, despite exceeding the planned budget. President Rumen Radev has strongly criticised the tender process, which resulted in the recommendation to negotiate with the US to purchase F-16 fighters for the Bulgarian Air Force. The country's Defence Ministry announced that the committee, exploring this bid along with the offers by Sweden and Italy, opted for the US jets on 21 December, although this offer exceeds the planned budget. According to the ministry, a discount can be negotiated in direct government-to-government talks; however, they still asked the government to seek parliament's approval for a higher budget. Radev, who is a former Air Force commander and fighter pilot, said both Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and parliamentary leader from the governing GERB party, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, had predetermined the choice, praising the US jets, the Sofia Globe reports. "It was a triumph of lobbyism. I do not want to defend one or another type of aircraft for me, all three are wonderful, I flew them and against them. But unlike other people, I defend that the process should be transparent, open and objective. There are two types of choices the first is when the government says that it will bet on a strategic partnership and pick an aircraft from country X without being interested in details. But this requires political courage and above all a responsibility that is not inherent to our government", Radev said in an interview with Sofia's Darik Radio. He criticised the predisposition that the US would comment on the conditions only after negotiations kick off, which would mean the Parliament is to approve the deal in the dark. The Bulgarian president also pointed out that the F-16 would be the most expensive option, entailing a change in the terms of the purchase, the Bulgarian government outlined earlier. The first delivery of 8 jets could be fulfilled in 6 years despite a 2-year-deadline, so the military would still have to invest in the MiG-29s, the Bulgarian fleet now operates. The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) echoed Radev, expressing "great disappointment and concern" over the decision to recommend purchasing F-16s instead of its Gripen. Head of export and international operations Joakim Wallin pointed out that their offer was "significantly below" the designated budget, "thus leaving a substantial reserve for the purchase of weapons and equipment, including those for which US licences are sought" and fell in line with the precise tender criteria. Incidentally, in 2017 the committee also ranked the Swedish bid as the best. The air fleet's modernisation is a part of a two-stage plan to improve Bulgaria's compliance with NATO standards, according to Reuters. Bulgaria has approved a plan to spend around $1 billion on purchasing at least eight fighters for its Air Force. It planned to purchase 16 fighter jets to replace the existing MiG-29s. Apart from offers from the US for Lockheed Martin F-16s and Gripen jets from Sweden, the Defence Ministry of Bulgaria considered second-hand Eurofighters from Italy. The latest announcement was preceded by a telephone conversation between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Prime Minister Boyko Borissov on December 18, and a visit by Pompeo's deputy to Bulgaria. Pompeo also publicly voiced commitment to cooperate with Bulgaria on the matter. "The United States is committed to working with the Bulgarian government to tailor the final scope of a potential F-16 sale to fit its budgetary and operational requirements, while still offering superior capabilities", his statement from 20 December reads. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mogadishu bombings a 'cowardly assault' on Somalis' right to peace UN envoy 23 December 2018 - The head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) has condemned "in the strongest possible terms" Saturday's twin bombings in the nation's capital, Mogadishu, which claimed a number of lives. In a statement, Nicholas Haysom, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, said that the attacks "signify another cowardly assault against the people of Somalia and their inherent right to live in peace and dignity." "We urge the Somali authorities to spare no effort in fighting the agents of violent extremism who bear responsibility for this heinous crime," he added. At least 20 people are reported to have died in the twin attacks, the responsibility for which was claimed by the Al-Shabaab terrorist group, according to UNSOM. The first of the attacks occurred at a checkpoint near Mogadishu's National Theatre. Among the fatalities was a Somali journalist with the London-based Universal TV network. Soldiers are also said to have died. In the statement, Mr. Haysom also extended his condolences to the families and friends of the victims, and wished the injured a full recovery. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump, Erdogan Agree to Coordinate US Pullout From Syria By VOA News December 23, 2018 President Donald Trump says he and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan talked about the planned U.S. military pull out from Syria during a "long and productive call" Sunday. Trump gave few details about his conversation. But he tweeted he and Erdogan discussed Islamic State, trade, and what he called "the slow and highly coordinated pullout of U.S. troops from the area." Erdogan's office said in a statement he and Trump agreed to "ensure coordination between their countries' military, diplomatic, and other officials to avoid a power vacuum which could result following any abuse of the withdrawal and transition phase in Syria." Erdogan said late last week that Turkey is postponing an operation against Kurdish forces in Syria in the wake of Trump's decision. Trump has declared Islamic State defeated and says it is time for other members of the anti-ISIS coalition to step in and clean up the last remaining pockets. But his decision to leave Syria is unpopular among many in Washington, including within his own administration. Trump's defense secretary, Jim Mattis, and special envoy to the global coalition fighting Islamic State, Brett McGurk, have both resigned, at least in part, because of Syria. But acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told ABC's This Week broadcast Trump will not change his mind. "I think the president has told people from the very beginning that he doesn't want us to stay in Syria forever...you're seeing the end result now of two years of work." Mulvaney was asked about the Mattis and McGurk resignations and said it is "not unusual" for cabinet members to resign "over these types of disagreements." Republican Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said Sunday he is "devastated" by the decision and calls the United States "unreliable." French President Emmanuel Macron said that he "deeply regrets" Trump's decision to withdraw from Syria. Meanwhile, witnesses say Turkish forces have started massing on the border of the northern Syrian town of Manbij controlled by U.S. forces and their Kurdish allies. Convoys of troops, tanks, and other equipment began crossing the Turkish border overnight. Turkish military officials have not given an exact reason why their troops have headed to Manbij. But Turkey has angrily accused the United States and the Kurds of failing to carry out their deal to pull out of Manbij. Turkey accuses the U.S.-backed YPG Kurdish militia, of being a terrorist group and tied to the Kurdistan Workers Party - which has been fighting a long insurgency for more Kurdish autonomy in Turkey. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US General: 'No Orders' on Troop Reduction in Afghanistan By Ayaz Gul December 23, 2018 The U.S. commander of international forces in Afghanistan said Sunday he has not received orders for a troop withdrawal from the country. General Scott Miller's remarks came just days after reports quoted officials in Washington as saying President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to withdraw roughly half of the more than 14,000 American troops stationed in Afghanistan, beginning next month. "You have seen the same rumors I have in the newspapers. But all I would assure you is first of all I have no orders, so nothing changed. We are same today as we were yesterday and we will be the same tomorrow," Miller noted during a visit to the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar. The largest Afghan television station, TOLO News, broadcast the footage of Miller's meeting with the provincial governor where the general was apparently responding to queries from his hosts on the reported U.S. troop withdrawal plans. "But if I do get orders I think it is important for you to know that we are still with the [Afghan] security forces. Even if I have to get a little bit smaller [in troop size] we will be okay. We have thought about this before and we will be able to do the things that you require in terms of support," Miller said. President Ashraf Ghazi's unity government in Kabul officially has played down the significance of Trump's reported order of the troop drawdown, saying Afghan forces are capable of defending the country. But privately, Afghan officials and generals are worried their beleaguered forces will find it extremely difficult to sustain battlefield pressure from the Taliban without American troops and air support. Almost 30,000 Afghan forces have been killed since 2015. General Miller, who commands U.S. forces and the NATO-led non-combat Resolution Support mission, reiterated the need for finding a political settlement to end the deadly Afghan conflict. "My personnel preference is that we stop the violence because the people who are paying the price are the Afghan people, in some cases its civilians. But regardless if it's the Taliban or security forces, the people who are paying the price are the Afghan people." Miller noted. The reports of a possible U.S. drawdown have emerged at a time when the U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, last week held another round of talks with the Taliban in the United Arab Emirates to push for a peace deal to end the war. Both sides have described the latest meeting as productive and anticipated progress in the upcoming meetings expected to take place at the same venue in coming weeks. The U.S. launched its military campaign 17 years ago with the help of its allies to topple the Taliban government following September 2001 strikes on American cities. The longest American war effort has since killed nearly 150,000 people, including security forces, insurgents and civilians, and it has cost Washington close to a trillion dollar in military expenses. The Taliban has expanded its influence and currently controls or hotly contests more than half of Afghanistan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address First UN Cease-Fire Monitors Arrive in Yemen By VOA News December 23, 2018 An advance U.N. truce monitoring team is on the ground in the Yemeni port of Hodeida to keep watch on the cease-fire and deal for both sides to withdraw from the city. A U.N. spokesman said Sunday retired Dutch General Patrick Cammaert, who is leading the advance team, is "encouraged by the great enthusiasm of both sides to get to work immediately." The general is also chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee, which includes representatives of both the Saudi-backed Yemeni government and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. Both sides agreed on a cease-fire and pull-out from Hodeida at talks in Sweden earlier this month. The pact took effect last week, but minor fighting on the outskirts has been reported. Hodeida has been in rebel hands. Nearly all food and humanitarian aid for Yemen are delivered through the port and any disruption in deliveries only means more suffering for civilians. The Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemeni forces has accused the rebels of getting Iranian-made weapons and rockets through the port - a charge Iran denies. The rebels have fired rockets into Saudi territory. Another round of Yemeni peace talks is set for next month and is providing some hope to the suffering civilian population. Four years of war have compounded the misery in one of the world's poorest nations. The U.N. says about 16 million people lack food, fresh water, and medicine. It says the country is on the edge of famine. Saudi-led airstrikes against the Houthis have destroyed entire civilian neighborhoods and hospitals, leaving about 10,000 people dead. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Death Toll From Somalia Blasts Rises to 30 By Abdulaziz Osman December 23, 2018 Authorities in Somalia say the death toll from Saturday's double explosions near the presidential palace in Mogadishu has climbed to 30. Mukhtar Dhaga-cadde, the director of public relations of the Benadir regional administration, said another 54 people were wounded. Saturday's first explosion targeted a security check point near the national theater, the rear entrance of the presidential palace. The second blast occurred nearby. Al-Shabab has claimed responsibility for both attacks. A prominent Somali journalist was among those killed in the first explosion. Awil Dahir Salad, who was working for London-based Universal TV was the anchor of a popular show "Dood Wadaag" Among those killed in the second explosion was a young man, Feisal Salad Samow, who survived the first bombing, but only to die in the second blast. Five minutes before the second blast, Samow posted his status on Facebook saying " Thank God, I passed through the site of the first explosion five minutes ago, and I Pray for the victims" but Samow was confirmed to have died in the second explosion. His Facebook message went viral throughout social media sites, where thousands of Somalis around the world have shown sympathy and sent their condolences. His close friend, Mahad Ahmed Hassan told VOA that Samow had already lost two of his family members to terrorist attacks in the past two years. "His young brother was killed in a similar terrorist attack on Nasa Hablod hotel in October 2017 and his father was killed in 2016 by unknown gunmen in Beledweyn town in central Somalia." Hassan said. Samow, a graduate from local university was reported to have secured a job at a local company and was planning his wedding. "Feisal got engaged last Friday to his longtime sweetheart and he was expecting to marry her this coming Friday, but that is not happening now. This is a tragic day for Samow's family." Hassan said. Sahra Abdi and Abdulkadir Abdulle contributed this story from Washington and Mogadishu NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 222 Dead, Hundreds Injured in Indonesia Tsunami By VOA News December 23, 2018 A tsunami that struck late Saturday has killed over two hundred people along Indonesia's Sunda Straits. "Two hundred twenty two people are dead, 843 people are injured and 28 people are missing," said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, Indonesia's national disaster agency spokesman. Casualties are expected to rise. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported an eruption of the Krakatoa volcano about 9 p.m. Saturday local time, and the tsunami struck a short time later, about 9:30 p.m. "The cause of the tsunami was due to a combination of undersea landslides after the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatoa and the tidal wave caused by the full moon," according to BMKG. However, the Indonesian Geological Agency said that they can't confirm if the tsunami was triggered by the eruption of Krakatoa, since that mountain has been erupting since last June with even greater strength and never caused a tsunami. The chief of the Geological Agency, Rudy Suhendar, told VOA's Indonesian Service that it was still investigating what caused the tsunami. The casualties occurred in three regions -- South Lampung in Sumatra and the Serang and Pandeglang regions of Java, west of the capital Jakarta -- along the Sunda Straits, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNBP), said in a statement. Hundreds of homes, nine hotels and more than 350 boats were damaged, BNBP said Sunday, along with dozens of cars and other vehicles. Jakarta resident Suhada was fishing on Carita Beach and visiting his family for the weekend when he ran from what he described as three waves between 10 and 11pm Saturday night. Suhada was able to flee to higher ground with his family. "Thank God I could save my family," he told VOA's Indonesian service. Disaster agency head Endan Permana told local media that many people were missing in tourist locale Tanjung Lesung, Banten province, near Jakarta. Indonesian President Joko Widodo is set to visit Banten province Monday. Earlier, he ordered government agencies to respond quickly to the disaster. "The Ministry for Social Affairs and the chief of the military are already on the ground," he said. The Red Cross said Banten is one of the "worst affected areas." The aid organization, however, said it was able to dispatch "relief goods" from its Banten warehouse, including water, tarpaulins, cleaning equipment, plus family and hygiene kits. U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted about the "unthinkable devastation" caused by the tsunami, adding that "We are praying for recovery and healing. America is with you!" The U.S. State Department also expressed its support: "Our thoughts and prayers are with all those in Indonesia affected by the natural disaster. We are currently not aware of any U.S. citizens directly affected, but stand ready to assist as needed." As did United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres. His spokesman said the U.N. chief was "saddened by the loss of life, injuries and damages caused by the tsunami" and that the world body "stands ready to support the ongoing Government-led rescue and relief effort". On September 28, a quake and tsunami that hit near the city of Palu, on the island of Sulawesi, killed more than 2,500 and displaced about 70,000. On December 26, 2004, an earthquake in the Indian Ocean triggered a tsunami that killed 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. VOA's Indonesian Service contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hundreds in Lebanon Protest Politics, Economy By VOA News December 23, 2018 Hundreds of Lebanese took to the streets of Beirut Sunday to protest a deteriorating economy and a political stalemate that has their country's lawmakers struggling to form a government. The protesters marched to the government building in central Beirut, some wearing yellow vests, akin to those worn by protesters in France and other countries in recent weeks. The crowds grew rowdy and protesters pelted security forces with water bottles and scuffled with soldiers. The army appealed for calm in a statement, urging protesters to remain peaceful. Lebanese lawmakers have failed to agree to a national unity government some seven months after general elections failed to elect an absolute majority. Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri said on Friday that he hoped to finalize an agreement this weekend but senior politicians derailed any hopes Saturday saying new snags had developed in the talks. Lebanon's economy is on the brink of collapse and France has warned that the country could soon miss out on much-needed aid, agreed to in Paris earlier this year, if the political deadlock continues. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Venezuela Navy Intercepts Fossil Fuel Survey Ship in Guyana Waters Sputnik News 02:23 24.12.2018 The privately-owned survey vessel was forced to interrupt operations and retreat eastward, the ship's owner said in a statement. The Venezuelan Navy intercepted a Bahama-flagged ship conducting a geological survey on behalf of ExxonMobil the waters of neighboring Guyana, according to a Saturday statement from the nation's Foreign Ministry. The ship, Ramform Tethys, easily recognizable by its wide, almost triangular, hull, belongs to the Norwegian company Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS). According to PGS spokesman Bard Stenberg, the Tethys was conducting seismic survey work on behalf of ExxonMobil, when Venezuelan Navy ships approached. The ship came to a stop and turned eastward as soon as it was approached by the Venezuelan Navy, Stenberg said in a statement. "Guyana rejects this illegal, aggressive and hostile act," Guyana's foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday, adding that the move "demonstrates the real threat to Guyana's economic development by its western neighbor" and "violates the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country." In recent years, ExxonMobil has identified offshore oil deposits in Guyanese waters amounting to an estimated 4 billion barrels, giving officials in a nation with no history of oil extraction ambitions to become one of Latin America's largest producers, even as Venezuela, the long-time undisputed regional leader in the petrochemical industry, struggles with a dire economic crisis. The situation is complicated by a century-old territorial dispute between Caracas and Georgetown. The Guyanese Foreign Ministry said it will file a complaint to the United Nations, as well as send a formal communication to the current Venezuelan government regarding the incident. Georgetown also noted that it would inform the governments of various nations that the 70 crew members aboard the ship experienced a "threat to their safety," according to the statement. There was no immediate response to the incident from either Venezuela or ExxonMobil, according to Reuters. Caracas has previously criticized Georgetown for authorizing oil exploration operations in the waters of Essequibo region, claimed by Venezuela. Essequibo comprises almost one-third of Guyanese territory. Guyana points out that Venezuela relinquished the territory following a ruling by an international tribunal in 1899, a decision that Caracas has since refuted. The United Nations earlier this year referred the dispute to the International Court of Justice, a move welcomed by Georgetown but criticized by Caracas, according to Reuters. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK Minister Warns Al-Qaeda Will Target Planes, Airports as It Gains Power Again Sputnik News 14:33 23.12.2018(updated 15:03 23.12.2018) The notorious terrorist group, responsible for the 9/11 attacks, has been overshadowed by Daesh* in recent years, but a British minister believes that al-Qaeda* was merely restructuring and finding new ways to commit attacks in the modern world. UK Security Minister Ben Wallace said in an interview with The Sunday Times that the threat coming from al-Qaeda* hasn't vanished and it once again threatens the civil aviation. According to him, the terrorist group has been quietly scheming up new ways of taking down planes and attacking airports. "Al-Qaeda sat quietly in the corner and tried to work out what the 21st century looked like, while Islamic State became the latest terrorist boy band, but they have not gone away they have reorganised", he said. Wallace added that al-Qaeda* had learned new ways to carry out aviation attacks, including the use of miniature explosives and infiltrating airport personnel with sleeper agents. "They have explored other ways of getting bombs on planes. We've talked publicly about an insider threat issue. If you can't get in the front door, you're going to try to get in the back door", the minister explained. The security minister also expressed concern with the US decision to withdraw the country's forces from Syria, noting that al-Qaeda* and other terrorist groups may use the Arab country as a safe heaven and a base for their operations. US President Donald Trump announced earlier this week that the US troops will be returning home from Syria within the next 100 days. Trump noted that the goal to eliminate Daesh* in the Arab Republic had been achieved and thus the US military presence in the country was no longer needed. The US and its allies deployed their troops in Syria without a UN mandate or the consent of Damascus, which slammed the move as an act of intervention. The al-Qaeda* terrorist group is known for its numerous terror attacks with the largest being the hijacking of the planes, which were used to bring down the twin towers of the World Trade Center and to attack the Pentagon on 11 September 2001. The 9/11 attack claimed the lives of almost 3,000 people, leaving over 6,000 more injured. *Terrorist organisations, banned in Russia Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian-U.S. Space Cooperation Falls Back To Earth By Mike Eckel December 23, 2018 When a SpaceX rocket blasted off on December 5, sending a load of cargo to resupply the International Space Station (ISS), it was a soaring example of how private companies are helping fuel the next generation of U.S. space exploration. Six days later, two Russian cosmonauts floated outside the ISS and, wielding a knife and pliers, sent shreds of insulation drifting into space as they dug for evidence of why a tiny hole had appeared in one of the Russian-built Soyuz modules docked at the orbiting station. Taken together, the events exposed the growing gap in the countries' symbiotic space partnership, in which one plays the role of the flashy, technologically advanced pioneer, and the other the stable provider of decades-old yet reliable designs and equipment. The countries' respective space agencies -- NASA and Roskosmos -- have cooperated for more than two decades now. In 2011, the two space-race foes grew closer than ever when the United States retired its Space Shuttle fleet, making Russian Soyuz rockets the only way to shuttle people and equipment to and from the ISS, and resulting in NASA paying Roskosmos some $2.5 billion for its services since. The relationship has survived despite the spiraling political tensions that have arisen between Moscow and Washington of late. That's all changing. An alarming launch mishap in October sent a Russian and American hurtling to Earth, which, along with the mysterious hole, added to the questions about the reliability of Russia's program. Lucrative Market The bevy of private companies like SpaceX are gaining ground in their race to build rockets that can carry man and cargo to the ISS. And they are homing in on the lucrative global market for satellite launches -- both commercial and government -- threatening to undercut Russia's market share and deprive Roskosmos of badly needed revenue. The developments also put the United States on track to replace the Russian-built RD-180 engines it has been using to power its Atlas V launch vehicle -- an uneasy reliance complicated by Washington's efforts to sanction Russia for its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula. The United States is officially to halt using the RD-180 in 2022 -- slicing revenues for the venerable power-plant's manufacturer, Energomash -- and some U.S. rocket manufacturers may have replacement engines ready to go before then. NASA's contract with Roskosmos for the carrying of astronauts ends in February 2020, and SpaceX and Boeing are waiting in the wings to take over, as both U.S. companies have inked deals with NASA to carry astronauts beginning in 2019. Close watchers of the Russian-U.S. space relationship say it's premature to conclude Washington and Moscow will go completely separate ways in space exploration. NASA, for example, has said it intends to continue working with Russia on the International Space Station until at least 2025. And once private rockets get the final green-light in the coming years, Russian cosmonauts will presumably be among their potential cargo. "I don't think anything is ending soon," Marcia Smith, a veteran space analyst who runs the online publication SpacePolicyOnline.com told RFE/RL. "We're going to fly our guys on their rockets, and they're going to fly their guys on ours." NASA's press office did not respond to multiple phone calls and e-mails requesting an interview with the agency's administrator, Jim Bridenstine. But speaking to the Russian state news agency TASS in October, Bridenstine emphasized the two countries' continuing cooperation, and the possibility of working together on the Gateway project, which NASA describes as a "U.S.-led lunar orbital platform" and which is seen as the successor to the ISS. The United States and Russia "have had a great relationship" working together on the ISS, he was quoted as saying. "We have both benefited greatly from utilization of the Soyuz crew capsules, Soyuz rockets as though we want to expand on that and go to the Moon in a sustainable way. And certainly we would love to work hand in hand with Russia on the Gateway and other parts of that architecture," TASS quoted him as saying. Still, U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has proposed that by 2025 Washington will stop supporting the ISS altogether, and Moscow has given hints that they may be eyeing other space partners. Second To None Bridenstine's statements have been parsed by Russian officials to mean that Russia's future cooperation with the United States will be as a junior partner, something that the chief of Roskosmos, Dmitry Rogozin, had previously complained about. "I believe that Russia can't afford itself to participate in other countries' project on second-tier roles," TASS quoted Rogozin as saying in September. A sharp-tongued, and sometimes outlandish, nationalist, Rogozin himself has caused ripples in the space partnership with the United States, mocking how Washington was forced to rely on Soyuz rockets to get its astronauts to the space station. In May, he was named chief of the Russian space agency -- this despite, or because of, being put on the U.S. list of Russian individuals sanctioned for Moscow's annexation of Crimea four years earlier. Three months after Rogozin took the helm of Roskosmos, the mysterious hole was discovered in the Soyuz module that was docked at the station. Not long after the hole was plugged, he suggested that sabotage was to blame, possibly by the crew on the station. And when Russian media further speculated that an American astronaut might be responsible, it prompted a sharp retort from the station's American commander. Rogozin later said in a TV broadcast that people he knows at NASA had told him they are under pressure from what he called "rabid Russophobes." He gave no further evidence. The December 11 space walk by the two Russian cosmonauts, lasting more than seven hours, was aimed at pinpointing the hole, from the outside, and bringing back a panel for Russian engineers to inspect. As the end of 2018 approached, the final report was still forthcoming. Rogozin's comments have not fully repelled U.S. efforts at maintaining a semblance on cooperation. In his interview with TASS, Bridenstine also revealed that the agency had secured a temporary waiver to the sanctions against Rogozin, so that he could visit the United States. "There is a lot I would like to discuss with Rogozin," Bridenstine was quoted as saying. "If we want to establish a strong working relationship, then we need to begin working closely with each other -- which in turn will be good for both countries." It remained unclear if Rogozin had in fact been granted a visa, and if he might travel to the United States. Near Miss In October, a Soyuz rocket that blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan malfunctioned shortly after takeoff. The incident sent the NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksei Ovchinin on an emergency trajectory back to Earth. Neither were harmed. A follow-up report blamed a manufacturing defect, with inspectors pointing blame at the assembly process at Baikonur. The incident further shook perceptions of Russia's space programs, and raised questions about the quality of engineering and whether a lack of adequate funding was leading to slippage in quality. Adding to the embarrassment for Russia, Bridenstine was present for the launch, and for his first meeting with Rogozin. SpacePolicyOnline's Smith said Russian and American officials appeared to have handled the incident in their stride, without any outward signs of discord. And in an interview shown on NASA's TV channel, Hague, the American astronaut, praised the Russians for their training and response to the mishap. A replacement crew successfully launched from Baikonur, aboard another Soyuz craft, on December 3. But the future of Russia's space program didn't escape scrutiny. Russia's "reliability is being called into question, so what has to change?" Smith told RFE/RL, noting the loss of veteran agency employees to retirement, and the scarcity of new recruits. The analyst said Russia had a way to go to restore its reputation, and "these things always seem to get back to the money.". In its annual report published on October 26, Roskosmos noted several successes, including the launch of 87 satellites, the near completion of the Vostochny Cosmodrome -- which may eventually replace Baikonur -- and progress toward building a new generation of Soyuz-5 rockets. The agency also pointed to several challenges, including difficulties in obtaining parts and technology from foreign supplies due to Western sanctions, and the rapid growth of private competitors for commercial launches: SpaceX first and foremost. It also cited a drop in government funding had led to a drop in production of rockets. Russia's reputation as a major provider of commercial satellite launches also took a hit when the country's main security agency poured cold water on an ambitious venture to launch Internet-capable microsatellites aboard Russian rockets. In comments before lawmakers in Russia's lower house of parliament on December 11, Roskosmos' deputy chief suggested that the effort to return humans to the moon, and perhaps build a permanent base there, was less of a cooperative effort than a competition between Russia, the United States, and China. "I consider that a 'moon race' has begun. And now what's happening now is simply a kind of competition between the three space powers," Sergei Dubik was quoted by Interfax as saying. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-u-s-space-cooperation- falls-back-to-earth/29671845.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 Roscosmos Selects Super-Heavy Rocket Concept Designed for Moon Flights - Source Sputnik News 05:59 23.12.2018 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The scientific and technical council of Russia's Space Corporation Roscosmos has chosen the variant proposed by the Progress Rocket and Space Center (SRC Progress) and the head of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin as the main concept of the new super-heavy rocket for flights to the Moon, a Russian space industry source told Sputnik. "The question of the parameters of a super-heavy carrier rocket has caused an active discussion among the members of the presidium of the scientific and technical council. As a result, it was decided to choose the No 4 project of a space rocket complex of the super heavy class as the primary one, but to clarify the project at the stage of preliminary design. This is a project of the SRC Progress with six side units and a central one based on the RD-180 rocket engine," the source said. According to the source, the project proposed by Rocket and Space Corporation Energia the rocket with five side units with RD-171 engines and a central unit also with RD-171 received less votes. Rogozin previously told Sputnik that in accordance with his joint idea with SRC Progress, Russia's RD-180 engine used at US Atlas-5 rockets will be installed on an advanced Russian rocket. The official did not mention the rocket itself. SRC Progress head Dmitry Baranov later explained that one of the proposed options is to install the RD-180 on the central unit of the super-heavy rocket. This rocket will have the carrying capacity of 103 tonnes with the central unit being surrounded by six side units with RD-171. Earlier in December, Roscosmos said that its scientific and technical council had determined the design a new super-heavy class rocket. According to the statement, the project to create the super-heavy class rocket will unite the efforts of three leading design bureaus of Roscosmos and result in the entire industry being technically modernized. The final feasibility study of the project will be presented to the Russian government in early 2019. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to create a super-heavy rocket in early 2018. RSC Energia has been appointed the lead developer of the complex. In November 2019, the conceptual design of the rocket should be completed. The first launch of the rocket is scheduled for 2028, while the carrier itself should be made in 2027. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China Expects Number of New Generation Weaponry to Arrive in 2019 - Report Sputnik News 16:57 23.12.2018 Beijing has set its sighte on obtaining new generation weaponry in almost all military spheres, pouring billions into research and the production of new models of battleships, missiles, jets, and submarines. Many of them are arriving for tests or will even be commissioned in the coming year. Naval Power The People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Navy is one of the points of major interest in innovations for China, partially due to the ongoing tensions with the US over disputed islands in the South China Sea. The latest Type 001A carrier, which will reportedly be commissioned in 2019, is one of the most recent additions to China's fleet. Being the first fully domestically built carrier, it is still based on its predecessor Liaoning a reshaped Russian Kuznetsov-class ship. Type 001A received improved radar system and a redesigned hangar, capable of carrying up to 32 J-15 fighters. Another upcoming major addition to the Chinese navy is a Type 055 destroyer, which have been tested in trials since August 2018. Armed with guided missiles, this 12,000 tonne destroyer is believed to be one of the fiercest in the world. Right now 3 such ships have already been built with 4 more on the way. China's underwater fleet is also expecting the arrival of a long anticipated Type 095 submarine. According to reports, this vessel was cleared of its predecessor, Type 093B's malfunction, which was being too loud for a submarine. The first Type 095s reportedly went into construction early this year with a total of 8 ships having been ordered. Air Superiority A fifth-generation FC-31 stealth fighter has been tested and remade since 2012 and is expected to finally arrive in 2019 or 2020. The FC-31 can replace the existing J-15 as the jet of choice for Chinese carriers, as well as heavy J-20 fighters. Another future addition to the PLA's Air Force is a H-20 strategic bomber, which will be replacing the decades old long-range H-6K, based on Soviet Tu-16 made in the 1950s. Few details are known about H-20, but a video released by Xian Aircraft Industrial Corporation hinted that the bomber's design will be similar to that of the American B-2 Spirit. New Intercontinental Missile One more addition to the PLA is a JL-3 submarine launched strategic missile, which has already entered the testing stage. It will reportedly be able to hit targets 12,000 kilometres away and carry 10 multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRV). It is based on the ground-launched DF-41 intercontinental missile, which was commissioned by the PLA earlier in 2018. Its range will allow it to reach US territories without a submarine even having to leave Chinese waters. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fresh moves announced to spur economy People's Daily Online (China Daily) 07:19, December 24, 2018 Officials unveil plans for bolstering investment, consumption, innovation China's ministerial policymakers vowed on Sunday to make substantial efforts to boost investment, promote consumption and technological innovation, increase imports and expand opening-up, all moves that are in line with requirements of the newly concluded tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference. He Lifeng, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, said the NDRC plans to strengthen policy support to shore up growth, with a focus to be put on upgrading the manufacturing sector and supporting infrastructure growth. The conference, held from Wednesday to Friday, called for more investment in areas exhibiting weakness in the economy, such as infrastructure. Top policymakers at the meeting also agreed to stimulate domestic consumption, push for a more comprehensive opening-up and strengthen innovation and technological upgrading. At Sunday's annual work conference of the commission, He said the country will map out a strategy for achieving high-quality infrastructure growth. Lending will be increased to support infrastructure construction, rural development, water conservation, ecological and environmental protection, energy and transportation in order to ease economic downside pressure. But "investment needs to be efficient, and projects must be able to bolster areas of weakness in the economy". He added that efforts will be made to encourage private capital to be channeled into infrastructure projects. More efforts will be made to foster upgrading of traditional industries, and the government will step up financial support for the technological transformation of manufacturing firms, said He, adding that a number of world-class technological innovation centers will be built to foster new growth drivers. "Consumption has a greater role to play in stabilizing growth, and the commission will take more measures to boost domestic demand and unleash gigantic domestic market potential," he said. Consumption contributed to 78 percent of the country's economic growth in the first three quarters of the year, and China's 400 million middle-income consumers are demanding more imports of high-quality goods and services, according to official data. The Ministry of Commerce held its annual work conference over the weekend, with Zhong Shan, the minister, vowing to continue promoting reform and opening-up, expand domestic consumption, accelerate development of pilot free trade zones and free trade ports, and enhance bilateral and multilateral economic cooperation next year. Song Xianmao, deputy director-general of the ministry's Foreign Trade Department, said the country's imports are expected to exceed $2 trillion this year, compared with $1.84 trillion last year, setting a record and making a greater contribution to global trade. "China will take multiple measures to further increase imports next year such as hosting the second China International Import Expo and increasing imports of agricultural and resource products." China has signed cooperation deals with more than 130 countries, regions and international organizations on jointly developing the Belt and Road, with 17 free trade agreements involving 25 countries and regions finalized. The work conference, presided over by President Xi Jinping, called for continued expansion of economic opening-up. Bernard Dewit, chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, said, "It is reassuring to learn that President Xi reaffirmed in the speech that he emphasized among other subjects that China had pushed forward reform and opening-up in 2018 and maintained sustained and healthy economic development. It is reassuring to learn that China will continue in that direction in 2019." He added that it is important for the outside world to have a China with a more open economy and market, as well as a socially stable country. Sino-US trade China and the United States conducted vice-ministerial-level calls on Friday and achieved fresh progress on issues of mutual concern, including trade imbalances and strengthening of intellectual property rights protections, the Ministry of Commerce said in an online statement released on Sunday. The calls came as China's Central Economic Work Conference decided to "push forward Sino-US economic and trade negotiations". NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Cuban Parliament Approves Draft Constitution Recognizing Private Property Sputnik News 05:29 23.12.2018 MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) - The Cuban National Assembly of People's Power approved on Saturday the draft new country's constitution that will be submitted to a national referendum in February, media reported. According to Granma news portal, 583 lawmakers out of 602-seat parliament voted in favor of the document, while the rest 19 lawmakers did not took part at the vote. Assembly's president, Esteban Lazo Hernandez urged the Cuban citizens to take part in the referendum slated for February 24. Approval of the draft constitution in a referendum is necessary for the document to enter into force, according to Cuban legislation. The new Cuban constitution will introduce the limit preventing presidents from serving more than two 5-year terms, and will recognize private property. The existing Cuban constitution has been in force since 1976 and already undergone certain changes, with amendments having been adopted in 1978, 1992 and 2002. The process of constitutional reform in the country has been taking place against the backdrop of economic system's renewal and the fundamental changes in the life of the Cuban society. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Macron Vows to Keep French Forces in Levant Region Amid US Withdrawal Sputnik News 00:46 24.12.2018 PARIS (Sputnik) - France will retain its military presence in the Levant region, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday, while commenting on the US decision to withdraw troops from Syria. "France will remain engaged in the Levant region. Today, there is [France's] military presence there," Macron said at the joint press conference with his Chadian counterpart Idriss Deby. The president also recalled that, from the very beginning, the US-led international coalition had been operating in Syria with the support of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Kurdish forces in general. "Therefore, I call on everyone to be responsible and not to forget that we owe them," he added. Macron noted that Operation Barkhane in Africa's Sahel region would continue. "In no case, will the choice of one or another power have an impact on our involvement. It will continue," he stressed. In January 2013-July 2014, France carried out several military operations in Mali aimed at ousting jihadists from the country's north. In August 2014, they were replaced by the Barkhane operation, designed by France and the so-called G5 Sahel, comprising Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger. The operation aims to eradicate terrorism in the region. French forces comprise about 4,000 servicemen. On Wednesday, the White House announced that the United States began the pullout of its forces from Syria, but stressed that it did not mean the end of the US-led international coalition's fight against the Daesh terror group. Earlier on Sunday, Macron expressed deep regret over the US decision. Daesh (ISIL/ISIS/IS/Islamic State) is a terrorist organisation banned in Russia. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address FM Zarif attends parliament's nat'l security commission IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Dec 23, IRNA -- The chairman of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of Iranian Parliament announced the meeting of the commission members with the Minister and deputies of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was held and said the latest status of foreign relations was centered in the meeting. Heshmatullah Falahatpisheh, about the meeting of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and deputy minister of foreign affairs on Sunday evening, added, 'This is a continuation of the series of weekly meetings hosted by the Foreign Ministry this time.' He added that at this meeting, the Foreign Minister and his deputy described the latest state of Iran's foreign relations in various fields, including the global, the issues of JCPOA, the United States, Europe and regional issues and elaborated on the conditions of the foreign economy associated with the country. The chairman of the National Security Commission stated that the members of the commission expressed their questions and comments, which was supposed to organize the cooperation between the Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the presentation of strategic principles in foreign policy. In response to a question about Europe's Special Financial Mechanism (SPV) and the issues raised at the joint meeting, Falahatpisheh said, 'With regard to the maximum pressure of the United States, Iran has followed a maximum resistance mechanism in this matter and it does not count on it strategically.' 'What matters to us is strengthening the internal capacities of the country's economy and working with different countries that have the political incentive to spend on countering US unilateral sanctions,' he emphasized. 9455**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 24) Some parts of the country will continue to experience rains a day before Christmas due to a low pressure area and the northeast monsoon or "Hanging Amihan," weather officials said Sunday. In its 4:00 pm update, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the entire Luzon will still be affected by the northeast monsoon until Monday, December 24, bringing cloudy skies with light to moderate rains in Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon region. Bicol region will experience cloudy conditions with scattered rains and thunderstorms due to a low pressure area (LPA) 50 kilometers northeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar. The weather bureau said the LPA may dissipate in the next 24 hours. The rest of Luzon could expect isolated rains. Meanwhile, the PAGASA said the entire Visayas will experience cloudy conditions with scattered rains and thunderstorms also due to the LPA. Fair weather is expected in Mindanao, but the weather bureau noted that the island group may also experience sudden rains due to localized thunderstorms. The PAGASA is monitoring another LPA that is still out of the Philippine area of responsibility and may turn into a typhoon. Turkey Begins Joint Investigation With Libya Over Mystery Weapons Shipment Sputnik News 03:47 23.12.2018 Weapons that came to Libya from Turkey have been disavowed by Ankara. Turkey and Libya have begun a joint investigation into a mysterious arms shipment intercepted on Tuesday in the Khoms port, 100 km east of Tripoli. The shipment reportedly contained 3,000 Turkish-made handguns, as well as other handguns, hunting rifles and ammunition, according to Benghazi's Benina airport customs services statement. A day earlier, a cargo of 2.5 million Turkish-made bullets was seized at the same port, Reuters reported. Both the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord and its rival government of Khalifa Haftar condemned the recent weapons shipment and demanded an explanation. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu denied Ankara's involvement in the arms shipment, asserting that the actions "do not represent the policy or approach of the Turkish state." "We are going to take firm measures on this subject," Cavusoglu said during a joint press conference with his Libyan counterpart in Tripoli on Saturday. "We are starting an investigation to determine how the arms were loaded into containers and how they entered Libya." Libya has been under a UN arms embargo since 2011, after a NATO intervention led to the assassination of the nation's long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi, plunging the country into a state of chaos and anarchy. Despite the embargo, UN experts have documented deliveries of weapons from various nations, including Sudan, Egypt, Turkey and United Arab Emirates, according to the AFP. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Outspoken Saudi prince, weakened by hunger strike, dies Iran Press TV Sun Dec 23, 2018 08:39AM A Saudi prince, known internationally for his open criticism of the ruling family including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has died after being critically weakened by a hunger strike. Prince Talal bin Abdul Aziz, a half brother of King Salman, died at the age of 87 on Saturday but various media outlets said the location of his death was yet to be known. Talal had reportedly been hospitalized in the capital Riyadh due to ill health. He stopped eating in November last year after bin Salman ordered the capture of three of his sons, including billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, during a crackdown on well-to-do royals and businessman. Prince al-Waleed was the richest among the dozens of those arrested by bin Salman, who is also known as MbS. He was released in January after being pressured to pay a reported sum of $6 billion in ransom. Before starting the hunger strike, Prince Talal had "told friends it was right to protest 'civilly' to draw attention to the tyranny that MbS was establishing under the cover of an anti-corruption purge." The prince had long campaigned for constitutional reforms, including the division of the kingdom into executive, legislative, and judicial powers. He lived in exile abroad for four years in the 1960s, when Saudi authorities revoked his passport after he led a group of princes demanding reforms. Talal returned to the kingdom after Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud became king in 1964. On November 3, Riyadh released Prince Khalid bin Talal, another of the late prince's sons, amid international outrage over the assassination of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Khashoggi's killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 has been attributed to bin Salman, who was named heir to the throne in early 2017, when King Salman ousted former crown prince Mohammad bin Nayef. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN adopts resolution in favor of Syria sovereignty over occupied Golan Heights Iran Press TV Sun Dec 23, 2018 06:04PM The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly voted in favor of a resolution on the permanent sovereignty of Syria over natural resources of the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights. According to Syria's official news agency SANA, the resolution, which was based on the recommendations of the Second Committee -- Economic and Financial Committee was adopted by a record vote of 159 in favor, 7 against and 13 abstentions in a Sunday session of the 193-member assembly. The resolution reaffirmed the inalienable rights of the Syrians in the occupied Syrian Golan to sovereign over its natural resources, including land, water and energy. It also demands that Israeli occupation authorities stop from exploiting, damaging, depleting and endangering natural resources in the strategically-important territory. The assembly on Sunday also called on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to submit a report during the next session on the implementation of the resolution, including issues related to the increasing impact of exploiting, damaging and depleting natural resources in the region by Israeli forces. Furthermore, the Syrian delegation to the UN called on Guterres to denounce and stop some "dangerous" practices of Israel in the occupied Golan Heights that "violate" the international law. They specifically pointed to one of "most dangerous" of these practices which is holding a so-called "local council' elections" for the first time in the villages of the region. On December 1, the majority of the assembly adopted a resolution urging the Israeli regime to withdraw from the entirety of the Syrian Golan Heights it occupied some half a century ago. In 1967, the Israeli regime waged a full-scale war against Arab territories, including those of Syria, and occupied a large swathe of Syria's Golan Heights. In 1973, another war, known as the Arab-Israeli War or the Yom Kippur War, broke out between the Israeli regime and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria. A year later, a UN-brokered ceasefire came into force, according to which the Israeli regime and the Syrian government agreed to separate their troops, and create a buffer zone patrolled by the UN Disengagement and Observer Force (UNDOF). In late 1981, Israel passed the Golan Heights Law that extended the regime's "laws, jurisdiction and administration" to the Golan Heights, effectively annexing the territory to Israel. A few days after the law's passage in Israel's Knesset, UN Security Council Resolution 497 determined the law as "null and void and without international legal effect." Early this month, the UN General Assembly once again denounced Israel's non-compliance with the UNSC 1981 resolution. The so-called Israeli law is not recognized by the international community. The fact that most UN member states continue to support these resolutions shows that they are committed to the goals and purposes of the UN Charter, and that they reject foreign occupation and support Syria's right to reclaim the entirety of its Israeli-occupied lands, Munzer added. Back in July, the Israeli military said that it had deployed artillery and armored reinforcements to the occupied mountainous plateau, claiming that the move was the result of a situation assessment "in light of developments on the Syrian Golan Heights." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address SDF: Daesh Ramps Up Attacks on Kurds After US Report of Troop Pullout From Syria Sputnik News 18:01 23.12.2018(updated 18:03 23.12.2018) CAIRO (Sputnik) - The Daesh* terrorist group has stepped up attacks on the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) after the United States announced its plans to withdraw troops from Syria, SDF spokesman Kino Gabriel told Sputnik. "The IS [Daesh] uses US statements about troops' withdrawal and ramps up attacks on our forces", SDF spokesman Kino Gabriel said. According to Gabriel, SDF forces continue offensive into Hajin and its suburbs in coordination with the US-led international coalition. He, however, added that the SDF saw no signs of the real pullout of US troops from Syria "on the ground". The statement comes after White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on 19 December that the United States began the pullout of its forces from Syria. She noted that the troops' withdrawal did not mean the end of the US-led international coalition's fight against Daesh. The White House announcement has followed President Donald Trump's remark about the Daesh defeat in Syria on the same day when the US President Trump claimed that the US troops had no reasons to remain in Syria as they were present exclusively for the fight against Daesh. While the US move has sparked concerns among their allies about the security situation in the region being jeopardized, Moscow believes that the US military presence in Syria does not contribute to a political and diplomatic settlement of the crisis. The Kurdish-led SDF, backed by Washington, are engaged in a fight against terrorists. They control some regions in northeastern Syria, which the Syrian government has repeatedly stressed, is illegal. *Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Allies Reeling from 'Trump Withdrawal' Scramble in Syria By Jamie Dettmer December 23, 2018 British and French officials are scrambling to determine how they can maintain military pressure on the Islamic State terror group once the United States has pulled out its ground forces from northeast Syria. Both countries have said they plan to continue airstrikes and ground operations in Syria, but the timing and scope of the U.S. withdrawal, say officials still reeling from President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. forces, remains unclear and is complicating war-planning in London and Paris. The British and French governments are trying also to gain a clearer understanding, say officials, of Turkish military intentions in northeast Syria, and when or if the Turks, as they have threatened, launch an offensive east of the Euphrates River to attack the Western-allied Kurdish Peoples' Protection Units, or YPG. The YPG is the main formation in the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, the West's only ground partner in the fight against IS. Turkey has been restrained from moving into Syria's Kurdish-controlled northeast in the past by the presence of U.S. troops. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would delay an offensive possibly for several months, although the Kurds say his concession shouldn't be taken at face value. President Erdogan has threatened to smash the Western-allied Kurdish forces in northern Syria, arguing they are indistinguishable from militant Kurdish separatists in Turkey, who have waged a three-decade-long insurgency. Kurdish leaders hope Washington will continue to press the Turks to hold off. "It's their duty to prevent any attack and to put an end to Turkish threats," says Aldar Khalil, a senior Kurdish official. In the meantime, they are renewing talks with Damascus, using the northeastern oil fields, which they control, as leverage to strike a semi-autonomy deal with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. A critical question for London and Paris, say defense officials in both capitals, is whether the YPG will be able to keep control of the 800 IS prisoners it holds, many from European countries. Kurdish officials warned Friday French President Emmanuel Macron's representative to Syria, Francois Senemand, that if Turkey does attack, it would create a chaotic situation in which they might not be able to spare the guards to make sure IS detainees are secure let alone continue with an offensive against remaining IS formations along the border with Iraq. The IS prisoners include two Britons accused of being members of the so-called "Beatles" murder cell, responsible for the torture and beheading of Western journalists and aid workers, including American reporters James Foley and Steve Sotloff. The Kurds have long pleaded with European governments to repatriate foreign fighters to be prosecuted in their home countries, but to no avail, despite the Kurdish pleas being echoed by Washington and the families of journalists and aid workers murdered by IS. Now there's rising alarm in Western capitals that the U.S. withdrawal may trigger a chain of events that will lead to IS prisoners either escaping or being released by the Kurds, with the risk they could find their way back to the West, posing a major security headache for European governments. The Kurds say the only way to ensure their detention is for France and Britain to play a bigger military role in northern Syria. Some observers view the Kurds' warning about IS detainees as an ultimatum. "Under the threat of the Turkish state, and with the possibility of Daesh [Islamic State] reviving once again, I fear the situation will get out of control and we will no longer be able to contain them," Ilham Ahmed, a Kurdish official told reporters Friday in Paris. France has 200 special forces soldiers operating in Syria's Kurdish northeast as well as artillery units, part of an anti-IS international coalition trying to root out remaining pockets of militant fighters. French Defense Minister Florence Parly told a French radio station she disagrees with President Trump's assessment that IS has all but been annihilated. "It's an extremely grave decision and we think, the job must be finished," she said speaking three days after Trump tweeted his order for U.S. ground troops to depart Syria, declaring IS defeated. U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis resigned in protest midweek after he and other U.S. military and national security staff failed to persuade the U.S. leader to reverse his decision. On Saturday, it emerged Brett McGurk, the special presidential envoy for the global coalition to counter IS, has also resigned in protest. When Trump made his pull-out decision, McGurk was in Iraq briefing coalition partners about how the U.S. remained committed to keeping troops in Syria, both to finish off IS and counter Iran. His departure has added to fears that without the U.S. playing a leading role the 77-nation anti-IS coalition will fall apart. Britain's defense minister has also pledged to maintain British airstrikes on IS targets in Syria, saying that although the anti-IS coalition has rolled up the militant' territorial caliphate, IS "as an ideology and as an organization has become more dispersed. He warns of a possible IS resurgence. "We recognize we've got to continue to keep a foot on the throat of Daesh," said Gavin Williamson, using an Arab acronym for IS. As well as mounting airstrikes, British commandos have been deployed in northern Syria. They are currently engaged with American special forces alongside the SDF in the mid-Euphrates valley, where an offensive has been underway since early September against 2,000 to 8,000 IS fighters, most of whom fled from Raqqa and Mosul when those cities fell. Despite progress, including capturing the town of Hajin, the offensive there have been episodic reversals with IS mounting mobile counter-attacks under the cover of winter sandstorms and fog, say British and American officials. U.S. airstrikes have been crucial in the battle. In October, the Kurds halted the offensive after Turkey bombarded Kurdish positions near Kobani, a town on the Turkish-Syrian border, where some of the Kurds' IS prisoners are being detained. Asked if British forces could continue to operate without considerable American military support, Williamson responded: "We're going to continue to look at all our options." Officials acknowledge Anglo-French options would be much reduced, if they're unable to call on U.S. air support, something that the Pentagon has so far not clarified. Some independent analysts have warned also that declaring victory over IS is premature. In a report issued last month by the International Center for Counter-Terrorism, a think tank based in The Hague, three analysts, Liesbeth van der Heide, Charlie Winter and Shiraz Maher, warned the militant group has the capacity to regroup. "Its shift towards clandestine tactics has left it a more slippery foe," they argued. "The organization has now changed trajectory, its overt insurgency devolving back into covert asymmetric warfare. Now, its focus is on hit-and-run operations geared towards undermining stability and discrediting the state. These are being deployed through a careful strategy of destabilization: IS sleeper cell networks are systematically working to subvert security in liberated territories," they added in their report entitled, "The Cost of Crying Victory." Since Trump's decision, other analysts have echoed their warning. "A U.S. pullout in Syria is a win for ISIS, Iran, Russia, & Assad," tweeted Mike Pregent, an analyst at the Hudson Institute, a U.S.-based think tank, and former U.S. army intelligence officer. Pregent, who's been highly critical of both Mattis and McGurk, arguing they have overseen a flawed strategy in Iraq and Syria, added: "We'll see an ISIS resurgence & a further entrenched & aggressive Iran in Syria all before Nov 2020." But President Trump, who has long favored a U.S. withdrawal from the Middle East, has received praise from some quarters. "Staying in Syria offers grave risk for the United States with no justifying security payoff," says Kurt Couchman of Defense Priorities, a libertarian-leaning think tank. "Now that the Islamic State is reduced to remnants, and local forces are committed to containing them, it is in America's interest to bring our troops home for the holidays." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey Boosts Military Presence In Syria As Erdogan, Trump Discuss U.S. Pullout December 23, 2018 Turkey has begun bolstering its military presence on both sides of its border with Syria, just days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would withdraw all 2,000 U.S. troops currently based in Syria. The move comes as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with Trump by telephone on December 23, with the two leaders agreeing on military and diplomatic coordination to prevent a power vacuum forming as the U.S. pulls out. Reuters said an eyewitness saw hundreds of Turkish military vehicles moving into the southern border province of Kilis from neighboring Hatay Province. Turkey's IHA news agency reported that a convoy of Turkish forces crossed into Syria during the night of December 22-23. The Turkish military has not commented on the troop movements. In a post on Twitter, Trump said he and Erdogan had discussed "the slow & highly coordinated pullout of US troops from the area." U.S. troops have been in Syria working with a Kurdish militia to fight the Islamic State terrorist organization. Turkey views the militia as a "terrorist offshoot" of Kurdish militants waging an insurgency inside of Turkey. Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and dpa Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/turkey-boosts-military- presence-in-syria-as-erdogan-trump- discuss-u-s-pullout/29672333.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 Turkey Reportedly Redeploys Troops to Border With Syria Amid US Pullout Sputnik News 13:15 23.12.2018 Following initial statements about an upcoming military operation in the Eastern Euphrates and Manbij against Kurdish militants, the Turkish president announced on 21 December that it would be delayed in light of a US decision to withdraw its troops from Syria. Turkey has started sending military reinforcements to the border with Syria and to the Arab Republic itself, reported the Turkish Demiroren News Agency (DHA). According to it, a Turkish military convoy, moving through Kilis district, consisted of tanks, howitzers, and busses full of commandos. Part of the convoy has been spread across the border posts, while the rest entered Syria through the border in Elbeyli district, which is situated relatively close to Syria's Manbij, and which was among the announced targets of the future Turkish military campaign. Turkey's officials haven't commented on the report yet. The reported redeployment of troops is taking place days after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on 21 December that the planned military operation in Syria will be postponed in light of his recent talks with US President Donald Trump. Erdogan didn't specify how long the operation would be delayed. The Turkish president announced a military operation against Syrian Kurds in Manbij and to the east of Euphrates earlier this week. Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar also said on 20 December that the country's army was "intensely" preparing for the Syrian operation and vowed to "bury" Kurds in the trenches and tunnels. Ankara considers Kurdish forces in northern Syria to be linked with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is deemed a terrorist organisation in Turkey. The latter has been at war with Ankara since the 1980s, when it first demanded autonomy. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Erdogan Reportedly Vowed to Finish Off Daesh After US Troops Withdrawal Sputnik News 09:17 23.12.2018(updated 11:13 23.12.2018) The Associated Press earlier reported, citing unnamed US and Turkish officials, that Donald Trump had decided to withdraw American troops from Syria after a phone conversation with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised his US counterpart Donald Trump that he would deal a coup de grace to the remainder of Daesh* forces in Syria once US troops are out, NBC News reported, citing a senior White House official. The pledge was allegedly made during a phone call on 14 December. "Erdogan said to the president, 'In fact, as your friend, I give you my word in this'", the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Another US official reportedly confirmed his words to the media outlet. According to multiple media reports, including AP, Hurriyet, and NBC News, the decision was made after Erdogan told Trump that Daesh was nearly crushed, and there was no need for US troops to stay. The sources also claimed that Defence Secretary Jim Mattis resigned after failing to convince Trump to maintain a military presence in the Mideast country. Having faced fierce criticism over the sudden pullout both in Washington and beyond, President Trump defended his decision, lashing out at biased media coverage: POTUS also slammed the national security staff that resigned this week, namely special envoy fot the anti-Daesh coalition Brett McGurk, who followed in the footsteps of Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and announced his resignation on Saturday. In a follow-up tweet, Trump seemingly addressed a portion of Mattis's resignation letter, in which the Pentagon chief detailed the need for a close relationship with US allies: President Trump earlier wrote that Daesh had been "largely defeated", and the troops had to be withdrawn so that other countries, including Turkey, could take care of "whatever remains". The Turkish newspaper Hurriyet cited Erdogan as saying that Ankara was "able to eliminate all terrorists" if Washington provided logistical support. "Our target is not to conduct our diplomatic ties in a healthy way. We have the Turkish army and the Free Syrian Army capable of eliminating all these terror organisations, such as the PKK, YPG, and the PYD, just like we eliminated 3,000 ISIL [Daesh] members in Jarablus". Speaking on Friday, Erdogan said that he had decided to postpone the military operation in Syria following a conversation with Trump: "We will be working on our operational plans to eliminate ISIL [Daesh] elements, which are said to remain intact in Syria, in line with our conversation with President [Donald] Trump. In other words, over the next months, we will adopt an operational style geared toward eliminating PKK-PYD elements and ISIL [Daesh] residues", he said. On 19 December, Trump announced a decision to pull out all 2,000 troops from Syria starting immediately after he declared victory over Daesh. Since 2014, the US-led coalition has conducted operations against Daesh in Syria without either a UN mandate or Damascus's authorisation; the Syrian government has repeatedly denounced Washington's military presence in the Mideast country as illegal. *Daesh, also known as IS/ISIS/Islamic State, is a terrorist organisation outlawed in Russia and many other countries. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN General Assembly Adopts Ukraine's Resolution on Russia's Crimea Sputnik News 07:31 23.12.2018 UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - The UN General Assembly adopted the Ukrainian resolution on human rights violations in Crimea. A total of 65 countries voted for the adoption of the document, 27 countries voted against, while 70 others abstained. The Third Committee of the UN General Assembly, which is responsible for social, humanitarian and cultural issues, adopted on November 15 a draft of this resolution, with 67 countries voting in favor, 26 voting against and 82 abstained. In 2016 and 2017, 70 countries voted for the resolution, 26 voted against, while 77 and 76 countries abstained respectively. The majority of European countries and the United States are traditionally among those, who support the Ukrainian initiative. A spokesperson for the Russian Permanent Mission to the United Nations said that the UN General Assembly economic committee had refused to allocate funds for implementation of the Ukrainian draft resolution. "I would like to express special gratitude to the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly, which a few hours ago refused to allocate funds from the regular budget for the implementation of this resolution," the spokesperson said at the UN General Assembly session. Relations between Moscow and Kiev deteriorated in 2014 after Crimea's reunification with Russia and amid the crisis in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities have accused Russia of interfering in Ukraine's internal affairs and being involved in the conflict in Donbass. Russia has repeatedly denied the allegations, stressing that it is not party to the internal conflict in Ukraine and wanted the country to overcome its political and economic crises. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN: Rights Violations Continue in E. Ukraine Conflict By Lisa Schlein December 23, 2018 As Ukraine enters its fifth winter of conflict, the United Nations says civilians continue to be victimized by widespread human rights violations and abuse perpetrated by both the government and Russian-backed rebels in Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine. The report issued by the U.N. Human Rights Office covers the three-month period between mid-August and mid-November. Ukraine's civil conflict, which began April 2014 appears to be at a stalemate. However, this has not stopped the warring parties from subjecting the civilian population to gross violations of human rights on both sides of the contact line. This refers to the 500-kilometer line of separation between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatist rebels. The U.N. has documented hundreds of abuses of the right to life, deprivation of liberty, enforced disappearance, torture and ill-treatment, sexual violence, and unlawful or arbitrary detention. The report describes the hardships endured by the population due to Ukraine's worsening economic situation. U.N. Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Kate Gilmore, said large segments of the population suffer from the socio-economic barriers created by the armed conflict. She said the elderly, children, disabled people and those displaced by the conflict are particularly vulnerable. "Disproportionate restrictions on the freedom of movement along and across the contact line continue to disrupt people's access to social entitlements, such as pensions and social benefits. This in turn unduly impedes their access to basic services, those that are essential for daily dignity, including, for example water, sanitation, heating and health care," she said. The U.N. report harshly criticizes Russia for continuously violating its international obligations as the occupying power in Crimea. It documents dozens of human rights violations including stifling dissent, instilling fear and denying individuals their freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. It notes Crimean Tatars are disproportionately affected by these measures. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Latest Headlines Landlords urged to act on insulation Warnings that landlords need to step up and ensure their rental properties meet insulation requirements are coming thick and fast as the year ends. Monday, December 24th 2018, 8:36AM by Miriam Bell The 2016 changes to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) mean that all rental properties must have ceiling and underfloor insulation, which meets the required standards, installed by 1 July 2019. This requirement is given more urgency by the fact the Governments new Healthy Homes minimum standards are expected to up the insulation stakes further. Yet it seems that many landlords are simply not addressing the looming insulation requirements. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) recently released a report showing the number of landlords insulating their rentals is not high enough to achieve full compliance by July. While it suggests most landlords are aware of the changes, it shows that as of March 2018, an estimated 67% of private rental properties met the standard, an increase of just 7% since July 2016. MBIE Housing and Tenancy Services Branch general manager Steve Watson says the July deadline is fast approaching and time is running out for landlords to make their rental properties compliant. Estimates suggest there are between 126,000 and 220,000 rental homes which still need to be properly fitted for insulation, and talks with industry tell us that this is more than what can be practicably carried out by qualified installers by the cut-off date. According to the Insulation Association of NZ, qualified insulation installers who belong to their organisation can insulate an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 properties each year. That means there is likely to be a shortfall. Similar figures mean the NZ Property Investors Federation has been warning landlords that they need to get their insulation sorted for some time. They estimate that more than 60,000 rental properties wont be compliant by the end of June. NZ Property Investor Federation executive officer Andrew King says many landlords who still need to insulate their rental properties now have limited options and an increasingly pressing need to get the insulation done. NZPIF members who need to insulate their rental properties can get discounts at Bunnings, which has installers nationwide. We also have an arrangement with GForce We Install for our members. But there is nothing else round to help landlords with insulation as the Governments insulation funding scheme doesnt provide subsidies for landlords. This means that the NZPIF is urging landlords to act promptly to try and ensure they meet insulation requirements in time. From 1 July 2019, MBIEs Tenancy Compliance and Investigation Team will be focusing on compliance and enforcement of insulation requirements. If a landlord fails to comply with the regulations they will be committing an unlawful act and may be liable for a penalty of up to $4,000. Watson says that landlords need to know they cant afford to leave insulation until the last minute. "If they dont book the work in now, they could miss out altogether, and that will cost them." Special Offers Comments from our readers No comments yet Sign In to add your comment Towards An Opposition-Free Regime While BJP has been aiming for Congress-Mukth Bharat (Congress-free India) across the nation, KCR seems to be geared towards an Opposition-Mukth Telangana. After successfully wiping out the Opposition from the Legislative Council with forcible merger of Congress into the TRS two days ago, KCR has now set his eyes on wiping out the Opposition from the Legislative Assembly. According to sources, KCR wants to convene the first session of the new Assembly without any notable Opposition and for that reason he has been delaying the Assembly session. He is believed to be engineering a TRS-Congress merger and TRS-TDP merger in the Assembly by following 'same strategy' that was adopted in Legislative Council. The two MLAs who won from TDP are all set to submit a petition to Speaker requesting merger of TDP into TRS soon. Also, 12 out of the total 19 Congress MLAs too are expected to submit a petition to the Speaker requesting merger of Congress with TRS. With this, Congress will lose Main Opposition status and there will be no TDP representation in the Assembly. If this happens, KCR will create a record in the country of running both the Houses of Legislature without a Main Opposition and in the process, achieve his dream of an Opposition-Mukth Telangana, a feat which will be hard to achieve for anyone in Indian democracy in future. Click Here for Latest Direct-to-OTT Releases (List Updates Daily) File / Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media GREENWICH The deadline to apply to any of the five magnet programs in the Greenwich Public Schools is Feb. 8, and each school will be hosting an open house so families can learn more about each program. Open houses begin Jan. 9 and run through Jan. 31, and Spanish translation services are available. The Magnet School Application Guidelines Packet is available online at www.greenwichschools.org/magnetschools. Staff and wire reports A Greenwich man and his 14-year-old passenger are lucky to be alive after a car skidded across a snow-covered southern Vermont road Monday, crashing into the man's large SUV before bursting into flames and killing the female driver. A preliminary investigation shows that the woman's car, a 1999 Toyota Corolla, was traveling southbound on Route 30 in the town of Jamaica Monday afternoon when the driver lost control and the vehicle slid across the road. It crashed into a northbound 1994 GMC Suburban driven by 48-year-old Gavin Scotti, of Greenwich. Shortly after the crash, the woman's car ignited and became engulfed by flames, according to the Vermont State Police. The woman, identified by state police Tuesday as 20-year-old Tressa McKinney of Windham, was pronounced dead at the scene. Scotti and his 14-year-old passenger were transported to Grace Cottage, an area hospital, to be treated for minor injuries. Both were released a short time later. When reached by phone Tuesday afternoon, Scotti declined to comment to Greenwich Time. The Scotti family is known in Greenwich for its connection to the Max's Mile kids run, part of the Beachfront Bushwhack five-mile cross-country run held every year as the next-to-last event in the Greenwich Cup series of races. Max's Mile is in memory of Maxwell Scotti, who died at the age of 7 in 2009 after a battle with cancer. Normally held at Greenwich Point, last November's event was held at Camp Simmons due to the damage wreaked by Hurricane Sandy along the shore. Police are investigating the crash. Anyone with information related to the crash is urged to contact Trooper James Matthews at the Brattleboro Barracks 802-254-2382. Jamaica Fire, Londonderry Fire, Rescue and Winhall Police assisted with the crash. On the edge of the Green Mountain National Forest, the tiny town of Jamaica is east of the Stratton Mountain Ski Resort and north of Brattleboro. The tree is decorated, check marks are next to almost everyone on your gift list, more than enough cookies are baked, but are there ever enough Oh well, theres always a reason to bake some more, especially if you participate in a cookie swap or enjoy the scent of freshly baked cookies; and who doesnt? To that end, Out of the Box Holiday Baking: Gingerbread Cupcakes, Peppermint Cheesecake, and More Festive Semi-Homemade Sweets by Hayley Parker (2018, The Countryman Press, $21.95) offers recipes with all the cheer and seasonal flavor of the classics, but without all the work. Recipes use easily accessible shortcuts such as a cake mix, cookie dough, or pudding mix. If you are short on time, youll appreciate Parkers quick-and-easy recipes for: seasonal flavors: chai snowballs, white chocolate peppermint cupcakes, cranberry marshmallow cheesecake; classics reimagined: easiest-ever gingerbread men, fruitcake cupcakes, eggnog cream pie (for this recipe please visit https://bit.ly/2rbvov7; regional favorites: maple sugar cream pie, salted nut roll cookies, sticky toffee pudding cake; easy no-bake treats: peppermint mocha chewies; reindeer chow; chocolate cookie cherry truffles. Below are four recipes to get you started. Have some fun with the kids too, while creating popular character and holiday-shaped treats for holiday parties and events. Easy Christmas Cut-Up Cakes, by Melissa Barlow (2018, Gibbs-Smith, $14.99) shows how to bake packaged cake mixes in rectangular, square, and round pans, and then cut them up and piece them back together as iconic characters or holiday shapes such as: a toy train, wreath, snowman, penguin, and Santa. Building a gingerbread house is an activity the family can do together, and it doesnt have to be difficult. Easy Gingerbread Houses, by Lisa Anderson (2018, Gibbs-Smith, $14.99) makes it quick and easy with no need for the messy and time-consuming tasks of mixing dough, rolling it out, baking it, and waiting for it to harden. The houses are made using graham crackers, cookies, cereal, ice cream cones, frostings, and candy. The kids will have fun building a sweetheart cottage, a cozy cabin, a big red barn, a blue dollhouse, a mermaid palace, Santas castle, or a tiki hut. With some practice now, perhaps next year, youll enter a gingerbread house competition and your creation will win. Shortcut Gingerbread Men 1 small box instant butterscotch pudding mix 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened cup brown sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger teaspoon ground cloves teaspoon baking soda teaspoon kosher salt 1 cups all- purpose flour Royal icing, assorted candy, or sprinkle decorations for decoration, optional Combine the dry pudding mix, butter, and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and cream until smooth, 2 minutes. Add in the egg until blended. Add in cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda, salt, and flour, and gently combine until a soft dough is formed. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. Roll the cookie dough out until it is a quarter- inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Using cookie cutters, cut out gingerbread people shapes. Evenly place them on the prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until golden brown. Cool on the baking sheets completely. Once cooled, decorate with royal icing, sprinkles, and assorted candies, if using. Makes 20-24 cookies Salted Caramel Macaroons 5 cups shredded coconut cup all- purpose flour 1 teaspoon vanilla extract One 13-ounce can dulce de leche Sea salt Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. Toss together the shredded coconut and flour in a large bowl until the flour coats the coconut evenly. Add in the vanilla extract and dulce de leche and mix well mixture will be very thick. Using a tablespoon- size cookie dough scoop, drop rounded dough balls 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. If any pieces of coconut are poking out of the dough ball, gently wet your fingers to press the coconut into the cookie. Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with sea salt. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until golden brown. Cool on the baking sheets completely before serving. Makes 15 18 cookies Pomegranate Raspberry Bars Crust 1 box white cake mix 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted 1 large egg Filling and topping 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature 3 large eggs 1 16- ounce box confectioners sugar 1 1 ounce package freeze- dried raspberries, finely ground into powder 1 ounce raspberry gelatin powder 4 tablespoons butter, melted cup pomegranate juice Additional confectioners sugar, fresh pomegranate arils (seeds), and raspberries for garnish Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9- by- 13 inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper, extending the foil over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil lightly with cooking spray; set aside. Combine the crust ingredients in a large bowl and stir until moistened and incorporated. Press the crust mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. For the filling: Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer until fluffy, 1 minute. Gradually add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the confectioners sugar, followed by the freeze- dried raspberry powder and raspberry gelatin powder. Lastly, add in the melted butter and pomegranate juice and mix slowly to combine, scraping the sides of the bowl so everything is completely combined. Pour the mixture evenly over the crust layer and smooth out the top. Bake for 38 to 45 minutes or until the top is light golden brown and the center is just about set. If it jiggles slightly, thats okay but it should mostly be set. Cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours before cutting into squares. Just before serving, sprinkle the tops of the bars with the additional confectioners sugar, pomegranate arils (seeds), and fresh raspberries. Makes 15 18 bars. Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles For the truffles 3 cups finely crushed chocolate hazelnut cookies 3 cups finely chopped hazelnuts 2 cups Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread) For the coating 2 16-ounce packages chocolate bark coating 1 cup finely chopped hazelnuts Star sprinkles, optional Mix the crushed hazelnut cookies and 3 cups chopped hazelnuts in a large bowl until combined. Add in the chocolate hazelnut spread and stir to combine. The mixture will be thick, so you may want to use your hands. Make sure everything is moistened and coated with the chocolate hazelnut spread. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using a cookie dough scoop, roll out tablespoon- size balls of truffles and place on the prepared baking sheets. Its often helpful to wet your hands with water while rolling and forming the truffles as they are quite sticky. Repeat with the remaining truffles and refrigerate or freeze until firm. For the coating: Melt the chocolate bark coating according to package instructions, or until smooth. Stir in the finely chopped hazelnuts. Drop a truffle into the chocolate mixture one at a time and use a fork to coat the truffle completely with the chocolate. Use the same fork to gently lift the truffle out of the chocolate and allow the excess chocolate to drip off. Return the truffle to the baking sheet to let the chocolate set. If desired, sprinkle the set truffles with the edible star sprinkles. Makes 38 40 truffles. What chef would you like me to interview? Which restaurant recipes or other recipes would you like to have? Which food products do you have difficulty finding? Do you have cooking questions? Send them to me: Stephen Fries, professor and coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College, at gw-stephen.fries@gwcc.commnet.edu or Dept. FC, Gateway Community College, 20 Church St., New Haven, 06510. Include your full name, address and phone number. (Due to volume, I might not be able to publish every request. For more, go to stephenfries.com.) CULINARY CALENDAR Miracle: pop-up holiday cocktail bars, now through New Years Eve at 80 locations around the world, including two locations in CT. New Haven: Ordinary, 990 Chapel St., 203-907-0238 and Waterbury: Highland Brass Co., 728 Highland Ave., 203-596-0070. The Connecticut bars will feature nostalgic holiday decor and a signature cocktail menu like the Snowball Old Fashioned (butterscotch rye, spiced demerara, wormwood bitters, orange zest) and Christmas Carol Barrel (aged rum, Aquavit, Amaro, pumpkin pie, demerara syrup, lime, vanilla and Angostura bitters). miraclepopup.com Consiglios Murder Mystery Dinner: End This Tonight Dec. 31, 9:30 pm Consiglios Restaurant, 165 Wooster St., New Haven, reservations at 203-865-4489 https://bit.ly/2O3TQzQ , $75 includes dinner and show, and Champagne toast at midnight (other beverages, tax and gratuity not included). An interactive comedy show that goes on throughout the evening during a 3-course meal. Cast mingles table to table, dropping clues for a mystery only you can solve. Gnocchi Workshop: Dec. 21, 2-4:30 p.m., Chefs Emporium, 449 Boston Post Road, Orange, $49.99. Reservations at 203-799-2665, https://bit.ly/2UlMQ1I . Learn the secrets to getting light as a feather traditional gnocchi using potatoes. You will learn a quick version of gnocchi using ricotta cheese (gnudi). Working in groups, you will also prepare delicious sauces to embellish your hand-made gnocchi. Menu: Classic Gnocchi with Bolognese sauce, Gnudi (Ricotta Gnocchi) with spinach and a brown butter sage sauce. Kids-Lets make Tex Mex Cooking Class, Dec. 27 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Chefs Emporium, 449 Boston Post Road, Orange, $49.99. Reservations at 203-799-2665, https://bit.ly/2Bjft75 Learn how to make some Tex Mex favorites such as cheesy chicken enchiladas and churros. Kitchen safety, measurements, and cooking techniques will be discussed. At the end of the workshop, enjoy a Tex-Mex feast you created. How are you doing on your Christmas shopping? For the cooks, bakers, and eaters on your list, shopping should be a snap. For anyone who enjoys a good bottle of wine, fine spirits, or craft beers, its easy to please. Here are a few wish list suggestions for last-minute shopping that will be an alternative to scarf, hat, and gloves. Theres no need to worry about sizes and, if your lucky, you may be invited to share. Books are always welcome. Joshua McFadden, farmer, chef, and owner of the renowned Ava Genes restaurant in Portland, Oregon, has divided the year into six parts for his cookbook, Six Seasons, a new way with vegetables. We ate at Ava Genes last year and were swept away by cherry tomatoes on grilled bread. I asked for the recipe and was told to wait for the book. Its finally here. The easy yet magical recipe for tomato rubbed grilled bread topped with tomato salad is on page 263. This recipe alone makes the book worthwhile, but theres so much more. The rising popularity of Aperitif and Amaro alone or in cocktails seems unstoppable. These French and Italian infused wines are taking over bar carts with their herbal, bitter, exotic flavors. In Aperitif, cocktail hour the French way, Rebekah Peppler dives into the culture with history, drink formulas, and recipes for the delightful snacks served before dinner in France. These low-alcohol, refreshing, classic drinks are a delightful way to start any evening. This year I got hooked on The Great British Baking Show, a long-running, genteel, amateur baking competition on British TV available here on Netflix. Mary Berry, one of the two host-judges, has been the public face of baking in Great Britain for four decades. Her book, Mary Berrys Baking Bible, includes many of the confections seen on the show as well as the full range of traditional British sweets. Such fun! I love doughnuts, but Im scared to deep fry at home. My paranoia includes putting a dark greasy spot on the ceiling, filling the house with oily smoke, burns from splashing, and, of course, fire. But if youre more intrepid, then get a copy of Doughnuts, Simple and Delicious Recipes to Make at Home by Lara Ferroni. The second edition, which perfects the recipes, is self described as, 90 simple and delicious recipes to make at home. The book is filled with mouth-watering pictures. If you take the plunge, Id be happy to taste. If you know someone with a thirst for fine wines and spirits, here are some ideas to make them smile. Heitz Cellars is one of the great names in the Napa Valley, easily recognized by anyone who enjoys California wines. In the high-value 2016 Chardonnay ($25 Total Wine) peach and citrus flavors are balanced with modest oak and bright acidity. The Heitz family describes the 2014 Cabernet ($46 TW) as powerful, yet elegant from a classic vintage. If you want to splurge, go for the single vineyard Trailside ($76 TW) These are among the last vintages made by the Heitz family before the recent sale of the winery. Highland Park is one of the great names in single malt whisky. We visited the distillery on the Scottish island of Orkney and tasted a broad range of their spirits. Highland Park 12-year-old ($40) is their flagship bottling and a fine example of their unique heather-honey style. The 18 ($130), with an additional six years in the barrel, is an exceptional if pricey, single malt experience. Its a bit of an indulgence, but will keep your favorite single malt drinker just as warm as a cashmere sweater for about the same price. In between the two is Valknut ($72 TW), made primarily with local Orkney grain and matured in sherry casks. You cant go wrong with Chocolate. Krauses Chocolates of Saugerties, New York has been making hand-dipped candies since 1929. If you cant visit the sweet-smelling shop, order online. Caramels, creams, nuts, fruits and truffles come enrobed in milk or dark chocolate by the half or full pound. For stocking stuffers, no home in Connecticut (the nutmeg state) should be without a nutmeg grater and a supply of whole nutmegs. Look for them at the Cooks Nook in Wilton. Any spices or seasonings from Penzeys Spices on Westport Avenue fit right in the stocking. I particularly enjoy the French and Italian dressing herb blends. Trader Joes has a sweet-tart sugar plum jam that puts visions of Christmas in my head. Cant decide what to give? Give a restaurant! A gift card to your favorite place is always a winner. We like Washington Prime in SoNo, Barcelona or Peaches Southern Pub on Wall Street. Or you may want to try a stylish new place, like the Tavern at Gray Barns in Norwalk. Perhaps a special occasion restaurant with an excellent reputation like the Whelk in Westport or Bernards in Ridgefield would fill the bill. Any of these will bring Christmas cheer after the holiday hub-bub dies down. I hope these suggestions are helpful. Get your shopping done soon so theres time for food and drink as you celebrate with friends and family. And from ours to yours, best wishes for a Merry Christmas! Frank Whitman can be reached at NotBreadAloneFW@gmail.com. Rather than shut down the government, why don't the president and Congress agree to appropriate the $5 billion he wants to build the border wall and provide legal status and a path to citizenship to the "dreamers"? Earlier this year, President Donald Trump proposed an immigration bill. Among many other proposals, it would have given a path to citizenship to up to 1.7 million young people who: 1. Came to the United States as children brought by their parents before 2007. 2. Have been educated in this country and are high-school graduates or in U.S. schools. 3. Have never been convicted of a felony or a significant misdemeanor. In most polls, some 85 percent of Americans say they believe these dreamers should be allowed to remain, to study and to work. Voters don't like to reward people for coming here illegally, but the dreamers were brought here at an average age of 6. We don't punish people in this country for their actions as 6-year-olds. Voters don't like to do favors for immigrants who come here and then are convicted of crimes; the dreamers haven't done so. One of us thinks the $5 billion the president wants for the wall will be money well spent; the other . . . isn't so sure. But what we propose for the dreamers would not cost the U.S. government anything. It would not make them eligible for any but trivial federal benefits (the "path to citizenship" referred to normally takes about 10 years) more than offset by taxes as they work. Giving the dreamers this opportunity would certainly be good for them; it would also be great for the country. Over many years, the dreamer students we know have demonstrated motivation far beyond the norm. A scholarship program one of us co-founded has 3,400 students in college. Their retention rates and average GPAs are well above those of their classmates. At Trinity Washington University's graduation in May, dreamers made up 6 of the 11 Phi Beta Kappas graduating - and there were only 20 dreamers in the class. The bipartisan Dream Act was first introduced in Congress in 2001, by Sens. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. Over and over, Congress has come agonizingly close to passing it. The House Republican leadership was prepared to bring a bill to the floor to give status to the dreamers (among other things) in 2013; it was abandoned when Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., lost his primary and his stance on immigration was blamed. It has never been the right time to give help to the dreamers, despite overwhelming public support for doing so. Let's do it now. Whether you support money to build the wall or regard it as a waste, everyone knows it is of central importance to the president, and he is proving he is prepared to fight for it. Why shouldn't Congress take advantage of the best opportunity in years to give the dreamers the open door they deserve? In a day or two we can have greater border security and a more humane future for young people. All it takes is bipartisan leadership. It is the right time. - - - Gingrich, a Republican from Georgia, was speaker of the House from 1995 to 1999. Graham is chairman of Graham Holdings and co-founder of the scholarship fund TheDream.us. Alongside the top news stories we'll also look back at the most popular reviews of the past year. Taking three months at a time we'll see the tests of which phones gathered the most interest on our homepage. The first three months of the 2018 saw the launch of some of the most important flagships of the year. And indeed reviews of flagships were popular, but (if anything) mid-rangers drew in a larger number of readers. Here are our most read reviews published between January and March of this year. Our Redmi Note 5 Pro hands-on review attracted the most eyeballs people were really excited about this phone (rumors about it were among the most read news articles). And with the Redmi 5 Plus review in fourth place, it's clear the Redmi 5 family in general was a big deal early this year (the Redmi 6 replacements came in the second half of 2018). The Galaxy A8 (2018) review beat both the Galaxy S9 review and the S9+ review. This should serve as a warning that companies shouldn't neglect the mid-range and bet everything on a successful flagship. Camera quality is one of the main things that drove people to upgrade their phones this year. A major rivalry was explored in the iPhone X vs. Galaxy S9+ shootout. The iPhone X itself was the subject of a long-term review that covered the experience past Week 1. Despite the emphasis on cameras, its not the P20 Pro review that is in the Top 10 instead the Huawei P Smart review gets that honor. The Honor 7X review laid the groundwork, the two devices are quite similar. Sony Mobile hasnt had the best year, but fans eagerly read our Xperia XZ2 review, which covered the fairly major redesign of the XZ series. Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro hands-on review While some phones are inspired by the less is more mantra, Samsungs Galaxy Note family has always proudly claimed that more is more. More features, more options, more settings, more ways to interact with your handset, more choice made possible by the use of the best components adding up to the biggest and baddest spec list. To paraphrase a well known... Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) review Samsung Galaxy A8 (2018) is not a successor to a particular A-series phone. Its more of a trimmed Galaxy S8 version for the masses with matching design, screen, and the current number 8. Or so Samsung would have us believe. Samsung Galaxy S9 review It's true what they say - you don't fix what's not broken. And that's what Samsung did for the Galaxy S9 - it didn't change what was already great, it just tweaked specs wherever possible. And it has worked out just fine for them. Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus review So, no more Redmi Notes eh? The Redmi 5 Plus should clearly have been the Note 5, a successor of the Redmi Note 4, but Xiaomi wanted a fresh start. The fifth generation is trying to shake things up and the new look obviously called for a new name. So, Xiaomi retired the Note brand promoting the Plus from a mere qualifier to a proper name. The phablet lives on regardless, and goes all-in with a wide 6" screen. Sony Xperia XZ2 review You don't really have to look any further than the new Xperia XZ2 and its little Compact sibling for proof that Sony is evolving even if slowly. The 2018 flagship is different in a number of ways, some of which more controversial than others. Samsung Galaxy S9+ review Generation 9 in plus size - this is the Samsung Galaxy S9+. Unlike last year when the S8 and the S8+ had just size setting them apart, in 2018 Samsung's Plus means more than higher battery capacity and larger display diagonal. Apple iPhone X long-term review The introduction of Face ID and the removal of the Home button has resulted in a paradigm shift in the way we interact with our iPhones. Three of us have been using the iPhone X since launch and this long-term review covers what the iPhone X is like to live with on a day to day basis and we are ready to answer what's good and what's bad about it from a different perspective. iPhone X vs. Galaxy S9+ shootout So which phone do you get when you part ways with your Google Pixel 2 XL? If you are after a great camera, chances are you are going to pick either the iPhone X or the Galaxy S9+. Well, this is exactly what happened to two of our editors. Huawei Honor 7X review Weve come to accept Honor devices as being great value. Relying on proven technology from its parent company Huawei, the Chinese brand has been consistently focused on bringing very good specs at tempting prices. That's no easy task, yet Honor makes it seem almost effortlessly natural at this point, with devices like the Honor 7X. Haiti - FLASH : Violent clashes in Limbe, several dead and houses burned On the night from Saturday, December 22, to Sunday, December 23, following the shooting of "Bouligan" a fierce opponent of the Deputy Frandy Louis (VERITE), by 2 unidentified individuals on a motorcycle, clashes of a rare violence broke out in Limbe (North Dept.) between the partisans of the victim who shouted vengeance and those of the Deputy. Supporters of "Bouligan" in anger, to avenge his death set fire to the residence of Jacot Leroi that relatives of the victim accuses to be the murderer (a close friend of the Deputy Frandy Louis pointed by the public clamor, as a sponsor of this assassination). Several other houses were burned, including that of the deputy's mother, that of Jaco Leroi and that of a brother of the representative of the commune in Parliament. A gas pump belonging to the Deputy was also destroyed by fire after an attempted fire at his Residence. At least 2 vehicles including one registered "State Service" were also calcined... faced with this outburst of violence several residents fearing for their lives fled the area, while sporadic gunfire was reported in the city. During the clashes of the two armed groups, 3 to 5 dead, including the two brothers of Jaco Leroi were killed, several people were injured and between 6 and 15 houses burned, a record not confirmed by official sources. The Police arrived very late on the scene could not do anything before the unleashing of violence between heavily armed individuals. No arrest has been reported officially. A situation of tension that prevailed until the early morning Sunday, when Limbe has found calm... TB/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Social : First rain of wishes... On the occasion of Christmas and the New Year, there are many personalities to offer their wishes to the people, whom we invite you to read. Chancellor Bocchit Edmond : "At this time of Christmas, let's keep the spirit of service and sharing. Let's help those in need starting with our neighbor. If you celebrate Christmas then Merry Christmas to you all." ONA : "ONA wishes you a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year 2019. May the peace and joy of this holiday be with you, every day of the new yea r!" Haitian Consulate General in Miami "The Consulate General of the Republic of Haiti in Miami takes the opportunity to wish everyone "Happy Independence Day" and a "Happy New Year 2019". Haitian Consulate General in Montreal "The Head of Mission at the Consulate General of Haiti in Montreal, Geralde Merte Carre and the staff members take advantage of the holidays to wish you the best wishes for health, happiness and prosperity. Merry Christmas 2018 & Happy New Year 2019." Haitian Consulate General in Atlanta "The Consulate General of Haiti in Atlanta wishes you an excellent Christmas party in joy and serenity and a happy new year 2019." Consulate General of Haiti in New York "At the end of 2018, the Consul General and Mrs. Gandy Thomas join their voices to the team of the Consulate General of Haiti in NY to wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year 2019 in joy, serenity, peace and love. " ADIH "The Association of Industries of Haiti (ADIH) advocates serenity, peace and already wishes everyone a happy holiday season." Delmas Town Hall "The Mayor of Delmas wishes you a merry Christmas 2018 and a happy new year 2019." CEP "Uder Antoine, the Executive Director of the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP), wishes you all the best on the occasion of the holidays of the end of 2018 and the new year 2019. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. " Former Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant "Christmas makes you dream... of Joy... of Feast... of the Flame of Love and Peace... Dr. Jack Guy Lafontant and his wife Dr. Nirva Blaise Lafontant wish you to live all this. Merry Christmas 2018 ! Happy Year 2019 !" Ministry of Communication "2018 pat yon lane fasil, se poutet sa n ap kontinye twouse manch nou pou n travay pi plis pou n met kouran nan tout peyi a tankou sa fet deja nan anpil komin, pou lane 2019 la ka miyo pou chak Ayisyen. Nap swete tout pep Ayisyen an "Bon fet Nwel nan lanmou ak rekonsilyasyon" Ministry of Communication. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Fire at a police station In the afternoon of Sunday, heavily armed individuals set fire to the police station of the Rue Monseigneur Guilloux extended Savane Pistache (Port-au-Prince). Passing away of former General Williams Regala On Sunday morning, former General Williams Regala (81) died at his residence in Port-au-Prince. General Regala had been a member of the National Council of Government which led the country after the fall of the Duvalier regime on 7 February 1986 was considered the right arm of General Henry Namphy. He was also Minister of Defense under the presidency Leslie Manigat. Successful "Kredi Ate plat" program As part of the program "Kredi Ate plat" launched by President Moise end of November 2018 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26264-haiti-economy-launching-in-the-west-of-program-kredi-ate-plat.html the Ministry of Commerce claims to have registered 1,200 credit recipients and 4,000 new requests for the month of December. The PNH, assist Santa Claus Sunday morning, the National Police of Haiti (PNH) distributed toys to the children of the popular neighborhood of Solino. In addition, on the instructions of Michel-Ange Gedeon, Director General of the PNH, a community police team distributed toys to children at Waney 89 (Carrefour). PAP : Investment of 50 Million US in Taxation As part of a public-private partnership between the city of Port-au-Prince and a consortium of specialized firms led by the American firm Greenfield Advisors. $10 million will be invested by US firm Greenfield Advisors over the next three years, for a total of approximately $50 million over 10 years the trainings among others) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26445-haiti-port-au-prince-mayor-chevry-wants-to-significantly-increase-the-rate-of-recovery-of-taxes.html Distribution of gifts of the First Lady The First Lady of Haiti Martine Moise went to the city of Gonaives to distribute gifts to several hundred children on the occasion of Christmas. HL/ HaitiLibre Published on 2018/12/23 | Source Excessive exposure to social media can lead to depression as negative emotions pile up in scurrilous arguments and pressures to run with the herd. Advertisement Prof. Myung Woo-jae at Seoul National University Hospital in Bundang said, "Social media affect our emotions, and those who are less capable of controlling their emotions are especially affected. If negative feelings intensify, it can lead to depression". The causes include pressure and unrealistic expectations from interaction with others, a sense of coming off worse in comparison with others, and overindulgence. Prof. Kim Sun-mi at Chungang University Hospital in Seoul, said, "A desire to be recognized drives people to constantly update their social media accounts or respond to others' messages. If the response is not recognition but anything more negative, people can feel dejected or depressed". Instagram is a notorious producer of envy at the seemingly more perfect lives of others. People with gloomy temperament can be particularly impacted by this. And posting too much and feeling a constant need to post can also lead to a feeling of emptiness. To fight depression, it is not a good idea to cut off all social media activities abruptly, because that could simply transfer the obsession to TV or online games, according to Kim. Instead, doctors recommend gradually reducing usage. "If you're on social media late at night, it could intensify your depression. It's better to do it during the day when it's less likely to impact your sleep", Myung said. The busier people keep during the day, the less time they have to waste on social media. It is also a good idea not to get involved in debates that invariably lead nowhere, and even better to ignore all comments to teach yourself indifference. If you approach use of social media as a means of recording your own daily life, don't expect too much of a response from others. Better still is finding a different hobby that will decrease time spent on social media. But if you continue to have trouble falling asleep and cannot get negative thoughts out of your head, see a doctor. People travel far and wide to Rocky Boy Christmas Celebration Sheldon Shebala, of the Navajo Nation and from Idaho, walks through the Little Bear Gymnasium between songs Saturday at the Rocky Boy Christmas Celebration in Box Elder. People from all around the United States and from Canada came out last weekend to celebrate at the Chippewa Cree Tribe's Rocky Boy Christmas Celebration. Organizer Dustin Whitford said the tribe has been preparing for the celebration since October and had many sponsors helping make the event happen. The Rocky Boy Christmas Celebration kicked off Friday at 10:30 a.m. with a traditional feast, Whitford said. He added that the event saw a good turn out of people, including elders and many of the youth attending the event. Later Friday, a community feed was held followed by a round dance ceremony. Saturday was a powwow with grand entries at 1 p.m. and at 7 p.m. Whitford said it is important to hold on to these dances and ceremonies. "Without them, without our language, we are not Native Americans," Whitford said. "That's what identifies us as Native American, that's what identifies us as Chippewa Crees." He added that Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation, although one of the smaller reservations in Montana, is unique. Rocky Boy is special because it is the only reservation that has Cree in the United States, he said. All the other Crees are in Canada. Rocky Boy is also the farthest-west reservation in the United States where Chippewa live, he said. Whitford said the powwow and the other ceremonial events held at Rocky Boy are specifically unique to that reservation. "(The traditional dinner) started off our weekend to pray for all the families here, all our visitors," Whitford said. He said Rocky Boy Reservation experienced many deaths over the past year, at least one every week since the month of April. "What we want this ceremony to do is to help our people to begin to heal and to deal with a lot of the losses we've had here," he said. Clyde Brown said he believed the round dance was good for the community and provided much-needed healing for a lot of families. He added that the tribe is losing their culture in many ways and by holding ceremonial events such as the round dance, they are able to show their kids an important part of their culture. The traditional feast included many ceremonial events, such as a pipe ceremony and spiritual prayer, Whitford said. He said the ceremonies were lead by spiritual leader Douglas Standing Rock. Standing Rock was assisted in the ceremonial events by his grandson, who was home from college for the holidays, Whitford said. He added that this was exciting because one of his concerns is passing traditions down to the younger generation, teaching them so they can be future leaders of the tribe and so the younger generation knows why and how these ceremonies are performed. "All these different things, these different teachings, these dos and don'ts that we have as Chippewa Cree people, we have to continue on," he said. He added that the loss of these traditions is one of his biggest concerns for the tribe. Whitford said his favorite part is when he sees families with their children interacting in a drug-and-alcohol-free weekend. He said one of the ceremonies the tribe has for grief is the round dance and the way that it was taught to him is that the tribe brings somebody out to dance. No matter how grief-stricken the person might be, they join in the dance, Whitford said. "Even if it's just for a second that they feel good, they are going to have a good feeling," Whitford said. "A little smile, a little bit of happiness, even if it's just for a little while it's gonna heal, even if it's just for that little moment. We hope and we pray that they feel that. To bring them out of that grief and that mourning." He said the tribe has events such as the round dance to help individual people. So many people in Rocky Boy, he said, are lost to drug and alcohol abuse. Whitford added that he has seen people getting excited about the event. "There are some people that are excited in the community, people who are ready and waiting," he said. Joyce Denny and Rose Sutherland were at the round dance, with Denny saying she came to see and enjoy people and visitors. She said she likes when they dance and that it gets them feeling good. She added that she thinks it's good that the tribe put the round dance together because many people are in mourning. "It gets minds off (the loss) and lets people enjoy themselves," she said. Whitford said the tribe usually has a Christmas powwow and holds round dances at different times in the year. The round dance, he said, is usually held in small groups, but this year the tribe invited guests to join in the ceremony. "When we have these, they are not closed just to Native people," Whitford said. "We are all under one creator and when we have these ceremonies everybody is welcome, everybody." He said he wants to encourage people from outside communities to come out and learn about the tribal people. Leticia Longknife and her daughter Nadia, 7, came from Fort Belknap Indian Reservation to the round dance. She said events like the round dance and powwows are a good way of keeping families together. Longknife added that her daughter was dancing fancy style at the powwow Saturday. Kyle Mountain Sheep, a grass dancer, said during the powwow it is important to keep traditions alive because it keeps kids out of trouble and teaches them responsibility. Havre Daily News/Ryan Berry Former state representative Jonathan Windy Boy, center, stands with other dancers during the powwow Saturday, Dec. 22, in Box Elder. He added that some kids don't have a strong family foundation and, when that is the case, it is up to the community to teach kids to grow up in the traditional ways. Mountain Sheep said that he learned to grass dance from watching Andrew Windyboy Sr. and he taught his son Avery, 4, who is also a grass dancer. Tony Picard, a northern traditional dancer from Nez Perce Tribe in Idaho, said he came to the powwow because he wanted to dance. He said it was his first time in 11 years that he has danced competitively. His friends and family made his regalia for him, he said, adding that all of it means a lot to him. Picard said it is important that during the holidays people get out and be with other people, to see friends and family that people don't see very often. "People are always the strongest when they are brought together," Picard said. Last updated 12/24/2018 at 9:40am Havre Police Department Saturday at 9:13 a.m. the Havre Police Department reported a 24/7 Sobriety Program violation. -- Alexis Rose Flansburg of Havre, 19, was arrested on a Justice or City court warrant Saturday at 9:44 a.m. -- Saturday at 3:11 p.m. a person went to the police station wanting to speak with an officer. -- A caller from a 11th Street West business reported a gas drive off Saturday at 3:17 p.m. -- A 11th Street caller reported Saturday at 4:05 p.m. a damaged fence. -- Danielle Joy Gard of Havre, 28, was arrested on a Justice or City court warrant Saturday at 4:07 p.m. during a vehicle stop on Fifth Avenue West. -- An 11th Street West caller reported a gas drive off Saturday at 4:18 p.m. -- A caller from a First Street West business reported two cases of beer stolen Saturday at 10:12 p.m. -- A Wilson Avenue caller reported a street fight Saturday at 10:36 p.m. -- Everett Dale Windyboy of Havre, 66, was arrested on a charge of trespassing Saturday at 11:05 p.m. -- The Havre Police Department assisted another agency of the arrests of Rollie Wensi Earley of Havre, 46, who was charged with assault and Trvor Lane Harwood of Havre, 21, charged with disorderly conduct Saturday at 11:58 p.m. -- Gary Clayton Standing Chief Jr. of Havre, 33, was arrested on a pick up and hold order after a First Street business reported suspicious activity Sunday at 12:59 a.m. -- A Havre area caller asked to speak with an officer Sunday at 7:46 p.m. -- Brandy Leian Stimson of Havre, 19, was arrested on a Justice or City court warrant and charges of probation violation and purchase or possession of intoxicants by a minor after a First Street caller reported suspicious activity at 12:49 this morning. Hill County Sheriff's Office Sunday at 5:12 a.m. a U.S. Highway 87 caller reported a 7-year-old girl who couldn't find her mother. -- A Sixth Street West caller Sunday at 6:04 p.m. requested to speak with a deputy. -- A Rudyard area caller reported Sunday at 6:22 p.m. having information about a stolen gun. -- A Seventh Street North caller requested to speak with an officer about some items that he did not want in his house Sunday at 6:58 p.m. -- A sixth Street West caller requested assistance from deputies Sunday at 9:21 p.m. Havre Fire Department Emergency medical personnel responded to two calls Friday and two calls Saturday. Havre Animal Shelter The Havre shelter this morning held two medium-hair cats, one short-hair cat and one long-hair cat of unknown gender and one short-hair female cat and one medium-hair male cat. -- The Havre shelter this morning also held a female Australian cattle dog-blue heeler-border collie dog, a female mixed-breed dog, a male German shepherd 6-month-old puppy, a female Anatolian shepherd/husky 9-month-old puppy and a male shepherd-Chow Chow dog. Sunnyside Intermediate School held its annual Trade Fair Dec. 13 and St. Jude Thaddeus School wrapped up its food drive last week, with both schools feeling more than satisfied with the results. The Sunnyside Trade Fair was put on by the fifth-grade class and featured a variety of crafts that were all made by fifth-graders who used household items for their work. In the evening, the public was invited to the gym to see what the fifth-graders created and they could even purchase the creations. This year, the Trade Fair raised $4,500. The funds will go to causes like Havre Public Schools scholarships, Havre Food Bank, the women and childrens shelter, North Central Montana Shrine Clubs travel fund and Hi-Line Sletten Cancer Center. Sunnyside Principal Carmen Lunak said she loves the Trade Fair and the way it brings the community together. I am so impressed with our students creativity and willingness to reach and help the community, she added. St. Jude Thaddeus School held a food drive that was made personal for the students as they were told the food would be given to four families in Havre. No information other than the size of the family was provided to the students. Principal Mike Haugen paired the eighth-, seventh-, sixth- and fifth-grade classes with a younger class and each team competed to see who could bring in the most food. Haugen said that while it was a competition of sorts, there would be no prize involved as the main goal was to give back. Their initial goal was 400 pounds of food total so they could give 100 pounds to each family. The final tally for the food brought in was 1,170 pounds of food. Haugen said parishioners did contribute as well, but the bulk of it was brought in by the students. The food was distributed last Thursday to the families and Carly Brunk and a few junior high students took the remaining 490 pounds over to the Havre Food Bank Friday, Haugen said. I feel just really proud of what they did, he added. Im very, very pleased. With this years food drive being such a success, Haugen said he was going to raise the bar for the students next year. We just set the bar and were going to exceed that next year and the year after that, he added. It was a great start. It shouldnt have surprised me. It went better than we could have ever imagined, Brunk said. They were just motivated. Brunk added that some students were even disappointed that they were 10 pounds short of being able to provide 500 pounds of food to the Havre Food Bank. Brunk said she felt like the system of pairing the older grades with the younger ones worked really well and that the younger students really wanted to prove themselves to the older students. She added that they would be sticking with the same format next year. Staff and wire report A Republican U.S. senator from Utah last week blocked a vote on a bill to grant federal recognition to Montanas Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians. The U.S. House passed a bill in September that would have required the federal government to set aside a small amount of land for the tribe and make its 6,000 members eligible for government benefits. Sen. Mike Lee objected Thursday to passing the bill without debate, arguing the Bureau of Indian Affairs denied the tribes petition for recognition in 2009. Little Shell Tribal Chairman Gerald Gray called it a disheartening outcome. If the bill does not pass the Senate by the end of the year, it will have to be re-introduced in the next Congress. All three members of Montanas congressional delegation support the bill. The state of Montana recognized the tribe in 2000, but the tribes efforts have languished in Washington. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., slammed Lees blockade. The Little Shell have fought for generations to secure what is rightfully theirs, Tester said in a release Thursday. Now just one man stands in the way and it is time for him and his political party to quit the political shenanigans and allow this long-overdue vote to take place. In 2007, the first bill Tester introduced after he was elected to the Senate was to federally recognize the Little Shell Tribe. This year, Tester passed his bipartisan bill to grant the Little Shell federal recognition out of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee in May. Also this year, a bill sponsored by Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., was the first Little Shell recognition bill to pass out of the U.S. House of Representatives. Native American tribes must be formally recognized as sovereign nations by the federal government to exercise full self-governance, Testers release said. Under this nation-to-nation relationship, tribes access economic development, health care and education resources, and regulate affairs on tribal lands. Tribes can be recognized by the federal government through congressional legislation, a U.S. court decision or an administrative process through the U.S. Interior Department. The Little Shell, a tribe with 4,500 or more members concentrated in the Great Falls area but spread throughout central and northern Montana and across the nation, have been formally trying to gain federal recognition since at least the 1930s. Montanas members of Congress have repeatedly sponsored bills to have Congress recognize the tribe. The tribe has been without a recognized homeland since the late 1800s, when Chief Little Shell and his followers in North Dakota broke off treaty negotiations with the U.S. government. Tribe members later settled in Montana and southern Canada. Tribal historians trace the tribes other attempts to gain recognition back to the 1860s, when the Pembina Band of Chippewa signed a treaty with the U.S. government. In 1978, the Little Shell petitioned the Bureau of Indian Affairs for recognition through the Bureaus Federal Acknowledgement Process. Despite a favorable report by the Department of the Interior in 2000 and recognition of the tribe by the Montana government that same year, the Bureau of Indian Affairs denied the tribe recognition in 2009 and again in 2013. ABOUT 60 people attended a Christmas party held at the Henley 60+ Club on Monday. The traditional meal of turkey with all the trimmings was paid for by funeral directors Tomalin & Sons in Reading Road for the second year in a row. Copas donated two turkeys. Guests sat at long tables in the club in Greys Road car park and were given Christmas crackers to pull while some wore tinsel on their heads. Myrtle Tree, which comprises Phyl Vincent, Jane Boyd and Tim Walker, played Sixties songs including hits by Bob Dylan. They also had guests line-dancing in the aisles as they played a hootenanny-style number. Deputy Mayor Ken Arlett attended and went round each table to speak to the guests. Gill Dodds, a former mayor who chairs the clubs committee, said: It was one of our best Christmas lunches yet. All the members seemed to have a lovely time. They praised the cooking and there was a lovely atmosphere. Thanks to Tomalin for sponsoring it and Copas for providing the turkeys. Violet Harding, 94, of Victoria Court, Henley, said: Without this club Id be lost. Everyone here is on their own and the are long days when youre on your own. To come here is like having a home from home. Frank Sweetman, 82, from Shiplake, added: I only joined two years ago when my daughter brought me but its great. I also came to the Christmas lunch last year and it was lovely. Win Adlam, 96, from Sonning Common, said: I come here every week and I think its a great place. The people are very friendly. The Christmas lunch is very nice and I look forward to it every year. Iris Goodchild, 90, of Crisp Road, Henley, added: Its very good everybody gets together and we have a nice meal. SOCIETY president Professor Alan Loyd gave a talk called The first Egyptologists December 8. He commented on the large turnout despite a wet and windy shopping day before Christmas. He said that ancient and modern Egyptologists shared a common bond a love of the curious in this strange culture and a sense of its fascination and fun. He spoke about Kha.em.wase, fourth son of Ramesses II, who loved to restore the monuments of kings, recording this on various ones he rebuilt. His near contemporary Qen.her.khope.shef was of a literary bent and kept a library of earlier texts thrown away by his later descendants, to be found centuries later. The later 5th century BC Herodotus was the first to record the Pharaonic culture because they did everything differently from everyone else (although he did believe everything he was told not wisely but too well). The prize goes to one Horapollo in the 6th century AD who tried to translate hieroglyphs not as a formal language with spelling and grammar but as a collection of signs each with its own mystical and weird meaning. The odd thing is sometimes he was almost right! The next talk will be on January 12 at 2pm at the Oakwood Centre in Headley Road, Woodley, Reading RG5 4JZ. The subject will be The emergence of the Egyptian State links with the landscape evolution of the Nile Delta by Dr Ben Pennington. Around 3100 BC, early upstream centres of culture were transformed into a larger territory encompassing all Egypt. Recent work shows the deltaic landscapes downstream to have been highly dynamic. A new model suggests that this landscape remodelling may have allowed, or even stimulated, a variety of important socio-economic changes in this region which could have impacted upon the emergence of Dynastic Egypt. A PROPOSAL to ban developers from appealing when they are refused planning permission in places with neighbourhood plans has been welcomed. John Howell has put forward the idea in a Private Members Bill that is currently going through the House of Commons. The Henley MP, who introduced neighbourhood plans as part of the Governments localism agenda in 2011, says it is unfair that communities spend time and money writing a document but struggle to meet the cost of fighting a developers appeal. Planning authorities must take a neighbourhood plan into account when deciding applications. However, an applicant who is refused consent can appeal to a government inspector. Speaking in the Commons, Mr Howell cited the case of a proposed development in Sonning Common. Gallagher Estates wanted to build 95 homes on land off Kennylands Road which was earmarked for 26 in the villages neighbourhood plan. South Oxfordshire District Council turned down the application so the company appealed. An inspector upheld the decision but the district council and protest groups spent 90,000 fighting the case. Leigh Rawlins, chairman of Sonning Common Parish Councils planning committee, said he supported the Bill. He said: Mr Howell is absolutely right as it takes an enormous amount of effort to create these plans. We started the process in late 2011 so our community put five years into it. They should have the utmost respect once theyve cleared the necessary hurdles. They should not be vulnerable to speculative developers to pick off or attempt to overwhelm with the huge resources that they can bring to bear. Its appalling to see developers barristers and other mercenary experts claiming that black is white and trying to browbeat the inspectors with reams of technical jargon, written at great expense, into agreeing to something that simply isnt right. Parish council chairman Tom Fort said: It is intensely annoying, not to mention expensive, to fight these appeals and while we won on that occasion the spectre of these things never goes away as they can always go back to the start and submit a new application. A prohibition of the kind Mr Howell has suggested is salutary because having to revisit these things again and again is intolerable. The developers have financial resources that a parish council cannot hope to match so an acceptable risk to them is a major budgetary burden to us. Ken Arlett, chairman of Henley Town Councils planning committee, said: I support Mr Howells idea as it took us a long time to write the plan but I imagine the big house-builders will be furiously against it and it will be interesting to see what happens next. The only problem is that it isnt always clear cut whether a proposal accords with a neighbourhood plan sometimes a site is allocated but the proposal isnt of the exact number or type of homes that are called for. Under Mr Howells proposals, developers could still seek a judicial review at the High Court if they could prove a planning authority followed incorrect procedure in making its decision. They wouldnt automatically get permission if they succeeded but could force the decision to be taken again. In towns or villages with no neighbourhood plan, they could simply appeal as now. The Bill is expected to get its second reading on January 25. A UKULELE band performed on the 23rd night of the Henley Living Advent Calendar. Pure Fluke played to a crowd of about 100 people in the town hall after the performance was moved from Falaise Square because of the wet weather. The seven-piece group opened with Paint it Black by the Rolling Stones followed by In Hell Ill Be in Good Company by The Dead South. This was followed by Friday Im in Love by The Cure, Van Morrisons Moondance and Black Horse and The Cherry Tree by KT Tunstall. They then played Purple Rain by Prince, Galway Girl, before finishing with Fairytale of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty McColl. With the crowd shouting for more the band played Bob Dylans Wagon Wheel as an encore. Richard Rodway, who chairs the calendar, said: Pure Fluke are great. This is their third year in a row of performing and its almost become a tradition now for them to play on the 23rd because you know what youre going to get a high-quality, uplifting, fun set which everyone enjoys. The evening was raising money for the Alexander Divine Childrens Hospice Service. Then charity built a new hospice on six acres of land in Maidenhead and it was officially opened by Prime Minister Theresa May and Sir Michael Parkinson this month. Its community fundraiser Susie Knowles said: We now support over 110 families in our local area. We know theres a huge number more that could be supported by us. Thank you very much to those who have supported us on the journey. Tonights (Mondays) final performance will be held at St Marys Church in Hart Street at 6.15pm. SHES an actress, a bestselling author and a highly regarded newspaper and magazine columnist. But when she embarks on a UK theatre tour in the New Year, former Dynasty star Joan Collins will be something she rarely is when she takes to the stage unscripted. The veteran actress, 85, who was made a Dame in the 2015 New Year Honours, will be lifting the lid on some of the exciting stories and secrets from her long career which includes a previous one-woman show. Joan said: I so enjoyed my 10 years performing One Night with Joan all over the world that I am delighted to be doing an entirely new show. Each performance will be different, so if you liked me in Salford come and see me in Edinburgh. And if you dont then stay at home and watch Corrie. Armed with her trademark dry wit, Dame Joan will present an intimate first-person behind-the-scenes tell-all on her life, loves and career highs and lows. The show will also include an audience question and answer session and offers fans of the star a rare opportunity to spend an entertaining and unforgettable evening in the company of a true legend of stage and screen. Born in London, Joan studied at RADA before moving to Hollywood in the Fifties, where her classical stage training prepared her for some major movie roles. In the late Seventies she appeared as a sexy siren in The Bitch and The Stud, written by her sister Jackie. She then landed the part of Alexis Colby in Dynasty that later earned her a Golden Globe and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Joan Collins Unscripted opens at the Anvil in Basingstoke on Friday, February 15. For more information and to book, visit www.seetickets.com /tour/joan-collins A woman accused of harassing two others by threatening to "report them to social welfare" has had her case struck out after she agreed to have no further contact with them. Joan Smyth (57) allegedly sent text messages to the women and made nuisance phone calls, telling them she would report them, wrongly claiming they were working over the hours allowed. Smyth, of Rockfield Drive, Clondalkin, had been charged with harassing one woman at an address at Shancastle Park on a date unknown between October 21, 2016 and January 19 last year. She was also charged with harassing a second woman at another address in the Shancastle estate on a date unknown between October 12, 2016 and February 25 last year. Blanchardstown District Court had heard the women told gardai they had received nuisance text messages and phone calls from the accused. Both women said they had received numerous messages and calls and became very distressed as a result of the communications. The accused was allegedly threatening to wrongly report them to the Department of Social Protection for working more than the allowance. Smyth had pleaded not guilty to the charges and the two women gave evidence for the prosecution. However, when the hearing resumed, defence solicitor John Wood said Ms Smyth was agreeing to give a sworn undertaking not to contact the two women involved. Wise Judge David McHugh said that having heard part of the case, he considered her course of action "most wise". "I didn't intend any harm," Ms Smyth said. "It was just said out of temper." Judge McHugh said he was satisfied with her undertaking and struck out the charges. Detectives hunting the Gatwick Airport drone operator have found a damaged device on the airfield, police have confirmed. It comes as a couple arrested on Saturday in the hunt for the drone saboteur were released without charge yesterday. Sussex Police said the 47-year-old man and the woman (54), from nearby Crawley, had co-operated fully and were no longer suspects in the case. The pair made no comment as they darted inside their home. The airport has offered a 50,000 (56,000) reward through Crimestoppers for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the disruption last week. About 1,000 flights were cancelled or diverted after drones were spotted inside the perimeter of the UK's second biggest airport on Wednesday. Expand Close Police outside the innocent couples house in Crawley / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police outside the innocent couples house in Crawley The disruption hit about 140,000 passengers. Police said yesterday that the hunt for the culprit or culprits was continuing. "Both people have fully co-operated with our enquiries and I am satisfied that they are no longer suspects in the drone incidents at Gatwick," said Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley. He said of the couple, who were widely identified in the media yesterday: "It is important to remember that when people are arrested it does not mean that they are guilty of an offence and Sussex Police would not seek to make their identity public. "Our inquiry continues at pace to locate those responsible for the drone incursions, and we continue to actively follow lines of investigation. "We ask for the public's continued support by reporting anything suspicious and contacting us with any information in relation to the drone incidents at Gatwick." Police will now turn their attentions to the damaged drone found within the airport perimeter. Attack The UK's Labour Party has called for an independent inquiry after accusing the government of failing to act on the risks posed by drones. Shadow transport secretary Andy McDonald claimed there were missed opportunities to prevent the airport from coming under such an attack. "The delay in bringing forward legislation is indicative of this government's failure to concentrate on the day-to-day business in front of them'" said Mr McDonald. "The scale of disruption is unacceptable." Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 24) In the spirit of Christmas, the family of slain Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe on Monday offered to forgive the "least guilty" in the crime who would point to the mastermind. "Handa po ang pamilya naming magpatawad kung sino man po ang least guilty pero nakakaalam sa buong detalye. Handa kaming patawarin kayo, halikan ang inyong kamay, ipasok kayo sa Witness Protection Program, ituro niyo lang ang mastermind at ibigay pa rin ang cash reward," Batocabe's son, Justin, said in a press briefing. [Translation: We are ready to forgive those who are least guilty but know all the details. We are ready to forgive you, kiss your hand and enter you into the Witness Protection Program, just point to us the mastermind and we would still give the cash reward.] "Sa mga magbabago pong loob, ito na po ang tsansa ninyo. Bigyan niyo naman kami ng mabuting Pasko. Magkaroon kayo ng konsensiya para sa ikabubuti ng ating buong bayan," the young Batocabe urged. [Translation:For those who would are having a change of heart, this is your chance. Give us a good Christmas. Have some conscience for the sake of the entire nation.] A bounty worth at least 30 million has been raised by lawmakers for whoever could point to the brains behind the killing of the lawmaker and his security aide during a gift-giving program in Batocabe's hometown of Daraga, Albay on December 22. Opposition lawmakers from the "Magnificent 7" bloc also committed to give 50,000 each for the bounty. Police suspect politics was behind the murder of the congressman, who was on his last term as party-list representative and was gunning for the mayoralty in his hometown. In a Facebook post, Batocabe's wife, Gertie, said, "YOU know so well we were winning the race. You coward just had to take him out." Justin, a lawyer, and Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin said the late congressman had not received death threats until he decided to run for Daraga mayor. "Hindi niyo ako masisi na sasabihin kong malakas ang kutob ko na ito ay isang political [killing] dahil nangyari lamang po ito nung panahon na si Cong. Rodel Batocabe ay nag-file na ng certificate of candidacy sa munisipyo ng Daraga," Garbin said at the press briefing. [Translation: You can't blame me if I would say that I have a strong hunch that this is a political killing because this only happened after Cong. Rodel Batocabe filed a certificate of candidacy in the municipality of Daraga.] Justin said his mother was still "distraught" by the killing of her husband on their wedding anniversary, this would not stop the Batocabe family from entering politics. He said they were determined to continue his father's advocacies for the Bicol region. "[The details are] not finalized, but there will be a Batocabe who will run for mayor in Daraga," he said. The family has until noon of May 13 to field a substitute for the slain lawmaker. Public viewing of Batocabe's remains will start at 2 p.m. today until December 30 at the Arcilla Hall in Daraga. He will be interred in the morning of December 31. Justin said his father's remains would not be flown to Manila for a service at the House of Representatives. Instead, the House will hold a memorial from January 14 to 16 for those unable to make it to Batocabe's wake in Albay. "Isa siyang Darageno. Dito siya nabuhay, dito siya lumaki, dito rin siya mamamatay. Kaya po dito lang ho siya," Justin said. [Translation: He is a Darageno. This is where he lived, this is where he grew up and this is where he would die. That's why he would remain here.] 'Declare Daraga as election hotspot' Meanwhile, Garbin joined the call of Senator Nancy Binay to declare Daraga, Albay an election hotspot. He also urged authorities to disarm private security groups, especially those controlled by politicians. Political analyst Ramon Casiple told CNN Philippines that politically motivated killings would only get worse as the elections draw nearer. "Usually 'yan ang pattern. Palala ng palala 'yan because of the desperation factor pumapasok na. 'Pag nakikita patalo, nandoon ang temptation na consider ng mga ganun," Casiple said. [Translation: Usually that's the pattern. It gets worse because the desperation factor kicks in. If they see that they're losing, the temptation to consider those things come.] He added that election-related violence has been "the rule" in traditional politics due to the weak political party system, and the weak justice system in the country. The Batocabe family and Ako Bicol said they trusted the police force to solve the crime, which prompted the relief Albay police chief SSupt. Milo Pagtalunan, Daraga police chief PCSupt. Benito Dipad, and the regional Police Security and Protection Group director. "Ayaw po namin na maging unsolved case na naman 'to, na maibaling na naman sa statistics of unsolved crime because that develops the cultutre of impunity, the culture of killings," Garbin said. "Sana naman bago mag-Pasko o bago matapos itong linggo na ito, may breakthrough na." [Translation:We don't want this to be another unsolved case, to be just another statistic in unsolved crimes because that develops the culture of impunity, the culture of killings. I hope that before Christmas or before this week ends, there would be a breakthrough.] Bicol police said they have identified six male persons of interest and have taken statements from six wounded persons, obtained closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage near the scene of the crime, and contacted a person who volunteered to give information on the killing. "Hopefully, magkaroon ng linaw 'yan kung talagang mayroong mag-witness diyan at makakuha tayo ng mga CCTV footages doon sa area," Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde said. [Translation: Hopefully, it will be clarified if someone presents himself as a witness and we will get CCTV footages in the area. Albayalde said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group is taking the lead in the probe on the Batocabe slay, while a 13-member task force formed by the Bicol police is also investigating the killing. CNN Philippines' Ella Hermonio, Xianne Arcangel and Joyce Ilas contributed to this report. 'It's not going away': Man still faces trial in 1988 assault on girls Pakistan is using all means to instigate Sikhs, Muslims, secularists and so-called liberals against India, from last many years. But no Govt has ever tried to teach Pak a proper lesson ! To change this situation, establishing Hindu Rashtra is the only solution ! Editor, Hindujagruti Chandigarh : A fake letter, which was apparently to be used to incite Sikh officers and soldiers in the Indian Army and also launch a disinformation campaign about them, has been debunked by senior military authorities. The letter, allegedly issued in the name of an officer in the Directorate of Military Intelligence, expressed concern over growing support among Sikh soldiers and officers for the so-called Referendum 2020 drive launched by the US-based pro-Khalistan organisation Sikhs For Justice . On receiving information about the circulation of this fake letter in Punjab, senior officials in Chandimandir-based Western Command had suspicions about the language used in the letter and immediately flagged the Military Intelligence headquarters on Friday evening. The Indian Army does not issue such advisories and the department which had allegedly issued the letter does not exist in the Army setup. It seems to be a deliberate attempt by anti-nationals who wanted to incite the Sikh soldiers of the Army for their ulterior motives. However, the ADGPI Army immediately issued the clarification about the fake and frivolous letter issued to damage the Indian Armys reputation, said a senior official from the Western Command. The ADGPI tweet said, Fake letter about Army, classified as SECRET, dated 03 DEC 18, signed by Brig Vikram Malhotra, is being circulated on WhatsApp. Request guard against the misinformation against #IndianArmy. The official also pointed out that that the words used in the fake letter were not the ones used normally by the Indian Army and the style was different too. Source : TOI Jim Sarbh as the cunning, loyal slave-general in Padmaavat, Aparshakti Khurana as the funny wannabe smart friend Bittu in Stree or Gajraj Rao as the loving husband Jeetender Kaushik and Surekha Sikri as the angry yet caring mother-in-law in Badhaai Ho. What do these actors have in common? Well, all of them, among others, this year, no doubt stole the show with their stellar performances. None of them played lead roles, yet ruled all the way. Read| Vicky Kaushal and Harleen Sethi drop major hints of a budding romance The best thing about them is that these actors definitely know how to make their roles impactful. They know how to create an impression on the audience so that even after they have left the theatres, discussion about their roles does not end. They understand the script better and do a fabulous job whenever they get the right opportunity. There was a time when actors would be scared to work with Mehmood in a film as he would steal the show, says trade analyst Atul Mohan. Gajraj shares how since the release of Badhaai Ho, he feels as if he is living a dream. Accolades have been pouring in from all quarters, also overseas. Whenever he steps out, people come up to him to congratulate him. I still cant believe what this film has done to me. But I guess I was flying too high and then my wife (Sanjana Rao) decided to pull me back to reality and gave me a time frame to enjoy my new found fame and then forget it, he laughs. Vicky Kaushal was in Serbia shooting for his next Bollywood film, when Sanju released in India. In no time, he started getting positive feedback. His social media accounts were flooded with messages and even the critics praised his portrayal of Kamlesh Kanhaiyalal Kapasi. So much love was coming from everywhere that it somehow made one thing clear that meaty roles that add to the plot always get noticed, he says. Talking about casting Gajraj, Neena and Surekha in the respective roles in Badhaai Ho, director Amit Sharma shares he was looking for relatable actors, a father who wasnt as fit and the mother older enough to create more chaos and disbelief over her state of unexpected pregnancy. Praising them further, he says each of them blew his mind with their brilliant performances. So will he work with them again? I have been blessed with their performances once and I wouldnt absolutely mind to be associated with them again, he adds. Priyanshu Painyuli, Divyendu Sharma, Aparshakti Khurana and Sunil Grover. Aparshakti feels that films are to be seen in totality. I wont take the credit for Bittu. Stree worked in totality because everyone is good in the film. Also, I am never concerned about the length of my role, the character is important. After watching Parched I had messaged Leena [Yadav] about my keenness of working with her in a film in any capacity. She remembered me and I, my words. The reason why I am happy every time people are praising me for Baljeet in Rajma Chawal, he says, adding that after having done such characters he has started getting lead roles. All these bring to the question does the success of their characters guarantee them better remuneration. They might ask for about 15-20 percent more but not a huge amount. But they do get a lot of film offers and have more scope to grow. The best way ahead is to try variety but not to experiment too much. A Pankaj Tripathi might do a Gurgaon or Mirzapur in between, but not every time, because his fans love him in these other characters, adds Atul. These actors also stole the show, and how! Saurabh Shukla as Tauji in Raid Priyanshu Painyuli as Bhavesh Joshi in Bhavesh Joshi Superhero Abhishek Banerjee and Pankaj Tripathi as Jaana and Rudra in Stree Divyendu Sharma as Sundar Mohan Tripathi in Batti Gul Meter Chalu Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub as Shanichar in Thugs Of Hindostan Shridhar Watsar as Purshottam in Dhadak Sunil Grover as Dipper in Pataakha Author tweets @Shreya_MJ Follow @htshowbiz for more Its an incident that transpired almost 70 years ago, but its etched forever in the memory of Brigadier Sukhjit Singh (retd). This is true of most of his interactions with his grandfather, Maharaja Jagatjit Singh, the last ruler of Kapurthala, who left an indelible mark on the grandson he was grooming as his successor. I had gone to him with a complaint about a dispute. He asked me to take a seat. Were you there when this incident took place? I said no. Then he asked, Did you investigate it? Were there any witnesses? To both, my answer was in the negative. Then he gave me a piece of advise Ill never forget. He said in life when you are dealing with matters concerning justice or affairs of the heart, never listen to what you hear and never say what you think. The book Prince, Patron and Patriarch - Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala is a grandsons tribute to a man who gave him life lessons that have withstood the test of time. The seeds of the book, says Brig Sukhjit, were sown by Cynthia Meera Frederick, a conservation architect. The two met at an INTACH event a few years ago. Cynthia was intrigued by the double roof at the Jagatjit palace in Kapurthala. I had seen it in Europe, the US and even China but never in India, recounts Cynthia, who returned home to read extensively about the maharaja. To her surprise, there was nothing but for some fictionalised accounts of his royal lifestyle and his love for French architecture. Brig Sukhjit says Cynthia persuaded him to co-author the book to do justice to this exceptional royal. He was a remarkable king who ruled democratically, promoting meritocracy instead of hereditary nobles, says Cynthia, pointing to his choice of chief minister Abdul Hamid, who he sent to Sorbonne to learn French. The back cover of the book with the summary A just and generous ruler, a lover of French culture, an inspiring chief to his army, a warm family man, a patron of arts, an enthusiastic traveller, and a perfectionist in all matters, true to his name the maharaja could hold his own both among aristocracy and commoners. Cynthia, who mined into Brig Sukhjits vivid memories of his grandfather as well as the royal correspondence and archives, says each of the 22 chapters are a potential book. The maharajas fondness for French, she says, was not a political statement against the British as many like to believe. He was 18 when he visited Paris, then the cultural capital of Europe, it was natural for him to be drawn to its culture. The maharaja himself told his grandson,I have never been happier than in Paris. His love for French extended to the cuisine. The book mentions his chef Amanat Khan, who had discreetly kept a French madame. When the maharaja found out, he made sure Khan sent her a monthly stipend. In 1929, he circumnavigated the globe. So taken was he with Hawaii that he stayed there for four days. Later, he stopped at Angkor Wat, calling the ruins grander than the grandest of Greek and Roman monuments. The maharaja was progressive and secular, his palace conducting both havan and akhand path on his birthday. He was the first to volunteer his army for the British effort in World War I, and his third son Amarjit Singh served in France. Brig Sukhjit, who was commissioned into 35 Scinde Horse, the regiment of which his grandfather was an honorary Colonel, in 1954, remembers how he cherished the soldiers. So when Lt Karamjeet Judge came to meet him just before he left for Burma. My grandfather rose from his chair and embraced him, recounts Singh. Judge was later awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously. Besides history and anecdotes, the book has a wealth of rare photos, including many of the maharaja with his youngest wife, Maharani Prem Kaur nee Anita Delgado, a Spanish beauty whos inspired a host of fictionalised accounts. This book, however, remains true to the monarch. Its a warm but candid account that the exacting Jagatjit would have approved. Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter The central government is considering providing subsidy on buying electric vehicles, a move that is expected to give a big push to their sales, Union power minister (independent charge) RK Singh has said. A committee of cabinet secretaries is likely to come up with some recommendations soon, he told Hindustan Times in an interview. The ministry issued guidelines on December 14 for setting up charging infrastructure across the countrys major corridors. The move came against the backdrop of the governments target of achieving full electric mobility by 2030. We have stated that anyone is open to setting up charging stations. One doesnt require a licence to set it up, said Singh. If you want to set it up, you will get connectivity on priority basis from the DISCOMs [distribution companies]. For the pricing, we mentioned that we will supply electricity at the average cost of supply plus 15% subsidy, Singh added. The government has permitted private charging at residences and offices. Public charging stations will be set up every 25km on both sides of highways and roadways. For electric vehicles such as trucks and buses, at least one fast-charging station will be set up every 100km. Charging facilities will also be available at bus depots and transport hubs within three years. In the first phase to be completed by 2021, mega cities - with a population of over 4 million as per the 2011 census - all existing expressways and important highways connected to these cities will be covered. Other big cities like state capitals and Union Territory headquarters will come under the second phase to be completed by 2023. Chhattisgarh governor Anandiben Patel on Tuesday will administer oath to 10 Congress legislators, the first expansion of chief minister Bhupesh Baghels council of ministers, filling in all 13 vacancies. Baghel was sworn in with two other senior Congress leaders TS Singhdeo and Tamrdhawaj Sahu last Monday. The Congress had adopted the formula of giving representation to each of 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in the council. Congress state-in-charge and general secretary PL Punia reached Raipur with the list of ministers from New Delhi on Monday. On Saturday, Baghel and senior Congress leaders had a long meeting with Rahul in New Delhi and finalised the list of ministers. The party has focused on the region-wise and community representation. Important leaders are covered keeping in mind next years general election, said the CM. Congress spokesperson RP Singh said the decision on allocation of portfolios of the ministers will be taken after the oath ceremony. Those who are front-runners of the ministerial berths are former Union minister Charandas Mahant, ex-minister in Madhya Pardesh government and senior leader Satynarayan Sharma, senior leader Mohammad Akhbar, former leader of Opposition Ravindra Chaubey , Amarjeet Bhagar, Kawasi Lakma and MLA Anita Bhedia. Congress has registered a landslide victory in Chhattisgarh polls, winning 68 seats in 90 member assembly. The BJP, which was in power in the state since 2003, was reduced to 15 seats while former chief minister Ajit Jogi-led Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) managed to win five seats. Jogis ally Bahujan Samaj Party has won two seats. Just a day after the US President Donald Trump announced his decision to withdraw troops from Syria, reports began coming in of a larger, and much more significant, drawdown from Afghanistan. The Trump administration has decided to withdraw roughly 7,000 troops from Afghanistan. This decision will have major consequences for peace in Afghanistan and the neighbourhood. It was increasingly becoming clear that Mr Trump was too impatient to stick to his own Afghanistan strategy announced in August 2017. Curbing his isolationist instincts, Mr Trump had then decided to commit more resources and personnel to the Afghan war. A year later, Mr Trump had grown weary and decided to enter into a Faustian bargain with the Taliban. Consequently, Zalmay Khalilzdad, an Afghan-born US diplomat, was appointed to pursue talks with the Taliban. The US announcement of withdrawal should have ideally followed some concessions by the Taliban. Far from conceding anything, the Taliban has refused to negotiate with the current Afghan regime, deeming it to be illegitimate. Moreover, during a Moscow-mediated talk this November, the Taliban representatives brought the issue of US withdrawal front and centre. It is delusional to think that the Taliban will offer concessions after the US withdrawal if it did not while the US troops were in full strength in Afghanistan. The reason for Talibans resilience is the support and succour it receives from Rawalpindi. Pakistans leverage in Afghanistan is set to grow. These are not good signs for India which has two main interests: a) preventing any extremist group from taking over Afghanistan, and b) maintaining the economic cooperation with the Afghan government and civil society. Indias problems are exacerbated because American withdrawal comes at a time when its views on Afghanistan are at significant variance with other traditional regional partners like Russia and Iran. India should not let go of its connections with the elements of the erstwhile Northern Alliance. In case of instability, only allies on the ground can help New Delhi get a seat at the table. As many as 28,375 sarpanch candidates will try their luck in panchayat elections on December 30 for 13,276 panchayats in Punjab, a state Election Commission spokesman said on Sunday. The spokesman said that 1,863 sarpanches (village headmen) have been elected unopposed after the end of the withdrawal process of nomination papers on Sunday. As many as 22,203 panches have been elected unopposed while 104,027 candidates will contest for the remaining posts of panches (village council member). Authorities in Punjab had received 210,494 nominations for panchayat elections in the state. Out of these 48,111 nominations papers were filed for the post of sarpanches and 162,383 nominations papers filed for the post of panches. Voting for 13,276 panchayats will be held on December 30. The spokesman said that 83,831 panches would be elected for 13,276 panchayats. Out of these, 17,811 seats are for Scheduled Castes, 12,634 for Scheduled Caste Women, 22,690 for general category women, 4,381 for Backward Classes and 26,315 seats are for the general category. There are total of over 1.27 crore registered voters in the state for these elections.The commission has established 17,268 polling booths and 86,340 personnel will be deputed on election duty. The Congress has been in power in Punjab since March 2017. The opposition Shiromani Akali Dal has accused the Congress government of getting nomination papers of its candidates rejected at a number of places. An 18-year-old woman, who was undergoing treatment at Safdarjung Hospital here after allegedly being set on fire by her stalker for rejecting his romantic advances, succumbed to injuries on Sunday, officials said. The woman had suffered around 77 per cent burns and was brought to the hospital in a very critical condition. Most of the injuries were on her face and lungs. She died at around 10 am, doctors said. According to sources, the deceaseds mother suffered a heart attack after her daughter died and was admitted in the same hospital. The 31-year-accused in the case is a taxi driver. He attacked the woman, when she was returning from college on December 16 in Rishikesh, officials said. The woman was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Rishikesh on Monday with 70 to 80 per cent burns. She was flown to Delhi in an air ambulance on Wednesday and admitted to the burn ward at Safdarjung Hospital, officials said. The man had been stalking her after she had rebuffed his advances, police said. The accused poured petrol on the woman and set her ablaze. After hearing her cries for help, locals rushed to the spot and took her to the hospital, police said. Angry students of the womans university have demanded capital punishment for the accused who was arrested on the same day the crime was committed. A highway pile-up involving at least 50 vehicles killed eight people, including seven from the same family, in Haryanas Jhajjar early on Monday due to thick fog, officials said. The pile-up occurred after the two vehicles collided on Badli Flyover on National Highway-71 and around 10 more piled up behind them due to poor visibility, leading to more injuries. The dead are reportedly from the same family from Jhajjars Kidrot village. They were travelling in a jeep to Najafgarh in Delhi to condole the death of a relative. There was a school bus involved in the accident, which led to a two-kilometre traffic jam, but none of the passengers was injured. Many of the injured have been referred to Pt BD Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Rohtak. In another accident in Haryana, former state health minister Satyanarayan Lathar was killed in Jind after an unidentified vehicle hit him when he was walking home from his petrol pump. The Haryana government has announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the kin of the deceased. Compensation of Rs. 2 lakhs will be given to the kin of the deceased, Rs. 1 lakh to those severely injured and Rs 50,000 to those with minor injuries, Haryana minister OP Dhankar said. The newly formed Congress governments in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh may not have adequate fiscal space or funds left to implement other poll promises in the current financial year after announcing farm loan waivers, according to officials in the three states. The outgoing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments in the three states have spent up to 70% of the funds allocated in the last budget in the first seven months of this financial year, which will end on March 31. Madhya and Chhattisgarh announced the waiver on Monday last. Rajasthan followed suit two days in line with Congress chief Rahul Gandhis poll promise of waiving farm loans of up to Rs two lakh within 10 days of forming the governments in three states. Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan waived all short-term crop loans while the Chhattisgarh government will pay for loans farmers have taken from the states Gramin Bank. The waivers will cost between Rs 35,000 to Rs 38,000 crore in Madhya Pradesh, Rs 18,000 crore in Rajasthan and Rs 6,100 crore in Chhattisgarh. Officials said market borrowing was among the options the governments were exploring. We are working out the modalities, said a Madhya Pradesh finance department official. Officials cited the limited fiscal space and said it will be difficult to implement other major poll promises in the current financial year. Budgets in the three states will be presented in February-March next year, months before the national polls due in April-May 2019. The other promises include unemployment allowances of Rs 10,000 and Rs 3,500 each to a member of a family in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The Congress has also pledged a stipend of an unspecified amount in Chhattisgarh. It has also promised power bills waiver for the poor and reduction in electricity tariffs by half for others. The other pledges range from free education and medicines to increasing minimum support price for farm produce in the three states. In Chhattisgarh, the party has also promised liquor prohibition that, too, will lead to revenue losses. Officials said the outgoing BJP governments have spent between 50% to 70% of funds allocated in the last budget. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath and his Rajasthan counterpart, Ashok Gehlot, have blamed the previous BJP governments for emptying the coffers and have said that they will look for new avenues to generate revenue. The BJP has maintained there was enough money if the new governments wanted to implement their poll promises. In Madhya Pradesh, the farm loan waiver burden would be about one-fifth of the total expenditure of Rs 1,86,683 crore for 2018-19, of which around Rs 1,25,000 crore has been spent till October end. Officials pointed out the previous government has availed 90% of the borrowing capacity of Rs 60,000 crore to fund sops before the polls. Madhya Pradeshs principal secretary (agriculture), Rajesh Rajora, said most money provided for different schemes in the budget has been spent. We are looking at different options to fund the farm loan waiver, he said In Rajasthan, the farm loan waiver burden would be around one-sixth of the total budget of Rs 1,07,865 crore, of which about Rs 77,000 crore has been spent. University of Rajasthans economics professor, V V Singh, said around 25% of the budget will be spent on meeting these poll promises. He added any additional spending will result in an increase in the fiscal deficit, which is 3.01% of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). Gehlot on Tuesday insisted his government has a borrowing capacity of Rs 36,000 crore as per the present budget. T he state has already taken over Rs 25,000 crore loan. Gehlot admitted to the fiscal constraints. The states outstanding liabilities are 27.57% of its GSDP, which is above the 25% limit the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act has set. Rajasthan finance commissions former chairperson, Jyoti Kiran Shukla, called the implications of the waiver announcements on the state budget huge. Shukla said the state has to determine what revenue base it will generate to meet these expenditures. In Chhattisgarh, the farm loan waiver and increasing the minimum support price of paddy and maize to Rs 2,500 per quintal would take away one-tenth of the states budget of Rs 83,179 crore. A Chhattisgarh finance department officer hoped they would be able to implement the promises without breaching the fiscal deficit target. Some promises may find reflection in the next budget. The political leadership will take the decision. He added implementing prohibition in the current financial year will be impossible as it needs a new legal framework like in Gujarat and Bihar. Economists have spoken against the farm loan waivers saying they will increase non-performing banking assets. State Bank of Indias group chief economic advisor Soumya Kanti Ghosh estimates the collective burden will range from Rs Rs 60,000 crore to Rs 70,000 if the election-bound states, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Haryana, in 2019 decide to waive farm loans. (With inputs from bureaus in Jaipur, Bhopal and Raipur) The BJP Sunday decided to form a chain of whatsApp groups, linking party workers with its national leadership in a bid to strengthen communication channels between them ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In the first conclave of BJPs booth in-charges in Delhi, senior party leaders including party president Amit Shah gave mantra of victory for 2019 and slammed Congress and ruling AAP in Delhi. Addressing the booth level office bearers, BJPs national general secretary(organisation) Ram Lal said a chain of whatsApp groups linking Panna Pramukh up to national level leaders will be set up by January next year. Panna Pramukh are booth level BJP workers who are responsible for keeping in touch with voters named in one page (panna) of an electoral roll in a constituency. Lal also advised booth workers to meet at least 10 families every week who do not support BJP and persuade them to vote for the party in 2019 polls. If you meet 10 such families, till the next Lok Sabha elections party will reach up to around 25 lakh such new families in Delhi, he said. He also advised them to prepare list of influential people residing in the area of their booths and also hold hold gatherings to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modis radio programme Mann Ki Baat. The booth incharges were also told to study causes of BJPs defeat in previous years and ensure contact will all the voters in their booth. The party leaders also mounted attack on Congress president Rahul Gandhi and AAP convenor and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. Ram Lal asked them not to get influenced by lies of the AAP and the Congress and give a slogan Congress Desh Lootati Hai, Rahul Jhooth Bolte Hain (Congress loots the country, Rahul lies). Union minister Vijay Goel said slackness cannot be afforded because the BJP is pitted against the AAP and Congress which are involved in lies and treachery. He attacked Kejriwal on air pollution problem in the city by quipping earlier he used to cough, now the whole city coughs because AAP rules in Delhi. Union minister Harsh Vardhan representing Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat said Delhi people now know the reality of the AAP and Congress and will give them a befitting reply even if they form an alliance for 2019. He also accused Kejriwal government of denying benefits of Ayushman Bharat scheme to Delhi people. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said the party workers will retain all the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi and make Narendra Modi Prime Minister for the second term. The party leaders also asked the workers to expose failures of Kejriwal government by holding discussions on its vision document and posting pictures like overcrowded buses, filth at Mohalla clinics, road potholes on social media platforms. Bogibeel, Asias second longest rail-cum-road bridge that will be opened to traffic by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, has a serviceable period of around 120 years, senior officials said here. The 4.9 km-long Bogibeel Bridge on the Bramhaputra river is Indias only fully welded bridge for which european codes and welding standards were adhered to for the first time in the country, said Chief Engineer Mohinder Singh. Singh said a fully welded bridge has a low maintenance cost. The bridge, constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 5,900 crore, has a serviceable period of around 120 years, he said. The bridge reduces travel time from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh to four hours and will cut out the detour of over 170 km via Tinsukia. It will also reduce Delhi to Dibrugarh train-travel time by about three hours to 34 hours as against 37 hours presently. Modi will open the bridge to traffic, 16 years after it was announced by then prime minister Atal Bihari Vjpayee. The bridge has a two-line railway track on the lower deck and a three-lane road on the top deck. For the first time in Indian Railways, the girder has steel floor system for railway tracks and concrete for road. Early flood in the river Brahmaputra restricted the working season to a very short period of approximately five months (from November to March) and demanded huge mobilization of construction equipment, said Singh. Transportation of concrete across river channels of 600 metre to 900 metre width from both the north and south banks was the biggest challenge, he said. To overcome this, concrete was pumped through pipeline laid over buoys. Eighty-thousand tonnes of steel plates was delivered for the project via a combination of rail and road transport, while a 1,000 tonne hydraulic jack and strand jacks linked with the substructures were used for moving steel truss over the pillars, he said. Most 2D automatic nesting software was used to generate efficient two-dimensional cutting plans for fabricating the steel superstructure for the bridge. After December 25, people, especially patients from Assam Medical College located here, can travel straight from Dibrugarh from the other side of the river instead of using the ferries. The bridge is part of infrastructure projects planned by India to improve logistics along the border in Arunachal Pradesh. This includes the construction of a trans-Arunachal highway on the north bank of the Brahmaputra, and new road and rail links over the mighty river and its major tributaries such as the Dibang, Lohit, Subansiri and Kameng. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government is planning to introduce prepaid electricity recharge cards like in case of mobile phones at the fag end of its tenure from April 2019. Union minister of state for power and renewable energy R K Singh spoke to Anisha Dutta and Rajeev Jayaswal about the move, how it will stop electricity thefts and provide relief to the poor. Edited excerpts: How do you plan to check electricity thefts as the government is making efforts for universal household electrification? We are pushing for net metering. But there is a problem of technology. meters are not available. We are, however, pushing it. We have added 2.26 crore new consumers. It is a record. The fact that we have added so many consumers means billing and collections have become difficult. Most DISCOMs [electricity distribution companies] had to outsource it. But consumers complained about inflated bills etc. Due to this, we will be making it mandatory for all states to shift to smart prepaid meters from April 1, 2019. It will automate the entire billing and collection process. DISCOMs will benefit as they will get payment in advance. This means just like a prepaid SIM connection for a mobile, which can be recharged and used again, electricity will be used in the same form. This will help poor consumers. Instead of mandatorily paying for 30 days, they can now pay for the days or hours they would like to consume as per their requirements. Will smart prepaid meters exist along with existing post-paid meters? Or it will be mandatory to have only prepaid meters across the country? It [prepaid metering system] will be implemented throughout the country. You have advanced the deadline to achieve universal household electrification under the flagship Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana by three months to December 2018. Is not it an ambitious target? The deadline is still March 31, 2019, but we decided to bring it forward to 31st December. On an average, we were electrifying 1 lakh households per day. If you look at the last months average, it was 80,915 per day. We have maintained a stiff pace. By December, only four states Rajasthan, Meghalaya, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh will be left, which will be covered by 25 January. That is the time [deadline] I have given them. Rajasthan got delayed due to [the assembly] elections [there]. it is a vast state. The new state government is very cooperative, and we do not do any politics over this [scheme]. I spoke to chief minister Ashok Gehlot and discussed the need to do this together. He assured that it would be done. In other states such as Assam, when we began, the coverage was only 50% and it has vast marshy lands over the Brahmaputra River. We are adding roughly 1 lakh consumers every day and our demand is growing by 11% and peak demand is touching 177,000 MW. How do you plan to meet this rising demand given an acute coal shortage? The rate at which the demand is growing is unprecedented as we are adding so many users. Per capita income has also gone up. Now, even in villages, you will see refrigerators and air conditioners. Coal supplies have increased by almost 8%, but the demand is growing... Coal can be imported where supply is short of contractual requirements, and the extra cost will be allowed by the regulator. At the same time, efforts are on to expand coal production as much as possible. The fuel shortage has led to load shedding. How you plan to supply uninterrupted power? I am bringing it in the tariff policy. If DISCOMs do load shedding, they will have to pay a penalty. We noticed that the demand, which was increasing, was not being shown in Power Purchase Agreements [PPAs] because of that capacity addition would not come. So, in the revised tariff policy that we are introducing, we have added that regulators will review every year the power supply situation. And if there is a shortfall, they will have to come with PPAs to meet the demand. It cannot depend on the spot market, which is currently happening. Whenever prices increase in the spot market, they [DISCOMs] do load shedding. We are, therefore, penalising load shedding and if they do not comply, their licenses will be suspended. The draft note [of revised tariff policy] has been sent for circulation before being sent to the cabinet. Will other state governments follow the Gujarat model of electricity bills waiver? If state governments want to give subsidy, they can give as much as they want. However, whatever subsidy state governments decide to give, they have to give that amount to the DISCOMs. Why has the renewable energy growth declined after reaching record low tariffs? Renewable energy growth has not declined. The capacity that we had added last year is approximately the same for this year. I am fairly confident that we will achieve our targets. We have already reached an installed capacity of about 73 GW, and 20 GW are currently under installation. Renewable energy developers are asking for higher tariffs as they feel tariffs have gone too low. We fix tariffs through open transparent bids. We will continue doing so. They were in favour of putting caps on bids. A safeguard duty of 25% on Chinese solar panels has impacted solar project costs. Is our domestic industry capable of meeting the demand at the same cost? It has impacted slightly, but that was necessary because we had a situation where some countries were dumping solar cells and panels at below production costs, and our domestic production was getting hit. We need sufficient capacity in the country, and I want Make in India. Even if I have to pay a bit extra to promote Make in India, I am willing to do that. We have to ensure that generation capacity is met by local manufacturers. We have a policy proposal for domestic manufacturing where we are also planning to give some subsidy for manufacturing. I will recommend the finance ministry to increase duty on imported cells. We will invite some mega bids in Ladakh, about 5-10 GW with the transmission. We have got a survey carried out. We have had two-three rounds of discussion with [the] Jammu and Kashmir [government] and the Council of Ladakh. Another major bid we are preparing with the Indian Railways for about 10 GW. Railways have captive demand But only those who will add manufacturing capacity will be able to bid. How do you plan to tackle stressed power assets? The Committee of Secretaries, headed by the cabinet secretary, has given its report. A Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has been formed. Among key recommendations, we have said that coal linkage must be allowed for short-term PPAs. Till now, if there was no PPA there was no coal, and then you got stranded. When we started, there were 34 stressed assets, which amounted to around 40 GW. We have resolved seven as we have provided them coal-linkage, 22 stressed assets have been referred to National Company Law Tribunal and remaining five are resolvable. The Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) has not worked well. Why? UDAY has worked, but fundamentally it has to have a system where you are able to do away with the problems of theft, billing and collection. We plan to take care of this through our tariff policy where we are giving state governments three years to shift to smart prepaid meters from April, 2019. The Indian government has proposed draft amendments to a law governing online content which would require social media platforms to trace the originator of a message, use automated tools to proactively detect and remove unlawful information and set up a business entity in India. The proposed rules sparked concerns among privacy activists. These draft changes which are being mooted rather than checking misinformation will introduce a China model of censorship, the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), a privacy rights organisations, said in a tweet. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has prepared the draft Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2018 to replace the rules notified in 2011 under the Information Technology Act, 2000. Intermediary refers to platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. The move was triggered by concerns raised by Rajya Sabha members in July this year about the misuse of social media and propagation of fake news causing unrest and violenceespecially referring to incidents of mob lynchings driven by rumours circulated on WhatsApp. The rules were placed for public consultation after the Indian Express first reported they were being discussed by the government and online platforms in confidential meetings. The report led to outrage and speculation among Netizens that apparently led to the public release of the draft rules. People can submit comments to the ministry by January 15, 2019. NN Kaul, a media advisor to IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, rejected that the meetings were secretive. Meetings with private bodies are never secret, he said. The consultation process is still on. There is no question of any rules being drafted as of now. Only after January 15, when the public opinion reaches us, will we start thinking in terms of amendments that are needed, Kaul said. We are having a review of the guidelines. In the process, we consulted industries and some of the states. Now we have put this up for public. A key proposal of the new rules, ensuring traceability, would require messaging apps like WhatsApp and Signal to break the built-in end-to-end encryption. In platforms that have enabled end-to-end encryption, only the sender and receiver of a conversation can see the messages that are exchanged. The platforms have no way of viewing end-to-end encrypted messages, meaning companies will be forced to either rewrite software or install backdoors to gain access to the messages. The move comes weeks after the Australian government passed a similar controversial law that forces technology companies to hand over encrypted messages, even if end-to-end encrypted, to law enforcement agencies, a first in the world. This has important consequences for everyday users of online services and should also be seen in the context of the MHA notification which activates a 2009 rule which hold the power to direct, decryption, IFF said. We do not have any proper parliamentary oversight or judicial check on surveillance and the latest draft rules, if they go through, would be a tremendous expansion in the power of the government over ordinary citizens eerily reminiscent of Chinas blocking and breaking of user encryption to surveil its citizens, the privacy advocacy group wrote on its website. Five major changes have been proposed to the Intermediary rules. First, the traceability requirement. The intermediary shall enable tracing out of such originator of information on its platform as may be required by government agencies who are legally authorised, as per the draft rules. Platforms will be required to furnish information within 72 hours of a request by a government agency. Second, any platform with more than five million users in India or specifically notified by the government will be required to register a company and have a permanent registered office in India. Such firms will also be required to appoint a nodal person of contact in India to coordinate with law enforcement agencies. Third, platforms will be required to preserve information for at least 180 days (an increase from 90 days) for investigation purposes Fourth, the platforms will be required to deploy technology based automated tools for proactively identifying and removing or disabling public access to unlawful information or content. The IFF said that the pro-active filtering would result in widespread takedowns without any legal process or natural justice, which would shift the duty of the state to a private party. Fifth, the platform shall inform its users on a monthly basis about the rules and regulations of the platform, and warning for immediate termination in case of violation. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that violating the privacy of people has become a norm for the Narendra Modi government. Be it a journalist whose sources for a particular story can now be traced; be it any opposition leader whose strategy or discussions shall now become open to government scrutiny; be it bureaucrats or officers who do not often toe the ruling political partys line; or be it businessmen whose ease of doing business shall now be hampered by harassment; or be it ordinary citizens whose private conversations shall now become a decrypted file in governments offices. Nobody will have the fundamental Right to Privacy and all this will only lead to an Inspector Raj! Singhvi said. Faced with an outbreak of dissidence within the party after the Cabinet expansion last week, the Congress, which, along with the Janata Dal (secular), governs the state, issued a warning to dissidents on Monday to toe the line or risk expulsion. Addressing the press, state Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao announced that nine party members from four assembly constituencies were expelled from the party for a period of six years for indiscipline. While all those expelled were constituency level workers, Rao hinted that this was just the beginning. We plan to ensure strict discipline and no matter who breaches the rules of the party, action will be taken. The expulsions come in the wake of senior leaders Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was relieved of his portfolio in the expansion, and former minister Ramalinga Reddy, who was overlooked for a ministerial berth, openly expressing dissatisfaction against the state leadership. On Monday, Jarkiholi, whose brother Satish was included in the Cabinet at his expense, said the media was to blame for his ouster and that he would decide on his future course of action soon. An audio clip of Jarkiholi stating that he would resign his membership of the assembly went viral on Sunday. Addressing the press outside his official residence, Jarkiholi said: I stand by what I have said in the audio but will reveal everything at an appropriate time Meanwhile, Ramalinga Reddy, who was the home minister in the previous Siddaramaiah-led Congress government, said he respected the partys decision. I have never lobbied for a ministerial berth. However, if I cannot be accommodated because the party wants to field fresh faces, I expect that yardstick to be applied to other senior leaders as well, he said, in an apparent reference to revenue minister RV Deshpande, an octogenarian. Gundu Rao said the party would meet with the leaders and try and address their grievances. All these are senior leaders and they will not do anything that will hurt the party, he said. Over the past seven months, since the assembly election results in May, speculation has been rife that Jarkiholi could jump ship to the BJP. N Ravikumar, state general secretary of the party, said the BJP has not made any attempt to destabilise the coalition government. If Ramesh Jarkiholi is willing to join us we will welcome him, but we will not approach him with an offer to join the party, Ravikumar said. An Iraqi national who had arrived in the city from Kurdistan on Thursday for a medical procedure was conned of $8,000 by two persons who claimed to be police officers. Jawad Hasan Hameed, the Iraqi national, was staying at a guest house in Sector 52, near Artemis Hospital, and is in the city to undergo a bypass surgery at a private hospital. On Saturday, at 5.25 pm, Hameed was taking a stroll in front of the guest house when a car, with two men inside, approached him. The men, dressed in plainclothes, claimed to be police officers and asked Hameed to show his passport for a routine inspection. Before Hameed could gather his thoughts, the man, seated on the co-driver seat in the car, frisked him and snatched $8000 from his pocket. Hameed is among several foreign nationals who have been duped in the last two months by a gang targeting foreigners, the police said. Between October 20 and December 22, at least five foreign nationals from cities in Iraq (Baghdad, Babylon, Kurdistan) and Turkmenistan have been conned by the gang posing as police officers. The gang has looted $23,000 and has struck three times in the last 10 days. The Con Police officers investigating the cases said that the gang, comprising two to four members, did a reconnaissance of major hospitals and guest houses in the vicinity of the hospitals and waylaid foreign nationals by posing as police officers. The gang has mainly targeted people in sectors 38 and 39 near Medanta Hospital and sectors 51 and 52, near Artemis Hospital and Sector 56. Giving police the slip, the gang has been using fake number plates on the car to avoid being traced. According to the police, the conmen told foreign nationals that they were conducting raids in plainclothes and detaining people involved in trafficking narcotics. Dalbir Singh, station house officer (SHO), Sadar police station, said that the modus operandi of the gang remained the same in all the cases. The gangs of two-four men make several rounds to identify victims and intercept them at isolated spots. The entire con is pulled off while sitting in the car. One of the accused introduces them as police officers and asks for identification and passport documents as part of their inspection. They ask victims to hand over their bags and wallets and after snatching money, speed away, Singh said. Singh added that the gang was operating in a white car with a Delhi registration number, whose two digits have been scratched to avoid detection. The police said that the gang had duped a Baghdad-based couple in Delhis Lajpat Nagar, 12 hours before they had robbed an Iraqi national in Sector 39. Ram Niwas, head constable, Sadar police station, said that one of the gang members conversed with the victims in English and the gang identified the victims from their appearance and clothing. Niwas added that the police had issued guidelines and circulated them at private hospitals, saying that the patients must only show their personal documents to an official if he/she is wearing a police uniform. We have interacted with the foreign nationals seeking medical treatment here and their kin, and advised them to be wary of such conmen, said Niwas. An official from Medanta Hospital, requesting anonymity, said that the hospital had a department that catered to the problems of international patients and an airport desk that made sure that the foreign nationals are not waylaid. Difficulty in reporting cases Tabrez Khan, the director of a medical tourism company, who recently helped a foreign national in filing a police complaint, said that several cases go unreported as the foreign nationals are unaware about the process of filing a complaint. The foreign nationals come to the city for treatment. they are from war-torn countries who opt for better and cheaper treatment in hospitals here. In two recent incidents of theft near W Pratiksha Hospital in Sector 56, the victims did not report the incidents due to lack of assistance, said Khan. Maddah Ahmed Khan, a medical store owner, said that he was contacted by an Iraqi national, Hussein Abdul Ameer Ali (46), asking for help in filing a complaint after he was duped of $1,000 outside Kamilia Palace Hotel near Medanta Hospital on October 20. Ali and his friend were waiting for a friend outside the hotel, when a white car intercepted them. Four men claiming to be police officers asked Ali for his passport and frisked his bag. A hotel security guard walked towards the car, prompting the men to snatch his money and drive away, said Khan. Congress president Rahul Gandhi gave the party members a message stating that while hard workers will be rewarded, hardliners will be dealt with strictly, reported ANI quoting a source. After multiple meetings with Rajasthan leaders and observers, Rahul Gandhi gave the final nod to the team which will be inducted as ministers in chief minister Ashok Gehlots government. As many as 23 MLAs are going to take oath on Monday including an MLA from alliance partner Rashtriya Lok Dal. However, five ministerial berths are reported to remain vacant. Congress president intends to focus on having a cabinet with a majority being fresh faces. The cabinet can be summarised into a blend of the old guards with new energetic leaders from the state guard this will give governance a good shape, a party leader said. Rahul Gandhi intends to send a message to his party men that any harm to the party will not be ignored. Cabinet has been finalised for Rajasthan and for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh meetings are underway with the state leaders, a source said. The message from Gandhi was loud and clear that anti-party activities wouldnt be tolerated, the sources added. The source said Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are likely to follow Rajasthan Formula. A senior Congress leader involved in the process told ANI, Rahul Gandhi was of the opinion that those who have tried to harm the party or have ignored the partys agenda must not be let off. Congress president is also expected to soon finalise the list for cabinet members for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Meanwhile, according to sources, 10 MLAs are expected to be the part of the cabinet in Chhattisgarh. The cabinet expansion is scheduled for December 25 in Raipur. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday stuck to his words to keep up the pressure on the BJP-led national coalition over the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and demanded a discussion in parliament to see which among the coalition really oppose the temple. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday stuck to his words to keep up the pressure on the BJP over the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and told its alliance partner that it could not take people for a ride any longer. Its been 30 years and still you say that matter is in court. Hindus are innocent but not fools, Thackeray said at a rally in western Maharashtras temple town of Pandharpur. In recent weeks, Thackeray has upped the rhetoric to nudge the NDA to get the temple built at Ayodhya. Last month, he was in Ayodhya where he demanded that the BJP announce the date when the construction of the Ram temple will begin. He has since then followed up on his message, coining a new slogan for his party that underscores how building the temple, and not forming the next government, was the Shiv Senas first priority. As he spoke on Monday at a public meeting in Pandharpur, home to the temple of Lord Vitthal, a popular deity for Maharashtrians, the Ram Temple was a key point in Uddhav Thackerays speech. But it was only the starting point. Thackeray referred to the BJPs recent loss in the state assembly elections where it lost power in three crucial heartland states: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The BJP has fallen flat in the election of five states, he said. I congratulate the people of Chhattisgarh for voting out the government that they did not want, without bothering what was the alternative, Thackeray said, referring to the Raman Singh-led BJP governments recent defeat in the Chhattisgarh assembly elections after 15 years in power. The Congress had not named a presumptive chief minister in the three states including Chhattisgarh. The assertion is seen in context of the BJP effort to hit out at the Congress effort to unite opposition parties, questioning who the opposition would pitch against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in next years general elections. The BJP has an aliance with the Shiv Sena at the Centre and is hoping to cobble together an alliance with it in the state as well. The Shiv Sena, however, has not been pulling its punches in its criticism of the BJP. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has denied BJP chief Amit Shahs claims of talks with the Sena for a partnership saying the party plans to contest the elections alone. The Sena chief also criticised the government on the agrarian crisis in the state as well as the controversial Rafale deal. In an attack on prime minister Narendra Modi, Thackeray said the PM, who travels the world, should at least visit the drought-affected areas. Thackeray declared that he will start a tour of the drought affected areas of Maharashtra from January. Taking on the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre on the Rafale deal, Thackeray said, The company that has no experience of building fighter jets was given the contract. The government should then give the contract of making bullets to womens self-help groups. Manohar Lal Khattar (64) was a surprise pick to head the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJPs) first majority government in Haryana in 2014. He struggled within the party and in government in the initial years as chief minister, had to deal with a violent protest over the demand for Jat reservation in 2016 and courted several controversies with his statements. He delivered some relief to his party in municipal elections in Haryana just four days after the BJP lost three key states to the Congress on December 11. The Haryana CM spoke to Kumar Uttam about the recent elections, farm distress, employment and the 2019 parliamentary elections. Edited excerpts: How do you analyse the outcome of the municipal elections in your state? I dont limit it to just municipalities. It reflects peoples mood; what they like and what they dont. After the defeat of the BJP in the recent assembly elections, some claimed that people were turning away from the party. The municipal elections in Haryana happened four days after the results of assembly elections were declared. If people were actually unhappy with the BJP, we would not have got the kind of results we got in Haryana. This was a stamp of approval on the functioning of the BJP in the state. Why wasnt there an anti-incumbency impact in Haryana? Favouritism in government leads to problems. We took several precautions. We have made no discriminations, whether it was somebodys personal work or on matters related to the community. Everyone felt there was justice. Our programmes, schemes and the system worked on the principle that everyone is ours. We did not discriminate on the basis of caste, religion or community. What is your slogan for the next election? Haryana Ek, Haryanvi Ek. And will you be the CM face of your party in the election? This is not my issue. The high command and the legislators will take a call. I never indulged in pressure politics to become the chief minister. We do not have a race in the BJP to become the chief minister. Haryana assembly will go to polls within months of the national election. Do you support one-nation-one-election idea? That idea is for the entire nation. But all parties will have to agree for that. The Constitution will have to be amended. This is not possible in 2019. We will attempt it in 2024. We have not said anything on holding simultaneous election. Still, if the Centre or the Election Commission say otherwise, we are ready. Will you dissolve the assembly and recommend early elections in Haryana to time it with the Lok Sabha elections? We are not going to do anything like that. If left to us, we will hold assembly elections according to the schedule. The outcome of the assembly elections show that there is some unease among farmers across the country. How serious is this challenge for the BJP in 2019? There is politics of farmers in this country. There are several organisations and systems, and whoever mobilises them feels that whatever is happening is because of farmers. Because of their share in the population, farmers are a reason, but there are several issues as well. Our intention is farmers welfare and we have taken many initiatives. We have set up a special authority for farmers in Haryana. How do you respond to Congress president Rahul Gandhis demand for a national farm loan waiver? This demand has been there for a long time. Once, the Centre also announced a 60,000-crore waiver for farmers. But, in Haryana, we have offered loans at zero rate of interest. We are doing it for the last three years. But, financial management is needed. We need to focus on that. We need to see how a farmer utilises the loan he takes. This is a solution in the long run. We do not have a problem in Haryana like other states have. Do you think that the BJP will have to pay a political cost for not agreeing to a farm loan waiver in the next election? We will take a political decision whenever it is required. The issue is farmer welfare, and as I said, our purpose is to make people feel that the government is there to take care of them. When this sense will exist, the blackmailing will stop. We will then be under no compulsion to take decisions depending on their political cost. The BJP did not do well in the urban centres in the recent elections. Do you think there was an impact of demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax on the results? Let me tell you this: Some people have created this impression that the BJP lost badly. I analyse Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan results differently. We got more votes than the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, and we were just five seats short of the Congresss tally. It is wrong to say we suffered a big setback in MP and it is leading to several questions. Same is the case with Rajasthan, where the vote share difference was just 0.5 percentage point. People were predicting 30-35 seats for us in Rajasthan and we got 73. A large number of independents and others won. The Congress did not win that election by a big margin. We are almost equal. Is it a matter of concern for the BJP that the Congress has come at par with it? Yes, but do not take it as if entire people have turned against us. We have to do some improvement and we will do that. What about the GST and demonetisation impacts on the results? Yes, there was a situation when note ban and GST happened. There was difficulty and anger. It was a new thing for people; they had felt it for the first time. There are two groups. The first one thinks it is a big reform after 70 years of independence. GST is doing well in countries where it is in practice. The younger businessmen are happy with it. The older generations are not happy with it - because of the old habit. They used to feel independence, with the old practice, in doing dubious dealings. That independence doesnt exist now because everything is accounted for. Yes, the slab ratings are high. In other countries, there are 2-3 slabs, here we have are 10-12. Problems are because of these slabs. But, we are trying for reform. So you say farmers and businessmen are happy under the BJP government? There is no reason to be angry. But, there is a cultural psyche that we should get more. We have not been able to change this psyche. It will take time. How are you dealing with the challenge of job creation? Unemployment is not a big issue in Haryana as it is in other parts of the country. But, the way population is growing and number of job-seekers is increasing, government jobs are not available in that proportion. We have two lakh new job-seekers every year, and, at best, 10,000-15,000 government jobs come up every year. We have created new avenues. Our ranking has improved in ease of doing business index. 22,000 small and big enterprises have opened up in Haryana in the last four years. Do you think the Congress is becoming a stronger challenge for the BJP? The Congress is not our main rival, it is the INLD. But the INLD has also split. The Congress leadership is divided in Haryana. In Karnal, the different factions of the Congress supported an INLD-backed candidate in Karnal mayoral election. Their aim was to stop the BJP. They said CM ko gher lo (corner the CM). But, this CM will not be cornered like this. He has made a place for himself in peoples hearts. New parties such as the Aam Aadmi Party also want to enter Haryana thinking the CM is weak. Everyone wants a share of the cake. The more is the number of claimants for the cake, the better it is for us. We are safe. Between the two factions of the INLD, whom do you favour more? Both are equal for us. Will you have alliance with any of them? We dont need them. Will the BJP fight the next elections alone? We fought the recent elections on our strength and won. We are getting support. If this is the situation now, it will improve next year. Fifth year is the year of delivery for any government. I have always said that ours was a new government. First two years, I was in training. We got only three years. Only two of these three years has passed, and one more year is left. This means, nearly 50% of our tenure is still left. There will be improvement in our results. The BJP won 7 out of 10 Lok Sabha seats of Haryana in 2014. How do you see the BJP placed for the 2019 elections? We won 7 out of 8 seats that we fought. Two seats were left for our then ally, the Haryana Janhit Congress, which felt it had immense support among people. They were a failure, and lost both the seats. We will fight all 10 seats this time and win all. The HJC of Kuldeep Bishnoi has joined the Congress. Your appointment as the CM has led to a Jat versus non-Jat perception in Haryana. How will it impact the BJPs prospects in the next parliamentary and assembly elections? We never think of advancing on the basis of caste. We do not have that approach. The Congress and the Indian National Lok Dal could never think beyond caste. Their arithmetic is about castes. Who are these people who fuelled Jat-reservation stir? The Jat community has 10% reservation through a notification, and the court intervened. They demanded that this reservation should be given through an Act, and we agreed. There was a felling among the community that they have under-representation in government jobs and farming was no more a profitable business because of land-holding getting smaller. We agreed on having an Act. But they instigated the Jat community and there was violence, leading to loss of lives and properties. But Jats have realised this, and they stood against them. We are getting support from them. There is no Jat versus non-Jat issue any more India on Monday formally took over operations at Chabahar port in Iran, giving a major boost to the countrys efforts to support war-torn Afghanistan, people familiar with developments said. New Delhis efforts to develop the port, which allows India to ship supplies to Afghanistan while bypassing Pakistan, received a fillip recently when Washington exempted Chabahar from Iran-related sanctions in November. Iran formally handed over the port to India during a first meeting of the follow-up committee for the implementation of the Chabahar Agreement between Iran, Afghanistan, and India in the port city Tehran. The Indian side at the meeting was led by joint secretary (Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran) Deepak Mittal of the external affairs ministry, while the Iranian team was led by Mohammad Ali Hassanzadeh, the deputy head of the Ports and Maritime Organisation, the people said. This is a major step forward in Indias efforts to support Afghanistan and also for regional cooperation, an official in New Delhi said. Also Read | Why the Chabahar Port agreement kills two birds with one stone Behrouz Aqaei, director general of Sistan-Baluchestan Ports and Maritime Organisation, was quoted by Irna news agency as saying that India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) has officially started to run Shahid Beheshti port in Chabahar and the companys major tasks include loading and unloading operations, procurement and marketing. The meeting discussed matters such customs tariffs, promoting customs transactions and rail transit, and the transportation process, Aqaei said. The meeting also discussed finalising the protocol to harmonise transit, roads, customs and consular matters for making the port attractive and to decrease logistic costs. Also Read | Chabahar Port project will be an engine of growth for India, Iran and Afghanistan The Chabahar Agreement was signed in June 2015 and approved by Irans Guardian Council in November 2016. Chabahar is being seen as a gateway for trade by India, Iran and Afghanistan with Central Asian countries. According to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in May 2015, EXIM Bank is to extend a line of credit of $150 million for developing the port and another $85 million was allotted for supplying equipment to develop two berths at Chabahar. Also Read: Opinion | India must lead the way but also step aside in South Asia In a separate development, a senior official of Irans Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) said on Monday that Iran and India are on the verge of finalising a preferential trade agreement that will come into force in the near future. Mojtaba Mousavian, head of the Asia and Oceania Trade Office in the TPO, said talks between the two sides regarding the agreement have been fruitful and the pact is set to be implemented within the next month, Mehr news agency reported. Mousavi an said each side will reduce tariffs on 80 to 100 products purchased from the other country. According to Mousavian, urea, methanol, propane, tar, iron, butane, pistachio and dates are among the products shipped from Iran that will enjoy tariff reduction. In exchange, Indian goods included in the initial list are rice, tea, carbon electrodes, paper, aluminum oxide, medical supplements and sesame. A man who pretended to be the owner of a media house and married a Delhi woman, only to fleece her of her jewellery and cash two weeks later, was arrested from Haridwar on Saturday, police said. Although married to another woman at the time, Abhishek Vasisht had pretended to be single and wealthy while approaching prospective brides, said Pramod Kushwah, deputy commissioner of police (special cell). He would create fake identities on matrimonial websites and pose as a wealthy man owning a BMW car, a house in Gurgaon and a monthly salary of 2 lakh. At last count, he was trying to attract 21 women on matrimonial sites with the intention of cheating them, said the DCP. In reality, 32-year-old Vasisht has a degree in journalism and has claimed to have worked as a reporter with several news channels, the officer said. In 2012, he also posed as an astrologer to work with a devotional channel. He was ousted from the channel after multiple complaint of cheating against him, said the officer. Vasisht allegedly was involved in many other cases of frauds, most of which he allegedly committed by pretending to be either a journalist or the owner of a media house. The DCP said that the Delhispecific complaint against Vasisht, a native of Kurukshetra in Haryana, was received at the Barakhamba police station earlier this year. Vasisht had posed as a media house owner and convinced the family of a prospective bride to get her married to him. He lived with the woman for two weeks before decamping with a lot of cash and jewellery that the bride had received at the wedding, said the deputy commissioner of police quoting the complainant. The police registered a case of cheating. Their probe revealed that Vasisht was already married to another woman for over a decade and even had a daughter with her. The couple was in an estranged relationship and he hadnt been living with her for the past six years, said the officer. A tip-off resulted in Vasishts arrest from Haridwar on Saturday. In 2016, he had earlier been arrested by Chandigarh Police for posing as an employee of a media house to carry out a bogus land deal, said the officer. The deputy commissioner of police said that Vasishts parents had separated soon after his birth. His father is alive and living in Uttarakhand, but Vasisht would tell everyone that his father was dead, said the officer. Police detained a resident of Salt Lake on the outskirts of Kolkata for keeping the decomposed body of his mother at home for over a fortnight. The matter came to notice when his neighbours informed the police when the stench spread in the area. Police broke open the door of the house late on Sunday and found Maitreyo Bhattacharya, who appeared to be in his thirties, sitting with the decomposed body of his mother, Krishna Bhattacharya, 70. Bhattacharya was detained for questioning by Bidhannagar city police. The youth was unemployed. He and his mother used to live in the house. They ran household expenses from his fathers pension. He told us that he informed an acquaintance, who lives in Beadon Street in north Kolkata, of his mothers death. We are verifying his claims, said an officer of Bidhannagar city police. Though the youth told the officers in Bidhannagar North police station that his mother died about a week ago, from the degree of decomposition, police officers think that she might have died about 17-18 days ago. Bhattacharya also told the police that his mother told him not to cremate her body but to bury it in the house. Police officers were surprised to find that photocopies of his voter identity card, ration card, and secondary and higher secondary certificates were pasted at the main door of the house. The youths father, Gora Bhattacharya, a doctor associated with state-run SSKM Hospital, died a few years ago, neighbours told the police. Subsequently, his mother, who was a school teacher, fell sick. The neighbours also informed the police that they youth appeared to be unstable and often used to pick up quarrels with them, and therefore, most people of the locality used to avoid him. In June 2015, Partha De, a 44-year-old resident of Robinson Street in south Kolkata was found to have spent about six months in his house with the skeletons of his sister and pet dog. In April this year, Shubhabrata Majumdar, 43, was detained by Kolkata Police for allegedly preserving the body of his mother inside a refrigerator for three years after her death at the age of 84. A day after he was reported saying that leadership should take responsibility for defeat in politics, Union transport minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nitin Gadkari on Sunday stated he had been misquoted and a section of media was trying to create wedge between him and his party leadership. Gadkari on Saturday had said there are no takers for failure, unlike for victories in electoral politics. Gadkaris comments had raised eyebrows in the political corridors as came in the backdrop of the BJPs defeats in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh assembly elections two weeks ago. The remarks were perceived as a stand against the partys central leadership. While speaking at an even organised by Pune District Urban Cooperative Banks Association Limited, Gadkari had said on Saturday, Success has many fathers but failure is always an orphan. Similarly in the politics too, there will be race to garner credit for success, but in case of failure, fingers are pointed at others. The responsibility of the failures should be taken by the leadership and in absence of such owning of the failure their loyalty and commitment towards the organisation. Read: Leadership should own responsibility for failure, says Nitin Gadkari He had further said, Sometimes banks achieve success and sometimes they face failure. Likewise, in politics, when there is a failure a committee is formed to review it, but in case of success, nobody comes forward to discuss. However, Gadkari issued a statement on Sunday saying the reports were part of a sinister campaign by some opposition parties and a section of the media. It was an attempt to malign me and my party by twisting my statements and use them out of context and draw politically motivated inferences. I have time and again refuted such insinuations and once again condemn these malafide and mischievous out of context reports attributed to me. Let me make it clear once and for all that conspiracies to create a wedge between me and the BJP leadership will never be successful, the statement said. Meanwhile, the Union minister again made a controversial statement on Sunday in Sangli while inaugurating the Tembhu irrigation project . Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) said after meeting West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee on Monday that he will soon come up with a concrete plan for a non-Congress, non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre. The meeting came a day after the Telangana Rashtriya Samitichief met Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneshwar . A political dialogue has started following election results in five states. Yesterday, I had a meeting with the Odisha chief minister and today I met Didi (as Banerjee is popularly known). Dialogues are on. We are trying to settle issues of mutual interest as well as national policies, said Rao, standing next to Banerjee. Watch: KCR on federal front tour, meets West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee His meeting with Didi lasted for over an hour. Rao described the formation of a non-Congress and non-BJP government at the Centre as his mission. Her meeting with Rao came three days after NC leader Farooq Abdullah met her in Kolkata. KCR is scheduled to spend December 25-27 in New Delhi, where he will meet Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav. Banerjee herself has been pushing the cause of a federal front comprising regional powers as an alternative to Congress-led and BJP-led governments at the Centre. She is organising a rally of opposition parties rally at Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata on January 19. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has said it will not attend the meeting even if invited. She is scared of a disastrous result that she is inviting all opposition parties in Kolkata to confuse the people of Bengal, said BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha. The Nationalist Congress Party and Congress will contest the Lok Sabha elections next year along with Peasants and Workers Party of India, Sharad Pawar has said, according to news agency ANI. Talks have taken place over 40 seats and eight seats remain. The final decision will be taken shortly. If any confusion remains, then chiefs of both the parties will solve it, Pawar said, according to ANI. Pawar said on Sunday strong regional parties are likely to have a bigger share in seat sharing as mahagathbandhan or grand alliance is in the offing for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Pawar held a meeting with Congress and NCP workers in Gondia in east Maharashtra and issued a statement on his official Twitter account in Marathi. The former Union agriculture minister also promised a rate of 2,500 per quintal to grain cultivators in Maharashtra, on the lines of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. It is a practice of consulting the rates of neighbouring states before finalising agricultural produce support price. But the Maharashtra government did not follow it and now the neighbouring states are offering 700 per quintal more, he said in a series of tweets. (With agency inputs) Separatist-turned-mainstream politician Sajad Lone Sunday said his party, Peoples Conference, favours constructive engagement for resolution of the Kashmir problem for a lasting peace in the region. Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has a role to control the situation but the solution is not available with our assembly At the political level, it is the central government which has a bigger role and then it spans across the Line of Control (LoC) as well. We are in favour of it and it should be done through constructive engagement, Lone told reporters while welcoming several prominent persons to his party fold here. The people who joined Lones party included former MLA Zanskar Syed Mohammad Baqir Rizvi, Peoples Democratic Partys additional spokesperson Abhijeet Jasrotia, laywers Abrar Ahmad and Irfan Inquilabi from Poonch and Ashish Pandita. He said the state assembly does not have the power to resolve Kashmir issue. If I promise you a solution of the conflict on the basis of a vote which is inadequate to resolve it, it will tantamount to lying (to the people). This is beyond the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly as the provincial government has a limited role to control the symptoms, which is violence, said the Peoples Conference leader, flanked by former minister Imran Ansari. He said the Peoples conference is not against the constructive engagement or dialogue to resolve the issue. The constructive engagement of any sort on the conflict is not a substitute to reach out to the people of the state. Two measures are there to address any conflict the operational which the Army and the police are taking care of and the second one is structural which is not based on dialogue alone, he said. He said the central government should have a long time strategy on reaching out to the J&K people across the state. When I say reach out, it does not mean economic doles, it means engaging and removing the mistrust and when you speak about the conflict resolution, you never talk in days and years but it takes decades. The state assembly has a six-year tenure while the conflict resolution takes decades, he said. Replying to a question about the lack of measures by the BJP-led government at the Centre to address the Kashmir problem, Lone shot back, Why only five years, let us talk about 15, 20 and 25 years. I am saying there should be a long time strategy. The Manmohan Singh-led government have done no wonders. What type of dialogue or engagement he held? The working group were formed and I prepared a roadmap under the name of Achievable Nationhood on their direction but they refused to acknowledge it. Instead, it was shelved. Referring to the roundtable conferences and working groups, he said, Roundtable was meant to be with separatist but the PDP went under the table and pleaded that they will be left irrelevant if the mainstream parties were involved, they were aware that they (separatists) will then not share the table with them. What happened to the recommendations of the working groups, interlocutors reports? Nothing was implemented. It is a fine art of lying. How long we will lie? First, whom they met, their own people who have no grudge, he said, adding they (the National Conference and the PDP) are propagating dialogue with separatists but who sabotaged the dialogue with militants in 2002 when the PDP was in power. He asked, Who called the media to the guest house where dialogue was scheduled between militants and the government. All the three (Hizbul Mujahideen militant commanders involved in the dialogue) were killed. Who is sabotaging? The former minister in the PDP-BJP government said one is trying to go sincerely to reach out and resolve, other is pretending to resolve. What we have seen are the pretensions of different sorts, he asserted. Criticising the National Conference leadership, he said it was the rigging in 1987 state elections which led to the eruption of militancy in the state. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed the recent court order handing over life imprisonment to Congress leader Sujjan Kumar in 1984 Sikh riots case. The verdict plays a deterrent for others although the sentence was given after 34 years but who is responsible for the death and destruction in the valley and why they are being allowed to walk away with it, he said. I am not saying that it (1987 rigging of elections) was the cause but it definitely was the greatest facilitator to change a historically peaceful population and trigger violence. Nobody is talking about it. Why are we obsessed with only the symptom, killing is the symptom, there is a disease and 1987 is the part of the disease and unless you bring the perpetrators of 1987 to book, this thing will not stop, he said. Two public interest litigations were filed on Monday in the Supreme Court challenging the recent Ministry of Home Affairs order authorising 10 central agencies to intercept, monitor, decrypt any information on computers. Advocates ML Sharma and Ami Sahni have questioned the December 20 order and sought its quashing. The 10 agencies notified under the new order are the Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Bureau, Enforcement Directorate, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (for Income Tax Department), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Central Bureau of Investigation, National Investigation Agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, Directorate of Signal Intelligence (in service areas of J-K, North East and Assam) and Delhi Police commissioner. Sahni wants a strict redressal mechanism to be put in place to resolve the grievance of citizen, in case his or her right to privacy is infringed upon by such an order. The order is unconstitutional, undemocratic and an assault on fundamental rights of the citizens of India, he said. Every citizen cannot be suspected as a criminal and the object of passing the order is to have a surveillance country or something else, which is best known to the respondent. By way of the order the respondent wish to snoop on every citizen which is highly unjustified and contrary to the Constitution of India and the law laid down by the Supreme Court, Sahni said, pointing out that the order infringes citizens privacy, declared a fundamental right by the top court in 207. On September 30, officers of the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and the Uttar Pradesh forest department raided houses and factories in the sleepy village of Sherkot in Bijnor district, UP, to seize 155 kgs of raw mongoose hair and 56,000 brushes made from it. This was the biggest seizure of its kind in the country and officials estimated that at least 3,000 animals were killed to collect so much hair. Six persons were arrested and booked under various wildlife crime laws. A little over a month later, on December 10, WCCB officials, coordinating with the Delhi-based Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), simultaneously raided 13 locations across the country, seizing thousands of brushes made out of mongoose hair. This was the 27th crackdown by the WCCB on the illegal trade in the last two years. While poaching of elephants, one-horned rhinos and pangolins, as well as the death of tigers have traditionally elicited strong reactions, the killing of thousands of mongoose has largely gone unnoticed. Despite all these raids, if you go to any shop in major Indian cities, they still stock brushes made out of mongoose hair. The number of animals killed for this trade is the single largest threat the species faces today, says Jose Louies, chief of enforcement, WTI. Even though there are other alternatives available, the fine quality of the hair, its durability and brittleness has endangered the animal. For arts sake The sensitivity of the brush, the fine finishing and its capacity to absorb paint are what makes it preferable for many artists. Synthetic brushes just dont have the same quality, says Natarajan Gangadharan, an artist and former faculty at the Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai. Having said that, many artists are aware of the issue and do not purchase such brushes. I have to say, though, that there are still a few who prefer brushes made from such material for the quality it offers. Mongooses --- small carnivorous mammals, with a long body and tail and a grizzled or banded coat --- are widely found in India, in the countryside, on farm land and in forest areas. Traditional hunting communities that prey on them include the Narikuruvas in Tamil Nadu, Hakki Pakki in Karnataka, Gonds in Andhra and Karnataka, and the Gulias, Seperas and Nath in central and northern India. These communities are the main suppliers of raw mongoose hair. Over a period of time, the collector-middlemen-distributor network became strong and well-established so that the main collectors of the hair visit the hunters and buy the hair from them on a regular basis. The quantity may vary from a few grams to kilos and the price range is between 3000-5000 rupees per kilo, says Louies of WTI. He adds, Earlier, these brushes were manufactured by many reputed brush manufacturers. As the illegal nature of the trade came to light in the early 2000s, major manufacturers stopped production. But the demand from buyers ensured that smaller manufacturers kept producing the brushes. Mongooses are listed under Schedule 2, Part 2 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and their hunting, possession, transportation and trade are offences, punishable with imprisonment up to seven years. They are also protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Six different species are found across the country: Indian grey mongoose, small Indian mongoose, ruddy mongoose, crab-eating mongoose, stripe-necked mongoose and brown mongoose. The Indian grey mongoose is the most commonly found species and also the most hunted. Save the mongoose We dont want to put an exact market value on our seizures since that might serve to encourage the illegal trade, but suffice to say, illegal trade in mongoose hair is among the highest priorities for the WCCB, says Tilotama Varma, additional director, WCCB. Varma and the WCCB have been tracking the illegal trade network and are preparing for further action. While in other wildlife crimes, most of the consumption of the illegal products are abroad, in this case, the domestic market itself is enormous. We have also found during recent raids that finer quality of hair is being sold in certain factories, we are trying to trace their suppliers now. Traditionally, the small town of Sherkot has been the epicentre for this illegal trade. The hair is shipped in trains as parcel and concealed in bags labelled as textiles. It is similarly shipped for wholesale and retail trade. As of now, it is important to create awareness about the plight of the mongoose. As Saket Badola, head, TRAFFIC India, a wildlife trade monitoring network, says, It takes the lives of 50 animals for one kilogram of hair. Each mongoose yields around 40 grams of hair, out of which only 20 grams can be used to make brushes. Artists and the general public need to know this and stop using brushes made from mongoose hair. As of now, sales are only going up and this is a big cause for concern. Authorities in Meghalayas East Jaintia Hills district on Monday temporarily suspended operations to rescue 15 miners trapped in a 370-foot-deep illegal coal mine in Ksan area of Lumthari village since December 13 as the water level has not receded despite 20 lakh litres being pumped out. About 20 miners on December 13 had entered the quarry owned by Krip Chullet, who has been arrested. After reaching the bottom of the pit,they entered horizontal manholes, often termed as rat-holes, as each just about fits one person.Five persons were able to climb out of the flooded mine, leaving the others behind. The incident had brought the illegal coal mining in the northeastern state into the national limelight. The illegal mining had started following a Supreme Court order on December 5 allowing transport of about 1.76 lakh tonnes of extracted coal till January 31, 2019. Santosh Kumar Singh, assistant commandant of the National Disaster Response Forces 1st Battalion, which has been on the spot since December 13, the day of the accident , said: There are no miners in the main shaft. All of them are possibly trapped in the lateral tunnels and we can only get there if the water levels recede. Singh said that the NDRF team in the meanwhile will look from where the water was seeping in to the coal mine. So far, the NDRF has pumped out 20 lakh litres of water from the mine but the water level has not receded because of high water level in river Lytein. Deputy Commissioner FM Dopth said if the water level drops, then other rescue measures can be deployed but that is not happening since the difference between the discharge and recharge is vast and added that the cost of running the fuel pumps was about Rs 30,000 per day. Then, there are other logistics required such as food and potable water for the rescue teams, hiring of 4-wheel vehicles to ferry supplies and people since the area is very remote, repairing of the pumps since they cannot run for long periods and often break down and other overheads as well. We have not calculated but it is turning out to be highly cumbersome exercise with no positive results, he said. The district administration has sought higher capacity water pumps from Coal India as suggested by mining engineer from Punjab Jaswant Singh Gill. I have written to the government requesting help in procuring the pumps from Coal India and lets hope that the response from Coal India is positive, he said. Dopth also said the family of the identified miners will get interim relief of Rs 1 lakh each. On Monday, the East Jaintia Hills district administration distributed Rs 1 lakh compensation to the families of three trapped miners. The families of the remaining 12 trapped miners have been informed by the local police and will be given compensation from December 26 onwards, he said. Even as the administration stopped pumping since the two 25 HP pumps were proving inadequate, Dopth said he has sent a proposal to the state government to procure 10 pumps of 100 HP each from Coal India. The proposal is under consideration, he said. After waiting for hours barely one kilometre from the Sabarimala temple, two Kerala women devotees were escorted down the hill, as thousands of Ayyappa devotees on Monday put up a massive protest causing one of the woman to faint. Bindu from Malappuram and Kanaka Durga from Kannur, both from the hitherto banned age group, were stopped at 8 a.m., barely 1000 metres away from the shrine as even a 100-policemen contingent could not pass through a massive wall of Ayyappa chanters. Despite the police resorting to a lathi-charge, the situation did not change. In fact tension escalated and more security force was requested to be deployed at the spot. As the commotion reached its pitch, Kanaka Durga fainted and the police were forced to take her back on a stretcher, even as Bindhu rooted herself to the ground refusing to be intimidated by a surging group of menacing Ayyappa men. With the protest mounting as the day progressed, the Pathanamthitta district authorities around 10.15 a.m. dedided along with the police to halt efforts of progressing any further towards the Sabarimala shrine. There appeared no scope for taking the two women forward so we decided to bring back them back, an officer shielding the woman on the pathway told the media. Bindu, an advocate, was seen screaming that she would not go back. But after being pacified by senior police officers, she agreed to go back but only on condition that the police will escort her back. While walking down, sensing the charged atmosphere prevailing among the massive crowd of devotees the police team called an emergency vehicle to take the two women back to Pamba. Bindu was seen shouting to the media that they are being forcefully taken back, against their wishes and the fainting of Kanaka Durga was nothing but a ploy by the police to take them back. In the commotion, a few media personnel were also hurt. Kerala Police chief Loknath Behra told the media in Thiruvananthapuram that every effort was on to ensure the implementation of the September 28 apex court directive allowing all women to pray at Sabarimala. The police did not do anything to unsettle law and order situation there, said Behra. However, after the Mondays incident, it was now over three dozen women who have failed to pray at the Lord Ayyappa shrine despite police presence and assurances. Mondays incident came a day after 11 women from Tamil Nadu had to be sent back in the face of steep protests mounted by the traditional devotees, who have been up in arms ever since the Supreme Court verdict and have not allowed any breach in the temples tradition. Trouble broke out early on Monday, when police accompanying the two women clashed with angry pilgrims after they created hurdles for the two Kerala women devotees, who are below the age of 50, from proceeding ahead for their darshan. The police had to resort to lathi-charge and shield Bindu and Kanaka Durga as angry Ayyappa devotees chanted slogans and approached them menacingly. State Minister for Devasoms (temples) Kadakampally Surendran said just as the police were trying to implement the apex court directive, they also have the responsibility of ensuring safety to the women. Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, though attacked the Kerala government for their double standard. Its most unfortunate that all this happening during the most hallowed time of the Mandala Puja. Its sad the government has not learned anything from the massive protests yesterday when a group of women had to return. The government for some reason is adamant that they want to break the traditions and customs of the temple, said Chennithala to the media. Earlier speaking to the media, Bindu slammed Sabarimala tantris. I want to pray at the temple and I dont think the law of tantri is above the law of the land, she said. The temple town has witnessed protests by Hindu groups since the September 28 Supreme Court verdict that allowed women of all ages to enter the temple, including those from the hitherto banned age group of 10 to 50 years. On Sunday, 11 women from Tamil Nadu in the 10-50 age group failed to reach the temple, after massive protests broke out against them forcing the police and the women to flee to safety. The Supreme Court on Monday declined an urgent hearing into a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) petition challenging a Calcutta high court order three days earlier disallowing its Save Democracy rath yatra in West Bengal. The rath yatra was initially scheduled to begin on December 7. The BJP moved the top court after a Calcutta high court division bench on Friday last set aside a single judges go-ahead for the yatra a day earlier. The division bench said the court needs to consider afresh 36 intelligence inputs the state government had submitted. The petition filed by the partys state vice president Jay Prakash Majumdar said the right to protest is recognised as a fundamental right under the constitution and assumptions cannot be the ground to take arbitrary decision on pretext of reasonable restriction. It claimed that there was total lawlessness in Bengal as large number of BJP workers have been killed for showing dissent to the state government. Though the party wanted the matter to be heard urgently, which the court registry declined to entertain. The top court is on a winter break and will reopen on January 2. The BJP had earlier approached the high court after the state government denied it permission for the yatra, which was rescheduled to be taken out from December 28 to 31 after the go-ahead on Thursday last. The top courts refusal for the urgent hearing coincided with a clash between police and BJP supporters at Basirhat in West Bengals North 24 Parganas district. As many as 16 police personnel were injured in the clash. The police earlier canned BJP supporters as they organised a law violation programme to protest against the alleged lack of democratic space in West Bengal. A police officer said 56 BJP workers were arrested and booked for attempt to murder. West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh said it was difficult to control the situation since it was a mass programme. Some people threw stones even in front of me. We tried but could not stop them. But one has to find out who they were. We urged our supporters to be peaceful. state minister Jyoti Priya Mallick said they beat up the police and threw stones at them. They also took away weapons . Dilip Ghosh should be arrested since he is responsible for provoking the partys workers to attack police. It is only because our party does not believe in heckling opposition party leaders that Ghosh is still roaming free, said Mullick. In New Delhi, BJPs lawyer said the partys plea over the yatra would be listed in the normal course while the top court is closed for winter vacations till January 2. Mullick wondered what the BJP would do now that even the Supreme Court has refused to treat the matter as urgent. Some of them would shout in vain and the rest would shed tears. Congress leader Abdul Mannan welcomed the Supreme Courts refusal and hoped the BJPs yatra will not get the approval. The BJP has decorated air-conditioned buses as raths or chariots for the yatra (procession) to galvanise support ahead of the national elections due next year. In a remark that could trigger fresh speculations about rift within RJD national president Lalu Prasads family, his elder son Tej Pratap Yadav on Monday made it clear that he would not shy away from assuming the leadership of the party if given a chance. Yadav was responding to queries from journalists at the RJD state headquarters in Patna, after beginning a daily Janta Durbar programme. He had a week ago declared that he would henceforth take active interest in the party affairs. Why not, Yadav shot back when asked if he was ready to take over the reins of the party if the need arose. He also hastened to add the leadership vests with the people and I am here to serve them. The RJD MLA and former Bihar minister had been in a prolonged state of reclusion after filing a petition seeking divorce from his wife of six months as he has been miffed over the refusal of his family to back his decision. He was last week allotted a bungalow by the Nitish Kumar government about a kilometer away from the residence of his mother Rabri Devi, where his father also used to live prior to his imprisonment in a fodder scam case, as he was reportedly reluctant to live with his family members. After announcing the commencement of his daily Janta Durbar programme at the partys Veerchand Patel Marg office on Twitter, Prasad spent close to four hours inside the chamber that had been reserved for his father, sitting on his chair, listening to grievances of party supporters. Responding to queries of journalists afterwards, he said The Janta Durbar has been started at the party headquarters, but I will be similarly holding such darbars at various places including at my assembly constituency Mahua. I do not wish to cause inconvenience to our supporters living away from Patna. There are speculations that the mercurial elder son of Lalu-Rabri has been feeling uneasy with the growing clout of younger but more savvy brother Tejashwi Yadav, who has emerged as the partys de facto leader in the absence of their father. Notably after their simultaneous electoral debut in the 2015 assembly polls Tej Pratap was awarded with a cabinet berth but Tejashwi was appointed the deputy chief minister. After the party lost power because of chief minister Nitish Kumars exit from the ruling alliance, Tejashwi was designated the leader of opposition in the state assembly. Also at the RJDs national council held in Patna last year a resolution was unanimously passed in the presence of Lalu Prasad declaring Tejashwi as the chief ministerial candidate for the next assembly polls. Tej Pratap Yadav has often remarked, drawing an analogy from the epic Mahabharata that he saw his younger brother as Arjuna and himself as Lord Krishna. The remark has often been construed by opposition parties like the BJP as an expression of resentment against Lalu Prasad for favoring the younger son ignoring the claim of the elder one. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath would induct 20 ministers into his cabinet over a week after he took over as the Madhya Pradesh chief minister. The names of the ministers have been finalised keeping in view regional and caste equations as well as national polls due next year, Congress leaders said. They were cleared after Nath met Congress chief Rahul Gandhi over the weekend. The Congresss chief whip in Lok Sabha, Jyotiraditya Scindia, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh and ex-state Congress chief, Arun Yadav, also attended the meeting. Experience has been given due consideration and first-time legislators would not be made ministers, a Congress leader familiar with the matter said. The leader said Vijaylaxmi Sadho is likely to be named as the state first woman assembly speaker. Govind Singhs name has also been discussed for the speakers post. Digvijaya Singhs son, Jaivardhan Singh, or his brother, Laxman Singh are likely to find a place in Naths council of ministers. Four-time legislator Lakhan Singh Yadav and Arif Aqueel, who won the Bhopal Central seat for the sixth time, is also likely to be among the ministers along with Jitu Patwari. The Congress leaders said some of the independents supporting Congress may also find a place in the council of ministers. Others would be accommodated as heads of various corporations. Congress managed to win 114 seats in 231-member state assembly. Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza said the oath-taking ceremony would be held at the Raj Bhavan, where Governor Anandiben Patel will administer the oath to the ministers. Rescuers have found the bodies of four workers after Sundays fire in a clothes factory in Mumbais Damu Nagar in Kandivali (East), officials said on Monday, a week after nine people died in a hospital fire in the citys Andheri area. The workers died after a structure of the factory collapsed due to the fire, which broke out in three shops of Ramlut Garment Company near MIDC bus stop on Sunday. The four men were rushed to Shatabdi Hospital where they were declared dead on arrival. They have been identified as Rajesh Vishwakarma, 36, Raju Vishwakarma, 30, Bhavesh Parekh, 51 and Sudama Lallan Singh, 36. The fire started around 4pm on Sunday and four fire engines and jumbo water tankers were rushed to the spot. The cause of the fire, which was declared as a level two fire, is yet to be ascertained. The fire was extinguished by 7.40pm but agencies continued their rescue operation for those feared to be trapped inside the debris. The operation continued till 6am on Monday. An official of the fire brigade department said it took more time to find the trapped people as the factory was located in a large area. The fire was confined to electric wiring, electric installation, garment and packaging material, machinery and furniture of the three garment shops. The fire was doused earlier, however, it was a challenging task since there were people who were trapped inside the debris and time was running out, the senior fire official said. He also said that the search operation was on. The incident came a week after a massive fire in Andheris Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Kamgar Hospital. Nine people, including a two-month-old baby, died in the fire and more than 180 were rescued from the hospital. And two days after the fire at the hospital, another blaze broke out at the same facility late on Wednesday evening. However, nobody was injured. . SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Pimpri Chinchwad police have arrested three truck drivers who were travelling from various parts of Maharashtra to Mumbai, for allegedly carrying beef. While one truck carrying 24 tonnes of suspected beef was intercepted at Urse toll plaza on Friday, another carrying at least 4 tonnes of meat was intercepted at the same spot on Sunday morning. A Toyota Etios suspected to be carrying 800 kilogrammes of meat was recovered in Chakan. While all the three claim that the meat there were transporting was not beef, the police have however sent the meat for tests to verify the claim. Out of the three incidents, two truck drivers have been arrested by the Talegaon Dabhade police and one of them claimed that the meat was meant to be exported to Georgia. The arrests have been made based on the information provided by the cow protection volunteers. "We arrested one of the truck drivers on Friday, presented him in court on Saturday and he was remanded to police custody for two days. He was identified as Mohammad Akram Ansari, 24. He had a certificate but we are verifying the authenticity of the certificate," said police inspector (crime) Narayanrao Pawar of Talegaon Dabhade police station. "He was carrying 24 tonne meat packed in small packages. He had transport papers and claims to have export-related documents as well, will be produced in court," said police sub inspector Dnyaneshwar Bajgire of Talegain Dabhade police station who is investigating the case. The driver of the tempo truck was identified as Sameer Hussain Shaikh, 32, who was arrested on Sunday and will be produced in court on Monday. Cases were registered at Talegaon Dabhade and Chakan police station against all the drivers. In what might just mark the end of high profile Bollywood weddings this season in India, comedy king Kapil Sharma is all set to host his final wedding reception in Mumbai on Monday. Kapil married his long-time girlfriend Ginni Chatrath as per Hindu and Sikh customs in Jalandhar, Punjab on December 12. Post that, they threw a wedding reception on December 14 in the city for their near and dear ones. His big fat Punjabi wedding was preceded by a jagran cum mata ki chowki ceremony in Amritsar, his home town and an Anand Karaj ceremony at Ginis home earlier in December. Kapils reception in Mumbai will be held at JW Marriot and is expected to see a host of Bollywoods big names in attendance. At its peak, The Kapil Sharma Show, saw stars such as Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan among many others attend the show. It has been reported that the next season of the popular chat show will be produced by Salman. Ranveer Singh, Sara Ali Khan and Rohit Shetty have already recorded an episode with Kapil for the new season. The opening episode is expected to also feature Salman, his father and brothers apart from the team of Simmba. Promos of the episode, to be aired on December 29, are already online. A card of the Mumbai reception invite is online too and reveals details of the venue. Meanwhile, a report in Mid Day, says that the excess food from all his functions in Amritsar and Jalandhar was given away to an NGO called Feeding India. It continues that no sooner did the NGO get to know of Kapils wedding, they contacted his team, knowing fully well that his ceremonies will be a typical Punjabi affair. No sooner did Kapil get to know of them, he immediately agreed to have the excess food donated. A source told Mid Day that when they told Kapil about their cause, he said yes without thinking twice. Follow @htshowbiz for more Rarely have Indian events and issues figured so prominently in London as in 2018, when the British capital played host to a calendar of conflict similar to everyday life back home. The Vijay Mallya extradition saga rolled on throughout the year, while the cut-and-thrust of domestic politics was reflected in two high-profile visits: by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April and by Congress president Rahul Gandhi in August. Strengths and challenges of Indian law, banking, prisons, politics and the media were closely examined during the Mallya extradition hearings, as the businessman used the media scrum outside the court to try and change the narrative that he stole money from India. The Westminster magistrates court recommended his extradition, but many hoops remain before it can happen. On the diplomatic front, there was a change of guard in India House, when Y K Sinha retired and Ruchi Ghanshyam took over as only the second woman high commissioner since 1947 (Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was the first). One Indian issue that has long endured in the UK is the row over Khalistan, which figured during Modis visit, when the Indian flag was torn by a supporter; a rally in Trafalgar Square in August seeking a so-called referendum; and a senior Indian official prevented from entering the Shepherds Bush gurdwara in November. In July, the Theresa May government brought the curtain down on the sensitive issue of enacting a law to bar caste-based discrimination. It decided not to legislate but to rely on emerging case-law courts. The 1.5 million-strong Indian community is deeply divided on the issue, with influential Hindu, Sikh and Jain lobbies denying that caste-based discrimination exists, stating that enacting such a law would entrench ideas of caste where none exist, while several Dalit and other groups insist it exists in Britain. During most of 2018, there were four Indian-origin ministers in the May government: Alok Sharma, Shailesh Vara, Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman (nee Fernandes), but Brexit-related concerns prompted Vara and Braverman to resign in November. Preet Kaur Gill was appointed shadow minister for international development. Indian community continued to figure prominently in royal honours lists. Neil Basu was appointed head of Scotland Yards counter-terror operations, while Imtiyaz Shaikh, who hails from Vasco da Gama, became the first councillor of Goa origin to be elected to the council in Swindon. For the first time, a Sikh soldier of the Coldstream Guards - Charanpreet Singh Lall - figured in the in traditional Trooping the Colour ceremony at Buckingham Palace for Queen Elizabeths birthday in June. On Independence Day, Scotland Yard returned to the Indian high commission a 12th century Buddha statue that was stolen from Nalanda, Bihar, in 1961. Militants detonated a car bomb before storming a Kabul government compound in an ongoing attack Monday, officials and witnesses said, in the latest violence to rock the Afghan capital. A number of gunmen have entered the compound where the Ministry of Public Works and an office of the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled are located, interior ministry deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said. At least three wounded have been taken to hospital, an AFP correspondent at a medical facility said. One had broken several bones after jumping off a building to escape the attackers. The other two were wounded by broken glass. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the raid that began with a bomb-laden vehicle exploding at the entrance. Ashraf, a witness who works at the Ministry of Public Works and who goes by one name, said militants inside the compound were exchanging gunfire with security forces. They are also firing at the NDS facility nearby, he told AFP after escaping the compound, referring to the Afghan spy agency, the National Directorate of Security. An Afghan security source told AFP the gunmen had entered the office of the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and Disabled. The attack caps a tumultous few days for Afghanistan after an American official told AFP late last week that President Donald Trump had decided to pull out roughly half of the 14,000 US forces in the country. The unexpected move stunned and dismayed foreign diplomats and Afghan officials in Kabul who are intensifying a push to end the 17-year conflict with the Taliban. The assault also comes a day after President Ashraf Ghani appointed Amrullah Saleh and Assadullah Khaled, both former spymasters known for their anti-Taliban and Pakistan stance, to head the interior and defence ministries, respectively. Militants have previously targeted government ministries and departments because they are often poorly defended and seen as soft targets. Mondays attack was the biggest in Kabul since November 28 when the Taliban detonated a vehicle bomb outside the compound of British security firm G4S, killing at least 10 people and leaving a massive crater in the road. While there has been no official announcement of a US drawdown, the mere suggestion of the United States reducing its military presence has rattled the Afghan capital. Trumps decision apparently came Tuesday as US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met with the Taliban in Abu Dhabi, part of efforts to bring the militants to the negotiating table with Kabul. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Monday sentenced ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case while acquitting him in the Flagship Investments corruption case in the high-profile Panama Papers scandal. Accountability Court II Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik announced the verdict in the two remaining corruption cases against the Sharif family, after reserving the decision last week. In its decision, Judge Malik said there was concrete evidence against the 68-year-old former premier in the Al-Azizia reference, and that he was unable to provide a money trail in the case, Geo TV reported. Sharif was present in the court when the verdict was announced. The Supreme Court set the deadline for Monday to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases against the three-time former prime minister. Three cases - Avenfield properties case, Flagship Investment case and Al-Azizia steel mills case - were launched by the National Accountability Bureau on September 8, 2017 following a judgment by the apex court that disqualified Sharif. Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case in July, 2017. In July, 2018 Sharif, his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year respectively in prison in the Avenfield properties case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices. However, the three were bailed out by the Islamabad High Court in September. Israel will hold a general election in April, a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Twitter on Monday, after a meeting between members of his governing coalition. The leaders of the coalition decided unanimously to dissolve parliament and go to a new election in early April, the spokesman said, quoting from a statement issued by Netanyahus political partners. A coalition crisis over a military conscription bill affecting exemptions from compulsory service for ultra-Orthodox Jewish men led to the decision. Netanyahu, now in his fourth term as prime minister has been governing with a razor-thin majority of 61 seats in the 120-member parliament. He heads the right-wing Likud party. Under Israeli law, a national election had to be held by November 2019. The order has been signed for the withdrawal of American troops from Syria, where they have been deployed to assist in the war against the Islamic State jihadist group, a US military spokesperson said on Sunday. The execute order for Syria has been signed, the spokesperson told AFP, without providing further details. US president Donald Trump has declared the jihadist group largely defeated, and made the surprise decision to bring US forces home -- a move that many US politicians and international allies fear is premature and would further destabilize the already devastated region. The decision -- which was followed by another to make a significant cut to the number of American troops in Afghanistan -- has prompted the resignation of defence secretary Jim Mattis and US envoy to the international anti-IS coalition Brett McGurk. Alkso read: Donald Trump defends troop pullout rom Syria, allies France and UK disagree Donald Trump said Sunday he had discussed Syria and the slow & highly coordinated pullout of U.S. troops from the area in a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The US president tweeted that the two leaders had a long and productive call, and also discussed the Islamic State group (IS) and heavily expanded trade. Trump shocked US allies on Friday when he announced plans to pull the 2,000 US troops out of Syria, where they have been helping coordinate a multinational fight against IS. But the move was lauded by Turkey. The decision followed an earlier Trump phone call with Erdogan, who has been pressing for a US withdrawal. An American pullout would allow Turkish troops to move against the hardened Kurdish fighters in Syria deemed terrorists by the Ankara regime -- but who have strongly supported US efforts there. A US withdrawal, said Mutlu Civiroglu, a Kurdish affairs analyst, will open way for Turkey to start its operations against the Kurds, and a bloody war will begin. Trumps sudden decision sparked turmoil in his administration, prompting the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, as well as of Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition. Several US politicians of both parties rejected Trumps claim that the jihadist forces of IS had been defeated, and many in the US military expressed alarm and dismay at the thought of suddenly abandoning their Kurdish allies. Barcelona was on alert on Monday after the US State Department warned of the risk of a terrorist attack in Spains second-largest city during the Christmas holidays. Exercise heightened caution around areas of vehicle movement, including buses, in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona during Christmas and New Years. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, and other public areas, the State Departments Bureau of Consular Affairs said in a tweet on Sunday. Asked about the warning during an interview with Rac1 radio on Monday, Catalonias regional interior minister Miquel Buch said police were working on this threat. We take seriously all threats, all of them are investigated, he added, without giving further details. Top-selling Spanish newspaper El Pais, citing anonymous police sources, said the authorities were looking for a 30-year-old Moroccan man with a licence to drive buses. Barcelona-based daily El Periodico de Catalunya said Catalan regional police had circulated an internal note that the man could try to drive a bus into crowds in Barcelona. Contacted by AFP, a spokesman for the regional police force in Catalonia did not confirm police were seeking a Moroccan man but said a temporary reinforcement of security measures in areas of high concentration of people was in place. Spain has kept its terrorist alert unchanged at the second-highest level despite the US State Department warning, although security measures were boosted in December for the Christmas holiday period, a Spanish interior ministry spokesman said. On August 17, 2017 a van rammed into crowds on Barcelonas tree-lined Las Ramblas boulevard, killing 14 people. The 22-year-old Moroccan driver then stole a car after killing the driver and fled. Several hours later five of his accomplices mowed down pedestrians on the promenade of the seaside resort of Cambrils south of Barcelona before stabbing a woman to death. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, Spains deadliest in over a decade. For London's ethical last-minute shoppers Just because you've left your shopping to the last minute, doesn't mean you can't still shop for stylish, sustainable gifts. Ethical lifestyle website BICBIM has teamed up with some of the UKs coolest conscious brands to host a Christmas pop-up shop at Old Street station from Monday 17 December until Saturday 22 December. Open from 7am until 8pm each day, with late-night shopping until 10pm on Friday 21, the pop-up will have a mix of contemporary ethical fashion brands, beauty products, pet accessories, festive candles and gifts for coffee and chocolate lovers. All items are available to pre-order online and can be picked up at the Old Street station pop-up shop. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You should upgrade or use an You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser In the ever-expanding social era, the perceived missteps of public figures continue to haunt them just as quickly as a Tweet is composed. The latest group of gentlemen to have their words used against them are now comedians Chris Rock, Ricky Gervais, & Louis C.K. who all appeared in a 2011 special alongside Jerry Seinfeld. In a new clip that has since found its way onto the Internet, the former three men have been brought under fire for their lax use of the word "ni--er." The clip in question begins with C.K. stating that "when white people are rich, they're just rich, forever and ever. Even their kids are rich." He adds, "But when a black guy gets rich, it's a countdown to when he's poor again." Chris Rock goes on to assert that Louis C.K. is the "blackest white guy" he knows before C.K. cuts him off to add, "You're saying I'm a ni--er." Chris Rock goes onto reply, "Yes, you are the ni--erest fucking white man." Chris Rock and Louis C.K.'s friendship and professional relationship date back to the [90s when C.K. was a writer on The Chris Rock Show, which offers a semblance of an explanation for such an exchange that has stirred up controversy among others. https://twitter.com/_/status/1076620069319438336 Notably, it's Jerry Seinfeld, most known for his clean observational comedy, who looks to be the most uncomfortable out of the bunch. "I don't think he could do that," Seinfeld says. "I don't think he has those qualities." The rest of the group tries to explain to Seinfeld that this is the difference between Rock and C.K. and Seinfeld and Gervais. "We say 'ni--er' on stage," Louis says. "You guys don't." To that remark, Gervais adds, "We can pair up in different ways but that's definitely a pairing. Who says 'ni--er' on stage? We don't." "But, you just did," Seinfeld replies. Naturally, the video has stirred up the classic debate of the use of the N-word across race and culture, with many users placing blame on Chris Rock for allowing C.K. to use the word freely while praising Seinfeld for saying something contrary to the general sentiment in the room. Others have brought into question perceived hypocrisy among critics to call out C.K. for using the word while having no issue when Black comedians use it onstage. https://twitter.com/_/status/1076624164117757952 https://twitter.com/_/status/1076691070162006016 https://twitter.com/_/status/1076661130712502272 https://twitter.com/_/status/1076638968425242624 The defense attorney for the man who has been charged with stabbing and killing an 18-year-old woman at an Oakland BART station is now arguing that their client is not competent enough to stand trial. John Lee Cowell's lawyer Christina Moore says that her client suffers from extreme delusion" and "paranoia," and is mentally unfit to stand trial for the murder of Nia Wilson. "I don't believe he's able to assist me," Moore said this week in Alameda County Superior Court. "We are unable to have any conversation about the case." According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Moore's remarks attracted gasps from those inside the courtroom with Wilson's mother Alicia Grayson speaking outside of the courtroom, telling reporters, "It's a lie. That's what white privilege does...That's like war. All white people do is say they're crazy." The case's judge James Cramer has now set a hearing for December 27th to decide whether criminal proceedings will be temporarily suspended. In the event that they are, the court will appoint two doctors to evaluate whether John Cowell is competent to stand trial. "It's not an evaluation that's determined by the deense team, "Moore said. "It's neutral, court-appointed doctors who would be making the call." It was on the evening of July 22nd, that Cowell allegedly stabbed 18-year-old Wilson and her older sister Letifah Wilson as they exited a train. The youngest Wilson died at the scene. Cowell immediately fled, leaving his belongings in the station parking garage, including his ID, which launched a manhunt that eventually led to his arrest the following day at another BART station. Becuase Cowell is white and the Wilson sisters are black, the case has drawn much attention as Cowell's crime has been suggested to be racially motivated. However, police and prosecutors say that there is no evidence that suggests that Cowell's actions were the result of a hate crime. Earlier this week, Trina Braxton's ex-husband Gabe Solis passed away. The 43-year-old died in his home state of Texas after privately battling cancer, which made his death seem sudden to those who were unaware of his struggle. Trina commented on the matter in a post honoring the deceased. Based on her words, the news of his passing made it to the public before reaching some of his family members. Trina apologized to his loved ones for the "leak." Her full statement is available below. Robin L Marshall/Film Magic "On December 20, 2018, a chapter permanently closed for my sons and I. For over 16 years, Gabe Solis was an essential part of our lives. Like all families, there are good and bad moments that are endured, but those moments, good or bad still made us who we are in the present. Unfortunately, someone leaked the story before we could make everyone aware of his passing, and I apologize to those friends and family members for finding out through social outlets. I also apologize directly to the Solis Family. I do humbly ask for your prayers for our families, but my greatest request is that when you are posting comments, remember Gabes passing is a loss for our family. He was a father to my boys, a son, brother, and friend to many and I would appreciate privacy and respect as we grieve his unexpected departure. @gabe_solis1234 I miss you, my dear friend." Indiana Pacers star Victor Oladipo is already in the Christmas Spirit and showed Pacers fans on Sunday just how much he's willing to give this holiday season. Renita Hill, a victim of domestic abuse who now works with the Julian Center, an Indianapolis organization that supports domestic violence survivors, was honored on the court by the Pacers during their match against the Washington Wizards. It was then that Oladipo surprised Hill by gifting her the Kia car he won for being the league's "Most Improved Player" during the 2017-2018 season. Oladipo appeared in the car during a taped message where he called Hill "an inspiration to so many people." It was then that the Pacers mascot gave Hill the keys to the car, who was visibly excited about the gesture. https://twitter.com/_/status/1076972921590071296 Sunday wasn't the first time Oladipo showed himself to be a charitable guy. According to ESPN, Oladipo won the NBA Cares Community Assist Award for December 2015. The Pacers star won the award for donating $35,000 to an organization that helps children with hearing loss. He also donated some money and a car to a single mother and her daughter so they could move out of a women's shelter in Orlando, Florida. Oladipo and the Pacers are back on the court Wednesday when they take on the Atlanta Hawks in Atlanta. Never mind the tattoos on his face, at around 6 feet tall with the mass of a linebacker, Juan Gotti is already an imposing dude. But, holding his baby granddaughter on his lap, he cant help but look a lot more harmless than he usually does. Anyone who has ever met the 48-year-old Houston rapper, whose real name is Juan Ramos Jr., would say hes a pretty nice guy anyway. Just dont get on his bad side. Its not difficult to get an idea of who he is, along with his music, he puts his life on display using social media. His audience numbers in the thousands on platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. On his Instagram page, where he has 15,000 followers, one recent post stands out because it features probably the most endearing side of the rapping hulk that you will ever see. Its a shift in demeanor that likely any gangster rapper who becomes a doting grandfather would show. In the video, Gotti is urging 2-year-old Layla to say something to his Instagram followers. Instead, the toddler shoves a finger in his mouth, and the two share a playful giggle. The grandpa life is good to the ex-con who became Houstons only rapper to be nominated for a Latin Grammy. It didnt quite change me because Ive always been like a cool person. But, having her, it brings it out of me a lot more than it did with my kids, he says about being a big happy teddy bear with his granddaughter. Blue-collar, barrio rap The close to two decades worth of music that Gotti has released isnt the stuff you would expect from a giddy grandfather. In addition to making what he calls his blue-collar rap music, he also recently took up lead duties for the rap/rock group KOR-AH-JEH, which is the phonetic spelling that can mean either courage or anger in Spanish. Their music, as their name suggests, goes hard on bending guitar riffs and Gotti belting out his best primal screams over a more minimalist approach to rapping. But his body of work, the sort of stuff hes known for, are piercing barrio tales that are both uplifting and menacing. His music, always true to his Mexican roots, is a style of hip-hop that garnered him a Latin Grammy award nomination in 2004 for his debut album No Sett Trippin. Hes one of the few Latino rappers in Houston to reach that level of success. Currently, hes fine-tuning his upcoming release, Mexican Inside of Me II, which is named after a song he released on his 2005 album John Ghetto. (Some of Gottis new music can be heard on his Instagram page.) He wrote the original song Mexican Inside of Me shortly after the death of his father, who was a church pastor in Houston. The song is built around the eerie track from the 1979 horror film Phantasm and has Gotti rapping in Spanish and English about using his TEC-9 pistol. Its considered by many fans to be a classic of the Chicano gangster rap genre and its full of brittle emotion. I was angry, and I was upset, my dad passed and there was so much I didnt get to tell him, he says. He wanted me to be a certain way, but I wanted to be my own person. Now back to the grandkids He credits his music career to the Bayou Citys great benefactor of Latin rappers, Carlos Coy, otherwise known as South Park Mexican. The rapper and entrepreneur who created Dope House Records helped guide Gotti, who came into his circle following a five-year prison term. Coy, however, is no longer around, having been sentenced to 45 years in prison for child sex assault back in 2002. Still, age and family life havent changed Gottis course, or his musical pursuits. He remains in awe of his grandchildren there are two in all with one on the way. Its nothing you can really just explain in words, he offers. But you will always be closer, I think, to your childrens children than your own children. Because you see a part of yourself in them. It turns you back to the daddy days when you had your little baby. I get to have my baby moments now, and my granddaughter is innocent, and I love that, man. I want her to believe in Santa Clause forever. Camilo Hannibal Smith is a Houston-based writer. The Poinsettia: Mexico's Christmas Gift to the World Ever wonder where the beautiful plant we call the "Christmas Plant" got its start? With the Christmas season upon us, some people may find it interesting to know the origin of this very intriguing plant. The poinsettia got its name, not from a horticulturist or plant person, but one of Americas notorious and outstanding Congressmen and physicians, Joel Roberts Poinsett. Mr. Poinsett was appointed as the Ambassador to Mexico by United States President John Quincy Adams in the early 1820s. Joel Poinsett had an interest in botany, and as a result, he would introduce plants into Mexico during his travels there as ambassador. During his visits to Mexico he would wander the country looking for new plant species. On one occasion he was walking along the side of a road and came upon a rather interesting shrub that had large beautiful red flowers. He took cuttings from the plant and took them back to his greenhouse in South Carolina. Even though Joel Roberts Poinsett was very dutiful in his appointment as Ambassador to Mexico and Congressman, he will always be remembered for introducing the Poinsettia to the United States. Did you know that the Poinsettia was a very popular and important plant to the Aztecs in the 14th to 16th century? Back then it wasn't known as the Poinsettia, but was called Cuetlaxochitl (from cuitlatl for residue, and xochitl for flower,) meaning "flower that grows in residues or soil." The Aztecs used the plant for medicinal and design purposes. The sap would be used to help with fevers, and the red pigment color in the bract (colored leaves) would be used for a dye in clothing and war paints. Famous Aztec King Montezuma would have the Poinsettias brought into what is now Mexico City by caravans because the Cuetlaxochitl (Poinsettia) couldn't be grown in high altitudes due to its lack of hardiness in cold weather. In the 17th century, Juan Balme, a renowned botanist, noted the Poinsettia in many of his writings. The botanical name, Euphorbia pulcherrima, was assigned to the Poinsettia by German botanist, Carl Ludwig Willdenow. The plant grew through a crack in his greenhouse. Dazzled by its color, Willdenow gave it the botanical name, Euphorbia pulcherrima meaning "very beautiful." According to the University of Illinois Botany Department, as the Poinsettia became more popular, renowned world botanist William Prescott had just published a book called the "Conquest of Mexico" in which he detailed John Poinsett's discovery of the plant. Prescott named the plant the poinsettia in honor of John Poinsett's discovery. In the early 1900s, in San Diego, a family with a long history of horticulture introduced the Poinsettia as a landscape plant and used it as a cut flower as well. Not long after their introduction of the Poinsettia into the landscape, its popularity as an indoor plant took off. Because of its unique beauty and red and green colors, it was soon adopted as "The Christmas Plant." The Ecke family became the largest grower of Poinsettias in the United States, and eventually it was introduced into Europe and other countries. More Interesting Facts About The Christmas Plant Many plants in the Euphorbiaceae family ooze a milky sap. Some people with latex allergies have had a skin reaction (most likely to the sap) after touching the leaves. For pets, the poinsettia sap may cause mild irritation or nausea. Probably best to keep pets away from the plant, especially puppies and kittens. Poinsettias are not poisonous. A study at Ohio State University showed that a 50-pound child would have to eat more than 500 leaves to have any harmful effect. Plus Poinsettia leaves have an awful taste. You might want to keep your pets from snacking on the leaves though since they can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Today the plant is known in Mexico and Guatemala as La Flor de la Nochebuena (Flower of the Holy Night, or Christmas Eve). Is it any wonder that this once-ancient medicinal plant has become a staple during the Christmas season all over the world? Poinsettia Day is celebrated on December 12th, the day that Joel Roberts Poinsett passed away in 1851. When you do go buy a Poinsettia, if you want it to last longer, find one where the "Cyathia" (sigh-aah-the-ah) is still closed. As these little flowers age, the leaves on your Poinsettia begin to fall off, giving your plant the appearance of "plant death." If you are one who treasures these plants, hang on to it, don't throw it out to die from winter exposure. It will regrow leaves over time and begin to replenish itself and grow up to be a nice looking plant. Make sure you give it plenty of light during the day, keep it away from the window at night and give it one and a half cups of water twice a week. Houston is making waves in the spa world with the opening of two new glamorous havens: The Spa at the Post Oak Hotel and Bergamos Spa Retreat in Friendswood. These new facilities reflect the national boom in wellness and spa experiences. According to statista.com, the number of visitors to the countrys 20,000 spas grew to nearly 190 million in 2017. Worldwide, the Global Wellness Institute reports the spa business is a $119 billion industry. Heres a look at what Houstons newest luxury spas have to offer: The Spa at the Post Oak Hotel Tilman Fertittas lavish Post Oak Hotel opened in March and became the only Houston hotel to earn AAAs prestigious five-diamond rating just six months later. Now, it has unveiled its $10 million, 20,000-square-foot luxury spa. We feel like this is one of the top hotels in the world, so we wanted to build a spa to fit the hotel, said the Houston billionaire and owner of the Rockets. We wanted people to walk into the spa after they have been everywhere else in the hotel and not be disappointed. The spa, which is located on the hotels fifth floor, was originally slated for another, smaller spot, but Fertitta, a very hands-on owner, decided it wasnt special enough for a hotel with a five-star rating. With its marble and granite accents and the aromatherapy that fills every room, the Spa at the Post Oak Hotel is a warm, luxurious experience. It offers seven treatment rooms with an enormous couples suite, tranquility pool with body-contouring, hot-stoned daybeds, aromatic steam rooms, detoxifying high-temperature, low-humidity saunas; multisensory thermal showers; and quiet lounges with zero-gravity chairs. A state-of-the-art fitness center is upstairs on the sixth floor. Spa director Daisy Tepper teamed up with Cinq Mondes, a French expert in spa treatments, to create a menu of services and products not found anywhere else in the nation. The offerings include the Grounding Ritual treatment, which involves Beldi black olive soap, cinnamon and eucalyptus, and a natural fiber mitt used to remove dead skin cells. The spa also offers one of the countrys most expensive facials, at $1,000 for two hours. It involves microdermabrasion, oxygen, LED lighting, radio frequency, electroporation and air massage. Spa therapists undergo an intensive eight-week training program to learn these services. We feel like our hotel is a worldy hotel, and all you have to do is look at our VIP guest list, Fertitta said. People are staying here from all over the world. Weve already had three heads of states stay here from different parts of the world. So we wanted our spa menu to be no different than a great restaurant, no different than a great room. As for the billionaires treatment preference? Im a simple guy. Probably just a massage, he said. The Spa at the Post Oak Hotel, 1600 W. Loop S., 346-227-5142; thepostoak.com. The Bergamos Spa Retreat in Friendswood Just outside Houston, in Friendswood, sits The Bergamos Spa Retreat, a $6.5 million day spa thats touted as the largest freestanding day spa Texas. Its owned by Marylyn Reed, the great-granddaughter of the late beauty and skin care mogul Mary Kay Ash. (While Mary Kays headquarters are near Dallas, the cosmetics queen started her sales career in Houston.) The day spa features a Himalayan salt cave, a yoga room, Therme water therapy circuit, 21 treatment rooms with Gharieni beds (the Rolls-Royce of the spa industry), an apothecary, blow-dry bar, nail and makeup salon, a spray tan and waxing area, a whirpool/wet area for men, a wine bar and spa cafe. Bergamos specializes in group experiences for bridal parties or retreats. Reed, who founded the spa in 2001, has completely renovated the facility, which was hit hard by Hurricane Harvey. She added a second story and more than tripled its size to the current 22,000 square feet. The spa, which is situated in a shopping strip, offers unexpected balcony views of woods and a tranquil creek. Reed learned much about the beauty and wellness industry growing up around the Mary Kay business. There was always a focus of treating people with respect, kindness and inspiring people. When you feel good, your whole life is better, she said. Ash died in 2001, just as Reed was opening the spa. She recalled visiting the beauty mogul before her death. She couldnt speak because she had a stroke, so she wrote on paper that she was very proud of me. Bergamos Spa Retreat is located at 313 E. Edgewood, Friendswood, 281-992-3775; bergamossparetreat.com joy.sewing@chron.com It wouldnt raise a single eyebrow to know that caviar sells at Astros owner Jim Cranes Potente restaurant downtown its high-roller Italian menu invites extravagant spending, after all. But even executive chef Danny Trace has been surprised by the popularity of the caviar service. The top-tier hybrid beluga, which sells for $160 an ounce, leads sales over sevruga and osetra caviar. And now, during the holidays, Potente is serving even more of the precious pearls. Weve definitely seen an increase in celebratory purchasing, Trace said, adding that champagne and caviar go hand in hand. If youre in a champagne-wishes-and-caviar-dreams mindset, plenty of restaurants in Houston will happily cater to you these days, whether its the imported caviar service at Mastros steakhouse in Uptown or the impressive presentation at Riel in Montrose. Those will fetch top dollar. Where caviar is concerned, however, you dont have to break the bank. Bargain eggs are popping up around town, too. Consider the much lauded Nancy Cakes at Nancys Hustle: corn cakes with a schmear of whipped butter and smoked trout roe the color of an Arizona sunset thatll set you back only $12. At UB Preserv, chef Nick Wong is offering Lotties Huaraches masa patties with cabbage, lime, chile and smoked trout roe for $8 each. Tobiuo, the Katy sushi bar that got a three-star review from Chronicle restaurant critic Alison Cook, uses the prestigious Calvisius caviar in its artful sushi, even offering a sampler (5 grams each of three different sturgeon caviars) for $38. Once a gourmet comestible for the posh set, caviar has gone through a food democratization, according to Diane Roederer, founder and CEO of DR Delicacy, the Houston-based gourmet-foods importer. Like truffles, caviar is now being used more widely by consumers as prices have come in reach for the everyday gourmand. We had a lot of people using summer truffles because theyre inexpensive, said Roederer, whom local chefs call the truffle lady. Now theres caviar coming from different fish other than sturgeon that gives you entry-level roe that are very clean. Its an inexpensive, but good, product. Roederer is referring to fish roe beyond the classic sturgeon caviar, such as hackleback (a freshwater sturgeon native to the United States); bowfin (another American black caviar from a bony fish from Southern waters); paddlefish (or spoonbill roe, a cousin to the hackleback); trout roe and salmon roe. Many of these American caviars come from farm-raised fish and are of a higher quality, Roederer said. Restaurants in Houston are offering more caviar both high end and entry levels because the prices are reasonable and theres more availability, Roederer said. Chefs have put caviar back on the menu, and people are asking for it, she said. At DR Delicacy, 4120 Directors Row, caviar prices range from fancy Kaluga hybrid at $120 per ounce to smoked trout pearls at $15 per ounce (bowfin is $15, hackleback is $30, and paddlefish is $38). Last year Roederer announced a partnership to deliver caviar, truffles and other gourmet foods through UberEATS. Though the use of caviar such as trout roe and bowfin is becoming more common, which Roederer endorses, she also cautions that the high-end stuff can be addictive. Theres nothing wrong with a bowfin, but once you start tasting a Russian osetra, its hard to go back, she said. Heres a cheat sheet to a few Houston restaurants using caviar in unique ways. ABouzy What: Artichoke caviar dip: A layered parfait of artichoke, creme fraiche and bowfin caviar served with house-made potato chips. Caviar: Black bowfin caviar comes from bowfin fish in Louisiana. Presentation: Perfect for a group and pairs exquisitely with aBouzys vast, well-priced champagne selection. Price: $28 Where: 2300 Westheimer, 713-722-6899; abouzy.com Kata Robata What: Uni hand roll with caviar: Fresh sea urchin and osetra caviar with sushi rice in a nori cone. Caviar: Royal Osetra Caviar, prized pearls that offer bold sea flavor. Presentation: Minimalist but pretty; part of Katas omakase menu. Price: Omakase is $135-$150. Where: 3600 Kirby, 713-526-8858; katarobata.com Tonys What: Hamachi crudo: Saffron-cured yellowtail with blood orange beurre blanc and osetra caviar. Caviar: Premium osetra from Kolikof Caviar, known for its impeccable beluga hybrid, kaluga and Russian osetra caviars. Presentation: Artful and precise. Can be ordered a la carte or as part of three-course tasting menu. Price: $39 a la carte Where: 3755 Richmond, 713-622-6778; tonyshouston.com Georgia James What: The Georgia: Hackleback caviar with over easy farm egg and toast; its the steakhouses unconventional caviar service. Caviar: U.S. caviar from the American sand sturgeon (hackleback or shovelnose); emerging as a connoisseurs caviar. Presentation: We love the egg and eggs theme of this beautiful starter. Price: $60 Where: 1100 Westheimer, 832-241-5088; georgiajamessteak.com La Lucha What: LA caviar and onion dip: House-made, Lipton-like onion soup dip topped with a slather of bowfin roe and a short stack of Pringles. Caviar: Bowfin, sometimes referred to as Choupique caviar or Cajun caviar, has fine quality and texture. Presentation: This lowbrow/highbrow dish always turns heads. Price: $26.95 Where: 1801 N. Shepherd, 713-955-4765; laluchatx.com greg.morago@chron.com twitter.com/gregmorago Roughly 50 people gathered outside the boarded-up St. Stephen Church on a recent Sunday, as they do every Sunday, rain or shine, baking or freezing. Gentrification has swallowed the surrounding First Ward, and two years ago, the archdiocese ordered their church to close. But here they were anyway, on the sidewalk and in the street: a stubborn little resistance movement. Bright plastic papel-picado banners bedecked the locked chainlink fence, and giant images of the Pope fluttered in the breeze. An enormous rosary, each bead the size of a grapefruit, draped over a portrait of Mary. Madre de los inmigrantes, the worshipers prayed to the Virgin of Guadalupe. Madre de los mexicanos. The congregation was locked out of St. Stephen, apparently forever, in May 2016, after the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston merged St. Stephen with nearby St. Joseph Church. As Cardinal Daniel DiNardo officiated over the merger Mass, St. Stephen loyalists marched in the street, wearing white and vowing to take their fight all the way to the Vatican. Astonishingly, they followed through. Even more astonishingly, they won. In April of this year, the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura essentially, the Vaticans Supreme Court ruled against the archdiocese, and in the congregations favor. It ordered the archdiocese to undo the parish merger and reopen St. Stephen. But that was eight months ago. And the archdiocese still has not announced when it will unlock the gate. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer From factories to fitness concepts St. Stephen, at the corner of Center and Silver streets, lies inside the fashionable neighborhood now called variously the historic First Ward, the First Ward arts district or the Washington Corridor. Former factories and warehouses hold breweries, galleries and fitness concepts. Pricey new three-story townhouses line the residential streets, and silos built to hold rice now exhibit art. As the worshipers prayed outside St. Stephen, just across Center Street a cheerful brunch crowd was filtering into Platypus Brewing, an Australian-inspired taproom. Its the kind of place where recorded platypus calls play in the bathrooms, and the beer menu includes a Mexican lager named Ole Chit. In the same development, Tacodeli, an Austin import, offers a Freakin Vegan taco on a gluten-free tortilla. Around the corner, In the Black, an elegant tile-walled barber parlour, charges $60 for a straight-razor shave. Its become hard to imagine the neighborhood in 1932, when Mexican immigrants began organizing St. Stephen. The First Ward was mixed-race and blue-collar then, a gritty landing pad for immigrants from many places. Some worked for railroads; others, for factories and warehouses. Previously, the areas Mexican immigrants had attended Our Lady of Guadalupe, on Navigation Boulevard a long walk away, on the other side of downtown. Then as now, St. Joseph Church was much closer, only a half mile or so from the location where St. Stephen now stands. But Houston was segregated, and St. Joseph, with its German congregation, was clearly a white church. Latinos werent welcome at either its Mass or its school. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer St. Stephen's legend has it that the churchs founders were mainly women, and that they sold tamales to raise the money needed. The churchs building, a modest brick affair with a white-siding steeple, opened in 1941. Missionary priests from the Misioneros Josefinos, an order based in Mexico City, led services like the immigrants had known in Mexico. Even as Houston desegregated and the neighborhood around the church gentrified, the congregation grew it had 900 families in 2016 without its character changing much. It remained mostly immigrants and their families, mostly low-income, most people far more comfortable speaking Spanish than English. Some families still owned houses nearby, so close they could walk to church. But many took the bus, or drove as much as an hour across town. It was worth it, they said, to return to Little Mexico, to be at the church where their families had celebrated weddings and confirmations. For us immigrants, said Juanita Alaniz, the church is like our own house, like our mothers house. Its not just the walls. Its the soul. Craig Hartley/For the Chronicle The Merger In 2014, a developer contacted both the parish of St. Stephen and the archdiocese about purchasing St. Stephens land the church, its buildings and parking lots to be redeveloped. St. Stephens loyalists say the developer is Lovett Commercial, which owns the hip development across Center Street from the church the one with Platypus Brewery, Tacodeli and In the Black. (Lovett Commercial did not respond to the Chronicles requests for comment.) Craig Hartley/For the Chronicle According to the archdiocese, the developer announced plans for significant new development that included property St. Stephen Parish didnt own, but had been able to use for parking. As a result of these plans, said a statement from the archdiocese, in response to Chronicles questions, it was apparent that St. Stephen's would struggle to thrive in the current location. In the letter informing the congregations that theyd be merged, DiNardo described their union as a marriage of husband and wife, noting that each party brings their respective families, history and traditions. From a distance, its easy to see the strategic thinking behind his decision. The two churches are only a half mile apart. St. Josephs grand Romanesque-revival church had room for everyone, and selling the St. Stephen property would generate millions of dollars for the new combined parish. Also, in the years since Houston desegregated, St. Joseph had actually become known for its diversity. In 1969, in a Vatican II-type attempt at outreach, the church added a mariachi Mass one thats still celebrated at 12:30 each Sunday. The heavily bilingual, majority-Latino congregation came to include a notable contingent of young professionals, and so, though it had only about a third as many families as St. Stephen, it was significantly wealthier. Neither parish was pleased by the proposed merger. Although both parish communities are predominantly Hispanic, at first it was difficult due to their different backgrounds and different life experiences, says the statement from the archdiocese. Both communities went through a period of loss and grief as they lost what was familiar. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle At St. Stephen, Mary Carmen Gallegos, 51, a relatively new parishioner, threw herself into the resistance. She and her husband own Houston City Tours, a business that carries visitors through the city on double-decker buses. Prone to tears but ferociously organized, she began collecting documents, networking with other St. Stephen parishioners, and surfing the Internet to learn about Vatican law. In early 2016, Gallegos and her brother managed to schedule a 10-minute meeting with DiNardo at his downtown office. She recorded what became a heated exchange, with DiNardo telling the pair that St. Stephen would be strangled by development, and that the decision to merge was his to make. You have to learn to accept, he told them. The three tigers St. Stephens childrens programs moved to St. Joseph in 2015, ahead of the rest of the congregation, and many of the parents who moved along with their children didnt like the new church. Some said they felt like second-class citizens, felt that the tonier St. Joseph crowd looked down on people who wore work clothes to church, on people who werent fully bilingual. They dont like us, Raul Gonzalez Oviedo said bluntly. And we dont like them. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer His wife, Gabi, corrected him slightly: We dont like the way were treated. St. Stephen congregants disliked that the mariachi music at St. Joseph didnt change with the liturgical calendar, and that the childrens choir was required to sing in English during the English-language Masses. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer They complained, too, about the parking. Though the archdiocese had pronounced the loss of some parking at St. Stephen as a reason for the churches to merge, St. Stephen congregants noted that the St. Joseph parking lot had only 28 spaces, far fewer than St. Stephen. It was said that many immigrants had trouble figuring out the parking meters near St. Joseph, and were afraid to park in the nearby courthouse lot. Some families began attending other churches. St. Stephen loyalists worried that their parishs land was going to be sold out from under them. They were furious that the proceeds would go to this new merged parish where they couldnt relax, that didnt feel at home. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer As the merger date approached, St. Stephen activists met in each others houses, strategizing late into the night. One night, around 30 of them stayed at Gallegos house until 4:30 a.m. For Gallegos husband, it was too much. She said he told her, Youre a businessperson. You cant take sides. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer I have to take Jesus side, she said. Second-class citizens Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Gallegos and two other women fierce Juanita Alaniz, 66, and joke-cracking Esperanza Fitch, 69 emerged as the leaders of the resistance. Los tres tigres, Fitch calls their trio the three tigers. Sometimes, when that sounds too bold, she changes it to three sad tigers or three little tigers. The trio certainly didnt seem likely to cause much trouble for the archdiocese. None of them spoke English as a first language, much less Latin. None had led a protest movement before. And they definitely didnt know how to navigate the arcane world of canonical law. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Fitch, the tiger most at home with computers, searched the Internet for allies who might help. They got lots of free advice from Brody Hale, whod founded the Catholic Church Preservation Society, dedicated to keeping churches open. And they found Sister Kate Kuenstler, a canon attorney and member of the social-justice-focused Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ. Kuenstler filed their appeal to the Vaticans Congregation for the Clergy. Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer The tigers appeal argued that St. Stephen had been improperly done away with, that the archbishops consideration of its real-estate value wasnt just cause. It was a risky strategy. Only once in the United States, said Hale, has the Vatican overturned a dioceses parish closure. (That was in 2012, for a group of parishes in Cleveland.) Barely a week after St. Stephens doors were closed, the Vaticans Congregation of the Clergy denied the tigers appeal. Alaniz told Gallegos: Dont cry in front of people! Fitch told her: Especially ones being mean to you! There was only one more option left. But to file the next-level appeal the one with the Apostolic Signatura, the Vaticans Supreme Court they needed thousands of dollars to hire a canon appellate lawyer, a specialist able to navigate the Vaticans Latin and its laws. Once, someone asked Fitch whether they had a lawyer already. No, she joked. But we can make very good tamales. The resistance group did, in fact, sell tamales, and chiles rellenos too. People pooled their money, Gallegos said. People gave $2, $5. A congregant who worked as a housekeeper told her wealthy employer about their fight, and the employer donated $500. Twice Gallegos traveled to Rome, lugging her plastic tub of documents, with the most important ones quickly accessible in a white binder. Once she got so close to the Pope that she managed to hand His Holiness a letter written by a child asking that St. Joseph be reopened. God gave you strength to write all these things, Fitch, serious for once, said to Gallegos. To say all these things in a language that is not our own. Finally, on April 25, 2018, the Supreme Tribunal ruled in St. Stephens favor, saying that the parish and church would have to be reopened. But the Vatican doesnt just post its rulings on the web. Its documents are in Latin, and are not made public. It wasnt until this fall that the tigers knew for sure theyd won. Gallegos wrote the archdiocese, asking that the church be reopened in time for the Dec. 12 Feast of the Virgin, and for Christmas services, and for St. Stephens Day on Dec. 26. But DiNardo didnt respond until Dec. 20, the same day that reporters joined the crowd praying outside St. Stephens. That day, after Mass at the merged St. Joseph-St. Stephen, the congregation finally heard an announcement from the diocese. The announcement said that on Dec. 11, DiNardo had received a letter from the Congregation of the Clergy guiding the implementation of the Apostolic Signaturas decision to reverse the merger. Now the archdiocese said it was figuring out how to do that how to untangle the finances, how to staff both churches, how to get St. Stephens boarded-up building ready for the public. The archdiocese offered no timeline or further details. And so far, it hasnt directly contacted any of the people who fought to reopen St. Stephen. Undoing the merger wont be easy. Its not clear which church will get to keep the missionary priest, or how a new priest will be found to lead the other church. Children whove attended classes at St. Joseph for three years have made friends. And even the most resistant of St. Josephs congregants admit that the St. Stephen volunteers have vastly improved their cafeterias food. The St. Stephen loyalists cant imagine whats taking so long. The Vatican required the archdiocese to maintain the parishs property and its bank accounts while the case was being appealed, they say, so everything should be ready to go. They note that canon law requires a church to be open to the public on the feast day of the saint its named for and though St. Stephens Day is the day after Christmas, theres no plan to open the church. Those who pray outside St. Stephen each Sunday worry that the archdiocese is looking for a way to keep the church closed. Some see this final delay in the darkest terms. Estamos luchando las fuerzas del mal, said Helmer Garcia: We are fighting the forces of evil. DiNardo doesnt have to do anything, said Alaniz. Just give us the key. Well do the rest. Drubbed. Shellacked. Whooped. Walloped. Routed. However you want to describe Novembers midterm election, it was disastrous for Harris County Republicans. They were swept from the remaining countywide posts they held the other shoe to drop after Democrats booted the Republican sheriff and district attorney two years ago and lost all 55 judicial seats on the ballot. For the first time in decades, Democrats will hold a majority of Commissioners Court. The path forward for the local GOP is unclear. The partys statewide slate went undefeated yet rebuked by Harris County voters, raising questions about whether its pitch to rural voters alienated urban ones. In the states most populous county, and his home base, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz got just 41 percent of the vote. Harris County Republican Party Chairman Paul Simpson, however, is optimistic. He said several local Republicans would have won, chief among them County Judge Ed Emmett, if straight-ticket voting had been eliminated before the election. Republicans in the Texas Legislature decided to retire the straight-ticket option after 2018, which traditionally benefited their party, but proved disastrous for the GOP in urban counties this cycle. Pendulums will swing back, Simpson said. Im confident in the near future, well be back. Scholars and Emmett, the county executive for 11 years before his upset loss, offered a less rosy assessment that of a party catering to a largely white, graying base that is failing to adapt to changing demographics and awaiting the return of a normal electorate that has ceased to exist. November 2018 should be a wake-up call, they say, but they wonder if the local Republican Party is listening. If you look at 18 as a turning point for Harris County, theres nothing data-wise that would give you any indication this was an aberration and not a structural change, said Jay Aiyer, who teaches political science at Texas Southern University. If anything, you could see it actually swinging harder to the Democrats in 22. Mark Jones, who studies Texas politics at Rice University, offered a more tepid view. He said the broad unpopularity of President Donald Trump drove some voters to the polls this fall who may not have participated otherwise. If you take Trump out of the equation and put in a more liberal Democrat its not clear to me that Democrats have the same level of advantage, Jones said. The county is trending from red, to pink, to purple. But I would not say Harris County is blue. Houston-area Republicans have regrouped and rallied after past Democratic surges. In 2010, two years after a majority of Harris County voters chose Barack Obama for president and swept the countys judicial seats, Republicans roared back. The GOP won each countywide post on the ballot and ousted Democrat Sylvia Garcia as Precinct 2 commissioner. Midterm elections traditionally have low turnout and benefit Republicans, whose voters tend to have higher participation rates than Democrats. This year, however, Harris County voters obliterated midterm voting records in a Democratic wave, and history suggests they will have success in 2020, too. Republicans have not won a countywide post in a presidential election year since 2012. University of Houston political science professor Brandon Rottinghaus said the local GOP would be wise to lower its expectations for 2020, which likely will feature an unpopular president at the top of the ticket. The Republicans need to show theyve still got a pulse after the disaster that befell them in 18, Rottinghaus said. Thats about the best they can hope for in a presidential year. Simpson, who has led county Republicans since 2014, said the party will focus on recruiting fresh candidates who can appeal to a wide swath of voters, rather than the sliver of partisans who vote in primaries. He lauded the success of Dan Crenshaw in the 2nd Congressional District, a young, charismatic combat veteran who beat better-funded candidates in the primary. Crenshaws win, Simpson said, showed candidates can be conservative and still be cool. The Texas 2nd, however, is a district drawn for Republicans that has a far greater proportion of white residents than Harris County as a whole. Simpson acknowledged his party has to attract a more diverse coalition, and said Republicans are making inroads. He cited the dispute among Tarrant County Republicans over whether to remove a Muslim party official as an example of backward thinking, and noted Harris County ran a Muslim, Syed Ali, for state representative this year. We need to make sure that we keep recruiting young people, party activists and candidates of all demographic groups, Simpson said. Back in 2016, however, the chaplain of the Harris County GOP objected to naming Ali as a precinct chairman because Islam and Christianity do not mix. Simpson said Republicans will regroup and unify for the 2020 elections, citing how Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick ended speculation he would challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary by endorsing him instead. Yet, local Republicans alarmed at the direction of their party are girding for an internecine fight to save their party from irrelevancy. Emmett, who narrowly lost his bid for re-election despite outperforming every other countywide and statewide Republican on the Harris County ballot, said he wants to pull the local GOP toward the center. He said he finds irony in the dont-let-Texas-become-California applause line that Cruz, Patrick and other Republicans used in their campaigns. Emmett warns the Texas GOP is repeating the mistakes of California Republicans in the 1990s, who adopted a hardline stance on issues such as immigration as the state diversified, to disastrous results. In 1996, the California party controlled five of seven statewide offices and 19 seats in Congress. Now it has zero statewide elected officials and just seven congressional seats. Emmett warned that Texas Republicans are running out of time to expand their base to include more young and nonwhite voters, and make inroads in cities where voters increasingly are turned off by their message. If we dont do something by 2022, this states Democrat, he said. Simpson, in contrast, predicted Harris County Democrats, with full control of the government, likely will push policies that upset voters and spark a backlash in 2020. He said the partys future candidates must emulate Emmetts broad appeal with voters without sacrificing their principles. We need to be able to win the center, he said. We need to win those people who dont agree with the party on everything. Jones, of Rice University, said the local GOP can attract conservative-leaning Asian and Hispanic voters by making a sustained effort to recruit diverse candidates. He cautioned, however, that the presidents far-right immigration policy proposals may sever any inroads Harris County Republicans make with these rapidly growing communities. If you have a president that effectively says you should be deported, youre not going to vote for them, Jones said. Zach Despart covers Harris County for the Chronicle. You can follow him on Twitter or email him at zach.despart@chron.com. Stephanie Molina and her family, like many other residents of Country Club Village Apartments in southwest Houston, were asleep when the building caught fire around 8 a.m. Christmas Eve. As the fire engulfed their apartment, three of the family's four kids made it out through their second floor window, Molina's aunt, Dalina Cruz said. Molina's husband, Pedro Guerra, was burned on the left side of his body as he tried to rescue the couple's fourth child, a 10-year-old boy, from his bedroom. UPDATE: HPD officer 'in for the fight of his life' after alleged drunk driver causes fiery crash Cruz was at work at an electronics store when Molina called her about the fire and she rushed to the complex on South Gessner near Bellaire. When she arrived, paramedics told her that 10-year-old Angel Molina had died in the fire and Guerra had been taken to intensive care at Memorial Hermann Hospital. Cruz, 44, held back tears as she talked about how distraught her niece and the rest of the family were in the aftermath of the blaze. "It's her oldest child," she said outside the charred building. "And of course to know that her husband also is injured we don't know his status right now, we just know that he's in ICU." Mario Gallegos, a public information officer with the Houston Fire Department, said the child and his father were rescued by a firefighter who was taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation. The spokesman said about six apartments were destroyed while nearly 60 were affected by smoke and electrical damage. The firefighter is expected make a full recovery Gallegos said investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire, but cautioned Houstonians to be careful with space heaters and candles that are common during the holiday season. Even before the ashes stopped smoldering, firefighters and others began bringing toys and gifts to the children at the scene, Gallegos noted. By midday, the American Red Cross had set up a shelter for the displaced residents at the Vietnamese Community Center at 7100 Clarewood Dr. Meanwhile, neighbors at the complex surveyed the destruction and relived how they escaped while gathering in front of the apartments where the scent of burnt rubble still hung in the air. The fire wiped out entire segments of the apartment complex, leaving only charred remains of walls, roofing and staircases. The brick exterior had crumbled away at parts. James Lee, 73, was visiting his nephew at his home across the street when the fire erupted. Lee's family had been preparing to wrap Christmas gifts when he heard a commotion. He went outside and saw large crowds gathering on the sidewalk near the burning complex. He said people were "pulling hair out of their heads, crying" as firefighters urged people to move away from the fire as they extinguished it. "I'm not even related to them, I started crying," Lee said. brian.rogers@chron.com jasper.scherer@chron.com Ray Biggerstaff had a larger-than-life presence in The Woodlands. For nearly three decades, Biggerstaff was an integral part of the Houston Community Newspapers publications. The Villager and The Courier. He took over as publisher of the two papers in 2011, before retiring two years later. His positions with HCN made him not only integral to the newspapers, but to the community itself - the go-to man for community members and leaders. On Sunday morning, the day before Christmas Eve, Biggerstaff passed away at the age of 74 after a years-long battle with a chronic inflammatory lung disease, COPD. Ray is known by one and all in The Woodlands, said Paul Lazzaro, former vice president of marketing for The Woodlands Township. Hes a fabulous, honest, trustworthy, intelligent man. According to Lazzaro, a memorial service for Biggerstaff is scheduled for 10 a.m., Saturday, Jan.12, at Brookside Funeral Home, located at the intersection of FM 1960 and TC Jester. Lazzaro and Biggerstaff met each other due to their respective positions in the community, but soon turned into best friends. With his talent, dedication and connections, Biggerstaff was a major contributor to The Woodlands, Lazzaro said. Biggerstaff found his way into the news business in 1987, starting at The Courier in Conroe after working in printing and publishing at several companies in the Houston area, including Eckerd Corp. In 1993, Biggerstaff started work in the sales department for The Woodlands Villager, which was founded in 1977. And in 1995, he became the publisher of The Villager. Between 1995 and 2013 - the time during which Biggerstaff was publisher of The Villager - the newspapers circulation grew to 42,000 and was incorporated into HCN, which has 26 Houston-area newspapers. Ray has built The Villager into what it is today - the primary source of news, information and advertising for residents and businesses in The Woodlands and surrounding areas, Jason Joseph, general manager of Houston Community Newspapers, told the Chronicle in 2013. He is not only the face of The Villager, but one of the recognized and respected individuals in The Woodlands. Biggerstaff was also known for his commitment to the community, particularly through his support of local nonprofit organizations. (Ray) cares a lot about the community and always is looking for ways to leverage The Villager to the benefit of the community, Julie Martineau, president of the Montgomery County United Way, told The Chronicle in 2013. He has helped make sure the nonprofits get the exposure they needed to be success. Lazzaro said one of his favorite memories with Biggerstaff were their monthly poker games for the past decade, that Biggerstaff usually won. He holds the poker record for our group, Lazzaro said. Unfortunately hes not going to be able to make the next game on Jan. 11. Were hoping to do a memorial for him. Biggerstaffs wife, Linda, is waiting until after the holidays to hold a memorial service for her husband. Actress and activist Alyssa Milano visited downtown San Antonio this week to join a locally based immigrant and refugee legal services provider. Milano updated her Twitter feed with notes from her Texas trip with the Refugee and Immigration Center for Education and Legal Services, better known as RAICES, throughout the week in hopes of helping others "better understand the plight of asylum seekers at the border." Milano, of "Who's the Boss?" and "Charmed" fame, visited detention centers in Karnes and Tornillo, then moved on to San Antonio's St. Mary's Street Greyhound bus station. "Just went to St. Mary's Greyhound Station in San Antonio," she shared with her fans and followers on Dec. 11. "This is where ICE drops off asylum seekers when they're released from detention. @RAICESTEXAS volunteers help 60 families a day to make sure they have the ability to get to their destination." FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox The group could not be immediately reached for comment, but in a tweet it said it's helped more than 3,000 adults and 4,000 children in 2018 "to ensure they have a smoother transition into the next chapter of the asylum process." Asylum-seekers at the station meet RAICES volunteers who provide resources sheets with information on lawyers based in their final destinations, where they will live with sponsors, according to a previous San Antonio Express-News report. RELATED: RAICES donates $3 million to flights for reunited families Milano's San Antonio-based tweet received varied reaction, from locals who were either "proud" of their city or critics who asked for attention to be brought to homelessness in America. In addition to her San Antonio stop, Milano "heard horrors" shared by fathers and sons at detention centers, RAICES said in a Twitter thread which included multiple stories told to them by detained men. One man told the group his 6-year-old son, a cancer patient, had not been seen by the medical unit and is not eating. "It's my honor to try and understand the system and also, to try to lift up the spirits of the children in detention," Milano said in another tweet from her trip. A day after her stop in San Antonio, Milano was highlighted by Elle Magazine for her decades-long activist work, including helping spark the 2017 #MeToo movement. 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 Detail of Facebook fundraising with photo by John Moore/GettyImages / Detail of Facebook fundraising with photo by John Moore/GettyImages Upset with the Trump administrations practice of family separations at the border last spring, thousands of donors turned to a Facebook crowdsourcing campaign set up for the immigrant-rights group RAICES to bond a family out of detention. The June fundraiser set a goal of $1,500. In short order, it took in $20 million the largest fundraiser in Facebook history. The San Antonio-based nonprofit went on to receive about $10 million more, coming from celebrity fundraisers to childrens bake sales. RAICES became the leader in a national rebellion against President Donald Trumps zero-tolerance policy, which was separating immigrant children from their mothers and fathers and placing them in separate facilities while the parents awaited court proceedings. Hundreds of thousands of people poured money into the organization, nearly quadrupling its annual budget, which was $7.7 million last year. It was awe-inspiring. It was humbling. There were wondrous moments of what was happening, but those were far outnumbered by the moments of reality as to what needed to be done, the responsibility that was being brought to us through these donations, RAICES President and CEO Jonathan Ryan said. Scrappy, brash and unflinchingly vocal, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services began raising its national profile. It offered a $20 million check to the Trump administration in return for bonding out separated families. It publicly rejected a $250,000 donation from Salesforce because of its contracts with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. And most recently, RAICES asked advertisers to pull out of the Tucker Carlson Tonight Fox News show for his disparaging comments against immigrants. We understood we were being seen as an agent now to solve this problem that is vast and complicated, and still in the hands of the government, Ryan said. But as its profile rose, some at RAICES questioned how it was handling the influx of cash and if it had the wherewithal to operate the new campaigns and programs it had launched. The money, said one current employee, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, magnified issues that were present before. In 2018, two board members and seven high-level staffers directors and managers in the organization left on their own accord or were fired, current and former employees say. Of the six employees who reported directly to Ryan at the start of the year, two still are on board, and they hold different positions within the agency, they said. Its about mismanagement, another current staffer said, adding that there long had been concerns about RAICES accounting practices, and that Ryan had been alerted to them well before the flush of cash and attention this year. If you dont make a change, thats beyond ignorance or disorganization, the staffer said. Last month, a group of employees retained a lawyer. In a letter to the RAICES board, the group listed more than a dozen concerns, including lack of financial oversight, reports of misused and misallocated funds and excluding program directors from key meetings, among others. It also requested a meeting with the board, without Ryan. The board hasnt responded. But when a reporter asked about the complaints, RAICES detailed its response in an eight-page letter. We reject these complaints and are eager to return to serving our clients as we have done for over three decades, the organization said. RAICES has nothing to hide. A big leap The growth at RAICES this year has been nothing short of explosive. Its Twitter following grew from about 2,000 followers in May to more than 76,000 a 3,700 percent increase. It hired 137 employees, 90 of them after June 1. It added three offices in San Antonio, Houston and Dallas, and its looking to add two more in El Paso and in the Rio Grande Valley. The nonprofit already the largest provider of immigrant legal services in Texas is taking steps to nationalize. L ast December, RAICES received $6,140 from 40 gifts. This month, as of last week, RAICES raised $358,000 from 2,474 gifts. The organization has posted nearly 50 open job positions. You can feel it and its really cool, talking about ideas of what we could do and knowing that we could probably make then happen. Before they just felt like pipe dreams, said Maria Osornio, a RAICES staff attorney on the family detention center team. RAICES is flashier now, too. It has new, highly produced videos on its website. In one, images of immigrants crying or lining up at the border flash between a video trained on Ryan as he talks about the nations immigration policy: If we dont do something about it, it will become who we are. RAICES will not let that happen. The video ends with a new tag line: Fighting for the soul of America. As might be expected with this kind of growth, RAICES reorganized. Titles changed, and staffers were shuffled into new roles. Ryan added the title of president and brought on several experienced administrators. Consultants came on board, updating the RAICES website and upping audience engagement through social media and other promotions. The consultants are different than the home-grown, immigration law-trained staffers that RAICES typically had hired. Their backgrounds range from documentary production at a large television network, corporate communications for an international company. One was a high-ranking digital leader at an agency with Fortune 500 clients, according to the response letter. Three current staffers said there was no announcement of the rearrangement. They said they learned it from checking out the updated About page online. The RAICES childrens program accepted more than 400 cases this year. In the Karnes County Residential Center, a detention facility for immigrants, RAICES lawyers and legal assistants provided counsel to more than 4,000 families. It launched two new legal programs, one to represent unaccompanied children, called LEAF, and another to provide legal services and pay expense for migrant families. And last month it set up a pro-bono assistance and mentoring program. The organization also has plans to launch a legal defense fund to pay for attorneys working for discounted fees. The amount of work the team has managed to get done this year is impressive by any standard, RAICES said. With more awareness also came more volunteers. There were days where it was just two team members and two volunteers to help a couple hundred people and it was overwhelming, Osornio said. So thats been a very welcome change to our newfound recognition. RAICES has spent about $2 million of the $30 million raised this year. The money was used to bond out 273 people from detention. The staffers letter accused the organization of not following up with immigrants who were bonded out. But in the response, the nonprofit says that never was the intention: It was not set up to provide follow-up legal services to hundreds of clients across the country. The response also says that to call those immigrants clients, as the letter did, was inaccurate because RAICES didnt provide them with legal representation. Were actually cutting bonds all the time and were exploring ways to actively pay more bonds quicker, RAICES spokesman William Fitzgerald said. According to Charity Navigator, a nonprofit watchdog, RAICES overall performance score is 89.24 percent, with a 97.5 percent in finances and 85 percent in accountability and transparency. Like any organization, that was a big leap. But I think all-in-all we put our little ducks in a row to make sure that we are meeting all our fiduciary responsibilities, said Olga Kaufman, a board member who sits on the state and national boards for Common Cause, a watchdog nonprofit committed to government accountability. The organization has hired a certified public accountant, she said, to make sure everything is on the up-and-up. When asked about concerns that several high-level employees either were fired or resigned this year, she said she couldnt comment, because it was a personnel issue. I think its normal for there to be turnover when theres a big growth spurt in an organization, she said. RAICES was a small organization and all of a sudden weve got quite a bit of money in it now, said Tony Davila, another board member who owns a local construction company. So were working through it. A huge responsibility Sitting at a table in San Antonios Cascabel restaurant recently, Ryan, 41, an Irish native with bright blue eyes and fair hair, said he just had approved spending a fraction of the nearly $30 million raised this year to bond out immigrants. I did $52,000 just today, he said. In many ways, RAICES continues to operate much like how it started as a reaction to an immigration crisis where activists felt human rights were in peril and sounded the alarm bells. Jack Elder and Stacey Merkt founded RAICES in 1986 during the height of the Sanctuary Movement, a 1980s campaign of churches that protected and sheltered asylum-seekers in response to a government crackdown. A year before founding RAICES, Elder was convicted of transporting undocumented immigrants across the border through South Texas. RAICES arose from that work, mostly providing social services to immigrants until the early 1990s when the nonprofit adjusted to the demand of the time and began its focus to legal aid. When Ryan arrived at RAICES from the Austin-based American Gateways in 2008, he became the fourth person on staff. The nonprofit was small, but it was being run by an admired character, in Ryans eyes: John Blatz. I saw at RAICES this salty dog, silver-haired guy who was very different from all of us post-graduate kids in Austin but was doing a volume of work that probably beat us all together, Ryan said. Radical from the start, Blatz then director of the operation, though he said he wasnt any good at it said he didnt want to take any government money, a philosophy that changed under Ryans leadership. RAICES continued its growth, which Blatz credited to both the demand for its services and Ryans command of the agency. In 2013, the nonprofit had raised $1.3 million in public support. By 2017, donations rose to $6.9 million, for an overall budget of $7.7 million. The situation at RAICES is interesting because its a huge responsibility to have that amount of money, but the amount of need is huge too, said Blatz, who still works as a lawyer at RAICES. In the past fiscal year, from October 2017 to September, more than 390,000 immigrants were apprehended at the border. The Rio Grande Border Patrol Sector had the highest influx, with more than 160,000 apprehensions. RAICES has gone through previous periods of crisis, where demand is high for its services, Ryan said. When the immigrant family detention centers opened, RAICES started a program for legal aid in those facilities. When unaccompanied minors were arriving at staggering rates, it started a childrens program. There was no way in hell that we would not have jumped head first, feet first, into this work, with or without the funding, Ryan added. But the funding certainly helps. Last month, RAICES sent a legal team to Mexico City, helping a group of LGBT migrants that was part of the highly publicized caravan and paying for their bus tickets to the U.S.-Mexico border. This month, it joined another agency in suing the Homeland Security Department and Secretary Kristjen Nielsen for failing to properly document and track families it had separated. Thats been the last 10 years of my life crisis management, Ryan said. You dont get from being four people to 140 people around the state in 10 years without going through a few crises, and some growing pains. sfosterfrau@express-news.net 12 Christmas Traditions - From Stockings to Mistletoe There are numerous traditions associated with North America's favorite holiday. But have you ever wondered why we do them? From hanging stockings to kissing under the mistletoe, here's an explanation of how twelve Christmas traditions got started. 1. Eggnog - It is believed that drinking eggnog during the Christmas season dates back to the early 1600s, because it always was considered a winter beverage. Eggnog started as a British drink called posset that included eggs, milk and ale. Today, the drink is popular with or without alcohol. - Legend has it that a Norse goddess proclaimed the mistletoe was a sacred plant. She did so in order to have the plant symbolize love, instead of death, which had previously been what it symbolized. The plant became a symbol of peace, love and goodwill, and the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe grew from there. Here's a little-known part of the mistletoe tradition: when a man kisses a woman under the plant, he must pluck a berry from the plant. When there are no berries remaining, you no longer can kiss beneath that mistletoe. 3. 12 Days of Christmas - There is a misconception that the 12 Days of Christmas refers to the 12 days leading up to the holiday. Actually, Christmas marks the start of the 12 days. In some cultures, the 12 days start on Dec. 25, while it starts on Dec. 26 in others. Either way, the 12 days culminate with the Epiphany. "Epiphany" means to show, make known, or reveal, and the Epiphany is when the Wise Men brought gifts to the Christ child, thus revealing him as Lord. 4. Exchanging Gifts - Some believe the tradition started with the Wise Men giving myrrh, frankincense and gold to Jesus, while others attribute it to Santa Claus, himself, St. Nicholas. There also is the thought that Jesus provided the greatest gift for mankind, so gifts are exchanged to remind us the greatest and first Christmas gift. 5. Christmas Trees - Druids placed evergreen branches over their doors, in the belief it would ward away evil spirits. Late in the Middle Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed evergreen trees inside or just outside their home to express hope for spring. - There are variations, but the most common belief is this started in England in the 1840s. Prince Albert of Germany had married Victoria of England. English peasants, learning that Albert enjoyed Christmas carols, started serenading him with carols in order to please the new couple. 7. Hanging Stockings - This started as a tribute to St. Nicholas. Legend has it that he once tossed three coins down a chimney of the home of three sisters, to help out the poor family. Each coin landed in a separate stocking that had been hung at the fireplace to dry. 8. Poinsettias - The plant is named after Joel Robert Poinsett, an American ambassador to Mexico, who was so pleased by the plant that, in 1829, he shipped some from Mexico to his greenhouse in South Carolina. The red part of the plant is said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem. A Mexican legend has it that a poor boy gathered weeds on Christmas to present to the altar as a gift to Jesus. When he did so, the weeds formed red blooms. 9. Christmas Cards - J.C. Horsley started the tradition in England in 1843, with cardboard cards that depicted a party of adults and children with glasses raised in a toast, and the words "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you," printed on it. 10. Fruitcake - This concoction started in the Middle Ages as a combination of dried fruits, honey and nuts. It has long been a dessert relegated for special occasions such as weddings and holidays, which eventually caused it to evolve into a Christmas tradition. 11. Decking the Halls - Since evergreens remain green throughout the year, they long were thought of as symbols of enduring and renewed life. So, they were carried inside during the winter in superstitious hope that they would ensure the return of vegetation in the spring. 12. Advent Wreath - The origin isn't clear, but pre-Christian Germanic people used candlelit wreathes in December days as a sign of hope that spring will bring warmth and extended daylight. It was adapted to Christian use by the Middle Ages. The purple candles symbolize prayer, penance, sacrifices and goods works. The rose candle is lit on Gaudete Sunday, which is the Sunday of rejoicing. DILLEY Six months after Sen. Jeff Merkley visited South Texas at the height of the family separation chaos, he returned here Friday to find the treatment of immigrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border different, but also, very much the same. The administration has gone from the child separation strategy to a different style of inflicting trauma on families, which is to lock the families up together, said Merkley, D-Oregon. Merkley became the face of the resistance to the Trump administrations zero-tolerance policy when a video of him attempting to get inside Casa Padre, a migrant childrens shelter in Brownsville, went viral. The practice of family separations ended with a June executive order. But since then, theres been a renewed push by the Trump administration to give immigrant families the choice between separation or prolonged detention together while they process their asylum claims. Immigrant families are also still being forcibly separated when authorities believe that the childrens parents could pose a danger because of gang affiliation or other wrongdoing. But some immigrant rights activists and attorneys say federal agents are doing so sometimes with scant or undisclosed evidence or using even minor crimes they committed years ago in the United States as justification. And a state appeals court recently dismissed a lawsuit that sought to prevent the state from licensing family detention facilities as child care providers, a move that immigrant advocates believe will bring detention centers one step closer to being able to indefinitely detain immigrant children in Texas. All of these approaches just make it a lot harder for immigrants who come here to seek their valid asylum claims, said Sen. Mazie Hirono, the Senates only immigrant and first Asian-American woman, who joined Merkley in his South Texas trip. On Friday morning, Hirono, Merkley, Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minnesota, and Rep. Judy Chu, D-California, toured the South Texas Family Residential Center, a former camp for oil workers that is now the largest immigrant detention center in the country. The facility is located in Dilley, about 75 miles southwest of San Antonio, and houses women and children. It can hold up to 2,400 people, though Smith said officials told her 1,500 people are currently living at the facility, half of those children. The group toured the Karnes County Residential Center later Friday, which houses men and children. The legislators planned to tour the facility for unaccompanied minors in Tornillo, near El Paso, Saturday morning. What we saw were mothers and children being locked up in what is essentially an internment camp, and the administration has plans to attempt to get permission to hold children for longer periods of time in that setting, Merkley said. Its just an extension of the strategy of inflicting trauma on children and families. Also on Friday, the San Antonio-based Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, or RAICES, joined a watchdog nonprofit in a separate suit against the Department of Homeland Security and its secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. The suit with Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington accuses the government of inadequate record-keeping of the immigrants apprehended at the border, resulting in a failure to reunify some of the families it separated when the practice was in effect. But for the immigrant families who are still together living in the Dilley or Karnes facilities, a ruling on Nov. 28 has threatened their promise of quick release. The 3rd Court of Appeals dismissed a lawsuit filed in 2016 by Grassroots Leadership, an Austin advocacy group, that sought to stop the facilities from being licensed by the Texas Department of Family Protection Services. The nonprofit argues that by allowing the state to license detention centers as child care centers, it brings the facilities one step closer to being able to bypass the Flores Settlement Agreement, which prevents children from being detained longer than 20 days. The 20-day cap applies to secure, unlicensed facilities. The government has argued that if the detention centers are licensed and non-secure, the Flores agreement would no longer apply and migrant children could be held in detention indefinitely. Attorney General Ken Paxton lauded the Austin-based appeals courts decision, saying state regulation would further ensure the safety of the migrant children. Texas strives to keep children as safe as possible by providing independent oversight over the family residential centers in the state through its child care licensing program, Paxton said in a statement. But immigrant rights groups are unconvinced. For example, while licensing means improved background checks of employees, the Trump administration waived that regulation at the Tornillo facility for unaccompanied minors in order to expedite its hiring process. The contract that the private prison companies have with the federal government now already subjects them to the existing (state) standards, said Jerry Wesevich, a San Antonio-based lawyer working pro bono for Grassroots Leadership on the case. He said the states stringent background checks should already apply to these facilities, based on their contract with the government. The question is who is going to enforce (the background checks)? Is DFPS going to do more enforcement work now at Dilley than it did before? he said. The legislators who toured the facilities on Friday agreed that while the conditions at the facility looked reasonable, children should not be locked up. Children are meant to be like any human being they are meant to be free. To be able to be at school, to be able to be at parks, to be able to play, Merkley said. That vision is destroyed when you lock them up. sfosterfrau@express-news.net | @SilviaElenaFF Christmas may be the best time of the year to take a nostalgic look back at what used to be. In that spirit, take a moment to remember Bob Hope, if youre old enough to remember him and when you do, think about all the American servicemen and women in foreign countries right now who wont be home for the holidays. Why Bob Hope? Because for more than 50 years through World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the first Persian Gulf war the comedian and actor brought talent shows sponsored by the USO to American bases and outposts around the world. Many of the events featuring Hollywood and Broadway stars were televised, which allowed the folks back home to see what soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen were enduring, including those in field hospitals. That helped prevent Americans from ignoring what was happening to their troops on foreign shores. Thats easy to do these days with a volunteer military that doesnt require the same sacrifices from every family. If you dont know someone in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria or dozens of other countries where smaller missions are under way, it may be easier to disregard the politics that will determine the fate of another persons son, daughter, father, mother, husband or wife. Bob Hope scraped off the starkness of daily TV news coverage to bring to our living rooms a more reassuring, and at times sugarcoated, view of the realities of war especially at Christmas. Not every service member overseas who wont be home for Christmas this year is in a war zone. About 58,000 are in Japan; 45,000 in Germany; 28,000, South Korea; 14,000, Italy; 10,000, the United Kingdom and 7,000 on the Mexican border. Thats right, there are about as many U.S. soldiers on our southern border as there are in Iraq, 5,000, and Syria, 2,000. It is believed that there are about 15,000 U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. Its hard to be sure because the Trump administration last year stopped reporting troop strength in that country. Americas enemies must never know our plans or believe they can wait us out, said Trump. It would be nice if the families of soldiers in Afghanistan knew more about the presidents plans especially at Christmas. Frankly, however, we worry that he doesnt have a solid plan for what has become the longest war in our nations history. It also would be comforting if there were a Bob Hope around to televise shows that might help reassure the families of service members overseas that their loved ones have not been forgotten. Hope is no longer with us. He died 15 years ago. That means its up to the rest of us to carry on his mission. Dont forget the troops overseas. Include them in your holiday prayers. Pray that next Christmas their loved ones will enjoy them at home. The upcoming Texas legislative session offers us the opportunity to end a policy that is well past its usefulness and is indeed a hindrance to the well-being of our children, Daylight Savings Time. In 1918, the U.S. Congress adopted an act to save daylight and provide standard time in the hope of increasing energy efficiency. Commonly known as Daylight Savings Time or DST, it continues in Texas to this day, despite the fact that the individual states have the right to opt-out and remain on standard time year-round. However, one hundred years after DSTs enactment, the recently filed House Bill 49 in the Texas Legislature proposes to end DST in Texas. Parents and educators should rejoice that this antiquated idea may come to an end as it imposes an exorbitant cost both in real dollars and in harm to our children. DST no longer fulfills its main stated purpose saving energy. In the early, un-air-conditioned 20th century, lighting and heating were expenditures only necessary under cover of darkness. In 2018, countless electronic items run around the clock - regardless of whether the sun is shining. Longer daylight hours were also helpful to a largely agricultural economy, but, like buggy whips and kerosene lamps, it does not have much practical use in the present. Indeed, the costs far outweigh the negligible energy savings. The most frequently cited negative effect of DST is the resulting loss of sleep. Though the autumnal shift is advertised as an extra hour of sleep, there is little evidence to support this claim. In fact, research shows that falling back causes just as much loss of sleep as springing forward due to the disruption to our bodies natural sleep cycle, and no one is more impacted by these twice-a-year disruptions to our circadian rhythms than our children. Simply typing DST children into the search bar on Google yields countless articles aimed at helping parents transition their childrens sleep schedules in the least disruptive way possible. Following a time change, children lose an average of 32 minutes of sleep per night. The cumulative effects of losing sleep several nights in a row has demonstrably negative effects on a childs performance in school. This sleep loss decreases childrens ability to focus and retain information. Some naively suggest simply not testing during the week after DST but it is irrational to ask teachers to sacrifice two precious weeks out of the 36 they are given, especially considering, test or no test, children are already less able to retain material from regular lessons for those two weeks. There is even evidence to suggest that DST negatively impacts SAT scores. Lost instruction time aside, children become extra cranky, emotional, uncooperative and even aggressive due to changes in their sleep pattern. Part of a childs experience at school is heightened social development when they interact with other children. The communal lack of sleep disrupts this crucial growth. The cost to children alone is enough to outweigh any perceived benefit of DST but it is a bad investment in other ways as well. A 2016 study Estimating the Economic Loss of Daylight Saving Time for U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas found that the time change costs the Houston, San Antonio and Dallas metropolitan areas alone almost $96 million. If that price tag is not incentive enough to end DST, studies also suggest that it can aggravate cardiovascular conditions, increase the number of fatal traffic accidents, and even cause miscarriages. Daylight Savings hurts our local economy every year, impedes our childrens ability to succeed, and technology has rendered the practice irrelevant, so who really benefits from it in 2018? We are still wondering. In the upcoming legislative session, Texans should join Children at Risk and support House Bill 49 and do away with daylight savings. Sanborn is CEO of Children at Risk, a Texas based nonprofit focused on research and advocacy for children. He also serves as executive editor of the Journal of Applied Research on Children and the Journal of Family Strengths. Emery is a policy intern at Children at Risk. 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. Xem them ... 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How To Launch Your Own Music Blog When it comes to being a successful musician, at least some content marketing is essential, and while much of this comes with a hefty price tag, starting a blog can be done for almost no money, and provides a lot of scope for marketing opportunities. ____________________________ Guest post by Joan Selby You may be a great musician, but are you a marketing expert? State-of-the-art marketing is what stands behind all those stars we admire. Maybe you cant afford a manager and an entire marketing team right now, but you can afford some content marketing. Blogging, in particular, is free. It might require a minimal investment in design and content development, but that will be money worth spending. You dont even have to be a musician to have a great music blog. Do you love music? Then you can be a critic and influencer who supports rising musicians. How cool is that? So how do you start your own music blog and make it successful? Thats what were here for today. Well offer practical tips you can follow. Start By Analyzing What exactly are you trying to develop here? Youll know if you first take a look at some of the most successful music blogs, regardless of their genre. Here are few suggestions for blogs you can explore: HipHopDX This blog provides news and reviews for hip-hop music. The content is fun, and its extremely focused on a specific target audience. In addition to blog posts, the website also features a playlist. See? We already learned a lot you can focus on providing news and suggesting tracks for your audience. If youre a musician, you can throw some of your work into that mix. Idolator Simplicity, clarity, and new content on a daily basis. Maybe this is not the most impressive music blog out there, but it reached popularity thanks to those factors. Popjustice This is one of the most popular pop music blogs. If you go through the content, youll notice that its highly relevant to the tastes of people who like this type of music. A & R Factory This blog promotes new artists. The reviews are great, and you can easily see that the writers know what they are talking about. Choose Your Niche and Set Your Goals If you take a look at all blogs we suggested above, youll notice that each of them is focused on a specific genre. Lets be honest: you cant be an expert in all genres of music. You have your own preference, and thats what you should focus on. The content you develop must be relevant to the audience that prefers this genre. It should educate them, share news, and provide reviews on artists and tracks. Those are the main goals a music blog has. However, youll have to get into specifics when setting the goals for your own blog. What will its focus be? Although youll find several other blogs that focus on the same genre, you can still rise to fame. You have to develop unique content for that purpose. Remember: you must not copy other blogs. Polish Out Your Writing This is the most important part. If you intend to develop a successful blog, you have to improve your writing skills. You can do that with a lot of practice. Here are few tools to help with that: Ideaflip a tool that helps you brainstorm and get great ideas for upcoming posts; Superior Papers a platform where you can hire writers and editors to help with the content development; WhiteSmoke proofreading software that will not only help you fix simple spelling mistakes, but will also focus on grammar, style, and word choice; FocusWriter a distraction-free writing environment that keeps you safe from wasting time on social media; Readable.io a tool that helps you check and improve the readability of your content. Develop a Posting Schedule Consistency is crucial! If you dont share posts on regular basis, your audience will simply forget about you. You can use a simple tool like Google Calendar to plan the release dates of your posts, as well as their development. If, for example, you plan to share a post twice per week, youll plan what those posts will be about, and youll arrange your schedule in a way that allows you to complete them. Here are few ideas that help you fill that calendar in: Interviews with musicians Interviews with industry professionals News from your genre Fun facts about popular musicians Opinion pieces and reviews Prompts that trigger your audience to discussions Did you get all inspired? The best part is that you can start a blog for free and start sharing your content with the world. When you gain a solid base of the audience (youll need tons of social media promotion for that purpose), you may invest in the design and content development, so youll elevate your project to the next level. Joan Selby is a creative writer interested in digital marketing and tech. In her free time, Joan enjoys playing the guitar and songwriting. Drop her a line on Facebook or Twitter. Share on: Belize charts sustainable, trade-led course for its fisheries December 21,2018 | Source: UNCTAD Belize is looking to diversify its fish catch to include red snappers and groupers, and not just lobsters and conchs, after holding its First National Stakeholder Workshop on Ocean-based Sectors in Belize City on 2829 November. The central American country is tackling the challenge of guaranteeing food security and jobs in its essential seafood and fisheries sectors while maintaining the integrity of its marine environment. The workshop, supported by UNCTAD and the United Nations Division of Oceans Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS) in cooperation with the Commonwealth, gathered together about 25 stakeholders from state authorities, the private sector, and regional intergovernmental organizations to map out a strategy for two ocean-based sectors: Red Snapper The sustainable use of species of finfish (not shellfish) from the sea Seafood production that adds value to meet demand for processed goods Production of lobsters and conchs in Belize, mainly destined for dinner plates in the United States, has remained stable for several years because the catch has probably reached the maximum sustainable yield. There is a clear need to diversify target species with a focus on a range of pelagic finfish like red snappers and groupers to scale up supply, strengthen food security, increase value addition and tap demand from locals and tourists alike, UNCTAD legal officer David Vivas said. UNCTAD economic officer Marco Fugazza added: These species are currently underused and could be made into fish fillets and frozen fish parts, or used in sauces and canned products, for example. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Theme(s): Post Harvest Technology and Trade. Warning on fisheries jobs as a third of Irish catch is at risk December 24,2018 | Source: Irish Examiner EU fishery ministers set quotas for 2019 last week, some of which followed scientists advice. Days later, our Government announced a ban on trawlers over 18m within six nautical miles of the coast. The restrictions come into effect in 2020 and will reduce the take-everything impact of industrial-scale trawlers and make smaller vessels sustainable. Like many reform packages in Ireland, the six-mile exclusion zone is a consequence of EU obligations rather than a belated save-our-world change of heart at the cabinet. The move is a key step for fisheries protection introduction of Marine Protected Areas under the Marine Strategic Framework Directive which must be in place by 2020. The move, however, may not avert a political rather than an ecological crisis in the sector. Agriculture and Marine Minister Michael Creed, pointing out that around a third of Irelands catch is taken from British waters, has warned that thousands of fishery workers could lose their jobs if a hard Brexit excluded non-British vessels from waters they have fished for decades. Irish Examiner Ltd, Linn Dubh, Assumption Road, Blackpool, Cork. Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. Veteran journalist and three media staff killed in bombing attack in Somalia A prominent Somali journalist, his driver and 2 media security staff were killed in a suicide car bomb attack in Somali capital Mogadishu on 22 December. The IFJ joins its affiliate the National Union of Somali journalists in firmly condemning the attack and asking to bring perpetrators to justice. On 22 December in the morning, two suicide attacks took place at a military check point in Mogadishu, near Somalias presidential palace, killing at least 16 people and wounding over 20 others. Awil Dahir Salad, anchor of popular Universal TV stations show Dood Wadaag, his driver Abdiqadir Hassan Yusuf and his two bodyguards Mohamed Dubad Gajaow and Ibrahim Mohayadin Ahmed were killed in the first blast caused by Minivan-riding attacker who detonated explosives in a car at the checkpoint. A second blast occurred some minutes after the first blast, causing more deaths. Al-Qaida-linked al-Shabaab has claimed responsibility for the attack. Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ Secretary General said: Today is another day of sadness. We mourn the tragic death of Awil Dahir Salad in this heartless attack. This murder underlines the acute dangers that journalists and civilians are facing. We send our heartfelt condolences to Salads family. Anthony Bellanger, IFJ General Secretary said: This terrible killing leaves the journalism community in shock. We demand a full investigation into this attack and justice for our colleagues. -- Imperial Valley News Center Former Taft Inmate Found Guilty of Threatening to Assault a Federal Judge Fresno, California - After a four-day trial, a federal jury found Craig Martin Shults, 48, of New York, guilty of retaliating against a federal official by threat, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. According to evidence presented at trial, in 2016 at a federal prison in Taft, California, Shults, then an inmate, made threats to assault a federal judge with the intent to retaliate against the judge for presiding over a prior criminal case involving Shults. He made the threatening communications in retaliation for, among other reasons, being remanded to custody following a bond violation hearing, and being sentenced to a substantially longer prison sentence than Shults requested following Shults prior conviction. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela L. Scott and Henry Z. Carbajal III are prosecuting the case. Shults is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill on March 11, 2019. Shults faces a maximum statutory penalty of six years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. Imperial Valley News Center Credit Union Employee Found Guilty of Fraudulently Obtaining Lines of Credit for Her Online Boyfriend Los Angeles, California - An Orange County woman who used her position at a Hawthorne-based credit union to secretly open more than 25 fraudulent lines of credit for her online boyfriend, extending more than $2.7 million in credit to him, has been found guilty of 15 federal charges, including fraud and conspiracy. Indira Mohabir, 42, of La Palma, was found guilty on Monday after a three-day jury trial. The jury found Mohabir guilty on all 15 counts in a grand jury indictment, which charged her with one count of conspiracy to commit insider fraud and financial institution fraud, eight counts of insider fraud on a federally-insured financial institution and six counts of financial institution fraud. Mohabir is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Andre Birotte Jr. on April 5. Mohabir faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison on the conspiracy count and a maximum of 30 years in prison for each of the fraud charges. Criminal charges are still pending against Phillip Cook, 51, who currently resides in Las Vegas, and who was able to withdraw approximately $1 million of the illicitly obtained funds before the scheme was discovered. Mohabir, who worked as a business loan processor at Western Federal Credit Union, now doing business as Unify Financial Credit Union, began a romantic online relationship with Cook in approximately November 2014, according to text messages and emails that were introduced at trial. Although the two did not meet in person during the relevant time period, they quickly began daily correspondence by text, email and phone, exchanging messages and talking multiple times a day. Their romantic discussions were interwoven with discussions of how to open credit lines at the credit union, and Mohabir agreed to use her position to help Cook open these credit lines. According to testimony from Mohabirs supervisors and a fraud investigator at the credit union, which was corroborated by bank records, Mohabir opened lines of credit outside of her authority and without the necessary approvals from the credit union, and she overrode and bypassed the credit unions internal controls to get the credit lines opened. In exchange for Mohabirs agreement to open the lines of credit and her assistance in keeping the credit lines hidden, Cook promised to take Mohabir on exotic trips, and he sent her flowers and money, including a $50,000 check drawn on the credit lines that she opened for him a check that was intercepted at the credit union, according to evidence introduced at trial and court documents. The scheme started in late November 2014 and lasted about two months, but most of the credit lines were established or were doubled over a few days in January 2015. This case is the result of an ongoing investigation being conducted by the FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General. The Hawthorne Police Department provided substantial assistance. The case against Cook and Mohabir is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kerry L. Quinn and Scott Paetty of the Major Frauds Section. Fresno Residents Sentenced to Prison for Unlawfully Possessing Firearms Fresno, California - Devone Johnson, 32, of Fresno, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to three years in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Co-defendant Anthony Thomas, 26, also of Fresno, was sentenced last week to two years and nine months in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on October 9, 2016, Johnson and Thomas possessed an Uzi Model A, 9 mm rifle. On October 30, 2016, Johnson told an associate he had a .45-caliber handgun for sale. When he was arrested at a Fresno residence on November 3, 2016, Johnson was found with three additional firearms and ammunition, including a shotgun and two handguns. Both Thomas and Johnson were prohibited from possessing firearms because of their prior felony convictions. This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Fresno Police Department, MAGEC, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Fresno County District Attorneys Office, the California Department of Justice, and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Special Operations Unit (SOU). The CHP SOU is a collaborative investigative effort between the California Department of Justice and the CHP that provides statewide enforcement for combating violent career criminals, gangs, and organized crime groups, along with intrastate drug traffickers. The Fresno County Sheriffs Office, the Clovis Police Department, and Fresno County Probation also assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez and Christopher D. Baker prosecuted the case. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justices violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Pasadena Man Who Trafficked Narcotics by Airplane Luggage from LAX to Detroit Sentenced Los Angeles, California - A Pasadena man who organized and directed a conspiracy to ship multi-kilogram quantities of heroin and cocaine in airplane luggage from Los Angeles to Detroit was sentenced Monday to 162 months in federal prison. Kevin Blair, a.k.a. Wood, 47, who pleaded guilty in September to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, was sentenced by United States District Judge Christina A. Snyder. Blair obtained heroin and cocaine from his supply source in Los Angeles, arranged to have drug couriers from Detroit fly to Los Angeles, and then had them return to Detroit with the narcotics concealed in their luggage, according to court documents. Blair also directed a co-conspirator to book airline tickets with his credit cards and directed another co-conspirator to arrange for the couriers ground transportation and lodging. A co-defendant, Delano Leflore, 39, a.k.a. Bop Bop, of Detroit, was sentenced in October to 10 years in federal prison for his role in the drug trafficking conspiracy after he pleaded guilty to the same narcotics conspiracy. Kennsha Mason, 30, of Detroit, one of Blairs drug couriers, was sentenced in October to 27 months in federal prison after she too pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin. According to court documents, Mason was hired to transport narcotics from Detroit to Los Angeles. During one trip to Los Angeles in early March 2017, Mason travelled to a townhouse on South Oakland Avenue in Pasadena, where Blair supplied the narcotics that were discovered by law enforcement in her suitcase. Another defendant, Gabriela Maria de Leon, 29, of Woodland Hills, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and served 16 months in custody. The case against Blair and Leflore followed the seizure of approximately two kilograms of heroin and approximately one kilogram of cocaine at Los Angeles International Airport on March 7, 2017 after the narcotics were discovered in checked luggage. Mason was arrested at the scene. The DEA Los Angeles International Airport Narcotics Task Force, an inter-agency task force based at LAX, is conducting this investigation. The Pasadena Police Department provided assistance. The Task Force also is comprised of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Los Angeles Airport Police, the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. The Task Force also works closely with the United States Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration on this case. The case against Blair was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Wyman of the Major Frauds Section and Jehan Pernas of the General Crimes Section. Three Defendants Indicted For Conspiracy To Commit Murder, Drug Trafficking, And Related Crimes San Francisco, California - A federal grand jury in San Francisco returned a superseding indictment charging Marcus Etienne, a.k.a. Hitler, Mario Robinson, and Burte Gucci Rhodes, a.k.a. Moeshawn, with murder-for-hire, a number of firearms and drug distribution offenses, and related crimes, announced United States Attorney Alex G. Tse, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett and Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Tara Sullivan. Etienne and Robinson also are charged with racketeering conspiracy. The superseding indictment, filed today, amends racketeering, murder, and conspiracy charges originally filed February 16, 2017, and updated August 3, 2017, against Etienne, Robinson, and other defendants. The charges stem from a multi-state marijuana trafficking organization and the murder of Trince Thibodeaux on March 22, 2016, at 90th Ave. and International Boulevard in Oakland, Calif. The superseding indictment alleges that Etienne, 37, of Opelousas, La., ran an enterprise consisting of more than five members who conducted a continuing and extensive narcotics conspiracy and criminal organization. The criminal organization and conspiracy distributed marijuana from California to Louisiana and Texas. The superseding indictment filed today makes clear that Etienne conspired with, Robinson, 35, of Oakland, and Rhodes, 37, of Oakland, to murder Thibodeaux on March 22, 2016, in Oakland. According to the indictment, Rhodes shot and killed Thibodeaux and $5000 was promised in exchange for the murder. Etienne and Robinson also are charged with racketeering conspiracy and being part of an enterprise referred to in the indictment as the Etienne Enterprise, based in St. Martin Parish La. The Etienne Enterprise engaged in narcotics distribution, assault, robbery, extortion, extortionate collection of extensions of credit, murder for hire, murder, money laundering, illegal firearms possession, and obstruction of justice. Among the activities of the racketeering conspiracy was a gambling operation through a large-scale dogfighting ring. The racketeering conspiracy existed since January 7, 2013, and its members operated in Louisiana, in the Northern District of California, in Texas, and elsewhere. The defendants are charged in the superseding indictment as follows: DEFENDANT CHARGES STATUTE MAXIMUM STATUTORY PENALTY Marcus Etienne a/k/a Hitler Conspiracy to Distribute and possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana 21 U.S.C. 846, 841, and (b)(1)(A) Not less than 10 years or more than life in prison $10,000,000 fine After filing of prior conviction, if applicable, not less than 20 years or more than life in prison and $20,000,000 fine Murder during a narcotics offense 21 U.S.C. 848(e)(1)(A) Not less than 20 years and not more than live in prison $250,000 fine Use or possession of a firearm in murder 18 U.S.C. 924(j) Not less than 10 years or more than life in prison. $250,000 fine Conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity 18 U.S.C. 1962(d) Life in prison $250,000 fine Murder in aid of racketeering 18 U.S.C. 1959(a)(1) Mandatory life in prison $250,000 fine Conspiracy to commit murder in aid or racketeering 18 U.S.C. 1959(a)(5) Ten years in prison $250,000 fine Murder for hire 18 U.S.C. 1958 Mandatory life in prison $250,000 Conspiracy 18 U.S.C. 371 Five years in prison $250,000 fine Assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering 18 U.S.C. 1959(a)(3) 20 years in prison $250,000 fine Conspiracy to commit money laundering 18 U.S.C. 1956(h) 20 years in prison $250,000 fine Money laundering (2 counts) 18 U.S.C. 1956(a)(1)(A)(i) and (a)(1)(B)(i) (each count) 20 years in prison $250,000 fine Mario Robinson Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana 21 U.S.C. 846, 841, and (b)(1)(A) Not less than 10 years or more than life in prison $10,000,000 fine After filing of prior conviction, if applicable, not less than 20 years or more than life in prison and $20,000,000 fine Murder during a narcotics offense 21 U.S.C. 848(e)(1)(A) Not less than 20 years and not more than live in prison $250,000 fine Use or possession of firearm in murder 18 U.S.C. 924(j) Not less than 10 years or more than life in prison. $250,000 fine Conspiracy to conduct the affairs of an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity 18 U.S.C. 1962(d) Life in prison $250,000 fine Murder in aid of racketeering 18 U.S.C. 1959(a)(1) Mandatory life in prison $250,000 fine Murder for hire 18 U.S.C. 1958 Mandatory life in prison $250,000 Conspiracy 18 U.S.C. 371 Five years in prison $250,000 fine Conspiracy to commit money laundering 18 U.S.C. 1956(h) 20 years in prison $250,000 fine Money laundering (3 counts) 18 U.S.C. 1956(a)(1)(A)(i) and (a)(1)(B)(i) (each count) 20 years in prison $250,000 fine Burte Gucci Rhodes a/k/a Moeshawn Murder for hire 18 U.S.C. 1958 Mandatory life in prison $250,000 Use or possession of a firearm to commit murder 18 U.S.C. 924(j) Not less than 10 years or more than life in prison. $250,000 fine Conspiracy 18 U.S.C. 371 Five years in prison $250,000 fine Possession with intent to distribute heroin 21 U.S.C. 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B)(i) Not less than 5 years or more than 40 years in prison $5,000,000 fine Possession of firearms in connection with drug trafficking offenses 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(1)(A) & (B) Not less than 5 and 10 years consecutive in prison $250,000 fine Additional fines, forfeitures, restitution, and special assessments also may be imposed. However, any sentence after conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. 3553. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendants is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Etienne remains in custody based on the February 16, 2017, indictment. Robinson was arrested in Louisiana on August 4, 2017, and appeared on August 7, in federal court in the Western District of Louisiana. Rhodes was arrested December 5, 2018, on a federal arrest warrant. The case is assigned to the Honorable William Alsup, United States District Judge, for the Northern District of California. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith Osborn and William Frentzen with the assistance of Jessica Meegan and Bridget Kilkenny. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations San Francisco, New Orleans, Houston Divisions; IRS-CI; Oakland Police Department; with the assistance from the St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, Sheriffs Office, Opelousas, Louisiana Police Department. The house is decorated, the fridge is packed with groceries, and friends and family are on the way. Now all that's left to do is kick back and enjoy the holidays. What's the best way to do that? With books , of course. And helpfully TED is just out with a well timed selection of books that will help you get in that happy, inspired holiday spirit. Their massive list of feel-good books recommended by past speakers covers everything from sci-fi and cooking to business and biography. I've filtered out some of the more niche picks (though check the complete list of 78 if you're after poetry, children's books, or other off-the-beaten path options) for a list of books that are sure to make most everyone smile. Media influencers have taken the marketing world by storm. Bloggers, podcasters, and YouTubers have built niche markets and strong personal brands with loyal followings that extend into the business community. Many universities use YouTube personalities or well-known bloggers and their social media marketing strategies as case studies in class. Why? These influencers have used social media marketing to cultivate their brand and continue to build their audience. If you are a media influencer or a business leader with an established personal brand, what is the next step to move the "business of you" forward? Consider more deliberately pursuing thought leadership. Being seen as a thought leader means you lead your industry by establishing yourself as an expert in your field. These steps will help you further your personal brand and pave the way to being seen as a bonafide expert in your field. Sponsored content Sponsored content is an excellent way to start monetizing your content. It takes the form of native advertising on your page that doesn't detract from the user experience. If you are using sponsored content, it is key to be ethical and clearly disclose that fact. If you are being paid to review a product or service, be 100% truthful. If it is not something you would ever use again, don't review it. It is better in the long run to remain honest and truthful to your followers than to make some extra cash on a product you wouldn't normally recommend. Speaking engagements Booking speaking engagements is an excellent way to build your platform and establish yourself as a thought leader. Speaking engagements help build your audience, establish the leadership you have in your field, build relationships, and share your message in a more personal way. Research conferences, conventions, keynotes, and other engagements related to your field. Study the core themes and submit multiple ideas for proposals. It's smart to build relationships with the meeting planners who help secure resources for conferences, and start early because the decisions on speakers are often made six months to a year before the event. Writing a book If you've been diligent about building your personal brand, you probably already have a wealth of content and a loyal audience. Writing a book is a great next step to establish yourself as a thought leader. It's important to zero in on your message and audience from the very beginning. Are there certain topics you speak or write about that always drum up engagement or a large conversion rate? A book gives you the room to dig deeper into these ideas, and with strong distribution, it also provides a tool to extend your brand to a new audience through the retail market. If you're unsure about whether or not you have enough to say on your subject to support a book, take a stab at an outline first to see where some of the structural gaps may be. Sir Elton John and David Furnish have delivered a Christmas thank you to everyone who has supported The Independents AIDSfree appeal so far but there is still more to do. The couple wrapped up the 12 days of our Christmas series with Mondays message from their home in Berkshire. Over the last 11 days, celebrities and HIV campaigners have been recording their appeals for your donations to AIDSfree, which is supporting projects run by the Elton John AIDS Foundation in the UK and across the world. AIDSfree is aiming to boost awareness about HIV and Aids, and encourage those at risk of contracting the virus to be tested to discover their status. They can then access the treatment and support they need to lead a full and normal life. Sir Elton said: Merry 12th day of Christmas and massive thanks to everyone that has helped our AIDSfree campaign. David continued: For the 12th and final day of Christmas, we wanted to share something wonderful with you. An HIV diagnosis used to be a death sentence. Now, after 12 months of treatment, you can have a normal life expectancy. Sir Elton is delighted with the success of the appeal so far and said Independent and Evening Standard readers can help bring us closer to defeating aids in our lifetime. He added: We have come so far. What we need now is the love and compassion to make sure that no one gets left behind. Elton John launches The Independent's AIDSfree campaign David said: Today is a good day to show that as a global community we all care about making the world a safer, healthier place. Finishing their Christmas message, Sir Elton said: To help us get there please click on the donation link. Every donation takes us one step further to an AIDSfree future in countries around the world. Thank you so much and have a wonderful Christmas. Endangered wildlife, ancient woodlands and scenic landscapes are under threat from government plans to boost spending on controversial roadbuilding projects. Environmental groups have highlighted at least 28 projects threatening to pave over vital conservation areas as part of a new highway network. With ministers pledging another enormous chunk of road spending in the coming years, campaigners are concerned not enough consideration is being given to nature. In a country already blighted by toxic air pollution and considered one of the most nature-depleted in the world, they say Britain can ill afford to back plans that will increase the number of drivers. Irreplaceable habitats such as ancient woodlands and chalk streams are among those in danger, as are vulnerable species including water voles, great crested newts and rare bees. In October, Philip Hammond announced a 25.3bn spending plan for roads from 2020, which will go towards repairing infrastructure and building highways. The government has definitely stepped up its road-building campaign, and thats going to have a massive impact on wildlife, said Dr Sue Young from The Wildlife Trusts. You can see the difference between the budgets for the road investment scheme the first one was 15bn between 2015 and 2020. There are already more than 100 major schemes to develop roads, with more than 1,300 additional miles of lanes planned. GWENT LEVELS Planned road: The Welsh government wants to build an M4 extension to ease congestion around Newport and Cardiff, sweeping through wetlands. It is estimated to cost up to 2bn. Status: Following a long public inquiry, a decision on the proposal is expected imminently. Why are campaigners worried? The wetlands are home to hundreds of rare creatures, including birds that migrate there to breed. European cranes, water voles and king diving beetles are among the threatened creatures found in the levels, and groups are particularly concerned about four sites of special scientific interest (SSSI), which the motorway would cut through. While further proposals for the next phase of roadbuilding have yet to be confirmed, environmental groups have assembled lists of projects in the pipeline they are worried about. These include proposals crossing valuable wildlife sites and national parks from Durham to the South Downs, as well as scientifically important habitats and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Some projects such as the M4 diversion through the Gwent Levels dubbed Wales Amazon rainforest will bulldoze the homes of valuable creatures including European cranes and over 100 threatened insect species. Meanwhile, under current proposals, the massive Oxford-Cambridge expressway project would cut through marshes supporting rare wading bird populations, and woodlands home to some of Britains rarest bats. Schemes come with pledges to replace any lost biodiversity by constructing new habitats, but some projects such as the proposed A27 Arundel bypass would plough through habitats considered irreplaceable, including forests that have existed for over 400 years. Recommended At least fifth of British mammal species could be gone in a decade Henri Brocklebank of Sussex Wildlife Trust pointed out the areas threatened chalk streams have been designated special priority areas of international significance by Natural England. She said: Whats the point of making something a UK priority if its actually not a priority? It stands for nothing if you go for an option just to take a couple of minutes off peoples journey time. OXFORD-CAMBRIDGE EXPRESSWAY Planned road: The so-called brain-belt route will link the M1 at Milton Keynes and M40 at Oxford, and together with the accompanying housing developments, the Campaign to Protect Rural England predicts it will destroy an area of countryside the size of Birmingham. Status: Its preferred route was announced by the government in September, and there will be a public consultation next year into the 3.5bn project. Why are campaigners worried? Though the suggested route will steer clear of the protected Otmoor nature reserve, local environmental groups described it as the worst of the three options. Wildflower meadows, ancient woodlands and the habitat of rare animals will all be affected. The government has stated it wants to ease congestion and open up new growth opportunities, but the campaigners say these plans are far from Theresa Mays pledge to leave the environment in a better state than we found it. In order to minimise damage and help restore Britains fading wildlife, Dr Young said road-building must be governed by the principle of net biodiversity gain meaning any new projects must pledge to restore more habitats than they destroy. However, Steve Gooding, director of transport policy group the RAC Foundation, said building new roads was already subject to detailed environmental scrutiny. There are few things worse for the environment than congested traffic burning fuel and getting nowhere quickly, he said. However, besides the impact on wildlife, environmentalists say rather than calming traffic new roads will encourage more drivers on to the roads adding to the countrys worrying air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Show all 25 1 /25 Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Demonstrators block Westminster Bridge in central London to show anger at government inaction on climate and ecological issues AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges A pro environment protester is arrested by police on Lambeth bridge in London EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Organised by Extinction Rebellion, the protest is part of many taking place this weekend to bring attention to political inaction on issues of pollution and climate change Reuters Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Organised by Extinction Rebellion, the protest is part of many taking place this weekend to bring attention to political inaction on issues of pollution and climate change PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Demonstrators on Blackfriars Bridge PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Police with demonstrators on Blackfriars Bridge PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges A demonstrator is led away by police on Blackfriars Bridge PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Reuters Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Reuters Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Reuters Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Reuters Oliver Hayes, climate campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said the government had provided a cash cascade for roads while failing to mention climate action in the Budget. Its reckless in the extreme to be incentivising more traffic and more pollution at a time when scientists are crystal clear how urgently emissions must be reduced, he said. Besides committing to greener development plans, the groups said roadbuilding funds would be better spent on improving existing infrastructure and investing in public transport. Darren Shirley, of the Campaign for Better Transport, said: The government should be promoting public transport to beat congestion and traffic problems in towns so that the nations natural heritage remains untouched for future generations to enjoy. A government spokesperson said the details of the future roads investment strategy would be announced next year. They said: When planning our investment programme, we take careful account of thousands of environmental sites nationwide, and seek to avoid damage wherever possible. The overwhelming majority of our projects are on or near existing roads and all are governed by strict rules on assessing environmental impacts. A tin of mince pies made for Christmas during the Second World War has been found in pristine condition under floorboards in a hotel on the Isle of Man. The mince pies were addressed to a sailor called Phil Davis, with a letter that reads: "Best, love from Mum". They were presented in a bright red biscuit tin by Squirrel Confections, a company that still makes retro gummy sweets to this day. The tin of traditional British festive treats were first discovered in 1998, when the Loch Hotel in Douglas was being developed into apartments. However, they were then lost in a storeroom and forgotten about for another two decades. The tin of mince pies found under the floorboards of the Loch Hotel (SWNS) In the letter sent to Davis from his mother, she relays news from the sailor's home in Birmingham. She explains that his friends and family have been playing a card game "for money", and also says: "We shall be glad to see you when you do get leave." Since their rediscovery, the mince pies have been put on display at the Manx Museum, the national museum of the Isle of Man. Matthew Richardson, curator of social history for Manx National Heritage, believes that the tin of mince pies was purposely hidden underneath the hotel's floorboards so that they wouldn't be stolen by other guests staying in the same room. "If you're in a shared room with five or six other men you don't know, the only way you could be sure of protecting what was yours was to find a place to hide it," he says. "This tin of mince pies illustrates the point that wars might be international events, but they impact at a very human level. Recommended Baking experts reveal their top tips for making perfect mince pies "Here was a young man, possibly away from home for the first time in his life, training to go to a war zone. "We can only imagine what his mother was feeling as she posted this tin on to him. "We can't say for sure why Able Seaman Davis never ate his mince pies. Perhaps he was posted away at short notice and didn't have time to retrieve them." Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The mince pies were preserved for more than seven decades due to the air-tight conditions underneath the floorboards. However, while they may still be intact, they're no longer edible. The Independent recently spoke with several baking experts for guidance on how to make perfect mince pies, with former Bake Off contestants Ian Cumming, Howard Middleton and Jane Beedle providing their top tips. Children around the world will still be able to track Santas movement on Christmas Eve, despite a partial government shutdown in the US. The military confirmed that the beloved Christmas tradition of tracking Santas progress with the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD)s Santa Tracker will continue thanks to the help of approximately 1,500 volunteers. As planned, on the night of December 24, military personnel and volunteers will gather at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado to answer the calls of curious children wishing to speak with Santa Claus. Monday marks the 63rd year of NORAD Tracks Santa, which became an annual Christmas Eve ritual in 1955 after children looking for Santa mistakenly called a military command centre due to a phone number mix-up in a local newspaper. When Colonel Harry Shoup answered the call that night at the Continental Air Defence Command in Colorado Springs, Colorado, rather than hanging up, he informed his operators to find Santa and relay the information to every child that called in, according to NORAD. Recommended Parents have gone too far trying to make their kids believe in Santa Now, in keeping with tradition, volunteers track Santas location through the use of satellite systems, high-powered radars and jet fighters and then relay this information to the thousands of people who call and email each year. We use radar systems scattered across the world, along with satellites providing infrared imagery, and then we have Santa Cams scattered throughout the world, Maj Todd Walter, a mission crew commander with the Canadian Air Defence, explained in a video posted to Twitter. And then jet fighters that also go out and intercept Santa. In addition to tracking Santa, some children who call list their Christmas lists, according to volunteer Madison Hill, who told the Associated Press: It really gets you into the Christmas spirit. Volunteers inform children of Santas whereabouts on Christmas Eve (Getty) To find Santas whereabouts, children can call NORAD Tracks Santa starting at 4am Mountain Standard Time at 1-877-HI-NORAD. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Or, Santa can be located on the Santa Tracker website, which receives more than nine million unique visitors from more than 200 countries and territories around the world, according to NORAD. Growing up in a less well-off family may negatively impact the brain, according to research showing how socioeconomic status can have a lasting impact on a persons development. US researchers found brain regions responsible for learning, language and emotional development tended to be more complex in people whose parents were educated to a higher level or who worked in professional rather than manual jobs. Brain scans from hundreds of young people show these effects are stable throughout childhood and adolescence, the National Institute of Mental Health researchers found. This means targeting additional support in the pre-school years could help minimise inequalities it causes in a host of life outcomes, including mental health and academic achievement, the researchers added. Early brain development occurs within the context of each childs experiences and environment, which both vary significantly as a function of socioeconomic status, said lead author Cassidy McDermott and colleagues. In childhood, socioeconomic status, which encompasses income as well as opportunities and a string of other factors, has been linked to a range of mental health, cognitive development, and academic outcomes. Socioeconomic status may exert some of its effect on cognition by altering structural brain development, particularly in regions associated with language and learning, Ms McDermott said. However, it is important to note that this pathway represents only one possible set of interactions between childhood environment, anatomy, and cognition. 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 For the study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, the researchers looked at 1,243 brain MRI scans from more than 623 young people aged between five and 25. While the socioeconomic score used did not take account of family income in the earliest measurements this is another determinant of socioeconomic status and also correlates with parental occupation and education factors. Previous studies have shown links between parental occupation and earnings and an overall increase in the volume of the brains grey matter. However the study takes this further and shows that higher socioeconomic status in early childhood has a pronounced effect on two areas of the brain, the thalamus and striatum. The outer regions of the brain cortex (above) and inner structures (below) which show the greatest effect in response to childhood socioeconomic status (McDermott et al / JNeurosci (2018)) The thalamus is a key region in the centre of the brain involved in the transmission and processing of sensory information, and a larger thalamus volume is closely linked with quicker thinking and higher verbal IQ. While differences in size and complexity of these brain regions tracked with socioeconomic status, and this has been shown to predict future life outcomes the study does not prove one causes the other. Many other factors will play a role in early year;s development and future outcomes, and McDermott and colleagues say they hope understanding the roots in anatomy can help reduce variation. Paddy Ashdown served his country as a Royal Marine, a diplomat, as an intelligence officer in the security services, as an MP, as leader of the Liberal Democrat party and as emissary for the world community. Of politics and war in the 1960s and 1970s, he saw active service in Borneo and Northern Ireland during the Troubles Ashdown, who has died at the age of 77, once claimed that politics was more exciting and often more terrifying than active service. On active service nothing happens for 90 percent of the time, he said. But in politics things happen all the time, and the bullets can start flying just when you least expect them. For Lord Ashdown of Norton-Sub-Hamdon, as he was ennobled after leaving the Commons, collecting a knighthood along the way, the two were always closely linked. His public school background allowed him to take officer status in the Royal Marines. This he said steered him towards becoming a liberal, as he was commanding men who were better soldiers than he, simply because of his relatively fortunate upbringing. A socialist believes everybody is equal in terms of outcome, or should be. I believe everybody deserves to be treated as equal in terms of their status as a human being, but the outcomes they produce are totally different. Although he had voted for the Labour Party his whole life, it was drawing on this experience and a visit from a Liberal campaigner that saw him change his views as early as 1971. Ashdown was born in New Delhi in 1941, the eldest sibling of seven children, and with a strong military tradition: his father was in the army in British India, his mother in the nursing corps. The family returned to Britain when he was four, buying a farm in Northern Ireland where he spent most of his childhood before attending Bedford School in England. Christened Jeremy John Durham Ashdown a bit of a mouthful he settled for the nickname Paddy awarded him by his classmates due to his Irish twang. At 18, Ashdown joined the Royal Marines where he served as an officer until 1972, seeing him undertake active service in Borneo and the Persian Gulf as well as in the early most dangerous phase of the Northern Irish conflict. In 1965 he underwent elite Special Forces training, later commanding a Special Boat Section in the Far East. Ashdown spent three years on a full-time Chinese course in Hong Kong before being given charge of a Commando Company in Belfast and in 1972 he left the Royal Marines to work for the foreign office. He was always proud of his fluency in Mandarin, though he bypassed the usual undergraduate degree in an eventful life. Lord Ashdown was elected leader of the newly formed Liberal Democrats in 1988 (Getty) His life wasnt without moments of uncertainty. Ashdown had been unemployed twice, leaving him signing on for the dole. When he left the foreign office in 1976, where had conducted some undercover work in Switzerland, he moved to Yeovil with his wife, Jane, and two children, but it took him six months to get a job as a personnel boss for a sheepskin manufacturer. In the early 1980s, the first recession under the Thatcher hit and the companys parent firm collapsed, leaving Ashdown facing the decision to make himself and everyone working under him redundant. As a manager, I had one terrible and unforgettable day, to shut down my division of the firm ... and make all those I worked with and myself redundant. It was the most soul-destroying day of my life. But things picked up when Ashdown channelled his fighting spirit into politics. Despite supporting Labour until 1969, in 1971 a local canvasser knocked on his door and brought him to the realisation that he had always been a liberal. He recalled, I told him pretty roughly that I certainly would not vote Liberal unless (which I considered highly unlikely) he could persuade me that I should. Ashdown was elected leader of the newly formed Liberal Democrats in 1988, after the Social Democratic and Liberal parties combined. The Tories has held power in Yeovil since 1910, but Ashdown managed to raise the Liberal vote in the southwest town to its highest ever rate of 11,000 the biggest swing against the Tories in the 1983 general election. It was a seat with which he would form a solid bond. Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures Show all 26 1 /26 Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 1996 Leader of the Liberal Democrats Paddy Ashdown gestures as he delivers his keynote speech at the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in the Brighton REUTERS Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 1986 Leader of the British Liberal Democrat party, Paddy Ashdown at the Liberal Party Conference held in Eastbourne Getty Images Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 1988 Paddy Ashdown, with his wife Jane, on the day he was elected the leader of the new Social and Liberal Democratic Party PA Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 1990 John Cleese, Charles Kennedy and Liberal Democrat party leader Paddy Ashdown during the Liberal Democrats conference in Blackpool PA Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 1992 Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown addresses the press REUTERS Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 1995 Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown reading the Sunday papers at a Scarborough Hotel during the party conference PA Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 1995 The then party leaders John Major, Paddy Ashdown and Tony Blair talking before a Beating the Retreat ceremony in London PA Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 1995 Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown and his wife Jane point to friends in the party faithful after Ashdown's speech during the party conference in Glasgow REUTERS Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 1996 South African President Nelson Mandela and Liberal Democrat Leader Paddy Ashdown after a private meeting at Buckingham Palace PA Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 1997 Leader of the Liberal Democrats Paddy Ashdown waves to supporters from his helicopter after stopping in Sutton, Surrey on the last day of the general election campaign Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 1997 Leader of the Liberal Democrats Paddy Ashdown gives his keynote speech to the party's annual conference in Eastbourne REUTERS Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 1998 Then Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown and his wife Jane acknowledging the crowd following his speech at the Liberal Democrats conference in Brighton PA Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 1999 Paddy Ashdown in his London office on the day that he handed in his formal letter of resignation from the position of Party Leader of the Liberal Democrats PA Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 2000 Paddy Ashdown with his wife Jane and dog, Luke, at their home at Norton sub Hamdon PA Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 2007 Former British Liberal Democrat Party leaders David Steel, (left) Paddy Ashdown (centre) and Charles Kennedy (right) at the St Martins Hotel in central London AFP/Getty Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 2010 Former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown looks out to sea as he campaigns with Dan Rogerson, Liberal Democrat candidate for North Cornwall, in Rock Getty Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 2010 Sir Paddy Ashdown, former leader of the Liberal Democrats finds a quiet place to work in the lunch recess during the Liberal Democrat Conference at the ACC Liverpool conference centre Getty Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 2013 Lord Ashdown speaking at the Liberal Democrat's Spring Conference at the Hilton Brighton Metropole PA Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 2013 Former Leader of the Liberal Democrats Party Paddy Ashdown speaks during a rally at the end of the first day of conference at the SECC, Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre Getty Images Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 2014 Queen Elizabeth II meeting Lord Ashdown at Chatham House during the launch The Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership in International Affairs with the Duke of Edinburgh PA Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 2014 Paddy Ashdown attends the UNICEF Halloween Ball at One Mayfair Getty Images Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 2015 Former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown poses with his badge after being made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) for public and political service AFP/Getty Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 2015 Lord Ashdown speaking during a national memorial service held at Westminster Abbey, London, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide PA Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 2015 Former Liberal Democrat party leader Paddy Ashdown holds a toy Parrot during his address to the party's spring conference in Liverpool Reuters Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 2016 Then Prime Minister David Cameron helping to campaign for a 'Remain' vote in the EU referendum at a phone centre in London along with fellow pro EU campaigners, Lord Ashdown (left) and Lord Kinnock PA Paddy Ashdown Former Liberal Democrat leader in pictures 2016 British Prime Minister David Cameron listens to Former Liberal Democrats leader Paddy Ashdown as he addresses students and pro-EU 'Vote Remain' supporters during his final campaign speech at Birmingham University Getty Images Having picked up a party bankrupt and behind the Greens, he rebuilt its membership and regained political success through effective by-election campaigning scoring spectacular gains in previously rock solid Tory seats such as Christchurch and Newbury. Although he supported the Major governments European policy he was a stern critic of much else. He led the Liberal Democrats party to its best election result in more than 70 years in 1997 through tireless campaigning and the sheer force of his personality. None of that seemed inevitable. The 1992 election campaign was punctuated by a dramatic expose of an affair with his secretary, Tricia Howard. Yet his swift decision to tell the truth, apologise and move on had the perverse effect of improving the publics perceptions of him. Ashdowns polls soared after news of the affair was leaked when burglars mysteriously broke into his solicitors office and stole papers from his safe, leading to the notorious Sun headline, Paddy Pantsdown. His marriage and his reputation survived. After repeated and sincere attempts to build a progressive coalition with New Labour under Tony Blair, Ashdown looked for new opportunities. He stood down as leader in 1999, with Charles Kennedy his successor. In 2002 he was appointed as High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovnia, with extreme challenge of rebuilding a state riven by ethnic cleansing and civil war. He with others helped the build a fragile peace. Ashdowns work in recent years revolved around broader campaigning, including against Brexit, and in 2015 he took on the thankless task of running the Lib Dems' election campaign after five years coalition with David Camerons Tories. No one could blame him for the wipe out they suffered. He was appointed a Unicef Ambassador in 2016 after six years as President of Unicef UK. An instinctive globalist he had long believed in the evil of climate change and added his own voice to the clamour of warnings on global warming the biggest threat to mankind and that politicians ignored it at their own peril. World leaders have consistently let their own parochial concerns get in the way of making the sort of agreement on cutting carbon emissions that the world needs to avoid catastrophic warming. The politician, spy and soldier also found a vocation late in life as an author, with two volumes of diaries and historical works. His latest, Nein! Standing Up To Hitler 1935-1944, was published in October. He also wrote about his experiences during a year-long tour of the UK, Beyond Westminster, signalling a certain disenchantment with the ways of the bubble. Ashdown was rightly proud of taking a party fear weaker than the Lib Dems are today and becoming the second party in local government; electing its first MEPs; doubling their MPs in Westminster; helping to deliver devolution to Scotland and Wales; participating in the government of Scotland and ensuring proportional representation was used in European elections. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The one thing he regretted about his leadership was that he did not see in his time the Liberal Democrats participating in the government of the country. He did live to see them do so after 2010, but not in the partnership and realignment of the centre left he fondly wished for. He himself was offered a cabinet post by Gordon Brown and could easily have served in the Cameron-Clegg coalition, but curiously turned the offers down. Having lived a life of unusually good health, it was disclosed last month that Ashdown had been diagnosed with bladder cancer, and he passed away yesterday after a short illness. Paddy Ashdown, soldier, politician and diplomat, born 27 February 1941, died 22 December 2018 A professional huntress who sparked outrage after posting pictures of herself with dead stags and goats shot in Scotland could face criminal charges. Larysa Switlyk, an American television presenter, has been reported to prosecutors for possible firearms offences. A spokesperson for Police Scotland said: Following several complaints of wild goat trophy hunting on Islay in September, Police Scotland can confirm that a 33-year-old woman and a 41-year-old man from the US have been reported to the procurator fiscal for firearms offences. Ms Switlyk, who hosts the Larysa Unleashed programme, was widely criticised after posting a picture of herself smiling behind a dead wild goat in the autumn, with more than 20,000 people commenting on the image. One tweet posted to tens of thousands of followers described a fun hunt and a perfect 200 yard shot. She also shared photos on Twitter and Instagram showing herself with dead stags and sheep on the island of Islay and in the Ardnamurchan peninsula. One photo showing Ms Switlyk in camouflage with a dead stag was captioned: In awe of my Scottish Stag cant wait to bring it back to the castle for the chefs to cook it up! Ms Switlyk said she had also killed a beautiful wild goat while posing with the dead animal. The image was widely criticised online with more than 2,800 people commenting on the picture, with Twitter users calling Ms Switlyk sickening and truly abhorrent. Scottish people dont support you coming to our country and murdering our animals, simple as that, one person commented on Instagram. The other image showed a man posing behind a white goat, with the caption: Congrats on Jason on his gold medal goat here in Scotland on Islay. A unique hunt. Mike Russell, the MSP for Argyll and Bute, wrote at the time: If this is actually happening on Islay, and laid on by some sort of tour company I would want to see it stopped immediately. Ms Switlyk said she received death threats over the photos, writing on social media that she hoped a two-week break will give enough time for all the ignorant people out there sending me death threats to get educated on hunting and conservation. Ms Switlyk has been promoting a line T-shirts created in response to the outrage, which are being sold on her official website. The women hunting big-game poachers Show all 8 1 /8 The women hunting big-game poachers The women hunting big-game poachers The Black Mambas are a specially trained team of rangers who police the park night and day to protect the animals from illegal hunting Julia Gunther The women hunting big-game poachers Lukie, 26, says, 'The next generation must know rhinos in life. If poaching is allowed they will only see them in a picture' Julia Gunther The women hunting big-game poachers Proud finds and disables a snare laid by poachers Julia Gunther The women hunting big-game poachers During a scouting trip, the Mambas examine an impala horn Julia Gunther The women hunting big-game poachers Qolile, 21, learned about wildlife and conservation at Timbavati Bush School. She would like go further both with her studies and with the Black Mambas Julia Gunther The women hunting big-game poachers Mambas on the march. The unit has so far removed more than 1,000 poachers snares, and been awarded the UNs Champions of the Earth award Julia Gunther The women hunting big-game poachers Yenzekile reports the location of a young, slain kudu to the control room Julia Gunther The women hunting big-game poachers Black Mambas Mirren, 26, Winnie, 22, Belinda, 27, and Dedeya, 26 Julia Gunther The former accountant said profits from the items, with slogans including dont let me get your goat and eat more goat, would go to fund conservation efforts. The Scottish government has said it would review the law around animal culling following widespread outrage when the photos emerged in October. A spokesperson said: We fully understand why so many people find these images of hunted animals being held up as trophies so upsetting. Responsible and appropriate culling of animals is a necessary part of sustainable land management and the culling of some wild animals, including deer and goats, is not illegal. However, we understand the concerns caused by these images and, in light of them, the environment secretary will review the situation and consider whether any clarification of or changes to the law might be required. The couple who were arrested over the drone activity that prompted days of chaos at Gatwick Airport have hit out at the disgusting accusations they faced. Around 1,000 flights affecting some 140,000 passengers were cancelled or diverted across three days after drones were spotted inside the perimeter of the UKs second biggest airport on Wednesday. Paul Gait, 47 and his wife Elaine Kirk, 54, were detained in connection with the drone activity and later released without charge. In a tearful statement read out by Mr Gait the couple said they felt completely violated and were now receiving medical care after their traumatic ordeal. As Im sure you can imagine we are feeling completely violated. Our home has been searched and our privacy and identity completely exposed, Mr Gait said. Our names, photos and other personal information has been broadcast throughout the world. We are deeply distressed as are our family and friends and we are currently receiving medical care. The way we were initially perceived was disgusting although those who knew us did not doubt us for a second. We were both released without charge or further action. We are totally overwhelmed by the support we have received from people all over the world and we would like to thank everyone single one who has done that. We would ask the press to respect our privacy and leave us to try and get through Christmas the best we can. Gatwick drones: airport reopens after three days of flight delays cause Christmas travel chaos Mr Gait and Ms Kirk were detained by Sussex police at their home in the town of Crawley, West Sussex just five miles from the runway on Friday night. Mr Gait, a father-of-two who works as a window fitter, was known by neighbours to be keen on flying model planes and helicopters. But his boss had insisted he was working at the time the drones were spotted in Gatwick airspace. The comments come as Sussex Police was forced to admit that poor communications had led a detective to apparently claim that the Gatwick drone may not have existed. There had been more than 200 sightings since the first drone was spotted in the Gatwick area on Wednesday, with police taking 67 statements, including from police officers and airport staff. But the force was subjected to a barrage of ridicule and criticism after Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley admitted on Sunday it was a possibility there had never been a drone in the first place. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 24 November 2021 Migrants are helped ashore from a RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) lifeboat at a beach in Dungeness, on the south-east coast of England, on November 24, 2021, after being rescued while crossing the English Channel. AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 23 November 2021 The coffin of Sir David Amess is carried past politicians, including former Prime Ministers Sir John Major, David Cameron and Theresa May, Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the requiem mass for the MP at Westminster Cathedral, central London PA UK news in pictures 22 November 2021 The scene in Dragon Rise, Norton Fitzwarren, Somerset where police have launched a murder probe after two people were found dead Tom Wren/SWNS UK news in pictures 21 November 2021 London-based midwife Sarah Muggleton, 27, takes part in a 'March with Midwives' in central London to highlight the crisis in maternity services PA UK news in pictures 20 November 2021 Police officers monitor as climate change activists sit down and block traffic during a protest action in solidarity with activists from the Insulate Britain group who received prison terms for blocking roads, on Lambeth Bridge in central London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 19 November 2021 A giant installation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson made from recycled clothing goes on display at Manchester Central, as part of Manchester Art Fair, in a 'wake-up call for the Prime Minister to tackle textile waste' PA UK news in pictures 18 November 2021 The scene at a recycling centre in Stert, near Devizes in Wiltshire after a large blaze was brought under control. The fire broke out on Wednesday night the fire service has said and local residents were advised to keep windows and doors shut due to large amounts of smoke PA UK news in pictures 17 November 2021 The sun rises over South Shields Lighthouse, on the North East coast of England PA UK news in pictures 16 November 2021 ancer Maithili Vijayakumar at the launch of 2021 Diwali celebrations at St Andrew Square in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 15 November 2021 Forensic officers work outside Liverpool Women's Hospital, following a car blast, in Liverpool Reuters UK news in pictures 14 November 2021 Wreaths by the Cenotaph after the Remembrance Sunday service in Whitehall, London PA UK news in pictures 13 November 2021 Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of detainee Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, is ending his hunger strike in central London after almost three weeks. Ratcliffe has spent 21 days camped outside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London without food. He began his demonstration on 24 October after his wife lost her latest appeal in Iran, saying his family was caught in a dispute between two states PA UK news in pictures 12 November 2021 Peter Green protesting outside the Cop26 gates during the official final day of the Cop26 summit in Glasgow. PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2021 Seagulls fly around the statue entitled 'Tommy', a first World War soldier by artist Ray Lonsdale at dawn in Seaham, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 10 November 2021 Climate activists dressed as characters inspired by the Netflix series Squid Game protest as they ask Samsung to go 100% renewable energy, outside the venue for COP26 in Glasgow Reuters UK news in pictures 9 November 2021 A deer statue silhouetted at Loch Faskally in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 8 November 2021 Sunrise over St Mary's Lighthouse at Whitley Bay on the North East coast of England PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2021 Activists from Friends of the Earth during a demonstration calling for an end to all new oil and gas projects in the North Sea outside the UK Government's Cop26 hub during the Cop26 summit in Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2021 Protesters take part in a rally organised by the Cop26 Coalition in Glasgow demanding global climate justice PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2021 Final touches are made to a life sized Sir David Attenborough cake surrounded by animals as part of a display created by a group of cake artists during Cake International at NEC Birmingham PA UK news in pictures 4 November 2021 A spectacular display of the Northern Lights seen over Derwentwater, near Keswick in the Lake District PA UK news in pictures 3 November 2021 Police and demonstrators at a Extinction Rebellion protest on Buchanan Street, during the Cop26 summit in Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 2 November 2021 A person walks along the Basingstoke canal near to Dogmersfield in Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 1 November 2021 Sir David Attenborough delivers a speech during Cop26 in Glasgow Reuters UK news in pictures 31 October 2021 Extinction Rebellion activists protest in Edinburgh as the Cop26 conference begins in Glasgow Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2021 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon with Mapuche leader and Minga Indigena Lead Coordinator Claflin Lafkenche (right) alongside indigenous delegates at a ceremonial gathering at the Tramway in Glasgow in a symbolic gesture to mark a unified demand for climate justice PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2021 Ocean Rebellion put on a display of puking oil heads ahead of climate change conference COP26 in Glasgow EPA UK news in pictures 28 October 2021 A man dressed as Santa Claus outside Selfridges in London as the department store unveils its Christmas windows on Oxford Street PA UK news in pictures 27 October 2021 Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak during a visit to Fourpure Brewery in Bermondsey, London, after the chancellor announced a cut to beer taxes in his budget PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2021 Activist Steve Bray demonstrates with a toilet outside the gates of Downing Street, after MPs voted in Parliament against the Environment Bill, allowing companies to pump raw sewage into UK rivers and seas, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 October 2021 Second World War veteran James White, 96, at the opening of the Edinburgh Garden of Remembrance, marking the start of the remembrance period PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2021 Richard Ratcliffe holds up a photo of his wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe as he protests outside the Foreign Office while on hunger strike, part of an effort to lobby the UK foreign secretary to bring his wife home from detention in Iran Getty UK news in pictures 23 October 2021 Partner of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Stella Morris and Editor in Chief of WikiLeaks Kristinn Hrafnsson attend a protest ahead of the appeal hearing over Assange's extradition, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 22 October 2021 Palace Gardener Justine Howlett adds the finishing touches to pumpkins bearing the face of Henry VIII and his wives, at Hampton Court Palace. PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2021 Flooded fields near Lingfield in Surrey, after southern England was hit overnight by heavy rain and strong winds from Storm Aurore moving in from France PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2021 A wing surfer enjoys the strong winds as they surf in the sea off of Hayling Island in Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 19 October 2021 Actor Jude Law holds hands with Little Amal, a 3.5-metre-tall puppet of a nine-year-old Syrian girl, as it arrives in Folkestone, Kent, as part of the Handspring Puppet Company's 'The Walk' PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2021 A view over Southend-on-Sea in Essex, which is set to become a city in tribute to Sir David Amess MP, who spent years campaigning for the change Getty UK news in pictures 17 October 2021 Members of the Essex Bangladeshi Welfare Association pay their respects by floral tributes laid at the scene where Sir David Amess MP was killed at Belfairs Methodist Church, in Leigh-on-Sea Reuters UK news in pictures 16 October 2021 Boris Johnson, Sir Keir Starmer, Priti Patel and Lindsay Hoyle pay respects to Sir David Amess at Belfairs Methodist Church, in Leigh-on-Sea, the site of his death EPA UK news in pictures 15 October 2021 A person lays flowers at the scene near the Belfairs Methodist Church in Eastwood Road North, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, where Conservative MP Sir David Amess has died after he was stabbed several times at a constituency surgery. A man has been arrested and officers are not looking for anyone else PA UK news in pictures 14 October 2021 A red deer stag during rutting season in Bushy Park, Richmond, south west London, which is home to over 300 red and fallow deer PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2021 Police officers detain a man as Insulate Britain activists block a roundabout at a junction on the M25 motorway during a protest in Thurrock Reuters UK news in pictures 12 October 2021 The aerial climate installation by Swiss artivist Dan Acher 'We Are Watching' is unveiled at Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2021 A young girl is helped by a Border Force officer as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, following a small boat incident in the Channel. PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2021 People walk past a life-size sculpture of British singer John Lennon entitled "Imagine", by sculptor Lawrence Holofcener, displayed to mark what would have been the 81st birthday for the former member of the Beatles in Carnaby Street Reuters UK news in pictures 8 October 2021 WW II veteran, 96-year-old Lorna Cockayne, who served in the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS), popularly and officially known as the Wrens, as a Bletchley Park codebreaker, poses for a photograph with the Legion d'honneur after receiving it during a ceremony at the Pear at Parley in Ferndown, Bournemouth PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2021 British comedian Jo Brand poses with cut-out silhouettes representing women outside the Metropolitan Police headquarters New Scotland Yard, to highlight violence against women by male police officers or former police officers AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 6 October 2021 A protester, wearing a mask of Johnson, holds a sign reading Question it all on the final day of the Tory conference Getty UK news in pictures 5 October 2021 Members of Insulate Britain outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, before a hearing over the injunction banning the environmental activists from blocking the M25 PA However, following an hour-long conference call chaired by transport secretary Chris Grayling a government source said police had accepted that the suggestion was down to poor communications. A spokesperson for Sussex Police later said: When you approach an investigation you cannot dismiss anything. We can unequivocally state that there have been numerous illegal drone sightings at the airport over three days from 19 to 21 December. The force is offering a 50,000 reward for information helping to "bring those responsible for the disruption to justice". The conference call was joined by cabinet office minister David Lidington Theresa Mays de facto deputy home secretary Sajid Javid, security minister Ben Wallace and defence minister Stuart Andrew. Mr Lidington was said to have pressed for the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence to update their rapid deployment protocols for signing off requests for military assistance. In a statement released later on Monday, Mr Wallace systems are now able to be deployed across the UK to combat the threat of drones.. While admitting there was no easy solution to tackling drone incursions, he warned those using them recklessly or illegally can expect severe punishments. Mr Wallace added: The huge proliferation of such devices, coupled with the challenges of deploying military counter measures into a civilian environment, means there are no easy solutions. However, I can say that we are able to now deploy detection systems throughout the UK to combat this threat. Detection systems can now be deployed across the UK to combat the threat of drones, a security minister has announced. Ben Wallace warned that people using drones recklessly or illegally could expect severe punishments. About 1,000 flights affecting 140,000 passengers were cancelled or diverted across three days after drones were spotted inside the perimeter of the UKs second-biggest airport on Wednesday. In a statement, Mr Wallace said the government was now able to deploy detection systems throughout the UK to combat the threat. The huge proliferation of such devices, coupled with the challenges of deploying military counter measures into a civilian environment, means there are no easy solutions, he said. However, I can say that we are able to now deploy detection systems throughout the UK to combat this threat. A couple from Crawley, near Gatwick, said they were receiving medical care after the trauma of being arrested and released without charge over the drone sightings. Paul Gait and Elaine Kirk, who spent two nights in custody, said they were deeply distressed and felt "completely violated" by the experience. There were more than 200 sightings of drones over several days, with police taking 67 statements. Police are also carrying out a forensic investigation of a damaged drone found near Gatwick. Gatwick has offered a 50,000 reward, through Crimestoppers and another 10,000 has been put up by the charitys chairman, Lord Ashcroft, for the arrest of those responsible for the chaos. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Sussex Police has backtracked on suggestions that there may never have been any drones at Gatwick, blaming the theory on poor communications. PA contributed to this report. Tommy Robinsons website appears to have been taken down. The far right anti-Islam activist announced on social media he was working on a new site amid an effort by the establishment to try to shut me up. They have taken my site down, he said early on Monday, though it was unclear who exactly the English Defence League (EDL) founder was referring to. The Independent was unable on Monday to access Robinsons website, which is hosted by US company GoDaddy. Robinson and GoDaddy have been contacted for comment. It comes after Robinson real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon hinted he would attempt to enter mainstream politics as a Ukip parliamentary candidate. Speaking at a Brexit betrayal rally in London earlier this month, Robinson admitted he had never voted but said his supporters need a political voice. The 35-year-old was recruited in November by Ukip leader Gerard Batten as an adviser to the party, sparking an exodus among senior figures, including Nigel Farage. Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey Show all 16 1 /16 Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey A Tommy Robinson supporter in London after former English Defence League (EDL) leader Tommy Robinson left the Old Bailey where his contempt of court case was adjourned PA Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey A Tommy Robinson supporter outside the Old Bailey in London where the former English Defence League (EDL) leader is accused of contempt of court PA Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey Tommy Robinson supporters outside the Old Bailey in London before former English Defence League (EDL) leader Tommy Robinson arrives accused of contempt of court PA Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey Supporters of far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson demonstrate outside the Old Bailey Getty Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey Supporters of far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson demonstrate outside the Old Bailey Getty Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey Supporters of former English Defence League (EDL) leader Tommy Robinson protest at the Old Bailey Courthouse EPA Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey Supporters of former English Defence League leader Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, or 'Tommy Robinson', who was jailed for contempt of court in May and later released, wait for him to arrive at the Old Bailey to attend a court hearing Reuters Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey Supporters of far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson demonstrate outside the Old Bailey Getty Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey Tommy Robinson arrives for his hearing at the Old Bailey Reuters Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey Supporters of far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson demonstrate outside the Old Bailey Getty Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey Supporters of far-right spokeseman Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, AKA Tommy Robinson, the former leader of the right-wing EDL (English Defence League) wave flags as they demonstrate outsise The Old Bailey AFP/Getty Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey Supporters of far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson demonstrate outside the Old Bailey EPA Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey EPA Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey Robinson gestures to supporters from inside the Old Bailey AFP/Getty Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey AFP/Getty Tommy Robinson supporters protest outside the Old Bailey EPA The removal of the site follows PayPal's decision to ban Robinson because he failed to meet the online payments systems user guidelines. We do not allow PayPal services to be used to promote hate, violence, or other forms of intolerance that is discriminatory, the company said in a statement. Britain is seeking a divorce from the EU, and it has been a long and arduous process for both sides so far. One has even called the other nebulous in a late-night tirade when emotions were running high, leading to a highly-public confrontation and ultimately leaving everyone embarrassed. But one thing agreed early on in the talks was the principle of a bill for the divorce or as it is officially named, the financial settlement. This is the sum of money Britain will owe the EU when it legally breaks ties with its partner of more than 40 years in March 2019. It forms part of the wider withdrawal agreement, which Theresa May will ask MPs to approve next month in a crucial vote in the Commons. If it passes (and that is a very big if), the UK will then have to start paying the divorce bill after exit. A radio presenter accused of misogyny has been ordered to host feminist guests on his programme, and to let them speak for 10 minutes uninterrupted and without criticism. Angel Etchecopar, an Argentinian shock jock, has used his show, "The Angel of Noon", on Radio 10 to attack feminists as disgusting people and feminazis, according to Le Monde. Prosecutors in Buenos Aires charged the 65-year-old nicknamed Baby - with making "disrespectful, insulting, denigrating and discriminatory" statements against women. But as part of an agreement to have the case dropped, Mr Etchecopar agreed to make a public apology, avoid making any discriminatory remarks for a year, host gender experts weekly for five months, and make a 15,000 peso (595) donation to charity. If he breaks any of the terms the case against him could be resurrected. Etchecopar came to the inquiry with a repentant attitude and showed himself to be very different from the personality I had seen in the media," prosecutor Federico Vilalba Diaz told La Nacion newspaper. Under the agreement, prosecutors will provide a list of experts to appear on his show, while the countrys special gender violence prosecutor will come up with discussion topics. The deal comes into force in March. "It seemed important to me that the listeners of Baby Etchecopar could listen to other voices and other explanations, different from the ones they are used to, Mr Diaz added. Donald Trump is forcing his defence secretary James Mattis to step down on 1 January, almost two months ahead of schedule, with the president seemingly weary of the criticism he has faced over Mr Mattis departure. The move appears to be payback for the public rebuke the retired general gave the president in his resignation letter over Mr Trumps decision to withdraw US troops from the conflict in Syria. Not least because Mr Trump tried to portray Mr Mattis leaving as a retirement when the letter released shortly after the announcement made it clear that was not the case. Mr Trump issued the news in typical fashion, via Twitter. The president said that Patrick Shanahan, the current deputy at the Department of Defence, would become acting head of the Pentagon from the start of the new year. Praising the long list of accomplishments of Mr Shanahan, without mentioning any in particular, and calling him very talented, Mr Trump did bring up his business background at Boeing. Mr Shanahan had a long history with the company before joining the administration in 2017. Mr Trump has clearly been stewing over Mr Mattis resignation letter which laid out a departure date of 28 February over the weekend. He has faced a backlash from both Republicans and Democrats over the loss of Mattis at the end of a week where the White House has never looked more chaotic. As well as losing two national security officials, the stock market is on track for its worst month since the 1930s. That is a source of embarrassment for the president given that much of the praise he has received during his time at the White House has been linked to the rising markets and the economy in general. Recommended Macron lashes out at Trump over Syria troop withdrawal Mr Trump has also had to watch as the New York attorney general announced the fact his charitable Trump Foundation will be dissolved, while special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian election meddling in 2016 and any possible collusion with the Trump campaign is still circling the president. A number of tweets from the president over the weekend referenced the Syria decision and the fact that Mr Trump is also seeking to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan. In particular, on Sunday, Mr Trump tried to point towards the bills he signed this week, one on agriculture and the other a rare bipartisan victory in regards to prison reform, but he said that all the Fake News Media wants to talk about is the mistake of bringing our young people back home from the Never Ending Wars. It all began 19 years ago!. 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 On Saturday night he tweeted that Mr Mattis had been ingloriously fired by former president Barack Obama and said he had given Mr Mattis a second chance. Mr Obama removed Mr Mattis as head of US Central Command in 2013. In his own letter announcing his resignation last week, Mr Mattis suggested he and the president did not see eye-to-eye on foreign policy initiatives and in the way Mr Trump treats foreign allies. Because you have the right to have a secretary of defence whose views are better aligned with yours... I believe it is right for me to step down from my position, he said. Mr Mattis disagreed with the presidents decision to move forward with the troop withdrawal from Syria, and had argued that the mission against Isis in the country is not yet over. He had tried to tell Mr Trump that withdrawing the American presence from the country would only lead to more chaos in the Middle East. In his resignation letter Mr Mattis emphasised the importance of standing up for allies, in an implicit criticism of the president. One core belief I have always held is that our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnerships, Mr Mattis wrote. While the US remains the indispensable nation in the free world, we cannot protect our interests or serve that role effectively without maintaining strong alliances and showing respect to those allies. As well as making clear the importance of Americas allies, Mr Mattis called on Mr Trump to be resolute and unambiguous with nations like China and Russia who want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model. That is why we must use all the tools of American power to provide for the common defence, Mr Mattis wrote. The exit of Mattis, highly regarded by Republicans and Democrats alike, added to concern from congress and international allies over what they see as Mr Trumps unpredictable go-it-alone approach to global security. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events This impression was not helped by the resignation of US envoy Brett McGurk, who is the bridge between the United States and the international coalition fighting Isis, who himself is standing down early in the wake of the Syria decision. Mr McGurk has also made clear he believes the fight against Isis is not finished and called Mr Trumps troop decision a shock. A senior White House official said that Mr Trump was annoyed by the attention given to Mr Mattis resignation letter. He just wants a smooth, more quick transition and felt that dragging it out for a couple of months is not good, the official said, on condition of anonymity. The official said Mr Trump was expected to pick a nominee for defence secretary over the next couple of weeks. Mr Shanahan, in his job as deputy defence secretary, has largely focused on internal Pentagon reform and more long-term projects like the creation of a US Space Force a pet project for the president and vice president Mike Pence. Defence Department spokesperson Dana White said Mr Mattis would work with Mr Shanahan and Pentagon leadership to ensure the department remains focused on the defence of the nation during this transition. Reuters contributed to this report Donald Trumps administration enacted a partial government shutdown at midnight on December 22 2018 after the Senate failed to break an impasse over the presidents demand for more funding to build a wall on the US border with Mexico. With no deal in sight, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell sent senators home that Saturday until Christmas Day, all but guaranteeing the shutdown would last until then. The president cancelled his plans to spend Christmas in Florida at his Mar-a-Lago club due to the shutdown, and the first lady, Melania Trump, flew back to Washington to be with her husband. But as the government shutdown reaches its 13th day on Friday 4 January, congressional leaders are bracing for another meeting with Mr Trump over the government shutdown and border security. Lawmakers described the anticipated meeting as an information session on border security and the impasse causing the shutdown. The White House said that Mr Trump will participate in a border security briefing for congressional leadership held in the Situation Room. Donald Trump on the US Government shutdown: 'Call it a democrat shutdown or whatever' House Democrats pledged to go forth with their own strategy to fund the government and end the shutdown. Mr Trump implied on Twitter that he is willing to negotiate, but any deal must include full funding for his $5 billion pet project. Border Security and the Wall thing and Shutdown is not where Nancy Pelosi wanted to start her tenure as Speaker! Mr Trump said. Lets make a deal?. How did the government shutdown start? President Trump has insisted on $5 billion for his project, a cornerstone of his election campaign, but Democrats are fiercely opposed and have rejected his request. Even a temporary measure to keep the government running while negotiations continued seemed out of reach in the run-up to Congress reconvening on 3 January 2019. Financing for about a quarter of federal programmes including the departments of Homeland Security, Justice and Agriculture have expired and will not be renewed until a deal is done. How can the president and Congress end the government shutdown? Any agreement to end the shutdown would require both the support of Democrats and the signature of Mr Trump. Ms Pelosi pledged to pass legislation in the House of Representatives ordering the reopening of government should she return to Congress as speaker and she has but Mr McConnell has called such a bill a total nonstarter. The Republican-controlled Senate does have the power to block her but doing so would see them exposed to criticism and forced to take total responsibility for the hiatus. The president has meanwhile savoured the prospect of a shutdown over his border wall for months, saying last week he would be proud to close the government. He campaigned on a promise to build the wall and also promised Mexico would pay for it a demand Mexico has staunchly refused. Democrat Chuck Schumer met vice president Mike Pence on 29 December 2018 to discuss the issue at the request of the White House, according to the formers office. But the senators spokesman said they remained very far apart on a spending agreement. 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 Mr Schumer said the Trump shutdown could end immediately if the president simply dropped his demand for money. If you want to open the government, you must abandon the wall, he said. Democrats said they were open to other proposals that didnt include the wall, which Mr Schumer said was too costly and ineffective. They have offered to keep spending at existing levels of $1.3bn for border fencing and other security. But Mr Trump, entrenching his position, tweeted about to say the crisis of illegal activity at Americas southern border is real and will not stop until we build a great Steel Barrier or Wall. Which departments and agencies are closed as a result? Virtually every essential government agency, including the FBI, the Border Patrol and the Coast Guard, will remain open. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers will staff airport checkpoints. Social Security cheques will go out and troops will remain at their posts. Doctors and hospitals will receive their Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. Democratic senator Mazie Hirono calls out Donald Trumps shutdown on live TV: 'Any efforts on his behalf to blame the Democrats would be such bullsh*t' The US Post Office, as an independent agency, was still delivering mail. Passport services, funded by fees and not government spending, will also continue. The air traffic control system, food inspection, Medicare, veterans health care and many other essential government programmes will run as usual. The Federal Emergency Management Agency can continue to respond to disasters. Nearly 90 per cent of the Department of Homeland Securitys 240,000 employees will be at work because they are considered essential. Special counsel Robert Muellers office, which is investigating potential ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, is unaffected by a shutdown. Fox and Friends attacks Trump over government shutdown But hundreds of thousands of federal workers will be forced off the job and some services will go dark. In the past, the vast majority of national parks were closed to visitors and campers, but beginning with the last government shutdown, in January, the Interior Department has tried to make parks as accessible as possible despite bare bones staffing levels. Some are staying open thanks to funding from states and charitable groups. How many civil servants are barred from working and do they still get paid? More than 420,000 essential federal employees will work without pay until the dispute is resolved. Another 380,000 will be furloughed, meaning they are put on temporary leave. The Senate had already passed legislation ensuring that workers will receive back pay, and the House was likely to follow suit. Federal employees were already granted an extra day of holiday on Christmas Eve under an executive order Mr Trump signed last week. Federal workers are exempted from furloughs if their jobs are related to national security or if they perform essential activities that protect life and property. Chuck Schumer slams Donald Trump for letting government go into shutdown Of the 420,000 employees working without pay, about 41,000 are law enforcement and corrections officers. The Homeland Security employees who will keep working include about 150,000 from the Coast Guard, TSA and Customs and Border Protection. The 380,000 furloughed employees include nearly all of Nasa and Housing and Urban Development and 41,000 from the Commerce Department. About 16,000 National Park Service employees 80 per cent of the agencys workforce will also be put on temporary leave. How many government shutdowns have there been, when was the longest? Shutdowns happened every year when Jimmy Carter was president, averaging 11 days each, while there were six shutdowns during Ronald Reagans two terms, typically lasting just one or two days. Before a three-day gap during Mr Trumps administration in January, when Democrats insisted any budget measure come with protections for young immigrants known as Dreamers, the most significant saw a 16-day partial shutdown in 2013 as Tea Party conservatives tried to block Barack Obamas healthcare law. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Mr Trumps government also shut down for a few hours last February amid a partisan dispute over deficit spending. The longest federal government shutdown, lasting 21 days, occurred in December 1995 and January 1996, triggered by conflicts between Bill Clinton and Republicans in Congress over Medicare funding and government spending. Additional reporting by agencies The death toll from a tsunami in Indonesia has risen to 373, the countrys disaster agency has said, with another 128 missing and almost 1,500 people injured. The waves washed ashore along western Java and southern Sumatra islands on Saturday night following a volcanic eruption. Hundreds of military personnel and volunteers were combing debris-strewn beaches on Monday looking for victims. The tsunami was not huge and did not surge far inland, but its force was destructive. Disaster agency spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said more than 600 homes, many hotels and vendor stalls, and more than 400 boats and ships were damaged. The number of casualties may still rise. Mr Nugroho said: It is suspected that some victims are still trapped under wreckage and materials washed away by the tsunami. He also told a news conference another tsunami was a possibility because of the continued eruptions of the volcano, according to the BBC. Recommendations from Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) are that people should not carry out activities on the beach and stay away from the coast for a while, he said. Where victims were found, yellow, orange and black body bags were laid out, and weeping relatives identified the dead. The waves that swept terrified locals and tourists into the sea along the Sunda Strait followed an eruption and apparent landslide on Anak Krakatau, or Child of Krakatoa, one of the worlds most infamous volcanic islands. Hotels and hundreds of homes were heavily damaged by the waves. Broken chunks of concrete and splintered sticks of wood littered hard-hit coastal areas, turning popular beach areas into near ghost towns. Debris from thatch-bamboo shacks was strewn along the coast. The Indonesian Medical Association of the worst-affected Banten region said that it sent doctors, medical supplies and equipment, and that many of the injured were in need of orthopaedic and neurological surgery. It said most victims are domestic tourists who were visiting beaches during the long weekend ahead of Christmas. Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave Show all 25 1 /25 Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave Debris littered a property badly damaged by a tsunami in Carita, Indonesia. The tsunami occurred after the eruption of a volcano around Indonesia's Sunda Strait during a busy holiday weekend, sending water crashing ashore and sweeping away hotels, hundreds of houses and people attending a beach concert AP Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave Reuters Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave An aerial photo shows damaged buildings in Carita AFP/Getty Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave Relatives mourn at a health facility where the bodies of tsunami victims are collected EPA Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave Reuters Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave EPA Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave AFP/Getty Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave EPA Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave AP Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave AFP/Getty Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave EPA Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave Residents collect debris from their collapsed houses Reuters Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave A local health center officer covers a dead body Reuters Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave AFP/Getty Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave AP Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave AFP/Getty Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave An Indonesian man looks at ruined vehicles EPA Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave EPA Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave Indonesian men walk among debris EPA Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave Rescue team evacuate the body of a victim EPA Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave A ruined tractor sits in the water EPA Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave Survivors receive treatment at a hospital in Carita AFP/Getty Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave A resident walks past damaged houses AP Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave A soldier examines a local resident who was injured Antara Foto/Reuters Indonesia tsunami:Rescue operation begins after devastating tidal wave Damaged cars are seen among the debris after a tsunami hit the Sunda Strait in Indonesia EPA It was the second deadly tsunami to hit seismically active Indonesia this year. A powerful earthquake triggered a tsunami that hit Sulawesi island in September, giving residents a brief warning before the waves struck. On Saturday night, however, the ground did not shake to alert people before the waves ripped buildings from their foundations and swept terrified concertgoers celebrating on a resort beach into the sea. I heard people shouting to run away and I saw the water had gone up to the mainland and the hotel had been flooded by water, said witness Feri Ardian. About 200 people were dragged away by the waves. Dramatic video posted on social media showed the Indonesian pop band Seventeen performing in a tent on Tanjung Lesung beach at a concert for employees of the state electricity company. A wave smashed through the makeshift stage, tossing the band and its equipment into the audience. The bass player, guitarist, drummer, road manager and technician were all killed. The lead singer survived, but his wife, a backing singer, was missing. On Monday, five more bodies were recovered around the hotel, including a little boy. President Joko Widodo, who faces what promises to be a tough re-election campaign next year, responded to the lack of any warning of the disaster with a vow to have all equipment used for detection of tsunamis replaced or repaired. Mr Nugroho acknowledged on Twitter the countrys network of detection buoys had been dysfunctional since 2012 due to vandalism and budget shortfalls. Indonesia Tsunami: Volcano erupting But the head of the BMKG Dwikorita Karnawati said on Monday the tsunami was caused by Krakataus volcanic activity, so could not have been picked up by her agencys sensors, which monitor the conventional tectonic earthquakes that are responsible for more than 90 per cent of the tsunamis occurring in the country. With Krakatau still erupting, she warned people to avoid activities around coastal areas in coming days due to high waves and other factors. The president popularly known by the nickname Jokowi told journalists after arriving by helicopter in the disaster region that he has ordered the Social Ministry to give compensation to the families of the dead as quickly as possible. He praised the army and police, along with local government officials, for their work in evacuating shorefront areas, which are still considered a danger zone. Scientists, including those from the BMKG, said the tsunami could have been caused by landslides either above ground or under water on the steep slope of the erupting volcano. The scientists also cited tidal waves caused by the full moon. Gegar Prasetya, co-founder of the Tsunami Research Center Indonesia, said Saturdays tsunami was likely caused by a flank collapse when a big section of a volcanos slope gives way. Its possible for an eruption to trigger a landslide above ground or beneath the ocean, both capable of producing waves, he said. The 305m-high Anak Krakatau lies on an island in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands, linking the Indian Ocean and the Java Sea. It has been erupting since June and did so again about 24 minutes before the tsunami, the geophysics agency said. The volcanic island formed over years after the 1883 eruption of the Krakatoa volcano, one of the largest, most devastating in recorded history. That disaster killed more than 30,000 people, launched far-reaching tsunamis, and created so much ash that day was turned to night in the area and a global temperature drop was recorded. Most of the island sank into a volcanic crater under the sea, and the area remained calm until the 1920s, when Anak Krakatau began to rise from the site. It continues to grow each year and erupts periodically. Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands and home to 260 million people, lies along the Ring of Fire, an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. Roads and infrastructure are poor in many areas, making access difficult in the best of conditions. A powerful quake on the island of Lombok killed 505 people in August. The tsunami and earthquake that hit Sulawesi in September killed more than 2,100, while thousands more are believed to still be buried in neighbourhoods swallowed by a quake phenomenon known as liquefaction. Saturdays tsunami also rekindled memories of the massive magnitude 9.1 earthquake that hit Indonesia on 26 December 2004. It spawned a giant tsunami off Sumatra island, killing more than 230,000 people in a dozen countries the majority in Indonesia. Additional reporting by agencies This year was full of apparent wake-up calls. The first came over the summer when a heatwave swept the northern hemisphere, setting parts of the Swedish Arctic ablaze and pushing Europe close to its hottest temperature on record. While many in the UK welcomed the endless weeks of sunshine, there was a dawning sense that it was a little unusual. Even newspapers not normally associated with cutting-edge climate science seemed grudgingly to acknowledge a possible link to global warming. To be clear, weather is not climate. When Donald Trump tweeted in 2013 that he was in Los Angeles and its freezing, that did not merit his conclusion that global warming is a hoax. It was December after all. But climate certainly does affect weather. Over the last couple of years, scientists have become increasingly confident in identifying the fingerprints of climate change on extreme events, from the UK heatwave to hurricanes striking Texas, and flooding in India. A year ago, few politicians imagined the UK would end 2018 without a signed and sealed Brexit deal that could be delivered on 29 March 2019. But a series of final deadlines came and went in October, November and again this month. The year in Brexit was shaped by an event just before last Christmas. Few at Westminster realised its significance at the time. There was a sense of relief when Theresa May nudged stage one of the sticky Brexit negotiations over the line, dashing to Brussels in the early hours to clinch an agreement that had been derailed by the Tories pesky partners, Northern Irelands Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). The small print of the joint UK-EU report included a backstop to prevent a hard border between Northern Ireland and the republic, an insurance policy if no long-term trade agreement had been reached when a transitional period ends in December 2020. Under its terms, the province would remain in full alignment with the EU single market and customs union. Critics on both sides of the Channel accused the prime minister of procrastinating (AP) The innocuous-sounding backstop came to dominate the Brexit debate. Cabinet ministers later claimed Downing Street misled them about its implications. The penny dropped when the EU turned last Decembers report into the legalese of a treaty: Northern Ireland would be part of a common regulatory area and customs territory. This crossed the DUPs blood red line that the province should not have a different system to the rest of the UK. May declared that no prime minister could accept a border in the Irish Sea and UK negotiators expended much energy on persuading the EU to change the backstop so it would cover the UK as a whole. But the prospect of an indefinite customs union fuelled a rebellion by Tory Eurosceptics, and remains the biggest roadblock in Mays path. As the negotiations continued, it became obvious the UK could not serve up her foreign secretary Boris Johnsons menu having its cake and eating it. It could not enjoy the single markets benefits without being in it and accepting responsibilities such as the free movement of people. Although May did not ultimately have much to cheer on Brexit during 2018, she took some comfort in confounding the pessimists, at least initially first with the phase one deal also covering citizens rights and a 39bn divorce payment; and again in March, when she calmed business nerves by securing a 21-month status quo transition. Yet critics on both sides of the Channel accused the prime minister of procrastinating rather than facing up to the inevitable compromises and tough choices, and not being honest with the public or parliament about them. Her undoubted resilience could also be seen as stubbornness. May was trapped by the red lines she set after becoming prime minister, saying the UK would be outside the single market and customs union and beyond the reach of the European Court of Justice. She was overly anxious to convince Brexiteer MPs they could trust her, even though she had backed Remain in the 2016 referendum. Theresa May insists Brexit deal is not dead despite EU leaders refusing to make concessions As the negotiations continued, it became obvious the UK could not serve up her foreign secretary Boris Johnsons menu having its cake and eating it. It could not enjoy the single markets benefits without being in it and accepting responsibilities such as the free movement of people. According to one cabinet minister: The PM gradually realised the UK would need to stick close to its biggest market to cushion Brexits impact on the economy. But she repeatedly put off the evil day when she would admit it, and blur her red lines. The Brexiteers breezy optimism that the EU would be forced to hand the UK a good deal proved ever more obviously naive. This was not a traditional negotiation among 28 EU members, who would find a traditional last-minute, late night compromise. It was 27 versus one who was leaving the club and would soon be a third country. Crucially, 26 countries would stand solidly behind the one member most affected by the UKs decision (aside from the UK itself) Ireland. Nor would ministers in London succeed in their attempt to divide and rule the 27, or go over the head of Michel Barnier, the European Commissions chief negotiator, by appealing to the 27 national leaders. They gave May a tiny slot on Brexit at their summits and then banished her from the room. The EU set the agenda and called the shots. Mays decision to trigger the two-year Article 50 process before deciding the shape of her desired deal returned to haunt her. The EU had a powerful weapon, time, and a clear deadline of March 2019, when the UK would leave without a deal if agreement was not reached. Amid mounting frustration in Brussels about the absence of a UK blueprint, May summoned her cabinet to her Chequers country retreat in July. It seemed to work at first, and her plan was approved. In fact, several ministers expressed grave doubts and two days later, David Davis, the Brexit secretary, and then Johnson resigned. Davis complained that his plan for a Canada-style free trade agreement had been rewritten behind his back by Olly Robbins, the UK negotiator working directly to May, to include a common rule book for goods and agri-foods. The UK proposal was rejected anyway by the EUs special summit in Salzburg in September in an embarrassing rebuff which a chastened May had not expected. The EU set the agenda and called the shots. Mays decision to trigger the two-year Article 50 process before deciding the shape of her desired deal, returned to haunt her. Daviss successor, Dominic Raab, reached the same conclusion as him and quit, along with Esther McVey, during the next wave of resignations in November. With hindsight, Mays decision to set up the Department for Exiting the EU (DExEU) was a mistake: it would have been better to admit she would run the show from No 10 and the Cabinet Offices Europe unit. Raab and McVey could not stomach the deal May finally struck with the EU a 585-page withdrawal agreement and a vague political declaration on the future UK-EU partnership, which to many looked like the blind Brexit May had always dismissed. After the November resignations, Mays premiership hung by a thread. She was saved by Michael Goves decision to stay in the cabinet. The long-awaited deal was welcomed by business but failed to produce the political momentum ministers had expected. The opposite happened, as the Tory revolt against it spiralled. Mays deal united her partys warring factions against the UK being a vassal state, a rule-taker, not rule-maker. Eurosceptics saw it as not delivering the 2016 referendum decision, while pro-EU Tories regarded it as worse than the UKs current membership terms. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events May thus postponed this months crunch Commons vote on the deal, choosing a humiliating retreat over a humiliating defeat. It was the nadir of her annus horribilis. Shortly afterwards, her critics secured the 48 Tory MPs needed to force a vote of confidence in her as party leader. She survived, but it was a pyrrhic victory, with 117 (more than a third of her MPs) voting against her. Cabinet ministers, sensing that Mays authority was weakened and her deal sunk, began setting out their ideas for a Plan B. They included: a Norway-plus agreement (inside the single market and a customs union); a managed no-deal exit; and a referendum, which looked a remote possibility when The Independent launched its campaign for the public to have the Final Say in July but is now a real prospect. At the EUs final summit of the year, a desperate May resorted to pleading with her counterparts to show her some Christmas cheer in the form of legal guarantees that the backstop would be temporary. They were not forthcoming. Although she will try again in the new year, her prospects of winning Commons approval for her deal look bleak as a momentous year in politics comes to an end. With the Duke and Duchess of Sussex paying a 2018 visit to Fiji as part of their tour Down Under, the 333 islands are having a moment despite their far-flung location. Practically the furthest you can possibly travel from the UK flights from London to Nadi on the main island involve a layover in Hong Kong, LA or San Francisco and take more than 24 hours and 13 hours ahead, Fiji is a bit of an effort to get to, to put it mildly. But that doesnt mean it isnt worth it. Once there, its clear theres more to Fiji than the aquamarine waters and white sand beaches that have made it a top honeymoon destination. Forget the sunset walks and candlelit dinners: theres a wealth of opportunities for adventure seekers and adrenaline junkies. Whether youre travelling alone, with friends or on a couples getaway, here are some of the best things for adventurous types to do in Fiji. Dive with sharks If snorkelling through clear waters and spotting the cast of Finding Nemo isnt exciting enough for you, take things up a notch and go diving with sharks Fiji is one of the few places in the world that you can do so without a cage. Fiji is one of the few places you can try cage-free shark diving (Fiji) Join a reef safari at Shangri-Las Fijian Resort and Spa, from where you can venture out to the area around Beqa island. Experience the exhilarating rush of swimming among black and whitetip reef sharks (which grow to more than 5ft long), safe in the knowledge that theyre not going to eat you the sharks seldom pose a risk to humans. Whizz down 16 zip lines Sure, you may have done a zip line before, but have you ever done 16 in a row? Head to Zip Fiji near Nadi, where you can tackle the longest zip-line course in the South Pacific. Youll climb up to 200m above sea level and enjoy incredible views of the ocean as you whizz through the tree-top canopies where mangoes grow (and alarmingly big spiders hang suspended in their webs). Take on 16 zip lines in a row (Fiji) Six lines in, you get to see the so-called cannibal cave a creepy limestone hollow that was once the site of killings for cannibalism and now home to bats and swallows, who swoop in and out. As you progress round the course, the zip lines get faster and longer the longest is 250m allowing those with a need for speed to get their kicks. Swim through ancient caves The Sawa-i-Lau caves are part of the Yasawa Islands, just round the corner from the Blue Lagoon where Brooke Shields shot her film of the same name. The biggest is easy to climb down into to take a dip in the 7m-deep pool. The adventurous can turn things up a notch by scouting for the hidden underwater tunnel through to another cave, positioned about a metre below the surface of the water. Youll need to hold your breath for about five seconds and, if you dont have a head torch, its probably best not to swim through without a guide going ahead of you. After a few seconds swimming into the darkness, you emerge into another smaller cave, almost pitch black save for the tiny burst of light shining through the water from the main tunnel. The water is too deep to stand in and somewhat terrifyingly you cant hear anyone in the main cave, nor can they hear you. However, your eyes soon acclimatise, and swimming back out is a doddle compared to going in simply head towards the light. You can visit the Sawa-i-Lau caves by boat or as part of a cruise, such as Captain Cook Cruises, Blue Lagoon Cruises or Awesome Adventures Fiji. Climb a mountain Reaching 763ft above sea level, the climb to the top of Mount Tamasua in the Yasawa Islands is steep but not too long it takes about half an hour if youre walking at a decent pace. The soil is crumbly so the descent is more difficult than climbing up, but the reward for venturing through the giant succulents and lush scenery to the peak is views over the Blue Lagoon, tropical reefs and Sawa-i-Lau island. And if youre willing to get up early enough, youll catch the sunrise too. Island-hop by seaplane As beautiful as the Fijian islands are from the ground and as wonderful as the ocean is when youre submerged in it, theres nothing like seeing the land and seascapes from the sky. Jump in a seaplane for a day of island-hopping, where youll view turquoise reefs and lush islands from a height of around 1,000ft. Flying by seaplane is the best way to see the islands (Fiji) As well as the captivating scenes below, experience the thrill of taking off from and landing on water its much more fun than an airport runway. Travel essentials Getting there Return flights from Heathrow to Fiji (Nadi) via Hong Kong cost 1,183 with British Airways. More information fiji.travel Brexit is already causing a problem for the GAA - and worse will follow if Britain crashes out of the EU and a hard Border is built. Sterling's weakening exchange rate with the euro, which is the GAA's official currency, has increased costs for supporters from the Six Counties attending games south of the Border, while a return to checkpoints would be an even bigger concern. "The devaluation of the pound against the euro since the Brexit referendum has had a big effect," said Ulster Council secretary Brian McAvoy. "Before the referendum 20 equalled around 14, but now it's 18. The weakening of sterling may have had an impact on attendances at some games and has undoubtedly increased running costs for clubs and counties in the North." The currency differential means an 80 All-Ireland final ticket equated to around 56 before the Brexit referendum but is now close to 72. A return to checkpoints, which were so disruptive during the Troubles, would also have a significant impact on a North-south organisation like the GAA, where county and club teams cross the Border on a regular basis. "Those of us who are old enough to remember those days know exactly what it was like and we certainly don't want to go back to them," said Mr McAvoy. "There was no way of knowing how long it would take to cross the Border going either way so you had to leave yourself a lot of extra time to get to a game. A return to that would be very bad news for the GAA." Nor is he convinced that, even if a hard Border is avoided, a frictionless alternative will work smoothly. "We keep hearing about how well it works between USA and Canada, and between France and Switzerland. I've been through both of them and I'll tell you, there can be long delays," he said. Meanwhile, Mr McAvoy remains hopeful that a decision on the re-submitted planning application for the redevelopment of the GAA's Casement Park in Belfast will be given soon. "It was lodged on February 28, 2017, and is still in the system. All we can do is wait," he said. The absence of a Northern Ireland Executive is understood to be a major factor in the delay, as civil servants are not empowered to grant planning permission for major projects. The GAA has committed to contribute 19m to the 34,500 capacity stadium, which has been closed since 2013. At first glance, the worlds of farming and high finance may appear to be oceans apart, but according to former bond trader Peter Hagerty, the two occupations have more in common than you might think. He should know, having swapped the trading floors of Geneva for a 90-acre dairy farm in Ballinspittle, Co Cork, six years ago. "The characteristics of being a financial trader are very similar to those of a farmer," he says. "You work 20 hours a day, seven days a week. Work is dominant and that doesn't mean it's an imposition; it's simply the centre of your life. "Having spent my adult life in a high-pressure environment, I'm constantly amazed at the complexity and challenges in farming. Expand Close Lucy Hagerty in her luxury perfumery and scented candle business in Belgooly, near Kinsale. Photo: Clare Keogh / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lucy Hagerty in her luxury perfumery and scented candle business in Belgooly, near Kinsale. Photo: Clare Keogh "You need to have a broad and deep understanding of a wide range of subjects, including veterinarian, feeding, finance, science, engineering, operating machinery "These are the skills expected of a farmer 365 days a year, which is very humbling - and from a bond trader, that's high praise." Having been born in Dublin with Mayo connections, Peter went to boarding school in the UK, where his parents had some land, and he spent a lot of time on farms growing up. "I also lived in Africa and Hong Kong, but always wanted to return to Ireland and run my own farm," he says. After six years in Switzerland, he and wife Lucy decided to make the move when their daughter Tabitha finished primary school in Geneva. The couple also have a son, James, who now studies agriculture at college, while Tabitha is a dressage rider. "We bought the farm in 2012, at the lowest point of the post-crash chaos," says Peter. "It was a steep learning curve, but from five heifers that came with the land, we now have a small milking herd of 30 black-and-white Friesian cows. "We also finish about 30 beef cattle a year, and continually buy in calves. We retain our milk and use it to feed calves. "We've also been experimenting with making our own cheese for the past three years. However, we have quite a big surplus of milk now, so we may supply a creamery next year or the year after." Peter works the farm himself, with help from son James, while wife Lucy runs her own manufacturing business, Le Bougie, a luxury perfume and scented candle company based in Belgooly, just outside Kinsale. Like her husband, Lucy changed careers to become a professional perfumer when the couple moved to Ireland. Before marrying Peter she was a personal chef for Hollywood stars and British royals, but took the opportunity in Switzerland to study her first love - perfumery. She opened for business in 2012. Nicknamed 'Ireland's Jo Malone,' her high-end candles - with delicious combinations including Ginger and Black Pepper, Honeysuckle and Sea Salt, and Kaffir Lime and Samphire - are now stocked in more than 120 outlets nationwide. Like more than half of Ireland's farming families, the Hagertys supplement their agricultural income with an adjunct business - a winning combination that enables them to enjoy the sweet smell of success, even if, says Peter, "Lucy might see the farm as the adjunct business!" When Peter's trusty tractor started to stall last year, Lucy responded by introducing a new line of fragrances to help pay for a new one. With a nose for business equal to her keen sense for scents, Lucy targeted a wider market for Crop Candles, pitching them at 16 compared with 25 for Le Bougie. Inspired by the land and the elements, the new collection sold strongly and, just nine months later, Peter got his new tractor. "The old Massey was on its last legs," he says. "It still is. It's been retired to light feeding duties, but thanks to Lucy's Crop Candles, I bought a New Holland - the price is a state secret. "Seriously though, farming families tend to have a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a great ability to adapt, which are essential qualities for the lifestyle. "There are always challenges to face on a farm. One for me is that the land is spread over 17km - the old tractor just wasn't up to it. "And beef is a constant challenge, especially over a fragmented land space. "This has been a shocking hard year with the weather. We were lucky during the storms that we were understocked, but the drought affected us really badly. We had less than half of the grass we wanted to grow, and are left with an appalling shortage of straw. "We're experimenting with peat bedding, because needs must, but I don't think I'll be repeating it." Peter and Lucy have ambitious plans to upscale synergies between both the farm and the perfumery business in the coming year. Subject to planning, they hope to open a shop and a cafe next to the factory in Kinsale. "A perfumery is like a laboratory, and people are often fascinated to get a guided tour of the factory and see how candles are made," says Lucy. "Visitors will be able to sample the different scents in the shop, and then sit down to a beautiful cup of coffee and a slice of cake. All the milk, cream, yogurt and cheese served will be from our own farm." She's already named it the Crop Cafe, after the successful candles that helped pay for the new tractor. "The Crop brand connects with the earth, and farming," she says. "Crop Candles celebrate nature, with year-round fragrances of earth, rain and grass. Seasonal scents include Elderflower, Rhubarb and Gorse for summer, while this winter we have Douglas Fir, Sloe and Seaweed. "I know nothing about farming, yet I feel a deep connection with the land and never fail to be inspired by my surroundings. I try to capture the scents I get when I walk through the fields, like the sweet coconut smell of gorse flowers, or the slightly chocolaty fragrance that comes from rain. "The senses of taste and smell are very similar, so for me, being a personal chef is not unrelated to hand-pouring artisan candles." 'I was told the queen was coming to tea' As well as making scented candles and perfumes, Lucy Hagerty also creates bespoke fragrances for high-end hotels, including Dromoland Castle, Adare Manor and the Cliff House Hotel. She's also tailoring a unique fragrance for a Hollywood star whose identity she's not at liberty to reveal. Confidentiality is par for the course for the woman who once catered for the highest circles of British royalty. In her previous career as a personal chef, she worked for the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, for three years in the 1990s. "I was thrown in at the deep end," she says. "On my first day I was told that the queen was coming to tea. I hadn't time to be nervous and just set about making lovely sandwiches and cakes. I cooked for Her Majesty a few times, and I met Princess Diana often, because she and the Duchess of York were very close friends at the time. "I loved being a personal chef, but it demanded a lot of travel and anti-social hours, so when the children came along, I gave it up. Now I'm doing what I've always wanted, and Peter is following his dream too. This time of year is extremely busy for me - I'm literally burning the candle at both ends. "However, even if we're like ships in the night, with Peter on the farm and me in the factory, suppertime is a great time to catch up and talk about our day. "We've been together since God was a child - we met as students in Oxford, and next year we'll celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. "We're a great sounding board for each other and we're always looking for new ways to use our milk. Last night we were planning ice cream." The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed has announced funding totalling 21.87m for two UN agencies, the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organisation. The contribution includes an advance payment in respect of 2019 commitments to the World Food Programme of 19m. This funding is part of a three year strategic partnership agreement with the World Food Programme. "This funding will afford WFP the flexibility to target this funding in the most strategic, efficient and planned manner. It will provide life-saving assistance to communities facing food insecurity in countries such as Yemen, Syria and South Sudan, Minister Creed stated. We are deeply grateful to the government and the people of Ireland for consistently helping WFP to save lives in emergencies and change the lives of people who are the furthest behind. Irelands latest contribution will help us tackle the multiple humanitarian crises we face, WFP Executive Director, Mr David Beasley said, thanking Ireland for its contribution. In addition to Irelands annual subscription to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Minister Creed also announced funding of 2.87m for specific projects under the auspices of FAO, to promote food security and livelihood resilience among farmers and refugees in crisis regions, including in Cameroon, Chad, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; as well as projects to support climate smart agriculture, plant health and protection, and international food safety standards. Animal and plant pests and diseases are a huge threat to lives and livelihoods across the world. Ireland is a critical partner in enabling FAO to support vulnerable communities in preparing for, diagnosing and responding to these threats from fall armyworm and Rift Valley fever. Ireland is also an advocate supporter of livelihoods affected by conflict such as in the Lake Chad basin stated Mr. Dominique Burgeon, Director, Emergency and Rehabilitation Division, FAO. Support for these FAO projects reflects Irelands international commitment to improving food security and nutrition, protecting plant and animal health, and action on climate change Minister Creed concluded. Shoppers splashed out an estimated 2bn on last-minute Christmas presents over the weekend with brisk trade across the country. Despite a slow November and December, retailers' tills were well and truly ringing across Ireland on Saturday and yesterday. And it seemed male shoppers snapping up last-minute gift cards accounted for some of the biggest store sales. Poor weather, Black Friday deals, Brexit concerns, shoppers heading to Northern Ireland and the growth of international online stores in Ireland had all caused a drop in trade recently. But Retail Excellence Ireland (REI) said shoppers had turned out in their droves across Ireland at the weekend, helping to increase profits for all retailers. "Saturday was probably the busiest shopping day ever," David Fitzsimons, group chief executive of REI, said. "This was helped by clement weather nationwide, the economy at close to full employment, with everyone getting paid, and a huge amount of postponed spend from last weekend, which was a write-off. "The only negative was car access in some towns, such as Killarney, which was a challenge due to huge volumes of shoppers. "But every retailer I spoke to had a great weekend," he added. Many stores had already launched cut-price sales leading up to Christmas Day with Arnotts reducing selected lines of footwear, women's clothing, accessories and homeware by up to 50pc. Marks & Spencer is plugging up to 50pc off furniture and deals on some underwear while Brown Thomas is offering up to 40pc reductions on designer clothing and 10pc off gift sets. While the weather had been dry and mild on Saturday, parts of the country, including the capital, had been rain sodden yesterday but the wet day failed to put shoppers off as they used the last opportunity to buy gifts. The Italian government won a gruelling vote of confidence on its 2019 budget in the country's upper house in the early hours yesterday, as it races to get the package approved before a year-end deadline. The budget now has to be approved by the lower house of parliament by December 31 so it can take effect from the start of the new year. The government of the anti-establishment Five-Star Movement and the right-wing League won the vote 167-78, with three abstentions. Last Wednesday, the European Commission reached a deal with Italy over its 2019 budget after months of verbal sparring, avoiding disciplinary steps against Rome. But the changes led to extensive re-drafting, and on Saturday a final text only arrived in the Senate at the last minute, which triggered uproar among opposition lawmakers. The Democratic Party said it would ask a top Italian court to rule on the constitutionality of the move, claiming there had been no time to debate the law in detail. "The budget law is a joke," former prime minister and PD member Matteo Renzi said on Saturday. But yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Facebook that reaching a deal with the European Union had inevitably meant more time had been needed to get the budget measures before parliament. "I am counting on the budget being finally approved on December 27-28," he said. 'The legislation would force Google to share revenue with publishers for news and headlines used on its website. Its YouTube video service would be liable for music royalties.' Stock photo: Reuters Google has claimed it will be forced to slash the range of news thrown up by its search engine if European rules to protect copyright owners come into force. The European Parliament's proposed version of the legislation would force Google along with Facebook and other technology firms to share more revenues with publishers of news, music and other content. The European Commission launched a major debate on copyright reforms two years ago in an attempt to ensure that online platforms pay publishers, broadcasters and artists a fair share of their online revenue and also bear liability for online infringement. The plans are moving ahead, and have been broadly backed by groups representing European creators of content. In September the European Parliament further beefed up the proposal in favour of copyright owners. That prompted a backlash from tech giants - including Google. As well as lobbying, Google has now launched a direct appeal to users. The legislation would force Google to share revenue with publishers for news and headlines used on its website. Its YouTube video service would be liable for music royalties. Now, in online advertising run over the weekend, Google said the EU rules would "likely benefit larger publishers and restrict the flow of traffic to smaller ones, making it harder for small, niche or new publications to find an audience and generate an income". Google said this would mean fewer news sources being seen by the public. Google singled out Article 11 of the proposed copyright legislation. It is dubbed the "neighbouring rights" clause and would force online platforms to pay publishers for material at links shared on their websites - such as a link to a news article. In a sign Google intends to ramp up lobbying, it said it will continue to update users. Traders saw Perrigo shares slump in New York on Friday. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images Drug maker Perrigo's Irish tax bill helped push Israel's main stock index to its biggest decrease in more than seven years yesterday. Tel Aviv's main TA-35 Index of leading Israeli shares fell as much as 5.3pc, the biggest session decline since 2011 on a closing basis. Perrigo's share price fall of 30pc was the biggest single contributor to the decline. The sell-off in Tel Aviv follows a slump in Perrigo's shares in New York on Friday, when they declined by the most since 1994 after the company confirmed the Revenue Commissioners in Ireland had hit the firm with an unexpected $1.8bn (1.6bn) tax assessment. The bill relates back to tax paid on a sale by Irish pharmaceutical company Elan of intellectual property behind a drug called Tysabri. Perrigo later bought Elan. Perrigo has said it is disputing the Revenue bill. Ireland is its main tax base. Revenue has determined the proceeds of Elan's Tysabri sale should have been taxed at 33pc as capital gains. Elan said proceeds of the sale were trading income and subject to 12.5pc corporation tax. Perrigo said it would appeal the tax bill. "No payment of any amount related to this assessment is required to be made, if at all, until all applicable proceedings have been completed," the company said. In a statement, Perrigo confirmed it had been told about the assessment on November 29, although it did not alert investors until last week. The company said it did not believe the Irish tax decision would have an impact on its financial position at the end of the financial year. (Additional reporting Bloomberg) Dianne Buswell has shared a loving tribute to her special somebody Joe Sugg. The couple were rumoured to be romantically involved after being partnered on Strictly Come Dancing but did not confirm whether or not they were an item. Now professional dancer Buswell, 29, has taken to social media to pay a glowing tribute to YouTuber Sugg, 27. Buswell, who is in her home country of Australia, shared a picture to Instagram, showing her sitting on Suggs knee while their pair gaze lovingly into each others eyes. She captioned the post: When I was sat on Santa Suggs lap he asked me what i wanted for Christmas ? My response was( apart from a tamagotchi ) I have everything that makes me happy. Already I honestly feel so so lucky Im in Australia with the best family a girl could wish for .. .and I have a very special somebody waiting for me when I return to the uk @joe_sugg. I hope everybody out there has the most amazing Christmas spent with loved ones and having the best time sending you all joy and happiness merry Christmas you amazing lot xx. Earlier this month, Sugg appeared to confirm the couples rumoured romance by sharing a picture of his own to Instagram. Video of the Day A day after the Strictly final, which was won by BBC presenter Stacey Dooley, Sugg posted an image of their pair looking into each others eyes. I may not have won the glitter ball, but Ive won something a million times more special, he wrote. We are in a golden age of gaming and this list could have been twice as long. But forced to pick our top 10 of the last 12 months, these are the games you should not miss. Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4/XO) Age: 18+ The deepest, maybe the most unfathomably complex game of the year, Rockstars latest opus is an astonishing achievement five years in the making. Its brutal, harsh world of Wild West outlaws takes a long time to get going, an even longer time to know fully. But when all other open-world games of 2019 have gone home, RDR2 will still be captivating us well into 2020, with its masterful interplay of narrative, scenery, morality and intricate underpinning of simulation systems. Expand Close Astro Bot Rescue Mission / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Astro Bot Rescue Mission Astro Bot Rescue Mission (PSVR) 7+ So playful and yet so considered, Astro Bot smashes it out of the park when it comes to VR fun. The portly bots from the PSVR launch line-up return for a much cleverer platformer that would do Nintendo proud. The player sits in the middle of the action, directly interacting with scenery and the waddling bot. With audacious use of perspective and viewpoint, its damn near impossible to wipe the smile from your face for every minute you linger in this delightful alternative reality. Expand Close Forza Horizon 4 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Forza Horizon 4 Forza Horizon 4 (XO/PC) 3+ Microsofts tentpole release for the Christmas season (um, for the second half of 2018 damningly) doesnt disappoint fans of the crazy racing series. But anyone with a passing interest in cars couldnt fail to clock the sheer passion poured into Playground Games meticulous recreation of northern Britain. That it manages to render its generous range of roads, countryside and vehicles across all the four seasons makes FH4 much more impressive. A pretty lake in summer becomes an iced-over track in winter. A rolling green meadow becomes a snowbound white carpet. An exhilarating drive. Expand Close Assassin's Creed Odyssey / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Assassin's Creed Odyssey Video of the Day Assassins Creed Odyssey (XO/PS4/PC) 18+ After 80-plus hours spent in a phenomenal version of Greece circa 430 BC, my ardour for Odyssey remains undimmed. Sure, its Assassins Creed all over again, on one level. But tweaks to the combat formula (that deeply satisfying Spartan Kick, for one) along with breathtaking scenery and a gnarly plot render it fresh. You may find yourself accidentally learning some terrific Greek history along the way too, not to mention some useful swear words. Even now, my mind drifts to the next piece of story DLC scheduled for early 2019 Expand Close Nintendo Labo Vehicle Kit / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nintendo Labo Vehicle Kit Nintendo Labo (Switch) 7+ Nintendos hybrid console had a quieter 2018 than its blockbuster 2017 but oddball cardboard sensation Labo was the highlight for me. It brings together the DIY, tactile aesthetic of Lego with kid-friendly video instructions to enable you (or your sprogs) to build impressive toy from stiff paper. Three editions came to market into 2018 but, as good as they are, the Variety Kit and Robot Kit are left in the dust by the Vehicle Kit for its ingenuity. Children with imagination can even go off-piste and use a little bit of programming and some household items to extend the kits potential. Florence (iOS/Android) 12+ A concise sketch of the highs and lows of a relationship, Florence deftly tells the story of a first date blooming into a deep love. Everyone whos had their heart broken will recognise the narrative arc as Florence uses simple touchscreen interactions to draw us into the unfolding drama. Created by one of the designers of the celebrated Monument Valley, Florence may be a short experience but few players will come away without feeling touched by its tale of love and loss. Expand Close God of War / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp God of War God of War (PS4) 18+ Investing characters with believable emotion is an inevitable outcome of games growing up. But the least likely candidate was always Kratos, the permanently angry Spartan warrior of the God of War series. This reboot pulls off the impossible, making us sympathetic towards the tortured bald god as he wrestles with a raising a son while battling monstrous demons. Its testament to the strength of the writing that the storyline emerges the most memorable pillar despite strong competition from stunning visuals and an elaborate combat system built around a powerful axe. Expand Close Sea of Thieves / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sea of Thieves Sea of Thieves (XO/PC) 15+ The hearty pirate sim you see as 2018 rolls to a close is very different to the Sea of Thieves that launched back in March as a bare-bones adventure. The building blocks were there naval navigation, ship combat and treasure hunting for this funny and clever multiplayer game. But veteran developer Rare has steadily fleshed out the activities, extending SoT beyond its initial appeal as an anecdote-generator (remember thay time we fired you out of a cannon into a cliff?! Mega-sharks, a giant kraken and skeleton ships are just a few of the challenges now awaiting unwary crews on the high seas. Expand Close Celeste / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Celeste Celeste (XO/PS4/PC/Switch) 12+ AN emotional rollercoaster disguised as a rock-hard 2D platformer, Celeste lulls you into thinking it has no more story than Donkey Kong before hitting you with a series of sucker punches. Youll come for the knotty Super Meat Boy-style of try-and-try-again running and jumping, liberally littered with secrets, challenges and head-wrecking sequences. But youll stay for the surprisingly deep narrative, weaving themes of mental health and relationships into the design, gameplay and interactions. Expand Close Gorogoa / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Gorogoa Gorogoa (iOS/Android/PS4/XO/PC) 7+ A solo project that soaked up six years of development, Gorogoa appear at first a simple tile puzzle, involving mere rearrangement of 2x2 comic panels to create a coherent story. But creator Jason Roberts quickly begins to toy with layers, alternative dimensions and a host of tricks to warp your mind. It feels most at home on touchscreen devices, where a tactile swipe of the finger enable you to experiment quickly with arrangements. But its originality and craft shines through on any platform. Actor Kevin Spacey has been charged with sexual assault in the US (Matt Crossick/PA) Actor Kevin Spacey has been charged with sexual assault in the US. The 59-year-old Academy Award winner is alleged to have assaulted a teenager at a bar in Boston, Massachusetts, in July 2016. According to the Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael OKeefe, Spacey is due to be arraigned on a charge of indecent assault and battery at Nantucket District Court on January 7. The alleged victim is the son of former US news anchor Heather Unruh, who first made the allegation during a press conference in November 2017. Expand Close Kevin Spacey is alleged to have sexually assaulted a teenager in the US (Ian West/PA Wire) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kevin Spacey is alleged to have sexually assaulted a teenager in the US (Ian West/PA Wire) Unruh said the actor bought her son drink after drink at a restaurant in Massachusetts before allegedly sticking his hand down the 18-year-olds pants and grabbing his genitals. As reports of the charge emerged, a video was posted to Spaceys official Twitter account, his first social media post since he was initially engulfed in scandal in October last year. In the clip, Spacey appears to be in the character of Frank Underwood from House Of Cards. The character was killed off by Netflix after the actor Anthony Rapp said he was 14 when Spacey, then 26, made a sexual advance to him in 1986. The sixth and final season of the political drama started streaming on Netflix in November. Let Me Be Frank https://t.co/OzVGsX6Xbz Kevin Spacey (@KevinSpacey) December 24, 2018 Video of the Day The video begins with Spacey in a kitchen, before he starts speaking directly to the camera. He said: I know what you want, and sure, they may have tried to separate us but what we have is too strong, is too powerful. I mean after all, we shared everything, you and I. I told you my deepest, darkest secrets. I showed you exactly what people are capable of. I shocked you with my honesty, but mostly I challenged you and made you think. And you trusted me, even though you knew you shouldnt. So were not done, no matter what anyone says. And besides, I know what you want you want me back. Expand Close Kevin Spaceys downfall began when the actor Anthony Rapp alleged he had behaved inappropriately towards him (Jeff Overs/BBC/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kevin Spaceys downfall began when the actor Anthony Rapp alleged he had behaved inappropriately towards him (Jeff Overs/BBC/PA) Of course, some believed everything and have just been waiting with bated breath to hear me confess it all, theyre just dying to have me declare that everything said is true, and that I got what I deserved. Wouldnt that be easy, if it was all so simple. Spacey added: You wouldnt believe the worst without evidence would you? You wouldnt rush to judgments without facts would you? Did you? No, not you, you are smarter than that. I can promise you this; if I didnt pay the price for the things we both know I did do Im certainly not going to pay the price for the things I didnt do. He concluded: Now that I think of it, you never actually saw me die, did you? Conclusions can be so deceiving. Missed me? It is not known whether Netflix is involved with the video and the streaming giant has been contacted for comment. A lawyer for Spacey has also been approached. Scotland Yard has six open sexual assault investigations into Spacey, alleged to have taken place in London and Gloucester. Spacey, who was artistic director at Londons The Old Vic theatre between 2004 and 2015, was one of the first Hollywood stars to face allegations in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. His downfall started when Rapp made his allegations in 2017. Spacey said he did not remember the encounter but apologised for any inappropriate drunken behaviour. He was sacked by Netflixs House Of Cards and Sir Ridley Scott erased him from his completed film All The Money In The World in re-shoots costing millions. Dressed in a puff-sleeved blouse and pale pink, high-waisted palazzo trousers, her hair neatly swept back, Emily Blunt is channelling Mary Poppins 2.0 today. The spirit of the magical nanny is unmistakably here in a dimly-lit London hotel room on a dull December day. When Disney were developing the bold idea of a sequel to the beloved 1964 musical Mary Poppins, Blunt was, apparently, the only actress they believed who could fill the role. It's not hard to see why she'd spring to mind to play a no-nonsense Edwardian-era nanny (though the new film is set 20 years later, during the depression). Her consonants are perfectly crisp. Her spine ram-rod straight. And I'd bet she could silence a stroppy child at 10 paces just by arching a perfectly-plucked eyebrow. What's more, the execs at Disney knew that she can sing, after her show-stealing turn in 2015's Into The Woods. Yet behind the private-school primness (she went to the progressive London school Ibstock Place) there's a lightness, a humour in Blunt always vying to break through. And it's this quality which infuses her Mary Poppins with warmth. "She's like a superhuman," Blunt says of Poppins. "Because she is of such depth. It's the humanity and the superhuman quality that I really love about the character." Since her breakthrough in film playing bitchy assistant Emily in The Devil Wears Prada, Blunt has become known for her controlled performances; she can be restrained and she can be arch, but beneath her porcelain composure we sense great depths of complex emotion. So it makes sense that as Poppins, she's wryer and more knowing than the crystalline Andrews. Her voice has more gravel and grit, and there's a hint of irony in the set of her mouth. "I knew I had some very big shoes to fill and I knew I had my work cut out for me," Blunt says of the daunting task of re-imagining the role that had seemed tailor-made for her predecessor Andrews back in the 1960s. "Obviously all those feelings come with a sense of apprehension. But I love a challenge and I love feeling a bit scared." Indeed, being a bit scared, she says is "usually why I want to do something. This film scared me more than anything, but I tried to approach it as I would any other role. I just tried to zen out the gasps of everybody around me when I told them I was playing Mary Poppins. If you are inundated with people gasping at you, you're like, 'oh my god, what am I doing? Maybe I'm crazy?' But I just absolutely fell in love with the character and so that overwhelmed the fear." When preparing, she avoided going back to watch the original film, preferring instead to dive into the series of books by the Australian writer PL Travers who created the character. "I have memories of it," she says of the film, "but I didn't have memories of the details of what Julie did. And I think that was probably a good thing for me, personally. Because I didn't want to be intimidated... I had already got such a clear instinct of what I was wanting to go with from the book, that I didn't want to compromise at that point. Nobody wants to see me or anybody do a bad impersonation of Julie Andrews. It's sort of sacrilege to even try. I just knew that if I was going to take her on, it would have to be my own version of her. And hope for the best." Her own version retains Poppins's essence, but with some updates. For one thing, "she's terribly vain. And Rob wanted her to look quite stylish. Even in the book, any reflective surface she can find she's looking in it. I always found that really funny in the book." She'd watched the film many times as a child, and was able to draw on what Poppins had represented to her then. "Maybe because she's a bit of a disciplinarian... that coming in and wrangling everything and making everything right again felt very comforting to me as a child. It felt like she was going to get the job done and I was in safe hands, and I kind of loved that about her. I think that's what kids do love about her." Mary Poppins Returns takes place in "the slump" of the 1930s. Jane and Michael Banks are grown up now and Michael is a widower with three children of his own. Still living on Cherry Tree Lane, he has fallen on hard times, and it's into this crisis that Poppins enters. The era, Blunt says "was a time of fragility and a time when there was a certain disconcerting feeling out there in the world. And I think it has some relevance today. Maybe we all need a bit of Mary Poppins today." Video of the Day In 2010 Blunt married American actor and screenwriter John Krasinski and the pair have two daughters, four-year-old Hazel and two-year-old Violet. When she'd wrapped filming, she sat down with Hazel to watch the original. "Hazel just absolutely loved it to the point where she was such a die-hard Julie Andrews fan," she says with a playful pout. "I was like, 'Do you know that there is another Mary Poppins film and Mummy plays Mary Poppins? In fact she watched the original again like a little traitor the other night. "So many kids are just such riveted by the fantasia of it. And it's partly because what she infuses with magic are everyday things that they can understand. Like taking a bath or cleaning your room. It's everyday things that kids go through that can suddenly be injected with a sense of wonder. And real things, like the idea of loss, that a lot of kids experience. I really love that Mary Poppins is not someone who shies away from the cracked parts of all of us. That's where the light can shine through. I think that's how she sees the broken parts of us. I think kids respond to that. They're not to be trivialised in any way. And I think that kids are able to absorb those big messages." Her own daughter Hazel has now seen both versions and "loves both of them to an immeasurable degree". Her only criticism of her mother's performance is that she leaves at the end. "Hazel was absolutely inconsolable watching the film when I left at the end," Emily says. "I remember feeling really sad when she leaves, because it is like a loss." On the bright side, however, Blunt herself won't be flying off anywhere any time soon. After a long run of filming, with this and her next project Jungle Cruise, she's planning a long stretch of time at home. "I'm going to take some time to be at home for the next six months." 'Mary Poppins Returns' is in cinemas now. Allie Sherlock shot to fame in January this year when she was invited to perform on The Ellen Show after the host saw her singing on Grafton St in a viral video. Now a new video of Cork native Allie singing on the Dublin city centre shopping street has garnered more than 250,000 views across Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Composer John Manners wrote the carol Gabriel, How Can This Be? and thought talented teen Allie would be ideal to sing it. "Allie does all her videos on Grafton Street, the attraction of them for people is that they're live and undoctored and it's raw, and that's what her followers love, he told Independent.ie The video was recorded live with trumpet player Niall O'Sullivan. For Allie, performing on Grafton Street during the festive season was something particularly special. Its amazing during the day with all the songs, but night time is just beautiful when its crowded with all the lights, she said. Allie started out busking on the streets of Cork but this summer she took the first step into a career in music when she signed a five year deal with Ryan Tedder of One Republic. This summer she recorded an EP in LA with Tedder which is due to be released in February. There are five songs on it; one I wrote with Ryan and the rest of covers, she reveals. Its a bit of a mix, with new songs, songs from 2010, and songs from the 60s. Christmas is a time for cheer. As every fan of the macabre knows, though, its also a time for fear in other words, a marrow-chilling ghost story. The practice of sitting around a roaring fireplace at Christmastime, spinning spooky tales of strange apparitions, mysterious happenings and chilling portents of death and doom, is an old, seasonal tradition. Who knows why this should be? Maybe its because at Christmas, when our thoughts turn to the past and to those weve lost, the veil between this world and the realm of the supernatural seems flimsier than ever. Or perhaps its because a good, scary story is the perfect antidote to the forced commercial jollity pumping relentlessly from the TV at this time of year. Expand Close Simon Callow stars as Aubrey Judd with Anjli Mohindra playing his producer Tara. The Dead Room, BBC 4 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Simon Callow stars as Aubrey Judd with Anjli Mohindra playing his producer Tara. The Dead Room, BBC 4 Then again, it could just be that ghost stories are bloody good fun... although not too bloody. The best ones rely on atmosphere and a slow-building sense of dread, rather than lashings of blood and guts. The most famous Christmas tale of all, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, is a ghost story albeit it one with a happy ending and an uplifting message about redemption. But Dickens wrote 20 other less benign ghost stories, the best known being The Signalman, which were eventually collected in a single volume thats never been out of print. But the literary ghost story reached the peak of perfection in the early 20th century in the hands of Cambridge scholar MR James, who began writing ghost stories as an annual Christmas treat for his friends and students, whod gather in his study to listen to them. Jamess stories were the main source for the BBCs famous Ghost Stories for Christmas strand of short films. A new one, shot on 16mm film and usually between 30 and 50 minutes long, appeared every Christmas from 1971 to 1978 and was revived, intermittently, between 2005 to 2013. Video of the Day The most recent was The Tractate Middoth, adapted by Mark Gatiss, a lifelong fan of ghost stories. The absurdly talented Gatiss has resurrected the tradition this year with an original chiller of his own, The Dead Room, which goes out on BBC4 on Christmas Eve. Its a contemporary tale starring Simon Callow as Aubrey Judd, a flamboyant actor of the old school. Judd, whose career has faded, scrapes a living playing bit parts on TV and reading tales of terror on a radio anthology show called The Dead Room. He doesnt believe in ghosts, until spooky things, seemingly linked to a dark incident from his past, start happening in the darkened radio studio. As someone with the same taste for terror as Gatiss, a brand new Christmas ghost story from the BBC is the perfect television gift and the programme Ill be looking forward to most this year. Its often forgotten that the man who deserves credit for initiating what became a Christmas TV tradition is Jonathan Miller. In 1968, Miller wrote and directed Whistle and Ill Come to You, a 42-minute film adaptation of MR Jamess story Oh, Whistle, and Ill Come to You, My Lad, that was shown as part of the Omnibus arts strand. Shot in black and white (which made it even eerier), it stars Michael Hordern as an eccentric academic who comes across an old whistle at the beach, blows it and is then haunted by a disturbing figure. It was a radical departure for Omnibus, which up to then was associated with documentaries, and a hugely influential piece of TV drama. It led directly to the brilliant 1970s run of Ghost Stories for Christmas, which included five of Jamess stories and an adaptation of Dickenss The Signalman, all of them directed by Lawrence Gordon Clark. These six were undoubtedly the best of the batch, although the 2005 modern-day remake of Whistle and Ill Come to You, while quite different to the original, is also excellent. If anyone can recapture the spirit of these chilling classics this Christmas, its Mark Gatiss. The Dead Room i son BBC4 on Christmas Eve at 10pm Families are being made homeless twice over - after first finding new accommodation, then being evicted by private landlords, a campaigner has warned. Fr Peter McVerry said the Government is more focused on spin than resolving the spiralling housing crisis where just fewer than 10,000 people find themselves in emergency accommodation. In an exclusive interview with the Irish Independent, Fr McVerry said many are wary of availing of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme and many people becoming homeless would never have imagined they would end up in that position. "Some people who became homeless because of eviction in the private rental sector through the HAP scheme got accommodation in the private rental sector and a year or two later found themselves homeless again when the landlord decided to sell the house," he said. Fr McVerry estimates figures would be in the hundreds of thousands if the definition of homelessness included sofa-surfers and the hidden homeless. He said the Government was attempting to normalise homelessness. He pointed to comments made by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar last year when he said Ireland had one of the lowest levels of homelessness by international standards when he referred to an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report. However, Fr McVerry said the report stressed there was no way of comparing trends to other countries because of different definitions of homelessness. "That report explicitly stated you cannot compare homelessness between countries because countries use different definitions of homelessness," he said. "Some included in their homeless figures adults still living with their parents who couldn't afford to move out. "If we included adults still living with their parents who couldn't afford to move out, our homeless figures would be in the hundreds of thousands." He also hit out at the recategorisation of homeless people in figures released this year, labelling it "a blatant attempt to manipulate the figures". Fr McVerry said the 1,600 taken out of the homeless figures were in accommodation that was under Section 10 funding, which is paid for through homeless accommodation funding. "Anybody is homeless if they are in accommodation which is temporary or transient where you can't settle down, you can't build links in the local community, you can't send your child to the local school knowing that child will be in the school in five or 10 years' time," he said. Responding to Fr McVerry's claims, a spokesperson for the Department of Housing said solving the crisis is "an absolute priority". "During the compilation of the February homeless report, the department held discussions with a number of local authorities following higher than expected increases in the numbers of families accessing emergency accommodation. "It was established that certain local authorities had been categorising individuals and families who had been provided with accommodation in local authority owned stock or in properties secured by the local authorities under other arrangements, as being in emergency accommodation," a spokeswoman said. KBC Banks headquarters on Sandwith Street in Dublin was occupied by protesters Gardai are preparing a file for the DPP in the hope of bringing charges against a gangland criminal over an arson attack on a KBC Bank. A 26-year-old man, who has previously been quizzed over crimes linked to the Hutch/Kinahan feud, was arrested over last weeks malicious fire at the Dublin city centre branch. A window was damaged and an accelerant thrown into the lobby area of the KBC headquarters on Sandwith Street, Dublin 2, at around 11.15pm last Thursday. Over the weekend detectives arrested a north-inner city criminal who has close links to the Kinahan cartel. He was previously arrested over two suspected foiled shootings on Hutch family members, both which took place in March of this year. The arson suspect was held on Saturday and Sunday but was last night released from Pearse Street garda station without charge. Expand Close Damage to a window at KBC Banks Dublin headquarters which was attacked last Thursday night. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Damage to a window at KBC Banks Dublin headquarters which was attacked last Thursday night. Investigating gardai will now be preparing a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and hope to bring criminal charges against the gangland criminal. It is being probed if he was offered cash to carry out the attack on the KBC Bank and gardai are following a number of lines of inquiry. The 26-year-old, who is from Dublin's north inner city, has more than 100 convictions and is currently before the courts facing serious charges. On March 15 he was arrested in Wexford by detectives, who suspected that a member of the Hutch family was about to be shot. Just a few weeks later, on March 30, he was one of four people arrested in Dublin by members of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU). Two loaded firearms were recovered and detectives believed that there had been an imminent threat to life before they intervened. He was released without charge on both occasions. Over the weekend, two further attacks were carried out on KBC Bank branches in Dundrum and Swords. Gardai are probing if the attacks on the banks are connected and are part of an orchestrated effort, or if they were carried out by individuals who are not connected to each other. In the wake of the damage done to its headquarters, KBC Bank said that it was increasing security measures. Flowers laid at the scene of the murder Detectives are investigating if the country's latest gangland victim was shot dead after providing logistical support to an Estonian hitman who had conspired to murder James 'Mago' Gately. Eric Fowler (34) was shot dead three days before Christmas outside his home in Blakestown Cottages, Clonsilla, Dublin. The victim was blasted multiple times as he was leaving his home shortly before 7pm on Saturday. Senior gardai have now moved to have extra armed units patrol the area over fears that further attacks could be carried out over Christmas. A number of possible motives are being probed, including that it is directly linked to his involvement in the plot to murder Hutch associate Gately. Sources have revealed that Eric Fowler provided logistical support to the Estonian hitman Imre Arakas when he arrived in the country ahead of the planned murder. "Fowler was tasked with picking Arakas up, bringing him to his property and letting him stay there ahead of the plot to shoot James Gately in Northern Ireland," a source said. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Eric Fowler holding a gun Eric Fowler / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Eric Fowler holding a gun Arakas was lying on a bed in Eric Fowler's Blakestown home when it was raided by members of the heavily armed Emergency Response Unit (ERU) in March of last year. The Estonian was jailed for six years last month in relation to the Gately murder conspiracy. Gardai are now probing if Saturday night's killing was retaliation carried out by the Hutch mob - or if it was an 'internal clear-out' by the Kinahan cartel. "As with most investigations these days, it is fluid because the victim had various criminal connections. A link to the feud is the most likely, but not the only possibility at this stage," a source said. Expand Close James Mago Gately / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp James Mago Gately Fowler also had connections to criminals involved in the Finglas feud. The getaway car used in his killing, a silver Volkswagen Jetta, 06-MH-3192, was bought just five days before the murder in a 'person-to-person' purchase. Two gunmen are believed to have been involved in the shooting and may have lain in wait for their target for over an hour before the shooting. The getaway car was found burnt out in nearby Rusheeney Crescent, Clonsilla, just minutes after Fowler had been shot dead outside his home. It was being forensically examined by members of the Garda Technical Bureau yesterday before being removed from the scene. Supt Liam Carolan, of Blanchardstown Garda station, said extra armed gardai would be patrolling the area following the killing. Expand Close The burnt-out Volkswagen Jetta found in the wake of Saturdays shooting / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The burnt-out Volkswagen Jetta found in the wake of Saturdays shooting He also appealed for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward. He said: "It is early days in the investigation. The main tasks today are harvesting CCTV and that should give us some indication. There are a number of strands in the investigation. We are not going to focus on just one but clearly organised crime is an avenue. "But there could be multiple other reasons, so several avenues will be explored. "We are putting in place a number of armed patrols over Christmas in the area and high-visibility policing to reassure the community that there will be a presence on the ground and to allay those fears." Asked if there were fears of retaliation, Supt Carolan said: "Well, in all of these it is a possibility. The main thing is the community know the gardai are protecting them in the aftermath of this incident." Expand Close Estonian hitman Imre Arakas / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Estonian hitman Imre Arakas Eric Fowler had 10 previous convictions and was only before the court two weeks before his murder. On December 5, he appeared before Blanchardstown District Court, where he was banned from driving for two years after being convicted of drink driving. As part of the current investigation, gardai are appealing for information on a silver Volkswagen Jetta bearing the registration plate 06-MH-3192. This car, which was bought on December 18, was found burnt out at Rusheeney Crescent, Clonsilla, shortly after the murder. Supt Liam Carolan said: "At approximately 7pm, gardai responded to a call of a shooting at Blakestown Cottages. "They arrived very shortly after and found a male in his 30s lying in the driveway of one of the cottages. "He had been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene." Gardai want to speak to anyone who was in the vicinity of Blakestown Cottages, Blakestown Road, Hartstown Park and St Peregrines GAA Club between 5pm and 7pm on Saturday. The nine hospitals which could be A&E trolley blackspots after Christmas and in early January have been spotlighted by the HSE. It is hoped the gridlock will not reach record levels and cause more misery than last winter. But the hospitals which could suffer most and are earmarked for the highest level of back-up are Dublin's Tallaght University, Mater Hospital and St Vincent's hospitals. Also on the radar are Naas General, Tullamore, Galway University hospitals, as well as University of Limerick, Cork University and University Hospital Waterford. Hospitals are hoping to have as many wards freed up from bed blockers as the inevitable surge looms. The number of patients attending A&Es is growing at 3.07pc a month for winter-equivalent to an extra 800 people. New information provided to Fianna Fail health spokesman Stephen Donnelly has shown that between January and October 2018, 30,922 people experienced waits of more than 24 hours in an emergency department (ED) prior to hospital admission. Some 10,855 of those left waiting were aged over 75. He said: "While it's not surprising so many have endured such long waits it's still appalling and unacceptable." It comes as one consultant warned this Christmas will be a particularly busy time in EDs as it falls on a Tuesday, with a full weekend leading up to it. "What tends to happen, Christmas Day is pretty quiet in the morning, as the day goes on it gets busier and busier," said Dr Fran O Keefe, the Mater Hospital's trauma lead and an ED consultant. "Christmas night can be very, very busy. Stephen's Day and the rest of that week will be horrific." He added: "People are unsure about their symptoms, but most GPs aren't open and there are very [few] other areas where you can access care. They know the ED is open 24/7 so they come here." Hospital groups and community healthcare organisations have said homecare packages are the key to emptying wards and creating space for patients coming through A&E. In its final winter report, the HSE warned about the increasing pressure from bed blockers - known as delayed discharges. As of December 14 there were 545 patients still in hospital who could not be discharged with the proper supports. The HSE said: "This reflects a reduction on the levels in recent weeks but remains higher than that of the same time in 2017. "Acute beds need to be available for acutely unwell patients, all sites are working with community colleagues to reduce the volume of delayed discharges in advance of the Christmas break as at present the majority of sites are in excess of their tolerance limit." The plan which was triggered in recent weeks to reduce mayhem includes: Increasing diagnostic access to scans for GPs for acute presentations, and extending hours these machines work in acute hospitals; Outsourcing some scans to private providers; Having senior consultants available to make decisions about admitting patients; Cutting down on outpatient clinics and operations on waiting list patients; Postponing patients who are due scheduled scans; Additional emergency theatre lists will be scheduled. Early access to theatre has positive effects on length of stay. This measure recognises the expected increased demand for patients coming to A&E having suffered an accident or hip fracture; One member of staff is to be assigned as liaison for nursing homes to avoid residents being transferred to hospital if not needed; Hospitals will get an insider's view on what is happening in other hospitals in terms of trolley numbers and available beds. It means some patients may be transferred to another hospital rather than lying on a trolley. Health Minister Simon Harris is to convene a meeting of key officials in his Department and the HSE on December 28 and December 31. The HSE has 550 additional homecare packages to roll out over the winter with bed blockers getting top priority for the supports. Funding has also been allocated to cover extra aids and appliances, as well as transitional beds. Around 1,000 people rallying to support the family at the centre of an eviction row that led to a vigilante mob attack were encouraged to "operate in secret" but to "take care" nobody gets killed. A significant number of those gathered yesterday at the protest in Strokestown, Co Roscommon, were from outside the town and had travelled from around the country specifically for it. The McGann family have publicly denounced the mob attack which saw them returned to their home and have appealed for calm. Most people attending the protest were entirely law abiding and simply wanted to show their support for the family. But there was angry rhetoric and repeated references to the War of Independence and the Black and Tans throughout. Among those speaking was Maura Harrington, a spokesperson for the Shell to Sea campaign. Expand Close Fianna Fail TD Eugene Murphy was booed. Photo: Damien Eagers / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fianna Fail TD Eugene Murphy was booed. Photo: Damien Eagers "[Michael] Collins had one major criteria - you keep your operations in total secrecy. "There is absolutely no point in getting hauled through the courts, a waste of your time and energy which could be put to better use," she told the crowd. "Now I will make one impassioned plea that you take great care that nobody gets killed and I'll tell you why. "Because the b******s aren't worth doing time for," she told those gathered to loud cheers. "Finally, don't get caught." Expand Close Crowd: Around 1,000 turned out for the protest in Strokestown. Photo: Damien Eagers / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Crowd: Around 1,000 turned out for the protest in Strokestown. Photo: Damien Eagers There was a significant Garda presence around the town for the gathering, with senior officers monitoring proceedings. Local Fianna Fail TD Eugene Murphy also spoke at the event, but was given a hostile reception and was repeatedly booed and shouted down. Mr Murphy was confronted as he left the stage and bystanders had to intervene as he was subjected to a barrage of abuse. He told the Irish Independent many who attended the meeting weren't actually from the area and some from the town had left for fear proceedings could turn nasty. "I'm a local TD and I work hard for people here and people recognise that," he said. "Quite a lot of people came up to me expressing sympathy, but this is public life nowadays. "You've got to take it. I mean I was shaking quite a bit after it, I sort of expected this could happen. "At least there was no violence." Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council Ivan Connaughton also spoke at the event but was greeted with a hostile reception. Sinn Fein MEP Matt Carthy hit out at the banks and suggested the incident in Strokestown had galvanised people. "What we have seen is those people who struggle with their mortgage payments... ask themselves this: what if it was me? What if it was my family?" There were no members of the McGann family at the meeting yesterday. Gardai have been investigating the violence which erupted when around 20 masked men burst into the property at Falsk, in Strokestown, on the Sunday before last. Homelessness campaigner Sister Stanislaus Kennedy has warned that evictions like in Strokestown, Co Roscommon, may be repeated elsewhere as the housing crisis worsens. According to Sr Stanislaus, one of the primary causes of homelessness is eviction in the private rented sector by landlords who want to sell their properties. When asked about the eviction in Strokestown, Sr Stanislaus says she is "certain" we will see similar incidents around the country. She would also like to see stronger legislation to secure the rights of tenants. "The local authorities need to verify the reasons and run a very strong awareness campaign setting out the penalties for false reasons for eviction," she said. Although Focus Ireland has asked the Government for a specific family homelessness strategy, "given the scale of the problem", that has yet to materialise, she said. The social justice campaigner, who will turn 80 next year, suggested the detachment of decision-makers results in a lack of "fire in their bellies" to see through the radical change she believes is needed. Sr Stanislaus wondered if those in positions of power truly understand that there are small children growing up in bed and breakfasts and hotels. "Do they get the fact that there are single youngsters of 18 years of age who are going to be homeless for years?" she asked. She believes the Government is only now beginning to recognise one of the roots of the homeless crisis has been the policy of successive governments to leave the provision of social housing to the market, rather than to local authorities. "Many people are responsible for what happened. Everybody is responsible and if everybody is responsible - then nobody is responsible. Those in Government now have to grasp the nettle and say whoever put it wrong, it is wrong now under my watch and we have to put it right." She stressed that the Christmas season was particularly difficult for families living long term in emergency accommodation. Damage to a window at KBC Banks Dublin headquarters which was attacked last Thursday night. A criminal closely linked to the Kinahan cartel has been arrested by gardai investigating an arson attack on the KBC Bank headquarters. The Dublin city centre office was targeted last Thursday night, with a rock and accelerant thrown through a window. The attack followed a week of tensions over an eviction in Strokestown, Co Roscommon. KBC management has said that it will increase security measures for its staff. Detectives from Pearse Street, who are investigating the arson attack on the bank's Sandwith Street headquarters, arrested a 26-year-old man in the capital on Saturday. He was detained by armed officers and quizzed under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. The man can be held for a period over 24 hours. The arson suspect is well-known to gardai and has been investigated for crimes linked to the Hutch-Kinahan feud. Gardai are probing if the criminal was offered cash to carry out the attack on the KBC Bank and are following a number of lines of inquiry. The 26-year-old, who is from Dublin's north inner city, has more than 100 convictions and is currently before the courts facing serious charges. He has been arrested and quizzed over two suspected foiled murder bids directly linked to the Hutch/Kinahan feud. On March 15 this year, he was arrested in Wexford by detectives, who suspected that a member of the Hutch family was about to be shot. Just a few weeks later, on March 30, he was one of four people arrested in Dublin by members of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU). Two loaded firearms were recovered and detectives believed that there had been an imminent threat to life before they intervened. The Kinahan associate was quizzed over the arson attack was expected to be released last night. Gardai said they were investigating a criminal damage incident at around 11.15pm on Thursday. Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene and put out a fire in the lobby of the premises. Windows were also damaged in the incident. Over the weekend, two further attacks were carried out on KBC Bank branches in Dundrum and Swords. Gardai are probing if the attacks on the banks are connected and are part of an orchestrated effort, or if they were carried out by individuals who are not connected to each other. In the wake of the damage done to its headquarters, KBC Bank said that it was increasing security measures. Crash victim: Eileen Battersby was former critic at the Irish Times A 31-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman were killed in two separate road accidents in a black weekend on the country's roads. The former literary correspondent of the 'Irish Times', Eileen Battersby, passed away after a car crash at Sheephouse in Co Meath on Saturday about 2pm. The single-vehicle accident happened on the Oldbridge to Donore road, 4km outside Drogheda. Ms Battersby (60) was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes hospital but lost her fight for life last night. Another female passenger in the car was treated in hospital for her injuries. Ms Battersby joined the 'Irish Times' in 1988 and left the newspaper in July this year. Paul O'Neill, the editor of the 'Irish Times', described her as having a "distinctive voice, passion, insight and sharp critical faculties". She had made "an immeasurable contribution" to the paper's literary coverage over three decades, he said. Culture Minister Josepha Madigan also paid tribute to Ms Battersby; "I was very saddened to hear the news of the passing of Eileen Battersby. "Eileen was an immensely well-regarded arts critic and journalist winning numerous awards during her career including the National Arts Journalist of the Year award as well as publishing a number of works of both fiction and non-fiction. "She will be greatly missed. I would also like to offer my sincere condolences to Eileens family and friends at this sad time." Meanwhile, a 31-year-old man died when his car hit a tree in Co Laois. The single-vehicle crash happened at Ballybrophy, Borris-in-Ossory, about 9.10am yesterday. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene and his body removed to the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise. Gardai investigating the crash have appealed for witnesses and anyone travelling on the R435 Borris-in-Ossory to Rathdowney Road between 8.30am and 9.30am on Sunday. The two accidents came after a 24-year-old male lost his life in a car crash in Co Meath. The young man, named locally as Dylan Ward, was killed when the car in which he was travelling collided with another about 8pm on Friday. The crash at Boynabought, Kilmainhawood in Kells, shocked family and friends. The driver of the car, also a 24-year-old man, and the motorist in the other vehicle were both taken by ambulance to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. Mr Ward has been described by his friends as a talented songwriter and actor. The Liberties College Performance Course expressed its devastation in a statement about its former student. "During his time with us, Dylan proved to be a very fine actor whose love and passion for theatre and performance was infectious to be around "He approached everything with great sense of humour and a wry smile on his face. "Dylan was someone who strove to constantly improve and perfect his craft, he was an expert at putting fellow actors as ease, always wanting the best for everyone. An absolute pleasure to have known and to have worked with. Meanwhile, gardai continue to appeal for witnesses following a hit-and-run in Santry, Dublin, last week, leaving one elderly man in a serious condition and another with minor injuries. About 9.40pm last Wedesday, a motorcyclist travelling on the Swords Road hit the two pedestrians, both in their 80s. The driver then fled the scene. Daki Rezic (39) met Peter Gordon (37) in 2002 in a bar on Thomas Street, and teased him that he wouldn't remember her name in five minutes. Perhaps because her real name is Zdravka, he lost the bet and the forfeit was that he bought her a White Russian drink. "I liked her smile and dark skin and hair and thought she was gorgeous," he says. "I was gobsmacked when I first saw her. She seemed to think I was funny and laughed at my jokes, although most people don't." Daki, then 22, had just arrived in Ireland from Zagreb, Croatia, to visit friends, who were also friends of Peter. After their first meeting, he popped up suspiciously frequently at social gatherings - despite living on the opposite side of the city. His persistence paid off and he and Daki started dating in 2003. Students can choose a vocation in secondary school in Croatia. Daki chose midwifery training at 14, and then did occupational therapy at college. She came here with no real plan after she graduated, but started working in a nursing home and continued dating Peter. They had loads of fun, they say, and partied a lot and travelled. "Peter has a great smile and he is very kind, thoughtful and caring," says Daki. The partying slowed down a little when their daughter Mia came along. She is now 10 and the couple also have a son, Matias (seven). Daki speaks only Croatian to them, and while Peter doesn't speak the language, most of the time he can tell what is being said when it's day-to-day stuff. "If we have a more meaningful conversation, we have it in English," he says. He and Daki were married in Dubrovnik in 2012, and Daki's family, including her parents, Katija and Zdravko, and older sister Nena were there. A contingent came from Dublin as well, as Peter grew up in Shankill. He, Daki and the children now live in Booterstown. Peter lived with his mum Teresa as his parents separated when he was four. His dad Edward lived in the UK for some time and Peter now has a younger sister Emily there. His dad, also a skilled photographer, now lives in Greece, and Peter very much regards him as his photography mentor. After completing history and politics and a master's in international relations, Peter's photography hobby took hold when he went travelling. He specialises in landscape photography and his images are visually stunning. He decided to make a career of it with his dad and they set up a company called ExploreLight to sell prints of his work. It has developed into Peter leading photography tours and workshops all over the world, and he is fully booked for international tours for 2019. The company has other tours running as well. "Daki is the rock that keeps the family together, especially when I'm off working too much," says Peter. "We have a very similar outlook on life, and we give each other space, which is great because I think that sometimes people can try to control one another in relationships. We are allowed to be individuals in terms of what we want to do creatively in life, and we always come back to one another and are very united." What drives Daki mad is that Peter can be forgetful and messy, and he says that's one of the cultural differences. "It's her Croatian upbringing," he laughs. "They're very tidy. One thing that we argued about at first was Christmas, because we splurge way more financially than they do there. It's much more low-key in Croatia, so what to spend on presents caused a few arguments." Daki says that she is also hyper-conscious of consumerism and the ecological impact of it all, and explains that Easter is more fun in Croatia than here. They spend that holiday there and Christmas here. While she didn't initially plan to make her home here, she has settled in very well and loves Peter's family and the friends she has made. "Peter's mum has been really helpful around the children," she says. Daki was always creative and loved making things, and she began making statement jewellery when the children went to bed. Peter encouraged her to try to do something more with it and Daki Daki Design (dakidakidesign.com) was born in 2016. Daki began teaching herself through tutorials and makes colourful handmade accessories like headbands, jewellery and bum bags. Peter helped her to launch her website and looked after the photography. She mostly sells online and in some shops and markets. Peter says she doesn't realise how talented she is. He's pretty talented too, having won the IPPA Irish Pictorial Photographer of the Year in 2016 and 2017, Landscape Photographer of the Year in 2015 and 2018 and FEP European Photographer of the Year in 2013. He has also just released his third book, Dublin Salt, about the sea around Dublin. Peter searched for the perfect light and the right tide and conditions to make a collection of special Dublin sea landscapes. The book contains 50 images and aims to bridge the gap between a coffee table book and a genuine piece of art that can be viewed and enjoyed for many years to come. "I've always lived beside the sea and it has always resonated with me," he says. "There is something about the air, the smell and the taste. It gets in your bones and it invigorates you." 'Dublin Salt' (35) and prints are available from www.petergordonphoto graphy.com www.explorelight.com From beds to bras, saucepans to shoes, the traditional post-Christmas preoccupation with getting away from the turkey carcass and chasing down sales bargains will be unleashed in stores within 24 hours of Santa doing his thing. The vast majority of Christmas spending is still in-store, but online is growing fast and companies are marking down products by up to 50pc. Bargain hunting in a turkey-infused coma is never good, so one of the secrets to success is to start the ground work in advance. Being prepared with 'intelligence' is the shrewdest way to scoop serious savings across electrical appliances, fashion and beauty products and lifestyle gadgets. Research Start the research today by checking out remaining stock levels. Where possible, visit the store as late in the day so you can, check out where your desired sales bargain is located. If it's clothes you want, see what sizes are left and try them on so you don't have to on Wednesday. If, however, you are tied to the house today and committed to pre-Christmas chores, then gather as much information you can online. Today you can cut crosses into your sprouts but you can also cross off items on your sales list. Do you have the sizes of everyone you want to shop for? Have you sufficient credit for your phone and is it fully charged? Bring cash in case there are queues at ATMs? Assemble e-gift receipts to change unwanted presents and loyalty cards to earn points. Measure up and make sure the giant TV screen or Smeg fridge is actually going to fit into your home? Christmas is an emotional time but emotional shopping is never a good idea so today is the day to calculate your budget and how much you can afford to spend. If shopping online, delivery may be free but do you pay if it has to be returned? Stores like Debenhams will email your sales receipt, which is always handy. Enquire about a company's returns policy which varies from store to store. Don't wear too many clothes. Polo necks are out and opt for layers, comfortable shoes and for speed, wear neutral colours. That way you get a better idea of how clothes look without the stress of having to queue for changing rooms. Drink lots of water. You can make silly retail mistakes when dehydrated and never shop on an empty stomach. A study in Minnesota found hungry shoppers spent 64pc more than those who were less hungry. The Gatwick drone felt like a sign in a way, didn't it? It worked on many levels. It seemed like one final humiliation for the British in what has been an annus humiliation for them. Not only could they not do the big projects, it seems they're not great at the small ones either. There was a familiar sense of Dad's Army about their seeming powerlessness to do anything about the drone for about two days. In a year when we became increasingly concerned about the technology we have created to make our lives better, the Gatwick drone, or drones, also seemed like a vaguely ridiculous symbol of how helpless we can be against our own creations when they fall into the wrong hands. While we were busy wondering about our data, and Russians interfering in elections, and AI taking over and turning on us, and maybe even the rise of the killer robots, it was actually something as simple as a drone. A drone, that anyone with a few hundred quid could buy, was able to mess with everyone's best-laid Christmas plans, and paralyse an airport in one of the leading cities of the world, in a developed country. "Lack of foresight" was cited as one of the reasons why they didn't seem to know what to do about the drone. Because who could have foreseen this? That if you allow anyone who fancies it to have a small remote-controlled aircraft that seemingly can't be traced back to the person flying it, some anonymous person might fly one over an airport? It's not as if it's blindingly obvious that someone might do that, is it? Lack of foresight. There's been a lot of that around. Like who would have thought that Brexit might turn into an omnishambles. Apart from anybody over the age of two. The drone seemed to have a message, too, about Christmas, and the commercialisation of it. A drone is the ultimate toy for the grown-up child who has it all. No one actually needs their own private drone. But loads of people have them, and loads more people will probably get them for Christmas. Not big heavy-lifting ones like the Gatwick drone seemed to be. Just toys. Because adults like toys these days too. Possibly adults who didn't get enough toys when they were kids. Now they're in charge of the money and they're going to buy whatever foolish things they want. Because they can. Our Christmas Kantar Millward Brown poll today says that nearly everyone who has an opinion thinks that Christmas has become too commercial: 86pc agree Christmas has become too commercial, while just 4pc think it hasn't. It's a funny thing because I could have sworn I saw that 86pc of people out shopping yesterday. But then, as the famous F Scott Fitzgerald quote goes: "The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function." And that is essentially what we are all doing. Those of us who are lucky enough to have a roof over our heads and a few quid in our pocket are caught up in this maniacal shopping, as if against our will. We're muttering and moaning to each other that it's all gone too far and the children are all spoilt these days and everybody has enough rubbish anyway. But still, on we go with the dance, as if carried along by the surging crowds. Of course people blame everyone else except themselves for it. Present-giving can often be construed as an act of aggression these days. Damn you so-and-so. How dare you give me a present? Now I have to get you one. And on and on in this merry-go-round of giving, passing on presents, often the same ones. Some people do the ultimate act of aggression and prevent re-gifting by going with the new vogue for personalised gifts. So anything from a bottle of booze to a handbag has your name on it, so no passing on unless to someone with the same name as you. Somehow people seem to have decided that the spending is worse this year, that we've all gone mad. But it's possible that we thought that last year too. We feel guilty about it also. Homelessness comes into sharp focus at Christmas, and the figures released last week were up again. There are still nearly 4,000 children homeless in Ireland. And sometimes people can get a twinge of guilt when they are walking out of the drone shop and they are confronted by a homeless person. According to our poll, people say they will spend on average 292 on food for the household this Christmas, 147 on drink for the house, 525 on presents, 139 on restaurants and 131 on going to the pub. And let's face it, they are probably lying a little bit, lying a little bit to themselves and then a little bit more to the person who asked them. Because there is that bit of guilt and shame. Before we all decide that it's all about money and we've lost the true meaning of Christmas and the worst excesses of the boom are back and before we start swearing off shopping, we should maybe reflect on it a bit more. First. Consider this: retail is the biggest employer in Ireland, outside the public sector, employing over a quarter of a million people. That's everything from kids making their own cash at the weekend to men and women who support families, to single parents, to immigrants getting on the job ladder, to older people having a purpose, to people with intellectual disabilities having a sense of self-worth. It is the bustling heart of our economy and our society. And it is a very tangible way of supporting the community. In today's poll, people say they are doing a quarter of their buying online. Much of that trade, by its nature, will be going abroad. Much of it, by its nature, will also be going to Amazon, a company about which many people have moral qualms, but still we use it. Supporting your local shops is positively a public service next to giving money for Jeff Bezos to build more warehouses. And consider, too, that there is nothing wrong with people getting out there and spending money. Humans are at heart traders, buyers, sellers, dealmakers, acquisitive. It's not a sin or a denial of God or spirituality. It is not an offence against the true meaning of Christmas. And the instinct to give gifts, to be decent and to buy our friends a drink, is surely connected to the core of the Christmas message of goodwill. And consider, too, that all this frenzy of consumerism is getting us through the shortest, darkest days of the year. If consumerism was all there was to Christmas, you'd be worried. But the truth is that in between all the splurging, there is a great decency too. People tend to think a little bit more about their fellow man at this time of year, and about those less fortunate. And maybe we don't do enough, but we do a bit more than we might otherwise. So maybe we shouldn't beat ourselves up. If the guy coming out of the drone shop drops a guilty 20 quid to the homeless person he sees, it's not going to solve the problem, but maybe it is, on balance, a good thing that he's buying himself a toy. So Happy Christmas, and why not absolve yourself? You've worked hard, you deserve a bit of a splurge. Enjoy it, don't let that Irish guilt ruin it for you. But don't forget to think of others, especially those who aren't as lucky as you. When historians write about 2018, said the Taoiseach, the repeal of the Eighth Amendment will be the "most momentous event of the year". On one level he was correct - the referendum will indeed make the history books. But could the momentousness of the vote be overshadowed by the chaotic unravelling of another jurisdiction's democratic process in terms of historic impact? Was 2018, perhaps, the year when Brexit cast the die for our immediate future - and we realised there was precious little we could do about it? Or is it the year that set in train events that might lead to a united Ireland after almost a century of partition? Certain not to command many paragraphs in the history books, on the other hand, was the rather unedifying presidential election. This was the first time since the 1966 election that an incumbent president faced a contest for a second term, and the first occasion on which an incumbent president nominating themselves for re-election had been opposed. But from the outset it was obvious the incumbent was going to be a shoo-in for a second term. The campaign was unremarkable until October when Peter Casey weighed in with controversial comments on Travellers, claiming they should not be recognised as an ethnic minority because they are "basically people camping in someone else's land". Expand Close British PM Theresa May with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker. Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp British PM Theresa May with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker. Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images Mr Casey ultimately ended up second, but Michael D Higgins was re-elected with the largest majority in the history of the State. Back in February, Tanaiste Simon Coveney revealed he was in favour of repealing the controversial Eighth Amendment to allow Ireland's abortion laws to be changed, but was against unrestricted terminations. Then it was announced he would not actively seek to win over undecided Fine Gael TDs to join his opposition to proposals to allow unrestricted abortion up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy. In the week before the referendum, the #Hometovote hashtag began trending on Twitter as Irish people living overseas began to return. But if the vote came down to one factor, it was probably the personal, heartbreaking stories of those women forced to make the long, lonely journey to the UK to terminate in the case of fatal foetal abnormalities. Expand Close Race for the Aras: President Michael D Higgins at the launch of his re-election campaign in Dublin in September. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Race for the Aras: President Michael D Higgins at the launch of his re-election campaign in Dublin in September. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire It was a decision made with difficulty by most. This was not a cause for celebrations, many stressed - but it was seen as a sign of our growing maturity as a society in not wishing to sweep our national troubles under the carpet or foist them on another country. But as it turned out, there was neither an urban/rural divide nor a male/female divide. There was no class divide or even an age divide. On May 25, 66.4pc of voters in Ireland said Yes. And yet a full 100 days after the country voted, nothing had really changed because of legal challenges that stalled legislation. In July, High Court President Mr Justice Peter Kelly dismissed two attempts to challenge the Eighth Amendment referendum result. Abortion officially became legal here after the President signed the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill into law on December 20. Providing a clear timeline of what happened in the Brexit process is, to say the least, not so easy. After virtually an entire year of bluster and obfuscation, back-tracking and denial in Britain, hard reality began to bite towards the end of the year. By contrast, our Government appeared a bastion of common sense. In the month of May, we saw the launch of a 300m loan scheme for Irish businesses likely to be impacted by Brexit. The Government maintained its stance that it wanted the closest relationship possible between Britain and Ireland in a post-Brexit world - and no hard Border. On November 14, the European Commission and UK reached agreement on the Withdrawal Agreement. It included a Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland and a legally operational backstop to ensure there would be no hard Border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, commitments to protect rights under the Good Friday Agreement, as well as an agreement that people in the North would continue to enjoy EU citizenship rights. It was a win for Ireland and Northern Ireland alike. But that's when trouble really began to brew. The DUP insisted it did not want to be treated any differently to the rest of the UK, while businesses and farmers in the North told a different tale. The Commons vote to ratify the Withdrawal Agreement was suddenly pulled by Theresa May because she feared she would lose. From there, things went on a rapid downward spiral. By mid-December, the Government revealed details of its contingency plan in the event of no deal, revealing that medicines had been stockpiled. There were no easy ways of avoiding Border infrastructure, the Tanaiste warned. By March next, our future will be much more clear - for better or for worse. The "contented and suckling agreement" shook on between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael in recent weeks surely must be our politicians' greatest Christmas gift to the nation. Imagine the days and nights of anxiety endured by these chaps before a decision was made. A decision which would guarantee everyone a pension and a peaceful Christmas. We were told that we needed stability during the Brexit crisis, across the water. Strangely, Britain, the chief player in the Brexit drama, forged ahead with no-confidence motions and threats to collapse the government. How noble of our chaps to agree to holding out for another year or so. A decision in no way related to pension entitlements, but purely an act of heartfelt patriotism on the part of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. I'm not a man given to shows of tearful sentimentality, however this Christmas I will dab a tear from the eye as I raise a festive toast to the enduring "contented and suckling agreement". Merry Christmas. Billy O'Riordan Clonmel, Co Tipperary Revisiting adoption could help with difficult choices Can we really put ourselves in the other person's shoes? It is hard to debate a subject mindfully when no matter what the stance there will always be someone hurt on the other side. Like the sensitivity of a balanced discussion on abortion, when it is likely someone knows someone who has had one. The same conversation might be equally incredulous for one who has recently undergone fertility treatment and waited hopefully for the cells to divide each day, potentially bringing the joy they wish for. Non-judgmentally, one person's non-viable foetus is another person's potential person. For those who need to have an abortion to save their lives I wish you health; for those who choose the same as they absolutely cannot mentally live, I wish you comfort; for those who reluctantly go ahead with birth I wish you much support. For those who wish to give birth but decide to put their child up for adoption, as they know they are not ready, I applaud the joy you will give to yourself, your child and its new parents. I for one will never say 'how could you give up your child'? This may be the right thing for you and all. While being sensitive to the relationship of the child and their new parents, should we revisit the option of adoption in another light? In an era when we often choose our life partner with the swipe of a dating screen, could we choose the new parents of our child? Maybe we could negotiate being 'auntie Mary', who arrives annually for the birthday celebration? An open-minded approach to give options to those who simply do not want to abort, but want to live their lives after birth, is crying out for a tolerant debate. Name and address with editor Holding our ground in the battle of the backstop The front pages of the Irish Independent for three days, Wednesday to Friday, had the following headlines: 'Troops put on standby in no-deal Brexit plan', 'Hard Border and medical shortages in Brexit chaos' and 'Hard Border looms as Leo warns of 'real difficulties''. Brexit and the possibility of a no-deal Brexit is indeed very big news here in Ireland at the moment. Last Wednesday after 'stupidgate', when Jeremy Corbyn allegedly called British Prime Minister Theresa May a "stupid woman", a photograph was shown on British TV of him in a room adjacent to the debating chamber watching proceedings on TV. Also in the room was a newspaper stand and the Irish Independent could clearly be seen along with the English dailies. A hard Border would have very serious consequences for this country. However, we must not back down from the deal that is presently on the table in the form of relaxing the so-called backstop. The backstop is a necessity to ensure there is no return to a hard Border in Ireland and the possibility that a hard Border could be the spark to re-ignite sectarian violence in the North. If the UK crashes out of the EU, a hard Border may result but we cannot be complicit in this. While English MPs may only now be beginning to grasp the effects of Brexit on Ireland, they must also come to their senses and realise it is their decision alone if they leave without a deal. Whatever effects this has on Ireland and the EU in general, we are unfortunately just passive observers in all of this. Tommy Roddy Salthill, Galway Keeping up to date on the length of prison sentences The item regarding politicians and calendars ('Day to forget for Healy-Rae: TD's 2019 calendar is riddled with errors', December 21) reminded me of the two men caught stealing a calendar. They got six months each. Tom Gilsenan Beaumont, Dublin 9 Time to educate people on the dangers of alcohol If car drivers, having consumed two units of alcohol, are breathalysed and found to be over the new limits they are put off the road for three months. This law arises from the belief that even small amounts of alcohol can impair driving ability and lead to road accidents. There have been several reports in your paper of people brought to court for assaulting security people and gardai, and causing substantial damage to both people and property. In many of these cases we were told the accused people had been so drunk they had no memory of their actions the following day. The fines were unlikely to cover a fraction of the expenses created by their drunken activity. Why aren't such people required to attend courses to make them confront the dangers of alcohol and to show them the social, economic and health implications of excessive alcohol? They should be required to pay the full cost of such courses as a further deterrent. Joe Coy Tuam, Co Galway We cannot stand by amid threat of horror in Syria Turkey has said it will invade and destroy the quasi-independent Kurdish enclave of Rojava in northern Syria, and the Kurds "will be buried in their ditches". The world can't just stand by and watch this happen. Brendan O'Brien London, UK Victoria Beckham departs after her London Fashion Week SS19 show in Dover Street, London. Victoria Beckham has shared a photograph of herself and daughter Harper reading a copy of the Vogue magazine featuring the fashion designer as the cover star. The 44-year-old features on the cover of the November edition of Australian Vogue to celebrate her decade-long career in the industry. The Beckham family are currently on holiday Down Under. Alongside the picture she wrote: Girls day out in Sydney! Kisses x. Husband David shared photographs of himself and his sons Romeo and Cruz atop Sydneys popular tourist attraction, Harbour Bridge. He said: Very special to be able to take the boys to the top of the Harbour Bridge today Thank you to everyone that looked after us especially Nick our guide .. @bridgeclimb. Victoria also shared a photograph on her Instagram story showing husband David posing on the edge of a rock in a climbing harness and helmet. In a caption placed on the picture, she joked: Careful with that rope!. The Duchess of Sussex's estranged sister has sent her a Christmas card urging her to "end the rift with Dad", it has been reported. A Sunday newspaper claims that Samantha Markle had told former actress Meghan that it was "time" she reunited with their father Thomas. Retired Hollywood lighting director Mr Markle appeared on television this week to reveal his relationship with his younger daughter has broken down and they have not spoken for more than six months. The 74-year-old was caught up in controversy days before the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan after he allegedly staged paparazzi photographs of himself. He had been due to give her away but failed to attend, claiming he needed heart surgery. Expand Close Samantha Markle, Meghan Markle's half sister. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Samantha Markle, Meghan Markle's half sister. Now his older daughter, 17 years Meghan's senior, has weighed in to the row. In the card, Samantha Markle, who has previously said on social media it would be her sister's fault if their father died, wrote: "Holidays are a time for family and are sentimental. "Dad has been trying to contact you and is very hurt because you are avoiding him. Life is short and you know Dad is wonderful. "Please give him joy in his last years by showing you love him. The time is now." Speaking in an interview with ITV's Good Morning Britain earlier this week, Mr Markle made a public appeal to Meghan (37), who is expecting her first child, to get in touch. He said: "People are saying I should be quiet about this and not speak, if I don't speak they will speak to me. Video of the Day "That hasn't happened. I don't plan to be silent for the rest of my life. I love my daughter very much and she has to know that. I would really appreciate if she would just call me." Festive feed: Hannah Gay (4) and cousin Niamh Kelly (9) fed the deer in the Phoenix Park. Photo: Caroline Quinn People can put their Christmas jumpers away as temperatures are set to hit a balmy 12C on Christmas Day. We are in for a mild but grey Christmas Day, according to Met Eireann forecasters. There is not a drop of snow in sight for tomorrow and, in fact, the temperature will be more befitting a spring day. According to forecasters, Christmas Day will be dry in most areas, though it will remain mostly cloudy. "It will be mild for the time of year with afternoon temperatures of 10C to 12C in moderate southerly winds, fresh on west coasts," Met Eireann said. "It will stay mild and misty overnight with temperatures not lower than 9C or 10C in light breezes." Today will start with a smattering of mist and fog which will start to clear to leave a mostly dry day in the east and north-east of the country with some bright spells. However, it will be cloudy with some patchy rain and drizzle elsewhere. The northern half of the country will experience colder temperatures of between 5C and 6C, but it will be around 11C in the south. "St Stephen's Day will be dry apart from some rain in the north-west," the forecaster said. "It will still be rather cloudy and misty overall and also mild with highest temperatures of 10C to 12C. "South-westerly winds will be mainly light. No frost is expected overnight and it will stay largely dry. "It will continue mainly dry on Thursday and Friday with just the chance of some rain or drizzle. "A little sunshine may break through. Winds will stay mostly light and temperatures will be around or just above normal. "Nights will turn a bit colder with a chance of some frost." Thursday and Friday will continue to be dry with just a "chance of drizzle". The mild temperatures on St Stephen's Day will come as welcome news to shoppers keen to bag bargains in the sales. Race revellers setting off for the Christmas Festival at Leopardstown will also be in for a dry Stephen's Day. More than 75,000 well-wishers paid their respects to Japan's Emperor Akihito, who turned 85 yesterday, his last birthday celebration at Tokyo's Imperial Palace before stepping down next year. The birthday of the emperor, whose position is ceremonial with no political power, is traditionally marked by a national holiday and an address at the palace, which opens to the public on the day. The morning crowd of 75,490, according to the Imperial Household Agency, was the largest birthday attendance during Akihito's three-decade reign, known as the "Heisei" era, which means "achieving peace". Akihito, flanked by his wife, eldest son Naruhito and other members of the imperial family, addressed well-wishers from a balcony. "My thoughts go out to those who have lost family members or those close to them, or have suffered damage and whose lives are currently impaired," he said, referring to the natural disasters which have hit Japan in the past year. Earthquakes, severe storms and heatwaves have killed hundreds of people, destroyed homes and disrupted supply chains, clouding the outlook for Japan's export-reliant economy. Along with Empress Michiko, Akihito has spent much of his reign addressing the legacy of World War II, which was fought in the name of his father, Hirohito, and consoling victims of natural disasters. Akihito, who has had heart surgery and treatment for prostate cancer, is scheduled to step down on April 30, passing the Chrysanthemum Throne to 58-year-old Crown Prince Naruhito. Tragedy: A man reacts after identifying his relative among the bodies in Carita, Indonesia. Photo: AP Photo/Fauzy Chaniago An eruption of one of the world's most infamous volcanic islands is believed to have triggered a tsunami that killed at least 222 people in Indonesia during a busy holiday weekend. Upwards of 843 people were injured. The waves smashed onto beaches at night without warning, ripping houses and hotels from their foundations in seconds and sweeping terrified concert-goers into the sea. More than 800 people were injured and dozens more are missing after the tsunami hit around the Sunda Strait at 9.27pm on Saturday, the Disaster Management Agency said. The toll could continue to rise because some areas have not yet been reached. Scientists, including those from Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics agency, said yesterday that the tsunami could have been caused by underwater landslides or those occurring above ground on Anak Krakatau's steep slope following its eruption. The volcano's name translates to 'Child of Krakatoa', a volcanic island formed over years after one of the largest, most devastating eruptions in recorded history occurred at the Krakatoa volcano more than a century ago. The scientists also cited tidal waves caused by the full moon. Dramatic video posted on social media showed the Indonesian pop band 'Seventeen' performing under a tent on a popular beach at a concert. Dozens of people sat listening at tables, while others danced to the music. Seconds later, the stage suddenly heaved forward and buckled under the force of the water, tossing the band and its equipment into the audience. The group released a statement, saying their bass player, guitarist and road manager had been found dead, while two other band members and the wife of one of the performers remained missing. Tourists were also affected. The Anak Krakatau volcano lies in the Sunda Strait, between Java and Sumatra islands, linking the Indian Ocean and Java Sea. It erupted about 24 minutes before the tsunami, the geophysics agency said. The worst-affected area was the Pandeglang region of Java's Banten province, which encompasses Ujung Kulon National Park and beaches. Indonesian President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo expressed his sympathy and ordered government agencies to respond quickly to the disaster. US President Donald Trump also offered his condolences. "Unthinkable devastation from the tsunami disaster in Indonesia. More than two hundred dead and nearly a thousand injured or unaccounted for. We are praying for recovery and healing. America is with you!" he said on Twitter. In the city of Bandar Lampung on Sumatra, hundreds of residents took refuge at the governor's office, while at the popular resort area of Anyer beach on Java, some survivors appeared lost. Azki Kurniawan (16) said he was undergoing vocational training with a group of 30 other students at Patra Comfort Hotel when people suddenly burst into the lobby yelling: "Sea water rising!" He ran to the car park to try to reach his motorbike. But by the time he got there, it was already flooded. "Suddenly a one-meter wave hit me," he said. "I was thrown into the fence of a building about 30 metres from the beach and held onto the fence as strongly as I could. I cried and was afraid I would die." The 305-metre Anak Krakatau volcano, about 200km southwest of Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, has been erupting since June, sometimes spewing glowing lava and tall columns of ash. Gegar Prasetya, co-founder of the Tsunami Research Centre Indonesia, said Saturday's tsunami was likely caused by a flank collapse - when a big section of a volcano's slope gives way. He said it was possible for an eruption to trigger a landslide above ground or beneath the ocean, with both capable of producing waves. "Actually, the tsunami was not really big, only one metre," said Mr Prasetya, who has closely studied Krakatoa. However, he added: "The problem is that people always tend to build everything close to the shoreline." Nine hotels and hundreds of homes were heavily damaged by the waves. Broken chunks of concrete and splintered sticks of wood littered hard-hit coastal areas. Vehicles tossed by the waves remained belly-up in the rubble or were lodged in the air under collapsed roofs. Debris from thatch-bamboo shacks was strewn along beaches. Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands and home to some 260 million people, lies along the 'Ring of Fire', an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. Roads and infrastructure are poor in many areas of the disaster-prone country, making access difficult. In September, more than 2,500 people were killed by an earthquake and tsunami that hit the city of Palu on the island of Sulawesi, east of Borneo. Deal-makers shrugged off Brexit uncertainty in 2018 to complete a run of major transactions, but advisers have warned of a slowdown as Marchs official exit day approaches. The multibillion-pound sales of Costa, Pret a Manger, Sky and Shire were among the deals to hit the headlines in a buoyant market for mergers and acquisitions. But data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released earlier this month showed that the value of domestic M&A transactions was just 3 billion in the third quarter of 2018. This marked a drop of 9 billion compared with the previous period and was the first quarterly decline since the last three months of 2016. The most recent data from the ONS seemed to indicate that deal volumes are starting to declineJonathan Boyers, KPMG While the M&A market has remained blisteringly hot over 2018, the most recent data from the ONS seemed to indicate that deal volumes are starting to decline perhaps a sign that boards are becoming more cautious as economic and political uncertainty continues to intensify, said Jonathan Boyers, head of M&A at KPMG. Were also starting to see banks, who have previously been bullish in offering generous debt packages to support transactions, start to tighten their stance and terms on offer in recent months. It was another year of change for the grocery sector, with Asda and Sainsburys announcing their shock 12 billion merger in April. The move followed a string of tie-ups in the industry, including Tescos acquisition of Booker last year and Amazons buyout of Wholefoods. As of the latest update, Asda and Sainsburys are still seeking approval from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for the tie-up and have even taken the regulator to court in a bid for more time. A final decision must be made by March 5 2019. Despite distress in the casual dining sector, Asian chain Wagamama was sold to The Restaurant Group for 559 million. The deal gained shareholder approval earlier this month despite some investors voicing opposition. Elsewhere in food and drink, JAB Holdings took over Pret a Manger for 1.5 billion in May, while rival coffee chain Costa was sold by Whitbread to Coca-Cola for 3.9 billion in August. Rob Donaldson, head of corporate finance at RSM, said the deals were exceptions in the troubled leisure market. Youve got all sorts of cost pressures, youve got a consumer whos very cautious. The likes of Costa and Pret are fairly unique situations and I wouldnt say that theyre a sign of a sector in good health, he said. We generally think pricing is falling or has fallen in that sector. The Wagamama deal was highly priced but the shares were punished as a result. 2018 was also the year that sealed the break-up of Rupert Murdochs media empire. In July, shareholders approved Disneys 54 billion takeover of Twenty-First Century Fox. Meanwhile the battle for Sky was finally won by Comcast with a 30 billion bid. Other major deals included the sale of Zoopla owner ZPG to US private equity firm Silver Lake for 2.2 billion, which was announced in May. One of the biggest deals was Takedas 46 billion takeover of Irish pharmaceuticals firm Shire, which was approved by shareholders in December. Italian police and local prosecutors have opened a murder investigation into the death of the boy. Photo: Laszlo Szirtesi/Getty Images A toddler has died and his twin brother is fighting for his life at a Rome hospital after a botched home circumcision carried out at a migrant refuge on the outskirts of the city. Italian police and local prosecutors have opened a murder investigation into the death of the boy, who reportedly died of severe blood loss on Saturday when the procedure went wrong. He and his brother, who have not been named, were born in Italy in January 2017 to a woman of Nigerian origin, who is believed to have sought asylum in Italy. The operation took place in a welcome centre with nine apartments provided by the non-profit organisation Arci and the local council in the town of Monterondo, a suburb of Rome. "We are shocked to learn of the death of a child and the serious condition of his twin in Monterondo," Arci's Rome branch said in a statement published on its Facebook page yesterday. "The two children are hosted in a welcome centre that Arci has run with Monterotondo Council since 2009. "It is a tragedy that leaves us speechless. We are anxiously awaiting a medical update on the second child." Italian media reports said police were questioning the doctor, also believed to be of Nigerian origin, who carried out the operation and had called for emergency assistance when the child began bleeding profusely. The baby's twin brother is in intensive care at a Rome hospital. Local town officials said the mother had five other children in Nigeria and had given no indication that she was about to circumcise her twins. "It is an absurd tragedy," Antonino Lupi, the mayor of Monterotondo, told the daily 'Corriere Della Sera'. Passengers queue for flights at Gatwick Airport as the airport and airlines work to clear the backlog of flights delayed by the drone incident earlier this week. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Ministers will discuss the Gatwick Airport drone drama in a Christmas Eve conference call as detectives examine a damaged drone in a bid to catch the culprits. A 47-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman who were arrested in the probe were released without charge after two nights in custody as police said they were no longer suspects. Sussex Police insisted the force was "not back to square one" as investigators probe 67 sightings and forensically examine a damaged drone found near the runway's perimeter. Gatwick Airport has offered a 50,000 reward, through Crimestoppers, and another 10,000 has been put up by the charity's chairman Lord Ashcroft to catch the culprits responsible for the chaos, which affected around 140,000 passengers. Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley said he hopes the money will persuade someone to come forward with the vital clue. Asked about speculation there was never a drone, he said: "Of course, that's a possibility. We are working with human beings saying they have seen something." But he later clarified: "We are actively investigating sightings of drone activity at Gatwick Airport following 67 reports from the evening of December 19 to December 21 from the public, passengers, police officers and staff at the airport," he said. "We are interviewing those who have reported these sightings, are carrying out extensive house-to-house enquiries and carrying out a forensic examination of a damaged drone found near the perimeter of the airport near Horley, which is close to the last reported sighting." He said there were some "persons of interest" but would not reveal if police were close to making any further arrests. Around 1,000 flights were cancelled or diverted across three days after drones were spotted inside the perimeter of the UK's second biggest airport on Wednesday. A Government source said that the disruption at the airport would be discussed in a conference call on Christmas Eve, which ministers will be involved with. Mr Tingley said there is no video footage available and investigators are trying to confirm sightings from members of the public, police officers and ground staff, as well as forensically examining the damaged drone, which was found near the runway's perimeter, in Horley, by a member of the public. But he explained the examination could be hampered by the wet weather on Friday and Saturday, which could have washed away evidence. And he could not rule out the risk the culprits would strike again at Gatwick or another airport. "Someone, somewhere knows either the perpetrator or perpetrators responsible for this, or has information relating to these incidents," he said. "But secondly, our tactical response, should there be any more drone sightings, is still in place." Spain's prime minister has said that only a solution supported by a large majority of Catalans, and which is legal under the Spanish constitution, will resolve the crisis over whether Catalonia should secede or remain part of Spain. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told the Barcelona newspaper 'La Vanguardia' what "is needed is a wide consensus that right now doesn't exist in Catalonia". Voters in the wealthy north-eastern region were evenly split in supporting parties for and against secession when the last regional election was held a year ago. However, the separatist politicians who prevailed in that vote insist on pursuing a break. While Catalonia's regional government wants a binding referendum on independence, Mr Sanchez is urging them to work with counterparts who favour unity with Spain on drafting a new charter law, one that significantly more than half of the region's 7.4 million residents would support. "We have always said that we can find a solution to the Catalan political crisis within the constitution," Mr Sanchez said. Many separatists have said a new charter wouldn't be enough to satisfy the region's demands for autonomy, saying independence was the only answer. Influential German news weekly 'Der Spiegel' said yesterday it would file a criminal complaint against a disgraced reporter after it emerged he may have embezzled donations intended for Syrian street children. Claas Relotius (33) resigned this month after admitting making up stories and inventing protagonists in more than a dozen articles in the magazine's print and online editions. 'Der Spiegel' said it now had information that Relotius allegedly launched a campaign for readers to give money to help subjects of an article he wrote, but that the bank details he gave directed the funds to his own account. "'Der Spiegel' will give all the information it collects to public prosecutors as part of a criminal complaint," it said on its website. 'Der Spiegel' said readers had reported Relotius's call for donations purportedly for orphaned Syrian children living on the streets of Turkey. It said it had been unaware of the campaign and that it was not immediately clear how much money was raised from the appeal, apparently made by email to readers who contacted him about the story. 'Der Spiegel' published the article by Relotius in July 2016, but a Turkish photographer who worked with him on the piece has since noted significant inaccuracies. The magazine said it now believes Relotius may have simply made up some of the main protagonists, whom the article described as young siblings. Relotius described his attempts to help the children in a subsequent collection of articles, including a months-long effort to bring the children to Germany to be adopted by a family. 'Der Spiegel' said this also appeared to be a lie. In its most recent edition, the magazine said the scam was the "worst thing that can happen to an editorial team". The Most Extensive and Reliable Source of Information Related to the Mexican Drugs Cartels. You will not find this level of coverage anywhere else, join us! Send information, pictures or videos, you remain 100% anonymous. Envia fotos, videos, notas, enlaces o informacion todo 100% Anonimo. Borderland Beat? We love to have you in our team, send Sol Prendido or HEARST an email! Want to be a contributor or citizen reporter forBorderland Beat?We love to have you in our team, sendoran email! WARNING: Posts may contain strong violent material, discretion is advised. COMMENTS: We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately. French authorities yesterday defended aggressive police action to contain violence at yellow vest protests after a policeman was seen briefly brandishing a gun at a surging crowd in Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron called for "the most severe" legal repercussions against violent protesters. After a sixth straight weekend of demonstrations by the grassroots movement demanding more help for French workers, Mr Macron called for "order, calm and unity" while on a visit to Chad. The numbers of protesters were sharply down from previous weekends and most of their actions were peaceful. But violence again erupted in Paris, with protesters throwing projectiles and chasing police, who were firing tear gas and water cannon. A video of the gun-wielding policeman surrounded by protesters near the Champs-Elysees circulated widely online. He briefly pulled out the weapon after being pushed off his motorcycle and did not fire, but the threat of lethal action shocked many in France. He and other police then fled the scene. Many protesters have denounced what they describe as disproportionate action by police against the protesters, including multiple beatings also captured on video. Hundreds have been injured in the clashes, mainly protesters but also police officers and journalists. Police say they are acting in self-defence. The officer with the gun "did the right thing. It allowed a moment of pause, which allowed my colleagues to leave the scene safely," said Rocco Contento of the French police union Unite FGP. "It's a deterrent." Mr Contento called the move exceptional, but said police are allowed to draw their guns if they are physically threatened. And he said while the yellow vest protests seem to be abating, police are seeing a "growing intensity of violence against security forces". He called for tough sentences against those who intentionally target police. Sixty people were in custody yesterday after Saturday's violence in the capital, including four minors, according to the Paris prosecutor's office. Elsewhere, protesters attacked French prefectures and city halls from Nantes in the west to Carcassonne in the south. Stretched by the protests and extremism threats, French police threatened to hold their own protests to demand back overtime pay and better working conditions, and won preliminary concessions from the government last week. "Police officers, too, are confronted by this crisis," said Mr Contento. With extra police on guard to protect French monuments and Christmas markets, he added: "It's not really a festive atmosphere." Gama has flown away with two contracts (Steve Parsons/PA) Under-pressure Gama Aviation has secured two contracts for special mission aircraft worth up to 115.5 million. The aviation services group said that the first was an 11-year deal to provide maintenance and spare parts for eight Government special mission aircraft. This contract is expected to deliver revenues of between 66 million and 88 million. A second similar agreement will garner sales of about 27.5 million over five years. Boss Marwan Khalek said: We are delighted with these contract awards which endorse the companys strength in the UK special mission market segment. This is as a direct result of our strategy to continue to build our depth of capability and breadth of service offerings to derive steady and profitable revenue growth for our European division. These medium and long-term support contracts, which we have a strong track record in winning, significantly improve the forward visibility of our revenues and enhance our earnings in the mid to long term. The news will come as welcome relief to investors as it follows an October profit warning from Gama. At the time, the group said that full-year underlying operating profit would come in below its previous estimate of three million US dollars (2.3 million). Gama pointed to slower-than-expected growth in the US, adding that its forecasts for ground operations in Europe had proved too ambitious following a transition of operations from Farnborough and Oxford airports. In Asia, the groups associate China Air Services continued to underperform, Gama said, with the unexpected loss of contracts significantly impacting margins. Shares were up nearly 2% in morning trade at 118p. Turkey is massing troops near a town in northern Syria held by a US-backed and Kurdish-led force, a war monitor has said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed Turkish reinforcements have been sent to the front line near Manbij, where US troops have been based. It said 50 vehicles crossed into Syria - carrying troops and equipment. The build-up comes even though Turkey said it would delay a promised offensive in eastern Syria in the wake of US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw American troops earlier this week. The Trump decision surprised his allies and own experts, sparking the resignation of two of his top aides. Yesterday, French President Emmanuel Macron said he "deeply regrets" Mr Trump's decision to pull troops out of Syria and warned it could have dangerous consequences. Ally Mr Macron showered praise on US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis, who quit in the wake of Mr Trump's move. "An ally should be reliable, co-ordinate with other allies. Mattis understood this," Mr Macron said. He added the troop withdrawal endangers Kurdish fighters, who were instrumental in the US-led coalition's fight against Isil militants. "We should not forget... what we owe to those who died on the ground fighting terrorism," he said, referring to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. "The SDF is fighting against the terrorism that fomented attacks against Paris and elsewhere... I call on everyone not to forget what they have done." Kurdish officials met an adviser to Mr Macron, with one asking France to play a larger role in Syria following the American withdrawal. Wall demand: Donald Trump is adamant he will build a wall along the US border with Mexico. Photo: Reuters US president Donald Trump's budget director and chief of staff yesterday said the partial government shutdown could continue to January 3, when the new Congress convenes and Democrats take over the House of Representatives. "It's very possible this shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress," Mick Mulvaney said on 'Fox News Sunday'. "I don't think things are going to move very quickly here for the next few days" because of the Christmas holiday, added Mr Mulvaney, who serves as director of the Office of Management and Budget and was named acting White House chief of staff 10 days ago. The US Senate adjourned on Saturday unable to break an impasse over Trump's demand for more funds for a wall on the border with Mexico that Democrats are unwilling to accept. Mr Mulvaney said the White House made a counter offer to Democrats on funding for border security that falls between the Democratic offer of $1.3bn (1.14bn) and Trump's demand for $5bn (4.4bn). As part of those talks on Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence offered to drop the demand for $5bn for a border wall, substituting instead $2.1bn (1.84bn), reported ABC News. Mr Mulvaney sought to shift blame for the partial shutdown to Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic nominee for speaker of the House of Representatives, saying she might hold up negotiations to ensure she secures the position. "I think she's in that unfortunate position of being beholden to her left wing to where she cannot be seen as agreeing with the president on anything until after she is speaker," Mr Mulvaney said. "If that's the case, again, there's a chance we go into the next Congress." Financing for about a quarter of federal government programmes - including the departments of Homeland Security, Justice and Agriculture - expired at midnight on Friday and will not be renewed until a deal is done. Federal parks were to close and more than 400,000 federal "essential" employees in those agencies will work without pay until the dispute is resolved. Another 380,000 will be "furloughed", meaning they are put on temporary leave. Law enforcement efforts, border patrols, mail delivery and airport operations will keep running. Building a wall to keep migrants from entering the United States illegally was a central plank of Mr Trump's presidential campaign, but Democrats are vehemently opposed and have rejected his funding request. Mr Trump reiterated his push for border security yesterday, tweeting "the only way" to stop drugs, gangs, and human trafficking at the border was with a wall or barrier. "Drones and all of the rest are wonderful and lots of fun, but it is only a good old fashioned Wall that works!" the president tweeted. Meanwhile, Mr Trump said yesterday he would immediately replace outgoing Defence Secretary James Mattis with his top deputy, Patrick Shanahan, ending the former general's tenure two months before his planned exit from the Pentagon. Mr Mattis announced his resignation last week in a lengthy letter underscoring his policy differences with the president, but stating he would stay on the job until February 28. The retired Marine Corps general quit after Mr Trump announced his plans to immediately withdraw US troops from Syria. Take off: The Falcon 9 rocket prior to lift off at Cape Canaveral. Photo: Reuters SpaceX has launched the US air force's most powerful GPS satellite ever built. A rocket carrying a US military navigation satellite blasted off from Florida's Cape Canaveral yesterday, marking the space transportation company's first national security space mission for the US. The Falcon 9 rocket carrying a roughly $500m (439m) GPS satellite built by Lockheed Martin Corp lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 8.51am local time. Four previous scheduled launches in the last week, including one on Saturday, were cancelled due to weather and technical issues. The launch is a significant victory for billionaire Elon Musk's privately held rocket company, which has spent years trying to break into the lucrative market for military space launches. Rolls-Royce shares came under pressure on Monday after budget airline Norwegian said that it had reached a settlement with the group over technical issues with its Trent 1000 engines. In an end-of-year update, Norwegian said that it has reached an agreement with Rolls which will have a positive effect on the airlines finances from the first quarter of 2019. Norwegians long-haul operation has been disrupted by challenges with the Rolls-Royce engines on the Dreamliners. The company has now reached an agreement with Rolls-Royce which will have a positive effect from the first quarter of 2019. The commercial terms of the agreement remain confidential, the carrier said. Rolls shares were down 1% at 802p in morning trade. The FTSE 100 firm has been beset with problems with its engines recently. Earlier this year, Rolls warned over costs linked to the discovery of technical issues with its Trent 1000 engines, used on Dreamliner aircraft operated by the likes of Norwegian. Rolls has said it could see costs associated with the issues hit 440 million. It also said in October that it will deliver fewer Trent 7000 engines to customers than originally planned, as production problems continue to dog the firm. Separately, Norwegian said that it has launched an extensive cost savings programme, targeting savings of at least two billion Norwegian krone (180 million) Six weeks into the programme, we have already identified significant savings, the firm added. Norwegian has been the subject of intense takeover speculation in recent months, with Lufthansa and British Airways owner IAG among those thought to be in the mix. Norwegian Air has expanded rapidly over the last 12 months, ordering several aircraft to serve a raft of new routes. The firm has shaken up the long-haul market by offering flights at knockdown prices. Some of its most popular deals have included 99 flights from Edinburgh and Dublin to New York. Norwegian Air carries more than 30 million passengers a year, including 5.2 million from the UK, and last year struck an agreement that allows easyJet customers to access its long-haul routes. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, a daughter of Dubais ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, left, meets Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland (United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation via AP) The United Arab Emirates has released photos of a daughter of Dubais ruler after friends and supporters say she was forcibly returned to Dubai after fleeing months earlier. The state-run WAM news agency carried a government statement saying the princess is at home and living with her family in Dubai. Expand Close Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, left, eats a meal with Mary Robinson, a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former president of Ireland, in Dubai (United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, left, eats a meal with Mary Robinson, a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former president of Ireland, in Dubai (United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation via AP) Her father is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubais ruler and the UAEs prime minister and vice president. The government said Sheikha Latifa met with Mary Robinson, former UN high commissioner for human rights and former president of Ireland, on December 15 at the familys request. Photos show the two women smiling in what appears to be a home. Expand Close Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, left, meets Mary Robinson, a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former president of Ireland, in Dubai (United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation via AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed Al Maktoum, left, meets Mary Robinson, a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former president of Ireland, in Dubai (United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation via AP) Sheikha Latifa had previously appeared in a 40-minute video saying she was imprisoned off and on for several years and abused. The release of the photos comes months after friends and supporters say she disappeared following commandos storming a boat carrying her off the coast of India after she fled the Emirates. Human rights organisations have raised concerns over Sheikha Latifas fate in the time since. Indonesian rescue team search for the tsunami victims at a beach resort in Tanjung Lesung, (Achmad Ibrahim/AP) Hundreds of people have been searching debris-strewn beaches for more victims from a deadly tsunami that smashed into houses, hotels and other buildings along an Indonesian strait. The waves that swept terrified people into the sea on Saturday night along the Sunda Strait followed an eruption and possible landslide on Anak Krakatau, one of the worlds most infamous volcanic islands. At least 373 people were killed and more than 1,400 were injured. Dozens are missing from the disaster areas along the coastlines of western Java and southern Sumatra islands, and the numbers could increase once authorities hear from all stricken areas. The Indonesian Medical Association says it is sending more doctors and medical equipment and that many of the injured are in need of orthopaedic and neurosurgery expertise. It says most patients are domestic tourists who were visiting the beach during the long holiday weekend. It was the second deadly tsunami to hit Indonesia this year, but the one that struck the island of Sulawesi on September 28 was accompanied by a powerful earthquake that gave residents a brief warning before the waves struck. On Saturday night, the ground did not shake beforehand to alert people to the oncoming wave that ripped buildings from their foundations in seconds and swept terrified concertgoers on a resort beach into the sea. Dramatic video posted on social media showed the Indonesian pop band Seventeen performing under a tent on Tanjung Lesung beach at a concert for employees of a state-owned electricity company. Dozens of people sat at tables while others swayed to the music near the stage as strobe lights flashed and theatrical smoke was released. Expand Close Indonesian soldiers prepare to search for victims in Tanjung Lesung beach hotel, Indonesia (Tatan Syuflana/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Indonesian soldiers prepare to search for victims in Tanjung Lesung beach hotel, Indonesia (Tatan Syuflana/AP) A child could also be seen wandering through the crowd. Seconds later, with the drummer pounding just as the next song was about to begin, the stage suddenly heaved forward and buckled under the force of the water, tossing the band and its equipment into the audience. The group released a statement saying their bass player, guitarist and road manager were killed, while two other band members and the wife of one of the performers were missing. The tide rose to the surface and dragged all the people on site, the statement said. Unfortunately, when the current receded, our members were unable to save themselves while some did not find a place to hold on. Disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said 373 deaths had been confirmed and at least 1,459 people were injured. The worst-affected area was the Pandeglang region of Javas Banten province, which encompasses Ujung Kulon National Park and popular beaches, the agency said. Indonesian President Joko Jokowi Widodo expressed his sympathy and ordered government agencies to respond quickly to the disaster. My deep condolences to the victims in Banten and Lumpung provinces, he said. Hopefully, those who are left have patience. Expand Close A resident inspects his house damaged by a tsunami near Sumur village, Indonesia (Tatan Syuflana/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A resident inspects his house damaged by a tsunami near Sumur village, Indonesia (Tatan Syuflana/AP) Scientists, including those from Indonesias Meteorology and Geophysics agency, said the tsunami could have been caused by landslides either above ground or under water on the steep slope of the erupting Anak Krakatau volcano. The scientists also cited tidal waves caused by the full moon. The 1,000ft-high Anak Krakatau, whose name means Child of Krakatoa, lies on an island in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands, linking the Indian Ocean and the Java Sea. It has been erupting since June and did so again about 24 minutes before the tsunami, the geophysics agency said. From their first candlelight lunch date to their jungle safari, the couple is having a gala time. Parul has been constantly sharing pictures from her trip and keeping her fans updated about it. Check out the pictures here... Featured Video For the ones who don't know, Parul and Chirag met in 2015 through a common friend and soon love blossomed. Parul Chauhan became a household name for her role of Ragini in Bidaai. She is currently playing the role of Swarna in Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai and winning hearts all over. Parul recently tied the knot with Chirag Thakkar in a traditional temple wedding on December 12 with family and their close friends in attendance. They also hosted a grand wedding reception at Parul's hometown, Lakhmipur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh. They are also going to host a second reception for their Mumbai friends. But before that, the newlyweds are off to Nepal to celebrate their honeymoon. Actor Naseeruddin Shah once again made headlines facing the internet's ire for his remarks on mob lynching and religion in the country. During an interview he expressed his worry for his children in todays India and became the eye of the storm. He is facing a lot of trolls on social media, being called a traitor, and is receiving threats being asked to leave the country. "Everyone has a right to share their thoughts," said filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar while reacting to Naseeruddin Shah's recent comments on Bulandshahr violence incident. Bhandarkar stated that since India is a democratic country, one can express his opinions. However, according to him, there is no intolerance in the country. "Everyone has the right to speak. We live in a democratic country. I don't think there is any fear. Everyone is equal in India and this is his point of view. bccl This is the special thing about our country that everyone can express their opinions. I don't think there is any problem or intolerance," the 50-year-old said. Meanwhile, Bollywood actor Ashutosh Rana took sides with Shah and urged that one must ponder over the statement rather than merely reacting on it. "Everyone should have a right to share their thoughts with their friends or other people without any fear. We should be wary of reacting, acting or doing a trial on any such comment. ap If any of our brother or friend is saying something, we should not only listen to them but must also ponder over it," Rana said while interacting with media. "Independence stands for simplicity and gentleness and that is what our culture is," the actor added. Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has been facing flak for his recent comment over the Bulandshahr violence incident in which two people including a police official were killed over rumour of cow slaughter. bccl "At many places, the death of a cow is being given more importance than the killing of a policeman. I feel anxious for my children because tomorrow if a mob surrounds them and asks, 'Are you a Hindu or a Muslim?' they will have no answer. It worries me that I don't see the situation improving anytime soon," Shah had said in a video which surfaced on the social media earlier this week. In what appears to be another case on honour killing, a 22-year-old Telangana woman was allegedly murdered by her parents for marrying outside her caste. The girl identified as P Anuradha was burnt alive by her parents for marrying her boyfriend of four years in a temple. The incident took place in Kalamadugu village of Mancherial district, about 250 km from Hyderabad. Police said P Anuradha's parents killed her with the help of their relatives, burnt the body and threw the ashes in a stream. Telangana has seen a rise in the honour killing cases in 2018. Months back, husband of a newly married and pregnant woman was killed outside the hospital in Hyderabad by the members of the girl's family when the couple came out of the hospital after consulting the doctor. The parents - father Sattenna and mother Laxmi - who were angry with their daughter for marrying a man from a so-called lower caste, have been arrested. The incident took place on Saturday night but came to light on Sunday after police took up the investigation on a complaint by Anuradha's husband A Laxman. Laxman and Anuradha, both residents of the same village, were in love. As Anuradha's family opposed the relationship, the couple eloped to Hyderabad, where they married at Arya Samaj temple on December 3, police said. After 20 days, the couple reached the village on Saturday. On learning about this, Anuradha's parents and other relatives attacked Laxman's house and forcibly took away Anuradha. Investigations revealed that the parents took her to a place near Mallapur village in Nirmal district and killed her. They allegedly burnt the body and dumped the ashes in a stream to remove the evidence. In September, Pranay Kumar, a young Dalit man, was hacked to death in full public view in Nalgonda town. The killer was hired by Pranay's father-in-law Maruti Rao as her daughter Amrutha had married the man against the family's wish. (With inputs from IANS) From being ridiculed as son of prostitute during childhood to an author, Manish Gaekwads life has been nothing short of a typical Bollywood movie plot a nothing to everything kind of a journey. Manish grew up in Congress House, Mumbai, and Bandook Gully, Kolkata, at a time when kotha culture was on decline in the country. These spots were key hotspots for men who showered notes on nautch girls or tawaifs. For Manish, hearing randi ka beta from random people walking on road whenever he stepped out was something he took for breakfast. His mother was sold to a madam in a kotha in Kolkata when she reached puberty. She was married when she was just a child and worked as a bonded labour in Agra. When he was five years old, he was sent to a boarding school in Kurseong (and later, Darjeeling). He would read discarded magazines, mostly borrowed from a raddi shop, while growing up and bought newspapers from pocket money. Interestingly, the itch for uncommon storylines drove him to develop a fondness for films like Wild At Heart, The Piano, and My Own Private Idaho. From a 'Randi ka Beta' to a journalist and published author Cut to 2018, Manish is now a published author, a journalist with big media houses suffixed to his work profile. His novel Lean Days released in 2018. The most striking part of the novel that spins between the old and new lanes of spectacular cities of India is its protagonist a gay man. Manish says that queer protagonists must be normalised to an extent where a reader doesnt draw a line between them and heterosexual protagonists. For him, 2018 will always remain special. The first book is always special despite its flaws, which I see a lot. It is only after it was published that I now realise I can write, and so that thought is always leading me to focus on the next one, although how am I going to write the next one is even more bewildering than the first one. This year is even more special because right before the book came out, I wrote a blog about my mother that went viral. She used to work as a courtesan. Immediately after it I sold a film script, got work as a screenwriter, news portal began to ask me to contribute, and I even landed a second book deal. Decriminalisation of homosexuality by Supreme Court was an unreal moment A great moment for us as a country, but more than the mild tremor across the nation where people dont even know what it means, it is the world waking up to the news that some 1.3 billion people have been told to behave. That is a huge responsibility, and the change has to start at home, says Manish, recalling the historic verdict delivered by Supreme Court on September 6, 2018. He says that while the change may not be visible to people outside of the LGBTQ community, but to those it matters as much as life, There is less stress about being targeted. Decriminalisation has certainly empowered the community. They are no longer criminals in their own country. Manish believes that the struggle has only changed places and isnt out of the picture entirely. Now the struggle is from social pariah to homogeneous integration in society, in family, with friends, at the workplace, as an equal without the stigma of being identified by orientation. No change is overnight, he adds. For Manish, literature is the centre of gravity. The landmark verdict has opened a myriad of avenues for writers, artists and anyone pursuing fine arts. It is a fantastic opportunity to reflect the times in our literature, film, art, music, plays, the works. Talking about what has changed for him as a writer post the verdict, Manish asserts that the perspective and narrative must change. It's time to portray the Queer point of view Why is everything from a heterosexual mans point of view? Flip that employ your voice as a woman, as a queer person, as a person entirely devoid of sexuality even; explore race, gender, ability, class, ethnicity, anything, but please question heteronormativity and therefore challenge patriarchy, which is at the root of everything we know and must evolve from, explains Manish as he explores the idea of shifting from binaries to fluidity in literature. Filling the void of LGBTQ representation in the Indian literature If one is an avid reader and have read modern writers like Ismat Chugtai, Devdutt Pattanaik and Jhumpa Lahiri, one would know that Indian literature is extremely rich when it comes to LGBT-themed literature. Literary figures like such as Ved Vyas, Vatsyayana, writing in Sanskrit, Bechan Sharma, Nirala, Kamleshwar, writing in Hindi, Ismat Chughtai in Urdu, Vijay Tendulkar, Bindumadhav Khire, Chandrakant Khote, Sachin Kundalkar in Marathi, Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, Kamala Das, in Malayalam, Shobhaa De, Anita Nair, Manju Kapur, R Raj Rao, Hoshang Merchant, Vikram Seth, Sandip Roy, Devdutt Pattanaik, Neel Mukherjee, Minal Hajratwala, Manil Suri, Jhumpa Lahiri in English, and the list goes on in several regional languages prove that Indian literature a treasury of LGBTQ works. The irony is that gay people will do the simple Google search and read these books. Straight people, mostly men, maybe not. They will be repelled by the idea that a simple Google search will probably turn them into frightful L-G-B-T monsters. It is as illogical as that. They will refuse to endorse something as harmless as reading books that are not necessarily about heteronormal things. Their most common excuse will be, It does not interest me. Thats like gay people saying Romeo and Juliet does not interest them because its not Romeo and Justin or Rihanna and Juliet. Even if gay people dont read Shakespeare, they are not averse to the idea of Romeo and Juliet they find it equally romantic and enchanting as gay love stories. No one abhors Romeo and Juliet. Ismat Chugtai How many straight people will read LGBT-themed literature with the same sort of detached view and still appreciate it for what it is about the lives of gay people going through the same bump and grind as straight people how different can the two worlds be exactly when everyone lives in only one? One way of filling the gap is ensuring that there is no segregation of literature into gay and straight. The writers previously mentioned have represented the LGBTQ community in their works that are not always labelled as gay literature. Writers, irrespective of their orientation, have never shied from featuring gay characters in their works. It is the reader who needs to be inclusive either by chance, stumbling upon it and not being alarmed, or consciously reading these LGBT-themed books to dispel their own prejudice against it, says Manish. Hindu mythology, gay representation and literature Hindu mythology has vividly mentioned heterosexual and homosexual acts alike. However, the narrative stemming from conservationists is far from reality. The normal understanding was somewhat lost under under Islamic and British rule in India. The majority public discourse is now about how Hinduism doesnt approve of homosexual relationships which is actually a flawed argument. In accounts of Muslim rulers in India, the biographers mention kings and queens with both male and female consorts and this is despite their holy text condemning same-sex love. India has had a love-hate relationship with same-sex love but at least it was not censored in literature. After Britishers landed on Indian soil, everything went undercover and flourished as illicit reading material, making persons of LGBT orientation seem like a sleazy lot indulging in aberrant sexual behaviour, and pushing them further from the margins into a community that should be eradicated and so the persecution, the law, the torture and harassment began. Mainstream writers who braved it, faced censure. In 1977, when Shakuntala Devi wrote The World of Homosexuals, making a strong case for decriminalisation of Section 377 that had been implemented by the British in 1864, the book opened the floodgates for queer studies, says Manish outlining that it was in the 90s that the tide eventually turned when writers wrote what they saw. Isnt literature also drawn from real life? So, like heterosexual romance, same-sex themes began to be explored in detail, and without the social mores of the Raj. Manish believes that LGBTQ representation in literature reinforces visibility and that is a step towards acknowledgement before acceptance. It means no more hiding in the closet for both reader and writer. India has been importing 100 per cent of its Lithium-ion batteries for the electric vehicles (EVs) till now. That is soon set to change, however, if Heavy Industries minister Anant Geetes recent statement is to be believed. According to the minister, public sector electric equipment maker Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is soon set to come up with a joint venture with a US-based firm to manufacture lithium ion batteries within the country. And BHEL will not be taking too long to initiate this. Geete confirmed that efforts are on towards manufacturing them in India within the next one year. As and when in place, the homegrown manufacturing will drastically bring down the dependence upon China for these lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion battery (Reuters) Earlier this month, the Department of Heavy Industries had suggested a reduction in the customs duty on parts of EVs to the finance ministry. The decision on this is still awaited though. As of now, 28 percent basic customs duty is applied on parts including metals and plastics. To change this, the department proposed a proper definition for completely knocked down (CKDs) and semi knocked down (SKDs) kits for EVs along with a corresponding tax structure. Simultaneously, even the power ministry recently announced its final guidelines and standards for EV charging infrastructure, assigning priority access to electricity from power utilities for those owning electric cars and scooters. With such a 360 degree effort from various departments of the government and the automotive players announcing a host of EVs for the countrys market, Indias move towards electric vehicles seems to be on a boost for now and if everything goes as planned, a considerable adoption of EVs might be seen in the next couple of years. (With inputs from PTI) Electric drivetrains might have been dominating the roads in the recent times but not many have taken to the air as of now. Some modes of electric propulsion are seen in one-off projects like hovercrafts, eVTOLs and others. However, the mainstream adoption of the idea has not been too appealing for many established players in the industry, citing safety or the limited power output of the existing battery technology. This did not deter a California-based independent engineering company from setting a world record, though. Tier 1 Engineering, a company working to develop an electric helicopter, recently made it to the Guinness World Records for the farthest flight for an electric helicopter. Starting at Los Alamitos Army Airfield, the helicopter managed to cover more than 55 km (30 nautical miles) in over 22 minutes, clocking a speed of around 150 km/h at a height of 800 feet. Tier 1 Engineering However, that was not the sole purpose of the electric helicopter. The company intends to come up with a zero-emission helicopter that can be used to transport human organs for transplant. It will then be used by Lung Biotechnology - a biotechnology firm for the same purpose. As for the helicopter, a converted Robinson R44 helicopter has been remodelled with 67-kilowatt hours of lithium polymer batteries from Brammo. The helicopter uses twin electric motors made by race-car engineering company Rinehart Motion Systems There have been other forms of helicopters which have appointed the use of electric propulsion to take flight. One such comes in the shape of an octocopter named SureFly, dubbed as a hybrid-electric eVTOL multi-copter. The octocopter, however, uses a hybrid engine instead of only relying on an electric drivetrain to be airborne. Satellite launches are an incredibly delicate affair. Not only do the groups launching have to be careful to avoid all the space debris in orbit, they also need to make sure they're in concert will all the existing satellites space agencies like NASA know about. That second reason is non-negotiable, and for good reason. After all, a satellite launched with missing or inaccurate information could result in the new launch even bringing down an existing satellite, and that could be catastrophic. That's why space startup Swarm Technologies is in deep trouble right now. The US-based startup launched four satellites earlier this year on January 12. The problem is, they did it without any government approval, so now they have to pay a $900,000 (approximately Rs 6.31 crore) fine to the US Treasury. The fine follows an investigation by the Federal Communications Commission, when Swarm Technologies launched their unauthorized satellites. Their actions were supposedly part of an ambitious 100 satellite network to beam Internet to the entire world. For their infraction, the startup has to not only pay the fine, but is also being held to a "strict compliance plan" with added documentation needed for any future launches. Also Read: Internet Expansion Could Cause Earth's Orbit To Fill With Dangerous Space Junk, Warn Experts Swarm didn't have it's own rockets, but instead loaded the satellites onto India's PSLV rocket launch in January. It only later emerged that the startup had been denied a license by the FCC, which allots frequencies companies can use to communicate with their spacecraft. Their reasoning was that the satellites were too small, making them worry they would be difficult to track from Earth and therefore a danger to other satellites in orbit. Swarm didn't just illegally launch their satellites, they also reportedly used ground communication stations in Georgia to communicate with them for over a week, without permission. It was also uncovered that they had previously carried out unapproved tests with weather balloons and other equipment prior to launch, all of which are under the purview of the FCC. So, for the next three years, the FCC will be keeping a close eye on Swarm, anytime they want to make a launch. The agency has so far, however, approved three future satellites for the company, which launched in December on a SpaceX Falcon 9. If we discover life on other planets, it's very unlikely it'll involve breathing, walking creatures. Instead, scientists expect to instead find alien life as microbes or something equally small. That's why it's important for planetary rovers to be able to look for them. NASA ALSO READ: NASA InSight Finally Touches Down On Mars, Sending Back A Stunning Picture Of The Alien World One NASA scientist considered that, and wants to develop technology that lets rovers look at samples under a microscope the way biologists do in labs on Earth everyday. In order to do that, Melissa Floyd at the agency's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland says she's developed the hardware and programs necessary to do just that. So far, NASA rovers have been equipped with the ability to look for bio-signatures, but not life itself. And though Floyd's technology is still early in development, it holds massive potential for the agency's hunt for life out there. Also Read: Scientists Say Oxygen On Alien Planets Doesn't Mean It Will Automatically Have Intelligent Life "Life exists everywhere on Earth, even in places that are incompatible to humans," she says. "I had this idea, actually a major assumption on my part: what if life evolved on Mars the same way it did here on Earth? Certainly, Mars was bombarded with the same soup of chemistry as Earth." Floyd's work focuses on robotic instruments that can analyse soil samples for bacteria and archaea, single-cell microorganisms that were some of the first creatures to appear on Earth. A single gram of soil on Earth holds about 40 million bacterial cells and a milliliter of fresh water can hold a million. So if life developed the same way on Mars as Earth, given that it's exposed to the same triggering conditions, any bacteria present will be in soil samples put under a microscope. Floyd envisions that hardware deployed on a future NASA rover, or even on a dedicated robot. "If there are even fragments of highly conserved genetic sequences that we see in every corner of Earth, FISH (her technology's name) will be the tool capable of detecting it." The main problem she's facing though is how to automate the task. After all, given how long it takes to communicate with a rover on Mars, it's not possible for someone to monitor in real time. That way, if the robot notices telltale signs of bacteria present, it can automatically sort and forward those finding s to NASA. The plight of the Indian farmer in terms of hefty loans and low return for their crop are things we read about every day. Ever since the results of the state assembly elections 2018 have come out, various loan waivers and schemes for farmers are being pitched to the public. Meanwhile, a strange new trend has cropped up. In Uttar Pradeshs Bulandshahr, farmers are using alcohol for the cultivation of potatoes. But is alcohol really significant for the cultivation of crops? According to agriculturists, there is absolutely no scientific backing that using alcohol can boost yield. There's no scientific reason behind the use of alcohol as medicine for plants. I appeal to farmers to use the right medicines. Farmers experiment with it (alcohol) to boost crop production, which is wrong, an agricultural authority was quoted by ANI as saying. Farmers using liquor to increase potato production in Bulandshahr. Plant Production Officer says, There's no scientific reason behind use of alcohol as medicine for plants.I appeal to farmers to use right medicines. Farmers experiment with it to boost production, which is wrong pic.twitter.com/Bv6v4tBmZh ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) December 23, 2018 Why and how this idea came about is not clear, but alcohol in our vegetables is not exactly an ideal scenario. The city of Austin, Texas, announced Dec. 18 it has signed a long-term sister city agreement with the city of Pune, India. Seen above includes representatives from World Affairs Council of Austin, University of Texas; Charles A. Dana Center, Austin Pune Sister Cities Initiative; Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce; Tellofy Inc., and the City of Austin. Included are (standing from left): Ben Ramirez, David Kurtenbach, Sumit DasGupta, Carolyn Landel, Ashwin Ghatalia, City of Austin council member Alison Alter, Shubhada Saxena, Aashi Morales, Marina Bhargava, Rama Tiru, Megha Uppal, Supriya Kini, Roshan Manjunath, Premod Patil, Unmesh Mayekar, Meghan Uppal, Supriya Kini; (kneeling from left) Roshan Manjunath, Pramod Patil, Unmesh Mayekar, Casey Smith. (austintexas.gov photo) We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Women devotees wait outside the Sabarimala temple in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district on Dec. 24. 11 women from Tamil Nadu had to be sent back in the face of steep protests mounted by the traditional devotees, who have been up in arms ever since the Supreme Court verdict and have not allowed any breach in the temple's tradition. (IANS photo) Steve White (Later Head of IBM Research) [L], Tim May [CL], Richard Feynman [CR], Bob Lewis (Caltech grad student) [R]. Isla Vista, UCSB. Richard Feynman explaining something to Tim May in Isla Vista, California. Tim May - Cypherpunks co-Founder, Discoverer of Radiation-Induced Single Event Upsets in Integrated Circuits, Uncompromising Firearms ProponentWord has reached me that my dear friend, co-conspirator in many things and for many years, fellow Freedom Fighter Tim May passed away earlier this week at his home in Corralitos, California.Death appears to be from natural causes pending autopsy. I.e. Tim did not die in a hail of bullets as so many who didnt know Tim all that well and largely from his public writings had predicted. Tim May co-founded the Cypherpunks, perhaps the single most effective pro-cryptography grassroots organization in history, together with Eric Hughes and John Gilmore in 1992 against the backdrop of draconian anti-cryptography efforts promulgated by the Clinton I Administration.Early credit also goes to Hugh Daniel (since passed) who administered some of the initial Cypherpunks mailing list infrastructure and IMHO should be considered the fourth Cypherpunks co-founder.For a good and reasonably accurate explanation of the early Cypherpunks days, see the article by Steven Levy in the February 1993 issue of Wired Magazine.Having read about the Cypherpunks in that issue of Wired Magazine at the local bookstore, I quickly joined and became very active in this movement, which lead to deep long-term personal friendships with many of us principals, in particular Tim May, who was a frequent and welcome guest at my house.The joint efforts of the growing Cypherpunks movement ultimately lead to the abandonment of the draconian U.S. export regulations on strong cryptographic products, including open source software, in 2000. Tim May was instrumental in sowing the seeds and providing the teachings to a new generation to help bring this about.I can say without qualification that I would not be working in my field today if it hadnt been for my meeting and becoming friends with Tim May.Tims discovery of radiation-induced single event upsets in semiconductors was groundbreaking and remains to this day. His design studies to weaponize this discovery, including for ground-to-space warfare, are both fascinating and cheap to implement; I will leave a detailed explanation of this area of Tims physics research to others. One of Tim's most precious possessions, perhaps his single most precious possession, was a photograph hanging on his hallway wall of himself as a young man together with Richard Feynman. [Edit: a kind person since sent me a scan of that photograph. See the end of this post].Tims realization that any Manifesto, Constitution, or Bill of Rights wasnt worth the paper it was written on absent a broadly armed (and heavily armed) population left many of his critics and admirers alike confused. As with so many of his assertions, Tim was correct in this analysis, though his assertion that private ownership of firearms is a public good will likely not be as soon widely accepted as his assertion that private ownership of strong crypto is a public good was. As such, Tim leaves behind a very large firearms collection.Please raise a glass of Bourbon, can be any brand, doesnt have to be the expensive stuff, it didnt have to be for Tim, to Tim May!Ad Astra, Tim!Allow me to close this post with an editorial note: if you want to honor Tim and his work with Cypherpunks, do not read the Wikipedia article on Cypherpunks. Just ignore it. That is what Tim did.The Wikipedia article is a steaming piece of editorial dreck that appears to have been largely authored by brand ruboff-seeking sycophants and (at best) hanger-ons and more likely non-participants. There is hardly any word of truth to the article, in particular when it comes to the list of supposed Cypherpunks participants and their supposed contributions.Instead, do what Tim would have done: close that browser window and pour yourself another Bourbon.Those who were there, fighting at the front lines of the Cypherpunks trenches, such as Tim, know the truth. The hell with those seeking credit to whom little or no credit for those days and this massive effort that Cypherpunks was is due.--Originally posted to Facebook: December 15, 2018 at 4:52 AM Cocoa (CC) Tries Halting Oct-Nov Slide Just Above 2021 Low Tradable Patterns - 14 minutes ago Cocoa (CCH22) rebounded a massive 4% plus yesterday, bouncing off downchannel support (on the daily chart). Significantly, although CC had broke last week below upchannel support (on the weekly chart),... CCH22 : 2,453s (+4.29%) NIB : 27.89 (+5.01%) Asian shares mixed after broad rally on Wall Street AP - Thu Dec 2, 9:51PM CST Stocks were mixed in Asia on Friday after a broad rally on Wall Street as investors kept an eye on the spread of the new coronavirus variant and measures governments are taking to restrain it. $SPX : 4,577.10 (+1.42%) $DOWI : 34,639.79 (+1.82%) $IUXX : 15,990.76 (+0.71%) KR : 44.65 (+11.04%) Beans Bounce Double Digits Barchart - Thu Dec 2, 4:50PM CST Soybean futures were up double digits on Thursday as prices continued to recover from the sharp post Turkey Day and Month End selloff. Jan beans are now 45 cents weaker than the pre Thanksgiving high,... ZSF22 : 1253-6 (+0.76%) ZSPAUS.CM : 12.1110 (+1.35%) ZSH22 : 1259-4 (+0.76%) ZSX21 : 1234-0s (+1.79%) ZSPX21US.CM : 12.0970 (+1.34%) Triple Digit Rally in Hogs Barchart - Thu Dec 2, 4:50PM CST Lean hog futures added another triple digits to the bounce yesterday, closing as much as $1.87 higher in the front months on Thursday. USDAs National Average Afternoon Base hog price for Thursday was... HEZ21 : 74.400s (+1.05%) HEJ22 : 86.325s (+1.47%) KMZ21 : 87.000s (-1.02%) Cotton Fades for Another Red Close Barchart - Thu Dec 2, 4:50PM CST Cotton futures initially traded higher on Thursday, attempting to bounce back from 4 hard down days. By the close, front month futures were 19 to 49 points in the red. For the Dec contract that extends... CTZ21 : 108.90 (unch) CTH22 : 104.83 (+1.09%) CTZ21 : 108.90 (unch) Were just hours away from what, for many, is the most joyous day of the year Christmas Day. Here at Insurance Business Australia, however, its been a year of celebrations and wed like to take this opportunity to thank you for your loyal readership and support. 2018 has been a true record breaker. A year in which weve seen surging levels of traffic to the Insurance Business Australia website and a year in which weve had record levels of commercial support from advertisers and insurer partners. Its also been a year in which weve celebrated the industrys best at our annual awards ceremony and hosted many high-level events and conferences designed to boost your knowledge about the sector and its key issues including our Women In Insurance and Insurtech Summit events. Were just hours away from what, for many, is the most joyous day of the year Christmas Day. Here at Insurance Business New Zealand, however, its been a year of celebrations and wed like to take this opportunity to thank you for your loyal readership and support. 2018 has been a true record breaker. A year in which weve seen record levels of traffic to the Insurance Business New Zealand website and a year in which weve had record levels of commercial support from advertisers and insurer partners. Its also been a year in which weve hosted many high-level events and conferences designed to boost your knowledge about the sector and its key issues including our Women In Insurance and Millennial Workforce summits. As a general rule, the most successful man in life is the man who has the best information December 24, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Skyharbour Resources Ltd. (TSX-V:SYH) (OTCQB: SYHBF) (Frankfurt:SC1P) delivered some exciting results to the market with the announcement earlier this week of high-grade uranium intersections at its Moore project in Saskatchewan's Athabasca Basin. Read the press release The Vancouver-based company has just completed its fall drill program focusing on the Maverick Zone of its Moore property, located about 15 km east of Denison Mines' Wheeler River project. The primary objective of the 3,800m program was to investigate the potential for uranium mineralization at depth, in the basement rocks. Why is that important? It's known from previous drilling at the Maverick Zone that the bulk of the mineralization is in the sedimentary sandstone and the unconformity - the point where the sandstone meets the underlying basement rocks. What was not known, was the potential for high grade uranium in the basement rocks. Skyharbour wanted to solve that mystery because most of the highest-grade deposits discovered in the Athabasca Basin in recent years have been found in the basements. These include NexGen's Arrow, Fission's Triple R and Denison's Gryphon deposits. And the answer was yes. Drilling at the western end of the Maverick Zone, SYH pulled up a 15.2m intercept containing 0.56% triuranium octoxide (U3O8) - including 3.11% U3O8 over 1.8m. More importantly though, the intercept - one of the broadest to date - occurred between 264.5m and 279.7m downhole, and most of the zone was below the unconformity in the basement rocks. According to Skyharbour CEO Jordan Trimble, the high-grade intercept is proof that the basement rocks have a lot of potential to host more high-grade uranium mineralization, which was a key objective of the fall drill program. "The big takeaway is hitting the bulk of that 15.2m of mineralization in the basement rock. Now we know the basement has the potential to host more high-grade uranium, and we can continue to drill to find bigger, higher-grade feeder zones." By feeder zones, Trimble is referring to what could be the source of the uranium that precipitated out from fluids millions of years ago and pushed upward, into the basement rocks, the unconformity and the sandstone. "Conceptually it gives us a lot more confidence there's probably a lot more to be found at depth." A few more highlights from the program: Hole ML18-15 returned 1.33% U3O8 over 7.8m including 2.91% U3O8 over 1.5m, at the unconformity at the western end of the Maverick Zone. This 7.8m intercept contained not only high-grade uranium, but cobalt and nickel at decent grades - 0.44% Co and 1.62% Ni. While it's too early to say whether there could be mineable credits, Trimble says "That was a nice surprise and when we drill the next program we'll definitely be looking out for that." The Maverick Zone has been expanded to the west and at depth. Four exploratory holes testing targets in the basement rocks intersected up to 80m of "altered and structurally disrupted graphitic lithologies." Graphite is a very strong pathfinder mineral for uranium, because when the mineralized fluid meets a graphitic structure, the uranium precipitates out. Rarely is high-grade uranium found without graphite. Skyharbour will take what it's learned from its fall 2018 drill program into a new 3,000m program planned for early 2019. The focus will include more exploratory drilling into the basement rocks with the goal of adding high-grade uranium mineralization that can be plugged into a maiden resource expected to be published sometime next year. Recapping what has been done so far at Moore: The Moore property that Skyharbour optioned from Denison Mines is just over 35,000 hectares. It is located between the Key Lake mine and mill complex and the McArthur River Mine. Over $40 million in historical exploration has been done, with over 140,000 meters of diamond drilling and more than 380 holes completed. Since mid-2000, the focus at Moore has been on the 4-kilometer Maverick structural corridor where pods of high-grade unconformity-type uranium mineralization has been intersected. During the winter and summer of 2017, just under 10,000 meters of drilling was completed. Highlights included 20.8% U3O8 over 1.5m, 9.12% U3O8 over 1.4m, and 2.23% over 9.3m U3O8, all at between 250 and 275m depth. About half of the 4-km corridor has been drill-tested. Stepping out 100m from the Maverick Zone, Skyharbour also discovered a new high-grade mineralized lens, where 9.12% U3O8 over 1.4m and 4.17% U3O8 over 4.5m at 278m depth was found. In partner news, Orano is planning to drill 4,850m in 2019 as part of a $2.2 million exploration program at Skyharbour's Preston property. The two companies previously signed an earn-in agreement whereby Orano (formerly Areva) must spend C$8 million exploring the property over six years, in order to earn up to 70% of the project. Orano has identified two priority targets, JL and FSA. With this program, financed by partner money, Orano looks to be well ahead of their earn-in targets and will nicely complement SYH's drill program at Moore, while adding to the news flow. A recent $600,000 private placement means Skyharbour is fully cashed up for its next phase of exploration at Moore. Ahead of the Herd also took the opportunity to get Trimble's thoughts on the uranium market, which still appears to be in the early stages of a bull market. The spot price climbed to just under $30 earlier this month, and is up over 25% since the start of the year. A recent report from BMO predicts the price will gradually rise as inventories are reduced; the report targets $55 a pound in 2023. The spot price is carefully watched by retail investors but nuclear utilities mostly buy on long-term contracts. On the supply side, Trimble pointed to production cuts at KazAtomProm, mine closures - Cameco's McArthur River/ Key River and Rabbit Lake - and big mines like Ranger in Australia, and Rossing in Africa, running out of ore. The Ranger mine operated by Rio Tinto will stop operating in 2021 and is slated for closure in 2026. Paladin Energy has cancelled a planned expansion and has shuttered its aging Langer Heinrich open-pit mine in Namibia. Since 2016, between 30 and 33 million pounds of mined uranium has been curtailed, representing about 23% of global production. Trimble notes it's a win-win situation for the market right now because as uranium contracts with nuclear utilities roll off in the next three to four years, producers won't be able to produce at current low prices - negotiated a few years ago pre-Fukushima - meaning either the price goes up or those producers shut mines. If the latter happens, supply will be restricted and the price will rise. Also feeding into the supply picture, and what's really moved the spot price, says Trimble, are several new uranium funds and holding companies that have emerged over the past 10 months. Seeing an imbalance in the market, their rationale is to buy uranium on the spot market, store it, and sell it later to utilities when the price goes up. Adding to the spot market buying frenzy is Cameco, which plans to purchase 11 to 15 million pounds to fulfill contracts in the new year - having run out of inventory and stockpiles. Trimble sees this as the most immediate near-term driver of the spot price. On the demand side is the usual strong pull towards nuclear energy, particularly in Asia. China has the most reactors in the pipeline including 43 operating, 15 under construction and 179 planned or proposed. Globally there are 453 operating nuclear reactors and 55 new reactors under construction. Japan, which shut down all its reactors following the 2011 earthquake/ tsunami, now has nine reactors back online, up from just three last year. Nuclear consultant UxC predicts a shortage of uranium in 2018, when full-year results are tallied: only 135 million pounds of U3O8 due to recent closures and project deferrals, versus 192 million pounds demanded. What's on your radar screen? Uranium and Skyharbour Res. (TSX.V:SYH) are on mine. Richard (Rick) Mills aheadoftheherd.com Ahead of the Herd is on Twitter Ahead of the Herd is now on FaceBook Ahead of the Herd is now on YouTube Legal Notice / Disclaimer This document is not and should not be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for any investment. Richard Mills has based this document on information obtained from sources he believes to be reliable but which has not been independently verified. Richard Mills makes no guarantee, representation or warranty and accepts no responsibility or liability as to its accuracy or completeness. Expressions of opinion are those of Richard Mills only and are subject to change without notice. Richard Mills assumes no warranty, liability or guarantee for the current relevance, correctness or completeness of any information provided within this Report and will not be held liable for the consequence of reliance upon any opinion or statement contained herein or any omission. 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It comes weeks after a private security firm evicted a family from their farm near Strokestown. The incident sparked a major Garda operation after a number of people were taken to hospital with injuries and a dog with the security personnel was killed. Two members of the family have since moved back into their home. Hundreds of people took to the streets of Strokestown yesterday where a number of public representatives addressed the crowd. Padraic ATailliura O Conghaile from protest group Glor na Tuaithe (Rural Voice) said that the public had been left angered at the forced evictions. People are really angry at what is happening and this is definitely the start of evictions, he said. The people are very angry about what the Government is doing to them. We must stand firm and the only way we will win is through people power. We elected these people in and we can get them out. We paid off the bankers and yet they have thrown these people out of their homes. There are thousands of homes in Ireland at risk of being taken over. Its scandalous. Local Fianna Fail councillor Ivan Connaughton told the crowd he was there to stand with the people of Strokestown and the people of Roscommon and Ireland. This is only the tip of the iceberg what happened here, its a national issue, he said. I am asking the representatives in Dail Eireann to stand with the people of Roscommon and Ireland. They need to implement legislation to ensure no person has to leave their home or farm in this country. Dan Hoban, from Sinn Fein, said he had not lost faith in the Irish people. I am proud of you all here today in support of the McGann family, he said. When a crowd came in to this town a short time ago and moved in to the McGann home and forcibly removed them on to the road, it was no crime scene then, but a fortnight after when people went in to reinstate the McGann family it was deemed a crime scene. The power of the people is going to win in the end. The protest took place yesterday afternoon as a union representing staff of KBC Bank sought an urgent meeting with management about ensuring their security, but also to discuss approaches to dealing with customers whose loans are in arrears. The eviction at the Strokestown farm was over debts with KBC Bank, which has had two of its properties in Dublin targeted in suspected arson attacks in recent days. A fire at its Swords branch in the early hours of Saturday happened in similar circumstances to one at its offices in Sandwith St on Thursday night, when accelerant is believed to have been used after a window was broken. Financial Services Union acting general secretary Gareth Murphy has written to KBC to say some staff who contacted the union are extremely upset and stressed at recent developments. KBC must now put extra effort and attention into making sure staff are not at risk, he wrote in a letter to the banks chief executive in Ireland, Wim Verbraeken. He called for an audit of any roles that might be vulnerable and to put extra security procedures in place to make sure no staff are at risk. However, Mr Murphy also called on the banks senior management to address public anger and concerns about its approach in recent times to dealing with arrears and non-performing loans. As a bank you made these loans and so you must take your share of responsibility for ensuring that sustainable solutions are put in place for customers, he said. I would call on you to engage with experts in this field, like the Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation, and address this situation. KBC Bank told RTE News at the weekend they were aware of the arson incidents and were taking measures to ensure the safety of its people and hubs. A three-storey former bed and breakfast which was refurbished a decade ago by an addiction treatment charity in order to operate as a step-down facility is to finally open next month after the HSE gave the green light to allocate funds for the project. Cuan Mhuire which treats people with addictions to alcohol, drugs and gambling bought the 16 bedroom house on the Western Road in Cork city for 2.1m in 2007. Their aim was for it to be a supportive environment for people who had left rehab and needed help as they continued their journey to sobriety. However, Cuan Mhuire had no choice but to put the project on hold because the relevant authorities failed to provide the money to run the facility. It was refurbished in 2008 and lay idle although it was fit for purpose as a step-down facility. The case was highlighted over the years by Helping Cork's Homeless, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and former Deputy Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Fergal Dennehy. Pressure was also exerted on the relevant authorities by members of Fine Gael including the Tanaiste Simon Coveney and Senator Colm Burke. Senator Burke says they have now secured the 300,000 from the HSE which is necessary to fund the project annually. It will operate as a step-down facility for people who need extra supports. It involves no capital costs. They just needed the funding to run it. It is a state of the art facility. The aim is to have it open by January 7. Hopefully, it will help a lot of people. Up to now, the HSE and Cork City Council have each side-stepped responsibility for funding the annual cost of the project. The project is in turnkey condition and could start accommodating people almost immediately. Cuan Mhuire runs 99 facilities nationally. Christina Chalmers, Founder of the Helping Cork's Homeless charity, previously said that it was "sinful" that the building was left idle for so long because of a lack of funding. She said the lack of occupancy was "scandalous" given the homelessness crisis in this country. Almost half of those who avail of Cuan Mhuire's rehab treatment services have been homeless at the time of admission. Almost a third have nowhere to go once treatment ends. Further calls have been made to amend Waterfords county development plan to exclude wind turbines in an area where 300 homes could be impacted by them. Germany energy giant Innogy SE, through its subsidiary Innogy Renewables Ireland Ltd, plans to construct 25 wind turbines, 150m high, at Lyrenecarriga, between Dungarvan and Youghal. The proposed, 3,500-acre site, partly owned by Coillte and private landowners, extends into Co Cork. The city and county council chairman, Declan Doocey, tabled a motion, calling on the local authoritys CEO, Michael Walsh, to initiate a process of varying the 2011 plan by re-designating, from suitable to unsuitable, on an energy strategy map. Mr Walsh did not respond, but 25 councillors backed the motion, reiterating a call for an amendment. One member abstained. The promoter, Innogy Renewables, has already applied to An Bord Pleanala for strategic infrastructure status for the project, which would entitle it to bypass the local authorities and seek planning directly from the board. Objectors insist the proposed development would have a negative impact on more than 300 homes, with serious health implications for many through flicker effect, shadow, and noise. There are also fears that the construction process will infiltrate streams feeding into Youghals water supply. Permission for a landfill site in the area, 20 years ago, had been refused, due to a risk to water supplies. Last month, residents sent 100 handwritten letters and a video to Innogy SEs directors, rejecting the proposal. Paddy Massey, chairman of the anti-windfarm Blackwater Wind Aware community group, says the county development plan commits to protecting special areas of conservation within the designated area and the scenic routes bordering it. He claimed the county development plan and the wind-energy strategy map contradict each other. Last summer, Mr Walsh rejected a motion to amend the development plan in an area centred on Tallow. At the time, he labelled the motion too site-specific and designed to frustrate a specific development proposal, while conflicting with national policy. Mr Walsh had also advised that the move could also expose the council to enormous legal and financial risk. West Waterford-based councillors Declan Doocey, John Pratt, and James Tobin had also sought independent senior counsel advice. The advice, it emerged, had directed the motion be re-submitted, with the wording altered to instruct officials to initiate the process. Mr Massey suggested the development plan belongs to the elected representatives, not the executive and that officials had a duty to act as instructed. Health chiefs are already predicting there will be more than 12,000 sick people languishing on hospital trolleys for want of a bed next month. The final draft of the HSEs winter plan predicts that the trolley count in January 2019 will be 12,378, an increase of 876 (7.60%) on January 2018, when there were 11,502. The National Association of General Practitioners (NAGP) welcomed the forward planning by the Department of Health and HSE to try to react to a problem in advance of it happening. However, NAGP chief executive Chris Goodey was not optimistic that a post-Christmas crisis could be avoided. The HSEs National Service Plan published last week showed us that nothing is being done differently theres no reform, he said. Despite the fact that we are the fifth highest country in the world in terms of expenditure on health we are just all over the place. To me, it is pure incompetence. Under the winter plan, there will be increased diagnostic access for GPs in a bid to reduce the number of patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs). There has also been a curtailment of scheduled diagnostics to create capacity for urgent or emergency diagnostics, again to relieve pressure on EDs. However, Mr Goodey said the acceptance that more than 12,000 people would be on trolleys next month was not good enough. We need to do more to tackle the fundamental problems of the health service instead of trying to patch things up and try to get to the next election, he said. Health Minister Simon Harris will meet key officials in the Department of Health and the HSE on Friday and next Monday. Mr Harris has said he wants to make sure that everything that possibly can be done is done to cope with a really busy time in January. The minister has also urged people to help ease the pressure on EDs by using other services. Cork University Hospital (CUH) and University Hospital Waterford are among a number of hospitals to establish winter clinics for 175 patients with chronic diseases. University Hospital Limerick will open a short-stay unit of 12 beds with the ability to increase to a maximum of 17 when required to cope with extra demand up to January 13. The hospital will also run three additional emergency theatres per week over four weeks. CUH will purchase extra bed capacity over a four- week period and operate a surge and discharge/transit lounge for two weeks from Saturday. Latest: Gardai are to step up armed patrols over the coming days following the murder of Eric Fowler in west Dublin on Saturday night, write Cate McCurry and Stephen Rogers. The father of two was shot dead outside a house at Blakestown Cottages in Blanchardstown shortly before 7pm in what is believed to have been a gangland killing possibly linked to the Hutch-Kinahan feud. Gardai were called to the scene where they found the mans body on the driveway of one of the cottages. He had been shot a number of times, including in the head, and was pronounced dead at the scene. Gardai say they want to speak to any members of the public who were in the vicinity of Blakestown Cottages, Blakestown Rd, Hartstown Park, and St Peregrines GAA Club on Saturday between 5pm and 7pm. They have also appealed to any drivers who travelled on the Blakestown Rd between 5pm and 7pm, particularly those driving cars with dash cams. Gardai are attempting to trace the movements of a silver Volkswagen Jetta with the registration plate 06-MH-3192 from December 18 until 7pm on Saturday. It was found burnt out at Rusheeney Crescent in Clonee shortly after the shooting. A garda spokesman said: We are appealing to anyone with information who saw people fleeing from this car or any other suspicious activity in the Rusheeney area in the days leading up to this murder. Anyone with information is asked to contact Blanchardstown Garda Station on 01 6667000. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Wire Dublin shooting victim named; Gardai appeal for public's help after body found in driveway Update 8am: Gardai have launched a murder investigation and appealed for information following the shooting dead of Eric Fowler in West Dublin. The 34-year-old was gunned down outside his home in Blanchardstown's Blakestown Cottages last night. His body was found in the driveway. He had been shot a number of times, and was pronounced dead at the scene. A car, believed to have been used in the incident, was later found burnt out in Clonee. Investigating officers believe two people were involved in the killing, and are looking into possible links to an ongoing gangland feud. Garda Superintendent Liam Carolan said confirmed a murder investigation is underway with an incident room at Blanchardstown garda station. Gardai today asked for information on three specific points: Gardai would like to speak to anyone who was in the vicinity of Blakestown Cottages, Blakestown Road, Hartstown Park and St. Peregrines GAA Club yesterday between the hours of 5pm and 7pm. Any drivers who travelled the Blakestown Road during 5pm and 7pm particularly vehicles with dash cameras. Gardai are trying to trace the movements of a silver Volkswagen Jetta with the registration plate 06-MH-3192 from Tuesday, December 18 until 7pm last night. The Volkswagen Jetta was then found burnt out at Rusheeney Crescent Clonee, Dublin 15 at 7pm. Gardai are appealing to anyone who may have seen people fleeing from this car, or any other suspicious activity in the Rusheeney area in the days leading up to this murder. Gardai at the scene in Blanchardstown last night. Pictures: PA Earlier: 'At least two' involved in fatal Dublin shooting A major security operation is underway after a man was shot dead last night in Dublin. The victim, a man in his 30s, was shot in the head outside a house at Blakestown Cottages in Blanchardstown at about 7pm last night. A second crime scene has been preserved in Clonee in Co Meath, where a car - a Volkswagen Jetta - was later found burnt out. Gardai say at least two people were involved in last night's fatal attack. They are looking for the person who carried out the shooting, and a getaway driver, and are appealing for witnesses to contact Blanchardstown garda station on 01 6667000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station. The victim was treated by emergency teams but declared dead at the scene. The body has been taken to the city mortuary from the scene, which remains sealed off this morning for a technical examination. A second scene has also been preserved at Rushenney Estate in nearby Clonee, where a Volkswagon Jetta was found burnt out. Gardai at about 7pm believe it may have been involved in the earlier shooting. They say it is too early to identify a motive but it is understood the shooting could be connected to the ongoing Hutch-Kinahan feud - or to local criminal feuds in the West Dublin area. Despite his reservations about the Catholic Church, RP ODonnell still has strong faith this Christmas. Its that time of the year again. The holidays. A time for family. A time to give thanks. A time to frantically google Can I cook turkey in a microwave? A time for wrapping presents and trimming trees and trying to determine what, exactly, is in minced pies. And, of course, going to church. If youre like many people, Christmas is one of two annual trips to the old stained glass. Not many people these days go to church every week. Even the auld boys smoking on the doorstep arent there anymore the victims of cigarette tax hikes. Christmas morning Mass highlights the usual lack of regular attendance in parishes worldwide. Its true for my young family. But this year, its a big conversation in our house. This is because my partner and I have made two large decisions this year. First, we decided to christen our daughter. Second, we decided that we will get married in a church. I also decided that, apart from Christmas morning, I will continue to not attend church. A lot of fellow Catholics dont understand this. They question why we would want to keep these sacraments if we dont regularly attend church. The older generation especially accuse us of only using the parts of the faith that are convenient. They tell us, in stern words and over bowls of Shreddies (It keeps me regular), that we cant pick and choose our faith. My response is, what does this have to do with faith? I should start off by saying that I am a committed Catholic. I believe in it all, and quite strongly too. I grew up going to church every Sunday. And I mean, every Sunday. In 17 years, I can still remember the one Sunday I missed. A hurricane was knocking over Main Street. And my dad was on the phone to the priest, asking why they werent having services. (Ah cmon Father. Well keep a firm grip on the smaller ones.) But one day, I decided to not go anymore. It wasnt a matter of not wanting to make the effort, or being too busy. I was disappointed in the Church, and I could not go anymore. Despite this, and I rather think because of this, I am still a devout Catholic, with a strong faith. My son goes to primary school. His education is important to me, and I feel confident that it will be in good hands with the local primary school. But say, just hypothetically, we lived in a different village with a different school. Imagine that there was a scandal at that school. A scandal that shook the community to its roots. What would I do? Well, I would criticise the school of course. And if they didnt take appropriate measures to atone for the mistakes, and to correct them in the future, then I would condemn the school. I might transfer our son to a different school. And if the problem was nationwide, and systemic, then I would consider home-schooling him. And I think that people would find this reasonable. At no point would anyone accuse me of attacking education, or belittling the education of other people who attended the school, or of not being a true believer in education. Its easy to separate a specific school from education in general. But when the same thing happens in the context of the Church, there is a very different response. Imagine the reaction if I said about the above, for example, that we wouldnt throw out the baby with the bathwaterwere not the Sisters of Mercy. People react to a fair criticism of the Churchthe institutionwith a visceral defense of their personal faith, or a criticism of my own. And my question is, again, what does this have to do with faith? The Church, somewhere along the line, adopted a similar policy to that of medieval kingss rule by divine right: the Church is indivisible from the Faith. They are one and the same, and an attack on one is an attack on the other. This idea makes it extremely hard to criticise the Church. I would never belittle anyones faith. But thats how people feel when I question the Church, so I try not to. And that is how the Church has survived scandals that a monarchy could not. Its a simple idea. But its powerful look at how long the Church has lasted. I want my children to be raised Catholic. But I would never leave them alone with a priest. And that breaks my heart. I knew wonderful priests growing up, and I know there are many still here. I want my children to learn from the good ones, just as I did. But being a parent means not being blind. I grew up in Pittsburgh and in Boston, and I now live here in Ireland three epicenters of abuse scandals. I had a wonderful childhood in the church, but how many children just like me, in my neighborhood, didnt? I cant ignore the rotten wood of the Church. But I believe in the rock, the foundation of faith that it is built upon. I have faith that the Church will eventually right itself. It is because of my faith that I will christen my daughter. It is because of my faith that Ill get married in a church. And it is because of my faith that Ill take my son to church whenever he wants to go. Which, so far, is just Christmas morning. If I had dropped out of school, would people accuse me of hypocrisy for bringing my children to school? No. I think they would understand a parents simple, heartbreakingly complex, hope for their childrens future. So, if youre in the village on Christmas morning, youll see my family and me at church. I just might be on the doorstep. Daniel Storey reflects on the weekend's Premier League action. Must we now consider Liverpool as the real deal? Supporters of their rivals may remark that warm praise should be reserved for when Liverpool actually win the league, but we are permitted to assess their strength as a title challenger and conclude that there are very few reasons to doubt Jurgen Klopps side. Liverpool are the only club to have been top at Christmas in the last decade and failed to win the title - and have done so twice - but it might just be third time lucky. Liverpool are getting it done rather than brushing past every opponent with consummate ease, but beat Newcastle United on St Stephens Day and they will have completed half a league season and dropped only six points. At the same stage of last season, they had dropped 22 points. The improvement is extraordinary. Liverpool are currently on course to match Chelseas 2004/05 record for the fewest goals conceded in a Premier League season, but that Chelsea team only scored 72 goals. Continue at their current rate, and Liverpool will score 82. Klopp has made the defence far more solid while hardly blunting his attack, and there are strong signs that last seasons star Mohamed Salah is approaching top form once more. Last season, we wondered whether Manchester City were the greatest team in Premier League history, and there was strong statistical evidence to agree with that . That Manchester City team improved over the summer, and yet is now playing catch-up to a team that finished 25 points adrift of them in May. 2019 is going to give us a spectacular title race. City take their foot of the gas, and pay the penalty You would imagine that Pep Guardiola will not be a happy manager over Christmas, and woe betide those Manchester City players who he believes are most guilty of complacency. If Liverpool are indeed going to give City a stern title challenge, they can ill afford to drop points in home games against bottom-half teams. The Premier Leagues competitiveness often gets overstated - the anyone can beat anyone principle falls down when you look at the Big Sixs record against the rest - but no team is too poor not to take advantage of extreme generosity. Crystal Palace had been in miserable away form, but having clawed their way back into the match against the odds they hung on grimly to their lead. This was proof that nothing can be taken for granted. Kyle Walker and John Stones both looked suspect defensively, but City were also worryingly unimaginative in attack. With Liverpool their next home game, Guardiola is suddenly under pressure to avoid falling further behind. A landmark weekend in this season. Solskjaer takes the handbrake off Last week was truly extraordinary at Old Trafford. If Jose Mourinhos exit was not altogether surprising, the timing of his sacking did catch us off guard. The supposition was that Ed Woodward would remain passive until United were mathematically certain to miss out on the Champions League. Sacking Mourinho and recruiting Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - a relative novice - demonstrated a courage we had not previously seen from the executive vice-chairman. Uniteds run of fixtures helps Solskjaer, who enters into as close to a no-lose situation as it is possible to find amid the pressures of elite sport. His new team have five fixtures over the festive period and they will be odds-on favourites to win them all. However, there was a difference in Uniteds attacking play against Cardiff, a freedom and fluidity that has been lacking in recent weeks. If it really was as simple for Solskjaer being everything that his predecessor wasnt, he surely has the personality for that task. To those who reacted angrily, wondering why these players could only raise their game after their manager had left, hear this: Imagine you were castigated in public by a boss who you believed was hanging you out to dry as a method of self-preservation and clamoured for the credit when things went well. Would you feel a little more at ease after his exit? Ozil offers timely reminder of his skillset After leaving Mesut Ozil out of the squad to face Tottenham in the EFL Cup on Wednesday for tactical reasons, Unai Emery refused to offer any assurances that the German would not be free to leave Arsenal next summer. That sparked a series of transfer rumours that he must have expected. But Emerys strategy is to motivate Ozil into proving him wrong, instilling a hunger that is so often questioned by neutrals and Arsenal supporters. Starting and made captain for the visit of Burnley, Ozil was at his insouciant best. If there are doubts about his determination, the vision and creative powers have never been in question. Ozils critics will remark, with good reason, that the German producing infrequent and inconsistent brilliance against weaker clubs is nothing new. What happens in the next big game is a more pertinent question. But on a day when Manchester City and Chelsea both struggled to unlock a deep defence, Ozil reminded us of just how handy a pure creator can be. He is an expensive luxury, but to describe him as luxurious need not be a criticism. The evidence from Northern Ireland and elsewhere suggests a lasting solution is more likely if females play a prominent part in peace processes, say Jamille Bigio and Rachel Vogelstein As Yemens warring parties met in Sweden this month, hopes were high that these peace talks the first since 2016 would spark a political process to end the ongoing conflict that has left the country on the brink of famine and created what the UN calls a living hell for millions of children. At the talks conclusion, UN secretary general Antonio Guterres announced that the parties had agreed to a number of important and encouraging steps, including a critical ceasefire in the port city of Hodeidah, where most aid enters Yemen. But though the leaders of the Yemeni peace process plan to resume talks in January, they continue to overlook a critical strategy that could increase the likelihood of peace: the inclusion of women. Including women at the peace table is not just a matter of fairness it is a strategic imperative. Research suggests that when women participate in a peace process, the resulting agreement is 64% less likely to fail and 35% more likely to last at least 15 years. Indeed, this data inspired the US government to enact a 2017 law to support womens meaningful participation in peace negotiations. From Guatemala to Northern Ireland to the Philippines, women have demonstrated that their involvement in a peace process is crucial. Yet in Yemen, women have had little to no representation in multiple rounds of talks since 2011 including in the most recent talks outside Stockholm last week. Its a gap the United States should address as the US Congress debates whether to withdraw support for the Saudi-led multinational coalition fighting in Yemen and how to increase the nations chances for peace. To achieve the latter, lawmakers should advocate for womens participation in the negotiations and in the recovery efforts to follow. Despite ample evidence demonstrating the importance of womens involvement in peace talks, a Council on Foreign Relations report tracking womens participation in peace processes from 1990 to the present found that women comprise only two percent of mediators, 5% of witnesses and signatories, and 8% of negotiators around the world. The negotiators of the Yemeni peace process have an opportunity to improve upon these dismal numbers. Some may allege that diplomatic pressure to add women to the peace table would be perceived as unwanted foreign interference. In fact, however, the Yemeni people have supported reserving seats for women in similar contexts, committing in 2013 to a 30% quota for women on political delegations. Some may allege that diplomatic pressure to add women to the peace table would be perceived as unwanted foreign interference. In fact, however, the Yemeni people have supported reserving seats for women in similar contexts, committing in 2013 to a 30% quota for women on political delegations. And before the Yemeni conflict began in 2015, womens rights were on the march: after decades of oppression, Yemeni women from all backgrounds were at the center of the 2011 peaceful protests that eventually removed President Ali Abdullah Saleh from power. One of the most visible leaders Tawakkol Karman, known as the Mother of the Revolution was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her commitment to a nonviolent pursuit of human rights and opportunity. Yet, once ethnic Houthi rebels from northern Yemen seized Sanaa and the Saudi-led multinational coalition launched its counter-campaign, womens rights were once again under assault. Within the first five months of the war, documented cases of gender-based violence, including rape, increased by 70%. Child marriage rates rose as well, and today, two out of every three Yemeni girls are married before the age of 18. Of the two million people displaced from their homes, 75% are women and children, forced by war to provide for their families with little training and limited job prospects. Despite these difficult odds, Yemeni women have overcome their political marginalisation to contribute to peace efforts on the ground. Including Yemeni women in the negotiations to end the war in their country would reflect the contributions they are already making, from facilitating humanitarian access to assisting in the release of detainees to leading the reintegration of child soldiers. Here are three ways they have already made a difference: First, they work across divides. Yemeni women from all backgrounds have formed new coalitions, including the Yemeni Women Pact for Peace and Security and the Womens Solidarity Network. Working across political lines, they have activated local truce committees to prevent fighting over water and land resources, risked their lives to rescue families trapped by the conflict and evacuated schools held by armed groups. Second, they promote local security. Hundreds of women-led initiatives to provide education and food to their communities also promote local security. They have facilitated humanitarian access in areas aid convoys have had difficulty reaching, supported reintegration programs for child soldiers (filling a gap left by the UNs own suspended effort), led efforts in the face of ongoing abuse to release over 300 detainees and tracked bombings and medicine shortages. Third, they are seeding the ground for post-conflict recovery. Women have advocated that the negotiation process address issues that can improve the durability of peace agreements, including the establishment of a fund for reconstruction, investment in income generation opportunities, and the revival of the judicial system. Women have also pushed for disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration programs to respond to the needs of female and child soldiers, and have called for the inclusion of more women in the security sector all measures which have been shown to strengthen post-conflict recovery and stability. Including women at the peace table is not just the right thing to do its the smart thing to do. Jamille Bigio is a senior fellow for women and foreign policy at the US-based think-tank, the Council on Foreign Relations. Rachel Vogelstein is the Douglas Dillon Senior Fellow and director of the Women and Foreign Policy programme at the Council on Foreign Relations. Twitter @jamillebigio and @rvogelstein Why do we go along with the portrayal of Christmas as the equivalent of General Pattons march to relieve the siege at Bastogne?, asks Terry Prone. GETTING Christmas right is actually dead easy. But then, almost everything is easy if youre not setting out to prove that you are a perfectionist. The General Patton brigade believe every aspect of Christmas has to be perfect and that if they take their attention off all of the details for even a minute, the entire thing will go to Yule in a hand-basket and people will talk of the shame visited on the family for generations to come. This view of Christmas is largely female-driven, and always has been. Its like one of those myths like wearing gloves to job interviews that survives for decades before someone goes: What? No! But, whereas everybody seemed to cotton on simultaneously to the glove nonsense, only a minority ever give up on the perfectionist Christmas myth. Partly driven by adverts showing perfectly tanned turkeys and positively glittering Brussels sprouts, the rest try to live up to the past, which is always a mistake. But, like all family mistakes, we revive and recycle them, generation after generation. Particularly when it comes to Christmas. Our grandmothers and mothers know all the rules and as we get older, we perpetuate them with complete conviction, based on nothing in particular, other than the rules being embedded in us like an ingrown toenail. It may be that those rules are part of our identity. Our brand. That they are what distinguish Our Family which has taste, discretion, generosity, and is on the inside track of Doing Things Right and Other Families, for whom youd nearly feel sorry because not only do they do Christmas all wrong, but theyre so benighted that they dont even know that theyre doing it all wrong. The rules start with timing. They dictate that you dont put up your tree before a certain date, that you have your puddings matured like shot grouse until they ripen enough for connoisseur consumption, and that the baby Jesus is kept somewhere safe so that the rest of the nativity dramatis personae end up gazing stupidly at a blank spot on the stable floor. Thats the sheep, Joseph and Mary only. The three Kings are way out in the distance. They arrive after baby Jesus gets put in place. Not going to waste their royal time on a blank spot, those Kings. But the timing rules are more than the ones applied to the crib. Opening presents in advance of Christmas is verboten in every decent house. I grew up hearing accounts from school pals of sneaky peeps bring taken at presents ineffectually hidden under beds. The school pals thought they were the bees knees for effrontery, although I couldnt figure but that their finding out the truth in advance of the big day put them in the position of pretending shock and awe when they did legitimate, authorised present-opening. Who needs to add an acting role to the list of jobs to be done on Christmas Day? Our parents regarded keeping presents unopened and even unacknowledged as a cross between religion and the marshmallow test. If you were a proper Christian, you used Advent to consider the sufferings of Joseph and Mary and you wouldnt be thinking selfishly of presents yet to come. Good Christianity required that you more or less pretended they werent going to happen at all, even though you knew they would unless you had been found guilty of something horrific the week before. Although none of us knew about the marsh-mallow test at the time this being the psychological torture inflicted on a bunch of toddlers who were individually left in a room with a marshmallow on the promise that if they didnt eat it, theyd get two marshmallows a few minutes later we understood that postponement of gratification was important. We were, we told ourselves, not the kind of people who would open their presents in advance. And if we did, God would be watching. Or maybe God and Santa. (This was where religion crossed over into psychology. The manipulatively evil elf on the shelf had yet to be invented. We lived in more innocent times.) One year, God even provided evidence of his capacity to guard presents when three local children ended up in hospital having been struck by a falling wardrobe, consequent upon them seeking to climb up the wardrobe to see the presents stashed on the top. And if you think Im writing like a Garda report, thats how I remember neighbouring adults telling each other about the incident. None of the three kids was permanently impaired, but it did leave me with renewed determination not to search for presents before the right time. And also with an obscure gratitude that we had built-in wardrobes that didnt attack us. The rules about timing, though, were minor compared with the rules about food. If were to be honest, here, cooking a turkey is easy. If your oven is big enough, cooking a turkey is not challenging, like cooking a souffle. Its not going to collapse if you open the oven door. You just stick it in there and largely forget it. Thats assuming you have obeyed the stuffing rule, which holds that it is beneath contempt to buy plastic bags of pre-seasoned stuffing in the supermarket. No. You must buy bread and let it go stale. God knows why. Maybe were back to hanging the grouse and maturing the pudding. Or maybe its a version of the marshmallows: If you let one white pan go stale, Santa will give you two more. Anyway, you have to stale up your white pan yourself, then grate it and your knuckles into a bowl, then combine a secrecy of herbs (thats the collective noun, trust me), melted butter and hand-hewn pepper together only to stick it into the innards of a dead bird. I lost interest in this palaver one year and shoved three grapefruit into the innards instead of stuffing it, which got rid of gifted fruit, which nobody other than my sister has ever eaten, while saving time and knuckles. The only disadvantage was that the fourth grapefruit, stuffed in the other end, made the turkey look as if it was about to pop a smaller turkey. Tasted fine, though. Once people are fed, all you have to do is make with the compliments, promise to wear the scarf you truly hate, because it wont kill you, and prevent yourself saying do you not think you could take it a bit easy? when someone close to you loads up their wine glass like theyre expecting a drought. Dont tell children theyre over-tired, either. And if the majority want to watch Home Alone for the 19th time, dont push 'A Christmas Story' as an alternative, because theyll hate it. And you. A simple Happy Christmas to you Some truths are universal, even if they are not universally observed. One that retains its integrity no matter how it is tested or ignored is that unless we learn from the mistakes of the past we are bound, like headless chickens or insular, arrogant nationalists, to repeat them. During our great mid-winter festival of consumerism, and the silent distress of those without the resources to deck the halls with holly, it may be acceptable to ignore those touchstones, especially as they will be just as true next week as they are today. One person who has not deferred the lesson is Japans Emperor Akihito, who yesterday marked his last birthday before his abdication by calling for his countrys younger generations to be taught accurately about the horrors of war. Akihito, who was a teenager when humanity crossed a Rubicon and nuclear bombs were dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, has very good reason to emphasise how important it is to face the past honestly. He spoke of the enduring legacy of the Second World War, a subject that has helped define his 30-year reign, known as Heisei, or achieving peace. Speaking to the same theme, Tanaiste Simon Coveney has suggested that Brexiteers should get acquainted with Irish history. He may have had in mind the Tory panjandrum who, off the record, told the BBC that we simply cannot allow the Irish to treat us like this... The Irish really should know their place when he suggested that some British politicians should address their dangerous information deficit. Some of those dismissing concerns about a hard border need to remind themselves of the violence and tragedy and division... and thats what were trying to ensure we never go back to, he said, people like Jacob Rees Mogg... would do well to focus on Irish history. If there was a note of frustration in Mr Coveneys remarks it is entirely understandable. Some Brextremists epitomise the frenzies that can take hold of someone who has reached, in chronological terms at least, adulthood without the support of what might be described as a rounded education. Mr Coveney exercised considerable diplomacy, as it is all too obvious that some of the loudest voices advocating Brexit cant tell their von Mansteins from their Montgomerys, their Stalingrads from their Sommes. They need to get acquainted with European history, not just Irish history. Earlier this year, President Michael D Higgins expressed deep and profound concern that history might no longer be a core subject at Junior Certificate level. History is the inheritance of all our people and a republic worthy of the name would seek to make it accessible to as many people as possible, he said. Last month, Education Minister Joe McHugh announced that the Department of Education will review the decision to remove history as a core subject in the Junior Cert cycle. In the grand scale of things this may seem a side issue but, as our ever-more unstable word shows, it is a core principle, as much a safety measure as an educational one. The unflinching study of history, the learn-or-repeat process, must be returned to the very front-line of our schools and colleges. Asia Japan Emperor Draws Huge Birthday Crowd Before Abdication Next Year Japanese Emperor Akihito, flanked by Empress Michiko, Crown Prince Naruhito, Crown Princess Masako, Prince Akishino, Princess Kiko, Princess Mako and Princess Kako wave to well-wishers who gathered to celebrate the emperor's 85th birthday at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday. / Reuters TOKYO More than 82,000 well-wishers paid their respects to Emperor Akihito, who turned 85 on Sunday, his last birthday celebration at Tokyos Imperial Palace before stepping down next year. The birthday of the emperor, whose position is ceremonial with no political power, is traditionally marked by a national holiday and an address at the palace, which opens to the public on the day. The crowd of 82,850, according to the Imperial Household Agency, was the largest birthday attendance during Akihitos three-decade reign, known as the Heisei era, which means achieving peace in Japanese. Flanked by his wife, eldest son Naruhito and other members of the imperial family on a balcony, Akihito addressed well-wishers waving small Japanese flags and holding up smartphones. My thoughts go out to those who have lost family members or those close to them, or have suffered damage and whose lives are currently impaired, he said, referring to the natural disasters that hit Japan in the past year. Earthquakes, severe storms and heatwaves killed hundreds of people, destroyed homes and disrupted supply chains, clouding the outlook for Japans export-reliant economy. Along with Empress Michiko, Akihito has spent much of his reign addressing the legacy of World War Two, which was fought in the name of his father, Hirohito, and consoling victims of natural disasters. I would like to thank him for standing by us, the Japanese people, and would like him to rest and enjoy his time from now on, said 46-year-old Kazuyo Toyama from Nagoya. Akihito, who has had heart surgery and treatment for prostate cancer, is scheduled to step down on April 30, passing the Chrysanthemum Throne to 58-year-old Crown Prince Naruhito. The last time a Japanese emperor abdicated was in 1817. Although he cannot directly influence government policy, Akihito has created a broader consciousness of Japans wartime past throughout his symbolic reign, experts said. In comments made to the media ahead of his birthday, Akihito said it is important not to forget that countless lives were lost in World War Twoand to pass on this history accurately to those born after the war. His conciliatory stance contrasts with gestures made by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has adopted a less apologetic tone over Japans past military aggression. Akihito also referred to foreign workers, saying he hoped that the Japanese people will be able to warmly welcome as members of our society those who come to Japan to work. Japan enacted a law this month to let in more foreign, blue-collar workers to ease a labor shortage, despite criticism it was too hastily crafted and risked exposing the workers to exploitation. Burma Analysis: Four-Month Ceasefire Prompts Cautious Optimism Myanmar military chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing (center) and other senior military officials arrive for the third Union Peace Conference in Naypyitaw in July, 2018. / The Irrawaddy Positive news came at the end of the year with the militarys announcement of a temporary ceasefire effective in conflict areas in the north and northeast of Myanmar which prompted notes of welcome from some ethnic leaders and observers. The unprecedented move has been hailed as a constructive gesture but is also met with cautious optimism prompting further questions among ethnic groups. Kachin, Karen and Karenni groups have welcomed the news but have collectively called for a nationwide ceasefire. The ceasefire order covers the Northern Command in Kachin State, the Northeastern, Eastern and Central Eastern commands and the Triangle Command in Shan State. Despite recent outbreaks of fighting between the Myanmars military and the Arakan Army (AA) in northern Rakhine State, the ceasefire order does not cover Rakhine State, home of the Rohingya crisis and where the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) are said to operate. This decision upsets the AA leaders. However, the military leaders strategic thinking is to deter ARSA and threat of migration along the border with Bangladesh. Over the past few months, the government and military held a number of informal talks with three armed groups in Kunming, China including the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Arakan Army. These three are part of a four-member military coalition, the Northern Alliance. The talks have had their ups and downs, but in recent months some progress has been made. It was reported that at a Dec. 12 meeting held in China with members of the governments Peace Commission, three groupsthe MNDAA, the TNLA and the AApledged to lay down their arms and seek political resolutions to conflicts. Following this gesture, the military-backed down on its six-point policy, saying that all ethnic armed organizations need only to comply with four of them: to respect the agreements, not to exploit the peace agreements, not to burden local residents and to abide by the existing laws. The two policy points omitted are to have a keen desire to reach eternal peace and to march towards a democratic country in accord with the 2008 Constitution. This change of stance will no doubt allow for more open and constructive dialogue at the discussion tablebut not at the frontline. The Arakan Army remains to be the concern. The AA was established in northern Myanmar but has now moved to northern Rakhine territory and is actively recruiting more soldiers on the ground there. AA members are estimated to be around 5,000 in number and the group claims to receive overseas funding from the diaspora, tax and black market trade. In fact, powerful Wa leaders are behind the AA and China has a certain influence over both the Wa and AA. The United League for Arakan is the political wing of the AA and aims to implement Rakhita, meaning to build an independent Rakhine State and achieve self-determination. There have been clashes between the Myanmar Army and the AA in recent weeks in northern Rakhine State. The military is accused of employing helicopter gunships and fighting is likely to intensify in the area in spite of the ceasefire in the north. The real concern is that some top army generals suspect the AA is in contact with ARSA and it is believed that both are involved in the lucrative drug trafficking trade. During talks between the government and the AA, questions on the latters stance on ARSA has been raised. The generals in Naypyitaw want to see the AA taking a tough stance against ARSA and helping to deter their threat. If the AA genuinely wanted to protect its Rakhine kingdom, as a senior officer put it, they must not communicate with ARSA. Political observers familiar with the situation on the ground said the leaders of the AA will not take any soft stance on ARSA and they will not tolerate their existence. ARSA is regarded as a terrorist armed group in Myanmar and the army is determined to continue to hunt down ARSA members in northern Rakhine State. In July and August 2017, ARSA insurgents killed several dozen civilians and village headmen in northern Rakhine State and on August 25, they launched attacks on police and security outposts. The army sent out about 2,000 reinforcement troops and launched a clearance operation across the northern part of the state, driving hundreds of thousands of Rohingya living in that area to the Bangladesh border. In August this year, a damning UN report accused the military of genocide against the Rohingya and accusing the army of war crimes and crimes against humanity and against minorities across the country. It called for Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing to be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague for the crackdown that drove over 800,000 Rohingya across the border into Bangladesh and for the alleged crimes committed by security forces in other ethnic areas. In an effort to reduce mounting international pressure, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing called the temporary ceasefire in the north, earning himself some praise. But he probably doesnt lose sleep over it. At his recent meeting with members of the Myanmar Press Council, the commander-in-chief showed who is the real boss: he is media savvy and up to date with current affairshe impressed the press corps and treated them with respect. The irony remains, however, that in the recent past the army was behind the detention and charging of several reporters and journalists. Suspicion lingers over his motives, however. Some ethnic leaders believe the army is buying time to recharge itself before it strikes again after the ceasefire period is over. And it will. Often when the monsoon season rains ease off, the military launches offensives in ethnic regions, but this time they called a truce. Top ranking generals said that ethnic leaders would appreciate this gesture, but many ethnic leaders remain wary and some are hoping to reopen peace talks. Leaders of ethnic armed groups also have a continued frustration with government heads, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the peace commission team. They complain that the government doesnt understand the grievances of the ethnic struggle and accuse them of not being proactive and of condescension. They found the previous government led by former president U Thein Sein and the previous peace team more receptive. It is likely that after the four-month ceasefire, the military will take a tougher stance towards the remaining armed groups who refuse to enter ceasefire talks and have shown no real interest in reaching a ceasefire before 2020. China has also been a key player in recent ceasefire talks with several meetings held in Kunming, Yunnan Province which borders Myanmars Kachin and Shan states. In November, Song Tao, minister of the international department of the Communist Party of China had a meeting with Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyitaw and the meeting produced some positive outcomes according to inside sources: a top-ranking general remarked relations are much better. Indeed, China holds a key to Myanmars peace process. In recent meetings, China pushed the members of the Northern Alliance to be more pragmatic with the Myanmar government and military. Chinese special envoy to Myanmar Sun Guoxiang also reportedly warned Arakan Army leaders not to have any links with ARSA. China suspected that ARSA members reached out to Uighurs, a Muslim minority mostly based in Xinjiang, northwest China. Some radical Uighurs have carried out terrorist attacks in recent years and in 2009, ethnic riots resulted in hundreds of deaths in the region. China is greatly concerned by the threat of Uighur separatism and extremism and has long feared that Uighurs will attempt to establish their own national homeland in Xinjiang. With growing challenges and impending international intervention in northern Rakhine, it is no surprise that China and Myanmar leaders are seeing eye to eye in order to maintain some stability in the state. Whatever the case, in the next four months, if talks are going to be successful, bilateral ceasefires with some ethnic groups in the north are necessary. The ongoing talks with Wa leaders have been seen to produce some good outcomes so far. But there has been uncertainty with leaders of Kachin ethnic armed groups. Top Myanmar military leaders claim to have solid proof that there are foreign elements playing a role behind the scenes to disrupt the peace process but they havent named any names. They also suspect that the same group recently approached Karen and Shan insurgents in the south to stir up more tension and misunderstanding between them. However, both the military and government leaders are hoping that Kachin leaders will be pragmatic as they signed a ceasefire in 1994 under the previous military government. The Kachin were one of the earliest ethnic armed groups to sign a ceasefire agreement and participated in the national convention at which military representatives army and ethnic groups drafted the 2008 Constitution. Peace wont be easy to achieve in Myanmar and the militarys latest gesture shouldnt be taken lightly. Burma Arakanese Arrested for Intelligence Officer's Murder, Beaten in Custody: Friends, Relatives Ko Ye Zaw lies on bed in Sittwe Hospital on Monday. / Supplied YANGON A member of the Arakan National Party (ANP) was arrested in Yangon on Dec. 15 in connection with the murder of a military intelligence officer and is in poor health after four days of interrogation by the Military Security Affairs Unit, according to a friend and a relative. Ko Ni Aung Zaw, also known as Ko Ye Zaw, was arrested while attending an event with friends at the National Races Village in Thaketa Township and transferred to Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, on Dec. 19, according to a friend who declined to be named for fear of reprisal from security forces. The friend said he visited Ko Ye Zaw at the Sittwe Hospital, where he was receiving medical treatment and was shackled by the hands and feet. He said his friend was arrested as a suspect in the fatal shooting of Corporal Win Htike in Sittwe on Sept. 25. Video footage shared with The Irrawaddy shows him being escorted to the hospital on Monday. Ko Ye Zaws brother, Ko Aye Tun Oo, said Sittwe police are suing his sibling under Article 302 of the Penal Code for murder. He claimed that his brother was beaten with sticks while in custody, forced to stand for hours on end while being interrogated, and made to confess to shooting Cpl. Win Htike. Because of the pain and harsh interrogation both day and night, he is now seriously ill and receiving medical treatment at Sittwe Hospital, said Ko Aye Tun Oo. The Arakan Youth Conference (AYC) released a statement on the condition of Ko Ye Zaw, one of its members, on its Facebook page on Monday. It said Ko Ye Zaw had hypertension, jaundice and a backache. It said he received an x-ray exam at about 3 p.m. and that three police officers were stationed at the hospital to watch him. The AYC sad Ko Ye Zaw was innocent of the crime and that he was traveling from Sittwe to Yangon when the shooting occurred. Police in Sittwe arrested two AYC members and an ANP member in October in connection with the intelligence officers murder, but they were later released on bail by a court. The ANP said it was trying to arrange a defense lawyer for Ko Ye Zaw. Burma Govt Won't Punish Health Officer Probed For Criticizing Training Course Health and Sports Minister Myint Htwe. / Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy NAYPYITAW A senior public health officer who was placed under investigation by a team of top officials for criticizing a civil servant training event on social media will not be punished, Myanmars health minister said. Dr. Soe Thuya Zaw, head of dental health at the Mogok Township Public Health Department in Mandalay Region, was placed under investigation last week after criticizing the rules and regulations that trainees need to follow, pointing out the faults of lecturers and claiming the training was a waste of government money. The dentist attended a compulsory training session for mid-level civil servants at the northern branch of the Central Institute of the Civil Service in Zee Pin Gyi, a town near Pyin Oo Lwin in Mandalay, from October to early December. He shared a series of posts on his Facebook page about his experiences at the event. He said one lecturer had accused the government of lacking enthusiasm for the national peace process and that another discouraged them from marrying or buying things from non-Buddhists, Muslims especially, because they posed a threat to monogamous Buddhists. His posts went viral and attracted much discussions online about the trainings being conducted by the Central Institute of the Civil Service, which was once widely regarded as a system for teaching government employees military doctrine and giving them military training. Those who commented on Dr. Soe Thuya Zaws investigation mostly condemned it and stood by the doctor. On Monday, Health Minister Myint Htwe told The Irrawaddy that the ministry would not take any action against the dentist. He is a disciplined civil servant. We wont take action against those who give their service to the people, he said. The minister added that the investigation was authorized by a deputy director general and directors without a prior, mandatory review of the allegations, and that the ministry would take proper measures against them without elaborating. Founded in 1965 under the military regime of Ne Win, the Central Peoples Service Training School in Phaunggyi, on the outskirts of Yangon, was intended to train civil servants in socialist ideology. Basic military training was also included for a time so that they could be called on in case of war with Myanmars power neighbors, namely India and China. The school was transformed into an institute in 1977 and later renamed the Central Institute of the Civil Service. A second branch was established in Zee Pin Gyi to serve the north of the country. Burma Hundreds of Villagers Continue to Flee Fighting in Rakhine Ethnic Mro women from Pyinnagyi Village take shelter in Nga Sarine Kine Village in Rakhine State. / Min Aung Khine / The Irrawaddy SITTWE, Rakhine State More than 1,500 people across three townships in northern Rakhine State have been displaced by fighting between the Myanmar military and Arakan Army (AA) since clashed broke out in October, according to local civil society groups. The fighting in Kyauktaw, Ponnagyun and Buthidaung townships has intensified since late November. Kyauktaw, where more than 1,000 people have fled their homes, has been hit hardest. On Friday, more than 400 ethnic Khami in Kyauktaw fled Pinnyawa Village to the villages of Thalu Chaung, Taung Min Kalar, Kan Sauk and Nga Sarine Kine after artillery shells landed near their homes. Two artillery shells fell just about 20 yards from the village. So villagers did not dare to stay, said U Wai Kyaw Sein, the administrator of Pinnyawa. Locals reported hearing artillery fire through Saturday near the village. The AA blamed the shelling on the military, which it said had also attacked by air earlier. On Tuesday, the entire population of Pyinnagyi fled the village following clashes near the border of Kyauktaw and Ponnagyun townships. Most of the women and children in the area have fled their villages. Many of the men have stayed behind to mind their farms and cattle. The military is inspecting all boats travelling between Pinnyawa and Thalu Chaung villages, including those transporting displaced families and relief supplies. Civil society groups said boats ferrying relief supplies need permission from the state government or the township General Administration Department. The Irrawaddy could not reach state security officials or Border Affairs Minister Colonel Phone Tint for comment on the reported boat inspections. On Friday the military declared a unilateral four-month ceasefire, except in Rakhine State. Many have welcomed to move as a chance to make progress on the peace process. In a joint statement on Dec. 12, the AA, Taang National Liberation Army and Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army offered to suspend armed hostilities with the military for a chance to join the process. The governments Peace Commission welcomed the statement and said it would negotiate with all three armed groups in hopes of reaching bilateral ceasefire agreements with each. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. News Myanmar Says Policeman Found Dead Near Border With Bangladesh Security personnel patrol the Myanmar-Bangladesh border in August. / Min Aung Khaing / The Irrawaddy YANGON The body of a missing Myanmar policeman was found on the countrys troubled border with Bangladesh, state media and officials said on Sunday after a clash with unknown gunmen last week. Private Aung Kyaw Thet had been missing since his patrol was fired on from the Bangladesh side of the border on Dec. 17, according to the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar. His body was found on Friday with gunshot wounds in his face, arm and leg, the newspaper said, adding that another policeman was wounded in the incident. The newspaper said the clash occurred in a rugged section of the border in Maungdaw Township, the epicenter of violence in August 2017 that drove more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims out of Myanmar and into Bangladesh. Myanmars military had responded to attacks by a Rohingya insurgent group with a campaign that U.N.-mandated investigators said involved killings, rape and arson carried out with genocidal intent against the wider Rohingya population. Major Mohammad Iqbal of the Bangladesh border guards said his men were not involved in the Dec. 17 incident, but they had heard the exchange of gunfire on the border. Bangladeshi guards joined a patrol with their Myanmar counterparts to investigate, he said, adding that Aung Kyaw Thets body was found on Friday. Lt. Colonel Tin Han Linn, of Myanmars Border Guard Police in Maungdaw, said they knew the location of the body several days before it was recovered on Friday, but had to arrange a joint Myanmar-Bangladesh team to retrieve the corpse. The identity of the attackers was unknown and police are still investigating, he told Reuters. The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a group claiming to represent the Rohingya, launched the August 2017 attacks on more than two dozen security posts, killing 13 members of Myanmars security forces. ARSA continues to have a prominent presence in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh and could launch cross-border raids on Myanmar forces, the International Crisis Group said in a November report on the proposed repatriation of Rohingya refugees. Fighting between the Myanmar army and the Arakan Army a group that says it fights for the Rakhine Buddhist ethnic group has flared this month in areas of northern Rakhine state further from the Bangladesh border, displacing more than 700 people. It was the Hollywood screen and Americas favorite gun-slinging actor of the 1940s that first ingrained a love for the Marines into young Clif Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, a grand ayatollah who headed Irans judiciary during fierce crackdowns on dissidents, journalists and activists, died on Monday at the age of 70 according to the state news agency IRNA. Shahroudi was a student of Irans revolutionary founder Ruhollah Khomeini who went on to hold some of the most powerful positions in the Islamic republic. At the time of his death he was head of the Expediency Council and a member of the 12-man Guardian Council two key institutions in shaping legislation and vetting election candidates. He was also deputy head of the Assembly of Experts which has the power to choose the successor to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a position to which Shahroudi himself was occasionally linked. Shahroudi had not been seen in public for several months, and there were reports last year that he underwent surgery for an unspecified cancer in Germany. A German lawmaker filed a complaint against Shahroudi during his stay, calling for him to be charged for crimes against humanity, but a judge found no grounds to hold him. Shahroudi headed the judiciary between 1999 and 2009 a period that saw hundreds of executions and a concerted crackdown on activists, dissidents and the reformist media. His tenure concluded with the mass protests over allegations of rigging in the 2009 presidential election, which led to thousands being arrested and allegations of severe prisoner abuse. Some measures nonetheless marked him as a relative moderate within the judiciary, particularly his moratorium on stoning as a method of execution which other clerics saw as sanctioned under sharia law. But the prosecution in 2001 of reformist lawmakers despite their parliamentary immunity was heavily criticised by the government of the time. Shahroudi was born in Najaf in Iraq on August 18, 1948, and met Khomeini when the latter was exiled to Iraq in the 1960s. He fled to Kuwait and then Iran after Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein cracked down on Shiite clerics in the wake of the 1979 Iranian revolution, the conservative Tasnim news agency said in its obituary. 119 Shares Share I stood at the doorway of the funeral home, a 26-year-old woman lying in the open casket off to the side. Standing out among the crowd of mourners was a tall man holding his one-year-old daughter, her curly locks of hair bouncing as he moved. It was only two years ago that I first met her. We were just married a couple months ago. I must have gotten pregnant on our honeymoon, she told me as soon as she sat down. We want 4 or 5 children, so we wanted to try right away. Her eyes were wide with excitement. Her husband smiled at her while taking her hand. I was a fairly new doctor, not yet married myself, and embarrassingly, a bit envious of their relationship. They had an ease about them, as if binding their lives together was the most natural thing to do. Although I had just met them at this first prenatal visit, their warmth welcomed me into their fold. Unfortunately, her pregnancy wasnt as easy going as she was. In the first trimester, she had severe nausea and vomiting. We tried non-medical remedies, then medications, then finally I had to admit her to the hospital because of dehydration and weight loss. When I saw her in the hospital, she greeted me with a smile and, Oh, Im good. Im throwing up less now. But her sunken face couldnt mask her misery. After a week, I was able to discharge her. I arranged for a visiting nurse to come to her home daily to administer fluids and monitor her weight. Gradually, her morning sickness began to wane, and she could tolerate food. As she became stronger, she started to enjoy her pregnancy. In the second trimester, she still didnt look pregnant due to her tall stature and lack of weight gain. Her pale complexion though, was transforming to a rosy glow. At their ultrasound, I remember her exclaim, Im having a girl! I love so many girl names. It is going to be so hard to choose her name! And then, as an afterthought, Oh, by the way, I found this lump in my breast while I was showering the other morning. Your breasts can change a lot in pregnancy, I explained to her as I examined her breast. This feels like normal pregnancy-related changes, but lets keep a close eye on it. I will check it on your next visit. The next appointment, I asked, any changes in that breast lump? Um, no. I dont think so. To me though, it seemed a little more prominent. I truly believe this isnt anything to worry about, but Id like to be cautious and get a second opinion. Im going to send you to a surgeon Ive known for years. Within a week, I received a call from the surgeon. I really think this is benign. She is only 25. But I did recommend a biopsy just to be sure. As we suspected, the results came back benign. The patient and I moved on, never thinking about the lump the rest of the pregnancy. My partner was on call when she went into labor and delivered her baby. All went smoothly, and I saw her the next day. Although tired, she was happy. Isnt she beautiful? as she handed me her daughter tightly wrapped in a blanket. After talking for a few minutes, she added, I think that lump in my breast is bigger, like a lot bigger. She unsnapped her gown and lowered it to expose her breast. I could easily see the lump. Since her breasts were beginning to engorge with milk, I again thought this was just normal changes. How could it be anything else, we had a normal biopsy just two months ago. But deep down, it must have alarmed me, and I told her see the surgeon later this week. Days later, when she saw the surgeon, there were skin changes on the breast puckering and redness. Because she was nursing, the surgeon was a bit on the fence about doing another biopsy, but told her it might be a good idea. So the patient scheduled the biopsy a couple weeks out, too tired to think about it any sooner. The day after the biopsy, the pathologist called the surgeon. Inflammatory breast cancer. The most aggressive form of breast cancer. The surgeon called me with the results. What? Are you sure? I questioned him. It couldnt be I just couldnt accept it. With a brave face, she responded to the results with I will fight this. I am stronger than any cancer. Unfortunately, the cancer spread like a wildfire and, despite her best attempts, she could not stop it from overtaking her body. Within a year, she died. I was numb. I couldnt even register the possibility that she died. My mind was swimming with questions. Did I miss something? Could I have caught it earlier? But we had the negative biopsy I know both the surgeon and I were lulled into thinking she was too young to have cancer. When I saw the surgeon next, he looked like he had aged 20 years. He was devastated and truly grappling with what happened, second-guessing himself as well. The patients husband called my office about the details of her funeral. Please pass the information on to Dr. Eisenberg. It took every ounce of strength for me to go to the funeral home. I imagined this family hating me, hating the sight of me, hating what I symbolized and yet, her husband invited me. The viewing room was crowded with so many people. I could have easily slipped in and out and no one would have noticed. But I pushed myself to walk in, view all the posters with photos of her, her daughter, her family. I owed her that respect. I saw the open casket and turned away. Thats when I saw her husband. I didnt know what to say. I felt like I knew them, but realized after seeing all the photos, I just knew a part of who they both were. He gave me a hug and heartily thanked me for coming. I mumbled a few words, and then someone pulled him away. I walked out quickly, tears flowing. Despite the many years that have passed, her memory will always linger with me. Sadly, this was the first of several funerals I would attend over the course of my career. It is a reminder of the tenuousness of life and limitations of medicine. Andrea Eisenberg is a obstetrician-gynecologist who blogs at Secret Life of an OB/GYN. This article originally appeared in Doximitys Op-Med. Image credit: Shutterstock.com MASON CITY, Iowa A man is hospitalized after driving his vehicle into a building. The Mason City Police Department says it happened just before 10:30 Saturday night, at Northside Liquor. Officers say the man had to be taken to Mercy Medical Center North Iowa, and that the investigation is ongoing. Knight Kiplinger: Well, it's a great time if you want to ruin your holiday dinner. I had a grandmother who said you should never talk over the dinner table about politics and religion, to which the rest of us said, "Well, what else is there to talk about?" It's a tempting thing to do, because you've got everybody together in one place, including a lot of sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, who live in far-flung places, and they're all together in one place. But instead of using it for a substantive talk about estate planning and money management over eggnog, where people may be in a bit of a haze, use it as an opportunity to introduce the topic, and say, you know, right after the New Year, let's get together and talk about some family money issues. It shouldn't be a taboo. We'll get together. Knight Kiplinger: So make a plan. Plant the idea. Introduce it, but don't get granular over the eggnog. Sandy Block: And I think you suggested that you don't even necessarily all have to get together in the same place, which is often challenging. That through technology, you might be able to do this using FaceTime, or something like that. Knight Kiplinger: Yeah, you could have a conference call, and you make an appointment for everybody to be there, and that way, you can block out a certain amount of time. And you don't have to wrap everything up in the first conversation. You can meet again later and talk about it. But introduce the topic, and make it known to everybody that it's not a taboo. It's very important, and there are ways to talk about it in a useful way. Ryan Ermey: So I think many of our regular readers of Kiplinger's, probably regular listeners to this podcast, are probably in that age range where they have young adult children. So what are some of the things that should be coming up in money talks with those people? Knight Kiplinger: Well, here's how I badger my young adult children. The first thing I did a couple of years ago was say, "You all have a will, don't you?" And they say, "A will? I've been thinking about it." And I say, everybody has to have a will. Some single people think they don't need a will, and I remind everybody, you do have a will. It was written for you by your state. And you might not like that. The single person today marrying late or never marrying may have significant assets, might own a home, and have some savings and 401(k)s. In the absence of a will, that single person's money usually goes to the parents upon the single person's death, and then maybe to siblings. And maybe that single person has other ideas in mind and maybe would like to leave some of that money to a favorite charity, to a close friend. And yes, maybe siblings, as well. So everybody needs a will. Knight Kiplinger: Then, you get married. You need a will more. Then you have children, and boy, that is the red zone for not having a will, and reinforces the importance of doing it now. Sandy Block: Because isn't it true that if you don't ... I think a lot of people I know, that has given them an incentive to get a will when they have a children, because if you don't have a will and name a guardian, the courts will name a guardian for your kids, if something terrible should happen to you? Knight Kiplinger: Exactly. The state has a roadmap for the disposition of everybody's assets, but it may not be the map that you have in mind. It is not difficult, especially for a single person. But it's a great idea to think this through and decide how you want your money disbursed. Sandy Block: And the other issues is, I know you have grandchildren. What advice should parents be giving to their adult children with respect to their children, or what should they be talking about with respect to their children? Knight Kiplinger: The first thing they should be talking about is life insurance and long-term disability insurance. Long-term disability people don't think about as much, but the risk of an earnings-impairing disability is actually greater than early death. But let's talk life insurance. Term life insurance for a young, healthy man or woman in their 20s, early 30s is very inexpensive. You can go online, and you can put in all sorts of characteristics, and you can get competitive insurance quotes. There's no reason in the world that a family with young kids shouldn't have a million dollars, two million dollars of term life insurance. It's pure protection. Knight Kiplinger: Later on, they can look at permanent, whole life insurance if they want, but early on, the moment that first child arrives, think about the cost of rearing that children to adulthood in the event that one or the other income is lost. The life insurance can be a big help. Sandy Block: Mm-hmm (affirmative). And my experience has been, that, as you mention, it's easier than ever to get lots of quotes. It's very competitive, and remarkably cheap, really, for what you get. If you're healthy and young, you can get a lot of insurance for not a lot of money. Knight Kiplinger: It sure is. It's inexpensive protection. Ryan Ermey: So for someone like me, I'm a little bit younger. I don't have kids. I rent. My financial situation, I've been following the time-tested advice of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine for a long time, and so I'm pretty secure. But for somebody who's a little bit earlier on, or for somebody who's got kids who are a little bit earlier on, what are the things that really need to be brought up? Knight Kiplinger: I talk about the concept of paying yourself first. A lot of people say, "Well, I don't have enough money for life insurance premiums. I don't have enough money for a good 401(k) contribution to max out on my employer's match. I don't have enough money for this or that." Ryan Ermey: Or even an emergency fund, in some cases. Knight Kiplinger: Exactly. Six months of living expenses in a liquid form. And I say, if you don't have enough, it's because after you pay all those other bills, there's nothing left. Turn that process around. Pay yourself first. An automatic payroll deduction into a savings account. An automatic payroll deduction into a 401(k). An automatic payroll deduction into a mutual fund, brokerage account. Do those, and then live on what's left over. And you might have to look at how much your dining out, your travel, your purchases of the latest consumer electronics, gadgets. All the things that make life fun, but if you fund the important things first, then live on what's left, instead of the other way around. Sandy Block: And where does a 529 plan fit into that scheme? Knight Kiplinger: Similar advice for the parents of young children about having enough life insurance. Look out 15, 18 years to the beginning of those college expenses. And it's going to be a very big number. Fortunately, every state in America has a 529 savings plan where your money is accumulating tax-deferred and can be used for those expenses. Grandparents, aunts, and uncles can make gifts to the children through the 529 college savings plan. It's a great thing to do, and I know young couples who have established a 529 for their one-month-old new daughter and new son, and it's a great idea. In our family, we have them for all the little ones, and we talk them up every year. You want to give us a gift? Put it into our child's 529 instead. Ryan Ermey: So what about sort of family financial conversations that, going in the other direction ... so we talked a little bit about parents dispensing advice to their adult children. What about ones that sort of go in the other way? What do I necessarily have to know about my parents' finances going forward? Knight Kiplinger: You know, that's a great question. Parents are excellent at giving out advice to their young adult children. The young adult children should have some questions for their parents, too. Ryan Ermey: I've never even known what my father does for work. Officially. I've really never known. Knight Kiplinger: That's pretty extreme. Sandy Block: That's because you're from New Jersey, right? Ryan Ermey: He's in waste management. What's that ... something weird about that? Knight Kiplinger: Landfills. You know, it's a really good question. Young adult children have a legitimate right to know something about their parents' situation, because someday, they might have an overly large role in the comfort of their parents, the financial situation of their parents. Parents should be willing to share with their young adult children some of the basics of their financial situation. If they own a home, is there a substantial equity in the home, or have the parents been surreptitiously borrowing that equity in second mortgages and a home equity line? Maybe there's no equity in the home. Have the parents been saving over the years for their own retirement? What are the odds that those young adult children will be called upon, later in life, to support mom and dad? Knight Kiplinger: The parents might tell their kids about how much life insurance they have, and whether it's going to be sufficient to pay off all the estate bills, and maybe leave something to the children. And this is a conversation that begins to edge into estate planning, which is a whole other thing. But when the parents are giving out advice, in this post-holiday family conference, they should also share and it sets a good example of openness and transparency, and it removes that taboo about talking about money. Sandy Block: Well, and I think in some of the stories we've written more for older adult children, financial planners have suggested that you should ask your parents what their expectations are with respect to their care as they get older. Do they think that they're going to move in with you? Do they think you're going to live near them? I mean, is that something that people should also be talking about? Knight Kiplinger: Sandy, that is a great topic of discussion, and it might be a shock that these expectations are quite different. In many cultures of the world, for centuries, it's expected that the adult children will support their elderly parents late in life. They'll move in together. They'll be the caregivers and all that. In western society, we've cut that traditional linkage. And now, most senior people want to live independently, want to live on their own. But that's going to cost a lot of money, and what is the family collectively doing to plan for that eventuality? Knight Kiplinger: It's a very tricky conversation, but better to talk about it early. Sandy Block: That's right. And you may even need to be talking to them about, what are you going to do to retrofit your home, so that if you plan on staying ... because that's been my experience. People want to stay in their homes. They don't want to move in with their kids. Knight Kiplinger: You know, aging in place, in your own home, is a big trend today. It's a big home remodeling subcategory today. And that way, you can use the part-time resources, visiting nurse associations, things of that sort to stop in. Friends and neighbors to stop in. And that's less expensive than assisted living and nursing homes, but it requires a lot of orchestrating and ring-leading. Ryan Ermey: So I think ... just to sort of wrap the segment up, the advice that one CFP gave me once was have money talks before they turn into money fights. Knight Kiplinger: Great, great adage. Talk about it early, and then people have some expectation. They have a game plan in place, and they'll learn a lot of interesting things about each other, but the Dutch uncle parental talk about savings, 401(k)s ... You know, never leave your employer's 401(k) match on the table. If you've got to put in 4 or 5 percent to get the most from that match, do what you have to do, and make sure you get that money, as well. And then on top, set up an IRA separate from your employer plan and fund everything to the max. Knight Kiplinger: Defer gratification today for a more secure tomorrow. Boy, does that sound boring. Ryan Ermey: Well, speaking of secure tomorrows, we are going to get into another segment on estate planning here, so stick around. We'll be right back. Ryan Ermey: All right, and we're back with Knight Kiplinger, talking families and money. Sandy Block: So Knight, we did a piece in the December issue on family money and got into quite a lively conversation among editors and writers about whether parents should give everyone the same amount or divide their estate based on individual situations, and there seems to be a lot of interesting thoughts on this topic. I'm sure you have some. Knight Kiplinger: A few years ago, I did a Money and Ethics column in our magazine on this topic, and boy, did it generate a lot of controversy, a lot of letters from financial planners, who have real life experience with this. And the issue arises, when among your young adult children, or your older adult children, there are significantly different circumstances in life which might make it reasonable and logical to have variable bequests in your wills. And remember, we're not just talking about bequests and wills, but we're also talking about gifts in lifetime. The assistance that many parents give to their children as young adults and young family household heads. Knight Kiplinger: Let's think of some of those circumstances. You've got several children. Your son is an elementary school teacher, married, and has three children. Your daughter is single. She's a hedge fund manager in New York and makes a zillion dollars. You have children in various occupations, various levels of income, some are single, some are married. Do you want to treat all of them the same, and divide your estate exactly the same? I posit that there are good reasons for variable bequests and variable gifts in lifetime, depending upon various circumstances. And I haven't mentioned the child who is, what we used to call a n'eer-do-well. That's not a politically correct term these days, but it may be a child with some emotional instability, maybe an addiction problem. Sandy Block: Substance abuse, yeah. Knight Kiplinger: Things of that sort, do you really want to give the same cash bequests and the same cash gifts to that person? Maybe that's a situation, if you want to give it all equally, to put some in trusts, so that person can't go to Vegas and blow it. But back to the children and different circumstances in life, I think it's okay to make variable bequests and variable gifts as long as you explain it. You can do this in the will. There can be a side letter in a will or a trust explaining this. And it's very important to say, I love you all equally. I have respect for the occupational choices you've made, your family choices. I have great respect for all of that. But because of the different circumstances, I think you would all understand, it's reasonable that your brother, the school teacher with the three kids, has greater needs than your single sister, the hedge fund manager. And make those decisions on that basis, and explain it. Knight Kiplinger: One financial planner I know says start talking about this in life, not in the will. That's a little tricky, because you're introducing this, and if there's going to be resentment of your choices, you're putting that right out there pretty early. But that's how I justify it. Now, I heard from financial planners who said, "Knight, that's very well-intentioned. But you're opening a can of worms. There's a risk of resentment among the siblings." And one financial planner said, "Remember, a will is a plan for a particular moment in time." Right now, what if your single daughter, the hedge fund manager gets wiped out in a stock market crash, and it ends up she has less than the school teacher with the three kids. Well, that can happen. You do have to revise plans from time to time. You're not writing a will forever. You should always revisit the plans in your will. Sandy Block: So I know people who are assuming they're going to get something, and they're sort of maybe not saving as much as they should, or spending more, because they think they're going to get an inheritance. Should parents signal that you are or are not going to receive an inheritance? Because I think your view is that this is ... no one has a right to an inheritance. Knight Kiplinger: That's a great point, Sandy. It is useful to point out to your children that there is no child offspring right to an inheritance. You can disinherit anybody except your spouse. You cannot, by law, disinherit your spouse. Your estate is going to require that the surviving spouse, get, in most cases, a minimum of 30 percent of your estate. You don't have to leave anything at all to your children, and I hope you've raised them to be grateful for their circumstances in life. There are a lot of parents who think that raising their kids to adulthood, funding their education, funding their music lessons, fostering competency and capabilities in their children is enough. They've done enough, and there isn't any obligation to continue giving their children money thereafter. And that's very valid. Knight Kiplinger: There's a big vogue right now among the very rich to beat their chest and crow, "I'm not leaving my children anything. I'm leaving it all to charity." Well, when you scratch the surface, you find they're not leaving their children nothing. They're leaving their children a small percentage of a huge fortune. Sandy Block: Which most people would be grateful to have. Knight Kiplinger: The crumbs of Warren Buffett's estate would be fine for most people, Bill Gates. And in fact, I've never found a family that left nothing to the children and everything to charity. They usually mean a small percentage. And I get that. In a well-to-do family, leaving two-thirds to charity and one-third to the kids is fine. Now, I also suggest that early in life, you bring your children in on your philanthropic impulses, how you like to give. I know families where the adults have said, "We're leaving a lot of our family estate to charity." We're going to create a donor-advised fund at Fidelity or Vanguard or one of the other big financial service companies or a community foundation. And we'd like to have family meetings where we all sit around and decide where we're going to make our gifts. Knight Kiplinger: The parents might list one or two of their children as recommenders of grants in the donor-advised fund the family sets up. So they're not leaving the money to the kids, but they're enabling the kids to be civically involved, philanthropic and involved in the disposition of that family gift-giving. Sandy Block: Knight, this is kind of a legal question, but if you decide that you're going to leave most of your assets to charity or perhaps do something to prevent your ne'er-do-well child from inheriting a lot of money ... are there steps you should take to make sure that your will is actually honored after you're gone? Because you're not going to be around to defend it. Knight Kiplinger: That's true. A good estate planning attorney will make sure that the vehicles you create are tight. Now there are challenges to estates. Here in the Washington area, there have been some very flamboyant estate challenges. Sometimes, a challenge by a family member to the creation of a big foundation, and the gifting of most of the assets to the foundation ... there have been a lot of challenges like that sort, that pit one heir against the other. Some heirs defending the parents' philanthropic impulses, the others trying to break that impulse. It's tricky, but it's all in the writing of the documents. Sandy Block: Right. Ryan Ermey: Also my sister is an estate lawyer, so I'm sure my parents' will is going to be pretty tight. Ryan Ermey: I think one of my questions is, when you ... getting back to sort of money and ethics is, in a case where you have multiple siblings dealing with elderly parents, is there a consideration, or should there be a consideration of maybe one kid is there being a caregiver, giving their time, giving their ... sometimes their money in order to help care for a parent. Should that factor in to how you're divvying up the estate? Knight Kiplinger: Ryan, that's a great question, and I think it should factor in. If, late in life, a will is revised and the parents know that over the last decade, an adult child of their who lives nearby rendered enormous assistance, both time and attention and love and maybe some financial assistance in small ways, buying the groceries, that can factor into the disposition of the remaining assets, when the will is revised. Once again, write it in. Explain why it is. Ryan Ermey: Right. It's not I love you more. Knight Kiplinger: Exactly. Ryan Ermey: It's, you've been giving enormous amounts of your time. Knight Kiplinger: That's right. Ryan Ermey: That's worth something. Knight Kiplinger: Siblings who lived far away and were not able to help in that way are often very grateful to the brother or sister who lived nearby and offered that help. They understand it, and they're often very supportive of that sibling getting more in the estate. But I've also seen it the other way around, where they say, "Well, she lived nearby. She could do it. Of course, she should do that, but I still want my exact even share of the assets." Sandy Block: And it usually is the she, Knight. Ryan Ermey: I don't know. Knight Kiplinger: Yeah. It usually is the she, the more nurturing sex, I don't know. Ryan Ermey: Well, my sister lives closer by, but you know, just by virtue of being closer by, she'll have to figure that out, probably. Well, listen, there's no place like home for the holidays. Everyone's going home. These are talks that people should at least be sort of putting on the table, right? In this file photo taken on Dec. 24, 2009, an inter-Korean railways covered with snow at the Dorasan Station, Paju, Gyeonggi Province. As South Koreans dive deeper into the unification project, they need to consider what exactly might be the model for unification that lurks in the subconscious of the leaders in the government and business who are making the plans. Korea Times photo by Park Seo-gang By Emanuel Pastreich Butler, IN (46721) Today A few showers early with overcast skies later in the day. High 43F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. Low around 30F. Winds light and variable. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Showers in the morning, then cloudy in the afternoon. High 44F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 31F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. He has been cited by Rush Limbaugh, quoted in the New York Times, featured at Real Clear Politics and Lucianne.com and interviewed on radio, TV and in social media. For many years he served as a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State University. A former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) he has lectured at Rowan University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey and Arcadia University. He has conducted workshops on public relations for thousands of participants throughout the nation and has taught countless others the art of public speaking. He has also advised numerous lawyers, judges, public officials and political candidates. Cirucci is a prolific writer and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier-Post and other publications. A native of Camden NJ, Cirucci is a former President of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Cirucci served as Associate Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association for nearly 30 years. He served as Chair of Penn State University's Professional Advisory Board for the Corporate Communication major at Penn State Abington and on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Judicial Selection Commission. He received his MA degree from Rowan University and his BA from Villanova University. He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rowan's public relations program and was inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame. He received the E. A. "Wally" Richter Leadership Award from the National Association of Bar Executives' Communications Section. The Award is the Section's highest honor. He has also been honored by numerous other local, state and national groups. Cirucci's passions include politics, the popular culture, books and authors, art, communication, music, theatre, movies, dining and travel. In his hometown of Camden, Cirucci taught fifth grade at the Ulysses Wiggins Elementary School named for the founder of the Camden NAACP. He later served as editor of a local weekly newspaper, as Assistant to the Township Manager of Cherry Hill Township and as Associate Director of Communications at the New Jersey State Bar Association. He's Dan Cirucci, the founder and editor-in chief of the Dan Cirucci Blog, Matt Rooney's sidekick on Save Jersey's weekly videocast and one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field. He's also been a public relations consultant to numerous organizations and individuals and hosted The Advocates on RVN-TV. Prague [Czech Republic], Dec 21 (ANI): As many as five people were killed while 10 others were injured in a methane explosion at a coal mine near Czech Republic's eastern city of Karvina. According to Sputnik, the blast occurred on Thursday at the depth of 800 meters. "Unfortunately, the data on the number of victims of the methane explosion seem not to be final. The evacuation of miners is underway. Rescue teams consisting of around 40 people are clearing away the debris, while the medics are working with those injured on the site and send them to the nearby hospitals," said Ostrava-Karvina Mines (OKD) spokesperson Ivo Celechovsky. All the victims of the explosion were Polish nationals who worked at the mine, stated the officials. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, December 24: The Indian Army is conducting an online video making, painting, photography and slogan writing competition on the occasion of Army Day on January 15. The army has invited entries for Army Day 2019 Competition. The last date for sending entries is January 9. Anybody who is an Indian national can participate in the competition. Participants can apply for the competition by login to their Facebook account, after which they should post their entry on their Facebook page tagging tag ADGPI Indian Army Facebook page. Ranks in Indian Army: Post of Army Brigadier, Major General Could be Merged in Next 2 Years. Participants are also required to send the soft copy of their entries at indianarmyday2019@gmail.com. After which the first 10 paintings/videos and photographs will be displayed on the appropriate occasion of the Indian Army. Best entries in each category will be posted on ADGPI official Social Media platforms. In case of similar posts, one posted earlier in timeline and intimation will be considered. The winner of each will get a prize of Rs 6,000. The second prize in each category is Rs 4,000. There are also five consolation prizes of Rs 2,000 for each competition, Apart from this, there will be five awards of merit in each category of Rs 1,000. Surgical Strike Video: Fresh Visuals of September 29, 2016, Indian Army Operation in PoK Surface. This #ArmyDay, participate in online Painting, Photography, Slogan & Video (<2 mins) competitions. Competitions are open from 04 December 18 to 09 January 19. Watch out for notifications on ADGPI Social Media platforms. #IndianArmy #NationFirst or vis https://t.co/pxooIGxIQf pic.twitter.com/XFqEgsnLOA ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) December 10, 2018 Army Day is celebrated on 15 January every year in India, in recognition of Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa's taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from the last British Commander-in-Chief General Sir Francis Butcher on 15 January 1949. Parades and various army show are conducted in New Delhi as well in all army headquarters across the country. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 24, 2018 09:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). To date, there are almost no delivery limits. You can order and receive absolutely any product. If we talk about shipping from Nigeria to the USA, it is possible for you to bring everything, ranging from textiles such Ankara, Adire, Aso-Oke, Akwa-Ocha, George, traditional home-made beads, costumes to food items and lots more. All possible information has been gathered in one post. Shipping goods from Nigeria to the USA When we talk about the delivery of goods from Nigeria, we immediately recall such goods as ankara, snails, ogbono, ginger, bitter-cola, mellon (Egusi), bitter leaf, pumpkin leaves (Ugwu), etc. And that's not all. You can ship these and many other products by air or ocean. Next, we will tell you more about the delivery methods. Air shipping This is the fastest way to deliver any goods from Nigeria to the United States. Delivery is carried out by air within 3 days. The following are options for air delivery: Expedited shipping within 3 business days Standard shipping within 4-8 business days Picture: foodlogistics.com READ ALSO: Does eBay ship to Nigeria? 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With this option, a receiver pays for the exact space he or she needs in the container. So if a receiver is importing for home/office use or business (reselling in the USA), senders have their consolidation service. Photo: shippinginternational.com Customs clearing Clearing is usually performed at the airport and seaport in Houston. Clearing at the US Port typically takes 2 business days to be completed. Shipping of documents, letters, and small packages You can find a company that can deliver postcards, letters, large envelopes (flats), and small packages using air freight for less than $10 from Nigeria and customer will get it in the USA as soon as 4 business days. Weekly shipments in huge volumes from Nigeria allows them to lower the cost of shipping for all their customers. While you should be ready that there are companies that charge as much as $50 for the same service. You can read different reviews on the web to choose the company that will ship your goods without any problems and time. We stress that is a very wise idea to read reviews first. Shipping of heavy equipment/machinery Shipping services are not limited to textile, food, fashion items, and documents. Senders ship for import and export heavy items that may need repair or return from Nigeria to the USA and vice-versa. Most times it is referred to as break bulk: This service is for oversized loads or those that cannot fit inside a container. Shipping cost is very reasonable, and the transit time is usually from 6 to 8 weeks. This service is designed for equipment such as caterpillars, tractors, cranes, heavy trucks, and other heavy duty construction equipment. It includes car shipping from the USA to Nigeria for export. Photo: pakmail.com READ ALSO: Shipping from USA to Nigeria: Rules and Tips Shipping from Nigeria to the USA: how to do it successfully? Importing from Nigeria to the USA requires from a sender to follow basic principles, procedures, and documentation as outlined by the US Customs and FDA. We will tell you how to send something, so a person from another continent will receive his or her order without any problems. Accuracy and transparency: When shipping something from Nigeria to the USA, you are required to provide accurate information on the good you are shipping. The next information: The name of the product. Description of the product. Quantity of the product. Price (value) of the product. Appropriate packaging Goods to be shipped to the USA must be properly packaged and wrapped using the right materials. Each item must be properly labeled as well, as it is in the packing list required. Picture from moneyinc.com Source: Depositphotos Documents and requirements of shipping from Nigeria to USA Many Nigerian products are in demand in the US, so it is vital to know what documents you need to arrange delivery. Do not be afraid if you are a common sender of small items. If you need to send a present or a small item which you have sold to somebody in the USA, all you need to do is to find a reliable company that provides affordable and high-quality services. Do not forget to read the reviews, they may be very handy. The list of the documents below is for "big players", those who make business and send/ship items, goods, etc. to the USA. There are 10 documents every Nigerian must have before shipping any item out of the country. 1. Commercial invoice It is supposed that a commercial invoice must complete every transaction between a customer and a salesman. Primarily, it includes the description of the goods, the address of the shipper and seller, as well as the delivery and payment terms. The invoice allows the customer to prove ownership and to arrange payment. 2. Bill of lading The Bill of lading is a deal between the retailer of the items and the exporter if we speak about domestic shipments. There are two types. The first is the straight bill of lading which is non-negotiable. While the second one is the negotiable or exporters order bill of lading which can be bought, sold, or traded while goods are in transportation. This bill is also used for letter-of-credit transactions. The customer should have the original or a copy as proof of ownership before she or he can get the delivered goods. 3. Consular invoice Some countries require a consular invoice which is used to control and identify goods. This invoice is usually obtained from the administration of the country to which the goods are being exported. Picture: columbiamovers.com 4. Certificate of origin Sometimes it is required to have a signed declaration showing the origin of goods. This document is usually taken from a semi-official organisation such as a Local Chamber of Commerce. It is interesting that the commercial invoice already shows the origin of the export goods, but seldom this certification is required as well. 5. Inspection certification The certification of inspection is the document that attests to the designations of the exported goods. This document is usually received from a third body which is an objective testing organisation. 6. Dock receipt and warehouse receipt These receipts are also significant as they are used to transfer responsibility when the domestic shipper transported the export object to the port and left to the international shipper for export. 7. Destination control statement You will find this statement on the commercial invoice, ocean or air waybill of lading, and Shippers Export Declaration (SED). It conveys the shipper and all foreign customers that goods can be shipped only to particular purposes. Photo: tech.co 8. Insurance certificate This document declares the type and cost of the insurance coverage. 9. Export license The export license is a required document for each serious shipper. It is usually received from the relevant government agencies responsible for the issuance of licenses to exporters. There are the two most significant companies concerning export in the country such as the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development. NEPC is responsible for issuing out the export license for agricultural commodities and manufactured goods while the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development is the body responsible for granting licenses for extraction and exportation in Nigeria. 10. Export packing list This document lists the goods in each package and shows the type of packaging. Is it box, carton, crate, drum. It indicates the individual net, tare, legal, and gross weights and measurements for each package. The packing list should be added to the surface of a container in a waterproof cover marked packing list enclosed. It is used by the sender or forwarding agency to determine some things which are the whole purchase weight and volume and whether the right shipment is being exported. Customs officials (both local and foreign) often use the list to check the delivery. Good news is that there are brokerage companies that provide services and preparing these documents or just do everything for you and all you need is to provide them with information and pay for the services. Picture: sgkglobal.com We have gathered relevant information for you, and we hope that it will help you to send goods to America easily. Follow the guidelines specified above and your product will fall into the hands of the recipient. READ ALSO: heapest way to ship to Nigeria Source: Legit - The PDP says there are plans to arrest National Assembly members who booed President Muhammadu Buhari recently - Some opposition party members booed the president during the presentation of the 2019 budget proposal recently - The PDP claimed that the presidency has directed security agencies to start compiling names of lawmakers who jeered the president to be arrested The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that there are plans to arrest National Assembly members who booed President Muhammadu Buhari during the presentation of the 2019 budget proposal on Wednesday, December 19. The claim was made by a spokesman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Buba Galadima, while addressing journalists in Abuja on Sunday, December 23. According to him, the presidency has directed security agencies to start compiling names of lawmakers who jeered the president to be arrested. He noted that parliamentarians all over the world had booed and even pelted presidents and prime ministers, adding that the presidency will be breaching the rules of democracy if it carries out the arrest. He also explained that in Nigeria, lawmakers enjoy parliamentary privileges and cant be prosecuted for actions taken on the floor. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda His words: We learnt under an impeccable authority that some of his close aides are meeting and taking names of those supposedly booed the president. Whether to frame them, either with EFCC or ask the police to invite them. I dont know for what purpose. They cant arrest any parliamentarian for booing the president on what he thinks is correct. That the president misrepresented what has happened in his or her constituency. They should be careful with what they are trying to do, because what they are planning to do, whether the president knows or he doesnt know, will affect the 2019 general elections. He has no authority whatsoever, or his agents whether EFCC, ICPC, Police and DSS to accost any parliamentarian for having booed the president that read out on the floor of the National Assembly. Galadima also declared that 90% of the presidents claim in the budget were false, claiming that his reliance on false figures and facts in that budget proposal presentation has called his integrity to question. What the President read out as achievements were absolute falsehood, they were absolute misrepresentation of facts. By now, we must have seen that 90% of what he called achievement were rarely not true, he said. READ ALSO: AGA presidential candidate asks court to disqualify Buhari over WAEC controversy Meanwhile, PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said the budget deliberately ignored and failed to address Nigeria's current realities. According to Atiku, under the present government, investor confidence in the economy has waned like never before in Nigerias history. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Is President Buhari Really Doing Badly As Nigeria's Leader? - Nigeria Street Gist | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - A coalition of opposition political parties disagree with the claims by the minister of information, Lai Mohammed, that the APC-led federal government has fulfilled all the promises it made to Nigerians - The spokesperson for the coalition, Imo Ugochinyere, describes Lai Mohammeds claim as laughable - Ugochinyere says the three main promises the APC made to Nigerians which hinged on security, improve economy and fight corruption had not been fulfilled The reported claims by the minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government has fulfilled all the promises it made to Nigerians has been dismissed by opposition political parties. Mohammed was said to have told reporters on Friday, December 21, the government had met all its obligations to Nigerians. But the ministers claim was has been faulted by opposition parties under the aegis of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP). READ ALSO: Osinbajo under fire for wooing Yoruba with 2023 presidency The spokesperson for the coalition, Imo Ugochinyere, told the Punch in an interview that Lai Mohammeds claim were laughable. Ugochinyere stated that the three main promises the APC made to Nigerians which hinged on security, improved economy and fight against corruption had not been fulfilled. He said: Buhari made three promises to Nigerians. One was security. If after three years of him being in office, soldiers could be raided in their base and massacred, will you say he has met our expectations in terms of security? The second promise was on economy. As we speak now, rate of joblessness is increasing. He also promised to fight corruption. But key members of his government have been accused of corruption and they are dining with the President. So which expectation has he met? READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Ugochinyere said the minister was speaking like he was still in the opposition where he was deploying lies and propaganda to win elections. Meanwhile, the leader of Qadiriyya sect in Africa, Sheikh Qaribullah Nasir-Kabara has described President Muhammadu Buhari as a honest leader with listening ears. The sect leader made the declaration during the sects annual Maulud celebration held in Kano. Nasiru-Kabara said President Buhari also has deep interest of the country at heart and should be emulated by all those that wish Nigeria well. He recalled that during a recent visit to the presidential villa by leaders of the sect, their request for some projects from the government were responded to quickly. 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.ng - Rice farmers across the country have been blamed for Nigeria's growing population - The minister of state for agriculture and rural development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, said the farmers marry more wives and procreate more children - Lokpobiri noted that the growth of the nations population is of serious concern to the federal government The minister of state for agriculture and rural development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has blamed farmers for the countrys growing population. Sun reports that Lokpobiri explained that farmers leverage on the successes of the current agricultural revolution in the country to marry more wives and procreate more children which has led to the astronomical rise in the nations population. Legit.ng gathered that he stated this recently when he received the countrys representative of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Ms Ndine Gbossa, in Abuja. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda It was recalled that the minister of budget and national planning, Udo Udoma, had blamed the nations growing unemployment rate on the increase in the countrys population. In a statement by his special adviser, media, George Oji, he maintained that the situation has outnumbered the United Nations projection of the countrys population of 200 million by 2020. What I discovered is that in some states you have many more rice millionaires now and as they get more money in rice, they also added more wives. Two things that they do; they are able to go on pilgrimage to Mecca because it is the wish of every Muslim to see how he can visit Mecca. And so, 99 per cent of those who went on pilgrimage to Mecca are farmers; rice farmers or cassava farmers, maize farmers etc. Lokpobiri observed that the growth of the nations population is of serious concern to the federal government because it is also responsible for the current wild spread malnutrition in the country. Our concern is the way our population is growing. If there is a way we can check the growing population, it will be in our own strategic interest to do so. This is why we are having more cases of malnutrition, he stressed. The two-term senator, also, enthused that Nigerian farmers are now the envy of the society. The average Nigerian farmer is now a millionaire. In those days, people used to send money from the townships to their relatives in the rural areas, but right now, it is those in the villages that are sending money to their relatives in the townships'', he added. READ ALSO: Ill bring back those that defected from APC - Governor Oyetola Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the President Muhammadu Buhari campaign received the sum of N1.77 billion from the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) and Fertilisers Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN). NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better! CEO's Interview: Meet Nigerian Woman Who Quit Banking for Farming | - on Legit TV Source: Legit - The friend of Alex Badeh, who was abducted by killers of the former air chief marshal, has been released - Authorities are reportedly working on the theory that the ex defense chief's murder may have been an abduction gone wrong - An Air Force officer reportedly said members of the public would be informed about the development after the Christmas break The murderers of Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, the immediate past chief of defense staff, have released his abducted friend. According to Punch, Badeh's friend was released following payment of ransom money running into millions of naira by his family. READ ALSO: Atiku did not call me - Wife of slain soldier says Legit.ng recalls that the police had previously stated: The former CDS suffered gunshot injury which resulted to his death, while his driver was injured and Badehs friend abducted. Following the release of Badeh's friend, authorities are reportedly working on the theory that the ex defense chief's murder may have been an abduction gone wrong. It was further learnt that before Badehs murder, there had been two of such incidents along the Keffi-Abuja Expressway in the last one month. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Sources in the Nigerian Air Force are said to have disclosed that immediately after the Christmas break, there would be a joint briefing with the police and the Air Force. An Air Force officer reportedly said: While investigations were on, the family of Badehs friend paid a ransom to ensure his release. However, we have continued with the investigation and we have made progress. We will inform members of the public after the Christmas break." PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Recall that Legit.ng previously reported that the late Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (rtd) was in his Toyota Tundra truck with registration number MUB 396 AA when he was shot by some unknown gunmen at a location in Gitata community on Keffi-Bade road, Nasarawa state. Speaking on the unfortunate development, some residents of the community said Badeh was shot as he made his way from his farm between Koso and Kugwaru communities. They said the deceased chose to go through Panda road off the Keffi-Bade highway due to the dilapidation of the Mararaba route. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service! Nigerian Air Force vows to apprehend Badeh's killers - on Legit TV: Source: Legit - The Nigerian Army has called the attention of Nigerians to fraudulent online advertisement by people it said were using its name for fraud - The security arm also said the form into the Nigerian Army is free and accessible through its official portal - It also cautioned members of the public about some personalities parading themselves as its officers The Nigerian Army has called the attention of Nigerians to what it termed fraudulent recruitment advertisement spread across the social media platform by some unknown men. In a statement available on its Facbook page, HQ Nigerian Army, the security arm cautioned Nigerians against parading the agents of fraud using its name to perpetrate online evil. Legit.ng gathers from the statement that the Nigerian Army also disclosed it does not provide any phone number "for access to help or information on WhatsApp for the 78RRI," adding that its application form is free. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda The statement read: "This is to inform the general public of some fraudulent advertisement making rounds as the official Nigerian Army (NA) advertisement for the 78 Regular Recruit Intake (RRI). The ad also displays fraudulent numbers as WhatsApp lines for help and information. "The general public is kindly advised to disregard this ad as it is a fraud and not from the NA. The NA did not provide any phone number for access to help or information on WhatsApp for the 78RRI. "For the avoidance of doubt, the registration web portal for 78RRI for trades/non-tradesmen and women is accessible on www.recruitment.army.mil.ng and most importantly, application into the NA is free." The Nigerian Army also gave links to its official social media pages and domain. It urged members of the public to share the information to avoid leading people into the plan of internet scammers. See post: PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian Army had announced the opening of its portal for recruitment into the army for interested Nigerians. In a post by the Nigerian Army on Wednesday, December 19, it called on those interested in serving their fatherland to apply. 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 Oh snap! Look what just landed on our doorstep, the freshly released Nigeria Shopping Mall Guide Magazine issue 4. We are excited to announce the launch of the last edition of the Nigeria Shopping Mall Guide Magazine for the year 2018. In over one year, we think the Magazine has quickly become a key part of the retail space covering news, events, brands and developments within the organized retail industry in Nigeria and abroad. The Issue 4 edition of the magazine launched this December to wrap-up the year with the cover-story Port Harcourt Mall creating a model shopping mall - describes why Port-Harcourt mall is the number one shopping destination in South-South region of Nigeria. Followed by an exclusive interview with the Group Managing Director of Artee Industries Limited and master licensee of the worlds largest supermarket chain - SPAR International in Nigeria, Haresh T. Keswani. Haresh is a pioneer in Nigerias organized retail sector paving the way with the establishment of PARK-N-SHOP supermarket and growing it to be the biggest departmental store in Nigeria. The Ikeja City Mall annual fashion show Catwalk in ICM was one of the biggest fashion events of 2018 and this edition captures every bit of the Fashion.Food.Fusion themed evening that displayed diverse collections of fashion retail brands in the Ikeja mall. The team travels to Accra, Ghana to bring you the Accra Mall Fashion Weekend tagged Beauty Without Standards to showcase the best Ghana fashion industry has to offer with an array of timeless pieces on the runaway. Denise Asare, Marketing Manager of the Mall had this to say We carefully chose plus size, petite and albino models to represent our everyday society. This all-important model representation of our society is underpinned by our belief that everyone is unique and beautiful in his or her own way. A lot has been said lately about the growth of sub-Sahara Africa economy and in the Retail World of this NSMG edition, you will find a detailed insight on Emerging Opportunities In The Africa Retail Market and how investors can take advantage of these opportunities. One of Nigerias foremost shopping malls Lagos City Mall, Onikan is undergoing a facelift and this edition tells all things new about it, and what the future holds for the Ibukun Efuntayo and Company led management. This edition is packed with pieces that will leave you both informed and entertained ending the year on a high, so we hope you enjoy the magazine as much as we did. For all those who are subscribed to the Nigeria Shopping Mall Guide you should have your copy and If you are not already signed up; Simply go to www.shoppingmallguide.com.ng to sign-up and download for FREE Issues 4, 3, 2, and 1 For advertising opportunities, you can contact the Editor - adebowale@nimbus.com.ng | 07031999097 Nigeria Shopping Mall Guide is a publication on the stable of Nimbus Media Limited. [Sponsored] Source: Legit - President Muhammadu Buhari will participate in the programme of activities marking the 60th anniversary of the formal proclamation of the Republic of Niger during his one-day official trip to the country - The presidency says Buharis participation in the event is in furtherance of the deep historical and cultural relations between the governments and peoples of both nations - The president will be accompanied by Governors Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai and Adegboyega Oyetola of Jigawa, Kaduna and Osun states, respectively President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to travel to Zinder, Niger Republic, on Tuesday, December 25, a statement from the presidency has said. Femi Adesina, the special adviser on media and publicity to the president, in a statement on Monday, December 24, explained that Buhari would use the one-day official trip to participate in the programme of activities marking the 60th anniversary of the formal proclamation of the Republic of Niger, The Punch reports. READ ALSO: Breaking: Badeh's murderers release abducted friend At the invitation of President Mahamadou Issoufou, President Buhari will join fellow West African leaders as Special Guest of Honour as Nigerias northern neighbour commemorates December 18, 1958, the date of its founding as a Republic and the creation of the Presidency even before it gained complete Independence from France on August 3, 1960, the statement read in part. Adesina said the Buharis participation in the event is in furtherance of the deep historical and cultural relations between the governments and peoples of both friendly nations. Activities lined up for the celebrations in the ancient south-central town and former capital of Niger which lies 240km north of Kano, include a military parade, cultural and artistic displays. The statement read that the president will be accompanied by Governors Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai and Adegboyega Oyetola of Jigawa, Kaduna and Osun states, respectively. Also on the delegation is the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, it read. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: A letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) United Kingdom (UK) chapter of President Muhammadu Buhari volunteers says Nigerians have no alternative to the APC led government in 2019. Ade Omole, convener of the group and leader of the APC UK chapter stated this in a statement on Monday, December 24, in Abuja, The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. According to him, in spite of what opposition parties may be saying about the APC, it remains the best for Nigerians at this time of the countrys political history. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service! Agbor Man Lists President Buhari's Achievements - Nigeria Street Gist | Legit TV Source: Legit - Most Rev. Joseph Ekuwem lamented that politics in Nigeria is now synonymous with lies and deceit - The Catholic archbishop said this is due to the fact that politicians no longer see politics as a form of service to society - Ekuwem said the Catholic Church is advising its members to participate in politics because Nigeria needs God-fearing leaders - The clergy further urged Nigerians to reject gifts and money from politicians as a way of enticing them to vote The Catholic Archbishop of Calabar, Most Rev. Joseph Ekuwem, has said that politics in Nigeria is synonymous with lies and deceit. Ekuwem made the remark in Calabar while delivering the message of Pope Francis for the celebration of the 52nd World Day of Peace, January 1, 2019, The Punch reports. Politics in Nigeria has become synonymous with lies and deceit. Politics has gained a bad name from what it was originally, he said. Most Rev Ekuwem urged Nigerians to reject gifts and money from politicians as a way of enticing them to vote. Credit: The Punch Source: UGC READ ALSO: Breaking: Badeh's murderers release abducted friend He said good politics is at the service of peace, adding that the quest for power at any price leads to abuses and injustice. According to him, politics is an essential means of building human community and institutions. When political life is not seen as a form of service to society as a whole, it can become a means of oppression, marginalisation and even destructive. Nigerians must reject the offer of gifts and money from politicians as a way of enticing them to vote in 2019. We want credible people who have the fear of God to be in leadership positions. That is why the Catholic Church is encouraging her members to participate in politics, he said. He further said that the church encourages credible and truthful politics, adding that members of the Catholic Church have been encouraged to get their PVCs. Ekuwem also advised the political class to shun misappropriation of public resources, exploitation of people, denial of rights, flouting of community rules and the justification of power by force. PAY ATTENTION: Access your favourite news site Legit.ng instantly in 3 simple steps Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Bauchi vowed to monitor campaign spending by political parties candidates vying for various elective offices in the state. This was disclosed by the head of election and party monitoring unit in the state's INEC headquarters, Ahmed Alhaji Waziri. The INEC chief made the disclosure during the signing of peace accord by governorship aspirants in the state over the weekend. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better. Nigeria Latest News: Father Mbaka On Buhari, Atiku In Nigeria Election 2019 | Legit TV Source: Legit Photo: Jordan Shade Cirque du Soleil Crystal's eight-show run at the SOEC in April was one of the biggest events of the year for the venue. The South Okanagan Events Centre celebrated its 10 anniversary in 2018 and was busier than ever, but new competition surfaced for the campus with the launch of private conference space across town. A total of 277 events were held between the SOEC arena and Trade and Convention Centre this year, up from 246 in 2017. A pair of marquee events, the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and Cirque du Soleil, pushed the total skywards. SOEC general manager Dean Clarke says a number of new multi-day trade shows as well the return of MMA events has also provided growth for them. The city-owned trade and convention centre received some healthy competition in May when the Penticton Lakeside Resort opened its own 15,000 square foot space, scooping a few events, like Oktoberfest, from the PTCC. Its not easy for us, it certainly has had an impact, Clarke said, noting they are trying to work with the Lakeside to bring more business to the city overall. At the trade centre, our focus is on economic impact, he said, explaining the city gauges success in the centre with measures like room bookings. I think its key to work collaboratively with the new for-profit conference space, he added. Weve worked closely with them sharing some leads, weve gone to conferences together with them. But we need to be aware of in-the-year, for-the-year business. A lot of that business has the ability to go to their space, and it should go to their space and we should be challenged to try and after other business that fits our space better. Clarke said the citys approximate $1M subsidy it provides the SOEC complex annually generates huge business for the economy. A study this year pegged that figure at $35M annually. Its not necessarily a profitable business. Its an investment made by the city in economic impact. Looking forward to 2019, Clarke says the SOEC will remain close to the country music and classic rock scenes, the two biggest draws in the Okanagan. Each year we will lose some of the classic rock legends so our pick of the tours or ability to attract them gets harder, we need to stay in the business of country music. He said country music has done a good job of generating new stars and is optimistic a rising talent like Brett Kissel will fill the SOEC in a few years. This year also saw the city pay off all its construction loans related to the SOEC. - Edwin Clarke says restructuring of Nigeria remains the way out of the challenges confronting the nation - Clarke believes the problems in the country might continue irrespective of who wins the election next year - The elder-statesman stressed the need for a constitutional amendment that would guarantee equity and justice for citizens Edwin Clarke, elder statesman and a former federal commissioner for information, says restructuring of Nigeria remains the way out of the challenges confronting the nation. Channels TV reports that the former commissioner said this when he received the presidential candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) and members of the party at his residence in Abuja. READ ALSO: Badeh's murderers release abducted friend We need a proper restructuring of this country; where everybody will be equal, where appointments will not come from one particular place and others are just waiting, he said. According to him, the problems in the country might continue irrespective of who wins the 2019 presidential election. Once you have a Nigeria where some people are superior, and others are inferior, then you dont have a country, the elder statesman noted. We believe in one thing, and that is the Constitution Nigeria has today; if that constitution is not changed, all will not be well. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Chief Edwin Clark, an elder statesman and former minister of information and culture, has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) that Nigerians would not tolerate any manipulation of the results of the forthcoming general elections. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better. We are honestly tired of Buhari and Atiku | - on Legit TV. Source: Legit - The PDP national chairman, Uche Secondus, has sent Christmas greetings to Nigerians - Secondus urged Nigerians to use the period to pray for the emergence of good leaders in the forthcoming 2019 elections - The main opposition partys chairman also urged Christians to use the period to show love to one another and build on those things that unite rather than what divides us The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has charged Nigerians to use the occasion of this years Christmas to offer special prayers for good leaders with love of the people to emerge. In his Christmas message, Secondus urged Nigerians to use this period to seek God s mercy so He can provide leaders that will bring comfort and peace in the country, The Punch reports. In a statement from his media office signed by his media adviser, Ike Abonyi, the PDP chairman noted that 2019 general election would provide the people with the ample opportunity to rescue not just the nations democracy but the entire country. READ ALSO: Breaking: Badeh's murderers release abducted friend We need political leaders that can bring smiles on the faces of the people and such leaders can only come from God through our sincere supplications, Secondus said. He added that as Christmas marks the birthday anniversary of Jesus Christ, there is no better time to seek Gods intervention to send a leader who would save this country than this period. Yuletide time like this is therefore very auspicious for Nigerians to bury their political, ethnic and religious differences and go on their knees to seek Gods face in the countrys challenges. The indignation in our faces across board shows it all that the people are sad and disappointed. Let us, therefore, pray for a peaceful election to usher in joy in the land, he said. He also urged Christians to use the period to show love to one another and build on those things that unite rather than what divides us. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Similarly, President Muhammadu Buhari has urged all Nigerian Christians to reflect on the imagery of the humble, symbolic and divine birth of a young child thousands of years ago in Bethlehem, Judea. The president in a letter to all Christians on Monday, December 24, said the birth of Jesus symbolises the message of hope, compassion, salvation, reconciliation, forgiveness and peace that Christ embodies and conveys. Stating that Nigerians have had mixed feelings in 2018 even as the year comes to an end, the president said on the pleasant side, Nigeria's economy has made significant progress since coming out from recession and our faithful implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng upgrades to serve you better How do you plan to spend your Christmas? | Legit TV Source: Legit.ng - A former minority leader of the Nigerian Senate has criticised the uproar by lawmakers during the 2019 budget presentation by President Buhari - Victor Ndoma-Egba said the act by the lawmakers is a show of disrespect for age - According to him, such incident has never taken place in the history of Nigeria The past Senate majority leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, has condemned the rowdy session at the National Assembly during the presentation of the 2019 budget by President Muhammadu Buhari. Ndoma-Egba said the incident was a display of resentfulness and a show of disrespect for age. Speaking with journalists, in Abuja on Sunday, December 24, Ndoma-Egba, a senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River said such incident has never occurred in the country before now. Punch reports that Ndoma-Egba said: We have not had that kind of experience in Nigeria before -we respect age. It should worry us that happened at all. It is a cultural irreverence for age." We all come from the background of culture of respect. No matter the level of anger, no matter the disconnect between the National Assembly and the Executive, there should be respect for age. It should have been better managed on the floor of the National Assembly." READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda He added that the people of south south would vote for President Buhari following unprecedented development his administration had brought to the region. "In 2015, President Buhari got a paltry 28,000 votes and despite the low level of support, see what he has done for Cross River. Cross River remains the only state that he has visited twice. The state is well represented in government. "We have the Chief Justice of Nigeria even though he is not a politician. You cant run away from the fact that he became Chief Justice under President Buhari anything could have happened. The Head of Service of the Federation is from Cross River state, the Auditor General of the Federation is from the state, the Minister of the Niger Delta, the NDDC Chairman, the Special Adviser on Prosecution are all from that state in addition to chairmen of boards, all for a paltry 28,000. READ ALSO: Breaking: Abducted friend of Badeh released What was the record under PDP? The best we ever had as a state under the PDP was when we had Kanu Agabi as a Minister and Senator Liyel Imoke as Special Adviser. These are arguments that will be taken to the field in Cross River. It will be the height of ingratitude for any Cross Riverian not to vote for President Buhari and it will be an uncharitable ingratitude." According to him, it is not the length of the campaign that matters, but the intensity. He said the opposition has been campaigning people have not seen the impact. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that President Buhari on Wednesday, December 19, proposed a budget of N8.83 trillion for 2019 to a joint session of the National Assembly, saying the budget was prepared after wide consultations. According to the budget, about a quarter of the sum (N2.14 trillion) will be used for debt servicing while N2.031 trillion will be used for capital expenditure. The proposed recurrent expenditure is N4.04 trillion, statutory transfer is N492.36 billion, there is a sinking fund of N120 billion, while capital expenditure is N2.031 trillion. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better Nigeria News 2018: Nigerians Blow Hot as President Buhari Signs 2018 Budget in June | Legit TV Source: Legit - Ngozi Olojeme temporarily forfeited 46 houses to the EFCC - Olojeme served as campaign director for Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 - The former NSITF boss reportedly illegally diverted funds during her administration The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the temporary forfeiture of 46 properties allegedly belonging to Dr. Ngozi Olojeme, the deputy chairman, finance committee of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation in the 2015 election. The Punch reports that the court gave the judgement on Monday, December 24. READ ALSO: Breaking: Badeh's murderers release abducted friend The properties are reportedly located in Abuja, Delta, Enugu and Bayelsa states. The properties comprise 27 buildings, including a bank, office buildings and houses, at various stages of development and several pieces of undeveloped land. Some of the properties include: a twin duplex office building Plot R/151 (No. 30A) Kingsway Road, Old GRA, Enugu State; a parcel of land measuring 4833.241 sq. metres located at Uberi Bush along Mbiama Road, Akenta, Yenegoa, Bayelsa State; and a parcel of land located at Igbandaden Bush, Emeya 2 Town, Ogbia LGA, Bayelsa. Others include: Properties located at 196, Melford Okilo Road, Amarata-Epie, Yenegoa, Bayelsa State (six units of one bedroom apartments, one unit of five bedroom bungalows, a block of six units of office space); a mansion at 24 Kainji Crescent, Maitama, Abuja and a bank building (former Intercontinental Bank) located at Plot No. 933 Cadastral Zone B01, Gudu District, Abuja Olejeme had served as the chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund before she was declared wanted in a case of criminal conspiracy, abuse of oce, diversion of public funds and money laundering. The former chairman is accused of diverting well over N69 billion in government funds into her personal accounts through the award of suspicious contracts. Olojeme reportedly fled the country shortly after her sack by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. She however finally reported at the EFCC on Monday after which she was detained. The NSITF, which was headed by Olojeme, is a social insurance scheme designed to provide compensation to employees who suffer from occupational accidents or diseases in the line of duty. The organisation is funded by deducting 1 per cent from all government and private sector employees enrolled in the scheme. It was however alleged that Olojeme and some directors in the company diverted billions of naira including funds meant for the payment of allowances of its staff. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after receiving petition looked into the allegation of financial mismanagement and reportedly found evidence of such. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the southeast zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested three suspected internet fraudsters in the state. It was gathered that the head of public affairs of the commission in the zone, Chris Oluka, said this in a statement on Saturday, December 15, in Enugu. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better. The EFCC stage a walk against corruption | - on Legit TV Source: Legit.ng Long-time radio host Bob Durgin has died, his former station WHP580 announced Monday. It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of long-time WHP580 host Bob Durgin. His career spanned nearly... Posted by WHP 580 on Monday, December 24, 2018 Durgin worked in radio for nearly 50 years. He went to work at WHP580 in 1989, and retired in 2013. He is a radio pioneer and dear friend. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time, WHP580s posted. As Durgin retired in 2013 at 70 years old, he reflected on a career spanning a half-century. I feel as though, not only am I giving up a career, which is a lot, but Im giving up a way of life, Durgin, 70, said on his show, with morning host R.J. Harris joining him. Its a poignant time for me and I just hope I can deal with it. One of Durgins biggest career moments in 2005, when he went after state lawmakers for approving hefty pay raises and then beginning their summer recess. Durgin rallied the public in protest. Under heavy public pressure, lawmakers eventually rescinded the raises a few months later. Harris credited Durgins key role in making lawmakers pay attention to the public outcry over the raises. I know you dont want total credit for this, but you changed history with the pay raise thing, Harris told Durgin on air in 2013. Ill never forget that day when we rolled the petitions out with 130,000 signatures. Youre the man who championed this and it changed history. The Bob Durgin Show, which aired from 3 to 6 p.m. on weekdays, became a staple of daily life for many in the midstate. Matt Brouillette, former president of the conservative think-tank Commonwealth Foundation, worked with Durgin for about a decade. In a 2013 PennLive story, Brouillette praised Durgins level of understanding. I think Bob gave a voice to a lot of the people in the midstate and how they viewed the state of politics and public affairs, Brouillette said. Bob was your everyday guy that just had a talent in front of the microphone. That was his attraction, listeners were able to connect with him on a personal level. G. Terry Madonna, the pollster and political science professor at Franklin & Marshall College, was a frequent guest on Durgins show. He said he was always impressed by Durgins fair nature. The real positive side was that Bob was not afraid to have people on his show who didnt agree with him, Madonna said. Durgin was born in Boston and moved later to the King of Prussia area where he graduated from Upper Merion High School. He started his radio career when he was 16, working for a radio station in Norristown. After touring Europe with the U.S. Air Force in the 1960s, Durgin moved to Texas and spent time at a Top 40 station there. After that, Durgin worked for 20 years in Oklahoma City as the news director for KTOK before settling in central Pennsylvania in 1989. Durgin became known for some memorable phrases such as shut up and pay your taxes and give me a physical break. Editors note: This story was updated to correct the length of time Durgin worked at WHP580. A 73-year-old Allentown man died 11 hours after the vehicle he was driving ran off a street early Saturday morning in Allentown, struck a tree and rolled over, the Lehigh County Coroners Office reports. Antonio Acevedo, no street address given, died at 6:30 p.m. at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township, the coroners office said. Acevedos death from complications of injuries sustained in the crash was ruled an accident. The crash happened at 7:30 a.m. at College Heights Boulevard and North Arch Street, the coroners office said. City police and the coroners office are investigating the incident. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter@TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Mountmellick Community Arts Centre has won a national award recognising its place as an innovative arts hub in the town. Last September the centre was visited by Bank of Ireland National Enterprise Towns judges during their tour of the town, and in November it was announced that it had won the 'Town Initiatives of the year' category. The committee was presented with a certificate and a cheque for 2,500 at the award ceremony and again in the local bank branch. Ger Lynch is chairman of the Arts centre committee. We are so overwhelmed. We would like to thank everyone involved in the application process of the competition, the judges that took time in our town to see what we are trying to achieve here and for believing in us by awarding us. We thank each and every one, our committee members, our staff, our patrons, the church and our community, he said. Below: Maura Reddin accepting the certificate at the Bank of Ireland National Enterprise Town Awards 2018. Paddy Buggy is chairman of Mountmellick Development Association who co-ordinated the entry. We are delighted that the arts centre has been recognised for the great work it does, and the huge developments taking place there. We were up against 83 towns nationally so it is no mean feat to win, it's a huge achievement, he said. Taking part in the national competition brought huge positivity to the town Mr Buggy said. Mountmellick really rose to the occasion as it always does. We realised how much we have going for us, and also identified what we need to work on. I'd like to thank everyone who supported our entry, Laois County Council, and groups and businesses in the town, he said. The parish owned arts centre has a cinema and theatre. It recently won a grant of 98k for renovations in the Town & Village Renewal Scheme. Speaking at the awards was Aine Malone, Head of Laois & Offaly at Bank of Ireland. Every year we are so impressed by the enterprising spirit and achievements of towns and villages nationwide. The National Enterprise Town Awards are Bank of Irelands opportunity to recognise and reward towns where communities and business groups are working closely together with local authorities and local enterprise offices to spur enterprise forward in their area. On behalf of Bank of Ireland, I would like to congratulate Mountmellick and local council representatives for their joint success at this years awards. she said. From Stradbally to Portarlington, Laois community groups will be out in force to raise funds for GOAL this Christmas. Now in its 37th year, the GOAL Mile is held in villages, towns and cities all over Ireland every Christmas and is one of the countrys largest and longest-running annual fundraising events. In 2017, GOAL Mile events organised in Laois raised over 1,000 to support GOAL raise funds and awareness for their programmes across the developing world. Alan Vard from GOAL said: The GOAL Mile has become a tradition for many families and communities over the Christmas period, and thanks to organisers, millions have been raised to support GOALs work in the developing world since the first Mile was staged in 1982. The beauty of the GOAL Mile is its simplicity. People dont need to register in advance but simply show up to their nearest event, run or walk a Mile and contribute whatever they can afford to GOAL on the day. The two Christmas Day GOAL events in Laois are: Oakvale Woods, Stradbally (near Windy Gap) starting at 10 am. The organiser is Billy ONeill. Portarlington GAA Grounds, Canal Road starting at 11 am. The organiser is Eddie Murphy. How can you get involved? If you are interested in taking part in your local GOAL mile, all you need to do is find out the date and time of your local event, put on your walking or running shoes and show up! There is no need to register; just turn up and donate what you can to GOAL on the day. To find out about your local GOAL Mile, please visit www.goalmile.org The GOAL Mile was established in 1982 when GOAL's late chairperson and international athlete, Noel Carroll, came up with the idea to encourage people and their families to run a mile at The Phoenix Park on Christmas morning for GOAL. More than 250 people turned up to that first event and from there, it has flourished to become one of the most popular and longstanding annual fundraising events in the country. Since that first Mile in 1982, those organising, running or walking a GOAL Mile have helped raise millions of euro for GOAL's various humanitarian programmes across the developing world. Major Mile events attract thousands of participants each year, while new GOAL Miles locations are added each year. Last year, Miles were held at more than 130 locations across the country. All funds raised from the 2018 GOAL Mile will go towards GOALs most pressing work in the developing world. The agency is currently responding to protracted and sudden onset emergencies in Syria, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Zimbabwe and several other locations. The rebranding of Laois as a tourist destination was announced in the Laois Tourism Strategic Plan 2018-23 in February. It aims to create 300 new jobs in tourism over the five years. Laois has the third lowest tourist income in Ireland. The first sign of a problem for Laois community CCTV schemes came this month, when Laois County Council CEO John Mulholland said at a meeting that he had serious concerns for his staff's security over the requirement that local authorities must be the data controllor for schemes. I need reassurances from the dept that no staff will be liable to appear in court, he said. The issue is still unresolved almost a year later. There was an increase in births at Portlaoise hospital, 3% more than expected by the HSE, to 1,531 babies in 2017 as parents' confidence returned. The unit had been placed under the stewardship of the Coombe after the baby deaths controversy in 2014. A week later, a new investigation into faulty heartbeat monitors at Portlaoise and 11 other hospitals raised doubts over the HSE's handling of an equipment recall requested by the manufacturer in 2009. The subsequent deaths in Portlaoise confirmed issues with the trace equipment but it was still not examined during a 2014 investigation. The search was launched for the Laois Rose 2018, with reigning Rose Maeve Dunne advising young women to go for it. Portlaoise was chosen to be a pilot town for an urban regeneration project, a multi million investment in the town. It is listed in the government's Project ireland 2040 plan, along with a new courthouse and a new 40 bed mental health facility. Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan welcomed it as a step in the right direction to achieve a brighter vibrant future for Portlaoise. The chiefs of the IDA and Enterprise Ireland visited Laois mid month, and promised to up their game to create jobs here. Enterprise Ireland supports 55 companies in Laois with 1473 employees, but IDA Ireland supports just two, 119 workers in total. Action was demanded of Gardai and the council by Portarlington councillors on behalf of locals over Travellers misbehaving, making threats and intimidating people in the town. An unofficial site on the Canal Road was a major concern. The Laois Traveller Action Group pointed out that the number of halting sites in Laois has been cut, and said Travellers were worst hit by the housing crisis because of high discrimination against them. In late February came the forecast for the beast from the east, with Met Eireann ready to issue Status Red warnings for snow, and Laois County Council preparing for the worst with snowploughs ready for action. It is hard to fathom that at this time of year, CEO John Mulholland said. A Severe Weather Crisis Management team gathered on February 26, including the council, Gardai, HSE, fire service and Civil Defence, to plan actions as snow-ice warnings came into force. Kildare people are accustomed to the many and varied stories of St Brigid as related by the folklore passed down through the generations. Although associated with Kildare where she founded her magnificent monastery, Brigids illustrious life is honoured in many parts of Ireland by way of place names think of all the townlands named Kilbride throughout the country as well as holy wells, churches and shrines. She is the patroness of all of Ireland and certainly, on the domestic front, is virtually on a par with Patrick in the pantheon of Irish saints. Less well appreciated in Kildare is the impact of Brigids story on places across the seas. While the record of Irish saints who travelled throughout Europe in the early centuries of Christianity is well known through figures such as St Columban, who settled in Bobbio in north Italy, St Killian who founded a monastery in Wurzberg in Germany, and St Gall whose name is perpetuated in St Gallen in Switzerland, there has been little regard given to the possibility that Brigid was revered on the European continent. Imagine then the surprise of this writer, when on business in Strasbourg, to find that not alone was Brigid represented by way of shrines and statues, but there was also an active annual devotion to St Brigid when her feast day came around on February 1 each year. But first a word about Strasbourg and its environs. Its a city not greatly visited by Irish people, partially because there are no direct flights and partly because it is associated with European bureaucratic institutions. However, such a characterisation greatly understates the aura and importance of what is one of the cross-roads cities of Europe. It lies just a few kilometres on the west bank of the might river Rhine, which since the dawn of history has been the most strategic feature on the map of western Europe. In modern times it is on the cultural interface between the great French and German cultures of the continent. Although proudly French in its loyalties and language, it seems Germanic in its architecture and its menus the latter closer to the Irish idea of winter-warmer dishes of pork and potatoes than the finer fancies of French cuisine. In its old town, the streets are lined with the high-gabled timber framed dwellings and shops which are such a feature of Rhine valley streetscapes. Strasbourg and its hinterland has been contested territory in the not so distant past. On three occasions between 1870 and 1940 the Germans and French went to war with each other with the prosperous city and its fertile environs as a prize. And so it was fitting that when peace came after the second world war Strasbourg was chosen as a place of reconciliation and tolerance. The Council of Europe not to be confused with the European Union established its embryonic headquarters there and at its very foundation was an Irish minister, Sean McBride (son of Major William Bride executed in 1916) who in 1947 as Irish Minister for External Affairs was one of the pioneers of this European assembly which today numbers 47 states of Europe in its membership. Present, too, was Winston Churchill, who saw the Council of Europe as a democratic bulwark against future division in Europe an ironic fact given the drive by his Tory successors to distance themselves from European institutions. Well over a millennium previously, Irish monks were drawn to the banks of the River Rhine, no doubt attracted by its status as a highway of cultural influences on the European continent. With them they brought relics linked to the devotion to the Irish saint. One relic preserved in a shrine in a prominent church in the old town of Strasbourg is said to be a part of the saints skull. Its an assertion that can be taken with a grain of salt but the attribution, however unlikely, nonetheless verifies the strength of devotion to the Kildare saint. Strasbourg has been through great change down through the centuries, including being a focus of the Protestant reformation when relics and statues were frowned upon. Therefore it is a pleasant surprise to discover that, in modern times, there is a special St Brigids service held about February 1 each year in the church where her relics are kept. This service is attended by many of the international diplomatic community who live in Strasbourg and, on occasion, has been presided over by the Vaticans representative to the Council of Europe. Lofty status In the Rhine Valley countryside to the north of Strasbourg devotion to Brigid is also alive and well. As recently as three years ago the parish of Kilstett commissioned a stone statue of a seated Brigid. In a demonstration of muscular Brigidine devotion this statue is carried shoulder high by a team of parishioners to each of the three churches in the parish. The ceremonial is well covered in the local newspaper the Dernieres Nouvelles Alsace which is the Strasbourg equivalent of the Leinster Leader. So when February 1 comes around again, and our attention in County Kildare centres on the Feile Bride in Kildare town, it is gratifying to know that the countys patron saint is also being remembered in a city centre church and in the rural hinterland of one of the old cities at the heart of the European dream. Photo: @VanFireRescue Firefighters battled a stubborn blaze in downtown Vancouver, Sunday. Flames were coming from the back of a bike shop at Denman and Alberni streets, and spread into the roof, prompting a three-alarm fire call, CTV News reports. Multiple renovations over the years made the fire difficult to access and confine from spreading to adjacent businesses and residential suites, the Vancouver Fire Department tweeted. No one was inside the building at the time. The cause of the fire is under investigation. with files from CTV Vancouver Michael Mullan was told at 24 years of age that he had six months to live. Two and a half years later, and Michael, known locally as Mick, is still fighting to tell his tale. Mick has already battled cancer twice, so the third diagnosis was devastating news for the Eadestown native. I just remember the doctor just said to me Im afraid its some bad news, and you kind of have this feeling in your stomach like its back again. Its a shock to the system, Mick told the Leader, in August 2018. You think youre in good health and then all of a sudden your whole world is turned upside down because cancers back again. Mick was first diagnosed with neuroblastoma was a 16 month old baby. He had a tumour on his adrenal gland, and his parents, Patrick and Patricia, were told he had a one in four chance of survival. It was touch and go for a while, I was quite sick. They put me on chemotherapy but chemotherapy back then was quite invasive, it kind of destroyed my whole body. I think I spent nearly a year in hospital. Mick went through chemo, surgery and a bone marrow transplant. He remained cancer free until he was 22-years-old, studying in Trinity College Dublin. I was cancer free until the final year in college. When cancer was in the background throughout my life, I kind of thought I had dealt with it, I presumed I was a childhood survivor of it. So it kind of came as a shock in final year. This time doctors told Mick he had cancer in his kidney cells.While cancer obviously is a very bad diagnosis to get, we were told at the time that this wasnt that bad. We were told all that was needed was surgery. I took a couple of months off college just to recuperate from the surgery, because any type of cancer it gets at your immune system, but thankfully the college allowed me to sit my exams at the same time as the repeat students, so I had a couple of months to study and I managed to come out with a first class honours degree. Mick said the cancer gave him a whole new perspective on life. When youre given a cancer diagnosis like this, its a big deal but it makes you reflect on your whole life. It made me realise I only have one chance at life, I might as well give it as good a shot as I can. Mick and his fiance, Mel Murphy from Ballymore, made the big move over to the US when Mick was awarded a scholarship to Harvard Law school. The surgeon in Tallaght said the cancer is gone, theres no real sign of it coming back so we were sure we were going over to Boston in good health. Thats why it came as such a shock when I did get the third diagnosis. The worst thing about this time was the doctor in DanaFarber Cancer Institute said any treatment that you go on is a leap of faith. We were told I had six months to live, at 24 years of age it was such a shock and so devastating to hear those words, and I said Im going to give it my best shot, theres no point in taking it lying down and admitting to yourself it is going to beat me. Mel is an extremely positive, strong person. She talked me through it and any time I had a bad day she was there to tell me about the silver linings. We were lucky to be in Boston, and have such good care. Theres no treatment options for me in Ireland so in a way I was blessed. Mel and Mick had planned to stay in the US for a year and go travelling but all these plans were put on hold. My parents were good enough to come live with us for nine months, and give up their jobs to come over when it was really bad. Weve got such great support from our family back in Ireland, theyre always at the end of the phone. Numerous fundraisers have been organised for Mick at home to help raise money for his medical expenses in the US. His treatment is currently ongoing, but in September Mick was told the daily targeted chemotherapy (which is not available in Ireland) is keeping his cancer stable. At the minute, my last scan said that the cancers not growing, its being held at bay which is great news. Even some of the tumours have shrunk, but the cancer is still there, its still active, its by no means bet at this stage. The doctor said its going to be a long-term battle, its going to take a couple of years, itll take different treatments before its finished. Mick has been hospitalised around 30 times in the space of two and a half years, and someone that keeps him going is fiance Mel. The support I had from Mel is definitely one of the driving forces, honestly without her I dont know what I would do. Particularly on the tough days, to have somebody there that can talk it through with you, and understand where youre coming from. Micks advice to someone recently given a cancer diagnosis is that positivity is key. From my point of view the main thing is to stay positive. Even when youre given bad news, take it with a pinch of salt. Cancer diagnosis are never 100% accurate, you can be told youve six months to live and two and a half years on, Im still here. Literary critic Eileen Battersby, who died tragically in a weekend road accident, lived for a period in Rathangan. The former Irish Times literary correspondent, originally from the United States, was an accomplished critic and writer. And the 60 year old has been the subject of numerous tributes including from President Michael D Higgins, who said: News of the death of Eileen Battersby, literary critic, award-winning journalist, novelist, animal lover and enthusiast for natural beauty, will have been heard with both shock and enormous sadness by those familiar with her work. She also contributed to the Financial Times, RTE and the New York Times. Ms. Battersby died following a single vehicle collision two and a half miles from Drogheda on Saturday afternoon at around 2 oclock, RTE News reported. She was accompanied by her daughter Nadia, who was injured and received treatment at the Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. Over a decade ago she lived at Oakley House at the town end of Bracknagh Road, opposite the day care centre in Rathangan. The residence was among the more impressive historic Georgian structures in Rathangan, most of which are on nearby Leinster Street. The location was also the site of a bloody skirmish during the 1798 rebellion. It was built as a two storey residence with a basement on two acres and backs on to the River Slate. Homes and businesses are being encouraged to do what they can to avoid wasting food this Christmas. The Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Richard Bruton T.D said Recent research has shown that for the first time ever, we will spend more than 1billion on groceries during the month of December. We know that every year, Irish homes and businesses throw out over 1 million tons of food and that this waste peaks at Christmas time. Our ambition is to halve this amount by 2030. Food waste costs Irish households nearly 1 billion every year approximately 700 could be saved by every family in Ireland if they reduced their food waste and with business wasting twice as much as households, the scope for savings is enormous. There are a number of practical ways that people can reduce the amount of food they waste in their home, for example: - Make a shopping list and check what items you already have in stock before leaving the house - Plan your meals and use your freezer to keep food for later use - Don't overstock on basics the shops re-open very quickly after Christmas. Even in normal times 50% of salads, 25% of fruits and 20% of bread is thrown away. - Use up your left overs - Dispose of food waste correctly using the Brown Bin or home composting - Advice and more tips can be found on the EPAs website www.stopfoodwaste.ie There are also a number of ways businesses can reduce waste, such as: - Better stock management - Better storage - Using donation networks such as Food cloud - Tracking waste with the intention of reducing losses Advice and more tips can be found on the EPAs website for preventing food waste in business www.foodwastecharter.ie Glencar woman, Mary Clancy won a Sligo County Council Cathaoirleach 2018 Award recently for her outstanding voluntary work with the Irish Pilgrimage Trust over many years. Mary and her husband, Glenade native, John live in Sligo. She has been massively involved with the Irish Pilgrimage Trust since 1995 and has served in many roles in the Trusts North West Region over that period of time. Mary also runs the Irish Pilgrimage Friendship Trust week in Kilcuan, Co. Galway every summer. She joined the Irish Pilgrimage Friendship Trust Board of Trustees in 2009 and is the Board Secretary. Meantime the Irish Pilgrimage Trust is a registered charity in Ireland, and for over forty years the Trust has been travelling on pilgrimage/holiday to Lourdes with young people with special needs, from all over Ireland. The Trust has over 1200 people travelling at Easter time and it is divided into small groups of approx 10 young people and 12 volunteer carers who stay in one of the many hotels in Lourdes. Mary Clancy works as a Special Needs Assistant in Glencars Diffreen National School. On Friday the School expressed a big congratulations to our SNA Mary Clancy who won the Community/Individual award at the Sligo County Council Cathaoirleach Awards 2018. Mary was recognised for her years of tireless work with the Irish Pilgrimage Trust, LArche and Faith and Light and for making a huge difference in the lives of less fortunate adults and children with special needs. Read Also: Children's mass on Christmas eve in Manorhamilton We're sorry that the ministry you were looking for is no longer available on LightSource.com. However, below are some great ministries that offer related content. Enjoy the inspiration, encouragement, and Biblical challenge from these LightSource.com ministry partners! TRANSITION YEAR students of Gaelcholaiste Luimnigh enjoyed a day trip to the capital this week for the Politics Need Women centenary celebration. The Sir Harry Malls secondary school joined 15 other schools in the country after qualifying for the finals of the video competition, showing how to encourage young women into getting involved in politics. The event at the Convention Centre in Dublin featured a range of performances, talks and interviews addressing the question of why politics needs women. Speakers include female role models of Irish politics including former President Mary McAleese, former Tanaisti Mary Coughlan, Joan Burton and Frances Fitzgerald. Accompanying the students was History and Irish teacher Ms Sarah OConnor who was proud of her students efforts in the video competition. They really enjoyed it, and were delighted to listen to Mary McAleese; when she came out she was like a popstar to them. We really enjoyed the day, and it was such an honour and privilege to be the only school from Limerick, so it was brilliant, Ms OConnor recollected. Photo: The Canadian Press For the past 25 years, Edward Sonshine has been known as Canada's shopping mall king. Now, the chief executive of one of the country's largest real estate investment trusts wants to be known for something else too: housing. "It's not me that changes," Sonshine said in an interview at RioCan REIT's head office in Toronto. "Change in our strategy has always been a reaction to the world changing, business changing, the economy changing." Since it was founded in 1993, RioCan has built a portfolio of about 250 properties of retail, warehouse and office properties. For the past year, the company has been eyeing how it could better use the prime locations of its retail and plaza malls, many of which sit on existing or soon-to-be built transit lines. Sonshine said it was a no-brainer for RioCan to turn these retail outlets into mixed-use properties by adding rental units and office space to meet a growing demand for housing, especially in the country's biggest cities. Last month, Canada Mortgage Housing Corp. reported that demand for rental housing continues to outpace supply due to growth in immigration, the senior population and millennials. "When you make it harder for people to buy, they are going to rent. They have to live somewhere," said Sonshine. "The population of big cities continues to grow. We look at it as, the rental market has nowhere to go but be good." Sonshine says the shift is serendipitous because the company is already looking to reduce its exposure to retail, as consumer habits continue to move towards online shopping instead of shopping at a big-box mall. "There is no question in my mind that the demand for retail space over the next five to 10 years will not grow," he said. Sonshine said this first crystallized for him in 2015 when the company's major tenant, U.S. retailer Target, announced it was shutting down its Canadian locations. Since then, RioCan has been pulling out of cities like London, Ont., and Grande Prairie, Alta., and reinvesting in the country's six major urban markets, where it projects the biggest growth. By 2020, RioCan wants more than 90 per cent of its rental income to be generated by properties located in these big cities, up from the current 75 per cent now. There are currently eight purpose-built rental projects, or 2,300 units, under construction in Toronto, Ottawa and Calgary. The first two developments will launch in the first quarter and the summer of 2019. Within five years, Sonshine sees RioCan's portfolio being made up of 10 per cent residential properties, five per cent office properties with the vast remainder still coming from the retail market. Photo: The Canadian Press People walk up the steps even though the U.S. National Archives is closed during government shutdown. Both sides in the long-running fight over funding President Donald Trump's U.S.-Mexico border wall appear to have moved toward each other, but a shutdown of one-fourth of the federal government entered Christmas without a clear resolution in sight. In fact, a top White House official warned the shutdown could stretch into January. Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, who is also the budget director, said he was waiting to hear from Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York about a counteroffer the White House presented Schumer over the weekend. Mulvaney would only say the offer was between Trump's $5.7 billion request and $1.3 billion Democrats have offered. "We moved off of the five and we hope they move up from their 1.3," Mulvaney said less than a day after a senior administration official insisted that Congress would have to cave into Trump's demand for the shutdown to end, highlighting Trump's unpredictable negotiating style. Schumer's office said the parties remained "very far apart." Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., argued for increased use of technology along the border instead of "some medieval wall." Asked whether he's willing to offer more money as long as it is not spent on a wall, Durbin responded: "Absolutely." A stalemate over the wall led parts of the government to shut down Saturday after funding for numerous departments and agencies expired. The closure affects hundreds of thousands of federal workers across the country and was expected to last at least through Thursday, when the House and Senate meet again. Monday and Tuesday, Christmas Eve and Christmas, respectively, are federal holidays, meaning the government would have been closed anyway. That means Wednesday is the first day the public could begin to feel the effects of lost government services, Mulvaney said. He predicted the shutdown could go into January, when Democrats assume control of the House based on their midterm election gains. Justin Goodman, a spokesman for Schumer, countered: "If Director Mulvaney says the Trump Shutdown will last into the New Year, believe him, because it's their shutdown." Trump recently declared he'd be "proud" to shut down the government over border issues. Democrats held firm Sunday in opposition to a wall, which Trump promised his political base he would build. Mulvaney said "the president's not going to not accept money for a border wall." Trump tweeted Sunday, the shutdown's second day, that what's needed is "a good old fashioned WALL that works," not aerial drones or other measures that "are wonderful and lots of fun" but not the answer to address drugs, gangs, human trafficking and other criminal elements entering the country. He put off plans to spend Christmas at his Florida estate and remained in Washington. Track Santa's progress with the help of NORAD's annual Live Santa Tracker. The North American Aerospace Defence Command tradition has been going since 1955, long before live-streaming video on the internet. On Dec. 24, 1948, the U.S. Air Force issued a communique claiming that an "early warning radar net to the north" had detected "one unidentified sleigh, powered by eight reindeer, at 14,000 feet, heading 180 degrees." That is believed to have been the genesis of the annual event. Then, in 1955, a misprinted Sears department store ad telling kids they could call Santa apparently led to a call to NORAD's predecessor, the Colorado Springs Continental Air Defence Command. Seizing on a Cold War public relations opportunity, commanders issued a press release stating: "CONAD, Army, Navy and Marine Air Forces will continue to track and guard Santa and his sleigh on his trip to and from the U.S. against possible attack from those who do not believe in Christmas." In the 1980s, NORAD published a hotline number children could call to get updates on Santa's progress. Today, volunteers still take calls and handle thousands of calls and emails from around the world. Photo: Facebook Thieves struck while the power was out at a volunteer fire station in Qualicum Beach. Someone broke into Dashwood Volunteer Fire Department's storage seacan over the weekend, taking off with fuel, a mountain bike that was being stored for a Christmas present, and other equipment, CTV News reports. The fuel had been stockpiled to power generators and fire trucks during the ongoing electrical outage following last week's severe windstorm. Because the power was out, surveillance cameras were inoperative. More than 20,000 customers remain without power. with files from CTV Vancouver Island A kid in France transcribed parts of the Hebrew book of Genesis and the Arabic-language Quran, into DNA and injected them into his body one text into each thigh. Adrien Locatelli, a 16-year-old high school student, posted a paper Dec. 3 on the preprint server OS, in which he claimed, "It is the first time that someone injects himself macromolecules developed from a text." Locatelli, a student at the boarding school Lycee les Eaux Claires in Grenoble, France, told Live Science that he didnt need any special equipment for his project. [10 Amazing Things Scientists Have Done with CRISPR] "I just needed to buy saline solution and a syringe because VectorBuilder sent me liquid and ProteoGenix sent me powder," he told Live Science. VectorBuilder is a company that creates viruses that can sneak DNA strands into cells for gene-editing purposes. ProteoGenix synthesizes, among other things, custom strands of DNA. Both companies primarily serve scientists, but their products are available to anyone who purchases them. If you saw the texts that Locatelli injected into his body, they wouldnt look like much. DNA is just a long molecule that can store information. Mostly, it stores the information living things use to go about their business. But it can be used to store just about any kind of information that can be written down. Locatellis method for translating the texts into DNA was straightforward, if a bit crude. DNA encodes its information using repeating strings of four nucleotides, which scientists have abbreviated as A, G, T and C. Locatelli lined up each letter of the Hebrew and Arabic alphabets (which correspond closely to each other) with a nucleotide, so each nucleotide represented more than one letter. So if you were to write a Hebrew sentence using his scheme, every aleph, vav, yud, nun, tsade, and tav would become a G. Every dalet, khet, ayin, and resh would become a T. And so on. So, is this a good idea? Locatelli thinks so. "I did this experiment for the symbol of peace between religions and science," he said, adding, "I think that for a religious person it can be good to inject himself his religious text." Locatelli said he didnt experience any significant health problems following the procedure, though he reported some "minor inflammation" around the injection site on his left thigh for a few days. This account of only minimal complications fits with what Sriram Kosuri, a professor of biochemistry at UCLA, told Live Science. "[The injected texts] are unlikely to do anything except possibly cause an allergic reaction. I also don't know how likely the rAAV vector would be to make actual virus, given the way he injected. I honestly don't know enough about the vector he used and how he did it (details are scarce)," he wrote in a message. Originally published on Live Science. A fatal four-car crash early Sunday near San Francisco International Airport shut down northbound Highway 101 lanes for five hours, authorities said. California Highway Patrol officers responded at 3:30 a.m. to a report of a crash blocking all lanes on Highway 101 in San Bruno near the North Access Road exit. At least one person was killed in the collision, according to the CHP. The person was not immediately identified. The crash scattered debris across the roadway, prompting CHP to issue a traffic alert as crews cleaned up the scene. The alert was canceled at 8:31 a.m. Gwendolyn Wu is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @gwendolynawu A GoFundMe account has been set up for the family of a man who died in a three-vehicle collision Tuesday in Webb County. Sean Christopher Markey, 45, of San Antonio, was a father of four, husband, son and brother. Relatives said he was an attorney, a musician and a devout Catholic. "His faith and his family were the most important things to him," states the GoFundMe page. READ ALSO: Laredo toddler smiles through her battle with cancer It adds, "If you knew him at all, you knew that he was a wonderfully generous person with a large capacity for love. Please help his family while they go through this horrible tragedy." The GoFundMe had an original goal of $20,000 on Thursday. By Monday afternoon, the account had raised $20,470 and the goal has now been raised to $50,000. The crash occurred at about 9 a.m. near mile marker 25 on Interstate 35. RELATED: Officials ID 23-year-old killed in motorcycle crash in south Laredo State police said a truck-tractor semitrailer was traveling south on I-35 in the right lane, and when the vehicle moved to the left lane, a Honda Civic rear-ended the trailer, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. A Ford F-250 then rear-ended the Honda, caused more damage to the car, DPS said. The Ford rolled over several times after the impact, authorities said. The driver of the Ford was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Authorities identified the driver of the Honda as Markey. The Laredo Immigrant Alliance held a candlelight vigil at Tres Laredos Park on Friday night in honor of a Guatemalan girl who died Dec. 8 after she and her father were taken into Border Patrol custody in New Mexico. Jakelin Caal Maquin, 7, and her father were among a group of migrants who were apprehended as they crossed the border. She fell ill on the 90-minute bus ride and was then flown to a hospital where she died. "Laredo Immigrant Alliance stands along with our border community to honor the life of young Jakelin," the group said. "While multiple groups await the autopsy and full investigation of young Jakelin, we mourn the loss of this life and other immigrant lives who arrive at our borders legally asking for asylum. READ MORE: Migrant father contradicts US officials, says his 7-year-old daughter who died in Border Patrol custody was given no water for 8 hours "This year we have seen the immigrant community impacted by the loss of Claudia Patricia Gomez Gonzalez and Roxana Hernandez, and other tragedies that impact health and safety." Gonzalez, a 20-year-old from Honduras, was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent on May 23 in Rio Bravo. According to Border Patrol, the agent opened fire when a group of undocumented immigrants ignored his verbal commands and rushed him. Hernandez, a transgender Honduran woman, died in May while in custody of ICE. She had come to the United States as part of a caravan of Central American migrants. She reportedly died from HIV-related complications. Attorneys for Nery Caal said Wednesday he and his 7-year-old Guatemalan daughter were given cookies but no water after the two turned themselves in to U.S. Border Patrol agents in a remote New Mexico area, refuting earlier claims by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. "What we do know and what our client is unequivocal about is that no water was provided to either him or his daughter," said Chris Benoit, one of a group of attorneys representing Caal, who was not present during the news conference. Attorneys also questioned why Jakelin did not get medical treatment immediately after she became "visibly ill" a day earlier, before she and her father were put on a bus to a facility. The attorneys' water claim contradicted statements by Homeland Security, which has said the migrants "had access to food, water and restrooms." On Tuesday, 12 congressional Democrats retraced the journey the Caals took, from Antelope Wells, N.M., to Lordsburg, N.M., and on to El Paso. READ ALSO: A Look at the Immigration Crisis Through Photographs Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., said there was "no running water, no area to bathe, no water to cook" and only "two port-a-potties, not just for the agents, but for the hundreds of undocumented immigrants and for asylum-seekers that are coming in as well" at the pavilion where the immigrants were kept until the were bused. Meanwhile, Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio and chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, accused the Border Patrol of violating policy on reporting deaths in custody by not revealing the death of Jakelin in a timely manner. This week he called for the resignation of Customs and Border Protection commissioner Kevin McAleenan, an appointee of President Donald Trump. The Dallas Morning News contributed to this report. A shooting at a holiday gathering of off-duty Prince George's County, Maryland, police officers was accidental "jackassery," Chief Hank Stawinski said in a statement Saturday, and eight of the 11 police officers who were suspended after the incident are back on duty. Three officers remain suspended with pay as the investigation into last week's incident continues. The 11 officers were at a party at a private home in Brandywine on Dec. 15. At one point, one of the officers was handling a privately owned weapon and it discharged, the police said. The bullet hit the officer in the hand, then ricocheted and grazed another officer's leg, the department said. Both officers were airlifted to hospitals by helicopter and were released the next day. The statement said officials believe there was no ill intent involved. But Stawinski said the shooting was cause for concern. "I was relieved when it was confirmed that neither of the officer's injuries was serious, but I was and remain disappointed in the jackassery that led to this incident, which has negatively impacted the injured and involved officers, their families, and our community," the chief said in a statement. "I expect the women and men of this institution to serve as examples to others." Two of the three officers who are suspended are assigned to the Emergency Services Team. The third is assigned to the Bureau of Investigations. The department has not said whether the home where the shooting occurred was owned by an officer or whether there were civilians at the party. Nor have officials said whether alcohol was involved. "It was a holiday party," spokeswoman Jennifer Donelan said last week. "I'm not going to be naive and assume that there wasn't, but . . . whether or not alcohol was involved is definitely part of that investigation." Turkey's military deployed hundreds of vehicles and troops in areas surrounding a northwestern Syrian town that Ankara has long pushed the U.S. to clear of Kurdish militant groups. The convoy of around 200 vehicles, including howitzers, armored personnel carriers and artillery, advanced to reinforce the military's presence in areas close to Manbij, TRT said on Sunday. They were joined by forces of the Free Syrian Army, which has backed Turkish offensives against Syrian Kurdish militants, state-run Anadolu Agency said Monday. Turkish state media broadcast video from the outskirts of Manbij, located on the western flank of the Euphrates River that splits northern Syria roughly into two halves. The town was a source of tension between the U.S. and Turkey because Ankara accused Washington of stalling on a June agreement to push Kurdish forces away from the area. Since then Turkey has repeatedly vowed to capture Manbij and to extend its offensive against the Kurds eastwards, but U.S. troops in the region were a major obstacle to carrying out a military operation. President Donald Trump's abrupt decision to withdraw forces disappointed the Kurds and left them exposed to the Turkish military. Under President Barack Obama, the U.S. decided its most reliable ally in the fight against Islamic State in Syria was the Kurdish militant group YPG, and gave it extensive support. Sunday's military deployment could mark a rapid change in the dynamics between the two countries after Trump announced American forces would quit Syria following a Dec. 14 phone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Trump said he had a "long and productive" call with Erdogan on Sunday, tweeting that they discussed "the slow & highly coordinated pullout of U.S. troops from the area. After many years they are coming home." The two men also discussed expanded trade, Trump said. Erdogan said he'd "provide all kinds of support to the United States, its NATO ally" in the anti-terrorism campaign in Syria, according to a readout of the call published by Turkey. The two leaders agreed to maintain coordination to avoid a power vacuum in the war-torn country, Turkey said. Trump's decision to withdraw drew cautious optimism from Turkish officials. While indicating an end to American support for the YPG, the withdrawal could also pave the way for a power grab by Iran and Russia, the two other key actors in the Syrian civil war. No U.S. presence would make Russian President Vladimir Putin an even more pivotal figure in resolving the Syrian war and strengthen his hand across the Middle East. Trump's declaration fulfills a long-standing Russian demand for a U.S. withdrawal from Syria. In 2015, when the Syrian Democratic Forces were created under U.S. auspices to fight Islamic State, Kurdish YPG members formed its backbone. French President Emmanuel Macron Sunday praised the SDF's role in combating the jihadists. "We must not forget what we owe them," Macron said Sunday on a visit to Chad. He said he regrets Trump's pullout decision. The SDF is dominated by Syrian Kurds, but it also includes Arab forces. France offered to mediate between Turkey and the SDF this year but Turkey rejected dialogue, citing the SDF's affiliation with the PKK, which has fought the Turkish state for autonomy for decades and is designated a terrorist group by both the U.S. and EU. TRT said Sunday that the U.S. has already pulled out all of the 300 to 400 soldiers it had in Manbij but Kurdish forces remained in their positions. The broadcaster said the additional troops and military vehicles were sent to reinforce areas that were already in Turkey's sphere of influence after a previous military operation called Euphrates Shield. Sunday's deployment is another sign that Erdogan has managed to become a more central player both in Middle Eastern politics and U.S. foreign policy, capitalizing on an American president eager to fulfill promises to extricate troops from quagmires. Just months earlier, Trump and Erdogan were facing off over new American tariffs, Turkey's refusal to release an American pastor and demands that the U.S. extradite a cleric it believes was behind a failed 2016 coup. - - - Bloomberg's Angelina Rascouet contributed. Washington A top White House official signaled Sunday that President Donald Trump is willing to accept less money than he's been demanding to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall, but a senior congressional Democrat said that, while their own offer could be sweetened, they still will not agree to a wall. The back and forth across the television airwaves did little to inspire hope that a Christmas season closure of some federal government operations would end later this week, when the House and Senate are scheduled to meet again. In fact, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney warned that the shutdown could stretch into January, when a new Congress is seated. Mulvaney, who also runs the White House budget office, said he's awaiting a response from Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer after the administration on Saturday presented Schumer with a counteroffer in the long-running dispute over funding the wall. Mulvaney withheld specifics but placed the offer at between Trump's $5.7 billion request and $1.3 billion Democrats are offering. "We moved off of the five and we hope they move up from their 1.3," Mulvaney said. The director's comment about the president's softening stance came less than 24 hours after a senior administration official insisted to reporters on Saturday that Congress give into Trump's demands, highlighting the unpredictable nature of Trump's negotiating style. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., argued instead for increasing the use of technology along the border instead of building "some medieval wall." Asked whether he's willing to increase the price tag as long as the money is not spent on a wall, Durbin responded: "Absolutely." A stalemate over the wall led parts of the government to shut down Saturday after funding for numerous departments and agencies expired. The closure, affecting hundreds of thousands of federal workers across the country, was expected to last at least through late this week after the House and Senate, which each met in a rare weekend session, adjourned until Thursday. Monday and Tuesday, Christmas Eve and Christmas, respectively, are federal holidays, meaning the federal government would already be closed. Wednesday is the first day the public could begin to feel the effects of a shutdown, Mulvaney said. "It's very possible that this shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress," he said. Justin Goodman, a spokesman for Schumer, countered: "If Director Mulvaney says the Trump Shutdown will last into the New Year, believe him, because it's their shutdown." Democrats held firm Sunday in opposition to a wall, which Trump promised to his political base would be built. Mulvaney said that "the president's not going to not accept money for a border wall." Trump faced resistance from some Republicans. Retiring Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, who has criticized Trump on other issues, called the battle for border wall funding a "made-up fight so the president can look like he's fighting." "This is something that is unnecessary. It's a spectacle. And, candidly, it's juvenile. The whole thing is juvenile," Corker said in arguing for real measures that he maintains will secure the border better than a wall. Trump tweeted Sunday that what's needed is "a good old fashioned WALL that works," not aerial drones or other measures that "are wonderful and lots of fun" but not the answer to address drugs, gangs, human trafficking and other criminal elements entering the country. Across the country, the shutdown played out in uneven ways. The Statue of Liberty remained open for tours, thanks to New York state, and the U.S. Postal Service, an independent agency, was still delivering mail. But the routines of 800,000 federal employees were about to be disrupted. More than half are deemed essential and are expected to work without pay, through retroactive pay is expected. Another 380,000 were to be furloughed, meaning they will not report to work but would be paid later. Legislation ensuring that workers receive back pay was expected to clear Congress. Trump was staying in Washington for Christmas because of the shutdown, the White House said. Local News, Business & Finance, Press Releases, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: December 24 2018 State, as It Has During Previous Shutdowns in 2013 and January 2018, to Ensure Key Sites Remain Open. New York, NY - December 24, 2018 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the State will intervene in order to keep the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island open in the face of a federal government shutdown. Throughout the duration of the shutdown, the State will fully fund National Park Service personnel and costs of operations at the cost of $65,000 per day as it has during previous shutdowns in 2013 and this past January in order to keep the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island open to visitors. As a result, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island will be open tomorrow, and remain open every day except December 25, weather permitting. "We will not allow President Trump's repugnant symbol of division close the true representations of who we are as a state and a nation," Governor Cuomo said. "As we've done before when Washington's dysfunction has shut down the government, New York will step up and ensure the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island remain open for the world to look to for strength and hope during this tumultuous time." Under an agreement with the Department of the Interior, the State will pay to reopen the park as the federal shutdown continues. The park will be fully open and functioning as usual. The State will pay the federal government $65,000 for each day that the park is open. The Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island have a major impact on the New York State economy. According to an annual report by the National Park Service, 4.5 million people visited Liberty Island in 2016, generating $263.2 million in visitor spending per year and supporting 3,400 jobs, with an economic output of $364 million. A Hyde Park man has been arrested after police say he chased a man into an alleyway in Mattapan and stabbed him. Boston police were called to the area of 760 Cummins Highway just before 12:30 a.m. Monday and found a man suffering from a stab wound. The victim told officers that he was approached by a man he knew, Boston police said in a statement. The suspect confronted the victim, punched him and chased him into the alleyway, police said. Then the suspect allegedly stabbed the victim. Police said the victim was taken to the hospital with injuries that are not considered life-threatening. Officers located the suspect, identified as Herbert Bousseau, 43, of Hyde Park, the statement said. Bousseau is being charged with assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon and is scheduled to be arraigned in Dorchester District Court, police said. SPRINGFIELD Interest in locating marijuana shops in Springfield continues to grow, with separate community meetings scheduled in January for proposed recreational cannabis stores in the downtown and Pine Point areas, the latter of which is headed by a prominent developer in Springfield. Laura Amato, of Nyack, New York, owner of Hennepx LLC, is proposing to open a retail marijuana business at 15 Hampden St., in the downtown. A community outreach meeting is scheduled Jan. 15, at 5:30 p.m., at the proposed location, which is part of the Patton Building at 15-19 Hampden St. And Debilitating Medical Condition Treatment Centers Inc. is proposing to open a retail marijuana shop at 700 Berkshire Ave., in Pine Point, near Harvey Street. The company president is Heriberto Herbie Flores, who is also president of the New England Farm Workers' Council. Debilitating Medical Condition Treatment Centers Inc. plans to have a community outreach meeting on Jan. 8, at 7 p.m., at the Aquarius club, 1217 State St. The proposed Hampden Street shop is in a building with other businesses including the dental offices of Dr. Richard Elfman, who owns the building. The proposed shop is a few buildings away from another proposed retail marijuana shop at 1665 Main St., the former Hampden Bank headquarters. Ezra Parzybok, of Greenglove Consulting LLC, of Northampton, who works as a consultant for Amato, provided notice of the meeting on Friday. Amato plans to move to Springfield if her shop application is successful, Parzybok said. Any retail marijuana shops in Springfield will need approval from the mayor, City Council and the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, with a requirement to first conduct a community meeting. The company would later need a public hearing and special permit from the City Council, among other requirements. The City Council approved an ordinance in September that allows up to 15 marijuana stores in Springfield. The shops are only allowed in business and industrial zones and only on 58 designated streets in those zones. The community meeting at 15 Hampden St., "will be an opportunity for the public to ask questions about our facility and our plans for following local and state regulations," the notice said. "Parking at the public lot on the side of the building will be validated. The Hampden Street location is a small commercial space, with a large commercial window, and will have "more of an upscale, quiet, older generation feel to it," Parzybok said. John Lysak, president of the Pine Point Community Council, said he encourages all residents, including neighborhood residents and people in surrounding neighborhoods who will be affected by the shop, to attend the meeting on Debilitating Medical Condition Treatment Centers' proposal. The meeting will include discussion of: the type of business planned on Berkshire Avenue; plans for security; plans for diversion of minors; measures to positively impact the community; and plans to prevent nuisances, the neighborhood council said. Beyond the two shops proposed downtown and the one proposed on Berkshire Avenue, businesses have presented preliminary plans for recreational marijuana stores at 1021 Main St., in the South End, and at 732 Cottage St., in East Springfield. PITTSFIELD - A fourth man has been charged in an August shooting at the Ashley Reservoir in Washington that left a teenager critically injured. Christopher J. Frazier, 19, of Pittsfield, was charged with armed assault with intent to murder, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily harm, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, armed kidnapping causing serious bodily injury, malicious damage to a motor vehicle and two counts of assault and battery, said Frederick Lantz, spokesman for Berkshire District Attorney Paul Caccaviello. Frazier was arraigned on Christmas Eve in Berkshire Superior Court. Not guilty pleas were entered and Judge Daniel Ford ordered him held without right to bail, he said. Frazier was named as the shooter in the August 21 attack. Law enforcement officials accuse him and three other men of kidnapping the 19-year-old man, a 21-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman. The other two victims were also assaulted. The woman and one of the suspects, Kevin Nieves, 19, of Pittsfield, had previously been in a relationship but broke up, and he was apparently still upset about it. When she and her two friends attempted to leave the party at the Ashley Reservoir at October Mountain State Forest, they were attacked by a group, held against their will and at some point shots were fired, officials said. Nieves was arrested the next day and charged with intent to murder, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, including one causing serious bodily injury, two counts of kidnapping while armed, two counts of assault and battery, and single counts of illegal possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in commission of a felony. He is also charged with malicious damage to a motor vehicle. Luis A. Delvalle-Rodriguez, 23 and Daquan M. Douglas, 24, of Pittsfield, were arrested in October and face the same charges. Nieves and Delvalle-Rodriguez have been held without bail since their arraignments. Bail was set at $10,000 for Douglas. The investigation is being conducted by Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the District Attorneys Office, the state police Crime Scene Services and Ballistics Sections, forensic scientists assigned to the state police Crime Laboratory, state troopers from the Lee and Cheshire barracks, members of the Pittsfield, Dalton, Washington and Hinsdale Police Departments and the Berkshire County Sheriffs Department, Lantz said. HATFIELD -- A suspect accused of robbing a bank on Christmas Eve was arrested after a branch of a tree where he was hiding broke sending him into the hands of officers searching for him. A man robbed the Peoples United Bank, located on 22 West St., around 9:30 a.m., Monday, Hatfield Police officials said. After the crime the suspect fled the scene in a car and was chased on Interstate-91 south by Massachusetts State Police. The suspect pulled over, jumped out of the car and ran to a wooded area around Country Club Road in Holyoke, which is between Interstate-91 and Route 5, Northampton Police Chief Jody Kasper said. State troopers and police from Northampton, Holyoke and Easthampton spent several hours searching the area on foot for the suspect, she said. This afternoon, at approximately 12:52 p.m., the tree branch that the suspect was standing on broke, sending him to the ground, sack of stolen cash in hand, she said. The man tried to run away again but police chased and caught him and he was arrested, Kasper said. A state police spokeswoman confirmed there was a search and the suspect was arrested but refused to release details of the search or give the name of the suspect. Audio recordings show troopers spent at least two hours working in the woods near the Delaney House. At least one k9 officer was involved in the search. Hatfield Police were not available to give details about the robbery or to release the name of the suspect arrested. Its not your imagination. Lines at the Registry of Motor Vehicles did get longer last year. State officials are blaming the introduction of federal Real ID laws. The introduction of federally mandated Real ID presented challenges for the RMV and for customers in early 2018, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation wrote in an annual scorecard, released this month. Soon after Gov. Charlie Baker took office, transportation officials instituted a number of changes that significantly decreased RMV wait times. By the end of 2016, the Springfield RMV had seen the biggest improvement in the state. But some of that progress was rolled back in 2018. According to the MassDOT report, the percentage of customers waiting at RMV service centers for less than 30 minutes was 70 percent in fiscal 2018, a drop from 80 percent the prior year. The state had set a target of 80 percent. The report found that 12 percent of customers had to wait longer than an hour, exceeding the state target of 10 percent and tripling the 4 percent of customers who waited that long in fiscal 2017. The state attributes the long lines to the new federal rules requiring customers to present proof of residence and citizenship status in order to get a Real ID, a type of license that will be valid to use as a federal identification card. Customers had to be aware of the change, and RMV staff had to be trained to recognize and scan different types of documents. The state also implemented a new computer system to comply with the Real ID requirements. In Springfield, for example, from July 2017 through February 2018, the RMV had been serving at least 84 percent of customers in less than 30 minutes. In March, when the state started issuing Real ID licenses, the Springfield RMV served just 56 percent of customers in less than 30 minutes. The number of customers served in less than 30 minutes ranged from 44 percent to 65 percent in Springfield from March through June of 2018. Someone who called the states RMV call center for assistance had to wait, on average, around 19 minutes in fiscal 2018, a slight increase over the previous year. A 27-year-old Marblehead man was arrested on a slew of drug-related charges after police say he was pulled over for drunken driving early Saturday morning. Massachusetts State Police said Sean OConnor was stopped on Route 20 in Hancock around 3:15 a.m. after a trooper saw him driving under the speed limit with a headlight out. During the stop, police said they found what is believed to be heroin, cocaine, marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, LSD and ecstasy in his vehicle. State Police said OConnor also had brown wax THC, medical peanut butter with THC, $2,972.50 in cash and items consistent with the packaging and sale of drugs. He was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence of drugs, distribution of Class A, B, C and D drugs all for a subsequent offense and a headlight violation. OConnors bail was set at $5,000. He will be arraigned in Pittsfield District Court. SPRINGFIELD Police are seeking the publics help as they work to find a missing 46-year-old woman. Wanda Montanez was last seen driving a gold-colored Infiniti G35X with a partial license plate of 4N, Ryan Walsh, spokesman for Springfield police, said. Montanez, possibly heading to New York, ran out of gasoline on a highway, Walsh said. Its not known, however, which highway she was on. Montanez is approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs approximately 180 pounds. Additional information, including when and where Montanez was last seen, was not immediately available. Those with information are asked to call the departments non-emergency line at (413) 787-6302. BOSTON In a Christmas Eve vote, the Massachusetts House and Senate sent Gov. Charlie Baker a bill extending unemployment benefits for locked-out National Grid gas workers. Its truly a burden lifted off their shoulders if it goes through today and gets signed, said Joe Kirylo, president of one of the locked-out unions, United Steelworkers Local 12003. People dont realize how much all these 1,250 people are going through. The 1,250 steelworkers have been locked out of their jobs since June over a contract dispute. Their unemployment benefits are set to expire Jan. 14. The bill, which passed in sparsely attended informal sessions, had passed both the House and Senate last week, but needed a final vote to reach Bakers desk, which happened Monday morning. Baker has 10 days to review the bill and decide whether to sign it. If both sides come to an agreement during the time, the bill will no longer be necessary. Last Friday, National Grid and the two locked out unions released a joint statement saying they set a schedule for meeting and bargaining with shared intent to reach an agreement on a new contract by Friday, Dec. 28. The Baker-Polito Administration is grateful for the legislature acting quickly and will now carefully review the legislation while looking forward to both sides reaching a compromise to end the lockout this week, said Baker spokesman Brendan Moss. In the past, Baker has said he is conceptually supportive of the bill in order to protect the economic security of the workers, but he needs to make sure it conforms with federal and other state laws. While acknowledging that state involvement in a private labor dispute would be an unusual precedent, the governor said last week that National Grid has been given a state franchise with an obligation to serve its customers, and he is troubled that many customers are not being served because of the lockout. We do not want to see those 1,200 families end up on the wrong side of this if it doesnt end by the holidays, Baker said. If they dont fix this and resolve this, were going to make sure we come up with some means or mechanism that makes it possible for those folks to be able to pay their bills. National Grid opposes the bill. Legislation under consideration would upset the balance of collective bargaining for all employers in the Commonwealth with unionized workforces and singles out the gas and electric industry with punitive measures, said National Grid spokeswoman Christine Milligan. The bill would extend unemployment benefits for the workers for 26 weeks, or until the lockout ends, through the traditional unemployment insurance system, which is funded by payments from all employers. Although National Grid would not be directly assessed for the cost of the benefits, the extended benefits would affect how National Grids unemployment insurance rates are set going forward, so the company would pay more in the future. National Grid would be prohibited from recovering the costs by charging higher rates to its customers. Earlier versions of the bill would have created an entirely new benefits program, reimbursed by National Grid. But the bill was revised due to concerns about legality and implementation. House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop, said after the bills initial passage last week that he has concerns about the cost to other businesses that pay into the unemployment insurance fund, but his top priority now is ensuring relief for the National Grid workers and their families. Next session, the House will continue to explore solutions to ensure that our social safety net is not being leveraged as part of a private companys negotiation strategy; much less a large, publicly traded multi-national conglomerate that has been granted a monopoly by the Commonwealth, DeLeo said. Several National Grid steelworkers spent part of their Christmas Eve at the Statehouse waiting for the vote. Kirylo said the loss of health insurance and the financial pressures have been weighing on his members. College tuitions weigh on them, a car breaking down, their truck breaking down, even the cold weather coming in forces your heating bill to be so much more, Kirylo said. We have faith that the governor will do the right thing and (sign) the bill today, Kirylo said. Steelworker Chris Worley said it is very, very difficult going into Christmas being locked out of work. I have four young kids, and its been extremely difficult financially. Its been very, very tough, Worley said. Its very important that we get this bill passed so we continue to have unemployment (benefits), and I can somewhat continue to provide for my family. Were all nervous at this time of year because of Christmas and everything going on, added steelworker Dennis Brodie. Passing this bill will help us financially be able to pay our bills and get through Christmas and get on with the next year. Brodie said he is hopeful that the extension of unemployment benefits will put pressure on National Grid to make a better contract offer. They dont want us out all winter, and I think if were getting unemploymentthen I think theyll be more reasonable at the negotiating table, Brodie said. Milligan said the companys focus is firmly on reaching a deal at the bargaining table. There are no negotiations Monday and Tuesday, because of Christmas, but negotiations will resume Wednesday. NORTHAMPTON -- Former Hampshire College student and immigrant rights activist Eduardo Samaniego remains held at an immigration detention center in Georgia while he awaits a bond hearing, according to a representative from the Northampton-based Pioneer Valley Workers Center, where Samaniego worked. And according to a message on the center's Facebook page, senators, mayors and city councilors have penned more than 150 letters in his support for his motion for bond. The center is asking anyone interested in sending a personal letter to email lettersforeduardopvwc@gmail.com. A GoFundMe campaign to help pay his legal fees has raised more than $16,000, surpassing the $14,000 goal. The Pioneer Valley Workers Center reported earlier this month that Samaniego "went to family and friends for some needed rest, but instead has been caught up in the unjust immigration system. We are going to need all hands on deck to free him." Samaniego is reportedly being held in the Robert A. Deyton facility in Lovejoy, Georgia. The facility is used by both the U.S. Marshals Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A spokeswoman from the marshals office said she had no record and that Samaniego likely was being held by ICE. No one from ICE has returned a request for comment. According to an online post from a friend in early December, Samaniego "was arrested in mid-October for a misdemeanor, stemming from a misunderstanding with a taxi driver, and has been in jail in Georgia ever since. He was embarrassed and opted not to reach out to his community until only days ago. He is now asking that we share this story more broadly and ask for your help. We need to raise money for his bond and legal fees." Samaniego, an undocumented immigrant who came to the U.S. from Mexico when he was 16, graduated with honors as president of Junior Achievement of Georgia, president of the Hispanic Honor Society and the only National Society of High School Scholars gold medal winner in his class. Samaniego said in an earlier interview he couldn't go to college because he didn't have a Social Security number. In 2014, Hampshire gave him a four-year scholarship. Earlier this year Samaniego and 10 others marched 250 miles from New York to Washington as part of the National Walk for the DREAM Act, calling for legislation that can protect him and hundreds of thousands of others from deportation. Eduardo needs his community Eduardo is my mentor, friend and brother to me. He is a powerful immigrant rights... Posted by Karla Rojas on Saturday, December 1, 2018 We are at the office of Senator Maria Cantwell from Washington. She has issued a vague statement that says she supports Dreamers, this does not mean anything. We want Senator Maria Cantwell to say that she supports THE DREAM ACT LEGISLATION TO BE PASSED ALONG WITH A FUNDING BILL. Sign the petition urging Mass Senator Ed Markey to do the same! bit.ly/DreamActPetition Posted by Pioneer Valley Workers Center on Thursday, December 21, 2017 . EASTHAMPTON -- When the cannabis dispensary known as INSA opened its doors to recreational sales on Saturday, dozens were already lined up to buy -- and by all counts, the line moved quickly and efficiently. Over the course of the day, INSA served around 1,000 patrons "with little to no wait times," said CEO Mark Zatryka in an email. "I expect our customer base to continue to grow every day as word gets out about our fast-moving lines and premium products," Zatyrka said. The dispensary maintained separate queues for medical and recreational patients, and operated an express line for those picking up online orders. Traffic was directed to enter the mixed-use mill district parking lot via Pleasant Street, and leave via Ferry Street. The smooth rollout in Easthampton contrasted with congested first-day operations in Northampton and Leicester. At New England Treatment Access (NETA) in Northampton and at Cultivate in Leicester, patrons on Nov. 20 waited in line for hours and traffic clogged local streets. Cultivate served over a thousand patrons that day, and shut down its parking lot around 2:40 p.m. with hundreds still in line. Easthampton Police Chief Robert Alberti confirmed that he had received no complaints about INSA on Saturday, and that vehicular and pedestrian traffic moved right along. "There were no issues at all," said Alberti. "Traffic flowed smoothly, and our extensive planning was a success." He said the department had crafted a traffic management plan, and that INSA itself would continue to hire outside traffic details as needed. Mayor Nicole LaChapelle said her office had met with INSA and Alberti to craft protocols for handling any potential problems at the 122 Pleasant St. dispensary. "Nope," said LaChapelle in a text, when asked Monday if her office had received any complaints about the INSA cannabis operation. "We couldn't be happier with the rollout," said Zatyrka. "We will continue to work closely with the city and our neighbors to ensure our business has a positive impact on this community." INSA is open every day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. It will close at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and shut down for Christmas and New Year's Day. Its dispensary in Springfield remains reserved for medical marijuana patients. Northampton-based Mass Humanities announced it has distributed a new round of funding for a variety of programs designed to spark discussion of issues within specific communities in the state. "We were impressed by the range of relevant, dynamic projects in this round of applications," Executive Director Brian Boyles said. "Organizations around Massachusetts are responding to their communities through new approaches to the humanities. They're asking big questions, reaching new audiences and shedding new light on our shared history and culture." The National Endowment for the Humanities-affiliated non-profit has distributed approximately $475,000 during 2018 to a variety of humanities projects. In the latest round, Western Mass recipients included Historic Holyoke at Wistariahurst which received $14,500 for an oral history project and exhibit examining the lives and experiences of black residents during the second half of the 20th Century. Eggtooth Productions was awarded $7,500 for support a two-day event in Turners Falls focusing on issues of race, age, gender, religion, class and cultural identity that has been surppressed. The Olga Lengyel Institute for Holocaust Studies and Human Rights Institute received $12,209 for a teachers institute on the holocaust, genocide and human rights to be held at the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus. The UMass Amherst Labor Center received $15,000 for a film project to, "help local workers see their work lives as worthy of attention and part of a historic trajectory in which they are agents," according to the agency. The event includes a three-day digital storytelling workshop, conference and website showcasing the videos. Greater Boston recipients receiving fundind were: the UMass Boston CANALA Institute was awared $14,047 for a five-day summer teacher workshop "highlighting historic sites in Boston where communities of color struggled for recognition and inclusion in the social contract," the agency announced. Those communities include Deer Island, Prince Hall Masonic Lodge, Chinatown's Quincy Grammer School and Villa Victoria. Interlock Media in Cambridge received an award of $13,500 to support distribution of a documentary film called "CodeSwitching" exploring the cultural shifts students bused from urban to suburban schools as part of Boston's Metco program needed to negotiate. Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge received $3,000 for a series of after-event conversations about one-act plays written by the cemetery's Playwright Artist in Residence Patrick Gabridge. In central Massachusetts the Worcester Historic Museum received $15,000 for a project on the history of the LGBTQ+ community in the city, including oral histories and creation of an LGBTQ+ archive and educational program. The American Antiquarian Society was awarded $14,935 for an educational website on Isaiah Thomas, printer and American revolutionary. Clark University in Worcester received $14,998 to support ESL teachers in learning "Poetry Inside and Out," a translation-based approach to literary interpretation. On the South Coast of Massachusetts, the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center was awarded $6,960 to explore how changes in fishing technology affected the town's fishing community over time. LONGMEADOW - A proud Army veteran, and Purple Heart recipient. Survivor of a V-1 rocket attack in London during World War II. A local broadcasting pioneer who entertained children on live television in early days of WWLP. Samuel Edward "Ed" Hatch, a Longmeadow resident, was known as many things in his long life. To Alex Schneider, he was all of those things but more importantly he was Grandpa. "I remember him with his gray knit hat playing with us kids in the snow," he said. "He was a great grandpa in that sense." Hatch died over the weekend at age 93. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Freda Hatch. Funeral services were held at the Kodimoh Cemetery in West Springfield on Monday. People of a certain age may remember Hatch from his work on WWLP TV-22 in the early days of the local station. In the station's earliest days, Hatch was the host of "Uncle Ed's Fun Club," a daily children's show that was broadcast live Monday through Friday at 5 p.m., just before the network showing of Howdy Doody. In the early 1960s, he transitioned to to the role of a news anchor on WWLP for the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. nightly news programs. By 1963, he moved on from television and started a career with the Social Security Administration in Holyoke where he would work for more than 20 years. Hatch's daughter, Tracy Schneider, was born in 1962 and never saw her father in the role of Uncle Ed of Uncle Ed's Fun Club. "But I have cousins who are 10-15 years older who fondly remember him, and sitting and watching him," she said. "People of a certain age remember his show." He would draw sketches, tell stories, do simple skits. She said growing up, she imagined his show was like another, more famous, children's show, and that her father was similar to its star. "He was a kind of a Mr. Rogers," she said. She recalled visiting her parents from college when she was in her 20s. They would go out to eat somewhere, and other patrons of the restaurant would recognize him and come over to ask a question. "Aren't you Uncle Ed? Weren't you on TV?" Well into his 70s, she said, her father had "a very distinctive voice for radio and television." Alex Schneider said his grandfather loved to tell stories. "He would say 'old soldiers never die; they just keep telling war stories," Schneider said. Some of them reflected were about the early days of television and revealed a goofy sense of humor that was likely a natural fit on a kid's show. ("If Mississippi wore her New Jersey, what would Delaware? Ida-no. Al-aska!") But other stories were pretty serious, like his experiences in the war with the Army's 130th Chemical Processing Company and his service around the world in England, France, and the Philippines. On July 3, 1944, just days before his 20th birthday, Hatch narrowly survived a devastating attack by a German V-1 flying bomb that struck in Sloane Court East in the Chelsea section of London. It killed 74 members of his company include one of his good friends, Theodore Booras of Lynn. It was the greatest single loss of U.S. service personnel in a V-1 attack, and the second worst V-1 attack in England. The V-1, known as a "'buzz bomb' was an early form of a cruise missile. Launched by the Nazis from the European mainland, they would fly pilotless toward targets in England. From 1944 until the end of the war, they wreaked havoc on London. Schneider said that as his grandfather told the story, he and Booras had been assigned to clean-up duty for the week. They had agreed to alternate days of when each would haul trash to the basement of their building. On the day of the attack, it was Booras' turn, and Hatch went outside to board a truck to go to another detail. Only he was running behind by the time he got outside the truck was full and there was no room for him to get on. That's when someone yelled "buzz bomb!" Hatch would describe running to look for cover when the force of the explosion sent him flying into a building. Everyone on the truck was killed, and their quarters building collapsed, killing Booras. Schneider said his grandfather would always tell the story, expressing what would be called "survivor's guilt." "He would said 'It could have been me.' He always thought about it." Hatch, over the years, would write several letters to the editor to the Lynn Item, Booras's hometown paper. In the letters, he recall who Booras was and the circumstances leading up to how he died. In 2013, a video was posted on Youtube of Hatch choking up as he recited a letter he had written about Booras. "I ask you to pause and honor his memory. He was a fine young man from lynn with great potential ... He was my friend and army buddy." Alex Schneider said that for as long as his grandfather was alive, he wanted people to remember Booras. It was very important to him. Hearing the stories of the attack from his grandfather led Schneider in 2010 to set up a web page, "A Memorial to Those who Served," that details the attack 66 years earlier. Details of the attack itself were not made public during the war due to wartime censorship. The website relies on Army records, the memories of Hatch and other survivors, and his letters to his family. Tracy Schneider said her father over the last several years experienced a decline in health that included dementia. In August last year, he was able to take part in a ceremony on the Longmeadow town green honoring town residents who had been awarded a Purple Heart. He was one of two World War II vets to take part. A photo that accompanied The Republican article shows Hatch, seated in a wheelchair, beside his wife. The Purple Heart is pinned to his jacket. She said her father was aware of the ceremony, and was thrilled to take part in it. "He was always proud. He was a very proud veteran," she said. After three decades in Washington, U.S. Representative Richard Neal is one of the most powerful men in American politics. The incoming Democratic majority in the House of Representatives comes with the Springfield Democrat assuming the chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee. That body is charged with overseeing tax, trade and other revenue-based policies. In short, the flow of money through Congress goes through Ways and Means. Its simply one of the most influential committees in the federal government. Neals ascent brought national headlines, but for a reason uncommon to the position. He says he will request President Trumps tax documents, which Trump has steadfastly refused to release. As chairman, Neal has the power to make that request. Whether he can force Trump to actually do so is improbable or, at the very least, unclear. Its safe to assume the president will not comply with the request, though Neal has described the issue in olive-branch terms by saying hes hopeful the president will voluntarily submit his forms. If he doesnt, legal action could follow. The president could clear up a lot by agreeing to Neals request, but its flawed thinking to look at Neals position in one-issue terms. The former Springfield mayor does not. He said he will oppose efforts to privatize Social Security and cut Medicare. He will also seek to protect health care coverage for pre-existing conditions. He promises to put families first as the Democratic House prepares to provide the political check-and-balance Trumps first two years did not contain, when Republicans controlled both houses of Congress. For Neal to attain such prominence while the federal government is crippled by partisanship is ironic. Liberal on many issues, the 69-year-old Springfield native has nonetheless developed a reputation for skillful bipartisan legislation. He often speaks of the need for cooperation from both sides of the aisle and his record reflects that commitment. His style differs from that of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose combative reactions to Trumps policies attract a loyal constituency but also raise questions of whether her intransigence is interfering with effectiveness and results. Neals early comments suggest that as Ways and Means chairman, he would prefer to work toward practical solutions and avoid political showdowns. Thats the right approach, and one desperately needed in Washington. But will it work? Not only does he have no choice politically but to pursue Trumps tax returns, he speaks as someone who believes he should. Will that interfere with Neals better skill of bridge building and solution-based management? Will it consolidate his support among Democrats who control the House and stand ready to put a halt to Trumps domination of policy? And lets not even talk about impeachment - yet. But the House Democrats may, and even though that is not a Ways and Means issue, Neals elevated profile will put him on a stage he has so far purposely avoided. Because of its place in the process of government revenue flow, the impact of the House Ways and Means Committee touches just about every aspect of American society. Richard Neal has spent his entire career, working for causes that offer government support to American families who need it. He now has levers of government granted only a special few. His track record makes his well-suited for the job. Whether political partisanship in Washington, and particularly the tax-return request, inhibit his efforts remains to be seen, but its reassuring that this former city official from Springfield has never forgotten where he came from. As chairman of Ways and Means, he now has the chance to help millions of American families who are trying to get by every day, in more or less the same circumstances he once did. Some of my better friends are Trump supporters. They are good people. They wont like this, and I worry I will lose some as friends - but then, if you lose someone, just for being honest, maybe they werent friends in the first place. Folks, I may have underestimated your guy. I didnt think any one person could ruin the United States of America. Now Im not so sure. Two years of President Donald Trump have produced the roller coaster we should have expected. People who thought this 70-something big shot would change from reckless campaigner to skilled world leader must have heard that theory from the Easter Bunny. Every country needs a wakeup call or even a shakeup at times, but Trump also inherited the system of checks and balances that, if youll excuse the theft of a slogan, make America great. The Constitution is strong. It is designed to keep the mistakes and overrreach of any one body, and certainly any one individual, from spoiling it for everybody. Trumps orchestrated government shutdown over his prized border wall has me wondering if even the Founding Fathers are about to be flattened by this guy. Even if you believe a wall is the right solution to our immigration problems, which I dont, it is not a reason to deeply wound parts of agencies needed to run this country properly - including Justice, Treasury and one youd think hed like best, the Department of Homeland Security. His defenders say Trump promised a wall and by golly, he wont break that promise. This is nonsense for a lot of reasons, foremost being that he also promised Mexico would pay for it, whereas now hes expecting the American taxpayers to pony up $5 billion in startup costs. The argument that people voted for Trump because of the wall is specious. His appeal was more visceral and more complicated than any single issue. It was a wide swath of America saying weve had it and latching on to a guy who didnt care about Washingtons business-as-usual style that had created an American royalty in the Beltway (and yes, among media), and was as fed up with politically correct scoldings as they were. Understood. And not everything Trump says or does means Armageddon, which is what soon-to-be-again House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called his 2017 tax reform plan, for instance. Trump rejected the studies of a dozen of his own administrations departments to refute climate change. Where hes hiding his own degree in environmental science is a mystery, but if hes wrong - which almost every respected scientist says he is - it wont cost us until our children and grandkids have to deal with the mess. Partially shutting down government because he cant get his way on one issue, though, is not just infantile. Its scary. It brings to mind Barack Obamas comparison to laborers who ask for a raise. You can ask, he said, but if you dont get one, it doesnt give you the excuse to come in and break the equipment. Trump has no problem breaking the equipment. The economic juggernaut that Trump says was his own doing has floundered amid the worst stock market plunge in decades. Thats not the worlds end, though its more than irritating that Trump cloaked himself with praise when the Dow was soaring but now blames Democrats when its not - or more often, avoids talking about it at all. Supposedly the master of the deal, Trump said hed been preparing for something as big as a trade deal with China all of his life. It looked like he was getting there until the ball was fumbled inside the 10, leaving the world to wonder what would come next. Were talking policy here, not presentation. Ive given up hope that Trump supporters would see the insidious damage of encouraging mainstream hate with bizarre tweets, impulsive reactions and a revolving door of associates, coming and going at his behest or by their own choice. Im also not talking about the legal vultures swirling ever closer. To Trumps supporters, it will always be someone elses fault, which makes sense because thats how he sees it, too. The wall tantrum is different. Whatever its value, it is not worth shutting down chunks of American government over it. Probably no single issue is. The essentially unsolvable nature of this issue - a president demanding it no matter what, an incoming Democratic House that will never give in to it, a public that wants immigration reform but not necessarily this - and that Trump is not only unbothered by the shutdown but says hes proud of it - makes me wonder if one man can indeed ruin the United States. Sorry, Trump fans. You can get hysterical or even hate me, though I hope not. But when youre done, tell me if damaging Homeland Security (and at least nine other agencies) is worth a fight over one funding issue. And tell me if anything in the words above, about a man you so admire, is inaccurate or untrue. Angelo Colon-Ortiz, the man accused of killing Vanessa Marcotte while she was jogging in Princeton in 2016, claims that a language barrier led him to provide a DNA sample to State Police investigators without him giving voluntary consent. State Police investigators who were searching for Marcottes killer went to Colon-Ortizs residence in Worcester on March 16, 2017, to obtain Colon-Ortizs DNA through a cheek swab test. But Colon-Ortiz, through his attorney Edward P. Ryan Jr., has filed a motion to suppress that DNA evidence. The defendant claims the troopers who went to his home to collect the sample did not get his knowing and voluntary consent for the sample and seized the DNA without a search warrant or probable cause, according to the motion, which was filed in Worcester Superior Court on Dec. 14. Marcotte, a 27-year-old Google employee who lived in New York, was visiting her mothers home in Princeton in August 2016 when she went out for a jog. She never returned home, and her body was found on Aug. 7 in the woods off Brooks Station Road, not far from her mothers home. Colon-Ortiz was indicted for murder last year and has pleaded not guilty. In an affidavit in support of the motion to suppress, Colon-Ortiz wrote that while he is a United States citizen, he was born in Puerto Rico and he does not speak, read or understand English. Colon-Ortiz wrote that on March 16, 2017, two big white officers" from the State Police went to his residence with someone else who spoke a version of Spanish that was strange to me. His girlfriend, Rachel Lozada-Vega, had to assist in translating between the Spanish speaker and Colon-Ortiz, the affidavit reads. I had only recently returned to my home from work when the officers arrived at my home. I was tired, the affidavit reads. They stated that they were investigating all Latinos in Massachusetts and were looking for a black vehicle. At this point Rachael, who I refer to as my wife, stated that her vehicle was green. The troopers asked if Colon-Ortiz was familiar with Princeton and said they were performing DNA testing in connection with a murder there, according to the affidavit. I was given a piece of paper to sign, the affidavit reads. I did not read it and did not understand that I was signing a consent to allow them to obtain a sample of saliva from my mouth. Colon-Ortiz wrote that it was his understanding that did not have a choice in giving the DNA sample. I was told by Rachael in Spanish to just do it, the affidavit reads. I did not provide the sample voluntarily. Ryan argued in court documents that the inability of the translator to communicate with Colon-Ortiz negates any consent his client gave for the DNA sample. He was confronted, albeit in his home, by three state troopers, only one of whom spoke any Spanish, Ryan wrote. However, the troopers proficiency in the language is questionable. The police acknowledged in their report of this encounter that Raquel assisted Trooper Miranda in communicating with Angelo at times, and she also translated for Trooper Parr. Colon-Ortiz is requesting an evidentiary hearing regarding the motion. An arrhythmia is described by an irregular heartbeat where the heart may beat too fast, too slowly, too early, or irregularly. Arrhythmia monitoring devices are tremendously useful in tracking the function of the heart and report any abnormalities in rhythm of heart. Arrhythmia monitoring devices do not just help in sustaining a continuous record of heart function but have also proven to be lifesavers due to their capacity to report abnormalities in normal heart function, like in the case of a cardiac event. Intended Audience Manufacturers and distributors Healthcare institutions (hospitals, laboratories, medical schools, and outpatient clinics) Research institutes Contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs) Government associations Market research and consulting firms Venture capitalists and investors Avail Sample Copy at: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6714 Some of the key players in the global arrhythmia monitoring devices market are Cardiac Science Corporation, NUUBO Smart Solutions Technologies, Koninklijke Philips, GE Healthcare, Welch Allyn, Spacelabs Healthcare, Nihon Kohden Corporation, Fukuda Denshi, BioTelemetry, Inc., AliveCor, Inc., Biotronik, Medtronic, Abbott, Applied Cardiac Systems, Aurora Resurgence, iRhythm Technologies, Inc., Medi-Lynx Cardiac Monitoring, Preventice Solutions, Inc. The global arrhythmia monitoring devices market has been segmented on the devices, service providers, application, end users. Global Arrhythmia Monitoring Devices Market, by Devices Implantable Cardiac Monitors Mobile Cardiac Telemetry Devices Resting ECG Devices ECG Stress Test Devices Holter Monitors Others Global Arrhythmia Monitoring Devices Market, by Service Providers Mobile Cardiac Telemetry Monitoring Service Providers Independent Diagnostic Testing Facilities/Clinics Others Global Arrhythmia Monitoring Devices Market, by Application Bradycardia Tachycardia Atrial Fibrillation Ventricular Fibrillation Premature Contraction Conduction disorders Others Global Arrhythmia Monitoring Devices Market, by End-Users Hospitals & Clinics Ambulatory Surgery Centers Diagnostic Centers Homecare settings long term care centers Emergency Medical services Browse Complete Premium Research Report Enabled with Respective Tables and Figures at: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/arrhythmia-monitoring-devices-market-6714 Regional Analysis: On the basis of region, the market is segmented into the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. The Americas has been further segmented into North America and South America, with the North American market divided into the US and Canada. The European arrhythmia monitoring devices market has been segmented into Western Europe and Eastern Europe. Western Europe has further been classified as Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Spain, and the rest of Western Europe. The arrhythmia monitoring devices market in Asia-Pacific has been segmented into Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia, and the rest of Asia-Pacific. The arrhythmia monitoring devices market in the Middle East and Africa has been segmented into the Middle East and Africa. Inquire for Discount at: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/6714 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: Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Bipolar Disorders and Treatment Market Overview The awareness surrounding mental disorders has increased its acceptance in society and also improved its detection and treatment globally. Market reports connected with the healthcare industry have been offered by Market Research Future which makes reports on other industry verticals that aims to analyze the current market scenarios better. The market is expected to display commendable growth in the upcoming forecast period. The de-attachment of the stigma of mental health issues has prompted individuals to seek professional help especially in cases such as bipolar disorders. Thus, the escalating diagnostic rates have positively added to the innovations and developments that can be initiated in the market. The market is anticipated to flourish in the forecast period due to increased government aide and backing along with investments from major industry players. GET PREMIUM SAMPLE REPORT @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1566 Bipolar Disorders and Treatment Market Segmental Analysis The segmentation of the Bipolar Disorders and Treatment Market has been segmented on the basis of drug type, treatment, and regions. Based on the drug type, the bipolar disorder and treatment market consists of anti-anxiety drugs, mood stabilizers, anticonvulsants, antidepressant drugs, and atypical antipsychotics. On the basis of treatment, the bipolar disorder and treatment market consists of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and others. The regions included in the market are APAC, North America, Europe and the rest of the world. Bipolar Disorders and Treatment Market Regional Analysis The regional analysis for the market for bipolar disorders and treatment includes regions such as APAC, North America, Europe and the rest of the world. The North American region is the prime market for bipolar disorders and treatment. The North American region for bipolar disorders and treatment is estimated to grow at an optimistic CAGR and is projected to reach a favorable by the end of the forecast period. The European region is the next major market for bipolar disorders and treatment which is projected to grow at an escalating CAGR in the forecast period. Furthermore, the Asia Pacific market is anticipated to be the increasing market for bipolar disorders and treatment market. Bipolar Disorders and Treatment Market Competitive Analysis The employment of product differentiation has led to a favorable product differentiation scenario that is complementing the markets growth. The participants in the market are trying to establish several USPs that will enable them to capture a more substantial share of the market. Additionally, the vertical additions and product tactics of the market is increasing the potential for the market players. The analysis of the market observes that the market is poised for an accelerated growth rate in the forthcoming years. Improved approachability to various resources and capabilities is projected to compel the growth of the market in the imminent forecast period. The use of successful strategy execution techniques is estimated to have a positive effect on the future growth of the market. The significant contenders in the bipolar disorder and treatment market are BMS (U.S), Janssen Pharmaceuticals (Belgium), Eli Lilly (U.S), GSK (U.K), AstraZeneca (U.K), Allergan (U.S), and others. Bipolar Disorders and Treatment Market Industry Updates Dec 2018 According to the study, by Faith Dickerson from Sheppard Pratt Health System in Maryland, US, a probiotic supplement may help reduce inflammation of the gut, which is identified to aggravate bipolar disorder as well as other psychiatric mood disorders. The supplement is aimed at reducing inflammation caused by microbial imbalances in the gut. The team found that participants in the study, who got the probiotic supplement, on average, did not return to the hospital as promptly and needed less in-patient treatment time compared to the placebo group. Dec 2018 a voice analysis company Cogito of late announced it had created CompanionMx; an offshoot company made to bring emotion-tracking to health care professionals. CompanionMx will put up products that permit physicians to utilize voice analysis AI to follow the well-being of patients with conditions like bipolar disease, PTSD, depression, and other anxiety disorders. OBTAIN COMPLETE 115 PAGES PREMIUM RESEARCH REPORT DETAILS ENABLED WITH RESPECTIVE 40+ TABLES AND FIGURES @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/bipolar-disorders-treatment-market-1566 Major Points form TOC for Bipolar Disorders and Treatment Market Research Report Forecast to 2022 Chapter 1. Report Prologue Chapter 2. Market Introduction Chapter 3. Research Methodology Chapter 4. Market Dynamics Chapter 5. Market Factor Analysis Chapter 6. Global Bipolar Disorders and Treatment Market, By Type Chapter 7. Global Bipolar Disorders and Treatment Market, By Treatment Chapter 8 Global Bipolar Disorders and Treatment Market, By End User Chapter 9. Global Bipolar Disorders and Treatment Market, By Region Chapter 10 Company Landscape Chapter 11 Company Profiles Chapter 12 MRFR Conclusion Chapter 13 Appendix About Us: Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. 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 Controlled release drug delivery is used to minimize regular dosage forms. The controlled release drug delivery reduces controls the variation in a drug level, helps to improve the bioavailability of drugs and reduces side effects and accumulation of toxins causes due to a higher dose. The factor that can hinder the market growth is the time required to administer the drug and monitor the patient response. America is expected to lead the market during the forecast period. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention August 2017, in the US more than 200,000 people died due to overdose prescription of opioids from 1999 to 2016. It was also reported that death caused due to overdose for opioids had increased five times in 2016 than in 1999. The increasing death cases and due to overdose increases the demand for controlled release drug delivery system in this region during the forecast period. Key players: Some of the key players in the global controlled release drug delivery market are Depomed, Inc. (US), Coating Place, Inc.(US), Corium International Inc.(US), Alza Corporation (Johnson & Johnson)(US), Pfizer Inc.(US), SKY Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd.(China), AstraZeneca (US),Biogen (US), GlaxoSmithKline (UK), Novartis (UK), Allergan (Ireland), Collegium Pharmaceutical (US), and others. Request Sample copy at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6794 Regional Analysis: The Americas is expected to lead the global controlled release drug delivery market owing to the increasing government support for the development of controlled release drug delivery and rising investments in research & development are enhancing the market growth in the region. The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, respiratory diseases, Alzheimers, etc. are also contributing the market growth. According to the National Cancer Institute, it is estimated that 1,735,350 people will be diagnosed with cancer and 609,640 adults will die in the US in 2018. The increasing number of a cancer patient may boost the market growth in this region. Europe holds the second largest market for controlled release drug delivery during the forecast period. The rising number of New Drug Application (NDA) and Abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) applications in the region is also supporting and playing a significant role in the growth of the regional market. Apart from this, the rising geriatric population in Europe enhances the market. According to the Office for National Statistics 2017, the UK population is getting older with 18% aged 65 and above and 2.4% aged 85 years. The increasing in aging may boost the controlled release drug delivery market. Asia-Pacific was expected to be the fastest growing region for the global controlled release drug delivery market. The market is expected to observe high growth owing to the increasing support by government and private funding agencies for the development of healthcare products and increasing expansion in pharmaceutical industries by India, Japan and China support the market growth in this region. The Middle East and Africa holds the lowest share for controlled release drug delivery market due to the less per capita income and fewer healthcare facilities. However, the growing campaigns for creating awareness about healthcare facilities may increase the market growth in the Middle East and Africa. Segmentation: The Global Controlled Release Drug Delivery Market is segmented on the basis of route of administration, release mechanism, products, and end user. Browse Complete 90 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with 30+ Respective Tables and Figures at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/controlled-release-drug-delivery-market-6794 By route of administration the market is segmented into oral, injectable, ocular, nasal, topical and implantable. The injectable is sub-segmented into targeted delivery, transmucosal, and transdermal. On the basis of the release mechanism, the market is segmented into polymer-based drug delivery systems, micro-reservoir partition-controlled drug delivery systems, feedback-regulated drug delivery systems, activation modulated drug delivery systems, and chemically activated controlled drug delivery systems. The activation modulated drug delivery systems are sub-segmented into osmotic pressure activated drug delivery, hydrodynamic pressure activated drug delivery, vapor pressure activated drug delivery, mechanically activated drug, magnetically activated drug. The chemically activated controlled drug delivery systems are sub-segmented into pH-activated drug delivery, hydrolysis activated drug delivery, enzyme activated drug delivery. On the basis of products, the market is segmented into metered dose inhalers, needle-free injectors, auto-injectors, nasal sprays, transdermal patches, nebulizers, infusion pumps, drug-eluting stents, sustained release, and ocular implants. By end user, the market is segmented into hospital and clinics, personal use, research centers, and others. Some Points from TOC of Global Controlled Release Drug Delivery Market Research Report Global Forecast till 2023: 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 TOC CONTINUED. Check Discount at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/6794 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. Contact Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com In-Vitro Diagnostics Industry Updates: In September 2018, OptraSCAN, a leading end-to-end digital pathology solution provider, has announced that its whole-slide scanners have received CE Mark approval for in-vitro diagnostics use. Market Drivers and Restraints: The in-vitro diagnostics products include reagents, instruments and any other system or equipment that is required to carry out the diagnostics procedure. The rapid increase in chronic and infectious diseases and rise in geriatric population are some of the major factors that are inducing high demand for in-vitro diagnostics in the global market, which in turn is propelling the growth of the global in-vitro diagnostics market. To Get PDF Sample Copy of Report Visit https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1165 Incorporation of advanced technology for diagnostic purposes has fastened the process altogether leading to the significant growth of the global in-vitro diagnostics market. However, strict regulatory framework imposed by the government on the manufacturing of IVD products and lack of reimbursement policies are likely to create hindrance in the growth of the global in-vitro diagnostics market during the forecast period. The market is immensely growing due to the increasing demand for advanced diagnostic techniques. Additional factors that influence the market growth are increasing technological advancement in healthcare that supports the desired results, further increasing the market growth. Moreover, the government funding to encourage the adoption of in-vitro diagnostic are pervasively fostering the market growth. On the other hand, factors such as the lack of proper reimbursement policies in the developing countries and strict FDA regulations are obstructing the market growth. Regional Analysis for Global In-Vitro Diagnostics Market The global in-vitro diagnostics market is geographically segmented into Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East and Africa. The Americas dominate the global in-vitro diagnostics market owing to the increased healthcare expenditure by the population of this region and increasing penetration of advanced technology in the healthcare sector of this region. The Europe region constitutes of second largest share in the global in-vitro diagnostics market owing to the easy adoption of advanced technology and high prevalence of chronic diseases among the population of this region. The Asia Pacific region is projecting noteworthy growth in the global in-vitro diagnostics market owing to the rapid development of the healthcare sector and increasing number of private diagnostic centers in this region. Whereas, low penetration of advanced technology in the healthcare sector of the underdeveloped areas of the Middle East and Africa region is creating hindrance in the growth of the global in-vitro diagnostics market in this region. Key Players for Global In-Vitro Diagnostics Market The prominent players profiled by MRFR in the report on the global in-vitro diagnostics market are Abbott (the U.S.), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd (Switzerland), Biomerieux (France), Ortho Clinical Diagnostics (the U.S.), Johnson & Johnson (the U.S.), Siemens Healthcare GmbH (Germany), Sysmex (Japan), Becton Dickinson (the U.S.), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (the U.S.), Accelerate Diagnostics (the U.S.), Hycor Biomedical (the U.S.), Diagnostic Biosystems (the U.S.), Eurogentec (Belgium), Orgentec Diagnostics (US), Immunarray PVT. LTD (the U.S.), Werfen Group (Spain), Danaher Corporation (the U.S.), Bio-Rad Laboratories INC (the U.S.), Stago Diagnostica (France), Alere Inc (the U.S.) and others. Segmentations for Global In-Vitro Diagnostics Market The global in-vitro diagnostics market has been segmented on the basis of techniques, application and end users. Based on techniques, the in-vitro diagnostics market has been segmented into Immunodiagnostics, blood testing, molecular diagnostics, tissue diagnostics and clinical chemistry. The immunodiagnostic segment is sub-segmented into enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), chemiluminescence immunoassays (CLIAS), fluorescence immunoassays (FIAS), colorimetric immunoassays (CIC), and radioimmunoassay (RIA) and other immune assay techniques. Based on applications, the in-vitro diagnostics market has been segmented into infectious diseases, cancer, cardiac diseases, and immune systems disorders, nephrological diseases, gastrointestinal diseases. The infectious diseases segment is sub-segmented into acinetobacter infections, actinomycosis, hepatitis (A, B, C, D, and E) and others. The cancer segment is sub-segmented into skin, lung, brain and others. The cardiac diseases segment is sub-segmented into heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, congenital heart disease and others. Based on end users, the in-vitro diagnostics market has been segmented into laboratories, academics and medical institutions and others. To Browse Complete Report visit https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/in-vitro-diagnostics-market-1165 Some Brief Table of Contents of Report 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 4.1 Drivers 4.2 Restrains 4.3 Opportunities 4.4 Challenges 4.5 Macroeconomic Indicators 4.6 Technology Trends & Assessment Chapter 5. Market Factor Analysis 5.1 Porters Five Forces Analysis 5.1.1 Bargaining Power Of Suppliers TOC Continued To Get an Exclusive Discount on Report Visit https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/1165 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), Statistical Report, Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Contact Us: Market Research Future Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India Phone: +1 646 845 9312 Spirometry Market Overview The global spirometry market is expecting to touch a valuation of USD 1,106.46 million by 2023, according to Market Research Future (MRFR). The high prevalence of respiratory disorders is the major factor driving the market growth from 2018 to 2023 (forecast period). Rising cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders (COPD), technological advances in respiratory care devices, and the expanding geriatric population are factors expected to spur market demand till 2023. As per a report by Asthma UK in 2016, nearly 1,410 people died from asthma. Government initiatives to curtail smoking habits, focus on breathing diseases, rising levels of air pollution, and adoption of spirometers at homes are factors likely to augur market growth. Awareness of reimbursement policies among the public and clinicians are projected to drive patients towards taking these tests. But high costs of spirometers can act as a deterrent against market growth. Request Sample copy at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6539 Competitive Dashboard: Key players in the spirometry market include Smiths Medical Inc. (U.S.), Vitalograph (U.K.), MGC Diagnostics Corporation (U.S.), Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc. (U.S.), Schiller AG (Switzerland), COSMED srl (Italy), Midmark Corporation (U.S.), NDD Medical Technologies, Inc. (U.S.), Carefusion Corporation (U.S.), Nihon Kohden Corporation (Germany), and Koninklijke Philips N.V. (The Netherlands). Regional Analysis: The spirometry market covers the latest trends and opportunities across Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). The Americas accounted for 39.74% share in the global market in 2017, followed by Europe and APAC. This can be attributed to economies such as the U.S. which are the earliest adopters of latest technologies coupled with the large patient pool suffering from respiratory disorders. The region is likely to enjoy a 10.25% CAGR over the forecast period. The Europe spirometry market is expected to enjoy a CAGR similar to the Americas market over the forecast period to touch a valuation of USD 322.33 million by 2023. This can be credited to rising number of asthma cases and ballooned healthcare expenditure of nations such as Germany and France. The MEA region can experience a respectable CAGR during the review period owing to improvements of healthcare infrastructure and enhanced healthcare budgets of Kuwait, Qatar, and Dubai. The APAC region is expected to exhibit a 10.94% CAGR over the forecast period owing to high cases of chronic diseases, awareness of respiratory devices, and increased healthcare budgets of developed nations in the region. The growing geriatric populace in China and Japan can contribute to regional market revenue till 2023. Segmentation: The spirometry market can be segmented by product, technology, application, and end-user. By product, the market is segmented into table-top spirometry, hand-held spirometry, and desktop (PC) spirometry. The table-top spirometry segment accounted for 49.9% market share in 2017, followed by hand-held (31%), and desktop (19.1%). This can be attributed to adoption of spirometers in hospitals and clinics. But the desktop segment is touted to register the highest CAGR of 10.58% during the forecast period owing to its rapid diagnosis rate and increasing use of computer-based applications. By technology, the market covers flow measurement spirometry, volume spirometry, and peak flow meters (PFM). The flow measurement spirometry segment accounted for 50.3% share in 2017. This can be attributed to its lightweight nature and compact size. Its functionality based on the familiar table-top spirometer technology and lack of frequent calibration make it popular among clinicians. But the PFM technology can register 10.58% CAGR over the forecast period to reach USD 149.76 million by 2023. Browse Complete 90 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with 75 Respective Tables and Figures at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/spirometry-market-6539 Major applications of the spirometry market include diagnostic and treatment monitoring. The diagnostic segment is further sub-segmented into asthma, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, and COPD. The diagnostic segment accounted for 68.93% share of the market in 2017, spurred by the prevalence of breathing diseases such as asthma. But the treatment monitoring segment can exhibit the highest CAGR during the review period to reach a valuation of USD 353 million by 2023. Its valuation in 2018 was suggested to be USD 214.12 million. Key market end-users include hospitals & clinics, research & academic institutes, diagnostic centers, and home care. The home care segment is projected to enjoy a 9.90% CAGR to reach a valuation of USD 71.14 million by 2023 from USD 44.38 million in 2018. Some Points from TOC of Spirometry Market Research Report Forecast to 2023: 1 Report Prologue 2 Market Introduction 3 Research Methodology 4 Market Dynamics 5 Market Factor Analysis 6 Global Spirometry Market, By Product 7 Global Spirometry Market, By Technology TOC CONTINUED List of Tables: TABLE 1 MARKET SYNOPSIS 17 TABLE 2 LIST OF ASSUMPTIONS 19 TABLE 3 CPT CODE TEST DESCRIPTION (JANUARY 2018) 28 TABLE 4 ICD-9 CODES FOR SPIROMETRY 29 TABLE 5 GLOBAL SPIROMETRY MARKET, BY PRODUCT 2015-2023 (USD MILLION) 40 TABLE 6 GLOBAL SPIROMETRY MARKET FOR TABLE-TOP SPIROMETRY, BY REGION 2015-2023 (USD MILLION) 41 TABLE 7 GLOBAL SPIROMETRY MARKET FOR HAND-HELD SPIROMETRY, BY REGION 2015-2023 (USD MILLION) 41 TABLE 8 GLOBAL SPIROMETRY MARKET FOR DESKTOP (PC) SPIROMETRY, BY REGION 2015-2023 (USD MILLION) 41 TABLE 9 GLOBAL SPIROMETRY MARKET, BY TECHNOLOGY 2015-2023 (USD MILLION) 43 TABLE 10 GLOBAL SPIROMETRY MARKET FOR FLOW MEASUREMENT SPIROMETRY, BY REGION 2015-2023 (USD MILLION) 44 LOT CONTINUED! Check Discount at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/6539 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. Contact Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Stem Cell Therapy Market Scenario The global stem cell therapy market is expected to witness tremendous growth owing to the rising prevalence of cancer, heart diseases, stroke, and osteoarthritis. Other key factors such as the change to sedentary lifestyle, growing consumption of alcohol, and an increase in smoking are contributing towards the growth of the market. However, factors such as high cost of surgical procedures, expensive chemotherapy treatments, the risk of rejecting cells by patients body as the cells are derived from embryos these factors can restrict the market growth during the forecast period. Companies Covered: Some of the key players are Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. (US), MEDIPOST Co., Ltd. (South Korea), Anterogen Co., Ltd. (South Korea), Pharmicell Co., Ltd. (South Korea), Holostem Terapie Avanzate S.r.l. (Italy), JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (Japan), NuVasive, Inc. (US), RTI Surgical, Inc. (US), and AlloSource (US), and Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Request Sample Report at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6422 Regional Wise Analysis: The Americas is the largest in the market owing to the increasing prevalence of heart diseases and growing healthcare expenditure. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in November 2017, report every year 735,000 Americans have a heart problem. Such a high number of heart patients in the Americas drives the market growth in this region. Europe (UK, Belgium, France, and Netherlands) is the second largest global stem cell therapy market during the forecast period. The increasing occurrence of stroke, cancer, and osteoarthritis drives the market in this region. According to Anthony Nolan organization 2017, annual review 1.4million people register for donating stem cell in 2017. Also, more than 2,200 searches for a lifesaving stem cell transplant were made in 2017 by UK people. Such a high demand for Stem cell transplantation in this region promotes the market. Asia-Pacific was projected to be the fastest growing region for the global stem cell therapy market in 2017. The market is expected to witness growth owing to the rising prevalence of smoking in this region. According to the American Cancer Society, Inc 2018, report China 48.9%, India 16.2%, Japan 11.2% accounts of cancer cases in this region. Such a high cancer rate in this region favors the stem cell therapy market in this region. The Middle East and Africa accounts for the least share due to low per capita income and lack of availability of well-trained healthcare professionals. However, the rising oncology and technology both at the hospital level and in the community are expected to influence the market in a positive way. Segmentation Analysis: The global stem cell therapy market is segmented on the basis of type, therapeutic application, cell source, and end user. The stem cell therapy market, by type, is sub-segmented into Allogeneic and Autologous. On the basis of therapeutic application, the market is categorized into medicine, cardiovascular diseases, bone regeneration, neurodegenerative disorders, wound healing, treatment of eyes, hematopoietic disorders, metabolic disorders, cancer, immunodeficiency, and diabetes. Cell source is further sub-segmented into adipose tissue, bone marrow, neural, embryo/cord blood-derived, iPSCs. On the basis of end-user, the market is segmented into biotechnology companies, hospitals & research institutes, contract research organizations and stem cell banks. Browse Complete 90 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with 30+ Respective Tables and Figures at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/stem-cell-therapy-market-6422 Some Points from TOC of Stem Cell Therapy Market Research Report Forecast to 2023: 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 TOC CONTINUED LIST OF TABLES: Table 1 Stem Cell Therapy Market Industry Synopsis, 20182023 Table 2 Global Stem Cell Therapy Market Estimates & Forecast, 20182023, (USD Million) Table 3 Global Stem Cell Therapy Market, By Region, 20182023, (USD Million) Table 4 Global Stem Cell Therapy Market, By Type, 20182023, (USD Million) Table 5 Global Stem Cell Therapy Market, By Therapeutic Application, 20182023, (USD Million) Table 7 Global Stem Cell Therapy Market, By Cell Source, 20182023, (USD Million) Table 8 Global Stem Cell Therapy Market, By End-User, 20182023, (USD Million Table 9 North America: Global Stem Cell Therapy Market, By Type, 20182023, (USD Million) Table 10 North America: Global Stem Cell Therapy Market, By Therapeutic Application, 20182023, (USD Million) LOT CONTINUED Check Discount at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/6422 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. Contact Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com by Ray Schultz , December 24, 2018 Amazon could be headed for trouble under Europes General Data Protection Regulation following the sending of 1,700 Alexa voice recordings to the wrong customer. German magazine ct reports say that a consumer requested data on their Amazon account, and that Amazon tried to provide it, as required by the GDPR. However, another consumers Alexa recordings were sent by mistake in a 100MB zip file. The person who received it is not an Alexa user. Reports state that 3% of the files contained personal data, the Star reports. It was not known at deadline whether authorities plan to investigate or take action. An Amazon spokesperson told Reuters: We resolved the issue with the two customers involved and took measures to further optimize our processes. As a precautionary measure, we contacted the relevant authorities. advertisement advertisement In a separate development, it was reported that Alexa came out with strange messages, including, Kill your foster parents, as part of an AI experiment last year. The device also made sex-related comments. This was part of a scheme by Amazon to make Alexa more conversational. However, observers see privacy implications in this too. Consumers might not realize that some of their most sensitive conversations are being recorded by Amazon's devices, information that could be highly prized by criminals, law enforcement, marketers and others, The Star argues. This news also comes as Amazon has added new features to Alexa, including the ability to read and reply to emails. GDPR enforcers could examine this at some point based on the possibly of leaks and other infractions. At the least, email marketers could find their messages being deleted or shoved into spam folders. Surely, Amazon is gathering consent for every one of these users. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, December 24, 2018 Prager University, which is battling Google over alleged censorship, is making a new pitch to revive claims that company violated Prager's free-speech rights, and also engaged in false advertising by promising content neutrality. Prager says in court papers filed Friday that it should have been allowed to move forward with its lawsuit for numerous reasons, including that its allegations, if true, would support the conclusion that Google and YouTube are engaged in false advertising by inducing the public audience to use YouTube based on false promises of content neutrality. The fight between the right-wing Prager University and Google dates to last year, when Prager sued Google for allegedly engaging in censorship by applying its restricted mode filter to the school's videos -- effectively making them unavailable to some students and library patrons. Google also "demonetized" some Prager videos, like a clip that posed the question "Pakistan: Can Sharia and Freedom Coexist?" advertisement advertisement Google prevailed in March, when U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh ruled that Google, as a private business, has the right to decide how to treat material on its platform. Prager recently appealed that ruling to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that YouTube is a public forum -- comparable to a park or other venue where people typically have free-speech rights -- and that the company therefore shouldn't be able to censor lawful speech based on its content. YouTube countered that the First Amendment only prohibits the government from censoring speech. YouTube is not the government, and its efforts to regulate content posted to its private online service are not limited by the First Amendment, the company wrote in papers filed in November. Now, Prager is firing back at Google, arguing that its position will have extreme and dangerous consequences and eviscerate the fundamental free speech liberties of the more than two billion people who use and depend on public forums like YouTube as their primary form of public communication. Prager says Google's prior statements -- including statements to Congress and to the public -- represent that YouTube is a neutral platform. The company adds that its videos shows they fully comply with with YouTubes purportedly 'politically neutral' content filtering rules and advertising policy. The legal fight is coming as conservative politicians are criticizing web companies for allegedly blocking right-wing speech. Earlier this year, President Trump made the remarkable claim that Google's search engine is "rigged" because it highlights stories from "Fake CNN." Some observers say there's no evidence that tech companies are especially likely to suppress conservative views. New York Law School professor Ari Waldman, who testified on Capitol Hill earlier this year, told lawmakers that a lot of content is filtered, but "no more so from the right than from the left." by Ray Schultz , December 24, 2018 Google has suffered a partial setback in its effort to fight a class action lawsuit over its former practice of scanning Gmail content to drive advertising. The Superior Court of California for the County of Santa Clara turned down the firms bid to deny class certification to the plaintiffs in the case. While acknowledging that certification will require a more intensive effort, the court cannot conclude on the record before it that there is no reasonable possibility of success, Superior Court Judge Brian C. Walsh ruled on December 10. Last month, the parties agreed to consolidate this case with four similar ones. In an amended complaint in the original case filed last March, the plaintiffs allege that Google intercepted, scanned, analyzed, and cataloged the content of Plaintiffs emails to Gmail subscribers for advertising purposes in violation of state laws prohibiting the interception of electronic communications without the consent of all parties to the communication. advertisement advertisement This behavior violated the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) and the New Hampshire wiretapping and Eavesdropping Statute, the complaint continues. Walsh apparently disagrees with Googles argument that CIPA is preempted by the federal Electronics Communication Privacy Act, saying that the firms demurrer in this matter must fail. The judge explains that the function of a demurrer is to test the legal sufficiency of a pleading, but not to test the truth of the allegations. On another point, Google had argued that the plaintiffs could not claim violation of the New Hampshire statute because the complaint states that the scanning was done using devices located in California. The plaintiffs countered that they could amend the complaint to reflect that the extent to which Google undertook these activities in any particular state is presently unknown. So the court granted Googles request for a demurrer with leave to amend within 60 days." Google did prevail in some other legal punts in the ruling for example, its request for judicial notice of filings in related actions. The court approved that, but noted that the notice will be of the existence and contents of these documents only, and not as to the truth of any statements. However, the court denied Googles requests or judicial notice of content of web sites, saying this is inappropriate in most circumstances. The amended complaint states that plaintiff John Callans emails were scanned despite the fact that he has never had a Gmail account. His emails were scanned before Google stopped the practice, the complaint states. The case was filed by the law firm of Gallo LLP. Feynman diagrams are a powerful tool in condensed matter physics. By turning highly complex equations into sets of simple diagrams, the method has established itself as one of the sharpest tools in a theoretical physicists toolbox. Giacomo Bighin, a postdoc in the group of Mikhail Lemeshko at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), has now extended the Feynman diagram technique: originally devised for subatomic particles, the simplest objects imaginable, the technique can now work with molecules, far more complex objects. The research, which was published in the journal Physical Review Letters, is expected to drastically simplify the description of molecular rotations in solvents. This brings scientists one step closer to their long-term goal of understanding chemical reactions in solvents at the microscopic level and, potentially, controlling them. Sometimes when youre stuck on a problem, the solution could be closer than you think, for instance in a different area of the research field you are working in. But thinking across disciplines is difficult and requires a good mix of expertise and an environment that fosters such interdisciplinary collaborations. Giacomo Bighin found such an environment at IST Austria when he, a condensed matter physicist, joined the group of Mikhail Lemeshko, a molecular physicist. The result is a new method for molecular physics, one that can greatly facilitate the description of rotating molecules in solvents and paves the way for eventually controlling their reactions. Molecules always rotate, and how they interact with one another depends on their relative orientation. That is, if they hit another molecule with one end, it has a different effect than if they hit it with the other end, explains Mikhail Lemeshko. The orientation of molecules and hence chemical reactions have already been controlled in experiments on molecular gases, but it is quite challenging to do the same in solvents. This is a long-term goal that Mikhail Lemeshko and his group are working towards, one step at a time. The step they have just taken is about being better able to describe the rotation of a molecule in a solventa prerequisite for eventually controlling reactions in this environment. Transferring the method, however, was not easy. Feynman diagrams work for point-like particles such electrons. Point-like means that they are not affected by rotations: if you rotate an electron, it looks exactly the same as before. Molecules, on the other hand, are more complex and can rotate and change their orientation in space explains Giacomo Bighin. In order to transfer the method from electrons to molecules, he had to develop a new formalism. Previously, it was not known if it would even work for molecules, and adapting the method took Bighin more than a year. Now the formalism is ready to use in chemical problems. We expect that people from a more molecular background will see that it is now possible to study molecules in this way. The technique delivers extremely precise results in condensed matter physics, and it has the potential to achieve the same accuracy in molecular simulations, Lemeshko adds. Daisy Franklin was living in a comfortable home in Norwalk with her two children and the man she thought shed marry. But when the couple split amicably, it became clear shed need to look for other living arrangements for her family. Staying with her ex wasnt an option, and on her minimum hourly wage as an electrician at the manufacturing company Harrells Inc., her options on the private rental market were limited. One opportunity arose, living in a shared apartment with three other women, but Franklin and her children one in middle school and one in elementary school at the time would have had to share a single room. It couldve worked, but for how long? Franklin wondered. Despite some misgivings what about crime, gangs, drugs? Franklin decided to add her name to the waiting list for public housing. Steep housing costs In Connecticut, where home prices and rents are some of the highest in the nation, demand for affordable housing far outstrips the supply. To afford a two-bedroom rental, a Connecticut resident on average needs to make $24.90 per hour or work 99 hours a week on minimum wage, the National Low Income Housing Coalition found in 2018. Thats the ninth-highest housing wage in the nation. The housing stock in Connecticut is not made for people making minimum wage, said Christie Stewart, director of Fairfield County Center for Housing Opportunity, a newly formed nonprofit based in Bridgeport. Ive worked for years for a shelter provider. You walk through those shelters, those people are all employed. In Fairfield and New Haven counties, housing costs climb higher than the rest of the state. The Stamford-Norwalk region is the fifth most-expensive U.S. metropolitan area for renting a two-bedroom apartment, the 2018 NLIHC report found. In the New Haven area, an individual must make $24.98 an hour $51,960 a year to afford the average two-bedroom apartment. But in the Fairfield County suburbs, its about $34 per hour in Norwalk, $46 in New Canaan and Westport, and over $57 per hour in Greenwich, North Stamford and Weston. Having safe, sanitary, stable affordable housing is really key to folks working their way out of poverty and I dont think there is nearly enough of that around, said Adam Bovilsky, executive director of the Norwalk Housing Authority. Some families do become what we refer to as economically homeless, which is if they cant afford the rent, they can be evicted and become homeless temporarily even if they have working members of the family earning income, just because it is too difficult to afford everything your food, your clothing, your medicine when your housing becomes so expensive. The result is half of Connecticut renters and about a third of homeowners spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing, the Hartford-based Partnership for Strong Communities found in January. The U.S. government considers housing affordable when individuals spend 30 percent of their income or less on it. The brink of homelessness With so much income going toward housing, one life event a job loss, health emergency, domestic violence can sometimes push individuals to the brink of homelessness. For Lisa, who declined to use her last name, the deciding factor was being laid off from the insurance titan MetLife, when she was nine months pregnant. She had lived in Bridgeport for years and was trying to finish her undergraduate degree at Sacred Heart University. About to become an unemployed single mother, she applied for subsidized housing in several Fairfield County towns and waited four years before being accepted in Westport. Considered one of New York Citys bedroom communities, Westport has seen a change in the people seeking housing assistance in recent years. When the 2008 financial crisis hit families with investments hard, Carol Martin, executive director of the Fairfield and Westport housing authorities, saw multimillion-dollar homes being foreclosed on. Some of those families ended up on our wait lists, Martin said. Ive spoken to several people who that has happened to locally and the first thing out of their mouth is: I never thought I would be in this position. But for others, an unstable home has been a part of life since birth. Abandoned by her mother with a mostly absent father, Zola Richardson, 27, spent her toddler years in foster care until a great-aunt took her in. A self-described hard-headed teenager with abandonment issues, at age 18, she left the Hartford Job Corps Academy with another trainee, seven years her senior, and lived with him in the Bronx. She was pregnant. It was seven years of ups and down, shelter stays, couch stays. That was a long-dragging relationship. That is all my kids know, Richardson said of the stress and negative impact from their itinerant lifestyle in the New York shelter system. In New Haven since July 2016, her daughter, 8, and her son, 7, now are enrolled in the same school for the second year in a row, which provides some stability, but their housing is precarious. Richardson and the children had a stay in Spooner House in Shelton, before getting an apartment through the states Rapid Re-housing program. Unable to contribute enough to the rent after nine months, she was evicted and ended up in another shelter. Richardson said it feels like a Catch-22. She has to be working to qualify for the day care for her third child, a 6-month-old son. But the minimum-wage, part-time jobs she has done cant cover utilities and rent, and while she again qualifies for an apartment, she fears the outcome will be the same. My kids deserve something permanent, Richardson said. Affordable housing gap Unable to find cheap market-rate housing, local and state wait lists for affordable housing are sometimes thousands of people long. Affordable housing can be provided in many ways such as subsidized private development, government-funded housing and state or federally funded housing vouchers. But despite state and federal investment, there is a gap: in Connecticut in 2018, 140,531 households were deemed extremely low income $29,500 or less for a family of four in Bridgeport, or $42,100 or less in Stamford/Norwalk but only 51,050 affordable rental units were available. Thats less than one affordable unit for every three extremely low-income households. Its getting much more difficult to find housing, even if you have a job and make decent money, said Anthony Johnson, executive director of the Greenwich Housing Authority. Places that used to be rentals have been torn down and turned into private homes. There are some new affordable buildings and other types of housing coming in, but the rate were losing them doesnt match the rate they are being replaced at. Finding affordable housing is a problem for people with higher incomes, such as those making up to 80 percent of the area median income. They, too, qualify for assistance. In the New Haven area, that threshold is $73,520 for a family of four; in Bridgeport, $75,040; in Danbury, $93,040; and in Stamford/Norwalk, $107,920, according to the Department of Housings 2018 income limits. The people living in subsidized housing run the gamut, according to the executive director of the Fairfield and Westport housing authorities. We have folks that were homeless. We have frail elderly people. We have old and young folks that are employed, Martin said. We have town staff, single-income families with two and three children ... we really have everything. A place to call home As for Franklin, she spent more than three years on a waiting list, during which time her concerns about living in the projects had not subsided. But with high demand for apartments and higher rents, she had only a few choices: find a shelter, burden a family member, or move to Roodner Court, a Norwalk housing project to which shed been accepted. With her children, Franklin moved into Roodner Court more than a decade ago and quickly found her ideas about public housing dispelled. She began making friends, leading regular cleanups of the hallways and grounds, taking leadership roles she is a member of the Norwalk Fair Housing Advisory Commission and the Residents Advisory Board and, most of all, discovering beauty in Roodner Court. Franklin and her children were safe. They had a place to call home. In the projects, a sense of pride emerged. Having a home is important to me. I dont want to wake up in the morning and find out I dont have housing, Franklin said. Its my address, its my home. Clean, dirty, whatever its still my home. MIDDLETOWN Dozens of volunteers from the city-based World Mission Society Church of God, outfitted for 34-degree weather, recently traveled to Upper Albany Avenue in Hartford for charitable work helping seniors clean up their yards. They offered complete leaf and yard cleaning services to the neighborhood Dec. 23. More than 75 members from the house of worship participated in this community service event, according to a press release. Members from branches of the church in nearby regions also joined in this effort, including Boston, Springfield, Massachusetts; and Providence, Rhode Island. Parishioners partnered with the Upper Albany Neighborhood Revitalization Zone to help local residents in need of assistance, the release said. More than 10 signed up to receive the service through the Albany Branch Hartford Library. However, within minutes after volunteers began cleaning, word of the volunteers enthusiasm and energy spread rapidly from house to house throughout the neighborhood, the news release said. Daniel Rahaim of Middletown regularly volunteers in the churchs community service events. I was very thankful to be able to help out in the Hartford community. Their faces lit up hearing that members had come from so far to join and their gratitude made everything worthwhile, he said in a prepared statement. Nearby residents welcomed volunteers and asked if they could help them with their yards, too. Denise Best, 65, a community leader and chair of the Upper Albany NRZ, is a senior resident. She praised the Church of God for members good deeds. On behalf of our mayor, Id like to thank you very much, World Mission Society Church of God, for being here today for helping us out in our community, specifically for working for our seniors, who often get overlooked. I think its fantastic and were very blessed to have you here, she said in the statement. Another 70-year-old resident of Oakland Avenue in Hartford thanked parishioners for their work, saying that there were leaves and branches that had piled up in the nooks and crannies of her backyard for nearly 10 years. In total, volunteers collected more than 100 bags of leaves and trash, which will be collected by the City of Hartford. KNOX, a Hartford community organization, also provided volunteers with some of the supplies necessary, such as gloves and garbage bags, organizers said. The volunteers cleaned leaves, litter, and removed fallen branches and debris from over 20 residences on Oakland Terrace, Deerfield Street, Blue Hills Avenue and Colebrook Street in Hartford. As they went from house to house, they also picked up litter along the side of the road. Im very thankful to be able to unite with the Connecticut Church of God. It seems like a relatively easy task for us, but it must be hard for those who are older. The chilly weather would also cause it to be more difficult. It is beautiful to see so many people being considerate and caring toward our elderly neighbors, said Xavier Maldave, a volunteer who came from the Boston branch. Middletown members also joined a similar event in Newburgh, New York, Dec. 16, where over 200 volunteers from the New York and New Jersey branches of the church helped out. MIDDLETOWN Lydia Brewster, assistant director of community services at St. Vincent De Paul Middletown, has a white board in her office in the upper floor of the brightly painted purple-and-yellow building on lower Main Street. There, she keeps a sober tally of the homeless who lose their lives every year due to circumstances which led to their unhousing. Its kind of a grisly thing to have on your wall, she admitted. I announce the death to the guests of the soup kitchen. I am genuinely sad and they are sad, too. They are people I dine with, who I talk with, and, most importantly, these are people I care deeply about, Brewster said during Thursdays annual Homelessness Memorial Service and Candlelight Vigil at the Church of the Holy Trinity. That evening, 17 people who lost their lives were honored. Brewster went on to give voices to a few of these individuals, as nightfall fell on the day before the winter solstice, the darkest day of the year. They are people who are part of that strange but beautiful club ... They are full human beings. Some of you drive by 617 Main St. and you have an idea maybe a negative one about what goes on. We are not so mysterious or complicated, she added. As Ron Krom, former executive director of St. Vincent De Paul Middletown, read off their names, each was echoed by the audience with the Spanish word, presente, or here I am. They are not they. They are us, our brothers and sisters, was the message of the evening. Krom recalled those who shouldnt have died so young or so alone. They are victims of our failed systems of care. He introduced a few of these homeless who lost their lives, including one, an alcoholic: no family, few friends, but a sweet man who was friendly, cheerful and so appreciative of any kindness that came his way, he said. One in particular touched him the most, a man addicted to drugs who we couldnt figure out to help. SVDM provided him supportive housing, case management and subsidized treatment programs, Krom said. Sometimes none of that is enough to overcome the addiction or mental illness that takes control of our lives. Brewster acknowledged homelessness is an uncomfortable subject for many. It does not fit snugly into our national tendency to measure a persons worth based upon whether they have the hutzpah to work hard, to do well, to buy a home and live the American dream. People who have been unsuccessful in maintaining basic means of survival are often judged harshly, she added. They are somehow seen as unworthy. Many who spoke stated a simple fact they understand after decades of work in Middlesex County to break the cycle that leads to homelessness. Homeless among all our sub-populations is decreasing among families, among chronic homeless, said Ann Faust, executive director of the Coalition on Housing and Homelessness in Middletown, however the statistics on youth show its slightly increasing. The coalition is using a federal grant to hire a youth navigator to work on street outreach. Funds will allow the Eddy Shelter to add three to four dedicated beds for youth, who will work with a case manager to secure placement. Weve gotten more rapid rehousing resources through Columbus House, said Faust, which include a security deposit, a first months rent, and shallow subsidy for a few months for those age 18 to 24. The coalition, which services residents of Middlesex County, Meriden and Wallingford, also works to help these young people to gain employment When you ask youth, the number one thing they want is a job, Faust said. The Rev. Dana Campbell offered a prayer for those who sleep in the streets, in the woods, under bridges, on doorsteps, or in public places because they have no shelter; those who have nowhere safe to lay their heads, and who wander from place to place as a way of life. Musical interludes were given by Sue Murphy, who sang a rendition of Silent Night, and Kwamena and Mary Amma Blankson: Another Day in Paradise and Bridge Over Troubled Waters. Brian Rahring, a member of the speakers group Leadership, Empowerment, Advocacy and Development, told those gathered he, too, has suffered with addiction and many times found himself on the streets. Housing turned his life around. The horror of homelessness is over. Even when I have relapses, I have a place to go, Rahrig said, admitting his mistakes, and at the same time, sharing his resolution not to return to the dark side. Our voices must be heard, Rahring said. Brewster offered the microphone to the approximately 200 people who filled the church pews, who either simply introduced themselves or offered a touching memory of a loved one. According to the Coalition on Housing & Homelessness, 91 percent of its clients do not return to homelessness once they receive personalized assistance. Over the last year, the length of shelter stays decreased to 87 days, with most clients exiting to permanent housing, according to the website. In all, 47 percent of the people served report an increase in income once they have their own apartment. Families living paycheck to paycheck are being helped through the organizations Homeless Prevention Fund, which enables them to keep their housing through a temporary life crisis, according to GrowStrongCT. The service was followed by a community chili and corn bread dinner at the soup kitchen. For information, visit svdmiddletown.org or growstrongct.org. Managing Editor Cassandra Day can be reached at cassandra.day@hearstmediact.com or on Twitter @cassandrasdis. EAST HADDAM Representative-Elect Irene Haines, R-East Haddam, has been appointed to three legislative committees. Haines, elected in November to represent the towns of East Haddam, East Hampton and part of Colchester, will serve on the Education Committee, Transportation Committee and the Planning and Development Committee, according to a press release. Her new assignments will begin at the start of the legislative session Jan. 9. These committee assignments will put me in a strong position to address some of the most important issues facing our towns. From school funding to infrastructure and regional planning, I will be able to advocate for our communities interests. Im looking forward to the start of the legislative session and making sure that the people of East Haddam, East Hampton and Colchester have a strong voice in Hartford, Haines said in a press release. The Education Committee works on all matters related to the Connecticut Department of Education and local boards of education. Committee work is the engine of our legislative process its when citizens can have their say on issues important to them, and its when legislators like Irene Haines make the most difference for the people they serve as bill concepts take shape and are eventually debated, House Republican Leader Themis Klarides said in a prepared statement. Im confident that Irene will contribute greatly to conversation here in Hartford during the upcoming legislative session, Klarides added. As a member of the Transportation Committee, Haines will work on matters related to the Department of Transportation, including highways and bridges, navigation, aeronautics, mass transit and railroads; and to the State Traffic Commission and the Department of Motor Vehicles, the release said. Haines work on the Planning and Development Committee will see her work on issues tied to local governments, housing, urban renewal, planning and zoning, economic development, and regional planning. LONDON Arsenal will be without Henrikh Mkhitaryan for at least six weeks because of an injury to his right foot, the London club said on Monday. NORWALK One hundred and eight times thats how many visits to Norwalk Hospital one repeat patient had in a single year. He was in every other day or so, said Katherine Michael, medical director for Western Connecticut Health Network and founder of the Community Care Team at Norwalk Hospital. He would drink too much and be in the community and someone would call 911 and he would be taken to the ER. Aside from struggling with alcohol dependence, John Smith whose name is not being used to protect his privacy was homeless and didnt have the kind of insurance (Husky D) that allowed him access to good substance abuse treatment, Michael said. Hed be on a waiting list for three days, Michael said. Smith is not alone in his situation. Legal issues, a dwindling number of psychiatrists and cuts to the state budget make it difficult for hospitals to ensure patients have the right supports in place to leave the hospital, said Dr. Charles Herrick, chair of psychiatry for Western Connecticut Health Network, which includes Norwalk, Danbury and New Milford hospitals. The Community Care Team made up of police, probation officers, mental health providers, primary care providers, housing agency staff and other social services workers formed a partnership with Liberation Programs Inc., an addiction rehabilitation center that offered Smith treatment and a bed at their facility. After a few weeks of persuasion, he enrolled and finished rehab in three months. But upon completion, Michael said, he didnt have housing and relapsed within a few days. He went back to the program and this time when he came out we got housing for him, Michael said. I wont say hes not drinking at all, but his ER visits are less than five per year. The CCT formed after a 2012 Community Needs Assessment survey indicated Norwalk residents were most concerned with mental illness and substance abuse in the community. The team helps adults who use the emergency department more than six times in six months by offering them access to food, insurance, housing, substance abuse treatment and a long list of other social services. The idea behind it: Access to social services reduces frequent ER visits. When theyre able to have transportation to doctors appointments then they dont have to wait until theyre in such unstable conditions that they would have to go to the emergency room, Michael said. If theyre diabetic and only have access to McDonalds and we can help them get to a food pantry with healthy food, we can help them not come to emergency room. Its a little simplistic but thats essentially how it works. The team measures its success by collecting data on ER use and how many patients are linked to services. From April to September 2017, 149 patients used Norwalk Hospitals emergency department more than six times in six months. As a group, the patients utilized the ER 1,035 times, Michael said. A year later, with the CCTs help, those numbers dropped from 149 patients to 125, with a total of 672 visits, a decrease of about 400 visits, Michael said. As far as providing services, from February 2017 to February 2018, 75 percent of patients at Norwalk and Danbury hospitals were connected with housing assistance, 61 percent with addiction services and 77 percent with case management, according to hospital data. Most patients were uninsured or under-insured single adults struggling with mental illness, physical health issues or substance abuse, CCT members said. About 45 percent received help getting insurance. One of the trends were seeing and in the homeless population too is were seeing more of an elderly population coming in over 65 and shelters are seeing that too, said Staci Peete, CCT supervisor at Norwalk Hospital. After noticing the trend in their data, they decided to launch a senior-focused Community Care Team in April, with providers more appropriate for an older population, Peete said. The goal is to cut down on the number of seniors repeatedly visiting the emergency room, aiming for similar success like theyve seen with their general CCT. I think Ive seen increased success, for sure because care is so coordinated, said Suzanne Curto, director of behavioral health at Norwalk Community Health Center. For example, there are two big gaps in access to treatment, she said: long wait lists for substance abuse treatment when the patient needs it and is ready and access to psychiatrists for psychiatric evaluations and medications. To address the need, Norwalk Hospitals outpatient psychiatric clinic recently hired a psychiatrist now in charge of those two things, she said. CCT patients can utilize that service. Michael pointed to Smith as a success story. With CCTs help, Michael said, Smiths health is better, hes drinking less and hes seeing his other doctors. Eastern Connecticut State University WILLIMANTIC Ten graphic design students at Eastern Connecticut State University, including two Middlesex County residents, recently concluded a major project with the Access Community Action Agency. As part of Professor Terry Lennoxs capstone course, Eastern Design Group, the students created 13 posters that graphically represent the agencys 13 community programs. Among them were Cromwell residents Isaac Archambault and Jake Ayotte, members of the class of 2019. Both major in art. Archambault designed posters for Affordable Housing Programs and Case Management, while Ayotte designed a poster for the Crossroads program. The posters will live in the agencys conference room as official representations of Access services, which include assistance programs for energy, food, housing and employment. They will also be used externally for fundraising and outreach events, according to a press release. After receiving design input from Access program coordinators, each student designed 13 posters one for each program as well as numerous drafts and revisions. In the end, Access selected a poster from each student, with some students receiving multiple selections. In other news, the English Department held its semester celebration of student excellence this month. English Night featured an awards ceremony, induction into the Sigma Tau Delta international honor society and student presentations. Among the students recognized were Durham resident Charley Pietrzyk, class of 2020. Pietrzyk was inducted into Sigma Tau Delta. To qualify, English students must have completed a minimum of four 200-level English courses, a minimum average GPA of 3.5 in English courses and an overall 3.0 GPA. Members are eligible for select scholarships, internship opportunities and other benefits. Coastal Carolina University CONWAY, South Carolina More than 2,400 students at Coastal Carolina University were named to the deans list for the fall 2018 semester, including locals Erika Kidd, a finance pre-major major from Old Saybrook, and Jackson Mantel, a hospitality resort and tourism management pre-major major of Cromwell. The school also held two commencement ceremonies Dec. 14. Matthew Bosco, a marketing major from Higganum, earned his bachelor of science in business administration. Tufts University MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, Massachusetts Middlesex County students joined more than 1,500 undergraduate students from around the world as they begin their academic careers at Tufts University recently. The class of 2022 includes Christopher Thomson of Old Saybrook, Richard Nakatsuka of Middletown and Kyle Cook of Higganum. STUTTGART, Germany -- A task force led by the former head of U.S. troops in Europe is recommending a beefed up American military force in Poland, home-porting Navy destroyers in Denmark and other steps to muscle up against a Russian military that has allies outgunned in the east. Gen. Philip Breedlove, who led U.S. European Command and served as NATO supreme allied commander until retiring in 2016, warned in a new report that alliance "trip-wire" forces in the Baltics and Poland could be overrun if attacked. "A determined Russian conventional attack, especially if mounted with little warning, could defeat these forward-deployed NATO and U.S. forces in a relatively short period of time, before reinforcements could be brought to bear," stated the Atlantic Council report co-authored by Breedlove. A quick Russian land grab "might present the Alliance with a fait accompli, dividing the Alliance and paralyzing decision-making before reinforcements could arrive," the December report said. The report, called "Permanent Deterrence: Enhancements to the U.S. Military Presence in North Central Europe," lays out a plan to counter such scenarios. It reiterates concerns raised by numerous security analysts in recent years -- chiefly that Russia's military advantage on NATO's eastern flank means it could quickly overrun allies in places such as the Baltics. But it also makes recommendations that go beyond the usual calls for another Army brigade in Europe as the answer to a mismatch with Russia. Breedlove, a chief architect of NATO's buildup in reaction to Russia's 2014 intervention in Ukraine, sees a larger role for the U.S. military in Poland. "Many of the recommended enhancements would take place in Poland, because its size and geographic location make it a key staging area for most NATO efforts to defend allied territory in the three Baltic states," stated the report, which Breedlove authored with task force co-chair and former NATO deputy secretary-general Alexander Vershbow. The report comes amid a congressionally mandated military review that is examining whether the U.S. has sufficient forces in Europe to deter Russia. That review also is taking place as the Pentagon considers a $2 billion offer from Poland to fund a permanent base in that country. However, it is unclear how seriously considered the recommendations will be in light of upheaval at the Pentagon, where Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, a strong advocate of maintaining alliance ties, has tendered his resignation. President Donald Trump has frequently complained about the large numbers of troops overseas. The future composition of forces in Europe could depend on the view of Mattis' yet unnamed permanent replacement. Larger role for Army, Navy One recommendation by the Atlantic Council task force is to expand a U.S. Army mission command headquarters in Poznan, Poland, into a division-sized element, and make it a permanent mission. The headquarters would by charged with ensuring the rapid flow of U.S. reinforcements to Poland and the Baltic states in time of crisis. Breedlove also envisions a larger role for the Navy on the continent. During the past four years, most of the buildup in Europe has centered on Army initiatives, such as the continuous deployment of U.S.-based brigades to the Continent and the expansion of weapons stocks at strategic locations. While the Atlantic Council task force calls for more similar efforts, the Pentagon should consider adding a small naval detachment in Gdynia, Poland, to facilitate more Navy visits to Poland and to other Baltic Sea ports, the report said. The U.S. also should also seek to home-port Navy destroyers in Denmark, which would allow continuous patrols in the Baltic Sea. "The mission might include anti-submarine warfare, maritime domain awareness, amphibious operations" and assets designed to counter an enemy strategy of denying access to the seas, the report said. Home-porting ships in Denmark rather than Poland would avoid coming into conflict with the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act, which sought to reassure Moscow that allies wouldn't position large combat formations in former Warsaw Pact nations on a permanent basis. Allies such as Germany have made clear they want to honor the agreement, though critics say it should be dissolved because of Russia's military actions in Ukraine. More land, drone forces The Atlantic Council report recommends a mix of rotational and permanent forces. "Measures along the lines proposed by the task force would build on the existing U.S. presence in Poland, strengthen deterrence for the wider region, and promote greater burden-sharing among allies," the report said. "While adding important military capabilities and increasing NATO's capacity for rapid reinforcement, the scale of the proposed measures should remain within the NATO consensus, thereby ensuring continued NATO cohesion and solidarity." Meanwhile, the U.S. Air Force mission in Lask, Poland, should be enlarged to support rotational deployments of U.S. fighter and cargo aircraft, as well as possible aviation deployments by other allies, the report said. An MQ-9 reconnaissance drone detachment at Miroslawiec Air Base, Poland, also should be permanent, according to the task force analysis. In Poland, a mid-range air-defense system also should be installed to protect U.S. soldiers deployed there. The Atlantic Council review also calls for another Army brigade deployed to Europe either permanently or on rotation. The brigade, which would be based in Germany with elements in Poland, would be in addition to a rotational brigade already in Europe. Whether those assets would be enough to blunt a Russian invasion isn't clear. A Rand Corp. report in 2016 said the minimum requirement would be seven NATO brigades, including three heavy armored brigades, supported by air power, land-based fire support and troops ready to fight at the onset of hostilities. Any additional boosts to the military mission in Poland and around the Baltics would likely be met with condemnations and counteractions from Russia. Moscow has repeatedly said it has no designs on NATO territory but allies in the region remain unconvinced. The task force, however, concluded a more robust force is more likely to deter possible Russian military adventurism on NATO turf. "The task force strongly recommends that the United States, Poland, and the rest of the Alliance move forward on this basis," the report said. Key Select Mineral List Type Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Dana Chemical Elements Detailed Mineral List: Actinolite Formula: Ca 2 (Mg 4.5-2.5 Fe 0.5-2.5 )Si 8 O 22 OH 2 Reference: Western Australia Department of Mines (1930) Annual Report of the Department of Mines for 1929 'Chlorite Group' Reference: Western Australia Department of Mines (1930) Annual Report of the Department of Mines for 1929 Galena Formula: PbS Reference: Simpson, E.S. (1948), Minerals of Western Australia, Vol 2, p 339 Gold Formula: Au Reference: Campbell, W.D. (1906) The Geology and Mineral Resources of the Norseman District, Dundas Goldfield. Geological Survey of Western Australia, Bulletin No. 21, 140 pages plus maps. Western Australia Department of Mines (1930) Annual Report of the Department of Mines for 1929. 'Hornblende' Reference: Western Australia Department of Mines (1930) Annual Report of the Department of Mines for 1929 Quartz Formula: SiO 2 Reference: Western Australia Department of Mines (1930) Annual Report of the Department of Mines for 1929 Gallery: List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification Group 1 - Elements Gold 1.AA.05 Au Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts Galena 2.CD.10 PbS Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides Quartz 4.DA.05 SiO 2 Group 9 - Silicates Actinolite 9.DE.10 Ca 2 (Mg 4.5-2.5 Fe 0.5-2.5 )Si 8 O 22 OH 2 Unclassified Minerals, Rocks, etc. 'Chlorite Group' - 'Hornblende' - List of minerals arranged by Dana 8th Edition classification Group 1 - NATIVE ELEMENTS AND ALLOYS Metals, other than the Platinum Group Gold 1.1.1.1 Au Group 2 - SULFIDES A m X p , with m:p = 1:1 Galena 2.8.1.1 PbS Group 75 - TECTOSILICATES Si Tetrahedral Frameworks Si Tetrahedral Frameworks - SiO 2 with [4] coordinated Si Quartz 75.1.3.1 SiO 2 Unclassified Minerals, Mixtures, etc. Actinolite - Ca 2 (Mg 4.5-2.5 Fe 0.5-2.5 )Si 8 O 22 OH 2 'Chlorite Group' - 'Hornblende' - List of minerals for each chemical element H Hydrogen H Actinolite Ca 2 (Mg 4.5-2.5 Fe 0.5-2.5 )Si 8 O 22 OH 2 O Oxygen O Quartz SiO 2 O Actinolite Ca 2 (Mg 4.5-2.5 Fe 0.5-2.5 )Si 8 O 22 OH 2 Mg Magnesium Mg Actinolite Ca 2 (Mg 4.5-2.5 Fe 0.5-2.5 )Si 8 O 22 OH 2 Si Silicon Si Quartz SiO 2 Si Actinolite Ca 2 (Mg 4.5-2.5 Fe 0.5-2.5 )Si 8 O 22 OH 2 S Sulfur S Galena PbS Ca Calcium Ca Actinolite Ca 2 (Mg 4.5-2.5 Fe 0.5-2.5 )Si 8 O 22 OH 2 Fe Iron Fe Actinolite Ca 2 (Mg 4.5-2.5 Fe 0.5-2.5 )Si 8 O 22 OH 2 Au Gold Au Gold Au Pb Lead Pb Galena PbS References Sort by Year (asc) Year (desc) Author (A-Z) Author (Z-A) Campbell, W.D. (1906) The Geology and Mineral Resources of the Norseman District, Dundas Goldfield. Geological Survey of Western Australia, Bulletin No. 21, 140 pages plus maps. Norseman Times newspaper (1898) Norseman Gold Belt. The Mines Visited. Present Position and Prospects. The Norseman Group. No. VI. Mararoa, 31/08/1898. Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary. An historic former gold mine.West of the Norseman line of reefs, is the Mararoa line running parallel. The Mararoa lease was a rectangular block alongside the Lady Caroline Block. The Mararoa North, Excelsior, Bethnel Green and All Nations mines were all sited on the Mararoa line to the north of the mine. The Mararoa South and Mararoa Junction were south of the lease.By 1898, only the Mararoa itself remained as an active mine. 24 acres. Initially around 1895, two English companies attempted to float the mine but failed. The original prospectors then sold the lease to a Coolgardie syndicate for a small sum. After a good deal of exemptions and litigation, an application for forfeiture was granted.The lease was under option then to a party of miners headed by R.T. Pascoe. They uncovered two parallel reefs, close together on the surface, with the western reef containing the better gold. A shaft was sunk to 50 feet, with the average reef width of 5 feet, of amber coloured quartz. The reef narrowed in the drives, and was of poor value, pinching out entirely to the north. They declined to purchase the lease. GML 126.The Mararoa swallowed the similarly named Maraboa GML 60, which had originally been developed by Goodall (surname), but forfeited in December 1894. E. Grimes then sunk 3 shafts to 150, 110, and 80 feet. 800 tonnes or ore was raised by 1898, but it never made it to crushing. It then became part of the Mararoa lease, yielding 3135 ounces of gold.The lease was surrendered in 1902, and changed to Mararoa GML 852. It was worked until at least 1906 by Pascoe, Crabb and co, who also owned GML 759 and 912, all 12 acres each, and owned the Bevilaqua battery, known at the time locally as the Norseman Crushing and Cyanide Works. How to use the mindat.org media viewer Click/touch this help panel to close it. Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image) Controls - all media types Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device. Use the mouse or your finger to drag the image or the view area of the image around the screen. < and > at the left and right hand side of the screen move forwards and backwards for the other images associated with the media you selected. Usually this is used for previous/next photo in a gallery, in an article or in search results. Keyboard shortcuts: use shift + the left and right arrow keys. < and > in the bottom center are used for switching between the photos of the same specimen. Keyboard shortcuts: use the left and right arrow keys. > in the bottom center, raises the information box giving details and further options for the media, < at the top of this box then hides it. Keyboard shortcuts: use the up and down arrow keys. ? opens this help window. Keyboard shortcuts: use the H key or the ? key. Other keyboard shortcuts: 1 Fit image to screen 2 Fill screen with image 5 Display at full resolution < Make background darker > Make background lighter space Hide/dim titles and buttons Scalebar If the field of view (FOV) is specified for the photo, the scalebar appears in the left bottom corner of the viewer. The scalebar is draggable and resizeable. Drag the right edge to resize it. Double click will reset the scalebar to it's default size and position. If the scalebar is in default position, double click will make it circular. Controls - Video Video files have a standard set of video controls: - Reset to start, - Skip back, - Play, - Pause, - Skip forwards. Keyboard shortcuts: You can stop/start video play with the P key. Controls - Animation (Spin Rotation) Animation (usually 360 degree spin rotations) have their own controls: - enable spin mode. Note that while images are loading this option will not be available but will be automatically activated when the animation has loaded. Once active you can spin the image/change the animation by moving your mouse or finger on the image left/right or by pressing the [ or ] keys. The button switches to move mode so that you can use your mouse/fingers to move the image around the screen as with other media types. The button, or the P key will start playing the animation directly, you can interrupt this by using the mouse or finger on the image to regain manual movement control. Controls - 3D Stereoscopic images If a stereoscopic 3D image is opened in the viewer, the 3D button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "3D settings" menu. The 3D images can be viewed in several ways: - without any special equipment using cross-eyed or parallel-eyed method - with stereoscope - with anaglyph glasses. - on a suitable 3D TV or monitor (passive 3D system) For details about 3D refer to: Mindat manuals: Mindat Media Viewer: 3D To enable/disable 3D stereo display of a compatible stereo pair image press the 3 key. If the left/right images are reversed on your display (this often happens in full-screen mode) press the 4 key to reverse them. Controls - photo comparison mode If a photo with activated comparison mode is opened in the viewer, the button appears in the bottom right corner giving access to "Comparison mode settings" menu. Several layouts are supported: slider and side by-side comparison with up to 6 photos shown synchronously on the screen. On each of the compared photos a view selector is placed, e.g.: Longwave UV . It shows the name of currently selected view and allows to select a view for each placeholder. Summary of all keyboard shortcuts This blog may be a labor of love for me, but it takes a lot of effort, time and money. For over 14 years and 30,000 articles I have been providing accurate, original news that would have remained unnoticed. I've written hundreds of scoops and sometimes my reporting ends up making a real difference. I appreciate any donations you can give to keep this blog going. ESCANABA, MI - An Upper Peninsula man missing for three days was last seen getting into his vehicle for a trip downstate, police say. The Escanaba Public Safety Department is asking for the publics help in locating Gregory Dennis, 51. He was reported missing by his family on Dec. 21. Dennis was last seen about 10:30 a.m. that day. Hed planned to drive to Cadillac to visit family members, police said. He has not been seen since then. Dennis drives a 2003 gray Ford Taurus with a Michigan registration of DTY9872. Anyone with information about Dennis is asked to call the Delta County Central Dispatch at (906) 786-5911, or send a private Facebook message to the Escanaba Public Safety Department. Santa Claus and his reindeer are traveling fast over the entire world Christmas Eve, and you follow his path of magic over the seven continents and to your own rooftop with military technology. Want to know when youll be able to catch a glimpse of Rudolph and the gang? Follow the jolly old man with the North American Aerospace Defense online, by phone at 1-877-446-6723 or by app. The phone lines opened at 2 a.m. Christmas Eve, but you can follow his sleigh around the globe on NORADs website, Twitter account or Facebook page. There are also mobile apps on Windows, Apple and Google Play. Despite the United States government shutdown, military officials and staff are watching St. Nick and answering phone calls. In the event of a government shutdown, NORAD will continue with its 63-year tradition of NORAD Tracks Santa on Dec. 24. Military personnel who conduct NORAD Tracks Santa are supported by approximately 1,500 volunteers who make the program possible each and every year. pic.twitter.com/fY0oyjrdDc NORAD & USNORTHCOM (@Norad_Northcom) December 21, 2018 Santa was traveling quickly through Indonesia as of 10:30 a.m. on Christmas Eve, having already delivered over 1.3 billion gifts to children across the world. NORAD reports it receives 9 million visitors from more than 200 countries each year, according to their website. More than 1,400 volunteers help field calls and requests at the Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. The website tracks Santas location in seven different languages, and can be found by typing in @noradsanta in any search engine. Last year, Amazon Alexa and OnStar users were able ask for Santas location. The annual tradition began after a typo on a Colorado newspaper told children to call in for Santas location, according to NORAD. On duty that night was Colonel Harry Shoup, who has come to be known as the Santa Colonel, NORADs website said. Colonel Shoup received numerous calls that night and rather than hanging up, he had his operators find the location of Santa Claus and reported it to every child who phoned in that night. JACKSON, MI Carlos and Rachel Perez are not putting up a Christmas tree this year. There is just too much going on. The owners of four Chilangos restaurants in Jackson were already busy enough with their businesses and three children. Enter triplets. Maximilian, Andrew and Alejandro Perez were born Jan. 24 in Ann Arbor. The fraternal triplets came home to Jackson about three weeks later. The family of five has grown to eight. When they found out they were having triplets during a routine ultrasound at 20 weeks, you could have pushed the couple over with a feather. We were in complete shock, Rachel Perez said. We were blaming each other on whose fault it was. Once the shock wore off, the couple set out to learn how to survive with triplets. They created a nursery out of part of their living room. A dishwasher and a water filtration system were added to the room to make bottles easier to manage. The couple is going through a case of formula each week and keeping a healthy supply of diapers and wipes. In the beginning, sleep was at a premium, but things have gotten easier with the help of a nanny, and from their older children, Emmanuel, 14, Diego, 11, and Isabella, 10. After a family meeting was called when they found out triplets were on the way, the older children quickly learned how to do their own laundry, and were assigned other household chores. Getting from place to place with triplets is no easy task. The family bought a bigger vehicle that could handle their family of eight, plus the triplet stroller. The family took a trip to the Jackson Crossing Mall on Saturday, Dec. 22 to take the triplets to see Santa Claus. After securing a parking spot on one of the busiest shopping days of the year, the triplets were loaded into the large stroller. As they waited for their turn to see Santa, passersby stopped to check out the three babies. The babies were then piled onto Santas lap. A smile and some tears ensued. It is the first Christmas for the now crawling triplets. Just without a Christmas tree to terrorize. SCIO TOWNSHIP, MI A film crew is shooting a $2.5-million thriller based on Algonquian folklore at Misty Farm. One of the films lead producers is Michigan native Charlotte Grace, whose family owns the Frutig Farms property on Scio Church Road in Scio Township. Though she now works in in Los Angeles, Grace was happy to bring fellow lead producer Andrew Nold and the LA-based crew to Michigan. Bringing a movie back to your hometown is a bucket-list item, and Im glad I got to do it, she said. The film is based on a mythological, supernatural, cannibalistic monster known as The Windigo," derived from Algonquian oral traditions. The legend is that when the Windigo is summoned, its brought (as) a defense against wrongdoers or evildoers, Grace said. The creature is being played by Troy James, a contortionist known for his performance earlier this year on Americas Got Talent. The cast of about 10 includes Native American actors from from LA, Chicago and Michigan, Grace said. Producer Lauren Hannum and associate producer Lauren Scherer are also Michigan natives. In the film, the Windigo is resurrected by a teenager and his Chippewa grandmother to protect their family from a group of backwoods meth dealers. They soon learn the the creature cant be controlled. Filming began in October at the farm, along with residences along Parker and Liberty roads. The crew also built two warehouses for sound stages and wrapped up production on Monday, Dec. 17. Weve created the script so that its a very small cast, Grace said. One of our main focuses is the Windigo. Our creature team is the same team thats worked with Pans Labyrinth. The film is expected to premiere in December 2019. ANN ARBOR, MI - Providing protection and public service is a common mission for police departments across the nation. Police are expected to ensure and maintain a safe municipality for the locals they serve. Yet, over the years, theres been a decline in recruitment across the region and the nation. Earlier this month, the Washington Post reported that the nonprofit Police Executive Research Forum surveyed 400 police departments about job retention, noting 29 percent of officers who voluntarily left were on the force for less than a year. Another 40 percent were on the job for less than five years, the report says. The nationwide problem is literally affecting every state (and) every city across the country, Robert Pfannes, Ann Arbor Police Department interim police chief, said. We reached a peak in hiring in the late 90s (and) early 2000s, Pfannes said. In 2001, we had 244 employees, of which (approximately) 200 were sworn officers. A typical workday for an AAPD road patrol officer is a 12-hour shift, totaling 80 hours every two weeks, with the exception that events may carry over the end of the shift, Pfannes said. AAPD now has 150 employees and 124 sworn officers, but Pfannes said its a struggle to keep jobs filled due to retirements and a lengthy onboarding process. Despite the decline, the commitment to join the force remains for those who are passionate, according to Robert Neumann, University of Michigan Division of Public Safety chief. Numbers of police applicants have declined over the past few years and we have had to keep positions open longer than we would have preferred, Neumann said. The trend seems to be easing, and this year we have been able to hire seven outstanding recruits. That brings us to full staffing for now. At the Jackson County Sheriffs Office, the number of applicants per opening has shrunk from several dozen to four or five in recent years, Undersheriff Chris Kuhl said. He attributed the decrease to a vanishing pension and benefit system, and growing public scrutiny on law enforcement. Though, Kuhl agreed with Nuemann that the quality of candidates has risen. We may only get a hand full of applicants for an opening now, but the ones we do get are in a much better position to be law enforcement officers than they were in the 90s, Kuhl said. Having a college degree is universal now, and we see a lot more applicants with military and combat backgrounds, so they already have an understanding of many law enforcement basics. Another key challenge is retention. Deputies will leave to go become state troopers or city police officers elsewhere seeking better pay and benefits, Kuhl said. Every industry faces that issue. Its just economics. Theres tough competition among agencies trying to recruit from an increasingly smaller pool of candidates. We try to speed up the hiring process to get good candidates, but this is not a line of work where you want to cut corners in hiring, Jackson Director of Police and Fire Services Elmer Hitt said. We dont want to have someone hired in as a new officer who should not be an officer. New officers and deputies undergo a lengthy background check and psychological screening, taking upwards of three months, long before they start patrolling the streets. Blackman-Leoni Township Public Safety suffers a different challenge when looking for new officers, as applicants must be able to perform law enforcement duties as well as fire and rescue operations. Though the numbers have decreased, we still get good applicants to fill the slots we can, it just takes longer, Blackman-Leoni Township Public Safety Director Mike Jester said. Law enforcement executives from across the nation gathered in Washington this month and associated the dip, in part, to rising news reports and social media posts about the 2014 unrest in Ferguson, the Washington Post reports. That incident involved unarmed black man Michael Brown, who was shot and killed after an altercation with Officer Darren Wilson. Since then, the social media world has been plastered with video clips and posts of various policing actions that generates mistrust of all police, Pfannes said, especially when officers go over the line. Even if the use of force is entirely appropriate, legal and justified, no use of force looks good and is often called brutality, Pfannes said. Neumann added that everyone, including law enforcement, has a right to expect a justice system that is fair, impartial and protects the rights of all. CHARLEVOIX COUNTY, MI A man was sent to prison for causing nearly $100,000 in damage to a neighbors house. Justin William Hillard, 25, damaged fixtures, appliances and furnishings resulting in $97,813.88 in damage at a house in Charlevoix Countys Boyne Valley Township, county Prosecutor Allen Telgenhof said. Hillard also stole $2113 in tools, electronics and a new lawnmower after breaking into another home and outbuilding, the prosecutor said. No one was home when the crimes occurred in July. Sheriffs deputies identified Hillard as the suspect through fingerprints. He lived in the same neighborhood as the houses he ransacked, the prosecutor said. This was a very serious crime where these victims not only had their property damaged or stolen, they had their peace of mind taken away and as one of the victims wrote the court, they lost their sense of safety and tranquility they felt in their home, Telgenhof said. Hillard was sentenced Friday, Dec. 21 to 38 months to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $100,000 in restitution. He had pleaded guilty to malicious destruction of property valued at $20,000 or more, and two counts of breaking and entering a building. ALLEGAN COUNTY, MI The Allegan County Sheriffs office has released the identity of a 24-year-old man who was mistaken for a deer when he was struck and killed on U.S. 131 on Friday, Dec. 21. Roky Ines Vasquez-Vasquez, 24, from the Grand Rapids area, has been named as the victim of the crash, according to a news release issued by the sheriffs office. The sheriffs office wrote that they believe Vasquez-Vasquez had fled an earlier crash on the expressway before he was struck around 5:30 a.m., Dec. 21. The crash that caused his death shut down the down the northbound lanes of U.S. 131 at 135th Avenue for nearly three hours while police pieced together the events leading to Vasquez-Vasquezs fatal injuries. Deputies found Vasquez-Vasquez lying on the shoulder of U.S. 131 just north of the Wayland exit with obvious signs of trauma, according to the release. He was pronounced dead at the scene from injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle. An investigation ensued, which showed that police responded to a 2:18 a.m. crash in the area but a driver fled on foot and could not be found. Witnesses said the vehicle was driven erratically before it crashed. Around 5:30 a.m., a motorist reported hitting a deer. Police responded but did not find a deer. The vehicle sustained damage that suggested it had hit a deer rather than another vehicle. At around 8:50 a.m., a motorist reported a body on the side of the road, which was later determined to be the body of Vasquez-Vasquez. Allegan County Sheriffs Capt. Chris Kuhn said that Vasquez-Vasquez was wearing dark clothing with no reflective surfaces and would have been extremely difficult to see in that full darkness. The driver who allegedly struck Vasquez-Vasquez is cooperating with the sheriffs office and has not been named pending a review by the prosecutors office, the release reads. The investigation is ongoing. KALAMAZOO, MI No one was hurt but six children and two adults were displaced by a fire Sunday on Kalamazoos north side. The fire was reported around 2:12 p.m. in the 800 block of Simpson Street, according to a news release from the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety. When officers arrived, they found heavy smoke and fire coming from the second story of the house, police said. They brought the fire under control within 20 minutes. No one was inside the house during the fire and no firefighters were injured. The American Red Cross is providing care for the eight people who were displaced, police said. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Police ask anyone with information about the incident to contact the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety at 269-337-8994, Silent Observers at 269-343-2100 or report online at www.kalamazoosilentobserver.com PORTAGE, MI Alexandra Riesgraf, 21, is the newest recruit hired to join the Portage Department of Public Safety as a police officer. Riesgraf grew up in Portage, recently graduated from Michigan State University and completed an internship with the Portage department. The department offered Riesgraf a job and is also paying the $8,000 to $10,000 for her to attend the Mid-Michigan Police Academy beginning in January, and plans to pay her a salary while she is enrolled for several months. Riesgraf has wanted to go into law enforcement since she can remember. The I hate cops mentality that some people have expressed especially motivates her, she said. I wanted to kind of try and change that, Riesgraf said. I know that were hurting for law enforcement officers and I know I can do this job and do it well. Long hours, stressful work, negative media coverage, public criticism and decreasing benefits for government workers are some of the factors police officers mention when asked why fewer people are choosing to go into a career in law enforcement. The challenges in hiring officers is a national issue and has caused recruiting practices to change, Portage Department of Public Safety Acting Deputy Chief Matt Wolfe said. This is the first time in the modern era that Portage has paid a candidates way through the police academy, he said. Were having to sell ourselves, Wolfe said. Sell the city, sell the department. The department is doing more outreach, working to increase social media use and making contacts at police academies across the state to find recruits, he said. Before 2012, the department would have to screen more than 100 people when job openings were posted, Wolfe said. Now, they get more like 10 or 20 applicants. The department currently staffs 58 officers, and has four openings they are trying to fill. Those positions have been vacant for four months, Wolfe said. Theyre looking for high-caliber candidates with an ingrained sense of public service, and who are going into the profession for the right reasons, Wolfe said. Because of the job market, the position no longer requires a four-year degree like it has in the past, he said, though he still recommends one. The Kalamazoo County Sheriffs Office is facing the same challenges in filling vacancies, Undersheriff James Van Dyken said. In the past, there was an abundance of people and a shortage of jobs, Van Dyken said. Now its the opposite. The sheriffs office sends recruiters to police academies from metro Detroit to Flint and Roscommon to Lansing, Van Dyken said. If theres a police academy in the state of Michigan, were going to go, he said. The sheriffs department focuses on recruiting people who dont have jobs lined up, he said, and they try to avoid taking candidates from other local departments. What we knew in the past, we had to throw out the window and retool to find qualified people, he said, I guess, nationwide, most agencies are doing the same thing. The sheriffs office employs 232 people, Van Dyken said, and currently has multiple openings. They have had talks about sponsoring recruits for the police academy, he said, but it is not happening at this time. The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety has been paying for academy training of new hires for years, and staffing still remains an issue they deal with constantly, Chief Karianne Thomas said. In her previous role as deputy chief, she overhauled the hiring system and began tracking when and why applicants were eliminated or dropped out of the process, she said. KDPS typically holds two rounds of hiring each year, Thomas said. During the second round of hiring in 2018, KDPS received 513 applications. After vetting that included interviews, background checks, a physical fitness requirement and more, the department chose to hire 11 officers. The department is implementing strategies to try to help people make it through the hiring process in the stages where they see the most people drop out, such as offering guidance for some of the application materials and providing a clear picture of what the physical agility tests will be like, she said. KDPS is different from most other departments in that it uses a public safety model, in which officers serve in a combined role as firefighters, paramedics and police officers. The added roles require more training and add stress to the job, Thomas said. The process is about seven months, from posting the job to hiring, she said. New hires must complete months of training at the police academy and field training with KDPS as well. The department is approved to have 241 public safety officers, and currently has 233 sworn officers on staff. Thomas keeps notes on the hiring process on a whiteboard in her office. They include how many people are eligible to retire each year. One section of the whiteboard shows 11 officers who left unexpectedly and two who retired over the past year, she said. KDPS is working on new ways to reach the younger generation, Lt./Inspector Matt Elzinga said, and they arent limiting their search to police academies. For example, Elizinga said, they are also reaching out on social media and to faith-based organizations to find people who could be a good fit for law enforcement. Its constant research and work to go out there and attract those who would want to work in law enforcement, he said. The department is required to have a certain number of people working at all times, Thomas said. When they dont have enough officers on, the newest hires are ordered in to fill the shifts. That is another reason staffing is important, she said. To keep up, the department is constantly hiring and has been for the past three years, Thomas said. Finding the right people is important, she said, because KDPS has to be confident they will make the right decisions. We have the ability to deprive someone of their liberty to put them in jail, to detain them, to put them in handcuffs, and thats a big heavy responsibility, Thomas said. In Portage, Riesgraf said she is looking forward to the excitement of her new job, like doing traffic stops and arrests. She wants to serve the people of Portage, where she grew up. Shes excited to make contact with citizens and let them know police arent just the bad guy. I dont want them to think Im just there to arrest people and take their names and be like this really hard person, but I will be if I have to be, Riesgraf said. She said Portage sponsoring her was a big factor in her taking a job here and she believes more sponsorship could help them bring in more officers. LUDINGTON, MI Viral is the only way to describe the reaction to the story of a Michigan business owner gifting $4 million to his employees. FloraCraft owner and Chairman Lee Schoenherr announced an average $20,000 in bonuses for his employees on Dec. 14. A press release went out on Monday, Dec. 17. Since then, the story was distributed worldwide, showing up throughout the United States and in Russia, China, Indonesia, France and Germany to name a few. It started Monday morning at 8 oclock with phone calls and emails - that lasted all day long, then Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Schoenherr told MLive/Muskegon Chronicle on Friday, Dec. 21. I started today at 8 oclock with a phone call. I had an interview with CNN this morning. "It's viral, this thing - it amazes me, he added. It's beyond everybodys imagination. Schoenherr has also appeared on Fox and Friends, and Varney & Co. The story was picked up by USA Today, NPR, The Associated Press, People magazine, the Detroit Free Press, Newsweek, The Blaze and CNBC to name a few. There have been more than 300 television and radio stories and countless print articles, Schoenherr said. Amazed by the storys reach, Schoenherr hypothesized that people must have glommed onto it because you dont hear too much good in the news these days, plus people like some good news around Christmas. Not only has the story caught the attention of news outlet across the country, but their readers are also enthralled. Comments from MLive readers include pledges to purchase FloraCraft products and proclamations that the gesture has restored their faith in humanity. A family-owned company, FloraCraft is the worlds leading manufacturer of foam products for the craft and floral industries. FloraCraft products can be found at Walmart, Amazon, Michaels, JOANN, Hobby Lobby and other retailers. Since the announcement, the company has also fielded hundreds of phone calls and emails inquiring about job opportunities, according spokesperson Mary Ann Sabo. The 200 Ludington-based employees set to receive the bonus responded with gratitude and some tears, Schoenherr said. Top gifts to employees with more than 40 years of tenure will exceed $60,000, according to the company. The gifts will be paid out in December 2019 and March 2020 with 25 percent in cash bonuses and 75 percent in 401(k) contributions. Giving a significant gift to employees had been on Schoenherrs mind for about a year. Its a way of saying Thank you to employees, although he says thats not an adequate word to describe the people at FloraCraft. The $4 million pledge was made possible in part by recent federal tax cuts, he said. The fact that we can keep a little bit more of our money than we did before makes it a little bit easier to do these things, Schoenherr said. And with Democrats taking over the U.S. House of Representatives, hes not sure things will be as good next year. I just think its gotten so far out of hand that we need to come back to the middle a little bit, said Schoenherr, a lifelong Republican. Schoenherr took the helm of the family business and renamed it in 1973, leading the company to a premier position in the industry through buying competitors and expanding its product line to better meet the needs of its international client base. The company history goes back to 1946. Yet, for all its predictability as a biopic and legal drama, it's difficult not to be rapt with attention during Ruth's dramatic oral argument before the court. The stakes are high. They need this precedent, for this case and every other case of gender discrimination she needs to knock down. "On the Basis of Sex" might be a rather broad biopic, but it beautifully argues the importance of Ginsburg's work prior to the Supreme Court and is a lovely tribute to the woman who would become the Notorious RBG. FRANKENMUTH, MI Christmas Eve 2018 marks the 200th anniversary of the premiere of the song Silent Night at a chapel in Austria. Here in Michigan, people can visit a replica of that chapel in Frankenmuth and join in a special performance of the song on Monday, Dec. 24. The chapel is located outside Bronners Christmas Wonderland. Maria Sutorik, vice president of Bronners and daughter of company founder Wally Bronner, said her father fell in love with the original chapel in Austria while on a visit there. When his Frankenmuth business moved to the south end of town, he saved a spot to build a replica of the chapel. The silent night chapel here was built as authentically as possible, she said. He did request from government officials of Austria in 1989 in February (to build it.) People use the chapel at Bronners for meditation and reflection, but its not used for religious services or events such as weddings. At 3 p.m. on Monday, there is a sing-along of Silent Night to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the song. The sing-along will take place outside the chapel. The path to the chapel includes a curvy sidewalk with signs of different languages the song as been translated into. Inside the 56-foot Silent Night Memorial Chapel, picture frames are filled with photos and written correspondence over the years documenting the history of the making of the chapel. Also inside the chapel, an altar features a banner reading, Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht," reflecting some of the original German words of Silent Night." The chapel draws people from all over the country. Janice Turikain, a Boston resident visiting her family for the holidays, said seeing the chapel was something she always wanted to do. Sutorik expects the chapel to be a little busier this year because of the special anniversary of the song. The history of the song is that it was first sung in 1818 in the chapel in Austria and performed with an accompanying guitar after the organ broke inside St. Nicholas Church. To keep with that tradition, the sing-along event in Frankenmuth will include a guitar as well. Its really often known as Austrias Christmas gift to the world, Sutorik said, adding that the song has been translated into at least 300 known languages. Matthew Kling, of Chicago, said his family visits the chapel almost every year. Its a family tradition to come up to Frankenmuth, Kling said. I think its pretty neat (on the 200th anniversary) and I think its important that we continue to incorporate Christianity into our holiday traditions. The chapel is free to visit and open daily during store hours of Bronners Christmas Wonderland. But be aware that Bronners is closed on Christmas Day. Associate board member April Muller spoke proudly of the organization and her role in it as a foster care participant (in 2016, she was honored as the Foster Home of the Year). "The organization is so supportive of foster homes. They supply everything food, treats, crate all you need to do is give the dog a place to lay its head. The more fosters you have, the more lives you can save," she said. Every year, when I challenged the Santa reality, my brother retold his story. And that settled it. My mom said Santa was real, the cookies were always gone in the morning and there was no reason to believe my brothers would make up such a convincing tale just to mess with me. My impressionable younger self trusted them and doubted my own mind, creating an internal battle with the truth. Siegel told me believing in Santa isnt the problem, its the conflict around understanding the world that is detrimental. She was much more interested in how can I become a doctor and how do I get my toys to come to life. That character has become one of the central touchstones of my daughters young years. That will be a character she remembers growing into her adulthood. It taught her about being strong and resourceful. And it also happens to be an African-American little girl doing it. Thats wonderful because its about valuing people for people, not how they look, the color of their hair or what their clothes look like. There is not enough analysis data for Bahamas Petroleum. 4.0 Community Rank Outperform Votes Bahamas Petroleum has received 157 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Bahamas Petroleum has received 103 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Bahamas Petroleum has received 60.38% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Bahamas Petroleum and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe BPC will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe BPC will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Sakina Mandsaurwala Base metals after making highs during first half of 2018 fell 20-30% in the second half of 2018. While supply tightness and environmental concern related plant shut down in China were reason behind the initial rally. And improved supply due to reopening of many production lines and demand shrinking due to lower auto sales in China and US were the reasons behind recent decline. US-China trade conflict further added to the negative sentiment. Going forward, slowing Chinese economy remains a key concern. Lower inventory is the key support. Key trackable for 2019 is resolution of US China trade conflict and announcement of stimulus in Chinese economy, if any. We have a positive view on Nickel and negative view on Lead and Zinc. Copper and Aluminum are expected to maintain downward trajectory during the early part of 2019 before entering into a consolidation phase. Aluminum During the January-November period of 2018, production has increased by 1.4% to 58.82 million tones. US have lifted sanctions on Rusal, the worlds largest aluminum producer and strike has ended at Alcoas Australian alumina refinery. On the contrary, Chinas biggest aluminum producers are discussing production cutbacks of 800,000 tonnes and LME aluminum inventories stands at just 1.2 million tonnes. We expect aluminum to remain bearish towards $1,820 per tonne for the first quarter of 2019 on the current oversupply worries though production cut may stabilise it in the second half of 2019. Copper Global copper production has increased due to end of mines strike in Indonesia and Chile. For 2019, world refined copper consumption is expected to be 24,890 metric tonnes implying narrowing of deficit to 65 thousand tonnes. Looking at the market fundamentals and the current state of the economy, we expect Copper prices to remain weak unless any supportive fiscal and monetary measure comes from China to help the economy grow. We expect copper prices to trade in a range of $5700 per tonne to $6250 per tonne. Lead Global Lead market is expected to turn into surplus of 50,000 tonnes from deficit of 120,000 tonnes in 2018. The mine supply is expected to increase by 4.1% in 2019 as some mine supply is likely to come on-stream from Coeur Minings Silvertip mine in Canada and Vedantas Gamsberg. China contributes around 40% to the worlds lead demand but tight environment inspection has put production limitation. During Q1 2019, we expect MCX Lead prices to trade positive on lower Chinese production but during the second half of 2019 we expect Lead prices to witness selling pressure on surplus scenario and to decline towards $1800 per tonne. Nickel Nickel deficit in 2019 will fall to 33000 tonnes from 146000 tonnes in 2018 due to rising mine supply from Indonesia Philippines and China. But Nickel demand in long term is expected to increase from electric vehicle sector and lithium-ion batteries. Also inventories have fallen, Shanghai stocks stands at just 14,517 tonnes, down from a 2016 peak of above 100,000 tonnes. On the other side, LME stocks have fallen by 41% since the January 2018. We hold a bullish outlook in Nickel for 2019 with price target of $13250 per tonne. Zinc Global zinc market is expected to wipe out its deficit in 2019. Global zinc mine production will increase by 6.5% in 2019 as strong prices in past have influenced zinc miners to bring the idled capacity back online. Century mine and Dugald River mine is likely to expand its output capacity by 250,000 tonnes and Rampura Agucha mine in India will add 100,000 tonnes. Vedantas mine in South Africa has plans to double its capacity in 2019. We expect LME Zinc prices to remain weak and move towards $2350 per tonne. The author is a commodity analyst at Narnolia Financial Advisors. The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on Moneycontrol are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Oil ministers from leading OPEC nations said on Sunday they expect prices will arrest their recent slide and rebalance early next year, when a deal on new production cuts takes effect. Oil prices have shed more than 36 percent since early October to trade at $54 (47 euros) per barrel, due to fears of oversupply and weak global demand. But president of OPEC and UAE Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said that the surplus in the oil market was small compared to 2017 and expected it to vanish in one or two months. "Based on available figures, we have around 26 million barrels of surplus ... compared to 340 million barrels in early 2017," Mazrouei told a press conference in Kuwait City. "I think that we can easily do with this surplus and reach market rebalance in one or two months... in the first quarter of next year," he said. OPEC -- a cartel of producer countries that has long manipulated output of the commodity, to influence global prices in members' favour - and non-OPEC members agreed in early December to trim production by 1.2 million barrels a day from January 1, in a bid to shore up sagging prices. Mazrouei said that there has been higher than anticipated supply on the market in recent months, as US sanctions on Iran have had a less pronounced effect on the country's oil exports than had been expected. Iraq's Oil Minister Thamer al-Ghadhban said that there is a consensus among OPEC and non-OPEC producers to comply with the new agreement to trim output in a bid to stabilise the market. He said the new agreement is valid for six months and the ministers will meet in April to assess the impact of the cuts. Ghadhban said he believes that the new measures taken by producers will "stop the slide in oil prices." Mazrouei said that producers are ready to renew the agreement or increase cuts in case the market does not balance. "If the production cuts of 1.2 million barrels a day is not enough, we will meet again to see what is enough and apply it," he said. During their meeting next April, the producers are also expected to sign a long-term agreement to formalise cooperation between OPEC and non-OPEC members over oil output. OPEC has lately been cooperating closely with Russia and other non-cartel producers, in a bid to impose greater control over global output and prices. Robert Sheck, the Weinstein & Piser manager who came up with the idea, said he cant explain the unexpectedly high demand, other than maybe that the predominantly Jewish crowd just wanted to be together as a community on Christmas Eve, a night thats typically, well dead. More than 230 tickets sold out in a matter of weeks. In an exclusive interaction with Moneycontrol, Saugata Gupta, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Marico outlined the aim to deliver 13-15 percent revenue growth over the next three to four years with 10 percent contribution from volume growth. Margin tailwinds, he said, would be better utilised in investment for new products. Listed below are the key takeaways from the conversation in which he laid emphasis on the importance of various distribution channels such as e-commerce, direct reach, chemist channels. Rural growth remains ahead of urban, but some softness visible The companys earnings have gained over the last few quarters from the uptrend in rural growth compared to urban. Pace in rural growth was also aided by base effect. However, Gupta noted in recent times the impact of monsoons has been patchy. For instance, some parts of Maharashtra and Central India had insufficient rainfall. Intended trickledown effect of the minimum support price (MSP) was also not observed. Hence, there were pockets of rural economy which would require a close watch. E-commerce as a channel was emerging with over 2 percent share Gupta explained the differentiated strategy of capitalising on various channels. He said, The way to look at e-commerce is that it is an opportunity. If you drive premiumisation... It is important to drive different portfolio through both modern trade and e-commerce channels Additionally, new products are tested on this platform. For instance, True Roots was tested with Flipkart. It is another way of test marketing a product and so a substitute for consumer research for launching a product. Business mix to change towards premium segments Marico wants to reduce dependence on Parachute and Saffola and drive new things in the premium segment. Engines of growth like male grooming, serums, hair nourishment and foods are expected to have a significantly higher share in the next five years. Focus on direct reach and chemist cosmetic The company would continue to drive on direct distribution in the rural markets. On urban grocery, the company is well in line with major FMCG players. However, he said Marico is under-indexed in the chemist cosmetic sub-segment (premium part of the portfolio) when compared to other personal care companies and specialty food companies. Therefore, the new portfolio will such that it drives growth in chemist cosmetic sub-segment. Large-scale players to capitalise the post-GST opportunity Gupta said, As the compliance level increases, it (GST) will give a level playing field but the other trend that is happening in the post-GST scenario and with e-commerce modern trade going up is that we are seeing structural changes in distribution. The criticality of wholesale as a sector will come down. Companies with direct distribution and sales will have a competitive advantage in terms of ability to operate and wholesale coming and also the ability to take supply chain advantagesif you look at the number of warehouses coming down or automated supply chain logistics." "There is lot more transformation happening in distribution, go to market, supply chain logistics which has been bought just not because of GST but because of market dynamics. For eg. Automation in technology distribution today. So a lot of changes are happening in the CPG market to capitalise. At the mass market, large-scale players will be able to capitalise. " Internationally focus is towards the east He said the company is targeting a move towards South Asia and South East Asia in the international market. It is less bullish about Africa and the Middle East because of both complexity and short-term consumption trend. Benefits from deflationary copra cycle to be mostly invested Currently, the company benefits from the start of a deflationary cycle in copra pricing. Copra normally follows 18-24 month cycle and it is already in the 3rd or 4th month running. He said margin expansion is not the focus at the moment. Instead, there are a significant number of new products in the pipeline and Marico thinks there is a good opportunity to invest in them. Long-term and near-term growth to get support from high single-digit volume growth In the current year, the company aims to deliver 8 percent volume growth on an annualised basis. On a medium term of 3-4 years, it expects revenue growth of at least 13-15 percent. This would be mainly be aided by volume growth of 10 percent with 2-3 percent price inflation. Niti Aayog Niti Aayogs Strategy for New India@75 document lists an impressive number of objectives, ranging from a GDP growth rate of 9-10 percent by 2022-23 to organizing women into professional groups/guilds in order to improve their bargaining power to breeding indigenous cattle with exotic breeds. It adds to the avalanche of prescriptions on what needs to be done for Indias development churned out by numerous committees, think tanks, government departments, economic surveys, research papers et al. One could be excused for thinking that to anyone remotely interested in these matters, what needs to be done should by now be abundantly clear. The challenge, of course, is to do it. Is there a common theme on which the Niti Aayog document is based? Well, one interesting theme, perhaps its central vision, is the transformation of India into a development state. It says right up front: The Prime Minister has focused on putting in place a development state in place of the soft state that this government had inherited. The phrase development state occurs three times in the preface to the policy document. What exactly is a development state? Simply put, it is the hugely successful model of state-directed development seen in the East Asian countries, many of which went from poverty to prosperity within a generation or two. The government plays a big role in this transformation, putting in place the policies needed for rapid capital accumulation and in guiding the private sector to achieve the objectives set by the state. It is in contrast to the free-wheeling capitalism of the US or the UK. Well, the state has always been the Big Brother in Indias economic development, with disastrous results. The objective this time is to follow the East Asian model to make India into a hard state, a state than can ensure that its policies are enforced, rather than a soft state, where governments are incapable of pursuing policies because of resistance from the people or vested interests, or simply because the state lacks the capability and resources to do so. India has for long been criticised as a soft state because it is unable to enforce its rules -- the massive growth of black money is one egregious example. The present governments attempts to enforce discipline through the Bankruptcy law, through cleaning up the real estate sector, through the Benami properties law, through raising the tax to GDP ratio by implementing the Goods & Services tax are all examples of trying to become a hard state. The Prime Ministers admiration for the Chinese model of development is no secret. One crucial feature of a development state is that it is able to rise above the powerful sectional and vested interests in the nation. Unfortunately, as has been seen time and again, governments in India have meekly surrendered to populist pressures, especially when elections are near. This has been underlined most recently in the desperate competition to waive farm loans. How were the East Asian nations able to become development states where others failed? One, they had social cohesiveness -- the image of Koreans lining up to give their gold to the government during the Asian crisis is a particularly telling one. They did not have the differences of language or caste or creed that India has. Secondly, they developed using a model of export-led growth. That option has become much more difficult in todays increasingly protectionist world. Most importantly, they all developed under authoritarian rule. As the economist Hugo Radice said, The authoritarian character of the state ensures that competing interests based on class, class fraction or sector are subordinated to the states goals, which are presented as largely determined by the requirements of industrialisation and technological change. Authoritarian regimes are able to put down challenges with repressive measures to ensure that the all-important task of capital accumulation continues unhindered. The answer to the question of how China did it is a simple one: their model is one of authoritarian state-led capitalism. The sociologist Immanuel Wallerstein said that the essential problem of development can be posed as follows: how is it possible to install and maintain in state power a regime with the will and the possibility to transform the social structure in a way that would make possible a dramatic rise in productivity and investment That is the question that all democratic societies have to ask themselves. It is far from certain whether there is an answer. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Jubilant FoodWorks, Tata Consultancy Services and Infosys are among the top 10 major movers (stocks) in 2018. Shares of these firms rose up to 48 percent. It was a good year for these stocks as positive news flow kept flowing in for these names and investors continued to place positive bets on the stocks. On the contrary, in a market that has managed to give single-digit returns in 2018 (Sensex and Nifty returned 27-30 percent in 2017), there have been plenty of wealth destroyers. Among BSE500 space, stocks such as Kwaity, Vakrangee and IL&FS have fallen between 92 percent and 84 percent. Here is a look at all these names and why they made news. Jubilant FoodWorks The stock has risen around 48 percent on a year-to-date basis. The operator of Dominos Pizza in India has seen a turnaround of its business. The financials have witnessed a good uptick, while same store sales growth has been steadily increasing, too. Tata Consultancy Services Apart from having a good and sustainable growth in financials, the stock was in the news after it hit a market capitalization of USD 100 billion in April 2018. The stock has risen 43 percent so far. Torrent Pharma The stock, having returned 28 percent so far, has been in the news after it announced an acquisition in this calendar year. The company bought US-based Bio-Pharm, which as per the company, will help in enhancing presence in the United States. Infosys The stock rose 25 percent so far in this calendar year and was in the news for management rejig. After a shock exit by Vishal Sikka, Salil Parekh took over the reins in January 2018. Reliance Industries The company announced a mega roll out of its broadband facility Jio GigaFibre and hinted at aggressive pricing in the broadband space as well. Additionally, it acquired stake in Den Networks and Hathway Cable as well, to boost presence in broadband business. The stock rose over 20 percent so far. Some stocks that were marred by negative sentiment are - Kwality Reports of mounting debt and a sudden and sharp fall in its profits in the previous quarter has raised suspicions among investors regarding the financials of the company. What has added to the misery is an exit by its auditors over some disclosure issues. The stock has fallen 92 percent so far. Vakrangee The stock has fallen around 91 percent in this year and investors have been worried about its financials. According to investigative media reports, the company is said to have undergone a phase of financial irregularities, based on which the auditors of the company also resigned. IL&FS Transportation This is a core point of a massive correction in the stock market as a huge infra leasing giant defaulted on its bond payments. Equity markets saw a huge fall as investors turned cautious of the companys debt repayment plans. It put pressure on other NBFCs as well as cost of capital rose for such companies. The stock fell around 84 percent. Videocon Industries The stock has eroded wealth to the tune of 83 percent and that has been due to the ballooning debt and allegations of a scam involving former MD of ICICI Bank and the Dhoot family. Jet Airways The airline ran into financial trouble, with reports suggesting that the carrier did not have enough money to run over 90 days as well. Salaries to its staff has been delayed, while the current management is scouting for prospective buyers and help the airline stay afloat. There has been a fall of 70 percent on the stock. Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Manali Bhatia Decoupled with global peers, the Indian market outperformed to some extent over the week but a sharp correction was seen on Fridays session after seven consecutive days of upward move. Nifty closed with a mild weekly loss of 0.47% at 10754. The euphoria seen earlier in the market is now stuck within a narrow range, that is forming between 100 and 200-Day Moving Average, at 10940 and 10766 respectively. As we have closed at the lower range of the band and US markets closed below important support levels, if the market breaks its Friday low (10738.65) then it could derail the upside momentum for the time being and then the fall can extend upto the levels of 10651 and 10507. An upside of 10940-10985 will remain a challenging zone for the bulls. Options data suggests a cautious approach of bulls as 10,900 and 11,000 call option has witnessed significant writing. Whereas, cumulative open interest of around 32 lakh contracts at 10,500 put strike price, suggesting that a fall is likely to be arrested at lower levels. 100 percent retracement projection of previous week's range comes in at 10,500 level coupled with macro factors i.e strengthening bond yield, Indian rupee and melting crude oil prices. We believe that once the market reaches a lower level, it should be bought into and we can see a fresh upward move after correction at the month-end. Recommendations As the regulator has "pulled up its socks" regarding the tightening of norms for various sectors, this has led to short-term instability but on the other side, would strengthen quality & firmness in long run. Here's a list of quality, contra & controversial stocks that are expected to bear fruits in the next couple of months. Sun Pharma | Buy | CMP 425 | Target 512 | Return 20% | Long-term The company has seen a number of allegations owing to its corporate governance. Whether it is regarding the inadequate disclosures, a low single-digit tax rate or the matter of Aditya Medisales. All this coupled with the selection of London-based firm Jermyn Capital to manage Suns $275 million foreign convertible bond issue in 2004-07 have affected the company lately. Though most of the issues have now been clarified by the management. Although Q2 numbers disappointed the street owing to a one time expense related to Modafinil and this may dampen Q3 numbers as well. Recent approvals by the USFDA for Elepsia TM XR 1000 mg and 1500 mg and approvals for Generic Ganirelix Acetate Injection having annual sales of around $67 million in the US is expected to commercialise in Q4FY19. Further, approval & launch of Ilumya, Cequa, Yonsa & XELPROS in the US may provide good growth in the future. Apart from all the controversy, Sun Pharma, as India's largest drugmaker offers strong quality. Besides, management is keen to furnish the details & finish up with the allegations at the earliest. We expect the working capital & ROCE to improve going ahead. We recommend BUY for a target of Rs 512 initially. Yes Bank | Buy | CMP 183 | Target 236 | Return 29% | Long term Yes Banks share price has halved over the past few months on account of various concerns i.e. regulators loss of confidence in its founder-CEO, Rana Kapoor, resignation of Ashok Chawla, OP Bhatt and Vasant Gujrati. Following the last meeting, Mr T S Vijayan & Mr Uttam Prakash Agarwal took over the charge of an additional director. Also, the bank has recommended the name of its board member Brahm Dutt for the post of Chairman to the RBI. The bank is on verge of announcing a new chief soon. Board of Directors are on track to complete the process within the stipulated timeline by the RBI and final recommendations will be submitted post their next meeting scheduled on January 9, 2019. If they complete as per schedule, then good sentiments are expected to build around the share price from here onwards. In spite of all the short-term headwinds that can be resolved sooner or later, stock could witness a rebound in coming weeks owing to strong growth numbers & healthy asset quality. Looking ahead, we anticipate no adverse impact on performance from the RBI's risk-based supervision exercise and recommend to BUY with target of Rs 236, which corresponds to 2x P/BV. Bandhan Bank| Buy | CMP 529 | Target 616 | Return 16% | Long term Since the bank has not been able to bring down shareholding to 40% as mandated under licensing condition, general permission to open new branches was withdrawn but the bank can still open branches with a prior approval of RBI. Furthermore, the bank has taken necessary steps to comply with licensing condition i.e. acquisition in MSME, HFC & MFI space and dissolving the holding company structure. Restrictions on branch expansion doesn't pose any challenge to its regular pace of growth as it has already opened 938 branches, some of which are unexplored. However, prior approvals from the RBI will only slow down the pace of opening branches. Moreover, significant presence in the under-penetrated East and North East India would bring growth opportunities for the next 2-3 years. Apart from all controversies, the bank sees immense growth potential as it has strong fundamentals in place. We expect 30-35% CAGR growth over the next couple of years, on basis of FY20E book value of Rs 154, we valued the share price of Rs 616 initially at 4x P/BV. Disclosure: This is to hereby certify that all of the views expressed in stocks accurately reflect our views about the subject issuer(s) or securities. Rudra or its research analysts, or his/her relative or associate do not have any direct or indirect financial interest nor any other material conflict of interest at time of stock recommendation, in the subject company. Also, Rudra or its research analysts, or his/her relative or associates does not have actual/beneficial ownership of one per cent or more securities of the subject company. Rudra or its associates have not received any compensation or other benefits from the subject company or third party in the past twelve months. The research analyst has not served as an officer, director or employee of the subject company, neither Rudra or its research analyst has been engaged in market making activity for the subject company. However, Rudra or its research analysts, or his/her relative or associate may have positions In Futures & Options. Any holding in stock NO The author is a senior research analyst at Rudra Shares and Stock Brokers. The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on Moneycontrol are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. SEBI may probe auditors for role in IL&FS crisis: Sources Sources have told Moneycontrol that the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) may look into role of Deloitte, and affiliates of KPMG and EY for their role as auditors of the beleaguered IL&FS Group at some point or in some role over the past few years. Tarun Sharma December 24, 2018 / 06:18 PM IST IL&FS Transportation Networks | The company defaulted on the interest on non-convertible debentures due on August 25, 2020. (Image: Reuters) A decade since the Satyam scam unfolded, a development that resulted in serious consequences for its auditor PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), the remaining three of the famous Big 4 accounting firms quartet could find themselves in trouble, this time for the IL&FS crisis. Sources have told Moneycontrol that the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) may look into role of Deloitte, and affiliates of KPMG and EY for their role as auditors of the beleaguered IL&FS Group at some point or in some role over the past few years. SEBIs action follows a report by the Institute of Chartered Accounts of India (ICAI), which indicted Deloitte, EY affiliate SRBC & Co, and KPMG affiliate BSR and Associates for failing in their duty and misrepresenting facts. Moneycontrol has seen a copy of the report.Deloitte, SRBC and BSR & Associates respectively were the statutory auditors of the group. Deloitte was the statutory auditor of IL&FS during FY2017 and prior, and of IL&FS financial services (IFIN) during FY 2016-2017 and FY 2017-2018, as well as of IL&FS transport networks (ITNL) during FY 2016-2017 and FY 2017-2018. SRBC was the statutory auditor of IL&FS during FY 2017-2018, of ITNL from FY 2016-2017, and FY 2017-2018. BSR & Associates was the statutory auditor for IFIN from FY 2016-2017 and FY 2017-2018, and ITNL from FY 2016-2017 and FY 2017-2018. Deloitte, KPMG and EY are all on SEBIs empaneled list of forensic auditors. Separately, Moneycontrol has learned that the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) may also initiate action against these firms with help of to-be-launched audit regulator National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA). The IL&FS crisis raises questions over whether these firms can audit other listed companies, a source close to the government said. The development comes after PW approached the Supreme Court challenging the ruling of the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT), which had upheld SEBIs order disallowing the firm from auditing listed companies for two years. SEBI Chairman Ajay Tyagi has maintained that SEBI, being the regulator of listed entities, can take action against errant auditors irrespective of any action by NFRA. Anil Choudhary, Partner Finsec law told Moneycontrol "Sebi has taken action in past also in such cases. Usually regulator barred for some time to audit listed companies audit and strignent action increase investor confidence". However, Amit Tandon, Co-founder of IIAS, told Moneycontrol, that SEBI should independently verify any wrongdoing before taking any action. SEBI should not go by only ICAIs findings, he said. In the IL&FS case, SEBI has already started adjudication against three credit rating agencies, which gave the companies strong ratings despite their poor health. Here are stocks that are in the news today: Himachal Futuristic Communications: Company has received two contracts totalling Rs 148 crore from L&T to execute the telecommunication systems projects for the Mauritius Metro Express Project and for the Dhaka Metro Mass Rapid Transit System. Fortis Healthcare: The market regulator has ordered Singh brothers and others to repay Rs 403 crore with interest within 3 months. Reliance Industries: Company completed acquisition of 5.56 percent strategic stake in Vakt Holdings Limited, UK. EPC Industrie: Board approved change in the name of the company from EPC Industrie Limited to Mahindra EPC Irrigation Limited. Unichem Laboratories: Company has received ANDA approval from USFDA for Pramipexole Dihydrochloride tablets, which are indicated for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Piramal Enterprises: ICRA enhanced its credit rating AA (Stable) limit from Rs 11,100 crore to Rs 14,100 crore for non-convertible debentures instruments. Adani Enterprises: Company incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary (WOS) namely, Adani Water Limited. Strides Pharma Science: India Life Sciences Fund III advised by ICP-III Investment Advisors has partnered with Strides and the said transaction has achieved closure on December 20, 2018. Hinduja Global Solutions: HGS AxisPoint Health LLC, USA, a step down subsidiary of the company has entered into definitive agreements for sale of several US Nurse Advice Line service contracts to Infomedia Group, Inc, USA, (doing business as 'Carenet Healthcare Services'). Taneja Aerospace & Aviation: V Vijay has resigned from the post of Chief Financial Officer of the company. Tata Sponge Iron: ICRA downgraded the long term ratings assigned to the fund based bank limits, and re-affirmed the short term rating assigned to the non-fund based bank facilities of the company. Petronet LNG: At the request of IOCL, BPCL, GAIL and GSPC, the sale and purchase agreement with RasGas of Qatar (LNG Supplier) for supply of an additional 1 MMTPA of LNG for onward sale to these companies has been re-structured by having direct arrangement between the LNG supplier and the Indian entities w.e.f. January 2019 wherein Petronet will now continue to provide the storage, receiving and regasification services for the above mentioned contract but will not be the buyer of LNG. Escorts: Joint venture company Optunia Power Infrastructure Private Limited has presently been funded by joint contribution of Rs 60 crore to the equity share capital of the JVC by both the JV Partners i.e. Tadano Limited, Japan and Escorts Limited in the ratio of 51 percent and 49 percent respectively. The JVC shall manufacture rough terrain cranes and truck mounted cranes. State Trading Corporation of India: Rooma Nagrath is appointed as Chief Financial Officer of the company. IL&FS Engineering and Construction Company: Rail Vikas Nigam Limited terminated contract with the company for construction of seven stations including related works from Sub - CBD-1 to Titumir in New Garia- Airport Metro Corridor of Kolkata Metro Railway. Power Grid Corporation of India and REC: Power Grid acquired Jawaharpur Firozabad Transmission Limited (JFTL), the project SPV to establish transmission system for evacuation of power from 2 x 660 MW Jawaharpur Thermal Power Project and construction of 400 kV substation at Firozabad along with associated Transmission Lines, on build, own, operate and maintain (BOOM) basis from REC Transmission Projects Company Limited. GE Power India: Consortium of GE Power India Limited, GE Hydro France, GE Renewable Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. and Sinohydro Corporation (M) Sdn Bhd has been awarded the order for the Main Electrical and Mechanical Works for the 1285MW Baleh Hydroelectric Project in Sarawak, Malaysia by SEB Power Sdn. Bhd, for a total value of approximately MYR 595 million and $159 million. The value of the order for the company is approximately $98.4 million exclusive of taxes (i.e. approximately Rs 689 crore). Lumax Auto Technologies: Company considered and approved a Scheme of Merger between the company and Lumax DK Auto Industries Limited (LDK), its wholly owned subsidiary. Coffee Day Enterprises: Company has incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary, Coffee Day Kabini Resorts Limited. Essel Propack: Company has paid interest to non-convertible debenture (NCD) issued by the company amount to Rs 50 crore. Axis Bank: Rajiv Anand, Executive Director - Retail Banking, has taken over as the Executive Director - Wholesale Banking of the bank. Avenue Supermarts: Company has issued commercial paper of Rs 50 crore. InterGlobe Aviation: Company has signed a codeshare and mutual cooperation agreement with Turkish Airlines. SBI: The bank approved allotment of subordinated, unsecured Basel III compliant additional Tier I Bonds worth Rs 2,045 crore. Gammon India: The Bombay High Court has disposed off a winding up order filed by SBI against the company. Amtek Auto: Sebi imposes Rs 15 lakh fine for failing to meet bond redemption deadline. Inox Leisure: Company has commenced the commercial operations of a Multiplex Cinema Theatre taken on Lease basis, in Kolkata. Inox is now present in 67 cities with 134 Multiplexes, 546 screens and a total seating capacity of 1,31,310 seats across India. Info Edge: Company has invested, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, about Rs 28 crore in Nopaperforms Solutions Pvt. Ltd. The aggregate shareholding of the company, post this investment, in the said entity would be 48.1 percent on fully converted & diluted basis. Hatsun Agro Product: CRISIL has upgraded long term loan rating from A/Stable to A+/Stable and reaffirmed short term loan rating as A1 for the bank loan facilities of Rs 1,180 crore. PVR: Board approved issue of equity shares to qualified institutional placement for an aggregate amount not exceeding Rs 750 crore. Balaji Amines: India Ratings & Research Private Limited has upgraded company's Long-Term lssuer Rating to`AA-'from`A+'.The outlook is stable. Rajath Finance: Board approved the proposal for sale of the office premises of the company, situated at 208-2015, Star Plaza, Phulchhab Chowk, Rajkot. FCS Software Solutions: Company has increased its stake in four subsidiaries upto 100 percent to make them its wholly owned subsidiaries. Vardhman Industries: Board fixed January 3, 2019 as the record date to suspend trading of the equity shares of the company to later delist the company in accordance with the resolution plan. Hinduja Ventures: Investment Committee of the company accorded its approval to make an aggregate investment of Rs 3.5 crore by subscribing to 2,29,209 equity shares of HLFL offered to the company on rights basis at a price of Rs 153 per share. Bulk Deals on December 21 NSE AU Small Finance Bank: The Vanguard Group Inc A/C Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index bought 15,69,292 shares of the company at Rs 637.08 per share. Fiem Industries: Morgan Stanley France SAS purchased 1,08,022 shares of the company at Rs 560 per share while Blackrock India Equities (Mauritius) sold 1,31,471 shares at Rs 560.05 per share. GSS Infotech: Profin Commodities Private Limited bought 1,00,000 shares of the company at Rs 134.22 per share. VA Tech Wabag: Norges Bank on Account of the Government Pension Fund Global purchased 9,00,000 shares of the company at Rs 270.1 per share while Goldman Sachs India Fund sold 8,67,665 shares at Rs 270.1 per share. BSE HealthCare Global Enterprises: The Pabrai Investment Fund II LP sold 9,23,000 shares of the company at Rs 198.05 per share and The Pabrai Investment Fund IV LP sold 12,08,400 shares at Rs 198.05 per share while Sundaram BNP Paribas Mutual Fund bought 10,91,191 shares at Rs 198.05 per share. Arshiya Limited: MSD India Fund sold 26,91,369 shares of the company at Rs 21.36 per share. (For more bulk deals, click here) Analyst or Board Meet/Briefings Hinduja Global Solutions: Company has arranged a Conference call on December 26 to discuss the sale of Nurse Advice Line service contracts of HGS AxisPoint Health LLC, USA to Infomedia Group Inc, USA / Carenet Health Services. Meera Industries: Extra-ordinary general meeting to be held on January 16, 2019. Selan Exploration Technology: Board meeting is being convened on December 27 to consider interim Dividend for the financial year 2018-19 and buyback of the equity shares of the company. HBL Power Systems: Board meeting is scheduled on February 11 to consider the unaudited financial results(standalone) for the quarter ending on December 31, 2018. Piramal Enterprises: Board meeting will be held on December 27 to consider the issue or secured non-convertible debentures on private placement basis. IIFL Holdings: Company's officials will be meeting Creador India on December 26 and Fidelity Management & Research Company on January 4, 2019. Mahindra Logistics: Company's officials will be meeting Nikko Asset Management and Reliance Life Insurance on December 24, and Elara Capital on January 4, 2019. Mphasis: Board meeting is being scheduled on January 24 to consider the audited financial results of Mphasis Limited and the Group for the quarter ending December 2018. Colgate-Palmolive (India): Board meeting will be held on January 24 to consider the unaudited financial results of the company for the quarter ending December 2018. Greaves Cotton: Company's officials will be meeting Renaissance Investment Managers and UBS Securities India Pvt Ltd on December 26. : Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd. Kolkata: Chief Minister of Telangana K. Chandrashekar Rao meets West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at her office in Howrah near Kolkata, Monday, Dec 24, 2018. (PTI Photo/Ashok Bhaumik) (PTI12_24_2018_000175B) The Congress accused Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao of doing "politics of division" and of helping the BJP by proposing a non-Congress national front of other parties. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi made the remarks after Rao met Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on December 22 and his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee on December 23 in an effort to forge a non-BJP and non-Congress alliance. Singhvi said the Congress will contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in an alliance with a number of other parties and emerge victorious. "If you talk of exclusion and do not want to ally with those who want to ally with the Congress, then you are doing 'politics of division' and you want to help the ruling party... I don't think other parties will get trapped in this," he told reporters when asked about the TRS chief's proposal. Singhvi said if one wants to keep the principal opposition party out of an alliance, "it becomes clear that they want to help someone else". The Congress leader said his party did not have any problems with one political leader meeting another and that "everyone is free to meet anyone". "You will see that the Congress will emerge victorious after it contests elections with many other parties," he said. Rao met Banerjee on December 24 and said efforts to cobble together a non-BJP and non-Congress alliance will continue. He claimed that very soon they will come out with a concrete plan for the Lok Sabha elections. The TRS chief met the Trinamool Congress president a day after he met his Odisha counterpart and BJD president Naveen Patnaik, another strong regional leader. NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday reiterated that 'Mahagathbandhan' or grand alliance is in the offing for 2019 Lok Sabha polls, with strong regional parties likely to have a bigger share in seat sharing. Pawar held a meeting with Congress and NCP workers in Gondia in east Maharashtra, where he made the statement from his official tweeter account in Marathi. "Congress and NCP will jointly contest the Lok Sabha elections along with some other friendly political outfits as well. There is no confusion over seat-sharing, if found, chiefs of both parties will solve it," he said. The former Union agriculture minister also made a promise of giving out Rs 2,500 per quintal rate to grain cultivators in Maharashtra--on the lines of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. "It is practice of consulting the rates of neighbouring states before finalising agricultural produce support price. But Maharashtra government did not follow it and now the neighbouring states are offering Rs 700 per quintal more," he said in his series of tweets. RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. (PTI) RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday termed the NDA's seat sharing in Bihar a "knee-jerk reaction" to the RLSP joining the Grand Alliance, and said the BJP-led grouping would draw a blank in the state in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Yadav, joined by Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha, representatives of Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Congress' Narendra Kumar, launched a blistering attack on the NDA. Yadav, whose RJD is the largest constituent in the Grand Alliance, asserted the NDA had been rattled by the exit of RLSP, which forced it to announce the number of seats to be fought by each alliance partner "without identifying seats for different constituents". The RLSP chief who quit the NDA on December 10 took a jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, by accusing him of "surrendering" before Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) national president Nitish Kumar. Earlier in the day, he had tweeted, "The 56-inch chest appears to have shrunken to 36 inches". At a joint press conference in New Delhi, BJP chief Amit Shah, the JD(U) president and Lok Janshakti Party chief and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan had announced that the BJP and the JD(U) would fight for 17 LS seats each in the state and the LJP would contest the remaining six, besides a Rajya Sabha berth for Paswan, who has not been keeping well for some time. "The BJP had won 22 seats in 2014 and it is now contesting only 17 seats. JD(U) had won only two but is getting 17. Such an arrangement shows how confident the NDA is," Yadav said. Amit Shah had earlier announced, in the presence of Nitish Kumar, that their respective parties would be contesting an equal number of seats and that the actual number would be announced within two to three days, Yadav said. "It took them two months. They were rattled by the exit of Kushwaha and they have come up with a knee-jerk reaction," the RJD heir apparent said. He, however, remained guarded on the issue of seat sharing in the Grand Alliance, saying, "We will sit together and decide the issue very easily as to which party would contest how many seats." When pressed further, he said, "I will not utter anything (more) on the issue." Kushwaha's exit had coincided with the BJP's loss of power in its strongholds of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Shortly afterwards, the LJP chief's son Chirag Paswan made a number of remarks hinting that he was unhappy with the BJP leadership, triggering speculations that the NDA in Bihar was on the verge of coming apart. Kushwaha reiterated that the NDA will not be able to open its account in Bihar in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. He said, "Those joining the Grand Alliance know the pulse of the people and both central and state governments. "What Ram Vilas Paswan has done tells the story as to what will happen in 2019. Paswan knows they (NDA) will not be able to win a single seat, so he has secured a Rajya Sabha seat for himself. I congratulate him in advance." The Grand Alliance partners had come together on the day to induct a new entrant into the opposition coalition, Mukesh Sahni's Vikashsheel Insaan Party (VIP). "One more party, Mukesh Sahni's VIP, is joining the Grand Alliance in Bihar. This shows that the Grand Alliance's strength is increasing. The BJP-led NDA will not be able to open its account in the Lok Sabha polls (here)," said Yadav, the leader of the Bihar assembly. A former Bollywood set designer, Sahni was earlier being wooed by the NDA. His entry has provided a shot in the arm to the 'Mahagathbandhan', which is also expected to reach an electoral understanding with the Left parties. Speaking on the occasion, VIP's Sahni said, "I am a newcomer in politics but I am quite confident that the NDA will not be able to cross the double digit mark (in seats) in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, failing which I will retire from politics." He said the NDA failed to fulfill its promise to include Nishad, Mallah, Nonia communities in the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes category. Sahni is said to have influence among his caste men -- Mallah, a fishermen community. Abdul Bari Siddiqui and Ram Chandra Purbe of the RJD also attended Sahni's welcoming ceremony into the Grand Alliance. 9. Japan | The worlds third largest economy has 765.2 tonnes of gold in its reserves. The number of Japanese companies operating in India has gone up to 1,441 till October this year, on account of improving business environment in the country, said Ambassador of Japan to India Kenji Hiramatsu. In a communication to Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu, the Ambassador said there was a significant increase in the number of companies in metal manufacturing and services. "We have completed the annual survey of Japanese business establishments in India...the number of Japanese companies in India has reached 1,441 as of October 2018, which is an increase of 72 companies or 5 per cent as compared to the previous year," Hiramatsu said. He added that manufacturing sector accounts for half of the total Japanese companies. The Ambassador said he would like the Indian leadership to resolve issues related to tax, customs, financial and capital regulations and infrastructure as it would help in achieving "our mutual goal of doubling the number of Japanese companies in India and foreign direct investment to India in five years". India has received USD 28.16 billion during April 2000 and June 2018. The bilateral trade between the countries has increased to USD 15.7 billion in 2017-18 from USD 13.6 billion in 2016-17. Trade gap is in favour of Japan. Both countries have also implemented a free trade agreement (FTA) in August 2012. Some of the people that are coming there are witnesses, some of them are coming because theyre in trouble, some of them are coming because theyre coming on behalf of a loved one, Strening told a reporter. Some of them are attorneys. They just pray about this case that everything comes to light. I can pray that prayer. Manila: President Donald Trump, right, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands during a bilateral meeting at the ASEAN Summit at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza, Monday, Nov. 13, 2017, in Manila, Philippines. Trump is on a five country trip through Asia traveling to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. AP/PTI(AP11_13_2017_000060B) KP Nayar When the newly-elected United States Congress meets to swear in new members under the towering Capitol dome on January 3, 2019, missing among them will be the most important proponent of India-US relations in the current, outgoing 115th Congress, and its predecessor, the 114th Congress. India invested heavily in Paul Ryan, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, who is next in the line of succession to the White House, should the US President and the Vice President both become incapacitated or die in office. Only 48-years-old, India has been assiduously cultivating Ryan since 1999 on the calculation that one day he will be Americas President. He may yet be in the White House one day since age is on his side. Ryan, in turn, invested heavily in India: the Sikh community in Wisconsins 1st district his constituency salvaged his political career in 2012 after a mass shooter killed six people in a gurudwara there and wounded four others. By Ryans own admission, he would not have been chosen as the Republican Partys vice-presidential candidate in 2012, had it not been for the large Wisconsin Sikh communitys subsequent support for him. Buffeted by US President Donald Trumps unpopularity which cost Republicans control of the House of Representatives in the November mid-term election Ryan announced early, in April itself, that he would not seek re-election to Congress. It was an astute political decision. However, as a result, India-US relations may not have as much of a smooth passage on Capitol Hill in the next two years as they would have had if Ryan had been Speaker. Indias biggest asset in dealings with America has been the twin chambers of Congress: the House and the Senate. The Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans is the biggest on Capitol Hill. It is even bigger than the Israel Allies Caucus, which is saying much in the American political context. One-third of US senators are members of the Senate India Caucus. The India-US nuclear deal would not have come about if it were not for the untiring efforts of members of the two caucuses, especially the House caucus. The credit for many other landmarks including the repeal of US sanctions following Indias 1998 nuclear tests should go to caucus members. With an erratic and capricious Trump in the White House for two more years, influencing the Congress has become more important for India than at any time in the last 20 years since Pokhran II created serious fissures in bilateral relations. The Trump administrations policies and attitudes towards India will also depend on how rather than if the President fills vacancies in his administration which are critical to India policy. These vacancies, ranging from assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia who acts as point person for India to several others in the Office of India Affairs in the US state department, have remained unfilled throughout Trumps term in office. This is also true of other departments that impact US policies towards India. Consequently, India policy is now decided virtually single-handedly by Lisa Curtis, senior director for South and Central Asia at the National Security Council, whose hands-on knowledge of the Indian subcontinent from her days in the Central Intelligence Agency, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the state department is, of course, exhaustive. The US is known for its inter-agency dialogues where policies are made after extensive brainstorming. A situation where one person virtually makes policy is unprecedented in America as far as anyone can remember. However, Curtis understands India and has empathy for what India stands for. If she alone continues to decide India policy, New Delhi can expect to be protected from the vagaries that have characterised Trumps actions and attitudes towards many other countries, including key allies of America. Since coming to power, Trumps interest in India has been unifocal, with wholesale emphasis on trade and commerce being conducted in Americas favour. With the House of Representatives under Democratic control, the Congress will attempt to balance this and sway America away in 2019 from pressuring India solely on trade. The downside of Democratic ascendancy on Capitol Hill will be greater demands on New Delhi to accommodate civil society, especially human rights advocates and scrutiny of religious freedom. Few countries enjoy bipartisan support in Washington of the kind India has benefited from. So despite Trump, despite Indias coming elections, barring unforeseen developments, no one is likely to rock the boat of India-US bonhomie in the new year. KP Nayar is a former foreign correspondent who reported from Washington for 15 years. Views are personal Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray indicated his unwillingness to enter into an alliance with the BJP for the upcoming polls, asking why he should join hands with "someone" facing "corruption" charges. He demanded a discussion on the issue of Ram temple in Parliament and said it has been 30 years since the Babri Masjid was razed, but the Ayodhya matter is still in court. Thackeray also attacked his senior ally over the Rafale fighter jet deal, saying a private company which had no experience in making aircraft was given a defence contract. Addressing a rally in this temple town in Solapur district, Thackeray said, "Why should I join hands in the name of Hindutva with someone (a reference to BJP) facing so many allegations of corruption, be it Rafale jet fighter deal or crop insurance scheme." Upping the ante on the Ayodha issue, he said a discussion on Ram temple in Parliament will reveal the stand of NDA partners and also opposition parties. The Shiv Sena is currently a constituent of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and also in Maharashtra. Thackeray had in January this year said his party will fight all future polls alone, though the BJP has been repeatedly calling for an alliance with the Maharashtra-based regional party. Besides general elections in 2019, Maharashtra will face assembly polls in the second half of the next year. "Not all of us are gathered here today in the name of Hindutva. Many are farmers, some of them are farmers' children and we are here to seek justice for farmers," he said. The Sena leader alleged irregularities in a central government-sponsored crop insurance scheme for farmers. "Despite the government having four state-run companies, 12 private companies were also roped in (implementing the scheme). Those companies have milked the system and gained thousands of crores in profits," he alleged. "What happened with the Rafale deal, is happening in the crop insurance scheme also. In both the cases, companies having no experience were given the task to implement the programmes," Thackeray claimed. The Sena chief said going by this criteria women self-help groups should be asked to make bullets. "If you can give fighter jet making contract to some Ambani, then you should award the bullet making contract to women self-help groups," he said sarcastically. Reliance Defence has denied any wrongdoing in the Rafale deal. "Even if we assume the Rafale deal is corruption-free, why are farmers not getting insurance repayment?" he asked. The Anil Ambani-led Reliance Defence is an Indian offset partner of Dassault, the French company that is supplying 36 Rafale jets to India under a Rs 58,000-crore deal. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on December 24 targeted senior ally BJP by raking up the alleged corruption in the Rafale deal and said the party's perception of being a "world winner" had been shattered with the results of the just-held state assembly polls. Thackeray, who had visited Ayodhya last month to push for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in the holy town, said he may soon visit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi. The Sena leader, whose party is a constituent of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and state, was addressing a public rally in Solapur district. Thackeray, who has consistently attacked the Modi government on a range of issues, said he has already taken the decision on whether to form an alliance with the BJP for the upcoming General Elections. The Sena chief in January had announced his party would contest all future Lok Sabha and assembly elections on its own. In the last six months, the BJP leadership has been consistently stressing on an alliance with the Sena for the upcoming polls. The Amit Shah-led party has regularly insisted that the Maharashtra-based outfit is its natural ally and they will resolve their differences amicably. However, at the Pandharpur rally, Thackeray appeared to be in no mood to spare the lead NDA constituent. "The BJP's perception of a 'world winner' has been shattered by the results of the assembly elections in the five states. "The outcome of Mizoram and Telangana assembly elections has given a clear message that voters have rejected national parties and chosen strong regional options," he said. In the just-held polls, the BJP was ousted from power in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh by the Congress, while regional parties did well in Mizoram and Telangana. "The Chhattisgarh assembly election has also given a strong message against the BJP. People were fed up with the BJP government and hence they rejected it," said Thackeray. He also took on the Modi government over issues like allegations of irregularities in the Rafale fighter jet deal and implementation of crop insurance scheme for farmers. "There have been several allegations over the Rafale fighter jet deal and I do not know how the Supreme Court has given a clean cheat. But I know the Modi government has refused pay hike for jawans," the Sena chief said. Commenting on the finalisation of seat-sharing in Bihar between the JD(U), the LJP and the BJP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he asked chiefs of the two regional parties to clarify their stand on Ram mandir and Hindutva. "Nitish Kumar (the JD-U chief) and (LJP president) Ram Vilas Paswan should declare their views on Ram mandir and Hindutva," the Sena leader said. On September 27, at a press conference Trump said, From what I hear, if you look at Mr Pillsbury, the leading authority on China ... he was saying that China has total respect for Donald Trump and for Donald Trump's very, very large brain. He said, Donald Trump, they don't know what to do Lets add that to his too big hands! (Image: Reuters) Israeli leaders have lauded Donald Trump for his list of decisions in support of their country since taking office, but the mercurial President's withdrawal of US troops from Syria will not rank among them. After Trump's surprise announcement of the pullout last week, Israel is concerned over whether its main enemy Iran will have a freer hand to operate in the neighbouring country, analysts say. Israel's response to the announcement has been measured. It has been careful to point out that it respects the US decision, coupled with pledges to continue to defend its interests in Syria. But beneath those public pronouncements are worries over whether Iran will seek to take advantage of the US absence from the war-torn country and if Russia will respond to Israel's calls to limit it. Beyond that, the manner in which the decision was taken and announced and US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis's resignation in response may also give Israeli leaders pause, some analysts say. "Since it's our major ally, we want the United States to be strong ... and we want an ally which is being perceived in the region as strong and effective," said Eyal Zisser, vice rector of Tel Aviv University and who has written extensively on Syria. "And I think that what worries some Israelis is what message does this decision the way it was taken, what stood behind it send to the region?" The United States has only around 2,000 troops in Syria focused on fighting the Islamic State group, but they have been deployed in two areas along the Iraqi border, helping keep Iranian movement into the country in check. There have been warnings from Israel and others that Iran is seeking to form a "land bridge" across to the Mediterranean, and some analysts have said that the US withdrawal could help that effort. With Iran supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his country's civil war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long pledged to keep it from entrenching itself militarily next door. Israel has repeatedly taken action, carrying out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria against what it says are Iranian military targets and advanced arms deliveries to Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese group. With the United States pulling out, Israel may look more to Russia, which is also backing Assad, to use its influence to limit Iran, some analysts say. But that is not a given, and a friendly fire incident in September that led to a Russian plane being downed by Syrian air defences during an Israeli strike remains an issue. The incident angered Russia and complicated Israel's operations in Syria, particularly after Moscow's delivery of the advanced S-300 air defence system there in response. Netanyahu and Israel's military chief of staff, Gadi Eisenkot, on December 24 sought to tamp down concerns over the withdrawal. The Israeli premier has indicated he was not taken off-guard, saying he had spoken with Trump two days before the December 19 announcement as well as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo the previous day. "The decision to remove the 2,000 US soldiers from Syria won't change our consistent policy," Netanyahu said December 23. "We will continue to act against Iran's attempt to establish a military presence in Syria, and if the need arises, we will even expand our activities there." Yaakov Amidror, a former national security adviser to Netanyahu and ex-military intelligence official, noted US troops were not directly involved in Israel's fight against Iran's presence in Syria. But he said concerns over whether Iran will take advantage of the US withdrawal were legitimate. "From now on, it will be a free ride for the Iranians and they will use the corridor logistically to enhance their capabilities to build the military forces in Syria and to help Hezbollah afterwards," he told AFP. An analysis by the US-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies think tank said "Israel is among the most important losers" of the withdrawal, along with the United States' Kurdish allies in Syria. But Netanyahu has vowed that Israel will continue to "defend ourselves" and Eisenkot, the military chief of staff, called it "a significant event but it should not be overstated". "For decades we've been handling this front alone," said Eisenkot. Jammu and Kashmir Congress president G A Mir on December 23 said the valley was incomplete without Kashmiri Pandits and the community's return was an "unfinished agenda". "The migration of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley is a blot on the secular tradition and religious brotherhood for which Kashmir and Kashmiryat are known for," Mir said. "Their (pandits) return is unfinished agenda and a challenge for all the political dispensations in the country and state, as well as those who believe in the secular values of the country," he added. Addressing a day long apex body meeting of the party's migrant cell here, Mir said the secular credentials of the state were at stake without the return and rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Hindus. He said the Congress wants Kashmiri Pandits to come back to their roots and live in an atmosphere where they feel safe and secure while freely practising their religious rights. "Kashmiri Pandit brethren are an important part of state's composite culture of harmony, age old tradition of brotherhood and togetherness, their return to the valley with dignity is of paramount importance," he said. The order to withdraw American troops from Syria has been signed, the US military said Sunday, after President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart agreed to prevent a power vacuum in the wake of the controversial move. The announcement that US troops would leave the civil war-racked country where they have been deployed to assist in the multinational fight against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group shocked global partners and American politicians alike. "The execute order for Syria has been signed," a US military spokesperson told AFP when asked about the withdrawal order, without providing further details. Turkey was a rare ally that lauded Trump's momentous decision on Syria, a country where it will now have a freer rein to target US-allied Kurdish fighters who have played a key role in the war against IS but are deemed terrorists by Ankara. Trump and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by telephone on Sunday and "agreed to ensure coordination between their countries' military, diplomatic and other officials to avoid a power vacuum which could result following any abuse of the withdrawal and transition phase in Syria," the Turkish presidency said in a statement. Hours earlier, Trump had tweeted that he and Erdogan "discussed (IS), our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of US troops from the area." Both US politicians and international allies fear the withdrawal is premature and would further destabilise the already devastated region. A US withdrawal, said Mutlu Civiroglu, a Kurdish affairs analyst, will open the way "for Turkey to start its operations against the Kurds, and a bloody war will begin." French President Emmanuel Macron on December 23 said he "deeply regretted" Trump's decision, and that "an ally must be reliable." US troops will leave under the auspices of a new Pentagon chief set to start next month, after Jim Mattis resigned from the post citing key differences, including on Syria, with the often-impulsive Trump. Several US politicians from both parties rejected Trump's claim that IS had been defeated, and the decision also caused alarm and dismay in the US military over the prospect of suddenly abandoning Washington's Kurdish partners. And Trump's sudden decision sparked turmoil within his administration, prompting the resignation of Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition, as well as Mattis. Plans for the troop withdrawal will now be overseen by Deputy Secretary of Defence Patrick Shanahan, who Trump on December 23 said would replace Mattis starting January 1. Mattis, 68, had said he would leave at the end of February to allow a smooth transition for the next chief of the world's top military power but a reportedly angry Trump accelerated his departure by two months. Defence spokeswoman Dana White tweeted that Mattis would still assist in the handover, working with Shanahan to ensure the department "remains focused on the defense of our nation during this transition." According to US media, the Republican leader voiced resentment over news coverage of Mattis' stinging resignation letter that laid bare his fundamental disagreements with the president. Days later, special envoy McGurk made a similar move, saying he could not support Trump's Syria decision that he said "left our coalition partners confused and our fighting partners bewildered." Unlike Mattis, Shanahan has never served in the military and has spent most of his career in the private sector. He spent over three decades working for aircraft giant Boeing, including as vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems, before moving to the Pentagon as deputy in 2017. Until Trump finds a permanent defence leader, Shanahan will lead plans for US troops to leave Syria along with a significant drawdown in Afghanistan, both of which critics worry will leave war-torn regions at risk of continued and potentially heightened bloodshed. Nitin Gadkari Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, Nitin Gadkari has once again sparked controversy with his "transgender" remarks. Gadkari, on December 23, said, "Even a transgender would bear children but an irrigation scheme in Maharashtra's Sangli district would never be completed". It is not the first time that the minister has made headlines for his remarks. He is known to speak his mind and controversies often follow suit. Heres a list of instances from the past when the Minister's comments caused a furore in the poltical fraternity. >Nitin Gadkaris "leadership should own up to defeat" remarks The BJP stalwart, who was speaking at an event in Pune on December 22, had said that nobody is willing to own up to the failure unlike success and maintained "leadership should have the 'vrutti' (tendency) to own up to defeat and failures". Though the minister did not elaborate, his comments assumed significance in the wake of the BJP's defeat in the recent assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. After his comment created a buzz in the political lobby, he said that his statements have been twisted. >Gadkari's "run a bulldozer over contractors" remark Earlier in December, a major controversy erupted when the Minister of Road Transport and Highways made a shocking statement of running a bulldozer over contractors, in case they build a bad road. "I told many big contractors that if the quality of roads you build is bad, I will put you under a bulldozer," the minister had said. >Gadkaris remark on BJP making 'tall promises' in 2014 In October, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi posted a video of Gadkari in which he says in Marathi that his party had made "tall promises". Gadkari, however, called the report 100 percent baseless and suggested Gandhi to learn Marathi to understand the comments. Without understanding it, he commented on what I did not say," Gadkari said. > Gadkari's 'Not an Inch for Navy Housing' remark Gadkari, in January this year, had said "not an inch" of land would be given for Navy housing in south Mumbai, wondering why all their personnel here want to stay in this posh area when they should be at the Pakistan border. He made the remark while voicing his disappointment at the Navy's objection to a floating jetty plan at Malabar Hill in south Mumbai, where a floating hotel and seaplane service are planned. >Gadkari opposing release of Padmaavat Nitin Gadkari was named among those who supported the stir against the release of Padmaavat (earlier named as Padmavati), saying that Sanjay Leela Bhansali should not distort history and maintain sensitivity. >Gadkari on Asha Parekh approached him for Padma Bhushan Gadkari had once said that veteran Bollywood actress Asha Parekh had approached him seeking recommendation for the Padma Bhushan award and that many others have been "chasing" him as they want the highest civilian honours. The veteran actress had called his remark hurtful. (With PTI inputs) K Chandrashekar Rao_KCR_TRS The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) juggernaut rolled on in 2018 with the party storming to power with a two-thirds majority in the assembly elections to form its second straight government in the state. During the year, the state witnessed one of the worst road tragedies in the country when 60 people were killed in a bus accident in September. Verdicts in key terror cases saw Hindutva preacher Swami Aseemanand being acquitted by an NIA court in the 11-year old Mecca Masjid blast case and two terrorists awarded capital punishment in another blast case. TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao, who scripted the stunning victory in the December 7 polls, swiftly elevated his son K T Rama Rao as the working president of the party and announced plans to push his initiative for a non-BJP and non-Congress front at the national level. The outcome of the first ever polls after Telangana came into being in 2014 proved right Rao's gamble of going to the people months ahead of the assembly's term was to end in April next year. The presumption that there was a positive mood among the people in TRS favour came true as Rao, who spearheaded the statehood movement since 2001, further cemented his position in the state. TRS won 88 of the 119 assembly seats, riding the popularity of a slew of its government's welfare projects, including the farmer-centric schemes, quelling challenges from the Congress-led front and BJP. The Rao government's populist 'Rythu Bandhu' crop investment support scheme and the 'Rythu Beema' life insurance scheme launched during the year paid rich dividends to the ruling party at the hustings. Any hopes the Congress had of staging a comeback in the state, carved out of Andhra Pradesh during the UPA rule headed by it were dashed as it ended up with just 19 seats. Keen to halt the TRS' return to power, the Congress and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) buried their decades-old rivalry and forged the Praja Kutami (Peoples Alliance) along with Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) and Communist Party of India (CPI). Even before the party could recover from the ignominious poll defeat, four of its six MLCs defected to the TRS and were promptly recognised by the Legislative Council chairman as members of the TRS on December 21. For BJP, which was looking at strengthening its position in Telangana, it was a disappointing outcome as the party ended up with just one seat, having contested the polls on its own. The party had five MLAs in the previous assembly. Soon after his resounding victory, the 64-year old Rao, who rose to become the mascot of Telangana pride after successfully realising the statehood goal in 2014, announced plans to play a pro-active role in national politics. He vowed to work for installing a non-Congress, non-BJP government at the Centre after the 2019 elections. Moving quickly, Rao appointed his son K T Rama Rao as TRS working president, a move seen by many as the latter's anointment as heir apparent. Prior to the assembly dissolution, Rao had set out on a mission to form a third alternative to BJP and Congress and had met regional satraps, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and DMK President M K Stalin. Left leaning poet and writer Varavara Rao, accused of having Maoist links, was taken into custody in November by the Pune police from Hyderabad in a case related to Elgar Parishad conclave which has set off violence in Maharashtra. The arrest, along with those of four rights activists, for alleged Maoist links, triggered outrage, with opposition leaders, lawyers and authors condemning it. In March, ten Maoists, including six women and a constable of the Greyhound commando force of Telangana Police, were killed in an encounter in the forest area of Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district bordering Telangana. In a major road tragedy, 60 people were killed when a state-run Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) bus fell into a gorge at Kondagattu in Jagtial district on September 12. On April 16, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Hyderabad acquitted Hindutva preacher Swami Aseemanand and four others in the May 2007 Mecca Masjid blast case. A powerful remote controlled blast had ripped through the over four centuries-old mosque here during an assembly of devotees on May 18, 2007 when they had gathered for Friday prayers, killing nine people and wounding 58. A Hyderabad metropolitan court on September 10 sentenced to death two terrorists, convicted of killing 44 people and wounding 68 others in two coordinated blasts here in 2007. The court also convicted another person of harbouring the perpetrators in the national capital and other places, and awarded him life imprisonment. Former Rajya Sabha member Nandamuri Harikrishna, son of TDP founder N T Rama Rao and brother-in-law of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, died in a road accident in Telangana's Nalgonda district on August 29. The TRS government's efforts to woo investors saw Swedish furniture giant Ikea making its foray into the Indian market by opening its first outlet here in August at an investment of over Rs 800 crore. The state capital continued to be one of the favoured destinations for IT companies with Qualcomm announcing plans to set up its largest campus outside the US here at an investment outlay of USD 400 million (Rs 3,000 crore). Smartphone brands OnePlus and Oppo and superbike maker Benelli also announced plans to invest in Telangana. Tech majors Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple already have offices in Hyderabad. Telangana stood second in the ease of doing annual business ranking of states and Union Territories by the World Bank and Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) for 2017-18. The UK and India pledged to work closely post-Brexit as the bilateral ties moved forward smoothly in 2018, a year in which India scored a major diplomatic victory when a British court ordered the extradition of liquor baron Vijay Mallya wanted back home for alleged bank fraud. The year 2018 was important one for India-UK ties, with Britain playing host to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in April and Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the summit. Modi's visit to the UK included bilateral talks with his British counterpart Theresa May, with senior diplomats keen to highlight that the prime minister was accorded special treatment on the sidelines of the summit, including an audience with Queen Elizabeth II. The visit marked the signing of the UK-India Tech Partnership, which played out through the course of the year to culminate in the first India-UK FutureTech Festival in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore in December. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said the year 2018 saw the UK "prioritise" this partnership, as a mark of strength of two countries which share a relationship of "unique depth". "This is a unique opportunity for us to connect our tech strengths, ecosystems and growth, and will see real developments in the coming year," a FCO spokesperson said. "We will continue to work closely together to ensure our relationship goes from strength to strength in 2019 and beyond," the spokesperson said. There is no doubt that the UK's tumultuous exit negotiations with the EU monopolised most of the country's focus, but India's stand on Brexit remained consistent as Ruchi Ghanashyam took over from retired diplomat Y K Sinha as the Indian High Commissioner to the UK. "The India-UK partnership is very old; it has stood the test of time and whatever happens to this Brexit process, whichever way it turns out, I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that India and UK will remain important partners," Ghanashyam declared in her very first address in London in November. She arrived just as May's own troubles over Brexit intensified, leading to a no-confidence vote in her leadership over the Withdrawal Agreement struck with the EU. With March 29, 2019, ear-marked as the formal Brexit Day, the UK remains on a countdown to strike a deal that ensures an orderly exit from the European economic bloc. Some prominent Indian-origin MPs from her Conservative Party have joined in the Brexit rebellion throughout the year, with Shailesh Vara stepping down as Northern Ireland minister over a controversial Irish "backstop", which critics feel would keep the UK tied to EU rules even after Brexit. While May became accustomed to dealing with high-profile ministerial resignations over Brexit, including vocal Brexiteer Boris Johnson resigning as foreign secretary and two of her Brexit secretaries David Davis and Dominic Raab leaving in a huff, the 2018 will stand out as the year that she seemed to keep bouncing back, even surviving an attempted coup. In a major boost to India's efforts to bring back Mallya, Westminster Magistrates' Court ordered his extradition. He is wanted in India for alleged bank fraud and money laundering amounting to an estimated Rs 9,000 crore. There were enough celebrations to distract from the Brexit upheavals, as Prince Harry tied the knot with his American actress fiancee, Meghan Markle, in a grand ceremony at Windsor Castle in May. Mumbai-based Myna Mahila Foundation was among the six charities shortlisted by the royal couple to receive donations in lieu of their wedding presents. Harry and Meghan are now expecting their first baby in Spring 2019 and have chosen Frogmore Cottage, near Windsor Castle, as their family home. The cottage has a curious British Raj era history, being the former home of Abdul Karim Queen Victoria's Indian aide and confidant when she was the Empress of India. The cottage, which is undergoing a multi-million-pound refit, is likely to become part of the royal trail for Indian tourists visiting the UK over time. The number of Indian tourists continued to rise, with the latest UK Office of National Statistics figures noting that Indians marked the largest visitor visa increase of all countries, at 41,224, to hit a total of 468,923 over the past year. Skilled Indian professionals and students also registered a hike in the number of UK visas issued, a trend likely to continue as the UK is set for a revamp of its immigration policy to end free movement of people from within the EU following Brexit. Immigration issues dominated the headlines, with the Home Office embroiled in the Windrush scandal involving Commonwealth citizens being denied settlement rights in the country due to the lack of documentation because they arrived in the UK before rules changed in 1971. While the majority of those affected were from Caribbean countries, Indians were also among them. As many as 102 Indians were identified by a new Taskforce set up to deal with the crisis by UK home secretary Sajid Javid who became the senior-most British Pakistani in government when he replaced Amber Rudd, who was forced to resign over the scandal. Javid will remain in focus as India's high-profile extradition request for Mallya sits on his desk for a sign-off following Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot ordering his extradition on December 10. It marked a major turning point in the case. As there is a right of appeal against the decision in higher courts, Mallya's extradition case will continue to play out well into 2019. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched Rs 100 coin commemorating former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee with his name inscribed in both Devanagari script as well as English on the coin. PIB India also released a video of the coin launch on Twitter. The coin has been launched a day before the Bharat Ratna recepient's birth anniversary which will also be celebrated as Good Governance day. According to reports the salient features of the Rs 100 coin include a portrait of Vajpayee that also carries his birth and death years are inscribed- 1924 and 2018. Along with this, his name in both English and the Devanagari script will also be there on the coin on both sides. The coin is made up of silver, copper, nickel and zinc and weighs 35 grams. The coin will also bear the Ashoka Pillar Lion Capital in the centre with Satyameva Jayate inscribed below in the Devanagari script on the other side. With this, the coin will also have Bharat inscribed on the left periphery in Devanagari while the right side will have India inscribed in English language. In the memory of Vajpayee, a life-size portrait of the former PM will be installed in the Central Hall of Parliament. This was decided unanimously at a meeting of the parliaments portrait committee chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. Vajpayee will be the second Bharatiya Janata Party leader to feature in a portrait in Parliaments Central Hall after Syama Prasad Mukherjee. Kendall Brown was one of 13 people killed during the first weekend of August. Mount Sinai Hospital was a scene of carnage and chaos. Debra West arrived to see her sons body and was held back from the emergency room entrance by crowds of people. They were angry and grieving. Gunshot victims had been dropped off in cars and left in the parking lot. She saw people falling out of shot-up cars. There were so many people outside the hospital she had trouble getting near the entrance. The used car market in India is growing at a phenomenal pace and due to shorter car ownership periods, price value quotient, penetration in smaller towns, demand for used luxury cars, and reduced customer anxiety towards pre-owned car segment, it is turning out to be bigger than the new car market As per the data by SIAM released in 2018, at nearly four million used cars, the market is 1.25 times bigger than the new car market that saw sales of 3.2 million units last financial year. Also, CRISIL in its report stated that almost two in every three cars sold in the country are used cars, projecting that the Indian used car market will continue growing at a steady pace of 15% till 2020. CARS24 buys all kinds of cars, be it premium or lower end, from tier 2-3 and even if the car has a loan against it. The company aims at tapping the market to its optimum and capture 10% market share of the pre-owned car market by 2022 Currently, selling a car is a time consuming and laborious process as it takes several weeks of interacting with strangers, allowing test rides and haggling for price. The ordeal doesnt end here, getting the RC transferred and ensuring that you are getting paid in full can take additional months. CARS24 has changed this forever. Now, the owner can sell the car in less than two hours by just driving down to the nearest CARS24 branch. CARS24 transfers the payment instantly into the sellers bank account and also takes complete responsibility of all the paperwork, including RC transfer. In parallel, the company uses technology to sell these cars to their partners all across India. This has made CARS24s business a unique C2B model, focused on supply first, and in principal a very different approach to winning the used car market, as compared to the C2C and B2C business models that exist in the used car industry today. Meanwhile, CARS24 is helping dealers grow their business, assisting them with financing and organise a fragmented market. They are connecting supply to demand by organising the supply side of things. Within three years of commencing operations, CARS24 has bought over 100,000 cars across its branches till 2018. It has grown rapidly to become a leading player in the Indian used car sector. Over 10,000 trusted business partners from more than 100 cities across India are already participating in the proprietary online auctions. By the end of 2018, car owners will be able to sell their cars across 110 CARS24 branches in 20 cities. Based on its extraordinary growth trajectory, CARS24 targets a run rate of over one million transactions by 2020 with 1000 branches in 100 cities. We have been around three years now. We are building Indias largest auto company that can be bigger than OEMs in India. India is set to become worlds third largest auto market just behind US and China and in terms of value, its today a $30 billion market going to be $100 billion in next decade. In terms of units sold, it is today four million units sold per year in used cars, going up to 14-15 million units in a decades time. The reason behind this growth is in India, the per capita ownership of cars in India is extremely low, its like 50 cars per 1000 people, compare this to developed economies, its always over 500 cars per 1000 people. There is a huge headroom of growth of used cars in India, said co-founder and CEO, Vikram Chopra, CARS24. CARS24 is removing the supply bottlenecks and leveraging technology to streamline the operations in the used car market. This article is an initiative of Cars24 and is intended to create awareness among readers. Arunender Singhh The term big data has become a buzzword, used frequently, in both the private and public sector as well as in the online media world. According to a recent worldwide study conducted by IBM about 2.5 exabytes (1 exabyte = 1 million terabytes) of data are generated every day. Big data refers not just to the total amount of data generated and stored electronically but also to specific datasets that are large both in size and complexity. It requires new algorithmic techniques in order to extract useful information from them. Data in all its forms has the potential to provide a wealth of useful information only if ways are developed to extract it. Big data has the potential to have a huge positive effect by promoting efficiency, justice, customer service, and security, but it might also result in discrimination, privacy violations, and other chilling effects. Need for Data Protection Law Governments around the world are grappling with the challenge of protecting the personal data of their citizens. The Supreme Court of India while delivering a landmark decision in August 2017 held right to privacy as a fundamental right recognised under the Constitution. The decision came in the wake of a constitutional challenge to the Aadhaar programme that included the collection of biometric data of the citizens. It firmly laid down the concept of informational privacy within the constitutional framework. Nonetheless, in the second verdict (September 2018) the court upheld the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act 2016, but with some important caveats. It goaded the government to come up with a law on data protection. After much deliberations and public consultations, the committee of experts under the chairmanship of Justice BN Srikrishna submitted its report and the draft Personal Data Protection Bill. Towards Information self-determination The Bill puts into place the individual right over personal data heralding information self-determination. It grants right to access to data, the famous right to be forgotten as well as data portability. It finds an echo with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It defines personal data related to only a natural person that could be directly or indirectly be identified, for instance, name, online identifiers (IP addresses, cookies), etc. On the other hand, sensitive personal data includes those possessing a degree of sensitivity like sexual orientation, finance, health, political belief, etc., processed subject to more stringent control. The heart of the Bill lies in the enumeration of eight data protection principles fair and lawful use, purpose limitation, collection limitation, notice, data quality, data retention and accountability. The approach is similar to OECD privacy guidelines as well as the Council of Europe (Convention 108). The key factors include data fiduciary (determines purpose and means of processing), data principal (individual whose data is to be processed) and the data processor (processes on behalf of data fiduciary). The building block of the law is the notice and consent framework underlying contours of free consent as well as grounds of lawful processing of personal data. The obligation of notifying data breach rests on data fiduciary and is made to the Data Protection Authority, a dedicated agency ready and able to act to secure interests of individuals. Countering Data Localisation The Bill attempts to tighten up the cross-border flow of personal data. It is based on adequacy standard, i.e. data can only be transferred outside India if it is adequately protected in the country of reception a call that will be taken by the Centre. The provisions underlie the spurt in data localisation that runs against the spirit of ungoverned cyberspace. As observed by noted American cyber-libertarian political activist John Perry Barlow that [the Internet] is inherently extranational, inherently antisovereign and your [states] sovereignty cannot apply to us. Weve got to figure things out ourselves. In the emerging scenario, countries are expected to embark upon harnessing their cyber prowess to gather strategic intelligence from a remote location. In 2004, the UN Group of Government Experts on Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security (UN GGE) was established to develop a common approach to how governments should behave in cyberspace. Its 2015 report provided the foundation for an internationally recognised governmental cyber code of conduct. The concerted norm-setting processes currently underway would need to swiftly crystallise in the form of a legally-binding multilateral treaty as an institutionalised global response. Countries have become more vulnerable and susceptible to data breaches accentuating the need for a robust legal regime for data protection. The emergence of big data society and its predictive regime of truth based on obscure processes seem to be inadequately regulated by the existing data protection law. The Bill is a modest attempt to put in place a legal framework. As said earlier, many of its provisions are a cut and paste job from the European model. Seemingly, it fails to provide its teeming citizens with a customised and tailor-made solution for data protection. An effective data governance regime will require close collaboration across industry, international allies and partners, NGOs and with central, state and local governments. (Arunender Singhh is pursuing a degree in law in Intellectual Property Rights at IIT Kharagpur. Views are personal) No one ever said being a CEO was easy. Dealing with a constant pressure environment and in todays connected age being available 24/7 can sure take a toll on one mentally and physically. Always a master at multitasking, a CEO, is often seen combining his/her business trips with some much-required downtime for themselves and their families. One such CEO is Amit Damani, who Co-Founded Vista Rooms, Indias answer, albeit a premium one, to AirBnB. We caught up with him to understand how he combines his business with pleasure, giving us a peek into how he enjoys his well-deserved time off. Preferred destination: "Every new destination has its own charm, but I think I can narrow down most of my favourite trips to European countries. They have preserved their history beautifully, and I also really enjoy the natural beauty and the food there." I always pick between Jet Airways and Air India if flying a national carrier. Globally I prefer Etihad - have always found their service to be pretty good. Planning the itinerary: The wife does it. I do most of my vacations around work, or friends' weddings and bachelor trips. Once we've fixed which country it is, she gets into research and plans it down to the last detail. We try to do road trips in which we are at a new place every other night - this saves time instead of going back and forth for day trips from one city. It also leaves a lot of scope for adventure and discovering the less mainstream regions. Annual Vacations "The number of vacations depends on how many of my friends are getting married! Jokes aside, I typically end up taking two good holidays a year. If it's to Europe or closer, the trip is usually a week or under, and to the US or anywhere as far, I try planning at least a 10-day break." Kind of stay options I choose: I used to pick fuss-free hostels earlier, but now I definitely prefer going the Airbnb route. I've had some lovely experiences staying at people's homes, with their unique personalities infused into the space, and getting a real taste of the local culture thanks to this option being less standardized than hotels. I would highly recommend this to every traveller. Shopping: I'm not much of a shopper, but exploring the local markets is interesting. I like picking up teas from all over the world. I'm a Uniqlo loyalist and since the brand isn't available in India yet, that's one store I usually end up going to. Estimated budget: For stays I usually look at neat, well located homes, and most times, I am able to find something around the $150 mark. If I do splurge it is usually on a good meal. Overall daily expenses usually range between $200-250. Favourite travel memory: That time in France that I dropped my rental car keys in a lake in the middle of nowhere, with all of our belongings in the car! The next two days were a (surprisingly fun) crazy adventure that my wife and I will never forget. Just before 8 p.m. Sunday, emergency crews were called to the 2200 block of South Marshall Boulevard at Cermak Road on the West Side, police and fire officials said. A 26-year-old man driving a Toyota RAV4 was driving west on Cermak when it collided with an Oldsmobile Alero turning north on Marshall, according to Chicago police. When asked by the court about the impact of the memory impairment, Caldwell responded that, Every day is pretty much a fresh day with me, Sir. I dont remember much of the past, but if I sit down and think about it, if it doesnt come to my head, somebody brings it up, I can usually remember it, LeBell said in the Dec. 5 filing, quoting what Caldwell told U.S. District Judge James Peterson in September. Later, in response to questions, he stated, Being a mental patient, nobody trusts anything I say or do. More than 200 pieces of legislation signed in 2018 will become law Jan. 1. State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer of Jacksonville said that the laws vary from the mundane, such as dictating when certain departments have to have their vehicles oil changed, to helpful like the Telehealth Act that will allow more clinicians to provide remote services for patients. Some of them, however, he feels overreach in ways, such as several of the new gun laws that will be put in place like SB 3256 that will require a 72-hour waiting period for all gun purchases in the state including those made by non-residents at Illinois State Police recognized gun shows. Previously, only handguns were subject to a 72-hour period with the rest under a 24-hour period. A lot of these gun laws I have taken to task, Davidsmeyer said. What is the issue were trying to eliminate? Will the bill actually accomplish that goal? On waiting periods, I personally dont have a problem with waiting periods but a lot of the time if someone is going to do something crazy, theyre going to find the means to do it. While I dont mind waiting for 72 hours to get a new shotgun so I can go hunting, someone else may, he added. In Illinois, were kind of second-class citizens in our own state. Out of state, if you have your (Firearm Owners Identification) card you can go pick up whatever you want. Another law would allow relatives of a gun owner to petition a court to grant a restraining owner if the gun owner is proved to be a danger to themselves or others. A judge could also order that the gun owners FOID card be suspended and firearms be removed between 14 days to six months. I have concerns about the constitutionality of confiscating somebodys gun without them having done anything, Davidsmeyer said. Active shooter safety drills will also now be made mandatory for all schools. The drills must be led by law enforcement, conducted within 90 days of the first day of school and all students and personnel must be present for the drill. Davidsmeyer said that while he is totally for shooting drills and believes that schools should hold such drills for the safety of the students and staff, he questions whether or not mandating the drills by law is the best way to implement them. Having a mandate from the state doesnt necessarily make everybodys lives safer but it does take time away from actually educating kids, he said. A lot of time these mandates dont cost people money, it just costs time away from the goal of education. Should they be doing drills? Certainly. In this day and age, it never hurts to be prepared. Im just worried about it taking time away from the ultimate goal of education. Another mandate is the requirement for all parents to have rear-facing car seats for all children under the age of 2 unless they weigh more than 40 pounds or more than 40 inches tall. Again, Davidsmeyer said that while the idea is a positive one it takes away a parents ability to judge what is best for their children. Its something your doctors office should be advising you on, he said. I dont know the government saying that you have to have your kid riding backward is the best way to do this. Other major laws coming into effect include a law banning all synthetic marijuana including those with slight formula alterations, a law removing insurance barriers for outpatient opioid and addiction treatment, a law mandating a written policy for internal review of officer-involved shootings, a law mandating sexual harassment policy for companies within Illinois, and a law ending severance packages for employees who have been fired for misconduct. Nick Draper can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1223, or on Twitter @nick_draper. LINCOLN (AP) Its well documented that men and women communicate differently, but inside the confines of a womens prison, those differences are magnified by high rates of trauma and mental illness that follow female inmates into state facilities. Illinois correctional officers and other prison staff are learning new skills to help them communicate more effectively with the 2,400 women who are held in three state prisons. Weeklong sessions held monthly at Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln open with training on trauma. Staff are asked to examine their own lives for signs of trauma, said Carolyn Gurski, chief of the womens division for the Department of Corrections. Understanding trauma and what triggers it helps staff see that what were talking about is not too far removed from their own lives, said Gurski, the first chief of the womens division created in January. Officers also learn how to de-escalate staff and inmate clashes and help inmates better manage their reactions. I think the whole mission is to get people the training and tools theyve needed for a long, long time, Gurski told a recent class. Like most states, women make up a smaller percentage of Illinois overall prison population, but they suffer higher rates of mental illness and past trauma, including physical and sexual abuse. The complex nature of the female population is borne out by data showing that more than 40 percent of Logans inmates have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness and almost 100 percent have reported some form of trauma, said Logan Warden Glen Austin. Seventy-two percent of Logans inmates are caregivers to children, making their ongoing involvement in their familys lives an important goal, said Austin. Illinois correctional facilities are not immune to the #MeToo movement that has spread across the country, both inside and outside prison walls. Results of 32 complaints filed by Logan inmates in 2016 against staff for sexual misconduct and 13 for harassment showed no substantiated claims, according to IDOC data. Two investigations involving alleged sexual misconduct by staff are ongoing, according to the state report filed in response to the Prison Rape Elimination Act that sets standards for reporting incidents of rape and harassment in federal, state and local facilities. Since 2014, a total of 189 claims of sexual misconduct have been filed by inmates in all Illinois prisons, with 134 of eight of those complaints substantiated. Several lawsuits have been filed in federal court by inmates who allege sexual abuse by IDOC staff. Four Logan officers have been found guilty in state court of sexual misconduct since 2014. Criminal charges are the appropriate consequence for such behavior, said the warden. We dont tolerate it and investigate it thoroughly to ensure full accountability, Austin said of sexual misconduct, adding its not reflective of the majority of our staff. Correctional Sgt. Shaun Dawson, president of AFSCME Local 2075, the union representing workers at Logan, said the negative light shed on us by the past actions of a few individuals has led to an inaccurate portrayal of the workforce at the states largest female facility. The union supports efforts by IDOC administration to train staff to better address inmate needs while maintaining safety, said Dawson. In the last year, under our facilitys new administration, the local union has worked collaboratively with the warden to increase safety measures and provide a safe working environment free from the threat of harm. Making the facility safer doesnt only benefit staff, but also inmates who can live free from fear, Dawson said in an emailed statement. Implementation of the Creating Regulation and Resistance training, known as CR-2, follows a 2016 report on Logan by the Womens Justice Initiative that recommended training for staff hastily assigned to the prison in 2013 when the state closed the Dwight womens facility and transitioned Logan from a male to female prison. During the recent class, IDOC trainer Tiona Farrington counseled 18 officers on the benefits of taking a step back and assessing a potentially volatile situation with an inmate. A small issue can serve as a trigger for inmates who suffer from post-traumatic stress syndrome but a calm response from an officer can keep a tense situation from turning chaotic, said Farrington. Sometimes the safest place these women have been is in our custody. Its up to us to accept, support and understand and not to blame them, Farrington told the group. In her four years as a correctional officer, Legna Velazquez has seen a shift toward helping women deal with the issues that brought them to prison. Through CR-2 training, officers are learning a better approach on how to deal with women whove had a traumatic event in their life. If you deal with those issues on the front end, you may help them avoid coming back to prison, said Velazquez. In his position as food services manager at the Decatur prison, Mike Williams teaches women job skills that will help them get a job when their time behind bars is over. Such assistance is part of the new emphasis on rehabilitation, said Williams. Were no longer just trying to make sure they dont get out the door. Its absolutely our job to make people better or else wed just be jailers, said Williams, a 20-year veteran of the IDOC. During a visit to the class by Austin and Gurski, Maj. Brian Setzer admitted that the new approach as to how officers interact with inmates represents a stark departure from what hes learned over his three decades with the state. I was brought up old school, where it was yes, no and do what youre told, said Setzer, adding hes ready to implement what hes learned in classes. The use of good communication skills does not preclude the use of discipline when called for, including the use of force, the warden told the class. Officers who are members of the states tactical team that deals with resistant and violent inmates also have received the training. The state hopes to complete training of Logans 700 union and contractual employees by next summer. The Great Chicago Fire might have been on the minds of Jacksonville residents as they watched flames devour a city block and threaten to consume much more. The Great Jacksonville Fire began on Christmas Day 1875, just four years after the infamous Windy City conflagration. The local blaze was similar to the Chicago fire in that it began in a barn and quickly spread to nearby wooden buildings. When the flames were finally extinguished, the Jacksonville Stock Yards buildings, five houses and a barn were in ashes. At the time, the Jacksonville Stock Yards main building was said to be the largest structure of its type under a single roof in Illinois, outside of the Chicago and the East St. Louis stockyards. The stockyards were located where the Jacksonville Municipal Building is today. The fire was believed from the start to have been set by an arsonist. It began just after 8 p.m. around bales of hay stacked in a mule stable, which was part of the stockyards and sale stables complex. Flames leapt into the stable loft, filled with loose hay, soon after being discovered. Firefighters were alerted, but they were too slow in arriving to do anything to save the mule stable. Bystanders turned their attention to rescuing animals in the buildings ablaze or threatened by fire. They saved 11 mules and two young stallions from quickly advancing flames. Sixty head of cattle, half crazed with terror, were also rescued. In a short time, the whole block occupied by the stockyards was an inferno. A Jacksonville Journal reporter who covered the fire was unmerciful in his criticism of the fire departments response. A detachment of the fire department, so called, arrived at last, with a hose cart, the journalist wrote. After they stared at the burning building for a while, it occurred to someone to state that the hose could not be used unless an attachment was made to a hydrant somewhere. The detachment then moved off and were gone long enough to have hunted up all the fireplugs in town. When at last attachments were made, one at the First Ward School, nearly three blocks away, and one at the northwest corner of the square, they were of little use. The hose leading to the plug at the First Ward School might as well have been attached to a plug at Springfield, for it was of little or no avail, as it was, being far too short. After the attachment had been made, the firemen wrangled as to who should hold the nozzle, and when, after a criminal waste of time, this matter was settled by citizens taking possession of the squirt gun, a row was imminent, and the hose pulled apart. Meanwhile, while the firefighters and local residents argued and the hose was repaired, the fire continued to spread. A strong northwesterly wind pushed leaping flames toward a number of wooden buildings. The blaze jumped the alley north of where the Municipal Building now stands and set fire to two houses and then a tenement house on North Sandy Street where three families lived. Those three houses, as well as two others and a barn, were soon consumed. By this time the scene was wildly grand, wrote the Journal reporter. Great sheets of flame roared and hissed, reaching to great height; pillars of fire that scattered the darkness, illumining not only the city, but the country round about to great distances. The reporter went on to praise vigilant residents, not the fire department, for controlling and, eventually, extinguishing the blaze. The fire department, on the other hand, was publicly ridiculed. The stables and stockyards were doomed, it was plain, though they could have easily been saved, had the right course been taken, the Journal said. The fact is, the firemen, most of them, were drunk, and of no earthly account. They were profane, boisterous and unruly, and the citizens should have arrested the gang, locked them up, taken possession of the hose and fire engine which, by the way, had been run into an alley and there left and put out the fire themselves, which they could easily have done. Coincidentally, another major fire, in March 1889, began on the same site as the 1875 blaze. The second fire also destroyed a livery and sale stable and about 50 horses and mules. A city hall and firehouse were built on the site of the two major fires in the early 1890s. This Way We Were story was first published Dec. 29, 2003. Government to reduce E-levy from 1.75% to 1.5% ... The man, 18, was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he later was pronounced dead, police said. No one else was reported injured. A Chicago police spokeswoman said no one else was in the sedan at the time. Update: Santa Will Bring Snow To The Sierra Nevada Snow In Sierra View Photos The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Sierra Nevada above 6,500 feet, through 10 AM this morning. Plan on difficult travel conditions with snow covered roads through the early morning hours. Little additional snow accumulation is expected. Gusty winds will continue over the ridges. A Winter Storm Warning means there will be snow covered roads and limited visibilities. Travel is not recommended while the warning is in effect. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. President Donald Trump View Photos President Trump delivered a Christmas message in front of invited guests, by the outdoor Christmas Tree at the White House. Trump was Mondays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are his words: For Christians all across our nation, around the world, this is a sacred season that begins 2,000 years ago when Jesus Christ was born. An angel declared to the shepherds tending their flocks, Behold, I bring you good tidings, great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is a born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. There in Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph held in their hands the son of God; the light of the world; and, through Him, the promise of eternal salvation. No matter ones faith or beliefs, the Christmas season reflects all that is best in the American spirit. This is a time of the year for rejoicing with our family and friends, for spreading charity and goodwill in our commitment all over this country in all of our communities, and for giving thanks for all of the blessings in our lives. We are especially thankful for the countless Americans who have given their time and passion to help those in need. Here in the audience today are a number of extraordinary foster families and guardians joined by the beautiful children they have welcomed into their homes. To every child in foster care: You are the precious loved one and gift of God. At this time of the year, we renew the bonds of affection between our fellow citizens, and we awaken the faith in our hearts that calls each of us to action. As we gather loved ones, our thoughts turn to those who are rebuilding their lives after devastating wildfires, destructive hurricanes, and terrible tragedy. We are one American family. We hurt together, we heal together, and we will always pull through together. This is the United States of America. We are the best in the world, and theres nobody close. Tonight, we honor the first responders who risked their lives to save the lives of others. And all of America sends our profound gratitude to the incredible men and women of the United States Military. And Im proud to say our military right now is stronger than ever before. Their families are all our families, and we thank them so much for their greatness and for the incredible job they do. Thank you to the United States Military. Thank you very much. We ask God to watch over this nations heroes, and to shed his almighty grace upon our nation. And we pray that Americas light will shine more brightly and stronger than ever. And it will. On behalf of Melania and myself and the entire Trump family many of whom are with us tonight I want to again wish you all a very, very Merry Christmas. May this Christmas season bring peace to your hearts, warmth to your homes, cheer to your spirit, and joy to the world. Merry Christmas, everyone. Merry Christmas and God bless you. Thank you very much. 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. Illinois State Police had reports of as many as 45 window damage instances between late March and June 1, when Casey was arrested and accused of using the slingshot to shatter windows of vehicles going the opposite direction on I-74 in the Champaign-Urbana area. A San Antonio woman was arrested early Sunday morning on suspicion of stealing "several hundred" packages and other pieces of mail from homes in New Braunfels, according to a news release. Lana Krupka, 42, is accused of stealing a Jeep's worth of mail from the Caprock and Legend Pond subdivisions, according to the New Braunfels Police Department. A woman was hospitalized late Sunday after she was stabbed on the West Side during an argument, police said. The woman got into an argument with another woman at about 10:20 p.m. in the 300 block of Albert Street. At some point, the suspect brandished a stun gun, but the victim took it away. The suspect then pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim. As Mueller time approaches, it is likely that President Donald Trumps defense will consist of two phrases: But that is not illegal and But that is not impeachable. It is a strategy that prevails by the lowering of standards. Because Trump did not plot election fraud directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin by Skype, and because Trumps various crimes and misdemeanors do not constitute high crimes and misdemeanors, we should consider the president vindicated. Unable to make the case for his own virtues, Trump must aver that his vices are commonplace and inconsequential. Will this work? If the only standard of success is keeping enough Republican votes in the Senate to avoid Trumps removal from office, it may. It is now fully demonstrated that the Russian attack on the 2016 election was broad, ambitious and designed to give Trump practical aid. Russian intelligence fed ideological and racial tensions in a sophisticated attempt to arouse enthusiasm in Trumps base and dampen enthusiasm for Hillary Clinton among minority voters. Did this tilt the election toward Trump? Given that Trump prevailed by 107,000 votes in three states out of 120 million cast I think it is both likely and unprovable. Consider this outcome from two other perspectives. If you were the head of Russian intelligence, I suspect you would currently have a chest full of medals. And if the political circumstances were reversed if Clinton had received Russian help to become president every elected Republican would diagnose a conspiracy that undermined her legitimacy. Every. Single. One. But the Russians did not succeed by hacking voting machines in the upper Midwest. They saw an opportunity in the rise of social media and the strength of nativism and racism on the American right. They seem to have exploited a national weakness without invalidating the election itself. The Russians really didnt need to go very far to find a template. In inciting racial and ethnic tensions through obvious propaganda for the benefit of Trump, Russian intelligence was simply following the Fox News business model. Does it make a difference if special counsel Robert Mueller describes extensive contacts between Russian officials and the Trump campaign? Or that senior campaign officials systematically lied about those contacts? We have known of such cooperation and such lying for years. Campaign officials such as Donald Trump Jr. were eager for collusion with shady Russians. Trump publicly invited Russian hacking of Clintons emails. Trumps lawyers will continue to argue that, however unseemly these things may be, they are not illegal. Will it make a difference if Mueller reveals corrupt business dealings between Trump-owned companies and Russian oligarchs? It certainly helps explain why Trump was an obvious politician to favor. He holds the oligarchs view of business integrity. He supports the oligarchs view of economics, in which outcomes are determined by family-run cartels that have taken over the levers of government. But unless Russian intelligence is actually blackmailing Trump, Im not sure that suspicious, or even corrupt, dealings with the oligarchs is unexpected. Trump has bragged about buying American politicians. He has bragged about using bankruptcy laws to exploit his investors. He has often argued: I played by the rules as I found them. Elected Republicans may place money laundering through real estate in the same category. There is the problem for Trump. When all this evidence is stitched together in a narrative as Muellers report will certainly do the sum is greater than the sleaze of its parts. Russian intelligence officials invested in an innovative strategy to support the election of a corrupt U.S. businessman with suspicious ties to Russian oligarchs. The candidate and his campaign welcomed that intervention in public and private. And the whole scheme seems to have paid off for both sides. For the rest of us, the deal hasnt worked out so well. A deeply compromised American administration has been unable to effectively counter a direct attack on our democratic institutions by a hostile foreign government responding to a digital Pearl Harbor with a wink and a nod. This is an existential constitutional crisis, says historian Jon Meacham, because its quite possible that the president of the United States right now is a witting or at least partially witting agent of a foreign power. Some of us are still too shocked to process this. America seems to have gone from zero to banana republic in no seconds flat. But whether or not this transformation has been illegal, it must be impeachable or else impeachment has no meaning. michaelgerson@washpost.com During his time in CIA custody, 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed told his interrogator something prophetic. The United States may enjoy some fleeting battlefield successes, Mohammed declared, but in the end, we will win because Americans dont realize ... we do not need to defeat you militarily; we only need to fight long enough for you to defeat yourself by quitting. President Donald Trump should ponder Mohammeds words as he prepares to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria a move that will bring a smile to Mohammeds face. Trump knows the consequences of suddenly withdrawing from a country. The Obama administration created this huge vacuum in Iraq in 2011, Trump correctly observed during the presidential debates. We should have never been in Iraq, but once we were there, we should have never gotten out the way they (did), he added. Once Trump was inaugurated, he changed former President Barack Obamas restrictive rules of engagement and freed up our military to drive the Islamic State from the territory it had seized. He deserves enormous credit for this achievement. But just because the Islamic State controls no territory does not mean it is defeated. In 2011, the group controlled no territory in Iraq, yet thanks in no small part to Obama, it soon grew to establish a caliphate the size of Britain. Not only did the Islamic State revive itself, but the resurgent terrorist network also spread its murderous tentacles farther around the globe, establishing cells in 29 countries that have carried out 143 terrorist attacks that have killed 2,043 people and injured many thousands more. We are still living with the deadly consequences of Obamas catastrophic mistake. On Dec. 13, authorities in Bari, Italy, arrested a Somali man named Omar Moshin Ibrahim, believed to be a member of the Islamic State, who was threatening to bomb St. Peters Basilica in Rome on Christmas Day. Today, the Islamic State is much stronger than it was when Obama withdrew from Iraq in 2011. The Defense Department estimates that the Islamic State retains about 30,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria, and is more capable than its predecessor group al-Qaida in Iraq was at the latters peak in 2006-07. By contrast, when Obama pulled our troops out, they had only about 700 fighters. According to the Institute for the Study of War, the Islamic State was able to smuggle as much as $400 million out of Iraq and reinvest it into legitimate businesses across the wider Middle East. With the loss of its caliphate at Trumps hands, the Islamic State has gone back to its roots as a terrorist insurgency. It remains dangerous and well-funded, and has global reach. A U.S. withdrawal from Syria will not only remove the pressure on the Islamic State, it will create a vacuum in Syria that will be filled by the worlds worst actors. Al-Qaida, which has been rebuilding its capabilities while watching the United States weaken its Islamic State rival, will now also have a haven. More Information , See More Collapse Iran and its terrorist proxy, Hezbollah, will establish forward operating bases in southwestern Syria to threaten Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that Israel will not tolerate this and warned that it could retaliate against Iran proper. So, a U.S. withdrawal could precipitate a disastrous regional war. Turkey will go after the Kurdish fighters we recruited and trained to fight the Islamic State. In Iraq, Obama could at least rationalize that the United States had left behind Iraqi security forces to keep the Islamic State remnants down. If Turkey takes out our Kurdish allies, there will be no one left on the ground in Syria to fight the Islamic State. Finally, the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad will resume its campaign of atrocities against innocent Syrian men, women and children. If we thought the refugee crisis provoked by Obamas failure to act in Syria was bad, imagine the flood of Syrians seeking refuge in the West if Trump repeats Obamas mistakes. Trump was right to denounce Obama for declaring victory against the Islamic State and withdrawing U.S. forces. So why is he now doing exactly what he criticized Obama for doing? The president needs to ask himself: Who is celebrating this decision? Answer: Iran, Russia, the Assad regime, Hezbollah, the Islamic State and, in his prison cell at Guantanamo Bay, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. When your enemies are cheering, you have made a mistake. Its not too late to change course. @marcthiessen In the letter Herd mentality (Your Turn, Dec. 12), Loren Williams describes a herd mentality with respect to climate change. This is true when referring to climate change deniers they create disinformation campaigns, which others follow. One theory is that since Al Gore publicized the dangers of global warming, right-wing types felt obliged to oppose it. Science, however ignores politics. Ive taken to looking up the education of climate change deniers. Lamar Smith, chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology and a noted denier, has a bachelors in American studies and a law degree. President Donald Trump, also a denier, has a bachelors in economics (given his use of tariffs, one may assume that he did not listen in class). I earned a bachelors in chemistry before switching to computers. In chemistry classes, we learned basic quantum mechanics and thermodynamics. Thus, it makes perfect sense to me that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases heat the atmosphere. Williams quotes Stephen Moore (masters in economics) of the Heritage Foundation, who used the book The Population Bomb from the 1960s, which exaggerated the dangers of overpopulation as an example of overreaction, implying that the dangers of climate change are much overblown. This is a common tactic misleading people with irrelevancy. Errors in population prediction have nothing to do with climate. Population growth depends on human behavior. Better birth control and more education for women, who started marrying later, and wanting fewer kids, helped slash population growth in many countries. Climate forecasting uses known data based on physics and chemistry. Scientists can measure the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and compare it with past data from core samples. They create a mathematical model, a complex set of equations, program it into a powerful computer, plug real data into it, and compare the results with actual measurements. They may have to adjust the model to improve accuracy. This is normal for computer simulations. To see the effects of global warming and the ensuing sea level rise, however, forget theory. Look up Miami flooding, and tropical diseases moving north, as well as images of melting glaciers before and after and Arctic ice. Thomas L. Arnow, Ph.D., lives in San Antonio. George Santayana said, Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. History informs us that in the long run, walls do not accomplish their builders intent. Both the Mongols and Manchus breached the Great Wall of China. Hadrians and the Antonine walls did not keep England and Scotland from becoming one country. The Berlin Wall did not keep a great European city divided. The plan to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico will not secure us in the long run. Indeed, one is more likely to be shot in a place of gathering such as a school, church or synagogue by an American citizen than by an undocumented immigrant. The majority of immigrants who risk their lives to come here seek employment, just as they have done since the founding of this country. This country is great because of its immigrants. Those who wish to make America great again and who insist upon the values of the Good Book should take to mind and heart the dictum that whatever you did for one of the least of my brothers and sisters, you did unto me. Phillip Balleza Beloved by Muslims I want to wish my Christian friends a very merry Christmas this holiday season. Many people have several misconceptions about my faith, Islam. One of them is that Muslims dont believe in Jesus (peace be upon him). But not only are Muslims required to believe in Jesus as a holy messenger of God, their faith is incomplete without accepting all the prophets of God. Mary, the mother of Jesus, holds a distinct status in Islam as well. An entire chapter in the Quran is named after her (Chapter 19). The Quran states, O Mary, Allah (God) has chosen thee and purified thee and chosen thee above the women of all peoples. The Holy Quran also recounts, When the angels said, O Mary, Allah gives thee glad tidings of a word from Him; his name shall be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, honored in this world and in the next, and of those who are granted nearness to God. Hence, Jesus is not only beloved to Christians, but to all Muslims as well. As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, I wish you all a joyous holiday season! Aiza Butt, Fort Worth A Christmas wish The other day, a guy went into a local restaurant, and it was crowded except for a seat at the counter by a San Antonio police officer, a Bexar County deputy and a state trooper. He sat down, ordered and struck up a conversation with the three. One asked if he had finished his Christmas shopping, and he said he had. Then another asked if he had a Christmas wish. At this point he was fairly comfortable with them and said, half-kiddingly, but also based on his observations in San Antonio for many years, Yes, officer. I wish I could live long enough to see any one of you give a ticket to someone caught speeding in a pickup truck. To which one of them of immediately replied, Thats a pretty outlandish statement, sir. I mean, nobody lives forever. J. Turner A battle of the titans has ensued between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the highest court in the land after the first citizen threw down the gauntlet by accusing some of the Constitutional Court (Con-Court) judges of corruption. Mnangagwa who has declared an all-out war against graft told traditional chiefs at the 2018 Annual Chiefs Conference in Kadoma a fortnight ago that there was a cartel of corruption starting right in the apex court, and signalled that no one will be immune to the reforms he is pursuing in other key areas. We take all the cases of corruption to the judiciary. We are hearing now that there is a cartel of corruption starting from the highest court Constitutional Court to the magistrates courts but we are going to deal with that, Mnangagwa fumed, without disclosing the names of judges linked to the alleged judicial corruption. This is probably the sharpest criticism of the judicial system by a sitting president since independence. At the height of the land reform programme in early 2000s, then president Robert Mugabe took great exception with the bench after it became a major hindrance to his angry mob policies that allowed for land seizures without compensation to the former white commercial farmers. The tiff saw then Chief Justice Anthony Gubbay being forced to take early retirement in 2001 and replaced by a pliant Godfrey Chidyausiku, now late. Mnangagwa has made the fight against corruption his biggest draw card as he seeks to rejuvenate the countrys tottering economy, plagued by rampant graft. This comes amid concern that judges, aided by disreputable lawyers, have been bending justice, granting frivolous injunctions, allowing unmeritorious appeals and simply giving official thieves mere slap on their wrists upon having their palms greased. But the presidents call has landed him in deep trouble with those who advocate for the separation of powers between the arms of the State. Legal experts told the Daily News on Sunday that the correct thing to do would have been for Mnangagwa to establish a committee of inquiry into the benchs behaviour which could ultimately lead to the removal from office of graft-accused justices instead of issuing a sweeping statement that has the effect of undermining the independence of the judiciary. Arnold Tsunga, Africa director at International Commission of Jurists, said what the president has done has the potential to destroy public confidence in the judiciary as he has accused judges in a vague and embarrassing way without naming any one specific. Chief Justice Luke Malaba has also been complaining openly about corruption being rife in the judiciary, saying the public is getting frustrated by the drive against corruption which has become more about creating media hype and less about nailing the suspects. Tsunga, a former secretary of the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ), said the vague accusations by Mnangagwa undermines the institutional independence of the Con-Court and also breeds suspicion among legal professionals. In any case of suspected misconduct of a judge in a way that is serious enough to warrant possible removal, the procedure is through an impeachment that is initiated by the president at the instance of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), Tsunga said. Instead of going through this legal and credible procedure and speaking after the process is done, the president has rather chosen to go for optic politics by addressing the public in a way that puts the judicial institution into serious disrepute. Other than undermining the judiciary and public confidence in justice administration, it also potentially causes fear and anxiety for judges who deal with corruption cases and this may result in prolonged detention of suspects and wrongful convictions and serious miscarriage of justice. The former executive director at Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said judges like all people in Zimbabwe are personally liable for any criminal conduct if proven. This means that they have to have their immunity properly removed if they are suspected of committing crimes and prosecuted in the normal way guaranteeing their right to fair trial like everyone else including being presumed innocent until proven guilty. Again this procedure that is open to the authorities has not been used, the president preferring to cast aspersions on the whole bench, Tsunga said. The public will be within their right to question the sincerity of the president given that the perception is that corruption has become endemic and no branch of government is holier than the other. Mnangagwas attack on the Con-Court bench has spawned speculation that it could be a precursor to a shake-up in the Con-Court. Corruption investigations into judicial bodies in Zimbabwe are rare. Only one High Court judge Benjamin Paradza has been convicted of corruption for trying to intervene in the case of a business partner who was charged with murder in 2006. Leading lawyer Dewa Mavhinga called for the official opening of a criminal investigation against Con-Court judges if Mnangagwa suspects there was corruption in the apex court, saying the presidents untested accusations gravely undermine the authority of the top court. To deal decisively with corruption within the judiciary, the laid out constitutional procedures should be followed within the framework of the rule of law, the Human Rights Watch southern Africa director told the Daily News on Sunday. The fight against corruption is urgent and needs a comprehensive approach through credible independent institutions. The fight against corruption cannot be a matter for political rallies, especially if the president suggests the judiciary has become compromised because there are laid out laws and constitutional procedures for dealing with the judiciary because it is an independent arm of the State. If the Executive overplays its hand or controls the anti-corruption fight, that could trigger a constitutional crisis. Analysts said the president must disclose the names of the corrupt judges, and the JSC must ask them to submit their written responses to the accusations. The JSC will then examine their responses before deciding whether to open a formal investigation into the accusations, in which case, the accused judges would have to be suspended. Piers Pigou, senior consultant at the International Crisis Group told the Daily News on Sunday: This is an astonishing admission for the president to make publicly. This information may come from the anti-corruption unit he set up earlier this year, somewhat controversially, in his office. Stephen Chan, a professor of world politics at the London School of Oriental and African Studies said the president must take prompt and resolute action to redeem the image of the judiciary. Its tricky as the judiciary is meant to be independent and, normally, has its own policing mechanism. Where this is not functioning, the President may demand it function or exercise such powers as he may have to influence its composition but this gets into dangerous territory, Chan told this publication. Chief Justice Malaba has equally been critical about the judiciary and is known to be leaving no stone unturned in his quest to uproot the vice wherever it exist. He recently told a JSC workshop in the capital last month that judges have been laundering criminals. Excitement and expectations are being made in the media but then things start to happen. Bail is granted then it is remand and remand and remand, Malaba said, adding corruption is an anti-thesis of the rule of law. You are not there to be influenced by the status of the person before you; you might have known him as minister so and so. You dont have to think of the person but the allegations of misconduct against the person before you. We dont want to hear of cases that are rolled over and over and overlike we are afraid of something. DailyNews Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News In his first six years as mayor, Emanuel had an average income of about $365,000, with a high of $389,000 in 2015. His 2017 income represents an increase of $189,000 over the previous average. Emanuel filed jointly with Chicago first lady Amy Rule, who was listed as a homemaker and reported no income. The couple, who became empty-nesters in September, claimed their three college-aged children as dependents. Fellow Zimbabweans Christmas is a time for celebration. A time to take a break from the daily pressures in order to be together with the family and to appreciate those closest to us. It is a time to cherish the greatest gift of God Almighty; the birth of his Son Jesus Christ. This Christmas we reflect on the lessons from Christs birth and life; lessons around faith, love and forgiveness. I give thanks for the Christmas miracle, Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Christmas is also a time to recognise those who work daily for the benefit of others. Whose contributions often go unnoticed. I would like to encourage all our brothers and sisters who volunteer their time and energies to help those in need and less fortunate than ourselves. This spirit of volunteerism is a true blessing and should be celebrated by us all. As we celebrate Christmas, let us remember to Love our neighbour as ourselves and to do to others what we want them to do to us. 2018 was a historic year for our beloved nation, as we begin the process of national renewal and recovery. There is so much more to be done and there will be further bumps along the road. I am aware that many will have a difficult Christmas. I encourage all of us to be patient, resilient and to work hard in a collective unity, as we create a better, democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe for all. From my family to yours, I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy year. God bless you all Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Senior doctors say they will stand with their juniors, after the Health Services Board (HSB) sent out suspension letters targeting hundreds of striking doctors. A government medical officer close to developments told Kukurigo they had resolved to join the strike in solidarity with the now-suspended junior doctors. We had an informal caucus and we are of the view that the suspension or dismissal of junior doctors is a war on us all and it will set a dangerous precedent if unchallenged, she said in a series of email exchanges edited for this article. We are determined to defend the juniors against this bullying and victimisation because they are not asking for Landcruisers like Parliament but for government to wake up and take the crisis in our hospitals seriously. There is widespread support from registrars, hospital medical officers and government medical officers to join hands in solidarity. We are now defending the profession for government to realise that we are doctors not a play thing for politicians. An intervention by senior doctors at district, provincial and central hospital level would collapse the health system. Hospitals are already failing to cope with patients waiting unattended (Bulawayo picture above) while available doctors battle to manage critical patients. An image sent to Kukurigo (above) shows doctors improvising an intravenous fluid bag as a urine drainage bag. The shortage of drugs and medical consumables is at the centre of the strike with doctors accusing government of spending on vehicles and perks for politicians at the expense of the healthcare system. Sympathetic government medical officers in Masvingo this morning sent a letter to the Provincial Medical Director warning they would join the strike if grievances expressed by junior doctors were no resolved. We, the GMOs in Masvingo Province have been following the situation with regards to the currently ongoing strike by doctors, with the hope that urgent due attention would be given, and grievances attended to without delay, the letter reads. We would like to categorically state our position, which is that we are in full support of our colleagues across the country. Should concerns that were raised and communicated to the employer through ZHDA representatives not receive urgent attention and be satisfactorily, we will have no choice but to withdraw our services. HSB yesterday sent out suspension letters to junior doctors that began industrial action on December 1. This letter serves to advise you that, in terms of section 6 (1) of the Labour Regulations Statutory Instrument 15 of 2006, you are suspended from duty for a period of 14 days from the date on which this notice is served on you, read letters sent to hundreds of doctors yesterday. A doctor at Mpilo hospital who requested anonymity for fear of victimisation told Kukurigo the suspension letters had deepened their resolve. Government thinks they can do to us what they did to nurses when (Vice President) Chiwenga fired them and forced them to re-apply for their jobs. By refusing to pay us our salaries and going on to suspend us they have shown us their true colours and made us more determined to resolve this once and for all, we cannot be striking every few months, he said. Criticism of government has been uncharacteristically charged with doctors taking to social media platforms to urge on their colleagues. Dr Edgar Munatsi, a former Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association president currently stationed at Chitungwiza Central Hospital, attacked HSB for failing to represent the interests of doctors. HSB was primarily formed to advance the interests of health workers but they have been doing the opposite, infringing the rights of workers. It is high time it is disbanded. They will be drinking coffee in their fancy offices while we have to break bad news to relatives every day. Resuscitation rooms have no emergency drugs, no drips, he wrote on his Twitter account Monday morning. Have your say by sending us a voice note. Kukurigo Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News MDC president Nelson Chamisa could be arrested for addressing joyous crowds at Mbare Musika today without police clearance as required under the Public Order and Security Act (POSA). According to an MDC senior official, Charlton Hwende, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (in a news bulletin) said that Chamisa could be arrested. Writing on microblogging site Twitter this afternoon, Hwende had this to say: ZBC is now reporting that Police is threatening to arrest President @nelsonchamisa for violating POSA by visiting Mbare Musika without notifying the police. This is ludicrous and ridiculous #ZimbabweYatiChamisaCheteChete. https://twitter.com/hwende/status/1077199266744012802 Pindula Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Wall Street Quietly Shelves Its Bitcoin Dreams Bloomberg Bitcoin: a digital lottery ticket for a dystopian future? Kenneth Rogoff, Asia Times Deutsche Bank cooperating in EU probe over bond price-fixing Handelsblatt Today Why Its Hard to Escape Amazons Long Reach Wired Facebook has put growth ahead of governance for too long FT (DL). People fall off cruise ships with alarming regularity. Can anything be done to stop it? Quartz Syraqistan President Ends the Mattis Era at the Pentagon Two Months Early Bloomberg (Re Silc). Mattis Marks End of the Global War on Terror The American Conservative Brexit Cui Bono? David Leask, Ben Nimmo and the Attack on Ordinary Scottish Nationalists Craig Murray. Huh? Bonos Irish. Gatwick airport open but location of drones still up in the air ABC Australia The Yellow Vests and the Left by Jim Kavanagh + Yellow Vests Shift to the Left Dandelion Salad China Like a cancer: Rio militias grow, control swaths of city AP The Late Cycle Lament: The Dual Economy, Minsky Moments, and Other Concerns (PDF) Grantham, Mayo, Van Otterloo & Co. LLC (UserFriendly). Trump Transition Imperial Collapse Watch What Comes After US Hegemony? The Diplomat Democrats in Disarray Which Side Are You On? Adolph Reed, Common Dreams. I do believe, though, that the race-reductionist perspectiveeven in its both/and variantis, as Naschek and others argue, vulnerable to, if not actively aligned with the decidedly anti-Left Democratic tendencies associated with Clintonism. Ouch. A response to Salazars TNR article on DSA and, since its Reed, worth a cup of coffee (more here). Inside Bernie-worlds war on Beto ORourke NBC The Political Insiders Guide to 2019 Politico. First up: Eight-time loser Robert Shrum. Whats Immoral About Caring for Americas Poor First? RealClearPolitics (Re Silc). Big Brother Is Watching You Watch Seamus Heaney: Poet & Teacher (interview) IthacaLit (DG). Xmas Cheer Class Warfare Past Global Flood Shows Antarcticas Ice Is More Fragile Than We Thought Smithsonian Brazils Amazon forest is in the crosshairs, as defenders step up National Geographic More plants survived the worlds greatest mass extinction than thought Science News For Climate Safety, Call in the Engineers Jeffrey Sachs, Project Syndicate Antidote du jour (via): See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. An elderly man died and two others an elderly woman and a firefighter suffered injuries when a blaze broke out at a residence in San Francisco early Monday morning, according to the fire department. The two-alarm fire, which was reported around 12:50 a.m., burned along the 3800 block of Clay Street, Mark Gonzales with the San Francisco Fire Department said. The elderly man was pulled out of the burning building, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the fire department. The "severely burned" elderly woman was transported to the hospital in critical condition. The firefighter who was injured was also transported to the hospital and later released, according to the fire department. He is expected to be OK, Gonzales said. "Once [the firefighters] got in, the fire rolled over them and actually knocked one of them over the little porch area there, so that's where the one firefighter got burned," Gonzales said. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Scuffles broke out between protesters and police in central Paris on Saturday on the sidelines of a largely peaceful demonstration, during the fifth straight weekend of protests by the "yellow vest" movement. Riot police fired small amounts of tear gas to disperse groups of protesters who headed down the side streets off the French capital's famed Champs-Elysees boulevard, some with traffic still flowing. About 8,000 police and 14 armored vehicles were deployed in Paris for the demonstration, after similar protests in recent weekends turned violent, with protesters smashing and looting stores and setting up burning barricades in the streets. Saturday's protest was far calmer in the morning, with riot police blocking off groups of protesters who attempted to disperse in side streets. At least 21 people were detained in Paris before the protests began, police said. Some protesters voiced anger at being restricted to a few blocks by police. "We're surrounded by CRS," said protester Lionel Toussaint, 53, who works in the heritage industry, referring to riot police. "I'm not armed. I only have Kleenex." The "yellow vest" movement, which takes its name from the fluorescent safety vests French motorists must all have in their vehicles, emerged in mid-November as a protest against fuel tax increases. It soon morphed into an expression of rage about the high cost of living in France and a sense that President Emanuel Macron's government is detached from the everyday struggles of workers. Without any clear form or leadership, the movement has attracted a wide range of disgruntled people across the political spectrum, including some violent militants. "Respect my existence or expect my resistance," read one banner held aloft by protesters who converged on the Champs-Elysees. Pierre Lamy, a 27-year-old industrial worker wearing a yellow vest and with a French flag draped over his shoulders, said the protests had long stopped being about the fuel tax and had turned into a movement for economic justice. "We're here to represent all our friends and members of our family who can't come to protest, or because they're scared," he said as he walked to the demonstration with three friends. "Everything's coming up now. We're being bled dry." Max Werle, a 56-year-old father of nine, said the protests were his first-ever demonstrations. "I'm here for my children," he said, adding that his daughter had given birth in a fire truck on Monday because the local hospital in Loiret outside Paris had closed years ago. The office administrator said the protesters were there "to defend our cause. ... It's not a left and right thing." "Yellow vest" protests were also being held in other parts of France, with no violent incidents reported by mid-day. On Friday, Macron called for calm during the demonstrations, and the French government reiterated the call online for demonstrators to remain peaceful. "Protesting is a right. So let's know how to exercise it," the government tweeted from its official account, with a 34-second video which begins with images of historic French protests and recent footage of "yellow vest" protesters rallying peacefully before turning to violence. "Protesting is not smashing. Protesting is not smashing our heritage. Protesting is not smashing our businesses. ... Protesting is not smashing our republic," the video says. Macron acknowledged in a speech earlier this week that he is partially responsible for the anger displayed during the protests, and has announced measures aimed at improving workers' spending power. He has so far refused to reinstate a wealth tax that was lifted to spur investment in France. But on the streets of Paris, some protesters were saying the president still didn't understand them. "I think that Macron isn't in touch with what the yellow vests want. I think the yellow vests need to continue speaking out and the problem is that in the countryside," said Julie Verrier, a protester from Picardie in Normandy in northern France who had been participating in protests there for the past three weeks and had travelled to Paris for Saturday's demonstration. "Local city halls are closed so we can't go there to express and write our complaints and our wishes," she said. "So coming here is the only way we have to say that French people need to be heard." Emanuels ordinance includes a 15-cent tax per little cigar, raising the cost of a 20-pack of some varieties such as Swisher Sweets from $5.79 to $8.79. It also imposes a 90-cent tax on larger cigars. A $1.80 per ounce tax on smokeless tobacco can also be imposed, bumping the price of a 1.2-ounce can from $4.19 to $6.35; and a $6.60-per-ounce tax on roll-your-own tobacco, raising the average price of a small pouch from $7.25 to $11.54. The stranger-than-sitcom American presidency opened 2018 with a big tease about mutual nuclear destruction from two leaders who then found "love" not war. It seems President Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong Un were just playing hard to get. The presidency ends the year saturated in tumult, with the government in partial shutdown and Trump tweeting a video of himself warbling a parody of the theme song from "Green Acres," a television sitcom from the 1960s, to mark his signing of a farm bill. Throw in a beer-loving and very angry Supreme Court nominee, an unhappy departing defense secretary, Trump's parallel universe of facts and his zillion tweets, and you can see that the president's world this year was touched by the weird, the traumatic and the fantastical also known as WTF. There was no holding back the self-described "very stable genius" with the "very, very large brain." Some serious and relatively conventional things got done in 2018. There was a midterm election. Many more Democrats are coming to Congress and not quite all of them plan to run for president. Divided government dawns in January when Democrats take control of the House; Republicans retain their grip on the Senate. An overhaul of the criminal justice system was accomplished, and in an unusually bipartisan way, though it took a dash of reality TV's Kim Kardashian West to move it along. Gun control actually was tightened a bit, with Trump's unilateral banning of bump stocks. Trump shocked allies and lost Defense Secretary Jim Mattis over a presidential decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria, quickly following up with indications that up to half the troops in Afghanistan might be withdrawn, too. Self-described "Tariff Man" started one trade war, with China, and headed off a second by tweaking the North American Free Trade Agreement and giving it an unpronounceable acronym, USMCA. He withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal, putting action behind his Twitter shout: "WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH." Trump placed his second justice on the Supreme Court in two years after Brett Kavanaugh, accused of alcohol-fueled sexual assault in his youth, raged against the allegations at a congressional hearing and acknowledged only: "I liked beer, I still like beer," but "I never sexually assaulted anyone." There were frustrations and fulminations aplenty for the president, particularly about the steaming-ahead Russia-Trump campaign investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller ("special councel" in some Trump tweets). Nor did he make much progress on his promised border wall ("boarder wall"), which he renamed "artistically designed steel slats" in December in what he regarded as a concession to wall-despising, concrete-cursing Democrats. The concession did not work: large parts of the government closed Saturday over the wall-induced budget impasse. He took heat for a zero-tolerance policy that forced migrant children from their parents until he backed off, inaccurately blaming Democrats for "Child Seperation." It was a very good year for jobs. It was a check-your-smartphone-right-now, pass-the-smelling-salts year for the stock market. Trump, who assailed the unemployment rate as a phony measure when he was a candidate, couldn't speak of it enough as Obama-era job growth continued on his watch. He went mum about the market, a prime subject for his boasting before it took a sustained dive. Trump's approval rating in polls was one of the few constants on this swiftly tilting planet: 42 percent approval and 56 percent disapproval in The Associated Press-NORC's latest and 38 percent-57 percent via Gallup, neither much different than in January. Through it all, the mainstreaming of the bizarre proceeded apace and North Korea's Kim set that tone right on Jan. 1 with his New Year cheer to Americans across the ocean: "It's not a mere threat but a reality that I have a nuclear button on the desk in my office. All of the mainland United States is within the range of our nuclear strike." Trump responded the next day with a tweet about size and performance. "I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!" Once they got that out of their system, things quickly improved, helped along by Kim's letters to Trump, which the U.S. president called "beautiful." There was no more talk about Trump being a "mentally deranged dotard" or Kim being a "maniac," the musty insults of an earlier time. In June, they held history's first meeting between a North Korean leader and a current U.S. president. "We fell in love," Trump later said at a West Virginia rally. Kim had previously vowed to visit "fire and fury" on the U.S. but the "Fire and Fury" that made Trump livid early this year was the book of the same name, Michael Wolff's insider account of the Trump White House. That was a different sort of missile. The president took particular exception to observations in the book by his former chief strategist, tweeting about "Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad!" They are said to be on better terms now. Over the course of the year, Trump spoke at more than 40 campaign rallies, kept up his Twitter barrage (40,000 tweets since 2009 on his @realDonaldTrump account) and answered plenty of questions in infrequent but lengthy news conferences and sit-down interviews. So what stands out in this blizzardy whiteout of unconventionality? How about this farewell to his secretary of state, Rex Tillerson? "He was dumb as a rock and I couldn't get rid of him fast enough. He was lazy as hell." (The president usually reserves "dumb as a rock" for journalists.) Or his description of Stormy Daniels, paid to stay quiet about their alleged affair, as "horseface?" Or this description of his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, as "scared stiff and Missing in Action," before Sessions was finally out in November? Will history long remember that in 2018 the president called Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff "little Adam Schitt" on Twitter and nations in Africa "shithole countries" in a private meeting? Or that he (correctly) predicted Hurricane Florence would be "tremendously wet" or told the AP: "I have a natural instinct for science?" In July, Trump appeared to side with Russian President Vladimir Putin when he stood by Putin's side at a Helsinki summit news conference and gave weight to Putin's denial that Russia meddled in the 2016 election, despite the firm conclusion of U.S. intelligence agencies that it had. "I don't see any reason why it would be" Russia, Trump said. But while it's been hardly noticed in a capital consumed by the shutdown drama, Mattis, Syria, steel slats and market convulsions, 2018 draws to a close as it started with warnings of a nuclear Armageddon, this time from Putin. Putin's prompt was Trump's intention to walk away from one arms control treaty and his reluctance to extend another. That, said Putin, "could lead to the destruction of civilization as a whole and maybe even our planet." Maybe he's just playing hard to get. AP polling director Emily Swanson, and AP writers Darlene Superville, Zeke Miller, Catherine Lucey, Jill Colvin, Jonathan Lemire and Nancy Benac contributed to this report. At least 23 people in Chicago were shot, one fatally, since the weekend began Friday evening. The murder occurred outside a club early Saturday in the West Englewood neighborhood on the South Side. A 32-year-old man was shot after walking out of a club about 4:35 a.m. in the 2000 block of West 63rd Street, according to Chicago police. Two bullets struck his abdomen and one hit his left leg. He was taken in critical condition to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The Cook County Medical Examiners Office did not immediately confirm the death. In nonfatal shootings, a teenage man was critically wounded during a drive-by shooting at night in the Gresham neighborhood on the South Side. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More Late Friday, gunfire seriously wounded a 26-year-old man outside of Percy L. Julian High School in the Washington Heights neighborhood on the South Side. Last weekend, a west suburban man was killed and 23 others were wounded in shootings throughout Chicago. An Indiana wine retailer hopes to overturn a Prohibition-era Illinois law and gain the right to sell and ship wines across state lines. The Chicago Tribune reports Lebamoff Enterprises will be allowed to reopen a 2016 lawsuit against Illinois after prevailing in the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last month. The appellate move reversed a Chicago federal court's decision to dismiss the case last year. Lebamoff owns 15 Cap n' Cork liquor stores in Indiana and seeks to sell to neighboring states through the internet. The Illinois Liquor Control Act of 1934 requires alcohol that's shipped into the state to first go through a distributor and be sold by a retailer at a physical location in the state. The Illinois attorney general's office declined to comment on the ruling. A vigil was held along North Avenue Beach Sunday afternoon as family and friends gathered to express hope for a miracle after the disappearance of 24-year-old Eddisa Concepcion. Concepcion, a UIC graduate, disappeared after jumping into Lake Michigan early Friday morning. Facing high waves and cold temperatures, Chicago fire and police dive teams were unable to enter the water to search for her, and helicopter searches, with the help of the United States Coast Guard, have thus far been unsuccessful. Marine Units continued that search for Concepcion on Sunday, but she remains missing. Two other men who jumped into the water with Concepcion were able to escape. One man got out of the water on his own, and the other was rescued and taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. More than a dozen Democratic U.S. senators are calling on the Food and Drug Administration to impose a ban on menthol cigarettes and cigars. The senators -- including Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island -- said the agency needs to follow through after pledging last month to try to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb also pledged to work to tighten rules governing the sale of most flavored versions of electronic cigarettes. The proposed restrictions are aimed mainly at reducing smoking in kids. About half of teens who smoke cigarettes choose menthols. Flavored e-cigarettes have been blamed for a recent increase in teen vaping rates. In a letter dated Thursday the senators urged Gottlieb to finalize the regulations quickly. A shelter in place has been lifted after a suspicious package prompted an investigation in Old Saybrook on Monday afternoon. The investigation prompted a shelter in place order for residents of Drummers Trail and Overlook Drive, but it has since been lifted. Old Saybrook Police said they were being assisted by the Connecticut State Police Bomb Squad. Officers said the explosion noise that was heard by neighbors in the area was intentional and was necessary to make everything safe. The area is now safe. The Old Saybrook Police are working closely with the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspectors to investigate the incident. Police have released the name of the woman who was killed in an apartment fire in Groton last week. Firefighters were called to the Branford Manor complex on Branford Avenue in the city of Groton around 9 p.m. on Wednesday and found heavy fire coming from an apartment. According to police, 31-year-old Anna Berroa, of Groton, was found dead inside of a second-story bedroom. They said she was alone in the apartment at the time. Berroa's ex-boyfriend told NBC Connecticut that he dated her for about six years. She had two children, one with him. He said Berroa's older daughter called him Wednesday night asking him for help. When he arrived, he said his ex was throwing glass and threw a Christmas tree outside. Torres said he was able to get the two girls to safety, but when he turned around the apartment was on fire. According to Torres, he and other neighbors tried to help Berroa, but the doors were locked and the flames were too intense. Firefighters said they also could not immediately get upstairs to look for Berroa because of the flames. The fire chief does not suspect foul play. The cause of the fire is under investigation. A 54-year-old woman died Monday in a crash on the 10 Freeway in West Covina, attributed to her driving the wrong way, authorities said. The crash was reported at 2:56 a.m. on the eastbound San Bernardino Freeway at Citrus Avenue, California Highway Patrol Officer Tony Polizzi said. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, Polizzi said. Witnesses reported the woman in a 1997 Honda Civic was honking at other vehicles as she drove slowly the wrong way, the CHP said. Both the woman's Honda and the 2016 Mazda SUV she struck overturned in left lanes, the CHP said. The 30-year-old man driving the SUV, who was a resident of San Diego, suffered moderate injuries from crash. It was not known whether dense fog was a factor in the crash but witnesses described visibility difficulties, the CHP said. A SigAlert was issued at 3:17 a.m., shutting down all eastbound lanes at Citrus Avenue for the investigation, Polizzi said. One right lane was reopened as of 5 a.m. and all lanes were reopened at 5:45 a.m. The CHP's Baldwin Park office asked anyone who saw the crash to call them at (626) 338-1164. At first glance, it may look like any other scene you'd see at the mall around Christmas time: Kids sit on Santa's lap; elves help guide them along; parents snap pictures. This is no ordinary event, however. This is part of an extraordinary program for extraordinary kids whose parents made an extraordinary sacrifice. The scene is taking place in a terminal at LAX as part of Snowball Express, a program that offers special experiences to children who have had parents die in military service. Snowball Express is sending these children and their surviving parents on a five-day, all-expense paid trip to Disney World. "They're giving this opportunity to kids who felt like they lost everything," said Camilla Gutierrez, whose stepfather died in military service. The children meet as strangers, but they learn they're connected by the extreme test of losing a parent. Actor Gary Sinise, known for playing a disabled veteran in "Forrest Gump," began supporting Snowball Express more than a decade ago. He was so impressed with the program that he made it part of his personal charitable foundation. "We want to give them as much joy, love and light as possible," he said. When Sinise spoke with NBC4, Snowball Express was sending more than 1,000 kids from all over the country to Orlando. He is quick to give credit for the program's success to volunteers, many of whom are connected with the children through their own military experiences. John Baca received a Medal of Honor for saving his colleagues from a grenade. He said he loves participating in Snowball Express. "It's one of the most beautiful events in my life," he said. The program meant so much to Chelsea Briggs when she was younger, she has now become a volunteer. "After Snowball Express came into my life, we learned we can have fun again and enjoy the holidays, so I'm very grateful," she said. The excitement builds as boarding begins. Faces light up. Smiles flash across the faces of children who have known so much pain. Snowball Express serves as a means of offering a measure of gratitude for the sacrifice they and their parents have made. An ATV crashed into an SUV Sunday, sending one person to the hospital in critical condition. According to City of Miami Police, the injured ATV rider was traveling on the wrong side of the road when it crashed into a Ford Expedition around 7 p.m. Sunday. Police said a group of bikers were riding in the area when the incident happened. Cell phone video captured earlier Sunday shows a crowd of ATV riders and bikers causing chaos in Brickell. The group blocked off the street near the entrance of Brickell Key. An NBC6 viewer also spotted them driving on the wrong side of the road. Miami police have not yet confirmed if the injured ATV rider was part of this group. Florida law states it is illegal to operate an ATV on any public road, street or highway, unless granted permission by a relevant government authority. Off-highway vehicles can only be operated on unpaved roads where the speed limit is less than 35 miles per hour. The victim of the incident has not yet been identified. An investigation is now underway. "It's Christmas Eve and President Trump is plunging the country into chaos," they said, pointing to problems beyond the shutdown, including the plunging stock market and the president's firing of his defense secretary. "The president wanted the shutdown, but he seems not to know how to get himself out of it." What to Know Leida Crisostomo was arrested Saturday in Collier County on charges that included aggravated assault and armed robbery. A Southwest Florida woman was arrested after allegedly robbing a postal worker and threatening people with a toy gun all before attempting to flee the scene on a tricycle. NBC affiliate WBBH-TV reported that Leida Crisostomo was arrested Saturday in Collier County on charges that included aggravated assault and armed robbery. Deputies responded to the scene after reports of a woman pointing a gun at people, arriving to find Crisostomo holding a black and silver weapon which later turned out to be fake. Witnesses say Crisostomo pointed the gun at a mail carrier, forcing him out of the truck and making the worker hand her a package out of the back. Crisostomo did not resist arrest, reportedly telling deputies she was God and voices in her head were telling her to do things. The package was eventually returned to the postal worker and no injuries were reported. Police have arrested four young people in connection with the shooting death of a 12-year-old Bridgeport boy last week. Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim's office announced Monday that an 18-year-old, a 16-year-old, a 14-year-old and a 12-year-old have been arrested in connection to 12-year-old Clinton Howell's death. Ganim's office said the 18-year-old is being charged with murder. The 16-year-old, 14-year-old and 12-year-old are facing charges including conspiracy to commit murder and illegal possession of a firearm, but officials said those charges could change. "We're glas they got the people in that car, but there's no holiday," said Howell's aunt Teresa McCullen. "We don't even realize today is Christmas. No holiday. They took it away." Howell was shot in front of his home on Willow Street on Tuesday night as he walked home from a corner store. As he was coming up the steps, someone came by and just started shooting and two of the bullets hit him and he ended up just falling inside the house on the floor, said Gamel Dawkins, Howell's brother. "My son was right here with the door open," his father Carlton Howell said. "Right here on the floor, and the ambulance guy was pumping his chest. That's the image left in my brain." Howell was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later. He was a seventh-grader at Bridge Academy in Bridgeport. Detectives said they do not believe Howell was the intended target, and that it was someone else from the neighborhood was meant to be shot. "They knew each other, they had encounters before, and there was back and forth banter on social media," Bridgeport Police Captain Brian Fitzgerald said of the intended target. A father and son who were returning to New Jersey from a Disney vacation in Orlando are missing after their small plane crashed off the coast of Florida, officials and family said. Peter Renzulli and his son Daniel, both of Bridgewater, were on a Piper Malibu plane that went down in the water off Jacksonville on Wednesday, their family said. The Coast Guard called off its search on Saturday. The plane took off from Orlando and disappeared from radar about 30 minutes later, the family said. The Coast Guard said the plane went down after making a distress call. The family was devastated to learn that the aircraft could not be located, said Justin Marchetta, who represents the Renzulli family. Peter and Daniel are accomplished pilots and their disappearance is heartbreaking. It wasn't clear whether the father or son was piloting the plane, although the family said that Peter had completed more than 30 hours of advanced training in that plane. Peter was an accountant, CFO and adjunct professor at Rutgers University, according to his LinkedIn profile. He was a frequent commentator on CNN. The Journal Square-33rd and Hoboken-33rd lines that were temporarily suspended due to signal repair work between Christopher Street and Hoboken are back on schedule, officials said. New Jersey Transit is cross honoring PATH tickets at Hoboken, New York Penn Station and Newark Penn Station until 11:30 a.m. See below for real time transit updates: A Lincoln man has been charged with fatally hitting a pedestrian and then speeding off. The News Journal of Wilmington reports that Lazaro Martinez turned himself in to police three days after the fatal hit-and-run in Harrington. The 48-year-old suspect has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death and failure to report a collision that resulted in death. He was released on $3,100 bond. It wasn't immediately clear if he had a lawyer. Police say Martinez's vehicle struck Rickey Honeycutt on Dec. 14 as the 53-year-old man tried to cross U.S. 13. Another driver found the body of the pedestrian and notified authorities. The newspaper says police used security footage to identify the hit-and-run vehicle as a Jeep. Martinez turned himself in on Friday. The Taliban welcomed news of the U.S. plan to withdraw half its troops in Afghanistan by the summer, as Afghan generals warned it would be a blow to the morale of the country's beleaguered security forces who come under daily attacks from the insurgent fighters. The announcement seems certain to complicate efforts to reach a peace deal, mostly because it gives the Taliban leverage by allowing them to hold off until a total U.S. withdrawal, or step up their demands over a weakened Afghan government. "I believe the Taliban will see this as a reason to stall, and therefore it disincentivizes the Taliban to actually talk to the Afghan government, which it has refused to do," said Bill Roggio, an Afghanistan analyst with the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Afghanistan's security forces rely heavily on U.S. airpower against both Taliban and an upstart Islamic State affiliate, and Afghan military officials note the announcement by the Trump administration comes as the country's security is at its worst since 2014, when more than 100,000 NATO troops pulled out of the country and handed off security to Afghans. The U.S. and NATO retreated into a training and advising role. "A complete withdrawal of U.S. forces would very likely cause the Taliban to make gains in key areas throughout Afghanistan," Roggio said. "This likely would cause the general collapse of the (Afghan National Security and Defense Force) as a cohesive fighting force and lead to the return of the warlords." President Donald Trump considers the war in Afghanistan a lost cause and has long pushed to pull the troops out. His decision was made public a mere few hours after he abruptly announced the U.S. was withdrawing troops from Syria. Trump's state of mind is sure to have given a sense of urgency to U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who has been working to reach a negotiated end to America's longest war and has been pushing for a deal by April. In an interview with Afghanistan's TOLO TV on Thursday hours before the withdrawal plans were announced he noted Trump had campaigned for president on a promise to end the Afghan war, which has already cost Americans nearly $1 trillion. More than 2,400 American soldiers have also died in Afghanistan since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion. "There was little doubt that Ambassador Khalilzad was always working with limited time and a zeal of desperation to achieve something before the president pulled the plug," said Daniel Markey, senior research professor at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. A Taliban official told The Associated Press the announcement was a positive step. Speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press, the official said Taliban officials think the promised departure could help the peace process because it could "lead to trust building that the U.S. wants a political solution." But there was no sign the Taliban were ready to move on the two major sticking points: Direct talks with the Afghan government and a cease fire while the two sides negotiate Khalilzad's so-called "roadmap for the future of Afghanistan." Peace talks aside, the announced withdrawal has Afghan generals and analysts worried about the ability of the beleaguered Afghan National Afghan Security Force to stave off a Taliban insurgency unfettered by U.S. troops and their pounding air power. The Taliban are already stronger today than they have been since their ouster in 2001, controlling or holding sway over nearly half the country. Several high ranking Afghan military officials, who spoke on condition they not be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said the morale of Afghanistan's undertrained and poorly equipped security forces was already at a dangerously low ebb. The troops routinely complain about reinforcements that arrive too late, equipment that fails and even running out of food. The officials called America's withdrawal a defeat, comparing it to the U.S. evacuation from Vietnam and Russia's 1989 forced withdrawal from Afghanistan that capped a failed 10-year campaign. U.S. troops invaded Afghanistan in November 2001 in response to the Sept. 11 attacks. Their ouster of the Taliban returned to power former warlords, whose bitter infighting and runaway corruption had resulted in vast tracts of the capital Kabul being destroyed and given rise to the Taliban, who used a strict and harsh interpretation of Islam to restore calm to the country. Ordinary Afghans have mixed feelings about the presence of U.S. and NATO troops. Many fear their departure believing it will strengthen the Taliban, yet criticize their presence for doing little to improve security, which has deteriorated. Afghans complain bitterly about their deeply corrupt government and see the U.S. which largely bankrolls the government as responsible. Neighbor Pakistan, who has been harshly criticized by Trump for not doing enough to bring the Taliban to the table, had warned that a sudden departure of U.S. troops would result in chaos in Afghanistan and destabilize the region. "The last thing it (Pakistan) wants is a radical Islamist state on its Western border, even if that eliminates or reduces Indian influence in Afghanistan," said Shuja Nawaz, author and fellow at the Atlantic Council's South Asia Center. Associated Press writer Amir Shah in Kabul, Afghanistan contributed to this report. What to Know A meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin had been scheduled for Sunday It was to take place at the G-20 Summit in Argentina this weekend Trump said he canceled the meeting due to Russia's seizure of three Ukrainian naval ships last weekend President Donald Trump abruptly canceled a planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin as he headed to the Group of 20 Nations summit Thursday, citing Russia's seizure of Ukrainian vessels as a source of tension in a relationship he has fostered in the face of criticism. Trump tweeted his decision from Air Force One shortly after his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, revealed he had lied to Congress to cover up that he was negotiating a real estate deal in Moscow on Trump's behalf during the Republican presidential primary in 2016. The news ensured any meeting with Putin would spotlight the special counsel's investigation into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow during the campaign. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and on Thursday called Cohen a "weak person" looking for a reduced sentence. The last-minute move kicked off a global economic meeting expected to be dominated by Trump's seat-of-his-pants diplomacy. The Putin meeting a continuation of a controversial summit between the two in July was just one of a series of high-stakes items on Trump's agenda, which also includes talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on how to ease a rising trade war. Although Trump had previously floated canceling the meeting with Putin, White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters he did not make the final decision until boarding the plane for Argentina and speaking with national security adviser John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The Kremlin said it had not been formally notified of the decision, which came hours after Moscow said the meeting was on track. "I look forward to a meaningful Summit again as soon as this situation is resolved!" Trump tweeted from Air Force One. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko praised Trump on Twitter, saying, "This is how great leaders act!" Sanders also said two of Trump's planned bilateral meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and South Korea's Moon Jae-in had been canceled. Trump will instead speak informally with those leaders at the conference. She did not offer any explanation for those changes to the schedule. The stakes for the sit-down between Putin and Trump were raised this week by Russia's stepped-up aggression in the Kerch Strait, stemming from its years long occupation of Eastern Ukraine. Russia recently seized three Ukrainian vessels and crews. Russia said Ukraine didn't have permission to pass between Russia's mainland and the Crimean Peninsula. Ukraine insisted its vessels abided by maritime laws. Tensions had already been high over the war in Syria and allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential race. Trump has sought to improve the relationship with Putin, but was roundly criticized after the July summit in Helsinki for failing to publicly denounce Russia's interference and appearing to accept Putin's denials of such activity. While Trump's statement was strongly worded, he has made similarly dramatic moves before only to walk them back. In the spring he canceled a planned summit with North Korea's Kim Jong Un, only to revive the meeting a week later. The G-20 meeting in Buenos Aires comes amid growing economic uncertainty and global displeasure with Trump's trade policy. The most pressing issue on Trump's packed schedule of meetings is whether he can reach a detente with Xi over trade after months in which both sides have raised tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of each other's goods, shaking financial markets and threatening the global economy. Without an agreement, the U.S. is set to increase the tariffs on January 1. Departing the White House Thursday, Trump said he was "very close" to a deal with China, but added, "I don't know that I want to do it, because what we have right now is billions and billions of dollars coming in to the United States in the form of tariffs or taxes." With China, experts said Trump likely wants to see something come out of the meeting. "I think it's in President Trump's interest to have this meeting be viewed as a success," said David Dollar, a senior fellow in the John L. Thornton China Center at the Brookings Institution. "The markets are looking for some kind of dialing down of the rhetoric, and in particular markets are hoping there will not be an escalation of U.S. tariffs on January 1. So there's a foundation for some kind of agreement." That approach leaves open the possibility for a preliminary or vague deal. Trump's Singapore summit with Kim produced a vague agreement on denuclearization with few, if any, specifics. Since then progress between the two nations appears to have slowed, but Trump continues to hail the meeting as a historic breakthrough. Trump's advisers have sought to manage expectations heading into the talks, though some have projected optimism. "If China will come to the table, or in this case the dinner table, with some new ideas and some new attitudes and some new cooperation, as the president said, there is a good possibility they could make a deal," economic adviser Larry Kudlow said this week. "He's open to it. So nothing is written in cement or stone." On the ground for just two days, Trump is packing every moment with diplomacy, conducting bilateral meetings with numerous world leaders as well as group events. Trump's visit will also put him in the same room as Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the first time since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The U.S. resident and prominent critic of the Saudi royal family was brutally killed last month upon entering the country's consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, a plot that sparked a diplomatic row that cast the future of the U.S.-Saudi relationship into doubt. U.S. intelligence officials have concluded that the Saudi crown prince, known as MBS, must have at least known of the plot. Lawmakers in both parties have called on Trump to, at minimum, avoid the young heir apparent as punishment. But Trump publicly announced his decision to effectively give the prince a free pass in the name of "America First," citing vastly exaggerated claims of Saudi military contracts and investments in the United States. The president also views Saudi Arabia as a vital counterbalance to Iranian influence in the Middle East. While no official sit-down is scheduled, Trump has kept the door open to a casual meeting. "I don't know that he's going to be there," Trump said last week. "But if he is, I would." The crown prince arrived in Argentina on Wednesday and on Tuesday White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said, "I wouldn't say that we've ruled out any interaction." Taking office on an "America First" platform, Trump has long had an uneasy relationship with his position on the world stage and has largely eschewed taking on a moral leadership role. Instead he has tailored his portfolio to promote American interests and to sow disruption. He has slapped tariffs on the European Union and pulled the U.S. out of the landmark Paris Climate Accord and the Iran nuclear deal. Trump also has suggested he might be willing to pull the U.S. out of NATO if member counties don't significantly boost their defense spending. Pensioner who flouted resulting bans is spared jail - and blames bus cuts A NEWBURY pensioner repeatedly risked other road users lives by showing total disregard for drink-drive laws then flouting the resulting bans. The 82-year-old, who works at Newbury Racecourse, recently racked up his fourth drink-driving conviction and his second offence of driving while disqualified and uninsured However, when told by Reading magistrates he could potentially go to prison, Terence John Keaney looked stunned. Earlier, his defence had blamed his latest offence on West Berkshire Council cuts to a bus service. Yet at a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, December 11, he walked free with just a curfew... and another driving ban. Prosecutor Clare Barclay had told Reading magistrates that Mr Keaney was already supposed to be serving a three-year ban for the latest drink-driving offence when police spotted him behind the wheel. His car was veering across the carriageway and on to the wrong side of the road, the court heard. Ms Barclay said: It was driving very slowly, but moving across the white line and into the other lane. That attracted the attention of police officers and the defendant failed a roadside breath test. Mr Keaney, who lives at Rokeby Close, Newbury, admitted driving a Vauxhall Astra on Newtown Road after drinking more than the legal limit on November 18. This time, tests showed 47mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath in his system. The legal limit is 35mcg. Mr Keaney also admitted driving while disqualified and driving without insurance on the same occasion. Ms Barclay then told magistrates about his three previous convictions for drink-driving within the last few years, plus the previous conviction for driving while disqualified and for driving without insurance. Shehneela Ahmed, defending, said: He accepts he has totally disregarded court orders. She said her client suffered blackouts but, despite being semi-retired, was still employed at Newbury Racecourse. Ms Ahmed suggested that West Berkshire Council public service cuts had played a part, telling the court: He received a phone call from a friend in distress just before midnight. You may be aware that the local authority has stopped running a particular bus scheme, so he decided to drive his vehicle. He was fully co-operative with the police and admitted that he knew he was disqualified from driving. As she released Mr Keaney on bail while pre-sentence reports were prepared, presiding magistrate Lindsey Appleton warned that they would be done on an all options basis, including custody. Mr Keaney, smartly dressed in a suit and tie, looked surprised and asked: Custody? But at the sentencing hearing, Mr Kearney once more avoided any kind of custodial sentence. Instead, he was made subject to a community order with curfew requirement, which means he must stay at home between 7pm and 7am for two months. In addition, Mr Keaney was ordered to pay 85 costs, plus a statutory victim services surcharge of 85. Finally, he was banned from driving again for another three years. DANBURY Six families are spending Christmas away from home after a two-alarm fire forced them from their Bells Place apartments Sunday evening. The incident was the first of two fires within a few hours, forcing crews to scramble from one scene to the next into early Monday. None of the families in the first fire reported injuries, but one restaurant owner was treated for mild burns in the second fire at the China Wall on Lake Avenue, officials said. The cause of both fires is still under investigation. Firefighters saved most of the Christmas gifts in the apartments before they were consumed by the fire and the Danbury Fire Volunteer Council is collecting more gifts for the displaced children. Theres nothing worse than the night before Christmas Eve, seeing fireman trying to pull presents out of the way before smoke and water get to them, but thankfully they were able to get most of them, said John Lennon, the American Red Cross disaster action team manager who helped arrange temporary lodging for the families. Two dozen people in all were displaced by the fire from the six apartment units in the Bells Place building, Danbury Fire spokesman James Gagliardo said. Two downstairs units were badly burned and the remainder had to leave while the buildings power is shut off. One family is staying with nearby relatives while four others must spend the next week in local hotels, Lennon said. The sixth family was not at the apartments when the Red Cross arrived but will receive help. The incidents began just after 6 p.m. Sunday when firefighters responded to the apartment building on Bells Place in the Beaver Street Apartments Cooperative, a 70-unit, income-based housing co-op with about 300 residents. Crews discovered a fire in the basement and activated a second alarm for more units and volunteer firefighters also responded. How to help The Greater Danbury Community Health Center and Association of Religious Communities collected coats, boots and groceries for the families affected by the fires on Monday. The children include a 12-year-old girl, a 6-year-old boy and an 8-month-old girl who wears clothes for 9 to 12-month-olds and size two diapers. The center at 120 Main Street is open until 3 p.m. Monday for drop-off donations. Donations can be made to the American Red Cross of Connecticut online at www.redcross.org/local/connecticut. See More Collapse Residents were evaluated by EMS and fortunately no one was injured, Gagliardo said First arriving companies were able to quickly knock down the fire and salvage most of the Christmas gifts before they were damaged. While crews were finishing their work at the Bells Place fire, the department received a report of a fire at the China Wall restaurant at 72 Lake Ave. Engine Company 23 arrived first and found heavy smoke coming from the building shared by the restaurant and Papis Liquor, Gagliardo said. Fire crews at Bells Place were sent to Lake Avenue, bringing together another second-alarm response, and found the fire extending into the cock loft above the restaurant. One restaurant owner was transported to Danbury Hospital by ambulance for a minor burn, Gagliardo said. The fire was contained to China Wall and Papis Liquor was able to be re-occupied, he said. The Danbury Fire Marshals Office is investigating the cause of both fires and no updates were available Monday. Four of the six families displaced by the Bells Place fire expect to return to their relatively unscathed apartments next week, Lennon said. The two families living in the burned units, including four young children, will work with the Red Cross to find longer-term shelter, he added. When you have a fire like that in the middle of a winter night, its a happy thing to have everybody out and okay, Lennon said. We can replace stuff all day long, but we cant replace people. There were two deaths in the state last week due to fires, so were doing well when we get everyone out safely. Online editor Jim Shay contributed to this report. zach.murdock@hearstmediact.com The neurological disorder Huntington's disease causes behavioral and motor changes, which among other things are a result of dysfunctional maturation or formation of glial cells, the brain's support cells, researchers from the University of Copenhagen demonstrate in a new study based on mice trials. The researchers' long-term goal is to be able to use the research results to develop a treatment for Huntington's disease using glial cells. The brain's support cells, the so-called glial cells, play a main role in the development of the genetic brain disorder Huntington's disease, for which there is currently no treatment. In a new study, an international group of researchers from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen, among others, has now mapped important, hitherto unknown mechanisms in glial cells in a brain suffering from Huntington's disease. The new research results have been published in the prestigious journal Cell Stem Cell. 'In the study we show that glial cell maturation is severely impaired in patients with Huntington's disease, and this is a major contributor to the abnormalities we see in the brain. This leads to behavioral changes as well as to changes in motor function. The failure of glial maturation causes many of these symptoms, because diseased glial cells cannot support normal neuronal and synaptic function; this means that the communication between neurons is impaired, says the last author of the study, Professor Steve Goldman from the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Copenhagen and the Center for Translational Neuromedicine at University of Rochester. Huntington's disease is the result of a mutation in a gene - the Huntingtin gene - which codes for a protein that when mutated causes the disease. Among other things, Huntington's disease leads to personality changes and a loss in motor coordination. There is currently no treatment that can cure or even slow the disease; at best, physicians can only offer medicines that can alleviate some of its symptoms. The overall goal of Steve Goldman and his research group is to find a meaningful, disease-modifying treatment for the disease. They have been researching glial cells and degenerative diseases in the brain, including Huntington's disease, for a number of years, and in this study they set out to determine what happens to glial cells at the molecular level in the Huntington's disease brain. To do so the researchers studied mice into which they had transplanted human glial progenitor cells containing the Huntington gene. These glial progenitor cells are precursors to mature glial cells, and were derived from pluripotent stem cells, using methods that the researchers developed for producing glial cells from stem cells. Common Feature: Dysfunctional Glial Cells These mice with human glia enabled the researchers to study the development of Huntington disease-derived glial cells. The researchers learned that the maturation of the glia was delayed and imperfect. Among other things, this led to dysfunctional astrocytes, the most common type of glia in the brain, which among other things regulate the communication between neurons. This poor glial maturation also led to a lack of myelin, the insulating fat that surround the nerve pathways in the brain, and which normally allows and speeds neural communication. The result was a failure of the brain's white matter in these humanized mouse models of Huntington disease, with its consequent effects on behavior and motor skills. Goldman argues that glial cells are not only important in connection with Huntington's disease, but also appear to play a main role in several other neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases, such as schizophrenia. 'This failure of glial cell maturation appears to be a common element of diseases that involve behavioral abnormalities and psychotic thinking. The unsuccessful glial cell maturation we saw in Huntington's disease is very similar to what we saw in one of our previous studies, where we studied the role of glial cells in schizophrenia. At the same time, our study stresses the potential of glial cell therapy as a possible treatment for Huntington's disease and other similar neurodegenerative diseases', Goldman explains. Goldman and his colleagues have previously worked with glial cell transplantation, as described in a study from 2016. Here the researchers had transplanted healthy glial cells to mice suffering from Huntington's disease. This prolonged the life expectancy of the mice and alleviated the symptoms of the disease. And one of the next steps for Goldman and his research group is to conduct clinical trials involving transplantation of healthy glial cells to patients with Huntington's disease. They hope to be able to launch these trials within the next couple of years. A study published in JAMA Network Open showed: nephrologists treat the most complex patients. As ERA-EDTA president Professor Carmine Zoccali explains, kidney patients are highly vulnerable and need special care, but nephrology is a neglected discipline in many European healthcare systems. According to the ERA-EDTA it is time for a better financial funding of nephrology as well as more efforts to raise awareness for kidney disease in the population. The complexity of patients varies substantially between different medical specialties. This is one of the findings of a Canadian retrospective population-based cohort study, in which more than 2.5 million participants were analysed. Another important finding is that nephrologists treat the most complex patients. In this study, complexity was defined by nine markers: (1) the number of comorbidities, (2) the presence of mental illness, (3) the number of types of physicians involved, (4) the number of physicians involved, (5) the number of prescribed medications, (6) the number of emergency department visits, (7) the rate of adverse clinical outcomes (death, hospitalisation), (8) the risk of being placed in long-term care, and (9) the risk of death due to all causes. Over the follow-up period of one year 21,792 patients (0.8%) died and 217,920 (8%) were hospitalised. The study showed that kidney patients had the highest number of comorbidities, the highest number of pills to take and the highest risk of placement in a long-term facility and the highest risk of mortality. They were second (after patients with infectious disease) when it came to number of physicians and the number of types of physicians they saw as well as the average length of their hospital stays. As the study authors pointed out, payment to healthcare facilities is frequently based on patient volume rather than on patient complexity. In their view, policy makers should account more for the complexity and invest more in the treatment of vulnerable patients. "This is a very important conclusion", explains ERA-EDTA president Professor Carmine Zoccali. "The study showed that kidney patients are the most complex and vulnerable patients, but in many European health systems nephrology is neglected compared with other medical disciplines. This does not only involve financial funding and infrastructure, but also the image and reputation of nephrology and the public awareness for kidney diseases. Against the background of this studys findings we have to increase our efforts to raise awareness about how to prevent chronic kidney disease." Hundreds of new genes linked to blindness and other vision disorders have been identified in a screen of mouse strains. Many of these genes are likely important in human vision and the results could help identify new causes of hereditary blindness in patients. The work is published Dec. 21 in Nature Communications Biology. "This is extremely valuable for people with hereditary eye disease," said Ala Moshiri, associate professor of ophthalmology and vision science in the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine and Eye Center. "The whole ophthalmic community is going to start using these data." The results are the latest to come from the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium, of which UC Davis' Mouse Biology Program is a founding member. The goal of the consortium is to identify a function for every gene in the mouse genome, by creating lines of "knockout" mice that lack a single specific gene and screening them for their effects. Consortium researchers have previously identified a set of genes essential to life, genes linked to deafness and even those linked to hereditary bad breath. To date, the consortium has generated more than 7,000 strains of gene-knockout mice, of which 4,364 have been characterized across 11 organ systems. "The data being generated by the IMPC is accelerating the application of genomics in clinical medicine," said Kent Lloyd, director of the UC Davis Mouse Biology Program and principal investigator of the Knockout Mouse Production and Phenotyping (KOMP2) project at UC Davis. 261 new genes linked to blindness The team led by Bret Moore, resident at the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Moshiri and colleagues combed the consortium database for genes linked to eye and vision defects. They identified 347 genes, of which 86 were either well-established as involved in eye disease or were associated with vision in some way. Three-quarters of the genes -- 261 -- were not previously known to cause eye disease in any species. "In 2018, if someone has a form of hereditary blindness, we can identify the cause 50 to 75 percent of the time," Moshiri said. "In the remaining cases, we know the mutation is there but we don't know where to look. Now eye centers that do DNA sequencing can call back patients and screen them for these new genes." While the mouse and human genomes clearly differ, most human genes have an analogous counterpart in mice. The UC Davis team is collaborating with eye centers at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and the University of Iowa to check the newly identified mouse genes against their human equivalents, Moshiri said. The new genetic information could also enable new therapies for hereditary eye disease. In 2017, the FDA approved the first gene therapy for any disease -- treating hereditary blindness caused by a defect in the retinal gene RPE65. "We expect that more and more of these genetic diseases will be treatable," Moshiri said. While examining a skull from an ancient burial ground in a pre-Columbian village in Panama, Nicole Smith-Guzman, bioarchaeologist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), was surprised to discover an example of surfers' ear: a small, bony bump in the ear canal common among surfers, kayakers and free divers in cold climates. After inspecting more skulls, she concluded that a select group of male divers--perhaps looking for pearls and oyster shells coveted for jewelry making, may have lived along Panama's Pacific coast long ago. "Bone is a dynamic tissue that responds to external stimuli, so changes in bone structure provide great clues about where and how a person lived and died," Smith-Guzman said. "When I looked at an additional 125 skulls from nine burial sites across Panama, I found seven cases of surfers' ear in males and one in a female skull, all from sites near the Gulf of Panama." No one really understands exactly how the bony growths, technically called exostoses, form. But the skin is thin in the ear canal and the accepted theory is that cold water or cold temperatures caused by wind and water make the bone react by growing extra layers, similar to the way bone spurs form on the feet and in other places where there is constant irritation or stress. Almost half of the members of a swimming club in England had surfer's ear according to a report cited in the study. Unlike most tropical countries where seawater is warm, water temperature in the Gulf of Panama plummets between January and April when strong trade winds from the north force warm surface water out into the Pacific and colder, deep water rises to the surface to replace it. This deep, nutrient-rich water feeds tiny sea organisms, which in turn are eaten by fish and whales. The Gulf becomes an extraordinarily productive fishing ground supporting a thriving fishing industry and attracting dolphins, sharks and other top-of-the-food-chain animals. Years ago, when co-author Richard Cooke, zooarchaeologist at STRI, unearthed a male skeleton with surfer's ear in Sitio Sierra, near Aguadulce in Panama, he was a STRI post-doctoral student with only rudimentary knowledge of physical anthropology. But he collected all of the human remains he found, enabling Nicole-Smith Guzman to reexamine them 43 years later. Cooke spent much of his career studying ancient fishing practices. He found that Panama's pre-Columbian peoples fished from boats all along both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts of Panama. If fishing alone put people at higher risk for surfer's ear, then more cases of the bony growth would be present at all of the sites, but all of the examples came from areas near the Gulf. "We think it more likely that diving in the cold waters of the Gulf caused these cases of surfer's ear," Smith-Guzman said. "Silvery mother-of-pearl ornaments, and orange and purple ones from two large 'thorny' oysters in the Spondylus genus were common in burials and comprised an important trade item in the region. Some of these shells wash up on beaches, but by the time Vasco Nunez de Balboa and other Spanish explorers arrived, their chronicles tell us that expert divers were trained from childhood to dive down to four fathoms to retrieve pearl oysters of desirable large size." The Spanish encouraged this industry and for many years, Panama was known for its pirates and pearls, including La Peregrina, the largest pearl known at the time it was found. The team also ruled out fungal or bacterial ear infections common in the tropics that sometimes cause bone deformations: most of the skulls affected were from males, and infections should occur in both male and females at about the same rate. From the evidence they have so far, it looks like mostly males were involved in whatever activity caused surfer's ear in Panama. In another study, archaeologists in the Canary Islands found roughly equal numbers of cases of surfer's ear in ancient male and female skulls, suggesting that aquatic activities there were not restricted to one gender. "I spoke to one ear, nose and throat specialist in Panama and she has never seen a case of surfer's ear here, but we want to do a follow-up study in which we look at skulls from a much wider area and also do a survey of doctors in Panama to find out if surfers or divers ever show up with surfer's ear these days," Smith-Guzman said. Surfer's ear is an intriguing subject that archaeologists, anthropologists and medical doctors have explored for more than a century. Although the exact causes of this phenomenon is still debated, these bony growths offer important clues into the cultural activities, gendered division of labor and environmental conditions in the past. Sorry! This content is not available in your region New Delhi: The national capital on Monday woke up to witness dense smog as 'severe' air quality was recorded. The unfavourable meteorological conditions are likely to keep the air quality in the 'severe' category for the next couple of days, authorities said. The major pollutants PM 2.5 were recorded at 373 and PM 10 at 282 (very poor category) in the RK Puram area. In the Anand Vihar area, the Air Quality Index (AQI) PM 2.5 was at 717 and PM 10 at 999. At the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium area, PM 2.5 was at 323 and PM 10 at 335. AQI at Punjabi Bagh Delhi was recorded poor, PM 2.5 was at 510 while the PM 10 was at 519. This is a fourth time this season that the air quality here has worsened to severe category. The first time it dipped to the severe category this year was just two days before Diwali. ALSO READ | Delhi shivers at 3.7 degrees Celsius, coldest December in 12 years On Sunday, Delhi recorded its second highest pollution level of the year. While the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed the overall air quality index (AQI) at 'severe' level of 446, the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) showed a higher level at 471. This is the second highest pollution level of this year. The highest was recorded on November 8, a day after Diwali, when the AQI touched 571. Several areas like Ashok Vihar, Anand Vihar and Wazirpur, among others, inched towards the 'severe plus emergency' category, the data showed. Officials said they are closely monitoring the situation and if these conditions persist for 48 hours, then stringent action would be taken. A Central Pollution Control Board-led task force has advised people to minimise outdoor exposure for the next three to five days and avoid using private vehicles. ALSO READ | Delhi: Cars to get costlier as one-time parking charges hiked Earlier, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said that greater usage of public transport facilities will be a "major step" towards curbing air pollution. Addressing a stakeholders' consultation on the proposed draft electric vehicles policy for Delhi, Kejriwal also reiterated his government has the "political will" to take "tough decisions" to cut down pollution. 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. An AQI between 100 to 200 comes under moderate category, 201 and 300 is considered poor, 301 and 400 very poor while between 401 and 500 severe. The overall PM2.5 (fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometre) level was recorded at 143 and the PM10 (fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 10 micrometre) level at 253, according to SAFAR. New Delhi: Deepika Padukone, after turning many brows with her extravagant wedding ceremonies and after-parties to husband Ranveer Singh, has worn her work shoes once again. The actor is gearing up for her upcoming Meghna Gulzar directorial. Deepika took to her Twitter handle to formally announce her next film Chhapaak, which also stars Vikrant Massey. Also Read | Kapil Sharma and his wife Ginni Chatrath to host wedding reception in Mumbai today The actor tweeted on Monday, A story of trauma and triumph. And the unquashable human spirit. Elated to collaborate with Fox Star Studios on #Chhapaak @meghnagulzar @masseysahib @foxstarhindi. A story of trauma and triumph. And the unquashable human spirit. Elated to collaborate with Fox Star Studios on #Chhapaak @meghnagulzar @masseysahib@foxstarhindi Deepika Padukone (@deepikapadukone) December 24, 2018 The Bajirao Mastani actor had taken some time off after Padmaavat. Her film opposite Irrfan Khan was also postponed owing to Irrfan diagnosed with cancer. As the Hindi Medium actor left for London for his treatment, the Vishal Bhardwaj directorial came to a halt. In a report recently published by Mumbai Mirror confirmed that Vikrant of Balika Vadhu will be essaying the role of Laxmis former partner Alok Dixit opposite Deepika. When I heard this story, I was deeply moved as its not just one of violence but of strength and courage, hope and victory. It made such an impact on me, that personally and creatively, I needed to go beyond and so the decision to turn producer, Deepika told Mumbai Mirror. Talking about Vikrants role, Meghna told the daily, The cast is slowly coming together. Vikrant is somebody Ive wanted to work with since Raazi, after seeing him in A Death in the Gunj. In the film, he plays a North Indian boy who used to be a professional before he decided to become an actor, then, started a campaign against acid violence which is how he came to meet Laxmi in real life. I speak for both Deepika and myself when I say that we are both really excited to have Vikrant play this part. Also Read | Priyanka Chopra feels honoured to kiss her most stylish man, couples PDA too mushy to handle Hailing from a television background, Vikrant has established his charm in many Bollywood movies. He became popular for his work in several films such as Dil Dhadakne Do, Lootera, Lipstick Under My Burkha, Half Girlfriend and is currently working in a web series Broken But Beautiful. His work in Mirzapur was widely applauded by the critics as well as the audiences across the country. The leading lady will be seen donning different looks for the film owing to the several reconstruction surgeries of the character. Laxmi was studying in a school when she was attacked by a man who had proposed her for marriage. Going by several media reports, the movie is expected to go on the floors in March 2019. In an interview to HT, Laxmi had said, I believe art is art. I am so happy that Deepika is playing the role. I have no right to judge her. How can I judge someone for something which I cant do! She has played wonderful characters on screen and I believe she will give her best. I want to thank Deepika ji, Meghna ji and the entire team who will be working together on the film. I am glad that the movie will spread awareness and will help people who are victims of such incidents to come out of it. They will get inspired that if she can do it than why not us. Chhapaak, along with being Deepikas debut in the field of production, will also be her first film, post her marriage to Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh. The couple has been at the centre of the limelight since they tied the knot on November 14 and 15 at Lake Como, Italy, in presence of close friends and family. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: One of the most loved actresses of Bollywood Jacqueline Fernandez celebrated Christmas with kids at an orphanage and visited cancer patients ahead of the festival. Jacqueline Fernandez has time and again raised her voice for social issues and has been an active person when it comes to extending her support to the needy. Marking the festive season of Christmas, Jacqueline visited the children at an orphanage and cancer patients in Mumbai. The actress interacted with kids and spent time with the children having a fun time with them. Jacqueline also cut a cake and played with the children at the centers. The actress turned into the kids Santa and distributed gifts to them and also performed with the children. Jacqueline danced and sang with the kids and also spoke at length about the importance of education in ones life. Also Read | Disha Patanis Instagram serves to be a huge inspiration! Jacqueline Fernandez, earlier this year, represented the voice of animal welfare at the UN on the world animal day as she took 8 million petition signatures voicing her opinion against animal testing. Recently, Jacky has been quite active on social issues. The actress, who has advocated many causes like marine conservation and animal welfare, is doing her bit to help rebuild Kerela after the devastating flood that hit the state. In a release, she said, It was truly heartbreaking to see what citizens of Kerala went through this year. The floods may be over, but its effect on the lives of hundreds and thousands of people is long-lastingit has not only affected families but also damaged homes''. After celebrities like Shraddha Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, John Abraham, Arjoon Kapoor now Hrithik Roshan has also extended his support and join Jaqueline for the Rebuild Kerala Campaign. Hrithik has been saddened by the calamity happened and that's how he came forward and join Jaqueline's initiative. Also Read | Airtel revises its popular Rs 399, Rs 448 prepaid plans, details inside Apart from Animal welfare, Jacqueline Fernandez also supports Marine Conservation and has been actively contributing to create awareness amongst the masses using social media platforms. The actress who has advocated many causes like marine conservation and animal welfare is currently striving to rebuild Kerela after the unfortunate floods hit the state. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. So Preckwinkle and Mendoza sending a few campaign checks to charity is no sanitizer. Burke has always been the hub of transactional politics in this city. No doubt hes a kind person and a generous and loyal friend. He also has made a living overlapping his aldermanic role with his law practice, which is best known for winning tax breaks for wealthy, commercial property owners at the expense of rank-and-file taxpayers. Under county Assessor Joe Berrios system, that burden-dumping has fallen especially hard on minority communities. A 2017 Tribune and ProPublica Illinois investigation unmasked the inequities of the countys property tax system and the law firms that most benefited. Burkes was near the top. New Delhi: After Google crowned Priyanka and Nickas wedding at Jodhpuras Umaid Bhawan Palace as the second most-searched wedding of the year, the new It-couple is giving out major PDA goals on social media and the mushy love posts doesnat seem to fade anytime soon.A Recently, the drool-worthy couple gave us a sneak peek of their love moments as PeeCee shared a picture of herself planting a kiss on husband Nick Jonasa cheek. Mrs Jonas shared the picture with an adorable and funny caption that says, aHonoured to be kissing the most stylish man on the planet.. may the style Gods always shine down upon u my love YYY #gqmoststylishman@nickjonasa Grapevines are churning reports that the newlyweds are going to throw their fourth wedding reception in Los Angeles for their Hollywood friends. Expected to be a star-studded event, names like Kerry Washington, Dwayne Johnson, Ellen DeGeneres, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are on the guest list. The newlyweds were seen indulging in some family time as they were spotted dining at a restaurant in London. While Nickas parents werenat spotted, his brother Joe Jonas and his fiancA Sophie Turner, his younger brother Frankie Jonas and Priyankaas mother Madhu Chopra were seen at the family dinner. Nickyankaas latest reception was held at the JW Marriott in Juhu decked up with Nick and Priyankaas signature aNPa logo. Coupleas pictures and videos from their reception are so special that you can hardly miss the chemistry between the two. The sizzling chemistry of Priyanka and Nick looks quite intense while the couple cannot hide their excitement as theyare seen giggling and holding hands like little kids! We canat get enough of these two. Can you? For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Delhi: Comedy King Kapil Sharma is all set to host his final wedding reception in Mumbai on Monday. The actor, host and ace comedian married the love of his life, Ginni Chatrath in an intimate ceremony in Jalandhar after which the couple hosted a lavish reception in Amritsar for close friends and family on December 14. His big fat wedding was preceded by a jagran cum mata ki chowki ceremony in Amritsar and Anand Karaj ceremony at Ginnis home earlier in December. Kapils reception in Mumbai will be held at JW Marriot on December 24, 7:30 PM onwards. The reception is expected to see a host of Bollywoods big names in attendance. A card of the Mumbai reception invite is online too and reveals details of the venue. Before getting married, Kapil took to Instagram to make his wedding news official. The note that he shared read, With great joy in our hearts and blessings of our parents, it gives us immense pleasure to announce that Ginni and I will embark on a new journey of love, respect and togetherness on 12th December 2018. We would like to thank each and everyone who has been a part of our wonderful sojourn and seek the best wishes and prayers of all our loved ones. While we can't wait for pictures and updates from the reception, Kapil will be back with season 2 of his show, The Kapil Sharma Show that will go on air from December 29 at 9:30 PM. The makers earlier released a promo of the show along with Kiku Sharda, Rohit Shetty, and Ranveer Singh. In the promo, Kiku takes a funny jibe at his year-long sabbatical. From the wedding reception to the show, stay tuned for all the updates on Kapil Sharma. New Delhi: Recovering from the fresh blows in the recently held assembly elections in three states Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh the Bharatiya Janata Party may face a bigger challenge from Akhilesh Yadavs Samajwadi Party (SP) and Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. According to a series of pre-poll surveys conducted by ABP News-C Voter, the SP-BSP alliance, if it works out, in Uttar Pradesh can play a spoilsport in Prime Minister Narendra Modis dream for the second term, if the elections are held today. According to the survey, the BJP-led NDA will be reduced to 247 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha, 25 short of a clear majority. In the 2014 general elections, the BJP had won 282 seats on its own, while the NDA secured 336 seats. However, if the SP-BSP alliance fails to work out, the NDA will come to power with 291 seats, 19 more than required. The survey has a predicted that the SP-BSP alliance will win 50 seats in Uttar Pradesh, while the NDA could bag only 28 seats, a loss of 43 seats from the last general elections. In another survey -- National Approval Ratings -- conducted by Republic TV and CVoter, the BJP is projected to win only 218 seats, while along with its allies, including JDU, LJP, Apna Dal and others, the NDA is projected to win 247 seats. The Congress, on the other hand, is projected to win 105 seats, helping the UPA reach a projected seat-share tally of 171. The Rahul Gandhi-led Congress could secure 44 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The DMK could emerge as the Congress's most influential ally with 30 seats in Tamil Nadu. According to the Republic TV and CVoter December survey, SP-BSP alliance may win 50 seats in Uttar Pradesh. According to sources, the SP and the BSP have stitched a pre-poll alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) will also be a part of the anti-BJP alliance which excludes the Congress party. According to the sources, the Samajwadi Party will contest 37 seats, while the Bahujan Samaj Party will fight on 38 of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies. Three seats - Baghpat, Mathura, Kairana - will go to Ajit Singh's RLD. Singh is likely to contest from his stronghold Baghpat while his son Jayant Choudhary will once again contest from Mathura. BJP's Hema Malini had defeated Jayant from Mathura constituency in 2014. The alliance, however, will not field its candidates on Amethi and Raebareli - the traditional seats of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Eight people were killed and several other were injured in a massive pile-up at the Rohtak-Rewari Highway in Haryana on Monday. According to latest reports, as many as 50 vehicles including trucks and cars crashed into each other leading to this terrible incident. Initial reports suggest that the accident took place due to low visibility during the foggy morning today. The North India is experiencing cold wave for some time now. In National Capital, temperature dipped to 4 degrees recently. This is not the first such fog-related accident. Recently, four men were killed while one was injured when a car in which they were travelling hit a divider on Ayodhya-Lucknow Highway last week. Low visibility due to fog was stated to have been the cause that led to the accident, they said. The victims were identified as Kedar Yadav (60), Kamla Yadav (35), Firtu (32) and Chandra Shekhar (38), the police said. There was similar pile-up reported on Ludhiana-Khanna road in Punjab last week. However, no casualty was reported in the 10-vehicle pileup. The injured person was referred to a hospital in Lucknow, they added. Meanwhile, the Northern Railways has devised an action plan to combat foggy season and decided to provide 2,648 fog safety devices in trains to ensure safety and punctuality, officials said recently. Fog safety device is a GPS based equipment which provides advance warning to loco pilots about approaching signal. These have been provided to them for use during train operations. These devices have also been provided to East Central Railway (877), North Central Railway (537), North Eastern Railway (975), Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) and North Western Railway (802) which are affected by fog. General Manager of the zone T P Singh said, "All the Mail/Express and passenger trains will be equipped with fog safety device during fog situation. Further, 600 more such devices are expected to be commissioned by end of November this year and 5,400 more have already been ordered and will be received in the next three months. These will not only provide safety but also help in maintaining punctuality." During the fog season, railways will also deploy fogmen for placing detonators (a device which generates sound when wheel passes over it) on tracks to alert the loco pilots about approaching signal. Automatic signalling system will be converted to modified semi automatic signalling system during this time. Sufficient walkie-talkie sets have been provided to crew and station staff. Signal indication booklets are provided to assist the loco pilots and their counseling is done for working during fog and issuing consolidated instructions for working. Railways will also revise crew links to cater to cancellation of some trains during foggy weather. Extra crew is made available to avoid excess duty hours during late running of train, Singh said. The periodical mandatory training and refresher courses for loco pilots and guards shall be completed by December 15, 2018, he said. "We had started an auto sms service in Delhi division last year, we are using it this year too whereby information regarding trains which begin from here will be provide. I am also appealing to passengers to stay in touch with our helpline number 139 and not to cross tracks or level crossings during fog season," he said. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against seeking permission for its proposed 'rath yatra' programme in the West Bengal, news agency ANI reported. BJP's ambitious roadshow in West Bengal had hit a roadblock again on Friday, with a division bench of the Calcutta High Court quashing a single bench order that had given a go-ahead to the event. On Thursday, a single bench of the Calcutta High Court had allowed the BJP to carry out "Save Democracy" political procession across the state ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The High Court decision came as a blow to the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government, that had denied permission for the rath yatras. The state government had told the court that the permission was denied following intelligence inputs expressing fear of a breach of communal harmony. ALSO READ | KCR meeting with Mamata to discuss anti-BJP front minus Congress today The 'Rath Yatra', which was originally scheduled to start on December 7 but was denied permission by the state government, has become the latest political flashpoint between the saffron party and the state's ruling Trinamool Congress. Both the parties have been at loggerheads after the state government's refused to grant the BJP permission to carry out the procession. The denial also irked BJP president Amit Shah, who had openly challenged that "nobody can stop rath yatras in the state". Shah had claimed that the permission was not granted because CM Banerjee was "terrified" that the BJP would expand its base in the state. In a letter to state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, the West Bengal government had said it was unable to allow the yatra as intelligence reports indicated that in several districts, organisations with overtly communal agenda, such as the RSS, the Bajrang Dal and the VHP, would actively join the yatra. There is a grave apprehension of major breach of peace... during and after the yatra, the state government had said in the letter. ALSO READ | Ram Mandir in Ayodhya will be built by BJP only: CM Yogi Adityanath Reacting to this, BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya criticised the Trinamool Congress governments decision and said his party would move a higher court against it, while Ghosh termed the decision totally undemocratic. The BJP was scheduled to take out three rallies in West Bengal - one from Cooch Behar in the north, another from Kakdwip in the South 24 Parganas district on December 9 and the last one from the Tarapith temple in Birbhum district on December 14. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A day after a long interacting with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar, his Telangana counterpart K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) on Monday met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata to garner her support for the proposed anti-BJP Federal Front minus Congress. Days after the landslide victory in Telangana assembly elections, TRS chief KCR met Patnaik and discussed a number of issues, including matters of national and mutual interest. The meeting lasted for more than 40 minutes. Describing his meeting with Banerjee as a "very pleasant one", Rao said "discussions (on a Federal Front) will continue". "Discussions with didi is always there. When two political leaders meet, they definitely discuss matters of mutual interest and matters of national interest. "We had a very pleasant discussion. We will continue our discussion. There is a dialogue which I had started yesterday. This is a unification of forces across the nation. I met Odisha's Chief Minister yesterday and today I met didi," Rao told reporters. Banerjee, who was beside Rao at the brief media interaction, did not offer any comments about the meeting. "A non-Congress front is my mission. I will continue my effort. This is not a small matter. Wait for the right time. The dialogue continues," said KCR after meeting Banerjee. Telangana CM K. C Rao after meeting with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee: Our dialogue will continue, very shortly we will come out with a concrete plan. We are discussing things. I will continue with my efforts. pic.twitter.com/cXgl84rmyz ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2018 Holding a joint press conference with KCR, Patnaik on Sunday said: We had a general discussion on matters of national interest and how to take this forward. We discussed several issues, including a further friendship amongst the like-minded parties, Patnaik said. Asked, if the meeting could be seen as both joining hands ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Naveen said: We have not thought that far, lets see. He although hinted that meetings with KCR will continue in this regard. The TRS boss was on the same page. KCR said there is a dire need for regional parties to come together against BJP and Congress and added that talks with his Odisha counterpart have just started. We will meet again soon, he said. The TRS chief is scheduled to meet several Opposition leaders, over the next few days. His party has even hired a special chartered plane for a month to ease KCRs travel across the country. From Kolkata, KCRs next stop will be Delhi where will meet Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav. Both Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav, who used to be sworn enemies of each other, have formed a pre-poll alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The BSP-SP alliance excluded Congress which makes both the leaders crucial for KCRs mission to bring forth the anti-BJP, Congress Federal Front. I can say certainly that there is a dire need for unification of regional parties in the country. We strongly believe that there has to be an alternative to Congress and BJP" the TRS chief had told reporters after meeting Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar. Early this year, the Telangana CM had met a bunch of Opposition leaders, including DMK chief MK Stalin, former prime minister and JD(S) leader HD Deve Gowda to seek their support in stitching a Federal Front minus BJP and Congress to "bring about a qualitative change" in the national politics. He had alleged that both the Congress and the BJP have failed the country as they could not meet peoples expectations even after 70 years of Independence. At that time, Mamata Banerjee had expressed her reservations about keeping the Congress out of the alliance. At the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, most of the regional leaders had shown a glimpse of unity by sharing the state with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and his UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. However, things changed after DMK president MK Stalins recent proposal to project Rahul Gandhi as the Oppositions prime ministerial face. The proposal irked several Opposition leaders, including Mayawati, Akhilesh and Mamata Banerjee, and they all rejected the idea, saying it was too early to decide that. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A massive fire broke out on Monday evening at the ONGCas well in Vadodara while drilling, reported by news agency ANI. Fire tenders instantly rushed to the spot and now the situation has been brought under control. However, no casualties have been reported yet. (Further details awaited) Gujarat: Fire broke out in an ONGC well during drilling in Padra, Vadodara today. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot. Situation under control, no casualty reported. pic.twitter.com/60HNuN14ya a ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2018 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In recently held panchayat elections in Assam, as many as six winners were decided with toss of a coin. According to reports, the incident took place in Barak Valley bordering Bangladesh. The State Election Commission sources said that Swadhin, Hailakandhi and Lalmukh winners were decided after tossing the coin. The officials opted for such an unusual solution because there was a tie after counting of the votes. The ruling BJP in Assam emerged as the single largest party in the three-tier panchayat elections by bagging 42 per cent of the total seats, while the Congress came second securing 34 per cent, the Assam State Election Commission (ASEC) said. The BJP bagged 11,325 out of a total 26,784 posts, counting of which began on December 12 across Assam, the ASEC said in a statement after conclusion of the counting process. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the BJP and its allies have become the preferred choice of people in the northeast states as he thanked voters in Assam for their support to the saffron party in the recent panchayat polls. Also Read | From Assam to Gujarat, BJP government will throw out illegal migrants 'one by one': Amit Shah "Over the last few years, the BJP and the NDA family have become the preferred choice of the northeast. We consider it our privilege that we have the honour of fulfilling the aspirations of the northeast and taking the region to new heights of progress," he said on online networking site Twitter. He said the party has immense faith in the state government and its focus on good governance. "I appreciate the entire team of Assam BJP for their excellent work across the state, which has resulted in the party's wonderful performance. I am sure the 'karyakartas' will continue raising issues of public welfare and work towards Assam's growth," Modi said. The Congress has won a total of 8,970 posts, followed by Independents winning 3,048 seats, which is 11 per cent of the total seats. The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), a constituent of the ruling alliance that contested separately, came fourth winning 1,963 posts while opposition AIUDF bagged 1,319 posts. The two parties secured seven and five per cent of the total seats respectively, the ASEC statement said. Also Read | Assam: Prime Minister Modi to inaugurate Bogibeel bridge on December 25, Click here to know more in 7 points Out of the total posts, 21,970 are for gaon panchayat members (GPM), 2,197 each for gaon panchayat presidents (GPP) and anchalik panchayat members (APM), and 420 are zilla parishad members (ZPM). No nominations were received in 52 GPM seats and by-elections will take place later in coming days to fill-up those posts. The elections were held on December 5 and 9 recording an overall voting of over 82 per cent. While there were 78,571 contestants in total, 734 were elected uncontested. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In yet another failed attempt, two women devotees were forced to retreat to the base camp of the Lord Ayyappa Temple in Keralas Sabarimala on Monday. The women faced massive protests and despite police protection, they were unable to visit the Sabarimala shrine. These two women of menstruating age started trekking Sabarimala early Monday morning despite strong protest from devotees. On Sunday, the Sabarimala foothills had witnessed high drama as hundreds of devotees blocked paths and chased away a group of 11 women of menstruating age being escorted to the hill shrine by police. Bindu from Malappuram and Durga of Kozhikode are on their way to the hilltop shrine in Kerala under heavy police protection. "We are here to seek 'darshan' (offer prayers) of Lord Ayyappa. The Supreme Court order must be enforced and hope, police will provide us security," Bindu told media while on the way to Sabarimala. Kerala had witnessed massive protests by devotees and the BJP opposing the apex court verdict of September 28 permitting women of all age groups into the shrine. Also Read | After massive protests, tension return to Sabarimala as 2 women start trekking Lord Ayyappa temple Thousands of devotees have gathered at the foothills of the shrine as the first phase of the annual pilgrimage season to Sabarimala comes to an end in the next three days. Bindu and Durga, escorted by police, have reached Marakootam, about a kilometer from the Sannidhanam. They are waiting for more police personnel to accompany them. The women were earlier stopped at Appachimedu, a place en route Sabarimala, by protesters, who were later removed by police. The BJP has started protesting in front of the houses of these women against their attempt to trek the hill. The bid of the 11 women, who were members of a Chennai-based women empowerment outfit, 'Manithi', to reach the shrine to offer prayers was unsuccessful on Sunday as they were forced to return by protesting devotees. The trek to Sabarimla starts from Pamba, which is around four kms from the hilltop shrine. Also Read | Sabarimala Protest: Trupti Desai slams Ayyappa devotees for indulging in hooliganism, says will come back The first phase of the 41-day long annual pilgrim season at the Lord Ayyappa temple would culminate on December 27 with the puja. Over a dozen women, including a journalist and an activist of menstruating age, had also earlier tried to trek to the shrine, nestled in the Western Ghats forests, but could not make it due to protests by devotees and right-wing activists. The Kerala High Court earlier this month had appointed a three-member committee, vesting them with powers to oversee law and order and other problems faced by pilgrims during the ongoing annual season. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: When Pindi Anuradha and Lakshman decided to get married against their parents' wishes, little did they know that their years of romance will come to a gory end. Last week, on Saturday, Pindi Anuradha was thrashed on roads of her village, dragged to a hilltop and set ablaze by her parents, a Hindustan Times reported on Monday. The report said that the 22-year-old victim had married her 26-year-old partner in Hyderabad on December 3rd. Later, the couple approached the local police, which brought them to the mans village in Telangana recently. Trouble began as soon as they landed in Jannaram. The girl's parents came to her in-laws' house, tortured the boy and took her away. "They forcibly took away Anuradha to her house, beating her mercilessly on the streets in the presence of the villagers. They continued to thrash her till she died. They later took her body to the hillocks at Mallapur village in Nirmal district late in the night and set it ablaze. They returned home on Sunday morning only after immersing her ashes in the nearby stream," a police official was quoted as saying. This is yet another horror killing in the state. Earlier in September, a newly married 23-year-old man from a scheduled caste community was hacked to death in the Miryalaguda division of Nalgonda district. A private hospital CCTV footage showed the victim, Peramalla Pranay Kumar is being attacked from behind by a tall man in a safari suit with a weapon on Friday afternoon. Kumar was his with his mother Premalatha and wife Amrutha Varshini. The man died before he could be administered emergency care, reported The Hindu. "We had gone to the hospital for Amrutha Varshini's prenatal check-up," said his mother. The report added that Kumar belonged to Mala sub-group, while Amrutha, 19, was from upper-class Vysya community. They knew each other from their school days, and had eloped in January and married at Arya Vysya Samaj in Hyderabad against the wishes of Amrutha's parents. In the first week of February, the two had approached the Inspector General-Hyderabad Stephen Raveendra seeking protection. "My father said you abort the baby now. Live with him (Pranay) for 2-3 years, after that I will accept the marriageI have no intention of aborting my baby. Pranay's baby is my future...he was such a nice person. He looked after me so well, especially after I became pregnant. I don't know why caste is so important in this time and age," Amrutha had told NDTV. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) on Monday will meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata to garner her support for the proposed anti-BJP Federal Front minus Congress. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), who met Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday, is scheduled to meet several Opposition leaders, over the next few days. His party has even hired a special chartered plane for a month to ease KCRs travel across the country. From Kolkata, KCRs next stop will be Delhi where will meet Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav. Both Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav, who used to be sworn enemies of each other, have formed a pre-poll alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The BSP-SP alliance excluded Congress which makes both the leaders crucial for KCRs mission to bring forth the anti-BJP, Congress Federal Front. Also Read | K Chandrashekar Rao meets Naveen Patnaik, stresses on non-BJP, non-Congress front I can say certainly that there is a dire need for unification of regional parties in the country. We strongly believe that there has to be an alternative to Congress and BJP" the TRS chief had told reporters after meeting Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar. Early this year, the Telangana CM had met a bunch of Opposition leaders, including DMK chief MK Stalin, former prime minister and JD(S) leader HD Deve Gowda to seek their support in stitching a Federal Front minus BJP and Congress to "bring about a qualitative change" in the national politics. He had alleged that both the Congress and the BJP have failed the country as they could not meet peoples expectations even after 70 years of Independence. At that time, Mamata Banerjee had expressed her reservations about keeping the Congress out of the alliance. At the swearing-in ceremony of Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, most of the regional leaders had shown a glimpse of unity by sharing the state with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and his UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Also Read | These 11 parties left PM Narendra Modi since 2014 Lok Sabha elections However, things changed after DMK president MK Stalins recent proposal to project Rahul Gandhi as the Oppositions prime ministerial face. The proposal irked several Opposition leaders, including Mayawati, Akhilesh and Mamata Banerjee, and they all rejected the idea, saying it was too early to decide that. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court against the Narendra Modi governments move to authorise 10 central agencies to intercept, monitor and decrypt any computer system. The petition filed by senior advocate Manohar Lal Sharma sought quashing of the December 20 order issued by the Union Home Ministry. According to the order signed by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, 10 central agencies have been granted sweeping powers of "interception, monitoring and decryption of any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer" under the Information Technology Act, 2000. The 10 agencies granted the snooping powers are the Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Bureau, Enforcement Directorate, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (for Income Tax Department), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Central Bureau of Investigation, National Investigation Agency, the Research and Analysis Wing, Directorate of Signal Intelligence (in service areas of J-K, North East and Assam) and Delhi Police commissioner. Also Read | Stalker Sarkar: Opposition slams Modi government for snooping diktat In his petition, termed the government's snooping order "illegal, unconstitutional and ultra vires to the law". He asked the court to proscribe the agencies from initiating any criminal proceedings, enquiry or investigation against anybody under the provisions of the IT Act based on the notification. According to the government diktat, the subscriber or service provider or any person in charge of the computer resource will be bound to extend all facilities and technical assistance to the agencies. Failing to do so will invite seven-year imprisonment and fine. The move triggered a massive controversy with Opposition parties led by Congress president Rahul Gandhi launching an all-out attack against the "stalker" Modi government. Criticising the move to authorise central agencies to snoop on any computer, Rahul Gandhi termed Modi an "insecure dictator". "Converting India into a police state isnt going to solve your problems, Modi Ji. Its only going to prove to over 1 billion Indians, what an insecure dictator you really are," the Congress president tweeted along with a link of News Nation story. Also Read | Snooping Row: Congress president Rahul Gandhi terms PM Modi an 'insecure dictator' Several other Opposition parties, including the CPI(M), the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, and the Trinamool Congress, said that they will collectively oppose the Narendra Modi governments diktat issued on Thursday. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that the order to snoop on every citizen was in breach of the telephone tapping guidelines. This order by a govt wanting to snoop on every citizen is unconstitutional and in breach of the telephone tapping guidelines, the Privacy Judgement and the Aadhaar judgment. Why is every Indian being treated like a criminal? Yechuri asked. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Days after Union Home Ministrys snooping order, there are reports that the Narendra Modi government is looking to amend the Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, which will break the end-to-end encryption and empower the government agencies to access unlawful content. According to an Indian Express report, there was a meeting held on Friday last week between government officials and the executives of major online giants such as Google, Twitter and WhatsApp among others. If the amendments are made, the online companies would be liable to reply to government within 72 hours. The report says that the companies have been given time till January 7 to come up with their plan on governments new request. The draft rules have been shared with us, and we will issue a detailed analysis. But on the face of it, they seem to be contemplating pro-active censorship and breaking encryption with traceability. They will make the Internet a corporal environment damaging the fundamental rights of users, Apar Gupta, lawyer and co-founder of The Internet Freedom Foundation was quoted as saying. Also Read | Narendra Modi governments computer snooping order challenged in Supreme Court The report about the crucial amendment in the Section 79 of the IT Act comes after Modi government reportedly granting sweeping powers to 10 central agencies to intercept, monitor and decrypt information stored in any computer. According to MHA: Rule 4 of IT (Procedure and Safeguards for Interception, Monitoring and Decryption of Info) Rules'09 provides that the authority may authorise a government agency to intercept, monitor or decrypt information generated, transmitted or stored in any computer for purpose specified in the Act. However, later government clarified the so called snooping order. The Ministry of Home Affairs clarified that no new powers have been conferred to any of the security or law enforcement to intercept, monitor and decrypt information stored in any computer, adding that each case of interception, monitoring, decryption is to be approved by the Union home secretary. Also Read | Snooping Row: 'Ill-informed' campaign, Congress talks first, thinks later, says Arun Jaitley The Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Bureau, Enforcement Directorate, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, CBI, National Investigation Agency, Cabinet Secretariat (R&AW), Directorate of Signal Intelligence (in Jammu and Kashmir, North-East and Assam only) and the Delhi Police Commissioner are the agencies allowed by the home ministry to snoop any computer. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra ModiA launched the commemorative Rs 100 coin in honour of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the Parliament House on Monday, a day before the latteras birth anniversary.A Also present during the occasion were Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief AmitA Shah, Union MinisterA Mahesh Sharma, Finance Minister ArunA Jaitley, Lok SabhaA Speaker SumitraA Mahajan and senior BJP leader LK Advani. The coinA weighs 35 gram and has the portrait of the former prime minister with hisA name inscribed in the Devanagari script as well as English on one side. The bottom of the image on the coin has the birth and death year ---1924-2018 a of Atal Bihari Vajpayee inscribed on it.A On the other side of the coin, it has a portrait of the Lion Capital of Ashoka Pillar in the centre with aSatyameva Jayatea inscribed below along with the word aBharata in the Devnagari script on the left periphery and aIndiaa in English on the right periphery. PM Shri @narendramodi releases commemorative coin in honour of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. pic.twitter.com/SvfVC6gmKb a BJP (@BJP4India) December 24, 2018 First look of 100-rupee coin released today, in the memory of Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Y: PIB pic.twitter.com/8jkWtMcux0 a News Nation (@NewsNationTV) December 24, 2018 As per reports, a government statement read, aThe inscription aaaYa aaaaaa aaaaaaaa in Devanagri script and aAtal Bihari Vajpayeea in English shall be written on the top left periphery and top right periphery of the coin. The year a1924a and a2018a in international numeral shall be flanked at the bottom of the portraitaa. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee died on August 16 this year at the age of 93. He was the prime minister of India for 13 days in 1996, 13 months in 1998 and for complete five years in 1999. The party which Atal Ji built has become among the largest political parties. Generations of Karyakartas were fortunate to be mentored by him. As a speaker, he was unparalleled. He is among the best orators our nation has produced: PM @narendramodi a PMO India (@PMOIndia) December 24, 2018 Notable features: It weighs 35 gram. It is made up of silver (50 per cent), copper(40 per cent), nickel (5 per cent) and zinc (5 per cent). It shall bear the Ashoka Pillar Lion Capital in the centre with aSatyameva Jayatea inscribed below in the Devanagari script on the other side. Left periphery will have aBharata inscribed in Devanagari while the right side will have aIndiaa inscribed in the English language. Watch:A Prime Minister @narendramodi releases commemorative coin in the honour of former Prime Minister #AtalBihariVajpayee. pic.twitter.com/Y1uQL4gVfP a All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) December 24, 2018 This is not the only step taken in honour of the former prime minister of India. Earlier, four Himalayan peaks were named after him andA Chhattisgarhas Naya Raipur was also been renamed to aAtal Nagara. Recently, the Uttarakhand government decided to rename the Dehradun airport after him. Even, Lucknowas popular Hazratganj Chauraha would now be called aAtal Chowka. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Odisha on Monday and inaugurate projects worth over Rs 14,500 crore rupee during the day-long visit. The prime minister will arrive in Bhubaneswar at around 1 pm and will inaugurate IIT Bhubaneswars new campus, lay the foundation stone for the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) and unveil projects later in the day. He will also address a public gathering at the Gosala ground in Khurda. The prime minister will unveil projects related to higher education, health, road and highways and culture via video conferencing from the capital city. PM Modi will also inaugurate the ESIC hospital in the capital city of Bhubaneshwar built at a cost of Rs 73.5 crore. The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Lalitgiri Archaeological Museum which houses huge sculptures of the Buddha and various Buddhist deities. Prime Minister Modi will also release a commemorative coin and a postage stamp in memory of Paika Rebellion at a function at IIT Bhubaneswar. This year marks the 200th anniversary of the 1817 Rebellion led by Buxi Jagabandhu of the Khorda district against the British --- Piaka Rebellion. Read More | K Chandrashekar Rao meets Naveen Patnaik, stresses on non-BJP, non-Congress front Here are the live updates: 02.12 pm: PM Modi releases a postage stamp and a commemorative coin on the bicentenary of 1817 Paika Rebellion, also present is Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar. The Paika Rebellion was an armed uprising against the British East India Company's rule in Odisha in 1817. Bhubaneswar: PM Modi realeases a postage stamp and a commemorative coin on the bicentenary of 1817 Paika Rebellion, also present is Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik. The Paika Rebellion was an armed uprising against the British East India Company's rule in Odisha in 1817. pic.twitter.com/ewVvw6lZUt ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2018 01.50 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the inauguration of IIT- Bhubaneswar and other development projects. Odisha: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the inauguration of IIT- Bhubaneswar and other development projects pic.twitter.com/IlnfZ7nJcO ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2018 Ahead of PM Modis visit, security has been beefed up in the places he is scheduled to visit. As many as 45 platoons of the police force have been deployed for PM Modis visit. Also, four SPs, 30 DSPs and 10 additional SP rank officers along with 50 inspectors and 100 officers have been deployed as part of the security arrangements. All the police arrangements have been made as per the specific security guidelines and our focus will be on security as well as crowd management, said IG (Central Range) Soumendra Priyadarshi as quoted by Odishatv. We have made provision for parking of vehicles at 5 places and the movement of vehicles on the National Highway will be restricted. No water bottles, pouches will be allowed inside the public meeting venue while special forces and quick action teams will also be deployed, Priyadarshi added. Also Read | Bihar seat-sharing formula: BJP, JDU to fight on 17 each, LJP gets 6 in 2019 Lok Sabha elections Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who took stock of preparations for Modis one-day Odisha visit, said the prime minister will unveil several developmental projects worth Rs 15,000 crore in line with his vision of PURBODAYA - a prosperous East for building a new India. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha Monday took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah, saying he was personally against the one-man show and the two-men army. Sinha, who is known for his sharp attacks on the ruling BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, said in a democracy a party is bigger than the individual but nation is bigger than the party. So, whatever I have said and done was in the national interest and certainly not in self interest. So far, I have never asked for any favour, or anything for me, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said. He was speaking here at the launch of the book The Paradoxical Prime Minister, Narendra Modi And His India, penned by Thiruvananthapuram MP and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. Also Read | Costly one-time parking charges for Delhi cars dropped The actor-turned-politician, who has often been critical of the various policies of the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, said people of the country needed jobs and better facilities instead of promises and jumlas (rhetoric). I am not just talking about Rs 15 lakh. I am not against him (Modi). I am personally against the one-man show and the two-men army. They are running the country. What kind of scene is this, Sinha added. Sinha further said that some people had asked him that being an actor, why was he expressing his opinions on demonetisation, GST and other issues. If a lawyer can talk on financial issues, without having any experience and knowledge, if a TV actress can become the HRD minister, and a tea-seller, though he never was one but thanks to media propaganda, can reach this height, then why cant I, he asked. The former Union minister said he had enough experience in the film industry to speak about demonetisation in the national interest. Sinha said people can decide whether the prime minister was paradoxical or absurd after reading Tharoors book. Meanwhile, Tharoor invited Sinha to join the Congress saying there was room for a hero like him. He also lashed out at Modi and said that despite being an exceptional orator, the prime minister mysteriously goes silent every time a Dalit or a Muslim gets flogged. Also Read | Andaman and Nicobar Islands to get digitised soon, will receive high-speed internet services He is the most eloquent prime minister in recent memory. But when a Dalit is flogged or a Dalit student commits suicide or a Muslim Air Force Havildars father is beaten to death on false suspicion of having beef, this eloquent prime minister becomes mysteriously silent. This is one paradox. This book is full of paradoxes. You have somebody who says something and does the opposite, he added. Tharoor also pointed to the report of Ministry of Home Affairs which said 97 per cent of incidents of communal violence related to cow protection since independence happened during this regime. Am not denigrating the prime minister through this book. You dont require 500 pages to do that. I have documented his career growth and analysed his four and half year growth in the book. This is a biographical profile of Modi, Tharoor said. Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala, former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and other leaders also participated in the event. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Delhis Patiala House Court on Monday deferred the hearing in the death case of Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, till January 8. BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy has filed a petition seeking to prosecute Tharoor in the case. The former Union minister is accused of abatement to the suicide of his wife in 2014. On January 17, 2014, Pushkar was found dead under mysterious circumstances in her private room of a five-star hotel in Delhis Chanakyapuri. Swamy, who is known to pursue cases against Congress leaders, had sought to assist the court in the case and to bring the Delhi Polices vigilance report on tampering of evidence on record for framing of additional charges against Tharoor. Earlier in October, the court had directed Delhi police to hand over documents related to case, including the statements of various witnesses, to Shashi Tharoor. Also Read | Shashi Tharoor opens up on Sunanda Pushkar' death, shares heartache of losing wife In the chargesheet filed by Delhi Police in May this year, Tharoor had been charged with aiding and abetting the suicide of his wife. Tharoor has been arrayed as the only accused in the case. In the chargesheet, the police had also alleged that Tharoor subjected his wife Sunanda Pushkar to cruelty. The Congress leader has been charged under sections 498 A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code. According to the police, Pushkar had sent an email to her husband on January 8, nine days before her death. She had written, I have no desire to live...all I pray for is death. The police have taken her last emails and social media messages as her dying declaration. However, the Congress leader termed the police charges "preposterous and baseless" and said that they were the product of "malicious & vindictive campaign" against him. It is a motivated prosecution. Let police prove in court if it is a case of suicide. ..Sunanda never said that I did anything against her, never. All these matters are before the court. I am contesting this in court. I want to clear myself before the court," he had said. Also Read | Shashi Tharoor granted permission to travel abroad, visit Kofi Annan's family Expressing the pain of losing wife, Tharoor, in an interview with India TV had said that he has not done anything wrong in his life. I have a clear conscience. I have not done anything wrong. ..I did not slap my two naughty boys even once, even though they sometimes deserved to..I saw my 80-year-old mother weeping on TV. In my entire life, I had promised myself never to go to any police station or court, but this happened, Tharoor had said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Monday declined urgent hearing to Bharatiya Janata Partys plea challenging a Calcutta High Court order rejecting permission to take out Rath Yatras in West Bengal. The BJP had moved to the vacation bench of the top court after Calcutta High Courts division bench denied permission for the political procession in West Bengal citing intelligence inputs expressing fear of a breach of communal harmony. The Supreme Court is closed for winter vacations. The registry of the top court informed the lawyer associated with the saffron partys plea that the matter would be taken up for hearing in the normal course. The BJP had sought an urgent hearing on the petition. With Lok Sabha elections less than six months away, the BJP is planning to make inroads in West Bengal by carrying out a Rath Yatra across the state. However, the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government had refused to grant permission for the political procession citing intelligence inputs about possible communal tension. Also Read | Calcutta High Court sets aside its single bench order allowing BJP rath yatra in West Bengal The BJP had moved to the Calcutta High Court against the West Bengal governments decision. Giving initial respite to the saffron party, a single bench of the Calcutta High Court had allowed the BJP to carry out three Rath Yatras across the state. The High Court decision has come as a blow to the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government, which then approached the division bench of the High Court. Headed by Chief Justice Debasish Kar Gupta, the division bench quashed its single bench order and asked it to consider intelligence inputs shared by the state government. Both the BJP and the TMC have been at loggerheads after the state government refused the saffron party to grant the permission to carry out the procession. The denial also irked BJP president Amit Shah, who had openly challenged that "nobody can stop rath yatras in the state". Also Read | BJP holds law violation programmes in Bengal, protests TMC's refusal to allow Rath Yatra Shah had claimed that the permission was not granted because CM Banerjee was "terrified" that the BJP would expand its base in the state. The TMC, however, maintained its stand and said the permission was denied after intelligence agencies expressed fear of communal tension. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Infamous "tandoor case" convict Sushil Sharma had tears in his eyes as he prayed at the Lodhi Road Sai Temple Sunday. "I believe in Sai Baba and goddess Durga. I would pray everyday to God and that gave me the hope during my time in jail. Now I have plans to visit Shirdi," said Sharma, a former youth Congress leader told PTI after paying obeisance at the temple. Sharma walked out a free man from Tihar Jail Friday night after serving close to 23 years for killing his wife Naina Sahni and then trying to dispose of her body in a tandoor in 1995 at the roof of erstwhile 4-star hotel Ashok Yatri Niwas, now Royal Plaza, at Ashok Road in the heart of the Capital. "I also wanted to go to Vaishno Devi with my parents but they are now quite aged and won't be able to travel," he said. He said his life is a clean slate at this moment and the feeling that he is out of the jail has not yet sunk in. "My life is a clean slate now and I have to write my A, B, C, Ds afresh," he averred. Also Read | What is 1995 tandoor murder case and who is Sushil Kumar Sharma? Sharma, who will be celebrating his 60th birthday on January 24 as a free bird, said his focus now is to serve his aged parents, who have suffered "for no fault" of theirs. "Every day, before going to bed, my father, who is now 85, would think, 'Will I be able to see my son walk out of the jail while I am still alive?' "My younger brother, who was a first-year student of the Hindu College, died in a road accident in 1978. It was a double tragedy for my family when I was also sentenced. I want to spend maximum time with them as they have gone through a lot despite not being at fault," he said. Sharma said after he settles his parents, he wants to counsel young couples who are about to get married. He added that as he looks back, he realises that it was his possessive nature that spelt doom for his marital relationship. "I admit it was my mistake and I had to suffer for it. In the process, one person lost (her) life and the other's life was similar to death. I have thought about what happened that moment (when he killed Sahni) and what actually led to it and I have learnt my lessons," Sharma said, while standing outside the temple, with a lump in his throat. Recalling the time he spent in jail, he said he had decided he would commit suicide when he first entered Tihar. Also Read | 1995 tandoor murder case: Delhi HC orders immediate release of convict Sushil Sharma "I was used to a lavish life style before the incident. I had never thought I would go to jail. On the first day in Tihar, I met a DDA official, who was in prison for a dowry harassment case. He asked me, 'How are you?' I told him I was not feeling well and don't feel like living anymore. "He advised me to chant Gayatri Mantra one-and-a-half crore times and keep a count of it. I started chanting it every day and after five years, when I counted, I realised I had chanted it almost five crore times," he said. Sharma said apart from the Gayatri Mantra, his 'vipassana' sessions too helped him fight the depression. He said vipassana is now a part of his daily routine and he does it every morning and evening and recalls all the mistakes he has committed. "I interacted with others who were in jail and realised that most of them had committed crimes at the "spur of moment". There are two types of persons - criminals and non-criminals. Non-criminals comprise 90 per cent of Tihar's population. "Jails are reformation centres and I have seen people who have spent 14 years never coming back because they have again committed a crime. Jails bring out the goodness in you," he added. Sharma said he was instrumental in ensuring that Tihar Jail started the facility of counselling its inmates and it was during his jail time, he did an analysis of the psyche of those who are there and will use their experiences in counselling people and preventing road rage. "Couples should at least get three months' counselling when they start conjugal life. I have interacted with a lot of inmates during my time in Tihar Jail and I have written essays on different aspects of relationships and now I will use them in helping young couples deal with the stress of relationships," he said. Sharma was looking at a bright political career at that time. He was the college president in Satyawati College in 1977-78 and had contested as an independent candidate opposite Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and National Students' Union of India candidates and defeated them. He was later roped in by the NSUI and fought the DUSU elections twice but lost. Later, he became the NSUI president. "I had contested the DUSU elections opposite ABVP's Pinky Anand, who is now the additional solicitor general. I was being groomed by my professors to become a leader. But this was my destiny. But I do not think about how my political career would have shaped up," he said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Uddhav Thackeray, chief of the Shiv Sena, an ally of the BJP in Maharashtra, on Monday once again questioned the Narendra Modi governments Rafale jet deal with France, asking why a company which had no experience was given a contract. Addressing a congregation of religious leaders in the temple town of Pandharpur in Maharashtra, Thackeray said: Soldiers of our country need a pay hike which you don't give, but you do scams in the purchase of arms and ammunition. The Shiv Sena president added with several scams going on in the country, it seems that "chowkidars have become thieves" - a direct takeaway from Congress slogan. The Congress has been alleging massive irregularities in the deal and attacking the government for procuring just 36 jets when IAF required 126 jets. On December 14, the Supreme Court said it had found nothing wrong with a deal the Narendra Modi government signed with France to purchase 36 Rafale fighter jets. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said it had studied the matter "extensively" and that it was "satisfied that there is no occasion to doubt the process [of signing the Rafale deal]." The ruling came on four petitions that had asked the Supreme Court to set up a court-monitored probe into the signing of the Rafale deal. The petitions had alleged that the Modi government not only overpaid for the Rafale jets but also promoted crony capitalism. Thackeray also slammed the government for the delay in the construction of a Ram Temple on the disputed land in Ayodhya. It has been been 30 years and still you say that matter is in the court. Hindus are innocent but not fools. Let there be a discussion in Parliament on the Ram temple issue, who are in your favour on this issue among the NDA will be clear, he said. With the catch-phrase "Vithunamacha Jaijaikar, Pahele Mandir, Phir Sarkar" (praise lord Vitthal, first (Ram) temple, then government), the Sena had asked all its 227 Shakhas (local offices) in Mumbai and its units elsewhere to mobilise crowds for the rally, a party leader said. It is part of Sena's strategy to promote Thackeray as a true Hindutva leader, he added. Around 30,000 Sena supporters from Mumbai attended the rally, while another one lakh supporters reached from rest of the state. Thackeray had last month visited Varanasi and Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, and addressed a `Dharma Sabha' of religious leaders in Ayodhya. Thackeray had earlier said the Modi government was sleeping like Kumbhakarna on the Ram Mandir issue. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. While the new omicron variant could slow its rebound, business travel is expected to eventually return. While some local companies are eager to get back to their globe-trotting ways, others have realized they dont need to be on the go as much as they used to be. New Delhi: Outsted Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been sentenced to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption case and has been acquitted in the Flagship Investments corruption case in the high-profile Panama Papers scandal by the accountability court on Monday. Accountability Court II Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik announced the verdict in the two remaining corruption cases against the Sharif family, after reserving the decision last week. In its decision, Judge Malik said there was concrete evidence against the 68-year-old former premier in the Al-Azizia reference, and that he was unable to provide a money trail in the case, Geo TV reported. Sharif was present in the court when the verdict was announced. The Supreme Court set the deadline for Monday to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases against the three-time former prime minister. Three cases - Avenfield properties case, Flagship Investment case and Al-Azizia steel mills case - were launched by the National Accountability Bureau on September 8, 2017, following a judgment by the apex court that disqualified Sharif. Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case in July, 2017. In July, 2018 Sharif, his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year respectively in prison in the Avenfield properties case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices. However, the three were bailed out by the Islamabad High Court in September. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that he discussed the pull out of US troops from Syria in a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "We discussed ISIS, our mutual involvement in Syria, and the slow and highly coordinated pullout of US troops from the area," Trump said in a tweet on Sunday, referring to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group. "After many years they are coming home." he wrote. On Friday, Trump announced plans to pull the 2,000 US troops out of Syria, where they have been helping coordinate a multinational fight against IS a move lauded by Turkey. Tayyip Erdogan has been pressing for a US withdrawal from Syria for long. ALSO READ | US envoy to anti-IS coalition quits over Trump's Syria move Trump's sudden decision sparked turmoil in his administration, prompting the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, as well as of Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition. Brett McGurk, the US envoy to the global coalition fighting the Islamic State group, resigned in protest over President Donald Trump's abrupt decision to withdraw US troops from Syria, a US official said, joining Defence Secretary Jim Mattis in an administration exodus of experienced national security figures. McGurk had said it would be "reckless" to consider IS defeated and therefore would be unwise to bring American forces home. McGurk decided to speed up his original plan to leave his post in mid-February. Appointed to the post by President Barack Obama in 2015 and retained by Trump, McGurk said in his resignation letter that the militants were on the run, but not yet defeated, and that the premature pullout of American forces from Syria would create the conditions that gave rise to IS. ALSO READ | Trump says Mattis to leave two months before planned departure Trump played down the development, tweeting Saturday night that "I do not know" the envoy and it's a "nothing event." He noted McGurk planned to leave soon anyway and added: "Grandstander?" Shortly after news of McGurk's resignation broke, Trump again defended his decision to pull all of the roughly 2,000 US forces from Syria in the coming weeks. "We were originally going to be there for three months, and that was seven years ago we never left," Trump tweeted. "When I became President, ISIS was going wild. Now ISIS is largely defeated and other local countries, including Turkey, should be able to easily take care of whatever remains. We're coming home!" For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The death count from a volcano-triggered tsunami in Indonesia has risen to 281, with more than 1,000 people injured, the national disaster agency said on Monday. The number of victims and damage will continue to rise," said agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. Evacuation, search and rescue of victims continue. There are victims who are under the rubble of buildings and material washed away by the tsunami, he said. The district of Pandeglang was worst hit, with 207 killed and 755 injured. The Tsunami struck on Saturday night after an underwater landslide caused by eruptions from the Anak Krakatau volcano. The spokesman for Indonesias disaster agency called for a new early warning system, because the current system cannot detect tsunamis caused by landslides. ALSO READ | Trump calls Indonesia Tsunami unthinkable devastation, voices support Tsunamis triggered by volcanic eruptions are relatively rare, caused by the sudden displacement of water or "slope failure", according to the International Tsunami Information Centre. Unlike those caused by earthquakes, which trigger alert systems, these tsunamis give authorities very little time to warn residents of the impending threat. US President Donald Trump called the Indonesia Tsunami an unthinkable devastation and offered a message of support for the people. "Unthinkable devastation from the tsunami disaster in Indonesia," the Donald Trump tweeted. "More than two hundred dead and nearly a thousand injured or unaccounted for. We are praying for recovery and healing. America is with you!" The UN and European Union both pledged to mobilize humanitarian support if requested by Jakarta. "The United Nations stands ready to support the ongoing government-led rescue and relief efforts," a spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. Anak Krakatoa is one of 127 active volcanoes which run the length of the archipelago. It is a small volcanic island that emerged from the ocean half a century after Krakatoa's deadly 1883 eruption. When Krakatoa erupted in the 19th century, a jet of ash, stones and smoke shot more than 20 kilometre into the sky, plunging the region into darkness, and sparking a huge tsunami that was felt around the world. ALSO READ | VIDEO | Indonesia Tsunami: Rock band swept away mid performance The disaster killed more than 36,000 people. Indonesia, one of the most disaster-prone nations on earth, straddles the so-called Pacific 'Ring of Fire', where tectonic plates collide and a large portion of the world's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur. Most recently in the city of Palu on Sulawesi island a quake and tsunami killed thousands of people. In 2004 a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 9.3 undersea earthquake off the coast of Sumatra in western Indonesia killed 220,000 people in countries around the Indian Ocean, including 168,000 in Indonesia. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: The order to withdraw American troops from Syria has been signed, the US military said Sunday, after President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart agreed to prevent a power vacuum in the wake of the controversial move. The announcement that US troops would leave the civil war-racked country -- where they have been deployed to assist in the multinational fight against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group -- shocked global partners and American politicians alike. "The execute order for Syria has been signed," a US military spokesperson told AFP when asked about the withdrawal order, without providing further details. ALSO READ | 'Highly coordinated' Syria withdrawal with Tayyip Erdogan, says Trump Turkey was a rare ally that lauded Trump's momentous decision on Syria, a country where it will now have a freer rein to target US-allied Kurdish fighters who have played a key role in the war against IS but are deemed terrorists by Ankara. Trump and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by telephone on Sunday and "agreed to ensure coordination between their countries' military, diplomatic and other officials to avoid a power vacuum which could result following any abuse of the withdrawal and transition phase in Syria," the Turkish presidency said in a statement. Hours earlier, Trump had tweeted that he and Erdogan "discussed (IS), our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of US troops from the area." Both US politicians and international allies fear the withdrawal is premature and would further destabilise the already devastated region. A US withdrawal, said Mutlu Civiroglu, a Kurdish affairs analyst, will open the way "for Turkey to start its operations against the Kurds, and a bloody war will begin." French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said he "deeply regretted" Trump's decision, and that "an ally must be reliable." US troops will leave under the auspices of a new Pentagon chief set to start next month, after Jim Mattis resigned from the post citing key differences, including on Syria, with the often-impulsive Trump. Several US politicians from both parties rejected Trump's claim that IS had been defeated, and the decision also caused alarm and dismay in the US military over the prospect of suddenly abandoning Washington's Kurdish partners. And Trump's sudden decision sparked turmoil within his administration, prompting the resignation of Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition, as well as Mattis. Plans for the troop withdrawal will now be overseen by Deputy Secretary of Defence Patrick Shanahan, who Trump on Sunday said would replace Mattis starting January 1. Mattis, 68, had said he would leave at the end of February to allow a smooth transition for the next chief of the world's top military power -- but a reportedly angry Trump accelerated his departure by two months. Defence spokeswoman Dana White tweeted that Mattis would still assist in the handover, working with Shanahan to ensure the department "remains focused on the defense of our nation during this transition." According to US media, the Republican leader voiced resentment over news coverage of Mattis' stinging resignation letter that laid bare his fundamental disagreements with the president. Days later, special envoy McGurk made a similar move, saying he could not support Trump's Syria decision that he said "left our coalition partners confused and our fighting partners bewildered." ALSO READ | Trump says Mattis to leave two months before planned departure Unlike Mattis, Shanahan has never served in the military and has spent most of his career in the private sector. He spent over three decades working for aircraft giant Boeing, including as vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems, before moving to the Pentagon as deputy in 2017. Until Trump finds a permanent defence leader, Shanahan will lead plans for US troops to leave Syria along with a significant drawdown in Afghanistan, both of which critics worry will leave war-torn regions at risk of continued and potentially heightened bloodshed. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: US President Donald Trump calling the Indonesia Tsunami an unthinkable devastation has offered a message of support after a volcano-triggered tsunami left 222 people dead and hundreds more injured. "Unthinkable devastation from the tsunami disaster in Indonesia," the Donald Trump tweeted. "More than two hundred dead and nearly a thousand injured or unaccounted for. We are praying for recovery and healing. America is with you!" He joined the band of world leaders voicing condolences after the destructive wave struck the area with little warning, destroying hundreds of buildings and uprooting trees. "I want to extend my deepest sympathies to the Indonesian people who have been hit so hard once again by natural disaster," Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, said on Twitter. ALSO READ | VIDEO | Indonesia Tsunami: Rock band swept away mid performance The UN and European Union both pledged to mobilize humanitarian support if requested by Jakarta. "The United Nations stands ready to support the ongoing government-led rescue and relief efforts," a spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. The deadly tsunami struck at Saturday night without any warning, destroying hundreds of buildings located in several popular tourist destinations, including the Tanjung Lesung beach resort in the west of Java island. Local authorities said the undersea landslides after the Anak Krakatau volcano eruption might have caused the tsunami. Meanwhile, people have been advised to stay away from the coastline due to fears of another tsunami. Anak Krakatoa is one of 127 active volcanoes which run the length of the archipelago. Anak Krakatoa is a small volcanic island that emerged from the ocean half a century after Krakatoa's deadly 1883 eruption. When Krakatoa erupted in the 19th century, a jet of ash, stones and smoke shot more than 20 kilometres into the sky, plunging the region into darkness, and sparking a huge tsunami that was felt around the world. ALSO READ | Tsunami hits Indonesias Sunda Strait, death count rises to 222 Most recently in the city of Palu on Sulawesi island a quake and tsunami killed thousands of people. In 2004 a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 9.3 undersea earthquake off the coast of Sumatra in western Indonesia killed 220,000 people in countries around the Indian Ocean, including 168,000 in Indonesia. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. BROOKFIELD Candlewood Fire Company could respond in a new vessel if boaters run into trouble on the water next summer. The company plans to replace its 13-year-old fire rescue boat, Marine 25, which had holes on the hull and had to be taken off the water. The new, nearly $319,000 boat is expected to arrive in the late spring or early summer and will be used on lakes Lillinonah and Candlewood during emergencies. Assistant Chief Jeff Dunkerton said the vessel is expected to last 15 years. The landing craft style vessel will be the only boat of its kind on the lake. Crews in surrounding lake towns use zodiac-type inflatable vessels and old fishing boats, Dunkerton said. But (there is) nothing that has the ability to gain access to the water level like this will, with the drop down bow gate, which is a huge part for us and allows us to really work efficiently and safely, most importantly, he recently told the Board of Finance, which has approved funding for the boat. Sharing a boat between towns would be difficult, Dunkerton said. The departments often all respond to the same emergency because many times callers do not know which town they are in while on the water. To have a piece of apparatus mutually owned by different municipalities would be extremely tough, he said. Candlewood Fire Company will cover $100,000, the towns fire apparatus reserve fund will cover $190,000 and almost $29,000 will be transferred from the sewer assessment budget for the purchase. The department will use the vessel for boat accidents, airplane crashes, missing swimmers, gas spills, injured hikers and swimmers, and more. During the brush fire in Lovers Leap State Park in 2016, Marine 25 was used to flow water to a hill that crews on land could not reach. We were able to put a big damper on this fire, Dunkerton said. Due to the boats age, holes formed on the hull in the spring, he said. The department fixed those holes, but new ones soon appeared, making the vessel no longer seaworthy, Dunkerton said The company sold the boat for almost $15,500 to a department in Havana, Ill., where it will ride the Illinois River. That department has a commercial welder who can easily fix the holes. The proceeds from that sale will be put toward the new boat. The new boat looks similar to Marine 25. But the 8,000-pound vessel will have solar panels, a side scan sonar and more storage space. It has only one dive door, while the old one had two. The new boat will be powered by dual outboard engines, rather than the jet drive system that powered the old vessel. The jet drive system did not work efficiently when the boat drove over the invasive Eurasian watermilfoil, Dunkerton said. The finance board also approved $31,800 in critical repairs to the companys 20-year-old fire engine. The money will also be taken from the sewer assessment budget. This engine is scheduled to be replaced within the next few years, but without these repairs the apparatus would be out of service in seven months, Dunkerton said. The straps that hold the water and fuel tanks are so corroded that the water tank is sagging below the straps and the fuel tank is closing to falling off, he said. The boat purchase will empty the fire apparatus reserve fund the town manages, but finance board members said they would need to add money into this account in next years budget. Money still remains in the apparatus fund Candlewood maintains. This keeps us in a comfortable place to assist with the town in purchasing the next piece of apparatus, said Ryan Murphy, president of Candlewood Fire Company. Redding will be offering free radon testing for air and water to the first 20 residents who sign up through the towns health department. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. It naturally occurs in radioactive gas formed when uranium decays and is found in rock, soil and water, according to the health departments release. Merriweather was charged by the Kane County states attorneys office with possession of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. South Africa's government is facing potentially unpopular decisions needed to fix state companies that are drowning in debt, bleeding cash and fettering the economy, that may alienate voters ahead of next year's elections. So far, it's shied away from hard choices. Companies such as power utility Eskom Holdings, South African Airways and the South African Broadcasting Corp. are reeling after repeated management and strategy bungles and have indicated they need state aid and staff cuts to survive. While President Cyril Ramaphosa's administration has replaced boards and top executives, it's opposed suggestions of mass firings across the board or privatization and more bailouts at the power utility. "There are probably going to be no major decisions and certainly no new strategies developed or started until after the election," said Ian Cruickshanks, chief economist at the Johannesburg-based South African Institute of Race Relations. "The cost of production in all of the state-owned enterprises is going to continue escalating, the revenue will continue diminishing and if you look at what government is doing about it, the long silence means nothing." The May election will be the first since the ruling African National Congress forced Jacob Zuma to quit after a scandal-marred tenure that spanned almost nine years and saw its support decline. While opinion polls suggest the party's fortunes have turned since Ramaphosa took office in February and it will easily win the vote outright, it can ill afford to alienate labor union allies that oppose job cuts and asset sales. Taxpayers would likely frown on giving state companies more money, after probes by the nation's anti-graft ombudsman and lawmakers showed they were systemically looted of billions of rand during Zuma's tenure. A struggling economy has also limited room to maneuver if it's to stick to its expenditure ceiling and budget-deficit targets. South Africa emerged from a recession in the third quarter and economic growth hasn't exceeded 2 percent since 2013. "I think they've got cold feet, even beyond the elections," Ivor Sarakinsky, a senior lecturer at Johannesburg's Wits School of Governance, said. "When they look at the numbers and the general increase in unemployment, to contribute to that by reducing the number of people inside the state-owned enterprises will have quite significant socioeconomic impact." Ratings companies and the nation's auditor-general have called the parlous finances of state entities as a key risk to the economy. Whi`le Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, who oversees the seven biggest companies, acknowledges the situation is untenable, he's given little indication of what's being done about it, save to say that turnaround plans are being worked on that will seek to minimize job losses. "We have a problem, not only in Eskom but in many entities where the cost structure of the entity doesn't justify the current operations and revenue in those entities," Gordhan told reporters on Dec. 6. Eskom, which provides about 95 percent of the nation's electricity, is by far the government's biggest headache. It's racked up 419 billion rand ($29.5 billion) in debt, most of it state-guaranteed, isn't selling enough power to cover its costs and has fallen behind on plant maintenance, resulting in widespread outages. The utility employs about 48,000 people, up from 32,600 a decade ago, and a World Bank study published in 2016 found it was potentially overstaffed by 66 percent. Eskom has said it may have to fire as many as 16,000 workers and it will finalize a new strategy next year. Ramaphosa last week named a team to help turn Eskom around after saying a bailout would boost national indebtedness. Gordhan intervened in June when a management decision to freeze pay triggered protests. "There are critical decisions that have to be made at Eskom and it's urgent," said Philippa Rodseth, executive director of the Manufacturing Circle, a Johannesburg-based industry association. "It's certainly not something that can comfortably wait until after elections because the manufacturing sector needs reliable energy supply." South African Airways has lost money for the past seven years. Despite having secured 19.1 billion rand in government debt guarantees and a 5 billion rand allocation in the October mid-term budget to help it repay loans, it still faces a 3.5 billion-rand cash shortfall by the end of March. Finance Minister Tito Mboweni's suggestion that the carrier should be shut because it isn't viable was shot down by his cabinet colleagues. The South African Broadcasting Corp., which lost 633 million rand in the past financial year, has said it needs to fire almost a third of its 3,376 staff and 1,200 freelancers after the Treasury declined its request for 3 billion-rand cash injection. Four members of its interim board quit after the government opposed staff cuts, citing political interference in their work. State companies will probably have to muddle though for now, with the government allocating them some additional funds from within the existing budget rather than taking the touch decisions that will benefit the economy in the long term, according to Cruickshanks. "They are stuck in that 'win the elections first' mode," he said. Christmas in Wooster Square evokes the warmest memories for me because everything was steeped in Old World tradition and family gatherings. In early December our store and most of the others in the neighborhood began to take on a holiday look. My father always decorated the large windows with laurel roping and a wreath on the door. Inside, there were baskets of figs imported from Italy and sacks of hard-shelled nuts, the most popular being walnuts and hazelnuts, or nocciole. Later in the month and especially the week before Christmas, the fruit and special vegetables would begin to arrive. We always had some imported melons and grapes from Chile, and broccoli and escarole and oranges and tangerines from California. Fancy apples and pears as well. The Christmas Eve meal for La Vigilia always included a broccoli salad and stuffed escarole in addition to the fish. Italian chestnuts and large pine cones and fennel were also important additions to the menu. The chestnuts were either roasted or more commonly cooked in a metal pie plate over the gas burner. The pine cones were also roasted on the stove and over time, as they grew warm, each petal of the cone opened up to reveal a small nut covered in a thin brown skin, which, when removed, became a pignoli nut. A byproduct was the warm, incense-like aroma that filled the kitchen. During those days before the holiday, our store was abuzz with those seeking the finest quality for their tables, and the enjoyment of their families. Oh yes, and for the kids, perhaps you got to visit Toyland at Sharternbergs on Chapel Street, where you got to fish for a gift in the pond that was filled with toys wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. We also sold Christmas trees, which came in a bundle. There were no farm-raised trees, trimmed to be perfectly formed, but instead, trees that had been allowed to develop naturally, so each bundle of trees had some that were flawed. But, then again, we didnt expect our tree to be perfect, just fresh and fragrant. If there were spaces that needed to be covered, tinsel took care of that. Our tree was always the largest in the bundle, and it was always decorated with ornaments that we had forever. We arranged the presepio (the crib) under the tree and waited until midnight of Christmas Eve to place the baby in the manger. The pastry shops were also baking all the special traditional holiday cookies and confections that would find a place on just about every table. They would include chocolate-covered, fruit-filled mostaccioli; spicy and diamond-shaped, honey-flavored S cookies with a chewy texture; crococcini, an almond-flavored cookie wrapped in paper; and torrone, a nut-filled nougat candy. For Christmas, the cream pie was the favorite: a double-crusted pie filled with Italian pastry cream; vanilla with a swirl of chocolate, with some amarena, sour cherry preserves, under the crust. Of course, on the two days before Christmas, the fish markets were filled with customers seeking the fresh fish that would become the Christmas Eve seven fishes meal. The southern Italian custom of abstaining from meat on the vigil of a major holiday paved the way for what has become the most important meal of the year for many Italian-American families. A meal so steeped in tradition and embraced by so many even into the second and third generation. Traditional fish such as eel, baccala, smelts, shrimp and pulpo, or baby octopus, were on most tables. In our home, my mother planned her holiday meals even though she had responsibilities in the store. For me, Christmas Eve was the highlight of our family traditions; there was no other night that was more special or anticipated, and it never failed to fulfill my expectations. Late in the afternoon my mother would begin to prepare the fish and mix the dough for the zeppole which would be fried and dipped in citrus-flavored honey. She would already have made the struffoli the day before little balls of dough fried and covered with honey and candy sprinkles. The meal wasnt fancy, but it was filled with all the things that were supposed to be there: the fish, the broccoli salad, the escarole and chestnuts and nuts at the end. When everything was cleaned up, we played bingo using beans to cover the spaces on the cards. We all waited for the time when we would be going to St. Michael Church for midnight Mass, a glorious spectacle of music, incense and the placing of baby Jesus in the manger on the side altar. The church was filled to capacity because this was the culmination of this special night. Everyone greeted each other and, in some cases, it was a rare occasion for the whole family to be in church together. When we returned home, it was time for the sweets to be enjoyed and the gifts to be exchanged. We never waited until Christmas morning; it was always our custom to exchange gifts after Mass, and this was true for many others, a tradition that has its roots in the towns and villages from which so many had come. So everything we did was, in a way, prescribed by the centuries of tradition that had been brought here on those ships at the turn of the 20th century. As people greeted each other during the days after Christmas, they would say, Buona fatta festa hope you had a good holiday. Even though the week leading up to new years was filled with visits and enjoying the special holiday treats, everyone went back to work on the day after Christmas. We celebrated New Years Eve as a festive time with a similar meatless meal and, at midnight, Mr. Russo would hoot the laundry whistle on Hamilton Street, and Mary Naclerio, our neighbor next door, would sweep her front porch. These memories are so precious to me and a whole generation of my Wooster Square neighbors. How fortunate we are to have them to cherish. Frank Carrano lives in Branford. Contact him at f.carrano@att.net. Isabella Citizens for Health Inc., a federally qualified health center providing primary health care to residents of Isabella County and surrounding communities, has successfully paid off its nearly $1.2 million line of credit from McLaren Central Michigan. What began as a $20,000 loan in November of 2010, grew into a $1.2 million interest-free line of credit by 2015 extended by McLaren Central Michigan to ICH to establish a community health center in Isabella County. The McLaren Central Michigan Board of Directors approved the financial support of this initiative as a strategic vision for ensuring future access to care for all residents of central Michigan, regardless of insurance status. "In 2010, a small group of concerned residents got together to see how the community could ensure access to primary healthcare to all residents of the county. McLaren Central Michigan, under the leadership of then President and CEO Bill Lawrence and the Hospital Board, was also dedicated to this cause and joined the community group to form Isabella Citizens for Health, Inc. Without the initial loan from McLaren Central Michigan, the community health center might not have gotten off the ground". Stated Steven Berkshire, EdD, President of the ICH Board of Directors and one of its founding members. "On behalf of the ICH Board, its providers and staff, we want to thank McLaren Central Michigan and, in particular, Bill Lawrence for their vision and belief in our endeavor" The funds enabled the center to begin operations with just one physician in 2013. In 2015, ICH received its official designation from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as a Federally Qualified Health Center. HRSA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The center's focus is to improve a person's overall health and offer a variety of services not typically found in a medical office such as integrated nursing case management, outpatient therapy and counseling, and substance use services. In addition, ICH provides prescription assistance, transportation assistance, and a sliding fee discount for under- and uninsured patients. All of these services are available to people of all ages regardless of insurance status. Today, the health center is the primary care medical home to more than 6,500 individuals and will provide approximately 22,000 patient medical visits in 2018. ICH employs nine primary care providers and two outpatient therapists in two office locations in the Central Michigan Health Park in Mt. Pleasant. In 2019, ICH will move into its new 24,000 sq. ft. medical building which includes space for additional services including onsite lab and pharmacy. "We congratulate Isabella Citizens for Health on their success," said Martin Tursky, current President/CEO of McLaren Central Michigan. "The Hospital is proud to have played an integral part in assisting with the formation of the FQHC, and have fully supported their efforts to establish themselves as a leading healthcare provider in this area. This is a great accomplishment for them, and we look forward to continuing our positive working relationship in the years to come." Isabella Citizens for Health Inc. is one of 39 FQHCs in Michigan and 1400 FQHCs across the United States. NEW HAVEN The long-running proposal from T-Mobile for a special permit to place cellular antenna within the steeple of a city church has been rejected after more than a year of trying. The City Plan Commission voted this month against the proposal to place the equipment within an existing steeple at the Pilgrim Congregational Church, 69 East Grand Ave., because of questions over the impact it would make on surrounding property values. However, the request for the special permit was dismissed without prejudice, which means T-Mobile can quickly resubmit it. T-Mobile originally submitted the request in October 2017. At the commissions January 2018 meeting, the commission staff said the company had submitted plans three times before that meeting and on each occasion the application had remained incomplete. The cellular company then withdrew its plans following the commissions January 2018 meeting, until coming back before the commission this month on Dec. 19. This time the commission deliberated on the standards that T-Mobil had to meet to get a special permit and were stalled on the idea that installation could negatively impact the value of other surrounding properties. It was tied up with the publics perception as to the alleged negative health impacts of living near cell towers or antenna. They were advised not to consider the health effect as that was the purview of the federal government and it has said there are no negative impacts. Land use attorney Marjorie Shansky, who lives next door at 61 East Grand Ave., had raised multiple objections to the installation of the equipment, all of which had been addressed. She then hired Eric Glidden of Glidden Appraisal Services, whose letter to her dated Nov. 9, was shared with the commission. In his expert opinion, Glidden wrote that, despite the industrys assertions about the safety of exposure to electromagnetic fields coming from cell phone towers and antennas, the public perception is that proximity to antennas and EMF adversely affect residential property values and create a stigma that these homes are less desirable. Pointing to real estate surveys, he said the existence of these antenna in residential neighborhoods may reduce property values by 10 percent to 20 percent, depending on how close they are. The same surveys found that 94 percent of home buyers and/or renters would pay less if a a tower or antenna were located near them. He told Shansky that because her property was so close, it is likely that the negative impact ... would be greater than 20 percent, assuming that a potential buyer would consider the location at all. Glidden pointed out that T-Mobile Northeast, LLC states on its application that two prior proposals for siting cell towers and antenna in the same Fair Haven area over the past two decades were canceled in response to neighborhood concerns. Commission Chairman Edward Mattison said the federal government has decided that issues of health and public safety are not open to local review in these cases. Elias Estabrook, another commission member, asked what they were supposed to do when the perception is not based on sound science? There is still a perception that is affecting property values, right? So, I am not sure how to reconcile that. Acting City Plan Director Michael Piscitelli said I wouldnt necessarily get into perception or otherwise, as they have to follow the federal pre-emption on the topic. But he said science is always evolving and if negative impacts were determined at a later date, the commission, in its report, could say it would take that science into consideration to update its approval. Mattison said the federal ruling was based on the material available to the government at the time, but he agreed with Piscitelli that that could change and effect the status of all of the towers and antennas. He said he did not know what to do with the question of diminished real estate value, but there was plenty of discussion that the church does not have the funds to invest in its property. So I presume that if it became a wreck, that might have a greater adverse effect on property values. It is a complicated issue that is surely open to debate, Mattison said. Mattison said it is difficult for lay people when applicants can bring in experts, but the opponents cant afford them. Mattison said they did submit material that shows the church will not be hurt structurally. Staffer Anne Hartejan said all the standards listed for antennas have to be met. If they have questions about any of them, they have to reject the application. Mattison said he has been involved with quite a few sitings of cell towers and he is sympathetic to those who object to them. Referring to the Glidden report, he said a diminishment of property value is possible, but he wondered if that was the case when the antenna are hidden from view. Commission member Jonathan Wharton said he is a deacon at another church and is sympathetic to places of worship that are having a hard time paying the bills. The Pilgrim church representative has spoken of needing the revenue from T-Mobile. Hartejan quickly said they cannot use that as a reason to reject the application. Wharton picked up on Mattisons remarks about the ability of the church to keep up its property and how that would impact real estate values. Piscitelli said he did not recall the church committing to making necessary repairs with the T-Mobile payments. Mattison said the Glidden letter is all about towers and he questioned the relevance. Estabrook pointed out that the letter in fact does refer to both antennae and towers. mary.oleary@hearstmediact.com; 203-641-2577 NEW HAVEN Wendy Hamilton, a city philanthropist, has decided to run for mayor in 2019 as a Democrat. Im putting myself out there as the no-frills candidate, she said in her Wooster Square home on a recent evening. Im taking this seriously. Hamilton, who made headlines two years ago when she gave away more than half of a $2 million inheritance to causes benefiting the citys homeless and youth, began talking about her intention to run for mayor by handing a reporter a photocopied quote from the late comedian George Carlin, calling politicians an irrelevancy who own the people instead of serving them. I am seriously upset and disappointed with the current administration, she said. Her main issues, she said, would be eradicating homelessness, poverty and taking control of recent tax increases. Hamilton herself acknowledges that her determination to run as a serious candidate is at odds with some of her humor and eccentricities. On a campaign statement, where she calls on Yale Corp. to pay what she maintains is its fair share, she also identifies a pit bull as her campaign mascot, which she acknowledges is a joke. She also sometimes cannot help wisecracking while discussing details of her campaign. Ill be financing my own campaign, she said, just like some of these crooks in Washington. She also said shes in the market for a new campaign manager with a sense of humor because the person she had identified doesnt believe in phones. Hamilton said she wants to bring more attention to the debates, and said she was impressed with the onstage charisma of mayoral candidate Sundiata Keitazulu, who she backed in 2013. With a background in art and stand-up comedy, she said, she believes she has the ability to force her opponents to talk about the issues. Art can be used to draw attention, and the politics here are wacko already, she said. Im going to use humor and art in a serious campaign. In between assurances that her campaign is a serious attempt to draw attention to important issues, she said she has thought about campaigning downtown while wearing a sandwich board or using a leftover cardboard box from a refrigerator to create a pop-up booth where residents can ask her about her campaign. Hamilton said spending in the city is irresponsible, referencing a controversial administrative trip to China and accusations of reckless city credit card charges, and she would put an end to that by starting with her own personal expenses as mayor. She would ditch the city chauffeur, she said, and not take a salary. For revenue, she said, she believes Yale University is the elephant in the living room. If Yale did the right thing long ago, I wouldnt have to run for mayor, she said. Im willing to work with Yale, and I want to use their students to help me make the city a better place. They have brilliant, young, idealistic people in town for eight months a year, so why not use their brains to make New Haven a better place? Yale, she said, essentially owns the town, so she wants to involve its students in her administration. She believes the university can be leveraged financially. (Yale, the owner of large amount of tax-exempt property, is one of the citys biggest taxpayers, offers a homebuyer program for employees and, among other support, has available up to $4 million a year for scholarships for qualified city students. It has made voluntary payment of more than $127 million to the city in the last 28 years, its website notes. The university employs more than 4,000 city residents.) Theres a lot I dont know about the budget, but Im sure as hell going to learn, she said. Hamilton said that, despite her humor, the upcoming mayoral election is important to her because she is seriously upset and disappointed with Mayor Toni Harp. At least I hope to influence the next administration, she said. Were swimming in Jello; were not getting anywhere. City spokesman Laurence Grotheer said Harp has not officially announced her intention to run for a fourth term, but at the same time, she has certainly not ruled it out. Hamilton said, when faced with the possibility of two more years of Harp, she felt moved to do something. Im fed up... and Im not getting straight answers from the other candidates, she said. Other candidates whose names have been floated are Justin Elicker, executive director of the New Haven Land Trust and a former mayoral opponent of Harps from 2013, and Liam Brennan, an attorney with the New Haven Legal Assistance Association and an organizer against homelessness. Im strongly considering it, Elicker said. It feels to me that now is the right time and the city needs to particularly give more support to neighborhoods that have been neglected for many years. Brennan, too, said he is thinking about it and talking about it with people, but had not yet made a decision to run. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com I had this vision in my head where I knew everyone is doing all the things they should be doing, but we arent that great at sharing it, Ziman said. I think we can be better and if we had something more centralized, itll help us to be more rapid in our deployment and our relentless follow-up. A pedestrian was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on Saturday, according to the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office. In a tweet, the prosecutor's office said the Hudson County Regional Collision Unit is probing the death of a pedestrian in the area of 12th and Monmouth streets in Jersey City. No further information was immediately available, with the prosecutor's office stating that more information would follow. WEST NEW YORK -- A man was shot and killed and another injured, authorities said last night. The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office said only that the two were shot in the area of 61st Street and Park Avenue. A video on Twitter shows a line of cop cars where the shooting occurred. The survivor was being treated for non-life threatening injuries, prosecutors said, adding that no further information would be released until today. Call him one of Santas helpers and just like the jolly old elf himself, Mark Sopko has been very busy this Christmas season. But its not toys that keep Sopko occupied through the holidays. Its reindeer. Hes got two of them, and as one might imagine, theyre in high demand this time of year. Theyre wonderful. They bring all that joy around the holiday, said Sopko of Reindeer Magic and Miracles. Named Thunder and Jingles, they make their home year-round at Sopkos Central Jersey farm, but spend much of their time after the arrival of Thanksgiving making appearances at local and private events, schools, parades, breakfasts with Santa, and sometimes even the occasional office Christmas party. Its a short-lived season. No ones much thinking about reindeer in January, and both reindeer typically shed their antlers after the holiday one in January and the other in April. To many, though, reindeer are nothing less than mythical creatures. Its the whole flying sleigh thing and, you know, the big jolly guy in the red suit... Sopko, 49, a former zookeeper, recounts the many conversations hes had with unbelievers. Many times, adults ask what kind of animal is it? Its a reindeer, I tell them, he said. Still, they persist. Come on. Really. What is it? Its a reindeer. Thats what it is, Sopko responds. Three-year-old Thunder, who is one of only seven permitted reindeer in New Jersey. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for And they are. Native to the Arctic and the northern reaches of Europe, these reindeer do not come from the North Pole. They come breeders across the United States, where there is a network of reindeer ranchers who also live for this time of year. Unfortunately for Kris Kringle, their numbers have been dramatically decreasing in the wild, according to a report earlier this month by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In the past two decades, Arctic caribou and wild reindeer populations have dropped sharply from 4.7 million to 2.1 million grazing animals with the largest declines in Alaska and Canada. The report blamed the declines on Arctic warming, which it said has increased the frequency of drought, affecting the quality of forage. The NOAA report also noted that longer, warmer summers can increase flies, parasites and lead to disease outbreaks in the herds. In New Jersey, reindeer are currently banned from import, according the state Department of Environmental Protection, because of the risk of Chronic Wasting Disease. A contagious and deadly neurological disorder, Chronic Wasting Disease causes fatal damage to the central nervous system in members of the deer family. There are eight permitted reindeer in the state Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder and Blitzen, said DEP spokesman Larry Hajna, initially unaware of the legal status of Thunder and Jingles. A further check by Hajna revealed there are actually just seven reindeer with the right paperwork to call New Jersey home, but none of them apparently belong to Santa. According to DEP records, those seven animals are owned by two individuals. Sopko is one of them. Rudolph isn't the only one with a nose that glows. Children visiting Thunder and Jingles last week. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for This is a second go-round as a reindeer wrangler for Sopko, who acquired his first pair, Rocket and Fetch, back in 2012. He delighted in their antics True to his name, Rocket liked to run around. And Fetch, well, was always going after sticks. Sadly, he said, they both succumbed to tick-borne disease, and he thought for a time about leaving the reindeer to Santa. That was a really tough time for us, losing the two of them, he recalled. It looked like the end. But ultimately after their deaths, he decided to bring home another pair Thunder, a three-year-old male, and Jingles, a five-year-old female. Its not all fun and games. Reindeer are a lot of work, said Sopko. Hes out twice a day, feeding them and bringing them fresh water, although they prefer to eat snow than drink water when the flakes start falling. They get fresh hay. For treats, Thunder likes to munch every now and then on a bit of lichen, which Sopko said reindeer eat like grass in their native habitat. Jingles is partial to apples. Their hooves have to be trimmed. Theres reindeer poop. And the antlers. You have to protect the antlers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture comes out every year and inspects them. Sopko said they are very curious animals and can have playful bursts. At one event, one of his reindeer stood transfixed by a group of young dancers who were performing the Nutcracker, intrigued by what was going on. Still he said theyre very docile. After Christmas, like Santa, their work will be done. Hes gotten offers to appear at Christmas in July parties, but its too hot for the reindeer. They get the summer off. During the warm weather, their shelter is in a grove of evergreen trees and he has fans to keep them cool. If he has to transport them in the summer, their trailer has an air conditioner. Theyre very pampered, he said. It might not be a silent night in New Jersey quite yet, but hard-working Santa knows hes got to get an early start if he wants to deliver presents to 2 billion children. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is turning its eye towards the North Pole, where its tracking Santa as he journeys around the globe and giving live updates on his location. As of 9:15 a.m., the NORAD Santa satellite program placed the jolly fellow above Japan. You can see his live progress in the map below, or go to NORADs website throughout the evening. You can also call into 1-877-HI-NORAD (1-877-446-6723). Though the federal government has shut down over Congress' budget battle, NORAD will keep running today, partly thanks to the many volunteers who staff the program along with military personnel. In the event of a government shutdown, NORAD will continue with its 63-year tradition of NORAD Tracks Santa on Dec. 24. Military personnel who conduct NORAD Tracks Santa are supported by approximately 1,500 volunteers who make the program possible each and every year. pic.twitter.com/fY0oyjrdDc NORAD & USNORTHCOM (@Norad_Northcom) December 21, 2018 NORAD began in 1955 because of a happy little accident: A magazine ad misprinted Santas number as the line straight to a top military official, according to NPR. Instead of shutting it down, Col. Harry Shoup called into the local radio station with a report on an unidentified flying object a sleigh. Erin Petenko may be reached at epetenko@njadvancemedia.com.Follow her on Twitter @EPetenko. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Patients of a Bergen County surgery center may have been exposed to HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, according to a warning letter. The New Jersey Department of Health and the HealthPlus Surgery Center in Saddle Brook are warning patients of the facility that they may be at risk of exposure to the diseases. The patients are being advised to get blood tests. According to the state health department, patients who had procedures done at the facility between January 2018 and Sept. 7, 2018 may have been exposed. The health department said that the risk of infection is low, but is still urging people to get tested out of caution. HealthPlus Surgery Center Administrator Betty McCabe said 3,778 patients are being urged to get tested. The exposure risk was determined as part of an investigation into infection control breaches at the facility, according to the health department. On Sept. 7, the state health department closed HealthPlus because some members of the facilitys staff were not following proper sterile processing procedures and failed to comply with other regulations regarding the dispensing and storage of medication, as well as infection control planning and procedures, according to McCabe. McCabe said that HealthPlus reopened on Sept. 28 after taking steps to: Improve its infection control and medication dispensing procedures Hire new key staff members to ensure compliance and adherence to a high quality standard, including a new director of nursing and a nationally-recognized sterile processing consultant, a quality consultant, an infection preventionist, and a Consultant Pharmacist Hire and train new sterile processing staff Clean and repair all instruments; this was performed by an outside resource under the oversight of the sterile processing consultant. The state health department is not aware of any illness as a result of the infection control issues at HealthPlus. We have taken this issue very seriously," McCabe said in a statement on Monday. "The New Jersey Department of Healths move to close the facility provided an opportunity to focus more intently on quality, safety and a consistent adherence to sound policies and procedures. As a result, we have made significant improvements to ensure our patients' safety and good health. According to a letter sent to patients by HealthPlus, the facility is paying for affected patients to have their blood tested. Those affected patients can call 1-888-507-0578 during weekdays between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. to schedule a test. That testing will be done at Hudson Regional Hospital in Secaucus, or at and LabCorp location in New Jersey or New York. Read the letter sent to patients This story was updated with comments from HealthPlus Surgery Center at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. An earlier version of this story included a draft of the letter sent to patients. On Thursday, Dec. 27, the New Jersey Department of Health shared the final version of that letter. The story has been updated to include the new version of the letter. Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MSolDub. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Officials in Bergen County said a two-alarm house fire Sunday afternoon killed an elderly Montvale woman. According to the Bergen County Prosecutors Office (BCPO), firefighters responded to a North Avenue home after a passerby reported seeing a fire coming from the attic around 1 p.m. Fire departments from four surrounding towns, including Woodcliff Lake, Hillsdale, and Park Ridge, also arrived at the scene to help put out the blaze. After the fire was put out, the white exterior of the house was blackened, a walker could be seen on the front porch, and the houses red front door was on the lawn. BCPO officials said while the fire was being extinguished, firefighters found the womans body inside. 10 Montvale house fire kills elderly woman Two women arrived at the scene and spoke with police, but declined to speak with reporters. Authorities have not released the womans identity. The BCPOs Arson Squad is currently investigating the cause of the fire. Gianluca DElia may be reached at gdelia@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @gianluca_delia. Find NJ.com on Facebook. After a number of its students were sickened last week, another New Jersey school district has issued warnings about the dangers of e-cigarettes in connection with a particularly potent brand of the flavored electronic nicotine sticks. We are writing today to ask for your help in discussing a serious topic with your children, stated a Dec. 20 letter to parents of North Warren Regional High School in Blairstown. We have had several students fall ill after inhaling substances from vape pens. This is a burgeoning problem. Tina Ritchie, North Warren Regionals director of guidance and dean of students, said the district confiscated four vape devices from students. Those devices were turned over to our local police department. Just as cigarettes are not permitted on school grounds, vape pens are likewise not permitted, she said in her letter. The grade 7-12 school is attended by students from Blairstown, Frelinghuysen, Hardwick and Knowlton in Warren County. Blairstown Police did not immediately return requests for comment on Monday. But a spokesman for the department, Capt. Scott Johnsen, was quoted by the North Jersey Herald as saying that three male students were taken to Newton Medical Center shortly after 10 a.m. on Thursday feeling ill, before being released. Ritchies letter referred parents to a recent advisory issued by the office of U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams providing parents with talking points to help them dispel any misconceptions their children may have about the popular cigarette substitutes, which generate vapor often in fruity or other enticing flavors rather than smoke, but contain addictive and potentially harmful doses of nicotine. Because your brain is still developing, scientific studies show that it isnt safe for you to use any tobacco product that contains nicotine, including e-cigarettes, states the warning, generated by the Centers for Disease Controls Office on Smoking and Health. Whether you get nicotine from an e-cigarette or a cigarette, its still risky. North Warren Regional is not alone in warning parents of the effects of e-cigarettes. Districts around the state have held workshops to address the issue. State government officials, meanwhile, have sought to curb e-cigarette use among people of all ages, or at least generate revenues from the devices, through a tax on liquid nicotine. As with tobacco cigarettes, the sale of e-cigarettes to minors is illegal. The students allegedly were using Juul e-cigarettes, or vaping device, which unlike some competitors dont ape the look and feel of conventional tobacco cigarettes. Juuls are neither cylindrical nor white, and look more like a computer pen drive for transporting data. The Juul Labs website says the smokeless inhalant manufacturers mission is to Improve the lives of the worlds one billion smokers. But critics say Juuls high nicotine content makes it particularly addictive. The increased harm of Juuls compared to other e-cigarettes is due to the concentration and contents of its Juul pods, states the National Center for Health Research, a Washington-based non-profit organization. The e-liquid is 5% nicotine by volume, which is more than twice the concentration of nicotine in similar devices like the Blu e-cig cartridge (2.4% nicotine). This increases the risk of addiction. In fact, the center adds, a study done by the UKs Royal College of Psychiatrists showed that nicotine is about as addictive as cocaine and even more addictive than alcohol and barbiturates (anti-anxiety drugs).[3] A spokesman for Juul Labs, the maker of the device, released a statement in saying the company shared a common goal with the surgeon general, and referred to what he called a, comprehensive blog post from our CEO Kevin Burns" that outlines an action plan announced and implemented last month. The Statement read: JUUL Labs shares a common goal with the Surgeon General and other federal health regulators preventing youth from initiating on nicotine. We are committed to preventing youth access of JUUL products. We cannot fulfill our mission to provide the worlds one billion adult smokers with a true alternative to combustible cigarettes if youth use continues unabated. As we said before, our intent was never to have youth use JUUL products. We have taken dramatic action to contribute to solve this problem, which is why we implemented the JUUL Labs Action Plan to address underage use of JUUL products." It continued: We stopped the distribution of certain flavored JUULpods to retail stores as of November 17, 2018, strengthened the age verification of our industry leading site, eliminated our Facebook and Instagram accounts, and are developing new technology to further limit youth access and use. We are committed to working with the Surgeon General, FDA, state Attorneys General, local municipalities, and community organizations as a transparent and responsible partner in this effort. Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook She was inducted into the American Academy of Nursing, a recognition for her leadership and contributions to advancing the academys mission, which is to serve the public and the nursing profession by advancing health policy, practice and science through organizational excellence and effective nursing leadership. Free-agent slugger Manny Machado has a decision to make. Will he sign with the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies or Chicago White Sox? He visited all three clubs last week and isnt expected to choose a destination until after the new year. The Phillies are desperate for a star player like Machado and have boatloads of money to spend. On the flip side, the Yankees dont seem inclined to break the bank for Machado. Would Machado be willing to take less money to sign with the Yankees? MLB Network insider Jon Heyman believes the White Sox and Phillies will offer more money than the Yanks, though he still places New York as a slight favorite to land the 26-year-old free agent. Weve heard all along that Machado wants to be in New York, Heyman said Friday on Fancreds YouTube show. In fact, Ive heard from several people that he wanted to be in New York or Boston. Well, Bostons not going to do it, obviously. ... To me, I think the Yankees have a very good chance, and I think hes one of those guys that may sign for a team that isnt the highest bidder. Thats a rarity. The Yankees have a short-term need for a shortstop with Didi Gregorius recovering from Tommy John surgery. Machado prefers to play shortstop, even though he is a two-time Gold Glove winner at third base. The Yankees have Miguel Andujar at third base, but he has been the subject of trade rumors since the MLB Winter Meetings in Las Vegas. St. Julie Billiart: 7399 159th St. The church will host One Border, One Body at 7 p.m. Jan. 7 in the Devine Center. The film is part of the Archdiocese of Chicagos 2019 Immigration Film Festival. A bus will leave St. Julie Billiart William J. Devine Center for the March for Life Chicago at 12:30 p.m. Jan. 13. Keynote speakers include Cardinal Blaise Cupich, Jeanne Mancini of the National March for Life, Ryan Bomberger of The Radiance Foundation and Pat McCaskey of the Chicago Bears. Families are encouraged to attend the march. There is no cost for the bus. Sign up in the Northex or at the office. Information: email sheila@stjulie.org or call 708-429-6767, Ext. 232. Everything has been great, we are getting a great response, he said at Fridays celebration at the new Carsons at 9700 S. Western Ave., which was designed as the anchor of the new Plaza when it originally opened two years ago. Well, theyre at it again. Can you believe it? Oil was down $1.32 a barrel. The next day gasoline prices went up 36 cents a gallon. How do gas prices go up when oil prices go down? Then the day after that, oil went down another $3.64 a barrel and gas prices sure didnt drop. Theyre still up where they are. Where is the rationale for raising gas prices when theyre getting oil cheaper? Were in mid-$40 for a barrel of oil now. We should be paying maybe $1.25 a gallon. Gas should never be higher than $1 a gallon. We have all the oil well ever need here. We dont need to outsource it. The relationship between the people and the government in Iran has its own special nature. We live among the people, with people from all strata of society students, university students, government employees, farmers, businessmen. There is really no restriction in our relations with the people. Our leader holds meetings in which people come and form a queue to ask questions directly. Everyone can come and ask those questions, very freely. There are no restrictions on it. The relationship between the government and the people in Iran is a very friendly one. All the people support their government. Of course there are people who criticize it or are against it, and that you find everywhere. But they are an absolute minority. We really dont have a major problem in Iran with our people. We live with them, side by side. The entire government is elected by the people the leadership, the government, the Parliament, everyone is elected somehow. So the points you raise are really highly politicized issues that matter most abroad outside Iran. Inside it is not the case that we talk about this all the time. NYT: On another subject, you are a Persian; you are not an Arab. Your country has never directly at least fought a war with Israel, and yet you seem obsessed by the Jews. Why? President Ahmadinejad: We have nothing to do with their business at all. Jewish people live in Iran; they have lived there historically. They have a representative in our Parliament. Although there are only 20,000 people, they still have one representative in Parliament. Whereas for the rest of the population you have a minimum requirement of 150,000 people to have one representative. So the Jewish people are treated just like everyone else, like the Christians and the Muslims and the Zoroastrians. They are respected. Everyone is respected. The question is really over Zionism. Zionism is not Judaism. It is a political party. It is a very secretive political party, which is the root cause of insecurity and wars. For 60 years in our region people have been killed, they have been threatened for 60 years, they have been aggressed upon for 60 years. Several large wars have occurred. A large number of territories there are occupied. More than five million people have been displaced and become refugees. Women and children are attacked in their own homes. They demolish homes over the heads of women and children with bulldozer, in their own house, in their own homeland. These are not crimes that one can shut ones eyes to. We disagree with these criminal acts and we announce it loud and clear. The anger of the U.S. government does not prevent us from saying loud and clear what we think about these acts. As long as these crimes are not rooted out we will continue voicing our concern. I am surprised that in your media there is hardly any attention to the human rights crimes committed by the Zionist regime, nor to the ongoing crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq. NATO troops went to Afghanistan to establish security, but they just expanded insecurity. Terrorism has increased. The production of illicit drugs has multiplied. Some days there are 10 people killed, some days there are 100 people killed. Sometimes wedding ceremonies are bombarded and insecurity has now affected Pakistan as well. In the process of occupying Iraq over one million people have been killed, a lot of women and children, several million people have been displaced. Is there enough forces in America to represent those innocents who have been deprived of their rights innocently those countries? There are seven billion people living on this planet, close to 200 countries. Why is it that politicians here in the United States only rise to defend the Zionists? What commitment forces the U.S. government to victimize itself in support of a regime that is basically a criminal one? We cant understand it. When human rights are violated in Abu Ghraib or Guantanamo, how come there is just not enough attention given to it? In a lot of countries that are friends of the United States there are vast human rights violations. Human rights has become completely politicized with multiple standards that apply to different parts of the world. I would like to repeat myself: People in Iran like their government. You will see in the election. NYT: Can we ask about relations with the U.S. government, and in particular whether under a new U.S. administration there would be any possibility of a grand bargain? Three Canadian citizens being detained by China appear to have become pawns in a political impasse between the two countries and, by extension, the United States. They should be released immediately. China, already an aggressive rising power known to flout the rule of law and disregard human rights, now seems to be using hostage-taking to resolve economic and diplomatic disputes. Making matters worse, President Trump has chosen to get involved, seemingly playing his own games to gain leverage in bitter trade talks with China. The president suggested that he might intervene to secure the release of a prominent Chinese businesswoman arrested in Canada at the request of American authorities on Dec. 1 if it would lead to a favorable trade deal with Beijing. Stephanie Mitchell has had problems with her eyesight since she was a child in Mount Vernon, N.Y. Ms. Mitchell, 68, was diagnosed with myopia nearsightedness at age 2. Her first pair of glasses were lime green with really thick lenses. As the years passed, Ms. Mitchells vision got worse. Doctors detected glaucoma. Among the few effective treatments are eye drops administered each day to reduce the pressure. After getting an associates degree in business administration, she held various jobs, mostly in banking. Then she started having trouble seeing well enough to perform financial transactions and had a few accidents while cooking in the kitchen. She realized that things would have to change. Ms. Mitchell went on disability for a while, and, in 2012, was forced to retire. She had to relearn daily activities, and she relied on assistance from family and friends. She became depressed and gained weight. Through our analysis of these three agencies, we have recognized the Elgin Police Department is in line with national and international models, Lalley said. But we have also we have an opportunity to enhance our techniques and lead the way to new methods. We will continue to focus on our training and implement some of the strategies we observed in these agencies and continue to focus on our specialized training. HIDALGO, Tex. A man crossing the bridge from Reynosa, Mexico, to Texas lugged a merry toddler-size Santa Claus pinata that he had bought for $10. Maritza Delgado monitored her small children hanging upside down on a tree next to the sidewalk as they waited to cross back to Texas. Rene Saenz crossing toward Mexico carried Target bags full of diapers purchased at Sams Club to deliver to his family in Mexico. Except for that business about the government shutting down because of places just like this, it was a pretty normal weekend at the quarter-mile bridge separating Mexico and Texas. There were long lines on Saturday, and people waited patiently for hours in the strong South Texas sun. For no apparent reason, there was hardly a wait at all on Sunday, to the delight of crossers who just wanted to spend time with family for Christmas. What did it mean? What explained the difference in traffic on the same weekend? No one really knew, just as almost no one understood the machinations that led to the partial government shutdown. Instead, the comfortable symbiosis between the two countries played out regardless of the deadlock in Washington that threatened to keep the government shut down into the new year. Most people on the international bridge in Hidalgo this weekend said they didnt know about the shutdown or that the customs officers who checked their documents were working without pay. A tent city in the Texas desert that came to symbolize the mass detention of migrant children by the Trump administration will most likely be closed within weeks. An official with BCFS, the shelter operator that has been running the encampment in Tornillo, Tex., said late Sunday that the expectation was that by Jan. 15, all 2,500 children would be on their way to a parent or sponsor in the United States. By mid-January, the children should be all released, said the official, who was not authorized to speak with the news media and spoke on condition of anonymity. Were not extending our contract with the government. The official said that BCFSs contract would expire on Dec. 31, and that it would be extended daily until all the children have been released from the Tornillo shelter. Some children at Tornillo have been there since it opened in June, and minors at other shelters have been stuck for about a year. Few Nutcrackers tell the same story or even use quite the same score. (For connoisseurs, this is part of the fun: Which music will we hear next?) I enjoyed the overture being used to show us the magician Drosselmeyer at work on his four dolls. As it concluded, when he sprinkled silver dust, they came to life and danced offstage. So, yes, another good American Nutcracker. I come from the land where Richard Buckle once wrote, Well, we are one more Nutcracker nearer death. What is it about The Nutcracker that suits the United States? The ballets love of hospitality, its innocence, travel adventure and transformations, its positive, outgoing energy and its cornucopia of stylistic diversity are all right for this country (which Tchaikovsky visited, enjoying immense success, between composing the two acts). I have seen, but without pleasure, Realms of Sweets that are fenced or walled enclosures. The decor for the Colorado Ballet production, if memory serves, is the opposite: a spreading landscape, with islands and meadows and mountains all made of confectionery, as endearing as sweet. Just now its particularly good to see a Realm of Sweets that admits characters from many nations. On the way back from Staten Island, the Statue of Liberty seemed a perfect part of a Nutcracker day. Like the Sugar Plum Fairy, she welcomes strangers and embraces diversity. ELLERY: Lawrence has always been well loved in the design world but mostly, I think, because he works with type. It suits designers. Theyre not thinking much deeper. They just like the aesthetic: Oh, its type! But for me, Lawrence was the only person Id ever worked with who had done more books than I had. His team was as sharp as me and my team about ink and paper and binding, about smell and feel. WEINER Which was lucky. But I think were missing the point of whats worthwhile to talk about. Its not about the specifics. Its about the concept. Why would you throw a very talented designer and, it turns out, a reasonably talented artist together in the same pot? Its what we thought we were going to get that interested me. KENNEDY What did you hope for? Many years ago you described the ideal condition of being an artist as being perplexed in public because the artist was to be invested in things that did not have a pat answer. WEINER Were stuck in an aesthetic now in the art world where people have the answer and then try to rationalize the question. We did this in order to enter something into the culture in a way that the culture has to adapt in order to use it. Well, thats what art should do! ELLERY This morning I found an email Lawrence sent me a couple of years ago, when we were really working toward something. He said: My envisagement of the work would be like one of those people on the street with a cardboard box and three walnut shells and the public is supposed to find which shell the pea is under, very much like three-card monte. And all of the images that inspired you would be translated into a composite image, a development that would allow us to speak of our anguish and speak of our aesthetics in a presentation of line and form. It ends: I think that with the inherent talents we have, we can come up with an innate book that, when found, requires no explanation other than itself, because in fact it does not refer to anything but itself. Mr. Govan said he had known about the work probably since the 1980s when Rauschenberg was making it and had long wanted to present it. Although Rauschenberg showed portions of the work, and several museums, including the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art and the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing, have mounted near-complete versions, this is the first time all 190 panels are on view, as part of the exhibition Rauschenberg: The Mile at Lacma. (In Beijing, censors withdrew two panels after objecting to an image of Mao and what they interpreted as a swastika.) Rauschenberg, who died in 2008 at 82, began making art in the late 1940s, while studying with Josef Albers at Black Mountain College in North Carolina. There, he met the composer John Cage and the choreographer Merce Cunningham, with whom he would have long collaborative friendships. Their influence pushed Rauschenberg beyond the traditional idea of working in a single medium. From the start, he was an iconoclast, committed to using everyday materials and found artifacts, blurring the lines between sculpture and painting, between reproduction and individual creation, between objects and artworks. All of these impulses, interests and expressions can be found in the mural, which Ms. Zavistovski described as extraordinarily expansive and extraordinarily detailed. In a wide-ranging discussion, Mr. Govan and she picked the panels they were particularly drawn to and described their relevance to Rauschenbergs work and life. These are edited versions of their comments. Celebrate Christmas Eve with an endearing comedy about a very tall, very happy elf. Or watch a holiday special by the Middle Collegiate Church. Whats on TV ELF (2003) 8:30 p.m. on AMC; also on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu and YouTube. Its hard to imagine the titular character in this beloved Christmas comedy being played by anyone other than Will Ferrell. That Holmes & Watson star portrays Buddy, a gullible human raised by elves in the North Pole, who travels to New York to reconnect with his biological father, Walter (James Caan), a crusty childrens book editor. Walter reluctantly welcomes Buddy easing him into the real world is not easy and Buddy turns to Walters younger son (Daniel Tay) and a shy Gimbels employee (Zooey Deschanel) instead. The movie succeeds because it at once restrains its sticky, gooey good cheer and wildly overdoes it, the critic A. O. Scott wrote in The New York Times. Whether youre a fan of holiday films, comedy films or films in general, Ferrells performance is an absolute joy. ANTIQUES ROADSHOW 8 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). Still scrambling to find the right holiday present? In this greatest gifts episode, guests share prized possessions they received over the years (a Tiffany necklace, a Fender bass guitar) that turned out to have rich histories. A BOLD NEW LOVE: A CHRISTMAS EVE WITH MIDDLE COLLEGIATE CHURCH (2018) 11:35 p.m. on CBS. This one-hour holiday special has something for everyone: gospel, classical music, dance and spoken word. A production of the Middle Collegiate Church in the East Village of Manhattan, the performances feature conducting by Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) and songs from the movies Sister Act 2 and Selma. During the century and a half between the days of Pyrrhus and the rise of Tiberius Gracchus, there had not been a single outbreak of large-scale political violence. Then Tiberius pushed through land reforms in defiance of the Senates veto. In the ensuing fracas, he and hundreds of his followers were murdered. The taboo on naked power politics had been broken, never to recover. Over the next years, it quickly became normal for populist politicians to set aside longstanding norms to accomplish their goals; for military commanders to bend the Senate to their will by threatening to occupy Rome; and for rival generals to wage war on one another. Within a generation of the first political assassination in Rome, politicians had begun to arm their supporters and use the threat of violence to influence the votes of assemblies and the election of magistrates. Within two generations, Rome fell into civil war. If we are to avoid the fate that ultimately befell Rome, Watts cautions, it is vital for all of us to understand how Romes republic worked, what it achieved and why, after nearly five centuries, its citizens ultimately turned away from it and toward the autocracy of Augustus. In a sense, the book fails in this ambition. Especially as it progresses, Watts, a professor of history at the University of California at San Diego, abandons a careful analysis of the larger trends for a blow-by-blow account of the many conflicts that divided the republic in the last century of its existence. At times, this endless onslaught of calamities a new violation of some traditional norm, the latest commander to threaten an invasion of Rome, one more shift in the ever-fragile constellation of power starts to numb the mind. But in another sense, the sheer repetitiveness of the calamities that befell Rome only serves to underline the books most urgent message. If we were to make explicit the implicit analogy that runs all the way through Mortal Republic, we would most likely cast Donald Trump as a farcical reincarnation of Tiberius Gracchus. Like the original populist, Trump was propelled to power by the all-too-real failures of a political system that is unable to curb growing inequality or to mobilize its most eminent citizens around a shared conception of the common good. And like Gracchus, Trump believes that, because he is acting in the name of the dispossessed, he is perfectly justified in shredding the Republics traditions. If that analogy is right, the good news is that Trump will, once the history of our own mortal Republic is written, turn out to be a relatively minor character. Far from single-handedly destroying our political system, he is the transitional figure whose election demonstrates the extent to which the failings of our democracy are finally starting to take their toll. The bad news is that the coming decades are unlikely to afford us many moments of calm and tranquillity. For though four generations stand between Tiberius Gracchus violent death and Augustus rapid ascent to plenipotentiary power, the intervening century was one of virtually incessant fear and chaos. If the central analogy that animates Mortal Republic is correct, the current challenge to Americas political system is likely to persist long after its present occupant has left the White House. In 1969, the lighting designer Chip Monck, whod worked the Newport Folk Festival at which Bob Dylan went electric, was conscripted from his tasks onstage at Woodstock to serve as an impromptu master of ceremonies. Monck thereby entered counterculture lore as the man who warned the celebrants against an illicit temptation: The brown acid that is circulating around us is not specifically too good. Whatever may have been not specifically too good in the concoction (and the power of suggestion cant have helped its users any), in retrospect brown acid doesnt sound very appealing. It is typical, though, of the earthy, dank, subterranean aura surrounding both the actual and the fictional drugs that haunted the late-20th-century imagination, most of which seem to have been composed of weeds, seeds, soil and excreta. With the Odysseys lotus flowers and nepenthe (possibly opium), and, perhaps, Alice in Wonderlands cake and mushroom in the deep background, novelists in the 1960s and 70s gave us organic intoxicants like melange, the utopian spice in Frank Herberts Dune; black meat, a cheeselike drug made from the flesh of giant centipedes in William S. Burroughss Naked Lunch; and the nightmarishly addictive Substance D (for death) in Philip K. Dicks A Scanner Darkly, an injectable derived from a blue flower grown, in one of Dicks fiercest ironies, on farms staffed by zombied-out recovering addicts. The trends satirical apotheosis was perhaps attained by Terry Southern in his story The Blood of a Wig, from Red-Dirt Marijuana and Other Tastes. Southerns fictional narcotic, called red-split, consists of 90 CCs worth of the blood of a schizophrenic, smuggled fresh out of the wards of Bellevue: Sense-derangementwise, it was unlike acid in that it was not a question of the Essential-I having new insights, but of becoming a different person entirely. The current generation of fictional drugs, rather than bubbling up from natures underworld, parachute into stories and novels from the corporate-technological top down. The recent nightmare drugs for they are, exclusively, nightmares are pharmaceuticals. Likely it was Don DeLillo who initiated this great pivot in White Noise (1985), with Dylar, an experimental capsule advertised as a cure for the fear of death. A veritable fictional pharmacopoeia followed, from David Foster Wallace (DMZ), George Saunders (Verbaluce) and Jonathan Franzen (Mexican A). In these writers hands, the selfs integrity is under assault not by illicit indulgences but by capitalisms imperative to market us shiny neurological upgrades and by our complicit desire to be thus reworked. Google did not respond to a request for comment. The topic didnt suddenly materialize this year The Wall Street Journal broke major ground on digital surveillance with its award-winning series What They Know in 2010. But at that time Facebook was not yet public and Google was a fraction of its current size. Digital tracking has since become far more pervasive and intertwined with peoples daily lives advertisements follow them from their computers to their phones and even their TVs and often, it can feel inescapable. Recently, Facebook told Gizmodo that even if people opt out of location sharing with the social network, it can still determine their location and use it for targeted advertising. There are so many aspects of how companies deal with the public that obfuscates what actually goes on and so many attempts to placate people using jargon, Professor Turow said. Ive spoken to lawyers who write privacy policies who admit they admit that they arent written for the public. In their survey this year, researchers led by Professor Turow found that most Americans did not understand privacy policies on websites. More than half did not know the correct answer to this true-or-false statement: If a website has a privacy policy, that means the site wont share user information with other sites or companies without permission. (The statement is false.) The researchers also found that most Americans did not know that companies can legally collect and keep personal data on 13-year-olds as if they are adults. Companies are able to do that because the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act, a federal law, extends only to children who are 12 and under. I would argue thats because people cant imagine that the law would allow this kind of attitude, Professor Turow said. The researchers conducted national surveys in 2015 and this year, working with two polling companies to interview a representative sample of Americans on their landlines and cellphones. The findings are particularly notable as tech companies and marketers argue that individuals should be responsible for understanding and navigating all of these policies and their privacy settings. Some people may delete Facebook, but what about Instagram and WhatsApp? Avoiding Google for search purposes is one thing. Then try avoiding Gmail, YouTube and Waze. PARIS When Carlos Ghosn was arrested on his private jet in Japan last month on charges of violating the nations financial reporting laws, Nissan promptly removed him as its chairman. At the French automaker Renault, the management stuck by Mr. Ghosn, its chief executive and chairman. But an intensifying storm is putting pressure on Renaults defensive posture. Mr. Ghosn was detained just as Renault was suffering a slump in sales in Europe and confronting a worsening power struggle with Nissan, its longtime partner. There is even a political dimension. In the Yellow Vest protests that have galvanized France, Mr. Ghosn has become a symbol of excess wealth and runaway corporate power. Renaults position is becoming increasingly untenable the longer Mr. Ghosn sits in jail. His chances of being released soon from his tiny prison cell in Tokyo, where he has been held since Nov. 19, dimmed considerably on Sunday after a Japanese judge ruled that he could be held at least through Jan. 1 and perhaps longer, to give prosecutors more time to question him. Before that, on Friday, the authorities arrested Mr. Ghosn again based on new allegations of financial misconduct. At stake is not only Mr. Ghosns position atop Renault, but also the fate of the companys longstanding alliance with Nissan, which Mr. Ghosn also led. Renault and Nissan are being forced to confront the frictions between them and agree on new leadership for their unique auto-making union. The first happened Nov. 23 while a couple was walking their dog about noon in the 800 block of Church Street. Police allege Collins requested to pet the dog and then stabbed the dog in the leg. The dog was taken to an animal hospital and later recovered. Collins admitted he was responsible for the incident, police said. There are online marketplaces for luxury brands, secondhand fashion and street wear. Why not for sustainable style? So wondered Agatha Lintott from her remote farmhouse nestled in the green rolling hills of the South Devon countryside in England. Ms. Lintott, a former teenage model and previously a womens wear buyer for Tom Ford and Burberry left Burberry in 2014 to start a new life far from London with her boyfriend, Ben Howard, an award-winning, folk-influenced English musician. I felt quite disillusioned by all I had seen in my years in the business, said Ms. Lintott, clad in a black T-shirt and black flared hemp pants, long brown hair falling down her back, over a recent lunch of grilled haddock and squid. I realized that I didnt know of anywhere on or offline that really inspired me to shop ethically or that offered me a range of items that I could feel proud about buying. So, from her kitchen table and with a full-time team of just three employees based across Milan, Devon and London, she decided to do it herself. She envisioned, she said, a hub for earth- and human-friendly fashion across both vintage and new labels, that would also debunk this lingering idea that sustainable fashion was unglamorous. In April of this year, Antibad went live. The books cover features a striking image, from his Black-and-White Type 55 Polaroid Street Portraits series, of a young black girl with a knife-shaped nose ring, staring directly into Mr. Beys lens. Framing his subjects with subtlety, he concentrates on people others take for granted. All of those Street Portraits were about giving the black subjects an affirmative space in which to present themselves to the camera and to the world, he said. The subjects in those photographs all direct their gaze toward the camera, and by extension the viewer. I wanted the respect that I had for each of them to be the thing that the viewer was also left with. Mr. Bey returned to Harlem in 2014 to photograph a city in the throes of gentrification for his Harlem Redux series. As Harlem's physical and social landscape changed drastically, Mr. Beys images offer a meditation on the loss of cultural memory, place and identity. It was his first sustained project that was not portrait based, using a more conceptual visual language. Amid a backdrop of increased tourism, the erasure of community and the demolition of landmarks, Mr. Bey documented the privatization of public space through steel gates and fences, exploring the notion of areas that were shared, but off-limits. Although these structures are abstract, they have real implications for black life, Leigh Raiford, an associate professor of African-American Studies at University of California, Berkeley, said. We need Beys work to make sense of a major historical transition that other cities are also experiencing. How do you render that absence and loss? How do you image a system? What does a picture of white supremacy look like? In Harlem Redux, you can only see through a cutout, a gate or a veil. Theres a sense that there is something that keeps you from moving. Bad Seeds opens with a quote from Victor Hugo. (There are no weeds, and no worthless men. There are only bad farmers.) Then it pivots on another quote about troubled teens. (Remember, a problem child is a child with problems.) Eventually, it just gifts the lead character, a scam artist turned educator, with a literal book of quotations. This sweet-and-salty redemption tale from France, written and directed by its mononymous star, Kheiron, wants to deliver a message about the outcasts and neer-do-wells of Paris banlieues. And it arrives one corny aphorism at a time. As Wael, a former street child who steals wallets and hearts, Kheiron prowls through Bad Seeds with a sprightly restlessness that seems rooted in his stand-up comedy. Catherine Deneuve graciously cedes the floor as Monique, Waels adoptive mother and partner-in-crime, who has mastered her part in a nifty fake purse-snatching scheme. When Victor (Andre Dussollier), an old acquaintance of hers, catches them in the act, he threatens to press charges unless they agree to take part in his organization, which seeks to rehabilitate teenage delinquents. Theres some fun in watching Wael con his students into learning while also teaching them the art of the con but the film, which debuted last week on Netflix, cant keep the sentiment at bay for long. Between flashbacks to Waels hardscrabble past in an unnamed, bombed-out Middle Eastern city and its insistence on solving the problems of each and every one of his six students, Bad Seeds mostly sticks to an earnest syllabus. [Read our reviews of other new movies.] Little of what Bell does next makes her more attractive or pleasant or remotely relatable, which is a relief. When female stars take on physically transformative roles that are also aggressively unlikable, its sometimes called brave (Charlize Theron in Monster); when male stars do the same, its called acting (Christian Bale in Vice). Kidman has played with her looks before, most conspicuously with the fake honker she wore as Virginia Woolf in The Hours. The makeup she wears as Bell at her most dissolute and beaten-down isnt much more realistic. But its artificiality works because it looks like a disguise, like a rubber mask she put on long ago and eventually grew into. That mask is dropped when the story flashes back to the past, when Bell was in her 20s and working undercover for the F.B.I. (Kidmans reverse aging is persuasive and unshowy.) Along with another cop, Chris (Sebastian Stan), Bell joins one of those creepy drug gangs that infest the Southern California hinterlands (or at least movies about the same), the kind with chain-link fences, desperately barking dogs and junkyard detritus. Inside, as the characters and the camera creep through the eerie, diffused light, Kusama establishes an unsettling milieu that a sly-looking Bell eases into as if born to it. Working with a script by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi, Kusama navigates the past and present confidently. The three also collaborated on the claustrophobic thriller The Invitation. Destroyer gives Kusama more to do, including explore Los Angeles, which she does with an appreciable lack of glamorizing. The most self-conscious beauty shot is dropped in a nighttime chase that takes Bell and her prey through scrubby greenery thats framed by the jewel-like downtown skyline. The chase nicely distills the citys contrasts (and nods at Michael Mann), reaching its apogee with an image of Dodger Stadium that is as lit up as the spaceship in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. One of the first things you hear in On the Basis of Sex is the song Ten Thousand Men of Harvard. And that is more or less what you see onscreen: a parade of mostly pale males in dark suits marching through Cambridge. In their midst is Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Felicity Jones), a first-year law student and one of only nine women (out of nearly 500 students) in her class. At a dinner party, she and the others are asked by Erwin Griswold, the dean of the law school (Sam Waterston), why they think they have the right to be there instead of the men who might have been admitted instead. The answers range from fumbling to diplomatic, but the intent of the question could not be clearer. Harvard, like nearly every other institution where power is concentrated and influence is transmitted, is no place for a woman. That was in 1956. Ginsburg is now one of three women on the nine-member Supreme Court, and not even her most dogged ideological enemies would question her right to be there. (The Senate vote for her confirmation in 1993 was 96-3). On the Basis of Sex, directed by Mimi Leder from a screenplay by Daniel Stiepleman (Justice Ginsburgs nephew), is interested in Ginsburgs role in bringing about this change. Rather than trace the full arc of her career, it focuses on the first sex-discrimination case she argued in federal court in the early 1970s, and on the development of a legal strategy to challenge injustices so deeply ingrained as to seem perfectly natural. Candy Crushed Dear Diary: I used to read during my free time, but its been all Candy Crush for the past year. On a recent ride home on the No. 2, I put my tote bag with notes for an important report in it down at my feet so I could concentrate more intensely on clearing level 2315. When I got to 72nd Street, I hurried off the express to catch a No. 1 that was coming into the station. It wasnt until I changed trains that I noticed my bag felt a little light: My notes werent in it. The doors on the local I was on had already closed, as had the doors on the express across the platform. I was getting a sick feeling in my stomach when I noticed a woman on the No. 2 holding up some papers and pointing in the direction of uptown. [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] One woman was late to work. Another was rushing to class. A man who just moved to New York had trouble swiping his MetroCard. All of them broke the law: They sneaked into the subway without paying. While there have always been riders who try to avoid paying, the practice has become so widespread in New York that it is costing the Metropolitan Transportation Authority about $215 million in lost revenue this year, prompting subway officials to announce a crackdown. Fare evasion has nearly doubled from 1.8 percent of riders in recent years to 3.2 percent this year, contributing to the agencys worsening finances, which could lead to fare increases or service cuts. But it has not been clear exactly why fare evasion is up. New Yorkers, it turns out, have many reasons for not paying. Deborah Zall, a dancer and choreographer who studied with Martha Graham and went on to make her own mark with solo works depicting extraordinary women, died on Dec. 11 in Manhattan. She was 84. The cause was pneumonia, her sister Rona Nadine Affoumado said. Ms. Zall was known for vivid portrayals of women drawn from history, including Mary Queen of Scots and the French author who wrote under the pseudonym George Sand, as well as fictional characters, like Amanda Wingfield from Tennessee Williamss The Glass Menagerie. Lean, small of stature and angular of build, she gave performances that were praised for their commitment and focus. The British critic Judith Mackrell described her as bearing an almost unnerving resemblance to Graham herself. In a telephone interview, Penny Frank, a former colleague on the faculty of the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, recalled Ms. Zalls intensity. She was small, she said, but she made this up with the force of her dancing. And her choreography was the same. Ms. Zall also appeared in dances taught to her by choreographers from the Martha Graham circle, including Grahams teacher, Ruth St. Denis, and Anna Sokolow, a founding member of the Actors Studio. Ms. Zall was even given permission to perform the famous 1930 Graham solo Lamentation, in which the dancer expresses her grief through anguished movements magnified by a cloaklike costume a rare occurrence for a dancer not in the company. Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz, a senior member of the Saudi royal family who supported womens rights and once led a group of dissident princes, died on Saturday. He was 87. His death was announced by his son Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal on Twitter, and confirmed in a statement on Prince Talals website. Neither statement specified where he died or what the cause was. Prince Talal was an older brother of King Salman and the father of the billionaire businessman and investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. His father, King Abdulaziz, was the founder and first ruler of modern Saudi Arabia. His sons have ruled since his death in 1953, with the throne passing from brother to brother. Yuan Mu, a Communist Party propaganda official who defended the Chinese militarys bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters around Tiananmen Square in 1989, died on Dec. 13 in Beijing. He was 90. The Chinese state news media were unusually muted about Mr. Yuans death, perhaps because of sensitivity ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown next year. But Hong Kong and overseas Chinese news outlets reported that a funeral was held for Mr. Yuan on Sunday in Babaoshan, the cemetery in Beijing for senior Communist cadres. The reports did not give a cause of death. Mr. Yuan won fame or notoriety as an ally of Li Peng, who was premier during the Tiananmen crackdown, but he first rose to prominence under Zhao Ziyang, Mr. Lis more liberal rival. By 1983, Mr. Yuan was a spokesman for the government, although a brief biography issued at his funeral said he was formally made spokesman for the State Council, which is Chinas cabinet, in 1986. He represented China to the outside world at a time of intense factional battles within the ruling Communist Party and a major restructuring of the Chinese economy. The boys mother, Mary OBrien, said when he was 16, Connor became frustrated when riding in a car with friends who would text when they were behind the wheel. He felt powerless. He wanted to do something about it, she said. The last time America disengaged from the world remotely in this manner was in the 1930s, and you remember what followed: World War II. You have no idea how quickly institutions like NATO and the E.U. and the World Trade Organization and just basic global norms like thou shalt not kill and dismember a journalist in your own consulate can unravel when America goes AWOL or haywire under a shameless isolated president. But this is not just about the world, its about the minimum decorum and stability we expect from our president. If the C.E.O. of any public company in America behaved like Trump has over the past two years constantly lying, tossing out aides like they were Kleenex, tweeting endlessly like a teenager, ignoring the advice of experts he or she would have been fired by the board of directors long ago. Should we expect less for our president? Thats what the financial markets are now asking. For the first two years of the Trump presidency the markets treated his dishonesty and craziness as background noise to all the soaring corporate profits and stocks. But that is no longer the case. Trump has markets worried. The instability Trump is generating including his attacks on the chairman of the Federal Reserve is causing investors to wonder where the economic and geopolitical management will come from as the economy slows down. What if were plunged into an economic crisis and we have a president whose first instinct is always to blame others and whos already purged from his side the most sober adults willing to tell him that his vaunted gut instincts have no grounding in economics or in law or in common sense. Mattis was the last one. We are now left with the B team all the people who were ready to take the jobs that Trumps first team either resigned from because they could not countenance his lying, chaos and ignorance or were fired from for the same reasons. I seriously doubt that any of these B- players would have been hired by any other administration. Not only do they not inspire confidence in a crisis, but they are all walking around knowing that Trump would stab every one of them in the back with his Twitter knife, at any moment, if it served him. This makes them even less effective. To the Editor: Re One-Stop Access to Birth Control as a Bid to Cut Poverty (The Upshot, Dec. 18): Delawares inclusion of the question Do you want to get pregnant in the next year? along with other health-related questions about smoking, drinking, seatbelt use and allergies is a long-overdue recognition of the risk that pregnancy, particularly unintended pregnancy, presents to sexually active womens health. It is a health risk men do not ever have to face. As a retired ob-gyn, I know that all birth control methods give some protection against unintended pregnancy and hence this risk. The long-acting reversible contraceptive devices are more than 99 percent effective in preventing unintended pregnancies and the risk that they present to womens health. Dr. D avid G rimes, a prominent obstetrician-gynecologist, said: When historians look back on the 20th century, the development of modern contraceptives will stand out as a public health triumph like the development of antibiotics. Fred W. Schnepper Park City, Utah The writer is the author of the coming book The Family Planner. $2,000 | Roosevelt Island James Starace, 49, and Tanya Starace, 40 Occupation: Mr. Starace is an actor and a waiter at Johns of 12th Street in the East Village. Ms. Starace is a senior manager at a global packaging company in Midtown. Their children: James, 11, Luca, 9, and Eliana, 5 Mr. Starace first applied for affordable housing in 2004: We knew we were going to get married and I knew I wanted to stay an actor. Restricted sale: Per their purchase agreement, the Staraces are limited in how much they can resell their apartment for, and buyers must also meet certain income limits. Acting jobs: Last year, Mr. Starace had a small role in Martin Scorseses upcoming film The Irishman. My role was nothing glamorous, but it was like a dream come true to be on set with three legends Ive always wanted to work with, he said, referring to Mr. Scorsese, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci. Like many buildings in the Mitchell-Lama program, the Staraces learned shortly after they moved in that theirs was reaching the end of its affordability agreement with the city, and negotiations to convert the building to a co-op had been underway for some time. If residents voted to go co-op, the Staraces and other tenants would be able to stay in their apartments as rent-stabilized tenants, but they would not be able to move to a different apartment; some units would also go market rate. The Staraces felt that the conversion presented a tremendous opportunity. The insider price for their apartment, set at 35 percent of market rate, was $243,000 a deal they knew theyd never see again. And if they bought, theyd be able to make improvements like adding a shower to the half-bathroom that would help better accommodate a family of five. But they decided that theyd only buy if they could work out a monthly payment that was similar to their rent. They didnt know if they could afford the down payment to make that possible or find a bank to give them a mortgage in the allotted time period. It was cheap, but its still New York real estate, Mr. Starace said of the purchase price. When the math worked out, they were delighted. While their rent had been $1,875 a month, their monthly mortgage and maintenance fees add up to about $2,000 a month. I am disengaged to the point that the service is creating far more content about my interactions than there are interactions to create content about. (If you want to understand how a social network thinks, give it very little to work with its assumptions become very stark, very fast.) There was also a time not so long ago when Facebooks emails contained the entirety of the things they described: the post, or the photo, or, at least, the text of that message from a friend. And, sure, my inbox is otherwise full of solicitations from various companies to buy their products or use their services or read their content. They share a set of obvious tactics: overpromising and underdelivering; creating unnecessary mystery in subject lines; manufacturing urgency at commodity scale. In aggregate, over time, these thousands of solicitations and misdirections have gently but constantly made my inbox a worse place. Ive dealt with this by using a combination of filters, new email apps and rationalization. Its a situation much like the one Facebook has struggled with for years on its own service. Since the advent of the News Feed it was about a dozen years ago that the company created a stream of content for its users to endure Facebook has made clear its disdain for what it has called, variously, low-quality content, low-quality web page experiences or, occasionally, engagement bait. Facebook may insist that it was taken by surprise by the political actors that have abused its platform, and that it has been waging an open war against deceptive, manipulative or inauthentic content on its service for years. Recently, it has become more comfortable in asserting what presentations of content are acceptable. In May 2017, the company told page operators: We hear from our community that theyre disappointed when they click on a link in News Feed that leads to a web page that contains little substantive content, and is covered in disruptive, shocking or malicious ads. Sounds annoying! Later that year, Adam Mosseri, then the vice president of News Feed, and now in charge of Instagram, wrote, in part: Today we are making an update to help reduce low quality links in News Feed. We are always working to improve peoples experience in News Feed by showing more stories that we think people will find informative and entertaining. Our research shows that there is a tiny group of people on Facebook who routinely share vast amounts of public posts per day, effectively spamming peoples feeds. Our research further shows that the links they share tend to include low quality content such as clickbait, sensationalism, and misinformation. It would be terrible if someone did this to something I use on a daily basis. Arrest them, please! Heres Mark Zuckerberg, in a 2018 interview with Vox: There was this issue with clickbait, where there were a bunch of publications that would push content into Facebook, [and] people would click on them because they had sensational titles but then would not feel good about having read that content. People who would not feel good about content they expect to be sensational sounds like a tiny but probably less than optimal experience, and it would be a shame if it happened all the time! Any especially wonderful reactions? Last night was our benefit performance. So among an audience that was mostly white and you know, obviously, donors an older audience. I saw out of the corner of my eye there was this half-Asian, very young woman who didnt seem to be a donor to me. She came up to me after the show with tears in her eyes and told me she found out about the show late, the only seats that were left were for the benefit, so she spent $250 as a Christmas present to herself to see this show. She was just getting super emotional and apologizing for it. I kept saying: Dont apologize. Do not apologize. Because so much of the Asian experience is internalizing and not feeling like your emotions are valid, not feeling like the experiences you go through are valid, not feeling like the racism you experience is real. [Sign up for Theater Update, a weekly email of news and features.] I understand your father used to wake you up in the middle of the night to read his writing. My father wanted to be a poet and was a very creative person, and because of various things his mental disease, his alcoholism, his drug addiction never became what he set out to be. And so, yeah, he used to come home from the bar coked out of his mind and would wake me up at the age of 5 and have me read drafts of his poetry. Even though my relationship with my father was very dysfunctional, Ive now grown to a point in my life where I have empathy for him, even though he wasnt a great person. And I think that makes me a much better dramatist. Did your parents see the show? Im no longer in contact with my father, but my mother did. It was a very emotional experience for her, and actually the actor who plays my father, when he came up afterward he really wanted to meet my mom because hes the nicest guy ever but when he came up to meet my mom, my mom literally flinched and kind of couldnt even look him in the eye. It was pretty intense. But then when I was back for Thanksgiving, we were able to have some conversations about things, and I could tell she was proud. What has Usual Girls led to professionally? The development deal I have at FX thats sort of inspired by my life, and has influences of the play, but isnt directly the play. Following a young half-Asian woman as shes navigating sex and relationships in her life, dealing with this father who is a drug addict and believes he was experimented on by the government, and also dealing with her mother who has now converted to Judaism, living in a Jewish household. This very wacky intersectional family in Columbus, Ohio. What are your plans for the week after the show? Cry! Cry and then emotionally eat! Anything else you want to say about the experience? Give these supposedly risky plays a chance. Representative Bruce Poliquin of Maine, the only Republican House member from New England, said Monday that he was dropping his challenge to the states ranked-choice voting law, conceding that he lost his seat to his Democratic opponent, Jared Golden. His decision means that Mr. Poliquin, a two-term incumbent, was the first choice of the most voters on Election Day in Maines heavily rural Second Congressional District but loses his race in the first federal general election decided by ranked-choice voting. Under the system, voters can rank the candidates instead of just picking one. If no candidate gets a majority of the first-choice votes, the candidate who came in last is eliminated and those votes are redistributed to voters second-choice candidates. The process keeps going until someone has a majority. In Mr. Poliquins race, there were two independent candidates, in addition to Mr. Poliquin and Mr. Golden. Although Mr. Poliquin led on Election Day, he did not receive a majority. When the two independent candidates were eliminated and their votes redistributed, Mr. Golden won by roughly 3,500 votes out of more than 280,000 originally cast. A federal judge on Monday awarded over $501 million in damages to the parents of Otto Warmbier, the American college student who died last year after suffering a severe brain injury while detained in North Korea, in a lawsuit they had filed against the autocratic regime. Judge Beryl A. Howell of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia concluded that North Korea was liable in the torture, hostage taking and extrajudicial killing of Otto Warmbier, who was returned to the United States in June 2017 in a vegetative state and died later that month when he was removed from life support. Judge Howell wrote in her ruling that a larger award is appropriate to punish and deter North Korea. It is highly unlikely that Mr. Warmbiers parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, will see anything close to the full amount from North Korea, which has no formal diplomatic relations with the United States. The Trump administration could seek money for the Warmbiers as part of negotiations with North Korea over denuclearizing the country. We are thankful that the United States has a fair and open judicial system so that the world can see that the Kim regime is legally and morally responsible for Ottos death, the Warmbiers said, referring to North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, in a statement on Monday. We put ourselves and our family through the ordeal of a lawsuit and public trial because we promised Otto that we will never rest until we have justice for him. Speaking to reporters this month, Jim Mattis, the departing defense secretary, said the rotating schedule of units and the gradual drawdown of troops on the border are part of why the deployments would not have an appreciable impact in military readiness. Mr. Mattis resigned on Thursday, and will leave the Pentagon by Jan. 1, over what he described as a differing approach with Mr. Trump over military worldviews. Marine Col. Amy R. Ebitz, a fellow with the Brookings Institution, said the border deployment might actually help readiness, not hurt it. She noted that troops who are welding structures and driving around Border Patrol agents are still engaged in training even on tasks unrelated to combat. Its an opportunity to train, Colonel Ebitz said. We do it all over the world, so why would our border be any different? As evidenced by the duties at Fort Hood, the border missions also affect the soldiers still in garrison. The deployment has taxed if not heavily how the Army trains and prepares to go abroad on a deployment schedule that is planned and orchestrated months in advance. It also comes after concerns by top Defense Department officials that 17 years of war in Afghanistan and Iraq has made troops battle-hardened and ready to fight terrorists and insurgents, but unprepared for conventional warfare against big state armies. Pentagon officials worry that Mr. Trump may try to extend the border deployment well into 2019 to show his political base that he is tough on immigration issues. Such a move, Defense Department officials said, would run counter to his administrations national defense strategy to prepare for conflict with world powers like Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, after almost two decades of fighting terrorism. On Twitter this month, Mr. Trump suggested that troops would finish building sections of his proposed wall on the southwest border if Congress refused to fund the project. WASHINGTON When lawyers for Texas and 19 other states were deciding where to file a lawsuit seeking to wipe out President Barack Obamas health care law, they had many choices. But they settled on a federal courthouse in Fort Worth, Tex. Forum shopping in litigation is common, and liberal lawyers challenging Trump administration initiatives like to file their cases in places like San Francisco or Brooklyn. But the lawyers in the health care case did more than choose a venue where the mix of judges was likely to include ones apt to favor their arguments. They effectively chose their own judge. That is because there is only one active judge in the Fort Worth Division of the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Texas. He is Judge Reed OConnor, and he has quite a track record. He ruled for Texas in 2015 when it challenged an Obama administration measure extending family leave benefits to married same-sex couples. That decision came two years after the Supreme Court extended federal benefits to such couples and just months before the court established a constitutional right to same-sex marriage nationwide. To those few Senators who think I dont like or appreciate being allied with other countries, they are wrong, I DO, Mr. Trump wrote in a pair of tweets critical of Jim Mattis, his departing defense secretary. What I dont like, however, is when many of these same countries take advantage of their friendship with the United States, both in Military Protection and Trade. Mr. Trump added: General Mattis did not see this as a problem. I DO, and it is being fixed! Mr. Mattiss resignation letter on Thursday served as a rebuke of the presidents sharp demands of Americas allies and softened approach toward some of its adversaries. Only over the weekend did Mr. Trump realize that Mr. Mattiss letter was a critique of the presidents policies, leading him to accelerate Mr. Mattiss departure. The resignation was prompted by Mr. Trumps abrupt decisions last week to pull troops from Syria and Afghanistan. Those moves have plunged some of the United States longest allied partners into uncertainty as they grapple with an American leader who largely treats those relationships as bottom-line business transactions. Global leaders have also echoed Mr. Mattiss rebuke of Mr. Trumps worldview. I very deeply regret the decision made on Syria, President Emmanuel Macron of France said during a news conference over the weekend. To be allies is to fight shoulder to shoulder. Its the most important thing for a head of state and head of the military. An ally should be dependable. According to chamber officials, proceeds will go towards updating the chambers technology and communication capabilities, which have been in use prior to the onset of Twitter and Facebook. The federal government was about to shut down. But on Friday evening, a Utah state employee had a delivery to make: three checks, totaling $46,034 and payable to the government in Washington that would soon close indefinitely. Utah officials viewed the checks as lifelines, the only way they knew to keep some of their states most popular and lucrative national parks running at close to normal at the height of the holiday season. We dont like having to do it, and the federal government should be doing it, Gov. Gary R. Herbert of Utah said in an interview on Monday. Were frustrated were probably beyond frustrated, maybe even angry but were prepared. From Albany to Phoenix, state governments are choosing not to wait on a breakthrough in Washington to end the years third federal shutdown. Instead, they have begun tapping their own treasuries to keep a patchwork of federal properties open and maintained during the spending standoff. The strategies could collectively cost states, as well as private companies and groups that sometimes step in, more than $590,000 a week, and likely far more. Among the companies seeking to remedy the problem is Southwest Airlines, which allows pilots to choose between morning and evening flight schedules. The United States Navy recently traded an 18-hour submarine shift schedule for a 24-hour one that more closely matches sailors biological rhythms. And at some pharmaceutical, software and financial companies, managers expect employees to come to the office for only a few hours in the middle of the day or to work off site entirely. I think circadian rhythms will be a huge issue for human resources in the future, said Camilla Kring, a Danish consultant who has helped employees at AbbVie, Roche, Medtronic and other companies learn to respect their natural sleep cycles. It really makes sense to think about when people have the most energy and when theyre peaking mentally. Worker fatigue has played a role in many workplace accidents, most famously the Challenger space shuttle explosion and the Exxon Valdez oil spill, but no doubt countless more on the commute to and from work. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that drowsy drivers cause 16.5 percent of fatal crashes. A survey released last year by the National Safety Council found that 97 percent of workers have at least one risk factor for fatigue, with 27 percent reporting having unintentionally fallen asleep on the job in the previous month and 16 percent that they had experienced at least one safety incident because of fatigue. We have a 24/7 society, so we knew fatigue was definitely affecting part of our work force, said Emily Whitcomb, senior program manager of the councils fatigue initiative. But we did not anticipate that fatigue was going to be affecting almost 100 percent of our work force. Sleep deprivation may even lead to ethical breaches at work. In a 2014 experiment, Christopher Barnes of the University of Washington and colleagues asked 142 people with extreme chronotypes to show up at their laboratory either at 7 a.m. or at midnight for a dice-rolling game that offered a $500 prize. Reporting was on the honor system. Morning people lied 18 percent more when they did the task at midnight than when they did it in the morning, whereas night owls lied 16 percent more when doing the task at 7 a.m. Dr. Roenneberg has collected data from 300,000 people and found that chronotypes plot as a bell-shaped curve, with a few individuals at each extreme and most falling somewhere in the middle. According to Dr. Roennebergs research, the most frequent chronotype held by about 13 percent of the population sleeps from around midnight to 8 a.m. Thirty-one percent of people have an earlier natural bedtime, and 56 percent have a later one. That means for at least 69 percent of the population, getting to the office by 8 or 9 a.m. requires waking up before their body is ready. MANAGUA, Nicaragua A life on the run was not one any of these Nicaraguans ever intended. But many people in this desperately poor Central American nation now live in a bleak new reality. They have exchanged their routine lives as lawyers, engineering majors, radio broadcasters and merchants for one of ever-changing safe houses, encrypted messaging apps and pseudonyms. Eight months after a spontaneous popular uprising left 322 people dead and 565 others in jail, Nicaraguans from cities across the country have gone underground. They are hiding from an increasingly authoritarian state that is methodically tracking down those who participated in the large-scale and often violent protests against the government of President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan A court in Islamabad on Monday sentenced the former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif to seven years in prison on corruption-related charges, just months after he was released on bail in another graft case and a year after he was ousted from power. Mr. Sharif, a once towering figure in Pakistans politics who served as prime minister three times, was led out of the courtroom, once again a prisoner. He has been accused of money laundering, tax evasion and receiving kickbacks, but his latest trial centered on allegations that he possessed foreign assets greater than his known source of income a government salary. Mr. Sharif was out of prison on bail to stand trial in two cases. He was acquitted in the second case by the same court. LONDON The tally so far: Britains second-busiest airport stalled for 36 hours. About 1,000 flights diverted or canceled. Around 140,000 passengers inconvenienced at the height of holiday travels. That was last week, when British officials said that drones had been spotted flying near Gatwick Airport, south of London, and shut it down. The score since then? One broken drone recovered, and a British couple detained and then released over the weekend without being charged. If the investigators seem flummoxed, they are. The fact that Gatwick is one of the most heavily surveilled strips of land in England, combined with an absence of video of any drone, left the lead investigator, Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley, questioning whether drones were in fact involved at all. The professor continued: He wants to turn around to the attorney general and say: Before you decide to prosecute me, pay attention. The people of Israel have re-elected me for a fourth time hopefully he will be able to say with more seats than ever before You cannot overturn the results of a democratic election. Asked by a reporter whether he expected the attorney general to postpone a decision until after the election campaign, perhaps not wanting to be seen as swaying the outcome, Mr. Netanyahu replied, I have no expectations. Political analysts said the dispute over the enlistment law provided Mr. Netanyahu with a convenient premise for calling an early election, allowing him to blame the ultra-Orthodox politicians within his coalition and the opposition parties who are against the legislation. The looming crisis over the law allowed Mr. Netanyahu to control the timing both of the dissolution of Parliament, expected later this week, and of the next elections, which are expected to take place on April 9. Still, elections can be a gamble for Mr. Netanyahu, who is banking on winning a fourth consecutive term in office, and his fifth over all. Despite the corruption investigations, Mr. Netanyahus popularity does not appear to have been seriously dented, and his conservative party, Likud, performs far better than any other in polls. This is in part because many Israelis do not consider any of his current opponents on the right, in the center or on the left as qualified to be prime minister. KABUL, Afghanistan Militants stormed Afghan government offices in Kabul on Monday after setting off a car bomb, and officials said at least 43 people were killed. The attack lasted at least five hours and shattered a period of relative calm in the Afghan capital, which over the years has been subjected to deadly and audacious assaults by militants opposed to the American-backed government. It also came less than a week after President Trump reportedly instructed the Pentagon to prepare for the withdrawal of about half the American military contingent deployed in Afghanistan, an abrupt shift in policy that caught Afghan officials by surprise. The attack began late in the afternoon as employees were leaving an area that houses offices belonging to the Afghan Ministry of Public Works and the administration dealing with pensions for the families of people killed and disabled in Afghanistans long war. Massacres are frequently carried out by killers using military-grade equipment thats easier to obtain when buying on credit. Stephen Paddock had two dozen guns inside the Mandalay Bay Resort when he rained fire on a music festival below. Police found four credit cards. James Holmes used credit to help buy more than $11,000 in guns, grenades, a gas mask and other military gear to attack a movie theater. Omar Mateen used six credit cards to buy two guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition before he opened fire inside the Pulse nightclub. The New York Times reviewed hundreds of documents including police reports, bank records and investigator notes from a decade of mass shootings. Many of the killers built their stockpiles of high-powered weapons with the convenience of credit. No one was watching. Two days before Omar Mateen killed 49 people and wounded 53 more at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, he went on Google and typed Credit card unusual spending. Mr. Mateen had opened six new credit card accounts including a Mastercard, an American Express card and three Visa cards over the previous eight months. Twelve days before the shooting, he began a $26,532 buying spree: a Sig Sauer MCX .223-caliber rifle, a Glock 17 9-millimeter semiautomatic pistol, several large magazines, thousands of rounds of ammunition and a $7,500 ring for his wife that he bought on a jewelry store card. His average spending before that, on his only card, was $1,500 a month. His web browsing history chronicled his anxiety: Credit card reports all three bureaus, FBI, and Why banks stop your purchases. He neednt have worried. None of the banks, credit-card network operators or payment processors alerted law enforcement officials about the purchases he thought were so suspicious. Mass shootings routinely set off a national debate on guns, usually focused on regulating firearms and on troubled youths. Little attention is paid to the financial industry that has become an instrumental, if unwitting, enabler of carnage. A New York Times examination of mass shootings since the Virginia Tech attack in 2007 reveals how credit cards have become a crucial part of the planning of these massacres. There have been 13 shootings that killed 10 or more people in the last decade, and in at least eight of them, the killers financed their attacks using credit cards. Some used credit to acquire firearms they could not otherwise have afforded. Those eight shootings killed 217 people. The investigations undertaken in their aftermath uncovered a rich trove of information about the killers spending. There were plenty of red flags, if only someone were able to look for them, law enforcement experts say. James E. Holmes spent over $11,000 on weapons and military gear before killing 12 people inside a Colorado movie theater in 2012. Karl Gehring/The Denver Post, via Getty Images Banks will complain this is the governments job and its not our job, but you know what? They are the only ones with the ability to do this, said Kevin Sullivan, a former New York Police fraud investigator who consults with banks as president of the Anti-Money Laundering Training Academy. After the shooting last February at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where 17 students and staff members were killed, this column suggested that financial firms had an opportunity to help reduce violence by pushing for more responsible practices by the gun industry. As a result, some banks ended their relationships with gunmakers and some investors pushed manufacturers for more transparency. Financial firms have so far resisted changing the way they deal with the sale of guns. Banks and credit-card networks say it is not their responsibility to create systems to track gun purchases that would allow them to report suspicious patterns. We do not believe Visa should be in the position of setting restrictions on the sale of lawful goods or services, said Amanda Pires, a Visa spokeswoman. Our role in commerce is to efficiently process, protect and settle all legal payments. Asking Visa or other payment networks to arbitrate what legal goods can be purchased sets a dangerous precedent. A spokesman for Mastercard echoed that sentiment, emphasizing its protection of cardholders independence and the privacy of their own purchasing decisions. But the financial industry is uniquely positioned to see, if it chose to do so, a potential killers behavior in a way that retailers, law enforcement officials, concerned family members or mental health professionals cannot. 57 Purchases in 61 Days USAA Mastercard May 10 2012 Gas mask James Holmes bought an assortment of guns, ammunition and tactical equipment in the weeks before the Aurora shooting Glock handgun 12-gauge shotgun June 1 .223 caliber AR-15 Handcuffs Shotgun sling 100-round AR-15 magazine June 15 Paper targets Bulletproof jacket Point Loma Visa Debit PayPal Combat helmet Pistol magazine July 1 Missile tube Glock handgun July 9 By The New York Times | Source: Appellate Unit Office of the District Attorney, 18th Judicial District A little more than a month before James E. Holmes killed 12 people and injured 70 others at a Century 16 movie theater in Aurora, Colo., in 2012, a psychiatrist was considering having him involuntarily committed. Mr. Holmes quit his job, filed for unemployment benefits and used a new Mastercard issued by USAA to help buy more than $11,000 in weapons and military gear. He bought two tear-gas grenades, a gas mask and filter, a .40-caliber Glock handgun, a 12-gauge shotgun, a .223-caliber AR-15, a 100-round drum magazine, two 40-round magazines, a laser sight, a bulletproof vest, 5,000 rounds of ammunition, two sets of handcuffs and road stars meant to slice through car tires. This was a civilian making these orders, not the police and not the military, said Sandy Phillips, whose daughter, Jessica, died in the attack. Someone should have noticed. Read the Previous Columns: How Banks Could Control Gun Sales if Washington Wont Big Investors Have Clout. They Can Use It With Gun Makers. Citigroup Acted. Now, Two New Ideas on How Banks Can Limit Gun Sales. Finding Fraud, but Not Firearms When it comes to certain crimes, banks are on the front lines. They crunch transaction data to protect their customers from fraudulent purchases often identifying stolen credit cards within seconds and to detect money laundering, funding of terrorist organizations and other crimes. Banks are required to report transactions of $10,000 or more by a single person, even if those transactions are legal. And after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the government enacted even stricter rules under the Patriot Act: Banks must file so-called Suspicious Activity Reports for transactions involving more than $5,000 that the financial institution has reason to suspect are part of a plan to violate or evade any federal law. A labyrinth of rules prevents banks and credit-card networks many of which also handle debit card transactions from seeing exactly what customers are buying. Retailers have historically resisted providing item-by-item information known as SKU-level data, a reference to the stock-keeping unit number of an item for fear that banks would sell that information or use it to steer customers to rival merchants. In the case of gun purchases, even the nature of the retailer can be obscure: The Merchant Category Code, which identifies the type of store that sold an item, is the same for gun shops and sporting goods stores. But retailers have the ability to send far more detailed transaction information. A feature known as a boxcar allows retailers to tag transactions with extra data. It is often used by online retailers to send the bank details about consumer behavior, such as the device used to make a purchase and the location of the buyer. If banks required retailers to transmit details on sales of guns and ammunition, they would be able to make more informed decisions about transactions. Walmart and Dicks Sporting Goods this year announced that they would not sell firearms to anyone under 21. If banks chose to use the systems they already have in place, they might decide to monitor such customers, perhaps preventing them from buying multiple guns in a short period of time. They can fine-tune their own systems, because in these cases the suspicious purchasing patterns could have been picked up on and quite frankly should have been picked up on, said Mr. Sullivan, the Anti-Money Laundering Training Academy president. Banks could also add information about gun sales to the infrastructure they already use to help the government investigate other criminal activity. We need to step back and think about what tools we use to combat terrorism and money-laundering and think about the financial rules associated with the Patriot Act, said John Streur, chief executive of Calvert Investments, a mutual fund firm that is an advocate for responsible investing. In a very real sense, I think these mass shootings are terrorism. Moving Money and Buying Guns The shooting at the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas last year was described as the worst mass murder on American soil since the Sept. 11 terror attacks. The gunman, Stephen Paddock, killed 58 people and injured more than 800. When his body was found on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, the police noticed four credit cards scattered across the kitchenette countertop next to his hotel key card. His rooms were filled with two dozen firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition. He spent nearly $95,000 on firearms and gun-related purchases in the year before the massacre, buying some 55 guns, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Departments report. Police have not disclosed details of how Mr. Paddock paid for his guns. Some transactions were in cash, but law enforcement officials said he also bought firearms online. Unlike most other mass killers, Mr. Paddock was wealthy. He spent over $600,000 at casinos in the two years leading up to the massacre, and paid over $170,000 to credit card companies. Law enforcement officials saw the full picture of his gun purchases only after they talked to the banks, but they wish they could have connected the dots in advance. Stephen Paddock had two dozen guns and four credit cards inside his hotel room when he opened fire on a music festival in Las Vegas last year. David Becker/Getty Images They have all the infrastructure in place, said Joseph Moreno, a former federal counterterrorism prosecutor and a staff member of the F.B.I.s 9/11 Review Commission who is now a partner at Cadwalader. A.T.F. is already involved in S.A.R.s task forces, he said, referring to suspicious-activity reports. It would just be tweaking it to consider firearm-related information. An Industry Falls Silent Over the last several months, I have spoken to senior executives at the countrys largest banks and credit card companies who were taken aback when I presented them with the list of shootings that involved their cards: Virginia Tech in 2007, Binghamton in 2009, Fort Hood in 2009, Aurora in 2012, San Bernardino in 2015, Orlando in 2016, Sutherland Springs in 2017 and Las Vegas in 2017. That list is based on interviews and hundreds of documents including police reports and credit card receipts. It may actually underreport the use of credit cards in shootings: In some cases the payment method could not be learned. While some executives expressed grief and were open to discussing possible solutions, virtually none were willing to speak about them on the record for fear of upsetting gun-rights advocates and politicians invoking the Second Amendment. Some raised the prospect that by trying to help they would be held responsible if the system failed. Others made a slippery-slope argument: If they were to police gun sales, should they do the same for alcohol in an effort to prevent drunk-driving deaths? After the school shooting in Parkland, Citibank and Bank of America said they would no longer finance or advise gun manufacturers, while investment firms like BlackRock and pension funds like Calpers, the retirement fund for public employees in California, said they would demand more information from the gunmakers they invested in. Several payment systems including PayPal, Square and Apple Pay already had established rules that ban the sale of guns and gun-related items using their systems. But no bank has instituted a ban or committed to tracking gun purchases. The inside of the nightclub where Mr. Mateen killed 49 people. Orlando Police Department John Shrewsberry, chief financial officer of Wells Fargo which counts the National Rifle Association as a client has dismissed the notion that banks should regulate the use of its credit cards for gun purchases. The best way to make progress on these issues is through the political and legislative process, he said in April on a conference call with investors. There may be good reason that no bank executive wants to talk out loud about guns: In October, Senator John Kennedy, Republican of Louisiana, introduced a bill, the No Red and Blue Banks Act, which would prohibit the federal government from giving contracts to banks that discriminate against lawful businesses based solely on social policy considerations. The bill was directed at banks that changed their policies regarding guns. Our friends at Citigroup and Bank of America apparently arent busy enough with their banking business; they have decided that they are going to set policy for the Second Amendment, Mr. Kennedy wrote on Twitter. And a policy expert at the American Civil Liberties Union recently expressed concern about how efforts to prevent mass shootings could infringe on individual rights. The implication of expecting the government to detect and prevent every mass shooting is believing the government should play an enormously intrusive role in American life, Jay Stanley, senior policy analyst at the A.C.L.U. Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, wrote in July. Not all the concerns involve privacy or politics. Some are practical. George Brauchler, the district attorney who oversaw the investigation of Mr. Holmes after the Aurora shooting, said the deluge of data the police receive already presents challenge. To some extent we are looking for a needle in a haystack and that haystack keeps getting bigger and bigger, he said. The data could inform old-fashioned police work that might or might not lead to something more, he said. Do I wish someone from law enforcement had been able to go to his door and knock on his door and figure out a way to talk their way into it or to freak him out?" he said of Mr. Holmes. Yeah, absolutely. Lives and Opportunities Lost A vigil after the Pulse shooting. Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times, via Getty Images Jared L. Loughner had the Chase Visa he used to buy a 9-millimeter Glock handgun in the pocket of his jeans when he shot Representative Gabrielle Giffords in the head outside a Tucson supermarket on Jan. 8, 2011. She survived, but six people died. There are a lot of steps that credit card companies can take that could prevent some of the tragic gun violence in the country, said Adam Skaggs, chief counsel of the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. For companies to say they cant solve the entire problem and therefore shouldnt take any steps is just blindly ignoring what they can contribute to the solution. Elected officials could force the financial system to act. In 29 states, consumers cannot use credit cards to buy lottery tickets because legislators dont want consumers racking up debt gambling. And under the Gun Control Act of 1968, firearms dealers must report if someone buys two or more handguns in a span of five business days. That requirement can be evaded simply by buying at more than one store, but a system involving the banks and credit card networks could have the opportunity to flag the purchases. After the Pulse shooting, JPMorgan Chase committed more than $300,000 to support the victims and their families. One of the 49 people killed was a Chase employee: Christopher Sanfeliz, 24, a personal banker at a branch in Tampa who had worked his way up from teller after taking business classes at Hillsborough Community College. Mr. Sanfelizs father, Carlos, was surprised to learn that the same industry that once employed his son had unwittingly bankrolled other shootings. Something needs to be done to prevent more attacks, he said. I live with this torment every day of my life. S Legend, a red and white Koi Carp bred in Japan became the most expensive live fish ever sold, after fetching a mind-blowing price of 203 million yen ($1.8 million), more than $1.3 million more than the previous record. The 101cm-long Koi Carp from the highly-regarded Kohaku variety was bought by a collector from Japan after a fierce bidding war at the Saki Fish farm in the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The female carp won first prize at the prestigious All Japan Koi Show last year, and is expected to bag her second title this year, which greatly increased collectors interest. Fans and collectors of Koi carp are now expected to travel from all over the world to catch a glimpse of the most expensive fish ever sold. Photo: Sakai Koi Farm This is a record price paid for a single Koi Carp, British Koi expert, Tim Waddington, told Daily Mail. At 101cm it is very large and from the favoured Kohaku variety. People in the Koi carp world are excited by the sale as it is an incredible price for a single fish. The previous best price was around 400,000 ($500,000). It really is a crazy world. Not much is known about the buyer, other than she is called Yingying and is from Taiwan. Oh and shes obviously incredibly wealthy and a big fan of Koi fish. Ms. Yingying will now be able to breed the award-winning fish, which can produce up to 500,000 eggs, of which only up to 5,000 will be of the right quality to sell. S Legend is also expected to compete in shows for at least another two years. Photo: Sakai Koi Farm Koi carp come in over a dozen varieties, of which Kohaku is by far the most popular and most valuable. It is said that koi breeders may experiment with rearing other varieties but in the end everyone always comes back to Kohaku. This variety is a white-skinned with large red markings on the top. To be considered perfect, the white of a Kohaku Koi must be free of any discolouration or yellowing. Japan remains the worlds largest producer of Koi carp, with 90% of production aimed export. In 2016, Koi carp exports generated over $35 million in revenue. Interestingly, Japan also holds the world record for most expensive dead fish ever sold, a 222-kilogram bluefin tuna auctioned off for 155 million yen ($1.4 million). A Chinese man was recently arrested and charged with fraud for impersonating a police officer. Hes definitely not the first person to do that, but what makes his case special is that he managed to convince everyone around him that he was a real police officer for 12 years. 41-year-old Wang Feng had always wanted to be a police officer, but never actually trained or studied to become one. That didnt stop him from pretending to be one for over a decade, though. It all started in 2006, when Wangs brother was involved in a debt dispute case and needed a lawyer. To make sure that his brothers counsel gave 100% in court, Wang met with the man and pretended to be a police officer at the Haiyan Baibu Police Station, in Baibu Town, Chinas Zhejiang Province. The ruse actually worked, which made Wang Feng want to try it on others as well. Soon, he started telling friends and acquaintances that he had become a police officer, bought a fake uniform, handcuffs, and even had a fake ID done. In 2011, Wang Feng met Xiao Lu, the woman who would later become his wife. A friend introduced him as an officer of the Jiaxing Criminal Investigation Detachment, and she became fascinated by the thrilling stories he told about criminals and police investigations. She was convinced that he was a deputy-level police officer, but as their relationship became serious, her family became suspicious of him. One of her cousins asked about Wang at the police academy he was supposed to have graduated from, but they had no record of him ever attending. The fake policeman told his wife that he had used another ID while studying at the Chinese Criminal Police Academy, so thats why he didnt show up in their records. She believed him and agreed to become his wife. When none of Wang Fengs family members and police force colleagues showed up at the wedding, Xiao Lus parents asked for an explanation, and the fake policeman told them that both his parents had died a long time ago and he was no longer in contact with other family members, and that all of his colleagues were attending a high-ranking officers wedding in another district. After the wedding, Wang Feng told his wife that he was working on important and sensitive criminal cases and asked her not to talk about his job with anyone, even her parents. The obedient woman didnt think that was strange, as Wang always put on his police uniform when leaving for work, constantly talked about his cases, and routinely left on missions for days at a time. Xiao Lu had heard that policemen constantly had to work overtime, so she didnt find his behavior odd at all. What Wangs wife didnt know was that he had been faking his profession for years, so he had plenty of experience. He had read dozens of police-themed novels, constantly checked the public WeChat account of the Chinese police, and downloaded evaluation and debriefing reports from the internet, which he then faked as his own. Throughout the 12 years that Wang Feng managed to fake his police officer persona, he also benefited from fortunate circumstances. For example, three years ago, his wifes cousin was arrested for stealing and her family asked him to use his connections to help. Wang got him a lawyer who managed to get the charges dropped, which everyone attributed to Fengs pull in the police. Then, one of Wangs friends was charged with a DUI and asked if he could help get him a reduced sentence. The man got his wish, but not thanks to Wang. He was sure that he was going to jail, but the alcohol content in his blood was low, so he only got his license revoked for six months. Nevertheless, he credited Wang Feng for getting him off the hook. While everyone thought he was out on missions, carrying out investigations and catching criminals, Wang Feng was actually spending time in hotels or running a small and unprofitable printing business. He borrowed money to keep it afloat, using his fake identity as a guarantee that he would pay it back, but never did. When he was finally arrested by real police officers in September of this year, he had accumulated over 2 million yuan ($290,000) in debt. That proved to be his downfall, as some of his creditors got tired of waiting for him to pay his debts and notified the authorities. While searching Wang Fengs house, police found fake uniforms and IDs, hand-written performance and debriefing reports that had been copied from online sources, handcuffs, and other props the man had used to impersonate a police officer. Asked why he had kept up the ruse for so long, Wang Feng said that he had always wanted to be a police officer, and after pretending to be one to help his brother 12 years ago, vanity got the better of him. He enjoyed the respect he got from everyone, so he just kept telling lies after lies until it became impossible to stop pretending. Source: The Paper Under the Northbrook ordinance banning bump stocks, an online gun accessories retailer located in the village will no longer be able to sell or possess the devices, according to village officials. OpticsPlanet, which is based in a Northbrook industrial park, cannot sell bump stocks to residents in Northbrook or to potential out-of-state, online customers, said Deputy Village Manager Jeff Rowitz. The ordinance was written in general terms to apply to all businesses in the village and not to single out any one company, Frum said. Northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is working to collect and preserve the ancient texts of three small ethnic minorities, local authorities said Wednesday. The ethnic affairs committee of the city of Hulun Buir said they were translating and compiling the historical texts and files of Ewenki, Daur and Oroqen, including many collected from the public for better conservation. The committee said they had so far collected 1,794 pages of texts dated between 1636 and 1949. The files written in the Manchu language include government files, folk legends, and records of local religious beliefs and practices. The three ethnic groups do not have their own written languages, and many of their records were in Manchu and Mongolian. Someone is giving Andrew Cuomo good advice. He is out there, taking on all comers on media outlets of all sorts. In contrast with Donald Trump, who is avoiding the tough questions, Andrew is looking pretty good. It turns out that the guy actually has a sense of humor although like his late, great father, that sense of humor may get him into trouble. For example, he often quips about his brother, Chris. As we all know, relatives can be quite sensitive and as Freud is reported to have said, There is no joke. In a recent conversation I had with Andrew, he playfully referred to State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, citing my friendship with DiNapoli as we were discussing the possibility of raises for legislators. When I reiterated for the hundredth time that they should get a raise but be prohibited from taking outside jobs, he jumped to agree with me but took a shot at DiNapoli, who sits on the commission that will decide the matter. Cuomo knows full well that he had to sign off on the deal to create the commission. In the past, he has always agreed about the congressional ban on outside work. In our radio conversation, he said I agree with you Alan Chartock. He even suggested that we write an op-ed together on the subject. He couldnt resist taking a shot at DiNapoli, who I consider to be the best man in state government. In any case, it was plain that Andrew was having fun with me. It is so important to remember that Cuomo both competes with his late father, the three term governor of New York, and takes instruction from the example he set. Mario, of course, was one of the greatest fake out artists in the history of the state. He knew that as long as he was a viable presidential candidate, people would take him seriously as governor. Once he told people that his White House aspirations were pie in the sky, I suspect he was sunk when he decided to run for a fourth term. After all, there is a certain amount of statewide pride when your guy is aspiring to the top job. Andrew knew from day one that winning a third term was going to be difficult. So, he has to position himself to run for president. It was no mistake that he just pulled down one of the top jobs in the National Governors Association. Interesting, since Andrew Cuomo has really never been known for playing nice with his fellow governors. Of course, the fact that he won so overwhelmingly in his election as governor had to be impressive to his fellow executives. So is Andrew really running for president? Heres the way I see it. He only wins among New Yorkers if he does what Mario did and positions himself as a serious contender for the White House. It is unlikely that he will want to run for a fourth term, although if you follow the he competes with his father theory, it might be tempting to show everyone that he could run and actually win a fourth term. I doubt that he wants a corner office in some highbrow law office somewhere. Naturally, some Democrat might want to put him in their cabinet even though he has already done that at HUD for the Clintons. So unless someone wants to make him Secretary of State or Attorney General (remember Jeff Sessions?), that scenario is not going to happen. Maybe Secretary of State since he already speaks a foreign language he speaks New York with a Queens accent. So Andrew has absolutely nothing to lose by playing the presidential scenario and no matter what he says, he will do that unless there is some secret in his closet that we dont know about. You never know, right? 2018: The Aadhaar year and how it unfolded India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Dec 24: Aadhaar, India's extraordinary attempt to give every citizen a biometric identity, is set for a massive revamp with new offline verification tools and non-intrusive ways for people seeking to voluntarily use the 12-digit unique number for new bank accounts and mobile connections. After twists and turns in 2018, led by the landmark Supreme Court ruling on the constitutional validity of Aadhaar, the UIDAI's efforts around offline modes like eAadhaar and QR code that can leverage the unique ID without any access to biometrics or even revealing the 12-digit number would gather pace in 2019. UDAI introduces virtual ID for Aadhaar card holders From school admissions to getting marriage certificates to paying taxes to taking new mobile connections, Aadhaar touched multiple facets of people's lives as it became the default identifier. This was true for around 1.22 billion Aadhaar holders till doubts emerged that collection of biometric details, even for general service, could infringe on a citizen's privacy rights. Then, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the world's largest biometric identification database but spelt out its new limitations. After last year's assertion that Indians have a right to privacy, the Supreme Court in September 2018 redefined the boundaries of the biometric authentication -- Aadhaar can be used for payment of government benefits and taxation records but private companies were barred from accessing it. In a 4-1 judgement delivered by the Constitution Bench, the Supreme Court held that Aadhaar would remain compulsory for the filing of Income Tax (IT) returns and allotment of Permanent Account Number (PAN) However, Section 57 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 that permitted private entities like telecom companies or other corporates to use the biometric data was struck down, dealing a body blow to the government's ambitions to make the world's largest biometric project mandatory for a slew of services. The landmark ruling sent banks, telecom operators and fintech companies -- who relied heavily on Aadhaar eKYC -- scrambling in search of other viable means of customer verification. RBI clarifies: Linking Bank accounts with Aadhaar mandatory under PMLA As the verdict meant that fulfilling regulatory Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements would have again involved a lot of paperwork for verification purposes, Aadhaar-issuing authority, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), quickly came up with alternate modes like QR (Quick Response) codes, e-Aadhaar and offline methods. Just as 2018 started to wind down, came another twist in the plot. Earlier this month, the government decided to propose changes to existing laws - Telegraph Act and PMLA - in order to allow the use of Aadhaar as an ID verification tool for opening bank accounts and obtaining mobile connections, albeit on a voluntary basis. Additionally, fresh penal provisions have been proposed - through an amendment in Aadhaar Act - to deter companies from insisting on Aadhaar or misusing the biometric data. The proposed amendments, which will be placed before the Parliament during the ongoing Winter session, propose to arm UIDAI with regulator-like powers to take enforcement actions on the misuse of the national biometric ID and impose stiff penalties on violations. The compelling reason behind this seems to be the government's belief in the transformative potential of Aadhaar -- the system is so cheap and efficient that it is estimated to have accounted for over 90 per cent of new subscriptions in the telecom sector, according to experts. More stringent deterrents are likely to be put in place in the coming months. These might include a penalty for failure to obtain consent for authentication or offline verification -- up to three-year imprisonment or fine of up to Rs 10,000 --, penalty for unauthorised use of core biometric information. The latter could attract imprisonment between 3-10 years and a fine of up to Rs 10,000. Even as it dons regulatory role, the UIDAI would continue to accelerate efforts to transform and scale up Aadhaar enrolment and update services, currently available through 30,000 centres operating in designated bank branches, post offices and government premises across the country. 'Aadhaar Seva Kendras', similar to the concept of Passport Seva Kendras, will come up in 53 cities across India at an estimated project cost of Rs 300-400 crore. These swanky new centres will be operational by August next year, dishing out appointment-based enrolment, update and other miscellaneous services around Aadhaar, under the watchful eyes of authority's own employees. Earlier this year, former UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey, recalling his early years as a small-town boy who didn't hold a photo identity for a long time, had reportedly said that Aadhaar offered an answer to an ancient question that was asked by sages -- who am I? The year that was, ensured that the answer continues to be the 12-digit identifier, at least for those who choose to use it. (With agency inputs) For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 5:58 [IST] Accident took place on Rohtak-Rewari highway The incident took place near a flyover in Haryana's Jhajjar. Seven of the eight dead are women. 10 of the injured are critical. The grievously injured have been admitted to Rohtak's PGIMS. Six of the seven dead are women and belonged to the same family, said reports. Havoc on Yamuna Expressway: Over 20 cars ram into each other due to smog Dense fog during early mornings is a major problem in North India The victims were travelling in a jeep, officials said, as per a PTI report. "As the cruiser jeep was involved in an accident with a truck, other vehicles which were close behind also rammed into each other. The visibility was poor due to dense fog," a Jhajjar police official said. Six of the seven dead are women A school bus, several trucks, and cars were reported to be among the vehicles that collided with each other. For the past one week, the dense fog has reduced the visibility level at various parts in the state, resulting in difficulty for commuters. Haryana Minister Om Prakash Dhankar Haryana Agriculture Minister Om Prakash Dhankar visited the hospital where injured have been admitted and announced ex-gratia to the kin of the deceased. "Compensation of Rs. 2 lakhs will be given to the kin of the deceased, Rs. 1 lakh to those severely injured and Rs.50,000 to those with minor injuries," ANI quoted Dhankar as saying. In November last year, several people were injured after around 20 cars rammed into each other on the Agra-Noida Yamuna Expressway due to low visibility. The collision took place on both sides of the expressway as thick fog engulfed regions near Delhi-NCR. 15 injured in vehicle pile-up on NH-1 in Haryana On December 8, 2016, at least 15 people were injured following a pile-up of vehicles due to dense fog on the busy National Highway No. 1 (NH-1) near Kurukshetra in Haryana. On December 1, 2016, at least one person was killed and several others injured after 12 vehicles piled up at Yamuna Expressway near Mathura due to dense fog. (Images courtesy - ANI/Twitter) AgustaWestland: Court permits former Air Chief, S P Tyagi to travel abroad India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Dec 24: A Delhi court has allowed former Air Chief S P Tyagi, an accused in the AgustaWestland case to travel abroad. The court however said that the travel would be subject to certain conditions. The order was passed following an application filed by Tyagi before the Patiala House court in Delhi. Last week the court had directed the CBI to cancel the look out circular (LOC) issued against former IAF chief S P Tyagi, who is an accused in the VVIP chopper scam. AgustaWestland: ED arrests James Christian Michel Special Judge Arvind Kumar directed the probe agency to inform the concerned authorities about it. CBI had issued LOC against Tyagi in 2013. It is a circular issued by the authorities to check if a person who is travelling is wanted by the law enforcement agencies. The CBI on September 1, 2017, had filed a charge sheet in the case in which Tyagi and British national Christian Michel were named as accused along with others. Eight others were also named in the charge sheet in connection with a bribery case in the VVIP chopper deal. Tyagi (73) is the first chief of the Indian Air Force to be charge-sheeted in corruption or a criminal case by the CBI and he has denied all charges against him. On January 1, 2014, India scrapped the contract with Italy-based Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the IAF over alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of paying kickbacks to the tune of Rs 423 crore by it for securing the deal. The CBI has alleged there was an estimated loss of 398.21 million euro (approximately Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010, for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euro. AgustaWestland: Michel disguised kickbacks as consultancy fees Besides Tyagi, the agency has also chargesheeted retired Air Marshal J S Gujral along with eight others, including five foreign nationals, in the charge sheet filed in the court. The company, AgustaWestland, is also one of the accused. Others named in the charge sheet are -- Tyagi's cousin Sanjeev alias Julie, advocate Gautam Khaitan, alleged European middlemen Carlo Gerosa, Christian Michel, Guido Haschke, former AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini and former Finmeccanica Chairman Giuseppe Orsi. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 15:02 [IST] Malaysia-born novelist, Woon Swee Oan, also known as Wen Rui'an to Chinese martial arts fans, reveals that he still possesses a passion and energy for writing, during a recent event in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. "Now, I can write for one hour without pausing for a second to take a blink," says the 66-year-old writer. Woon, who has seen dozens of his novels adapted into nearly 30 films and TV series, has signed a deal with the internet giant, NetEase, to license the digital copyright of his work to the company's online reading platform, NetEase Literature. During the Dec 16 event, Woon gave a retrospective conversation about his writing career and shared his views about the development of martial arts franchises in China. He recalled that he was born in a rural area in Malaysia and began to fictionalize stories at a very young age at around 5 or 6 years old. When his first poem, Moon, was published in 1963, the then third-grade pupil felt so encouraged, he thus officially embarked upon his "career" as a writer. Delhi govt to get Rs 10,000 cr revenue from bidding of liquor shops under new excise policy Delhis liquor shops reopen from today under new excise policy| Check timings, costs and other details here MP liquor shops offer 10% discount for those taking second jab of COVID-19 Ahead of New Year, police seize illicit liquor in Gujarat India oi-Madhuri Adnal Ahmedabad, Dec 24: Ahead of New Year, Gujarat Police have seized illicit liquor worth Rs 19.34 lakh that was smuggled to the Gir Somnath district headquarters in a fishing boat from Union Territory of Daman, police said Monday. Local crime branch of Gir-Somnath district police raided a fishing boat that had arrived at Veraval harbour, around 400 kms from here, on Sunday morning and seized 10,597 liquor bottles and 2,764 beer cans hidden inside the storage area of the boat, said LCB police inspector B B Koli. Booze at a kitty party: 21 women arrested in Gujarat Veraval is the headquarters of Gir Somnath district. "In total, we have recovered IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor) worth Rs 19.34 lakh and seized the fishing boat worth Rs 20 lakh", he said, adding that a sailor identified as Hari Bandia was arrested during the operation. Bandia told police that the IMFL was meant to be delivered to a local bootlegger Jitu Agiya, the police inspector said. The boat to bring IMFL from Daman was hired by Agiya, he said, adding that hunt is on to nab Agiya and his accomplices. "As per his plan, Agiya had sent the boat to Daman. A bootlegger, named Gafar, loaded the liquor stock in his boat and transferred it to Agiya's boat mid sea near Daman coast", Koli said. In dry Bihar, over 3,000 litres of liquor seized He said the bootleggers took the sea route for smuggling liquor due to heavy police presence on roads and highways in the view of upcoming New Year. Gujarat has a sumptuary law in force since 1960 that proscribes the manufacture, storage, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 14:36 [IST] Arrested Central Govt employee confirms the presence of urban naxalites India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Raipur, Dec 24: Amidst the widespread debate about the existence of an urban naxal movement, a Central Government employee arrested by the Chhattisgarh police has confirmed that there does indeed exist a movement of this sort. N V Rao a Naxal National Coordinator arrested by the Chhattisgarh police was working as a Senior Technical officer in the National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad and he had used his position to stay undercover and also supplied arms to naxals. An explosives expert, Rao largely stayed in touch with naxals in the urban areas. During his interrogation, he said that he worked with the urban network of the naxalites. He said that he had come to deliver a detonator to one person, who was to carry out a major operation in the Rajnandgaon district. Undercover as a Central Govt employee, how this man helped spread the naxal movement Rao further confirmed that the naxals in the forests were getting help from their friends in the urban areas. It may be recalled that the Pune Police had arrested several persons from the cities, who were actively helping naxalites. The police had registered a case following the Bhima-Koregaon violence and accused the urban naxals of flaring up sentiments in a bid to create violence and panic. Rao is originally a resident of Andhra Pradesh. His wife is an advocate and runs an NGO. His brother too allegedly influenced by the naxal movement is part of the Civil Liberties Committee. The police are ascertaining his contacts and are also deciphering the mobile phone and also a wireless device that was found on him. At a press conference the Inspector General of Police, G P Singh said that the Naxal National Coordinator, N V Rao has been arrested in Rajnandgaon. We found on him 23 detonators, one mobile phone and naxal literature. He used his position as a Senior Technical officer in the National Geophysical Research Institute to supply arms to naxals, Singh also said. 2018: How forces took the battle to the naxalites, but the fight is far from over Officials say that he used his position in the government to further his activities. He largely remained undetected thanks to the position that he was holding. The police are now ascertaining for how long, Rao had been coordinating with the naxalites. He was active for several years now. Officials also revealed that he was an expert with explosives. During his stint, he had taken part in several movements across the country, which included the Elgaar Parishad, an event, which exposed the rope of urban naxalites. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 10:31 [IST] Till when does a father have to take responsibility of his child: SC clarifies You have 24 hours, SC to Delhi Govt on rising pollution Air Pollution: You want to ban industries in Pakistan? Court asks UP govt BJP moves SC against order that put its yatras in Bengal on hold India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Dec 24: The BJP has moved the vacation bench of the Supreme Court, challenging the order which had put on hold its proposed yatras to be conducted in West Bengal. The court registry has however refused to grant an urgent hearing to the matter. The Calcutta High Court had reviewed its own decision, while putting the yatras on hold. A Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court had said that it would review the order of the single judge, who had permitted the BJP to undertake the yatras in West Bengal. The matter came up for hearing before a larger bench headed by Chief Justice Kargupta last week, and the case was sent back to the single-judge bench with instructions that it consider 36 intelligence inputs provided by the state administration before taking a decision on the BJP's "rath yatra" in West Bengal. BJP wants and TMC does not want 'save democracy yatra' for 2019 Lok Sabha polls The earlier order of the single judge stands quashed. The earlier order of the single judge stands quashed. Following the order of the single judge, the West Bengal government had approached the Calcutta High Court. It had challenged the order of the single judge which permitted the BJP to hold Rath Yatra rallies across the state as part of its 2019 Lok Sabha campaign. The State Advocate General Kishore Dutta moved a petition opposing the single bench order before a division bench of the chief justice on Friday morning. BJP prepares alternate plans also for West Bengal if state government delays its Rath Yatra plan The state government has roped in senior counsel and veteran Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi to plead the case on behalf of the West Bengal Police. The single judge had said that any threat to public order must be real and not imaginary or likely possibility. "Without providing for reasonable restrictions, the authorities have passed an order for total exclusion," the judge had also said. Hello, Sharad Pawar speaking...: Man uses spoof app to call Mantralaya; 3 held from Pune IAF officer arrested on rape charges in Coimbatore, sent to judicial custody Booze at a kitty party: 21 women arrested in Gujarat India oi-Madhuri Adnal Surat, Dec 24: As many as 21 women were arrested for allegedly consuming liquor at a party organised at a hotel here in Gujarat, the police said on Saturday. Police raided the hotel located in Piplod locality of the city late on Friday night after receiving a tip-off about an ongoing liquor party, an Umra police station official said. The women were part of a kitty party, he said, adding that the police have recovered four empty bottles of IMFL. UP: Man's nose bitten-off by alcoholic brother after being denied money The women were taken to civil hospital for blood test after the raid and booked under provisions of Prohibition Law. The women were produced in court on Saturday and were released on bail. In a separate case, six women and eight men were arrested from an apartment in Athwa Lines in Surat for allegedly consuming liquor, police said. Under the Gujarat Prohibition Law, manufacture, storage, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages is a punishable offence. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 5:48 [IST] Left bastion crumbled against saffron onslaught History was created when the first straight poll battle between the country's dominant Left party, the CPI-M, and the BJP saw the Marxist stronghold of Tripura crumble in the February 2018 assembly elections, after 25 years in power. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-IPFT (Indigenous People's Front of Tripura) coalition swept the polls, winning 44 seats in the 60-member assembly. The BJP alone secured 36 seats while the IPFT, a tribal-oriented party, won eight seats. The CPI-M won the remaining 16. Before the 2018 polls, neither the BJP nor the IPFT had won a seat in the assembly and their vote share was less than two or three per cent. The 2018 polls were also a major setback for the Congress, which had ruled the state for 23 years (1959-1977 and 1988-1993). For the first time in 40 years, the key opposition party remained unrepresented in the assembly. Coalition politics works for Congress in Karnataka A high-octane assembly poll, a thrilling government formation exercise filled with nail biting twists and turns, and never-ending coalitionworries encapsulated 2018 in Karnataka. The state saw attempts at coming together of "like-minded secular parties" against the BJP-led NDA ahead of the Lok Sabha polls next year, with top opposition leaders attending the swearing-in ceremony of the new Congress-JDS coalition chief minister H D Kumaraswamy. After the elections threw up a hung assembly, the Congress and JDS stitched together a post-poll alliance to clinch power, days after the BJP, which emerged as the single largest party, failed to muster the numbers. Alleged attempts by the BJP to poach the ruling coalition. MLAs to destabilise the government and return to power added drama to the state political scene. The Karnataka government's efforts for a separate state flag and religious minority tag for the dominant Lingayat community got mired in controversies. Congress takes back the helm from BJP in Rajasthan The Congress wrests Rajasthan from the BJP in the 2018 assembly polls. The Congress won 99 seats, BJP won 73 and BSP won 6 seats out of the 199 seats that went to polls. A minimum 101 seats are needed to form a government in the House of 200. The party has lost ground in all 25 Lok Sabha constituencies. Past trends also show that the party that wins the assembly elections also wins a majority of the Lok Sabha seats. MP cliffhanger ends with Congress just two short of majority The Congress, which was running neck and neck with the BJP in the Madhya Pradesh assembly election, ended up the single largest party with 114 seats, two short of a majority in the 230-member assembly. The BJP won 109. Later, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party on Wednesday extended support to the Congress. Both parties had almost the same vote share at around 41% and the difference of votes polled by the parties across the state was only 47,827. Congress wins Chhattisgarh by a landslide The Congress staged a massive comeback in Chhattisgarh by winning/leading in 67 of the total 90 seats and wresting the state from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), showcasing its best sign of resurgence in the 2018 assembly elections. The BJP was reduced to only 18 seats while the Janata Congress. Chhattisgarh Jogi-Bahujan Samaj Party (JCCJ-BSP) combine won seven, including that of former chief minister Ajit Jogi. TRS strikes gold The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi government won by a huge majority in the state Assembly elections on Tuesday, trouncing the Congress-led alliance. Caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's party won 88 seats out of 119, while the Congress managed just 19 seats, and the Telugu Desam Party two. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen won even seats, and the Bharatiya Janata Party only one. Congress loses its last North-East outpost, trounced by MNF in Mizoram The last outpost of the Congress in the North-East fell Tuesday when it was trounced in the Mizoram assembly polls as the Mizo National Front (MNF) roared back to power after ten years. The MNF led with 26 while the Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), an alliance of non-Congress, non-MNF parties formed last year, came a surprise second, winning eight seats to become the principal Opposition party. Government new snoop on computers order challenged in SC India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Dec 24: The government's decision authorising 10 agencies to monitor, decrypt any computer has been challenged in the Supreme Court. The petition filed by advocate, M L Sharma challenged the validity of the order was passed by the Ministry for Home Affairs last week. The petitioner cited right to privacy, while challenging the order of the government. The Supreme Court registry however declined an early hearing stating that there was no urgency in the matter. This means the matter would come up before a regular bench after the Supreme Court's December vacations are over In today's world of cyber terror, why the snoop order on computers is the need of the hour The government had said that had authorised 10 central agencies to intercept, monitor and decrypt all the data contained in "any" computer system and asserted that this was being done to prevent "any unauthorised use of these powers". The new order, issued late Thursday night, "does not confer any new powers" to any security or law enforcement agency, the Union Home ministry said in a statement as the opposition termed the move an assault on fundamental rights and joined hands against it. The order was brought out by the 'cyber and information security' division of the ministry under the authority of Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba. According to the order, 10 central probe and snoop agencies are now empowered under the Information Technology (IT) Act for computer interception and analysis, officials said. The agencies, according to the order, have been authorised "for the purpose of interception, monitoring and decryption of any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource under the said Act (section 69 of the IT Act, 2000)". In a clarificatory statement, the Home ministry said adequate safeguards are provided in the IT Act, 2000 and similar provisions and procedures already exist in the Telegraph Act along with "identical safeguards". The ministry said "each case" of such computer interception, monitoring and decryption is "to be approved by the competent authority, which is the Union home secretary". Cyber crime becoming industry, may occur 'very often': Rajnath Singh "The present notification is analogous to the authorisation issued under the Telegraph Act. The entire process is also subject to a robust review mechanism as in case of Telegraph Act. Every individual case will continue to require prior approval of Home ministry or state government. MHA has not delegated its powers to any law enforcement or security agency," it said. The ministry used Rule 4 of the IT (Procedure and Safeguards for Interception, Monitoring and Decryption of Information) Rules 2009 to elaborate its point. It provides that "the competent authority may authorise an agency of the Government to intercept, monitor or decrypt information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer resource for the purpose specified in sub-section (1) of Section 69 of the Act", the ministry said. Therefore, it said, the latest order has been issued "in accordance with rules framed in year 2009 and in vogue since then and no new powers have been conferred to any of the security or law enforcement agencies". The notification, it said, has been issued to notify the ISPs (internet service providers), TSPs (telecommunications service providers), intermediaries among others to codify the existing orders. "These powers are also available to the competent authority in the state governments as per IT (Procedure and Safeguards for Interception, Monitoring and Decryption of Information) Rules 2009," it added. According to rule 22 of the IT (Procedure and Safeguards for Interception, Monitoring and Decryption of Information) Rules 2009, all cases of interception or monitoring or decryption are to be placed before the review committee, headed by the cabinet secretary, which shall meet at least once in two months to review such cases, the statement said. In case of state governments, it added, such cases are reviewed by a committee headed by the chief secretary concerned. Honour killing: Lady who married against familys wishes found dead India oi-Madhuri Adnal Hyderabad, Dec 24: In a suspected case of honour killing, a 22-year-old woman, who married a man from a different caste, was found dead under suspicious circumstances in Telangana's Mancherial district, police said on Sunday. A Laxman, the husband of the woman, has complained to police that his wife Anuradha was forcibly taken away by her parents on Saturday night, a senior police officer said. "Our teams were searching for her and in the due course we found some human bones at a nearby village. We have sent them for forensic examination. We we will not be able to comment anything as of now", Mancherial DCP Venugopal Rao told PTI. Delhi: Three held for killing 22-yr-old in Vivek Vihar A police official, who was part of the investigation, said they have taken Anuradha's parents and a few of her relatives into custody for questioning. They confessed that Anuradha was dead, the official said, adding that it is not yet clear whether they killed her or she died due to some other problem. However, the kin confessed that they burnt her body at Mallapur village in nearby Nirmal district. The cause of her death is yet to be ascertained, the official said. Laxman used to work as a computer operator while Anuradha was a diploma holder in education. Both got married in Arya Samaj in Hyderabad during the first week of this month as the parents of Anuradha refused to let her marry. Unable to cure migrane, Bengaluru doctor attempts suicide after poisoning mother, sister Meanwhile, a video which purportedly shows Anuradha saying that she wanted to live with Laxman, and that her parents will be responsible if anything happens to him or her, has gone viral. She also purportedly says that police should take cognisance of the video. The DCP said they are leaving no stone unturned to nab the culprits. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 6:06 [IST] Not only Iran, this country too had found India not fulfilling its promise India-Iran ties: Chabahar Port to be handed over to Indian firm in a month Watch out, Pakistan! First Afghan cargo to India via Chabahar Port to start today Chabahar Port likely to be ready by May Indian firm takes over ops of Chabahar port in Iran India oi-PTI New Delhi, Dec 24: A crucial trilateral meeting of officials from India, Afghanistan and Iran on the strategically-important Chabahar port was held on Monday during which they agreed on the routes for trade and transit corridors between the three countries. The first meeting of the follow-up committee for implementation of the trilateral Chabahar agreement between India, Afghanistan and Iran at the level of Joint Secretary or Director General was held in the Iranian port city of Chabahar, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. On the occasion, India Ports Global Limited company opened its office and took over operations at the Shaheed Behesti port at Chabahar. Not only Iran, this country too had found India not fulfilling its promise Positive and constructive discussions were held between the three sides on full operationalisation of the Trilateral Transit Agreement for international transit and transport through the Chabahar Port. They agreed on the routes for the trade and transit corridors between the three countries, the MEA said. It was agreed to finalise at the earliest, the protocol to harmonise transit, roads, customs, and consular matters. During the meeting, it was agreed to allow cargo movement at Chabahar using Transports Internationaux Routiers Convention provisions, the MEA said. It was decided to hold an event to promote and popularise the potential of Chabahar on February 26, 2019. A study would also be initiated for determining measures to make the route attractive, decrease logistic costs and pave the way for smooth operationalisation of the Chabahar Agreement. Chabahar port: Iran criticises India for not making assured investments The next Follow-up Committee meeting, followed by the second Coordination Council Meeting at the level of secretaries or deputy ministers, will held in India. In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan inked a pact which entailed establishment of Transit and Transport Corridor among the three countries using Chabahar Port as one of the regional hubs for sea transportation in Iran, besides multi-modal transport of goods and passengers across the three nations. The port in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich nation's southern coast is easily accessible from India's western coast and is increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistan's Gwadar Port, which is being developed with Chinese investment and is located at distance of around 80 km from Chabahar. The Chabahar Port is considered a gateway to golden opportunities for trade by India, Iran and Afghanistan with central Asian countries besides ramping up trade among the three countries after Pakistan denied transit access to India. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 23:48 [IST] Indian forward posts at Rajouri targeted by Pak India oi-Madhuri Adnal Srinagar, Dec 24: Pakistani troops Monday opened fire and shelled forward posts and villages along the LoC in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. The firing and shelling from across the border started in Keri, Lam, Pukharni and Peer Badaser areas of Noushera sector around 9.30 am, a police officer said. Army personnel guarding the LoC retaliated and the cross-border firing between the two sides was going on when last reports came in. There was no immediate report of any casualty, the officer said. SSP Rajouri, Yougal Manhas: Pakistan violated ceasefire in Keri and Pukherni sectors of Rajouri district today morning. Shelling is continuing, our forces are retaliating appropriately. The schools in the area have been closed for today. #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/KhSEdbE3si ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2018 Bike's fuel tank explodes in Punjab; rider injured, reason of the explosion yet to be ascertained Jammu: Bus veers off road, hurtles down hilly terrain and crashes; One ITBP personnel dead India oi-Vikas SV Jammu, Dec 24: A bus with 35 security personnel onboard veered off the road and hurtled down a slope in hilly terrain in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban district, said reports. One ITBP personnel was killed and 24 others injured as the bus crashed into trees and boulders. The incident took place near Khooni Nala on the Jammu-Srinagar highway. A helicopter was deployed to rush the seriously injured to a hospital in Jammu. Gujarat: 9 children dead after bus falls into gorge near Ahwa town "We have rescued 24 persons with injuries and one dead. We are evacuating seriously injured to Jammu via chopper. There were reportedly 35 persons travelling," news agency ANI quoted DC Ramban as saying. The ITBP men were returning from Srinagar and were on the way to Jammu. Reports said that the bus carrying 35 ITBP men skidded off the road near Khoni Nallah and rolled down into a deep gorge. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 10:48 [IST] China's ministerial policymakers vowed on Sunday to make substantial efforts to boost investment, promote consumption and technological innovation, increase imports and expand opening-up, all moves that are in line with requirements of the newly concluded tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference. He Lifeng, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, said the NDRC plans to strengthen policy support to shore up growth, with a focus to be put on upgrading the manufacturing sector and supporting infrastructure growth. The conference, held from Wednesday to Friday, called for more investment in areas exhibiting weakness in the economy, such as infrastructure. Top policymakers at the meeting also agreed to stimulate domestic consumption, push for a more comprehensive opening-up and strengthen innovation and technological upgrading. At Sunday's annual work conference of the commission, He said the country will map out a strategy for achieving high-quality infrastructure growth. Lending will be increased to support infrastructure construction, rural development, water conservation, ecological and environmental protection, energy and transportation in order to ease economic downside pressure. But "investment needs to be efficient, and projects must be able to bolster areas of weakness in the economy". He added that efforts will be made to encourage private capital to be channeled into infrastructure projects. More efforts will be made to foster upgrading of traditional industries, and the government will step up financial support for the technological transformation of manufacturing firms, said He, adding that a number of world-class technological innovation centers will be built to foster new growth drivers. "Consumption has a greater role to play in stabilizing growth, and the commission will take more measures to boost domestic demand and unleash gigantic domestic market potential," he said. Consumption contributed to 78 percent of the country's economic growth in the first three quarters of the year, and China's 400 million middle-income consumers are demanding more imports of high-quality goods and services, according to official data. The Ministry of Commerce held its annual work conference over the weekend, with Zhong Shan, the minister, vowing to continue promoting reform and opening-up, expand domestic consumption, accelerate development of pilot free trade zones and free trade ports, and enhance bilateral and multilateral economic cooperation next year. Song Xianmao, deputy director-general of the ministry's Foreign Trade Department, said the country's imports are expected to exceed US$2 trillion this year, compared with US$1.84 trillion last year, setting a record and making a greater contribution to global trade. "China will take multiple measures to further increase imports next year such as hosting the second China International Import Expo and increasing imports of agricultural and resource products." China has signed cooperation deals with more than 130 countries, regions and international organizations on jointly developing the Belt and Road, with 17 free trade agreements involving 25 countries and regions finalized. The work conference, presided over by President Xi Jinping, called for continued expansion of economic opening-up. Bernard Dewit, chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, said, "It is reassuring to learn that President Xi reaffirmed in the speech that he emphasized among other subjects that China had pushed forward reform and opening-up in 2018 and maintained sustained and healthy economic development. It is reassuring to learn that China will continue in that direction in 2019." He added that it is important for the outside world to have a China with a more open economy and market, as well as a socially stable country. Sino-U.S. trade China and the United States conducted vice-ministerial-level calls on Friday and achieved fresh progress on issues of mutual concern, including trade imbalances and strengthening of intellectual property rights protections, the Ministry of Commerce said in an online statement released on Sunday. The calls came as China's Central Economic Work Conference decided to "push forward Sino-U.S. economic and trade negotiations". AAP leaders to visit Ram Lalla shrine before Ayodhya yatra, first list of UP candidates soon AAP to contest all seats in UP assembly polls, not in talks for any alliance: Sanjay Singh Justice Zora Singh who probed sacrilege incidents joins AAP India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Dec 24: Justice Zora Singh (Retd), who had headed a commission to probe sacrilege incidents in Punjab joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday. "I joined AAP because I feel it is the only party that can serve the public in the best possible way. I want to devote my retired life to the service of the people. I hope that Punjab learns from Delhi," said Justice Singh, who has spent over three decades in judiciary. He lauded the initiatives taken by the AAP Government in Delhi. "These clinics are being appreciated by everybody. You can't get free medicine or tests in any other state. The Delhi government has also raised the level of education in government schools. Their decision to help families of Army and police personnel who lose their lives in the line of duty with Rs. 1 crore is commendable," Justice Singh added. He said that he had submitted the detailed report to Badal Government but no action was taken on that by the then state government. He said that even the Congress Government did not bother to take action against Badal in the cases of desecration. The Justice Zora Singh Commission, set up by the Akali-BJP government to probe sacrilege of the Sikh holy book the Guru Granth Sahib in Punjab in 2015, had submitted its report on June 30, 2016. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's government, however, rejected this report as "inconclusive" and set up the Justice Ranjit Singh Commission of Inquiry in April last year. The panel was tasked to probe the cases of sacrilege as well as a firing incident in Faridkot in which two Sikh protesters were killed. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 23:27 [IST] Kumbh Mela 2019 to spread over larger area India oi-Madhuri Adnal Allahabad, Dec 24: One of the largest religious gatherings in the world - the Kumbh Mela - will be this time spread over an area of 45 km from the earlier 20 km radius. Pilgrims visiting the holy city will also get a glimpse of Akshay Vat, a Banyan Tree held sacred by Hindus, and Saraswati Koop, a well believed to be the source of the mythical Saraswati River. Prayagraj Mayor Abhilasha Gupta Nandi told PTI, "The area of the Kumbh Mela has almost doubled this time. Earlier, the Kumbh Mela used to be spread over an area of of 15-20 km. Now, the mela is spread over an area of 45 km. Railways to run 800 special trains for Kumbh Mela pilgrims Elaborating on the importance of Akshay Vat, the mayor said, Akshay Vat is found only in four places across the country, and at these places the Kumbh is held. According to folklore, the tree, which is inside the Allahabad Fort (under Army control) has the power to fulfil wishes. She added that a new road leading to the tree is being built to facilitate pilgrims. According to legend, sage Markandeya once asked Lord Narayan to give him a glimpse of divine power. Narayan flooded the entire world for a moment, during which only the Akshay Vat at Prayagraj could be seen above water level, she said. Saraswati Koop is also located inside the Allahabad Fort. An idol of Goddess Saraswati is being installed," she said. According to UP government officials, it is for the first time that devotees will be arriving in the city through land, air and water routes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to the city earlier this month, said devotees will be able to offer prayers at Akhsay Vat, which has been closed for years, during Ardha Kumbh. I am here to give you good news. This time, devotees will be able to visit Akshay Vat in Ardha Kumbh, the prime minister had said. Kumbh Mela 2019: Indian Railways discontinue Mela surcharge For the first time, an Integrated Control Command and Centre has been established in the Kumbh area. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had recently said that it is the endeavour of the government that the Kumbh turns out to be darshaniye (worth seeing), adbhut (amazing), divya (divine) and bhavya (grand). Kumbh will prove to be a confluence of our age-old traditions and culture with modernity and technology. It will be a New India and New Kumbh, Adityanath had said. After former President Rajendra Prasad, it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who visited Akshay Vat and Saraswati Koop. Ambassadors from nearly 70 countries had also visited Prayagraj to get a glimpse of the preparations for the mega event, Adityanath had said. Yesterday, while addressing the Yuva Kumbh held in Lucknow, Adityanath had said, "Kumbh is a symbol of India's unity and integrity, and its spirit is that youth power should be used for nation building. The state government will make efforts to provide all possible facilities to pilgrims at the Kumbh. The state government will also establish grand statues of Bharadwaj muni and Goddess Saraswati in Prayagraj. The Mela draws lakhs of pilgrims over the course of approximately 55 auspicious days to bathe at the sacred confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati. Kumbh Mela is celebrated four times over a course of 12 years. Kumbh: UP govt bans all marriages in Allahabad between Jan and March 2019 The geographical location of Kumbh Mela covers four locations in India with the mela site rotating from Haridwar (Uttarakhand) on the Ganga, Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) on Shipra, Nashik (Maharashtra) on Godavari to Prayagraj at the confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati. The 2019 Kumbh Mela will commence on January 15 on Makar Sankranti which will be the first bathing day. Mahashivratri on March 4 will mark the last bathing day. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 14:45 [IST] Didnt think twice before getting into bed with Shiv Sena: Captain hits out at Congress Sena targets NCB: Officers trying to extort money by framing youngsters must be arrested Chowkidar chor hai: Uddhav Thackeray does a Rahul Gandhi to attack Modi India oi-Deepika S Mumbai, Dec 24: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday mouthed the Congress party's oft-repeated jibe of "chowkidar chor hai" made in the context of the Rafale fighter jet deal to mount a veiled attack on his senior ally -- the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been repeatedly hurling the "chowkidar chor hai" (the guard is a thief) jibe at Modi to claim irregularities and favouritism in the Rafale deal and award of offset contracts related to the Rs 58,000-crore defence agreement with France. The government, however, has been rejecting the charges. "The farmer told me that for the first time in his lifetime, he had seen a lime tree getting infested, which they have been using to make pesticides. I had told him that now, days have changed. Security persons have become thieves." After Bihar, BJP's focus now on Maharashtra and its alliance with Shiv Sena "Halli paharekarich chorya karaylaa laagale aahet. (Today, security persons have themselves become thieves)," he said in Marathi. 'Paharekari' is a Marathi equivalent of the Hindi word chowkidar. Thackeray, who has consistently attacked the Modi government on a range of issues, said he has already taken the decision on whether to form an alliance with the BJP for the upcoming General Elections. The Sena leader, whose party is a constituent of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and state, was addressing a public rally in Solapur district. The Sena chief in January had announced his party would contest all future Lok Sabha and assembly elections on its own. In the last six months, the BJP leadership has been consistently stressing on an alliance with the Sena for the upcoming polls. The Amit Shah-led party has regularly insisted that the Maharashtra-based outfit is its natural ally and they will resolve their differences amicably. However, at the Pandharpur rally, Thackeray appeared to be in no mood to spare the lead NDA constituent. "The BJP's perception of a 'world winner' has been shattered by the results of the assembly elections in the five states. Ayodhya case to be heard by Supreme Court on Jan 4 "The outcome of Mizoram and Telangana assembly elections has given a clear message that voters have rejected national parties and chosen strong regional options," he said. In the just-held polls, the BJP was ousted from power in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh by the Congress, while regional parties did well in Mizoram and Telangana. "The Chhattisgarh assembly election has also given a strong message against the BJP. People were fed up with the BJP government and hence they rejected it," said Thackeray. He also took on the Modi government over issues like allegations of irregularities in the Rafale fighter jet deal and implementation of crop insurance scheme for farmers. "There have been several allegations over the Rafale fighter jet deal and I do not know how the Supreme Court has given a clean cheat. But I know the Modi government has refused pay hike for jawans," the Sena chief said. Commenting on the finalisation of seat-sharing in Bihar between the JD(U), the LJP and the BJP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he asked chiefs of the two regional parties to clarify their stand on Ram mandir and Hindutva. "Nitish Kumar (the JD-U chief) and (LJP president) Ram Vilas Paswan should declare their views on Ram mandir and Hindutva," the Sena leader said. OneIndia (Oneindia News PTI inputs) What is Sabarimala Thantri's view over use of halal jaggery to prepare prasadam: plea in Kerala HC Sabarimala: Two women who attempted to visit Lord Ayyappa shrine today return India oi-Vikas SV Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 24: A day after a group of 11 women below 50-years age made an unsuccessful bid to offer prayers at the Lord Ayyappa shrine, two women, who began their trek to Sannidhanam on Monday morning, returned after protestors blocked their way at Appachimedu. The two women devotees have been brought back to Pampa base. The women had reached till Appachimedu, which is two kilometres away from the main shrine. The Ayyappa devotees protested against them and blocked their way. Sabarimala protests: Sec 144 extended till Dec 27; Several devotees detained at Pampa Forty-six-year-old Kanakadurga, a resident of Malappuram, and Kozhikode local Bindu headed for the hilltop temple this morning (Dec 24) amid protests. The two women arrived at Pampa by a KSRTC bus and started the trek towards the main shrine. They reached Marakkoottom by 7.30 a.m as police used force to disperse the protesters. Bindu earlier today said that the Supreme Court order must be enforced and expressed hope that police would provide them security. Women, in the age group of 10-50 years, are traditionally barred from entering the Sabarimala temple. But the Supreme Court, in its September 28 verdict, lifted the ban and permitted women of all age groups to offer prayers at the temple. After the SC verdict, several women have tried to enter the shrine but have been unsucessful so far due to the massive protest by the devotees. On Sunday, tensions flared up near the Sabarimala Temple as a group of 11 women, below the age of 50 years, began to trek with the intension of visiting the Lord Ayyappa shrine. Manithi, a Chennai-based NGO, had declared that a group of 50 women, all below the traditionally barred age of 50 years, would visit the Sabarimala shrine. The 11 women managed to reach the base camp at Pamba but were met by hundreds of protestors who had gathered at the entry point to the trekking path. They could not go forward as devotees started 'namajapa' (chanting of hymns of the lord) to protest against them. Sabarimala Temple opens for 62-day long Mandala Pooja On October 20, Two women, who came within 500 meters of entering the Sabarimala Temple, had to turn back and return after the head priest of the shrine threatened to shut down the shrine and stop prayers. Over a dozen women have so far made unsuccessful attempts to trek the holy hills. Four transgenders, who were earlier stopped from proceeding towards the Lord Ayyappa temple citing security reasons, offered prayers at the hill shrine under heavy police security earlier this week. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 11:36 [IST] Details of the two patients who have been detected positive for Omicron variant 'Shoot them mercilessly': Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy's order caught on tape India oi-Deepika S Bengaluru, Dec 25: Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has landed in controversy after he was caught on tape giving instructions to "shoot down mercilessly" the accused in the murder of a JD(S) worker who was hacked to death on Monday. In a video that has emerged from the Chief Minister's visit to the scene of the crime, HD Kumaraswamy is heard saying on the phone, "He was a good man. I don't know who killed him and who killed him in this manner. Shoot them(the killers) mercilessly, there would be no issues." However, the chief minister later clarified that he was shocked to hear about the killing and it was just an emotional outburst. Karnataka Cabinet expansion: Governor administers oath of office to 8 MLAs "It was not an order passed by me as the chief minister. It was due to anger. The suspects are wanted in two other murder cases. They were in jail and now they have killed one more person," he said. The JDS local leader Prakash was hacked to death today in Mandya. The men opened the car's back door, where Prakash was sitting and attacked him. Initial reports said Prakash was alive after the attack but succumbed to his injuries later. The incident prompted protests by party workers who blocked the Bengaluru-Mysuru and Bengaluru-Dindigul highways, alleging that political rivalry was behind the "murder". 'Some become restless on being out of power': Modi at release of Rs 100 coin in memory of Vajpayee India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Dec 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said political parties should learn from former Atal Bihari Vajpayee who remained in the opposition for decades but never compromised on the ideology. Modi said he would go to Vajpayee's memorial on Tuesday to reiterate his commitment to the ideology and path shown by the statesman. On the eve of Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 94th birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today released a Rs 100 commemorative coin in the memory of the former PM. Vajpayee's long-time associate and BJP veteran L K Advani, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP president Amit Shah were also present at the event in the national capital. Vajpayee's portrait to be installed in central hall of Parliament The former prime minister died at the AIIMS in the national capital in August at the age of 93 following prolonged illness. Addressing the gathering, Modi said he would go to Vajpayee's memorial on Tuesday to reiterate his commitment to the ideology and path shown by the statesman. "Atal Ji wanted democracy to be supreme. He built the Jana Sangh. But, when the time came to rescue our democracy he and others went to Janata Party. Likewise, when the choice was between remaining in power or comprising on ideology, he left Janata Party and formed the BJP," the prime minister said. He said while for some, power is oxygen and they cannot live without it, Vajpayee spent a long part of his career in the opposition benches raising issues of national interest. The late prime minister never compromised on the ideology of the party, Modi said. He said, the party, which "Atalji built brick by brick" has become among the largest political parties. Prime Minister Modi said Vajpayee as a speaker was unparalleled. "When he spoke, the nation spoke... when he spoke the nation listened," he said. Vajpayee to be remembered on birth anniversary; to discuss detailed programme on December 13 The mind is not ready to believe that Vajpayee is no longer alive. Though he was away from public glare for nearly a decade due to ill health, the way people gave him a farewell on his demise showed the mark he had created in people's minds, Modi said. OneIndia News with PTI inputs For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 13:11 [IST] The legend of Santa Claus: Why kids eagerly wait for Christmas? India oi-Vikas SV New Delhi, Dec 24: It is that time of the year when millions of children count down the days of December and go to sleep on Christmas Eve, anticipating a gift when they wake up next morning. Santa Claus may be a western belief but children all over the world know the legend. They may not know everything about Santa Claus or Christmas, but what they definitely know is that if they behave well throughout the year then Santa will give them a nice present. Parents usually tell children that Santa Claus makes list of children throughout the world, categorises them according to their behavior and gives them presents accordingly. Before the children wake up in on the Christmas the morning, parents keep toys and gifts near their pillow, and kids become happy on getting them. This is what the Santa Claus belief is: Once Santa has made his list, checked it twice and finds out who has been naughty and nice, he sets off on his sleigh with his trusty reindeer. During Christmas eve, Santa Claus travels around the world to distribute gifts. Year after year, Children's letters sent to Santa Claus are wish lists for an enormous number of toys, games, dolls and toy cars, while grown-ups commonly ask for health, peace and love for themselves, their family and friends. In the United States and Canada, children traditionally leave Santa a glass of milk and a plate of cookies; in Britain and Australia, he is sometimes given sherry or beer, and mince pies instead. In Denmark, Norway and Sweden, it is common for children to leave him rice porridge with cinnamon sugar instead. In Ireland it is popular to give him Guinness or milk, along with Christmas pudding or mince pies. The Santa Claus legend: The legend of Santa Claus can be traced back hundreds of years to a monk named St. Nicholas. It is believed that Nicholas was born sometime around 280 A.D. in Patara, near Myra in modern-day Turkey. He was very religious from an early age and devoted his life entirely to Christianity. During his lifetime, he became famous for defending his people against imperial taxes and other forms of oppression. After his death, people believed that Nicholas continued to work miracles. His burial place, below the floor of his church, became a popular destination for pilgrims who begged Nicholas to relay their petitions to God. During the Middle Ages, often on the evening before his name day of 6 December, children were bestowed gifts in his honour. This date was earlier than the original day of gifts for the children, which moved in the course of the Reformation and its opposition to the veneration of saints in many countries on the 24th and 25 December. Letter writing to Santa: Writing letters to Santa Claus has been a Christmas tradition for children for many years. These letters normally contain a wishlist of toys and assertions of good behavior. Many postal services allow children to send letters to Santa Claus. These letters may be answered by postal workers or outside volunteers. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 19:12 [IST] Chhattisgarh's horrific accident: Nobody will be spared, justice will be done: CM Baghel Undercover as a Central Govt employee, how this man helped spread the naxal movement India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Raipur, Dec 24: The Chhattisgarh police carried out a crucial arrest on Sunday. The person to be arrested was N V Rao, a National Naxal Coordinator. The arrest is an important one, considering that Rao was working as a senior technical officer in the National Geophysical Research Institute in Hyderabad, a department that falls under the Central Government. When arrested, he was found to be in possession of 23 detonators, naxal literature and a mobile phone. The arrest is a crucial one, considering the fact that Rao undertook activities for the naxalites, despite being an employee of the Central Government. 2018: How forces took the battle to the naxalites, but the fight is far from over At a press conference the Inspector General of Police, G P Singh said that the Naxal National Coordinator, N V Rao has been arrested in Rajnandgaon. We found on him 23 detonators, one mobile phone and naxal literature. He used his position as a Senior Technical officer in the National Geophysical Research Institute to supply arms to naxals, Singh also said. Officials say that he used his position in the government to further his activities. He largely remained undetected thanks to the position that he was holding. The police are now ascertaining for how long, Rao had been coordinating with the naxalites. He was active for several years now. Officials also revealed that he was an expert with explosives. During his stint, he had taken part in several movements across the country, which included the Elgaar Parishad, an event, which exposed the rope of urban naxalites. The police learnt that Rao had played a crucial role in ensuring that peaceful protests turned violent. He would allegedly provoke people and ensure that the protests would turn violent. He had taken part in several other protests that included the Narmada Bachao Andolan, the Kisan movement among others. When one naxal told another that Congress would help in instigating violence Rao is originally a resident of Andhra Pradesh. His wife is an advocate and runs an NGO. His brother too allegedly influenced by the naxal movement is part of the Civil Liberties Committee. The police are ascertaining his contacts and are also deciphering the mobile phone and also a wireless device that was found on him. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 9:04 [IST] If normalcy to be brought in Kashmir, Article 370 has to be reinstated: Farooq Abdullah Vaishno Devi ropeway inaugurated: Now, travel between Bhawan and Bhairon Ghati in under 5 mins India oi-Vikas SV Srinagar, Dec 24: Bhairon Ghati Passenger Ropeway Project which would reduce the travel time of pilgrims between Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan and Bhairon Ghati has been inaugurated. The project was e-inaugurated by Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Monday. The distance between Bhawan and Bhairon Ghati is 1.5 kilometre, but many pilgrims, especially the elderly, used to avoid visiting Bhaironji Temple due to a steep climb to an altitude of 6,600 feet. The work on Bhairon Ghati Passenger Ropeway Project was undertaken by a joint venture between Garaventa AG, Switzerland and Damodar Ropeways Construction Co (P) Ltd, Kolkata, under the supervision of RITES. The equipment and cabins of the rope-way have been imported from Switzerland. Trial run on this ambitious project was done successfully by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) in May this year. Important facts about Bhairon Ghati Passenger Ropeway Project: Former Jammu and Kashmir governor NN Vohra had laid the foundation stone for Bhairon Ghati Passenger Ropeway Project on April 18, 2013. This ropeway can carry 800 pilgrims per hour and 45 persons in one go. The pilgrims will be able to cover the 1.5-kilometer distance between Bhawan and Bhairon Ghati in just 4 minutes. The ropeway will enable all pilgrims to pay obeisance at Bhaironji Temple which was earlier difficult, particularly for the elderly and specially-abled, owing to a steep climb to an altitude of 6600 feet. The ropeway will also be used for ferrying waste material to Katra for disposal. The Himkoti Track remained temporarily closed for the movement of pilgrims from 10 May to 14 May this year for shifting of cabins for Bhawan-Bhairon Ghati passenger ropeway project. This prestigious project had to be completed within a period of two years at an estimated cost of Rs 54.67 crore but it got delayed. Trial runs were held in May and June this year under a team of experts. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 14:23 [IST] Why Kolebira bypoll win significant for Congress? India oi-Vikas SV Ranchi, Dec 24: The Congress never had significance presence in Jharkhand and it usually ends up at third or fourth place in terms of number of seats won after every assembly election. The best performance by the Congress came in 2009 Jharkhand Assembly elections when it won 13 seats and stood third behind the BJP and JMM. The Jharkhand Assembly has 82 seats and the majority mark needed to form government is 42. Considering the past performance and also that in the 2014 elections, when it finished at fourth place from this seat, the Congress' win in Kolebira bypoll is important. Congress candidate Naman Bixal Kongadi defeated his BJP rival Basant Soreng by 9,658 votes. Kolebira bypoll: Congress' Naman Bixal Kongari wins by 9658 votes The bypolls in Kolebira was necessitated after the sitting MLA of Jharkhand Party, Enos Ekka, was convicted by a court in a murder case. The Congress' win also marked the end of Enos Ekka's hold over the tribal-dominated constituency. For the Kolebira bypoll, the Jharkhand Party fielded Enos Ekka's wife Menon Ekka hoping that she may cash on her husband's popularity among the tribals. But, it seems that Enos is not popular anymore, especially after the conviction as Menon lost miserably. She ended up in fourth position, behind the Congress, BJP and the Rashtriya Sengle Party. The Congress managed to win the seat despite the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha backing Menon Ekka. Jharkhand is currently ruled by the BJP after the party won a clear majority in 2014 assembly elections by bagging 48 seats. The Congress had then won just 6 seats. The Khunti Lok Sabha seat under which Kolebira falls is currently held by Karia Munda, one of BJP's most prominent tribal faces in Jharkhand. The current term is Munda's second as MP from Khunti. With Congress winning Kolebira, Munda might find it tough to retain Khunti in 2019 Lok Sabha elections A win in Kolebira, which is predominately a tribal area, means that the Congress is making inroads among tribal voters. Congress supporters are reportedly claiming that these results indicate an alienation of Jharkhand's tribal voters from the BJP. In 2015, the Congress won a bypoll to the Lohardaga Assembly constituency, wresting the seat from BJP's ally All Jharkhand Students' Union. Like Kolebira, Lohardaga is also a tribal dominated constituency. Congress has never won from Kolebira seat. It came fourth in the 2014 elections with an abyssmal vote share of 8.7 percent and in 2009, it came third with 13.5 percent of the votes. In another bypoll in Jasdan assembly seat in Gujarat for which counting was held in on Sunday (December 23), BJP candidate Kunvarji Bavalia emerged victorious by defeating Congress' Avsar Nikaya by over 19,000 votes. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 12:38 [IST] Liu Qiangdong, the billionaire founder and CEO of Chinese e-commerce giant JD, will not face sexual assault charges in the United States, as prosecutors said they could not prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Industry insiders say Liu's case in the US has a limited impact on the overall performance of the company in the long run but that JD is now facing tougher competition from rivals such as Alibaba. The company's shares lost about 60 percent of their value since early this year as it grappled with the accusations against Liu. Chen Tao, an analyst at the Beijing-based consultancy Analysys, said as consumers pay more attention to the quality and value of products sold on the e-commerce platform, Liu's incident will not have a direct influence on the daily operation of the company. "However, JD's reach in first and second-tier cities is high, or close to saturation. It should seek new growth engines and pour more resources into smaller cities and rural areas," Chen said. Hong Tao, an analyst from GF Securities said the tech heavyweight has faced troubles. JD's advanced logistics system, which is its core strength, has been overtaken by Alibaba's Cainiao Logistics, and the shortage of commodity categories at its online marketplace has also affected the rapid growth of JD's businesses, Hong said. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office, the prosecutorial office handling the case, determined after an investigation by the Minneapolis Police Department's sex crimes unit and a review by four senior sexual assault prosecutors that evidentiary problems would have made it highly unlikely that criminal charges against Liu could be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. In a statement, County Attorney Mike Freeman said on Friday that as prosecutors reviewed surveillance video, text messages, police body camera video and witness statements, "It became clear that we could not meet our burden of proof and, therefore, we could not bring charges." JD said on Saturday it was pleased to see this decision. Liu issued a statement on his Weibo social media account after the Minneapolis authorities announced they would not file charges against him. "This proves I broke no law, however, my interactions with the woman have hurt my family greatly, especially my wife. I feel deep regret and remorse and hope she can accept my sincere apology," Liu said. "I will continue to try in every possible way to repair the impact on my family and fulfill my responsibility as a husband." Liu added. He did not respond to comments on the internet while the investigation was ongoing to avoid interfering with police and prosecutors. JD has reported its slowest quarterly revenue growth, with third quarter net revenue reaching 104.8 billion yuan ($15.2 billion), a 25.1 percent year-on-year increase. Analysts polled by financial data and analytics firm FactSet had estimated that JD would report revenue of 106.09 billion yuan in the third quarter. Liu was arrested in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on suspicion of criminal sexual conduct on Aug 31 and later released without charge or bail. He returned to China on Sept 3. I have been assaulted by Rabri Devi, driven out of her house: Tej Pratap's wife Aishwarya Rai Why not? says Tej Pratap Yadav on assuming RJD leadership India oi-PTI Patna, Dec 24: In a remark that could trigger fresh speculation about a rift in the family of Lalu Prasad, his elder son, Tej Pratap Yadav, on Monday said he would not shy away from being the leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), if he is given a chance. "Why not?" said Tej Pratap when asked whether he was ready to take over the reins of the RJD. Tej Pratap was talking to the media at after launching a daily Janta Durbar programme. There have been reports that Tej Pratap has been feeling uneasy with the growing clout of his younger and more savvy brother Tejashwi, who has emerged as the party's de-facto leader in the absence of Lalu Prasad. 'Demoralised' JDU MLA resigns in protest against atrocities towards people When the RJD lost power after Nitish Kumar quit the ruling alliance, Tejashwi was made the leader of opposition in the Bihar assembly. Only a week ago, Tej Pratap had announced that he would now actively take interest in the RJD affairs. Tej Pratap and Tejashwi made their electoral debut simultaneously in the 2015 assembly elections in Bihar. While Tej Pratap was made a cabinet minister, Tejashwi was appointed as the deputy chief minister. After announcing the commencement of his daily Janta Durbar programme at the RJD office, Tej Pratap spent nearly four hours inside the chamber that had been reserved for his father Lalu Prasad, sitting on his chair, listening to the grievances of party supporters. "The leadership vests with the people and I am here to serve them," he added. Tej Pratap, an RJD legislator and a former minister in the Bihar Cabinet, was on a prolonged state of reclusion after he sought a divorce six months ago, along with an apparent tiff with his family over their refusal to back his decision to separate from his wife Aishwarya. Shatrughan Sinha meets Lalu, calls his son Tejashwi 'Bihar's face' Last week, the Nitish Kumar government allotted him a bungalow near his mother Rabri Devi's home as he was reportedly reluctant to live with his family. Lalu Prasad also lived in that house before he was jailed in a fodder scam case. Tej Pratap said he will hold similar Janta Durbar hearings at various places, including his assembly constituency Mahua. "I do not wish to cause inconvenience to our supporters living away from Patna," he said. During a national council of the RJD held in Patna last year, the party unanimously passed a resolution to declare Tejashwi as the chief ministerial candidate for the next assembly elections in Bihar. Tej Pratap, drawing an analogy from the Mahabharata, has often remarked that he saw his younger brother as Arjuna and himself as Lord Krishna. The remark has been construed by opposition parties like the BJP as an expression of resentment against Lalu Prasad for favoring the Tejashwi and ignoring claims by Tej Pratap. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 20:54 [IST] More than 30 BJP workers killed in attacks made by TMC in West Bengal: Dilip Ghosh Those who don't drink real cow milk will not realise value of gold in it: West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh Will strip you of your uniforms: Bengal BJP chief's threat to policemen India oi-Deepika S Kolkata, Dec 24: The Bengal BJP chief on Monday threatened Kolkata Police of "stripping" them of their uniforms if the party comes to power, accusing policemen of filing false complaints against BJP workers. "The policemen are registering false cases against my party workers. A day will come when we will strip you of your (police) uniforms. Police aren't worth wearing the uniform," Ghosh was quoted as saying by the ANI. He was addressing a public meeting on Saturday in Birbhum district. Warning the police, Ghosh said that the party is keeping track of those officers who filed cases against the BJP workers. BJP moves SC against order that put its yatras in Bengal on hold "We will also identify those officers who had slapped false cases against us after coming to power. They will have to pay us back from their own pockets," he said. Ghosh said that the party is keeping track of those officers who filed cases against the BJP workers. "We will also identify those officers who had slapped false cases against us after coming to power. They will have to pay us back from their own pockets," he said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 22:17 [IST] Nawaz Sharif sentenced to 7 years jail in Al-Azizia case, acquitted in flagship reference case International oi-Vikas SV Islamabad, Dec 24: An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Monday convicted Nawaz Sharif in Al-Azizia corruption case and awarded him seven years jail term, while former prime minister was acquitted in Flagship Investment reference, said reports. The accountability court judge Muhammad Arshad Malik had reserved the judgment after completion of hearing in Al-Azizia Steel Mills and the Flagship Investment cases against the deposed PM last week. The Pakistan Supreme Court had set the deadline for Monday to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases against the three-time former prime minister. Nawaz Sharif explains why he was punished Sharif, who arrived in Islamabad from Lahore on Sunday, said that his conscience was clear. "I do not have any sort of fear; my conscience is clear. I have done nothing that would force me to bow my head. (I) have always served the country and this nation with absolute honesty," he said earlier while talking to senior party leaders in a special meeting in Islamabad before going to the court. Nawaz held a long meeting with the PML-N president and younger brother Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday at his Ministers' Enclave residence to discuss the party matters and post-verdict scenario. He also said that there was no evidence against him. Geo TV reported that on the question of party policy in case of an adverse judgment against him, Sharif left to the senior party leader how to react. Entry to the accountability court was restricted. No one was allowed to attend proceedings on Monday except those having permission of the registrar, the Dawn reported. A large number of Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supporters and senior party leaders were present outside the court to show their support for the party's supreme leader. Security was beefed up around the judicial complex, with heavy contingents of police and Rangers deployed around the building and along roads leading to the court. Ahead of the verdict, Sharif also met his younger brother and Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif at Ministers' Enclave. The younger Sharif was also facing probe by the NAB. The accountability court had indicted elder Sharif for holding assets beyond his known sources of income in August 2017. Why it is wrong to write off Nawaz Sharif, the Phoenix of Pakistan politics Last week, the judge rejected application by Sharif's lawyer Khawaja Harris to provide one week time to submit more documents but allowed him to provide any document by Friday last. The judge also observed that the court was bound to follow December 24 final deadline set by the Supreme Court. Three cases - Avenfield properties case, Flagship Investment case and Al-Azizia steel mills case - were launched by the National Accountability Bureau on September 8, 2017 following a judgment by the apex court that disqualified Sharif. The apex court initially set six month deadline to conclude the cases but it was subsequently increase around eight times on the request of the accountability court. Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case in July, 2017. In July, 2018 Sharif, his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year respectively in prison in the Avenfield properties case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices. However, the three were bailed out by the Islamabad High Court in September. His two sons - Hassan and Hussain - were also co-accused in all three cases but they were declared absconders for failing to appear before the court even for a single time. The court decided to hear their cases separately once they returned back. The three-time former prime minister and his family have denied any wrongdoing. Sharif, who religiously followed the proceeding by appearing before the court for at least 78 times, told the media after the court reserved the judgment last week that he not committed any corruption. "Not a penny of corruption has been proven against me...I am very happy that I have done my duty, and I think that since I have stepped in politics I have never indulged in corruption nor have misused my power," he had said. Veteran politician Javed Hashmi on Saturday predicted that Sharif will be convicted in the Flagship and Al-Azizia case as "the institutions won't let these (cases) prove false". Talking to the media in Multan, he said that the purpose of the NAB was to make politicians change their political loyalties. "I will not accept this decision as Nawaz Sharif will be convicted at any cost," he was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper. OneIndia News with PTI inputs Kamala Harris to become first woman with Presidential power: Here's why What we know about first case of Omicron reported in the US Trump won't wait till February, will push Mattis out 2 months before time International oi-Vikas SV Washington, Dec 24: US President Donald Trump apparently does not want Jim Mattis, who resigned as the US Defence Secretary on Thursday (Dec 20), to continue till February and may replace him two months earlier than expected, said reports. Trump is reportedly angry at Mattis' resignation letter in which the latter has stated that there's a growing divide between them. Mattis also rebuked Trump's foreign policy and said the President should have a defense secretary more aligned with his views. James Mattis resigns as US Defence Secretary; Cities differences with Trump as reason A Reuters report while quoting a senior White House official said that Trump was irked by the attention given to Mattis' resignation letter. In his resignation letter sent on Thursday, Mattis told Trump it was the "right time" for him to step down because the US president deserved a defence secretary "whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects." "The end date for my tenure is February 28, 2019, a date that should allow sufficient time for a successor to be nominated and confirmed as well as to make sure the Department's interests are properly articulated and protected at upcoming events to include Congressional posture hearings and the NATO Defense Ministerial meeting in February," he said in the resignation letter. Mattis' decision came a day after Trump ordered American troops to rapidly withdraw from war-torn Syria in an abrupt decision that was criticised by many as premature. Trump said that Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan would take over for Mattis on an acting basis on January 1. In a tweet, Trump called the former Boeing Co executive "very talented." Trump to replace Jim Mattis with Patrick Shanahan as US defence secretary Mattis and Trump reportedly have had differences on several foreign policy matters, including Syria and Afghanistan. Mattis is the latest in long list of senior Trump administration officials to leave or be removed. In March, Trump fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a Twitter announcement. OneIndia News with PTI inputs For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, December 24, 2018, 9:09 [IST] New retail, a combination of traditional retail and manufacturing industries, is enjoying sound development in China and will embrace more opportunities going forward. From self-service supermarkets to 30-minute deliveries, new retail has penetrated every corner of people's lives over the past year. 2018 saw Chinese e-commerce giants gear up to expand their retail markets. Alibaba opened over 100 new offline retail stores, called Hema, in 16 Chinese cities. Its one-hour delivery service of fresh food and daily commodities also launched across 269 Chinese cities. Alibaba's rival Tencent is also making efforts to digitalize the retail industry, establishing in-depth cooperation with multiple retail giants including Carrefour and Walmart. Liu Sijun, president of department store company Dashang Group, described 2018 as a year of reform of China's new retail development, explaining that every mode of retail had been looking for opportunities over the last year. As indicated by different organizations, new retail is expected to grow into a market with a value of up to 10 trillion yuan. Statistics by market research firm Mintel showed that the sector would account for 22.4 percent of China's total retail sales of consumer goods in 2018, and 33 percent within five years. During the first 11 months of 2018, China's online retail volume exceeded 8 trillion yuan, growing 24.1 percent from the previous year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Insiders pointed out that new retail enjoys vast development potential and will inject fresh impetus into consumption growth and economic development. On the one hand, it promotes consumption growth and upgrading, while on the other, it also benefits from the steady growth and upgrade of China's consumption. However, the industry needs to be thought about calmly, even though it is developing quickly, warned Wang Qiang, an associate professor from the School of Business, Renmin University of China. "New retail is still in the retail industry, and to profit by offering products and services is a characteristic of the industry," Wang noted, adding that the retail industry has an entirely different logic with the rapid realization of venture capitals. You are here: Business China will adjust import and export tariffs on some goods from January 1, said the Ministry of Finance on Monday. China will implement provisional import tariff rates on 700-plus goods as part of the efforts to cut institutional cost in the import process and echo the country's ongoing supply-side structural reform. The country will also implement zero tariffs on raw materials for some drugs, as well as thionyl chloride and lithium-ion battery cells for new energy vehicles. Low import tariffs will be maintained for aircraft engines, welding robots for automobile production lines, natural forages, and natural uranium. To further boost restructuring of energy and resource industries, China will exempt export tariffs on 94 commodities such as fertilizer, apatite, iron ore, slag, coal tar, and wood pulp. China will also cut most favored nations' (MNF) tariffs on 298 information technology products from July 2019. In 2019, China will impose new agreed tariff rates on some goods from 23 countries or regions, including New Zealand, Peru, Costa Rica, Switzerland, and Iceland. The country will also implement zero tariffs on imported goods from Hong Kong and Macao (China's Special Administrative Regions) based on the goods and trade agreement signed between the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao. Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. Learn more POU Water Purifiers Market: Know the latest industry trends and opportunities https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-ma-30 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/details/mena-pou-water-purifiers-market https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-ma-30 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ Future Market Insights (FMI) announced the release of a latest report titled, POU Water Purifiers Market: MENA Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2014 - 2020. FMI estimates that the Point of Use (POU) water purifier market in Middle East and North Africa is expected to reach US$ 471 Mn at a CAGR of 7.6% from 2014 to 2020.Residential water purification system includes point of use water purifiers (POU), point of entry (POE) water purifiers, portable water purifiers. Moreover, the demand for POU water purifiers is high among consumers in MENA region as compared to POE and portable water purifiers.A sample of this report is available upon request @In the POU water purifiers market, products with high purification capabilities such as combination of reverse osmosis (RO) and Ultraviolet (UV) technologies are more preferred. It has also been observed that a majority of the demand is coming from urban centres in GCC when compared to the entire MENA region.Browse Full: "POU Water Purifiers Market: MENA Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2014 - 2020" Report atMarket SegmentsThe POU water purifiers market is segmented on the basis of technology which includes RO, UV and media-based. RO technology based water purifiers segment is estimated to account for slightly over 40% of the total POU water purifiers market in MENA region in 2014. Media-based water purification, which is a conventional water purification technology has also witnessed technological advancements, and is estimated to display a CAGR of 9.3% during the forecast period, in terms of volume. The third technology, UV based water purifiers, is estimated to exhibit a sluggish growth rate during the forecast period due to its limitation in removing only organic contaminants from water. Additionally, UV-based water purifiers are also priced higher in comparison to media-based water purifiers and hence the product preference for UV based water purifiers is comparatively low.Region-wise, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey, Israel, Egypt and Algeria are the promising markets for POU water purifiers. In addition, a cumulative scenario has been highlighted for rest of MENA (includes smaller countries like Kuwait, Jordan etc.). Among the aforementioned regions, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is estimated to be the prominent market for POU water purifiers, followed by Turkey, due to its growing population and rapid urbanization, and increasing awareness for safe drinking water forecast period.In addition, penetration of bottled water is a challenge for the POU water purifiers market in Anatolia. As a result, Anatolia is estimated to demonstrate a sluggish growth rate in the near future. Furthermore, POU water purifiers market in UAE is anticipated to reach 149.2 thousand units by 2020, exhibiting a CAGR of 10% between 2014 and 2020.Drivers and RestraintsDeteriorating water quality, rising cost of bottled water, increasing population coupled with increasing per capita income are some of the prominent factors which will catalyse the point of use water purifiers in the region. Though the MENA market is attractive in terms of absolute dollar opportunity, low awareness about safe drinking water and product unavailability are major challenges for the MENA POU water purifier market.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Competitive LandscapeKey players operating in the MENA water purifier market are LG, Eureka Forbes, Strauss Water, Panasonic, WaterLife and Coolplex. The report sheds light on their key growth strategies and recent developments. In addition, the report also discusses the value chain followed by multinational companies in MENA for POU water purifiers.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: Tungsten Market Business Growth Statistics and Key Players Insights: Mahavir Metal Corporation., H Cross Company, Global Tungsten & Powders Corp., Buffalo Tungsten Inc Tungsten Market https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report-sample/CM122170 https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/send-an-enquiry/CM122170 https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/check-discount/CM122170 Crystal Market Research has announced the addition of "Tungsten Market by Form (Sheets, Strips, Rod, Ribbons, Foils and Wire) and End Use (Chemicals, Steels, Hard metals, Mill products and Others) - Global Industry Analysis & Forecast to 2025 " Market Research report to their database.Competitive AnalysisThe major players in the market are profiled in detail in view of qualities, for example, company portfolio, business strategies, financial overview, recent developments, and share of the overall industry.TOP MOST PLAYERS: Mahavir Metal Corporation. H Cross Company Global Tungsten & Powders Corp. Buffalo Tungsten Inc. Federal Carbide Company T&D Material Manufacturing Midwest Tungsten ServiceGet your Sample Report Copy @Industry Outlook and Trend AnalysisTungsten is also called as Wolfram which is a grayish-white metal having a shiny appearance with a decent anti-erosion properties. Tungsten is broadly utilized in its composite frame in light of the fact that unadulterated tungsten is costly and even troublesome for machining. Its composite comprises of nickel, iron or copper included tungsten. Tungsten is likewise accessible in powder frame known as tungsten powder and tungsten carbide powder and its size extents from 0.40 microns to 17.50 microns and is utilized in end plants, circuit board drills and spouts. Fine tungsten carbide powders are utilized for additions and cutting apparatuses, though ultra-coarse and medium powders are utilized for wear and kick the bucket parts, street development offers.Market ClassificationTungsten Market, By Form, Estimates and Forecast, 2014-2025 ($Million) Sheets Strips Rod Ribbons Foils WireTungsten Market, By End Use Chemicals Steels Hard metals Mill products OthersTungsten Market, By Region North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Russia, Italy, Rest of Europe) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, South Korea, India, Southeast Asia, Rest of Asia-Pacific) South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Rest of South America) Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Rest of MEA)Regional InsightsThe Asia Pacific area is ruling the worldwide tungsten market, China keeps on being the pioneer in the supply and utilization of tungsten in the worldwide tungsten showcase in light of its huge tungsten holds and support of the Chinese government to the tungsten item enterprises.To Get info on this Report, Do Enquiry Here @Drivers and RestraintsDeveloping end use enterprises, for example, car businesses and increment in the interest of wear safe materials is foreseen to support the market of established carbide and at last will drive the worldwide tungsten showcase. Tungsten has its application in electronic and electrical parts, for example, electron producers, lead-in wires and electrical contacts and these enterprises are anticipated to develop, prompting the expansion in worldwide tungsten advertise. On the other hand economic slowdown can really harm the market.Table of Contents:-1. Introduction1.1. Report Description2. Executive Summary2.1. Key Highlights3. Market Overview3.1. Introduction3.1.1. Market Definition3.1.2. Market Segmentation3.2. Market Dynamics3.2.1. Drivers3.2.2. Restraints3.2.3. Opportunities3.3. SWOT Analysis4. Market Analysis by Regions4.1. North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)4.1.1. United States Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.1.2. Canada Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.1.3. Mexico Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.2. Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Rest of Europe)4.2.1. Germany Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.2.2. France Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.2.3. UK Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.2.4. Russia Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.2.5. Italy Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.2.6. Rest of Europe Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.3. Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Rest of Asia-Pacific)4.3.1. China Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.3.2. Japan Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.3.3. Korea Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.3.4. India Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.3.5. Southeast Asia Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.3.6. Rest of Asia-Pacific Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.4. South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia and Rest of South America)4.4.1. Brazil Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.4.2. Argentina Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.4.3. Columbia Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.4.4. Rest of South America Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.5. Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Rest of MEA)4.5.1. Saudi Arabia Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.5.2. United Arab Emirates Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.5.3. Egypt Market Status and Outlook (2014-20254.5.4. Nigeria Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.5.5. South Africa Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.5.6. Turkey Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.5.7. Rest of Middle East and Africa Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)5. Tungsten Market, By Form5.1. Introduction5.2. Global Tungsten Revenue and Market Share by Form (2014-2018)5.2.1. Global Tungsten Revenue and Revenue Share by Form (2014-2018)5.3. Sheets5.3.1. Global Sheets Revenue and Growth Rate (2014-2018)5.4. Strips5.4.1. Global Strips Revenue and Growth Rate (2014-2018)5.5. Rod5.5.1. Global Rod Revenue and Growth Rate (2014-2018)5.6. Ribbons5.6.1. Global Ribbons Revenue and Growth Rate (2014-2018)5.7. Foils5.7.1. Global Foils Revenue and Growth Rate (2014-2018)5.8. Wire5.8.1. Global Wire Revenue and Growth Rate (2014-2018)CONTINUED FOR TOCFEATURES OF THE REPORT:1. The analysis of Tungsten market, their Growth, Demand, position, size and share from different regions are mentioned in detailed.2. The key players in the market and their share in the global market are discussed.3. The new strategic plan and suggestions that will help old as well as new market players to maintain the competitiveness are also discussed.4. The Tungsten market report provides some important points related to growth factors, challenges, opportunities, end-user analysis and achievement and so on.ContinuedGet The Best Discounts Offer of This Report @About Crystal Market Research:-Crystal Market Research helps various companies irrespective of big or small in growth financing, strategy to enter the market, market research, mergers and acquisitions, strategic consulting and capital investment. Our expertise and knowledge in materials, products and manufacturing industries have assisted our client base to make the appropriate equation for measurable lucrative results. Crystal Market Researchs regional and global market intelligence coverage comprises of industry segments such as chemicals and materials, pharmaceutical, food and beverages, technology and media, and consumer goods, amongst many others.Contact Us:Judy304 South Jones Blvd, Suite 1896,Las Vegas NV 89107,United StatesToll Free: +1-888-213-4282Email: sales@crystalmarketresearch.com Clear Float Glass Market size, Insights, Prospects, Growth Trends, Key Trends, Opportunities and Forecast until 2025 by Leading Players: AGC, Saint Gobain, , NSG Group, Guardian, https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/811363/global-clear-float-glass-industry-research-report-growth-trends-and-competitive-analysis https://www.qyresearch.com/index/detail/811363/global-clear-float-glass-industry-research-report-growth-trends-and-competitive-analysis https://www.qyresearch.com/request-discount/form/811363/global-clear-float-glass-industry-research-report-growth-trends-and-competitive-analysis http://www.qyresearch.com QY Research has come up with a newly published report on global Clear Float Glass market in its database that provides an in-depth analysis of the key market insights, its future trends, and developments, profiles of leading players, key restraints and drivers, segmentation and forecasting. 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The comprehensive report on global Clear Float Glass market provides tips to the players in the market to alter their strategies in order to achieve their business goals.Some of the leading players in the global Clear Float Glass market are:AGC,Saint Gobain,NSG Group,Guardian,SisecamPPGCardinalCentral GlassTaiwan GlassXinyi GlassChina Southern GlassFuyaoSanxia New MaterialSYPFARUNShahe Glass GroupChina Glass HoldingsChina Luoyang Float GlassQinhuangdao YaohuaJINJING GROUPShanxi Lihu GlassJingniu Glass CeramicsMarket Segment by Product TypeAnnealed GlassToughened GlassLaminated GlassMirrored GlassPatterned GlassExtra Clear GlassMarket Segment by ApplicationBuilding IndustryAutomotive IndustrySolar IndustryOther IndustryExplore Detailed TOC, Tables, Figures, Charts and Companies Here:Regional outlook:The regions covered in the reports of global Clear Float Glass market are South America, Europe, the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa, and North America. North America is showing a significant growth in the global Clear Float Glass market over the projected period (2018-2025). The Asia Pacific is growing at a remarkable rate. Particularly, the emerging economies such as India and China are expected to grow during the projected period.Research MethodologyGlobal Clear Float Glass market is examined by using a unique research methodology consist of various secondary and primary sources. The data collected from secondary and primary research is measured along with the information from external sources. 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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.QY Research, INC.17890 Castleton,Suite 218,Los Angeles, CA 91748USA: +1 626 295 2442Email: enquiry@qyresearch.comWeb: New Study Report on Data Governance Software Market Focusing Top Companies like Collibra, Talend, Datum LLC, NGDATA, Infosys Limited, Diaku Ltd https://www.researchnreports.com/request_sample.php?id=197333 https://www.researchnreports.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=197333 www.researchnreports.com The techniques used by analysts during the research question to layered approach as they purpose to give excellent and superior results using the statistics they have collected. 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Industrialists, suppliers, contractors, traders, end-users and market specialists etc., were referred to authenticate the data of the research. Other information rounded up includes tendencies, difficulties and experiments, market drivers, market experience, policies and expansions of the industry. This information proved to have an influence on the growth of the Data Governance Software Market. All these factors are measured and examined in detail to come to a fair assumption.The organizations vibrant and remarkable procedures will secure the newest and fresh updates on the organizations scheme and besides this data and reports of the desired products and services in the market. The methodology of Data Governance Software market is that the information gathering will confirm a crisp and inventive method of market analysis to help its customers to ascend the enhancement of their business. 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For each key area, the report discloses significant information, for example, income streams, consumption proportions, production rates, market shares, and expected patterns in the future.Ask for Discount-This market research report gives an in-depth idea about the global Data Governance Software market. It highlights the recent market scenario, growth in the past few years, and opportunities present for manufacturers in the future. In this research for the completion of both primary and secondary details, methods and tools are used. Also, investments instigated by organizations, government, non-government bodies, and institutions are projected in details for better understanding about the market.TOC-Global Data Governance Software market 2018.Chapter 1 Global Data Governance Software 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.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, BOSTON A Massachusetts prosecutor says Kevin Spacey is scheduled to be arraigned next month on a charge of indecent assault and battery on allegations he sexually assaulted the teenage son of a Boston television anchor in a Nantucket restaurant. Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael OKeefe tells The Boston Globe that Spacey is due in Nantucket District Court on Jan. 7. O'Keefe says a criminal complaint was issued by a clerk magistrate during a public show-cause hearing on Thursday. Spacey on Monday posted a video online in character as his House of Cards role in which he says Im not going to pay the price for things I didnt do. The actor made the bizarre post to YouTube and tweeted it shortly after a Massachusetts prosecutor announced he would face a charge in an alleged sexual assault in 2016. It is unclear if Spacey is referring to the charge he faces in the three-minute monologue delivered in the voice of Frank Underwood, the character killed off in the Netflix series after sexual misconduct allegations surfaced. Former news anchor Heather Unruh came forward in November 2017 and said the actor stuck his hand down her then-18-year-old sons pants and grabbed his genitals at the Club Car Restaurant in July 2016. A message seeking comment was left Monday with Spacey spokeswoman Laura Johnson. KENNEWICK, Wash. A new agreement aims to boost salmon populations and preserve inexpensive power in hopes of ending a decades-long legal battle over the future of the four lower Snake River dams. Three federal agencies, including the Bonneville Power Administration, joined Oregon and Washington officials and the Nez Perce Tribe in signing off on a three-year plan filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Portland. The move creates more flexibility for the federal agency running the dams, allowing them to focus on producing power for the eight hours in the day when it's most needed, and increase the amount of water heading over the dam during the rest of the day. The changes will only affect the dam's operations between April and mid-June when spring Chinook are heading to the ocean. This comes on the heels of a court-ordered spill last spring and while the 2019 spill levels will stay the same, the agreement calls for sending more water over the dam in 2020 and 2021. Collaboration is the key to the managing the Columbia River system, federal and state officials said in a joint news release. "Working together, the region's states, tribes and federal agencies have developed an approach that demonstrates environmental stewardship and affordable sustainable energy are not mutually exclusive," they said. Alongside the agreement, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Fish and Wildlife are studying the impact the change will make on the environment. The federal lawsuit will be paused until those studies are finished. The agreement aims to help young salmon heading to the ocean while allowing federal officials the ability to be flexible with power production, the administration said. Environmental groups leading the charge in court, represented by Earthjustice, called the agreement a step forward in the continuing battle over the dams, but not the solution for salmon. "It is a stop-gap measure to help struggling salmon populations for the next three years," said Todd True, an Earthjustice attorney. "We should ultimately be working toward restoring a free-flowing lower Snake River by removing the four lower Snake River dams." The move is not what Reps. Dan Newhouse, R-Sunnyside, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane, were looking for either. In a joint statement, they called the costly plan "worse than useless." They pointed out federal scientists haven't determined whether increasing the amount spilled would help salmon, and in the meantime, it could cost the administration up to $38 million. "Increasing spill to this unprecedented new level may actually threaten young fish with 'the bends' due to the effect of increasing dissolved gasses," the representatives said in a joint statement. "The purpose of this agreement was to end litigation, but there is no indication that it will even do that." Northwest RiverPartners also questioned whether the agreement would really solve the problems faced by salmon in the area. The alliance of farmers, utilities, ports and businesses issued a statement Tuesday. "We are encouraged that this agreement intends to put a temporary halt to the the ongoing litigation that for so long has ill-served our region," the organization said. "At the same time, we are concerned about the unprecedented and scientifically unproven levels of new spill being contemplated by the agreement." The organization's leaders are calling on the state to study what the effect of the spill will be before signing off on any changes to existing water quality standards. The standards were put in place to protect salmon and other species, and this could invite more lawsuits if it hurts fish. Whether this change will actually make a difference in the amount of salmon heading to the ocean depends on which scientific study is used. The competing models show drastically different results from sending more water over the dams. Without more information about whether this will actually benefit the salmon, increasing the amount of water and dissolved gas in the river is a problem, Northwest RiverPartners said. -- The Associated Press A historic Portland non-profit sued two of its directors Friday, alleging the men claimed victory in an election that was invalidated by voter and observer intimidation. This is a democratic country, said Neil Lee, president of the Oregon Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and a candidate in the race. And weve got to do the right thing. One of the defendants said he thinks the suit stemmed from the outcome of the election, not the process. Since they lost the election, they claimed the election was invalid, said Tony Hui, who ran for vice president alongside Kitson Yu, who ran for president. The association has promoted Chinese interests and culture for decades, and has been a prominent advocate for improvements to Chinatown. The group had about $640,000 in assets in 2016, tax records show, and about $180,000 in revenue. The suit, filed Dec. 21 in Multnomah County Circuit Court, claims Yus supporters blocked an accounting firm hired to administer the Nov. 5 election from doing its job. Lee, who was vice president at the time, said that the supporters yelled at the employees and intimidated them. As soon as the doors opened, they were overrun, Lee said. The supporters also tried to influence voters to vote for Yu, the suit claims. The president at the time declared the election was invalid, the suit says, but one of the defendants demanded the ballots be counted anyway. The tally showed Yu and Hui won the election. Since then, the defendants have been saying publicly that they won and planning for a transition. Yu couldnt be reached Sunday night, but his running mate said the allegations of improprieties are false. Had there been any serious problems, the firm could have stopped the election early, he said, but didnt. And there was no intimidation, he said, because the people on site were politically neutral volunteers. Lee is now president because the former president died soon after the election. The group asked a judge to officially declare that the election was invalid and allow the current board to serve until the association holds a new election. The group also asked that the defendants be ordered to stop telling people that they won. -- Fedor Zarkhin fzarkhin@oregonian.com desk: 503-294-7674|cell: 971-373-2905|@fedorzarkhin Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. China launched a communications satellite on Saturday, marking the start of construction of a vast space-based communications network capable of covering the entire world with broadband internet service. The first satellite of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp's Hongyun project was launched atop a Long March 11 carrier rocket early on Saturday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China. [Photo/VCG] The first satellite in the Hongyun project, which was planned by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp (CASIC) to be the country's first low-orbit broadband communications satellite constellation, was launched on Saturday at 7:51 am on a Long March 11 carrier rocket at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China. The spacecraft is tasked with verifying basic designs of Hongyun satellite and demonstrating low-orbit broadband communications technologies. Its main payloads are Ka-band transponders and transmission antennae. It also carries several scientific and technical devices to explore Hongyun system's applications in scientific research, environmental survey as well as air and sea transportation, CASIC said in a statement. Weighing 247 kilograms, the satellite works in a sun-synchronous orbit about 1,100kilometers above earth. It is powered by solar arrays and has a design life of one year, but is expected to operate longer, according to Xiang Kaiheng, Hongyun's chief designer at CASIC Space Engineering Development Co Ltd in Beijing, which is responsible for developing and running the Hongyun constellation. After a yearlong in-orbit technological demonstration by the satellite, CASIC plans to launch four mass-production Hongyun satellites before the end of 2020 to form a small network for Hongyun's trial run, he said. The Hongyun project, started by CASIC in September 2016, aims to build a space-based communications network to provide broadband internet connectivity to users around the world, especially those in underserved regions. CASIC currently intends to place more than 150 Hongyun satellites on orbits about 1,000 kilometers above the ground around 2023, while the constellation is likely to be further expanded in response to market demands, the designer said. Globally, the concept of running a low-cost, high-performance satellite network to provide space-based communications and internet services has become popular among industry players. The United States' SpaceX launched two experimental satellites last month to test technologies for its Starlink project, in which tech tycoon Elon Musk proposes to put a total of nearly 12,000 satellites into orbit by the mid-2020s. Another US firm, OneWeb, plans to launch a satellite constellation of 648 low-Earth orbit microsatellites by the end of 2019, though few developments have been reported. Midland Community Former Offenders Advocacy and Rehabilitation has received an anonymous donation of a housing sale, funds from which will go back to support the agency. The acquisition of the deed occurred on Nov. 11 and final sale of the property is expected to take place on Jan. 11. "It's very, very much appreciated and it will have a great impact on MCFOAR's sustainability and the ability to continue to meet the need of our former offender clients," said Rob Worsley, executive director of MCFOAR. "Nothing like this has ever happened before, but we wouldn't be against it happening again." Due to the anonymity of the donation, MCFOAR has not released the exact amount the organization is expected to take in through the sale. Worsley, however, did indicate that the MCFOAR would receive a "substantial amount" from the transaction and he anticipated it would help the organization for "many, many years." He also indicated there were two plans for the money: some of which would go back into the general operations fund for MCFOAR and a separate amount would potentially go toward creating an endowment fund. Talks of the housing donation began when Worsley said a church friend called him one day saying he and his wife were looking to move out of state. Worsley remembers "feeling the holy spirit" during the call and having the hair on the back of his arms stand up at the realization of what a momentous donation this was. It's the first time MCFOAR has received a donation of this caliber. "He called me one day and said, 'Hey I'm selling my house and I want you to use the proceeds to help support what you're doing in the community'," Worsley said. "It was out of a Christian friendship this came about and that day he called me, I just couldn't believe it was happening. This will bless our client base and allow us to keep being (in Midland County) and assisting them." MCFOAR is a management service which works to assist former offenders in Midland County. This includes aid with employment, housing and any other transitional need a parolee might need when exiting the penal system and returning to a community. In 2018, MCFOAR has assisted with finding employment for 84 clients and has assisted 51 clients with housing needs, a move in or emergency rent. Current recidivism rates -- or the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend -- for MCFOAR former prison clients is 7.3 percent. As of Feb. 13, 2018, recidivism in Michigan was 28.1 percent, according to a release issued by the state. Those interested in donating to the agency can do so by contacting Worsley directly via email at mcfoar@yahoo.com or by phone at (989) 843-1124. While combat drones have become a serious threat to air-defense systems, small unmanned aircraft also pose a noticeable threat to public security authorities around the world. Gatwick Airport in London, Britain's second-busiest airport, was shut down for 32 hours on Wednesday and Thursday due to a "deliberate act" of disruption by drones, local police said. Having seen opportunities in the market, Chinese engineers have devised a number of solutions to unapproved or unregulated drone flights, ranging from net-carrying missiles to laser guns. However, those methods have such limitations as immovability or short range. Now, designers from the 207th Institute of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp's Second Academy are offering new apparatus to those seeking a movable and more effective counter-drone system. The Low Airspace Defender integrates radar, an optoelectronic search instrument and a radio detector, is capable of handling all types of low-flying drones, according to Shi Chunlei, chief designer of the system at the Beijing institute, which specializes in optoelectronic technologies. Shi said the Low Airspace Defender is China's first fully integrated counterdrone defense system. It can detect, track, disrupt and capture unmanned aircraft operating in low airspace suspected of engagement in hostile or potentially dangerous activities. It has a designed maximum operational range of 5 kilometers, he said. "The system can work in sophisticated environments and all weather. It uses a trio of detection and tracking methodsradar, optoelectronic scanning and radio detectionwhich means its detection accuracy is very high," the designer said. "By comparison, other counterdrone solutions use one or two methods, and that means they are more likely to overlook or miss targets." Once the Low Airspace Defender system detects a rogue drone, it is able to continually track the target and then can use electronic jamming to disrupt its flight or directly hack into the drone's navigation system to guide it to land in a designated area, according to Shi. Thanks to its small size, the system can be rapidly deployed and redeployed. A typical deployment will involve a number of such systems, depending on different situations, atop high buildings in a given region. The Low Airspace Defender system can also be mounted on an armored vehicle, providing mobility and flexibility to users, he said. "The system is useful in airport, border control, drug and smuggling suppression, and security work in nuclear plants and large public gatherings," Shi added. The Low Airspace Defender won a drone-detection contest organized by the Central Military Commission's Science and Technology Committee in September. Almost all of the best companies providing anti-drone solutions in the nation participated in the contest, so the Low Airspace Defender's victory testifies to the system's strong capability, the designer said. According to the institute, the system has been exported to Indonesia and was used in security operations for the 18th Asian Games held there in September. "The Indonesian user is very satisfied with our product," Shi said. "Currently, some other nations have expressed procurement intention and are in talks with us." On December 12th Patently Apple posted a report titled "Apple Suppliers consider Plants in Vietnam as Trade War Tensions Rise & Huawei begins a boycott campaign against Apple." The report noted that Apple knows that any sudden signal to move production out of China would result in a similar smear campaign that was waged against Samsung could sink their future in China. This Chinese tactic of wildly playing up patriotism in a flash is already showing signs of rearing its ugly head with Huawei supplier Menpad who warned employees that they would be punished if they use iPhones. Every employee must buy and use Huawei smartphones or be punished. Today the Nikkei Asian Review is playing up the situation in China. Their report states that "The show of support has been broad, from information technology providers to food companies. A regional government official said that several hundred businesses were conducting such programs nationwide. Electronics maker Shanghai Youluoke Electronic and Technology is fully subsidizing up to two Huawei smartphones per employee, while display equipment maker Shenzhen Yidaheng Technology will cover 18% of the price for Huawei or ZTE units. Fuchun Technology, a communications service company listed on Shenzhen Stock Exchange announced on social media on Dec. 11 that it would give each of its 200 employees who buy Huawei's smartphone before the end of 2018 between 100 and 500 yuan ($14.5 to $72.5). At a brewer in Henan Province, employees and customers who present their receipt for a Huawei device receive free alcohol worth 30% of that purchase. Communist Party guidance has encouraged the corporate support for Huawei. The Communist Youth League has posted articles on social media urging companies to subsidize Huawei products. According to Chinese media, a Shanghai-based business association said it would expel anyone who bought Apple products, sparking debate on social media over whether such nationalism went too far. Chinese consumers often boycott companies from nations whose relations with Beijing have soured. Stores belonging to Japanese companies were destroyed in 2012 during protests over the Senkaku Islands, which Beijing claims and calls the Diaoyu." The Nikkei Asian Review lastly noted that "South Korean businesses like Hyundai Motor and Lotte faced boycotts last year over Seoul's deployment of a U.S. missile defense system." A 22-year-old Harrisburg woman was killed when she was struck by a car while running across Route 22 Sunday night. The Pennsylvania State Police at Harrisburg say Katherine E. Ratliff was struck and killed around 7:55 p.m. in the 7000 block of Allentown Boulevard in West Hanover Township. She was hit in the right travel lane and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver who struck her remained on the scene and is cooperating with the investigation, police say. The case remains under investigation. An attacker who sprayed a caustic chemical in the face of his girlfriends ex-boyfriend deserves his 50- to 100-year prison term for the crime, a state Superior Court panel has concluded. The key to the dispute over 67-year-old William M. Chestnuts fate hinged on the word serious. Chestnut claimed on appeal that he caused bodily injury, but not serious bodily injury to the other man, whose face was disfigured by the acidic substance. Therefore, he contended, he should have been convicted only of simple assault. A Philadelphia jury convicted him of a more serious aggravated assault charge after a trial in 2016. Superior Court Judge Deborah A. Kunselman discounted Chestnuts argument. Serious bodily injury, the main element of aggravated assault, definitely applies in this case because Chestnuts target suffered permanent facial scarring, she found in the state courts opinion. As Kunselman noted, Chestnut committed the chemical attack during an ambush outside a neighborhood deli around midnight on Feb. 7, 2014. Police said he waited for the other man to emerge from the business, then threw the acidic mix into his face. Chestnuts use of a caustic liquid chemical as a weapon demonstrated actions consistent with an attempt to cause serious bodily harm, Kunselman wrote. Chestnuts prison term is so long because he is a third-strike criminal offender, she noted. Anthony Dorris said to have a teenage romance while attending United States Air Force basic training is surreal, which is why he wanted to make his first homecoming memorable. The 18-year-old Central Dauphin graduate collaborated with his family one month ago to make sure that Lauren Gerula his girlfriend and a student at Bishop McDevitt didnt know he had changed his pre-Christmas arrival plans. Dorris, who is in training for special operations at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, hasnt seen Gerula since October. He said when he found out that he could come home one day sooner, he contacted his family to plan a surprise. They agreed to trick Gerula into believing his arrival was still Saturday, Dec. 22. Gerula spent Friday, Dec. 21 at the Dorris family house, where she made welcome home signs, in anticipation of going to Baltimore-Washington International Airport to pick up her boyfriend. When she was asked to join the family for pizza, she discovered there wasnt any and there was a large wrapped box awaiting her that Dorris wanted her to open prior to Christmas. To pop out of that box to see her face, it was priceless, Dorris said. I kind of feel that its rare to have a supportive girlfriend, who sticks with me even though Im away. Gerula said she thought it was a make-up vanity. I was speechless, she said. His mom, Christina, said Gerula has her good days and her bad days. Its a lot to ask of Lauren, as a senior, Christina said. But, shes 100 percent supportive. She knows hes not going to be here for her prom, and hes not going to be here for her graduation. She sees the bigger picture and that hes part of the 1 percent, who sacrifices their time protecting the world when others wont. He wanted to do something special for her because shes special. Dorris admitted he also has his moments when he misses Gerula and his family. I wake up some days, and think, cool, lets go, he said. Other days, I think, it would just be awesome to be home with them right now. But then, he said, he remembers the reason hes in the military is to keep them safe. They are my motivation, he said. Dorris said he respects his parents, noting they have been married for 22 years. He said they were married before they both enlisted in the air force and both were age 19. This is the longest he has been away from his girlfriend, Dorris said. It was the hardest secret to keep from her, he added, not letting her know that he was arriving a day earlier than she expected. Im glad I didnt accidentally text her, he said. The surprise just happened so perfectly. Im going to try to spend as much time with her as I can when Im home." Being separated from him hasnt stopped Gerula from pursing her goals, she said. The support they share for each other is what keeps them going, she added. Dorris went to Texas in August, and he will return on Jan. 2, 2019. Gerula said shes focused on graduating from high school and hopes to attend West Chester University, where she wants to study occupational therapy. I told him, this is the best Christmas by far, Gerula said. Its definitely a memory I will carry with me the rest of my life. You cant place a price on happiness. Thats the best gift of all: being with the one you love. The two fatal hit-and-run cases reported on Sunday are still under investigation. One person was killed early Sunday in a hit-and-run in New Bloomfield in Perry County and the other was reported on Interstate 81 in Cumberland County, according to investigators. The Pennsylvania State Police at Newport say 28-year-old Nickolas Watson, of New Bloomfield, was found dead along West Main Street in New Bloomfield around 2:04 a.m. Sunday. Investigators believe a Jeep Wrangler in a model year between 2007 and 2017 was the striking vehicle, which they say fled east on Main Street. It would have major damage to the drivers side or front with a missing fender flare. WGAL is reporting state police believe they have located and seized the Jeep. State police would not confirm that Monday, saying no arrests have been made, and the case remains under investigation. Anyone with information should call the police, 717-567-3110. In Cumberland County, Martese Davenport, 30, of Hempstead, New York, was found lying along Interstate 81 near mile marker 54.7 around 7:48 a.m. Sunday. It was unclear why Davenport had been walking along the roadway when he was struck by a vehicle, which fled the scene, according to investigators. An autopsy was scheduled for this morning. Anyone with information should call the coroners office, 717-766-6419, or the Pennsylvania State Police at Carlisle, 717-249-2121. You are here: China Visits by overseas tourists to China's southernmost island province of Hainan reached about 1.1 million in the first 11 months of the year, up 12.6 percent year on year, local authorities said Sunday. The number is equivalent to last year's total, the historical high, according to the provincial tourism department. The visits generated revenues of around $680 million during the period, a year-on-year growth of 10.8 percent. To facilitate inbound visitors, Hainan launched 26 new international air routes this year, raising its total to 74. The province aims to operate 100 international routes by 2020. Earlier this year, Hainan started to offer greater visa-free access for inbound tourists from 59 countries, allowing them to travel visa-free if they start or transit in countries and regions with direct flights to Hainan. The province aims to attract two million overseas tourists by 2020, with an average annual growth rate of 25 percent between 2018 and 2020, according to a three-year action plan released in June. Remember way back in September when you saw Christmas paraphernalia for sale in stores? Did you sigh and roll your eyes? Did you utter a lament along the lines of: Theyre selling Christmas stuff already? We havent even had Halloween yet. Well, in 1918, Americans were encouraged to start their Christmas shopping in September, too, and not just by cunning merchants. The federal government urged early holiday shopping as a way conserve labor and fuel in wartime. It also advised Americans to buy useful gifts, except for children. And families could send only one Christmas package to those in uniform overseas. It could be no more than 3 pounds, contain no personalized message and was inspected by the local Red Cross chapter, which mailed out the parcels by the Nov. 30 deadline. More from Joe McClure: Heres how Labor Day in Harrisburg was celebrated before Kipona Fourth of July celebrations in central Pa. history reflect their times Memorial Day in Harrisburg revealed challenges on the home front: 5 facts St. Patricks Day in Harrisburg went from un-American to beloved a century ago: 5 facts Fallout shelters sparked controversy in central Pennsylvania during Cold War: 5 facts The Ku Klux Klan in 1920s central Pennsylvania: 5 facts Such strictures on shopping were among the ways World War I affected the holiday season in Harrisburg and elsewhere in 1918, even after the armistice was signed Nov. 11. But Christmas 1918 offered more than gloom. As we shall see, the generosity of residents put the city on the map in the minds of many men in uniform. Here are glimpses of Christmastime in Harrisburg that year, according to Harrisburg newspapers at the time. Fatal flu The Spanish flu epidemic that killed at least 50 million people worldwide in 1918, including 675,000 in the U.S., affected Harrisburg, too. State and local officials lifted quarantine restrictions Nov. 5 after five weeks in which schools were closed, churches were forbidden to hold services and stores shuttered early. The city closed its emergency hospital at Fifth and Seneca streets, which treated more than 200 patients. But deaths and infections didnt stop. Check out PennLives 100 Years of Heroes project For example, Elsie M. Wilver, a 19-year-old Harrisburg Hospital nurse in training, died Dec. 16 from pneumonia that she likely contracted from flu patients she attended to. Gov. Martin Brumbaugh proclaimed Dec. 15 a day of prayer for the end of the flu, which killed more than 40,000 Pennsylvanians in October and November. Dr. B. Franklin Royer, acting state health commissioner, joined the shop-early chorus, urging residents to avoid crowds. Much of the joy of the Christmas season has been taken from the citizens of Pennsylvania by the recurring outbreaks of influenza, he said. No German toys for us Despite the flu and efforts to promote early shopping, Harrisburg businesses faced a last-minute Christmas rush. Shoppers bought plenty of electrical products such as washing machines, irons, toasters, lamps and vacuum cleaners. War-related toys, including machine guns, Army trucks, submarines and wooden tanks, were big sellers for kids. Merchants reported high sales, despite elevated prices caused by labor and transportation challenges. Several newspaper articles mentioned that toys lacked a Made in Germany label and that stores displayed signs saying These goods were made in America and these toys were not made in Germany, reflecting the anti-German sentiment that swept the nation during World War I. In a letter to the editor written after the armistice, a Methodist pastor from Marysville asked whether the United States should send food to the devastated German people. His conclusion: I answer, feed Belgium, France, England, Serbia and Armenia first, and give the crumbs to the Germans until they change in mind, heart and soul. The Harrisburg Telegraph was especially vicious toward Germany. In an editorial with the headline No German toys for us, the newspaper wondered why any American would want to buy a toy made in Germany. The same devilish ingenuity that manufactured automated German toys devised poison gas and flamethrowers that slaughtered Allied soldiers, the Telegraph said. German-made toys used to be an important part of Christmas, the newspaper said. Now Made in Germany means made in hell, the Telegraph said. German toys are blood-stained, around them linger the dark shadows of ravage and murder and on them is the stamp of the most devilish nation God ever permitted to prepare on earth for their everlasting punishment hereafter. Harrisburg hospitality To celebrate peace on earth and goodwill toward men, Harrisburg Mayor Daniel L. Keister appointed a committee to obtain a Christmas tree and craft a Christmas Eve program. The city went without a tree the previous year because of the war, so this signaled a return to normalcy. The 35-foot tree was grafted onto part of a telephone pole and placed in the middle of Market Street at Market Square. The Christmas Eve program was postponed until New Years Eve because of rain. As Christmas approached, an increasing number of soldiers from Harrisburg were returning home. So many men in uniform were visible that the Telegraph said city stores had taken on a martial atmosphere. To provide a place of recreation for soldiers at two nearby military camps, in Fairview and Lower Swatara townships, the local War Camp Community Service established two Red Circle Clubs in Harrisburg, one for white soldiers in the 300 block of Market Street and another for black soldiers in the 100 block of South Second Street. Through the clubs, Harrisburg residents sent invitations to military men for Christmas dinner. In fact, the War Camp Community Service received more invitations than there were soldiers available to dine in city homes. Harrisburgs hospitality caught the notice of a group of sailors, who expressed their gratitude in a letter to the editor the week before. The consideration, friendship and respect that our uniforms invariably rate, has given us a greater respect for them ourselves, they wrote, and the way people of all classes have opened their hearts and homes to us has transferred Harrisburg from a mere name or place on the map to a place in our hearts we shall never forget. Joe McClure is an embedded editor for PennLive/The Patriot-News. Email him at jmcclure@advancelocal.com, and follow him on Twitter: @jmcclure59. Area holiday open houses on tap for this weekend A number of area holiday open houses will take place this weekend in the region, providing holiday cheer and family friendly festivities. 1.7k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) said that instead of a border wall, we should be talking about the wall of lies, ignorance, and fantasy that Trump has surrounded himself with. Rep. Doggett said on MSNBC: I think the members in the Senate united with the Republican colleagues to pass the resolution to us that the president had at least informally indicated he would accept. Thats what got us into the situation were in. To some extent, I think maybe were talking about the wrong wall. Its not just the wall along a border. It is the wall of lies and deception, ignorance, really almost fantasy that the president is surrounding himself with to exclude any views other than those that reinforce his ego and in the process people get hurt whether its in the stock market, whether its our national security or our economic security from whats happening here. No, I dont think the people on the democratic side deserve blame here because theyve been willing to work to support what the president said he was for. Were just not willing to waste $5 billion on a wall. Video: Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) said that instead of a border wall, we should be talking about the wall of lies, ignorance, and fantasy that Trump has surrounded himself with. pic.twitter.com/dnfpW5qHsy Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) December 24, 2018 Democrats are united in opposition to Trumps wall Trump has never shown himself to be living in reality, so those who are waiting for Trump to join the rest of us here on Earth could be waiting for a very long time. Any other presidential candidate would have never promised a wall that a third country would pay for. No other president would shut the government for that wall after being told that the opposition is rock solidly unified against him. The wall that has constructed isnt on the border, but in his own mind, and Democrats are taking a wrecking ball of reality to Trumps fantasy presidency. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook. 5.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard The spokesman for soon to be Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi called out Trumps next chief of staff Mick Mulvaney for lying about negotiations on Trumps wall that arent happening. Mulvaney is claiming that ending the government shutdown is up to Pelosi, but Pelosis spokesman tweeted a fiery statement in response: As Mr. Mulvaney well knows, House Democrats are united in their opposition to the Presidents immoral, expensive and ineffective wall. The sooner the White House recognizes the need to stop the posturing and start serious bipartisan talks, the sooner we can end the #TrumpShutdown https://t.co/EIwHzi777M Drew Hammill (@Drew_Hammill) December 23, 2018 The reality here is that the Senate already passed a bipartisan bill to keep the government open. Democrats have no demands in this shutdown. Democrats arent asking for anything. It is Donald Trump who has shut the government down over $5 billion for his wall. Pelosis office is right. Until the Trump administration embraces reality and realizes that Democrats are united in opposition to the wall, the government shutdown will continue. There is going to be no wall. Period. Trump can open the government at any time. All he has to do is drop his demand for money for his wall. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook. 305 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard It was inevitable that as soon as Beto ORourkes name started rising in the polls of 2020 Democratic presidential contenders that he would also start being attacked by his competitors. By some estimates there could be as many as 20 Democrats vying for the 2020 nomination, so competition will definitely be very fierce and intense. And even though he has not said he was running, ORourkes name keeps showing up near the top in all recent polls. For the past several weeks there have been more and more articles in the media attacking the charismatic young Texans progressive credentials. Even though his 2018 senate opponent Ted Cruz blasted him for being TOO liberal and progressive, members of the far left have been saying he is not progressive at all and votes like a Republican. ORourke himself has tried to stay out of the fight, saying he doesnt believe in labels. And now, according to NBC News, supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) are denying that there is a coordinated campaign among them to discredit ORourke for not being progressive or liberal enough. But NBC also has reported increasing numbers of Sanders supporters criticizing ORourke. Norman Solomon, a Sanders delegate at the 2016 Democratic National Convention, told NBC that: Americans are seeing underneath the superficial gloss of projections onto Beto. I think this week can be understood as a kind of turning point, where for the first time really millions of Americans are seeing pieces that look underneath the superficial gloss of projections onto Beto. What were seeing is someone whos a big step up for red-state Texas statewide and actually a big step down for where the majority of Democrats are nationwide. If we buy the Beto package, were gonna have buyers remorse later on. David Sirota, a journalist who worked for Sanders during his 2016 campaign, wrote this month that only Cruz had received more campaign donations from the oil and gas industry than ORourke during the 2018 cycle, NBC noted. For his part, ORourke has pointed out that those contributions were from individuals, and he refused donations from corporate PACs, unlike Cruz. Since both ORourke and Sanders are among the top contenders in a potential 2020 Democratic presidential primary it is not surprising that the arrows are already flying in ORourkes direction. Sanders supporters are known for being very intense and for holding very strong progressive beliefs. Many see Sanders platform as a type of litmus test, and if other candidates dont support every part of it then they will be attacked for not being progressive enough. If Sanders doesnt run, his cause will probably be picked up by other progressives such as Senators Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kamala Harris of California. But many Democrats still see Beto as one of the most progressive choices in the large field of candidates. Jon Favreau, a speechwriter for Barack Obama, told NBC News that he believes theres not much appetite among Democratic voters to relive some of the dumb Twitter fights that we saw in the 2016 primary. There are plenty of progressives who might run from Beto and Bernie to Kamala and Booker and others and I think its more productive to focus our time and energy talking about why we support the candidates who inspire us, he added. There is no question that all other potential 2020 Democratic candidates are worried about Beto ORourke. He has gotten favorable feedback from Barack Obama, Rev. Al Sharpton, Andrew Gillum and Chris Matthews. He raised record amounts of money in his senate race, and inspired millions of Americans while doing so. Its slightly over one year until the first 2020 primaries and caucuses begin. Between now and then we can expect to see more attacks on Beto ORourke from Democrats as well as from Donald Trump and other Republicans. We hope that the 2020 Democratic primaries dont turn into a bloodbath of negative campaigning, where Democrats start eating their own. This could be disastrous for the country and could lead to the election of another Republican president in 2020, which is the last thing the country needs. 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. Premier Li Keqiang was a member of the secretariat of the Communist Youth League Central Committee when he visited Jinzhai county, Anhui province, in February 1990. He had been inspecting the proposed location for Project Hope's first primary school, and on the way back he stopped at Jinzhai No 1 High School. Jinzhai, located in the Dabie Mountains, was one of China's poorest counties at the time. It was chosen as the site for the primary school under the project, which helps keep disadvantaged children from quitting. Although the focus was on primary school students from impoverished families, the county government decided to use some Project Hope funds to help promising older students. In the spring of 1990, Zhang Zongyou was in his first year at the high school. His family made a living farming silkworms and growing kenaf, a plant used to make bags and rope. "Life at that time was generally hard. Most of us were poor, so I didn't feel life was especially hard for me," he said. "It's just we were starving. Most of us ate only steamed rice with pickled vegetables." Zhang was one of two high-performing students chosen in 1991 to receive money from Project Hope - 40 yuan (about $7 at the time) per year for high school. He went on to do well in the national college entrance exam and was admitted to Fuyang Normal University in Anhui in 1992. At that time, the project's financial aid was raised to 300 yuan. "It was very important for me because all universities had started charging tuition, and expenses at the university were much higher than at school," he said. In 1993, Zhang was among 100 college students chosen by Project Hope for a program under which he could receive as much as 800 yuan per year. "It was a lot of money. I also took a part-time job at the university, which meant I never had to spend my parents' money. In fact, I sometimes gave them money to help out the family," he said. Zhang, now 45, is a published author and associate professor of classical literature at Nanjing University's School of Liberal Arts in Jiangsu province. His work has won several awards, including Jiangsu's Excellent Research Award in Philosophy and Social Science and Nanjing University's Original Award for Social Science Research for a book on Zhu Yizun, a prominent poet and scholar from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Project Hope is funded partially through public donations, and Zhang said helping others is a "great virtue in Chinese tradition". "With financial support, the project accumulates the kindness of donors, and that urges students like me to work hard," he said. "For me, the best way to repay these kind people is to work really hard." A pair of environmental groups will challenge state regulators decision to let Dominion Energy buy South Carolina Electric & Gas and charge ratepayers for its failed nuclear project. The legal challenge means that regulators on the states Public Service Commission will have to formally reconsider their decision, which would leave SCE&G customers to pay $2.3 billion over the next two decades for a pair of abandoned nuclear reactors. Regulators are unlikely to overturn their own decision, but the move sets the stage for an appeal to the state Supreme Court. The process was set in motion Monday by Friends of the Earth and the Sierra Club, a pair of environmental groups that faced off against SCE&G throughout the decade-long nuclear project. They filed their protest with the commission the same regulators who made the decision. The environmental groups say the PSC should have officially made a determination about whether SCE&G handled the nuclear project appropriately. Attorneys opposing the power company argued SCE&G failed to tell regulators about studies that questioned the projects viability. The PSC chided SCE&G this month, saying it had damaged the publics trust. But regulators stopped short of formally saying they had been misled. The environmental groups went further. They argued Monday that SCE&G fraudulently lied, misled and withheld material information about the problems that sank its $9 billion plan to build a pair of reactors at V.C. Summer Nuclear Station, north of Columbia. SCE&G and Dominion, a Virginia-based utility giant that has offered to buy it, couldnt immediately be reached for comment Monday. Its not clear whether the case will ultimately make its way to the Supreme Court, or whether it will affect Dominions plans to buy SCE&G. Regulators blessed the sale this month, when they decided to let SCE&G charge for part of the reactors. The plan approved by the Public Service Commission would keep electricity rates about where they are now after the state Legislature ordered a temporary rate cut this summer. The nuclear project currently costs about $5 a month for the typical home using 1,000 killowatt-hours. Mary Katherine, who also goes by MK, covers health care for The Post and Courier. She is also pursuing a master's degree in data science. She grew up in upstate New York and enjoys playing cards, kayaking and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Paul Bowers is an education reporter and father of three living in North Charleston. He previously worked at the Charleston City Paper, where he was twice named South Carolina Journalist of the Year in the weekly category. Pelicans rest on the edge of Crab Bank on Friday, August 10, 2018. Over the past quarter-century, over 18 acres of land where shorebirds would nest has washed away. Lauren Petracca/Staff The Post and Courier provides a forum for our readers to share their opinions, and to hold up a mirror to our community. Publication does not imply endorsement by the newspaper; the editorial staff attempts to select a representative sample of letters because we believe its important to let our readers see the range of opinions their neighbors submit for publication. Vicki J. Lawrence, age 59, of Rochester, died Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018, surrounded by her family at her home. Vicki Jean Hentges was born Feb. 4, 1959, in Waterloo, Iowa, to Ralph "Porky" and Shirley (Yearling) Hentges. She graduated from Central High School in Waterloo in 1977. While working at Brinkleys Landing, she met the love of her life, Darby Lawrence. They married on Oct. 12, 1985. After graduating in 1989, with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work, she moved with Darby and their son, David, to Dubuque, Iowa, for Darby to attend seminary. While in Dubuque, they welcomed their daughter, Erin. After Darby completed seminary, the family spent several years in central Illinois. It was during this time that they welcomed their daughter, Sarah, and son, Andrew. They relocated to Rochester in 2007. Vicki spent the first part of her childrens lives as an in-home day care provider. She eventually returned to social work and was employed at various agencies throughout Illinois. Shortly after moving to Rochester, she began working as a Senior Advocate at the Rochester Senior Center, where she developed a passion for working with the senior community. In 2014, she took a position at the Area Agency on Aging, where she worked until her death. In her spare time, Vicki enjoyed riding her bike, camping, and spending time with her family. In the evenings, she was known to frequently fall asleep on the couch surrounded by her pets. Vicki was a friend to everyone, and she will be remembered for her warm, bright smile and infectious laugh. Vicki is survived by her husband, Darby Lawrence of Rochester; son, David (Rachel) Barr of Farmington; daughter, Erin Lawrence of Savage; daughter, Sarah (Ryan) Benson of Rochester; and son, Andrew Lawrence of Rochester. She leaves behind two grandchildren, Logan and Caleb Barr, along with several extended family members and dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph "Porky" and Shirley Hentges; and her brother, Larry Hentges. The funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 29 at Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Pine Island with Pastors Marie AK Anderson, Charlie Leonard, and Tony Metz officiating. Cremation will follow the funeral service, as well as a reception for family and friends at the church. Friends may call from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 28 at Mahn Family Funeral Home Rochester Chapel, and 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church. In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Friends may share a memory at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com. Li Mingyong who dropped out of school at 16, worked as a guard at college at 22, and eventually graduated with a PhD degree at 41 has inspired many people with his story, Guizhou Metropolis Daily reported. Born in 1977 in a remote village in Zunyi, Southwest China's Guizhou province, Li was among the top three students in elementary and middle school. His grandfather's and mother's illnesses added burdens to the already poor family and left them with many debts. So when Li graduated from middle school, he went to Guiyang, capital of Guizhou, to earn money. He worked at construction sites for some time and later planted tobacco and raised ducks at home. In three years' time, he helped his father pay off their debts of more than 20,000 yuan (about $2,900). In 1999, Li went back to Guiyang and found a job as a guard for Guizhou Education University. He lived on campus and gradually became influenced by the learning atmosphere. One day, a university official said to him: "You are so young. Do you want to be a guard forever?" Li thought about his words for several days and decided to change his life with knowledge. He began spending all his rest time on studying. In 2001, he was enrolled into the university's junior college, majoring in Chinese, and graduated two years later. In 2003, he took the adult college entrance examination and matriculated into the university's undergraduate courses. In 2005, he decided to pursue a postgraduate education. In order to pass the English test, he recited a dictionary. Whenever an English major passed by, he would ask some questions about English. He failed the exam in 2005 and 2006, but he eventually gained admission into Guizhou University in 2007 with top scores in written tests, majoring in aesthetics. He graduated in 2010 with a master's degree. Li went back to Guizhou Education University and worked as a college counselor. However, he wasn't satisfied with this achievement, as he wanted to be a teacher. In 2013, he decided to pursue a PhD degree. He failed in 2013 and 2014, but was accepted by Central China Normal University in 2015 and graduated in 2018. Now he teaches aesthetic principles and ethics and regulation of news communication at Guizhou Education University. "I hope my story can touch the students and help them learn to grow in difficult situations," said Li. Insights Let peoples voices be heard, Pope Francis tells the church. Not just the voices of the clergy and those who speak from the altar, but the voi Read more House Democrats new-ish New Deal President Woodrow Wilson was among progressivisms early architects, but it was President Franklin Roosevelt who built the Democratic Partys central planning framework. Their political acolyte, President Barack Obama, encouraged Democratic congressional majorities to pass Obamacare, unread, in his first term and advanced progressivism with executive branch regulations and executive orders which, among other outcomes, tightened federal control of the American economy and loosened immigration policy. In January, 2019, eight years after Democrats lost it, a new Democratic House majority will have opportunities to address the next steps in the lefts progressive plan for America. Little they enact will become law, of course, because a Republican Senate and presidential vetoes will prevent it. Accordingly, all their progressive actions will be no-risk freebies. Nonetheless House Democrats should act by laying their cards on the table to impress America with the strength of their progressive hand. House Democrats should use their new majority to formulate and pass: * Immigration laws that eliminate the current mockery of law enforcement by specifying who will be admitted and under what conditions. * A clear, carefully thought out, publicly-reviewed health care/health insurance plan. * An approach to environmental policy that cools climate passions, considers all competing scientific points of view, clearly explains the benefits to Mother Earth, specifies goals, their costs, who will bear them, an implementation schedule, factors in the anticipated contributions of every nation and details Democrats plan to enforce international compliance. * An energy policy derived from climate policy that specifies and ranks energy sources, and taxes carbon emissions. * Programs that specifically define poverty and the conditions that must be met to receive public assistance, cross-referencing and justifying all federal needs-based programs, including their benefits, costs and redundancies. * A comprehensive tax plan. * A progressive plan to revise the American Constitution and its Bill of Rights, defining how, other than through court orders and nullification in liberal states, Democrats would manage change, with specific reference to: 1) The First Amendment right to free expression and worship 2) The Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms 3) The Fifth Amendment right to due process * A clear statement of voting rights: who is allowed to vote, with a plan to ensure the integrity of Americas voting process. * A bill defining equality, including a list of whose lives matter. If equality is hierarchical, list the hierarchy in descending order. Those initiatives would allow Democrats to convince Americans that their progressive programs are truly attractive, contain tolerable levels of government control and expense, and protect coveted constitutional freedoms. It should be a piece of cake. All those issues have been progressive hot buttons for years, so, if, as Barack Obama and others insist, Democrats are on the Right Side of History, then all their actions should create winning issues for 2020 and beyond. Democrats clearly expressed their objectives while in the minority, so the new Democratic majoritys inaction on those policy preferences would betray progressive voters and tacitly admit House Democrats political pusillanimity. Contact Jerry Shenk at jshenk2010@gmail.com Via Steve Sailer, the Washington Post maps the minefield that high school students navigate as they describe their racial backgrounds: Sabria Kazmis background defies easy classification. She has grandparents from Tennessee, Iraq and two countries in South Asia. So when the 18-year-old filled out her college application, she puzzled over what boxes to check. The task is all the more sensitive this year amid the mounting debate over the role of race and ethnicity in admissions. That debate has been going on for a long time, but the Asian students lawsuit against Harvard has moved it to the forefront. First, Kazmi came to white. Check. Then Asian. Check. Followed by Middle Eastern and Pakistani. Check, check. She found a blank space to write in her Bangladeshi roots. Kazmi, a high school senior in Northern Virginia, could have gone further because one grandmother is part Cherokee. But she stopped there. Heh. Sailer adds: Shes not Elizabeth Warren-level greedy about getting affirmative action bennies. Officials at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County, Va., helped The Post convene them for a 90-minute focus group on race and admissions. The seniors, all aiming for selective colleges, held strong and sometimes clashing views. Wenxi Huang, 17, confessed to an itching, nagging feeling when he checked the box on his application indicating Asian ancestry. The Chinese American student felt the information should be irrelevant in admission decisions. I just want to live in a country where my race doesnt matter, he said. Where Im never judged or picked or excluded for my race. Hes right to be worried. His Asian ancestry will hurt him. But not all students share his yearning for a racism-free America. Jennifer Hernandez, also 17, a Salvadoran American, wants colleges to take race and ethnicity into account. Of course she does. Her Hispanic identity is something that makes me who I am, she said. It adds to my character and adds to my personality. She has been taught to believe that and has no hesitation about expressing the view that her Hispanic identity entitles her to preferential treatment. Thought experiment: My white identity is something that makes me who I am. It adds to my character and adds to my personality. How do you think that would go over with college admissions officials? The high school where this focus group took place does not consider race in its application process, and around 70% of its students are Asian. [M]any selective colleges do [treat applicants differently based on race] and they want as much detail as they can get. For example, users who identified as Hispanic or Latino could then click one or more boxes from a menu of Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain, Central America or South America. Or they could fill in a blank to give another answer. Sailer comments, Dont check Cuban, I hear. I think that is correct. Cuban-Americans fled Communism and still tend to vote Republican. Ethan Phillips, 17, a TJ senior, said he paused briefly on the race question and consulted with his parents. He had heard speculation that identifying as white could have a negative effect on the rest of the application. Phillips considered whether he could, or should, note his familys Irish immigrant heritage. My parents and grandparents came from farmers and blue-collar workers in Missouri, he said. Thats part of my story. But there didnt seem to be an easy way to indicate all of that. He checked the white box and moved on. The Irish are oppressors now. Sebastian Ibarraran, 17, the son of Mexican immigrants, said race and ethnicity remain crucial for understanding the background of applicants, regardless of family income. Really? Why? Ibarraran said he often senses put-downs from people who believe he doesnt have to try as hard as his peers to get into top colleges, that his SAT scores dont have to be quite as high to make the cut. Not only is that really hard, he said, but its also false because these colleges, they actually see a lot more than you think they see. I have no idea what that is supposed to mean, but if this student is trying to deny that affirmative action means lower standards are applied to some groups, he is denying the obvious. Hernandez said similar experiences shape her views. She grew emotional as she recalled the differences in expectations that she has faced while growing up as a Hispanic student accepted into a highly competitive public high school. She said she has endured taunts about the likelihood of her becoming a teen mom before becoming a scientist. (For the record, she is not a mother.) There are those, she said, who think you got here because you didnt earn it. Even though you did. You worked hard maybe even twice as hard, maybe three times as hard, to get where you are. But its never acknowledged. If I understand Miss Hernandez correctly, she is complaining that affirmative action creates an environment where many people assume that if you are a member of a favored group (in her case, Hispanic) you likely havent been held to the same standards as members of non-favored groups (i.e., Asians and whites). This is a pretty good argument against race discrimination in school admissions, and employment, too, but that apparently isnt the inference Miss Hernandez wants us to draw. Given our increasingly complicated racial landscape, the entire corrupt and irrational edifice of affirmative action seems destined to collapse. It cant happen too soon. Democrats bemoan (as I do) the resignation of James Mattis. It made me wonder how many of them had voted not to confirm him. I knew that, although Democrats and their media allies had raised questions about Mattis, almost all of them voted for his confirmation in the end. I guessed that around five hard core leftists voted against him. It turns out that only one did: Kirsten Gillibrand. Gillibrand apparently intends to run for president. With her vote against Mattis, she positioned herself to the left of Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker, and Kamala Harris at least on that one issue. Its not clear, though, whether Gillibrand wants to position herself there. Frankly, I dont know where Gillibrand wants to position herself on the Democratic spectrum. In the House, where she represented a less than hard-left constituency, she was a moderate by Democrat standards. In the Senate, she has moved strongly to the left. As a presidential candidate, now that shes done her best to put her Blue Dog days behind, who knows? She seems to be making it up as she goes along. She seems to be a phony. Why did Gillibrand vote against Mattis? Her stated reason was that she believes in civilian control of the military, and that Mattis confirmation would contradict that principle because it required waiving a law that Defense secretaries must be out of the military for at least seven years. If you cant follow the logic, dont worry. It makes no sense. The notion that Mattis confirmation would jeopardize civilian control of the military was ludicrous. There was no reason to suppose that Mattis, who retired from the military in 2013, has a problem with civilian control. Nor, as it turned out, did Mattis have such a problem. To the contrary, he resigned because he did not agree with the policies of the civilian who controls the military. What did Gillibrand expect in these circumstances, a military coup? The seven-year rule was waived for General George Marshall with no adverse consequences, and there was no reason not to waive it for General Mattis. Even Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker, and Kamala Harris were able to work that out. Was Gillibrand genuinely concerned that Mattis wouldnt bow to civilian authority or was she just differentiating herself from potential rivals within the Democratic party? If, for any reason, Mattis tenure as Secretary of Defense didnt work out well, Gillibrand would be able to cite her vote against him. If it turned out okay, Democrats would be unlikely to make an issue out of her vote, since Mattis was unlikely to be a hero to the Democratic base. But that was before Mattis came to be lionized as the (departed) adult in the Trump administration the man who stood between a raging lunatic president and worldwide disaster. Now, Gillibrands vote against him must be mildly embarrassing. But in the context of Democratic primaries, it probably wont be more than that. In the context of the general election, should Gillibrand somehow get that far, it might be more. However, Trump can only get so far playing this card, given Mattis well-publicized differences with the president. Gillibrand and Trump might be the only politicians in Washington who dont think Mattis should be Secretary of Defense. Turning his Fifth District congressional seat over to Ilhan Omar, Keith Ellison was elected Minnesota Attorney General last month. Entering the race after the DFL had held its convention and endorsed him for reelection to Congress, The position of Minnesota Attorney General is of limited interest, but Ellison has been a national figure since his election to Congress in 2006 as the first Muslim. Indeed, he currently serves as deputy chair of the Democratic National Committee. Ellison did not become the endorsed DFL candidate for attorney general until he defeated gay millennial Matt Pelikan in the August primary. On the day after the primary, with the prospect of Ellisons ascent to Minnesotas top law enforcement job staring us in the face, I asked Can Keith Ellison turn lawman? (Editors note: The linked column posed question in the Weekly Standard. Download the column while you can!) I asked the question on the morning after the Minnesota primary because of Ellisons long public record of words and deeds evidencing his contempt for law enforcement. Ellisons contempt goes wide and deep. It has resulted in his outspoken advocacy of cold-blooded cop killers including Joanne Deborah Chesimard, a/k/a Assata Shakur. Chesimard is not just a convicted cop killer, she is an escapee from prison. She is on the lam in Cuba. Chesimard is now one of the FBIs most wanted. Ellison prayed for her continued refuge there. Ellison is unfit for higher office in general and unsuited for the position of attorney general in particular. I hoped that raising the question of Ellisons fitness for office and putting the evidence out there in a timely manner might have some impact on Minnesota media covering the race, but it didnt. Theres something about Keith. On Sunday St. Paul Pioneer Press reporter Dave Orrick asked the question in a story with this headline: A lot of cops dont like Keith Ellison. Hows that going to work when hes attorney general? Orricks article is not just late, its pitiful. It omits most of the story I tell in the Weekly Standard column and turns into a thinly veiled brief for Ellison. Orrick quotes Ellison: All of this the offices duties, Ellisons distinctive background make Ellison, in his words, a great fit for the job. On second thought, forget it. Sorry I asked. Please, just shut up. In this series we have sought to recall what we have learned so far in the matter of the greatest scandal in our history the one underlying the presidential election of 2016, from the Clinton campaign to the highest reaches of the Obama administration. UC Berkeley School of Law Heller Professor and former Deputy Assistant Attorney General John Yoo wrote at FOX News over the weekend: A transcript [of former FBI Director James Comeys testimony to two House Committees in] the closed-door hearing [last week] shows Comey confirmed that he evaded standard protocol which would have required the FBI to work through the White House Counsels Office and Justice Department leadership when he sent two FBI agents to question Flynn in the first days of the Trump administration. [We posted the transcript here.] Comey boasted that excluding Justice Department and White House lawyers from the questioning of Flynn is something we, I, probably wouldnt have done or maybe gotten away with in a more organized investigation, a more organized administration. FBI agents then subjected Flynn to careful questioning, even though they already had electronic intercepts of his conversations with Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak and his many contacts with foreign diplomats during the Trump presidential transition. The FBI agents encouraged Flynn to sit down without White House lawyers present, did not reveal that he was the subject of a criminal investigation, and even came away thinking he did not intentionally lie to them. Many observers have asked why Flynn would lie about a detail involving his discussions of sanctions with Russias ambassador. After all, it was his job as the incoming national security adviser to make contact with important foreign governments. Flynn would also know, as a former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, that the FBI regularly monitors the electronic communications of foreign diplomats. But the overlooked question is this: Why did Comey and the FBI go to such extreme lengths to catch Flynn in a lie, when he had violated no federal law? Under questioning before the House Judiciary Committee, Comey claimed that the FBI has the duty to understand why it appeared to be the case that the National Security adviser was making false statements about his conversations with the Russians to the Vice President of the United States. But as Gowdy and others made clear, it is not the FBIs job to make sure politicians tell the truth to each other. If it was, the FBI would be so busy it would never get to its real mission of investigating federal crimes. Though he resisted this inference during the hearings, Comeys answer suggests that his order to investigate Flynn was part of a broader counterintelligence investigation into the Trump presidential campaign. PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-24 17:47:47 Press Information Research Report Insights Research Report Insights 42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0, Muskoka, Ontario T: +1-631-721-4201 Vikas Bahurupi Manager 6317214201 email https://www.researchreportinsights.com # 591 Words Research Report Insights42 joseph street,Portcarling P0B 1J0,Muskoka, OntarioT: +1-631-721-4201Manager6317214201 Biopsy Device market is projected to reach US$ 2,621.4 Mn by 2026 due to the government initiatives to enhance availability of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Biopsy device market can be broadly classified into product segments such as guidance system, needles, guns, reagents & kits and others (brushes, curettes and punches etc.); by application such as medical diagnosis and scientific research; and by end users which are hospital, specialized oncology centre, diagnostic centre and research institutes. In terms of revenue, the global biopsy device market is expected to reach US$ 1,397.4 Mn in 2016, witnessing a CAGR of 6.5%.Factors such as favourable reimbursement scenario in the U.S., demand for minimal invasive breast biopsy, and increasing preference for minimally-invasive biopsy procedures would contribute to the revenue growth of the biopsy device market over the forecast period. Economic factors such as increasing discretionary funding for cancer research, cancer awareness programs by governments, and increasing global healthcare spending would contribute to the revenue growth of the biopsy device market over the forecast period.Request For Report Sample with Table of Contents@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114759/Biopsy-Device-market The demand for biopsy devices has been significantly high in the U.S., Germany and China market in the recent years. Asia pacific excluding Japan is also a lucrative market globally owing to the compound annual growth rate of 7.1%. Asia Pacific excluding Japan biopsy device market revenue was accounted to be US$ 178.0 Mn in 2015, with China accounting for majority of revenue share.By product, needles segment accounted for higher revenue share in global biopsy device market in comparison to the guidance system and guns market. Biopsy needles segment is expected to reach a value of US$ 956.7 Mn by 2026, reflecting a CAGR of 6.2% over the forecast period. Biopsy Guidance system segment, is expected to record a robust growth in the forecast period. The growth in guidance system can be attributed to the increasing trend towards advanced technology products.Request For Report Discount@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114759/Biopsy-Device-market By application, medical diagnosis segment accounted for highest revenue share in biopsy device market as compared to scientific research segment. Medical diagnosis segment is expected to reach a value of US$ 1,603.8 Mn by 2026, reflecting a CAGR of 6.2% over the forecast period. This is expected to be closely followed by scientific research segment which is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6.9% during the forecast period.By end user, hospital segment accounts for higher consumption of biopsy devices as compared to other end user segments such as specialized oncology centre, diagnostic centre and research institutes. The strong growth in hospital segment can be attributed to increasing population preference for hospitals which can provide better assistance on increasing use for monitoring the disease and increasing incidences of breast cancers leading to breast biopsies. Hospitals are expected to register a CAGR of 8.2% over the forecast period.In addition to Asia Pacific excluding Japan, demand for biopsy devices has been significantly growing in Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. Revenues in APEJ are anticipated to grow by 7.1%, whereas MEA is expected to increase at 7.6% over the forecast period due to increasing demand for biopsy devices in various regions and increasing demand for minimal invasive Breast biopsy, which in turn contribute to the growth of the global biopsy device market. Key players in the global biopsy devices market include Becton, Dickinson and Company , Argon Medical Inc., B. Braun Melsungen AG, Boston Scientific Inc., C. R. Bard, Inc., Hologic, Inc., Devicor Medical Products Inc. and others.Report Analysis@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114759/Biopsy-Device-market PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-24 11:18:11 Press Information Persistence Market Research CONTACT: Persistence Market Research 305 Broadway 7th Floor, New York City, NY 10007, United States, USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353 Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com yogesh sengar team lead 800-961-0353 email http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com # 534 Words CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.comteam lead800-961-0353 The term Crowd funding refers to a collection of funds for any venture or project through various sources like equity and non-equity, the platform for collecting funds can be the internet and other social media. These crowd funding platforms help investors to meet entrepreneurs in need of funds for their ventures. Mostly, none- equity sector can be considered as the main source of crowd funding rather than equity sector. The crowd funding market had started in the early or mid of 2000s, and since then it has noticed an enormous growth owing to the increase of Start-Ups and many new projects globally. Moreover, such crowd funding platforms have been able to collect billions of dollars for meeting millions of campaigns in the year 2012. Nowadays, Investors are getting attracted to such crowd funding market because of the potential of the untapped market in many regions. North America is having a greater potential in crowd funding market due to the presence of economically sound countries like the US in this region. Likewise, every year crowd funding platforms are launched, thus globalizing the crowd funding market.The increase in a number of Start-Ups and many new small projects are responsible for the growth of crowd funding market for their capital needs. Moreover, Real Estate sector is growing with a significant rate in developing regions like North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Hence, increasing fund requirement in Real Estate sector is a driving force for crowd funding market. In addition, this sector is having a good market share in crowd funding market.Besides the driving factors of crowd funding market, there are many stringent conditions of crowd funding platforms which can restrain the crowd funding market in further future. Many entrepreneurs are not aware of the existence of crowd funding platforms which can hamper the growth of crowd funding market. Like Kickstarter launched a mission to empower artists and creative projects owners for their ideas through reward crowd funding, but due to lack of awareness many entrepreneurs were not able to avail the benefits of crowd funding.Request for Report Sample: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/8422 On the basis of Sources, the crowd funding market can be segmented as follows:Non-Equity Sources.Equity Sources.On the basis of crowd funding platforms, crowd funding market can be segmented as follows:Specialized platforms.Activity Specific platform.General purpose platform.On the basis of allocation of funds, crowd funding market can be segmented as follows:The All-or-Nothing model.The keep what you earn model.The global Crowd Funding market is segmented into seven key regions as North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Japan. North America is having the maximum market share in the global crowd funding market, specially the US in this region is having a big chunk in crowd funding market because of its higher economy than other countries. North America is followed by Europe in crowd funding market and in Europe also, the best performing countries are UK and France. Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness a moderate growth in crowd funding market due to many new business opportunities in various sectors.Request for Report TOC: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/8422 XploreMR is one of the worlds leading resellers of high-quality market research reports. We feature in-depth reports from some of the worlds most reputed market research companies and international organizations. We serve across a broad spectrum from Fortune 500 to small and medium businesses. Our clients trust us for our unwavering focus onquality and affordability. We believe high price should not be a bottleneck for organizations looking to gain access to quality information. xplore-mr PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-24 15:17:58 Press Information XploreMR 111 North Market Street, Suite 300, San Jose, CA 95113, United States Website: https://www.xploremr.com Email : sales@xploremr.com sales@xploremr.com Sales 6692840108 email http://www.xploremr.com # 743 Words 111 North Market Street, Suite 300,San Jose, CA 95113, United StatesWebsite: https://www.xploremr.comEmail : sales@xploremr.comSales6692840108 Refrigeration is the process of transferring the heat from one location to another. In this case the heat is taken from the foods and other edible items and transferred out from the refrigeration units. The commercial refrigeration equipments are primarily used in the hospitality industry. The changing lifestyle and increase in number of hotels and restaurants is fuelling the market for growth. The commercial refrigeration equipments are generally segmented by the types of equipments. Continuous technological advancement in refrigeration systems is owing to the growth of this market.The food service equipment (commercial refrigeration) market is considered to be volatile as a result of the fluctuation in the trends of various equipments and application markets across the globe. The rise in number of hotels and restaurants across the globe is owing to the growth in food service equipment (commercial refrigeration) market. In addition, the changing lifestyle of the working population is also ensuring the demand for ready to cook food. This is resulting in the rise of retail outlets and supermarkets leading to the demand for commercial refrigeration equipment. Moreover, commercial refrigeration equipment also find their application in hospitals to preserve medicines and vaccines.View Full Report @ https://www.xploremr.com/report/1609/food-service-equipment Acceptance of high end technologies and the expansion of hospitality industry across various geographic locations is creating new opportunities for the food service equipment (commercial refrigeration) manufacturers globally. However, the high initial investment is acting as a restraint for the market. Regionally, North America has the highest penetration rate for food service equipment (commercial refrigeration) as they are the early adapters of latest technology.This report covers the global food service equipment (commercial refrigeration) market along with their performance in regions such as North America, East Europe, South West Europe, North West Europe, Central Europe, Asia Pacific and Russia among others. The report provides in-depth analysis for each region along with market estimates and forecast from 2013 to 2020 in terms of revenues and volumes.This market research study analyzes the food service equipment (commercial refrigeration) market globally, and provides estimates in terms of revenue (USD million) and volume (thousand units) from 2014 to 2020. In addition, the drivers and the restraints that are affecting the industry have been recognized. Furthermore, they have been analyzed to understand their impact over the forecast period. Moreover, it identifies the significant opportunities for market growth in the coming years.By region, the market has been divided into North America, Latin America, East (Europe), South West (Europe), North West (Europe), Central (Europe), Asia-Pacific (APAC), Russia, China, India, Turkey & Middle East and Africa and these have been estimated in terms of revenue (USD billion) and volume (thousand units). In addition, the report segments the market based on the equipment type, which include ice machines, refrigerated vending machines, beverage dispensers, glass door merchandisers (GDMs), commercial fridges/freezers, blast freezers, ice cream machines, ice cream cabinets, and walk ins among others.In order to have a better understanding of the food service equipment (commercial refrigeration) market, a detailed value chain has been provided. In addition, the Porters five forces affecting the market have been identified. Furthermore, the study also includes the market attractiveness analysis where the applications have been benchmarked based on the growth rate, scope and attractiveness in general.The report provides company market share analysis of various industry participants. The key players have also been profiled on the basis of company overview, financial overview, business strategies, and the recent developments in the field of food service equipments (commercial refrigeration). Major market participants profiled in this report include .Ali Group, Meiko, Hobart Corporation, Manitowoc Company Inc., Hoshizaki Electric Co., Ltd. Cambro Manufacturing Company Inc. and Dover Corporation among others.Download Sample Report @ https://www.xploremr.com/connectus/sample/1609 Food Service Equipment (Commercial Refrigeration) Market: By geographyNorth AmericaLatin America (LAM)East (Europe)South West (Europe)North West (Europe)Central EuropeAsia PacificRussiaChinaIndiaTurkey & MEA (Middle East and Africa)Food Service Equipment (Commercial Refrigeration) Market: By product typeIce machinesRefrigerated vending machinesBeverage dispensersGlass Door Merchandisers (GDMs)Commercial fridges/freezersBlast freezersIce cream machinesIce cream cabinetsWalk insOthersThe report provides a cross-sectional analysis of all the above segments with respect to the following regions:North AmericaLatin America (LAM)East (Europe)South West (Europe)North West (Europe)Central EuropeAsia PacificRussiaChinaIndiaTurkey & MEA (Middle East and Africa)Buy Full Report @ https://www.xploremr.com/cart/reports/buynow/1609 PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-24 08:02:02 JERSEY, Channel Islands, Dec. 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Serinus Energy plc (Serinus, SEN or the Company) (AIM:SENX, WSE:SEN), is pleased to announce that Serinus Energy Romania S.A. (the Companys wholly-owned subsidiary) has signed a Gas Sales Agreement (the Agreement) with Vitol Gas and Power BV for the quantities of its forthcoming gas production, which are not required to be sold on a centralised market, from the Moftinu Gas Project in Romania. The term of this agreement will be from the start of production until the end of the following gas year (this being from October to the end of September of a given year and represents Transgaz annual pipeline capacity booking season), with the option to extend after that time. The Agreement calls for the gas pricing linked to an average of transactions concluded on the centralized markets of Romania. The Agreement also provides the Company with flexibility in nominating quantities for each delivery month, which is especially important for the commissioning period of the Moftinu gas plant and for meeting the Companys legislated market obligations to sell the remaining quantities directly into the centralized markets of Romania. There are two established gas trading markets in Romania where the Company is a member and through which it will sell its remaining production in the open market, once production has commenced. About Serinus Serinus is an international upstream oil and gas exploration and production company that owns and operates projects in Tunisia and Romania. The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 ("MAR"). For further information, please refer to the Serinus website ( www.serinusenergy.com ) or contact the following: Serinus Energy plc Jeffrey Auld, Chief Executive Officer Calvin Brackman, Vice President, External Relations & Strategy +1-403-264-8877 Numis Securities Limited (Nominated Adviser and Joint Broker) John Prior Paul Gillam Ben Stoop +44 (0) 20 7260 1000 GMP FirstEnergy (Joint Broker) Hugh Sanderson Jonathan Wright +44 (0) 20 7448 0200 Camarco (Financial PR) Billy Clegg Owen Roberts +44 (0) 20 3781 8334 TBT i Wspolnicy (Financial PR - Warsaw) Piotr Talarek +48 22 487 53 02 Forward Looking Statement Disclaimer This news release includes forward looking information and statements within the meaning of securities laws. Such statements relate to the Corporations or managements objectives, projections, estimates, expectations, or predictions of the future and can be identified by words such as plans, assumes, will, anticipate and may or variations of such words. These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses by the Corporation that reflect its experience and understanding of future developments. Such statements are subject to a number of uncertainties, including, but not limited to, continued listing on the Warsaw Stock Exchange and AIM, the Corporations ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the delisting and other factors identified in the Corporations filings with regulatory authorities in Canada. Many of these uncertainties are beyond the Corporations control and, therefore, may cause actual actions or results to differ from those expressed or implied herein. The Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by law. Translation : This news release has been translated into Polish from the English original. PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-24 11:04:37 Press Information Persistence Market Research Persistence Market Research 305 Broadway 7th Floor, New York City, NY 10007, United States, USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353 Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Abhishek Manager 3479183531 email https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com # 752 Words Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.comManager3479183531 According to the latest market report published by Persistence Market Research, titled Microbiome Therapeutics Market Potential: Global Pipeline Analysis and Assessment 2018 2025, the global microbiome therapeutics market is expected to exhibit an exponential CAGR of 62.9% during the forecast period 20182025.Persistence Market Research estimates that the global market for microbiome therapeutics is expected to be valued at US$ 10.1 Mn in 2018 and is expected to reach US$ 897.3 Mn by 2025 end. Need for reliable, precise and fast treatment options for certain diseases, such as C. difficile infection (CDI), phenylketonuria, hepatic encephalopathy and multidrug resistant urinary tract infection creates a huge potential for the growth of the microbiome therapeutics market. Breakthrough therapy designation and orphan drug approvals for microbiome therapeutics is expected to accelerate the launch of developmental drugs in the microbiome therapeutics market. A huge pipeline with over 120 candidates in different stages of development further creates the platform for potential growth of the microbiome therapeutics market.Request for sample report: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/7990 More Than 120 Drugs Are in the Pipeline in the Global Microbiome Therapeutics MarketAt present there are no marketed microbiome therapeutics in the global market; however, the first drug is expected to be launched in 2018. The global market is dominated by over 25 companies with more than 120 drugs in the pipeline at different stages of development. However, over 60% of these drugs are in the discovery or preclinical phase, where there is high uncertainty surrounding the success of these molecules to reach the clinical phase and being launched as a new drug molecule. Majority of the pipeline drugs are being developed for gastrointestinal disorders and contribute approximately 28.7% of the total pipeline products.Research and development in the microbiome industry is prominently dependent on government funding and research grants. Formation of policies and provision of subsidy by various governments encourages research and development activities across various segments of the research including discovery and clinical research. Government initiatives in funding microbiome research is the preliminary factor driving revenue growth of global microbiome therapeutics market. For instance, the U.S. government had allocated US$ 1.6 Bn for microbiome R&D programs in 2016 & 2017.Global Microbiome Therapeutics Market: Segmentation and ForecastThe market is segmented based on indication and region. On the basis of indication, the market has been segmented into type 2 diabetes, obesity, C. difficile infection and primary hyperoxyurea. C. difficile infection indication segment is expected to contribute the highest market share of over 34% by 2025 end. More number of product approvals for CDI is attributed to a high share of the C. difficile infection segment in the global market.Human gut is home to over 100 Tn bacteria, containing thousands of different species. Long-term exposure to antibiotics causes dysbiosis in gut microbial composition, which leads to a variety of gastrointestinal disorders including CDI, ulcerative colitis, IBD, bacterial infection and even antibiotic associated diarrhea. Microbiome therapeutics however, present an excellent option for the treatment of CDI and other gastrointestinal disorders, as they are designed to naturally cure dysbiosis and bring the microbiome system back to normal functioning.Request Report TOC @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/7990 Global Microbiome Therapeutics Market: Regional ForecastOn the basis of region, the market has been segmented into the U.S., Europe, Japan and Rest of the World (RoW). U.S. is estimated to contribute the highest share of over 44% by 2025 end, due to early launch of microbiome therapeutics and high penetration compared to other markets. The market in Japan is expected to witness delayed growth due to the complex regulatory pathways for new biological drugs. The microbiome therapeutics market in the rest of the world is expected to show gradual acceptance of bug medicine, Canada being the most lucrative among the rest of the world countries.Global Microbiome Therapeutics Market: Competitive LandscapeKey players identified in the global microbiome therapeutics market are SERES Therapeutics Inc., Rebiotix Inc., OxThera AB, Immuron Ltd., Microbiome Therapeutics Inc., Ferring B.V., Ritter Pharmaceuticals, LNC Therapeutics, Enterome SA, Synlogic Inc., 4D Pharma Plc. AOBiome LLC, Vedanta Biosciences Inc., ViThera Pharmaceuticals Inc., AvidBiotics, Osel Inc. etc. among others.Majority of the players in the microbiome therapeutics market are engaged in partnerships and collaborations with established pharmaceutical companies and academic institutes. Small start-up and clinical stage microbiome companies are capitalizing on venture financing to establish microbiome based novel therapeutics in the global market. Despite of decrease in the overall venture capital investments, the microbiome industry has witnessed high VC investments in 2016, and raised approximately to US$ 336 Mn in 2016. Partnerships and research collaborations are another prominent trends identified in global microbiome therapeutics market. Incontinence Products Market PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-24 08:03:36 Press Information Persistence Market Research 305 Broadway 7th Floor, New York City, NY 10007, United States, USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353 Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Yogesh Sengar Team Lead 800-961-0353 email https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/ # 544 Words 305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.comTeam Lead800-961-0353 Incontinence or Incontinent may refer to the involuntary excretion of bowel contents or urine. Difficulties with using the toilet, accidents and incontinence, can all be problems for people with dementia, particularly as the condition progresses. According to a report published by WHO, 5% to 7% of the worlds population is suffering from incontinence. These problems can be upsetting for people and for those around them. Today a variety of products are available in the market, which can provide practical solutions to those people suffering from such ailments. Some of these are Protective Underwear & Briefs, Pads & Liners, Overnight diapers, Tab Style Diapers, skin care products to name a few.Request Sample Report@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/8935 Incontinence products are a part of personal care segment, which is growing at a faster pace. This is due to the rise in aging population, increasing awareness and acceptance of incontinence products. Product innovations to customize the products is also driving the incontinence care industry. The WHO report projects that in almost every country the proportion of people aged over 60 years is growing faster than any other age group, as a result of both longer life expectancy and declining fertility rates. Also the rise in the population of diabetic Mellitus patients worldwide provides a good platform for this market. However, there are some bigger challenges faced by this industry like the threat of alternates and substitutes and the threat from low-cost manufacturers.The incontinence products market can be segmented based on product type, into, external & internal. External products include; absorbent products, hand wash, gloves, body wash, barrier cream, repair cream, hand held urinals, bed pads, shampoo caps, whereas, internal products include; tampons, disposable urethral Inserts, pessaries. Based on raw material used- plastic, cotton fabric, super absorbents, cotton fiber, latex, others (water proof materials).In terms distributional channel, the market is segmented into institutional & homecare and retail trade. Out of which institutional & homecare is estimated to be the major end-users, accounting approximately 60% of the global market for incontinence products and the retail market owns remaining 40% of the market.Geographically, the incontinence products market is segmented into seven regions which are ; North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), and Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Japan. Among all the regions, Western Europe is the highest contributor in term of revenue in global incontinence products market followed by Asia Pacific, North America & it is expected that in near future, Asia Pacific is going to lead this market.Japan, having the highest proportion of elderly citizens could be a big market for this segment. The ever growing population of China will drive the demand for healthcare products, consequently resulting in the growth of the incontinence market in country. Saudi Arab, Kiribati, Kuwait, Bahrain are worlds leading diabetic prevalent nation. These countries also have a good market potential for incontinence products.Request Report TOC@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/8935 Some of the key players across the value chain dominating this market are Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA, Unicharm Corporation, HARTMANN GROUP, ONTEX International N.V., Hypermarcas SA, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, First Quality Enterprises Inc., Pro Descart Industria e Comercio Ltd, Coloplast A/S, C. R. Bard Inc., B. Braun Melsungen AG, Covidien plc and Medline Industries Inc, etc. PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-24 07:28:02 Indonesian Delegation Receives Agricultural Training in Taiwan Vincent Lin Department of International Affairs vincent@mail.coa.gov.tw +886-2-2312-4677 To implement the Taiwan-Indonesia collaborative project of Modern Agriculture Demo Farm in Karawang (MADFK), the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture has sent a team comprising 30 key farmers and officials to Taiwan for a 15-day long training. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181223005 COA Deputy Minister Lee Tuey-chih pictured with key farmers from the Karawang area of Indonesia who came to Taiwan for training. (Photo: Business Wire) Co-developed by the Indonesia Ministry of Agriculture, Karawang regency government, and related departments of Taiwan, MADFK is aimed at introducing Taiwans irrigation, agricultural technology, materials, and machinery, as well as seed knowledge and management and marketing models of farmers organization to Indonesia to advance the agricultural technology and development in Karawang, and further to duplicate the experience across Indonesia. Held on Nov. 2 at the one of agricultural research institutes in Council of Agriculture (COA), the opening ceremony was attended by representatives from the Indonesian Economic and Trade Office to Taipei, the Office of Trade Negotiations of the Executive Yuan, and Taiwans International Cooperation and Development Fund. The COA noted that the training courses will help key farmers and officials of the MADFK improve their knowledge of agricultural technology and business management and build a good foundation through sharing Taiwans agricultural information and development experience with them. Earlier this June, Taiwan and Indonesia has signed an Action Plan for the MADFK project, which will carry out five major projects in Karawang Regency in West Java Province, including irrigation system, rice cultivation, horticultural industry, duck farming, and farmer organization. The Taiwan-Indonesia collaborative project of MADFK is expected to assist Indonesia in upgrading its agricultural technology and increasing farmers income while exporting Taiwans quality seeds, materials, and machinery to Indonesia to create a win-win situation for both nations. The training program has assigned experts from the COA to offer guidance and instruction of various agricultural practices. In addition, on-site visits to model communities of rural regeneration, work stations and pond facilities of irrigation association, local production-and-marketing groups for vegetables and flowers, and domestic agricultural machinery and fertilizer enterprises that intend to open branch in Indonesia have also been arranged. During their stay in Taiwan, the COA has also arranged a trip to the 2018 Taichung World Flora Exposition to show them Taiwans development of agriculture, hoping that the Taiwan experience will help the MADFK develop and grow. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181223005 PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-24 12:43:38 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 991 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / December 24, 2018 / Further to the news release of December 13, 2018, Gabriel Resources Ltd. ("Gabriel" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed an initial closing of the previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of up to 106,425,846 units (the "Units") of the Company at a price of $0.2475 per Unit (Purchase Price) for gross proceeds of up to US$20 million (approximately $26.3 million).Each Unit consists of one common share ("Common Share") of the Company ("New Shares") and one Common Share purchase warrant (New Warrants). Each New Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.49 at any time prior to the date that is five (5) years following the closing of the Private Placement.In the initial closing, a total of 80,702,475 Units were issued to certain existing securityholders (the "Subscribers") to raise aggregate gross proceeds of approximately US$15.2 million (approximately $20.0 million). The New Shares and New Warrants issued in the initial closing of the Private Placement are subject to a statutory 4-month hold period expiring April 22, 2019.Proceeds from the Private Placement will be used by the Company to finance the costs of its continuing arbitration case against Romania before the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes ("ICSID Arbitration") and for general working capital requirements.The closing of the remainder of the Private Placement is subject to certain conditions and applicable approvals. It is anticipated that the remainder of the Private Placement may close on or about January 15, 2019 or such earlier or later date as may be determined by the Company, subject to satisfaction or waiver by the relevant party of the conditions of closing.Securities Currently In IssueAs a result of the initial closing of the Private Placement the Company has the following securities in issue:465,155,255 Common Shares issued and outstanding;80,702,475 Common Share purchase warrants which are exercisable at a price of $0.49 at any time prior to December 21, 2023111,536,250 Common Share purchase warrants which are exercisable at a price of $0.46 at any time prior to June 30, 2021;$95,625,000 of convertible subordinated unsecured notes, with an annual coupon of 0.025%, a conversion price of $0.3105, and a maturity date of June 30, 2021. At maturity, the Company will have the ability to repay the notes through the issuance of Common Shares; and95,625 arbitration value rights ("AVRs"), comprising:55,000 AVRs entitling the holders to a pro rata share of 7.5% of any proceeds arising from any monies received by the Company and/or any of its affiliates pursuant to any settlement or arbitral awards irrevocably made in its favour in relation to the ICSID Arbitration ("ICSID Award"), subject to a maximum aggregate entitlement of $175 million among all holders of such AVRs; and40,625 AVRs entitling the holders to a pro rata share of 5.54% of any proceeds arising from any ICSID Award, subject to a maximum aggregate entitlement of $129.3 million among all holders of such AVRs.The securities described herein 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 accordingly may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons, as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act ("U.S. Persons"), except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Company's securities to, or for the account of benefit of, persons in the United States or U.S. Persons.Further detail regarding the Private Placement can be found in the news release issued by the Company on December 13, 2018, which is available on the Company's website at www.gabrielresources.com and filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com , and the material change report also filed on SEDAR dated the date hereof.For information on this press release, please contact:Dragos TanasePresident & CEOPhone: +44 7799 469694dt@ gabrielresources.com Richard BrownChief Commercial OfficerPhone: +44 7748 760276 richard.brown@gabrielresources.com 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.Further InformationAbout GabrielGabriel is a Canadian resource company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company's principal focus has been the exploration and development of the Rosia Montana gold and silver project in Romania ("Rosia Montana Project"). The Rosia Montana Project, one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in Europe, is situated in the South Apuseni Mountains of Transylvania, Romania, an historic and prolific mining district that since pre-Roman times has been mined intermittently for over 2,000 years. The exploitation license ("License") for the Rosia Montana Project is held by Rosia Montana Gold Corporation S.A., a Romanian company in which Gabriel owns an 80.69% equity interest, with the 19.31% balance held by Minvest Rosia Montana S.A., a Romanian state-owned mining company. It is anticipated that the Rosia Montana Project would bring over US$24 billion (at US$1,200/oz gold) to Romania as potential direct and indirect contribution to GDP and generate thousands of employment opportunities.Upon obtaining the License in June 1999, the Group (as defined below) focused substantially all of their management and financial resources on the exploration, feasibility and subsequent development of the Rosia Montana Project. Despite the Company's fulfilment of its legal obligations and its development of the Rosia Montana Project as a high-quality, sustainable and environmentally-responsible mining project, using best available techniques, Romania has blocked and prevented implementation of the Rosia Montana Project without due process and without compensation. Accordingly, the Companys current core focus is the ICSID Arbitration. For more Research Report Insights PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-24 17:57:19 Press Information Research Report Insights Research Report Insights 42 joseph street, Portcarling P0B 1J0, Muskoka, Ontario T: +1-631-721-4201 Vikas Bahurupi Manager 6317214201 email https://www.researchreportinsights.com # 541 Words Research Report Insights42 joseph street,Portcarling P0B 1J0,Muskoka, OntarioT: +1-631-721-4201Manager6317214201 According to a report published by Research Report Insights (RRI), the global market for peripherally inserted central catheters is anticipated to surpass market valuation of US$ 673 Million by 2016 end. In terms of revenue, the global market for peripherally inserted central catheters is expected to witness a significant CAGR of over 5% during the forecast period (2016 2024).Factors such as the rise in healthcare expenditure, credible reimbursement policies, higher preference for peripherally inserted central catheters by clinicians and healthcare providers are likely to fuel the demand for such catheters during the forecast period. On the other hand, lack of expertise, concerns over bloodstream infections and growing preference for deep vein thrombosis and midline catheters are likely to inhibit the growth of overall market.Innovation in peripherally inserted central catheters and advanced technology of anti-thrombogenic peripherally inserted central catheters and anti-microbial peripherally inserted central catheters will define new market opportunities for manufacturers.Request For Report Sample with Table of Contents@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114719/Peripherally-Inserted-Central-Catheters-Market By product type, the global market for peripherally inserted central catheters is bifurcated into conventional peripherally inserted central catheters and power injected peripherally inserted central catheters. Amongst the two, the latter is the predominant segment of the market, accounting for more than 80% value share in 2015. Further, the segment is anticipated to remain dominant through 2024. This is mainly due to the rapid adoption of newer products and convenient compensation policies.Based on design, the market is segmented into multiple lumen, double lumen, and single lumen. Demand for multiple lumen catheters is projected to be the highest in 2016, accounting for more than half of the total revenue share of the market. The segment will reflect a CAGR of over 6% during the forecast period primarily due to increasing prevalence of carcinogenic disorders that entail such lumen catheters.By end user, the market is segmented into ambulatory surgical centers, hospitals, and catheterization laboratories. In 2015, hospitals were the largest end user segment, accounting for over 68% share in terms of value. In addition, the segment is expected to account for 72% value share of the market by the end of 2024.Request For Report Discount@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114719/Peripherally-Inserted-Central-Catheters-Market On the basis of region, the market is segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). North America is the predominant market for peripherally inserted central catheters and is maintain similar position during the forecast period. The market in North America is expected to witness an absolute $ opportunity of over US$ 19 Million in 2017 over 2016. The region is projected to account for nearly 81% value share of the market by 2016 end. The market in Europe is anticipated to account for 10.5% value share of the market by the end of 2016. Asia Pacific is foreseen as one of the emerging market, which is expected to reflect a CAGR of over 11% during the forecast period.Key players operating in the market include C. R. Bard Inc., B. Braun Melsungen AG, Cook Medical Inc., Medical Component Inc., AngioDynamics Inc., Theragenics Corporation. Teleflex Incorporated, Medtronic plc, Vygon S.A, and Argon Medical Devices Inc. These companies are implementing strategies such as improvement of distribution networks and further product development in order to tackle market impediments.Report Analysis@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114719/Peripherally-Inserted-Central-Catheters-Market XploreMR is one of the worlds leading resellers of high-quality market research reports. We feature in-depth reports from some of the worlds most reputed market research companies and international organizations. We serve across a broad spectrum from Fortune 500 to small and medium businesses. XploreMR PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-24 13:54:51 Press Information XploreMR 111 North Market Street, Suite 300, San Jose, CA 95113, United States Tel: +1-669-284-0108 Email:sales@xploremr.com Website: http://xploremr.com Neha Bhosle SEO Executive 6692840108 email http://www.xploremr.com # 882 Words 111 North Market Street, Suite 300,San Jose, CA 95113, United StatesTel: +1-669-284-0108Email:sales@xploremr.comWebsite: http://xploremr.comSEO Executive6692840108 Pneumatic Rollers Market Forecast, Trend Analysis & Competition Tracking: Global Market Insights 2018 to 2028 is an analytical study that offers actionable intelligence on several segments of the pneumatic rollers market. The report also reveals the sales and demand scenario of pneumatic rollers across key regions globally. Comprehensive report on pneumatic rollers market covers analysis on various dynamics impacting growth. It also provides historical data, current market scenario and future insights on pneumatic rollers market. The pneumatic rollers market report is skilfully drafted with a chapter wise analysis for convenience of the reader.Chapter 1 Executive SummaryThis chapter provides an in-depth overview of the pneumatic rollers market. It also includes opportunity assessment along with wheel of fortune that reveals segmental assessment of pneumatic rollers market. The chapter highlights various mega trends that influence the growth of pneumatic rollers market along with key insights provided by XploreMR analysts.Get Sample Copy of this report @ https://www.xploremr.com/connectus/sample/2175 Chapter 2 IntroductionThe pneumatic rollers market report covers a brief introduction on the market. It provides opinions of key participants, overview of construction industry, outlook on construction equipment across key regions (BRIC & TRIAD), financial services, potential of aftermarket services and challenges in the pneumatic rollers market.Chapter 3 ScopeThis chapter covers market segmentation along with definition of pneumatic rollers. It defines the entire scope of the report and various facets it is describing.Chapter 4 Associated Industry AssessmentThis chapter covers road infrastructure scenario, major construction projects worldwide, need of compaction machines and compaction machine value and volume sales and forecasts.Chapter 5 Market Dynamics & Key IndicatorsThis chapter includes key dynamics focusing on drivers, restraints, opportunities and trends in the pneumatic rollers market. It also highlights value chain analysis, product life cycle and technology roadmap.Chapter 6 Pricing AnalysisThis chapter provides price point analysis by region, by loading capacity and other forecasts. This delivers intelligence on various pricing aspects influencing sales of pneumatic rollers.Chapter 7 Pneumatic Rollers Market Analysis and ForecastThis chapter of the pneumatic rollers market report includes a year-on-year growth assessment, absolute dollar opportunity analysis, pneumatic rollers market volume forecasts, and impact analysis. This chapter further covers intelligence on sales and demand of pneumatic rollers across key regions, and segmental information on pneumatic rollers by engine capacity, by operating capacity, and by drum width. It also reveals market attractiveness index of each segment and region.Chapter 8 North America Pneumatic Rollers Market AnalysisThis chapter includes assessment on pneumatic rollers sales across major countries of United States and Canada along with detailed segmental outlook across these countries for the forecasted period.Report Overview @ https://www.xploremr.com/report/2175/pneumatic-rollers-market Chapter 9 Latin America Pneumatic Rollers Market AnalysisMajor countries of Brazil, Chile, Peru, Argentina, and Mexico are assessed apropos to the adoption of pneumatic rollers. Potential of these countries complementing to the growth of the Latin America pneumatic rollers market with y-o-y growth assessments are revealed here.Chapter 10 Europe Pneumatic Rollers Market AnalysisThis chapter of the pneumatic rollers market report includes insights on demand and sales of pneumatic rollers across Germany, France, United Kingdom, Spain, BENELUX, Nordic and Italy. Revenue generation through sales of pneumatic rollers and their demand in these countries is provided in this chapter.Chapter 11 CIS & Russia Pneumatic Rollers Market AnalysisThe demand for pneumatic rollers in CIS & Russia is analyzed and future potential of the pneumatic rollers market in this region is revealed in the chapter. Segmental snapshot of pneumatic rollers market is chalked in this section.Chapter 12 Japan Pneumatic Rollers Market AnalysisThe sales of pneumatic rollers in Japan are assessed and future projections of the Japanese pneumatic rollers market is revealed in this chapter. Segmental analysis of pneumatic rollers market in this country is included in this section.Chapter 13 Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ) Pneumatic Rollers Market AnalysisCountries of Greater China, ASEAN, India, and Australia & New Zealand are assessed and sales assessment of pneumatic rollers in these countries is covered. A market attractiveness index and incremental opportunity along with year-on-year growth rate of APEJ pneumatic rollers market is provided here.Chapter 14 Middle East and Africa (MEA) Pneumatic Rollers Market AnalysisThis chapter focuses on pneumatic rollers market scenario across GCC countries, Israel, South Africa, and Turkey. Application wise analysis of pneumatic rollers market in these countries is covered in this chapter.Chapter 15 Pneumatic rollers Market Competitive AssessmentThis extensive section provides competitive intelligence to the reader by covering major companies participating in manufacturing and dealership of pneumatic rollers. This chapter provides market structure analysis, company share assessment including Tier 1 and Tier 2 players and region wise positioning assessment.Chapter 16 Company ProfilesThis chapter includes profiling of key market players involved in manufacturing of pneumatic rollers and their distribution. In-depth company share analysis along with company overview, key design innovations and developments, SWOT analysis and key financial aspects are covered.Chapter 17 Research MethodologyThis section gives a brief overview on the entire research process carried out to garner key information and statistics on pneumatic rollers market. It also covers detailed intelligence on various sources used. A brief overview of secondary sources used to glean the market information and details on primary interviews initiated with opinion leaders, market observers and other stakeholders in the pneumatic rollers market is covered here.Buy Now Full Report @ https://www.xploremr.com/cart/reports/buynow/2175 Real-Time E-Healthcare System Market : Global Trends Analysis and Forecast 2025 Future Market Insights PR-Inside.com: 2018-12-24 15:24:03 Press Information Future Market Insights U.S. Office 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 Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com Amir Manager +1-347-918-3531 email http://www.futuremarketinsights.com # 493 Words U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1-347-918-3531 Real-time e-healthcare system is one of the best ways to keep your health records and track it anytime, without any geographical constraint. Patients can always stay in touch with their doctors and communicate with them about any health issue. They can self-check also for an immediate result without any third partys dependence. With advanced technology and rapid innovation, these days products are being made in such a way that it should be more consumer friendly and easy to use. Real-time e-healthcare system fulfills all the above criteria and hence, the market is growing at a positive rate.Real-Time E-Healthcare System Market: Drivers & Restraints: Technological advancement, increasing disposable income, increase use of online services, increase use of mobile devices, increased health cost and expenditure, increasing need of an integrated healthcare system are the most important driving factors in real-time e-healthcare system market. Sine real-time e-healthcare system reduces medical errors and easily accessible information, the demand for real time e-healthcare system has increased regardless of the geographical location.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-593 Lack of inexperienced professionals, high maintenance and service cost, privacy concerns, the complexity of systems, less presence of real-time e-healthcare system in rural areas including developed nations like Europe and are acting as a barrier for real-time e-healthcare system market.Real-Time E-Healthcare System Market: OverviewThe real-time e-healthcare market has grown substantially at a healthy CAGR due to rising disposable income, increasing health awareness by consumers, ageing population and increasing healthcare expenditure. With rapid technological advancement and variety of options available in the market, real-time e-healthcare market is expected to grow globally. North America represents the largest market for this product category. Asia Pacific will emerge as the fastest growing region in real-time e-healthcare market.Real-Time E-Healthcare System Market: Region-wise OutlookThe real-time e-healthcare market is expected to register a double-digit CAGR for the forecast period. Depending on geographic regions, real-time e-healthcare market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market due to the improved healthcare infrastructure and high healthcare cost and rising disposable income. Increase demand of cloud computing from the developed nations like Europe and North America may also increase the demand for real-time e-healthcare systems by the end of forecast period.Real-Time E-Healthcare System Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in real-time e-healthcare market are Fitbit, Garmin, Jawbone, Misfit Wearables, DexCom, Medtronic, Abbott, Cerner Corporation, GE Healthcare, Epic Systems Corporation, Medical Information Technology Inc. (MEDITECH).Rquest to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-593 The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market segments, geographies, types, technology and applications. A newly discovered animal that buries its head in the sand has been named after U.S. President Donald Trump, apparently in response to his comments about climate change. The amphibian, Dermophis donaldtrumpi, which was discovered in Panama, was named by the head of a company that had bid $25,000 (19,800) at auction for the privilege. According to a report on CNN, the company said it wanted to raise awareness about climate change. The co-founder of EnviroBuild, Aidan Bell, in a statement said as demorphis donaldtrumpi is an amphibian. It is particularly susceptible to the impacts of climate change and is therefore in danger of becoming extinct as a direct result of its namesakes climate policies. The animal is a caecilian a limbless, burrowing amphibian that spends most of its time underground. According to a statement from EnviroBuild, the creature lost its limbs around 60 million years ago but has tentacles that it uses to find prey. Realising the similarities between the amazing but previously unknown creature and the leader of the free world, we couldnt resist buying the rights, Mr Bell told CNN via email. As demorphis donaldtrumpi is an amphibian, it is particularly susceptible to the impacts of climate change and is therefore in danger of becoming extinct as a direct result of its namesakes climate policies, Mr Bell said. Mr Trump has long been known as a climate-change sceptic. Global warming is a total, and very expensive, hoax, he tweeted in 2013, and his stance does not appear to have changed much since he became president. In late November, Trump dismissed the Fourth National Climate Assessment, a U.S. government research report on climate science, because he didnt agree with its findings. Climate change creates new risks and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities in communities across the United States, presenting growing challenges to human health and safety, quality of life, and the rate of economic growth, says the report. EnviroBuild paid $25,000 for the right to name the animal, which will soon be added to the vulnerable species list, at a December 8 auction to raise money for the Rainforest Trust. The amphibian is not the first beast to be named after Donald Trump. Last year, Neopalpa donaldtrumpi, was discovered by biologist Vazrick Nazari in a collection of moths from the Museum of Entomology, at the University of California. The scientist said the moths unique head colouring reminded him of the president. The African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL) on December 17 welcomed the public to a national stakeholders summit organised to assess the impact of Nigerias whistleblower policy in fighting corruption in the country. Representatives of civil society groups, anti-graft agencies, the media, lawyers, human rights defenders, and citizen activists converged on Rockview Royale Hotel in the capital Abuja to appraise the whistleblower policy approved by the Federal Executive Council on December 21, 2016. The summit was organised in partnership with the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit (PICA), a unit in the Ministry of Finance responsible for managing the policy, with support from the MacArthur Foundation. The policy in theory states that whistleblowers confidentiality will be maintained to the fullest extent possible within the limitations of the law. The policy offers protection for any whistleblower who has made a genuine disclosure in good faith, and also promises that restitution shall be made to the whistle-blower for any loss suffered as a result of harassment, intimidation or victimisation. Aaron Kaase, a whistleblower who lost his job in May 2015 after he petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to expose corruption in the Police Service Commission, said in practice the whistleblower policy is ineffective as government agencies are failing to protect whistleblowers. I am an example, Mr Kaase said. For three years plus, I was out of work. I went to the Presidential Committee on Anti-Corruption, the Ministry of Justice, the Presidential Adviser on Corruption, nothing came out of it. I only came back to work because I went to court. Corruption Anonymous (CORA), an accountability and good governance project of AFRICMIL, fought for Mr Kaases reinstatement. CORA has been supporting other whistleblowers who have suffered persecution, including having their identities exposed, loss of livelihood, and threats for blowing the whistle on corruption in Nigerian public institutions. Participants at the whistleblower summit presented findings, shared personal experiences, made observations on the governments anti-corruption fight, and gave recommendations amidst concerns that the culture of whistleblowing in Nigeria was declining despite the existence of the policy. Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer and whistleblower who chaired the summit, called on Nigerians to see this as a policy of Nigeria and not of the [President Muhammadu] Buhari government. He reminded the public that the introduction of the policy two years ago to fight corruption was sequel to the deliberate refusal of the National Assembly to pass a whistleblower bill which has been in parliament since 2007. During a discussion panel moderated by Maxwell Kadiri, a legal officer with the Open Society Justice Initiative, participants concurred that the whistleblower policy needs adequate legislative backing to expand its scope and impact. Panellists dissecting the policy were Musikilu Mojeed, Editor-in-Chief at Nigerias Premium Times newspaper; Vivian Mma Odi, acting General Secretary of Alliance for Credible Elections; Idayat Hassan, Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development; Frank Tietie, Executive Director of Citizens Advocacy for Social & Economic Rights; and Oluwole Ojewale, Assistant Programme Manager at CLEEN Foundation. Mr Tietie said a whistleblower policy would not be needed if security agencies were effective in fighting corruption. He advocated for greater public awareness of whistleblowing across all sectors, with a special focus in the financial sector. A focus should be on the banks because the real people who see corruption are those in the banks, Mr Tietie said. Mr Ojewale said effectively fighting corruption should be at sub-national levels. He advocated for the federal government to exercise influence, while negotiating bailouts and providing other support, in getting state and local governments to adopt whistleblowing beyond federal government policy. You cannot fight corruption at the realm of policy. You need an enabling law. This is because any government can decide to kick a policy aside, but not a law, Mr Ojewale said. The high point of the summit was the call for members of the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly to prove to Nigerians their sincerity in fighting corruption by passing whistleblower bills in the interest of the public. Other identified challenges to the policy, aside from the lack of a legal framework and the inadequate measures in place to ensure anonymity and protection of whistleblowers, include lack of adequate public awareness, lack of trained manpower, and bottlenecks in investigations due to inter-agency bureaucracies and rivalry. Participants lamented the impunity associated with the lack of diligent prosecution for mostly politically linked persons exposed for corruption. All present agreed it would be impossible to win the trust of citizens to report corruption when corrupt persons are not punished but whistleblowers are victimised. Olayinka Aiyegbayo, representative of the Acting Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) admitted that workers victimisation is the major challenge we are facing in implementing the whistleblower policy. He added that despite the policys shortcomings, the ICPC had recorded successes in sting operations due to information received from whistleblowers. AFRICMIL provided data sourced from the Ministry of Finance stating that the whistle-blower policy led to the recovery of N7.8 billion, US$378 million and 27,800 as at October 2018. A total of 1,088 tips were received from whistle-blowers, out of which 41 cases were referred to law enforcement agencies, leading to 4 convictions and 12 ongoing prosecutions. Mr Mojeed said that PICAs data showed that despite not having legislative backing the whistleblower policy had achieved some success in the past two years. He however warned that the criminal prosecution of whistleblowers for giving false information coupled with the lack of anonymity and adequate protection against retaliation were impediments to would-be whistleblowers. You hardly can trust government institutions. Many people have more confidence to approach NGOs with sensitive information than go to government institutions, he said. Whistleblowing is growing in our country, but an enabling law is needed to adequately protect whistleblowers. Saminu Amaddin of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said the success of the whistleblower policy in exposing high profile corruption cases in the past two years is majorly attributed to the inclusion of financial incentives which has encouraged citizens to blow the whistle and be rewarded between 2.5%-5.0% of recovered funds. The reward component in the policy has led to the recovery of staggering amounts of looted public funds. No doubt, people see this as a legitimate way of making money as many whistleblowers have become millionaires today, Mr Amaddin said. Some participants argued that whistleblowing ought to be motivated by patriotism. Citing cases of whistleblowers not paid their rewards, they raised concerns that prioritising financial rewards amounted to commercialising the policy. They noted that it leads to a situation where whistleblowers allow crimes to first occur before reporting in order to get rewarded, and government officials using information received from whistleblowers to enrich themselves. Ms Hassan raised further concerns about who is monitoring government agencies that are collecting information from whistleblowers, about the transparency of government agencies in the process of recovering looted funds, and about the accountability of government agencies in the expenditure of recovered loot. If you really need people to believe that you are fighting corruption to make the lives of citizens better, then transparency in the process and accountability of funds is indispensable, Ms Hassan said. Ms Mma Odi reinforced participants review of two years of whistleblowing in Nigeria by stating that the excitement of the whistle-blower policy has died. She sounded a call to action for citizens led by civil society to enter the battlefield to get the National Assembly to pass the whistleblower bill. Chido Onumah, AFRICMIL coordinator, said the centre would share findings from the summits review of the whistleblower policy with relevant government institutions as part of its advocacy strategy to promote whistleblowing in Nigeria. The summit has given everyone a very clear picture of whistleblowing and the fight against corruption in Nigeria in the past two years, said Mr Onumah. It has also given us a new opportunity to take the summits findings to the National Assembly so that the salient information from the summit can help our legislators to see a reason to update the whistleblower bill and make it a stronger legislation for the benefit of all citizens. Mr Nkanga is of the Centre for Impact Advocacy, Abuja Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Monday a snap election in less than four months. The April 9 election would otherwise not have been due until November. The prime minister is appealing directly to voters for a fresh political mandate that could help him weather possible charges in corruption investigations. The government cited differences within Netanyahus coalition over a new military conscription bill affecting exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews as the main reason for the early ballot. But there has long been speculation that the right-wing leader, whose popularity has held up in spite of corruption allegations, could call an election Mr Netanyahu wants to do this before the attorney general decides whether to follow police recommendations to indict him. The indictment decision had been expected within weeks, but some Israeli media reports said the attorney general could opt to delay any indictments out of concern over influencing the outcome of the poll. The Justice Ministry said work on the cases would continue independent of political events. Mr Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and has given no indication he will step down if charged. The voters, I think, understand exactly what we have done for Israel, Netanyahu told lawmakers from his Likud party on Monday. We are coming to ask for a clear mandate from the voters to continue leading Israel our way. Leaders of parties in the ruling coalition met earlier in the day with Mr Netanyahu and announced a decision to ask parliament to dissolve itself. A Likud spokesman said the dissolution vote was likely this week. Mr Netanyahu has been governing with a majority of a single seat in parliament since November when Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman quit the government. An electoral victory would give Mr Netanyahu ammunition to fight a potential indictment, said Hebrew University political analyst Reuven Hazan. He wants to win. He wants to turn around to the attorney general and say, before you decide to prosecute me, pay attention. The people of Israel have reelected me. You cannot overturn the results of a democratic election. After the election was announced, the main Tel Aviv share indexes fell by more than 2 per cent and the Israeli shekel also weakened. Since Mr Liebermans resignation last month, Mr Netanyahu took over as defense minister as well as prime minister. He has been appearing regularly in photos with soldiers, seen as a bid to boost his image ahead of a likely early election. In recent speeches, he has focused on what he called his main achievements in meeting security challenges posed by Iran and Palestinian militants, building a strong economy and pursuing diplomatic outreach with moderate Arab states. No one in Netanyahus Likud has made a public challenge against him. Outside Likud, Yair Lapid, head of the centrist Yesh Atid opposition party, is seen as the strongest candidate to succeed Netanyahu in any upset. Former army chief, Benny Gantz, is seen as a dovish potential candidate who could tip the balance in favour of a centre-left bloc, but has not yet thrown his hat in the ring. On the right, Messrs Lieberman and Naftali Bennett, head of the Jewish Home party, could both seek to head a right-wing bloc. Mr Netanyahu has been in power for three consecutive terms since 2009 and also led Israel from 1996-1999. A fifth election victory would give him the most in Israeli history. (Reuters/NAN) Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State on Monday presented a N125.82 billion appropriation bill for the 2019 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly for approval. The bill tagged: Budget of Consolidation was higher than the 2018 approved budget, with over 30 per cent increase. Mr Shettima disclosed that N61 billion of the total budget was allocated for capital projects and N63 billion for recurrent expenditure. He explained that the increased allocation for recurrent expenditure was for the projects initiated in 2018 that were at various stages of completion and to facilitate payment of pension arrears. Mr Shettima revealed that the budget would be financed with projected N17 billion Internally Generated Revenue (IGR); N86 billion statutory allocations and N21 billion capital receipt. He added that education got the highest allocation of N22 billion for recurrent and capital projects, which included N9 billion for completion of various school development projects and N8 billion for higher education. He said N2 billion was earmarked for Universal Basic Education (UBE) programmes, to facilitate procurement of instructional materials and furniture, while another N2 billion was allocated for the 44 Mega School projects. Other highlights of the budget included the allocation N15.16 billion for the health sector, to fast track completion of various health facility projects, provisions of medical equipment, drugs and recruitment of personnel. Agriculture was allocated N3.9 billion for completion of irrigation projects, farmer support services and procurement of farm inputs. Over N4 billion was allocated for the Ministry of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement to facilitate resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in liberated communities. Mr Shettima added that the Ministry of Works got N7 billion for completion of road, landscaping and street lightening projects in Maiduguri, Damboa, Jere and Gamboro-Ngala local government areas among others. The sum of N3.14 billion was earmarked for the Borno Road Maintenance Agency (BORMA); N5.36 billion for Water Resources, while Animal and Fishery Development got N2.01 billion, Land and Survey N1.3 billion, and Environment N3.4 billion. Mr Shettima said the sum of N1.8 billion was provided for poverty alleviation programme to accelerate livelihood and empowerment support services to women and youths affected by the Boko Haram insurgency. He announced the allocation of N1.7 billion to the Ministry of Religious Affairs and another N4.9 billion for the Teacher Service Board (TSB), noting that the amount were provided to enhance integration of Tsangaya School, establishment of vocational training centres for the Tsangaya schools and recruitment of 1,000 graduate teachers under the TSB. The governor added that N3.98 billion was earmarked for the Ministry of Housing and Energy and another N1.64 for the Ministry of Home Affairs, Information and Culture. He further disclosed that over N18 billion was allocated to the Governors Office to facilitate implementation of various projects under the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Head of Service (HoS). Breaking down the figures, Mr Shettima explained that N11 billion of the amount was provided for the Mega School projects, procurement of instructional materials, furniture, beddings and feeding in the schools. Mr Shettima added that N1.8 billion was earmarked for the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and procurement of security kits; over N1 billion for the completion of Borno House in Abuja, N500 million for remuneration of political aids and N100 million for the payment of allowances to the NYSC members. According to him, over N3.3 billion was allocated to the State House of Assembly and N1.4 billion for the Ministry of Justice. While commending the legislators over their support to his administration, Mr Shettima urged them to expedite action on the bill, to fast track social and economic development of the state. Also, the Speaker, Abdulkareem Lawan, lauded the governor over the feat achieved in social and economic transformation despite the security challenges facing the state. Mr Lawan noted that the state government had recorded significant successes in budget implementation and execution of viable projects for the overall well-being of the people. He assured that the legislators would accord the bill speedy passage to ensure sustainability of the development projects implemented in the previous budgets. (NAN) Residents of some parts of Zamfara State on Monday protested against the worsening insecurity in the state. Hundreds of people have been killed by bandits in the North-west state in 2018. Many others have been kidnapped for ransom. On Saturday, at least 18 people were killed in Birane village in Zurmi Local Government Area of the state. The protesters, mainly residents of Tsafe Local Government Area, on Monday morning barricaded the Gusau-Zaria highway linking the state to Kaduna, Kano, and Abuja. A resident told PREMIUM TIMES that the protesters who came from surrounding villages converged in the local government headquarters where they joined others villagers who were already taking refuge in Tsafe since their communities were attacked by bandits. An eyewitness told PREMIUM TIMES that the protesters destroyed political billboards of President Muhammadu Buhari and the state governor, Abdulaziz Yari. The protests later degenerated into a riot. The protesters began by blocking the highway and burning tyres, but as we speak, the local government secretariat in Tsafe is on fire, an eyewitness, who declined to be named for security reasons, said. The protest is coming after armed bandits on Sunday attacked Sauna village in Tsafe Local Government Area killing many residents and displacing hundreds of others. The eyewitness said the protesters chanted derogatory terms against the defence minister, Mansur Dan-Ali, and the state governor Abdulaziz Yari. The defence minister is also from Zamfara State. During the riot, the protesters also burnt down newly acquired motorcycles meant to be distributed by the local government chairman. Some of the protesters Some of the protesters Officials Speak The Tsafe local government chairman, Aliyu Abubakar, earlier on Monday told BBC Hausa about the deteriorating security in the state. He appealed to the federal government to intervene more in the crisis. He said the bandits on Saturday night killed a district head and burned houses at Asaula community, Mr Abubakar said more than two thousand people are taking refuge in Tsafe apart from those staying with their relatives. Apart from Tsafe, other Zamfara local governments most affected by the attacks include Zurmi, Shinkafi, Maradun, Maru and Birnin Magaji. Birnin Magaji is the hometown of Mr Dan-Ali. When contacted, Mohammad Shehu, the Zamfara police spokesperson, said the situation is being controlled by the police. He said the state police commissioner, Usman Delel, and the heads of other security agencies in the state had visited Tsafe to help restore normalcy. He said the police commissioner has deployed more mobile police officers to complement the efforts of the existing security officials in the area. The protesters burnt rubbish in the middle of the road Some of the protesters Mr Shehu said the protest was championed by some miscreants. He said no death was recorded and the police had arrested many miscreants with dangerous weapons. He said an investigation is ongoing and calm has returned to the area. The killings in Zamfara by bandits and cattle rustlers have continued despite the deployment of thousands of soldiers, police officers, and air force personnel and equipment to the state. In February, President Muhammadu Buhari vowed to end the killings in Zamfara. Hundreds have been killed since the pledge. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Enugu Zonal Office, on Monday said it has filed a motion for interim forfeiture of $2.8million confiscated by the agency before a Federal High Court, Enugu state. A statement by the agency said it also filed alongside the motion an affidavit of urgency for the matter to be heard on December 27, before a vacation Judge in Port Harcourt. The Commission on Thursday announced the confiscation of the money from officials of a cash-in-transit form, Bankers Warehouse. EFCC claimed it intercepted the money at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, after receiving intelligence. The anti-graft agency claimed in its statement Monday that the suspects had confessed during interrogation that they had been in the business of moving cash for some notable banks, for over six years and were in the process of doing same for Union Bank Plc, located at New Market, Onitsha, Anambra State, before their arrest. They allegedly worked for a company: Bankers Warehouse, the statement claimed. Bankers Warehouse in a swift reply said the agencys actions constituted threat to its operations and lives of its employees. It called on the Central Bank of Nigeria to intervene. On Monday, the EFCC claimed that the firm and the concerned bank, Union Bank, have however not come forward to any of its offices to reclaim the confiscated money. At the time of filing this report, it said in its statement, the alleged owner of the money (Union bank) had not made any physical presence in any of the Commissions offices, including the Enugu office, to establish their claim. The EFCC added that efforts were being made to secure warrant for the detention of the suspects pending when they will be charged to court. The warrant is consequent upon the refusal of the Bank or any of the relatives to come for the release of the suspects, Tony Orilade, EFCCs Head of Media & Publicity, said. The Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, who is at loggerheads with his partys national leadership, on Monday led a leader of an opposition party to a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. Mr Amosun and the chairman of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) also delivered a letter to the president, endorsing the candidature of Mr Buhari for next years presidential election. PREMIUM TIMES has reported how Mr Amosun, a senatorial candidate of the APC in Ogun State, has vowed to work against his party in the governorship election in the state. The Ogun governor is instead supporting the APM governorship candidate, Adekunle Akinlade, and state house of assembly candidates of the APM. Mr Akinlade and many other Ogun candidates of the APM are loyalists of Mr Amosun who defected to the opposition party after they failed to secure the APC tickets. Mr Amosun has blamed the APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and ex-governors Bola Tinubu and Segun Osoba, for his ordeal. Despite warnings by Mr Oshiomhole and the APC national leadership, Mr Amosun has continued to frolick with the APM and on Monday led its leader to meet with the president. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the letter endorsing President Buharis re-election was presented to the president by Mr Amosun, who was accompanied by the APM Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Speaking to State House Correspondents after a closed door meeting with the president, Mr Amosun said the endorsement letter was given to him by the party for onward presentation to the president. He expressed optimism that with the endorsement, Mr Buhari, whom he described as a man with a good heart, would garner massive votes in the 2019 presidential elections. You will recall that just last week we made public that APM has adopted President Buhari as their presidential candidate. I had promised to bring the letter they had given me to present to him and that is what we came to do today. And you know Mr President is a very gracious human being, he is a man with a good heart. He (Buhari) said if a party has adopted him, it is only fair he acknowledges the party and the chairman. That is why we are here, the governor, a close ally of the president, said. He justified his support for the APM by saying the party had endorsed Mr Buhari and therefore deserves his support. I have said that anybody that is for President Muhammadu Buhari is for me, we will embrace such party, such persons, such organisations, wholeheartedly and that is what I am doing and that is what we are doing in Ogun State. Clearly Mr President will have a massive vote in Ogun State in the coming election. Mr Amosun, who vowed to ensure electoral victory for President Buhari in Ogun during the 2019 general election, however, refused to comment on the threat by Mr Oshiohmole to expel him from the APC. I dont want to comment on that. We came for this, lets restrict ourselves to this. I want my president to win, what else do you want? We must win, that is it. In his remarks, Mr Dantalle described the adoption of Mr Buhari by the APM as the best thing that happened to the party and the country at large. According to him, the APM is a coalition of people of like minds and the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party took the decision to adopt Mr Buhari because he is the only one that can restore Nigeria back to its glory of where it needs to be. He said: Personally, I believe in him and reason being that I love my country and I dont have any other country apart from Nigeria. And Buhari is the only man with the sincerity of intent to take Nigeria to the next level. This is not the Nigeria I was born into but I see that Nigeria coming back only through Buhari. On what informed the decision to adopt Mr Buhari, the APM national chairman said the party took the decision to adopt Mr Buhari because it believes he is the only one that can restore Nigeria back to its glory of where it needs to be. Mr Dantalle expressed the hope that Mr Buhari would win the 2019 presidential election in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with a wide margin. About six hours after he was brought to a public hospital, a student injured by armed robbers was not treated by hospital staff, witnesses have told PREMIUM TIMES. The student, Abiodun Babatola, eventually died. Mr Babatola, a 200-level student of the department of Management and Accounting at the Obafemi Awolowo University, could have survived if the police and school hospital management acted promptly, students and staff have said. PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Mr Babatola, who resided at Adam and Eve, one of the hostels in the outskirts of the university, died at the University Teaching Hospital around 9 a.m. on Saturday, December 22 after sustaining a matchete cut on his head. Witnesses told this newspaper that the late Babatola was rushed to the Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital (OAUTHC) around 3 a.m. on Saturday. Upon arrival at the teaching hospital, Mr Babatola was denied treatment by the management of the OAUTHC who insisted on presentation of his school identity card, PREMIUM TIMES learnt. Nigerian law mandates that all emergency cases be treated promptly and even prescribes fine and jail sentence for hospitals and their management that fail to treat such cases. But that did not deter the OAUTHC, whose officials refused to explain their actions when confronted by this reporter. He was not attended to because the teaching hospital said they cannot confirm his studentship and they were asking for money for blood. Perhaps, if he was with his ID card, he would have been treated. They abandoned him, a friend of the diseased who accompanied him to the hospital said. A classmate of the deceased who pleaded anonymity said the insistence of medical personnel at the teaching hospital cost Mr Babatola his life. We were writing test on Saturday morning when we heard about his case. What we heard was that his ID card was not available and the hospital did not permit the doctors to attend to him, he said. He loves (loved) to relate with people but unfortunately, we heard the irregularities at the teaching hospital did not help the situation. A witness, a staffer at the school, who did not want his name in print for fear of being victimised, told our correspondent that the deceased was left unattended to for six hours before his death. He said, At the teaching hospital, they did not also attend on time. I followed them to the teaching hospital and got there around 3 a.m. but they did not attend to the boy till he died in the morning around 9 a.m. Police, Security Arrived Late Apart from the hospital staff, university security officials and police did not also arrive on time due to the poor state of their vehicles. It was on Friday/Saturday night that it happened at Adam and Eve. The police were handicapped. They dont have vehicle but arrived late with okada (motorcycle). In fact, the Chief Security Officer of the school had the need to use his private car to convey the boy to teaching hospital. The truth is the irregularities of the university and the police did not help matter. If the university has a sound hilux (van) to attend to emergency, even the CSO may not have used his car, the staff who witnessed the incident said. A witness, Akeem Alao, told our correspondent that the deceased was injured on the head with a cutlass wielded by the robbers. He corroborated the staffer on the lateness of the police. We have been witnessing robberies before now but not a deadly account like this. We called the police but they did not come on time, he said. Hospital Evades Enquiries Meanwhile, the management of OAUTHC has been evasive in exlaining their stance. Officials of the hospital did not confirm or deny the allegation of negligence but chose to pass this reporter from one person to another. When PREMIUM TIMES contacted the office of Chief Medical Director, Victor Adetiloye, at the teaching hospital, his personal assistant who spoke with our correspondent said enquiries should be directed to the public relations officer of the hospital. I am the personal assistant to the chief medical director but I will direct you to the PRO of the hospital so that you can speak with him, the official said However, when PREMIUM TIMES reached out to the PRO, Oluwakemi Fasoto, she refused to take responsibility (of responding) and redirected this reporter to the CMD. You will speak with CMD and he is the only one who can speak on anything relating to the office. When PREMIUM TIMES told her the CMD office instructed us to call her, she said: He is the one that will respond. Subsequent calls to the CMDs office were not answered. Also, speaking on the incident, the police area commander in Ife, Folorunso Adegboye, was silent on the report that they arrived at the robbery scene with a motorcycle and late. There was a robbery attack in one of the private residences occupied outside. Unfortunately, I dont know the cause of the attack. He has (had) an injury in the eyes during the attack and was rushed to the OAUTHC where he died. Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital (OAUTHC) He, however, said the police is making serious efforts to get the suspects. When contacted, the schools spokesman, Abiodun Olanrewaju, told PREMIUM TIMES on the telephone that he was unwilling to speculate on the issue. I was not there and I dont want to speculate in relation to that. All I know is that it is painful to lose our student. The university prays to God for the parents for the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. So, losing someone is not an idea of shifting blames. We dont do that. The guy is no more and we should respect his spirit. Thats all I want to say, he said. Hospitals Action Illegal Meanwhile, the hospital management acted in contrary to provisions of the National Health Act. Signed into law in 2014, the act, which came to effect in 2016, provides that hospitals shall not refuse persons treatment in emergency situations. Section 1, part 3 of the law provides for emergency treatment under the Right and Obligations of Users and Healthcare Personnel. It states as follows: (1) A healthcare provider, health worker or health establishment shall not refuse a person emergency medical treatment for any reason whatsoever. (2) Any person who contravenes this section is guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N100,000.00 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both. Irate Students Reacting to the development, the Great Ife Action Committee blamed the university administration and Nigerian police force over the failure to provide adequate accommodation and security for students. We condemn the unfortunate incidence and strongly hold that there is no other place to put the blame than the doorstep of the university administration and Nigerian police force who have consistently failed in their primary duty of providing adequate accommodation and security for students. The incidence is not an unexpected event to us, as we have always raised the dangers and insecurities that abounds in town residences against the arbitrary accommodation policy imposed by the Ogunbode-led administration, but it fell on deaf ears of the university administration, the activist group said in a statement. Troubling Pattern The incident at OAU appears to show a pattern emerging in Nigerian universities where the poor attitude of university staff cause death of students. In October, Austin Okafor, a 300-level student of Entrepreneurship at the University of Benin died due to alleged negligence of staff of the institutions teaching hospital. In September, at the University of Abuja, Precious Joshua, a 100-level student of the university died due to poor implementation of mandatory National Health Insurance Policy for students. In the case of Ms Joshua, students and staff alleged that that the inability of the school clinic to offer her emergency treatment caused her death at the university teaching hospital despite the efforts of doctors. Also, in May, a final year Pharmacy student of OAU, Yusuf Abidoye, died of abdominal pain. His close friend, Oluwasanya Akanmu, a 500-Level Pharmacy student, recounted how the deceased battled to stay alive. He blamed Mr Yusufs death on the then strike by university health workers who are members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU). Accommodation Challenges At least 72.2 per cent of OAU students live outside the campus as there are only 7,217 bed spaces available in the schools hostels. This can only cater for a minimal percentage of the 26,000 estimated number of undergraduates. OAU has eight halls of residences for undergraduates which have bed spaces as follows: 1,524 bedspaces in Awolowo Hall; 1,198 in Fajuyi Hall; 880 in Angola Hall; and 560 in ETF Hall for male students. This equals to 4,162 bed spaces. The other four female hostels have 3,055 bed spaces with Moremi Hall having 987 bed spaces; Alumni Hall, 402; Mozambique Hall, 1,166; and Akintola Hall, 500. Following the schools new accommodation policy of decongesting the halls and banning unauthorised residency early, this has led to drastic changes. Before the new policy, a room officially for six occupants could have between nine and 12 or more persons illegally. Some rooms now have four occupants and many which in the past accommodated between nine and 12 authorised occupants, now have six. This has led to many students like the late Mr Babatola settling for alternative accommodation outside the campus. President Muhammadu Buhari extends heartfelt condolences to the Oluwole family on the death of Sophie Oluwole, renowned philosopher and Nigerias first female doctorate degree holder in philosophy. The president joins members of the family, the academia and other close associates in mourning the cerebral philosopher, who through her teachings and works celebrated the Yoruba culture, history and worldview, and reminded the world that within pristine traditions are values that promote the ideals of democracy, fairness, equity and justice. President Buhari believes that the deceased will be honoured and remembered for her commitment and skill in spreading the word about the good in promoting African tradition, culture, knowledge and languages. He urges all who mourn Ms Oluwole to honour her memory by carrying on from where she left off in her zeal to promote indigenous knowledge, skills and discipline that could help us redefine ourselves as a people and a nation. The president prays that almighty God grant her soul eternal rest and comfort all who mourn. The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) on Monday denied owing the federal government about N1.343 trillion in unremitted revenues. Last Tuesday, the Federal Government lamented its own enterprises, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were owing several trillions of Naira in unremitted operating surplus as at the end of August 2018. The Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, Ben Akabueze, who disclosed this during his town hall meeting with Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of government-owned enterprises (GOEs) in Abuja named the PPPRA as the worst culprit. Mr Akabueze said the petroleum products pricing regulatory agency with unremitted operating surplus of over N1.34 trillion, followed by the CBN with about N801.2 billion and Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) with N192.1 billion. But, the PPPRA in a rebuttal contained a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES by its spokesperson, Apollo Kimchi, described reports accusing it of failing to remit N1.343trillion into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the government as a distorted fact. The attention of PPPRA has been drawn to the widely circulated allegations in the media, which insinuated that the Agency had failed to remit the sum of N1,343,194,015,405.79 of its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The information was said to have emanated from a presentation made by the office of the Director General Budget. Without intending to generate further controversy, the PPPRA deems it necessary to correct and clarify the rather distorted information to the members of the public regarding its financial obligations to the Consolidated Revenue of Government. It needs to be stated that the Agency, without fail, always remits 25% of its total IGR, mainly from its meagre Administrative Charge Collections on quarterly basis to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in line with the statutory requirements of all MDAs. However, it should be noted that since the inception of the Agency, the revenue collected is less than 1.6% of the above-mentioned figure. Therefore, PPPRA hereby refutes the claims of failed remittance into the CRF account and describes the assertions as misleading. Meanwhile, the Agency would like to use this opportunity to once more assure all Stakeholders and members of the public of uninterrupted products supply and distribution, during this festive period, the statement said. At the post-budget presentation analysis session with the media and civil society groups, Mr Akabueze had clarified that the federal government would soon constitute a committee to handle the review of the claims and objections by affected ministries, departments and agencies over the matter. The DG who responded to PREMIUM TIMES question why the government could not deduct from source the amounts the various agencies are alleged to be owing, said all the discrepancies would need to be resolved before such deductions. I wish it was that easy, the DG said. The issue of non-remittances have accumulated over several years, some as long as a decade. All that is happening now is because of governments strong drive to ensure that revenues come into the federation account. Some of the agencies are contesting the amount put against them. After the differences have been resolved, then a plan will be drawn up on how to recover the monies, he said. President Muhammadu Buhari conceived the TraderMoni scheme way back during the years when he was chairman of the Katsina State Development Foundation, which gave soft loans and micro-credits to people to assist them in their respective businesses, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Mr Osinbajo further said the Buhari administration will continue to maximise the countrys huge resources for the benefit of the common man. The vice president stated this during a programme called the Family Chats on Sunday and Monday, in Lagos and Abuja respectively. At the Family Chats, the Vice President met with Nigerians in their homes and neighbourhoods, engaging them on issues of the Buhari administration, while noting that the federal government would continue to work towards improving the welfare of all Nigerians. Following his visit on Sunday to the palace of the Sarkin of the Hausa community in Agege, Lagos, Musa Dogonkadai; the Vice President continued the Family Chats on Monday in Wuse and Garki, Abuja, where he visited the families of Ahmed Zubair and Abdulwaheed Yusuf, and addressed an excited crowd. At the palace of the Sarkin, Mr. Osinbajo emphasised President Buharis concern for the welfare of the common man. He said, President Muhammadu Buhari said, I will fight corruption, Im for the common man. Im for the man in the street. I dont know if you have heard about TraderMoni, the loans we are giving to petty traders. He (President) was chairman of Katsina (State Development) Foundation, where they were doing the same thing giving poor people loans, credits, so that they will be able to do their businesses. He then told me, when we came into office, that we must do the same thing for all Nigerian traders. The Vice President further noted that Nigeria is undergoing a rebuilding process under the Buhari administration. He said, The message from President Muhammadu Buhari is that our country is going to the next level. We are going to do better and better. We are going to use the money of Nigeria to help Nigerians. So that traders would have more money for their businesses, so that every Nigerian can prosper. Mr. President has said that he will not allow a situation where people steal our money. Thats why we are not going back to the past, our money must be used for Nigerians. Thats why we have schemes like TraderMoni, MarketMoni, and our Social Investment Programmes. The Vice President further said that Nigeria would be great as President Buhari is ensuring the right foundations are built for the countrys long-term prosperity. He said, When you are building a foundation, things will be hard. When you are not importing everything, things will be hard. We all know. But things will be better because it is an honest man who is there and the building process is still ongoing. Our country will be great. God has provided for this country a lot of resources, but it must go round, so that there would be education, health, houses for people. Mr. Osinbajo highlighted the gains achieved under the administrations Anchors Borrowers Programme as a pointer to improvement in agriculture, and other sectors. He said, Look at what is happening in the North now because of the Anchor Borrowers Programme. We gave many of the farmers, over 760,000 farmers, soft loans. So, now they are producing rice, producing millet, producing sorghum. We are not importing rice now. We are bringing rice from Kebbi, from Sokoto, from all over the country. By next year, we will not import rice. All our rice will be produced here. When you do that farmers will be rich. Farmers in other countries they are rich people. They are not poor. Ive been to a country where farmers own airplanes. Why? Because their leaders are not thieves. Their leaders help them so that they can farm; they can expand their farms and they can earn money. I went to speak to them in Kebbi. Two of the farmers came to me and said, since this our government (came into power), they have been doing very well. One of them said, now I have my money, I can pay for my hajj. Another one even told me that he has married a second wife and I said, one wife is enough. He said since he is getting some money he can marry a second wife. But the truth of the matter is that there is enough money for us in this country. I believe that we must give President Muhammadu Buhari enough votes to lead this country for four more years. If he leads this country for four more years, you will see the difference. The Vice President also pointed out the administrations anti-corruption stance, noting that the Buhari administration is focused on improving the lives of the common man on the streets, while highlighting the impact of the Social Investment Programmes. The presidential candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the 2019 general election, Eniola Ojajuni, has stepped down for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Trust (PT) Gbenga Hashim. This was contained in a statement signed and issued to journalists in Abuja by Hassan Ibrahim, Chief Press Secretary to Mr Hashim. Mr Ojajuni, who promised to work assiduously for the success of the PT candidate in 2019, called on his teeming supporters and party members to rally round Mr Hashim in his quest towards occupying the presidency in 2019. According to the statement, Mr Ojajuni stepped down for Mr Hashim after consultations with leaders of the AD and its supporters. He admitted it was a difficult decision to make because of his love and patriotism for Nigeria. He expressed appreciation to all Nigerian Youth that have been supportive from the beginning of the race and vowed to continually fight for a new Nigeria. He praised Mr Hashim for his doggedness, intelligence and capabilities which deemed him fit to champion the cause for a new Nigeria. He described him as a man of his words full of passion and intelligence which gave him an edge over his opponents. Also, he pleaded with all his supporters across the country and other well meaning Nigerians that desire a better Nigeria to support and vote massively for Mr Hashim. Mr Ojajuni promised that he would support him all through the campaign until success is accomplished. The police in Nasarawa state say they have commenced investigation into the killing of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member by some youth in Akwanga Local Government Area (LGA) of the state. Samaila Usman, the state Police Public Relations Officer said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia on Monday. NAN gathered that Samuel Makene, a 2018 Batch A corps member whose place of primary assignment was Government Secondary School Ubbe, in Akun Development Area, was reportedly stabbed to death on Dec. 20 by some youth at the Akwanga residence of David Ombugadu, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. Mr Usman described the incident as unfortunate, saying that all efforts have been put in place to arrest the killers and bring them to justice. We received a report on the incident and we have commenced full investigation to arrest the killers. I want to assure you that we will do everything possible to bring those involved to face justice for what they did. I also want to assure you that we will be briefing you and the public on any new development concerning the case. I call on those close to the deceased not to take any action but allow us do our job, he said. (NAN) Governor Darius Ishaku on Monday presented the 2019 budget estimates of N146.73 billion to the Taraba State House of Assembly for consideration. Presenting the budget at the State Assembly Complex in Jalingo, the state capital, Mr Ishaku said the budget estimates was to consolidate on his achievements in the past years. The budget estimate has a capital expenditure of N72.8billion, representing 49.86 per cent and a recurrent expenditure of N73.24billion, representing 50.14 per cent. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2019 budget estimates of N146.73bn is 12.73 per cent higher than 2018 budget of N129billion, including a N25 billion supplementary budget later passed by the Assembly. Ministry of Works and Housing took the lion share of N18.2billion, while that of Environment has the least with N944million. Mr Ishaku, while commending the state legislators for the support and the cordial working relationship between the Executive and the Legislature, pledged accountability and sustainability in the implementation of the budget for the good of the state. Earlier, Abel Diah, the Speaker, commended the governor for the achievements so far recorded in areas of agriculture, health, education and infrastructure. He commended the governor for bringing governance closer to the people by appointing second class and third class Chiefs which had helped in addressing the security challenges facing the state. On the forthcoming elections, the Speaker called on politicians to play by the rules, eschew violence and be mindful of their utterances during the campaigns so as to have peaceful elections. (NAN) The Niger Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has collected N1.9 billion as revenue from January to November this year. Abba Kassim, the Area Comptroller of Customs in the zone, comprising Niger, Kogi and Kwara, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Minna. He said already the area command had adopted a community-based approach in the fight against smuggling activities in the areas. He said the approach would enable residents, especially those at the border areas to offer intelligence reports that could aid the command apprehend those involved in the illegal business. He warned smugglers and their accomplices to desist from such trade as the service had zero tolerance for any act of economic sabotage. The controller said that the command would not rest in carrying out its constitutional duties of preventing smuggling of goods, especially arms, rice and cars through land borders. We have already issued an order to officers deployed to border posts in Tungan Madugu, Kibira and Agbara Rofiya in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger, he said. He said similar order was also sent to officers at border posts in Chikanda, Yashikira, Kuso Boso in Barutem Local Government Area of Kwara to end the illegal business once and for all. He solicited the support of stakeholders, traditional rulers and development associations to complement the efforts of the officers deployed with require intelligence information on movement of smugglers. (NAN) Abdullahi Candido, the Chairman Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), on Monday presented an estimated N8.2 billion budget for 2019 as against N6.92 billion this year. Presenting the budget at the AMAC Legislative Chambers in Abuja, Mr Candido said the 2019 Budget of Hope was envisioned to be a budget hinged on consolidation of the gains and success stories of council. He said the budget was a painstaking effort of relevant stakeholders who had the masses and progress of the council at heart, adding that it would also captured the wishes of the people. Mr Candido said the administration had allocated N4.1 billion for recurrent expenditure, representing 49.17 per cent and N4.2 billion for capital expenditure, representing 50.83 per cent of the budget. He said the personnel cost was N2.8 billion representing 33.51 per cent and the overhead was N1.29 billion. He said the increase was mainly due to provision for staff promotion arrears, annual increment and possible recruitment of confidential secretaries and potential salary increase. The thrust of AMAC capital project in 2019 will be completion of many ongoing projects over new ones, he said. The chairman said the entire budget and planning had been predicted to give hope to electorate to deliver on campaign promises. According to him, allocating 51 per cent of 2019 budget to capital projects is to demonstrate strong commitment to continue to develop infrastructures across the 12 wards of the council. Mr Candido said the overhead cost had been decreased by 52.27 per cent as part of the government strategy to ensure delivery of value for money and eliminate wasteful expenditure. The chairman also noted that the administration had begun payment to complete projects and to reconcile liabilities and settle legitimate claims. As responsible administration, we decided that clearing backlog was an important priority. Mr Candido, however, expressed the hope that the council would expedite action accordingly to commence implementation soon. The Speaker of the AMAC legislative council, Michael Shanyibwa commended the chairman and promised to act accordingly on the proposed budget. He expressed delight at the presentation of the 2019 budget, saying the council was happy with performance of 2018 budget. Some of the staff of the council expressed satisfaction over the presentation of the budget and called for its speedy passage. (NAN) An Accounting student of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Abiodun Babalola, was killed during an attack on his hostel by armed persons in the early hours of Saturday. The universitys spokesperson, Abiodun Olarewaju, who confirmed this in a statement late Sunday, said the year three student died as a result of injuries he sustained during an attack on the Adam and Eve hostel, an out of campus students residential hostel, along Parakin Ede road axis of Ile-Ife. The release stated that the students were attacked in the early hours of Saturday with dangerous weapons by some unknown persons who inflicted varying degrees of injuries on them before carting away their money, phones and other valuables. The authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, have condoled with the parents and family members of a part three student of the Department of Accounting of the University, Abiodun Babalola, who died as a result of injuries he sustained during an attack on the Adam and Eve, an out of campus students residential hostel, along Parakin Ede road axis of Ile Ife, the statement highlighted. The Vice Chancellor of the university, Eyitope Ogunbodede, while expressing agony at the loss of the student, said people should place the fear of God far and above worldly materials, wondering what sort of earthly possession would make a man to attack, maim and kill his fellow man. According to the statement, He, thereafter, on behalf of the Council, Senate, Staff, Students and the entire University Community, prayed that the Lord would grant eternal rest to the late Abiodun Babalola and the parents and family members the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. No fewer than 112 women are among the candidates to contest the 32 seats in the Oyo State House of Assembly election come 2019, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. Investigation revealed that 511 males will join their female contestants from various respective political parties to contest the state Assembly seats. A total of 49 political parties fielded candidates for the assembly seats. Mutiu Agboke, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC).in the state, said the final list of the candidates for the State Assembly and governorship election would be published on January 31, 2019. This is in line with Section 34 of the Electoral Activities 2010 (as amended), he said. Mr Agboke urged all the candidates and leaders of the respective political parties to prevail on their party members/supporters to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). He disclosed that the state had 2,954,720 registered voters, but 927,225 PVCs uncollected are still in the custody of INEC. The commission has just received another batch of 103,737 PVCs for voters that sought transfer, replacement of lost and defaced PVCs. He urged those concerned to visit INEC offices where they registered for collection but stressed that would be no collection of PVCs by proxy. The REC promised not to leave any stone unturned in improving the electoral proceedings for a successful polls in 2019. (NAN) MPI Deputy Minister Vu Dai Thang (second from the left) and representative from Dubai delegation at the event The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) has worked with a delegation of companies of Dubai, including World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies, Dubai Investment Development Agency, SAPA Thale, Beaufort Global and Milcon Gulf groups. At the event, MPI Deputy Minister Vu Dai Thang heard reports about plans for bilateral cooperation and investment between Dubai FDI and SAPA Thale in various fields, such as finance-banking, hi-tech development, infrastructure development, environment, energy, transport, real estate, hotel and tourism. He hailed the cooperation of the two sides, while stressing that the success of the cooperative program will make significant contribution to economic development in both Vietnam and Dubai. On behalf of the Dubai delegation, billionaire Mai Vu Minh affirmed he will make every effort to help enterprises of Dubai in particular and UAE in general invest strongly in Vietnam in the near future./. 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. This is the latest donation in an ambitious national campaign called "Fill-a-Bowl Feed-a-Soul" to help care for shelter pets waiting for their forever homes. Together, American Humane and Chicken Soup for the Soul are distributing more than one million meals annually of all-natural Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food to U.S. shelters and pet food distribution centers, which house, feed and care for millions of animals each year. "We are tremendously grateful to American Humane and Chicken Soup for the Soul for this generous donation," said Karen Talbot, the founder of Animal Aid USA, which has rescued nearly 30,000 abandoned animals and continues to rescue more than 300 a month. "This donated food will help sustain and brighten the holidays for many animals who do not yet have a forever home." "This campaign helps animals when they need help most," said Robin Ganzert, PhD, president and CEO of American Humane. "For what they are doing to help these pets during the holidays and so many more who need and deserve our help and love all year round, a big thank-you to our friends at Chicken Soup for the Soul!" Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food CEO Chris Mitchell said, "We're pleased that we can provide assistance to animals in need and we are glad to be working with American Humane on this vital campaign that will save so many lives." About American Humane American Humane is the country's first national humane organization, founded in 1877. Through its rescue efforts and programs to help ensure the welfare and humane treatment of animals, the nonprofit positively touches the lives of one billion animals each year. To support American Humane's lifesaving efforts, please visit www.AmericanHumane.org. About Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food Chicken Soup for the Soul understands the unique relationship between people and pets. Health conscious consumers have been feeding their cats and dogs Chicken Soup for the Soul wholesome and balanced, super premium pet food for over 15 years. Holistic in nature, the entire line of products is made from only the finest ingredients: real meats, fruits, vegetables and herbs. With no added corn, wheat, soy, artificial coloring, flavoring or preservatives, Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food is inspired by your love for pets and promotes overall health and well-being for dogs and cats. The products are proudly made in the USA and feature rescued shelter pets on every bag. Core and grain-free formulas and a line of treats are available in independent pet specialty stores nationwide and online. A portion of all proceeds from the sale of Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Food goes to help shelters and pets in need through Chicken Soup for the Soul's Fill-a-Bowl Feed-a-Soul program. The program, which was launched in association with American Humane, aims to provide over a million meals to shelter pets annually. Visit www.chickensouppets.com. SOURCE American Humane Related Links https://www.americanhumane.org DALLAS, Dec. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Generational Equity, a leading mergers and acquisitions advisor for privately held businesses, is pleased to announce the sale of its client, K-Fab Inc., to DPMS. The acquisition closed November 29, 2018. Founded in 1980, K-Fab operates a 22,000-square-foot precision machine shop making parts for a variety of end markets including military, semiconductor, and aerospace industries. The company is certified to ISO 9001:2015 and has a committed focus to high quality and on-time delivery. Services provided include finishing and coating, welding and bonding, honing, grinding, lapping, heat treating, chemical cleaning, and NDT and destructive testing. For over 30 years DPMS has provided the highest level of service and product quality to its customers by providing a wide range of precision machining solutions. DPMS is well equipped to deliver complex machine tooling projects, design for manufacturability assignments, assembly services, and precision machining projects on time. DPMS is a portfolio company of Gladstone Investment Corporation. Gladstone Investment Corporation ("Gladstone") is a publicly traded business development company focused on acquiring mature, lower middle market companies with $20 to $100 million in revenue, attractive fundamentals, and strong management teams. Investing alongside both management teams and independent sponsors, Gladstone typically provides most, if not all, of the equity and debt capital required to close a transaction, which greatly increases certainty and speed of closing. Additionally, as a publicly traded fund, it differs from other private equity funds in that it has no partnership end-of-life deadlines and can provide truly patient, long-term capital. Senior M&A Advisor Jim Hermann, supported by Managing Director Mike Meredith, carried the deal to a successful close. Senior Managing Director Tom Braun established the initial relationship with K-Fab. "This transaction had a lot of moving parts, which caused it to take longer than normal to close," said Hermann. "However, due to the cooperation of all the parties it ended with a positive result for everyone." About Generational Equity Generational Equity, Generational Capital Markets (member FINRA/SIPC), DealForce and Talis Advisors are part of the Generational Group, which is headquartered in Dallas and is one of the leading M&A advisory firms in North America. With over 250 professionals located throughout North America, the companies help business owners release the wealth of their business by providing merger, acquisition, and strategic growth advisory services. Their four-step approach features exit planning education, business valuation, value enhancement strategies, and M&A transactional services. The M&A Advisor named the company the 2016, 2017 and 2018 Investment Banking Firm of the Year. For more, visit the https://www.genequityco.com/ or the Generational Equity press room. For more information: Carl Doerksen 972-232-1125 [email protected] SOURCE Generational Equity Related Links http://www.genequityco.com DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- This holiday season, the National Pork Board is ready to spread cheer by bringing Latinos across the country together to do what they love most savoring the flavor of family traditions. It's much more than "lechon;" it's a taste of home. A National Pork Board study revealed that 62 percent of Hispanics prefer foods that remind them of their family's traditions. For many U.S. Hispanics, pork is the essential protein for any holiday gathering. "Pork continues to be a Hispanic staple and a must-have for some of our favorite traditional holiday dishes," said Jose de Jesus, director of multicultural marketing at the National Pork Board. "In fact, our recent study indicates that 65 percent of Hispanics have consumed fresh pork at home in the last two weeks. Additionally, Nielsen data shows that Latinos spend 7 percent more on fresh pork than the average household in the U.S." Knowing that the majority (66 percent) agree, "Food is a way to show others I care about them," for many Hispanics, pork is more than a staple; it's a symbol of love. To add flavor to the traditions Latinos hold most dear this holiday season, the National Pork Board recommends these traditional pork dishes: Pork Pozole a la Poblana - This traditional Mexican stew is perfect to keep you warm, and a must for a New Year's Eve celebration. This traditional Mexican stew is perfect to keep you warm, and a must for a New Year's Eve celebration. Roasted Pork Loin with Mojo Criollo and Mashed Yucca - This Latin-inspired dish is perfect for hosting a small holiday dinner where flavor becomes the number one guest. This Latin-inspired dish is perfect for hosting a small holiday dinner where flavor becomes the number one guest. Whole Hog Roast in La Caja China - There is nothing like roasting a pig in La Caja China. This Caribbean favorite, perfect for outdoor gatherings, is a true family feast and a crowd-pleaser. For more pork dishes visit PorkEsSabor.com and follow along on social media at @PorkEsSabor on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram . Join the conversation using #PorkEsSabor. About National Pork Board The National Pork Board has responsibility for Checkoff-funded research, promotion and consumer information projects, and for communicating with pork producers as well as the public. Through a legislative national Pork Checkoff, pork producers invest $0.40 for each $100 value of hogs sold. Importers of pork products contribute a similar amount, based on a formula. The Pork Checkoff funds national and state programs in advertising, consumer information, retail and food service marketing, export market promotion, production improvement, technology, swine health, pork safety and environmental management. For more information, visit Pork.org . PorkEsSabor.com is a Spanish resource of pork information and inspiration, including easy-to-make and delicious recipes, nutritional content of pork, choice cuts, health and safety information and cooking tips. SOURCE National Pork Board HOUSTON, Dec. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Rowan Companies plc ("Rowan" or the "Company") (NYSE: RDC) announced that the Ralph Coffman, a 240-C Class harsh environment jack-up rig, has been awarded a 180-day contract in Trinidad. The contract is expected to commence in April of 2019. The previously announced contract with CGX Resources in Guyana will follow in direct continuation of this program. The Ralph Coffman is currently under contract with GulfSlope Energy in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico through its current well, which is estimated to conclude in mid-January 2019. Additionally, BP in Trinidad has exercised a two-well option with the Joe Douglas, a 240-C Class harsh environment jack-up rig, immediately following the current well. These exercised option wells are expected to last until approximately May 2019. The Joe Douglas has also received one more two-well option. Rowan is a global provider of contract drilling services with a fleet of 25 mobile offshore drilling units, composed of 21 self-elevating jack-up rigs and four ultra-deepwater drillships. The Company's fleet operates worldwide, including the United States Gulf of Mexico, the United Kingdom and Norwegian sectors of the North Sea, the Middle East, the Mediterranean Sea, and Trinidad. Additionally, the Company is a 50/50 partner in a joint venture with Saudi Aramco, entitled ARO Drilling, that owns a fleet of seven self-elevating jack-up rigs that operate in the Arabian Gulf. The Company's Class A Ordinary Shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "RDC." For more information on the Company, please visit www.rowan.com. Statements herein that are not historical facts are forward looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements as to the effective commencement date, scope of work, and duration of the contracts. These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and are subject to numerous risks, assumptions, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include oil and natural gas prices and the impact of the economic climate; changes in the offshore drilling market, including fluctuations in supply and demand; variable levels of drilling activity and expenditures in the energy industry; changes in day rates; ability to secure future drilling contracts; cancellation, early termination or renegotiation by our customers of drilling contracts; customer credit and risk of customer bankruptcy; risks associated with fixed cost drilling operations; unplanned downtime; risks related to our joint venture with Saudi Aramco, including the timing and amount of future distributions from the joint venture or contributions to the joint venture; cost overruns or delays in transportation of drilling units; cost overruns or delays in maintenance, repairs, or other rig projects; operating hazards and equipment failure; risks of collision and damage; casualty losses and limitations on insurance coverage; weather conditions in the Company's operating areas; increasing costs of compliance with regulations; changes in tax laws and interpretations by taxing authorities; hostilities, terrorism, and piracy; impairments; cyber incidents; the outcomes of disputes, including tax disputes and legal proceedings; and other risks disclosed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date hereof, and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by law. SOURCE Rowan Companies plc Related Links http://www.rowan.com BALTIMORE, Dec. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- To ring in the new year and celebrate the launch of their updated app, Royal Farms is giving away a free hot coffee to their Rofo Rewards members on January 1st, 2019. The free hot coffee will be offered all day on and is available in any size cup. Royal Farms also is encouraging their Rofo Rewards members to download their updated app that is available on the App Store or on Google Play. The updated app features enhancements in location services and gives users 400 free points on their birthday that's enough to redeem a free chicken meal! Alternatively, Non-Rofo Rewards members without a smartphone can register here. About Royal Farms: Royal Farms is a fast casual, convenience, and gas station chain that now operates approximately 200 stores in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. They are best known for their world-famous chicken that made the Food and Wine Magazines "10 Gas Stations Across the Country That Are Worth the Detour". For more information contact Shelby Kemp at [email protected]. SOURCE Royal Farms Related Links www.royalfarms.com TEL AVIV, Israel, December 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As the global medical cannabis market continues to expand exponentially and increasing numbers of countries around the globe legalize its use, including in Latin America, Panama's first-ever Medical Cannabis Summit will take place in Panama City, Tuesday, February 12 - Wednesday, 13, 2019 at the Central Hotel in Casco Viejo, the capital's unique Old Quarter which is UNESCO World Heritage Site. CannaTech Panama will bring together industry leaders from Latin America and around the world known for their significant and ground-breaking contributions to the global medical cannabis market in all fields. The Summit will cover the most current industry topics including Agricultural Tech and Innovation, Business and Finance, Policy and Regulation, Science and Medicine. Click here for the CannaTech Panama website for preliminary program venue, accommodations and sponsor information. "Latin America is a key and growing player in the exploding cannabis field. Medical cannabis is legal in 9 Latin American countries and that list is fast growing. According to the research consultancy Prohibition Partners, it's estimated that the region's cannabis market will be worth $12.7 billion in 2028 while the medical cannabis market is forecast to be worth $8.5 billion within the decade. We are thrilled to bring some of the world's leading companies and investors to Panama to meet with their counterparts to discuss a range of business and technological issues. I could not be prouder to bring CannaTech to Panama and work with like-minded professionals who understand the immense global health and business potential of medical cannabis moving forward," said Saul Kaye, Founder and CEO of iCAN: Israel-Cannabis. About CannaTech CannaTech is the only Medical Cannabis event of its kind with a global focus that offers senior industry leaders, medical and scientific experts, and new ventures the platform to come together, drive innovation, form partnerships and promote knowledge exchange. About iCAN: Israel-Cannabis iCAN: Israel-Cannabis is a leading Israeli developer of cannabis-based formulations, clinical trials and cannabis testing. iCAN is committed to accelerate Israel's Canna-Technology industry, capitalizing on Israeli innovation and a leading cannabis regulatory environment to bring premier products to market. iCAN is powered by CannaTech, the premier international cannabis summit held annually in Tel Aviv, London, Sydney and now Panama. For further information, media inquiries and journalist registration contact: Laura Kam, [email protected], +972-54-806-8613. SOURCE CannaTech Signs definitive agreement to acquire the assets of Grander Distribution, industry leader in development, manufacturing and distribution of hemp-derived products TORONTO, Dec. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - TerrAscend Corp. (CSE: TER;OTCQX: TRSSF) ("TerrAscend") today announced the signing of a definitive agreement (the "Agreement") to acquire substantially all of the assets of Grander Distribution, LLC ("Grander" or the "Seller"). Grander is an industry leader in the production and distribution of innovative hemp-derived wellness products. Their whole-plant hemp extract products are made in the USA and are available for sale in ~10,000 retail locations worldwide. Grander expects 2018 sales to exceed US$10,000,000 with the most recent one month run rate of over US$14,000,000 on an annualized basis. The US$13,000,000 purchase price is an equal combination of cash and stock with the potential for additional consideration of up to US$10,000,000 based on revenue targets of US$35,000,000 in 2019 and US$50,000,000 in 2020. The transaction is expected to close by January 15, 2019, upon completion of standard closing requirements. "We are thrilled to welcome the Grander team and look forward to leveraging their expansive distribution and branding expertise as we complete the first acquisition of our US strategy. In addition to their seasoned sales force, Grander has a proven track-record of driving the development, manufacturing and processing of innovative hemp-derived cannabinoid products. With the passing of the 2018 US Farm Bill, and the closing of this transaction, TerrAscend will be well positioned to take advantage of the substantial hemp-derived product opportunity," said Matthew Johnson, President TerrAscend Corp., and TerrAscend USA, Inc. "We couldn't be more excited to join forces with TerrAscend" said Scott Frohman, CEO of Grander. "The collaboration of talent and expertise across the combined organization will give TerrAscend a significant competitive advantage in developing, marketing, and supplying the most cutting-edge products in the hemp-derived cannabinoid market," concluded Frohman. About TerrAscend Corp. TerrAscend is a biopharmaceutical and wellness company that is committed to quality products, brands and services for the global cannabinoid market. TerrAscend provides support to patients and consumers through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, TerrAscend Canada Inc., a licensed producer of cannabis pursuant to the Cannabis Regulations under the Cannabis Act (Canada) that provides medical cannabis to patients through its online medical marketplace Solace Health, and Solace Health Network Inc., a clinical support program and education platform led by healthcare professionals. TerrAscend participates in the legal adult-use market in Canada through direct and indirect supply agreements in several provinces and intends to expand into the US market in states where cannabinoids have been legalized for therapeutic or adult-use. TerrAscend also launched Ascendant Labs, a company committed to the continuous improvement of cannabinoid expressing plants, which is a strategic joint venture with leading researchers Cistron Corp. Caution Regarding Cannabis Operations in the United States Investors should note that there are significant legal restrictions and regulations that govern the cannabis industry in the United States. Cannabis remains a Schedule I drug under the US Controlled Substances Act, making it illegal under federal law in the United States to cultivate, distribute or possess cannabis in the United States. Furthermore, financial transactions involving proceeds generated by, or intended to promote, cannabis-related business activities in the United States may form the basis for prosecution under applicable US federal money laundering legislation. While the approach to enforcement of such laws by the federal government in the United States has trended toward non-enforcement against individuals and businesses that comply with medical or adult-use cannabis programs in states where such programs are legal, strict compliance with state laws with respect to cannabis will neither absolve TerrAscend of liability under US federal law, nor will it provide a defense to any federal proceeding which may be brought against TerrAscend. Following any investment made by TerrAscend in operations in the United States, enforcement of federal laws in the United States will be a significant risk to the business of TerrAscend and any proceedings brought against TerrAscend thereunder may adversely affect TerrAscend's operations and financial performance. Forward Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as, "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "expect", "anticipate", "believe, "intend", "plan", "forecast", "project", "estimate", "outlook" and other similar expressions, and include statements with respect to the terms of the credit facility, the expected use of proceeds of the credit facility and TerrAscend's intention to pursue business opportunities in the United States. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and are based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management in light of management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors relevant in the circumstances, including assumptions in respect of current and future market conditions, the current and future regulatory environment; and the availability of licenses, approvals and permits. Although TerrAscend believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because TerrAscend can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the inability to settle definitive documentation relating to the credit facility, the inability to satisfy any conditions to draw down on the credit facility, TerrAscend's ability to deploy the funds for the purposes intended, TerrAscend's ability to source attractive investment opportunities in the United States and execute on such opportunities, including being able to finance any such opportunities; risks related to federal, state, provincial, territorial, local and foreign government laws, rules and regulations, including federal and state laws in the United States relating to cannabis operations in the United States; TerrAscend's ability to successfully integrate any acquired businesses in the future; and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release. TerrAscend disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws. TerrAscend undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of TerrAscend, its securities, or financial or operating results (as applicable). SOURCE TerrAscend TALLINN, Estonia, Dec. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- TradeWinds Financials has announced the company is partnering with Foster Estate Planning to launch a new cryptocurrency investment fund. This will provide investors the opportunity to move against volatility in the cryptocurrency markets without incurring the frictional costs of converting their holdings into fiat. "We are happy to announce this recent partnership, which will help more people invest like the wealthy do," says Grigori Moyen, COO and investment manager at TradeWinds Financials. "Online trading is a coveted investment asset that has been used by high net worth individuals for decades. As a result of this partnership, now more people will be able to invest through our retail investment plans." The company's website offers a brief overview of how it works. Interested investors can transfer Ethereum or Bitcoin to purchase the investment plan. TradeWinds invest in real estate assets through their work with top advisers and legal firms. Investment diversity is important so TradeWinds utilizes partnerships with expert traders and miners to diversify investors funds into heavy-capital projects. Investors with TradeWinds will see stability and security through an asset-backed investment. TradeWinds Financials employs a global multi-strategy investment approach, engaging in a broad array of trading and investing strategies across a wide group of crypto experts. The company has already received praise for their work. Jacob E, an investment banker, writes, "Just received my returns and the experience was great. The process was simple and the payment was timely." For more information about the partnership and investing with TradeWinds Financials, visit TWFinancials.com. About TradeWinds Financials TradeWinds Financials is an investment group offering investors exposure to cryptocurrencies. With cutting-edge technology and experiences that cut across decades, the company manages the wealth of their members. For more information, visit TWFinancials.com. SOURCE TradeWinds Financials Related Links http://TWFinancials.com HONG KONG, Dec. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- On December 21st, Wanka Online officially listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and became the first "Android ecosystem stock" listed on the HKEX. In 2017, China Creation Ventures ("CCV") participated in the series B investment of Wanka. Wanka is now the first publicly listed company CCV invested in since its founding one and a half years ago. It took only 4 years from the establishment of Wanka to the IPO, also less than 2 years after CCV's investment. Wanka Online was founded in March 2014. It is the biggest ecosystem alliance of Android smartphones -- the technical supporter, operator and service provider of the Mobile Hardcore Alliance (M.H.A.), which consists of all major Android phone brands in China, and the "Fast Application Alliance". As the main ceremony guest, Wei Zhou, founding and managing partner of CCV, attended the listing ceremony of Wanka. Wei Zhou said: "The Android ecosystem has huge room for development and growth in terms of traffic value. Wanka has strong power in gathering and discovering new traffic, as well as helping companies fully commercialize the traffic. It plays an important role in building the bridges." As a service provider that connects the mobile Internet ecosystem, Wanka is engaged in the business of discovering and generating new traffic for advertisers, mobile application developers and smartphone manufacturers, improving the connectivity, monetization and user impression of the three parties. The M.H.A. is an Android ecosystem alliance established by Wanka in 2014 together with leading smartphone brands in China. Its members accounted for 62.1% of China's domestic smartphone shipments in 2017, reaching 276 million units. CCV was founded by former KPCB China Managing Partner Wei Zhou and his team of many years, focusing on early stage TMT investments. In around one year since it's debut, CCV has raised over $400 million in funding. In 2018, three companies it invested in have completed or are in the process of M&A or IPO, and many more have become top players in their industries. On December 12th, Forbes China released the "Best Venture Capitalist in China" list of 2018. The ranking is based on exits and performance over the past five years (from January 1, 2014 to August 31, 2018). Wei Zhou, the Founding and Managing Partner of China Creation Ventures, was re-elected "Top 20 Venture Capitalists in China" by Forbes China. SOURCE China Creation Ventures Washington, Dec 24 : US President Donald Trump has said that he had a telephonic conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over issues related to Syria. "We discussed ISIS (IS), our mutual involvement in Syria, and the slow and highly coordinated pullout of US troops from the area," Trump said on Sunday on his Twitter account, describing the phone conversation as "long and productive", Xinhua reported. The two leaders also discussed expanded trade between the two countries in their phone call. Trump agreed to withdraw US troops from Syria during his phone conversation with Erdogan on December 14, the media had reported citing officials. The State Department cleared Turkey to purchase a package of Patriot missile systems on December 18, with an estimated cost of $3.5 billion. The Trump administration announced on December 19 that it started returning US troops home from Syria after claiming a victory in the fight against the IS, without revealing any detailed timetable. The decision to withdraw US troops in Syria was widely regarded as the last straw for Defence Secretary James Mattis' resignation on December 20. Following Mattis, Brett McGurk, the US envoy for the global coalition to defeat Islamic State (IS), also resigned on December 21, which was another sign of senior officials' objection over the US troops withdrawal from Syria. The time-frame for US troops withdrawal from war-torn Syria is expected to be 60 days and 100 days, informed sources said. The US has deployed troops to Syria fighting the IS since 2015, and there are more than 2,000 US soldiers in Syria. Flash U.S. President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he has picked Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan as the acting Pentagon chief, forcing outgoing James Mattis to step down earlier than planned. Shanahan will assume the role starting Jan. 1, 2019, Trump said in a tweet Sunday noon. "Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, & previously Boeing. He will be great!" The president added. The announcement came only days after Trump announced that Mattis, the current defense secretary, will retire at the end of February next year. Shortly before Trump tweeted his decision on Sunday, news broke out that the president was furious at days of negative news coverage over Mattis' resignation and his rebuke over the administration's treatment of U.S. allies in a resignation letter. "One core belief I have always held is that our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnerships," Mattis wrote Thursday. The 68-year-old former Marine Corps general said that his views on treating the allies with respect are strongly held and informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues. "Because you have a right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours" on many subjects, "I believe it is right for me to step down from my position," Mattis added. Mattis offered his resignation a day after Trump ordered the withdrawal of the 2,000 or so U.S. troops from Syria and declared victory over the Islamic State militant group, a move that Mattis reportedly disagreed strongly. The scope of Mattis' divergence with Trump went far beyond the U.S. military mission in Syria. Mattis is a defender of the U.S. alliance with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), while the president once bashed NATO for being "obsolete" and often scolded member countries for failing to contribute sufficient funds. The two also disagreed on issues such as banning transgender recruits from the military, canceling the joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises, pulling the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal, as well as deploying troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. "When President Obama ingloriously fired Jim Mattis, I gave him a second chance," Trump tweeted Saturday. "Some thought I shouldn't, I thought I should. Interesting relationship - but I also gave all of the resources that he never really had. Allies are very important - but not when they take advantage of U.S." During the Obama administration, Mattis was forced out as head of U.S. Central Command in 2013 over differences about handling Iran. Mattis' leaving the Trump administration earlier means that he will not oversee U.S. troops withdrawn in Syria as well as reported reduction of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. Seen by his supporters as the only remaining force of stability in the Trump administration, Mattis was the latest in a slew of cabinet members and administration officials who either resigned or were forced to quit within the last two years. Brett McGurk, the U.S. envoy for the global coalition to defeat Islamic State, also resigned earlier in the past week, another sign of senior officials' objection over the U.S. troops withdrawal from Syria. Trump said Thursday Mattis would "be retiring, with distinction", but did not mention him in announcing the replacement. Shanahan, 56, became deputy secretary of defense in July 2017. The former longtime Boeing executive reportedly has strong relationships with both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence but is set to face questions over his lack of foreign policy or government experience. A spokesperson for Shanahan said he will accept the appointment as acting secretary. "Deputy Secretary will continue to serve as directed by the president, and the Department of Defense will remain focused on the defense of the nation," the spokesperson said on Sunday. A spokeswoman for Mattis, Dana White, said on Twitter that the outgoing secretary will focus over the next week on ensuring a smooth transition. The reshuffle at the Pentagon also comes as parts of the U.S. federal government are shut down over a budget impasse. Tehran, Dec 24 : Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif has said supporting the Palestinian cause is one of the principle policies of the country. "Unfortunately, counter measures to the (Palestinian) resistance movement take place from the Muslim world today," Zarif said on Sunday in a meeting with a visiting delegation of the Islamic Hamas movement, IRNA news agency reported. Zarif urged the Muslim countries to set aside differences and unite when it comes to the issue of Palestine, Xinhua reported. "Supporting Palestine is a principle policy of the Islamic republic," Zarif stressed. Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 24 : Is the devastating 2018 flood in Kerala linked to climate change? Based on a study that does not find any long-term increase in the mean or heavy monsoon rainfall in the state, researchers argue that attributing the event to climate change can be "difficult". The analysis is by researchers at the Water and Climate Lab at the Indian Institute of Technology-Gandhinagar, who looked at the event from the lens of hydroclimatology -- the effect of large water bodies on climate. Factoring in the long-term (1951-2017) changes in mean and extreme precipitation, air temperature and total run-off in Kerala, researchers said that during this 66 year period, the state witnessed a significant decline in monsoon rainfall while the temperature rose. "Therefore, long-term trends indicate drying and warming in the monsoon season in Kerala. Kerala had two remarkable extreme rain events in 1924 and 1961, which is prior to the global warming era," Vimal Mishra, the lead author of the study, told Mongabay-India. "Therefore, we hypothesise that the 2018 event may be similar to earlier extreme events and also driven by the natural variability of climate. However, the role of climate warming on 2018 flood in Kerala needs to be diagnosed," Mishra said. The 2018 event threw up a "surprise" from the trends perspective. "Both extreme rainfall and run-off during 1951-2017 show a decline. Moreover, there has not been a considerable increase in the frequency of extremes associated with rainfall in the state. Therefore, from the trends perspective the 2018 event was surprising," Mishra explained. "Climate change has posed profound implications on extreme precipitation and flood events globally. Therefore, there is no doubt that we should take climate change seriously in terms of the rising frequency of extreme events," said Mishra. Until we can scientifically attribute the 2018 flood to climate warming we can't say this was caused by climate change, he reasoned. "Since there is no increase in mean and extreme precipitation in Kerala over the last six decades, the extreme event during August 2018 is likely to be driven by anomalous atmospheric conditions due to climate variability rather anthropogenic climate warming," the study said. The researchers also questioned if the flooding in Kerala was caused by the human activities other than climate change. They believe the severity of the flood and the damage caused might be affected by several factors, including land-use and/or land cover change, antecedent hydrologic conditions, reservoir storage and operations, encroachment of flood plains, and other natural factors. Climate scientist Arpita Mondal, who works on detection and attribution of hydroclimatic change, agrees with one aspect of the study in that attributing hydrological events are particularly difficult. "We must also understand that floods are hydrological events, and not necessarily an atmospheric one. Hydrology is what happens to rain when it falls on the ground," IIT-Bombay's Mondal told Mongabay-India. "Therefore, the translation of heavy rainfall to floods is also dependent on the catchment characteristics and local factors, such as antecedent moisture conditions, land-use characteristics such as perviousness of the surface, floodplain encroachment, reservoir releases and so on," she said. Since these are complicated, interlinked processes, she said, attributing hydrological events are particularly difficult. "This is one aspect highlighted in this study, and I completely agree with that," Mondal said. Ecologist Rajiv Chaturvedi said that generally for Kerala, published literature pointed to increasing droughts, so it's no surprise that the trends associated with extreme and total rainfall in the state for 1951-2017 do not show an increase, but decrease. "It is agreed by most of the researchers that in Kerala the key problem today is drought, and drought is going to be the future problem as well (based on high resolution climate model projections) and not flood," Chaturvedi said. Mishra emphasised that research is needed to understand what impact the historic land cover change in Kerala caused on the severity of flood in August 2018. Reservoirs might have played a key role in at least worsening the flood situation in the state during August 2018, the researchers stressed. For instance, the group had earlier reported that excess rainfall had caused above-normal reservoir storage even before the onset of extreme rainfall (August 15-16). "The extreme rainfall in the catchments of major reservoirs forced reservoir operators to open the gates and release a considerable amount of stored water, which might have added to the severity of floods in the state," they observed in the study. But India's Central Water Commission (CWC), in its report on the Kerala floods, has held that "dams in Kerala neither added to the flood nor helped in reduction of the flood" while squarely holding the heavy rainfall responsible for the disaster. According to historical records, the region witnessed one of its most severe floods in 1924 and the CWC report noted that the rainfall of August 15-17, 2018 in Kerala was "almost of the same order as that of rainfall which occurred during July 16-18, 1924". Chaturvedi believes the sudden flood was so devastating (from the dam management perspective) as water resources in the state were managed for drought mitigation (keeping dams in full capacity). "And prolonged drought in the state could certainly be linked to climate change going by previous studies. Kerala is certainly experiencing the impacts of climate change in the form of declining rains, and its subsequent effect on vegetation productivity and carbon stock growth in vegetation," the ecologist said. (In arrangement with Mongabay.com, a source for environmental news reporting and analysis. The views expressed in the article are those of Mongabay.com. Feedback: gopi@mongabay.com ) New Delhi, Dec 24 : The BJP on Monday moved the Supreme Court challenging a Calcutta High Court Division Bench order that quashed a Single Bench's conditional go-ahead to the party's "Rath Yatra" programme in West Bengal. The BJP moved the apex court seeking an urgent hearing of the matter even though it was already on winter vacation. The BJP's plans to take out the "save democracy rallies" hit a roadblock when the High Court's division bench on December 21 quashed the single bench's order that had given go-ahead to the programme saying the party should not create any trouble during their movement as they would be held liable. The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Debasish Kar Gupta and Justice Shampa Sarkar sent the case back to the single bench with a directive that the latter consider the intelligence inputs provided by the state agencies. The Mamata Banerjee government had moved an appeal before the Division Bench against the Single Bench's December 20 order and seeking urgent hearing. While setting aside Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty's Single Bench's order, the Division Bench directed it to study afresh the 36 intelligence inputs from 31 police stations and five police commissionerates submitted by the state government before it. The Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government had rejected BJP's plea to hold the 'Rath Yatra', arguing there was "grave apprehension of major breach of peace and communal violence during and in the aftermath" of the programme. The BJP was originally scheduled to hold three "Rath Yatra" rallies from north Bengal's Cooch Behar, South 24 Parganas district's Gangasagar and Birbhum district's temple town of Tarapith, to be flagged off by party President Amit Shah on December 7, 9 and 14 respectively. These rallies were meant to touch all 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state before converging in Kolkata in January. The BJP then moved the Calcutta High Court on December 17 after the Bengal government's decision and proposed December 22, 24 and 26 as fresh dates for the three rallies. Lhasa, Dec 24 : More than 2,100 people were evacuated after a 5.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Xigaze city in Tibet autonomous region early on Monday, authorities said. No casualties were reported. The earthquake hit Xaitongmoin County at 3.32 a.m. It struck at a depth of 8 km, the China Earthquake Networks Centre was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency. Investigators found cracks in some rural houses and damage on some livestock sheds in the county, said the county's Publicity Department. The local governments prepared tents, quilts, coats and medical supplies for the affected people. Traffic and telecommunications in the region remained undisturbed. Ghazni (Afghanistan), Dec 24 : Seven civilians have been killed in an explosion in Afghanistan's Ghazni province, officials said on Monday. "Seven civilians were killed following an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion in Ghazni late Sunday," government spokesman Harif Noori told Xinhua news agency. The incident occurred when a running mini bus touched off the IED along a dusty road in Shahkhog area of Dih Yak district. The official blamed the Taliban militant for the attack. Agartala, Dec 24 : Ahead of the general elections in Bangladesh on December 30, the Border Security Force (BSF) has heightened patrolling and vigil along the India-Bangladesh frontiers, a top BSF officer said here on Monday. "Keeping in mind the general elections to the Bangladesh Parliament, we have further increased the security along the India-Bangladesh borders. "BSF troopers are always ready to deal with any kind of situation," BSF Tripura Frontier officiating Inspector General (IG) Ashok Kumar Yadav told the media. "We have asked the BSF commanders and the troopers to keep a close watch on the borders. Patrolling has also been increased," he added. He also ruled out any possibility of mass infiltration. Bangladesh media reports, monitored here, said that about 400-450 platoons of army troopers were deployed in 389 areas in 270 constituencies across Bangladesh on Monday to assist with the December 30 poll process. "The Election Commission earlier announced that the army would be deployed as a striking force across the poll-bound country. The soldiers would remain in the field until January 2 or till the 11th Parliamentary elections ends," the media reports added. Quoting the poll official the reports said that the forces have been deployed to build up confidence among the people and political parties. Two militants of the banned National Liberation Front of Tripura, who were hiding in Bangladesh, surrendered before the BSF officials on Monday. The BSF's acting IG said that around 50-60 cadres of Tripura militant outfits were still hiding in their temporary camps in Bangladesh, mostly in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. "However, majority of these rebels are keen to return to mainstream." According to the official, 13 extremists surrendered to the BSF in Tripura in 2018. Bangladesh and India share a 4,096-km long international border, the fifth-longest land border in the world. A large portion of the border along Tripura and West Bengal is already fenced and work was underway for fencing the remaining part of the border. Islamabad, Dec 24 : An accountability court on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to seven years in prison in a fresh corruption conviction. The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader was arrested from the courtroom for having investments beyond his declared assets in Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption reference. The court acquitted Sharif in the the Flagship Investments case. Judge Arshad Malik also imposed a $2.5 million fine on Sharif after ruling that Al-Azizia Steel Mills -- a Saudi Arabian firm carrying the name of his son -- belonged to the former Prime Minister and that he was unable to demonstrate how the project was funded, Dawn newspaper reported. His sons, Hassan and Hussain, were declared absconders. Sharif was expected to appeal against his latest conviction. Following the verdict announcement, PML-N supporters clashed with security personnel. Tear gas and baton-charge were used to disperse the protesters. Security around the Judicial Complex in Islamabad was increased ahead of the verdict, with at least 1,400 personnel deployed in and around the court premises. All routes leading to the court were also sealed. The trial against the Sharifs commenced on September 14, 2017 after Pakistan's anti-corruption body filed three cases relating to the Avenfield, Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment, and offshore companies including Flagship Investment Limited on the Supreme Court's directives in the landmark Panamagate verdict. Sharif, who denies wrongdoing, was jailed for 10 years in July in Avenfield case -- ownership of four luxury flats in London -- but bailed on appeal when the Islamabad High Court suspended his sentence in September. His sons are accused in all three references whereas daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar were accused in the Avenfield reference only. Lucknow, Dec 24 : About a dozen persons, including some policemen, were injured on Monday after communal violence erupted in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh, police said. The clash started on a minor issue at the Laxman Chwok in the Ketipura locality provoking people from both sides to pelt each other with stones. Reports said warring sides also used sticks and sharp weapons. Two policemen and eleven others have sustained serious injuries in the clash, reports said. Senior police and district officials, including Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rajesh Kumar Srivastava, rushed to the spot with additional police force and controlled the mob. While the exact reason of the violence is yet to be ascertained, one side has accused the other of robbing a shop. Additional force has been deployed in the area and vigil has been stepped up to stem escalation, an official told IANS. Jhajjar/Chandigarh (Haryana), Dec 24 : Eight persons, including seven women, were killed and ten critically injured in a massive pile-up of around 50 vehicles because of dense fog on the National Highway 71 in Haryana. The accident occurred on Monday morning on the Rewari-Rohtak-Jalandhar highway near Jhajjar flyover. The eight people who died were travelling in an SUV from their village in Kirdodh in Jhajjar, to outer Delhi's Najafgarh for a condolence visit when it was crushed between a tractor trolley carrying building material and a truck, police said. The deceased were identified as Satpal (48), Santosh Devi (45), Kanta Devi (34), Premlata (50), Laxmi (63), Ramkali (35), Sheela Devi (61) and Khazani Devi (36). The injured, including Pushpa (30) and Mangeram (50), were referred to PGIMS Rohtak, while the other eight victims, aged between 30 and 51 years, were admitted to various hospitals. Haryana Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister O.P. Dhankar announced Rs 2 lakh each for the next of kin of those killed and Rs 1 lakh for those injured. The accident led to a 2 km-long traffic jam on the highway. Kabul, Dec 24 : A group of insurgents attacked an Afghan government building in Kabul on Monday, officials said. There was no immediate word on casualties in the attack on the complex that houses the Ministry for Martyrs and Disabled. The attackers first blew up a car laden with explosives and then stormed into the complex, triggering an exchange of gunfire with security forces there, Interior Ministry spokesperson Nasrat Rahimi told Efe news. The attack took place around 3.15 p.m. in Police District 16. "First there was a car bombing. Following the attack, a number of suicide bombers entered into the Deputy Ministry for Martyrs and Disabled," Rahimi said. "All roads leading to the area are blocked and the clearance operation is underway to gun down the attackers," he said, adding so far no details were available on possible casualties. Flash The death toll from a volcano-triggered tsunami in Indonesia rose to 222 with at least 843 others injured, the disaster management agency confirmed on Sunday, while the figures are feared to mount as damage verification goes on. The tsunami hit at 9:27 p.m. Jakarta time (1427 GMT) on Saturday, after the eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano, or Child of Krakatoa volcano in English, sparked underwater landslides, leading to the rise of the sea level, according to the agency. The tsunami destroyed 556 houses, nine hotels and 360 ships in the district of Pandeglang, the hardest hit area, as well as Serang of Banten province and Lampung Selatan district of Lampung province, spokesman of national disaster management agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. Many residents and tourists were forced to flee, but the spokesman did not give specific numbers, saying that evacuation centers are being set up. "The figures are looked to rise as the recurrent risk assessment has not reached all affected areas," he told a press conference on Sunday. In the hardest-hit Pandeglang district, huge waves rattled residential areas and several tourist spots along the coastal area, such as Pantai Tanjung Lesung, Sumur, Penimbang, Teluk Lada and Carita, Sutopo said. "When the tragedy occurred, many people were spending their time along the coastal areas of Pandeglang," he added. Thirty-three bodies were recovered in Pandeglang district alone, with 491 others injured and 409 houses and hotels damaged, said Sutopo. The water submerged the area with a height of four to five meters, leaving scores of people missing, head of emergency department of disaster management agency in the district Endang Permana said. "Many people were missing, they were swept by waves when they were watching a performance in coastal area," Permana told Xinhua over phone. Horrible memories The tsunami has brought grim and dire atmosphere along the Anyer coast line in Serang, capital of Indonesia's Banten province with rubble from devastated houses and buildings scattered along the once popular beaches. Sirens from ambulances and vehicles carrying police, military personnel and volunteers sounded from time to time in the area that used to be a popular place for a weekend get-away. Most hotels, resorts, restaurants and convenient stores were indefinitely closed after the disaster. Among the devastated areas was a beach in Cinangka village in Anyer, which used to be popular for its white sands and spates of coconut trees. All constructions made of bamboo on the beach were completely flattened. Recalling the disastrous moment, local restaurant owner Eki Prasetya, a survivor, said the weather before the tsunami was "a bit strange." "Last night was so peaceful, no rain and no wind as well. It was just different from the days before as rain always fell down marred with strong wind," he told Xinhua in Cinangka on Sunday afternoon. His restaurant on the beach and his house nearby were destroyed by the tsunami. He said the sea receded from the beach some 20 minutes before the tsunami hit. He had no idea it was a sign for a tsunami as he did not feel any earthquake or other abnormality. "But the volcano has been very active lately. We heard thunderous sound from the volcano direction quite often. But it's OK as it did not harm us here," Eki said. But when the tsunami hit, louder thundering sound from the sea made him curious as it was not the sound from the volcano. "I was in my house with my wife and my son when I suddenly realized water had already submerged the floor. I held my son and yanked my wife out of the house quickly," said 24-year-old Eki, the father of a toddler. Eki said he watched his restaurant and his house, both made of bamboo, easily toppled down by the wave of the tsunami. "The water that hit the beach was quite strong. I almost fell as I ran with my wife and my son. I saw everything that I built to earn my living gone in seconds. I don't have anything now," Eki said while collecting any valuable things from the debris that might be of use amid the choppy rain in the afternoon. He put his wife and son in his parent's house in another village far away from the beach. Rescue underway After the tsunami occurred, the meteorology and geophysics agency banned the community from having activities in the coastal area of the strait, as assessment is underway on the risks of the volcano eruption, said Sutopo. Heavy machinery equipment has been deployed in the catastrophe-hit areas to help with search and rescue operation. In Lampung Selatan district, rescue of those trapped under the rubble and search for the missing are underway, said Ketut Sukerta, head of disaster management agency in the district. "Over 100 buildings collapsed. We are now attempting to rescue the people trapped under the rubble and to find those swept by the waves," he told Xinhua by phone from Lampung Selatan district. "We are ready for deployment of more personnel and equipment to recover and rescue the affected people," head of communication for media of national search and rescue office Yusuf Latief told Xinhua over phone. In Serang, meanwhile, search and rescue teams are busy looking for possibly more bodies and those trapped under the rubble, as well as preparing camps to accommodate those who lost their houses. A coordinator of the search team said over 700 people would be deployed in the search operation, which have been initially set for seven days from Sunday. "We would set up the refugee camp in front of search team command center here tomorrow. We have also set up medical assistance facility here," Johnny Effendi told Xinhua in the search command center in Cinangka village. Citing updated data, he said 12 bodies have been found around the village, with dozens injured and 31 missing. Indonesia is no stranger to tsunamis. The worst so far is the one in which over 170,000 people were killed in Aceh province on Dec. 26, 2004 as an Indian Ocean quake-triggered tsunami killed more than 226,000 people in over a dozen of countries along the Indian Ocean. The Anak Krakatau is an island that emerged in 1927 and has kept growing since then. The Anak Krakatau volcano is one of the 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia, a vast archipelagic nation home to 17,500 islands and sits on a vulnerable quake-hit zone so called "the Pacific Ring of Fire." Islamabad, Dec 24 : An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to seven years in prison for owning a steel factory abroad without disclosing its ownership. The ruling was slammed by his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, as "the "last hiccup of blind revenge". Judge Arshad Malik imposed hefty fines on the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader after ruling that Al-Azizia Steel Mills -- a Saudi Arabian firm carrying the name of his son -- belonged to the former Prime Minister and that he was unable to demonstrate how the project was funded, Dawn newspaper reported. The police took Sharif, 68, into custody following the verdict by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) court here. He requested the judge to keep him imprisoned in Lahore, instead of the city of Rawalpindi near Islamabad. The three-time Premier was expected to appeal against his latest conviction and maintained that he never misused his powers or indulged in corruption. "My conscience is clear as I never did corruption," he told reporters outside the court following the verdict. His daughter took to Twitter to criticise the ruling, saying: "One man has been sentenced for the fourth time. This is the last hiccup of blind revenge." Sharif's sons -- Hassan and Hussain -- who are not in Pakistan, were declared absconders. Sharif was, meanwhile, acquitted in another case of alleged corruption concerning the Flagship Investments firm in the UK for lack of evidence. He and his sons were also accused of using 16 offshore companies to acquire and manage expensive properties. A disqualification of 10 years from holding any public office was part of the sentences awarded to Sharif, said NAB special prosecutor Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi. The disqualification will go into effect following his release from jail after serving the seven-year sentence. Sharif was taken away from the court premises amid strong security measures. The verdict led to clashes between his supporters and the security forces guarding the court. The agitated PML-N supporters tried to enter the court and threw stones at the police personnel, who responded with tear gas. Former Prime Minister and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi termed the verdict "another black decision" and said there was neither any evidence nor any witnesses in either case. "This is another black (day) for Pakistan, another black decision," he said. The verdict was hailed by the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), whose Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that the "real face of Nawaz Sharif has been unmasked today". He said that the people who were still defending Sharif "should be ashamed of themselves because the money involved in the scam belonged to the people of Pakistan". The trial against the Sharifs commenced on September 14, 2017 after Pakistan's anti-corruption body filed three cases relating to the Avenfield properties case, Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Flagship Investment Limited on the Supreme Court's directives in the landmark Panamagate verdict. Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar were sentenced to 10 years, seven years and one year in prison, respectively by the same court in July in the Avenfield case -- ownership of four luxury flats in London. They later bailed on appeal when the Islamabad High Court suspended their sentence in September. The Supreme Court had set the deadline for Monday to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases against the former Prime Minister. Sharif's sons are accused in all three references whereas daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Muhammad Safdar were accused in the Avenfield reference only. Jerusalem, Dec 24 : The leaders of Israel's governing coalition announced on Monday that they have agreed to hold the next general elections in April next year, seven months earlier than required by law. The announcement came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition has been struggling to govern with a razor-thin majority. The current legislative term was set to expire in November. "Out of national and budgetary responsibility, the leaders of the coalition parties decided unanimously to dissolve the Knesset (Parliament) and go to new elections at the beginning of April after a four-year term," the government coalition said in a statement. "The partnership in the Knesset and in the government will continue during the elections," said the statement cited by Efe news. The call for early elections is a new chapter in a government crisis caused by disagreement over a bill to increase the recruitment of ultra-Orthodox Jewish people for mandatory military service, proposed by Yesh Atid, one of the main coalition parties that is led by Yair Lapid. Netanyahu has scheduled a vote on the bill -- which has been rejected by religious sections that are also a part of the coalition -- on January 7. Lapid, however, announced that his party would vote against the bill, breaking the coalition's consensus as he considered that Netanyahu had given in to ultra-Orthodox interest groups out of fear. The Prime Minister was weakened last month after Avigdor Lieberman resigned as the Defence Minister due to disagreement over the need to carry out a military offensive in the Gaza Strip. Lucknow, Dec 24 : Controversial hoardings portraying Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as the next prime minister and a 'Kalyug ka Avtaar' (reincarnation in Kali Yuga) were removed from many public places in Agra after the municipal corporation noticed them, an official said. The hoardings put up by the Uttar Pradesh Navnirman Sena were placed under the 'Yogi for PM' campaign, triggering a flutter in political circles. As the hoardings dotted the city landscape, Agra Mayor Naveen Jain ordered their immediate removal. The civic authorities have also ordered action against the advertising agency that put up the billboards. The hoardings carry a picture of Lord Ram and the monk-turned-politician thanking him for renaming of Faizabad district as Ayodhya. Hoardings portraying Adityanath as the future prime minister and a man of action had recently created controversy. These, too, were removed soon after they were put up. Those billboards were also put up by the UP Navnirman Sena. Mumbai, Dec 24 : Online home interior design platform DesignCafe said on Monday that it has raised funding of up to Rs 200 crore from WestBridge Capital. According to the Bengaluru-based DesignCafe, the company was set up to address a large personalisation and execution gap that existed in the mid-segment home interior market of homes in the 1,000-2,000 sq ft bracket. "WestBridge Capital will invest up to Rs 200 crore in a series B round of funding with participation by existing investor Fireside Ventures," the DesignCafe statement said. "The company proposes to use the additional capital to expand operations in 6 other cities including Mumbai, NCR and Hyderabad." Commenting on the deal, Westbridge Capital Managing Partner Sandeep Singhal said in a statement: "We have been impressed with Design Cafe's rapid scaling up and initial success. Their high customer satisfaction rate is an excellent achievement and is a testimony to the company's deep domain expertise in this sector, hard work and good business judgment." Mumbai, Dec 24 : Russian digital solutions provider Zyfra plans to reach the target of $50 million in India-related deals by 2021, the company said on Monday. A statement said Zyfra has managed to reach $3 million in contracts with its Indian counterparts this year. During 2018, the company has supplied Indian industrial manufacturers with artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT)-based solutions as well as autonomous vehicles, it said. "The company has already set agreement with Spudweb, Abcon Group and 10 more companies totally accounting for around $2.5 million in contracts," the statement added. Commenting on the development, Zyfra MD Pavel Rastopshin said in a statement: "India is an important industrial hub. The need for digitalization is really high here as the country tends to solve various tasks, namely to increase production efficiency, cut costs, improve the quality of the final product and to save working places at the same time." Earlier this year, Zyfra unveiled its manufacturing data collection (MDC) plus system in India. "It is a real-time machine monitoring and with hundreds of customizable reports and charts that can be used to track jobs, parts, operations, work centres, scrap costs, downtime and people," it said. Founded in 2017, Zyfra, which has an Indian arm, plans to sign contracts with Indian firms working in the machine-building, aircraft and steelmaking industries. Tehran, Dec 25 : Iranian foreign minister on Monday criticised the Europeans for their "slow measures" to salvage Iranian 2015 international nuclear deal. "The Europeans are acting slowly in the fulfillment of their commitments under the nuclear agreement (officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or the JCPOA)," Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying by Press TV. "We will not wait for them unless they adopt practical steps," Zarif said, reports Xinhua news agency. He emphasised that Iran has many options to deal with the US withdrawal from the JCPOA and would consider them based on its national interests. Washington withdrew from Iran's landmark 2015 nuclear deal in May and imposed batches of sanctions against Tehran, targeting Iran's shipping, financial and energy sectors. Iran relies heavily on the European's assistance against the US pull out of the nuclear deal and their promises to guarantee Iran's interests under the 2015 accord. The EU has stressed that it would set up a legal entity to facilitate legitimate financial transactions with Iran in light of the US withdrawal from the international agreement. Washington, Dec 25 : US President Donald Trump on Monday said that progress is being made on the issues related with North Korea. While posting a picture of him sitting behind a desk and reading a piece of paper, Trump tweeted, "Christmas Eve briefing with my team working on North Korea -- Progress being made." "Looking forward to my next summit with Chairman Kim!" he said, referring to North Korean top leader Kim Jong Un, Xinhua news agency reported. The first-ever summit of Trump and Kim occurred in Singapore in June, followed by a joint statement in which the US agreed to provide security guarantee to the Asian nation in return for Pyongyang's commitment to denuclearisation. However, differences between the two sides have remained over key issues like the scale of denuclearisation, US sanctions, a war-ending declaration and the momentum for talks. Trump revealed on December 1 that his second meeting with Kim was likely to happen in January or February next year. Brady R. Downing Sr. has completed his new book Fifty Select Passages from the Poetic New Testament and the Complete Book of Mark: an engrossing account that discusses the profoundness of the Word of God to believers. Author Brady R. Downing Sr. analyzes the essence of the Gospels and the New Testament in the hopes of inspiring a faithful countenance upon readers: This book is intended to be used as a study manual. The fifty passages were pulled out from the New Testament because of their value as training/study tools. The Biblical Food for Thought and Topics of Discussion were added for the same reason. Then, the Book of Mark was added for a special reason. Many, many hours were invested on Mark 16:18 over a two-year period. But the finished product was worth every one of those many hours. This verse is discussed at great length in Topics of Discussion. It is our prayer that reading and studying this book is a learning experience for everyone who will read and study it. Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, Brady R. Downing Sr.s opus presets resounding notions that highly magnify the essence of the biblical scriptures and purports as a wonderful tool for devotion and self-realization. Readers who wish to experience this enlightening work can purchase Fifty Select Passages from the Poetic New Testament and the Complete Book of Mark at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708 or Brad Downing 615-426-8122, email brad@poeticnewtestament.com or visit poeticnewtestament.com/ About Page Publishing: Page Publishing is a traditional New York based full-service publishing house that handles all of the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not bogged down with complicated business issues like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes and the like. Its roster of authors can leave behind these tedious, complex and time-consuming issues, and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com. Employers indicate being behind schedule due to delays in benefit plan design and preparation activities Just as employers round the last corner to head towards the finish line, Employee Benefit Advisers Open Enrollment Readiness Benchmark (OERB) score stalled in October, slipping to 54, 1 point below the September mark. A considerable number of employers reported that they are struggling with readiness tasks that should have been wrapped up some time ago. The overall score for benefit plan design readiness was just 73, indicating that many employers have not yet completed the tasks in this initial readiness phase. Employers indicate being behind schedule due to delays in benefit plan design and preparation activities, said Linda Cheung, director of research for SourceMedia. These delays have caused the timeframe for open enrollment to be compressed and employers are struggling with fielding questions so that employees can complete enrollment in time. Employers are behind when it comes to open enrollment preparation and open enrollment management. The overall score for open enrollment preparation came in at 54, while the open enrollment management score was just 50. Readiness scores for planning/designing employee communications (48), documenting processes/procedures (48), boosting enrollment engagements (45) and documenting worker feedback (42) came in especially low. Not surprisingly, employers are also trailing when it comes to open enrollment analysis and follow up, which earned a score of just 39 in the OERB survey. Scores for reviewing plan design (56), reviewing communications strategy (51) and tracking benefits usage (41) indicated that employers are doing relatively well when it comes to completing these tasks. However, scores for tasks such as reviewing enrollment engagement metrics (32) and reviewing worker feedback (36) were low, indicating that employers will soon need to address these issues to get their programs back on track. Thats a correction as employers for the past few months were being overly optimistic when assessing just how prepared they were. Now, they are taking a step back and correcting their self-assessments. This is not surprising to me. Through three-quarters of the year, employers have consistently been overly optimistic about how prepared they are, said Jack Kwicien, managing partner at Daymark Advisors, a Baltimore-based consultancy that works with benefit advisers to build their practices. The need for more time emerged as a common theme, as individual employers specifically pointed to time constraints as troublesome. There are so many tasks that should have been completed in August or September, well before employers get to the actual open enrollment event. The plan design, the communications campaign, the selection of vendors for HSAs and pharma management all of these things should have been done by now, Kwicien said.Employers are busy playing catch-up, so it is not all that surprising that they are having difficulties when it comes to talking to employees about how the benefits enrollment campaigns went and what can be done to make the process better. The Open Enrollment Readiness Benchmark is a data-based performance benchmark that gauges how prepared employers are for their annual employee benefits enrollment periods. To produce the results, SourceMedia Research and EBA each month survey more than 400 prescreened HR and benefits executives at organizations of various sizes and across multiple industries. These professionals are asked to rate their completion levels for 26 activities from selecting health plans to reviewing enrollment metrics that take place during the four critical phases of open enrollment: benefit plan design, enrollment preparation, employee enrollment and post-enrollment analysis. Scores range from a low of zero to a high of 100 and reflect the degree to which an employer considers itself prepared for a particular activity. The activity scores are then averaged to determine scores for each of the four phases and an overall readiness score. A complete analysis of the most recent OERB data is available here. About Employee Benefit Adviser Employee Benefit Adviser (EBA) is the information resource for employee benefit advisers, brokers, agents and consultants, providing the current awareness and perspective they need to anticipate changes in the marketplace and optimally serve their clients. EBA delivers a broad range of critical content, including comparative market data, legal and regulatory updates, the latest products and services, and best practices in benefits delivery including health insurance, vision and dental insurance, and voluntary and retirement benefits. The benefits broker community relies on EBA to stay connected through its website comment forums, its social media communities and live events. About SourceMedia Research SourceMedia Research is a full-service B2B market research service that draws upon SourceMedias market expertise and proprietary database of engaged executives to develop information and insights for clients. SourceMedia Research provides research solutions for marketers, agencies and others targeting sectors such as banking, payments, mortgage, accounting, employee benefits and wealth management. About SourceMedia SourceMedia is an innovative, growing digital business information and performance media company serving senior-level professionals in the financial, technology and healthcare sectors. Brands include American Banker, PaymentsSource, The Bond Buyer, Financial Planning, Accounting Today, Mergers & Acquisitions, National Mortgage News, Employee Benefit News and Health Data Management. About ADP Powerful technology plus a human touch. Companies of all types and sizes around the world rely on ADPs cloud software and expert insights to help unlock the potential of their people. HR. Talent. Benefits. Payroll. Compliance. Working together to build a better workforce. For more information, visit http://www.adp.com. For more information, please contact: Linda Cheung linda.cheung(at)sourcemedia.com 212-803-8291 Faulkner Design Group, a nationally leading innovative architecture and design firm, has been recognized by being named in Dallas Fort Worths 2019 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For and a finalist in the Stevie Awards for Women in Business. The Best and Brightest awards recognizes companies that excel at employee relations, innovative motivation, creative compensation programs and more. FDG is pleased to be awarded this honor for the second year in a row. Profitability and stability [are] essential for business in todays economic climate. Companies that recognize that their employees are the key to their success achieve staying power. Our 2019 winners create their human resource standards to ensure employee satisfaction and they set standards for every business to aspire towards, said Jennifer Kluge, President and CEO of the National Association for Business Resources. FDG will also compete for a top three Best of the Best Overall elite award; Winners will be announced during the awards gala in late January. The fifteenth annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business drew upon more than 1,500 international entries this year and honored three of Faulkner Design Groups own including Adrienne Akin Faulkner, Michelle Duncum, and Stacy Peters. Winners are selected based on innovation, integrity, effectiveness, creativity, and growth. The Stevie Awards are one of the most coveted awards in business. Adrienne Akin Faulkner, CEO + Chief Creative Officer of FDG, was awarded bronze in the Female Executive of the Year category. The granddaughter or famed architect George L. Dahl, Adrienne is a Registered Interior Designer, NCDIQ certified, a LEED Green Associate. Faulkner founded Faulkner Design Group in 1992, beginning in her own kitchen, and has since continued to push the envelope with design trends and innovative practices. Michelle Duncum, COO and Chief Marketing Officer, was awarded bronze in the Maverick of the Year category. An expert in the field of marketing, managing, and building award winning, savvy communities, Michelles unique skills allow Faulkner Design group to provide unparalleled insight and superior client service. Stacy Peters, Director of Design, was awarded silver in the Employee of the Year category. Entering her 20th year with FDG, Peters is proud to infuse quality living into the platinum years. Her passion for senior living design, and understanding the details required to meet specialized needs across all care levels has put her in a unique position to excel at client development, project management , and quality control within the firm. Faulkner Design Group is proud to be entering 2019 with these coveted honors, and will continue providing an innovative and enjoyable environment for its employees. About Faulkner Design Group Faulkner Design Group, Inc. is a fully integrated interior architecture and design firm specializing in multifamily housing and senior living environments, completing over 700,000 units in more than 2,000 communities across 37 states, from Hawaii to New York, and even Canada, working with the largest developers, contractors, real estate investment groups, and management firms in the country for 26 years. These communities are surpassing the industry standard for creativity and quality, earning a reputation as the most highly sought after properties on the market. FDG offers comprehensive design services during the architectural development and construction planning phases of projects, leading the industry with cutting-edge virtual tools and technology, approaching each design solution as a fingerprint in which no two are alike. Learn more at http://www.faulknerdesign.com. About Best and Brightest Companies to Work For The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For is a national program with annual symposium and award galas presented in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Houston, Milwaukee, San Diego and San Francisco. Nominations are now being accepted for all programs. Visit http://www.thebestandbrightest.com to obtain an application. About The Stevie Awards Stevie Awards are conferred in seven programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 10,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.stevieawards.com. Flash The head of a UN team monitoring the UN-backed cease-fire in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah arrived on Sunday in Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa. Patrick Cammaert, a retired Dutch general, joined his six-member team, which arrived in Sanaa a day earlier, before heading for Hodeidah to monitor the withdrawal of the Yemeni rival forces in a few hours, Upon his arrival, Cammaert held a meeting with Ali al-Mushki, head of the Houthi representatives of the military committee, over the implementation of the cease-fire. Notably, Cammaert arrived in the government-held Aden on Friday, where he met with the government representatives in the joint military committee. Also on Friday, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to adopt Security Council Resolution 2451, a Britain-led resolution to bolster the UN-sponsored Yemeni peace process. At midnight (2100 GMT) on Monday, the UN-sponsored cease-fire covering Hodeidah and the ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Issa entered into force, as the first confidence-rebuilding measures between the Houthi rebels and the coalition-backed government. According to the truce deal, the withdrawal from the ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Issa and critical parts of the city associated with the humanitarian facilities should be completed within two weeks after the cease-fire enters into force, while the full withdrawal should be completed within a maximum period of 21 days. However, both rival forces have blamed each other for violations of the cease-fire since it came into force. Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military coalition in Yemen against the Iran-backed Houthi militia since March 2015, in order to reinstate the exiled government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. Reunion Of Parker University's First Graduation Class (Class of 1985) Parker University holds its 100th Graduation On December 8, 2018, Parker University held its 100th commencement ceremony for its College of Chiropractic at Irving Bible Church, 2435 Kinwest Pkwy, Irving, Texas 75063. This ceremony marked the 7,309th student to walk across the graduation stage. Making the event even more special, Parker University invited back the original 18 graduates of Parker College of Chiropractic from the Class of 1985 to be a part of the ceremony. There was also a special tribute to the founder of Parker University, Dr. James W. Parker, Sr. A special award was presented to his son, and Vice President of the Alumni Association, Dr. James W. Parker, Jr. The past Parker University presidents were invited to join current President, Dr. William Morgan at the ceremony. Parker University Past and Current President(s): Dr. G. Edward Lessard: 1980-1982 (Yardley, PA) Dr. M.T. Ted Morter, Jr.: 1982-1984 (passed May 2013) Dr. James Parker Founder: 1984-1996 (passed November 1997) Dr. W. Karl Parker: 1996-1998 (passed December 2009) Dr. Fabrizio Mancini: 1999-2012 (Dallas, TX) Dr. Brian J. McAulay: 2013-2016 (Dallas, TX) Dr. William E. Morgan: 2016-present (Dallas, TX) For information about Parker University, or any of the Health and Wellness degrees offered, visit http://www.parker.edu. today. About Parker University Dallas-based Parker University is one of the worlds leading educators of healthcare professionals. Founded in 1982, this private, nonprofit, educational institution prepares men and women for an exciting career in several healthcare fields. Parker University awards wellness-focused degrees including a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, Masters, Bachelors, Associates, and certificates in a variety of healthcare programs as well as continuing education specializations and certifications. Parker University also includes Parker Research Institute, which provides sound, scientific evidence-supporting health and wellness; two chiropractic wellness clinics in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex; Parker Seminars, the largest chiropractic seminar organization in the world, and Parker SHARE Products that provide innovative, high quality products, and current information on chiropractic and healthcare wellness. For additional information about Parker University, visit the website at http://www.parker.edu. El Cid Vacations Club, Mexicos premier luxury vacation club is ready to celebrate Christmas and usher in 2019 in style at its properties in Mazatlan and Riviera Maya. El Cid Vacations Club members staying at any of its properties in Mazatlan or at either of its properties in Riviera Maya not only can enjoy a piece of paradise this holiday season but can choose to partake in several special dining options and events to end 2018 on a high note. La Concha; El Cid El Moro Beachs casual, beach-side restaurant will have a four-course gala dinner with a welcome cocktail ceremony, open bar, and live music from the band Playa Azul to get attendees in the holiday spirit. This special dining event is by reservation only. Members who will be celebrating the first day of 2019 on the beach in Mazatlan can also reserve their spot at El Cid El Moro Beachs New Years Eve party. This event starts the night off with an impressive buffet at La Concha, open bar, and live music from Grupo Los Navegantes. The party continues into 2019 with a pyrotechnic show on the beach, raffles and contests, and the grapes tradition; Las Doce uvas de la suerte, a custom originating in Spain where people eat 12 grapes with each chime of the clocks bell at midnight. In Riviera Maya, members vacationing at the award-winning Hotel Marina El Cid Spa & Beach Resort or its newest property, Ventus at Hotel Marina El Cid Spa Beach Resort can enjoy an expertly prepared buffet at La Alhambra for Christmas Eve and indulge in a wide array of delicious menu items including fresh lobsters and caviar. The facilities ideal-beach-front location provides the perfect backdrop for a memorable New Years celebration with food, live music, and other spectacular surprises. For almost five decades, El Cid Vacations Club has welcomed families to celebrate the holidays with them and experience luxurious modern amenities and superior Mexican hospitality that deserves its award-winning status. Whether staying at El Cid El Moro Beach Hotel, Hotel Marina El Cid Spa & Beach Resort, or another El Cid Resort property in Mexicos most popular tourist destinations, members will receive the best service possible and will want to celebrate important holidays with El Cid for years to come. For more information please visit: https://elcidvacationsclub.com/ About El Cid Vacations Club El Cid Vacations Club is a global leader in the vacation ownership and resort industry, delivering a wide variety of memorable vacation experiences for members. El Cid Vacations Club continually strives to enhance its member services and guest experiences. Members are invited to take advantage of downloading the complimentary El Cid Vacations Club Member mobile app available on both the App Store and Google Play (keyword ecvc). This application allows members to stay up to date on the most recent news, make reservations, and always stay in contact with El Cid Vacations Club. This is the perfect opportunity for El Cid Vacations Club members to plan their next dream vacation at one of the many stunning El Cid properties. For more information, visit http://www.elcidvacationsclub.com. Were pleased to give Good Sam a first-place ranking among services offering Roadside Assistance plans in 2018. TopConsumerReviews.com has awarded their highest rating to Good Sam, a top provider of Roadside Assistance Plans. When vehicles break down, it can be both frustrating and dangerous. Getting help quickly is a priority, whether the problem is an easy fix like a flat tire or a more complicated issue that requires a tow to a local mechanic. Savvy drivers make sure that theyre protected by a Roadside Assistance program: with one phone call, day or night, help is dispatched to the scene. Many plans include delivery of fuel or coolant, and some may even include financial assistance with legal costs for drivers who get speeding tickets. Because theres such a wide range of plans on the market, most customers can easily find a Roadside Assistance program that meets their needs - and their budget. Although Good Sam is best known within the RV community, they offer Roadside Assistance plans for regular cars, motorcycles, and even boat trailers, explained Brian Dolezal of TopConsumerReviews.com, LLC. The company has been around since 1966 and enjoys the highest rating available from the Better Business Bureau. They provide assistance in all 50 states, Mexico and Canada, and even Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. And, Good Sams Roadside Assistance program is extremely affordable, with unlimited towing mileage and coverage for spouses and dependent children under 25 at no extra cost. Were pleased to give Good Sam a first-place ranking among services offering Roadside Assistance plans in 2018. To find out more about Good Sam and other Roadside Assistance Programs, including reviews and comparison rankings, please visit the Roadside Assistance category of TopConsumerReviews.com at https://www.topconsumerreviews.com/roadside-assistance/. About Good Sam Good Sam Roadside Assistance is part of the Good Sam Club, the worlds largest organization of recreational vehicle (RV) owners. Based in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the Good Sam Club is a sister company of Camping World, America's largest retailer of RV supplies, accessories, services and new and used RVs. Both the Good Sam Club and Camping World were founded in 1966. The Good Sam Club offers RVers the resources to make the most of the RV lifestyle, including significant savings on RV insurance, roadside assistance, RV financing, and more. About TopConsumerReviews.com TopConsumerReviews.com, LLC is a leading provider of reviews and rankings for thousands of consumer products and services. From Roadside Assistance to Auto Warranties and Car Loans, TopConsumerReviews.com delivers in-depth product evaluations in order to make purchasing decisions easier. Growing up in the small town of Freeport, ME, Kasey DAmato had no idea that 20 years later she would be treating celebrity clients on the sets of some of Hollywoods most popular shows. Today, Kasey has earned her reputation as a Dermatology Expert to the Stars, after years working as a Dermatology Physician Assistant at one of LAs most prestigious Dermatology Offices. Her passion for educating her patients about protecting and preserving their skin to not only look their best, but also to maintain great skin health, gained her the trust of Hollywood makeup artists and industry elite. But it was just a few years ago, that Kasey decided to take on the skincare industry by storm, and carve out a whole new category of skincare that she knew could change the way the world thinks about natural skincare. Like so many of my patients, I take what I put on my skin very seriously, and want to make sure my body is absorbing safe ingredients that wont be harmful in any way. In the world of anti-aging skincare, I felt there was a huge gap between physician dispensed and very effective skincare, and naturally derived but underperforming skincare. I made it my mission to bridge that gap, and educate consumers that it is possible to have natural, effective and medically supported skincare, says Kasey DAmato, Co-Founder of Airelle Skincare. In just a few years, Kasey built her company, Airelle Skincare, as the premiere natural AND medically recognized skincare on the market, supported and sold by some of the most well renowned physicians in the world located in Southern California. She has worked diligently with world leaders in scientific research to ensure her products are scientifically and medically proven, and with that, has earned the support of the medical community. Just a few months ago, Kaseys research was published in the esteemed peer reviewed medical journal, Journal of Drugs and Dermatology, making Kasey and Airelle Skincare the first of its kind to be recognized by a peer reviewed Medical publication. We are incredibly excited about the momentum we are experiencing with our new category of preventative, natural, anti-aging skincare. With Airelle, consumers can now be confident that they can take the best care of their skin as possible, in a safe, clean, healthy, and medically recognized way! Airelle Skincare is a Los Angeles based skincare brand and manufacturer of natural and medically supported anti-aging skincare products for all skin types. Airelle has been recognized by major beauty industry publications such as New Beauty, Marie Claire, Dermascope Magazine, and many online publications such as E! News and Financial Services News. You can visit them at http://www.airelleskin.com. To learn more about Kasey DAmato PA-C, or Airelle Skincare, contact Kaitlin Boggs at kaitlin.boggs(at)airelleskin.com. The HOTH is pleased to announce the second annual HOTHCon. Scheduled for January 2019, HOTHCon 2019 will be held in beautiful St. Petersburg and promises to teach attendees next level content marketing to double their writing income in 2019! HOTHCon 2019 is designed to help SEOs, Marketers, and Professional Writers from around the world connect and further increase their writing income. The event will feature special guest speakers including Neil Patel (Digital Marketer) and Ric Flair (Professional Wrestler). The 2019 HOTHCon will be held January 22nd and 23rd, at the Hyatt Place Hotel, Downtown St. Petersburg. Promising to help businesses double their business revenue with SEO in 2019, the event offers to uncover the latest industry changes as well as the future of the industry. Using this knowledge, attendees will learn to become expert content marketers who can build, monetize, and grow their existing sites for real, sustainable income now and into the future. HOTHCon 2019 is a not to miss event hosted annually by The HOTH (Hittem Over the Head). Nicknamed the Best SEO Company, the HOTH was founded in 2010 with the goal of raising the industry standard with exceptional support, guaranteed. Today, The HOTH has earned its stellar reputation and delivers with a suite of products promising custom campaigns and tailored projects with the guarantee of outstanding results. About The HOTH The HOTH began in 2010 founded with the goal of becoming the best SEO Company around and promising premium service and support, guaranteed. The company name, the HOTH is an acronym for Hittem Over The Head, in other words, to bludgeon with awesomeness. It can be used as a noun (as in our product or our brand) or as a verb (i.e. To HOTH someone, to HOTH something). Today, The HOTH offers scalable, reseller-friendly SEO services at wholesale prices to help agencies and in-house marketers grow their businesses! As one of the largest SEO providers in the world, the company plans to continue on this upward path offering customer projects and campaigns with agility, speed, and scale. Updated Earth Kalso Logo Earth Kalso a nostalgic brand, but also a very modern one. Its for everyone who appreciates feeling great. Its been a long time. Too long, many consumers would say. But thats only stoked the demand. Today Earth, Inc. announced the release of the Iconic Capsule Collection from Earth Kalsoremakes of the original Kalso styles that became an icon for a generation. People have been asking us for years to bring back the styles that became synonymous with comfort and wellness in the 1970s, says Philippe Meynard, president of Earth, Inc. Some are loyalists from back in the daybut many are Millennials whove seen the shoes in vintage photos. Weve got good news for everybody! The Capsule Collection to be released in January 2019 will feature three stylestwo for women and one in both mens and womens sizes. The look is pure nostalgia, with clean lines and premium leathers, while the technology inside has been updated with modern, environmentally sustainable materials and the companys signature comfort system. The heart is in the same place, but in fifty years footwear has come a long way, explains Meynard. The collection features a new and improved Powerpath Footbed Design made with technically advanced materials. But does it have the iconic negative heel? Of course! says Meynard. Were calling it a Grounded Heel, and it delivers the same feel and even more comfort than the original that was developed by Anne Kalso in Denmark in the late 1950s. This is going to make a lot of people very, very happy. One look at the Kalso Facebook page confirms Meynards prediction. Countless comments like, I miss these shoes!, Please make a classic line and Bring back the old design!! make it clear that the demand is there. Just in time for the Iconic Capsule Collection comes a new EarthShoes.com website, where consumers can find the three iconic stylesalong with a heavy hit of nostalgia from 1970s photos. Earth Kalso a nostalgic brand, but also a very modern one, concludes Meynard. Its for everyone who appreciates feeling great. Top SEO Agencies 10 Best SEO is pleased to announce the winners of its Best SEO Agency awards for December 2018, with Straight North taking the top honor. 10 Best SEO is a San Francisco-based company made up of web-service experts with talent stemming from all web-related professions. The organization ranks several contenders running for the title of the top SEO business on a monthly basis. Here is a summary of the firms featured in the new ranking for December. Straight North earned the top spot on the list of best SEO agencies for December. Leading SEO business Ignite Visibility came in second place, although its rating of 99 percent matched that of Chicago-based Straight North. Utah's Boostability rounded out the top three SEO firms for December 2018 with a 98-percent rating. Interestingly, Boostability is a top SEO agency that offers the second-lowest hourly rate of 22 ranked firms. For many businesses, SEO is a critical component of operating successfully. Without holding a high ranking on first-tier search engines like Google and Yahoo, businesses and organizations are less likely to be noticed by web users than their high-ranked counterparts. Once entities obtain a front-page ranking on Google, for example, the battle has all but begun. Considering that Google changes up its ranking algorithm over 100 times each year, maintaining a high ranking is something that is never set in stone. Official statistics do not exist related to how many searches Google processes per day, though current search engine optimization experts' estimates place the number of searches the site goes through on a daily basis at somewhere between four and 10 billion. By the end of 2018, Google is thought to have satisfied between 1.3 and 3.7 trillion searches. Take the following statistics into consideration. Rather than directly visiting websites that provide things that smartphone users want, three-quarters of them first use search engines to find what they are looking for. Two-thirdsover 67 percentof United States residents regularly use a smartphone. In terms of United States households, roughly three-quarters74 percentof them own and regularly use at least one smartphone. Lastly, one-third33 percentof smartphone-processed Internet searches are made within minutes of entering stores. Obviously, all of these statistics are primarily related to smartphones, and there are many people who primarily use computers. These PC-users probably rely on Google, which is why 10 Best SEOs list of winning companies is important. The winning companies are experts in Google, which entails the majority of all search engine results. For more information about this months winners, visit http://www.10bestseo.com. MACEDONIA: An agreement providing a further 686m of European Union co-financing for the second phase of a planned rail link between Macedonia and Bulgaria was signed in Skopje on December 14. Flash A devastating tsunami triggered by a volcanic eruption in Indonesia has killed 281 people and wounded 1,016 others along the coastal areas of Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra islands, the national disaster agency said on Monday. As the search and rescue for victims of Saturday night's tsunami, caused by an underwater landslide after the eruption of Anak Krakatau volcano, were underway, rescuers believed many victims remained trapped under the debris swept by sea waves, spokesman of the National Disaster Management Agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. "Evacuation of residents and search for the victims continue. It is believed that many victims were trapped under the ruins of collapsed buildings and materials swept by the tsunami," Sutopo told Xinhua. The disaster area of the tsunami, the spokesman said, has extended to five districts -- Pandeglang and Serang districts in Banten province, and Lampung Selaltan, Panawaran and Tenggamus districts in Lampung province. The catastrophe destroyed 611 houses, 69 hotels and villa, 420 ships and boats along the coast, Sutopo said. In Panawaran district, some 231 displaced people were taking shelter in evacuation centers, according to the spokesman. A joint task force, including thousands of soldiers, police, and personnel from the search and rescue office, the disaster management office and volunteers, was racing against time in emergency relief, particularly the search efforts, said Sutopo. Heavy machinery equipment had been deployed in the tsunami-hit areas to help the search and rescue operation, said Sutopo. Most bodies of victims were found in Pandeglang district, where the tsunami struck tourist destinations and residential areas when many tourists were enjoying the night along the coast. "When the tragedy occurred, many people were spending their time along the coastal areas of Pandeglang," Sutopo said. The waves of four to five meters slammed into the shore, head of emergency department of the disaster management agency in the district Endang Permana, told Xinhua. The meteorology and geophysics agency has banned activities in the coastal areas after the deadly tsunami, as the assessment of volcanic eruption risk was being taken, said Sutopo. On Dec. 26, 2004, a massive tsunami triggered by a powerful quake hit countries along the Indian Ocean, killing 226,000 people dead, including 170,000 in Aceh province of northern tip of Indonesia's Sumatra island. Anak Krakatau, or Child of Krakatoa, is one of the 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia, a vast archipelagic nation home to 17,500 islands and sits on a quake-prone zone of so-called "the Pacific Ring of Fire". URUGUAY: Passenger services returned to AFEs northern route between Tacuarembo and the Brazilian border at Rivera were reinstated on December 19 following an 18-year hiatus. Principal photography is now underway on the eight-part, hour-long episode Mandarin series, which is being shot entirely in Taiwan.Joining Vivian Hsu (pictured; star of The Devil Fish, Seediq Bale) and David Wang (Project Gutenberg, Extraordinary Mission) in the cast is Jason Wang (GATAO 3-The New Leader Rising, Murmur of the Hearts).The series, set to air and stream in 2019, is executive produced by Hong Kong filmmaker, Cheang Pou-Soi.Following the success of our first Taiwanese drama series, The Teenage Psychic, we are looking forward to once again be working with the talented storytellers in Taiwan on a genre that we have never done before, said Jonathan Spink, CEO of HBO Asia. Science fiction is a genre that allows for limitless creativity and I cant wait for our audience in the region to explore the futuristic realm and unknown possibilities of dream-raiding with us.The series marks the WarnerMedia subsidiarys sixteenth Asian Original since it embarked on original productions in 2012. By Steven Rogers, 12/23/2018 ADVERTISEMENT When did Ashley and Jay get married? ADVERTISEMENT Ashley and Jay had made frequent shows of affection on Instagram ADVERTISEMENT Steven Rogers is a senior entertainment reporter for Reality TV World and been covering the reality TV genre for two decades. Have couple Ashley Martson and Jay Smith split just before Christmas?Speculation that Ashley and Jay may have suddenly split began swirling online on Saturday after Ashley posted a cryptic Instagram Stories photo about not being about to "fake" things anymore and fans noticed she had also deleted all of her photos of Jay from her Instagram account."You can only fake that things everything is ok for so long. Then you just hit that point... - ME!!!!!" the Instagram Stories posting stated.In addition, fans also noticed Ashley and Jay no longer appear to be following each other on Instagram.Prior to Saturday's posting, Ashley and Jay's social media postings had regularly featured each other and made it clear that they were still together and living in her hometown of Mechanicsburg, PA.The couple had even offering to record Cameo personal videos together for fans for a fee.However, hours after sharing her mysterious Saturday posting about not being able to "fake" things anymore, Ashley also made another Instagram Stories posting announcing the couple was no longer selling the personalized videos."Sorry for the Cameo declines. We are no longer doing Cameos. Happy holidays everyone," Ashley wrote.Earlier this month, Ashley had revealed she had recently been hospitalized but was now home and doing better."Thank you so much for all your prayers and support. Your kind words are what is helping me get through this trying time. Truly appreciate each of you!" she wrote in an Instagram Story."I'm finally home and on the mend! Thanks again for everyone's support."Ashley didn't dive into the details of her illness or condition, although she did recently share that she suffers from lupus, a chronic autoimmune disorder.But Jay had seemingly confirmed Ashley's hospitalization was due to her ongoing battle with lupus when he posted two photos showing Ashley sleeping in a hospital bed."I promise I will always be there for you through all the ups and downs, no matter what happens. Love you babe girl get well soon #lupus #getwellsoon #staystrong," he captioned the images.While 's currently-airing sixth season hasn't yet shown the couple follow through with their plans to wed, Jay reportedly arrived in the United States on his K-1 visa in early March, and according to a wedding registry that has been deleted, Jay and Ashley tied the knot on May 26.One of Ashley's friends also seemed to confirm Ashley and Jay did end up getting married in a Facebook posting in which she had shared a preview trailer for 's sixth season and gushed about how she'd be featured on the show."Yes my best friend married a Jamaican," the pal reportedly replied to a skeptical commenter. "It's her show!"Ashley also reportedly changed her last name to Smith on classmates.com.Ashley and Jay's relationship began when they met at a bar while Ashley was vacationing in Jamaica for a friend's wedding.Although they parted ways after a whirlwind romance in Jamaica, Ashley revealed Jay -- whom she calls "the life of the party" and the "light" in her life -- contacted her on social media once she returned to the United States and they began talking frequently and getting to know each other better.Six months later, Ashley, 31, returned to Jamaica to visit her man, and then Jay, 20, proposed marriage after only eight days together.Jay eventually received a K-1 visa, and so far 's sixth season has shown Jay getting settled in Ashley's home and the couple planning to wed in Las Vegas after scrapping their plans to wed in Mechanicsburg after receiving anonymous threats from someone who didn't approve of their interracial romance.Photos have also surfaced online showing Ashley and Jay posing for photos in wedding attire in a tropical location, with the ocean and palm trees in the background. The location does not appear to be Las Vegas.Earlier this month, Ashley had posted a photo of Jay and herself with big red hearts spread across the image.Back on November 27, Jay also posted photos of the couple enjoying large, steamy and bubbly drinks at Sugar Factory in New York. In the hashtags he posted, Jay referred to themselves as a couple in love.One week earlier, Jay had shared a picture on Instagram of Ashley sitting in a bathtub, but her private areas were covered by a red rose."A beautiful rose for the most beautiful girl in the world and the one that holds my heart," Jay wrote. #iloveyou #youmakemehappy #interacialcouple #youcanthaveher #shesmine."In the hashtags, Jay also called Ashley "my queen" and his "beauty" and his "love."Jay also enjoyed his first time in the snow last month in the United States, which was captured by the couple on social media.Further evidence stems all the way back to September on social media.For example, Ashley called Jay her "favorite person" and wished him a happy birthday in October, writing, "I love you so much and don't know what I would do if you weren't in my life!"As for Jay, he previously referred to Ashley as his "wifey" and "woman crush everyday" on Instagram. Click here to visit our Spoilers page and see spoilers for 's other Season 6 couples! , We're sorry, this article is not currently available The combined entity is set to be the third largest bank in India, behind State Bank of India and ICICI Bank. Somesh Jha & Abhijit Lele report. Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com The brand names of the three public sector banks (PSBs) - Bank of Baroda, Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank - that are set to be merged may be kept intact as the government draws closer to frame an amalgamation scheme. One of the ideas that has gathered pace is that the names of Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank will be retained when one visits their ATMs or branches, officials, who were part of the deliberations, told Business Standard. However, they will be brought under the Bank of Baroda group and this will be written on top of the two banks names, thereby retaining the identity of each bank under an umbrella group. Bank of Baroda is the biggest bank among the three and has a formidable international presence. "Its name will be added on the top of the other two banks, while ensuring that the identity of the other two banks is also not lost when customers visit the branches, said a senior executive of one of the banks. A top executive with the other bank confirmed bringing Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank under the umbrella of Bank of Baroda group is being actively discussed as the aim is to retain the brand identity. All three bank managements are clear that they have to bring the best to the table. "The respective bank customer should continue to feel a familiar environment and get benefits from integration, the executive added. At the time of announcing the merger in September, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the regional identity of the three banks will continue to expand. Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar had said the brand equity of the banks will be preserved, while protecting the employees interest. Bank of Barodas total business size of Rs 10.4 trillion compared to Rs 2.96 trillion of Vijaya Bank and Rs 1.7 trillion of Dena Bank by the end of September 2018. Bank of Barodas international business stood at Rs 2.2 trillion with 103 offices across 22 countries, whereas Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank have no global presence. The combined entity is set to be the third largest bank in India, behind State Bank of India and ICICI Bank. A senior finance ministry official said the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has sent its comments to the Union government on the merger and the proposal will now be forwarded to a group of ministers headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, known as alternative mechanism, for final approval. The finance ministry will frame the scheme of amalgamation, seek the Union Cabinets nod and place it before Parliament soon. A nod from lawmakers in Parliament is not required. Bank of Baroda managing director and chief executive officer P S Jayakumar spoke at length on the merger and its challenges at the Business Standard Annual Banking Forum 2018 held in Mumbai on December 6. There isnt any closure on that (name). Thats for the government to decide in the amalgamation scheme. But there is a difference between name and brand of the company. "It is entirely possible to have multiple names under the same brand. There is opportunity to be creative, Jayakumar said during the event. Stressing that re-branding a bank during merger is a contentious issue, he cited global examples to point out how when Royal Bank of Scotland acquired NatWest Bank in 2000 (which was three times the formers size), the latters name was retained. However, after US-based Citigroup acquired Banamex Financial Group in Mexico in 2001, it came to be known as Citibanamex, he said. Jayakumar said there is a 15 per cent overlap of over 9,000 branches of the three PSBs - areas with more than one branch as another bank. He said the challenges to a merger include human resources, work culture, technology, central business purpose and surprises that come from audit and forensics. But there were common thread to the merger of the three banks. The ethos and compensation structure is nearly homogeneous when it comes to the HR. "If you look at technology, we are at (Finacle) 10.x and they were planning to move to it from 7.x. We can handle that part, he said. The Bank of Baroda chief said about 3,000 workers - roughly 3.5 per cent of over 85,000 employees - of all the three banks retire every year. Re-scaling can be managed as there is natural attrition and retirement, Jayakumar said. Chinese equipment contracts had been given by many public sector undertakings and government companies for their networks, even in sensitive places such as the north east. Surajeet Das Gupta reports. IMAGE: An advertising board during the first demonstration of 5G technology in Lisbon, Portugal, June 4, 2018. Photograph: Rafael Marchante/Reuters The ripples from the growing alarm in other countries over the security risks presented by Huawei Technologies'S telecom equipment have reached Indian shores, with the telecom export body raising a red flag about possible dangers to national security from the private Chinese tech giant. On the heels of other countries imposing bans or restrictions on the use of Huawei's 5G telecom equipment, the Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC) plans to write to National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, asking for similar restrictions to be imposed in India on equipment manufactured by Huawei and all Chinese majors. Confirming the development, R K Bhatnagar, director-general, TEPC, said: "We are drafting a letter to the national security advisor requesting that we should consider putting restrictions on Chinese equipment based on security concerns." Chinese equipment contracts had been given by many public sector undertakings and government companies for their networks, even in sensitive places such as the north east, Bhatnagar added. It is technically possible for the networks to be controlled remotely from another country through software embedded in the system and for calls to be intercepted. Bhatnagar said that as India gradually moves towards the Internet of Things, even more security concerns are likely to arise. The US, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, among others, are banning the Chinese company's products from rolling out on future 5G networks. The fear is that the company could be working with the Chinese government to spy on its users and pilfer information. The US has also written to its allies across the world urging them to ban Huawei's smartphones (it is also the second largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, after Samsung) and telecom equipment. In April, the Pentagon stopped selling mobile phones and modems made by Huawei and another Chinese company, ZTE, at stores on military bases around the world due to potential security risks. In India, security concerns in some circles have been simmering for a while. Huawei has been a key player in the Indian telecom gear market, especially for 4G where, according to some estimates, it has around a 30 per cent share of the business. In fact, the government has acted earlier to restrict Chinese manufacturers. At one point, it forbade government-owned telecom companies such as BSNL from using Chinese equipment in sensitive border areas. Also, the defence ministry has opposed the use of Chinese equipment in the optic fibre network being built for the armed services' communication system. Despite this, the Department of Telecommunications has given the green signal to Huawei to conduct 5G trials, scheduled to begin from the first quarter of 2019. TEPC has been among those to raise concerns. In July and then again in October, it mentioned its concerns to Doval on the possible challenges from Chinese telecom equipment manufacturers. Indian equipment manufacturers have also joined battle with TEPC. SPY GAMES The US, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, among others, are banning the Chinese company's products from rolling out on future 5G networks. The fear is that the company could be working with the Chinese government to spy on its users and pilfer information. The US has also written to its allies urging them to ban Huawei's smartphones and telecom equipment. "National security is of prime importance for any country. And now considering the action being taken in various countries against Chinese manufacturers, there is an urgent need for the Indian government to review the policy of procuring telecom and information technology equipment from Chinese companies like Huawei and ZTE," said N K Goyal, chairman emeritus, Telecom Equipment Manufacturers Association of India. "This cannot and should not be accepted in the national interest," Goyal added. Indian manufacturers have been losing out to Chinese players, even in tenders floated by the government for building networks, despite the Make In India policy. Responding to the US ban and whether Indian should follow suit, Huawei India CEO Jay Chen said: "We continue to receive full support from the government and industry partners alike. The recent incident in the US has no bearing in India." "We are not aware of any request from the US to India around 5G," Chen added. India, Chen pointed out, is a key market and has the largest and most localised presence outside China. China is currently engaged in a diplomatic and trade feud with America over the arrest in Canada of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou on December 1. She was arrested in Vancouver by the Canadian authorities, at America's request, for violating sanctions that the US has imposed on Iran. 'You can't go on creating division and rhetoric of hate.' 'It comes to roost. We are seeing the first glimpses of that in the state elections.' "We need a second independence movement. We have to clear the cobwebs in our own brain first," says Salil Shetty, former secretary-general of Amnesty International and previously director of the United Nations Millennium Campaign. Back in India after spending most of the year as a fellow at Harvard University's Kennedy School, Shetty was in Mumbai last week to speak at IIT Bombay's Techfest on technology and freedoms for India's poor. A graduate from the Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad and the London School of Economics, Shetty is a human rights campaigner with decades of experience. In conversation with Rediff.com's Archana Masih, he discusses the anti-human rights discourse in the country and his plan to start a movement with India's youth, independent of religion or politics. What have been the glaring examples of human rights violations in the last few years? Encounter killings, lynchings, attack on civil society, silencing of the media, attempts to compromise the judiciary etc. The thing we don't talk about is the highly discriminatory and ineffective criminal justice system. Half a million people are in prison and 70% on detention without trial -- mostly Dalits, minorities. Two thirds are petty offenders. It is a well known fact that even if you are not a criminal if you spend long years in jail you come out being one. Rich people don't spend time in prison. The poor, low castes don't have money to pay for bail. How has the State failed in protecting citizen rights? The State's job is to protect people's human rights. Perpetrators in India are individuals, government, religious bodies and corporations. Extractive corporations are worst because they function in the tribal belt. Greenpeace is constantly under attack in India because they raise their voice in the tribal belt. If Greenpeace is attacked they fight back, but what when a Dalit or Muslim is attacked? What are the challenges that human rights activists encounter that they did not face before? The last few years has been exceptionally hard for human rights activists. They are creating an anti-human rights discourse. The idea is to sow a seed of suspicion or doubt in those who are neutral. We are in a desperate situation that need desperate measures. You have to campaign for the values you stand for and make people think hard before they cast their vote. The killing of a police officer showed the impunity with which a mob could kill an officer of the law. The Bulandshahr killing was exceptional. The killing of a police officer by Hindu fundamentalists which is in line with the current government's approach towards hypernationalism. Hindutva politics is not new in this country, but these people have taken it to a different level. The country needs urgent attention on more serious things -- education, health and water. The farmers, the poor in this country, are in a crisis and so much energy is going into all this. Lynching is a major assault on human rights. How do you explain this phenomena because it is not only about the cow, but people have been lynched because they have been thought to be child lifters? Once you open this can, then you lose control over it. In UP over 1,000 encounters have taken place in nine months after Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Ajay Singh Bisht aka Yogi Adityanath) took over, which include 32 deaths. If you ask people on the street they would probably say that something needed to be done as people are getting away with all sorts of crimes, so basically this leads to normalising such killings and actually makes it acceptable. In a country that claims to be a democracy one has to follows due process even if that person has committed a crime. People have lost faith in the mainstream system and are looking for shortcuts. A couple of weeks after Human Rights Day, how do you see the situation in India today? I left India in 1995. Twenty three years later what has changed and not can be classified into two -- freedom from want and freedom from fear. Human rights is not one or the other. Often, people think of human rights as civil-political rights. There have been many important achievements and we shouldn't belittle them -- reduction in poverty, enrollment of girls. Even on freedom from want, much as we have achieved, we are yet so far behind on global indices. On the human development index, the most important human metric, when I left we were 139, we are still in the 130s out of 170, 180, in spite of this so-called macro economic growth. Unfortunately, the trickle down logic has never worked in this country. On the civil-political side -- I was in school when the Emergency was declared under Indira Gandhi. That was the fight of a lifetime. We thought we had won back all those freedoms. It is the first time since then that we are seeing a flashback of that kind of behaviour. Critics of that belief say you can freely criticise the PM which you could not do during the Emergency. If we took the benchmark we can take away 1 or 2 differences, but there are far too many similarities. I hope we don't have to use 1975, 1976 as a benchmark! The ambience is that you are not allowed to dissent in this country. There is a systematic onslaught of trying to reframe what this country is about. Has the human rights movement in India been marginalised? Are organisations not pushing hard enough like PUCL, PUDR did in the past? It is being done systematically. India has never had a strong human rights NGO movement. It has had a few important ones. Each and every one has been under attack. They have managed to silence a lot of them. I don't think human rights groups are not pushing for the cause of human rights, but they are small and weak to start with and have become even more smaller and weaker. Anti-human rights narrative is much more mainstream, it is partly also global thanks to Trump. Has the narrative of aggressive nationalism created a climate of hostility towards activists? The mythology of ultra nationalism is that the only way they can create a Hindu identity is from a vote bank perspective. The only way to shore up your side is by having 'the other' who you can show as 'the other'. Human rights organisations are a scapegoat to show that they are anti nationals and we are national -- and it seems to be working perfectly. The question is: Can they sustain it? You can't sustain a campaign of hate. You can't go on creating division and rhetoric of hate. It comes to roost. We are seeing the first glimpses of that in the state elections. And it is not only about Hindutva. The violence against women -- rapes -- there are over 100 rapes a day of which more than one quarter are minors. The shocking part is that only one out of four cases lead to convictions. What is the solution? We need a second independence movement. A lot of independence is in our head. We have to clear the cobwebs in our own brain first. There are people who are extreme right wing Hindutva and there are others who believe in the values of the Constitution, but there is a massive number in the middle that is totally confused, who can be pushed this way or that. These are young, mostly educated, mostly unemployed and have a lot of frustration, anger so they are being pushed this way or that. We have to work with them. It is a crucial moment for a pan India youth movement which is not political or religious -- for saving India. Photograph: Archana Masih/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Salil Shetty was secretary-general, Amnesty International. How can ordinary Indians be more vocal about assaults on human rights? The Congress has also been silent on human rights violations. Electoral politics can deliver only so much on fundamental, cultural and social change. It has to be an independent movement which has to attack frontally. This country needs a youth movement not based on religion or politics but based on the ground of saving India. What are the dangers to India's future by the attacks on minority human rights? There are 200 million plus Muslims in India, the second largest Muslim country after Indonesia. If you start attacking them through the NRC (the National Register of Citizens of India), lynchings, through commando TV channels, it is playing with fire. What are your thoughts on the MeToo movement in India? The status of women in India is a serious concern. I am delighted they are speaking up and all power to them. This is the tip of the iceberg. I don't know of a single woman who has not experienced this in India. In the West it is 1/3rd of the women, here it is 100% who face sexual abuse. Imagine a MeToo movement of domestic workers -- if women start speaking up they will shake up the foundations of the country. You can't let the State go scot-free in MeToo. It is also the State's responsibility to safeguard women. No State can function if society and religion is sanctifying the women as second class. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday mouthed the Congress' oft-repeated jibe of chowkidar chor hai (the guard is a thief) made in the context of the Rafale fighter jet deal to mount a veiled attack on his senior ally -- the Bharatiya Janata Party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. IMAGE: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray addresses a rally at Pandharpur in Maharashtra. Photograph: PTI Photo Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been repeatedly hurling the chowkidar chor hai jibe at Modi to claim irregularities and favouritism in the Rafale deal and award of offset contracts related to the Rs 58,000-crore defence agreement with France. However, the government has rejected the charges. Addressing a rally in Pandharpur in Maharashtra's Solapur district, Thackeray used the slogan in a different context while narrating an incident. Thackeray said, "In one of the state tours, a farmer showed me a pest-infested lime tree. The lime tree is actually used to make pesticides but this was a plant that was infested with pest. "The farmer told me that for the first time in his lifetime, he had seen a lime tree getting infested, which they have been using to make pesticides. I had told him that now, days have changed. Security persons have become thieves." "Halli paharekarich chorya karaylaa laagale aahet. (Today, security persons have themselves become thieves)," he said in Marathi. Paharekari is a Marathi equivalent of the Hindi word chowkidar. Thackeray, whose outfit is part of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and also in Maharashtra, did not take any names, but the significance of his comments was not lost on anyone. Thackeray and his party have been often criticising the BJP and its top leaders, including Modi, on a range of issues. However, this was perhaps for the first time a BJP ally has publicly made the chowkidar chor hai taunt. The origin of this line dates back to the run-up of the 2014 general elections when Modi had promised to work as a 'chowkidar' to guard the people's money and their trust once elected to the top office. At the rally, Thackeray also said "There have been several allegations over the Rafale fighter jet deal and I do not know how the Supreme Court has given a clean cheat. But I know the Modi government has refused pay hike for jawans." Thackeray said the BJP's perception of being a "world winner" had been shattered with the results of the just-held state assembly polls. Thackeray, who had visited Ayodhya last month to push for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in the holy town, said he may soon visit Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi. Thackeray, who has consistently attacked the Modi government on a range of issues, said he has already taken the decision on whether to form an alliance with the BJP for the upcoming general elections. The Sena chief in January had announced his party would contest all future Lok Sabha and assembly elections on its own. In the last six months, the BJP leadership has been consistently stressing on an alliance with the Sena for the upcoming polls. The Amit Shah-led party has regularly insisted that the Maharashtra-based outfit is its natural ally and they will resolve their differences amicably. However, at the Pandharpur rally, Thackeray appeared to be in no mood to spare the lead NDA constituent. "The BJP's perception of a 'world winner' has been shattered by the results of the assembly elections in the five states. "The outcome of Mizoram and Telangana assembly elections has given a clear message that voters have rejected national parties and chosen strong regional options," he said. In the just-held polls, the BJP was ousted from power in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh by the Congress, while regional parties did well in Mizoram and Telangana. "The Chhattisgarh assembly election has also given a strong message against the BJP. People were fed up with the BJP government and hence they rejected it," said Thackeray. He also took on the Modi government over issues like allegations of irregularities in the Rafale fighter jet deal and implementation of crop insurance scheme for farmers. "There have been several allegations over the Rafale fighter jet deal and I do not know how the Supreme Court has given a clean cheat. But I know the Modi government has refused pay hike for jawans," the Sena chief said. Uddhav also asked the BJP to clear its stand on the Ram temple issue and demanded a discussion in Parliament. He said his party will not allow any jumlas (rhetoric) in the name of Lord Ram or any other Hindu god and asserted those who were voted to power on the temple issue are now sleeping like Kumbhakarn. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should discuss the matter in Parliament. "I want to tell BJP one thing, we can forgive you on 'ache din' jumla and the promise of Rs 15 lakh to each person. But we will not forgive you if you come up with one more jumla on our faith or in the same of god. We will beat you up. "We will not allow you to make any more false promises in the name of Ram or any other Hindu god," he said. The Shiv Sena will expose such 'jumlas' in Maharashtra, Thackeray said. Commenting on the finalisation of seat-sharing in Bihar between the Janata Dal-United, the Lok Janshakti Party and the BJP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he asked chiefs of the two regional parties to clarify their stand on Ram mandir and Hindutva. "Nitish Kumar (the JDU chief) and (LJP president) Ram Vilas Paswan should declare their views on Ram mandir and Hindutva," the Sena leader said. Meeting a second regional satrap in two days, Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Monday held parleys with his West Bengal counterpart and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee and said efforts to forge a non-Bharatiya Janata Party and non-Congress alliance will continue. IMAGE: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and chief minister of Telangana K Chandrashekar Rao addresses the media after a meeting in Howrah near Kolkata. Photograph: Ashok Bhaumik/PTI Photo Rao, the chief of Telangana Rashtra Samithi, also said the planned alliance will very soon come out with a "concrete plan" for the next year's Lok Sabha elections. The meeting at the state secretariat came a day after Rao met his Odisha counterpart and Biju Janata Dal president Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar. Fresh from a resounding victory in his home state Telangana, Rao is meeting prominent leaders in a bid to provide an alternative to the Congress and the BJP. Rao is also expected to meet Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, both former chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh, among others in the next couple of days. Describing his meeting with Banerjee as a "very pleasant one", Rao said "discussions (on a Federal Front) will continue". "Discussions with didi is always there. When two political leaders meet, they definitely discuss matters of mutual interest and matters of national interest. "We had a very pleasant discussion. We will continue our discussion. There is a dialogue which I had started yesterday. This is a unification of forces across the nation. I met Odisha's chief minister yesterday and today I met didi," Rao told reporters. Banerjee, who was beside Rao at the brief media interaction, did not offer any comments about the meeting. "Our dialogue will continue. Very shortly we will come out with a concrete plan," Rao said recalling the congratulatory call he got from the Trinamool Congress(TMC) supremo after he was elected as the chief minister for the second time. "I came to visit the Kalighat (famous Kali temple in Kolkata) and I thought of meeting didi and seek her blessings," he added. Asked about his mission to evolve a non-BJP and non-Congress alliance, Rao said," I will continue with my efforts. It is the mission of KCR, I will continue in my mission." The Congress on its part accused Rao of doing "politics of division" and helping the ruling BJP by proposing a non-Congress national front of other parties. IMAGE: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik greets KCR in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. Photograph: PTI Photo Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi expressed confidence that the Congress will emerge victorious after contesting polls together with a number of parties in the next elections. "If you talk of exclusion and do not want to ally with one who wants to ally with the Congress, then you are doing 'politics of division' and you want to help the ruling party....I don't think, other parties will get trapped in this," he told reporters in Delhi when asked about the TRS chief's proposal. Singhvi said if one wants to keep the principal party other than that in power, out of an alliance, "it becomes clear that they want to help someone else". The Congress leader said his party did not have any problems in a leader of one opposition party meeting another and that "everyone is free to meet anyone". As the opposition parties work out their strategies for the Lok Sabha polls, the BJP said the Congress and its President Rahul Gandhi are not acceptable as a pivot to many parties outside the party-led NDA and dubbed the "so-called" opposition unity against the saffron party as a "bogus claim." "That the so-called Opposition unity against the BJP is a bogus claim is evident from the multiple fronts being forged by non-NDA parties," the BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao told PTI in Hyderabad. Rao was responding to a question on Rao's stepped-up efforts to forge a non-Congress, non-BJP front of regional parties. "The efforts of TRS chief KCR (Chandrasekhar Rao) and the apparent interest of some regional parties shows that the Congress and its President Rahul Gandhi are not acceptable as a pivot to many parties outside the NDA," Rao said. "The BJP will highlight in campaigns that these ragtag coalitions are a threat to stability and development and are driven by personal agendas." From the anti-BJP bloc, while some leaders like Telugu Desam Party chief and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's M K Stalin are trying to forge a broad coalition that includes Congress, others like Rao and Banerjee are strong votaries of a Federal front of regional parties. Banerjee has also planned a grand rally of opposition parties in Kolkata on January 19. West Bengal accounts for 42 Lok Sabha seats. Stalin's "Rahul-for-PM" proposal recently was not taken kindly by the TMC and other parties who advocated that leadership issue of the opposition camp should be decided after the Parliamentary polls. After meeting Patnaik, Rao emphasised a "dire need" for unification of regional parties to provide an alternative to the Congress and the BJP. Both the chief ministers had a detailed discussion on national issues, including the need for "better friendship among regional parties", Patnaik said. "This is just the beginning of a dialogue... We will meet again and discuss how to take things forward," Rao said. Another bid by two women in their forties to trek to the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimala was foiled on Monday by protesting devotees, a day after a similar effort by a group of 11 women failed. IMAGE: Bindu and Kanakadurga being escorted by the police amid a protest by devotees in Pathanamthitta. Photograph: PTI Photo The attempt by the two women -- Bindu (42), a Communist Party of India (MarxistLeninist) activist from Koyilandy in Kozhikode district, and Kanakadurga (44), said to be a civil supplies employee from Angadipuram in Malappuram -- came after 11 women activists of a Chennai-based outfit were prevented from reaching the shrine and chased away by devotees chanting Ayyappa mantras on Sunday. A case has been registered against 150 people for rioting and causing obstruction, police said. Though the police at first gave them protection and tried to take them to the temple despite protests, they soon realised that it was dangerous and advised them to abandon their plans. The two women, who reached Pamba at around 4 am, faced massive protests from devotees at Apachimedu and Marakootam, about 1 km from 'Sannidhanam' (temple complex), as they were being escorted by police. Ayyappa devotees surged in large numbers to the narrow pathway while the women were being escorted, and there was a minor scuffle with police for over an hour. Police tried to evict the pilgrims who shouted "go back" and chanted Ayyappa mantras and a tense situation prevailed with the restive devotees showing no signs of backing off. Seeing the growing number of protesters, including young children, and to prevent the situation from getting out of hand, the women were advised to return by the police. Though both women, who had trekked about 4.5 km, initially insisted they would offer prayers at the shrine, Kanakadurga complained of uneasiness shortly thereafter and fainted and had to be rushed to Pamba hospital, police said. Bindu was also taken to the hospital. Both were later shifted to the Kottayam medical college hospital. A cameraman of a Malayalam TV channel was injured in a the scuffle between media personnel and police when the former tried to talk to the two women when they were being moved to the hospital. Bindu told reporters that both were fine and there were no health issues and it was only a ploy by police to shift them to the hospital to prevent them from reaching Sannidhanam. While industries minister E P Jayarajan insisted that the government would not take any stand which will destroy the peace in Sabarimala, Opposition Congress hit out at the Left government, saying it was playing a "double game". "The protestors are behaving like Taliban militants," Jayarajan said. Attacking the state government, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said it was playing a "double game." "What was witnessed in Sabarimala on Sunday and Monday is a drama, which is an insult to Kerala, police and people of the state," he said. Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Oommen Chandy said the government's interest was to put up a "women's wall" from Kasaragode to Thiruvananthapuram, Flood relief and rehabilitation, Sabarimala pilgrimage season are not matters which are of any concern of the government, he told reporters. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, earlier this month, had announced that the 'women's wall' would be formed on January 1 from the northern district of Kasaragode to the southern most district of Thiruvananthapuram "to demonstrate the secular and progressive mindset of the state". BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai said the party was waging a Dharma Yudh (religious war) and until the government protects the faith of Hindus, the protests would continue. IMAGE: Protesters clash with the police. Photograph: PTI Photo CPI-M veteran V S Achuthanandan wanted the government to arrest those who protested in front of the houses of the two women. Earlier, Bindu told reporters that the government should implement the September 28 Supreme Court verdict and they be allowed to go to the shrine. The women said they had not asked for any police protection. "The Supreme Court has given a verdict. So it is the government's duty to help us climb the hills," they said. Some BJP workers raised slogans at Thiruvanathapuram railway station against three women activists of "Manithi" who were returning to Tamil Nadu this afternoon. The three had come to Thiruvanathauram reportedly to meet the chief minister, a day after 11-members of the outfit unsuccessfully tried to make it to the Ayyappa shrine Sunday. However, since Vijayan was away at Kozhikode, the meeting did not take place, official sources said. Since the top court verdict, no women in the 10-50 age group, who are traditionally barred from entering the shrine, have been able to enter the 'sannidhanam' and offer worship to the presiding deity Lord Ayyappa, who is a "Naishtika Brahmachari" (perennial celibate). Kerala had witnessed massive protests by devotees opposing the entry of girls and women in the 10-50 age group into the shrine after the CPIM-led Left Democratic Front government decided to implement the apex court verdict allowing all women to offer prayers at the temple. The Congress-led United Democratic Front and the BJP are opposing the entry of young women, saying they are with the devotees. Four transgenders recently offered prayers at the temple while the attempt by over a dozen young women have been foiled by protesting devotees so far. The two-month long pilgrimage season began on November 16 and the first phase will end Thursday. The shrine has been witnessing heavy rush since the past few days. A review petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Monday seeking re-examination of its verdict by which the Centre's flagship Aadhaar scheme was held as constitutionally valid. Senior advocate Indira Jaising said the review petition has been filed against the September 26 verdict of the five-judge constitution bench which had said there was nothing in the Aadhaar Act that violated right to privacy of an individual. The bench headed by the then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra had also upheld the passage of the Aadhaar Bill as a Money Bill by the Lok Sabha. The review petition has been filed by one Imtiyaz Ali Palsaniya, who had also filed interim applications when the apex court was examining the validity of the Aadhaar scheme. The petition has also sought an open court hearing in the matter. In the 56-page petition, the petitioner has said it has been preferred in a "narrow compass" seeking to challenge only those aspects of the Aadhaar program as well as the Aadhaar Act, 2016 which were held to be constitutionally valid by the constitution bench. While declaring the scheme as constitutionally valid, the apex court had struck down some of its provisions including its linking with bank accounts, mobile phones and school admissions. The constitution bench had held that Aadhaar would remain mandatory for filing of Income Tax returns and allotment of Permanent Account Number or PAN. "The judgement sought to be reviewed has also not considered a crucial aspect of PANAadhaar linkage, since it fails to satisfy the test laid down by the same court in the very same judgement," the review plea said. It claimed that the Aadhaar program, which had been in existence prior to the enactment of the Aadhaar Act, 2016, had itself become an "instrument of transfer of sensitive personal data" belonging to citizens to foreign entities acting as biometric service providers at a time when the UIDAI in 2010 had no cyber or technical infrastructure to store such information. This, the petition claimed, poses a massive national security risk, more so when, according to a Press Information Bureau notification, 100 crore enrolments had already taken place before April 4, 2016. In its verdict, the apex court had said that Aadhaar would not be mandatory for school admissions, as also for the examinations conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Examination, National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for medical entrance and the University Grants Commission. The bench had also struck down the national security exception under the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016. Three sets of judgements were pronounced in the matter. The first one was pronounced by Justice A K Sikri who wrote the judgement for himself, Misra and Justice A M Khanwilkar. Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice Ashok Bhushan, who were also part of the bench, wrote their individual opinions. While Justice Chandrachud had said he was expressing certain views different from that of the judgement of the three judges, Justice Bhushan had said he concurred with the views of the majority. Though the Pakistanis have not stated anything on Commander Jadhav's current status, our thoughts are with him and we hope this brave man will return to the motherland soon. Exactly a year ago, on Christmas Day 2017, retired Indian Navy Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is on death row in Pakistan for alleged spying, met his mother Avanti and wife Chetankul at Pakistan's foreign office in Islambad. That 40-minute meeting had come about after The Hague-based International Court of Justice asked Pakistan in May 2017 to stay 47-year-old Jadhav's execution. The International Court of Justice will resume its hearing on Commander Jadhav's case in early 2019 though there is hope that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will release the former Indian soldier before that hearing. Though the Pakistanis have not stated anything on Commander Jadhav's current status, our thoughts are with him and we hope this brave man will return to the motherland soon. Scenes from the December 25, 2017 meeting: Commander Jadhav spoke to his mother and wife from behind a glass screen and via an intercom device. IMAGE: Kulbhushan Jadhav meets his mother and wife Avanti and Chetankul at the ministry of foreign affairs in Islambad. Photographs: Kind courtesy Pakistan foreign office IMAGE: Pakistan said it was permitting the meeting as a humanitarian gesture on Muhammad Ali Jinnah's birthday. IMAGE: Mrs Avanti Jadhav and Mrs Chetankul Jadhav were frisked before the meeting. IMAGE: Neither Commander Jadhav's mother nor wife have spoken to the media since the meeting last year. Please post your hopes and thoughts for Commander Jadhav in the message board below. Boston-based Alexion Pharmaceuticals, which has research and development operations in New Haven, got an early Christmas present. Federal regulators gave an early approval for the company to begin marketing its drug candidate, Ultomiris. The drug is for use in the treatment of adult patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, which is a rare, acquired, life-threatening disease of the blood characterized by destruction of red blood cells, increased incidents of blood clots and impaired bone marrow function. Ultomiris becomes Alexions fourth drug to receive approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to be sold in this country. The company specializes in developing drugs to treat ultra-rare diseases. FDA approval for Ultomiris comes 11 years after regulators approved Soliris, Alexions first drug for treating paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Megan Goulart, a company spokeswoman, said one key difference between the two drugs is that Ultomiris only has to be taken once every eight weeks while patients using Soliris must take it every two weeks. And for individuals of average weight being treated with Ultomiris, the drug has the potential to cost less than Soliris. Businessweek reported last year that the company has drawn criticism over the price of its star drug Soliris, which costs more than $18,000 for a single treatment, as well allegations of aggressive sales practices by the company. Businessweek also reported in 2017 an investigation the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has undertaken into grants made by Alexion in Brazil, Colombia, Japan, Russia and Turkey to rare disease patient groups, allegedly in an effort to attract new users of Soliris. John Orloff, executive vice president and head of research & development at Alexion, said company officials believe Ultomiris has the potential to become the new standard of care for patients with PNH. An executive with a Maryland-based non-profit health organization devoted to serving patients diagnosed with bone marrow failure disease said FDA approval of Ultomiris improves the quality of life for those individuals with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. The introduction of Soliris eleven years ago transformed the lives of patients with PNH, Neil Horikoshi, chief executive officer of the Aplastic Anemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome International Foundation. said in a statement. But the management of this debilitating disease still requires strength and sacrifice from patients and their families. With Ultomiris, patients no longer have to plan their lives around bi-weekly infusions and can look forward to just six or seven infusions a year. Alexion officials announced in September 2017 that the company was relocating its headquarters to Bostons Seaport District and taking 400 jobs with it. The relocation was completed in July and left the companys former headquarters building at 100 College Street with about 450 workers, many of whom work in research and development. Alexion was founded by Leonard Bell in New Haven in early 1992. Bell left the company in May 2017. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com KENT Published in 1960, To Kill a Mockingbird won the Pulitzer Prize and became a classic of modern American literature. It has been translated into some 40 languages and sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. The novel was and is widely praised for its sensitive treatment of a childs awakening to racism and prejudice in the American South. This year it was named the #1 Book from Americas 100 most-loved books brought to you by PBSs The Great American Read. In January, Kent will revisit Maycomb, Alabama, the setting of the novel during the early 1930s. The Kent Memorial Library will offer a three-part series, To Kill A Mockingbird: An Exploration. These events are appropriate for people age 12 and up, and welcome varying perspectives to enrich the conversation. Saturday, Jan. 12 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. To Kill A Mockingbird: An Exploration Part 1* Book Discussion: To Kill a Mockingbird. Join an expert panel of educators led by Athenaide Dallett, Ph.D., English department at Kent School, as they explore: Why was To Kill a Mockingbird voted by PBS viewers as their #1 Great American Read? Has the novel stood the test of time? How might the novel impact a young African American reader differently from a young white reader? Is Harper Lee's portrait of Alabama in the 1930s historically accurate? What are the novel's aesthetic strengths and weaknesses? Free and open to the public. Come to the Kent Town Hall, 41 Kent Green Boulevard, Kent for part one of the librarys series. Registration required. Note: To get a copy of the book, please sign-up at the front desk or support Kents Book Store - House of Books, 10 North Main Street, Kent. The audiobook is also available free for library card holders on hoopla. Inquire at the library for assistance using this service. Saturday, Jan. 19 at 3 p.m. To Kill A Mockingbird: An Exploration Part 2* Book Talk & Signing: Why To Kill A Mockingbird Matters What Harper Lee's Book and the Iconic American Film Mean to Us Today. Author Tom Santopietro, well-known for his writing about American popular culture, delves into the heart of the beloved classic and shows readers why To Kill a Mockingbird matters more today than ever before. He traces the writing of the book and its ongoing appeal. He also reveals the complete behind the scenes story of the film, from the earliest casting sessions to the choice of director and the three Oscars it won, to the 50th anniversary screening at the White House. He explores what makes the movie and Gregory Pecks unforgettable performance so captivating, and how, at the time of the films release, Americans of every stripe wanted to believe that Atticus Finch reflected their own essential decency. Free and open to the public at Kent Town Hall, 41 Kent Green Boulevard, Kent for part two of the Librarys series. His book will be available for purchase and signing. Registration required. Saturday, Jan. 26 at 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 5:30 p.m.) To Kill A Mockingbird: An Exploration Part 3* Movie: To Kill A Mockingbird (Not Rated 2 hr. 9 min.) See the1962 classic film about Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck), a lawyer in the Depression-era South, who defends a black man (Brock Peters) against fabricated rape charges. The trial and other events expose his children to the evils of racism and stereotyping. Free and open to the public at Kent Town Hall, 41 Kent Green Boulevard, Kent for part three of the Librarys series. Please register. Snow date Feb. 1. Thos who attend all 3 programs in this series will be entered to win 2 tickets to the Broadway production of To Kill A Mockingbird with Jeff Daniels, Feb. 5 at the Shubert Theatre, 225 West 44th Street, New York City, NY. The Kent Memorial is located at 32 North Main Street, Kent, Connecticut. Visit kentmemoriallibrary.org for more information. NORTH HAVEN Santa made a special delivery of a baby grand piano Monday to a 9-year-old boy with autism, but in this case the elves didnt do the building: it was the kindness of strangers that made it all come together. Its unbelievable. I always called Alexander a miracle, but this is a Christmas miracle, said his mom, Tori-Anne Dauria said. Hes been telling everyone this is all he wanted for Christmas was a grand piano and everyone tried to tell him its not possible, but hed say, Why not, Im on the good list. Its true that even those on the good list often dont get big items that they want, but Alex Stamboulidis had a rough start and struggles today on the autism spectrum and with physical and motor planning issues. He was born more than three months premature with a grade four brain bleed, his mom said, and weighed 1 pound, 4 ounces. Miracle No. 1 was that he survived. What many are calling miracle No. 2 is that a visit with a Sensitive Santa at ASD Fitness in Orange last week led to Alex having his wish come true. Even if its not quite a miracle to anyone but Alex and his mom, its pretty awesome how it all occurred. Alex told the special Santa, who keeps the ho-ho-hos down in low lighting, that he wanted a grand piano. Even that sensitive Santa, upon hearing the lofty wish, warned Alex that Santa cant bring everything wanted by those on the nice list. The Register did a story about the Sensitive Santa session and reported that boys and girls that day asked for everything from black socks to a grand piano. Barbara and Malcolm Rashba of Stratford, who lived in Orange for 30 years and have strong ties to the New Haven area, read about Alexs wish in an article and offered to donate their mint condition Baldwin-Howard baby grand that is more than 75 years old, and was Barbara Rashbas childhood piano. All the couple requested was the piano worth about $7,000 be dedicated in memory of their son, Gary Rashba, who died two years ago of cancer at age 47. They said Gary was Musically inclined, he often played that baby grand and was philanthropic so he would have loved the donation. If we can make a child happy, were happy to do that, Barbara Rashba said. Malcolm said, Im just delighted that someone who needs it can use it. The Rashbas called Mike Storz, president of the award-winning Chapel Haven Schleifer Center, a school for those with autism and other special needs, because the Register story mentioned the Santa that day looked a lot like Storz. Storz loved the idea, but the question became one of logistics: Where would they get $500 or more to have the 650 pound instrument from Stratford to North Haven? It would take a team specializing in pianos because the item had to be carefully disassembled and reassembled. Thats when the humans turned into elves. Storz called Walter Petro, owner of Father & Son Moving & Storage in Wallingford and he didnt hesitate to send a team to move the piano a few days before Christmas and even went along to see the magic happen. I said, Lets just do it because its the right thing to do, Petro said. The look on Alexs face is going to be priceless. And it really was priceless Monday. Santa escorted Alex downstairs to see his special gift. As he wound the turn into the lower level playroom at his condo, Santa behind him (still resembling Storz), Alex clenched his fists, jumped with joy and peeked inside the piano said, Look at these strings. Alex has always loved music and the school has told his mom hes musically inclined. His dad bought him a keyboard not long ago after Alex expressed interest in a piano. He hasnt had lessons thats next but in two short YouTube sessions he memorized Beethovens Fur Elise. Alex played that beginners classic first thing when he took the bench. I feel like its going to lead to something bigger down the road. That this will lead to a career, Alexs mom said. Dedra Leapley, who along with her husband, Adam Leapley, founded ASD Fitness, a gym for those with special needs, said, The stars aligned for this to happen. The Leapleys were instrumental in Alexs fortune not only through holding the Sensitive Santa session, but also in the execution of delivery. Alex is a member of ASD Fitness who, years ago when he started, couldnt complete a jumping jack. Now theyve lost count of how many he can do. The movers thought last minute the piano wouldnt fit around the corner into Daurias lower level, but they tried anyway and it fit by a fraction of an inch. It was meant to happen, Dedra Leapley said. Dauria said that when Alex was asking for a grand piano he had no concept about the cost and thought maybe it was a $1 or $2 item. The piano was delivered Saturday while Alex was out and mom kept him upstairs Sunday by telling Alex she had a lot of laundry to do, because the washer is downstairs and he hates the noise. Storz said hes amazed everyone came together so quickly in the busy holiday season. Even Robert Alech of Robert Alech Piano Service out of New Haven, donated his piano tuning talent and said hes grateful for the opportunity to help make Alexs wishes come true. We all need to do things like that to make the world a better place, he said. Storz said of the piano donation coming together, Its a holiday miracle. From a Jewish family, Barbara Rashba responded with a smile. TORRINGTON The Connecticut Department of Labor and the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board are offering a variety of training and employment workshops in January to assist area residents. Events are held at the Torrington American Job Center, 59 Field Street. Call the listed phone numbers to register. Advance registration is encouraged due to space limitations. In addition to these workshops, the Resource Room continues to offer job-related Internet access and online application assistance. Northwest Connecticut Community College (NCCC): Learn about NCCC programs; walk-ins welcome. Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24, 9 am.-12 p.m. or 31, 1 - 4 p.m. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Information Session: Participants can review process and eligibility requirements for funding of job training programs through this federal employment initiative. No appointment is needed. Health Professions Opportunity Grant Orientation: Learn about careers in the healthcare field through the Careers Advancement Project. Eligible participants can receive training that will assist them in securing a job (and advance along a career) in the healthcare field. Call 203-574-6971 x435 to register. Jan. 3, 10-11 a.m. Bureau of Rehabilitation Services (BRS): Offers one-on-one appointments to review services/eligibility. The goal is to assist individuals with medical barriers to prepare for, obtain and maintain employment. Call (860) 496-3500 to register for the orientation. Jan. 17, 3-4 p.m. Computer Basics: Learn to use the mouse, keyboard, practice typing, navigate websites, set-up an email account, and learn about employment resources available through the Department of Labor website. Microsoft tutorials are available. Call (860) 496-3500 to register. Jan. 25, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Northwest Connecticut Construction Careers: Offers an orientation for individuals seeking employment in construction-related fields. Session includes a review of pre-employment and job training criteria. Call 203-574-6971 x434 to register. Jan. 30, 9-10 a.m. Veterans Representative appointments: Eligible veterans can receive veteran-specific re-employment services. Contact Department of Labor Veterans Representative Giancarlo Castagne at 203-437-3294 or Michael Mariano at 203-437-3297 to make an appointment. You can also visit the Waterbury American Job Center. OSHA-10 Certification Class: Participants will attend a two-day, 10-hour class to acquire an OSHA-10 Occupational Safety and Health training certificate. Classes held at 77 Bishop Street, Waterbury - OIC Center. Call 203-574-6971 for Larry Devito (x461) or Joe Diorio (x434) for information. Disability Resource Coordinator: Meet with a staff person to learn how to access the various programs that offer services and supports needed to obtain and maintain employment. The emphasis is on abilities, not disabilities. Contact Gary Madison at gary.madison@nrwib.org or 203-574-6971 x442. ITXpress Program: Learn about training, credentials and employment opportunities through the TechHire ITXpress Program. Eligible participants can qualify to receive training that will assist them in securing a job in the Information Technology field (software developer, IT security, or computer programmer). Contact Angelo Santa Maria at angelo.santamaria@nrwib.org or 203-574-6971 x465. Ticket to Work: Orientation for Persons receiving SSI or SSDI benefits (NRWIB): Information for SSI/SSDI beneficiaries, their friends and families, about advantages of participating in the Social Security Ticket to Work program. The American Job Center is an approved Ticket Employment Network. There is no obligation. Contact Gary Madison at gary.madison@nrwib.org or 203-574-6971 x442 to register. Free GED Classes: Call ED Advance at 860-567-0863 about registering to attend free GED classes hosted at the Torrington American Job Center from 1 to 3 p.m. Monday and Wednesday afternoons. Concerns are growing for the health of veteran Chinese democracy campaigner and rights activist Qin Yongmin, who campaigners say is being mistreated by prison authorities while serving a sentence for subversion in the central province of Hubei. Qin, 65, was sentenced last July to 13 years' imprisonment by the Wuhan Intermediate People's Court, which convicted him of "incitement to subvert state power." He had already served nearly 26 years in jail. Wu Lijuan, spokeswoman for the Rose China rights group founded by Qin, said he is being held in a cell with around a dozen cellmates charged with keeping him in line and watching his every move. "They won't let him read a newspaper, they won't let him write anything, and he has to do a certain amount of labor," she said. "Qin Yongmin is in his sixties now, and shouldn't have to do labor." "He has high blood pressure, which is slowly worsening: it's already over 200 [systolic] and he told his brother he was getting ready to go on hunger strike," Wu said. "He wants to refuse food in protest [at his treatment]." Wu said Rose China and other rights groups will continue to protest Qin's treatment, in spite of an ever widening crackdown on all forms of public dissent or criticism of the ruling Chinese Communist Party since President Xi Jinping took power in 2012. "A lot of overseas media have been paying attention to Qin Yongmin's case, while international human rights organizations have been paying attention to the situation of human rights in China," she said. "But they still lock up [dissidents]; still sentence them to jail." Qin was detained alongside his wife Zhao Suli in 2015, and both were initially held in an unknown locations. Zhao later disappeared for three years, resurfacing briefly in February before being confined once more to residential surveillance. Qin was eventually tracked down by friends and lawyers to the Wuhan No. 2 Detention Center, where he was held in pretrial detention for more than three years. 'He is totally unwavering' An employee who answered the phone at the Guanghua Prison in Hubei's Qianjiang city, where Qin is being held, declined to comment when contacted by RFA on Monday. "Let me give you the phone number of the prison political department," the employee said. But a person who answered a call to the supplied number declined to answer, saying they were unable to give out information about prisoners. A friend of Qin's surnamed Chen said Qin is likely being poorly treated because he never provided the authorities with a "confession," and refused to plead guilty to the charges against him. "He wants to see a China with a constitutional government, the rule of law, and with full democracy and genuine human rights," Chen said. "He is totally unwavering in his commitment to that cause." "He definitely won't have accepted the charges against him, and he is also unlikely to cooperate with what is asked of him in prison, so some conflict is inevitable," he said. A contemporary of exiled dissident Wei Jingsheng, Qin was sentenced to eight years in prison for "counterrevolutionary propaganda and subversion" in the wake of China's Democracy Wall movement in 1981. He served a further two years' "re-education through labor" in 1993 after he penned a controversial document titled the "Peace Charter." Qin then served a 12-year jail term for subversion after he helped found the China Democracy Party in 1998 in spite of a ban on opposition political parties. The court said Wednesday that it would apply the three years Qin had spent in detention since 2015 towards his 13-year sentence. Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Wong Lok-to for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Afghan officials say at least 43 people were killed after militants stormed government offices in the eastern part of the capital Kabul, triggering an hours-long gun battle. Health Ministry spokesman Waheed Majroh said another 25 people were wounded in the December 24 raid on a compound housing the Ministry of Public Works and other offices. Militants stormed the compound after a suicide bomber detonated his explosives at the entrance, sending government workers running for their lives. Interior Ministry deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said about 350 workers were rescued after an eight-hour-long battle with the militants. He said three gunmen were killed by security forces. he building was cleared by the security forces at about 1 a.m. on December 25, authorities say, adding that police and emergency workers were still searching for bodies there. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, although similar incidents in the past have been blamed on the Taliban or Islamic State (IS) militants. Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told the AFP news agency that the attack had "nothing to do with the militants." Basir Mujahid, a spokesman for the Kabul police, said members of the security forces were among the dead. President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack and praised security forces for eliminating the terrorists. Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah blamed the Taliban, saying their conduct is a disgrace to the very notion of peace, referring to recent attempts to negotiate with the militant group. The December 24 attack was the deadliest in Kabul since a suicide bomber blew himself up in the middle of a religious gathering last month, killing at least 55 people. The incident was the 22nd attack in Kabul since January. In all, more than 500 people have been killed and more than 1,000 injured in attacks in the capital this year. The incident comes just days after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to prepare for the withdrawal of 7,000 American troops deployed in Afghanistan, about half of the U.S. contingent in the country. Many observers warned that the partial withdrawal could further degrade security and jeopardize possible peace talks with the Taliban aimed at ending its 17-year insurgency. U.S. forces make up the bulk of the NATO-led Resolute Support mission that is training and advising Afghan security forces in their fight against the Taliban and IS militants. The U.S. military also has some 7,000 troops deployed in a separate U.S. counter-terrorism mission. With reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, and dpa Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says U.S. President Donald Trumps decision to pull all American troops out of Syria will not stop Israels efforts to prevent Iran from establishing a permanent presence in Syria. "The decision to withdraw 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria will not change our consistent policy, Netanyahu said on December 23. We will continue to act against Iran's attempts to entrench itself militarily in Syria, and to the extent necessary, we will even expand our actions there," he added. Trump faced widespread criticism with his surprise announcement on December 19 that he was pulling all U.S. troops out of Syria, where they have been since 2015, supporting an alliance of Syrian Arab and Kurdish fighters battling against the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group. Many critics see a U.S. pullout as a betrayal of the Kurdish forces and say a withdrawal will hand Iran and Russia victories in Syria. Syria has been engulfed in a bloody civil war since 2011, with Russia and Iran backing President Bashar al-Assad, while the United States and Turkey have supported differing rebel groups. After Trump revealed his plans, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced his resignation in protest to aspects of the presidents policies. The top U.S. envoy to the global coalition to counter Islamic State, Brett McGurk, also announced his resignation. Netanyahu said cooperation with the United States would remain in place, even with a U.S. pullout. "Our cooperation with the U.S. will continue in full and finds expression in many areas: Operations, intelligence, and many other security spheres," he said. Israeli media quoted the country's army chief of general staff, Gadi Eisenkot, as cautioning against overstating the effects of a U.S. withdrawal, saying the Israeli army has been operating on its own along the border region with neighboring Syria for decades. According to a report by Israeli Channel 10 TV, Netanyahu told ministers from his Likud Party that he will discuss the U.S. plans with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo when the two visit Brazil next week for the inauguration of President-elect Jair Bolsonoro. The Pentagon late on December 23 said the order has been signed for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria. With reporting by AP, dpa, and The Times of Israel A Myanmar court heard arguments on December 24 in the appeal of two Reuters reporters sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of possessing classified material on security operations. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were arrested in December 2017 and in September sentenced to seven-year prison terms for allegedly possessing state secrets in a case that sparked an outcry from diplomats and human-rights advocates. Lawyers for the reporters filed an appeal against the conviction last month, citing evidence of a police set-up and lack of proof of a crime. The defense lawyers and the prosecution presented arguments for more than an hour on December 24 before the hearing was adjourned. The court did not give a date for a decision. The journalists had reported on a counterinsurgency campaign by Myanmars army that led some 700,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh. Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmars de facto leader, has said the men were convicted because they broke the law and not because of their journalistic work. Reuters has disputed the charges, and rights group Human Rights Watch, Western governments, the United Nations, and international journalist groups have condemned the government's action and called for the journalists' release. The journalists claimed they were set up after investigating the massacre of 10 Rohingya Muslims during a military crackdown. Reuters Editor in Chief Stephen J. Adler said in a statement that we are looking forward to demonstrating [why the court] should reverse the convictions of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo due to the egregious errors committed by the trial court. Mainly Buddhist Myanmar has been the target of international criticism for its treatment of its Muslim Rohingya minority, especially in Rakhine state. The authorities say their actions are directed against violent militants and not against civilians. Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP Supporters of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif protested outside an anticorruption court in Islamabad as officials sentenced him to seven years in prison on December 24. Sharif was convicted on charges of possessing assets beyond his known sources of income. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said he had productive meetings with Afghan leaders in Kabul over the peace process with the Taliban. Ive had productive meetings with the Afghan leadership this morning, Qureshi wrote on Twitter on December 24. The peace process is making positive headway. Qureshi met Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani and President Ashraf Ghani in the first stop of his three-day tour of four countries which also includes Iran, China, and Russia. Rabbani said on Twitter that he discussed "issues of great importance" with Quersihi, who was making his second visit to Kabul this month, including developments in the peace process and improved bilateral relations based on "trust" and "enhanced cooperation." Afghanistan has long had troubled relations with Pakistan, which Kabul and Washington accuse of harboring the Taliban leadership, a claim Islamabad has denied. Pakistan, which has influence over the Taliban, has been taking part in the latest U.S. effort to revive the Afghan peace process ahead of next year's withdrawal of 7,000 American troops. Earlier this month, Islamabad helped orchestrate talks in Abu Dhabi where representatives of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), Pakistan, and the United States met with Taliban representatives. Afghanistan's national-security adviser Hamdullah Mohib was also in the U.A.E. and while he did not attend the talks, he met with U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who reportedly kept him informed of the discussions. Islamabad welcomed President Donald Trump's decision to pull around half of the 14,000 American troops in Afghanistan. Qureshi said on December 22 that the move was "a step forward" in the peace effort. Qureshis visit to Kabul comes as Ghani nominated hard-line opponents of Pakistan to two top security posts. Ghani announced on December 23 that Amrullah Saleh will be the next interior minister and Asadullah Khaled will be defense minister. Both are former intelligence chiefs who have blamed neighboring Pakistan for the Taliban's resurgence in recent years and have even called for it to be declared a state sponsor of terror. The appointments will have to be approved by parliament. With reporting by Tolo News, AP, AFP, and RFE/RLs Radio Free Afghanistan Rescue workers in Indonesia have been searching for survivors of a tsunami likely triggered by a volcano as the death toll in the December 22 disaster rose to 429 people with more than 1,400 people injured. At least 128 people were missing, Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency said. Military troops, government personnel, and volunteers were searching along debris-strewn beaches on December 25. Where victims were found, body bags were laid out, and weeping relatives identified the dead. The disaster mitigation agency said on December 24 that the casualty totals were expected to rise. "It is suspected that some victims are still trapped under wreckage and materials washed away by the tsunami, agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. Indonesian President Joko Widodo expressed his sympathy and ordered government agencies to respond quickly to the disaster. At least 128 people were reported missing as crews battled heavy rains in the rescue efforts. Hundreds of homes, hotels, and other buildings were washed away by the massive wave that hit the coast of southern Sumatra and the western tip of Java. Nugroho added that more than 11,600 people were displaced by the tsunami, which many experts say may have been caused by undersea landslides triggered by eruptions of the Mount Anak Krakatau volcano in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. Around 13 percent of the world's volcanoes are in Indonesia alone. "The military and police are searching the ruins to see if we can find more victims," said Dody Ruswandi, a senior disaster agency official. The rescue effort is expected to last at least a week, officials said. Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands and home to 260 million people, lies along the so-called Ring of Fire, an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. A quake and tsunami that hit Sulawesi island in September killed over 2,100 people, with thousands more believed swallowed up by the earth. A magnitude-9.1 earthquake struck Indonesia on December 26, 2004, creating a huge tsunami off Sumatra island and killing over 230,000 people in a dozen countries across south and southeast Asia. With reporting by AFP, AP, and dpa Russia's Foreign Ministry has said "it is quite possible" that Ukraine "might switch to full-scale combat actions within the next few days." Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova made the statements in Moscow on December 24, repeating claims by Russian officials predicting a "provocation" by Kyiv in the near future. The unsubstantiated claims come at a time of high tensions between the two countries since Russia seized three Ukrainian Navy ships and their crews near the Kerch Strait on November 25. The United States and the European Union have denounced that action and called on Russia to release the vessels and seamen immediately. "Apart from a ground operation, Kyiv is also mulling other option to increase tensions in the region and extend martial law," Zakharova said. "We are really concerned about increasingly more frequent reports by 'experts' in Ukrainian media outlets on the possible use of chemical-warfare agents by [Russia-backed militants in eastern Ukraine]." "This circumstance gives grounds to presume that the strategists in Kyiv have thoroughly analyzed the record of their foreign supervisors in staging provocations involving the use of weapons of mass destruction and are ready to put them into practice." On December 1, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Russia was amassing ground forces and weaponry along the border between the two countries. Speaking at a military event in Kyiv on December 1, Poroshenko said Russia has deployed "more than 80,000 troops, 1,400 artillery and multiple-rocket-launch systems, 900 tanks, 2,300 armored combat vehicles, 500 airplanes, and 300 helicopters" near the border. On December 22, Russia moved more than a dozen advanced fighter jets to the annexed Ukrainian region of Crimea. Ukrainian government forces have been fighting against Russia-backed separatists in the eastern Ukraine since April 2014, shortly after Russia seized Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and forcibly annexed it. Some 10,300 people have been killed in the fighting since early 2014. Although Moscow denies interfering in Ukraine's domestic affairs, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in November 2016 ruled that the fighting in eastern Ukraine is "an international armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation." With reporting by TASS, Reuters, and AP According to documents from Russia's Investigative Committee obtained by the independent Novaya Gazeta newspaper, two Chechen men who were killed in 2017 in a Chechen "prison for gays" were shot in the head at close range. On December 24, the newspaper published a report saying that Shoto-Shamil Akayev and Ayub Ibragimov were shot on March 30, 2017, a few weeks after they went missing on February 6. Chechen officials have said the two men were shot while trying to escape. The Novaya Gazeta report cites documents from the Russian Investigative Committee's investigation into a complaint by Maksim Lapunov, who alleges he was abducted in Chechnya in October 2017 and held in a basement because he was homosexual. He said he was beaten in an effort to force him to name Chechens with whom he had sexual relations. Lapunov's testimony reveals that "dozens" of other people were held in the same "prison for gays" when he was there. He said that he saw both Akayev and Ibragimov there. The Investigative Committee's report concludes that the two men were killed but no criminal investigation was opened because "the circumstances laid out in Lapunov's complaint about his illegal detention were not objectively confirmed. On December 20, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe heard a report about human rights violations of human rights between January 1, 2017, and January 31, 2018. A large part of the report was devoted to the republic's campaign against gays, which reached a peak in February-March 2017. The report upbraids the Russian government for failing to investigate the reports or hold anyone accountable. With reporting by Novaya Gazeta The Pentagon has said the order for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria has been signed following President Donald Trumps December 19 announcement setting out plans for a full pullout, U.S. media are reporting. "The execute order for Syria has been signed," a spokesperson for the U.S. military was quoted by AFP as saying late on December 23 without offering further details. CNN said a defense official confirmed to it that the ordered had been signed, and it quoted another official as saying outgoing Defense Secretary James Mattis signed it. Trump in a Twitter video posting on December 19 declared that "we have won" against the Islamic State (IS) terror group operating in Syria and made the surprise announcement he was bringing home all U.S. forces from the war-torn country. Trump received criticism from Republican and Democratic lawmakers, former government leaders, and international allies for what they have perceived as a premature withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria, where troops have been since 2015 assisting a Syrian Arab and Kurdish alliance fighting against IS. Many opponents say a quick departure by U.S. forces would represent a betrayal to Kurdish allies who could be at the mercy of nearby Turkish forces. Ankara accuses the fighters of having links to Kurdish insurgents operating in Turkey. Critics of the U.S. pullout also contend it would hand victories to Iran and Russia, which are active there. French President Emmanuel Macron on December 23 said he "deeply regretted" Trump's decision, adding that "an ally must be reliable." Some of Trump's closest allies had attempted to publicly persuade the president to reverse his decision on the pullout. After Trump revealed his plans, Mattis announced his resignation in protest of the presidents foreign policy. The top U.S. envoy to the global coalition to counter Islamic State, Brett McGurk, also announced his resignation. Syria has been engulfed in a seven-year civil war. Russia and Iran back Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The United States and Turkey back differing antigovernment fighters. IS also joined the fight, opposed by all other sides. After gaining wide stretches of territory in Syria and neighboring Iraq and declaring an Islamic "caliphate," they have mostly been driven from their strongholds, although they are holding out in some areas. With reporting by AFP and CNN Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, speaks during the annual Central Economic Work Conference in Beijing, capital of China. The conference was held in Beijing from Dec. 19 to 21, 2018. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) BEIJING, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The annual Central Economic Work Conference was held in Beijing from Wednesday to Friday, as Chinese leaders charted course for the economy in 2019, a key year for the country to achieve its goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020. In a speech at the conference, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, reviewed the country's economic work in 2018, analyzed the current economic situation and arranged the economic work in 2019. China has effectively coped with profound changes in the external environment this year, risen to challenges with solid work, accomplished the goals of macro-regulation relatively well and delivered a good start in the three tough battles against major risks, poverty and pollution, according to a statement issued after the meeting. Meanwhile, the country has deepened the supply-side structural reform, pushed forward reform and opening-up with greater efforts, properly dealt with the Sino-U.S. economic and trade frictions, improved people's well-being, and maintained sustained and healthy economic development as well as overall social stability. The country has "made new steps towards finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects," the statement said. "The achievements we've made have not come easily," it said. Over the past year, the leadership has gained a deeper understanding about economic work under new circumstances, according to the statement. It said the country must uphold the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee; assess current circumstances from a long-term perspective and have a clear vision about the country's long-term promising development prospects; make macro-regulation precisely, actively fine-tune policies and enhance policy coordination; timely respond to concerns of the society and guide market expectations in a targeted manner; give full play to the initiative of all parties to form synergy. "While fully acknowledging the achievements, we must see that there are new and worrisome developments amid generally steady economic operation, the external environment is complicated and severe, and the economy faces downward pressure," the statement said. However, it described the problems as part of development, noting that China is still and will be in an important period of strategic opportunity for development for a long time to come. [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] Federal police arrest Cancun military soldier for robberies Cancun, Q.R. Federal Police of Quintana Roo say they have arrested a man in flagrante delicto who is a soldier and member of the military police based outside Cancun. The arrest took place at an Oxxo in Region 94 of Cancun after police recieved a call from store employees about a theft. When police arrived, they caught a young man red-handed. According to their report, federal authorities say the theft occurred during early morning hours while they were on a surveillance tour. The police members entered an Oxxo convenience store in Region 94 after employees reported being victims of theft, saying the aggressor was still inside. Police arrived to find Jose Ignacio Montalvan, an identified soldier of the Military Police of 29 Batallon based in Isla Mujeres-Cancun. He provided identification that he was an active member of the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena). Federal Police took him into custody. He is alleged to be responsible for two other store thefts involving a Cancun taxi driver. Earlier this year, more than 3,000 military were brought to Cancun after a 680-million-peso military base was constructed. The men and women were brought in to help fight crime and insecurity in the city. In October, shortly after their arrival, 11 military police were arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct in the Cancun Hotel Zone. German company Leoni begins operations in second Yucatan plant Merida, Yucatan German company Leoni has opened a part of its second plant that is already employing 200 people. The director of Leoni for America, Jose Conceicao toured the factory facilities with Yucatan Governor, Mauricio Vila Dosal. Jose Conceicao says that since October, the factory has been producing components in the first of two industrial buildings. This part of their second factory, which is 7,000 square meters, is their second within the year, noting that the construction of the second factory was announced six months after the completion of their first. Agustin Menendez Reyes, executive of the German firm that manufactures electronic harnesses and cables for application in the automotive industry, stressed that the decision to establish this second plant in the state was made after having previous experience with the first located in the municipality of Kanasin. Menendez Reyes says that Yucatan has excellent conditions in terms of security, human resources and connectivity due to its strategic connections by air and sea, adding that the manufacturing center already employs 200 people who work in different operational and administrative areas. He says that within the next two years, the factory will generate 2,000 direct jobs and 10,000 indirect jobs noting that the current staff is composed of 40 percent engineers, while the remaining 60 focuses on manual processes. The complex, will is scheduled for completion in March of 2019, will consists of 40,000 square meters and house production areas, administrative offices, a dining room and areas of common use with an investment of $37.5 million USD. Two Americans rescued off Progreso after their boat failed Progreso, Yucatan Two US citizens were rescued off the coast of Progreso after their vessel experienced mechanical failure. The two Americans were aboard their sailboat Neverland when they were rescued 100 nautical miles (185 kilometers) northwest of the port of Yucalpeten in the municipality of Progreso. Photo: la Secretaria de Marina-Armada de Mexico The Naval Search, Rescue and Maritime Surveillance Station of the Ninth Naval Zone of Yucalpeten were sent out to sea to locate the boat and rescue its crew. Reports say the boat had mechanical failure in the engine and became stranded near Arrecife Alacranes. The Mexican navy located the boat and crew and returned them safely to the mainland along with their boat. A waiting ambulance took them to local hospital for a heath status review. The happiness we feel after a particular event or activity diminishes each time we experience that event, a phenomenon known as hedonic adaptation. But giving to others may be the exception to this rule, according to research forthcoming in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. In two studies, psychology researchers Ed O'Brien (University of Chicago Booth School of Business) and Samantha Kassirer (Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management) found that participants' happiness did not decline, or declined much slower, if they repeatedly bestowed gifts on others versus repeatedly receiving those same gifts themselves. "If you want to sustain happiness over time, past research tells us that we need to take a break from what we're currently consuming and experience something new. Our research reveals that the kind of thing may matter more than assumed: Repeated giving, even in identical ways to identical others, may continue to feel relatively fresh and relatively pleasurable the more that we do it," O'Brien explains. In one experiment, university student participants received $5 every day for 5 days; they were required to spend the money on the exact same thing each time. The researchers randomly assigned participants to spend the money either on themselves or on someone else, such as by leaving money in a tip jar at the same cafe or making an online donation to the same charity every day. The participants reflected on their spending experience and overall happiness at the end of each day. The data, from a total of 96 participants, showed a clear pattern: Participants started off with similar levels of self-reported happiness and those who spent money on themselves reported a steady decline in happiness over the 5-day period. But happiness did not seem to fade for those who gave their money to someone else. The joy from giving for the fifth time in a row was just as strong as it was at the start. O'Brien and Kassirer then conducted a second experiment online, which allowed them to keep the tasks consistent across participants. In this experiment, 502 participants played 10 rounds of a word puzzle game. They won $0.05 per round, which they either kept or donated to a charity of their choice. After each round, participants disclosed the degree to which winning made them feel happy, elated, and joyful. advertisement Again, the self-reported happiness of those who gave their winnings away declined far more slowly than did the happiness reported by those who kept their winnings. Further analyses ruled out some potential alternative explanations, such as the possibility that participants who gave to others had to think longer and harder about what to give, which could promote higher happiness. "We considered many such possibilities, and measured over a dozen of them," says O'Brien. "None of them could explain our results; there were very few incidental differences between 'get' and 'give' conditions, and the key difference in happiness remained unchanged when controlling for these other variables in the analyses." Adaptation to happiness-inducing experiences can be functional to the extent that it motivates us to pursue and acquire new resources. Why doesn't this also happen with the happiness we feel when we give? The researchers note that when people focus on an outcome, such as getting paid, they can easily compare outcomes, which diminishes their sensitivity to each experience. When people focus on an action, such as donating to a charity, they may focus less on comparison and instead experience each act of giving as a unique happiness-inducing event. We may also be slower to adapt to happiness generated by giving because giving to others helps us maintain our prosocial reputation, reinforcing our sense of social connection and belonging. These findings raise some interesting questions for future research -- for example, would these findings hold if people were giving or receiving larger amounts of money? Or giving to friends versus strangers? The researchers have also considered looking beyond giving or receiving monetary rewards, since prosocial behavior includes a wide range of experiences. "Right now we're testing repeated conversation and social experiences, which also may get better rather than worse over time," O'Brien explains. Oaklands makeover is on a rapid pace. On the corner of Harrison and 19th streets in downtown, construction noise emanates from a rising mixed-use development. Part of the sidewalk is walled off by a graffiti-covered plywood fence topped with barbed wire. Trucks dropping off equipment idle in the street, often turning that section of 19th Street into a one-lane road. Drivers honk their horns, adding to the cacophony of drills, jackhammers and hydraulic cranes. Small businesses in Oakland, like the stores on this stretch of 19th Street, are getting used to the noise. They might also be getting used to the idea of not having a place in the city after the makeover is complete. Last week, as I chatted with Fernando Carpenter and Tracy Parker, the owners of VAMP, a record and clothing store, I noticed more men in yellow construction vests than prospective customers. Some days its more extreme than others, Parker said of the construction noise. The development, which will have retail space and condos when its complete, is being built around the store on what was a parking lot. Six years ago, Parker and Carpenter opened VAMP (it stands for Vintage Art and Music for the People) when not many small businesses wanted to be downtown. When we moved here, there was no one here, Carpenter said. It was empty for a long time. Now that there are developers and deep-pocketed companies snapping up space in downtown, Carpenter and Parker are unsure how long theyll be able to stay. VAMPs rent has almost doubled in the past year. They know the rent might become too expensive to afford. VAMP is a store for people who like items found at flea markets, garage sales, thrift stores and antique shops. Laid out in a 650-square-foot space, VAMP is best known for selling vinyl records and vintage clothes. Paul Kuroda / Special to The Chronicle The shop is really a catalyst for me to be able to connect to the community, Parker said. Oakland is a very musical city, historically. Parker, 43, grew up in Southern California and moved to Oakland in 2008. Carpenter, 48, was born in San Francisco and raised in San Mateo. Hes lived in Oakland for two decades. When I moved to Oakland four years ago, I was told to visit VAMP if I wanted to plug into the local music scene. Carpenter booked the first live jazz show I saw in Oakland. Around the time he opened VAMP, Carpenter started the Oakland Freedom Jazz Society, a concert series that features performers playing a variety of music from free jazz to experimental. Carpenter and Parker also like spinning soul records live, which they do the first Thursday of the month at the Legionnaire Saloon on Telegraph Avenue. As we talked, a man stopped at the rack of clothes the owners had put out on the sidewalk. Excuse, how much is that shirt right there? the man said, holding up a T-shirt with a print of the quirky TV painter Bob Ross on the front. My niece loves him. She even started painting and stuff. It was $10. I bought a never-worn chambray shirt for $22. Paul Kuroda / Special to The Chronicle A year ago, VAMP paid $1,200 a month in rent. The rent increased to $1,400 a month in March, and the lease is month to month. In September, VAMP received 30-day notice that rent was being raised an additional $700 to $2,100. Attempts to reach the property manager Friday were unsuccessful. Gary Albert Jr. owns Wireless Options, the cell phone repair store next door to VAMP. When the Oakland native opened the store in 2013, rent was $800 a month. Now he pays $1,650. This is my bread and butter right here, said Albert, who also has stores in Vallejo and Albany. This one pays for all of my stores. 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. Hes had to lay off employees to keep the doors open. Its just sad that were pretty much just getting established, said Albert, who used to run his business from a folding table in front of CVS on Webster Street. Everybody knows that were here. Some in the artist community know whats at stake for VAMP. In October, Smart Bomb, an Oakland artist collective and event series, threw VAMP a rent party to help Carpenter and Parker make the November payment. Smart Bomb and record label the Long Road Society hosted another rent party on Dec. 15. Since the Ghost Ship warehouse fire killed 36 people at a music event Dec. 2, 2016, I feel like Oakland, a city that has long touted its creative class, has backed off championing artists and artist spaces. Artists helped make Oakland a cool place to live. Now the cool people are getting squeezed out of the city they made attractive. It reminds Carpenter of the cultural shift in San Francisco. It was like the capital of counterculture. It had so many weirdos and artists hanging out there that made San Francisco what it is its all gone, Carpenter said. San Francisco got whitewashed, and youre left with no character. Its been polished. Overnight. It wouldnt be a good look if the same happened to Oakland. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Mondays and Thursdays. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr Violent crime dropped sharply this year in San Francisco, with killings in 2018 approaching the lowest number in more than 50 years to continue a decade-long trend of declining violence around the region. Identifying precise causes for crime trends has been a long-standing challenge, but the citys police officials believe several recent initiatives including a new gun unit whose work is credited with a decrease in shootings have had a significant impact. We are extremely pleased with where we are with violent crime at this point in the year, but there is still a lot of work to be done, Police Chief Bill Scott said in an interview at department headquarters. Theres no magic formula, but what we try to do is implement strategies. As of late Saturday, when a man was shot to death in the Excelsior neighborhood, San Francisco had recorded 44 homicides a 21 percent dip from the last year, when there were 56 killings. If the number holds through the end of the year, 2018 will see the lowest number of homicides since 1963, according to data provided by the state Department of Justice and reports in The Chronicles archive. I am glad that we are in a better place this year than last year, and, of course, I want those numbers to improve, Mayor London Breed said. Im excited that violence is dropping in our city. I think it has a lot to do with us having more beat officers and that we are working hard to develop better relationships with the community to prevent things from happening in the first place. In its darker days, the city had runs of years with killings in the triple digits. In 1977, when the citys population was 20 percent lower than today, there were 142 homicides. As recently as 2007, San Francisco had 100 killings. This years drop in homicides corresponds with declining gun violence in the city. As of Dec. 10, shooting deaths were down 41 percent, nonfatal shootings were down 28 percent, and gun violence overall was down 30 percent from the same period last year, according to Police Department figures. Officials attribute the decline in part to a new gun unit they established in November 2017. The Crime Gun Investigations Center is made up of half a dozen officers, including a lieutenant and investigators, along with an agent and analyst from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The unit collects guns, spent shell casings and bullets and enters them into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, which shares digital images of the ballistic evidence across jurisdictions. Investigators use the shared information to develop leads and determine whether a gun was used in other crimes. Typically, a lot of agencies dont test casings when theres not a victim, Scott said. Whats important with our policies is all casings are entered. You might have indiscriminate shooting in the air. The casing might connect to a casing that was used in a murder. So, it helps us close the gap on the investigations. Helping investigators is the citys gunfire detection system, ShotSpotter, which can now alert officers of shootings through an app on their phones, giving them a map of the location. The U.S. Department of Justice recently awarded the Police Department an $800,000 grant for its gun unit. The Board of Supervisors must sign off on the money. The new unit has proved effective, officials said, but its just one of several strategic initiatives Scott has rolled out since being named chief at the beginning of 2017. In September of that year, he announced a staff shakeup, breaking up some investigative units and doubling the number of officers walking neighborhood beats. A recent study showed the move helped decrease the number of auto break-ins and assaults in San Francisco, but officials also credit it with helping solve more violent crimes. When we pushed some investigators from the Patrol Bureau Task Force and narcotics back onto foot patrols, we sent some very experienced officers back into the community and into uniform, said Cmdr. Greg McEachern, who heads investigations at the department. Not only did it give us additional resources out there, but it gave us additional expertise. We saw the communication between the district stations and the investigations units really improve. The increase in foot patrols has also helped the city improve community policing efforts, which strengthen ties with residents and increase cooperation from witnesses. Part of my plan as mayor is to make sure officers are out there making good relationships and attending events in the community, Breed said. Thats how we get to a place where people develop trust and respect, so our communities are safer. Moreover, the department has expanded its efforts to work more closely with other law enforcement agencies and community organizations. Among the most successful collaborations has been with the district attorneys office, which oversees the Crime Strategies Unit. The unit places prosecutors in city police stations to work with crime analysts and identify trends that help police build stronger cases before trial. 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. Weve seen cases they put together, and theyre really incredible, District Attorney George Gascon said in a recent interview at Dolores Park in the Mission District. The park is a popular hangout for families and young people, but it wasnt always so welcoming. For years it was the scene of shootings between rival gangs as homicides around the city spiraled out of control. Part of the trouble was that the Police Department wasnt solving many cases, Gascon said. In the late 1990s, San Francisco had the lowest clearance rate of the 20 largest cities in the country. On average, just 28 percent of violent crimes were solved, according to a Chronicle analysis at the time. When we solve a case, we garner more trust, Scott said. It gets to whether people have confidence, not only in the Police Department, but the criminal justice system. Of the 44 killings in San Francisco so far this year, 29 cases have been cleared and 25 have resulted in arrests. But the overall homicide clearance rate, which compares the number of killings to the number of cases solved, including those from previous years, is around 100 percent, police said. Gascon acknowledged it would be disingenuous to think all of the reductions in crime are related to law enforcement. His philosophy has evolved as hes moved from being San Franciscos police chief to its top prosecutor. Hes often cited as one of the most progressive district attorneys in the country after pushing for numerous statewide criminal justice reforms that have drawn criticism from tough-on-crime groups. But Gascon says big-picture reforms ultimately help people stay out of the system. Were not just simply locking people up, he said. Were being more thoughtful about the people we lock up. The people who need an opportunity are being given another opportunity, and I think that has an impact in reducing recidivism. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky The thorny relationship between the Richmond Police Department and its union was laid bare during a City Council meeting Tuesday, when the union president slammed the police chief and city manager for refusing to meet with him. The public outcry comes in the wake of an internal report made public in November that described the Police Department as having an acrimonious relationship with the Police Officers Association. Ben Therriault, president of the police union, expressed confusion during the council meeting over a lack of communication between the parties and said the tenuous situation has left officers feeling unrecognized and undervalued. The fact that we havent had a meeting about (the report) is troublesome, Therriault told The Chronicle. City Manager Carlos Martinez presented the council with the report Tuesday, and he said the findings were mostly accurate, including details about the departments broken relationship with the union. Multiple council members, as well as Mayor Tom Butt, repeatedly asked Martinez and Police Chief Allwyn Brown whether they discussed the report with the union, as well as other internal policy changes that the department is considering. Both men said meetings had taken place but were not specifically about the issues raised in the report. Therriault said those meetings never happened. The union, chief and city manager were scheduled for a meeting Dec. 13, but it was canceled for unknown reasons. The police union reacted to the cancellation by accusing city leadership of creating a filibuster rather than addressing issues in the report, according to emails obtained by The Chronicle. I just dont understand since this has been talked about since October, Butt said. You havent just had one confirmed meeting so everybody can get their opinions out on the table. Dismissing their request for a meeting is throwing fuel on the fire. The report details the Police Departments toxic work environment and suggests a lack of leadership is partly to blame. More specifically, Therriault said, the issues within the department go beyond the need for a culture shift. Officers have not been promptly paid overtime, and theyve been forced to sign letters of discipline under penalty of insubordination, Therriault said. Some pregnant officers were denied their seniority perks, he asserted. Martinez promised the council he would start including the union in meetings with himself and Brown, particularly when it comes to policy changes that the department faces. At the end of the day, we are on the same team, Martinez said. We are in front of the public dancing this dance. If we are stepping on each others toes it doesnt look good. It behooves all of us to come together. The dispute comes as the family of Rashanda Franklin, who was slain in April 2017 allegedly by her abusive ex-boyfriend, prepares to file a lawsuit saying Richmond police failed to protect the victim after she called for help the night before her death. Brown has said the officers who responded that night acted properly. Food fest frauds That $15 unlimited taco feast and $25 bottomless mimosa brunch found on Facebook might be too good to be true, according to the Santa Clara district attorneys office. People frequently purchase tickets to all-you-can-eat events advertised in publications and on social media, but some of those gluttonous extravaganzas were never scheduled to occur in the first place, said Yen Dang, a deputy district attorney. Event organizers instead have been pocketing the money from Paypal and Shopify transactions and then disappearing before diners realize theyve been duped. With social media, people are posting so many pics of their food, and it all looks so beautiful, and people being outside and enjoying the atmosphere, I think thats the draw, Dang said. Its around the holidays, everybody wants to celebrate. Prosecutors first learned of the fraudulent food fests from the California attorney generals office. A similar scam case involved an Oakland woman who was recently charged by the Illinois attorney generals office with stealing $30,000 from customers after advertising fake all-you-can-eat events. Dang declined to give a number on how many people had filed consumer complaints with the Santa Clara district attorneys office, but noted that the office investigates all allegations. Anyone who has purchased a fake ticket should try to get their money back from their credit card company before filing a report with local law enforcement, officials said. A bear of a case Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The Teddy Bear Bandit of San Leandro has been stuffed into an Alameda County jail cell, authorities said. Andre Benny Murphy, 46, broke the window of a downtown San Leandro flower shop with a BB gun on Oct. 11 and stole flowers and stuffed animals, San Leandro police said Wednesday. The burglary was captured by the stores video camera. Some of the teddy bears were found at the home of a female friend of Murphys in Alameda, according to police Lt. Isaac Benabou. The burglar struck at 2 a.m. and made off with two armloads of teddy bears, said store owner Rosa Ramos, who viewed video footage of the theft. Each armload included multiple large stuffed bears, each worth $130. That could place the value of the purloined bears at more than $1,000, Ramos said. Additionally, Murphy allegedly took several armloads of roses, priced at $30 a dozen. It was a Romeo kind of thing, Ramos said. I guess its romantic. But its serious. He was carrying a weapon, even if it was a BB gun. Fortunately, he didnt do it when the store was open. Ramos said it wasnt the first time a Teddy Bear Bandit had struck. Some weeks earlier, the stores windows were broken with a BB gun, and teddy bears and flowers went missing. On that occasion, the burglar was seen making his getaway on a bicycle, but Ramos said she couldnt be sure it was the same man. Police apprehended Murphy on Dec. 14 in Oakland. Tips from Alameda police in connection with the teddy bear stash at his girlfriends apartment led to the arrest. We know that the suspect had given the stolen flowers and stuffed animals to a female friend, Benabou said. Now, the Teddy Bear Bandit will have to find other ways to show his affection." Murphy, who was arrested on suspicion of drug possession and forgery, was being held at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin in lieu of $185,000 bail. Sara Ravani, Gwendolyn Wu and Steve Rubenstein are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com, gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com, srubenstein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani, @gwendolynawu, @SteveRubeSF A pair of fugitives were arrested in Austin, Texas, in connection to a 2016 marijuana robbery that left two dead in Sonoma County, authorities said Monday. Austin police and FBI investigators on Friday arrested 30-year-old Robert Lee Randolph Jr. and 28-year-old Maria Teresa Lebron, both of Philadelphia, on suspicion of murder, attempted murder, robbery and burglary, according to the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office. On Oct. 13, 2016, the pair flew from Philadelphia to San Francisco and rented a Hyundai Sonata to travel around the Bay Area and Sacramento, authorities said. Randolph allegedly arranged a deal to buy a large amount of cannabis from 28-year-old Guerneville resident John Jessie Mariana, who met up with the two on Oct. 15. Mariana took them to a home outside Sebastopol, where Randolph shot him and a resident of the home, 36-year-old Nathan Proto, with a handgun, officials said. Both men died from gunshot wounds. A 23-year-old woman was also shot in the head but survived. It seemed to be pre-planned, said Sgt. Spencer Crum, of the Sheriffs Office. They were hanging out for little over an hour at the point they committed the robbery. Randolph and Lebron then left with the marijuana and cash, and flew back to Philadelphia on Oct. 17, officials said. Investigators were unable to locate the suspects immediately after the homicides. A new lead took FBI investigators to an Austin apartment, where law enforcement found Randolph, Lebron, drugs and at least one firearm, Crum said. The two were taken into custody without incident. 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. Austin police booked Randolph and Lebron into the Travis County Correctional Complex in Texas, and they will be extradited to California to face charges. Gwendolyn Wu is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @gwendolynawu On Dec. 11, President Trump told Democratic congressional leaders he would be proud to shut down the government if a stopgap spending bill did not include funding for a southern border wall. He has since flipped his position twice and now he wants to blame Democrats for the resulting shutdown. It will not wash. This senseless shutdown, which went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, is the product of an impetuous president who issued a threat, caved when it became apparent he could not deliver on it, then caved yet again when he started taking a rhetorical pounding about his retreat on the wall demand from conservative commentators such as Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh, a handful of ideologically rigid lawmakers, and even his usual apologists on Fox & Friends. What a disgraceful display of leadership. And what a waste. Its worth emphasizing that the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border was half of Trumps signature campaign promise in 2016. Build the wall, his supporters chanted, to the candidates delight. The other half was of that pledge was that it would not cost American taxpayers a dime Trump would demand that Mexico would pay for it. Only it wont, of course. The notion that what should be a routine government spending bill should be held hostage to an extraordinarily expensive and marginally effectual $5 billion plan to put a physical barrier on one of myriad ways to enter the United States is just madness. For the partial shutdown to occur right before the Christmas holiday, forcing hundreds of thousands of federal workers either to be furloughed or to work without pay, is as cruel as it is unnecessary. It appears unlikely that this standoff could be resolved before Thursday, when senators return, and that may be the optimistic view. The challenge will be to find a way for Trump to save face from a predicament of his own creation. Trump once said he would willingly take the mantle of a shutdown. He now owns it. This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters. MARRAKECH, Morocco Defying fierce opposition from the United States and a few other nations, nearly 85 percent of the countries at the U.N. agreed Monday on a sweeping yet non-binding accord to ensure safe, orderly and humane migration. The debate over the Global Compact for Migration, the first of its kind, has proven to be a pivotal test of the U.N.-led effort to crack down on the often dangerous and illegal movements across borders that have turned human smuggling into a booming worldwide industry. Unregulated migration bears a terrible human cost. A cost in lives lost on perilous journeys across deserts, oceans and rivers, and a cost in lives ruined at the hands of smugglers, unscrupulous employers and other predators, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a migration conference in Marrakech. More than 60,000 migrants have died on the move since the year 2000, he said. This is a source of collective shame. Migration affects hundreds of millions of people across the globe farmers coming off the land or forced by climate change to head to cities, families fleeing war or persecution, impoverished workers from the developing world looking for jobs in rich countries. It can also involve high-skilled workers from developed nations looking for opportunities beyond their homelands. Defenders say migration greases the wheels of the world economy by rejuvenating workforces in aging rich countries and providing a needed source of cash to poorer countries through remittances sent home by migrants. Opponents fear an influx of migrants can dilute their countries character, import poverty or crime, reduce wages and take jobs from citizens. A total of 164 countries among the 193 U.N. members approved the agreement by acclamation Monday. At the conference, U.N. leaders were hoping to lure in holdouts who were not signing: Australia, Austria, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia along with the United States, which under President Trump did not participate in drafting the accord. 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. Louise Arbour of Canada, a former U.N. human rights chief, said the issue also has been tied up in parliamentary debates in Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Italy, Israel, Slovenia and Switzerland. The conference is the capstone of efforts set in motion two years ago when all 193 U.N. member states, including the U.S. under President Barack Obama, adopted a declaration saying that no country can manage international migration on its own and agreed to work on a global compact. Amira El Masaiti and Jamey Keaten are Associated Press writers. A mechanical problem forced a United Airlines plane bound for Washington, D.C. to return to San Francisco International Airport for an emergency landing Monday morning less than an hour after departing, officials said. United Airlines Flight 516 departed for Washington-Dulles International Airport at 9:23 a.m., but the plane experienced an unknown mechanical problem during flight, said United spokesman Madhu Unnikrishnan. The plane turned around and landed safely at SFO at 10:09 a.m. A man died early Monday after being shot and crashing his car in San Franciscos India Basin neighborhood, authorities said. Police responded to a ShotSpotter activation at 1:15 a.m. on the 1300 block of Evans Avenue, where they found the wreckage and the victim with a gunshot wound, said Officer Robert Rueca, a San Francisco police spokesman. A pair of fugitives were arrested in Austin, Texas, in connection to a 2016 marijuana robbery that left two dead in Sonoma County, authorities said Monday. Austin police and FBI investigators on Friday arrested 30-year-old Robert Lee Randolph Jr. and 28-year-old Maria Teresa Lebron, both of Philadelphia, on suspicion of murder, attempted murder, robbery and burglary, according to the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office. On Oct. 13, 2016, the pair flew from Philadelphia to San Francisco and rented a Hyundai Sonata to travel around the Bay Area and Sacramento, authorities said. Randolph allegedly arranged a deal to buy a large amount of cannabis from 28-year-old Guerneville resident John Jessie Mariana, who met up with the two on Oct. 15. Mariana took them to a home outside Sebastopol, where Randolph shot him and a resident of the home, 36-year-old Nathan Proto, with a handgun, officials said. Both men died from gunshot wounds. A 23-year-old woman was also shot in the head but survived. It seemed to be pre-planned, said Sgt. Spencer Crum, of the Sheriffs Office. They were hanging out for little over an hour at the point they committed the robbery. Randolph and Lebron then left with the marijuana and cash, and flew back to Philadelphia on Oct. 17, officials said. Investigators were unable to locate the suspects immediately after the homicides. A new lead took FBI investigators to an Austin apartment, where law enforcement found Randolph, Lebron, drugs and at least one firearm, Crum said. The two were taken into custody without incident. Austin police booked Randolph and Lebron into the Travis County Correctional Complex in Texas, and they will be extradited to California to face charges. Gwendolyn Wu is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @gwendolynawu The holidays don't scream fast food for most of us, but in Japan, there's one restaurant with an indelible connection to Christmas: KFC. If you believe Japanese KFC franchise owner Takeshi Okawara, he's the one solely to credit (or blame, depending on how you feel about it). In 1970, Okawara's KFC branch was struggling to gain traction in Japan. In an effort to drum up business, he started passing off KFC as the true American holiday tradition, blurring the lines a bit between Southern-fried chicken and roast turkey. Kanye West was allegedly in the Bay Area this weekend being pulled on a bicycle. The rapper posted a video to Twitter early Saturday evening in which he announced he was in San Francisco. The video showed him and another person being pulled by a bicyclist and riding down a busy street. WASHINGTON The sooner-than-expected departure of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis shifts the focus to President Trumps appointment of an acting Pentagon chief and plans for a permanent replacement. It also signals an acrimonious end to a tense relationship between Trump and Mattis that had eroded in recent months. A fracture developed last week over Trumps decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria and worsened after Mattis public disagreement with Trump, aired in his resignation letter. Mattis made clear in the letter he did not see eye to eye with a president who has expressed disdain for NATO. That drew a critical tweet from Trump on Monday. We are substantially subsidizing the Militaries of many VERY rich countries all over the world, while at the same time these countries take total advantage of the U.S., and our TAXPAYERS, on Trade, Trump tweeted. General Mattis did not see this as a problem. I DO, and it is being fixed! Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan will take over as acting secretary on Jan. 1, Trump announced Sunday. He had worked for more than three decades at Boeing Co. and was a senior vice president when he became Pentagon deputy in July 2017. In the new year Trump wants to focus on streamlining purchases at the Pentagon, an issue on which Shanahan already has been working, a White House official said. U.S. officials said they didnt know if Shanahan would be Trumps nominee to replace Mattis. During a lunch with conservative lawmakers Saturday at the White House, Trump discussed his options. They were not all military, said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who was among those attending. Shanahans biography on the Pentagons website does not list military experience for the longtime Boeing executive. He earned a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington, then a masters degree in mechanical engineering as well as an MBA from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition to work in Boeings commercial airplanes programs, Shanahan was vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems and of Boeing Rotorcraft Systems. Mattis, a retired Marine Corps general, had been expected to retain his position as Pentagon chief through February. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, not the president, notified Mattis of Trumps decision to put in place Shanahan. Lolita C. Baldor is an Associated Press writer. BETHLEHEM, Pa. Away in a manger on Bethlehems public square, a woman approached a statue of the baby Jesus one dark, December night. Then she stole it. The theft, from a Nativity scene outside City Hall, raised alarm in this eastern Pennsylvania city that shares a name with the real Jesus Christs birthplace. When the missing baby Jesus was found, it had been damaged, and Bethlehems police chief had to glue its leg back on. Then the city took action, positioning a concealed security camera on baby Jesus and assigning police officers to monitor the footage. In the two years since, the statue has been left in peace, asleep on the hay as the camera, nicknamed the Jesus cam by some residents, rolls. If anybody looks real close, theyll see a crack in his leg, said Lynn Cunningham, a leader of the local chamber of commerce. Such manger larceny, in glaring violation of the Eighth Commandment, is also part of a sad national trend. This year, thieves have raided Nativity scenes in Tennessee, West Virginia, Minnesota and plenty of other places, and made off with Jesus figurines (and sometimes Mary and a donkey, too). The episodes, which have rattled Christian communities, have become so common that the owners of holiday displays have bolstered security. On church lawns and in downtown parks, baby Jesus is back in his manger, but often with a security camera rolling and a tether securing him to the ground. Some places have gone so far as to equip figurines with GPS devices. In West Bend, Wis., a baby Jesus figurine was stolen twice last year. Theories about why baby Jesus figurines have become targets are as abundant as the array of security measures dreamed up to protect them. Some owners of Nativity scenes, long a centerpiece of Christmas celebrations, suggest an erosion of faith may be at the root. How else could someone walk away with the main character in a display honoring Jesus birth some 2,000 years ago in a Bethlehem stable? Others, though, say these are merely thoughtless teenage pranks. Mitch Smith is a New York Times writer. WASHINGTON President Trump was meeting with his Homeland Security secretary and other officials Monday to discuss border security issues as a partial government shutdown over his U.S.-Mexico border wall entered Christmas without a clear resolution in sight. Though both sides have traded offers, they remain far apart on the wall. The White House insists Trump will reject any deal that does not include money for a wall or fence; Democrats were holding firm in their opposition to a wall or other physical barrier. In a joint statement Monday, the Democratic leaders, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco, said as long as Trump keeps listening to the Freedom Caucus and others on the right flank, there is no easy resolution to the impasse. Its Christmas Eve and President Trump is plunging the country into chaos, the leaders said. They pointed to problems beyond the shutdown, including the plunging stock market and the presidents firing of the defense secretary. The president wanted the shutdown, but he seems not to know how to get himself out of it. White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said a counteroffer was presented over the weekend to Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York. Mulvaney would only say the offer was between Trumps $5.7 billion request and $1.3 billion Democrats have offered. A Democratic aide granted anonymity to discuss the private talks confirmed the White House offered $2.5 billion, an initial $2.1 billion plus $400 million Democrats called a slush fund for the presidents other immigration priorities. Trump chimed in from the White House, where he has been cooped up since the shutdown began after midnight Friday. I am all alone (poor me) in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come back and make a deal on desperately needed Border Security, Trump tweeted. At some point the Democrats not wanting to make a deal will cost our Country more money than the Border Wall we are all talking about. Crazy! Trump put off plans to head to his Florida estate for Christmas and remained in Washington. First lady Melania Trump was returning from Florida to spend the holiday with him at the White House. The president scheduled a border security meeting Monday afternoon at the White House with Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and other department officials, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. Senate negotiators were continuing talks behind the scenes with Democrats and Republicans. The House and Senate briefly gaveled into session on Christmas Eve before closing again with no further action. In their statement, Pelosi and Schumer said different people from the same White House are saying different things about what the president would accept or not accept to end his Trump Shutdown, making it impossible to know where they stand at any given moment. Trump promised during the campaign to build a border wall. Progress toward funding the wall has been slow and Trump sees the final days of the GOPs complete control of Congress as his last chance to force the issue. Some Republicans also oppose building a wall. Darlene Superville and Lisa Mascaro are an Associated Press writers. WASHINGTON A top White House official signaled Sunday that President Trump is willing to accept less money than hes been demanding to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall, but a senior congressional Democrat said that, while their own offer could be sweetened, they still will not agree to a wall. The back and forth across the television airwaves did little to inspire hope that a Christmas season closure of some federal government operations would end later this week, when the House and Senate are scheduled to meet again. In fact, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney warned that the shutdown could stretch into January, when a new Congress is seated. Mulvaney, who also runs the White House budget office, said hes awaiting a response from Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York after the administration on Saturday presented Schumer with a counteroffer in the long-running dispute over funding the wall. Mulvaney withheld specifics but placed the offer at between Trumps $5.7 billion request and $1.3 billion Democrats are offering. We moved off of the five and we hope they move up from their 1.3, Mulvaney said. The directors comment about the presidents softening stance came less than 24 hours after a senior administration official insisted to reporters on Saturday that Congress give into Trumps demands, highlighting the unpredictable nature of Trumps negotiating style. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., argued instead for increasing the use of technology along the border instead of building some medieval wall. Asked whether hes willing to increase the price tag as long as the money is not spent on a wall, Durbin responded: Absolutely. A stalemate over the wall led parts of the government to shut down Saturday after funding for numerous departments and agencies expired. The closure, affecting hundreds of thousands of federal workers across the country, was expected to last at least through late this week after the House and Senate, which each met in a rare weekend session, adjourned until Thursday. Monday and Tuesday, Christmas Eve and Christmas, respectively, are federal holidays, meaning the federal government would already be closed. Wednesday is the first day the public could begin to feel the effects of a shutdown, Mulvaney said. Trump faced resistance from some Republicans. Appearing on CNN, retiring Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, called the battle for border wall funding a made-up fight so the president can look like hes fighting. Mulvaney appeared on Fox News Sunday and ABCs This Week. Durbin spoke on NBCs Meet the Press. Darlene Superville is an Associated Press writer. A tent city in the Texas desert that came to symbolize the mass detention of immigrant children by the Trump administration will most likely be closed within weeks. An official with BCFS, the shelter operator that has run the encampment in Tornillo, Texas, said late Sunday that the expectation was that by Jan. 15, all 2,500 children would be on their way to a parent or sponsor in the United States. By mid-January, the children should be all released, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Were not extending our contract with the government. The official said BCFSs contract would expire Dec. 31 and that it would be extended daily until all the children were released from the Tornillo shelter. Some children at Tornillo have been there since it opened in June, and minors at other shelters have been stuck for about a year. In shutting the shelter, BCFS would disassemble tents, bring down power lines and cart away the furnishings including bunk beds, washers and dryers, and medical equipment that had turned the site into a minicity for adolescents. Most had traveled to the United States from Central America to flee violence and poverty. Rep. Beto ORourke, D-Texas, had said earlier Sunday that the chief executive of BCFS had told him that minors were no longer being admitted to the sprawling Tornillo facility, which sits in his district on a barren patch of land about 35 miles from El Paso. Even if BCFS folds up the tent city at Tornillo, the government could try to find another operator to erect a shelter there. Evelyn Stauffer, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services, did not confirm that the tent city would close. In response to questions, she said in a statement that the agency was working for the release of the minors as soon as possible. Our focus is always on the safety and best interest of each child, the statement said. ORourke said that since opening in June, the tent city had cost taxpayers $144 million, a figure the shelter official did not dispute. The price of sheltering a minor at Tornillo is about $400 a day compared with about $200 in brick-and-mortar locations. The impending closing of Tornillo follows a recent policy reversal by the Trump administration that is designed to speed up the release of about 15,000 minors who have been parked for months in about 100 shelters across the country. After a lull during President Trumps first year in office, the number of immigrant youths making the journey alone to the U.S. border soared in 2018. At its peak, nearly 3,000 minors were warehoused at Tornillo, which originally was intended to provide temporary housing. The facility opened in June with about 360 teenagers and its population swelled. Most of the children at Tornillo were transferred there from other facilities. BCFS, which is based in San Antonio, runs six other shelters in Texas and California with about 1,000 total beds. Miriam Jordan is a New York Times reporter. WASHINGTON Irritated with the criticism and fallout from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resignation, President Trump on Sunday pushed the Pentagon chief out the door two months earlier than planned, an acrimonious end to a tense relationship that had eroded in recent months. In a series of tweets, Trump appeared to questions why he had put Mattis in his Cabinet in the first place, and said deputy defense secretary Patrick Shanahan will take over as acting secretary on Jan. 1 to cover the accelerated departure. The sudden change strips Mattis of any chance to further frame national security policy or smooth rattled relations with allies through the originally planned transition at the end of February. And it reflects White House displeasure with the retired Marine Corps generals blistering resignation letter, which he delivered to Trump on Thursday. Mattis resigned in protest over Trumps decision to pull all U.S. troops out of Syria. U.S. officials, however, said the reaction to his decision to leave including the shock and dismay expressed on Capitol Hill annoyed Trump and likely led to Mattis leaving earlier than planned. Lt. Col. Joseph Buccino, a spokesman for Shanahan, said the former Boeing executive will accept the appointment as acting secretary. Deputy Secretary will continue to serve as directed by the president, and the Department of Defense will remain focused on the defense of the nation, Buccino said Sunday. It is unusual for the Pentagon to have an acting secretary of defense. Historically when a secretary has resigned, he has stayed on until a successor is confirmed. For example, when Chuck Hagel was told to resign in November 2014, he stayed in office until Ash Carter was confirmed the following February. While Mattis resignation followed Trumps announcement that he would soon pull all of the approximately 2,000 U.S. troops out of Syria, officials said that the decision was the result of an accumulation of disagreements. In a stunning resignation letter, Mattis made clear he did not see eye to eye with a president who has expressed disdain for NATO and doubts about keeping troops in Asia. Earlier Sunday, Trumps acting chief of staff said Trump had known for quite some time now that he and Mattis did not share some of the same philosophies ... have the same world view. Mick Mulvaney told ABCs This Week that the president and his defense chief just could never get on the same page on Syria, adding that Trump had said since his presidential campaign that he wanted to get out of Syria. Shanahan was nominated for the deputy job in early 2017. He moved up through the management ranks at Boeing Co. over a career that began in 1986. The Puget Sound Business Journal called him a Boeing fix-it man in a March 2016 report. He oversaw the companys global supply chain strategies and use of advanced manufacturing technologies. Shanahan was central to getting the 787 Dreamliner on track after production problems in the programs early years, the report said. Lolita C. Baldor is an Associated Press writer. NEW YORK After his appearance in Manhattan led to a brawl, the founder of a far-right group, the Proud Boys, said it was little more than a fun, silly, mens club that had defended itself against an attack by leftist protesters. But two months later, as prosecutors move ahead with charges, the all-male Proud Boys group is in disarray. Ten members have been arrested in connection with the violence, charged with riot and attempted assault as part of an investigation into their activities. The Proud Boys have been widely condemned as a hate group. Facebook and Instagram have banned the group. The Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled it a hate group. An organization called New York City Antifa, whose members describe themselves as anti-fascists, has named the Proud Boys who were involved in the violence and has posted details about their lives on Twitter. Even the founder, Gavin McInnes, has distanced himself, announcing on YouTube in late November that he was quitting the group in all capacities, forever. His departure left the Proud Boys without a figurehead, though the group has since said in an online message that, Were not going anywhere. Though McInnes has said he disavows racism, he wrote that prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer comes across as perfectly reasonable in conversation, and he said Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., who is black, is kind of like Sambo. When he quit the group, he blamed rumors and lies and terrible journalism for undermining the greatest fraternal organization in the world. This whole idea of white nationalists and white supremacy is a crock, he added. Such people dont exist. At the same time, previously unreleased video, obtained by The New York Times, shows that the Proud Boys initiated the attack in Manhattan against a handful of anti-fascist protesters, not the other way around, as McInnes had initially said. Prosecutors said at court appearances for some of the accused Proud Boys members that video evidence will prove that the Proud Boys started the fight. Asked about the Proud Boys, John Miller, the NYPDs deputy police commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism, confirmed that incidents like this make it more likely that theyll be higher on the radar. Enrique Tarrio, chairman of the administrative chapter of the Proud Boys, maintained that the group repudiates hate and racism and pointed out it has ordered white supremacists to leave its events in the past. The violence started on Oct. 12 shortly after McInnes gave a speech at the Metropolitan Republican Club on East 83rd Street, a bastion of establishment conservatism. Outside a crowd of left-wing protesters chanted No Nazis, No KKK, No fascist USA. After the event, police kept the attendees and protesters separate, but a handful of leftists, wearing masks, circled the block and tried to intercept the Proud Boys on East 82d Street, police said. The security video from a nearby building shows that at 8:19 p.m. two men in Proud Boys shirts, Maxwell Hare and Geoffrey Young, strode briskly east from Park Avenue on 82nd Street toward about six protesters some 100 feet away. Then, Hare charged the leftists, and a protester threw a plastic water bottle, which sailed past him, the video shows. Hare crashed into one of the protesters, hurling punches. Just before he charged, another video filmed by a freelance videographer recorded that someone yelled: Proud Boys! You ready? Proud Boys! Within seconds more men rushed down the block from Park Avenue and joined the fray, the two videos show. The brawl lasted about 60 seconds. A third video filmed by a man who was with the Proud Boys showed Hare and others after the fight exulting about smashing the head of a foreigner. Both Young and Hare have pleaded not guilty and claim through their lawyers they were attacked. One challenge facing prosecutors is that the victims of the attack have refused to cooperate with authorities, which means the case will rely heavily on videos from security cameras and onlookers. The indictment refers to the victims as Shaved Head, Pony Tail, Khaki and Spiky Belt. The identity of these Antifa members remains unknown, Joshua Steinglass, an assistant district attorney, told a judge at an arraignment for seven of the defendants on Dec. 14. The people who turned out to hear McInnes speak at the Metropolitan Republican Club in October represented a cross-section of New Yorks far-right subculture: libertarians, conspiracy theorists and nationalists who have coalesced around their opposition to Islam, feminism and liberal politics. Irvin Antillon, 49, who is accused of kicking protesters on the ground, is a member of a Latino skinhead group, Batallon 49, who traveled to Charlottesville last year for the Unite the Right rally, where an anti-racist protester was killed, experts said. In one online photograph, he poses shirtless, showing off tattoos of Nazi symbols. Hare, 26, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was filmed in early October punching leftist protesters at a Resist Marxism rally outside the statehouse in Providence, Rhode Island, and traveled to another far-right rally in Portland, Oregon, in August, where Vice News Tonight filmed him wearing what appeared to be a bulletproof vest. Young, 38, of Rockland County, New York, who is accused of punching and kicking three people, has called Muslims a virus who feed off the host nation until its dead in an online video. Since McInnes founded the Proud Boys two years ago in New York, the group has sprouted chapters across the country. Its members have clashed several times with leftist protesters at political events and have shown up at far-right rallies also attended by white nationalists and other extremists. Tarrio said Proud Boys members cannot control who else shows up to large gatherings like Unite the Right. He himself said he brought a camera to document events at the deadly Unite the Right rally, where hundreds of white supremacists marched unmasked in Charlottesville, chanting anti-Semitic slogans and carrying shields. President Donald Trump later blamed the hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides. I think the president was correct in saying that there were good people on both sides and bad people on both sides, Tarrio said. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Sheep are seen at a sheep-breeding company in Lyushan Town of Changxing County, east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 23, 2018. A company with 9,000 Hu sheep in Changxing has been developed into a poverty-alleviation base as local government encourages farmers to shake off poverty through raising the sheep. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) 4 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) San Francisco police on Sunday arrested a 22-year-old man suspected of shooting and killing a victim in the city's Excelsior neighborhood on Saturday. Police responded to the 500 block of Naples Street at 11:45 p.m. and found a man suffering from a gunshot wound who died at the scene. An investigation led police to identify 22-year-old San Francisco resident Jonathan Escobar as the suspect. Police served a search warrant at a home in the 2800 block of 24th Street on Sunday at 11 p.m. The suspect fled out of a window onto the roof of the home and did not comply with orders, according to police. Tactical officers then entered the home and arrested Escobar after a three-hour standoff. He was booked into San Francisco County Jail on suspicion of homicide. The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to call a 24-hour police tip line at (415) 575-4444. 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. At least one person has died following a shooting in downtown Oakland on Sunday night, according to police. The shooting occurred around 9:40 p.m. Sunday in the 2100 block of Franklin Street, police at the scene said. The victim wasn't identified and nobody else was injured. Several units and police officers were at the scene of the shooting. Shell casings were on the ground on Franklin Street in front of at least one nightclub and evidence markers were also seen across the street as well. A crowd of about 10 people who may have known the victim were seen gathering outside of crime scene tape and requesting to see his body, which was still outside per witness reports. One woman at the scene screamed in anguish and anger, throwing her cellphone across the street in frustration as police declined to let her cross crime scene tape to see the victim. No further information is immediately available. The persistence of "king tides" has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a coastal flood advisory from 10 a.m. through 2 p.m. today, impacting low-lying areas along the coast and inland bays. "King tide" isn't really a scientific term, but rather a catch-all description of the higher-than-normal tides that often accompany a new or full moon. Other weather-related noted for early this coming week: * Rainfall of between one-quarter and 1 inch is expected over much of the Bay Area well into today, spurred by a cold front coming in. There also could be sporadic lightning and thunder. * Heavy winds are possible starting late this afternoon and going into Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service says. * Cold overnight temperatures -- low- to mid-40s along the coast and San Francisco Bay shorelines, down into the 30s in inland valleys - are expected starting Wednesday night. At least one person has died following a solo-vehicle crash on State Highway 1 in unincorporated Sonoma County near Bodega Bay early this morning, according to the California Highway Patrol. The CHP said the crash was first reported around 12:39 a.m. near the Salmon Creek Beach Ranger Station. A vehicle reportedly went off a cliff and caught fire. According to the CHP, there are no other injuries. No further information is immediately available. Two people were injured, and one of them was arrested, after a two-vehicle collision Sunday night that snarled traffic on U.S. Highway 101 in and near Redwood City for hours, the California Highway Patrol said. The collision was reported about 7:50 p.m. Sunday after a Mazda MX-5 and a Hyundai Sonata sedan collided on northbound 101 near the Whipple Road interchange in Redwood City, said CHP Officer Dave Morey. Specifics about how the collision occurred are still being investigated, Morey said, but the Mazda ended up on its roof. The driver of the Mazda, a man whose name was not available Sunday night, suffered moderate injuries, and was taken to Stanford Medical Center for treatment. He also was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, Morey said. Two people were in the Hyundai. The adult driver suffered moderate injuries, Morey said, and a 6-year-old passenger in the back seat was not injured. The actions of both drivers are still under investigation, Morey said. San Francisco police are still investigating the shooting death of a man whose body was found late Saturday night in the Excelsior neighborhood, police said Sunday night. Police responded at about 11:45 p.m. Saturday to a to residence in the 500 block of Naples Street, between Persia and Russia avenues. There, a man with a gunshot wound was found. Police Officer Robert Rueca said the man, whose name has not yet been released, was pronounced dead at the scene. No further information about the circumstances of the man's death was available Sunday, Rueca said. A motorcyclist was injured in Pleasanton Sunday afternoon when, while speeding away from police, he slammed into the back of a car and was thrown from his cycle, Pleasanton police said. The unidentified motorcyclist was seen by police about 2:30 p.m. headed east on Stoneridge Drive at Hopyard Road at a high rate of speed, police said. Officers tried to pull the motorcyclist over, but he instead sped up and, a few blocks east at Hacienda Drive, hit the back of another vehicle and was thrown into the air. Police gave immediate medical aid to the motorcyclist, who was soon taken to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley for treatment of what Pleasanton police said are non-life-threatening injuries. No one else was injured. The busy intersection of Stoneridge and Hacienda Drives was closed for almost three hours as the motorcyclist was treated and police investigated the scene. Chevron's Richmond refinery experienced a "Level 1" flaring incident Saturday afternoon, spurred by an "upset" at a process unit, a Chevron spokesman said Sunday night. The flaring, a burning of excess gases in the refining process, resulted in a flame visible from public property. A Community Warning System Level 1 advisory was issued to Richmond residents near the refinery. Chevron spokesman Brian Hubinger said Sunday night that Level 1 is the lowest rating on the CWS scale, and that Saturday's flaring did not pose any environmental or health risk to the community. Such flaring, he said, is done to relieve pressure during the refining process. Hubinger would not say what specific "upset" or possible malfunction occurred to spur the flaring, but said the flaring did not last long. A 16-year-old at-risk boy who was reported missing on Sunday night has been found early this morning, according to Fremont police. Elandrei Pelisok went missing in the area of Lexington Street and Country Drive around 10 p.m. Sunday, near Fremont Boulevard, where he ran away from family members while out on a walk. No further information is immediately available. At least one person has been injured after a shooting in Vacaville early this morning, according to police. Police reported the shooting around 1:30 a.m. in the 300 block of Bel Air Drive. Nobody else was injured. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call police at (707) 449-5242. No further information was immediately available. 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) One person died and two people were injured, including a San Francisco firefighter, in an early morning blaze in the Laurel Heights neighborhood, fire officials said. Crews responded to the two-alarm fire shortly before 1 a.m., at a three-story home in the 3800 block of Clay Street. An elderly man died in the blaze and an elderly woman was rescued and taken to a hospital in critical condition, San Francisco Fire Department Lt. Jonathan Baxter said. The names of the victims have not been released. A firefighter, injured while trying to enter the burning home, suffered burns and was treated and released from a hospital, Baxter said. The fire started on the home's second floor, and spread to the third floor. What sparked the fire is under investigation. 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 man and woman suspected of gunning down two Sonoma County residents during a 2016 marijuana heist were arrested last week in Austin, Texas, authorities said today. Robert Lee Randolph Jr., 30 and Maria Teresa Lebron, both from the Philadelphia area, were taken into custody without incident at an Austin apartment on Friday afternoon, according to Sonoma County sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Spencer Crum. The pair are suspected in the Oct. 15, 2016 shooting deaths of 36-year-old Nathan Proto of Sebastopol and 28-year-old John Mariana of Guerneville. A 23-year-old unidentified woman was also shot in the head but survived. Investigators believe the shootings happened during a marijuana robbery at a home off Hwy 116, south of Sebastopol in unincorporated Sonoma County. The suspects fled before authorities arrived and were back on the east coast before investigators determined who they were. Sheriff's detectives traveled to the east coast to find them, but the pair eluded arrest, Crum said. Sheriff's detectives worked with the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and various law enforcement agencies to track the suspects down. On Friday, around 1:30 p.m., the FBI and local police followed leads that led to the Austin apartment, where a SWAT team served an arrest warrant. Drugs and at least one weapon were seized at the apartment and Lebron and Randolph were booked into a jail in Austin, Crum said. Detectives from the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office traveled to Austin over the weekend to interview the suspects. They will remain there pending extradition to Sonoma County, where they will face criminal charges in the 2016 deaths and robbery, Crum said. 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. Which neighborhood experienced the highest gain in year-over-year median sales price (over 50 percent!) and which neighborhood experienced the biggest decline? These 2018 real estate figures might surprise you. Mixed results Traditional wisdom says the lower-priced neighborhoods have the most room to grow. But San Francisco real estate regularly thumbs its nose at tradition. 2018 was no different. Among the top 10 areas for year-over-year appreciation, we see both formerly less expensive neighborhoods and neighborhoods that have always been expensive. For an example of the latter, take Presidio Heights. Here we see a location that was one of the city's priciest sales in 2017, when the median sale price was $3.610 million. Yet based on 40 transactions, Presidio Heights prices grew almost 25 percent year-over-year, landing at a median of $4.5 million. Pricey performance Neighborhoods with "heights" or "wood" in them are among S.F.'s most expensive, having established themselves early in the city's history as wealthy enclaves. Some of these traditionally pricey neighborhoods like Presidio Heights (up 24.58 percent), Sea Cliff (up 11.11 percent) and St. Francis Wood (up 3.81 percent) all gained in sales price. Meanwhile, Pacific Heights, despite hosting the most expensive sale of the year (2920 Broadway closed in October for $39 million), posted a decline in price down 7.9 percent from 2017. Clarendon Heights is also down, 14.48 percent. This is the steepest drop of any neighborhood on the list. The biggest positive gain, year-over-year Lone Mountain is 2018's biggest winner in terms of appreciation. It demonstrates that sometimes a less pricey neighborhood will experience more dramatic growth since there's room to grow in the first place. In 2017, Lone Mountain recorded a median sale of $1.385 million. In 2018, based on 16 transactions, that median increased an eye-popping 57.40 percent. Now the median for Lone Mountain sits at $2.18 million. Mt. Davidson Manor and Ingleside Terrace also gained considerable appreciation: 27.23 percent and 25.36 percent, respectively. The gallery above offers more in-depth infographics from the PropertyShark study used to compose this article, as well as a few of the homes sold in SF's most (and least) appreciated neighborhoods for 2018. What's on tap for 2019? Now's the time to make your predictions. With San Francisco, anything goes. Anna Marie Erwert writes from both the renter and new buyer perspective, having (finally) achieved both statuses. She focuses on national real estate trends, specializing in the San Francisco Bay Area and Pacific Northwest. Follow Anna on Twitter: @AnnaMarieErwert SIDON, Lebanon Rozan Qarqour lives with her husband and six children in a tiny room in an unfinished building, where they share a bathroom with other Syrian refugees. Her husband sells paper cups of cardamom-flavored Arabic coffee on the streets of the Lebanese port city of Sidon to earn a few dollars to buy bread and vegetables. But despite their dismal life in Lebanon, the family, which fled Syrias central province of Hama six years ago, has no plans to return home. Nor do the 160 other families who live in the Ouzai compound or most of the other 1.2 million Syrian refugees who live in Lebanon. I will not take my children back to death and hunger, said Qarqour, 32, as she sat with other women on the floor cutting fava beans that would later be cooked with rice on a small gas burner. A much touted Russian initiative to facilitate the return of refugees of Syrias 7-year-old war from around the region appears to have fizzled out, with only a tiny fraction of the nearly 6 million who fled their country since the start of the conflict in March 2011 returning home. The Russian military says 114,000 Syrians have gone home since the beginning of 2018. The U.N. refugee agency says it has verified only 37,000 refugees who have voluntarily returned this year. Syrias war has displaced half the pre-war population of 23 million people, of which 5.6 million have fled the country. In Lebanon, where Syrians make up nearly a quarter of the population, most of the refugees say they intend to stay put, citing economic concerns, ongoing fighting and destroyed homes. The Qarqour familys region of Sahel al-Ghab is still in rebel hands and often gets bombed by the government, and their home has been destroyed. There are no jobs there, Qarqour says, and she hopes they can resettle in a third country. The fighting has wound down after seven years of brutal war. Using overwhelming military force, and with the help of Russian air power and Iranian-backed militias on the ground, President Bashar Assad has retaken key cities and major population centers in Syria. But most refugees say they do not feel safe returning while the government they fled is still in place. Russia, a key ally of Assad, is eager to show a return to normalcy in Syria and has pushed to repatriate Syrians who fled. However, the U.N. has expressed concern about a premature return before the situation stabilizes and without guarantees for returning refugees. Bassem Mroue is an Associated Press writer. PARIS French authorities on Sunday defended aggressive police actions to contain violence at yellow vest protests after a police officer was seen briefly brandishing a gun at a surging crowd in Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron called for the most severe legal repercussions against violent protesters. After a sixth straight weekend of demonstrations by the grassroots movement demanding more help for French workers, Macron called for order, calm and unity while on a visit to Chad this weekend. The numbers of protesters were sharply down Saturday from previous weekends, and most of their actions were peaceful. But violence again erupted in Paris, with protesters throwing projectiles and chasing police, who fired tear gas and water cannons. A video of the gun-wielding police officer surrounded by protesters near the Champs-Elysees circulated widely online. He briefly pulled out the weapon after being pushed off his motorcycle and did not fire, but the threat of lethal action shocked many in France. He and other police then fled the scene. Many protesters have denounced what they describe as disproportionate actions by police against the protesters, including multiple beatings also captured on video. Hundreds of people have been injured in the clashes, mainly protesters but also police officers and journalists. Police say theyre acting in self-defense. The officer with the gun did the right thing. It allowed a moment of pause, which allowed my colleagues to leave the scene safely, said Rocco Contento of the French police union Unite FGP. Its a deterrent. Contento called the move exceptional, but said police are allowed to pull their guns if they are physically threatened. And he said while the yellow vest protests seem to be abating, police are seeing a growing intensity of violence against security forces. He called for tough sentences against those who intentionally target officers. Sixty people were in custody Sunday after Saturdays violence in the capital, according to the Paris prosecutors office. Elsewhere, protesters attacked French prefectures and city halls from Nantes in the west to Carcassonne in the south. Still the arrests and the damage were smaller than in previous weeks, and tourists and residents were able to walk around Paris more freely. The interior minister praised the professionalism and composure of security forces and called for a national debate to addresses the protesters economic concerns. Macron already has bowed to several of the yellow vest movements demands to reduce taxes but many protesters want more concessions. Angela Charlton is an Associated Press writer. BEIRUT Turkish-backed Syrian fighters said Monday they are preparing to move into eastern Syria alongside Turkish troops once American forces withdraw, and that they are already massing on the front line of a town held by Kurdish-led forces. Meanwhile, a Syrian Kurdish official said her group is reaching out for help to protect the Kurdish-administered areas against a possible Turkish offensive following the U.S. withdrawal. We will deal with whoever can protect the good and stability of this country, said Ilham Ahmed, a senior Kurdish official. Ahmed said her group is in discussions with Russia, the Syrian government and European countries on ways to deal with the U.S. withdrawal. She didnt elaborate. President Trump has said the withdrawal from Syria will be slow and coordinated with Turkey, without providing a timetable. Turkey said the two countries are coordinating to ensure there is no authority vacuum once the U.S. troops leave. A Kurdish-led force captured much of northern and eastern Syria from the Islamic State group with the help of the U.S.-led coalition. Turkey views the Kurdish fighters as terrorists because of their links to a Kurdish insurgent group inside Turkey. A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Cmdr. Sean Robertson, said the execute order for withdrawal from Syria has been signed but provided no further details. Youssef Hammoud, of the Turkey-backed Syrian opposition forces, said their fighters and weapons have been deploying on the front line with Manbij, a Kurdish-administered town in northern Syria where U.S. troops are based. On Monday, Turkeys state-run Anadolu Agency reported that Turkey-backed Syrian forces had moved closer to Manbij, equipped with heavy weapons and armored vehicles. Manbij was at the center of an agreement the U.S. and Turkey reached in June under which Kurdish forces were to withdraw. In recent weeks, Turkey had said the U.S. was dragging its feet in implementing the deal and had vowed to launch a new offensive against the Kurds. Those threats, and a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week, appear to have triggered Trumps decision to withdraw all 2,000 U.S. forces based in Syria. Hammoud said there is no alternative except Turkish forces and allied Syrian fighters. He said up to 15,000 Syrian fighters trained in Turkey are ready to take part in the operation. He said the initial focus was on Manbij and areas just across the nearby Euphrates River. We are ready to fight Daesh, said Hammoud, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State. But the extremists are largely confined to a remote desert enclave hundreds of miles to the southeast of Manbij. Hammoud said they are now preparing to take on Manbij, adding that deploying to areas to the south will come later. The spokesman for the Kurdish-led Manbij Military Council, Sharfan Darwish, said his forces have taken measures to fend off any attack. Turkeys armed forces have led two offensives into Syria since 2016 to push Islamic State militants and Kurdish forces back from the border. The Kurdish-led forces still control around 30 percent of Syria, mostly in the east, including some of the richest oil fields. The Kurdish militia has expressed shock at the U.S. decision to withdraw, and now faces a triple threat from Turkey, the Syrian government and the Islamic State group. Ahmed, the senior Syrian Kurdish official, had just returned from a trip to France in which she called on Paris to play a larger role in Syria following the withdrawal of U.S. troops, warning that the main Kurdish militia may no longer be able to hold the hundreds of Islamic State militants held in prisons in northeastern Syria in case of a Turkish attack. I urge Trump to go back on his decision inciting Erdogan against the Syrian people in general and the Kurdish people in specific, and I call on him to return the favor, she said. Hundreds of Kurdish fighters died in the fight against Islamic State. Sarah El Deeb is an Associated Press writer. JERUSALEM Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government agreed Wednesday to hold early elections on April 9 after the ruling coalition appeared to come up short on votes needed to pass a contentious piece of court-ordered legislation. Netanyahu said his coalition unanimously agreed to disband the government. At a meeting of his Likud faction, he listed his accomplishments in office and said he hoped his current religious, nationalistic coalition would be the core of the next one as well. BEIRUT Turkey is massing troops near a town in northern Syria held by a U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led force, a war monitor said as Turkish media reported new reinforcements crossing the borders. The buildup comes even though Turkey said it would delay a promised offensive in eastern Syria in the wake of President Trumps decision to withdraw U.S. troops earlier this week. Trump tweeted Sunday that he had a long and productive call with Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in which they discussed the slow & highly coordinated pullout of U.S. troops from the area. U.S. military officials are scrambling to come up with a schedule for the withdrawal of an estimated 2,000 troops. The Trump decision surprised his allies and own experts, sparking the resignation of two of his top aides. On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron said he deeply regrets Trumps decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria and warned it could have dangerous consequences. Macron showered praise on U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who quit in the wake of Trumps unexpected move. An ally should be reliable, coordinate with other allies. Mattis understood this, Macron said during a trip to Chad. Macron said that the troop withdrawal endangers Kurdish fighters, who were instrumental in the U.S-led coalitions fight against Islamic State militants. Turkey however welcomed the Trumps decision. Ankara views the Kurdish militia at the heart of Syrian Democratic Forces as an extension of the insurgency within its borders. Erdogan has vowed to dislodge the Kurdish fighters from along its border with Syria. The U.S. had partnered with the Syrian Kurdish militia to drive out Islamic State militants since 2014. But the partnership had soured relations between Ankara and Washington. Allaying some of Turkeys fears was a deal reached in June according to which U.S. and Turkish troops would patrol the area around the Syrian town of Manbij. But Ankara says the U.S. and the Kurdish militia didnt live up to their end of the deal and that it would start an offensive in eastern Syria to drive out the militia. Erdogan said he would delay the eastern Syria offensive and would work on plans to clear Islamic State from the region. On Sunday, the Turkish IHA news agency reported that a convoy of Turkish troops a commando unit had been sent into Syria overnight. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the reinforcements were sent to the front line with Manbij, where U.S. troops have been based. The Observatory said 50 vehicles crossed into Syria carrying troops and equipment. Sarah El Deeb is an Associated Press writer. 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 Abha Singh, a former bureaucrat, was invited by the School of International & Public Affairs, Columbia University, USA, as a speaker at the 'India Dialogues' a day-long conference of policy practitioners, academicians, future policy-leaders, media and the Indian Diaspora in America, held at Columbia University (New York). The primary focus of her speech was the impact of the #Me Too movement on the corporate culture in India. She presented some hard-hitting facts to depict the plight of sexual harassment in India. The conference was graced by leading dignitaries like eminent policymakers, economists, activists that include Rajiv Mehrishi, Comptroller & Auditor General, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Fmr. Dy. Chairman, Planning Commission, Dr. Ratna Sahay, Dy. Director IMF, & Dr. Poonam Gupta, Dy. Director World Bank. Explaining the provisions, Adv. Abha lamented the fact that many companies had not formed Internal Complaints Committees (ICC) to address the problems, thereby brazenly violating the Prevention Of Sexual Harassment Act (POSH Act). The rise of the #MeToo movement can be directly attributed to the failure of the POSH Act to curb sexual harassment and the absence of any strict punishment therein. Concluding on it she stressed the need to amend the Act by incorporating criminal liability for non-compliance with its provisions. She suggested that the strictness of the punishment should be increased by declaring an accused person as 'Deemed Guilty'. Only then, she argued, would Corporate India be able to curb sexual harassment which has brought tremendous infamy to the country and has impeded the rise of women up the ranks. She ended her talk with words of encouragement, saying, "you are not a victim for sharing your story, you are a survivor for setting the world on fire with your truth". She strongly believes that any sexual act against a woman should not be treated as a stigma which will make the women feel shameful; instead, it should be treated as a crime which will make the predator ashamed. Abha is a social activist & lawyer practising before the Bombay High Court. She has an MPhil in Child Rights from the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi and has been a TEDx speaker at Oxford University. She has made considerable contributions in the realm of womens rights, gender equality and justice. She is often regarded as one of the most outspoken & socially conscious lawyers of Mumbai. She has been an active participant in some of the major celebrity cases as well as social cases such as the Salman Khan hit & run case, and the AIB roast case. She also runs an NGO by the name Rann-Samar through which she provides free legal assistance to helpless woman & slum dwellers who have been unfairly persecuted by local authorities for land that is rightfully theirs. She has adopted a village in Dadaura in Barabanki where the NGO is working for women empowerment and is also running a free legal Aid Centre in Dharavi. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- inDriver, an international ride-hailing app that allows riders to negotiate their own price directly with drivers, recently launched in New York City, including on Staten Island. New Yorkers continue to be squeezed every day, whether it is outer borough passengers being priced out of rides, or drivers being forced to work long hours without being able to make ends meet, said Arsen Tomsky, CEO and founder of inDriver. "We are thrilled to enter the New York market and put ownership of the ride-hailing experience back in the hands of both the passenger and the driver. The global ride-hailing service, used by over 14 million people across 160 international cities, uses a real-time deals (RTD) model that allows riders to set their own fare for their selected route. First, riders select their destination and are given a suggested price based off current prices from other ride-hailing apps in the area. Riders are given the option to offer their own price, up to 30 percent less than the suggested price. Drivers receive the offers and are given the opportunity to accept or respond with their own negotiated price. Riders then receive multiple offers from drivers in the area and are given the opportunity to select one based on fare amounts, driver ratings and estimated time of arrival. We are here to help underserved areas and transportation deserts, to help people get affordable trips and to allow them to be in charge of the price-making like they never have been before, said Sasha Ozeran, CEO of inDriver North America. inDriver prides itself on transparency and providing fair compensation to its drivers, allowing them to preview routes before accepting fares and giving more control over selecting rides without fear of penalty. For the first six months of operation in New York City, inDriver is charging its drivers a 0 percent commission fee, meaning the entire fare, outside of taxes, tolls and bank fees, will go to the drivers. After the first six months, inDriver will charge drivers between a 5 and 8 percent commission fee. Over 5,000 drivers have already signed up in the New York City market. On the drivers side, the drivers can still make a fair living, but with more transparency and more freedom where its truly an independent contractor model and they are really in charge of the trips theyd like to take, said Ozeran. inDriver is available now on Google Play and the AppStore. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- This is it. The day before Christmas is here, which can mean only one thing -- Santa is on his way! Despite the federal government shutdown, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, has launched its 63rd year of helping families track Santas journey from the North Pole on Christmas Eve. The folks at NORAD welcome Santa to their Colorado headquarters every year for practice runs. Then, he returns to the North Pole to finish up his Christmas preparations. The NORAD website features games for children, holiday music and online reading material with a Christmas theme. Find out where Santa is on Christmas Eve by clicking here. For 60 years, NORAD and its predecessor, the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) have tracked Santas flight. The tradition began in 1955, after a Colorado Springs-based Sears Roebuck & Co. advertisement misprinted the telephone number for children to call Santa. Instead of reaching Santa, the phone number put kids through to the CONAD commander-in-Chiefs operations hotline. Instead of hanging up, staff members gave children updates on Santas location, and a tradition was born. In 1958, the governments of Canada and the United States created a bi-national air defense command for North America called the North American Aerospace Defense Command, also known as NORAD, which then took on the tradition of tracking Santa. And, since last year, you can ask Alexa, Amazons artificial intelligence software, for fun facts about Santa, as well as where he is and when hell reach your house. Once a parent gives permission, Alexa will contact NORAD for you, and produce a report. Visit Amazon.com for more information about this function. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Christmas is upon us, and its no surprise that people across the country have used Google to help handle the holiday season. Google Trends data found that the most searched term in New York this Christmas was Amazon.com. In fact, Amazon.com was the most Googled term in the entire United States for Christmas 2018. SatelliteInternet.com analyzed the data and came up with a list of what every state is Googling around Christmastime. How did we find these strange Christmas Google searches? With a twist of a nose and a wink of an eye, of course, said SatelliteInternet.com on its website. Okay, okay, not really. Instead, we gathered a list of popular Christmas-related internet searches and used Google Trends to match those searches with the states googling them on December 25, 2017. Among some the most interesting findings include: 1. Where to buy coal? was a popular search term in Ohio. 2. Is the Grinch real?" was on the minds of those in Texas. 3. Those in Alabama were wondering where to find last-minute Christmas deals." 4. And those in Louisiana were wondering about fast food open on Christmas. 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! Hungry Jack's and the federal government have come under fire from unions over the fast-food chain's involvement in a taxpayer-funded job placement program. The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) on Saturday shared what it said was a Hungry Jack's ad for internships over Christmas supported through the federal government's $840 million PaTH job placement program, which is designed to subsidise businesses to give young people work experience. Hungry Jack's internships have come under fire. Credit:Jamila Toderas "Hungry Jack's stores are ramping up recruitment for Christmas - and looking to help out young people with their first job!" the ad said. RAFFWU secretary Josh Cullinan said he was outraged that the government was funding these "rotten" internships. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin looked to quash big-bank worries over plunging stock markets and reports that President Donald Trump might move on his Federal Reserve chief by assuring the financial community on Sunday that market liquidity is in good shape. Some market participants, however, questioned why Mnuchin answered a question that no one was asking. Even after recent market losses, a liquidity squeeze or fresh financial crisis hadn't been on the market's mind. Mnuchin's assertion of ample liquidity risked raising doubts. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Sunday he had held a series of phone conversations with top American bankers. Credit:AP Mnuchin tweeted late Sunday afternoon that he'd called the chief executives of the nation's six largest banks and that those chiefs "confirmed they have ample liquidity available for lending to consumer, business markets, and all other market operations". Treasury also said Mnuchin would convene a call on Monday with the President's Working Group on financial markets. Even with US stock markets on the skids for weeks, and the federal government in a partial shutdown since Saturday, many market watchers wondered whether there's something more systemic going on. Firefighters have warned Canberrans to be vigilant while cooking this Christmas, after two accidental fires on Sunday night involved cooking appliances. ACT Fire and Rescue senior commander Brian Talbot said a crew isolated a fire on Sunday caused by a nine-kilogram gas cylinder on the balcony of an apartment on Beissel Street, Belconnen. "Initial investigations showed that the gas hose had likely perished, causing a gas leak," he said. "It's a reminder to check that gas hoses and equipment haven't perished in the winter months." Firefighters also attended an incident in an apartment on New South Wales Crescent at Forrest on Sunday night, after a small amount of paper left on a cooktop that was accidentally left on caused a slow-burning, smouldering fire. Vulnerable people are being lured into buying alcohol by extremely low upfront costs made possible by the boom in "buy now pay later" services, according to health groups calling for government intervention. The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) has urged the federal government to ban the sale of grog through services such as Afterpay and zipPay, which allow customers to buy and immediately receive items and pay for the purchase over time. With Afterpay, it's possible to pay as little as $1.56 for a bottle of wine. Credit:Marina Oliphant In its submission to a Senate inquiry into credit and financial services targeting struggling Australians, FARE warned that Afterpay and zipPay were increasing the availability and accessibility of alcohol products. "The use of 'buy now pay later' services for alcohol subverts established mechanisms to minimise harm to public health from alcohol, by enticing the consumer with a much lower upfront price," it said. People make snowmen on the frozen Songhua River in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Dec. 21, 2018. Altogether 2,019 cute snowmen will be displayed here before January 1, 2019 to greet the new year. (Xinhua/Wang Song) 11 1 [ Editor: zyq ] A seven-year-old Japanese boy has died after he was pulled unconscious from a far north Queensland lagoon hours after landing in the country on a family holiday. Lifeguards retrieved the boy from the water at the Cairns Esplanade Lagoon on Pier Point Road just before 4pm on Saturday. The Cairns lagoon where the boy's family holiday was tragically cut short on the weekend. Credit:Tourism Queensland Lifeguards began resuscitation efforts until paramedics arrived and the boy was taken to Cairns Hospital in a critical condition. Police confirmed his life support was turned off about noon on Sunday. Thousands of Christmas Eve shoppers have flocked to the Queen Victoria Market to snatch up the freshest produce for their festive celebrations, with some of them arriving before dawn. I walked in here this morning and there was people trying to get in the market to go shopping at 3:00 in the morning; can you believe that? said 65-year-old butcher Grant Horsley, who works for Amott Quality Meats. Amott Quality Meats owner Michael Amott (L) and Grant Horsley clean up after selling out all of their stock. Credit:Paul Rovere Mr Horsley said the market has been as packed as he'd seen it in the 40 years he has worked there Its been extra busy, he said, adding that Amott's had sold out by 10am. Seafood is the markets biggest pre-Christmas seller, with an estimated 20 tonnes of prawns expected to be sold during the five-day lead up to the big day. A shop assistant is in hospital after he attempted to stop a thief following an armed robbery in Perth's northern suburbs on Saturday. The man police wish to speak to over the robbery. Credit:WA Police The robbery happened just before 10pm when the man entered the bottle shop on Kingsway Road and threatened two staff members, demanding cash. He fled on foot followed by staff members who confronted him on Athenny Way as he was about to get into a dark coloured car, possibly a Nissan Navara utility. Police say the man struck one of the staff members with the bat and tried to hit the other before getting into the vehicle and driving off. A section of the popular Perth city Christmas Lights Trail has been vandalised just days before it was set to close for the holiday season. It's understood the giant Christmas Bauble outside the State Theatre Centre was ripped open by vandals at some point on Sunday evening, and has since been removed from the display. The bauble following the vandalism. Credit:City of Perth It will not be fixed in time for the Christmas Eve walkthroughs. In a statement, the City of Perth said it still encouraged people to come see the Christmas Lights Trail. Television producer and Indigenous activist Susan Moylan-Coombs is the first independent candidate to put her hand up to run against former prime minister Tony Abbott at the federal election, following months of anti-Abbott agitating by community activist groups in his Warringah electorate. Ms Moylan-Coombs will likely be joined by other independents in the new year, as high-profile locals eye off an opportunity after Kerryn Phelps' byelection victory in Malcolm Turnbull's former seat in nearby Wentworth. "I have an ability to understand the unique need of First Nations people in this country": Susan Moylan-Coombs. Credit:Louie Douvis The independent says she will pressure Mr Abbott on climate change policy and Indigenous affairs. "I am a mother and I care about the future of my children and the environment that we're going to leave behind for them," Ms Moylan-Coombs said. National governments demanded access to 163,823 Apple devices in the first half of 2018, according to figures released by the company. The latest Apple transparency report showed that it received 32,342 requests to access the contents of iPhones, iPads and other gadgets, a 9 per cent increase from the second half of 2017. Apple granted 80 per cent of requests worldwide. Credit:Bloomberg The tech giant, which granted 80 per cent of requests worldwide, disclosed the number of devices from which data was provided to governments. Australia made 2357 requests, of which 84 per cent were deemed legitimate, while the biggest applicant was Germany, with 13,704, and the United States, with 4570. The White House still has not released a long-awaited peace plan, and Monday's announcement could further delay its release. But critics say these gains have come at a deep price to Israel's democratic ideals. Netanyahu's hard-line government has promoted a series of laws that critics say are aimed at muzzling liberal critics and sidelining the minority Arab population. They point to wide gaps between rich and poor and high cost of living, and say that by neglecting the Palestinian issue and continuing to build settlements in the West Bank, the country is on the path to becoming an apartheid-like binational state. A man chants slogans next to a banner showing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a protest against the rising cost of living, in Tel Aviv recently. Credit:AP Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak called the election "the most fateful" since the assassination of then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995. "If we all act properly, on April 10 we will part with Netanyahu," he said on Hahadashot TV. "The state of Israel will get on a different path instead of this nationalist, racist, dark vision." Barak called for the country's dovish and centrist parties to band together in a unified "bloc" in a bid to topple Likud. Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, said the election was a battle for the "soul of the country." We will ask the voters for a clear mandate to continue leading the state of Israel our way. Benjamin Netanyahu to his party For now, there does not appear to be anyone with the popularity or gravitas to topple Netanyahu. One wild card is Benny Gantz, a popular former military chief who is flirting with the idea of entering politics. Opposition parties have been aggressively courting Gantz. But for now, he has not committed to joining any party. Loading Instead, the biggest threat appears to be posed by Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit, who must soon decide on whether to indict the prime minister. Earlier this month, police recommended that Netanyahu be charged with bribery for promoting regulatory changes worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the country's main telecom company Bezeq. In exchange, they believe Netanyahu used his connections with Bezeq's controlling shareholder to receive positive press coverage on the company's popular news site. Police have also recommended indicting Netanyahu on corruption charges in two other cases. One involves accepting gifts from billionaire friends, and the second revolves around alleged offers of advantageous legislation for a major newspaper in return for favourable press coverage. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and said he is the victim of a media-fuelled witch hunt. At Monday's Likud meeting, Netanyahu brushed off a reporter's question and said he expected the investigations to lead nowhere. Mandelblit has not said when he expects to make a decision. The Justice Ministry announced Monday that deliberations were continuing and were "not dependent on political events." Israeli law is unclear about whether a sitting prime minister must resign if charged with a crime, and Netanyahu has hinted that he will remain in office to fight any indictment. But criminal charges, and the distraction of a protracted legal battle, could fuel calls for him to step aside. A new bill extending conscription to Jewish ultra-Orthodox men appeared to be the final trigger. This is taboo for ultra-Orthodox parties. Finance Minister Moshe Kahlan, a key ally, said Monday that a prime minister "cannot serve" if he is indicted following a required hearing. Reuven Hazan, a political scientist at Israel's Hebrew University, said the campaign would be dominated by "a discussion of whether Netanyahu should stay after, if he is prosecuted." He said Netanyahu had settled on the April election, roughly seven months ahead of schedule, in part to "pre-empt" an indictment. The thinking is that it would be politically difficult for Mandelblit to indict, and potentially topple, a popular, newly re-elected prime minister. "If we all act properly, on April 10 we will part with Netanyahu". Former PM Ehud Barak, pictured here in 2008. "He wants to turn around to the attorney-general and say, 'Before you decide to prosecute me pay attention. The people of Israel have re-elected me for a fourth time,"' Hazan explained. An electoral victory would send a message that "you cannot overturn the results of a democratic election," he said. Netanyahu's coalition has been roiled by internal divisions for months. Avigdor Lieberman, leader of a small, ultranationalist party, resigned as defense minister last month to protest what he perceived to be the government's weak response to rocket attacks from Hamas-ruled Gaza. That left Netanyahu with a fragile majority of just 61 seats in the 120-seat parliament. But a new bill extending the military draft to Jewish ultra-Orthodox men appeared to be the final trigger for the government's downfall. Ultra-Orthodox parties consider conscription a taboo. As a deadline for the legislation loomed, his religious coalition partners were demanding the legislation be weakened. Earlier Monday, Lapid, a harsh critic of the religious parties, said he was rescinding his support for the draft bill, saying the planned compromise essentially rewarded draft dodgers. Dubai: The United Arab Emirates said on Monday that Princess Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum, daughter of Dubais ruler, was at home and living with her family. Rights groups had called on the UAE to disclose the whereabouts and condition of Sheikha Latifa, following reports in the international media that she was forcibly returned after fleeing the Gulf Arab state. A photo released by the UAE showing Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum, a daughter of Dubai's ruler, with Mary Robinson, a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former president of Ireland. Credit:UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs Her friends told reporters earlier this year that the last they saw of her was when commandos intercepted their sailboat in the Arabian Sea and dragged her away, kicking and screaming. She had been trying to escape her homeland with the help of a French ex-spy, saying she was being abused. Washington: US President Donald Trump says he is replacing Defence Secretary Jim Mattis two months earlier than had been expected, a move officials said was driven by Trump's anger at Mattis' resignation letter and its rebuke of his foreign policy. On Thursday, Mattis had abruptly said he was quitting, effective February 28, after falling out with Trump over his foreign policy, including surprise decisions to withdraw all troops from Syria and to start planning a drawdown in Afghanistan. Trump has come under withering criticism from fellow Republicans, Democrats and international allies over his decisions about Syria and Afghanistan, against the advice of his top aides and US commanders. The exit of Mattis, highly regarded by Republicans and Democrats alike, added to concerns over what many see as Trump's unpredictable, go-it-alone approach to global security. Trump said Deputy Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan would take over on an acting basis from January 1. Crossing the divide - automating security processes across physical, business and IT domains Security is a critical requirement for all organisations. Getting security right involves the correct mix of people, processes and technology working together. However, many enterprise companies dont look at the full mix that encompasses information security, and instead split their physical security and business continuity teams away from their IT security departments. According to research by ASIS, around half (52 per cent) of companies have converged two or three out of their physical, IT security and business continuity teams together, with the majority of those opting to bring together their continuity and physical security teams. Of those that have not brought teams together, around 70 per cent have no plans to do so. It's Important to bring all department's security together The reason for this is that cybersecurity is perceived as having a more specialist role within the business and that this prevents companies from bringing their departments together. However, while IT security has its own specialist requirements and skills, it should not be looked at alone. Businesses are looking at how to manage risk more effectively across all their operations, and they have problems when their teams are siloed and dont have the full picture. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has developed its own guide to this area, based on the growth of the Internet of Things and more connected devices entering both homes and businesses, so this will continue to grow in importance. The rise of automation The pace of change that companies face today, coupled with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, means that more organisations are moving to digital services and automating their operations as much as they can. Security is no exception here - according to our research on security and automation, 75 percent of companies say they would need an additional three or more analysts in place to deal with all their incoming alerts in the same day, while 83 percent say their teams face alert fatigue. IT security teams are drowning in data, but they feel unable to cope - yet at the same time, they will have to work more closely with other departments as well. Automation is necessary to deal with all these problems, but it should not be looked at in isolation. While IT security teams are keen to invest in automation using technologies like Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR), these investments can be used across both physical and IT security. As IT security teams invest in automation, they can adapt and extend their approach to help risk management and security in the physical world as well. The best approach to be successful around this is to look at areas where real-world and IT security challenges cross over for businesses. To adopt this approach successfully involves understanding business processes better. Fraud detection processes Automation involves using data and analytics to improve how a process operates from beginning to end, including where IT and technology is used to support physical interactions or activities. A good example of this would be a banks fraud detection process, where multiple digital and physical transactions have to be monitored and investigated. Bringing together different teams - physical security, business continuity, risk management and IT security - is about how to protect the whole organisation against risk. While the most well-known area for fraud investigation would be credit card transactions, there are multiple different types of transactions to track, from national and international wire transfers to prepaid phone cards and other prepaid cards that can be used for credit purchases. Each of these will have its own workflows and requirements to investigate a transaction, This can include looking at whether transactions are false positives or need further investigation, which is based on a mix of digital documentation for online purchases and physical data from in-person transactions. At the same time, the sophisticated nature of fraud can mean there is a large IT component to any investigation. Members of the IT security team may need to be involved alongside the anti-fraud department. While this investigation is necessary, it pulls analysts away from cybersecurity tasks, which can be especially frustrating where false positives are concerned. Instead, automating the investigation process can help. Consolidating Physical, IT and risk management By consolidating processes and automating the workflow, this pulls physical, IT and risk management together in a smarter and more efficient manner. It also improves productivity for an anti-fraud team as they can remove false positives from the workflow and get automated support for IT analysis. If the team needs more human insight, they can bring this in where they need it rather than requiring it for every investigation. While anti-fraud is one example of where this kind of convergence and collaboration is required, there are other use cases. For instance, industrial control and manufacturing applications that run production lines around the clock are frequently targeted for attacks, either to steal vital data or to disrupt business operations. This crosses over from the realm of IT into the world of operational technology, where systems are very different and the systems used may have been in place for years, even decades. Bringing together different teams - physical security, business continuity, risk management and IT security - is about how to protect the whole organisation against risk. By working together, teams can be more efficient rather than working in their respective silos. This involves better use of data across those teams, which will rely on more automation to be efficient. Using SOAR, security analysts and business risk professionals can cut the amount of time needed to respond to potential problems, reducing the impact and remediating faster. At the same time, it reduces the waste associated with false positives and manual work. The emphasis here should be on how to support the business with better security - by consolidating processes and working more effectively, security teams across the organisation can achieve that goal. Maxxess will be at Intersec 2019 showcasing its latest advances in corporate risk reduction, improved people management and smarter hospitality access solutions - including new releases in its popular eFusion and Ambit solutions. The latest version of the VisitorPoint module within the eFusion security management platform will be showcased, offering a host of new streamlined functions for efficient people and visitor management. Harnessing current advances in cloud computing and mobile communications, VisitorPoint is being used at premises from hotels and campuses to corporate headquarters. It allows the whole process of visitor management to be streamlined in a way never previously possible. Diary management processes VisitorPoint is also ideal for busy reception teams who need to keep across who is entering their premises For example, it lets guests phones be used as access credentials, making it a perfect alternative to room keys in the hospitality sector. Compatibility of the VisitorPoint system with ASSA Abloy Hospitality products has proved to be particularly popular with hotels. VisitorPoint is also ideal for busy reception teams who need to keep across who is entering their premises. With the latest version of VisitorPoint, users can easily view pre-registered visitors in advance; manage and sign-in large groups in seconds; book meeting rooms; manage visitor car parking; and automate notifications and messaging. Now organisations can go even further in streamlining their people and diary management processes, thanks to integration with Outlook and Google calendars. Important additions A new VIP feature allows automatically tailored welcomes for specified guests and/or groups; and a QR Scan App allows visitors and VIPS to be immediately verified. In addition, a new, sleek self-service kiosk will be unveiled at the show, which is ideal for positioning in hotels and high-end corporate lobbies. Meanwhile, with its versatile, open-technology software eFusion is proving a practical alternative to costly or complex conventional PSIM solutions. It offers the advantages of a modular, building block approach and gives users the freedom to integrate, customise and adapt their security systems to meet both current needs and emerging risks. Ensuring compatibility with leading surveillance, intruder, access and fire detection systems, eFusion now supports more than 60 off-the-shelf integrations and several important additions are confirmed for the show. Security investments The eFusion platform allows legacy systems to be transformed into a smart, open infrastructure and extends the life of equipment" These latest integrations include IP intercom hardware from Jaquies; the mobile phone app GuardPoint; and the Metra locker system hardware. For users who want control and better value from their security investments, eFusion with its expanding choice of integrations is the ideal management platform, says Lee Copland, Managing Director, Maxxess EMEA. The eFusion platform allows legacy systems to be transformed into a smart, open infrastructure and extends the life of equipment. Our technology is proving particularly popular because it gives users all the advantages of advanced PSIM without the associated cost or complexity. eFusion can be easily scaled from one site to multiple sites globally and it can connect stand-alone systems for easy upgrades such as retro-fits with existing hardware. Allows security controllers Also on show, Ambit allows security controllers to communicate directly with both individuals and groups and to monitor the safety of everyone on site (or on multiple sites), for example employees, residents, visitors, or contractors. Now Ambit users will benefit from direct notification of a wide range of risks thanks to a new integration with the NC4 incident alert service. NC4 monitors risks and issues alerts in real time, covering potential threats ranging from terrorist incidents to weather events, from civil disruption to cyber-attacks. With this new integration, as N4C alerts arise they will be filtered by proximity/relevance and directly sent to Ambit users. Lone-worker monitoring Visitors to the Maxxess stand will also learn how Ambits latest life-saving technology comes with a choice of applications tailored to the users needs. For example, it can allow lone-worker monitoring; courtesy communications and remote escorting after-hours; panic alarm features; and individualised messaging during incidents. It can help security teams co-ordinate and work more effectively with emergency responders too as well as improving the efficiency of day to day operations It can help security teams co-ordinate and work more effectively with emergency responders too as well as improving the efficiency of day to day operations. With new customers and projects including Bluewater Island, TAJ Hotel & Residences JLT Dubai, TAJ Hotel & Palace on Palm Jumeirah, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation, Emirates Flight Catering Extension, the Jewel of the Creek and Yahsat, 2019 will be an exciting year of growth for Maxxess in the Middle East. Better optimised workforces We are well positioned to further capitalise on major infrastructure projects across the region such as hotels and leisure. The demand for increased operational efficiencies across the MENA region has seen many organisations look to automate tasks and at the same time mitigate against the potential for human error. This is evident in the demand were seeing for streamlined visitor management, the elimination of keys and better optimised workforces across security and facilities management functions. And as real-world applications for artificial intelligence become a reality, we are continuing to collaborate with our world leading video surveillance partners to bring these advanced analytics into the eFusion platform. Meanwhile, we will continue to support our customers in complying with revised fire and safety codes and new security regulations. WASHINGTON Military space programs that are just getting off the ground and are targets for use of commercial technologies might end up in the portfolio of a new DoD agency that could be up and running in early 2019. The Space Development Agency is a high priority of Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Michael Griffin. Both have been critical of the sluggish pace of innovation in military space programs and have argued that a brand new agency, untethered from the traditional procurement process, is the answer. Shanahan unveiled a proposal in August that lists the Space Development Agency as one of several reorganization efforts that are part of a broader plan to form a new military branch for space. Both Shanahan and Griffin see the SDA as an urgent need that should not wait until Congress decides whether to establish a Space Force. Griffin has recommended the new agency be placed temporarily under his R&E portfolio. Shanahan told reporters last month that he wants the SDA stood up in the first quarter of calendar year 2019. The plan has drawn criticism and stirred questions about why DoD is creating a new agency to do what existing space procurement organizations already do in the Air Force, the Army, the Navy and the intelligence community. Budget analyst Todd Harrison, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said he did not include the Space Development Agency in his latest cost estimates for a Space Force because it was not clear to him what this agency will be doing. A spokesman for Shanahan said specific details are forthcoming. "The role for the Space development Agency has not been finalized," the spokesman said in a statement to SpaceNews. "The intent is to ensure DoD leverages commercial space technology and accelerates the development and delivery of new capabilities. Final decisions on the SDA are expected in coming weeks, but early 2019 is still the plan." According to industry and DoD sources, Shanahan has asked Griffin to scope out space programs that could be taken over by the SDA. The new agency would have a relatively small portfolio of programs to start out. That study is to be completed by early 2019. One industry source said Griffin is eyeing several programs to potentially move to the SDA, including Blackjack an effort now led by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to demonstrate military capabilities in low earth orbit and a constellation of missile warning sensors, known as Space Sensor Layer, that the Missile Defense Agency is now overseeing. Another industry source said Griffin has been frustrated by the slow pace of MDA studies on the Space Sensor Layer and would consider moving the program to the SDA. The director of the Missile Defense Agency, Air Force Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, told SpaceNews in a statement that the agency is working with nine industry teams to "explore low earth orbit architectures, spacecraft and payload concepts." Greaves said decisions on how this program moves forward will be made by Griffin in addition to "multiple stakeholders." The organization that could be the most impacted by the Space Development Agency is the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center that oversees $7 billion in programs. Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said SMC has been reorganized to speed up acquisitions, exploit commercial technologies and pursue other efforts that sound similar to what the SDA would do. One of the changes, for example, was to split up responsibilities held by the commander of SMC, Lt. Gen. John Thomson, into three jobs: A program executive officer, or PEO, for space development; a PEO for space production and a PEO for space enterprise. Wilson said it would be premature to comment on whether the PEO for space development would overlap with the new Space Development Agency. "It is still to be determined what this concept develops into," Wilson said in an interview on Monday. Harrison said the decision to stand up a new agency is the product of longtime frustration "that our current acquisition offices aren't just buying the right things and not buying fast enough." That might be the case, but it appears that DoD is rushing to create an organization before it knows what it will do, warned Andrew Hunter, director of the CSIS Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group. "Who is actually the customer of the SDA?" he asked. "And the name is kind of interesting. If the idea is that we're going to leverage commercial technology, then it's an acquisition not a development agency. We're letting other people develop technology and we acquire it," Hunter added. "What I hear is a lot of confusion about what the mission of this organization is." Perhaps first "we settle on what the Space Force is going to be, what its structure is going to be," he said. "In my ideal world we wouldn't start a SDA until we know the answer on Space Force. Once we know that, then I would know what kind of development or acquisition solution we need to deliver to that force to enable it. But of course we're doing the exact opposite, because institutionally we have the authority within the department to do the SDA but not the Space Force, which requires an act of Congress. So we are putting the cart before the horse." This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry. This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. On July 20, 1989, the 20th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, President George H. W. Bush stood on the steps of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. and, backed by the Apollo 11 crew, announced his new Space Exploration Initiative (SEI). He believed that this new program would put America on a track to return to the moon and make an eventual push to Mars. "The time has come to look beyond brief encounters. We must commit ourselves anew to a sustained program of manned exploration of the solar system and, yes, the permanent settlement of space," he said. As a political scientist who seeks to understand space exploration's place in the political process, I approach space policy with an appreciation of the political hurdles high-cost, long-term and technologically advanced policies face. My research has shown that policy change both in general and in space policy, is often hard to come by, something exemplified by the Bush administration. Among Bush's many political accomplishments, few recall SEI, probably because it was largely panned immediately following its announcement. However, Bush's presidency came at a key turning point in NASA's history and ultimately contributed to the success of the International Space Station, NASA leadership and today's space policy. As the country mourns his passing and assesses his legacy, space should rightly be included on Bush's list of accomplishments. Vice presidential years Vice President George W. Bush, Sr. talks to the STS-1 flight crew. While presidents are usually the most closely associated with the American space program, vice presidents often play a vital role. As Ronald Reagan's vice president, Bush was intimately involved with NASA throughout the 1980s. He visited the astronauts who crewed the second shuttle mission in 1981, commiserating with them about their mission which had been shortened. And, he often enjoyed speaking to astronauts mid-flight. In a 1985 White House speech, Bush announced that teacher Christa McAuliffe would fly aboard the ill-fated Challenger. In the wake of the disaster, Reagan dispatched Bush to meet with the families at Kennedy Space Center given his ties to the mission. After a private meeting with the families, Bush addressed NASA employees at Kennedy and pledged the space program would go forward, a promise he kept as president. SEI and the Space Station Shortly after taking office, the Bush administration sought to provide a vision for NASA. Bush reinstated the National Space Council and, allied with Vice President Dan Quayle, developed the SEI to coincide with the anniversary of Apollo 11. With less than six months between Bush's inauguration and July 1989, there was little time to flesh out specific deadlines or funding sources. What resulted was a vague promise to build a planned space station in the next decade, return to the moon and venture onto Mars. With this lack of specifics, the SEI aroused immediate suspicion from both NASA and Congress. The SEI faced a number of political hurdles upon its announcement. But 90 days later, opposition to SEI grew exponentially when a follow-up analysis of the initiative revealed a 30-year plan with a half-a-trillion-dollar price tag. Then the discovery of a flawed lens on the Hubble Space Telescope after its launch in 1990, the massive cost overruns on what was then called Space Station Freedom (the program had grown from $8 billion in 1984 to $40 billion in 1992), and an economic downturn all combined to threaten overall funding for NASA. While Bush lobbied aggressively for the SEI, the program failed to receive support and was largely shelved. But what emerged from the SEI was still significant. When Congress threatened to cut funding to and essentially end the nascent space station, the Bush administration pushed to save it. Although NASA's overall funding was cut, Bush's support and the rationale behind the SEI gave the space station enough continued importance that Congress restored $200 billion to the space station budget. Finally, the moon to Mars framework has remained relevant in human spaceflight. George W. Bush's Vision for Space Exploration, proposed in 2004, retained the same goals but grounded it with a clear timetable and budget. Proposing a moon-Mars program is nothing revolutionary, but the SEI kept the idea of an expansive exploration agenda alive. Leadership choices One of most significant impacts a president can have on a bureaucracy is choice of agency leadership. In that area, Bush succeeded in placing his stamp on NASA for years to come. Bush's first choice for NASA administrator, former astronaut Richard Truly, was out of his depth politically. Truly did not support SEI and other space initiatives and was fired in 1991, partially at Vice President Quayle's urging. Bush's choice to replace Truly was Dan Goldin, who became NASA's longest serving administrator, staying on through the Clinton administration. Characterized as one of the most influential administrators in NASA history, Goldin took on the job of finding more support for the space station. He convinced Clinton that it could be useful in foreign policy. As a result, Clinton used the space station as a tool to ease Russia's transition to a democratic state. The International Space Station was launched in 1998 due in large part to the support from the Bush administration. Having hosted 232 people from 18 countries, the ISS recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. More importantly, Goldin initiated a program known as "faster, better, cheaper" (FBC), which required NASA to do more with less by bumping up the number of lower cost missions. Although this mindset led to several high-profile failures, including a crashed Mars probe, Goldin successfully shifted NASA onto a more sustainable political footing. As a result, Bush's choice of NASA leadership was crucial to the direction and success of American space exploration. Bush's legacy Space exploration is a difficult policy field. It requires long-term planning, consistent funding and visionary leadership, any one of which is difficult to achieve. Further, space policy is incredibly sensitive to overall economic dynamics, making it susceptible to continual budget cuts. One can certainly debate the benefits of the International Space Station or the scientific value of human space exploration but, for better or for worse, NASA is the agency it is today because of the choices George H.W. Bush made as president. Ad astra, President Bush. Wendy Whitman Cobb, Associate Professor of Political Science, Cameron University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates and become part of the discussion on Facebook, Twitter and Google +. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on Space.com . Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross (center) meets with U.S. Air Force Gen. Jay Raymond (left) and Maj. Gen Stephen Whiting at Vandenberg Air Force Base Nov. 30 to discuss transition for space traffic management responsibilities. WASHINGTON As the Commerce Department works on plans to take over civilian space traffic management responsibilities, the U.S. Air Force is making more data available on the positions of military satellites. Satellite observers recently noticed that Space Track, the online service operated by U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) to provide data on the orbits of satellites and other objects, was now including information on some U.S. military satellites that were previously excluded from the service. Such satellites include the AEHF, MUOS and WGS military communications satellites in geostationary orbit. While some observers wondered if this information was released in error, the service's Twitter account said this was a deliberate action as part of efforts to provide more space situational awareness (SSA) data. "We are releasing additional data about some space objects not previously available," it stated Dec. 7. "USSTRATCOM has a new policy to enhance SSA data sharing, transparency and spaceflight safety." [Military Space: The Latest Satellites and Missions] U.S. Air Force Maj. Cody Chiles, Joint Force Space Component Command spokesman, referred to an Oct. 5 statement by U.S. Strategic Command about its plans to expand SSA data on Space Track, where registered users would "begin to receive additional data about some space objects that was not previously available." "USSTRATCOM is always evaluating opportunities to share more information in order to support spaceflight planning, coordination, and on-orbit deconfliction to enhance the safety, stability and sustainability of operations in the space environment," Strategic Command stated then. Chiles told SpaceNews that, on Dec. 5, the Joint Force Space Component Command released data on 67 objects previously not included on Space Track, but didn't identify the specific objects. "We are committed to enhancing spaceflight safety through SSA data sharing, and we are always evaluating and looking for opportunities to share more information in order to enhance all nations' ability to safely operate in space," he said. Both Chiles and the earlier Strategic Command statement cited national policy as one reason for releasing the additional information. "We are committed to information sharing and cooperation in the space domain as described in Space Policy Directive 3 and through our Space Partnership and Coordination Initiative," Chiles said. Space Policy Directive 3, signed by President Trump in June, directs the Commerce Department to take over the responsibility for providing basic SSA data and space traffic management (STM) services for civil and commercial users, a responsibility currently handled by the U.S. Air Force. Planning for that transition is still in progress. In late November, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross met with Air Force officials at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California to discuss how to establish a "civil agency interface" to take over that responsibility from the Air Force. "The Commerce Department is excited to bring that mission into the 21st century," Ross said in a Dec. 7 speech at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce space industry event here. "We've forged a strong alliance with DOD, with the Air Force and especially with the U.S. Strategic Command." Ross said that, in his meetings at Vandenberg, "we saw many ways we can leverage commercial technologies and applications to improve STM and SSA services in the future," including new approaches to analytics and visualization to improve the accuracy of data and of conjunction warnings that alert satellite operators of potential collisions. Ross emphasized one aspect of SPD-3, which calls for the creation of an "open architecture data repository" that could potentially combine SSA data collected by the Air Force with data from other sources, including a number of companies that track objects with optical telescopes or radars. In such a system, Ross said, "companies can showcase new capabilities, either on their own or with partners." "We will build on a continued flow of information from DOD and add novel capabilities for new services," he said. This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry. An artist's impression of the disc of dust and gas surrounding the massive protostar MM 1a, with its companion MM 1b forming in the outer regions. A close-up look at the birth of a star has revealed a surprise: Not one new stellar body, but two. In 2017, scientists using a new array of radio telescopes in the Chilean desert were observing a massive young star named MM 1a in an active star-forming region of the galaxy more than 10,000 light-years away. As they analyzed the data, they realized that MM 1a was accompanied by a second, fainter object, which they dubbed MM 1b. This, they found, was the first star's smaller sibling, formed from the spray of dust and gases it holds in its gravitational pull. In a solar system like Earth's, this "disc" can coalesce into planets. "In this case, the star and disc we have observed is so massive that, rather than witnessing a planet forming in the disc, we are seeing another star being born," astronomy research fellow John Ilee of the University of Leeds in England, who led the study, said in a statement. [6 Weird Facts About Gravity] A mismatched pair Ilee and his team made their observations using an array of 66 telescopes in the high-altitude Chilean desert known as the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). By coordinating this array, scientists can detect far-flung objects as if they had an impossibly large optical telescope 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) wide. MM 1a is huge, with 40 times the mass of the sun. Its twin, MM 1b, is a relative pipsqueak, less than half the mass of the sun. That size differential is unusual in binary stars, Ilee said. "Many older massive stars are found with nearby companions," he said. "But binary stars are often very equal in mass, and so likely formed together as siblings. Finding a young binary system with a mass ratio of 80:1 is very unusual, and suggests an entirely different formation process for both objects." Stars making stars Stars condense from massive discs of dust and gases that gradually pull together their own gravity. As they coalesce, they begin to spin, and leftover dust and gas begins to orbit them. In small stars like the sun, Ilee said, this disc of leftover dust and gas can start clumping into planets that then orbit the parent star. MM 1a's huge size, though, meant that a second star could form rather than a planet. It's one of the first times such a phenomenon has been observed, the researchers reported Dec. 14 in the journal The Astrophysical Journal Letters. MM 1b could possibly have its own disc of space debris, which could theoretically coalesce into planets, the researchers said. But the clock is ticking for the protostar system, Ilee said. Massive stars like MM 1a last only about a million years before exploding into supernovas, he said. When that happens, the whole area will be kaput. "While MM 1b may have the potential to form its own planetary system in the future, it won't be around for long," Ilee said. Originally published on Live Science. Thomas Reinertsen Berg is a Norwegian journalist and writer. He has written for Morgenbladet, Klassekampen, Dagsavisen, and other papers. "Theater of the World: The Maps that Made History," his first book, was honored with the 2017 Brageprisen, an award given annually to Norway's premier work of nonfiction, and begins with the historic "Earthrise" image taken from NASA's Apollo 8 mission around the moon. Berg contributed this article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. The astronauts of Apollo 8 rode the chariot of history to take the first pictures of Earth from space fifty years ago. The Greek god Apollo had a friend who'd sometimes take him for a ride: the sun god Helios. And since the sun circled the Earth, and not the other way around those days, Apollo was guaranteed to get a spectacular view of our planet from above and afar as he rode his chariot. [This New 'Earthrise' Photo from NASA Is Simply Breathtaking] Thomas Reinertsen Berg, author of "Theater of the World." (Image credit: Little, Brown and Company) No wonder that the American space program that brought three men to the moon was named after that high-flying god. The program got its name from NASA manager Abe Silverstein early in 1960, who later said he felt Apollo riding his chariot "was appropriate to the grand scale of the proposed program." But he wasn't the first to consider Apollo an apt metaphor to view the world from above. In 1570, the Flemish cartographer Abraham Ortelius published the first atlas in the world. Only he didn't call it an atlas, because that term was first established by his friend Gerhard Mercator a couple of years later, but Theatrum orbis terrarum "Theater of the World". For the preface, a friend of his wrote a poem praising Ortelius' skills as a cartographer, claiming he'd travelled alongside Apollo in his chariot as he soared through the skies: "Ortelius, who the luminous Apollo allowed to speed through the high air beside him in his four-horse chariot, to behold from above all the countries and the depths that surround them." It was because of this remarkable perspective that Ortelius could draw so many and so accurate maps. The world map in Theatrum depicts an Earth in light brown, blue and red, dark yellow and green, with a dark blue, almost black space surrounding it. NASA astronauts took this photo of Earth rising from lunar orbit during the Apollo 8 mission on Dec. 24, 1968. (Image credit: NASA) Three-hundred-and-ninety-eight years later, on Dec. 21, 1968, the three astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell and William Anders entered Apollo's chariot. Aboard the Apollo 8, on their way to orbit the moon and return home safely, they saw what Ortelius only had imagined. These three men were the first human beings to ever witness our whole planet at once. [In Images: Ancient Maps and Sea Monsters] At 4 hours, 58 minutes and 35 seconds into their voyage, Lovell says: "I'm looking out my center window, which is a round window, and the window is bigger than the Earth is right now. I can clearly see the terminator. I can see most of South America, all the way up to Central America, Yucatan, and the peninsula of Florida. There is a big swirling motion just off the East Coast, and then going on over toward the east, I can still see West Africa, which has a few clouds right now. We can see all the way down to Cape Horn in South America." Looking back at the Earth, Anders can't help being fascinated by its beauty, and so takes three or four pictures every now and then, even though that's not strictly scheduled. There was zero interest in images of the Earth at the outset. "Nobody told me to take a picture of the Earth," Anders said later. NASA wanted pictures of the dark side of the moon. When they get there, Anders photographs one crater after the other. Their job was also to document possible landing sites on the southern plains of Mare Tranquillitatis. Christmas Eve. The astronauts have completed three full orbits of the moon. As they're approaching the terminator on their fourth orbit, they see the Earth coming up over the moon's barren horizon. [The Best Space Photos Ever: Astronauts & Scientists Weigh in] "Oh, my God! Look at that picture over there! Here's the Earth coming up. Wow, isn't that pretty!" said Anders. He first took black and white pictures, then asked for a roll of color "quick!" Lovell managed to get a magazine of color film for Anders who then shot two images of the continuing earthrise. The whole crew was awestruck by the contrast between the ugly, gray lunar horizon and the view of the Earth hovering beautiful, lonely and fragile against the blackness of space. They recognized their home from 240,000 miles away. Such a sight inspires contrasting feelings. On the one hand, the insignificance of this small planet surrounded by so much nothingness, the lifeless matter of space, might make one ask, as one of the astronauts did, could Earth really be the center of the universe? On the other hand, seeing the Earth in contrast to space, is a reminder of how unique we are, and that we really should try and take care of this place that sustains our lives. The Earth itself is a spaceship where the whole humankind is together. That's what Borman, Lovell and Anders felt, and that's the message they wanted to spread when they returned and the 'Earthrise' picture took on an iconic significance and became one of the most important pictures of the 20th century. It still is. Ortelius called his book a theater because the Greek word theatron means "a place for seeing." And since Apollo 8's journey, only 21 other astronauts have seen what Borman, Lovell and Anders beheld up close, meaning that leafing through maps, globes and the pages of an atlas is the best way to hitch a ride with Apollo's chariot for the most of us. You can buy "Theatre of the World," written by Berg and translated by Alison McCullough, on Amazon.com. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Original article on Space.com. S ir Elton John and David Furnish today delivered a Christmas thank you to everyone who has supported the Evening Standard's AIDSfree appeal so far - but there is still more to do. The couple wrapped up the 12 days of Christmas series with today's message from their home in Berkshire. Over the previous 11 days celebrities and HIV campaigners have been recording their appeals for your donations to AIDSfree, which is supporting projects run by the Elton John AIDS Foundation in the UK and across the world. AIDSfree is aiming to boost awareness about HIV and AIDS and encourage people at risk of contracting the virus to be tested to discover their status. They can then access the treatment and support they need to lead a full and normal life. Sir Elton said: Merry 12th day of Christmas and massive thanks to everyone that has helped our AIDSfree campaign. David continued: For the 12th and final day of Christmas, we wanted to share something wonderful with you. An HIV diagnosis used to be a death sentence. Now, after 12 months of treatment, you can have a normal life expectancy. Sir Elton is delighted with the success of the appeal so far and said Evening Standard readers can help bring us closer to defeating aids in our lifetime. He added: We have come so far. What we need now is the love and compassion to make sure that no one gets left behind. David said: Today is a good day to show that as a global community we all care about making the world a safer, healthier place. Finishing their Christmas message, Sir Elton said: To help us get there please click on the [donation] link. Every donation takes us one step further to an AIDSfree future in countries around the world. Thank you so much and have a wonderful Christmas. The Government has also given our appeal a major boost by pledging to match public donations up to 2 million. Funds will support Elton John AIDS Foundation projects in London, Nairobi, Atlanta, Kiev, Delhi and Maputo. TODO: define component type apester M usic legend Freddie Mercury would live a healthy and happy life and continue to bring joy to the world if he was diagnosed with HIV now, Bohemian Rhapsody star Lucy Boynton says. Boynton, who played the Queen frontman's longtime companion Mary Austin in the biopic, is today delivering the 11th of our 12 Days of Christmas messages in support of the Evening Standard's AIDSfree appeal. Donations to AIDSfree will help fund the work of the Elton John AIDS Foundation to boost awareness about HIV and testing for the virus, as well as offering support and treatment to those who need it. Boynton said: "I am so honoured to be supporting the Elton John AIDS Foundation and their mission making London and our global cities AIDS free. "Being part of the Queen story and knowing what Freddie Mercury went through before he died of Aids has really shown me how far we've come in fighting this disease. "If diagnosed today, Freddie would be on treatment and inevitably giving the world so much joy." However, Boynton said this was no reason to be complacent or think the battle had been won. She continued: "Despite our progress, 1m people died of Aids last year, which means we need to get even better at helping people before they get sick. "The global goal is to eliminate Aids as a public health threat before the year 2030, which means we have just 11 years to do this. "So, on this 11th day of Christmas, we would love your support at reaching this monumental target. "Every donation counts and can help save a life. "Thank you so much and Merry Christmas for Tuesday." We have a special message tomorrow to finish off the 12 Days of Christmas. TODO: define component type apester T his is the first picture of a young man stabbed to death in north London over the weekend. Wilham Mendes, 25, was found repeatedly knifed after a suspected robbery in Albert Place, Tottenham at around 1.20am on Saturday and died shortly after. Mr Mendes, a Portuguese national who has lived in the UK since 2015, was a keen boxer, Scotland Yard said as they named him in a statement. Two teenage boys were arrested on suspicion of murder on Sunday. Both remain in custody at north London police stations, the Met said. Emergency services rushed to the scene shortly before 1.30am on Saturday to reports of a stabbing. Officers attended along with London Ambulance Service (LAS) and found Mr Mendes suffered from multiple stab injuries. He was taken to an east London hospital by LAS where he was pronounced dead at 2.13am. Mr Mendes' next of kin are aware and a post-mortem examination will be held in due course, police said. Detective Chief Inspector Glen Lloyd said: "Although we have made two arrests, our investigation continues to gather pace. "Early enquiries by my team have established a possibility that Wilham was stabbed during a robbery and I would like anyone who saw the events leading up to or immediately following the murder to contact my officers without delay. No matter how small a detail, no matter how little you saw, your information could prove vital to our investigation and at the very least would assist in confirming details that we already have. At the heart of our investigation is the loss of an innocent and promising young man who was brutally murdered in the street. J eremy Corbyn has paid tribute to those who help homeless people, refugees and families in poverty in his Christmas message. In a video posted on social media, the Labour leader drew on the parable from St Luke's gospel to praise those who help the nation's destitute, saying they are people who will not "walk by on the other side". His emphasis on those who help homeless people and refugees came after charity Crisis published a study on Sunday showing homelessness had reached a record high, with more than 170,000 families and individuals experiencing destitution. Mr Corbyn said during the festive period he saw "the compassion of the Good Samaritan in people across our country everyday but especially at Christmas". He added: "Whether it's people helping in homeless shelters offering comfort and meals for those looking to escape the freezing temperatures and dangers of sleeping rough... "Those ensuring food banks are fully stocked for people who can't afford to eat properly this Christmas... "Or volunteers raising money for refugees who've been forced to flee war, oppression and devastation... "These are people who will not 'walk by on the other side'. "They do what's become so necessary in a system that is failing to provide for people's basic needs. "They embody what's best and most compassionate in all of us. "They make me certain that we can build a fairer society which works for everyone." In his Christmas message, the Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable highlighted the cost of rising knife crime and gang culture. "For some families this will not be a great Christmas," he said. "Across our country hundreds of families will be sitting down to a Christmas without someone. "Someone young who had a future ahead of them. Someone taken from us by the knives of the growing gang culture, mostly boys and mostly from the poorest areas of our big cities." Meanwhile, London mayor Sadiq Khan spoke of efforts to tackle the "shameful" levels of rough sleeping in the capital. "Our Christian communities, guided by their faith and values, are often at the forefront at this time of year when it comes to highlighting - and helping - those in need," he said. T heresa May has called for Brits to "focus on what really matters" amid Brexit divisions and called on the country to dispense the titles Leave and Remain. Writing in the Daily Express, she urged people to find common ground ahead of the UK's departure from the EU on March 29. The prime minister, who has faced a tricky 2018 with dissent to her Brexit plans from Brussels and within her own party, said it is time for differences to be put aside. She suggested the concerns of voters extend beyond the EU, citing schools, the NHS and housing as examples. Theresa May has urged people to "find common ground" / AFP/Getty Images Mrs May wrote: "The sooner MPs agree the right Brexit deal, the sooner we can all get back to dealing with those issues and building a country that works for everyone. "It won't be easy, and there is a lot of hard work ahead of us in 2019. But I'm confident. "Because I know that when the British people come together, there is no limit to what we can achieve." Britain is due to leave the European Union on March 29, two years after the Government triggered Article 50. But Mrs May still is yet to secure parliamentary approval for her Brexit blueprint and a vote is due to take place in January. Few expect it to be approved by a heavily divided Commons, and Tory MPs including Cabinet ministers appear to have begun to polarise between those who might support a no-deal Brexit and those who would actively battle against it. The prime minister is yet to secure her Brexit deal / Getty Images But in her letter, Mrs May likens the country to a family coming together at Christmas, saying: "It's a time when we find it within ourselves to put aside our differences and focus on what really matters. "Now, two-and-a-half years after the referendum, it is time for us as a country to do the same." Meanwhile, Tobias Ellwood, a defence minister, wrote in The Times that no-deal is "simply not an option". He added a lack of agreement would have implications for national security, writing: "Leaving without a deal would mean access to around 40 international security programmes would be significantly reduced. "Exchanges of critical intelligence data would halt until new arrangements are in place. "We would immediately reduce our ability to tackle threats from terrorism to cybercrime, modern slavery to fraud." A "professional huntress" who sparked outrage after boasting of killing a goat on a Scottish island is facing criminal charges. Police in Scotland have reported American TV presenter Larysa Switlyk to prosecutors over alleged gun offences. A 41-year-old man has also been reported. In the autumn she tweeted a picture of herself smiling behind a wild goat which she and a companion shot during a hunt on Islay. Ms Switlyk, who hosts the Larysa Unleashed programme on various channels, was widely criticised with more than 20,000 people commenting on the image. The 33-year-old's tweet had described a "fun hunt" and "a perfect 200 yard shot". Actor Robert Lindsay was among those to slam her, saying: "With t**** like you in this world no wonder a defenceless harmless goat wants to hide." Scottish minister Mike Russell called for an end of the hunting of wild goats on the island. He called the pictures "horrific" and told Scottish radio that goat hunting was worse than hunting red deer, which is "very firmly regulated", as goats have no natural predators. The Scottish Government has said it will review the law around animal culling in the wake of the response to the images. J amal Khashoggi was offered a cup of tea at the Saudi embassy before he was drugged and dismembered, according to new information from officials. An anonymous Western intelligence official told the Washington Post, where Mr Khashoggi was a columnist, that secret recordings captured the Saudi murder squad discussing their plans in detail. The 59-year-old journalist was reportedly offered tea but replied yes with an edge in his voice that made it clear that he sensed that this ritual act of politeness presaged something sinister. Mr Khashoggi left Saudi Arabia for the US in 2017 but visited the embassy in Istanbul on October 2 to collect paperwork for his upcoming marriage. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, right, shakes hands with Salah Khashoggi, a son of Jamal Khashoggi, in Riyadh / AP Mystery has surrounded the death of the writer, who was an outspoken critic of the kingdoms government, and statements as to what happened have been inconsistent. The Post reported that Mr Khashoggi seems to have believed that he was going to be drugged and abducted but that the Saudi team brought a syringe packed with enough sedative to be lethal. They added: The rest of the recording suggests there was no intent to take Khashoggi alive, multiple officials said. It captures the writer gasping for air in a physical struggle that gives way to silence. A security guard passes a document to a colleague outside Saudi Arabia's Consulate in Istanbul / EPA The horror resumes with the sound of an electric motor, presumably a saw that a special member of the team a crime scene expert from the Saudi Ministry of Interior used to dismember Khashoggis body." Turkey is working with other countries to carry the investigation into Mr Khashoggi's to the United Nations, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday. Mr Khashoggi was named TIME Person of the Year earlier this month / TIME He made the comments during a news conference in Tunis alongside his Tunisian counterpart and called on Saudi Arabia to share its findings on the case with the international community. 21 people have been detained in connection with the killing and five senior Saudi officials removed from their jobs. F ormer Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been sent back to jail following a fresh corruption conviction. A Pakistan anti-corruption court sentenced Sharif to seven years in jail on graft charges, and acquitted him in a second case. Sharif, who was removed from power last year over corruption allegations, has denied any wrongdoing. The court found the three-time prime minister was unable to prove the source of income for the ownership of a steel mill in Saudi Arabia, Geo News reported. Former prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif / REUTERS Sharif was sentenced to 10 years in prison in July over the purchase of luxury apartments in London. W ith just hours left until Christmas, track Santa's journey to your house with NORADs Santa tracker, which has gone live. The North American Aerospace Defence Command follows his sleigh throughout Christmas Eve from when he sets off on his 510,000,000 km journey. You can track Santa Claus exact GPS location, beginning in the South Pacific before he heads west to Australia and New Zealand. He will then visit Asia, Africa and Western Europe, finishing with Canada, the US, Mexico and South America. Santa Claus waves from his sleigh before leaving on his long Christmas journey from Santa's Village at the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland / AFP/Getty Images In most countries, Father Christmas arrives between 9pm and midnight on Christmas Eve. More than nine million people visited the site last year to find out how long they had to wait for him to deliver their gifts. The site also has Santa Cams, taking real-time video and images as he flies around the world. Usually responsible for defending US airspace, NORAD has been keeping an eye on Santa's sleigh for more than 60 years. Santa seen at Buckley Air Force Base in Colorado / NORAD The tradition began after a child called the Continental Air Defence Command after Sears mistakenly printed their number. Colonel Harry Shoup, who answered the call, received multiple calls that night from other children, all looking for the whereabouts of Father Christmas. The tracking service has continued since, and in 2014, NORAD answered more than 100,000 calls to their hotline from kids wanting to find out when Santa would arrive. More than 1,500 US and Canadian military personnel volunteer to staff the phone lines. T he remains of a horse still wearing its harness have been discovered at an ancient villa near Pompeii. Archaeologists unearthed the animal and saddle in what would have been a stable in a suburb of the famous city. Pompeii archaeological park head Massimo Osanna told Italian news agency ANSA that the villa belonged to a high-ranking military officer, perhaps a general, during ancient Roman times. Mr Osanna was quoted on Sunday as saying the remains of two or three other horses were also discovered. The tall horse, well-groomed with the saddle and the richly decorated bronze trimmings is believed to have belonged to a high rank military officer / Cesare Abbate/ANSA Via AP The villa's terraces had views of the Bay of Naples and Capri, Italy. The area was previously excavated, during the early 1900s, but later re-buried. It is thought that suffocating volcanic ash or boiling vapors killed the horses, and Mr Osanna hopes the villa eventually will be open for public visits. C hris Evans was accompanied by his wife and children as he left Broadcasting House on Christmas Eve after 13 years at BBC Radio. The presenter, 52, bid farewell to his Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Monday morning ahead of handing the reins over to Zoe Ball. Evans got into the festive spirit as he wrapped up the show, heading home in a pair of Brussel sprout print trousers and carrying a pile of presents. He was flanked by his wife Natasha Shishmanian and their sons Noah, nine and Eli, six. Family affair: Chris Evans was flanked by his sons Noah and Eli / SplashNews.com I feel sad and very happy and very excited. It's very strange, he told reporters outside the building. My wife shed a few today too. Evans fought back tears as he paid an emotional tribute to Shishmanian live on air, hailing her his guiding light. I would like to thank my wife Natasha my gravity, my compass, my guiding light, he said before pausing to compose himself. Chris Evans leaves BBC Radio 2 1 /7 Chris Evans leaves BBC Radio 2 Chris Evans leaves Wogan House in London, with his wife, Natasha Shishmanian, and sons Noah (right) and Eli, after presenting his final BBC Radio 2 breakfast show PA Chris Evans and his sons SplashNews.com Emotional Chris Evans exits the BBC breakfast show in sprouts pajamas after his final show in which tears were shed SplashNews.com Chris Evans SplashNews.com Chris Evans SplashNews.com Chris Evans and his wife Natasha Shishmanian and their sons Noah and Eli SplashNews.com Chris Evans SplashNews.com For giving me enough certainty and security to feel confident enough to embark on some uncertainty once again, which is what I like. I crave the uncertainty but you can only do that against a backdrop of certainty. Uncertainty is where creativity lives. Comfort and creativity are not good bedfellows. Ball praised Evans moving speech as she thanked him for the joy he has brought over the last eight years at the helm. She tweeted: Wow Chris Evans that was a very special speech. Congrats young chap. Thank you for the radio joy. Merry Christmas to you Tash and the monkeys. Old and new: Zoe Ball will step in to replace Chris Evans (BBC/Sarah Jeynes) / BBC He also thanked his fans, telling listeners: It is sad. Its a sad day today. But it is also an exciting day for everyone. Youve got to turn the pages sometimes. If you wait for other people to turn them it might never happen, you know what I am saying? He thanked his colleagues past and present as well as his agent who he joked he has known longer than any of our marriages. A ctor Kevin Spacey has been charged with sexual assault in the United States. The 59-year-old Academy Award winner is alleged to have assaulted a teenager at a bar in Boston, Massachusetts, in July 2016. According to the Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe, Spacey is due to be arraigned on a charge of indecent assault and battery at Nantucket District Court on January 7. The alleged victim is the son of a former US news anchor, who first made the allegation during a press conference in November 2017. The news anchor said the actor bought her son "drink after drink" at a restaurant in Massachusetts before allegedly sticking his hand down the 18-year-old's pants and grabbing his genitals. As reports of the charge emerged, a video was posted to Spacey's official Twitter account, his first social media post since he was initially engulfed in scandal in October last year. In the clip, Spacey appears to be in the character of Frank Underwood from House Of Cards. The character was killed off by Netflix after the actor Anthony Rapp said he was 14 when Spacey, then 26, made a sexual advance to him in 1986. The sixth and final season of the political drama started streaming on Netflix in November. The video begins with Spacey in a kitchen, before he starts speaking directly to the camera. He said: "I know what you want, and sure, they may have tried to separate us but what we have is too strong, is too powerful. I mean after all, we shared everything, you and I. "I told you my deepest, darkest secrets. I showed you exactly what people are capable of. I shocked you with my honesty, but mostly I challenged you and made you think. "And you trusted me, even though you knew you shouldn't. So we're not done, no matter what anyone says. And besides, I know what you want - you want me back. "Of course, some believed everything and have just been waiting with bated breath to hear me confess it all, they're just dying to have me declare that everything said is true, and that I got what I deserved. Wouldn't that be easy, if it was all so simple." He concluded: "Now that I think of it, you never actually saw me die, did you? Conclusions can be so deceiving. Missed me?" It is not known whether Netflix is involved with the video and the streaming giant has been contacted for comment. A lawyer for Spacey has also been contacted. Scotland Yard has six open sexual assault investigations into Spacey, alleged to have taken place in London and Gloucester. Spacey, who was artistic director at London's The Old Vic theatre between 2004 and 2015, was one of the first Hollywood stars to face allegations in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. His downfall started when Rapp made his allegations in 2017. Spacey said he did not remember the encounter but apologised for any "inappropriate drunken behaviour". Y ou're more stuffed than the turkey and you've over indulged on the Christmas pudding, which means it must be time to watch the Queen's Speech. Officially known as the Queen's Christmas Message, the speech is one of the few occasions when the royal is able to voice her own views. The tradition was started by her grandfather King George V in 1932, and attracted an incredible 7.6 million viewers last year. But what is the Queen's Speech and how did it all begin? Here's everything you need to know: What is the Queen's Christmas speech? The Queen praised Britain's Olympians and Paralympians in 2016 Every year at 3pm the reigning monarch delivers a television message to the entire Commonwealth, detailing the events of the last 12 months, often lasting around 10 minutes. The message is a staple of Christmas Day broadcasting, and since its inception there have only been three occasions when there was no message on radio or television; 1936 (due to Edward VIIIs abdication a few weeks prior), 1938 and 1969. The first one was delivered by the Queens grandfather, King George V in 1932, live over radio. The idea was proposed by Sir John Reith, founder of the BBC. The broadcast went out at 3pm to Great Britain, Australia, Canada, India, Kenya and South Africa, from a makeshift studio in Sandringham House. A staggering 20 million people tuned in to the two and a half minute message, which was written by The Jungle Book author and poet, Rudyard Kipling. The Queen delivered her first address in 1952, with the first televised message in 1957. The message is no longer broadcast live, and is instead pre-recorded about a week before Christmas. Unlike her predecessors, the Queen does not equip the skills of famed writers and instead writes her own speech, in which she reflects on the year gone by, and often gives it a theme. What time and channel is the Queen's speech on? The speech is broadcast to all 52 Commonwealth nations at 3pm on Christmas Day. Lasting around 10 minutes, the speech is shown on BBC One, ITV, Sky 1 and Sky News, along with BBC Radio 4. In 2016 8.1 million of us watched in the UK across ITV and the BBC, making it top of the TV ratings on Christmas Day. The Christmas message is also shown live on the Royals' YouTube channel, Facebook and since 2006 you can download the speech as a podcast. You can also stream the Queen's speech online via iPlayer. What will the Royal Christmas message include this year? The Queen's speech will be shown at 3pm on Christmas Day / Getty Images The Queen's annual televised message to the nation is one of the rare occasions when she does not turn to the Government for advice, instead airing her own views. It traditionally has a strong religious framework reflecting the Queen's faith, and is written by the Queen reflecting on current issues and drawing on her own experiences over the past year. It is likely the Queen will mention Harry and Meghan's wedding this year as well as their pregnancy along with, inevitably, Brexit. Prince Louis' birth will also probably get a mention, as will Prince Charles' 70th birthday and Princes Eugenie's marriage to Jack Brooksbank. What is Danny Dyer's Alternative Christmas Message? The Queen starts Christmas break: In Pictures 1 /8 The Queen starts Christmas break: In Pictures Queen Elizabeth II as she steps from a train PA Queen Elizabeth II arrives PA Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she steps from a train upon arrival at King's Lynn railway station in Norfolk PA Police patrols at King's Lynn railway station in Norfolk, ahead of the arrival of Queen Elizabeth II PA The arrival started the Queen's Christmas break PA The Queen set off from Kings Cross station PA Police patrols at King's Lynn railway station PA Guarded from the cold by a brown coat, black gloves and headscarf, the Queen stepped from the front carriage of the train onto the platform. PA Since 1993 Channel 4 has offered it's own Alternative Christmas message. This year Estender's hardman Danny Dyer will serve up his own speech on Christmas Day where he will talk politics, family and heroes. A teaser clip released today sees Dyer brand 2018 "shambles" as he asks where the countrys leaders are, before comparing Westminster to the drama and backstabbing in Walford. 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 Romanian policemen participate for three months alongside Bulgarian police officers in public safety activities in Bansko resort in Bulgaria, a release of the Romanian Police Inspectorate General (IGPR) sent to AGERPRES on Monday informs. According to the release, in the period 15 December 2018 - 15 March 2019, six Romanian police officers, who speak Bulgarian, were designated to conduct in Bansko public safety activities within some joint patrol teams with Bulgarian policemen. Read also: Euro trades at 4.6413 lei The Romanian policemen will act in three series of 30 days each granting support to the Bulgarian police officers, both for ensuring public order and safety and for mediating the relation of Romanian tourists with the Bulgarian authorities. The Romanian officers will also conduct patrol and public order and safety missions, for the prevention of antisocial acts that could be committed by Romanian citizens, and will support the authorities in the neighbouring state in identifying the Romanian citizen. Moreover, they will conduct operative missions, in collaboration with the law enforcement structures of the Republic of Bulgaria and will support the ongoing investigations through operative data and information exchanges, the IGPR points out. AGERPRES . Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Sunday evening said that President Klaus Iohannis is "a man who doesn't accept consensus." Dancila told Romania TV private television broadcaster that she discussed with the head of state about the need for interinstitutional cooperation, however she added she hadn't succeeded in her endeavors. "I have tried to make everyone understand that a good interinstitutional relation is for Romania's good. I have made numerous calls, I have tried to talk to the state president, as well. It seems I haven't succeeded much. The latest statements confirm it. I have had talks with Mr. President Klaus Iohannis, I told him that I wish to have an interinstitutional cooperation. I must confess that I wouldn't want to make public the discussions behind closed doors and, at the same time, I don't want to hit anyone in the back, because then I would prove that I am not the same balanced person, who urges to unity (...). It is hard to label Romania's President, but... he is a man who doesn't accept consensus," Viorica Dancila said.The Prime Minister mentioned she wishes a direct communication with Romania's President, not through press statements."For me it is hard to understand that this war is going on and that we are constantly talking through press conferences, public statements, when we could use the phone, when we could have an applied discussion, not about us, the ones holding these positions, but I believe about the important topics for the country, and we have plenty of important topics, plenty of challenges we must respond to and which should have consensus among the Presidential Administration, the Government and Romania's Parliament," the Prime Minister also said. PM's Christmas message: May the Saviour's birth delight your soul Bucharest, Dec 24 /Agerpres/ - Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Monday sent Romanians a message on the occasion of the Christmas holiday, wishing them good health, peace, abundance and joy. Read also: Euro trades at 4.6413 lei "Dear Romanians, I wish you peace and good health alongside your dear ones! May the birth of Our Saviour Jesus Christ delight your soul and bring abundance and joy to your homes! Merry Christmas!," was the Prime Minister's message, according to a Government release. AGERPRES . The Economist magazine is an admirable publication to which I have subscribed for over fifty years, with gaps now and then. While serving in Vietnam in 1970 its weekly arrival was a major event, as we were bereft of sensible reportage about that disastrous war, and I have always considered it to be balanced, extremely well-informed, and accurate. In its own modest words What ties us together is the objectivity of our opinion, the originality of our insight and our advocacy of economic and political freedom around the world. Quite so. And so say all of us. Lets hear it for a fearless journal that tells it like it is. Until it doesnt. In the issue dated December 15, 2018 there is a strange anomaly in its description of life in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a shattered African state which the magazines writer(s) criticise objectively and with originality. And its the originality tangent that is intriguing. The hard copy which I received in France has a half-page leader about Congo, headlined The Kremlin-style charade in Kinshasa Can anyone stop Joseph Kabila from doing a Putin? which was an arresting summons that indicated objective cover concerning what one might expect to be a series of parallels and comparisons involving the leaders of Congo and Russia. On reading it, however, I wondered if perhaps the writer(s) had trended to originality that transcended objectivity, so went to the website where the headline was slightly different, employing the tried and faithful -ology tack-on and omitting Kabilas name. It read Kremlinology in Kinshasa: Can anyone stop Congos president from doing a Putin? This was becoming even more fascinating, but on reading the objective commentary on Congos hideous circumstances it was difficult to see how the eye-catching headline Kremlin-style charade was justified in relation to the text. The description of Mr Kabila was condemnatory in the extreme, and the observation that his regime is filthier than the untreated water that most Congolese drink, while distinctive and admirably original, could not by even the most objective commentator be applied to doing a Putin. What, then, justified the comparison? The headline to the editorial on another Economist web page was A farce in Congo: Pulling a Putin, which wasnt much help, and the text appeared to be identical, with the Putin-Kremlin-charade stuff being confined to a few words about presidential selection. The Economist postulates that Mr Kabila picked a successor in the hope that he will be like Dmitry Medvedev, Vladimir Putins sidekick who kept Russias throne warm for a few years until the big man was constitutionally allowed to come back. A headline and 32 words of an Editorial total of 620 were used to focus readers attention on Russia. It was an attempted excoriation exercise that was quite skilful, because it is a principle of psychological operations to refrain from outright insult while encouraging audiences to associate dubious behaviour with the intended target and go on from there. Everyone is entitled to their opinions concerning other nations affairs, and if it seems to The Economist that there has been questionable activity in Moscow concerning governance of the Russian Federation, then it is quite entitled to make such a point, however inconsequential it might be but even The Economist couldnt claim that there was anything unconstitutional or illegal in President Putins election process. The BBC described what happened succinctly, in that first elected president in 2000, Mr Putin renewed his four-year term in 2004 before stepping aside in 2008 to serve as prime minister under his protege, Dmitry Medvedev, because by law he could serve only two consecutive terms. The Economist considers this to be reprehensible, but to publish a major editorial piece with a headline implying that the electoral system of the Democratic Republic of the Congo can be equated with that of the Russian Federation is preposterous. (It was reported on December 20 that the Congo elections scheduled for the 23rd had been postponed until the end of the month because a fire destroyed 80% of the voting machines in the capital, Kinshasa. Just as happens all the time in St Petersburg and Novosibirsk.) Then it seemed that The Economist might not be so anti-Russia focused as appears in the editorial referred to above. If one reads the Middle East and Africa edition of this objective advocate of political freedom it is fascinating to see that the headline about the Congos election reads A puppet is set to replace the president : Joseph Kabila will still pull the strings after stepping down. There isnt a hint of Kremlin-style charades or Pulling a Putin and nowhere in this edition is there mention of Moscow, Prime Minister Medvedev, Russia, Kremlinology or even the word corruption. Interestingly, the word regime is also omitted, although it appears three times in the Doing a Putin version. The Economists Middle East and Africa editorial about Congo is over twice as long as the Putin/Kremlin rendering, and at that length it might be imagined there would be a greater scope to elaborate on comparisons between Russias electoral system and that of Congo. But the author(s) refrained from taking the opportunity, and confined observations to such exposition as The election has been a long time coming. The constitution required Mr Kabila to step down in 2016. He tried to change it, failed, and stuck around for two more years anyway. Neat, meaty, to the point, but strangely devoid of Kremlinology comparison. Why did The Economist publish a totally different version of the Congo editorial in its European and Middle East/Africa editions? The major differences between them is that in the former there was a headline sliming President Putin and a snide comment in the body of the piece about Russias presidential election system, while in the latter there was nary a whiff of Kremlinology. Is it imaginable that The Economist wants to send different messages about the same subject to different parts of the world? Why tell Europe and America about a Kremlin-style charade and Pulling a Putin and abstain from such influential impact on readers who inhabit the region from the Mediterranean to the Cape? But perhaps that begs the question about why the objective and original Economist indulged in Moscow-slanging in the first place. Its not as farcical as the approach of Theres a Bear in the Woods in the Daily 202 of the Washington Post, which is obsessed with Russia, and its unlikely that the Economist will go anywhere near such gutters but all the same, it would be decidedly more principled to refrain from spreading false impressions by using suggestive headlines, and just be a tad more objective about the Russian Federation. By Xuxin, Xinhua | Dec. 20, 2018 Japan Airlines (JAL) said Thursday that one of its flight attendants, despite her denial of drinking any alcohol before duty, failed to pass a breathalyzer test with a high level of alcohol earlier this week, Kyodo News reported Thursday. Before boarding a flight from Narita airport to Honolulu on Monday, the 46-year-old female attendant took a test and no alcohol had been detected. However, two other cabin crew noticed the smell of alcohol in her breath and had her take another test, which revealed 0.15 milligram of alcohol in her breath, exceeding JAL's set limit of 0.10 mg, according to the airline. The flight attendant denied to recognize the test result, saying that she had not drunk any alcohol since Friday, JAL said, adding that she repeatedly used mouthwash during the flight. The airline said it will continue its investigation into the matter. JAL has been caught up in a series of drinking scandals involving its pilots. A JAL co-pilot, who exceeded the British alcohol limit by around 10 times prior to a flight in October, was arrested in London and sentenced to 10 months in prison late last month. The airline said after the London incident that it plans to introduce breathalyzer tests for the flight attendants as well. Its not just a trade war: behind that, hides a tech-war and behind that, lie the plans for a full-spectrum arms race from space to cyber. As one US current commander put it: fields of data and information thats what modern war runs on. What are the missions we do in space today? Provide information; provide pathways for information; in conflict, we deny adversaries access to that information. So, the new arms-race is as much about retaining and advancing US tech-leadership in chip evolution, quantum computing, big data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for weaponry as it is just about tech lead in the economic sphere: i.e. dominating civilian industry standards for the next generation of those smart electronic gadgets that we all will buy. So, what is going on? Well, the US military complex is for real on this. They are gearing-up for the coming military-standoff with China. The constant harking on themes that China is stealing Americas technology, its knowhow and its data and now the barrage of allegations about China hacking and (shades of the Russiagate) interfering in US elections, essentially (but not wholly) is about shaping a casus belli versus China. The rude fact is that the US military were shocked to find how far they were falling behind Russia and China in high-tech weaponry. A bipartisan, expert US Defense Department report submitted to Congress in November, warned: America's military edge is diminished, and in some cases erased just as rival countries are getting savvier, stronger and more aggressive America could lose the next war it fights It might struggle to win, or perhaps lose, a war against China or Russia. If the United States had to fight Russia in a Baltic contingency, or China in a war over Taiwan, Americans could face a decisive military defeat Adversaries have studied US military strategies, and learned how to counter them, said commission co-chair Eric Edelman: They've learned from our success and while we've been off doing a different kind of warfare they've been prepared for a kind of warfare at the high end that we really haven't engaged in for a very long time. Ordinary Americans have not been accustomed to think of China as a threat: Maybe as commercial threat, yes but not as a military opponent, per se. But the stream of allegations about how China is stealing Americas prosperity and jobs, are intended to change that Public opinion is being groomed for conflict. So is this all about the US tech rivalry with China? Well, unfortunately no. It is simply that a casus belli for Russia is un-necessary. Russia has been so integrated as an adversarial antinomy; so commingled into domestic US politics, that any grooming of the public, simply is superfluous. It is taken for granted now, that Russia is enemy. Trumps foreign policy hawks, such as John Bolton and Mike Pompeo, have in their gunsights Russia, as much as China. The Defense report to Congress makes that clear: It is China and Russia. But it is that the hawks do not blow so much smoke about Russian malignity, as China, as there is a public to be convinced about China. The tactics for this tech, Cold War have been set out by Administration officials quite clearly: Forbid the export of emerging or foundational technologies; restrict tech access to individuals, as well as companies; and write sanctions to cover the range of foundational technologies, and tech-manufacture knowhow. And cut-off China from key supply-line component-makers. And badger Europeans to boycott Chinese tech. And Russia? Is it somehow apart from this war? Well, Russia, plainly, is different. It doesnt have the same interpenetration with the US on tech, and its defence and avionics capabilities are largely home-grown albeit with some limited vulnerability in terms of component requirements. But America has other, foundational, technology knowhow: And the tech-war principles of denial towards China can be applied just as readily to Russia albeit in a slightly different mode. Trump has made a point of declaring that the US intends to be globally energy dominant. And the US Interior Secretary has, in parallel, linked Americas energy primacy to the possibility of a physical blockade on Russian oil exports: Ryan Zinke told the Washington Examiner in September that the US Navy has the ability to blockade Russia from controlling energy supplies: the economic option on Iran and Russia is, more or less, leveraging and replacing fuels. We can do that because the United States is the largest producer of oil and gas." In practice, such action is unlikely. It is bombast: the US wants crude prices down, not up. But the point here, rather, is the US focus on Russian energy. Zinkes remarks demonstrate the DC mindset: "Russia is a one trick pony", he said, underlining that Russia's ability to sell energy, is paramount to its economic survival. But the China tech-war precedents, in terms of component denial and sanctioning technology transfer, are not only more plausible in the case of Russia: they already are happening (i.e. in the threats surrounding NordStream 2, which mirror the arm-twisting Europeans are experiencing against purchasing Huaweis 5G infrastructure). Again, as with the case of China, the US is pressing on multiple geo-political pressure points onto Russia simultaneously with trying to hobble it economically, through sanctions. Next year almost certainly (it is a legal requirement) the US will unleash a new torrent of Russia sanctions in respect to the Skripal event. Is this just sabre-rattling to keep American imperial spirits high? Should we take seriously the notion of the US Administration triggering geo-political shocks, sufficient to shake, what is left of the global system? I think it quite possible. President Trump will be enmired in the coming year with saving himself, his family, and his businesses, from myriad investigations on the one hand. On the other, he will be fighting the Democrats in Congress and, should the markets tank badly, his leverage over Senate Republicans, will evaporate. There are enough RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) ready to cheer on a Brutus, when conditions become ripe. And beyond the US, many potential flashpoints are evident: The Gulf is fearful; Saudi Arabia is in internal conturbation; Poroshenko is trying to save his political skin; America has been (until yesterday) attempting to sustain a long-term military occupation in Syria, to which Turkey is militantly opposed; Israel is flexing muscles on Hizbullahs doorstep and with Europe on the cusp of a possible economic downturn, the Yellow-Jacket symptoms likely will erupt, in response, in diverse apparitions. Brexit, Italy, Sovereign Debt spreads, Banks all spell rising risks, whether containable, or not, we shall see. But here is the point: whilst Trump is glued to his TV, tracking every twist and turn to the domestic assault on his sensitive self-esteem, his two warrior wings: the China hawks and the Middle East hawks will be piloting at the NSC controls under the crafts captain, Mr John Bolton. What are the risks of major policy mistakes, mal-administration, internal US paralysis, US market doldrums and a distracted President, permitting his ideological hawks to trigger some volatile flashpoint? Quite high, maybe. Matt PURPLE Hes a wily one, that Vladimir Putin. Consider all that hes managed to accomplish over the last 24 hours, according to the geopolitical wizards on Twitter. At Putins behest, President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a withdrawal of American troops from Syria. Thats now cleared the path for Russia to exert control over Damascus, the Middle East, indeed the world itself, because Moscow has at last secured the jewel in its neo-Soviet empirea strip of chaotic desert in northeastern Syria. If thats actually Putins thinking, then hes not playing checkers or chess so much as 13 Dead End Drive right before the chandelier falls on his head. Yet that was the gist of the analysis from Americas smart set yesterday. Think tank functionaries and journalists and right-wing radio hosts were all united in furious opposition to Trumps Russia-influenced absconding from Syria. Somehow theyve yet to muster similar unanimous outrage over our massive national debt or our loneliness-cum-opioid crisis, but Im sure thats just a matter of time. Until then, the Syria page of Washingtons mad-lib book yields all the usual buzzwords: adversaries, strength, surrender. So far as Putin goes, he isnt trying to flip Syria behind some newly hung Iron Curtain. His aim is a return to the pre-civil war status quo: a friendly Assad regime, a safe Russian naval base in Tartus, and an end to jihadist-fueled instability across Syria. That latter one is especially important to understanding the Russian psyche. Putin fears nothing more than a weak state besieged by armed rogues, a result of his formative experiences in chaotic Dresden after the Berlin Wall came down and later amid uprisings in Chechnya. Hence the desire to protect Assad, who will keep the mob from the Tartus door. The real disruptive change, then, wont come if Putin wins; it will come if the United States were to somehow realize its original delusion of overthrowing Assad, which would (further) tear open a power vacuum that would be filled at least in part by jihadists. And what about if the United States withdraws? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is likely to attack the Kurds, which he sees as a threat to his homeland. (Though even there, the crystal ball is murky. As Joshua Landis pointed out on Twitter yesterday, the Kurds helped fight off Arab rebel militias, and Assad may decide he needs them as allies in post-war Syria.) Some combination of Assadists and Russians will then move in against the straggling rebel and ISIS remnants, the latter of which are still committing horrific atrocities but largely defeated and shut out of major population centers. Syria after that will be changed, tense, bloodstained, aggrieved. But it will be more stable, at least, than it was during the war, perhaps enabling the trickle of refugees returning home to become a gush. And even if that scenario proves too rosy, even if Turkey and Syria somehow end up skirmishing, what is America supposed to do? What justifies the expenditure of another dollar or soldier in a conflict as intractable as that? What net good do we accomplish by planting ourselves in front of a powerful NATO nation on the other side of the globe? Weve heard a lot this week about the capital were sacrificing by pulling out of Syria: in power, in allies, in something called credibility that hawks seem to think functions like Monopoly money. But what about those two resources I just mentioned: dollars and lives? Why do those get so little attention? The United States since 2001 has spent nearly $6 trillion on wars in the Middle East, according to Brown Universitys Watson Institute of International and Public Affairs. In Syria, that money has often gone towards gilded banana peels that we then promptly trip over, including two plans to arm rebels that ended up feeding weapons to jihadists and a $500 million program to train fighters that produced about five graduates before being shut down. Meanwhile, Americas infrastructure crumbles. Why shifting money into domestic needs at times such as this is considered populist rather than just commonsense, I will never understand. Then theres the toll in blood. American soldiers have been killed in Syria, have been put in harms way, all for a mission that is both unclear and undeclared. So stark is the contrast between the vague purpose of our wars and their real human losses that its become a paramount political issue. Dont forget what J.D. Vance said to our own Rod Dreher back in 2016 about why working-class voters were swooning for Trump: Unsurprisingly, southern, rural whites enlist in the military at a disproportionate rate. Can you imagine the humiliation these people feel at the successive failures of Bush/Obama foreign policy? We cant be sure how great a role our failed wars played in Trumps election but they were certainly a factor. Ill never call it war weariness, which has always seemed to me to contain a grain of condescension: just take a nap, dear, and youll be ready to nation-build again. But certainly we are fed up with a foreign policy elite that never accomplishes its missions yet whose appetite for military action seems only to grow. Thats why the silliest thing anyone has written about Syria this week came on Wednesday in a Commentary column by Noah Rothman. Condemning Trumps troop pullout, Rothman pronounced, Political commentators and anti-interventionist ideologues will note that withdrawing Americas modest footprint from Syria is popular with the public. But what would you expect? Precisely no one in the political class is making a case for sustained and substantial American intervention in this conflict zone. Ummm. Maybe Im just high on the sweet, sweet appeasement, but I dont think thats the problem. Lindsey Graham and Jeb Bush argued for intervention in Syria during the Republican presidential primaries; they were crushed. Hillary Clinton went hawkish on Assad; she lost. Their vanquisher, Donald Trump, promised instead to smash ISIS and then get out. You dont have to like Trump (I dont) to understand the frantic signal flare that his voters were trying to send up. Yet on and on the elite freak-out goes, deaf to any message that contradicts its line. Why didnt Trump listen to the generals?! they wail. Because we have a civilian executive, for one, not a military junta. But lets re-ask that same question, only slightly expanded: Why doesnt Trump listen to the military men and women who have fought the wars of the past 17 years? Were he to, he would find disdain for overseas nation building55 percent of active duty troops oppose more of it, according to a Military Times poll from 2016. He would hear stories of disillusionment and confusion. He would read laments like that of Dan Grazier, who served in both Fallujah and Afghanistan: Looking back after more than a decade, it is hard to convince even myself that my platoon helped achieve any lasting contribution in a strategic sense. Shouldnt our poor track record in Afghanistan and Iraq inform our thinking in Syria and lead us to limit the mission? Absolutely not, according to the war pamphleteers, who insist we must blunt a Russia/Iran/Assad axis, which isnt much of an axis to begin with and which amounts to taking sides in a Muslim sectarian struggle that isnt any of our business. Also we need to maintain that credibility with our alliesfunny how that was never an issue when Trump was pulling out of the Iran nuclear deal. And looming above it all, like Andross, is Vladimir Putin. Such a menace is his Italy-sized economy and osteoporotic aircraft carrier that we cant ever withdraw from Syria, as we did from Vietnam and Iraq the first time around. We must stay put, as Winston Churchill would have intended, forever and ever, amen. I am glad Trump rejected this nonsense and hope he will continue to. theamericanconservative.com Roger Annis is a retired aerospace worker in Vancouver BC. He writes regularly for Counterpunch and compiles his writings on a A Socialist in Canada . He is an editor of the website The New Cold War: Ukraine and beyon d Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch issued a report on July 21, 2016 on the human rights situation in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine. The report can only be described as covering up the ongoing war crimes being perpetrated by the governing regime in Kyiv, Ukraine since it launched its Anti-Terrorist Operation (civil war) in April 2014. The war was launched in order to crush resistance in Donbass to the illegal coup detat and seizure of power in Kyiv in February 2014 by the movement calling itself Maidan. Coincidentally, artillery and other attacks by Maidan Ukraine against the rebel Donetsk and Lugansk peoples republics in Donbass intensified during the past two months, the very time frame in which the human rights defenders were preparing their report for publication. The 65-page report by the two agencies is titled You Dont Exist: Arbitrary Detentions, Enforced Disappearances, and Torture in Eastern Ukraine. It downplays the grim details as well as international dimension of Ukraines two-plus year of anti-terrorist civil war. It argues that the victims of the war share equal responsibility for rights violations as the perpetrators. The introduction reads: Both the Ukrainian government authorities and Russia-backed separatists [sic] in eastern Ukraine have held civilians in prolonged, arbitrary detention, without any contact with the outside world, including with their lawyers or families. In some cases, the detentions constituted enforced disappearances, meaning that the authorities in question refused to acknowledge the detention of the person or refused to provide any information on their whereabouts or fate. Most of those detained suffered torture or other forms of ill-treatment The key recommendation in the reports introductory summary reads: Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch call on the Ukrainian government and the de facto authorities in self-proclaimed DNR and LNR [Donetsk Peoples Republic and Lugansk Peoples Republic] to immediately put an end to enforced disappearances and arbitrary and incommunicado detentions, and to launch zero-tolerance policies with regard to the torture and ill-treatment of detainees. All parties to the conflict must ensure that all the forces under their control are aware of the consequences of abusing detainees under international law, and that allegations of torture and ill-treatment in detention are thoroughly investigated and those responsible are held to account. The methodology of the report is by now old hat, the same one employed in reports on Ukraine by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights going back two years. The OHCHRs latest report on Ukraine was issued one week prior to the AI/HRW report and was reviewed here by this author. Like the UNs OHCHR, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch consider the rebel forces in eastern Ukraine to have the same obligations to follow international treaties on human rights as the government attacking them. Missing from this equation is the fact that the Ukrainian government is an existing signator to most international human rights conventions and yet it is waging aninternal civil war against its citizenry. Whereas the rebels are shunned and unrecognized by the world, including by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and therefore unable to become signators themselves as they would surely agree if conditions permitted. As a member government of the United Nations and signator to international conventions, does the Ukrainian government bear special responsibility and duty in this conflict? Or are its responsibilities lessened when it can claim, accurately or not, Hey, the other side are human rights violators, too.? AI and HRW sidestep these uncomfortable questions. The use the same insulting and pejorative terminology as Kyiv to describe the rebel forces under attack. The terms de facto authorities and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine are used interchangeably to describe the elected officials in Donetsk and Lugansk. Let us recall that these officials have heroically led their populations in defending themselves against a brutal military offensive by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and its allied, extreme-right paramilitary militias. According to understated figures by the United Nations, Ukraines offensive has caused the deaths of more than 10,000 people. It has seen tens of thousands injured and several million displaced from their homes or from their Donbass homeland altogether. How are the leaders of Donetsk and Lugansk supposed to follow the niceties of AI/HRWs recommended humanitarian war when they are shunned and vilified on the world stage, even by the supposed human rights defenders? Does no one in rarefied offices in London and New York care about the Donetsk and Lugansk populations who are subjected to daily artillery shellings and other attacks with the active encouragement and financial assistance of Western governments (not to speak of the blind eyes of international human rights organizations)? AI and HRW have no answers to such questions. You Dont Exist consists of 18 case studies of prisoner treatment, nine from each side of the conflict, along with summary recommendations. There is no doubt about the gravity of accusations against the Ukrainian authorities. A litany of international reports have documented the human rights violations ongoing in Ukrainedetentions of critics and even mass killings, such as in Odessa in May 2014; harassment, detention and even killings of journalists and opposition politicians; torture in secret prisons; proscriptions of Russian-language media; destruction of monuments to Ukraines Soviet past and the raising of World War Two collaborators with Nazi Germany to the status of national heroes; and so on. As the AI/HRW report acknowledges ever so carefully and sketchily, the situation of illegal detention and torture in Ukraine is so bad that the UNs investigative rapporteur on the subject made an unprecedented decision in May 2016 to cancel its country investigation. On the rebel side? Let us assume that the established biases of AI and HRW did not prevent them from conducting impartial investigations and that the allegations of nine prisoner mistreatments in Donetsk and Lugansk are true. Let us also assume, a fair assumption, that rebel forces would accede to international conventions and related investigations on the treatment of prisoners if they were confident that such processes would not simply be used as propaganda tools against them, as is the case to date. How, then, to arrive at conditions of prisoner detention that would satisfy international conventions and human rights agencies? By vilifying those one is seeking to influence, and by turning a blind eye to a cruel war which is the source of human rights violations in the first place? Again, AI and HRW have no answer. But in the meantime, our human rights agencies are effectively saying that the government of Ukraine is under no more and no less legal obligations than unrecognized, rebel forces. They trivialize Ukraines violations by making the government no more responsible than what are declared to be de facto authorities and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Deep biases in AI/HRW report discount them as objective observers The deep bias and prejudice of the AI and HRW report in favour of Ukraine and its Western backers is evidenced in the three-page Background chapter of the report, pages 8 to 10. Here we read the standard, Western government and media presentation of the Maidan coup (ouster of an elected president, according to the language of the report). There is the Russian annexation of Crimea, completely ignoring the long, complicated history of Crimeas status in post-Soviet Ukraine and in Soviet Ukraine before that, and ignoring the referendum vote to secede from Ukraine on March 15, 2014. There is the whitewashing and trivializing of the violence of the new, Maidan regime in Kyiv against its opponents. The report places quotation marks around the term self-defense units when describing how the people of Donbass responded to the arrival of vengeful, extremist and neo-Nazi paramilitaries on their territory following the Maidan coup. Incredibly, the Minsk-2 ceasefire agreement of February 12, 2015 is given one sentence of serious mention in the report. There is no mention of the agreement in the Recommendations section of the report, notwithstanding the fact that the agreement is endorsed by the governments of Russia, Germany and France and also by the United Nations Security Council! (Kyiv did not sign Minsk-2; it assigned a former president to sign it in a ghost capacity). The report deals briefly with only one clause of Minsk-2 the one pertaining to prisoner exchanges by the two sides. (Like all the other clauses of Minsk-2, this one has not been adhered to by Kyiv). The full text of Minsk-2 is here. Minsk-2 provides a comprehensive basis for resolution of the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine (Donbass). But backers of the Ukrainian government, including the German and French governments, have never liked the agreement and have done anything to ensure its application. Thats because the agreements central recommendations address the heart of the conflictthat a decentralization of political power is required in Ukraine and political autonomy should be granted to regions that have a political and historic claim to such. Kyiv is adamantly opposed to decentralization and to autonomy. Western governments concur, as do, seemingly, Western human rights agencies. Another particularly damning aspect of the AI and HRW report is the use of the same inflammatory language against the Donetsk and Lugansk rebel republics as that of the government of Ukraine. The Donetsk and Lugansk peoples republics are termed self-declaredconveying that the duly constituted and elected governing authorities there have no moral or legal authority. The rebel forces are termed separatists. This is falsethe struggle in Donbass has always been a struggle against the institutional violence of the Maidan state of Ukraine and in favour of political autonomy. But more scandalously, the language of separatism shows the high priests of human rights to be unaware that in todays Ukraine, a label of separatist against an individual is a licence to beat, imprison or kill him or her, while tagging an entire, pro-autonomy movement as separatist is a recipe for waging civil war. Imagine two human rights organizations with decades of political experience behind them blissfully unaware of the incendiary and destructive power of language in times of civil conflict! This defies comprehension. The New York Times Andrew Kramer took his cue from the high priests and led his news item summarizing the AI/HRW report with, A report by two leading human rights groups released on Thursday accuses Ukraines Western-backed security services of practicing abuse and torture in a manner similar to that of the rebel groups they are fighting. Clearly, the people of Donbass who are suffering daily shellings and attacks by the Ukrainian army cannot count on the human rights heroes of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch for relief. Nor can the people of Ukraine as a whole, for whom the consequences of this war are a domestic economic disaster, widespread human rights violations and seeing their country played as a pawn in the reckless drive by NATO to provoke war with Russia, complete with nuclear threats. Relief for Donbass and Ukraine will come from stepped up domestic and international antiwar solidarity and from support by sympathetic governments. Considering NATOs roll of the nuclear dice in eastern Europe, the responsibilities of progressive and antiwar forces in the world should be self-evident. by Austin Bay December 24, 2018 In 2005, I showed up at Camp Lemonnier, the American military base in the East African nation of Djibouti. As I joked in a column published that year, Djibouti is one of Earth's hard corners few people can pronounce and still fewer visit. Located on the Horn of Africa, Djibouti's neighborhood is violent. Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia are close by, tragic Yemen across the Red Sea. In 2005, war and atrocity savaged the region. As 2018 ends, they continue to plague it. I asked the U.S. Marine colonel escorting our group to describe the U.S. military's mission in the Horn of Africa. He replied softly and firmly: "We're involved in waging peace." He wore camouflage BDUs -- battle dress uniforms in military lingo. But he meant what he said. However, the phrase "waging peace" had for yours truly an ironic echo. I'd heard it in late February 1990, three short months after the Berlin Wall cracked. I'd been part of a panel discussion with several other writers. I believe the audience was predominantly students. I remember getting a question about German reunification and the possible end of the Cold War. Alas, when I left the auditorium a woman intercepted me in the hallway. She wore hippie regalia, circa 1968, bandana, faded jeans, and a dyed pearl-button shirt. She smiled a crooked smile then unloaded with smug glee, "You write books about war, right? With the end of the Cold War and so many people waging peace, I guess you'll have to find another subject, eh?" This thought flashed through my mind: "Korea -- that unfinished Cold War could explode as we speak." But with two kids at home, I didn't have six hours to catalog the wars haunting her dawning age of bliss. I kept my reply civil, sincere and accurate, "Well, ma'am, it's quite a hazardous form of peace." Her lips pursed. I circled the confrontational peace-wager and went home. The peace-wager's hallway ambush has appeared in a pair of previous columns mulling peace creation and maintenance. But the anecdote also serves as a dramatic reminder to readers of the 1990s' carnage. That's why I included it in the introduction to my latest book, "Cocktails from Hell: Five Wars Shaping the 21st Century" (Bombardier Books). Within six months of February 1990, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and ignited a major war in the Middle East. Within 16 months, Yugoslavia fragmented into a nest of small wars and genocidal slaughter. A decade of dirty little wars and terror followed. Compare the Marine colonel and the (as indicated by her behavior) political peace activist. Which one waged peace, at least in ways of securing two conditions fundamental to physical peace, stability and safety? I believe the answer is the Marine colonel and the soldiers, sailors and marines in the joint force at Lemonnier. However, "waging preventative war" might more aptly describe the U.S. Djibouti task force's mission. The outfit conducted counter-terror surveillance operations throughout the region. It supported Indian Ocean anti-piracy operations and sometimes conducted operations against al-Qaida in Somalia. What had the peace-waging ambusher done other than indicate she possessed a utopian ideal whose time had come? Based on her in-your-face confrontation and years of television coverage, carrying protest signs and shouting at veterans are reasonable speculation. However one defines peace, as a rare condition on Earth or as a philosophical ideal, conflict is endemic to our species. The poet Petrarch wrote: "Five great enemies to peace inhabit within us: avarice, ambition, envy, anger and pride. If those enemies were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perpetual peace." Indeed -- the clash of competing or incompatible human desires is a deep and difficult to resolve aspect of the problem of creating and maintaining peace. Worth remembering as we hope for peace on earth. Even though Islamic terrorism related deaths fell by 5,000 in 2017 (compared to 2016) and continued to decline in 2018, Iraq remains the nation with the largest Islamic terrorism problem (followed by Afghanistan, Nigeria, Syria and Pakistan). Most of the deaths in Syria come from continued fighting between government forces and rebels. The largest source of Islamic terror deaths in Syria remains ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) although in the last year ISIL has been taking more casualties than it is inflicting. While the problems with Islamic terrorism in Iraq are declining the problems with neighbor Iran are increasing and causing more political disruption. The anti-Iran election results earlier in the year created some initial confusion among Iranian leaders but that is gone now and Iran is pushing Iraq hard to ignore the American sanctions and help Iran evade them. Iraq is cooperating as much as it can, but not out of sympathy for or fear of Iran but because there is money to be made helping Iran out. Even so, Iraq does not blatantly flaunt the American sanctions because in many respects Iraq needs the Americans more than they need Iran. Moreover, the United States can be more trouble, using legal means, than Iran. The Americans can respond by going after the Iraqi corruption in addition to invoking banking and other financial restrictions. At the moment most Iraqis see the Americans as the good guys and the Iranians as the bully next door, and often just down the street because pro-Iran PMF (Peoples Mobilization Forces) commanders are being more aggressive with the army and any Iraqis who openly oppose Iran. The growing number of murdered Iraqi politicians is attributed to Iranian death squads, Iran denies this but it is something the Iranians do everywhere. All this Iranian interference increases the risk of civil war in a country that has a minority of the Shia majority willing to use violence to support Iran. Pro-Iran PMF militias take orders from Iran and that is increasingly unpopular with most Iraqis. Iraqi leaders have been subjected to a lot of pressure from Iran to ignore the American sanctions. Iran pointed out that complying with the sanctions would hurt the Iraqi economy. That pressure caused Iraqi leaders to comply with the more immediate threat (Iran) even though they realized that most Iraqis preferred the Americans to the Iranians. After all, when Iraq asked the Americans to leave in 2011 they did. Iraq is seeking an exemption to some of the Iran sanctions because otherwise the Iraqi economy would suffer and the U.S. has been granting these requests. Iraqi economists and financial experts have made it clear that the Americans have a lot of options and many of them involve going after individual pro-Iran Iraqi leaders, especially those who are the most corrupt. Sanctions on individuals have proved very effective and Iraq has a lot of eligible targets. The Kurds had another advantage in that they were on good terms with the Americans who in turn had the ability to chase down leads via the international banking system. That turned up more leads and hiding places for ISIL money. Lastly, while the Americans are withdrawing their 2,000 troops from Syria they are apparently planning on stationing many of them in Iraq, along the Syrian border to protect Iraq from continued ISIL attack Criminal Cash Combat With ISIL having lost all its territorial control, and most of the billions in cash, gold and valuables they had stolen since 2013, they still have nearly half a billion in cash and portable valuables left and everyone wonder where it is. For more than a year ISIL has been trying to launder (turn the loot into legitimate assets) as much of this money as possible. That had made the ISIL stash easier to spot and track. At the same time, some of this wealth is buried in remote areas of western Iraq or eastern Syria. One of these stashes has been found so far (that is known of) but more valuable are the documents being found that contain data on how ISIL is laundering their cash. The Kurds in northern Iraq has been very active in doing this because ISIL (and Arabs from the south in general) have parked a lot of money in the Kurdish north because it is safer. While the Kurds were fighting ISIL there was little interest (or resources) in auditing local firms. In 2018 that changed because there was a lot less fighting and a lot more auditing. The ISIL cash reserve does not mean ISIL forces stop raising cash whenever they can. Local ISIL groups still use extortion, or voluntary contributions from supporters, to pay for operations. The men who collect the donations also collect information and impart ISIL warnings or instructions (like we need more money or a contact with someone). Because these fundraisers are regularly out in the open they are often captured and provide a good source of information. When possible the fundraisers are watched and followed for a while to identify more suspects. This provides evidence that ISIL still has a lot of supporters in Iraq, where the Sunni minority is still angry at losing economic and political power in 2003, power they had held for centuries (under Turkish rule and since the 1920s in an independent Iraq.) These Sunnis used to support al Qaeda and other less fanatic Islamic terror groups but now they favor ISIL because this group actually achieved some success from 2014 to 2016 and might do so again. Economic Growth Foreign economists, especially those from the credit rating agencies, believe Iraqi GDP will grow four percent in 2019 if oil prices remain high (averaging $75 a barrel) and Iraqi production continues as it has for the last two years. The Arab dominated OPEC oil cartel has had some success in cutting production to keep the oil price high but non-OPEC (especially the North American frackers) have been increasing production a lot. GDP growth for 2018 was 2.8 percent and more growth was expected as more of the country recovered from the three years of ISIL violence. But basically, the Iraqi economy is still based on oil and the ability to pump and ship it to foreign customers. Iraq has ten percent of the world's oil reserves and 2017 exploration efforts have that increased by 10 billion barrels. That makes 153 billion barrels, which more than a third larger than it was after the resumption of oil exploration a decade ago. Iran has reserves of 158 billion barrels, Saudi Arabia 266 billion and Venezuela 300 billion. These four nations have the largest reserves which are about 60 percent of the world total. What is keeping the world oil price low is fracking and related novel extraction methods. That new American technology is making much more oil and gas available and it is expected that the U.S. and Canada will soon have proven reserves equaling a third of the current world total. The fall in oil prices since 2013 (from over $100 a barrel to as low as $30) cut Iraqi foreign currency reserves to about $48 billion by the end of 2017, compared to $53 billion in mid-2016. That forced the government to adapt and the reserves were $60 billion by the end of 2018. By early 2018 the price of oil had climbed to $60 a barrel and later to over $80 mainly because OPEC members were not cheating on their quotas and several members were producing less than their quota because of internal security problems. Despite all that oil prices have been declining since October and are now under $60 a barrel. The ISIL crisis forced Iraq to be more prudent with its finances, and government operations in general. The Americans are no longer being blamed for all that goes wrong. Taking responsibility does indeed make it easier to deal with problems. But many Iraqi leaders and politicians still prefer to blame all the problems on America, Israel and so on. Turks Who Must Be Obeyed The Turks have long launched airstrikes on PKK (Turkish Kurdish separatists) camps or concentrations they have identified in northern Iraq. Until recently most of these attacks were near Mt Qandil, a remote area near the Turkish and Iranian borders that has long harbored PKK hideouts. This has forced the PKK to try and moved its Qandil headquarters west to Sinjar (in Nineveh Province, 120 kilometers west of Mosul). Turkey has succeeded in persuading the Iraqi government and the Iraqi Kurds to assist in preventing this. The move to Sinjar began in early 2018 when a large (over a thousand armed men) force of pro-PKK Yazidis (who are generally considered Kurds) sought to establish a PKK base near Sinjar. This is a largely Yazidi area west of Mosul that became the scene of a major battle between ISIL and Kurdish forces who came from Kurdish controlled Dohuk province to assist the Yazidis. The October 2017 Iraqi offensive against the Kurdish occupied areas outside the autonomous north pushed Kurdish forces back to Dohuk but local Yazidi forces remained and these contained many PKK supporters. Turkey considers all the Yazidis pro-PKK, something the Iraqi government and Iraqi Kurds disagree with. In response to the Turkish advances Iraq sent an army brigade to Sinjar and the PKK announced it was leaving Sinjar. The Turks were not convinced and insisted that Iraq ensure there are no PKK bases in the north. In early 2018, Turkish attacks (usually via airstrikes) in northern (Kurdish controlled) Iraq left 10-20 dead a month, at least until April. The Turks are usually pretty careful about hitting only PKK targets and the PKK do not try and use local Kurdish civilians as human shields. So it is rare for civilians to be hurt by these attacks although it has happened at least once so far in 2018. Until recently about 80 percent of the operations against the PKK (and their Syrian PYD associates) took place in eastern Turkey and northwest Syria. But when Turkish operations in northwest Syria were stalled (which was often) then Turkish operations, especially airstrikes, increased against PKK in northern Iraq and just across the border in southeast Turkey. That has led to more complaints from Iraqi Kurds living in the remote areas where the PKK operate that the increased Turkish airstrikes have hit targets close to Kurdish towns and villages and this has civilian casualties when here were increased airstrikes. Currently, Turkey has openly said that it will pursue PKK and PYD Kurds into Syria or Iraq without asking permission from the governments of either country. This annoys the Iraqi government but at the moment it is considered preferable not to oppose the Turks. In some cases, Iraqi borders are officially open for some groups and vice versa. Such is the case with Iraqi forces chasing ISIL forces into Jordan. That can work the other way around but there is a lot more ISIL action on the Iraqi side of the border and the two countries have agreed to share intel on ISIL activities in their territory and tolerate cross-border operations. It was not until late 2018 that there was some Assad government control on the Syrian side of the border. That degree of control is growing but currently independent factions (SDF in northern Syria, Iranian mercenaries further south) more or less control the Syrian side. The Assads can still grant permission to Iraqi forces to cross the border when it comes to dealing with mutual foes like ISIL. Compared to other neighboring countries the Turks continue to be the most difficult for Iraq to deal with. December 23, 2018: In the west (Anbar province), Iraqi EOD (Explosives Ordnance Disposal) teams and some foreign mine clearing personnel have, over the last three years, found and disposed of nearly 50,000 pieces of ISIL ammunition, including those used for mines and roadside bombs. It was in 2015 that ISIL was first driven from parts of Anbar and became clear that ISIL would always leave lots of explosive surprises behind. The U.S. has been training Iraqis for this EOD work since 2004 and after that Iraq had its own school that has been turning out a growing number of very effective EOD technicians. These men are essential if there is to be a rapid and sustained advance into ISIL held territory or urban areas ISIL has held for a while. Iraq declared ISIL defeated a year ago and yet the Islamic terror group continues to maintain a very visible presence in northern Iraq. In early 2018 nearly half of ISIL activity was in Iraq (and a few provinces at that) while nearly a third were in Syria (mainly in the east). At the end of 2018 ISIL is being crushed in Syria but seems to survive in Iraq. In part, this is because ISIL has succeeded in going guerrilla in Iraq by early 2018. Nearly all the ISIL attacks reported in Iraq can be classified as terrorism. This reflects a known trend that began in early 2018 as ISIL concentrated in maintaining a presence in the area north of Baghdad (Kirkuk, Diyala, and Salahuddin provinces). For 2018 ISIL carried out about 130 attacks a month and these attacks rarely involved bombings populated areas (to kill civilians). There were also more ISIL operations involving threats of violence to intimidate civilians or local security forces. There was less use of violence because ISIL has fewer bomb builders and suicide bombers (as well as the people who recruit, train and supervise suicide bombers carrying out their attack). Bombs are now used primarily against security forces. The guerilla tactics can be seen by the growing number of attacks, especial along the main roads north from Baghdad to Kirkuk and the border with the Kurdish controlled north. Attacks involving kidnapping and murder (mainly to terrorize the population into not interfering with or reporting on ISIL activity) are more frequent. In March there were seven of these attacks. That increased to 30 during May and 83 in June and, according to ISIL, about 200 in October. Most of these attacks did not involve violence but all involved threats. ISIL was counting kidnapping and extortion activities (which sometimes involved non-lethal violence). These operations are important because they raise money and keep locals in line. This increase in activity shows how effectively ISIL has established base areas to operate from. Most of the bases are in the Hemrin Mountains, which extend from Diyala province through northern Salahuddin province and into southern Kirkuk province. In early 2018, it was believed that there were 500-1,000 armed ISIL members operating in the Hemrins and about the same in desert areas near the Syrian border from west of Mosul south to include Anbar province. ISIL is also trying to reestablish itself in Mosul and that can be seen by the continued arrests of known ISIL members in Mosul and surrounding areas. The main point of this is that ISIL is defeated but not destroyed. The main reason for that is the nature of ISIL which, alone of all major religions, demands extreme measures for those who try to leave Islam (death), Moslems or non-Moslems who criticize Islam (death) and trying to convert a Moslem to another faith (death). The list is very long and Islamic scripture also preaches justice and honesty but it also justifies being violent when defending Islam against real or imagined threats. All this is a problem that many prominent Moslems are now openly recognizing and seeking a solution for. That in itself is a brave and unusual act. Yet it is deemed necessary because many of the worst aspects of Islam not only encourage terrorism but also limit academic, economic and social progress. Meanwhile, Islamic terrorism continues to mainly kill other Moslems. While Islamic terror groups preach the importance of killing non-Moslems it is also noticed that nations that are mainly non-Moslem tend to be better run, wealthier and more capable of halting of limiting Islamic terror activity. But in many Moslem nations, like Iraq, a large minority of the population continues to support Islamic terrorism as a cure for all problems real or imagined. So the Islamic terrorists tend to go where they are least unwelcome. December 21, 2018: The U.S. granted Iraq a 90-day extension on the original 45-day exemption on some Iranian sanctions. Iraq made a case that they needed an exemption to some of the Iran sanctions because otherwise, the Iraqi economy would suffer. This was especially true with Iraqi dependence on Iran for electricity and natural gas imports. In the south (Basra), for the second week in a row police used bullets as well as tear gas to try and disperse continued weekly demonstrations against the local government (which continues to be too corrupt and ineffective for most people living in the area). The demonstrations have been going on since July. December 19, 2018: The American president, in keeping with a campaign promise, announced the withdrawal of American forces (about 2,000 troops) from Syria and about half the 14,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. No timetable was given but preparations are being made to establish new American bases in the south (Anbar province) and north (Kurdish controlled border area). This campaign promise arose from the fact most Americans have noticed that since the 1990s there have been a growing number of overseas military operations undertaken by different American governments and that these operations, initially described as short-term, never seem to end. For example, there are still U.S. troops stationed in Kosovo, an assignment which was to have ended within a year but somehow never did. Putting American troops into Syria was supposed to be temporary until ISIL was destroyed. That task has largely been accomplished and the remaining anti-ISIL forces in Syria can mop up. In the northwest (Duhok province) Turkish air and artillery strikes at suspected PKK positions has caused hundreds of civilians to flee their homes. December 18, 2018: Parliament agreed to approve three more government ministers but five are still pending. This is seven months after the elections and the main reason is the size and complexity of the party coalition used to form the current government. There are more political groups that can threaten to leave the coalition if their veto of a ministerial candidate is not acted on. The differences are particularly acute between Shia nationalists (led by the Sadr coalition) and the pro-Iran parties (particularly Badr). In the north (along the border between Diyala and Salahuddin province) local security forces began a major operation to drive ISIL forces from seven villages in this border area. December 16, 2018: Turkey carried out airstrikes against PKK targets in northern Iraq over the past few days. Targets were in the northeast as well as the northwest (Sinjar). December 13, 2018: In the north, the autonomous Kurdish government gave in to Turkish (and Iraqi government) pressure and shut down all political parties allied with the Turkish separatist PKK or not on the Iraqi government list of approved parties. The PKK finds itself in big trouble because of the renewed Iran sanctions. The Iraqi Kurds, in order to maintain good relations with the United States has to observe these sanctions. That means Turkey is the only way they can export their oil and maintain access to the outside world. The Turks are taking advantage of this. December 12, 2018: Iraq and Jordan agreed to establish several new border crossings in 2019 in order to revive trade and travel between the two countries. That had been disrupted since 2014 because of ISIL activity. December 11, 2018: In the west across the border in Syria (Deir Ezzor province), Iraqi F-16s attacked two ISIL targets killing an estimated 44 Islamic terrorists and destroying equipment and weapons stockpiles. These two ISIL bases are near the Iraqi border where a number of ISIL members are still maintaining a presence. ISIL targets in this area were hit by Iraqi F-16s on November 20 killing at least 40 Islamic terrorists. Syrian Kurd SDF militias are on the ground shutting down these ISIL base areas. December 9, 2018: In the west (Anbar province), local officials confirmed that the Americans appear to be establishing a third base along the Syrian border, 30 kilometers north of the Euphrates River near the Nineveh province border. Other two American bases in Anbar are at the Tanf crossing (near the Jordan border) and further north at the Qaim border crossings into Syria on the Euphrates River. December 8, 2018: The Iraqi Air Force received another six FA-50 jets from South Korea. Iraq had ordered 24 of the new South Korean FA-50 light fighters in 2013 for use as trainers and attack aircraft. Iraq is receiving a variant of basic T-50 jet trainer. The T-50 was designed to be capable of air combat and is actually quite formidable. South Korea also sold the Philippines and Indonesia T-50s. The Iraqi FA-50s were supposed to be delivered in 2015-16 but the ISIL uprising interrupted this plan. T-50 pilot and ground crew training was to have started in 2014 but was delayed by the war with ISIL. This delayed delivery of the FA-50s for two years. With this delivery, all of the 24 FA-50s have arrived. The Iraq sale was worth $1.1 billion dollars and was the largest single South Korean arms sale to date. November 29, 2018: In the United States (Washington DC) the Americans put a vast trove of Iranian weapons or fragments (of ballistic missiles, naval mines, remotely controlled bomb boats or UAVs) collected from countries throughout the Middle East (Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and so on) as evidence of illegal Iranian arms exports. Most of the items displayed have Farsi (the Iranian language) markings. Opening the display in Washington makes it accessible to many foreign embassy personnel and journalists. Two more interesting items (Iranian made rocket launchers) were recently found in Yemen. And Iranian weapons are so common in Iraq that it is no big deal unless it is components for landmines and roadside bombs. These are provided by Iran to be used against Iraqi security forces and American troops. November 28, 2018: For the first time an Iranian B-747 freighter aircraft delivered missile components directly to Lebanon. These components add GPS guidance to long-range unguided rockets. The transport flew over Iraq and Syria. November 26, 2018: In the east (Deir Ezzor province), SDF (Syrian Kurd rebels) forces repelled a complex and desperate attack by as many as 500 ISIL fighters seeking to protect their last stronghold near Hajin city and the Iraqi border. The attack began on the 23rd and involved numerous attack groups and dozens of suicide bombers advancing out of a widespread fog. The SDF lost 92 dead over three days, the most ever in a single battle. Since SDF began moving against this ISIL stronghold in early September the primarily Kurdish group has lost over 450 dead. The three day ISIL offensive was stopped by stubborn SDF defensive tactics, which had American artillery and airstrikes on call. ISIL lost over a hundred known dead but many of the ISIL bodies are in what is still ISIL territory where airstrikes hit any group seen moving during the battle. Because of that a lot of the ISIL attackers never reached SDF positions. Many of the attackers, especially suicide bombers, got close to SDF forces by claiming to be civilians fleeing ISIL. There are a lot of civilians in this ISIL controlled area. Many of them are wives and children of ISIL fighters but many are not and are discouraged from leaving the area. ISIL wives are often willing to participate in suicide attacks and take the kids with them. Now SDF forces will advance into this last ISIL stronghold and have to deal with landmines, explosive traps and suicide bombers that appear to be civilians. This is why ISIL is often described as a suicidal death cult. The hundreds of ISIL fighters surrounded near Hajin are all diehard and desperate Islamic terrorists who realize this is their last stand and the possibility of getting out is very low. After this most recent battle and the heavy losses SDF suffered there is even more resolve by the SDF to ensure that none of the ISIL personnel escape. Taking prisoners is unlikely because the trapped ISIL men know about the growing number of captured ISIL men and women being sentenced to long prison terms or execution. November 25, 2018: American commanders have told Iraqi officials that American forces would not automatically intervene if Iran controlled militias, especially PMF (Peoples Mobilization Forces) groups went to war with the Iraqi government. November 24, 2018: At the request of Iran, Iraqi banks banned the sale of dollars to anyone traveling to Iran. This is part of an Iranian program to ban the use of dollars by Iranians. TICKERS: OR Source: Streetwise Reports (12/24/18) A Raymond James report relayed how this royalty and streaming firm intends to use the proceeds. In a Dec. 19 research note, analyst Brian MacArthur reported that Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. (OR:TSX; OR:NYSE) received about CA$159.4 million, or US$118.5 million, from Pretium Resources Inc. (PVG:TSX; PVG:NYSE) from its repurchase of Osisko's interest in the Brucejack mine's gold-silver stream. Following the sale, Osisko still has exposure to Brucejack via its offtake agreement for 50% gold. MacArthur noted that Osisko intends to use the monies from Pretium to reduce its debt and buy shares. It will pay the CA$58 million that are outstanding under its revolving credit facility, after which about CA$30 million will remain due. Also, the company will apply up to CA$100 million toward buying back shares in line with a previous announcement and "under its normal course issuer bid," the analyst explained. MacArthur pointed out that such a share repurchase will not impact Osisko's 2018 production guidance, which remains at 77.582.5 thousand ounces of gold equivalent. Raymond James has an Outperform rating on Osisko, whose share price is ~CA$11.77. [NLINSERT] Disclosure: 1) Doresa Banning compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise reports as an independent contractor. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. 2) The following companies mentioned in this article are sponsors of Streetwise Reports: Pretium Resources. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. 3) Comments and opinions expressed are those of the specific experts and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. 4) The article does not constitute investment advice. 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Several factors enter into the compensation determination for an analyst, including i) research quality and overall productivity, including success in rating stocks on an absolute basis and relative to the local exchange composite index and/or sector index, ii) recognition from institutional investors, iii) support effectiveness to the institutional and retail sales forces and traders, iv) commissions generated in stocks under coverage that are attributable to the analyst's efforts, v) net revenues of the overall Equity Capital Markets Group, and vi) compensation levels for analysts at competing investment dealers. The analyst Brian MacArthur, primarily responsible for the preparation of this research report, attests to the following: (1) that the views and opinions rendered in this research report reflect his or her personal views about the subject companies or issuers and (2) that no part of the research analysts compensation was, is, or will be directly or indirectly related to the specific recommendations or views in this research report. In addition, said analyst(s) has not received compensation from any subject company in the last 12 months. RAYMOND JAMES RELATIONSHIP DISCLOSURES Certain affiliates of the RJ Group expect to receive or intend to seek compensation for investment banking services from all companies under research coverage within the next three months. The person(s) responsible for the production of this communication declare(s) that, as far as they are aware, there are no relationships or circumstances (including conflicts of interest) that may in any way impair the objectivity of this recommendation directly or indirectly relates, this has been declared below. This statement applies equally to any persons closely associated with him or her. However, it is possible that persons making communications in relation to a financial instrument may have a holding in that instrument and this will be disclosed. As stated, Raymond James Canada (RJL) has controls in place to manage such risks. Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd.: Raymond James Ltd. has received compensation for investment banking services within the past 12 months with respect to the issuer. Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd.: The analyst or associate at Raymond James Ltd. has viewed the material operations of Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. No doubt youve never noticed it but Santa Claus has a helper on the main street of Syracuse. But the helper doesnt wear a red coat over a fat tummy that shakes like jelly not a long, silken beard. Not at all, for this helper is a feminine Santa Claus, read a story in the Syracuse Herald on Dec. 23, 1928. The subject of the article was Mrs. Pearl Edwards of Park Street, who had overcome tragedy and poverty to open her own business and become Syracuses doll surgeon, bringing joy to hundreds of city children and giving Santa a hand during his busy season. Theres art in a calling that brings happiness to children, the Herald wrote of Edwards in 1928. Her story begins on Sunday, Aug. 24, 1924 at the Deruyter Reservoir, on what was to be a rare happy day for Pearl Edwards and her family. Pearl, her husband, William, and four children Melvin, 11; Jack, 10; Virginia, 8; and Margaret, 5, spent the summers day boating and swimming at Pearls mothers cottage at the reservoir. The family was in trouble. A clipping from the Dec. 23, 1928 Syracuse Herald, includes a photo taken at Pearl Edwards' Doll Hospital.Heritage Microfilm William had recently lost his job as a painter and wallpaper hanger; the day of fun was to be, the Syracuse Herald would later write, a short vacation from his unceasing attempt to find a job. Pearl could not work either, a childhood injury, was said to have crippled her. (Newspaper articles never stated what the injury was.) William, 35, was in a rowboat with his children after swimming in the water. He was said to have been an expert swimmer and in the best of his health, having served a four-year enlistment in the Navy prior to his marriage. But suddenly something was wrong. Pull for the shore, I am dying, he told his kids who were doing the rowing. He fell into the water and it would be an hour before his body was recovered. Doctors found no water in his lungs and figured he had died before he hit the water, possibly from a massive heart attack or from sunstroke. The Edwards family was so poor that Williams funeral expenses were paid for by the mans friends and neighbors. The Herald reported that Pearl and her children were penniless. Only through the generosity of these Good Samaritans have Mrs. Edwards and her children been able to exist, the newspaper reported. Into 1926, the family survived on the small wages earned by Pearls mother from a factory job, but they ended when she became too sick to work. An image of Pearl Edwards' husband, William, dressed in his Navy uniform. From the Aug. 25, 1924 Syracuse Journal.Heritage Microfilm Pearl Edwards had to find someway to save her family. Looking around her Park Street home she saw some of the homemade dolls she had made for her children. She found a job mending old and broken dolls, but the shop went quickly out of business. So, Pearl Edwards decided to open her own business out of her home. She put a sign in her front window reading Doll Hospital and became Syracuses doll surgeon. Business was slow at first, Edwards limited funds made it difficult to find the necessary materials, but she delighted in the work. Mrs. Edwards loves the babies, as she calls the dolls that hang on wires strung across her living room. They sit quite at home on all the chairs and occupy places of honor on the mantel. She is happiest when she has made a seemingly hopeless doll better and stronger than when it was new, the Syracuse Herald reported. The first year her hospital was open, Edwards fixed broken arms and legs, mended cracked heads and applied new wigs of hair. Two years later, Edwards had moved her operation to a new home, at 921 North Salina Street, and her business began to boom. Troubled parents, confiding in Santa Claus that favorite dolls have been broken, are directed to the doll hospital where Mrs. Pearl Edwards knows just to make them whole again, the Syracuse Herald reported on Dec. 23, 1928. Santa, the newspaper wrote, was too busy making millions of toys for the worlds children to take time to repair Syracuses broken dolls, that would be left to Mrs. Edwards, his Salt City agent. The big department stores of Syracuse sent their broken dolls to her hospital, as well. Most, the Herald noted, were troubled with insomnia, meaning their eyes would not close. During the Christmas season of 1928, she fixed 2,000 broken dolls. Can you fix this doll my little girl broke in time for Christmas, a desperate father asked when the Herald was visiting her shop, fishing 13 pieces of the flaxen-haired dolls broken head from his pocket. Come back Monday and shell be all patched up for your little girl, Edwards responded, armed with customary paintbrush. The worried father was grateful, his daughter had been crying off and on ever since she broke it, and we didnt know to do. The shortages that plagued her business at the start were long gone. Edwards could now search through boxes for the perfect replacement arms, legs and heads. No matter what the style, Edwards was able to fix it. She rehabilitated dolls from Holland with wooden shoes, antique China dolls, Native American dolls from the American Southwest, little boys soldier dolls and teddy bears. Her shop was a full-service center for dolls, part hospital, part spa and part fashion boutique. Service began with a bath, then after a hours rest was the doll was placed on the operating table, where its limbs were removed and replaced with clean, fresh elastic tendons. The doll has its face repainted, its fingernails done, and its hair washed. Edwards also acted as a dressmaker, creating modest damask gowns to fancier silk garments. In a crowded room, with arms and legs hanging from strings from the ceiling, she mended, sewed, pieced together and painted the citys broken dolls. And when the dolls leave her skilled fingers, the Herald wrote, they are whole and bright and smart again. The trail of Mrs. Pearl Edwards goes cold after 1931 after she moved to another new location, this time on Lemoyne Avenue. Dont worry, kids. Despite what the TV may have said about a partial government shutdown, you can rest assured that the U.S. military is still operational for an important Christmas mission. Thats right, the NORAD Santa tracker is still on this year. NPR reports more than 1,500 military personnel and volunteers at an Air Force base case in Colorado will continue tracking Santa Claus and answering childrens calls about his whereabouts on Christmas Eve today (Monday, Dec. 24, 2018). The operation, a tradition going back 63 years, reassured holiday fans that the North American Aerospace Defense Command will still be on as usual. Tens of thousands of children call or send messages to the NORAD Santa tracking team every year to get updates on when Saint Nick is coming to town. As of Monday morning, hes already been spotted flying over Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. Heres how to follow Santa Claus as he travels around the world, delivering presents for Christmas: Visit NORADSanta.org to get Santas latest location, along with new games, videos, music and more activities to enjoy while you watch his sleigh and reindeer on their journey. Google also offers its own brand of Santa tracking at santatracker.google.com For the classic approach to tracking Santa, you can call the toll-free hotline at 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) beginning at 6 a.m. ET on Dec. 24. Twitter users can follow live updates from @NoradSanta on Christmas Eve, on Facebook , or on Instagram at @noradtrackssanta_official . Video updates will also be posted on YouTube Kids can also send an email to noradtrackssanta@outlook.com. Activity at the North Pole! #NORADTracksSanta NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) December 24, 2018 Santa was just spotted heading towards New Zealand. Remember, he will only stop by your house if everyone is asleep! #NORADTracksSanta pic.twitter.com/yGxmUU5Qi8 NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) December 24, 2018 A 69-year-old man was in serious but stable condition this evening after he was hit by a minivan on South Bay Road, according to North Syracuse police. The man, Claude N. Parker, of 739 South Bay Road, was walking in the northbound lane when he was struck by a 2016 Chrysler minivan, according to North Syracuse police Chief Steve Rotunno. That van was driven by Donald Beyor, 37, of Liverpool, according to a news release from Rotunno. Parker was taken to Upstate University Hospital in serious condition. Police are asking for anyone with additional information to call North Syracuse police at 315-458-5670. Onondaga County deputies are also investigating the incident. SYRACUSE, NY - Doug Reicher was four days away from launching his 1929 historic 46-foot boat in Brewerton when he got a phone call asking him to report to the hospital as soon as possible. Reicher, 65, had a low white blood cell count, prompting his doctor to order a bone marrow biopsy. He reported to the hospital several hours after he was told to do so, and learned the next day he had acute myeloid leukemia. "I was like a deer in headlights - I had no idea what was coming,'' the Syracuse man said. I just wanted my life back. " This week, Reicher - president of the housing non-profit Christopher Community - is getting that life back after his niece from California donated her stem cells to be transplanted into her uncle. Reicher left Upstate University Hospital this week to go home for Christmas - after a total of nearly 14 weeks of in-hospital treatment. This is Upstate Cancer Centers second allogenic stem cell transplant, and its been a success so far, doctors said. Reichers wife, Camille Tisdel, planned a quiet celebration to mark Dougs homecoming - with a well-done rib eye steak and crisp baked potato for dinner - at Reichers request. "I was exhausted getting home,'' he said, but it was just wonderful to be back in familiar surroundings. I couldnt even sleep because it was so quiet. "Im so grateful to my niece,'' he said. "There are few opportunities in life to save someones life - and she definitely saved mine. Doug Reicher's niece, Erica, who lives in San Francisco, CA, donated her stem calls for her uncle's stem cell transplant. With the stem cell transplant, which replaces Doug Reichers unhealthy cells with brand-new healthy ones, he can get back to normal life - although his cells and immune system are that of an infants. That means his immature cells make him susceptible to infections - and he will require all the immunizations he had as a child once again. That will take place this spring. "I know Im just like an infant now, and my cells have to grow and let me become an adult again,'' he said. What that means - along with taking more than 30 pills a day - is being super-careful not to get sick. That means no handshakes or hugs, sitting across the room from people and venturing to the grocery store only late at night with a lot of sanitizer for the grocery cart. Leaving the hospitals cancer center, Doug Reicher fist-bumped his nurses to save goodbye. "I havent kissed my wife since June,'' he lamented. His 30-year-old niece, Erica Reicher of San Francisco, is thrilled the stem cell transplant was so successful, and her uncle can go home. Erica Reicher said her uncles siblings, nieces and nephews all stepped up for testing to be candidates, and she turned out to be the best half-match. Dougs children are adopted, so they werent considered for a match. Erica flew in from San Diego for the procedure. "It was scary for me because of the unknown,'' she said, but I learned its not as invasive a procedure as Id heard. The injections prior to the procedure were pretty painful, but it was worth it to help my uncle. Doug Reicher doesnt know why how he developed AML - a type of cancer of the blood and bone marrow characterized by excess immature white blood cells. His doctor hold him not to worry about how he got it - no one really knows - but to focus on beating it. Thats exactly what Doug Reicher has done. He shared his struggle with the disease on CaringBridge with his wifes help, figuring that being public about it will help others. CaringBridge is a website that allows people to share their health updates and get support, help from people. Sharing on the site helped activate a support system for himself and his wife, and was therapeutic for Doug Reicher to talk about what he was going through. Doug Reicher at the Upstate University Hospital with nurses, from left to right, Meghan Lewis, Allison Donnelly and Sarah Lounsberry When Camille Tisdel was at the hospital with no time to eat, she reached out to her Caring Bridge sites 600 followers and received so much food she was overwhelmed. Doug Reicher, who said hes never been hospitalized before this, dealt with having a serious illness by taking it one day at a time and not looking at the big picture. He underwent several rounds of chemotherapy this summer before being told he should consider a stem cell - or bone marrow - transplant. That, he was told, could put him in permanent remission. It helped to learn what I was going through and my treatment in small doses, so I didnt get too overwhelmed,'' he said. It was a rough process with some pretty harsh stuff, but we needed to get at those bad cells. I got beat up a bit, but I bounced right back. Doug Reicher and his wife, Camille. While hospitalized, Doug Reicher had no visitors but his wife. On Nov. 20, Erica Reichers stem cell transplant was injected into him. " I felt a flush and very cold in my chest- and then 20 minutes later i was done." Its not all been smooth sailing. Although Doug Reicher hasnt developed any illnesses, hes had some common complications - a fever, a racing heart and bladder problems that kept him awake at night. "Ive had some dark moments,'' he said. The worst was having to get up to the bathroom every three minutes. I was absolutely exhausted. Dr. Jeffrey Pu, director of stem cell transplant at Upstate University Hospital and Upstate Cancer Center, said Doug Reicher has AML with a poor prognosis - meaning that without a stem cell transplant his risk of recurrence was high. With the haploidentical transplant - from a relative - he now has a significantly improved chance of long-term leukemia remission, Pu said. Because of the complexity of the procedure and risks, Doug Reicher will need about a year to recover. "His transplant grafted very well, and he is recovering as expected,'' Pu said. Right now, Camille Tisdel is assembling a network of Dougsitters on Caring Bridge as he cant be left alone for the first 100 days, and she needs to return to her job at Syracuse University. Doug Reicher said hell be happy to live life without having to isolate himself from others - and to again eat fruits and vegetables hes had to avoid due to infection risk. "My first food at home before my steak was a tomato sandwich, and even though I ate it while resting on one elbow, it was so good,'' he said. ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) The National Transportation Safety Board told a New York prosecutor she has hampered the agencys efforts to determine the cause of the limousine crash that killed 20 people in her rural upstate county, the nations deadliest transportation wreck in nearly a decade. In a letter made public December 20, an NTSB lawyer told Schoharie County District Attorney Susan Mallery that safety-critical evidence has been lost because her office had refused to let investigators fully inspect the modified stretch limo that crashed in Schoharie on Oct. 6. While we understand the important duties that you are fulfilling, we are gravely concerned that your lack of responsiveness to our requests has seriously impeded our abilities to carry out our Congressionally-mandated duties to properly complete this safety investigation and potentially prevent similar accidents in the future, NTSB general counsel Kathleen Silbaugh wrote. The letter specifically mentions concerns over losing the ability to evaluate corrosion on limo parts, including its brakes, or the status of its electrical system at the time of the crash. The letter goes on to demand immediate access to the wrecked limo and to other vehicles owned by the company, Prestige Limousine. Mallerys office didnt respond to a request from The Associated Press for comment, but she told WRGB-TV in Albany the limo is evidence in a criminally negligent homicide case against its owners. She told the station on December 19 that it was completely untrue that she was hindering NTSB access to the limo. Its not the first time reports of NTSB displeasure with the local handling of the investigation have surfaced. Two weeks after the crash, the AP reported the agencys investigators were privately expressing frustration over their access to the wreck. NTSB officials said at that time that agency investigators had looked inside the limousine briefly but hadnt conducted a full examination. The New York State Police are in charge of the ongoing criminal investigation into what caused the limo to blow through a stop sign at a T-shaped intersection, barrel through a store parking lot and crash into a shallow ditch. The limo driver, 17 passengers on a birthday outing and two men standing in the parking lot were killed. Prosecutors allege the limousine companys operator, Nauman Hussain, allowed an improperly licensed driver to operate an unserviceable vehicle . He has pleaded not guilty to criminally negligent homicide. The Ford Excursion limo remains inside a tent on the grounds of a state police troop headquarters in suburban Albany. A state police spokesman referred questions about the NTSB letter to Mallery's office. State police officials earlier had said allowing NTSB investigators access to the vehicle before it was fully examined and processed by the state police and Hussain's defense team would jeopardize the criminal case. The NTSB letter says the defense team examined the vehicle last month, yet the agency had received no response from Mallery to its request to examine the limo. The letter also states that the prosecutor has been unresponsive to NTSB's efforts to obtain information via letter, telephone calls and email. Instead, Silbaugh wrote, what we have been told is that your schedule is full and you are too busy to respond. A woman disguised as Santas red-nosed helper, might make Rudolph go down in infamy as she allegedly burglarized a business in Fort Collins, Colorado. NBC News reports the woman, dressed in a furry Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer mask, enters a business, flips on the lights and stuffs items into a shopping bag. According to Coloradoan, the woman takes her disguise off halfway through the incident and looks at the security camera. Fort Collins police are searching for the identity of the woman they have dubbed Burglarudolph. Fort Collins Police Services posted the surveillance video to their Facebook page with new lyrics to the popular Christmas tune about Santas little helper: Rudolph the Red Nosed Burglar, Had a very shady scheme, And if you saw the video, It would want to make you scream. They ended their post by saying, If you have any info about this incident or know suspects identity, let us know so we can notify St. Nick. WASHINGTON A federal judge awarded Monday the family of Otto Warmbier a $501 million settlement in a case filed against the government of North Korea. The family says Warmbier died after being arrested and tortured in North Korea. The college student was held captive for nearly a year-and-a-half after he was accused of stealing a propaganda poster from a hotel. He died of brain damage shortly after returning to the US last year in a coma. North Korea is liable for the torture, hostage taking, and extrajudicial killing of Otto Warmbier, and the injuries to his mother and father, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, judge Beryl Howell of the District of Columbia federal court wrote. Syracuse, N.Y. Its looking like parts of Central New York will have some snow on Christmas Eve into Christmas morning, according to the National Weather Service. As much as 2 inches could fall by Christmas morning, enough to cover the tracks of Santas reindeer. But in the end, it might not be enough powder for sledders and skiers to get the most out of their new toys. And travelers, look ahead to Thursday. It could get messy out there. Heres how the forecast was shaping up as of Sunday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service in Binghamton: Monday/Christmas Eve Cloudy and breezy with a high of 36 degrees. Snow showers are likely after 4 p.m., with as much as 2 inches falling overnight, when the temperature drops to 22 degrees. Snow could be heavier north of Syracuse, in Wayne, Oswego and northern Cayuga counties where a winter weather advisory has been issued from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday. In those places, snowfall could range from 3 to 6 inches and roads could be slippery, according to the weather service. Tuesday/Christmas That means a White Christmas! But thats also the bulk of the snow thats coming, according to Sundays forecast. It may keep snowing on Christmas morning, though less than half an inch is expected by midday. The high on Christmas is forecast at 30 degrees. Wednesday Theres a 40 percent chance of snow, with a high of 34 and a low of 18. Thursday The day could be nice: partly sunny with a high of 35 degrees. But as evening comes theres a 70 percent chance of precipitation with a low of just 31 degrees. Friday Rain, with a high of 48 degrees. 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. Participants at the ceremony congratulated officials and staff members of Movitel, a joint venture of the military-run Viettel telecommunication group in Mozambique. Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Mozambique Le Huy Hoang highlighted the great role of the Vietnam Peoples Army in defending the nation throughout history as well as in the countrys reform, development and international integration process. He noted that over the past six years, Movitel has brought big economic benefits to Vietnam, while contributing to promoting the image of Vietnamese culture, people and nation in Mozambique. General Director of Movitel Nguyen Van Dat affirmed the determination of the firm to continue showing strong performance to benefit the homeland. The same day, Vietnamese Ambassador to Tanzania Nguyen Kim Doanh also conveyed greetings to the Viettel Tanzania (Halotel) and Viettel Construction JSC on the occasion. The diplomat spoke highly of the firms success in 2018, expressing his belief that Halotel will become a major telecommunication brand in Tanzania in 2019. Leaders of Halotel and Viettel Construction JSC thanked the embassy for supporting the firms during their operation both at home and Tanzania. The helpful and timely assistance of the embassy has motivated officials and staff of the enterprises to expand business in Tanzania, while encouraging other Vietnamese firms to invest in Tanzania and other East African countries, they said. Did you know that Microsoft doesn't back up your 365 data? Avoid data loss. Back up your company's Office 365 mailboxes, Teams, and files stored within OneDrive and Sharepoint. Get your free trial of Altaro Office 365 Backup. Several us have become increasingly concerned about the lack of ethics on the part of market-leading companies at the moment. Kara Swishers New York Times column is an eye opener, considering that she concluded that too many digital leaders have lost their minds. She cited some frightening examples of poor leadership ranging from Saudi funding (concerning given the alleged murder of a reporter); to Facebooks Portal device, which appears designed to violate user privacy; to Elon Musks increasing insanity; to Googles recent coverup of a massive user data breach that forced it to close Google+. Swishers column points to the solution adopted by Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, who hired a chief ethical officer but I think that would just repeat the mistake we made with chief risk officers around a decade ago. In response to her piece, Scott Cleland, who runs Precursor Watch, commented that these huge firms and their CEOs have ethics problems following them around like the dirt that followed Pigpen in the Peanuts comic strip. These firms, through Section 230 of the U.S. Code, largely have been given immunity to civil law, which appears to have promoted wrong, unjust, dishonest, unethical, and/or uncivil behaviors by the firms employees and leaders. While I think Cleland overemphasizes the impact of Section 230, which detracts from what is more likely a practice of hiring people who think ethics is optional, his proposed solution should work. He suggests these firms and executives need to be held more aggressively to the same laws we all must follow. Ill share my views on that and then close with my product of the week: a new video-conferencing solution that could evolve to make most business trips obsolete. Power Corrupts Im sure youve all heard the saying, Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, but I often think that as they come up the ranks, executives view this as a goal and not a warning. It is clear that at some point executives feel they have reached a level of power where the rules their companies have just dont apply to them. In a way I was lucky or unlucky, depending on how you look at it to have an extremely unethical father. I was lucky in that I saw the damage it did to his marriages, finances, opportunities and the quality of his life. I was unlucky because I was often collateral damage, as were my brothers, sister, and his wives. The amount of damage this behavior can cause, once it is discovered, can be devastating. It can wipe out the companies and the executives personal fortunes, and in some cases it can even land them in prison. The thing is, it isnt as if these folks werent already wealthy but it becomes a competition as to who has the most expensive car, the most yachts, the biggest island, or the prettiest mistress (even if she is an employee). They lose perspective placing physical things, often inanimate, as higher priority over the things they really should care about: their families, employees, image/reputation, and even their continued freedom. Ethics Officer Wont Work Over a decade ago, companies became concerned about taking on too much risk, and they came up with the not-so-brilliant plan of hiring risk officers. These folks had staff and were given the responsibility to ensure that the companies, generally financial institutions, didnt take on excessive risks. Instead, it was if these institutions suddenly felt that any risk was acceptable, and the U.S. market crashed catastrophically as a result of loans that werent properly secured. What happened was that the risk managers had responsibility but no real authority, so while they were viewed as some kind of shield, they were in effect more like sacrificial goats. They became blame magnets, which actually didnt really work well either. Since they had no authority, the blame still flowed to the idiots making the bad decisions. Hiring ethics officers wont work either, because they wont have enforcement authority. Often, they wont have the necessary visibility into company practices to ensure that the firm complies with policies and laws let alone behaves ethically. If the government comes calling due to a CEO misdeed, there might be an attempt to throw the ethics officer under the bus, but law enforcement as with the risk managers likely will go after the decision maker and not the sacrificial goat ethics officer. Appointing an ethics officer might have the unintended impact of convincing the other executives that ethics is no longer their concern, and they might go off the ethical rails even more than before similar to what happened with financial institutions after they got risk officers. That, of course, most likely would be catastrophic, because governments and investors eventually react poorly to out-of-control CEOs. In fact, they tend to overreact with company-killing regularity. Internal Audit I think a better solution would to be to reinstate, fund, and once again empower internal audit operations in these firms, allowing auditors to function much as they did when internal auditing first came to be, largely after the market crash in the first half of last century. Internal audit can, and often does, operate like internal affairs in police departments. However, both of those operations often have been gutted over time, losing qualified people, funding and authority. Today particularly in some newer firms those functions are either nonexistent or assigned to an ineffective department of employee rejects who comply with the letter but not the intent of their mandate. Staffed, funded, and with adequate authority, internal audit not only would have the experience to root out bad behavior but also the ability to terminate those exhibiting it. The internal audit department also would have the added benefit of ensuring the quality of operations, something that firms like Tesla currently need badly. (Its plants are so badly run, the firm is hemorrhaging money.) When properly set up, internal audits ability to prevent behavior ranging from just bad management to embezzlement and sexual harassment largely would be unmatched and could go a long way toward ensuring that a firm isnt taken out by its own employees. Wrapping Up Whether we are talking about the book Brotopia, which focuses mostly on misogyny at scale, or Technically Wrong, which focuses on idiotic product development practices, or on a slew of recent articles on related subjects, the common message is that these firms are largely out of control. A D V E R T I S E M E N T Given that a number of us believe they are massively overvalued as well, the potential for a catastrophe driven by bad executive behavior is almost a given. Such a catastrophe could reset the market, likely wiping out jobs, 401Ks and savings tied to the segment. I think internal audit is the only type of organization that could be capable of fixing this problem in a timely way, and that the interim use of ethics officers actually would do the exact opposite of what was intended. I dont expect this will end well at all. Ive been involved with video conferencing in some shape or form going well back to the 1960s, when I first saw the video call demonstration at Disneyland as a child. I was part of a joint Apple/IBM trial in the 1980s, which ended badly, and Ive been involved with the technology since the mid-90s as an analyst. Generally, the cycle goes like this: The market gets really excited about technology that could reduce plane travel and increase employee collaboration, everyone and their brother jumps into it, companies buy the products, the employees avoid using them, the market consolidates, and in around five to 10 years, the market forgets and starts the cycle over. One of the more interesting recent attempts were telepresence robots with tablets that could display the faces of those remotely using them. They werent that successful, even though they did attempt to deal better with creating the impression that the remote worker was there. Spatial, which launched last week, has an idea that, while not yet mature, could get us far closer to where we need to go. It uses augmented reality to create ghost-like avatars of the remote people, who then can move around the room and interact with others as if they were present. The remote workers also get avatars of those in the conference room, almost as if they dropped into the workers homes to collaborate with them. Spatial Mission Planning Even though the technology is raw now, I can see that the increased application of artificial intelligence tech, better AR glasses, and improved rendering capability like what exists in the new Nvidia RTX platform could make this experience far more realistic. Even in its raw form, an impressive number of companies have seen the value and have signed up, because it seems to work better for a number of interactions than the technology they have. I really hate getting on planes, and I live in a resort town now, which means that Im going to love anything that has the potential to make most of my air travel obsolete. As a result, Spatial is my product of the week. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ECT News Network. Forward-looking: Its long been said that smartphones are killing off the need for traditional cameras, but were unlikely to see a handset that can create a 195-gigapixel photo anytime soon. A panoramic image of this size was made by a Chinese company and is reportedly the worlds third-biggest photo and Asias largest. The image is the work of a company called Jingkun Technology, or Bigpixel Technology Corporation. Its obviously a little too large to put here, but you can explore it on the companys website. The firm recently said over 8 million people had visited the site, though that number will be a lot higher by now. The panorama was created from a series of photos taken from the Oriental Pearl Tower in Shanghai over the course of several months. These were then put together using image-stitching technology to come up with the final piece. Bigpixel says their photos are 2000 times more precise than those captured by consumer-level cameras. Despite being taken from so high in the air, you can zoom right down to street level and even see the expression on pedestrians faces. A megapixel is one million pixels. While there is more to the quality of a photo than just having the highest MP count, smartphone companies are readying devices that can capture 48-megapixel shots, which contain 48 million pixels. A gigapixel is one billion pixels, so this image contains an amazing 195 billion pixels. With Chinas reputation for monitoring its citizens, there are already concerns over how this technology has the potential to be misusednot just in China, but around the world. In brief: With Huawei making the news several times in 2018 for reasons other than its handsets, one might have expected the companys sales to be adversely affectedbut youd be wrong. The Chinese giant has announced that it shipped over 200 million smartphones over the last 12 months, a feat it predicted earlier this year. Huawei moved 153 million phones in 2017, increasing that number by about one-third a year later. Back in August, the firm moved past Apple to become the second largest smartphone seller in the worldthe first time in seven years that the top two didnt consist of Samsung and Apple. It was thought that its position would be short-lived, but Huawei is still in the number two spot for Q3. Earlier this month, Huawei said it would reach the 200 million milestone by December 25a target it hit with time to spare. And while the companys Honor 10, P20, and excellent Mate 20 phones have helped it achieve so much success, the mid-range Nova series, which has sold 65 million units since they launched in 2016, has been a massive big contributor. "In the global smartphone market, Huawei has gone from being dismissed as a statistical 'other' to ranking among the Top 3 players in the world," the company said, in a statement. Whats particularly impressive about Huaweis performance is that its had a year filled with controversy. The US government has been issuing warnings about the perceived security threats posed by Huawei since 2012, and in February, bosses from six US intelligence agencies warned that using one of its devices could put you at risk of having your data accessed or stolena result of its alleged close ties with the Chinese government. In addition to Trump banning US government agencies and contractors from using certain tech from Huawei, his administration has reportedly asked allies to avoid using the firms equipment. But things reached their lowest point when Huaweis CFOdaughter of founder Ren Zhengfeiwas recently arrested in Canada at the request of the US. Huawei says more than 500 million people in over 170 countries are using its smartphones. Carriers in the US, however, pulled out of deals to distribute its handsets at the start of the year. With Apples new iPhones not selling as well as expected, well likely see Huawei maintain its second-largest smartphone seller title for a while to come. Dunk on 2018, toast to 2019 or forget about both. Debauche Hi-Ho Lounge, 2239 St. Claude Ave., (504) 945-4446; www.hihohlounge.net 9 p.m. The long-standing, self-described Russian mafia punk band performs its sing-along street music, and DJ Bashert also plays Balkan, Klezmer and Eastern European music, accompanied by belly dancers. Tickets $15, which includes a shot of Ukrainian honey pepper vodka. Galactic and Walter Wolfman Washington Tipitinas, 501 Napoleon Ave., (504) 895-8477; www.tipitinas.com 10 p.m. Tipitinas newest owners perform their annual auld lang syne, joined by R&B artist and guitar slinger Walter Wolfman Washington, who caps his 75th birthday month and sixth decade in music. Tickets $76, VIP $201. Sweet Crude and Sexy Dex & the Fresh Gasa Gasa, 4920 Freret St., (504) 338-3567; www.gasagasa.com 10 p.m. The multi-layered, energetic pop band joins the future-funk and R&B outfit, whose shoegazing, Prince-inspired 2018 release Dont Play My B Sides is a collection of anything but. Tickets $25-$55. F*ck 2018 Okay Bar, 1700 Port St.; www.okaybar.com 10 p.m. Lil Jodeci the producer and DJ behind the Pink Room Projects hip-hop, R&B and dance collective helms a dance party with dance DJs Pr_ck and Nice Rack. Free admission. Noise Years Eve Banks Street Bar, 4401 Banks St., (504) 486-0258; www.banksstreetbarnola.com 8 p.m.-3 a.m. The bar hosts an all-queer noise and synth showcase with New Orleans artists Menial, Fri(g)id and Edge Slayer, whose self-titled 2018 release channels vogue nightmares. Drone artist Fatplastik also performs with E.T., iidols and Misophonic. Free admission. The Revivalists and Tank and the Bangas Mardi Gras World, 1380 Port of New Orleans Place; www.wintercircleproductions.com 9 p.m. Following the release of 2018s Take Good Care, the New Orleans rock band returns home with the often-unpredictable funk and R&B ensemble, glimpsing an upcoming release on Verve Forecast with 2018 singles Spaceships and Smoke.Netflix.Chill. Tickets $62.50-$85.00. Techno Club 810 S. Peters St.; www.technoclubnola.com 9 p.m. Keeping the flame of New Orleans days of rave, dance music collective Techno Club revives an all-night party with DJs and producers Mariah Lee Gewin, Conway and Marcus Lott. Free admission. Four fireworks displays to light up New Orleans on New Year's Eve Attention area dog owners and fans of large explosives: four fireworks displays will shoot from different New Orleans neighborhoods to ring in Where Yacht and DJ Tony Skratchere Three Keys, Ace Hotel, 300 Carondelet St., (504) 900-1180; www.threekeysnola.com 9 p.m. Unable to resist the pun, New Orleans preeminent yacht rock outfit presents its Steely Dan-referencing Hey 19 to ring in the New Year, though its setlist spans smooth 70s cheese and blue-eyed 80s soul. Tickets $50-$60. End-of-the-year reflections often focus on superlatives, and there was much to celebrate in New Orleans dining scene in 2018. But it also was a year when the restaurant world turned its attention to the treatment of its employees, and some are looking to take big steps toward real change. In New Orleans, nonprofits such as Shift Change are working to create spaces safe from sexual harassment and violence. Local chefs are joining the national effort with organizations such as Fair Kitchens to create healthier work environments for employees including curbing drug and alcohol abuse. Restaurant owners also are starting to reassess how to support more sustainable careers in the business, from examining pay structures to offering health care and benefits. Of course, the food we ate in 2018 was pretty remarkable too. Here are some of the years most notable dining accomplishments from 2018. Best new restaurant: Bywater American Bistro With her first restaurant, Compere Lapin, former Top Chef finalist Nina Compton garnered national accolades and received a James Beard Award for Best Chef: South in May. At Bywater American Bistro, Compton and chef/partner Levi Raines have knocked it out of the park. The menu showcases the kitchens talent working with regional ingredients and influences. Smoked ricotta agnolotti alone are worth a visit, and steamed red snapper served under a cloudlike cap of Crystal hollandaise was one of the best dishes I ate all year. Review of Nina Comptons Bywater American Bistro: What we liked, what diners can expect Chef Nina Compton follows Compere Lapin with an impressive second restaurant with a kitchen helmed by Chef Levi Raines Runner-up: Saba Familiar and yet distinct from his eponymous previous effort, Alon Shayas new venture in modern Israeli cuisine is reliably excellent. With steaming rounds of pita bread and a list of shareable salatim to delicate octopus cooked in shawarma spices and a harissa-coated roasted chicken, meals here always are a joy. Best new dish: Longway Taverns Bolognese At first glance, spaghetti squash and a meaty ragu might seem like odd bedfellows, but in this decadent rendition from chef John Sinclair, they are perfect companions. Pork and beef Bolognese rich with warm spice and sage is topped with creamy ricotta and delicate strands of squash. Its a dish fitting for fall, but Id order it any time of year. Runner-up: Luvis pork, ginger and cabbage dumplings Inspired by chef Hao Gongs mother, who made them when he was growing up in Shanghai, the dumplings are served in a flavorful umami-rich soy broth at the Asian raw bar and small plates restaurant in Uptown. Best architectural renovation: The Elysian Bar at Hotel Peter and Paul Its hard not to stare at the stunning renovation thats taken place at the former Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Faubourg Marigny. The hotels four main buildings include a former schoolhouse, church, convent and rectory, the latter of which is home to The Elysian Bar. Executive chef Alex Harrells menu of highly shareable small plates can be enjoyed in several restored rooms, including a cheery sun room, an amber-hued bar that sits under a suspended bamboo ceiling or a charming courtyard framed by ferns and stained glass windows. Runner up: Capulet The Bywater warehouse restaurant-cum-event space has a lot to boast about, including soaring ceilings and wooden beams, exposed brick walls and a yawning rooftop deck with beautiful views of downtown New Orleans. Hottest neighborhood: The French Quarter Anyone who thinks the French Quarter is best left to tourists needs to take another look. With the opening of Cuban darling Manolito and the charming Longway Tavern, the historic neighborhood has never been hotter. Still to come are Justine, from La Petite Grocerys Justin Devillier and Mia Freiberger-Devillier, Jewel of the South, from Manolitos Chris Hannah and Nick Detrich, and Everywhen Bar, another Detrich project on North Rampart Street. Runner-up: St. Claude Avenue Restaurants like French bistro Saint-Germain and the Basque-style tapas hub Estano are good indications of whats in store for this strip, which will add several new bars and restaurants in 2019. Looking forward While 2018 saw many restaurants open in New Orleans, several also called it quits. Riverbend favorite Dantes Kitchen closed this summer, after two decades in business. The Magazine Street Po-Boy and Sandwich Shop closed its doors after 30 years, making way for new restaurant Mollys Rise and Shine from Turkey and The Wolfs Mason Hereford. And earlier this month, both Uptowns La Thai and Central City food incubator Roux Carre announced their closures. Hey Blake, There is a tomb in Cypress Grove Cemetery at the foot of Canal Street that has the words "Chinese Cemetery" and Chinese markings on it. Who's buried there and what's its history? Dear reader, The Chinese Tomb is one of the most memorable landmarks of Cypress Grove Cemetery, which was established in 1840 at Canal Street and City Park Avenue. The Chinese Tomb was dedicated in 1904 by the Soon On Tong Association about the same time as New Orleans' Chinatown developed near Tulane Avenue, Elk Place and South Rampart Street. According to Winston Ho, who has researched local Chinese history, the four Chinese characters inscribed on the plaque near the top of the tomb translate to "the Chinese Tomb." Beneath that is inscribed "July 19, 1904," the date the tomb was dedicated. A November 1919 Times-Picayune article says Blue Wing, a Chinese restaurateur on Burgundy Street, first proposed the idea of constructing the tomb. A small fireplace within the walk-in tomb allowed visitors to burn prayer notes, paper money and other offerings for their deceased relatives. What happened to Sara Mayo Hospital in New Orleans? The hospital for women and children operated from 1905 to 1979, when it went bankrupt. Ho says most Chinese immigrants to New Orleans were Cantonese speakers from the Seiyap region of central Guangdong province in South China. Since most of them would return home to China every few years and hoped to have their remains moved there after their death, the tomb at Cypress Grove initially was intended for temporary interments until a family could make arrangements for a permanent tomb in China. According to Ho, the last interment in the Cypress Grove tomb was in 1991. Now, members of other Chinese families most often are buried in typical family tombs. Ho said there also is a Chinese Society Tomb in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, though it has no markings to indicate its history. Statement by the Prime Minister on Christmas Contact: Media Office for the Prime Minister, media@pmo-cpm.gc.ca OTTAWA, Dec. 24, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- Statement by the Prime Minister on Christmas Ottawa, Ontario - December 24, 2018 The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Christmas: "Merry Christmas, Canada! "Today, our family joins Christians across the country and around the world to celebrate the birth of Christ. "It's a time to spread joy and cheer, appreciate our blessings, and honour traditions whether that's opening presents, decorating the Christmas tree, sharing a meal together, or setting aside a couple of cookies for Santa. "We're also well into winter, from coast to coast to coast and here in Canada, we've always known how to smile through the cold days and long nights. This time of year, that Canadian spirit shines through most because this season is about bringing light to the people around us. "We also know this is a difficult time for some families. For Canadian Armed Forces members who are far from home, it's just one example of the many sacrifices you and your families make. We're thinking of you, and we're grateful for everything you do for Canadians. "And we're thinking too of hardworking Canadian families who might be struggling to make ends meet this Christmas. Our government is working hard to make things a little easier for you whether by putting the first ever National Housing Strategy into action, supporting seniors, or putting more money in the pockets of nine out of ten families with the Canada Child Benefit. "We will always stand with you, because that's what Canadians do. We pull together with our families, our neighbours, and folks in need anywhere. We find strength in our differences, and celebrate everything we have in common. And we do our part to take care of each other, and make life better for the people around us. That's what Christmas and Canada is all about. "This season and on into the new year, let's stand together, celebrate each other, and keep building a brighter future for all of us. From our family to yours, Sophie, Xavier, Ella-Grace, Hadrien, and I wish you joy, health, love, and peace this holiday season. Merry Christmas." Parents of a toddler who nearly drowned at the South Bank lagoon late on Sunday night could not be found in the critical minutes after the boy was pulled from the water by a stranger. The three-year-old boy's near drowning has prompted fresh warnings from lifesavers to keep a close eye on children in the water. A three-year-old boy was taken to hospital after a near drowning at South Bank on Sunday night. There were no parents around to be seen for a little time after that incident, Surf Life Saving Queensland membership development manager Jamie Findlay said. Mr Findlay said the man-made beach was patrolled until midnight, but the child had been swimming in an unpatrolled area where lifeguards could not see him. This volcano on the Indonesian island of Krakatau explodes on August 27, 1883. This was the largest explosion of its kind in historic times. Credit:Smithsonian News Service, photo courtesy of the family archives of R. Breon. More than 135 years since the island of Krakatoa was destroyed by an explosion which shrouded the world in ash, the Indonesian coastline has been devastated by a tsunami from the same source. Loading Authorities believe Saturday night's tsunami was caused by volcanic activity on Anak Krakatoa, the "child of Krakatoa", an island which has been growing for more than a century in the crater of the original volcano. And as the death toll from the tsunami along the western coast of Java rises into the hundreds, experts believe the small island will continue to cause tsunami activity as it grows in size each year. New photos have emerged of the aftermath of a volcanic eruption in Indonesia which is believed to have triggered a tsunami killing hundreds. Images posted to social media by National disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, taken on Sunday, show magma flowing out into the sea along with a large ash cloud from Anak Krakatoa volcano. The volcano situated between Java and Sumatra erupted about 9pm on Saturday night and is thought to have triggered an underwater landslide that brought about a tsunami killing 281 and injuring more than 1000 people. Volcanologist Heather Handley from Macquarie University has examined the photos and said the photos and videos show clear interaction between magma and water. Tanjung Lesung: The death toll from the Indonesian tsunami has risen to 373 people, while authorities are warning people to stay away from local beaches because of the risk of another tsunami. Another 1495 people have been injured and 128 are missing but the number of people displaced has halved from 11,453 to 5361 as locals begin to return to their homes after a powerful wave hit on Saturday evening. Destruction at Villa Stephanie in Carita, after heavy damage from the tsunami. Credit:James Massola Nearly 48 hours after the tsunami struck without warning, authorities expect the death toll will continue to rise as they finally gain access to some of the areas hit by the tsunami. The BMKG, Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency, has said it believes the violent eruption by the Anak Krakatoa volcano at about 9pm on Saturday night was the primary trigger for an underwater landslide that in turn triggered the tsunami about 30 minutes later. Hanover: German newspaper Der Spiegel has announced that it will press charges against a former star reporter who is accused of systemically faking interviews and articles. The magazine's admission that articles by Claas Relotius, 33, were partly or wholly fabricated came at a moment when public trust in journalism is low. 'Fear of failure' drove award-winning journalistic fraud, Claas Hendrik Relotius. Credit:Facebook Far-right activists in Germany revelled in the news. On Saturday night, the magazine announced in one of the many articles documenting Relotius' misdeeds that the editors would be filing a criminal complaint against him after it emerged that he had set up a private donation drive ostensibly to help two Syrian orphans that he had profiled. Washington: A federal judge has ordered North Korea to pay more than $US500 million ($710 million) in a wrongful death suit filed by the parents of Otto Warmbier, an American college student who died shortly after being released from that country. US District Judge Beryl Howell ruled in Washington that North Korea should pay damages to Fred and Cindy Warmbier, the parents of the University of Virginia student. American student Otto Warmbier is escorted at the Supreme Court in Pyongyang, North Korea, in March 2016. Credit:AP Warmbier was a University of Virginia student who was visiting North Korea with a tour group when he was arrested and sentenced to 15 years of hard labour in March 2016 on suspicion of stealing a propaganda poster. He died in June 2017, shortly after he returned to the US in a coma and showing apparent signs of torture while in custody. The judgment is largely a symbolic victory for now, since there is no mechanism to force North Korea to pay. 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. 911 Calls Released in Case of Killed Utah College Student Lauren McCluskey Salt Lake City police released the 911 calls from a University of Utah student before her ex-boyfriend allegedly killed her, it was reported on Dec. 21. Lauren McCluskey, 21, was shot and killed on the universitys campus by her former boyfriend, Melvin Rowland, who was found dead in a church hours later, KUTV reported. In a call from McCluskey to a 911 dispatcher, she said she was blackmailed by Rowland. Hi, I have been blackmailed for, for money with threats of sending out, she said in the call, Fox13 reported. Police redacted a portion of the audio where she describes threats made by her former boyfriend. A dispatcher then told her to contact the University of Utah police. McCluskey then told the dispatcher, Ive talked to them already, but I just wanted to call you as well. She later added: I was just concerned because I wasnt sure how long they were going to take to file the arrest. About a week after the call was made on Oct. 19, McCluskey spoke to police again, sounding more worried. Last Saturday I reported, and then, I havent gotten an update, McCluskey told the dispatcher. McCluskey was asked by a dispatcher if shes in contact with police at the University of Utah, according to the Fox affiliate report, but she then expresses frustration with the police. They havent updated or done anything. So the case, it involves extortion, McCluskey said. I havent gotten updates and its been a week. The final audio released by police was from Matt McCluskey, Laurens father, on Oct. 22, when she went missing. My daughter is Lauren McCluskey and she went missing tonight, McCluskey said in the 911 call. She was abducted while we were talking to her on the telephone. So we heard her being assaulted and we called the University of Utah campus police. He added: Im just calling you to let you know. This just happened, like an hour ago, reported KUTV. A dispatcher told him that they are aware of the incident. McCluskeys parents issued a statement on how the police handled their daughters case. We respectfully disagree with the conclusion that Laurens murder could not have been prevented. There were numerous opportunities to protect her during the almost two weeks between the time when our daughter began expressing repeated, elevating, and persistent concerns about her situation and the time of her murder, they said, KUTV reported. According to previous reports, officials believe the man who shot her was Rowland, a 37-year-old convicted sex offender. They explained how Rowland had stalked her for days and socialized with some of McCluskeys friends hours before the shooting. He was very, very good at getting people to trust him, University Police Chief Dale Brophy said of Rowland. Lauren was no different. Jon Voight attends the 'Ray Donovan' Season 6 Premiere during the 2018 Tribeca TV Festival at Spring Studios in New York City on Sept. 23, 2018. (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images) Actor Jon Voight Sends a Pro-Trump Holiday Message to His Fans Jon Voight shared a personal Twitter post over the weekend with a special holiday message for his fans. The 79-year-old veteran actor and star of the television show Ray Donovan, as well as countless other productions, posted the video on Dec. 23, saying there was something that was bothering him. Im happy all the time actually, except there are things that bother me, said Voight in the video. Most especially what bothers me is people trying to hurt our president of the United States. Voight has been very outspoken about his support of President Trump and conservative policies throughout the campaign and presidency. Hes got a huge amount on his plate, said Voight of the president. Hes doing such a good job every day. Hes doing amazing things really, and the news is not representing it, and there are people who are trying to cook up slanders and lies to bring him down. Can you imagine it? This is our country. Were Americans. We should support our president and be very, very happy that we have this man in the White House whos doing so much good for our country. Anyway, Merry Christmas! said Voight. The actors message resonated with many of his fans, who left comments showing their support. Thank you for your powerful and pointed message, Jon. Merry Christmas, wrote Julie M. Diener. Used to see you in grocery stores and restaurants back in the 70s in San Fernando Valley where I grew up. Always respected your privacy. So thankful to see you become a great patriot and conservative voice amidst the majority of your liberal peers. God Bless You Sir! wrote Tricia Tulak. I agree! Trump is doing great things for our country! Merry Christmas to you sir! commented Vicky L. Platt. In an interview with Foxs Life, Liberty & Levin in September, Voight also said he believes that the left is attacking the President because he is effective. The virulence is because hes effective. Thats what the virulence comes from. Hes actually doing what he said he would do, Voight told Fox. He also said there are people trying to destroy this presidency. Its that simple. Although many actors and celebrities have spoken strong words against President Trump, the actor said there are still plenty of Americans in Hollywood who support the president, even though they may not be as visible. I get a lot of support from people who I appreciate, who I respect. Its not all one way, said Voight. Theres enough people around who are of a conservative nature. Jon Voights lengthy acting career extends back to the 1960s, with more than 90 different television and movie roles. He won an Oscar for the film Coming Home in 1979, and hes a four-time Golden Globe winner for the television series Ray Donovan, as well as the films Runaway Train, Coming Home, and Midnight Cowboy. His most recent movie release was Orphan Horse, released in November. His future films in production include Roe v. Wade, and Reagan, according to his IMDB profile. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet guests during a picnic for military families at the White House, on July 4, 2018. (Alex Edelman/Getty Images) American Renewal: Courage Commentary The infamous journalist Dan Rather used to sign off his broadcasts with one word: Courage. The punctuation to end the evening was projection at its finest, feigning that he was one who had it, or understood it. All the while, he was speaking lies and making up narratives. For the left, that may qualify as courageous, but it ought to strike us as cowardly and hypocritical, hiding behind a virtue that isnt yours while you make things up. Hes the poster boy for all thats wrong with our leftist mainstream media, and the left in generalmake stuff up about people you oppose, then claim the moral high ground. They have done this for decades. With Donald Trump, they injected their modus operandi with steroids. If they had one iota of self-awareness, people like Rather (aka the left-wing mainstream media) would retire, self-reflect on their dishonesty, and try to live a better lifelike former FBI Director James Comey should. Alas, these are not the days we live in. Our days are filled with the chattering classes telling us lies while feigning moral and intellectual superiority. This is one of the many reasons why Trump ran for president, which took a lot of the real virtue that Rather and his leftist friends may never understand. Courage. Real courage. Because, unlike most politicians, he had to give up an extraordinary life to enter the political world. He was successful in business, a wealthy man. His success with most everything he did was uncanny. He had a family most people appreciate. He was admired. He could have wound down his life at age 70 and enjoyed the fruits of his labors. But he didnt. Instead, he took on the most difficult thing his life could have brought him: He ran for president. And as an outsider, too. The normal route to becoming president has been running for, winning, and holding a lower office, as did Obama, or the Bush family, or the Clintons. You start in politics by winning as a congressman, a senator, or a governor. Trump had done nothing of the kind, yet there he was, declaring for the presidency. A lot of hand-wringing has occurred concerning that decision. A lot of people have tried to second-guess what Trump did, most of them simply making it up. There may be as many theories as pundits. Do a search; its mind-boggling what you will find. Here are a few: He was conspiring with the Clintons to hurt the GOP and make it easy for Hillary to win. He was simply making waves in the political world to boost his visibility in future business dealings. He was doing it so he could allow his businesses to thrive and be more profitable if he won. He was running to lose, because after running and losing, he could form a huge new media empire. He was running to bolster his own ego, since he is such a narcissist. An article by CBS News Will Rahn in August 2016 summarizes the many theories about why he ran, with this quote: Chances are its all quite simple: Trump is an eccentric, making eccentric decisions, and hes confident that theyll somehow work because theyve worked in the past. Let me suggest a clear truth: Trump ran because he thought a change was needed, that we needed a president to reset the United States on a better course. He ran because he saw the country he loved going in a terrible direction, aimlessly becoming a second-class nation on a downward spiral, governed by hacks. He wanted to bring back the opportunity he experienced his whole life, one that helped him become successful. He wanted that for his children, his grandchildren, and yours. He was asked many times when he was younger if he would run for president. His answer was always that he would run only if the country got so bad that it was in jeopardy of failing. He never changed that position. He said that in multiple interviews over multiple decades. Imagine this: In 1984, The New York Times ran a long, effusive, exuberant, exhaustive day-in-the-life piece about Trump written by William Geist. It recognized his genius, recognized his ability to get things done, and saw him as a master negotiator, implying he might someday negotiate for the United States, implying that maybe he should. Back then, the New York Times considered him as an amazing, multi-talented person to be admired, a man who could get things done. They hoped he might run for president because he was so talented. They lauded him back then, but in their new zeal and hatred, forgot. Circling back to why he ran, if you read the transcript of his speech when he announced his candidacy, its all you need to understand. Its where my theory originated. He talked about lots of things that were going awry in this country. He also talked about his vision, how he wanted us to be successful again. In a now-patented Trumpian way, his word-salad method of speaking his mind, he explained it all. I doubt The New York Times bothered to remember this, but in so many ways, the same Donald Trump they wrote about in that positive manner long ago was the same man they decided to hate. If you set the Times article next to Trumps announcement that he would run, its amazing. Hes the same, just older and wiser. Did Trump know how harsh the road would be for his campaign? As The New York Times noted back then, you cant say Trump is stupid. They knew he saw things clearly, implying he was a genius. Before he ran, the treacherous path was visible. He knew he would have to overcome the GOP establishment just to get the nomination. He knew he would have to go to war with them to win, and still be capable of fighting the leftist onslaught. He knew he would have to remake the party. He knew he would have to fight the leftist media. He knew they would come after him since he was declaring as a Republican. He knew they would try to destroy him. He knew he would fight the new digital masters of the universe: the search engines, Facebook, Google, et al. He knew he would have to fight the entrenched power brokers in Washington. He knew they would collude with all those who stood to lose a lot of money if he prevailed; billions of dollars being taken away is a formidable incentive. He knew he would have to fight the Clinton political machine, which is perhaps the most vicious, well-financed, and well-oiled of any political machine in U.S. history. Facing all of this, he ran anyway. Anyone studying his campaign knows that he ran to win. Anyone who chronicled his campaign knows what he had to do to overcome this array of forces. Any casual observer would have to say he simply outworked and outsmarted his opposition, often doing more than one rally per day. In the last week of the campaign, he often did three or more rallies per day. The last two days of the campaign, he did five rallies per day. It was a public-relations blitz that not even the media could ignore. And he beat them all. When remembering the campaign miracle of 2016, remember the sacrifices. Trump campaigned for a year and a half against so much negativity. Anyone who says he didnt know what he signed up for is clueless. Anyone who says he didnt know how hard the Washington establishment would fight him doesnt know Trump. He knew. It took all of those talents described back in 1984. Anyone who thinks he is now finished, or diminished, or broken by the first two years of non-stop insane opposition doesnt know Trump in the least. It is in his nature to figure out how to continue winning. Just look at the government shutdown. It took courage for him to do this. Real courage. Without which, he couldnt last a day. Nobody could. David Prentice is a writer and novelist from the Midwest. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg participates in a lecture at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington on Sept. 26, 2018. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Bill OReilly Tweet on Justice Ginsburgs Surgery Receives Criticism From Meghan McCain and Others Bill OReilly is under the media spotlight again, and not for something positive. On Dec. 21, the ex-host for Fox News posted a tweet about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburgs cancer surgery. He received an overwhelmingly negative reception from Twitter users. Justice Ginsburg is very ill. Another Justice appointment inevitable and soon. Bad news for the left. OReilly tweeted. Justice Ginsburg is very ill. Another Justice appointment inevitable and soon. Bad news for the left. Bill O'Reilly (@BillOReilly) December 21, 2018 Many Twitter users expressed their outrage and frustration in their response, some even offensive. While many posted a meme or wrote short exclamatory sentences, a few others elaborated on their point. Are you a monster? Whats wrong with you? The lady is in poor health and youre making an issue of her political affiliation? Her value as a human being is not determined by which side of the fence shes on? Twitter user Ian Logan said. Trust me, I want Justice Ginsburg to be replaced with a Republican. But to bring her health and situation up in the same convo as her being replaced is just insensitive, heartless, and awful. That woman has worked for our country for 25 yrs. Have some respect, another Twitter user Crystal Morse responded. Among the over 37,000 responses, Meghan McCain, also give her comment. In addition to co-hosting The View, Meghan McCain is the daughter of the late John McCain, a former U.S. Senator and Republican nominee for president in the 2008 election. Just four months ago, John McCain lost his battle with brain cancer. In her post, Meghan McCain called OReillys comment gross and ghoulish. Theres really nothing more gross and ghoulish than people in the media pontificating on a public persons health and the hypothetical political ramifications of their death. Join me in praying for RBG to have a speedy and healthy recoverywe are Christians, arent we Bill? McCain tweeted. Theres really nothing more gross and ghoulish than people in the media pontificating on a public persons health and the hypothetical political ramifications of their death. Join me in praying for RBG to have a speedy and healthy recovery we are Christians, arent we Bill? https://t.co/03qXbBzEKQ Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) December 21, 2018 Previous Scandals Some Twitter users related the unpopularity of OReillys tweet to his previous scandal. Spanning more than a dozen years, six women have accused OReilly of sexual harassment, with the lawsuits resulting in settlements, reported The New York Times. The latest settlement in 2017 was by far the largest, with an agreement price of $32 billion. Adding together the previous five settlements, OReilly paid a total of $45 billion to settle the allegations. But its not just the settlements themselves that were expensive. The scandals also led advertisers to pull their ads with OReillys show The OReilly Factor. Although OReilly denied the allegations made against him, 21st Century Fox released a statement in April 2017 announcing the departure of the top-rated talk show host. After a thorough and careful review of the allegations, the Company and Bill OReilly have agreed that Bill OReilly will not be returning to the Fox News Channel, the statement said. In contrast to OReillys insensitivity, President Donald Trump wished Ginsburg a speedy recovery on Twitter, despite his expressed disappointment with Ginsburg two years ago on the same platform. Wishing Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg a full and speedy recovery! Trump Posted. Wishing Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg a full and speedy recovery! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2018 Ginsburgs Surgery On Dec. 21, the Supreme Court confirmed in a statement that Ginsburg had come out of an operation removing cancer from her left lung. The statement also said that there was no cancer left and that no future treatment had been planned. Ginsburg is resting comfortably and will stay at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City for a few days. The discovery of the cancer was incidental. After sustaining three rib fractures due to a fall in her office, Ginsburg had tests performed to diagnose and treat the fracture, which detected the cancer. From NTD.com Watch Next: UraniumOne: How Clinton Sold Out the U.S. to Russia The Uranium One scandal saw major U.S. and foreign uranium mines passed to Russia. Millions of dollars made their way to the Clinton Foundation from individuals tied to the deal. Border Patrol Detains MS-13 Member, Convicted Sex Offenders Trying To Jump Border Border Patrol agents arrested a sex offender and an MS-13 gang member last week during separate incidents, according to a news release from the agency on Dec. 21 Agents from the Ajo Station office arrested a 46-year-old Mexican national after he illegally entered the United States near Lukeville, Arizona. Officials later found he was convicted in 2002 of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor in Mesa, Arizona, the release said. A day later, officials at the Nogales Station arrested a 24-year-old national of El Salvador, who Border Patrol agents later learned was a member of the MS-13 gang, which is also known as Mara Salvatrucha. MS-13, a violent criminal gang based in El Salvador, operates in many areas in the United States. Both subjects are considered felons previously removed from the country and now face federal criminal immigration charges, the Border Patrol said. All persons apprehended by the Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks using biometrics to ensure illegal aliens with criminal histories are positively identified. In Texas, the Border Patrol arrested a 26-year-old Honduran national near Eagle Pass, Texas, according to another news release. He illegally entered the U.S. from Mexico. Record checks revealed he has a criminal history, including a conviction in 2012 for a sex offense against a child, fondling, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, said the Border Patrol The unidentified man was sentenced to serve 255 days in prison and is registered as a sex offender. Later, he was removed from the United States in 2013, the agency said. Del Rio Sector is committed to ensuring the safety of our communities, said Del Rio Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Matthew J. Hudak in the news release. Thanks to the hard work and diligence of our agents, another dangerous sex offender has been stopped from committing any more crimes in the United States. Border Wall Update Last week, President Donald Trump, in addressing the illegal flow of migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border, solidified a suggestion that the U.S. military build a wall along the border, rather than rely on Congress to pass a bill. Because of the tremendous dangers at the Border, including large scale criminal and drug inflow, the United States Military will build the Wall! Trump wrote in a Dec. 19 tweet. The president wants $5 billion to fund construction of the wall. I am all alone (poor me) in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come back and make a deal on desperately needed Border Security. At some point the Democrats not wanting to make a deal will cost our Country more money than the Border Wall we are all talking about. Crazy! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 24, 2018 A few days later, on Christmas Eve, Trump tweeted: I am all alone (poor me) in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come back and make a deal on desperately needed Border Security. At some point the Democrats not wanting to make a deal will cost our Country more money than the Border Wall we are all talking about. Crazy! Regarding the possibility that the military builds the border wall, 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, Pentagon spokesman Army Lt. Col. Jamie Davis said earlier this month, according to CNBC. People at the Cambridge University Press stand at the Beijing International Book Fair in Beijing on Aug. 23, 2017. Just days after an outcry over an attempt to censor a British academic journal in China, hundreds of international publishing houses are courting importers at a major book fair in Beijing. (Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images) British Academic Journals Pulled from China at Beijings Request BEIJINGA British academic publisher has dropped more than 80 journals from its offerings in China at the regimes request, including the Asian Studies Review which had content deemed inappropriate by authorities. They are the latest journals to be restricted since Chinese importers of foreign publications were told by authorities last year they must verify that products are legal. The Asian Studies Association of Australia said on Dec.20 its journal, the Asian Studies Review, had been restricted in China. Importers had told the publisher, Britains Taylor and Francis, to remove the journal from a package offered to libraries because some of its content is deemed inappropriate by the government, the association said in a statement. Taylor and Francis said six articles were deemed objectionable by authorities, the association said, but the publisher declined to identify the articles because it was commercially sensitive. In recent times, the Chinese government has initiated wide-ranging censorship of academic publications, in ways that have embroiled academic publishers, the association said. Chinas foreign ministry and State Council Information Office did not immediately respond to faxed requests for comment on Monday. In response to the associations statement, Taylor and Francis said last Thursday that it does not participate in censorship in China, or anywhere else. However, from September 83 journals were excluded from the arts, humanities and social sciences package sold to libraries in China at the request of importers, Taylor and Francis said in a statement. It did not identify the affected journals. Our view has always been that everyone should be able to read the research we publish via their usual access routes, the publisher said, adding that it was working to try to sell the entire package in China. The censorship issue erupted in August 2017 when Britains Cambridge University Press (CUP) removed online access to hundreds of scholarly articles in China after coming under pressure from authorities. CUP reversed the decision and restored access to the articles within a few days. In recent months, censorship efforts by the government have been heightened and the authority of the ruling Communist Party, as well as its views on society, history and politics, have been re-asserted over academia. It seems that the Chinese censors have fully realized that they do not need to censor anything themselves, Nicholas Loubere, a China scholar at Lund University in Sweden, said in a tweet on Sunday. Rather, they can just cancel subscriptions and then let the Great Paywall do the work for them, he said. By Christian Shepherd BALTIMOREA melodious tune flowed through the theater as virtuoso fingers danced along just two strings. Using the bamboo bow in her right hand, she took a breath before pouring her emotions into a single long note. The note filled the theater with peace and harmony. The solo erhu item was one of the many pieces that transported audience members into faraway realms and ancient scenes while they experienced Shen Yun Performing Arts. This was not the first time John Holbert, the chairman of the Chamber Music On The Hill board of directors, had heard such beautiful sounds coming from the two string instrument. He first heard it when a musical group from Delaware had come and played it on a music series in McDaniel College at Westminster, Maryland, via the chamber music series in his community. He said he was glad to be captivated by it again at Shen Yun, which performed at The Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore on Dec. 23. Its an absolutely outstanding and extremely ethereal type of instrument, Holbert said. Shen Yun travels the globe on a mission to revive traditional Chinese culture and bring it to the world in dance and music. This culture was nearly destroyed by six decades of communist rule. The companys music takes the essence from eastern and western classical instruments to create a harmonious sound. A Western orchestra plays the foundation, while traditional Chinese instruments lead the melodies, according to Shen Yun. The erhu, also known as the Chinese violin, is just one of the many Chinese instruments that play in the orchestra. This year, audience members were fortunate to experience it in its own piece called Divine Reflection. This unique instrument has a history of over 4,000 years and was an integral part of folk performances, operas, and imperial banquets throughout the dynasties, according to Shen Yun. Its body is usually made of red sandalwood or rosewood, its bow is strung with horsetail hair. Through the hands of a master, this two string instrument has the ability to express sounds of joy, sorrow, grace, or tenderness. It also has been said that the erhu is an instrument most resembling the human voice. Holbert said he was also impressed by how Shen Yun was able to blend both Western and Eastern instruments in the orchestra. The Western orchestra just fits right in with that type of music, he said, adding that the music was very inspirational. Combined with the dance, the visual its unmatched. Hope for the Future Holbert said he hopes someday Shen Yun would be able to present this traditional culture back in China, where it came from. Although China is still under the rule of the communist regime, Holbert saw hope for change in the history presented on stage. This current trend thats in the country, Im sure will come and go just like the other dynasties have come and gone and everything, Holbert said. And hopefully one day this group will be able to perform in China and have not any restrictions. The New York-based company was founded by overseas Chinese in 2006, including some who had fled religious persecution by the communist regime in China. Many of Shen Yun performers practice Falun Dafa, a spiritual practice guided by the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance. Because of its spiritual nature, the practice has helped over a hundred million Chinese people understand and return to the essence of traditional Chinese culture. But the Chinese regime, whose ideology is in stark contrast with the traditional culture of China that continued for five millennial unbroken, has targeted Falun Dafa for persecution since 1999. Shen Yun showcases some Falun Dafa-related dance stories and lyrics, portraying themes like spiritual devotion, the benevolence of gods, good and evil retribution, and the search for the meaning of life, according to the companys website. These items touch peoples minds and hearts and are unconcerned with politics. Meanwhile, Holbert said since China has been around for 5,000 years, its likely that itll continue to flourish into the future. [T]he thing with China is its not a new country. Its got a 5,000-year history, he said. Thats been around and Im sure its going to be around for another 5,000 years. With reporting by Lisa Fan and Janita Kan. The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006. China Gains Geopolitical Clout in Ecuador Through Export of Mass-Surveillance Systems Troubled tech giant Huawei among the providers of surveillance equipment While on a visit to Beijing in mid-December, Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno secured a $900 million loan from China to boost his countrys cash-strapped economy. In addition to meeting with Chinese officials, Moreno also visited a technology-development center belonging to Chinese tech giant Huawei in Beijing, according to Ecuadorian daily newspaper El Comercio. Ecuadors economic problems were caused in part by a borrowing spree during the administration of President Rafael Correa, who was in office from 2007 to 2017. According to data from Ecuadors Economy Ministry, the countrys debt to China currently totals $6.5 billionmaking it Ecuadors largest creditor. China had financed a number of infrastructure projectsmostly through loansincluding the construction of a hospital, a bridge, a hydropower project, and ECU 911, the countrys national emergency-response system. The latter cost about $240 million. China National Electronics Import and Export Corporation (CEIEC), a subsidiary of the state-owned China Electronics Corporation (CEC)a major contractor to Chinas militarywas the chief architect of the ECU 991 project. While Chinas state-run media have touted the success of ECU 911, publishing articles claiming that ECU 911 has helped bring down the crime rate in Ecuador, the scale of the system and the equipmentsome of it provided by Chinese telecoms giant Huaweihas sparked security concerns. ECU 911 According to the official website of ECU 911, the emergency-response system has an extensive surveillance network with about 4,500 video surveillance cameras installed, as well as 16 regional response centers across the country. Many of these cameras were purchased from Huawei. According to a document dated February 2017 from Ecuadors National Public Procurement Service, ECU 911 bought 225 Huawei dome cameras with the model number IPC6625-Z30 in 2016 for $3,516.80 per camera. The service also purchased Huawei routers, wireless access points (a device that creates a wireless local area network), network switches, and wireless access controllers. Additional expense reports from Ecuadors Ministry of Finance showed that ECU 911 spent at least $700,000 in 2014 on Huawei equipment, including servers, video-surveillance systems, and data-storage systems. In 2015 and 2016, the government spent a total of more than $900,000 to purchase Huaweis LTE rapid response systema portable surveillance and communications system that can be deployed from a vehicle. Ecuador didnt pay for all the cameras and systems that are currently operational. In 2017, the Chinese Embassy in Ecuador, under an agreement signed in 2015, donated a total of $15.4 million of goods to ECU 911, including about 450 cameras, 1,640 video surveillance and storage systems, and 14 servers, according to the services official website. The agreement also called for China to provide technical training to Ecuadorian technicians manning the emergency-response system. It isnt known which Chinese companies manufactured the donated items. In January, the South China Morning Post reported that ECU 991 cameras outfitted with facial-recognition technology have been deployed in the city of Cuenca, and at two of the countrys airports at Quito and Guayaquil. While Huawei prides itself on cameras equipped with facial-recognition technology, human-rights experts have raised concerns about the invasive nature of such innovations. Sarah Cook, senior research analyst for East Asia at Freedom House, in testimony presented at a U.S. congressional hearing in September, wrote that Xinjiang, the northwestern region where many Uyghur Muslim inhabitants are now heavily suppressed by Chinese authorities, has been a laboratory for testing big data, facial-recognition software, and smartphone-scanner technologies that can be eventually be deployed across China and beyond. Security Concerns China has developed a surveillance state in recent years, with a large network of security cameras across the country to monitor citizens and snuff out dissidents. As a result, there are concerns that China could export its surveillance expertise to other governments for repressive uses. Shashank Joshi, a senior fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a UK-based think tank, expressed concern about the political norms that are associated with such surveillance exports. In an Aug. 2018 editorial, titled Ecuadors All-Seeing Eye Is Made in China, published in Foreign Policy magazine, Joshi said the use of Chinese surveillance systems could encourage authoritarian principles and omnipresent surveillance. In November 2016, Usuarios Digitales, an Ecuador-based organization that promotes digital rights, cautioned that ECU 911s facial-recognition abilities could be used for repressive purposes, such as identifying people who participate in social demonstrations. David Denoon, a professor of politics and economics at New York University and the director of the schools Center on U.S.-China Relations, pointed out another exploitative aspect of working with Chinese companies. Telecommunications and surveillance systems are considered attractive projects [for China] because they permit monitoring of local content and usually lead to long-term contracts for replacement parts, Denoon told Foreign Policy. Many governments around the world, including the United States, the UK, Japan, and Australia, have raised concerns about security loopholes in equipment and phones made by Chinese tech companies, especially those by Huawei and ZTE, the formers chief competitor. In May, the U.S. Pentagon issued an order to remove all phones from these two companies sold at stores on U.S. military bases, out of concern that the devices could be used to spy on U.S. forces. Huawei Huaweis inroads into Ecuador goes behind cameras and surveillance systems. In fact, Huawei is a major contractor to Ecuadors state-owned telecom company CNT. In 2009, Huawei was awarded a $24.49 million contract by CNT to expand the countrys fiber-optic network, according to El Comercio. In July 2011, Huawei was one of two companies awarded a contract to update CNTs 3G network, according to Ecuadorian daily newspaper El Telegrafo. But Western nations have largely shut out Huawei from their telecoms infrastructure, out of concern that the companys equipment could be exploited for espionage by Beijing. In 2011, Australia banned Huawei from bidding for contracts to provide equipment for the countrys fiber-optic networks. This month, British telecom company BT Group announced that it would remove Huawei equipment from the core of its existing 3G and 4G networks. Huaweis own website, in an article published in November 2017, announced that it was selected to upgrade the Wi-Fi networks inside Quitos public-transit system. Huawei has billed the surveillance capabilities that its established in Ecuador as part of the companys Safe Cities program. Huawei has also set up the model in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, where the firm has installed in excess of 1,800 surveillance cameras. According to New York-based think tank Council on Foreign Relations, these cameras can be used to fight crime, as well as to monitor activists and protests. In Huaweis description of the Safe Cities program in Ecuador, the company claims it helped set up traffic-control surveillance, high-resolution cameras, secured data storage, and other features, all of which are encompassed in ECU 911. However, the company hasnt explicitly said that it helped to build the emergency response system. Another of Huaweis Safe Cities is Karamay, a city in northern Xinjiang, where Uyghurs continue to be heavily monitored by predictive-policing software found in surveillance cameras. Prior to rolling out its model of Safe Cities, Huawei was involved with the Golden Shield project, a key component in the Chinese regimes internet-censorship apparatus. Epoch Times staff member Jose Peralta contributed to this report. China Subjects Police to Quotas to Encourage Arrests of People of Faith The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is threatening to fire police officers if they dont arrest enough people who adhere to spiritual faithsincluding Falun Gong practitioners and Christiansaccording to a magazine that monitors religious freedom in China. An officer in Dalian in northeastern Liaoning Province told the magazine Bitter Winter that the police station where he works received a quarterly performance assessment plan to combat religious belief from the CCPs National Security Bureau in September. The plan listed the minimum number of people of faith that police must arrest in order to receive enough points. The assessment is based on a 100-point evaluation system, with specific scores assigned for each arrested believer, depending on his or her faith, Bitter Winter reported. People of all faiths are targeted, including Falun Gong practitioners, Christians, Uyghurs, and Tibetans. The photo of the first page of the assessment plan as featured in Bitter Winters article may be the first photographic evidence of arrest quotas for Chinese police. The National Security Bureau in Liaonings Dalian city has set quotas of arrested believers for local police stations as part of their work assessment plan. Bitter Winter 2018111 The page shows that, in the case of Falun Gong practitioners, police are awarded 20 points if they arrest someone under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Security; 10 points if the person falls under provincial-level Public Security; and five points if the case is managed by the city-level public security. The magazine revealed the highest scores are given to the most persecuted religious movements, which includes Falun Gong, a traditional spiritual practice that became popular in China in the 1990s. Police Threatened With Dismissal The police station chief can be fired from his role if the quarterly quotas arent met. In an attempt to meet the quotas, police stations distribute the names of previously arrested people to local communities and building managers, and ask them to report to police if they see these people engaging in suspicious activities, the article revealed. In Dalian, officers are authorized to arrest any person of faith who owns three or more religious books, and transfer them to the citys National Security Brigade to be interrogated, the police officer said. The officer told the magazine that although he doesnt want to arrest people who are innocent, he admittedly fears the consequences from his superiors if he doesnt comply with the quota allotted to him. When a police station isnt meeting its quota, some officers would resort to buying names of those arrested from other police stations that have surpassed their quotas, with each name costing about 500 RMB (about $70), the officer said. Minghui.org, a website dedicated to posting information about the persecution of Falun Gong, reported in 2013, 2016, and 2017 that police officers said they were subject to minimum standards of how many Falun Gong practitioners to arrest. Forced Labor, Transformation, and Death Quotas The CCP has persecuted Falun Gong since 1999, when then-CCP leader Jiang Zemin introduced an extralegal secret police called the 610 Office, dedicated solely to carrying out the persecution. Over the past two decades, Minghui has reported dozens to hundreds of cases, where police were subject to quotas of how many practitioners of Falun Gong they had to detain in forced labor camps, force to relinquish the practice, or kill in any given year that would be written off as normal deaths. The CCP seeks to forcefully convert adherents of Falun Gong, in a process commonly referred to as transformation, in which the person must cease and denounce their practice, as well as assist in transforming others. The intended outcome of this transformation campaign is the eradication of the practice among the living and the death of those not transformed, reads a peer-reviewed article, led by Canadian associate professor Dr. Maria Cheung and published in 2018, that discusses the persecution of Falun Gong. In 2004, Minghui reported a prison in Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, had an annual quota of 20 normal deaths, which encourages police to torture Falun Gong practitioners without any restrictions. The report is among several by Minghui that note the existence of death quotas given to police. In a similar vein, police are given a quota of how many people need to be sent to forced labor. One example dates to 2011, when a 50-year-old female farmer, Zhong Zhaofen, was arrested in Zhaoyuan City of Shandong Province and was subject to forced labor, among other abuses. We were given a quota of four forced labor sentences from our superiors. [This person] is just in time to be one of them, the article quoted an officer in charge of Zhongs case as saying. According to the peer-reviewed article by Cheung and her colleagues, quotas for forced conversion are issued to local authorities who are incentivized to use any means necessary to achieve these targets, including coercive tactics such as forced-feeding, sleep deprivation, and shocks with electric truncheons. From NTD A man looks into the latest issue of German newsweekly Der Spiegel with a cover page that reads, "To say, what is" in Cologne, Germany, on Dec. 22, 2018. (Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images) Der Spiegel Fake News Reporter May Face Criminal Charges The German reporter at the center of a fake news scandal might soon be charged with embezzlement. Claas Relotius, 33, was discovered to have faked some of his stories for the German weekly magazine Der Spiegel. Some of the faked stories include topics such as the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, executions, Trumps America, and most recently, a piece on U.S.-Mexico border vigilantes, in which the reporter made up the existence of a sign saying Mexicans Keep Out. Now, Der Spiegel says it is bringing criminal charges against Relotius, alleging that he solicited donations from readers for the aid of Syrian orphans. The magazine has reported that some of its readers say Relotius used a private email address and his personal bank account to collect money donated for the orphans. Der Spiegel said its unsure whether Relotius had many responses to his request, which was made alongside an article he wrote about Syrian street children in Turkey. Some of the article was faked, the magazine alleges, with a Turkey-based photographer saying the journalist invented parts of the life of one child. The photographer also said one of the children featured might not have even existed at all. Anti-American Bias The U.S. ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, wrote a letter to Der Spiegel on Dec. 21, alleging that the magazine has an anti-American bias that Relotius was able to exploit. These fake news stories largely focus on U.S. policies and certain segments of the American people, Grenell wrote in the letter, which was published by Der Spiegel. He continued, It is clear that we were targeted by institutional bias and we are troubled by the atmosphere which encouraged this recklessness Editors, fact-checkers, and those in leadership clearly allowed this atmosphere and bias to flourish. The ambassador wrote that Der Spiegels journalists should have simply called the U.S. Embassy to check the facts before writing articles. The fundamental question is how such blatant anti-Americanism could be published without an editor questioning its accuracy and how much untold damage has been done by seven years of unchecked writing, Grenell concluded. The editors of Der Spiegel, which has a previously well-regarded fact-checking department, wrote back to the ambassador and apologized to U.S. citizens who were insulted or denigrated by Relotiuss articles. Dirk Kurbjuweit, deputy editor-in-chief, wrote in the letter that anti-Americanism is deeply alien to me and I am absolutely aware of what Germany has the United States to thank for: A whole lot. Fear of Failure Relotius has been fired by the magazine and has said he regretted what he did and is deeply ashamed. Although he hasnt commented since the scandal was uncovered, he did explain his actions to Der Spiegel. It wasnt about the next big thing. It was the fear of failure, he reportedly said. He added, The pressure not to fail grew as I became more successful. Far from attempting to bury the scandal, Der Spiegel devoted its weekly edition to it. It has also left Relotiuss articles on its website to encourage transparency, but added new articles that fact-check or debunk the originals. In one instance, the magazine telephoned an interviewee who is a survivor of Nazi Germany, who explained that many of the words Relotius had attributed to her were made up. Relotius was caught when fellow reporter Juan Moreno suspected that Relotius had made up quotes for a feature about vigilantes on the U.S.-Mexico border. Moreno headed back out on assignment with Relotius with a special assignment of his own: to gather evidence confirming whether Relotius was faking it. The German Journalists Union DJU said the case was the biggest fraud scandal in journalism since the Hitler diaries. Germanys Stern magazine published them in 1983 and later were found to be forgeries. Epoch Times staff member Simon Veazey contributed to this report. A public hearing on the repression of the Falun Gong spiritual movement in China held at Wallenstein Palace, Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic on Nov. 19, 2018. (Jiri Chlebnicek/The Epoch Times) Czech Lawmakers Urged to Call for End to Chinese Regimes Crimes Against Humanity PRAGUEA nongovernmental organization has submitted a petition signed by more than 38,000 people to the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic, asking lawmakers to condemn the crimes against humanity committed by the Chinese regime. The petition submitted to the legislative bodies is the most recent of several petitions. Since January, 2,000 Czech activists have collected more than 170,000 signatures of Czech citizens, public figures, and politicians. They are demanding an end to the violent repression of the Falun Gong spiritual movement at the hands of the Chinese communist regime. In response to the petition, on Nov. 19, a public hearing was held at Wallenstein Palace and a seminar in the Chamber of Deputies, which were attended by experts, representatives of various nongovernmental organizations, and two victims of the persecution. The first victim to testify was Chen Zhenping, who survived 13 years in Chinese labor camps where she was imprisoned for her belief in Falun Gong. The other was Yumei Liu of Liaoning Province in China, who was arrested nine times and tortured as part of so-called re-education led by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Her sister, father, mother, and husband were killed during the repression. The Chinese Embassy in Prague was invited to attend the public hearing, but didnt respond to the invitation. The secretary of the Senate Committee called the embassy, which stated, We take note of the invitation. However, the embassy representative didnt show up at the hearing. A representative of the international human rights organization Amnesty International also was at the public hearing. According to a statement by Amnesty International: Falun Gong is a spiritual teaching based on traditional Chinese breathing and meditation exercises, which gained a large number of supporters in China during the 1990s. Practitioners focus on the cultivation of character by following spiritual principles such as truthfulness, compassion, and tolerancethe universal principles of human existence. Falun Gong combines mental cultivation with physical cultivation (using five simple exercises). During the hearing, a representative of the Falun Gong Association of the Czech Republic, Juraj Skovajsa, discussed the rapid increase in the popularity of Falun Gong in China from 1992 to 1999, and illustrated the exercise movements and the spiritual principles of the practice. He also cited a medical study pointing to the health benefits of the Falun Gong exercises. Reports on the growing repression in China were summed up at the request of the petition committee by Milan Kajinek, editor-in-chief of the Czech edition of The Epoch Times. The repression has escalated and the Chinese regime has been carrying out arrests, imprisonment, and torture resulting in death, Kajinek said. Amnesty International stated that the Falun Gong spiritual movement was forbidden in China after its practitioners held a peaceful assembly in Beijing in April 1999. The Chinese government subsequently set up a special office, the 610 Office, to oversee the persecution of Falun Gong. In 2017, Falun Gong practitioners continued to be persecuted, arbitrarily detained, exposed to unjust lawsuits, torture and other ill-treatment, Amnesty International said. The Czech Helsinki Committees chairwoman, Lucie Rybova, also took part in the hearings; the organization monitors compliance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In connection with the hearing, the committee issued a statement that calls for the termination of the persecution and the torture of Falun Gong practitioners and the adoption of a Senate resolution on the matter. Journalist and researcher Ethan Gutmann, an expert on China and the author of Losing the New China and The Slaughter, also spoke at the hearing. He has co-authored an investigative report on abusive organ-transplant practices in China. During the investigation that began in 2006, David Kilgour, David Matas, and I collected a set of evidence of approximately 1,200 pages, Gutmann said. Using data from China and interviews with medical experts, Chinese policemen, and labor-camp refugees, the investigators have documented the massive development of organ harvesting from Falun Gong prisoners in China. Strong Pressure on Chinese Regime Hayen Wang, a representative of the NGO World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG), also spoke. WOIPFG investigates the crimes of all institutions, organizations, and individuals involved in the repressive campaign of the Chinese regime against the spiritual movement of Falun Gong in China. Founded in January 2003, the New York-based organization has established a global monitoring system in 110 countries. We are urging the Czech Republic to ask the Chinese regime about organ harvesting and demand an explanation, said Wang, who called upon the Czech Republic to take concrete steps to thoroughly investigate crimes against humanity committed by the Chinese regime. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lukas Kaucky (CSSD) summarized the activities of the Ministry, and said that both the European Union and its delegation in Beijing are exerting strong pressure on the Chinese regime in the area of human rights, with the EUs stance unambiguously hardening. The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs itself, according to Kaucky, has a consistent policy in the area of human rights, which includes calling for the end of the persecution of persons on account of their religious beliefs, as well as ethnic minorities and allowing the freedom of faith and other fundamental human rights and freedoms under the international declaration. Members of Parliament from the Pirate Party were also present at the hearing. Olga Richterova, a vice-chairman of the Pirate Party, published an article on her blog after the Senate hearing, in which she responded to reports about current methods of the liquidation of dissidents that are taking place in China, by using modern transplantation techniques. Its an alarming and years-long violation of all conceivable human rights, and a billion-dollar business, she wrote. Reforming Czech Law Sen. Marek Hilser said he would try to initiate an analysis of current Czech law on transplantation tourism to foreign countries, and plans to work to bring Czech law closer to the legal regulations adopted by Israel (2006) and Italy (2016). Not to believe that there is such a thing in China is to disbelieve our own experience with the communist totalitarian regime, said Hilser, in response to information about the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Politicians should talk about these things. Former Minister of Culture Daniel Herman, who also supports an amendment to the Transplantation Tourism Act, said: It is very important that this discussion takes place. Personally, I have known some Czech Falun Gong adherents for several years. I am deeply convinced of the benefits of Falun Gong for society. A bioethicist from Charles University, Jan Payne, is also interested in the transplant law. What is happening in China (in the area of transplant surgery) is difficult to believe. In general, people are divided into those who do not know anything about the topic, those who do not believe it or dont want to believe it, and those who cannot believe it, he said. According to Payne, theres a need for a public discussion and to be acquainted with the results of the investigation; otherwise, it is difficult for a person to understand the allegations. He supports the adoption of the law on transplantation tourism and backs awareness-raising activities about the matter. I have personally met several former prisoners of conscience from China, and I have seen well-documented papers on this issue, as well as film documentaries, such as Free China or Hard to Believe,' said former Czech Human Rights Commissioner Monika Simunkova. We need to talk about this issue and get it into the public space. I personally do not see any reason why the Chinese government suppresses a group that wants to physically and spiritually improve themselves as Falun Gong practitioners. Ghosn Lawyer Challenges Latest Financial Misconduct Allegations Carlos Ghosns lawyer challenged allegations by prosecutors that the former Nissan Motor Co. chairman transferred personal financial losses to the Japanese automaker. On Dec. 21, while rearresting Ghosn, the prosecutors alleged Ghosn used Nissans money to pay a person who helped him meet payments to maintain a personal trading position during the 2008 global financial crisis. On Dec. 23, Motonari Otsuru, the main lawyer representing Ghosn responded in a written statement saying the actions did not constitute a breach of trust and the payments totaling $14.7 million from 2009 to 2012 were made for work the person did for Nissan. The lawyer didnt identify the person by name. The prosecutors statement on Dec. 21 also stated that Ghosn conducted an aggravated breach of trust by allegedly transferring obligations on his own personal investment losses worth about 1.85 billion yen ($16.6 million) to Nissan, inflicting financial damage on the automaker. On this point, Otsuru said that while the act may be seen as a breach of trust it would not be punishable. According to Otsuru, the Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission had looked into the matter in 2008 but did not file criminal charges, therefore the lawyer didnt think the acts would be punishable now. Nissan declined to comment. A phone call to the Tokyo Prosecutors Office went unanswered on Dec. 23. Ghosn has been held at Tokyos detention house since his Nov. 19 arrest. He was indicted for allegedly understating his salary at Nissan during the five years until March 2015. He has since been re-arrested on more serious allegations for inflicting financial damage on Nissan. Ghosn will be detained until Jan. 1, the Tokyo District Court said Dec. 23. By Ma Jie & Kae Inoue From Bloomberg Gunmen Kill at Least 28 in Raid on Afghan Government Building KABULGunmen who raided a government building in the Afghan capital killed at least 28 peoplemostly government employeesand wounded more than 20 others in a seven-hour standoff with police that ended on the night of Dec. 24, Afghan authorities said. Others killed included a policeman and three of the attackers who were shot dead by Afghan security forces, Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said. The attack began in the afternoon when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a car outside the public works ministry. Terrorists then stormed the building of the National Authority for Disabled People and Martyrs Families, taking civilians hostage as they fought a gun battle against Afghan soldiers. Afghan security forces went from floor to floor of the building in an operation to rescue over 350 people inside, but had to exercise restraint in their operations against the attackers given the number of employees there, a senior security official said. No terrorist group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Ambulances raced to the scene during a lull in the shooting, a witness who lives nearby told Reuters. At least 20 people wounded in the clashes were taken to a hospital. An official working in another government building close by said employees had locked themselves in their offices after hearing the explosions and gunfire. During the standoff, the buildings second floor caught fire, local news channels reported. Attacks on government offices are frequent and are generally carried out by the Taliban. The 17-year-old war with the Taliban has seen both fighting and diplomacy intensify in recent months. By Abdul Qadir Sediqi Harnessed Horse Unearthed in Ancient Stable Near Pompeii ROMEArchaeologists have unearthed the petrified remains of a harnessed horse and saddle in the stable of an ancient villa in a Pompeii suburb. Pompeii archaeological park head Massimo Osanna told Italian news agency ANSA that the villa belonged to a high-ranking military officer, perhaps a general, during ancient Roman times. Osanna was quoted on Sunday as saying the remains of two or three other horses were also discovered. The villas terraces had views of the Bay of Naples and Capri island. The area was previously excavated, during the early 1900s, but later re-buried. The volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius destroyed flourishing Pompeii, near present-day Naples, in 79 A.D. Osanna says suffocating volcanic ash or boiling vapors killed the horses. He hopes the villa eventually will be open for public visits. Huawei and the Creation of Chinas Orwellian Surveillance State Telecom company plays pivotal role in establishing high-tech totalitarianism across China's cities, provinces News Analysis In 1949, the year that China fell to communism, George Orwell published Nineteen Eighty-four, a novel set in a totalitarian police state led by Big Brother and watched over by the omnipresent Thought Police. Nearly 70 years later, todays Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has achieved much of Orwells dystopian nightmare. Relying on technology companies to surveil the Chinese people, the CCP has built a real-life Thought Police in the form of an urban digitization scheme known as China Skynet or Safe City. Huawei, the flagship Chinese telecommunications company that has featured prominently in recent reportage due to the arrest in Canada of its chief financial executive, Meng Wanzhou, has played a significant role in China Skynet and other Orwellian projects pioneered by the Communist Party to surveil 1.4 billion Chinese people, suppress political opponents, and persecute minorities. The Safe City Where Personal Freedom Is Not Safe The Safe City program, run by the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, involves a massive volume of information and communications surveillance also known as the Skynet Project. This is part of the Chinese regimes stability maintenance, which is a common euphemism for surveillance and suppression of the Chinese people. In September 2017, the state-run Chinese Central Television (CCTV) program Glorious China described how the CCP built the worlds largest surveillance network, boasting more than 20 million cameras in a system with interconnected artificial intelligence (AI) and big data. This year, more than 170 million cameras were deployed as part of the Safe City program, and 400 million more cameras are to be installed in the next three years across Chinas cities and countryside. The facial-recognition technology that forms the backbone of Skynet was developed by Huawei under close cooperation with smaller companies such as Yitu, SenseTime, and Megvii. In November 2017, BBC reporter John Sudworth experienced the efficiency of the Skynet Project in Guiyang, in southern China. He was caught by local police just seven minutes after having his picture captured by a mobile phone. A month earlier, Huawei and SenseTime jointly launched an integrated solution for high-capacity facial-recognition software. Qiu Long, then vice-head of Huaweis IT Product Line, said that Safe City is a key focus of Huaweis enterprise and that SenseTimes advanced algorithms and applications in the AI domain have strengthened Huaweis video analytics solutions. While promoted as a means of targeting crime, the Skynet system is commonly understood as a tool for spying on ordinary Chinese to keep them under control. Critics point to an infanticide case in 2013 that the regimes preponderance of security cameras and AI-assisted tracking network couldnt solve. Following public outcry, state media shifted the explanation for Skynet, changing the goal from cracking down on crime to simply maintaining stability. Huawei and Chinese Regimes Surveillance State Huawei holds a central role in the CCPs Safe City program and is deeply involved in both Skynet Project and Blue Sky, another surveillance program used by the communist authorities. The rapid improvement of surveillance technology has featured heavily in the Partys tracking and suppression of human rights, from adherents of the banned Falun Gong spiritual practice to members of the Uyghur Muslim minority living in northwestern Chinas Xinjiang Province. According to documents from the CCPs Political and Legal Affairs Commission (PLAC), the primary task of the Skynet Project is to aid in the suppression of Falun Gong. Meanwhile, Huaweis Smart City White Paper 2014 said that Safe City was developed from the Golden Shield Project, an internet tracking and censorship system first launched in 1998. Falun Gong, a traditional Chinese meditative discipline, drew the Partys ire in the late 1990s when the number of people practicing it had reached in the tens of millions. On orders of then-CCP leader Jiang Zemin, Falun Gong became the subject of a comprehensive persecution campaign that has continued to the present day. The Golden Shield Project was led by Jiangs eldest son, Jiang Mianheng, who is also a powerful figure in the Chinese telecommunications industry. With close participation from Huawei, the Golden Shield Project was constructed in two phases, the first from 1999 to 2002 and the second from 2002 to 2004. In September 2002, Li Runsen, director of the Golden Shield Project Office, acknowledged Huaweis role in the construction of the Golden Shield during a visit to the Huawei Institute. During the construction of the Golden Shield, many Huawei products were adopted for practical use throughout the Chinese regime. For example, in December 2000, Huaweis A8010 Refiner was adopted for use in the server in eGovernment. Following the completion of the Golden Shield Project in 2005, both the PLAC and the Comprehensive Management Commission of the public security (Chinese police) authorities proposed expanded surveillance schemes. This led to the initiation of the China Skynet and Safe City initiatives. Starting that year, Safe City programs began construction in 31 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. According to Huaweis 2014 white paper, the company boasted of its role in the Partys surveillance, noting that it was Chinas No. 1 network service and equipment supplier and, as such, was well-positioned to provide integrated solutions for the Safe City program. The white paper listed examples of Huaweis participation in the Safe City projects in cities such as Hefei, Tianjin, and Changsha. Huawei uses its dominance in the IoT (internet of things) market to facilitate greater penetration of regime surveillance into everyday life, using cloud computing and integrated command and control for video content management (VCM). The episode in which the BBC reporter in Guiyang was tracked by that citys Skynet program featured the technology of OceanStor, which was, in turn, provided by Huawei. In Longgang District, Shenzhen, in southern China, the local public security bureau established a Cloud Data Center in the city. Huaweis big data platform provides daily real-time storage and analysis of hundreds of millions of data and more than 4TB of images of license plates, face, and other information. While Skynet primarily covers Chinese urban areas, the countryside is surveilled by a sister project called Blue Sky. As an extension of Skynet, Blue Sky was developed in the name of creating a safe and secure countryside, with real-time video monitoring of everyone who owns a TV or mobile phone. In 2016, pilot versions of Blue Sky were begun in the provinces of Shandong and Sichuan, with a combined population of nearly 200 million people. The next year, these projects had reached 29 provinces and cities. In a construction work meeting held in June, Chen Yixin, secretary of the central PLAC, said that the Blue Sky project would achieve its goal of global coverage, network-wide sharing, full-time availability, and full control by 2020. Huawei provided the VCM technology for the construction of the first Blue Sky demo city in Wuxi, eastern China, in 2016. Huawei and Transformation of Xinjiang The CCPs heavy-handed rule in Xinjiang has intensified in recent years. The wanton detention of over a million Uyghur Muslims and the profusion of surveillance cameras, as well as a militarized police presence, has turned the autonomous region into a veritable concentration camp. As with surveillance across the rest of the country, Huawei has contributed significantly to the creation of even harsher conditions in Xinjiang. In August 2016, Huawei reported about its strategic cooperation with provincial regime authorities. Its cloud-computing system has been utilized by police in the city of Karamay as early as 2011. In the 2014 Chinas National Information Infrastructure report, it was noted that Huaweis router ATN950A was chosen by Xinjiang Telecom to facilitate the local Safe City surveillance system. The ATN950A series have been successfully deployed to build the surveillance network covering major roads and commercial and residential areas. In May of this year, the Xinjiangs Public Security Department and Huawei signed a strategic cooperation agreement for a peaceful and smart Xinjiang. Fan Lixin, the departments deputy director, said that Huawei had provided reliable technical support for the autonomous regions authorities. Reporting by He Jian. Taylor Cumings, 25, was arrested after allegedly leaving her two sons at their residence in Muncie, Indiana, for the entire day (Muncie Police) Indiana Mom Arrested for Leaving Kids Home Alone While Watching Home Alone, Say Police An Indiana mother was criticized after she was arrested for leaving her two children, who are ages 4 and 7, to watch the movie Home Alone while she worked. Taylor Cumings, 25, was arrested after allegedly leaving her two sons at their residence in Muncie, Indiana, for the entire day, WISH-TV reported on Dec. 21. I felt that for a day he was fine. Was I worried sick? Absolutely. Who wouldnt be, Cumings said, adding that she didnt have a choice when she left them at home. A woman in Indiana spent a night in jail after she left her 7-year-old son to care for her sick 4-year old son. She is facing a preliminary charge of neglect. https://t.co/KlA170QrMc KCRG (@KCRG) December 23, 2018 Her 4-year-old son, Kamron, was sick at home and couldnt go to school. She didnt have a babysitter, she said, and allowed her 7-year-old son, Tyruse, to care for the younger boy. Cumings took Tyruse out of school to have him watch the child. To say that a 7-year-old is mature enough to watch a 4-year-old sounds absolutely outrageous. I totally understand people do not know me or my kids and the decision I made, she told the station. She said Tyruse is mature enough to perform the task. They know not to touch the stove, dont touch the heaters, the baseboards. They know not to answer the door for anybody, she continued. WATCH: A Muncie mom out of jail after police arrested her for leaving her sons, 4 and 7, home alone says she did it out of necessity. Elizabeth Choi reports. WISH-TV 20181222 The children reportedly didnt answer the door for police. Officers went to her home and knocked on her door after getting an anonymous tip. Tyruse didnt answer, but he instead called his aunt. When the police arrived, he knew not to answer that door until my aunt showed up, said Cumings. Police said the children were apparently watching Home Alone on television, reported USA Today. The 1990 film features an 8-year-old, played by Macaulay Culkin, outsmarting two burglars, played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, when his family forgets him during their Christmas vacation. She was later arrested and was booked into jail for one day before she was released the next morning. The two boys went to her aunts home but returned a few days later. Police said Cumings told them she was at her job since 7 a.m. and was unable to find a babysitter, USA Today reported. She then decided to have (the older child) stay home from school and watch (his younger brother). The mother added that she had done it before but almost always stays with her children or has a babysitter, an officer wrote. Response It was humiliating. I am it was made a joke right now that Im a bad parent, and none of that is true, said Cumings. Absolutely not. Never. It will never happen again, said Cumings in the WISH-TV report when asked if she would do it again. Cumings said she and her children are planning on watching Home Alone 2, Fox59 reported. Sandy Runkle-DeLorme with Prevent Child Abuse Indiana said the Christmas season can be challenging for families. We definitely need more resources out there for families who have children that are not yet ready to be left alone, Runkle-Delorme said, and thats not even a particular age, its really based on maturity, according to Fox59. Theres a million more girls like me, Cumings also said. If there was a daycare, like an emergency daycare for sick children, or say your kids suspended or whatever these circumstances are, but we dont have that. Johnny Depp on July 17, 2013 in Tokyo, Japan. Johnny Depp has been dropped from the Pirates Of the Caribbean film franchise. (Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images) Johnny Depp Appears to Have Been Dropped From Pirates of the Caribbean Franchise, Producer Says Johnny Depp, once the top-billing actor in the world, appears to have been dropped from Pirates of the Caribbean, the blockbuster film series he helped make famous, according to a report. There were rumors saying Depp, 55, would be jettisoned from the franchise, but now, Disneys production head, Sean Bailey, essentially confirmed his departure. Depp played Captain Jack Sparrow after 14 years as the lead actor in the series, which has grossed more than $4.5 billion across five films. We want to give it a kick in the pants, Bailey said of the franchise reboot, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which reported that Bailey is mulling the future of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise without Johnny Depp. The Reporter asked him about whether Pirates can survive without Depp. In the interview, Bailey doesnt outright confirm the move but made a strong suggestion. We want to bring in a new energy and vitality, he replied. I love the [Pirates] movies, but part of the reason Paul and Rhett are so interesting is that we want to give it a kick in the pants. And thats what Ive tasked them with. Disney met with Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick to come up with a script for the Pirates reboot following their success with the superhero movie franchise. Depps last Pirates of the Caribbean film was Dead Men Tell No Tales, which was the lowest performing of the five movies. The original scriptwriter, Stuart Beattie, in October appeared to confirm Depps ouster, saying the entire franchise will be redone. And kids all over the world love him as that character so I think its been great for him, its been great for us, so Im just very, very happy about it, he told the Daily Mail. Beattie said the first film, The Curse of the Black Pearl, released in 2003, wasnt expected to be a hit due to Depps roles in cult films like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Edward Scissorhands. I think Jack Sparrow will be his legacy. Its the only character hes played five times, its the character he dresses up in to visit children in hospitals, its what hell be remembered for, he said. Before Jack Sparrow came along, [Depp] was considered this kind of quirky, independent actor that made these really cool little Tim Burton films, but he was by no means a movie star and a lot of people thought we were crazy for casting him at the time. He added: Because he wasnt a proven commodity; you know, a big movie star. And we were making a big movie and we were putting this quirky, independent actor in the middle of it and people thought we were crazy. The fact that it worked is a miracle. They were certainly nervous watching the rushes every day but when it all came together, something just clicked and it was magic and connected with audiences. Im proud to be a part of it. Justice Ginsburg Undergoes Surgery to Remove Cancerous Nodules From Lung Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had two malignant growths in her left lung removed at a New York hospital on Dec. 21. Its the third time the Supreme Courts oldest justice has been treated for cancer and her second stay in a hospital in two months. Ginsburg, 85, will remain in the hospital for a few days, the court said. She has never missed arguments in more than 25 years as a justice. The court next meets on Jan. 7. It is the second time for Ginsburg that cancerous growths have been detected at an apparently early stage through unrelated medical tests. The nodules on her lung were found during X-rays and other tests after Ginsburg fractured ribs in a fall in her Supreme Court office on Nov. 7, the court said. In 2009, routine follow-up screening after Ginsburgs colorectal cancer 10 years earlier detected a lesion on her pancreas. Doctors operated and removed the growth theyd previously spotted, plus a smaller one they hadnt seen before. The larger growth was benign, while the smaller one was malignant. Doctors who arent involved in Ginsburgs care said she may have gotten lucky again, although they caution it is too soon to know. This is just luck that the growths were found through those rib X-rays because accidentally discovered lung tumors tend to be early stage, when surgery works best, said Dr. Giuseppe Giaccone, an oncologist at Georgetown Universitys Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. John Lazar, director of thoracic robotic surgery at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, said its not uncommon to see slow-growing lung cancers in women in their 80s, and they tend to respond well to surgery and go on to die of something unrelated, he said. Ginsburgs previous bouts with cancer were so long ago theyre unlikely to be related, Giaccone said. If she doesnt need anything but the surgery, it is a very good sign, Lazar said. Both doctors said patients typically spend three days or four days in the hospital after this type of operation. Appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1993, Ginsburg rebuffed suggestions from some liberals that she should step down in the first two years of President Barack Obamas second term, when Democrats controlled the Senate and would have been likely to confirm her successor. She already has hired clerks for the term that extends into 2020, indicating she has no plans to retire. The Associated Press contributed to this report. TOPSHOT - US President Donald Trump arrives to board Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, November 9, 2018, as they travel to Paris. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) Lawfare Used to Tie Down and Punish President Trump, Conservatives Say The huge array of legal proceedings and investigations now being undertaken against President Donald Trump, his campaign, his transition team, and associates is a carefully orchestrated effort to drive him from office, according to conservatives interviewed by The Epoch Times. The seemingly endless parade of legal actions against Trump is the legal equivalent of throwing darts at a bulletin board or spinning a roulette wheel. Trumps enemies will take anything they can get in order to end his presidency, conservatives say. This white-hot explosion of litigiousness is what is known as lawfare, a neologism that is a portmanteau of the words law and warfare. One online source defines lawfare as a form of war consisting of the use of the legal system against an enemy, such as by damaging or delegitimizing them, tying up their time or winning a public relations victory. Organized Resistance The current lawfare effort is an extension in the nations legal system of the organized resistance to Trump that left-wing activists, nonprofits, and well-heeled foundations launched immediately after the Republican unexpectedly triumphed over the heavily favored Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton in November 2016. This is a full frontal attack on Trump World, writes William A. Jacobson at Legal Insurrection. Jacobson is a clinical professor of law and director of the Securities Law Clinic at Cornell Law School. And its just a continuation of the refusal to accept the results of the election with a Lilliputian strategy to tie down the giant. The sheer breadth of investigations is the point. This well-funded legal conspiracy, as it has been characterized by some Trump defenders, is vast, far-reaching, and subsidized by taxpayers. Most, but not all of the players are Democrats. Some of the federal prosecutors involved were appointed by Trump. But all have come under pressure from Democrats and left-wing activists. 17 Investigations Garrett M. Graff of Wired magazine put together a list of 17 known investigations that target President Trumps world from various federal, state, and local prosecutors. There are sources known to be cooperating with investigators in nearly all of these open cases, Graff said. Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating Russian meddling in U.S. elections, WikiLeaks, Middle Eastern influence on the Trump campaign, former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, the abandoned Trump Tower Moscow project, Trump-campaign and transition-team contacts with Russia, and obstruction of justice. Geoffrey Berman, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, is investigating campaign conspiracies and Trump Organization finances, inauguration funding, Trump super PAC funding, and foreign lobbying. Jessie K. Liu, U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, is investigating alleged Russian spy Maria Butina and the National Rifle Association (NRA). Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, is investigating Elena Alekseevna Khusyaynova, allegedly chief accountant of the Internet Research Agency, who was previously indicted. Turkish influence on Trump and his circle also is being investigated. Former national security adviser Michael Flynns plea agreement provides some details of the allegations. Flynn is cooperating with authorities. Democratic-controlled New York City and New York state, as well as attorneys general from other largely Democratic states, are investigating various tax-related allegations. A New York Times report claims Trump benefited from more than $400 million in tax schemes, [and] city officials said they were investigating Trumps tax payments, as did the New York State Tax Department. The attorneys general for the District of Columbia and Maryland, respectively Karl A. Racine (D) and Brian Frosh (D), issued subpoenas this month for Trump Organization and hotel financial records related to the almost-impossible-to-prove-allegation that the president is in violation of the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The clause forbids government officials from receiving gifts from foreign states and monarchies without the consent of Congress in the hope of shielding the small-R republican character of the United States from corrupting foreign influences. Finally, there is a mysterious investigation originating from an unknown office, according to Graff. An investigation referenced in the Flynn case could represent another as-yet-unknown unfolding criminal case or could be a counterintelligence investigation that will never become public. Tying Down the President Of course, it is possible that the president or his associates could be guilty of wrongdoing not yet unearthed or made public, but conservatives contacted by The Epoch Times say the sheer volume of the allegations suggest both prosecutorial overkill and a concerted effort to tie down the president by means of litigation. Robert Weissberg, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said Democrats are using the courts to try to bring down Trump because they are bereft of ideas. This litigation madness reflects the collapse of viable policy alternatives among Democrats, particularly those on the far left, Weissberg said. If you list the major problems facing Americaimmigration, failing schools, health care, drug addiction, collapsing infrastructure, a permanent urban (black) underclass, among othersthere are no obvious solutions. Especially solutions that could unite the Democratic Party. Weve become a fractured nation. Rather than hash out a politically workable solution, the Dems wander off into controversies and investigations. This is very different from, say, 50 years ago when Dems still believed in their solutions. Yes, they insisted, Head Start would do the trick and inner-city blacks could become middle class if we just enforced the anti-discrimination laws. What we now see, to be glib, is the end of policy debate. The entire Russia thing is a distraction. Hush-Money Payments Donny Ferguson, president of Americans for a Better Economy, an Alexandria, Virginia-based nonprofit organization, said there is no evidence Trump personally colluded with Russia to sway the 2016 election, but that doesnt mean all the investigations are completely meritless. Right now, it appears the Mueller investigation is what we always knew it wasseveral Trump associates not disclosing business ties with Russia, Ferguson, said. The only campaign collusion with Russia appears to be from the Clinton campaign and Democratic National Committee. Ferguson said Trumps hush-money payments to women he allegedly had affairs with will continue to cause legal problems for him. When former presidential candidate and Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) went on trial years ago, both the judge and jury agreed that payments made to a mistress for silence during a campaign were campaign expenses. The prosecution in the Edwards case had no evidence showing it was Edwards himself who convinced two other people to make payments from accounts they controlled, Ferguson said. In Trumps case, hes on tape directing the payments from accounts he controlled. They appeared to be corporate accounts, creating another apparent violation. The question is whether such violations are impeachable offenses, and thats far from clear. Weaponizing the Power of Government Robert Henneke, director of the Center for the American Future at the Austin-based Texas Public Policy Foundation, suggested those going after Trump have bad motives. Youre weaponizing the power of government in most of these situations involving criminal penalties and criminal prosecutions, where a driving factor seems to be a person or a specific target, or there is a partisan shade to it, said Henneke, who was on the winning legal team in a lawsuit that led to the striking down of Obamacare by federal Judge Reed OConnor of the Northern District of Texas on Dec. 14. I think certainly with respect to the Mueller investigation, it has questionable legitimacy as its way far afield from what the original intent was supposed to be. The plea that Trumps former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, entered after being investigated by Mueller is questionable, Henneke said. It isnt at all clear that what he pled to is a violation of federal election laws. This fast-and-loose approach to enforcing the law can also be used against government officials, he said. Where there is a will to do so, you can probably figure out a reason to prosecute any federal official. If you look hard enough, you can interpret campaign finance laws in a way that would result in there being an offense, Henneke said. When the administrative state gets so big and so broad that nobody really knows what is really a crime or not when you couple that with politically driven prosecutions for government action, that should be concerning for all Americans. Prosecutors in his home state of Texas have abused their powers before, Henneke noted. Former U.S. House Majority Leaders Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and Dick Armey (R-Texas), and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), who is a now a Trump cabinet member, were hounded for years by prosecutors who ended up having little to show for their efforts, he said. And this kind of the-ends-justify-the-means mentality leads to frightening results, Henneke said, citing the recent example of in-your-face New York Attorney General-elect Letitia James (D). James said more or less that Im getting elected to take away Trumps money and to go after his businesses, he said. I mean thats completely contrary to the notion of justice. You dont want to have a government that picks a target first and then figures out what for afterward. Demoralizing Voters Tina Trent, a former candidate for District 26 of the Georgia General Assembly, said the bevy of lawsuits is best understood as one way of demoralizing potential Trump voters and suppressing turnout in the 2020 presidential election. Whats in the lawsuits, which should be viewed more as a protest movement than serious legal inquiry, matters less than their quantity, she said. This is Trump derangement syndrome via litigation by a thousand cuts: they are providing left-wing media and their audiences with a steady stream of breaking news on alleged new legal scandals, and they really dont care about the success or even the credibility of any single investigation, Trent said. The lawsuits amount to propaganda, she said. Propaganda works by overwhelming the senses and crowding out rational debate. The mainstream media in America has been a propaganda mouthpiece for the Left for so long in America that weve grown used to seeing bias in news reports, but there is still something new and frightening in watching media personalities ranting hysterically over these Trump investigations in every cranny of social media, late-night talk shows, and even the sections of magazines that are supposed to be about fashion and lifestyle, Trent said. Every aspect of Trumps daily life in the White House is actually being put on display every minute of every day, from the way the first lady decorated their Christmas trees to the allegedly toxic effect Trump is having on individual holiday family gatherings, she explained. Trump is being accused of ruining Christmas family gatherings and blighting dating scenes for single adults looking for love as he is bitterly and hatefully charged by important media figures with literally destroying everything good in the world and causing everything bad, Trent added. An attorney and historian, who asked not to be identified, disagreed somewhat with the other conservatives interviewed. Its a mistake to see this as coming from Democrats, he said. The assault on Trump comes from inside the Washington bureaucracy, what some people are calling the deep state or the swamp. Its a big mistake to associate these people solely with the Democrat Party. They are part of something much larger and more important than the Democrat Party, and the Republican Party apparatus is mostly just as captive to them. But the real reason the intelligence/federal law enforcement people are going after Trump is, in my opinion, that he is capturing the attention of people who are true nationalists, people who understand and are spreading the message that our government is being held captive and would like to do something about it. So, he must be destroyed. Not beaten in an election. That isnt nearly enough punishment to send the message that they want to send, he said. A financial professional works in the Goldman Sachs booth on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange April 16, 2010 in New York City. (Chris Hondros/Getty Images) Malaysia Seeks $7.5 Billion in Reparations From Goldman Sachs: FT KUALA LUMPURMalaysia is seeking $7.5 billion in reparations from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. over its dealings with scandal-linked state fund 1MDB, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Dec. 21, citing the finance minister. Separately, Bloomberg reported that Singapore had expanded its criminal investigation of 1MDB to include Goldman Sachs, in a sign of increasing scrutiny of the banks role in the suspected multi-billion-dollar money laundering scheme. Malaysian prosecutors filed charges against Goldman Sachs last week in connection with its role as underwriter and arranger of three bond sales that raised $6.5 billion for 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), the first criminal action against the U.S. bank over the scandal. Goldman Sachs has consistently denied wrongdoing and said certain members of the former Malaysian government and 1MDB lied to the bank about the proceeds of the bond sales. In addition to the bonds total value, Goldman Sachs should also return $1 billion to cover $600 million in fees paid to the bank and bond coupons that were higher than the market rate, the FT quoted Malaysian Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng as saying. Lim also told the FT that reparations should at least be more than $1.8 billion, the sum Goldman Sachs has told investors it had set aside to cover potential losses related to 1MDB legal proceedings. Their figure is $1.8 billion. Ours is $7.5 billion, Lim said. Malaysia is not currently negotiating with Goldman, but charges filed on Dec. 24 could bring the bank to the table, Lim said. In an emailed response to Reuters, a Goldman Sachs spokesman said the bank intended to vigorously contest these charges. The 1MDB bond offerings were meant to raise money to benefit Malaysia; instead, a huge portion of those funds were stolen for the benefit of members of the Malaysian government and their associates, the spokesman said. Certain members of that government and 1MDB lied to Goldman about the use of proceeds from these transactions. Critics have said the fees earned by Goldman Sachs were far in excess of the normal 1-2 percent a bank could expect for helping sell bonds. Goldman has said the outsized fees related to additional risks: it bought the unrated bonds while it sought investors and, in the case of a 2013 bond deal which raised $2.7 billion, 1MDB wanted the funds quickly. Malaysia has sought jail terms and billions in fines from Goldman Sachs and four individuals who allegedly misappropriated about $2.7 billion from the 1MDB bond proceeds. The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that a total of about $4.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB and used to buy, among others, real estate in London and New York, expensive jewelry and artwork, and a private jet. Expanded Investigation Bloomberg, citing unidentified sources, reported that Singapore has expanded a criminal investigation into fund flows linked to 1MDB to include Goldman Sachs. Authorities in Singapore were trying to determine whether some of the $600 million in fees that Goldman earned from the three bond deals flowed to the Singapore subsidiary, the news agency said. In response to the report, the Singapore police said their criminal investigation into entities involved in 1MDB-related offence in Singapore had been going on since 2015. They did not comment further. A spokesman for Goldman Sachs said in a statement: The firm continues to cooperate with all authorities investigating this matter. Goldman Sachs (Singapore) PTE was one of the three units charged by Malaysia last week. Shares of the U.S. investment bank fell to a two-year low last week after Malaysia filed the charges. Two former Goldman Sachs bankers, Tim Leissner and Roger Ng, have been charged by Malaysia and the U.S. Department of Justice. Singapore has banned Leissner, the banks former Southeast Asia chairman, from its securities industry for life after he pleaded guilty in the United States for conspiring to launder 1MDB money and violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The United States is also seeking extradition of Ng, who has been detained in Malaysia. Monroe Police spokesman Reggie Brown said Addie Morehouse, a 67-year-old former educator, was found dead in Bayou Desiard in Monroe, La., on Dec. 24, 2018. (Monroe Police) Missing Former Principal Found Dead in Louisiana Bayou: Police Officials in Louisiana said they have found the body of a Louisiana woman who went missing more on Friday, Dec. 14. Monroe Police spokesman Reggie Brown said Addie Morehouse, a 67-year-old former elementary school principal, was found dead in Bayou Desiard in Monroe. At this time, it appears that Ms. Morehouse is the victim of an accidental drowning, he told KNOE. Chief Ellis would like to thank the entire community for their unwavering support in trying to bring Ms. Morehouse home as well as all of the local agencies who devoted time and resources to assist our agency in the effort. He added, Please continue to pray for the Morehouse family. Her family said Morehouse suffered from dementia and Alzheimers. She went missing on Dec. 14. Footage taken from a private security camera showed she was heading north on a road, the News-Star reported. The report said she worked in the Monroe City Schools System and was principal at Madison James Foster Elementary School. A number of volunteers joined in the search for Morehouse. I just felt the need to come out and help, said Minnie Miller Eleam, MyArkLaMiss reported. I feel like if it was my mother or my sister or my auntie, I would want others to come out and help as well, said Chris Lewis. If shes out here, regardless of the weather, we need to be out here too, until somebody locates her, said Tonya Sanders, another local. I hate to think Im sitting in the house, watching television when I can be out here and maybe make a difference and find her, said Darlene Williams. Rosalind Loyd Chisley, who grew up with Morehouse, told the website, I look before I go to work everyday and immediately when I come home and I dont plan to stop until we find her. Other details about her death are not clear. Monroe, located in Ouachita Parish, is situated in northern Louisiana. Missing Children There were 464,324 missing children reported in the FBIs National Crime Information Center (NCIC) in 2017, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Under federal law, when children are reported missing to law enforcement they must be entered into the database. In 2016, there were 465,676 entries. This number represents reports of missing children. That means if a child runs away multiple times in a year, each instance would be entered into NCIC separately and counted in the yearly total. Likewise, if an entry is withdrawn and amended or updated, that would also be reflected in the total, the center noted. In 2017, the center said it assisted officers and families with the cases of more than 27,000 missing children. In those cases, 91 percent were endangered runaways, and 5 percent were family abductions. About one in seven children reported missing to the center in 2017 was likely a victim of child sex trafficking, experts said. A health worker passes a drink to a boy suspecting of having the Ebola virus at an Ebola treatment center in Beni, Eastern Congo, on Sept 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Al-hadji Kudra Maliro) Ebola Cases Rising Steadily in Congos Latest Outbreak KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of CongoFollowing another outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo late last week, the number of infected people continues to rise steadily, with confirmed cases in North Kivu and Ituri provinces. The current epidemic, which began in August, is considered the second deadliest to hit the DRC, and officials say it is so far showing no signs of abating. As of Dec. 19, the World Health Organization reported a total of 560 cases and 360 confirmed deaths. Ebola, which causes fever, severe headaches, and, in some cases, hemorrhaging, is highly contagious and is transmitted person-to-person via contact with blood or body fluids. The latest outbreak has a high probability of spreading to nearby provinces in the DRC and to neighboring countries like Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and South Sudan due to loose border control. The outbreak comes at a time when people are not only getting ready for Christmas celebrations but also when the country is preparing for upcoming the presidential election on Dec. 30. The two events mean an increase in the movement of people in and out of the infected areas, which is likely to exacerbate the spread of the virus. Complicating matters is ongoing violence from local militias as part of Eastern Congos 25-year-old civil war. Several measures have been initiated to curb the viruss spread in the region, including travel restrictions, but they have not went well with people given that its the festive season. However, DRCs Health Minister Oly Ilunga told media recently that they have seen an improvement in how communities have been responding to efforts to contain the outbreak. During the election, millions of people will use touch-screen voting machines, heightening the chance of contamination. To offset this, health officials have established checkpoints with contact-free temperature-sensing devices at the entrance to polling stations in Ebola-infected areas. In addition, hand sanitizer has been distributed for mandatory use at all polling stations. Other preventative measures put in place by the Ugandan government include vaccinating health workers, who are considered to be at increased risk for catching the virus. Health Minister Ruth Jane Aceng, speaking at a press conference in Kampala, confirmed that 2,000 health workers in the high-risk areas of Bundibugyo, Kasese, and Ntoroko have been vaccinated against the virus, with more in the works. There are 3,000 more doses that have been promised and we hope to target more than seven districts, Aceng was quoted as saying by the Daily Monitor. Dr. Miriam Nanyunja, a disease control and prevention adviser with WHO, has expressed concern for the health workers on the frontlines of dealing with Ebola patients. Of the 51 reported cases of health workers infected with the virus, 17 have died. This first phase of Ebola preparedness in the outbreak has cost the Congo government about $19 million. Ilunga told The Associated Press on Dec. 20 that the outbreak is expected to continue for another three or four months. This is the 10th outbreak since 1976 in the DRC, where the virus is endemic. Rerouted Cruise Ship Rescues Two Fishermen Stranded in Caribbean Sea for 20 Days A Royal Caribbean cruise ship that was rerouted due to a storm rescued two fishermen who were stranded in the Caribbean Sea. The fishermen had been adrift for three weeks when people on the Empress of the Seas saw their signal light, the firm said in a statement. Empress lowered her tender boat at 21:57 and rescued the passengers, Royal Caribbean said, USA Today reported. Due to the high swell, the boat was towed close to the ship in order to get shelter. Empress of the Seas did rescue two sailors who had been adrift for more than 20 days, the cruise line added. Both passengers onboard the vessel were provided water and medical attention onboard by the ships crew. There were no injuries reported. Royal Caribbeans chief meteorologist James Van Fleet posted photos of the rescue on Twitter, saying they were found between the Grand Cayman island and Jamaica. They had been at Sea for 20 DAYS in that small boat between the two islands, he said. UNREAL and so PROUD of Officers and Crew! Thank you, he added. Van Fleet said the ship rerouted due to poor weather conditions. Sometimes a little luck is all you need for a miracle, Van Fleet said. More pics to share from @RoyalCaribbean #EmpressoftheSeas rescuing 2 Mariners who had been at Sea for 20 DAYS in that small boat between #Jamaica and #GrandCayman! See last pic for story. UNREAL and so PROUD of Officers and Crew! Thank you @jleberle and @caryjames007 for pics. pic.twitter.com/VEw1tzChMO James Van Fleet (@JamesVanFleet) December 21, 2018 He said its not clear where the fishermen originated, according to the USA Today. But he said the fishermen told the Empress of the Seas crew they only had enough food and water for seven days, NPR reported. One of the fishermen could no longer walk, Van Fleet added. Our Empress of the Seas Crew literally carried him to the tender and carried him on board. Royal Caribbean said that neither fisherman was injured. The names of the two were not released. When the ship arrived in Jamaica, the fishermen were able to walk and went to a nearby hospital, NPR reported. The crew collected $300 for the men to purchase food and clothing. Other deatils about the incident are not clear. Pure luck, lining of the stars, god, whatever you choose to believe, the facts are we would NOT have been in that area at the time had we not switched to go to Ochos Rios, Jamaica and you cant help but think there was a greater plan in all of this, Van Fleet also said. 20 days at sea should tell you everything about the odds of them being found alive. The second Cruise Critic Editors Picks Awards said that Viking Cruises was the best cruise liner in 2018. Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Seabourn, and Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection were tied for second place with three awards each, CNN reported. In the awards infancy, they were simply a way to recognize cruise lines that excelled in a particular area, said Colleen McDaniel, the editor of cruising website Cruise Critic. And while the list certainly continues to be a compilation of the best experiences at sea, whats very clear this year is that the awards also highlight the wide range of travel experiences that cruising offers. It said Viking won three luxury awards. Santa and His Reindeer Begin Their Journey Around the World Santa Claus has begun his annual journey to deliver Christmas gifts to children all over the world, braving freezing temperatures as he departed from his home inside the Arctic Circle. Families gathered in temperatures of -22 degrees Celsius at Santas official residence in the town of Rovaniemi, Finland, which lies inside the Arctic Circle, to listen to Christmas songs and bid farewell to Santa as he embarks on the busiest period in his calendar. With his elves putting on a song-and-dance performance to wish him luck, Santa spoke to the crowd briefly in Finnish and English, wishing them a peaceful and happy Christmas. He then left his village to head to the North Pole and stock up his sleigh with gifts for lucky children all over the world before collecting the rest of his reindeer and heading off on his Christmas Eve journey. Kevin Vliet (R), a vice president at Target Corporation, enjoyed Shen Yun with his family at the Center for the Performing Arts in San Jose, California, on Dec. 23, 2018. (Mary Man/The Epoch Times) SAN JOSE, Calif.Shen Yun Performing Arts, the worlds premier classical Chinese dance and music company, delighted theatergoers in San Jose on Dec. 23 as part of its world tour. Kevin Vliet, a vice president at Target Corporation, was among the audience members. He enjoyed seeing the culture presented in Shen Yun. Its very entertaining and energetic, he said. Shen Yun is based in New York and aims to revive Chinas 5,000 years of ancient culture through dance and music. This traditional culture has been nearly lost under todays Chinese communist regime, which has spent the last several decades trying to wipe out Chinese traditions. As a result, the regime does not allow Shen Yun to perform in China. I think its a shame that they cant perform in China because of these beliefs, said Vliet. In other countries, however, Shen Yun regularly performs to sold-out audiences in top venues. Its several touring companies travel the world each year with an all-new production. [I would tell my friends] they should come and see it, and be thoroughly entertained, Vliet said. Financial planner Bryan Foertsch was also in attendance. He was impressed by the performers beautiful costumes. The dancers costumes are brilliantly colored and often include long, flowing sleeves or accessories such as fans. Amazing, amazing dancers, he said. Foertsch had never seen anything like Shen Yun before. It was perfect, he said. The scenery is outstanding beautiful; amazing, he said, referring to the digital backdrop that complements the dance pieces with scenery from ancient and modern China. Ancient Chinese culture is said to have been divinely inspired, according to Shen Yuns website. A belief in the divine is an important part of this traditional culture. Foertsch found the spiritual aspect of Shen Yun very uplifting. I feel the happiness that theyre expressing, said Don Bottomley, president of a beer distributing company, who attended the same performance. I have never seen a better show, said Bottomley. Excellent! San Jose is lucky to get them. With reporting by Mary Man, Gary Wang, and Sally Appert The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006. Crystal, a female gray wolf, roams the enclosure during a sneak peak of the new American Trail at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 29, 2012. (Allison Shelley/Getty Images) 6 Yellowstone Park Wolves Killed by Humans, According to Report Six wolves died due to the actions of people in and around Yellowstone National Park, according to a National Park Service report covering 2017. Five of the wolves were killed legally during hunting season in Montana, while one of the wolves was shot illegally within park boundaries and had to be euthanized by park staff, according to the Yellowstone Wolf Project Annual Report 2017. It is illegal to hunt wolves within park boundaries, but wolves that travel outside of them are no longer subject to the protection Yellowstone offers them. The legally hunted wolves normally stay within the park but had ventured beyond its boundaries. On Nov. 24, a wolf known as 926F was legally killed when outside the park boundaries, in Cooke County, Montana, The Spokesman-Review reported. The wolf was popular with animal watchers and photographers and was previously the alpha female of its pack, before ceding the position to its female cub. Wolves were reintroduced into the park in the 90s to bring balance the ecosystem after a decades-long absence. Since the wolf reintroduction to Yellowstone, the wolf population has expanded and spread to neighboring states. There are almost 2,000 wolves in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho, CBS reported. The spread of the wolves led states to establish wolf hunting seasons. But Doug Smith, who runs Yellowstones wolf research program, said wolves are unaware of the danger they could encounter. They dont know where the park line is, Smith told CBS. We have ten wolf packs that live in Yellowstone. And most of those wolves spend the majority of their time in the park, well over 95 percent. Some of them, even 99 percent of their time is in the park. So they dont react to humans the way a wolf would that lives amidst humans. There were 97 wolves in 11 packs living in Yellowstone at the time of the 2017 annual report. The reintroduction of wolves is credited with improving the ecosystem of the park overall, USA Today reported. Because the wolves keep the elk population down, more willow and aspen trees can thrive, due to fewer elk grazing. The flourishing of the trees improved conditions for songbirds and beavers, thereby increasing their populations. Wolves disappeared from the park in the 1920s due to efforts at predator population control. However, the apex predator of the park was eliminated, and elk populations grew out of control. Some think that adding wolves back to Americas first national park will not totally correct the problems that their decades-long absence has caused. You put the predator back, thats great, but conditions have changed so much in the intervening decades that putting the predator back is not enough to restore the ecosystem, Tom Hobbs, a Colorado State University ecology professor, told USA Today. Theres not a quick fix for mistakes like exterminating apex predators. The reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone has stimulated discussion among academics about other apex predators such as lions, tigers, and sharks in places like India and Africa, and how to avoid a situation like Yellowstone, according to USA Today. Maintaining intact ecosystems may be easier than fixing them after youve lost some of the parts, said Hobbs. From NTD News South Korean Transport Ministry officials hold a press conference as damaged gears of a BMW which engine had caught fire are displayed at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 24, 2018. (Ahn Young-joon/AP) South Korea Fines BMW $10 Million Over Several Engine Fires SEOUL, South KoreaSouth Korea said Monday it will fine BMW 11.2 billion won ($9.9 million) and file a criminal complaint against the company with state prosecutors over an allegedly botched response to dozens of engine fires reported in the country. South Koreas Transport Ministry its investigation panel after a five-month review concluded that the German automaker deliberately tried to cover up technical problems and moved too slowly to recall vehicles after around 40 of its cars caught fire earlier this year. The ministry found the fires to be caused by faulty valves in the vehicles exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) coolers. BMW apologized and recalled some 172,000 vehicles of 65 different models in July and October over the fires. BMW AGs South Korean unit said in a statement that the ministrys findings were generally in line with the companys assessment that the fires were caused by leaks of coolants in the EGR coolers. Combined with carbon and oil sediment the leaks could combust and cause fires when the vehicles were driven at high speeds for long periods of time, but BMW said the issue could be solved by the exchange of faulty hardware. The company did not directly address the ministrys accusation that it tried to play down the severity of the problem and recalled a narrower range of vehicles than it should have during its first recall in July. The BMW Group is cooperating with the ongoing investigation and is committed to resolving the issue, it said in the statement. Junghyun Kim, an official from BMW Korea, said there had been no reports of injuries linked to the fires in South Korea. Triple Amputee Veteran Behind Border Wall GoFundMe Says Hes Received Lots of Hate Mail Brian Kolfage, the triple-amputee veteran behind the viral GoFundMe to raise money for President Donald Trumps border wall, said hes received a bevy of hate messages over the past several days. After Alyssa Milano and Jimmy Kimmel took it upon themselves to personally attack me it blew up in their faces. The left-wingers took that as their dog whistle and began attacking me, my wife and our children, he told The Gateway Pundit on Dec. 24. Last week, Kimmel called the hundreds of thousands of people who donated to the GoFundMe, which stands at about $16.5 million, dopey people and said they are dipping into their meth money. Milano had tweeted: Lets #GoFundTheWall while not taking care of our veterans. Cool. Cool. Cool. Actor James Woods responded: Uh, this effort was initiated by a veteran, who not incidentally is a triple amputee. Just FYI Kolfage sent over alleged hate mail screenshots to the Gateway Pundit. Many of the messages referenced his military service and amputated limbs. One man, named Carlos Lopez, said the loss of Kolfages limbs was pre-karma, adding that you are no patriot, according to a screenshot. Another person said, I hope u lose both of your arms as well (sic). You are a disgrace to this country, added another in a screenshot of the message. Delete the GoFundMe and kill yourself. Thats the best way to serve your country at this point. Another wished the death of Kolfages wife and children. Hope you are [sic] your family dies a slow and painful death, they said. He issued a response after receiving the hate mail. God forbid a veteran who gave 3 limbs for this nation have a public opinion about politics. Im truly embarrassed for them. Maybe their parents didnt give them enough love growing up or they were neglected; they have so much hate inside, he told the conservative website. Maybe they are just jealous that a triple amputee is more successful than them? He added: I hope these people find peace and get the psychological help they do truly. Americans support the border wall and they need to get over it. Welcome to the real world. But he said hes received positive messages about his fund, claiming that many Democrats thanked him. Were not getting just people who voted for Trump now, Kolfage told Fox Business on Dec. 21. Im getting messages from many Democrats who say they support this wall Its showing the support of all Americans who are coming together on this. After six days, the pro-wall campaign, We The People Will Fund The Wall, has exceeded $16.5 million with more than 250,000 donors and is now GoFundMes No. 2 all-time page. Ladders GoFundMe Started Meanwhile, a new GoFundMe was created several days later by Ladders for Migrant Siblings to buy ladders to get over the border wall. Seems like a bad idea on countless levels for everyone involved, the page reads. About $142,000 was donated from more than 6,000 people Monday after the GoFundMe page was created on Dec. 19. House Vote In an interview with AZCentral, Kolfage claimed several congressmen in the U.S. House of Representatives told him the GoFundMe influenced their vote on a recent bill to include $5 billion for President Trumps border wall. On Dec. 20, the House passed a temporary spending bill with money for Trumps proposed wall. It just shows you, regardless of what happens, it impacted and changed votes that day, Kolfage said. I think thats a success. Weve done something that hasnt been done before with immense support from around the country. I was frustrated with our political leaders and what theyre doingtheir broken promises and dragging things on, Kolfage explained. I thought having the GoFundMe would allow people to come together on the internet to show support for what they wanted. Raising this kind of money shows how important this is and that people want to support it. According to the GoFundMe, Like a majority of those American citizens who voted to elect President Donald J Trump, we voted for him to Make America Great Again. President Trumps main campaign promise was to BUILD THE WALL. And as hes followed through on just about every promise so far, this wall project needs to be completed still. US Defense Secretary James Mattis listens as President Donald Trump speaks to the news media at a briefing from his senior military leaders in the Cabinet Room at The White House in Washington, on Oct. 23, 2018. (Leah Millis/Reuters) Trump Says Mattis to Exit on Jan. 1, Names Shanahan Acting Defense Secretary U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Dec. 23 that Defense Secretary Gen. JimMattis will be leaving the administration on Jan. 1, about two months earlier than the previously planned departure date. Its unclear why the date was moved ahead, as Trump named the acting replacement. I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting Jan. 1, 2019, he wrote on Dec. 23. Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as the deputy, and previously Boeing. He will be great! The announcement comes just days after Mattis, a retired four-star general, wrote his resignation letter that highlighted policy differences he had with the president. The letter came on the heels of Trumps decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, a move Trump said was necessary after declaring victory against the ISIS terrorist group. Trump said troops were no longer needed in the country. At the time of his resignation, Mattis was slated to leave his post in February 2019. Because you have the right to have a secretary of defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position, Mattis said in his Dec. 20 resignation letter to the president. While the U.S. remains the indispensable nation in the free world, we cannot protect our interests or serve that role effectively without maintaining strong alliances and showing respect to those allies, Mattis added. About 2,000 U.S. troops will be pulled out of Syria within 30 days. On Twitter, Trump responded to some criticism the move was too sudden and could create a possible power vacuum that could be potentially be exploited by Russia and Iran. The presidents withdrawal of troops, one of his 2016 campaign promises, comes after he argued that the United States shouldnt police the Middle East because there is no benefit to the nation. Does the USA want to be the policeman of the Middle East, getting nothing but spending precious lives and trillions of dollars, protecting others who, in almost all cases, do not appreciate what we are doing? Do we want to be there forever? Time for others to finally fight, Trump said in a Twitter post on Dec. 2o. Trump separately criticized the fake news media for their coverage of the withdrawal. If anybody but your favorite President, Donald J. Trump, announced that after decimating ISIS in Syria we were going to bring our troops back home (happy and healthy) that person would be the most popular hero in America, Trump said on Twitter on Dec. 22. With me, hit hard instead by the fake news media. Crazy! Defense Department spokeswoman Dana White said Mattis will work with Shanahan and Pentagon leadership to ensure the department remains focused on the defense of the nation during this transition. Shanahan, in his job as deputy defense secretary, has largely focused on internal Pentagon reform and issues such as the creation of a Space Force, a project championed by Trump but resisted by some lawmakers and others in the Pentagon. A senior administration official told Reuters that Shanahan has a deep-seated understanding of military operations, and global security affairs and, importantly, has the breadth of large-scale business management experience that will enable him to effectively oversee the Defense Department. Reuters contributed to this report. British Police Release Two People Arrested in Gatwick Drone Investigation LONDONBritish police have released without charge two people arrested in an inquiry into the illegal use of drones at Londons Gatwick Airport that crippled operations for three days last week. Sussex Police arrested a 47-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman from the local area late on Dec. 21, after drones were flown onto the airfield between Dec. 19 and Dec. 21, forcing about 1,000 flights to be diverted or canceled and affecting 140,000 passengers. Both people have fully co-operated with our inquiries, and I am satisfied that they are no longer suspects in the drone incidents at Gatwick, Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley said Dec. 23. The two were held after information was passed to the police by a member of the public, Tingley told Sky News. He said he was confident the arrests were justified. He said authorities were continuing to actively follow lines of investigation to catch those responsible for the most disruptive incursions from unmanned aerial vehicles seen at any major airport. A damaged drone was recovered close to the perimeter of the airport, he said, and it was being forensically examined, for example for clues about whether it was controlled remotely from afar or by somebody in the vicinity. No one has claimed responsibility for the disruption. We have kept an open mind throughout and that is still the case with regard to the motivation behind these incidents, he said. The drones were spotted at Britains second-largest airport on the evening of Dec. 19, forcing the closing of its runway in the runup to Christmas. Every time the airport sought to reopen the runway on Dec. 20, the drones returned. Authorities finally regained control over the airfield after the army deployed unidentified military technology to guard the area, reassuring the airport that it was safe to fly. The drones caused misery for travelers, with many sleeping on the airport floor as they searched for alternative routes to holidays and Christmas family gatherings. Airlines operating at Gatwick, which is located south of London, include easyJet, British Airways, and Norwegian. The airport said on Dec. 23 that its offering a reward of 50,000 pounds ($63,275) for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. The number of near-misses between private drones and aircraft in the UK more than tripled between 2015 and 2017, with 92 incidents recorded last year, according to the UK Airprox Board. By Paul Sandle US Judge Orders North Korea to Pay $501 Million for Otto Warmbiers Death WASHINGTONA federal judge ordered North Korea to pay more than $501 million on Dec. 25 in a wrongful death suit filed by the parents of Otto Warmbier, an American college student who died shortly after being released from that country. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington ruled that North Korea should pay damages to Fred and Cindy Warmbier, the parents of the University of Virginia student. Warmbier was a University of Virginia student who was visiting North Korea with a tour group when he was arrested and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor in March 2016 on suspicion of stealing a propaganda poster. He died in June 2017, shortly after he returned to the U.S. in a coma and showing apparent signs of torture while in custody. The judgment is largely a symbolic victory for now, since there is no mechanism to force North Korea to pay. Fred and Cindy Warmbier said they were thankful that the court found the government of Kim Jong Un legally and morally responsible for their sons death. We put ourselves and our family through the ordeal of a lawsuit and public trial because we promised Otto that we will never rest until we have justice for him, they said in a joint statement. Todays thoughtful opinion by Chief Judge Howell is a significant step on our journey. The lawsuit, filed in April, describes in horrific detail the physical abuse Warmbier endured in North Korean custody. When his parents boarded a plane to see him upon arrival in the U.S., they were stunned to see his condition, according to court documents. The 22-year-old was blind and deaf, his arms were curled and mangled and he was jerking violently and howling, completely unresponsive to his familys attempts to comfort him. His once straight teeth were misaligned, and he had an unexplained scarred wound on his foot. An expert said in court papers that the injuries suggested he had been tortured with electrocution. A neurologist later concluded that the college student suffered brain damage, likely from a loss of blood flow to the brain for 5-20 minutes. The complaint also said Warmbier, who was from a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio, was pressured to make a televised confession and then convicted of subversion after a one-hour trial. He was denied communication with his family. In early June 2017, Warmbiers parents were informed he was in a coma and had been in that condition for one year. Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) gives a thumbs up before a event with U.S. President Donald Trump at the Rotunda of the Utah State Capitol in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Dec. 4, 2017. (George Frey/Getty Images) Utah Rep Asks For His Pay to be Withheld Until Partial Government Shutdown Ends A Utah representative asked the clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives on Dec. 21, to withhold his pay until the partial government shutdown is over. Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah) took to Twitter to make his request, saying that Congress must be held accountable for the partial shutdown over border security. Like in previous shutdowns, I plan to ask to the Clerk of the House to withhold my pay until the government is funded. Congress must be held accountable. If we can't do our job, we shouldn't get paid. #utpol Rep. John Curtis (@RepJohnCurtis) December 22, 2018 He added that if we cant do our job, we shouldnt get paid. The House and the Senate were adjourned on Dec. 21, forcing the partial government shutdown after lawmakers failed to reach a compromise on budget legislation. The key stumbling block in the discussions is President Donald Trumps request of $5.7 billion to build a wall on the border with Mexico. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell sent senators home until Dec. 27, after there appeared to be no immediate hope of a new deal on the bill. The partial shutdown, which has entered its third day, has impacted 25 percent of the government and 15 percent of the federal workforce, officials said. More than 420,000 government employees would be working without pay and over 380,000 would be furloughed, according to the projection by Senate Appropriations Committee staff. Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), said in an interview with Fox News Sunday on Dec. 23, that the partial shutdown could potentially continue until next year. He added that the White House had since reduced the requested $5 billion in border-wall funding and hopes the Democrats can move higher than the $1.3 billion amount floated previously. He also added that federal paychecks would go out Dec. 28, and only their future pay period, scheduled on Jan. 11, would be affected. Its very possible this shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress, Mulvaney said. Its unclear how long the shutdown will last. Democrats have repeatedly opposed Trumps requested border wall funding. Trump also indicated that the shutdown could last for longer than usual because of their opposition. Trump Will Not Back Down on Wall The president canceled plans for a scheduled Christmas vacation in Florida and are staying in Washington D.C. because of the partial government shutdown, according to a tweet on Dec. 22. Trump previously said he would stay in the nations capital if Congress couldnt reach a solution. First Lady Melania Trump, who had already left for Florida, will also return to Washington. In a series of posts during the shutdown, Trump continued to appeal for the border wall. The most important way to stop gangs, drugs, human trafficking, and massive crime is at our Southern Border. We need Border Security, and as EVERYONE knows, you cant have Border Security without a Wall, Trump wrote on Dec. 23. The most important way to stop gangs, drugs, human trafficking and massive crime is at our Southern Border. We need Border Security, and as EVERYONE knows, you cant have Border Security without a Wall. The Drones & Technology are just bells and whistles. Safety for America! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 24, 2018 In one of his latest posts he said, The Wall is different than the 25 Billion Dollars in Border Security. The complete Wall will be built with the Shutdown money plus funds already in hand. The reporting has been inaccurate on the point. The problem is, without the Wall, much of the rest of Dollars are wasted! He added that he was waiting for the Democrats to come back and make a deal on desperately needed border security in another tweet on Dec. 24. I am all alone (poor me) in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come back and make a deal on desperately needed Border Security. At some point the Democrats not wanting to make a deal will cost our Country more money than the Border Wall we are all talking about. Crazy! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 24, 2018 Meanwhile earlier today, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders announced that Trump will meet with Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen on Dec. 24, to discuss border security, reported The Washington Times. Epoch Times reporter Bowen Xiao contributed to this report. Angela Johnson is hospitalized at the Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, California, as seen above (Google Street View) Woman Attacked by 3 Dogs While Hanging Laundry in California on Life Support A California woman is in the hospital on life support after being attacked by three dogs, family members and friends have said. Angela Johnson is hospitalized at the Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, a GoFundMe page to help Johnson and her husband said, reported the Mercury News. The three dogs, described by the Riverside County Animal Services as pit bulls or pit bull mixes, attacked Johnson as she was hanging laundry on her property. Nancy Grace 20181221 Detectives do not believe the dogs were intentionally set on Johnson but they are still investigating, Lt. Zach Hall said Dec. 19. The owner of the animals violated a leash law, which could result in a citation, Animal Services officials said. Tim Platt, Johnsons son, said he was told that he has to make the decision to leave his critically injured mother on life support or to allow doctors to remove her from the machines keeping her alive, MyValleyNews reported. I was asked to let my mother die today, by doctors and family, Platt said on Dec. 17. Everyone tried to convince me today to just let her die as one side of her brain swelled into the other side. But I just could not let my mother go. The dogs basically ate my mom alive, ripping out a main artery in her throat, causing a severe stroke to the left side of her brain, leaving her half brain-dead, Platt said, describing the attack. All three dogs were pit bulls or pit bull mixes, according to Riverside County Department of Animal Services spokesman John Welsh. NBC LA 20181215 Platt said he is not ready to let his mother die, despite what doctors and other family members have said. I just want my mom to stay alive, he said. Animal Services did a sweep of the area near the womans house to find any stray dogs. This is something we have been dealing with for a long time, Animal Services spokesman John Welsh told the Mercury News. In light of what happened last week, we thought it was important. The dogs are being held at the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus, where animal control staff members are seeking to euthanize the dogs. Welsh said a decision is expected within the next 10 days. There were no witnesses in the attack and investigators are trying to figure out why it happened. This is another preventable attack on an innocent person and one we find very upsetting, Riverside County Department of Animal Services Director Robert Miller also said. Its imperative that owners of these types of dogs do everything in their power to prevent such horrific attacks. Other details about the incident are not clear. Most Abused Dogs on Earth Animal rights group PETA has said that pit bulls are the most abused dogs on Earth. Pit bulls are left at shelters in record numbersand since they are difficult to adopt out, reputable shelters (that dont slam the door in the dogs faces) are finding that they must euthanize more pit bulls and pit bull mixes than all other dogs combined, the group said. Karen Delise, research director for the National Canine Research Council and author of The Pitbull Placebo, has investigated hundreds of dog bite incidents. She wrote in a now-taken down article: My study of dog bite-related fatalities occurring over the past five decades has identified the poor ownership/management practices involved in the overwhelming majority of these incidents: owners obtaining dogs, and maintaining them as resident dogs outside of regular, positive human interaction, often for negative functions (i.e. guarding/protection, fighting, intimidation/status), according to a prior report from The Epoch Times. But Dogbite.org, a website dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of pit bulls, wrote: In the 13-year period of January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2017, canines killed at least 433 Americans. Pit bulls contributed to 66 percent of these deaths. Rottweilers, the second leading canine killer, inflicted 10 percent of attacks that resulted in human death. Combined, two dog breeds accounted for 76 percent of the total recorded deaths. The state of Maryland has also determined that pit bulls are inherently dangerous and owners are liable for injuries that they might cause, according to the Baltimore Sun. The U.S. Army also acknowledged that pit bulls are high-risk dogs and the animals are prohibited in some military housing areas. The Bloomfield Hills Target where two women were arrested for stealing, on Dec. 19, 2018. (Screenshot via Google Maps) Women Try to Steal Almost $2000 Worth of Electronics During Shop With a Cop Event at Target Two women were caught stealing $1,900 worth of electronics during a Shop with a Cop event at Target, on Dec. 19. Officers from local police departments were in the store, in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, helping 22 disadvantaged youth select around $5,000 worth of Christmas presents, the Daily Mail reported. The money for the gifts was donated by local businesses and members of the community. In a post on the Keego Harbor Police Departments Facebook page, the department points out the absurdity of the incident. On a side note, there must have been a special episode of Dumb Criminal Minds being filmed live as a person tried to shoplift a bunch of electronics right in front of about 10 cops. They didnt get far. Two women, 40-year-old Keiana Wilson, and 18-year-old Dana Johnson were seen on store security cameras loading into a shopping cart two Apple Watches, two iPads, and a Nintendo game system, the Daily Mail reported. The women tried to walk past the registers with the merchandise, but store security was on the scene. The loss prevention [officers] actually apprehended them, then they asked for police assistance, said Sylvan Lake Police Sgt. Michael Mondeau, the organizer of the event, according to Detroit Free Press. The police officers were only about 20 feet away when they tried to walk out of the store. Bloomfield Township Police Sgt. Dan Brown said one of the women approached an officer before the theft and mentioned how generous the cops were with their time, Detroit Free Press reported. But Brown realized it was part of the plan. It wasnt 10 minutes later that [the same officer] gets called into the loss prevention office, Brown said, via Detroit Free Press. She was trying to distract him. The two women were arraigned on retail fraud charges. Johnsons bond was set at $250,000, and she has a past criminal history. Wilsons was set at $20,000. They have requested court-appointed lawyers and are due back in court in January, Detroit Free Press reported. The Shop with a Cop event was an effort of multiple police departments. The Keego Harbor Police Department praised the success and cooperation of the event, via the Facebook post. What a great job Sylvan Lake PDs Sgt. Mike Mondeau did organizing his departments Shop With a Cop event at the Target Store in Bloomfield Township tonight. It was a good show of multi-jurisdictional cooperation with officers from Sylvan Lake, Orchard Lake, Bloomfield Township, and Keego Harbor working together for the kids. As for the thieves, the department ended the post like this: DONT TAKE WHAT IS NOT YOURS, its a simple rule that everyone should abide by and the world would be a better place. Another post from Keego Harbor PD talked about the youth who attended the event. It was fun and so cool to watch the how excited the kids were to be able to pick gifts off the shelves for themselves, their sisters and brothers, and parents. Some of the kids were almost more generous to others with their gift choices than to themselves. Another notethe managers and associates at Target couldnt have been more helpful and nice! From NTD News Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Elin McCoy (Bloomberg) Mon, December 24, 2018 16:10 1074 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3d3534 2 Food wine,best-wines-of-2018 Free My year-end wine review found me leafing through notes on the 4,000 or so wines I tasted in 2018 to select my best of the best. This year, it was surprisingly tough to choose only 10 top experiences. The pages of my notebooks are studded with stars, especially for vintages of fine Bordeaux (including 2016s), California cabernets from wineries celebrating 40th and 50th anniversaries of their founding, and luxury Champagnes from the superb 2008 vintage. The wines that made the biggest impression, though, were those that made me reflect on where the wine world has been and where its headed. This year, my picks range from a Champagne-quality blanc de blancs sparkler from New Zealand to a cult syrah from Washington state to an unusual bargain from the remote island of Pantelleria, along with a grand, sweet wine thats one of the worlds best values. Overlooked grapes, undervalued classics, dry wines from sweet wine regions, and new sparkling wines will help shape what we drink in 2018. 2016 Marco de Bartoli Integer Zibibbo ($30) On my first-ever visit to the remote Italian island of Pantelleria, I found my bargain of the year: this fragrant, powerful, dry white, with citrus and chamomile flavors. Its made from native grape zibibbo, used only for the islands famous sweet passito wine until Sicilian winemaker Marco de Bartoli saw its dry-style potential. His son Sebastiano ferments the grapes for this wine on the skins, like an orange wine. We sipped this vintage on the winery terrace overlooking vines planted in volcanic sand. Its one more example of how sweet wine regions (think Tokaji) are making dry wines from their grapes. 2007 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance ($95, 500ml) This opulent, apricot-colored nectar from South Africa is one of the worlds great sweet wines, prized by Napoleon and Queen Victoria. Id never tasted this superb vintage until it was served at a small dinner at Pomerols Chateau Clinet, alongside the great 2007 Chateau dYquem. It stood up to the comparison. The Vin de Constance was as complex and rich but at one-fifth the price of Yquemwhich doesnt have to battle baboons to survive. NV No. 1 Family Estate No. 1 Reserve ($96) My surprise of the year was a brilliant sparkling wine discovered on a weeks-long tasting tour of New Zealand. I sampled it with winemaker Daniel Le Brun after he knocked off the neck of the bottle with a saber. The crisp blanc de blancs has deep lemony fruit and toasty notes; like his fabulous, impossible-to-find luxury cuvees Virginie and Adele, it rivals Champagne quality. Le Brun, a Champagne native, pioneered the traditional sparkling-wine making method in Marlborough decades ago. 1990 Mount Eden Cabernet Sauvignon Old Vine Reserve ($150) I attended half a dozen retrospectives of California cabernets this year, but the one that most stood out was at Mount Eden Vineyards, perched 2,000 feet up in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Luckily, my rental car had four-wheel drive for the two-mile ascent on a twisting dirt road. Longtime winemaker Jeffrey Patterson lined up vintages 1990 to 2000 of his estate cabernet sauvignon and Old Vine Reserve cabernet for me to compare. The 1990 Old Vine Reserve was one of my several favorites, with cigar box and berry aromas and layers of deep, rich fruitproof that Napa cabernets are not the only ones that age with dignity. Its nearly impossible to find outside online auctions, so look for the 2011, 2012, or 2013 estate cabernet, for about $75 a bottle. 2014 Cayuse Syrah Cailloux Vineyard Walla Walla Valley ($270) At Matter of Taste, a wine weekend put on in New York by Robert M. Parkers The Wine Advocate,Washington state vigneron Christophe Baron presided over a rare seminar on his cult syrahs. All had the spicy complexity of the best northern Rhone reds. I loved his best-known wine, Bionic Frog, but gave the edge to this structured yet succulent syrah from a single vineyard that showed a plush core of fruit overlaid with leathery notes. Washington state wines should be more widely loved! Read also: Jakpost Nightlife: Wine hangouts 2015 Bonny Doon Vineyard Popelouchum Grenache (not yet priced) This delicious grenache was an exciting taste of the future: an experimental first vintage from winemaker-pundit Randall Grahms new project on Californias Central Coast. The ambitious idea behind his Popelouchum (Pop-loh-shoom) estate is to create an American grand crua unique, great wine that reflects American terroir. He also wants to outsmart climate change, partly by using biochar (a charcoal product) to help soil retain water. With pure red-fruit and licorice flavors and the succulent texture of a Burgundy, its Grahms best wine yet. Its not available commercially, but the 2019 vintage will be. 1947 Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge (about $500) Just before the official en primeur tasting week in Bordeaux, the owners of Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Florence and Daniel Cathiard, invited me to a vertical tasting of their redeight vintages that end in the number seven, from a barrel sample of 2017 back to one from 1947. Most were poor yearsuntil the final one in the lineup: The year 1947 brought one of the few legendary vintages of the 20th century for Bordeaux. The 71-year old wine was still brimming with life, spice, leather, and fading cherry aromas, soft red fruit flavors, and a long, long finish. Of the others, 1977 was the worst; it was green and not attractive. The years 1957, 1967, and 1997 were slightly better; 2007 was light but pretty, while 1987 still had lovely savor and fruit. The 2017 was looking good, with a silky texture and attractive notes of fruit and cassis. Why do this? Its a great way to show how the wines of the estate, even in poor years, have evolved. 1995 Louis Roederer Cristal Vinotheque ($1,300) Last summer, I lunched with visionary winemaker Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon at Maison Louis Roederers elegant 19th century Hotel Particulier in Reims, filled with contemporary art. We sampled several grand vintages of Cristal Champagne, including the 1995 Cristal Vinotheque, a new, further-aged version first released last year. Only 400 bottles were made. Its wonderfully seductive, combining ultra-fine bubbles with a silk and velvet texture, aromas of truffles, and enormous complexity. 2015 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, Romanee-Conti ($25,000) For a Burgundy aficionado such as myself, Domaine de la Romanee-Contis annual pre-release tasting is special, a rare chance to compare the same vintage of all the domaines eight wines, each from a grand cru vineyard. 2015 was a perfect year, with the best growing conditions in 50 yearsso said co-owner Aubert de Villaine, whos not given to exaggeration. This one, from the Domaines tiny Romanee-Conti vineyard, was vinous perfection, with amazing floral aromas and layers of opulent, savory fruit. Will it be as legendary as the 1945, which sold for $558,000 a bottle at auction this year? Maybe. Well have to wait a few decades to see if it stays fabulous as it ages. 1846 Old Sercial Madeira (5-gallon demijohn, at Christies auction, $39,500) I was one of few people to witness the recorking of a demijohn of this 19th century Madeira in a cold warehouse in New Yorks Bronx borough and later to sample it at a pre-auction tasting at Christies. Dry, tangy, rich, and salty, with piercing acidity, this was a taste from another time172-years-oldwith a violets-and-vanilla aroma that lingered, even in an empty glass. Discovered hidden in New Jerseys Liberty Hall Museum, the wine underscored the notion that Madeira is immortal. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Tue, December 25, 2018 04:05 1074 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3dc932 2 Science & Tech Google-Lens,Google,#Google Free Just over a year after its release, Google Lens can now identify more than one billion items, four times the number it recognized at launch, according to Aparna Chennapragada, vice president of Google Lens and augmented reality at Google. Lens is a Google technology that can recognize people, objects, places and other things captured in photos. It can also recognize text in images snapped with a smartphone camera. Read also: Google announces new 'machine learning' service Google Lens relies on machine learning, not to be confused with artificial intelligence, which allows the system to learn and improve based on accumulated experience. The more people use Google Lens, the more the service improves. However, that does not mean that Google Lens is immune to teething problems, such as confusing several breeds of dogs or different models of lamps. Google Lens can be used to identify items or text in photos. It is available in Google Photos, to collect information about one or more items in a picture, via Google Assistant, and is directly integrated into the Camera app on certain handsets, such as the Pixel smartphone range. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Yuka Nakao (Kyodo News) Tamba, Japan Mon, December 24, 2018 22:10 1074 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3da5fc 2 Food Japan,sake,sake-breweries Free When two foreigners dipped their toe into the traditional Japanese sake brewing industry as international sales staff, not only did they discover the intricacies of Japanese rice wine, but they also came to understand the unique aspects of working in one of the country's most traditional industries. The two women -- Kelley Kaminsky, 28, from the U.S. state of Florida and Chen Hsiao-jou, 26, from Taiwan -- are now working as apprentices to learn the ins and outs of sake brewing from a producer with a more than 160-year history in the western Japan prefecture of Hyogo. Nishiyama Shuzojo Co., known worldwide by sake connoisseurs for its award-winning Kotsuzumi brands, has tried to modernize its company practices to respond to the decline in the consumption of alcohol in Japan, including hiring women and foreigners at its brewery, or "kura," from around 2013. "I wanted my kura to be a model in a declining industry by showing that we could change so much if we question tradition," said Shuzo Nishiyama, 45, the sixth-generation chief of Nishiyama Shuzojo. Currently, four out of seven Nishiyama Shuzojo brewers are women. The president said female "attentiveness" helps in keeping accurate records of each brewing process, among other benefits. Kaminsky, a former bartender and English teacher, joined the firm in August 2017, while Chen entered the company in April after leaving a mushroom farm in Taiwan. Sake is a fermented liquor made of rice and is produced by mixing processed rice with water, "koji" mold and sake yeast. The two foreigners, both fluent in Japanese, take part in almost every step of the sake making process, including preparing koji, mixing the ingredients, and recording temperatures of the sake at each step. Reflecting Nishiyama's motto: "Good products are made in a good atmosphere," the company encourages its workplace to be joyful. The employees' ebullient voices, combined with the rich aroma generated by the fermentation process, bring happiness to visitors even before they get a taste of the product, which is now exported to more than 30 countries and regions. The company has also developed other products such as yogurt and cake with sake-brewing techniques. Nishiyama Shuzojo staff begin their day by cleaning their main workspace. Then, at 8:30 a.m., all staff gather outside to take part in "radio taiso" calisthenics exercises, instructed by a rotating cast of staff members. Both Kaminsky and Chen said they were "surprised" by the cleaning and exercise programs at first. "I think some people would leave the company for this in Taiwan," said a laughing Chen. "I thought 'this has nothing to do with the work' but I got used to it. That's what culture is...By doing it, you feel that you are actually in the culture." "I'm still not sure if I fully understand it," said Kaminsky. Despite feeling rather awkward at first, she went with the flow and tried to "experience working in a Japanese company, being a part of a team." Read also: Japan makes sake tax-free for tourists Sake is a fermented liquor made of rice and is produced by mixing processed rice with water, 'koji' mold and sake yeast. (Shutterstock/File) "I think the sense of teamwork is pretty good in Japanese companies for sure. It's not as individual. (People do not think) 'I'm going to further myself in this company.' I think everyone cares about the company and co-workers," Kaminsky said. Akane Haze, the brewery's 36-year-old spokeswoman, said the morning activities originate from a Japanese tendency to want to "start your work with a clean and fresh mind." "The purpose of the exercise is to develop a shared feeling that we are making the product, collectively," Haze said. "It also has the dual purpose of showing the week's (exercise) instructor how to work in order that others will follow." Frank assessments like those from Kaminsky and Chen, which would be rarely offered by Japanese employees who are generally keen to not openly question the status quo, show the relationship of trust built among staff and executives on their common passion for sake. Chen, who took classes about Japanese artisan culture at university, said she was thrilled to find a real artisan in Nishiyama Shuzojo. When Chen began working for the company, a brewer who was at that time in charge of the final step of sake making wrote "quality first" on a card introducing himself, the motto he treasures most. "Quality first -- it's really simple and the most important thing, but people tend to forget about it. In Taiwan, I think sales come before quality," Chen said. Kaminsky, who has just finished her first year brewing sake, said there are still many things she has yet to learn. "Fermentation is fascinating. You could make the same sake, but each time there's going to be something that's a little bit different, so that's always interesting," she said. The best part of this job is hearing "oishii" (delicious) from people when they taste the sake, Kaminsky said, adding she does not want to leave the brewing team even after she starts working in overseas sales so she can remain in touch with the story behind the sake. "I believe in this place and I love everyone who works in the brewery -- they are all good people. If you have happy warm people making something I think that will show in your final product," Kaminsky said. Other members of the company feel that the two outsiders have made a real impact, too. "I would be happy if Kelley and Chen-san become sub-master brewers or sales staff with the skills to convey the brewers' feelings to the world," master brewer Korei Yashima, 46, said. Their eagerness to learn and their inquisitive nature is reflected in their involvement in the brewing process, Yashima said, adding their Japanese colleagues, in contrast, tend to hesitate to ask questions and generally take a back seat while he works. "We have high expectations for the two" as they can "provide positive criticism" and improve the company's culture, the president Nishiyama said. "For example, Kelley sometimes writes in her daily reports or tells me, 'I think it's more efficient to do it this way,' or 'How about putting this and that process together?'" said Nishiyama. Although not all Kaminsky's ideas are adopted, Nishiyama said some of her proposals work out when they try them. He also said that the two can cultivate overseas markets that only foreign nationals have access to. "We are both learning together...It depends on if we, as a company or an organization, can welcome different opinions from different genders or nationalities with an open mind," Nishiyama said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 24, 2018 13:30 1075 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3c97f5 1 Entertainment Slank,Slank-35th-anniversary-concert,concert Free Legendary rock band Slank held their 35th anniversary concert at Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Stadium in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Sunday. According to kompas.com, thousands of fans called Slankers flocked to the venue at about 3 p.m. A number of them came from outside Jakarta, including Surabaya in East Java and Gunung Kidul regency in Yogyakarta, waving flags representing their hometown. Read also: Slanks 35th anniversary concert dedicated to mothers, features female artists Thousands of fans called Slankers get into the swing of things at the concert. (Antara/Dhemas Reviyanto) Anto, a Slanker from Gunung Kidul, said he had arrived at the GBK on Saturday with his friends. We came straight here from Senen [Station], Anto told kompas.com. It is a tradition to bring our flags. Starting off with fireworks that lit up the night sky, Slank then entertained its fans by performing various songs, including Cinta Kita (Our Love), Menyakitimu (Hurting You) and Anyer 10 Maret (Anyer March 10). The stage was decorated with wings, photos of band members and screens, kompas.com reported. (wir/mut) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 24, 2018 08:07 1075 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3bb050 1 National 2018-Christmas,2019-NewYear,Jokowi,Joko-Widodo,tana-toraja Free President Joko Jokowi Widodo has sent Christmas and new year greetings to the country while visiting Tana Toraja in South Sulawesi. The President on Sunday urged the people to maintain unity and harmony as the nations greatest assets. I ask everyone to nurture unity, harmony and our fraternity. We are all brothers and sisters of one nation and motherland. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year 2019! Hopefully, the Christmas celebration this year brings peace to the hearts of Christians. May peace remain in Tana Toraja, may peace remain in South Sulawesi, may peace remain in our country, Indonesia, he said. Jokowi also expressed his condolence towards Sunda Strait tsunami victims and families, saying that he had demanded officials to act fast in helping residents and victims. Jokowi met prominent religious figures at the Catholic Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Makale and attended Lovely December, an annual cultural festival listed among the Tourism Ministrys 100 Wonderful Events Indonesia 2018. The meeting at the church was also attended by high-ranking officials, including Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko and presidential special staff coordinator Teten Masduki. Jokowi, who was wearing the traditional white attire of Tana Toraja, and his entourage were immediately greeted by a couple of priests in the churchyard. The President also attended the Oikumene Tana Toraja Christmas Celebration in Bundaran Kolam Makale, where he was greeted by residents who rushed to shake hands and take selfies with him. (spl) The eyes of the children in the Assemblies of God Church (GSJA) in Kenali Barat sub-district of Jambi sparked with merriment as they sang "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" during a service to welcome the holy day in the church's front yard on Saturday. Amid the excitement, however, the children looked puzzled when they saw the door of their house of worship being sealed. Rumors have it that the church caretaker was going to sell the building. "God, don't sell our church. We want Christmas," so the children said during the prayer, which was met by a bitter smile by Jonathan Klasier, a pastor at the GSJA. The GSJA is among three churches recently forced to close by the Jambi city administration following rejection from residents who argued that the churches did not have building permits. The other two are Kanaan Methodist Church and the Huria Kristen Indonesia (HKI) Church. Jonathan said he had explained to the children about the problem faced by the congregation, which forced them to hold their Christmas service in the church's front yard. "I keep trying to spread the spirit of love and joy of Christmas to [the children]," Jonathan said. The pastor said he had visited residents in the neighborhood to discuss the issue, but many of them claimed they had not opposed the church's existence in the first place. Now the church must obtain at least three permits, one each from the local neighborhood unit leader, local customary agency and local mass organization Laskar Melayu, to continue its activities, he said. "We -- Christians and Muslims -- have lived together in the community for decades and we don't fully understand why the church was closed," Jonathan said, "We hope to resolve this problem soon." The Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) has deplored the churches' closure in September, saying that it violated citizens' constitutional rights to practice their religions. The three churches, PGI said, had also made efforts for years to obtain permits in accordance with the prevailing regulations. Jambi National Unity and Politics Agency head Liphan Pasaribu said the office was currently looking for solutions, including to reopen the Methodist Church, the oldest church, so that congregations could take turn to hold services. The three embattled churches, however, had different structures and therefore the church leaders refused to do so, he said. The option to relocate the HKI to nearby Pinang Merah housing complex was also met by resistance because another HKI already existed and the congregations refused to have a new church building in the area, Liphan said. "Please give us a month, we will resolve this problem," he said. Jambi Interfaith Community Forum (FKUB) secretary Fuad Rahman said the churches must complete both the administrative and the special requirements to obtain permits, citing the 2006 Joint Religious Affairs Ministry and Home Ministry Regulation (SKB) on maintaining religious peace. According to the SKB, the establishment of a house of worship requires support from at least 60 residents and a written recommendation from the local interfaith community forum. (afr/swd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dian Septiari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 24, 2018 The Indonesian Military (TNI) said it arrested five Malaysians on the Indonesian side of Borneo Island, refuting claims that the arrests were made on Malaysian territory. The men were caught red handed loading illegally logged wooden blocks onto their vehicle in the West Kalimantan side of the border on Dec. 11, said Inf. Col. Aulia Fahmi Dalimunthe, the chief spokesperson for the Tanjungpura/XII regional military command. The arrest of the five Malaysians [] occurred in the exact vicinity of the G.648 pillar, which is the Enteli border posts area of responsibility, Aulia said in a statement received by The Jakarta Post on Monday. It was a follow-up to a patrol that the TNI had conducted a few days earlier, during which officers discovered fragments of chopped wood, sawdust and stumps, as well as the tire tracks of a car on "a path that should not be used by four-wheeled vehicles", he said. TNI officers subsequently met their Malaysian counterparts on Dec. 16 to settle the case, Aulia added, claiming that TNI personnel would not dare cross into Malaysian territory, as reported by Malaysian local media on Sunday. The New Straits Times reported that the Malaysian nationals were arrested as they harvested wood in Wong Rangkai forest near Kampung Danau Melikin, 400 meters from the Serian-Kalimantan border, and that TNI personnel had encroached on Malaysian territory to "kidnap the citizens for ransom". Of the five, three were held overnight by the soldiers, while two, who are brothers, were released in the evening. They were allegedly told to inform the families of the hostages to hand over 10,000 ringgit (US$2,390) and two new chainsaws that very night, the report said. Aulia insisted that the Indonesian soldiers had not demanded a ransom, claiming that a Malaysian citizen named Isyak had come to the Enteli post offering to pay them off in exchange for the detainees' release, but was ignored by the post's commanding officer, Sgt. Ricky Hardadi. "The news broadcasted on a number of Malaysian television channels and online media is completely untrue. The arrest of Malaysian citizens for illegal logging in Indonesian territory has been resolved in an amicable manner, as shown in the handover of the perpetrators and all evidence that was secured at Enteli post after joint checks," Aulia said. The TNI handed over evidence that included a Toyota Hilux SC vehicle and 1 cubic meter of wood. The row, which has been resolved, sparked protests on the Malaysian side, with the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur confirming an official protest notice was issued "condemning, in the strongest terms, the alleged incursion and detention of its citizens by Indonesian security forces, on Friday. However, Malaysian Defense Minister Mohamad Sabu said the incident would not affect military relations between the two countries. He said Malaysia and Indonesia have built a strong bilateral relationship in all areas, especially in defense, and that any problems that might arise would be discussed at the negotiating table. Cooperation between the two nations has always been good and we will not allow the incident to jeopardize our relationship." he was quoted by The Star as saying on Sunday. The Indonesian Foreign Ministry was currently looking into the situation, officials said. (tjs) 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 (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, December 25, 2018 09:08 1074 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3d1d33 1 National BMKG,early-warning-system,beach,tsunami,Sunda-Strait-tsunami,Sunda-Strait Free Central authorities have warned residents to temporarily halt activities along the beaches of the Sunda Strait, following what they called a volcanic earthquake on Anak Krakatau volcano that had triggered a tsunami in Banten and Lampung on Saturday night. Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) chairwoman Dwikorita Karnawati said the agency had forecast extreme weather in the area until at least Wednesday. Weather forecasts suggest extreme weather, including strong winds and torrential rain, which may trigger high tide and last until at least Wednesday. Residents should not panic but please refrain from conducting any activities near beaches. We will announce later if we think the warning should be extended, Dwikorita told a joint press conference in Jakarta on Monday. She further advised residents to always refer to authorized agencies, particularly the BMKG, when seeking reliable information. The authorities will also closely monitor Anak Krakatau, she said. After studying data and satellite imagery, a joint team involving relevant institutions such as the Coordinating Maritime Ministry, the BMKG and the Geospatial Information Body concluded that Anak Krakataus eruptions had led to a material collapse, which triggered tremors equivalent to a magnitude-3.4 earthquake, she explained. The eruptions caused what we call an underwater landslide which, within only 24 minutes, triggered a tsunami. The resulting tremors were equivalent to a magnitude-3.4 earthquake with Anak Krakatau as the epicenter, she said. More than 90 percent of earthquakes occurring in Indonesia are tectonic earthquakes and the BMKG, the highest authority to manage early warning system, did not have immediate access to data related to volcanic earthquakes. "It's with another office," she said. The Sunda Strait tsunami killed at least 281 people and injured more than 1,016 others. At least 57 people have also been declared missing. Read also: [UPDATED] Sunda Strait tsunami: What we know so far Meanwhile, local agencies have deployed their personnel to coastal areas in their region. The Garut Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) in West Java focused particularly on popular tourist destinations, including beaches. BPBD Garut head Dadi Djakaria said the agency would also closely monitor information from the early warning system, which covers various spots in the region, including the flood-prone Cimanuk River. Everything is under control as of now, he said as quoted by Antara news agency. (swd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 24, 2018 17:46 1074 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3d4ad4 4 Business Chandra-Asri,tsunami,factory,impact Free Publicly listed chemical company PT Chandra Asri has confirmed that its factory in Anyer, Banten, had not been significantly affected by a tsunami that hit the region on Saturday night. Chandra Asri director Suryandi said the company could still operate normally after the natural disaster, which has killed at least 280 people, including holidaymakers in Tanjung Lesung and Anyer beaches. He said the company had started assessing the tsunamis impact on its factory, which is located next to Anyer Beach. Based on our [initial] assessment, some of our facilities were struck by waves, but the impact was minor, Suryandi said in a statement to the Indonesian Stock Exchange (IDX) in Jakarta. He added that Chandra Asri was also collecting information on factory employees who might have been affected by the disaster, but confirmed none had perished in the incident. We express our condolences to the families of those who were affected by the tsunami in Anyer and its surrounding areas, he added as quoted by kontan.co.id. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 24, 2018 12:32 1075 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3c5933 1 City Sunda-Strait-tsunami,tsunami,BNPB,natural-disaster,Jakarta-administration,anies-baswedan Free The Jakarta governor has announced that the capital will be paying for the medical and funeral costs of Jakartans who were killed victim in the Sunda Strait tsunami that hit the Anyer coast in Banten province on Saturday evening. "The Jakarta administration will take care of the hospital bills of victims [who are Jakarta residents]," Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan announced on Sunday at city-owned Tarakan hospital in Cideng, Central Jakarta, as quoted by kompas.com. He urged the victims' families not to worry about the costs. By Sunday, 56 Jakartans were reported among the hundreds of tsunami victims, 54 of whom are employees of the Tarakan hospital cooperative. "There are currently 11 injured victims undergoing treatment, 18 victims are on the way to the hospital and 10 fatal victims. Five bodies have already been returned to their families; the five other bodies are still at the hospital. We are still searching for other victims," said Anies. Anies added that the city administration had sent ambulances to the disaster areas and was awaiting for further requests for aid and assistance. A team of Jakarta DIsaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) personnel and firefighters from the Jakarta Fire Department (Damkar) had been sent to assist in recovery efforts, he said. (ars) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung, West Java Mon, December 24, 2018 10:23 1075 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3c266c 1 Business second-prototype-N-219,maiden-test-flight,PTDI-aircraft-industry Free State-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) has run the first test flight for its second N-219 aircraft prototype in Bandung, West Java. The first N-219 prototype was tested on Aug. 17, 2017. PT DI chief test pilot Capt. Esther Gayatri Saleh and First Officer Capt. Ervan Gustanto piloted the twin-turboprop 19-seater aircraft on a 20-minute flight on Friday to land successfully at Husein Sastranegara International Airport. Two onboard engineers monitored the aircraft's performance during the flight. This second prototype is much better [than the first] because the flight control system is much improved, said Esther, who also piloted the first prototype last year. PT DI chief engineer Palmana Banandhi said the first and second prototypes flew different test missions. "This is to accelerate our process to obtain certification," he said. Palmana said that the first prototype still needed to undergo a series of tests, such as a flight performance analysis and structural evaluation, while the second prototype needed to undergo several system tests, including tests on its electrical, flight control and propulsion systems. All flight tests for the two prototypes will be optimized so that we can obtain type certification next year," he said. PT DI also plans to run a static test on its two prototypes, as well a fatigue test of 3000 flight cycles. Prior to mass production, aircraft must undergo 300 hours of test flights and various other tests to obtain a type certification on airworthiness from the Transportation Ministry. To date, several customers have already preordered the first batch of N-219, including state-owned carriers Pelita Air Service and Trigana Air Service. Others that have expressed interest in acquiring the aircraft include the Aceh provincial government and a number of African countries. PT DI plans to produce six N-219 aircraft per year under its current capacity, after which it intends to upgrade its facilities with an automated manufacturing system to produce up 36 aircraft per year. (das/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Ankara, Turkey Mon, December 24, 2018 08:44 1075 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3bf8b2 2 World #Turkey,#USA,Erdogan,DonaldTrump,talks,soldiers,withdrawal,power,vacuum Free Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US counterpart Donald Trump agreed in a phone conversation Sunday to prevent a power vacuum in Syria after American ground forces withdraw, the Turkish presidency said. "The two leaders agreed to ensure coordination between their countries' military, diplomatic and other officials to avoid a power vacuum which could result following any abuse of the withdrawal and transition phase in Syria," the presidency said in a statement. Trump stunned his allies and the US establishment on Wednesday when he ordered the withdrawal of 2,000 American ground forces in Syria. The shock move led to the resignations of US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis and Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition. But Turkey has welcomed the decision. Erdogan on Sunday told Trump that Turkey was "ready to give any support to our NATO ally within the framework of this decision" to withdraw, according to the statement. Earlier, Trump and Erdogan each said on Twitter that they held a "productive" phone conversation. The US president also said he discussed "the slow & highly coordinated pullout of US troops from the area" during the call. The two men also agreed that trade was below the desired level between the US and Turkey, and should be increased, the Turkish presidency added. Relations between Turkey and the US have improved since a bitter row in the summer over the detention of an American pastor who was subsequently released in October. Ties have been particularly strained in recent years over the US presence in Syria supporting a Kurdish militia fighting against the Islamic State group. Ankara says the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia is a "terrorist offshoot" of Kurdish militants waging an insurgency inside Turkey. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 24, 2018 16:46 1074 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3d40f6 4 Business FreeportIndonesia,underground,mining,smelter,development Free Following the divestment deal and the 20-year contract extension, gold and copper miner PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) plans to focus on develop a smelter and the underground mine at its Grasberg facility in Papua. Freeport McMoRan CEO Richard Adkerson said the government had underlined the importance of constructing the smelter as stated in the definitive special mining permit (IUPK), which allows PTFI to extend its operational contract to 2041. We are committed to complete the [smelter] construction within five years, Adkerson said as quoted by kontan.co.id, adding that Freeport would invest US$20 billion toward its mining operations and development until 2041. PTFI corporate communications vice president Riza Pratama said that a major part of the fund would go toward developing Grasberg's underground mine. PTFI president director Tony Wenas stressed the importance of developing the underground mine, because the open-pit mine was expected to be depleted in 2019. As much as $14 billion has been added to the underground mine's development until 2041, said Tony. State-owned mining holding company PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum), the new majority shareholder of PTFI, confirmed Rizas statement. Inalum head of corporate communications Rendi A. Witoelar expressed hope that the three-year transition would proceed smoothly. As Grasberg is the most complicated mine in the world, it is important for Inalum to ensure that there will be no disruption to its operations during the transition period, he added. As for the smelter, Riza declined to provide detailed information on its investment, location and construction, any maintenance partners or its production capacity. Riza also declined to comment on a report that PTFI would be cooperating with gold and copper miner PT Amman Mineral Nusa Tenggara, which was said to be building a new 2.6 million-ton smelter on Sumbawa. President Joko Jokowi Widodo announced on Friday that Indonesia was now the majority owner of PTFI after its shares were increased from 9.36 percent to 51.23 percent through a US$3.85 billion, prolonged divestment process. (das/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 24, 2018 14:51 1075 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3d06bb 1 Business weighbridge-revitalization,transportation-ministry,sumatra,java Free The Transportation Ministry has started to sound six weighbridge revitalization projects worth Rp 330.66 billion (US$22.72 million) in Java and Sumatra to the private sector in a bid to prolong the lifespan of roads on the countrys two major islands. The ministry held a market sounding event at the Coordinating Investment Board (BKPM) recently, which was attended by representatives of several major companies such as PT Astra, PT Penta-Ocean Construction, PT Nindya Karya, Mitsubishi Corporation, PT Jababeka Infrastructure and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA). Three of the six weighbridges to be revitalized are in Sumatra -- Muara Tembesi in Jambi, Merapi in South Sumatra and Blambangan Umpu in Lampung -- and the other three are in Java -- Tanjung and Subah in Central Java and Guyangan in East Java. We invite the private sector to take part in our pilot projects, which will be offered in a public-private partnership (PPP) scheme, Chandra Irawan, the Transportation Ministrys land infrastructure director, said during the event. The Transportation Ministry will issue a 15-year contract for companies that win the projects, Chandra said, adding that any investor would be required to design, finance, build and maintain the weighbridges for the period of time in accordance with the existing regulation. Through state-owned infrastructure financing guarantee company PT Penjaminan Infrastruktur Indonesia (PII), the Transportation Ministry would give guarantees for investors in the six projects that their fund will save, he said. Chandra said under the scheme, the private sector was expected to help the government improve road user safety, maintain roads in good condition and eradicate corrupt practices in the operation of weighbridges. Data from the Public Works and Housing Ministry show that the government has to spend Rp 43 trillion (US$2.95 billion) annually to repair roads because of overloaded and oversized trucks. Chandra said the ministry was in the process of checking the condition if the six weighbridges, while the projects were being sounded. The tender prequalification will be held in the middle of next year, he added. Ikmal Lukman, the BKPM's deputy chief for investment planning, said the government would spend less money if the projects were funded through a PPP scheme. With a PPP scheme, the government will spend Rp 55.38 million per year within 15 years as the concession duration, Ikmal said referring to the Rp 330.66 billion projects. PPP schemes are currently also being implemented in other Transportation Ministry projects such as airports, seaports, railways and jetties. (das/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Jerusalem Mon, December 24, 2018 11:26 1075 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3c41d7 2 World #Israel,#Syria,#USA,US,limitation,supports,soldiers,withdrawal,Syria,Iran Free Israeli leaders have lauded Donald Trump for his list of decisions in support of their country since taking office, but the mercurial president's withdrawal of US troops from Syria will not rank among them. After Trump's surprise announcement of the pullout last week, Israel is concerned over whether its main enemy Iran will have a freer hand to operate in the neighbouring country, analysts say. Israel's response to the announcement has been measured -- careful to point out that it respects the US decision, coupled with pledges to continue to defend its interests in Syria. But beneath those public pronouncements are worries over whether Iran will seek to take advantage of the US absence from the war-torn country and if Russia will respond to Israel's calls to limit it. Beyond that, the manner in which the decision was taken and announced -- and US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis's resignation in response -- may also give Israeli leaders pause, some analysts say. "Since it's our major ally, we want the United States to be strong ... and we want an ally which is being perceived in the region as strong and effective," said Eyal Zisser, vice rector of Tel Aviv University and who has written extensively on Syria. "And I think that what worries some Israelis is what message does this decision -- the way it was taken, what stood behind it -- send to the region?" 'Even expand our activities' The United States has only around 2,000 troops in Syria focused on fighting the Islamic State group, but they have been deployed in two areas along the Iraqi border, helping keep Iranian movement into the country in check. There have been warnings from Israel and others that Iran is seeking to form a "land bridge" across to the Mediterranean, and some analysts have said that the US withdrawal could help that effort. With Iran supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in his country's civil war, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long pledged to keep it from entrenching itself militarily next door. Israel has repeatedly taken action, carrying out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria against what it says are Iranian military targets and advanced arms deliveries to Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Lebanese group. With the United States pulling out, Israel may look more to Russia, which is also backing Assad, to use its influence to limit Iran, some analysts say. But that is not a given, and a friendly fire incident in September that led to a Russian plane being downed by Syrian air defences during an Israeli strike remains an issue. The incident angered Russia and complicated Israel's operations in Syria, particularly after Moscow's delivery of the advanced S-300 air defence system there in response. Netanyahu and Israel's military chief of staff, Gadi Eisenkot, on Sunday sought to tamp down concerns over the withdrawal. The Israeli premier has indicated he was not taken off-guard, saying he had spoken with Trump two days before the December 19 announcement as well as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo the previous day. "The decision to remove the 2,000 US soldiers from Syria won't change our consistent policy," Netanyahu said Sunday. "We will continue to act against Iran's attempt to establish a military presence in Syria, and if the need arises, we will even expand our activities there." 'A free ride' Yaakov Amidror, a former national security adviser to Netanyahu and ex-military intelligence official, noted US troops were not directly involved in Israel's fight against Iran's presence in Syria. But he said concerns over whether Iran will take advantage of the US withdrawal were legitimate. "From now on, it will be a free ride for the Iranians and they will use the corridor logistically to enhance their capabilities to build the military forces in Syria and to help Hezbollah afterwards," he told AFP. An analysis by the US-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies think tank said "Israel is among the most important losers" of the withdrawal, along with the United States' Kurdish allies in Syria. But Netanyahu has vowed that Israel will continue to "defend ourselves" and Eisenkot, the military chief of staff, called it "a significant event but it should not be overstated". "For decades weve been handling this front alone," said Eisenkot. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ganug Nugroho, Apriadi Gunawan, Fadli, Rizal Harahap and Aman Rochman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Surakarta, Pekanbaru, Malang, Batam, Medan Tue, December 25, 2018 09:04 1074 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3d5aff 1 National Christmas,Christmas-Eve,Papua,Nduga,OPM,Lukas-Enembe,church,security,terror-attack Free Religious figures in the predominantly Christian Papua have joined the provincial governments calls for the central government to withdraw security troops from Nduga regency ahead of Christmas, arguing that the presence of security forces and potential armed conflict with the rebel group have prevented civilians from celebrating Christmas in peace. The Kemah Injili (Kingmi) Church of Papua recently issued a statement demanding the withdrawal of the joint security force, which had been deployed to hunt separatist rebels with ties to the Free Papua Movement (OPM) after the latter killed construction workers in the regency recently. Rev. Deserius Adii, one of the church leaders, expressed concern that the churches may not be able to hold Christmas services due to military operations that aim to hunt down the National Liberation Army of West Papua (TPNPB). Amid the security crackdown, many villagers who were members of 34 churches under Kingmi Churchs authority had fled to the forests to seek shelter and some of them remained in the jungle to this day, he said. There is a high possibility that the 34 Kingmi churches will not celebrate Christmas in our church buildings because [of the armed conflict], Adii said recently. Adii said the troops withdrawal was necessary to protect civilians. He cited unverified reports which claimed that at least two civilians, including a member of Kingmi Church, had been shot dead when security apparatus launched attacks from helicopters. All troops must be withdrawn from Nduga and Papua, Adii said. This is to ensure the safety of all the people of God from any slaughter. Christian figure in Papua Rev. Hogenboor also called on all parties to refrain from violence and to follow the Christmas message of Peace on Earth, including in the effort to build inclusive peace for the region. Previously, Papua Governor Lukas Enembe also called on Jokowi to withdraw the security troops, arguing that residents want to enjoy Christmas services and festivities peacefully in their own villages. We grieve for both previous and recent deaths, but that is enough. There cannot be any more civilian casualties, Enembe said. Just like all Christians across the country and the world, residents who celebrate Christmas in Papua have begun preparing for the joyful day. Christian and Protestant churches in Timika, for instance, have been decorated with Christmas ornaments, including Christmas trees and rows of colorful lights outside, Antara reported. Security forces across the country have stepped up measures to ensure the safety of everyone who will attend Christmas services, especially to anticipate terror attacks which targeted churches. In Surakarta, Central Java, teams from the city and provincial police conducted sweeps of 16 churches on Monday. Authorities gave special security to the three largest churches, including Bethel Injil Sepenuh Church (GBIS) Kepunton, Santa Perawan Maria Regina Purbowardayan Church and Elsaday Church. Kepunton Church was a target of suicide bombing in 2011, while the other two churches have received terror threats over the phone, Surakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Ribut Hari Wibowo said. The police prohibited anyone attending Christmas services from bringing their bags into the churches across the city, he said. Antiterrorism measures are also now the focus of the Riau Police, which saw a bomb explode at the Batak Protestant Christian Church during a Christmas celebration in Pekanbaru in 2000. Riau Police chief Insp. Gen. Widodo Eko said they had devoted 940 personnel to secure more than 300 churches in 12 regencies and cities in the province. The personnel are in the field to monitor the movement of any suspected terrorists, he said. The Riau Islands Police, similarly, have deployed its antiterror task force to secure Christmas celebrations, chief Insp. Gen Andap Budhi Revianto said. The North Sumatra Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) have deployed a team of 12 bomb disposal personnel to several churches ahead of scheduled Christmas services on Monday evening. The team will sterilize all churches across Pematang Siantar to anticipate bomb attacks, so that Christmas services can go smoothly without disruptions, Brimob official Adj. Comr. Yudiana Syahputra said. In East Java, 18,000 joint personnel of police, military and local administrations had been deployed to secure Christmas and year-end celebrations in the province, East Java Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Frans Barung Mangera said. Police personnel would stand on guard to secure churches, especially in large churches with many members, Frans said. (swd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 24, 2018 13:07 1075 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3c6cba 1 City commuter-line,KCI,train-operator,Transportation,jakarta,Train Free Commuter line operator PT Kereta Commuter Indonesia (KCI) has announced that it has canceled its plan to launch a premium commuter line service (KRL Premium) following protests. KCI, a subsidiary of state-owned PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI), had previously planned to conduct a trial run of KRL Premium, a pricier commuter line service with different seats and only stopping at selected stations, in mid 2019. PT KCI has listened to input and consultations with several stakeholders over the past few days about the plan for KRL Premium in the middle of 2019, and from that PT KCI decided to cancel the plan, KCI spokesperson Eva Chairunnisa said in a written statement on Sunday. The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI), who among others opposed the KRL Premium plan, lauded the cancellation, saying that KCI finally listened to the public regarding the plan. The YLKI supports PT KCI if it focuses on improving its services, as it is their responsibility to offer prime, universal and highly reliable services, not discriminatory services such as different classes of commuter line, YLKI chairman Tulus Abadi said. He said that no commuter line management in the world had different classes of service. Let the executive commuter line Pakuan remain in the history books, dont resurrect it with irrelevant reasons, Tulu said, referring to a commuter line service in the 2000s. He said the government should also not burden KAI with infrastructure projects that were not in line with KAI's business plan. The YLKI also requested that the government consistently liquefy its PSO [service obligation] and pay PT KAI their IMO funds [infrastructure, maintenance, operation] so PT KAIs services to its consumers are undisturbed and not downgraded because of the companys financial cash flow problems, Tulus said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Joyce Lee (Reuters) Seoul, South Korea Mon, December 24, 2018 15:42 1074 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3d2f9c 2 World #SouthKorea,#Japan,tension,warship,target,plane Free South Korea denied on Monday that one of its warships had locked its targeting radar on a Japanese patrol plane, which drew a strong protest from Tokyo amid increasingly frosty relations between the regional neighbours. Last week's alleged radar incident joined a list of issues discussed by diplomats from the two countries at a meeting in SouthKorea's capital Seoul on Monday. Relations between the two U.S. allies have soured since South Korea's top court ruled in October that a Japanese steel firm must compensate four South Koreans for their forced labour during World War Two. Japan denounced the ruling. On Friday, Japan's defence minister said a South Korean destroyer had locked its targeting radar on a Japanese patrol plane, calling the action extremely dangerous." South Korea's defence ministry, which said last week the destroyer was performing routine operations, on Monday provided more details of the vessel's actions. While rescuing a distressed North Korean fishing boat, the destroyer had used an optical camera that detected a low-flying Japanese patrol plane, an official from South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff told reporters. "During the process, there was no emission of radio waves at all," the official said, denying that the warship had locked its tracking radar on the Japanese aircraft. South Korean diplomats explained the situation "in detail" to their Japanese counterparts on Monday, and "the two sides agreed to continue to communicate as needed about this issue," news agency News1 reported, citing an unnamed South Korean foreign ministry official. The diplomats also discussed the North Korean nuclear issue and how Seoul and Tokyo could help restart talks between the United States and North Korea, South Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Karina M. Tehusijarana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 24, 2018 10:34 1075 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3c2998 1 National Donald-Trump,Vladimir-Putin,Recep-Tayyip-Erdogan,Narendra-Modi,Lars-Loekke,Jokowi,#SundaStraitTsunami,Sunda-Strait-tsunami,tsunami,death-toll,BNPB,tanjung-lesung,Banten,Lampung,Sunda-Strait,Anak-Krakatau,Carita-Beach Free World leaders have sent their condolences to Indonesia after a tsunami hit the coasts of Lampung and Banten on Saturday evening. "Unthinkable devastation from the tsunami disaster in Indonesia. More than two hundred dead and nearly a thousand injured or unaccounted for. We are praying for recovery and healing. America is with you!" US President Donald Trump tweeted on Monday morning. Meanwhile from South Asia, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on Twitter: "Saddened by the loss of lives and destruction in Indonesia caused by the tsunami after the eruption of a volcano. Condolences to the bereaved families and wishing the injured an early recovery. India is ready to assist our maritime neighbor and friend in relief work." Saddened by the loss of lives and destruction in Indonesia caused by the Tsunami after the eruption of a volcano. Condolences to the bereaved families and wishing the injured an early recovery. India is ready to assist our maritime neighbour and friend in relief work. @jokowi Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 23, 2018 The Anadolu Agency reported that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had also sent his well wishes. "In the name of the Turkish people, I hereby express our condolences to all the people of Indonesia," Erdogan said in Istanbul, during the Financial General Assembly 2018 of the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK). In a statement from the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his "deepest sympathy" to those affected by the disaster. "Russia shares the grief of the friendly people of Indonesia. Please pass on my words of sincere sympathy and support to the victims families and friends and wishes for a speedy recovery to all those who were injured as a result of the disaster, he said in the statement. An SAR personnel tends to the recovered bodies of tsunami victims at Puskesmas Carita (community health center) on Sunday in Pandeglang regency, Banten. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan) Danish Prime Minister Lars Lekke also sent his condolences via Twitter: "I send my deepest condolences to President Jokowi and the many affected by the volcanic activity and tsunami our thoughts are with the people of Indonesia that have endured so much." I send my deepest condolences to President @jokowi and the many affected by the volcanic activity and tsunami - our thoughts are with the people of #Indonesia that have endured so much #krakatoa #dkpol Lars Lkke Rasmussen (@larsloekke) December 23, 2018 By Monday morning, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) had recorded 281 dead, 1,016 injured and 57 missing. Many of those killed were tourists, thought to be visiting the popular beach resort area over the long weekend before the Christmas holiday. The tsunami has damaged at least 611 homes, 69 hotels and villas, 60 shops and 420 boats. BNPB spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said that many victims were trapped under collapsed buildings, and that heavy machinery would be required to help with search and rescue efforts. "Heavy machinery has not been deployed to all of the affected areas, especially Pandeglang [in Banten] and South Lampung [in Lampung]," he said, adding that more heavy machinery would be sent to the areas on Monday morning. Among the fatal victims are Dinda Esta Juzar and Adel Hidayat, the wife and son of former The Jakarta Post photographer Arief Hidayat. (evi) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Frinston Lim (Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network) Davao City, Philippines Mon, December 24, 2018 12:58 1075 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3c686c 2 SE Asia #SoutheastAsia,#Philippines,Rodrigo-Duterte,replica,Soeharto,communist-rebel Free President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday said he wanted to replicate in the Philippines the late Indonesian strongman Soehartos campaign against communist rebels, which led to the deaths of 3 million people. Speaking to troops during his visit to the Armys 10th Infantry Divisions base in Mawab, Compostela Valley, the Philippines said there should be a change in the governments tactics in fighting local communists to something similar to the 1965-66 campaign waged by Soeharto to crush communism in Indonesia. Soehartos campaign for a New Order involved mass killings, targeting members of the Communist Party of Indonesia, leftists and ethnic Chinese. 30-year authoritarian rule It led to the elimination of the Communist Party of Indonesia the third largest in the world at the time as a political force and the beginning of Soehartos 30-year authoritarian rule. Indonesian officials justified the mass killings as a necessary defense against communists. But an investigation by the National Commission on Human Rights in 2012 found gross violations of human rights during the events of 1965-66. In his speech, the President said he had ordered the military to destroy the local communists. Do not fight them, destroy them. Destroy them, kill them, he said The President said he did not subscribe to the unilateral declaration of a ceasefire by the communist New Peoples Army (NPA) for the holiday season. We are ready for anything, he said. Destroy the Left, the President said, adding that the Abu Sayyaf bandit group also must be destroyed and drug lords should be killed without mercy. Responsibility for killings The President said he would take responsibility for the killings. He repeated an order to soldiers to kill themselves to avoid getting captured. Thats why you were given guns, he said. Do not give me the spectacle of coming home with a video showing you are being decapitated. We make a pact, we wont surrender. If we choose to be a warrior, we die like a warrior, the President said. In a speech on Tuesday, he said he planned to enforce an isolation policy in Mindanao to keep indigenous peoples out of the NPAs influence. I will hamlet them. Why? Because if they remain scattered, they are really in danger. I cannot get their loyalty if they are scattered because they are afraid to be far from each other, he said. Vietnam War program The strategy echoes the Strategic Hamlet Program enforced by the governments of the United States and South Vietnam to pacify the countryside and reduce the influence of the communist Viet Cong on the population in the 1950s and early 1960s. The US and South Vietnamese governments isolated the rural population in protected communities to keep the Viet Cong out. The program failed and the United States canceled it after South Vietnamese President Ngo Dihn Diem was overthrown in 1963, leading to Viet Cong gains that forced US military intervention. The President did not say whether the hamlets he planned would be located within ancestral land or whether indigenous peoples would be removed from their land and isolated elsewhere. Violation of rights The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) warned on Sunday that the strategy would violate the indigenous peoples rights to liberty and property. Jacqueline de Guia, CHR spokesperson, said in a statement that the strategy would inevitably disrupt a communitys cultural life. De Guia said confining indigenous peoples in hamlets would violate international humanitarian law, as embodied in Republic Act No. 9851, the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity. The law, enacted during the Arroyo administration, prohibits arbitrary deportation or forcible transfer of population or unlawful confinement, and considers these practices war crimes. De Guia called on the government to critically study the idea and establish a strong need for isolating indigenous peoples before proceeding to enforce the Presidents plan. With reports from Christine O. Avendano, Vince F. Nonato and Inquirer Research in Manila Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, December 24, 2018 07:31 1075 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3baf2c 4 News tour,Women,female,travel,travelers,tourism,Middle-East,Intrepid Free This year, more and more women have decided to travel solo, to which one company has responded by taking all-female travel groups to women-only locations in the Middle East. We see this is as an exciting opportunity for female travelers to go behind closed doors and learn about customs, food, challenges and the lives of other women across the globe, said regional product manager of Intrepid for Africa and the Middle East, Jenny Gray. Intrepid, a small group travel agency, announced that it would be expanding its women-only tours earlier this year, to cater to an increase in the demographic of solo female travelers. These tours provide insight into the day-to-day routines and traditions of women at each destination through access to places that men are prohibited from entering, such as female-only train carriages, beauty salons, a female-only park and even a traditional hammam, or bath, according to the Lonely Planet. Each country within the Middle East region comes with its own unique cultural and societal norms which can make genuine, local interaction challenging and complex for mixed gender groups, Gray explained. The consequence can be a genuine misunderstanding of women in the region. Sixty percent of our travelers are female and these travelers genuinely want to understand women in their day-to-day lives in these countries. Read also: Seven reasons why you should travel solo According to a previous article by the Lonely Planet, significant interest in traveling solo has been on the rise, especially for women this year, with an all-time peak of 100 million Google searches for solo female travel in 2017. Intrepid has employed 12 female guides in Morocco and achieved a 50/50 gender split in its uptake of new leaders in India. It has expanded to offer 25 trips across Jordan, Morocco, and Iran, with Iran being the most popular destination. (acr/kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) - Mon, December 24, 2018 14:38 1075 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e3cf667 1 News Sunda-Strait,Sunda-Strait-tsunami,tsunami,Mutiara-Carita-cottage,Tanjung-Lesung-resort,Sambolo-Beach-bungalows,Aston-Anyer-Beach-hotel Free Those who wish to spend the year-end holiday in the beach areas of Carita, Anyer and Tanjung Lesung in Banten, as well as southern Lampung may have to postpone their plans for a while. A press release received by The Jakarta Post from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said that as of Monday at 7 a.m., 69 hotels and villas were damaged as well as 611 houses, 60 shops and eateries and 420 ships and boats. Casualties and damages are centered in five regencies namely Pandeglang (Banten), Serang (Banten), South Lampung (Lampung), Tanggamus (Lampung) and Pesawaran (Lampung). Pandeglang, one of the regions hit hardest by the tsunami, has 10 subdistricts that suffered the most, including the beachside areas of Carita, Panimbang, Teluk Lada, Sumur and Tanjung Lesung. Among the damaged properties are Mutiara Carita Cottage, Tanjung Lesung Resort and Sambolo Beach Bungalows. The Post was unable to contact Mutiara Carita Cottage by phone for comment. An automatic response said the phone line was damaged and being repaired. Phone calls to Tanjung Lesung Resort also went unanswered, but Sambolo Beach Bungalows answered the phone. Dewi, a staff member who answered the call, confirmed that Sambolo Beach Bungalows had been affected by the tsunami but all of its guests were safe having been evacuated to higher ground prior to the disaster. The property is not open at the moment because the surrounding area still needs to be cleared of debris. Read also: Tourism Ministry activates crisis center following Sunda Strait tsunami Aston Anyer Beach Hotel informed the Post via a press release on Monday that it was largely unaffected and all guests and employees have been accounted for. The release added that it had anticipated large waves, which occasionally occur during very high tides in December and January each year, by raising the hotel over 2 meters high and building a sea wall along the beach. While the hotel is still operating as normal, it is encouraging guests and people visiting the hotel or the area to check the news for updates. (mut) He received Motoo Hayashi, Acting Secretary General of the LDP, in the north central province of Thanh Hoa on December 23. The PM welcomed Motoo Hayashi to attend the commercial operation ceremony of the Nghi Son oil refinery and petrochemical complex plant a joint project between Vietnamese and Japanese partners. He expressed his pleasure at the thriving extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia between Vietnam and Japan in all fields from politics, external affairs, and economy to culture, education, and health care. He noted that the bilateral cooperative ties have been expanded, bringing benefits for the two sides and contributing to peace and prosperity in the region and beyond. The LDP plays a crucial role in the development of bilateral relations, he stressed. Motoo Hayashi recalled the successful Japan visit by PM Phuc in October 2018, including the meeting with Chairman of the Japan-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentary Alliance Toshihiro Nikai. He expressed his confidence in the successful operation of the project and affirmed he will spare no effort to promote the Vietnam-Japan extensive strategic partnership. The Nghi Son oil refinery and petrochemical project has been carried out since 2013 with a total investment capital of over US$9 billion. It is invested by a consortium of Kuwait International Petrochemical Company (KPC, 35.1%), and the Japanese firms Idemitsui Kosan (IKC, 35.1%) and Mitsui Chemicals (MCI, 4.7%). The rest is contributed by the state-run Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam). Phuket Excise Chief denies alcohol sales tax jump, warns of possible fake officials PHUKET: The Chief of the Phuket office of the Excise Department has warned that fake officials might be visiting visiting businesses in Patong, Karon and Kata, explaining to operators that the levy on alcohol sales will rise by 10% next month. alcoholeconomicscrimepatong By The Phuket News Monday 24 December 2018, 06:30PM The Phuket Excise Chief, Wasin Seetalarom, today (Dec 24) flatly denied any immediate rises in the tax to be levied on alcohol. The Phuket Excise Chief, Wasin Seetalarom, today (Dec 24) flatly denied any immediate rises in the tax to be levied on alcohol sales. There has not been any increase in the tax on alcohol sales, he said, countering reports sent to The Phuket News claiming that officials had been visiting businesses in the main tourism towns along the west coast and explaining to businesses operators that the tax will jump 10% next month. The tax was updated only in September last year, and we have not received any notification from Bangkok about any chnges in the immediate future, Mr Wasin noted. Also, none of our officers have been visiting Patong, Karon and Kata telling people about this. These people (making the claims) might be acting as fake officials," he added. Any business operators who are visited by such persons are urged to report the visits to the police and to the Phuket Excise Office by calling any of the following numbers: 076-212281, 076-221040, 076-3548300, 076-217319, 076-213896 or 076-217311 Ext 0. Thai Govt calls for reports of persons believed missing in Indonesian tsunami PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Office has relayed a request for reports of any persons believed to be missing in the aftermath of the tsunami that struck beaches around Indonesias Sunda Strait about 1,600km south of Phuket on Saturday night (Dec 22). disasters By Tanyaluk Sakoot Monday 24 December 2018, 12:09PM The post urged people to urgently inform the Royal Thai Embassy in Jakarta of any persons believed missing in the tsunami by calling +62 811 186253 (24 hours). The volcano-triggered tsunami has left at least 281 people dead and more than 1,000 people injured after slamming without warning into beaches around Indonesias Sunda Strait, officials yesterday, voicing fears that the toll would rise further. Hundreds of buildings were destroyed by the wave, which hit the coast of southern Sumatra and the western tip of Java about 9:30 pm (1430 GMT) on Saturday after a volcano known as the child of Krakatoa erupted. The number of victims and damage will continue to rise, national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said earlier today (Dec 24), as the desperate search for survivors ramped up. (See story here.) In response, the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department of Thailand has relayed a post by the state news agency National News Bureau of Thailand (NNT) calling for reports of any persons believed to have been directly affected by the tsunami but not yet accounted for. The post urged people to inform the Royal Thai Embassy in Jakarta urgently at +62 811 186253 (24 hours). As of late yesterday (Dec 23), no Thais were reported as missing or killed in the Sunda Strait tsunami, the NNT report noted. Any Thais looking to travel to the disaster area to help provide urgent assistance were urged to register through the Royal Thai Embassy Jakarta Facebook page. (Click here.) An official form has been created to notify the embassy of wanting to travel to the disaster area to provide assistance. (Click here for the form.) All persons wanting to travel to the affected area will be provided assistance in order to arrive as quickly as possible, the official form states. Habitat for Humanity completes houses 30, 31 in Watertown Two of Watertowns locally owned businesses honored for their support and partnership to Habitat for Humanity Greater Watertown Region. The current preoccupation with recreational pot is about to fade as investor interest focuses on medicinal marijuana. The alliance announced last week between B.C. pot producer Tilray Inc. and Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis AG is a game-changer. Tilray products co-branded with Novartis and its Sandoz AG consumer products unit will boast an enviable legitimacy with hospitals, doctors and patients served by the global distribution network of Novartis, among the largest Big Pharma enterprises. Tilray signed another deal last week, with brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev NV, to develop cannabis-infused beverages. But the big story is the Tilray-Novartis alliance. Recreational and medicinal pot are different industries, a distinction not yet made by most investors. Recreational pot is long established, and while some growth is to be expected from legalization, that industry has simply shifted from the illicit to the legal realm. By sharp contrast, medicinal pot is in its relative infancy, with tremendous growth potential. Though it has proved its efficacy in treating pain, arthritis, epilepsy and other conditions, pots medicinal potential has been barely tapped. And legalization of pot in medicine will come sooner worldwide than for recreational use. The U.S. will legalize medicinal marijuana in coming weeks, while recreational pot remains illegal at the national level. Recreational pot use tends to be occasional, while many medicinal pot treatments will be maintenance drugs, like those for diabetes and high blood pressure, and will be used for a lifetime. And given the onerous regulatory approvals required of pot medications, there will be fewer players than in the over-crowded recreational industry. That makes the pot firms strongest in medical marijuana the ones that will deliver the biggest investor returns in the long term. Solving Trudeaus Huawei quandary Justin Trudeau keeps insisting that politics plays no part in Canada's detention since Dec. 1 of one of China's most prominent businesspeople on a U.S. arrest warrant alleging violation of U.S. trade sanctions against Iran. Or in deciding whether to grant access for her employer, Huawei Technology Co., worlds biggest maker of telecom equipment, to Canadas emerging fifth-generation mobile network. In fact, those actions are entirely political, including Beijings detention of three Canadian nationals in retaliation for Canadas detention of Meng Wanzhou, Huaweis second-ranking executive. Trudeau earlier this year blocked the proposed sale of a second-tier Canadian engineering firm, Aecon Inc., to a state-controlled Chinese company on specious national security grounds. Politics, or geopolitics, will also determine Trudeaus decisions in this debacle. Among the ideal options is to release Meng Wanzhou in exchange for freeing the Canadian nationals. And to grant Huawei, which employs about 500 people in its extensive Canadian R&D operations, the access it craves to Canadas 5G network, provided Huawei share its technology with Canadian partners exactly what Beijing requires of offshore enterprises doing business in China. The real story here is Americas determination to thwart Chinas quest for leadership in a range of 21st-century technologies, on the flimsy pretext of national security. That is flagrant hypocrisy. Huawei has not been shown to be a spy for Beijing, while the Obama administration used bugs to eavesdrop on German Chancellor Angela Merkel America is no slouch at illicit collection of intelligence on others. The U.S. is pressuring its allies, including Canada, to help crush Chinas ambitions. Even putting aside the U.S. administrations neighbour-from-hell treatment of Canada since 2016, it isnt Canadas job to protect Silicon Valley from competition, and allow the U.S. to dictate Canadian industrial policy. A needed French presidential turnaround Emmanuel Macrons French presidency is in trouble, and thats no small matter for the world. The French president has been a resolute champion of a European Union whose existence parallels Europes longest stretch of peace and prosperity. The trade opportunities opened to Canadian industry by the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) give all Canadians a stake in the health of the French republic. France and Germany are the twin pillars of the EU, itself the worlds biggest economy. The disturbing phenomenon of yellow jacket, or gilets jaunes, demonstrators burning cars and demolishing storefronts across France in recent weeks, in a populist revolt against Macrons second diesel-tax hike this year, resonates among Albertans whove donned yellow jackets in their anti-Ottawa protests . Macron is hobbled by a dismissive hauteur, and a reputation for being a servant of the wealthy. But Macron can save his presidency. Having weakened himself by caving into the mob in scrapping the second of his diesel-tax hikes Dec. 5, Macron can recast himself as a forceful leader with a peoples agenda that includes pension reforms; the introduction of the same earned income tax credit for the working poor that then-U.S. president Bill Clinton used to narrow the gap between rich and poor; and a rejigging of tax brackets to end the windfall for the rich that resulted from Macrons hugely unpopular scrapping of Frances wealth tax. With several EU countries under the sway of nativist leaders, and Britain heading out of the EU, the dynamic optimist who won the Elysee Palace in May 2017 vowing to reform the EU, not dismantle it, is more needed now than ever. Read more about: HAMILTONThink virtual reality and you might picture a fantasy world to be explored and enjoyed. But researchers and staff at a Hamilton hospital are using the technology to better understand what it feels like to be in a seclusion room, the health-care equivalent of a jail segregation cell. We wanted to see what it was like to be on the other side of the door, said Gary Chaimowitz, head of the forensic psychiatry program at St. Josephs Healthcare and a professor at McMaster University. I think many of us can imagine, or recall times when youve been in places by yourself, when you didnt want to be by yourself, left alone, but this puts you, as a staff person, in our rooms. Using a VR headset and hand controllers, staff are transported into a room modelled after real seclusion rooms at the hospital, and another set in a jail cell. SimWave, an Ottawa-based company, used photographs to recreate the experience. In two of three VR training modules being used at the program, you try to get the attention of virtual staff on the other side of the door. The seclusion room has no bathroom, and your bladder is full. You can ask for help, pace the room and knock or even pound on the door. Your call for help returns one of 10 programmed responses, ranging from, a polite, Yes, well get you something, to Hold on a sec, were a little bit busy right now, to a little more pointed response, Chaimowitz said. The tone, if youre on the receiving end of that, obviously it makes a hell of a big difference, he said. Sometimes, there is no response, or the patient hears laughter. In another scenario, you actually get to use the bathroom. Were looking at how long you can be in there before you get anxious, Chaimowitz said, and what its like to have a different staff response, the idea being that we are going to try to sensitize staff to what its like to be on the inside, which might change the way they interact with patients, both in terms of their tone and also a recognition of what its like to be there. In this sampling of a virtual reality training module, staff take on the role of a patient in a hospital seclusion room in need of a urinal. Courtesy of SimWave, the Ottawa-based company that created training modules for St. Joseph's Healthcare staff. Some staff have had to remove the headset after a while because they feel so enclosed by being in the room, Chaimowitz said, adding no one has found the experience to feel fake. People have acknowledged that this is very different than being on the other side of the door, he said. The artists and developers at SimWave paid close attention to the finest of details. If you press your virtual nose against the walls you can really see the details, said Matt Thomas, SimWaves head of business development. Many of the hospitals patients come from jails and return after treatment. Chaimowitz said the hospital hopes to share this training experience with provincial and federal corrections systems, where the use of segregation is under intense scrutiny. In federal and provincial jails, inmates are being held in segregation for great lengths of time, and often exceeding 15 consecutive days, a point beyond which the United Nations has called to be banned because of the proven psychological harm it can cause. This fall, as part of a human rights case settlement, Ontarios Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services released two months worth of data on inmates either awaiting trial or serving short sentences who had spent time in segregation. Of 3,998 placements in segregation, 778 were for periods longer than 15 consecutive days, the data revealed. Half of the inmates had mental health alerts on their files and more than a third had a suicide alert. The correctional system is behind, says Chaimowitz, who gave expert testimony at the coroners inquest into the 2007 death of Ashley Smith, who spent more than three years in segregation. He recalls his first visit, decades ago, to a Hamilton jail. I could hear people screaming and recognized there were mentally unwell people. I dont think anybody there is being cruel, he said. But it is frightening, and it is one of those sort of things that I cant believe, in our cities, that we house people like this. The VR training cant replicate everything in a seclusion or segregation setting, such as the degree of noise, the clanging and the smells, but the idea is that if we can walk in someones shoes, even if its the way you deal with people, that it will be a little bit more humane, he said. Experience a minute in a virtual reality recreation of a jail segregation cell, courtesy of SimWave, the Ottawa-based company that created training modules for St. Joseph's Healthcare staff. Another training module simulates a search for contraband in a psychiatry patient room complete with a full bathroom. A more complex simulation still in the works involves an educational night-shift scenario that begins with hearing a noise and escalates into a hostage-taking situation. The hospitals forensic psychiatry unit has 114 beds and will be adding four correctional beds, as part of a pilot project with the provincial ministry that overseas corrections. Those beds should cut down visits by mentally ill inmates to hospital emergency rooms, where staff are uncomfortable with corrections patients who are shackled and handcuffed, Chaimowitz said. Well be in a better position to treat them and get their mental illness under control, Chaimowitz said. The idea is to bring them in here and get them well enough to return to the general jail population, he says. I think it the potential for making a big difference is very, very high. As for more the potential for virtual reality, Chaimowitz and his team would like to see patients given the opportunity to use the technology to escape their rooms and units and explore. They are basically stuck in their unit and the perimeter around St. Joes and Hamilton. So, they cant do a lot, said psychiatrist Sebastien Prat. We want to develop that kind of project, in order to make them able to travel to a beach or somewhere they want to go, so they can enjoy something. The lawyer representing one of the two brothers charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of a Mississauga teen is seeking bail for his client. David Midanik told the Star on Monday hes in the process of setting up a bail hearing for his client, with the hope of getting a date for those proceedings ironed out by his next court date Jan. 9. Midanik is counsel for Mark Mahabir, 20, who along with his brother, Nicholas, was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of Riley Driver-Martin, 14, whose body was found by a passerby in a laneway backing onto Meadow Park, in the vicinity of Southdown Rd. and Truscott Dr. Both brothers, who are two of three fraternal triplets, appeared in a Brampton court Monday. While Mark Mahabir appeared in person, Nicholas appeared via video from Toronto South Detention Centre. Nicholas case was adjourned until Jan. 7. Midanik, Marks lawyer, said he has yet to receive any form of disclosure getting into the specifics of what his client is accused of. Disclosure typically contains details provided to the prosecutors by police during and after the investigation. Midanik told the Star on Monday that during his clients appearance, I expressed concern about not getting any disclosure. He did receive a bare bones synopsis indicating his client was being accused of second-degree murder, but not much else since charges were laid Dec. 8. I do have a synopsis but it doesnt give any details at all, he said of not being provided the basis upon which his client was charged. Marcus Bornfreund, who represents Nicholas, said he too is awaiting information from the Crown. We have zero disclosure, he said. I dont know what Nicholas Mahabirs alleged role in this is. Were in the dark about it and therefore not in a position to comment about the Crowns case. Though theyre housed in the same jail, the brothers have been ordered not to communicate with each other by the courts, Bornfreund said. Const. Danny Marttini previously told media the homicide investigation was triggered by evidence of trauma to Driver-Martin s body when he was found around 8 a.m. on Dec. 7. It is believed that the boy left his nearby home, late evening (on Dec. 6), Marttini said. Police were unable to say why the teen made the trek from his residence to the park area about 200 metres away. Driver-Martins death, the 25th in Peel in 2018, comes toward the end of a violent year, particularly for gun crimes, in Toronto and the surrounding area. A suspected drunk driver crashed into the back of a police cruiser waiting in a drive-thru Saturday night, Toronto police Det.-Const. Scott Matthews tweeted Monday. After the collision, which happened at 10:35 p.m., the driver blew almost four times the legal limit, tweeted Matthews of the Toronto Police Traffic Services Unit. The driver was charged with impaired driving and faces a minimum fine of $2500. No more details were available. Toronto police arrested 16 people for impaired driving offences between 6 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Monday, Matthews also tweeted. On Friday around 11:30 p.m., York Regional Police responded to an unrelated incident involving a suspected drunk driver in Richmond Hill. Responding to reports of a collision on the Hwy. 7 off-ramp at Bayview Ave., police discovered the suspect had been involved in two prior collisions. The driver was behind the wheel of a silver Kia Forte and going fast westbound on Hwy. 7 when the car collided with another vehicle near Leslie St. The driver fled the scene, police said in a news release Monday. The driver crashed the car into a second vehicle near Valleymede Dr. and again fled the scene, police said. Finally, the suspect continued along Hwy. 7, driving over the median on the Bayview Ave. off-ramp, and collided with a third vehicle before mounting the curb and coming to a halt. The driver of the third vehicle was an eight-month pregnant woman, police said. She suffered minor injuries. Sunny Patel, 24, of Richmond Hill is charged with impaired operation, over 80 mg of alcohol, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and two counts of failing to remain. Twenty-one drivers were charged with offences relating to impaired driving in York Region last week, police said. And in the last year, York police have laid more than 1,600 impaired driving charges. The new chair of the TTC says shes gravely concerned with the provinces plans to take ownership of the subway network, arguing its critical the city retain control over its transit destiny. In an interview Friday, Jaye Robinson, who was appointed by council on Dec. 13 to lead the transit agencys board, spoke about the course she plans to chart for the TTC over the coming four-year term, including her desire to increase service and seek out another potential manufacturer for new streetcars. The biggest looming challenge, she said, is the Ontario Progressive Conservative governments push to upload the subway system to the province. Robinson said that while there remains a lot of uncertainty about the proposal, what shes heard so far is troubling. She noted the TTCs subway, bus and streetcar lines are heavily integrated. So to pluck one piece of the system out, I dont think is going to serve anyone well, she said. Earlier this month, council voted to enter into talks with the province about the upload proposal, after receiving legal advice that the city has no legislative power to block the provinces plan. Robinson said should an upload take place, the city needs to continue to have a say in subway planning in order to ensure the Relief Line is built before any other new projects. Critics of the upload plan worry that Queens Park would prioritize projects like a Line 1 extension to Richmond Hill instead. We need a seat at the table, not just now but forever, Robinson said. The number one concern for me is influencing the future of transit in Toronto. Robinsons Ward 15, Don Valley West is bounded on the west by the Line 1 (Yonge-University-Spadina) subway, and she said shes heard clearly from constituents its already overcrowded. Taking pressure off Line 1 by building the Relief Line, which would cost at least $6.8 billion, has to be prioritized, or its going to cripple the city, Robinson said. A three-term councillor, Robinson said she rides the subway to work every day and is proud she doesnt know the location of her allotted parking space at city hall. Robinsons political views lean centre-right, and she was a steady ally of Mayor John Tory last term, serving as a member of his hand-picked executive committee. Tory recommended Robinson for the TTC role, which is something of a promotion for the councillor. She also had a high-profile job last term when she served as chair of the public works committee. The councillor sided with the mayor on significant transit-related decisions at council meetings over the past four years, including voting to support the King St. pilot project, as well as to advance Torys SmartTrack plan and the contentious Scarborough subway extension. In February, she voted with the majority of councillors to increase the TTC budget by $2 million to alleviate subway overcrowding. The year before she sided with the mayor to help vote down a motion to spend $1.2 million to improve subway power and signal reliability. She said Friday she couldnt specifically remember what her reasoning was for opposing the spending, but asserted shes committed to improving the subway signalling system. Headed into the 2019 budget process, city staff, with the mayors blessing, have asked all agencies and departments to prepare spending plans that keep expenditures at 2018 levels. Council will finalize the budget in March. Robinson said she wants to expand TTC service, but conceded that would be tough to do unless the transit agency gets more money. The TTC already receives a lower per rider subsidy than other comparable transit agencies. This year the city provided an operating subsidy of about $578.8 million, while fare revenue made up the remainder of the TTCs $1.8-billion operating budget. They are strapped for cash, theres no question there, Robinson said. The cost of riding transit rose every year between 2011 and 2017, before the board implemented a freeze in 2018. The new chair said she hopes to avoid fare increases in 2019. I would hate to see the cost on transit riders go up, because theyre doing the city a favour by riding the system, quite frankly. It takes pressure off the roadways, she said. The TTC board will likely have to decide as early as next year on the thorny question of whether to pick up an option in the agencys contract with Bombardier to buy additional streetcars from the company. TTC staff say that in order to meet growing demand the agency could need another 60 vehicles on top of the 204 its already ordered, and despite the Quebec-based manufacturers well-publicized struggles to produce the first batch of cars on time, finding another supplier could take years longer and carry additional risks. Although Bombardier has improved its rate of production recently, Robinson said shes open to looking for another manufacturer. I think certainly we should look at alternatives and options down the road because its been far from ideal, she said of the $1-billion Bombardier deal. On the frequently glitchy Presto fare card program, Robinson vowed to push harder on Metrolinx, the provincial agency that owns Presto, to improve reliability. The TTC boards first meeting is scheduled for Jan. 10. Toronto police have identified a 20-year-old man facing 13 charges in a series of violent sexual assaults and robberies that occurred near York University over the past two months. The man was arrested Friday, but police didnt release his identity because of investigative reasons, they said. Police had earlier issued a safety alert warning the public of the five separate sexual assaults around the university campus. Two of the attacks took place last Thursday and the first assault dates back to Oct. 24, police said. Police were concerned about the escalating violence and frequency of the attacks. Read more: Police issue safety alert after five sexual assaults near York University Police arrest man following string of sex assaults In all five cases, the women were able to break free and escape. Police were also investigating a Dec. 10 robbery allegedly connected to the suspect. Inzaghi Regis is charged with three counts of sexual assault with a weapon, two counts of sexual assault, three counts of robbery, two counts of choking, two counts of threatening death and assault causing bodily harm. He is not a student of York University, Toronto police Const. Allyson Douglas-Cook told the Star. Regis is scheduled to appear in a Toronto court Friday. Investigators are concerned there may be other victims. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Sex Crimes Unit at 416-808-7474 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477). Within days of Donald Trumps election, a diverse group of women united by their concern about the incoming administration gathered at a restaurant in New York to plan a protest march in Washington. They had seen the idea floating on Facebook and wanted to turn it into a reality. The unity did not last long. Vanessa Wruble, a Brooklyn-based activist, said she told the group that her Jewish heritage inspired her to try to help repair the world. But she said the conversation took a turn when Tamika Mallory, a black gun control activist, and Carmen Perez, a Latina criminal justice reform activist, replied that Jews needed to confront their own role in racism. The women who gathered that night would go on to organize one of the biggest protests in American history, remarkable not just for its size, but for its inclusive nature. The event on Jan. 21, 2017, inspired thousands of women who had never been involved in politics before to pour their energy into helping Democrats win elections this fall. But the divisions apparent at that very first meeting continue to haunt the Womens March organization, as charges of anti-Semitism are now roiling the movement and overshadowing plans for more marches next month. Wruble was pushed out of the organization shortly after the march, and she now asserts that her Jewish identity played a role. She went on to help found an organization called March On, which supports local women activists. The rift is now so dire that there will be two marches on the same day next month on the streets of New York: one led by the Womens March group, which is billed as being led by women of colour, and another by a group affiliated with March On that is stressing its denunciation of anti-Semitism. Mallory, meanwhile, who is now co-president of the Womens March group, has been criticized for attending an event by Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam who has been widely reviled for making anti-Semitic remarks. Mallory has called Farrakhan the GOAT, or greatest of all time, on social media. The accusations of anti-Semitism, which were outlined in an article this month in Tablet, an online Jewish magazine, have prompted some women to reconsider their support for the group. Some Jewish women have announced on social media that they will not attend the mass protest in Washington on Jan. 19 being organized by the Womens March group. Last month, Teresa Shook, a white woman from Hawaii who created the first Facebook page proposing a march, called for the groups leaders, who include Mallory and Perez, to step down. Rachel OLeary Carmona, chief operating officer of the Womens March group, cast the controversy as the growing pains of a new organization that is struggling to build a diverse coalition. She said steps were being taken to ensure that Jewish women felt welcome, including giving Womens March leaders education about anti-Semitism and adding Jewish women to the organizations unity principles, which highlight groups that are considered especially vulnerable. Mallory and Perez say they categorically condemn anti-Semitism, and that when they asked Wruble to leave the group, it had nothing to do with her being Jewish. But they acknowledged that the role of Jewish women was discussed in that first meeting. Since that conversation, weve all learned a lot about how while white Jews, as white people, uphold white supremacy, ALL Jews are targeted by it, Mallory said in a statement to The New York Times. The allegations of anti-Semitism are particularly painful because Womens March organizers made a commitment from the beginning to work across racial and religious lines, and to be led by what they considered the most marginalized women. Now Womens March activists are grappling with how they treat Jews and whether they should be counted as privileged white Americans or marginalized minorities, especially in the aftermath of the October mass shooting in Pittsburgh, when 11 people were gunned down at their synagogue. Tensions around identity have swirled around the Womens March from its earliest days. Black and Latina women complained on Facebook that white women were planning a march without their input, and that mainstream feminists had long ignored their needs. Wruble, a central organizer of the march, says she agrees that white women, including Jews, should grapple with their racial privilege. She put out a call for women of colour to join the planning team and was connected with Mallory and Perez. At that first meeting, Wruble said, they seemed to want to educate her about a dark side of Jewish history, and told her that Jewish people played a large role in the slave trade and the prison industry. I was taken aback, said Wruble in her first extensive interview about her experience organizing the Womens March. I thought, Maybe there are things I dont know about my own people. She said she went home that night and searched Google to read about the Jewish role in the slave trade. Up popped a review of The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and the Jews, a 1991 book by Farrakhan, which asserts that Jews were especially culpable. Henry Louis Gates Jr., a Harvard professor, has called the book the bible of the new anti-Semitism. Wruble said she did not dwell on the issue because she wanted to work together on the march, which was only two months away. Mallory and Perez brought a friend on board, Linda Sarsour, a Palestinian-American activist. The three women and another woman named Bob Bland, a white fashion designer who created one of the first Facebook pages about the march became the events official leaders. They were widely featured in the press as the public face of the movement. Behind the scenes, Wruble said she felt cast aside. She said she was told by one of the march leaders that we really couldnt centre Jewish women in this or we might turn off groups like Black Lives Matter. While Black Lives Matter is a diffuse movement, some activists have issued statements expressing solidarity with Palestinians under Israeli occupation. At one point, Wruble said she asked about security for the march and was told by the leaders that the Nation of Islam would be providing it. I said, You are going to open up the march to intense criticism, Wruble said, warning that it would be a red flag for Jews. She said they dismissed her concerns in a heated email exchange and accused her of unfairly maligning the Nation of Islam. As the march grew closer, Perez gathered a diverse group of activists who created a set of unity principles that would tie all marchers together and highlight those viewed as the most vulnerable at the time. We must create a society in which all women including Black women, Indigenous women, poor women, immigrant women, disabled women, Muslim women, lesbian, queer and trans women are free, it read. Wruble noticed that Jewish women were not included, but said she was too busy with logistics for the march to focus on it. In an interview, Mallory and Perez said that they work in communities where Farrakhan is respected for his role in rehabilitating incarcerated men. They attended the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March in 2015, which Farrakhan planned. But they said they did not subscribe to his views about Jewish people and never mentioned the slave trade in that first meeting with Wruble. It never happened, Perez said. They also denied telling Wruble that she could not be an official leader of the march because she is Jewish. In fact, they said, they urged her to be more assertive if she wanted public recognition. A closed mouth does not get fed, Mallory told Wruble in an email viewed by The Times. Mallory said the Nation of Islam was not hired for security. An internal document obtained by The Times said that the Womens March group does not ask the religious affiliation of contractors, but said that because private security firms employ a large number of Nation of Islam members, it is likely that some members of the sect have provided security for Womens March events. Even though the march was a success, Wruble said that she felt angry and that the events official leaders were more focused on celebrity than building the movement. She also felt they were unwilling to confront their own bias against Jews. At a meeting days after the march, an argument broke out between Wruble and the other leaders. Mallory and Perez began berating Wruble, according to Evvie Harmon, a white woman who helped organize the march, and who attended the meeting at Mallorys apartment complex. They were talking about, You people this, and You people that and the kicker was, You people hold all the wealth. I was like, Oh my God, they are talking about her being Jewish, said Harmon, whose account was first published by Tablet. The greatest regret of my life was not standing up and saying This is wrong. Mallory denied that she disparaged Wrubles Jewish heritage in that meeting, but acknowledged telling white women there that she did not trust them. They are not trustworthy, she said, adding that Wruble gossiped behind the backs of the other march leaders instead of confronting them when she had an issue. Every single one of us has heard things that offended us. We still do the work. Shortly after that meeting, Mallory, Perez and Sarsour decided they did not want to work with Wruble anymore. On her way out, Wruble texted a senior adviser to the organization with a warning: The one thing I would suggest you discuss with them is the anti-Semitic piece of this, she wrote. Their rhetoric around this stuff will hurt the movement. BOSTONKevin Spacey is scheduled to be arraigned next month on allegations he sexually assaulted the teenage son of a Boston television anchor in a restaurant, a Massachusetts prosecutor said Monday. The Academy Award-winning actor, 59, is due in Nantucket District Court on Jan. 7 to face a charge of indecent assault and battery, Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe said. A criminal complaint was issued by a clerk magistrate at a hearing Thursday, he said. Shortly after the charge became public, Spacey posted a video on YouTube titled "Let Me Be Frank" and tweeted a link to it, breaking a public silence of more than a year. In the bizarre dramatic monologue delivered in the voice of Frank Underwood, his character on Netflix's "House of Cards" who was killed off after sexual misconduct allegations emerged, he says, "I know what you want. You want me back." He goes on to say, "Of course some believed everything and have just been waiting with bated breath to hear me confess it all, they're just dying to have me declare that everything they said is true and I got what I deserved. ... I'm certainly not going to pay the price for the thing I didn't do." It is unclear whether Spacey is referring to the charge he faces. He later adds, "Soon enough, you will know the full truth" before the three-minute video ends with a burst of dramatic cliffhanger music. A message seeking comment was left Monday with Spacey spokeswoman Laura Johnson. Former news anchor Heather Unruh came forward in November 2017 and said the actor stuck his hand down her then-18-year-old son's pants and grabbed his genitals at the Club Car Restaurant on the resort island of Nantucket in July 2016. Her son fled the restaurant when Spacey went to use the bathroom, Unruh said at the time. Unruh said her son didn't report the assault right away because he was embarrassed. "The complainant has shown a tremendous amount of courage in coming forward," Mitchell Garabedian, a lawyer for Unruh's son, said in a statement Monday. "Let the facts be presented, the relevant law applied and a just and fair verdict rendered." Spacey remains under investigation of sexual assault in Los Angeles for an incident that allegedly occurred in 2016. Prosecutors declined to file charges in a 1992 allegation because of the statute of limitations. Spacey had also faced accusations of sexual misconduct while artistic director of London's Old Vic Theatre. The accusations against Spacey, which came early in the #MeToo movement that brought attention to sexual assault, cost him roles. A federal judge in Washington awarded $500 million (U.S.) in damages to the family of Otto Warmbier, an Ohio student who died after being detained in North Korea for more than 17 months. The wrongful death lawsuit was filed in April against the North Korean government by Warmbiers parents, Fred and Cynthia Warmbier, accusing it of torturing their son. North Korea didnt contest the case. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell issued a default judgment Monday, but its likely North Korea will refuse to pay. Warmbier was a 21-year-old University of Virginia junior on a group tour when he was seized by North Korean authorities in January 2016, and accused of trying to steal a propaganda poster featuring dictator Kim Jong-Il. He was initially sentenced to 15 years of hard labor, but was returned to the U.S. in June 2017 in a comatose state brain dead, blind and deaf. He died less than a week after arriving in the U.S. U.S. authorities were told Warmbier had been in a coma for more than a year of his imprisonment, since April 2016 two months after being forced to recite a videotaped confession in which he said he took the poster at the behest of the CIA and an Ohio church. Doctors in the U.S. concluded his brain damage was the result of a loss of blood flow to his brain for as long as 20 minutes, but the precise cause remains unclear. When he was returned to the U.S., there was a large scar on his left foot, his teeth were misaligned, and he couldnt breathe or eat without the assistance of a respirator or feeding tube. His family took him off life support after doctors concluded he was brain dead. North Korea said at the time that Warmbier had suffered a case of botulism, which U.S. doctors found no evidence of. North Korea is liable for the torture, hostage taking, and extrajudicial killing of Otto Warmbier, Howell, the chief judge of the Washington D.C. federal courts, wrote in her ruling. The judge awarded $450 million in punitive damages to Warmbiers parents and his estate; the remainder of the judgment was for pain and suffering, economic losses and medical costs. Read more about: Mercy Corps is an InternationalNGO that exists to alleviate poverty and oppression by helping people buildsecure, productive and just communities. Mercy Corps has been fully registeredin Uganda as an operational NGO. Currently Mercy Corps has an office in Kampalaand is implementing Food Security programs which comprise of Water andSanitation, Livelihood and Agriculture and Conflict Mitigation ManagementProgram in North and North Eastern Uganda. We implement programs in thenorthern districts of Pader, Kitgum, Agago, Lamwo, Kaabong, Abim and Kotidowith funding from USAID, USDA, Walmart Foundation, SDC, DFID as well as otherprivate donations. The Advocacy Officer is mainly responsible forsupporting Reach a Hand Ugandas (RAHUs) communications, advocacy andknowledge management with increased focus on upstream work, including strongerpolicy-advocacy and communication and increased quality of knowledge managementwithin the organization. The Advocacy Officer will be expected to support theCommunications department with a keen focus on advocacy and knowledgemanagement working together closely with Communications colleagues andreporting directly to Communications and Advocacy Manager. Touched by the compassion of the nurses who tended to her... Screenwriter Kanika Dhillon believes it is a great time to be a storyteller today as film industry has become welcoming towards good and unique content. The Manmarziyaan writer believes filmmakers and audiences have become open-minded which makes the job of a creative person more interesting. "Its a beautiful time to tell stories and I am loving it for now. You can be imaginative, you have the technology to convert your vision, you have the freedom to write the kind of stories you want to tell beyond the set formulas. Also, you have varied platforms to tell different kinds of stories," said Kanika. Kanika, whose latest release is Kedarnath, believes writers should "demand a fair price" for the content they provide. "If by now the writers in the industry have not realised that they can ask and claim a good amount to write or create content then you are living in a cave. Everyone is hungry for content and you are content creators and if you are not negotiating a good price no Robinhood is coming to save you." As a screenwriter, Kanika's method of penning a story is more emotional, instinctive and volatile and she does not adhere to a specific process. "I dont think in genres. Once I get a germ of an idea I wait for it to die! And if it refuses to die and keeps coming back, I start thinking more about it. Then comes the world and the characters. I wait to get bored and if I dont get bored- then I start building on them." This year the writer's both the releases were caught in controversy- Anurag Kashyap's Manmarziyaan for hurting Sikh sentiments and Sara Ali Khan's debut film Kedarnath for promoting love jihad. Kanika says if her stories are making people uncomfortable her purpose as writer is solved. "If my stories make people uncomfortable, because it questions your set ideas and value systems that are convenient for a group of people or ideas that promote patriarchy and religious fanaticism, then my job as an artiste and a writer is done. The more you will cry foul, the louder my characters will speak." Kanika is now looking forward to her next release Kangana Ranaut-Rajkummar Rao-starrer Mental Hai Kya. The film is scheduled to hit the theatres early next year. Launching a fresh attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said his party is not interested in an alliance with the saffron party till decisions are taken on the Ram temple and farmers issues. Its been 30 years and still you say that matter is in court. Hindus are innocent but not fools, he said while addressing a rally at Pandharpur in Solapur district of Maharashtra. Thackeray called for a discussion on the temple issue in Parliament so that who all are in favour in the NDA would be made clear. Shiv Sena is not interested in alliance with BJP till decisions are taken on Ram temple, farm loan waiver and crop insurance, he said. Thackeray said, "In one of the state tours, a farmer showed me a pest-infested lime tree. The lime tree is actually used to make pesticides but this was a plant that was infested with pest. "The farmer told me that for the first time in his lifetime, he had seen a lime tree getting infested, which they have been using to make pesticides. I had told him that now, days have changed. Security persons have become thieves." The Shiv Sena, which is a part of the BJP-led governments at the Centre and also in Maharashtra, often criticising the BJP and its top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on a range of issues. BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has been one of those politicians who has, time and again, pressed for the need to build a Ram Temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. Emphasising that it was high time the Narendra Modi-government acted on the issue, Swamy on Monday hinted that the BJP should act as per the "affidavit" of former prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. Swamy appeared to be referring to the ordinance that then Congress government under Rao had brought in 1993 to settle the dispute between the two parties in the case. "The Americans have a saying: "if an irresistable [sic] force meets an immovable object something got to give. If the Hindutva irresistable force meet the immovable Supreme Court object on Ram Temple, the Namo govt must giveaction as per PVN Rao's affidavit," Swamy tweeted. The Americans have a saying: "if an irresistable force meets an immovable object something got to give". If the Hindutva irresistable force meet the immovable Supreme Court object on Ram Temple, the Namo govt must give--action as per PVN Rao's affidavit Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) December 23, 2018 In January 1993, just one month after the demolition of Babri Masjid, then president Shankar Dayal Sharma had promulgated the Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Ordinance. A bill was later introduced in Parliament by then Union home minister S.B. Chavan, which was passed and came to be known as the Ayodhya Act. According to the act, the Central government acquired 60.70 acre land surrounding the disputed site and planned to build "a Ram Temple and a mosque". READ: Bhagwat, Amit Shah, Hindu saints discuss way forward in Ram temple issue The BJP had then opposed the Ayodhya Act terming it "partisan, petty and perverse". However, 16 years later, in September 2010, the Allahabad High Court would go on to give a similar verdict and declared a three-way division of the land between the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and the guardian of the deity Ram Lalla. Unsurprisingly, the verdict failed to satisfy any party and appeals were filed before the Supreme Court. The case is still pending in the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Swamy had filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court seeking enforcement of fundamental right under Article 25 of the Constitution to worship at the spot that Hindus believe is the birthplace of Lord Ram. Swamy also added that he became a party to the Ayodhya case on the request of VHP supremo Ashok Singhal and Swami Dayananda Saraswati, and made it clear that "the BJP, as a party, has not asked him to represent it in the case". "BJP as party has not asked me to represent it but will be the beneficiary of my efforts (2/2)," Swamy tweeted. This fact on the cases before the SC mean that BJP or Govt is nowhere a party in the case before SC presently. I have made in my WP the Union of India and UP State as respondents. I entered the case when Ashok Singh and Swami Dayananda Saraswati asked me to take up the (1/2) Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) December 24, 2018 Despite being the ruling party both at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh where Ayodhya is located, the BJP has been unable to find a solution to the dispute. Undoubtedly, Ayodhya will become one of the main issues in the upcoming general elections of 2019. The Supreme Court had in October deferred the hearing in the case to January 2019. In November, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had blamed the Congress for stalling the construction of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) The government plans to make all electricity meters smart prepaid in three years in a bid to cut transmission and distribution losses, an official statement said. "Move towards smart meters is a pro-poor step as consumers need not pay the whole month's bill in one go, they can pay as per their requirements," it said. The Power Ministry has decided to make all meters smart prepaid in three years from April 1, 2019. "This step is likely to bring revolution in power sector by way of reduction in AT&C losses, better health of DISCOMs, incentivisation of energy conservation, ease of bill payments and doing away with the paper bills," it said. Manufacturing of smart prepaid meters will also generate skilled employment for the youth. State governments had earlier signed the Power for All document and had agreed to supply power round the clock to their consumers. Under this, "the distribution licensee shall provide 24x7 power to their consumers by 1st April, 2019 or earlier. However the appropriate Commission in exceptional circumstances for the reasons to be recorded in writing may grant extension in this time period," the statement added. PTI ANZ MR New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) The Congress Monday accused the Modi government of "violating" the privacy of individuals and converting India into a "nanny state" in the wake of reports of the Centre's proposal to amend the Information Technology Act. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the government should place in public domain its draft amendments proposal that mandates online platforms to provide user information to the government within 72 hours. He said if these amendments were cleared, there would be a tremendous expansion in the power of the "big brother" government on ordinary citizens, "reminiscent of eerie dictatorships". The government plans to amend the IT rules wherein social media platforms and messaging apps will be required to deploy tools to "identify" and curb unlawful content as well as follow stricter due diligence practices, say the draft amendments. The IT ministry officials held a meeting last week with senior executives of Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter and other companies to discuss the proposed changes in the Information Technology (IT) rules. The Congress also hit out at the Centre's recent order enlisting 10 central agencies to 'snoop' on common people. Singhvi alleged that the Modi government wanted to create a "surveillance state". "The Congress party's single point demand is to withdraw the December 20 order (on snooping) and to place these draft amendments in public domain for public consultation so that India is saved from becoming a police state," he told reporters. "Violating the privacy of people has become the norm, Modi government has become a 'peeping Tom'. Systematic and systemic ground work is being laid by the Modi government to convert India into a nanny state. "The Modi government is opening an extra constitutional detective agency to snoop on us, steal our data and clamp down on freedom," the Congress leader said. Singhvi alleged 'The Intermediary Rules, 2011' that the government now seeks to amend, provides immunity for online platforms and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) for the content transmitted and published by end users. He termed the move as "unconstitutional" which was in "gross violation of people's right to privacy, thus cementing and reaffirming the concept of an image of an Orwellian State". He said as per media reports, the Modi government and large online platforms were privately discussing how to censor and break encryption of private data, social media, e-mails, messages and calls. This, Singhvi said, was a remarkable shift from 2011 when under the Congress-led UPA, these draft rules were placed online for public consultation by the Ministry of Electronics and IT. "Why is the public being kept out of this deliberation?Nobody will have the fundamental Right to Privacy and all this will only lead to Inspector Raj," he added. PTI SKC SRY Mumbai, Dec 24 (PTI) Anil Kapoor on Monday unveiled the first look of his next film, "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga", in which he will be sharing screen space with daughter, actor Sonam K Ahuja for the first time. The veteran actor shared the poster on Twitter on his 62nd birthday today. "Excited to present the first look of #EkLadkiKoDekhaToAisaLaga. Honoured to begin this journey on my birthday along with my lovely daughter @sonamakapoor," Anil wrote alongside the image. Sonam took to Instagram to wish her father on his birthday and also shared the poster of the film, in which the actors will play father-daughter in reel life. "What a day to release the first poster of #EkLadkiKoDekhaTohAisaLaga. Happy Birthday Daddy @Anilkapoor! This film is a tribute to the father-daughter bond..." she wrote. The trailer of the film will be released on Thursday. Directed by Shelly Chopra Dhar, "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha..." is produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Fox Star Studios. Also starring Juhi Chawla and Rajkummar Rao, the movie is slated for a February 1, 2019 release. PTI RDS RDS Mumbai, Jan 24 (PTI) Director Vijay Ratnakar Gatte says his film "The Accidental Prime Minister", which hits the screens in January, will be available in Hindi, English, Tamil and Telugu languages as they want to reach a wider audience. The film, starring Anupam Kher in the role of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, is based on Sanjay Baru's book of the same name. "The Accidental Prime Minister" was originally shot in English and Hindi but the maker then decided to simultaneously release in Tamil and Telugu, Gatte said. "Since the film is a story of the prime minister's office and belongs to the whole country, we want it to reach as far as possible and not just restrict it to the Hindi audience' Gatte said in a statement. The film, which is produced by Bloom Arts, Sunil Bohra & Dhawal Gada, will be released in about 3000 screens. PTI BK BK BK Mumbai, Dec 24 (PTI) Rajkummar Rao, who had a great year with "Omerta" and "Stree", Monday said he is happy with the popularity of content-driven cinema and hopes every year turns out to be good for him as an actor. The 34-year-old actor has seen a steady rise to stardom with critically-acclaimed turns in film after film and is happy that people have started noticing it. "I want every year to be mine, every year should be of cinema. I am overwhelmed. I am happy where cinema is going, people are enjoying watching films and they are spending hard earned money and watching it," Rajkummar said at the promotional event of his upcoming film "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga". The films of superstars have not worked this year but Rao said it would be wrong to write them off. "They are superstars nobody can touch them and there is a reason they are superstars. They are ruling for 30 years. Just because one or two films did not work, I still love them. I have respect for them," he said in response to a question about the poor performance of star-driven projects this year. The actor, however, believes content is being given a priority in the last few years. "Content is above everything. The story has to be an important aspect of filmmaking. People are writing good stories and characters. Also, actors are playing characters, they are working hard. It is a welcome change," he added. "Stree" produced by filmmakers Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK has won several awards at Star Screen Awards 2018. "We are happy the film is getting a lot of recognition. We had lot of fun making it. It is translating into awards now. It is great time for cinema," Rajkummar said. Talking about "Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga", he said, "I was very moved, it is a fine script. It is a special film. It is a family film. It is very entertaining and I said yes to it." The film also stars Anil Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Juhi Chawla. Rajkummar, who has worked with Anil Kapoor in "Fanney Khan" said, he shares a great rapport with the actor. "He is a student of cinema, his dedication to work is unmatchable. I have immense respect for him and I learn a lot from him." The film, produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Rajkumar Hirani in association with Fox Star Studios, releases on February 1, 2019. PTI KKP BK BK Washington, Dec 24 (AFP) The order has been signed for the withdrawal of American troops from Syria, where they have been deployed to assist in the war against the Islamic State jihadist group, a US military spokesperson said on Sunday. "The execute order for Syria has been signed," the spokesperson told AFP, without providing further details. US President Donald Trump has declared the jihadist group "largely defeated," and made the surprise decision to bring US forces home -- a move that many US politicians and international allies fear is premature and would further destabilize the already devastated region. The decision -- which was followed by another to make a significant cut to the number of American troops in Afghanistan -- has prompted the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and US envoy to the international anti-IS coalition Brett McGurk. (AFP) CPS Islamabad, Dec 24 (PTI) Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Maryam Nawaz Monday said that an anti-corruption court's verdict against her father Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption case was "blind revenge's last hiccup". An accountability court in Islamabad sentenced the three-time former prime minister to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case but acquitted him in the Flagship Investments case. After the verdict, Sharif's daughter Maryam broke months-long silence and took to twitter to criticize the judgment as "vengeance". "Punishment to the same man for the fourth time. (This was) blind revenge's last hiccup but victory is Nawaz Sharif's, thank God," she said in a series of tweets in Urdu. "After two-and-a-half years of revenge-like accountability, after rummaging through three generations, not a penny's worth of corruption, kickback or commission was found." Maryam said that "all the verdicts against Sharif were regarding the personal business of his deceased father (Mian Sharif)", adding that "when they could not find anything they announced the verdict on assumptions. Three cases - Avenfield properties case, Flagship investment case and Al-Azizia steel mills case - were launched against the Sharif family by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on September 8, 2017 following a judgment by the Supreme Court that disqualified Sharif in the high-profile Panama Papers case in July last year. In the first case, Sharif, his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law Captain (retd.) M Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year respectively in prison in July, 2018. The Avenfield properties case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices. However, the three were bailed out by the Islamabad High Court in September. "Today's verdict is another stamp on Nawaz Sharif's honesty and sincerity. These verdicts will vanish, what will remain is Nawaz Sharif's honesty and the opponents' burden of tyrannies because government, power and privileges are there to end. It does not take long for tides to turn. Remember, when tyranny crosses limits, it ends," Maryam said. She termed the verdict an indictment of "the government's weakness", reminding them that "governments are not run by targeting opponents." "Governments are run on the basis of their character and performance," she added. She also accused Prime Minister Imran Khan's party of conspiring against her father, claiming that "the government officials head to work each day thinking 'what do I have to do against Nawaz Sharif today?'" Commenting on the verdict, former premier and senior PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said, "We will protest against the verdict and overcome it." He said the deposed premier should have been acquitted in both cases as the top accountability watchdog had no evidence against the Sharif family. Citing sources, Dawn newspaper said Maryam is expected to take a more active role in party politics following Monday's verdict against her father. PTI ZH ZH Islamabad, Dec 24 (PTI) Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Monday that the "real face of Nawaz Sharif has been unmasked today", hours after an accountability court sentenced the three-time former prime minister to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption case. Addressing a press conference on Monday evening, Chaudhry said that the people who are still defending Sharif should be ashamed of themselves because the money involved in the scam belongs to the people of Pakistan, Dawn reported. "As per the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) law, if a person is unable to justify the sources of his earnings then that amount is considered as corruption," Chaudhry, a senior leader of Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf party, was quoted as saying by the paper. Chaudhry added that the 68-year-old PML-N leader was unable to provide money trail for his assets, therefore, he was sentenced to seven years in prison. In his verdict, Accountability Court II Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik Monday said there was concrete evidence against the former premier in the Al-Azizia case, and that he was unable to give the trail of the money used to set up the Al-Azizia steel mills in Saudi Arabia by his family in 2001 and later on the Hill Metal Establishment also in Saudi Arabia. Commenting on the verdict, Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz said that the ruling against her father in the Al-Azizia case was "blind revenge's last hiccup". In a series of tweets in Urdu, Maryam termed the verdict an indictment of "the government's weakness", reminding them that "governments are not run by targeting opponents." "Governments are run on the basis of their character and performance," she added. She accused Imran Khan's party of conspiring against her father, claiming that "the government officials head to work each day thinking 'what do I have to do against Nawaz Sharif today?'" PTI ZH ZH ZH New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) Following are the top foreign stories at 2000 hours: FGN21 PAK-LDALL SHARIF Nawaz Sharif gets 7 yrs imprisonment in Al-Azizia case, acquitted in Flagship Islamabad: An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Monday sentenced ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case but acquitted him in the Flagship Investments case. By Sajjad Hussain FGN24 PAK-SHARIF-MARYAM Maryam Nawaz says Pak court verdict against her father 'blind revenge's last hiccup' Islamabad: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Maryam Nawaz Monday said that an anti-corruption court's verdict against her father Nawaz Sharif in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption case was "blind revenge's last hiccup". FGN27 PAK-SHARIF-GOVT Pak minister says those defending Nawaz Sharif should be ashamed of themselves Islamabad: Pakistan's Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Monday that the "real face of Nawaz Sharif has been unmasked today", hours after an accountability court sentenced the three-time former prime minister to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills corruption case. FGN26 INDONESIA-4THLD TSUNAMI Indonesia searches for tsunami victims; death toll hits 373 Tanjung Lesung: Efforts to collect hundreds of bodies and save the injured were stepped up in Indonesia on Monday following the country's latest tsunami, as scientists collected evidence on how a volcanic eruption triggered the weekend tragedy. (AP) FGN20 AFGHAN-LD BLAST Blast rocks Kabul govt compound in ongoing attack: officials Kabul: Militants detonated a car bomb before storming a Kabul government compound in an ongoing attack Monday, officials and witnesses said, in the latest violence to rock the Afghan capital. (AFP) PTI AMS AMS Kabul, Dec 24 (AP) A suicide bomber exploded his car outside a building housing the government's department for martyrs and disabled persons on Monday moments before gunmen stormed the building armed with automatic rifles and explosive devises, Kabul police chief spokesman Basir Mujahid said. Six people have been reported injured and a police officer has been killed in the attack, said Mujahid. Three of the gunmen were killed in a shootout with police. The attack occurred as workers were preparing to leave for the day, said Mujahid. Deputy Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said 200 employees have been evacuated and are safe, but several other employees were still trapped inside the building. Rahimi couldn't say how many gunmen remained inside the building. Police have cordoned off the area in the east of the capital Kabul as they try to gain control of the situation. Kabul police spokesman, Mujahid said heavily armed police are going floor to floor searching the building to find the remaining gunmen. He said they received a phone call from employees, who were still trapped inside the building. They appeared to be calling from a safe place. They were told to wait until they receive word from police that it is safe to leave. Meanwhile the sound of gunfire had stopped as darkness settled on the capital, said Mujahid. Several apartment buildings as well as a government public works department building are located in the same eastern Kabul neighborhood where the attack occurred. Eyewitnesses reported that a portion of the government building was in flames and several smaller explosions were heard amid the ongoing gunbattle. No one claimed responsibility but both the Taliban and the local Islamic State affiliate have carried out brazen daytime attacks in the capital. (AP) SMJ SMJ Washington, Dec 24 (AFP) The order to withdraw American troops from Syria has been signed, the US military said Sunday, after President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart agreed to prevent a power vacuum in the wake of the controversial move. The announcement that US troops would leave the civil war-racked country -- where they have been deployed to assist in the multinational fight against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group -- shocked global partners and American politicians alike. "The execute order for Syria has been signed," a US military spokesperson told AFP when asked about the withdrawal order, without providing further details. Turkey was a rare ally that lauded Trump's momentous decision on Syria, a country where it will now have a freer rein to target US-allied Kurdish fighters who have played a key role in the war against IS but are deemed terrorists by Ankara. Trump and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by telephone on Sunday and "agreed to ensure coordination between their countries' military, diplomatic and other officials to avoid a power vacuum which could result following any abuse of the withdrawal and transition phase in Syria," the Turkish presidency said in a statement. Hours earlier, Trump had tweeted that he and Erdogan "discussed (IS), our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of US troops from the area." Both US politicians and international allies fear the withdrawal is premature and would further destabilise the already devastated region. A US withdrawal, said Mutlu Civiroglu, a Kurdish affairs analyst, will open the way "for Turkey to start its operations against the Kurds, and a bloody war will begin." French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said he "deeply regretted" Trump's decision, and that "an ally must be reliable." US troops will leave under the auspices of a new Pentagon chief set to start next month, after Jim Mattis resigned from the post citing key differences, including on Syria, with the often-impulsive Trump. Several US politicians from both parties rejected Trump's claim that IS had been defeated, and the decision also caused alarm and dismay in the US military over the prospect of suddenly abandoning Washington's Kurdish partners. And Trump's sudden decision sparked turmoil within his administration, prompting the resignation of Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition, as well as Mattis. Plans for the troop withdrawal will now be overseen by Deputy Secretary of Defence Patrick Shanahan, who Trump on Sunday said would replace Mattis starting January 1. Mattis, 68, had said he would leave at the end of February to allow a smooth transition for the next chief of the world's top military power -- but a reportedly angry Trump accelerated his departure by two months. Defence spokeswoman Dana White tweeted that Mattis would still assist in the handover, working with Shanahan to ensure the department "remains focused on the defense of our nation during this transition." According to US media, the Republican leader voiced resentment over news coverage of Mattis' stinging resignation letter that laid bare his fundamental disagreements with the president. Days later, special envoy McGurk made a similar move, saying he could not support Trump's Syria decision that he said "left our coalition partners confused and our fighting partners bewildered." Unlike Mattis, Shanahan has never served in the military and has spent most of his career in the private sector. He spent over three decades working for aircraft giant Boeing, including as vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems, before moving to the Pentagon as deputy in 2017. Until Trump finds a permanent defence leader, Shanahan will lead plans for US troops to leave Syria along with a significant drawdown in Afghanistan, both of which critics worry will leave war-torn regions at risk of continued and potentially heightened bloodshed. (AFP) RUP RUP Dhaka, Dec 24 (PTI) Thousands of army troops were deployed across Bangladesh on Monday to provide security and help conduct parliamentary elections on December 30, amid concerns that violence could happen. The Election Commission on December 13 announced that the army will be deployed as a striking force across the country during the 11th parliamentary elections and it will remain in the field until January 2. Election Commission's Joint Secretary Farhad Ahmed Khan said that about 400-450 platoons of the armed forces are deployed in 389 areas in 270 constituencies across the country. The army will work in 389 designated areas and the navy in 18. It will also be in charge of operating the electronic voting machines (EMVs) to be used at 845 voting centres in six constituencies, the Dhaka Tribune reported. Earlier this month, authorities deployed paramilitary border forces in 87 bordering areas to control the law and order situation. Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam said the forces have been deployed to remove the fear of all including the political parties. Major opposition parties including jailed former prime minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its alliance Jatiya Oikyafront (National United Front) have long been demanding army deployment for free and fair elections. The opposition parties have alleged that thousands of its leaders and activists have been arrested to weaken them. The BNP has welcomed the Election Commission's decision to deploy army in the country ahead of the elections. "We welcome the decision to deploy army during the 11th Jatiya Sangsad polls. We sincerely believe that the deployment of army will help create a fair and neutral environment for the election which so far has not been in effect, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam said in a press statement on Sunday. Stating that Bangladesh Army has always been dedicated to serving the nation and its people, Fakhrul said the army wont let its image be tarnished by working in a partisan way. We hope every proud member of the Bangladesh Army would work for the sake of the countrymen in an effective way, and not in favour of any individual or any particular group, he said. We strongly urge the Bangladesh Army to ensure equal scopes for all political parties and candidates in the election, Fakhrul added. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is seeking to return to power for a third consecutive time in the December 30 elections, which the opposition has alleged could be rigged. Zia, 73, who is serving a 10-year jail sentence on corruption charges, has been barred from contesting the polls. The Election Commission on Sunday allowed Jamaat-e-Islami, a crucial ally of BNP, to contest the general elections, two months after it scraped the fundamentalist party's registration. The Jamaat will contest from 25 seats in the parliamentary polls with 'sheaf of paddy', the electoral symbol of the BNP. The EC's decision came after the High Court earlier this week directed it to swiftly decide on a plea of 25 leaders of the unregistered party to contest the election as independent candidates on behalf of their alliance partners. The hardline Islamist party is now in a dilapidated state with most of its senior leaders executed in the past five years after being convicted by special tribunals on 1971 war crimes charges. Jamaat was opposed to Bangladesh's 1971 independence from West Pakistan and its leaders and workers sided with Pakistani troops in carrying out atrocities and genocide in then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Bangladesh's post-independence government banned Jamaat but the subsequent regimes withdrew the ban allowing the party to re-emerge in politics. The party became a crucial partner of Zia's BNP-led four-party alliance government in 2001 and its chief Moti-ur-Rahman Nizami and secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed became ministers. PTI PMS PMS Kabul, Dec 24 (AFP) A suicide and gun attack on a Kabul government compound killed at least 29 people on Monday, an official said, in the latest bloody violence to strike the Afghan capital. The raid capped a tumultuous few days in Afghanistan where officials are reeling from US President Donald Trump's plan to slash troop numbers, which many fear could harm efforts to end the 17-year war with the Taliban. It also comes after a major security shake-up in Kabul. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the assault on the site where the Ministry of Public Works and other offices are located, which officials declared over after more than seven hours. At least 20 people were wounded in addition to those killed, interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish said. Most of the victims were civilians. Afghan forces killed three of the attackers and freed more than 350 people trapped inside the compound, Danish added. A fourth attacker died in a car bomb explosion that launched the attack. One of the wounded civilians broke several bones after jumping from the third floor of a building to escape the attackers, an AFP correspondent at a hospital said. Plumes of black smoke could be seen rising from the compound, with at least two military helicopters circling above. Journalists near the scene reported hearing numerous explosions in the hours after the attack began mid-afternoon. Ashraf, a witness who works at the Ministry of Public Works and who goes by one name, said earlier he had heard militants inside the compound exchanging gunfire with security forces. "They are also firing at the NDS facility nearby," he told AFP after escaping the compound, referring to the Afghan spy agency, the National Directorate of Security. Public works ministry spokesman Mehdi Rohani spoke to AFP as he and his colleagues were fleeing to a safe room shortly after the gunmen stormed the area. "A car bomb detonated at the entrance of the ministry's parking lot," he told AFP by mobile phone as he ran from the scene. "I can hear some gunfire outside the building. We are fine." The attack came after an American official told AFP late last week that Trump had decided to pull out "roughly half" of the 14,000 US forces in the country. The unexpected move stunned and dismayed foreign diplomats and Afghan officials in Kabul who are intensifying a push to end the conflict with the Taliban. The assault also comes a day after President Ashraf Ghani appointed Amrullah Saleh and Assadullah Khaled, both former spymasters known for their anti-Taliban and Pakistan stance, to head the interior and defence ministries, respectively. Militants have previously attacked government ministries and departments because they are often poorly defended and seen as soft targets. Monday's attack was the biggest in Kabul since November 28 when the Taliban detonated a vehicle bomb outside the compound of British security firm G4S, killing at least 10 people and leaving a massive crater in the road. While there has been no official announcement of a US drawdown, the mere suggestion of the United States reducing its military presence has rattled the Afghan capital and potentially undermined peace efforts. General Scott Miller, the top US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, said Sunday he had not received orders to pull forces out of the country. Trump's decision apparently came Tuesday as US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met with the Taliban in Abu Dhabi, part of efforts to bring the militants to the negotiating table with Kabul. Many Afghans are worried that President Ashraf Ghani's fragile unity government would collapse if US troops pulled out, enabling the Taliban to return to power and potentially sparking another bloody civil war. (AFP) SCY SCY Patnaik demands Centre accord Paika Rebellion as first war of Independence against British rule Bhubaneswar, Dec 24 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Monday demanded that the Centre accord the Paika Rebellion of 1817 as the first war of Independence against British rule and said his government will provide free land for the memorial proposed to be set up by the Centre. Hailing Baxi Jagabandhu as a legendary revolutionary and the brave son of the soil who fought valiantly against the Britishers to free the country from their rule, Patnaik said the Paika Rebellion launched under his leadership was the first war of Independence in India against British rule. Paikas were traditional landed militia under the state's Gajapati rulers, Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, the military chief of the King of Khurda, had led his army of Paikas in 1817 against the British East India Company for tinkering with the revenue system and forced its forces to retreat. The rebellion came to be known as Paika Bidroh or Paika rebellion. "If the Centre accords this status to the Paika Rebellion, it will be a best tribute to Bakshi Jagabandhu," Patnaik said adding the Paika Rebellion had posed a major challenge before the British rule across the country. The chief minister said the state government will provide free land and all cooperation for a memorial for Paika Rebellion of 1817 proposed to be set up by the Centre. "It is a matter of happiness that the Central government has decided to establish a Paika Rebellion memorial at Barunei. I welcome this proposal. The state government will provide free land and all cooperation for this," Patnaik said. The chief minister was speaking at a function where Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new campus of IIT-Bhubaneswar at Arugal and unveiled a slew of projects worth Rs 14,500 crore for Odisha through video conferencing from there. The Chief Minister also reiterated the demand before the prime minister that a new train from Odisha in the name of Bakshi Jagabandhu be started. Patnaik thanked the Prime Minister for releasing a commemorative postage stamp and a coin on the occasion of bicentenary celebrations of the Paika Rebellion and for inaugurating a Chair on the Paika Rebellion in the Utkal University. Regarding the projects for which Modi laid the foundation stone, Patnaik promised his government's support for their timely completion. Congratulating the IITians, Patnaik said IIT-Bhubaneswar has already witnessed three convocations and has become one of the leading institutes of the country in science and technology. "You have all come from different parts of the country to learn and grow. You all are young and the best brains of the land. I believe throughout your life, a piece of Bhubaneswar will always be with you. I wish you all of you to fulfil all your dreams and play a significant role in realising the dreams of our nation through your pursuit of knowledge and brilliance," Patnaik said. PTI SKN RG RG JD(U) MLA says he has resigned from the party Patna, Dec 24 (PTI) An MLA of the ruling JD(U) in Bihar Monday claimed that he has resigned from the party in protest against alleged high-handedness of the administration which has lodged cases against people of his constituency for staging a protest against land-grabbers. Shyam Bahadur Singh, who represents Barharia in Siwan district, appeared before a number of local news channels claiming that he visited the residence of state JD(U) president Vashishth Narayan Singh, as the latter was not at home, he left his resignation letter at the place. The state party president said he has not yet seen the resignation letter but added the MLAs concern will be taken note of and suitable action taken. The MLA said "there is a moribund sugar mill in my constituency. The land on which it is situated was being encroached upon by mafia elements. When locals protested the administration lodged cases against nearly 200 of them. Our party is in power. How can I show my face to the people of my constituency in such a situation"? He, however, made it clear "I have no intention to join any other party. I have full faith in the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who heads our party. My resignation notwithstanding, my loyalties will remain with the JD(U)." Incidentally, Singh has been involved in a number of incidents in the past which have left his party red-faced. He faced public censure after a video went viral wherein he was seen gyrating alongside bar dancers. Also, many eyebrows were raised when he once reached the state assembly riding an elephant. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Prem Chandra Mishra took potshots at the ruling party saying "you can imagine the state of affairs in Bihar and make out how genuine the claims of good governance are when a member of the ruling party is so demoralised." RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav also reacted to the development saying "we have always been saying that Nitish Kumar has lost control over the bureaucracy. Now his own MLA is confirming the same". PTI NAC RG RG New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) Following are the highlights at 1700 hours: TOP STORIES: LGD7 SC-BJP-2NDLD RATH YATRA BJP approaches SC seeking permission to hold Rath Yatra in WB New Delhi: The BJP on Monday approached the Supreme Court against a Calcutta High Court order not allowing its Rath Yatra in West Bengal. LGD10 DL-COURT-CHOPPER-TYAGI VVIP Chopper case: Court allows former Air Chief Tyagi, cousin to travel abroad New Delhi: A Delhi court Monday allowed former Air Chief S P Tyagi, accused in the VVIP chopper case lodged by the CBI, to travel abroad in March next year. DEL6 RJ-MINISTERS 23 ministers take oath of office in Rajasthan Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot expanded his council of ministers on Monday with 23 ministers, including one from Congress ally Rashtriya Lok Dal, being sworn in at the Raj Bhavan here. MDS2 KL-LD SABARIMALA Women pilgrims forced to return without offering prayers at Lord Ayyappa Shrine Sabarimala(Ker): Faced with unrelenting protests from devotees, two women in their forties, who tried to trek to the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa here Monday, were forced to return without offering prayers. MDS3 POL-BJP Rahul Gandhi not acceptable as a pivot to many parties: BJP Hyderabad: The BJP Monday said the Congress and its President Rahul Gandhi are not acceptable as a pivot to many parties outside the NDA and dubbed the "so-called" opposition unity against the Amit Shah led outfit as a "bogus claim." DEL8 PM-LD VAJPAYEE-COIN Power like oxygen for some people, they can't live without it: Modi New Delhi: Power is like oxygen for "some people" with restlessness setting in if they are out of it for even "two or five years", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday while taking a jibe at the opposition but without naming anybody or any party. NATION: CAL8 WB-2ND LD NIRUPAM Veteran CPI(M) leader Nirupam Sen passes away Kolkata: Veteran CPI(M) leader Nirupam Sen, whose tenure as West Bengal's Industry minister saw rapid industrial growth in the state but also the exit of the Tata Nano project after violent protests, died here Monday after a prolonged illness, family sources said. DEL5 DL-AIR QUALITY Pollution level severe for third consecutive day in Delhi New Delhi: Pollution in Delhi remained in the 'severe' level for the third consecutive day as wind speed and other meteorological factors remained "highly unfavourable" for dispersion of pollutants on Monday, according to authorities. DEL7 BIZ-FM-GST GST standard rate to be fixed between 12-18 pc as revenues increase: Jaitley New Delhi: Going forward, as tax revenues significantly increase, India will have GST slabs of 0 per cent, 5 per cent and a standard rate between 12-18 per cent for commonly-used items, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Monday. DEL3 JK-FIRING Pak troops target forward posts, villages in Rajouri Jammu: Pakistani troops Monday opened fire and shelled forward posts and villages along the LoC in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said. MDS4 TL-OWAISI Pak PM Imran Khan should learn from India: AIMIM leader Owaisi Hyderabad: Member of Parliament and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi took to Twitter to hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over the latter's remark that he would show the Narendra Modi government "how to treat minorities". CES4 WB-2ND LD NIRUPAM Veteran CPI(M) leader Nirupam Sen passes away Kolkata: Veteran CPI(M) leader Nirupam Sen, credited as the architect of West Bengal's industrial drive during the Left Front rule, died at a city hospital on Monday morning after a prolonged illness, family sources said. MDS4 TL-OWAISI Pak PM Imran Khan should learn from India: AIMIM leader Owaisi Hyderabad: Member of Parliament and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi took to Twitter to hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over the latter's remark that he would show the Narendra Modi government "how to treat minorities". LEGAL: LGD8 SC-LD INTERCEPT PIL in SC against govt's move to authorise 10 agencies to intercept, monitor any computer New Delhi: A PIL was filed on Monday in the Supreme Court challenging the government's notification authorising 10 central agencies to intercept, monitor and decrypt any computer system. FOREIGN: FES17 CHINA-INDIA-YOGA China-India Yoga College to open 50 branches in China Beijing: China's first Yoga college in Yunnan province, which was set up as part of cultural exchange programme between the two nations, has planned to open 50 more branches across the country as the popularity of India's ancient physical and spiritual discipline continues to grow all over China, state media reported. FES12 US-TRUMP-BORDER WALL White House: Trump would accept less money for border wall Washington: Both sides in the long-running fight over funding President Donald Trump's US-Mexico border wall appear to have moved toward each other, but a shutdown of one-fourth of the federal government entered Christmas without a clear resolution in sight. FGN13 INDONESIA-3RDLD-TSUNAMI Hunt for survivors as Indonesian tsunami death toll tops 280 Carita (Indonesia): Indonesian rescuers raced to find survivors Monday after a volcano-triggered tsunami killed at least 281 people, with experts warning the devastated region could be slammed by more deadly waves. PTI TVS TVS (Eds: Adding more quotes of CPCB chairperson S P S Parihar) New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) on Monday imposed a three-day ban on industrial activities in pollution hotspots and construction work across Delhi-NCR in view of the national capital's 'severe' air quality. Delhi is facing its highest pollution level since Diwali. The city's air quality remained in the 'severe' category for the third consecutive day on Monday as the wind speed and other meteorological factors remained "highly unfavourable" for dispersion of pollutants. Industries located in Wazirpur, Mundka, Narela, Bawana, Sahibabad and Faridabad will remain closed until Wednesday, EPCA Chairperson Bhure Lal said in a letter to Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Dev. The EPCA has also banned all construction activities in Delhi, Faridabad, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Noida till Wednesday. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee said the ban comes into force from Monday itself and it is sending letters to industries and construction authorities to immediately halt the activities. The EPCA directed the traffic police to deploy special teams and ensure congestion-free traffic flow particularly in identified high traffic corridors. "Police department to strictly ensure that non-destined heavy duty vehicles travel through eastern and western peripheral expressways," it said. The agencies concerned have also been asked to ensure strict action against illegal industries, intensify ground action and make all efforts to control polluting activities, particularly waste burning. "The ventilation index which allows dispersion (of pollutants) is extremely poor and it is expected that these conditions will prevail for the next two days," Lal said in the letter. In light of this and the expected weather conditions for the coming few days, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) task force has made these recommendations, which, the EPCA directs, should urgently be complied with, he said. These actions have been taken on the recommendations of the CPCB. CPCB chairperson S P S Parihar said the reason the ban is imposed till December 26 is because winds are expected to pick up and the pollution could go down then. "We have also said that no open burning should be there and have issued advisory to the people concerned, they should avoid undue exposure in public places. We are watching it on a real time basis," Parihar said. He said since November 1, as many as 7,600 complaints have been received through the SAMEER app, an app developed by the CPCB. "Around 70 per cent complaints have been resolved. Most complaints are about waste burning," he said. On Monday, Delhi's air quality was recorded at 449 which falls in the 'severe' category, the CPCB said. Thirty-two areas in the city recorded 'severe' air quality while it was 'very poor' in five areas, it said. In NCR, Noida recorded the worst air quality with an AQI of 464. Faridabad and Ghaziabad also recorded 'severe' air quality, data showed. The overall PM2.5 level -- fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometer -- was recorded at 410 and the PM10 level at 585 here, the CPCB said. Delhi's air quality turned 'severe' on Saturday. The national capital recorded its second highest pollution level of the year on Sunday with an AQI of 450. According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), the air quality is likely to improve on Tuesday, but will remain in the upper end of the 'very poor to severe' category. "The wind speed and ventilation index are highly unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants," it said. Ventilation index is the speed at which pollutants can get dispersed. A ventilation index lower than 6000 sqm/second, with average wind speed less than 10 kmph, is unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants. The index was 4500 sqm/second on Monday, the IITM said. PTI UZM TDS UZM SNE SNE New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) The proceedings of Delhi Assembly on December 21 do not mention the name of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in the resolution passed on 1984 anti-Sikh riots, details released Monday showed. According to a three-page "brief summary of House proceedings" issued by the Assembly Secretariat, the resolution had sought to term the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as "genocide" and it does not have any mention of Gandhi's name. On Sunday, Youth Congress members protested outside the office of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP), demanding that it apologise for allegedly passing the resolution demanding revocation of Gandhi's Bharat Ratna. Congress' Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken has accused the AAP of being "hand in glove" with the BJP and said the party should also call the 2002 Gujarat riots a "genocide". Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, the Delhi government and the AAP have been maintaining that the resolution did not demand revoking of Rajiv Gandhi's Bharat Ratna. The Delhi Assembly had on Friday adopted by voice vote the resolution which called for speedy trial of cases and termed anti-Sikh riots as genocide. AAP MLA Jarnail Singh, while moving the resolution, had said the Bharat Ratna to Gandhi should be withdrawn for "justifying anti-Sikh riots". Singh had later said that the resolution was adopted. Amid the row, Goel clarified that Singh's proposed amendment for taking back the "Bharat Ratna" from Gandhi over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the "original resolution" was not adopted as he did not inform the House beforehand. PTI BUN SOM New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) On the eve of Atal Bihari Vajpayee's 94th birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday released a Rs 100 commemorative coin in the memory of the former premier. Vajpayee's long-time associate and BJP veteran L K Advani, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP president Amit Shah were also present at the event here. The former prime minister died at the AIIMS in the national capital in August at the age of 93 following prolonged illness. Addressing the gathering, Modi said he would go to Vajpayee's memorial on Tuesday to reiterate his commitment to the ideology and path shown by the statesman. "Atal Ji wanted democracy to be supreme. He built the Jana Sangh. But, when the time came to rescue our democracy he and others went to Janata Party. Likewise, when the choice was between remaining in power or comprising on ideology, he left Janata Party and formed the BJP," the prime minister said. He said while for some, power is oxygen and they cannot live without it, Vajpayee spent a long part of his career in the opposition benches raising issues of national interest. The late prime minister never compromised on the ideology of the party, Modi said. He said, the party, which "Atalji built brick by brick" has become among the largest political parties. Prime Minister Modi said Vajpayee as a speaker was unparalleled. "When he spoke, the nation spoke... when he spoke the nation listened," he said. The mind is not ready to believe that Vajpayee is no longer alive. Though he was away from public glare for nearly a decade due to ill health, the way people gave him a farewell on his demise showed the mark he had created in people's minds, Modi said. PTI JTR NAB ANB ANB New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) Tolerance is a crucial aspect of the Indian culture which has taken in people from different countries after they migrated here, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said here Monday. The minister's remarks come amid a raging debate on actor Naseeruddin Shah's statement on mob violence in the country. Delivering the 31st endowment lecture of the Intelligence Bureau, Gadkari said unity and diversity is an integral part of the Indian culture. "Justice for all and appeasement of none... It's a fact that an individual is considered great because of his or her religion, caste, language and but his quality and productivity," he said. The minister said politics is an instrument of socioeconomic change. "Winning elections is important but if socioeconomic transformation does not take place... progress of country and society does not take place, then you getting elected and the incumbent getting defeated has no meaning," he said. Highlighting the need for collective decision making among bureaucrats, the minister said taking views of juniors is not in the system. "Discussing issues with juniors, taking their suggestions, involving them in discussions, listening to them gives a better ground report," he said. The senior BJP leader said it is very important to take people together. "People must have collective spirit. It is important to take people together. You can be very good and very impressive but if you do not have people to support you, what is the use?" he said. Lauding the efforts of the "silent and tireless" role of the IB in making the country a secure and safe place, Gadkari said it is the aim of all of us to work for comprehensive and all-round development of the country. Stating that nobody is born evil or perfect, Gadkari said police can play a key role in converting the incarcerated into contributors for society's welfare. The minister also denounced the culture of "not taking decisions" among bureaucrats to avoid any inquiry. Gadkari said performance audit is a better alternative to financial audit to evaluate the managerial and administrative ability of officials. He said though transparency is equally important, but it must accompany time-bound decision making and delivery. The Intelligence Bureau completed 100 years of its existence in 1987 and celebrated 1988 as its centenary year. On December 23, 1887, the Central Special Branch was set up under orders issued in London by the Secretary of State for India. The Central Special Branch was renamed as the Criminal Intelligence Bureau and, thereafter, as the Intelligence Bureau, MHA spokesperson said in a statement. PTI ABS GVS Allahabad, Dec 24 (PTI) One of the largest religious gatherings in the world - the Kumbh Mela - will be this time spread over an area of 45 km from the earlier 20 km radius. Pilgrims visiting the holy city will also get a glimpse of Akshay Vat, a Banyan Tree held sacred by Hindus, and Saraswati Koop, a well believed to be the source of the mythical Saraswati River. Prayagraj Mayor Abhilasha Gupta Nandi told PTI, "The area of the Kumbh Mela has almost doubled this time. Earlier, the Kumbh Mela used to be spread over an area of of 15-20 km. Now, the mela is spread over an area of 45 km. Elaborating on the importance of Akshay Vat, the mayor said, Akshay Vat is found only in four places across the country, and at these places the Kumbh is held. According to folklore, the tree, which is inside the Allahabad Fort (under Army control) has the power to fulfil wishes. She added that a new road leading to the tree is being built to facilitate pilgrims. According to legend, sage Markandeya once asked Lord Narayan to give him a glimpse of divine power. Narayan flooded the entire world for a moment, during which only the Akshay Vat at Prayagraj could be seen above water level, she said. Saraswati Koop is also located inside the Allahabad Fort. An idol of Goddess Saraswati is being installed," she said. According to UP government officials, it is for the first time that devotees will be arriving in the city through land, air and water routes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to the city earlier this month, said devotees will be able to offer prayers at Akhsay Vat, which has been closed for years, during Ardha Kumbh. I am here to give you good news. This time, devotees will be able to visit Akshay Vat in Ardha Kumbh, the prime minister had said. For the first time, an Integrated Control Command and Centre has been established in the Kumbh area. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had recently said that it is the endeavour of the government that the Kumbh turns out to be darshaniye (worth seeing), adbhut (amazing), divya (divine) and bhavya (grand). Kumbh will prove to be a confluence of our age-old traditions and culture with modernity and technology. It will be a New India and New Kumbh, Adityanath had said. After former President Rajendra Prasad, it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who visited Akshay Vat and Saraswati Koop. Ambassadors from nearly 70 countries had also visited Prayagraj to get a glimpse of the preparations for the mega event, Adityanath had said. Yesterday, while addressing the Yuva Kumbh held in Lucknow, Adityanath had said, "Kumbh is a symbol of India's unity and integrity, and its spirit is that youth power should be used for nation building. The state government will make efforts to provide all possible facilities to pilgrims at the Kumbh. The state government will also establish grand statues of Bharadwaj muni and Goddess Saraswati in Prayagraj. The Mela draws lakhs of pilgrims over the course of approximately 55 auspicious days to bathe at the sacred confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati. Kumbh Mela is celebrated four times over a course of 12 years. The geographical location of Kumbh Mela covers four locations in India with the mela site rotating from Haridwar (Uttarakhand) on the Ganga, Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) on Shipra, Nashik (Maharashtra) on Godavari to Prayagraj at the confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati. The 2019 Kumbh Mela will commence on January 15 on Makar Sankranti which will be the first bathing day. Mahashivratri on March 4 will mark the last bathing day.PTI NAV DV DV New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate Monday approached a Delhi court seeking issuance of open ended non-bailable warrants (NBW) against four directors of a Gujarat pharma firm in a Rs 5,000 crore money laundering probe case. The agency has sought warrants against Sterling Biotech Ltd (SBL) directors Nitin Jayantilal Sandesara, Chetankumar Jayantilal Sandesara, Dipti Chetan Sandesara and Hiteshkumar Narendrabhai Patel. Additional Sessions Judge Siddharth Sharma listed the matter for hearing on January 5. The ED has registered the alleged bank fraud case against the firm SBL under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The accused are also being probed by the ED for allegedly bribing senior income tax department officials as part of an earlier criminal complaint. PTI UK SKV SKV DV DV Stalin hits out at Modi for "opportunistic alliance" remark Chennai, Dec 24 (PTI) The DMK Monday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for describing its alliance with the Congress as "opportunistic" and asked if the BJP's reported attempts to join hands with its rival AIADMK was indeed ideology based. The ruling AIADMK lashed out at Stalin for his remarks, saying it was not in any alliance. Responding to Modi's criticism of the DMK-Congress tie-up as "opportunistic," Stalin said, "There are reports that PM Modi is trying to strike an alliance with the AIADMK. Is it an alliance of ideology or loot is my question," Stalin, also Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, told reporters here. He has been often critical of the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, with his party levelling repeated charges of corruption against it, including chief minister K Palaniswami. Stalin also alleged Modi had tried to ensure the merger of the earlier rival factions headed by AIADMK leaders Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam. Post their merger in August 2017, Panneerselvam was made deputy to Palaniswami. On Sunday, Modi had recalled the past rivalry between the Congress and its southern ally DMK, and said none had forgotten where the two parties stood on the Jain Commission. "That time Congress said either it is DMK or it is us. But today they are together. If not opportunism, what explains their alliance," he asked. Responding to Stalin's criticism, senior AIADMK leader D Jayakumar accused the DMK and Congress of being "responsible" for the failure to prevent mass Tamil civilian casualties during the Sri Lankan ethnic strife in 2009. He indicated that then chief minister, the late DMK president M Karunanidhi, wielded tremendous clout in the Congress-led UPA government but did not do anything on the matter. "What name can be given to that alliance (between DMK and Congress) -- a murderous alliance. This is the name the people of Tamil Nadu have given to them," he told reporters. The AIADMK was not holding any alliance talks right now and such matters will be decided by the party leadership, and the decision-making bodies of General Council and Executive, he said. "Why is he (Stalin) giving certificate as if we have entered into an alliance," Jayakumar said and accused Stalin of making such comments based on "assumption." Stalin, when asked about criticism of DMK joining hands with the Congress despite it being a victim of Emergency, said BJP-led rule "is worse than the Emergency." He said former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who had implemented Emergency, had later "expressed regret for that." "That is democracy. But today Modi is leading a dictatorial rule which is worse than Emergency," he said. In his interaction with party workers Sunday, Modi had said many leaders in the 'mahagatbandhan' were "arrested and tortured" during the Emergency, without naming anyone. Stalin was one of the leaders incarcerated during the Emergency. Many other DMK leaders were also jailed then. Jayakumar hit out at the DMK over this also, saying though DMK leaders were jailed during the Emergency, Karunanidhi later aligned with late Indira Gandhi though he had made very critical and "demeaning" remarks against her. On his proposal to project Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial candidate of the opposition for next year's polls, Stalin said he had only expressed DMK's "feeling." "None has opposed this feeling. Only, there are opinions that this could have waited and the announcement made after some time," he said. "I am confident that soon those who are making such remarks will also wholeheartedly accept this," and support the idea, he said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the TMC supremo, has said the topic could be discussed only after the 2019 Lok Sabha election and once the opposition alliance emerged winners. Similary, Samajwadi party leader Akhilesh Yadav has said Stalin's proposal may not necessarily be the opposition alliance's opinion. Stalin had made the "Rahul for PM" pitch ahead of the Lok Sabha polls last week at a DMK organised public rally here. PTI SA BN BN BN Jodhpur, Dec 24 (PTI) Rajasthan BJP general secretary Chandrashekhar Monday asked workers to gear up for the 2019 general elections after the Congress's victory in the recently held state polls. The Congress won 99 of the 200 assembly seats in the desert state, which went to polls on December 7. Counting was held on December 11. The BJP is reviewing its performance in the Rajasthan assembly elections. Party workers must gear up and work for the 2019 general elections, Chandrashekhar said during a meeting here. On the sidelines of the meeting, a senior state BJP leader said, "If some vital issues at the ground level aren't addressed on time, we stand a good chance to lose even the Jodhpur parliamentary constituency." PTI CORR ANB ANB TN Governor, Chief Minister extend Christmas greetings Chennai, Dec 24 (PTI): Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister K Palaniswami and various political party leaders extended their greetings on the eve of Christmas. In his message, Purohit said, "the festival of Christmas marks the birthday of Lord Jesus Christ and is celebrated with merriment and joy." "On this happy occasion I convey my heartiest greetings and best wishes to all our Christian brothers and sisters," he said in a Raj Bhavan release. Palaniswami appealed to the people of Tamil Nadu to follow the preachings of Lord Jesus and spread love and promote brotherhood on the occasion. He noted that late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa implemented a subsidy scheme for members of the Christian community to undertake a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and so far 3,236 people had benefited, he said in a release. MDMK chief Vaiko, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam founder TTV Dhinakaran and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss were among those who extended Christmas greetings to the people. PTI VIJ SS SS At the meeting, Man spoke highly of Laos 2018 achievements as well as the fine development of the two countries traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation through the exchange of delegations and the signing of cooperation agreements. He suggested stepping up transport connectivity between the two countries such as the Thakhek - Mu Gia - Tan Ap - Vung Ang railway running through Laos Vientiane and Vietnams central Quang Binh and Ha Tinh provinces, and the Hanoi - Vientiane Highway. The two sides should expand investment in infrastructure at border gates and continue coordinating in the search for, repatriation and reburial of remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who fell down in Laos during the wartime. Khambay Damlat informed the host of Laos front work in 2018, especially the implementation of the memorandum of understanding on the building of a Laos-Vietnam border gate of peace, friendship, and cooperation for mutual development. He stated that the two fronts will continue carrying out signed agreements, intensifying the exchange of experience in front work, thus helping bring the Laos-Vietnam relations to a new height, for the benefits of the two peoples, and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. The same day, the guest held talks with Hau A Lenh, Vice President and General Secretary of the VFF Central Committee. Forest officer found in possession of Rs 4 cr illegal wealth Indore, Dec 24 (PTI) The value of unaccounted assets found during Lokayukta raids at the premises of a forest officer in Madhya Pradesh reached up to Rs 4 crore, a senior official said Monday. The raids were conducted simultaneously at five locations Sunday, including the premises of Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Forest R N Saxena (61) and his close relatives, he said. Lokayukta Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Pravin Singh Baghel told PTI that during searches, bank deposits of Saxena and his family worth Rs 90 lakh were recovered Monday. Besides, gold jewellery worth Rs 8.35 lakh was recovered from a bank locker, he said. "According to searches, we have got clues of benami assets worth Rs 4 crore so far," he said. Baghel said a complaint was received against Saxena stating he had acquired assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. He said Saxena is currently posted in the Mhow forest range. Saxena has earned nearly Rs 60 lakh from his salary after joining the government job in 1995, the DSP said. However, the Lokayukta police found information about assets worth Rs 2 crore in the name of Saxena and his relatives, the officer said. He said Rs 3.54 lakh in cash and gold and silver jewellery were recovered from Saxena's house, besides documents related to immovable properties, including two plots, three hostels, two residential buildings and agricultural land, owned by him and his relatives. A case has been registered against the forest officer under the Prevention of Corruption Act and further investigation was underway, Baghel said. Saxena purchased most of the properties in the name of his close relatives, he added. PTI HWP ADU MAS RSY RSY Bhopal, Dec 24 (PTI) A man was awarded death sentence by a special court Monday for raping and killing his six-year-old daughter. The 42-year-old accused suspected his wife's character and believed the victim was not his biological child, the prosecution said. He engaged in unnatural sex with the girl and also raped her, a prosecution official said. He later hanged her with the help of a stole on the night of March 15, 2017, the official said. Terming the incident rarest of the rare, special judge for the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Kumudini Patel awarded death sentence to the accused. Post-mortem report confirmed rape, unnatural sex and strangulation. The victim's DNA report matched with the accused following which he was arrested, the official said. The prosecution proved the case on the basis of scientific evidences following which the court awarded capital punishment to him under section 302 of the IPC and life imprisonment under section 376, Director General, prosecution, Rajendra Kumar, said. "Though main witnesses turned hostile, scientific evidence of post-mortem and DNA had helped us in proving our case," he said. With this, the total number of death sentences awarded so far in such matters (where victims were minors) has risen to 21 this year, Kumar added. The figure is highest in the country and a record in the history of state's prosecution department, he said. PTI COR MAS ADU RSY DPB Gurgaon, Dec 24 (PTI) The Haryana Police on Monday arrested a Nigerian national here with over three kg heroin valued Rs 12 crore, an officer said. T Ahmed, a resident of Delhi, was arrested when he came to supply a large quantity of heroin to his contacts near the Sikander Pur metro station in Gurgaon. "We got a tip off that Ahmed supplies drugs in Delhi-NCR. When he came on a two wheeler, our teams intercepted him and arrested with heroin," DIG -STF Satheesh Balan said. "There is a strong possibility that the drugs were meant to be supplied to organisers of rave parties on Christmas and New Year," the officer added. PTI CORR GVS Ghaziabad, Dec 24 (PTI) A BJP MLA along with his supporters staged a sit in the jungles of Sakalpura village in Loni area here after cow remains were allegedly found there, police said Monday. Nand Kishore Gurjjar, who represents Loni constituency in the district, held police responsible for the alleged cow slaughter and demanded arrest of the accused within 24 hours. He also demanded suspension of Loni Station House Officer (SHO) Umesh Kumar along with other erring police officials, they said, adding an FIR has been registered against unknown slaughters. The SDM reached the spot and assured the MLA and villagers of early arrest of the accused. SSP Upendra Agarwal also sent SHO Umesh Kumar and Loni Tiraha Chowki in charge Sheesh Pal Bhardwaj to police lines. After that, MLA Gujjar and villagers terminated their protest. Meanwhile, heavy police force has been deployed in the area and 16 illegal meat shops were also sealed in Loni. PTI CORR RCJ CALEB MAGGS, Chariho, Football, Junior; Maggs caught 11 passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns in the Chargers loss to East Greenwich on Thanksgiving eve. He had scoring receptions of 1 and 29 yards. LUKE LOWRY, Stonington, Football, Junior; Lowry caught a pair of TD passes in the Bears Thanksgiving Day loss to Westerly. The two scoring receptions matched a record for the holiday game held by five others. Lowry had touchdown catches of 36 and 67 yards. He was named Stoningtons top offensive player in the game. ZACK TUCK, Westerly, Football, Junior; Tuck rushed for 241 yards and scored three touchdowns in the Bulldogs Thanksgiving Day victory over Stonington. Tuck was named the games MVP and was also selected as Westerlys top offensive player. Vote View Results David and Victoria Beckham have each had a near-10million dividend from their company even though her luxury fashion empire has run up big losses. The couple, along with former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller (pictured below), have shared dividends of 29.85m over the past two years, accounts filed over this weekend reveal. The dividends have come from Beckham Brand Holdings, the holding company for Victorias luxury fashion brand and for Davids business, which makes money from licensing his name and image. Loss and Becks: Davids company made a multi-million profit while has wifes firm remains in the red Both David and Victoria, now in their early forties, have aimed to cash in on their youthful fame, but with very different outcomes so far. Known as Goldenballs in his playing years, 43-year-old David has displayed a Midas touch since. He remains one of the worlds most recognisable faces and has made millions by cashing in on his image through advertising deals, including ads for Haig Club whisky and male skincare products. But Victorias clothing business has remained stubbornly in the red, though her designs have been acclaimed in fashion circles. Despite their differing commercial fortunes, both Beckhams have benefited from the latest dividends. Beckham Brand Holdings paid an 18.75million dividend in 2017 to its three shareholders, who are David, Victoria and XIX Management, one of Fullers companies. The accounts also state it paid another 11.1million after its most recent financial year-end, on December 31, 2017. The Beckhams, along with former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller (pictured), shared in dividends of 29.85m over the past two years That adds up to nearly 30million, or nearly 10million apiece for the trio. However, documents reveal that the dividends all came out of Davids business. His company, DB Ventures, made a profit before tax of 26.5million in the year to December 31, 2017, according to accounts just filed at Companies House. That is in sharp contrast with Poshs firm, Victoria Beckham Limited, which made a loss of just over 10million. Her brand has a shop in Londons swanky Mayfair and a second flagship store in Hong Kong. She also sells through a website, where this weekend a Tuck Shoulder Shift Dress was on sale for 615 along with Pre-spring Bags including a Jumbo Eva tan satchel style for 1,525. Some garments were already on sale before Christmas, including a Pleat Panel Dress reduced from 2,295 to 1,148 and a polo top down from 685 to 342.50. Victorias brand this year celebrated its tenth anniversary with its first show at London Fashion Week. Sales at her company have increased by 17 per centto just under 42million and she has gone into high-profile partnerships including with Estee Lauder cosmetics. It is not unusual for luxury brands to be loss-makers for a number of years after they first start up and the former Posh Spice appears to have no worries about running out of funds. Victoria, 44, last year received 30million of backing from private investment firm NEO Investment Partners. Her venture is also being supported by David, whose business has historically provided working capital for sister company Victoria Beckham Ltd. She is understood to be more concerned about long-term investment in her business than in turning a quick profit. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Metro Vancouver best bet to cut congestion and GhGs would be intensification around under utilized Sky runescape gold for sale Train stations in Burnaby, the Tri Cities, New Westminster and Vancouver.Behind their bold promises, the three leaders driving our mass transit agenda have tools to avoid a train wreck. 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Previous Next New York Army National Guard Warrant Officer 5 Christopher Panarese of Saratoga Springs, an Army pilot, completed his final flight after 26 years of service. Panarese was greeted by family and fellow service members, including Brig. Gen. John Andonie, the New York Army National Guard chief of staff, upon returning to the New York National Guard's Army Aviation Support Facility in Latham. Panarese served as the commander of Detachment 5, Company C of the 2nd Battalion 245th Aviation Regiment in Latham before retirement. Panarese, who enlisted in the Army in 1992, is a veteran of the Iraq War. He also deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Horn of Africa and supported numerous domestic emergencies and natural disasters throughout New York and New England. He began his military career in the Army Reserve. He completed his initial training at Fort Benning, Ga., as a mortar man. In 1994 he transferred to the New York Army National Guard to serve with the 108th Infantry as a saw gunner. In 1996, after he transferred to 3rd Battalion, 142nd Air Assault Helicopter Battalion, he was sent to Fort Rucker, Ala., where he graduated from Warrant Officer Candidate School and the Initial Entry Rotary Wing Course. He also successfully completed UH-60 Qualification Course, Aviation Safety Officer Course, UH-60 Instructor Pilot Course, Aviation Tactical Operations Officer Course, and Army Fixed Wing Qualification Course. Panarese has flown the UH-1 Iroquois helicopter, UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and C-12 Huron fixed wing aircraft. His duty assignments include service as an aviation safety officer, instructor pilot, tactical operations officer, aviation safety officer, and Fixed Wing Detachment commander. His family is rich in military duty. His grandfather served in World War II and survived the Baton Death March. His father and uncle both served in the Air Force. His uncle retired from the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing. "I've worked with Chief Panarese for the past 15 years, it will be sad not flying with him anymore, he is a great friend and pilot," said Sgt. Shaun Bradley, New York Army National Guard crew chief after the final flight. "We deployed together in 2004 and have been working together ever since, he is one of the best." Panarese earned a bachelor's degree in biology from the University at Albany. He has earned an Air Medal, an Army Commendation Medal and an Army Achievement Medal Master Army Aviator Badge. Deploys to Kuwait Eight New York Army National Guard soldiers from a Latham-based unit who fly and support the Army's C-12 passenger aircraft have deployed to Kuwait following training at Fort Bliss, Texas. The soldiers of Detachment 5, Company C of the 2nd Battalion, 245th Aviation Regiment and their families held a farewell ceremony at the Army Aviation Flight Facility at Albany International Airport before going to Bliss for pre-deployment training. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Their plane can carry as many as 13 people or high-value cargo. The detachment normally flies commanders and key personnel from National Guard headquarters in Latham throughout the United States. In his remarks, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christopher Panarese, the detachment commander, said that the most important people at the deployment ceremony were the family members of the soldiers. "We often find at these events that we focus on the soldiers and what they are going to do and overlook the families," Panarese said. "But we need to recognize them. "Overseas we focus on the mission and take care of each other, but the families will be dealing with the snow removal and the sick kids. The families serve as much as the soldiers." The New York Army National Guard soldiers deployed to Ali al Salem Air Base in Kuwait in conjunction with a unit from Missouri to fly missions in support of operations in the Central Command area of operations, which stretches from the Persian Gulf to Iraq and Afghanistan. The Soldiers are expected to return from their deployment in the summer. Redeploy home Seventeen New York Army National Guard soldiers assigned to the Glenville-based 501st Ordnance Battalion have returned home after a nine month deployment to Afghanistan. They deployed to Afghanistan in mid-March. The 501st is an explosive ordnance disposal battalion. The soldiers manned the headquarters of Task Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal and were responsible for oversight of explosive disposal teams operating in 20 Afghan provinces. The New York Army National Guard soldiers commanded five United States Army EOD units, two United State Air Force EOD teams and one EOD team from the Czech Republic. They were also responsible for providing advice on explosive ordnance disposal operations to United States Forces Afghanistan. News of your troops and units can be sent to Duty Calls, Terry Brown, Times Union, Box 15000, Albany, NY 12212 or brownt@timesunion.com. ALBANY Advocates and family members of New Yorkers killed by police are calling on Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and the Legislature to advance a full repeal of a state law that bars the release of disciplinary records of law enforcement officers. In a letter addressed to Cuomo, incoming Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie, advocates say that New York Civil Rights Law 50-a is used by municipalities to protect abusive officers and police departments. Police reform proponents said they won't accept anything but a full repeal of the law "at a time of a systemic crisis, when there is a lack police transparency and accountability." The letter was signed by 85 organizations and 16 family members of New Yorkers killed by cops, including the mothers of Anthony Baez, Amadou Diallo, Eric Garner and Akai Gurley. "Full repeal of 50-a is the only way to guarantee an end to officially sanctioned secrecy for police misconduct and the systemic lack of discipline and accountability for misconduct," the letter states. "The public should have the right to know how police departments respond when officers engage in misconduct." New York is one of three states in the nation that specifically protect police officers' records without judicial approval. The original intent of 50-a was to protect officers' privacy and prevent disclosure of "unverified and unsubstantiated" civilian complaints not to prevent disclosure of substantiated civilian complaints. In the past few decades, however, state courts have broadened the scope of the law, even as several high-profile police-involved civilian deaths sparked a national outcry. The case of Eric Garner, who died in July 2014 on Staten Island after a NYPD officer placed him in an illegal chokehold, brought increased scrutiny to the controversial law after it emerged that the officer involved, Daniel Pantaleo, had four previous substantiated complaints of abusive stops and searches on his record. An appellate court is currently considering whether the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association can sue to stop New York City from releasing body camera footage, which the union argues is protected under 50-a. Multiple bar associations and legal aid organizations have come out in support of a full repeal of 50-a, which they said does not serve the public's interest. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Rulings in 50-a cases have steadily expanded the state's interpretation of the term "personnel records," making New York more secretive about police misconduct than any other state in the nation, according to the state's Committee on Open Government. "Section 50-a has it backwards," said COOG's Executive Director Robert Freeman in a statement. "Repeal of section 50-a would require government agencies to disclose or withhold records regarding police officers based on the same standards as those applicable to other public employees. It's time for the Legislature to level the playing field." A 50-a repeal bill, sponsored by Democratic Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell, D-Manhattan, has not moved out of committee. It currently lacks a sponsor in the state Senate. Advocates hope there will be more movement on the legislation in 2019, as the Senate and Assembly will both be controlled by Democratic majorities. Spokespersons for the Assembly and Senate majority conferences said the issue would be revisited, along with other criminal justice reform measures, in the session that begins next month. Cuomo's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. TROY The defense attorney for a Troy police officer charged with assaulting a man after a Little League game accused Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel Abelove of targeting his client because the alleged victim in the case is "an affluent, white male who has the ear of Mr. Abelove." William Roberts, the lawyer for officer Dominick Comitale, proceeded to reference Abelove's handling of the April 2016 death of Edson Thevenin, an African-American man who was shot by police as he fled a traffic stop. "I thought the way grand juries work here in Rensselaer County is police officers get notified and get immunity before a grand jury but I guess that only happens when the complainant is deceased," Roberts said. The attorney spoke at Rensselaer County Courthouse after Comitale was charged with misdemeanor assault and harassment for allegedly hitting another man in September. State Supreme Court Justice Patrick McGrath opened an indictment Monday morning; the officer entered a not guilty plea. Roberts called Abelove's decision to bring the indictment "an abuse of power," and said Comitale was never invited to testify in front of the grand jury a courtesy prosecutors can offer to targets of investigations. Abelove faced heavy criticism for his handling of Thevenin's death, especially his decision to allow Sgt. Randall French, the cop who fired the fatal shot, to testify with immunity a move that effectively ended any possible prosecution of the officer. Earlier this year, Abelove was charged with perjury and official misconduct related to the Thevenin case and the subsequent probe of the matter by the state attorney general's office. Those charges were dismissed by a judge who said the state had exceeded its authority to investigate Abelove, though the state is exploring an appeal of that decision. Roberts said he believed Comitale's indictment was prompted by his motion seeking dismissal on speedy-trial grounds. There has been no change in the facts; there have been no changes in the circumstances in this case, the lawyer said. The altercation occurred on Sept. 8, when Comitale who was off-duty at the time allegedly elbowed Twin Town Little League vice president Darren Ayotte and pressed his police badge into Ayotte's forehead after pushing him against a car. Comitale was initially charged with second-degree harassment. According to witnesses, Comitale inserted himself into an argument between Ayotte and a Little League manager over cleaning up the field after a game. Ayotte is the director of personnel for the state Department of Correction and Community Supervision. Comitale's behavior on and off the job has been the subject of several complaints in recent years. The City of Troy has paid more than $174,000 to settle four allegations of excessive force filed against him since 2011. In November, Ayotte called Comitale "a threat to the public" and said he was unfit to be a police officer. Ayotte indicated he would sue the city over his conduct. Ayotte and his attorney, Lee Kindlon, released profanity-laced audio drawn from dashcam footage shot by responding officers in which Comitale disparaged female witnesses to the incident, insulted North Greenbush's police chief and said his arrest was "bullsh_." "You should have went to Troy, man," Comitale says at one point to the North Greenbush officers. "It's a lot easier. You don't have to deal with this f__ing sh__. You'd be slapping people around telling them to f__ off and 'Go play over there.'" Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. When an officer tells Comitale that five witnesses said they had seen him strike Ayotte, he responds with a laugh, "They're women, right?" While Comitale did not speak after Monday's appearance, his wife Laney Comitale tried to explain the context behind those comments: She said that North Greenbush officers had only interviewed women who were related to or knew Ayotte. "They did not take statements from anyone else," she said. Dominick Comitale was suspended late last month from the Troy Police Department. It is unclear if the suspension is paid or unpaid. He had previously been on disability with a shoulder injury. Troy PBA President Nick Laviano criticized Abelove for indicting Comitale on Christmas Eve, calling the charges concocted. (Abelove's) office screwed up the charges several times in this case, but that has been par for the course since day one of his administration, Laviano said. In addition to his wife, Comitale appeared in court with his father and only a few other supporters. It was a markedly different scene from last month, when over a dozen active and retired Troy police officers came to court to support Sgt. Ron Epstein and Detective John A. Comitale Jr. as they were sentenced for their roles in concealing their illegal entry into an apartment containing drugs in June 2017. Both officers retired as they faced the charges. Abelove, a Republican who next week will relinquish his office to Democrat Mary Pat Donnelly, was not available to respond to a request for comment. If you're an undocumented immigrant who sets foot inside a Capital Region county jail, your fate could be decided by the Hudson River. If you're arrested and go to Rensselaer County jail, you will be screened to find out whether you're wanted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). If you are, the county will call ICE, which will detain you and start deportation proceedings. If you get sent to Albany County jail, instead of a call to ICE, you'll get free legal help while your immigration case is being decided. As the Trump administration's immigration policy polarizes the country, national debates found their way to the Capital Region in 2018. Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple and Rensselaer County Sheriff Patrick Russo, divided only by a narrow river, diverged in how to detain immigrants and whether to cooperate with federal authorities to enforce immigration law. The two men, each with decades of law enforcement experience, agree on some things. They welcome legal immigration and don't believe all immigrants are criminals. Neither allows his officers to ask about immigration status while on patrol. Both see the benefit of detaining immigrants in their jails, which can bring in millions of federal dollars. But while Apple housed hundreds of immigrants in the county jail and funneled ICE revenue to offer free legal help, Russo was the only New York sheriff to sign a 287(g) agreement with the federal government deputizing two of his officers as ICE agents screening jail inmates. They say the residents who elected them have supported, pushed back and even threatened them for their decisions on hot-button issues. At the end of a tumultuous year, the Times Union sat down with both sheriffs to understand why they did what they did. Apple in Albany At the end of June, Albany County Correctional Facility Superintendent Michael Lyons got a call from the federal government: We need more beds for immigrants. A lot of them. Over a six-day-period, ICE transferred to Albany more than 300 immigrants who had crossed the U.S. southern border illegally. The county jail, which usually holds only a handful of locally arrested immigrants, maxed out. Detainees came from two dozen different countries, as far as India or the Ukraine. None had criminal records and almost all were seeking asylum, claiming fear of persecution at home. At least two dozen had been separated from families and children at the border. Jail leadership faced a challenge and a choice: how to treat them? For Apple, the answer was relatively easy. "This is America. This is the greatest free world country out there and I think we're supposed to treat people humanely, we're supposed to show kindness, we're supposed to show compassion, and we can still do that as law enforcement and accomplish our mission of keeping people safe," Apple said inside the jail on Old Albany Shaker Road. Apple opened up the doors to volunteer attorneys and interpreters, organized by Sarah Rogerson, immigration law clinic director at Albany Law School, and Camille Mackler, immigration policy director at the New York Immigration Coalition. Lyons housed immigrant detainees separately and opened up the usually collect-call phone lines, a cost to the tune of $35,000. The superintendent with two decades of experience said the purpose was twofold. He thought it was important to treat inmates seeking asylum differently than those charged with or convicted of a crime. "There are a lot of folks coming to this country looking for an opportunity and there are some bad people coming to this country looking to exploit, but we felt like you can't group everybody into one or the other. Whether you agree or disagree with immigration policies, it's sort of more of a humanitarian effort in let's just do what we think is the right thing," Lyons said. "We're not rolling out the red carpet for them, but they're here, they didn't hurt anyone, they haven't committed any crimes, let's allow them to get the representation that they should get." He also wanted to make sure no detainees slipped through the cracks causing violence or self-harm. "This is not an easy environment to live in and then you add on top of that a language barrier and they don't even know where they are. When you have those kinds of stressors, bad things can happen here and we really wanted to prevent that," Lyons said. He said some detainees were on the mental health caseload but there have been no incidents. Since July, at least 50 more detainees have arrived, but more than 200 detainees were already transferred to a federal detention center near Buffalo. Most of the detainees applying for asylum have passed their credible fear interviews to decide whether their asylum claim is valid. An immigration judge will now decide their case. On a mid-December morning, Lyons led the way inside the maximum-security facility. Automated metal grates echoed as doors clanged shut. Inside a unit housing detainees, checker and chess boards sat on tables. Individual cells lining the walls were filled with a bed, desk and toilet. Light came through slivered windows. A cluster of men in orange jumpsuits gathered near the door. Most were young, although one had white hair. Another wore a Sikh turban. Two pressed their palms together in a traditional Indian sign of respect when Lyons passed. They were waiting, Lyons said, to be transferred, bringing the jail's detainee population down to 54. Apple said he could take at least 100 more detainees in the 1,040 bed facility that is currently only half full. More detainees mean more money for the county. ICE pays the jail $119 per person a day but Lyons said it costs nothing to house them. The county made $4.5 million from ICE this year, which brought down taxes for next year. The county legislature and Apple are using $170,000 to hire an attorney by February to give detainees free legal help. More Information This is one in a series of Times Union stories taking a fresh look at the top issues and events of 2018. See More Collapse Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Apple, a Democrat, said he thinks a majority of the county is in agreement with him, although he's also received calls from people who he said want to drag him behind their car. "I know immigration is a hot topic, I can't change that as a sheriff," Apple said. "I can show that Albany County is a kind and caring and compassionate county and we're going to show that. I think we've accomplished that mission." Russo in Rensselaer Across the Hudson River inside the Rensselaer County jail, Sheriff Patrick Russo has received similar support and pushback but from the opposite parties. In March, he drew national attention as the only New York sheriff to sign a 287(g) agreement with the federal government deputizing his officers as ICE agents screening jail inmates. He sent two officers to a four-week intensive training in Washington D.C., paid for by ICE. Since the program started, the county has made one call to ICE resulting in an arrest, Russo said. On a mid-December morning in the facility, Russo, a Republican, said he signed the agreement to cooperate with another law enforcement agency and ensure immigrant criminals are behind bars. "My position was to make sure I'm not releasing a criminal back out into the community. 287(g) allows us to vet in real time somebody coming into the facility," Russo said. Rensselaer County's jail also detains immigrants, although far less than Albany. The jail held 21 immigrants who were arrested locally this year for a total of 34 days, making $91 per detainee per day. Russo said he could take around 50 more and would welcome the revenue. Russo's interest in immigration extends beyond 287(g) though. In September, he was one of 42 sheriffs who gathered in Washington D.C. to meet with President Donald Trump and lobby Congress to fix immigration laws and increase border security. "We all know all immigrants are not criminals. I'm friends with a lot of hard-working immigrants who own stores in this county," Russo said. "We want immigrants to come in legally and offer what they have. We don't want criminals coming in. We're a nation of laws. You have to obey the law." He supports Trump's idea to build a border wall as a temporary solution that's necessary for a long-term fix. "If you don't build a wall and stop the illegal rush of people across, then you're going to be chasing your tail. Let's build a wall, let's have checkpoints, have people come through legally, and I'm sure everybody would be happy," he said. Russo finds himself in the midst of the debate about whether Troy should become a sanctuary city, like Albany, that prohibits police from asking about or taking action based on immigration status. Although Russo said his officers already don't do that, he opposed the idea because he said it would incentivize immigrants who wanted to commit crimes to come to the city. He referred to the migrant caravan of thousands of Central Americans who tried to cross the southern U.S. border as harboring criminals like the MS-13 gang and carrying diseases, citing articles from The Washington Examiner and The National Enquirer. "Don't think they're going to stay in Texas or California or Arizona, they're going to migrate here, especially if they know there's a sanctuary city here," Russo said. For the undocumented population already living in the county, his message is simple. "Don't commit crimes and we'll probably never cross paths," Russo said. "I would hope that Congress would be able to find a path for dreamers and hope our laws are strengthened where we don't allow the illegals to come across the border. We're a nation of immigrants, we welcome immigrants, we just want them to do it the right way." Washington Irritated with the criticism and fallout from Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' resignation, President Donald Trump on Sunday pushed the Pentagon chief out the door two months earlier than planned, an acrimonious end to a tense relationship that had been eroding in recent months. In a series of tweets, Trump appeared to question why he had put Mattis in his Cabinet in the first place and said Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan will take over as acting secretary on Jan. 1 to cover the accelerated departure. It was Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, not the president, who notified Mattis of the decision, said a senior administration official who insisted on anonymity to discuss personnel issues. The sudden change strips Mattis of any chance to further frame national security policy or smooth rattled relations with allies through the originally planned transition at the end of February. And it reflects White House displeasure with the retired Marine Corps general's blistering resignation letter, which he delivered to Trump on Thursday. Mattis resigned in protest over Trump's decision to pull all U.S. troops out of Syria. U.S. officials, however, said that the reaction to his decision to leave including the shock and dismay expressed on Capitol Hill annoyed Trump and likely led to Mattis leaving earlier than planned. "When President Obama ingloriously fired Jim Mattis, I gave him a second chance. Some thought I shouldn't, I thought I should," Trump tweeted Saturday, foreshadowing his displeasure and the Sunday announcement. He also fumed over the media coverage of his Syria withdrawal order, suggesting he should be popular for bringing troops home. "With me, hit hard instead by the Fake News Media. Crazy!" Trump tweeted. A White House official said Trump decided Mattis should leave the administration earlier than planned to avoid a drawn-out transition when they have someone on hand whom they consider a qualified deputy capable of running the Pentagon in an acting capacity. The official asked not to be identified publicly to discuss personnel matters. Lt. Col. Joseph Buccino, a spokesman for Shanahan, said the former Boeing Co. executive will accept the appointment as acting secretary. "Deputy secretary will continue to serve as directed by the president, and the Department of Defense will remain focused on the defense of the nation," Buccino said on Sunday. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. It is unusual for the Pentagon to have an acting secretary of defense. Historically when a secretary has resigned, he has stayed on until a successor is confirmed. For example, when Chuck Hagel was told to resign in November 2014, he stayed in office until Ash Carter was confirmed the following February. While Mattis' resignation followed Trump's announcement that he would soon pull all of the approximately 2,000 U.S. troops out of Syria, officials said that the decision was the result of an accumulation of disagreements. In a stunning resignation letter, Mattis made clear he did not see eye to eye with a president who has expressed disdain for NATO and doubts about keeping troops in Asia. Mattis was also unhappy with Trump's order to develop plans to pull out up to half of the 14,000 U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Earlier Sunday, Trump's acting chief of staff said that Trump had known for "quite some time now" that he and Mattis "did not share some of the same philosophies ... have the same world view." Mick Mulvaney told ABC's "This Week" that the president and his defense chief "just could never get on the same page" on Syria, adding that Trump had said since his presidential campaign that "he wanted to get out of Syria." Mulvaney said the president "is entitled to have a secretary of defense who is committed to that same end." Carita Beach, Indonesia The deadly tsunami struck in the dark, without warning. At least 222 people were killed as waves smashed into houses, hotels and other beachside buildings Saturday night along Indonesia's Sunda Strait, in a disaster that followed an eruption and possible landslide on Anak Krakatau, one of the world's most infamous volcanic islands. More than 800 others were injured and dozens were reported missing after the tsunami hit coastal areas along western Java and southern Sumatra islands at 9:27 p.m. Saturday amid a Christmas holiday weekend, the Disaster Management Agency said. The death toll could increase once authorities hear from all stricken areas. It was the second deadly tsunami to hit Indonesia this year, but the one that killed more than 2,500 people on the island of Sulawesi on Sept. 28 was accompanied by a powerful earthquake that gave residents a brief warning before the waves struck. On Saturday night, the ground did not shake beforehand to alert people to the oncoming wave that ripped buildings from their foundations in seconds and swept terrified concertgoers on a popular resort beach into the sea. Azki Kurniawan, 16, said his first warning about the tsunami was when people burst into the lobby of the Patra Comfort Hotel shouting, "Sea water rising!" Kurniawan, who was undergoing vocational training with a group of 30 other students, said he was confused because he had not felt a big earthquake. He said he ran to the parking lot to try to reach his motorbike but discovered it was already flooded. "Suddenly, 3.3-foot wave hit me," he said, his eyes red and swollen from crying. "I was thrown into the fence of a building about 100 feet from the beach and held onto the fence as strong as I could, trying to resist the water, which felt like it would drag me back into the sea. I cried in fear ... 'This is a tsunami?' I was afraid I would die." Dramatic video posted on social media showed the Indonesian pop band Seventeen performing under a tent on popular Tanjung Lesung beach at a concert for employees of a state-owned electricity company. Dozens of people sat at tables while others swayed to the music near the stage as strobe lights flashed and theatrical smoke was released. A child could also be seen wandering through the crowd. Seconds later, with the drummer pounding just as the next song was about to begin, the stage suddenly heaved forward and buckled under the force of the water, tossing the band and its equipment into the audience. The group released a statement saying their bass player, guitarist and road manager were killed, while two other band members and the wife of one of the performers were missing. "The tide rose to the surface and dragged all the people on site," the statement said. "Unfortunately, when the current receded, our members were unable to save themselves while some did not find a place to hold on." Disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said 222 deaths had been confirmed and at least 843 people were injured. The worst-affected area was the Pandeglang region of Java's Banten province, which encompasses Ujung Kulon National Park and popular beaches, the agency said. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo expressed his sympathy and ordered government agencies to respond quickly to the disaster. "My deep condolences to the victims in Banten and Lumpung provinces," he said. "Hopefully, those who are left have patience." At the Vatican, Pope Francis prayed for the dead, the missing and the homeless in Indonesia, telling tourists and pilgrims in St. Peter's Square that his thoughts were with victims "struck by violent natural calamities." U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted support for Indonesia: "We are praying for recovery and healing. America is with you!" The U.S. State Department also expressed its support: "Our thoughts and prayers are with all those in Indonesia affected by the natural disaster. We are currently not aware of any U.S. citizens directly affected, but stand ready to assist as needed." In the city of Bandar Lampung on Sumatra, hundreds of residents took refuge at the governor's office, while at the popular resort area of Anyer beach on Java, some survivors wandered in the debris. Tourists who were enjoying the long holiday weekend ahead of Christmas were also affected. "I had to run, as the wave passed the beach and landed 50-65 feet inland," said Norwegian Oystein Lund Andersen, in a Facebook post. The self-described photographer and volcano enthusiast said he was taking pictures of the volcano when he suddenly saw the water racing toward him. He and his family fled safely to higher ground. The damage became apparent after daybreak Sunday. Nine hotels and hundreds of homes were heavily damaged by the waves. Scientists, including those from Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics agency, said the tsunami could have been caused by landslides either above ground or under water on the steep slope of the erupting Anak Krakatau volcano. The scientists also cited tidal waves caused by the full moon. On October 11 last the family and friends of the late Alice Grant gathered to say their last goodbyes in a full to capacity Ss Peter and Pauls church, Clonmel. It was a fitting tribute to the well loved Clonmel native who tragically passed away in Perth, Australia on September 30. Alice had been visiting Australia for the second time and had been looking forward to attending her youngest daughter Lisas wedding while there before suffering a heart attack and subsequently passing away some ten days later. She was surrounded by her four children, her sons-in-law and daughter-in- law and her sister and best friend Dina. Born to the late Jimmy and Nelly Slater of Fr Matthew Terrace on August 17, 1947, Alice was the third of seven children six of whom survived into adulthood. She attended the Sisters of Charity School before beginning her working life and over the years worked in Bulmers, Mulcahys and Digital before eventually settling in Barlos from where she retired on the factorys closure in 2008. By 1969 Alice had met and married the late Billy Grant from Murroe, Co Limerick , a soldier at Kickham Barracks in Clonmel. They went on to have four children Denise, Aidan, Caroline and Lisa and lived in Bianconi Drive until the passing of Alices mother Nelly in 1988. MOVED BACK HOME The family then moved back to the family home in Fr Matthew Terrace to look after her father Jimmy. Sadly Jimmy passed away the following year, her husband Billy passing 12 months later in 1990. Despite such tragedy, Alice continued to be a part of her community and remained an active member of Clonmel Branch O.N.E., an organisation which saw her and her late husband Billy make many friendships over the years, not only in Clonmel but in Cork, Dublin and all over Ireland. She was also a member of Clonmel Widows Association, St Olivers Marion Mothers Guild, the 55 Club and, in later years, was a prominent member and volunteer with Clonmel and District Wheelchair Association. Alice made a great impression on everyone she met and it was her ever smiling face that stayed with all who knew her. She will be remembered for her great sense of humour, her listening ear, her loving heart and her absolute commitment to her family especially her grandchildren. Indeed, such was her ability to affect those around her she even made a lasting impression on the doctors and nurses who tended to her in her final days at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Murdoch, Western Australia. On the day before she passed away, the nurses of the Coronary Care Unit, where Alice had been since her admission to hospital, rallied together and helped organise a beautiful ceremony in Alices hospital room so that she could be present at Lisa and Darryls wedding. It was a bittersweet day but one which all those present will forever cherish. In the days following Alices passing her family were greatly supported by Perths Claddagh Association who are a charity that were set up to help Irish people in crisis. They supported the family in everything from organising Australian undertakers Bowra and ODea, to liaising with the Irish Embassy and were instrumental in getting the wonderful Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust on board so that Alice could be brought home to Clonmel as quickly as possible. DEVASTATING TIME It was a devastating time for the family but they will be forever grateful for the kindness shown by these wonderful charities, their members and all the staff at Fiona Stanleys CCU. Alice is survived by her four children, her daughter-in-law Geraldine, her sons-in-law Hugh, Thomas and Darryl, her grandchildren Aoife, Shane, Aisling, Caoimhe, Conor, Aoibheann, Saoirse, Caoilfhionn and Bronagh, great grandchildren Jamie and Maisie, her brothers Gus and PJ, her sisters Mary, Eleanor and Dina. She will be greatly missed and forever cherished by her family, friends and neighbours but the good she did and the love she gave will live on in all those who were blessed to know her. May she rest in peace. [December 23, 2018] Artprice and Cision Join Forces to Create the World's Leading Press Agency Dedicated to the Art Market PARIS, Dec. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Artprice is bound to inform the market of CISION's forthcoming press release (NYSE listed CISN). Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/644091/Artprice_Logo.jpg Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/801893/Artprice_Thierry_Ehrmann.jpg As of today, Artprice and Cision have joined forces to create Artpress agency - the world's leading press agency dedicated to Art Market information - an area in which Artprice is global leader. For 120 years Cision has gradually built up a global information diffusion network recognized by more than 100,000 reputable clients in the financial sector. Cision is the global leader in PR & Influence and Media Research software. With its database of 1.6 million journalists and media outlets, Cision sends out high value-added information to the globe's 5 principal continents. This press release by CISION USA : Artprice and Cision Enter Distribution Partnership PARIS, Dec. 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Artprice, a Server Group company and internet pioneer since 1985 in Europe, and Cision are pleased to announce a newswire distribution partnership. The partnership makes Cision the official news and content distributor for a world leader in art market information. Artprice and Cision Enter Distribution Partnership Press release Cision https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/artprice-and-cision-enter-distribution-partnership-300770437.html?=prn The strategic partnership designates Cision as the distribution service provider for Artprice information on art market trends for today's worldwide principal media agencies including approximately 7,200 international press publications. The deal is a direct result of a long-standing relationship spanning two decades between Artprice and Cision, two strong leaders in their respective markets. Artprice is a global leader in art price and art index databanks. It has over 30 million indices and auction results. Artprice Images gives unlimited access to the largest Art Market resource in the world: a library of 126 million images or prints of artworks from the year 1700 to the present day, along with comments by Artprice's art historians. "We take great pride in providing the best global news related to the art market industry such as, auction results, indices covering over 700,000 artists, major events, and museum openings across the five continents," said Artprice Founder and CEO, Thierry Ehrmann. "Cision's newswire service exceeds an industry-standard for news dissemination as revealed by our audit; it allows Artprice to reach its market representing roughly 90 million buyers and collectors through reliable and fast distribution, reaching the depths of its audience. In 2019, Artprice and Cision hence give birth to an Art Press agency on a worldwide scale." Cision stood out amongst competitors for partnership due to exceptional customer service and providing a newswire service unique in terms of diffusion and content. Global distribution was key for Artprice with a specific focus in France, Europe and China -- where it is associated with the Chinese leader in the Art Market, its solid institutional partner Artron.net -- to solidify its footprint in the international art market. The partnership will expand upon Artprice's global reach and impact as its Museum Industry, a global program supporting the expansion of museum openings, is now active across five continents. "Cision's recent technological investments have reinforced our position as a partner of choice for news distribution," says Frederic Dumas, VP of Sales, Cision, France. "We work with the most respected brands and now in our twentieth year of serving Artprice worldwide, we are expanding upon our steadfast commitment to ensuring a relevant audience for Artprice content." About Cision : Cision Ltd. (NYSE: CISN) is a leading global provider of earned media software and services to public relations and marketing communications professionals. Cision's software allows users to identify key influencers, craft and distribute strategic content, and measure meaningful impact. Cision has over 4,000 employees with offices in 19 countries throughout the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. For more information about its award-winning products and services, including the Cision Communications Cloud, visit http://www.cision.com and follow Cision on Twitter @Cision. Press release Cision : https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/artprice-and-cision-enter-distribution-partnership-300770437.html?=prn About Artprice: Founded by Thierry Ehrmann (see Who's who certified Biography ) (c) https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2018/10/bio-2019-whos-who-thierry-ehrmann.pdf ). Artprice is listed on the Eurolist by Euronext Paris, SRD long only and Euroclear: 7478 - Bloomberg: PRC - Reuters: ARTF. Dicover Artprice in video: https://www.artprice.com/video Artprice is the global leader in art price and art index databanks. It has over 30 million indices and auction results covering more than 700,000 artists. Artprice Images gives unlimited access to the largest Art Market resource in the world: a library of 126 million images or prints of artworks from the year 1700 to the present day, along with comments by Artprice's art historians. Artprice permanently enriches its databanks with information from 6,300 auctioneers and it publishes a constant flow of art market trends for the world's principal news agencies and approximately 7,200 international press publications. For its 4,500,000 members, Artprice gives access to the world's leading Standardised Marketplace for buying and selling art. Artprice is preparing its blockchain for the Art Market. It is BPI-labelled (scientific national French label) Artprice's Global Art Market Annual Report for 2017 published last March 2018: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-art-market-in-2017 Artprice is associated with Artron Group the Chinese leader in the Art Market, its solid institutional partner. About the Artron Group: "Artron Art Group (Artron), a comprehensive cultural industrial group founded in 1993 by Wan jie, is committed to inheriting, enhancing and spreading art value. Based on abundant art data, Artron provides art industry and art fans with professional service and experience of quality products by integrated application of IT, advanced digital science and innovative crafts and materials. Having produced more than 60,000 books and auction catalogues, Artron is the world's largest art book printer with a total print volume of 300 million a year. It has more than 3 million professional members in the arts sector and an average of 15 million daily visits, making it the world's leading art website. Founded in 1993by Wan Jie, the Artron Art Group is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. It is the first choice for art professionals, investors, collectors and art fans in general wishing to discover and/or participate in the art world or the art market. Founded in 1993, Artron Art Group is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year." Artron's Web: http://www.Artron.net Artprice's Contemporary Art Market Annual Report for 2017 - free access at: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-contemporary-art-market-report-2017 Artprice's press releases: http://serveur.serveur.com/Press_Release/pressreleaseen.htm https://twitter.com/artpricedotcom Artmarket News: https://twitter.com/artpricedotcom & https://twitter.com/artmarketdotcom https://www.facebook.com/artpricedotcom 3.4 million subscribers http://artmarketinsight.wordpress.com/ Discover the Alchemy and the universe of Artprice http://web.artprice.com/video, which headquarters are the famous Museum of Contemporary Art, the Abode of Chaos: http://goo.gl/zJssd https://vimeo.com/124643720 The Contemporary Art Museum The Abode of Chaos https://www.facebook.com/la.demeure.du.chaos.theabodeofchaos999 3.4 million subscribers Contact: Thierry Ehrmann, [email protected] SOURCE Artprice.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 24, 2018] Realme Malaysia Now Offers 360 Degree After Sales Service Support With a click of a button on the official website, Realme fans can easily find an authorised service center Realme fans can email, call a hotline, reach out to its social media and e-commerce sites, or visit any of its 21 authorized service centers for 360-degree support KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Dec. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Realme, one of Malaysia's rising smartphone brands with an emphasis on providing high quality smartphones at youth-friendly prices, announced that it now offers 360 degree after sales support. With a click of a button on its website, Realme fans can now easily find an authorized service center in Malaysia for software and hardware solutions and maintenance of all Realme devices. Furthermore, fans can also drop an email, contact a hotline, or reach out to its social media pages and e-commerce sites. "As a young brand in the country, we take pride in delivering exceptional customer experiences and value to improve overall satisfaction for Malaysian fans. By providing 360 degree support, we hope that this will provide further trust in the brand by showcasing our strength in the after sales service, as well as ensuring that current customers are taken care off too. Additionally, as Realme authorized OPPO to offer after-sale service, we are also thankful for the strong support from OPPO," said Tiffany Teh, Brand Manager, Realme Malaysia Starting today, fans can reach out to receive support for a Realme device in various ways: E mail [email protected] mail Call the hotline number: 1800 - 818018. The hotline is available from 9AM to 6PM every day except Sunday and public holidays 818018. The hotline is available from every day except Sunday and public holidays Visit any of the 21 authorized service centers, which offer s ervices including help desk, device inspection and software updates. The Realme website also has the locations of its after-sales service centers offer ervices including help desk, device inspection and software updates. The Realme website also locations of its after-sales service centers R each out to Realme Malaysia via its Facebook and Instagram pages and e-commerce sites for after-sales service support "In India, Realme's official website has been updated to list all Realme independent authorized service centers, along with a convenient 'Callme service' which includes free pick-up and return in India. We hope to bring the same service to Malaysia, as we aim to provide consumers with good experience not only on products but also service," added Teh To find out more about Realme and their ground-breaking smartphones, please visit https://www.realme.com/my/ Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20181219/2331745-1 SOURCE Realme [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 24, 2018] FISCO BCOS Blockchain Application Contest Reveals the Grand Prize Winner SHENZHEN, China, Dec. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chinese Consortium Chain FISCO BCOS made its international debut at 2018 Singapore Fintech Festival. On December 21st, the Final Round of FISCO BCOS Blockchain Application Contest (China) was held in Shenzhen, China. ODRChain, a mature and in-operation project implementing a public consortium chain solution to boost the procedure of arbitration, won the grand prize - one million RMB. The first prize went to Project JustSign, the joint product of JustKey and Forms Syntron. Changhong Information Security Lab's IoT Trusted interconnection solution won the second prize. The Contest aimed to discover and present practical consortium chain projects, thus improving the public exposure of advantages of consortium chains, such as experience evolution, boosting efficiency, cost savings, mutual trust, data transparency and clear responsibility. The contest provided investors with opportunities to connect with fast-growing consortium chain start-ups. All projects adopted FISCO BCOS as the underlying blockchain technology platform. Together they further tested the robustness and availability of FISCO BCOS, which in return, facilitated the sustainable development of FISCO BCOS's open-source ecosystem. Eventually, it will help launch applications in different scenarios of Distributed Business. According to Henry Ma, President of Financial Blockchain Shenzhen Consortium (FISCO) Technical Committee, Vice President and Chief Information Officer of WeBank, "Through the Contest, we inspired participants who are using blockchain technology to solve problems in their businesses and encouraged them to join FISCO BCOS - the building block of open consortium chain. Together we will enable collaborative businesses and contribute to future real economy and development of SMEs." The FISCO BCOS Blockchain Application Contest was sponsored by WeBank and was guided by China Electronics Standardizations Institutes and China Computer Federation. ZhongChao Blockchain Technology Research Institute provided academic advice. FISCO and Shenzhen Finance Technology Association co-hosted the largest and most famous consortium chain applications contest in China. 300 projects joined the contest, covering dozens of industries such as government affairs, finance, public benefits, medical, education, transportation and smart home. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fisco-bcos-blockchain-application-contest-reveals-the-grand-prize-winner-300770580.html SOURCE FISCO BCOS [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 24, 2018] JinkoSolar Wins Most Globalized PV Module Enterprise Award SHANGHAI, Dec. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. ("JinkoSolar" or "Company"), (NYSE: JKS), a reputable solar module manufacturer in the world, today announced that it was named most globalized enterprise at South Korea's first Future Enterprise Conference held at the Korea Press Center in Seoul on December 18. Industry Award Korea is sponsor of the annual award, which is given to the world's most future-oriented enterprises. In addition to JinkoSolar, Schneider Electric SE, Siemens AG, Hilscher Gesellshaft fur Systemautomation mbH, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, LG Electronics Inc. and Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. won honorable mentions at the conference. Gener Miao, Vice President of Sales & Marketing of JinkoSolar was jubilant in receiving the prestigious award. "This affirms JinkoSolar's iconic position in the global PV industry," Mr. Miao said. "We are honored to be recognized among such a gallery of the world's solar companies. Like them, we are dedicated to a future energy economy in which renewable energy plays a leading role." Prominent South Korean congressmen attended the ceremony, including Representative Woo Won-shik, a member of the Minjoo Party, and seven other members of the National Assembly. About JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS) is a world-renowned solar module manufacturer. JinkoSolar has over 12,000 employees across its 6 productions facilities globally. The company distributes its solar products and sells its solutions and services to a diversified international utility, commercial and residential customer base in mor than 80 countries worldwide. JinkoSolar has built a vertically integrated solar product value chain, with an integrated annual capacity of 9.2 GW for silicon ingots and wafers, 6.5 GW for solar cells, and 10 GW for solar modules, as of September 30, 2018. JinkoSolar has over 12,000 employees across its 6 productions facilities globally, 16 oversea subsidiaries in Japan (2), Singapore, India, Turkey, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Australia, South Africa and United Arab Emirates, and global sales teams in United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, Ghana, Kenya, Costa Rica, Colombia, Panama and Argentina. To find out more, please see: www.jinkosolar.com Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends, "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the quotations from management in this press release and the Company's operations and business outlook, contain forward-looking statements. Such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in JinkoSolar's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: In China: Mr. Sebastian Liu JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. Tel: +86 21-5183-3056 Email: [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jinkosolar-wins-most-globalized-pv-module-enterprise-award-300770575.html SOURCE JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [December 24, 2018] IMPORTANT INVESTOR REMINDER: The Schall Law Firm Announces the Filing of a Class Action Lawsuit Against The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and Encourages Investors with Losses in Excess of $100,000 to Contact the Firm The Schall Law Firm, a national shareholder rights litigation firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit against The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. ("Goldman Sachs" or "the Company") (NYSE: GS) 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 between February 28, 2014 and December 17, 2018, inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the firm before February 19, 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 (News - Alert) 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 [email protected]. 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. Goldman Sachs conspired with 1Malaysia Development Bhd., an investment fund owned by the government of Malaysia, to commit money laundering and fraud. These schemes would expose Goldman Sachs to legal and regulatory scrutiny, a fact the company could have reasonably foreseen. Based on these facts, the Company's public statements were false and materially misleading throughout the class period. When the market learned the truth about Goldman Sachs, 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. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181224005026/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Patent disputes come with the territory in tech, with companies often taking each other to the court to figure out who has the rights to what technology and who needs to pay for using it. This kind of legal wrangling usually doesn't draw much attention unless you're a new junkie or patent attorney. But every so often, a patent feud spills out of the courtroom and into the public view. Gerasimov Photo/Shutterstock Such is the case with Apple and Qualcomm, who find themselves fighting on multiple fronts over the patents covering how your mobile connects to the rest of the world when you're out and about. "This is exactly the type of intellectual property fight that we have seen before in the smartphone era between Qualcomm and Nokia and Apple and Samsung and Huawei and Google/Motorola," said Avi Greengart, research director for consumer devices at GlobalData. "Just because it is not unusual does not mean it doesn't have big implications for the industry." Indeed, with Qualcomm scoring a couple legal wins in December including rulings that could block iPhone sales in some countries the chip maker's ongoing legal battle with Apple is drawing more attention. Here's what you need to know about the Apple-Qualcomm dispute and how it might impact you and your next smartphone. Latest News (Updated Feb. 6) Qualcomm and the FTC have made closing arguments in their antitrust trial, and we're awaiting a ruling from U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh. The same German court that granted an injunction which stopped Apple from selling the iPhone 7 and 8 in that country has dismissed four other patent claims by Qualcomm against Apple. A judge ruled in favor of Apple, agreeing to limit potential damages in an upcoming legal case to the period after Qualcomm filed its lawsuit against Apple; one of the patent claims in that case was also dismissed. What are Apple and Qualcomm fighting over? The current dispute dates back to January 2017, when Apple sued Qualcomm for $1 billion. Apple contends that Qualcomm charges royalties for "technologies they have nothing to do with" and has accused the chip maker of withholding rebates as punishment for cooperating with Korean regulators looking into antitrust allegations against Qualcomm. MORE: 8 Ways Snapdragon 855 Will Change Your Next Phone Qualcomm holds patents for some of the technology that phones use to connect to cellular networks. It licenses that to phone makers who pay Qualcomm royalties for using its intellectual property even if they aren't using chips supplied by Qualcomm. Even with Apple using Intel-built modems on some of its devices, the iPhone maker still has to pay Qualcomm a licensing fee the dispute seems to be over just how much. Qualcomm countersued Apple, and the dispute has spread to other courts and countries, culminating in another lawsuit last fall in which Qualcomm accused Apple of handing over information and trade secrets to Intel to boost the performance of the latter's chips. An overview of the ongoing dispute published in Bloomberg last June said that Qualcomm and Apple are involved with more than 50 different legal proceedings in 16 different jurisdictions in six countries. What's happening with all these legal cases? Apple and Qualcomm are due in court on April 15, 2019, when their patent dispute goes to trial before a federal judge. Apple won a victory this month when a judge agreed to limit damages in that case to the period after Qualcomm filed its countersuit. Qualcomm just wrapped up a court date with the Federal Trade Commission the two sides completed closing arguments on Jan. 29 with regulators alleging that Qualcomm uses anti-competitive practices in how it licenses its patents. The case is in a judge's hands now, though a quick verdict is not expected. Meanwhile, the U.S. International Trade Commission is reviewing a September ruling that Apple violated one of Qualcomm's patents while recommending against an import ban on iPhones. The ITC will not only look at whether any infringement took place, but whether it should impose an import ban, as Qualcomm is demanding. A decision is expected in March. But the reason you're probably hearing a lot about the Qualcomm-Apple dispute these days is due to a pair of legal wins Qualcomm scored overseas in December 2018. That was when a Chinese court banned the sale of iPhones in that country, though the ban doesn't impact recent models like the iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. Apple is appealing the ruling. Because the patents center around software, Apple has said that software updates can bring its older iPhones into compliance with the Chinese court's ruling. (This might explain the recent spate of iOS updates that have come out during December.) As of this writing, Apple's iPhones remain on sale in China. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) That's not the case in Germany, where a Munich court granted an injunction against iPhones that use chips from Intel as well as parts from a second supplier. As a result, Apple said it's stopped selling the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 at its own retail stores in Germany while it appeals the ruling. Those older models remain available from third-party retailers in Germany, and Apple will continue to sell the iPhones it released in 2018. (A report out of Germany claims Apple may come out with redesigned versions of the iPhone 7 and 8 that replace the part at the heart of the injunction with a different component.) In January, another German court this one in Mannheim dismissed a Qualcomm patent suit against Apple, though Qualcomm's appealing that decision. The court in Munich that previously ruled in Qualcomm's favor, has since dismissed four more patent claims by the chip maker, though it still hasn't ruled on four additional claims. What impact will this have on consumers? If you're about to stroll into Apple's retail store in Munich to grab an iPhone 8, you're out of luck for now. Here in the U.S., though, consumers aren't really feeling any consequence from the ongoing court fights between Qualcomm and Apple. That may not always be the case, though, especially with those two big court cases coming up this year. "Obviously, when there are sales injunctions, these fights impact consumers in those jurisdictions, but mostly the impact to consumers is indirect," Greengart said. "There are embedded costs that get passed along - no fight with lawyers and fees comes free - and you could make the argument that innovation is harmed when companies are focused on fighting about IP rather than licensing it broadly and inventing new things." What's the outlook? It's impossible to say right now, pending any further injunctions or court rulings. "You would have thought that this would have been resolved a while ago. It hasn't been," Greengart said. "So I make no predictions on whether Apple and Qualcomm will come to terms in the near future." For now, though, keep an eye peeled on the verdict in that FTC-Qualcomm case and on the upcoming Qualcomm-Apple trial. Both sides have indicated a settlement isn't imminent, so expect this dispute to continue to play out in courtrooms around the world in 2019. BLUE SPRINGS, MO. - Blue Springs police confirmed Sunday that three teenagers were killed in a weekend crash . Officers were dispatched to the area of Indian Hills Drive and Duncan Road shortly after 8 p.m. Saturday to investigate a two-vehicle crash. New Kansas governor's budget repairs may fire GOP opposition Kansas' incoming Democratic governor uses words like "decimated" to describe what's happened to state government over the past decade. Gov.-elect Laura Kelly will be looking to add staff, boost spending and rethink contracts outsourcing jobs to private companies. The sordid topic of coin will ignite a battle betwixt this moderate Democratic Party leader and the more strident Conservatives of the Sunflower State GOP. Checkit: Even As Kansas City Murder Rate Remains High, Police Are Solving More Cases People are less likely to commit crimes when they think they'll get caught. That seeming truism, which is supported by research and the Department of Justice, led the Kansas City Police Department to make some changes this year after a wave of violence in 2017 sent the homicide rate to levels not seen in more than two decades. Public radio presents talking points amid the latest murder surge. Here's the over-explanation of what might be a bright spot in another wise terrifying year for KCMO crime but still shouldn't give locals most hope amid a ranking as one of the most violence and deadly cities in the nation. Take a look: 15-year-old girl recovering after shot in the chest in Shawnee LENEXA, KS (KCTV) -- Police are investigating after a 15-year-old girl was shot in the chest. Lenexa officers were called about 10:30 p.m. Sunday to the Reserve Apartments near 91st Street and Renner Boulevard in Lenexa. While the girl was being taken to the hospital, she said she had been shot at Cottonwood Park Apartments near West 63rd Terrace and Cottonwood Drive in Shawnee. While suburbanites like to feel like they're immune from the horrific gun crime that plagues KCMO. Here's a glimpse at the rising violence the reaches deep into the Golden Ghetto and frightens an otherwise peaceful neighborhood: Christmas and New Years Eve are really close. However, car guys and car galls will have to wait a bit more for their own Christmas and New Year parties. Toyota revealing the new Supra A90 is the biggest holiday one could have hoped for, and it will commence on the 14th of January at the dawn of the Detroit Auto Show. We have seen the first leaked photo of the new Supra in a transportation container. Now, we have a glimpse at its back. For the first time ever. Just look at it. I think this will be a gorgeous car. The FT-1 Concept Inspired Rear Is Convincing Right off the bat, it is more than obvious that the new Supra has a rear-end heavily inspired by the FT-1 Concept from four years ago. It is, actually, the same story as what is happening at the front. With that said, I am now convinced that Toyota designers actually did all they could to bring the stylistically perfect Toyota FT-1 Concept to fruition. While we only can see the rear right quarter of the car uncovered, it is more than obvious that it retained taillights that look a lot like those on the FT-1 Concept. The massive decklid spoiler is there too (looking dashing, might I add). Interestingly enough, the low, centrally positioned light on the bumper was also retained. This is rather incredible. Not many cars today (including supercars) have the courage to include this race car feature (an F1 feature actually). The shape of the lower diffusers also has its roots on the FT-1 Concept too. The only difference is that its shape has been softened out for the use on the production Toyota Supra A90. Nevertheless, kudos to brazen Toyota designers. It is not easy to pull all of this off. One thing that the rear end of the Toyota Supra A90 clearly lacks compared with the rear end of the FT-1 Concept are the vents under the taillights. That was a bit too much to add on the production car. Nevertheless, although I havent seen the car yet, I am more than certain that the Toyota Supra is basically uncomparable to the BMW Z4 in terms of design. The two cars are completely different. I Would Like It In Black | 2014 Toyota FT-1 Concept shown here. | Thankfully, the rear end has been revealed by SupraMKV forum and people there are quite convinced that someone will get fired over this. Honestly, I think that all of these leaks are just what the manufacturers need and the Toyota PR army likes. With it, we are basically introduced to a new car, that, honestly, has the potential to look like the best Supra ever. My only concern!? Will it be large enough? It is smaller than the last one. Hopefully, it will be equally imposing thanks to all of this astounding design trickery. As one member of the SupraMKV forum noted, the Supra nameplate has been positioned right at the center suggesting that Toyota simply did not have enough space to put it anywhere else. I dont mind this detail. I would mind, however, if I found that the old one looks more striking than this one. If we are to judge by the FT-1 Concept, it wont. Obviously, the car in yellow should look far more impressive than the one in gray, but I really cant wait to see one in black. I have had limited experience with the Supra in my life, but I do remember seeing one in black, and that one is permanently printed into my mind. I need this one to be that too. Further Reading Read our speculative review of the 2020 Toyota Supra Convertible Top Can be Stowed in 10 Seconds Read our full, in-depth review of the 2019 BMW Z4 Looks familiar, right? Check out our full review of the [2014 Toyota FT-1 Concept->art1619 Source: SupraMKV Forum Triumph released a brand-new Tiger 800 XC lineup ahead of MY2018 with over 200 improvements across the board, and the British giant carries it straight over into the 2019 season. Not only does the littlest Tiger come with fresh bodywork, but the engine and electronics were upgraded, as well. Additionally, the factory beefed up the XCxs off-road chops with some very specific tuning to give this model even more capability when the blacktop turns to brown. Triumph Tiger 800 XCx Design The factory stepped up its game in the aesthetics category with new side panels and graphics. Triumph does offer a larger-displacement Tiger with an equally adventuresome disposition, but you could argue that the mid-range is more likely to be looked at first by folks breaking into the adventure-bike life due to its more-manageable demeanor. It even comes in an A2-compliant version that you can de-restrict once you get your full license. The factory stepped up its game in the aesthetics category with new side panels and graphics alongside higher quality badges and a new color palette from which to choose. Comfort was on the receiving end of a boost as well; the factory moved the handlebar back 0.39 inch (10 mm) for a more relaxed riding position when seated and to make it easier to operate the bike while standing up on the footpegs. The Tiger leads off with the typical birds-beak fairing, but most of the fling control falls to the pared down front fender. Since the forks are of the upside-down variety, the fender comes with some rather lengthy uprights that shield the swept area of the inner fork tubes from grit and road grime to save the fork seals from premature wear and failure. LED technology abounds with symmetrical dual headlights that dominate the visage from their spot below the five-position adjustable windscreen. The screen comes with additional deflectors down low that work with the handguards to shunt the wind away from your body, and of course, the latter makes the heated handgrips all the more effective. In profile, the Tiger displays the classic adventure flyline with a tall fuel tank hump that holds an even five gallons ahead of the deep swale at the saddle thats created by the upswept subframe. That has the effect of pulling the rider down into the bike for an enhanced feeling of oneness between man (or woman) and machine, and the seat itself is adjustable between 33.07 inches and 33.85 inches so you can dial it in somewhat for your inseam length. Yeah, thats kind of tall, but it is intended for off-road use and the generous suspension stroke had to be accommodated somehow. The final bit of off-roadiness comes in the form of a bash plate down low to prevent terrain-to-engine strikes that also protects the 3-into-1 exhaust headers as they make their turn at the cradle to head back to the single upswept muffler. I suppose the silencer itself also counts as an off-road feature as well since its position is meant to keep it out of harms way. Triumph Tiger 800 XCx Chassis All thing combine to give the Tiger great maneuverability, especially at slower speeds. Tubular-steel members make up the Trellis frame that does almost as much for the look as it does for the structure. Since most of the frame is visible and painted in a contrasting light color, it adds to the overall aesthetic, and Id go so far as to say its the visible bones that gives the Tiger family its industrial-British panache. A yoke-style, cast-aluminum swingarm completes the frame with good old steel-laced aluminum rims to round out the rolling chassis. As for the rubber, it comes with street-biased, Bridgestone Battlewing hoops that carry deep grooves for soft-surface performance and water evacuation. Theyre asymmetrical with a 90/90-21 up front opposite a 150/70-17, and thats sure to help it negotiate light to moderate terrain. The suspension does its part, too. WP provides a set of 43 mm forks that boast an adjustable rebound- and compression-damping feature along with an 8.66-inch stroke to soak up the abuse of off-road work. Out back, the WP monoshock rocks a remote reservoir with hydraulically adjusted preload feature and an 8.46-inch stroke. Dual, 305 mm discs and twin-piston Brembo anchors slow the front wheel with a single-pot Nissin caliper and 255 mm disc out back. Switchable ABS comes stock, so you can take or leave it as you please. Rake and trail are rather short at 23.4 degrees and 3.68 inches, respectably, and this gives the Tiger its great maneuverability, especially at slower speeds. Frame: Tubular steel trellis frame Swingarm: Twinsided, cast aluminum alloy Front Suspension: WP 1.69 in (43 mm) upside down forks, with adjustable rebound and compression damping, 8.66 in (220 mm) travel Rear Suspension: WP monoshock with remote oil reservoir, hydraulically adjustable preload, 8.46 in (215 mm) rear wheel travel Rake: 23.4 Trail: 3.68 in (93.5 mm) Front Wheel: Spoked, 21 x 2.15 in Rear Wheel: Spoked, 17 x 4.25 in Front Tire: 90/90-21 Rear Tire: 150/70 R17 Front Brakes: Dual 305 mm floating discs, Brembo 2piston sliding calipers, switchable ABS Rear Brakes: Single 255 mm disc, Nissin single piston sliding caliper, switchable ABS Triumph Tiger 800 XCx Drivetrain The next-generation triple delivers manageable, but still fun, power. A next-generation, three-cylinder powerplant delivers the goods with a respectable 95 ponies on tap at 9,500 rpm backed up by 58 pound-feet of torque at 8,050 rpm; manageable, but still fun. The 800 cc comes from the 74.05 mm bores and 61.9 mm stroke with an 11.3-to-1 compression ratio that will call for top-hook pump champagne. Its liquid cooled with a radiator tucked away up under the steering head, and it uses a dual over-head cam to time the valvetrain that runs with four poppets per cylinder. The exhaust system was on the receiving end of a weight reduction on this model with a new high-flow construction for lower resistance and greater power/freer revs. Safety-related electronics give the Tiger some extra comfort, cause lets face it, keepin it rubber-side down and between the stripes is very comforting. Theres a bundle of five riding modes as well as a traction control feature to help you achieve that, and I reckon the only way it could be better is if those items were of the corner-sensitive variety, but this isnt that kind of bike. A six-speed transmission does its bit with an extra-short first gear meant to aid in controlled takeoffs, especially in soft terrain. Engine: Liquid-cooled, 12 valve, DOHC, in-line 3-cylinder Displacement: 800 cc Bore x Stroke: 2.91 in (74.05 mm) x 2.43 in (61.9 mm) Compression: 11.3:1 Max Power EC: 95 hp (70 kW) @ 9,500 rpm Max Torque EC: 58 lb-ft (79 Nm) @ 8,050 rpm Fuel System: Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection Exhaust: Stainless steel 3-into-1 header system, side mounted stainless steel muffler Final Drive: O-ring chain Clutch: Wet, multi-plate Gearbox: 6-speed Triumph Tiger 800 XCx Pricing MSRP runs $14.6k for black and a couple bills more for color options. The 2019 Tiger 800 XCx rolls in Jet Black for a starting price of $14,600. This model rocks new colors for the family to include Matt Khaki Green, Lucerne Blue (my fave) or Crystal White for a bit more at $14,850. Triumph Tiger 800 XCx Competitors The twin-cylinder configuration pays off in the grunt department with a bit more torque so it has a bit more oomph coming out of the hole. Honda provides the competitor for todays head-to-head comparison with its globetrotting Africa Twin model. The Red Riders utterly shun the birds-beak front fairing in favor of a snub-nose entry that just looks much better to my eyes. Spray control falls entirely to a larger front fender that probably adds a few ounces of unsprung weight at the front axle, but Im OK with that. Anythings better than having a phallic-looking (in profile) fairing on point, pun fully intended. Beyond that, Honda hits all the important high points and comes off looking a bit more polished due to the fact that much of the frame is hidden, and the rest is rather understated, so it doesnt add to the aesthetic in quite the same way that the Tigers does. Hondas suspension comes fully adjustable for a slight edge, but at the anchors, the Africa Twin only allows the rear ABS to be disabled, where Triumph allows for complete disengagement at both ends to allow for a full-raw ride. Hondas beating heart measures in at 998 cc for a definite edge in displacement, but that doesnt necessarily translate into more power since the Africa Twin only claims 93 ponies. However, the twin-cylinder configuration pays off in the grunt department with 73 pounds of grunt against the Tigers 58 pound-feet, so it has a bit more oomph coming out of the hole. Honda picks up a minor win at the counter with a $13,599 sticker thats a skosh under the Tigers tag. He Said Looks like a good bike for someone who wants to break into the ADV genre. Its non-threatening due to its moderate power output, safety systems and comfort features, and Im sure our buddies across the pond will appreciate the A2-compliance as well as the ability to circumvent same when the time comes. As for me, I like the British look, if not the front fairing particularly, but its the electronics that sells it. She Said My wife and fellow motorcycle writer, Allyn Hinton, says, The Tiger XC has always been a nice offroad bike; it has the 21-inch front wheel that is better for that purpose and it comes with features such as hand and engines guards and a skid plate that tell you, Yes, this is meant for offroad and not just a street bike that you can doctor up in the accessories catalog. We have a lower first gear now, which is better in slower maneuvers in terrain, and a taller top gear. The changes to the engine arent dramatic, but each year, Triumph tweaks things just a bit to make improvements. Triumph Tiger 800 XCx Specifications Engine & Drivetrain: Engine: Liquid-cooled, 12 valve, DOHC, in-line 3-cylinder Displacement: 800 cc Bore x Stroke: 2.91 in (74.05 mm) x 2.43 in (61.9 mm) Compression: 11.3:1 Max Power EC: 95 hp (70 kW) @ 9,500 rpm Max Torque EC: 58 lb-ft (79 Nm) @ 8,050 rpm Fuel System: Multipoint sequential electronic fuel injection Exhaust: Stainless steel 3-into-1 header system, side mounted stainless steel muffler Final Drive: O-ring chain Clutch: Wet, multi-plate Gearbox: 6-speed Chassis: Frame: Tubular steel trellis frame Swingarm: Twinsided, cast aluminum alloy Front Suspension: WP 1.69 in (43 mm) upside down forks, with adjustable rebound and compression damping, 8.66 in (220 mm) travel Rear Suspension: WP monoshock with remote oil reservoir, hydraulically adjustable preload, 8.46 in (215 mm) rear wheel travel Rake: 23.4 Trail: 3.68 in (93.5 mm) Front Wheel: Spoked, 21 x 2.15 in Rear Wheel: Spoked, 17 x 4.25 in Front Tire: 90/90-21 Rear Tire: 150/70 R17 Front Brakes: Dual 305 mm floating discs, Brembo 2piston sliding calipers, switchable ABS Rear Brakes: Single 255 mm disc, Nissin single piston sliding caliper, switchable ABS Dimensions & Capacities: Width Handlebars: 31.69 in (805 mm) Height Without Mirror: 54.72 in (1,390 mm) Seat Height: 33.07 - 33.85 in (840 - 860 mm) Wheelbase: 60.83 in (1,545 mm) Dry Weight: 452 lbs (205 kg) Tank Capacity: 5 Gal. Details: Instrument Display and Functions: TFT multifunctional instrument pack with digital speedometer, trip computer, digital tachometer, gear position indicator, fuel gage, service indicator, ambient temperature, clock and five rider modes (Road/Offroad/Off-Road Pro/Sport/Track) Colors: Jet Black, Matt Khaki Green, Lucerne Blue, Crystal White Price: Jet Black: $14,600, Colors:$14,850 Further Reading Honda Africa Twin See our review of the Honda Africa Twin. Triumph Tiger 1200 XCx See our review of the Triumph Tiger 1200 Xcx. Triumph Motorcycles Read more Triumph news. Treehugger and our third-party partners use cookies and process personal data like unique identifiers based on your consent to store and/or access information on a device, display personalized ads and for content measurement, audience insight, and product development. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Treehugger.com, including your right to object where legitimate interest is used, click below. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. List of Partners (vendors) Gypsum board, or drywall as most people call it today, was invented in 1916, but nobody wanted the stuff. It was considered cheap. It took World War II, with its shortage of trades and the demand for cheap and fast buildings, to make it acceptable. But people still didn't really want it, and so many of the great images from the 50s and 60s have other materials, from wood panelling to brick. In Steve Mouzon's Four Unexpected Green Game-Changers for Earth Day, he suggests that we go drywall free. He writes: Lloyd Alter/CC BY 2.0 They call that boring white stuff we put on our walls "drywall" because so long as you keep it dry, you have a wall. But just as soon as it gets wet, it turns to messy mush. And even if it doesn't fall apart, it loves to host mold and mildew and make your family sick.... . We need to learn how to build durable and resilient buildings like our great-grandparents did so that the summer shower is no reason to call the insurance adjustor; you simply wipe down the walls that got wet and never give it a second thought. The Advantages of Drywall There are some real advantages to drywall: It's cheap, it is non-combustible, it reduces sound transmission and can be engineered to really stop noise, it installs quickly, and did I say it's cheap? But there are downsides; the finish isn't plaster, it's paper, and it has a fuzzy finish that is a dust collector. The normal half inch residential stuff is susceptible to damage; as Steve writes in an earlier post: Have a couple teenage kids that like to horse around? Chances are, they'll probably smash a hole in the drywall before too long. Bump the vacuum against it a bit too hard? You'll knock its paper face off. Try hanging a picture and can't find the strength of a wood stud behind the powdery drywall? You just may make a real mess of things. Downsides of Drywall Lloyd Alter/CC BY 2.0 There is also the issue of the acoustic privacy that we have all come to expect. Steve doesn't think this is a big deal, but when I designed my drywall-free summer cottage I cheated in the master bedroom and put drywall behind the plywood in the wall separating us from the kid's room. Noise just went around it anyways. Lloyd Alter/CC BY 2.0 Steve also makes the point that drywall often hides useful space. You can actually build shelves within the wall as well, so that you're using ever cubic inch for storage instead of the hidden cavities of drywall-sheathed walls that breed mold and mildew when wet, and house roaches and mice. There are so many options that can work better than drywall, last longer, are more durable and are in the long term, healthier. (OSB board might not be the best example). Other Options There are a lot of reasons to look at other materials than drywall for our walls. Cedar is often used because it is hypo-allergenic. Wood walls have a warmth that you just don't get from drywall. As Steve notes, "You can hang a picture, attach a peg, hang a cabinet or a shelf, and never have to worry about whether it's solidly attached." Martin Liefhebber Toronto architect Martin Liefhebber never uses drywall. He doesn't think it is healthy or green; the little hairs of paper fibre make it impossible to get a smooth finish. When he is not using stone or wood, he uses real plaster on lath. Between Steve's points about durability and Martin's about health, perhaps it is time to rethink drywall's place in green building. Scientists in Germany have figured out a way to identify male eggs prior to hatching, which eliminates need for live culling. The world's first kill-free chicken eggs are now for sale in Germany, laid by hens that were bred without killing any male chicks. A breakthrough process has been created by German scientists to identify the gender of an egg on the ninth day of its incubation, eliminating the need to cull male chicks after hatching. Male chicks have been a long-standing problem for modern poultry farmers. Because male chickens cannot lay eggs and do not gain weight as rapidly as female, they are always killed after hatching, usually by suffocation or live shredding. Their remains are processed into reptile feed. Approximately 4 to 6 billion male chicks meet this awful fate every year. This new process, under the patented name of Seleggt, can make the situation less messy and somewhat more ethically acceptable. While it still results in the culling of male eggs, which are turned into a high-protein animal feed, it's a less gory process to process partially-incubated eggs than it is to kill live chicks. Seleggt The process works by using a laser to burn a 0.3-mm hole in the egg shell on the ninth day. A drop of liquid is extracted and tested for a hormone that indicates gender. From a press release: "Through a change in colour, this marker will indicate whether the sex-specific hormone estrone sulphate can be detected in the hatching egg. If detected, a female chick is developing in the hatching egg. After the gender identification process, the hatching egg does not need to be sealed as the inner membrane mends itself and closes the tiny hole from within. Consequently, only female chicks hatch on the 21st day of the incubation." Seleggt Scientists in other countries have also been working on solutions to this issue, but Germany's team, funded by the ministry of food and agriculture, has come the furthest. The trial eggs hit supermarket shelves in Berlin in November, with the label 'respeggt' on cartons. The no-kill eggs will cost slightly more than conventional ones, but the scientists are confident customers will be willing to pay "the extra price of a few cents per egg carton". The gender-identifying technology will be available to hatcheries by 2020, and the team hopes eventually to roll it out across Europe. As the minister of food and agriculture Julia Klockner said last month, "This is a great day for animal welfare in Germany! In this way we will set the pace in Europe... Once the process is made available to all and the hatcheries have implemented the process, there will be no reason and no justification for chick culling." vinaymishra188@gmail.com Vijay C Roy Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 24 Small and marginal farmers in Punjab are plagued with issues such as continued fragmentation of land and dwindling income. Considering their plight, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has decided to promote farmer producer organisations (FPOs) in the state in a big way. The concept behind FPOs is farmers can form groups and register themselves under the Indian Companies Act. Since small farmers often find it difficult to access markets on their own, aggregating farmers into the FPOs will help enable them improved market access and better bargaining capacity. Under the plan, Nabard has embarked upon a plan to launch statewide awareness campaign on FPO promotion during the current year. There are around 12,500 villages in Punjab. To reach out to the farming community, it has decided to organise 3,000 programmes in a cluster of 2-3 villages each in all the districts of the state. Through this campaign, the bank will motivate farmers to organise themselves into FPOs and achieve the desired results by collaborating with each other. "Since sensitisation of farmers is important for making any programme a success, we have decided to reach out to them at the village level where they will be apprised of the benefits of the FPOs. The campaign will be launched by Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore on December 27 at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana," said JPS Bindra, Nabard's chief general manager, Punjab Regional Office. Nabard has promoted 91 FPOs in Punjab. The FPOs are engaged in activities such as input supply, seed production, vegetables, dairy activity-processing, processed food, honey production and marketing and few have started custom hiring centres for farm machinery too. For example, Gurdaspur-based FPO "Young Innovative Farmers Producers Organisation" is engaged in production, collection and marketing of milk collectively. It has 230 members. Similar is the Akal Farmer Producer Company Ltd with 450 members who are engaged in floriculture, pulses production and organic farming. "Though these FPOs are still in nascent stage, it has brought visible change in collectivising the farming operations of small and marginal farmers," he added. Due to the rising cost of cultivation, lack of assured market, modern technologies and quality inputs, the small and marginal landholders are not able to realise optimal productivity as also price for their produce. Through the FPOs, the famers can have access to benefits such as quality agri-inputs and extension services. Besides economy of scale in their operations, this has resulted in increased bargaining power for them. Nabard is hand-holding the farmers along with financial support for membership mobilisation, capacity building of CEOs, exposure visits, revolving assistance for value addition, incentives for promoting institution, salary of CEO and office expenses for up to 3-5 years for the FPOs. harinder@tribunemail.com New Delhi, December 24 Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today hinted that the country may eventually have a single standard rate of GST through merging of 12 and 18 per cent slabs, adding that the 28 per cent slab will soon be phased out, except in case of luxury and sin goods. He said the country should eventually have a Goods and Services Tax structure which would have only slabs of zero and 5 per cent and a standard rate, with luxury and sin goods as an exception. A future roadmap could well be to work towards a single standard rate instead of two standard rates of 12 and 18 per cent. It could be a rate at some mid-point. Obviously, this will take some reasonable time when the tax will rise significantly, Jaitley said in a Facebook post. Regarding the highest tax slab of 28 per cent, he said with the GST transformation completed, India was close to completing the first set of rationalisation by phasing out the highest slab except in luxury and sin goods. Attacking the Opposition, Jaitley said their criticism of the GST was ill-informed and motivated. He said during the pre-GST regime, a large number of commodities were taxed heavily and that the Congress legacy was a 31 per cent indirect tax. Jaitley said the political noise outside the GST Council was inconsistent with the harmony inside. IANS editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 24 A total of 6,210 persons were challaned for drunken driving by the Chandigarh traffic police this year. In the run-up to the New Year, the drive against drunken driving would be intensified with more mobile nakas to be laid in the city, the police said. In addition to alcometers, traffic cops would also be equipped with cameras to record the proceedings of drunk motorists, who misbehave with them, the police added. Police officials said the last weekend saw 74 motorists being booked for the violation. In 2017, a total of 6,663 challans were issued for drunken driving. Out of these, 203 challans for the offence were issued at traffic nakas on the New Year eve. This year, the Chandigarh traffic police recommended suspension of 7,263 driving licences for offences including drunken driving, speeding, using mobile phone while driving and jumping red light. Traffic regulation at Elante In order to mitigate traffic congestion around Elante Mall, the traffic police have decided that cabs and auto-rickshaws shall not be allowed to enter the inner loop around the mall. These vehicles have rather been provided an exclusive pick-up and drop area in front of the main entrance of the mall using the link road approach from the Verka milk plant. City bars told to install alcometers Chandigarh: To check drunken driving cases in 2019, the UT Excise and Taxation Department on Monday directed the bar owners in the city to immediate install breath analysers or alcometers at their establishments. editorial@tribune.com Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 24 Dubbing the preference given to siblings of ex-students in school admissions as an international phenomenon, a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled the practice is prevalent in the best schools and universities across the world. The assertion by the Bench of Justice Mahesh Grover and Justice Lalit Batra came on a petition filed against the State of Punjab and other respondents by a minor through his father after he was denied admission to pre-nursery by Yadavindra Public School (YPS), Mohali. The petitioners argument was that 25 per cent of the seats were required to be reserved for the economically weaker sections in accordance with the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. Taking up the matter, the High Court had initially asserted that it did not find ground to interfere with the impugned order to the extent of denying admission to the petitioner, merely because he was eligible and had applied for admission. At the same time, the Bench had issued a notice of motion for examining whether the respondent-school was competent to reserve 15 seats for old Yadavindrians; 15 for siblings and 10 for management; and what were the duties and responsibilities of the district admission monitoring committee. Referring to the guidelines giving schools unfettered powers to fill 75 per cent seats while putting 25 per cent at the disposal of the economically weaker section in accordance, the state counsel had contended that the provisions of the Act the petitioner sought to invoke was not even applicable to pre-nursery class admissions. Appearing before the Bench, YPS, Mohali, counsel Kanwalvir Singh Kang submitted that the school had a transparent admission policy, which was in consonance with the guidelines framed by the HRD Ministry. As such, the school was well within its constitutional ambit to formulate its independent admission policy and with criteria for preference to categories, including alumni and sibling. Justice Grover said the petitioners claim was not capable of being enforced, particularly when the admission to the classes was already over. The Bench said there would be no reason for it to comment on preference given to siblings of former students of the school, since the guidelines permitted flexibility to fill 75 per cent seats in the manner desired by the institution. Referring to the issue of having admission monitoring committee, the Bench added that it was informed that such a panel was already in place vide a notification dated November 18, 2015, and the Deputy Commissioner was its incharge. editorial@tribune.com Naina Mishra Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 23 While the Education Department has directed government school heads to show educational channels launched by the Government of India through free to air DD/DTH TV, a number of government schools in the city lack the facility. On December 12, the District Education Office wrote to school heads to take steps and ensure students watch the Swayam Prabha DTH channels, which telecast educational programmes. Though the programme was launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) on July 9, the UT Education Department took cognisance of the initiative after a reminder on the allocation of DTH channels sent by the Central Institute of Education Technology on November 9. It seems you might not have noticed this due to your busy schedule. Therefore, you are once again requested to look into the matter, read the letter. A reminder about the initiative was sent to the department on September 11 as well. However, schools in the city do not have equipment to show these educational programmes to students. Satinder Singh, principal, Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 52, said, There is no dish facility at our school. The department has not made it compulsory for all schools. Whenever its need is felt, we make temporary arrangements in the school. Sukhdev Singh, principal of the GHS, Hallo Majra, said, We do not have DTH facility at our school. We will do the needful only when the department will instruct us. We get limited funds and cannot spend mindlessly. To gain access to the channels, schools will have to install a small-sized DTH dish antenna along with an indoor set-top box. These are generally available with TV dealers for over Rs 2,000. When contacted, District Education Officer Anujit Kaur said, We have issued the letter to the schools. For viewing the channels, they will have to install DD/DTH TV. What is Swayam Prabha It is a group of 32 DTH channels devoted to telecasting high-quality educational programmes on 24X7 basis using the GSAT-15 satellite. Every day, there will be new content for at least four hours, which would be repeated five times a day. These channels have been designed to improve learning outcome of students. Channels to be viewed in schools Channel 27: Programmes developed by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) for secondary school education (Classes IX and X) Channel 28: Programmes developed by the NIOS for higher secondary school education (Classes XI and XII) Channel 30: Gyanamrit (sign language for deafers and bilingual version at secondary level) Channel 31: Programmes developed by the NCERT on school and teacher education (career counselling, vocational education, current affairs etc) Vivek Katju Vivek Katju ex-secretary, Ministry of External Affairs President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw around 7,000 of the 14,000 US troops from Afghanistan confirms his strategic desperation to close Americas longest and seemingly endless war. It was evident, ever since US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad began direct and open talks with the Taliban in October, that Trump had decisively retreated from his policy to put military pressure on the group. Instead he had accepted to negotiate almost on terms set by the Taliban. If that was showing weakness, and also a willingness to disregard the position of Afghanistans National Unity Government (NUG) led by President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah, US troop withdrawal will almost certainly ensure Taliban intransigence encouraged by Pakistan and erode the credibility of both the US and the NUG. As part of his Afghanistan and South Asia policy, which he had personally and publicly pronounced in August 2017, Trump had said, A core pillar of our new strategy is a shift from a time-based approach to one based on conditionsWe will not talk about number of troops or our plans for further military actions. Conditions on the ground not arbitrary time-tables will guide our strategy from now on. Americas enemies must never know our plans or believe they can wait us out. Clearly, Trump has now abandoned this core pillar and the lesson that the Taliban will inevitably draw is that US stamina is exhausted and it simply wants out. It is true that, unlike he has in Syria, Trump has not ordered all US troops to leave Afghanistan. US military commanders have begun to undertake damage control. Gen Scott Miller, US and NATO forces commander in Afghanistan, told Afghan officials, Even if I have to get a little bit smaller, we will be okay. US diplomats and officials will stress that they are not going to abandon the country to chaos. They will also, no doubt, underline that they have all along wanted a negotiated settlement between the NUG and the Taliban and that that remains their aim. While there may be an element of truth in all these positions, the fact is that the decision to withdraw the soldiers will create the perception that Trump wants to leave Afghanistan sooner rather than later and that will enormously strengthen the Taliban and Pakistans standing, especially in the Pashtun areas, and cause fear and dismay among non-Pashtuns. It will also feed the Taliban belief that Trump is on his way to accept its condition that all foreign forces should leave Afghanistan. Trumps decision came in the wake of Khalilzads meetings with Taliban representatives in the UAE a week ago. Pakistani, Saudi and UAE officials were also present in some of these meetings. Significantly, a team of NUG officials was also present at the hotel lobby where these meetings took place, but the Taliban refused to meet them. Obviously, their interest was to show that they were now negotiating directly with the US and that the NUG was an inferior entity that will accept any dish that this negotiation process eventually cooked up. Khalilzad had the choice to abandon his meeting with the Taliban representatives as they were not willing to meet the NUG people. By not doing so, he embarrassed and compromised the NUG position. At this stage, Ghani and Abdullah seem to want to convey an assurance of resolve to the Afghan people to prevent any impression of NUGs helplessness because of a perceived waning of US interest in its well-being. In this context, it is important to recall the impact of the Soviet withdrawal in 1989 and later, the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 had led to the fragmentation of the support base of the then Afghan President Najibullah. There can be little doubt that the NUG leadership is aware of the lesson those developments hold for them. Hence, the need to act with confidence. Ghani has done well to persuade Amrullah Saleh and Assadullah Khalid to join the NUG as interior and defence ministers, respectively. They have both been head of the Afghan intelligence apparatus and have their roots in the Afghan jihad and are staunch opponents of the Taliban. While they are respected by the Americans, the Pakistanis are wary of them. They will be an asset to the NUG at this time. However, their real test will be how the security forces acquit themselves in the field against the Taliban. Pakistan has welcomed Trumps decision. Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said it would help the US-Taliban talks in Abu Dhabi. He also said Pakistan had released some Taliban people in its custody to foster an enabling environment for the talks. This only confirms the Taliban-Pakistan nexus and Rawalpindis control over the Taliban. Naturally, with Trump now almost beseeching its help, Pakistan feels that it is back in the saddle on the Afghan issue. The troop withdrawal only reinforces the need for India to play its cards extremely adroitly in Afghanistan. It must continue with its support for the NUG. The inclusion of Amrullah and Assadullah will provide India with more good interlocutors, for both know the good work that India has done in Afghanistan. One issue that will get greater attention is that of the Indian engineers who were kidnapped by the Taliban from Pul-i-Khumri in May. They seem to have dropped from the national consciousness. India, like all other states, must maintain lines with the Taliban. India must also consult widely with other states on the Afghan situation. The visit of the Russian special envoy on Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, was a welcome step at this stage. Afghanistan is entering a critical stage and must become an Indian diplomatic priority. amansharma@tribunemail.com Varinder Singh Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 13 A native of Fiji and presently a permanent resident of New Zealand has accused her Punjabi husband and her in-laws Ludhianas Daad village of having hatched a conspiracy to commit fraud upon her in the name of marriage for getting a Permanent Residence (PR) in New Zealand. Ruhina has not only obtained a Police Safety Order under New Zealands Domestic Violence Act-1995 (a copy of which is with The Tribune) against her estranged husband Gurpreet Singh, but has also lodged a complaint with the Inspector General of Punjab Police (NRI Wing). She has alleged that her husband and in-laws had only usurped valuables, electronics, gold ornaments worth about 2 lakh New Zealand dollars. They had also subjected her to physical cruelty and mental torture during her stay in India with them, she alleged. As I am unable to give out more money in shape of dowry, my husband is threatening of marrying someone else, alleged Ruhina in her complaint to the Punjab Police. She said she had met Gurpreet Singh in the month of September in 2012 though an Indian friend at a public gathering in the latters home in New Zealand and had started getting in touch with him like a casual friend. At that time, my husband had applied for a PR in New Zealand but, it was declined. Subsequently, he hatched a conspiracy to commit a fraud upon me wherein he proposed me for marriage. I resiled initially on the premonition that my parents would not agree to this proposal. He, however, started insisting and even visiting the mosque and changed his physical appearance for the purpose of getting my familys consent. Our marriage was solmenised finally as per Islamic Rituals on April 27, 2014. Thereafter, his mother visited us in New Zealand in 2016 and she kept a very cordial relations with me till his PR application was accepted. My family gave them all kinds of branded clothes, gold ornaments, etc., and another 6,000 New Zealand dollars for purchasing gold in India, said Ruhina. Her troubles started getting compounded when she came to India with her sister to persuade her in-laws to save their marriage. Earlier in October 2017, they started asking money from me to the tune of 500 New Zealand dollars per month and started harassing me and even beating me up. On being instigated by others, my husband even used to slapped me. Upon our visit, my sister tried to pacify my in-laws but they continued hurling taunts and abuses at us. Later, my mother-in-law started physically abusing me forcing me to do all household chores from early in the morning till late in the evening. My husband even tried to push me down from the balcony on April 14, 2018, but it was saved well in time by my sister. Subsequently, I returned to New Zealand, alleged Ruhina in her complaint to the IG (NRI-Wing) of the Punjab Police. Her Amritsar-based counsel Advocate Sandeep Gorsi said he was pursuing the complaint and the police should register an FIR against Ruhinas husband and other family members for having harassed her. I have come to the conclusion that it was a sham marriage which was solemnised with a sole purpose to obtain permanent residence by my husband in New Zealand. I feel cheated, said Ruhina while talking to The Tribune over the phone from Aukland (New Zealand). editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Ambala, December 24 Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday claimed that corruption was rampant during previous governments. He was here to address Jan Vikas Jan Vishwas Rally. He laid foundation stones of VLDA college, swarna jayanti park and mini-secretariat. He inaugurated newly renovated CHC in Chaurmastpur village. Renovation of the CHC was a long-pending demand as the old building was declared unsafe in 2009. These projects were worth around Rs 100 crore. Five women told the Chief Minister that they were yet to get LPG connections. He directed the ADC to ensure that these families got cylinders within 48 hours of submitting their forms. Khattar launched a Vikas Patra carrying details of work done in the constituency over the last four years. He handed over e-golden cards under Ayushman Bharat scheme to five beneficiaries. Providing healthcare facilities at the village level is among the top priorities of the government. The government has ample funds and will take loans as well if need be, he said. Corruption has decreased to 19 per cent from 51 per cent in 2014. We need to eliminate the rest, for which had brought transparency. Our MC poll wins have made it clear that people have faith in the BJP, he said. Insured farmers who have suffered losses due to hailstorm will get between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000 per acre. The uninsured will get between Rs 10,000 and Rs 12,000. Farmers must insure their crops, he said. In an indirect attack on the INLD, he said, The infighting is not for power, but for money hoarded in the past through corruption. He added, The government has started a scheme to strengthen roads to farms. Ambala City MLA Aseem Goel said, I will send a letter to the Delhi Chief Minister, asking him to compare his clinics with this new CHC. The Congress tried to show black flags as it had no issue. MP Ratan Lal Kataria and Minister of State Nayab Singh Saini were present. AAP workers released black balloons from various locations near the venue. amansharma@tribunemail.com Sumedha Sharma Tribune News Service Gurugram, December 24 Setting the alarm bells ringing for the Haryana BJP ahead of the Assembly elections, four MLAs believed to be from the "Rao Inderjit camp" have lashed out at CM Manohar Lal Khattar for his alleged bias against them and indifference to their constituencies. Pataudi MLA Bimla chaudhary, Kosli MLA Vikram thekedaar, Cabinet minister Dr Banwari Lal who legislator from Baawal and Narnaul MLA Omprakash Yadav have accused CM Khattar of humiliating them. The BJP MLAs hit out at the CM during a press conference in Gurugram. "We have been chosen by people as we have toiled for years working for them but the CM does not give us even the basic respect of inviting us to public functions," Bimla Chaudhary said, adding "he held a public meeting in my constituency on Sunday and despite being the local MLA I was not called". She said, "MLA of Pataudi may be a small thing for the CM but our MP and venteran leader Rao Inderjit Singh who is also a central minister and had got many long-pending projects and funds approved is also being ignored." Chaudhary claimed that it's not she but three other MLAs have also been ignored. "It is a protocol to mention respective MLA's and MP's name on foundation stones. Ironically, Rao Inderjit, who played a pivotal role in getting projects, hardly finds a mention on stones which the CM rushes to unveil. We feel humiliated. Are we not equal part of BJP as CM Khattar is? His actions hint that he doesn't want a team but wishes to be one-man party. Inderjit is out of town and we will approach him soon," she added. Chaudhary said after meeting Rao Inderjit, they would be meeting BJP president Amit Shah with their greivances. The MLAs were joined in by Gurugram Mayor Madhu Azad and her mayoral team who also alleged humiliation by MCG officials owing to alleged differences between Rao Narbeer Singh and Rao Inderjit. "We are mayoral team of one of the biggest districts and richest MC, but the CM despite remianing in Gurugram half-a-month has not given us an appointment to meet him. Majority of councillors and mayor are believed to be supporters of Inderjit while all officials are pro-Narbeer Singh so no councillor or even the mayor is informed about any project being approved undertaken or inaugurated in Gurugram," said a councillor. "I will not take names but I fought on BJP symbol and won and it was party's decision that I become mayor. However, in last one year we are just accessories in this MCG. The projects are started in our constituencies, but the MCG officials even inform us. They pay no attention to problems of constituencies and despite being mayor I am nowhere in picture when it comes to civic works in city. We have many a time highlighted the problem but no action was taken, so we will now seek the party high command's intervention," said mayor Madhu Azad. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Solan, December 24 The police today arrested a 24-year youth Gaurav Thakur, who was found roaming in a university near here and recovered 6.94gm heroin from him. Additional SP Shiv Kumar Sharma said Thakur was spotted roaming in the university by the superintendent of the university hostel. He was searched by the staff on suspicion and 6.94gm heroin was recovered from him. The police reached the spot and arrested the youth. Gaurav Thakur is a resident of Kumarsein in Shimla district. A case under Section 21 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act was registered against him and investigations were underway to find the source of the contraband. The presence of a drug seller within the premises of a university indicated how the drug mafia was spreading its tentacles in the educational institutions of Solan. Desperate to find buyers after the police had tightened its noose, the sellers were now directly reaching out to the youth in their institutes. Additional SP Shiv Kumar Sharma said they had stepped up their campaign to check drug peddling and 127 persons, including 10 Nepalese and 3 Nigerians, had been arrested in 86 cases of drug peddling this year as compared to 30 cases registered last year where mere 34 had been arrested. As much as 25 kg cannabis, 144 gram opium, 18 gram ganja, 446 gram poppy husk and 455 gram heroin had been seized this year. rchopra@tribunemail.com Patna, December 24 Bihars ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) legislator Shyam Bahadur Singh on Monday resigned from the partys primary membership here, saying his voice was not being heard by those in power while the district administration has also turned a deaf ear. I have resigned from JD-U as neither district administration officers in Siwan nor the top brass of the government in Patna listen to my genuine complaints. What pains me is that police have been acting against all those people opposing auction of the government land to land mafia, Singh said. He questioned the much-hyped governance and rule of law claim made by the Nitish Kumar-led government and raised the auction of government land to alleged land mafia despite opposition from people in Siwan district. However, JD-U state president Vashisht Narain Singh said Shyam Bahadur Singh is a senior party leader, his concern would be genuine and the party would look into it. Singh had earlier embarrassed the party and the government by shaking a leg with bar dancers at various marriage ceremonies. IANS harinder@tribunemail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 24 The Supreme Court on Monday refused to take up urgently BJPs petition against a Calcutta High Court order disallowing its rath yatra in West Bengal even as the party contended its fundamental right to hold peaceful rallies could not be withheld. The right of the petitioner to hold public meeting on a public street or public place is protected under the Constitution and, therefore, the state authorities have no right to prohibit the democratic rally. But they have every right to make regulations in aid of the right of the same with valid reasons, BJPs petition read. The Supreme Court Registry, however, told the petitioners counsel that the matter would be listed in normal course. Since the SC is closed for winter vacation, it appears unlikely that the issue would come up for hearing before January 2, when it reopens. The BJP had demanded an urgent hearing as it had planned to launch its yatra in West Bengal. According to the original schedule, the BJPs yatras were supposed to be launched by party president Amit Shah from Cooch Behar district on December 7, Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas on December 9 and from Tarapith temple in Birbhum on December 14. It is apparent that the State of West Bengal is showing political vendetta and willfully trying to stop the petitioner to exercise its fundamental rights... The police have every right to regulate that but the law does not give power to police authorities to restrain citizens to hold any peaceful rally, BJP submitted. amansharma@tribunemail.com New Delhi, December 24 A crucial trilateral meeting of officials from India, Afghanistan and Iran on the strategically-important Chabahar port was held on Monday during which they agreed on the routes for trade and transit corridors between the three countries. The first meeting of the follow-up committee for implementation of the trilateral Chabahar agreement between India, Afghanistan and Iran at the level of Joint Secretary or Director General was held in the Iranian port city of Chabahar, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. On the occasion, India Ports Global Limited company opened its office and took over operations at the Shaheed Behesti port at Chabahar. Positive and constructive discussions were held between the three sides on full operationalisation of the Trilateral Transit Agreement for international transit and transport through the Chabahar Port. They agreed on the routes for the trade and transit corridors between the three countries, the MEA said. It was agreed to finalise at the earliest, the protocol to harmonise transit, roads, customs, and consular matters. During the meeting, it was agreed to allow cargo movement at Chabahar using Transports Internationaux Routiers Convention provisions, the MEA said. It was decided to hold an event to promote and popularise the potential of Chabahar on February 26, 2019. A study would also be initiated for determining measures to make the route attractive, decrease logistic costs and pave the way for smooth operationalisation of the Chabahar Agreement. The next Follow-up Committee meeting, followed by the second Coordination Council Meeting at the level of secretaries or deputy ministers, will held in India. In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan inked a pact which entailed establishment of Transit and Transport Corridor among the three countries using Chabahar Port as one of the regional hubs for sea transportation in Iran, besides multi-modal transport of goods and passengers across the three nations. The port in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich nation's southern coast is easily accessible from India's western coast and is increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistan's Gwadar Port, which is being developed with Chinese investment and is located at distance of around 80 km from Chabahar. The Chabahar Port is considered a gateway to golden opportunities for trade by India, Iran and Afghanistan with central Asian countries besides ramping up trade among the three countries after Pakistan denied transit access to India. - PTI harinder@tribunemail.com New Delhi, December 24 Delhis air quality remained in the severe category for the third consecutive day on Monday, prompting authorities to impose a three-day ban on industrial activities in pollution hotspots and construction work across Delhi-NCR. The city is facing its highest pollution level since Diwali. While the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data showed the overall air quality index at severe level of 448, the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting showed an AQI of 468. In view of prevalence of severe pollution in the national capital, the CPCB recommended to the SC-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) to shut down industries located in hotspot industrial areas of Wazirpur, Mundka, Narela, Bawana, Sahibabad and Faridabad. They will remain closed until Wednesday, said EPCA Chairperson Bhure Lal. In a letter to Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Dev, Lal also directed him to ban all construction activities in the national capital, Faridabad, Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Noida till Wednesday. The EPCA directed the traffic police to deploy special teams and ensure congestion-free traffic flow, particularly in identified high traffic corridors. The ventilation index which allows dispersion (of pollutants) is extremely poor and it is expected that these conditions will prevail for the next two days, Lal said. PTI editorial@tribune.com Thiruvananthapuram, December 24 BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha on Monday took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah, saying he was personally against the one-man show and the two-men army. Sinha, known for his sharp attacks on the ruling BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, said in a democracy a party is bigger than the individual but nation is bigger than the party. He was speaking here at the launch of the book The Paradoxical Prime Minister, Narendra Modi And His India, penned by Thiruvananthapuram MP and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. The actor-turned-politician said people needed jobs and better facilities instead of promises and jumlas (rhetoric). I am not just talking about Rs 15 lakh. I am not against him (Modi). I am personally against the one-man show and the two-men army. They are running the country. What kind of scene is this, Sinha added. Meanwhile, Tharoor invited Sinha to join the Congress saying there was room for a hero like him. He also lashed out at Modi saying despite being an exceptional orator, the PM mysteriously went silent every time a Dalit or a Muslim got flogged. This is one paradox. This book is full of paradoxes. You have somebody who says something and does the opposite, he added. Tharoor also pointed to the report of Ministry of Home Affairs which said 97 per cent of incidents of communal violence related to cow protection since independence happened during this regime. PTI harinder@tribunemail.com Mukesh Ranjan Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 24 Based on the report of a sub-group, which went into the the governments ambitious plan to set up 100 hospitals in public-private-partnership (PPP) mode in tier 2 and 3 cities, NITI Aayog has asked the Centre to accord industry status to institutional health facility. Incidentally, the task of coordinating implementation of the Modi governments flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat (a health insurance programme) has been assigned to NITI Aayog. As the sub-group disfavoured state providing land for building hospitals, we are seeking industry status for such health facilities. This will in turn give freedom to private entities to directly purchase required land from owners. The hospitals have shown willingness to pay the market rates. Once the hospitals get the industry status, it may become easier for them to acquire land as per the policies of the respective state governments, said a senior official of NITI Aayog. The think-tank panel also wants state governments to set up a single window clearance to allow prospective hospitals to avail various permissions required for building and operationalising their infrastructure. amansharma@tribunemail.com Shiv Kumar Tribune News Service Mumbai, December 24 Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday said the Shiv Sena would not tie up with the Bharatiya Janata Party till a decision was taken on the construction of a Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. "We want the BJP to take a decision on the Ram Mandir, farm loan waiver and the crop insurance scheme before talking to us for an alliance," Thackeray said at a rally in the pilgrimage town of Pandharpur this afternoon. He went onto say that the NDA was coming apart with a large number parties leaving the alliance. "The Shiv Sena would contest the 2019 elections on its own," Thackeray added. Today's rally at Pandharpur in Solapur is part of a series of rallies being undertaken by Thackeray for the construction of a temple at Ayodhya. Today's rally with the slogan 'Pehle Mandir, Phir Sarkar', coincided with a gathering of religious leaders called the Dharam Sabha organised by the party in the temple town. Thackeray, who organised a Shiv Sena event at Ayodhya last month said he was in Pandharpur to expose the BJP. "I am here to wake up the sleeping Kumbhakarna. You used the Ram Mandir issue to win elections and you have now gone to sleep," he said. Hitting out at the BJP for the delay in the construction of the temple, Thackeray accused the national party of fooling the people. "It's been 30 years and you say the matter is still in court. Hindus are innocent but are not fools," Thackeray said. The Shiv Sena chief then called for a discussion on the Ram Mandir in parliament. "Let the views of others in the NDA on the issue of Ram Mandir be known to the people," Thackeray added. He then went onto claim that members of the Shiv Sena were responsible for demolishing the Babri Masjid. "Shiv Sainiks were responsible for the demolition of the Babri Masjid," Thackeray said. "You have given contracts to a company which has no experience. You cannot give our soldiers a hike in pay which they need. But you do some scam in the purchase of arms and ammunition.... A farmer told me he saw even lime trees getting infected for the first time in his life. I responded that even watchmen have become thieves (Halli paharekarich chorya karaylaa laagale aahet)," Thackeray said referring to the Marathi equivalent of 'Chowkidar Chor Hai'. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Islamabad, December 24 An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Monday sentenced ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case while acquitting him in the Flagship Investments corruption case in the high-profile Panama Papers scandal. Accountability Court II Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik announced the verdict in the two remaining corruption cases against the Sharif family, after reserving the decision last week. In its decision, Judge Malik said there was concrete evidence against the 68-year-old former premier in the Al-Azizia reference, and that he was unable to provide a money trail in the case, Geo TV reported. Sharif was present in the court when the verdict was announced. The Supreme Court set the deadline for Monday to wrap up the remaining two corruption cases against the three-time former prime minister. Three cases - Avenfield properties case, Flagship Investment case and Al-Azizia steel mills case - were launched by the National Accountability Bureau on September 8, 2017 following a judgment by the apex court that disqualified Sharif. Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case in July, 2017. In July, 2018 Sharif, his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law retired captain Mohammad Safdar were sentenced to 11 years, eight years and one year respectively in prison in the Avenfield properties case related to their purchase of four luxury flats in London through corrupt practices. However, the three were bailed out by the Islamabad High Court in September. PTI gspannu7@gmail.com Varinder Singh Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 24 Pakistans loss is Indias gain for the former is seeing a decline in decades old medical tourism from Afghanistan which is now moving to India. The term medical tourism points towards people travelling from their own country to another country for the purpose of treatment. Interestingly, the Pakistan Government had admitted on Friday that the number of medical tourists hailing from neighbouring Afghanistan to Pakistan was trickling down owing to border management policy, increasing difficulties faced by Afghanis in getting Pakistani visa, compulsory police reports and security clearances and unnecessary security checks at border crossing point. Another bunch of factors listed by Pakistans Ministry of Commerce behind diversion of medical tourists from Pakistan to India was escalating medical costs and difficulties faced by Afghan nationals in getting doctors appointments and even accommodations in Pakistan. The grim admission has come in the shape of a written reply of Pakistans Ministry of Commerce to countrys Member of National Assembly Mahesh Kumar Malani. Pakistan used to be the top medical tourism destination for Afghan nationals until 2016 due to factors such as common language, culture and lesser treatment costs. But post 2016, the Afghan medical tourist influx has got diverted to North Indiaand even to Punjabfor comparatively cost-effective treatment facilities and easy availability of specialist doctors. New Delhi, Gurugram and Noida continue to be the preferred cities for Afghan nationals. A number of them have also started coming to Punjab. We have performed heart surgery on a couple of such Afghani patients, said Dr Charanjit Singh Pruthi, the managing director of the Jalandhar-based BBC HeartCare and Capitol Hospital adding treatment was more than 50 per cent cheaper in India compared to Pakistan. Dr Kuldip Singh, a Ludhiana-based laparoscopic surgeon, said if a major chunk of Afghan patients come to New Delhi, a number of kidney, heart and knee-replacement patients have started coming to Ludhiana. Earlier, Afghans landing at New Delhis IGI Airport for treatment were usurped by conduits of a number of Delhi-based hospitals, the insiders say. But, now Afghanis are more aware about availability of cheap medical facilities in other parts of North India thanks to the Internet and other communication channels back in Afghanistan. Actually, most of Afghan patients are not that rich so they have started looking for cost-effective alternative healthcare facilities even within India, observed Ludhiana-based renowned dentist Dr Vivek Saggar. Amarjit Singh, Indias Protector General of Immigrants based in New Delhi, who has earlier been posted as the Consul General of India in Herat (Afghanistan), observed that more than 500 Afghan tourists were granted Indian visa daily from Herat-based Indian consulate alone. From the entire country (Afghanistan), the number reaches thousands. Eighty per cent of Afghans seeking Indian travel visa in fact, come here to seek medical help. Since, they find seeking Indian medical visa a bit cumbersome most of Afghans come here on travel visa and go back after getting themselves treated, said Amarjit Singh while talking to The Tribune. rchopra@tribunemail.com New Delhi, December 24 Power is like oxygen for some people with restlessness setting in if they are out of it for even two or five years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday while taking a jibe at the opposition but without naming anybody. Releasing a Rs 100 commemorative coin in the memory of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the eve of his 94th birth anniversary, Modi said the late premier spent most of his political life in the opposition benches but always thought of the country and its people. Todays political landscape is such that if someone has to stay out of power even for two or five years, they become restless, he told the gathering. Vajpayee, he added, committed every second of his life for the welfare of the people. For some people, power is oxygen...they cant live without it. A long part of Atal-jis career was spent in the opposition benches but he spoke about national interest and never compromised on the ideology of the party, the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) added on Twitter while quoting the PMs speech. Vajpayees long-time associate and BJP veteran LK Advani, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and BJP president Amit Shah were also present at the event. Discussing Vajpayees political journey, Modi said he always kept the nation and democracy before himself and the party. Atal-ji wanted democracy to be supreme. He built the Jana Sangh. But when the time came to rescue our democracy, he and others went to the Janata Party. Likewise, when the choice was between remaining in power or comprising on ideology, he left the Janata Party and formed the BJP, Modi said. The party which Atal-ji built brick by brick is now among the largest political parties in the world, the Prime Minister said, adding that Vajpayee had sown the seeds of the lotus (the BJP symbol) in the country. Vajpayees prowess as a speaker was unparalleled, Modi said, describing him as among the best orators India had produced. When he spoke, the nation spoke...when he spoke, the nation listened. Atal-jis voice was not only voice of the BJP, it was an expression of the common mans aspirations, he said. The mind, Modi asserted, is not ready to believe that Vajpayee is no longer alive. Though he was away from public glare for nearly a decade due to ill health, the way people gave him a farewell on his demise showed the mark he had created in peoples minds, Modi said. The former prime minister died in August this year at the age of 93 following prolonged illness. Modi said he would go to Vajpayees memorial on Tuesday to reiterate his commitment to the ideology and path shown by the statesman. PTI gspannu7@gmail.com New Delhi, December 24 A review petition was filed in the Supreme Court on Monday seeking re-examination of its verdict by which the Centres flagship Aadhaar scheme was held as constitutionally valid. Senior advocate Indira Jaising said the review petition has been filed against the September 26 verdict of the five-judge Constitution Bench which had said there was nothing in the Aadhaar Act that violated right to privacy of an individual. The Bench headed by the then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra had also upheld the passage of the Aadhaar Bill as a Money Bill by the Lok Sabha. The review petition has been filed by one Imtiyaz Ali Palsaniya, who had also filed interim applications when the apex court was examining the validity of the Aadhaar scheme. The petition has also sought an open court hearing in the matter. In the 56-page petition, the petitioner has said it has been preferred in a narrow compass seeking to challenge only those aspects of the Aadhaar programme as well as the Aadhaar Act, 2016 which were held to be constitutionally valid by the Constitution Bench. While declaring the scheme as constitutionally valid, the apex court had struck down some of its provisions including its linking with bank accounts, mobile phones and school admissions. The Constitution Bench had held that Aadhaar would remain mandatory for filing of Income Tax returns and allotment of Permanent Account Number (PAN). The judgement sought to be reviewed has also not considered a crucial aspect of PAN-Aadhaar linkage, since it fails to satisfy the test laid down by the same court in the very same judgement, the review plea said. It claimed that the Aadhaar programme, which had been in existence prior to the enactment of the Aadhaar Act, 2016, had itself become an instrument of transfer of sensitive personal data belonging to citizens to foreign entities acting as biometric service providers at a time when the UIDAI in 2010 had no cyber or technical infrastructure to store such information. This, the petition claimed, poses a massive national security risk, more so when, according to a Press Information Bureau notification, 100 crore enrolments had already taken place before April 4, 2016. In its verdict, the apex court had said that Aadhaar would not be mandatory for school admissions, as also for the examinations conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Examination, National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for medical entrance and the University Grants Commission. The Bench had also struck down the national security exception under the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016. Three sets of judgements were pronounced in the matter. The first one was pronounced by Justice AK Sikri who wrote the judgement for himself, Misra and Justice AM Khanwilkar. Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice Ashok Bhushan, who were also part of the Bench, wrote their individual opinions. While Justice Chandrachud had said he was expressing certain views different from that of the judgement of the three judges, Justice Bhushan had said he concurred with the views of the majority. PTI pardeepdhull@gmail.com New Delhi, December 24 The Supreme Court on Monday declined to accord urgent hearing on the BJP's plea challenging a Calcutta High Court order not allowing its Rath Yatra in West Bengal. The lawyer associated with the plea said they have been informed by the apex court registry that the matter would be listed in the normal course. The top court is closed for winter vacations. Seeking an urgent hearing on the petition, the BJP had planned to launch the yatra from three districts of the state. The BJP had challenged last Friday's order of the division bench of the high court which had set aside the order of a single judge allowing the yatra. The party approached the Supreme Court seeking permission to hold the campaign 'Save Democracy Rally', which would cover 42 parliamentary constituencies in the state ahead of the 2019 general elections. A division bench of the high court, comprising Chief Justice Debasish Kargupta and Justice Shampa Sarkar, on Friday send the case back to the single bench to consider intelligence inputs by state agencies. The two judges bench order came after hearing an appeal moved by the West Bengal government, challenging the Thursday order of the single judge. It also asked the single-judge bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty to hear the case afresh to consider the intelligence inputs and dispose the matter expeditiously. The rallies, according to the original schedule, were supposed to be launched by BJP president Amit Shah from Bengals Cooch Behar district on December 7, Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas on December 9 and from Tarapith temple in Birbhum on December 14. PTI editorial@tribune.com Shiv Kumar Tribune News Service Mumbai, December 24 The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party have stitched up a coalition for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, NCP leader Sharad Pawar told party workers at Gondia in Maharashtra on Sunday evening. Addressing a gathering of NCP workers in senior party leader Praful Patels stronghold, Pawar said the Congress, the NCP and the Peasants and Workers Party will contest the Lok Sabha elections as an alliance. Maharashtra Congress party president Ashok Chavan said some pending issues relating to sharing of seats will be cleared by party president Rahul Gandhi and NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Smaller parties like the Swambhimani Shetkari Sanghatana and the Communist parties will be accommodated in the quotas of the two parties, sources said. Both the Congress parties are also said to be wooing Prakash Ambedkar Bahujan Bharipa Mahasangh though the latter has been told to break ties with the Owaisi brothers AIMIM. Leaders of both outfits say the seat-sharing exercise would be completed in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, Pawar also bowled a googly by admitting that he used to give advice to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Prime Minister during a visit to Baramati some time ago had called Pawar his guru in politics. Pawar told a gathering of teachers in Gondia that Modi used to seek his advice only during his first two years as Prime Minister. He doesnt ask for my suggestions. Not just me, he does not listen to his ministers and MPs also, Pawar said. rchopra@tribunemail.com Muzaffarnagar, December 24 The son-in-law of an Uttar Pradesh minister has alleged that some men tried to kidnap him when he was returning to Muzaffarnagar from Delhi, police said on Monday. The miscreants chased Amit Prakash Agarwals car on Sunday evening on a highway here, but when the trader reached the city, they stopped pursuing him, SSP Sudhir Kumar said. Amit Agarwal is the son-in-law of Uttar Pradesh minister Rajesh Agarwal and apart from several properties and businesses here, he also owns a cinema hall. Police have registered a case on a complaint lodged by Amit Agarwal and launched a search to nab the unidentified men, who allegedly attempted to kidnap the businessman, the SSP said. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Sabarimala, December 24 Faced with unrelenting protests from devotees, two women in their forties, who tried to trek to the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa here on Monday, were forced to return without offering prayers. The attempt by the two women--Bindu and Kanakdurga--came a day after a group of 11 women activists of Manithi, a Chennai-based outfit, unsuccessfully tried to make it to the shrine. The two women, who reached Pamba at around 4 am, faced massive protests from devotees at Apachimedu and Marakootam, about 1 km from the Sannidhanam (temple complex), as they were being escorted by police. Ayyappa devotees surged in large numbers to the narrow pathway while the women were being escorted, and there was a minor scuffle with the police for over an hour. Police tried to evict the pilgrims who shouted go back and chanted Ayyappa mantras and a tense situation prevailed with the restive devotees showing no signs of backing off. Seeing the growing number of protesters, including young children, and to prevent the situation from getting out of hand, the women were advised to return by the police. The women were earlier stopped at Appachimedu, a place en route Sabarimala, by protesters, who were later evicted by police. The BJP also held a protest in front of the houses of the two women against their attempt to trek the hill. Amid reports that Kandakdurga had complained of uneasiness and that she had fainted, Bindu told reporters that it was only a ploy to stall their progress to Sabarimala and there was nothing wrong with her. Bindu alleged the police had forcibly prevented them from reaching the shrine. Both the women, who trekked nearly 4.5 km, were taken to a hospital in an ambulance for a medical check-up. Earlier, Bindu told reporters that our demand is that the government implement the September 28 verdict of the Supreme Court. We should be allowed to go to the shrine. We have not done any wrong and are not doing anything illegal. The women had claimed that they had not sought police protection, but it was the responsibility of police to provide security. We have not asked for police protection. The Supreme Court has given a verdict. So it is the governments duty to help us climb the hills, Bindu said. Since the top court verdict, no women in the 10-50 age group, who are traditionally barred from entering the shrine, have been able to enter the sannidhanam and offer worship to the presiding deity Lord Ayyappa, who is a Naishtika Brahmachari (perennial celibate). Kerala had witnessed massive protests by devotees opposing the entry of girls and women in the 10-50 age group into the shrine after the CPI(M)-led LDF government decided to implement the top court verdict allowing all women to offer prayers at the temple. The main opposition Congress-led UDF and BJP are opposing the entry of young women, saying they are with the devotees. Four transgenders recently offered prayers at the temple while the attempt by over a dozen young women have been foiled by protesting devotees so far. The two-month-long pilgrim season at the Sabarimala temple began on November 16 and the first phase will end on December 27. The shrine has been witnessing heavy rush of pilgrims for the past few days. PTI editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 24 Acting on a bunch of more than 100 petitions against alleged arbitrary mass rejection of nomination papers for posts of panch and sarpanch in Punjab, a Vacation Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday asked the competent authority to pass fresh orders after receiving complaints regarding eligibility from petitioner-candidates for the panchayat polls. For the purpose, the Division Bench of Justice Fateh Deep Singh and Justice Harsimran Singh Sethi set 48-hour deadline for the competent authority, the deputy commissioner or the returning officer, after receiving the complaints. The Bench made it clear that the order was required to be passed after associating or hearing the petitioner-candidates. The petitions were filed today itself through counsel Harchand Singh Batth and other advocates; and fixed for urgent hearing. The petitions were eventually placed before the Bench after 5 pm and the hearing continued till after 7 pm. The orders came on petitions filed by Wassan Singh and other aspirants. They were seeking quashing of the declaration dated December 20, whereby the nomination papers of the petitioner for the post of sarpanch was rejected. The Bench was told that the petitioner had been declared ineligible for the post of the sarpanch of a gram panchayat in Tarn Taran district on account of alleged non-clearance of house tax dues. Directions were also sought to be issued to the respondents to accept the nomination forms of the petitioners for enabling them to contest the elections scheduled to be held on December 30. 100 petitions filed More than 100 petitions, alleging arbitrary mass rejection of nomination papers, have been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. amansharma@tribunemail.com Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 24 The infant, who was flushed down train toilet, died here on Monday night. Government Medical College and Hospital Associate Professor Dr Narinder Singh, who has been tending to the male child, said, "The boy died due to shock and haemorrhage. Despite best efforts by six-member team, he could not be resuscitated." GRP Police station, Amritsar, SHO Balbir Singh Ghuman said, "DNA sample of the baby has been preserved for future investigation. After conducting post mortem, the body has been kept at mortuary for 72 hours." The GRP had registered a case under Section 317 of the IPC, which deals with the abandonment of children under 12 years of age by parents and guardians, against unidentified persons. Now, Section 318 of the IPC has also been incorporated in the same FIR for "deserting child under 12 years of age to die". The infant was discovered in the lavatory hole of the AC-3 rake of Howrah Express train (3006) at washing apron on Saturday. Safai Karamchari Vishal was the first to notice him after finding the drain pipe choked. Subsequently, he noticed a newborn stuck in it. Sources said the baby was most probably delivered in the train itself as the placenta was attached to body. Vishal and his colleague Akashdeep informed supervisor Ajay Singh and contrator Gurdev Singh Sabhi. Sabhi said couple of bodies of newborn and prematurely born babies were found in toilets of some trains sometime back. So they felt it was the same case. However, to their utter surprise the infant was found alive. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 24 Phagwara-based Lovely Professional University (LPU) will host the 106th Indian Science Congress from January 3 to 7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the event with the theme, Future India: Science and Technology. He will address a gathering of about 30,000 scientists, researchers and students. The Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA) has been organising the Indian Science Congress annually with the aim of bringing together the science fraternity from across the world on one platform to discuss scientific innovations and research. Six Nobel Laureates from countries such as Germany, Hungary and England are expected to take part this time, besides Union ministers Harsh Vardhan and Smriti Irani. LPU Chancellor Ashok Mittal said, We are excited to welcome the PM and the leaders of the global and national scientific community to our campus. I am confident that this edition of the Science Congress will set a new benchmark for scientific discourse in India. The mega event will also include the Childrens Science Congress and the Womens Science Congress. The former will give youngsters (age group of 10-17 years) an opportunity to showcase innovative ideas. pardeepdhull@gmail.com Washington, December 24 As many as 65 top US universities, including Harvard and MIT, have challenged the Trump administration in a court against its new stringent visa policy for foreign students, warning that the new backdating rule will have a detrimental effect on Americas higher education system. The new policy announced by the Trump administration in August places restrictions on overstaying a visa. Under longstanding immigration policies, when an individual is no longer authorised to remain in the US such as when a visa expires a period of unlawful presence begins. After six months of unlawful presence, an individual can be forced to return to their country of origin and subject to a three year bar from the US. Prior to the August policy change, individuals only began to accrue unlawful presence the day after the government issued an official determination that the visa holder was out of status. With the new rules, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can set retroactive start dates for unlawful presence that begins the day after an individuals degree programme is complete or the day after a persons visa expires. The top institutions, including Harvard, MIT, Cornell, Yale, and Princeton signed onto an amicus brief filed Monday, arguing that the new rule puts visa-holding students in a position to make tough choices. These institutions argue that the new policys use of a backdated unlawful-presence clock will render tens of thousands of F, J and M categories of visa holders subject to three and 10-year re-entry bars without any opportunity to cure. According to the National Association of Foreign Student Advisors (NAFSA), international students contributed USD 39 billion to the US economy during the 2017-2018 academic year. The same study found the economic activity of foreign students supported over 455,000 American jobs. The 65 institutions and one higher education system Board, mostly member institutions of the Presidents Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, signed the brief which urges the federal court to grant them motion for a preliminary injunction. The brief explains that the new backdating rule introduces considerable uncertainty into the calculation of unlawful presence and needlessly exposes international students to devastating reentry bans. The new rule will harm international students and scholars, as well as institutions which host them, it said. It notes the new backdating rule by US Citizenship and Immigration Services will likely result in fewer international students, scholars and instructors contributing to the communities. The brief supports Guilford College, et al in its lawsuit against US Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M Nielsen et al. It was filed in the US District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. International students and scholars are vital members of our campus communities and important contributors to our nation, said John J DeGioia, Georgetown University President and Presidents Alliance Steering Committee Member. The talents, perspectives, insights and passion to serve our world that they bring our campus communities benefits our nation and contributes to the common good that we all share, he said. The brief argues that a 10 per cent rise in the ratio of foreign graduate students to total graduate students results in a 5.1 per cent increase in patent grants. International students and scholars also continue to contribute to the US economy beyond their periods of enrolment. For example, in a study of American startup companies valued at USD 1 billion or more, it was found that nearly one quarter of such businesses had a founder who first came to the United States as an international student, it said. The backdating rule introduces significant uncertainty and punishes students for reasons that are frequently beyond the students control. In some cases, students and exchange visitors can fall out-of-status due to unwitting clerical and technical errors, often of someone elses making, the brief said. In many cases, the infraction will not be discovered (or determined, as the F, M, and J regulations are not always clear and may be subject to varying interpretations) until the individual reapplies for another immigration benefit, such as an optional practical training allowance or an H-1B visa, it said. A ban, in turn, could have devastating immediate consequences for a students course of study and would outright bar the student from reentering the US for any reason even for business purposes, or to see a child for a period of year, the brief said, adding that the new rule will diminish US ability to compete for international students and scholars. This decline in international student enrolment and in engagement with international researchers and professors will have a detrimental effect on the system of higher education in the United States. As of today international students continue to make this country the global leader in higher education, but the gap is closing. The United States market share has dropped from 23 per cent in 2000 to 16 per cent in 2012 with China, Canada, Britain and Russia all vying for the same pool of talent, it said. PTI gspannu7@gmail.com Madrid, December 24 A Colombian man who pretended to be a Roman Catholic priest for 18 years hearing confessions and celebrating weddings, was exposed just before Christmas, the diocese in Spain where he was preaching said on Monday. Marriages and baptisms carried out by Miguel Angel Ibarra remain valid but confessions are not even though the grace of God acted on the faithful who were deceived, the spokeswoman for the diocese of Cadiz and Ceuta told AFP. Ibarra moved to Spain from Colombia in October 2017 and had been in charge of the church in the village of Medina Sidonia, which is home to some 11,000 people, in the southern region of Andalusia. He had pretended to be a priest for the past 18 years, she added. Colombian church officials informed the diocese on December 13 that it had received a complaint that Ibarra had forged his ordination documents and that after carrying out a thorough investigation they had concluded that he had never been ordained, the Spanish diocese said in a statement. He was ordered to go back to his archdiocese of origin in Colombia, Santa Fe de Antioquia, it added. The diocese of Cadiz and Ceuta said it regretted that events like this could overshadow the work of parishioners and ordained priests, who serve the Church every day in an exemplary way. Like in other increasingly secular European countries, Spain is finding it difficult to attract new recruits to the priesthood in recent years and has had to resort to importing priests, often from its former colonies in Latin America. AFP ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Islamabad, December 24 An anti-corruption court in Pakistan on Monday sentenced ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to seven years in jail in the Al-Azizia Steel Mills graft case, but acquitted him in the Flagship Investment case. Three cases Avenfield properties case, Flagship Investment case and Al-Azizia Steel Mills case were launched against the Sharif family by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on September 8, 2017, following a judgment by the Supreme Court that disqualified Sharif in the Panama Papers case in July last year. Accountability Court II Judge Muhammad Arshad Malik on Monday announced the short verdict in the two corruption cases against the Sharif family, after reserving the decision on December 19. Judge Malik said there was concrete evidence against the 68-year-old former premier in the Al-Azizia case, and that he was unable to give the trail of the money used to set up the Al-Azizia Steel Mills in Saudi Arabia by his family in 2001 and later on, the Hill Metal Establishment also in Saudi Arabia. The court sentenced Sharif to seven years in jail and imposed a $2.5 million and 1.5 million pounds fine on him. The court also ordered to seize the Al-Azizia and Hill Metal properties. Sharif, who was present in the court, was immediately taken into custody. His lawyer requested the judge that the PML-N quaid (supreme) be shifted to Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore instead of Adiala Jail. The request was granted. Sharif has the option to challenge the verdict. PTI Its Blind revenges last hiccup: Maryam Punishment to the same man for the 4th time. (It was) blind revenges last hiccup but victory is Sharifs, thank GodVerdicts will vanish, what will remain is Sharifs honesty and the opponents burden of tyrannies because govt, power and privileges are there to end. Maryam Sharif, Ex-PMs Daughter pardeepdhull@gmail.com Dhaka, December 24 Thousands of army troops were deployed across Bangladesh on Monday to provide security and help conduct parliamentary elections on December 30, amid concerns that violence could happen. The Election Commission on December 13 announced that the army will be deployed as a striking force across the country during the 11th parliamentary elections and it will remain in the field until January 2. Election Commissions Joint Secretary Farhad Ahmed Khan said that about 400-450 platoons of the armed forces are deployed in 389 areas in 270 constituencies across the country. The army will work in 389 designated areas and the navy in 18. It will also be in charge of operating the electronic voting machines (EMVs) to be used at 845 voting centres in six constituencies, the Dhaka Tribune reported. Earlier this month, authorities deployed paramilitary border forces in 87 bordering areas to control the law and order situation. Election Commissioner Rafiqul Islam said the forces have been deployed to remove the fear of all including the political parties. Major opposition parties including jailed former prime minister Khaleda Zias Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its alliance Jatiya Oikyafront (National United Front) have long been demanding army deployment for free and fair elections. The opposition parties have alleged that thousands of its leaders and activists have been arrested to weaken them. The BNP has welcomed the Election Commissions decision to deploy army in the country ahead of the elections. We welcome the decision to deploy army during the 11th Jatiya Sangsad polls. We sincerely believe that the deployment of army will help create a fair and neutral environment for the election which so far has not been in effect, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam said in a press statement on Sunday. Stating that Bangladesh Army has always been dedicated to serving the nation and its people, Fakhrul said the army wont let its image be tarnished by working in a partisan way. We hope every proud member of the Bangladesh Army would work for the sake of the countrymen in an effective way, and not in favour of any individual or any particular group, he said. We strongly urge the Bangladesh Army to ensure equal scopes for all political parties and candidates in the election, Fakhrul added. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is seeking to return to power for a third consecutive time in the December 30 elections, which the opposition has alleged could be rigged. Zia, 73, who is serving a 10-year jail sentence on corruption charges, has been barred from contesting the polls. The Election Commission on Sunday allowed Jamaat-e-Islami, a crucial ally of BNP, to contest the general elections, two months after it scraped the fundamentalist partys registration. The Jamaat will contest from 25 seats in the parliamentary polls with sheaf of paddy, the electoral symbol of the BNP. The ECs decision came after the High Court earlier this week directed it to swiftly decide on a plea of 25 leaders of the unregistered party to contest the election as independent candidates on behalf of their alliance partners. The hardline Islamist party is now in a dilapidated state with most of its senior leaders executed in the past five years after being convicted by special tribunals on 1971 war crimes charges. Jamaat was opposed to Bangladeshs 1971 independence from West Pakistan and its leaders and workers sided with Pakistani troops in carrying out atrocities and genocide in then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). Bangladeshs post-independence government banned Jamaat but the subsequent regimes withdrew the ban allowing the party to re-emerge in politics. The party became a crucial partner of Zias BNP-led four-party alliance government in 2001 and its chief Moti-ur-Rahman Nizami and secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed became ministers. PTI The two-day festival introduces every aspect of Thailand to Hanoians, from the combat sport of muay Thai, and traditional puppetry arts of Hun Lakhon Lek to delectable Thai cuisine, folk arts, and the finest products. Visitors at the event can also join a lucky draw to win full-package tours to Thailand, airline tickets and many other prizes. Addressing the event, TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn, described 2018 as a lucky year for Thailands tourism as the country has welcomed 1 million Vietnamese visitors during the year, saying that it was an encouraging sign reflecting the close cooperation and development between the two countries. He expressed his hope that the number of Vietnamese tourists travelling to Thailand in 2019 would see an increase of 10% in comparison to this year. For his part, Deputy Director General of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Ha Van Sieu, highly appreciated the tourism promotional activities hosted by Thailand in Vietnam, which has attracted great interest from local residents. He also expressed his belief in the robust bilateral development, particular in tourism links, making Thailand and Vietnam the most favourite destination of citizens from each country. The Prime Minister has sought to assuage the concerns of prison officers, assuring them the Government will do everything possible to secure them and their families. In a statement on the Office of the Prime Ministers Facebook page yesterday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said: We are very aware of the perils surrounding the duties of honest, hard-working prison officers and have taken note of the onslaught aimed at these officers of State. We will do everything possible to secure them and their families. The conservative media axis is aflame with anger and resentment over President Donald J. Trumps failure so far to procure funding for his wall across the southern border. It seems an odd preoccupation in a moment of a teetering economy, a chaotic White House, numerous foreign conflagrations and multiple investigations into a corrupt administration, but the border wall is the major talking point for Sean Hannity, Matt Drudge and their compatriots. The pre-eminence of the wall in the imaginations of Trump and his allies is curious. It has always been more symbol than bulwark, more representation than fortification. As the nation grows inexorably browner, as white Americans lose their cultural dominance, the wall is an emblem of their resistance to demographic change. Trumps voters want to shut out those people, the ones that the president has denounced as terrorists, rapists, drug dealers and violent gang-bangers. There are countless elements of irony in this resistance, but one that sticks out in this season is this: Arent those people the very ones that the presidents constituency of conservative Christians ought to be reaching out to assist at Christmas? Isnt the New Testament full of entreaties to help the less fortunate, to support those in trouble, to aid the stranger? Isnt this season supposed to represent the opportunity for renewal of a generous spirit, a compassionate disposition, a merciful outlook? Even non-Christians know the story at the heart of the Christmas celebration: A young pregnant woman and her husband report to authorities in a place where they are not welcome, and she is forced to give birth in a stable. After warnings, they flee with their newborn because a powerful man wants to harm their son. Ahem. Any parallels here? Yet, there has been precious little outcry from Trumps sycophants over the death of a young girl in the custody of U.S. border agents. Earlier this month, 7-year-old Jakelin Caal died after reporting to a remote New Mexico border outpost with her father, Nery, who intended to apply for asylum. To reach the United States, Jakelin and her father had crossed the desert with a group of other Central American migrants. The Washington Post has reported that she died of complications from dehydration, though an autopsy has not been completed. To cross the southern border without papers, migrants undertake a treacherous journey, often on foot, often in searing heat and without adequate food or water. Thousands have died trying to complete the journey. An investigation into her death is underway, and it may well be that she would have died even if she had received swift medical attention once she reached New Mexico. But she did not receive that swift attention, according to the Posts Nick Miroff, who reported that she and her father waited hours for a bus to take them to a larger border facility. A few minutes into the 90-minute trip, the girl started to vomit, but Border Patrol agents continued the drive, summoning an ambulance when they arrived. By the time she reached an El Paso, Texas, childrens hospital, Miroff wrote, Jakelins temperature had soared to nearly 106 degrees. She was dead within hours. Even if U.S. immigration authorities are blameless in Jakelins death, youd think there would be more outrage, more anger, more finger-pointing even from Trumps base. What about their concern for children, especially during this season? Shouldnt they demand more appropriate care for families who will inevitably show up at tiny border facilities? A federal judge recently shot down President Trumps narrow new rules for asylum seekers, ordering him to follow the old regulations: Migrants may still seek asylum based on credible fears of domestic violence or gang violence. Thats good news for asylum seekers, but it also means that women and children, especially, will continue to seek sanctuary at tiny outposts after long and grueling trips. The Trump administration, however, has decided that its practiced cruelty is the best way to deter them. It continues policies and procedures that will result in more heartbreak, more family separations and, likely, more deaths. Why arent those who celebrate the religious traditions of Christmas more outraged? Isnt compassion what those religious traditions represent? Email Cynthia Tucker at cynthia@cynthiatucker.com. The year 2018 has been an eventful one. Even as it comes to a close, some developments that came to the fore during the 12-month period may remain etched in the minds of Kenyans for long. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens. READ ALSO: Uhuru takes surprise SGR trip to Mombasa, impressed with service Social cycles have been on the news with viral headlines but the economic sector was not left out. Photo: UGC Source: UGC READ ALSO: NASA leaders accuse Ruto of hiding behind allies to sabotage Uhuru- Raila handshake The economic sector was not left out with, the following figures forming a list of spiky issues that will forever remind the citizenry about 2018: READ ALSO: Coast region fails to produce schools in KCSE top 100 best performers 1. KSh 5.145 trillion public debt By the end of September 2018, it was estimated that Kenyans owed both domestic and foreign lenders to KSh 5.145 trillion. Out of the KSh 5.145 loan the government is expected to pay, domestic lenders are owned KSh 2.54 trillion (41%) while external lenders are owed KSh 2.6 trillion (51%). President Uhuru Kenyatta said a big portion of the loan was channeled to infrastructural development for instance roads and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). Kenyan are, however, concerned on whether the government's appetite for loans in sustainable and if the country will manage to offset them. President Uhuru Kenyatta said a big portion of the loan was channeled to infrastructural development for instance roads and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). Photo: President Uhuru. Source: Facebook 2. NHIF KSh 50 billion scandal During the last leg of 2018, bosses at the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) found themselves on the wrong side of the law. The insurer has been on the radar of investigative agencies following claims that at least KSh 50 billion was plundered from it. Some suspects, among them NHIF boss Geoffrey Mwangi, were charged with fraud related counts. Some suspects, among them NHIF boss Geoffrey Mwangi have been charged in court with fraud related counts. Photo: UGC Source: UGC 3. Second NYS KSh 9 billion scam The National Youth Services (NYS) was for the second time put under the torment of another fraud that saw taxpayers lose over KSh 9 billion. The case is pending in court and several bosses have been relieved off their duties and suspects arraigned in court. Preliminary investigations indicated the money was paid to ghost tenders and also directed to personal bank accounts. READ ALSO: Ngiritas among NYS suspects unable to bail themselves out of remand 4. KPC KSh 1.9 billion case Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) was also not left out among companies blamed for massive wastage and fraud. The company's boss Joe Sang was put to task to explain how the state corporation lost fuel worth over KSh 1.9 billion to spillage. Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) was also not left out among the companies blamed for massive wastage and fraud. Photo: UGC Source: UGC 5. KPLC KSh 470 million scandal Troubled power distributor, Kenya Power, was on the receiving end after it emerged that KSh 470 million had been fraudulently lost at the company. Suspended CEO Ken Tarus and former boss Ben Chumo, among other suspects, were accused of collusion where they procured faulty transformers. 6. 8% fuel tax After Parliament passed the controversial Finance Bill 2018, Kenyans were thrown into massive uproar since fuel prices increased by 8%. Petrol begun retailing at at least KSh 118.11, diesel (KSh 112.83) and kerosene sold at KSh 111.82. Petrol begun retailing at at least KSh 118.11, diesel (KSh 112.83) and kerosene sold at KSh 111.82. Photo: UGC Source: Facebook 7. 15% excise duty tax on airtime and data Mobile phone users in the country may also not forget 2018 as it marks the year they paid higher rates for both airtime and data. The government effected the tax in a move to rake in more revenue to finance Uhuru's Big Four agenda. 8. 12% excise duty on mobile money transfer Taxes levied on mobile money transfer were increased by 12% to reflect recommendations of the Finance Act 2018. This saw customers pay more to send and receive money. The duty tax also affected bank transactions rates. READ ALSO: Uhuru signs the Finance Bill 2018 into law hours after chaotic debate in Parliament Taxes levied on mobile money transfer were increased by 12% to reflect recommendations of the Finance Act 2018. Photo: UGC Source: UGC 9. 1.5% salary deduction for housing fund The controversial bill had also prescribed 1.5% salary deduction for all employees which is envisioned to be channeled in the affordable housing fund scheme. Its implementation was scheduled for January 2019 but a court halted it following a suit filed to restrain the government from receiving the deductions. READ ALSO: Teachers up in arms against government's plan to deduct their salaries to fund housing project 10. Daily direct flight to USA On the night of Sunday, October 28, national carrier, Kenya Airways (KQ) soared to the skies and throttled to the New York without any stopover. The 15 hour haul, according Tourism CS Najib Balala and his trade counterpart Aden Mohamed, will open up the East Africa Region to the western world and in return bolster tourism and trade relations. On the night of Sunday, October 28, national carrier, Kenya Airways soared to the skies and throttled to the New York without any stop. Photo: UGC Source: Instagram 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. Girls perform better than boys in 2018 KCSE results | Tuko TV. Source: Tuko Breaking News Latest The following is a release issued by the US State Department on November 30, 2021. The situation in eastern Ukraine, as well as on the sea, could escalate any moment and become much more dangerous as Russia does not intend to stop supporting the separatists and is not ready to make concessions. "I fear there may be a chain reaction. The situation is intentionally or unintentionally exacerbated where they have different hot spots (of conflict), where a flame is smoldering. For example, some hot spots can cause a huge fire. If the rebel republics fall under military pressure, they will again receive support from Russia," OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger said in an interview with the Neue Osnabrucker Zeitung. He called the unsolved problems of the occupied Crimea, illegal elections in two "republics" and the situation along the contact line in Donbas among such "hot spots", mentioning also the legislation on language and education and aiming for the independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The provocations from both sides occur again and again along these rupture lines, Greminger noted. The recent events in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait, the OSCE Secretary General said, fit into a broader picture of Ukraine-Russia relations. The release of 24 Ukrainian sailors and return of three captured ships could be a Russias goodwill gesture, Greminger said. However, he does not see the political will for reconciliation. This applies both to the negotiations in Minsk and within the Normandy format. In particular, as the OSCE meeting in Milan showed, "Lavrov has very clear instructions not to make any concessions." Greminger positively assesses the role of his organization and the monitoring mission. We are coping well with the conflict in eastern Ukraine, making sure it does not escalate, he said. Putin says the release of the sailors could be discussed after their trial in Russia is over. U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Ambassador Kurt Volker says that the United States hopes that Russia will release captive Ukrainian sailors "as expeditiously as possible, ideally before Christmas." "I think they should [release captive Ukrainian sailors], and all of us are urging to do so, so it should be a goodwill gesture. And if so, I hope that we were able to build on that, we can get some momentum," he told the TSN television news service in an exclusive interview. "We hope that is done as expeditiously as possible if they insist on it but the important thing is just to release the sailors as soon as possible, and ideally before Christmas." At the same time, Volker did not mention which Christmas he meant, as starting from 2018, Ukraine also celebrates Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar, on December 25. Ukrainians will also continue marking this holiday according to the Julian calendar, on January 7. Read alsoU.S. special envoy Volker: We have long-term strategy for Ukraine (Video) Volker mentioned a recent conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The former says that the Ukrainian sailors are being tried in Russia, and any discussion of their swap for Russian citizens convicted in Ukraine is possible after the trial is over. "As of now that's not what the Russians have said. Most recently, I believe President Putin and Chancellor Merkel had a conversation in which he referred to a so-called 'legal' process within Russia. It's obviously not legal but nonetheless he referred to a legal process they had to go through," Volker said. On November 25, Russia blocked the passage to the Kerch Strait for the Ukrainian tugboat "Yany Kapu" and two armored naval boats "Berdyansk" and "Nikopol," which were on a scheduled re-deployment from the Black Sea port of Odesa to the Azov Sea port of Mariupol. The Ukraine Navy Command noted that the Russian side had been informed of the plans to re-deploy the vessels in advance in accordance with international standards to ensure the safety of navigation. The Russian coast guard ship "Don" rammed the Ukrainian tugboat, damaging the Ukrainian vessel. As the Ukrainian boats were heading back in the Odesa direction after being rejected passage via the Kerch Strait, Russian coast guards opened aimed fire on them. All 24 crew members on board were captured and later remanded in custody for two months, being charged with "illegal border crossing" (the sailors are facing up to six years in prison). Three crewmen were wounded in 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. None of the defendants pleaded guilty. The North-Caucasian District Military Court in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, on December 24, handed down sentences against a group of four Crimean Tatars from the occupied Bakhchisarai in the so-called Hizb ut-Tahrir case." Enver Mamutov was sentenced to 17 years in a maximum security prison; Ruslan Abiltarov, Remzi Memetov and Zevri Abseitov to nine years, also in a maximum security prison, according to Hromadske. As UNIAN reported earlier, none of the defendants in the said case pleaded guilty. The detainees said that their case was politically charged. Read alsoCrimean lawyer detained for Facebook post dating back to 2013 media Russian prosecutors requested that the court sentence those indicted to prison terms ranging from 10 to 17 years. On May 12, 2016, Russian security forces raided the houses of a number of Crimean Tatars and a local cafe in Bakhchisarai. As a result, four local men were detained and subsequently charged with terrorism. They are suspected of participating in the activities of a Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is recognized as terrorist organization in Russia. UNIAN memo. Representatives of the international Islamic political organization Hizb ut-Tahrir call their mission the unification of all Muslim countries within the Islamic Caliphate, at the same time rejecting terrorism-related methods to achieve their goal. The organization says it is being subjected to unfair persecution in Russia and in the Russian-occupied Crimea. The Supreme Court of Russia banned Hizb ut-Tahrir in 2003, putting in the list of "terrorist" organizations. The analyst believes that there may be several factors that will affect the Donbas development. Ex-head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, Army General Mykola Malomuzh expressed the opinion that the situation in the conflict-affected regions of Ukraine in 2019 will change if Ukrainians elect new leadership in the upcoming polls. "Therefore, 2019 can be a year of dramatic changes in terms of peace, stabilization, the return of people in Donetsk and Luhansk regions and the restoration of Donbas, and later the return of Crimea," Malomuzh told Glavred. According to Malomuzh, who headed Ukraine's intelligence agency in the times of Viktor Yushchenko and Viktor Yanukovych, the second scenario is where "the same people remain in power, or if certain forces come to power that are interested in continuing the conflict (these are forces are either Russia-oriented or focused on clan interests)." "In this case, the conflict will remain in place, said the analyst. Read alsoEx-chief of Ukraine's foreign intel: Role of anti-Russian sanctions exaggerated The former intelligence official suggests that the smoldering nature of conflict is beneficial to certain business groups for whom military operations are of certain financial interest. Having failed to gain advantages at the front and the Sea of Azov, Russia is hoping for a change in the structure of Ukraine's political elite. This is the strategy of the Russian Federation today. It doesn't involve new offensive campaigns, but provides for the promotion to leading posts in Ukraine of forces and persons who defended the pro-Russian stance, shifted away from the European and Euro-Atlantic vector, and went for the pro-Russian line," he said. The military expert added that Russia is preparing for various scenarios for the Ukraine developments in 2019. However, the Kremlin hopes to see a puppet government coming to power after the upcoming elections. "Russia is preparing for different scenarios, ranging from the most radical (military operations), local invasions of regions or directions, to economic and political ones, which allow solving the problem comprehensively. That is, if Russia gains control over Ukraine economically and politically, they will not need war as they will achieve their goal anyway," the expert concludes. Greminger does not expect a breakthrough in peace talks anytime soon since "there is simply no political will for reconciliation." From the individual hotspots in Donbas, a huge fire could flare up, since there is no political will among the conflict parties to reconcile, OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger said in an interview with Neue Osnabrucker Zeitung. "I have a fear that a chain reaction may take place. Where there are separate hotspots, where flames flare up, one day, voluntarily or involuntarily, escalation might occur," said Greminger, according to Deutsche Welle. According to the official, "a huge fire can flare up from individual hotspots." Read alsoUkraine proposes Russia to exchange prisoners on January 5 He pointed to such places of possible escalation as the occupied Crimea and the line of demarcation in Donbas, and also mentioned the "illegal elections" in the so-called "LPR" and "DPR" as one of the possible pretexts for aggravation. The OSCE Secretary General called on the Kremlin to show good faith to restore mutual trust. Such a gesture of goodwill could be "the release of 24 detained sailors and the return of three captured vessels." At the same time, Greminger does not expect a breakthrough in peace talks anytime soon, since "there is simply no political will for reconciliation." The OSCE chief says receiving new impulses from the Normandy group would be good but "at the moment, unfortunately, we are very far from this." The experts note that this is yet another psychological operation in the framework of hybrid warfare. Occupation forces in eastern Ukraine have been spinning another set of fake reports, this time about the alleged deployment of "NATO troops" in Donbas and their participation in hostilities. Most recent reports by Russia proxy forces in Donbas claim that nearly 60 troops of the special airborne SAS unit have been deployed in eastern Ukraine while 20 Norwegian spec-ops rangers and operatives of Israel's Mossad have arrived in Mariupol, the strategic port city on the Azov coast, according to the Ukraine-based Information Resistance OSINT group. Read alsoKremlin's persistent claim of expected chemical attack by Ukraine Armed Forces in Donbas worrying MP The IR notes that this is yet another psychological operation on the part of Russia aimed to cover the operational deployment of their proxy forces. The group explains that the latest cycle of training and combat coordination is being or has been completed for at least five battalion-tactical groups that are not directly involved in hostilities, along with the corresponding command and staff exercises). The invaders are definitely preparing for something, while covering up their military activity with fake reports about the Ukrainian Armed Forces allegedly plotting some mythical offensive, the IR wrote. According to intelligence data, a militant died and another two were injured as a result of weapon mishandling during combat training. Russia-backed militants in eastern Ukraine's Donbas did not violate ceasefire in the past day, the Joint Forces Operation Staff reported Monday morning. No losses have been reported by Joint Forces in the past 24 hours. Read alsoDefinitely preparing for something: OSINT group on Russia's fake news on NATO troops in Donbas At the same time, according to intelligence reports, on December 23, a militant died and another two were injured as a result of weapon mishandling during combat training. Since day-start [on Monday], the enemy opened fire on positions of Ukrainian military from grenade launchers of various systems and large-caliber machine guns near the village of Pisky on the Donetsk line. There are no casualties among the military personnel, the HQ added. "Time and again, you have stood up to aggression and those who flout the rules-based international order," says British prime minister. British Prime Minister Theresa May has hailed the work of the UK armed forces in response to the Salisbury nerve agent attack and "protecting the country from Russian intrusion" in her Christmas message. From playing a vital role in cleaning up after a sickening nerve agent attack on the streets of Salisbury, protecting our waters and our skies from Russian intrusion and strengthening our allies in Eastern Europe, striking at terrorism as part of the global coalition against Daesh [Isis], and along with our US and French allies sending a message to the Assad regime that we will not stand by while chemical weapons are used, as they were in April on families, including young children," May wrote, according to The Independent. Read alsoUK defense minister to Ukraine: Black Sea not Russia's Time and again you have stood up to aggression and those who flout the rules-based international order. You should be incredibly proud of all that you do just as the whole country is proud of you," reads the message. She warned of "new challenges" lying ahead, adding she knows"you will continue to meet them in the same way you have always done. With courage, determination, resilience, ingenuity. Qualities that are as vital now as they have ever been." (@rukhshanmir) The annual trade between Russia and Croatia has a good chance of growing from about $2 billion in 2018 to $3 billion in the near future, Russian Ambassador in Zagreb Anvar Azimov told Sputnik on Monday. BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th December, 2018) The annual trade between Russia and Croatia has a good chance of growing from about $2 billion in 2018 to $3 billion in the near future, Russian Ambassador in Zagreb Anvar Azimov told Sputnik on Monday. "Together with gas supplies, this year, our trade already stands at about $2 billion. But there are chances to increase it. Of course, [the progress] is largely hampered by the policy of sanctions, which has an especially negative impact on the delivery of Croatian agricultural products to Russia. But there are other areas of possible cooperation in a number of other sectors, which will allow us to reach $3 billion in the near term," Azimov said. According to the Russian Embassy, Russia-Croatia trade, excluding imports of Russian gas, has reached $1.5 billion this year, which the ambassador said was "a very good indicator." Azimov stressed that the increased political contacts between Moscow and Zagreb had given significant impetus to the strengthening of their economic ties. (@FahadShabbir) Federal Ombudsman (FO) of Pakistan has set up 'One stop facilitation center' in District Headquarter (DHQ), Kasur to reintegrate the victims of child abuse in society after providing them medico-psychological assistance via one window operation ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Dec, 2018 ) :Federal Ombudsman (FO) of Pakistan has set up 'One stop facilitation center' in District Headquarter (DHQ), Kasur to reintegrate the victims of child abuse in society after providing them medico-psychological assistance via one window operation. In this regard, an accord was signed between Fatima Jinnah Medical University Lahore (FJMU), the Federal Ombudsman, District Jail Kasur and DHQ, Kasur, during the first meeting of the Task Force on 'One-Stop Facilitation Center for Children's Rehabilitation' recently held at the Office of Vice Chancellor FJMU, Lahore. About one month back, four task forces were formed, aimed at providing psycho-social aid to victims of child abuse, bringing legal reforms, training police and sensitizing the society regarding the menace, in pursuant to the recommendations made in a report compiled by a panel constituted by the Ombudsman in the aftermath of Zainab rape-cum-murder case that took place in Kasur last year. According to the inked Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a Hospital Child Protection Committee would be set up, spearheaded by medical superintendent (MS) DHQ, Kasur, which would nominate more focal persons from FJMU belonging to the other medical disciplines to provide required treatment to the patient ranging from gynecological to physiological. Moreover, the MS DHQ, Kasur would be remained in touch with other appointed focal persons at FJMU to ensure provision of all-out facilities to the sufferers. Talking to APP, Commissioner for Children and Focal Person on Child Abuse of Federal Ombudsman Syeda Viqar-un-Nisa said as there was no sanctioned post of a psychiatrist in Kasur, therefore, a consultant psychiatrist from FJMU was being deputed there. The psychiatrist would conduct training of other medico-psychiatrist staffers of the hospital occasionally as the victim needed constant monitoring, she added. "Psycho-social and rehabilitation aid are imperative to retrieve a child abuse victim from such mental agony as most of affected children re-emerged as child abuser," she reckoned. The commissioner said they would hold a meeting with health authorities of the Punjab to create a permanent vacancy of psychiatrist in Kasur district. She also clarified that the facilitation center was established for the victims only while the appointed psychiatrist would also visit District jail Kasur to train the jail staffers, so that the accused of child abuse could also be provided with necessary treatment. (@ChaudhryMAli88) MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd December, 2018) Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held a meeting on Sunday with a delegation of Hamas movement, de facto governing the Gaza Strip, headed by one of the movement's founders Mahmoud Zahar, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. According to the statement, the two parties have discussed the recent developments in Palestine and Iran's support for the state at a meeting in the Palestinian Legislative Council. "'Supporting Palestine is a basic policy of the Islamic Republic,' [Zarif] said, expressing hope that some regional governments that have pinned their hopes on the support of the Zionists and the US would return to the Muslim world and realize that Zionists are no real friend or partner for anybody," the ministry said. Zahar, in turn, praised Iran's support for the state and expressed hope that the people of Palestine would manage to resist the Zionist project with the help of the Muslim countries. The relationship between Israel and Palestine has radicalized in recent months. After the shooting of Israelis that occurred on December 13, Israel blocked the de facto Palestinian capital Ramallah and carried out numerous raids on Palestinian properties. According to Israeli media, the country's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened through Egypt a message to Hamas, saying that Israel would not respect the truce in the Gaza Strip if Hamas militants proceeded with their incursions into the West Bank. At least two Azerbaijani nationals died when a van crashed into a truck on the M4 highway in Russia's Voronezh region, the emergency services told Sputnik Monday. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th December, 2018) At least two Azerbaijani nationals died when a van crashed into a truck on the M4 highway in Russia's Voronezh region, the emergency services told Sputnik Monday. "There have been five victims, including two dead," a representative of the services said, adding that according to preliminary data, all of the victims were Azerbaijani nationals. Mozambiques Prison Chaplain, from the Archdiocese of Maputos Pastoral Penitenciaria, has praised President Felipe Nyusi for pardoning more than 1, 000 prisoners. Herminio Jose - Maputo, Mozambique According to Frei Dinis Mario Adriano, the Pastoral Coordinator of the Prison Chaplaincy, the pardon is for ailing prisoners and those who had demonstrated signs of reform. The just-released prisoners have since been urged to be positive and live productive lives in society. President of the Republic of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, recently announced his governments decision to pardon 1,498 convicts. Nyusi appealed to the spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness The list of the pardons nationwide was drawn-up after thorough review by the governments technocrats, Nyusi said in his annual state of the nation address to people of Mozambique. Some of the released prisoners need specialised medical treatment and care not easily accessible in prison. The President urged Mozambicans to give the newly released inmates a chance and to welcome them in the spirit of reconciliation and forgiveness which, he said, is characteristic of the people of Mozambique. President of the Sudan Catholic Bishops Conference has expressed cautious optimism that the countrys latest peace agreement could signal the start of stability in South Sudan. Paul Samasumo Vatican City Barani Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio and President of the Sudan Catholic Bishops Conference for Sudan and South Sudan told Vatican News of the shame and pain endured by the people of South Sudan because of the war, which started in 2013. No one wishes for more war The signed 12 September 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement (to Resolve the Conflict in South Sudan) is holding in most parts of the country and seems to, by and large, indicate that it could last. I am logically convinced that this Peace Agreement may last on the premises that any conscious South Sudanese cannot (think) of sponsoring war anymore at whatever cost, knowing the shame and pain we have gone through, Barani Kussala said. Barani Kussala noted that optimism notwithstanding, the people of South Sudan are celebrating Christmas under a cloud of so much hate speech in the air. This, he said does not bode well for the prospects of lasting peace in the country. The Bishop also drew attention to the ordinary peoples dire situation of homelessness, fear, hunger and general poverty. We can make of South Sudan a better place Barani Kussala described Christmas as Gods generous gift to humankind. All Christians, he said, owe a debt payable by showing love to neighbour and others here on earth. In offering these hopes and prayers (for peace), we are conscious that God energises peoples imaginations and gives them the will, to make of South Sudan a better place here and now. It is because of this that I speak of the generosity of each and every one of us to give the best of ourselves for the salvation of South Sudan, he said. It is better to give than to receive In conveying to the people of South Sudan good wishes for Christmas, Barani Kussala acknowledged that though Christmas is a time for giving and receiving we need to go beyond just waiting to receive. In the minds of many, the aspect of receiving takes greater prominence. The reason for this, it seems, is that our collective psyche has been formed that way (from the time when we were children) However, it is hoped that as one matures in Christian/human consciousness, imbibing the true purpose of the nativity of Christ, we will be able to reflect in our liturgy and social interactions, a more wholesome understanding of the reason for His coming into the world... In the light of all that God has done for us, the question, which inevitably presents itself to every Christian, to every person of good will, is: What will we bring to the Christ-Child? Challenges Barani Kussala. The Revitalized Agreement to Resolve the Conflict in South Sudan signed by warring parties on 12 September 2018 has been described by the United Nations (UN) as a positive and significant development in the countrys elusive search for lasting peace. UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, commended the pact as a step forward and applauded efforts by regional and international governments that led to the signing of the Agreement. The UN called on all parties to immediately cease hostilities across South Sudan. The onus is now on South Sudans parties to the conflict to make the commitment and the investment in implementing the Agreement so that the people of South Sudan can finally receive the peace dividend they deserve. No Nicaraguan Representative is invited to the January 1st Inauguration of Brazil`s inkling President Jair Bolsonaro. James Blears reports why the Government of President Daniel Ortega is being shunned and snubbed. By James Blears Incoming Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo has announced quote: "Because of the violations of the Ortega regime against the freedom of its people, no representative of that regime will be received on January 1st. Right wing President elect Jair Bolsonaro has already stressed that Cuba and Venezuela aren`t welcome either. Trouble flared in Nicaragua back in April when the Government slashed pensions. Massive demonstrations followed and were met with a harsh response from Authorities. Although President Daniel Ortega quickly rescinded the strictures, the protests deepened and widened demanding his resignation. More than three hundred people have died in the troubles with hundreds more injured and arrested. With this invitations hard line, the new Brazilian Government is making its position and stance against Latin America`s left wing block, absolutely concrete. Rescuers and residents look for survivors along the coast in South Lampung on South Sumatra (AFP or licensors) At least 220 people were killed on the coast of Indonesia when a volcano eruption triggered a tsunami. The wave swept inland, destroying homes and infrastructure. By Alastair Wanklyn The tsunami struck in the evening local time, shortly after a volcano erupted offshore. The activity on Krakatoa island either pushed up the sea bed or triggered underwater landslides, sending a wall of water towards the coast. The wave struck seafront towns and villages on the islands of Java and Sumatra. One survivor said he clung to a fence as the water surged past. He feared he would be swept out to sea when the tsunami receded. A spokesman for Indonesia's disasters agency was quoted saying Indonesia lacks a warning system for volcanic eruptions. There was no alarm, he said, because there was no earthquake. Tsunami sensors are located where tectonic plates meet. Indonesia regularly suffers natural disasters. In September an earthquake struck the island of Sulawesi, killing more than 2,000 people. And Krakatoa, the volcano that erupted on Saturday, killed tens of thousands of people when it first erupted, in the 1880s. International aid agencies said they are sending food and shelter materials. But for residents the threat is not over yet. Indonesia's meteorological agency said the volcano on Krakatoa is still erupting, and further tsunamis are possible. Customers buy beer at a supermarket in HCM City. -VNS Photo Thu Ngan A spokesperson for MM Mega Market told Vietnam Newspreparations are complete for Tet buying. The wholesaler is striving to keep prices at the same levels as a year ago, he said. Volumes could increase by 5 per cent this year with domestic products dominating the market though MM Mega Market would be the sole distributor of some foreign beers in the country, he said. A Lotte spokesperson said the Korean supermarket expects to sell 250,000 cases of beer in the first two months of next year. Prices would remain unchanged except Heineken and Tiger, whose prices have increased since the third quarter, the supermarket said. Some 97-98 per cent would be local products, it said. E-commerce platforms said there has been a sharp rise in the search for beer brands since the beginning of November. Many online shopping companies have introduced new beers for Tet with information about price and quality. At that time, online-shopping companies said, companies start seeking for products to present their partners while retailers start their stockpile. In downtown areas like District 1 and District 3, large retail shops are preparing for Tet by stocking up on foreign beers like Desperados, Kaiserin, Royal Dutch, Budweiser and Hoegaarden. According to retailers, beers from Asian countries like Laos, Cambodia and Thailand like Singha, Chang, Leo, Angkor and Beer Lao will be in high demand though their prices are slightly high. These have come into the market in the past two or three years. Nguyen Van Bom, a retailer in Binh Chanh District, told Nguoi Lao Dong (The Labourer) newspaper that several new brands are coming to the market every year. They are sold in large retail shops and supermarkets and often bought for gifting, he said. But the main sales come from certain local brands, he said. Some breweries have already launched sales programme and promotions for Lunar New Year. Mikio Masawaki, general director of Sapporo Vietnam, told Vietnam News that his companys prices have not changed though in the retail channel they could be a bit inconsistent. He said the products his company would market this Lunar New Year are Sapporo Premium both in a bottle and can, draft beer and Blue Cap 330ml. The company has said there would be a new design so that they could be given as gifts. Sapporo Vietnam estimates sales this year to be similar to last year. Habeco has launched a promotion for Tet, offering customers the chance to win prizes worth a total of VN23.1 billion (US$1 million). According to the HCM City Department of Industry and Trade, 42.2 million litres of beer will be consumed during Tet next year, 30 per cent higher than normal days. Breweries are not expected to hike prices. Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Cao Quoc Hung was elected as Chairman of the Vietnam-Africa Friendship and Cooperation Association (Source: baomoi) Accordingly, members of the association agreed to maintain good rapports with embassies of African countries in Hanoi and Vietnamese organisations having relations with Africa. The VAFCA will actively coordinate with African embassies to host cultural exchanges, economic and education programmes as well as celebrations of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and African nations. It will seek to establish partnership with friendship organisations in Africa. The association will organise more workshops and exhibitions on themes of mutual interests. The congress elected a new executive board with 24 members and Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Cao Quoc Hung as President of the association. Since its foundation in November 2004, the VAFCA has maintained and developed a wide range of activities to strengthen friendship and mutual understanding between Vietnamese and African people. Nguyen Van Viet, chairman of the Vietnam Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Association While companies raised objections against the draft law because it might harm their business, many international health organisations supported it as the strongest legal tool for the country to fulfil its sustainable development commitments. Where does the Vietnam Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Association (VBA) stand? We welcome the recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Healths (MoH) aim to protect peoples health via the draft law. However, some of the arguments by representatives of WHO Vietnam and other international organisations are not persuasive. Statistics from international organisations used as reference are being used as official figures in the draft law. The statistics should instead be based on the Vietnamese governments General Statistics Office and the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade. The VBA and our members completely agree with reasonable regulations. However, there are some regulations that could negatively impact not only the beverage industry but also tourism and other sectors, while possibly causing losses to the state budget. First, we do not agree with the name of the draft law because it could cause negative impacts on business activities. Our preferred wording is either the Law on Control of Alcohol or the Law on Prevention and Control of Harms of Alcohol Abuse. No other country in the world has a law to prevent and fight against wine, spirits and beer in this way. A few countries have similar laws, but with different names based on simple wording, such as the law on control of alcohol. What is more, wine, beer and spirits are part of each countrys culture. It is an important part of traditional and political parties. We believe the draft law seems to go against tradition. We also have issues regarding regulations on the time, location, and ways to sell beer, wine, and spirits as well as advertising. For example, the draft law proposes a ban on selling beers, wines, and spirits from 10 PM to 6 AM. This will not help the country reduce consumption, but may cause negative impacts on the development of the beverage and tourism industries. Beer, wine, and spirits are not a conditional business. Thus, the ban on selling the products on the Internet is not in line with investment laws and goes against trade trends within Industry 4.0. This can prevent buyers from buying genuine products, while leading to a rise in smuggling and difficulties in tax collection. The Vietnamese beer market posts stellar growth, with high consumption volumes, Photo: Le Toan Domestic and international experts have said that the harmful use of alcohol not only damages peoples health, but also greatly diminishes the economic, social, and development prospects of Vietnam. Should businesses not be willing to give up a small part of their ambitions for the sake of the community? First, we should reaffirm the necessity of building the draft law, as the country right now already has too many legal documents covering production, sales, and consumption of beer, wine, and spirits. Businesses do not need to give up their benefits if we have a law harmonising the benefits of the business community, the government, and our citizens by having reasonable regulations on management, production, business, food safety, and the responsible use of these products. Many developed countries such as Russia, South Korea, Germany, and Japan, where far more alcohol is consumed than in Vietnam, have strong economies and also a stable and healthy society, despite this consumption. At present, beer, wine, and spirits are subject to many kinds of taxes in this country, including a special consumption tax of 65 per cent, 10 per cent value added tax, corporate income tax, environment tax, and more. Despite recent changes, the draft law still fails to satisfy all the stakeholders. What are your suggestions to help the draft harmonise the benefits for all, as you stated? We do hope that the draft law would have feasible regulations to facilitate our member companies activities, while protecting peoples health and ensuring the benefits of the government. The fact is that this is a very difficult task as the MoH has designs on health protection, while other stakeholders and VBA members have economic preferences. To control the consumption of these types of alcohol, we have many measures available. One example is the requirement of a credit card, or identification card. In this way, only people aged 18 and older can own this type of card and therefore have access to the products. The draft law should tighten control over the thorny issue of homemade wine and low-quality wine products which seriously harms peoples health, so as to achieve the target of eradicating unlicensed home-made wine production by early 2023. Recent cases of wine poisoning have all been caused by low-quality methanol containing wine. According to the MoH, only 15 per cent of homemade breweries, and nearly 50 per cent of the volume of homemade wine sold are licensed. Leo Evers, managing director of HEINEKEN Vietnam HEINEKEN Vietnam has been recognised as the most sustainable company in Vietnam for the second consecutive year. Which part of your sustainability agenda do you think sets you apart? The award is such a wonderful honour for everyone at HEINEKEN Vietnam. We are proud of the fact that sustainability is part of our core business strategy. I think this is a crucial aspect of having a good sustainability agenda and it means it truly covers your entire value chain from manufacturing through distribution to consumption. Sustainability is not only the right thing to do, but it has also proven to be good for our business. Moreover, HEINEKENs global and local Vietnamese sustainability strategy is designed to support eight out of 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the National Sustainability Agenda. In the long run, I believe that this approach will help enhance corporate and national productivity and competitiveness in Vietnam, which has also been emphasised by Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue at the Corporate Sustainability Index Awarding ceremony last month in Hanoi. Sometimes the choice of sustainable development may conflict with profit growth. As part of its sustainability efforts, HEINEKEN asks consumers to drink with moderation and not to drink and drive, in your When you drive, never drink campaign. Does this campaign create any conflicts with your business growth target? Have you seen any major impacts on consumer behaviour? As a leading brewer in Vietnam, we understand our responsibility and opportunity to drive behavioural change related to responsible consumption, including moderate drinking and drink driving, via our brands. Regardless of any impact on sales, we need to drive a more responsible drinking culture and help reduce drink driving that is the only way we will be a sustainable business in the long term. Last year we invested VND16 billion ($700,000) in communicating the message to drink responsibly to more than 10 million Heineken and Tiger fans. However, behavioural change requires long-term commitment and a roadmap with dedicated partners from the government and the private sector. We are proud to partner with the National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC) on our When you drive, never drink campaign to extend the reach and impact of this campaign. This year, we have brought this campaign to the next level by launching 37 flagship outlets in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to redesign the drinking environment at outlets, reminding consumers that When you drive, never drink. This initiative has been implemented in partnership with a leading behavioural design expert, Sille Krukow. For the past two years, her global team of behavioural change designers has worked with Heineken to conduct research on drink driving and develop solutions to tackle this issue for many markets, including Vietnam. Last month, she came to Vietnam to present her insights on behavioural change to nearly 200 NTSC officers. Together with other solutions, including roundtrip Grab codes for drinkers and training workshops for Vietnamese students, we are confident that this years campaign will obtain positive results on changing drink driving behaviour. However, to see real, meaningful long-term change, we need to keep running these campaigns consistently for many years. That is why we have partnered with NTSC since 2008 and will continue to actively advocate responsible drinking. HEINEKEN Vietnam has been honoured as the most sustainable company for the second consecutive year Not all businesses can afford to choose sustainable development in the long run over short-term business growth, even though this is the right thing to do. This dilemma is apparent via the dilemma between plastic packaging versus environmentally friendly packaging, or traditional fuel versus renewable energy. How can HEINEKEN Vietnam overcome this hurdle? We understand the challenges that might present themselves when an organisation chooses to operate sustainably. However, in our experience, there are often innovative and sustainable solutions that actually benefit your business at the same time. To give you one example, when we switched from using diesel boilers to power our breweries to using clean biomass energy, this initiative was not only good for the environment and the local community, but also to our business. To generate biomass energy, we sourced approximately 54,000 tonnes of rice husk and woodchips from farmers in 2017. This allows us to provide substantial income for Vietnamese farmers and support the development of the biomass energy industry in Vietnam. Moreover, we managed to brew 100 per cent with carbon neutral renewable energy at four of our six breweries, halve our CO2 emissions compared to using fossil fuel, and reduce our fuel cost by approximately 30 per cent. I heard a great quote the other day: Todays problems are often yesterdays solutions it is really very true, particularly with regards to plastic packaging. We need to think very carefully about what may seem like the easy solution today as in reality it could end up costing us much more in the long term. Most businesses are still unfamiliar with comprehensive sustainability approaches such as the circular economy model or zero waste to landfill. What would you recommend to encourage more businesses to follow sustainability practices and ultimately support UN SDGs in Vietnam? Many organisations still think that sustainability requires a large budget that only multinational companies can afford, whereas in reality sustainability is all about intent and commitment, as well as finding innovative solutions. A report by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development also showed that sustainable development can enable businesses to gain up to $12,000 billion, and create up to 380 million new jobs around the world by 2030. As seen in my biomass example, the right solution will actually benefit your business as well as the environment and local community. A very good way to follow sustainable practices is to learn from other businesses who have done them via forums such as the Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD). VBCSD creates a community for us to exchange best practices with others, co-operate and support one another. It gives us a framework and structure to enable these opportunities as well as inspiration for new ideas and ways in which we can continue our quest to be a more sustainable company and have an even greater positive impact. Just this month, we held circular economy workshops for VBCSD members in Vietnam, led by renowned circular economist Leyla Acaroglu. This included some train-the-trainer sessions so that VBCSD and company staff can help others learn more about the circular economy approach. Does HEINEKEN plan to further expand its sustainability initiatives and investment in the coming time? Are there regulatory or infrastructure challenges barring you from doing so? One of our key sustainability targets to be achieved by 2020 is to brew 100 per cent from renewable energy at all six of our breweries. We look forward to increasing our renewable electricity mix, where improvements are required to the existing infrastructure and the regulatory framework to enable this. The sooner we can get the right regulatory framework in place, supported by the right infrastructure, and the commitment by relevant partners in the private sector, then we will see a significant acceleration in terms of renewable electricity in Vietnam. With that being said, the great news is that sustainability has received great attention and support in recent years, from the local community and especially the government of Vietnam. Yellow vests protesters and magistrates demonstrate in front of riot police outside Limoges' city hall, as French Prime Minister holds a meeting with "Yellow vests" movement representatives. (PASCAL LACHENAUD/AFP) Speaking during a visit to the Saharan state of Chad where he was visiting French troops serving in a counter-terrorism force, Macron said: "There must be order now, calm and harmony. Our country needs it." "It needs harmony, unity, sincere commitment to strong collective causes and we must heal the divisions," said the 41-year-old centrist, who has struggled to tamp down the anger of the working poor in small-town and rural France over falling spending power and policies seen as tilted towards the rich. Nearly 40,000 people took part in a sixth round of nationwide protests on Saturday, according to the interior ministry - around half the number who demonstrated a week earlier. In Paris, the scene of fierce clashes and widespread destruction in previous weeks, the protests were mainly peaceful. But as evening fell, violence broke out again on the iconic Champs Elysees avenue. In one incident that caused widespread outrage, three police officers on motorbikes were forced to make a hasty escape after coming under attack near the Champs Elysees from demonstrators who threw paving stones and other objects at them. A video of the incident, which was widely shared on social media, showed one officer pulling his gun and pointing it at the advancing protesters. He and his two colleagues - one of whom had his motorbike knocked to the ground -- then made their getaway. The video showed that, seconds before the attack, the police had lobbed stun grenades at a group of protesters, who were some distance away. 'INCREDIBLE VIOLENCE TOWARDS POLICE' Speaking to the BFMTV channel, Macron said those responsible for the violence would face "the most severe" legal punishment. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe for his part denounced the "incredible violence towards the police". He also took aim at protesters who sang a song by controversial comedian Dieudonne M'Bala M'Bala, a convicted anti-Semite, outside Sacre-Coeur church in Paris, as well as those who decapitated an effigy of Macron in the western Charente region - two other incidents seen as evidence of growing radicalisation and the presence of extremists within the movement. "There can be no trivialising of such gestures which must draw unanimous condemnation and be punished by the law," Philippe tweeted. The number of demonstrators has been trending downwards since 282,000 people turned out for the first Saturday protest against planned anti-pollution fuel tax hikes on Nov 17. From there the protests quickly morphed into a full-scale revolt against Macron's policies, his aloof, top-down governing style, and the political class as a whole. Last week, Macron sought to defuse the crisis by announcing a 10 billion (US$11.4 billion) package of measures to help pensioners and low-paid workers. Since then the "yellow vests" have been split between moderates willing to engage in dialogue with the government and radicals intent on remaining at the barricades. LEADER FACES TRIAL Around 2,000 people demonstrated in Paris on Saturday, compared with 4,000 the previous week, police said. A total of 142 people were detained and 19 taken into police custody in the capital, including one of leaders of the movement, Eric Drouet. Drouet was released on parole on Sunday and will face trial on Jun 5 for "carrying a prohibited category D weapon", a judicial source told AFP. Macron's concessions, which were fast-tracked through parliament in 12 days, marked a stunning climbdown for a leader who staked his reputation on not being swayed by protesters. On Sunday he told a press conference with his Chadian counterpart Idriss Deby that the measures were a response to the "righteous anger of the French people". During an earlier meeting with a group of Chadian women he said he had "sometimes been mistaken" in trying to implement a one-size-fits-all approach to greening the economy , saying it was "more intelligent to draw on local initiatives". The protests have dealt a blow to the French economy, particularly the retail trade, ahead of Christmas. Labour Minister Muriel Penicaud tweeted on Sunday that 41,000 employees are either "partially active" or "technically unemployed" due to the closure of businesses linked to the violence over the last five weeks. Ten people have died in incidents linked to the demonstrations, mostly in accidents at roadblocks set up by the protesters. National Citizen Bank hiked its charter capital to prepare for future expansions The State Bank of Vietnam has just released Document No.9256/NHNN-TTGSNH that allows National Citizen Bank (NCB) to increase its charter capital from VND3 trillion ($130.4 million) to VND5 trillion ($217.4 million). NCB will do this by issuing new shares to its employees and existing shareholders, in accordance with the agreed proposal in the 2018 annual general shareholders' meeting. The document stated that NCB must comply with the Law on Financial Institutions when raising its charter capital, including any ownership limits on existing shareholders and related parties. During the process, shareholders should ensure that the capital they use to buy NCBs shares is legal. This means the shareholders cannot borrow money from foreign-owned financial institutions or invest in another persons name, unless entrusted by that person via written agreements. Within the next 12 months, if NCB cannot finalise its share sale, the document will be made null and void. The bank received great attention from investors in recent months Economist Nguyen Tri Hieu said the capital raise is a positive move for NCB, and the green-light from Vietnams regulators is a clean bill of health for the commercial bank. The permit means that the State Bank agrees with NCBs expansion plans and the efficiency of the capital raise plan. The bank also announced its third quarter results, in which accumulated pre-tax profits went up by 80 per cent year-on-year. Accumulated pre-tax profit also grew by 90 per cent from the same period last year, reaching VND1.27 trillion ($55.2 million). According to the consolidated financial reports, in general, earnings from services almost doubled from last year. On the stock market, NCBs stock price has rallied, making it one of the top 20 performers on the Hanoi Stock Exchange. Liquidity is higher and investors are paying close attention to the stock, with one or two million NCB shares exchanging hands in every trading session. The peak was August 15 and 30, when the daily liquidity of NCBs stocks reached five million. Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh (fourth, right) meets with Archbishop Nguyen Chi Linh of the Archdiocese of Hue on December 23 (Photo: VNA) Meeting with head of the Vietnam Episcopal Council Archbishop Nguyen Chi Linh of the Archdiocese of Hue, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh wished local Catholics a merry Christmas season. He noted contributions by Catholic followers to the countrys all-round achievements. He said Catholic dignitaries have encouraged followers to be good citizens helping with local and national development and the great national unity bloc. The Deputy PM affirmed that Party and States consistent policy is respecting peoples right to freedom of belief and religion, ensuring religious followers rights and legitimate interests, and creating conditions for them to improve their living standards and contribute to the great national unity bloc. He also expressed his hope that Catholic dignitaries and followers in Thua Thien-Hue will continue staying united and further adhering to the Popes teachings and the Vietnam Episcopal Councils guideline of living the gospel amidst the nation to serve the happiness of fellow countrymen. For his part, Archbishop Nguyen Chi Linh appreciated the Party and States greetings, adding that the dignitaries will continue encouraging Catholic followers to comply with laws and join people of all strata in the nation-building efforts. On this occasion, Deputy PM Binh also visited and sent Christmas wishes to Catholics in the parish of Phu Cam in Hue city. Later, the Government official paid a Christmas visit to Catholic and Protestant dignitaries and followers in the central city of Da Nang. The same day, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man visited the parish of Lanh Tri in Moc Nam commune of Duy Tien district, Ha Nam province. He said the Party and State highly value the role of and contributions by Catholic followers in national building. He called on local Catholics to uphold the traditional patriotism and solidarity, keep contributing to their hometown and the country, and help enhance the great national unity bloc. Priest Le Thanh Nghi, head of the Lanh Tri parish, said he will continue calling on followers to actively engage in movements and campaigns launched by the Vietnam Fatherland Front and join hands with local people in developing their hometown. Kuwait's Minister of Oil and Electricity Bakheet Al-Rashidi arrives at the headquarters of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in Vienna, on December 5, 2018, where member states agreed to cut output from the start of next year AFP/JOE KLAMAR Oil prices have shed more than 36 per cent since early October to trade at US$54 per barrel, due to fears of oversupply and weak global demand. But president of OPEC and UAE Energy Minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said that the surplus in the oil market was small compared to 2017 and expected it to vanish in one or two months. "Based on available figures, we have around 26 million barrels of surplus ... compared to 340 million barrels in early 2017," Mazrouei told a press conference in Kuwait City. "I think that we can easily do with this surplus and reach market rebalance in one or two months ... in the first quarter of next year," he said. OPEC - a cartel of producer countries that has long manipulated output of the commodity, to influence global prices in members' favour - and non-OPEC members agreed in early December to trim production by 1.2 million barrels a day from Jan 1, in a bid to shore up sagging prices. Mazrouei said that there has been higher than anticipated supply on the market in recent months, as US sanctions on Iran have had a less pronounced effect on the country's oil exports than had been expected. Iraq's Oil Minister Thamer al-Ghadhban said that there is a consensus among OPEC and non-OPEC producers to comply with the new agreement to trim output in a bid to stabilise the market. He said the new agreement is valid for six months and the ministers will meet in April to assess the impact of the cuts. Ghadhban said he believes that the new measures taken by producers will "stop the slide in oil prices." Mazrouei said that producers are ready to renew the agreement or increase cuts in case the market does not balance. "If the production cuts of 1.2 million barrels a day is not enough, we will meet again to see what is enough and apply it," he said. During their meeting next April, the producers are also expected to sign a long-term agreement to formalise cooperation between OPEC and non-OPEC members over oil output. OPEC has lately been cooperating closely with Russia and other non-cartel producers, in a bid to impose greater control over global output and prices. Junes major promotion and startup event has led to a wave of further interest from business groups looking to invest Soc Trang has recorded enviable achievements in investment promotion activities in 2018, of which most the notable achievement related to its successful hosting of the investment promotion and business startup launching event in June. The conference helped effectively promote the provinces abundant potential and advantages to the wider business community, as well as to domestic and foreign investors. From there, a slew of business groups have come to the province searching for investment opportunities across the board. Recently the local authorities have met, provided information for, and supported investment procedures for investors involved in 160 projects, 12 projects more than the corresponding period last year. Of those, 34 have either received investment certificates or earned approved proposals with the total registered capital value of about VND5.2 trillion ($226 million), a 27 per cent jump on-year. Many of these projects are now in the development pipeline. Several have already been put into operation including a plant producing apparel, handbags, footwear and aromas from Broadpeak Soc Trang Ltd, Nha Be garment plant of Nha Be Soc Trang Garment JSC, and a seafood hatchery from Thang Long Ltd. Two other schemes, a major post-larvae hatchery by Viet Uc JSC and a packaging production plant from Duy Nhat Trading and Manufacturing Ltd, are slated to begin operations imminently. Several other projects are about to complete the legal setup stage to begin construction, such as the Lac Hoa wind farm from Vinh Chau-TDC Renewable Energy JSC, BRE Singapore Ltd.s wind farm No 3, and the Gieng Tien religious site from Gieng Tien Thao Linh Co., Ltd. Simultaneously, the province will soon complete procedures to select investors to ventures calling for investment into market and trade centre development, such as Soc Trang city wholesale market project, a high-end hotel and restaurant scheme, and a project on Tran De and Song Hau Industrial Zone, particularly the building of the Tran De Deepwater Port. Besides strengthening funding promotion, Soc Trang has paid heed to business facilitation activities such as regularly hosting dialogues with investors, as well as meetings and workshops to support businesses and praise their achievements. The number of companies doing business in Soc Trang is still relatively modest and mainly of small and medium size. The provinces efforts to help them solve problems they face during project implementation in a timely manner have enabled them to secure stable growth in business and production activities. In 2019, Soc Trang will continue luring investment to projects on the approved wish-list for the period 2017-2020, focusing on top priority plans and attracting potential business partners with vision matching the provincial socioeconomic development planning. The province is also set to come up with measures to further improve the local investment climate, raise the provincial competitiveness index ranking, and effectively implement the Resolution of the Soc Trang Peoples Council on investment support policies. From there, the province can appeal to more financiers with greater contributions towards its development path. More than 4,350 M&A deals totaling 48.8 billion USD have been executed in Vietnam during 2009-2018 - Illustrative image (Source: raconteur.net) The year 2017 witnessed an M&A boom with a total value of transactions amounting to 10.2 billion USD, a growth of 175 percent over 2016. The market size last year increased by nine-fold against 2008, of which the record deal of the decade was 4.8 billion USD that ThaiBev (Thailand) paid for a 51-percent stake in Sai Gon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Corp (Sabeco). This year, the countrys M&A market is forecast to reach 6.5-6.9 billion USD. In the following years, M&A deals are expected to continue focusing on consumer goods, retail and real estate. In addition, the fields of telecommunications, energy, infrastructure, pharmaceutical and education will also be on radar of investors. According to Nguyen The Phuong, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, the process of economic integration and restructuring has accelerated SOE equitisation as well as the development of private sector and foreign investment, opening up more M&A opportunities in Vietnam. The Khmer Rouge Tribunal judgment in Case 002/02 provides an opportunity to consider the advancement of justice, but we must recognize the significant shortfalls and limits of this tribunal, which have left many victims without a voice. Genocide is not easy to prosecute. A conviction for the crime of genocide requires clear proof of mental intent to kill or displace a people based on national, ethnic, racial, or religious identity. The Khmer Rouge Tribunal formally known as Extraordinary Chambers in the Court of Cambodia (ECCC) has jurisdiction to prosecute the genocide of people based on religion as well as many other crimes. The ECCC has jurisdiction to try suspects for religious persecution as set forth under the 1956 Penal Code, as well as crimes against humanity for acts committed as a widespread or systematic attack directed against a population for religious grounds. The tribunal also has the power to bring suspects to trial for the destruction of cultural property pursuant to the 1954 Hague Convention for Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. While circumstances surrounding these crimes were discussed in the ECCCs judgment as it relates to Buddhists and Muslims, there was no mention of crimes or actions taken against Christians or the Christian faith. Between April 1975 and January 1979, the Khmer Rouge destroyed significant numbers of Christian churches and many Christians were killed. Phnom Penhs first Cathedral, the Preah Meada was decimated, and the Notre Dame Cathedral in Phnom Penh, which could hold up to 10,000 people, was blown up. Accounts from this period describe churches being utterly destroyed, and many Cambodian Catholic priests were killed, including Joseph Chmar Salas, the first Khmer Catholic bishop to Cambodia. Courts are limited in what they can do for victims. Criminal courts ordinarily do not compensate victims, and any reparations they provide are often largely symbolic. One of the most important contributions that courts can provide is the establishment of a record. The court record provides victims an opportunity to speak to the accused, the public, and the next generation on what they experienced. Even for those victims who could not speak, the record is important, if only for purposes of recognizing collective harm. Recognition of collective harm in courts gives respect to the individual victims and their surviving family members, and it provides historians with one more reference for their work in describing what happened and why. But there is always a balance between maximizing the scope of the record of what happened and why, with the limits of court resources. The question is to what extent should we allow the conservation of court resources (or whatever other reason is offered) to effect an under - or misrepresentation of the actual experience of a group of victims. There seems little doubt that Christians were persecuted. There also is no doubt that Christianity, as it was expressed in architecture, ceremonies, and other relics of the past, largely disappeared during the Khmer Rouge period. The critical question is whether Christians were targeted on religious grounds on the same basis as Buddhists or Muslims. The Trial Chamber found that certain groups were targeted based on religious differences. The chamber found that the Cham suffered under restrictions to their religious practices, and they were persecuted on religious grounds. The chamber also found that Buddhists were also subject to religious persecution. While the chamber found that the Vietnamese were targeted based on race and ethnicity, they chose not to inquire, discuss, or answer any question related to the treatment of their Christian faith. The history of Christianity in Cambodia dates back hundreds of years. The first missionaries arrived in Cambodia in the 16th century and they contributed or supported charity, good works, culture, and learning. One may say that the lack of attention to the treatment of Christians may be based on the relative small number of Christians that existed in Cambodia at that time. One estimate suggests that, at least in 1970, there were more than 60,000 Catholics in Cambodia. On December 29, 2018, Cambodia will mark the historical ending of the Khmer Rouge movement. On this day, twenty years ago, Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea defected from the Khmer Rouge. On that day, Khieu Samphan urged Cambodians to let bygones be bygones regarding the deaths of over a million people, and Nuon Chea said, Please leave this [the deaths] to history. This is an old story. Please leave it to the past. The past is never dead. In fact it continues to resonate in all that we know, think, and do. All of us bear a duty to not forget the past. We cannot expect courts to bear the entire responsibility of recording the past. We must take up where the tribunal has left us and make every effort to ensure history, as witnessed through each victim, is preserved for the next generation.Where the courts record is limited, incomplete, or insufficient, we must take the initiative to preserve this history so the voices of all victims can be heard for all time. Youk Chhang is the director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, an independent nongovernmental organization that holds the world's largest collection of documents from Democratic Kampuchea. He provided more than half of million evidentiary pieces to the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. Christmas celebrations are under way in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, hosted by the Palestinian Authority. It was a festive kickoff to Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem, as Palestinian boy and girl scouts held a colorful march through Manger Square. They faced a giant Christmas tree in front of the Church of the Nativity, what is traditionally considered the birthplace of Jesus. The parade took place near a big sign that read, "Pray for the freedom of Palestine," as local Palestinians and tourists looked on. Pilgrims came from around the world to visit the ancient Grotto of the Nativity. "Realizing and imagining that 2,000 years ago Jesus was born here, and he was held by the Virgin Mary and Joseph a miracle happened. It's extraordinary. It's amazing. I'm very happy," said Dina Brisken who is visiting from the U.S. state of Ohio. The turnout is much bigger than last year, when unrest kept many visitors away. Palestinians launched violent protests after U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Bethlehem Mayor Anton Salman told VOA Jerusalem must be the capital of a Palestinian state. "Trump with what he did he lost his position as a mediator, [an] honest mediator," he said. "I don't think that there is a possibility with his policy in the Middle East that peace will prevail or the peace process will be active again." In this little West Bank town, however, hope springs eternal. "Bethlehem always has a message to the world built on hope and looking for peace and justice," Salman said. In the Holy Land, religion and politics are never far apart. South Korea said Monday it will fine BMW $9.9 million and will file a criminal complaint against the German automaker for delaying a recall of cars with faulty engines that caught fire. South Korea's transport ministry said its investigation uncovered that BMW knew about the faulty engines, but did not execute a prompt recall. The ministry said BMW deliberately tried to cover up the technical issues with the exhaust gas recirculation, or EGR, even after dozens of fires had been reported earlier this year. "BMW announced earlier that it had become aware of the connection between the faulty EGR cooler and the fire only on July 20 this year," the ministry said in a statement. "But we discovered that . . . BMW's German headquarters had already formed a special team in October 2015 tasked with solving the EGR problem." BMW did eventually mount a recall of more than 170,000 cars. The French news agency AFP reports some South Korea parking lots had refused to accept BMW cars for fear the cars would catch fire. An Afghan government spokesman says 43 people were killed when gunmen stormed a government building in Kabul Monday. The attack began in the afternoon when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-packed car outside the building, which houses several agencies, includng the department for people with disabilities and war veterans. Once the entrance was breached, the gunman rushed inside and began a furious standoff with police that lasted for seven hours. Health Ministry spokesman Waheed Majro says at least 10 people were wounded in the attack. One policeman and three other militants were killed during the siege. Officials said more than 200 employees of the department were safely evacuated after the attack started. Other key buildings and departments are also located in the same eastern Kabul neighborhood where the violence erupted. There were no immediate claims of responsibility for Monday's attack. Taliban insurgents and Islamic State militants have both taken credit for plotting previous attacks in Kabul. The attack comes just days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to withdraw half of the 14,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. They are being called pollution migrants a growing band of residents in the Indian capital who are relocating to other places as its toxic air sparks grim warnings that it is extracting a heavy toll on the city's health. But environmental experts question whether they have many choices, pointing out that much of urban India is grappling with an air pollution crisis. Last year, when Purva Bhatia's three month-old-daughter became sick with pneumonia, the doctor attributed it to New Delhi's deadly air pollution. The thought of leaving the city where she and her husband grew up had never crossed their minds. But having watched many other children battle respiratory ailments, it did not take long for them to decide that they could not raise her in Delhi. "We needed to give her clean air at least. Just to see that three month old with nebulizer and medicines, that was really traumatizing," recalls Bhatia, who writes a blog. She migrated to Canada last month. Toxic air In recent years, air pollution in the Indian capital a mix of automobile emissions, construction dust and industrial emissions often reaches severe levels in winter months. Although summer is better, the air quality is still poor and New Delhi, which now ranks as the world's most polluted mega city. Doctors warn that the toxic air, which is considered to be equivalent to smoking 20 cigarettes a day when it is at its worst, can lead to serious respiratory and heart ailments. Those scary warnings are prompting some to pack their bags. Some have gone to southern cities like Bengaluru and Chennai, while others have headed to the western city of Goa, a palm-fringed, beach destination. Aditi Malhotra, an event planner, left for Goa a year and a half ago after she suffered from breathing problems and eye infections due to the toxic air in her hometown, Delhi. "It was getting very difficult to handle all of that. It was a very conscious and planned decision to move to a cleaner place," she said. 'National emergency' However, Anumita Roy Chowdhury at New Delhi's Center of Science and Environment, warns that "we cannot really run away." Calling air pollution a "national emergency" she points out that while the Indian capital may have grabbed the headlines, the air in most other cities is also toxic. "We know that almost 88 percent of the cities that are monitored in this country are what is officially classified as critically polluted," she says. "It is as expansive as that." 'Public health emergency' and relocation India dominates the list of the world's most polluted cities according to the World Health Organization, 14 out of the 20 top ones are in India. Shruti Chaturvedi, a 25-year-old who has launched a startup, Chaaipani, testifies to that problem. She moved to Delhi in 2016 but after her bronchitis worsened, she quit the city. The reason: "I had breathing troubles, I could not even sleep at night, I had to buy air purifiers, and that is the worst, to even ask for good air," she said. Chaturvedi moved to Mumbai, but although the air was cleaner than in Delhi, she still found it difficult to handle the pollution levels. She is now heading to Goa and this time she is taking no chances. "Even when I am looking for houses in Goa, I go around taking the air pollution meter to see where air pollution is the least," she said. Many are searching for options. Several young professionals told VOA they are willing to take pay cuts and relocate to cleaner places with most wanting to move for the sake of their children. "You can take a risk with your own health, but you can't do it with your kids," said a young lawyer with a two-year-old son who did not want to be named. Doctors say that the numbers of wheezing men, women and children who stream in for help rises every winter and call the city's toxic air the prime contributor. "Most hospitals are now reporting much higher percentage of patients having respiratory diseases as compared to ten years back," according to Doctor Arvind Kumar, a prominent lung surgeon in the city. "And now it is being realized that the worst affect is coming in children in the form of suboptimal brain and lung development. For me it is a public health emergency, it is much bigger than any development agenda." However, in a city of over 20 million, the option of moving out is still restricted to the upper middle classes and the elite. Many of the worst affected, such as those working outdoors in pavement stalls and auto rickshaw drivers, say they have no choice but to stay in the city. "I get headaches, burning in my eyes, when I drive, especially in winter," says 47-year-old Ashok Lohia, an auto rickshaw driver. But he shrugs aside his health issues, "I have to earn a living. I am not educated, where can I go?" Those who have quit Delhi admit uprooting themselves was not easy, but say they have no plans to turn back until the city's air pollution crisis eases. The partial shutdown of the U.S. government has moved no closer to a resolution, with President Donald Trump asserting Democrats "must end" the standoff while Democratic leaders in Congress blamed Trump for "plunging the country into chaos." The two sides traded their accusations ahead of Christmas, the fourth day in which parts of the government are closed because Congress and Trump have not been able to agree on necessary spending legislation. While government agencies dealing with national security and public safety remain open, other offices are closed and 800,000 federal workers are on furlough. Those who are considered to be essential employees are reporting for duty, but will not get a paycheck for that work until the shutdown is over. "The president wanted the shutdown, but seems not to know how to get himself out of it," Senator Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and incoming House speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote in a joint statement. "The stock market is tanking and the president is waging a personal war on the Federal Reserve after he just fired the secretary of defense," they said. Trump has demanded $5 billion for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Democrats have offered $1.3 billion for other border security measures. The president canceled his Christmas vacation to his Florida resort because of the impasse with Congress. "I am all alone (poor me) in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come back and make a deal on desperately needed Border Security," he tweeted Monday. "At some point, the Democrats not wanting to make a deal will cost our Country more than the Border Wall we are all talking about. Crazy." Another Trump tweet claimed "virtually every Democrat" strongly supported a "Border Wall or Fence" but turned against the idea after he made it an important part of his campaign for president. Most Republican lawmakers, meanwhile, have rallied around Trump's demand. "One would think that securing our homeland, controlling our borders and protecting the American people, would be bipartisan priorities a core duty of any nation's government," Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said. In the past, Democrats have been open to approving additional border security funding, including money for a wall, as part of a larger deal on immigration reform. Earlier this year, Democrats were willing to support wall funding in return for protections for so-called "Dreamers" immigrants brought to America illegally as children a deal Trump initially hailed but later abandoned. Democrats say Trump was willing to sign a deal to keep the government operating without the full $5 billion, but backed out after those Schumer calls and "right-wing radio and TV talk show hosts" complained. "Different people from the same White House are saying different things about what the president would accept or not accept ... making it impossible to know where they stand at any given moment," Schumer and Pelosi said. What is certain, though, is the government will remain closed at least through Thursday and, according to acting Chief of Staff Nick Mulvaney, quite possibly into 2019. It has been 20 years since tragedy hit the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, one of the toughest ocean competitions in the world. Six sailors died when a wild storm hit the fleet in 1998. Many yachts were forced out of the race, and dozens of competitors were winched to safety by helicopter. It was Australia's biggest peacetime search and rescue effort as the Sydney to Hobart fleet was ambushed by a monstrous storm. While some yachts battled on, others capsized and sailors tossed into the ocean. Six were killed, and dozens more were winched to safety in daring sea rescues. Sailor 1: "[I] saw people picked up and hurled into parts of the boat badly injuring themselves." Sailor 2: "First concern was that everybody was safe onboard the yacht. Second concern was to look after the yacht as much as possible and our last concern was to worry about racing." Sailor 3: "We were just getting rolled time after time and that was really unsettling for the crew down below and it was dangerous for the crew on top." Michael Bellingham was also in the race in 1998. This year he is competing again, and he will be the navigator onboard the yacht Patrice, but the disaster 20 years ago is never far from his thoughts. "At its worst we had incredibly big seas, we had horizontal wind. What highlights it for me often is the memory of seeing a container ship traveling from New Zealand, I think, to Melbourne. As this ship went over the waves this is a giant, big container ship as the bow went down over the wave you could see the propellers coming out the back spinning. So that kind of made you aware that these were pretty big waves, right," he said. The weather system that hit the fleet 20 years ago off New South Wales is known as an east coast low. They are common but would only reach the intensity of 1998 every three or four years, according to Jane Golding from Australia's Bureau of Meteorology. "Storm force winds, 40 to 50 knots, thunderstorms rain. They had interesting currents as well just to complicate matters. Those conditions lasted for effectively 24 hours. Really steep, high waves as well, you know, as high as buildings generated by these storm force winds," said Golding. It was the people of Eden, a former whaling town south of Sydney, who played a major part in the rescue mission. Barry Griffiths is a former volunteer coast guard, who tried desperately to communicate with the crews at sea. "Some we couldn't hear because of the wind and somebody is talking to them and the radio went dead. You feel so helpless when all you can do it talk to them and hope that you are getting through," he said. Olli Hreinsson managed to reach sailors on a sinking yacht onboard his fishing trawler in a rescue that took 19 hours. "Maydays start raining out on the radio and it looks like people is [sic] dying out there and we cannot really sit here and just listen to them die. We have to do something," he said. On the second day of this year's Sydney to Hobart race, a minute's silence will be observed by those at sea to remember that terrible day in 1998. Lindsay May's boat survived unscathed during that storm. He says the tragedy resulted in faster and more reliable weather updates, as well as a wholesale reform of safety standards. "The gear that we use is all designed about protecting the crew and making the sport safer, so we will have a minute and I hope a lot of people will just reflect on the changes that have happened as a result and that if anything good has come out of it is that we have not lost anybody since and we have had some pretty tough races. It is time to reflect and remember this is a tough game sometimes," said May. This year for the first time an all-female professional crew has been put together specifically for the Sydney to Hobart race and will compete on Wild Oats X. The race record of one day, 9 hours and 15 minutes was set by the Australian boat, Comanche, in 2017. Saudi Arabia's King Salman has led funeral prayers for his half-brother Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz who died Saturday at age 87. Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz, a senior member of the ruling al-Saud family, was a vocal supporter of reforms in the kingdom. Prince Talal was the son of modern Saudi Arabia's first ruler, the late King Abdulaziz. He is also the father of billionaire investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. He held various senior government offices in the 1950s and '60s, including that of communications minister and the minister of finance. According to the Saudi newspaper Arab News, Prince Talal opened the first school for girls in Riyadh in 1957, at a time when girls had no access to formal education. Later in life he was also a strong advocate for women's right to work outside the home as well as drive. He lived in exile after leading a group of dissident princes who called for a constitutional monarchy and an end to strict religious influence in the ruling the country. The group, which became known as the Free Princes Movement, allied himself with then Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser who was an adversary of Riyadh. Prince Talal was allowed to return to Saudi Arabia in 1964 after he toned down his rhetoric. Prince Talal served until 2011 as a member of the Allegiance Council, the body responsible for overseeing the royal succession. He quit after questioning its efficacy when a senior prince was appointed to the line of succession without the council being fully consulted. Israel will hold early general elections in April and the Knesset will be dissolved, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party said Monday. Netanyahu's coalition has been plagued by internal divisions for months, including the recent resignation of Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, in protest of what he perceived to be the government's weak response to rocket attacks from Hamas-ruled Gaza. The prime minister's Likud party also faces criticism from Ultra Orthodox Jews over a new bill which would extend the military draft to include them. Ultra Orthodox Jews have been exempted from the draft for years as they fear conscription could lead to immersion in secularism. General elections were initially scheduled to be held in November of 2019. Despite the disagreements, Netanyahu seems well placed to win another term as Israel's prime minister, which would make him the country's longest-serving leader. However, he faces potential criminal charges over corruption allegations, and police have recommended he be indicted on bribery allegations. The Justice Ministry announced Wednesday that deliberations continued as the country eagerly awaits a decision from the attorney general. Netanyahu has angrily dismissed the allegations against him, emulating his ally U.S. President Donald Trump in calling them a "witch hunt" against him. The dissolving of parliament and scheduling of early elections is far from rare in Israel. The last time a government served its full term was in 1988, according to the Associated Press. Since then, similar coalition crises have led to early elections. Journalists in Liberia sounded the alarm on press freedom on Monday after two ministers mounted an attack on a paper that ran an article about alleged top-level corruption. In a statement, the Press Union of Liberia said it was concerned about "reinforced hostilities" against the media "from within the power [circle]" of President George Weah. At the weekend, Finance Minister Samuel Toweh, a close ally of the president, lashed out after the daily FrontPage Africa ran a story implying government corruption lay behind settlement of a $182,000 (159,500 euros) debt to a building company. The paper found that the company that was owed the money had ceased to exist in 2003. "We'll weaponize... the case to go and deal with mistruths and falsehoods in the media," Toweh said. The minister of state for presidential affairs, Nathaniel McGill, hit out at the paper's editor. "I think Rodney Sieh, the press and the FrontPage Africa is a criminal entity bent on tarnishing the good reputation of people," he said. "Rodney Sieh will go to jail because I will not allow people to tarnish my reputation." The journalists' association called on Weah to fulfill his promise, in the run-up to his election this year, to uphold freedom of the press. It also urged Weah "to advise his assistants to end their inflammatory comments and actions against the media." "These negative energies undercut the country's democratic gains," it said. U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis visited Vietnam twice this year and suggested in October stronger relations as China bears down on Vietnamese maritime claims. In the Philippines a month later, Mattis swore to uphold a decades-old military alliance that helps Manila resist China. A U.S. naval ship passes through the South China Sea every couple of months or so as support for keeping the resource-rich waterway open, not just for Chinese use. Moments like these raised Southeast Asias confidence in U.S. support after some nervousness when President Donald Trump took office in 2017. Mattis will quit January 1, in turn shaking that confidence. Beijing has drilled for oil, built up islands or passed ships in South China Sea waters claimed as well by Vietnam, the Philippines and three other Asian governments. Weaker than China, the Southeast Asian states hoped the United States would help. Mattis advocated close relations with allies to resist authoritarian states. I suspect many leaders, be they in Southeast Asia or elsewhere, will just roll their eyes and think, here we go again after Mattis leaves, said Sean King, vice president of the Park Strategies political consultancy in New York. Mattis is different, as heholds such a critical life-and-death cabinet post and is a firm believer in America's alliances, as evidenced in his resignation letter to Trump. The U.S. Asia alliance spans democracies from Japan through South Korea and Taiwan into Southeast Asia. Many of those countries are trying to pare back the influence of China. Sudden resignation It is clear that China and Russia, for example, want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model gaining veto authority over other nations economic, diplomatic, and security decisions to promote their own interests at the expense of their neighbors, America and our allies, the 68-year-old ex-Marine Corps general wrote in his resignation letter to Trump. That is why we must use all the tools of American power to provide for the common defense, the December 20 letter says. Asian leaders found reliability in Mattiss ties with Asia, said Huang Kwei-bo, vice dean of the international affairs college at National Chengchi University in Taipei. The defense secretary made a particular impression by attending the Shangri-la Dialogue twice, telling Asias major annual defense summit in 2018 that the U.S. government would help its partners improve protection of their maritime interests. Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan dispute Chinese expansion in the resource-rich South China Sea. Taiwan and Japan vie with Beijing separately over control of the East China Sea. He played a sort of force of reliability because at least as defense chief he did what he said and then when he made contact with every other country he was steady, giving them a sense of reliability, so other peoples trust in the United States wont fall so fast, Huang said. Mattis quit a day after Trump announced the U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria, a move opposed by the defense department. European allies France, Sweden and the U.K. have already voiced concern about the resignation. Among countries that claim the South China Sea, Vietnam will probably miss Mattis the most, King said. Vietnam has stood firmest against Beijing, he said, while other Asian maritime claimants look to the United States for security but to China for economic support. Wait-and-watch phase The U.S. withdrawal from Syria could show that Trump and his eventual new defense chief will later isolate Washington from its Asian allies, King said. China, he said, would fill the vacuum. For the short term, expect leaders in Asia to wait nervously again as they did after Trumps inauguration, analysts suggest. President Trump is playing demolition derby with his own cabinet and he's going to be distracted and this is not the time to mount any significant foreign policy initiatives, said Alan Chong, associate professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore. If theres any more restrained member of Trumps cabinet left, now is not that time, because a whimsical management team would pull the rug from under their feet at any time, he said. So I think things will remain static. Trump will probably look for a new defense chief who will listen to him, Huang said. Trump has said he would appoint Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan as acting secretary on January 1 to replace Mattis. As Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg recovers from recent surgery for early stage lung cancer, two new films are paying tribute to her life and accomplishments. The documentary "RBG", by filmmakers Julie Cohen and Betsy West, chronicles the justices lifelong legal battles for gender equality, her appointment to the Supreme Court by an overwhelming vote of 96 to 3 in 1993 and her rise as a pop culture icon in America. The feature "On the Basis of Sex", by Mimi Leder, another female filmmaker, offers a dramatized portrayal of the beginnings of Justice Ginsburgs illustrious career and her fight for womens rights, through the lens of her personal life. Leder's film follows Justice Ginsburgs challenges in a mans world, starting with her first year as a Harvard law student in 1954. She was one of nine female students among more than 500 men, a situation that did not please the school's dean, played by Sam Waterston. The film shows the character demanding to know why they are occupying seats that could otherwise have gone to young men. "On the Basis of Sex" also looks into Ginsburgs life as a wife and mother. At some point she was supporting her convalescent husband, who had suffered testicular cancer, by attending both her classes and his. Daniel Stiepleman, the films screenwriter, is Justice Ginsburgs nephew. He told VOA that apart from her legal acumen and advocacy for womens rights, he wanted to share his first-hand experience of Ginsburgs equal partnership with her husband, renowned tax law attorney Martin Ginsburg. My wife and I have always looked up to Aunt Ruth and Uncle Marty as our role models for what a marriage is supposed to be like," he explained. "They shared the load raising their kids, getting food on the table, and taking care of the house, and we knew that thats how we wanted to be as well. And so, for me, this was an opportunity to share our good fortune to have them as role models with the rest of the country, the rest of the world." Actor Armie Hammer interprets Martin Ginsburg. Hammer says he felt privileged to learn about the man's character from Ruth Bader Ginsburg herself. "We were very lucky to have time with Justice Ginsburg in her private chambers in the Supreme Court. She invited us in and she was very generous with her time. More than actually answering any of my questions, I learned everything I needed to know about the relationship, [because] the minute his name came up she started smiling. And I could feel that love was very much alive. Hammer predicts the film will inspire audiences, especially women during the #MeToo era. "I think it is great for women to see a movie about a woman who changed the world without needing superpowers. Ginsburg herself is portrayed by Felicity Jones. It was a role she found, to say the least, challenging. She told VOA, It was nerve wracking! You dont enter into that lightly so it was about becoming her in every single way and doing justice to her story. She also says that though the events surrounding Ruth Bader Ginsburg's life have been dramatized for the sake of entertainment, they speak truth to power. "It is so important that it does entertain but at the same time, its about getting a message into this world and about saying,Look what men and women can achieve when they work together, when they have absolute equality.'" RBG chronicles Justice Ginsburgs life from her birth to an immigrant Jewish family in Brooklyn, New York, to her rise as a pop culture icon known as Notorious R.B.G. Since 2013, when the majority of the Supreme Court justices were conservative, Justice Ginsburg became the most vocal dissenting liberal voice on the court. At that time, New York University law student Shana Knizhnik created a blog about Ginsburg's fiery dissenting opinions against decisions by the majority conservative justices. She coined the term, Notorious R.B.G., echoing the moniker of a well-known rapper also from Brooklyn The Notorious B.I.G. Knizhnik's blog and follow-up best-selling book re-introduced the octogenarians pivotal role in the fight for gender equality and womens rights for more than half a century, and established her as the bulwark of liberalism in the high court. Every time Knizhnik would write about another of Justice Ginsburgs dissenting opinions, the web would explode, comments a young woman in the documentary. Media strategist Frank Chi created an online graphic of the justice in her Supreme Court robe and white collar and a crown like the one worn by The Notorious B.I.G. The image caught on: tattoos, t-shirts and mugs would carry his design, and images created by others. Sue Cassidy, director of sales for Chouquette, says the company includes a portrait of Ginsburg on chocolate, as part of its Phenomenal Women line. "She has her own box, and we cant keep them in stock. They are just selling like crazy. I am 84 years old and everybody wants to take a picture with me, says a mischievous Justice Ginsburg. She has been hailed as a pioneer for gender equality, a tenacious Supreme Court justice, determined to work as long as she can make a difference on the bench. In 2011, a year after the death of her husband, Justice Ginsburg spoke with VOAs Julie Taboh about her legacy. I hope that I will be remembered as someone who loves the law, loves her country, loved humanity, prizes the dignity of every individual, and works as hard as she can, with whatever talent she has to make the world a little better than it was when I entered it, she said. Justice Ginsburg has spoken highly of both films depicting her life. Filmmaker Leder says the justice offered advice for On the Basis of Sex and fact-checked it. She saw the film and she gave me a hug and a kiss, and that alone was incredible. I feel that women will be inspired not just in this country, but all over the world by the legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, which is her fight for equality, inclusion, her fight against injustice. An anti-corruption court in Pakistan sentenced former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to seven years in prison for owning assets beyond his known sources of income. Sharif, 68, was present inside the courtroom in Islamabad and was arrested shortly after the judge announced the verdict on two corruption cases against him. The ruling noted that the three-time ex-prime minister failed to disclose the source of income for establishing a steel mill in Saudi Arabia. But the accountability court acquitted Sharif in the second case, citing a lack of "enough" evidence. He was additionally punished by a fine of about $25 million and disqualified from politics for 10 years. Sharif is accused of building foreign assets while in power. He again denied any wrongdoing before appearing in the court Monday. "I have done nothing that would force me to bow my head and have always served the country and this nation with absolute honesty," the former prime minister said. Scores of party workers and activists were also present outside the judicial complex in the Pakistani capital and they briefly clashed with police. Sharif's opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party denounced the judgement and vowed to challenge it in a higher court. Senior PML-N leader, former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, told reporters outside the court that the verdict will not be acceptable to the people of Pakistan because "they have punished him in a false case." Sharif was serving his third stint as prime minister when the Supreme Court ousted him from office in July 2017 for not declaring in election nomination papers a salary he was receiving from a foreign-based company owned by his son. Separately, Sharif was sentenced to 11 years in prison last July by the same accountability court in connection with expensive apartments his family owned in London. He was released on bail in September pending an appeal after a court suspended his punishment. Sharif's daughter, political heir Maryam Nawaz, and son-in-law, Mohammad Safdar, were also convicted in the case and freed on bail. Sharif's two sons, residing in Britain, were declared absconders by the court for failing to appear in the trial. Details of Sharif and his family's foreign properties were contained in the so-called Panama Papers, financial documents made public in 2015 that show how the world's richest hide their money. In a series of tweets, Sharif's daughter Maryam, again in a veiled reference to the powerful military institution, said Monday her father is being punished for resisting "unseen forces." Major players in and around Syria have started positioning their forces as discussions get under way on how to proceed once U.S. forces vacate the country and their fight against the last remnants of the Islamic State terror group's self-proclaimed caliphate. The pace of troop movements, along with diplomatic outreach, intensified Monday, the same day the Pentagon confirmed outgoing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis ordered U.S. troops to start leaving Syria, without elaborating. "The execute order for Syria has been signed," a U.S. defense official confirmed to VOA, adding, "I am not going to provide more operational details at this time." Turkey U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted Sunday about a telephone conversation he had with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan's spokesman said Monday Turkish defense officials would meet with their U.S. counterparts later this week. "They will discuss how to coordinate (the withdrawal)," spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said following a Cabinet meeting Monday in Ankara, promising there would be no slowdown in the fight against IS. "Americans have uttered numbers such as 30-60 days, 60-100 days. We will see about that," he added. "This will have more to do with the coordination of the withdrawal process in the field." Kalin also said Turkey planned to work closely with Russia on the future of Syria, sentiments echoed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. "We are cooperating with Turkey and Iran," Lavrov told a Russian news agency, according to a transcript posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website. "We will see what President Donald Trump's declared decision to pull out of Syria comes to," he added. Trump's surprise announcement last week that U.S. forces would be leaving Syria also has Washington's main partner on the ground in Syria, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias known as the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, looking to make a deal with Russia, Syria or even Iran. "If Trump doesn't change his mind and serious threats continue against Kurdish people, then we will have no choice but to work with others. It would be a bitter choice, but certainly better than a Turkish invasion," an official with the People's Protection Units (YPG), the main Kurdish group in Syria, told VOA last week on condition of anonymity. U.S.-backed forces have also raised concerns about what to do with hundreds of captured IS foreign fighters. SDF officials have said they may have no choice but to release more than 1,000 prisoners and their families unless they are somehow able to work out a deal with the Syrian government. Russian-backed Syrian government Already, SDF officials have met with Russian representatives in Moscow. A source close to SDF leadership told VOA the expectations are that Russian-backed Syrian forces will move into some of the areas the SDF vacates once the U.S. leaves. If that plays out, though, it could set up a conflict with Turkey, which despite U.S. support for the YPG in Syria, considers the YPG a terrorist group with strong ties to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK. The PKK has been fighting a long insurgency for more Kurdish autonomy in Turkey. During a speech Friday, Erdogan promised to hold off on a planned military operation aimed at destroying elements of the YPG in Syria, although he added the campaign would still get under way in the coming months. In the meantime, Turkey has been working to strengthen its military position both along the Syrian border and by proxy forces already inside the country. "Yesterday units from the Syrian National Army headed towards the Manbij front and took preliminary positions [in preparation] for the battle," Major Youssef Hamoud, the spokesman for the Turkish-backed National Army, told Reuters. Manbij, a town in northern Syria, has been a flashpoint between Turkish forces and Kurdish militias. U.S. and Turkish forces had been conducting joint patrols around Manbij, and the U.S. set up a series of observation posts in the areas last month to help ease tensions. Forces on the move Reports from the region indicate other forces are also on the move as they, too, prepare for the U.S. troop withdrawal. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Monday that "military reinforcements of the [Syrian] regime forces and their allies have reached al-Mayadin and al-Bokamal areas on the western bank of Euphrates River, in the eastern sector of Deir el-Zour countryside." The reinforcements, which also brought additional armored vehicles and ammunition, are joining with Iranian militias already in the area. Mayadin and Boukamal are to the north and south respectively, of the town of Hajin, which has seen fierce fighting and an increase in U.S. and coalition airstrikes in recent weeks as U.S.-backed forces battle about 2,000 IS fighters who are clinging to the last sliver of the terror group's caliphate. "We are transitioning primary responsibility for the defeat of the few remaining ISIS remnants in Syria to our allies and partners on the ground inside Syria," a U.S. administration official told VOA Friday, using an acronym for the Islamic State group. President Trump late Sunday signaled it will be Turkey, and not the Kurdish and Arab SDF fighters, that will finish the job against IS. On Monday, Trump further defended his decision to declare victory over the IS caliphate and pull U.S. troops from Syria, tweeting criticism of both outgoing Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and former Special Envoy Brett McGurk. Mattis delivered his resignation letter to Trump at the White House last week, citing differences with the president over the importance of alliances. Senior defense officials have said Trump's decision to abandon U.S. allies on the ground in Syria was more than Mattis could accept. Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir has made his first public comments about ongoing anti-government protests, urging citizens to reject what he called "attempts to plant frustration." More demonstrations took place Monday in Jazeera state, south of Khartoum, where Bashir is scheduled to make a visit on Tuesday. The protests began nearly a week ago after the government tripled bread prices.According to the official Sudan News Agency, Bashir said Monday that the state "will continue to carry out economic reforms to ensure decent living of the citizens." Sudanese doctors alongside professionals from other sectors went on strike Monday in support of the protests. A committee of doctors said in a statement that it would submit a formal demand to the president to step down Tuesday "in response to the uprising by the Sudanese people," the French Press Agency reported. Police have clashed with protesters in several locations over the past six days. The reported death toll from the violence ranges from eight to 22. Government officials blame the protests on what they call infiltrators and saboteurs. A tweet sent out by the state-run news agency says the Sudanese military "stands behind its leadership" and will safeguard the country's security and safety and honor. Bashir seized power in a 1989 Islamist-led coup that ousted democratically-elected Sadeq al-Mahdi, who is now Sudan's opposition leader.In the past, he has shown little tolerance for dissent. A United Nations human rights expert called on U.S. authorities on Monday to conduct a full and independent investigation into the death of a seven-year-old Guatemalan migrant girl in U.S. custody and to stop detaining children. Felipe GonzAlez Morales, U.N. special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, also said the family of Jakelin Caal, from the Mayan indigenous community, should be given access to legal representation in the proceedings in a language they understand. "Redress to her family should be provided and if any officials are found responsible they should be held accountable," he said in a statement. "The government should also address failings within the immigration system, and specifically within the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agency, to prevent similar situations." Caal and her father Nery were in a group of more than 160 migrants who handed themselves in to U.S. border agents in New Mexico on Dec. 6. Jakelin developed a high fever while in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and died two days later at a hospital in El Paso, Texas. "The U.S. authorities must ensure that an in-depth, independent investigation of the death of Jakelin AmeA Caal is conducted," GonzAlez Morales, who is a Chilean professor of international law, said in the statement. U.S. officials have said the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's internal watchdog will investigate the girl's death. Initial news reports said Caal died of dehydration and exhaustion. Later U.S. officials said she had suffered cardiac arrest, brain swelling and liver failure. Gonzalez Morales called on the Trump administration to halt the detention of children, unaccompanied or with their families, based on their migratory status, and to seek alternatives. "As repeatedly stated by a series of UN human rights bodies, detention of children based on their migratory status is a violation of international law," he said. Detention is detrimental to a child's well-being, produces long-term severe adverse impacts and exacerbates the trauma that many suffer along their migration journeys, he said. The U.S. authorities' treatment of migrants and "the public discourse about immigration in the U.S.," were of great concern, Gonzalez Morales said. His two requests to carry out an official visit to the United States to obtain first-hand information had not received a reply, he said. U.S. President Donald Trump's Treasury secretary called top U.S. bankers on Sunday amid an ongoing rout on Wall Street and made plans to convene a group of officials known as the "Plunge Protection Team. U.S. stocks have fallen sharply in recent weeks on concerns over slowing economic growth, with the S&P 500 index on pace for its biggest percentage decline in December since the Great Depression. "Today I convened individual calls with the CEOs of the nation's six largest banks," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Twitter shortly before financial markets were due to open in Asia. U.S. equity index futures dropped late on Sunday as electronic trading resumed to kick off a holiday-shortened week. In early trading, the benchmark S&P 500's e-mini futures contract was off by about a quarter of a percent. The Treasury said in a statement that Mnuchin talked with the chief executives of Bank of America, Citi, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo. "The CEOs confirmed that they have ample liquidity available for lending," the Treasury said. Mnuchin "also confirmed that they have not experienced any clearance or margin issues and that the markets continue to function properly," the Treasury said. Mnuchin's calls to the bankers came amid a partial government shutdown that began on Saturday following an impasse in Congress over Trump's demand for more funds for a wall on the border with Mexico. Financing for about a quarter of federal government programs expired at midnight on Friday and the shutdown could continue to Jan. 3. The Treasury said Mnuchin will convene a call on Monday with the president's Working Group on Financial Markets, which includes Washington's main stewards of the U.S. financial system and is sometimes referred to as the "Plunge Protection Team. The group, which was also convened in 2009 during the latter stage of the financial crisis, includes officials from the Federal Reserve as well as the Securities and Exchange Commission. Wall Street is also closely following reports that Trump has privately discussed the possibility of firing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. Mnuchin said on Saturday Trump told him he had "never suggested firing" Powell. Trump has criticized the U.S. central bank for raising interest rates this year, which could further dampen economic growth. The Fed's independence is seen as a pillar of the U.S. financial system. Mnuchin's calls come as a range of asset classes have suffered steep losses. In December alone, the S&P 500 is down nearly 12.5 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite has slumped 13.6 percent. The Nasdaq is now in a bear market, having declined nearly 22 percent from its record high in late August, and the S&P is not far off that level. Corporate credit markets have been under duress as well, and measures of the investment grade corporate bond market are poised for their worst yearly performance since the 2008 financial crisis. The high-yield bond market, where companies with the weakest credit profiles raise capital, has not seen a deal all month. The last time that happened was in November 2008. The death toll from Saturday's tsunami in Indonesia rose to 373 Monday, according to disaster management officials. At least 1,459 injuries have been reported and over 100 people are still reported missing, the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management (BNBP) said Monday nearly two full days after the tsunami hit the coast in the Banten province. Over 1,000 structures, including 681 homes, have been damaged or destroyed, and some parts of the Sunda Straits area remain without electricity Monday night, according to the BNBP. Indonesian President Joko Widodo surveyed some of the destruction Monday, visiting the hard-hit Hotel Mutiara resort at the Carita Beach in Banten province. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported an eruption of the Krakatoa volcano about 9 p.m. Saturday local time, and the tsunami struck a short time later, about 9:30 p.m. The cause of the tsunami was due to a combination of undersea landslides after the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatoa and the tidal wave caused by the full moon," according to BMKG. However, the Indonesian Geological Agency said that they can't confirm if the tsunami was triggered by the eruption of Krakatoa, since that mountain has been erupting since last June with even greater strength and never caused a tsunami. The chief of the Geological Agency, Rudy Suhendar, told VOA's Indonesian service that it was still investigating what caused the tsunami. The casualties occurred in three regions South Lampung in Sumatra and the Serang and Pandeglang regions of Java, west of the capital Jakarta along the Sunda Straits, disaster agency spokesman Nugroho said in a statement. More than 600 homes, 69 hotels, 60 shops and some 420 boats were damaged, BNBP said Monday, along with dozens of cars and other vehicles. Jakarta resident Suhada was fishing on Carita Beach and visiting his family for the weekend when he ran from what he described as three waves between 10 and 11pm Saturday night. Suhada was able to flee to higher ground with his family. "Thank God I could save my family," he told VOA's Indonesian service. Disaster agency head Endan Permana told local media that many people were missing in THE tourist locale Tanjung Lesung, Banten province, near Jakarta. The Red Cross said Banten is one of the "worst affected areas". The aid organization, however, said it was able to dispatch "relief goods" from its Banten warehouse, including water, tarpaulins, cleaning equipment, plus family and hygiene kits. U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted about the "unthinkable devastation" caused by the tsunami, adding that "We are praying for recovery and healing. America is with you!" The U.S. State Department also expressed its support: "Our thoughts and prayers are with all those in Indonesia affected by the natural disaster. We are currently not aware of any U.S. citizens directly affected, but stand ready to assist as needed.'' As did United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. His spokesman said the U.N. chief was "saddened by the loss of life, injuries and damages caused by the tsunami" and that the world body "stands ready to support the ongoing Government-led rescue and relief effort." On Sept. 28, a quake and tsunami that hit near the city of Palu, on the island of Sulawesi, killed more than 2,500 and displaced about 70,000. On Dec. 26, 2004, an earthquake in the Indian Ocean triggered a tsunami that killed 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. VOA's Indonesian Service contributed to this report. Gunmen at the weekend killed 17 people in the latest attack on villages in northern Nigeria's Zamfara state, witnesses and police said on Monday. The assault came just days after 25 people were killed in similar raids on two villages in the region. Gunmen on motorcycles stormed Magami village in the Maradun district area of the state on Saturday, shooting indiscriminately as residents fled. "After the attack, we collected 17 dead bodies which we buried," Magami resident Kasimu Bello told AFP. "The gunmen entered the village on several motorcycles, shooting people as they tried to flee," he said. Another resident Umaru Bawa confirmed the attack, saying "the bandits pursued people like chickens and shot them dead as they ran into the bush." Zamfara state police spokesman Mohammed Shehu said his operatives would arrest and "bring to justice the perpetrators of this dastardly act". He also vowed to end the rampant armed attacks in the state. On Wednesday, 25 people were killed when gunmen raided two villages in Birnin Magaji district of the state. Farming and herding communities in Zamfara have for years been wracked by cattle rustling and kidnapping for ransom, prompting villagers to form vigilante gangs as a protection force. However the villagers too are accused of carrying out extra-judicial killings of suspected bandits, leading to tit-for-tat violence. In April, troops were deployed to Zamfara to fight the gangs and police banned the civilian militia in an attempt to curb the cycle of reprisals. Last month the police claimed to have killed 104 bandits in Birnin Magaji district during a clash in which 16 policemen were killed. Early this month, an influential traditional ruler in the state called for civilian militia members to be given assault rifles to defend themselves. The continued raids by cattle thieves in Zamfara and the resource conflict between farmers and herders in central Nigeria have added to Nigeria's security challenges as the military battles Boko Haram jihadists in the northeast. Troops have repelled attacks on bases in northeast Nigerian Borno state where Boko Haram has in recent months targeted posts. Late Friday troops fought off an attempt to over-run a base in the town of Damasak on the border with Niger after an hours-long fight in which one civilian was killed. On Saturday, the troops also foiled jihadist attempts to take over two bases in Logomani near the border with Cameroon and the town of Gajiram. Several jihadists were killed in the fight and their vehicles destroyed, sources said on condition of anonymity. Nags as his family of friends spanning 40 years fondly called him, would have celebrated his 55th birthday on December 26, 2018. Caring and always helpful, he would never talk of his numerous achievements, connections or positions in life. A life lived generously; many whom he encountered loved him dearly. This was amply evident in the unprecedented outpouring of affection and grief expressed on his demise on August 7, this year. A fastidious man when it came to food, drink and attire, he would famously say that his companys Broker Cocktail was the most looked forward to event in the Insurance Calendar each year. A thoughtful person, he planned and organized well ahead. Whether it was the Bradby in Kandy, Rock Concerts in Europe, a safari in Kenya, the Rowing Club Christmas party or the gathering at the waterhole at his residence on the Friday of the Big Match, it was meticulously planned. His diary, sent home on his demise, was filled with reminders of birthdays, events or thoughtful gestures. He would rarely forget a birthday. A man with a large heart, he was always on his mobile with his beautiful voice resonating a Hello or a friendly joke only he could make. Fondly called Njan by his cousins-in-law, the Puvis adored him for his thoughtfulness and hospitality. Lately, he looked forward to their gatherings, amused at the repeated narration of their childhood escapades. Nags leaves behind his wife Shevi and daughter Shevinka who he adored. Shevi used to write in the many cards to him May God bless you and keep you happy and safe with Bubs and me. God said, I will keep him safe and happy with me. You cannot outdo your Creator. You can only trust Him to re-unite you in eternal life. Good-bye Sweet Prince, flights of angels have already carried you to your rest. Friends The Zimbabwean government has suspended 500 striking doctors who are demanding payment of salaries in United States dollars, improved working conditions, revitalization of a state-sanctioned vehicle loan scheme and other issues. The Health Service Board (HSB), which wrote suspension letters to all striking doctors, indicated that the 24-day industrial action was illegal as determined by the Labor Court on Saturday. A letter written to one of the doctors read in part, This letter serves to advise you that, in terms of Section 6 (1) of the Labour (National Employment Code of Conduct) Regulations Statutory Instrument 15 of 2006 (the code) you are hereby suspended from duty for a period of 14 days from the date on which this notice is served on you. The Board has reason that you committed an act of misconduct or acts of misconducts as defined by Section 4 in that contrary to Section 4 (a) you were absent from your contract The HSB further said, This suspension is premised on the fact that you did not report for duty from 01 December 2018 to 22 December 2018 and, additionally on other dates subsequent thereto whilst participating in collective job action which has since been declared upon by the Labour Court to be unlawful The HSB said the suspended doctors are not supposed to report for duty. Your suspension is without pay and benefits, and while you are on suspension you are prohibited from continued attendance at the work place or the continued performance of your duties as the case may be as this may be conducive to unbecoming or indecorous behavior or may lead to further instances of collective job action or other acts of misconduct, or hinder or interfere with investigations into your misconduct But doctors dismissed this move as immaterial, saying the government has failed to address their needs. Dr. Mthabisi Bhebhe, secretary general of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association, said, We have involved our lawyers in this matter and will await their (HSB) response. Doctors are willing to go back to work and negotiations are still open. We are confident that the government will take this matter seriously and negotiate through the normal channels so that a lasting solution may be found and patients get the necessary attention. The same doctors went on strike sometime this year and made the same demands. --- Links / Sources: Krakatoa volcano (Sunda Strait, Indonesia): new satellite imagery reveal both rapid land loss and growth of Anak Krakatau in detail Sun, 30 Dec 2018, 21:13 21:13 PM | BY: T 21:13 PM | BY: T Comparison of Anak Krakatau's coast line seen on 29 Dec with a satellite image before the eruption (26 Nov 2018) (image: Sentinel-2 / ESA) Satellite image of Anak Krakatau on 29 Dec 2018 (image: Sentinel-2 / ESA) Brief review of Dec. 28 Sentinel-1 data (@sentinel_hub) for #Anak #Krakatoa #eruption #landslide. Well visible areas of land loss and gain (prior Dec. 22nd eruption/landslide). Question remains how much of the dome loss contributed to #tsunami? pic.twitter.com/HVeQSASowc CATnews | Andreas M. Schafer (@CATnewsDE) December 30, 2018 All news about: Krakatau volcano Information about: Krakatau volcano Krakatoa volcano (Sunda Strait, Indonesia): first estimates on the effect of the tsunami-triggering landslide Sat, 29 Dec 2018, 10:09 10:09 AM | BY: T 10:09 AM | BY: T Krakatoa seen yesterday from the coast - Anak Krakatau is no longer visible, only small ash and steam plumes rising from behind Sertung (image: VSI webcam) Seismicity of Krakatoa during the past weeks (image: VSI) All news about: Krakatau volcano Information about: Krakatau volcano --- Links / Sources: Krakatoa volcano (Sunda Strait, Indonesia) activity update: Major eruption ends Fri, 28 Dec 2018, 16:12 16:12 PM | BY: MJFLEGEND 16:12 PM | BY: MJFLEGEND All news about: Krakatau volcano Information about: Krakatau volcano Krakatoa volcano (Sunda Strait, Indonesia): strong explosive activity continues as sea water meets lava Thu, 27 Dec 2018, 12:40 12:40 PM | BY: T 12:40 PM | BY: T Krakatau with steam explosions seen yesterday (image: Sutopo Purwo Nugroho @Sutopo_PN / twitter) Recent seismic activity showing a rhythmic pattern of peaks in activity every 2-4 weeks (image: VSI) Kondisi Gunung Anak Krakatau yang divideokan dari KRI Teluk Cirebon 543 pads 26/12/2018, 16.33 WIB. Erupsi masih berlangsung. Tipe erupsi Gunung Anak Krakatau strombolian yang mengeluarkan abu vulkanik dan lontaran batu pijar terus menerus. Status Waspada (level 2). pic.twitter.com/ESydS9UCTc Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_PN) December 26, 2018 All news about: Krakatau volcano Information about: Krakatau volcano --- Links / Sources: Krakatoa volcano (Sunda Strait, Indonesia): scientists had explained and warned about the tsunami risk 6 years earlier - prediction came true Tue, 25 Dec 2018, 11:58 11:58 AM | BY: T 11:58 AM | BY: T Exaggerated cross section and bathymetry of the Krakatau caldera, showing the flank collapse modeled in 2012 (image: Giachetti et al, 2012) Screenshot from the video from 23 Dec 2018 showing the fresh scar of the flank collapse behind the explosion plumes in the center image left and right (image: Adam Sidiq/Kumparan / youtube) Comparision of the Krakatau between 2007 and 2018 Oct - before the 22 Dec landslide, the growth of Anak Krakatau to the SW was even more pronounced Model of the propapagion of the tsunami wave (image: Giachetti et al, 2012) All news about: Krakatau volcano Information about: Krakatau volcano --- Links / Sources: Victim count continues to rise Update Tue 25 Dec 2018 10:36 Example of a (small) lateral blast from Krakatoa: Update Mon 24 Dec 2018 15:46 What caused the tsunami? Update Mon 24 Dec 2018 14:58 This picture explains how the Indonesia volcanic tsunami was generated. Many volcanic eruptions cannot generate tsunami. The Krakatoa volcanic mass should have been very large; probably a volume of a few kilometers cubed #IndonesiaTsunami #Krakatoa #Tsunami #Indonesia pic.twitter.com/lQCx3yrAgg Dr Mohammad Heidarzadeh (@Mo_Heidarzadeh) December 23, 2018 Call for donations for victims Update Mon 24 Dec 2018 10:50 Tsunami damage on Java's west coast (image: ystein Lund Andersen / facebook) Large part of Anak Krakatau has collapsed into the sea - reconstruction of the eruption Update Sun 23 Dec 2018 17:18 Steam and ash explosions at Krakatau seen this morning (Image: Dicky Adam Sidiq/kumparan) Satellite image taken yesterday after the collapse, possibly showing one of the tsunami waves (image: Sentinel 1, annotations by R. Natsuaki @flyingwktk / twitter) Comparison of Anak Krakatau before and after the flank collapse (image: Sentinel 1) Strong activity at Krakatau before the peak of the activity later in the evening, taken on 11:15 local time on 22 Dec by website visitor Gabriela Garcia who kindly submitted a volcano report. At least 222 people dead Update Sun 23 Dec 2018 11:05 Death toll continues to rise Update Sun 23 Dec 2018 05:49 Krakatoa volcano (Sunda Strait, Indonesia): possible major eruption with ash to 55,000 ft following deadly tsunami Sun, 23 Dec 2018, 04:13 04:13 AM | BY: T 04:13 AM | BY: T Ash plume from Krakatoa volcano this morning (image: VAAC Darwin) All news about: Krakatau volcano Information about: Krakatau volcano Krakatoa volcano (Sunda Strait, Indonesia): strong eruptive phase, tsunami hits West Coast of Java Sat, 22 Dec 2018, 22:47 22:47 PM | BY: T 22:47 PM | BY: T Lava flows entering the sea and lava fountaining from Anak Krakatau this evening (22 Dec 2018; image: ystein Lund Andersen / facebook) Tsunami entering the coast of Anyer 22 Dec 2018 (image: ystein Lund Andersen / facebook) All news about: Krakatau volcano Information about: Krakatau volcano --- Links / Sources: Krakatoa volcano (Sunda Strait, Indonesia): increased activity, likely new phase of lava fountains and lava flow Sat, 22 Dec 2018, 08:52 08:52 AM | BY: T 08:52 AM | BY: T Saturated seismic signal at Krakatau this morning, showing strong tremor and continuous explosions (image: Krakatau volcano observatory via Galih Jati / VolcanoDiscovery) Hot spots at Krakatau suggesting the presence of lava flows and/or abundant hot ejecta (image MODIS / Univ. Hawaii) All news about: Krakatau volcano Information about: Krakatau volcano A new high-resolution satellite image taken yesterday allows an update on the dramatic effects the 22 Dec collapse has had on Anak Krakatau island:It shows that actually not all, but most of the summit cone is now missing as well as significant parts of the western and southern shores previously formed by young lava deltas. On the other side, there has been a significant enlargement of the coast on the eastern shore.This poses several big questions (we cannot answer at this point):1) How much of the enlargement of the coast occurred by debris flows from the collapse(s) itself (if any traveled towards the east and not only SW down into the sea); and2) how much of it might have been added by a) the violent explosive activity during the following days, and/or b) how much of it can be attributed to sea currents washing loose material deposited into the sea back to shore ?The latter is likely to be significant, as the coasts in the eastern parts of Anak Krakatau are very shallow, and large amounts of mud can be seen floating around Anak Krakatau in the satellit image.3) Another question is how large was the collapse that actually led to the generation of the tsunami? Was it only one? - did the summit cone collapse in one go, or did several collapses occur? The latter idea might explain that there were two tsunami waves observed, the first being relatively small, the second one following after a few minutes (but not immediately) and much higher.At the moment, as mentioned, we can not give answers. But at least some of them could be given by doing more research and, first of all, by detailed ground observations. We hope our team on location around our expedition leader Andi will be soon able to visit the island from close and bring us more information.The activity at the volcano continues at reduced rate. Steam explosions have been more intermittent and smaller during the past 2 days, generating plumes that rose a few hundred meters only.This trend corresponds to the seismic signals showing a marked decrease since the surge of supply of magma that led to the paroxysm during 21-22 Dec, which accumulated lots of new lava. This in turn might have been "the last straw that breaks the camel's back", i.e. the additional sudden weight on the slopes and/or the shaking induced by the continuous explosions could might have been the final trigger for the landslide to occur.The Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) published a first official estimate on the effects of the landslide:- The summit of Anak Krakatau originally 338 meters high is now reduced to only 110 meters, i.e. most of the summit cone has indeed disappeared.- As a consequence, Anak Krakatau island is no longer visible from the mainland, as the island of Panjang (Long Island) blocks the view from Java's west coast.- The volume of the collapse is estimated to be between 150-180 million m3, while the remaining volume is currently estimated at between 40-70 million m3.- For this reason, unless tectonic faults in the area of the Sunda Strait are activated, the risk of other massive landslides and tsunamis is currently deemed to be low.However, it is likely that the current eruption continues and is only in a phase of low activity currently; if the cyclic pattern of increased supply every few weeks continues, another phase of stronger activity during January would not be surprising.After almost 6 days of an almost non-stop ash plume to 55,000ft following the devastating collapse, Darwin VAAC reports that activity has finally subsided with only very minor emissions. No updates about local conditions at the moment.The violent explosive activity caused by magma-water interaction continues at the volcano, from the area where the summit cone collapsed on 22 Dec and now exposes the vent to sea water. video of an overflight earlier today shows powerful steam explosions of this so-called Surtseyan activity, generating dense steam and ash clouds, often ejected as "fingers" of larger ejected rock fragments with training steam behind, as well as billowing surges that shoot horizontally above the water.Civil Protection (BNPB) raised the alert level of the volcano from Waspada (Level II) to Siaga (Level III) on the Indonesian 1-4 scale and the exclusion zone was extended from 2 to 5 kilometers around the volcano, where people are prohibited from carrying out activities.Seismic activity from the volcano has been lower following the paroxysm on 21-22 Dec, following the pattern of phases of increased activity roughly every 3-4 weeks, suggesting that magma supply to the vent is currently reduced.Sometimes, science has already answers for tragic events, but their voice is not heard or underestimated at the time. The Indonesia tsunami disaster two days ago is such an example: What happened on 22 Dec 2018 had actually already been described and warned about for years in amazing detail:In January 2012, scientist around volcanologist Dr Thomas Giachetti from the University of Oregon published results of numerical modelling simulating a flank collapse and associated tsunami at Anak Krakatau island and warned about the devastating effects it would have on nearby coasts:In their paper adequately called "", they "numerically simulate a sudden southwestwards destabilization of a large part of the Anak Krakatau Volcano, and the subsequent tsunami formation and propagation."Anak Krakatau island - the intra-caldera complex called "Child of Krakatau" - has been growing rapidly growing since it first breached the surface of the sea in 1928. Since then, in less than 100 years, it built an overlapping cone during several eruptions, the latest being the one that started May 2018 and still continues. What makes the island particularly prone to gravitational flank failure is that it has been constructed close and above a steep submarine slope, the NE margin of the caldera basin left by the massive 1883 eruption.As a consequence of this underwater topography, combined with strong sea currents, the western slope of Anak Krakatau has developed to be much steeper than the eastern. Giachetti et al. observed that as the volcano continues to grow towards the SW (which it had done particularly well visible during the recent eruption, s. attached image comparing 2007 and 2018), "landslides along its southwestern ank cannot be excluded. Such a landslide would be directed southwestwards into the 1883 caldera and would trigger waves that would propagate into the Sunda Strait, possibly affecting the Indonesian coasts".The modeled waive heights in various location correspond amazingly well with what had been observed. At Anyer, for example, waves of up to 1.5 meters would arrive in 38 minutes. Inside the caldera, neighboring islands such as Rakata or Sertung would be hit by waves 15-30 meters in height in less than a minute after the event.Since the local tsunami warning systems in place was built only with earthquakes as trigger in mind, no warning could be given to the people on the beaches. In addition, the flank collapse occurred at night and the resulting large ash plume (which eventually reached about 15 km altitude), and violent steam explosions as result of sudden interaction of water with magma and hot rocks could not be seen by people. When the tsunami waves arrived they caught everyone by surprise.It should be noted that the report was written 6 years ago. Since then, the new eruption, everything described in there had even become more true: compared to the situation described in 2012, the cone of Anak Krakatau had significantly been enlarged to the SW and grown in height by estimated 30%.The eruption style changed drastically right after the landslide occurred, as it exposed the conduit and the rising magma to the water. As it no longer erupted from the now-gone summit crater, but at or below sea level in the new scar left by the landscape (which can be seen in the video below), violent steam explosions were the result. As seawater interacted with hot exposed rocks and the magma continuing to rise in the conduit, these so-called phreatomagmatic explosions ejected dense jets of steam, debris and ash, and produced a very large plume. Small surges of overheated steam can be seen traveling over the water as well, in the video by Adam Sidiq/Kumparan published on youtube:As of now, it appears that the activity at the volcano itself has calmed down again, following the pattern since June of phases of increased magma supply occurring rhythmically about once every 4 weeks, followed by quieter phases.According to the latest information from official sources, the toll of the tsunami climbed to at least 429 people killed, 1485 injured, and 154 still missing. Many people among the victims were caught by surprise in their sleep.At least 882 homes and 73 hotels were damaged or destroyed.A version with the start of the explosion filmed in Oct slowed down 10x where you can see how it breaks through the cone itself:Something like thishave occurred on Saturday, leading to the partial collapse of the cone.The triggering cause of Saturday's tsunami is still being discussed. A common and likely interpretation is a landslide, which could have been caused by either, or a combination of:- a slide simply caused by the weight of rapidly accumulated new lava material on the flanks, both above and below water- a sudden lateral blast caused by an explosion as magma rising could not be released quickly enough from the established summit vent.It is also unclear how much of the island disappeared by the initial event and how much crumbled away during the following erosion by eruption and adjustments by gravity.A sketch published on twitter illustrated the version implying a larger lateral blast:A smaller version - without flank collapse, fortunately (or the video and people involved would not exist any more) - was filmed in Oct by Ronny, one of our participants on the Krakatau Volcano Special tour: (you have to watch carefully where the eruption starts):If you like to send a small donation for the victims of the Dec 2018 tsunami in Java (Indonesia), we are providing a direct channel to do so : we collect donations through our PayPal account and forward this money direct to our local expedition leader Andi who delivers this money directly to affected people in need through his organization ITGA / HPI.You can do this through PayPal:First visual information about the situation on Anak Krakatau island group itself has come in, revealing that a large part of Anak Krakatau's SW flank has collapsed, which most likely is the trigger for last night's tsunami.An overflight of was undertaken today by the Kumparan agency and revealed continuous, violent phreatomagmatic explosions, i.e. driven by lava and water interaction.The combined information allows a rough reconstruction of the events:#1 A new surge of magma arrives in the upper conduit of Anak Krakatau from around 20-21 Dec, causing increasing explosive and effusive activity - strombolian explosions or lava fountains, and lava flow emission - from the summit vent. It looked more or less like this:(video from a similar paroxysm in Sep 2018)A photo submitted by a visitor, taken on 22 Dec at 11:15 shows the advancing lava front close to the southern shore and strong strombolian explosions, which occurred at intervals of 15-30 seconds according to the report. This activity probably reached its peak on the evening of 22 Dec, when it was clearly visible by naked eye from more than 40 km away on the coast.#2 In the evening of 22 Dec, lava fountains fed flows that reached the sea, probably on the south or southeast shores of Anak Krakatau, in similar locations as during previous episodes this year.#3 Around 21:00 local time, the weight of rapidly accumulated lava on the subaerial and submerged cone of Anak Krakatau triggered an instability and a larger landslide removed a part of the southwestern cone - a flank collapse occurred. This rapid displacement caused the (small, but devastating) tsunami which reached the Java coast around 21:30 (local time).#4 As a consequence, sea water gained access to large masses of hot rocks and possibly the conduit itself, triggering an ongoing series of steam explosions that produced the steam and ash plume first observed later this morning on satellite data and seen in this video:Erosion of material from the ongoing explosive activity and along the new shoreline continues to eat away parts of the island.This is difficult to say, but at least to a large extent it will depend on how much magma continues to rise, whether new collapses occur and so on. A possibility of even larger explosions, pyroclastic flows, tsunamis is clearly increased.The alert level of the volcano was raised to red.As evening breaks on the west coast, BNPB updated the death toll to at least 222 victims, 843 injured and 28 missing people. Damage along the coast is extensive.On a side note, it is quite strange to see that it took international media about 8-9 (!) hours before they became aware of this major disaster. The tsunami occurred around 21:30 local time (14:30 GMT), but it was only about 8 hours later, on the next morning (local time) or late evening GMT time that ystein Lund Andersen posted his eyewitness report, which we picked up first and only then it spread quickly around the world to all channels.Unfortunately, the death toll of the tsunami last night continues to rise. So far, at least 62 fatalities and 584 injured people have been counted by authorities.A major explosive eruption might have occurred at the volcano earlier this morning. VAAC Darwin spotted a large cloud, possibly an ash plume from the eruption reaching approx. 55,000 ft (15 km) altitude and drifting S and SW.Whether it is is from the eruption still needs to be confirmed, but seems rather likely. What role the yesterday's deadly tsunami plays here is also still unknown, but they are hardly unrelated.In the meanwhile, more material is emerging on social channels about the tsunami, such as this dramatic video, showing the arrival of the first wave, destroying a band and its audience playing a concert (at the end of the video):[Update 4]:According to the latest information, 43 people died, 584 were injured and two persons are still missing persons from last evening's tsunami on Java's west coast. In addition, 430 houses and 9 hotels were heavily damaged according to information from PNBG.The current eruptive phase of the volcano seems to be in fact rather strong. A new lava flow is reaching the sea and strong explosive activity, likely pulsating lava fountains are occurring at the summit vent.Our friend ystein Lund Andersen reported that a small tsunami, possibly caused by stronger explosions from the volcano, hit the west coast of Java near Anyer, where we was on the evening of 22 Dec observing the volcano. A first wave traveled 15-20 m inland and was followed by another (stronger) one that invaded the street and buildings near the coast. According to his report, it drowned cars, injured and possibly killed an unknown number of people. However, not much other news have reported a major incident, so it might have been not as severe as reported, fortunately.another possibility is that the waves were unusually strong spring tide waves; there is no official confirmation for a tsunami to have occurred (yet).more news is slowly emerging. Unfortunately, it seems that indeed the waves were a tsunami and caused at least 20 fatalities, according to BCC, referring to Indonesian governmental sources.Indonesia's Civil Protection Agency (BNPG) has officially announced that a tsunami has occurred and hit several coastal areas in the Sunda Strait, including on the coast in Pandeglang, Serang, and South Lampung Regencies. The tsunami occurred on 12/22/2018 around 9:27 p.m. WIB.According to them, the tsunami was not caused by earthquakes (as no tectonic activity was detected), but most likely by an underwater landslide of accumulated sediments giving way. Whether it was caused by the eruption of Krakatoa and where exactly is still unclear. Its size also may have been increased by the influence of the full moon spring tide.The Geological Agency detected that the start of the current paroxysm of the volcano began at 21:03 WIB local time. It damaged the local seismic station (probably it was hit by lava bombs).The full impact of the tsunami is still unclear, but preliminary data indicate 20 people died and 165 people were injured; 2 people were missing and dozens of buildings were damaged. Unfortunately, the number of victims is likely to continue to grow considering that it is still night in Indonesia and not all areas have been investigated.People are encouraged to remain calm and avoid the coast of the Sunda Strait for a while. BMKG and the Geology Agency are still conducting further research.Below is ystein's original post:Another strong eruptive phase (paroxysm) is currently going on at the volcano.Seismicity at Anak Krakatau has sharply increased during the past days and now shows continuous explosive/effusive activity. The observatory informed us that a lava flow is occurring from the summit vent, likely accompanied by lava fountaining, similar to what we observed in Sep and Nov during our latest expeditions to Krakatau This is what it probably looks like now:(eruption in Sep, daytime)and(Nov eruption, evening) Dirty John Lord High Executioner Season 1 Episode 5 Editors Rating 4 stars * * * * Previous Next Photo: Jordin Althaus/Bravo Its a sad inevitability in life that we all grow up to be exactly like our parents. In last weeks episode we saw how Debra turned into her incredibly forgiving mother and let John back into her life after learning he was a fraud. This week we learned exactly why John is such a son-of-a-gun who is relentlessly cruel to the women around him. Guess what? It has everything to do with his father. Johns dad raised him and his sister Denise and he was a wannabe Goodfella with huge butterfly collars on his polyester shirts. It seems like he ran some kind of podunk casino, but he made his real money from stupid scams through which he took advantage of small business owners and ordinary people. The worst scam we see is when he forced John to put a piece of glass in a taco and eat it, then made the owner of the restaurant give him a wad of cash or else get sued. Later, when he was a teenager, John pulled a similar stunt in which he jumped in front of a car and then made the person who hit him pay for it. This is the same scheme that John reportedly pulled when he was in law school. Its also a similar scheme to the one he pulled after he was released from prison and living in his sister Denises trailer park in California. This time he pulled out in front of a drunk driver and then sued her to get a giant settlement. He then sued his lawyer, too, so that he wouldnt have to pay his legal bills. John only has so many tricks, and he learned almost all of them from his father. The relationship between him and his old man is more complicated than it would appear. John not only takes his inspiration from his father but also hates him. We see John and Denise make fun of their dad after he has John hop in front of that car. He knew he was a loser, but there was nothing he could do to stop him. It also seems like John might have killed his father when he was sick in the hospital, something Denise figures out only after she turns on him. Did John do it because he wanted to be free or because he hated the man his father turned him into? Maybe a little of both? No matter how cruel Johns father was to him, it doesnt compare to how cruel he is to his sister Denise, the one person who has always stood by him. She always believed John was a good person, even when Tanya was divorcing him, even when he went to prison. When he got out, Denise even hooked him up with a job at a trailer park she owns, gave him an RV to use, and let him use one of her trucks. How did he repay her? He told everyone he owned the trailer park, transferred the deed to the RV, and kicked her out, telling her that hed sue her into oblivion. John thinks that Denise is inferior because he thinks all women are like that. His father raised him to think that there is nothing wrong with being lazy, to use women to do work and make money, and that school is for dummies, so they might as well skip it and go to the movies. (I somewhat agree on that last point.) But the scariest thing that Johns father taught him was that if someone crosses him he shouldnt hurt that person, he should hurt their family. But enough about the past. In the present, John and Debra are back together and hes once again making her smoothies every morning. He hasnt moved back into the house yet, but apparently shes renting him an apartment, moved back into her own place, and is lying to her daughters about exactly what is going on. Debra tries to appear so sweet and innocent, but shes just the worst. Shes so passive and horrible that I cant believe Im actually rooting for her to get away from this dude. Maybe Im not? John tells her that he wants to get off of drugs. They go to a doctor to find out about quitting cold turkey, which just seems like a really bad idea. The doctor says that he should be physically able, but when John is off in the hallway he tells Debra, Molly, you in danger, girl! Not really. He tells her she doesnt have to be there with if she doesnt want to be, but still, she decides to stay. While John is going through the cold sweats and horrible cravings, Debra is right there by his side, even when he calls her a bitch and treats her like shit. This is some Phantom Thread nonsense right here. Its like John is forcing the two of them to go through his illness so that it will bring them closer together. This is how he is getting into her head, this is how he is controlling her. When hes finally on the other side and feeling better, Debra is all smiles. Not only is he clean and ostensibly a better person, shes the one who helped get him there. Now the only thing keeping the two of them apart is her pesky family. Terra doesnt help when she returns home from Vegas after a breakup and insists her mother skip work to make her hot cocoa and play with her hair. No, thats not even a joke I made up, that is what happens. God, how is everyone in this family the living worst? How can I hate almost every single person on a series and yet watch it compulsively? Oh my god, this is the real-life Real Housewives of Orange County after all. Terra does have a little bit of the forgiveness gene from her mother and tells her that if John really can make himself into a better person shell give him a chance. Ronnie and their brother Trey (the missing Property Brother) dont really agree, obviously. When Debra crashes a siblings-only brunch, Trey and Ronnie make it clear that if she has anything to do with John, they want nothing to do with her. This is exactly the opening John has been looking for. He tells her if its a choice between him or her family, maybe he should leave and restore the peace with her children. What he needs is for her to choose him. Its one thing if he forced them back together, but if he gives her the choice and she picks him over the kids, he has her in his claws forever. Now that shes chosen him, she quickly learns how bad that choice is. When she wakes up in the middle of the night, she sees John bleeding from in between his toes. She searches the house and finds his syringes and pain killers in the guest room. She knows exactly what happened and that she has no allies to help her get out now. Shes totally and utterly trapped. John has already gotten Ronnie fired from her job with his usual harassment routine what could be next for her? And Debra, passive, awful Debra, can do nothing but sit on the bed and pout. A former restaurant turned makeshift casino in Decatur was shut down by law enforcement on Friday. Decatur Police received reports throughout the month of December that a casino was being operated out of what used to be McCollums Seafood Restaurant on Gordon Terry Parkway. Timothy Keith Roberts, 64, was charged with promoting gambling and "unlawful to maintain electric bells, etc." after Decatur Police and the Morgan County District Attorney's Office executed a search warrant on Friday. 17 electronic gambling machines were seized by Decatur Police along with "the video system, the warning system, equipment that tracked the progress of the gambling machines, and other items." 17 electronic gambling machines were seized by Decatur Police along with "the video system, the warning system, equipment that tracked the progress of the gambling machines, and other items." Decatur Police along with the Morgan County District Attorney's Office and other agencies executed a search warrant at Life's Church on Gordon Terry Parkway on Friday. Decatur Police along with the Morgan County District Attorney's Office and other agencies executed a search warrant at Life's Church on Gordon Terry Parkway on Friday. Timothy Keith Roberts, 64, was charged with promoting gambling and "unlawful to maintain electric bells, etc." after Decatur Police and the Morgan County District Attorney's Office executed a search warrant on Friday. During their investigation, police determined the building housed two businesses: Vintage Treasures and Lifes Church. After they accquired enough evidence for a search warrant, it was executed by Decatur Police, the Morgan County District Attorneys Office and other agencies. Once inside the church building, investigators discovered more than a dozen gambling machines and a system comprised of video surveillance and bells to warn of police presence, which is a violation of state law. Officers seized the warning system along with 17 electronic gambling machines, equipment that tracked the gambling machines and other, undisclosed items. Investigators say the church sign was just a front to keep police away. Investigators say after they warned the business owner about the complaints, a sign was put up at the building claiming it was a church. People who live in the area told WAAY 31 they had no idea anything was going on at the phony church. "We didn't know anything about it until we seen it on the news," said Horace Moore, ""My wife kept saying something was wrong but I wasn't smart enough to know it I guess." The neighbors said they would see cars in the parking lot of the business, but never anything to raise a red flag. "There had been some traffic in and out but nothing bad. Not a lot of traffic. Not a lot of cars at one time. Some going and coming," said Moore. Huntsville native Timothy Roberts, 64, and Meridian, Mississippi resident Donna Weir, 67, were arrested following the execution of the search warrant. Investigators said prior to Friday's arrest, Roberts was out on bond for establishing a gaming place and for possession of a gambling device from an arrest that occurred in Decatur on August 3, 2017. He faces the new charge of promoting gambling and unlawful to maintain electric bells, etc., which is a felony, according to police. Meanwhile Weir, who was an employee of the building, was charged with promoting gambling. Both Weir and Roberts are being held in the Morgan County Jail. The roadside memorial for 18 year old Jordan Collier continues to grow along Maysville Road. Collier died there in a three car accident on December 18th. The memorial is a constant reminder of Collier's tragic death for everyone who drives past it. Several people close to her are now carrying reminders of her everywhere they go. Haylen Damron is her fiance and he sat in a chair on Sunday getting a tattoo. It has Jordan's name surrounded by artwork inspired by the Navy. Damron is going to the Navy Military Entrance Processing Station next week. Collier inspired him to join the military, "Everywhere I travel she's going to be with me," said Damron. They met at 6 years old and started dating at 16. Damron said he and Collier were like two puzzle pieces and she, "Showed me the way and set me up for everything," said Damron. Jordan's mom, December May, will carry her memory everywhere with angels wings on her shoulder, because she said Jordan is an angel looking over the whole family. Her younger brother Carter still can't believe she's gone, "She was the best sister I could ever ask for," said Carter May. This holiday season will not be an easy one, "This christmas is going to be a little tough," said her stepdad Michael May. The family are holding on to the many stories of all the good she brought to the world. Some fellow classmates told them of how she, as a senior, would go up to lonely looking freshman and help them make friends. One girl even said Jordan helped save her life while she was depressed, and contemplating suicide, by simply being her friend and checking up on her. To her family, those stories mean, "The world. It makes me very happy inside as a parent to know she was so good," said Michael May. That is why he's angry at the person who caused the wreck, "I'm sure justice will eventually prevail," said Michael May. Every time Damron looks down at his memorial tattoo he'll think of Jordan and how God had other plans in store for her, "God was basically sayin, 'she's given you everything you needed to continue. She can't do anything else for you. You're going to have to finish it,'" said Damron. "She did all the good that was necessary here and god needed her home," said Michael May. Collier was part of Buckhorn High School JROTC and had plans on joining the Army once she graduated in May. She was also a volunteer firefighter in New Market. There were three cars involved in the accident. A jeep that Alabama State Troopers said caused the accident and a pick up truck that hit Collier right after that. Collier's family told WAAY 31 they are praying for the driver of the truck, because they know they were a victim in this whole accident just like Jordan was. Alabama State Troopers tell us they are still investigating what happened. So far, no charges have been filed against the driver who caused the accident and ran from the scene before being found. India is circumventing this problem by building other networks The first BIMSTEC military exercise was held in Pune in September 2018 Despite striking similarities in culture and a shared history going back to ancient times, South Asia is one of the least integrated regions in the world. But there are visible signs of change both within South Asia and in the way the world looks at the region, avers Dr. Swaran Singh, Professor at the Center for International Politics, Organization and Disarmament, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Currently a Senior Fellow at the Institute of National Security Studies Sri Lanka (NSSSL), Dr. Singh says that there is an increasing realisation, both among the constituent countries of the region and the world powers, that South Asia has to be seen as a whole in strategic, economic and developmental terms. Changes Anyone looking at South Asia as a whole, will notice two things: Firstly, there is visible prosperity. India, which is the biggest country in the region, is now among countries with the fastest rate of growth. Secondly, all countries in the region are now democratic. Earlier, South Asian countries, barring India and Sri Lanka, had been under military rule periodically (like Pakistan and Bangladesh) or under a monarchy (Bhutan and Nepal). And thanks to growing prosperity and democratization, South Asia is now witnessing greater empowerment of its peoples, though many issues and challenges are yet to be solved or met adequately, Dr.Singh said. The economic, political and social changes brought about by empowerment have created a vast market for goods and services, making South Asia a region attractive for outsiders with wares to sell, services to provide and money to invest. Inter-Connectivity The demand for trade necessitates inter-connectivity. Therefore, inter-connectivity is the buzzword now with many international structures being set up to work on it, such as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Economic and Technical Cooperation (BIMSTEC). The region is also being considered relatively safe for investment. The fear of an India-Pakistan showdown ending up in a nuclear war in the subcontinent has all, but disappeared. In fact, the focus is no longer on the India-Pakistan conflict, but on the increasing competition between India and China in the economic and strategic spheres, Dr.Singh pointed out. Turning away from the India-Pakistan conflict, the Western world is now envisaging a role for Pakistan in the peace process in Afghanistan. Given the already existing Indian outreach in Afghanistan and Chinas growing interest in that country, China now wants India to jointly execute development projects there. Terrorism Bur there is one nightmarish problem facing South Asia, and that is the scourge of terrorism, both domestic and cross-border. Therefore, in contrast to the past, the focus now is on terrorism and cross-border terrorism. Afghanistan and Pakistan are seen as breeding grounds of terrorism, Dr.Singh noted. In 2010, the US had imposed sanctions on the financial and support networks of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e Mohammed (JeM). The UN Security Council has been wanting to declare the JeM leader, Masood Azhar, as a global terrorist but China has been putting a spoke in the wheel to help out its all-weather friend Pakistan. Beijings plea is that the demand for the ban does not follow the UNSCs requirements. The LeT, with links to Osama bin Laden and the Al-Qaeda network, had already been designated as a foreign terrorist organization in December 2001. Terrorism is a big issue in the world today. But the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) had foreseen it way back in 1987 when it signed a Regional Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism. Taking the lead, India had proposed a UN Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism in 1996, Prof. Singh recalled. But deeply concerned about the lack of progress in suppressing terrorism, Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been giving top priority to the subject in his dealings with other countries. He has told Pakistan in no uncertain terms that terrorism and talks cannot go together. This was reiterated when the present Pakistani Prime Minister, Imran Khan, made an offer to hold talks with India on all outstanding issues, Dr. Singh pointed out. Asked if the conflict with Pakistan on the issue of cross border terrorism is not hampering cooperation through an established institution like SAARC, Dr. Singh said that India is circumventing this problem by building other networks where Pakistan is not involved, such as BIMSTEC. After the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit in Goa in 2016, Prime Minister Modi organized a BRICS-BIMSTEC outreach summit there. At that summit attended by Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka, combating terrorism was given high importance, though BIMSTC had nothing to do with terrorism per se. The first BIMSTEC military exercise was held in Pune in September 2018.All member countries barring Nepal and Thailand, sent their teams. Apparently, China had dissuaded Nepal from participating, Dr. Singh said. Chinas entry As an expert on China, Dr. Singh said that Chinas entry into South Asia is a major new factor. In his view, Chinas engagement with the region is continuous, enormous and influential. He pointed out that out of the six major projects in Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), four are in South Asia. China is also present in the Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar Forum (BCIM). However, to date, Chinas flagship project in the region is the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). China has ports in Sri Lanka and Pakistan and is planning one in Myanmar. A China-India-Nepal-Corridor on the anvil. Through these corridors, China will have a 1.5 billion strong market, Dr. Singh pointed out. Checkbook Diplomacy It was during the 1997 world financial crisis, that China came up with the idea of extending its economic and strategic influence overseas through checkbook diplomacy, Dr. Singh said. When the US dithered at that time, China became pro-active. According to Dr. Singh, Chinas interests are at once economic and strategic. Chinas strategy is to try and get recipient countries into a debt trap so that they will, over time, surrender their assets in lieu of repaying loans, he said. Dr.Singh questioned the veracity of Chinas claim that a good part of its loans is given at a very low rate of interest and some of the money is given as a grant. The initial jacking up of the cost of the project nullifies the effect of giving a part of the loan at a low rate of interest. And under the counter payments to influential local parties facilitate the acceptance of such deals, Dr. Singh observed. Extraction and usurpation are the twin aims of the BRI, he added. Sovereignty Indias opposition to the China-funded CPEC in Pakistan is based on the ground that a part of the corridor passes through a part of Kashmir which India considers its legal entitlement. The Indian scholar said that China has no right to point an accusing finger at India in this regard as China had successfully prevented the Asian Development Bank from investing in the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh arguing that this State is part its Tibet Autonomous Region. I tell the Chinese: Apply your own principle to Indias objection to CPEC, then you will appreciate New Delhis stand, Dr. Singh said. Explaining Indias objection to Chinas ring of ports around it Dr. Singh said that India feels vulnerable because these ports have a dual purpose. However, Chinas main aim is not to intimidate India as such but to checkmate the United States. Objection Restricted TO CPEC However, Indias objection to BRI is restricted to CPEC, Dr. Singh said. Indias attitude towards BRI softened when Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed that India is welcome to take up joint projects with China in third countries. There is already a proposal for India and China to jointly engage in development projects in war torn Afghanistan. Therefore, in the midst of conflicts, India and China are exploring spaces for cooperation. There is already cooperation between the Indian and Chinese navies in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and off the Somalian coast, Dr.Singh pointed out. The tsunami collapsed a total of 430 houses and nine hotels, and caused serious damages on 10 ships and less serious damages on scores of others, spokesman of national disaster management agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told Xinhua in a text message. Pandeglang district of Banten province suffered the most from the tsunami, and other two districts of Serang in the province and Lampung Selatan in Lampung province were also impacted by it, said Sutopo. "Now, it is being prepared a survey and a mapping (of the risks of the disaster) with an aircraft," said Sutopo. In the Pandeglang district, huge waves rattled residential areas and several tourist destinations situated along the coastal areas, such as Pantai Tanjung Lesung, Sumur, Penimbang, Teluk Lada dan Carita. "When the tragedy occurred, many people were spending their time along the coastal areas of Pandeglang," he said. The incident also triggered evacuation, but the spokesman did not give specific details as the risk assessment is underway. The waters submerged the area with the height of four to five meters, leaving scores of people missing, head of emergency department of disaster management agency in the district Endang Permana said. "Many people were missing, they were swept by waves when they were watching a performance in coastal area," Permana told Xinhua over phone from the district. The meteorology and geophysics agency bans local community from having activities in the coastal areas of the strait by far, as investigation on the risks of the volcano eruption is being undertaken, said Sutopo. In Lampung Selatan district, evacuation of those under the rubble of collapsed buildings and search for missing persons who were swept by waves during the tsunami are undergoing, said Ketut Sukerta, head of the disaster management agency in the district. "Over 100 buildings collapsed, we are now attempting to rescue the people trapped under the rubble and find those swept by the waves," he told Xinhua by phone from Lampung Selatan district. The national search and rescue office has deployed its personnel to search and rescue the victims of the catastrophe, head of communication for media of the national search and rescue office Yusuf Latief said. "We are ready for deployment of more personnel and equipment to recover and rescue the affected people," he told Xinhua over the phone. By far, Latief said, the search and evacuation mission is still carried out in a manual way, but if there is a request for heavy machinery equipment and other devices, the office would immediately comply with it. The eruption of the Krakatau Child volcano most likely triggered landslides at the sea bed that culminated to a tsunami, which was emboldened by the effect of full moon at 9:27 p.m. local time (1427 GMT), head of the meteorology and geophysics agency Dwikorita Karnawati said. "We predicted that the impact could be directly or indirectly, there was a possibility of landslides under the sea bed," she told a press conference on Sunday. Krakatau Child is one of the 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia, a vast archipelagic nation home to over 17,500 islands and sits on a vulnerable quake-hit zone, the so-called "the Pacific Ring of Fire". A medical doctor and a pharmacist attached to the Welikada Prison were arrested by prison officials today while attempting to smuggle in narcotics and alcoholic drinks. In a statement, the Justice and Prison Reforms Ministry said a prison officer had noticed the doctor handing over two bottles of alcohol to a prisoner to be handed over to another inmate. Based on the information of the prison officer who noticed the event, the two bottles were found in the possession of the prisoner. Welikada Prison Superintendent C. Uduwara said they would report the incident to the court in order to arrest the doctor. Meanwhile, the pharmacist who was also attached to the prison was arrested in possession of 19 narcotic filled capsules that look like painkiller capsules. He had removed medicinal substances from capsules and filled them with narcotics. He was handed over to the Borella Police for further investigation. What the secretary is telling the market is, We have looked at the entire state of fair housing in the U.S., and we do not believe that there is anything going on that is so significant that requires us to put our resources, reputation and prestige behind enforcement, Francois said. Well, not exactly, which is undoubtedly part of the problem. They do not want to hear that it is the wrong color, the wrong size, something you already have, something not on the list of things you ordered, or something for which you have no use. They want to know that their effort has been successful. They want a like. For those who didnt want to participate in any of the activities, the TV was on in the adjacent waiting room. Wright said that lately its been tuned to CNN. Theres a lot going on in the news, and often our clients cant see it, he said. They like to keep up on current events, and ABLE lets them do that. It turned out not to be necessary this weekend to fear that rain might fall in Washington while no one was there to measure it. The government programmes which came to a standstill during the past 52 days will be resumed to ensure the country's national security, State Minister of Defence, Ruwan Wijewardene said when he assumed his duties at the ministry. He also gave thanks to President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for having faith in him and giving him the same ministerial portfolio he held before. I have given priority to the national security during the past three years and worked for the benefit of the tri-forces personnel. I hope to continue my duty with the blessings, guidance and leadership of the President and the Prime Minister, he said. (Darshana Sanjeewa) Video by Danushka Hernandez said similar experiences shape her views. She grew emotional as she recalled the differences in expectations that she has faced while growing up as a Hispanic student accepted into a highly competitive public high school. She said she has endured taunts about the likelihood of her becoming a teen mom before becoming a scientist. (For the record, she is not a mother.) There are those, she said, who think you got here because you didnt earn it. Even though you did. You worked hard maybe even twice as hard, maybe three times as hard, to get where you are. But its never acknowledged. After the war, Mr. Rotem immigrated to pre-state Israel and fought in its war of independence. He was later a speaker and an active member of the Yad Vashem committee responsible for selecting the Righteous Among the Nations, non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. In 2013, on the revolts 70th anniversary, he was honored by Poland for his role. 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 Working with community and government leaders, Braveboy created a nonprofit to rehabilitate juveniles that has helped thousands over the last 15 years. The Community Public Awareness Council, with funding from grants and donors, ran programs that offered mental health treatment, art therapy, mediation, character development classes and parenting workshops for first-time juvenile offenders and their families to try to help keep the students in school and out of the of the criminal justice system. Braveboy said many have gone on without repeat offenses, while others have returned as mentors. Championed by President Trump and approved by Republicans in Congress, the federal tax overhaul limits deductions on mortgage interest and property taxes. It also doubled the standard deduction to make up for those changes, probably prompting more taxpayers to take the standard deduction on their federal taxes instead of itemizing. Under current law, Virginians who take the standard deduction on their federal returns must do the same on their state tax returns, which would lead to higher state tax bills because Virginias standard deduction remains unchanged. Recognising World Human Rights day celebrated on December 10, four contemporary artistes joined forces to respond to the current political travesty raging the nation. Presenting both their own creative take on this chaos and a platform for voices of resistance to rise up, Chandragupta Thenuwara, Senaka Weeraman, David Cotterrell and Ruwanthie de Chickera held Human Rights Arts 2018 from December 10 to 15 at the JDA Perera Gallery marking its second year. The ventures circulars pictured the faces of President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa morphing into one; a statement of impartiality and equal compromise. The showcase placed sensitive issues in bold new light and was profound evidence that violence and uproar arent the only means to make a stand. Walking into the ground floor, one first encountered the works of Chandragupta Thenuwara; President of the Arts Council of Sri Lanka and Senaka Weeraman, a local architect based in London. In an attempt to address the misinterpretation of the Constitution concerning its translations, Thenuwara had reprinted the document in English, Sinhala and Tamil and spanned them across the wall one below the other. For some reason, the same content ends up having to take a lot more words to explain, Cotterrell mentioned gesturing to the length disparity of the translations. Amidst the cacophony of contradiction, one may come to realize that depending on where you stand you have a different understanding of what this picture means. Weeraman also followed the tri-lingual theme in his artwork proclaiming the words Democracy + Justice employing a unison of red, blue and green colours. Installation artist and director David Cotterrell together with playwright and theatre director Ruwanthie de Chickera tackled the Constitutional issue somewhat differently. The work titled, Capital C for Constitution playfully responded to the recent debate over the meaning of clauses of the constitution. As both parties involved presented their mandate claiming constitutional evidence, this piece delivered that subtle differences in the Sinhala and English versions might serve to have profound consequences. A computer administered by an unseen entity used Google to translate the document between the three languages. The process continued, the small flaws in the automatic translation began to take effect, until finally the absent operator inserted the selection back into the official document when it was no longer perceived as a threat. Cotterrell explained that they were trying to highlight the possibility of error, the possibility of making mistakes. Another thought provoking piece by this pair who have been around the world collaborating for the past three years, was titled Was Many pictures. This incorporated six lecterns which surrounded a single monochrome photograph capturing the moment former president Mahinda Rajapaksa signed his acceptance of the Prime Ministerial office. This iconic image that was plastered all over media and broadcast for the world to see was always accompanied by an opinion, quote; a caption of some sort, until now. Here, the artists invited the viewers to observe the image in silence, unrestricted by a framework of an outsiders thoughts. One might then approach the six lecterns containing a catalogue of audio clips extracted from reprinted stories within the Daily Mirror. Random, unrelated and even contradictory statements and reports of the capture would then be read out by actors. Amidst the cacophony of contradiction, one may come to realize that depending on where you stand you have a different understanding of what this picture means. Referring to the piece, its creators explained, It seems we share the same pictures but not the same narratives. In fact, in spite of us sharing the same pictures, and even forming our narratives through common pictures, its entirely possible that we inhabit parallel realities, comprising parallel memories and building on parallel imagined futures. Many pictures became one picture because we realized one picture could literally hold the hopes and fears of an entire country. political heroes Amidst the artistic statements made in connection to the ongoing political crisis, there were also references to Sri Lankas history of war, turmoil and chaos. Chandragupta Thenuwaras Fallen Heroes after October 26 (2018), Black Friday;pointed to a mould used to sculpt a monument now split at its core. Deceptively simple in appearance, the work delivered a message of broken and hollow ideals of heroism. It described how political heroes are now exposed, humiliated and made immaterial before the eyes of the masses that once placed them on pedestals. Having previously launched his series on barralism which provided a creative outlook on the concrete barricades behind which soldiers stood during the time of war, Thenuwaras Neo-barralism Strikes back served as a reminder of how barrels and barricades have existed and have weakened since, trying to suppress chaos from breaking free. A similar line of thought was seen through his piece Files and Camouflage, where a stack of filed human rights violation cases were mingled with scraps of camouflage material, expressing a concealed, yet always present interference with the system. Capturing the attention of crowds both online and at its unveiling was David Cotterrel and Ruwanthie de Chickeras Just-Ice- a six-foot tall ice sculpture of the Parliament building. The ambitious yet successful structure was constructed twice; once at the Independence square and then again for the opening day of the exhibition. Cotterrell described their adventurous reveal at the independence square, where they observed its effect on the masses. Some took selfies, protest groups used it to support their causes, children wanted to touch it, it caused quite the stir, he explained. And all the while, the carving was melting-implicatively from within. Parliament took a long time to dissolve. People kept vigil. Some lit candles. Some sang songs. But there was a sense that the inevitable was happening. Parliament was collapsing. It seemed to collapse from the inside. There was a gasp from the people watching as the roof of parliament slid off. Without that shape, it began to look more vulnerable. Some people had trouble even identifying it as parliament, the creative pair thus established the powerful message they were attempting to deliver. A short time-lapse video which documented the symbolic melt-down was projected at the gallery during the course of the art festival. Ruwanthie added that ironically, the actual Parliament dissolved and collapsed faster than the ice sculpture, which lasted for almost 24 hours at its second unveiling. Adorning this space were, banners, posters and pictures from various protest campaigns, gleaning like insignia of rebellious battles fought by the people for the people The upper-most floor of the exhibition was made open for anyone who needed a platform to have their voice heard. Adorning this space were, banners, posters and pictures from various protest campaigns, gleaning like insignia of rebellious battles fought by the people for the people. Decking the upper pillars was the momentous sari cloth proudly worn at the recent womens Protest and draped over a railing was the emblematic rainbow- flag carried by the LGBTIQ community of Sri Lanka in their recent campaign. A wall for the protests of the families of the disappeared, a section for the anti-torture movement, a platform for social media awareness and posters of the butterfly protestors filled up the premise. In this manner, completely unrelated and otherwise disconnected causes were allowed to claim their ground within a single space. The important thing is, this is going to be a regular thing every year, to encourage people to think about raising questions about politics, to make people have a debate and discuss...the whole point is to look at the system, David Cotterrell expressed the intent driving this venture. Human Rights Arts initiated in 2017 by Chandragupta Thenuwara primarily focuses on two specific articles of the Universal declaration of Human Rights. Article 8 Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law Article 21 Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country It is in acknowledgement of these rights that this small but powerful collective of contemporary artists have united to view the national crisis through a new lens to express the unexpressed and to stand up for the fundamental values of humanity. U.N. cease-fire monitors arrive in Hodeida : A U.N. team led by a Dutch officer arrived in Hodeida to monitor a cease-fire that went into force in the Red Sea port city, where Yemen's civil war rivals have been fighting for months, according to security officials and witnesses. The team, led by Maj. Gen. Patrick Cammaert, had earlier flown into Sanaa, the capital, from Aden, the home in exile of Yemen's internationally recognized government. The arrival of the team in Hodeida follows charges by both sides over the past week that the other was breaching the truce, reached earlier this month. Regular worshipers can be disdainful of the Chreasters. They make it hard for the loyalists to find seats in the pews and are, in a sense, free riding on those who, week in and week out, keep the institutions going. The Chreasters participation on special days is often written off as little more than a gush of sentiment inspired by warm childhood memories or an affection for the Christmas story and the songs and ceremonies we have developed around it. There are a lot of them: Genser says there are 3,000 U.S. citizens imprisoned worldwide, of whom about 100 are hostages. What we know about them is mostly thanks to advocates such as Mohamed Soltan, a former U.S. prisoner in Egypt, who estimates that an additional 15 Americans are still jailed there. There is at least one more American held on political grounds in Turkey, at least five in Iran and at least one in Saudi Arabia. Whats agonizing is that Mazloum has been fighting alongside U.S. Special Operations forces that represent the steadfastness of this countrys military, and now he is experiencing a quite different American face. To be frank, the first thing I thought about when I heard this decision was Americas reputation, Mazloum said. Because after this decision, what are people going to say about America? All the credibility and trust that was built, we have lost. On Dec. 18, Reuters published a special report including satellite photos, interviews and a government map showing how authorities in Myanmar, despite promises that the Rohingya could return, are in fact making that increasingly unlikely. Many of the villages were burned at the time of the assault, then bulldozed. New homes are being built and occupied mainly by Buddhists, some from other parts of Rakhine state; the Buddhist majority in Myanmar has long persecuted the Rohingya minority. Reuters discovered that the Myanmar government is building some of the new homes and helping the Buddhist resettlement, spearheaded by nationalists who want to establish a Buddhist majority in the area. Reuters was shown a resettlement map drafted by the government that reveals many returning Rohingya would be housed in several dozen Rohingya-only settlements, isolating them from the rest of the population. It all adds up to a new round of ethnic cleansing, creating permanent facts on the ground to erase the Rohingya presence, also conveniently paving over evidence of the original atrocity. Historically, he has a point. But my guess is that Mr. Trump simply has a confused definition of what it means to win. Baby boomers all grew up learning that the United States never lost a war. Unless there is an agreement or treaty with the Islamic State and the other warring parties, there are no winners or losers, and no guarantee of how the peace will be maintained. On the other hand, the Paris Peace Accords ended the Vietnam War, but the ensuing peace turned out much differently than expected. Maybe Mr. Trump thinks he can declare victory and go home. But one of the two reports prepared by the aid group consortium operating in Rakhine concluded that little has been done by the Myanmar government despite its claims of significant progress on improving conditions. A copy of the 171-page document was seen by The Post. The six aid organizations allowed access to the report on the condition that the names of the agencies not be made public. New Delhi, (Hindustan Times) Dec 19, 2018 - Indian drug inspectors have seized samples of Johnson & Johnsons baby powder from a plant in Himachal Pradesh, an industry source said on Wednesday, following a Reuters report the company knew for decades that cancer-causing asbestos lurked in the product. The source, who declined to be named, said the samples were taken from the Baddi plant in Himachal Pradesh state on Tuesday night. J&J India did not have any immediate comment on the reports of sample seizures by Indian authorities. On Tuesday the company said in a statement that the Reuters article, which was published on Friday, is one-sided, false and inflammatory... ...Thousands of independent tests by regulators and the worlds leading labs prove our baby powder has never contained asbestos, the company said. Surendranath Sai, a drug officer in Telangana, said he was instructing drug inspectors to seize samples. On the basis of the news reports we are alerting to pick up samples. We will test them in a drug control lab here, said Sai. Even as Israeli officials have pointed to this escalating danger, Netanyahu has been sharply criticized in recent months for his handling of other security challenges, notably the conflict with Hamas, the militant Islamist group that rules the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu was widely faulted, including by former defense minister Avigdor Liberman, for reaching a temporary truce with the group this fall without a long-term solution for stemming rocket and other attacks from Gaza. The prime minister has also been criticized for failing to stop a spike in violent attacks against Israelis in the West Bank. Danesh said late Monday that police had successfully evacuated 357 employees from the ministry and that some employees had been able to hide from three attackers, who stormed the building with assault rifles and explosives after blowing up a car outside the front entrance. Officials said two of the attackers were eventually killed. Registration of motor vehicles across most categories has finally slowed down in November in response to the restrictions imposed on such imports and their financing in August and September. The motorcars recorded 3,354 registrations in November, down from 5,826 units in October, but up from 2,400 units 12 months ago, the monthly vehicle registrations tracker by JB Securities, showed. In August, the Finance Ministry increased the duty on small cars to a minimum of 1.25 million and subsequently the Central Bank increased the margin requirement on such motorcar imports to 200 percent in September, in a bid to curb the vehicle import frenzy of the Lankans, who have been long battered by a poor public transportation system. Road accidents in Sri Lanka, mostly fatal ones have reached a record level due to reckless driving while almost all major cities have become almost impassable due to congestion, which kills the countrys productivity. Economists say money spent on purchasing a personal vehicle is one of the most ineffective capital allocation decisions in this part of the world, but free market fighters defy this logic and continue to fight to brake the barriers for owning a vehicle while maintaining deaf silence on its insurmountable economic and social cost. For instance, those so-called liberal advocates fight for the rights of the three-wheeler owners and prospective ones when they get the wind of measures to clamp down on them, claiming the three-wheeler gives these people the individual freedoms. But they have failed to say nothing when the same three-wheeler owners and drivers literally infringe the right to use roads by millions of others and their engaging in other vices under the guise of driving a three-wheeler. Meanwhile, three-wheeler registrations fell to 1,314 units in November, down from 1,932 units over the previous month and 2,270 units 12 months ago. Two-wheeler registrations recorded 22,373 units in November down from 30,889 units in October and 28,334 units 12 months ago. Scooters accounted for 14,476 units with the balance 7,897 units being motorcycles. Bus registrations recorded 130 units in November down from 201 units in October and 381 units 12 months ago. Meanwhile, premium branded motorcar registrations recorded 158 units in November down from 207 units in October. Brand new accounted for a mere 28 units with Mercedes accounting for 11 units (C class 8 units) and BMW 9 units (5-series 4). Notable premium cars in November were a Porsche Cayenne-S, three Jaguars XF/XE and a Mercedes Benz C Coupe. In October, there were three BMW i8s, 1 Jaguar XE, 1 Porsche 718 Boxter and one Ferrari 488 Spider. Across all categories, Sri Lanka registered 31, 358 motor vehicles in November, significantly down from 44,036 in October, the data showed. Like, Lady Gaga. "Lady Gaga, best actress Oscar nominee" is not a line anyone would've uttered on January 1, 2018. "Lady Gaga, new haircut" or "Lady Gaga, tour mishap", maybe. But the pop star's turn as musical ingenue Ally in A Star is Born directed by fellow 2018 wonderball Bradley Cooper has unlocked a legitimate career pivot for the musician, and I can't wait to see her on our big screens in 2019 using that superb acting talent on [enter obscure Marvel character here]. Ariana Grande: great year, if you ignore the bad stuff. Credit:AP Ariana Grande, similarly, had a standout year - especially if you ignore the bits where her ex-boyfriend died and her other ex-boyfriend threatened to die. Besides that though (!), she delivered a stunning album in the wake of a year of tragedy, not to mention single Thank U, Next, which put a mature sheen on break-up and a video that broke YouTube's rating for most views in the first 24 hours of its release, a stunning 55.4 million. Could you call Meghan Markle's year a success, even though she married a redheaded Englishman and was forced to deal with daily rumours of familial infighting? If you ever watched Suits, you'd know this one's a yes. This year saw actor Timothee Chalamet labelled a "once-in-a-generation talent", "the first star of the post-social media age" and "the next River Phoenix", and he even helped get a new Woody Allen film pulled from theatres just by apologising for his involvement that's a solid year's work. The 23-year-old also has three new films, including Aussie David Michod's period epic The King, due in cinemas next year, so this is like betting on Winx and then acting like a genius for winning 12 cents on a dollar. Fire and Rescue's Urban Search and Rescue team, made up of specialist engineers, entered the building at 7pm and worked through the night to assess each floor. Its been a particularly frustrating time for residents and were very aware they are keen to go home the night before Christmas," Ms Boon said shortly before the majority of units were given the all-clear. "This is a large building and its critical the safety of the residents comes first." Among those residents who ushered in Christmas Day on the concrete floor of the Sydney Showgrounds exibition hall were the Seniors, who came to Australia for a three-week holiday. Even if it is safe were not going to be sleeping there, Ms Senior told the Herald. How can you sleep in there thinking the building might collapse? You wouldnt be able to rest. I wouldnt anyway. We wont be going anywhere unless we can get back in and get back out but I dont know if we would be able to do that. The Seniors were staying on level eight, two floors below where the internal wall failed. The family were sightseeing on Sydney Harbour on Monday afternoon and came back to the horror news they would not be allowed back in amid cracking noises being heard within the complex. Roads were blocked off around the apartment on Monday afternoon. Credit:AAP Presents, passports, clothes, luggage and a hire car were all still in the apartment block, which they feared they may not get back into if the green light is not given. I wouldnt want to go in there and get the belongings if it wasnt deemed safe, said Leon Senior. I wouldnt even get the car. We spoke to people in the building and they got told to evacuate they thought it was a fire. Loading As she spoke to the Herald, a notification lit up Fionas phone. A woman from Airbnb just got back to me saying shes going to try and help find a solution to sort us out. She said shes going to get back to us as soon as possible. We can only hope I suppose. What a way to spend Christmas. On Christmas morning, another resident was packing up and leaving the building because he said he would not feel safe going to sleep. He gathered his bags, his cat and left with his mother, who said the situation had "put a real dampener on things". A resident leaves Opal Tower on Christmas morning. Credit:Nick Moir Engineers and building managers remained on the scene on Tuesday morning and the cause of the cracking was not made clear by authorities. Nearby buildings were evacuated for about 12 hours, including the Botania building, operated by Meriton, which told residents in an email that as "there is a potential for the tower to collapse, a 1km radius has been evacuated". Botania resident Roman Teslyuk, 26, and his wife Christina, 27, said by about 8pm they had given up hope of returning home on Monday night and would be waking up on Christmas morning in a Potts Point hotel along with the dog they managed to rescue from their apartment after initially being told only children would be brought to safety. Temporary home: Affected residents inside the Sydney Showgrounds' exhibition hall late on Monday evening. Credit:Tom Decent "The cops at the entrance said if its a child they would get it out but if its a dog they wouldnt," Mr Teslyuk said. But he found an unguarded entrance and went into the building to retrieve his dog. Police Detective Superintendent Philip Rogerson said on Monday evening the building had shifted between one and two millimetres as a result of the issue. But there had been no further movement detected on laser monitors deployed by emergency services. Police evacuated 55 children from a nearby childcare centre and released them to their families. There have been no reports of cracks at the building prior to Monday, authorities confirmed. The website for the Opal Tower says the building has 392 apartments, commercial spaces, a childcare centre and community centre. The development, which was completed in August at a cost of $165 million, includes a retail precinct and childcare centre for 80 children. If youre currently lined up at Coles or at a restaurant about to dig into some buttery king prawns, ask first where it was caught. Seafood Industry Australia has urged us to ask for Aussie seafood this Christmas. "70 per cent of the seafood that comes in is imported. Thats why we suggest that people who are keen to source local food ask for it explicitly," SIA CEO Jane Lovell said. "If youre getting seafood from retail, the laws changed this year and youre lucky because they have to declare the country of origin. London: Police in Britain say it's possible the reported drones, which grounded flights at Gatwick Airport for one and a half days and caused chaos for more than 100,000 travellers, may have never existed. The mind-boggling admission came as police released without charge a man and woman they had arrested on Friday night, and said they were no longer suspects. The couple were named and shamed by the UK tabloid The Mail on Sunday, which published a large front-page photo of them with the headline, "Are These the Morons Who Ruined Christmas?" Jason Tingley from Sussex Police told the BBC that there was no footage or photographs of the reported drones. There was "always a possibility that there may not have been any genuine drone activity in the first place." Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been sent back to jail after a fresh corruption conviction, BBC reported a short while ago. The anti-corruption court in Islamabad has given Sharif a seven-year term for investments beyond his declared assets. Sharif, who denies wrongdoing, was jailed in July in a different corruption case but bailed on appeal when the Islamabad High Court suspended his 10-year sentence in September. Security around the court in Islamabad was tight for Monday's verdict. The former ruling party - the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz - had threatened to start a mass protest movement and disrupt parliamentary business if its leader was sent back to prison. Sharif has said the charges against him are politically motivated and is expected to appeal against his latest conviction. The accountability court said he could not prove the source of income for ownership of al-Azizia steel mill in Saudi Arabia. It acquitted him in a second case, Flagship Investment, in the UK for lack of evidence. His two sons, Hassan and Hussain, who are not in Pakistan, were declared absconders by the court. Sharif was arrested inside the court and is expected to be transferred to jail soon, BBC said quoting Dawn News. President Maithripala Sirisena has told the newly appointed Ministry Secretaries not to be pressurised into committing irregularities and unlawful acts. The President, who handed over letters of appointments to Secretaries of 30 ministries on Friday (21), said that though there was a lot of talk about good governance, the country was yet to witness clean politics. We all strive for it. I believe that all of you, as Ministry Secretaries, would discharge your duties in this manner. I believe you will stand firm against efforts of those who want to commit unlawful acts. Nobody will come forward to protect wrongdoers. If anyone indulges in frauds, he will be punished. Lets strive for good governance from now on! he challenged those present. Sannasgala has predicted in his book Gemba that Premadasa would not grow to become an accomplished politician Much is said about Sajith Premadasa that he should be UNP Leader, but questions are raised whether the UNP Deputy Leader is hungry enough to lead the Green Party. Some time back there was an offer made to Premadasa to even take up the post of Prime Minister, but he turned it down. Right now the buzz within the UNP is that Premadasa would be UNPs next Presidential candidate. Premadasa has maintained that there is no hesitation on his part to accept any post. However he adds that he wants to do everything the proper way. In this context it is interesting to note that Sinhala teacher and author Upul Shantha Sannasgala has predicted in his book Gemba that Premadasa would not grow to become an accomplished politician. Sannasgala writes that Premadasa has made the mistake of focusing on paying tribute to his late father, Ranasinghe Premadasa, on political platforms rather promoting his cause. The book was published in 2014, a year before Mahinda Rajapaksa was ousted from power. Demi Gods Sannagala focuses on Premadasa in the chapter titled Fingers were made before folks where he stresses that small trees dont have a chance of growing when they are placed under large trees. This is because large trees absorb the nutrients from the soil and also the water, thus denying the smaller trees an opportunity to grow, Sannasgala likens Premadasa to a small tree and his late father to a large tree. Sannasgala goes on to write that accomplished leaders or individuals like JR.Jayewardene, SWRD Bandaranaike, Abraham Lincoln, Carl Marx, Charles Darwin and Sigmund Freud, failed to see their sons achieve anything significant in life. He reasons that this is because that these fathers had reached the status of demi gods or in other words had achieved celebrity status hence there was no chance for another from the same family to emulate or better that feat. But Sannasgala singles out an offspring in the equation in Namal Rajapaksa who he states is an exception. The author points out that young Namal has not been destroyed despite his father being an individual who is virtually being worshiped in the political scene. Sannasgala writes that whether or not Namal would grow to become a large tree like his dad would be decided upon the education he receives to grow as an individual. But here the focus of this article is on Premadasa and not on Namal. Parliamentarian Rohitha Abeygunasekere has critisised Premadasa by saying that though he (Premadasa) likes to be the prime minister, he is afraid to take up the coveted post. Premadasa has already answered his critics by stating that he will come to power the proper way. Premadasa, unlike most other parliamentarians, is educated. He received his education at Royal College Colombo and completed degrees at London School of Economics and the University of London. His education and upbringing have made him a wonderful statesman and an ideal candidate to serve the public. But whether he has the burning ambition to propel himself to be the leader of the country is left to be seen. There is one thing in Sri Lankan politics that the UNP has to understand. Politicians like Rajapaksa always made sure to portray themselves as heroes and their opponents as villains. Rajapaksa always focused on portraying opponents like Sarath Fonseka and Ranil Wickremesinghe as something bad that should be eliminated. For those who need a stronger interpretation, Rajapaksa termed them as viruses which needed to be destroyed politically. Premadasa and the UNP need to learn the art of making heroes of themselves and naming the opponents as villains. The Green Party which promotes democracy shows no interest in learning the art of making heroes and villains. This all boils down to their lack of skills in doing so. Premadasa and the UNP prefer to have a powerful prime minister in Parliament instead of a hero who promotes the executive presidency. This is why the UNP is strong within the parliament, but would be crushed at an election if it has to go in front of the people seeking their mandate. There are concerns about whether the UNPs economic policies would suffocate the downtrodden masses. Former premier Mahinda Rajapaksa has warned that the UNP should be more people friendly when taking economic decisions. Rajapaksa made these comments in parliament when during the debate which was held regarding the Vote on Account. Rajapaksa believes that Sri Lanka can progress economically and defend itself against international and external threats only if there is a single highly empowered leader. Premadasa has over the years settled down to play the deputys role to Wickremesinghe. There is only talk that Premadasa would be UNPs next candidate at a future election. Wickremesinghe is yet to confirm this news thats circulating. strengths and weaknesses Premadasa assumed duties the other day as the Minister of Housing Construction and Cultural Affairs. He is reported to have said that his staff should create a roster so that this would ensure that work continues in this ministry throughout 24 hours of the day. This is because Premadasa wishes to achieve what can be done in 10 years within a short period of 10 months. This is possible if the mindset of government workers can be changed overnight to adopt a healthy work culture where employees work as if they are share holders of a company and not as paid workers. We have seen the strengths and weaknesses of Premadasa. His strengths like having wisdom, maturity and the ability to honour dignity are sure to be included in a biography penned about him and titled Sajith Premadasa-The Peoples Leader like Legacy of Ranasinghe Premadasa. The book penned by Telli C. Rajaratnam will be launched in January 2019. The book again, going by the previews written, suggests that there are going to be chapters dedicated to his late father; a figure who despite not living today, can dwarf him by the very mention of his name. Premadasa must take a cue from young Namal regarding his future. He must observe how Namal promotes his cause by speaking the least about his much accomplished dad (Mahinda) and virtually nothing about his uncle Gotabaya who could block his path in politics. STAMFORD Its been a turbulent year for a Darien church whose status has been stripped and is now embroiled in a legal battle over its rectors alleged dishonesty. A Stamford judge is considering whether to dismiss a case brought by the lay leaders of St. Pauls Episcopal Church who want to remove rector George Kovoor, alleging he misrepresented himself when he was hired in 2016. In June, the church vestry sent Kovoor a termination letter, ignoring Episcopal Bishop Ian Douglas call for the rector to remain at the Mansfield Avenue parish. Kevin Daly, an attorney representing the episcopal diocese, argued last week in state Superior Court in Stamford that the lawsuit should be dismissed since the churchs vestry was disbanded in October when the diocese demoted the church from parish to worshiping community. With the vestry gone, Daly said the lay leaders do not have a legal position to terminate the 61-year-old Kovoor. Previously, there was a vestry that had a certain role in the governance of the church, Daly told Judge Trial Referee Kevin Tierney. The vestrys role was eliminated when St. Pauls was converted from a parish to a worshiping community. Daly said the rules of the church allowed the diocese to demote St. Pauls. Since these individuals no longer have a role in governing of the church, they do not have standing to address these claims and harms to the church, he said. Daly also said having a judge decide whether the lay leaders efforts are valid would require the court to enter into the area of church governance and doctrine, which is prohibited by the First Amendment that allows for freedom of religion. However, Ralph Dupont, an attorney for the lay leaders, said they were only requesting a judge to settle a simple matter of contract law. Dupont said the lay leaders wanted to fire Kovoor for allegedly misrepresenting himself by claiming, among other things, that he was a chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II and needed to take four annual trips to England to perform his royal duties. However, the lawsuit states Kovoor was only an honorary chaplain and was not needed in England. The suit also states there were other misrepresentations on Kovoors resume. Dupont said since Kovoor was dishonest, the contract for his $70,000-per-year job should be considered null and void. There just is no contract, Dupont said. And if there is no contract, of course, there is no godly judgment that can be given on a contract that does not exist. The mini-trial will resume on Jan. 3. jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com The fiscal crisis might be Connecticuts biggest concern heading into the new year, but its unlikely to be the topic of speeches at the inauguration of Governor-elect Ned Lamont on Jan. 9 in Hartford. Instead, as Lamont tends to do, his comments will likely take on a positive approach to governing and highlight bipartisanship. Events are open to the public. Heres what you need to know if youre intested in attending: Lamont will take the oath of office at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 9 during a ceremony at the William A. ONeill State Armory at Broad Street and Capitol Avenue. Tickets are not required to attend, but seats are first come, first served. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. The organizers are asking attendees to RSVP here. As of Monday, Capitol Police did not yet have details on security or parking for the general public, but parking in the area is limited and attendees are advised to arrive early. Expect road closures around the Capitol and pack light to speed up security. Lamont will make a brief statement about his vision for Connecticut, but its unlikely hell give details on his proposed budget, which isnt due out for several weeks after the inauguration. A parade will leave the armory following Lamonts swearing in, circle the Capitol and end at the intersection of Trinity and Elm Streets at the corner of Bushnell Park. Once the parade concludes, Lamont will deliver his first State of the State address to a joint session of the General Assembly at the Capitol. There will be very limited public seating inside the Capitol. Details about live broadcasts are not yet available. The inaugural ball, at 7 p.m. that night at the Connecticut Convention Center in downtown Hartford, is also open to the public, but tickets are required. Tickets are $200 for general admission. People ages 21 to 28 can purchase tickets for $99 a sign of Lamonts desire to involve a younger demographic in the festivities. Details about how to purchase tickets and other information about the day and nights events are here. The ball will feature more than 40 restaurants, artisanal cheese makers, bread makers, microbreweries and Connecticut wineries, according to the invitation. Joe Scarborough a former Republican and co-host of MSNBCs Morning Joe will perform with his band. Christopher Meloni, a family friend of the Lamonts best known for his role as NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler on the NBC legal drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, will co-emcee the event alongside journalist Jane Whitney. kkrasselt@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2563; @kaitlynkrasselt STAMFORD The New England Association of Schools and Colleges has recommended Westhill High School for continued accreditation ... with a catch. FAQ: What we know about the mold problem in Stamford schools While the school received accreditation from the Committee on Public Secondary Schools, it was placed on warning due to $150 million in deferred maintenance and a lack of funding to update equipment, instructional materials and supplies. The deficiencies violated the associations standard on community resources for learning. Westhill is one of several schools fallen victim to a mold epidemic sweeping the districts buildings. Its also one of several schools that was recommended for a mold and moisture assessment back in 2009. Parents, students and teachers have begun speaking out about the poor conditions of the school, ranging from its HVAC system, which some have said causes classrooms temperatures to fluctuate by 40 degrees, to the mold that is causing health problems for some. According to the full report, the standard for community resources for learning addresses the schools ability to provide facilities, personnel and resources to support the delivery of curriculum, instruction, programs and services. As a learning organization, we will use the findings of the committee to develop priorities for improvement in that area in particular, said superintendent Earl Kim. In fact, the district has already started to address the facilities issues addressed by the report and will begin to implement valid recommendations from the report. The committee paid a visit to the school in October, during which members reviewed school materials, toured the building, observed classes and met with members of the Westhill community, according to the NEASC report. The school has to submit a special progress report by Dec. 1, 2019 indicating how educators have developed a plan to address facility deficiencies, according to a letter from NEASC to Westhill principal Michael Rinaldi. An HVAC system that shoots out temperatures ranging from boiling to freezing, the roof of the agri-science building, labs, greenhouse and science classrooms, and certain security issues were flagged as needing special attention. The committee also recommended the district turn its attention toward the lack of adequate funding for updated equipment and instructional materials for the art and science departments. The letter also praised the school for, amongst other things, its use of technology to support the curriculum, the professional development for teachers to support English-learner students, events like the Hispanic Heritage Assembly and the access to health care and social service agencies for students through the school. It also complimented Rinaldi for his increasing communication with the community. Rinaldi made his mark on Westhill during his first year last year by adopting a habit of greeting students at the door of the school each morning and Tweeting from the doorway each morning. He also uses social media to highlight the accomplishments of students and staff. Rinaldi said the school is already working on developing a two-year plan. Once the NEASC report is received, the real work begins in implementing recommendations going forward, Rinaldi said. The report was very positive. Theres always recommendations. erin.kayata@stamfordadvocate.com; (203) 964-2265; @erin_kayata The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) today challenged Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to bring in a motion to dissolve parliament. Addressing a news briefing, MP Rohitha Abeygunawardana said they were ready to support the United National Party (UNP) if it submits a motion to dissolve parliament. "We also invite the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), which is a branch of the UNP, to accept this challenge. Unlike the previous opposition comprised of the JVP and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), we won't allow the UNP to misbehave. We will criticise their wrong moves. What we have today is a genuine opposition which won't dance to the tune of the UNP," he said. Meanwhile, he also noted that the government had lost its two-thirds majority in parliament as only 102 MPs supported the Vote on Account last Friday. The government is like a dilapidated vehicle which will cease to function in a few months, Mr Abeygunawardana stated. (Lahiru Pothmulla) Video by Damith As a year of political upheaval and economic stagnation is winding down, Sri Lanka is entering into an uncertain 2019. Politics is as toxic as it has ever been in recent times. The illwill between President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, expressed in the most overt gesticulations, is bound to overshadow government policy. The public euphoria over the rollback of the Constitutional coup evaporated in no time. Most tellingly, the appointment of corruption-tainted Ravi Karunanayake to the Cabinet effectively gave the middle finger to the saner people, civil society and democracy activists. The UNP has so far restrained its temptation to form a farcical national government so as to avoid a restriction set by the Constitution, which under the 19th Amendment set a limit of a 30-member Cabinet of Ministers, unless when there is a national government. An earlier plan to form a national government between the sole member of the SLMC and the UNP was abandoned, fearing a predictable public outrage. The UNP is also expected to seek legal opinion over whether the government is entitled to have a 32-member Cabinet (30 plus the president and prime minister) instead of 30. All this is to reward its members in order to keep them satiated, so that they would not be tempted to pole vault to the Opposition. Thus, after the much hype about democracy and the will of the people, Sri Lankan politics is back to its usual ugliness. The UNP is also expected to seek legal opinion over whether the government is entitled to have a 32-member Cabinet instead of 30 Both main political parties, UNP and SLFP have regularly found themselves at the receiving end of the devastating consequences of J.R Jayawardenes Machiavellian machinations of Sri Lankas political fabric. Jayawardene went to an extreme and shameful length hitherto existent culture of political patronage and bribe and entrenched it in the Sri Lankan political life. A bloated Cabinet is one way to extend a network of political patronage. India with 1.2 billion people has 27 Cabinet Ministers, Japan has 20 Cabinet Ministers, Britain has a Prime Minister plus 21 Cabinet Ministers. Whereas Sri Lanka has a history of rewarding nearly all members in the government with some form of ministerial portfolio so that they would be entitled to the accompanying fringe benefits. Such positions have not enhanced efficiency but eaten into the public coffers. The latest economic data of the 3rd quarter is proof of pervasive economic stagnation. The economic growth in the 3rd quarter had slumped to an historic low of 2.9 per cent, against 3.7 per cent of equally mediocre growth in the same quarter of the previous year. So the economy has been in a slow death even before the October 26 trigger of a political crisis. Now, with an aggravated political crisis, and its economic implications in the final quarter of this year, the economy is set to record another below four per cent annual growth for the fourth consecutive year. While efforts for economic restructuring might have an impact on low growth numbers, the governments repeated inability to proactively engage in economic development is the main factor for the sub-par economic performance. Unlike the Rajapaksa regime, which to give the devil its due, played a major role as a catalyst of economic development, which any emerging market economy should do, this government solely relied on market forces. However, market forces did not take their own course of action due to other extraneous factors and the prevailing economic and political uncertainty. All in all, economically speaking, the whole life span of the yahapalanaya government was four lost years for the country. These adverse economic and political conditions are unlikely to improve in the coming year. If any, they are bound to get worse. The president who is waiting to settle his scores with Mr. Wickremesinghe is likely to obstruct the latters economic policies at any given opportunity. Similarly, any moves to impeach the president would likely compel him to prorogue Parliament, triggering another political crisis. Personal prejudices between the executive and legislature will hold back the progress of the country, and the governments economic agenda in the coming year. The only winner in this equation is Mahinda Rajapaksa. He is ridiculed now for taking power through the backdoor. However, he was the one who could have romped home in an election, if the constitutional coup led to a snap general election. He is down, but not out. As the Opposition Leader, he is now more formidable. Post-coup political conditions serve him as well. He is likely to receive presidential patronage, if the courts belatedly launch investigations into allegations of corruption during the Rajapaksa regime. Even the courts will be disinclined to lock horns with the president ever too often. The only memorable legacy of yahapalanaya will be its role in strengthening the independent institutions in the country. However such institutions can not function in a vacuum. Public discontent over multiplicity of reasons, all of which have roots in the disillusionment over perceived economic stagnation, has unleashed far- reaching political changes from America to Philippines. Sri Lanka is not immune to that. The UNP has already failed to capitalize on the popular support it received during the constitutional crisis. It is in the process of squandering much of that political capital. The only memorable legacy of yahapalanaya will be its role in strengthening the independent institutions in the country It is also unlikely to make a noticeable improvement in the economy any time soon- or even during the two years of its remainder of the term. Political uncertainty will take a toll on economy. Economic stagnation in turn would take a toll on democratic reforms. The year 2018 was one of political upheaval, sinister machinations, undelivered promises and economic decay. Sadly though, as political and economic factors stand, 2019 is unlikely to be different. Follow @RangaJayasuriya on Twitter A stained glass window by Leo Mol at Sts. Vladimir and Olga Cathedral shows the nativity scene. WASHINGTON - The departure of Defence Secretary Jim Mattis in a week will thrust President Donald Trump's largely unknown choice for acting Pentagon chief into the military hot seat and shift attention to the search for a permanent replacement who will probably face sharp Capitol Hill questioning about the administration's murky foreign policy. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 24/12/2018 (1074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this April 9, 2018, file photo, Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, right, listen as President Donald Trump speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House, in Washington. A U.S. administration official says that Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will leave his post Jan. 1, 2019, as Trump is expected to name Shanahan as acting secretary. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) WASHINGTON - The departure of Defence Secretary Jim Mattis in a week will thrust President Donald Trump's largely unknown choice for acting Pentagon chief into the military hot seat and shift attention to the search for a permanent replacement who will probably face sharp Capitol Hill questioning about the administration's murky foreign policy. Trump tweeted Sunday that Deputy Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan will take over as acting head of the department on Jan. 1, elevating a former Boeing Co. senior executive with little experience in international affairs. Shanahan worked for Boeing for more than three decades and was a senior vice-president when he became Pentagon deputy in July 2017. And his time on the job has been mainly focused on the business side of the department and its budget in excess of $700 billion. A White House official said that in the new year Trump wants to focus on streamlining purchases at the Pentagon, an issue on which Shanahan has already been working. The official asked not to be identified publicly discussing personnel matters. But there are looming policy questions about the wars in Syria and Afghanistan, including critical decisions about how the Pentagon will carry out Trump's order last week to pull all 2,000 U.S. troops out of Syria, and withdraw up to half of the 14,000 American forces in Afghanistan. Both decisions trigger massive logistical challenges to get the troops and equipment out of both warzones safely, without further inflaming U.S. allies or boosting the aspirations of the enemy. A key unanswered question is what the administration will do for the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which have gotten weapons and training to fight Islamic State insurgents. The SDF will face almost certain attacks from Turkey, the Syrian government and IS once the U.S. leaves, and officials don't know if the Syrian rebels will have to return the weapons to the U.S. Shanahan hasn't been to either warzone, and officials say he's likely to depend heavily on Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Dunford is scheduled to leave the job and retire Sept. 30, and Trump has already said he is nominating Gen. Mark Milley, the Army chief, as the next chairman. Dunford, who was in Afghanistan on Monday with a USO show, has been telling troops that so far the mission in Afghanistan has not changed, said his spokesman, Air Force Col. Pat Ryder. Ryder said Dunford "told them that they're American soldiers, they have a mission to do, and to just get after it." Mattis' departure signals an acrimonious end to a tense relationship between him and Trump that had eroded in recent months. Mattis hand-delivered a scathing resignation letter to the president on Thursday in protest over Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. In the letter, Mattis made clear that he didn't see eye to eye with a president who has expressed disdain for NATO. That drew a critical tweet from Trump on Monday. "We are substantially subsidizing the Militaries of many VERY rich countries all over the world, while at the same time these countries take total advantage of the U.S., and our TAXPAYERS, on Trade," Trump tweeted. "General Mattis did not see this as a problem. I DO, and it is being fixed!" The reaction to Mattis' departure, however, sparked shock and dismay on Capitol Hill. U.S. officials said the fallout angered Trump and fueled his decision to accelerate the Mattis departure. U.S. officials said they don't know if Shanahan will be Trump's nominee to replace Mattis. During a White House lunch with conservative lawmakers Saturday, Trump discussed his options. They were "not all military," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who was there. Trump's acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, was asked whether Trump wanted a Pentagon leader willing to challenge him or someone in lockstep with his views, and he said "a little bit of both." Names that are quietly beginning to surface include some of the civilian leaders of the military services such as Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Army Secretary Mark Esper, an acknowledgement that someone who has already undergone Senate confirmation is considered a safer bet. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Shanahan did not serve in the military. His father was in the Army and deployed to Vietnam. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington, then a master's in mechanical engineering as well as an MBA from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition to work in Boeing's commercial airplanes programs, Shanahan was vice-president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defence Systems and of Boeing Rotorcraft Systems. In a March 2016 report, the Puget Sound Business Journal called Shanahan a Boeing "fix-it" man who was central to getting the 787 Dreamliner on track after production problems in the program's early years. Although Monday was a federal holiday and the Pentagon was fairly empty, Mattis was at his desk. Shanahan had already left for the holiday, but he has cancelled a planned vacation and is expected back in Washington on Tuesday night. His offices were staffed Monday. ___ Associated Press writers Robert Burns, Darlene Superville and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump met Monday with his Homeland Security secretary and other officials to discuss border security issues as a partial government shutdown over his U.S.-Mexico border wall entered Christmas without a clear resolution in sight. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 24/12/2018 (1074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. People walk up the steps even though the National Archives is closed with the partial government shutdown, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump met Monday with his Homeland Security secretary and other officials to discuss border security issues as a partial government shutdown over his U.S.-Mexico border wall entered Christmas without a clear resolution in sight. Though both sides have moved on the money, they aren't budging on the wall. The White House insisted Trump will reject any deal that does not include money for a wall or fence; Democrats held firm in their opposition to a wall or other physical barrier. "Nothing new. Nothing new on the shutdown. Nothing new. Except we need border security," Trump told reporters at the White House as he answered telephone calls from children who want to know when Santa will get to their homes. In a joint statement, the Democratic leaders of Congress, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, said that as long as Trump keeps listening to the House Freedom Caucus and others on the right flank, there is no easy resolution to the impasse. "It's Christmas Eve and President Trump is plunging the country into chaos," they said, pointing to problems beyond the shutdown, including the plunging stock market and the president's firing of his defence secretary. "The president wanted the shutdown, but he seems not to know how to get himself out of it." A lane is blocked to an unattended toll booth at Rocky Mountain National Park Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018, in Estes Park, Colo. A partial federal shutdown has been put in motion because of gridlock in Congress over funding for President Donald Trump's Mexican border wall. The gridlock blocks money for nine of 15 Cabinet-level departments and dozens of agencies including the departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, Interior, Agriculture, State and Justice. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) The White House presented a counteroffer over the weekend to Schumer, budget director Mick Mulvaney said Sunday. Mulvaney would only say the offer was between Trump's $5.7 billion request and $1.3 billion Democrats have offered. A Democratic aide granted anonymity to discuss the private talks confirmed the White House offered $2.5 billion - an initial $2.1 billion plus $400 million Democrats called a "slush fund" for the president's other immigration priorities. Mulvaney said he was awaiting a response from Schumer. Schumer's office said the parties remained "very far apart." Trump chimed in from the White House, where he has been cooped up since the shutdown began early Saturday. "I am all alone (poor me) in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come back and make a deal on desperately needed Border Security," he tweeted. "At some point the Democrats not wanting to make a deal will cost our Country more money than the Border Wall we are all talking about. Crazy!" Trump put off plans to head to his Florida estate for Christmas. His wife, first lady Melania Trump, returned from Florida to spend the holiday with him. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is met by reporters as he arrives at the Capitol on the first morning of a partial government shutdown, as Democratic lawmakers, and some Republicans, are at odds with President Donald Trump on spending for his border wall, in Washington, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) The president's border security meeting Monday afternoon included Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and other department officials, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. Senate negotiators continued talks behind the scenes with Democrats and Republicans. The House and Senate briefly gaveled into session on Christmas Eve before closing again with no further action. In their statement, Pelosi and Schumer said "different people from the same White House are saying different things about what the president would accept or not accept to end his Trump Shutdown, making it impossible to know where they stand at any given moment." Trump blamed Democrats for the stalemate, tweeting Monday that "Virtually every Democrat we are dealing with today strongly supported a Border Wall or Fence. It was only when I made it an important part of my campaign, because people and drugs were pouring into our Country unchecked, that they turned against it. Desperately needed!" However, an AP Fact Check found that U.S. arrests on the Mexican border jumped 78 per cent in November from a year earlier to the highest level in Trump's presidency. Increased arrests indicate that more people are trying to cross the border illegally. Several Cabinet departments and agencies have been closed since Saturday after their funding lapsed. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers across the country were affected by the closure, which expected to last at least through Thursday, when the House and Senate meet again. Mulvaney predicted the shutdown could stretch into January, when Democrats are set to control the House. Trump excused federal employees from work on Monday and Christmas is a federal holiday, meaning Wednesday is the first day the public could begin to feel the effects of lost government services, Mulvaney said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The routines of about 800,000 federal employees, meanwhile, were about to be disrupted. More than half of those employees deemed essential, including U.S. Secret Service agents and Transportation Security Administration agents, must work without pay, though retroactive pay is expected. Another 380,000 were to be furloughed, meaning they will not report to work but would also be paid later. Legislation ensuring workers receive back pay was expected to clear Congress. Trump promised during the campaign to build a border wall and make Mexico to pay for it. Mexico has refused. Progress toward funding the wall has been slow and Trump sees the final days of the GOP's complete control of Congress as his last chance to force the issue. But some Republicans also oppose building a wall. ___ Follow Darlene Superville and Lisa Mascaro on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap and http://www.twitter.com/LisaMascaro WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he has picked Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan as the acting Pentagon chief, forcing outgoing James Mattis to step down earlier than planned. Shanahan will assume the role starting Jan. 1, 2019, Trump said in a tweet Sunday noon. "Patrick has a long list of accomplishments while serving as Deputy, &previously Boeing. He will be great!" The president added. The announcement came only days after Trump announced that Mattis, the current defense secretary, will retire at the end of February next year. Shortly before Trump tweeted his decision on Sunday, news broke out that the president was furious at days of negative news coverage over Mattis' resignation and his rebuke over the administration's treatment of U.S. allies in a resignation letter. "One core belief I have always held is that our strength as a nation is inextricably linked to the strength of our unique and comprehensive system of alliances and partnerships," Mattis wrote Thursday. The 68-year-old former Marine Corps general said that his views on treating the allies with respect are strongly held and informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues. "Because you have a right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours" on many subjects, "I believe it is right for me to step down from my position," Mattis added. Mattis offered his resignation a day after Trump ordered the withdrawal of the 2,000 or so U.S. troops from Syria and declared victory over the Islamic State militant group, a move that Mattis reportedly disagreed strongly. The scope of Mattis' divergence with Trump went far beyond the U.S. military mission in Syria. Mattis is a defender of the U.S. alliance with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), while the president once bashed NATO for being "obsolete" and often scolded member countries for failing to contribute sufficient funds. The two also disagreed on issues such as banning transgender recruits from the military, canceling the joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises, pulling the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal, as well as deploying troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. "When President Obama ingloriously fired Jim Mattis, I gave him a second chance," Trump tweeted Saturday. "Some thought I shouldn't, I thought I should. Interesting relationship - but I also gave all of the resources that he never really had. Allies are very important - but not when they take advantage of U.S." During the Obama administration, Mattis was forced out as head of U.S. Central Command in 2013 over differences about handling Iran. Mattis' leaving the Trump administration earlier means that he will not oversee U.S. troops withdrawn in Syria as well as reported reduction of U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. Seen by his supporters as the only remaining force of stability in the Trump administration, Mattis was the latest in a slew of cabinet members and administration officials who either resigned or were forced to quit within the last two years. Brett McGurk, the U.S. envoy for the global coalition to defeat Islamic State, also resigned earlier in the past week, another sign of senior officials' objection over the U.S. troops withdrawal from Syria. Trump said Thursday Mattis would "be retiring, with distinction", but did not mention him in announcing the replacement. Shanahan, 56, became deputy secretary of defense in July 2017. The former longtime Boeing executive reportedly has strong relationships with both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence but is set to face questions over his lack of foreign policy or government experience. A spokesperson for Shanahan said he will accept the appointment as acting secretary. "Deputy Secretary will continue to serve as directed by the president, and the Department of Defense will remain focused on the defense of the nation," the spokesperson said on Sunday. A spokeswoman for Mattis, Dana White, said on Twitter that the outgoing secretary will focus over the next week on ensuring a smooth transition. The reshuffle at the Pentagon also comes as parts of the U.S. federal government are shut down over a budget impasse. Minister Amaratunga and CITES Secretary General Ivonne Higuero during the discussion Over 3, 000 foreign delegates and intl media to attend CITES Secretary General and Tourism Minister hold talks on hosting the event By Nishel Fernando Sri Lanka tourism expects a boost by hosting the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Floras (CITES) World Wildlife Conference next May where over 3, 000 foreign delegates and foreign media are expected to participate. On a brief visit to Sri Lanka, the CITES Secretary General Ivonne Higuero pointed out that Sri Lanka tourism is set to benefit from hosting the conference with exposure to international media as well as international delegates who have already planned to travel to Sri Lanka with their family members. There will be 3, 000 delegates attending the conference and there could be many more, because Sri Lanka is a special place. The foreign media will be here throughout the period. I know already that many delegates have made arrangements for their holidays either just before or just after the meeting, she said. Higuero last Friday had discussions with the Tourism Development, Christian Affairs and Wildlife Minister John Amaratunga, State officials and the event organizers to evaluate Sri Lankas ability to host the conference following the conclusion of the political standoff, that dragged on for nearly two months. The minister assured that Sri Lanka is on track to meet the deadlines set by CITES in preparations for the conference. The preparation has been made for the CITES conference for the last one year. There was a slight disruption for one and half months which would have created a doubt on your mind as well. I can assure you now that we are back to normalcy. The government is functioning according to the democratic principles; there is nothing to fear. I can assure you that our officials will work on full time basis towards meeting the necessary requirements in order to ensure a successful CITES conference in Sri Lanka in May, Amaratunga said.Higuero expressed her satisfaction on the progress made in connection to the preparations of the event and urged the full backing of the government to successfully host the event in Colombo. We have no doubt of the commitment of Sri Lanka to have this meeting here. I understand that things have stabilised, but what I need to see is that during next few months, we can pull off this together, she added. Moreover, she stressed that Sri Lanka would be the ideal location to host the triennial conference due its wildlife and diversity. Sri Lanka is an excellent place to have such an important meeting, in particular because of its diversity, its wildlife, and its natural protected areas. This is an important meeting at the global level, and we only have it every three years to make decisions concerning the species of flora and fauna endangered, she said. According to CITES, it was the first time since 1992 that an island nation going to the conference and the second time the conference is being held in South Asia. The Conference is scheduled to be held at BMICH in Colombo, from May 23rd to June 3rd, 2019. Winnipeg-based marijuana producer Bonify has been hit with a second Health Canada recall of its products this month. This article was published 24/12/2018 (1074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Winnipeg-based marijuana producer Bonify has been hit with a second Health Canada recall of its products this month. The Christmas Eve action follows last week's news that Bonify sold what Health Canada called "unapproved cannabis products" in Saskatchewan, related to a Dec. 7 recall in that province. A Free Press source alleged the products were bought from the illicit market, which has not been confirmed. Last Friday, Health Canada which regulates the legal cannabis market told the Free Press that Bonify couldn't prove the products recalled in Saskatchewan had passed laboratory testing, and said they hadn't been sold anywhere else. But Monday's recall includes Bonify products that were sold through government-licensed stores in Manitoba. Health Canada says some products "have record keeping issues with production documents" that may not meet regulatory requirements. "As a result, Bonify has issued a recall as a precautionary measure," says the recall notice. Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries,which distributes legal cannabis to licensed retailers in the province, and the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba the provincial marijuana store regulator issued a joint statement telling consumers to return all Bonify products. "We support Health Canada and Bonify's decision to issue a recall," wrote LGCA spokeswoman Kristianne Dechant in an email Monday. "We are pleased that Manitobas swift actions last week mean that these products were already unavailable at licensed stores and that Manitobans were already notified to take caution and return these products." Health Canada says some Bonify products have record keeping issues that may not meet regulatory requirements. (Tijana Martin / The Canadian Press files) Bonify declined to comment on Monday. Other products listed on Monday's recall notice from Health Canada don't appear to have record-keeping issues, but instead have a "labelling error where the cannabinoid values are reversed," the notice says. Cannabinoids are compounds produced naturally by the cannabis plant that include THC, the psychoactive component. Government-regulated cannabis in Canada must display certain cannabinoid levels on the label to indicate potency. The recall notice lists 14 lots of Bonify cannabis that should be returned to stores in Manitoba and Saskatchewan; about 5,883 units were sold in packages weighing either 3.5 or seven grams. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The names of the recalled Bonify products include Critical Plus, White Widow, Sensi Star, Wappa, White Berry, and CBD Shark Shock. They were sold from Oct. 22 to Dec. 20. "To date, no complaints have been received related to the recalled lots," the recall notice says. "Neither Health Canada nor Bonify has received any adverse reports for the recalled cannabis product." Bill Blair, the federal minister of border security and organized crime reduction who is now responsible for the Liberal government's cannabis legalization law, is aware of the allegations surrounding Bonify, he said in a statement. "My office has been in touch with Brian Pallister's team and we will continue to engage with them, and all other relevant parties, as we work together to displace the illicit market and keep cannabis out of the hands of youth," he said. solomon.israel@theleafnews.com @sol_israel It looks like the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway from the Manitoba-Ontario border to Kenora may finally start in the new year. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 24/12/2018 (1074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. It looks like the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway from the Manitoba-Ontario border to Kenora may finally start in the new year. Kenora MP Bob Nault, a Liberal, said the stars are aligned to start construction after the Harper government announced the project a decade ago. The Ontario government must still make a submission for a 50-50 cost-sharing agreement. That's under a federal transport corridors fund set up to eliminate bottlenecks where an economic case can be made. The fund is taking new applications in January. Ontario Energy Minister Greg Rickford, who is MPP for Kenora-Rainy River, has said twinning that stretch of highway is a priority for Ontario's new Progressive Conservative government. Rickford's office said this week he will pursue all funding options, including the federal government's corridors fund. If that's done, there's a good chance construction could finally begin at the Manitoba-Ontario border in the fall, Nault said. "It's well known that's a pretty difficult piece of road," Nault said. Manitoba stands to benefit because an estimated 3,000 cottages in the Lake of the Woods area are owned by Manitobans. Nault said it is an opportunity for the Manitoba government to also twin the Trans-Canada between Falcon Lake and the Ontario border under a similar 50-50 funding arrangement. "It makes no sense for the twinning to stop at Falcon Lake," said Nault. "It's a short piece of road (about 10 kilometres from Falcon to the Ontario border) but critical economically. There are a lot of Manitobans who live in my riding for a big part of the year." SUPPLIED The portion of the TransCanada that is planned to be twinned is broken into three phases, with the longest phase being the last one stretching to Kenora. While the Trans-Canada is a national highway, it falls under provincial jurisdiction except in national parks such as Banff National Park. The twinning of the 42 kilometres from the Manitoba-Ontario border to the Kenora turn-off has been broken into three phases for construction. "This road is so critical that when we have an accident, it shuts the entire Trans-Canada down. There's no alternative," Nault said. From Ontario's perspective, a twinned highway would be safer and bump up the speed limit to 100 kilometres per hour from the current 90 km/h. That would make it faster to travel to Kenora and would open cottage and recreational development further east in the Vermillion Bay area, Nault said. "Consultants have told me that, generally speaking, people don't like to drive more than three hours to get to a cottage. This would stimulate the economy past Kenora," he said. Northwest Ontario also does a lot of business with the West, including in wood products going to and from the area. That business is being stymied by the bottleneck in the road. "It's a very busy highway coming out of Manitoba into Ontario. It's bumper to bumper in the summertime," Nault said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. He added that First Nations leaders are very supportive of highway upgrade. They were initially in opposition, partly because Shoal Lake Band 40, which is near the border, didn't even have an all-weather road to get in and out of its reserve. The so-called Freedom Road is under construction, but is already being used for local traffic. First Nations opposition was one of the factors that stalled the twinning. The Harper government made a big announcement in 2009 to cost-share the $100-million twinning project with Ontario, but it never got off the ground. A new cost estimate has not been released. Another holdup to the twinning was the inability to reach a consensus on the exact location of the new lanes. The money set aside was eventually used for a 37-kilometre four-lane highway from Thunder Bay to Nipigon. Transport Minister Marc Garneau would have to approve the Ontario proposal. His initial reaction has been positive, Nault said. Environmental assessments and engineering on the first phase have been completed. "The government of Canada has been funding twinning of highways there were two announcements in the last year. So I don't see how this wouldn't be a top priority," he said. bill.redekop@freepress.mb.ca As she steps into the sanctuary at Sts. Vladimir and Olga Cathedral, Anna Katchanovski pauses to give a visitor a moment to take it all in. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 24/12/2018 (1074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. As she steps into the sanctuary at Sts. Vladimir and Olga Cathedral, Anna Katchanovski pauses to give a visitor a moment to take it all in. The space is a revelation of light and colour, streaming through tall stained-glass windows. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The beautiful Nativity scene, created by local artist Leo Mol, is one of 36 created for the large Ukrainian cathedral on McGregor Street. After 30 years worshipping here, including more than a decade serving as the church secretary, Katchanovski is used to the cathedrals beauty. Sometimes, she says, parishioners even take it for granted; it feels so much like their home. But she can tell when someone is walking into the cathedral for the first time. The first-timers are the ones with their necks craned back, eyes wide, drinking in the soaring ceiling thats painted light blue like the sky and also, a rarer prize. There, topping the long rows of brilliant stained-glass windows that line the walls of the McGregor Street cathedral, are 14 which are the most priceless of all: these were created by iconic Winnipeg artist and former parishioner, Leo Mol. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Anna Katchanovski has been worshipping at the cathedral for more than 30 years. Even Manitoba Hydro workers who come to read the meters sometimes pause to marvel at the sight. "This is a unique house of worship in Winnipeg," says the cathedrals priest, Msgr. Michael Buyachok. Those windows are a big part of that legacy. They are a stunning collection: the Mol windows, which crown a lower set made by a Toronto company, are resplendent with motifs drawn from the long history of Ukrainian Christian life. Mol spared no detail. In the windows, Ukrainian martyrs and saints are surrounded by intricate patterns of colour. There are scenes showing the baptisms of the cathedrals namesakes: Vladimir the Great and Princess Olga. A panel marking the birth of Jesus is embellished with Ukrainian motifs, including a sheaf of wheat, and a messenger blowing a trembita, a type of long horn, to announce the words, inscribed in Ukrainian, that "God Eternal is Born." "Everything means something to us as a Ukrainian," Katchanovski says. "Leo Mol understood that." JEFF DE BOOY / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES The late Leo Mol was the artist behind the cathedrals famous stained-glass windows. It is the Saturday before Dec. 25, although, at Sts. Vladimir and Olga, there are still a little over two weeks until Christmas; the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church celebrates the holiday on Jan. 7, following the Julian calendar. The night before that celebration, the cathedral will be full, Katchanovski says. She wishes everyone in Winnipeg could see it. Nearly 1,000 people, the room bathed in the golden glow of the chandelier and voices of the people. Above all, there are the stained-glass windows. They are a treasure to the cathedral, not only as a rare collection of work by a pre-eminent artist, but also as a loving record of one of its own parishioners, who many here once knew. In early 2009, the last year of Mols life, his niece came from Siberia to see him. Mol and his wife, Margarethe, had little family in Winnipeg, and no children; so the visit, Katchanovski says, was long-awaited and precious. By then, the artist was 94 years old; his mind sharper than his legs. He was a familiar face at the church, where as he aged members made sure to invite him to participate in church activities. That day, Katchanovski let them into the cathedral. She watched as Mols niece wandered around the sanctuary, while her uncle sat in one of the long pews and described the intent of each of the windows hed created. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The parishs secretary, Anna Katchanovski, says newcomers are often taken aback by the beauty of the cathedrals sky-blue ceiling and majestic stained-glass windows. About six months later, Mol died. Katchanovski has often remembered that contemplative visit. "What a beautiful moment," she says. "That was his only niece that he had, and she came after all those years she had tried to come. Finally, she came and saw him, and they went over these windows, and his work. It was beautiful." When the cathedral was consecrated in 1951, the Mol windows were not yet part of its vision; to save funds for construction, and for lack of a qualified artist, most of the original windows were made of simple coloured glass. But in 1963, eminent Ukrainian artist Swiatoslaw Hordynski finished painting the cathedral interior. The priest, hoping to further beautify the space in the Byzantine tradition, reached out to Mol. That winter, Mol completed the first two windows. One features Vladimir the Greats sons, saints Borys and Hlib, who were martyrs. The other depicts 11th century saints Anthony and Theodosius, who brought monasticism to Ukraine. Mol would continue to work on the windows until 1977. Each one was sponsored by a parishioner. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The Nativity scene portrayed in late artist Leo Mols window will be seen by thousands over the holidays. Since then, the windows have watched over the transformation of Ukrainian life in Winnipeg. In the early days of the cathedral, it served as a hub for Ukrainian Catholics in the city, drawing nearly 1,000 people to its Sunday service. Back then, Buyachok says, the place was so busy it had three priests, and three morning services. It was a historic place, and famous: in 1984, Pope John Paul II made the cathedral his first stop after arriving at the Winnipeg airport. Then, as it does now, it served as a beacon to newcomers. Just four days after Katchanovski arrived in Winnipeg in 1989, she went to Sts. Vladimir and Olga. Shed heard about the cathedral when she was living in Europe. "The church was the first place people are looking for," she says, of the immigrant experience. "Where can I go and pray, to meet people, but also to be part of the church that you left behind? When youre a new immigrant, this is a kind of a homeland connection. The church was always the thing that united us." As with many churches, attendance numbers have dwindled. Yet the parish does have a bright future, renewed again by waves of newcomers from eastern Europe. Today, they make up about 80 per cent of the cathedrals attendees. This year, it has been busy with weddings and baptisms: they are grateful for that, Katchanovski says. Meanwhile, some things have not changed. The cathedral still performs all of its services in Ukrainian, and publishes bilingual church bulletins the only Catholic parish in Manitoba that still does so, Buyachok says. There are 24 feast days on the Ukrainian Catholic calendar, though only six are designated as obligatory observations. But in Ukraine, it is common to celebrate all of them; so Buyachok opens the cathedral for all. "Im the only one that still does it," he says, with a smile. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The cathedral is getting older. Years of worship, weddings, baptisms and funerals have etched themselves into the buildings fixtures. The floors are showing their age. The plaster on the walls has been gently restored, in places. Each year, with the support of parishioners, Buyachok tackles another item on a long to-do list of preservation fixes. At age 79, he adds with a laugh, he may not see all of it finished; the work will continue for the life of the cathedral. Yet here, under the great blue vault of the ceiling, in the light dancing through the stained-glass windows, all of the buildings dents and well-worn places seem to fade away. There is only the wonder of the space, vast and enduring. That beauty is part of the Byzantine tradition, the priest explains, one that, here, an iconic artist helped create. "The church is not just a building, but a house of worship," Buyachok says. "Thats why we try to make it as beautiful as possible... thats the closeness that we want to feel to God. We want to express God as a universal beauty." melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca Its getting harder and harder to watch the University of Manitoba wrestle with the issue of sexual harassment. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 24/12/2018 (1074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Opinion Its getting harder and harder to watch the University of Manitoba wrestle with the issue of sexual harassment. Recently, U of M president David Barnard pledged to overhaul rules regarding sexual relationships between students and faculty, and bolster training on harassment and abuse. In his year-end message to students and faculty, Barnard apologized not for the first time for the schools systemic failures in handling sexual harassment allegations. He promised the school would produce a "guide on intimate relationships and significant enhancement of our education and training on these topics for faculty and staff." Taken together, Barnard is obviously trying to cover a lot of ground and a wide array of individual issues. And for good reason: in the past year or so, the school has been hit by allegations of sexual misconduct. In 2017, the university was forced to admit it failed to act on allegations of sexual impropriety against a music professor, Steve Kirby. After the allegations were made known to the school, Kirby was put on six months paid leave and then allowed to retire quietly from his position in June 2017. He went on to take a position with the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. When details of the allegations surfaced in Winnipeg, he was fired from his new position. In September 2018, he was charged with sexual assault and turned himself in to Winnipeg police. As that drama was unfolding, Barnard revealed there were five more internal investigations involving faculty who were accused of sexual harassment or assault. In early December, apparently unrelated to those five investigations, allegations arose against professor Peter Jones, founding director of the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals. The allegations included dating students he was supervising. Barnard is clearly trying to demonstrate accountability, and should be applauded for his efforts. However, its tough to get past the feeling that his responses to date seem long on academic verbosity and short on specific, practical ideas. The venerable U of M needs an immediate overhaul of its policies and rules for student-faculty relationships. The school does not need a "guide" to relationships. It does desperately need clear and practical rules built around a clear and practical definition of unacceptable relationships, with unambiguous penalties. The U of M is hardly the first institution of higher learning to wrestle with these issues. Post-secondary schools all over the world are trying to determine where to draw the line in a context where conditions are ripe for unhealthy relationships. Post-secondary schools are places where young adults go to learn how to be adults. The schools become the laboratories for intellectual, emotional and yes sexual awakenings. Given their age and limited life experience, students are more vulnerable to experienced adults; they are also anxious to experience all that adulthood has to offer. As the U of M has demonstrated, these relationships are all too frequently flawed. For every consensual relationship, its easy to imagine there are many more where the attention is unwanted and unappreciated. The sheer number of allegations, lawsuits and police investigations involving student-faculty relationships at schools in Canada and the U.S. seems to substantiate those concerns. In that context, it seems almost incomprehensible that faculty would be allowed to enter into any kind of sexual relationship with a student, particularly undergraduates. But academia has not only tolerated these relationships, it has defended them as a legitimate part of the post-secondary experience. And perhaps there is a case to be made that students who have entered into legal adulthood should be allowed to pursue relationships with older faculty. Most universities, either formally or informally, have discouraged sexual relationships between a student and a faculty member where there is a direct teacher-student dynamic. You would think that limitation would be sufficient to ensure that students could enter into romantic relationships with faculty without any expectation of favourable treatment or fear of retribution. But that does not take into account the instances of unwanted attention that can, in some instances, graduate to harassment or abusive behaviour. In the U.S., where the debate over sexual relationships between staff and students is much more evolved than it is in Canada, schools have acted with fairly strict policies banning sexual relationships between faculty and undergraduates. Its hard to come up with a definitive number of relationship bans because there are a number of variables that differentiate the policies. However, this year alone, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell and Duke University have banned sexual relationships between faculty and undergraduate students. They follow in the footsteps of the pioneers of these policies, schools such as Yale and Harvard. Many of the schools listed above focus their policies on undergraduate students; most allow sexual relationships between graduate students and faculty as long they have no direct "professional authority" over the student; some require such relationships to be disclosed to school administration. Dan Lett | Not for Attribution A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world that is sent every Tuesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Some argue the bans are justifiable given the obvious difference in experience and authority between the student and staff member. Others believe that the bans are draconian, particularly given that most post-secondary schools have fairly strict rules on sexual harassment. But as the U of M has demonstrated in painful detail, some limits are obviously required. The power imbalance endemic in romantic relationships between faculty and students even those not engaged in a direct teacher-student scenario is impossible to ignore. In both love and war, its never a fair fight when students and teachers collide. dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday called early elections for April, setting the stage for a three-month campaign clouded by a series of corruption investigations against the long-serving Israeli leader. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 24/12/2018 (1074 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FILE - In this Nov. 18, 2018 file photo, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivers a statement in Tel Aviv, Israel. Israeli media is reporting Monday, Dec. 24, 2018, that Prime Minister Benjamin NetanyahuAos ruling coalition government has agreed to call an early election for April 9. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit, File) JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday called early elections for April, setting the stage for a three-month campaign clouded by a series of corruption investigations against the long-serving Israeli leader. Riding high in the polls, Netanyahu appears all but certain to win a fourth consecutive term and a place in history as the country's longest-serving prime minister. Those bright prospects, however, could be derailed by a looming decision by the country's attorney general on whether to file charges against Netanyahu. Netanyahu, facing the possibility of bribery and breach of trust charges in three different cases, made scant mention of these investigations at a gathering of his Likud Party as he announced plans for what is expected to be an April 9 vote. Appearing loose and confident, he listed his government's accomplishments in office and said he hoped his current religious, nationalistic coalition would be the "core" of Israel's next government as well. "We will ask the voters for a clear mandate to continue leading the state of Israel our way," he said to applause from party members. Netanyahu, who also served a term in the late 1990s, has been prime minister for the past decade. His supporters point to a humming, high-tech economy, his handling of security issues, particularly countering the threat of Iranian influence in the region, and his gains on the diplomatic stage, including a close alliance with President Donald Trump that has paid important dividends. Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and his withdrawal from the international nuclear deal were both welcomed by Netanyahu. The Israeli leader also has quietly forged ties with Sunni Arab states, further sidelining the Palestinians, who have severed ties with the U.S. because they believe Trump is biased against them. The White House still has not released a long-awaited peace plan, and Monday's announcement could further delay its release. But critics say these gains have come at a deep price to Israel's democratic ideals. Netanyahu's hard-line government has promoted a series of laws that critics say are aimed at muzzling liberal critics and sidelining the minority Arab population. They point to wide gaps between rich and poor and high cost of living, and say that by neglecting the Palestinian issue and continuing to build settlements in the West Bank, the country is on the path to becoming an apartheid-like binational state. Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak called the election "the most fateful" since the assassination of then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995. "If we all act properly, on April 10 we will part with Netanyahu," he said on Hahadashot TV. "The state of Israel will get on a different path instead of this nationalist, racist, dark vision." Barak called for the country's dovish and centrist parties to band together in a unified "bloc" in a bid to topple Likud. Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party, said the election was a battle for the "soul of the country." For now, there does not appear to be anyone with the popularity or gravitas to topple Netanyahu. One wild card is Benny Gantz, a popular former military chief who is flirting with the idea of entering politics. Opposition parties have been aggressively courting Gantz. But for now, he has not committed to joining any party. Instead, the biggest threat appears to be posed by Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, who must soon decide on whether to indict the prime minister. Earlier this month, police recommended that Netanyahu be charged with bribery for promoting regulatory changes worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the country's main telecom company Bezeq. In exchange, they believe Netanyahu used his connections with Bezeq's controlling shareholder to receive positive press coverage on the company's popular news site. Police have also recommended indicting Netanyahu on corruption charges in two other cases. One involves accepting gifts from billionaire friends, and the second revolves around alleged offers of advantageous legislation for a major newspaper in return for favourable press coverage. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and said he is the victim of a media-fueled witch hunt. At Monday's Likud meeting, Netanyahu brushed off a reporter's question and said he expected the investigations to lead nowhere. Mandelblit has not said when he expects to make a decision. The Justice Ministry announced Monday that deliberations were continuing and were "not dependent on political events." Israeli law is unclear about whether a sitting prime minister must resign if charged with a crime, and Netanyahu has hinted that he will remain in office to fight any indictment. But criminal charges, and the distraction of a protracted legal battle, could fuel calls for him to step aside. Finance Minister Moshe Kahlan, a key ally, said Monday that a prime minister "cannot serve" if he is indicted following a required hearing. Reuven Hazan, a political scientist at Israel's Hebrew University, said the campaign would be dominated by "a discussion of whether Netanyahu should stay after, if he is prosecuted." He said Netanyahu had settled on the April election, roughly seven months ahead of schedule, in part to "pre-empt" an indictment. The thinking is that it would be politically difficult for Mandelblit to indict, and potentially topple, a popular, newly re-elected prime minister. "He wants to turn around to the attorney general and say 'before you decide to prosecute me pay attention. The people of Israel have re-elected me for a fourth time,'" Hazan explained. An electoral victory would send a message that "you cannot overturn the results of a democratic election," he said. Netanyahu's coalition has been roiled by internal divisions for months. Avigdor Lieberman, leader of a small, ultranationalist party, resigned as defence minister last month to protest what he perceived to be the government's weak response to rocket attacks from Hamas-ruled Gaza. That left Netanyahu with a fragile majority of just 61 seats in the 120-seat parliament. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. But a new bill extending the military draft to Jewish ultra-Orthodox men appeared to be the final trigger for the government's downfall. Ultra-Orthodox parties consider conscription a taboo. As a deadline for the legislation loomed, his religious coalition partners were demanding the legislation be weakened. Earlier Monday, Lapid, a harsh critic of the religious parties, said he was rescinding his support for the draft bill, saying the planned compromise essentially rewarded draft dodgers. As a result, Netanyahu convened his fellow coalition faction leaders and the decision was made to dissolve parliament and go to elections. ___ Ilan Ben Zion contributed reporting. October trade deficit up to US $ 903mn from US $ 752mn YoY Cumulative trade deficit in 10 months at US $. 8.8bn from US $ 7.6bn Oct. imports up 9%; exports up marginally by 4% Lankans spent US $ 161mn on vehicle imports in Oct.; US $ 1.39bn in first 10 months Oct. oil bill at US $ 266mn; oil bill for 10 months at US $ 3.43bn, up 28YoY Sri Lankas trade deficit hit US $ 903 million in October expanding from US $ 752 million recorded in the same month in 2017, as the countrys import bill rose significantly compared to languishing exports. Sri Lanka imported US $ 1, 882 million worth of goods during October, up 9.0 percent from the same month in 2017, as the country spent a record high amount on personal vehicle imports. Sri Lankas exports continued to languish as earnings for the month rose just 0.4 percent year-on-year (YoY) to US $ 979 million while the 11.5 percent decline in agricultural sector exports offset the 4.5 percent increase in industrial exports. This brought the cumulative trade deficit for the 10 months of this year to US $ 8,857 million, up from US $ 7,591 million recorded during the corresponding period last year. Sri Lankas external sector continued to be under pressure in October 2018. The trade deficit widened significantly in October due to a higher growth in import expenditure alongside a marginal growth in exports. However, it is expected that the trend of increasing imports will reduce in the coming months with the lagged impact of recently introduced restrictions on certain import categories, Central Bank said. An analysis of the countrys import basket shows food and beverage imports declining by 18.6 percent YoY to US $ 121.2 million in October, responding to the recent restrictions imposed on non-essential consumer good imports and the improvement in domestic production of some categories such as rice. For instance, rice imports were just US $ 1.0 million in October compared to US $ 37 million in the same month last year. However, what defies everything is the staggering amount of dollars going into the importation of personal vehicles. People have spent US $ 161 million on personal vehicle imports in October compared to just US $ 55 million a year ago, registering a massive 193 percent growth despite the restrictions imposed by the government on vehicle imports. The Central Bank said these were motorcars less than 1,500 cylinder capacity and hybrid and electric motor vehicles. This is despite revising up the excise duties of those motor vehicle types in August and subsequently imposing financial restrictions on such in September. During the 10 months, Sri Lankans spent a mind boggling US $ 1, 391 million on personal motorcar imports. Sri Lankas public transport system remains at a pathetic state and the capital city Colombo has one of the worse traffic jams in the whole of Asia. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka spent US $ 266 million on fuel importsUS $ 62 million on crude oil and US $ 201 million on refined petroleum in October, which together are up by 12.3 percent over the same month in 2017. For the 10 months, Sri Lanka spent US $ 3,431 million on fuel imports, up 28 percent YoY. However, the world fuel prices have declined close to 40 percent since the beginning of October due to oversupply fears on a slowdown in global growth and increase in supplies from the U.S. Meanwhile, the investment good imports, which include machinery and equipment and building material, rose by 8.5 percent YoY to US $ 426 million. In the export front, agricultural sector exports suffered the most during October led by all categories except seafood, vegetable and rubber. Earnings from tea exports dropped by 15.2 percent YoY to US $ 115.5 million with ten months earnings declining by 5.3 percent YoY to US $ 1.2 billion reflecting lower average export prices and volumes. Meanwhile textile exports, Sri Lankas largest industrial export category, rose by just 0.9 percent YoY to US $ 396 million due to lower demand from the U.S. However this is despite the increase in exports to the EU market and non-traditional markets such as India, Canada, Japan and Hong Kong. For the ten months, textile and garment exports rose by 5.2 percent YoY to US $ 4, 354.5 million. Further the food, beverage and tobacco exports also rose by 21.7 percent YoY to US $ 42.7 million. Total Energy Services Inc. provides various products and services to the oil and natural gas industry primarily in Canada, the United States, and Australia. It operates through four segments: Contract Drilling Services, Rentals and Transportation Services, Compression and Process Services and Well Servicing. The Contract Drilling Services segment offers contract drilling services to oil and gas exploration and development companies. As of December 31, 2020, it operated a total fleet of 98 drilling rigs. The Rentals and Transportation Services segment provides drilling, completion and production rental equipment, and oilfield transportation services in western Canada and in the United States. This segment owned and operated a fleet of 87 heavy trucks. The Compression and Process Services segment offers gas compression services; and designs and packages skid style compressors and proprietary trailer-mounted compressors under the NOMAD brand in Canada and the United States, the European Union, Australia, and Mexico. It had 54,800 horsepower of compression in its rental fleet. The Well Servicing segment offers well services. This segment operated a total fleet of 83 well servicing rigs across Western Canada, mid-western United States, and Australia. It has a strategic alliance with Pason Systems Inc. to develop and deploy drilling automation and optimization technologies. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More Concord Medical Services Holding Ltd. engages in the operation of radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging centers. It provides radiotherapy and diagnostic equipment leasing services to hospitals; and sale of medical equipment and the provision of radiotherapy and diagnostic equipment leasing and management services to hospitals, It operates through Network Business and Hospital Business segments. The company was founded on November 27, 2007 and is headquartered in Beijing, China. Read More Following the torrential rains in the Northern Province, troops of the Army and Navy rushed into relief and rescue missions in the districts of Mullaitivu and Killnochchi which were worst affected by the inclement weather condition. More than 230 army troops, belonging to the Sri Lanka Light Infantry Regiment, Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment and Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment have been engaged in these relief operations since heavy rains lashed the area beginning Saturday (22). They said troops in Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu districts were deployed to flood-affected areas in Kilinochchi and had provided immediate rescue assistance, cooked meals, help for evacuation and relocation, medical assistance and sanitary and technical facilities. They had assisted District Secretariats relief work to nearly 2,968 flood-affected people at Raththinapuram, Anandapuram, Kanakambikulam, Maradanagar, Pannankandy, Dharmapuram, Puliyanpokkanei, Paranthan, Kudyirippu, Uriyan, Kandawalai, Mankulam areas in Kilinochchi and Mannakandal, Kawwalakandal, Kodadikallu, KJanagaratnapuram, Vidyapuram, Udayarkattu, Kuruvilkulam in Mullaittivu. The Army said Kilinochchi troops on Saturday avoided a major disaster by preventing possible breaches on Olumadhu and Pulimuchchunadukuluam tank bunds (dams) in Kilinochchi as water levels began threatening those tank perimeter bunds. Troops stacked sand bags around vulnerable places and prevented them from piercing as water levels were fast on the increase. At least 42 Army personnel took immediate steps to place 838 sandbags around those tank bunds within a few hours. Meanwhile, the Navy said they had deployed nine dinghies and six relief teams in aforesaid areas since Saturday to assist flood victims. Naval personnel attached to the North Central Naval Command were prompt in taking into action following the flood situation and they reached displaced people residing in Iranamadu, Shamikulam, Oddusudan and Wasanthampuram areas to rescue the flood-stricken people. As such, the Navy relief teams have transferred 103 civilians to safe locations as of now. The Sri Lanka Air Force said a Bell-212 helicopter and Y12 aircrafts had been deployed on flights over Iranaimadhu and Mullaithivu areas to assess flood situation.(Darshana Sanjeewa) iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF's stock was trading at $43.0925 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, IVW shares have increased by 88.8% and is now trading at $81.35. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. By Philip Rucker, Dan Lamothe, Josh Dawsey, (c) 2018, The Washington Post, Dec 24, 2018 - President Donald Trump, who aides said has been seething about news coverage of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis pointed resignation letter, abruptly announced Sunday that he was removing Mattis two months before his planned departure and installing Patrick Shanahan as acting defense secretary. The move brings fresh instability to the Pentagon as it manages Trumps sudden decisions to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria and Afghanistan. Shanahan, a former Boeing executive who has been Mattis deputy at the Pentagon, will assume the top job on an acting capacity beginning Jan. 1. But a senior administration official said Trump plans to conduct a wide-ranging search for a permanent replacement and is interested in candidates from outside the administration. Trump decided hastily to remove Mattis in reaction to negative news coverage, according to senior administration officials, one of whom said the president was eager to retaliate against Mattis and show up the widely respected former General. Trump was so angry with Mattis that on Sunday morning he directed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to inform the defense secretary that he was being removed from office two months early. Mattis resigned in protest after Trump announced the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria over the strong objections of Mattis and others on the national security team. There is not enough analysis data for Carpetright. 4.0 Community Rank Outperform Votes Carpetright has received 247 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Carpetright has received 164 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Carpetright has received 60.10% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Carpetright and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe CPR will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe CPR 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 Cummins: Anvl, Apollo FC Holdings Ltd., Atlantis Acquisitionco Canada Corporation, Atlantis Holdco UK Limited, Brammo, CIFC Worldwide Partner C.V., CMI Africa Holdings BV, CMI CGT Holdings LLC, CMI Canada Financing Ltd., CMI Canada LP, CMI Foreign Holdings B.V., CMI Global Equity Holdings B.V., CMI Global Equity Holdings C.V., CMI Global Holdings B.V., CMI Global Partner 2 C.V., CMI Global Partners B.V., CMI Group Holdings B.V., CMI Group Holdings Cooperatief U.A., CMI International Finance Partner 1 LLC, CMI International Finance Partner 2 LLC, CMI International Finance Partner 3 LLC, CMI International Finance Partner 4 LLC, CMI International Finance Partner 5 LLC, CMI Mexico LLC, CMI Netherlands Holdings B.V., CMI PGI Holdings LLC, CMI PGI International Holdings LLC, CMI Turkish Holdings B.V., CMI UK Finance LP, CMI UK Financing LP, Cherry Island Renewable Energy LLC, Consolidated Diesel Company, Consolidated Diesel Inc., Consolidated Diesel of North Carolina Inc., Cummins (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Cummins (Xiangyang) Machining Co. Ltd., Cummins Africa Middle East (Pty) Ltd., Cummins Afrique de l'Ouest, Cummins Americas Inc., Cummins Angola Lda., Cummins Argentina-Servicios Mineros S.A., Cummins Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Cummins Aust Technologies Pty. Ltd., Cummins BLR LLC, Cummins Battery Systems North America LLC, Cummins Belgium N.V., Cummins Botswana (Pty.) Ltd., Cummins Brasil Ltda., Cummins Burkina Faso SARL, Cummins CDC Holding Inc., Cummins CV Member LLC, Cummins Canada ULC, Cummins Caribbean LLC, Cummins Center of Excellence Singapore Pte. Ltd., Cummins Centroamerica Holding S.de R.L., Cummins Child Development Center Inc., Cummins Colombia S.A.S., Cummins Comercializadora S. de R.L. de C.V., Cummins Corporation, Cummins Cote d'Ivoire SARL, Cummins Czech Republic s.r.o., Cummins Deutschland GmbH, Cummins Diesel International Ltd., Cummins Distribution Holdco Inc., Cummins EMEA Holdings Limited, Cummins East Asia Research & Development Co. Ltd., Cummins Eastern Marine Inc., Cummins Electrified Power Europe Ltd., Cummins Electrified Power NA Inc., Cummins Emission Solutions (China) Co. Ltd., Cummins Emission Solutions Inc., Cummins Empresas Filantropicas, Cummins Energetica Ltda., Cummins Engine (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cummins Engine (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Cummins Engine (Shanghai) Trading & Services Co. Ltd., Cummins Engine Holding Company Inc., Cummins Engine IP Inc., Cummins Engine Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Cummins Engine Venture Corporation, Cummins Enterprise LLC, Cummins Filtration (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Cummins Filtration GmbH, Cummins Filtration IP Inc., Cummins Filtration Inc., Cummins Filtration International Corp., Cummins Filtration Ltd., Cummins Filtration SARL, Cummins Filtration Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Cummins Filtros Ltda., Cummins Franchise Holdco LLC, Cummins Fuel Systems (Wuhan) Co. Ltd., Cummins Generator Technologies (China) Co. Ltd., Cummins Generator Technologies Americas Inc., Cummins Generator Technologies Germany GmbH, Cummins Generator Technologies India Private Ltd., Cummins Generator Technologies Italy SRL, Cummins Generator Technologies Limited, Cummins Generator Technologies Romania S.A., Cummins Generator Technologies Singapore Pte Ltd., Cummins Ghana Limited, Cummins Ghana Mining Limited, Cummins Global Financing LP, Cummins Global Technologies LLP, Cummins Grupo Comercial Y. de Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Cummins Grupo Industrial S. de R.L. de C.V., Cummins Holland B.V., Cummins Hong Kong Ltd., Cummins India Ltd., Cummins Intellectual Property Inc., Cummins International Finance LLC, Cummins International Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Cummins International Holdings LLC, Cummins Italia S.P.A., Cummins Japan Ltd., Cummins Korea Co. Ltd., Cummins LLC Member Inc., Cummins Ltd., Cummins Maroc SARL, Cummins Middle East FZE, Cummins Mining Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Cummins Mobility Services Inc., Cummins Mongolia Investment LLC, Cummins Mozambique Ltda., Cummins NV, Cummins Namibia Engine Sales and Service PTY LTD, Cummins Natural Gas Engines Inc., Cummins New Zealand Limited, Cummins Nigeria Ltd., Cummins Norte de Colombia S.A.S., Cummins North Africa Regional Office SARL, Cummins Norway AS, Cummins PGI Holdings Ltd., Cummins Power Generation (China) Co. Ltd., Cummins Power Generation (S) Pte. Ltd., Cummins Power Generation (U.K.) Limited, Cummins Power Generation Deutschland GmbH, Cummins Power Generation Inc., Cummins Power Generation Limited, Cummins PowerGen IP Inc., Cummins Research and Technology India Private Ltd., Cummins Romania Srl, Cummins S. de R.L. de C.V., Cummins Sales and Service Korea Co. Ltd., Cummins Sales and Service Philippines Inc., Cummins Sales and Service Private Limited, Cummins Sales and Service Sdn. Bhd., Cummins Sales and Service Singapore Pte. Ltd., Cummins Sinai ve Otomotiv Urunleri Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Cummins South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Cummins South Pacific Pty. Limited, Cummins Southern Plains LLC, Cummins Spain S.L., Cummins Sweden AB, Cummins Technologies India, Cummins Trade Receivables LLC, Cummins Turbo Technologies Limited, Cummins Turkey Motor Guc Sistemleri Sats Servis Limited Sirketi, Cummins U.K. Holdings Ltd., Cummins U.K. Pension Plan Trustee Ltd., Cummins UK Global Holdings Ltd., Cummins UK Holdings LLC, Cummins Vendas e Servicos de Motores e Geradores Ltda., Cummins Venture Corporation, Cummins West Africa Limited, Cummins West Balkans d.o.o. Nova Pasova, Cummins XBorder Operations (Pty) Ltd, Cummins Zambia Ltd., Cummins Zimbabwe Pvt. Ltd., Distribuidora Cummins Centroamerica Costa Rica S.de R.L., Distribuidora Cummins Centroamerica El Salvador S.de R.L., Distribuidora Cummins Centroamerica Guatemala Ltda., Distribuidora Cummins Centroamerica Honduras S.de R.L., Distribuidora Cummins S.A., Distribuidora Cummins Sucursal Paraguay SRL, Distribuidora Cummins de Panama S. de R.L., Dynamo Insurance Company Inc., Efficient Drivetrains, Efficient Drivetrains (Beijing) New Power Technology Co. Ltd., Efficient Drivetrains (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Hilite International, Hydrogenics, Hydrogenics Corporation, Hydrogenics Europe N.V., Hydrogenics GmbH, Hydrogenics Holding GmbH, Hydrogenics USA Inc., Markon Engineering Company Ltd., Nelson Burgess Ltd., Nelson Industries, Newage Engineers GmbH, Newage Ltd. (U.K.), Newage Machine Tools Ltd., OOO Cummins, Petbow Limited, Power Group International (Overseas Holdings) B.V., Power Group International (Overseas Holdings) Ltd., Power Group International Ltd., Quickstart Energy Projects SpA, Shanghai Cummins Trade Co. Ltd., TOO Cummins, Taiwan Cummins Sales & Services Co. Ltd., Worldwide Partner CV Member LLC, Wuxi Cummins Turbo Technologies Co. Ltd., Wuxi New Energy Automotive Technologies Co. Ltd., and ZED Connect Inc.. Keywords Studios plc provides integrated outsourced creative and technical services to the video game industry. The company offers art creation services related to the production of graphical art assets for inclusion in the video game, including concept art creation, as well as 2D and 3D art asset production and animation. It also provides audio/voice-over services, including script translation, actor selection, and talent management through pre-production, audio direction, recording, and post-production, as well as offers music licensing or music soundtracks selling services. In addition, the company offers localization services related to translation and cultural adaptation of in-game text and audio scripts in various game platforms and genres; and localization testing services consisting of testing the linguistic correctness and cultural acceptability of computer games. Further, it provides functional testing services related to quality assurance services provided to game producers to ensure game functions. Additionally, the company provides player support services related to the live operations support, such as community management, player support, and associated services to producers of games, as well as software engineering services for developing video games. It serves game companies and publishers. The company operates in Ireland, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, Italy, France, India, Germany, Singapore, Spain, Poland, Brazil, China, and Mexico. Keywords Studios plc was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Read More Rolls-Royce Holdings plc operates as an industrial technology company in the United Kingdom and internationally. The company operates in four segments: Civil Aerospace, Power Systems, Defence, and ITP Aero. The Civil Aerospace segment develops, manufactures, and sells aero engines for large commercial aircraft, regional jet, and business aviation markets, as well as provides aftermarket services. The Power Systems segment provides high-speed and medium-speed reciprocating engines, and propulsion and power generation systems for the marine, defense, power generation, and industrial markets. The Defence segment offers aero engines for military transport and patrol aircraft applications; and naval engines and submarine nuclear power plants, as well as aftermarket services. The ITP Aero segment engages in the design, research and development, manufacture and casting, assembly, and testing of aeronautical engines and gas turbines. It also provides maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for regional airlines, as well as business aviation, industrial, and defense applications. Rolls-Royce Holdings plc was founded in 1884 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Read More Petroteq Energy Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the oil sands mining and oil extraction operations in the United States. The company mines and extracts oil from tar sands. It holds rights to mine, extract, and produce oil and associated hydrocarbons and minerals from oil sands containing heavy oil and bitumen under mineral leases covering approximately 2,541.76 acres in the Asphalt Ridge area of Utah, including 1,229.82 acres held under the TMC Mineral Lease and an additional 833.03 and 478.91 acres, respectively, held under the State of Utah's School and Institutional Trust Land Administration Leases. The company also operates rights under five leases covering lands consisting of approximately 5,960 acres situated in Uintah, Wayne, and Garfield Counties, Utah. In addition, it is developing a blockchain-powered supply chain management platform for the oil and gas industry. The company was formerly known as MCW Energy Group Limited and changed its name to Petroteq Energy Inc. in May 2017. Petroteq Energy Inc. is based in Sherman Oaks, California. Read More Zurich Insurance Group AG is a holding company, which engages in the provision of insurance products and related services. It operates through the following segments: Property and Casualty Regions, Life Regions, Farmers, Group Functions and Operations, and Non-Core Businesses. The Property and Casualty Regions segment provides motor, home and commercial products and services for individuals, as well as small and large businesses on both a local and global basis. The Life Regions segment refers to the comprehensive range of life and health insurance products on both an individual and a group basis, including annuities, endowment and term insurance, unit-linked and investment-oriented products, as well as full private health, supplemental health and long-term care insurance. The Farmers segment includes non-claims administrative and management services to the Farmers Exchanges, which are owned by policyholders. The Group Functions and Operations segment comprises the Group s Holding and Financing and Headquarters activities. The Non-Core Businesses segment includes insurance and reinsurance businesses that the Group does not consider core to its operations and that are therefore mos Read More Suruga Bank Ltd. engages in banking business and provides financial services. It operates through the following segments: Banking, Guarantee, and Others. The Banking segment provides deposits, loans, domestic and foreign exchange transactions, securities and investment trust, and credit card services. The Guarantee segment handles the guarantee business. The Others segment offers loan, leasing, bank agency operations, credit card, and insurance services through its subsidiaries. The company was founded by Kitaro Okano on January 4, 1887 and is headquartered in Numazu, Japan. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Crown: Adularia Inversiones 2010 S.L., Angleboard Sweden AB, Bates Cargo-Pak ApS, Butimove, CMB Machinery and Technology (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CROWN AP (Thailand) Company Limited, CROWN Aerosols & Promotional Nederland, CROWN Aerosols Italia Srl, CROWN Aerosols Nederland BV, CROWN Aerosols UK Limited, CROWN Americas LLC, CROWN Arabia Can Company Ltd, CROWN Asia Pacific Holdings Pte. Ltd., CROWN Asia Pacific Investments (T) Limited, CROWN Bevcan Espana S.L., CROWN Bevcan France SAS, CROWN Bevcan Slovakia s.r.o., CROWN Bevcan Turkiye Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, CROWN Bevcan and Closures (Thailand) Company Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans (Cambodia) Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans (Dong Nai) Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Beijing Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Changchun Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Danang Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Hangzhou Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Hanoi Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Heshan Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Hong Kong Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Huizhou Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Malaysia Sdn Bhd, CROWN Beverage Cans Nanning Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Putian Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Saigon Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Shanghai Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Sihanoukville Limited, CROWN Beverage Cans Singapore Pte. Ltd., CROWN Beverage Cans Ziyang Limited, CROWN Beverage Packaging LLC, CROWN Beverage Packaging Puerto Rico Inc., CROWN Cans Ghana Limited, CROWN China Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited, CROWN Commercial Belgium BVBA, CROWN Commercial France SAS, CROWN Commercial Germany GmbH & Co. KG, CROWN Commercial Hungary Kft, CROWN Commercial Netherlands B.V., CROWN Commercial Vermogensverwaltung GmbH, CROWN Cork & Seal USA Inc., CROWN Embalagens Metalicas da Amazonia S.A., CROWN Emballage France SAS, CROWN Emirates Company Limited, CROWN Envases Mexico S.A. de C.V., CROWN Famosa S.A. de C.V., CROWN Food Packaging (Thailand) Public Company Limited, CROWN Foodcan (Hat Yai) Company Limited, CROWN Foodcan (Nakhon Pathom) Company Limited, CROWN Foodcan Germany GmbH, CROWN Foodcan GmbH, CROWN Imballaggi Italia Srl, CROWN Imgallaggi Italia Srl, CROWN Italy Finance srl, CROWN Khmer Beverage Cans Limited, CROWN Maghreb Can, CROWN Magyarorszag Csomagoloipari KFT, CROWN Metal Packaging Canada Inc., CROWN Metal Packaging Canada LP, CROWN Middle East Can Co. Ltd., CROWN Packaging (Barbados) Limited, CROWN Packaging Holdings LLC, CROWN Packaging Investment (H.K.) Limited, CROWN Packaging Ireland Ltd, CROWN Packaging Jamaica Limited, CROWN Packaging Polska Sp.z.o.o., CROWN Packaging Technology Inc., CROWN Packaging Trinidad Limited, CROWN Packaging UK Limited, CROWN Promotional Packaging UK Ltd, CROWN SIEM, CROWN Senegal, CROWN Societe Malgache d'Emballages Metalliques, CROWN Speciality Packaging BV, CROWN Speciality Packaging Investment Pte. Ltd., CROWN Specialty Packaging UK Ltd, CROWN TCP Beverage Cans Company Limited, CROWN Verpakking Belgie NV, CROWN Verpakking Nederland B.V., Caretex Asia Ltd., CarnaudMetalbox Engineering Ltd, CarnaudMetalbox Food South Africa (Pty) Limited, CarnaudMetalbox Group UK Limited, CarnaudMetalbox Overeseas Limited, CarnaudMetalbox Overseas Limited, Cierres Hermeticos S.A. DE C.V., Constar International, Crown Americas Capital Corp., Crown Americas Capital Corp. II, Crown Americas Capital Corp. III, Crown Americas Capital Corp. IV, Crown Americas Capital Corp. V, Crown Americas Capital Corp. VI, Crown Brasil Holdings Ltda., Crown Canadian Holdings ULC, Crown Closures Spain S.L., Crown Colombiana S.A., Crown Comercial de Envases S.L., Crown Commercial Italy Srl, Crown Commercial Polska Sp. z.o.o., Crown Consultants Inc., Crown Cork & Seal Company (DE) LLC, Crown Cork & Seal Company Inc., Crown Cork & Seal Deutschland Holdings GmbH, Crown Cork & Seal Receivables (DE) Corporation, Crown Cork & Seal de Portugal Embalagens S.A., Crown Cork Kuban, Crown Cork and Seal Receivables II LLC, Crown Developpement SAS, Crown European Holdings, Crown Food Espana S.A.U., Crown Foodcan Turkey Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Crown Hellas Can Packaging SA, Crown Heshan Trading Company Limited, Crown Holdings Italia Srl, Crown Holdings Spain S.L., Crown International Holdings B.V., Crown International Holdings Inc., Crown Luxembourg Holdings, Crown Mexican Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., Crown Overseas Investments B.V., Crown Packaging Commercial UK Limited, Crown Packaging Distribution UK Limited, Crown Packaging European Division GmbH, Crown Packaging European Division Services SAS, Crown Packaging European Holdings GmbH, Crown Packaging Lux I S.a.r.l., Crown Packaging Lux II S.a.r.l., Crown Packaging Lux III S.a.r.l., Crown Packaging Manufacturing UK Limited, Crown Packaging Maroc, Crown Receivables III, Crown Services Iberia, Crown UK Holdings Limited, Crownway Insurance Company, Dacro B.V., EMPAQUE, Fabricas Monterrey S.A. de C.V., Form Koruyucu Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Foshan Continental Can Co. Limited, Foshan Crown Easy-Opening End Co. Limited, Glass & Silice S.A. DE C.V., Globoplastt s.r.o., Gunther S.A.S., Haloila Bulgaria EOOD, Interstrap B.V., Josef Kihlberg AB, Kiwiplan GmbH, Kiwiplan Inc, Lachenmeier ApS, Liljendals Bruk AB, Litec France S.A.S., Mezger Heftsysteme GmbH, Mima Films S.a.r.l., Mima Films Sprl, Mima Packaging Systems S.A.S., Mivisa, Nordic S.A.S., Norsk Signode AS, Oy M. Haloila AB, PT CROWN Beverage Cans Indonesia, Package Design and Manufacturing, Prolatamex S.A. DE C.V., Quandel Verpackungs- und Foerdertechnik GmbH, SMB Schwede Maschinenbau GmbH, SMP Schwede Maschinenbau Weischlitz GmbH, SPG Denmark, SPG France Holdings SAS, SPG Germany Service Management GmbH, SPG Industrial Packaging S.a.r.l, SPG Netherlands B.V., SPG Packaging Ireland Limited, SPG Packaging Systems GmbH, SPG Packaging UK Ltd, Scybele S.A.S., Shippers Europe S.p.r.l., Signode BVBA, Signode Brasileira Ltda, Signode Hong Kong Limited, Signode Industrial Group, Signode Industrial Group AB, Signode Industrial Group Colombia S.A.S., Signode Industrial Group GmbH, Signode Industrial Group Holdings Lux S.a.r.l., Signode Industrial Group Holdings US Inc, Signode Industrial Group Lux S.A., Signode Industrial Group Mexico, Signode Industrial Group Sweden AB, Signode International Holdings LLC, Signode International IP Holdings LLC, Signode International Investment LLC, Signode Kabushiki Kaisha, Signode Korea Inc, Signode NZ Limited, Signode Netherlands B.V., Signode Packaging (Qingdao) Co., Signode Packaging (Shanghai) Co., Signode Packaging Espana S.L., Signode Packaging Group (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Signode Packaging Group Australia Pty Ltd, Signode Packaging Group Canada ULC, Signode Packaging Group NZ, Signode Packaging Systems Limited, Signode Pickling Holding LLC, Signode Polska sp. Z.o.o., Signode Singapore Pte. Ltd., Signode Sweden Holdings AB, Signode System GmbH, Signode System Packaging GmbH & Co. KG, Signode Systems (Thailand) Ltd., Signode US IP Holdings LLC, Silice De Veracruz S.A. DE C. V., Silice Del Istmo S.A. DE C.V., Silices De Veracruz, Societe Civile Immobiliere Rousseau-Ivry, Societe Civile Immobiliere des Baquets, Societe de Participations CarnaudMetalbox, Stopak India Pvt. Ltd, Strapex Austria GmbH, Strapex Embalagem L.d.a., Strapex Holdings Limited, Strapex S.A.S., Strapex Srl, Superior Investments Holdings Pte. Ltd., Superior Multi-Packaging Limited, TopFrame LLC, V.A.C. B.V., Vichisa S.A. de C.V., and Warehouse Automation Iberia S.L.. Invesco Dynamic Credit Opportunities Fund is a close-ended fixed income mutual fund launched by Invesco Ltd. The fund is co-managed by Invesco Advisers, Inc., Invesco Asset Management Deutschland GmbH, Invesco Asset Management Limited, Invesco Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Invesco Hong Kong Limited, Invesco Senior Secured Management, Inc., and Invesco Canada Ltd. It invests in the fixed income markets across the globe with a focus on the United States. The fund invests in securities of companies that operate across diversified sectors. It invests in fixed income securities such as senior secured floating rate loans, fixed rate loans, and collateralized debt. The fund employs fundamental analysis with a bottom-up security selection process to create its portfolio. It conducts in-house research to make its investments. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Credit Suisse Leveraged Loan Index. It was formerly known as Invesco Van Kampen Dynamic Credit Opportunities Fund. Invesco Dynamic Credit Opportunities Fund was formed on June 26, 2007 and is domiciled in the United States. Read More John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund is a closed ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by John Hancock Investment Management LLC. It is co-managed by John Hancock Asset Management. The fund invests in the public equity markets of the United States. It seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors, with an emphasis on the utilities sector. The fund primarily invests in dividend paying preferred stocks and common stocks of companies. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against a composite benchmark comprised of 70% Bank of America Merrill Lynch Preferred Stock DRD Eligible Index and 30% S&P 500 Utilities Index. The fund was formerly known as John Hancock Patriot Premium Dividend Fund II. John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund was formed on December 21, 1989 and is domiciled in the United States. Read More 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. KBR, Inc. engages in the provision of differentiated professional services and technologies across the asset and program life-cycle within the government services and hydrocarbons industries. It operates through the following segments: Government Solutions, Technology Solutions, Energy Solutions, Non-strategic Business, and Other. The Government Solutions segment provides full life-cycle support solutions to defense, space, aviation, and other programs and missions for military and other government agencies. The Technology Solutions segment combines KBR's proprietary technologies, equipment, and catalyst supply and associated knowledge-based services into a global business for refining, petrochemicals, inorganic, and specialty chemicals as well as gasification, syngas, ammonia, nitric acid, and fertilizers. The Energy Solutions segment provides full life-cycle support solutions across the upstream, midstream and downstream hydrocarbons markets. The Non-strategic Business segment represents the operations or activities which the company intends to exit upon completion of existing contracts. The Other segment includes corporate expenses and general and administrative expenses not all Read More There is not enough analysis data for Plutus PowerGen. 4.3 Community Rank Outperform Votes Plutus PowerGen has received 112 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Plutus PowerGen has received 65 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Plutus PowerGen has received 63.28% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Plutus PowerGen and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe PPG will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe PPG 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). iShares MSCI Italy ETF's stock reverse split before market open on Monday, November 7th 2016. The 1-2 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 Italy ETF stock prior to the reverse split would have 50 shares after the split. The following companies are subsidiares of Textron: AAI Corporation, AAI Services Corporation, ALSTOM Gears, Able Aerospace, Able Aerospace Services Inc., Able Engineering & Component Services, Aeronautical Accessories LLC, Airborne Tactical Advantage Company LLC, Arctic Cat, Arctic Cat ACE Holding GmbH, Arctic Cat France SARL, Arctic Cat GmbH, Arctic Cat Inc., Arctic Cat Production LLC, Arctic Cat Production Support LLC, Arctic Cat Sales Inc., Arctic Cat Shared Services LLC, Arctic Cat UK Ltd., Arkansas Aerospace Inc., Avco Corporation, Aviation Service servis letal doo Ljubljana, Aylesbury Automation, B/K Navigational Equipment sro, Beech Aircraft Corporation, Beech Holdings, Beechcraft Defense Support Holding LLC, Beechcraft Domestic Service Company, Beechcraft Germany GmbH, Beechcraft International Holding LLC, Beechcraft International Service Company, Beechcraft New Zealand, Beechcraft Service Company UK Limited, Bell Helicopter GK, Bell Helicopter KK, Bell Textron Asia (Pte.) Ltd., Bell Textron Canada International Inc., Bell Textron Canada Limited/Limitee, Bell Textron Inc., Bell Textron Korea Inc., Bell Textron Miami Inc, Bell Textron Prague a.s., Bell Textron Rhode Island Inc., Bell Textron Services Inc, Bell Textron Supply Center BV, Bell Textron Technical Services Inc., Benzlers, Brazaco Mapri Industrias, Burkland, Cessna Aircraft Company, Cessna Citation European Service Center SAS, Cessna Dusseldorf Citation Service Center GmbH, Cessna Finance Corporation, Cessna Finance Export Corporation, Cessna Mexico S de RL de CV, Cessna Spanish Citation Service Center SLU, Cessna Zurich Citation Service Center GmbH, Citation Parts Distribution International Inc., Cushman Inc., Datacom Technologies, David Brown Group, Doncaster Citation Service Centre Limited, E-Z-GO Canada Limited, Energy Manufacturing, Flexalloy, HBC LLC, Hawker Beech de Mexico S de RL de CV, Hawker Beechcraft Argentina SA, Howe & Howe Inc., Howe and Howe Technologies, Industrial Technology Inc., InteSys Technologies, International Product Support Inc., KSB Annecy SAS, Kautex (Changchun) Plastics Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Chongqing) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Guangzhou) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Pinghu) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Shanghai) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Wuhan) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex Corporation, Kautex Craiova srl, Kautex Germany Holding GmbH, Kautex Inc., Kautex Japan KK, Kautex Shanghai GmbH, Kautex Textron (UK) Limited, Kautex Textron Benelux BVBA, Kautex Textron Bohemia spol sro, Kautex Textron CVS Limited, Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG, Kautex Textron Iberica SL, Kautex Textron Italia Srl, Kautex Textron Management Services Company de Puebla S. de RL de CV, Kautex Textron Portugal Produtos Plasticos Sociedade Unipessoal Lda., Kautex Textron de Mexico S de RL de CV, Kautex Textron do Brasil Ltda., Kautex of Georgia Inc., Kaywood Products Corp., Klauke, LCI Corporation International, LLC Textron RUS, Maag, McCord Corporation, Mechtronix, Medical Numerics Inc., Midland Industrial Plastics, MillenWorks, MillenWorks Themed Technologies, MotorFist LLC, OPINICUS Simulation and Training Services LLC, OmniQuip International, Opinicus, Optical Boring Co., Opto-Electronics, Opto-Electronics Inc., Overwatch Systems Ltd., PEINER Umformtechnik, Pirelli Tyres - General Rubber Goods (GRG) division, Premiair Aviation Maintenance Pty Ltd, Progressive Electronics, Ransomes, Ransomes Inc., Ransomes Investment LLC, Ransomes Jacobsen France SAS, Ransomes Jacobsen Limited, Ransomes Limited, Ransomes Pensions Trustee Company Limited, Replacement Part Solutions LLC, Response Technologies LLC, Rotor Blades Limited, Sukosim Verbindungselemente, TRU Simulation & Training Spain SL, TRU Simulation + Training Inc., TRU Simulation + Training LLC, TekGPS Engineering Srl, Textron Airland LLC, Textron Atlantic LLC, Textron Aviation Australia Pty. Ltd., Textron Aviation Canada Ltd., Textron Aviation Defense LLC, Textron Aviation Finance Corporation, Textron Aviation Inc., Textron Aviation Prague Service Center sro, Textron Aviation Rhode Island Inc., Textron Aviation Services de Mexico S de RL de CV, Textron Capital BV, Textron Communications Inc., Textron Far East Pte. Ltd., Textron Finance Holding Company, Textron Financial Corporation, Textron Financial Corporation Receivables Trust 2002-CP-2, Textron Fluid and Power Inc., Textron France Holding SAS, Textron France SAS, Textron Global Services Inc., Textron Ground Support Equipment Inc., Textron Ground Support Equipment UK Limited, Textron IPMP Inc., Textron India Private Limited, Textron Innovations Inc., Textron International Inc., Textron International Mexico S de RL de CV, Textron Limited, Textron Management Services Inc., Textron Motors GmbH, Textron Motors North America Inc., Textron Outdoor Power Equipment Inc., Textron Realty Corporation, Textron Shared Service Centre (Canada) Inc., Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc., Textron Sweden AB, Textron Systems Australia Holding Pty Ltd, Textron Systems Australia Pty Ltd, Textron Systems Canada Inc., Textron Systems Corporation, Textron Systems Electronic Systems UK (Holdings) Limited, Textron Systems Electronic Systems UK Limited, Textron Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Textron UK Pension Trustee Limited, Textron Verwaltungs-GmbH, Turbine Engine Components Textron (Newington Operations) Inc., United Industrial Corporation, Westminster Insurance Company, Williams Machine & Tool, Wuxi Textron Specialized Vehicles Co. Ltd., and Zhenjiang Bell Textron Aviation Services Limited. US President Donald Trump told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the US was "done" with Syria as the pair discussed the possible withdrawal of US forces from the country. Erdogan was explaining all the problems with the US presence in Iraq and Syria and was irritating Trump, according to a senior administration official who received a detailed readout of the phone call between both presidents. Continents and regions Donald Trump Government and public administration Government bodies and offices ISIS Middle East Middle East and North Africa Misc organizations Political Figures - Intl Political Figures - US Politics Recep Tayyip Erdogan Syria Syria conflict Turkey Unrest, conflicts and war US federal government White House North America The Americas United States "OK, it's all yours. We are done," Trump said, according to the source. Trump announced his decision on Wednesday to withdraw forces from Syria. Erdogan made his case to Trump during the December 14 call that the US should pull out of Syria by pointing to the near-total defeat of ISIS in the country, according to a separate source familiar with the call. The President then sought assurances from Erdogan that Turkey would continue to fight ISIS and defeat the terrorist group. A senior White House official said Erdogan gave Trump his "word" that Turkey would finish off ISIS. "In the call on Friday, Erdogan said to the President, 'In fact, as your friend, I give you my word in this,'" the senior White House official said. Erdogan, for his part, described his conversation with Trump during a speech last Friday, saying he told Trump that he could clear Syria of ISIS. "During a conversation I had with Mr. Trump -- he said 'ISIS, can you clear ISIS from this area?'" Erdogan recalled. "We did it before, and we can again as long as we have logistic support from you." "And so they began pulling out," Erdogan said. "Within the framework of the phone call we had with Mr. Trump, we have started preparing plans for operations to clear the ISIS elements still within Syria," he continued. The Associated Press first reported some details of the phone call. Trump and Erdogan held a phone call again on Sunday where the two discussed the conflict in Syria, both nations said. "I just had a long and productive call with President @RT_Erdogan of Turkey. We discussed ISIS, our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of U.S. troops from the area. After many years they are coming home. We also discussed heavily expanded Trade," Trump tweeted. Monday December 24, 2018 Job Title: Sales Person City Rome, NY Part time, entry level sales positions. The ideal candidate will be capable of supporting the DIY business and achieving our sales and service objectives. The role has good knowledge of store systems, basic automotive system knowledge and basic part knowledge. The role has the basic ability to source from stores, hubs, pdq, and external suppliers. The role has in-depth knowledge of the store inventory and maintenance processes. Pay: not specified Job Order # NY1286250 ___________________________________________________________________________ Monday December 24, 2018 Job Title: Legal Secretary City Utica, NY Full time, Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm, for a law firm located in Utica, NY. Duties: Type legal pleadings, papers, and briefs. Prepare and process documents for real estate closings and type real estate closing papers. Answer phones, compose and type letters, make photo copies, schedule appointments and perform other office duties. Requirements: High School Diploma/equivalent and training in administrative or secretarial skills. Pay: not specified Job Order # NY1285604 ______________________________________________________________________ Tuesday December 25, 2018 Job Title: Lead Janitor City Utica, NY Duties: Perform janitorial cleaning tasks to the satisfaction of the Project Supervisor and customer. Police grounds and remove debris/snow as directed by the Project Supervisor. Complete all mandatory-training programs. Maintain all equipment, storage areas and janitorial closets as to reflect a professional appearance at all times. Pay: not specified Job Order # NY1286327 _________________________________________________________________________ Tuesday December 25, 2018 Job Title: Part Time Teller City Utica, NY Summary: Processes various financial transactions for Bank customers in a timely and accurate manner. Assists Branch office management in initiating new business through effective referrals. Demonstrates the Bank's concern for its customers through courteous and personalized service. Possesses knowledge of applicable consumer compliance regulations. Pay: not specified Job Order # NY1285954 ____________________________________________________________________________ Wednesday December 26, 2018 Job Title: Counter Clerk City Rome, NY Summary: Duties include answering phone/taking orders, operating cash register, food prep, operating grills, fryers, and ovens, and cleaning duties. Must be 18 years of age or over and have the ability to be on your feet for at least 7 hours. Some lifting required. Ability to work late shifts. Trainees accepted. Pay: $10.40/hr Job Order # NY1286343 ___________________________________________________________________________ Wednesday December 26, 2018 Job Title: Heavy Equipment Mechanic City Utica, NY Position exists in the County Public Works Department and involves the repair and maintenance of a variety of heavy and/or automotive equipment, requiring a thorough knowledge of the trade. Requirements: 2 years of experience as a skilled automotive mechanic, which shall have involved repairs and maintenance of heavy automotive equipment, or experience of a similar nature. Heavy automotive equipment refers to dump trucks, graders, bulldozers, rollers, shovels, cranes, tractors, snow loaders, etc. Pay: $32,269/yr Job Order # NY1286299 ___________________________________________________________________________ Thursday December 27, 2018 Job Title: Production Planner City New York Mills, NY Summary: Responsible for development and implementation of daily, weekly and monthly production schedules at facilities in order to satisfy Sales Forecast and meet customer demand. Responsible for monthly upload of Sales Forecast from Forecast Pro to Epicor, creation of the historical data reports used for the monthly forecast meetings. Assists VP of Manufacturing & Logistics in the creation of seasonal, monthly and weekly production schedules. Pay: not specified Job Order # NY1286004 ___________________________________________________________________________ Thursday December 27, 2018 Job Title: DC Customer Service Rep City Utica, NY Summary: responsible for providing planning, administrative and transportation support to the Distribution Center, Store Operations and assigned carriers. Assists in planning daily workflow of purchase orders, tendering and tracking shipments of outbound freight to stores and Distribution Centers. Performs administrative duties to include answering phones, email correspondence and data entry. Pay: not specified Job Order # DE5666991 ___________________________________________________________________________ Friday December 28, 2018 Job Title: DC Slotting Operator City Frankfort, NY Summary: This position systematically slots new and existing items, and monitors reports and results via the Warehouse Management System (WMS), ensuring the distribution center is properly slotting product. This position partners with various areas on upcoming events, supports various slotting or inventory control projects, and provides feedback for improvement opportunities. Pay: not specified Job Order # DE5678205 ___________________________________________________________________________ Friday December 28, 2018 Job Title: HVAC Service Technician City Utica, NY Summary: Full time for an established heating and air conditioning company in Utica. Requirements: a minimum of 5 years experience troubleshooting commercial and residential gas boilers, forced air furnaces and cooling systems. Must have refrigerant certification. Must pass a motor vehicle records check. Benefits include paid vacation, medical, dental and retirement. Pay: $15-$25/hr Job Order # NY1285904 ___________________________________________________________________________ For more information, contact your local Working Solutions one-stop office, or head to their website. Herkimer County: (315) 867-1400 | Madison County: (315) 363-2400 | Oneida County-Utica: (315) 793-2229 | Oneida County-Rome: (315) 356-0662 TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - Indiana State Police took a South Bend man into custody Sunday afternoon after being led on a short pursuit. Trooper Corey Brown clocked a black Ford Escape traveling 113 miles per hour on northbound I-65. The trooper attempted to pull the SUV over, but the driver pulled off at the State Road 25 exit ramp. The driver turned left onto State Road 25, and ran a red light. Eventually, the SUV did pull over. The driver was identified as 23-year-old William J. Szalay. He was charged with reckless driving, resisting law enforcement, and speeding. He was taken to the Tippecanoe County Jail. The passenger in his car was not charged with anything and was returned to their home in West Lafayette by another trooper. WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The White House Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney said on Sunday that the ongoing partial government shutdown would likely extend into the new year. "I don't think things are going to move very quickly here for the next couple days," Mulvaney said during an interview on Fox News Sunday. "It's very possible this shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress." The new Congress is set to take office on Jan. 3. Mulvaney, also the incoming Acting White House Chief of Staff, said the partial closure will likely continue because President Donald Trump "refuses to go along to get along" on his border wall and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi intentionally stalling negotiation efforts. The partial government shutdown, which began at midnight Friday, d about a quarter of federal offices, affecting nine Cabinet-level U.S. departments and dozens of agencies, including the departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, Interior, Agriculture, State and Justice. The U.S. House and Senate convened Saturday noon on Capitol Hill, but didn't break the deadlock over the funding of the president's demand for a 5-billion-U.S.-dollar U.S.-Mexico border wall, a centerpiece of Trump's 2016 campaign. Shortly after the gathering, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that "no further votes will occur until the president and Senate Democrats have reached an agreement to resolve this." Trump said earlier Saturday that he was negotiating with the Democrats to end the partial government shutdown, but "it could be a long stay" due to ongoing disagreements over his demand to build a border wall. The Senate will meet in a pro forma session on Monday and will return on Thursday and consider business if a deal is reached on government funding. A pro forma session, which typically only lasts a few minutes, doesn't involve votes, but senators are able to clear legislation by unanimous consent. "What we do support -- Democrats and Republicans -- is real, effective border security. But not a wall. The wall is President Trump's bone to the hard right," Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Saturday, adding that Democrats had proposed 1.3 billion dollars for border security. "Democrats have always been for smart and effective ways to secure our border," he said. "We are pushing for technology, like drones and sensors, and inspection equipment." Trump tweeted early Sunday that while "drones and all of the rest are wonderful and lots of fun," only a "good old fashioned wall" is truly effective. Earlier in the past week, senators passed a stopgap spending bill that did not include the 5 billion dollars Trump is seeking, and the president later said he would not sign it. The House passed a temporary spending bill late Thursday that included the border wall money but couldn't get enough votes to clear the Senate on Friday. A few hours after the shutdown began, Office of Management and Budget General Counsel Mark Paoletta said Saturday afternoon in a conference call with reporters that the budget office was striving to make the shutdown "as painless as possible" with a "minimum disruption" for Americans. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Liechtenstein is a microstate in Central Europe. Liechtenstein is governed as a constitutional monarchy that is headed by a royal family whose current head is Prince Hans-Adams II. As the head of the house, Price Hans is also the ruler of the principality of Liechtenstein today. Leadership is hereditary which means that there are lines of succession in the royal family that is strictly followed. Male members are eligible to inherit the leadership and must come from the lineage of Johan Joseph I. Brief History of Liechtenstein Just like the royal family, Liechtenstein has a rich history behind it. The country is landlocked and is surrounded by Austria and Switzerland, both landlocked countries, on both sides. The country was born after the princes of Liechtenstein bought land in 1719 and was given the name Liechtenstein. However, the new territory was not occupied and was subsequently neglected for almost a century by the princes. The territory was ruled by successive administration ranging from Napoleon to the Austrian Empire. The country survived the vagaries of the two World Wars by remaining neutral like Switzerland. House Laws Governing the Royal Family The House of Liechtenstein is governed by house laws. The document stipulates the preamble and has several articles bearing the house laws. As stated, the leadership of the principality has been designated for males from the house of Prince Johan I. The other requirement to the males in contention for leadership is that they should be members by birth. Princesses can become members of the family by birth or by marriage to a prince in the royal family. Most importantly, membership is by free will. The house laws also describe rules concerning citizenship, royal titles, governance, marriage, and disciplinary measures to be taken should a member of the royal family break the rules. Vaduz Castle is the official residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein. Prince Hans-Adams II Prince Hans-Adams II is the reigning ruler of the principality since the year 1989. He is the son of Prince Franz Joseph II and Princess Gina. Prince Franz was the head since 1939 and he had succeeded his uncle who had died without having a clear successor. By virtue of birth, Prince Hans-Adams is the rightful prince. He had a privileged childhood on account of his royal status meaning that he attended top schools and generally enjoyed the comforts of royalty. Prince Hans is married to Countess Marie Kinsky von Wchinitz and they have four children together. He is also a grandfather to 15 children. Prince Alois, his eldest son, is the next in line to succeed him as the next leader. Important Events in Liechtenstein The ruling house of Liechtenstein has seen the standards of living being ranked among the highest in the world today. With the worlds lowest tax rates, major companies have set foot here and brought business. Political stability has been maintained through democratic processes and diplomacy. For example, Prince Hans in 2009 had settled a dispute with the Czech Republic and Slovakia which had seized royal palaces after World War Two. The Eastern European countries were given recognition after they returned the seized properties. A referendum in 2003 was passed by the citizens introduced a new constitution that gave more powers to Prince Hans-Adams II, who had threatened to move out of the country if the referendum failed to pass. This year is ending with Australias Liberal-National Coalition government being torn apart by factional warfare and the Labor Party steeling itself to take power under conditions of intensifying global tensions, economic slump and an eruption of working class struggles worldwide. As in previous periods of crisis and warduring both world wars, the Great Depression of the 1930s and the global financial meltdown of 2008key sections of the ruling capitalist elite are looking to Labor to protect their interests. Today, however, the in-fighting wracking the Coalition marks a deeper political crisis that affects the entire parliamentary order. There is sweeping popular discontent with all the establishment parties, including Labor and the Greens. For decades, successive governments, both Coalition and Labor, have enforced a corporate assault on working class jobs, working conditions, living standards and basic services. Feeding into the turmoil is the instability surrounding US President Donald Trump, combined with Washingtons escalating economic and military confrontation with China, Australian capitalisms largest export market. These developments are sending shock waves through the Australian ruling class, which has relied on US global hegemony since World War II to pursue its own predatory interests throughout the Indo-Pacific region. In response to this explosive situation, the Coalitions most right-wing elements, orbiting around Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and ex-Prime Minister Tony Abbott, are striving to refashion the Liberal and National parties into a Trump-style populist and semi-fascistic movement to divert the unrest in nationalist directions. Having ousted Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, a member of the Coalitions supposed socially progressive wing, in August, these layers are prepared to destabilise the government of his successor, Scott Morrison, even if it means losing the looming federal election. Last week the civil war inside both the Liberal and National parties reached new heights. A succession of scandals and politically-damaging leaks led to a split over energy policy with the New South Wales state Liberal government, which is desperately distancing itself from Morrisons unravelling administration. Morrison himself was accused of trying to protect a far-right parliamentarian by offering a lucrative Liberal Party job to a factional opponent. The infighting then engulfed the rural-based National Party. One of its ministers was forced to quit, accused of sexual misconductnow a prominent means of waging factional warsfollowed by similar allegations against another as-yet unnamed government member. Even with an election due by May, at the latest, National Party parliamentarians aligned with the Dutton-Abbott camp and former National Party leader Barnaby Joyce responded by making what media outlets described as a flurry of calls for the removal of current leader Michael McCormack. A previously unknown junior minister, McCormack was installed as the Nationals leader, and deputy prime minister, in February after Turnbull forced Joyce to quitalso via a sex scandal. This instability has thrown into doubt the Coalition governments ability to survive until May, when Morrison had said he would call a federal election after handing down an early budget in April. Amid this worsening turmoil, last weeks Labor Party national conference in Adelaide became a platform for the Labor leaders, closely supported by the trade union bureaucrats, to assure the financial and corporate elite of their readiness to form a more unified pro-business and pro-US government, despite making anxious warnings about rising social unrest. Carefully stage-managed performances brushed aside all the media speculation about likely flashpoint differences on the floor of the conference, which had been designed to give Labor an image of a democratic party that could be pressured into adopting a more progressive course. The power brokers of Labors various Left and Right factions and sub-factions, and the associated trade unions, came together to ensure a common front on every major issue, above all, unequivocal commitment to the US military and strategic alliance, and to fiscal responsibility. Labor leader Bill Shorten concluded the conference by declaring that his party was more united, energised and determined than ever. At the same time, acutely conscious of the mounting social discontent and political disaffection, he ludicrously claimed it had been a conference of passion and vision under the logo of Fair Go for Australia. Shortens message to the ruling class had been underscored during the conference by shadow treasurer Chris Bowen. He gave a press briefing to respond to the governments Mid Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO), which predicted a budget surplus in 2019-20, for the first time since the 2008 crisis, despite growing signs of another global crash. Bowen accused the Coalition government of five years of confusion and chaos since the last Labor government was defeated in 2013. He attacked the government from the right, accusing it of giving up on budget repair. By contrast, Labor was committed to a good, prudent return to surplus based on taking difficult decisions. A Labor government, Bowen reiterated, would deliver bigger budget surpluses because Labor did not share the governments assumption of synchronised global economic growth. Standing alongside Bowen, shadow finance minister Jim Chalmers said larger budget surpluses were essential as a buffer for international circumstances. These comments were the only references made during the three-day conference to the prospect of another global crash, even though world financial markets had already fallen for several months and become increasingly volatile. Nevertheless, despite Shortens assurances of Labors unity and determination, the conference was overshadowed by fears that working class struggles could break out of the control of Labor and unions. During his opening address, Shorten warned of mounting distrust and disengagement, scepticism and cynicism toward the entire political system. In her address to the conference, Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) secretary Sally McManus invoked the spectre of a tsunami of discontent. Working people are crying out for action on insecure work and crying out for fair pay rises, she warned. Behind the empty rhetoric of a fair go, the Labor and union apparatus is preparing to seek to suppress working class resistance to the even deeper cuts to working conditions and living standards that the corporate ruling class will demand amid an economic slump and Australian involvement in a US war against China. On the eve of the Labor Party conference, an Australian Financial Review editorial on December 14 drew attention to the conflicts engulfing governments and the old ruling parties in Europe and the US. Bill Shorten is likely to become only the fourth Labor Opposition Leader to take the party into government since World War Two, it declared. The Coalition was riven by the scars of leadership battles and disoriented by the wider instability of centre-right politics, such as the UK Conservative governments civil war over Brexit and Donald Trumps takeover of the US Republican Party. The editorial issued Labor its orders. It was critically important that a Shorten government be more like Hawke-Keating than Whitlam or Rudd. The Hawke and Keating governments of the 1980s and 1990s repudiated the social reformist program of the Whitlam government of 1972 to 1975. They worked in partnership with the unions to restructure the economy along the lines required by global corporations, dismantling hard-won conditions of workers and imposing a massive redistribution of income and wealth in favour of the corporate elite. The last Labor governments, those of Rudd and Gillard from 2007 to 2013, deepened this assault, and propped up the big banks and financial elite, while initially boosting social spending slightly as part of their efforts to restabilise the economy after the 2008 crisis. The editorial welcomed the fact that Shorten is no radical, having been a long-time leader of the openly pro-employer Australian Workers Union. But it warned that Labors political pitch could be overtaken by the populist politics of redistributing income and the backlash against big business. An editorial in the Murdoch medias Australian on December 19 provided another indication of what the ruling class is demanding of a Labor government. It complained that the Coalitions internal conflict, drip-fed by scandal after scandal, was corroding political confidence. This was making it that much harder for true leaders to persuade voters to sacrifice something short term for reforms that serve an enduring national interest. This call for sacrifice is a warning. Any Labor government will be pledged to inflicting on the working class enormous cuts to living standards, working conditions, social services and basic democratic and social rights, under conditions of global economic breakdown and lurch toward another world war. On December 19, Nick Slatten, former Blackwater mercenary and US Army-trained sniper, was convicted of first-degree murder. It was the second time Slatten had been convicted of murder for his role in the September 2007 massacre in Baghdads Nisour Square, during the US military occupation, which left 14 Iraqi civilians dead and another 17 injured. Slatten was convicted by a jury of firing the first two shots that killed 19-year-old Ahmed Haithem Ahmed Al Rubiay and touched off a shooting spree by US mercenary troops that killed and wounded unarmed innocents, including women and children. While no sentencing date has been set, the murder conviction means Slatten faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison. Slatten was previously convicted of first-degree murder in 2014, but the conviction was overturned in August of 2017 when a three-judge federal appeals court panel ordered a retrial for Slatten and resentencing for three of his Blackwater colleaguesDustin Heard, Evan Liberty and Paul Slough. Slattens second trial ended in a mistrial last September because a hung jury could not determine if Slatten had fired first or if Paul Slough had shot first in the one-sided slaughter. A new trial began on November 5. After five weeks of testimony, including from 34 eyewitnesses, four of whom were flown in from Iraq, the jury, after five days of deliberation, unanimously decided that Slatten had indeed discharged his automatic rifle first and had not acted in self-defense. The Blackwater convoy, consisting of 19 heavily armed mercenaries and four vehicles, was tasked with protecting visiting US diplomats in the Iraqi capital. It is estimated that at the height of the US occupation of Iraq over 100,000 private contractors hired by the US government were operating in the country. On the day of the massacre, an alleged car bomb had detonated a few blocks from the location of US diplomats. This prompted an order to all US personnel operating in the area, including the contractors, to retreat to the Green Zone, a heavily fortified swath of Baghdad that had been carved out by American forces as a safe space for occupying troops, US dignitaries and Washingtons puppet government. While the diplomats fell back to the Green Zone, the Blackwater convoy set up a blockade of heavily trafficked Nisour Square, outside of the Green Zone, and prevented vehicles from entering. The initial report dispatched to the mercenaries stated that the vehicle that had exploded earlier had been a white Kia passenger car. This was the justification cited by Slattens defense team for the fatal shooting of Ahmed Haithem Ahmed Al Rubiay, who that day was driving his mother to a doctors appointment in the familys white Kia. The jury was unconvinced by this argument. As the foreperson told the Washington Post, There had been a lookout for a white Kia, but theres a million Kias in Iraq. You dont just shoot every white Kia. The foreperson also stated that the jury didnt believe the white Kia presented or could be perceived as a threat, adding, And we didnt perceive that the convoy was taking small-arms fire. Several investigations into the massacre, including by the US government, have concluded that the only weapons that were fired belonged to the Blackwater contractors, and no improvised explosive device was ever recovered. The only explosions that occurred during the massacre were from grenades thrown by Blackwater mercenaries. The only small arms fire came from Blackwater weapons that were fired indiscriminately into the crowded square, ricocheting off of several vehicles, including a school bus. The three other mercenaries who were charged in connection with the massacreHeard, Liberty and Sloughwere previously convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Their sentences were vacated after the September mistrial for Slatten, pending the conclusion of his new trial. All four will remain in prison pending their new sentencing hearings. While it appears that Slatten may have run out of appeals, the architects and profiteers of the Iraq war, such as Blackwater CEO Erik Prince, President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, remain free men. Prince continues to reap profits from his mercenary and private intelligence operations. The billionaire war profiteer, the brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, also a billionaire, has since reconstituted Blackwater as Academi. He served as an adviser in Donald Trumps post-election transition team and has advocated the privatization of the war in Afghanistan. In the aftermath of Trumps decision to withdraw US troops from Syria and cut troop levels in Afghanistan, and the ensuing resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis, the Military Times reported that Blackwater USA, which no longer is linked to Prince, and other contractors might be used to fill the void left by the drawdown of conventional forces. It noted that Blackwater USA has taken out a full-page ad in the January/February 2019 issue of Recoil, a gun and hunting magazine, featuring the Blackwater logo and a single sentence: We are coming. Roughly 200 workers at CG Bretting Manufacturing Co. went on strike Sunday, December 16 in Ashland, Wisconsin. Workers demanded an increase in wages, pension and health benefits that were more substantial than what was offered by the company. Only five days after the strike began, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 621 issued a joint one-sentence statement with the company, announcing a new three-year contract agreement without releasing any details to the public. As with striking teachers throughout the United States and workers engaging in pickets internationally, the Bretting strike is an expression of the deepening class struggle which is emerging throughout the world. The strike took effect just after midnight on Saturday, December 15, 2018 following workers, under Local 621 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) rejecting the companys contract offer the previous Thursday. Workers were out on the picket line Monday morning starting at 4:30 a.m. against the companys offer, which included wage increases of 3 percent, 2.75 percent and 2.5 percent in the following three years of the new contract with no change to annual health insurance deductibles through 2021. CG Bretting workers took increases for annual health insurance premiums over the last three years and increases in annual deductibles of $500 ($1,500 to $2,000) for individuals and $1,000 ($3,000 to $4,000) for families in 2016. CG Bretting originally began operations in 1890, manufacturing equipment and machinery for the sawmill industry. The company presently employs 450 to 500 engineering, manufacturing and assembly workers at its 280,000 square foot facility in Ashland, which customizes industrial machines and equipment that is used for packaging, folding, winding and conversion of paper into products such as facial and bath tissue, baby wipes and other consumer products. Workers at the facility design and build between 40 and 50 machines a year, ranging in price from $1.5 to $7 million, using a 3D design center and computer-controlled machining shop. According to the company, 90 percent of paper napkins sold and used in the United States are folded on a machine built by Bretting, and 50 percent of its sales are in 40 countries outside North America. As of Monday December 17, the company has refused to open up any further contract negotiations with the striking workers. CEO David Bretting declined to comment to the Ashland Daily Press and company representatives declined to go on camera. Instead, the company issued a self-serving written statement later Monday afternoon, which claimed that the company saw workers as an invaluable part of our team while promising to ensure they remain among the highest-paid production workers in this area with a strong package of benefits, secure jobs and fulfilling careers. Elsewhere, it said [i]t is hard to understand why the union would choose to begin a job action in the face of a contract offer that would provide substantial increases in wages and would preserve benefits and to do so in the midst of the holiday season. Striking CG Bretting workers spoke to local reporters about the strike and the company's unwillingness to negotiate with them. We want fair wages for fair work, said Kyle Thompson, a 22-year employee with the company. We want to try and do right by our families and get a good contract. For their part, IAMAW representatives told reporters that union workers were prepared to continue working under terms of a contract that expired Saturday. After announcing the end of the strike Friday, no details from the union or company have been given about how conditions for negotiations reopened, nor the nature of the new three-year contract, contrasting the two statements circulated by the company. The IAMAW has a long history of suppressing strikes and pushing through concession contracts against widespread opposition from workers. On April 1, 2012, 43 workers who were members of IAMAW Local 621 union in Ashland, Wisconsin began a strike when Ashland Industries, a producer of construction and farming equipment, demanded newly hired workers fully pay health insurance for their families and imposed right-to-work guidelines akin to those advocated by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker on public employees in 2011. Over the five weeks of the strike, the union hung its workers out to dry, with the company hiring a dozen replacement workers, and another 10 union workers crossed the picket line. The strike ended with the hiring of replacement workers, the striking workers laid off and the union accepting the right-to-work concession. In August of this year, over 500 La Crosse Trane workers, members of IAM Lodge 21 and Lodge 1115, went on strike after rejecting a contract that didnt address forced overtime, rising health care costs or stagnant wages. Workers reported being forced to work 60 hours a week with only a single day off. After an isolated three day strike, IAM officials forced through an unchanged contract and workers were back on the job that same week. Neil Kamrowski, directing business representative of IAMAW District 66, tried to put a positive spin on the sellout deal while admitting the grievances workers had struck on had remained unresolved. Going on strike did not make the (wage) package any different than it was the first time, Kamrowski admitted, while forced overtime was changed to volunteered overtime. In 2012, nearly 800 Joliet Caterpillar workers struck for three months, seeking to prevent an attack on their living standards. The IAM ended the strike by imposing a concessions contract, which included a 20 percent reduction in real wages, as well as cuts to health care, benefits and pensions. The IAM betrayed a bitter three-and-a-half-month strike by nearly 800 workers at the Joliet plant in 2012, paving the way for its closure, announced by the company in December and would lay off 285 workers at its Joliet, Illinois, facility between January and June of 2019. Neither the IAM national leadership nor the IAM Local 851 in Joliet has issued any statement opposing the layoffs or closures. In recent statements, a Caterpillar spokesperson pointed to the ongoing collaboration of the union, noting the IAM had agreed to the extension of the existing contract into next year. We have reached an agreement with the IAM to extend the current Joliet contract into 2019 to complete the work at the facility so we can meet customer needs. On December 21, WSWS reporters traveled to the 2nd Popular Assembly held by the yellow vests in the city of Commercy in north-eastern France. Over 100 workers, contractors, small businesspeople and unemployed gathered there to discuss perspectives for a struggle against French President Emmanuel Macron. This assembly, organized by working people against the entire political establishment and the union bureaucracy was an important experience of the international working class. It shows how workers and layers of oppressed people allied to them can take their struggles out of the hands of the union bureaucracies and capitalist politicians. If such assemblies spread across France and Europe, under conditions where a Marxist vanguard provided them a revolutionary perspective, they could serve as organs of the working class to which state power could be transferred. Despite the media denunciations of yellow vests as ignorant and destructive rioters, the assembly organized three hours of intensive discussion on two subjects: the concessions Macron claims to have given to convince them to end the movement, and the perspective for a transfer of power to the people. The meeting first screened a video that tore apart Macrons supposed promise to increase the minimum wage. This measure is in fact temporary, carried out by increasing bonuses, and financed via debt and cuts to spending on public services; and since Macron is also still slashing taxes on the rich and offering tens of billions of euros in corporate tax handouts, the concession is in fact unsatisfactory, according to the video. This analysis was widely shared inside the assembly. A discussion followed of tactical questions posed at the current stage of the movement: whether or not to go demonstrate in Paris, or to send notebooks of complaints to Macron as requested. The yellow vests also criticized Macrons trampling of social and democratic rights proclaimed in the 1946 constitution after the Liberation from Nazi Occupation. Via the proposal for a Citizen-Initiated Referendum (RIC), they demanded the right to impose and abrogate laws, impeach officials, and to modify the Constitution independently of the French National Assembly. The assembly criticized a proposal from a union official attending the meeting to deal with ecological problems by taxing imports coming from far away, with several attendees stressing that on cost grounds, it is no longer practical to just buy French. Discussion then turned to the question of transferring power to the people. One speaker raised various disparate examples of regional self-government: the Paris Commune of 1871, the Chiapas region of Mexico, or Rojava, the Kurdish area of Syria that has been transformed into an independent zone under the aegis of the bloody NATO proxy war in Syria. Others cited resistance militias in the Limousin region during the Nazi Occupation in World War II. This raised objections that it would be difficult to transfer power to the people in France, where the state plays a central role in financing public services, based on the example of struggles in countries where guerilla fighters are trying to exist more or less independently of the state. Alexandre Lantier of the Parti de legalite socialiste (PES) spoke briefly to underscore the broader importance of the assembly and the support of workers internationally for the yellow vest struggle for social equality and against Macron and his brutal repression. He pointed to the need to broadly mobilize workers in France and internationally in struggle, while rejecting attempts to swing the yellow vests behind the political establishment. He said that armed with a socialist program, an international movement of the working class could take control of the economy and political power. This intervention provoked several questions, as to whether an international struggle is necessary, and whether any socialist perspective exists apart from the record of Frances hated, big-business Socialist Party (PS). Several people called for buying food from local organic farmers. This drew an angry retort from a single mother, who said that she barely has enough money to buy food past its sell-by date, let alone subsidize organic farmers. Members of the PES continued discussing with members of the assembly. Adam, one of the meeting organizers, told the WSWS: I was very enthusiastic about the (2017) presidential elections, but afterwards I was disappointed because I knew the free market was coming. So when the yellow vest movement emerged, apolitically, I thought finally well be able to express ourselves, I should go over to Commercy and join the debate I had been really disappointed, I asked myself, since elections dont work, what can I really do concretely? He added, In the name of capitalist economics, people are thrown aside. Its unacceptable, France supposedly has a social system based on solidarity, but looking at it, you realize that isnt in fact the case, because private profit is ultimately what decides. Martine told the WSWS she joined the movement because There are many people who live very badly, with very minimal resources I have mulatto children, and they ask me, Mother, why is France like this? And for me its a real struggle to stay strong and say, no you have to have values and keep them. She underscored the significance of the international support for the yellow vest protests and her opposition to French imperialist wars in Africa: Workers everywhere are sick and tired of working like slaves. Another partiicpaant, Mrs. Laurent, told the WSWS she became a yellow vest because I have three kids to feed. How can I do this on 600 euros a month? Im in divorce proceedings, my husband pays me 100 euros in child support, I have to get by on 600 euros. How? No one helps us, everyone kicks us around The Unemployed Workers Center sent me packing, you dont have a car so you cant get training, or do this, or that. The problem is that its a vicious circle. She added, Its Christmas, theres nothing at homeno tree, no decorations, no nothing. My furniture is used, or gifts or on loan because I have nothing. But no one official cares about that. Asked if any trade union or political party helped her, she replied: Not at all. She continued, Maybe if all women went into the street and faced the cops, maybe they would give in. She added that she could support the formation of popular assemblies internationally: If it could help everyone, the entire world over, why not? It would really have to be everyone, because in any case, in politics they are all totally rotten. There is not one of them any better than the others. She added, We need popular assemblies, of normal people. We can schedule referendums. And as soon as anything important is on the line, we will be able to say yes, or no. The UKs biggest car maker, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), is to carry out the first part of a 2.5 billion cost saving plan in the new year, threatening up to 5,000 jobs. The plans were revealed by the Financial Times on December 15 and have not been denied by JLR. The newspaper reported, During January the company will outline the short-term part of its plan, which will include job losses that run into the thousands, according to several people close to the company. The group has already shed 1,000 roles at its flagship plant in Solihull and reduced working hours at other sites amid falling demand for its diesel vehicles and saloon cars. Analysts are pencilling in up to 5,000 roles that may be lost, as the business is forced to take an axe to its workforce in order to survive. Employing 40,000 workers in the UK, JLR, owned by the Indian multinational Tata group, is acting following the posting of its first six months of losses in a decade. JLR was considered the flagship of a resurgent British auto industry since its takeover from Ford in 2008, with sales burgeoning year on year. In 2017 it sold 604,009 units, of which 431,161 were Land Rover vehicles and 172,848 Jaguar vehicles. In 2016, car production in the UK was the highest this century and JLR its biggest manufacturer, turning out one-third of the 1.7 million total vehicles produced. By 2018, however, the company laid off 1,000 temporary contract workers at its two factories in the West Midlands and reduced hours at other sites due to falling global demand for diesel cars and its large saloon model, as well as uncertainties over Brexit. The falling pound after the 2016 European Union EU referendum Leave vote also bumped up the price of components from abroad. Sales in the same period fell by 13 percent, with a fall in demand in every major market. Sales to the Chinese market, which had absorbed 25 percent of JLR sales, were 50 percent lower in November than the previous year. In the three months to September, JLR lost 90 million pre-tax compared to the same period in 2017, when it made a profit. It brought in the Boston Consulting Group to come up with a restructuring plan, on top of a hiring and non-essential travel ban already in placetargeting 2.5bn of cost, cash and profit improvements over the next two years. JLRs decision to shed jobs highlights the increasing anxiety of the majority faction of the UK bourgeoisie opposed to a hard Brexit. Over half of UK car exports are destined for the European Union and two-thirds of car imports come from the EU. In March, JLR sales to Europe fell from 45,000 units to 35,000. UK car industry bosses all supported a Remain vote in the referendum and lobbied May to opt for a soft Brexit, including tariff-free access to the single market. Losing access to the EUs Single Market and Customs Union would create a nightmare scenario for UK manufacturing industry, with supply chains disrupted and the spectre of queues of lorries choking up the ports. A no-deal Brexit would mean falling back on World Trade Organisation rules, increasing production costs up to 2,370 per vehicle. Even a 5 percent tariff on imported and exported cars between the UK and the EU, and 2.5 percent on components, would add an extra cost of 1,202. In October, chief executive Ralph Speth warned JLR could lose tens of thousands of jobs as it faced a very, very difficult situation and that a bad Brexit deal could cost the firm 1.2 billion a year. The company is clearly factoring in the devastating consequences of a possible no-deal Brexit at the end of next March. The UK car industry across the board is threatened not just by Brexit, but the developing international trade war. Brexit is only one expression of a global breakdown of international relations between capitalist nations and a renewed struggle for markets. The announcement comes in the wake of last months wildcat strike at Ellesmere Port near Liverpool against Vauxhalls decision to shed 241 jobs. Vauxhall is owned by PSA, who also own Peugeot and Citroen. The wildcat disrupted the collaboration between the Unite union and PSA, who had been locked in negotiations for months in restructuring talks. The union issued no statement opposing job losses at Ellesmere Port and only called for urgent assurances over the plants future. It would be pressing for guarantees of no compulsory redundancies The union collaboration in Vauxhall reduced its Ellesmere Port operations to a single shift. These cuts are on top of a total 60 percent job losses at the plant over the last two years, with the full collaboration of the union. Fully 400 jobs were lost last year and another 250 earlier on in the year, leaving a workforce of just 1,100. This year, Japanese-based carmaker Nissan announced hundreds of redundancies at its plant in Sunderland amid rumours the plant may shut. Workers can expect no fight from Unite at JLR or anywhere else. The union responded to the FT report by demanding only that it be party to any plans over job losses. A spokesman said, Unite is not aware of any further job losses to those already announced and planned for early in the new year at Jaguar Land Rover. Unite also expects ongoing transparency regarding the difficult current climate the automotive sector is operating in the UK and its impact with the company. Most UK car companies, which employ 169,000 workers, are downsizing and cutting costs. Trade unions the world over pursue a nationalist policy, lining up with management to increase the competitiveness of their own companies in the shrinking global market, at the expense of their members jobs, wages and conditions. US President Donald Trump promised his America first nationalism would bring back jobs to the US. In November, however, General Motors (GM) announced the closure of five car plants in the US and Canada, which will lead to the elimination of almost 15,000 jobs. The response of the United Autoworkers Union has been a nationalist campaign denouncing GM for moving production to China and Mexico, while offering more concessions in its 2019 contract negotiations with the company. A significant step to fight this was taken on December 9 at a meeting in Detroit sponsored by the Socialist Equality Party in the United States and the World Socialist Web Site Autoworker Newsletter. Autoworkers at the meeting voted to set up a rank-and-file steering committee, independent of the UAW, to oppose the closure of the five plants. The aim is to provide a platform to unite car workers in the US across national borders with their class brothers and sisters in Europe and the rest of the world. The SEP in Britain urges workers to support this struggle, subscribe to the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter and work towards the formation of rank-and-file committees independent of the trade union bureaucracy. To sign up for the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter for frequent updates and to leave your comments or questions click here. Inevitably, predictably, the movie-going public now faces a steady stream of films supposedly for or about women. Various factors are involved, one of them being an effort by the Hollywood establishment to protect itself from future accusations and legal action. This is a pretty phony business for the most part, and does not speak to the lives and concerns of the vast majority of women in the US or anywhere else. A number of articles appeared at the beginning of 2018 plugging this much anticipated crop of movies. A partial list of recent womens films or female leading movies includes Proud Mary (in which Taraji P. Henson plays a skillful hitwoman for the Boston mob), Oceans 8, Tully, A Simple Favor, Mama Mia! Here We Go Again, Tomb Raider, Red Sparrow, RBG, The Girl in the Spiders Web, Widows, Colette, Annihilation, Unsane, Can You Ever Forgive Me? and The Wife. Several of these highly touted titlesand numerous others along the same women-centric lineshave deservedly disappeared without a trace. The production of such films is presented in some quarters as a progressive and even left-wing development. But how many of these movies genuinely concern themselves with the lives of working-class women, whose conditions and social rights continue to come under attack? A quick glance suggests none. Indeed, it is also worth noting the recent coming together of two trends: films or television series about women and films or television series about royalty and such. The latter group no doubt includes a number of serious historical works, but there is a general tendency in the upper middle class, rooted in their increasing wealth and conservatism, to become fascinated and mesmerized by monarchy and aristocracy, to which they feel a natural affinity. This leads us to the subject of two new films: Mary Queen of Scots and The Favourite. The following is to a certain extent more of a sociological survey than a film comment. This is dictated by the nature of the two movies themselves and by the obsession of certain layers with their careers and self-advancement. Mary Queen of Scots Mary Queen of Scots, directed by Josie Rourke and written by Beau Willimon, based on John Guys biography Queen of Scots: The True Life of Mary Stuart, treats the well-known 16th century conflict between Mary, the former Scottish queen, and Elizabeth, the English one. This particular human and political drama has been written about and filmed numerous times. Notable previous movie versions of the conflict include John Fords 1936 Mary of Scotland, based on the play by Maxwell Anderson, with Florence Eldridge (as Elizabeth) and Katherine Hepburn (as Mary); Glenda Jackson and Vanessa Redgrave in Mary, Queen of Scots (1971, Charles Jarrott); and Cate Blanchett and Samantha Morton in Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007, Shekhar Kapur). The rivalry between the two figures is innately intriguing. There is a natural curiosity about women in such positions in the mid- to late 1500s, obviously at a time when men generally ruled over countries. Unfortunately, for some of the reasons suggested above, this adaptation is not terribly gripping, despite a striking visual quality and interesting theatrical staging. The movie commences in 1561. Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan) returns to Scotland from France following the death of her husband Francois II. She acceded to the throne at a few days old and, while she lived in France, a series of regents ruled in her place. Saoirse Ronan in Mary Queen of Scots She is now a Catholic queen in a country where, following the Scottish Reformation of 1559-60, Protestantism has a large and ideologically aggressive following. Under conditions in which she is uncertain about the loyalty of her Protestant half-brother James, Earl of Moray (James McArdle), she faces opposition from the fiery preacher John Knox (David Tennant). The politically savvy monarch advocates religious tolerance, according to this movie. England bankrolls Morays thwarted rebellion against Mary, but she ultimately pardons her brother. (Morays second attempted revolt leaves him without Elizabeths support.) Margot Robbie in Mary Queen of Scots To her cousin and future rival, Englands powerful Queen Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie), Mary proposes that she inherit Elizabeths throne if the English sovereign fails to produce an heir. The plan is opposed by Elizabeths chief advisor, William Cecil (Guy Pearce). English-born Lord Henry Darnley (Jack Lowden) woos Mary, but on their wedding night sleeps instead with David Rizzio (Ismael Cruz Cordova), a musician who is part of Marys inner circle. Nonetheless, Mary succeeds in seducing the drunken sodomite and becomes pregnant with the future James VI of Scotland and I of England. Darnley is exiled and eventually killed. Mary then weds the man, James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell (Martin Compston), accused and then acquitted of killing Darnley. Saoirse Ronan, Jack Lowden, and James McArdle in Mary Queen of Scots In an overly long (and entirely fictional) sequence, Mary and Elizabeth meet. By this time, Elizabeths face is ravaged by small pox and a brilliantly red wig covers her balding head. When the two women fail to come to a mutually suitable arrangement, Elizabeth stomps off. Mary is confined by her cousin, under quite luxurious conditions, for the next 18 years (during which time she plots with various forces against Elizabeth). In 1587, the former Scottish queen is beheaded for sanctioning an attempted assassination of Elizabeth Tudor, who at one point admits, I choose to be a man. The latter becomes the unchallenged monarch. All in all, the film is inordinately sympathetic to Mary. Rourkes movie, while not the worst, is generally flat and mediocre. It reduces a deeply dramatic story to the small change of the directors attitude toward gender and personal relationships. Both Ronan and Robbie do their best, but are hampered by the fact they are less historical personalities than archetypal symbols of womanhood. Rourke puts a lot of weight on their shoulders, more than they can reasonably bear (the close-ups of Ronans visage become tedious). In addition, the two royal female powerhouses are encircled by conspiratorial half-men, totally out of historical proportion. Even talented actors like Pearce are only allowed to operate as lesser adjunctshis character, Cecil, was in fact one of the most influential figures in Elizabeths court. In the movie, Darnley as Marys second husband is a waster whose only value is to provide Mary with an heir. When he whines about not being made king, one cringes. In an interview, Rourke lays it out: There have been a lot of period dramas about this Tudor and Stuart part of history, but not a lot of those films have been directed by women. Almost all have been told by male directors. When I think about what it is to be those women, living through those moments, I think about my own body and experience and questions that instinctively and naturally arise as a woman and as a woman filmmaker. How can anything insightful emerge from such a subjective, petty viewpoint? Given todays political and cultural climate, Rourke goes on, this film is incredibly relevant. If the film is underpinned by anything, it is the cost of power. And it asks us to look really hard at how challenging it is for women to lead and what demandssometimes unreasonableare put upon them when they try and do that. I hope there is a quiet but persistent argument for change, compassion, and humanity in leadershipand for understanding that we need to create better context in which women can succeed and thrive as leaders. In other words, more female big shots in politics, corporate boardrooms, etc! Deadline Hollywood sums it up: Margot Robbie and Saoirse Ronan take on iconic roles and fiercely bring the #MeToo movement to the 16th century. It is a crackerjack drama about two fiercely independent women making their strong voices heard in a world that was (and still is) manipulated by shady men. In its own way it brings aspects of #MeToo and Times Up to play in a way we never thought possible. Awful. The Favourite Directed by Greek-born Yorgos Lanthimos and written by Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara, The Favourite is set in the early 1700s, when a gout-ridden and incompetent Queen Anne (Olivia Colman) is the reigning British monarch. Rachel Weisz and Olivia Colman in The Favourite She shares her bedroom with 17 rabbits, representing the 17 children she lost due to miscarriages, stillbirths and early deaths. Britain is at war with France, and the real power behind the throne is Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz), Annes backbone and clandestine lover. Sarahs husband, John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough (Mark Gatiss), is leading the military campaign against Englands continental enemies. Abigail Hill (Emma Stone), Sarahs penniless cousin arrives caked in mud from being dumped at the castles doorstep. One servant mocks: They shit in the street around here. Political commentary they call it. The cunning Abigail works her way up from scullery maid to the sovereigns bed partner, outmaneuvering Sarah. (As it turns out, I am capable of much unpleasantness.) Emma Stone and Olivia Colman in The Favourite Whoever physically gratifies Anne apparently determines foreign and domestic policy (Abigail eventually takes Sarahs place as Keeper of the Privy Purse). The absurd narrative is packaged in elaborate costumes and decor. Much of the dialogue boils down to inanities and sex talk. When Abigail is pursued by the young Baron Samuel Masham (Joe Alwyn), the exchange goes like this: Did you come to seduce me or rape me? she inquires. I am a gentleman, he replies. So, rape then. Nicholas Hoult as Robert Harley, opposed to raising taxes to support the war, is an over-powered schemer, no match for the female triumvirate he is attempting to manipulate. Director Lanthimos explains in an interview: I wanted to make all that [the bigger picture] quite simpler so that its a film that feels relevant to us today, so you could imagine this happening anywhere in the world or anytime or place. Pare down the politics so its easier to understand the repercussions that come from the decisions that these three, or the actions that these three women take. Why then spend $15 million in part to recreate Queen Annes court? Lanthimos has become one of Greeces most internationally prominent filmmakers. However, his movies (Dogtooth, The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer) have made clear his supreme unconcern about the endless suffering of the Greek population and the perfidy of the Syriza government. The Favourite is a quirky, postmodernist jumble, flippant and salacious. It is socially indifferent and intellectually slovenly, dodging the much bigger picture of history and European power politics of the period. In other words, a period piece that has virtually nothing to say about the period in question. Lanthimos (fast emerging as one of the most exciting filmmakers out there, according to one breathless commentator) is clearly a director with his finger in the wind. Its no accident he made a womens film in 2018. Its also no accident the movie tells us virtually nothing about his female characters or the conditions of women in the 18th centuryor the 21st. In any event, there is not the slightest evidence that trading in male directors for female directors will fundamentally change anything, any more than electing female or African American politicians has meant any improvement in the lives of the mass of the population. We have noted before that in recent years various film festivals and other institutions, including funding bodies, have boasted about their efforts to screen or encourage films by women directors. The results in general have been just as socially and ideologically limited as the work being done by men. The quality of film festival programs and cinema as a whole has not made any discernible progress. This is nothing but a quota system for female directors. The purpose of art should be to express something meaningful about the world, not to advance the interests and careers of this or that section of the affluent middle class. On Thursday, Nissan announced that it would lay off 1,000 workers in its central Mexican plants in Aguascalientes and Morelos as a result of what the company calls challenging market conditions. The job cuts come in the wake of almost 15,000 layoffs by General Motors (GM) in the US and reports of potential job cuts by Ford as part of a new restructuring of the auto industry. Given the complex auto production supply chain, the layoffs will have a devastating effect for tens of thousands of autoworkers across North America. Nissan currently sells one in five cars in Mexico and employs about 17,000 workers in the country. In Aguascalientes, Nissan has three assembly plants that employ 8,000 workers and 37,000 more workers indirectly through hundreds of auto parts plants that serve the facility. The CIVAC assembly plant in Cuernavaca employs another 3,500 workers and is the main direct and indirect job provider in Morelos. Along with the job cuts, which are set to take effect in January, Nissan announced that it will decrease production at its two plants following a slowdown in the US and Mexican markets. The companys sales dropped by 14 percent from January to December of this year, according to the Mexican Association for the Auto Industry (AMIA). The company has not released figures on how many workers will be laid off at each facility. The job cuts will leave thousands of already vulnerable families scrambling for new sources of income under conditions of vast social want. According to government statistics, Aguascalientes had a poverty rate of about 30 percent in 2016, with about half of the population having at least one social deficiency, defined as a lack of access to adequate food, education, and other social services. In Morelos, about half of the population lives in poverty and about 75 percent of the population has at least one social deficiency. The job cuts must be seen not as a state or national event, but as part of an international assault on the working class. While making massive profits, corporations are taking the offensive by demanding further concessions on wages and working conditions. The free-up of funds will be used to continue a program of stock buybacks to boost the portfolios of the wealthy shareholders. Three weeks ago, GM announced that it would be closing five plants in the US and Canada, eliminating about 15,000 jobs in already heavily deindustrialized areas. This was shortly followed by Wall Street bank Morgan Stanley projecting that Ford may make 25,000 cuts. Earlier this year, about 950 Volkswagen and Audi Mexican autoworkers were laid off, as well as 500 workers at the CIVAC Nissan plant in Morelos. Financial markets have rewarded the announced layoffs, with GMs company stock rising by nearly 7 percent after the companys announcement. This assault on workers takes place under conditions in which companies continue amassing billions in profits, with GM expected to make USD$10 billion and Nissan USD$4.5 billion in profits in 2018. In response to these ruthless cuts, the nationalist unions in every country have defended the right of companies to destroy jobs and attack working conditions in order to maximize investors profits. Far from an organized fight to defend jobs, the Nissan Workers Independent Unions response to the last round of layoffs in March was simply to promise to add workers to a shortlist to get rehired by the company. The unions pro-capitalist policies are coupled with poisonous chauvinism aimed at convincing workers that their enemies are not the elites that hoard all of societys wealth, but poor workers in other countries that are exploited by the very same companies at different segments of the production process. The government of Aguascalientes, like its counterpart in Morelos, bent over backwards to secure plants in the state. Nissan opened its first Aguascalientes plant in 1992 and its second in 2013. Its third plant, operating in conjunction with Daimler, started operations in December 2017. The CIVAC plant in Morelos opened its doors in 1966 and pays autoworkers among the highest salaries in the country at about USD$21 per day. Now, the state government of Aguascalientes is seeking to contain anger by announcing limited support for thousands of affected families. Governor Alma Hilda Medina Macias announced a job fair in January, which, as workers know, is not a promise of job security or earning equal, let alone improved wages. Mexican autoworkers are a key driver of the economy. Mexico is the seventh largest producer of motor vehicles, with the auto industry contributing 3.7 percent of GDP in 2017. The auto sector is the fourth largest employer in Mexico and counts among its forces some 700,000 autoworkers. Autoworkers must use their objective economic and social strength to put an end to attacks on their living standards. They must link with other sections of workers, in Mexico and internationally, who face the same challenges and have the same class interestswell-paid and secure jobs, fully-funded pensions, an end to the assault on immigrants, and trillions for infrastructure, health and education. As the latest attack on jobs lays bare, the crisis of the capitalist system affects workers in every country. Nissan, GM and Ford are all international corporations that cannot be challenged with a national strategy. All autoworkers must carefully study the resolution passed by autoworkers in Detroit, Michigan to form rank-and-file committees, independent of United Auto Workers (UAW) and the Canadian Unifor, to coordinate and expand the struggle. The resolution stated that the steering committee, which was formed after the meeting, must mobilize workers on the basis of their own demands and establish lines of communication and collaboration with all workersincluding auto parts workers, teachers, Amazon workers, service workers and othersand fight for the unity of American workers with our class brothers and sisters in Canada, Mexico and the rest of the world. Mexican autoworkers, who are frequently scapegoated by US and Canadian trade unions, should reach out to their international class brothers and sisters to establish such a collaboration and form their own rank-and-file committees. The Socialist Equality Party urges interested workers to contact us in English or Spanish at autoworkers@wsws.org. During a recent visit to Washington, New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters signalled a further escalation in the Labour Party-led coalition governments alignment with the Trump administrations economic war and military preparations against China. Peters is also Foreign Minister and leader of the NZ First Party, a right-wing nationalist, anti-Asian party. Despite receiving just over 7 percent of the votes in the 2017 election, NZ First was given several ministerial roles by Labour Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and plays a major role in determining the governments foreign and military policy. Peters met with senior members of the Trump administration, including Vice-President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and National Security Adviser John Bolton. Peters also delivered a major speech at Georgetown University on December 15, calling for a stronger US-New Zealand alliance in the Pacific. He declared that the South West Pacific was becoming more contested and its security ever more fragile. He called on the US to engage more in the region, adding, we think it is in your vital interests to do so, and time is of the essence. Clearly referring to China, Peters noted that larger players are renewing their interest in the Pacific with an attendant element of strategic competition. The speed and intensity of those interests at play are of great concern to us. He also pointed to the supposed threat posed by North Korea and by militarised islands in the South China Sea, which challenge international law and norms. Chinas territorial disputes with neighbouring countries in the South China Sea have been seized on by the Obama and Trump administrations as the pretext for a vast US military build-up in the region. In an attempt to reverse its long-term economic decline, the US ruling elite is preparing for war against China, which it views as the main obstacle to its global hegemony. Washington is demanding unwavering support from all its allies, including Australia and New Zealand. Despite New Zealands economic reliance on China, its largest trading partner, the Labour-NZ First government, which also includes the Green Party, has significantly strengthened New Zealands alliance with US imperialism. The government has redeployed troops to Iraq and Afghanistan and sent air force personnel to Japan to join the encirclement of North Korea. Most significantly, this years Defence Strategic Policy Statement echoed the Pentagon in labelling Russia and China the main threats to global stability. In his Washington speech, Peters praised the historic collaboration of New Zealand with US imperialism in the Pacific, which he called a vast canvas for the United States emergence as a global power in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. He listed the US colonies of American Samoa, Palau, Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Marianas and Guamsome of which host important US military facilities and were the site of bloody battles in World War II. Peters also mentioned New Zealands colonies Niue, the Cook Islands and Tokelau. For more than a century, NZs ruling class has relied on its major imperialist allies, Britain and the US, to support its own colonial ambitions in the Pacific. The Deputy Prime Minister pointed out that since World War II New Zealand has regularly answered the call when the United States has mobilised its friends in defence of its interests and international security more broadly. Successive NZ governments have supported one US war after another, including in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. The Labour-NZ First government, Peters said, had a sense of urgency about Pacific risks and recently purchased four new maritime surveillance aircraft to do our share to promote regional security. He praised US military cooperation, including maritime security and support for training and equipment for Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Tonga. Peters call for further militarisation comes amid an intensifying anti-Chinese campaign in New Zealand, aimed at overcoming widespread anti-war sentiment and hostility to the Trump administration. A central figure in the campaign is academic Anne-Marie Brady, who has denounced political donations by Chinese-born businessmen and demanded that New Zealands intelligence agencies monitor Chinese people involved in politics, business, universities, media and cultural organisations. Without any evidence, Brady has accused Jian Yang, a Chinese-born MP in the opposition National Party, of being a Chinese Communist Party agent, a claim echoed by NZ First. Brady has been promoted in the media as an independent China expert. One Fairfax Media columnist labelled her New Zealander of the Year. She is also backed by the Daily Blog, a nationalist publication funded by three trade unions. Brady has received funding for her research from the Washington DC-based Wilson Center and the NATO military alliance and is supported by US Democratic and Republican politicians. In May, former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton praised Brady for drawing attention to the new global battle against Chinese influence. Visiting New Zealand this month, US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, Randall G. Schriver, revealed that he personally knew Brady and had spoken to her about Chinese influence operations. He told the media on December 11 that the Trump administration was ready to collaborate with NZ intelligence agencies in an investigation along the lines suggested by Brady. Following Schrivers and Peters statements, New Zealands spy agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB), joined its US and UK counterparts in publicly accusing Beijing of carrying out a global campaign to steal intellectual property and commercial data, including from organisations in New Zealand. The agency provided no evidence for these claims. Whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed in 2015 that the GCSB spies on China as part of the US-led Five Eyes intelligence network. New Zealands integration into US war plans and provocations against China demolishes the claims by pseudo-left groups and trade unions that the Labour-NZ First-Greens government represented a shift to the left. In fact, the coalition was formed in October 2017, following the intervention of US Ambassador Scott Brown, who signalled that Washington wanted the new government to take a harder line against China. With the anti-Chinese NZ First playing a central role, the Ardern government has ramped up the ruling elites agenda of austerity, nationalism and militarism, and is dragging the country into a potentially catastrophic confrontation between nuclear-armed powers. The author also recommends: US steps up offensive against China with more hacking charges [21 December 2018] Intensifying US pressure on New Zealand government over China [29 November 2018] Anti-China campaign escalates in New Zealand [17 November 2018] Last Tuesday, over 150 parents, students, educators and community members attended a public meeting to protest the planned closure of Roots International Academy, a middle school that serves low-income youth in East Oakland, California. After listening to district representatives attempt to justify the closure, numerous attendees spoke out forcefully against it and in favor of expanding public education funding and resources. Roots is one of 24 public schools in Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) that are slated to be closed or merged with other public schools over the next five years as part of the districts and states savage assault on public education, which includes district budget cuts of $60 million over the next two years. All 24 schools slated for closure or merger are located in the flatlands regions of East and West Oakland, where poverty and crime are far more prevalent than in the rest of the city. In response to this unprecedented attack on education in Oakland, the citys working class residents are beginning to mobilize. Among Oakland teachers, who have been working without a contract since July 2017, there is growing sentiment for a statewide teachers strike to unite with Los Angeles teachers, who last week announced that they will begin striking on January 10. Two weeks ago, roughly 100 Oakland teachers engaged in a wildcat sickout strike, largely out of frustration over the stalled negotiations and lack of initiative from the Oakland Education Association (OEA) teachers union. The union has been dragging its feet and has done next to nothing to prepare teachers for a potential strike. The OEA has largely been silent on the threatened school closures and budget cuts. Aside from occasional posts on their Facebook page, it has issued no statement of support to the teachers that went on the wildcat sickout strike. The OEA Executive Board waited until last Friday to finally agree to call a strike authorization vote among the membership. They have kept silent about the total amount of money in the strike fund and whether teachers will even receive strike pay, while teachers individually pay over $100 a month in union dues. Most parents and students at Roots were informed about the planned closure of the school through a robo-call automated message sent by the district, which enraged many. The meeting last Tuesday was opened by OUSD Network Middle School Superintendent, Mark Triplett, who said, We have a difficult conversation that were about to embark on, and some difficult decisions that we have to make. Part of the meeting at Roots Academy In a highly contradictory manner, OUSD Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell stressed the need to provide a high quality education in every neighborhood while giving personal testimony about the benefits of attending schools outside her neighborhood while growing up, which every student at Roots will be forced to do if the Superintendent successfully closes their school. In an effort to justify the school closures because they will concentrate more funding in the remaining schools, Johnson-Trammell declared, Our goal is to be able to ensure that all schools have the resources they need, and for us to get smaller so that we can deeply serve the needs of our students. In reality, the proposed school closures will only exacerbate an already dire situation, create more overcrowded classrooms and further drive down teacher retention rates, already among the lowest in the state. Following Johnson-Trammell, OUSDs Deputy Chief of Innovation, Yvette Renteria, went through a Powerpoint presentation that detailed the plan for gradually phasing out Roots over the coming year. Renteria declared that the selection of Roots was due to declining enrollment over time. Weve seen decreased funds and resources because of that declining enrollment. The remainder of the meeting was left for Q&A, during which not a single attendee spoke in favor of the closure, expressing the universal support for public education. Multiple speakers praised the teaching staff at Roots, questioned the lack of funding for schools in impoverished areas of Oakland, and criticized the antidemocratic character of the districts management and financial decision-making. Grandmother Gail Harmond shared that her granddaughter loves her teachers. She is blossoming at Roots. She comes home every day with nothing but positive things to say. This is the most positive shes ever been. She loves going to school every day. Harmond then questioned the motives of the district officials and school board, stating, It seems like you want to send my granddaughter to another school thats already overcrowded. What resources do these other schools have that Roots doesnt have, and why arent they going here? This is unfair for our children. They deserve to have this school. If they dont have the resources, you need to provide them right away. Renteria responded callously to Harmonds question, stating, When it comes to the funding structure, when schools have more students they get more funding. This theme was repeated multiple times, as many questioned the lack of funding for schools like Roots. Part of the way through the meeting, a students mother forcefully denounced the school district and living conditions that families face in East Oakland, stating, I think were setting our children up for failure. This is ridiculous. We are transitioning them into a society to be robots. We bring our kids to these schools, which are nothing but day-care centers. Look at this community we live in, its nothing but drugs and prostitution. But they still get up and go to school every day, and now you want to send them to another school thats further away? At one point, an attendee asked School Board Member Shanthi Gonzales, who oversees Roots, whether she would vote in favor of the schools closure. Gonzales replied, I do believe that this will give our students a better opportunity. Juan Velazquez, a teacher who used to work at Lakeview Elementary, which was closed in 2012 and converted into a charter school, addressed the audience directly and stated: Using logic, this is already designed. Using logic and data, theres a bigger thing going on here. You dont have to listen. If your board member isnt going to listen, then the city will come on fire. This isnt just happening in Oakland, its across the country, an attack on public education. We have to fight for our education and decide what we want. Theyre not going to close any more schools in Oakland. Were a thriving city, and we need a school and public education system that reflects that. Mike Hutchinson, an Oakland native and advocate for public schools, related the story of the previous closure of Santa Fe Elementary School, declaring, They promised us transportation to better schools, and they told us the same false promises they said to us tonight. Theres one thing they didnt say: this is not a done deal. They have a whole plan to close 24 public schools in the next five years. This is a displacement effort, to displace our community to allow more charter schools to come in. The year 2018 is coming to a close amidst a historic political crisis in the United States. In the past week, Washington has been convulsed by conflicts over Donald Trumps decision to withdraw US troops from Syria and reduce troop levels in Afghanistan, and the ensuing resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis. This has coincided with a sharp drop on the stock market and a partial government shutdown that could extend well into next year. It is not Trumps fascistic attack on immigrants, his war on the working class or his belligerence toward China that has triggered paroxysms of rage within the state and from the Democratic Party. It is, rather, his seeming intention to wind down the wars in Syria and Afghanistan, both of which are undeclared and illegal. The future of the administration is being called into question. Chuck Todd, the host of NBCs Meet the Press program, said on Sunday that the resignation of Mattis in protest over the troop withdrawals could be the beginning of the functional end of this presidency. He cited the erosion of support for Trump among Senate Republicans, who have served as a buffer against the investigations, centered on the probe by former FBI Director Robert Mueller into Trumps personal dealings and the Trump campaigns alleged ties to Russia. In Trumps foreign policy shifts, the Democrats, speaking for the military and intelligence apparatus, see an abandonment of what they consider to be a fundamental premise of American foreign policy: That control over the Middle East is critical in countering Russia, which in turn is necessary in order to confront China. Democratic Senator Chris Coons declared on CBSs Face the Nation Sunday that President Trump is handing a great big Christmas gift to Vladimir Putin in Russia and to the Ayatollah Khamenei of Iran. In the process, the Democrats are unashamedly aligning with the most reactionary forces within the state apparatus and the military. Mad Dog Mattis, the butcher of Fallujah, who once declared that its fun to shoot some people, has been transformed into a pillar of moral virtue. Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, declared on Meet the Press that it breaks my heart to see Mattis leave. He said he begged Mattis to stay, stay as long as you possibly can, because we desperately need your mature voice, your voice of patriotism. The war criminal Mattis, still alive, is following the path to political sainthood the Democrats and the media previously laid for the deceased John McCain and George H.W. Bush. There is more than a hint of calls for a direct intervention by the military against Trump. Were there a move to remove Trump through some sort of palace coup, it would be welcomed by the Democrats and the media. From the statements that are being made, one can only conclude that this would be followed by an immediate escalation of war in the Middle East and aggression against Russia. The ferocious reaction against Trumps moves in Syria and Afghanistan exposes the fraud of the war on terror, supposedly launched to combat Islamist terrorists. Trump justified his plan to withdraw US troops by pointing out that ISIS has been routed in Syria. But as scores of indignant opponents of the move have stated, the real issue is not ISIS, but rather the struggle against Washingtons geopolitical rivals in the Middle East and Central Asia, above all Russia and Iran. In fact, the events of September 11, 2001 were merely the pretext for the implementation of expansionist plans prepared long before, beginning with the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq under Bush, followed by the war against Libya and the CIA-backed civil war in Syria under Obama. The original rationale has largely been dropped and American foreign policy exposed for what it isthe effort to control the world through military force. To point this out is not to diminish in any way the reactionary character of the Trump administration. The White House is pursuing its own brand of imperialist policy, which harkens back to the America First campaign of Charles Lindbergh prior to Americas entry into the Second World War. Lindbergh was pro-Nazi. But while his main ruling class opponentseven as they pushed for US intervention in the imperialist slaughterretained some commitment to democratic processes, there is no such commitment within the anti-Trump factions of the ruling class and the state today. Trumps focus is more on China. While hoping to capitalize on the popularity of withdrawing troops from the Middle East and Central Asia, his administration has outlined a foreign policy focused on great power conflict with Americans biggest economic rival. Confronting the failure of American foreign policy over the past quarter-century, the Trump administration represents a turn to a more unilateralist and nationalist geopolitics. And as Trump faces growing opposition from within the state, he will double down on his efforts to cultivate a fascistic base, including within the military and police forces. To speak of left and right within this framework is meaningless. The conflict is between different forms of extreme reaction. Serving as auxiliary props of the Democratic Party are the various organizations that comprise the pseudo-left, which speak for privileged sections of the upper-middle class. The Democrats have relentlessly promoted the politics of race and gender, which for the past year has been waged under the banner of #MeToo. A central purpose has been to cultivate within these layers a base for their war policies. Amidst the raging political warfare in Washington, there are certain voices notable by their silence. Socialist Worker, the publication of the International Socialist Organization, has said nothing. Jacobin magazine, aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America, has said nothing. Socialist Alternative has said nothing. Nor have the Democratic Party politicians they have promotedVermont Senator Bernie Sanders, incoming New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, etc. They are silent because they support the line of the Democratic Party. They support war and they support American imperialism. Their real political line is articulated by the Nations Joan Walsh, frequently cited by Socialist Worker and other pseudo-left publications. In As Trump Rages, God Bless Us Every One, Walsh bemoans Trumps decision to neglect the counsel of a lifelong military leader and public servant like Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. Nowhere in all of thisfrom the Trump administration, to the Democratic Party, to the pseudo-leftis there any expression of the interests of the vast majority of the population, the working class. The working class cannot allow itself to be diverted behind any faction of the ruling class. It must advance its own solution to the capitalist crisis: socialist revolution. Analyzing the conflicts within Washington at an earlier stage, the WSWS wrote in its June 13, 2017 statement Palace coup or class struggle: The political crisis in Washington and the strategy of the working class, that Trumps opponents within the political establishment, including both Democrats and Republicans, speak for a faction of the corporate and financial elite. Their differences with Trump are centered primarily on issues of foreign policy. The current state of political warfare confirms this analysis. The statement added that an altogether different conflict is developingbetween the ruling class and the working class. The WSWS anticipated that the interaction of objective conditions of crisis, both within the United States and internationally, and the radicalization of mass social consciousness will find expression in the eruption of class struggle. This prognosis too has been realized. The past year has seen a significant growth of working class struggle, in the United States and around the world. This is only an anticipation of the social explosions that will characterize 2019. The critical task is the building of a political leadership, the Socialist Equality Party, to impart an ever-greater level of understanding and consciousness to the working class movement, and to connect the growth of class struggle to a socialist, internationalist and anti-imperialist movement to take state power and reorganize economic life on the basis of social need, not private profit. All indications are that the partial shutdown of the US federal government, which began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, will last at least a week, and likely into the New Year. Some 800,000 federal workers are affected, either working without paychecksif they are designated as essentialor furloughed without pay until Congress enacts a new spending authorization. In general, police repression and mass surveillance are considered essential functions of the federal government, while anything to do with providing actual services to the public is considered inessential. The shutdown was triggered by President Trumps somersault on whether to sign a continuing resolution that would have funded nine federal departments and agencies through February 8. The Senate passed the resolution Wednesday by 1000 after the White House indicated approval. After ferocious attacks by right-wing talk show hosts on the failure of the resolution to fund the proposed wall on the US-Mexico border, Trump abruptly reversed himself. On Thursday, the lame duck session of the House of Representatives concluded with a 215177 near-party line vote on a new version of the continuing resolution, with $5.7 billion for the wall, even more than the $5 billion Trump was demanding. That version of the resolution could not pass the Senate, narrowly controlled by the Republicans by a 5149 margin, since ending debate and bringing the measure to a vote requires approval by 60 senators. Both the House and Senate convened Saturday, after the partial federal shutdown had begun, but took no action. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell scheduled the next regular meeting of the Senate for Thursday, December 27, although he indicated that the session will be canceled if no agreement is worked out in the interim between the White House and Senate Democrats. White House budget director Mick Mulvaney, who becomes Trumps acting chief of staff on January 1, replacing Gen. John Kelly, told several Sunday television interview programs that the administration fully expected the partial federal shutdown could extend into January. I dont think things are going to move very quickly here for the next couple days, he told Fox News Sunday. I think its very possible the shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress. The new Congress convenes on January 3, with the Democrats in control of the House of Representatives and longtime Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi expected to become House speaker. Pelosi sent a dear colleague letter to incoming members of the House Democratic caucus Saturday, declaring that if there is no funding agreement by January 3, the new House Democratic majority will swiftly pass legislation to reopen government. However, any such resolution, even if it should pass the Senate, could be vetoed by Trump, with little chance of a two-thirds vote to override in either house. For the workers affected, the partial shutdown means roughly half are furloughed, about 380,000, including the bulk of the work force in the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Interior (including the National Park Service), Transportation, and the Treasury (including the Internal Revenue Service), as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory agencies, and the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA). Another 420,000 must report to work but wont receive paychecks. The latter include most employees of the Department of Homeland Security (including the Border Patrol and TSA passenger and baggage screeners at airports), the Department of Justice (including the FBI), and the Department of State (all US embassies will remain open). In all previous shutdowns, the legislation that eventually ended the crisis included retroactive pay for all affected federal workers, but there is no guarantee that such a deal is in the works this time. Because appropriations bills for the departments of Defense, Education, Energy, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Veterans Affairs were passed earlier this year, these agencies will be unaffected. The military and intelligence agencies such as the CIA will receive full pay, VA hospitals will operate normally, Social Security checks will be sent out, and Medicare and Medicaid will be funded. The timing of the confrontation over the wall indicates that both sides have chosen it for their own reactionary political purposes. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, in a speech on the Senate floor Saturday, said the partial shutdown was because of one person and one person alone: President Trump. He continued, If you want to open the government, you must abandon the wall, plain and simple. The Democrats never issued such an ultimatum during previous clashes with the Trump administration. They did not impose a legislative blockade when Trump implemented his Muslim travel ban, when the Department of Homeland Security was forcibly separating families, or when Trump praised white supremacists in Charlottesville. Despite their public pretense of adamant opposition to the border wall, the Democrats previously agreed to fund it as part of a deal that included a limited amnesty for immigrant youth covered by the DACA program (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). They chose to make a stand only after Trump ordered the pullout of US forces from Syria and a partial withdrawal from Afghanistan, provoking the resignation of the defense secretary, General James Mattis. Schumer openly linked the Mattis resignation and the federal shutdown in his comments Saturday, saying that Trump was responsible for the twin crises. As for the White House, Trump has chosen to force a federal shutdown to appeal to his ultra-right base, not only on the issue of building the border wall, but more generally, in a show of defiance directed at the incoming Democratic majority in the House and against those sections of the military-intelligence apparatus that have engineered the Mueller investigation, based on bogus allegations of Russian intervention in the 2016 presidential campaign to help Trump win. Trump further escalated the political confrontation over his shift in foreign policy by announcing Sunday that he would not allow Defense Secretary Mattis to remain in office through February 28, 2019, as Mattis proposed in his resignation letter. Instead, Mattis will be removed effective January 1 and replaced by Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive. The crisis-stricken character of the Trump administration is demonstrated by the fact that when 2019 begins it will have an acting White House chief of staff, an acting secretary of defense, an acting attorney general, and an acting ambassador to the United Nations, while the secretary of interior, Ryan Zinke, has resigned facing nine corruption probes. While it is possible that the Democrats and Trump will prolong the shutdown for some period of time as part of the broader conflict within the US ruling elite, the outlines of a deal over the specific cause of the shutdown, funding for the border wall, have already been sketched. According to the Hill, Vice President Mike Pence and Senate Minority Leader Schumer have exchanged offers, with the White House reducing its ask for the border from $5 billion to $2.1 billion, provided there is no restriction on how the money can be spent. The Democrats had previously offered $1.6 billion, but with no money provided for the wall. This difference could be overcome without difficulty, as Republican Senator David Perdue of Georgia pointed out in a cynical comment to Politico. I talked to four Democrats that said: Look, if you just stop calling it the wall, were in, he said. The withdrawal of US troops from Syria announced by US President Donald Trump and the subsequent resignation of his defence secretary, James Mattis, have provoked a fierce response from European leaders. After the initial shock, the European ruling elites reacted overwhelmingly with calls for a more independent European foreign and defence policy. In Germany, in particular, leading politicians and the media are outdoing one another with demands for an even faster rearmament of the German army (Bundeswehr) and the establishment of a European military force. Trump's decision evidently came as a complete surprise to European governments. In their official statements they condemn the move and urge a continuation of the war against the so-called Islamic State (IS) in Syria. The decision of the White House is cause for concern, reads an official statement of the German defence ministry. IS was territorially under control, but by no means defeated. One hopes that the Americans will not withdraw in an overly hasty manner, but are aware of their responsibilities, not only to their own troops but also to others. A similar response came from Germanys foreign minister, Heiko Maas (Social Democratic Party), who campaigned for greater military and economic intervention by Germany in Arab countries during his visit to Iraq last week. The abrupt change of course of the American side was surprising and not only for Germany. There was the danger that the consequences of this decision will harm the fight against IS and jeopardise the achievements made. The fight against the IS will be decided in the long runmilitarily and also with civil means: Bringing about stability requires security and political order, which can continue into the future. The governments in London and Paris also condemned Trump's plans and announced they would continue their military intervention in Syria. On Thursday a French foreign ministry spokesman stated: The fight against terrorism is a priority for France. The fight against the global threat of Daesh [IS] is ongoing and a long-term commitment. British Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood said he strongly disagreed with Trump's decision. On Twitter, he wrote that IS has morphed into other forms of extremism and the threat is very much alive. There are several reasons for the fierce European reaction to Trump's withdrawal order. In the first place the European powers are angered that the withdrawal of US troops from Syria endangers their own war plans. Unlike the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and the Libyan war in 2011, all the major European powers were, from the outset, part of the imperialist offensive against Syria. They supported the goal of overthrowing the regime of Bashar al-Assad and replacing it with a pro-Western puppet regime. In 2012, the German foreign office, together with the German SWP think tank and part of the Syrian opposition, initiated the project The Day After and published a Vision for a post-Assad order. Now the European powers fear complete victory for Assad and, consequently, of his allies in Moscow and Tehran. Assad and his government are being strengthenedby the fact that the Kurdish militia or so-called Syrian Democratic Forces ... are caught between the wheels, warned SWP director Volker Perthes in an interview on Deutschlandfunk. Following a withdrawal of American forces from northern Syria the allies of the Kurds and Arabs in the West would have to accept the conditions of Damascus to a large extent. That is, the flag of Damascus, the Syrian state, will soon again fly over the Kurdish provinces in the east. Another reason for the anger of European powers stems from domestic political considerations. Like the ruling class in the US, European governments have used the guise of the war on terror to curtail democratic rights and establish veritable police states. The imperialist intervention in Syria has created terrorist networks that served as a pretext for far-reaching attacks on democratic rights. Under conditions of growing social and political opposition across Europe, Paris, London and Berlin want to intensify this reactionary campaign. Trump's claim that IS in Syria is defeated undermines these plans. At a very fundamental level, the European response to recent developments in Washington has exposed the deep rift in transatlantic relations. The damage goes far beyond Syria, writes the traditionally pro-American daily Die Welt. Who can rely on the US if long-term allies like the Kurds are being sacrificed overnight? What peace can the US guarantee? Which aggressor can it deter? And the Suddeutsche Zeitung comments: With the withdrawal of troops from Syria, the US President has betrayed his allies all over the world. The paper concludes: The European pillar must now be consolidated in the alliance with enormous energy, and improvements made to European foreign policys capacity to act. That will require a lot of money and even more political will. There is was too little of both. Leading foreign policy politicians from both the government and the opposition are demanding further military rearmament. Jurgen Hardt, the foreign policy spokesman of the Union (Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union) parliamentary group, described the resignation of Mattis as a turning point in foreign and security policy. One must now continue to invest in the Bundeswehr and this two-percent target by 2024i.e. the increase in military spending to at least 75 billion euros annuallymust be taken seriously. He added threateningly that one would be able to make clear to the public at large that this is how it has to be. Agnieszka Brugger, who sits on the Bundestag's defence committee for the Green Party, also called for increased European intervention in the Middle East. Trump's retreat is a nasty surprise that causes huge foreign policy chaos. When asked by a reporter, What can, what must Europe do? Does Europe have a chance? Does Germany have a chance? She replied: The European Union should finally wake up from its slumber and take on a more active role in Syria. One cannot duck away from this difficult debate. The megalomaniacal plans of the ruling class being discusses behind the backs of the population is illustrated by a recent article by Jan Techau, head of the Europe Program of the German Marshall Fund of the United States in Berlin. Under the title Strategic ability and world-weariness, German foreign policy through 2030, he demands that Germany must recognise its size, power and relevance for Europe and humbly accept it. It has to take up its leading role. And further: It must be communicated to [Germany] that the maintenance of order will entail maximum effort and entail enormous costs. All this would have to be explained to the population, again and again, by politicians, even at the risk of their mandates ... And if that is not popular, then leading state players have to risk their political lives for it. The same applies to the financial and human resources of the Bundeswehr. Two percent of defence spending is not needed for Trump, but rather against him, because these investments are supposed to strengthen exactly the multilateral, rule-based order he wants to abolish. The attempt by Techau to portray the revival of German militarism as some sort of progressive response to Trump is utterly hypocritical. Everyone is aware of the monstrous crimes of German imperialism in the two world wars of the 20th century. In the course of the past two decades, the German ruling class has been actively involved in Americas illegal wars of aggression, and now it is essentially criticizing the Syria policy of the ultra-right billionaire in the White House from the right. There is only one way to stop this dangerous development: building an international anti-war movement based on the working class and fighting for a socialist program. This requires the revolutionary unification of European and American workers against all factions of the capitalist class in Europe, the US and worldwide. According to the latest official figures, 280 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured when a tsunami suddenly hit coastal cities and beach resort towns adjoining Indonesias Sunda Strait at 9.30 p.m. local time on Saturday. The official death toll is expected to rise over the next days. At least 57 people are missing and rescuers have still not yet been able to reach all the affected areas. The disaster came just three months after an earthquake and tsunami struck Palu City on the island of Sulawesi on September 28, killing over 2,500 people and engulfing hundreds of homes in deep mud. Sunda Strait, Indonesia Saturdays tsunami struck without warning at the height of the Christmas holiday long weekend. It destroyed hundreds of homes, businesses and at least nine tourist hotels and other buildings. The Pandeglang region of Javas Banten province near Jakarta, along with South Lampung settlements in Sumatra, were among the worst affected areas. Splintered wood, concrete, bricks and other broken building material lie scattered along the coast and the now deserted villages and towns. Thousands of people have been rendered homeless. Survivors have posted photographs and video on social media of upturned and badly damaged vehicles and boats, and debris-laden water smashing into homes and other buildings. Many of those killed were tourists, thought to be visiting the popular beach resort area of Pandeglang, which also encompasses a national park. Frightening footage of a beachside concert by Seventeen, a local rock band, shows a massive wave demolishing the concert platform and sweeping away the band and audience members. The concert was part of a holiday retreat for workers and their families from PLN, Indonesias national electricity company. The rock group has released a statement saying that their bass player, guitarist and road manager were killed and that two other band members and the wife of one of the performers were missing. Aftermath of the tsunami where the concert was held A spokesman for Indonesias National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said that many victims were trapped under collapsed buildings, and that heavy machinery would be required to help with search and rescue efforts. However, as of Monday morning, the much-needed machinery had yet to be sent to all of the affected areas. Geophysicists suggest that the tsunami could be the result of a major landslide, above or below the water line, at Anak Krakatoa (Child of Krakatoa), a 300-metre high active volcano in the Sunda Strait. This is believed to have pushed a huge wall of water across the strait, which, at its narrowest, is only 24 kilometres wide. Anak Krakatoa, which emerged from the caldera of Krakatoa about 90 years ago, is one of the countrys most active volcanoes. It has been erupting since June and did so a day before the tsunami. According to a BBC report today, it is still erupting, raising fears that another tsunami might be imminent. Earthquake geologist and University of Michigan Professor Ben van der Pluijm told Reuters that the instability of the slope of an active volcano can create a rock slide that moves a large volume of water, creating local tsunami waves that can be very powerful." He added, "This is like suddenly dropping a bag of sand in a tub filled with water. Rahmat Triyono, earthquake and tsunami chief at Indonesias Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), told the New York Times that there was no earthquake and thats why there was no tsunami warning. The apparent absence of an earthquake, and thus seismic data, only partially explains the absence of any tsunami warning. In the wake of the devastating 2004 earthquake and tsunami that claimed an estimated 230,000 lives in the Indo-Pacific, most of them in Indonesia, major powers pledged to help set up an early warning system to ensure such a catastrophe would never happen again. The early warning system was to link global seismic detection centres by means of a system of buoys and sensors that could detect water movements characteristic of tsunami. Various land-based systems were then supposed to be built to sound the alarm. Even if the weekends tsunami was not triggered by a quake, the buoys and sensors should have been in place to provide an early warning. Clearly, that was not the case and the victims had no time to react to the wall of water that engulfed them. Indonesias National Disaster Management spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho admitted in September this year, following the Palu disaster, that the countrys warning system was inadequate. The network of 22 hi-tech buoys has not been working since 2012 due to the lack of funding. As a result, the warning system relies on some 134 tidal gauges which are limited in their ability to provide advance notification. Whether there were any working sensors in the Sunda Strait last weekend is not known at this stage. Indonesia has 130 active volcanoes and its location in the Pacific Ring of Firean arc of intense seismic activity that stretches around the Pacific and includes the whole Indonesian archipelagomeans that earthquakes and volcanoes are a fact of life. The devastation caused by what are termed natural disasters is compounded by the poverty that is rife throughout the region. Many people are compelled to live in makeshift housing, often close to the sea, that leaves them vulnerable to tsunamis and quakes as well as typhoons that are also common. The Indonesian government certainly bears a large measure of responsibility for the latest tragedy. The lack of proper infrastructure, inadequate warning systems and poorly funded rescue and relief services are testimony to the indifference of the government and the ruling class to the lives of millions of working people. The major powers, which exploit countries like Indonesia as cheap labour platforms, also bear responsibility for the lack of resources for warning systems and disaster relief. The promises that were made after the 2004 catastrophe have proven worthless. Following the weekends tsunami, political leaders around the world have been shedding crocodile tears for the victims. US President Trump described it as unthinkable devastation, adding: We are praying for recovery and healing. America is with you! What will follow, however, is a pittance in aid, if anything, and the tragedy will be quickly pushed aside in the worlds capitals. The author also recommends: Indonesias earthquake catastrophe [6 October 2018] The Asian tsunami: why there were no warnings [3 January 2005] The Virginia Educators United (VEU) has called a statewide march of educators in Richmond for January 28, as mass protests, strikes and sickouts continue among teachers across the United States. More than 30,000 Los Angeles educators are set to strike January 10, while thousands of California teachers have held sickouts or rallies this month in Oakland, Fremont and Rocklin. The East Bay Coalition for Public Education will also hold a mass protest January 12. The teachers movement that began last February in West Virginiaspreading to Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arizona, Colorado, North and South Carolina and Washington stateis clearly expanding in the face of the continued assault on public education. Charter school teachers have joined the growing number of walkouts as well, with a recent strike against Acero in Chicago. In each of these cases, however, the teachers unions forced a return to work without securing educators demands. The National Education Association (NEA) and American Federation of Teachers (AFT) shuttered the strikes and told teachers they could advance their aims if they voted Democratic in the midterm elections. As became apparent in the course of the Supreme Court case Janus v. AFSCME, the highly compensated union hierarchy has openly pledged to prevent strikes in exchange for their seat at the table and continued dues income stream. The problems faced by Virginia teachers must be placed into the context of the lessons of these betrayed struggles. What do teachers in Virginia confront? A public education system devastated by years of underfunding, which has proceeded apace under both Democrats and Republicans. In 2017 Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe pointed to the chronic teacher shortage, observing that no sixth grades in the Petersburg schools had a math teacher for the entire year. Yet he offered no increase in teacher salaries to attract new educators, and instead provided $1 million to recruit and train principals and a similar sum to automate the licensing process. A few figures underscore the dire situation faced now by teachers, children and families in the state: Since 2009, total employment for Virginia public schools has declined by 1,242, even as K-12 enrollment increased by more than 50,000. Virginia teachers salaries average $51,049, well below the national average of $59,660which itself is low given rising costs of health care and other necessities. A newly hired teacher in Virginia with a college degree will earn $17,000 less than their classmates who go to the private sector. Teachers must endure a probationary period of five years before receiving any type of job security. Meanwhile, data collection and standardized testing pressures tend to demoralize new teachers, and nearly half of them leave the profession during that extraordinary long probation. Unfilled teaching positionsnot only in music and physical education but in general education at the elementary level and in core high school subjects such as Englishplague the state. Public schools depend on a combination of local level and state funding. Per pupil spending by the state has declined 9.1 percent since the financial crash of 2008, leaving Virginia 40th in the country in terms of state funding. Major problems with facilities abound, including buildings that are leaking, decaying and have mice and vermin. The average Virginia school building is around 60 years old. Even 100-year-old buildings are not unusual. As is the case in many other US states, the differential between Virginias state and local school funding allows wealthier districts and cities to more generously fund their public schools and underfund those in poorer areasa de facto form of segregation on the basis of class. In short, the grossly underfunded education system represents an entirely legitimate subject for political action not just for educators and students but for the entire working class. A movement advancing the view of education as a social right for all would garner immediate and militant support by workers everywhere. However, teachers must be forewarned as to the political limitations of the January 28 mass march. Although many of the teachers involved in the protests are rightly suspicious of the role of the unions, the VEU has scheduled the one-day protest to coincide with the Virginia Education Associations (VEA) lobbying day. This is meant to bolster the credibility of the VEA and promote the illusion that improvements in pay and school funding can won by appealing to corporate-controlled politicians. In fact, nothing can be achieved outside of mobilizing the teachers and broader section of workers throughout Virginia and across the US and against both parties and the powerful corporate and financial interests that stand behind them. While many of this years teachers strikes were initiated by rank-and-file teachers, not the unions, the NEA, AFT and their state and local affiliates were able to reassert their control and strangle these struggles with the assistance of a series of Facebook-organized groups, which had not organizational or political independence from the unions. Arizona Educators United, Oklahoma Teachers United and others attracted a mass following of teachers who were fed up with years of union collusion in poverty-level pay, worsening schools and regressive taxation for schools that hit working-class residents the hardest. These Red4Ed groups, however, were controlled by supporters of union aligned organizations like the Democratic Socialists of America, Bad Ass Teachers, Labor Notes and the International Socialist Organization which dutifully supported the calling off of strikes and hailed the betrayals as victories. This reporter spoke to Cheryl Binkley, a VEU founding member, who explained that North Carolinas one day protest in May is the model for the January action, a one-day lobbying affair in alliance with the VEA that closes schools. Explaining that the VEU was set up last spring after discussions with the union, she said: We went to VEA and they said, You cant do this [set up a grassroots protest group], you need two years to build for this. We didnt listen to them. We said if we dont participate its going happen without us, and so all of us decided to participate, she said. Noting they [the unions] wound it down in West Virginia and everywhere else, the VEU representative said their group made a deliberate decision that the January action would be a protest and not a strike in order not to be unfair to newly elected Democratic governor Ralph Northam! The governor, she claimed, deserved a chance to enact education-friendly policies. On Tuesday, the group praised Northams budget proposals for a tiny five percent raise for teachers and support staff along with a one-time bonus of one percent of their salaries over a two-year period. In other words, the VEU is playing the same role as the other Red4Ed groupsas a secondary enforcer to prevent the struggles of teachers from breaking out of the straight-jacket of the unions and the capitalist two-party system. Virginia teachers, including those attracted to VEU, must draw the lessons of the 2018 struggles and take the conduct of their fight out of the hands of the unions. Rank-and-file action committees of teachers and other workers, which are independent of the unions, should be formed in every school and community. They should formulate demands for substantial increases in wages and schools funding, smaller class sizes and the hiring of more staff. These committees should prepare for strike action and link up the struggle of educators with autoworkers, logistics and port workers, shipyard workers, health care workers and other strategic sections of the working class in Virginia, across the US and internationally. Teachers not accept the lie that there is no money, when trillions are spent on bank bailouts, corporate tax giveaways and endless wars. The funding necessary to provide high quality public education for all can only be secured through a frontal assault on the entrenched wealth and power of the corporate and financial oligarchy by the working class and the socialist reorganization of society based on the principles of equality and genuine democracy. The author also recommends: Chicago teacher union shuts down charter school strike, holds rally for Democratic candidates [11 December 2018] Detroit public meeting resolves to organize fight against General Motors plant closures [10 December 2018] On Saturday, tens of thousands of yellow vest protesters demonstrated in France, amid a growing strike wave in neighboring Spain and in Portugal, where protesters also donned yellow vests. Thousands of people joined protest marches in Frances major cities, or blockaded highway intersections and Frances borders with Spain, Italy or Germany, to express their opposition to Macron and the European Union (EU). According to the Interior Ministry, there were 2,000 yellow vest demonstrators in Paris, where protesters divided themselves between the Champs-Elysees and Montmartre, after having tricked police into thinking they were marching on Versailles. The authorities had preemptively shut down the Versailles Palace, next to which they stationed water cannons. In the provinces, according to official figures, thousands demonstrated in Bordeaux, Toulouse and Lille, while hundreds protested in Nantes, Marseille and Lyon. As usual, the security forces reacted with violent repression. In Paris they arrested Eric Drouet, a truck driver who helped launch the yellow vest protests on Facebook, alleging that he had a sort of nightstick. Another widely circulated video showed a policeman drawing his pistol and taking aim at protesters after throwing stun grenades unprovoked at the protesters. The mobilization was a rebuke to Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, who last week declared that on the yellow vest protests, Its enough, and ordered police to smash highway blockades. After more than a month of protests and violent police repression of demonstrators, however, the movement is still very widely popular. It has 70 percent support in the French public, and various polls say that between 54 and 62 percent of French people want the movement to continue. Citing Interior Ministry figuresshowing 40,000 protesters Saturday, well less than the 125,000 it announced after the first protest on November 17the French media are all predicting the imminent end of the movement and a return to order. It remains to be seen whether the dip in participation figures reflects Interior Ministry manipulation, protesters taking a break for the Christmas holidays, or a more lasting move away from the yellow vest blockades and protest marches. What is clear, however, is that political opposition and social anger to the entire Macron government and French state machine are continuing to grow in the working class. The political situation is becoming more explosive. The government has not satisfied a single one of the demands underlying the yellow vest protests: for social equality, large wage increases, raising taxes on the rich, Macrons resignation and the end to police repression. From now on, moreover, everyone is aware of the yawning class gulf separating workers from the union bureaucracies and official left parties who were surprised and appalled by the protests. Macronwho called workers hostile to his policies lazy and contemptuously told unemployed workers to cross the street to get a jobnow can only hold onto power hiding behind the armored vehicles and tear gas salvoes of the military police. A helicopter team now stands ready to snatch and rescue him from the Elysee palace, should protesters ever storm his official residence. And any excursion out from the Elysee is forbidden to him, even to the cinema or the bakery, according to Le Monde, because it is too dangerous. As his approval ratings collapse further to around 20 percent, the daily added that The Elysee is now ruled behind closed doors. It is ever clearer that if Macron saluted collaborationist dictator Philippe Petain in November, after passers-by booed him during his commemorative tour of French battlefields of World War I, it is that he saw in Petain a fellow head of state who also inspires mass anger and loathing. A few days later, just before the first yellow vest protest, Macron admitted publicly that he had not succeeded in reconciling the French people with its elites. This month, he reportedly told his political advisers that he was the target of the hatred of the French people. The awareness that Macron is hated will not, however, change the policy of the capitalist ruling elite, save to make it more violent and repressive. Targeting Macron, protesters have launched a struggle against an entire European and international regime that imposes the diktat of the banks and the financial aristocracy on the workers. The only way to fight the austerity demands of European capitalism is to mobilize workers across the continent to expropriate the banks and transfer power to the working class. Despite the manifest opposition of an overwhelming majority of French people, the ruling elite continues to demand austerity and militarism. The Macron government is planning drastic cuts to unemployment insurance, pensions and public sector wages. Pierre-Alexandre Anglade, of Macrons Republic on the March (LRM) party, declared with a straight face: This is what we were elected to do, and this must remain our compass. From Chad, where he was discussing NATOs neocolonial war strategy, Macron threatened the protesters yesterday: It is clear that the most severe judicial responses will be given. Now order must reign, calm and good harmony. That is what our country needs. Macron has called for months of coordination of policies with the protesters for 2019. Like his promises of a minimum wage increase or his canceling of the initial fuel tax hike, this offer is utterly worthless. Macron has given only crumbs, and in bad faith as well, as it is clear that he intends to take back these crumbs as soon as possible. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe announced he was suspending all Macrons concessions to the yellow vests, claiming they were too expensive. He flip-flopped a few hours later amid a wave of anger on social media. But these two 180-degree turns in the course of a few hours showed that the governments promises deserve no confidence whatsoever. The government is cultivating the free yellow vest faction led by Jacline Mouraud, who want to set up dialog with Macron, echoing the social dialog between the union bureaucracies, the bosses groups and the state, or Francis Lalanne, who is proposing a yellow vest list for the European elections. Pollsters are already calculating whether Lalannes list might increase the influence of Macron and LRM in the European parliament. For the yellow vest demonstrators, like for the entire working class, there is nothing to negotiate with Macron or with the European Union. Rising class struggles in Europe and internationally, as well as the increasingly bitter political contradictions inside France itself, point rather to the rapid emergence and escalation of a political confrontation between radicalized workers and the reactionary Macron regime. HOUSTON, Miss. (WTVA) - A federal lawsuit filed by the family of student removed from the school band after attending a church service has been settled. The family sued the Houston School District after the student was removed from the band in 2015. They claim the band handbook did not list religious reasons for missing a practice and their daughter asked for an excused absence to attend a service. The lawsuit says the girl was emotionally distraught after being removed from the band and was shunned by other members of the band They say her removal violates religious freedom provisions. A federal judge issued an order Friday stating the lawsuit was dismissed because a settlement had been reached. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) Lawmakers say a Mississippi shipyard has been awarded a $930.8 million contract to build the 10th and 11th U.S. Coast Guard National Security Cutters. U.S. Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker and U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo, in a news release, said the U.S. Department of Homeland Security contract award to Huntington Ingalls in Pascagoula has a total potential value of $1.7 billion. Hyde-Smith says the move marks the first time two cutters have been awarded on the same contract. Wicker says the award to Huntington Ingalls is recognition of the hard work and expertise of Mississippis shipbuilders. The contract sets Jan. 20, 2023, as the expected delivery date for NSC 10, and Jan. 19, 2024, for delivery of NSC 11. NSCs are the most advanced U.S. Coast Guard cutters. Debby Ryan Gets Engaged to Boyfriend Josh Dun in New Zealand: I Said Yes! Debby Ryan Gets Engaged to Boyfriend Josh Dun: I Said Yes! Christmas came early! Debby Ryan shared the happy news that she was engaged to boyfriend Josh Dun on Saturday. Alongside a series of beautiful shots taken from the New Zealand proposal, the Insatiable star, 25, wrote, I said yes! Well technically I said NO WAY twice but I meant yes. In one of the images, Dun, drummer for the duo Twenty One Pilots, dropped down to one knee while a clearly surprised Ryan looked towards the camera with a smile on her face. In another sweet photo, Ryan had tears in her eyes as she gazed into her now-fiances eyes. Opening up about the magical moment, the 30-year-old musician wrote that he found a tree house in the woods in New Zealand and proposed to my girl. She my dude for life. I love you Debby, he added on Instagram, alongside the same images. I said yes! Well technically I said NO WAY twice but I meant yes pic.twitter.com/JyKoXAV0IJ debbyryan (@DebbyRyan) December 23, 2018 RELATED: Debby Ryan Says She & Boyfriend Josh Dun Are Each Others Biggest Fan The former Disney star went on to share that Dun didnt just surprise her with a proposal he also flew in her brother and sister-in-law to share the happy moment with them. Sharing a photo from their engagement dinner on her Instagram Story, Ryan planted a sweet kiss on Duns forehead while cuddling up with her brother and his wife. Debby Ryan and Josh Dun The festive bash also included a cake that read Congrats Jebby, as well as balloons that also spelled out their couples nickname. RELATED VIDEO: Paris Hilton Confirms Shes Keeping Her $2 Million Engagement Ring from Ex-Fiance Chris Zylka Giving her fans a closer look at her stunning diamond sparkler, Ryan shared a sweet video on Sunday as she cuddled up with Dun and their dog. My sweet lil family, she wrote alongside the sweet clip. Debby Ryan Opening up about their relationship in August 2018, Ryan told PEOPLE they are each others best friends and biggest fans. Story continues I think its really key to be with someone who respects you and likes you for who you are and honestly makes it really attractive to do things you want to me. To take up a new hobby and push yourself, she added. That same month, she told the Sydney Morning Herald that both she and Dun had evolved and grown so much since first meeting and beginning their on-off again relationship in 2013. Im in love and very happy, she gushed, adding, Its cool and special to have that support system. By Yesim Dikmen and Ali Kucukgocmen ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey began reinforcing its positions on both sides of its border with Syria on Sunday, a Reuters witness said, as Ankara and Washington agreed to coordinate a U.S. withdrawal from Syria. The heightened military activity comes two days after President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would postpone a planned military operation on Kurdish YPG militia east of the Euphrates river in northern Syria following the U.S. decision to pull out. He also said Turkey would take over the fight against Islamic State militants. The Turkish presidency said Erdogan and U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call on Sunday agreed to establish military and diplomatic coordination to prevent an authority vacuum from developing as the United States withdraws. Earlier in the day, footage from broadcaster TRT World showed some Turkish convoys entering Syria via the Turkish border town of Karkamis, which is located some 35 km (22 miles) north of the northern Syrian town of Manbij. The convoys are crossing into an area controlled by the Free Syrian Army (FSA), a Turkish ally, and are heading to the frontlines of Manbij, TRT World said. Manbij has been a major flashpoint between Ankara and Washington. In June, the NATO allies reached an agreement that would see the YPG ousted from the town but Turkey has complained the roadmap has been delayed and said Turkish forces would enter the town if the United States does not remove the Kurdish militants. The YPG has been a main U.S. ally in the fight against Islamic State. Ankara says the militia is a terrorist organization and an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency in Turkey since the 1980s. HUNDREDS OF VEHICLES A Reuters witness saw hundreds of vehicles head to the southern border province of Kilis after leaving Hatay, another border province, around 0030 GMT on Sunday, as citizens sounded their horns to celebrate. The convoy included tanks, howitzers, machine guns and buses carrying commandos, the witness said. Part of the military equipment and personnel are to be positioned in posts along the border while some had crossed into Syria via the district of Elbeyli situated some 45 km (28 miles) northwest of Manbij, Demiroren News Agency (DHA) reported. Reuters could not independently verify the reason for the reinforcements and Turkish officials were not immediately available for comment. Turkey, with support from the FSA, carried out two cross-border operations in northern Syria, dubbed "Euphrates Shield" and "Olive Branch", against the YPG and Islamic State. The military offensives were focused on areas to the west of the Euphrates and Turkey has not gone east of the river, partly to avoid direct confrontation with U.S. forces. The operations carved out de facto buffer zones, which are currently under the control of Turkey and the FSA. (Reporting by Yesim Dikmen; Additional reporting by Tulay Karadeniz; Writing by Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Richard Balmforth) ABC News The former house manager of Jeffrey Epstein's Palm Beach, Florida, estate testified on Thursday that the very first time he met Ghislaine Maxwell, in approximately 1991, she made it very clear to him that she occupied a central role in Epstein's affairs. "She right away took over," Juan Alessi told the jury on the fourth day of Maxwell's criminal trial on multiple charges of child sex trafficking. Alessi, 72, said that from about 1991 to 2002 he was responsible for overseeing Epstein's house and its staff, and that in that role he communicated with Maxwell on "a daily basis" as she passed along orders for him from Epstein. Pacific Northwest facing several rounds of rain, snow; Northeast may see White Christmas originally appeared on abcnews.go.com As the Northeast gets a break from unsettled weather -- at least for the time being -- attention turns to the Pacific Northwest. Radar and satellite imagery from Sunday morning shows that the first of several rounds of storms is already affecting the area from Northern California all the way up to Seattle. Moderate to heavy rain showers are the main concern for the lower elevations of Oregon and Washington, while snow is affecting mountainous areas. Rainfall totals are expected to range from 1 to 3 inches through Wednesday. PHOTO: Rain is moving into the Pacific Northwest on Sunday morning. (ABC News) Winter weather alerts are in effect for six states in the Pacific Northwest on Sunday. Slippery and dangerous travel is likely in these areas, especially in the mountains and mountain passes, where snow totals could exceed 1 foot. PHOTO: Rain will stretch from Northern California to Seattle, with snow inland, during the day and evening Sunday. (ABC News) The system will linger, bringing rain and snow to the region throughout the day Sunday. By Monday, a new system will approach the California coast from the west -- accompanied by more rain and snow. The center of the new system will track a bit south of its predecessor and a good portion of Northern California can expect to see decent rain and snow showers. Christmas Eve looks to be a sloppy one for the Pacific Northwest. Snow showers will linger in the Rockies on Christmas Day, but the areas west of the mountains that see rain should be dry on Tuesday. However, yet another system will approach from the west, bringing with it more rain and unsettled weather for the end of the holiday week. White Christmas for Northeast? Around 30 states from coast to coast have at least some snow cover right now. This means many will have a White Christmas. PHOTO: Snow cover stretches across the northern part of the country from coast to coast on Sunday -- days before Christmas. (ABC News) The next weather system to hit the east is taking form Sunday morning in the Great Lakes region and over the Gulf Coast. Two separate fronts in these areas will race eastward on Sunday and converge. PHOTO: Snow could be in the offing for Chirstmas Eve in the Northeast. (ABC News) By early Monday, the system will move toward the Eastern Seaboard bringing showers to the mid-Atlantic and snow to higher elevations in Pennsylvania, New York, northwestern New Jersey and New England. These spots are in the running for a White Christmas as well. Photo credit: Kellemarie Haley From Prevention No one wants to be a hypochondriac, but sometimes it's hard to differentiate symptoms of everyday, harmless conditions from those that are a lot more dangerous. And tragically, this exact mistake led to a 29-year-old woman losing her life after she was treated for IBS when, in fact, she had cancer. Sammi Fox first began noticing she had issues with her stomach, reports the UK's Chronicle Live. She went to the doctors who diagnosed her with IBS, and gave her a treatment they believed would ease her symptoms. When this didn't work, however, experts looked further into Fox's health and suggested the pain might actually have been arising due to gallstones. But when she went for a scan in September this year, doctors discovered a tumor on her ovaries. The cancer, it turned out, had started in her bowel and had since spread to the ovaries. Earlier this month Fox, from North Shields in England, was offered a full hysterectomy, but upon closer inspection the consultant saw the cancer was more aggressive than first thought, and she was given just weeks to live. On a Just Giving page to raise money for the care of her young sons, Fox's friend posted a Facebook status she had written prior to her death: "As of today I've been given literally DAYS to spend with my beautiful friends and family! I'm going to miss every single beautiful person I've met in my life ... there's some absolutely awesome people in my life and I love you truly. "The point of this status is for young woman such as myself not to be fobbed off by doctors, etc., who originally tried to tell me I had IBS." Explaining that she had originally gone to the doctor about her stomach problems more than eight months ago, Fox wrote that she believed "my age discriminated against me." "To every young person out there, please push to be checked if needed, don't let this happen to you ... I am only 29," she added. Story continues Tragically, Fox's consultant was correct in his prognosis and she passed away earlier this week. She died in the early hours of Wednesday morning, surrounded by close family, reports Chronicle Live. "It has all been very quick but she went very peacefully," her sister Kelle told the newspaper. "Anyone who knows Sam knew how bright and bubbly she was. We will ask people at her funeral to wear bright colours." ('You Might Also Like',) Climate scientists warn that 2019 may be the warmest year on record largely as the result of a possible El Nino event exacerbated by man-made global warming. There is a 90 percent chance that El Nino will form and continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter of 2018-19 and a 60 percent chance that it will continue into the spring of 2019, according to the Climate Prediction Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). El Nino is a part of a routine climate pattern that occurs when sea-surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean rise to above-normal levels for an extended period of time. It can last anywhere from 4 to 16 months and it typically has a warming influence on the global temperature. The opposite of El Nino, La Ni n a, is when sea-surface temperatures in the central Pacific drop to lower-than-normal levels. These warm and cool phases are part of a recurring climate pattern that occurs across this section of the Pacific, known as the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). global warming This is a Monday, Dec. 8, 2014 file photo of birds as they fly past at sun set as smoke emits from a chimney at a factory in Ahmadabad, India. Temperatures have risen almost 1 degree C (1.8 F) since humans started burning fossil fuels - the biggest source of greenhouse gases - on an industrial scale in the 19th century. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki, File) The strong El Nino of late 2015 to early 2016 helped boost global temperatures to their warmest on record in 2016, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson. "However, if there was no El Nino during that period, I still suspect that 2016 would have still ranked as the second warmest year on record globally due to the steady increase in greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which trap heat closer to the surface," Anderson said. So far, 2018 is on pace to likely be the third warmest year on record, behind 2016 and 2017. Story continues "What's interesting is that 2018 started out under La Nina conditions, which usually has a cooling influence on global temperatures, but it was not nearly enough to cancel out the warming from the release of man-made greenhouse gases," Anderson said. However, since late April 2018, sea-surface temperatures across much of the east-central tropical Pacific returned to neutral levels following the La Nina of 2017-18, meaning neither La Nina or El Nino present. "Looking back at the data, years with moderate to strong El Nino's continue to trend warmer. If this upcoming El Nino reaches at least moderate strength and persists at least 9 months, then I think that 2019 can end up in the top two warmest on record globally," Anderson said. The global temperature impacts of El Nino are sometimes delayed. Therefore, 2020 may end up warmer than 2019 even though this upcoming El Nino may be well over by that time. Global ocean water temperatures in October 2018 ranked as the second warmest on record for October. Oceans can store a lot of heat, thus the world's oceans may remain near or at record warmth through 2019, which will further add to the warming influence of the global air temperature. It is certainly possible that 2019 may be the warmest year on record, Anderson said. "I am not ready to say it will be the warmest on record yet. Though I am fairly confident that it will at least rank in the top three regardless of the strength of the El Nino," Anderson said. "Ask me again in March." global warming heat 2016 In this May 23, 2016, file photo, a man bath his son on a hot afternoon in a slum in Mumbai, India. For the third straight year, Earth set a record for the hottest year, NOAA and NASA announced. NASA says 2016 was warmer than 2015 - by a lot. It's mostly global warming with a little assist from the now-gone El Nino. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool, File) The impacts of El Nino have been more severe in recent years due to global warming, and these impacts may be worse as temperatures continue to rise, according to a recent study in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, published on Aug. 22. Emerging research suggests that the typical atmospheric responses to La Nina and El Nino are changing and that the expected weather in the United States may not follow the traditional ENSO pattern. The AccuWeather Long-Range Team closely follows the on-going research linking climate change to the long-term trends in ENSO patterns, according to AccuWeather Long-Range Meteorologist Max Vido. "When creating our seasonal forecasts for the U.S., we take into account the long-term climate trends when predicting temperature and precipitation anomalies compared to the 30-year normal (1981-2010)," Vido said. The team has become increasingly vigilant of how the global weather pattern during more recent El Nino and La Nina events can differ from the traditional expected patterns. "So, instead of assuming a certain ENSO phase will lead to a particular seasonal weather pattern to areas of the U.S., we acknowledge how the once traditional impacts could be different. This is all factored into our seasonal forecasts," Vido said. global temperature 1880- present (Data source: NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS). Credit: NASA/GISS) As of November 2018, El Nino has not officially begun and questions remain about the strength and longevity of this El Nino. The years 2014, 2015 2016 and 2017 all rank in the top four warmest years on record globally, ocean and land combined, with data going back to 1880, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). "It's not hard to see that with the potential added boost from another El Nino that 2019, or even 2020, is a pretty good bet to take out some of those years from the top four list," Anderson said. Seventeen of the 18 warmest years in the 136-year record all have occurred since 2001, with the exception of 1998, which was a strong El Nino year, according to Anderson. Research shows that the warming climate will have a profound affect on extreme weather events, such as heat waves, wildfires, droughts, flooding and violent storms. The U.S. government released a report in November 2018 that highlights these impacts. The report examines the effects that climate change will have on health, local communities, the economy and infrastructure. 2018 was another big year for ride-sharing services as they continued to disrupt the broader mobility market. It's been little more than five years since passengers began hailing cars through smartphone apps, but services like Uber and Lyft are now mainstream, challenging traditional taxi operations and even surpassing them in a number of cities, including New York, the biggest ride-hailing market in the U.S. Beyond taxis, ride-sharing services have also presented challenges to rental car companies like Hertz and Avis, and even threatened to disrupt traditional car ownership in cities since hailing a ride wherever you are has never been easier or more convenient. The so-called driverless car revolution would only hasten the transition to ride-sharing by making the service cheaper, eliminating the need and cost for a driver. Below are the four most popular ride-sharing services this year in the U.S. A passenger gets into an Uber. Image source: Uber. 1. Uber It should come as little surprise that Uber topped the list again this year. No other ride-hailing service has been more aggressive in its expansion and its tactics than Uber, and while some of its moves have damaged the brand and even cost founder Travis Kalanick his job last year, the strategy succeeded in making the service dominant in the U.S. and a major player in Europe and elsewhere in the world. According to data from research firm Second Measure, Uber had a 69.6% share of the domestic ride-sharing market as of November of this year, though it has been gradually losing share to rivals like Lyft. At the end of 2017, Uber had a 71% market share. The company is most dominant in the Houston, Miami, and Boston markets and has leveraged its position in ride-hailing into other businesses; its restaurant delivery services UberEats has topped Grubhub in several markets. It's also invested in dockless scooter company Lime and acquired dockless bike-sharing service Jump, seeking to gain another piece of the disruptive mobility market. Story continues Although Uber is still losing billions of dollars a year, the company is prepping for an initial public offering (IPO) next year, seeking a valuation of as much as $120 billion. 2. Lyft Lyft has been a thorn in Uber's side throughout the brief history of ride-sharing as the two have formed what's essentially a duopoly in the industry, keeping prices low for consumers but preventing either company from turning a profit. According to Second Measure, Lyft now has a 28.1% market share, improving from 26% at the beginning of the year. Lyft's market share surged in early 2017 thanks to a backlash against Uber that stemmed from its perceived role in breaking a taxi strike at JFK airport and other misdeeds, including the alleged fostering of a culture of sexual harassment (which has since been addressed through new leadership). At the beginning of 2017, Lyft's market share was just 15%, nearly doubling from the beginning of that year. Lyft is strongest on the West Coast as a more liberal customer base seems to be attracted to what many see as the friendlier brand of the two. Both Lyft and Uber are headquartered in San Francisco, meaning Lyft doesn't necessarily have a home-field advantage on the West Coast. It's most popular in Seattle, San Francisco, and Austin --notably, it commands 43% of the market in Seattle, closely challenging Uber. Like its larger rival, Lyft is also readying for an IPO next year, eyeing a valuation of $15 billion. 3. Via With the exception of New York City, Uber and Lyft control essentially the entire U.S. ride-sharing market as their mindshare is much stronger than that of potential rivals, and demand is considerably lower than it is in New York. In fact, New York makes up nearly a quarter of the national ride-share market, despite having less than 3% of the U.S. population, and in that city, other ride-hailing companies have been able to compete with Uber and Lyft. One such company is Via. Operating in Chicago and Washington, D.C., as well as New York, Via is more of a carpool service than Uber or Lyft as it offers pooled rides to an adjacent corner to your destination and picks you up at a nearby corner, making rides faster and cheaper. Uber and Lyft both offer their own pools, known as UberPool and Lyft Line, respectively, and Uber has a similar service called UberExpress that takes you near your destination. However, the two ride-sharing leaders primarily rely on private rides for their revenue. Via says it has completed more than 30 million rides to date, and it has 1 million members. In New York, Via handles about 1 million rides monthly, while Uber is closer to 10 million rides a month. 4. Juno Close behind Via is Juno, which was acquired by Israel-based ride-hailing company Gett in 2017 for $200 million. Juno has retained its identity as a standalone app and remains a popular option in New York. Juno has branded itself as something of anti-Uber, saying that it charges its drivers lower commissions than rivals like Uber, which has struggled at times with driver protests and backlashes. Juno says it charges drivers commissions that are 30% to 40% lower than other ride-share services, hoping that will curry favor with consumers concerned about low wages in the industry. Juno also offered a profit-sharing program for drivers -- a reminder that these companies compete for drivers just as intensely as riders -- but ended it shortly after the company was acquired by Gett. Like Via, Juno does about 1 million rides a month in New York. 2019 is shaping up to be another exciting year in the ride-sharing industry. Not only are Uber and Lyft preparing to hit the public markets, but traditional automakers are also angling to break into the ride-share game. General Motors is preparing to launch its own autonomous ride-hailing service in New York next year, and Ford is working on its own as well, though that's not expected to be ready until 2021. If autonomous vehicle technology continues to move forward, 2019 could be just the beginning of ride-sharing's takeover of the mobility market, and Uber and Lyft's IPOs should only fuel its expansion. More From The Motley Fool Jeremy Bowman owns shares of General Motors. The Motley Fool recommends Ford. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump's relationship with the Republican Party, always a marriage of convenience, is showing signs of serious strain. The president threatened his bond with virtually every GOP constituency this past week. His move to withdraw troops from Syria led to the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and left Washington's Republican foreign policy establishment aghast, drawing unusual criticism from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., normally a Trump ally. Trump's initial openness to a government funding bill that didn't include money for his much-heralded border wall with Mexico infuriated conservatives, including the talk radio and cable television personalities who often shower the president with praise. By pushing the government into a partial shutdown with no clear strategy out, Trump frustrated the rest of his party, which was hoping for a holiday break from Trump-driven dramas. The divergent plotlines had a common theme: Trump's rejection of his party's counsel as he looks once again to rely on his own instincts to guide his political future. The whirlwind week seemed to foreshadow what probably will be a rocky two years ahead as Trump, a businessman-turned-politician, gears up for re-election by putting his political interests ahead of those of his adoptive party. Trump is ending the year with his political vulnerabilities exposed, unwilling or unable to forge consensus and catering to a narrow base that he hopes will recreate his improbable 2016 election victory. "This is tyranny of talk radio hosts," said retiring Sen. Bob Corker, a Tennessee Republican and frequent Trump critic who skipped a White House meeting Friday on the spending impasse. "You have two talk radio hosts who completely flipped a president." In an attempt to shift blame for the shutdown, the outsider president who ran on a slogan of "drain the swamp" embraced the tactic employed of so many of his predecessors: positioning himself in contrast to the far-less-favorably viewed Congress. He vented publicly and privately at lawmakers for failing to get him the border wall money even as they noted he barely registered an opinion on the legislation until the 11th hour. Story continues "I think he had thought he would be able to accept this," said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D. "But I think once he saw the reaction from the base, it strengthened his resolve to move forward. Unfortunately that puts us in this position we've got right now." Trump's decision to withdrawal American forces from Syria and his contemplated drawdown in Afghanistan should hardly come as a surprise to Republicans who saw him promise those moves during the campaign. Still, that doesn't lessen the sting. Trump's isolationist foreign policy broke with decades of mainstream GOP thinking, and the departure of Mattis and a U.S. envoy to the global coalition fighting the Islamic State proved that Trump's instincts are now the guiding ideology of his administration. Though some in the GOP can barely contain their anger with the president, Republicans are hardly defecting from Trump, who is still wildly popular with primary voters. To that point, Republicans in the House rallied Thursday to pass a bill that included money for the border wall. Amid persistent speculation that another Republican may try to challenge Trump in 2020, the party is considering ways to protect him. Some Republicans in New Hampshire, for example, pressed for a rules change that would drop the state party's traditional neutrality in primaries. GOP leaders in South Carolina have debated scrapping their primary altogether, which would deny a challenger the chance to collect early delegates who would otherwise go to Trump. The president is taking a gamble with his go-it-alone approach. He risks damaging relationships with Republicans in Congress days before Democrats are set to regain control of the House and are poised to pursue multiple investigations into Trump's personal and professional conduct. Trump's ties with GOP lawmakers will be especially important if Democrats pursue impeachment. Perhaps more importantly, it's not clear his moves will resonate with voters, especially the suburban women who turned out in droves in the November midterm elections to back Democrats. A Quinnipiac University poll this month found that 62 percent of registered voters overall said they were opposed to shutting down the government over differences on funding the border wall, though 59 percent of Republicans said they were in favor. According to AP VoteCast, a nationwide survey of more than 115,000 midterm voters conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago, more midterm voters opposed building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border than favored it, 53 percent to 47 percent. Overall, 82 percent of Republican voters expressed support for the wall, while nearly as many Democrats, 86 percent, said they were opposed. Also, nearly 6 in 10 independents (59 percent) also expressed opposition. __ Associated Press writers Alan Fram and Jill Colvin contributed to this report. ___ EDITOR'S NOTE Associated Press writer Zeke Miller has covered the White House for the AP since 2017. Follow him at http://twitter.com/zekejmiller An AP News Analysis Azaz (Syria) (AFP) - Residents and fighters in territory held by pro-Turkish rebels in northern Syria cautiously welcomed Washington's decision to pull out troops, viewing it as a chance to push further into Kurdish territory. "The withdrawal is positive", said Mustafa Hamush, a resident of Azaz, a city at the heart of a Turkish zone of influence in Syria's bewilderingly complex civil war. "When the US withdraws its forces, the Kurdish authorities will automatically be weakened," said the 20-year-old fashion designer, adding that Turkey and its Syrian rebel allies could seize Kurdish-held regions east of the Euphrates River. Even before US President Donald Trump shocked allies by announcing the pullout on Wednesday, Turkey had already upped its threats of a new offensive against Syria's Kurds. Early this year, Ankara dislodged the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from Afrin, seizing a key stronghold in a US-backed federation that accounts for around 30 percent of Syria's territory. Washington and other powers in an anti-jihadist coalition have supported the Kurds as a bulwark against the Islamic State group -- another protagonist in Syria's multi-fronted conflict. For pharmacist Omar Kazila, also 20, territory under Ankara's control will increase significantly "if Turkey seizes these regions and replaces the American forces". - IS to fill void? - Not everyone in the Turkish-backed rebel zone sees the US withdrawal as an unadulterated positive. Some residents believe the void left by the planned US departure could see Syria's military reclaim yet more ground, rather than the Turks extending their own sphere of influence. Kurdish authorities could mend fences with Damascus, joining forces to better protect themselves against a possible offensive by Ankara, with the Kurds maintaining a degree of autonomy. The Syrian regime has regained significant ground since Russia intervened on its side in 2015. Opposition groups -- including Turkish-backed forces and a former branch of Al-Qaeda -- now control less than 10 percent of the country's territory. Story continues For Ahmad Faruh, a resident of Azaz, the American withdrawal risks being exploited by IS, allowing it to stage a comeback in Syria. The extremist group has seen its territory shrink to a few pockets, its once vast self-declared "caliphate" squeezed by separate offensives by the Washington-backed Kurds and Syria's Moscow-aligned regime. "The US withdrawal and the absence of coalition planes could reinforce IS and (enable it) to control new regions," the 20-year-old student cautioned. On the frontline, these fears of a jihadist resurgence are shared by some Turkish-backed fighters. But the forces on the ground are up to the challenge, asserted Mahmud Abu Abdullah, a fighter with rebel group Al-Jabha al-Shamiya. He said the Ankara-backed rebel factions in Syria are ready to take the fight to IS again, as they did in a major Turkish-sponsored operation in 2016 in Jarablus and Al-Bab. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed this week to eliminate both IS and Kurdish militias in northern Syria, on Friday saying an offensive would start in the coming months. Sporadic clashes have erupted on frontlines separating the Turkish-backed rebels and the SDF north of Aleppo. On Saturday, an AFP correspondent saw a cloud of smoke rising near the village of Kaljabrin after an exchange of fire between the two camps. For Raad Najjar, another Al-Jabha al-Shamiya fighter, "the US withdrawal will be in our favour because we wanted to lead an operation against the Kurds, but we couldn't do it" while American troops were present. His brother in arms, 24-year-old Ibrahim Nehme, agreed. Hopefully "the factions will wage a war against Minbej, Raqa and all the regions" currently under the control of Kurdish forces. Sydney (AFP) - Australia will introduce new surveillance technology for a "crackdown" on drones next year, aviation authorities said Monday, as concerns mount over their increasing prevalence in public areas. Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) plans to roll out new monitoring equipment at major airports across the country next month. The technology has the ability to identify a drone, its serial number and the location of the controller while in flight, CASA communications manager Peter Gibson told AFP. "We can identify therefore who is flying it," he said. The technology, coupled with new registration requirements, will "dramatically" change the way rules relating to drones are enforced, Gibson added. "2019 will be a drone safety crackdown," he said. While the new equipment has been in planning for some time, the incident last week at Londons Gatwick airport -- which saw nearly 140,000 passengers affected by three days of disruption after reports of drone sightings -- "highlights the importance of having this capability", Gibson said. Officials will also roll out a drone registration scheme in mid-2019, so that authorities can better track who is flying them and advise of proper safety precautions. The new mobile tracking technology will be used in "known drone hotspots" like the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which has seen a concerning rise of drones operating in a restricted area, Gibson said. Authorities will have greater powers to conduct safety checks, he said, and increased ability to issue fines of up to Aud$10,000 (USD$7,000) for those in breach of the rules. "In 2019 it could be very expensive doing the wrong thing with your drone," Gibson said. By Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - China accused Britain and the European Union of hypocrisy on Monday for expressing concern about China's detention of two Canadian citizens, saying they had double standards for not mentioning a senior Chinese executive arrested in Canada. Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Saturday Canada will maintain a high-level campaign in the coming days to seek support from allies as it pressures China to free the two detained Canadians, who China says are suspected of endangering state security. Freeland spoke a day after the United States joined Canada in calling on Beijing to release the pair, who were held after Canadian authorities arrested a senior Chinese executive on a U.S. extradition warrant. Britain and the European Union have also expressed support for Canada. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Beijing expressed "strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition" to comments by Canada, the United States and others on the detained Canadians. The two, Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat and an adviser with the International Crisis Group (ICG) think-tank, and businessman Michael Spavor, are suspected of endangering state security so they are "of course" being detained, Hua said. "We urge relevant countries to earnestly respect China's judicial sovereignty," she told a daily news briefing, reiterating their lawful rights have been guaranteed. The support of Britain and the European Union was "strange", Hua added. "What's this got to do with Britain and the EU? When the Canadians illegally detained a senior executive at a Chinese company at the request of the United States, where were they?" she said. "Their so-called human rights have different standards for different countries' citizens," Hua added. Kovrig is also a Hungarian and therefore an EU citizen, sources told Reuters last week. The two were detained after Canadian police arrested Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's [HWT.UL] chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, on Dec 1. China again urges Canada to release Meng and the United States to withdraw its arrest warrant, Hua said. While Meng has had full access to lawyers and is able to see family, Kovrig is being denied legal representation, is not allowed to see family, and is limited to one consular visit a month, sources familiar with the situation say. No details have been revealed about Spavor's detention. Canadian diplomats have seen both men at least once since they were detained. Canada arrested Meng at the request of the United States, which is engaged in a trade war with China. Meng faces extradition to the United States to face fraud charges which carry a maximum sentence of 30 years jail for each charge. China has given only vague details of why they have detained the two Canadians, and has not drawn a direct link to Meng's arrest. Influential state-backed Chinese tabloid the Global Times said in a Monday editorial that Canada would "pay for its bad behavior". "Canada's attempts to resolve a conflict with China by roping in its allies will never work," it said. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; editing by Darren Schuettler) N'DJAMENA, Dec 23 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday he deeply regretted U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. In an abrupt policy shift, Trump announced on Wednesday that Washington would withdraw the roughly 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria, upending a pillar of American policy in the Middle East and alarming U.S. allies. "I very deeply regret the decision made on Syria," Macron said during a news conference in Chad. "To be allies is to fight shoulder to shoulder. It's the most important thing for a head of state and head of the military," he said. "An ally should be dependable." Macron stressed the importance of the work of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which has captured large parts of northern and eastern Syria from Islamic State. "I call on everyone ... not to forget what we owe them," he said. U.S. officials justified the decision by saying Islamic State had been defeated. (Reporting by Madjiasra Nako; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Alison Williams) Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli soldiers fired toward "armed suspects" who crossed the ceasefire line with Syria in the annexed Golan Heights, the army said Monday. The army said in a statement the incident occurred late Sunday near the border fence, but provided few other details. No Israeli soldiers were injured. It was not clear who the suspects were, why they had infiltrated or whether any were wounded. Israel seized much of the Golan Heights from Syria in a 1967 war and later annexed it in moves never recognised by the international community. The two countries are still technically at war. Monrovia (AFP) - Journalists in Liberia sounded the alarm on press freedom on Monday after two ministers mounted an attack on a paper that ran an article about alleged top-level corruption. In a statement, the Press Union of Liberia said it was concerned about "reinforced hostilities" against the media "from within the power (circle)" of President George Weah. At the weekend, Finance Minister Samuel Toweh, a close ally of the president, lashed out after the daily FrontPage Africa ran a story implying government corruption lay behind settlement of a $182,000 (159,500 euros) debt to a building company. The paper found that the company that was owed the money had ceased to exist in 2003. "Well weaponize... the case to go and deal with mistruths and falsehoods in the media," Toweh said. The minister of state for presidential affairs, Nathaniel McGill, hit out at the paper's editor. "I think Rodney Sieh, the press and the FrontPage Africa is a criminal entity bent on tarnishing the good reputation of people," he said. "Rodney Sieh will go to jail because I will not allow people to tarnish my reputation." The journalists' association called on Weah to fulfil his promise, in the run-up to his election this year, to uphold freedom of the press. It also urged Weah "to advise his assistants to end their inflammatory comments and actions against the media." "These negative energies undercut the countrys democratic gains," it said. Former Pakistani leader Nawaz Sharif was sentenced to seven years in prison for corruption Monday, state media reported, the latest conviction in a series of allegations which saw him ousted from power last year. Sharif, a three-time prime minister, has denied all the charges against him and claims he is being targeted by the country's powerful security establishment. Monday's conviction, centred on family businesses in the Middle East, is his second stemming from a corruption investigation spurred by the Panama Papers leak, and comes as new Prime Minister Imran Khan has vowed to tackle endemic graft in Pakistan. He was taken into custody and will be sent to a prison in Lahore, and was also fined 1.5 billion rupees ($10.8 million), according to state-run Pakistan Television. Security was tight at the court, with some scuffles breaking out between Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supporters and security forces, who responded with tear gas. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who succeeded Sharif as prime minister last year, said the PML-N would appeal the verdict but would "not resort to violence". "The people of Pakistan and history will not accept this decision," he told reporters in Islamabad. The Supreme Court disqualified Sharif from politics for life over the allegations last year, and directed an anti-corruption body to investigate three different charges regarding his family's properties and businesses. The months-long saga has seen him appear before accountability courts 165 times since September 2017, according to the English-language Dawn newspaper. In July this year, he was convicted in one case revolving around family properties in London, and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was in London at the time as his wife received cancer treatment, but returned to Pakistan days ahead of the election, only to be arrested and imprisoned on arrival. He was released in September after a court suspended his sentence pending an appeal hearing. Story continues He was acquitted on the third charge, relating to business in Britain. Sharif has been prime minister three times but power has been a rough ride. He was first expelled from office in 1993 on suspicion of corruption. He won an election in 1997, only to be ousted and exiled after a military coup in 1999. He returned to Pakistan in 2007 and took power once more in 2013 until his ousting last year. Tehran (AFP) - Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, a grand ayatollah who headed Iran's judiciary during fierce crackdowns on dissidents, journalists and activists, died on Monday at the age of 70 according to the state news agency IRNA. Shahroudi was a student of Iran's revolutionary founder Ruhollah Khomeini who went on to hold some of the most powerful positions in the Islamic republic. At the time of his death he was head of the Expediency Council and a member of the 12-man Guardian Council -- two key institutions in shaping legislation and vetting election candidates. He was also deputy head of the Assembly of Experts which has the power to choose the successor to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei -- a position to which Shahroudi himself was occasionally linked. Shahroudi had not been seen in public for several months, and there were reports last year that he underwent surgery for an unspecified cancer in Germany. A German lawmaker filed a complaint against Shahroudi during his stay, calling for him to be charged for crimes against humanity, but a judge found no grounds to hold him. Shahroudi headed the judiciary between 1999 and 2009 -- a period that saw hundreds of executions and a concerted crackdown on activists, dissidents and the reformist media. His tenure concluded with the mass protests over allegations of rigging in the 2009 presidential election, which led to thousands being arrested and allegations of severe prisoner abuse. Some measures nonetheless marked him as a relative moderate within the judiciary, particularly his moratorium on stoning as a method of execution which other clerics saw as sanctioned under sharia law. But the prosecution in 2001 of reformist lawmakers -- despite their parliamentary immunity -- was heavily criticised by the government of the time. Shahroudi was born in Najaf in Iraq on August 18, 1948, and met Khomeini when the latter was exiled to Iraq in the 1960s. He fled to Kuwait and then Iran after Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein cracked down on Shiite clerics in the wake of the 1979 Iranian revolution, the conservative Tasnim news agency said in its obituary. Lome (AFP) - Togo President Faure Gnassingbe's party won most seats in parliamentary elections, according to provisional results on Monday, in polls overshadowed by pre-ballot clashes and an opposition boycott. But the party will need support from other legislators to secure a fourth-fifths majority for constitutional change giving Gnassingbe the chance of staying in power beyond 2020. His Union for the Republic (UNIR) won 59 of the 91 National Assembly seats in the December 20 legislative polls, the provisional results said. The closely-watched election in the small West African state saw the 14-party opposition coalition, C-14, refuse to take part, condemning the playing field as skewed. "The coalition and the people have rejected any notion of elections in the prevailing conditions," Nathaniel Olympio, head of the Party of the Togolese, told AFP. "The results don't correspond to the wishes of the Togolese who didn't take part," he added. "The struggle continues and will get even tougher after these elections." The provisional figures will now head to the Constitutional Court, which will have a week to proclaim definitive results after discussing any challenges. The vote went ahead last Thursday after a year of political upheaval which saw demonstrators demanding Gnassingbe step down during dozens of marches, sometimes with a large turnout. - Backdrop of bloodshed - Gnassingbe has been in power since 2005 after succeeding his father, General Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled the country with an iron fist for 38 years. Earlier this month, at least four people were killed when opposition supporters and security forces clashed in the capital Lome and several other cities. The opposition put the figure at six dead. UNIR previously held 62 seats and had hoped to secure 73, the threshold for passing laws unchallenged, including changes to the constitution paving the way for Gnassingbe to run for office in 2020 and 2025. Story continues The ruling party's 59 seats were thus below its target but it will be supported by its main ally, the Union of Change Forces (UFC) of former opposition leader Gilchrist Olympio, who has six MPs. Other independent MPs can also lend support. A total of 850 candidates for 12 political parties, plus independents, took part in the election. The official turnout was about 60 percent of registered voters. Before the vote, opposition parties had called for an overhaul of the electoral commission, more transparency and constitutional reforms to limit the number of presidential terms. Observers from the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said the election had been held properly. From the Nigerian capital Abuja, regional leaders on Saturday commended the "free and transparent" nature of the vote, which corresponded with their roadmap to end crisis in Togo. But they added they "strongly regretted" the opposition's boycott, which took place "in spite of the considerable efforts made by facilitators to promote inclusive elections." ECOWAS, through mediators Ghana and Guinea, had pushed for elections to be held by the year's end. But the recommendation was dismissed by the opposition as rushed, failing in particular to address flaws in the electoral commission. "ECOWAS made a mistake of not appreciating the socio-political situation in Togo and prescribed elections instead of reforms," said Raphael Kpande-Adzare, spokesman for the FCTD, an umbrella organisation of civil society groups. Kabul (AFP) - The top US commander in Afghanistan has not received orders to pull forces out of the war-torn country, NATO confirmed Monday, days after President Donald Trump's plan to withdraw 7,000 troops leaked to the media. General Scott Miller's remarks on Sunday capped a tumultuous few days for Afghanistan as foreign diplomats and Afghan officials digested the possibility of the United States exiting the 17-year war it started and is now leading efforts to end. An American official told AFP late last week that Trump had decided to pull out "roughly half" of the 14,000 US forces in the country, but the White House has so far not confirmed the widely-publicised move. "I have no orders, so nothing has changed," said Miller, who is also the top NATO commander in Afghanistan, during a meeting with the governor of the eastern province of Nangarhar, according to Tolo News. The remarks were confirmed by NATO's Resolute Support mission in Kabul. "But if I do get orders, I think it is important for you to know that we are still with the security forces. Even if I have to get a little bit smaller, we will be okay," Miller continued. US troops make up the bulk of the Resolute Support mission to train and advise local forces fighting the Taliban and the Islamic State group. Others are part of a US-led counter-terrorism mission. While there has been no official announcement of a US drawdown, the mere suggestion of the United States reducing its military presence has rattled the Afghan capital. Trump's decision apparently came Tuesday as US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad met with the Taliban in Abu Dhabi, part of efforts to bring the militants to the negotiating table with Kabul. The Taliban has not issued a formal statement on Trump's plan, but a senior commander told AFP the group was "more than happy". There are fears the hasty move could undermine Khalilzad's negotiating position, embolden the Taliban, and further erode morale among Afghan forces, which are suffering record losses. Story continues Many Afghans are worried that President Ashraf Ghani's fragile unity government would collapse if US troops pulled out, enabling the Taliban to return to power and potentially sparking another bloody civil war. A day after Miller's remarks, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi arrived in Kabul for the start of a four-nation tour to discuss, among other things, peace efforts in Afghanistan. Qureshi, who had hailed Trump's decision to slash troop numbers in Afghanistan as "a step forward" in the peace effort, will also visit Iran, China and Russia. burs-amj/st/rma Washington (AFP) - The US military has confirmed that the order to withdraw American troops from Syria had been signed, after President Donald Trump held talks with his Turkish counterpart to negotiate a pullout that has stunned Washignton's allies. Trump announced Wednesday that the roughly 2,000 US troops would leave civil war-racked Syria, where they have been deployed to assist in a multinational fight against the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group. "The execute order for Syria has been signed," a US military spokesperson told AFP on Sunday in response to a query, without providing further details. Turkey was a rare ally that lauded Trump's decision on Syria, a country where it will now have a freer rein to target Kurdish fighters who were armed and trained by the US and played a major role in the war against IS but are deemed terrorists by Ankara. - 'We've won' - Trump and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by telephone on Sunday and "agreed to ensure coordination between their countries' military, diplomatic and other officials to avoid a power vacuum which could result following any abuse of the withdrawal and transition phase in Syria," the Turkish presidency said in a statement. Trump tweeted that he and Erdogan "discussed (IS), our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of U.S. troops from the area." White House aides cited by The Washington Post said Trump's advisors have persuaded him to withdraw the troops more slowly than he would like in order not to jeopardize their safety. A withdrawal could have extraordinary geopolitical implications, and it runs counter to long-established US policy for the region. Thousands of IS jihadists are thought to remain in Syria, but Trump on Wednesday declared that "we've won against ISIS," using another acronym for the extremists. Late Sunday he tweeted that Erdogan had assured him that any IS fighters remaining will be eliminated. Story continues "President @RT_Erdogan of Turkey has very strongly informed me that he will eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in Syria," Trump said in a Tweet. - An already devastated region - Repeating a pattern of admiring comments towards global strongmen, Trump added that Erdogan "is a man who can do it." The US president concluded: "Our troops are coming home!" US politicians -- including those from his own Republican party -- and international allies fear the withdrawal is premature and would further destabilize the already devastated region. A US pullout, said Mutlu Civiroglu, a Kurdish affairs analyst, will open the way "for Turkey to start its operations against the Kurds, and a bloody war will begin." French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said he "deeply regretted" Trump's decision, and that "an ally must be reliable." Israel has been careful to point out that it respects the US decision, but analysts say that beneath those public pronouncements are concerns over whether its main enemy Iran will have a freer hand. US troops will leave under the auspices of a new Pentagon chief set to start next month, after Jim Mattis resigned from the post citing major differences, including on Syria, with the often-impulsive Trump. Several US politicians from both parties rejected Trump's claim that IS had been defeated. The decision also caused alarm and dismay in the US military over the prospect of suddenly abandoning Washington's Kurdish partners. - Turmoil - Trump's sudden decision sparked turmoil within his administration, prompting the resignation of Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition, as well as Mattis. Plans for the troop pullout will now be overseen by Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan, who Trump on Sunday said would replace Mattis starting January 1. Mattis, 68, had said he would leave at the end of February to allow a smooth transition for the next chief of the US military -- but a reportedly angry Trump accelerated his departure by two months. "And now Trump gets rid of SecDef Mattis almost immediately. No smooth transition. No effort at reassurance to allies. Just vindictive," Carl Bildt, a former Swedish prime minister and now co-chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations, said on Twitter. According to US media, Trump voiced resentment over news coverage of Mattis' stinging resignation letter that laid bare his fundamental disagreements with the president. Days later, special envoy McGurk made a similar move, saying he could not support Trump's Syria decision that "left our coalition partners confused and our fighting partners bewildered." Unlike Mattis, Shanahan has never served in the military and has spent most of his career in the private sector, including with aircraft giant Boeing. Until Trump finds a permanent Pentagon chief, Shanahan will lead plans for US troops to leave Syria along with a significant drawdown in Afghanistan, both of which critics worry will leave war-torn regions at risk of continued and potentially heightened bloodshed. By Ece Toksabay and Dahlia Nehme ISTANBUL/BEIRUT (Reuters) - Turkey will take over the fight against Islamic State militants in Syria as the United States withdraws its troops, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday, in the latest upheaval wrought by Washington's abrupt policy shift. The surprise announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump this week that he would withdraw roughly 2,000 troops has felled a pillar of American policy in the Middle East. Critics say Trump's decision will make it harder to find a diplomatic solution to Syria's seven-year-old conflict. For Turkey, the step removes a source of friction with the United States. Erdogan has long castigated his NATO ally over its support for Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters against Islamic State. Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist group and an offshoot of the armed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), fighting for Kurdish autonomy across the border on Turkish soil. In a speech in Istanbul, Erdogan said Turkey would mobilize to fight remaining Islamic State forces in Syria and temporarily delay plans to attack Kurdish fighters in the northeast of Syria - shifts both precipitated by the American decision to withdraw. The news was less welcome for other U.S. allies. Both France and Germany warned that the U.S. change of course risked damaging the campaign against Islamic State, the jihadists who seized big swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014-15 but have now been beaten back to a sliver of Syrian territory. Likewise, the U.S.-backed militia spearheaded by the YPG said a Turkish attack would force it to divert fighters from the battle against Islamic State to protect its territory. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said American troops may continue to operate against Islamic State in Syria. The Pentagon is considering using Special Operation teams based in Iraq to target militants in Syria, the official said. The official emphasized that using special operators on the ground was one of many options being considered, was still in the planning stages and that no final decision had been made. Islamic State launched an attack on Friday in Syria's southeast against the U.S.-backed SDF militia, employing car bombs and dozens of militants. "We will be working on our operational plans to eliminate ISIS (Islamic State) elements, which are said to remain intact in Syria, in line with our conversation with President Trump," Erdogan said. The Turkish president had announced plans last week to start an operation east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria to oust the YPG from the area that it largely controls. This week, he said the campaign could come at any moment. But on Friday, he cited the talk with Trump as a reason to wait. "Our phone call with President Trump, along with contacts between our diplomats and security officials and statements by the United States, have led us to wait a little longer," he said. "We have postponed our military operation against the east of the Euphrates river until we see on the ground the result of America's decision to withdraw from Syria." Erdogan said, however, that this was not an "open-ended waiting period" and that, due to past "negative experiences", Ankara welcomed the United States' statements with an equal amount of pleasure and caution. Turkey has repeatedly voiced frustration over what it says is the slow implementation of a deal with Washington to pull YPG fighters out of Manbij, a town in mainly Arab territory west of the Euphrates in northern Syria. The United States will probably end its air campaign against IS in Syria when it pulls out troops, U.S. officials have said. Erdogan's foreign minister said the withdrawal plan would be discussed by the two countries in Washington in January. 'TIME FOR OTHERS TO FIGHT' Trump maintained that IS had been wiped out, a view not shared by key allies, that Washington had been doing the work of other countries and it was "time for others to finally fight". His defense secretary, Jim Mattis, opposed the decision and abruptly announced on Thursday he was resigning after meeting with the president. In a candid letter to Trump, the retired Marine general emphasized the importance of "showing respect" to allies that have voiced surprise and concern about the president's decision. Russia said on Friday it did not understand what the United States' next steps in Syria would be, adding that chaotic and unpredictable decision-making in Washington was creating discomfort in international affairs. Several of Trump's fellow Republicans in Congress, joined by opposition Democrats, urged the president to reverse course, saying the withdrawal would strengthen the hand of Russia and Iran in Syria and enable a resurgence of Islamic State. Trump has given no sign of changing his mind. He promised to remove forces from Syria during his 2016 election campaign. The roughly 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria, many of them special forces, were ostensibly helping to combat Islamic State but were also seen as a possible bulwark against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has retaken much of the country from his foes in the multi-sided civil war, with military help from Iran and Russia. IS declared a caliphate in 2014 after seizing parts of Syria and Iraq. The ultra-hardline Sunni militants established their de facto capital in the Syrian city of Raqqa, using it as a base to plot attacks in Europe. A senior U.S. official last week said Islamic State was down to the last 1 percent of the territory it once held. The group has no remaining territory in Iraq, though militants have resumed attacks since their defeat there last year. Islamic State launched an attack on Friday on positions held by the SDF in Syria's southeast and the U.S.-led coalition mounted air strikes in the area, an SDF official said. Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria may not be able to continue to hold Islamic State prisoners if the situation in the region gets out of control after a U.S. pullout, top Syrian Kurdish official Ilham Ahmed said on Friday. (Additional reporting by Sarah Dadouch, Ali Kucukgocmen and Ezgi Erkoyun in Istanbul and Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara and John Irish in Paris; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Mark Heinrich, Andrew Roche and Diane Craft) Ankara (AFP) - Turkey has sent reinforcements to the border with Syria, Turkish media reported on Monday, after Washington ordered the withdrawal of its ground forces from the war-ravaged nation. A Turkish military convoy with howitzers and artillery batteries as well as different units of the armed forces was deployed to the border district of Elbeyli in Kilis province, state news agency Anadolu reported. The military reinforcements would take place "gradually", the private IHA news agency reported, adding that parts of the convoy had entered Syria. The deployment began over the weekend with around 100 vehicles, Hurriyet daily said, which had crossed into the Al-Bab region of northern Syria. They were headed towards Jarabulus and Manbij which is held by a US-backed Kurdish YPG militia viewed by Ankara as "terrorists" linked to Kurdish insurgents inside Turkey. Turkey was a rare ally that lauded Trump's decision on Syria, since it will now have a freer rein to target Kurdish fighters in the country's north who were armed and trained by the US and played a major role in the war against Islamic State (IS) group. Jarabulus and Al-Bab were areas captured from IS during Ankara's first military operation in August 2016 which lasted until March 2017. Military reinforcements had also been sent to the Akcakale border town and Ceylanpinar district, both in the southeastern Sanliurfa province. US President Donald Trump stunned the US political establishment and allies last week when he decided to pull 2,000 troops from Syria just days after his Turkish counterpart warned Ankara would soon launch a new operation in the country's north. Turkey conducted a second offensive with Syrian rebels against the People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in its northwestern enclave of Afrin in January this year. The operation ended in March with the capture of the city. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Ankara would launch a third operation against the YPG and the last remaining elements of IS in Syria in the coming months. Story continues Prior to Trump's announcement, Erdogan had said the operation would be in the "next few days" but on Friday Turkey said this would be delayed to avoid "friendly fire". American support to the YPG, under the banner of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance, has long been a source of tensions between NATO allies the US and Turkey. With Trump's move to withdraw troops and trust that Turkey will handle the remnants of IS, the Turkish and American leaders appear to have improved relations substantially since a crisis in the summer over the detention of a US pastor, subsequently released. Hodeida (Yemen) (AFP) - The head of the United Nations team tasked with monitoring a fragile ceasefire in the flashpoint city of Hodeida on Monday visited its lifeline docks, a port official said. Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert called on Saudi-backed government forces and Iran-linked Huthi rebels to respect the hard-won truce, Hodeida port deputy director Yehya Sharafeddin said. "The (UN) official promised us that the war will end," Sharafeddin told AFP by phone after Cammaert visited the docks, through which the majority of imports and humanitarian aid enter Yemen. "He said the Yemen war had been forgotten for years but that the international community is now adamant about ending it," Sharafeddin added. Cammaert later met with local officials in a government building in Hodeida city. "We cannot solve your problem, you have to do that yourselves," he told them. "It is extremely important that both sides are holding that (the ceasefire), and that they don't" blame each other, he added. Cammaert is heading a joint committee including members of the government and the Huthi rebels, in charge of monitoring the truce in the vital Red Sea city and its surroundings that began on December 18. Cammaert arrived in Hodeida from the rebel-held capital Sanaa, after meeting with government officials in Aden. Yemen's warring sides agreed on the ceasefire to halt a devastating offensive by government forces and an allied Saudi-led coalition against rebel-held Hodeida at peace talks in Sweden this month. According to the UN, Cammaert will chair a meeting of the joint committee on Wednesday. That meeting would be "one of the priorities" of Cammaert's mission, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. The UN Security Council unanimously approved a resolution authorising the deployment of observers to Hodeida to monitor the truce. Port director Sharafeddin said Cammaert "stressed the importance of implementing the agreement" and will visit "battlefronts (in the city) at a later time". Story continues - Shaky truce - The ceasefire, the result of intense diplomatic efforts led by the UN, has remained shaky with both sides accusing each other of violations in Hodeida province. Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said on Monday that the Huthi rebels have violated the truce agreement 138 times since it came into effect. The latest Security Council resolution on Yemen "puts the Huthi militias under international pressure", he said during a press conference in Riyadh. The UN monitoring team aims to secure the functioning of Hodeida port and supervise the withdrawal of fighters from the city. The text approved by the Security Council "insists on the full respect by all parties of the ceasefire agreed" for Hodeida. It authorises the United Nations to "establish and deploy, for an initial period of 30 days from the adoption of this resolution, an advance team to begin monitoring" the ceasefire, under Cammaert's leadership. Around 10,000 people have been killed since the coalition intervened in 2015, according to the World Health Organization, although rights groups say the death toll could be five times higher. The conflict has unleashed a major humanitarian crisis and pushed 14 million Yemenis to the brink of famine. US President Donald Trump told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan that Syria "is all yours" as the two leaders the two leaders discussed the withdrawal of US troops from the war-torn country in a heated phone conversation, according to a report Sunday by CNN. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter On Wednesday, President Trump announced the withdrawal of all US troops from Syria, which has been sharply criticized by many, especially by America's Kurdish allies, who may well face a Turkish assault once US troops leave, and had been staunchly opposed by the Pentagon. Trump and Erdogan (Photo: EPA) In a phone call between the two leaders, Erdogan also expressed satisfaction with steps taken by Washington regarding combating terrorism in Syria and the problems that are created by US presence in the region ,and said Turkey was ready to provide any type of support, the Turkish presidency said. CNN reported that Turkey's leader complaints and attempts to convince Trump to pull out from Syria, due to his assessment that Islamic State (IS) has been defeated in the country,left the American president irate, which promped him to lash out over the phone, saying "OK, it's all yours. We are done." I just had a long and productive call with President @RT_Erdogan of Turkey. We discussed ISIS, our mutual involvement in Syria, & the slow & highly coordinated pullout of U.S. troops from the area. After many years they are coming home. We also discussed heavily expanded Trade. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2018 During the December 14 phone call, Erdogan also reportedly promised Trump that the remaining IS fighters will be defeated by the Turkish military as long as US continues to provide them logistic support, saying "as your friend, I give you my word in this," said one senior White House official. The two leaders reportedly agree to coordinate to prevent an authority vacuum from developing as the withdrawal process begins. A delegation of senior Egyptian intelligence officials expected to arrive in the Gaza Strip on Monday in order to avoid another escalation between Hamas and Israel, following the death of four Palestinian protesters who were shot by IDF during last Fridays demonstrations. Once upon a time, a Turkish sultan in situ was good news, such as those, for example, during the expulsion from Spain in 1492. The Sultan Bayezid II, who ruled 1481-1512, sent ships to Grenada to save the dispossessed Jews and invite them to live across the Ottoman Empire. Your loss, Bayezid tolds those who signed the deportation order, is our gain. And gain they did. The Jews were not only loyal, but also helped to develop the economy and spiritual life in every place they reached across the empire. Life was not always good for the Jews under the Ottomans and/or the Turks. But what is very clear is that the current Sultan, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is an impudent anti-Semite. His repeated statements make it clear that his role model is former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and not sultans of yore who treated the Jews fairly. This attitude of Erdogan's did not start today, or even with the 2010 Mavi Marmara crisis, when IDF troops and Turkish activists clashed on board a Gaza-bound boat with deadly results. When he was younger, Erdogan wrote a play called "Mas-Kom-Ya", which depicts a conspiracy by the Freemasons, the Communists, and the Jews. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Since 1984, Turkey has destroyed 3,000 Kurdish villages, implemented mass transfer of the local population and caused a "Kurdish Nakba" of two million people who became refugees in their own country. During this orchestrated war on the Kurdish people, there have been massacres during which 30,000 people were killed. Even if Israel made every effort, it could not scratch the surface of the horrors perpetrated by the Turks, not those of recent decades and certainly not those of the last century, including the genocide committed by the Turks against the Armenians, and the atrocities committed in the framework of the expulsion of Christians at the end of the First World War. Kurds protesting against Erdogan in Germany (Photo: AP)) Erdogan himself is responsible for several massacres committed in recent years. For example, his soldiers raided the city of Cizre, in the northeast of the country, in February 2016. Hundreds of civilians hid in three basements, but it did not help them as Erdogan's soldiers massacred them mercilessly. A total of 178 people were killed, most of them innocent civilians. And this is one of many events. The list of crimes is long, but the world barely pays heed with them, because the guiding principle is all too familiar: As far as Muslims massacring Muslims is concerned the world is silent. Muslims are treated like stupid children, and allowed to get away with much. The unfortunate Muslims on the receiving end complain bitterly about this treatment, which is seen as a license to commit atrocities. Erdogan has managed to raise this principle to new heights. He complains about Israel, which is fighting jihad, while he also supports this jihad; he has erased the gap (although it is doubtful this gap even exists) between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism; he commits massacres against his own people, while accusing Israel of massacring the Palestinians. Erdogan's anti-Semitic campaign continues with full force. Last year, Turkish TV aired an anti-Semitic series that included allegations of plots that were allegedly the brainchild the Jew Theodor Herzl, which were "inspired by real historical facts." This was not the first antisemitic series. In Turkey, it's routine. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Photo: Reuters) One cannot easily dismmiss Erdogan, who in the past voiced opposition to Bashar Assad's continued rule in Syria, but soon joined the axis of evil that includes Iran and Hezbollah. There are those who argue that Turkey's economic interests will lead to restraint, but that's a mistake. History proves that leaders of Erdogan's ilk will pick ideological principles, especially those rooted in hatred, over national interests. Erdogan's Justice and Development Party is tied to the Muslim Brotherhood, whose founder, Hassan al-Banna, penned an article on the importance of the "industry of death." That's the idea, those are the principles that Erdogan follows. It is important to note that the president of Turkey is not the enemy of Israel, he is the enemy of the free world. Europe already detests him; countries such as the Netherlands and Germany refused entry to ministers from his party. But this did not stop Erdogan from becoming the contractor for the project to stop the flow of refugees, for which he gets billions. This helps in the short term, but in the long run, Europe is cultivating a monster who is becoming increasingly racist and anti-Semitic. Monsters like this must be stopped when they are small and toothless. But Europe has forgotten everything and learned nothing. And the monster continues to grow. The State of Israel couldnt have dreamt of a friendlier president than Donald Trump. For Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump is the manifestation of all his hopes and dreams, especially following the contentious leadership of former president Barack Obama. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter At the tail end of the second year of Trumps presidency, we can conclude there are more positives than negatives. For one, Trump moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognized the historic city as Israels capital (even though the move is largely symbolic, since not one embassy employee has so far moved from Tel Aviv). Another positive is Trumps decision to withdraw from Iran nuclear deal and reinstall all US sanctions on the country, reiterating Netanyahus sentiments that the deal would pave the way for Islamic Republic to build an atomic bomb. Graffityof Trump in Bethlehem (Photo: AFP) US support for Israel at the United Nations has also been unprecedented. Gone are the days when America looked the other way whenever the Security Council passed another biased, anti-Israeli resolution. The most vivid example of that is Resolution 2234 condemning the Jewish settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, passed on the last dayof Obamas term. Most importantly, Trump sends a message to the American people and the international community that Israel are the good guys, which has also helped on the path to normalizing ties with Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, the new peace plan (aka "the Deal of the Century!") that the US administration has been developing for the past two years is stalling, and thats something that can be interpreted as either positive or negative, depending on your side of the political spectrum. The Trump administration hasnt correctly assessed the damage that the embassy relocation will do to the negotiating process and how little impact the move would have on the international communityso far, only Guatemala has followed in US footsteps. Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu at the UN in 2018 (Photo: GPO) (Photo: Gov. Press Office) Theres the recently announced withdrawal of US troops from Syria, which is very worrying rning for Israel. According to senior Israeli officials, Trump has essentially thrown the Jewish state under the bus, handing its war-torn northern neighbor country to the Iranians and Russians to do with what they will. Trumps ambiguous stance on the anti-Semitic white nationalists in the US is also problematic, and so is the rift hes created within the US public, something that only harms Israel in the long term and turns support for the Jewish state to a bipartisan issue. And there are those who claim that Trumps pro-Israeli rhetoric hasn't translated into action. For instance, Trump hasnt increased the aid package, unlike Obama who has given Israel significantly more money than any other US president, even by Netanyahus own admission. The prime minister went on to correct himself once Trump was elected, insisting that the relationship between the two countries has never been better than during the current US administration. But has it? Israel is returning to the polls: The heads of the factions in the coalition decided at a special meeting held Monday afternoon that general elections will take place on April 9, 2019. The Knesset will likely be dissolved on Wednesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter "Out of national and budgetary responsibility, the leaders of the coalition parties unanimously decided to dissolve the Knesset and go to new elections in early April after a four-year term," the five coalition party leaders said in a statement. The next elections were scheduled to take place in November 2019. Benjamin Netanyahu at a meeting of his Likud faction, December 24, 2018 Education Minister Naftali Bennett, chairman of the Jewish Home party, was not present at the meeting, but joined the other coalition party leaders in supporting April elections. The decision to go to the polls was apparently made after it became clear that the 61-member coalition, with its one-seat majority, would not be able to pass legislation on the draft of ultra-Orthodox into the army, which had a January 15 deadline. Earlier in the day, opposition parties Yesh Atid and Yisrael Beiteinu made it clear that they did not intend to support the law. Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid called the coalition's hoped-for compromise a payoff to draft dodgers. Ultra-Orthodox parties consider conscription a taboo, fearing that military service will lead to immersion in secularism. But years of exemptions have generated widespread resentment among the rest of Jewish Israelis, who have to serve two or three years in the military. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the decision to hold April elections, at a faction meeting of his Likud party on Monday afternoon. "It's perfectly reasonable to go to elections now," said a smiling Netanyahu, pointing out that elections would not have been appropriate a few weeks ago, when Israel was embarking on the IDF mission to locate and destroy Hezbollah attack tunnels dug from Lebanon in Israel. The prime minister listed his accomplishments in office and said he hoped his current religious, nationalist coalition would be the "core" of the next one as well. The latest polls appear to predict another solid victory for Netanyahu, though an indictment over mounting corruption charges could still trip him up. Netanyahu's coalition has been roiled by internal divisions for months. Yisrael Beiteinu's Avigdor Lieberman resigned as defense minister last month to protest what he perceived to be the government's weak response to rocket attacks from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Besides the issue of IDF enlistment it has been obvious for months that it was likely to affect the future of the coalition the decision to advance the elections came as the criminal investigations into Netanyahu approach the final stretch. Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit convened the expanded team dealing with Netanyahu's cases for the first time on Monday, ahead of a decision on the various affairs. Senior legal sources say the discussions on the prime minister's investigations will continue as scheduled, despite the elections. However the attorney general will not publish his decision if it made in the immediate run-up to the elections. This is done in order to prevent any accusations that the judicial system is influencing the democratic process. The decision by Yesh Atid Chairman MK Yair Lapid and Avigdor Liebermans Yisrael Beiteinu party to withdraw their support for a new IDF draft bill triggered the decision to dissolve parliament and call snap elections after it became clear the legislation would not pass. The two party leaders said their decision to block the bill was due to an alleged behind-the-scenes deal between the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu government and the ultra-Orthodox parties Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The existing Israeli Defense Service Law expired in September after the High Court of Justice deemed it unconstitutional, meaning that the Knesset was obliged to pass an alternative law before then. However, the court granted the government a four-month extension, meaning the legislation would have to have been approved by January 15, had the Knesset not been dissolved. According to Yesh Atid and Yisrael Beiteinu, the Netanyahu government and the ultra-Orthodox conspired to make sure the bill, once passed, would not actually be implemented. Instead, they claimed, it would either be repealed altogether or the money taken in fines from the ultra-Orthodox would be paid back to them through alternatives channels. Netanyahu's Likud Party, which heads the current coalition, denied that such a deal existed. Yesh Atid Chairman MK Yair Lapid (Photo: Amit Shaabi ) The proposed legislation, which was formulated by Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman and passed its first reading in the Knesset, included planned cuts to yeshiva (Jewish seminary) budgets and economic incentives to pressure the seminaries to encourage enlistment. It did not, however, include any criminal sanctions. The plan was supposed to have a two-year transition period, during which sanctions would not be imposed if the seminaries failed to meet their draft targets. In the third year, seminaries that failed to encourage enlistment would have been hit with economic sanctions if they dropped below a 95% target. The ultra-Orthodox were told not to worry about the financial penalties, because the money would be given back to them under the table. Its a scam. Senior officials in the Finance Ministry were given orders to prepare compensation packages for the ultra-Orthodox parties once the bill passed, said Lapid. Its unacceptable for IDF draft dodgers to get money from the government, Lapid said. Netanyahu refused to promise that the ultra-Orthodox would not get compensated if the bill is passed, because he is scared of them well go to elections, after which the government that I form will pass a fair draft law. Avigdor Lieberman, who formulated new IDF draft bill (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky) Yisrael Beiteinu said that the party would have still voted in favor of the bill if they had been be given assurances from the government that the law wouldnt be repealed once passed and the ultra-Orthodox would not be financially compensated. The question is whether there is foul play involved and Likud has promised to the heads of the Haredi parties that they would receive compensation packages once the bill is passed, Liebermans party said in a statement. Lieberman quit the government last month over the handling of the recent violence in Gaza. The coalition could have passed the law at the start of the Knesset's winter session but they succumbed to the pressure of the ultra-Orthodox parties and had asked for an extension, the statement said. Senior legal officials predicted Monday that Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit will not publish a decision on the corruption investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the run-up to Election Day on April 9, 2019. The elections were announced earlier Monday, after the government came to the conclusion that it was unable to pass key legislation. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Mandelblit will not issue any decision regarding the potential criminal indictments facing the prime minister in the time period ahead of the elections so as to not be viewed as trying to influence the democratic process. Mandelblit's deliberations will nonetheless loom over the election campaign. Benjamin Netanyahu and his then-cabinet secretary Avichai Mandelblit in 2015 (Photo: Reuters) The dramatic decision to hold early elections coincided with the first day of Mandelblit's deliberations with his full team on the investigation into Netanyahu. It is still unclear, however, how long these discussions will take, and when the decision on indictment will be made. "The investigation was carried out with determination and professionalism. The staff will now meet frequently in my office. The team is fully focused on the task at hand. We will examine the evidence in order to make the decisions required by law. We will do everything to work quickly, but not at the expense of the decision-making process," Mandelblit said last week. The attorney general is the only legal body authorized to file an indictment against an incumbent prime minister, therefore he will be making the final decision regarding Netanyahu's cases. In a statement, the Justice Ministry said the probe will continue "as planned" and "will not depend on political events." Police have recommended that Netanyahu be indicted in the series of corruption probes, and aides to Mandelblit have also reportedly recommended indicting the prime minister. However, the position of two senior officials carries an important weight: Tel Aviv district attorney for tax and finance, Liat Ben-Ari, and State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan who will provide, in the case of an appeal, the defense umbrella in the High Court of Justice. Ben-Ari last week recommended indicting Netanyahu on charges of bribery in three separate investigations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went into campaign mode Moday, shortly after an announcement by coalition leaders to disperse the Knesset and schedule elections for April 9, listing his accomplishments in a speech to members of his Likud faction. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The prime minister extolled his achievements in the fields of energy, transportation infrastructure and the diplomatic sphere. Israel has enhanced and upgraded its relationship with several African, Latin American and Middle Eastern countries during the last few years. PM Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Amit Shabi) Netanyahu hailed Israel's strong security position referring to the IDF's ongoing Operation Northern Shield to deprive Hezbollah of their attack tunnels, as well as recent developments in the Gaza arena. The prime minister also hailed the vitality of the Israeli economy, the low unemployment rate and a recent minimum wage increase. The Likud leader expressed optimism that voters would acknowledge the government's accomplishments and give him a further mandate to lead the country. He said that people around the world see the many accomplishments of the State of Israel and admire the country. Netanyahu stated that he views the current coalition as the framework for a future coalition, anticipating no major changes. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaking after elections are announced in Israel (: ) X He referred to the period in November, after Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman resigned his post and quit the coalition, when Netanyahu fought to hold onto what was left of the coalition and avoid early elections. Netanyahu said that at the time he was not at liberty to discuss the imminent IDF operation against Hezbollah tunnels on the northern border; now, he said, he is ready for elections. Asked about Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid, whose sudden withdrawal of support for a new draft bill triggered the early elections, Netanyahu compared Lapid to legendary escape artist Harry Houdini. He said Lapid would have to figure out how to extricate himself from his commitment to his constituents to support the draft bill. The prime minister brushed off the impending possibility of an indictment to be issued against him in a series of cases alleging corruption, saying he "has no expectations" on the subject. The Knesset is expected to be dispersed on Wednesday. Education Minister Naftali Bennett was not present during the coalition meeting but said via telephone that he supports holding elections in April. Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein meeting with Knesset opposition The decision was made acknowledging the fact that Netanyahu's narrow coalition of 61 members is not capable of passing a new draft bill that was scheduled to be passed by January 15th in order to regulate the status of draft age Haredi Yeshiva students. Earlier on Monday, the Yesh Atid and Yisrael Beytenu factions announced that, despite past declarations, they do not intend to support the bill from the opposition, preventing Netanyahu from fulfilling a pledge to the Haredi parties. They said that they were rejecting what they described as a deal being made between Netanyahu and the Haredi parties. According to them, the law would not actually be implemented and the Likud intended to make amendments after it was passed or find a roundabout way to return the fines levied on those Yeshivot not fulfilling their draft quotas, to the Haredi parties. Yisrael Beytenu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman referred to the coalition leaders' announcement regarding elections: "I congratulate the coalition leaders on the decision. We already said last month that this government is in survival mode and barely functions. We want to make sure that despite the rumor mill, there is no deal between the Likud and the ultra-Orthodox parties regarding the draft bill. We are saying in advance that we will condition our joining a future coalition in that the draft bill will not be changed." Yisrael Eichler (Photo: Knesset Channel) "In order to maintain economic stability and for other reasons, together we decided to go to elections as soon as possible," Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon said at a meeting of the Kulanu faction, "The shorter the elections run-up, the less it will cost the state." The Finance Minister added: "We brought the Israeli economy to the best position it has been in recent years." Asked if he believes that the prime minister can continue serving if an indictment is submitted against him, Kahlon reiterated: "I already stated, a prime minister cannot serve following a (criminally related) hearing." From the Haredi parties, MK Yisrael Eichler said: "(the elections) release Haredi society from a harsh internal disagreement. I hope that the Israeli public will talk about the high cost of living and not just about the agenda of Yair Lapid. Enough Jewish infighting we need to choose a government which concerns itself with the common man in all matters of life." After coalition leaders announced their decision to disperse the Knesset and schedule elections for April 9, the ministers on Tuesday will approve via telephone the bill proposal to dissolve the parliament, which is expected to be approved in second and third reading on Wednesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein said the current Knesset had seen offensive discourse and verbal violence. "I'm hopeful that the election campaign for the 21st Knesset will show the voters what is really important for the people, and won't be characterized by attempts to attack one another," Edelstein said. Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein in a meeting with opposition members "Out of national and budgetary responsibility, the leaders of the coalition parties unanimously decided to dissolve the Knesset and go to new elections in early April after a four-year term," the five coalition party leaders said in a statement. The next elections were scheduled to take place in November 2019. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the decision to hold April elections, at a faction meeting of his Likud party on Monday afternoon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (M) at a faction meeting of his Likud party (Photo: Amit Shabi) "It's perfectly reasonable to go to elections now," said a smiling Netanyahu, pointing out that elections would not have been appropriate a few weeks ago, when Israel was embarking on the IDF mission to locate and destroy Hezbollah attack tunnels dug from Lebanon in Israel. "Most of (Operation Northern Shield) is behind us. Now we have to go to elections and give the government a mandate to lead the country and to improve its security, economy and society," Netanyahu said. The prime minister listed his accomplishments in office and said he hoped his current religious, nationalist coalition would be the "core" of the next one as well. Netanyahu extolled his achievements in the fields of energy, transportation infrastructure and the diplomatic sphere. Israel has enhanced and upgraded its relationship with several African, Latin American and Middle Eastern countries during the last few years. He also hailed Israel's strong security position referring to the IDF's ongoing Operation Northern Shield to deprive Hezbollah of their attack tunnels, as well as recent developments in the Gaza arena. The prime minister also praised the vitality of the Israeli economy, the low unemployment rate and a recent minimum wage increase. Education Minister Naftali Bennett says his far-right Bayit Yehudi party will oppose an endorsement of a Palestinian state even if it is included in a US President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter While the specifics of his plan are still under wraps, Trump said in September he thinks a two-state solution is what works best. The president has branded his plan to end the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians "the deal of the century." Education Minister Naftali Bennett Speaking in an interview with an Israeli Military Radio broadcaster, Bennett said that while his party will hear out the planned Peace deal, it will ultimately oppose a solution that would see a Palestinian State set up in the West Bank. Bennett said he does not have the details of the peace plan inked in Washington. Currently with eight seats in the Knesset, Bennetts party is expected to gain additional two seats in the 2019 elections, according to a poll released last month by Israeli Channel 2 News. In 2014, Bennett outlined what he called a stability plan, his proposed solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in an op-ed published by The Wall Street Journal . While he opposes an official Palestinian state as he made clear in the interview Sunday, he asserts that Palestinians living in certain areas in the West Bank should govern themselves, and that Israel should not interfere in day-to-day governance. Israel must allow Palestinians complete freedom of movement, which requires removing all roadblocks and checkpoints in the West Bank, Bennett wrote, further suggesting Israel should dismantle the security barrier. In September, Trump said he plans to unveil the Middle-East peace plan within four months. Last week, outgoing US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said she had read the proposed peace plan and that it is more detailed than previous plans. Haley did not say when the plan will be presented. Britain's security forces can deploy detection systems throughout the country to combat the threat of drones, security minister Ben Wallace said on Monday, after drones caused three days of disruption at London's Gatwick airport last week. "I can say that we are able to now deploy detection systems throughout the UK to combat this (drone) threat", Wallace said in a tweet. IRONWOOD In a rare Wednesday session, the Ironwood City Commission will consider an alcohol ordinance and selling easements to Xcel Energy. The proposed alcohol ordinance will be introduced and then scheduled for a public hearing on Jan. 21 at 5:20 p.m. An issue surfaced last summer under former Ironwood Public Safety Department director Greg Klecker when a beer was being consumed and was dumped out in Depot Park during a volleyball game. Under the ordinance, no one may possess an open container of an alcoholic beverage on a public highway, sidewalk, public parking lot or public park,... The Palace Museum holds a press conference on Friday to announce that it will run a special exhibition starting Jan 6, 2019 to celebrate the 2019 Chinese New Year. [Photo/chinanews.com] BEIJING - The Palace Museum will hold a special exhibition starting Jan 6, 2019 to celebrate the 2019 Chinese New Year, according to a press release Friday. A total of 885 antiques will be showcased in a vast exhibition area. The exhibition is set to break the museum's records by exhibiting the largest number of antiques from the museum's collections. The former record is currently held by the 1935 International Exhibition of Chinese Art in London, where 735 antiques from the museum were showcased. Spring Festival couplets and door gods attract tourists in Palace Museum on Friday. [Photo/chinanews.com] "The exhibition will not only present the visitors with antique collections, but will also allow the audience to immerse themselves in the cultural atmosphere of ancient China," said Shan Jixiang, curator of the museum. During the exhibition, the museum will be embellished with traditional Chinese New Year decorations such as Spring Festival couplets and lanterns. By AZ Central , Dec. 24, 2018 A University of Arizona graduate who credits his decade in Arizona as showing him the importance of legal immigration is behind the viral campaign that has raised millions of dollars for the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The GoFundMe, "We The People Will Fund The Wall," was started by 37-year-old veteran Brian Kolfage. The triple-amputee was injured while serving in Iraq with the U.S. Air Force. Read More: Join us - become an Elderado today at: LarryElder.com Follow Larry Elder on Follow Larry Elder on Twitter "Like" Larry Elder on Facebook ARTFULLY ARRANGED snowmen in the yard of Jason and Stephanie Gustafson of Wakefield maintain their chuckling faces no matter how much snow or cold comes their way. WAKEFIELD - The corner of Nunnemacher Street and Ascherman Avenue in Wakefield shines in the dark winter night with a host of lit snowmen, Santas, various Walt Disney characters and a full manger scene ready to warm spirits and spread Christmas cheer. The display directly west of the Wakefield Municipal Building is courtesy of Jason Gustafson, superintendent of the Wakefield-Marenisco K-12 School. He and his wife, Stephanie, have two children: Alex, in tenth grade, and Katelyn, in eighth grade. Gustafson and his son take charge of decorating the yard. In terms of decorations, they have a wealth of choices. Gustafson said they have "hundreds" of outdoor figurines that are wired for lighting. In fact, he said they have several buildings "stuffed to capacity" with decorations, which they rotate to allow each year's display to be unique. According to Gustafson, he and his son maintain no formal inventory, but he assured that, between the two of them, they know where everything is. Late in the fall, they spend a couple weeks assessing their options. For about two hours a day, along with extra time on weekends, they clean the items they choose and also test and change bulbs. "We draw our plan up on paper," said Gustafson, emphasizing that the project is very much a collaboration. Then, they spend an additional couple weeks setting up their carefully crafted display. Gustafson said they love a "classic Christmas" look, and toward that end, they combine religious and commercial images in colorful, eclectic patterns with the underlying intent of expressing and producing joy. Regarding the ongoing process, Gustafson said his wife is patient and supportive. Beyond that, he said, "She likes it all when it's lit up." As for the expense of lighting dozens of figurines, Gustafson said he used to pay substantially higher power bills due to display months. He added, however, "I switched to all LED bulbs a couple years ago," and that reduced the monthly electrical cost from about $100 to $20. Once the holidays wind down, Gustafson said he and his son also dissemble all items, although he does allow for one convenience: "I leave all the extension cords in." The creative process doesn't end even then because, as Gustafson said, "We collect pretty much all year long." He and Alex sometimes drive as far as Chicago to pick up figurines found on Facebook. Expensive shipping charges make the drive worth it. Gustafson said some of their most treasured items are decorations retired from former use on posts in various cities. He especially likes a seven-foot bell hanging by their garage. All of the effort by this father-son duo pays off, not just from viewer pleasure, but also in the form of a second prize in this year's Daily Advertiser holiday decoration contest (the home of John and Barb Siira, also in Wakefield, took first prize). The home of Gustafson's parents, Gary and Sue Gustafson on Third Street in Ramsay, provided the impetus for their son's display mania. "I started building outdoor holiday displays on my parents' home in Ramsay in the mid 1980's," explained Gustafson. P.J. Glisson/Daily Globe A MANGER SCENE coincides nicely with Santa's workshop in the yard of Jason and Stephanie Gustafson of Wakefield. "One of my Dad's friends always created a nice display in Bessemer, and that was my motivation for decorating," he added. "The display started out with a few strings of lights and a lighted Santa Claus on the porch." Soon, he said, it grew to become "a much larger display" that attracted appreciative viewers from nearby towns. When Gustafson purchased a home of his own, the display moved with him. He admits he was "ready to tame the display down" a decade ago, but his son, by contrast, "wanted to make it larger and brighter!" He now expects that when his son becomes an adult with a home of his own, he will take many of the decorations and figurines with him to continue the same tradition on his own property. In between Christmas seasons, the public also can enjoy the Gustafson guys' Halloween display, which is every bit as awesome. Arizona News Phoenix, Arizona - Monday, Randell William Lane, 30, of Tonalea, Ariz. was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 26 months imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Lane, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, had previously pleaded guilty to assault on a federal officer. On March 12, 2018, a Navajo Nation police officer was dispatched to try to locate Lane. After locating him, the officer attempted to place Lane under arrest for violations of tribal law. Lane resisted arrest, ran to his nearby vehicle, and grabbed a machete. After the officer persuaded Lane to drop the machete, Lane nonetheless lunged at the officer, began wrestling with him, and attempted to take the officers firearm. Lane was successfully arrested after a second officer arrived on scene. The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix. Arizona News Phoenix, Arizona - This week, Kelton Treyvon Prentiss, 23, of Camp Verde, Arizona, was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge David G. Campbell to 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Prentiss had previously pleaded guilty to assault on a federal officer. On March 26, 2018, Prentiss, an enrolled member of the Yavapai-Apache Nation, assaulted a Yavapai-Apache Nation police officer. As a result of the assault, the officer suffered serious bodily injury. The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Yavapai-Apache Nation Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Christina Covault, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix. CASE NUMBER: CR-18-8216-PCT-DGC RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-170_Prentiss 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. By NY Post , Dec. 22, 2018 WASHINGTON (WASHINGTON POST) - The single most effective weapon in the fight against climate change is the tax code - imposing costs on those who emit greenhouse gases, economists say. But as French President Emmanuel Macron learnt over the past three weeks, implementing such taxes can be politically explosive. On Tuesday (Dec 4), France delayed for six months a plan to raise already steep taxes on diesel fuel by 24 cents a gallon and gasoline by about 12 cents a gallon. Read More: Join us - become an Elderado today at: LarryElder.com Follow Larry Elder on Follow Larry Elder on Twitter "Like" Larry Elder on Facebook Adam where art thou? By Robert T. Smith Social traditions, customs, and beliefs form over time organically to create a social order. The cornerstone of our countrys social order had been established generally through natural law and Judeo-Christian values. This unique social order, coupled with a full serving of individual life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, individual freedoms and responsibilities as a citizen, delivered Americanism as a demonstrably best system. The ideals or boundaries of acceptable and unacceptable behavior were established based on a higher authority over the here and now man-made authority. While these ideals may not always have been or be achieved, they were/are the high-bar goal for what can be recognized as virtue. Certain groups are intent to race through our society knocking down the boundary walls of or our social order, without having thought through why such a boundary was established. Progress we are told, but to where? As we continue to experience the ongoing war on the social order that once was the glue that held our American society together, the societal chaos created by the here and now base impulses of humanism is on display daily. The core of the natural family system destroyed by a proliferation of fatherless homes resulting in a multitude of social ills and criminal activity; deaths of despair through suicide, alcohol or drugs dramatically on the rise; the proliferation of pornography and unnatural sexual identity and behaviors increasing; the morally straight Boy Scouts of America no longer; ad infinitum. Natural law and our religious-based virtue, replaced by the unnatural and man-centered anything goes feel good of the day. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods. The serpent of the story served up the apple to Eve, who enticed Adam, the allegorical beginning of original sin - the human condition. In this early scene of the Holy Bible, knowing full well what had occurred and where Adam and Eve were hidden, God sought out the representative first humans, he called out to them And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? People seek pleasure in various ways to be their own god, to be accountable only to themselves, and God seeks out the sinner for salvation by his grace that is manifested into the individuals faith. We all face the decisions of good and bad, natural and unnatural, ordered and disordered in our daily lives. Answering the call of God is our only means of salvation. Acting in a manner pleasing to the creator is the desire of our salvation. An individual relationship with the creator is the cornerstone of a meaningful existence. There is no place to hide from the gaze of God. A life lived in a manner to please your audience of one, God, helps to minimize many base human impulses. Unique in nature, this individual battle is fought only in the intellect and consciousness of man. The animal kingdom is burdened only with the drive for survival. That quiet, conscious conversation that goes on daily in our own thoughts is the spark of spiritual reality for our lives and a sign of the evidence of natures God. All people have a set of values, but not all values are virtuous. As todays culture promotes the drift toward the here and now, self-centered values of humanism, more and more frequently we see the results streamed to us daily in our social media. Those whose value system is not virtuous cause mayhem in our communities. As extreme examples are the recent mass murders of innocents in schools and churches, or the daily body count in Chicago. There are all manner of other lesser harms people do to one another or themselves, the unconstrained impulses of humanism. Mans law is ephemeral, based on personal or societal impulses of the day. As we move away from a creator God controlling authority and seek to be our own god, who is to say what is good or bad. You are your own god and your actions will only have consequences if caught by the man-made authority. Once a person becomes their own god, anything goes based on their own set of values, there is really no empirical basis to establish good and bad, natural or unnatural, ordered or disordered. Whole communities are consumed by their humanism, abandonment of the traditional family virtues, with no support from their local social or religious organizations they turn many to getting their fair share, no matter the manner. Another drug overdose or deal gone bad shooting, or another deadly interaction with law enforcement has just become background noise for our daily lives. The humanists automatically default to another man-made law or another social program that alleges to fix the problems, but in reality only serves to hide them as a feel good something to do for the self-anointed demigod political deciders and their supporters. When the small people of our current political class cast big shadows over how we live our lives, the time draws near to nightfall. Free individuals living as they desire in the presence of their God is the cornerstone of Americanism. Mans law, enforced by the state that conflicts with the God of man and natures laws can only lead to oppression, forced compliance. The man-made systems of communism, Marxism, theocracies, totalitarianism, or the softer controls of socialism are all driven by the state authority acting as the God-like controlling authority over individuals lives. The state cannot accept a challenge to its authority from God. As quoted from William O. Douglas: As nightfall does not come at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged. And it is in such twilight that we all must be most aware of change in the air however slight lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness. As humanism slowly erodes our society by destroying the divinely inspired human spirit, and the central powers of the state begin to encroach more into our daily lives to dictate by force what is right or wrong, good or bad, it is apparent that the real answer comes to us from long ago, divinely inspired into a book. And the Lord God called unto mankind and said unto them.where art thou. Let us resolve to answer that call, to make it the benchmark for our society, for our own and fellow mans sake. Robert T. Smith is an environmental scientist who spends his days enjoying life and the pursuit of happiness with his family. He confesses to cling to his liberty, guns and religion, with antipathy toward the arrogant ruling elites throughout the country. Home Americas Suicidal Turning Point: Chapter Five: President Ronald Reagan By Michael Moriarty The Gipper I was a typically blind Democrat when President Ronald Reagan began his administration. I was foolishly the same thing when it ended. In short, I was a predictably snobbish, leftwing Artiste! Then the Clintons and their Attorney General, Janet Reno, came along and, while becoming an almost instant Republican, I also found it necessary to leave the United States of America for Canada. For attacking Janet Reno, declared former friend and head of the ACLU, Ira Glasser, you will be OSTRACIZED! And I was!! Rather quickly, Ronald Reagan, who like myself had, at one time, been a Democrat, I began to suddenly wake-up! The increasingly far-left pipe-dreams which the Democrats were selling us had been proven, by many of Governor and President Reagans words, to be, if one is at all interested in individual freedom, a suicidal sales-pitch. What do I make of President Reagan now? The best President of the United States in my lifetime. His Democrat contender, Franklin Delano Roosevelt? Too cunning by half. FDRs delay in getting into World War II necessitated the tragedies of Pearl Harbor; and it also enabled many more years of the Holocaust than there should have been. After Ronald Reagan, for myself at any rate, Harry Truman and his decision to use the atomic bomb on insanely war-hungry, Imperial Japan. The two he dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki not only ended World War II but made any use of such weapons, so far, much too horrifying! After Harry Truman, my third favorite is President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Beyond those three men? The Founding Fathers become their own, almost sacredly divine category. Why? The American Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. No governing documents in the History of Mankind can equal those achievements. And now our President Donald Trump? Once General James N. Mattis left Trumps administration?! I, like most would-be Trump fans, am now quite fearfully uncertain. Why is this President so repeatedly fond of homicidal bullies such as Putin, Kim Jong Un and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia?! Birds of a feather?! Their cold-blooded decisions seem to be transforming Trumps Nationalism into a similarly cold disregard for the rest of the world. No one in the World, except President Trump, seems certain that weve heard the last of ISIS, Iran and the still-antagonistic, Neo-Soviet Russia of President Trumps friend, Vladimir Putin. President Trumps America is no longer the America, from 1941 till President Reagan, which I had proudly lived in. America is now a tough-guy, bullying loner which seems to enjoy the increasing distrust and fear which the rest of the world now displays toward the United States. The politest criticism I can make of President Trump is that hes proven to be frighteningly simplistic. The accusations about Barack Obamas narcissism seem increasingly applicable to the equally increasing, indisputable and insultingly dismissive egomania of Donald Trump. Such self-centeredness, at this Presidents age, is not alterable even if President Trump himself wanted to change. And we are only two years into President Trumps administration. I desperately hope that former Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, runs in the Republican Presidential Primary. No one in recent decades has been as impressively clear and eloquently American as Ambassador Nikki Haley! Yes, because of her and her alone, it is time for a female President of the United States! Michael Moriarty is a Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actor who starred in the landmark television series Law and Order from 1990 to 1994. His recent film and TV credits include The Yellow Wallpaper, 12 Hours to Live, Santa Baby and Deadly Skies. Contact Michael at rainbowfamily2008@yahoo.com. He can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/@MGMoriarty. Home The second season of audio textbooks read by professional broadcasters as a demonstration has been put online for China's elementary and middle school students. The audio textbooks include another 100 pieces of work that were read and made by professional broadcasters, anchors and recorders of the China Media Group, including Dong Qing, Ren Luyu and Jiang Manjing. Elementary students take Chinese lessons in a classroom. [File photo: China Plus] The audio textbooks plan to cover all the texts in the Chinese textbooks that were released by the Ministry of Education for elementary and middle school students. The first season of the audio textbooks was put online in May this year and received a warm welcome. Through the audio textbooks, not only standard, beautiful mandarin was shared among the students and teachers but also the right values and excellent traditional Chinese culture. The audio textbook project was initiated by the China Media Group, the Ministry of Education and the State Language Commission. [File photo: China Plus] The audio textbooks can be downloaded through the official websites of CCTV, CNR, CRI, the Ministry of Education and also the China Language. The production of the third season of the textbooks is underway. Germany's green transition has hit a brick wall By Oddvar Lundseng, Hans Johnsen and Stein Bergsmark More people are finally beginning to realize that supplying the world with sufficient, stable energy solely from sun and wind power will be impossible. Germany took on that challenge, to show the world how to build a society based entirely on green, renewable energy. It has now hit a brick wall. Despite huge investments in wind, solar and biofuel energy production capacity, Germany has not reduced CO2 emissions over the last ten years. However, during the same period, its electricity prices have risen dramatically, significantly impacting factories, employment and poor families. Germany has installed solar and wind power to such an extent that it should theoretically be able to satisfy the power requirement on any day that provides sufficient sunshine and wind. However, since sun and wind are often lacking in Germany even more so than in other countries like Italy or Greece the country only manages to produce around 27% of its annual power needs from these sources. Equally problematical, when solar and wind production are at their maximum, the wind turbines and solar panels often overproduce that is, they generate more electricity than Germany needs at that time creating major problems in equalizing production and consumption. If the electric power systems frequency is to be kept close to 50Hz (50 cycles per second), it is no longer possible to increase the amount of solar and wind production in Germany without additional, costly measures. Production is often too high to keep the network frequency stable without disconnecting some solar and wind facilities. This leads to major energy losses and forced power exports to neighboring countries (load shedding) at negative electricity prices, below the cost of generating the power. In 2017 about half of Germanys wind-based electricity production was exported. Neighboring countries typically do not want this often unexpected power, and the German power companies must therefore pay them to get rid of the excess. German customers have to pick up the bill. If solar and wind power plants are disconnected from actual need in this manner, wind and solar facility owners are paid as if they had produced 90% of rated output. The bill is also sent to customers. When wind and solar generation declines, and there is insufficient electricity for everyone who needs it, Germanys utility companies also have to disconnect large power consumers who then want to be compensated for having to shut down operations. That bill also goes to customers all over the nation. Power production from the sun and wind is often quite low and sometimes totally absent. This might take place over periods from one day to ten days, especially during the winter months. Conventional power plants (coal, natural gas and nuclear) must then step in and deliver according to customer needs. Hydroelectric and biofuel power can also help, but they are only able to deliver about 10% of the often very high demand, especially if it is really cold. Alternatively, Germany may import nuclear power from France, oil-fired power from Austria or coal power from Poland. In practice, this means Germany can never shut down the conventional power plants, as planned. These power plants must be ready and able to meet the total power requirements at any time; without them, a stable network frequency is unobtainable. The same is true for French, Austrian and Polish power plants. Furthermore, if the AC frequency is allowed to drift too high or too low, the risk of extensive blackouts becomes significant. That was clearly demonstrated by South Australia, which also relies heavily on solar and wind power, and suffered extensive blackouts that shut down factories and cost the state billions of dollars. The dream of supplying Germany with mainly green energy from sunshine and wind turns out to be nothing but a fading illusion. Solar and wind power today covers only 27% of electricity consumption and only 5% of Germany's total energy needs, while impairing reliability and raising electricity prices to among the highest in the world. However, the Germans are not yet planning to end this quest for utopian energy. They want to change the entire energy system and include electricity, heat and transportation sectors in their plans. This will require a dramatic increase in electrical energy and much more renewable energy, primarily wind. To fulfill the German target of getting 60% of their total energy consumption from renewables by 2050, they must multiply the current power production from solar and wind by a factor of 15. They must also expand their output from conventional power plants by an equal amount, to balance and backup the intermittent renewable energy. Germany might import some of this balancing power, but even then the scale of this endeavor is enormous. Perhaps more important, the amount of land, concrete, steel, copper, rare earth metals, lithium, cadmium, hydrocarbon-based composites and other raw materials required to do this is astronomical. None of those materials is renewable, and none can be extracted, processed and manufactured into wind, solar or fossil power plants without fossil fuels. This is simply not sustainable or ecological. Construction of solar and wind farms has already caused massive devastation to Germanys wildlife habitats, farmlands, ancient forests and historic villages. Even today, the northern part of Germany looks like a single enormous wind farm. Multiplying today's wind power capacity by a factor 10 or 15 means a 200 meter high (650 foot tall) turbine must be installed every 1.5 km (every mile) across the entire country, within cities, on land, on mountains and in water. In reality, it is virtually impossible to increase production by a factor of 15, as promised by the plans. The cost of Germanys Energiewende (energy transition) is enormous: some 200 billion euros by 2015 and yet with minimal reduction in CO2 emission. In fact, coal consumption and CO2 emissions have been stable or risen slightly the last seven to ten years. In the absence of a miracle, Germany will not be able to fulfill its self-imposed climate commitments, not by 2020, nor by 2030. What applies to Germany also applies to other countries that now produce their electricity primarily with fossil or nuclear power plants. To reach development comparable to Germanys, such countries will be able to replace only about one quarter of their fossil and nuclear power, because these power plants must remain in operation to ensure frequency regulation, balance and back-up power. Back-up power plants will have to run idle (on spinning reserve) during periods of high output of renewable energy, while still consuming fuel almost like during normal operation. They always have to be able to step up to full power, because over the next few hours or days solar or wind power might fail. So they power up and down many times per day and week. The prospects for reductions in CO2 emissions are thus nearly non-existent! Indeed, the backup coal or gas plants must operate so inefficiently in this up-and-down mode that they often consume more fuel and emit more (plant-fertilizing) carbon dioxide than if they were simply operating at full power all the time, and there were no wind or solar installations. There is no indication that world consumption of coal will decline in the next decades. Large countries in Asia and Africa continue to build coal-fired power plants, and more than 1,500 coal-fired power plants are in planning or under construction. This will provide affordable electricity 24/7/365 to 1.3 billion people who still do not have access to electricity today. Electricity is essential for the improved health, living standards and life spans that these people expect and are entitled to. To tell them fears of climate change are a more pressing matter is a violation of their most basic human rights. Oddvar Lundseng is a senior engineer with 43 years of experience in the energy business. Hans Konrad Johnsen, PhD is a former R&D manager with Det Norske Oljeselskap ASA. Stein Storlie Bergsmark has a degree in physics and is a former senior energy researcher and former manager of renewable energy education at the University of Agder. Home Time to aggressively buy NOT FROM CHINA By Keith Henderson Big box stores like Home Depot, Walmart, and Canadian Tire are warehouses for poorly made Chinese products. I suggest Canadian Tire rebrand itself. "China Tire" might state the case. How many electrical products (to take only one example) have I bought from these outlets only to find the instructions semi-incomprehensible and once installed the products don't work? Take them back? Sure. And what about all my wasted time? I guess that just doesn't count. So frustrated have I become with shoddy Chinese goods, I make a concerted effort to find out where any product is made before I buy it. Not an easy task. Take my latest purchase as an example. My pepper mill bust. The plastic bottom just broke and I don't know how or why. I figure that product was made in China, though I didn't keep track, so I checked out Lagostina at Canadian Tire. Good price, right? Lagostina: the iconic Italian brand. That misleading information sits squarely on the Canadian Tire web site. I noted, however, there was really nothing about where the pepper mill was really made. I had to do separate research on that question to confirm what most Canadian shoppers now suspect. Lagostina: Made in China. Where do you think those massive shipping container trains rolling through our cities get their boxes? I paid more money for a French made Peugeot pepper mill. They're proud of their just-by-the Swiss-border factory. I'm happy to buy from them because I can count on quality, as I would be happy to buy from a Japanese or South Korean auto maker. I would not be happy to buy a Chinese electric car. I think the web site Canadians would love is the NOT FROM CHINA web site. Go there. Search for the product you need, up pop North American and other "market economy" choices and where to get them. I would use such a site as my first choice, ahead of amazon.ca or anybody else. Of course, there's the bigger picture. Like borer beetles, China scrap invades our markets and kills off local manufacturing. All of a sudden, we don't have any choices. Are there any electrical products NOT MADE IN CHINA left on the shelves? You have to dig deep to find them. China, with its "big brother is watching you" spy culture, now wants to take over Canada's 5-G cell phone network via Hauwei. Trudeau is dithering about whether to let them, even though our other allies like the US and Australia have already said no. Consider this. In a rich irony, Bell Canada (owner of left-of-center CTV news) has committed billions to Hauwei equipment. Hauwei's rise to the top of the telcom equipment pyramid started with their industrial espionage hacking of Bell subsidiary Nortel, fifteen years ago. The Chinese state enterprise stole all their intellectual property, Canadian intellectual property, let it be said, and drove Nortel into bankruptcy. Canada's answer? Reward them! Videotron, Bell's separatist owned and operated competitor in Quebec, runs mostly on Hauwei equipment. Bell will soon follow suit. The problem is 5-G will be connected to every little object in your house via the "internet of things." How'd you like the spy-crazy Chinese government to have potential access to every home in Canada oh, yes, the way they do things in China right now. "Silly paranoid person! We'll have ways to control Hauwei. They'll never be able to get away with that." So say the Sinophiles among us. But Chinese hackers have made their way into the US Defense Department suppliers and even into US government agencies. How does Canada have the wherewithal to counter them? And when US authorities try dealing with Hauwei malign actors (like arresting one lady in Canada, who owns two houses in Vancouver worth over $22 million), 3 Canadians are kidnapped in China as retaliation. Suggestion. Anti-Trumpers who started a boycott American Products campaign during the NAFTA negotiations ought to do a big pivot. The target? The Asian communist economy. Time to buy aggressively NOT FROM CHINA. Keith Henderson has published 5 novels, the latest Sasquatch and the Green Sash (2018), political essays from when he was Quebec correspondent for the Financial Post (Staying Canadian, 1997), as well as a prize-winning book of short stories (The Pagan Nuptials of Julia, 2006). He led a provincial political party in Quebec during the separatist referendum of 1995 and championed Anglo language rights and the poison pill strategy of partitioning Quebec if ever Quebec partitioned Canada. He taught Canadian Literature for many years at Vanier College in Montreal. Home The Palestinian Authority is about to lead the World Group of Developing Nations By Eitan Fischberger The G-77 was established on June 14, 1964, by 77 developing countries at the end of the first session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva. It was intended to serve as a countervailing coalition against the dominance displayed by the more developed countries at the United Nations. These 77 countries sought to enhance their negotiating capacity by articulating and promoting similar collective economic and developmental interests. Since its founding, numerous other countries have joined the group, which is now comprised of 134 member states. The groups name remains as it was at the time of its inception due to its historical significance. Today, the G-77 is the largest bloc of developing states at the United Nations, encompassing approximately 80 percent of the worlds population. As such, the group possesses significant influence within the international organization and on the world stage as a whole. Every year, a member state is chosen to serve as chairman of the group. The chairman is the highest political position attainable within the group, acting as its coordinator and spokesman. The position rotates on a regional basis so that no one region can overpower another. In October 2018, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voted to confirm the Observer State of Palestine as Chairman of the G-77 at the United Nations for the year 2019. The selection of Palestine to lead the group has irked the United States and Israel, who worry that the Palestinians will use their newfound platform to unilaterally forward their bid for statehood, without implementing any form of final status agreement with Israel. These fears were substantiated when, following the Palestinian confirmation, it was announced that enhanced rights and privileges would be given to them in the UNGA. Indeed, the Palestinians have a history of pursuing recognition as a full member state by multiple international bodies, notably the United Nations itself in 2012, which granted Palestine its non-member status. Recently, in late November 2018, the Palestinians unilaterally joined the United Nations Universal Postal Union and ten international protocols and conventions. However, while political context is important, it is not the central matter discussed in this article. Instead, this article will contend that Palestine is unfit to chair the G-77, not because of potential geopolitical consequences, but rather because it does not abide by some of the fundamental principles espoused by the very group it has been appointed to lead. This is obvious when comparing the Palestinian Authoritys actions, laws, and policies with the G-77s essential principles, which were explicitly outlined in their 2014 declaration For a New World Order for Living Well and was adopted at the Summit of Heads of State and Government, an event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the group. Methodology The G-77 declaration is comprised of 242 articles, structured into five parts, as follows: Overall context; Development in the National Context; South-South Cooperation; Global Challenges; Particular needs of developing countries in special situations. Furthermore, parts two and four are divided into a variety of sub-sections, each discussing a specific issue. For this analysis, all 242 articles of the declaration were carefully examined to discern which ones the Palestinians violate. After identifying articles that the Palestinian Authority potentially violates, academic sources, opinion polls, UN documents, and news articles were then studied to verify whether these violations were occurring or not. Opinion pieces and commentary were excluded from this process for the sake of objectivity. Although the declaration consists of 242 articles, the majority of them are not listed individually. This is because many of the articles are repetitive or irrelevant to the discussion at hand. For example, article 105s welcoming of a high-level plenary meeting of the 69th session of the General Assembly has no place in the discussion. Articles resembling 105 are abundant in the declaration and an individual analysis of each one would bear no significance to the matter at hand. This list is non-exhaustive, and it is entirely possible that there are other articles that the Palestinians violate. Additionally, it is entirely possible, and even, plausible that many of the violations committed by the Palestinians are not done intentionally. Yet, that does not render them unaccountable. Analysis and Main Arguments The first article which should be examined is article 13, which emphasizes that the rationale for the establishment of our Group 50 years ago remains actual and valid, and indeed more valid, than at that time. This article is particularly relevant as it stresses that the rationale for creating the group the betterment of the lives of their citizens still applies. In other words, the ideas behind the articles found in the declaration are even more important today than they were in 1964 and should be treated as such. This makes any violation of the articles even more severe than it would have been in 1964. Article 9 succinctly states that we believe in the peaceful settlement of conflicts through dialogue. However, the Palestinians have a long history of making unilateral moves in pursuit of statehood, like applying for recognition in the ICC and UN Agencies. This is in direct violation of the Oslo Accords, which stipulate that neither side should initiate measures that would change the status of the Palestinian territories pending the outcome of permanent status negotiations. Additionally, Palestinian commitment to peace through dialogue is further called into question over the Palestinian Authoritys policy of paying monthly stipends to terrorists and their families, known colloquially as pay-to-slay, which is openly included in the PA budget and incentivizes nationalistically motivated terror against Israelis to coerce them into surrendering to Palestinian demands without a final status agreement. Article 15 states that: We emphasize that our major priorities are promoting sustained, inclusive, and equitable economic growth. However, as previously shown in the analysis for article 9, the Palestinian Authority incentivizes terror by paying monthly stipends to Palestinian prisoners, martyrs, and their families. These stipends amounted to $355 million, or 7 percent of the total PA budget for 2018. In 2017, the monthly salaries of Palestinian prisoners far exceeded the allowances given to the needy by the Palestinian Authoritys Ministry of Social Development Welfare. Welfare recipients received a minimum of NIS 250 monthly, 18 percent of the NIS 1,400 minimum that prisoners received; and a maximum of NIS 600 monthly, 5 percent of the NIS 12,000 that prisoners received. The family of a martyr received a minimum of NIS 1,400 monthly, which is 5.6 times more than the minimum welfare allowance of NIS 250 and more than double the maximum of NIS 600. These payments are given to all prisoners, even those who engaged in terrorism, and to the families of martyrs, even if they were killed while engaging in terrorism. Sustained, inclusive, and equitable economic growth is not plausible while the Palestinian Authority continues to spend inordinate sums of money incentivizing terror, as opposed to incentivizing peace efforts. In fact, Chairman Mahmoud Abbas himself stated that he would continue these payments even if the Palestinian Authority had only one penny left. Article 19 states: We recognize the high importance of sustaining social protection and fostering job creation even in times of economic crisis. However, as shown above, the Palestinian leadership would rather provide social protection to convicted terrorists and their families than to the ones who need the most assistance. If the $355 million were used to fund different causes, like increased financial assistance to the needy through the Ministry of Social Development and Welfare, investment, job creation, or infrastructure, then surely that would provide even a slight improvement to the general situation of the Palestinian people. Moreover, the Palestinian Authority has a history of cutting the salaries of tens of thousands of their civil servants working in the Gaza Strip, as it did this past year. Actions like these only exacerbate the already dire working conditions and economic wellbeing shared by Palestinian workers in the impoverished territory. Article 23 reaffirms the importance that the G-77 places on supporting developing countries in their efforts to eradicate poverty by empowering the poor and people in vulnerable situations. However, as seen in the analysis for article 15, the Palestinian leadership disproportionately provides funds to convicted terrorists and their families, instead of people in need of welfare. Surely, allocating the $355 million to the poor would have a more positive effect on the fight against poverty than funding terror. Article 31 acknowledges that it is necessary to promote harmony with nature and the Earth. However, the Palestinian Authority has in the past enacted policies and enabled behavior that directly harmed the harmony with nature and the Earth. According to Professor Haim Gvirtzman, professor of hydrology at the Institute of Earth Sciences at the Hebrew University, member of the Israel Water Authority Council and advisor of the Israel-PA Joint Water Committee, the Palestinian Authority has been implementing policies that intentionally waste water and destroy the regional water ecology. They also refuse to develop their own sewage treatment plants, even though many countries have offered to financially support such a move. As a result, the excess of Palestinian untreated wastewater flows into Israels water resources, as well as their own, polluting them. The Palestinian Authority also supports illegal drilling into Israels water resources, which pollutes Israels natural reservoirs (250 illegal wells in the West Bank by 2005). Additionally, in November 2016, Israels Civil Administration enforced environmental regulations against Palestinian charcoal plants that were not upholding anti-pollution regulations. The administration explained that despite issuing several warnings to the Palestinian Authority that it would take action against the charcoal plants if the Palestinian Authority did not enforce the anti-pollution regulations, as mandated by the Israeli High Court, the Palestinian Authority did not heed the warnings. Not only did the plants pollute the surrounding area, but there are also links to the ongoing pollution from the plants to respiratory problems suffered by 25 percent of the children in the Palestinian town of Yabad and respiratory illness (including cancer) suffered by 70 percent of the charcoal workers. Articles 35-37 fall under the sub-section titled improving the practice of democracy, in which the G-77 reiterates that it considers that democracy is a universal value. However, the Palestinian Authoritys actions in recent years run antithetical to the practice of democracy. In 2006, the long-awaited Palestinian Legislative Council elections were held. Hamas had become increasingly popular in recent years, and this was reflected in the ballot box. After the votes were tallied, it became apparent that Hamas had indeed won the majority of votes. Despite claims that Hamas employed violence and intimidation in order to influence voters, the evidence available shows no indication of foul play from the Islamist organization. Consequently, the 2006 elections can be said to accurately reflect the will of the Palestinian population. Hamas had won the election. Yet, the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority refused to cede power to Hamas, completely subverting a democratic election. Additionally, the argument that Fatahs refusal to relinquish power to Hamas is legitimate because it is a terrorist organization is invalid. This is because even though many countries and institutions recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization, such as the United States, the European Union, Israel, and others, Fatah does not recognize Hamas as such. In other words, a democratic election was held between two parties, wherein the incumbent lost and refused to give up its power. That is anti-democratic. Furthermore, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is now in the middle of the 13th year of his four-year term as president. His refusal to hold free and fair presidential elections at regular legally mandated intervals undermines Palestinian democracy. It is also worth noting that the Palestinian public themselves are clamoring for a change in leadership. In fact, a 2017 poll indicated that two-thirds of Palestinians want to see Abbas tender his resignation. Moreover, according to Amnesty International, freedom of expression is systemically oppressed in the West Bank by the Palestinian Authority, which committed 147 attacks on media freedom in 2017. The Independent Commission for Human Rights (ICHR), Palestines national human rights institution, received hundreds of allegations of torture and other ill-treatment of detainees held in the West Bank and Gaza, and women continued to be oppressed by discriminatory policies. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has also extensively documented the Palestinian Authoritys abuse of freedom of expression, which it says violates obligations that the Palestinian leadership had recently assumed in ratifying certain international treaties protecting that said right. In fact, in 2018 HRW published a scathing report detailing the systematic use of arbitrary arrest and torture the Palestinian Authority employs to its citizens. A government that stifles freedom of expression and practices arbitrary arrest and torture, especially to the extent that the Palestinian Authority practices them, cannot be considered democratic. Article 40 emphasizes the duty that member states have to conserve and sustainably manage their natural resources. However, as shown in the analysis of article 31, water shortages in the Palestinian Authority are severe due to policies that deliberately waste water and destroy the regional water ecology. In addition to Gvirtzmans previous findings, he elaborates that the Palestinians refuse to develop their own underground water resources, construct additional water desalination plants (despite being offered assistance by other countries), fix enormous leakages in their pipes, build wastewater treatment facilities, and bill their citizens for wasting water. Also, as previously shown in the analysis of article 31, the Palestinian Authority makes little effort in preventing pollution into natural water reserves, which harms the general water environment. These actions demonstrate the Palestinian Authoritys disregard for sustainable management of its resources, especially considering the immense value water holds in the Middle East. Articles 43, 45 and 46 fall under the sub-section that calls for the eradication of poverty. The articles state that the G-77 attaches the highest priority to poverty eradication in the UN post-2015 development agenda (which would later become the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals). Article 46 in particular highlights the necessity of combatting corruption, as it can lead to ineffective resource mobilization, which weakens the fight against poverty. However, as illustrated in the analyses of article 15, the Palestinian Authority allocates 7 percent of its budget to funding terror, instead of distributing it to Palestinians below the poverty line. In addition, the Palestinian Authority itself has been recognized as an entity plagued by rampant corruption. This widespread corruption has been obvious since the 1990s and played a significant factor in the Palestinian Authority losing the 2006 PLC elections, and a 2017 report published by the Coalition for Accountability and Integrity (AMAN) exposed that corruption had permeated much of the Palestinian Authority and runs all the way up to Chairman Abbas himself. Articles 52 and 55 discuss the importance the G-77 places on sustained, inclusive, and equitable economic growth, as well as their deep concern about high levels of unemployment and underemployment worldwide, respectively. However, the unemployment rate in the Palestinian Authority was 32.4 percent in the second quarter of 2018, 5 percent higher than the 2017 average and the highest in 20 years. In the Gaza Strip, the unemployment rate stands at 53 percent, and over 70 percent among youth. The unemployment crisis in Gaza in particular is correlated with recent policies administered by the Palestinian Authority, which has substantially cut allowances and the salaries of its employees in Gaza by 30 percent in 2017, followed by a larger cut of 50 percent in 2018. Altogether, the number of PA employees fell by 26,000 since 2017. These policies have resulted in a liquidity squeeze for around 80 thousand families (almost one-quarter of Gazans) and have negatively affected economic activity in the Gaza Strip. Articles 57-60 discuss the essential role that the state plays in ensuring that basic services are provided to its citizens, as this is a human right. However, the Palestinian Authority has in the past refused to pay for fuel for Gazas electrical power plants, which has resulted in less electricity available for Gaza daily (around four hours during most of 2018). Without adequate amounts of electricity, Gaza cannot pump enough drinking water for its citizens and cannot properly deal with sewage treatment. When Qatar volunteered to alleviate the crisis by investing $60 million-worth of fuel in the Gaza Strip, which would double the amount of electricity available to Gaza for six months, Chairman Abbas outright refused, and even threatened to exacerbate the situation for the Gazans should the deal go through without his approval. This has resulted in 97 percent of the drinking water in Gaza becoming contaminated. In other words, by denying fuel to the people of Gaza, the Palestinian Authority is depriving them of electricity and clean water. Article 62 recognizes that everyone should have access, without discrimination, to a set of basic medical services for promotion, prevention, cure, and rehabilitation, and that the use of these services should not entail economic difficulties for people in vulnerable situations. However, the Palestinian Authority has a history of taking punitive measures against the residents of Gaza, such as declining to pay for medical supplies, delaying permits for treatment in Israel, or refusing to pay for treatment altogether. This resulted in the tragic deaths of three infants in the summer of 2017, for which the Palestinian Authority was widely condemned. Articles 93-98 discuss various aspects of inclusion of women in development, women enjoying full and equal rights, reducing violence against women, and including a gender-oriented goal in the post-2015 development agenda. However, the Palestinian Authority is fraught with discrimination against women. This does not pertain exclusively to societal norms existing within the tribal-oriented Palestinian culture, which hinders women from enjoying equal rights due to discrepancies between the Palestinian legal system and the tribal judiciary, but also to current Palestinian legislation, which is a convolution of Jordanian, Egyptian, Palestinian, Ottoman, and British laws, as well as Israeli military law. For example, men can unilaterally divorce their wives without explanation, while women can only file for divorce under specific circumstances; adultery and incest crimes can only be filed by males; and no law forbidding spousal rape exists. The rationale for these laws under Part Seven of the 1960 Jordanian penal code and Part Seventeen in the British penal code, which applies to the Palestinian Authority in the matter of sexual crimes, is that women are owned by men. These examples are just some of the many discriminatory policies practiced in the PalestinianAuthority. Article 194 calls for the end of extensive, arbitrary, and unlawful policies that enable governmental surveillance, collection, and interception of internet activity, personal data, and communications of individual citizens. However, in 2017 the Palestinian Authority adopted, in full secrecy from the public eye, the Electronic Crimes Law, which was aimed at quelling alleged cybercrimes. The law has been heavily criticized for its ambiguous language, being adopted without approval from the PLC or consultations from Palestinian civil society, and its infringement of basic rights, such as freedom of expression and privacy. The law imposes prison sentences and hefty fines on online users, including journalists and critics who disagree with the government. After the law was adopted, the Palestinian Authority arrested at least five Palestinian journalists across the West Bank, claiming they violated the law, and 29 websites that were critical of the Palestinian Authority were shut down. Following fierce public outcry and pressure from a coalition of 11 civil society organizations, the law was amended, taking out some problematic clauses which allow penalizing individuals with a fine or imprisonment. That being said, several other concerns highlighted in the original law related to excessive powers, illegal evidence gathering, and the power to shut down websites remained unchanged in the amended law. In addition, the new law was adopted without adequate consultation, thereby diminishing its legitimacy. Article 201 expressed the G-77s commitment to achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDG), which in 2015 were replaced by Sustainable Development Goals, supporting many similar ideas. Some of the MDGs that the Palestinians violate include: eradication of poverty; promotion of gender equality; and ensuring environmental sustainability, as illustrated in the analyses of articles 23, 31, 40, 43, 45, 46, and 93-98. Violating these 12 articles is bad enough on its own, but by doing so, the Palestinians are inadvertently violating article 201 as well, resulting in a double whammy of violations. Of course, let us not forget that while all the principles found in the G-77s declaration are significant in their own right, the MDGs, in particular, are so vital for global development that all 191 UN member states at the time had vowed to try and achieve them. Therefore, violating them should be considered especially problematic. While not pertaining to a specific article, the necessity for member states to act according to the principles of international law is stressed 15 times throughout the declaration. However, the Palestinian Authority has violated international law on numerous occasions, including many of the 15 international treaties, conventions, and organizations they joined in April 2014. For example, they violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations when Czech police found unlicensed weapons and explosives in the Palestinian embassy in Prague. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the Palestinian Authority put minimal effort into combatting some of the worst forms of child labor in their territory, in clear violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. As articulated in the analysis of articles 93-98, the Palestinian Authority follows policies that discriminate against women in matters such as divorce and criminal proceedings, contrary to the principles of The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which requires signatories to enact legislation to end discrimination against women. The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination is violated by the Palestinian Authority, which forbids by law the sale of property to Jews. In fact, in October 2018, a Palestinian-American citizen was arrested by the Palestinian Authority on suspicion of selling property to Jews in Jerusalem; and in 2009, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas called for the death penalty for anyone who committed such an offense. Furthermore, demonization of Israel and the Jews is rampant in the PA-approved textbooks used in Palestinian schools, and disseminated constantly in the media. As exhibited in the analysis of articles 35-37, the Palestinian Authority makes use of torture and arbitrary arrest toward its citizens, in opposition to the principles of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Finally, the very act of the Palestinian Authority unilaterally applying for accession into international conventions, treaties, and organizations (intended for sovereign states), is in and of itself a violation of the Oslo Accords, and therefore of international law, as stated in the analysis of article 9. Specifically, it violates the Oslo II agreement, article XXXI 7, where it states: Neither side shall initiate or take any step that will change the status of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip pending the outcome of the permanent status negotiations. Policy Recommendation As shown above, the Palestinian leadership does not abide by at least 27 articles in the declaration, without including potential violations by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Therefore, this analysis recommends that the Palestinians are not an appropriate choice to chair the G-77 in 2019 and should thus be disqualified from their prospective position. The Palestinian Authority has demonstrated that it is incapable of adequately governing its own society and holding itself to the principles of the G-77 to which it has committed itself. These principles exist in many spheres, such as improving the practice of democracy, womens rights, fighting government corruption, ensuring basic services, ensuring medical care, the eradication of poverty, and so on. A government that cannot accomplish this within its own territory will likely fail in accomplishing it in other territories as well. Should the situation change, and the Palestinian Authority undergo extensive organizational and administrative reformation of its leadership, policies, and legal system in such a way that would guarantee it could exist in harmony with the admirable principles set forth by the G-77, negotiations about leading the G-77 could begin again. Critics of this policy proposal may belittle it, citing the oft-heard argument that no country has a perfect record. This is a fallacious argument, as it basically erodes the possibility of having a standard the G-77 can hold themselves to. It is true that the Palestinians are not the worst abusers of human rights in the G-77, nor do they abide by the outlined principles the least among the groups members. However, if the group cannot find a member of this coalition better suited to lead them than the Palestinians, that is more telling of the status of the G-77 and developing states as a whole and should warrant further examination. Following this train of thought, one could likewise make the case that the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, two notorious human rights aggressors, could serve as chairman. Indeed, there are different degrees to which countries abuse human rights, and this article is not comparing the Palestinian Authority to either of the countries mentioned above, but theoretically, the same logic would apply. After all, no country has a perfect record. The feasibility of this policy recommendation being adapted by the G-77 is minimal at best, due to the proximity to the actual date of the appointment and the unwavering support of 146 countries that voted in favor of the Palestinians appointment in the UNGA in October 2018. In fact, only three countries the United States, Israel, and Australia voted against the appointment, none of whom are members of the G-77. Amassing a coalition of developing states that would oppose the measure is a daunting task. However, that does not absolve the appointments detractors of their right to oppose it. Conclusion and Summary In conclusion, this article has analyzed, through the prism of available evidence, the laws, actions, and policies of the Palestinian Authority, to determine whether it acts in accordance with the fundamental principles of the G-77, as outlined explicitly in their 2014 declaration For a new world order for living well. The analysis has led to the unequivocal conclusion that the PA government in the West Bank violates at least 27 articles found within the declaration. These violations frequently occur to the detriment of the Palestinian population, such as a corrupt, autocratic government that stifles freedom of expression, headed by a ruler who refuses to cede power, a general lack of womens rights in the Palestinian Authority, and hampering sustained, inclusive, and equitable economic growth. Hence, a policy of disqualification of the Palestinian Authority from the position of chairman of the G-77 in the year 2019 is recommended. Implementation of this recommendation is urgent and paramount, not only for the sake of the integrity of the G-77 as a whole, but for the sake of the innocent civilians who could be harmed by the Palestinian governments appointment. Eitan Fischberger, an intern at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, is currently a student at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya (IDC). Previously, he interned at the Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations in New York. Home New criminal justice reform law releases violent felons, not peaceful drug dealers By Rachel Alexander If Van Jones, Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Kim Kardashian all agree on a bill, its probably not a good idea. Republicans and Democrats came together to pass the FIRST STEP Act into law this month, which will allow felons early release. Its being touted as a criminal justice system overhaul, to let nonviolent offenders out of prison for good behavior. But as Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who graduated from Harvard Law School, observed, there are almost no low-level, non-violent offenders in federal prison. If they are in prison for low-level convictions, its because they were allowed to plea down to a lesser charge. If they are serving a long-term sentence for a drug-related crime, it is because they have a lengthy criminal history that includes violent crime. They are serving a mandatory minimum due to their criminal history. The law will trigger the immediate release of an estimated 4,000 federal offenders out of the 180,000 currently incarcerated. This is twice as many prisoners as those whose sentences were selectively commuted by President Obama. That number will greatly increase over time. The Bureau of Prisons and Congressional Budget Office estimates roughly 53,000 prisoners could be released over the next 10 years. That is almost one third of the prisoners in federal prison! This misguided bill would allow violent offenders out early for merely doing what they were already doing in prison engage in vaguely defined productive activities. This includes playing softball and watching movies, according to the Bureau of Prisons. The bill excludes some violent crimes from eligibility for early release, but not all of them. Some of the dozens of dangerous offenses that are eligible include drug-related robberies involving assault with a dangerous weapon, using a deadly weapon to assault a law-enforcement officer, assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a spouse or child and violent carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury. The bill gives judges more discretion to ignore mandatory minimums for criminals with prior records. How does giving activist judges more power to ignore sentencing laws and lengthy criminal histories help anything? Instead they can pretend theyre merely sentencing a felon for drug crimes, keep that fake mantra going. The National Association of Assistant United States Attorneys is concerned that the bill is modeled after successful state criminal justice reforms. As many as 77 percent of state inmates are rearrested within five years of release. In contrast, only 24 percent of federal inmates are rearrested in that time period. How have those state reforms been a success? Kardashian has made it her mission to get felons released early from prison who are serving long sentences for drug related offenses. She convinced President Trump to grant clemency to Alice Marie Johnson, a woman serving a life sentence for a nonviolent drug conviction. The indictment described Johnson as a leader in a multi-million dollar cocaine ring. But what is the whole story? What was her criminal background before that, were there violent crimes? It is highly unlikely the reason she was sentenced to life in prison was due to the drug charges alone. But the media wont report the full story and much of her criminal history is withheld from the public by law. Her incomplete story is now the poster child for this law. How did this flawed bill get passed? It was misdescribed. Letting low-level nonviolent offenders shave a few years off of long sentences sounds reasonable. No one wants to go on record sounding like they oppose that. And its difficult to prove the bill is flawed, because so much of a felons criminal history is unavailable to the public. Only the prosecutors, criminal defense attorneys and law enforcement agents who deal with felons every day know the real story behind these types of felons (even the judges arent necessarily allowed access to their full criminal records). And they are overwhelmingly against the bill. Several of these national law enforcement agencies submitted letters to Congress warning that the bill will endanger public safety. The legislation will not reduce future crime. It will not make our communities safer. Sen. Cotton says the way to remedy injustices in the system is to allow the president to choose who to pardon or provide clemency. Not allow thousands of felons out indiscriminately. These types of things go in cycles. After violent crime inevitably starts sharply increasing, Congress will change the laws again to impose tougher penalties. But by then it will have been too late. How many innocent people will have to die first? Rachel Alexander and her brother Andrew are co-Editors of Intellectual Conservative. She has been published in the American Spectator, Townhall.com, Fox News, NewsMax, Accuracy in Media, The Americano, ParcBench, Enter Stage Right and other publications. Home Tourists visit the Ice-Snow World in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Dec. 23, 2018. The Ice-Snow World opened on Sunday in Harbin. Covering an area of 600,000 square meters, the park used 110,000 cubic meters of ice and 120,000 cubic meters of snow this year. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei) Bounce, a San Francisco, CA-based mobile platform for booking daily storage, raised $1.2m in funding. Backers included: Seabed VC, Jillian Manus, a managing partner at Structured Capital, Rob Chesnut, and Michael Hyatt, a Canadian entrepreneur and investor, among several others. The company intends to use the funds to roll out across to dozens of new cities throughout 2019. Led by CEO Cody Candee, Bounce provides a mobile platform for booking daily storage wherever users are in New York, San Francisco, Washington DC, Chicago. The company has more than 100 storage locations in operation, all of them hosted by local retailers such as hotels and dry cleaners who signed up to list their extra space on the platform. The company, in operation for one year with its web-based product, has stored tens of thousands of bags already, proving out the model. Customers range from business travelers to urban commuters to parents. FinSMEs 23/12/2018 BrainCheck, a Houston, Texas-based digital neurocognitive testing platform, raised $1.5m in funding. The round, which brought total funding to $6m to date, was led by True Wealth Ventures, with participation from Tensility Venture Partners, XFactor Ventures, S3 Ventures and angel investors. The company intends to use the funds to use the capital to expand its R&D and enhance its offering and invest in sales and marketing talent to accelerate deployment in clinical practice. Born at the Eagleman Neuroscience Laboratory at Baylor College of Medicine (now at Stanford) in 2015 by neuroscientists and technologists Dr. David Eagleman (Baylor College of Medicine/Stanford) and Dr. Yael Katz, BrainCheck enables physicians to accurately assess cognitive function and deliver cognitive care at scale. The platform is currently used by hundreds of clinical practices and over 40,000 individuals. Through a combination of assessments, screeners, workflows and clinical decision support algorithms, the platform enables physicians to provide a detailed, personalized care plan to the patient and caregiver at the point of care. FinSMEs 24/12/2018 2018 has been a year full of acknowledgments for Valentin Stalf, the co-founder and CEO of Berlin, Germany based mobile bank N26. On May 26th, he was honored as the Founder of the Year 2018 of the University of St.Gallen (HSG). on December 13th, recognizing his effort to redesign banking for the 21st century, Stalf was named as Young Entrepreneur of the Year from Handelsblatt and Frank Thelen. Born in October 4, 1985, in Vienna, Austria, Stalf studied Business Administration and obtained a Masters degree in Accounting and Finance at University of St.Gallen. Before N26, he was an Entrepreneur in Residence for Rocket Internet, a global incubator and investor in online startups helping several companies grow in the mobile payments industry, including payleven and Paymill GmbH. Previously, Stalf worked in strategy consulting and investment banking. In 2013, he set up N26 along with Maximilian Tayenthal, Founder and CFO, a longtime friend, with whom shared the vision of building a bank that the world loved to use. Initially launched in 2015, N26 leverages a digital business model to operate on a much lower cost base with lean organizational structures, without IT legacies and an expensive branch network passing on these cost benefits to customers. Stalf and Tayenthal planned to offer optimized banking for smartphones, via a simple and fast customer experience. Actually, an user can open an account through the mobile phone in a few minutes, send money to friends and contacts by e-mail or SMS in real time. 2018 was another year of exponential growth for the company. Today, N26 has more than 2 million customers across 24 countries (from less than 1m in 2017), with monthly transaction volume exceeding 1.5 billion. The company, which has a full banking license and more than 500 employees in Berlin, New York and the recently opened office in Barcelona, Spain, has raised $215m from Allianz X, Tencent Holdings Limited, Li Ka-Shings Horizons Ventures, Peter Thiels Valar Ventures, members of the Zalando management board and Earlybird Venture Capital. According to Stalf, startups fail for no market need and in order to avoid this founders must think from the market side and not from the personal point of view. A hard believer in the MVP, he also thinks that legal requirements for financial services are the benchmark in the FinTech sector. Stalfs vision of reimaging and redesigning banking for the 21st century was confirmed by his comment on the recent launch in the UK. He said: The UK is one of the most digitally advanced countries in the world. At N26, we have re-imagined banking for the digital age and as a result were the fastest growing mobile bank in all European markets we operate. Backed by our state-of-the-art technology stack and an intuitive, user-centric design, todays launch is the first step towards delivering the best digital banking experience possible for UK customers. Demonstrating Stalfs focus on products, during 2018, N26 launched Spaces, a fast way to set aside money based on a customers personal preferences and needs, and N26 Business Black, a premium business account for freelancers and self-employed individuals. The company also partners with innovative fintech and traditional financial companies to offer customers such products as TransferWise (foreign exchange), Raisin (savings), Clark and Allianz (insurance), auxmoney (credit) and others. N26 plans to enter the US market in 2019, a highly fragmented with inconsistent regulation across all 50 states. Another challenge he and his team will take on following a year of consistent growth. Stalf currently is also a member of the advisory board at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. FinSMEs 24/12/2018 . - , . 8.00 . : , , . ... This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices. U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp on Monday ordered a preliminary injunction against the Biden Administration, stopping mandated COVID-19 vaccinations for health care workers in Centers for Medicare and Medicaid ... (StatePoint) Bringing new life to classic holiday traditions starts with understanding the origins of how these traditions came to be. The Olesen family of O&H Danish Bakery knows how ... (StatePoint) Holiday cooking and entertaining dont have to be overly complex to impress. Here are quick, simple ways to elevate your meals for memorable experiences your friends and family... WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- SpaceX launched a new breed of GPS satellite for the United States Military on Sunday, marking the private space company's first contracted mission for the country's national security. A Falcon 9 rocket, carrying U.S. Air Force's first Global Positioning System (GPS) III space vehicle 01 (SV01), was launched at 8:51 a.m. EST from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch was previously scheduled on Tuesday but delayed four times due to technical and weather reasons. The GPS III satellite, to be deployed to medium Earth orbit, is designed to deliver positioning, navigation, and timing information. It is three times more accurate than the previous system and up to eight times stronger in its anti-jamming capability. Because of mission requirements, SpaceX did not attempt to retrieve the reusable Falcon 9's first stage after launch, according to SpaceX. The launch is a landmark for SpaceX to make a presence in the lucrative military space launch market. In April 2016, SpaceX was awarded the first National Security Space mission and it has four other GPS III missions on contract. Visitors at the 2018 China Education Expo. (Photo/China Education Association for International Exchange) Over the past four decades, China has seen nearly 5.2 million students traveling overseas to go to school or university, while 3.1 million of them have since returned home to chase their dreams. 73.9 percent of overseas returnees moved back to China after 2012 when the Communist Party of China held its 18th National Congress. This group of people have made a massive contribution to Chinas development in all fields including science, education, economy and culture. The influx of returning students can be attributed to the economic progress and competitiveness that China has achieved. The Chinese mainland jumped seven places on the 2017 World Competitiveness Yearbook, published by Lausannes International Institute for Management Development. Robin Li, founder of Chinas tech firm Baidu, is a well-known example. After studying and working in the US for years, he chose to move back to China to start his own business. Establishing Baidu in Zhongguancun, Beijings tech hub, Li has achieved tremendous accomplishments both personally and for the country. Now, Baidu owns the worlds largest Chinese research engine. As with many other overseas returnees, Li believes that China provides unprecedented opportunities. Our customers needs are changing, and China offers the best stage for top talents to change the world through technology, he said. A passion for serving the country is another factor that draws Chinese students back from foreign countries. Yan Wangjia, the founder of an information technology company, told Peoples Daily Overseas Edition that she felt happy to be contributing to the country. Nobody wants to be a bystander to his or her national development, she added. While experiencing a transition from an overseas study craze to an influx of overseas returnees, China is also emerging as Asias largest destination for international students thanks to its rising soft power. Statistics from the Ministry of Education showed that the number of international students in China increased from 1,200 in 1978 to over 480,000 last year. In 2017, 935 Chinese universities enrolled students from 204 countries and regions, with about 75,800 studying for masters or doctoral degrees, up 18.62 percent from the previous year. As the Chinese government continues to offer scholarships to international students, Chinas universities are attracting talents at higher levels. In 2017, 58,600 students from 180 countries enjoyed scholarships provided by the Chinese government, accounting for 11.97 percent of the total. 40,800 of them were enrolled in masters or Ph.D. programs, up 20.06 percent year-on-year. One scholarship recipient, a Beninese student surnamed Musi, said that China was developing very fast, and the countrys education was also of high quality. He explained that studying in China was his dream, adding, I hope I can contribute to China-Africa friendship and my hometown through what I have learned in China." Description GIS 24 December, 2018: A total of 34 fishermen received their Fishermen Registration Cards during a ceremony held on Friday 21 December 2018 at the Mauritius Maritime Training Academy in Pointe aux Sables. The Minister of Ocean Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping, Mr Premdut Koonjoo, was present. The fishermen also received a certificate for having completed a General Course for Fisher, held from 17 September to 14 December 2018, at the Fisheries Training and Extension centre. In his address, Minister Koonjoo highlighted Governments commitment to cater for the needs of the fishermen community through the implementation of various measures. The registration cards, he underlined, will enable fishermen to conduct their fishing activities in a legal manner while conforming to the Fisheries Act. The provision of life jackets also feature among the series of measures implemented to ensure the protection of fishermen at sea, he added. The Minister further spoke of the need to make the blue economy an important economic pillar for Mauritius. Marine resources, he pointed out, should be effectively and sustainably exploited while also ensuring the preservation of the ecosystem. Moreover, Mr Koonjoo cautioned the community of fishermen on illegal malpractices such as drug trafficking and overfishing, prevalent at sea and which adversely impact on the society. The raw materials at Sushi Noz. Photo: Scott Heins The great sushi omakase craze has been spreading like wildfire through the upper realms of the citys high-roller dining scene for decades now, but lately the situation seems to have taken an even more elaborate turn. Travel the circuit of discreet new tasting joints around town (with a sizable wad of cash in your pocket, of course) and youll find uni-topped slivers of A5 Miyazaki beef (Sushi Ginza Onodera), and nori hand rolls stuffed with caviar (Uchu Kaiseki Counter). Youll find monied young restaurateurs recruiting talent not from Los Angeles, like in the old days, but from decorated establishments in Japan (Amane, Noda), and youll see such a rainbow of different styles (box pressed, locally caught, Kansai influenced, L.A. style, edomae, vegan) that the aficionados and fat cats who keep track of such trends will sometimes whisper that these days, New York might actually be a more interesting place for top-line sushi than Tokyo. Chef Nozomu Abe, left, behind his Hinoki Counter. Photo: Scott Heins You wont hear such heresy coming from this critic, but if you wish to experience this gilded renaissance in its purest, most obsessive form, a good place to start is a discreetly polished new Upper East Side restaurant called Sushi Noz. The facade, on 78th Street just off Third Avenue, is spackled with smooth white plaster in the classic Japanese style. A traditional noren flaps over the doorway, which is slid open as you pad in from the noisy, windswept street by a bowing hostess dressed in full kimono. The space inside a snug hallway connecting two small tasting rooms, one built from ash, the other with a bar carved from a single 200-year-old hinoki tree has been constructed without nails (in the ancient sukiya style, the website says) and looks like an idealized version of some distant sushi destination in the back lanes of Osaka or Tokyo. Sushi Noz is the brainchild of two young restaurateur brothers, David and Josh Foulquier, who grew up during a time when delicacies like fatty tuna and Hokkaido uni were replacing slabs of beefsteak as Wall Streets favored high-status trophy food and when the focus in learned culinary circles around town was shifting away from the old Continental models to a preoccupation with all things Japanese. With this new obsession, the myth of the temperamental superstar from Provence or Lyon was replaced by that of the lordly, imperious sushi master (Nobu, Masa Takayama, Jiro Ono of Jiro Dreams of Sushi fame), and to fill this crucial role, the brothers have recruited a young chef who grew up in Hokkaido and has worked in Tokyo and New York named Nozomu Abe, who appears before his little audience every night of service and bows like an actor on a stage. On the evening I dropped by, the performance began with a taste of barely cooked pink snapper, which had been passed over the flame of a binchotan charcoal grill and was served with freshly grated wasabi and a delicate crystal substance from Egypt called snow salt. It was followed by a warming, luxurious winter soup made of snow crab from the south of Japan, which was topped with a tiny thatch of snipped chives that gave the delicate assemblage (male crabs are picked for their meat, females for the broth) a fresh finishing crunch. After that, slices of fluke mixed with monkfish liver, rice, and a jellied dashi broth, then strips of flavorful scorpion fish shaved with drifts of bottarga, although the undoubted star of this opening salvo was a serving of that forbidden Japanese pleasure shirako (a.k.a. cod milt), which was garnished with winter truffles and disappeared like a ball of hot, milky butter down the back of your throat. Clockwise from top: kinmedai (pink snapper) with salt and wasabi; hirame and ankimo (fluke and monkfish liver); and kobako-gani (snow-crab soup). Photo: Scott Heins. Clockwise from top: kinmedai (pink snapper) with salt and wasabi; hirame and ankimo (fluke and monkfish liver); and kobako-gani (snow-crab soup). Phot... more Clockwise from top: kinmedai (pink snapper) with salt and wasabi; hirame and ankimo (fluke and monkfish liver); and kobako-gani (snow-crab soup). Photo: Scott Heins. With his shaved head and pale, monkish features, Noz does his best to cultivate the theatrical air of an old-fashioned sushi ascetic. Not surprisingly, like the edomae-style masters of old, he ages and cures his fish using a variety of traditional techniques, even storing it in an antique-style icebox under melting slabs of actual ice. During the nigiri-sushi portion of dinner, we tasted pieces of silvery sayori needlefish brushed with a sauce made from chives and ginger, warm slips of sea eel smoked over bamboo leaves, and fat little scallops that the chef expertly crosshatches on their tops to look a little like flower petals and serves around the bar one by one. In addition to the usual uni (from Hokkaido) and popping spoonfuls of salmon roe (marinated in sake and mixed with rice), there were four grades of tuna, one of which the chef sears with a rack of glowing binchotan coals instead of the usual butane torch, and as the fish cooks, the little room fills with the sweet street-market smells of wood smoke and sizzling fat. Youre not paying street-market prices for the full $300 tasting experience at Sushi Noz, of course, and just like at most elevated new omakase joints these days, theres a good chance youll find yourself marooned, like I was, next to a pair of overcompensated salarymen who spend their dinner absently discussing how their kids are doing in private school instead of, say, the silky qualities of the Hokkaido uni. For a slightly more focused (and, at $175 per person, slightly more modestly priced) experience, you can book a seat at the newly opened Ash Room next to Nozs Hinoki Counter, where one of his equally pale, equally monkish-looking assistants produces the sushi portion of the larger omakase menu. The food has the same kind of quality, focus, and attention to detail as the sushi next door, and as one small stylized course follows the next, Noz will drop in for a minute or two and take a bow. Chef Noz grills fatty tuna under hot coals. Photo: Scott Heins Wild yellowtail nigiri. Photo: Scott Heins Clockwise from top left: grilled sea eel, fugu, octopus, and bonito. Photo: Scott Heins. Clockwise from top left: grilled sea eel, fugu, octopus, and bonito. Photo: Scott Heins. Salmon roe over rice. Photo: Scott Heins Performance art. Photo: Scott Heins Sushi Noz | 89 (out of 100)* | Impressive 181 E. 78th St., nr. Third Ave.; 917-338-1792; sushinoz.com Open: Dinner Monday to Saturday; two seatings per night. Prices: Prices: $175 in the Ash Room; $300 at the Hinoki Counter (gratuity included). Ideal Meal: Full omakase, with special attention to the crab soup, the cod milt, and the nigiri-sushi portion of dinner. Note: As is the custom at many new high-end omakase establishments, reservations at both counters must be paid for in advance. Scratchpad: The combination of quality, technique, and inspired old-school theatrics lands this upscale sushi parlor firmly in the impressive zone of our newfangled by-the-numbers rating scale. *The rating scale of 0 to 100 reflects our editors appraisals of all the tangible and intangible factors that make a restaurant or bar great or terrible regardless of price. See The Thousand Best for 999 more great places to eat and drink. *This article appears in the January 7, 2019, issue of New York Magazine. Subscribe Now! (Reuters) Macro funds, which tend to trade currencies and bonds off global macro-economic trends, were wrongfooted like almost everyone else by the world economy, which kicked off the year in robust fashion only to lose momentum. Even the United States is now showing signs of slowdown. Many macro funds started the year long in emerging markets, European stocks, the euro and short in the U.S. dollar. To read this article: One would think that this kind of a megalomaniacally expensive mega-acquisition was a matter that is discussed carefully and widely, especially with the parliamentary elections edging closer. But no, she lamented in her blog on Friday. Li Andersson, the chairperson of the Left Alliance, has expressed her dismay at some of the statements made during a debate about the upcoming fighter jet fleet overhaul in Finland. Andersson called particular attention to the reaction sparked by Roope Uusitalo, a professor of economics of education at the University of Jyvaskyla. Uusitalo suggested last week that the country could save a few billion euros for use for other purposes by acquiring 47 instead of the proposed 64 fighter jets. Decision expected in early 2020s: Finland is to replace its fleet of ageing fighter jets with manned multi-role fighters by 2030. The F/A-18 Hornet jets currently in use were commissioned in 19952000. The jets have a service life of 30 years. The acquisition is expected to cost 710 billion euros. The cost estimate does not include the maintenance and development costs that will be incurred over the next 30 years. The options under consideration are: Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets (US), Dassault Rafale (FR), Eurofighter Typhoon (UK), Lockheed Martin F35 (US) and Saab Gripen (SE). A decision on the jets is to be made in the early 2020s. His remarks provoked an irate response from Jussi Niinisto (BR), the Minister of Defence. Professor Uusitalo has made a fool of himself by commenting on issues he doesnt understand. You dont hear me commenting on the theorems in economics, because I dont have the competence to do so, he stated in an interview with Verkkouutiset on 17 December. Andersson reminded that also the fighter jet acquisition should be subjected to regular political scrutiny. What kind of a western democracy is Finland supposed to be if one cannot critically evaluate the largest weapons acquisition in the countrys history? she asked. The Left Alliance, she highlighted, is not opposed to making acquisitions to replace ageing military equipment but has underscored throughout the process that the number and price of the fighter jets should be evaluated critically. The Parliament and government have a responsibility to do so. It cannot be determined only by the Defence Forces, she said. Andersson said the Finnish Defence Forces has made misjudgements also in regards to its previous acquisitions having abandoned its plan to acquire fighter helicopters in the 1990s due to high costs and dismantled a hovercraft in 2013 only 11 years after it had been commissioned due to a strategic shift. There is definitely a need for discussion. There is definitely also a need to change the discussion atmosphere, she stressed. It is absolutely inexplicable that a professor who publicly criticises the largest weapons acquisition in Finlands history is called a fool by the minister of defence. Aleksi Teivainen HT Source: Uusi Suomi Popular support for the opposition party increased from 8.4 per cent to 9.7 per cent over the past month, possibly as a consequence of reports that a group of immigrant men are suspected of serious sex crimes against children in Oulu, North Ostrobothnia , according to Alma Media. The Finns Party recorded a noticeable up-tick in popularity between November and December, indicates the latest opinion poll commissioned by Alma Media. Uusi Suomi highlights that the populist party wasted no time in utilising the incident as a tool to promote its own anti-immigration platform. Jussi Halla-aho, the chairperson of the Finns Party, for example accused the president and cabinet members of being silent while ordinary citizens are clenching their hands in their pockets. A statement ultimately came also from Prime Minister Juha Sipila (Centre). He assured that people who have been found guilty of offences will receive their punishment regardless of ethnicity in a rule-of-law state. The police is responsible for investigating and communicating about the events in Oulu, the judicial system for convicting [the perpetrators], added Sipila. The Finns Party also overtook the Left Alliance as the fifth most-supported political party in Finland, as support for the latter decreased by 0.2 percentage points to 9.1 per cent. The Centre, in turn, saw its popularity creep up by 0.4 percentage points to 15.5 per cent between November and December. The Social Democrats, which has dominated opinion polls for the past several months, fell back by 0.7 percentage points to 20.7 per cent and saw its advantage over the National Coalition shrink to 1.1 percentage points. The Green League saw its recent resurgence come to an abrupt end as its popularity plunged by 0.7 percentage points to 12.9 per cent. Both the Christian Democrats and Swedish Peoples Party continued to poll around the four per cent-mark, after the former recorded a rise of 0.2 percentage points in popularity to 3.9 per cent and the latter a drop of 0.4 percentage points to 4.1 per cent. The Blue Reform saw its popularity dwindle for the fourth successive month, dropping from 2.2 to 1.8 per cent between November and December. A total of 1,507 people were interviewed for the opinion poll between 5 and 18 December by Tietoykkonen. Over three-quarters (76.3%) of the people were able and willing to disclose their party of preference. Aleksi Teivainen HT Source: Uusi Suomi Zhang takes care of Xin Xing. (Photo/Courtesy of Zhang Naicheng) Over the course of 21 years, Xin Xing the giant panda has grown from a young beauty to the worlds oldest living giant panda, while her keeper at southwest Chinas Chongqing Zoo, Zhang Naicheng, has grown from a young man to someone old enough to be called uncle. Though over two decades have passed, Zhang still wants to take care of Xin Xing and grow old with her, a WeChat account of Chinanews.com reported on Dec. 19. Xin Xing is now 36 years old, which is the equivalent of about 100 in human years. Though she has already lost many of her teeth due to old age, she still has a good appetite and is in good health, said Zhang, disclosing that Xin Xing has always been able to sleep well and enjoy her food, which is probably the secret behind her longevity. Zhang and Xin Xing first met in 1992, when Xin Xing gave birth during an unusually hot summer. Since there was no air conditioner in the zoo at the time, Zhang was employed by Chongqing Zoo to carry ice blocks to the giant panda house for the whole summer. I didnt have direct contact with Xin Xing then, because I always carried the ice into the house when she wasn't looking, said Zhang. Zhang became Xin Xing's keeper in 1997, and has taken care of her every day since. In the beginning, Zhang was scared of Xin Xing, but now, he pampers her like she was his child. Although giant pandas look charming, Xin Xing has never been adorable or placid, disclosed Zhang, revealing that Xin Xing is the only giant panda in Chongqing Zoo that needs to be closed in behind two locks while her cage is being cleaned. According to Zhang, Xin Xing likes eating apples and is usually given one whenever she has concentrated feed. If she doesn't get her apple when she expects to, she throws her food tray to the ground. On one occasion, she destroyed a food basin made of stainless steel with her teeth, said Zhang, adding that though giant pandas look cute, they still have somewhat of a brutish nature, as they are wild carnivores. Zhang takes a picture of the giant pandas. (Photo/Courtesy of Zhang Naicheng) Asked what to do if attacked by a grown giant panda, Zhang laughed and said in that case, I advise you to run in an S shape path to escape. Zhang takes care of Xin Xing much like you would take care of a person. Giant pandas can understand human body language, said Zhang, who spends about seven hours with Xin Xing every day. I want to continue looking after her and help her to live to at least 40 years old. We can grow old together, and make her the longest living panda, said Zhang. Zhang brings Xin Xing a birthday cake for her 35th birthday. (Photo/Courtesy of Zhang Naicheng) BEIJING, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- China is set to meet its economic growth target of 6.5 percent this year, a senior official said Saturday. China's gross domestic products (GDP) will reach nearly 13 trillion U.S. dollars, said Ning Jizhe, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, at a forum. In the past few years, China's middle-income population has added up to nearly 400 million, and this year the number has gone beyond 400 million, which sets a foundation for the country's economic transformation, Ning added. This year, China would contribute nearly 30 percent to world economic growth, and the country's GDP would account for 16 percent of the global GDP, said Han Wenxiu, an official of Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission. In 2017, the country's GDP was 12 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for 15 percent of world GDP, statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics showed. Participants at an international meeting in La Paz discussed the history of - and the accomplishments of people bearing - the pre-Hispanic surname Mamani, which in the Aymara language means falcon (or hawk) and is one of the most common in Bolivia, as well as being typical in other Andean countries such as Ecuador, Peru and in northern Argentina and Chile. The Jacha Mamani (Great Falcons) convention on the weekend included discussions and talks on linguistic, geographical, literary and astrological subjects related to the ancestral line. The conference was kicked off with a symbolic offering to Pachamama (Mother Earth) by amautas or Andean ancestral guides who presided at a ceremony of typical indigenous rituals. In comments to EFE, sociologist Pablo Mamani said that his research shows that the surname is one of the most prevalent in Bolivia, belonging to more than 734,000 people nationwide, or one out of every 10 or 11 Bolivians. The expert was one of those tasked with opening the conference and explaining the genealogical and linguistic history of the Mamani clan. Also participating in the discussion was author Alejandro Mamani, who wrote the first novel in Aymara, as well as other noteworthy experts in various fields. The subjects discussed at Jacha Mamani included the names relationship to the Inca empire, as well as astrological efforts by current members of the line. Participants enjoyed assorted talks and discussions, all focused on the cultural appreciation of the name and the accomplishments of those bearing it, many of whom have been socially stigmatized and discriminated against for their ancient indigenous name, although some converted their name into the Spanish surname Alcon or Aguilar, both of which suggest falcons or hawks. Data presented at the event show that people bearing the Mamani surname have migrated abroad in a type of diaspora and have settled in certain countries in Europe and Asia. There are allegations by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of plans by the federal government to arrest those lawmakers who booed President Muhammadu Buhari, during his budget presentation at a joint sitting of the National Assembly. This was made known by a spokesman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Buba Galadima, while addressing journalists in Abuja. According to him, names of those lawmakers are already being compiled by members of the presidents side and arrests will soon be made. Galadima, also accused Buhari of relying on false figures and facts in the presentation of the budget proposal, which has prompted people to question his integrity. The lawmakers have every reason to boo the President because what he read as achievements were absolutely trash, falsehood, and misrepresentation of facts. By now, we must have seen that 90 per cent of what he called achievements are not really true. It is unfortunate that the President cannot check his facts. He has no way of finding out the truth. Whatever is given to him by his subordinates, he takes hook, line and sinker and rolls out to the public. This calls his integrity to question. We learnt from impeccable sources that some of his close aides are meeting and compiling names of those who supposedly booed the President. I dont know whether it is to frame them up with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) or ask the police to invite them. Buhari was also accused of breaching the Electoral Act by collecting donations from the Nigerian Farmers Association towards his campaigns. Former Aviation minister, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode has reacted to the protest staged today by the people of Zamfara state, against the recent killings in Magami village in Faru District of Maradun LGA of the state, that led to the death of over 18 people. The residents of Tsafe Local Government Area, on Monday morning took to the streets, blocking the Gusau-Zaria highway joining Zamfara to Kaduna, Kano, and Abuja. According to the former minister, the people have lost too much and are now fed up, therefore the result was the riot. Fani-Kayode also said that President Muhammadu Buhari was being followed by death, destruction and chaos like flies follow a rotten and bloated cadavar. He wrote: The people of Zamfara proved today that they are fed up with the slaughter that they have been subjected to over the last three years by Malian Fulani terrorists. Death, destruction and chaos follow Buhari like flies follow a rotten and bloated cadavar. May God deliver Nigeria. Former presidential aide and popular opposition voice against the present government, Reno Omokri has he is disappointed at vice President Yemi Osinbajo for asking Yorubas to vote President Muhammadu Buhari because hed allegedly hand over power to them. Speaking recently at the palace of the Alaafin, Lamidi Adeyemi 111, OsinbajoMr Buhari asked his kinsmen to vote Buhari because it would be their turn in 2023. It is good to pay homage to the palace. I greet you the king, I greet the Alaafin of Oyo and other traditional rulers here present. Anytime I come to the Kabiesi either here or in Abuja, I say it is home coming. The 2019 general elections is our own. We are not looking at the 2019 but 2023. If we get it in 2019, Yoruba will get it in 2023. Because if we dont get it in 2019, we may not get it in 2023 and it may take a very long time to get it. We need to look at tomorrow and not because of today. What we are doing now is for tomorrow and not for today. However in his reaction via his Twitter handle on Sunday, Omokri said Osinbajo, a professor of law, should be asking his people to vote Buhari because he has done well and not because of getting power in 2023. So disappointing that a Professor of Law like Vice President @ProfOsinbajo would ask Yorubas to vote for @MBuhari, not because Buhari has done well, or because he will do well, but because he will allegedly hand over to a Yoruba. The same promise the SGF made to Igbos last week. WM Motor's EX5 SUV model that contains many intelligent features catches visitors' eyes at an auto show in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo provided to China Daily] Carmakers who master AI poised for success in decades ahead, speakers tell conference With artificial intelligence becoming further integrated with the automotive industry, questions about security issues relating to intelligent connected vehicles require close scrutiny, according to insiders and experts. Those remarks took place at the 2018 Global Automotive AI Conference, which is held by Chinese auto news portal Tencent Autoowned by Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltdlast Tuesday in Beijing. "With the upgrading of industry technology and the transforming of customers' consumption concepts and consumption patterns, the automobile industry will witness a substantial adjustment," Tang Daosheng, senior executive vice-president of Tencent, said at the conference. "That industry adjustment features high technology. Thus, the automobile manufacturer who masters the technology will grasp the new-round development opportunity. For instance, to go with the tide of the trend, BMW, Mercedes Benz and Ford have upgraded their brand positioning from traditional automakers to mobility service providers," Tang added. Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek, the world-renowned white-hat hackers and security experts, shared their views on securing self-driving cars at the conference. "Hackers can attack the intelligent connected vehicles and control the braking systems through cellular network, Bluetooth and CD player," Miller said. "To secure automated vehicles, we should find the law of hacking. And based on the law, we stand a chance in developing protective methods," Miller noted. But Valasek added that it's an extremely tough mission, which asks for numerous tests and requires more trust among automakers for such outside technical experts. With more and more automated vehicles coming out in the future, the superiorities and inferiorities of the automatic driving vehicles will become apparent, Valasek said. "What we have to do is do our best to make it (automated vehicle) as secure as possible," he noted. Still, tech firms and automakers are plunging ahead. Tang noted that Tencent is scheduled to join hands with more automakers to establish a smart mobility ecology, leveraging its rich experience accumulated in consumption of the internet in the past two decades and superiority in cloud technology and artificial intelligence. In terms of smart mobility, Tencent has built up partnership with 16 carmakers, aiming to help the carmakers to achieve transformation with digitalization, according to Tang. Tang's words were echoed by Zhong Xiangping, vice-president at Tencent, who said that relying on its mass users and data, Tencent is able to facilitate the automakers' transformation and upgrading in multiple aspects, one of which is the Tencent intelligent automobile distributing solution. Taking full advantage of Tencent's social softwareWeChat, QQ and the Mini Program, the intelligent distributing solution efficiently improves customers' experience in the dealer exhibition halls and helps establish smarter customer relationship management system, viewing to help the automakers lift their operating efficiency and benefit, Zhong added. Meng Pu, president of Qualcomm China regiona US radio communication technology research and development companysaid at the conference that 5G communication and artificial intelligence technology is being integrated with the automobile industry. With high-speed and low-latency mobile communication, 5G communication will redefine the mobility experience with enhancing driving safety, relieving traffic pressure and improving traffic efficiency, according to Meng. Saad Metz, executive vice-president of Audi China, said that intelligent technology is the best method for his company to realize its localization efforts in China. Cooperating with Tencent in terms of intelligent technology, Audi aims to provide the Chinese customers with a smarter and more convenient mobility experience, according to Metz. Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state has urged all Nigerians to join hands together to oust President Muhammadu Buhari out of office come 2019. Tambuwal, who decamped from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to go contest its presidential primaries, but lost to former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, made this known via his Twitter handle on Sunday. Tambuwal appealed to Nigerians that the task of removing the present government is not just a PDP agenda but a National one, therefore all hands must be on deck. Removing the present government is not merely a @OfficialPDPNig agenda. It is a national Agenda all patriots must involve themselves. #LetsGetNigeriaWorkingAgain Dr. Mohammed Goge on Saturday, shared this inspiring story of a First Class graduate, from a poor family, who makes a living as a chicken dresser in Yobe, while awaiting his NYSC. The young man, Ali Shuaibu Baba graduated from Yobe State University this year. His familys source of income is from slaughter and dressing of local chickens. It was through the business that he paid his school fees. Read his story below: Meet ALI SHUAIBU BABA, FIRST CLASS GRADUATE of Computer Science Picture: Consent approved i tot i met just a POULTRY DRESSER, later I realize i met not just a Computer Science graduate but a FIRST CLASS On our way coming back from a wedding with a friend Suleiman Dauda we decided to branch and pick some local chickens for the December break, after buying the chick we proceeded to the meet a skilled poultry dresser for slaughter and dressing. Upon arrival, I was surprise when the owner of the stand called my name: He said Dr ina wuni (Good afternoon Dr), I was like, may be is one those people who knew me through social media, as he started his work, I know became curious and asked him, have we met before? He said yes sir, I attended the occasion of the launching of your scholarship program and I was like, are you a student? then he said yes sir, but I have graduated this year (2018) waiting for my NYSC. I was impressed and became more curios, I asked further, what did you study? He said sir, I studied COMPUTER SCIENCE I ask again, and your class of degree please?, and he drop the SHOCKER!!!! He said, Sir I graduated with FIRST CLASS. I now moved closer and below is some excerpt of our conversation.. Ali Shuaibu is a determine young man from a family who are poor by Economist Index but rich in heart and determination to succeed by all odds. The family source of income is from poultry slaughter and dressing and a times retail of local chickens. He attended FGC Azare but almost missed his WAEC because of N 36,000. He then resolved to come and write WAEC at the Government Secondary School Kukuri but his Father (whom I also met today) insisted that he will work hard to raise the said amount before the WAEC, Ali came home before WAEC, work along with his father until they meet the 36000 requirements. He wrote his WAEC and got one of the best results. After WAEC he applied,sat and pass Remedial science. He said: I dont know anything about computer, because we dont have it in our house but I still applied for the course, in my part 1, its all science courses so I have no much challenge to pass them. During our part 1 break, I worked so hard and saved 30,000 Naira, upon resumption a friend of mine who is studying Biology and has a used Tokunbo LAPTOP computer from LAGOS decided to sale the computer to me @ 30,000 Naira. Ali use the computer to study through the 4 years and graduated with FIRST CLASS. I now ask Ali for a consent to snap with him, he said Yes, why Not This is the business that paid my school fees, he introduced me to his father. I asked him further what he does beside this work, He said while I wait for my NYSC, in the night I browse a lot and read a lot on IT. We exchange contacts, we advised him further and promise to provide him some MENTOR SHIP. The story of Ali, Is that of inspiration and perseverance This is the Story of a child Born with no Silver Spoon but proceeded to get the Gold Spoon ALI HAS MADE IT TO FIRST CLASS, ALL HE NEEDS NOW IS MENTORSHIP, NETWORK OF THINKERS AND A LITTLE PUSH UP . And take note: There is more talent hidden beneath what the eyes sees. Former Aviation Minister, Mr Femi Fani- Kayode has said that the threat of the Fulani socio-cultural association, Kautal-Hore Miyetti Allah, to leave the country, was a welcome development. This was in reaction to a recent statement by the leadership of the group during an interview with a Nigerian newspaper. President of the group, Alhaji Bello Abdullahi Bodejo, in a recent interview with Sunday Tribune declared that the Nigerian economy, will definitely collapse, if the Fulani herdsmen leave the country. According to Bodejo, the attitude of governments towards the plights of the Fulani Herdsmen, despite their huge contribution to the Nigerian economy, could push them to leave the country. if we direct our members to move out of the country, I can assure you that the economy of this country will collapse. In his reaction, the former Aviation Minister said the Fulani herders could leave, if they so pleased Accusing them of killing a huge number of innocent Nigerians. If we move out of the country the economy will collapse-Miyetti Allah For God sake pack your bags and go. Nigerians are disgusted and appalled by the number of innocent people that your members have subjected to mass murder,ethnic cleansing and genocide over the last 3 years. Vanguard THE exchange of words between the campaign teams of President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, challenger over the 2019 Federal Government budget assumed another dimension, yesterday The Nation Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, in a piece, on The Nations choice of Leah Sharibu as the Person of The Year, argues that the military has endured reverses in the war against insurgents. He adds that Leah Sharibu is a heroine, a national heroine, a universal heroine. His submission:I cannot wait to congratulate The Nation Newspapers, and then the (Nigerian) nation herself, for an invigorating decision on this years nominations for the ThisDay PDP Warns Buhari against Tenure Extension for Inspector General of Police Daily Sun Reacting to the allegation of trading with the 2023 presidency last night, spokesman for the APC dismissed the opposition as unserious and undeserving of a response. Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the promise by the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to both the South East and South Wes The Authority Says Police, ICPC, EFCC, DSS trail lawmakers that booed Buhari 90% of Buharis Budget speech false By Myke Uzendu, Abuja Daily Times The All Progressives Congress (APC) committee on restructuring headed by the Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has received praise from an unusual quarters as Daily Trust Hundreds of supporters of Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode embarked on a mass solidarity rally, yesterday, in support of the election of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The supporters, who marched from the state secretariat in Alausa to APCs secretariat on Acme Road in Ogba, Leadership Senate president, Bukola Saraki, yesterday replied the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) asking National Assembly to stop payment of the monthly salaries and allowances of the jailed Senator Joshua Dariye (APC Plateau Central), saying it cannot be stopped now by the National Assembly. Senator Dariye is currently serving 10 year jail term in Kuje This content is from: European Union Heads of tax at multinational companies have welcomed the Dutch governments announcement that it will publish anonymised summaries of all its tax rulings from July 2019. Snapchat has had a rough 2018 as it has seen its user base erode throughout the year despite its best efforts to retain and attract new users. Ending the year on a poor note, the companys market cap has reached an all-time low of $6.5 billion from its peak of $31 billion. A WSJ report highlights how investors are now losing confidence in CEO and Snap founder Evan Spiegel. The CEO unexpectedly announced plans of redesigning Snapchat in late 2017 to the engineering team after his visit to China. He was influenced by all the messaging apps he saw there and took the decision on his gut feeling instead of relying on input from other executives. The redesign was implemented without much thought and was rightfully criticized by Snapchat users. Post the redesign, Snapchat saw a decline in its user base as well which has continued since then. There was also a petition to restore the old design of the app which received over a million signatures. It eventually forced Snap to acknowledge that it would bring back some functionality from the old app in the redesigned app, though the new app still remains confusing to use. Mr. Spiegel has lost credibility with some on Wall Street, says Youssef Squali, lead internet analyst at investment bank SunTrust Robinson Humphrey , who projects Snap will run at a loss until 2021. Of Mr. Spiegels decision-making, he says: He is doing this not just to make money, but to try to prove that he is right. The same behavior of Spiegel is blamed for another failure of Snap Spectacles which led the company to lose well over $40 million. Citing analyst Youssef Squali, the report highlights that CEO Evan Spiegel himself is to be blamed for most of the issues with Snap right now. His private nature and inability to communicate properly with shareholders and public are not helping the company either. Our Take Ever since the redesigned Snapchat app went live late last year, my Snapchat use has gone down. Now, I barely check the app and it has been quite a few months since I last posted a Snap. The redesigned app just does not feel intuitive to use and its confusing in many parts. While Snap has added new features to the app throughout the year, Instagram has been innovating at a far rapid pace. No wonder then that it continues to gain users while Snapchat has been steadily losing users. Are you still using Snapchat? Or have you switched to Instagram Stories? [Via WSJ In a move thats likely only going to worsen the trade war between the U.S. and China, Chinese companies are boycotting Apple after Huaweis CFO was arrested in Canada on orders of a US law enforcement agency earlier this month. Chinese companies are offering their employees subsidies for buying Huawei smartphones and boycotting Apple products. The subsidy ranges from anywhere between 10 to 20 percent, with some companies even compensating the full price of the device. More than 20 Chinese companies which include the likes of Shanghai Youluoke Electronic and Technology and Fuchun Technology took to Weibo and other social media platforms in China to announce this move. They also announced that they will be buying other products from Huawei as well for their businesses. Overall, Huawei has gained support from more than 200 Chinese businesses. The show of support has been broad, from information technology providers to food companies. A regional government official said that several hundred businesses were conducting such programs nationwide. Fuchun Technology announced that it will be given each of its 200 employees anywhere between 100 to 500 yuan as compensation for buying a Huawei smartphone before the end of 2018. A machinery company in Shenzhen is taking an even more drastic step. It has threatened to confiscate Apple devices from its employees and fire them if they dont adhere to the rules. On a similar note, Shenzhen Yidaheng Technology has announced that it would fine its employees the equivalent price of the Apple device they purchase. Other companies have threatened to hold back the bonuses of their employees for purchasing Apple products. Huawei has also received support from the Communist Party and the Communist Youth League which are encouraging Chinese businesses to subsidize the purchase of Huawei products for their employees. Our Take It has already been a very rough ride for Apple in China. The company is always under intense scrutiny in the region and to make matters worse, it recently lost a patent battle against Qualcomm in a Chinese court. The court ruled that Apple infringed on two of Qualcomm patents and ended up banning the sales of iPhone 6s through iPhone X. Despite harsh business conditions, China is an important market for Apple which is why it was rapidly expanding its retail presence in the country up until 2017. As for this boycott from Chinese companies, Apple is obviously not at fault here. However, the whole thing has been given a political spin which is working in favor of Huawei and against Apple. [Via Nikkei According to a new report,e star Janet Roach is joining Channel Ten's upcoming season of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!reports that the network is already recruiting for the next season of the Australian hit reality series.The publication claims that former Bachlorette star Georgia Love is also in talks to join the hit reality show along with Roach. However, sources reveal that is Love decides to return to reality, she may decide to join Dancing with the Stars instead.Last week, the network teased that a male 'reality winner' is set to make an appearance on the 2019 season - which kicks off mid-January.Channel 10 shared a 'teaser' with curious Instagram fans, with the post offering subtle clues behind the identity of another star bound for the South African jungle, according toMeanwhile, the network also teased that a 'footy legend' was also joining the cast - leading to speculation The Bachelor's Nick Cummins was making a TV comeback.Photo Credit: Foxtel DHQ Teaching Hospital D G Khan Jobs 2019 for Pharmacist Latest District Headquarter Hospital DHQ Medical Posts Dera Ghazi Khan 2021 District Headquarter Hospital DHQ Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan required candidates for the posts of Registrar Psychiatry, Blood Transfusion Officer, Pharmacist, Nursing Instructor, Public Health Nursing Supervisor. Skills Required Medical How to Apply on District Headquarter Hospital DHQ 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. Chinese scientists agree with President Xi Jinpings speech at the gathering commemorating the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening-up policy, vowing to pass on the spirit of reform and opening-up and strive for a better future. Chinas achievements in the past 40 years did not come from the sky or other peoples donations, but from the hard work, wisdom, and courage of the Chinese people, who have created a miracle for humanity, President Xi said at the grand gathering on Dec. 18 in Beijing. file pic of Jiaolong, China's manned submersible Yang Desen, a 61-year-old academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, was one of the students who attended the first gaokao, or college entrance examination, after the system was restored in 1977. In the past 40 years, multiple rigid systems have been unshackled and Ive witnessed peoples passions and vitality generation after generation. Individuals can realize self-fulfillment along with the nations rapid development, Yang said with gratitude, echoing President Xis remarks. Reform and opening-up has witnessed Chinas manned submersible technology rise from obscurity to popularity. Chinese science and technology has realized a great leap forward in some areas where the country used to lag behind other countries and can now take the lead in those areas, observed Ye Cong, a manned submersible expert who was honored at the gathering for outstanding contributions. Ye personally led the Chinese manned deep-sea research submersible Jiaolong in its dive to 7,062 meters below the sea in the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific Ocean in 2012. Its generations of science workers who adhere to the spirit of reform and opening-up that turn the impossible into possible, Ye said. The spirit has also traveled beyond China. Chinese wisdom also benefits other countries, offering successful experience for many other developing countries to take a path of modernization, Zhang Yong, a rice expert dispatched to assist Cote dIvoire, noted. Zhang and his agricultural team have cultivated more than 10 rice species for Cote dIvoire to meet local demands. Vertex School System & College Abbottabad Jobs 2019 Latest Vertex School System & College Teaching Posts Abbottabad 2021 Vertex School System & College Abbottabad, Pakistan are required candidates for the posts of Montessori Teacher, Maths Teacher, English Teacher, General Science Teacher, Pak Study Teacher, Physics Teacher, Computer Teacher, Aya, Sweeper. Skills Required Education & Tutoring How to Apply on Vertex School System & College 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. Michael Kovrig (left) and Michael Spavor, the two Canadians detained in China, are shown in these 2018 images taken from video. People around the world are "extremely disturbed" by China's detention of two Canadians, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in Mali this weekend as he called for Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor to be released. Canada is communicating with China about how important it is to release the detainees, Trudeau said Saturday in reference to the two men taken into custody on security grounds earlier this month. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP San Francisco, Dec. 21 ---- Minneapolis prosecutors announced Friday that Liu Qiangdong, founder of Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, would not face charges for an alleged sexual assault. Minneapolis prosecutors said in a statement that after a thorough investigation by the Minneapolis Police Department Sex Crimes Unit and a meticulous review by four senior sexual assault prosecutors that it was determined there were profound evidentiary problems which would have made it highly unlikely that any criminal charge could be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. As is the case in many sexual assault incidents, it was a complicated situation, said Mike Freeman, Hennepin County Attorney. It is also similar to other sexual assault cases with the suspect maintaining the sex was consensual. As we reviewed surveillance video, text messages, police body camera video, and witness statements, it became clear that we could not meet our burden of proof and, therefore, we could not bring charges. Because we do not want to re-victimize the young woman, we will not be going into detail, Freeman added. By Park Hyong-ki On Jan. 1, 2019, global boy band sensation Bangtan Boys (BTS) will appear in an advertisement promoting KB Kookmin Bank. Titled "Play Digital KB," the ad will feature the seven-member band singing and dancing to a fast rhythm and beat that can help viewers experience the bank's digital transformation in a few short seconds. Its teaser ad was unveiled on KB Kookmin Bank's Liiv digital banking platform on Dec. 14, which has already attracted millions of viewers. The 15-second BTS's "Play Digital" teaser on KB's YouTube channel attracted more than 1.4 million viewers. The bank said the new ad comes as it celebrates the 17th anniversary of its foundation this year. And in 2019, KB Kookmin Bank will push forward in digitally transforming its organization and pursuing business innovation. It plans to invest 2 trillion won in various digital projects, which include expanding its workforce of engineers and big data analysts, as well as further developing its platform to compete with internet banks by 2025. The BTS advertisement will seek to capture KB's 2019 spirit of innovation "do, fail, learn and retry," the bank said. BTS first appeared in the bank's advertisement titled "KB Star Banking" early this year. It attracted over 10 million viewers on YouTube and Facebook. The bank is currently in negotiations to extend its contract with BTS for another year, a bank spokesman said. Seven-member BTS launched their first album called "2 Cool 4 Skool," debuting with the song "No More Dream" in June 2013. The band's songs have won numerous awards and made the top charts here and on the U.S. Billboard. On Sept. 24, it became the first K-pop group to deliver a speech at the United Nations, promoting education and employment for young people. Naver's head office in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province / Korea Times file By Kim Rahn Foreign tourists to Korea most want to try "sannakji," or sliced raw octopus, a survey showed Monday. The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) announced the survey result conducted of 944 followers of the organization's foreign-language social media channels in late November. Participants were asked to choose which of Korea's lesser-known dishes they'd most like to eat. In the survey, 26 percent picked sannakji, which is a popular dish in Korea but may come as a shock to those unfamiliar with food that's still moving. In recent years it has become a kind of challenge for foreign tourists to try the dish during their visits to Korea. Another 14.6 percent picked "ganjang gejang" (crab marinated in soy sauce), followed by 14.2 percent choosing "sundae" (Korean blood sausage), 10.3 percent wanting "hongeo" (fermented stingray), 7.7 percent for "yukhoe" (raw beef) and 6.7 percent "cheonggukjang" (fast fermented soybean paste, usually eaten as a stew). "These foods are exotic and unfamiliar to foreign tourists compared to widely known ones such as bibimbap and bulgogi," said Je Sang-weon, director of the KTO's international smart tourism team. "We plan to make clips to introduce these foods and places to eat them, and promote them via YouTube, so visitors to Korea can enjoy more diverse Korean foods and spread their experience to others via social media." By Kang Seung-woo The nation's state-run tourism promotion agency signed an agreement with the nation's human rights watchdog, Monday, in its efforts to protect the human rights of foreign tourists visiting Korea. A foreign tourist does sightseeing near Gwanghwamun Station in Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap About 10 South Koreans, mostly from the unification and transport ministries, crossed into the North at around 8:30 a.m. via the western inter-Korean border to conduct the inspection of the 4-kilometer section of road along the North's Gyeongui line. Korea Times file A team of South Korean officials left for North Korea on Monday to check the overall conditions of a road in western North Korea as part of a project to modernize and reconnect roads over the inter-Korean border, the unification ministry said. About 10 South Koreans, mostly from the unification and transport ministries, crossed into the North at around 8:30 a.m. via the western inter-Korean border to conduct the inspection of the 4-kilometer section of road along the North's Gyeongui line, according to the ministry. They will return home at around 5 p.m. on the same day, it added. The visit is a follow-up to a joint on-site inspection in August of a 160-km section of road from Kaesong, just north of the inter-Korean border, to Pyongyang. This time the inspectors are not bringing survey equipment. It also came right after the team visited North Korea for three days until Sunday to check a 100-km stretch along the North's eastern line. The inspections are in line with an agreement between their leaders in April to modernize and connect the roads and railways across their border, a project aimed at fostering balanced development and co-prosperity on the Korean Peninsula. The Koreas recently concluded an 18-day inspection of the North's railways in the western and eastern regions after the United Nations granted a sanctions waiver, ending a monthslong delay in the joint work. Seoul and Pyongyang are currently preparing to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the joint project at Panmun Station in Kaesong on Wednesday, but details have yet to be determined, including who will attend and how the event will be organized. Meanwhile, the unification ministry said that it sent an advance team consisting of 31 officials and relevant personnel to the North earlier in the day to prepare for the upcoming event. Of the total, 27 will stay in the venue to continue preparatory work. This came a day after a 14-member advance team made a single-day trip to the venue for the ceremony. Seoul earlier set aside around 700 million won ($618,000) to hold the event, which will be attended by some 100 people from each of the two Koreas. The budget will cover the costs of transporting participants to the venue and other expenses from such plans to build a stage and an audio system. The groundbreaking ceremony is regarded as a symbolic launch of the road and railway project, not an actual start of construction, amid lingering concerns over a possible violation of multiple sanctions on North Korea. (Yonhap) Fire investigators examine the site of a fire at a brothel in Cheonho-dong, eastern Seoul, Saturday, to find the cause of the blaze. The brothel operator and a sex worker died in the fire, and three other workers were injured. The fire was put out in 16 minutes, but caused the deaths and serious injuries as the women could not escape the room where they were sleeping because of an iron grating on the windows. / Yonhap SLPPG President Hassan Koroma with Ambassador Wu Peng Since Wu Peng, ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China to the Republic of Sierra Leone took up office he has played a greater role in building a stronger relationship between the two countries, report says. He has enabled some key sectors in both public and private sectors in Sierra Leone to enjoy stronger ties with China over the years and as a result, the West African country prides itself to be a reliable development partner to the Chinese. The Parliament of Sierra Leone is one of arms of government that has good testimonies to tell about its relationship with the Chinese. During a visit of the Sierra Leone Parliamentary Press Gallery to the Chinese embassy in Freetown, the Chinese ambassador underscored the good relationship existing between the Parliament of Sierra Leone under the leadership of Hon. Dr Abass Chernor Bundu as Speaker. It could be recalled few weeks ago, the Parliament of Sierra Leone enacted visa exemption for Sierra Leonean and Chinese holders of diplomatic and service passports. Report states that the implementation of such agreement commences on Monday 24th December 2018. Both countries will enjoy visa exemptions lasting thirty days of stay. It seeks to facilitate people to people exchange, enhance positive development cooperation and provide greater opportunities for investors and business people from both sides. Sierra Leone Parliamentary Press Gallery President presenting a certificate of appreciation to the Chinese ambassador to Sierra Leone The Chinese have demonstrated greater commitment to support the Sierra Leone Parliament in enhancing its key roles, which are: enacting laws, representation and performing oversights. The Chinese embassy has therefore agreed to donate furniture and electronic devices, which are expected in Freetown, Sierra Leones capital, in January 2019. This is a friendship gesture from the government and people of China, Ambassador Wu Peng told journalists on Friday and further stated that his embassy has also sponsored a water supply project to the Sierra Leone Parliament. Our relationship with the Parliament of Sierra Leone under President Maada Bios government will continue to be a binding one, he assured. The Chinese ambassador underscored the existing relationship between the two countries, which he said has come a long way, adding that both people and governments have supported each other in trying time. He thanked the Parliamentary Press Gallery for reporting on issues of development in Parliament and pledged his embassys support in terms of capacity building and equipment to ease the work of journalists. Members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery with the Chinese ambassador to Sierra Leone President of the Parliamentary Press Gallery, Hassan Y. Koroma thanked the Chinese government and people for their support to Sierra Leone, especially the media over the years. The Press Gallery, he said comprise of journalists from the print, electronic and new media covering events in the Sierra Leone Parliament. Koroma reiterated the importance of Chinese support to the Parliament, which he described as a laudable one and called for an extension of similar gesture to his organization. The speaker thanked the Chinese ambassador, his government and people for building and maintaining a stronger relationship with Sierra Leone over the years. By Dong Sun-hwa Thomas Taban Akot, a Southern Sudanese disciple of revered late Korean priest John Lee Tae-seok, recently passed the Korean medical license test to become the first person from the African country to hold a Korean doctor's license. His passing of the Korean Medical Licensing Examination was announced on Friday. Akot, 34, will start a one-year internship at Inje University Busan Paik Hospital beginning from March. After he finishes residency training, he will return to his destitute homeland to relay the love and care he received from Lee. "I would like to thank those who helped me become a doctor in Korea," Akot said. "When I return to Tonj (his hometown in South Sudan), I would like to follow the path that Lee took." Akot, who was Lee's assistant until 2009, has studied at Inje University's medical school on a full scholarship and residence, all organized by Lee. The late priest, who was also a licensed doctor and Inje graduate, is often dubbed "the Schweitzer of Sudan" for his dedication and support for war-ravaged South Sudan communities. He died of cancer in January 2010. Colombian Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo Garcia speaks during a press conference at the Colombian Embassy in Korea on Dec. 18. / Yonhap By Yi Whan-woo Colombia has expanded its relations with Korea since it joined the 1950-53 Korean War as the only Latin American country. The bilateral relations were elevated to a strategic cooperative partnership in 2011 while the bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), the first between Colombia and an Asian country, took effect in 2016. The two sides seek to enhance their friendship next year, as they consider new Colombian President Ivan Duque Marquez's possible state visit to Seoul in the second half of the year. Formerly a senator, Duque has not visited any other Asian countries since he was inaugurated in August. "The two countries are positively and actively considering President Duque's Korea visit next year to deepen their ties," Colombian Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo Garcia said through a translator at a press conference in Seoul on Dec. 18. "His visit is expected to be second half of 2019." Trujillo's visit was his first to Korea as minister. Korea was the first destination in his three-nation East Asia trip, including China and Japan. Speaking at the Colombian Embassy in Korea, the minister gave a briefing on the outcome of his visit from Dec. 15 to 18. He discussed ways to bolster diplomatic, political and economic cooperation with relevant officials and entrepreneurs, including Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon. Trujillo said he and Kang had "a fruitful exchange" on how they could capitalize on the potential of FTA, such as cooperating on Colombian infrastructure projects and improving the quarantine process in Korea for Colombian agricultural products. Regarding security on the Korean Peninsula, Trujillo said he "expressed the Colombian government's support for the dialogue between the two Koreas." He also visited the Demilitarized Zone to "to witness the progress achieved in a short period of time." Trujillo separately met Minister Cho and agreed to continue working on technical cooperation between the Colombian Agency for Reintegration and the unification ministry. Protesters shout for an end to gender discrimination at the sixth rally of "The Courage to be Uncomfortable," a protest against spycam porn and biased police investigation of sex crimes, at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, Saturday. / Yonhap By Jung Hae-myoung About 110,000 women gathered at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, Saturday, for the last demonstration against gender discrimination. The number, estimated by the organizer, was the highest since the first rally in May to protest widespread "spycam porn" and gender discrimination in police investigations of sex crimes. In the protest, titled "The Courage to be Uncomfortable," the participants bombarded members of the National Assembly's legislation-judiciary committee and heads of political parties with text messages that read, "We, 25 million women, are ordering you to pass the law for women's rights immediately. Do not forget half of the voters in this country are women." On Wednesday before the rally, the organizer posted an official notice on the internet informing the community that "The Courage to be Uncomfortable" rallies would be postponed indefinitely with the sixth rally being the last. "The reason for ending the rallies is not because of pressure from the government, or because this movement is political," the operator of the group said. "Since we started the first rally in May, we have been attacked by men, whether conservatives or progressives. Under these circumstances, the operating team was doubtful over whether the feminist agenda can bring true changes in society without being distorted," it said. "So we decided to suspend the next rally with the sixth one as the last. After the sixth protest, we'll look back to see what backlash we've confronted and devise ways to prevent our agenda from being engulfed by the backlash that will probably become stronger." The first rally was held on May 19 to speak out against a police investigation into a case where a female nude model took a picture of a male nude model during an art class at Hongik University and uploaded it on the internet. Police then moved "exceptionally quickly" to investigate the case to find the offender. She was caught and the case was sent to the prosecution in less than a week, a very short period of time compared to almost all other voyeur video crimes in which women are victims. Over the last six rallies, the organization demanded the government increase its budget to enhance safety for women, and establish laws to root out a spycam porn cartel involving file sharing site operators and heavy uploaders of voyeur videos and those who film them. The protesters' anger peaked when former South Chungcheong Province Governor An Hee-jung was acquitted of sexually assaulting his secretary at a district court trial in August, and when the police investigation confirmed a spycam porn cartel involving Yang Jin-ho, the owner of the nation's two largest file sharing sites, in November. At the third rally, some of the protesters used inappropriate expressions while denouncing President Moon Jae-in for failing to protect women's rights, such as demanding he kill himself, gaining criticism from not only men and Moon supporters but also other women. Since then, the protesters have refrained from aggressive expressions. "Since May, seven months have passed but we are enraged by still prevailing illegal voyeur videos and the misogynistic society dominated by male power," the operator said. "But we will go wherever female voices are needed." President Moon Jae-in's job approval rating dropped to a new low last week, a poll showed Monday, amid a controversy over the alleged inspection of civilians by his office Cheong Wa Dae. In the poll conducted by Realmeter, 47.1 percent of those surveyed said they approved of Moon's job as president, down 1.4 percentage points from a week earlier. The reading marks the lowest since Moon took office in May 2017. The weekly survey was conducted Monday through Friday, involving 2,513 adults throughout the nation. The president's office has been on the defensive since one of its former inspectors claimed to have inspected civilians for Cheong Wa Dae, which the president has repeatedly vowed never to do. Cheong Wa Dae strongly denies the accusation, saying the former inspector himself may have done so at his own decision and out of the boundaries set by the presidential office. The presidential office has filed a complaint with the prosecution against its former inspector. The ruling Democratic Party's approval rating gained 1 percentage point to 38 percent, while that of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party advanced 1.3 points to 25.4 percent. The approval ratings of the splinter Bareunmirae Party and the Party for Democracy and Peace came to 5.6 percent and 2.4 percent, respectively. The approval rating of the progressive Justice Party came to 8.1 percent, down 0.6 percentage point. (Yonhap) Seen above is a screen capture of the Facebook page of Cho Kuk, senior presidential secretary for civil affairs. Cho uploaded the photo on Sunday to show his strong willingness to continue fighting against the ongoing controversy surrounding a claim that Cheong Wa Dae ordered its officials to conduct illegal surveillance on civilians. / Screen capture from Facebook By Lee Min-hyung Cheong Wa Dae has vowed to "sternly" deal with any unverified claims surrounding the widening allegations that the presidential house carried out illegal surveillance on citizens and politicians. The controversy reached a climax last week when the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) unveiled the so-called "surveillance documents" allegedly written by Kim Tae-woo, a former special investigator from Cheong Wa Dae. Kim recently returned to his original prosecution post for reportedly interfering with a police investigation related to his acquaintance. Cho Kuk, senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, hinted Sunday that he would stand at the forefront to counter the ongoing allegations involving the presidential house. "I will proceed even if I am attacked here and there," Cho said in a Facebook post on Sunday. "I accepted the secretary post after much consideration. I may not be capable of taking on the role, but I will do my best." The statements were originally written in May last year when Cho accepted the post. But he appears to have reposted the statements to show his symbolic willingness to fight any rumors or allegations in the ongoing crisis involving the presidential house. The main opposition party unveiled a photo showing a list of computer files that are seen as a move to secretly monitor affairs of incumbent and former ranking politicians as well as citizens. With the scandal showing no signs of abating, presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom also expressed discomfort over the snowballing allegation. In a media briefing last week, the spokesman underlined that the incumbent President Moon Jae-in administration has never ordered its officials to write such documents. "Since taking office in May last year, President Moon prohibited the National Intelligence Service from collecting illegal information here, as part of efforts to reaffirm his strong willingness for any government bodies to stop conducting surveillance on civilians," he said. "But some media outlets are continuing to report on the allegation. This is not factual and goes against the underlying spirit of the Moon administration." Cheong Wa Dae filed a lawsuit against Kim Tae-woo on suspicion of mishandling confidential information. The main opposition party also continued stepping up criticism of the Moon Jae-in administration, urging the presidential house to "stop lying and take responsibility for the recent controversy." "Conducting surveillance and lying is in the DNA of the Moon administration," Na Kyung-won, new floor leader of the party, said Sunday. "It is high time a key person in charge of the latest scandal should come forward and apologize." She demanded high-ranking officials from Cheong Wa Dae visit the National Assembly to ascertain the truth behind the incident. "Presidential Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok and Cho should open their mouths," she said. "If they do not visit the Assembly to speak on the agenda, this is an act of deceit and arrogance against the public and the Assembly." Cheong Wa Dae has yet to respond to the demand from the opposition party. Other opposition parties have also ramped up their call for the presidential house to replace Cho. Minor opposition Bareunmirae Party Chairman Sohn Hak-kyu said the President should come up with measures to stop the recurrence of such controversies by tightening internal discipline. "It is regrettable that Cheong Wa Dae engages in a truth game with Kim Tae-woo and opposition parties," Sohn said. "But Cho, who is responsible for the latest incident, sparks up controversy on social media. The President needs to read the minds of the public by replacing the position." From left are Kim Yong-kil, director-general for Northeast Asian affairs at the South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Kenji Kanasugi, director-general for the Japanese foreign ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs bureau. / Yonhap By Lee Min-hyung Seoul and Tokyo are escalating diplomatic tensions, with both sides showing any sign of coming to terms on conflicting agendas, such as the former's recent court ruling ordering a Japanese firm to pay compensation for South Korean workers forced to work during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. To deal with the mounting conflict, both sides on Monday held a director-level meeting to narrow their differences on sensitive diplomatic issues. Kim Yong-kil, director-general for Northeast Asian affairs at the South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, met with his counterpart, Kenji Kanasugi, director-general for the Japanese foreign ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs bureau. This is the first time both countries have held face-to-face negotiations over Seoul's Oct. 30 Supreme Court ruling. At that time, the court ordered Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Tokyo to pay compensation to South Korean forced labors during the colonial era. The Japanese government reacted fiercely to the ruling, calling it an obvious "violation of international law." It cited a Seoul-Tokyo treaty in 1965, saying the treaty settled any compensation issues regarding its wartime atrocities against Korea. But the South's foreign ministry is in a position to continue urging its Japanese counterpart to accept the court ruling. Given Tokyo's furious reaction to the ruling, expectations are that both sides will not be able to reach a consensus in a near future. Chances are also slim for Seoul to make any concessions on the issue, as the nation still feels emotional about the bitter wartime history. The bilateral conflict reached its peak on Thursday when Seoul and Tokyo were on the brink of military conflict in the East Sea. Japan claimed a South Korean destroyer aimed a radar at a P-1 patrol aircraft of the country's Maritime Self-Defense Force. The South Korean vessel was on a humanitarian mission in the sea to rescue a North Korean wooden ship that went adrift due to weather conditions. "Usually, it is irregular for any country's military aircraft to fly at low altitudes over a naval ship of another country, so our destroyer monitored the movement of the aircraft," a military official said Monday. The Ministry of National Defense in the South argues the vessel did not make any provocative gestures toward the aircraft. But the incident has drawn strong backlash from Japan, with the country saying the radar posed a serious military threat. The defense ministry said it would continue correcting facts regarding the incident by communicating via various diplomatic channels. "Defense and diplomatic authorities from the two countries will hold continuous negotiations over the issue. The foreign ministry's director-level meeting was arranged against this backdrop," the official said. The latest military dispute, however, invited more than fierce reactions from Japan, with the country demanding South Korea make a sincere apology over the incident and promise not to do it again. Meanwhile, the Japanese diplomat also met with Lee Do-hoon, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs of the South's foreign ministry, to discuss the ongoing peace momentum on the peninsula. In this file photo taken on June 11, U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he meets with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un at the start of their summit at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa Island in Singapore. AFP=Yonhap By Kim Yoo-chul Since late last year, President Moon Jae-in has tried hard to pitch his ambitious "sanctions-easing" agenda to break the impasse in talks aimed at denuclearizing North Korea. The efforts brought mixed results. During his trip to European capitals in October, Moon attempted to win backing for the agenda from British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron, but his efforts fell flat as they didn't say anything positive about "sanctions exemptions" requested by South Korea. But various types of inter-Korean projects are underway after the United States granted sanctions exemptions for projects such as connecting roads and railways, which were cut after the 1950-53 Korean War. United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution 2397, which has been effective since December 2017, imposed import sanctions, banning items such as oil, machinery, electronic equipment, transportation equipment and base metals from export to North Korea. Washington said it was waiting to see "concrete and detailed" steps from North Korea to move forward with the stalled denuclearization negations, while Pyongyang said it won't "unilaterally drop" the regime's nuclear programs unless the regime's security guarantee and the lifting of economic sanctions are confirmed. Now, the big question is when and under what conditions can sanctions on North Korea be lifted? Are the U.S. imposing the Libyan model of "first denuclearize, then compensate" or is it willing to follow the "action-to-action" road that North Korea favors, lifting the sanctions step by step? Apparently, the United States is looking for "low-cost ways" to get progress on dismantling North Korean nuclear weapons because its decision to grant sanctions exemptions on some joint inter-Korean projects was designed to incentivize North Korea to take detailed steps for denuclearization, according to political experts in Seoul. "Sanctions on North Korea are related directly to the conditions of restoring inter-Korean economic cooperation. There is a possibility North Korea will push for step-by-step denuclearization according to the level of U.S. compensation, but it seems there is almost no possibility it will renounce the action-to-action principle. Alleviating or lifting sanctions is included in the compensation North Korea wants," said Lim Soo-ho, a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS). The researcher said the reason Washington is insisting on strict conditions for easing sanctions is because the United States sees the change in North Korea's behavior as a "policy byproduct of maximum pressure." But it's unlikely the Trump administration will stick to the Libya model regarding the connection between denuclearization and compensation which would include measures to ease sanctions. The INSS researcher said considering the massive amount of funds to be put in development programs for North Korea, developing a "multilateral trust fund" between key concerned countries in the denuclearization talks including Japan and China will be one option to induce the North to come up with more detailed plans to drop its nuclear program. "Even if North Korea completely denuclearizes, sanctions against the non-market economy will remain. But the United States prohibits aid to non-market economies from international financial institutions. Therefore, creating the fund to use for development purposes in North Korea appears to be the most realistic solution," Lim said. In this file photo taken on Dec. 13, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the press at the State Department in Washington, D.C. U.S. officials hope a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could be scheduled for early this year. AFP=Yonhap Members of the welcoming committee of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's planned visit to Seoul call for Seoul Metro to approve their request to place ads to welcome Kim, during a press conference in Sinchon, Seoul, Monday. / Korea Times photo by Jung Hae-myoung By Jung Hae-myoung A student group has denounced Seoul subway operator's rejection of its request to place ads on subway stations to welcome North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his anticipated visit, claiming the rejection came from negative public opinion caused by conservative civic groups and media. The Welcoming Committee of the Great Man referring to Kim said the conservative daily Chosun Ilbo and some other conservative groups are discouraging their efforts to create a peaceful mood between the two Koreas, at a press conference in Sinchon, western Seoul, Monday. The committee has raised 3 million won ($ 2,667) since Nov. 30 to place ads at subway stations. Its plan was reported by the Chosun Ilbo soon after, before the committee actually made the request through an ad agency. When the committee filed for the request, Seoul Metro, the operator of Seoul's subways, rejected it, saying it does not allow "opinion advertisements" related to gender, politics, religion or ideology that can cause social conflict among various interest groups. The subway operator has been refusing such ads following controversy in January over President Moon Jae-in's birthday celebration ads placed by his supporters. The committee claimed the rejection came from "persistent noise-making from conservative media." "Seoul Metro did not think the ad was political until the conservative press contacted Seoul Metro several times to cover the story," Kim Soo-keun, the leader of the committee, told The Korea Times. "Later, we only received a simple reply from the advertising agency that the ad is not permitted because it is an 'opinion ad'" Seoul Metro said it is discussing guidelines for opinion-based ads and plans to come up with them around February next year. Publishing ads at subway stations, which became controversial with Moon's birthday ads, also rose again in August when a Sookmyung Womens' University activist group tried to post an ad promoting feminism. "The subway station is a place providing convenience to everyone, not a place for debate," Kim Tae-ho, the CEO of Seoul Metro, posted on his Facebook at the time. The welcoming committee was launched on Nov. 24 to welcome Kim Jong-un on his possible visit to Seoul. Kim Soo-keun, the leader of the committee, became a controversial figure after he shouted "I love communism," during a press conference at the center of Gwanghwamun Square on Nov. 26. He also caused a stir during an interview with a KBS program as he said he has become a fan of Kim Jong-un due to his humble attitude, leadership, capability, and the North's economic development under his leadership. On the other side of the committee's press conference site on Monday, members of Hwalbindan, a conservative activist group, held placards calling the committee "crazy" for welcoming the North Korean leader, and shouted in rage, "Why they are in support of a person who killed their ancestors?" Labor Minister Lee Jae-kap speaks about the changes in minimum wage calculation during a press briefing at the Seoul Government Complex, Monday. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul By Kim Hyun-bin The government has decided to revise an enforcement ordinance of the Minimum Wage Act, to include the weekend as working hours when calculating the minimum wage, according to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Monday. "As we originally planned, we will include weekend work hours when setting our minimum wage," Labor Minister Lee Jae-kap said at the Seoul Government Complex after a Cabinet meeting. The government will endorse the ordinance at next week's Cabinet meeting slated for Dec. 31. Once endorsed, it will take effect starting Jan. 1. The ordinance does not need prior approval from the National Assembly as it is not a bill. Under the Labor Standards Act, when employees work for an agreed time during weekdays, they are given eight hours of salary on the weekend every week. Most companies set Sundays as the paid weekend day, and for those who receive wages on a monthly basis, payment for the paid weekend is included in the monthly salary. Without including the weekend payment, considering next year's minimum hourly wage is 8,350 won ($7.42), when a person works for 40 hours a week, it comes out to 174 hours per month on average and the worker will receive around 1.4 million won. However, when including the weekend payment, an additional eight hours will be added into the calculation every week, increasing the workweek to 48 hours and for a month, 209 hours, and the monthly salary will surge by an additional 17.6 percent to 1.7 million won. Some large companies recognize not eight hours but 16 hours for the paid weekend by including Saturday as well, through collective bargaining with unions. In such case the total work hours will increase to 243 hours a month and the monthly salary will be 2.03 million won. After meeting a strong backlash from companies that claimed the rule will drastically raise their personnel costs, the government decided to exclude the additional eight hours set by such labor-management agreements when calculating the minimum wage. The government announcement drew backlash from companies, which said the inclusion of the paid weekend will become a hefty burden to those who are already struggling under the slowing economy. "The revised enforcement ordinance will virtually increase the hourly minimum wage 20 percent to 40 percent higher than the 2019 minimum wage, becoming a great burden on companies," the Korea Employers Federation said in a statement. "We are strongly against the ordinance." The labor ministry also announced to prolong the grace period of the regulation forcing a maximum workweek of 52 hours, as many companies are having difficulty implementing the fixed work hours. Initially the policy was scheduled to take effect Jan. 1 for companies with more than 300 workers after a six-month grace period. But the government extended it to March 31. "Some companies are having difficulty implementing the shortened work hours. Considering our ongoing discussions on flexible work hours, we have decided to extend the grace period," Lee said. By Arthur I. Cyr This Christmas season is also the anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, the largest land battle in the history of the United States. On Dec. 16, 1944, Nazi Germany launched an enormous offensive through the quiet, thinly defended Ardennes Forest in Belgium. Adolf Hitler and planners in Berlin achieved total surprise; initially German forces gained ground rapidly. For Europeans among the Allies, the attack was eerily reminiscent of the 1940 German drive which overran France and secured Nazi domination of the continent. Among General Dwight D. Eisenhower's comrades at Supreme Allied Headquarters, fear was visible along with alarm. The tide of the battle did not clearly turn until General George S. Patton's Third Army broke through to the 101st Airborne Division, surrounded by the Wehrmacht in the crossroads town of Bastogne, on the day after Christmas. Brutal fighting continued through January. However, Nazi hopes of breaking the Western Front, and Anglo-American alliance, were defeated. Other battles in U.S. history were in certain respects more costly or complicated. During the Civil War, Gettysburg and other engagements resulted in a higher percentage of casualties among combatants. During World War II, such enormous amphibious invasions as Normandy, Iwo Jima and Leyte Gulf in the Philippines were inherently more complex in logistical terms than the Bulge. In the European theater, the scale of the war on the eastern front was much greater than in the west. Nonetheless, in American history the Battle of the Bulge remains our biggest single land engagement. Approximately a quarter of a million United States troops were pitted against a comparable number of German forces. Basic lessons of the Bulge include personnel and materiel. Eisenhower's skills included a remarkable capacity to get difficult personalities to work together, plus constant attention to logistics. Casualties on both sides were enormous, in both men and supplies the Allies could replace them; the Germans at that point could not. Flamboyant Patton was controversial, for harsh discipline and extreme language. Yet he immediately, instinctively recognized the great threat of the Ardennes attack, and Third Army troops performed with monumental ability, moving rapidly over difficult terrain in terrible winter weather. African-American soldiers, generally prohibited from serving in combat, manned the Red Ball Express, a gigantic truck convey system that supplied the front. Under the enormous pressures generated by the Bulge, they were offered the opportunity to serve in combat units but had to sacrifice earned military seniority. Thousands volunteered on these terms, and were vital to Allied victory. At the tactical level, Corporal Henry F. Warner near Dom Butgenbach Belgium knocked out two German tanks, and then his 57mm anti-tank gun jammed. He was firing a pistol at a third approaching tank, when the German driver backed up and withdrew. One of Warner's shots had killed the commander, and the crew was unable to proceed, a characteristic reaction among German troops. American, British and other Allied soldiers were much more likely to improvise and continue fighting after their officers were hit. Warner, later killed in action, was awarded the Medal of Honor. When the Nazi Reich surrendered, Eisenhower commented the war had not yet been won. True victory would require Germany to embrace democracy and stability. Admirable and effective German Chancellor Angela Merkel was selected as 2015 "Person of the Year" by TIME magazine. The Allies have won the war, undeniably. Honor Chancellor Merkel, and honor Ike and associates, who got the job done. Arthur I. Cyr (acyr@carthage.edu) is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College and author of "After the Cold War." Photo by Beijing Youth Daily) Li Mingyong, a 41-year-old lecturer in southwest Chinas Guizhou province, has won applause and respect from Chinese netizens with his inspiring story after this former school guard made his way to the lecturing platform. Li, born in a poverty-stricken rural area in Guizhou, dropped out of school at 16. Although I outperformed my classmates during primary school and junior high school, I didnt consider trying to achieve a higher degree because of the poverty condition of my family, Li said. After he completed his middle school years, he held various jobs, from laborer to farmer, with the aim of reducing the heavy burden on his family. In 1999, Li began to work at Guizhou Normal University as a school guard. Li said seeing all the young faces made him feel inspired to continue his study. After two years of late-night study, he was admitted by the university. Upon graduation of his undergraduate program, Li decided to pursue his dream of becoming a teacher by earning his masters degree. After three attempts, Li was finally admitted by a postgraduate program at Guizhou University in 2007. In 2015, he was admitted by a doctoral program at Central China Normal University. Upon graduation this year, Li has now returned to where his dream started - Guizhou Normal University With the strong support and respect of my family, I made every effort to study and pursue my dream as a teacher. Furthermore, confidence, powerful self-control, and not being afraid of failure are three vital elements for me to carry on, Li added. By Javier Solana MADRID Sadly, 2018 will not be remembered as a year of political and diplomatic success. Though the international order had already begun to erode in 2017, the global political environment became downright chaotic, combustible, and hostile this year. That is no coincidence, as these are perhaps the three adjectives that best describe the United States under President Donald Trump. Since January 2018, when the Trump administration announced tariffs on imported solar panels and washing machines, the year has been marked by an escalating "trade war," waged primarily but not exclusively by the U.S. against China. The ongoing tariff disputes have seriously undermined the World Trade Organization and deepened mutual distrust in Sino-American relations. For its part, China this year eliminated presidential term limits, raising fears that President Xi Jinping's so-called new era will end the period of collective leadership ushered in by Deng Xiaoping's reforms, which were themselves a corrective to Mao's cult of personality. This move could also herald a further deviation from Deng's trademark foreign-policy restraint. Similarly, Russian President Vladimir Putin was re-elected in March, to no one's surprise. Under Putin, Russia has been re-emerging as a geopolitical force. And yet, its economy is essentially stagnant, owing in part to its excessive dependence on hydrocarbons. In the absence of growth, Putin has relied on foreign policy to shore up his domestic popularity. For example, Putin's campaign press secretary welcomed the British government's response to the nerve-agent attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal, because it may have mobilized Putin's supporters in the run-up to the presidential election. And the Kremlin's recent decision to blockade Ukrainian ports in the Sea of Azov may also have been designed to boost Putin's domestic approval rating, among other goals. The danger now is that both the U.S. and Russia will cease to implement the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, posing a new and acute threat to Europe in particular. Meanwhile, the Middle East has continued to serve as a battlefield for some of the world's most violent conflicts. Though the Islamic State (ISIS) has continued to lose ground, it is far from defeated contrary to what Trump has claimed and the death toll in Syria's civil war continues to climb. Likewise, the humanitarian calamity in Yemen has deepened, though negotiations that ran aground in 2016 have at least resumed and made some progress. In Afghanistan, what is widely regarded as the longest-running war in U.S. history continues, and it is estimated that the Taliban now controls more territory than at any time since their government was overthrown in 2001. Despite some recent developments in the aforementioned conflicts, the underpinnings of the Trump administration's general strategy in the Middle East remained intact in 2018. The U.S. has reaffirmed its support for the axis of Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, which it regards as a bulwark against Iran. In May, the Trump administration moved the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. That same month, it abandoned the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and announced an abusive re-imposition of extraterritorial sanctions, which reflects the increasing weaponization of the U.S. dollar. Moreover, by siding with the Saudi government over his own intelligence agencies in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October, Trump has made clear that opposing Iran and purchasing U.S. arms is one of the quickest ways to his heart. The result of his broad approach to the Middle East has been to empower military hard-liners throughout the region. In fact, Israel and Iran this year engaged in their first-ever direct military encounter. Trump has also contributed, in one way or another, to the advance of populism around the world in 2018. In Latin America, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) and Brazilian President-elect Jair Bolsonaro have shown that "populism" can encompass diverse ideologies. While both claim to speak for "the people" against "the elites," the leftist AMLO was elected partly as a rebuke to Trump, whereas Bolsonaro embraces a Trump-like brand of right-wing nationalism, and enjoys the support of many Brazilian elites. The Russian philosopher Aleksandr Dugin, often regarded as one of the Kremlin's main ideologues, argues that "populism should unite right-wing values with socialism, social justice, and anti-capitalism." This "integral populism," he believes, is perfectly illustrated by Italy's current governing coalition, which comprises the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and the nationalist League party. In October, Italy's government instigated a conflict with the European Union (which has fortunately subsided) by proposing a budget that defied EU fiscal rules. Italy's leaders justified their policies in the name of an outdated interpretation of "sovereignty," one similar to that of the United Kingdom's Brexiteers, whose haphazardness has left the U.K.'s future shrouded in uncertainty. There were a few positive developments in 2018. Certainly, the easing of tensions between the U.S. and North Korea, and the even deeper rapprochement between North and South Korea, should be welcomed. Much credit belongs to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who used the occasion of the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang to reach out to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Trump's subsequent turn toward diplomacy which led to his historic summit with Kim should also be applauded, though his administration has yet to achieve anything more than symbolic progress toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The result of the U.S. midterm elections was also good news. Democratic control of the House of Representatives means that, from January 2019, there will be more checks on Trump's policies. And there have been welcome developments in the Republican-controlled Senate, where a recent resolution condemning Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of Khashoggi, and another to end U.S. support for the Saudi campaign in Yemen, passed with bipartisan support. In Europe, the prospects for 2019 will depend primarily on three factors: Brexit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron's push for EU reform, and the European Parliament election in May. In each case, one hopes that the supporters of democracy, the rule of law, European integration, and multilateralism will prevail. Those who oppose these principles have had a rather good year. But they would be mistaken to think that those who uphold them have lost the will and the ability to cultivate a spirit of cooperation and harmony. Javier Solana is a distinguished fellow at the Brookings Institution and president of ESADEgeo, the ESADE Center of World Economy and Geopolitics. Copyright belongs to Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org). Bold foreign policy decisions aren't wrong because they are bold. But they are wrong when they are poorly conceived, reflecting no coherent strategy. President Donald Trump took two such hasty, heedless actions in recent days concerning the future presence of American troops in unstable war zones. Trump is pulling all 2,000 ground troops out of Syria and, according to reports, is ordering home about 7,000 of the roughly 14,000 U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan. Those are significant military orders by the commander in chief, dispatched over the course of hours, despite warnings from his own advisers that he's making potentially grave errors. All of which fits into the atmosphere of Trump's chaotic, seat-of-the-pants leadership. Defense Secretary James Mattis wants no more of this drama. That's why he quit on Thursday, effective early next year. Mattis' resignation letter was a plea to Trump to grasp a fundamental tenet of America's role as leader of the free world: The country is safest when it acts according to principles and works closely with friends and allies. "We must do everything possible to advance an international order that is conducive to our security prosperity and values, and we are strengthened in this effort by the solidarity of our alliances," he wrote. Spitting out orders to leave Syria and reduce the U.S. commitment to Afghanistan violates that doctrine. Trump gave little or no warning of his decisions, blundering ahead to fulfill a wish that the United States invest more money at home, and expend less effort abroad. That's a legitimate ambition, but it's not justified by facts on the ground in two destabilized countries that present terrorist threats to the U.S. If you're reminded of then-President Barack Obama's unwise withdrawal from Iraq and the subsequent rise of Islamic State you're not alone. In Syria, the U.S.-led coalition has pummeled Islamic State into apparent submission, but the terror group and its ideology haven't been stamped out. Syria remains in the grips of civil war and has become a handy romper room for Russia and Iran. American ground troops act as a stabilizing force, symbols of U.S. resolve and partners to Syrian Kurd militias, who have done much of the fighting against Islamic State. A U.S. departure leaves the Kurds vulnerable to attack by arch-enemy Turkey. If Islamic State mounts a comeback, or if Iran and Russia assert unchecked power and influence in the region, America becomes less secure. In Afghanistan, the U.S. is mired in a frustrating war now in its 18th year. Drawing down troop levels is an option, but not in the short term, and certainly not without consideration of the risk factors and strong backup plans. Taliban insurgents remain in control of parts of Afghanistan, and al-Qaida and Islamic State both have a presence. Remember why America went to war in Afghanistan and why U.S. troops are in Syria. Both are failing states. The more they descend into collapse, the greater the chances they become training grounds for terrorists bent on targeting the United States. This is the legacy of 9/11. U.S. military operations in Syria and Afghanistan represent crucial missions in defense of the homeland. On both battlefields, America fights with friends and allies. Abrupt departures, as Mattis warned, threaten the stability of U.S. relationships with those partners. If the president has a persuasive argument for military withdrawals that assure America's safety, we'd like to hear it. The above editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Time to toughen rules to improve vehicle safety German luxury carmaker BMW faces criminal charges, a fine and further recall for not only allegedly concealing defects responsible for 52 vehicle fires in Korea, but also for delaying recalls to fix the problem. On Monday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced the punitive measures against BMW based on the final results of a months-long probe by an investigative panel of civilian experts and government officials. The panel found the fires were caused by faulty parts in the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system designed to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel engines. The finding came after BMW Korea recalled 172,080 cars including the 520d models this year 106,317 in July and an additional 65,763 until October. The ministry ordered BMW to replace all EGR systems in the recalled vehicles and to conduct further checks on the durability of the system. It referred the case to prosecutors for criminal investigation. It added the government will decide whether to order more recalls. The punitive action also includes a decision to impose a fine of 11.2 billion won ($9.9 million) on BMW. A ministry official said the sum was targeted against only 22,670 recalled cars which were sold after June 30, 2016. If including all the recalled vehicles, the total could reach 260 billion won. What is noteworthy is that the government discovered a faulty design in the EGR unit sparked the fires. BMW has so far denied any design defects. By John Burton Is the spirit of Christmas, which is supposed to be a time of "goodwill to all men," influencing U.S.-North Korea negotiations? Stephen Biegun, the U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, last week appeared to offer a holiday gift to Pyongyang when he promised the U.S. will try to expedite humanitarian aid to North Korea. This came after recent reports that the Trump administration has been restricting some international relief agencies from delivering vital humanitarian aid to North Koreans as part of the broader international sanctions against Pyongyang over its nuclear and missile programs. Although humanitarian aid was supported to be exempt from the U.N. sanctions regime, strict interpretations of curbs on banking and shipping transactions with Pyongyang and a U.S. travel ban on Americans visiting North Korea have severely impacted the operations of most relief groups in the country. This has undermined Pyongyang's confidence about the sincerity of promises by U.S. President Donald Trump to improve relations with North Korea in return for the dismantlement of its nuclear program. During a trip to Seoul, Biegun said he would talk with U.S. aid groups early next year "to discuss how we can better ensure the delivery of appropriate assistance." Charities have been lobbying the U.S. State Department for months to take a more flexible attitude. International aid organizers have complained that the U.S. rules have undermined recent moves by the U.N. to streamline approval for aid shipments. The travel ban, which requires American aid workers to obtain special permission from the U.S. State Department to visit North Korea, has proved to be cumbersome in practice for those seeking exemptions. U.S. licensing requirements for private charities operating in North Korea are also complex. International aid groups' fear of inadvertently violating restrictions on banking and transport transactions with North Korea has slowed the supply of aid. Biegun's goodwill gesture on humanitarian aid also appeared aimed at placating Seoul. Inter-Korean cooperation has largely stalled due to the current stalemate in U.S.-North Korea negotiations. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has postponed a promised visit to Seoul until South Korea relaxes restrictions on aid, which the sanctions prevent. Pyongyang views the resumption of humanitarian aid as an indicator of whether the U.S. is prepared to ease broader sanctions, which North Korea has been demanding before it begins its denuclearization process. The U.S. has said it would not lift sanctions until there is a "final, fully verified denuclearization" by North Korea. The restrictions on humanitarian aid are likely seen by North Korea as proof that the U.S. is unwilling to abandon its "maximum pressure" policy. Allowing increased supplies of humanitarian aid to North Korea would appear to be a "no-brainer" if the U.S. wants to begin building trust with North Korea, which is a vital element if any future deals are to be achieved. The slowdown in aid is affecting the most vulnerable parts of North Korea's population those who live in remote rural areas and are suffering either from malnutrition or infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria. Most of the aid provided to North Korea consists of food, medical supplies, water sanitation machinery, ambulances, tractors and other agricultural equipment. "The humanitarian situation in North Korea is far too dire for these draconian policies. The United Nations estimates that 60,000 children are at risk of starvation, and cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis if left untreated threaten to spread with devastating effect throughout the country and potentially into neighboring states," U.S. Senator Edward Markey said. The U.S. has said it favors stringent monitoring measures on humanitarian aid to ensure that none of it is diverted for other purposes. Some U.S. officials are also blaming North Korea for the humanitarian crisis, claiming it could be easily solved if Pyongyang spent more on basic welfare services rather than its nuclear program. Nonetheless, the Scrooge-like role that the U.S. is assuming on the humanitarian aid issue could undermine its own criticism about human rights violations in North Korea. The appearance of a callous U.S. policy also gives ammunition to China and Russia in their push for an easing of sanctions against North Korea. But in the meantime, China is vigorously enforcing the sanctions, preventing international aid groups from buying supplies there or preventing their transport through the country if they appear in any way to violate sanction rules. It remains to be seen whether Biegun's comments will have any effect on what the North Korean leader will say in his highly anticipated New Year's Day speech, which will indicate whether he wants to continue pursuing diplomacy. John Burton (johnburtonft@yahoo.com), a former Korea correspondent for the Financial Times, is a Washington, D.C.-based journalist and consultant. By Jung Min-ho Huwei's hopes to "dominate the market" for the next generation of mobile communications networks are threatened around the world as more countries see the company's devices as national security threats that must be removed. So far, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Japan have barred the Chinese telecom equipment provider from taking part in their 5G infrastructure build-outs amid concerns of its links with China's government. As Huawei nervously watches other countries' moves, Germany's Deutsche Telekom last week that it would "re-evaluate its procurement strategy" in regard to Huawei. The company also said it took "the global discussion about the security of network elements from Chinese manufacturers very seriously." The statement came after Alex Younger, director of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, reportedly that Britain needed "to decide the extent to which we are going to be comfortable with Chinese ownership of these technologies." A few days later, British Telecom it was removing Huawei equipment from the core part of a U.K. communications 3G and 4G networks for police and other emergency responders. Meanwhile, the European Union's (EU) head of technology policies, Andrus Ansip, all EU members "have to be worried" about security risks that Chinese companies posed in European 5G and driverless car projects. "They have to cooperate with their intelligence services," he said. "This is about mandatory backdoors. I was always against having those mandatory backdoors (It is) about chips they can put somewhere to get our secrets." The list goes on. and Belgium are also studying the security risks of using Huawei devices. Huawei, founded in 1987 by Ren Zhengfei, former engineer at the People's Liberation Army, denies that it has close ties to the Chinese Communist Party or has any intention to design equipment to facilitate eavesdropping. But many experts say no Chinese company is fully independent of its government, which can legally require companies to assist with intelligence gathering. Apparently, in its core markets, Huawei is losing the argument. Park Sim-soo, right, a professor of automotive engineering at Korea University who led the investigation into fires involving BMW vehicles, announces the result of the investigation at the Government Complex Seoul, Monday. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul By Park Jae-hyuk BMW will face an 11.2 billion won ($9.9 million) fine and prosecution investigation for its belated recall and alleged attempts to conceal defects that caused a series of fires in its diesel vehicles, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said Monday. The measures came based on findings of the Korea Transportation Safety Authority that led the public-private investigation into fires involving BMW vehicles. The joint investigation team consisting of 32 experts said Monday it discovered faulty exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valves not EGR bypass valves were the main cause of the engine fires. The German carmaker has claimed the opening of an EGR bypass valve caused fires, saying a possible coolant leak from an EGR cooler may have caused melting of the intake manifold and in rare cases a fire. The company has therefore replaced EGR modules in 172,080 diesel cars. However, the investigators said they discovered possible "boiling" in EGR coolers and have demanded an explanation from the carmaker. The research team also recommended a recall of the intake manifold, saying possible damage to the auto parts can cause a fire, regardless of the EGR module recall. As the team said, a BMW 520d caught fire Oct. 1, although its owner had already replaced the EGR module. A construction site for apartments / Korea Times file By Nam Hyun-woo Though the government extended the grace period for the country's 52-hour cap in weekly working hours, Monday, construction firms are still expressing their concern. They are yet to find a fundamental solution that can maintain their productivity and keep the rule at the same time. Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jae-kap IN GOOD TASTE: It was time to freshen up a little. So JRDN Restaurant, located within Tower23 Hotel right on the boardwalk at Felspar Street in Pacific Beach, started changing things up this year. The restaurants been open since 2005 and has always been known for its 70-foot wave wall that reflects the ever-changing ocean tones emanating from just outside its windows. But now, the restaurant has reinvented itself as more than just another pretty face on the PB restaurant scene. Its shed some of that upper-crust reputation and focused on being a crowd-pleaser. Its what Executive Chef Dave Warner calls re-concepting. Executive Chef Dave Warner in kitchen of JRDN Restaurant in Pacific Beach ( Courtesy ) When JRDN first opened, it had a kind of Pacific Rim feel to it. Warner was at the restaurant from the beginning and then left to pursue other culinary adventures. Hes been back as executive chef for about a year and has infused some of the original Asian influences the sushi bar has returned and some of those ingredients have bled through the new menu. Warner explains: By no means are we trying to be an Asian restaurant, but it just so happens we have teriyaki sauce, so we do a poke bowl; we have nori, so we put that in our mustard for our pretzel bites, for example. Warner says the clientele in the neighborhood has changed, so JRDNs menu and decor followed suit. With this rebirth, we wanted to appeal to all guests, and not alienate the people who want to come and just have a sushi roll and a glass of wine. We want the people off the beach, too, who want pretzel bites and ahi nachos. But we also want our traditional diners, so they can still get their big steaks, full bottles of wine and the topnotch service that JRDN always had. So JRDN stripped the stuffiness out. They got rid of the white tablecloths. They expanded seating in the lounge area and elevated it so guests can watch the sunset over the bar. Next year, owners are looking to add firepit features on the patio. The new strategy is to be more things to more people. And Warner points out that given its location, its a strategic move. At the end of the day, its a business. And a business needs to make money, he says, so if we can put ourselves out there to a wider range of clientele, thats what were going to do. Were not trying to alienate anybody or become a niche market. Were in PB, at the boardwalk. There are hundreds of different people (of race and origin) walking by with different palates. I dont want anyone to skip through the menu and be like, not for me. Reading through the menu, which is several pages long, is like taking a journey through a culinary landscape that starts simple and rises high. Simple appetizers begin at $9 a plate. Fine diners can still come in for their big steaks (14-ounce prime rib-eye is $58). The menu also offers a variety of shared plates that serve 2-3 people. Sushi is a best-seller here. Look for the JRDN 2.0 Roll, which is named in honor of the second birth of the restaurant. Warner describes it as a fun mix of spicy ahi and yellowtail with some seared tuna on top with a little ponzu. La Jolla diner Jaime Spencer gushed: The sushi is brilliant here. Its hard to find good sushi. The vibe is great, the oceans amazing, the view is spectacular, the service is impeccable. The menu change has brought a 20-percent growth in foot traffic to the restaurant, Warner reports, but the average check has dropped a little. As the holidays unfurl, hes looking to add some super-star dishes, in an effort to constantly evolve whats offered. JRDNs will be open for traditional Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners. JRDN Restaurant, serving breaakfast, lunch and dinner, is at 723 Felspar St. on the boardwalk in Pacific Beach/San Diego. Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. (858) 270-2323. t23hotel.com/jrdn/ Limbo thats where to find Wall Street when it comes to cryptocurrencies. Squeamish from the start about pursuing profits in one of the darker corners of finance, established firms this year slowed their already halting efforts to make a business out of bitcoin mania. While none has thrown in the towel, and some continue to develop a trading infrastructure, most flinched as the value of virtual coins collapsed. Take Goldman Sachs Group Inc., which sought to position itself at the cutting edge of digital assets that skeptics see mainly as a domain of day traders and anarchists. Progress has been so slow as to be barely noticeable, according to people familiar with its crypto business. Many in the industry now say it was quixotic to have expected last years frenzy to translate into a Wall Street crypto offering. The market had unrealistic expectations that Goldman or any of its peers could suddenly start a bitcoin trading business, said Daniel H. Gallancy, chief executive officer of New York-based SolidX Partners, which hopes to launch a bitcoin ETF in the U.S. That was top-of-the-market-hype thinking. Advertisement Even after bitcoins 77% plunge from $17,394 in early December 2017 to $4,067 on Monday and $700 billion being erased from the value of crypto assets, believers are sticking to their script. It appears as if progress is coming to a halt, yet nothing could be further from the truth, said Eugene Ng, a former Deutsche Bank AG trader in Singapore who has set up crypto hedge fund Circuit Capital. The bear market is going to allow many of these institutions to build the proper foundations without rushing to build out infrastructure without adequate testing for fear of missing out on a gold rush. Goldman remains a focal point for expectations of an establishment embrace of crypto. The firm was among the first on Wall Street to clear bitcoin futures and people familiar with the matter said last year it was preparing a trading desk the bank even provided its bankers to the New York Times for an interview on its plans. After considering a custody service for crypto funds, the firm invested in custodian BitGo Holdings Inc. Its also offering derivatives on bitcoin called nondeliverable forwards. The bank has yet to offer trading of crypto and has gained little traction for its NDF product, having signed up just 20 clients, according to people familiar with the matter. Justin Schmidt, who was hired to head its digital asset business, said at an industry conference last month that regulators are limiting what he can do. Still, Goldman plans to add a digital assets specialist to its prime brokerage division, the person said. With regulators offering little clear guidance on how they will classify the broad universe of tokens as commodities, securities or something else banks and investment firms are treading cautiously. Criminal and regulatory probes arent helping either. Morgan Stanley, which hired Andrew Peel as its head of digital assets earlier in the year, has been technically prepared to offer swaps tracking bitcoin futures since at least September, yet thus far has not traded a single contract, according to a person familiar with the matter. A person with knowledge of the business said in September the contracts would be launched once there is proven institutional client demand. Meanwhile, Citigroup Inc. has not traded any of the products it designed for cryptocurrencies within existing regulatory structures, according to a separate person with knowledge of its business. The so-called digital asset receipts enable trading by proxy without direct ownership of the underlying coins, a person with knowledge of the plans said in September. In London, Barclays Plc, which has sounded out client interest on a cryptocurrency trading desk, is almost back to square one. Earlier in the year the British bank appointed two former oil traders Chris Tyrer and Matthieu Jobbe Duval to explore the business. Tyrer, who led the digital assets project, left in September, while Jobbe Duval followed two months later, according to people familiar with the matter. Barclays has no plans for a crypto trading desk, according to a spokesman. Officials for Citigroup and Morgan Stanley declined to comment on their cryptocurrency businesses. For its part, Goldmans primary focus is thoughtfully and safely serving our clients needs, said spokesman Patrick Lenihan in New York. Even after the staggering selloff in digital assets in 2018, crypto pros see signs institutions are getting ready to jump back in if they need to. Intercontinental Exchange Inc., owner of the New York Stock Exchange, said in August it had created a suite of services to enable consumers and institutions to buy, sell, store and spend digital assets. Meanwhile, Fidelity Investments said in October its preparing a new business to manage digital assets for hedge funds, family offices and trading firms. Another encouraging sign for the bulls came the same month in the form of Yale Universitys investment in a crypto fund. The more important story is all the infrastructure thats being built now to enable institutional trading, according to Ben Sebley, a former Credit Suisse Group AG trader who is now head of brokerage at crypto boutique NKB Group. China unveiled new members of the Fuxing family, the countrys newest and fastest high-speed trains, in Beijing on Monday. The new trains made their debut in a show that demonstrates the latest advances in technology innovation in China's railway system. They will begin operation in the next few years. The green-colored CR200J is expected to be the first to hit the tracks with a maximum speed of 160 kilometers per hour. Planned to begin service in January, CR200J will phase out the decades-old rolling stocks. CR300BF, a blue-colored train can reach 250 kilometers per hour, is going through testing on the route linking Chengdu and Guiyang in mountainous Southwest China and will be open to passengers next year. A longer version of the fastest Fuxing trains was also made its appearance on Monday. Running at 350 kilometers per hour, it has 17 carriages, an added 7.5 percent in capacity compared to the current version. Its still unknown when the extended Fuxing train will be put into operation. Among the newest trains is a smart train that will shuttle between Beijing and Zhangjiakou, the twin host cities of the upcoming Winter Olympics. The train is designed to run in extreme winter weather with less carbon emissions and more automation control system. (Photos: China Railway Corporation; Compibled by Chen Lidan) China has announced another round of tariff cuts, lowering import taxes on more than 700 goods starting Jan. 1 as part of its efforts to open up its economy and lower costs that the people who live there must pay. There will also be cuts to some export tariffs, and temporary import tariff rates will be as low as zero for some goods, the Ministry of Finance said Monday. The temporary rates can be changed ad hoc and can be lower than the current Most Favored Nation standard, though they are also available to all World Trade Organization members. U.S. exports will get the benefit of the reductions as well, although most products will still be subject to retaliatory tariffs established in the festering U.S.-China trade war until there is a breakthrough in the talks between the two nations. Advertisement This is the third round of tariff cuts that China has announced this year. With tariffs on U.S. soybeans stopping a key source of edible meal (often used for animal feed), China will implement zero tariffs on imports of a variety of meals, including sunflower and canola. Some materials for pharmaceutical manufacturing will also be subject to zero tariffs, and taxes on high-tech imports will be set relatively low, including at 1% for a type of generator for aircraft and at 5% for a type of welding robot used in car assembly lines. The ministry also said Most Favored Nation tariffs will be further cut for a wide range of information technology imports starting July 1, including for medical diagnosis machines, speakers and printers. China will also scrap export tariffs on 94 items starting in the new year, including fertilizers, iron ore, coal tar and wood pulp. Export tariffs on these goods are as high as 40% currently. Imports from nations that have reached trade pacts with China will be levied at the rates agreed by both sides. Chinas bilateral deals with Australia, Costa Rica, Georgia, Iceland, New Zealand, Peru, South Korea and Switzerland already included promises to further lower tariffs in 2019, as does the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement. Imports from Hong Kong and Macau will also enjoy lower taxes. Also, last month China imported two tankers of U.S. liquefied natural gas, nudging open a doorway that had been shut for a month at a time when the United States is rapidly expanding its ability to export the heating fuel. U.S. natural gas with the tariff is still economical compared to other sources, said Het Shah, founder of Analytix.AI, an energy market data analytics company in Calgary, Canada. These tankers probably left the U.S. Gulf Coast in late October. Although the imports offer short-term hope, Chinese companies are still unlikely to cement long-term deals for more LNG unless Beijing and Washington take steps to resolve their trade war. The worlds second-largest economy imported a record 5.99 million tons of LNG in November even as its reliance on American LNG fell. Imports from the United States reached 138,892 tons, according to data from Chinas General Administration of Customs. That equates to about 6.3 billion cubic feet of gas, or two tankers worth, Shah said. In November a year earlier, China imported six tankers of American LNG at a time when its traditional suppliers in Central Asia couldnt keep up with demand as cold weather descended. China turned increasingly to the United States for the fuel after requiring businesses and homes to stop burning coal to cut pollution. The bartender arrived early, stayed late and offered to help other kitchen staffers. Still, he said, his boss told him to show initiative then slashed his hours. So, 20 minutes before his shift started on a recent Friday, Lucas fired off a parting group text to management: I deserve better so I went out and got better. He had already accepted a better-paying offer from a restaurant in his home city of Tacoma, Wash. He landed the new opportunity in less than a month. I showed initiative by finding a new job, said Lucas, 26, who spoke on a first-name-only basis to protect his reputation in the workplace. I knew I deserved to be treated better. He shared his farewell message with the Washington Post and redacted the clubs name. Advertisement Once taken for granted as a professional courtesy, the standard two weeks notice is losing relevance in an economy in which practically everyone is hiring, analysts say. More jobs are open in the United States right now than there are people looking for work. The nations unemployment rate has clung to a 49-year low since September, prompting many firms to raise wages and expand recruitment efforts. Workers have less incentive to respect the old norm, said David Lewis, chief executive of OperationsInc, a national human resources consulting firm. Over the last year, he has seen a 20% upswing in employees departing less than two weeks after they give notice. Its absolutely being directly impacted by the unemployment level, the lack of available talent and the number of positions companies are trying to fill, Lewis said. Others are skipping even text resignations. The Chicago Federal Reserve noted in a December report that more employees are ghosting their jobs, quitting without telling anyone and becoming impossible to contact. Sudden exits can burn some professional bridges, especially when they can hurt business. Managers who scramble to pick up the slack at peak hours are not likely to deliver glowing reviews down the road. Only a tiny share of workers in the United States have signed contracts that compel them to extend an advance warning mostly teachers and other professionals who agree to special terms, said Austin Kaplan, an employment lawyer in Texas. Contrary to popular belief, he said, workers do not carry a permanent record of their exits, friendly or otherwise. Employers generally will not give bad references because they know people can sue them for defamation, Kaplan said. Neutral reviews verification of employment dates, title and pay is the more common outcome. Once youve left the company, there is no benefit to the employer for talking smack about your performance, Kaplan said. Its an urban myth that you have to give two weeks notice and that if you dont, youll get in trouble. Still, Lewis, the human resources consultant, cautions that bad reputations can spread. Plus, people who pack up early could be leaving money on the table. Companies are coming to the rapid conclusion that it will take them months to replace certain people, he said, so give them time to make a counter-offer. Some workers, however, encounter hostility as they try to quit. Jason, 33, a real estate accountant in Manhattan, said he was sweating and shaking when he gave his manager two weeks notice. He had been job hunting for a year and the right opportunity had finally opened. Unfortunately, it came amid his offices busy season. His boss wanted him to stay longer. (The Post agreed to use his first name only because he was still employed at the firm for another week.) She said, I hope you know payback is a bitch, Jason said. New York City real estate is a really small world. I took it as a direct threat to my livelihood. After talking to a labor attorney, Jason learned that threatening retaliation could be grounds for a lawsuit. Christian Cabazos, 31, a social media manager in Austin, said she learned the hard way that courtesy is optional. She was laid off last year from an event planning job in Austin, effective immediately, and contested the news: Wasnt she supposed to receive at least two more weeks on the payroll as she searched for another job? Her parents had taught her to always give significant notice. She assumed it worked both ways. My boss explained that he didnt have to, she said. He said, We have the right to terminate whenever we want, and you have the right to leave whenever you want. Paquette writes for the Washington Post. Its been 14 months since Kevin Spacey retreated from the public eye after facing myriad accusations of sexual assault. On Monday, the Oscar-winning actor reintroduced himself with an odd video amid news that he would face criminal charges in a 2016 case of alleged sexual assault. The Boston Globe reported Monday that Spacey was scheduled for arraignment on a charge of indecent assault and battery at Nantucket District Court on Jan. 7. The incident in question took place in July 2016 and allegedly involved the actor groping the genitals of an unwilling 18-year-old. Advertisement Spacey raised eyebrows Monday with his ill-fated return to social media for the first time since his apology to Anthony Rapp and official statement coming out as a gay man in October 2017. On Twitter and Instagram, the Usual Suspects actor shared a link to a YouTube video featuring Spacey delivering a three-minute monologue in character as his former House of Cards protagonist, Frank Underwood. Except Frank Underwood was killed off between Seasons 5 and 6 of the hit Netflix series after Spacey was unceremoniously dismissed after numerous accusations of sexual misconduct came to light. In Mondays video, titled Let Me Be Frank, Spacey spoke directly into the camera, as was Underwoods wont, and bemoaned his current state of affairs. But the line between Spacey and the character remained fuzzy, as he eviscerated those who wished to see him confess and lambasted others who rushed to judgment without facts. Were not afraid, not of what we said, not of what we did and were still not afraid, Spacey said, ostensibly as Underwood. Because I promise you this: If I didnt pay the price for the things that we both know I did do, Im certainly not going to pay the price for the things I didnt do. Social-media reactions to Spaceys video poured in immediately and ranged from disbelief to disgust. Actress and activist Alyssa Milano registered her distaste by tweeting a link to news of Spaceys criminal charges, adding: And after you read thisthen watch the creepy video Mr. Spacey posted after the news broke. Kevin Spacey charged with sexually assaulting 18-year-old son of Boston news anchor https://t.co/3rMuOhMuz0 And after you read thisthen watch the creepy video Mr. Spacey posted after the news broke. #MeToo #TimesUp https://t.co/70GvesW87y Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) December 24, 2018 Representatives for Spacey did not immediately respond to The Times request for comment. Reps for Netflix said the company had no comment. libby.hill@latimes.com @midwestspitfire Bravura work by Nicole Kidman is the defining feature of Karyn Kusamas Destroyer, but that doesnt mean youd want to put it on a double bill with The Hours or To Die For. Not even close. Instead, think of Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator or Peter Weller in Robocop. Imagine a relentless, unstoppable force, able to take a licking and keep on ticking, someone who lives behind a thousand-yard stare and doesnt even think about playing by the rules. As written by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi and directed by Kusama, who debuted at Sundance nearly two decades ago with Grand Jury Prize winner Girlfight, Destroyer places Kidmans LAPD Det. Erin Bell in a world as bleak and amoral as she is. Which is both an advantage and an obstacle. For Destroyer is simultaneously impressive and stand-offish. Persuasively directed by Kusama and convincingly acted by Kidman and expert costars like Toby Kebbell and Sebastian Stan though it is, its determination to live exclusively at the darkest end of the street pays disagreeable dividends. Advertisement Even while you admire the skill that went into Destroyer, saying you relished time spent with its bleak and unscrupulous characters is something else. RELATED: Karyn Kusamas restless noir Destroyer uncovers an L.A. and a Nicole Kidman you havent seen before Destroyers determination to paint it black at all costs, presumably because it reflects a criminal reality, ends up making the film less, rather than more, convincing. The characters savage amorality is so pervasive that it plays not as truth but as a cold aesthetic choice, one that keeps us at arms length rather than drawing us in. Still, the films drawbacks notwithstanding, Kidman is never less than imposing as the burned-out Bell, a part zombie, part detective individual who is more of a wreck than Wreck-It Ralph. Though expert makeup by Oscar winner Bill Corso inevitably plays a part, Kidmans transformation goes deeper, into walking and even holding herself in a way that is as convincing as it is different. Set in present day Los Angeles and making excellent use of off-the-radar locations, Destroyer begins with Bell opening some truly bleary eyes early one morning from the front seat of the squad car shes spent the night in. Destroyer director Karyn Kusama discusses casting Nicole Kidman in a role traditionally played by a man. Bell doesnt live in her car, though she looks as if she might. Theres a crime scene in front of her, and although her fellow officers are not happy to see her, she takes a look at the corpse and notices some high value currency marked by dye, a remnant of the kind of dye packs banks use to discourage robberies. Next we cut to an L.A. police station where Bell opens a letter addressed to her. Inside is a dye-pack bill identical to the one at the crime scene. Bell checks with an FBI agent shes worked with to be sure, but she already knows what that bill means. Silas, a criminal from her past, is back, and there is nothing, no matter how immoral or sleazy, she wont do to make sure he doesnt disappear again. Though it can be too clever for its own good, Destroyer does get credit for a plot that is complex and unexpected, and at this point, the story begins to go back and forth between the present and an episode 17 years earlier that haunts Bell and for all intents and purposes ruined her life. At that time, Bell (also played by Kidman) and her partner Chris (Stan) were young crime fighters posing as criminals and attempting to infiltrate a gang based in the California desert. Leading the gang was Silas (an effective Kebbell), a kind of a minor league Charlie Manson, a twisted sort who financed his lifestyle with girlfriend Petra (Tatiana Maslany) by robbing banks. That undercover operation didnt work out the way anyone planned and, making the resulting chaos worse, Silas disappeared before he could be arrested, vanishing totally from view. Until now. Aside from flashing back to the past, Destroyer is largely concerned with the relentless private vendetta Bell embarks on, tracking down a number of Silas former associates (Bradley Whitford, James Jordan, Zach Villa), determined to get close to closure no matter what it takes. Adding yet another complication to her life, Bell has a 16-year-old daughter named Shelby (Jade Pettyjohn) who is acting out in a way exactly calculated to drive someone like her mother crazy. Watching Bell inexorably pulling on the thread of those long-ago connections has classic thriller appeal, but dealing nonstop with toxic individuals and their catastrophic life choices is not inevitably a thrill. Even Kidmans exceptional transformation cant change that. ------------- Destroyer Rated: R, for language throughout, violence, some sexual content and brief drug use Running time: 2 hours, 3 minutes Playing: Starts Dec. 25, ArcLight Hollywood kenneth.turan@latimes.com @KennethTuran Gal Gadot marked the end of production on Wonder Woman 1984 on Sunday with a heartfelt note commemorating the films cast and crew and promised fans another exciting movie about the DC superhero. We did it. Again!! And as much as the first time shooting Wonder Woman was amazing, this time was even more unique and special, the actress, who plays the titular comic-book hero Diana Prince, wrote on Instagram. Gadot said the new Warner Bros. sequel, which fast forwards the timeline from World War I to the 1980s, was shot in four locations in three countries, with a crew of nearly 1,000 members who came to set every day, giving everything they have into our movie. (Filming began in June, and Gadot has offered fans a few sneak peeks along the way.) Gadot singled out director Patty Jenkins, who returned to direct the franchise film after the breakaway success of the 2017 installment exploring the Amazon princess backstory. Jenkins also wrote the treatment and produces the new film. Advertisement She always has our backs, she gives us the wings to dare, and everyday she helped us find the most creative version of ourselves .. I am so grateful to call her my friend, Gadot wrote. The actress also praised the sequels amazingly talented cast, which includes Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Kristen Wiig and others, for making each day enjoyable and fun. Honestly.. Words cannot describe this experience.. This journey was so demanding and challenging but we all came and did our very best every take, every day, putting our all out there and Im so proud, the former Miss Israel continued. Thank you universe for this opportunity. I love this character. And thank you to all of you for being the best fans in the world. It was you that made me push myself every day. Im so happy and excited, cant wait to share it with you in 2020! In October, Jenkins announced that Wonder Woman 1984 would hit theaters on June 5, 2020, pushing it back from its originally scheduled November 2019 release date. Super excited to announce that, thanks to the changing landscape, we are able to put Wonder Woman back to its rightful home. June 5, 2020. Be there or be square!!! pic.twitter.com/Wj8ORUQLdg Gal Gadot (@GalGadot) October 22, 2018 nardine.saad@latimes.com Twitter: @NardineSaad Doctor Who fans have spent a few months with their new Time Lord, played by Jodie Whittaker, but they may not yet realize that the shows first female Doctor has come with a new musical voice playing behind her. Segun Akinola had scored only a few BBC documentary series and one indie feature when his work caught the ear of Chris Chibnall, creator of the detective series Broadchurch and the new showrunner on Doctor Who. Chibnall listened to Akinolas music and responded to the eclecticism, the heart and the energy. Working with a new composer who hasnt previously scored multi-episodic drama is thrilling but an undeniable risk, Chibnall said by email. You have to take a deep breath and decide whether the risk might be worth the reward. Segun made that risk seem completely negligible, from our very first conversation. Segun Akinola. (David Shoukry / English Photoworks) Advertisement The composers own back story did not exactly make him an obvious choice for a beloved British series thats been around for 55 years. Akinola was the first member of his Nigerian family born on British soil. He grew up in the town of Luton outside London, the son of an accountant. Even though no one else played music at home, his home life was saturated with it. If youre born to Nigerians, when youre in the womb youre probably aware of music happening outside of you, he said by phone from London. Nigerians are so vibrant and really love dancing. Akinolas father liked to spin everything from Nigerian folk to Michael Jackson to U2. One day he brought home a keyboard and asked if Segun whose name means victory wanted to learn how to play. Sure, the boy said. And that started his musical journey. He loved the drums, and after church every week he begged his parents to let him play. He might as well have been allowed to hit any old thing, he said with a laugh, because I had no idea what I was doing at that point. Music was clearly where his passion lay. He took piano and drum lessons, played in all the bands and orchestras at school, and soaked up a range of genres. As a teenager trying to decide what to pursue in higher education, he was scanning his options when his sister wrote on the bottom of the list: Follow your heart. I literally looked at this and immediately, in that instant, knew that I really wanted to do music, he said. Akinola studied composition at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and initially thought he might go into record production like his hero, Quincy Jones. But an increasing appetite in films and storytelling and the realization that Jones also scored movies pushed him toward the moving image. He attended film school, and before long he was putting it all into practice. In 2016, he scored the BBC documentary miniseries Black and British: A Forgotten History, where he was able to bring together different strands of myself, musically, for the first time, he said. I could really lean into my Nigerian heritage, but also there was the classical side of things, as well as the more contemporary and popular music side of it. Then the BBC called and said he was being considered for the newly open role of scoring Doctor Who. He met with Chibnall, and the composer asked the showrunner to describe this new Doctor. He mentioned hope and warmth, and essentially being quite a steadfast character as well, morally, Akinola said. The composer went home, and 48 hours later he sent Chibnall a demo of a melody. That music, unchanged, is the Doctors theme. It encompassed every feeling I wanted the show to have, Chibnall said. It had a punch-the-air heroism allied with an emotional sensitivity. It made me beam and it made me cry. It was everything I could ever want. Akinola was up front about one minor detail: He never had watched Doctor Who. Chibnall, who was starting with a clean slate, said that wasnt a problem. The score has new themes for each of the major characters, including the Doctors black and Pakistani companions and the TARDIS, the shows phone booth time machine. Akinola developed a series sound that features a recurring band of cello, French horn and guitar, along with some custom sampled voices like a pad made from a plucked piano string and an electronic synth created from his bongos. For some episodes, theres enough money in the budget to record a small orchestra at Abbey Road Studios. Segun Akinola at Abbey Road Studios. (Charlie Clift) For the main titles he went retro, slightly revamping the throbbing, early electronic theme created by composer Ron Grainer and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop in 1963. The show still jumps from planet to planet and back and forth through time, and Akinolas score acknowledges each new environment. Chibnall aims for inclusivity, and his series is interested in prejudice as a theme; Akinola featured solo trumpet in an episode about Rosa Parks, and a selection of Indian instruments including tabla, sarangi and male vocals for an episode in which Yasmin (the Doctors companion) visits her ancestors in Pakistan during the partition of India. I really, really wanted it to be special, in the sense that I wanted people of that heritage to feel looked after musically, Akinola said, noting that thats how Ludwig Goranssons score for Black Panther made him feel about his own roots. That was a good benchmark, that I wanted people of Indian and Pakistani descent to feel the same. Akinola didnt make a big deal about representation, or that hes one of very few composers of color scoring a major film or TV franchise. He wanted the conversation to be about the music. But even there, hes part of a wave of change that is making this beloved old institution look and sound more like the world we live in. At his core, Segun is a magnificent storyteller, Chibnall said. He zeroes in on the heart of the moment, of the sequence, of the episode and of the series. Hes given 1950s America, 1940s India and 17th century England their own specific soundtracks. Never mind deep space and alien planets. Hes brought sounds and performers and collaborators into Doctor Who who have never been connected to it before. Doctor Who Where: BBC America When: 8 p.m. Jan. 1 Rating: TV-PG (may be unsuitable for young children) calendar@latimes.com Former Disney Channel actor Stoney Westmoreland has been charged with six felony counts after authorities said he tried to have sex with a 13-year-old boy. The Andi Mack actor, who played the titular characters grandfather on the celebrated series, was fired from the show earlier this month after he was arrested during a sting operation near where the series films in Utah. Westmoreland was charged Friday with enticing a minor, attempted sexual exploitation of a minor and four counts of dealing in material harmful to a minor by an adult, according to the Salt Lake County District Attorney, Sim Gill. The counts were filed after the 48-year-old allegedly used the app Grindr to meet the minor, who in reality was a Salt Lake City police officer posing as a 13-year-old boy, according to charging documents. Advertisement The officer who operated the Grindr profile was contacted by Westmoreland, who asked if he would come to his hotel room and engage in sexual activity, including oral sex, according to the charges, obtained by The Times on Monday. In a written declaration, the officer stated that Westmoreland also sent four sexually explicit photos. Westmoreland acknowledged to the police that he had sent nude photos and that he knew the person he was speaking with said he was 13, authorities said. Upon arriving to meet the boy, Westmoreland was arrested Dec. 13 and was taken to Salt Lake County jail, authorities said. The state also requested that a $100,000 warrant be issued; however, a public safety assessment filed with the court found that Westmoreland was a low risk to public safety, the Associated Press reported. Westmorelands agent did not immediately respond to The Times request for comment Monday. Follow me: @NardineSaad A man who police said shot himself in the ankle while playing with a handgun in a car on a freeway in Los Angeles County was taken to a hospital early Monday, authorities said. The man, who authorities said is in his early 20s, was playing with his friends gun while the two were traveling on the 60 Freeway when the firearm went off. They drove to north Orange County from Los Angeles County in search of a hospital, said Brea Police Sgt. Chris Haddad. In the future, if someone does shoot themselves in the leg, itd probably be better to pull over and call 911, he said. The pair stopped in a parking lot at Brea Boulevard and Imperial Highway about 12:30 a.m. and called 911. Paramedics took the man to a trauma center. His injuries were not life-threatening, authorities said. Advertisement Neither of the two men in the car had concealed carry permits, Haddad said. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @Hannahnfry Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez will lead a bilingual Christmas midnight Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown L.A. The service will begin at 11:30 p.m. Monday with Christmas carols in English at the cathedral, at 555 W. Temple St., church officials said. The archbishop will be joined by the cathedrals pastor, Father David Gallardo. On Christmas Day, the archbishop will celebrate the 12:30 p.m. Mass in Spanish, with a Spanish-language choir leading in song. Both Masses will be livestreamed via www.olacathedral.org/live and facebook.com/olacathedral. Other services at the cathedral this week include a Christmas family Mass at 4 p.m. Monday. (View the full schedule here: https://olacathedral.org/news/index.html.) The archbishop is also expected to celebrate Mass on Christmas Eve morning at the womens jail in Lynwood and on Christmas Day at the Mens Central Jail, church officials said. rosanna.xia@latimes.com Follow @RosannaXia on Twitter. Egypt's Armed Forces, in coordination with the Ministry of Interior, has intensified measures to secure New Year's and Christmas celebrations nationwide, a statement by military spokesperson Tamer El-Refai said on Monday. "The general command of the Armed Forces has taken every measure... to secure the celebrations of New Year and the glorious Christmas in all governorates of the Republic," the statement read. The statement says that security forces are ready to be deployed to ensure the safety of citizens at places of worship and vital facilities. Church The military spokesperson said that all forces have been trained on how to deal with threats that may disturb the celebrations. "Special Forces units have prepared many combat groups to assist with tactical formations in securing the celebrations, the Rapid Deployment Forces (RDF) will also function as backup in case of any disruptions to the celebrations," the statement read. Meanwhile, the Egyptian Minister of Defence Mohamed Zaki stressed the need for leaders on all levels to ensure that all participating forces understand the tasks assigned to them to secure the celebrations, to address all threats and act in emergency situations in cooperation with police forces. Church The statement added that military police in cooperation with police forces will also deploy moving patrols and set up checkpoints. The Suez Canal will have its own security measures, with all navigational routes to be monitored to prevent smuggling, El-Refai said. Coptic Egyptians, who make up 90 percent of Christians in the country, celebrate Christmas on 7 January. However, a minority of non-orthodox Christian Egyptians observe the holiday on 25 December. Over the past two years, terrorist attacks targeting churches during religious holiday seasons have left dozens of Christians killed and injured. On Palm Sunday in April 2017, two terrorist bombings at St George's Cathedral in Tanta and St Mark's Cathedral in Alexandria killed a total 47 worshippers in near-simultaneous attacks. In December 2016, a suicide attack on Cairo's St Peter and St Paul Church killed 29 people, mostly women and children, during mass. Christians make up 10 to 15 percent of Egypt's population. Search Keywords: Short link: Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. on Sunday defended his citys decision this month to allow the destruction of years of investigative records involving police shootings. Many of those records would have become public for the first time under a new state law set to take effect Jan. 1, providing a window into a police department that for years was beset by allegations of excessive force, poor officer training and lack of transparency. Butts, a former Santa Monica police chief, told The Times on Sunday that there is no connection between the new law and Inglewoods action. The Times broke the story a day earlier on the councils decision. This premise that there was an intent to beat the clock is ridiculous, he said. Advertisement City officials, he added, would have nothing to fear from these records in terms of liability or embarrassment. A staff report indicates that the records go back as far as 1991. How would they be embarrassing to me? said Butts, who became part of city government when he was elected mayor in 2011. I wasnt even here for those records. The records are what they are. The citys decision attracted more than routine notice because of its timing and because it represented a change in city policy. Until this month, Inglewood required the Police Department to retain records on shootings involving officers for 25 years after the close of an investigation. Records of other internal investigations were to be kept six years. Although these records were retained, they were not necessarily available to the public. That changes next week, because of Senate Bill 1421. The new law opens to the public internal investigations of shootings by officers and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault by officers and lying while on duty. Still, Butts maintained the city did nothing wrong. Its actually quite routine for us to do records destruction, he told ABC 7s Eyewitness News. The Finance Department, the Police Department and other entities whenever they want to destroy records that exceed a time limit they submit a staff report to the City Council and the City Council approves or disapproves the records destruction. But longtime community activist Earl Ofari Hutchinson and a group of local civil rights leaders are skeptical. In light of the new state law, he said, Inglewoods action continues a pattern of lack of accountability. Longtime community activist Earl Ofari Hutchinson points to a list of people killed in encounters with Inglewood police while talking to reporters outside Inglewood City Hall on Sunday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) For years, Hutchinson worked with the families of those killed in encounters with Inglewood police. He said a full disclosure under the new law could reveal new avenues of legal redress and also could provide families with important details about what happened to their loved ones. The documents also would allow the public to review how well the department handled internal investigations and how seriously the department has embraced reforms. This action sends a terrible message that lack of transparency is still the policy in Inglewood, he said. Hutchinson called on city leaders to delay the destruction of documents. The city staff report and the City Councils resolution from its Dec. 11 meeting make no mention of the new police transparency law. The resolution says that the affected records are obsolete, occupy valuable space, and are of no further use to the Police Department. Butts told The Times Sunday said that the citys old retention policy dated from 2010 and, before then, there was no policy regarding records of closed cases. A series of Inglewood police shootings around 2008 attracted heightened scrutiny from activists, media and federal investigators. The citys policy on retaining records was adopted as city officials and the Police Department were trying to improve their practices and rebuild public confidence. However, the 2010 policy eventually became an administrative burden, Butts said, because it applied to any discharge of a weapon, including cases when a dog charged an officer or when officers fired a weapon and no one was hit. The more serious cases no longer had any active threads, he said, because the related civil lawsuits had been settled and criminal investigations concluded. But Marcus Benigno, a spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, called Inglewoods actions an attempt to thwart the will of Californians. In the past, California police have shredded records to avoid scrutiny. In the 1970s, the Los Angeles Police Department famously destroyed more than 4 tons of personnel records after defense attorneys began requesting them. 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 little access to them. The new legislation begins to unwind those restrictions. Butts called the current incarnation of his citys police department a model agency, despite a 2016 incident in which Inglewood police opened fire on a couple found sleeping in a car, killing both. Butts noted that five officers involved in that shooting no longer work for the department and that a review of the officers actions, which could lead to prosecution, is ongoing. State law requires holding onto police records for at least five years and Butts said it makes sense for Inglewood to align with that standard. Butts said he does not know whether documents already have been destroyed. The Police Department could have acted anytime after the City Councils decision earlier this month, he said. He is not inclined to reconsider. Then how long do you keep these records? he said. Do you keep these records forever? Youre not going to do that. howard.blume@latimes.com Twitter: @howardblume Authorities are searching for an inmate who walked away from a work camp in the San Gabriel Mountains on Sunday. Officials discovered 52-year-old Eric Levi was missing during an inmate count at the Fenner Canyon Conservation Camp at 5:48 p.m. Sunday. He was last seen at the camp, which is located in the mountains northwest of Wrightwood, during a count roughly 40 minutes earlier, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Staff searched the camps grounds and buildings but could not find him. Levi began serving a 16-year sentence for second-degree robbery in Los Angeles County in 2006. He was eligible for parole next month, according to the department. The Fenner Canyon Conservation Camp opened in 1991 and currently houses 81 inmates. The camps primary mission is to provide inmate fire crews for fire suppression assignments in Los Angeles, Kern and San Bernardino counties. Advertisement Levi is described as 6 feet tall, 217 pounds with hazel eyes and gray hair. Anyone who sees him should call 911, authorities said. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @Hannahnfry A top White House official signaled Sunday that President Trump is willing to accept less money than hes been demanding to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall but that the partial government shutdown is likely to stretch into next year. With Trump continuing to demand money for a wall and Democrats offering spending on other security measures, there was little to inspire hope that a Christmas-season closure of some federal government operations would end later this week, when the House and Senate are scheduled to meet again. The presidents not going to not accept money for a border wall, acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said on ABCs This Week. He warned that the shutdown could stretch into January, when a new Congress is seated. Mulvaney, who also runs the White House budget office, said hes awaiting a response from Senate Democratic leader Charles E. Schumer of New York after the administration on Saturday presented Schumer with a counteroffer in the long-running dispute over funding the wall. Advertisement Mulvaney withheld specifics but placed the offer at between Trumps $5.7-billion request and the $1.3 billion Democrats are offering. We moved off of the 5 and we hope they move up from their 1.3 [billion], Mulvaney said on Fox News Sunday. His comment about the presidents softening stance came less than 24 hours after a senior administration official insisted to reporters on Saturday that Congress give into Trumps demands, highlighting the unpredictable nature of Trumps negotiating style. But Democrats held firm on their rejection of wall funding. Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) argued instead for increasing the use of technology along the border instead of building some medieval wall. Asked on NBCs Meet the Press whether hes willing to increase the price tag as long as the money is not spent on a wall, Durbin responded: Absolutely. A stalemate over the wall led parts of the government to shut down Saturday after funding for numerous departments and agencies expired. The closure, affecting hundreds of thousands of federal workers across the country, was expected to last at least through late this week after the House and Senate, which each met in a rare weekend session, adjourned until Thursday. Mulvaney predicted the shutdown could extend into January, when Democrats will assume control of the House based on their midterm election gains. Its very possible that this shutdown will go beyond the 28th and into the new Congress, Mulvaney said. Justin Goodman, a spokesman for Schumer, countered: If Director Mulvaney says the Trump Shutdown will last into the New Year, believe him, because its their shutdown. Trump faced resistance from some Republicans. Retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), who has criticized Trump on other issues, called the battle for border wall funding a made-up fight so the president can look like hes fighting. This is something that is unnecessary. Its a spectacle. And, candidly, its juvenile. The whole thing is juvenile, Corker said in an interview on State of the Union on CNN. He argued for other measures to secure the border. Trump tweeted Sunday, the shutdowns second day, that the only way to stop drugs and what he calls criminal elements from entering the country is a physical barrier: Drones and all of the rest are wonderful and lots of fun, but it is only a good old fashioned Wall that works! Across the country, the shutdown played out in uneven ways. The Statue of Liberty remained open for tours, thanks to New York state, and the U.S. Postal Service, an independent agency, was still delivering mail. But the routines of 800,000 federal employees were about to be disrupted. More than half are deemed essential and are expected to work without pay, through retroactive pay is expected. An additional 380,000 were to be furloughed, meaning they will not report to work but would be paid later. Legislation ensuring that workers receive back pay was expected to clear Congress. Trump was staying in Washington for Christmas because of the shutdown, the White House said. The president, who campaigned on the promise of building the wall and forcing Mexico to pay for it, had savored the prospect of a shutdown fight. He recently said hed be proud to close down the government and has gone back on his pledge to not blame Democrats for the closure. Schumer and Vice President Mike Pence met Saturday at the request of the White House, according to Schumers office. But the senators spokesman said they remained very far apart on a spending agreement. Democrats said they were open to proposals that didnt include the wall, which Schumer said was too costly and ineffective. They have offered to keep spending at existing levels of $1.3 billion for border fencing and other security. Senators approved a bipartisan deal last week to keep the government open into February and provide $1.3 billion for border security projects, but not the wall. But as Trump faced criticism from conservatives, he pushed the House to approve a package temporarily financing the government but also setting aside $5.7 billion for the border wall. The impasse blocked money for nine of 15 Cabinet-level departments and dozens of agencies, including Homeland Security, Transportation, Interior, Agriculture, State and Justice. Those being furloughed included nearly everyone at NASA and 52,000 workers at the Internal Revenue Service. Many national parks were expected to close. The Pentagon and the departments of Veterans Affairs and Health and Human Services are among those that Congress has fully funded and will operate as usual. Also still functioning were the FBI, the Border Patrol and the Coast Guard. Transportation Security Administration officers continue to staff airport checkpoints, and air traffic controllers were on the job. In an effort to reduce the influence of deep-pocketed campaign donors and level the playing field for grassroots challengers, the Los Angeles City Council voted recently to significantly increase the amount of public financing that candidates for city offices could receive. Los Angeles matching funds program is now among the most generous in the country, with qualified candidates for local office able to receive $6 in public funds for every $1 they raise from city residents. That 6:1 match up from the previous range of 1:1 to 4:1 would stretch a $115 donation to a council candidate into an $800 contribution the maximum allowed in local elections. The city is expected to pay the higher match out of unspent funds that have accumulated in the program, which receives $3 million a year from taxpayers. But campaign finance reform advocates warn that the changes adopted by the City Council could actually hurt not help grassroots candidates by making it harder for them to qualify for matching funds. Thats because the new rules require candidates to collect significantly more contributions before they qualify for matching funds. It doesnt seem like the City Council intended to make it harder for candidates to qualify for matching funds. But new rules have done just that. Advertisement The amount of money candidates must raise to be eligible for public funds $25,000 in council races is not changing. But theyll need to collect more than twice as many contributions to hit that threshold 217 instead of 100. Thats because only the first $115 of any donation would count toward the $25,000 threshold, down from the current $250. The idea is to tie eligibility for matching funds to a candidates ability to draw financial support from ordinary members of the community, rather than from deep-pocketed donors and special interests. But that works to the advantage of politicians who are already in office. You might as well call this the incumbency protection act, one advocate of campaign finance reform told the council. Indeed. Incumbents and established politicians can hold a fundraiser or flip through their Rolodex to collect 200-plus contributions fairly easily. Its much harder for first-time candidates to drum up donations in that kind of volume. According to an analysis by the California Clean Money Campaign, the new rules would have denied matching dollars to numerous candidates who qualified for funding in the last three municipal elections. And the candidates who did qualify would have done so much later in the election cycle some as little as two weeks before election day when the additional funds are less helpful. In response, Councilman Mike Bonin has proposed lowering the fundraising threshold to $11,500 for council candidates. That would allow council candidates to qualify for matching funds if they collected as few as 100 donations of $115 or more the same number they needed to collect under the old rules. There would be a similar reduction for citywide candidates, who were also affected by the changes. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion That proposal remains in limbo. In the meantime, the council has adopted Council President Herb Wessons proposal to lower the threshold to $20,000 for council candidates a $5,000 reduction. That was a modest tweak to make sure the new, more generous matching fund system is in place before the special election in June for the seat recently vacated by Councilman Mitch Englander. Wesson said he wanted the Ethics Commission to do a more thorough vetting of Bonins proposal before lowering the threshold further for all future elections. Thats reasonable. It doesnt seem like the City Council intended to make it harder for candidates to qualify for matching funds. But new rules have done just that, and they should be changed to level the playing field. Nevertheless, its also worth having the Ethics Commission analyze how many contributions candidates should have to amass to qualify for matching funds, and whether the city can afford to lower the threshold significantly. Right now the matching funds program has $20 million on hand, and the more generous matching fund program will eat into the surplus. If the demand for matching dollars is so great that it threatens to overwhelm the fund, the city will have to scale back the aid. Its important to strike the right balance to keep the matching fund program solvent and no costlier to taxpayers. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook. Bing Crosby will forever remind me of a giant Latino sergeant I served with in the Army on my first deployment to Iraq in 2003. A full head taller than me, his huge right hand resembled a meat cleaver when he saluted. Tough? Sure, but he was equal parts genial, and his Grand Canyonesque grin put us all at ease. And there was this quirk: In December, he loved to play the original version of Ill Be Home for Christmas over and over, and over. He got more than one soldier to cry. It was a twisted, holiday version of the age-old game of Say Uncle. Not suitable for those without a steady soul, sometimes it was hard to take. Eventually, most broke. He had weaponized Bing Crosbys voice and Kim Gannons lyrics. Of course, we werent the first soldiers to hear a Crosby tune abroad. Seventy-five years ago this Christmas, Ill Be Home was first heard by American troops serving in World War II around the globe. Crosby had recorded the song for Decca Records on Oct. 4, 1943, accompanied by the John Scott Trotter Orchestra. It spent 11 weeks on the charts and reached No. 3. In 2018, around 250,000 Americans will spend Christmas in a foxhole, on a bunk or aboard a ship, swaddled in some sort of camouflage. Advertisement The small song packs a powerful punch. It contains a mere 39 words, five or less per line. The entire song lasts less than three minutes. Christmas is repeated three times to reinforce the holiday theme. The writings sparse simplicity still stuns listeners. Gannon wrote the song as if from the hand of a deployed soldier sending a letter home: Ill be home for Christmas, you can plan on me. It acknowledges the painful privilege that often defines military service longing for home, against the uncertainty of life in a war zone. And when the song closes with Crosbys captivating voice If only in my dreams reality sets in: if only. For soldiers, the worst part is simply not knowing. Fifteen years ago, in the Iraq War, we were given so many different dates. When we arrived in early April 2003, we thought wed be home by October. Then it was November. Then early December. Thats when the dread sank in. We werent going home anytime soon. But thats a soldiers life. And in just a few lines, Ill Be Home for Christmas and Crosbys croon captures the essence of that pain. And sometimes, in song, hard truth beats soft fiction, which might explain why a major magazine poll in 1945 had GIs voting Crosby the one person that had done the most for their morale while serving overseas. Not everyone was a fan. Our British allies banned the song from BBC airwaves under a policy that excluded material considered too gauzy or sentimental. They thought it might hurt troop morale. Maybe the BBC should have listened to their own prime minister, who, during the war, famously pointed out that the British people were more resilient than sugar candy. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion That same resilience persists on the front lines today, and its why one thing is certain this holiday season: Theres some soldier out there with my old sergeants sensibilities. In 2018, around 250,000 Americans will spend Christmas in a foxhole, on a bunk or aboard a ship, swaddled in some sort of camouflage. Im sure a good number of them will be listening to Ill Be Home for Christmas on repeat. And yes, my sergeant got me to cry in Iraq. It took a while, but the tears came. I didnt make it home that Christmas, and I knew so many who, Christmas aside, would never make it home at all. Lt. Col. ML Cavanaugh is a non-resident fellow with the Modern War Institute at West Point, and co-edited the book, with Max Brooks, Strategy Strikes Back: How Star Wars Explains Modern Military Conflict. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook If America were on the psychiatrists couch, the doctor would diagnose depression. But she might have a harder time pinpointing the cause. Languishing middle-class wages? Rising inequality? A disorienting pace of economic and social change? Yet so much greater are our causes for gratitude! Denizens of other eras and countries would give anything to enjoy just a few of Americas manifold blessings. Ours is the richest and strongest nation in history. It is at peace, and faces competitors but no major threat. It is more just and democratic than it has ever been. As a gay American now happily, and miraculously, married to the man I love I can bear personal witness to my countrys commitment to self-improvement. So why the distemper? Partly because of political polarization. Although Americans have always been diverse and disputatious, thanks to the genius of James Madison, our system has been pretty good at forcing ideologues to negotiate and compromise. But what we are seeing now is something different and more disturbing, and probably harder to deal with. Americans genius for civic organization has been, historically, our greatest asset. Advertisement Political scientists call it affective polarization. Red and blue America not only disagree with each other about issues, they dislike and distrust one another as people. Large and growing shares of partisans see the other party as a threat to the country. They do not want to live near one another. They do not want their kids to intermarry. Polarization magnifies every conflict. Also, though, it is a symptom of a deeper problem: the deterioration of the civic ties and organizations that the country has relied on to bring diverse people face-to-face to solve problems and find common ground. Examples include unions, churches, civic and volunteer clubs, youth groups, hands-on charities, and more. As our countrys greatest observer, Alexis de Tocqueville, noted many years ago, Americans genius for civic organization has been, historically, our greatest asset. Civic associations mediate between the lonely crowd of individuals and the faceless efficiency (or inefficiency) of bureaucracies and corporations. In doing so, they give people voice and agency, build social buffers against tyranny and anarchy, and create bonds of friendship and mutual support. This vital form of social capital is at a low ebb thanks to hypercompetitive economic globalization, outrage-mongering social media, and opportunistic political demagoguery. As a result, more people feel voiceless and helpless, which angers and radicalizes them, driving them even further apart. It is a challenging situation, to say the least. But I am hopeful that we can pull out of this spiral. I have seen, firsthand, that the forces of connection and renewal described by Tocqueville are alive and fighting back. I am on the board of an organization called Better Angels, a national grassroots movement to depolarize the country, one community at a time. Committed conservatives and progressives Donald Trump Republicans and Hillary Clinton Democrats meet in structured workshops, not to change one anothers minds but to relearn how to communicate and connect as fellow citizens. After only a few hours, participants emerge able to see the humanity and positive intentions on the other side. Those angry partisans often become neighbors and friends. One community at a time? Sure, nice, but it will never scale or so I once feared. But I have watched with astonishment as the idea has spread across the country. So far, groups and workshops all volunteer have sprouted in 30 states plus the District of Columbia. Almost 300 people have trained to become moderators who can in turn train others. Each new workshop not only plants seeds of local bipartisanship, but also broadcasts the empowering message that ordinary people can take action against our would-be dividers. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Better Angels is just one example. Other groups are pursuing similar missions, with names like Bridge the Divide and Living Room Conversations. Even in todays hyperpartisan Congress, the bipartisan Problem Solvers caucus has persuaded the incoming Democratic House leadership to clear the path for legislation that commands bipartisan support. Right now, the forces of reconnection seem small and fragmented, whereas the forces of polarization are led by no less a figure than the president of the United States. So why am I hopeful? Because Americans, both grassroots and elites, have awakened to the challenge. Accepting the 1988 Republican nomination for president, former President George H.W. Bush famously likened Americas panoply of civic groups to a brilliant diversity spread like stars, like a thousand points of light. America is bound to be a neurotic, unhappy place if those lights dim. The way to rekindle them is one at a time, a thousand times over. Jonathan Rauch is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. His latest book is The Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better After 50. This article is one in a series offering reasons for optimism in 2019. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook To the editor: The United States government has been partially shut down because President Trump did not get $5 billion to start building his wall along U.S.-Mexico border. What does $5 billion buy? According to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a supporter of this wall, this money would pay for 215 miles of fencing. The land border is 1,954-miles long, and about 700 miles of fencing already exists and is located primarily in border towns and other high-traffic zones. Unfenced areas of the border are in remote regions with much less traffic. For this minimal increase in questionably effective fencing, the Trump administration is causing a partial shutdown at Christmas time, with all its inconvenience to government workers and the public. A little common sense is in order. Theodore Ehrlich, Los Angeles Advertisement .. To the editor: Trump, who bragged during his campaign he alone could fix the system, now anguishes about the need for border security and has alone shut down the government and hampered the agencies responsible for border security. Trump previously declared that he would be proud to shut down the government unless he got the funding for his wall, but guess what? He is now blaming the Democrats. The president was given a spending proposal earlier this month to keep the government open that included $1.6 billion in border security improvements, but he refused to support it after pressure from right-wing conservatives. Trump owns this shutdown. Richard C. Armendariz, Huntington Beach .. To the editor: Trump shouldnt be blamed for the shutdown. Congress is tasked with writing legislation. Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) knows this, yet he does not want to force some Republican senators to reveal their true position on border security. Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) criticizes $5 billion for border security now, but in 2013 he supported a proposal for $8 billion to be spent on border fencing. A government shutdown sounds dramatic, but in reality, everyone who is furloughed gets their back pay when a new budget is approved. There is plenty of blame to go around for this all too typical Washington gridlock. Trump is doing his job, waiting for members of Congress to do theirs. Rick Kern, Incline Village, Nev. .. To the editor: The framers provided a simple solution for a problem like this one: The presidents veto can be overridden by a two-thirds vote by each house of Congress. It is time that the Republicans in Congress recognize their duty to the country exceeds their loyalty to Trumps irrational and insane form of governing. Trump is a sinking ship, and the Republicans need to untie their boats or risk being taken down with him in 2020. Its time for Republicans to do the right thing. Paul Weissman, Pasadena .. To the editor: The shutdown can be laid at least at the feet of the Houses so-called Freedom Caucus of right-wing conservatives. Next month, they will be overwhelmed by a surge of 40 new Democrats. The Republicans power to wreck havoc on our country will be wiped out. This is their last gasp. Sandra Perez, Santa Maria .. To the editor: Whenever I see or hear about Trumps wall, what pops into my mind is the poem Mending Wall by Robert Frost. Something there is that doesnt love a wall says it all (no rhyme intended). Julie May, Los Angeles Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Egypt's Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly issued on Monday the executive bylaws regulating the recently issued Law of Persons with Disabilities. Madbouly's announcement comes as the country celebrates the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The prime minister urged all state bodies to implement this statute to guarantee the integration of citizens with disabilities into the country's development process. According to Article 81 from Egypts 2014 constitution, the state must provide work opportunities for individuals with disabilities, and allocate a percentage of these opportunities to them, in addition to adequate equipping public utilities and the surrounding environment. Under the law, government and non-governmental bodies are required to provide a package of services to disabled citizens in the health, education and other domains. The bylaws mandate the ministries of health and social solidarity with creating a database of information of all citizens with special needs. Persons with disabilities will also be entitled to receive monthly cash support if they are unable to work due to their disability. The law also stipulates that at least 5 percent of government housing units should be allocated to people with disabilities and that cars for disabled persons should be customs free. It stipulates that working hours are to be reduced for persons with disabilities in all public and private institiutions by one hour without a reduction in pay. The law also stipulates that all university dormitories must reserve at least 10 percent of their room capacity for students with disabilities. It also mandates a 5 percent quota for persons with disabilities in all schools and universities, and a 5 percent employment quota for persons with disabilities in all public and private businesses. Search Keywords: Short link: A science experiment created by Brethren Christian School students is scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station this spring. The engineering club at the Huntington Beach school partnered with San Jose-based Quest for Space, an educational program that has launched more than 100 student-designed experiments since 2010, to send its project into Earths orbit. Brethren Christians work will be included in a cargo vessel scheduled to leave West Virginia on an unmanned rocket in April. Astronauts aboard the space station will receive the experiment, execute it and then send data to the students about once a week. The project features a camera and two clocks performing two tests. One test is based on a crystal oscillator, which uses a vibrating crystal to create an electrical signal with an exact frequency. It will monitor that frequency to see how the clock is affected by the elements of outer space. Additionally, the test will seek to reprove Albert Einsteins theory of relative time in space, comparing the performance of two identical clocks one in space and one on Earth. Their experiment will orbit for 30 days in space, and all of the data will be sent by astronauts aboard the International Space Station to NASA upon the experiments completion. The students equipment will be returned to Earth on a cargo vessel. Students show their micro lab design similar to the one they submitted to Quest for Space, during Brethren Christian Highs International Space Station program class. (Photo by Don Leach / Staff Photographer) Were expecting the clock to come back to be younger, said Rick Peterson, a parent who is helping with the project. The time is going to be less on the clock coming back. Its just a fraction of a second, but its large enough for us to measure with our equipment. Some of the equipment needed for the experiment was donated by Biola University, and the club is running a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for other expenses, program mentor Mike Donahue said. Before creating the actual experiment, club members formed a prototype on a breadboard. Once they had their design down, the students and their advisors soldered the wires. Now all thats left is coding, said student Colby Peterson, a junior and the technical lead for the project. Weve already figured out a way to have [the experiment] talk to our main computer so it sends data to us every week, Colby said. We have to learn two different coding languages to figure out how to get them to work with each other. Colby has been coding since fourth grade, his interest beginning with wanting to create video games. This project has proven to be one of the most exciting because its building something with your own hands thats going into space, he said. Jessi Diment, a sophomore, said that at first she wasnt keen on the project because math and science are not her strong suits, but after Donahue encouraged her to get involved, she greatly enjoyed it. Brethren Christians International Space Station program members are, in the back row, mentor Rick Peterson, Colby Peterson, Paige Coultrup, Andrew Shiroma, Jessi Diment, Madison Zone and mentor Mike Donahue. In front are Nathan Ho and Kaito Ochiai, from left. (Photo by Don Leach / Staff Photographer) Its been really fun to watch our team grow and mature and learn, Jessi said. Were all very excited about this now. On Tuesday, the students Skyped Andrew Aldrin, an associate professor at Florida Institute of Technology and president of the Buzz Aldrin Space Institute, which was formed to advance space exploration. Andrew Aldrin, the son of the second man to walk on the moon, said that the skills learned in Brethren Christians program from engineering principles to teamwork and presentation are preparing them to be leaders in science. We do a pretty good job in our education system of training really, really great engineers, but we dont do a very good job of training good leaders and managers, he said. You need to be more than just an engineer. You need to understand business, you need to understand communication. He added that the students are fortunate to be living in an incredible period of time. Until very recently, if you wanted to talk about sending an experiment to the space station, you would have to have probably millions of dollars and it would take you years, Aldrin said to the students. You are going to have opportunities throughout your life to get involved in space that just didnt exist before. charity.lindsey@latimes.com Twitter @CharityNLindsey If a disaster strikes Newport Beach, and emergency workers cant immediately respond to every neighborhood, its good to have a rocket scientist and a nurse nearby. James Ward, 86, and Evalie Evie DuMars, 73, started volunteering for the Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, through the Newport Beach Fire Department after retiring from their careers in the space program and medical research, respectively. Matt Brisbois, life safety specialist for the NBFD and the departments CERT coordinator, said they each put in more than 1,000 hours a year for the peer-led emergency preparedness program, treating it like a full-time job. DuMars said CERT has a simple philosophy: Take care of yourself and your neighbors. That can mean doing chest compressions for a stricken friend during the five minutes between calling 911 and paramedics getting to the door or stockpiling water for the extended self-reliance that can follow a disaster. Ward wants people to be prepared. California has earthquakes and fires. His neighborhood has a natural gas main. I think people dont want to believe something could happen here, he said. Evalie DuMars and James Ward are volunteers with Newports CERT program. (Photo by Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer) CERT trains regular people in first aid, small fire suppression, light search and rescue and human organization. To this end, Ward and DuMars work ranges from manning informational booths at the Corona del Mar Christmas Walk to teaching peers how to stop bleeding or use an automated external defibrillator. They also edit and approve the planning calendar. Theyre the hardest-working individuals Ive ever met on a voluntary basis, said NBFD Capt. Carlos Medina. Theyre the wheels, the chassis and the drivetrain of the CERT program. DuMars diffused the compliment. Theres a large group of CERT volunteers in the community dedicated just like us, she said. But this is who they are: Ward, a U.S. Air Force veteran, got his start in aeronautical engineering designing the cockpit for the B-70 bomber. He worked in the space program from Apollo 1 through the early years of the International Space Station, retiring out of Boeing in Huntington Beach. He was in the Houston control room during the aborted Apollo 13 mission, which, he added, the movie captured pretty well. A Los Angeles native, Ward knew Newport from childhood, visiting an uncle who had a home on Balboa Island. In 1970, he bought the Newport Heights home he still lives in for $20,000. DuMars was a Hoag Hospital cardiology research nurse who worked to better understand the technical aspects of heart attacks. She was also a medical educator who taught international physicians at Golden West College. Evalie DuMars volunteers with Newports CERT program. (Photo by Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer) She was looking for community-based opportunities after retiring. In 2011, she got a postcard promoting CERTs classes. She signed up with her sister Marilyn Broughton and the two turned into a dynamic CERT duo. (When Broughton died in 2017, NBFD brass made the rare decision to give the civilian Broughton a formal firefighters sendoff at her funeral.) DuMars other sister Ardith Chaffee the three women are triplets has also participated in Newport CERT. Her background in cardiology proved useful. One of her many duties now is teaching CPR. Wards involvement in CERT, which he started about 10 years ago, makes sense too. His son Sean is the senior disaster program manager for the Red Cross region that covers Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Brisbois said DuMars and Ward have easily given more than 5,000 hours over the last few years, and in addition to helping the greater community, have also trained city staff in first aid. They have devoted countless hours of their own time to make Newport Beach a safer and better place to live, said Fire Chief Chip Duncan. They are the ultimate force multipliers when comes to CERT and community involvement. To learn how to join the two in CERT, visit nbcert.org. hillary.davis@latimes.com Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD Zorro, the dashing hero who disguised himself as a black-clad, masked outlaw in order to defend the common folk, was already famous in 1939 when his creator Johnston McCulley purchased a historic house in Glendale. Zorro debuted nearly 100 years ago in The Curse of Capistrano, a five-part serial published in a weekly magazine in 1919. Zorros true identity as Don Diego Vega, a California nobleman living in Los Angeles during the era of Mexican rule, is eventually revealed. His mission was to avenge the helpless, to punish cruel politicians, and to aid the oppressed, according to Wikipedia. Within a year, Zorro was on the silver screen in The Mark of Zorro, selected by Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford as the first picture produced by their new studio, United Artists. In response to public demand fueled by the film, McCulley wrote many more Zorro stories. Join the conversation on Facebook Born in Illinois in 1883, McCulley served as a U. S. Army public affairs officer during World War I before settling into writing. He created several other characters, including, again from Wikipedia, The Black Star, a criminal mastermind pursued by two characters, Roger Verbeck-Flagellum and Muggs (a millionaire bachelor and his ex-thug partner), first published in 1916. Another McCulley character, The Spider, was injured as a young man and confined to a wheelchair, using his mental abilities to run an international crime ring from his office, The Spiders Den. Then there was the Crimson Clown, a wealthy young bachelor, veteran of the Great War and explorer. He was a modern Robin Hood stealing from the unjustly rich and returning money to helpless victims or worthy organizations. Not much is known about McCulleys short tenure in Glendale. The information came to light when Deb Ann Orfalea opened her home for a 2013 Glendale Historical Society tour of the Casa Verdugo area, the historic neighborhood east of Brand Boulevard and north of Stocker Street. Sean Bersell, of the historical society, researched the Orfalea house history in preparation for the tour and discovered that the writer had purchased the house some time after it had served as Piedad Yorba Sowls restaurant, called Casa Verdugo. It seems that McCulley only lived in the historic house until 1940, then sold it and, in the late 1940s, moved to Hollywood. According to Wikipedia, he died in November 1958, after a series of operations; just as Disneys television show Zorro starring Guy Williams, was becoming popular. McCulley is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park here in Glendale. His final Zorro story was published in 1959, after his death. To the Readers: The Feb. 11, 2016, Verdugo Views column featured Harry Vallens 1938 purchase of a ticket for the Grand National, a popular horse race in Liverpool, England. Vallens horse placed, generating a $75,000 prize. Vallen had sold half of his ticket to a syndicate, so he received $37,500 before taxes. After the race, Vallen told the Los Angeles Times that he planned to visit relatives back East, and then would buy a house here in Glendale with his winnings. Marty Rashoff of La Crescenta sent an email the same day the column appeared, relating his memories of the early 1960s, when he had about 20 people selling sweepstakes tickets for him. Each book had 12 tickets and two were free. The two free ones would be split between me and the seller. At that time, the top prize was $140,000. I remember going to the Times building downtown to listen to the race, as there was no TV or local radio coverage, Rashoff wrote. He added that the Times would publish photos of the races winners or print their names. Rashoff, who worked for the city of Los Angeles as a civil engineer for many years and retired in 1991, wrote, I did not know that they still have the race. What is the prize money now? More than a year has passed since he sent that email my apologies for the delay. Heres the latest: More than 10 million people watched television coverage of the 2017 Grand National on April 8, according to a Grand National website. An estimated 70,000 were watching at Aintree racecourse. The race was won by One For Arthur, ridden by jockey Derek Fox for trainer Lucinda Russell. The purse was 1,000,000 and the winner received 561,300. Thats British pounds Ill let you do the conversion. KATHERINE YAMADA can be reached at katherineyamada@gmail.com. or by mail at Verdugo Views, c/o Glendale News-Press, 202 W. First St., Second Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Please include your name, address and phone number. My most influential friend in my growing-up years had been dead for 40 years by the time I met him. I ran into him by chance one Sunday afternoon as I browsed through my grandparents bookshelves. Tall and handsome, he stepped from the pages of a set of faux red leather volumes called the John L. Stoddard Lectures. Once we got to know each other, a path opened that eventually led me to become a travel writer. In the late 19th century, Stoddard traveled the world from Boston to what was then called Bombay, India (now Mumbai), delivering reports of his adventures to packed lecture houses throughout America and writing books based on those presentations. Advertisement Im not sure how those volumes ended up at my grandparents house; perhaps they were a garage sale find or maybe hand-me-downs from a neighbor. They were old by the time I first encountered them, and their musty, moldy smell escaped with every turn of a page. As the daughter of an Iowa dairy farmer, I had never traveled far because cows have to be milked twice a day. My family never went anywhere for other reasons, including money, but we also werent the sort of people who would have traveled even if we had the wherewithal to do so. My family was mystified by why anyone would want to leave home for pleasure. Think of the multiple ways things could go wrong, including restaurants where we wouldnt know what to order or food that could upset our stomachs. As the adults visited each Sunday, I immersed myself in Stoddards books, becoming a world traveler through osmosis. In Kyoto, Japan, we marveled together at dancing geishas, their elaborately coiffed hair shining like a ravens wing. In Jerusalem, I joined him in shuddering at the sight of lepers begging in the streets. He tried to teach me he was wildly incorrect, I learned later that Spain was so dangerous that people should prepare by visiting a priest for absolution, a doctor for medicine and a lawyer to make a will. I loved the photographs and engravings even more than the purple prose, which also included some cringe-worthy prejudices that I knew enough to reject. The sepia-toned illustrations showed worlds removed from me by time and distance. I realized that these places had changed since he had traveled there, but in some mysterious way I felt that they were still intact and that if I stared at the images long enough, I could stand on the Palace Quay in St. Petersburg, Russia, or climb aboard an elephant in India. Stoddard turned me first into a traveler, then into a writer, although it would be years before I would get the chance to follow in his footsteps. What he did then is what I do now: experience faraway places, then tell other people about their wonders. Theres another curious thing about Stoddard, something that makes me wonder whether theres a karmic connection between us. He was raised a Protestant and was, at one point, a seminarian. Then he was an agnostic for 30 years before becoming a Roman Catholic. He wrote a book about his conversion called Rebuilding a Lost Faith, a work that was popular for many years. I suspect something happened to him that also happened to me: His travels sparked a spiritual quest, and his journeys of adventure gradually became pilgrimages of the heart. My trips to holy places around the world sites such as Ephesus, a Greek city in Turkey, Lourdes in France, Machu Picchu in Peru and Thomas Mertons monastery in Kentucky have given me essential keys to understanding what was happening in my inner life. They have challenged my assumptions, forced me to confront my fears and prejudices, and deepened my faith. Among other changes, they eventually led me to become a writer specializing in spiritual travels. The road can be the best spiritual teacher of all, Ive found, because once you set out on trips to sacred sites, if youre paying attention, your life will change. In journeying far, my soul has found its way back home. Departure Points explores the ways traveling changes us, whether its a lesson learned or a truth uncovered. You may submit a first-person essay of 700 or fewer words to travel@latimes.com using Departure Points in the subject line. Please include your first and last names and your contact information for editorial consideration. Lori Ericksons latest book, Holy Rover: Journeys in Search of Mystery, Miracles, and God (Fortress Press), is a memoir told through trips to a dozen holy sites around the world. travel@latimes.com @latimestravel Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, facing a collapse of his coalition and looming legal problems, on Monday announced the dissolution of Israels current parliament, with elections set for April 9. Under Israeli law, elections would ordinarily have been held by November 2019, when Netanyahus current four-year term is to end. Early elections, however, had appeared likely ever since Netanyahus coalition was left hanging by a parliamentary majority of a single vote following last months resignation by Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman. Netanyahu, who remains by far the most popular party leader in Israels rambunctious multiparty polity, faces several steep challenges in the coming months. The highest hurdle may be his own legal predicament. He appears sure to be indicted following police and state attorney recommendations that he be prosecuted on several corruption charges. Advertisement Avichai Mandelblit, the Netanyahu-appointed attorney general, whose decision is anticipated in the coming months, recently said he had not yet determined whether a sitting prime minister could stay in office while indicted. This is a situation that has not yet presented itself in Israel, where both a president and a prime minister have resigned when facing almost certain indictment. Both later served jail sentences. Netanyahu, who has tried to delay elections, was forced to accept the inevitable when he failed to muster the votes necessary to pass a controversial new law on drafting Orthodox Jewish seminary students into the army. Netanyahus ultra-Orthodox coalition members opposed the law, which would have strengthened current legislation forcing religious young men to participate in the nations otherwise universal draft of Jewish 18-year-olds. They have long received exemptions so long as they were studying the Torah in the seminaries, known as yeshivas. There was broad popular support for the measure, but two opposition parties that had originally indicated support for the bill withdrew on Monday. Speaking to his fellow Likud party activists at a hastily arranged gathering at the Knesset, Israels parliament, Netanyahu foresaw victory in the upcoming elections and stated that his current coalition the most right-wing in Israeli history and one of the most volatile will serve as the seed for his next government. Netanyahu made no mention of his upcoming legal woes and ignored the instability in the financial markets that followed President Trumps unforeseen decision to withdraw American troops from Syria, where they supported Israels efforts to repel Iranian entrenchment. Rather, he described four full years of achievements. He praised his governments achievement as a growing power, with flourishing diplomatic ties with nations including India, Australia and Brazil, and extolled an alliance with the United States that has never been stronger, with the historic decision made by President Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital and move the embassy to Jerusalem. Israel has the eighth most powerful military on earth, he told his followers. It is hard to believe, Israel is not a large country, but serious institutions rank us that high. Tarnopolsky is a special correspondent. Get the local news in these turbulent times straight to your inbox at 3 p.m. daily Get the local news straight to your inbox at 3 p.m. daily Sign up now> Saudi King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz received Egypt's Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed El-Tayeb in the capital Riyadh on Monday to discuss issues including consolidating efforts to correct erroneous and extremist religious doctrines promoted by terrorist organisations, according to a statement by Al-Azhar. The grand imam of Al-Azhar, the world's highest institution of Sunni Islamic learning, highlighted during the meeting that cooperation with Saudi Arabia would aid in spreading Islam and enhancing discourse with different religions and cultures. The Saudi king who is also Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques hailed El-Tayeb's efforts in spreading moderate Islamic thinking, describing his visit as one of immense importance to the kingdom. El-Tayeb said that Egypt and Saudi Arabia have strong ties on both the official and societal levels, and that both countries form a pillar of security for the Arab world and serve as an example for Arab cooperation. In March, Al-Azhar's grand imam met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman in Cairo to discuss fighting extremism. Search Keywords: Short link: New Delhi : The BJP on Monday approached the Supreme Court against a Calcutta High Court order not allowing its Rath Yatra in West Bengal. The party, which sought an urgent hearing, has planned to launch the yatra from three districts of the state. The BJP has challenged the Friday order of the division bench of the high court which had set aside the order of a single judge allowing the yatra. The party approached the Supreme Court seeking permission to hold the campaign 'Save Democracy Rally', which would cover 42 parliamentary constituencies in the state ahead of the 2019 general elections. The apex court has received an appeal from the BJP against the high court division bench's order, an official of the Supreme Court Registry said. The official said the petition is under scrutiny. The BJP has sought an urgent hearing of its special leave petition. PRTI Trump Derangement International Dirk Kurbjuweit, deputy editor-in-chief of Germanys Der Spiegel magazine for the past 4 years, unwittingly put his foot a mile deep in his mouth this week when he reacted to a letter written by US Ambassador to Berlin Richard Grenell. His reaction presents perhaps the most perfect example of the downfall of news, journalism, the media in general, that weve seen so far. Most perfect among very stiff competition. After Der Spiegel itself this week outed its award-winning star reporter, Claas Relotius, as someone who had made up many of his lauded articles from scratch, Grenell suggested the magazine, and especially its editorial staff, shouldnt think they can get away with putting all the blame on just this one guy. He tweeted: We value policy criticism. We love a free press. But @Spiegel literally fabricated stories saying people (Americans) were racist & xenophobic. They made up events, details, & lies and no editor checked the stories. Every real journalist should be outraged by this. And he wrote a letter to Der Spiegel, albeit addressed at the wrong editor, Steffen Klussman, who wont be in the post until after Jan. 1: The recent revelations of completely fabricated stories, completely fictional people and fraudulent details in Spiegel over the last seven years are very troubling to the US Embassy. These fake news stories largely focused on US policies and certain segments of the American people. It is clear we were targeted by institutional bias and we are troubled by the atmosphere that encouraged this recklessness. While Spiegels anti-American narratives have expanded over the last years, the anti-American bias at the magazine has exploded since the election of President Trump. We are concerned that these narratives are pushed by Spiegels senior leadership and reporters are responding to what the leadership wants. This is where Dirk Kurbjuweits foot enters his mouth, stage left, and starts its long journey down: It is true that one of our reporters in large part fabricated articles, including reports from the United States. We apologize to all American citizens who were insulted or denigrated by these articles. We are very sorry. This never should have happened. In this case, our safeguarding and verification processes failed. We are working hard to clarify these issues and improve our procedures and standards. I would, however, like to counter you on one point. When we criticize the American president, this does not amount to anti-American bias it is criticism of the policies of the man currently in office in the White House. Anti-Americanism is deeply alien to me and I am absolutely aware of what Germany has the U.S to thank for: a whole lot. DER SPIEGEL harbors no institutional bias against the United States. Of course, first of all, Grenell is right, if you let someone write fake stories for 7 years and your editors, which included Kurbjuweit himself, dont catch one single lie, it looks like youre letting the fabrications slip through on purpose. As Grenell implies, it looks like the entire magazine is/was trying to fabricate the news, not report on it. But thats not where Kurbjuweits foot is in his mouth. That comes in the second paragraph . Where he effectively says that criticizing America and Americans, including through fully fabricated stories, does not constitute an anti-American bias. Instead, he says, Der Spiegel simply suffers from Trump Derangement Syndrome. In other words, not an anti-American bias, but an anti-Trump bias. And that, in his view, is apparently fine. And though it is of course not, certainly for an editor of a magazine that has (make that had) a reputation to uphold, who can really blame him? In the American press, all he sees is Trump Derangement Syndrome all the time, in at least 90% of the media. So how can anyone blame a German editor for doing what the New York Times and CNN do 24/7? The problem with all of this obviously is that all these news outlets are supposed to report the news, and none of them do anymore. They report the opinions of their editors and journalists, and if these people dont like whoever it is the American people elect as their president, its open season. American media has made it acceptable for foreign media to write fake articles about the US president, which means ridicule of the Office of the President is fine too, and thereby the process by which he was elected. Re-read Kurbjuweits statement, that is what he says. This is a sort of new normal that may well be the main legacy of 2018. Its where the surge of social media and the internet in general have led us. In the process, theyve swallowed the truth whole, and we may never see it again. The truth is not a winning proposition. Fabricating stories and narratives and using them to string readers and viewers along like a modern version of the Pied Piper is a much bigger winner than the truth, and theyre all waking up to this new reality. Der Spiegels response to being exposed as liars is to pretend to be open about it, but only by blaming one individual, while sparing the editors who let him roam free for 7 years. The Guardian, which ran a fabricated story about meetings between Paul Manafort and Julian Assange in Londons Ecuadorian embassy a few weeks ago and was also exposed, has chosen a different approach: they attempt to smother the truth in silence. Both the writers of the story and editor-in-chief Kathy Viner, responsible for publishing blatant lies and fabrications are still on the payroll, theres been no retraction and no apologies. But theres a flipside to this kind of thing. If you try to get away with murdering the truth the way Der Spiegel and the Guardian have done in these two instances, whos going to read you next time around if they want to know what really happens, and take your words as true? No-one in their sound mind. So its necessarily a short term strategy. Still, while it lasts, its profitable. And its mighty contagious too. If and when the foreign press no longer feels any qualms about admitting they suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome, that is because US media have paved that road for them. Before the internet fueled its (dis-)information explosion, this would have been impossible. It makes you wonder where this will go in 2019. Whats already evident is that you cant believe your trusted news sources anymore. And its not a matter of some articles being true and some not; nothing published by Der Spiegel and the Guardian can be taken for granted as true from here on in, both are done as reliable news sources. Because theyve been exposed as having lied on purpose, and only once is enough. Same goes for many of the formerly trusted US MSM. And that should really, really make you wonder where this will take us in 2019. Truth is eroding faster than you can keep up with, and its your once trusted voices that lead the erosion. Where are you going to get your news? What and who can you trust? Heres a thought: follow the Automatic Earth. And good thing is, you dont have to like Trump to not like where this is going. We dont particularly like him either. We just dislike lies and fake news a whole lot more. By Raul Ilargi Meijer Website: http://theautomaticearth.com (provides unique analysis of economics, finance, politics and social dynamics in the context of Complexity Theory) 2018 Copyright Raul I Meijer - All Rights Reserved Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors. Raul Ilargi Meijer Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. S&P Breaks 2018 Feb Lows What Next? The ES (S&P e-mini contracts) broke the support level from the February 2018 lows immediately after the US Federal Reserve announced a 25 bp rate hike this week. This breakdown below the February 2018 lows is concerning because it indicates that previous support is not holding and we could be in for further downside price activity. We are preparing a detailed research post for early next week regarding a broad range of US markets as well as how our proprietary price modeling systems are reflecting this recent price move. What we can suggest to all investors is play small positions at the moment and prepare for increased volatility. There is near-term support that may come into play soon, but overall the markets are reacting to a deleveraging event that could see prices push below 2400 before finding true support. Visit www.TheTechnicalTraders.com to read all of our recent research posts and see what we believe will be the big movers in 2019. Chris Vermeulen www.TheTechnicalTraders.com Chris Vermeulen has been involved in the markets since 1997 and is the founder of Technical Traders Ltd. He is an internationally recognized technical analyst, trader, and is the author of the book: 7 Steps to Win With Logic Through years of research, trading and helping individual traders around the world. He learned that many traders have great trading ideas, but they lack one thing, they struggle to execute trades in a systematic way for consistent results. Chris helps educate traders with a three-hour video course that can change your trading results for the better. His mission is to help his clients boost their trading performance while reducing market exposure and portfolio volatility. He is a regular speaker on HoweStreet.com, and the FinancialSurvivorNetwork radio shows. Chris was also featured on the cover of AmalgaTrader Magazine, and contributes articles to several leading financial hubs like MarketOracle.co.uk Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect. Chris Vermeulen Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Egyptian Social Solidarity Minister Ghada Wali announced on Monday that Egypt has established an investment fund worth EGP 100 million aimed at empowering people with special needs. The minister made the announcement during the 'Differently Abled' event held in Cairo in celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which was attended by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. Wali said the board of directors of Nasser Social Bank agreed on the establishment of the fund in cooperation with companies and private banks; with the banks aiming to raise EGP 100 million to be used for services for persons with disabilities. The minister highlighted the government's recent efforts to empower and integrate people with disabilities, noting a newly passed law and the training of 400 disabled people for jobs in tourism. According to Wali, Egypt provides financial support worth EGP 4.2 billion to 900,000 people with disabilities, as well as educational scholarships and jobs for 1,900 people in the private sector in 2018. The 'Differently Abled' event was attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, a number of celebrities, ministers and officials, and a large number of persons with disabilities and their families. Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Madbouly issued the executive bylaws regulating the recently passed Law of Persons with Disabilities. Search Keywords: Short link: Israel has decided to dissolve the Knesset, the legislative branch of the government, and called for early elections amid tensions over a bill to legislate military conscription for ultra-Orthodox men. The leaders of the coalition parties decided unanimously to dissolve the Knesset and go to new elections at the beginning of April after a four-year term, the statement from Netanyahu's ruling Likud party said. The national election had been scheduled for November 2019. The idea for the snap elections was proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the meeting on Monday. The coalition chair David Amsalem responded that it was difficult to pass the military conscription law with the governments current majority. The fragile coalition has only 61 members out of 120 in the Knesset. If it's too difficult, we need elections, the PM said. In September 2017, Israels Supreme Court ruled that the existing bill which exempted ultra-Orthodox Jews from being conscripted into the army was unlawful. This year the government was granted several extensions for the complete annulment of the bill. The deadline is set for mid-January 2019. The news about the dissolution of the Knesset and early elections comes hours after Yesh Atid opposition party chairman Yair Lapid said that his party will vote against the bill. Netanyahu has surrendered to the ultra-Orthodox because he is afraid of them, Lapid told his party. The resignation of Avigdor Lieberman as the defense minister, and pulling his party from the ruling coalition added more uncertainties to the grim future of the Knesset. He also doesnt support the new law. Israel has long had a compulsory draft, with men serving in the military for nearly three years and women for two years. However, ultra-Orthodox Haredi Jews have traditionally been exempt from military service in the country. They insist that they have always served the society through prayer and study and helped to protect Jewish culture. Haredi is a collective term for groups of ultra-Orthodox Jews who consider themselves the most religiously authentic, and reject modern secular culture. Also on rt.com Israel developing offensive missiles that can reach anywhere in the Middle East Netanyahu The legislation was met with fierce opposition among ultra-Orthodox Jews who repeatedly staged protests and clashed with police. Some activists say that they would rather die than be recruited. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Advance UN truce monitors arrive in Yemens port city of Hodeidah Advance UN truce monitors arrive in Yemens port city of Hodeidah A UN advance team has arrived in Yemens port city of Hodeidah to start monitoring a ceasefire and the withdrawal of forces agreed by the Houthi group and Saudi-backed government forces, the organization said. The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously approved the deployment for an initial period of 30 days of an advance monitoring team led by retired Dutch General Patrick Cammaert. He is chair of a Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) that includes representatives from both sides of the conflict. One of the priorities in the coming days will be the organization of the first joint RCC meeting, which is projected for December 26, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Sunday. Cammaerts team, which the UN has said will not be uniformed or armed, will oversee the truce and troop withdrawal from Hodeidah city and three ports, Reuters reports.Source : RT - Daily news Bahrain Foreign Ministry summons Iraqi diplomat over criticism from ex-PM Maliki Bahrain Foreign Ministry summons Iraqi diplomat over criticism from ex-PM Maliki Bahrains Foreign Ministry summoned the deputy charge daffaires at the Iraqi embassy on Monday to denounce footage of former Iraqi prime minister Nuri al-Maliki criticizing Manamas crackdown on the Shiite opposition, Reuters said. Maliki heads an Iraqi coalition called the State of Law. The politician attended a meeting last week organized by the February 14 movement, Bahraini activists who Manama designated a terrorist group in 2014. Discrimination, marginalization have reached a severe limit on the people of Bahrain, Maliki said, according to videos from the event. He was also quoted as urging dialogue with those demanding freedom and justice to protect Bahrain and its people, Sunnis and Shiites. Manama described Malikis statements as blatant and unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of Bahrain, state news agency BNA reported. Bahrain, like Iraq, is seen as a flashpoint for the proxy war between the two regional arch-rivals Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran.Source : RT - Daily news China opposes demands by Western states for release of detained Canadians China opposes demands by Western states for release of detained Canadians Beijing accused Britain and the EU of hypocrisy on Monday for expressing concern about Chinas detention of two Canadian citizens and not mentioning a senior Chinese executive arrested in Canada. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Beijing expressed strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to comments by Canada, the US and others on the detained Canadians. We urge relevant countries to earnestly respect Chinas judicial sovereignty, she said, reiterating their lawful rights have been guaranteed. The support of Britain and the EU was strange, Hua added. When the Canadians illegally detained a senior executive at a Chinese company at the request of the US, where were they? Reuters quoted her as saying. Their so-called human rights have different standards for different countries citizens, Hua added.Source : RT - Daily news The total volume of Chinese imports is going to set a fresh record this year, exceeding the two trillion dollar level, according to Song Xianmao, a senior official at Chinas Ministry of Commerce. Song added that Beijing is planning to step up efforts to boost the quality of foreign trade and further expand imports. In 2018, Chinese authorities have lowered import tariffs on a wide range of vital goods including drugs, cars and daily necessities. The total tariff level has been reportedly reduced from 9.8 percent to 7.5 percent. Also on rt.com China to suspend extra tariffs on US-made cars & parts for 3 months Chinas year-on-year imports grew 14.6 percent from January through December of the current year, according to the latest data from the countrys General Administration of Customs (GAC), as quoted by the state media. The top official said that the government is currently working on measures that would be able to provide imports of advanced technologies, agricultural produce, as well as consumer goods and services. Moreover, Beijing will reportedly keep on decreasing import tariffs, ease customs procedures and significantly improve policies on importing vehicles. The government is reportedly planning to promote the imports such services as architectural design, trade logistics, research and development design, energy conservation and environmental protection, as well as to improve industrial competitiveness. Also on rt.com Chinas crude oil imports jump to new record high in November On Monday, the Finance Ministry announced plans to remove current import tariffs of five percent applied to alternative meals, used in animal feed, which include rapeseed meal, cotton meal, sunflower meal and palm meal. The measure will come into effect on January 1. As the trade war with Washington intensified China practically stopped buying US soybeans after applying a 25 percent tariff on the product. The move has caused a stir at the global soy market. Since Beijing resumed some purchases of soybeans from the US, and the removal of tariffs on alternative meals could reportedly help to improve the reliability of the supply of animal feed meal in China. Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi announced that the Tahya Misr Fund will provide a EGP 80 million donation to the new EGP 100 million investment fund for people with special needs announced today by the minister of social solidarity. The celebration, which was held in New Cairo's Al-Manara Convention Centre, was attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Social Solidarity Minister Ghada Wali, a large numbers of Egyptians with disabilities including award-winning athletes and their families, as well as ministers, public officials and celebrities. The event was co-hosted by professional swimmer Rahma Khaled, who earlier this month became Egypt's first TV presenter with Down Syndrome. Egypt has designated 2018 the year of persons with special needs, who are estimated at 10 million of Egypt's 104 million population. Every citizen should pay a part of every pound he earns for [people with special needs]. I call on the parliament and the government to issue a decision to deduct money for the new fund, El-Sisi said, adding that the ministry of religious endowments has already contributed EGP 20 million. Surrounded by a number of children and athletes with special needs on the podium, El-Sisi said he would not miss the celebration, adding that he is sure the viewers share his sense of "love, compassion, and gratitude." I want to tell you that the blessing we are in is because of them and their parents, who support them day and night, and wish them a decent life, El-Sisi said, adding that God protects and preserves the country for the sake of people with disabilities. For them, please protect our country from all evil, El-Sisi said. El-Sisi said that he is addressing people with special needs as a "main component in developing the country through their achievements in different fields." The president also highlighted the government's efforts in aiding citizens with special needs in the areas of sports, housing, and health, among others. El-Sisi called on the government to prepare a comprehensive survey on people with special needs in Egypt, including their numbers and the type of disabilities. The president also called on the media to raise awareness about the issues or problems they might face in society; and provide interfaces that are friendly for them. My sons and daughters, the challenges faced by Egypt, big and small, should only be an incentive for you to exert more efforts for empowerment and integration, El-Sisi said. Search Keywords: Short link: Erdogan sends more Turkish troops to Syria border ahead of US withdrawal Erdogan sends more Turkish troops to Syria border ahead of US withdrawal Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed threats to target Kurdish fighters on Monday as he sent more troops to the border with Syria ahead of an imminent US withdrawal, AFP reported. Turkey was in Syria to return the freedom of our Arab brothers and sisters, to return the freedom of our Kurdish brothers and sisters, he said during a speech in Ankara. A Turkish military convoy reportedly arrived overnight on Monday at the border with Syria, with local media reporting that some vehicles had entered Syria. Turkey has said any offensive targeting the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG) militia and the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) will be launched in the coming months. Unlike several other US allies, Turkey has praised President Donald Trumps decision to withdraw 2,000 his ground forces from Syria.Source : RT - Daily news A soldier standing less than a meter away from Emmanuel Macron fainted as a group onstage sang the French anthem La Marseillaise after the presidents speech for the troops stationed in Chad. The scene was captured by a live feed on Macrons official Twitter account that broadcast his address to the French military located in NDjamena, the capital of the central African country, where they lead a counter- terrorism operation for more than four years. The presidents speech, which lasted for more than twenty minutes, was followed by singing of the anthem. As the final lines of La Marseillaise were uttered a soldier in the front row tumbled forward. His companions rushed to pick him up as the man seemed unconscious. Macron at first seemed stunned and then joined the crowd gathering around the soldier. Macron, following a month of Yellow Vest protests over his economic policies, was spending the Christmas weekend and Eve in Chad where France has its headquarters for Operation Barkhane. The more than 4,500 troops have been tasked with fighting terrorists in Sahel since 2014. Last year, Macron visited troops in Niger during his holidays. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan became locked in a heated war of words over the weekend, accusing each other of committing massacres against civilians. In a tweet posted on Saturday, Benjamin Netanyahu referred to Erdogan as an occupier of northern Cyprus, saying that the Turkish Army massacres women and children in Kurdish villages. The Turkish leader responded the next day, and he gave as good as he got. He branded the Israeli PM the voice of the oppressors who commits crimes against Palestinians. Netanyahu, you are cruel. You are the head of state terror, he said, as quoted by Gazete Duvar. Israel has no right to accuse anyone without accounting for its own sins, crimes against humanity, massacres and destruction. Erdogans attack on the Israeli prime minister was followed up by several top Turkish officials, including Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. He called Netanyahu a cold-blooded killer who is responsible for the massacres of innocent Palestinians. Erdogans spokesperson and chief adviser, Ibrahim Kalin, also demanded that Israel ends the lawless occupation of Palestinian lands. Meeting with a group of Christian IDF soldiers ahead of Christmas, Netanyahu threw additional verbal jabs at the Turkish leader, calling him an anti-Semitic dictator who is obsessed with Israel. But there has been an improvement: Erdogan used to attack me every two hours and now it is every six hours. Turkey is becoming more dictatorial day by day, the Israeli PM claimed. Also on rt.com 'Erdogans dark dictatorship': Netanyahu hits back at Turkish leaders 'spirit of Hitler' jibe Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Benjamin Netanyahu are known for their mutual resentment. The politicians have often traded insults in the past. The Turkish president regularly accuses Tel Aviv of mistreating Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. He stepped up attacks against Israel after its parliament adopted a controversial nation-state law this summer. Meanwhile, Netanyahu and other Israeli officials have criticized Erdogan of supporting Hamas militants and Iran. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Israeli soldiers fire at armed suspects in Golan Heights Israeli soldiers fire at armed suspects in Golan Heights Israeli soldiers have fired toward armed suspects who crossed the ceasefire line with Syria in the annexed Golan Heights, AFP reported, citing the army. It said the incident occurred late Sunday near the border fence, without giving other details. No Israeli soldiers were injured, according to the statement. It was not clear who the suspects were. Israel seized much of the Golan Heights from Syria in a 1967 war and later annexed it in moves never recognized by the international community. The two countries are still technically at war.Source : RT - Daily news Saif al-Islam, the son of slain Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi, should have a chance to run for the countrys top office, a senior Russian diplomat said. Earlier Bloomberg reported he had asked Russia to support his candidacy. The report on Saif al-Islams contacts with the Kremlin is part of a larger story about Russias role in the war-torn country, which was disintegrated after the NATO-backed uprising toppled Gaddafi in 2011. The long-time leader was summarily executed while his son Saif al-Islam spent years as a prisoner of militias in the western Libyan city of Zintan. The younger Gaddafi has long declared his intention to run for Libyan presidency. Read more Our position is that no one should be isolated and excluded from a constructive political role, Russias Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told RIA Novosti on Monday, in response to the report. Saif al-Islam has the backing of specific tribes in Libya and all this should be part of the overall political process. According to Bloomberg, Russian diplomats spoke to Saif al-Islam via a video link shortly after his release by the militias in 2017. His representative also spoke to Bogdanov in early December, explaining Gaddafis vision for the future of Libya and asking for support, the agency added. Russian officials would not comment on the claims. Bogdanov said that Moscow keeps contact with various groups in the country as part of the peace settlement process. Libya remains in turmoil almost a decade after the Western intervention . Its UN-recognized government in Tripoli controls only a small portion of the country and has to keep local militias satisfied to keep them on their side. Another center of power in the east is in control of Libyan oil fields, but has to negotiate terms of crude exports with the government to conduct the business legally. There are also numerous tribal factions deeper in the south, arms smugglers, human traffickers, jihadist fighters and other forces. Also on rt.com We wont surrender an inch of our land: Marshal Haftar to RT on Libyas statehood & arms embargo The plan to hold a presidential election this year was postponed due to continued struggling between Libyas two rival governments and is now scheduled for next year. In November the head of the Russian contact group on intra-Libyan settlement, Lev Dengov, said that Saif al-Islam is part of the political process in the country as there are people who support everything that is related to Gaddafi as their lives were better then. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Top US commander in Afghanistan hasnt received orders to pull out NATO Top US commander in Afghanistan hasnt received orders to pull out NATO The top US commander in Afghanistan has not received orders to pull forces out of the country, NATO confirmed on Monday, days after President Donald Trumps plan to withdraw 7,000 troops leaked to the media. I have no orders, so nothing has changed, General Scott Miller said on Sunday, according to AFP. Miller, who is also the top NATO commander in Afghanistan, made the statement during a meeting with the governor of the eastern province of Nangarhar, Tolo News reported. The remarks were confirmed by NATOs Resolute Support mission in Kabul. If I do get orders, I think it is important for you to know that we are still with the security forces, Miller was quoted as saying. Many Afghans are worried that President Ashraf Ghanis unity government would collapse if US troops pulled out, enabling the Taliban to return to power.Source : RT - Daily news US Secretary of Defense James Mattis has signed an order outlining the details and timeframe for US troops to leave Syria, officials confirmed. Donald Trump says Turkey will eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in the country. The execute order for Syria has been signed, AFP reported, citing a US military spokesman. Defense officials have also confirmed the move to various American media. Also on rt.com 'Allies should be reliable': Macron 'regrets' Trump's decision to pull out of Syria No timeline or specific details of the forthcoming withdrawal of some 2,000 troops have been revealed, with security apparently at stake. The decision by US President Donald Trump to pull forces out of the region has found little support among his allies either at home or abroad. Its been described as premature and ill-conceived, while critics say the move will concede Americas foothold in northeastern Syria for nothing. Mainstream media have blasted Trump for emboldening Iran and giving a Christmas gift to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The US president himself complained of unfair treatment by the media, arguing that any other politician would have attracted praise for ending a war. He tweeted that hes now relying on Turkey to eradicate whatever is left of ISIS in Syria. Ankara has been the only US NATO ally to express cautious support for the controversial decision. In the aftermath of the announcement, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey would put on hold its planned operation in northeast Syria, promising to wait a little longer. However, the Turkish leader, who sees both Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) and US-backed Kurdish militias as terrorist forces, noted that this does not mean that the incursion will not take place at some point. READ MORE: Mattis to leave on Jan 1, deputy Shanahan to replace him as acting defense secretary Trump Of course, this is not an open-ended waiting period, Erdogan said. The change of heart was allegedly triggered by a phone call with Trump on December 14, during which the US president reportedly made a decision to pull out the troops, apparently on the spur of the moment. Read more The details of the conversation between the two leaders have been leaked to media. AP reported, citing Turkish and US officials, that Trump was provided with talking points, according to which he should have opposed a looming Turkish invasion in Syria and offered Turkey something thats a small win, possibly holding territory on the border in return. However, Trump seems to have gone off-script and found nothing to counter Erdogan when the Turkish president asked him why US troops remain in Syria when its only goal to defeat ISIS had been completed. Without putting down the phone, Trump asked his National Security Advisor John Bolton the same question, reportedly forcing him to concede that the Turkish strongman was right; and Hajin, a small city on along the Euphrates River, is the only ISIS stronghold still standing. After Trump promised Erdogan that he would remove the US forces, the presidents advisers and top brass attempted to persuade him to at least delay the withdrawal, but without success. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! It's unlikely that anyone would deliberately push towards a Russia-US nuclear war, since such conflict can't be won, Russia's foreign minister said, adding that any mistake amid ongoing tensions could become fatal. I believe that everyone in the world realizes that an armed conflict between two leading nuclear powers, Russia and the United States, would have disastrous consequences for humankind, Sergey Lavrov told Rossiya Segodnya in an interview, published on Monday. There is no doubt that no one can win a nuclear war, and that such a war should never be unleashed. Washington and its allies, however, are too fixated on their own geopolitical ambitions, the minister explained, and they are not ready to adapt to the changing situation on the global scene. The desire to maintain dominance pushes them towards seeking and sowing more and more conflicts. This explains their striving to hamper these processes, no matter what, and their increased aggression in foreign affairs. Confrontation is being incited, and channels for dialogue are being frozen, Lavrov said. Also on rt.com States that stood up for INF Treaty have now 'de facto blessed' US for scrapping it Moscow Such conflict seeking can easily lead to a global disaster, which can unfold, if not on purpose, merely by accident. A situation could arise where the price of a mistake or misunderstanding could prove fatal, he warned. Despite their different positions, Russia and Western states jointly bear tremendous responsibility for the future of the entire human race and for finding effective responses to the numerous challenges and threats of our time. Russia, on its part sticks to a strictly defensive behavior, and is set to continue bolstering its defensive capabilities. The ongoing tensions would just fade away if the West would stick to the international law of the UN Charter, Lavrov stressed. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! After 14 years in the job, the Russian foreign minister has probably heard every question. But then he was asked if Russia should demolish the Katyn war cemetery in retaliation against Poland, or imminently go to war with Ukraine. Sergey Lavrov is used to defending his homeland against international lines of inquiry. But last week he was ambushed by different, supposedly friendlier interlocutors - two correspondents from the countrys tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda, led by the former bad girl of Russian journalism, war reporter and columnist Darya Aslamova. Their lengthy sit-down chat produced likely the most colorful (and oddest) interview Lavrov has given ever since he was appointed Russias envoy to the UN back in 1994. Aslamova suggests that Russia should recognize Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics in eastern Ukraine. Lavrov: And then what? Aslamova: Then we defend our territory that we recognized, help our fraternal nation. Lavrov: And you want to lose the rest of Ukraine, leaving it to the neo-Nazis? Aslamova: No. I think we should generally fight against the Nazi regime. They imposed a state of emergency against us. They attack our ships. Lavrov: We are not going to go to war with Ukraine, I promise you that much. Aslamova says that a mirror response to Polands legislation prescribing the demolition of Soviet-era World War II memorials should be the destruction of the Katyn cemetery, where thousands of Polish officers massacred by the NKVD in 1940 are buried. Lavrov: Are you being serious? Aslamova: Absolutely. Lavrov: Its a pity. I hoped you were speaking in jest. Second journalist, Andrey Baranov: Sadly, Darya is expressing a commonly held opinion among our audience. What do you think? Lavrov: I dont think that would be a Christian act. Aslamova: Are they acting like Christians? Lavrov: Of course not. Aslamova: Where is our diplomacy then, a mirror response? They do something bad to us, we strike back. Where is our dignity? Lavrov: Our self-respect comes specifically from not descending to the level of these neo-Nazis. Aslamova proposes closing the border with Georgia and breaking off all relations, unless it stops using NATO's help to train its troops, and halts the construction of a deep sea port with American help. Lavrov: I am against a foreign policy that is built on the principle you hurt us, so we take our ball and go home. If we follow it, then logically we have to break relations with the US and with the UK. Despite acting every inch the reasonable diplomat among the calls to action, Lavrov did not neglect to launch a couple of barbs of his own. On US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Lavrov: I havent spoken to him in a long time. I have the impression that he doesnt even handle foreign policy towards Russia anymore. If it would be different, he'd know that we need to meet and talk. Dealing with Russia has obviously been delegated to John Bolton. On UK defense minister Gavin Williamson, who said that Russia should go away and shut up after the Skripals incident in March Lavrov: He is a man whose self-regard is layered upon an inferiority complex. Ive been in his presence. It is a pity that such[politicians] are chosen to represent Britain in the international arena... Also on rt.com World witnessing unprecedented tensions & collapsed treaties but no threat of a major war Lavrov But as the questions grew more bizarre, and the exchanges became heated, Lavrov urged his interviewers, and world diplomats not to go full-Trump. "Elegance might not be our distinguishing feature, but we would like to maintain what we understand as good manners," the foreign minister summed up. Although Trump plans on withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, he is probably considering using private contractors which is a recipe for more corruption and violence, Iraq and Afghanistan veteran Will Griffin told RT. The US is planning to reduce its troop presence in Afghanistan after 17 years of its war in that country. President Donald Trump has reportedly ordered the withdrawal of over 5,000 of the 14,000-strong US contingent. Griffin, an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran and the director of the Peace Report, told RT that, although reducing the number of troops is a good thing, he is skeptical of what is to come. Read more Lets keep in mind that with Trump announcing the reduction of half of the troops in Afghanistan, the bombs will most likely continue, the war will most likely continue, he said. Griffin also suggested that it cant be ruled out that Trump might be considering using private contractors. People like Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater and who is now pushing the idea of minimizing US troops in Afghanistan and using more private contractors. According to Griffin, this is a recipe for more corruption and more violence. And the latter, in his view, has mainly been driven by US military operations in Afghanistan. We have to understand that the analysis of the situation is that the US military, and really the presence of the US overall in Afghanistan, is a number one driver of violence, it is a number one recruitment tool for extremist organizations. And it is the number one cause of the veteran suicides here at home [the US.], he pointed out. The reducing of [the] amount of troops, although it is a good thing, you have to keep in mind what does Trump have under his sleeve, Griffin noted. At the same time Griffin called it a symbolic gesture to the Afghan Taliban. Read more He recalled that the Taliban and US officials met in the United Arab Emirates on December 17-18. The focus of the talks was on the withdrawal of foreign troops. In these peace talks we have to understand that the troops may be withdrawn and reduced, but the fighting will most likely continue. I am very skeptical of whats to come, said Griffin. The US officials and generals always keep saying that this war has reached the stalemate because they will never admit that this war has already been lost. When the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001, the Taliban consisted of 200 to 400 members Today, that organization has splintered into several different organizations across continents in the numbers of tens of thousands, he explained. Griffin dubbed US war in Afghanistan a complete and utter failure. The Pentagon, the White House and Trump will never admit that, they would call it things like a stalemate. And now they are going look at private contractors to try to save this war. And go under the radar of the media, so that Americans dont realize that this has been a defeat, he said. He suggested that Americans in general are tired of this war, adding that every candidate, every campaign election people have run on anti-war slogans but we have yet to end this war. But it really expanded, costing more tax dollars to the American people. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Pennsylvania Horticulture Societys Harvest program ends season with almost 19,000 pounds of produce donated and $30K raised to fight food insecurity 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. Coordination between Turkey and the United States in Syria is not limited to military coordination, President Tayyip Erdogan's spokesman said on Monday. US military officials will come to Turkey to meet with their Turkish counterparts and discuss coordination on Syria, spokesman said US troops are preparing for withdrawal following Washington's surprise decision to pull out of Syria, where it has backed the Syrian Kurdish YPG forces against Islamic State group. Erdogan's spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said there will be no step back or slowdown in the fight against the Islamic State group, and that Turkey will work closely with Russia in Syria, where Russia backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Ibrahim Kalin made the statement at a news conference. Search Keywords: Short link: Pilgrims from across the world gathered in Bethlehem on Monday for Christmas Eve, queueing to see the grotto where Jesus is believed to have been born and taking in a festive parade. Midnight mass was to be held in Bethlehem later, while Pope Francis was also due to hold mass at the Vatican as Christians celebrate the traditional day of Jesus's birth after a tumultuous year. In Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian scouts and a bagpipe band paraded in Manger Square across from the Church of the Nativity, built where Christians say Mary gave birth to Jesus. Crowds, some wearing Santa hats or holding balloons, looked on at the square decked out with a giant Christmas tree and a manger as carols in Arabic played through speakers. The Catholic archbishop for the Holy Land, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, arrived later in the afternoon and was to lead midnight mass. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas was to be among dignitaries attending the ceremony. This year, visitors are able to view the Church of the Nativity's newly restored mosaics after they were recently cleaned and repaired in a major project. The first church was built on the site in the fourth century, though it was replaced after a fire in the sixth century. A newer and more spacious church, St. Catherine, is located next door and is where midnight mass is held. "It's a great opportunity to be in such a symbolic location for Christmas," said Lea Gudel, a 21-year-old French student studying in Jerusalem, who was in Manger Square on Monday morning. Bethlehem, located near Jerusalem but cut off from the city by Israel's separation barrier, has seen an increase in visitors this season after several down years due to unrest linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinian tourism officials and hotel operators have reported their strongest season in years. "This year is much more calm, much better than last year," said Abeer Nasser, a Palestinian from the nearby town of Beit Sahour who was with her son and daughter and was planning to attend midnight mass. "Every year I feel more in the mood to celebrate despite the political situation," the 37-year-old added, referring to the Israeli occupation. Later in the day, musical groups took the stage at Manger Square in front of the Christmas tree, illuminated as night fell, to sing Christmas carols. Search Keywords: Short link: WALLINGFORD An historic firehouse built in 1890 was recently sold to a Meriden information technology company for $435,000. ASG Information Technologies bought the two-story firehouse at 9 S. Cherry St. from Branford Investment Group for use as its new office after 10 years on South Broad Street in Meriden. The bottom line is I have been wanting to move the company back to Wallingford and own our building, said owner Robert Mitchell We heard about this space. Its a very cool and unique building. The inside is just as cool. We looked at it, and liked it and made the offer on it. The 3,418 square foot firehouse was renovated to fit 10 private offices, conference rooms, kitchen and open collaborative area. It has five-zone heating, and five parking spaces, according to a press statement from Press/Cuozzo Realtors, who represented the Branford Investment Group. ASG Information Technologies provides managed information technology services to large and small businesses. It opened 21 years ago in a location several blocks from the firehouse. Ten years ago, it moved to what was then known as the Blockbuster Plaza on South Broad Street in Meriden. The firehouse had been the administrative offices of Integri Care Inc. In 2013, owner George Mandes sold it to the Branford Investment Group LLC for $326,405. It was leased to Metropolitan Interactive. Press Cuozzo was asked to help find a tenant for the building but instead found a buyer and they agreed to sell, said Stephen Press of Press Cuozzo. Its like going home, Mitchell said. mgodin@record-journal.com 203-317-2255 Twitter: @Cconnbiz By AFP NEW DELHI: Indian police have arrested 126 people working for an allegedly fake call centre making up to $50,000 (Rs 35 lakhs) a day by duping US citizens, officials said. India became the global call centre capital in the early 2000s as foreign firms, drawn by an educated and cheaper English-speaking workforce, farmed out jobs answering customer phone enquiries. The suspects arrested in Noida outside Delhi would tell Americans there were problems with their social security numbers and solicit money to fix it, police said. Another scam was telling people they had committed tax offences and that they had to pay to settle, Noida police official Ajay Pal Sharma told AFP. "Your warrant is on my desk and if this issue is not resolved we will have to freeze your account and put you behind the bars," one caller is heard to say in a recording made available to AFP. In Indian-accented English, he says that the man can either fight the US Inland Revenue Service (IRS) in court and face a $75,000 fine as a "tax defrauder" or pay immediately an "out-of-court settlement". "Many responded to the call and fell for their trap," Sharma said. The local authorities have also contacted the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and shared the details of the case. The call centre had been in operation for three years. Around 300 computers were seized. Mumbai police in October 2016 detained more than 770 people suspected of defrauding Americans by impersonating IRS agents and demanding payments. The US Justice Department subsequently charged 61 people for involvement in India-based schemes that defrauded nearly 15,000 US citizens. Later in April 2017 they arrested the alleged mastermind of the racket, 24-year-old Sagar Thakkar, who was making more than $155,000 a day at the height of the scam. By PTI NEW DELHI: Aadhaar, India's extraordinary attempt to give every citizen a biometric identity, is set for a massive revamp with new offline verification tools and non-intrusive ways for people seeking to voluntarily use the 12-digit unique number for new bank accounts and mobile connections. After twists and turns in 2018, led by the landmark Supreme Court ruling on the constitutional validity of Aadhaar, the UIDAI's efforts around offline modes like eAadhaar and QR code that can leverage the unique ID without any access to biometrics or even revealing the 12-digit number would gather pace in 2019. From school admissions to getting marriage certificates to paying taxes to taking new mobile connections, Aadhaar touched multiple facets of people's lives as it became the default identifier. This was true for around 1.22 billion Aadhaar holders till doubts emerged that collection of biometric details, even for general service, could infringe on a citizen's privacy rights. Then, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the world's largest biometric identification database but spelt out its new limitations. ALSO READ | Ban on Aadhaar linking may crimp growth of financial players After last year's assertion that Indians have a right to privacy, the apex court in September 2018 redefined the boundaries of the biometric authentication -- Aadhaar can be used for payment of government benefits and taxation records but private companies were barred from accessing it. In a 4-1 judgement delivered by the Constitution Bench, the Supreme Court held that Aadhaar would remain compulsory for the filing of Income Tax (IT) returns and allotment of Permanent Account Number (PAN) However, Section 57 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 that permitted private entities like telecom companies or other corporates to use the biometric data was struck down, dealing a body blow to the government's ambitions to make the world's largest biometric project mandatory for a slew of services. The landmark ruling sent banks, telecom operators and fintech companies -- who relied heavily on Aadhaar eKYC -- scrambling in search of other viable means of customer verification. As the verdict meant that fulfilling regulatory Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements would have again involved a lot of paperwork for verification purposes, Aadhaar-issuing authority, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), quickly came up with alternate modes like QR (Quick Response) codes, e-Aadhaar and offline methods. Just as 2018 started to wind down, came another twist in the plot. Earlier this month, the government decided to propose changes to existing laws - Telegraph Act and PMLA - in order to allow the use of Aadhaar as an ID verification tool for opening bank accounts and obtaining mobile connections, albeit on a voluntary basis. Additionally, fresh penal provisions have been proposed - through an amendment in Aadhaar Act - to deter companies from insisting on Aadhaar or misusing the biometric data. The proposed amendments, which will be placed before the Parliament during the ongoing Winter session, propose to arm UIDAI with regulator-like powers to take enforcement actions on the misuse of the national biometric ID and impose stiff penalties on violations. The compelling reason behind this seems to be the government's belief in the transformative potential of Aadhaar -- the system is so cheap and efficient that it is estimated to have accounted for over 90 per cent of new subscriptions in the telecom sector, according to experts. More stringent deterrents are likely to be put in place in the coming months. These might include a penalty for failure to obtain consent for authentication or offline verification -- up to three-year imprisonment or fine of up to Rs 10,000 --, penalty for unauthorised use of core biometric information. The latter could attract imprisonment between 3-10 years and a fine of up to Rs 10,000. Even as it dons regulatory role, the UIDAI would continue to accelerate efforts to transform and scale up Aadhaar enrolment and update services, currently available through 30,000 centres operating in designated bank branches, post offices and government premises across the country. ALSO READ | 'Aadhaar Seva Kendras' to ensure ease in services: UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan 'Aadhaar Seva Kendras', similar to the concept of Passport Seva Kendras, will come up in 53 cities across India at an estimated project cost of Rs 300-400 crore. These swanky new centres will be operational by August next year, dishing out appointment-based enrolment, update and other miscellaneous services around Aadhaar, under the watchful eyes of authority's own employees. Earlier this year, former UIDAI CEO Ajay Bhushan Pandey, recalling his early years as a small-town boy who didn't hold a photo identity for a long time, had reportedly said that Aadhaar offered an answer to an ancient question that was asked by sages -- who am I? The year that was, ensured that the answer continues to be the 12-digit identifier, at least for those who choose to use it. By PTI CHENNAI: The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will offer loan assistance of Rs 20,196 crore for the 52.01 km phase-II of Chennai Metro Rail project, the Tamil Nadu government said Saturday. JICA has approved funding for the second phase, which would cost an estimated Rs 40,941 crore, a state government release said. It is aimed at extending Metro rail connectivity between Madhavaram and Sholinganallur (35.67 km) and from Madhavaram to Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus ( CMBT) (16.34 km), the release added. Union Finance ministry, additional secretary, C S Mohapatra and Japan Ambassador to India, Kenji Hiramatsu formally exchanged documents at an event in New Delhi, Friday. The loan agreement for providing the first tranche under the Official Development Assistance (ODA) of 75,519 million Japanese Yen (about Rs 4,770 crore) was also signed between Mohapatra and JICA, chief representative, Katsuo Matsumoto. The funding would further enhance Metro Rail connectivity to various parts of the city. Additional chief secretary, TV Somanathan and Chennai Metro Rail, managing director, Pankaj Kumar Banswal were also present on the occasion. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent more troops to Syria's border on Monday ahead of an imminent US withdrawal, threatening a Kurdish militia there as a US delegation prepared for talks on the pullout. US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw 2,000 US troops from northern Syria has dismayed many of Washington's allies, and critics say Turkey will look to benefit in its fight against US-backed Kurdish forces inside Syria. Turkey has said any offensive targeting the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia and the Islamic State (IS) group will be launched in the coming months. Turkey views the YPG as a "terrorist offshoot" of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984. But the militia has also been a key US ally in the fight against Islamic State group in Syria, working with American forces on the ground there. "Just as we did not leave our Syrian Arabs to Daesh (IS group), we will not leave Syrian Kurds to the cruelty of the PKK," Erdogan said during a speech in Ankara. A Turkish military convoy arrived overnight on Monday at the border with Syria, with local media reporting that some vehicles had entered Syria. Erdogan's spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters on Monday that a US military delegation would arrive this week to "discuss how to coordinate (the withdrawal) with their counterparts". Kalin also said that a Turkish foreign ministry delegation would go to Washington for talks on the pull-out on January 8. In a telephone conversation Sunday between Trump and Erdogan, which both sides described as "productive", they agreed to avoid a power vacuum in Syria after the US withdrawal. 'No Slowdown' in IS Group Fight Unlike several other allies of the United States, Turkey has praised Trump's decision to withdraw 2,000 of his ground forces from Syria. Trump stunned the US political establishment and allies last week with his decision, days after Erdogan had warned that Ankara would soon launch an offensive in northern Syria. Critics of Trump's decision fear that thousands of Islamic State (IS) group members are still thought to be in Syria, despite Trump's claim of having defeated IS group. The US leader tweeted that Erdogan had told him Ankara would "eradicate" the last IS group elements. And Kalin vowed that there was "no question of a step backwards, vulnerability or a slowdown in the fight against Daesh (IS group)". He added: "Turkey will show the same determination against Daesh. To beat Daesh, we don't need the PKK or the YPG. We can bring peace to this region." Convoy Enters Syria The Turkish military convoy with howitzers, artillery batteries and several units of the armed forces, was deployed to the border district of Elbeyli in Kilis province, state news agency Anadolu reported on Monday. Parts of the convoy had entered Syria, the private IHA news agency reported, which said the reinforcements would take place "gradually". The deployment began over the weekend with around 100 vehicles, the Hurriyet daily said, and crossed into the Al-Bab region, headed towards Jarabulus and YPG-held Manbij. Jarabulus and Al-Bab were areas captured from IS group during Ankara's first military operation in August 2016 which lasted until March 2017. Military reinforcements had also been sent to the Akcakale border town and Ceylanpinar district, both in the southeastern Sanliurfa province. Turkey conducted a second offensive with Syrian rebels against the YPG in its northwestern enclave of Afrin in January this year. Turkish officials have previously said Ankara has no territorial ambitions in Syria. Search Keywords: Short link: By PTI NEW DELHI: Political differences came into open at the GST Council meeting on Saturday with finance ministers of opposition-ruled states objecting to rate cut, citing revenue consideration but finally agreeing after a BJP minister proposed that the minutes be recorded and compared with their speeches delivered outside. Chattisgarh and Rajasthan, where the Congress came to power earlier this month, sent only officers to attend the GST Council meeting, Madhya Pradesh did not send any representative, sources said. The GST Council after much haggling agreed to cut rates on 23 items of common consumption, which will have an annual revenue implication of Rs 5,500 crore. ALSO READ | GST Council nods formation of centralised appellate authority Sources said ministers of the opposition-ruled states argued that if a rate cut is to be done at this juncture, then the Centre should agree to compensate states for revenue loss on account of GST implementation for a period beyond the stipulated five years. Kerala, sources said, said that with revenues not increasing, the time is not right to cut rates. West Bengal, which had said that it wanted an 18 per cent rate for goods other than luxury and sin goods, in Saturday's meeting said that this was not the time for a rate cut. However, BJP-ruled Assam pointed out that all opposition ministers in their speeches say that Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates should be lowered to 18 per cent from 28 per cent, but participating in the GST Council deliberation they oppose rate cuts. The BJP minister demanded that the position taken by all the state ministers in the Council meetings be put in the minutes of the meeting so that it can be compared with their public speeches in future. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is understood to have intervened to say that only the views expressed by ministers during the Council meeting should be taken into consideration. Sources said state ministers finally agreed to discuss and go by the suggestions made by the fitment committee or officers committee on rate cut. The GST Council, chaired by Union Finance Minister and comprising his state counterparts, Saturday decided to cut rates on 23 goods and services, including movie tickets, TV and monitor screens and power banks, and exempted frozen and preserved vegetables from the levy. ALSO READ| GST Council likely to slash tax rates on automobile tyres to 18 percent The reduced rates would be applicable from January 1, 2019. In the first eight months (April-November) of the current fiscal, the government has mopped up over Rs 7.76 lakh crore from GST. The 2018-19 budget had estimated annual GST collection at Rs 13.48 lakh crore, which means a monthly target of Rs 1.12 lakh crore. Briefing reporters after the Council's meet, Jaitley said the average monthly revenue under GST has risen from Rs 89,000 crore in the last fiscal, to around Rs 95,000-96,000 crore in the current fiscal. Also compensation to be paid to the states has come down in the current fiscal. He said a Group of Ministers would be set up to study the data of those states which are not showing improvement of revenues post GST implementation. The GoM would take expert assistance from NIPFP. States which have shown improvement in tax collection included Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu while laggard states included Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Also while consuming states like North East have shown improvement in revenue, manufacturing and consuming states like Maharashtra and West Bengal have shown significant improvement. Mudita Girotra By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Heres news which Delhiites will not be proud of. Cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act have nearly doubled in 2018 as compared to the corresponding year in the city. Worse, the Delhi Police data for this year cover till November 30, meaning the chances of the number going further up are always there. For now, the national capital reported about 165 cases under the POCSO Act, up from 88 in the last year. Delhi Police spokesperson Madhur Verma attributes the rise in the number of cases to more and more people coming out to report abuses committed against minors. The Delhi Police encourages registration. We immediately book the offender under relevant sections of the POCSO Act. Over the period of time, awareness has come and the people are reporting more, he said. Another point which Verma raised is that the cases registered under the POCSO Act comprise all sorts of sexual offences against children such as molestation, and not just heinous crimes. According to the data with the Delhi Police, only one case under this Act was reported in 2012. The numbers have fluctuated over the years - 136 such cases in 2013, 107 in 2014, 86 in 2015, 75 in 2016, 88 in 2017, and 165 in 2018 (till Nov. 30) . In more than 90 per cent of the cases, Verma said, the offender is known to the victims family in some way or the other such as a neighbour, a relative or a friend. For example, a three-year-old girl was raped by her neighbour when she was alone in her house on December 16. Two days later, a seven-year-old girl was violated by her neighbour in Delhis Gazipur locality. Both cases were registered under the POCSO Act. Verma mentioned a number of schemes and initiatives to encourage reporting and also to spread awareness. We have various schemes like Pehchaan Kaun and Parivartan involving female officers to spread the message of childrens safety. We are proactively engaging with local communities so that the people take care of their children. These crimes are reported when both the parents are working and are not at home, especially in JJ clusters. We have written to the government for creches to start in these areas. For school childrens safety, we are working with schools, he said. According to psychologist Nimesh G. Desai, this trend should be also taken positively as the people are now coming out and reporting. There is a universal tendency to cover up (crimes). Largely, the increase in numbers is only indicative of acceptance and better reporting. Only with acceptance, you can find solutions. This is a desirable good trend. These sorts of crimes have always been happening in a number larger than the one reported. And it will certainly go up in the coming years. The psychologist stressed that the solutions would come out only if such cases were not covered up. Desai listed vicarious sexual needs of people in position, their proximity to the victims; and the vulnerability of the young kids as the prime reasons of such crimes. The impunity that one will get away with it is another reason. Once we send the message that you cant get away with it is when things will change, he added. Desai stressed on having a swift justice delivery system, enhanced monitoring among measures to check such crimes. His suggestions found the support of Verma, who added that it could be true that cases were underreported, but it is our policy to register such cases and take immediate action. Ayesha Singh By Express News Service The Christmas cheer hasnt infected Meenakshi Sharma one bit. In fact, she doesnt care for any festival. Why dont people celebrate nature, she wonders. Why dont we appreciate the glorious summer sun, the crisp winter air, the blossoms of spring or the crimson glisten of fall? For Sharma, the Founder of Use Me Works, a company that upcycles everything it can get its hands on, aims to nurture nature mindfully and judiciously. The most recent manifestation of their efforts is a 40-feet handcrafted Christmas tree at 32nd Milestone in Gurgaon, using 200 kgs of upcycled fabric scrap collected from factories, boutiques, and households. A team of 30 women workers spent over a month to make this tree a reality. They dexterously made colourful fringes, buntings and flowers as ornaments for this tree. On December 9, Sharma and her team of sustainability crusaders had been invited to decorate a carnival at the American Embassy. It was there that Mamta Sharma, the owner of 32nd Milestone, saw her work. Thoroughly impressed, she commisioned Meenakshi to set up an environment-friendly tree for Christmas, with non-biodegradable products. Turning scrap into style has been a smart movie for Sharma as it has caught the attention of people for its eccentricity. Parallelly, it has also made the women of Chattarpurs Andheria More area come out and earn a living. Part of the reason for Sharmas success is that she never gave into consumerism. The ever-increasing demands of modern civilisation have worried her for a good part of her life. So much so that she doesnt think of her brand as a decor or designing company, despite making commercially viable products out of waste. Our agenda is to simply cut down waste, and through our products, sell the idea of leading ecologically conscious lives, she says. Sharma sits assured knowing that there are many who genuinely care for the environment. Either way, as long as people are talking about slow living in this fast-paced world, she is happy. V Nilesh By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Two decades ago, the mugger crocodiles of the Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary were considered a threatened species. But fast forward to 2018, the number of members of this threatened species who made Manjira sanctuary their home has increased manifold thanks to the governments intervention and the measures taken by the Forest Department. According to a research conducted by zoologists on status and distribution of mugger crocodile in the sanctuary, the density of their population is a healthy 5.1 per square kilometer (sqkm) from the meagre 0.41 per sqkm back in 1990. Back in 1978, when the sanctuary was granted permission by Central government to breed and re-introduce the species into the wild, the mugger crocodiles numbers in the sanctuary were as low as seven adults and five sub adults. But thanks to breeding programme taken up after that government decision and conservation efforts by Forest Department, the total number of the species has risen to at least 171 in 2017. The study was conducted over a span of six years from January 2011- June 2017 by K Krishna Prasad, a research scholar from the zoology department of Osmania University, led by his research guide Dr Chelmala Srinivasulu and with the cooperation of Telangana Forest Department officials. The researchers went about in a boat at night with a powerful spotlight. Whenever a pair of eyes above the water surface would glow, they would stop the boat and note down various details, including numbers and size of the species. Human-animal conflict Speaking to Express, Dr Srinivasulu pointed out that with rise in numbers of the mugger crocodiles, there are high chances of rise in human-animal conflict. Across the sanctuary which is just a strip of Manjira river and a few meters of river bank, agricultural farms run very close to the river. At times of flooding, there are often reports of the animals getting into fields. Sightings showed Across the span of their study, majority of mugger crocodiles, 27 per cent to be precise, sighted at night were 3.1 to 4 meters long or 10-13 feet, followed by 2.1 to 3m (26.5 per cent), 1.1 to 2m (20 per cent), less than 0.7m (15.5 per cent) and 0.7 to 1m (6 per cent). They also came across huge crocodiles measuring above 4m, about five per cent of total sightings. Least number of sightings at night were that of 0.7 to 1m size. By Express News Service KOCHI: Every year at Gandhi Jayanti or the World Environment Day, people compete with each other to conduct cleaning drives at Fort Kochi beach. But once all the hype fizzles out, the beach goes back to resemble a garbage dump. What makes matters even worse is Fort Kochi is one of the major tourist spots in the district. At present, the region is hosting two big events, Kochi Muziris Biennale and Cochin Carnival. A large number of tourists, both domestic and also foreigners, are coming in large numbers to see the biggest art and cultural show in the country. However, the filth and grime that decorate the beach paint a poor picture of the place, said a tourist guide. Rotting seaweed, plastic cups and bottles beside other waste litter the sand. It is smelly here. Children like to play in the water, but I dont want my kids to walk barefoot on the sand which looks filthy, said a North Indian tourist. I think Cherai is better in terms of cleanliness. The authorities have to do something about it, said a Danish tourist. Toby Antony By Express News Service KOCHI: The Customs Department has launched a manhunt for the Afghan who has gone missing after being released on bail in a case related to the seizure of foreign currencies worth 10.86 crore - the largest foreign currency haul in the country - from the Cochin International Airport. The Customs has sought the assistance of the police in Kerala and New Delhi for tracking down Mohammed Siddiqui Yusafi. Yusafi, 33, was arrested by the Customs sleuths while boarding a flight to Dubai from Nedumbassery in June. Yusafi had boarded an Air India flight to Dubai via Kochi from New Delhi. However, due to a technical snag, the passengers were asked to alight at Nedumbassery airport. The currencies - a mix of Dollars and Saudi Riyals - were detected when the baggage was scanned at CIAL. In July, Customs invoked COFEPOSA detention against him. However, the COFEPOSA review committee decided to cancel the preventive detention stating the accused did not know about the charges against him as he understands only Dari language, a Persian variety spoken in Afghanistan. A top officer, on condition of anonymity, said a petition has been filed before the Ernakulam Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court (Economic Offence) for cancelling Yusafis bail. The Customs officers are apprehensive about the possibility of him leaving the country. The identities of the persons who stood as sureties for executing the bail were found to be bogus. We have already started the search for Mohammad Siddiqui Yusafi. We have approached the Kerala Police to take necessary action to track him down. Our units in New Delhi, where he had been staying, are also looking for him. We will also seek the assistance of Delhi Police in this regard. The persons who stood as sureties also have to traced, he said. Meanwhile, the Customs has decided to re-initiate COFEPOSA detention against him and the procedures in this regard have been completed. The Customs have also prepared documents related to charges against the accused in Dari language. However, he has to be tracked down before re-initiating COFEPOSA. If not found, a non-bailable arrest warrant will be sought against him from the court, he said. Lookout notice issued against four other persons During the probe into the currency seizure case, the Customs had found the involvement of an international cartel behind currency smuggling. A lookout notice has been issued against four other foreign nationals who are suspected to be involved in currency smuggling. Customs officers suspect these persons will continue smuggling activities as it is easy to obtain fake passports from Afghanistan. Mystery continues over flight Even after months-long investigation, the Customs sleuths are yet to crack the mystery behind the racket using the New Delhi-Kochi-Dubai flight for smuggling activities. Customs Commissioner Sumit Kumar said they are checking whether any of the airline crew members are facilitating the smugglers, due to which the racket is using the same flight for smuggling activities.We have increased the surveillance activities to crack the mystery, he said. Aathira Haridas By Express News Service KOCHI: Fancy ringing in the festivities with wooden artefacts oozing with Christmas spirit? Artist Harikumar R S, who returned from Qatar loves experimenting with art and has fashioned out wooden decors that gush with Christmas cheer. For him, art brings happiness, and that drives him to create art. The Christmas artefacts were just an experimental venture, Harikumar says, who tries to find art in everything he comes across. And the artist has more to his credit. The paintings that Hari fashions out has been displayed at many biennales, the recent being the International Watercolour Society Biennale held at Slovenia in 2018. Harikumar R S Although Hari learned Applied Arts, fine art was a field he learned by himself. Hari, who used to work as an art director at an advertising firm in Qatar, says that art was always in his family. It was always within me, he says. At the age of 19, Hari started out by helping his uncle at a commercial art enterprise. And that changed it all. Having learned graphic designing and having worked at a few firms in the state, he moved to Qatar. It was while working as an art director there that he delved into watercolouring. I got inspired seeing the works of other internationally renowned painters. I had a lot of spare time and that is how I decided to learn it, says Harikumar. Although Harikumar loves realistic watercolouring, he peppers each of his watercolour paintings with abstract style as well. At times, there are some aspects that lure you to a site. I might keep those aspects intact and then play around with the abstract style elsewhere, says Harikumar. His watercolour artworks were displayed at many of the international art platforms such as the IWS Biennale held in Albania, Vietnam, Hong Kong, and India, among others. Considering the art milieu in Kerala, he says that although there are many exceptional artists, the lack of international exposure is playing a damper.Although he works with oil paint and acrylic, his favourite medium is watercolour. I am still learning different techniques in watercolouring. My dream is to become a good watercolourist, says Harikumar who belongs to Thiruvananthapuram. Shilajit Mitra By Express News Service The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council on Saturday brought down the GST rate on cinema tickets below Rs 100 from 18 per cent to 12 per cent. Tickets above Rs 100 will be levied an 18 per cent GST rate instead of the earlier 28 per cent. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier announced that the government is aiming to bring 99 per cent of items below the 18 per cent GST slab. Welcoming the tax reduction, Siddharth Roy Kapur, President of Producers Guild of India, said, On behalf of the Indian film industry, I would like to thank the government for taking this progressive step. This will help the industry move forward positively with increased investments in both exhibition infrastructure and creative development, enabling even better cinema and greater screen density across the country. Earlier this week, Kapur along with 17 other delegates from the Hindi film industry, including Karan Johar, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn and CBFC chief Prasoon Joshi had met Narendra Modi to discuss the future of the movie business. Celebrating the occasion, Dharma Productions owner Karan Johar shared on social media: I would like to thank our Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the swift action on the GST rate on movie tickets....Great news at the year end! Thank you sir for your proactivity and support.... PV Sunil, MD Carnival Cinemas, said, We are thankful to the Govt for rationalising the GST rates. We will pass on the benefits to the patrons which can bring in more footfalls. Overall its a great achievement as we have been putting in offers to achieve this since the time of introduction of GST. Future items that are yet to be talked about The Goods and Services Tax council, headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, also agreed to bring down tax rates on video game consoles, air travel of pilgrims, power banks, lithium-ion batteries and digital and video cameras Amrutha Kuber By Express News Service Music, they say, transcends all boundaries. I heard Rafi saabs (as he is fondly remembered by fans) voice wafting from my fathers radio when I was 10 or 11 - when I could barely comprehend the words - and loved what I heard. From his soulful and passionate rendition of Chaudavin Ka Chand to the peppy Bar Bar Dekho, Rafi was renowned for his range and ability to mould his voice to the actors he sang for. It would indeed be hard to imagine how the actors wooed the heroines without Rafis timeless voice! Born on 24th December in Majitha, Amritsar district of Punjab, Rafi learnt Hindustani classical music from the renowned Ustad Abdul Wahid Khan, Pandit Jiwan Lal Mattoo and Firoze Nizami when he was only 7 and made his playback singing debut at 13 in the duet "Soniye Nee, Heeriye Nee" with Zeenat Begum. He lent his voice for scores of Bollywood actors - Shammi Kapoor, Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar, Rajendra Kumar and Shashi Kapoor among numerous others - and has sung more than 5000 songs. He was awarded six Filmfare Awards and a National Film Award in his illustrious career. Besides Hindi, he also sang in Bengali, Konkani, Odia, Punjabi, Marathi, Sindhi, Telugu, Kannada, etc. As we celebrate his 94th birth anniversary, here are a few of his timeless classics: 1 - Chaudhvin Ka Chand Ho (1960) The title track from Mohammed Sadiqs Chaudavin Ka Chand (1960), the song is a beautiful expression of love in Hindi film music where the hero compares the beauty of his love to the full moon. Rafis rendition earned him his first Filmfare Award, 15 years after his Bollywood debut. 2 - Tere Mere Sapne (1965) Considered one of his finest ballads, Tere Mere Sapne from Dev Anands Guide is a romantic number where the hero gently reassures the heroine that all will be well. 3 - Khoya Khoya Chand Khula Aasman (1960) A breezy number from Kala Bazar, starring Dev Anand and with music by S D Burman, the song was shot in Ooty and is Devs ode to the one he loves and chronicles the crossroads at which they stand as a couple. 4 - Kya Hua Tera Vaada (1977) The iconic song that also spawned numerous covers is famous for the emotion it carries - rendered effortlessly by Rafi in the film Hum Kisise Kum Nahin, with music scored by R.D. Burman. 5 - Badan Pe Sitare Lapete Huye (1969) The list will be incomplete without the foot-tapping Badan Pe Sitare Lapete Huye from the movie Prince starring Shammi Kapoor and Vyjayanthimala where Rafi saabs voice beautifully complements Shammi Kapoors antics. 6 - Deewana Hua Badal (1964) This charming duet sung by Rafi and Asha Bhonsle is known for its gently uplifting melodies and for being a classic Bollywood romantic number. Rafis voice is heard against the backdrop of scenic Kashmir in this romantic number from the movie Kashmir Ki Kali starring Shammi Kapoor and Sharmila Tagore. 7 - Hai Agar Dushman (1977) Listen to Rafis rendition of this famous qawwali number from the movie Hum Kisise Kum Nahin (1977). Have a favourite Rafi song? Tell us in the comments! Ayshvarya Narayanan By Online Desk Planning a party that is quintessentially Madras? Then, here's your perfect playlist. We defy you to listen to these insanely addictive and peppy songs without shaking a leg. Don't believe us yet? Well, what are you waiting for? Hear these seven songs in Tamil before Bollywood gets inspired by them and makes their own, less Madras-y tunes. Rowdy Baby: When we still can't get over the 'Don-u don-u' song from Maari, this recently released song from its sequel, the Dhanush-Sai Pallavi starrer Maari 2, is full of energy and you can't help but find yourself singing along with the song. If you're in a relationship and you don't even sing this with your other half, are you even in love? Share 'Rowdy Baby' with your baby right away and you can thank us later! Marana Mass: This song from 2019's most awaited movie Petta is true to its name. 'Maranam mass-u maranam, tough-u tharanam, adhuku avan dhan porandhu varanum.' (In case you don't understand, it means there's only one Thalaivar in the universe.) Enough said. Goindhammavaala: Do yourself a favour by listening to all the songs from 'Vada Chennai', which was shot right in North Chennai as the name of the film suggests. From the lyrics to each frame of the movie, everything is just about Madras and you will find yourself mesmerised by Santhosh Narayanan's amazing music. Chinna Machan: When was the last time you heard the word 'machan,' an often used word to address your dear one in Madras, in a beautiful song? Chinna Machan is a typical folk song and the lyrics feel like you're eavesdropping on a couple's cute conversation. Also, the song was sung by popular Tamil reality show winner Senthil Ganesh and his wife Rajalakshmi. They make us wonder if it's a song or they're just talking to each other! Cuteness alert!! Guleba: You would've heard of tongue twisters, but have you heard of 'leg twisters?' This Prabhu Deva song is all about that. However, the music gives us the feel of a fun Spanish track, Anirudh Ravichander, who sang this song, will take you on a tour to Madras with his delivery of colloquial Tamil lyrics. Bet you can't find a DJ night in Tamil Nadu which does not play this. Simtaangaran: You won't believe this is an AR Rahman song, but it is. The lyrics carry the true flavour of Madras. Aspiring to learn the colloquial Tamil spoken in the city? This song from Thalapathy Vijay's Sarkar is homework for you. Special mention: Karuthavanlaam Galeejaam Though the song released towards the end of 2017, it is still etched in the minds of people and here's the reason. It stands out from the other Madras-y songs in the list with its striking and meaningful lyrics penned by Viveka which highlight the prejudice against dusky people. Anirudh's lively music complements the lyrics and the result is an unforgettable Madras song. Booked your tickets to Chennai yet? A British academic publisher has dropped more than 80 journals from its offerings in China at the government's request, including the Asian Studies Review which had content deemed "inappropriate" by authorities. They are the latest journals to be restricted since Chinese importers of foreign publications were told by authorities last year they must verify that products are legal. The Asian Studies Association of Australia said last Thursday its journal, the Asian Studies Review, had been restricted in China. Importers had told the publisher, Britain's Taylor and Francis, to remove the journal from a package offered to libraries because "some of its content is deemed inappropriate by the government", the association said in a statement. Taylor and Francis said six articles were deemed objectionable by authorities, the association said, but the publisher declined to identify the articles because it was "commercially sensitive". "In recent times, the Chinese government has initiated wide-ranging censorship of academic publications, in ways that have embroiled academic publishers," the association said. China's foreign ministry and State Council Information Office did not immediately respond to faxed requests for comment on Monday. In response to the association's statement, Taylor and Francis said last Thursday that it "does not participate in censorship in China, or anywhere else". However, from September 83 journals were excluded from the arts, humanities and social sciences package sold to libraries in China at the request of importers, Taylor and Francis said in a statement. It did not identify the affected journals. "Our view has always been that everyone should be able to read the research we publish via their usual access routes," the publisher said, adding that it was working to try to sell the entire package in China. The censorship issue erupted in August 2017 when Britain's Cambridge University Press (CUP) removed online access to hundreds of scholarly articles in China after coming under pressure from authorities. CUP reversed the decision and restored access to the articles within a few days. Under President Xi Jinping, censorship efforts by the government have been heightened and the authority of the ruling Communist Party, as well as its views on society, history and politics, have been re-asserted over academia. "It seems that the Chinese censors have fully realised that they do not need to censor anything themselves," Nicholas Loubere, a China scholar at Lund University in Sweden, said in a tweet on Sunday. "Rather, they can just cancel subscriptions and then let the 'Great Paywall' do the work for them," he said. Search Keywords: Short link: Gopinath Rajendran By Express News Service Director Balaji Tharaneetharan who debuted with the rib-tickling Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom (2012) is back with last weeks release, Seethakaathi, which again features Vijay Sethupathi in the lead. The director cites the delay surrounding his other venture, Oru Pakka Kathai, as the reason for the long gap. OPK has now been bought by Zee 5; so you can see it in their OTP platform soon, says Balaji. The director feels that his perception of cinema has changed over these years. I now believe that a film needs the complete attention from its maker. While doing NKPK, we didnt think much and we did whatever occurred to us. READ: Vijay Sethupathi interview | 'Directors should not put up with mediocre acting just because I'm a star' Balaji Tharaneetharan After the reception it received, I was keen on writing a good story. When doing Seethakaathi, I wanted to give my best, says Balaji, who denies that the film is a biopic of the philosopher named Seethakathi. Theres a famous proverb, Seththum Kuduthaar Seethakaathi. Thats the meaning behind the title. The film is a journey of art and artists. Balaji got the films idea five years ago. But thankfully, I didnt have to make any major changes to make it relevant, says the director, who narrated this story first to Vijay Sethupathi. He was interested in doing the film, but I didnt have the conviction of pulling off a film that has him playing a 75-year-old. After finishing OPK, I revived this project, but I wasnt satisfied with the casting. I didnt want to go with a newbie for this role, says Balaji, who then considered prosthetics to have Vijay Sethupathi play the part. When I asked him after all these years, he simply said that he had already expressed interest in this film long ago. His position in the industry and among fans has gone up manifold, but Vijay is still the same. The prosthetics for the film were done by technicians from Hollywood. The makeup wasnt just for his face but also for his hands and fingers. It would take five hours to put it on and an hour and a half to take it off, says the director. Vijay Sethupathi On roping in real-life stage artistes for the film, he says, It was a beautiful experience to work with them. Theyd wait for us to give them a dialogue or a situation to show their acting prowess. Their enthusiasm was contagious. They find such satisfaction while acting that they would be ready to go for multiple takes if needed. The cast also includes veterans such as Archana, Mouli and director Mahendran as well as other directors in guest appearances. Only when working with such veterans do we understand why theyre called legends, says Balaji. READ our 'Seethakaathi' review: An outlandish yet convincing ode to the magical worlds of cinema and theatre Seethakaathi also happens to be Vijay Sethupathis 25th film. During the final stage of pre-production, he called and told me that his 25th film is approaching and asked if he could announce Seethakaathi as the one. I said, sonnaa santhosham thaan (happy if you say so), says a smiling Balaji. Speaking about Vijay Sethupathi, the director says, While doing NKPK, I knew I could call him the night before a shoot, and request him to make it. But now hes extremely busy and despite knowing him so well, I have to make sure the call sheets are perfectly scheduled. Hes a thorough professional, and his understanding of the art and the industry has become better over the years. After giving one of the best albums of this year with Vijay Sethupathis 96, music director Govind Vasantha, who was supposed to debut in Tamil cinema with OPK interestingly, has made music for Seethakaathi. Not only is he a brilliant technician, he also is my favourite musician. He deserves more appreciation, and hes got the talent to elevate any content. Many dont know that he actually worked as the keyboard programmer for NKPK, says Balaji. Speaking about OPK getting released on television, Balaji says, I made OPK for the big screens; so I would wish to see it getting a theatrical release. But web content does allow us to explore more. The fear one would have while doing a web-series is less, when compared to a feature film. A director needs freedom to make the film they want. By Online Desk JHAJJAR: Eight people were killed on Monday as their car collided with a truck in Haryana's Jhajjar district, leading to a massive pileup involving several vehicles, police said. The accident took place on the Jhajjar bypass here in the morning, resulting in a pileup as multiple vehicles rammed into each other due to reduced visibility caused by dense fog in the area, they said. The victims were travelling in a jeep, officials said. "As the cruiser jeep was involved in an accident with a truck, other vehicles which were close behind also rammed into each other. The visibility was poor due to dense fog," a Jhajjar police official said. Soon after the incident, policemen in the control room and rescue team rushed to the spot. The injured have been admitted into a hospital. The piled-up vehicles and dense fog also resulted in an hour-long traffic jam. In a similar incident two days ago, more than 20 vehicles had rammed each other near Rajpura on National Highway 44, owing to poor visibility. However, all occupants escaped with minor injuries. Many parts of north India including Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are reeling under dense fog in the morning on Monday. By ANI NEW DELHI: Bollywood actor Ashutosh Rana and film director Madhur Bhandarkar backed Naseeruddin Shah's recent comment on Bulandshahr violence. Speaking on the ongoing controversy surrounding Shah's comment, Rana stated that everyone has a right to share their thoughts. "Everyone should have a right to share their thoughts with their friends or other people without any fear. We should be wary of reacting, acting or doing a trial on any such comment. If any of our brother or friend is saying something, we should not only listen to them but must also ponder over it," Rana said while interacting with media. READ| Naseeruddin Shah's Ajmer Lit Fest event cancelled following outrage "Independence stands for simplicity and gentleness and that is what our culture is," the actor further added. Meanwhile, Madhur Bhandarkar also expressed his support for Shah saying that everyone has their own point of view. "Everyone has the right to speak. We live in a democratic country. I don't think there is any fear. Everyone is equal in India and this is his point of view, this is the special thing about our country that everyone can express their opinions. I don' think there is any problem or intolerance," he added. Naseeruddin Shah has been facing flak for his recent comment over the Bulandshahr violence incident in which two people including a police official were killed over rumour of cow slaughter. "At many places, the death of a cow is being given more importance than the killing of a policeman. I feel anxious for my children because tomorrow if a mob surrounds them and asks, 'Are you a Hindu or a Muslim?' they will have no answer. It worries me that I don't see the situation improving anytime soon," Shah said in a video surfaced on the social media earlier this week. By PTI NEW DELHI: Bhutan Prime Minister Lotay Tshering will be on a three-day visit to India from Thursday, during which he will hold talks with counterpart Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs said Monday. This is Tshering's first visit to the country since taking charge last month. The ministers of Foreign Affairs, Economic Affairs and other senior officials will be accompanying the Bhutanese prime minister, a statement said. During the December 27-29 visit, Tshering will deliberate on ways to step up ties between the two neighbours and also call on President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and other ministers will call on the Bhutanese prime minister, the statement said. The two sides are likely to discuss all aspects of bilateral relations, including high-level exchanges, people-to-people ties, and economic, development and hydropower cooperation, it said. The upcoming visit of Tshering will provide an opportunity to the two sides to review the progress in the multifaceted partnership, and discuss ways and means to expand the enduring ties of friendship and cooperation, the statement said. Tshering's visit comes a month after Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale's official trip to Bhutan, it added. Ejaz Kaiser By Express News Service RAIPUR: The Congress government in Chhattisgarh on Sunday finalised the names of its 12-member Council of Ministers but refused to divulge the names till the day of the Cabinets swearing-in. The ceremony is likely to place on December 25, according to members of the partys state unit. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, who confirmed having finalised the list of ministers, said, We have taken every essential factor into consideration before finalising the names [of the Cabinet members]. It [The list] will be known on oath-taking day when the elected members will secure ministerial berths, he said. Senior members of the partys state unit who were privy to discussions on the list said senior Congress MLA Charandas Mahant, who was in the race for the CMs post, is likely to be made Assembly Speaker and Shiv Dhahriya is likely to be made deputy Speaker. The names were finally approved during a meeting between Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Baghel and senior leaders TS Singhdeo, Tamradhwaj Sahu and the state incharge P L Punia in Delhi. Baghel said that the party has sought time from Governor Anandiben Patel for the swearing-in ceremony. The party has balanced the zones of Durg, Bastar and Sarguja and each region might get a representation of two members in the Cabinet, 3 ministers are likely to be inducted from Raipur and the remaining one from Bilaspur, another senior Congress leader said. Anuradha Shukla By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Even as state governments join the bandwagon of election-time farm loan waivers, there are larger interests of farmers that remain unaddressed. A farmers association has now prepared their own manifesto for the government, demanding identification and registration of all real cultivators and agrarian labourers, social security and right to land and livelihood. We have been reading and hearing all the criticism by experts. Whether one supports loan waivers or not, farm sector distress is for real. It is like being in a job without getting enough salary to sustain a family. Unfortunately, neither state governments nor critics talk to us before taking a decision or giving a verdict, said Chand Singh, a sugarcane farmer and member of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee. While farmers are happy with loan waivers, they feel agrarian distress goes beyond loan waivers. And that is the reason why farmers have prepared their own manifesto that goes beyond loan waivers. While many parties now put loan waivers in their manifestoes, there is no vision for the whole agrarian crisis. That is why we have prepared our own manifesto. It seeks to prepare a database of farmers, timely payment of MSP and insurance against natural calamities that favours the farmer and not just insurance firms. It seeks a sound social security net that do not force us to commit suicide if crops fail, Singh said. With the election season on, farmers said they hope the political parties to take their manifesto more seriously. By PTI AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani Monday said his government is mulling to introduce 'Sanskrit Board' to popularise the ancient language among the masses. He made the announcement while inaugurating a two-day state-level convention of 'Samskrita Bharati', a non-profit entity, at Kolavada in Gandhinagar district. "To popularise Sanskrit among the masses, my government is mulling to introduce Sanskrit Board. We will provide all necessary help and make necessary arrangements in this regard in consultation with experts and Samskrita Bharati," Rupani was was quoted as saying in an official release. READ| Gujarat to study Maharashtra OBC panel report on Marathas: CM Vijay Rupani The Sanskrit Board will be on the lines of other exam boards like the CBSE and the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board, the release said. Rupani recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi had started 'Shree Somnath Sanskrit University' at Veraval town of Gir Somnath district when he was Gujarat chief minister. In his speech, Rupani alleged that some "pseudo secularists" of the country had tried to sideline the language by projecting it differently. Terming Sanskrit as India's heritage, Rupani called upon the people to save the language and popularise it. According to the release, the CM assured the audience that his government will work towards building adequate infrastructure to popularise the language. Express News Service By Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday virtually launched the BJP campaign in Odisha for the 2019 polls by giving a call for making a new Odisha with new energy. Addressing a public meeting here at the NISER stadium near Khurda during his three-hour visit to Odisha, Modi said, We will change Odishas fate and take it on the path of development towards a new future. However, there was a perceptible change in Prime Ministers address today, unlike the last time when he had launched a frontal attack on chief minister Naveen Patnaik and ruling Biju Janata Dal. ALSO READ: PM Modi to inaugurate India's longest rail-road bridge on December 25 In Bhubaneswar, Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation of Paradip Hyderabad Pipeline Product Project (PHPL) and Bokaro-Angul section of Jagdishpur-Haldia and Bokaro-Dhamra Gas Pipeline Project (PM Urja Ganga). Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Khurda: Today people of #Odisha are asking why Odisha has not accepted Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. If Odisha had implemented this scheme, people would have gotten free medical care across the country. pic.twitter.com/DRKCihB2lS ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2018 Modi, in his address, exposed infrastructure deficiencies in health, education and other sectors and State Governments failure to provide drinking water, irrigation facilities to the farmers. He also cited issues of malnourishment among children, migration, chit fund scam as well as percentage (PC) culture. But he refrained from making a direct attack on Naveen Patnaik or the BJD. Why is Odisha lagging behind in the swachhata drive compared to other states? Why are youths leaving Odisha to neighbouring states; why is half of post of doctors vacant in the State and why half of people Odisha do not get drinking water, Modi asked and lambasted the Government over the prevalence of largescale corruption in all spheres. From chit fund to PC culture, there is corruption and who is protecting the culprits, Modi asked and criticised the government for not accepting Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana which he said prevented people of Odisha from getting health coverage in all big hospitals across the country. His focus, however, was firmly on the development agenda of NDA Government as he listed out the schemes and programmes launched by the Centre since 2014. Earlier, he dedicated IIT, Bhubaneswar to the nation for which Rs 1270 crore has been spent in presence of Governor prof Ganeshi Lal and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. He also laid foundation stones for projects worth over Rs 14,000 cr and said his government is fully committed to Odisha's overall development. "Several projects have been launched for the development of Odisha and I assure you that this work will continue in future," Modi said as he inaugurated the new and sprawling campus of IIT Bhubaneswar at Arugul on the outskirts of the Capital built at a cost of Rs 1,260 crore on a whopping 936-acre land. "This institute will not only produce high quality engineers and entrepreneurs for the nation and the world but will pave way for Odisha's progress," he said and added that the institute will prove to be a centre of dreams for Odisha's youth and provide employment to many. Besides, the Prime Minister also dedicated a postage stamp and a commemorative coin of Rs 200 featuring the historic Paika Rebellion (1817) against the British rule on the occasion of its bicentenary celebration. He also inaugurated the Buxi Jagabandhu Chair at Utkal University in memory of the Paika Rebellion, laid foundation stone of a permanent campus of Indian Institute of Science and Education Research (IISER) in Berhampur. Modi also laid foundation stone of a gas pipeline from Paradip to Hyderabad at a projected cost of Rs 3,800 crore and another from Angul to Bokaro in Jharkhand at a cost of Rs 3,437 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganja Yojana. The PM inaugurated the new 100-bed ESI Hospital in Bhubaneswar and laid foundation stone for construction of six lanes of the National Highway-16 and four lanes of NH-4 between Cuttack and Angul. The Prime Minister arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport at about 1 pm where he was received by Governor Ganeshi Lal, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram. On behalf of the Odisha government, Finance Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera welcomed the Prime Minister. From the airport, Modi flew to IIT-Bhubaneswar campus at Argul where he was received by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. By IANS JAMMU: The Indian and Pakistani armies on Monday traded heavy fire on the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir prompting authorities to shut down schools in the vicinity. The Pakistan Army were using automatics and mortars to target Indian military and civilian facilities, defence sources said. "Unprovoked firing and shelling from the Pakistani side started around 9.30 a.m. in Lam, Keri, Pukharni and Peer Badaser areas in Nowshera sector. Our troops retaliated strongly and effectively. Firing exchanges were still going when reports last came in," the defence sources added. Authorities in Rajouri district ordered the closure of all schools within 5km area of Lam, Keri, Pusharni and Peer Dadaser villages as the heavy firing and shelling continued. By PTI BHUBANESWAR: TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Sunday said there was a dire need for unification of regional parties to provide an alternative to the Congress and the BJP ahead of the 2019 elections. Rao, who has been trying to form a non-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) non-Congress alternative, called on Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here. "I can say certainly that there is a dire need for unification of regional parties in the country," the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief told reporters after meeting Patnaik. "We strongly believe that there has to be an alternative to Congress and BJP," he added. Both the chief ministers had a detailed discussion on national issues including the need for better friendship among the regional parties. The meeting between the two leaders assumed significance amid talks about efforts on formation of a new political front of like-minded, non-BJP and non-Congress parties to take on the national ones in the upcoming polls. "I can say certainly that there is a dire need for unification of regional parties in the country. We strongly believe that there has to be an alternative to the Congress and the BJP," Rao told reporters after meeting BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here. Both the chief ministers had a detailed discussion on national issues, including the need for "better friendship among regional parties", Patnaik said. "This is just the beginning of a dialogue. We will meet again and discuss how to take things forward," Rao said. After an impressive victory of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in the state assembly poll, Rao has embarked on a journey to bring together anti-Congress and anti-BJP parties for next year's Lok Sabha polls. The TRS chief is scheduled to meet West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Monday. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi goes to Hyderabad and says the TRS is the "B team" of the Congress, its president Rahul Gandhi claim that the TRS president is the "B team" of the BJP, Rao said, adding, "Let me tell you, we are our own team." Senior Congress leader and the party in-charge for Telangana, Ramachandra Khuntia, alleged that Rao's meeting with Patnaik is part of a game plan to weaken the proposed "Mahagathbandhan" (grand alliance) among non-BJP parties. The Telangana CM has been acting at the behest of the saffron party and the NDA to dilute efforts of like-minded, non-BJP parties for formation of a grand alliance before the general elections, Khuntia claimed. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Rao's visit will have no impact on the BJP's electoral prospects as "zero added to zero will have no value". Gunmen who raided a government building in the Afghan capital killed at least 28 people - mostly government employees - and wounded more than 20 others in a seven-hour standoff with police that ended on Monday night, Afghan authorities said. Others killed included a policeman and three of the attackers who were shot dead by Afghan security forces, Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish said. The attack began in the afternoon when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a car outside the public works ministry. Militants then stormed the building of the National Authority for Disabled People and Martyrs Families, taking civilians hostage as they fought a gun battle against Afghan soldiers. Afghan security forces went from floor to floor of the building in an operation to rescue over 350 people inside, but had to exercise restraint in their operations against the attackers given the number of employees there, a senior security official said. No militant group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Ambulances raced to the scene during a lull in the shooting, a witness who lives nearby told Reuters. At least 20 people wounded in the clashes were taken to hospital. An official working in another government building close by said employees had locked themselves in their offices after hearing the explosions and gunfire. During the standoff, the building's second floor caught fire, local news channels reported. Attacks on government offices are frequent and are generally carried out by the Islamist Taliban, who are fighting to expel foreign forces from strategic provinces, topple the Western-backed government and restore their version of hardline Islamic law. The 17-year-old war with the Taliban has seen both fighting and diplomacy intensify in recent months. On Thursday, an official said US President Donald Trump was planning to withdraw at least 5,000 of the 14,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, a day after Trump unexpectedly announced that US troops in Syria would be withdrawn. The United States went to war in Afghanistan in 2001 in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, seeking to oust the Taliban militants harbouring Saudi-raised militant Osama bin Laden, who led plans to carry out the attacks. At present, American troops make up the bulk of the Resolute Support mission to train and advise Afghan forces fighting the Taliban and the Islamic State militant group. Others are part of a US-led counter-terrorism mission. The prospect of a US drawdown has triggered widespread uncertainty in war-torn Afghanistan. With security deteriorating, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday replaced his defence and interior ministers with two uncompromising opponents of the Taliban. Search Keywords: Short link: By Express News Service HYDERABAD:A day after Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan took up the Naseeruddin Shah controversy and said that he would teach India how to treat minorities, All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi criticised his statement and asked him to learn from Indias inclusiveness. Taking to Twittter to voice out his resentment, Owaisi said, According to the Pakistani Constitution, only a Muslim is qualified to be a President. India has seen multiple Presidents from oppressed communities. Its high time Khan sahab learns something from us about inclusive politics & minority rights. ALSO READ | We will show Modi's India how to treat minorities: Pakistan PM Imran Khan "According to the Pakistani Constitution, only a Muslim is qualified to be President. India has seen multiple Presidents from oppressed communities. According to the Pakistani Constitution, only a Muslim is qualified to be President. India has seen multiple Presidents from oppressed communities. It's high time Khan sahab learns something from us about inclusive politics & minority rights.https://t.co/qarmZkqdhH Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) December 23, 2018 It's high time Khan sahab learns something from us about inclusive politics & minority rights," the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief said. On Saturday, Pakistan PM Imran Khan said he would show the Narendra Modi government how to treat minorities, amid a controversy over actor Naseeruddin Shahs remarks on mob violence in India. We will show the Modi government how to treat minorities... Even in India, people are saying that minorities are not being treated as equal citizens, he said referring to Shahs statement. The controversy erupted earlier in this week when Shah in an interview voiced out his anxiety over the apparent atmosphere of hatred that he felt has crept in the country in recent times. I feel anxious for my children because tomorrow if a mob surrounds them and asks, Are you a Hindu or a Muslim? they will have no answer. It worries me that I dont see the situation improving anytime soon, he said. By PTI CHANDIGARH: A serving Major General has been recommended for dismissal from service by a General Court Martial (GCM) for allegedly misbehaving with a woman officer. The GCM, presided over by a LT General Giriraj Singh, found the Maj Gen guilty under Section 354 A (attempt to outrage the modesty of a woman) and Section 54 of the Army Act (conduct unbecoming of an officer), prosecution counsel D S Ahluwalia said Monday. The verdict is subject to confirmation by the Chief of Army Staff, the prosecution counsel said, adding the officer had the right to appeal before the Army Chief against the verdict. The case dates back to 2016 when the Maj Gen was posted as Inspector General, Assam Rifles. A woman officer accused him of calling her to his room and misbehaving. Following the woman officer's allegation, the Army ordered a court of Inquiry and attached him for facing the probe at HQs 17 Corps in Ranchi. The Major General had refuted the allegation levelled against him. By Express News Service LUCKNOW: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has ruled out the division of Uttar Pradesh into four parts and said it was not needed as there is the shortage of resources in the state. People say that Uttar Pradesh cannot be developed without dividing it. India is the most populous country after China. So tomorrow someone may start saying that unless the country is divided, it cannot be developed, he said. The remark came after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in September said that it would launch a campaign to fulfil the peoples demand for division of the state. Our Uttar Pradesh is a state where there is no shortage of natural resources and other essential resources. There is no need to divide it, he said. Singh, who represents the Lucknow Lok Sabha constituency, said population should never be viewed as a burden. By UNI NEW DELHI: "Build Ram Mandir, or Stay at Home" - is the new jibe from Shiv Sena to its ally BJP on the long pending Ram Temple issue at Ayodhya. "Action lena padega, Mandir banana padega nahi toh ghar baithna padega (You will have to construct the Ram Temple or else you will be forced to stay at home)," Shiv Sena spokesman and MP Sanjay Raut told a private TV channel at Pandharpur in Maharashtra on Monday. Shiv Sena is launching a mega campaign at Pandharpur for the early construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya on Monday. Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, who had visited Ayodhya in November, will address a congregation of religious leaders and the public there, on Monday afternoon. To mount pressure on BJP, the Sena will also formally give a push to its slogan - "Paheley Mandir Phir Sarkar (First the temple and then the government)". The pressure tactics from Sena comes at a time when there is no final word yet on whether BJP and Sena will continue to be partners in next year's Lok Sabha polls. The state assembly polls in Maharashtra are also due by October 2019. Mr Raut said the onus is now on the BJP leadership and the central government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to construct the Ram Temple at Ayodhya at the earliest. Sena also rejected the argument that one should wait for the Supreme Court verdict on the matter saying - "How long can one wait. It is a matter of faith", said Mr Raut, a trusted aide of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. "Afterall, BJP came to power in the centre and the state of Maharashtra in the name of Lord Ram and they will have to build the temple," said Mr Raut. The Sena spokesman said: "Babri girana hamara kam tha, mandir banana aapka kam hae (To bring down Babri Masjid in 1992 was our - Sena - job. To construct Ram Temple is BJP's)". It may be mentioned that within hours of destruction of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992, the Late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray had said: "I am proud of my Sainiks, if they have brought down the Masjid". In contrast, BJP stalwart and the then Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha - L K Advani had resigned owning moral responsibility. By PTI KOLKATA: TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Monday met his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee and asserted that the dialogue for a Federal Front will continue. ALSO READ | KCR on national spree for non-BJP, non-Congress front "Very shortly we will come out with a concrete plan," Rao told reporters after meeting the Trinamool Congress (TMC) president at the state secretariat here. "My efforts for non-BJP, non-Congress alliance will continue," he added. ALSO READ | Naveen, KCR hint at alternative to BJP, Congress The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief met Mamata a day after meeting Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar, another strong regional party leader. Rao, fresh from victory in his home state Telangana, is meeting leaders to provide an alternative to the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the 2019 election. From December 25, for two to three days, Rao will be in the national capital, the release had said. Rao will make a courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his stay in New Delhi, it had said, adding he will also meet former Uttar Pradesh Chief Ministers Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav. Valson Thampu By The birth of Jesus Christ, and its celebration as Christmas, are two different things. There is no spiritual correspondence between them. Christmas has become an occlusion of, a distraction from, the meaning and implications of the birth of Jesus. Jesus birth is announced to the shepherds of Bethlehem as tidings of great joy for all humankind, according to the Gospel narrative. The proof that his birth has a universal significance is that it is, in all its details, free from the staple marks of religion. Every religion is parochial, exclusive, and inherently un-universal. Jesus was born in a cattle shed. In the Nativity narrative, the contrast is between inn and manger. There was no place in the inn for Mary in the hour of her pain. In contrast, the cattle shed was hospitable to her distress. Inn stands in culture, cat-tle shed in nature rather than culture. Today, most depictions of Christmas exclude the cattle shed. The manger is retained. But the manger is portrayed as an ornament of culture. An impression is created that it is a privilege to be laid in a manger! But pardon me, manger is a trough for cattle feed. It is for good reason that the Christmas event is free from the trappings of religion. Jesus came to set the captives free. Underlying the Christmas event is the universal truth that organised religion is not a liberating, but an enslaving agency. The Christmas event highlights, therefore, a tension between the mission of Jesus and the agenda of the religious establishment. None else upset Jesus as the custodians of established religion didthe spiritually blind, humanly callous, ethically dubious priestly classwhom he denounced as whited sepulchres with hypocrisy as their hallmark. Socrates provides an insight into hypocrisy. That Athenian sage, judicially murdered as Jesus himself would be centuries later, by the henchmen of religion in collusion with the statesaw hypocrisy as comical. Hypocrisy, to Socrates, issued from the contradiction between understanding and under-standing. Understanding and under-standing, he said are two different things. You believe, you say, for instance, that God is omnipresent and that, as per your calling, you obey God absolutely. But you act as though God stays confined in places of worship under your charge, and he is, hence, at your beck and call. You understand aright. But you do not under-stand, or stand under, what you say you understand. What you do contradicts what you say you believe. This is hypocrisy. Organised religion is beset with hypocrisy because the dynamics of organisation militates against the discipline of spirituality. Organisation is driven by the will of man. The will of man distorts the will of God. The tidings of great joy for humankind in the Christmas event pertains to the reality and feasibility of new beginnings, which is what human beings need universally. The Christmas event is riddled with the new and the non-stereotypical. Every detail of it differs from established notions of how it should have happened. Herod, the Jewish king, to take just one example, was bamboozled. How can, he wondered, he who is born to be the King of the Jews be born in a cattle shed? Arent kings born in palaces? The answer is no, if the one born is the king of new beginnings. No new beginning is possible within the iron-frames of establishments. The establishment has been, in every age, a demesne of hidebound mediocrity, of which hypocrisy is the spiritual variant. Scope for new beginnings abound, but they exist outside the ruts of conformity. When a spiritual ferment is fitted into the Procrustean bed of established religion, it becomes a labyrinth of ruts, landmarked by stereotypes that exclude freedom of thought. What the religious establishment does to the harbingers of new beginnings is illustrated by what was done to Jesus. Tried. Found to be innocent. Crucified. The pattern holds good for all religious establishments, irrespective of their differing identity-markers. Established religion, as it has come to be, is bad news for all humankind, especially for Christians. It is not only in the Dark Ages that the Church suppressed freedom of conscience and targeted people of spiritual integrity and intellectual promise. The Spanish Inquisition, which exterminated over sixty thousand men and women of good consciencethe pride of Europeis not dead yet. It has only become subtle and ensconced itself in the soul, rather than the muscle, of the Church. Jesus remains a chronic headache for the Church. It cannot do without him. Nor can it do with him. I am yet to find a single teaching of Jesus Christ the Church adheres to in spirit and in truth, unmindful of the cost. The alternative to such committed adherence to his teachings is celebrating the landmarks of his lifebirth, death and resurrection. But celebrations of sanitised superficiality are a de facto rejection of what Jesus taught, lived and died for. If Jesus were to come again and see for himself what Christmas has been turned into, he could well wield the whip, as he did in the temple of Jerusalem, and drive out the liveried hypocrites who degrade the house of God into a den of thieves. This, by the way, was Jesus description of the Jerusalem temple, the supreme pride of the Jewish religious establishment. Jesus is an alien to Christmas. And that is bad news for all humankind. Valson Thampu Former principal of St Stephens College, New Delhi Email: vthampu@gmail.com Bechu S By Online Desk The Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) declared four groups -- the Islamic State, Taliban, Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram -- as the most dangerous terror outfits in the world in 2017 as attacks carried out by the quartet had claimed the lives of more than half of the total terror victims worldwide. According to a data analysis by esri.com, this pattern remains unchanged in 2018 as the "Big Four" killed 4,625 people while a total of 8,439 people were killed in terror strikes. This is slightly higher than the 7,717 lives lost to terrorism last year. The website identifies 1,461 terror attacks worldwide between January 1, 2018, and December 24, 2018. The IS alone plotted 411 of these attacks, killing 2,809 people. Religious minorities and security forces remain the prime targets for extremists worldwide. Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria, Somalia and Syria recorded the most number of attacks in 2017 and the scenario remains unchanged in 2018. By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: Even as Andhra Pradesh remains one of the top exporters of shrimp in India, the issue of excessive usage of antibiotics in its culture continues to affect the State as the number of consignment rejections have not gone down. Official data shows that 60 per cent of the total rejections of the consignments from the State were due to the presence of antibiotics in the shrimps. According to the Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA), the three major export markets for shrimp European Union (EU), USA and Japan rejected 45 consignments from India till November this year. Of them, 12 were rejected as the shrimps did not meet the safety standards prescribed by the authorities abroad. Out of the 12 rejections due to the presence of high antibiotics, nine were from Andhra Pradesh, says the MPEDA data. The data since 2011 shows that there were a total of 110 cases of rejection of the shrimp consignments from Andhra Pradesh by the three major markets due to presence of antibiotics. This accounts to 51.8 per cent of the total rejections (due to various reasons) from the State. It may be noted that Andhra Pradesh exports around 70 per cent of shrimps from India. The Fisheries department officials admitted that even though there has been a marginal decrease in the usage of excessive and banned antibiotics, there was a long way to go. They added that rejections were particularly high with respect to the consignments sent to European Union. Speaking to TNIE, Commissioner of Fisheries Rama Shankar Naik said that the department has chalked out a multi-pronged approach to tackle the menace. It is true that the usage of antibiotics has been high, but we have formed district-level task forces, which are monitoring farms, hatcheries, feed suppliers and processing units. Besides monitoring, the task forces are also creating awareness among farmers and other stakeholders, which has shown positive results, he explained. The task force consists of officials from MPEDA, fisheries, drug control and other departments. The officials said notices were issued to 38 hatcheries and 33 aqua shops this year.He explained that the middlemen between farmers and processing units were one of the major causes for the menace. He said the department was proposing that the processing units carry out a farm audit before purchase of shrimps. If processing units reject stock, the farmers will stop using antibiotics, he said. Arunkumar Huralimath By Express News Service KARWAR: Following huge pressure from Karnataka, neighbouring Goa has lifted the ban on import of fish from Uttara Kannada district. However, the ban on fish from other coastal districts, including Udupi and Dakshina Kannada, continues to be in place. The Goa Health Department had announced the ban in October claiming that the fish from Karnataka had been found with traces of cancer-causing chemicals. Following this, fishermen from the state, especially Karwar, went on a massive strike claiming that they do not use chemicals for fish preservation. This led to political leaders from various parties meeting Goa minister in an attempt to resolve the crisis. The protesting fishermen had also stopped Goa fish container trucks from entering Karnataka. Praveen Javkar, a fish trader from Karwar, has confirmed that the confusion is over and fish from Karwar is reaching Goa markets. As of now, Goa will allow transport of fish in only light motor vehicles (LMVs) from Uttara Kannada. If a fish load comes in a big truck, it will not be allowed inside Goa. Before entering Goa, fish trucks are supposed to carry a bill from the Uttara Kannada District Fishermen Development Society, he added. Goa is dependent on Karnataka when it comes to vegetables and fish. There is a large demand for fish in Goa which it alone cannot meet the demand. Karwar is located right next to the Goa border, and why would anyone use chemicals for preservation of fish? The Goa government had claimed that chemicals were found during tests conducted in July, the month when there was a ban on fishing in Karwar and other coastal parts of Karnataka, pointed out a fisherman leader from Karwar. By Express News Service KOTTAYAM: BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai has said that the attempt of the women activists from Tamil Nadu to visit Sabarimala was part of a drama staged by the LDF Government.The activists who came under the banner of Maniti were not believers, but were part of a drama staged with the blessings of the Chief Minister. The whole episode was staged as per the directions from the Chief Ministers Office, he told mediapersons here on Sunday. Devotees blocking Maniti women at Pampa on Sunday. (R) Members of Maniti staging protest as they were not allowed darsan at Sabarimala | Shaji Vettipuram The Maniti members came with the knowledge of the CPM. Why would the Kerala police arrange security cover all the way from Tamil Nadu for these women, without any directive from the court? It proves the government and the CPM are keen on desecrating the holy hillock, he said. Accusing the state government of destroying the sanctity of Sabarimala temple, he sought a comprehensive inquiry into the whole incident by a Central agency. In protest against the incidents that unfolded at Sabarimala on Sunday, the BJP will observe a state-wide protest on Monday by holding peaceful demonstrations and protest meetings. To another query, he said a function would be held at Thiruvananthapuram on December 28 to welcome the new entrants to the BJP state unit. TDB abandons inaugural function Chengannur: BJP activists on Sunday agitated against Travancore Devaswom Board president A Padmakumar, Devaswom Commissioner N Vasu, board member Sankaradas and Saji Cherian MLA when they arrived near the Mahadeva Temple here for an inaugural function of the TDB. The Board had decided to inaugurate the office of the electrical division of the TDB near the Mahadeva temple. But the BJP followers disrupted the smooth functioning of the programme by chanting Swami Saranam. They demanded the Devaswom Board president to protect the customs and rituals of Sabarimala. The TDB was forced to cancel the programme. Since police were not present at the venue, the TDB members and Saji Cherian MLA decided to leave the spot. However, BJP workers conducted an unofficial inauguration of the office by picking an Ayyappa devotee from the crowd. They asked the devotee from Telangana to light the inaugural lamp. Police said they had not received any complaint about the incidents. Karma Samithi Alleges Maoist links Kochi; The Sabarimala Karma Samithi alleged the Maniti team which arrived in Sabarimala has links with Maoist ultras. They also demanded that since the state government is refusing to change its stance on the Sabarimala issue, the Governor should intervene and stop the government and police from creating a law and order issue there. The cops are fully aware there are many cases against most of the women who came for the pilgrimage. Knowing this, they were given police protection and were brought to Pampa, the Samithi said in a release. The Samithi termed the womens arrival an attempt by the Maoists to obstruct the Thanga Anki procession. This is an attempt to destroy Sabarimala. Why else would the police be aiding and abetting criminals when their maximum attention should be on bringing the Thanka Anki safely to the temple. The governments involvement in the incident should also be suspected, the release said. Arun M By Express News Service KOCHI: Since the states formation in 1956, the Congress has managed to send only one woman MP to the Lok Sabha. Savithri Lakshmanan, who represented the erstwhile Mukundapuram LS constituency from 1989 -1996, was the lucky one. As the party gears up for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, women Congress workers have high hopes of increased representation in the partys seat allocation. Though there are the usual talks before every polls on giving more representation to women, this time the women party workers feel that their chances are particularly bright and there are several factors which brighten the prospects. Last time, only two women - Bindu Krishna and K A Sheeba - were fielded by the party from the Attingal and Alathur (Reserved) seats respectively. Both of them, however, lost to their CPM rivals. Soon after the polls got over, the KPCC was inundated with complaints that the seats had been allotted to the two candidates without factoring in their winnability. Mahila Congress state president Lathika Subhash is confident this time around one or more women leaders will be in the fray from the safe seats. We are pretty hopeful the women leaders will get adequate representation this time. KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran has already taken the initiative in this regard. Moreover, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has a clear vision on womens representation and he is quite keen on accommodating women leaders in top party posts, Lathika said. Though the KPCC is yet to draw up the list of probable candidates, the fact that the Congress candidates bit dust in eight LS seats in the 2014 Parliament polls has given considerable hope to the women party workers that they will indeed get increased representation in seat allocation this time round. The Wayanad LS seat represented by M A Shanawaz, who passed away recently, could well see the Congress opting for a woman candidate in the coming LS polls. Moreover, women leaders have high winning prospects in the sitting seats too. Former AICC secretary Shanimol Usman, KPCC general secretary Padmaja Venugopal, Lathika Subhash, Kollam DCC president Bindu Krishna, coordinator of AICC data analytics department Swapna Patronis, and AICC member Deepthi Mary Varghese are the prominent names doing the rounds. Compared to the ruling CPM, which sent five women leaders to the LS from Kerala, the Congress has little to write home about on this front. In 2004, the CPMs P Sathidevi and C S Sujatha won from Vadakara and Alappuzha, respectively. Suseela Gopalan and A K Premajam too served multiple terms as CPM Lok Sabha MPs. We have requested the AICC to allot seats to women considering the winnability factor. Congress supremo Rahul Gandhi gives equal prominence to senior and junior-level leaders and accommodates fresh faces. Hence, we are hopeful of a major change happening this time, said Shanimol Usman. Lathika said the party has started a mission to groom politically committed women leaders. As part of this, the posts of vice-presidents in around 24,000 booth committees were allotted to women. High hopes! Though there are the usual talks before every polls on giving more representation to women, the women workers of the party hold the view that their chances are particularly bright this time around. The KPCC is yet to draw up the list of probable candidates. But, the fact that the Congress candidates bit dust in eight LS seats in the 2014 parliament polls has given considerable hope to the women party workers By Express News Service NEW DELHI/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In what could lead to another political tussle between the state and Centre, the latter has denied permission to Keralas float, on Renaissance movements like Vaikom Satyagraha, Temple Entry Proclamation and Non-Cooperation Movement, for the Republic Day parade. The picture, however, will be clear only by Wednesday, with sources telling Express the file is still with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharamans office. Its still with the Defence Minister and Im not sure of the tableaus of Kerala and Election Commission of India, said a Defence Ministry officer. READ | People should unite to protect renaissance values, says Pinarayi The move comes at a time when the state is taking up measures to create awareness on Renaissance values in the wake of the apex court verdict favouring womens entry to Sabarimala. Naturally, the reason cited is political. The Chief Ministers Office said the Centre denied permission despite the Cultural Committee giving its nod. The office added Kerala was not included in the list even though 14 states were given the nod. By Express News Service BHUBANESWAR: With the recent Assembly elections throwing up ambiguous signals and Telangana Chief Minister and TRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) storming to victory in face of Mahakutami, the possibility of a non-BJP, non-Congress Third Front has gained momentum. Making his first move, the Telangana CM here on Sunday met his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik and the two regional satraps sent out positive vibes. Adhering to his proclaimed policy of equi-distance from the BJP and Congress, Naveen hinted at the possibility of an alternative front of like minded parties after his meeting with the Telangana CM. Talking to mediapersons at a joint press conference with KCR, Naveen said they discussed a number of issues including matters of national and mutual interest. Meeting between the two regional satraps lasted for over 40 minutes. We had a general discussion on matters of national interest and how to take this forward. We discussed several issues including a further friendship amongst like minded parties, he said. The meeting assumed significance as the Odisha CM - though circumspect - opened up about the future course of action by the BJD and did not rule out the possibility of like minded regional parties joining forces ahead of the 2019 polls. Asked, if the meeting could be seen as both joining hands before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Naveen said, We have not thought that far, lets see. He though hinted that meetings with KCR will continue in this regard. The TRS boss was on the same page. KCR said there is a dire need for regional parties to come together against BJP and Congress and added that talks with his Odisha counterpart have just started. We will meet again soon, he said. The country needs a political change, a change for which a dialogue has begun. We are making efforts, nothing has come out concrete till now. I think shortly something will emerge. We will shortly meet again. There is a dire need for unification of regional parties in the country, he said. KCR is also reaching out to regional parties to cobble up a non-Congress, non-BJP alliance ahead of the parliamentary elections. He is scheduled to meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Monday. The TRS supremo will also meet Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav at New Delhi next week. Naveen said, he and KCR discussed the Polavaram issue and 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies. We discussed Polavaram issue and how to carry that forward, he said. Congratulating the TRS supremo for the tremendous victory in Telangana in the recently concluded assembly elections, Naveen also praised the agriculture policy of KCR and said that some more progressive points have been added by the Odisha Government in its own policy. The bonhomie between the two leaders was palpable as KCR praised Naveens new scheme Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) as a very good initiative for the farmers. The Telangana CM praised Naveen as a good role model. He (Naveen) is a selfless political leader and a tall personality, he said and congratulated him for taking initiative on the issue of 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies. I received a letter from him in this regard and we support it, he said. Dismissing the Congress criticism of his initiative as a move to weaken the anti-NDA and anti-BJP forces before the next elections and the partys jibe that TRS is the B team of BJP, KCR said, The Congress leaders have become a joke. We are not B team of anybody, We are our own team, he said. By IANS NEW YORK: Following the massive #MeToo movement, around 50 million Google searches on sexual harrasment, reporting and prevention of such behaviour were recorded in the US during October 2017 to June 2018, a US study suggests. The study found that sexual harassment and assault searches were 86 per cent higher than expected from October 15 in 2017 to June 15 in 2018, reaching a record high. An estimated 40-54 million Google searches for sexual harassment and assault were recorded in the US in the eight months after public accusations against film producer Harvey Weinstein and the ensuing #MeToo movement, according to the researchers, including John W. Ayers from the University of California, San Diego. ALSO READ: Me Too made guys take stock and think, says Ranveer Singh For the study, the research team monitored the volume of Google searches originating from the US that were indicative of sexual harassment and assault awareness from January 1, 2010, through June 15, 2018. They further monitored the subset of these searches that focused on seeking resources for reporting of sexual harassment and assault and preventive training. The search volumes were provided as a ratio of all Google searches (per 10 million), thereby adjusting for changes in Google usage over time, suggested the study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. The team found that searches related to reporting and preventive training for sexual harassment and assault were 30 per cent higher and 51 per cent higher than predicted. ALSO READ: Me Too a warning against misusing authority, says Poonam Dhillon On October 15, 2017, following the public accusations of sexual harassment and assault against film producer Harvey Weinstein, actress Alyssa Milano encouraged victims to bring the taboo topic out of the shadows by sharing their own stories on social media. #MeToo was tweeted 300,000 times the day after Milano's post and generated widespread support with scores of accusations made against media, political, and business leaders, giving voice to previously unheard victims. In India, the #MeToo movement began this year after Bollywood actress Tanushree Dutta accused actor Nana Patekar of sexual harassment. By PTI KANO: Gunmen at the weekend killed 17 people in the latest attack on villages in northern Nigeria's Zamfara state, witnesses and police said on Monday. The assault came just days after 25 people were killed in similar raids on two villages in the region. Gunmen on motorcycles stormed Magami village in the Maradun district area of the state on Saturday, shooting indiscriminately as residents fled. "After the attack, we collected 17 dead bodies which we buried," Magami resident Kasimu Bello told AFP. "The gunmen entered the village on several motorcycles, shooting people as they tried to flee," he said. Another resident Umaru Bawa confirmed the attack, saying "the bandits pursued people like chickens and shot them dead as they ran into the bush." Zamfara state police spokesman Mohammed Shehu said his operatives would arrest and "bring to justice the perpetrators of this dastardly act". He also vowed to end the rampant armed attacks in the state. On Wednesday, 25 people were killed when gunmen raided two villages in Birnin Magaji district of the state. Farming and herding communities in Zamfara have for years been wracked by cattle rustling and kidnapping for ransom, prompting villagers to form vigilante gangs as a protection force. However the villagers too are accused of carrying out extra-judicial killings of suspected bandits, leading to tit-for-tat violence. In April, troops were deployed to Zamfara to fight the gangs and police banned the civilian militia in an attempt to curb the cycle of reprisals. Last month the police claimed to have killed 104 bandits in Birnin Magaji district during a clash in which 16 policemen were killed. Early this month, an influential traditional ruler in the state called for civilian militia members to be given assault rifles to defend themselves. The continued raids by cattle thieves in Zamfara and the resource conflict between farmers and herders in central Nigeria have added to Nigeria's security challenges as the military battles Boko Haram jihadists in the northeast. Troops have repelled attacks on bases in northeast Nigerian Borno state where Boko Haram has in recent months targeted posts. Late Friday troops fought off an attempt to over-run a base in the town of Damasak on the border with Niger after an hours-long fight in which one civilian was killed. On Saturday, the troops also foiled jihadist attempts to take over two bases in Logomani near the border with Cameroon and the town of Gajiram. Several jihadists were killed in the fight and their vehicles destroyed, sources said on condition of anonymity. By PTI WASHINGTON: Indian-American Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, a fierce critic of Donald Trump, has come out in support of the President's decision to pullout US troops from Syria and Afghanistan, saying his party colleagues should not pile on without offering an alternative vision. The 42-year-old Congressman, who represents Silicon valley, has surprised many by coming out in strong support of president's decision to withdraw American troops from Syria and his reported plans to bring back nearly half of the 15,000 of his troops from war-ravaged Afghanistan. Khanna said that he is doing so in the national interest. "A few days ago, I was with Trump as he signed one of my bills. I said Mr President, China has not been in a war since 1979. If we want to win the race against them, we should not get bogged down in war. He nodded and then observed that they have enriched themselves without firing a shot," Khanna wrote in an op-ed published in The Washington Post. Khanna, who is on the Armed Services Committee, was re-elected for the second term in the November mid-term elections. "President Trump is receiving an onslaught of criticism for his decision to withdraw troops from Syria and Afghanistan. Congressional Democrats should not pile on without offering an alternative vision," he wrote. He said that though the president's desire on troops withdrawal should be applauded, but he should be challenged to assemble a team that does so with better planning. "We should applaud the president's desire to put an end to these interventions, but should challenge him to assemble a team that does so with better planning and diplomacy. We should articulate a foreign policy doctrine of responsible withdrawal that prioritises restraint and human rights," he said. Khanna said that Trump's instincts as a candidate of ending the war and bringing troops home were spot-on. "There should be a short timeline for bringing home our troops to allow for a smooth transition. We should engage in direct talks with the Taliban and seek a negotiated settlement, involving regional actors such as Pakistan, Iran, Russia, China and India," Khanna said. However, his open support and praise of Trump has angered his own party colleagues. The entire Democratic leadership has rallied behind the outgoing Defence Secretary James Mattis for his opposition to Trump's move on Syria and Afghanistan. The decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan has not been officially announced yet. "The genuinely anti-war & left-wing member of Congress, Khanna, has been idiotically & hilariously attacked as a "Trump apologist" because he praised Trump's desired withdrawal of troops from Syria & Afghanistan," tweeted Intercept Journalist Glenn Greenwald. One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 (Newser) Archaeologists have unearthed the petrified remains of a harnessed horse and saddle in the stable of an ancient villa in a Pompeii suburb. Pompeii archaeological park head Massimo Osanna tells the ANSA news agency that the villa belonged to a high-ranking military officer, perhaps a general, during ancient Roman times. Osanna said the remains of two or three other horses were also discovered. The area was previously excavated, during the early 1900s, but later re-buried, the AP reports. Osanna believes the general may have been preparing to either flee or help citizens during the volcanic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD. Osanna says suffocating volcanic ash or boiling vapors killed the horses. He hopes the villa eventually will be open for public visits. (A recently discovered Pompeii fresco shows "explicit sensuality.") (Newser) It's another controversial case involving Saudi Arabia and the US. This time, as the Oregonian reports, federal authorities think the kingdom helped a 21-year-old man awaiting trial in a fatal hit-and-run flee the United States and return home. In August 2016, police in Portland say Abdulrahman Sameer Noorah illegally swerved around traffic that had stopped to allow 15-year-old Fallon Smart to cross a boulevard. Noorah, who had been in the US studying at a local community college, hit the teen while going at least 55mph, then fled the scene before returning later, authorities say. The Saudi consulate put up $100,000 so Noorah could be released on bail in his first-degree manslaughter case. And two weeks before his trial, Noorah disappeared with help from a mysterious black SUV. story continues below The vehicle picked up Noorah at his home and drove him to the parking lot of a nearby business, where he cut off the tracking monitor on his ankle and discarded it. He hasn't been seen since, though the Saudi government informed the US last year that he is back in Saudi Arabia. The best guess by federal authorities is that the Saudis arranged the SUV, got Noorah a fake passport, and got him out of the country on a private carrier. "Were doing everything we can to get him back," a US marshal official tells the newspaper. A lawyer for victim Fallon's family asks, "Why isnt the Saudi government respecting our justice system? Click for the full story, which notes that this isn't the first time that Saudi Arabia bailed Noorah out of legal trouble in the US. (Read more Saudi Arabia stories.) (Newser) A Texas man who made a solemn vow to stay with his wife for better or for worse apparently didn't take into account that she might one day blast loud music from her laptop, and that he wouldn't like it. The Star-Telegram reports that 44-year-old Gary Lykins holed himself up in his Fort Worth home around 2am Saturday, after he allegedly got sick of hearing his wife's music, pulled out a firearm, and shot up the laptop it was coming from. Sixteen police units converged on the house over four hours, until Lykins' eventual arrest on charges of deadly conduct, a third-degree felony, per the Dallas Morning News. He was said to have had "access to several firearms" while he was barricaded inside, but he surrendered apparently without incident. Lykins' wife suffered minor injuries from the pieces of her computer as it was blown to pieces. (Read more weird crimes stories.) (Newser) "Oh how the camera caught her / As she committed burglary / Rudolph the Red Nosed Criminal / We need your help with her ID." That's the call-to-action jingle a Colorado police department would like you to hear, penned in honor of a recent burglary suspect in Fort Collins who got into the Christmas spirit to pull off her crime. CBS Denver reports that a woman was caught on surveillance video while stealing from a business in Fort Collins, and her disguise was what was most noticeable on the tape: what NBC News describes as a "large, furry Rudolph mask." story continues below The Fort Collins Police Services is asking for the public's help in identifying the suspect, who briefly removed the reindeer mask during the Dec. 18 break-in on Hickory Street and stared right at the security camera. "If you have any info about this incident or know [the] suspect's identity, let us know so we can notify St. Nick," the department posted on Facebook, along with lyrics on the "shady scheme" that parody "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." (Here's the science behind the famous reindeer's red nose.) An Indian expatriate woman who was allegedly held in captivity by an Arab man was rescued by the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) officials yesterday. The man is claimed to have purchased the Indian woman and was keeping her as slave. Rescue efforts began after the woman contacted members of a humanitarian organisation, which in turn alerted the Indian External Affairs Minister and Bahraini authorities. Sources said the authorities instantly rescued the woman after coming to know about her situation. After being locked up in a room, the woman somehow managed to inform her ordeal to Justice Upheld, an international humanitarian organisation, sources told Tribune. We are extremely concerned to learn a few minutes ago that the man claiming to own an Indian woman has locked her up and is refusing to release her since he has paid a lot of money for her Justice Upheld tweeted to Indian External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, who directed the embassy officials to act. Enslaver just called the family of the victim in India and informed them that they can do whatever they want, he is going to keep her for at least 25 days since he has paid good money for her, the organisation, said in its second tweet. The situation appears to be serious. This requires immediate intervention on your part, Ms Swaraj retweeted, directing Indian Ambassador Alok Kumar Sinha and the Indian Embassy team to intervene into the matter. His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa received at Gudaibiya Palace yesterday senior officials, the intelligentsia, media persons, journalists and citizens. He affirmed that Bahrain derives power from its people who have set throughout history a model in patriotism, dedication and awareness. He praised the Bahraini peoples resistance against plots to drive wedges and sow sedition, urging the national mass media to be a true conveyor of the image of the Bahraini people and their virtuous ethics. HRH the Premier paid tribute to the Bahraini people for their patriotic stances, calling for vigilance in a turbulent world. He stressed keenness on achieving citizens aspirations, urging collective regional efforts to deter ambient dangers. He lauded the Bahraini peoples stances and unity in thwarting conspiracies to undermine national security and stability and sow seeds of division. Bahrain is set to host an International Brands and Franchise Expo (IBFEX) 2019, which will showcase brands from all major sectors in the Middle East seeking B2B and B2G opportunities. The event, which is going to be a business focus, oriented expo on networking; lead generation, investments, franchising, latest technology, innovation, workshops, and start-ups will be held from the 11th of February at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre. Speaking to Tribune, Jacob Jijo Philip, Marketing and Exhibitions Director, of Quick Media Solutions, said, We are glad to introduce the International Brands and Franchise Expo (IBFEX) 2019 the one-stop expo for brand boosting and global business networking in the Middle East. The expo will have on board the biggest and largest brand marketers from the Middle East and overseas showcasing brands from major sectors seeking for B2B and B2G opportunities in International Trade, franchising, Retail, and Technology Networking. The expo is supported by associations such as the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) Bahrain, FAME (Franchise Association for the Middle East), Arab International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Investment (AICEI), The Middle East and North Africa Centre for Investment (MENA), General Union of Arab Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, The Union of Arab Banks and many more national and International partners. The Shura Council yesterday held its second regular meeting of the first session of the fifth Legislative Term, under the chairmanship of Ali Al Saleh. The Council opened the first session of the Fifth Legislative Term, under the chairmanship of the First Deputy Chairman, Jamal Mohammed Fakhroo, following a speech delivered by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The meeting also approved the proposal of the councils bureau on the membership of its standing committees. It also elected the standing committees chairpersons and deputy chairpersons, as well as the four members who will represent the Shura Council in the Executive Committee of the Parliamentary Delegation. Exploring the possibilities that space has to offer is one of the best ways to further advance the human race, said Srijan Pal Singh, a leading space expert, author, public speaker, social entrepreneur and Chief Executive Officer of Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Centre. Mr Srijan is in the Kingdom to deliver a keynote speech on the Iife and vision of Dr Kalam, former President of India and renowned space scientist, at the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam (BKS) tomorrow as part of the ongoing book fair and cultural fest. During a brief interaction with Tribune, he said space settlement, space tourism and space defence force are the three latest topics intensively researched by space scientists as well as widely discussed by space enthusiasts. Among the three, space settlement deserves maximum attention. If the researches in this field succeed, it is going to bring about a remarkable change in our lives. Space tourism is only the first step towards the colonisation of space. It will help us understand the space more. For instance, the Mars exploration missions mainly focus on the factors in that planet that support life. There could be a large scale migration of human race to Mars in the decades to come. But before that, we need to understand the existing challenges. Speaking about space defence force, a topic of deep interest to US President Donald Trump, Mr Srijan said the proposals could lead to a growth of a new defence sector. All weapons have to be redesigned for space purpose. For instance, if a man fires a bullet from space, along with the bullet he will as well start moving towards the infinity in the absence of gravity and friction. Mr Srijan expressed hope that all ongoing space research activities would eventually reap benefits for the common man. Undoubtedly, common man has been the number one beneficiary of space research. All of us are, these days, using GPS applications. Satellites have made tsunami and earthquake warning systems more efficient. Satellites have revolutionised broadcasting of television channels, telecommunication technologies and telemedicine. The social entrepreneur asserted that in all aspects space science is a common mans science as it will widen the horizons of human race. A partial US government shutdown that entered its second day yesterday was set to stretch through Christmas, after Congress adjourned for the weekend with no deal in sight to end an impasse over funding for President Donald Trumps wall on the US-Mexico border. Due to the shutdown -- in which several key US agencies ceased operations at 12:01 am (0501 GMT) Saturday -- Trump said he would remain in Washington over Christmas instead of going to Florida. I am in the White House, working hard, the Republican president tweeted. We are negotiating with the Democrats on desperately needed Border Security (Gangs, Drugs, Human Trafficking & more) but it could be a long stay. Trump has dug in on his demand for $5 billion for construction of the border wall, a signature campaign promise and part of his effort to reduce illegal immigration. Democrats are staunchly opposed, and the absence of a deal meant federal funds for dozens of agencies lapsed at midnight Friday. The House of Representatives and the Senate held sessions on Saturday, but both chambers adjourned without agreement, and no votes were expected until Thursday. Visitors to the capitals parklike National Mall, home to attractions including war memorials and the towering Washington Monument, criticized the shutdown which added to an air of chaos in a capital still reeling from Defense Secretary Jim Mattiss resignation last week over Trump policies. The uncertainty also helped pushed Wall Street into another rout on Friday, ending its worst week in a decade. Oh I think its ridiculous. Its unnecessary, Philip Gibbs, a retired business professor from South Virginia, said of the shutdown. Jeffrey Grignon, a Wisconsin healthcare worker, said the politicians need to stop acting like children and do the work they were elected to do. It isnt just one or two people. Its all them, he said. President Muhammadu Buhari has asked Nigerians to embrace love, peace and hospitality during Christmas. In his message to the nati... President Muhammadu Buhari has asked Nigerians to embrace love, peace and hospitality during Christmas. In his message to the nation on the occasion of Christmas, Buhari urged the populace to reflect on the message of hope, compassion, salvation, reconciliation, forgiveness and peace that Jesus Christ embodies and conveys. He asked Nigerians to show the world that something good can come out of the country. The president said he had ordered the security agencies to see to it that people can celebrate in peace without fears of insecurity. He added that the future of the country is better than what it had experienced in the past. He promised to deliver a credible, free and fair election in 2019, saying my word is my bond. I felicitate with all Nigerians, particularly our Christian brothers and sisters, on the joyous occasion of this years Christmas, which commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, Buhari said. In 2018, Nigerians have had mixed blessings, typical of human beings. On the pleasant side, our economy has made significant progress since coming out from recession and our faithful implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan. On the downside, we have seen so many unnecessary deaths caused by violent clashes between neighbours, who ordinarily should complement and support one another. We cannot bring back the lives lost to floods, unfortunate fire disasters, road accidents, farmers/herders clashes and insurgency. But we can put back smiles on the faces of the grieving, the displaced and the troubled, if we show a little love and recommit ourselves to building relationships with those outside our ethnic, religious and socio-political divides. As we celebrate Christmas, exchange gifts, pray and visit loved ones, let us remember many others who cannot be with their families this time. Our brave Armed Forces, and other security men and women who make incredible sacrifices to keep us safe, the aged, the sick, physically challenged persons, all deserve our goodwill in this season of love and sharing. Together we can show generosity to our neighbours and demonstrate the diversity that makes Nigeria unique a land with a beautiful climate and vegetation, beaming with an energetic and creative youth population. We must not also forget that what lies ahead of us as a nation is better than whatever we must have experienced in the past. With general election around the corner and heightened political activities across the country, I have charged our security and law enforcement agencies to secure the sanctity of the ballot box and ensure that the outcome of the polls reflects the will of the Nigerian people. My avowed commitment to free, fair, credible and violence-free polls is not a ruse or yet another vain political promise. My word is my bond. It is a sworn declaration on the advancement of Nigeria, the future and safety of our young and unborn generations. Let us tell the world that, indeed, something good can come out from Nigeria. And it will happen, as we all team up to make it happen. Barcelona was on alert on Monday after the US State Department warned of the risk of a terrorist attack in Spains second-largest city during the Christmas holidays.Exercise heightened caution around areas of vehicle movement, including buses, in the Las Ramblas area of Barcelona during Christmas and New Years. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, and other public areas, the State Departments Bureau of Consular Affairs said in a tweet on Sunday.Asked about the warning during an interview with Rac1 radio on Monday, Catalonias regional interior minister Miquel Buch said police were working on this threat.We take seriously all threats, all of them are investigated, he added, without giving further details.Top-selling Spanish newspaper El Pais, citing anonymous police sources, said the authorities were looking for a 30-year-old Moroccan man with a licence to drive buses.Barcelona-based daily El Periodico de Catalunya said Catalan regional police had circulated an internal note that the man could try to drive a bus into crowds in Barcelona.Contacted by AFP, a spokesman for the regional police force in Catalonia did not confirm police were seeking a Moroccan man but said a temporary reinforcement of security measures in areas of high concentration of people was in place.Spain has kept its terrorist alert unchanged at the second-highest level despite the US State Department warning, although security measures were boosted in December for the Christmas holiday period, a Spanish interior ministry spokesman said.On August 17, 2017 a van rammed into crowds on Barcelonas tree-lined Las Ramblas boulevard, killing 14 people. The 22-year-old Moroccan driver then stole a car after killing the driver and fled.Several hours later five of his accomplices mowed down pedestrians on the promenade of the seaside resort of Cambrils south of Barcelona before stabbing a woman to death.The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, Spains deadliest in over a decade. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Monday, disclosed that under-recovery of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol, has dropped to N20 per litre from over N80 a couple of weeks back, noting, however, that the Federal Government was still committed to bearing the additional cost above the regulated price of N145 per litre.What this means is that if the Federal Government stops subsidizing the price of PMS today, the actual selling price of PMS would rise to N165 per litre.Addressing newsmen during a tour of petrol stations in Abuja, Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Maikanti Baru, said the corporation was not deterred by the rising cost of under-recovery and would continue to import PMS into the country to guarantee stability in supply.Baru and his team visited petrol stations at Nyanya, Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, Kubwa and Central Business District, all in the Federal Capital Territory.Baru also reiterated the effort of the government to ensure stable fuel supply during the Yuletide and beyond, especially in the face of attempts by some individuals to disrupt supply.Baru disclosed that under-recovery, also known as subsidy, had a couple of months back, risen to about N80 per litre, noting that within that period, the government insisted on bearing the additional cost so as not to bring hardship on Nigerians.He said, Today, fuel distribution is not an issue, supply is not an issue and the magnanimity of the President to ensure that despite the disparity between landing cost and pump price, we are able to ensure that every Nigerian had access to sufficient products at government regulated price of N145 per litre. Despite the fact at some point, we had imported PMS with under-recovery of over N80 per litre.The worry that we had has been cleared. We also thank the president for maintaining the N145 per litre pump price. During the course of the year, we had times when we brought in products that indicated an under-recovery of almost N80 per litre. This was because when price of crude oil rises, the under-recovery on product price also rises.Today, we are having much lower crude oil prices and under-recovery had also gone down significantly to the region of N20 and N25 per litre, depending on what the price is. At $60 per barrel, it is about N25 per litre. We are prepared to continue bringing in the products no matter the under-recovery we incur on the commodity.Baru further stated that presently, the country has fuel stock that would last the country for over 60 days, adding that current supply would last the country till after the 2019 general elections.He said, At the moment, we have 60 days supply in tank; almost three billion litres of PMS that would last us, without bringing in any extra drop of fuel, another 60 days. We are seeing having products clearly throughout the election period; we have sufficient products. If any unscrupulous individual or group is planning to sabotage supply from now till the election period, we are going to disappoint them. They will be sufficient products, and if any have hoarded, they should better bring it out and put it into the market.Also speaking, Assistant Commandant-General, Operations of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Mr. Abdullahi Aminu, commended the NNPC for partnering with security agencies in curbing hindrances to fuel supply.He said, We always appreciate good and effective collaboration that would ensure sanity in the oil and gas industry. We want to commend the NNPC for its efforts at curbing the menace of fuel crisis that usually hampers the Yuletide season.We are deploying all available resources from Lagos, Ogun and Oyo state on the Right of Way from Atlas Cove to Mosimi, and to Ibadan, to make sure there is no vandalism, no oil theft, no scooping from the right of way. Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has spoken on the controversy surrounding his communicatio... Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has spoken on the controversy surrounding his communication with the family of Ibrahim Sakaba, a lieutenant colonel of the Nigerian army, killed by Boko Haram in Borno state. Sakaba was one of the 44 soldiers killed by Boko Haram insurgents during an attack on 157 task force battalion in Metele, Borno. Tweeting via @Atiku, his verified handle, the presidential candidate had said he condoled with the widow of the deceased on the phone. This Christmas, I urge all Nigerians to spare a thought for our military on the frontlines on the war on terror. I had cause to telephone Lt. Col. Ibrahim Sakabas widow this Yuletide. I am touched by her devotion & love for her husband who paid the supreme sacrifice for Nigeria. pic.twitter.com/fUEK9ZzYaJ December 23, 2018 But in an interview with PUNCH, the widow said she never received any call from Atiku. But in an interview with PUNCH, the widow said she never received any call from Atiku. Following the criticism which trailed the womans comment, Atiku issued a statement, saying he spoke with the sister, not wife of Sakaba. Following the death of Lt. Col Ibrahim Sakaba during the Boko Haram insurgents attack on 157 Taskforce Battalion in Metele, His Excellency Atiku Abubakars staff has made efforts to get the contact of his widow to enable the former Vice President express his condolences over the loss of the fallen hero, the statement read. Over the weekend, Atiku Abubakar was availed with phone numbers of Mrs. Sakaba and Maryam, younger sister of the late soldier, in the alternative. On Sunday, the former Vice President tried albeit unsuccessfully to contact Mrs. Sakaba but was able to eventually speak with Maryam, younger sister of the gallant soldier during which he expressed his deepest condolences to the family. However, this communication was erroneously communicated. The error is regretted. Atiku Abubakar, however reaffirms his deepest condolences to the Sakaba family, which sacrifices, like those of their brave son, keeps us safe. The Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris has felicitated and rejoiced with Christians across the country as they celebrate this years Christmas.The IGP has also directed the implementation of a comprehensive operational strategies, robust and elaborate security arrangement throughout the Country.This came as he asked the Assistant Inspectors General of Police and Commissioners of Police in Zonal and State Commands Nationwide to be on ground to ensure massive deployment of Police personnel on crime prevention and visibility patrols, crowd control, and adequate security and safety at all places of worship and other venues of celebration in their Areas of Responsibilities.The IGP further ordered deployment of additional personnel and crime prevention and detection equipment to be taken out to cover identified and perceived criminal black spots, flash points, abandoned and uncompleted project sites being used as hideouts by criminal elements to commit crime. The on-going raids of criminal hideouts and black spots and removal of suspected criminals will continue throughout the Christmas period into the New Year and beyond.Police deployment will also cover recreation centres, other public places, critical infrastructure and public and private facilities.Federal Highway Patrol Teams, the Safer Highway Patrol Units and Anti-Crime Patrols have been deployed along highways and major roads throughout the Country for the protection and safety of travellers, commuters and other road users during the period and beyond. They are under strict instructions to be civil, polite, compassionate and firm in carrying out their duties.Intense surveillance/Intelligence gathering will be maintained, special deployment, and stop and search duties will be carried out at all flash/vulnerable points in every State of the Country.The Nigeria Police Force is hereby imploring members of the public, most especially travellers and other road users to cooperate with Police personnel deployed on visibility policing and crime prevention patrols. The Force enjoined them to be security conscious, vigilant and report any untoward incident or happening observed in their locality to the nearest Police station.Meanwhile, the IGP on behalf of the entire Officers and Men of the Force, rejoiced with Christians throughout Nigeria as they join the Christendom in celebrating this years Christmas. He enjoined them to practice the virtues of Jesus Christ by propagating peace, demonstrating love and forgiveness, as well as promoting harmonious coexistence among fellow citizens, irrespective of religious, ethnic or political leanings.He also thanked Nigerians for their understanding and the renewed cooperation with the Nigeria Police Force in the year 2018. However, he called on Nigerians to partner with the Force by providing useful information to Police personnel deployed in their localities. The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos State, Jimi Agbaje, has vowed to remove the Lekki Toll Gate,... The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos State, Jimi Agbaje, has vowed to remove the Lekki Toll Gate, if voted into power in 2019. Agbaje described the fee being collected at the toll gate as illegal. The PDP guber candidate noted that though the toll gate was built by a concessionaire, it had since been bought over by the Lagos State Government. He wondered why residents were still being forced to pay tolls to pass. Agbaje was responding to the one-hour toll-free passage recently given to all motorists by his All Progressives Congress counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Agbaje said, Unfortunately, the toll gate is opaque because no one knows its financial records. So, asking people on your campaign trail and others to pass without paying for just one hour is absurd and regrettable. Good road is a fundamental right of citizens and we promise to deliver on this and many other things. At the moment, most Lagos roads are impassable because of their poor condition. Now, motorists are compelled to pay heavily for passage. How about the so-called alternative routes? Ideally, government should have provided alternative routes to the Lekki Toll Gate, but the available alternate route is in a terrible shape, so everybody is forced to use the toll gate and pay. Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has released further details to back up his claims that a body dou... Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has released further details to back up his claims that a body double is impersonating President Muhammadu Buhari in Aso Rock Kanu, who had promised to release more mind blowing evidence against President Muhammadu Buhari, on Sunday shared a copy of the letter Buhari addressed to the National Assembly on his official Twitter Page. To further prove his theory that the current President was Jubril from Sudan, Nnamdi Kanu claimed that Buharis signature in 2016 was different from his present signature. He tweeted, I keep stating, everything about Jubril is different from late Buhari. They promised change in 2015, now we know what change means. Compare his signatures in 2016 & 2018. I ask proud Nigerians that can barely reason, have the signatures not changed?My goodness! Peter Obi, vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says Nigerias economy will keep bleeding if President... Peter Obi, vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says Nigerias economy will keep bleeding if President Muhammadu Buhari remains in power for another four years. Speaking in Lagos on Saturday, Obi made reference to the 2019 budget Buhari presented to the national assembly on Wednesday. Buharis goes ahead with plans to tax poor Nigerians, in line with provisions of the proposed budget which is largely focused on debt servicing. According to him, Nigeria will not survive ifBuharis goes ahead with plans to tax poor Nigerians, in line with provisions of the proposed budget which is largely focused on debt servicing. We need to know where we are going as a nation but with Buhari at the helms of affairs, we do not know where we are going. Buhari is not in charge of this government as he does not know or care what the poor people are going through, he said. Nigerians are currently the poorest people on earth, yet the Muhammadu Buhari administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is still looking at taxing them the more. Take look at the budget presented by the President a few days ago and you will see that it does not give anyone hope instead, it tells us that we are still where we have always been. A quarter of the budget is meant to service debts, and that is about 60% of the budget while the President keeps telling Nigerians to tighten their belts because of the harsh times staring at us in the future. Does that give anyone confidence in this government? Not at all, I dare say. While presenting the budget, he said that the government is looking for ways to tax Nigerians the more. What are you taxing the poor people for? Does that give any one of us hope in this government? That means that if we keep them for the next four years, we are finished. Outlining what Atiku Abubakar, PDP presidential candidate, will do to reverse the situation if elected to power, Obi said focus will be placed on reviving small and medium enterprises (SMEs). He said Atikus administration will restore investor confidence and improve ease of doing business in the country to stimulate economic growth. We know the situation looks gloomy but we are not scared of going in to salvage the country. The situation with Nigeria is like an accident victim. The first thing to do in such a situation is to stop the bleeding first by applying first aid before the real treatment, he said. Unless the right steps are taken to stop the bleeding, we will still be where we have been for years. Its going to be difficult but we know where we are going and what we are going to do. To put the Nigerian economy back on a sound footing, we have to take a holistic look at SMEs because only then will you rescue the dwindling economy. Self-styled leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, yesterday revealed details of a brief discussion... Self-styled leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, yesterday revealed details of a brief discussion he had with late Alex Badeh, a former chief of Defense Staff, while in Kuje prison. Badeh, who served as the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, was assassinated along the Abuja-Keffi highway last Tuesday evening. Speaking on the murder of Badeh during a special worldwide broadcast from Israel, Kanu alleged that the late Chief of Air Staff was murdered on the instructions of some persons in the government. The IPOB leader, quoting a popular national newspaper copiously, said close associates of the late CDS claimed he (Badeh) met with Mrs Aisha Buhari recently to seek help with his corruption cases pending in court because it was taking huge emotional and financial toll on him. But the wife of the president reportedly told him only Abba Kyari, President Muhammadu Buharis Chief of Staff, could help him so she took him to Mr Kyari who was non-committal. Afterwards, Kyari reportedly told Badeh to call him later. The late CDS did call back but never got a response. Against that background, Kanu said Aisha Buharis reference to Abba Kyari as Badehs messiah only confirms that President Buhari is not alive and Jubril Aminu Al-Sudani does whatever Mr. Kyari says. I told you ab initio that the main culprits in this (Badehs killing) are Abba Kyari and Mamman Daura, he alleged. On the rationale behind Badehs assassination, Kanu said: Badeh died because he threatened Aisha Buhari and Abba Kyari with what he knew about Mr. Jubril Aminu Al-Sudani. The IPOB leader went further to say that during his discussion with Badeh while at Kuje prisons in Abuja, he told the late Air chief that Nigeria cannot work but he (Badeh) insisted that Nigeria will work. His words: I met Alex Badeh in Kuje or he met me in Kuje prison and we had a brief discussion. Those that were there know what I discussed with him. I told him Nigeria will never work, but he told me no, Nigeria will work, your senior brother is my friend. My senior brother is Air Marshal, the IPOB leader said. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on Nigerians to join hands against insecurity and insensitivity in the country. Obas... Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on Nigerians to join hands against insecurity and insensitivity in the country. Obasanjo said this at the 80th anniversary of Ango Abdullahi, former vice-chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU). NAN reports that the ceremony was organised by the Abdullahi Kwasau Dynasty. The ex-president said the call became necessary in view of the incessant insecurity bedeviling the country. Obasanjo said elderly Nigerians should not allow things to continue the way they are going, adding that doing nothing is tantamount to planting the seed of destruction. Nobody should feel that he has the monopoly of violence and if it is violence, when you are pushed to the wall, well they say a man dies only once, he said. But is it violence that will make this country what it should be? Is it insecurity? I heard that couples were preparing themselves for marriage, and they were abducted here in Nigeria. For as long as our nation is not what it should be, then you, our children, the youth and we, your parents, no matter our ages, have to work together to make our country what it should be. Nobody can say yes, it is my country, I can do whatever I like with it, God will not allow that to happen. Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State yesterday said that the national chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole came to Imo state to rain insults on him.Okorocha stated this through a release to newsmen in Owerri by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo.Recall that Oshiomhole visited Imo state last week for the campaign flag-off ceremony of Imo APC governorship candidate, Senator Hope Uzodimma, where he accused Okorocha of anti-party activities among other allegations.According to Okorocha in a statement, We wont allow Oshiomhole to eat his cake and still have it. And we start this way:Adams Oshiomhole was governor in Edo State for eight years. Rochas Okorocha has been governor in Imo for less than eight years. We challenge Oshiomhole to publish his achievements in Edo State for the eight years he was governor and let Rochas publish his own achievements in Imo in less than eight years and let Nigerians judge who failed as governor.If Oshiomhole fails to accept this challenge, we wont have any other option than to conclude that he is just a noise maker.Oshiomhole has been talking and working to fulfill his own part of whatever deal he has with Chief Hope Uzodinma. He is acting his own part and in doing that, has thrown caution to the wind.Okorocha said that he expected, that the chairman of a party who came for the campaign of a governorship candidate of his party would have used the opportunity offered by the event to market the candidate. But in this case, Oshiomhole talked about Governor Okorocha and carefully skipped talking about the candidate because he knows where the problem lies with the candidate.All the media reports on what Oshiomhole said at the rally were all about Okorocha. He consciously avoided telling Imo people why they should opt for Uzodinma at the poll in 2019 or why he chose him as the guber candidate of the party in the state.On one of the troubling issues raised by Oshiomhole which bordered on payment of workers salaries in the state, Okorocha said that information has long been in the public domain that Governor Okorocha paid the December 2018 salary in November 2018 and has also given each of the workers N10,000 as Christmas bonus. The Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators has alleged that some politicians are amassing arms in the region ahead of the 2019 elections. ... The Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators has alleged that some politicians are amassing arms in the region ahead of the 2019 elections. The coalition said the arms are being stockpiled to cause mayhem in Rivers and Akwa Ibom states. The statement jointly signed by John Duku, convener of the coalition, and leaders of 10 other militant groups, said unnamed politicians are recruiting thugs in the south-south region for election violence. The statement read: The Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators wishes to use this medium to draw the attention of the general public and the International Community to the mass movement of sophisticated arms and ammunition to the South-South zone of the country. This is for the sole purpose of distributing same to already recruited thugs/youths. Within the last one month, over 48,000 AK-47 rifles, pump action shotguns, pistols, ammunition and other weapons have been moved to different locations in the Niger Delta region. There is the proliferation of dangerous weapons in the Niger Delta region brought in by politicians to cause mayhem in Rivers and Akwa Ibom states. The south-south region has been a hotspot of election violence in the past years. Senator Shehu Sani, on Monday, listed three reasons Northern elites are silent over the cases of killings and kidnappings that have been happening in the region.On his verified Twitter handle, Sani said, it was either the northern political elites were silent due to fear, their belief that the government was doing all that it can to curb kidnapping/killings or simply a case of indifference, as the poor are those most affected.He tweeted, Northern political elites are silent on the frequent killings and kidnappings in the north out of any of these three reasons; fear: not to be seen opposing the Government; belief that the President is doing his best; indifference because its the poor that are dying.In a separate tweet, the senator representing Kaduna central senatorial district said, Mourning and funerals have become part of the daily lives of the people of Zamfara and Birnin Gwari. Because of the frequency of killings, the FG and states have run out of condemnations and sending condolences to the families of the victims, the press too no more treats it as a cover story.Sani was reacting to the news of the attack on Magami village in Maradun Local Government Area in Zamfara State, where bandits killed a number of persons on Saturday.The Acting Governor of the state, Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji, on Sunday attended the funeral prayers of the victims and he said, It is very disturbing, so distracting the way our people are being killed by terrorists.More often than not, we could not even concentrate and face our work, due to pressures of insecurity in our communities, he said.He urged security operatives in the state to maximise their efforts in tackling the challenges.Police have since deployed more men in the village.See tweets:Northern political elites are silent on the frequent killings and kidnappings in the north out of any of these three reasons;FEAR not to be seen opposing the Government;BELIEF that the President is doing his best;INDIFFERENCE because its the poor that are dying. Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) December 24, 2018Mourning & funerals has become part of the daily lives of the people of Zamfara & Birnin Gwari.Because of the frequency of killings,The FG & states have ran out of condemnations & sending condolences to the families of the victims,the Press too no more treat it as a cover story. Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) December 24, 2018 The All Progressives Congress (APC) United Kingdom (UK) chapter of President Muhammadu Buhari Volunteers says Nigerians have no alternative to the APC led government in 2019.Mr Ade Omole, convener of the group and leader of the APC UK chapter stated this on Monday in Abuja.According to him, in spite of what opposition parties may be saying about the APC, it remains the best for Nigerians at this time of the countrys political history.Omole maintained that the APC government is doing everything possible to set the country on the right foot and make her the envy of other nations.He added that Buhari had the interest of the people at heart as he is poised to rebuilding the economy and develop the countrys critical infrastructure.He, therefore, advised that Nigerians should not make the mistake of not re-electing the President in 2019, saying that such mistake would move the country backward.He said it was however unfortunate that most of the achievements of the Buhari-led administration were not publicised.This, he said, is the reason why the group is embarking on Market-2-Market Campaign.Omole said the essence is to take the message of the achievements of Buhari and the APC government to market men and women and those at the grassroots.He said the volunteers who began the campaign in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had so far, visited the Garki Modern Market, Utako Market, and Kubwa Market.He further said that other markets visited within the FCT were Wuse II Modern Market, Gwarinpa Market, Area One Shopping Centre and Nyanya Market in the suburb of the FCT.Omole said the campaign train is looking at the possibility of taking the message to markets across the federation with a view to sensitising Nigerians on the achievements of the Buhari-led administration.He also said the volunteers were gaining momentum as the campaign was beginning to yield desired results, especially as people were now appreciating the achievements of the Buhari-led administration.He said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is at a loss and has nothing new to offer Nigerians having been in power for 16 years without bringing about real development in the country Vice President Yemi Osinbajo revealed that President Muhammadu Buharis administration had spent a total of N2.7 trillion on infrastru... Vice President Yemi Osinbajo revealed that President Muhammadu Buharis administration had spent a total of N2.7 trillion on infrastructure since assuming office. According to him, the Federal Government is committed to ensuring that monies belonging to Nigerians are not stolen but used for nation building. Osinbajo also said the country was earning 60 per cent less than it earned in the past 10 years, adding that despite this low earning, the current administration has spent more in building infrastructure than any other government in the country. The Vice President made the disclosure at the palace of the Ovie of Ughelli, Oharisi III during a courtesy visit to the monarch on the enumeration exercise of the Trader Moni Scheme in the Ughelli main market, which would commence disbursement in January 2019, with 30,000 beneficiaries getting N10,000 each. Accompanied by Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu; former Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and Chief Great Ogboru, Osinbajo explained that the Federal Government was focused on creating job opportunities for the common man and youths in the country. He said: Our school feeding programme is one of our Social Investment Programmes and Im sure that in Delta State, we are feeding about 400,000 children every day. The N-Power is a graduate employment programme and we have 18,000 persons engaged in the state.Today, N2.7 trillion is what we are spending on building infrastructure. The question we ought to ask previous government is: where were they? Seun, the wife of Lt.Col. Ibrahim Sakaba, who was killed by Boko Haram alongside 44 other army personnel in Melete, Borno State on Nov... Seun, the wife of Lt.Col. Ibrahim Sakaba, who was killed by Boko Haram alongside 44 other army personnel in Melete, Borno State on November 18, has denied receiving any call from the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Atiku on Sunday claimed to have called Sakabas widow, while urging Nigerians to spare a thought for gallant military personnel combating Boko Haram this Yuletide. He said, This Christmas I urge all Nigerians to spare a thought for our military on the frontlines of the war on terror. I had cause to telephone Lt . Col . Ibrahim Sakaba s widow this Yuletide. I am touched by her devotion and love for her husband who paid the supreme sacrifice for Nigeria. But Seun Sakaba has come out to deny receiving any call from Atiku. On December 19, the White House said the estimated 2,000 US troops are being withdrawn from Syria since the extremist organization, the Islamic State (IS) in Syria had been "defeated". The US President Donald Trump subsequently issued a message on Twitter saying that the United States "has already defeated" the IS in Syria, the "only reason" for being there during his presidency. The evolution of the situation in Syria signifies that the United States has in fact abandoned the goal of overthrowing the regime of Syrian President Basharal- Assad. The US-led international coalition forces began operations against the Islamic State group in Syria since 2014. After the Russia's direct military involvement in the situation in Syria since 2015, the Syrian opposition groups supported by the United States collapsed, and the President Bashar al-Assad's regime gradually stabilized. Under such circumstances, it is not surprising the decision to withdraw the US troops from Syria is made since the Trump administration based on its principle of "America first" is unwilling to assume excessive security responsibilities for its allies. "Money" is an important factor to force the US withdrawal from Syria this time. The US President Trump has always been dissatisfied with the large-scale US military presence overseas, and believed that this huge cost has not brought substantial benefits to the United States. On April 3 this year, he said that in the past decade, the US military operations in the Middle East have cost a lot while achieved "nothing" and hoped that the United States can withdraw its troops from Syria. Surely this is not a simple problem. What has prompted the Trump administration to make such a decision would undoubtedly stand on a huge temptation of benefits, that is, the withdrawal would improve the US relations with its traditional ally, Turkey. For many years, Turkey has always been anxious about the domestic disputes due to the expansion of Kurdish forces in northern Syria. At the beginning of this year, despite the pressure of international public opinion, Turkey launched a cross-border military action dubbed "Operation Olive Branch" to attack the Kurdish enclave in northern Syria. The United States has always supported the Kurdish armed forces in Syria during the Syrian war. Most of the US troops in Syria are stationed in the north of Syria in the name of helping to train the Kurdish and Arab armed forces to fight against the IS. The US backup has also become an important incentive for US-Turkey tension in recent years. Obviously, the withdrawal of the United States troops at this time is undoubtedly an "abandonment" of and "betrayal" against the Kurds. In view of the ever heating-upTurkey-Russia relationship in recent years, the US move might also attempt to woo Turkey and to prevent Turkeys ever-closer ties with Russia. On December 12, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey will launch a military operation in the east of the Syrian Euphrates River "within a few days". The Pentagon issued a statement stating that it was "unacceptable." The US-Turkey leaders talked over the telephone on the Syrian issue on December 14, and a few days later Trump made the decision to withdrawal. The Turkish side welcomed the decision and postponed its launch of the military operation. Even if the US troops are withdrawn from Syria, the US military will remain fairly large in the Middle East. White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders said on December 19 that defeating the extremist organization IS does not mean the end of the international coalition forces, nor does it mean the end of the crackdown. The United States and its allies will continue to act if needed to defend the US interests, and will continue to work together to stop terrorists from acquiring land, funds and support, and to prevent them from entering the United States or its allies. There may be many reasons for making such a decision, and the consequences will also be complex. What is certain is that the withdrawal of the United States troops will add new variables to the delicate situation in Syria. Where do the Syrian Kurds go after losing the USs protection? Can Turkey advance triumphantly? Will the defeated IS which has not been vanquished rise again? These questions remain unanswered. Disclaimer: The author is Feng Ying . The article was published on the PLA Daily on Dec. 22. It is translated from Chinese into English and edited by China Military online. Source: thenews.com.pk ISLAMABAD: Steel cutting ceremony of first war ship of Type 054 A/P Frigates Project being built for Pakistan Navy was held at Hudong Zhonghua (HZ) Shipyard China. Vice Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Kaleem Shaukat graced the ceremony as chief guest, says a Pak Navy press release on Thursday. While addressing the ceremony the Admiral highlighted that today's accomplishment also ushers new chapter in Pak-China friendship that has matured through the tests of times and has remained steadfast in other domains. Both countries are bounded by the affinity of trust, compassion and commonality. Vice Admiral Kaleem Shaukat also lauded the concerted efforts made by China State Shipbuilding Corporation, China Shipbuilding Trading Company, China Ship Development & Design Center, Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard and PLA (Navy) in achieving the significant milestone of Steel Cutting ahead of the schedule. Qian Jianping Vice President CSSC speaking on the occasion welcomed the chief guest and underscored the significance of the project. The vice president expressed his resolve to complete the project ahead of schedule to entire satisfaction of Pakistan Navy. The ceremony was attended by Maj General Fan JianJun Director of the Bureau of Equipment Technology Cooperation of Equipment Development Department of Central Military Commission, Rear Admiral Liu Hongwei Deputy Director of the Equipment Department of PLA Navy, Ms Zheng Wei from Ministry of National Defence, Duan Fengshuang President CSTC, Chen Wei Assistant Director General CSDDC, Chen Jian Liang Chairman HZ Shipyard, Pakistan government and Navy officials. National anthems of People's Republic of China and Islamic Republic of Pakistan were played at the occasion. After National anthems, Steel was Cut for first Type 054 A/P Frigate by the chief guest. Once constructed, the warship will be one of the largest and technologically advanced platform of PN which will strengthen Pakistan's capability to respond to future challenges, maintain peace & stability and balance of power in Indian Ocean Region. It will also support Pakistan Navy's initiative of securing seas for international shipping by patrolling distant waters through Regional Maritime Security Patrol (RMSP). The last eight months have seen four episodes where many people on Twitter called me a bad offensive person, often via rude profanity, sometimes calling for me to be fired or arrested. These four episodes were: sex inequality and redistribution, chances of a delayed harassment complaint, morality-induced overconfidence on historical counterfactuals, and implicit harassment in A Star Is Born. While these topics have occupied only a small fraction of my thought over these months, and a much smaller fraction over my career, they may have disproportionate effects on my reputation. So Ive tried to pay close attention to the reasons people give. I think I see a consistent story. While in these cases I have not made moral, value, or political claims, when people read small parts of what Ive claimed or asked, they say they can imagine someone writing those words for the purpose of promoting political views they dislike. And not just mild views that just a bit on other side of the political spectrum. No, they attribute to me the most extreme bad views imaginable, such as that I advocate rape, murder, slavery, and genocide. People say they are directly and emotionally traumatized by the offensive creepy feeling they get when they encounter someone with any prestige and audience seeming to publicly promote views with which they strongly disagree. Some plausibly contributing factors here include my sometimes discussing sensitive topics, our increasing political polarization, the ease of making mobs and taking words out of context on Twitter, increasing ease of making new accusations similar to previous ones, and my terse and analytic writing style combined with my adding disclaimers re my allegiance to correct views. Theres also my following the standard poll practice of not telling those who answer polls the motives for those polls. And Im a non-poor older white male associated with economics in general and GMU econ in particular; many see all these as indicators of bad political views. Digging a little deeper, trauma is plausibly increased by a poll format, which stokes fears that bad people will find out that they are not alone, and be encouraged to learn that many others share their views. I suspect this helps explain complaints that my poll population is not representative of my nation or planet. I also suspect bad faith. Long ago when I had two young kids, they would sometimes pick fights, for example on long car trips. One might start singing, to which the other would complain. We might agree that singing is too much for such a small space. Then the first might start to quietly hum, which we might decide is okay. Then first might hum more loudly and triumphantly, while the second might writhe, cover their ears, and make a dramatic display of suffering. Similarly, I suspect bad faith when some a) claim to experience harassment level suffering due to encountering political views with which they disagree, and yet are fine with high levels of sex, violence, and profanity in TV & movies, b) infer indirectly from my neutral analytical text that I promote the most extreme views imaginable, and c) do not notice that such claims are both a priori implausible and inconsistent with my large corpus of public writing; they either havent read much of it or purposely mischaracterize it. The idea of a large shared intellectual sphere wherein we can together analyze difficult topics holds a strong appeal to me. The main criteria for consideration in such a sphere should be the coherence and persuasiveness of specific relevant arguments. When evaluating each arguments, there is usually little need to infer distantly related positions of those who offer arguments. Usually an argument either works or it doesnt, regardless of who says it or why. I try to live up to such ideals in how I write and talk. I hope that many who read and follow me share these ideals, and I appreciate their support. Im thus not favorably inclined toward suggestions that I stop discussing sensitive topics, or that adopt a much more elaborate disclaimer style, or that I stop asking my followers questions, to prevent others from being traumatized by hearing their answers, and or to keep followers from finding out that others share their opinions. Added 29Dec: I did 4 follow up polls to probe tendencies to take offense, focusing on the Nazi case. Respondents said the fraction of tweeters who actually wish Nazis had won WWII is tiny; 63% said it is <0.1%, though 4% gave >10%. And 79% said that this Nazi fraction is <3% among those who mention `Nazis neutrally in a tweet, without explicitly praising or criticizing them, and who explicitly claim otherwise, though 10% said >15%. Also, 58% said that for a tweet to be considered offensive or harassment, it would need to suggest a chance >50% that its author actually wishes Nazis had won WWII. However, 10% gave a threshold of <3% and 19% gave one <15%. Finally, 43% gave a <3% chance the author of a Twitter poll which asks about chance world would have been better off had Nazis won WWII, actually wishes that Nazis had won WWII. However 20% gave a chance >50%, and 37% gave a chance >15%. A obvious conclusion here is that, even among those who respond to my twitter polls, a substantial fraction have set hair-triggers for offense. For example, it seems >20% say merely asking if the world would have been better off if Nazis had won justifies a high enough chance of a Nazi author to be offensive. Explicit denials may help, but if the offended are much more vocal than are others, a vocal choir of objection seems largely inevitable. This makes me wonder again if the silent majority might benefit from juries or polls which show them that the vocal offended are a minority. Though that minority will likely also express offense re such juries or polls. Added 28Jan: A recent burst of outrage on the Star is Born episode confirms this account to some extent. GD Star Rating loading... He had been helping North Koreans since 2004 through his business, which imports furniture from Laos. "I was asked by an ethnic Korean friend to take somebody to Laos and ended up guiding around six people there. I found out only later that they were North Koreans." The Justice Ministry said Sunday it granted refugee status to Tu Airong (55). Tu told the Chosun Ilbo, "It makes me happy that my efforts to help defectors escape from the hellish conditions of North Korea and seek refuge have been recognized." The government has granted asylum to a Chinese man who is credited with helping hundreds of North Koreans escape through China to Southeast Asia. Born in Jiangxi Province in 1963, Tu dreamed of moving to a wealthy city like Hong Kong to earn money but instead found work in southern China and Southeast Asia. He has brought around 400 North Koreans to safety in Thailand and 100 to Laos. Defectors rely on such brokers to guide them through China avoiding the authorities. Tu was paid by South Korean activists and evangelical churches. He was paid US$500 for each North Korean defector he smuggled to Laos and $1,000 for each one he brought to Thailand. "Most of the money went on transporting defectors from a safe house in China to Southeast Asia and also to pay people off at the border." But he also admitted to supporting his family and paying his rent with the money. "He started helping defectors to support himself, but he seems to have discovered later that it was his calling," an acquaintance said. Tu was arrested by Chinese police in August 2008 for aiding North Korean defectors. According to documents he submitted to a Korean court, he was given a five-year suspended sentence and monitored by police, forcing him to go into hiding in Southeast Asia. He obtained Laotian citizenship in 2012. When he continued helping North Korean defectors escape, Tu received a call from the Chinese Embassy in Laos in 2016 advising him to confess his crime in exchange for a reduced sentence. "The Laotian government, which is close to China, could have handed me over to Chinese authorities," Tu said. A month later, he flew to Jeju Island and applied for asylum. The Justice Ministry initially turned down his request since he had a Laotian passport and South Korean authorities felt he was at little risk of being persecuted by the Chinese government. The fact that he was paid for being a broker for defectors also made South Korean officials suspicious. "The most difficult part of the process was being repeatedly questioned by a Justice Ministry official if I had helped North Korean defectors just for money," Tu said. When his application was turned down, Tu filed a lawsuit in April 2017. In December that year, the Jeju District Court sided with Tu, and an appeals court did too in May this year. That prompted the Justice Ministry to recognize him as a refugee and give him an F-2 visa, which enables him to benefit from all of the rights enjoyed by South Koreans except voting. Tu's lawyer Kim Se-jin said, "The court did not accept the Justice Ministry's view that he is not a refugee if he received money to help defectors." Tu's wife and four children also came to South Korea this year and applied for asylum. He now works on a construction site. Parliament has approved an amount of GHS 78.7 billion for governments expenses in the 2019 financial year. Out of this amount, an estimated GHS 18 billion will go into interest payments of existing loans, GHS 22.8 billion has been earmarked for compensation of employees and GHS 1.6 billion allocated for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), among others. This was announced in the Appropriation Bill, 2018, which went through a certificate of urgency late in the night of Saturday, 22 December 2018, before the House rose for the Christmas break. The approval of the Appropriation Bill will enable government to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Fund and other funds during the financial year commencing 1 January 2019 and ending 31 December 2019 for the purpose of meeting government expenditure. Debating the bill, Chairman of the Finance Committee, Dr Mark Assibey Yeboah said the approval will enable government embark and fulfil its numerous electoral promises. Meanwhile, the Minority Spokesperson on Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, has asked the Finance Minister to release all the monies approved by Parliament on time. 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 Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Joseph Boahen Aidoo, has warned cocoa farmers against the use of chemicals which can affect cocoa production levels. Interacting with the 2018 National Best Cocoa Farmer, Charles Gyamfi, the promising young cocoa farmer, Paul Osei Tuffuor and some award-winning cocoa farmers, Mr Boahen Aidoo said more funding would also be injected to the cocoa sector to increase yield. He said, As a sector, we have to cherish and do everything to sustain the production of cocoa. What we are looking for in Ghana is the sustainable production of cocoa and to do that we have to do everything possible to encourage our farmers, teach them and support them. When weedicides and pesticides were not introduced on our cocoa farms, the farmers could easily go there and get other things apart from cocoa, and the soil was also rich but these days all the bush gifts like mushrooms have disappeared simply because of the use of chemicals, he stated. Ghana produced an unprecedented 1 million tonnes of cocoa during the 2010-11 crop season, a development which was largely attributed to good weather and improved farming techniques. Production, however, declined to about 850,000 tonnes last season. Ghana and Cote dIvoire have resolved to address the challenges of the cocoa sector, within the framework of the implementation of the Strategic Partnership Agreement, which links the two countries by signing the Abidjan Declaration. With the two countries responsible for 60 percent of the worlds cocoa output, fluctuations of cocoa prices on the international market, marked by a fall of around 20 percent in 2017, have impacted negatively on the revenues of millions of cocoa farmers, as well as on the budgetary revenues of the two countries. It is for this reason that Presidents Akufo-Addo and Alassane Ouattara of Cote dIvoire, held a consultation devoted to the cocoa economy, and subsequently signed the Abidjan Declaration. Source: adomonline 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, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has announced the elevation of the Builsa North District to a municipality following the signing of an Executive Order on Wednesday, December 19, 2018, at the Jubilee House. The President made the announcement at this years Feok Festival at Sandema in the Builsa North District of the Upper East Region. He also announced that works on a contract document for the construction of the Doninga Bridge over the Sissili River in the Builsa Traditional Area had been concluded and the contractor has 24 months to complete the project. He said the Navrongo-Sandema-Wiaga-Fumbisi road is part of some national roads. It was originally awarded to two contractors but the work came to a halt and government has renegotiated the contract. One of the contractors, My Turn Company Limited, awarded 10km of the road, has returned to site to continue work. The Sandema-Santijan-Fian road, which is an alternative route from Sandema to Upper West, has been rearranged and soon the contractor will get to site to start work. Responding to a request by the paramount chief of Sandema for a tractor service for farmers in the traditional area, the President gave an assurance that government would establish 200 agricultural mechanisation centres across the country and Sandema, the Builsa North capital, would be a beneficiary. He called on the people of the traditional area to be patient with the government as it works to respond to some other requests it has made in the past, saying that he has put before the Education Minister, the paramount chiefs request to have a tertiary institution in the traditional area, and he is yet to receive a response from the minister. The Paramount Chief of Builsa Traditional Area, Nab Azagsuk Azantilow, said President Akufo-Addo is the only President of Ghana, who has joined the people of the Builsa Traditional Area to celebrate the Feok Festival over the past 20 years. He urged him to continue to keep the area at heart. This years Feok Festival was themed: Leveraging our Culture and Human Resource for Development. Touching on the theme, the paramount chief disclosed that alcoholism and bush-burning were destroying the youth and the lands and properties in the Builsa Traditional Area. This is not the first time the paramount chief is complaining of the effect of alcohol on the youth of the area.The suggestions he has been giving the district assembly have not been implemented to help deter the youth from excessively consuming Akpeteshie. The Feok Festival is an annual event celebrated by the paramount chief and people of Builsa Traditional Area in the Upper East Region in the month of December. The people of the traditional area mark this occasion to thank their ancestors and God for a successful farming season and a good harvest. The festival is also celebrated in remembrance of the battles their ancestors fought to resist and defeat notorious slave raiders who invaded their traditional area in the 19th century. On the climax day, chiefs and people, including the political heads from the two districts Builsa North and Builsa South converge on the feet of the paramount chief to take stock and make projections into their future. This year, President Akufo-Addo made a donation of 30 crates of assorted drinks and a cash amount of GH10,000 in support of the celebration. Dignitaries present were the Upper East Regional Minister, Paulina Abayage; the Aviation Minister and MP for Navrongo Central, Joseph Kofi Adda; Minister for Local Government, Hajia Alima Mahama and Minister of State at the Office of the President, Rockson Ayine Bukari. Others include district chief executives of the Builsa North and South and a Former Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Asangalisa Agnes Chigabatia. Source: Daily Guide 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 President Akufo-Addo has indicated that there is an ongoing debate within government to pass a decision on whether or not Ghana should abolish the system of duties payment on imported goods at the ports. Mr. Akufo-Addo said this whilst addressing journalists at his final media encounter for 2018 on Wednesday, December 19 at the Jubilee House. He used the encounter to update the media and the general public on happenings within several sectors of the countrys economy, including agriculture, railway, aviation, roads, banking and the judicial system. According to him, On high import duties, there is a major debate going on inside our government right now about what action we are going to take on the duties. President Akufo-Addo added that there is a strong lobby that is saying that we should go, for instance, the level of Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai almost no import duties, everything comes in and it will generate a lot of business. According to the president, the outcomes of the ongoing debate on the way forward for the maintenance or abolishment of duties payment system would be made public within due course. That argument is being made. The traditional argument is also being made that we maintain the duty system. I am hoping that very soon the final result of that debate inside the government will be known to the Ghanaian people, he pointed out. Source: Daily Guide 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 Maxwell Peter who is a known cyber fraudster within the Tamale Metropolis and his colleague Nigerians who were recently arrested by a combined team of security personnel from the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), INTERPOL and Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) will be extradited to the USA in order to face charges filed in the Western District of Tennessee. Maxwell Atugba Abayeta aka Maxwell Peter, 26, and Babatunde Martins, 62, of Ghana and Bernard Emurhowhoariogho Okorhi, 39, a Nigerian citizen who resides in Ghana face charges conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit computer fraud, and aggravated identity fraud according to the United States (US) Department of Justice Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant of the Western District of Tennessee and Executive Assistant Director David T. Resch of the FBI in a statement sighted by MyNewsGh.com indicated that five others including a Ghanaian were also arrested in the US for their roles in the scam. They include; Javier Luis Ramos Alonso, 28, a Mexican citizen residing in Seaside, California; James Dean, 65, of Plainfield, Indiana; Dana Brady, 61, of Auburn, Washington; Rashid Abdulai, 24, a Ghanaian citizen residing in the Bronx, New York. Described as the Sakawa King of Tamale, Maxwell Peters show of wealth and extravagant lifestyle is not new to residents of the ancient town as he is reported to have built and living in one of the much talked about houses in the area. It has been established that his arrest follows more than a year of investigations by EOCO in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) of the United States of America. According to facts available, Maxwell and his gang of 19 reportedly used dubious means in defrauding a US-based company and individuals of 15 million dollars under the guise of supplying the, with gold bars but failed. The suspects between 2012 and 2016 presented themselves as gold dealers and succeeded in getting the US-based companies and individuals to release a whopping $15Million to supply it with gold. To ensure that their partners believed them, they created a bogus email usually containing either an attachment or a link to a malicious website which was linked to the said real estate company and infected the companys entire computer network and harvested information including company files, credentials and gave the accused persons access to sensitive information which aided them to dupe the company. Source: ghanaweb.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 Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, has stressed that the Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Parliament had lied about the cost of the controversial chancellery in Oslo, Norway which the government is reportedly seeking to acquire. The Minister reiterated her earlier position last week at a press conference in Accra. The press statement is to deepen your understanding of the facts behind the issues, the process in the acquisition of such facilities and what the precedence have been, the chronology of events and processes and finally, provide you an opportunity to seek clarification, she indicated. She emphasized that the Minoritys assertion that an amount of $15million has been paid to purchase the property is false. According to her, The Ministry wishes to state the following facts: that on the 20th of November, 2018, Controller and Accountant General transferred an amount of $3,199,506.13, an equivalent of GH15,337,157.52 to the Ministry for the purpose of establishing three new missions abroad- Guangzhou, China, Oslo, Norway, Port Louis, Mauritius. She added that the amount stated above is still in the custody of the ministry and not paid to any vendor or owner of any property abroad, the Minoritys assertion that the cost of the building has been inflated is false. It would be recalled that while contributing to the debate of the budget of the Foreign Affairs Ministry on Monday, December 16, ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament and NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu in the Volta Region, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, alleged that the ministry was seeking to purchase a six-bedroom property whose value had been inflated by over $8 million, equivalent to GH41.7 million. Mr. Okudzeto-Ablakwa had explained that the NDC, through its internal investigations, had discovered that the six-bedroom apartment was sold at $3,598,108 in 2017, adding that the same property was being bought at an outrageous price of $12,218,487. He alleged that in that country, a Norwegian financial newspaper by name Finansavisen, wrote about the sale of the property at the quoted price of $3.6 million in 2017. Consequently, Mr. Okudzeto-Ablakwa held a press conference on Tuesday, December 17 to call on President Akufo-Addo to institute a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the matter, arguing that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in its response, did not speak to basic issues he raised on the floor of parliament. President Akufo-Addo indicated that he would not establish any independent commission of inquiry to investigate the matter. The Majority New Patriotic Party (NPP) also rubbished the claims, describing them as false. He said that North Tongu MP is seeking to waste governments time with his allegations. DAILY GUIDEs checks indicate that the said building in Olso, Norway is 15-room apartment and not six-bedroom house as being speculated. What Okudzeto may be referring to may be the residence of the ambassador which is a six-bedroom house valued at $3 million. Justification For Opening Mission The minister said that Ghanas growing ties with Norway in areas of oil and gas and political cooperation had necessitated the establishment of a mission. She said there are over 50 Norwegian companies operating in the country, including the investors of Apollonia City. According to her, It is worthy to note that Aker, a Norwegian Oil and Gas company, is investing an amount of $20billion in Ghana. 50 percent of the amount has already been invested. In addition, the Prime Minister of Norway is Co-Chair of the SDGs with the President, so engagements with Norway have intensified. Report Following the decision of government to open a resident diplomatic mission in the Kingdom of Norway, the minister said she directed that an advance team be sent to Oslo to undertake preparatory works towards the establishment of the Embassy. A five-member team accordingly visited Oslo to undertake the exercise. Prior to the visit, the team met with the Norwegian Ambassador to Ghana on Monday, 15th October, 2018 to officially convey the decision of the Government of Ghana to the Norwegian Government about its intention to open a resident Diplomatic Mission in Oslo. The team arrived in Oslo on Sunday 21st October, 2018. The team subsequently met officials of the host Foreign Ministry to begin the processes for the establishment of the Embassy. The members of the delegation were adequately briefed by the host officials on the procedures for establishing a diplomatic mission in Norway. The delegation also met some selected African and non-African Missions in Oslo to learn from their experiences. The Missions, she mentioned, were South Africa, Algeria, Egypt, Peru and Turkey. During discussions with officials of these Missions, they all advised the delegation to purchase properties right from the onset in view of the high cost of rent in the country. For example one African country is paying $45,000 a month in rent. Based on their recommendation, Ms Ayorkor Botchwey explained that the team widened its scope of search for properties to include outright purchase where possible. She revealed that during the search for suitable properties for use as chancellery and residence, the team observed that prices of properties in Oslo were indeed extremely high. For example, of the three properties identified as suitable for use as chancellery, two buildings were costing $9,500,000 and $13,000,000 respectively to purchase, while the third was for rental at a cost of $25,000 per month. She added that doing the cost-benefit analysis on the three buildings, the delegation was of the view that an outright purchase would be more economical in the long term. Accordingly, the team recommended the purchase of the property costing $13,000,000 in view of its location, accessibility, structure, size, parking lots, among others. According to her, With regards to the residence, the team also recommended the purchase of a property they identified in Ullern costing approximately $3,500,000. She said, I wish to state on record that prior to the Foreign Affairs teams arrival in Oslo, the proposed chancellery building was already under renovation, and was not being done at the instance of the Ministry. The said building was initially an office and later converted into a residence. The ongoing renovation is to restore the building back to an office complex. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A car that crashed into the entrance of the Crossroads United Methodist Church is towed out of the doorway on Sunday, December 23, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio. A woman drove into the church during morning services, injuring several people. (Brooke LaValley/The Columbus Dispatch via AP) Passengers queue for flights at Gatwick Airport as the airport and airlines work to clear the backlog of flights delayed by a drone incident earlier in the week, in Crawley, England, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018. London's Gatwick Airport took strides toward running a full schedule Saturday as police questioned a man and a woman in connection with the drone intrusions that caused mayhem for tens of thousands of holiday travelers. (Gareth Fuller/PA via AP) The Japanese government is fuming after a South Korean Navy destroyer activated its radar in the process of rescuing a North Korean fishing boat last week. Tokyo is complaining that the destroyer aimed its radar at a Japanese Self-Defense Force surveillance plane that was monitoring the situation. The destroyer was responding to a distress signal sent by a North Korean fishing boat near Ulleung and Dokdo islands last Thursday. The Navy said it had no choice but use a more precise fire-control radar to locate the small boat and it had no intention of tracking the Japanese aircraft. Judging by the fact that the destroyer ended up rescuing the boat, it is clear that there was no intention to target the Japanese plane. Such an incident should not be an issue between allies. The only explanation is that Japan's pent-up frustration with Korea was released by the latest incident. Bilateral ties have deteriorated due to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's nationalist policies, Seoul's decision to scrap an agreement over compensating Korean women forced into sexual enslavement by imperial Japan, the Korean Supreme Court ordering Japanese businesses to compensate Korean forced laborers and other issues. The Japanese surveillance plane also apparently engaged in unusual maneuvers such as flying directly over the Navy destroyer. Any further escalation in tensions could result in a nasty stand-off between Korea and Japan that will benefit no one. Everyone needs to calm down. FILE: A bag of trim, leaves from harvested medical marijuana plants are bagged and held for extraction. Read more The Pennsylvania Department of Health is seeking more marijuana businesses to broaden the field of applicants partnering with the eight state medical schools on research into the health effects of cannabis. The health department issued temporary regulations on Dec. 12 in the Pennsylvania Bulletin to allow the approved health systems to pair with more than one potential marijuana organization. Previously, the med schools were operating under the assumption they could only sign a contract with one cannabis grower. In adding the new language, the department said it hoped to be able to approve the highest quality clinical registrants and [assure] that the most robust research will occur. Early this month, the state rejected all eight aspiring growers who believed their exclusive contracts with the schools were iron clad. Regulators said each of the growers' applications were riddled with mistakes or missing information. The marijuana companies may reapply to participate in the research program which will grant each the right to operate a grow operation and six dispensaries. Before Dec. 5, the expected partners had been: One of the more controversial parts of the 2017 federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act had to with state and local taxes. The bill, which became law a year ago, limits the annual deduction, which applies to property, sales and other similar taxes paid by individuals, to $10,000. For people living in states with a lower tax burden this was not such a big deal. But for residents in states where taxes are higher such as New Jersey its a very big deal. According to one study, the average New Jersey resident pays in excess of $10,000 in state and local taxes a year. Thats compared with about $4,100 for both Pennsylvania and Delaware residents. The tax also affects many small-business owners in New Jersey, particularly ones that file pass-through returns, like S-corporations, limited liability companies, and partnerships. Thats because their business income flows down to their personal returns, where the $10,000 deduction limitation for state and local taxes applies. Many lawmakers in the state believe that this was an unnecessary burden on these business owners. So last week, those lawmakers took a big step that they believe will help small-business owners skirt the federal tax limitation by unanimously passing the Pass-Through Business Alternative Income Tax Act. The proposed legislation, which would be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2018, is expected to affect about 260,000 individuals and families in the state that report around $23 billion in pass-through income from their businesses. To be sure, the state General Assembly still has to sign off on the bill, and even if it does become a law, it could still be rejected by the Internal Revenue Service. Were going Back to the Future with an IRS-proof solution, State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D., Bergen), chairman of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and the prime sponsor of the legislation, told the Burlington County Times. It will return to a tax system that was in place for decades. This legislation doesnt solve the whole problem created by a federal tax law that targets New Jersey by sharply curtailing the federal deduction for state and local taxes. But we are going to do everything we can to help New Jersey taxpayers." In effect, the legislation is nothing more than a bit of wordsmithing. Instead of calling local taxes an income tax applied to individuals, its now renaming it to an elective entity-level tax and thereby giving it business expense status. That way, a small-business owner can fully deduct these tax payments on their corporate returns which is fully allowed under federal law before any net income flows down to their individual return. The big question is whether this type of local legislation will fly with the IRS, given the agencys rejection earlier this year of other proposed rules by states such as New Jersey that tried to redefine tax payments as charitable contributions. Some experts arent convinced that the strategy would work. What these efforts lack in legal merit, they make up for in political positioning, Jared Walczak, a senior policy analyst for the Tax Foundation, a tax policy nonprofit wrote last August. Litigation is likely, though probably futile, given the authority the government has in such matters. In the wake of this new guidance, any state wishing to continue its fight will be placing political performance theater over the interests of the taxpayers who have to foot the bill. The takeaway for New Jersey small business owners? If the bill does become state law, go ahead and take advantage of the deduction. Just dont spend your savings right away. Gene Marks is a certified public accountant and the owner of the Marks Group, a 10-member technology and financial management consulting firm in Bala Cynwyd. A photo of Santa over the Rocky Mountains from the 2017 Santa Tracker journey. Read more The Cold War-era military agreement that protects Canadian and U.S airspace includes an extra mission on Christmas Eve. The North American Aerospace Defense Command uses its satellites, radars, and jet fighters to track what it insists is Santa Claus himself, flying on a magical sleigh powered by reindeer. Back in a control center, Santa appears as a dot on a screen, said Capt. Cameron Hillier, a NORAD spokesperson. And thats where Exton-based Analytical Graphics, Inc. comes in to provide a visual representation of Santas yuletide journey with added help from Santa cameras placed in various cities, said AGI CEO Paul Graziani. Viewers can follow Santas journey around the world starting at 2:01 a.m. ET Christmas Eve at www.noradsanta.org/. All other days of the year, AGIs flagship product Systems Tool Kit is used to simulate and analyze everything from a space mission to aircraft and missile defense systems. AGI has about 250 employees mostly in Exton with small offices in Colorado Springs, Colo., Washington, D.C., Singapore, and London. The company has more than 50,000 users worldwide. Its customers are mostly companies involved in aerospace and national defense, including NASA. AGI has been working with NORAD since the late 1990s to provide a visual representation of Santas supposed journey, showcasing AGIs technology to millions of people who may not have otherwise known of the company. The partnership attracts millions of visitors worldwide to the Santa tracking website, as well as 1,500 volunteers who answer calls and emails from anyone inquiring about Santas whereabouts. Photos and videos from strategically placed Santa cameras are overlaid on a mapping platform called Cesium, which creates a virtual 3D globe with oceans, terrain and other imagery, said Hannah Pinkos, an AGI software developer. Viewers can then watch the sleigh zip around the sky his route is not planned beforehand but it tends to start in the far east and head west -- passing landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty. Cesium allows us to show aircrafts and satellites and cars and anything that is moving in space and time. It allows us to put it in a context with other things," said CEO Graziani. So just like we do with tracking Santa, we do with aircrafts and satellites with Cesium. The privately held company does not share its revenues. Santa is somewhat based on the historical figure St. Nicholas who died around 343 AD. This tradition of tracking a legend, as NORAD tells it, started as an accident 63 years ago when a Colorado Springs child saw an advertisement about Santas location, which said, Hey, Kiddies! Call me direct and be sure and dial the correct number. But there was a typo and a young caller reached what was then the Continental Air Defense Command operations center and Col. Harry Shoup answered. Instead of brushing off the question, Shoup played along, later instructing his operators to give Santas location to every caller and say he was having a safe journey, NORADs Hillier said. Santa himself, of course, has been doing this for well over 16 centuries so hes pretty well-versed. Its just a matter of making him aware of what potential dangers there are, Hillier said. All the same things we use to track Santa are the same things we use to keep Canadians and Americans safe for the rest of the year. After Santas sleigh leaves the North Pole, Hillier said, it passes the North Warning System, the radar system that NORAD uses to detect threats. We have about 47 radar installations strung along Alaska and north of Canada as part of our North Warning System," Hillier said. These radars are the first to detect Santas movement from the North Pole. As Santa continues flying, Hillier said, satellites more than 22,000 miles above the Earth start tracking his journey. The satellites infrared sensors are used to detect heat globally, including monitoring ballistic missile activity and determining whether they are a threat to North America. However, on the 24th, we are also tracking the heat from Rudolphs nose, which is a clear giveaway of Santas location, Hillier said. NORADs jet fighters are stationed throughout Canada and the U.S. to respond to potential threats, but on Christmas Eve they also watch over Santas flight, he added. Once Santa gets to Newfoundland, Canada, the most easterly point of North America, the Royal Canadian Air Force greets Santa and escorts him through Canadian airspace until he is safely in U.S. airspace. AGI said it can determine how Santa flies at slightly higher altitudes when he needs to fly faster over, say, the oceans. As Santas altitude varies, the AGI software calculates the sleighs weight, the rate at which it moves, and the angle that it banks on turns. How Santas sleigh moves, thats a bit of Santa magic, Pinkos said. It moves faster than an aircraft we can build for sure, so there is definitely some magic going on. While Santa doesnt have to worry about colliding with satellites AGI tracks 17,000 satellites a day, including 1,500 active ones he has to be aware of aircrafts, Graziani said. This is part of NORADs mission, to protect Santa from nonbelievers on Christmas Eve, to make sure that he delivers presents, to make sure that he can make his journey safely, AGIs Pinkos said We need to be part of that mission as well. The Provident Mutual building at 46th and Market Streets. Provident Mutual fled its West Philly headquarters in 1983. Political squabbling has either derailed a long-overdue redevelopment deal or ensured the people get a better price. Read more Certain Philadelphia politicians have been patting themselves on the head for derailing Mayor Jim Kenneys planned $10 million sale of one of the citys great white-elephant properties: the 13-acre campus at 46th Street, which Provident Mutual Life Insurance Co. left in 1983. The property, with its gray stone office pile topped with a gold dome and sailing-ship weather vane, ought to be worth many tens of millions more by now, suggested city councilman Allan Domb, whos in the condo business. Maybe there are better proposals out there, offered city controller Rebecca Rhynhart. West Philly neighbors want more information about whats in it for them, district council rep Jannie Blackwell, who proposed the bill supporting the mayors planned sale, then stalled it when challenged, told my colleague Jacob Adelman. It will surely be embarrassing for the mayor if the city were to sell the property cheap, and the buyer flips it for a much higher price as seems to happen regularly to smaller city-owned properties whose sale is also subject to councilmanic prerogative, for example in the South Philly part of Councilman Kenyatta Johnsons district, as reporters including the Inquirers Craig McCoy have documented. On the other hand, the would-be West Philly buyer, Iron Stone Real Estate Group, has a record of doing exactly what the Kenney administration says it wants to do at Provident Mutual: bring in medical and related employers to repopulate the site. Its what Iron Stone did at the similarly sized former MCP/Womans Medical College campus in East Falls after it took over in 2007. How do we know this property is worth so much more than Iron Stone offered? I asked. Check comps, Domb urged. Here you go: The city picked up the Provident Mutual property in 2014 for $4 million, the same year Drexel University paid $25 million for the similarly sized but much-better-located former University City High School complex 12 blocks east -- amid University Citys high-rent office buildings, and walking distance to 30th Street Station, Penn, Drexel, and CHOP. In 2015 the school district sold the smaller West Philly High property, near Provident Mutual but on the Penn-student-apartments side of Market Street, for just $5 million. So $10 million sounds like its in the ballpark, at least. What Domb seems to object to most and what he knows rightfully annoys voters and taxpayers is the $50 million the city already spent fixing up the property under former Mayor Michael Nutter, supposedly for law enforcement, which instead chose to move to the former Inquirer tower, at five times the cost. Domb says we can double the expense and the outrage, if we consider long-term interest on the city borrowing that funds its capital investment. Hes talking about holding hearings to ask how this happened. What happens if no much bigger offer materializes? I asked Domb and his supporters, responding to his congratulatory Facebook posts. Dombs fellow real estate broker Mike McCann suggested the city hold it and lease it for the next 10 [to] 20 years, the way a private real estate business might. Domb seems comfortable with that approach: He said hes recommended to the [Kenney] administration and the developer that we should partner 50/50 with them so that when its sold in the future we can recoup some of the tax dollars we are losing. I am in favor of the use, just want us to be a part of the upside especially if the city in the future becomes a tenant. He wants to cancel the windfall value of the citys improvements to a developer by making sure they are paid for over time, and not just by taxes on the resulting new businesses. Domb added that he would like our city to try and recoup our loss. And, given recent investment in University City a couple stops back down the El, he predicted, this property in the next 10 years might increase in value. Thats quite a timeline. This property has already been depressed for 35 years. City agencies, offered the space, have shown little interest. Nor did the historically black Lincoln and Cheyney Universities and other nonprofits when they had the opportunity in the years after Provident Mutual left. Is it the citys job to maximize profits from (and in competition with) private real estate interests? Or to bank properties for decades, until they reach target valuations, even when there are ready buyers at todays prices? The people who run the city/Chamber of Commerce public-property consortium, the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp., are clearly comfortable with the long-term view. Of course, PIDCs mission and councilmanic prerogative have coincided with a long, slow period for for-profit employment growth, and rising poverty, in Philadelphia, compared to other big U.S. cities. So while Kenneys critics have put off his deal, at least for now, the basic question hasnt changed: Who wants this white elephant? Is there anyone willing to pay what the city spent on improvements? And if not, how long should we wait around trying to regain spent money what economists call sunk costs, which they warn we should never expect to recover? This property is not worth what the city spent or wasted; it is only worth what a buyer is willing to pay. Meanwhile, the city has to secure, insure, and maintain the property while awaiting a buyer. And forego wage, business, and property tax gains that could have accrued under a faster sale to a ready developer. If Domb can find a buyer soon at $100 million, Ill call him a public-property hero for driving a harder bargain and seeing the market clearly. If it turns out real estate demand really is slowing and there are no better offers in sight, and the city ends up sitting on the property for long years more, we may end up wishing the city just took that $10 million in 2018. Going to the movies on Christmas for some families is as much of a tradition as exchanging gifts or avoiding fruitcake. Studios are aware and release a glut of movies around the Christmas season. So what should you go see with the family? Heres whats in theaters. Vice Malverns Adam McKay turns his lens to the former vice president Dick Cheney, played by Christian Bale, whose impersonation here is impressive. The movie is covering ground thats been covered and covered, offering little that is revelatory. Its an end-zone dance on the legacy of a vice president who left office with a ruined economy, a blood-soaked Iraq, and a 13 percent approval rating, and though Bales shtick is very good, it doesnt improve our understanding of the famously opaque Cheney. >> READ MORE: Wacky Vice takes the shotgun approach to its biography of Dick Cheney Holmes and Watson Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly reunite and go head to head on opening day with their former collaborator Adam McKay, whose Vice also opens. This time, the duo arent driving NASCAR, but going back to 19th century England. Ferrell plays Sherlock, while Reilly takes on the good Doc Watson as they investigate a threat against the Queen. The movie didnt screen for critics, which makes us weary of its quality, but if its like other Ferrell pictures, you pretty much know what youre in for. Lets just hope this one is more Talladega Nights than Get Hard. If Beale Street Could Talk Oscar winner Barry Jenkins adapts James Baldwins novel of a couple torn apart by racism redlining separates Tish (Kiki Layne) and Fonny (Stephan James) from the loft they want, disrupting Fonnys own grand plan to be a sculptor. He then makes an antagonist of a hateful cop who arrests him on a rape charge, as flimsy as it is hard to dislodge. >> READ MORE: If Beale Street Could Talk, dreams deferred by racism, but not abandoned On the Basis of Sex Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg gets her second film of the year after the doc RBG. This one is a feature, focusing in on her arguments in Moritz v. IRS, in which she basically kicked out the pillars that supported gender discrimination. Felicity Jones plays Ginsburg, while her husband is played by Armie Hammer. >> READ MORE: Ruth Bader Ginsburg turns into a movie heroine in 'On The Basis of Sex Mary Poppins Returns Very stylish continuation of the P.L. Travers story, with Emily Blunt in the title role, coming back to take care of the Banks children (Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer) now grown, and in danger of losing their family home. Professional throughout songs, choreography, special effects but missing some of the magic of the original. With Lin-Manuel Miranda. >> READ MORE: Mary Poppins Returns in style, but some of the magic is missing Welcome to Marwen After hes nearly beaten to death, an artist (Steve Carell) starts to heal by building a miniature WWII Belgian town, using toy figures to create stories that help him understand his assault. Director Robert Zemeckis creates fantasy sequences to bring those narratives alive. Erratic, ambitious film, based on the true story of Mark Hogancamp, actually works best in live-action scene featuring plain old acting. Costarring Merritt Wever, Leslie Mann, Janelle Monae. >> READ MORE: Art imitates strife in the ambitious Welcome to Marwen >> READ MORE: Back to the Future helped Steve Carell and Robert Zemeckis find their way to the miniature worlds of their new film Welcome to Marwen Aquaman Aquaman (Jason Momoa) reluctantly returns to Atlantis to battle his half brother (Patrick Wilson) for control of the kingdom. A bright, wacky, wise-cracky change of pace from the usual D.C. Universe mope-fest, and Momoa brings some levity to the proceedings, but the movie is way to long, and over-reliant on animated effects. With Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Nicole Kidman. >> READ MORE: Aquaman drowns a game Jason Momoa in a waterlogged saga >> READ MORE: Jason Momoa, Aquaman and longtime Flyers fan, talks about a career thats going swimmingly. Ben is Back As a mother (Julia Roberts) prepares for the Christmas holiday, her addicted son (Lucas Hedges) returns unexpectedly from a stint in drug rehab. Events transpire to shatter the familys peace, leading mother and son on a dangerous trip during which both are forced to confront aspects of the young mans past. Movie can be manipulative, but its well-acted throughout. With Courtney B. Vance, >> READ MORE: An addicted son makes a dangerous journey into his past in Ben is Back >> READ MORE: Peter Hedges, director of Ben is Back, on helping his actor son Lucas by not helping Second Act Jennifer Lopez stars in the type of movie she used to topline annually but now feels almost like a throwback in the current movie climate. Lopez plays Maya, who, by no fault of her own, catfishes her way into a high paying consulting gig. Leah Remini takes on best friend duties, while Milo Ventimiglia is her studly boyfriend. In If Beale Street Could Talk, a young Harlem couple in love gets caught in a spring rain under an umbrella the camera seems to lift along with their spirits and follows them as they retreat through the warm colors of the city until they turn a corner into the future. A classic big-screen romantic gesture. Weve seen it an any number of Woody Allen or Nora Ephron movies about New York, and more recently in Brooklyn Saoirse Ronan and Emory Cohen, hand in hand on a busy boulevard, and as he describes his grand plans, you believe theyll find a place in a growing and hopeful America. In Barry Jenkins' 1970s-set film, however, the image has a different meaning. It suggests a future the couple should have but wont. Racism intervenes redlining separates Tish (KiKi Layne) and Fonny (Stephan James) from the loft they want, disrupting Fonnys own grand plan to be a sculptor. He then makes an antagonist of a hateful cop who arrests him on a rape charge, as flimsy as it is hard to dislodge. What should be a blessing Tish is pregnant now becomes another source of stress. Fonny s folks do not approve of her, and there is a tumultuous early scene of the two families gathered for a would-be celebration that turns into a bitter exchange, complete with religious denouncement of the unwed couple. Director Jenkins, Oscar winner for Moonlight, adapting (and ultimately softening) the novel by James Baldwin, comes at us with a rush of narrative information, making a quick sketch of the severe obstacles the young couple faces. He also foreshadows the movies grim second half with an unsettling scene of Tish and Fonny sitting down to dinner with a friend (Brian Tyree Henry) just out of prison, who is pleasant and engaging company until he suddenly opens up about the immense psychic damage of being incarcerated a small, vivid supporting turn. Its not long before Tish is visiting Fonny behind bars, and seeing the same haunted look in his eyes that she saw in his broken friend. Hes losing hope, a deficit that is taken up by the rest of her family. Kikis dad (Colman Domingo) starts working garment district hustles to raise money for his defense (Finn Wittrock is the lawyer who must jeopardize his own career standing to pursue the case). Her mother, played by Regina King, becomes a one-person detective agency. She goes all the way to Puerto Rico to search out Fonnys accuser. Jenkins, borrowing the novels template, has structural story issues to deal with here. What starts as a romance becomes scattered in a half dozen narrative directions. The moments that stand out are isolated and almost random scenes featuring Henry, King, Domingo, and Michael Beach as Fonnys dad. This comes at the expense of our investment in the two leads, separated by circumstance and by the way the story unfolds. Jenkins himself seems to sense this, and he closes the movie with an affecting reunion scene of his own invention, reminding us of what Tish and Fonny had, and of what they might have yet. MOVIES If Beale Street Could Talk Directed by Barry Jenkins. With Stephan James, KiKi Layne, Regina King, Brian Tyree Henry, Colman Domingo, Michael Beach, and Finn Wittrock. Distributed by Annapurna. Running time: 1 hour, 57 mins. Parents guide: R (language) Playing at: Ritz East, Bryn Mawr Film Institute Realty moves fail to cheer investors From:ChinaDaily | 2018-12-22 10:03 News that some local governments have eased restrictions on housing sales hit the headlines this week, but the move received a lukewarm response from A-share investors. The sub-index tracking the nation's property sector lead the slump in A shares on Friday, extending this week's loss to 4.31 percent, according to financial information provider Wind Info. The relaxation of property sales restrictions in Guangzhou, Guangdong province and Heze, Shandong province this week did not improve investor sentiment, as there has been no news of major changes to the central government's policy stance, analysts said. Guangzhou, a first-tier city and capital of Guangdong, now allows local individuals to buy new commercial apartments and commercial stores that previously could only be sold to incorporated companies. The change came into effect on Thursday. Those new commercial apartments and stores can be traded in the local real estate markets after the individuals have owned them for more than two years, according to a document released by the Guangzhou Housing and Urban-Rural Construction Committee late on Wednesday. In March of 2017, the committee issued a notice banning local individuals from buying newly built commercial apartments and stores in the city to curb real estate speculation. But, the ban saw a citywide slump in sales of new commercial apartments and stores, with sales volumes falling sharply. Only 19,447 new commercial apartments changed hands in 2017, a year-on-year reduction of 43 percent, according to official data. Deng Haozhi, a local property analyst, said the previous ban was too strict and is no longer in line with developments in the real estate market. "The relaxation of the sales ban will be very good news for the property market and will spur sales of Guangzhou's new commercial apartments and stores, revitalizing a large number of commercial apartment projects that meet the relaxation requirements in the coming months," Deng told local media. Dick Li, general manager of the research and development department at Guangdong Centaline Property Agency Ltd, said property sales, particularly for commercial and service properties, will rise in the near future. "Rising prices for high-quality commercial flats and stores in busy areas cannot be ruled out," he told China Daily. But Li added that the conditions are not right for many properties in Guangzhou to see price increases, as many local developers are prioritizing destocking, driving a rise in supply. According to official data, Guangzhou had an inventory of 28,136 commercial apartments and construction floor space of more than 1.6 million squares meters at the end of last month, up 47.17 percent year-on-year. Guangzhou is the second city in the mainland to relax its home sales curbs, after Heze in East China's Shandong. Heze's local government announced on Tuesday it had canceled the residential property resale ban that was introduced last year, in order to promote the healthy and stable development of the local real estate market. According to the previous rule, local residents could only resell their property after two years, while a limit of three years was imposed on non-local purchasers. But, "the eased restrictions in these two cities do not show a significant, nationwide policy change," said a property stock analyst who declined to be named. "During the current market downturn, investors will not jump at such a blurry signal of policy changes. Investors are still waiting to hear top regulators' policy stances," he added. Ou Mijia contributed to this story. Americans celebrate Independence Day in the summer heat, but key battles that led to freedom from Great Britain were fought in central New Jersey in winters chill. Victories over the British at Trenton, Assunpink Creek, and Princeton between Dec. 25, 1776, and Jan. 3, 1777, proved crucial in restoring American morale after setbacks in the American Revolution. The success of the military campaign will be commemorated during Patriots Week from Dec. 26-31. Patriots Week is, at its core, about a wildly significant yet under-celebrated day in American history the Battle of Trenton, says Lauren Ronaghan, program coordinator for the citys Old Barracks Museum. However, it has expanded to really just celebrate so many different aspects of the histories of Trenton and the American Revolution. Although based in Trenton, more than 70 events also will be held in other parts of Mercer County, as well as Burlington and Bucks Counties. Highlights include the Trenton Battlefield Walking Tour, 102 S. Warren St., on Dec. 26 and 28 at 10 a.m.; re-enactments of the Battles of Trenton (11 a.m. at the Battle Monument down Warren Street to Mill Hill Park) and Assunpink Creek (3 p.m. at Mill Hill Park, 165 E. Front St.) in Trenton on Dec. 29; and a real-time tour of the Battle of Princeton (500 Mercer St., Princeton) from 7-10 a.m. on Dec. 30. Social events in Trenton include a Revolutionary Pub Crawl (Checkers at 14 S. Warren St.) at 6 p.m. on Dec. 26 and a Colonial Ball (Historic Trenton Masonic Temple, 100 Barrack St.) from 7-10 p.m. on Dec. 28. A paid bus tour that visits all three battle sites and starts at Washington Crossing Historic Park will be held on Dec. 26 and 31 at 9 a.m. and feature author Larry Kidder (Crossroads of the Revolution: Trenton 1774-1783) and historian Roger S. Williams as guides. A trustee of the Princeton Battlefield Society, Williams says the Princeton victory built upon the earlier successes of the American forces. There were two campaigns The Trenton Campaign Dec. 25 to Dec. 27, and the Princeton Campaign Dec. 28, 1776 to Jan. 3, 1777. Assunpink was part of the Princeton Campaign, says Williams, a Lawrence Township resident. Collectively they are referred to as the Ten Crucial Days. And collectively they are of equal import, he notes. Without one victory, Washington would not have had the other two, had he lost any of the three battles, his continued leadership would have been questioned. Military historians will tell you that the Ten Crucial Days changed history, Williams says. Every American should come see, and understand how a nation was launched on Quaker land just one mile south of Nassau Hall. While the battles are a primary focus, Patriots Week has diversified to examine different facets of the Revolution, according to Ronaghan. There are talks on the lives of Hessian and British soldiers so that people can better understand that the enemies were also people, she notes, [while] programs on African American history challenge the notion that history is of and for wealthy white men. Other programs include Songs of the Revolutionary Era by Liberty Tree at the Bordentown Branch Library, 18 E. Union St., Bordentown, at 2 p.m. on Dec. 27, and a one-man show featuring actor David Henson as George Washington at the library the same day at 6:30 p.m. Patriots Week has provided a boost for New Jerseys capital city. Its helped to increase Trentons visibility, says Tom Gilmour, president of the Trenton Downtown Association. The events have drawn about 7,000 visitors to the city plus battle re-enactors from outside the region and added about $250,000 to the local economy, according to Gilmour. Its a really good time to hold Patriots Week, Ronaghan says of the years final days. Children are off from school and many people are off from work. Visitors have shown an independent spirit when facing adverse weather, she adds. About 500 people attended the Battle of Trenton re-enactment in 2017 despite temperatures below 20 degrees and snow covering the ground. Weve never had to cancel anything because of the weather, Ronaghan says. For a complete list of Patriots Week events, visit http://www.destinationtrenton.com/ Donna Matthews, Yullio Robbins, Kirsten Robertson, and Angela Parrish (left to right) hold fliers with their sons' pictures on them. All four sons' murderers have not been found and the group crossed paths when hanging fliers in Germantown on Saturday. Read more A few times I had to consult a calendar while writing this end-of-the-year column. Was it really only March when I walked into Parkway Center City Middle College to witness students claiming their space in a gun-violence debate that so routinely cuts them out? Was the Fill the Steps Against Gun Violence gathering at the Art Museum really just six months ago? Have dog years given way to Trump years, because how else could the amoral administration have packed so much insanity and ignorance and just plain cruelty into one year? So much. So, so much. As BuzzFeed writer Scaachi Koul wrote recently in her own end-of-year article: "The trick of a truly exhausting year is that it makes you forget all other years, along with the big moments that almost broke you and even the little ones that arrived to slowly chip away at whatever resolve you had left. Exactly. Weve all had our share of both, havent we? Universal and personal moments that brought us to our knees. Losing my dog in October crushed me. The unending drip of sexism and racism and erasure that women (especially of color, especially of a certain age yes, thats in bold on purpose) battle Every ... Damn ... Day ... in this world, and in journalism, chips away at the resolve it takes to force change. Its infuriating. Exhausting. More than a few times this year, I got tired, just straight-up tired of the fight(s). But then, whats the alternative? Surrender? Look to the heroes who cant afford to go numb. If any words stuck with me the most in 2018, its those, spoken by NPRs Elise Hu at a journalism conference for women I attended this year. And so thats what I tried to do, and what I will continue to do in 2019: Look for heroes and keep them close, starting with those Parkway students and their teacher, Maureen Boland, who not only helped ignite their passion but has also kept it going by supporting their ongoing efforts -- including a new social justice club at the school. And the families of homicide victims who fight every day not to be dismissed by a criminal reform movement that still fails to balance much-needed change with basic respect and compassion for families broken by the loss of a loved one. Looking back, I documented a lot of tragedy in this years columns. But also, grace during some of the darkest moments of peoples lives. A young father shot and paralyzed while protecting children during a robbery. A man, who while still lying in a hospital bed with all kinds of bags and tubes sticking out of his body, spoke of forgiveness for the people who shot him. And when it felt as though their dignity might be overshadowed by the daily dehumanization that passes for democracy these days, I went looking for more ways to meet them, while they kept vigil at their ailing childrens bedsides, on a traffic median as they crowdsourced for a mentoring program for neighborhood kids, at a pop-up newsroom where immigrant families talked to me about the stories they wished more people knew about them, and their children. Stories of love and sacrifice. Look out for more of these local road trips next year. The next one will be Jan. 4 at Edison High School, where Carmen Pagan, a mother who has taken to the streets to save her son, has planned an outreach event in memory of her brother, killed by gunshots a police officer called an ordinary occurrence during the trial of the man who killed him. Pagan is actually one of the lucky ones, or as lucky as any of the families of murder victims can be in a city where most homicides go unsolved. Her family got some justice. Mykia Capers, whom I wrote about in March, is hopefully on her way to getting some in the 2016 death of her son that left the corrections officer searching the faces of the prisoners in her charge and wondering if his killer, or people who knew his killer, walked among them. Two men were recently arrested. Its not nearly over, a trial awaits, but its more than many others have gotten. Like Yullio Robbins, a mom who has relentlessly sought justice in the slaying of her 28-year-old son, executed in 2016 on a Germantown street in the middle of the day by someone who pumped 12 bullets into him as he begged for his life. A few days before Christmas, she and others took to the streets again, to try to rattle the conscience of a city. Heroes, all of them. FILE - In this Feb. 24, 2010 file photo, Saudi Prince Talal bin Abdelaziz, left, receives Queen Rania of Jordan during the opening ceremony of the Arab Open University, Jordan branch, in Amman, Jordan. Abdulaziz, a senior member of the royal family who supported women's rights and once led a group of dissident princes, has died at the age of 87. Prince Talal was an older brother to King Salman and the father of businessman Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. The royal court said prayers for Prince Talal, who died on Saturday, will be held in Riyadh on Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018. (AP Photo/Nader Daoud, File) Read more RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) Prayers were held Sunday for Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz, a senior member of the royal family who supported women's rights and once led a group of dissident princes, who died at the age of 87. Prince Talal was an older brother to King Salman and the father of businessman Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. He is the son of the founder and first ruler of modern Saudi Arabia, the late King Abdulaziz, whose sons have ruled since his death, with the throne passing from brother to brother. Prince Talal's son Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal announced on Twitter that his father passed away on Saturday. The royal court also released a statement about his passing. Prince Talal served as minister of communications in the 1950s and minister of finance in the early 1960s. In 1957, Prince Talal founded the first school for girls in Riyadh, according to the Saudi newspaper Arab News. The school was founded at a time when females had no access to formal education in the landlocked capital and schools were open to boys only. Soon after he was appointed finance minister, he struck out and led a group of princes who called for a constitutional monarchy that distributes some of the king's powers. The royals, who became known as the Free Princes Movement, called for a constitution to govern the kingdom, rather than rules based solely on clerical interpretation of the Quran and other religious doctrine. Prince Talal led the group from Beirut and Cairo, which under then Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser was an adversary of Riyadh. The prince's assets were seized by Riyadh, but he was not stripped of his nationality a punishment Gulf monarchies have employed against dissidents. After rifts emerged between Prince Talal and Cairo, he was allowed to return to Saudi Arabia in 1964 under King Faisal, who had deposed his brother King Saud that same year. Prince Talal served until 2011 as a member of the Allegiance Council, a body of senior princes who are meant to meet and choose the next king from among themselves. He'd reportedly left the council after questioning its efficacy when a senior prince was appointed to the line of succession without the council being fully consulted. ___ This story has been corrected; Prince Talal was never stripped of his nationality, and his passport was never seized. This photo released on the Facebook page of the Military Council of Manbij City, shows U.S. troops based around the Syrian town of Manbij speaking with residents, in northern Syria, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018. (The Military Council of Manbij City via AP) Read more BEIRUT (AP) Turkey is massing troops near a town in northern Syria held by a U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led force, a war monitor said as Turkish media reported Sunday new reinforcements crossing the borders. The Turkish buildup comes even though Turkey said it would delay a promised offensive in eastern Syria in the wake of President Donald Trump's decision this week to withdraw U.S. troops. Trump tweeted on Sunday that he had a "long and productive" call with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan in which they discussed "the slow & highly coordinated" pullout of U.S. troops from the area. This is the two leaders' second phone conversation in 10 days. U.S. military officials are scrambling to come up with a schedule for the withdrawal of an estimated 2,000 troops. A statement from the Turkish presidency said the two leaders agreed to coordinate militarily and diplomatically to ensure the U.S. pullout from Syria does not lead to an "authority vacuum." Trump's decision, announced last week after a call with Erdogan, surprised his allies and own experts, sparking the resignation of two of his top aides. He had asked for an immediate withdrawal, but experts convinced him that they needed time to work out a timetable. The Turkish IHA news agency reported that a convoy of Turkish troops a commando unit had been sent into Syria overnight. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the reinforcements were sent to the front line with Manbij, where U.S. troops have been based. The Observatory said 50 vehicles crossed into Syria carrying troops and equipment. A Turkish military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with government protocol, said the military reinforcements were dispatched to the areas administered by Turkey in northern Syria, without elaborating. The spokesman for the Kurdish-led Manbij Military Council, Sharfan Darwish, said Turkish reinforcements have arrived in the area. "We are taking necessary measures to defend ourselves if we are attacked," he said without elaborating. U.S. troops based around Manbij patrolled the town and surrounding area on Sunday and were photographed speaking with the residents. Turkey has welcomed Trump's decision. Ankara views the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces as an extension of the insurgency within its borders. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to dislodge the Kurdish fighters from along its border with Syria. The U.S. has since 2014 partnered with the Syrian Kurdish militia to drive out the Islamic State group, a partnership that soured relations between Ankara and Washington. Allaying some of Turkey's fears was a deal reached in June over Manbij. According to the deal, the Kurdish militia would withdraw from Manbij and U.S. and Turkish troops would patrol the area as a new administration for the mixed Arab-Kurdish town is elected. But Ankara says the U.S. and the Kurds didn't live up to their end of the deal and that it would start an offensive in eastern Syria to drive out the militia. Turkey already has troops in northwestern Syria and has backed Syrian fighters there to clear towns and villages of IS militants and Kurdish fighters. After Trump's decision, Erdogan said he would delay the eastern Syria offensive and would work on plans to clear out IS from the region. A spokesman for the Turkey-backed Syrian opposition fighting group said the continued Turkish and allied forces buildup is to prevent Syrian government troops from taking advantage of the tension in the area to seize territory. Youssef Hammoud, spokesman for the Syrian opposition fighters, accused the Kurdish militia of reaching out to the Syrian government to replace U.S. troops if they withdraw. Darwish dismissed the claims as "untrue," calling them "old accusations" from the rival Syrian groups. Also Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron said he "deeply regrets" Trump's decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria and warned it could have dangerous consequences. Macron showered praise on U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who quit in the wake of Trump's unexpected move. "An ally should be reliable, coordinate with other allies. Mattis understood this," Macron said during a trip to Chad. Macron said that the troop withdrawal endangers Kurdish fighters, who were instrumental in the U.S-led coalition's fight against IS militants. "We should not forget ... what we owe to those who died on the ground fighting terrorism," he said, referring to the SDF. "The SDF is fighting against the terrorism that fomented attacks against Paris and elsewhere ... I call on everyone not to forget what they have done." Macron did not say what France's military will do next in Syria. Kurdish officials met with a French presidential adviser Friday, and one asked France to play a larger role in Syria following the American withdrawal. ________ Bilginsoy reported from Istanbul. Associated Press writer Angela Charlton in Paris contributed to this report. 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. Stock image of police lights (not from the scene). (Viorel Margineanu/Dreamstime/TNS) Read more Two Wilmington teens died in a Christmas Eve crash when their car careened into a utility pole in Ridley Township, authorities said Monday. The driver, Alexander Gray, 19, and passenger Christian Bauerle, 18, were pronounced dead at the scene on MacDade Boulevard in the Folsom section of the township, police said. Bauerle died a day before his birthday. Speed is suspected to be a factor, said Ridley Police Capt. Scott Willoughby. Authorities estimated Gray was driving 60 to 70 mph. The speed limit in the area is 35 mph. Churchgoer Nanik Oei prays during a service at the St. Thomas Aquinas Church in South Philly Read more When the doorbell rang at Nanik Oeis home at 8 a.m. on a Saturday morning, she grabbed her coat and rushed downstairs. Waiting for her outside, like an early Christmas gift, were 400 pounds of chicken and beef. Exactly what she wanted. Oei, 49, hauled the meat inside her New Castle, Del., home and began the day-long process of slicing chunks, marinating beef, seasoning chicken, and skewering them onto sticks. She was preparing satay, a traditional Indonesian dish, to sell at church the next day. St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Community in South Philadelphia was in desperate need of $40,000 to buy a new heating system. The boiler, which had kept parishioners warm for nearly 20 years, sputtered its last breath in November, just as winters chill began to grip the city. Since then, the church has been warmed by two diesel-fueled machines that pump hot air in through ducts fed into the windows. But with vaulted ceilings and a vast interior that can seat 800, its a balky process. Congregants often bundle up in overcoats, mittens, and hats to sit through services in a 50- or 60-degree cathedral. Theyre encouraged to bring blankets that can later be donated to the homeless. The diesel in the machines lasts only 13 hours at a time, forcing church leaders to rearrange the times of six services each weekend to fit in between fuel deliveries. Yet the cold hasnt dampened attendance. The church holds services in English, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Spanish a treasure for many immigrants. For the past 24 years, Oei has driven 45 minutes every Sunday for the privilege of a Mass in my own language. When she heard the church couldnt afford a new boiler, Oei stepped in, calling on her childhood comfort food for inspiration. The fund-raiser was built on her past, for the community that in the present she calls her family. Other parishioners undertook similar endeavors. Mexican members sold homemade tamales in the parking lot. English-speaking members held a bake sale and plan a spaghetti dinner for January. Vietnamese members collected donations from family and friends. Many congregants work modest-paying jobs in construction, restaurants, and nail salons, Msgr. Hugh J. Shields said. Often, theyre donating their tips from the day. A lot of this has been sacrifices that are below the radar, Shields said. Not big amounts of money but really generous spirits. Growing up, Oei saw street vendors in Indonesia prepare satay daily. But it wasnt until she arrived in the United States in 1987 that she learned to make it herself. On the first Saturday this December, she put those skills in action, cutting pound after pound of meat until her arms were sore. Other parishioners from the churchs Indonesian community stopped by in shifts to help her prepare 3,200 sticks. Its amazing how people wanted to be part of this, Oei said. The next morning, as rain fell, parishioners gathered to grill the skewers in a tent outside the church. Oei had it down to a science: One person could grill 160 skewers per hour. With six grills, that meant nearly 1,000 skewers each hour just enough time to have one batch ready after each of the three Sunday masses. The wafting aroma brought nearby residents to the tent, too. In two weekends, the group raised $13,000. Along with the other parishioners' fund-raising efforts over the last month, the church has nearly met its fund-raising goal $34,000 for a new boiler and $6,000 for the temporary heating system theyve been renting. (The rent is borrowed from church funds meant to buy such items as new prayer books.) The initial shock of the amount we needed was overwhelming, said Barbara Inforzato, a South Philly resident who has been attending the church for 70 years. But the generosity of the people here is not a surprise. Originally home to an Irish and Italian community, St. Thomas Aquinas church has welcomed large Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Mexican communities over the years. A balcony at the back of the church holds a rainbow of flags representing 15 different home nations of congregants. Parishioners are offered English classes and free legal services. Its a place that gives people hope, Shields said. The church is even associated with one of the citys most famous underdogs: Rocky Balboa. St. Thomas Aquinas is the site Rocky visits for a blessing before his rematch against Apollo Creed. Parishioners carry that same fighting spirit, Shields said. Were a poor parish. Were not supposed to be able to do this. Yet because of the fund-raising efforts, the church is set to receive a new boiler next month. As Shields put it, Its the power of people putting faith into action. Ronda Goldfein and Jose Benitez of Safehouse's board, pose at Prevention Point, the city's only needle exchange. Read more The international law firm DLA Piper has signed on to represent Safehouse the nonprofit organization attempting to launch a supervised-injection site in Philadelphia pro bono, the organization announced Monday. The nonprofits leaders say the move gives Safehouse some added clout in the legal fight for a supervised-injection site, where people with addiction can use drugs under medical supervision, be revived if they overdose, and access addiction treatment and other social services. If opened, it could become the first supervised-injection site in the country. Although Philadelphias mayor and district attorney support the opening of a privately funded supervised-injection site, federal authorities have threatened legal action civil or criminal if a site is opened in Philadelphia. In an interview with the Inquirer and Daily News earlier this year, U.S. Attorney William McSwain called the idea fundamentally illegal. DLA Pipers decision to represent Safehouse demonstrates theres an ever-increasing group of lawyers who respectfully disagree with the U.S. Attorneys position, said Ronda Goldfein, the vice president and secretary of Safehouses board and the executive director of the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania. Ilana Eisenstein and Courtney Saleski, both partners at DLA Pipers Philadelphia office, will be joining the nonprofits legal team, along with nearly a dozen other lawyers from the AIDS Law Project, partners at local law firms, and a constitutional law professor from the University of Pennsylvania. Previously, Saleski worked as a U.S. Supreme Court clerk for then-Chief Justice William Rehnquist. And Eisenstein, a former federal prosecutor who ran Delawares organized crime and drug enforcement task force, and has argued five times in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, said she reached out to Safehouse after reading news coverage of the effort. I just think we are in the middle of a crisis here in Philadelphia, she said. We dont think that the federal drug laws prohibit people of conscience, medical professionals, from providing emergency resuscitation and medical care for people in the depths of addiction to be provided with life-saving care and clean facilities." Charging Safehouses operators with violating federal law, she said, would be an unprecedented use of the federal drug statutes." DLA Piper, which has offices in 40 countries, is also representing the pharmaceutical giant Purdue Pharma in a case brought by New Jerseys attorney general over its marketing of the opioid pain pill Oxycontin, widely considered to have driven the opioid crisis. Eisenstein said she couldnt comment on the firms other client relationships but added that I dont think that myself or the firm sees those positions as in conflict. Supervised-injection sites have operated in Europe and Canada for decades, and a city-commissioned study of the available research on the sites concluded that one site in Philadelphia could save 25 to 75 lives per year and millions of dollars in hospital costs and public funds, while reducing the public injection of drugs. Though several other U.S. cities have announced plans to open supervised-injection sites, those plans have stalled in the past year; Philadelphia may well become the first American city to open a site. January will mark a year since city officials announced they would sanction the opening of a privately funded site, calling the opioid crisis in Philadelphia an epidemic of historic proportions." In 2017, there were 1,217 overdose deaths; an estimated 1,100 died of overdoses in 2018 an encouraging drop, health officials said, but still one of the worst death rates in the country. Safehouse was incorporated in October, with Jose Benitez, the executive director of the citys only needle exchange; former Gov. Ed Rendell; and Goldfein, who is married to Inquirer and Daily News editor David Lee Preston, on the board of directors. At the end of Adam McKays Anchorman, we were informed that Steve Carells lunkhead weatherman would eventually end up in the Bush White House. McKay makes good on that prophecy in Vice, casting Carell as Donald Rumsfeld, who served as secretary of defense to President George W. Bush (Sam Rockwell), but who years earlier also served as mentor to an ambitious and wily young politician named Dick Cheney, played by Christian Bale, whose impersonation here is impressive. The movie positions the Cheney-Rumsfeld relationship as an important one its Rumsfeld who shows Cheney that Washington is a place of ruthless careerists, a zero-sum political Thunderdome where winners displace losers and policy takes a backseat to power. Don, what do we stand for? asks Cheney. Rumsfeld laughs, as though the question were irrelevant. Is Cheney just as cynical? Vice struggles to provide a consistent answer. On one hand, it shows Cheney taking Rumsfelds lessons to heart maneuvering shrewdly through presidential administrations, congressional posts, lucrative private sector work, and finally the vice presidency (after demanding, were told, extraordinary power-sharing concessions from George W.). Hes seen cackling with Supreme Court Justice Anton Scalia (Sam Massaro) over the prospect of unlimited executive power. Hes also pushed along by wife Lynne (Amy Adams), who spots Cheneys potential as well as his potential flaws (there is an early DUI arrest), and who gets him to clean up his act before becoming his most capable adviser as he rises through ranks. Cheney is very much the Machiavellian prince here, motivated by personal gain. Initially, hes supportive of his gay daughter (Allison Pill), but (says the film) he wavers when political expediency is required. Yet after 9/11, were shown hes also a man very much guided by ideology the so-called one-percent doctrine that has the U.S. acting preemptively and often recklessly to fight the asymmetrical war on terror. Vice positions Cheney as the driving force behind the invasion of Iraq and enhanced interrogation. And if the Iraq War also fattens the balance sheet of his former private sector employer, oil services company Halliburton, well, thats a policy goal as well. The movie has a hard time drawing a bead on Cheney, and so takes the same shotgun approach that Cheney took while bird hunting with pals pellets go in all directions, and the movie is full of gonzo comic flourishes, casting stunts, and cameos (Tyler Perry as Colin Powell). Visual metaphors suggest Cheney plays George W. like a trout, he and Lynne lapse into Shakespearean pentameter, and Jesse Plemons is a mystery narrator who speaks to us through the fourth wall. McKay did the same sort of thing in The Big Short, but the tactics had a utilitarian purpose to colorfully explain the poorly understood Wall Street investments that did so much damage to our economy. (McKay doesnt mention it, but if Cheney had applied his one-percent doctrine to Wall Street regulation, we could have avoided a good deal of foreclosure and unemployment.) Vice feels different. Its covering ground thats been covered and covered, offering little that is revelatory. Its an end-zone dance on the legacy of a vice president who left office with a ruined economy, a blood-soaked Iraq, and a 13 percent approval rating, and though Bales shtick is very good, it doesnt improve our understanding of the famously opaque Cheney. A more nuanced Bale portrait of a man enamored of secrecy, strong-arming, militarism, and vigilante impulses can be found in The Dark Knight. MOVIES Vice Directed by Adam McKay. With Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell, and Allison Pill. Distributed by Annapurna Pictures. Running time: 2 hours, 12 mins. Parents guide: R (language) Playing at: Area theaters Using only her first name, Crystal shows off the room she shares with others a local home in Playa de Tijuana. The temporary home was paid for and provided by RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services), an organization that should absorb some of the money from the now-dissolving Trump Foundation, the writer says. Read more New York Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood announced Tuesday that President Donald Trump and his family had agreed to dissolve his charitable foundation, which the state alleges served as a piggy bank for Trumps personal and campaign needs. Naturally, this prompted a slate of stories rehashing the juiciest allegations in the states lawsuit, which will move forward. A personal favorite: The foundation gave $7 to the Boy Scouts of America in 1989, which the Washington Posts David Fahrenthold observed matched the amount required to enroll a boy in the Scouts the year that (Trumps) son Donald Trump Jr. was 11. Underwood summarized the allegations this way: Our petition detailed a shocking pattern of illegality involving the Trump Foundation including unlawful coordination with the Trump presidential campaign, repeated and willful self-dealing, and much more. Ouch. Its worth noting, though, that Trump tried to shutter the foundation after the election, only to be held off by the attorney general. So in one respect, Tuesdays agreement simply gives Trump what hes been seeking for months. Naturally, there is an important twist. The foundation will have 30 days to submit a list of nonprofits that will collect the remaining balance $1.75 million, much of it contributed by folks outside the Trump family jointly with Underwoods office, with the attorney general having veto power. So, no more contributions to support the re-election of Republican officials while they are investigating Trump businesses. But where should the money go? Here are a few suggestions of groups that find themselves particularly in need at the moment: Groups responding to the humanitarian crisis on our southern border, such as Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services and Kids in Need of Defense. And while were at it, groups that support and sustain displaced people, such as the International Rescue Committee and Doctors Without Borders, now that the U.S. isnt so eager to take them. The Committee to Protect Journalists, in the name of Jamal Khashoggi. To offset the administrations attacks on the Affordable Care Acts provisions on contraception and preventive care, Planned Parenthood. Admittedly, that one would sting. And the California Republican Party, because Trump has proved to be incredibly hazardous to GOP candidates' health in the Golden State. OK, the party isnt really a charity. But it could really use the help. Jon Healey is deputy editorial page editor for the Los Angeles Times, for which he originally wrote this column. Translation competition draws spirited contestents From:ChinaDaily | 2018-12-23 19:33 It was a competition that drew thousands of hopefuls; a battle of minds and tongues, Shen Wendi reports. Interpreting may relate to a lucrative career, but it's also a skill that can bring out the purest of competitive instincts, as was illustrated by the finals of the 4th annual Chinese Translation and Publishing House All-China Young Interpreters Competition in Beijing last Sunday. Some 20,000 people from all over China had battled for glory for the past months. The number had been whittled down to a field of just 20, the youngest being 12 years old. In the first half of the final round, six of the 20 were singled out for their more mature linguistic skills, stronger psychological qualities and sharper minds. This half dozen fought it out for the top three accolades in a test of interpreting dialogue. For this challenge three special guests were asked to discuss a topic with the host, doing so in both English and Chinese. Two contestants were required to consecutively interpret as they took notes, each sitting behind the host and the guest. Ultimately Li Yichen of Chengdu, Zhong Zijia of Shanghai and Wang Congwen of Nanjing stood out. Although Li seems to have all the makings of a highly competent professional interpreter, she made it clear that it is not a career path she has set for herself. Rather, she is keen to do research in biochemical engineering. "I don't think being a contestant necessarily means being a professional interpreter," she said. "I think this platform offers us more possibilities, instead of putting limitations on us." Li, a grade two student from Chengdu Foreign Languages School, the first school in Sichuan province with foreign language teaching as its primary focus, said: "Training in translation and interpreting has hugely improved my linguistic skills and the ability to understand different cultures. More importantly, it makes me articulate, cool-headed and quick-minded. This will be a valuable asset for whatever career I choose to pursue." Murphy, Schumacher, distribute your C rations and ammo. A helicopter is inbound. Youre going to the Bob Hope show, bellowed my platoon sergeant, Staff Sgt. Joshua Carney, a lean, second-tour veteran we all admired. Thus began my Christmas Eve journey, December 1970. I was serving as an infantryman in the Americal Division in the mountains of I Corps, just a short helicopter ride from the Laos border, with my brothers, a resilient group hailing from all walks of life and the four corners of the United States. Most of us were 19- to 20-year-olds, draftees and enlistees with low draft numbers like me. I just had completed four months in triple-canopy jungle, with all the benefits of sleeping on the ground in the rain, including putrid smells, mud, hunger, and, yes, the North Vietnamese army. What we all had in common was that we wanted to be home for Christmas. But that would only be in our dreams. As our helicopter lifted from the jungle floor, I could see my buddies looking up as we sped off to the rear area. I felt a bit guilty leaving them behind, but I knew they were happy that somebody was going to spend the most important eve of the year in what we substituted for comfort, the rear. Upon landing at Hawk Hill base, I was given a new uniform, a hot shower (first one in a month), and good old Army hot chow. Then I was off to Da Nang with other GIs, all of us collected by helicopter, much like the Polar Express did for the children on their way to the North Pole. We made it to the show and it was just as I had watched for years on TV, except I was right there with Bob Hope, Ursula Andress, and thousands of exuberant GIs and Marines. After Hope ended with his signature song, Thanks for the Memory, we were back on our trucks speeding to base before nightfall. On arriving I asked if I could attend Christmas Eve Mass, a tradition in my Irish Catholic family. I served for years as an altar boy, dressed in my cassock and surplice with a starched collar and bow tie. I was in luck again. A Vietnamese priest was saying Mass in a small chapel. With 20 or so GIs cramped into the chapel and a sermon in a language I could not understand, it was not like being home for Christmas, but for an hour I was with my God. The war, the incessant anxiety, the physical exertion all melted away as we sang Silent Night. As I walked out into the yard, I looked up and saw a shooting star race across the heavens. What a sight for a homesick grunt. With no place to stay, a bunker that housed helicopter pilots answered our call for a place in the Inn. We slept on the wooden floor. Dawn came too soon and we returned to the jungle and our unit. Our Christmas Eve journey was but a memory. Within three months, Spec. Bob Schumacher and Staff Sgt. Carney were killed in action. I was on an Air Force Medevac plane back to the States and a six-month stay at Valley Forge Army Hospital. Whenever I hear the first carol of the Christmas season, my mind goes back to Vietnam. I thank God for my blessed life and family and remember Carney, Schumacher, and the others who sacrificed all. I say a prayer for peace on Earth. Dennis Murphy lives in Wayne with his wife, Anne, where they raised three children. He is retired after a 40-year career in higher education. Healthy food lovers, rejoice! Pennsylvania's first Sprouts Farmers Market opened Wednesday at 1000 S. Broad St., inside a historic train shed at South Philadelphia's Lincoln Square. The grocery store chain, which got its start in Arizona in 2012, calls itself an outlet for those who want to eat clean and live healthy. Some might simply call it a more affordable Whole Foods. The Philly location sprawls across 32,000 square feet, so there's plenty to peruse, including many products likely to be unfamiliar. Interested in a product but hesitant to commit? Ask a Sprouts staffer for a taste. The sampling policy is encouraged as part of Sprouts' mission to inspire its customers to try new healthy foods. Highlighted below are a dozen items you don't want to miss. Take note: It's best to buy on a Wednesday, the day that store discounts double. On any given day, roughly a third of in-store items are on sale, but on Wednesdays, the specials from the previous week and the week ahead overlap. 1. Cheap produce Unlike most grocery stores, produce is situated smack in the middle of the store, taking center stage at Sprouts. But even before you step through the doors, you're likely to find bins of fruits and veggies displayed out front, currently including 88-cent cantaloupes. Inside, steals like 68-cent bell peppers and asparagus bunches for under $1.50 await, as do a wealth of both organic and novelty items, like jackfruit, baby purple potatoes, red tamarillo, and pepino melons. 2. Sausage from the in-house butcher When not custom-cutting meat, Sprouts' in-house butchers can be found whipping up a variety of daily-made sausage options, ranging from spicy chicken Parmesan to Cajun pork andouille to breakfast-style links. Find them on display between the hickory-smoked thick-sliced bacon and the 100 percent grass-fed rib-eye. 3. Nuts by the pound Sprouts' bulk section appears as if it's on steroids, with cashews, almonds, and other nuts in gigantic, whiskey-sized barrels. Beyond classic raw and roasted options, seasonings for almonds include Gochujang, Indian curry, sea salt and vinegar, and Thai coconut. The nearby trail-mix section offers sweeter options, too. 4. Loose leaf tea and draft kombucha As cold weather nears, the loose leaf tea section is sure to come in handy. Varieties including green strawberry, ginger peach, black currant, and passionberry tisane. Meanwhile, toward the front of the store, Sprouts offers several fizzy kombucha teas on tap. Current flavors are blueberry basil, raspberry goji rose, and tropical turmeric, stationed next to two different varieties of draft nitro coffee. 5. On-tap honey Based out of Monroeville, Fruitwood Orchards supplies Sprouts with tubs full of honey that you can stream into takeaway containers either brought from home or available at the store. Varieties currently include N.J. Wildflower and N.J. Blueberry, as well as an option for Light Organic Blue Agave, all of which range from $4.99 to $5.99 per pound. Right next to the sweet Jersey goodness, find extra virgin olive oil on tap, too. 6. Healthier ready-made and freezer meals Looking for convenience? Whole-wheat mac-and-cheese, sweet-potato shepherd's pie, and broccoli-cheese nuggets are stocked in the freezer aisle. In a refrigerated "Heat & Eat" section, find ready-made meals like grilled sockeye salmon with veggies, dandan noodles with chicken, and turkey, kale and quinoa meat loaf, most for under $8. 7. Vitamins, supplements, and protein powders Sprouts stocks around 7,500 products in its supplements section. It's a lot to take in, but team members are always available to assist and also climb the department's moving stepladder to locate any unreachable products. In this area, you'll also find all sorts of bone-broth products, an extensive selection of probiotics, and an entire section labeled "plant-based protein". 8. All-natural bath products Not surprisingly, Sprouts' selection of Dr. Bronner's Castile soap is mighty, as is the array of other natural, chemical-free soap options. Sprouts makes its own brand of bar soaps with fragrances like lavender vanilla and orange blossom, as well as a variety of other bath products available at competitive prices. You'll also find eco-friendly items like bamboo toothbrushes, as well as recognizable brands like Burt's Bees, which offers lip balm flavors ranging from coconut and pear to cucumber mint to pink grapefruit. 9. Sweet treats without artificial ingredients Not everything at Sprouts is "healthy." A wide array of treats are available, most free of artificial colors, artificial flavors, and preservatives. Find an entire section dedicated to taffy ($3.99 a pound), located right near the bulk area for gummies and other candies. (Be warned: This is destined to be a dangerous area if you've got kids in tow.) Unusual items like dark-chocolate-covered pumpkin seeds and banana chips invite you to at least think that you're delighting in something "healthy" come dessert. 10. Quality ice cream In the freezer aisle, find every flavor of Talenti gelato (peanut butter fudge, mint cookie crunch, vanilla blueberry crumble) imaginable, as well as organic ice cream made by smaller companies from across the country. Large tubs of extra creamy Tillamook ice cream come in flavors like double nutty peanut butter and Stumptown cold brew coffee, while a variety of dairy-free brands are available, too. 11. Vegan and gluten-free specialties Many supermarkets now offer vegan and gluten-free products, but Sprouts takes it up a level by having multiple options for nearly everything you could want. For instance, if you're seeking gluten-free brownie mix, you might want to make sure your phone is charged so you can research the available options because there's more than one. Vegan products abound, too, like coffee creamer in flavors like pecan caramel, stationed next to Califia Farm's Barista Blend Almondmilk, the kind most cafes use to whip up dairy-free lattes and other frothy espresso specialties. 12. Weird snacks Pretzels made from cauliflower and cassava? Check. Salted caramel chickpeas? Check. Baked carrot chips? Check. All of these items and more can certainly help to make snack time a little more interesting. Of course, standards like potato chips and popcorn are available at Sprouts, too, and you better believe you can get nearly all of them in organic versions. Bob Tuppers summer vacation in Bologna, Italy, was his best trip of the year. It included a visit to the famous markets in the Quadrilatero district, touring the oldest university in the Western world, and sampling beer at the Baladin brewpub near the city. Lots of beer. Tupper, who writes guidebooks with his wife, Elaine, says their visit to la Dotta was among their all-time favorite vacations. Bologna kept us fed, watered, and engaged. A record 88 million travelers ventured abroad last year, up 9 percent from 2016, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. Overall, Americans made 1.8 billion trips in 2017, according to the U.S. Travel Association. Thats a lot of travel some of it good, some of it bad. We can learn from all of it. I mention the Tuppers trip to Bologna because after hearing from hundreds of readers about their most and least favorite trips of the year, I think theyre in a class by themselves. I mean, sipping your way through Bologna and getting paid to do it? Is it too late to switch careers? Erin Zagursky says a short trip to Denver in June was the highlight of her year. "A friend of mine was going to see a favorite band of his at Red Rocks Amphitheater, and I had always wanted to go to a concert there, so I tagged along," says Zagursky, who works at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va. As the indie band Dispatch took the stage, rain started falling, which made the experience even more unforgettable. At that time of year, its unusual to experience a downpour at that time of day, she says. Everyone in the amphitheater was soaked, but the band played on. This trip reminded me that theres so much in America that I have still yet to see I dont necessarily need to travel to far-off destinations for long periods of time to have adventures, she told me. Interior decorator Amanda Blocks trip to her favorite destination of 2018 took even less time. It was just a four-hour drive from her home in Platte, S.D., to the Black Hills, where she went camping during the summer. Her family of five stayed in a campground with a view of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial. "We loved sleeping and hanging out in our canvas tent, nestled among the ponderosa pine trees, and starting the wood-burning stove at night to warm up," she says. Ive been to all of these places South Dakota and Colorado this year, and Bologna a few years ago. I agree they are life-changing, each in its own way. I loved seeing Colorados snow-capped Rocky Mountains from our rental house in Fort Collins and hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park. My heart still skips a beat when I look at the images I took in South Dakota, not just of the Black Hills, where we lived for a month, but of the Badlands, too. Then theres travels underside. I keep a "Ruined My Trip" folder containing readers worst travel experiences. A look at it shows that it doesnt take much to turn the trip of a lifetime into the ordeal of a lifetime. Kara Person comes to mind. She contacted me a few months ago after taking a cruise with her 7-month-old. When the crib arrived in my room, it didnt have a crib sheet on the mattress, says Person, a project manager from Willow Grove. Instead, it had an old, folded-up wool blanket. Despite repeated assurances that the cruise line would supply a sheet, her baby remained without one for the duration of the voyage. "I was unable to sleep properly because I worried about him possibly suffocating from the blanket," she says. "I felt it was not a safe sleep environment." Person sought a partial refund for the cruise and received a $25 credit. "It ruined my vacation," she says. Amanda Chius trip to Greece went south before she arrived in Athens. First, the airline delayed her flight for two hours without explanation, which made her miss a connecting flight to Athens. Then I got attacked by bed bugs on that same delayed flight, Chiu says. I was in immense pain; my leg was full of blisters. I had an allergic reaction, which then caused a secondary infection. I couldnt sit, I couldnt walk, and I had to go to the emergency room. Chiu, a student from West Hempstead, N.Y., spent the balance of her vacation suffering from the side effects of medication. "This ruined my trip," she told me. I have taken my fair share of trips that went sideways, too. This year, they included dealing with an eccentric Airbnb host who demanded we feed her cat and then told us that by renting her house in Colorado Springs, we had left her homeless. That experience made me a little more cautious about the sharing economy. Another host, in St. Louis, this time on VRBO, blindsided me when she withdrew an offer to rent to me over the summer. She said shed found a better offer. That made me even more cautious about the sharing economy. I wouldnt say either of these experiences ruined my trips, but they were learning opportunities. If nothing else, a review of readers best and worst trips of the year demonstrates that little things can make an outsize difference. Sometimes a lousy trip comes down to a missing sheet or a tiny insect. Good travel experiences crystallized in brief moments caught in a freak rainstorm in the Rockies, sampling beer in an Italian restaurant, or glimpsing the silhouette of Mount Rushmore after sunset -- are even harder to pin down. Its also the reason I write this column. The things that separate a good trip from a bad one may be small, even trivial, but they can mean everything to you. And to me. Christopher Elliott is a consumer advocate, journalist, and cofounder of the advocacy group Travelers United. Contact him at Elliott.org.